• August 2000 – Industry wins first appellate court decision with the upholding of the Oct. 1999 dismissal of Cincinnati’s lawsuit by the Ohio Court of Appeals.
• Sept. 2000 – Judge dismisses Chicago’s lawsuit.
• Dec. 2000 – Camden County’s lawsuit is dismissed as is the City of Philadelphia’s suit.
• Jan. 2001 – Industry suspends HUD suit. City of Gary’s suit ruled unconstitutional.
• Feb. 2001 – Miami-Dade’s suit is rejected by Florida Appellate Court.
• March 2001- City of Gary’s suit dismissed a second time.
• April 2001- City of New Orleans suit (the first-of-its- kind) was dismissed by the Louisiana Supreme Court.
• Aug. 2001 – ‘Hamilton Decision’ reversed by U.S. Court of Appeals.
• Oct. 2001 – CT Supreme Court upholds dismissal of City of Bridgeport’s suit and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to revive the City of New Orleans’ suit. Also, a U.S. Appeals court finds the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to keep and bear arms. To top the month off, the Florida Supreme Court rejects the Miami-Dade gun suit.
• Nov. 2001- A federal appeals court rejects the Camden County gun suit.
• February 2002 – The Georgia Court of Appeals dismisses the City of Atlanta’s suit.
• March 2002 – The City of Boston abandons its lawsuit.

A net income for the fourth fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2002 of $2.4 million, a 100% increase over the net income of $1.2 million for the third quarter, is reported by Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. The net income of $2.4 million was achieved on revenues of $23.8 million, an increase of 10% over the sales of $21.6 million achieved in the firm’s third quarter ended Jan. 31, 2002.

The company reported earnings of 11 cents per basic share outstanding and 8 cents per diluted share outstanding for the quarter ended April 30, 2002 versus earnings of 7 cents per basic share outstanding and 4 cents per diluted share outstanding for the third quarter.

EBITDA (Revenue minus Expenses, excluding tax, interest, depreciation and amortization) for the fourth quarter was $3.8 million compared to the third quarter EBITDA of $3.1 million, an increase of about 22 %. The increases, according to S&W, are attributable to marketing efforts resulting in improved sales, management’s efforts to consistently monitor and cut costs equating to better profit margins and a renewed positive sentiment toward S&W as it was returned to U.S. ownership.

“Our net income better reflects the cost cuts put in place by new management since acquiring the company last May,” commented Mitchell Saltz, chairman and ceo. “The steady trend of quarterly improvement throughout our fiscal year clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of our business plan.”

In other financial news, Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. recently announced it had executed a $15 million loan agreement with BankNorth and has retired $15 million in short-term debt related to its acquisition of Smith & Wesson Corp. last year, with the funds. The company retired a short-term $10 million note owed to Tomkins PLC and a $5 million note to Colton Melby, a member of the board of directors. The 12-year note to BankNorth carries an interest rate of 5.85% and is interest only for two years and straight amortization over the remaining 10 years.

Melby has chosen to reinvest the entire $5 million into equity. He has exercised his warrants for about $2.8 million and has reinvested the remaining $2.2 million through a private investment in common stock of the company.

“This transaction allows us to fulfill the balance of our short-term purchase requirement to Tomkins PLC by retiring the short-term note ahead of schedule and replacing it with a long-term note at a favorable interest rate, while adding $5 million in shareholder equity,” said chairman Saltz.

S&W Corp. has signed an exclusive worldwide agreement with AngioLax, to market and distribute the Tactical Vision product line developed and manufactured by AngioLaz. The products involved are unique new inspection and surveillance tools designed primarily for law enforcement and military applications. AngioLaz is a sister-company of Vermed Inc., a maker of medical equipment.

The Tactical Vision products are small, pole-mounted video cameras that have their own light source and integrated video monitor that allow the user to safely view areas otherwise inaccessible. Among the applications is the ability to look underneath vehicles, up or down staircases and into second floor locations from the ground. The non-conductive telescoping pole can be easily user adjusted from 57 inches to 12 feet. It is available with either an integral Infrared or LED light source.

“S&W’s brand name, reputation and global distribution network make them the ideal company to market and sell the Tactical Vision product line,” said Rich Kalich, AngioLaz’ president and COO. “We look forward to a long and growing relationship.”

The author publishes two of the small arms industry’s most widely read trade newsletters. The International Firearms Trade covers the world firearms scene, and The New Firearms Business covers the domestic market. Visit www.FirearmsGroup.com. He may be reached at: FirearmsB@aol.com.

Specialists in the tactical market for over twenty years, Accuracy International has a reputation for building military bolt action rifles of the finest quality. Continuing in that tradition, they have now introduced their new AE series rifle. The new rifle is chambered in .308 caliber and features a full-length aluminum chassis system. This new chassis is totally unaffected by climate changes, allows the shooter to apply a firm grip and any fixed object can act as a rest without transferring unwanted forces to the action. The new molded stock sides offer a se3cure and comfortable grip in all conditions. It is also impervious to solvents and cleaners. The chassis has a V-block mounting system for positive action/body location without introducing distorting forces. The 24 inch heavy match grade, free-floating barrel is threaded a full 1 inch into the action. The barrel has a twist rate of 1 in 12. The steel action can accept the optional Mil-Std 1913 optic rail. The new rifle also incorporates a fully adjustable trigger which can be set to as little as 3.3 pounds. Total weight of the AE rifle is 13lb, 4oz with an overall length of 44 inches. The rifle comes in any color you want as long as its black. Accessories include handstop, Harris bipod, Mil-Std 1913 rail, 8-shot magazine, sling, black soft case and a black hard transit case. The rifle carries a lifetime warranty to the original owner. For more information contact Accuracy International North America , Dept. SAR, POB 5267, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831. Phone: 1-865-482-0330. Fax: 1-865-482-0336. Web Site: www.accuracyinternational.com.

DSR-1 RIFLE FROM CQB PRODUCTS

CQB Products is proud to announce that they are going to be the exclusive importer/distributor and U.S. representative of AMP Technical Services’ new DSR-1 Rifle. The DSR-1 Rifle is said to be “The most sophisticated and technologically advanced tactical rifle in the world”. The new bull-pup style rifle is offered in three different calibers; .308, .300 Win Mag and .338 Lapua Mag. It features a fluted stainless steel barrel made by Lothar Walther (Shilen barrels available on request). The barrel system is free floated and quick change. This allows the rifle to be tailored to the shooter or mission. It can be changed to any of the three calibers as well as different barrel lengths. Barrel length for all calibers is 26.5 inches. At the muzzle end is a high efficiency, dual chamber, bi-lateral muzzle brake. The DSR-1 is magazine fed from either a 5-round (in .308 and .300 Win Mag) or a 4-round (.338 Lapua Mag) single stack magazines. Unique to the DSR-1 is a 3 axis rotational suspended bipod system. The rifle is suspended under the bipod allowing greater stability. The bipod has 3-way movability, cant, pitch and pivot. In addition the position of the bipod on the rifle is adjustable. The bipod legs also telescope in and out. Another innovative feature is an additional magazine well placed ahead of the trigger guard that houses a spare magazine which can be accessed very quickly. Other features of this innovative new rifle are almost to numerous to mention here. Some of the key features are a fully adjustable buttstock, adjustable trigger, hard mounted scope rail, adjustable forward hand grip and a full length Piccatiny rail. For more information on this innovative new rifle system contact CQB Products, Dept. SAR, 13681 Newport Ave #8330, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: 1-714-731-9706. Web Site: www.cqbproducts.com.

LASERMAX NOW HAS MODELS FOR ALL GLOCKS

As the world’s only totally internal laser sight, LaserMax now manufacturers a sight for every Glock model sold in the United States. The LaserMax sight can be user installed in five minutes or less simply by field stripping the gun and dropping the laser sight in place of the original recoil spring guide assembly. After installing the new takedown lever with its integral on-off switch, the gun is reassembled and the sight is ready to use. No gunsmithing is needed. When the ambidextrous switch is activated, the highly visible pulsating laser beam is emitted directly below the gun barrel. The switch position reinforces uniform cover mode and standard safety practices. The pulsating beam increases accuracy and improves aiming speed by revealing the point of aim, which is in line with the gun barrel. As a law enforcement tool, the laser’s red dot has been proven to reduce assailant aggression. The laser adds less than one quarter-ounce to the weight of the gun, and with no external parts, your favorite grips and a standard holster can be used. Each LaserMax is factory aligned and carries a three year warranty on all but its expendable parts. For more information on these and other models for the LaserMax sights contact LaserMax, Inc., Dept. SAR, 3495 Winton Place, Bldg. B, Rochester, NY 14623. Phone: 1-716-272-5420. Fax: 1-716-272-5427. Web Site: www.lasermax-inc.com.

KG INDUSTRIES INTRODUCES THE “GAS GUN”

K.G. Industries, a technical innovator in shooting sports, is pleased to team up with Network Custom Guns to offer the revolutionary Gas Gun conversion for the classic Model 1911 pistol. The Gas Gun conversion improves performance in a number of key areas, including accuracy, recoil and firing rate. The Gas Gun is made for simple drop-in conversion into any standard 1911 pistol. Redesigning the 1911’s original link-system for an exclusive fixed-barrel, direct blow-back gas delay system, the Gas Gun eliminates many of the moving parts that contribute to the 1911’s characteristic recoil and reloading action. Because the Gas Gun’s barrel is fixed, it’s inherently more accurate. Computer-machined from Douglas match-grade air-gauged barrel blanks, the Gas Gun is manufactured to much tighter tolerances than the barrel it replaces. In the higher-end Ultimate model, the 1911’s slide it also replaced, with one that weights only half as much. Felt recoil is reduced by as much as 60% with the new Gas Gun and since, in all Gas Gun models the barrel is parallel to the frame, rather than tilted down (as in the original design), recoil energy is shifted straight back, to the shooter’s arm, rather than deflecting the wrist upward. This results in greater accuracy and control. Due to its superior design, the Gas Gun effectively doubles cycle-times over the old 1911. Among the Gas Gun’s other attributes, its self-cleaning gas system can handle magnum loads, and is less prone to wear, since the number of load-bearing moving parts has been reduced. For more information on the Gas Gun contact K.G. Industries, Dept. SAR, 537 Louis Drive, Newbury Park, CA 91320. Phone: 1-800-348-9558. Web Site: www.ncggasgun.com.

My first impression was that the gun was very well made. Built on a pre-ban milled receiver, the finish was deep and dark black. The finish is uniform over the entire gun. The workmanship surpassed my expectations. Everything was fitted well and the welds were clean. There is a fair amount of work necessary to adapt the operating rod, and front hand-guard and tube to this extremely short package from a standard length AK series firearm and all looked and functioned well. In the case of the operating rod, PWC removes the original and custom manufactures their own from 304 stainless steel. The bolt is polished and brought to spec.

The wood stocks are high quality blond cherry and are smooth and finished with a durable polyurethane coating. The angle of the front grip is a little odd as the bottom leans toward the muzzle rather than a standard 90º grip but the reasoning became immediately apparent as soon as it was time to visit the range.

The flash hider is a phantom design and is very effective. Recoil is tamed to an amazingly controllable level by employing a custom polyurethane buffer in the receiver to help dampen recoil and extend the receiver life by eliminating the metal-to-metal contact between the bolt carrier and the rear of the receiver. The tangs at the rear of the receiver for stock attachment have been removed and a new end cap welded on in place of the original.

On to the range

We loaded some magazines, grabbed a few extra boxes of ammo and set out to function test the Krinkov. I brought it to my hip, leveled the muzzle toward the impact area and fired a single round. The recoil seemed a little lighter than I expected but the odd angle of the vertical fore-grip that I mentioned before made this shooting technique feel awkward. I squeezed a few more rounds in this position and then brought the Krinkov up to a normal position where one would hold a rifle.

I looked through the sights, tightened my grip and fired a round. The round went exactly where I intended it to. I tried another round and had another perfect hit. It was then that something dawned on me. The recoil was light enough so the sights were right back in line for a follow-up shot. The fore-grip that felt so awkward from the hip suddenly felt as though it were custom made for my hand in this standard position. With a light forward pressure on the front grip and a light rearward pressure on the rear grip, this package was darn near as steady as if you were employing a full rear stock. A smile washed across my face as though I just found an undiscovered secret, and I slowly emptied the magazine with an amazing amount of accuracy. I never bothered to shoot at paper to measure group size because this position would only allow the firearm to be as accurate as the shooter is, and believe me, that would not be fair to the gun.

Summary

It is my conclusion that the PWC Krinkov is an exceptional firearm. It offers an amazing amount of firepower in a very small package. With very little practice I believe a shooter can become much more proficient with this type of firearm than they may have previously thought possible. The advantage of concealability and accuracy combined with the caliber and potential magazine capacity far outweighs several more common concealable firearms in many aspects.

I know several people who use “pack guns” out in the bush while hiking and hunting in areas known for dangerous predators (both animal and human) and I will highly recommend the PWC AOW Krinkov to them. As far as my previous statement about spending the extra money for a $200.00 tax stamp and buying a Short Barreled Rifle as opposed to the AOW, I think I will save my $195.00 on this one and spend it on more ammo.

Precision Weapons Corporation
Int. Rt. 16 & Rt. 54
Sophia, WV 25921
Phone: 304-683-3773
Fax: 304-683-3774
Email: pwpns@cwv.net
Website: www.precisionweaponscorp.com

PWC Krinkov (AOW)

Overall Length: 19.25”
Barrel Length: 8.75”
Sight Radius: 7.5”
Caliber: 7.62 x 39
Retail Price: $950.00

Hammer Time

The owner declined to be photographed shooting his Valmet RPK. At this or any other gun range, his declining presented no problem. A host of people wandered down to the short firing range to catch a glimpse of the RPK. The entire gallery volunteered to shoot it. One may admire its fine workmanship on a rainy day, but today the sun shone brightly and we did what comes naturally. First we loaded the magazines, then we put the brass on the ground.

Several first impressions come to mind. My only experience with firing RPKs comes from firing them at Knob Creek Range. I remember particularly the time when Robert Landies allowed Mike Krotz and me the opportunity of firing one of his. These guns carry a different trunion and a heavier barrel. The straight stocked RPK runs well but kicks like a mule. One finds the long barrel on the Pearl converted Valmet to be lighter on the front end. Though lighter than a true RPK, the Pearl Valmet still posesses a front end heft. The front heft and the special butt stock shifts the center of gravity to the front and downward. I found this RPK to be very pleasant to shoot.

After I finished, a number of others volunteered to shoot the Valmet RPK. All found this gun to be surprisingly smooth. Several found that the gun was almost as much fun on semi auto as it was on full automatic. All liked the throaty and slightly slower sound of the RPK. They also commented on its surprising accuracy. The fun of shooting such a fine gun would have been sufficient, but with this gun there was so much more. As the reader will learn, this particular converted gun also occupies one of the very interesting places in firearms and motion picture history.

The History

One correctly might ask ‘How could a converted gun make history?’ For the answer, read on. Pearl converted the Valmet RPK for Stembridge Gun Rentals Inc. in Glendale, California. This firm, from 1916 until 1998, provided rental guns for the motion picture industry. Sydney R. Stembridge, President and grandson of its founder, ceased the gun rental portion of the largest business of its kind in 1998, but has since reopened under the same name and provides service to television, movies, and theatres in the same tradition.

This intriguing weapon is in many scenes from the brilliant John Milius film ‘Red Dawn’. This motion picture takes a look at what might happen to an invaded and post apocalyptic America. The Valmet and a number of other Stembridge guns added greatly to film. Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, Lea Thompson, C. Thomas Howell and Jennifer Grey all use the RPK and a number of other AKMs. They followed the dictum of Soviet prisoner Harry Dean Stanton to ‘Avenge me!…Avenge me!’ The brilliant actor Frank McRae took on the RPK from the business end in the hands of a Soviet paratrooper. In ‘Red Dawn’ the Valmet shone brightly. In another film, the Valmet RPK shone the brightest of all.

When Arnold Schwarzenegger made his breakthrough motion picture ‘Commando’ the RPK carried a unique stock. Supported by an excellent script and fine cast, Mr. Schwarzenegger served notice of wonderful things to come. With this film he greatly expanded his persona within the action drama. Within the action sequences Mr. Schwarzenegger inserts humor that would become his trademark. In this motion picture we first hear him utter his wonderful trade mark phrase ‘I’ll be back…’ The Valmet RPK comes back with him. He employs the RPK well to help make his point.

In the beginning Arnold Schwarzenegger, a retired special ops team leader, lives with his young daughter as a single parent. Members of his retired team begin to die violently. His former commander, a general still active, comes to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s isolated mountain home. He advises his former team leader of the coming trouble. He posts guards and departs. Almost immediately, the miscreants swoop. They kidnap the daughter and escape. Mr. Schwarzenegger pursues and gets caught. His captor, a deposed dictator, offers him a deal. He must kill the lawfully elected president of the dictator’s former country within hours and his daughter will be spared Mr. Schwarzenegger accepts the time frame. He entertains decidedly other thoughts about the deal.

In Mr. Schwarzenegger’s climatic phase of ‘Commando’ we view the Valmet in a number of scenes. The most memorable occurs when he first lands on the deposed dictator’s staging island off the coast of California. He comes in on an inflatable boat and suits up for battle. He picks up a shotgun with his left hand. With his right hand, he deftly swings the Valmet RPK across his shoulders as his last piece of armament.

Mr. Schwarzenegger strides forward to settle his score with the dethroned dictator and to save his kidnapped daughter. He then uses the Valmet in a number of scenes. He first fires the RPK at an enemy watch tower. He then employs the Valmet RPK through the gates and all the way through the courtyard of his enemy’s estate. This and much more awaits the viewers of ‘Commando’.

Some Thoughts on the Day

Having shot the full auto Valmet RPK in live fire, the following observatioins can be made about Schwarzenegger’s performance in ‘Commando’. The previously mentioned shift by the custom stock weights the gun lower. The weight shift matters. Given that some sequences exist for dramatic effect, I find Mr. Schwarzenegger’s performance very realistic. His action sequences mirror quite consistently the workings of the Valmet RPK in live fire. His insistance on realism has earned him every one of the many fans that he has among the readers of Small Arms Review. Mr. Arnold Schwarzenegger continues his high quality work and commitment to craft at this very hour.

‘Red Dawn’ by John Milius, MGM/UA Movie Time, available at video stores

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ‘Commando’, 20th Century Fox, available at video stores

Wanda Darsey, The Movie Gallery, 806 South Hill ST, Griffin, GA 30224, 770-228-0438

However, as hinted at the time of the Tavor launch, the Micro Tavor can be rapidly converted into a 9 x 19 mm weapon by changing a few calibre related components that also transform the operation from gas-operated to blowback. This version was developed at the behest of Israeli special forces and has undergone a period of field testing with them. As a result of this testing some changes have been made to the original Tavor outlines. The usual Tavor assault rifle pistol grip, with its oversize handguard, has been replaced by a more conventional pistol grip configuration, while the forward handguard has been revised with a prominent lip to prevent a hand straying in front of the muzzle during the stress of combat. All controls and the charging handle remain ambidextrous, as required.

Another visual change is that the original sight mounting arrangements have been altered, with a raised section of MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny Rail available for mounting either a red dot reflex sight or some other optic.

For the 9 x 19 mm version, the Micro Tavor utilises standard Uzi box magazines holding either 20, 25 or 32 rounds. These magazines were adopted because they are already available and familiar to local users and, being steel, they are robust and reliable. Under development are other pistol calibres, including 0.40 S&W and 0.45 ACP, no doubt to attract export sales.

Apart from those two pistol calibres, Tavor development is now complete and it is stated to be ready for service. Once the existing IDF M16s have been withdrawn, the Tavor family will be adopted by the IDF and it should last for years.

There were reports during the Vietnam War of some unusual weapons showing up in the hands of NVA officers. I have personally listened to interesting stories in the old “ComBloc” nations, of the support that these Soviet Satellite countries gave to the North Vietnamese back in the 1960s. One day in the mid 1990s I sat in Belgrade and listened to a Yugoslav Serb discuss the massive blood drives that Yugoslavia had to send their quota of blood and plasma to the North Vietnamese Army. It was a somewhat Kafkaesque moment, or perhaps more like seeing “The man behind the curtain”. My contact and I discussed a lot more, but I was still a bit off balance from that bit of news. In any event, the discussion turned to other items that were sent there, and I have also had discussions with Czechs and Russians regarding what was clandestinely sent to “The People” in their “Struggle against the Imperialists”. It is hard to sort the Baloney out sometimes, because if everything that I was told by the Czechs was true, every NVA soldier would have had a DSHK and a Skorpion. One undeniable truth is, that there were Vz58s that made it from communist Czechoslovakia to Vietnam, and they were generally used by higher ranking officers.

I have seen four known transferable examples in the United States, LMO had two fully transferable Vz58s go through the shop in the early 1990s, one full stock and one folding stock. All of the above were represented as Vietnam “Bringbacks”, registered by the United States Military Veterans who captured them. The full stock and the folder that went through LMO’s inventory in the early 1990s were my introduction to these rare and unusual weapons.

The Vz58 is a lightweight, reliable weapon. It is quick to the aim, easy to load, and it is what I call “Easy to the hand”. What I mean by that is something that might be better explained as a “Deer hunting” type of discussion, as opposed to military- to try and reach all of you reading this. Imagine yourself having to walk through brush, and over mountains, for a 12-hour day. In one hand, you have a classic Winchester 30-30 Model 1894. While it may be heavy at the end of the day, compare it to a day when you carry a Remington Model 760 pump. The small difference in weight and length can wear you down hard. The same is true of military weapons- a little bit of weight and length can induce a lot of wear. I am sure grunt math would be logarithmic on the difference.

All you have to do is pick up the Vz58 to know what I mean- it is easily carried in one hand, and shoulders quickly. Battles aren’t generally fought on the march anymore, where 10lb rifles come from shoulder arms down to volley fire at a close enemy on a field. A 6lb rifle that you can run like hell with through the brush, and shoulder and fire, is worth its weight in hot “A rats” and dry socks, and it has been that way since the turn of the last century. That being said, the Vz58 had some reliability problems, and it was not as robust as it could have been. The unique hammerless firing mechanism is generally flawless in operation, but other parts of the gun were not so reliable. Dirt did negatively affect the original design.

This brings us to the Ohio Ordnance Works offering that is just hitting the market- the Vz2000 rifle. It is a semi-automatic rifle, which has had a small extension permanently added to the front to comply with barrel length regulations in the US. The original barrel is slightly under 16” and would keep the rifle as a “Short Barreled Rifle” under the NFA. The Ohio Ordnance Works Vz2000 has been kept in compliance with current US laws, in every way. In order to manufacture a semi-automatic rifle in the US today, that might otherwise be considered an assault rifle configuration, certain characteristics must be left off. These include threaded barrels, grenade launchers, bayonet lugs, flash hiders, etc. Also, if the manufacturer is going to use foreign made parts, he has to comply with a list of items that can, and can not be used in the US manufacture.

Bob Landies of Ohio Ordnance Works (OOW) spent a tremendous amount of time and money researching the system and getting approved for the US manufacture of the Vz2000 rifle. Being thorough has paid off for him. The rifle that he sent me for testing was outstanding. I have already placed an order for one for my personal collection.

The heart of the Vz2000 is a pivoted dropping “Lock Block” and a linear hammer. There is no rotating hammer in the lower. With a round chambered, safety off, the trigger is depressed and this allows the in line hammer spring to drive the linear hammer forward, striking the firing pin and igniting the primer. After firing a chambered round, the short stroke piston takes gas off of the front gas block as the projectile passes down the bore, and imparts rearward momentum to the bolt carrier assembly. Gas and byproducts of propellant deflagration are kept out of the receiver, always a good thing. The bolt carrier moves rearward, pivoting the locking block up and out of the locked position. The locked position is one of the more secure that I have seen- there are two robust locking lugs, one on each side of the locking block. These are cammed into corresponding slots in the receiver. The OOW Vz2000 receiver is milled from a solid steel forging, and this somewhat traditional relationship between locking lugs, receiver, and barrel, is a tried and true formula. Once the locking block has fully cammed up out of its locked position, the entire bolt carrier assembly continues unimpeded rearward motion in recoil. The expended cartridge which has been gripped under the extractor lip, hits the ejector and leaves the receiver. The recoil / return spring slows the motion and returns the bolt carrier forward, stripping another round from the magazine and chambering it as the locking lugs cam into place. The linear hammer has been retained back by the sear, ready for the next firing sequence. The Vz2000 is semi-automatic fire only.

The OOW receiver and firing mechanism has been designed so it is not readily convertible to fully automatic fire- the machine gun components of a Vz58 rifle will not fit. I was supplied with a copy of the letter from ATF Technology Branch signed by Mr. Edward M. Owen Jr., former Chief of ATF Firearms Technology Branch, where the OOW design was approved as made.

Bob Landies kept the design outline of the original rifles in his Vz2000, and it makes for a pretty package. OOW production methods pay attention to detail. The receiver and all parts have a nice matte blued finish, low light reflecting but very attractive. The receiver is CNC machined from one solid piece of forged 4150 steel. One of the features that I like about OOW’s work is attention to details in heat treating. Many modern designs suffer from misunderstandings about wear, stress fracture, hardness and crystallization. (As an aside, if any budding inventors out there want, email me and I will hook you up with ASM and the Heat Treating Society and their classes and books). If you look elsewhere in this issue of SAR, you will see my article on ASD and their AK variants. If you look at the AK receiver supplied by Ohio Ordnance Works, you will see some odd lines around the trigger pin, and hammer pin holes- that is evidence of heat treating, which was done properly of course.

Ohio Ordnance works also donated one of their rifles to our new SAR Subscriber Drive Raffle- and I put it as first prize, above the transferable Powder Springs MAC-10- that is how impressed I was with this rifle. It looks good, feels good, and was very accurate and reliable.

Downside- while it is more accurate than most AK variants I have fired in the US, it did not match up with some of the finer AR15 variants in accuracy. That being said, the Vz2000 is a production line gun that was not “Tweaked”. It performed quite well. I had no malfunctions in firing at all. The trigger was crisp, ejection was positive. My take? If you like the lines, get one. At least get some hands on to see if it suits your shooting needs or fits your collection – Dan

Ohio Ordnance Works, Inc.
310 Park Drive
Chardon, OH 44024
Tel 440-285-3481
Fax 440-286-8571

Inception

The British knew that they would have to change their ammunition type if they produced an automatic rifle. The rimmed .303 (7.7x 56mm) rounds used by their Short Magazine Lee Enfield, could not easily be used in a magazine fed self-loading weapon. The British had been greatly impressed during the closing months of the war, by new German assault rifles such as the MP 44. The MP 44 fired a 7.92mm x 33mm round known as the 7.92 Kurz, a cartridge lighter and more portable than the full power ones used by traditional battle rifles. This so-called intermediate calibre round gave acceptable terminal ballistic performance, whilst its lower weight allowed infantry to carry additional ammunition. The British decided to learn from German experience and investigated smaller calibre, rimless ammunition suitable for a new rifle. The intention was to produce a weapon as light, handy and compact as possible, firing rounds capable of killing an enemy out to a maximum range of 600 yards. The British Ministry of Supply initiated research to find the optimum calibre round, the Armaments Design Establishment coming up with a bullet of .270 (6.8mm) calibre which was reworked to .276 (7mm ) to make it slightly more in line with current American thinking. This round was renamed the .280, although in fact it retained a calibre of .276 mm.

The British developed two competing Bullpups, the EM-1 and EM-2, strikingly similar in appearance and each capable of firing their new round. The Bullpup configuration was adopted because it allowed a full-length barrel, a feature which assisted accuracy, in a weapon of short overall size.

Work on the EM-1 and EM-2 started in earnest in 1947. Weighing 10.25 lbs unloaded, the EM-1 was a well balanced weapon. The EM-1 was also known as the Thorpe rifle, after the head of the design team. Initially designed as a conventional weapon, the rifle was reworked to a Bullpup configuration in 1947. The EM-2, also known as the Janson rifle, weighed 7 lbs 13 oz unloaded. It was the EM-2 that Britain decided to develop into a service rifle. This was because the Thorpe rifle used stamped steel in its construction. This technique although widely employed in modern assault rifles, was not widely available in the Britain of the late 1940s. Consequently development of the EM-1 fell behind and efforts concentrated on the EM-2.

Layout and mode of operation

The British had played around with the concept of a Bullpup service rifle since 1944. Three rifles had proved influential.

• The Enfield experimental sniper’s rifle in 7.92 x 57 mm.
• An untried Bullpup concept known as the Harris rifle.
• The EM-1 Korsac LMG, a prototype weapon which was to heavily influence the later Bullpups.

In brief the EM-1 and EM-2 were gas-operated, air-cooled rifles. The guns had a positively locked breech with forward locking. Both the EM-1 and EM-2 were optimised for semi-automatic fire but could also perform in the full automatic mode, either as rifles or by virtue of their handy size, as sub-machine guns. The weapons were fed by a well designed, sturdy magazine which held 20 rounds.

The magazine housing lay behind the rifles’ trigger group. The Bullpups didn’t have a conventional stock. Instead they had a rubber padded, steel butt. Both rifles had a wooden fore grip and pistol grip. The EM-1 had a traditional safety catch above and behind the left side of the pistol grip, operated by the right thumb. The EM-2 had a less conventional safety immediately ahead of the trigger guard, usually operated by the right index finger. There was an Arctic trigger guard available for cold weather operations when the soldier would be wearing gloves.

The trigger was not the EM-2’s best feature. There was no discernable first and second pressure for the trigger, the firer didn’t know when slack ended and firing pressure was reached. However, when fired, the rifle had little kick, recoil being taken up in a straight line. An optical sight was mounted on a bracket which acted as a carrying handle, greatly assisting accuracy. The sight’s concept was a generation ahead of its competitors, how was it implemented?

Sights

The new Bullpup rifles were intended from inception to have optical sights rather the standard iron sights usually fitted to infantry rifles. User manuals for the EM2 have illustrations of an early design optical sight, referred to as the Long Arm Sight. This was an optical tube attached to a rather clumsy mount. The optical tube could be moved into one of two positions. The first, the raised position, was to be used when action was imminent or when the soldier was drawing a bead on a target. When not in use, the sight was lowered by a flick of the finger into the down position. Once lowered, raised metal side-plates protected the sight. However, the rather delicate x1 magnification optical tube was not adequately protected from above, being vulnerable to mud and dirt being packed down in between the metal plates which protected the optical tube.

Not only was the Long Arm Sight vulnerable to abuse on the battlefield, it was overly complex. A particularly involved series of adjustments were required to accurately zero the rifle. The Long Arm Sight was fitted with a drum allowing compensation for vertical error. Initial coarse adjustments could be made using a screw which raised/lowered the optical tube. Manipulating two screws mounted in the elevation drum itself completed fine tuning the aim. Two screws mounted at the base of the sight were also employed to compensate for lateral deflection. It is hard not to come to the conclusion that the Long Arm Site was ill thought through. It was perhaps more suited to the type of long range engagement typical of the previous generation of infantry combat, not the fast moving, close range combat that the Bullpup was intended for.

In any event, a far simpler and more durable site was fitted to both the EM-1 and EM-2. This consisted of a fixed optical tube, attached to the weapon’s carrying handle. A cylindrical metal shroud protected the x1 magnification sight optics, shielding the lenses from all angles. Fitting thicker or thinner washers to two simple screws could compensate for vertical and lateral error. The adopted sight had an inverted pointer and range gradations etched on the lens. Auxiliary iron sights, consisting of a peep and blade, were fitted to the frame of the optical site for use in an emergency.

The EM-2 was also designed to carry a x 3.5 telescopic sight intended for sharp-shooting. The telescopic sight was locked into position on top of the carrying handle. Accuracy for both Bullpups, whatever sight was in use, could be improved by fitting an optional bipod. In combination, the telescopic sight and bipod gave a usable combat range of 800 yards.

Handling and firing characteristics

The author has not fired the EM-1 or EM-2. However, as far as handling characteristics are concerned, both weapons seemed easy to bring to the aim and settled nicely into the shoulder. The author’s poor eyesight usually makes taking an accurate aim rather difficult. It proved much easier with the fixed optical sight provided. As far as weight distribution is concerned, the weapons seemed well balanced and not as butt-heavy as the current British issue infantry rifle the SA 80. It did feel more awkward, as often is the case, aiming the rifle with its bayonet attached. The paratrooper version of the EM-2 with its shortened barrel doesn’t handle as well as the baseline weapon. It feels more like the SA 80, and it is more difficult to draw a bead.

The author was able to compare the feel and handling of the EM-1and EM-2. A couple of features made the ergonomics of the EM-1 seemed slightly superior.

• The cocking handle for the EM-2, from the firer’s viewpoint, is on the left of the weapon. Therefore it’s easier for a right-handed individual to hold aim when cocking the rifle. In the case of the EM-2, the handle is placed on the right and cocking the weapon and maintaining aim is more awkward
• The swell and shape of the EM-1’s hand guard and pistol grip made it more comfortable to hold than that of the EM-2.
• The selector lever for the EM1 is situated on the left of the trigger assembly, just above where the right thumb would rest, and is easy to set. The topmost position is safe, the first position downwards is repetition (semi-automatic), and the bottom position is full auto. This arrangement is better than that of the EM-2. The EM2 has an unconventional change stud, just to the rear of the trigger guard. Aim the rifle and press the stud in with the right thumb (the change stud now projects out of the right side of the rifle) and the weapon is set at repetition. Press inwards with the right index finger (the stud now projects out of the left side of the rifle) and the weapon is set on automatic.

Contemporary accounts of the weapons talk of minimal shock, recoil and flash when firing. Like all Bullpup weapons the cartridge case would have been ejected from a position rather close to the face. The author assumes that training and familiarity would have negated any urge to flinch. Some soldiers complained of gas and particles being vented rearwards into their faces. Consequently a number of different devices to deflect the gas were experimented with. All cartridges were ejected to the right, making the rifle near impossible to use from the left shoulder, a factor especially important in urban combat.

The Bullpups were primarily intended to deliver rapid, aimed single rounds. A rate of fire of 30-40 aimed rounds a minute was expected. When using full automatic, soldiers were trained to fire bursts of two or three rounds. At an optimum rate, burst fire was meant to deliver 60 rounds a minute.

The EM-1 and EM-2 were designed for infantry combat within a 600-meter range. This was a distance decried by the traditionalist advocates of long range marksmanship, but one that closely matched the reality of infantry combat experienced during the Second World War and most successive conflicts.

Trials and Tribulations

By autumn 1946, Britain, Canada and the USA shared a consensus around standardising their weapon systems, including infantry rifles. The advantages in terms of costs, interoperability and logistics were obvious. However, the British and Americans were in dispute about what constituted the optimum infantry weapon. The British wanted to introduce an assault rifle; the Americans favoured a more traditional battle rifle. Consequently it was decided to conduct a series of tests which not only compared prospective rifles, but also rounds of different calibre offered by the British and Americans. Initial tests lasted from February to April 1950. They compared three rifles, two of which used the British .280 round. These were the EM-2 and the Belgian FN Lightweight Automatic Rifle, both firing .280 ammunition. The USA fielded its T 25 rifle firing a full sized round, the T-65, of 7.62 mm calibre.

Test results were collated and the performance of both ammunition and weapons were assessed in a number of reports. These documents provide the basis of most appraisals of the EM-2. The most frequently quoted are the reports generated by tests conducted at Aberdeen Proving Ground. i ii The Aberdeen papers are included as part of the evaluation of the British Bullpups in Thomas Dugelby’s seminal book on the EM-2iii. The Aberdeen papers reflect the aims of the senior echelons of the US army and high-ranking representatives of industry and government. They were intent on purchasing a rifle designed and produced in the USA, and one which fired a full power round.iv However it is not commonly appreciated that there were splits within the US military. As far as some of the lower echelons of the US army were concerned, particularly amongst potential users of the new rifle, there was a more open minded approach. This is evident in the series of comprehensive user tests conducted at Fort Benning.v The British .280 round was examined with interest, although there were strong reservations about the EM-2, which was seen as too revolutionary a configuration.

As far as ammunition is concerned the Fort Benning report made the following judgments. “That the T-65 Cal .30 is not satisfactory because of its excessive recoil, blast, flash and smoke. That the Cal .280 is not satisfactory because of its comparatively high trajectory. That of the two basic types of rounds submitted for test the British caliber .280 is preferred.” (My italics).

Despite Fort Benning’s relatively favourable review of the .280 round, the US army was determined that the stopping power of any cartridge adopted, should not be less than that fired by their standard infantry rifle the M1. In addition they wanted the round chosen to be the same calibre used by the squad machine gun.

As far as ammunition performance was concerned, a compilation of assessments from the various reports shows the following characteristics.

• The American round did have more stopping power, particularly below 1000 yards. Its greater velocity caused a larger transient wound cavity.
• As range increased the performance differential favoured the lighter round. At 1000 yards the .280 could defeat body armour 70% of the time, the .30 60% of the time. Over 1000 yards the .280 round had better penetrative power because of its superior ballistic coefficient.
• The T-65 had a flatter trajectory than the .280 and consequently had superior accuracy below 1000 yards.
• At ranges over 1000 yards, the better stability of the British round ensured greater accuracy.
• The .280 round had considerably less flash and smoke, allowing a reduced firing signature.
• The .280 did not have a viable armour piercing round, however, its tracer round was better than that of the T-65.

All of the rifles subject to test had their own advantages and disadvantages:

• The T-25 was more accurate than its competitors when fired on semi-automatic. This was a significant advantage, although Fort Benning’s tests showed less of a differential than those conducted at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Fired from the prone position, without a bipod, the mean radius was as follows. At targets 200 yards distance, at a rate of 19 rounds a minute, the result for the EM-2 was 0.57 ft, that for the FN 0.54 ft and for the T-25 0.44 ft.
• In terms of hits per minute, the EM-2 was slightly superior to the FN and far better than the T-25, when fired on full automatic without a bipod. With a bipod, the T-25 was the best.
• As far as the effect on firers, all the rifles had shortcomings. The T-25 was most problematical. Its recoil and the noise of firing were considered unacceptable. The FN’s stock was considered too short to fire without discomfort. In the case of the EM-2 occasionally particles of unburned powder hit the firer in the face.
• General reliability in field conditions didn’t meet service requirements; however figures showed the FN to be best followed by the T-25 then by the EM-2.
• When subject to hard usage tests under abnormal conditions, the EM-2 was the most durable.
• Field maintenance was easiest with the FN, then EM-2 and finally the T-25.

In Fort Benning’s final assessment of the rifles’ performance, the following points were made. “That none of the three test rifles is acceptable in its present form. That the FN will be acceptable for comparatively early use when modified in accordance with Appendix E. That the EM-2 and T-25 require considerable further development and are not acceptable in their present form. Of these two the EM-2 is preferred.”

Both the US and Britain made efforts to improve their favoured ammunition. The US introduced an improved T-65 cartridge, which became the 7.62 mm round adopted by NATO. The British developed a 7 x 51 mm higher velocity version of the .280 round which answered some of their problems around high trajectory and round dispersion. Unfortunately the US was adamant; they wanted the increased stopping power of the heavier round.

As part of attempts to keep the EM-2 in the running, examples were modified to 7.62 mm calibre. The modified rifle worked well enough with the new calibre, except on full automatic, when like all other 7.62 mm weapons, it proved too difficult to fire sustained bursts accurately. However, the EM-2 had been designed from the onset as a lightweight, selective fire assault rifle firing an intermediate round, rather than a battle rifle firing heavier calibre ammunition. Its best qualities were diminished and its complexity and faults exposed.

In the event after trials in mid 1952, the USA decided to choose between just two rifles. The first, a modified FN rifle firing 7.62 mm which it designated as the T48 and the second the T44, a product improved M1 self-loading rifle. The latter rifle won, leading to a weapon known to history as the M14.

As for the EM-2, its future proved bleak, particularly after Britain’s government changed and the weapon lost political support. Churchill, re-elected as Prime minister, thought the weapon unsoldierly, unsuited for both bayonet fighting and for drill. In any case, the urgent need to have commonality with whatever round and rifle NATO decided upon was paramount.

Conclusion

Should the EM-2 been given a production contract? It certainly came close; at one stage it was given the service designation Rifle No 9. A designation later rescinded and given to an experimental Enfield SMLE No 4 re-bored to .22 calibre. The EM-2 did have faults. The ammunition needed further development, and in addition the weapon’s accuracy needed improving. These difficulties were not insurmountable.

In truth the trial FN was not significantly better than the EM-2. Yet, given time and money for further development, the FN metamorphosed into a fine battle rifle. The FN had the advantage of a relatively simple mechanism and traditional configuration. It was easier for industry to tool up for production and for the military to adopt. It is possible that the EM-2 could have been turned into the finished article. However this would have required both money and time, two commodities the British didn’t have. Perhaps the best option technically would have been for Britain to adopt the FN in .280. However, the bottom line was that the British could not afford to develop an infantry weapon with a different calibre to that used by the USA. The Korean War meant that Britain needed a new battle rifle as rapidly as possible. The need for standardisation and to maximise production held sway. Consequently the Bullpups and the .280 round were ditched.

Both the UK and USA adopted a new rifle and calibre on economic and political grounds rather than that of technical superiority. The British adopted the FN, a Belgium rifle that fired an American designed 7.62 mm x 51mm round. Despite the British abandoning their ambitions for a national design in the interests of NATO unity, the USA did not show any reciprocity. It fielded the M14 rather than the FN adopted by the bulk of the Western alliance.

Ironically, in the future it would be the Americans who eventually forced through an immediate round of sorts, the 5.56 mm. This was done in the teeth of initial reluctance by its allies and even elements of the US military.

• i A comparison of United Kingdom and United States lightweight rifles. Tenth report of project NO. TS2-2015, 16th February 1950 to 28th April. Aberdeen Proving Ground.
• ii A comparison test of United Kingdom and United States ammunition for lightweight rifles. Ninth report of Project TS2-2015. 14th February 1950. Aberdeen Proving Ground.
• iii Dugleby, Thomas. 1980. EM-2 Concept & Design. Collector Grade Publications. Toronto. Canada.
• iv Conference of Defense Ministers. United Kingdom, France, Canada, United States on Small Arms Standardisation. 2-3 August 1951.
• v Report of the Army Field Forces Board N03.Fort Benning, Georgia. Project No 2231. Report of Joint Test of United States and United Kingdom Lightweight Rifles. October 1950.

The author would like to thank Rob Sharrock, Richard Jones, Rod and other staff at the Royal Armouries and Pattern Room at Leeds for their help and assistance. Thanks also to Ian Patrick for his advice.