by Dan Shea

The Transportation Security Administration is relaxing some of its more sophomoric regulations. A few days ago, I was flying, and when I went through security, they sent my rolling laptop case back through the scanner a number of times. I couldn’t think of anything that would be “bad”, so I just watched the procedures.

It turned out that I had an envelope of old keys I was taking and tossed them into my case, and attached to one key ring was (shudder) an old miniature Glock pistol medallion. This was less than an inch in length, made of solid pewter. After a manual search of my case turned this up, a very embarrassed TSA employee explained that up until very recently, they would probably have cleared the airport for this. I said I shared his enthusiasm for the new, more sensible guidelines, and tossed the medallion into the trash in the event that I might have to go through security again that day, and perhaps clear out the Cincinnati or Atlanta airports.

I generally keep my mouth shut during these incursions, smile and nod my head in a non-threatening bobble-headed fashion. Watching an invalid World War II veteran lifted out of his wheel chair and put through the scanner by three people, I managed to control my rage as well. The thought comes to mind that I would really like to know how many terrorist incidents are perpetrated by 85-year-old invalid veterans, or for that matter, most of the other people going through the security lines. I took a quick look around for improvised weapons – hell, my stainless steel ballpoint pen is perfect, and yet it passes muster every time. Then there was the woman with the commemorative china plate – smash and use the pieces. Oh, and the art student over there, I wonder if she uses a pottery wheel and might have a separating wire (two-handled garrote.)

Once again, I have the feeling that most of what we are doing in our airports is keeping the “sheep” happy, content, and feeling safe. Right after 9-11, I heard a woman say she didn’t care what information anyone wanted, she just wanted to be safe. Comments like this were played over and over again, throughout the media. To quote Ben Franklin, “They who are willing to sacrifice freedom for security deserve neither.”

The fact is, if bad guys want to do something, they will. They will train with improvised weapons; they will bribe and threaten their way to a position to cause harm. The only solution is for the government to go after these people where they live, and for the rest of us to be awake and prepared to defend ourselves at all times. If we can’t have firearms or knives, then consider what you can do with a laptop computer against a guy with a box cutter. The first thing we learned about knife fighting, is that you are going to get cut, so get over it and try not to get cut too bad. Get it in your mind that you will not ever lie down and give up, anytime, anywhere, and encourage everyone you know to adopt the same attitude. The cowards who are terrorists thrive on our fear. They exist in a world where people don’t strike back.

When a people have a solid resolve to defend themselves, when they are not easy targets, when every inch of terrorism is paid for with pain, retribution and blood, it goes away to someplace where it is easier for them to function.

Don’t let the naysayers and compromisers talk us back into a Clinton Era or Carter Era corner, weak, meek and afraid to stand up and take a hit if we need to. We don’t need a “Malaise.” Every time you hear the negativity, tell a story of positive strength. Say a prayer for our troops overseas, every man and woman out there is the best we have. Encourage them to kick ass, take names later, and then kick ass with all the info they get. Hunt down the cowardly scum who attacked us and will continue to attack us if they think we can be cowed.

I guess we have to put up with the airport screening charade so people will fly. I guess I have to contain my disdain. However, I am going to continue to be one hell of a rabble rouser about defending Freedom. Support our troops, don’t let anyone undermine their resolve. Don’t vote for politicians who show any sign of a weak streak in that regard. We don’t need our people compromised into bad situations, they need to kill our enemies and come home safely to praise, honor and thanks. -Dan

by Robert M. Hausman

Normalization of trade relations with Yugoslavia is finally a reality. The US Department of State published the restatement of nondiscriminatory treatment of Serbia and Montenegro for the purpose of trade with those countries in the November 13th issue of The Federal Register, the official US government newspaper. On December 4th, the duty rate for imports from Serbia and Montenegro was reduced to the level of countries with normal trade relations with the US.

The trade law had been delayed in final approval as US Senator Richard C. Shelby, a Republican from Alabama, had placed a hold on the bill since he wanted a provision adopted in the 2002 trade law reversed in order to protect the foot sock industry in his state. Shelby had objected to a provision that allowed companies in the Caribbean to sew up the toes of US-made socks, package them, and then ship the socks back to the US on a duty-free basis. He claimed the practice could result in the loss of 10,000 jobs in his state, home to many sock mills. Large numbers of firearms and ammunition from Serbia and Montenegro are thus expected to shortly become available to US shooters due to the lowering of the import tariff rate.

Changes to Russian VRA Delayed

While first announced during the ATF/F.A.I.R. Trade Group Importer’s Conference in Washington, D.C. last July, expected imminent changes allowing additional firearms to be added to the list of legally importable firearms from Russia under the Voluntary Restraint Agreement adopted during the Clinton Administration, which limits US importation of firearms from Russia is taking longer than expected. The delay is being caused by the Russians themselves, who have taken longer than anticipated to review a counter-proposal list of firearms provided to them by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives through the office of the US Trade Representative.

The action was started by the Russians who originally sent a list to the US government of about 100 additional firearms they wanted to export to the US for commercial sale. The American government responded by approving approximately 75 of the requested firearms on the list. There is no indication of how much longer the Russians will take to review the counter-proposal from the US. Though it is of much interest to US-based firearms importers, the American government has refused to release the list of proposed Russian firearms that would be legally importable.

US Origin Policy Update

The US Department of State is waiting on a reaction from the Department of Homeland Security in response to a request for comments on the proposed change to the presumptive denial policy set forth by the Department of State for re-importation of US goods. All other branches of government have responded.

Given the demand for the goods, such as .30 M1 Carbines and other highly desired collectables, a change in State Department policy would be beneficial to firearms collectors, enthusiasts and shooters.

Once the Dept. of State receives comment from the Dept. of Homeland Security, the last procedures will involve an internal review of comments from various agencies, making any necessary revisions to accommodate those comments, before final action is taken by State to implement the policy change.

ATF Forming Agency Working Group

In response to a recent Congressional directive, ATF has undertaken to develop a working group between the departments of State, Commerce and Customs to facilitate communications between the regulatory agencies with import/export policy responsibility and to clarify discrepancies in regulatory procedures. A suggested list of topics covering a multitude of issues for the working group has been provided to ATF by licensed firearms importers.

Items on the list range from reforms to the International Import Certificate, and increased harmonization of education and application of firearms regulations. These policy suggestions are designed to help facilitate communications between the agencies and their staffs in hopes of improving upon the somewhat adversarial relationship that appears to exist today.

New Firearms Market Segment Emerging

Energy policy legislation is before the US Senate, authorizing security guards at nuclear power plants to carry all manner of firearms, including machine and submachine guns, thus creating a potential new market for suppliers.

ATF Deploys New eForm 6 System

The US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has deployed “eForm6,” a system that for the first time will allow defense contractors and firearms importers to file applications for import permits electronically. ATF received more than 15,000 applications for permits in the year 2002 alone.

With the new system, importers can submit the ATF Form 6 electronically to ATF’s Firearms and Explosives Import Branch (FEIB) for review and approval. Previously, the Form 6 submission process was entirely paper-based and required importers to fill out a form and mail it to ATF for processing. ATF then would mail back the import permit for the importer to present to US Customs at the port of entry. All paper Form 6s were manually transcribed into ATF’s internal tracking system prior to FEIB analysis, and all status inquiries had to be done by telephone.

In addition to providing an electronic method for submitting the Form 6 to ATF, the new eForm 6 system also provides:

• Automated checks and validation of Form 6 information prior to submission,
• Elimination of the need to mail the Form 6 to ATF,
• Automated notification via email of Form 6 receipt,
• On-line status available 24-hours for both paper-filed and electronically filed applications, and
• The ability to copy frequently used information from one Form 6 to another to reduce data entry. eForm6 was developed under a contract between ATF and Idea Integration, a Fairfax, Virginia software firm specializing in web-based systems. The eForm6 system is available to importers who register with ATF’s Imports Branch. To register call 202-927-8320.

Problem Develops With H&K Police Pistol Contract

Are the 25,000 pistols Heckler & Koch recently supplied to the German police bent, or do the polizei not know how to aim?

Police in the German state of Baden-Wurttemberg have got a problem. Their new H&K pistols have a left-hand twist and they are complaining that their shooting scores are resulting in groups situated to the lower left of the target. The Ministry of the Interior had recently placed an order for nearly 25,000 units of the H&K Model P 2000 V5 pistol with a total contract value of nearly 8 million euro. So, wherein lies the problem?

Heckler & Koch says the guns fully passed the firing tests conducted with the proof house in Ulm. The proof house did not find any irregularities with the pistols. It is supposed that a mistake may have been made in the factory in adjusting the sights during the production process. H&K stated it was willing to re-check the sight adjustments. A spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior said it is possible the officers using the pistols have to get used to the new H&K design. Formerly, the officers used the Walther P5.

A police spokesperson reacted by saying that it was “impossible” for all shooters to have the same aiming problem. Ten policemen who were considered “very good” shooters were selected to fire test groups and all of them shot to the lower left of the target with the new H&K guns. While the police spokesperson noted that the tendency to shoot to the lower left with the new guns might not pose a significant dispersion of shots problem to pose a danger to innocent bystanders during a police shooting incident, the spokesperson argued that the new pistols should produce better results.

The situation has mushroomed into a major controversy with a wide range of individuals from the private and government sectors examining the guns. Meanwhile issuance of the new guns to officers has been put on hold.

As this issue of SAR goes to press, a report has been issued by the well-respected Institute for Chemical Technologies, which largely absolves H&K of any blame. The Institute’s verdict says that the police complaints were not justified and that the results of a detailed examination of the guns acquitted H&K of any technical defects.

It has been decided that the new H&K police Model P 2000 V5, which is a double-action-only model, requires some special training of the officers who will use it, as compared to the earlier-issued Walther P5 which could be fired in both the single-action and double-action modes.

Germany Removes Ban on Certain Semiautomatics

The German Federal Criminal Police Office recently removed a ban on civilian ownership of several semi-automatic firearms formerly listed as war guns. There are:

• SAR Europa Sport in .222 and .223 Remington
• SIG-Kempf SG 550 Civil Match in .223 Rem
• OA UG in .223 Rem.
• OA 15 in .223 Rem.
• – Springfield M1A Type “Loaded” in 7.62x51mm NATO
• Springfield National Match in 7.62x51mm NATO
• SAR Sportmatch Model 41 in 7.62x51mm NATO
• Pistol Carabiners H&K USC in 9x19mm. These listed models are now generally allowed for sport shooting.

S&W’s Bob Scott in Gummersbach, Germany

Smith & Wesson’s chief, Bob Scott, recently went over to Germany to congratulate the German Smith & Wesson importer, Albrecht Kind, of Gummersbach, on the occasion of their 150th Anniversary. Scott showed his gratitude for the commercial relationship between S&W and Kind started more than a decade ago.

Germany Issues New Gun Law Decree

After a seven-month wait, on October 31st, the German Interior Ministry announced the general decree to the new gun law passed last spring. The new decree became valid December 1st. The German industry is now hopeful the issuance of the decree, which makes the new gun law valid, will stimulate the market for firearms sales. Consumers have been delaying new firearm purchases over concerns about possible additional amendments that could be made to the new gun law before it became finalized in form by issuance of the Interior Ministry’s decree.

German Armed Forces Reduce Stock

During the year 2002, the German armed forces destroyed 62,500 guns they held in stock. In 2003, they reduced their infantry holdings even further with the destruction of an additional 96,510 guns. These include 86,117 G3 rifles, 8,237 small “bazookas” or anti-tank weapons, and 2,156 machine pistols.

Peters Stahl Under New Ownership

Since November 1st, Christian Ulrich Freiberg is the new manager and owner of Peters Stahl in Paderborn, Germany. No changes are anticipated in the company’s products or marketing partners. Freiberg is also a shareholder in the company SWS-2000 GmbH in Krefeld, Germany, a developer of centerfire firearms.

Exhibition in Honor of Kalashnikov

In late November, the Netherlands Military Museum (Leger Museum) began an AK47 rifle exhibition in honor of its designer, Mikhail T. Kalashnikov. The exhibition deals with the history, development and worldwide distribution of the rifle.

Steyr M-A1 Pistol Re-Designed

The previously introduced M series of pistols from Steyr Mannlicher have been modified and are now being sold under the model designation “M-A1.” The newly designed synthetic frame shows more ergonomic thinking in its shape to afford better handling. A MIL-STD-1913 rail interface on the frame allows the installation of laser or other aiming lights in recognition of growing demand for this feature on the part of government buyers. The standard factory chamberings are .40 S&W and 9x19mm, with .357 SIG available on special order. For more details, go to www.steyr-mannlicher.com

Reprint of Walther Pistol Manuals

Reprints of the original Walther manuals for the models PP and PPK in caliber 7.65mm are now available from: DWJ Verlags, GmbH, Schmollerstr. 31, 74523 Schwabisch Hall, Germany.

Robert M. Hausman is the publisher of the firearms industry’s two most widely read professional trade publications, the bi-weekly The New Firearms Business which covers the domestic US market and the monthly, The International Firearms Trade which covers the world market. For subscription information to either publication, send an email to FirearmsB@aol.com.

by Rob Krott

“. . . we have always had our dream, freedom, self-determination, a voice in our future — this is the Kurdish dream. We have come so close but so many things conspire against us, and now these mines, this blight in our fields – they will surely kill our dream, even if we are successful in all our other efforts.”

– Kurdish Author Hussain Arif, Suleimaniya
Kurdistan, September 1991

Author’s Note: Information in this article was collected from friends in the de-mining field, military intelligence, and ordnance experts. Published references include Mines Advisory Group notes; “Interview of National Ground Intelligence Center Mine Warfare Expert,” January 15, 1998; October 1992 report by Rae McGrath, director of the Mines Advisory Group, for Middle East Watch (Division of Human Rights Watch); and the Iraqi Armed Forces Manual for the Tactical Use of Weapons of Mass Destruction, Official Special Manual No.469, Volume Two, Part One, December 1987. Any errors are solely the author’s. This information is presented with hopes that it may be disseminated (SAR is sending copies to the troops) and may prevent at least one Coalition Soldier from injury. Reading this does not make you an expert. Leave it alone, call EOD, it’s their job and they actually like it. As a platoon sergeant once told me, “Don’t pick it up and for damn sure don’t kick it.”

History of Iraqi Landmines

Iraq has been severely affected by mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) as a result of the 1991 Gulf War, the 1980-1988 Iraq-Iran War, two decades of internal conflict, and even World War II. (Table 1 lists the mines found in Iraq’s minefields). Landmines and UXO pose a problem in the north, along the Iran-Iraq border, and throughout the central and southern regions of the country. The number of mines planted in Iraq is not known but it is in the millions. The Army of Iraq used mines in Kuwait in 1990-1991, during the Iraq-Iran War both inside Iraq and in Iran, and during internal conflicts, especially in the Kurdish areas of northern Iraq. The majority of the minefields in the region were laid during the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-88; and Iraqi forces laid others in military activities against the region’s Kurds. The mine problem in Northern Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan), which has been autonomous from Baghdad since the 1991 Gulf War, is very serious. One Iraqi use of mines was to combat the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) in Northern Iraq and in the 1990’s as part of the Iraqi Government’s Anfal campaign, a forcible resettlement program where villagers were forced into collective towns and their villages mined to prevent return. Landmines and large quantities of UXO were scattered across the region. Since 1992 these weapons have resulted in 6,000 reported injuries and 3,350 reported deaths. In Kurdistan about one person a day steps on a mine or is injured by UXO. Many more mine incidents are believed to go unreported.

The US used 117,634 landmines in Iraq and Kuwait during the 1991 Gulf War. Of these, 27,967 were antipersonnel mines and 89,667 were anti-vehicle mines. US Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps aircraft used Gator cluster bomb units to deliver these mines, while the Marine Corps used a small number of artillery-delivered mines. Landmines were identified as the cause of eighty-one US military casualties during the 1991 Gulf War. A recent study by the US General Accounting Office cited reluctance among some US commanders to use mines because of their impact on mobility, fratricidal potential, and safety concerns. US forces currently have at least 90,000 antipersonnel mines deployed in the Persian Gulf region.

Iraq has been both a producer (Iraq began producing mines in the 1970s) and an exporter of landmines and is believed to still possess a significant stockpile of mines. While there are no indications that export activity continued recently, Iraq is the only known mine exporter in the world that has not instituted an export ban or moratorium, or at least made a policy declaration of no current export.

Mines Used in Iraq

The most commonly encountered mines in Kurdistan are the Valmara 69 – called the Broom by Iraqi mine layers – and the VS-50. The SB-33 and PMN-HGE are also very common. The PMN-HGE is a derivative of the well-known Soviet PMN while the other three are Italian designs (some mines of Italian origin and/or design, chiefly the Valmara-69, the VS-50 and the SB-33, may have been assembled or manufactured in other countries, including Iraq). Mines laid by Iraq in northern Iraq and in Kuwait, or found in Iraqi stocks, originated from many countries including: Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Chile, China, Egypt, France, Jordan, Italy, Romania, Singapore, the former Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and the United States.

The PMN, sometimes referred to as PMN-1 to differentiate it from the later and more advanced PMN-2, is a Soviet-designed and manufactured anti-personnel, pressure-activated blast mine. Most PMN’s disseminated in Kurdistan have been manufactured in Iraqi State factories. The mine, as found in Kurdistan and designated PMN-HGE by the Iraqis, is a copy of the original Soviet mine. It was displayed as an Iraq-manufactured mine at the Baghdad Arms Fair in May 1989. It differs from the Soviet version only in the method of securing the rubber pressure diaphragm to the thermoplastic casing of the mine. The Iraqi government manufactured and deployed PMN-HE mines during the Iran-Iraq conflict.

Iraq has produced Italian designed mines as well. The Valmara 69 and the VS-50 are designed and manufactured by Valsella Meccanotecnica SpA of Brescia, Italy – one of the world’s leading manufacturers and exporters of landmines. The Valmara 69 weighs in excess of 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) – the main charge in all, or many, of the Valmara-69 and its derivatives used in Kurdistan, is surrounded by approximately 650 6mm diameter steel ball bearings. When activated by pressure or touch of a trip wire, Valmara-69 bounding fragmentation mines bound 1 meter in the air and detonate with a 35-meter lethal radius. People up to 100 meters away can receive severe injuries.

Because Valsella could not obtain an export license for Iraq it formed a new company in Singapore, which was not subject to an export ban, and obtained a license from the Italian government for export to that company. The mines were then re-exported to Iraq. In February 1991, seven executives of Valsella were convicted of illegally exporting nine million landmines to Iraq between 1982 and 1985. They received suspended prison sentences ranging from 18 to 22 months. At trial, The company’s defense was that the Italian government was fully informed of the arms sales to Iraq. {This was not the first time that Valsella was cited in connection with alleged illegal export of land mines through shell or foreign companies, as in September 1987, a Tuscan magistrate, Augusto Lama, told journalists that he had issued warrants against Valsella’s chairman and three executives of the company because he had documentary evidence that Valsella had illegally exported mines to Iran through Spanish, Turkish and Nigerian companies.)

With their source in trouble, Iraq began to manufacture copies of the Valsella mines. At the Baghdad Arms Fair in May 1989 the Iraqis displayed Valmara 69 bounding mines identical to those manufactured by Valsella but apparently manufactured in Iraq.

A Singapore-based company, Chartered Industries, partly owned and controlled by the Singapore government, also advertises devices identical to the Valmara 69 and the VS-50 as its own products; they are designated as VS-69 and VS-50 (also marketed as the SPM-1) by Chartered Industries. Another Italian mine used extensively in Iraq is the SB-33, described by its Italian manufacturers, BPD Difesa E Spazio of Rome, Italy to be a general-purpose, local action mine. The SB-33 is irregularly shaped, measures only 88mm in diameter, is just 32mm high, and has an anti-reflective surface (its dull green/grey finish is an effective camouflage against most natural backgrounds). Yet given Italy’s prohibition on arms exports to Iraq, it is not clear how so many SB-33’s found their way to the minefields of Kurdistan – though these mines are identical to the EM-20 marketed by the Elveiemek S.A., Hellenic Explosives & Ammunition Industry of Athens, Greece.

Besides Italian mines there are also Italian multi-purpose SAT mine fuses in Iraqi minefields. These fuses may be used to set off old or obsolete anti-tank mines by pressure or used as an anti-lift device. The fuses are coupled to buried anti-tank mines, which are not visible; although these may be MISAR SBP-04 or SBP-07, which were fitted with, SAT fuses. Originally manufactured by MISAR SpA of Brescia, Italy, in January 1990 the company was taken over by BPD Difesa e Spazio srl. of Rome who now market three devices in what they call the “SAT mine fuse family” – SAT/N, SAT/QZ and SAT/TL. The fuses are identical in appearance although they differ in explosive content and technical specification. Two models of the VS-3.6 and the VS-2.2, anti-tank mines are plastic devices employing the Valsella VS-N pressure fuse. These mines are frequently surface-laid and protected against removal by Valsella 69 and VS-50 anti-personnel mines.

Miscellany

The Soviet VP-13, found in Iraq and other Middle East client states, incorporates “selectivity” – design features that avoid detonation by animals. Also found in Kurdistan were two, as yet unidentified, anti-personnel devices, believed to be of Iranian origin: one is a “stake” mine, probably of the fragmentation-type set off by tripwire, and the other is a small box-shaped mine of plastic construction which may be an Iranian pressure-release mine. Local reports and descriptions also indicate the presence of SB-33 and POMZ-2 landmines. A US M16-A2 bounding anti-personnel mine, indicating a possible Iranian minefield, was also recovered. The US M16 “bouncing betty” mines were supplied to the Shah of Iran’s army by the United States, and are not thought to have been a stock item in the Iraqi armory, though the Iraqis may have captured significant stocks and subsequently deployed.

Mortar and artillery rounds, including a 130mm artillery shell, have been used as improvised command-detonated mines. The 130mm round was buried on a slope so that when detonated it would disperse shrapnel a large distance to the front and sides of it. The normal impact fuse was removed and an electrical detonator surrounded by silicon gel inserted. This was then connected to a cable running back to an abandoned bunker 50 meters to the rear. Troops in the bunker could use a switch and electrical current to make the shell detonate on command.

Ansar Al Islam, an Islamic fundamentalist group with strong links to Al Qaeda, was based in the eastern part of northern Iraq, close to the Iranian border in Biyara, a few kilometers from Halabja. During Operation Iraqi Freedom a ground attack by Kurdish guerrillas, the Peshmerga (“the Undefeated”), was launched with the support of US forces. Many of the terrorists were killed or captured and others fled to the surrounding mountains. In the process of clearing up after the fighting, abandoned ammunition and booby traps were found in villagers’ homes taken over by the group. Mines Advisory Group (MAG) a British demining NGO, cleared a house in Deh Kon village, close to Halabja and used by Ansar Al Islam, removing 276 Chinese Type 72A anti-personnel mines and 4 mortar rounds.

Operation Iraqi Freedomb

From the very beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom there were reports of mine use by Iraqi forces near the Kuwaiti border, around Kirkuk in the north, and elsewhere. Iraqi troops laid anti-personnel mines in southern Iraq. There have been other reports that Iraqi forces were laying mines around Kirkuk in the north and elsewhere in the country. In the southern areas it appears that the mines, in most cases, were armed but deployed in a random and careless manner. Many Valmara 69 mines were not buried but linked in series on single tripwires. In one case, more than twelve devices were interlinked in this way. In the same area many VS-50 and other pressure devices were scattered at random – sometimes in groups of twenty or more. Some of these mines are unarmed. Other defensive minefields left over from the Iran-Iraq War consist of a more conventional pattern – predominantly of anti-personnel mines – Valsella 69, VS-50, and PMN-HE. Some are buried, others are surface laid, over wide, ill defined, and unmarked areas. Anti-tank mines, probably Soviet TM-46 or derivatives, PMN anti-personnel, and VS 1.6 (Valmara) anti-tank mines were laid in roadways by Iraqi troops. They dug holes in the asphalt and then covered the mines with tar.

Derband Gorge

During much of the Iran-Iraq war, Derband Gorge was the frontline between the opposing forces, and was the scene of some of the most violent engagements of the war. Because of the gorge’s strategic importance a significant concentration of mines and a high incidence of particularly hazardous napalm devices were laid there. The Derband minefield contains booby-traps consisting of 20-liter steel drums of napalm (jellied gasoline made from naphthalene and coconut oil). The drums have an explosive charge and are detonated by pull-ignition fuses connected to tripwires. The tripwires forming part of the initiation circuit are also connected to bounding mines and in some cases the napalm drums are interlinked with tripwire-activated mines. The napalm containers are, in most cases, buried, leaving the upper 25% of the drum exposed. In several instances, however, the drum is totally buried leaving only the top exposed at ground level.

Chemical Mines?

Before the Gulf War, the Defense Intelligence Agency believed that Iraq’s ground forces possibly had chemical mines. This analysis was based on two pieces of information. Firstly, a Canadian soldier assigned to a United Nations’ peacekeeping force after the Iran-Iraq War thought he identified an Iraqi mine filled with chemical warfare agent in a conventional minefield along the Iran-Iraq border. It was recovered, however, and positively identified as a conventional mine. The second circumstance that caused concern in the US intelligence community began with an explosives shortage in Italy in the mid-1980s that led to the production of unfilled mine bodies. The US intelligence community was concerned nations such as Iraq, which had used many Italian-produced mines, would fill these mine bodies with chemical warfare agents. This fear proved unfounded. UNSCOM discovered no chemical mines in its post-war inspection and destruction of Iraq’s chemical weapons.

After the war, contractors for Kuwait collected and destroyed more than 3.5 million mines, none chemical, inside Kuwait. In addition, coalition forces captured and translated many of Iraq’s documents. Except for theoretical discussions, none addressed chemical mines. One of Iraq’s captured engineering publications discusses clearing an area of enemy chemical mines, using a US M21 chemical mine as an example.

After traveling 300 kilometers along the Gulf War front looking for signs of booby traps or chemical mines, a US expert found none.

Iraqi Minefield Doctrine

Iraqi engineers strictly implemented their doctrine for mine-laying operations. A US expert on foreign mines stated he felt very safe in an Iraqi minefield due to their discipline in following doctrine. However, reading interviews with Iraqi engineers makes me think differently. Iraqi sappers or engineers placed three anti-personnel mines 1 meter from an anti-tank mine with 4 to 5 meters separating each anti-tank mine. During the Gulf War, Iraqi combat engineers consistently followed this doctrine across its entire 400 kilometers of minefields. In a minefield near the Turkish border a random sample section 15×10 meters contained 31 PMN-HGEs, six Valmara 69s and two TM-46 anti-tank mines. There were also seven PMN-HGEs that were either unarmed or inoperative for other reasons. All anti-personnel devices were surface laid. The occasional standard mine marker is visible in these minefields and others may be present.

A September 1991 interview with an Iraqi Istikhbarat (military intelligence) officer attached to a Divisional Engineer Unit (with responsibility for a section of the defenses along the Iraqi-Turkish border prior to the Gulf conflict) revealed more on how the Iraqis laid mines. When asked if he had any idea how many mines were laid he answered, “I doubt if anyone would have an exact answer, except maybe the ordnance supply quartermaster in Mosul. This is how big it was – for four months we laid mines throughout the front, every day – there simply weren’t enough military trucks to bring them from the stores in Mosul so civilian vehicles were used as well.” Responding to questions on record keeping he replied, “I never saw any maps. We, the officers, knew where the mines were meant to be laid and those instructions were passed down to the sappers. No, I don’t think any maps were made.”

An interview conducted at the same time with an Iraqi Army divisional sapper unit section commander, one of 2,500 soldiers involved in the same mine-laying operation as the Istikhbarat officer, refutes the assertion that the Iraqis were disciplined minelayers. (see Sidebar) According to the squad leader: no maps or sketches of the minefields were made; the officers kept no records or maps as the minelayers were too busy; only a count of the mines laid was kept – usually about 5,000 a day by his squad alone; faulty mines and mines without detonators were laid; and mines were laid without arming or merely surface laid due to laziness. So much for discipline.

De-mining and Clearance

Kurdish Peshmerga military forces have cleared mines from roads in Iraqi Kurdistan by hand, locating them by using probes. Only in northern Iraq has there been organized mine clearance where humanitarian mine action programs are conducted in the northern provinces or governorates of Sulaymaniya, Erbil, and Dohuk. It is estimated that funding for mine action in northern Iraq totaled about $80 million from 1993 to 2001. The Iraq Mine Action Program, under the jurisdiction of the United Nations, is funded entirely through the UN Oil for Food Program, which started in 1997. Two key mine action NGOs, Mines Advisory Group (MAG) and Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), receive funds apart from the UN program, totaling about $2.4 million in 2001. The Mines Advisory Group is a United Kingdom-based agency specializing in the design of mine survey techniques and the establishment of humanitarian landmine eradication programs. MAG began operations in 1992 in the Kurdish controlled region of northern Iraq In 2001. MAG and NPA cleared more than 1 million square meters of land. Mine clearance efforts in the rest of the country prior to Operation Iraqi Freedom remain unknown.

For more information on MAG contact:

Mines Advisory Group
47 Newton Street
Manchester M1 1FT
United Kingdom,
TEL: +44 [0] 161 236 4311
FAX: INT +44 [0] 161 236 6244
email: maguk@mag.org.uk

by Julio A. Montes

The Australian Army has supported the United Kingdom and the United States in several combat operations in the Asian Continent throughout history. Most recently, the Australian did not hesitate in supporting US and UK operations in Afghanistan and in Iraq

FALCONER

On March 18, 2003, the Australian government committed 2,000 soldiers to Iraq under Operation Falconer. Even before this announcement by Robert Hill, Defence Minister, Australia had dispatched several military units to the Middle East under Operation Bastille. Falconer was placed directly under the command of Brigadier General Maurie McNarn.

Initially, Falconer contained with 620 aircrews and air service elements, 70 of them were the elite combat air controller team. There were also 950 sailors and naval crews, and the Special Forces Task Group with 500 members of the Special Air Service Regiment, supported by a Clearance Diving Team, and elements of the Incident Response Regiment, a Reaction Force (comprising commandos of the 4RAR), a Combat Support Service Group, and CH-47 Chinook air crews (5th Aviation Regiment).

TERRITORIAL FORCES

At home, the main maneuvering unit of the Army is the 1st Division, comprising two Infantry brigades of two battalions each, and one mechanized brigade with an armored regiment (7RAR), and a mechanized regiment (5RAR) and a parachute regiment (3RAR). These are supported by three Artillery regiments, the 1st Commando Regiment, an engineer regiment and an aviation regiment.

The 2nd and 3rd Divisions are mainly composed of reservists. This provides for a regular army of some 30,000 elements and 25,000 reserves, distributed in 10 brigades (7 reservists), adding 21 infantry battalions, a mechanized regiment, two medium artillery regiments (155mm – one regular and one reserves), six field artillery regiments (105mm), an air defense regiment with Rapier missile systems, three field engineer regiments, three construction engineer regiments, three reconnaissance regiments, a naval infantry regiment (4RAR) and two aviation regiments.

The nucleus of the regular Army is the Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) with 6 battalions. The Australian Special Operations Forces are represented by the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR), Pilbara Regional Force Reconnaissance Unit, the 1st Commando Regiment, the 4th RAR Commando, and the Australian Combat Diver Team. Parachute operations are tasked to the 3rd RAR. The SASR is based at Campbell Barracks, at Swanbourne, and it comprises the Regimental Headquarters Squadron (RHQ), Base Squadron, Operational Support Squadron, three Sabre Squadrons (1st, 2nd, and 3rd) and the 152 Signal Squadron. The organization of the Sabre Squadrons follows that of the British SAS: 64 men per squadron, divided into 16-man Troops and 4-man Patrols.

In case of war, the SASR, and the 1st Commando Regiment provide tactical and strategic special operations for the Army. Outside Australia, the SAS Regiment is commonly and informally referred as the ASAS, for Australian Special Air Service, and its operators are distinguished by the traditional Sand-color Beret (beige).

The elements of the 3RAR carry the distinctive Maroon Beret. Modern airborne unit operations in Australia have their origins in 1974, when the Army took over Her Majesty’s Air Station at Albatross, and transformed the installations into the heart of the new parachute units of the Royal Australian Regiment. Company D, 6RAR, was designated as the first parachute unit; this was followed in 1973 with the 3RAR being designated as the parachute unit of the Army. The 3RAR was then Holsworthy Barracks, close to Sydney. In 1986 the government established the Parachute Training Centre at Albatross.

Elements of the 4RAR Commando carry the traditional Green Beret due to their affinity to the British Royal Marines. The 4RAR provides for four amphibious commando companies. A commando must complete basic and infantry training; then attends a selection process, to continue with the jump and riverine operations training. Then, a candidate must specialize in diving, climbing, demolition, and hand-to-hand combat before graduating and being allowed to wear the Green Beret.

RESERVE SPEC OPS

1st Commando of Sydney’s Own Regiment was established as part of the Citizen Military Force (reserves) in 1957. Giving its nature, the unit was-and remains-in very close association with the Australian Special Air Service. ASAS operators usually transfer to the 1st Commando upon termination of their regular Army tour.

On February 1st, 1980, the unit changed its name to the 1st Commando Regiment and, together with the SASR, forms the Special Action Force of Australia. Both units are specialized in mountain and riverine warfare. The 1st Commando was originally organized with two companies (one at Sidney and one at Williamstown) and one 126 Signal Squadron (Watsonia). Today, the regiment comprises a Regimental HQ, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Commando Squadrons and the 126th Signal Squadron.

Antiterrorist tasks fall under the auspices of the TAG, or Tactical Assault Group. This 200-men unit is actually part of the SASR, and it consists of one SAS Squadron in its third year of rotation. The TAG is in charge of antiterrorist operations on land while the Offshore Assault Group (OAG) is tasked with antiterrorist operations along coastal installations and the sea.

EQUIPMENT

In the 1950s, the Army adopted the FN FAL as its standard combat rifle, and the FN MAG 58 as the standard machine gun. Those troops deployed to Vietnam also carried the M16A1 and the M60 GPMG. After Vietnam, the ASAS continued to favor the M16.

However, the FAL has been declared obsolete and replaced with a new rifle. The standard issued rifle today is the F-88 in 5.56 mm. This is no other than the Armee Universal Gewehr (AUG – for short), designed by Steyr Mannlicher AG of Austria, and made under local license in Australia. The weapon is also known as the SturmGewehr 77 by the Austrian Army, and F88 Austeyr by the Australian counterpart. This rifle weights 7.15 pounds, empty. Its outer shell is made of high quality plastic, with an ergonomic design in a “bullpup” configuration. There are 30- and 40-round magazines, which are made of transparent plastic, allowing a quick check of the number of rounds left in the magazine. The AUG A2 has been modified to allow other types of sights and accessories common to NATO to be mounted, and the Australians have taken several of them into service.

Another advantage of the AUG concept is that it basically consists of a weapon system which simplifies maintenance, logistics and training. A simple change of accessories can convert the standard rifle to a 9mm submachine gun. A barrel change can transform the standard rifle (with a barrel of 508mm) to a short rifle (with a 350mm barrel), a Carbine (407mm barrel), or a light machine gun (621mm barrel with bipod). The bullpup design makes the AUG very compact and ideal for mounted or helicopter operations.

Those forces deployed to Iraq and to Afghanistan carried the M4A1 Carbine instead of the F88 while their Perentie vehicles bristled with FN MAG 58 and M2HB machine guns, and on occasions with automatic grenade launchers. The Army makes use of the F89 (heavy barrel AUG), and some M249 Minimi squad automatics have been adopted. There is a great variety of precision rifles available, including the 7.62x51mm Galil, HK-PSG1, Parker Hale 82,Tikka F.223, and AI AW-F.

The SASR, and the army in general, have made considerable use of the Nissan Patrol 4×4 for liaison and general motorized patrols, with the Mercedes Unimog as the standard tactical truck. In 1994, the army ordered 268 Perentie vehicles from British Aerospace Australia Limited.

The Perentie is basically the Australian version of the British SAS Land Rover. There are, however, several features that make the Perentie unique. The original Perentie is similar to the British 4×4 vehicle, but mounts an Isuzu 3.9 liter, 4-cylinder diesel engine and a new 4-speed transmission. The latest Perentie variant is equipped with 750R16LT 10-ply tires, is 6×6, and carries an Isuzu 3.9 liter, 4 cylinder, and turbocharged diesel engine. There is provision for radio, additional fuel and ammunition in the vehicle. Two spare tires are carried and recessed in the middle of the vehicle; there is a roll-cage and provision to carry a 250cc motorcycle on a mount in the rear bulkhead. There are several mounts for armament, including a pedestal for either a heavy machine gun, automatic grenade launcher or a light low-recoil cannon.

The iron fist of the army is represented by 71 Leopard 1A3 MBTs, and 354 improved M113 (with 119 in storage). In 1974, Australia ordered 90 MBTs under the designation of Leopard AS1, plus 8 ARV and 5 AVLB variants. The AS1 sported the typical turret of the Leopard 1A3, and carried the SABCA fire control system. The Leopards arrived between 1976 and 1978, replacing the elderly Centurion MBTs of the 1RAR. The AS1 were overhauled between 1992 and 1994, incorporating the 100 EDGA (Electronic Digital Gunnery Aids).

Australia acquired a fleet of 771 M113A1 APCs, most of them with the one-man Cadillac Gage T-50 turret. The turret carries a 7.62x51mm and a 12.7mm machine gun, along with 2,000 rounds of 7.62x51mm and 3,000 of 12.7mm. The Army retains some 473 M113 in service. They have been improved with internal protection and comforts. The military also modernized 355 T-50 turrets, providing them with day/night sights.

The Australians have modified several M113 into unique models; there were 18 FSV (Saladin) units, for instance, modified with the turret of the Saladin combat armored car. These were replaced with 45 M113 MRV (Medium Reconnaissance Vehicle) equipped with the turret from the Scorpion light tank.

In 1995, the Australian tested one prototype of the M113 M40A1. This consisted of a M113 modified to carry the M40A1 106mm RCL mounted on the right side and immediately behind the commander’s cupola. The rear hatch was modified to open in two halves sideways to provide for armored protection to the crew of the M40A1. Minor internal modifications were made to allow the gun crew to remain standing up while operating the M40A1 and for 16 106mm rounds to be carried. The M113A1 has not been adopted into service, but could serve as a example for those countries operating both systems, and lacking more modern and more expensive antitank missiles such as the TOW.

The first 15 LAV-25 were supplied to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. By 1996, the government had ordered 111 vehicles, including 33 8×8 MOGAW Piranhas LAV-25 (ASLAV-25), 33 Bison APC (ASLAV-PC), 9 Command & Control (ASLAV-C), 10 Recovery (ASLAV-F), 10 reconnaissance (ASLAV-S), and 2 ambulances (ASLAV-A). The ASLAV-25 carries a 25mm cannon and it’s similar to the USMC LAV. The ASLAV is of exclusive use of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment based at New South Wales, close to Darwin; there are a few examples in use at the Armor Training Center and the Royal Logistics, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Training Establishment. The ASLAV will be complemented with 400 Bushmasters, which use the same mechanical parts of the Unimog truck.

The medium artillery regiments are equipped with 35 M198 155mm howitzers while the field artillery counts with the some 246 M2A2 and M118 105mm pieces. The infantry receives support from 296 81mm mortars, and antitank work is entrusted to 577 84mm Carl Gustav rocket launchers, and 74 M40A1 106mm RCLs. Air defense depends on 19 Rapier firing units and 17 RBS-70, while Army aviation lists 35 S-70, 38 Bell 206, 25 UH-1H, 17 AS-350B and 6 CH-47D.

COMMITMENTS

On April 17, 2003, the government announced the return from the Middle East of HMA ANZAC and HMA DARWIN, and in June HMA KANIMBLA was scheduled to return. The announcement also indicated the return of the SAS Squadron, the Support Services Group, and the Combat Diving Team.

The Australians left in Iraq a group of 60 combat air controllers at Baghdad International Airport, and a 75-element Security Detail comprising 3 ASLAV and crews from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment (Darwin), and 35 men of the 2RAR (Townsville), with elements of the 3rd Brigade (Townsville) and the 1st MP battalion (Brisbane) providing communications and logistical support.

This author acknowledges the assistance of Brian A. Humphreys, and the Public Relations Office of the Australian MoD, for this article.

by Mark Genovese

This beautiful belt fed gun first came back to life in early 1996, as a so called hybrid 1917A1 manufactured by DLO of Arcadia, Florida 34266 (phone: 863-491-8622). To get this old Warhorse to run properly I had to step back to the time of washboards, vacuum tube radios and cast iron. The gun arrived without being headspaced and with no manual or instructions. Long Mountain Outfitters (Dept. SAR, 631 North Stephanie Street, #560, Henderson, NV 89014; phone: 702-564-0948; fax: 702-558-1728; email: LMO4MGS@aol.com; website: www.lomgmountain.com) came to my rescue with a copy of Ordnance Maintenance TM9-1205. After much time and many frustrating attempts, the gun started to reluctantly rise from the dead and sputter along. Once it was up and running properly, I took the time to deal with the manufacturers shortcomings. The front cap/sight was a 1/2-inch off center, the trigger group would only trip seven out of ten times, the breech lock cam came off, the receiver was not square and the finish was unacceptable. I decided to send it off to Ohio Ordnance Works (Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 687, Chardon, OH 44024; phone: 440-285-3481; fax: 440-286-8571. Yopu can visit their website at: www.ohioordnanceworks.com) and let Bob Landies do what he does best. The work done on this piece was outstanding. However, still not satisfied with the trigger and its pull I replaced the original with the a unit by Valkyrie Arms (Dept. SAR, 120 State Ave NE, No. 381, Olympia, WA 98501-8212; phone: 360-482-4036; website: www.valkyriearms.com). After that, the gun ran hard and fast and you just had to keep it filled with water and .30/06 ammunition. This year, I put it up for sale on the Internet with a thorough description within ten minutes I received an email from Bob Naess of Black River Militaria Vermont 05142 (phone: 802-226-7204). He graciously informed me that what I was describing was not a 1917A1, but a far rarer Colt MG38. The most obvious distinctions are the front water packing gland, which is larger in size, and the 1917 trunnion and front cap which are male threads while those of the MG38 are female threaded, while its water jacket is male threaded. The MG38 is provided with large 1½-inch brass fittings and chained caps on its water jacket to which a hand operated water circulating unit can be attached. The purpose of this circulating pump is to afford a means for having a constant flow of water passing through the jacket while the gun is firing. The trunnion and end cap are of steel, permitting use of either fabric belts or metallic links. A spring is provided to return the belt feed lever to its normal left position when the top cover is open, so when you close it, you’ll engage the cam groove in the top of the bolt. The breech lock cam has a threaded stud to receive a nut opposite from the current part, in assembly the cam/stud is passed through the hole in the bottom plate and a nut is then screwed on with a cotter pin securing the assembly. The elevating bracket formerly secured by screws is riveted to the bottom plate, an improved bolt handle is provided and it has at one end a projection that can be used to dissemble the main portions of the mechanism from the breech casing. The top cover latch is improved with a hook type handle fitted for positive locking. The belt holding pawl split pin is provided with a knurled head and the cover pin is retained by a cotter pin. In the Colt 1928 this cover pin had a spring lock attached. The MG38 could also be ordered from the factory with a double grip back plate instead of the usual pistol grip, this model was called the MG38B. Regular equipment supplied with each gun as follows: four cloth 250-round ammunition belts, four wood ammunition boxes, one extractor complete, one driving spring, one firing pin complete, one bolt handle, one pawl split pin, one water and one steam plug with chain and a complete set of springs. Accessories: three yards of asbestos packing, oil can with oil, combination wrench, leather case for spare parts and accessories, leather water filling cup, drift tool, ruptured case extractor and cleaning rod. This gun could be provided with area-type anti-aircraft sights and a flash hider at extra cost. Approximate weight of the gun with water is 421/4 pounds, loaded 250-round belt weighs 151/4 pounds and the M35 tripod tips the scales at 68 pounds. This is by no means a complete list of the differences between the 1917 and MG38 but only the most obvious.

With this knowledge I immediately removed my “for sale” post from the Internet and made the decision to return this historic firearm to its original configuration knowing full well it would probably cost a small fortune. The one thing that will make a project like this viable is an aggressive and talented machinist. I was introduced to Mark Jacobs and his partner John Wertz of Black Bear MFG., North Jackson, Ohio 44451 (phone: 303-503-9863). The key to success would be the replication of the right and left side plates plus the bottom plate as well. Our measurements and dimensions were lifted directly from the Colt 1928 as they are identical to the MG38. These early-style side plates differ from current ones with respect to the overall height measurement at the rear of approximately 31/4 inches top to bottom and extending forward toward the trunnion 71/4 inches. Then stepping down to approximately 23/4 inches. This extra material is necessary to accommodate the twelve small button head rivets that hold the bottom plate in place. With the late-style so called “horse shoe” or wraparound bottom plate this extra material is not needed, whereas the MG38 plate mounts on the inside. Consequently, this early-style requires the milling of two 71/4-inch long grooves inside each plate. Fortunately, we were not forced to machine from scratch a new bottom plate. I was able to procure one and the proper return spring from Bob Landies. One other small detail: the MG38 return spring is not held in place by the back plate like the later-style, it has instead a small oval hole milled inside the upper rear right side plate. The return spring has at one end a projection or prolongation that corresponds with the hole. The rear of the spring just resting on the rear plate. Using this early method no screw driver or cartridge is necessary to disassemble the firearm. Mark also had the side plate serial number, model, manufacture and address deeply engraved on a CNC Mill and highlighted in white, absolutely outstanding. The lower cooling hose brass fitting had been damaged in the past and a rudimentary repair was done. We decided this would require proper attention and would entail machining a whole new bottom half including two hours of mill and lathe time for the screws alone. No easy task when you consider the contour of the water jacket.

I requested Marks father, Robert Two Bears, to build one of his military-style transport crates. It is made from solid clear pine, glued and screwed, with military hinges, latches and authentic custom oil board stencils.

The M35 tripod provided with the original firearm was the same as the 1928 Colt. In the construction of the legs of this tripod and their attachment to the brass pivot base, adjustments can be made so that the mount can be changed from an upright to a prone position. Either leg of the tripod can be adjusted separately, so that the gun can be leveled on uneven ground. The cradle has a wide range between extreme elevation and extreme depression. The traversing dial is graduated in artillery mills, which permits using the tripod for indirect fire. The cradle is graduated in artillery mills as well and an elevating screw for finer adjustments is provided. In order to convert the gun to 8MM Mauser we started with an Israeli 1919A4 barrel provided by Mr. Gary Cole of Cole Distributing Scottsville, Kentucky 42164 (phone: 270-622-3569). Turning it on the lathe to the proper Colt MG38 configuration then highly polished and blued with a new cartridge spacer as well.

THE BLACK BEAR SEMIAUTOMATIC-ONLY CONVERSION

Back in the early 1980s DLO was the only manufacturer allegedly in possession of a letter of release from the Department of the Treasury. Essentially this letter purportedly allowed them to make and market the first semiautomatic-only Browning-style 1919A4. In those days the BATF rules were minimal to say the least, basically a dimensionality correct automatic right side plate , bolt, sear and barrel extension. The only difference between the DLO fully automatic and semiautomatic-only versions is a disconnecting trigger lock and a thicker bottom plate disallowing the full-auto lock. Under current BATF rules no full-auto parts can fit the semiautomatic-only receiver. All plates must be permanently attached to the trunnion via welds and the trigger must disconnect after every shot. Most other semiautomatic-only conversions employ a uniformly thicker right side plate. Black Bear is different. It has five 1/8×1-inchX.050-inch raised areas, with two inside the front right side plate of the receiver and three toward the rear. They are barely even noticeable. The right side of the bolt, barrel extension and lock frame have the corresponding relief cuts. With this method of manufacture one cannot install any full-auto internal parts. The rear of the bolt has been machined to accept a sear wider by 0.125-inch than the original full-auto and has a square trigger engagement notch that cannot interface with an original angled trigger notch. It’s also too wide for the original Browning trigger to catch it. The semiautomatic-only trigger is wider at 0.225-inch than the original 0.110-inch and a two-piece design with a return spring inside it. The rear half has a hole for a pivot point and a slot milled in the top to accept the return spring and the front half of the trigger. The front half of the trigger slides forward and is pushed back by the return spring. The square trigger boss that engages the sear is angled opposite of the original and cannot be filed to engage like the full-auto. If the trigger is held back and not released , then as the bolt moves forward the sear will strike the front half of the trigger moving it forward which will not allow the sear to engage with the trigger. The weapon will not fire unless the trigger is released to allow the front half of the trigger to lift up above the sear body then the return spring will pull the trigger rearward back into the sear notch. The accelerator has been machined to allow clearance for the wider redesigned trigger arm. The trigger return is a well-thought-out spring-loaded plunger located in the back plate, on top of the trigger movement slot bearing down on the trigger. This weapon employs a manual block safety as well that will fit through a hole in the right side plate and extend through the lock frame. There is a spring-loaded plunger mounted in the right side plate, which holds the safety in place. It will also keep it in the safe or fire position. When the safety is in the fire position there is a notch milled in the safety shaft, which allows movement of the trigger. When the safety is in the safe position, it blocks movement of the trigger. The receiver is expertly riveted together and all plates are welded to the trunnion on the inside of the receiver, it cannot be taken apart to allow a switch of the right side plate.

by Ed Weitzman

Compared to the British Mark 1, Vickers machine gun, the US Model 1915 Colt Vickers was only manufactured for a short period of time. The Colt gun was used by the U.S. during World War I and replaced with the Browning M1917 machine gun in 1918. The British Empire on the other hand, used the Vickers gun both in World War I and World War II and did not retire it until 1968.

The Vickers made by the Colt Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company, under license from the firm of Vickers Sons and Maxim Ltd., (VSM), is a copy of its British-made counterpart. Differentiating the two has been made even more difficult by the fact that we gave almost all our entire leftover Vickers inventory to England during the lend lease program. After the war they were disbursed to other countries, a majority going to Egypt, and they apparently made little or no attempt to keep the original Colt made-parts together and separate from the Vickers made guns they had also obtained.

US Vickers guns will commonly be found in caliber 30 US, .303 British and 7.92x57mm and less commonly in 7.62×54 Russian and 11mm. The original US guns and those given by the British War Department to the Home Guard were in 30-06. Some guns were converted to .303 British and given to Egypt. The Egyptian guns that were captured by the Israelis during the Six Day War were then converted to 7.92x57mm. One of the virtues of the Vickers design is the ease of which the caliber may be changed.

Fortunately, for today’s collectors, the Vickers and Colt companies each had their own distinct inspector’s markings that they applied to their parts. These markings, along with several major differences in the guns themselves allow collectors to determine just who made a specific gun or part. I will attempt to show, by way of a pictorial comparison these differences and markings. There were other countries that over the years manufactured Vickers parts, but for purposes of this comparison we will deal with the Colt and the Vickers Company made guns. British guns made by Vickers Sons & Maxim had most of the parts marked with a VSM stamp. After the death of Hiram Maxim the name of the company was changed to Vickers Armstrong and following that, parts were marked VA. Colt manufactured parts were marked with an “u/v”. (I haven’t a clue what that stands for).

The tripods for the two Vickers guns were almost identical, except for the earliest Colt Vickers, which used a Springfield armory MKII tripod. The differences are found in the configuration of the rear leg and the placement of the traversing lock. On the Colt tripods are also found the mysterious u/v markings.

After 1918 many of the original Colt ground configuration guns were altered to aircraft configuration. This involved cutting louvers in the water jacket for air-cooling and the conversion to 11mm. Originally, when these guns were converted from ground to aircraft configuration, they were renumbered with an A prefix serial number. These guns were sold as Dewats to collectors in the 1930s and many registered during the amnesty. Some of the sideplates (from these ground guns, turned aircraft guns) were subsequently removed and married to Colt ground gun parts kits imported from overseas (the ones captured by the Israelis). This explains the ground guns with aircraft serial numbers.

Generally, there were three categories of differences in the US and British guns. The photographs in the A group illustrate physical differences. The B group shows the variation in markings, presumably by inspectors. Lastly, the C group shows the difference in serial numbering. I cannot begin to speculate about the reasons for these differences; I’ll leave that up to you. While I have not examined all of the guns made, these variations have been consistent on all of the Vickers guns that I have had the opportunity to examine.

One of the more fascinating aspects of studying machine guns, are the many variations in the manufacturing process, resulting at least in part from the many contractors involved. The differences in the finished product that these variations produce are sometimes subtle and sometimes glaring.

Group A Photos

Group B Photos

Pictures in this group show the various parts on the Vickers gun where the inspectors marks may be found. VSM or VA for the British gun and u/v for the U.S. gun.

Group C Photos

by J.M. Ramos

The 1980s signalled the beginning of a new era in firearms designs and innovations. Hi-tech firearms started arriving in the North American market by storm. The cold war between US allies and ComBloc nations had reached its boiling point with both superpowers spending billions of dollars developing advanced weapon systems for their military forces. The sudden popularity of military-type sporting guns in the US market was no doubt fuelled by fear of communist invasion and the possibility of a third world war, not to mention the rise of survivalism among doomsday believers. The Arms Corporation of the Philippines (Armscor), having exported their wares in many parts of the world for decades, was very much aware of this ongoing focus, which ultimately initiated a new wave of commercial arms known as “exotic weaponry.” The popularity of the famous Russian-made assault rifle, the AK47, in the west proved to be a major selling point for a new product and was the inspiration behind the making of Armscor’s AK-4722 later to be know simply as the AK-22 for the standard model and AK-22F for the compact folding stock variant. In order to produce a new model in its series of battle rifle clones chambered for .22 LR without going through extensive re-tooling, the company once again made good use of their well-proven Model 20 self-loader. Armscor’s rimfire AK was introduced in the early part of the 1980s. To achieve the exterior configuration of the AK rifle, Armscor utilized a cast alloy clamshell to enclose the M-20 receiver and trigger housing. Below the exterior casing was another cast extension containing the stamped trigger guard. When the clamshell was fully assembled to the M-20 action, the bottom extension containing the trigger guard was connected below the clamshell by a large screw to the front and by the pistol grip connecting screw at the rear. The usual buttstock is attached to the rear of the clamshell by a long screw. While the technique employed in creating this AK-22 rifle variant was quite clever, I would have preferred a one-piece casing that connected from the bottom of the action and a stamped sheet metal cover in the AK pattern mounted at the top. This would have been more realistic looking and created a lighter rifle that would not have required a screwdriver for disassembly.

A non-functional gas tube was mounted above the barrel via the top front end of the clamshell exterior housing. A cast alloy AK-style front sight base connected both barrel and fake gas tube at the front. An authentic-looking functional one-piece cleaning rod was attached below the barrel in the AK manner. Both rear and front sights were patterned after the assault rifle it emulated, but much simpler and less sturdy. The magazine and magazine catch arrangement were similar to the one previously incorporated to the earlier Baby Armalikes. The lower half of the regular 15-round magazine was enclosed by a wide cast alloy curved exterior casing to simulate the look of a full bore AK. The magazine activator was mounted at the rear of the exterior casing. When depressed, the top end of the activator would push the lower end of the normal magazine catch, thereby releasing its connection with the magazine. The AK-22 featured Philippine mahogany for its buttstock, forearm and matching foregrip. The rifle was somewhat heavier and bulkier and less proportioned in size than the real AK. For this reason Filipino gunsmiths preferred to lighten up the gun by slotting the buttstock and trimming the forearm where it was out of proportion, resulting in a lighter, much streamlined and better-looking AK look-alike. This procedure was also applied to the M-16R (telescoping stock model) which was wider on both sides than the standard fixed stock version that required the extra thickness to accommodate the dual metal rods which telescoped inside the side-mounted twin tubes containing the springs that automatically deployed the stock into firing position when the push button latch was activated.

As the exotic gun market peaked out by the mid 1980s, the company introduced their compact version of the AK-22 called the AK-22F. The AK-22F was basically identical to the standard model but with a side folding stock patterned after the FAL Para design but in a much-simplified form. A push button latch to operate the side folder was mounted at the rear of the clamshell exterior housing. This model is introduced primarily to compete with more sophisticated clones from Italy, France and Germany. The compact AK-22F also found much favour among the local security agencies and wealthy rural landowners who maintained their own perimeter security workers. In the later part of the 1980s, the company introduced yet another look-alike, the Model 50S, a PPSh41 submachine gun look-alike made famous by the Russians during World War II.. The M-50S is basically the old Model 20 with a full-length ventilated barrel shroud added. Unlike its original Italian-made counterpart, the Bingham PPS-50, the Philippine version is not designed to accommodate a drum magazine. However, Armscor produced a long 20-shot magazine, which they offered as an optional accessory for this new model. The 20-shot magazine was highly prized among the underground workshops that utilized it for their popular invention, the “Sanvik” machine pistol, an Ingram M11 machine pistol clone. This rimfire machine pistol was very much in demand in the black market, primarily in the city of Manila. While externally resembling the M11, the Sanvik’s internal mechanism was different.

FULL AUTO CONVERSIONS OF THE AK-22 AND M-50S

As noted in Part One, full-auto modifications for the Squibman or Armscor self loaders and look-alikes have long been undertaken by local gunsmiths in the Philippines since the introduction of the first Model 20 back in the 1960s. The earliest and most common modifications to provide full-auto operation were the open-bolt fixed-firing pin system. These early attempts were not reliable and were soon superseded by better conversions, such as the two-piece bolt arrangement from the same underground workshops that had been building full-auto shotguns long before the US military embarked with their Close Assault Weapons Shotgun (CAWS) program. These gunsmiths created their product line from actual battle experiences provided by their clients.

While there are numerous selective fire M-1622’s and AK-22’s floating around in the Philippines, that are legally owned or black market specials, it was not until about the early 1970s that reliable Squibman full autos start coming out from the famous Paltik town of Danao in the Visayas islands. These weapons were mostly offered to highest bidders in the black market. Armscor only sold their product line through authorized dealers. However, few of these weapons eventually ended up in the wrong hands. In a country full of corruption and bribery, this should come as no surprise.

The two-piece bolt conversion for the Armscor rifles were a remarkable improvement over the early open-bolt fixed-firing pin design. Unlike the original problematic fixed-firing pin system, the later two-piece bolt arrangement proved highly successful. The modification technique involved cutting the original bolt in a half past the cocking handle. The front of the rear end of the bolt contained a small spring-loaded plunger just below the striker assembly groove. The function of the small plunger was to force the front end of the bolt to partly retract so that the firing pin was not sticking out of the breechface during the loading process to allow for smooth unimpeded feeding. In the early open-bolt conversions, the protruding tip of the fixed firing pin in the breechface restricted the upward movement of the rim, resulting in a stoppage.

To work with the two-piece bolt arrangement, the striker was also modified. A new re-positioned elongated notch in the striker was cut to clear the cocking handle, which controlled the slight retraction of the two-piece bolt. The replacement cocking handle was no longer retained by the striker, but by the receiver recoil travel slot. The thick flat striker held the alignment of the two-piece bolt inside the receiver as controlled by the cocking handle. A new sear with an extended rear end was fabricated. A matching new trip connected at the front of the trigger utilized a bottom front end extension (toe) to act as a disconnector acting against the fire selector pin when it was set at semiautomatic. The fire selector is in the form of a pivoting lever assembled at the left side of the gun. When the lever is rotated to the rear, the solid portion of the pin will be engage by the trip toe at the last stage of the trigger pull. As the trip toe hits the selector pin at the end of the pull, its front hook will pivot rearward forcing it to disengage its connection with the sear, allowing the sear to bounce back to its normal position ready to catch the bolt on its forward recoil. To fire the next round, the trigger pull must be released first to allow the trip hook to re-connect with the sear.

To fire the gun in full-auto, rotate the selector forward. In this position, the trip toe is now facing the pin’s deep notch and will not make any contact with it when the trigger is pulled. Disengagement between the trip hook and sear is avoided; resulting in full-auto fire while pressure on the trigger is maintained. In this conversion, the original sliding type safety functioned the same. The weapon fired an average of 1,200-1,300 rpm on full-auto. The slightly slower rate than normal (1,500 rpm) can be attributed to the slight delay in closing between the two-piece bolt arrangement. Ignition only takes place after the rear halve of the bolt, which controls the striker joins the front end piece, which functions solely as a cartridge loader to the chamber. By the time the rear half of the bolt hits the back of the front half, the cartridge has fully chambered. The firing pin tip will only protrude in the breech face to fire the loaded cartridge after the two halves have joined as one unit when the resistance of the small spring loaded plunger positioned in between is overcome by both the recoil and striker springs pushing the rear of the bolt. As the bolt starts its forward recoil, the small spring-loaded plunger will force the two-piece bolt to once again retract in order to prevent the firing pin from interfering with the loading process. The system proved highly reliable and was widely copied. The two-piece bolt modification can be adapted to all rimfire self loaders produced by the company, from the earliest Squibman Model 20 to the latest Armscor rimfire military-type clones. Although enthusiasm for exotic type weaponry in the North American market has long waned, sales of the Armscor exotic ..22’s remained very strong in the local market. This can be attributed to the Philippine government allowing civilian ownership of firearms once again after being banned for over twenty years by previous martial law regime. The Armscor look-alikes are definitely a good choice in this part of the world where commercial arms are highly revered by both licensed and unlicensed individuals.

by J.c. Henly & Rob Krott

With the involvement of Australian forces in World War II (both in the North African Desert campaign against the Germans and Italians and in the Pacific against the Japanese) the Australian military found itself using nearly obsolete British weaponry and in need of additional, and more modern, armaments to equip its combat forces. Prior to World War II the Australian Military Forces (AMF) didn’t envision a role for Airborne (paratroop) or Commando units. This soon changed dramatically and by 1944 the Australians had formed a Parachute Battalion, a number of Independent Commando Companies, and the Clandestine Service Reconnaissance Department (SRD). As the war progressed the AMF realized its issue weapons were largely unsuitable for special operations and jungle warfare. The Short Magazine Lee Enfield (SMLE) No. 1 Mark III .303 rifle and No. 4 Enfield .303 rifle, while perhaps suitable for firing from the trenches in Europe in the previous war were definitely too heavy and ungainly for parachute troops and small, quick moving jungle recon teams. Lighter weapons, preferably full automatic for greater firepower, were needed. The Australian government quickly rushed two new weapons into production: the Mark 1 Austen Submachine Gun and the Mark 1 Owen Submachine Gun, both chambered for the 9x19mm pistol cartridge then in use.

Australian Submachine Guns

The Austen (a contraction of “Australian Sten’) was externally similar to the British 9x19mm Sten submachine gun. This was because the British had furnished the Australians with working models and blueprints along with manufacturing information for the Sten in late 1941. The British Sten gun, however, proved unsuitable for the Australians, who modified the basic design by using the internal mechanism, changed some external designs, and incorporated the folding stock of the German MP40. This resulted in the Austen, which also incorporated the MP40’s telescoping recoil spring cover and firing pin assembly. Later, the Mark II Austen utilizing a two-piece receiver cast from aluminum to speed production was introduced. By the end of the war Diecasters Ltd. and W.T. Carmichael of Melbourne had produced some 20,000 Austens and a small number of a silenced version, the Austen Mark 1 (S), for use by the SRD.

More popular and more widely recognized as a uniquely Australian weapon with its top-mounted 30-round box magazine and rough appearance was the Owen Submachine Gun. Named for its inventor, Evelyn Owen, it was to undergo a number of improvements and variations during its service life, remaining in service with the AMF until the 1960s. British forces also used a significant number of Owen submachine guns in the post-war Malaysian counter-insurgency. Some 45,000 Owens had been produced by the Lysaghts Newcastle Works, New Castle, South Wales by the end of World War II and its ruggedness and dependability made it the weapon of choice by the Australian Commandos.

Commandos and SAS

With the end of the war in 1945 the Airborne and Commando units were disbanded and their men re-assigned to conventional army units. Airborne training was not re-introduced for Army personnel until 1951 and in 1955 it was decided to re-raise two Commando Companies as part of the Citizens Military Forces (CMF/Reserve). These were to be (and still remain) No. 1 Commando Company in Sydney, New South Wales, and No. 2 Commando Company in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1957 it was decided to also raise an Australian Special Air Service (SAS) unit, nearly identical in make-up, training, and mission as the British special operations unit of the same name, as part of the AMF, to be based in Perth, Western Australia, where they still remain.

Equipped with Foreign Weapons

Australian troops soon saw further action in Korea, Malaya, and Borneo. The Australians equipped their troops with the .303 Enfield rifles left over from World War II, being one of the few allied forces in the Korean War wholly equipped with bolt-action rifles. After their Korean War experience with the cumbersome bolt-action rifles, the Australian soldiers deployed to Malaya in 1955 were only too happy to receive a supply of modern FN FAL 7.62x51mm rifles from the British Army. They were also issued US Army surplus .30 M1 Carbines, and 12 gauge Model 870 Remington shotguns as well as the .303 No.5 Enfield “Jungle Carbine.” The only Australian-made weapon carried by AMF in Malaya was the venerable Owen.

Regarding the Jungle Carbines issued to the Australians, World War II operations in the Far East had prompted the British Army to lighten the soldier’s load and provide a weapon more suitable to jungle fighting. Feedback from the field favored something like the US .30 M1 Carbine. In 1943 the No. 5 Jungle Carbine was developed to meet the need for a light, short barrel carbine.

Approved for issue in September 1944 it was basically a shortened No. 4 Mark 1 Enfield rifle fitted with a bell-mouth flash hider, a short handguard, and a rubber recoil pad. Though it was considered for issue as a standard rifle after the war it was deemed obsolete in 1947. The No.5 Jungle Carbine was withdrawn from service because of design defects: 1) excessive recoil, and 2) failure to hold its zero. Yet this didn’t prevent it from being issued to the Australians deployed to Malaya in 1955. With its hodgepodge of foreign weaponry it was obvious to the Australian Army that they needed their own standard issue weapons. It would be a few more years but eventually the diggers would get a modern military weapon to call their own.

z Arms 60’s Style

In 1962 the Australian Army formally adopted the 7.62x51mm L1A1 semiautomatic SLR (Self Loading Rifle) to replace the British FN FAL rifles in service since the Malaysian Insurgency and any .303 No. 1 Mark III SMLE rifles still in service with the Citizens Military Forces. The L1A1, based on the FN FAL but modified (to the standardized inch-dimension version as used by the British and Canadians) and manufactured under license in Australia at Lithgow, became the standard issue rifle of the Australian Army.

Weighing 12 pounds with an overall length of 44.8 inches it occasionally proved to be “too much gun” for some soldiers. A lighter, short-barrel version, the L1A1 F1, was introduced (it was supposedly designed as an export model intended for the Papua New Guinea Defence Force) for use by shorter stature soldiers. By using the flash eliminator as a barrel sleeve incorporated as a combined muzzle brake-flash suppressor nearly 3 inches were trimmed from the barrel length. Reducing the length of the buttstock further shortened the weapon. Some L1A1 F1 rifles were issued for use by Australian SAS troops, as the short barrel versions of the weapon were better suited to jungle warfare.

For increased firepower at the section (squad) level an automatic rifle version of the L1A1 was developed. The L2A1 Automatic Rifle incorporated a larger 30-round magazine, a heavy barrel, and a bipod, and weighed a little over 15 pounds. In service it was considered by many to be the equivalent to the by then obsolete Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR). To meet the requirement for a squad automatic weapon some World War II service Bren Light Machine Guns were modified, re-chambered to 7.62x51mm and re-issued as the L4A4. But like the BAR, the L4A4’s were still obsolete simply by virtue of their size, weight, and limited firepower (due to the need to frequently change its 30-round detachable box magazines). A number of 7.62x51mm FN MAG 58 GPMGs (known in the Australian supply system as the L7A1) were obtained later by the Australian Army. And although the L7A1 was a belt-fed machine gun, they were still not regarded as suitable. In the late 1950s the Australian Army adopted the U.S. M60 GPMG.

The same year the Australian Army adopted the L1A1 SLR (1962) also saw the demise of the Owen gun purportedly in favor of a lighter, more easily produced weapon with a lower rate of fire. The battle proven Owen was deemed obsolete and a new weapon was manufactured by the Australian Government Small Arms Factory at Lithgow, New South Wales, to replace it. Known as the X3 while in development the 9x19mm F1 submachine gun was, like the Owen, fed by a top-mounted magazine, although the F1 utilizes a British L2A3 (Sterling) 34-round staggered-column, detachable box magazine. The F1 was a fully automatic, blowback submachine gun with a cyclic rate of 600 rpm. Fully loaded it weighed the same (over 9 pounds) and despite a more “modern look” with its better finish and its ventilated cooling jacket it was never as popular with the troops as the Owen. With the acquisition of some Colt M16A1 rifles the F1 was quickly relegated to use by armored crewmen, drivers, and military police. The only other 9x19mm weapon then in service was the FN Browning High Power designated by the Australian Army as Pistol, 9mm L9A1.

The reliable High Power is being supplanted, however. The recent deployment of the ADF to East Timor has seen the issue of 9x19mm Glock 17 semiautomatic pistols to those ADF personnel unable to carry the F88 rifle due to their duties. The Glock 19, aka “Model G19” is currently issued to RAAF flight personnel who call it the JAP – “Jet Aircrew Pistol.”

Indonesia 1960s

Much of the early 1960s re-equipment of the Army was to prove provident as in December 1962 President Sukarno of Indonesia declared Konfrontasi (Confrontation) against the British in Borneo. Lasting until 1966, this insurgency was to become an unknown and unreported war. In 1965 British and Australian SAS units began their first joint operations against the Indonesian Forces. The Australian SAS flew to Singapore where they were hastily issued US M18A1 Claymore mines, M26 hand grenades, and the new AR-15/XM-15 rifle (supplied to the British by the US) Also issued were Sabre Beacons, C-128 Radio Sets, British 58 pattern webbing and British jungle green uniforms. Dressed in British uniforms and carrying US weaponry, it was doubtful if killed in action whether the Indonesians could have accurately identified the body as being a dead Australian SAS trooper. In March 1966 President Sukarno was deposed in a coup led by General Suharto and in August of that year a peace agreement was signed.

Vietnam

After the Borneo imbroglio the SAS along with other units of the Australian Army were soon bound for Vietnam. Australian advisors to the Army of the Republic of Viet Nam (ARVN) were assigned to the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) as early as 1964. During these deployments the AATTV and SAS troops usually carried US weapons. While the 7.62x51mm M60 GPMG, the 40mm M79 and M203 grenade launchers, and 5.56x45mm M16 and M16A1 rifles were quickly adopted by Australian forces, the Australians continued to carry the L1A1 SLR as their main battle rifle. Even though the M16 was a lighter weapon capable of full automatic fire and a basic load of ammunition was lighter to carry, many of the Australian “advisors” preferred the heavier caliber L1A1 SLR for jungle fighting. By 1973 (the end of the Australian deployment in Vietnam) they were armed with a mix of SLRs and M16s.

Sniping Rifles

The AMF first fielded the .303 SMLE No. 1 Mk III* (HT) fitted with a heavy barrel and Pattern 1918 Australian telescopic sight as their sniper rifle. Approximately 1,600 of these weapons were manufactured during World War II and saw extensive service in both European and Pacific theaters. These rifles were largely replaced by the .303 No.4 Mk 1(T) Sniper Rifle with a Mk. 1 wooden cheek rest and No.32 Mk 3 Telescopic sight, considered the best sniping rifle of its time. Some were tuned up by the expert gunsmiths of Holland and Holland. These weapons were put together under wartime production stress. The No.32 telescopic sight was originally developed for use on Bren guns.

The No. 4T sniper rifles were later re-chambered for 7.62x51mm NATO, re-fitted with the L1A1 Telescopic sight, and designated the L42A1. The L42A1 is readily identified by a shortened fore-end cut in a sporter style. At best the L42A1 was a quick fix done to save on the development of a new rifle. Unfortunately the optics weren’t updated and the weapon continued to mount the World-War-II-era No. 32 telescopic sight. Even when first issued the L42A1 was a lack-luster sniping rifle. Many sporting rifles of the day were better. The British replaced the L42A1, the last Enfield rifle in service with its Army, with the Parker-Hale sniping rifles. The Australians followed suit, replacing the L42A1 rifles in their inventory with the 7.62x51mm NATO Model 82 Parker Hale Rifle mounting a Kahles Helia Model ZF69 Telescopic Sight. In addition to the Parker Hale, the SAS also use the PSG1 Heckler and Koch Sniper Rifle and a small quantity of .22-250 Tikka Model 55 (HB) Rifles.

In 1998 it was announced by the ADF that the Model 82 Parker Hale rifle in use by Australian snipers was to be replaced by a new weapon – the Accuracy International (UK) AW-F. Like the Parker Hale this is a 7.62x51mm bolt-action rifle but that is where any similarity ends. The AW-F, or SR98 as named by the ADF, has a reinforced nylon buttstock with thumb-hole grip, folding stock, butt spike, cheekpiece, and multi-adjustable butt plate. Other features are a quick release sight mount and a MIL-STD-1913 rail interface to allow for the use of other sights. The standard sight for use with the SR98 is the Schmidt and Bender 3-12x50mm variable power telescopic sight.

The ADF also has a requirement for a .50 caliber sniping rifle for use down to the battalion level. However, a determination is still forthcoming. Field trials with the Barrett M82A1 were recently conducted and reports were favorable.

1970s to the 1990s

In the late 1970s and early 1980s the role of the Australian Special Action Forces changed focus from jungle and insurgency warfare to urban warfare and counter-terrorism. The Commando Companies of the Army Reserve (ARes) make extensive use of the M16A1, considered to be an excellent battle rifle. They also use the 9x19mm L34A1 Silenced Submachine Gun (British L2A3 Sterling), essentially a Sterling whose barrel jacket incorporates a suppressor.

The SAS squadrons of the Australian Regular Army (ARA) serve on a three-year training rotation. In their first year they attend specialist training courses; the second year is devoted to training in the SAS war role (sniping, reconnaissance, combat patrolling); in their third year they concentrate on counter terrorist training. In the late 1980s a Regional Force Surveillance Unit (RFSU) was established. Like the Commando Companies it is part of the ARes and its members (many of whom are Aborigines) live and train in Northern Australia.

Oz Arms 2002

The most significant changes in Australian Defence Force (ADF) armories have come about in the past decade. A period of reorganization, like that of the 1960s, has included a new small arms weapons system designed to serve the ADF into the 21st century. The Austrian Steyr AUG (Armee Universal Gewehr – universal army rifle) bullpup rifle was introduced in 1977 and was soon adopted by Saudi Arabia, Oman, and New Zealand. After test trials the Australian Government decided to arm its troops with the Austrian 5.56x45mm Steyr AUG. Like the L1A1, the Austeyr (Australian Steyr) is manufactured under license in Australia. The initial contract provided for the Australian manufacture of 85,000 Austeyr rifles. One difference between the Austrian and Australian models is that the “vine-catcher” type flash hider was replaced with a unit more conducive to jungle operations. There are three models in production: the Austeyr F88, the Austeyr F88-C (Carbine) with a barrel 4 inches shorter than the standard F88 rifle, and the Austeyr F88-S which lacks the integral 1.5 power sight, allowing the mounting of the AN/PVS-4 Night Vision Sight or other optics. The Steyr saw action in Somalia with the Australian contingent. A design problem, which could lead to accidental discharges, resulted in the wounding of one Australian trooper while on patrol near Baidoa. Reviews from the field concerning the Steyr’s suitability were mixed.

Steyr also manufactures and markets a suppressed 9x19mm AUG Carbine and a 9x19mm Tactical Machine Pistol (TMP) based on the 9mm Steyr MPi69 Submachine Gun. Whether the suppressed carbine or the TMP will be obtained by the Commandos to replace their L34A1 (suppressed Sterlings) is not definite. The SAS have already adopted the 9x19mm H&K MP5-SD3 (Suppressed) Submachine Gun as well as the MP5-A3 and the MP5-K for counter-terrorist work. They supposedly also have a few Beretta Model 92 pistols fitted with Knights suppressors.

The 5.56x45mm Minimi (M249 SAW) manufactured by FN Herstal is fielded in Australia as the F89 GPMG and is a product-improved version of the US M249. This includes a heavier profile barrel, closed prong flash suppressor, black marnyl butt and removal of the load indicator on the feed cover. The FN Minimi is a reliable light machine gun that rarely incurs stoppages. It incorporates a variable gas supply and a rotating bolt breech system. Its unique feed system allows it to load either belted ammunition or box magazines (M16-type) without any adjustment. The belts load in the belt feed on the left side whereas the box magazines load into a lower magazine housing. The rate of fire is slightly higher for magazine fed operation, as the cyclic rate is not slowed by the feed mechanism pulling the weight of the belt. The F89 replaces the L1A2, L4A4, M60, and MAG-58 machine guns (all of which are still in use). The latest model of the F89 (M249 SAW) GPMG now in service is known as the F89A1-LSW. In the infantry battalions the front sight has been removed and the weapon equipped with an optical sight. The F89A1 has an improved extractor, improved feed tray cover hold open springs, and a hydraulic buffer assembly. The current optical sight is the same as that used on the F88 rifle, but the 1.5X sight is only adequate for short ranges. With the F89 intended to engage targets beyond 400 meters a new 4X optical sight mounted on a MIL-STD-1913 rail assembly is planned. AN/PVS-4s have also been mounted on the F89. The Australian SAS which also continues to use the L1A1 (SLR) and M16 rifles (the F88 Austeyr is not highly favored), will retain the MAG-58. The SAS, because of its elite role and unique needs, will continue to equip itself with whatever weapons it desires. The remainder of the Australian Military Forces must, as they always have, work with what they are issued.

J.C. Henley is a former Australian Army infantry corporal and paratrooper. The author of Australian Parachute Insignia, he frequently writes on military weapons, history, and insignia. Rob Krott is SAR’s military affairs correspondent.

by Charles Cutshaw

As recently as a few months ago, I scoffed at the notion that a flashlight of any kind could be used as a less-lethal “combat tool,” despite claims that the “combat lights” from Surefire could definitely be used as such. My thinking was that if someone were foolhardy enough to put a light in my face in a combat situation, I’d simply shoot at the light. After spending several days at Surefire’s production facility and the Surefire Institute, the company’s tactical training facility, however, I have become an enthusiastic convert to tactical use of Surefire lights.

Surefire originally began making its unique lights for use by law enforcement and military special operations units that wanted something more in a flashlight than was available at the time. These special operators wanted a light that was not only brighter, but also significantly more compact than anything available. Operators also wanted lights that they could conveniently mount on their weapons. When a person is carrying a lot of gear, every ounce counts and big, bulky flashlights simply get in the way in tactical operations. The brightest aluminum flashlights were rugged and water resistant, but required four to six “D” cells and were so bulky that they made effective batons and frequently were used as such. There had to be a better way. Surefire hired a top quality research and development engineering team to start with a clean slate to develop their lights. This team went to great lengths to develop the brightest, most rugged lights possible to meet the stringent requirements of military, law enforcement and civilian clients.

Surefire lights are made of a higher grade of aircraft aluminum than is used in military M16 rifle receivers. Not only does Surefire start with a high grade of aluminum, but CNC machines each component from solid bar stock, not tubing. There is not a single extrusion or piece of tube stock in any Surefire light. Lenses of the Millennium models are made of heat-resistant hardened Pyrex. Reflectors are precision manufactured so that the high-intensity light pattern of each Surefire light is remarkably consistent from light to light. Surefire combat lights are waterproof to 60 feet. These Surefire lights can even be used as diving lights, if necessary. All Surefire lights are beautifully finished, inside and out.

An indication of the level of quality control in Surefire lights is the Xenon lamps (bulbs) used by the company. These high intensity lamps are simply unequalled in the amount of light they project. They are also highly resistant to shock and vibration. While it is true that Surefire lights cost more than others, there is no comparison between Surefire’s products and what other manufacturers call “tactical lights.”

The attention to detail on Surefire lights, like everything else about the firm’s products, is remarkable. Combat lights have hex flats at the light head so that the light will not roll when laid horizontally. Combat light end caps and bodies have index marks, which, when aligned, indicate that the light can be activated by pressing the end cap button. When the end cap is rotated 180 degrees counterclockwise, the light is inactivated. The “out of index” marks give an instant tactile and visible indication of the light’s status. When the end cap is rotated 180 degrees clockwise, the light is turned to “constant on.” End caps have double “O” rings to ensure a watertight fit under constant use. Lamp assemblies are shock isolated. Knurling and machining is clean with no machine marks anywhere.

These lights, from smallest to largest are very bright. It is inadvisable to look directly into the business end of even the smallest Surefire light unless one wishes be temporarily flash blinded and have spots in front of his eyes for several seconds.

The reader will note that we discuss the output of Surefire’s lights in terms of Lumens, rather than candlepower, the measurement used by most other manufacturers. Surefire uses Lumens as its standard because the Lumen measures the amount of light rather than the light’s intensity. Candlepower can be misleading because it measures only the intensity of light at a given point in a focused light beam. Thus, candlepower measurement changes depending upon where in the light beam the measurement is taken. Because candlepower measurement produces impressively large numbers, it is the figure used by most flashlight manufacturers. It is also an unrealistic measurement of the actual amount of light produced and can be misleading since it is dependent upon where in the light beam the measurement is taken. The Lumen is constant, and is a true measure of the amount of light produced. Thus, Surefire uses the Lumen since is reflects the actual amount of light produced.

The smallest Surefire light, the E1 Executive, projects 15 Lumens of light, about the same as a standard two “D” cell flashlight, although the E1 is only about three inches in length and an inch in diameter at the lens bezel.

The Surefire E2 Executive pocket-size (4.5 inches long, 7/8 inch diameter at the head) light projects an astonishing 60 Lumens of light, enough to cause flash blindness in broad daylight within 10 feet, never mind in darkness. How bright is 60 Lumens? I cannot say how bright a four “D” Cell Mag Light is, but the tiny E2 Executive is MUCH brighter and projects a much more focused beam.

If I were a police officer or still in the military and needed a small size tactical light, I’d opt for the M2 or M3 Millennium Combat Light. Surefire’s Millennium series lights are more rugged than their standard line, with shock-isolated bezel, Type 3 hard-anodized finish and combat light body design. The M3 is a bit larger than Surefire’s most popular M2 Millenium, but at 125 Lumens versus the M2’s 65, the M3 projects significantly more light. The M3 also comes with a 225 Lumens “high output” bulb, but when this lamp is installed, battery life is significantly reduced. Since the M2 projects only 5 more Lumens than the pocket size E2, I’d probably choose the smaller light for everyday use purely because of its convenience.

On the other hand, if I knew that things were really going to get binding and I wanted a light that was virtually indestructible, but smaller than the M3, I’d probably opt for the 65 Lumen M2 Millennium. While this light doesn’t have nearly the “firepower” of its larger M3 brother, it is equally as rugged and capable of standing up to virtually any abuse short of actually crushing it. It also has the benefit of a handy clip that the M3 lacks for attaching it to the belt or pocket. The M2 is supplied with a high-intensity lamp that boosts the output to 120 Lumens. Again, however, battery life is dramatically reduced.

For less demanding uses, Surefire also manufactures a series of lights whose light output is every bit the equal of the aluminum lights. The bodies of these lights are made of Nitrolon composite, which is nonconductive and also virtually indestructible. With 65 Lumens output, the small G2 light equals the performance of more expensive Surefire products, but at lower cost. The 110 Lumen 8NX Commander Nitrolon light comes with two Ni-Cad rechargeable batteries, charger and auto power outlet adapter. All Surefire Nitrolon-constructed lights have a non-slip grid molded into their bodies.

Most Surefire lights are powered by 123A Lithium batteries. Run time for Surefire lights varies from over an hour to a matter of approximately 20 minutes when high intensity bulbs are installed. While battery life of an hour may not seem long in comparison to conventional hand held lights, one must recall that Surefire lights perform at a much higher level than any other available light of similar size. There is no such thing as a “free lunch,” and every improvement in one level of performance requires a tradeoff at another. Several Surefire lights, such as the original 6P Model, are available with rechargeable Ni-Cad battery conversion units.

Surefire also makes a variety of dedicated tactical lights for most popular small arms. Many consist of replacement handguards or forends with Surefire Millennium lights built in. Several of these lights are in use by the US military and many are used by law enforcement agencies nationwide. For example, Surefire manufactures replacement forends for both Mossberg and Remington shotguns. These lights come with pressure pads for momentary use and provide 65 lumens for one hour. For M4 and similar carbines, Surefire manufactures the M500 Millennium Weaponlight. This dedicated light system replaces the handguard on virtually any CAR-15 type carbine. The M500A operates at an astonishing 250 Lumens for an hour, while the M500B is even brighter at 500 Lumens for 20 minutes. A similar system, the M510, is available for AR-15 type rifles. The M500/510 system is powered by six 123A batteries and is ideal for rural or maritime applications where distances are longer than is the case in urban environments. Rifle and carbine lights are also available for Heckler & Koch and SIG weapons. A popular light in military and law enforcement circles is Surefire’s M900 Millennium Vertical Foregrip System. This unit incorporates a high intensity light with 125 Lumens output (225 Lumens optional), low-level LED “navigation lights” and ergonomic vertical foregrip in a unit that clamps onto a MIL-STD-1913 rail mount via a quick-disconnect Swan lever mount. In addition, Surefire produces clamp-on lights for most handguns, including Beretta, Colt, Glock, Heckler & Koch, Para Ordnance and SIG. Weapon lights for other handguns are under development.

Surefire also manufactures a full line of filters, lens covers and beamshapers for their lights. These include infrared, to enable Surefire lights to be used with night vision optics.

To enable military and law enforcement to make optimum use of their equipment, Surefire established the Surefire Institute in 1998. The instructor cadre includes a broad selection of highly experienced former military and law enforcement. The training is presently available only to military and law enforcement personnel and consists of a certain amount of classroom work and a great deal of practical training in the tactical use of Surefire lights in the company’s low light “shoot house.” Here students and cadre take turns “role playing” using Surefire’s lights and paint ball guns. Facemasks are the only protection allowed during practical low light force on force exercises and each scenario is different.

Surefire also operates a night firing range in the nearby California desert where students learn to use the handheld Surefire light of their choice on the range with live ammunition and steel targets. Our group began in late afternoon while there was still daylight. We fired our pistols from various distances and then transitioned to shooting on the move. After dark, the class repeated the live fire drills using our lights. We were surprised to learn that the M3 Millennium light we chose actually enabled us to hit the steel targets while “shooting on the move” in darkness more accurately than in daylight. All students had similar results. Properly employed, a handheld Surefire light actually enhances low-light pistol accuracy.

Surefire lights have become a “mission essential item” for many law enforcement and military personnel both as weapons lights and as personal lighting tools.

Surefire
18300 Mt. Baldy Circle
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Tel: 800-828-8809
Fax: 714-545-9537
www.surefire.com

Text and Photos by Dan Shea

When the UN or NATO Forces are called out, there are frequently “Peacekeeping” forces that come from what might seem an unlikely place; Sweden. In reality, the Swedes have a long and glorious history of martial arms and warfare. I am especially enamored with their water-cooled versions of the Browning machine guns and the Swedish KSP-58 (their FN MAG 58 variant). While neutral in most conflicts, the people of Sweden themselves have never balked at going into harm’s way. There is also a parallel tradition of “Red” activity – Peace Movement types -, which you are welcome to read as “Communist-inspired.” They appear to be a minority, vocal as they are. I have had the pleasure of speaking with Swedish military personnel who had long terms of service, from the 1940-1950’s Suez engagement sitting between the British and the Egyptians, through Bosnia and other current hot spots. Sweden has very active Special Operations units. SAR had the opportunity to discuss the recent Bosnian/Yugoslav wars with some members of Sweden’s peacekeeping forces who had served there, and our discussions led to a visit to the Carl Gustav factory, now under the control of Saab-Bofors-Dynamics AB.

There has been a lot of curiosity regarding the rifle the Swedish forces are presently using. It is the Carl Gustav AK5 series of rifle, a factory sanctioned version of the excellent FNC rifle made by Fabrique Nationale Herstal in Belgium. We have thoroughly covered the FNC in previous issues of SAR, and it is important to discuss the differences that the Swedish manufactured AK5 variants bring to the table.

The AK5 followed the AK4 that SAR has recently covered (Volume 7 Number 5) as a rehab project for Saab Bofors Dynamics. The AK4 was a basic HK G3A2 rifle in 7.62x51mm NATO. The Swedish FMV (Dept of Defense) decided to have trials to replace the AK4 during the 1970s, and the two top contenders were a Galil variant, and an FNC variant. Both were 5.56x45mm rifles with successful histories, although neither had been widely adopted, compared with the M16 series, the FAL, or the Galil’s precedent, the AK. The Galil became the FFV-890C, and was built under license in Sweden. However, after many tests and changes, it was the FNC style rifle that eventually won out.

The trial guns and the first manufacturing run of the AK5 were performed at FN in Herstal, Belgium. Our information is that serial number ranges in the 50,000 were FN guns. The AK5 was introduced into service in 1987, and deliveries started immediately but took off in 1988. Serial numbers in the 60,000 range were AK5B rifles, manufactured at Saab Bofors Dynamics AB in Eskilstuna. Serial number ranges in the 70,000 range were AK5D models manufactured by Saab Bofors Dynamics in Eskilstuna, and serial numbers in the 100,000 range and above were standard AK5 rifles, manufactured by Saab Bofors Dynamics in Eskilstuna. Approximately 250,000 total AK5 variants were made, and the last delivery was in the year 2000.

The changes that were made are unique to the AK5, and in many ways the basic gas piston, rotating bolt operating system is about all that hasn’t been “tweaked” too severely. In this author’s opinion, the two most important changes other than environmentally dictated changes are the following:

1- Changing from the original FNC style four-position three-shot burst selector mechanism to a much more simple and reliable Safe-Semi-Full Auto configuration. The three-shot burst mechanism is an overly complex device, just asking for trouble because of the number of components subjected to stress and failure in the extremely harsh environment of the Swedish winter. I do not consider there to be any benefits to adding the extra position, teaching trigger control on full-auto would serve the soldier better. Keep it simple and under stress, the training works.

2- Adding some length to the stock, and lengthening the forend. This makes for a much more controllable and “handy” rifle. The pattern of the stock is similar to the FNC, but the forend has changed in length and surface, giving the operator more to work with, and a far better surface to grip.

There are many other changes from the FNC design that are based on reliability. The gas block and its interface with the gas piston were changed for climate reasons, and both the bolt and extractor were redesigned for winter reliability as well. Cosmetic changes are the trigger guard that will allow for a gloved hand, sling swivels that work better with Swedish winter uniform and sling, and a cocking handle that is more user friendly to a gloved hand. The buttstock lock-up was changed as well. Finally, the finish was changed to a very durable baked enamel in a dark, flat green, to weather Swedish use, as well as wherever they might be deployed. This same basic finish is seen on the Swedish Browning machine gun variants and the KSP-58.

Many modern machine guns include an adjustable gas regulator, which increases or decreases the amount of gas that is redirected from the barrel to the operating system. A simple hole in the barrel, properly sized and placed, bleeds off gas after the forward moving projectile passes it. This gas goes into the gas block, and the regulator device restricts the orifice size going into the piston cup. More gas equals more energy imparted to the piston, and the operating rod is driven to the rear. It is a safe assumption that the lowest gas setting is the correct one to use with a clean weapon in standard environment. These devices, which change the gas pressure are not intended to increase rate of fire, they are designed to increase the pressure to keep the weapon firing under adverse conditions. The gas regulator on the AK5 is a rotating band at the rear of the handguard at the top. When looking down the sights from the operator position, the left hand position is “1” – the normal setting. When this is switched to the right, it is on “2” – and an increased regulator hole is presented to the line of gas flow. This makes the weapon operate at a cyclic rate of approximately 50 rpm more than “1”.

SAR‘s readers will have some interest in the interchangeability of parts between the FNC and the AK5, as some AK5 parts have hit the surplus market, and FNC parts have been hard to find. It appears that most of the peripheral parts of the AK5 will fit the FNC; bolt assembly, recoil assembly, barrel, etc, however the internal trigger group parts do not interchange without some adjusting. We hope to have more definitive information on this at a later point, when parts are more available for a side-by-side comparison.

I was intrigued by the system, and we did live firing but were unable to use test targets at the time. My opinion can only be based on the “feel” of the weapon, how controllable I thought it was. The AK5, and the AK5D were both quite stable in the full automatic position. Even at 8 pounds, I found them easy to handle. I am looking forward to further tests, and there is a strong probability that these rifles would make a good issue weapon in law enforcement situations, especially if you are facing colder weather conditions. More info to come when we can do some more rigorous testing. -Dan

SAR would like to thank Mart Pella from Nammo for his help in facilitating this article.

SAR would like the following people from Saab Bofors Dynamics AB for all of their help in tracing history and technology of this project: Åke Eckström, Director, Head of Small Arms Production Jan Arvidsson, Team Leader of Small Arms Assembly Department