New Orleans – There is something eerily familiar about the scene that has been unfolding in the Gulf Coast South. It looked like the Fall of Saigon as the choppers were trying to evacuate people in the face of the onslaught of the vengeful North Vietnamese Army advance. That is about where the similarities ended. The refugees were trying to get out of Saigon, but not preying on each other in the face of coming disaster.

If there was a poignant lesson from the last few weeks in New Orleans, it was how ugly the breakdown of society can be, and how being prepared can keep you alive. Call me old fashioned, but my thoughts are that in most disasters, the human spirit comes out on top – we see heroism, sacrifice, the best of humanity. In a disconcerting change from that, the saga from New Orleans was a daily dose of the worst of humanity. It was a terrible show of the dark side, with thugs preying on innocent victims and rampant looting and violence. This completely overshadowed the daily acts of heroism that were occurring, and has left a bad taste in our collective mouths. The investigations on what went wrong here will last for many months. Who is to blame? Was it the Republican President Bush? Was it the local Democratic politicians? Was it the Welfare state itself? Was it nature? Was it Hollywood? The cries of blame border on the ridiculous.

Regardless of who you might want to blame, the facts are plain. Nature slammed the Gulf Coast, and New Orleans went to Anarchy instead of Heroism. Roving bands of thugs wandered the city, and the thin blue line of law enforcement could not help the people at all. Victims were everywhere, and it is impossible for us to discover what tragedies occurred, what violence was experienced, or what crimes were committed against so many who died and are lost to the floodwaters. We will never know all the acts of barbarism, or of heroism for that matter.

During the disaster, there were Blogs and emails coming out from people who stayed in the area and had holed up. They had their weapons, their food, their water, and their medical supplies. With few exceptions, those people tried to help the innocent they ran into, and defended themselves against the thugs. The fact that these people were armed is the deciding factor in why they are alive today. Yes, this is a call to the Second Amendment. This situation is one of the reasons we have that amendment to our Constitution. There are many, many people who credit their survival to their ownership of firearms, and many of them had military style firearms. Many of our readers have hired on with security forces that are now deployed in the area, or are in the military on duty there.

While the general press will undoubtedly “Spin” the second Battle of New Orleans as ugly because of the private firearms used by criminals and predators, the real story regarding firearms is how many of the innocent were protected by privately owned, modern, military style firearms.

– Dan

U.S. State Dept. Rescinds U.S. Goods Policy Policy change affects Curios & Relics

The U.S. Department of State has changed its policy of “presumptive denial” of requests to retransfer U.S. military goods that are defined as Curios and Relics to a policy of approval on a case-by-case basis. The policy change became effective in late June and means that firearms enthusiasts should begin to see a greater variety of historic military-origin firearms available on the market in coming months.

The first step in the importation of such goods is to have the foreign government or other owner of the goods request retransfer permission from the U.S. State Dept., Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfers (PMA/RSAT).

In cases where the foreign entity originally purchased the goods, the State Dept. will evaluate the request and render a decision. In cases where the goods were provided under a foreign aid program, the State Dept. has limited authority to waive the requirement that net proceeds from the sale must be repatriated to the U.S. government. Each arms transfer request and third party transfer submitted to the PM/RSAT for approval will undergo a legal review to ensure it meets the requirements demanded by the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Export Control Act.

The State Dept. first made the announcement of the policy change at the 2004 ATF and the Imports Community conference held outside Washington, D.C. The policy at that time was said to be complete and ready for authorization, although no execution date had been given. It was thought at the time, that the new policy would go into effect by late August or early September of last year. Why it has taken so long is not known.

U.S. Origin Goods Import Procedures

In line with the change in policy on U.S. origin curios and relics, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on July 12th, issued an open letter to the importing business community detailing the Dept. of State’s policy changes and stating that the procedures ATF will use to process such applications will not change.

The open letter, signed by Audrey Stucko, Chief, ATF Firearms and Explosives Services Division, notes that ATF was advised by the Dept, of State that its Bureau of Political Military Affairs will now, on a case-by-case basis, permit the retransfer of U.S. manufactured military firearms that were sold or granted by the United States government and that are classified by ATF as curio and relic firearms to U.S. private entities under the following conditions:

• ATF has determined that such firearms are curios or relics and are importable for commercial resale under the National Firearms Act, Gun Control Act, and the Arms Export Control Act;
• The foreign government to which the U.S. government had furnished the firearms certifies to the U.S. government that it owns such firearms;
• The Dept. of Justice, ATF, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Dept. of Homeland Security, Bureau of Political Military Affairs/Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, etc., have no derogatory information regarding the entity;
• ATF and relevant domestic agencies do not object to particular imports, subject to such provisos as they may require, to assist them in any related monitoring or law enforcement efforts;
• Title will not transfer until such items are in the customs jurisdiction of the United States; and
• Importers provide appropriate end-use and retransfer assurances related to the importation of such items.

Prospective importers of U.S. manufactured military firearms should note that the above policy changes implemented by the Dept. of State will not affect how ATF processes applications for permits to import such firearms. Applicants for permits to import U.S. manufactured military firearms, among other things, must:

• Attach to their permit application written retransfer authorization for such firearms from the Dept. of State. Applications without written retransfer authorization will be denied.
• Seek the importation of only those U.S. manufactured military firearms determined by ATF to be curio or relic firearms (27 CFR § 478.11).
• With respect to handguns, seek the importation of only those handguns that are of a type that is generally recognized as particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes per 18 U.S.C. 925(d)(3).
• Seek the importation of only those U.S. manufactured military firearms that are assembled in their original military configuration.

ATF notes that properly filed import applications for U.S. manufactured surplus military firearms classified as curios or relics do not require submission of a law enforcement purchase order, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 925(e). As such, ATF Ruling 80-8 will be modified in part in the near future to reflect that purchase orders are not required for these specific items.

Questions related to the policy changes implemented by the Dept. of State should be directed to the Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Regional Security and Arms Transfer Policy office at (202) 647-9750. Questions concerning import permit applications and requirements should be directed to ATF’s Firearms and Explosives Imports Branch at (202) 927-8320.

ATF to Prohibit Importation of Certain Gun Parts

In a July 13th dated open letter to licensed importers, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) has determined it will no longer approve import applications for frames, receivers and barrels for firearms that are not importable and would be prohibited to be possessed if assembled from imported parts. During the last several years, ATF had approved such imports for the purposes of “repair or replacement” of existing firearms.

ATF is basing its decision on Title 18 U.S.C. § 925(d)(3) which spells out rules for the Importation of Frames, Receivers or Barrels of Firearms.

In explanation, Section 925(d) provides standards for the importation of firearms and ammunition into the United States. In particular, section 925(d)(3) provides that the Attorney General shall authorize a firearm to be imported if it meets several conditions: (1) it is not defined as a firearm under the National Firearms Act (NFA); (2) it is generally recognized as particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes; and (3) it is not a surplus military firearm. However, the subsection further provides that “in any case where the Attorney General has not authorized the importation of the firearm pursuant to this paragraph, it shall be unlawful to import any frame, receiver, or barrel of such firearm which would be prohibited if assembled.”

ATF says it has determined that the language of 18 U.S.C. § 925(d)(3) permits no exceptions that would allow frames, receivers or barrels for otherwise non-importable firearms to be imported into the United States. Accordingly, ATF will no longer approve ATF Form 6 applications for importation of any frames, receivers, or barrels for firearms that would be prohibited from importation if assembled. No exceptions to the statutory language, for example, for “repair or replacement” of existing firearms, will be allowed.

ATF notes it recognizes that importers have, in the past, obtained import permits authorizing the importation of barrels and receivers for non-importable firearms for “repair or replacement” and may have entered into contracts in reliance upon such authorizations. In order to mitigate the impact of ATF’s change in import policy and to allow importers a reasonable period to come into compliance, ATF said it will forgo enforcement of this import restriction for 60 calendar days and allow importers holding existing permits to continue to import barrels and receivers for a period of 60 calendar days counting from July 10, 2005.

ATF said it believes this time period is adequate for importers who have entered into binding contracts for the sale and shipment of such barrels and receivers to complete the process of importing the items into the United States. ATF will advise Customs and Border Protection that in no event should these permits be accepted to release these items for entry into the United States after September 10, 2005.

Importers are reminded that ATF previously approved permits for non-importable barrels and receivers for repair or replacement only, and this restriction was stamped on the face of the permit. Importers who imported such components for any purpose other than repair or replacement of existing firearms, e.g., for assembly into new firearms, will be considered by ATF to be exceeding the scope of the import authorization in violation of law. If ATF determines, through inspection or otherwise, that an importer willfully violates the import provisions of the Gun Control Act, the importer’s license is subject to revocation pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 923(e).

Importers holding approved import permits for non-importable barrels and receivers should have received a letter prior to September 10, 2005, advising them that their permit has been suspended.

Specifically, this determination affects importers as follows:

1. If a new application is submitted to ATF to import frames, receiver or barrels on or after July 13, 2005, and the permit is for non-sporting firearms, surplus military firearms or National Firearms Act firearms, ATF will deny the application.
2. For importers who have submitted an application to import frames, receivers and barrels that has not yet been denied or approved by ATF and the permit is for non-sporting firearms, surplus military firearms or National Firearms Act firearms, ATF will deny your application.
3. For importers who already hold an approved permit to import frames, receivers and barrels “for repair or replacement,” ATF should have sent a letter explaining that the permit will be suspended after September 10, 2005, and providing information regarding the right to submit arguments why your permit should not be revoked.

The letter was signed by Lewis P. Raden, assistant director, Enforcement Programs and Services Division of ATF.

Industry Segments Affected

The government’s move will have its greatest impact on the importation and sale of “machine gun kits” as such guns are not importable if fully assembled. The price of such kits, containing an imported barrel, will surely climb in value in the short term. It is likely that domestic production of barrels for such kits will be undertaken if consumer demand warrants it, however the cost of tooling up and producing the barrels domestically will add significantly to the selling price of such kits.

The source of supply for replacement barrels for owners of legally registered full-auto foreign origin firearms will soon dry up, and the production of the semi-auto AK-, UZI, and other variants of military origin firearms (such as the WASR-10) by a number of domestic producers (which are presently in abundance on the American market) will likely be severely affected as well until a domestic source for barrels is established.

During the annual “ATF & the Imports Community” conference and workshop in Washington, D.C. in late July, it was mentioned that ATF had not yet fully determined how their new stance on Section 925(d)(3) will affect a large number of firearms models. It was mentioned that ATF was planning to do a complete review of exactly which firearms models would be affected by the ban on importation of barrels, frames and receivers. ATF’s determination, when reached, will be reported in SAR.

F.A.I.R. Responds to ATF on Import Ban

In a July 22nd dated letter signed by Charles Steen, president of the F.A.I.R. Trade Group, importers responded to the decision of ATF to revoke existing licenses for the importation of certain barrels, frames and receivers.

F.A.I.R.’s objective in writing the letter is to seek approval from ATF on two points: First, more substantive relief for the transition; and second, support for a legislative solution to the problem that would restore the rights of importers to continue to bring these affected goods into the U.S.

Steen points out that F.A.I.R. has been involved in the evolution of the policy associated with the interpretation of the application of §925(d)(3) to barrels, frames and receivers of rifles since 2000. In that year, then ATF Director Bradley Buckles first articulated the concern about the importation of these goods and began the process of creating the repair or replacement policy issued in 2001 (within the industry, this repair or replacement policy is commonly referred to as the “Buckles Doctrine”). Steen pointed out that F.A.I.R. not only worked with ATF on the development of the policy, but also provided the industry with guidance on how to comply with the Buckles Doctrine and worked with ATF staff to help ensure compliance.

Bush Administration May Become Involved

Steen wrote that the Bush Administration “recognizes the impact that this decision has had on businesses” and that such businesses’ financial commitments “are now in jeopardy.” He added that the Administration may consider corrective legislation. Steen urges a mutually agreeable expeditious resolution of the issue.

ATF’s decision, Steen declared, represents a “significant turn-around in legal interpretation regarding these goods and has been implemented in a manner that has not provided sufficient time for importers to mitigate the financial impact of the decision. In fact, importers have been left with goods both in the U.S. and overseas that are now in-transit but unimportable even with the grace period authorized by ATF.” (Editor’s note: ATF authorized a 60-day grace period which ended September 10, 2005.)

Secret ATF Decision-Making

Steen’s letter also decried the lack of notice of ATF’s move as ATF had apparently decided last January that it would deny the importation of certain gun parts, but gave the industry no advance notice of the government’s intention.

“ATF’s secret decision to stop processing permits for goods impacted by this decision months in advance of releasing the policy publicly left industry to make decisions without the benefit of any warning that goods purchased in this interim period would never be importable. During this period, which appears to have lasted months, the industry continued to conduct business and make financial commitments that could have been avoided or delayed if ATF had communicated a pending decision,” Steen wrote.

60-Day Grace Period Inadequate

F.A.I.R. asserted that the 60-day grace period allowed by ATF was “both insufficient and arbitrary.”

“By failing to advise importers that all permit processing was stopped months in advance of this decision,” Steen wrote, “importers seeking renewals for import permits for goods in their possession overseas but not ‘on the water’ have now been completely shut out of importing their goods. According to ATF, they have no recourse even though they have acted appropriately under the existing policy.

Steen’s letter concludes by asserting that businesses’ purchased goods in reliance on the stated policy and the most recent guidance provided by ATF and have now been financially harmed.

More details on this issue will be presented in the next issue of SAR.

The author publishes two of the small arms industry’s most widely read trade newsletters, The International Firearms Trade, which covers the world firearms scene, and The New Firearms Business which covers the domestic market. He also offers FFL-mailing lists to firms interested in direct marketing efforts to the industry. He may be reached at: FirearmsB@aol.com

7.62 X 39 CALIBER CONVERSION FOR BROWNING 1919A4

The Barrel X Change is now offering a new caliber conversion for the Browning 1919A4 machine gun. The new conversion allows shooters to shoot the Russian 7.62x39mm cartridge in their semi or full-auto Browning guns. The new conversion consists of a new 7.62×39 chambered barrel, 7.62×39 stripped bolt, booster nut, front cartridge stop, modified top cover extractor spring, modified recoil (driving) spring and 100 modified links. The conversion is easy to install and requires no permanent changes to the host gun. The host gun must have a .30-06 front cartridge stop, .308 rear stop and a .308 top cover. The conversion uses modified .30-06 links. Barrel X Change also offers 7.62×39 modifications to customers’ barrels, and bolts. By the time you read this they will also have nylon 7.62×39 links as well as web belts in that caliber. Now you can shoot cheap 7.62×39 ammunition in your favorite 1919A4 semi or full-auto Browning. The complete kit sells for under $400 delivered. For more information on this and other innovative firearm products, please contact them at Barrel X Change, Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 821, Arlington, IL 60006. Phone: (847) 609-4811. They can be located on the web at www.barrelxchange.com.

TACTICAL EXCELLENCE OFFERS HK USC TO UMP CONVERSION

Tactical Excellence is now offering a conversion to change your HK USC carbine into a semi-auto UMP look-alike. The conversion features the addition of a folding UMP stock, modified UMP trigger group and the ability to use standard 25-round UMP magazines. The parts for the conversion must be supplied by the customer. Tactical Excellence supplies the block to fit the USC to allow attachment of the UMP stock. They also modify the UMP trigger pack for semi-auto only as well as supply the correct number of US made parts to bring the parts count into compliance. One nice feature that they also provide is a steel stock block attachment bolt that also incorporates a sling loop which adds a receiver sling point like the original UMP submachine guns. The rear stock attachment conversion block is made from 7075 aircraft grade aluminum that is anodized black to match the rest of the gun. This conversion allows the USC owner to have the closest possible UMP-looking semi-auto carbine as well as being able to use standard HK UMP 25-round magazines. Tactical Excellence is also making front accessory mounting rails as well as receiver top accessory mounting rail for adding various light, lasers and optics. For more information on the USC conversion, as well as all of their first class accessories, please contact them at Tactical Excellence, Dept. SAR, 525 Carswell Avenue, Unit F, Holly Hill, FL 32117. Phone: (386) 290-5664. Their website is www.tacticalexcellence.com.

TDI ARMS INTRODUCES NEW BI-FUNCTIONAL VERTICAL GRIP

TDI Arms has just introduced their new BVG (Bi-Functional Vertical Grip) for use on any firearm that is equipped with a Picatinny or Weaver style rail forearm. The new BVG is an innovative forearm grip designed to improve your shooting by adding a higher degree of controllability. It includes a quick-detach mechanism which allows an easy and secure fit on the handguard with no gunsmithing. Compatible with all Picatinny or Weaver Rail Systems, the BVG is able to store up to three CR123 batteries, the type required for many night vision devices, flashlights or laser sights. The new grip features a revolving storage compartment to expose the batteries which is easy to rotate and is also waterproof. Best of all, the BVG comes with a lifetime warranty. For more information please contact TDI Arms, Dept. SAR, 325 W. 38th Street, Room 1602, New York, NY 10018. Phone: (212) 594-4141. Fax: (212) 594-4613. They can be found on the web at www.tdi-arms.com.

5.11 TACTICAL INTRODUCES NEW TACTICAL H.R.T. WATCH

The long awaited 5.11 Tactical H.R.T Watch is finally a reality. Designed with input from professionals in the special operations community, the titanium Tactical Watch features a “come-up” ballistic computer that calculates rifle scope adjustment. Calculate point of impact by inputting critical variables that determine elevation and wind adjustments. It works on all MILDOT, TMOA, SMOA and clicking rifle scopes. Punch in data about the ammunition you are shooting and the conditions you are shooting in and the watch will display the appropriate hold over for a sure hit. It’s that simple. The watch enhances a shooters confidence to engage targets out to 1,000 meters with “whenever/wherever” portability. Data is easy to enter, even while wearing gloves, with the most critical information arranged for fast change and access. Other features include shooting software developed in partnership with Horus Vision, titanium case with unidirectional bezel, water resistance to 100 meters, oversized dot matrix digital back-lit display showing day, date, month, calendar readout, second time zone, alarm, chronograph and countdown timer. The watch also includes two watchbands; a classic black leather band and a divers-style black band. For more information on the new Tactical H.R.T. watch, as well as their complete line of unparalleled clothing, please contact them at 5.11 Inc., Dept. SAR, 4300 Spyres Way, Modesto, CA 95355. Phone: (209) 527-4511. Fax: (209) 527-1511. They can be found on the web at www.511tactical.com.

SAFE DIRECTION INTRODUCES BALLISTIC CONTAINMENT SYSTEM

Protect yourself, safeguard your family, and make any home or office safe for gun handling with the Safe Direction Station. Developed by a firearms trainer, it is designed to provide a designated “safe direction” during loading and unloading, dry-fire, and disassembly of your handgun. The multi-layer system employs comparable level NIJ-IIIA ballistic containment abilities that completely absorb and contain the errant bullet. The system’s Ballistic-Seal energy-dispersing panel diffuses the bullet energy and prevents property damaging “back-face deformation”. The Safe Direction Station is available in your choice of portable cases: a fanny pack and medium and large pistol cases. All cases feature YKK zippers and have an additional zippered storage pouch. The fanny pack accommodates most medium and large frame automatics and revolvers and features a ripcord opening, Cordura thumb break holster, and a fully adjustable quick release waist belt. The Safe Direction Academy Pad features the same complete ballistic containment system in a 3-ring binder insert. To use: maintain light muzzle contact with the Safe Direction emblem as you complete your gun handling operation. In the event of an unintentional discharge, the Safe Direction ballistic containment system completely absorbs and contains the errant bullet while dispersing bullet energy. For more information on this outstanding new piece of safety equipment, as well as their line of reactive targets, please contact Safe Direction, LLC, Dept. SAR, 900 South Kay Avenue, P.O. Box 1249, Addison, IL 60101. Phone: (877) 357-4570. Fax: (630) 543-0524. Their website is www.safedirection.com.

A gain was made in the number of exhibitors to 1,002 from last year’s count of 988 and 2003’s total exhibitors of 966. This was the first year the exhibitor count exceeded 1,000. It is believed 27,000 persons were in attendance, the same as last year. Visitors came from nearly 100 countries.

Like most of the retail trade in Germany, the country’s firearms retailers recorded zero growth in 2004 for the third year in succession, Reinhold Lux, President of the German Firearms Manufacturers and Retailers Association frankly disclosed. He cited Germany’s over 5 million unemployed persons and especially the federal government’s over two-year delay of the announcement of the details of how Germany’s new firearms law will affect consumers, as reasons why business is so slow. The overall mood of retailers in Germany is one close to despair. While the number of international visitors to IWA is growing, the German visitor count is stagnating.

Consumer Monday Disappointment

A “Consumer Day” with clearly defined rules for admission was offered for the first time this year on the fair’s last day, a Monday, but the attendance count was disappointing. Some 10,000 entrance invitations were distributed to a carefully selected group of consumers who were holders of hunting and/or firearms licenses. However, slightly less than 1,000 were exchanged for entrance tickets.

“We had expected appreciably more visitors and made appropriate preparations,” said Walter Hufnagel, a member of the management board of the Nuernberg trade center. However, the idea is not being abandoned. “We are prepared to make another attempt to organize a Consumer Day on the Monday of the exhibition in 2006. We will work to determine the causes of this apparent lack of interest.”

The issue of allowing end-users into the show had been under discussion for several years. While there were apparently more exhibitors in favor of opening up the show, there had always been a group opposed. Consideration had been given to adding an extra day to the show, on Tuesday as the consumer day, in a reduced number of halls (the IWA fair currently occupies five halls). This would have entailed some exhibitors having to move their stands into one of the other halls to receive consumers and this idea was condemned by exhibitors in their responses to surveys by the show management.

In the end, consumers were allowed on the show’s last day, a Monday, but the turnout was disappointing. It was noticed that quite a few exhibitors had erected tape barricades at the entrances to their booths on Monday morning in an effort to keep consumers out of their booths.

German Gun Industry Surviving on Exports Alone

The weak domestic market has led German producers to increasingly seek export opportunities, and this is what sustained it during the past year, said Klaus Gotzen, General Manager of the German Firearms Retailers Association.

“The German guns and ammunition industry managed to compensate for the weak domestic market only through increased efforts in the export sector,” Gotzen said during remarks made at the fair’s opening. “The previous year’s turnover was reached due to the good reputation of German guns abroad and the flexibility of the companies.”

German Industry Statistics

According to 2004 figures available from the Federal Statistics Office (1st – 3rd quarter), German companies have maintained the year 2003 production value of 208 million Euro for sporting guns and gun components. Total German exports of sporting guns (including gun components) increased by 6% to 166 million Euro in 2004. Imports of hunting and sporting guns and gun components to Germany were worth about 42 million Euro, which corresponds to the results for 2003.

American Pavilion Busy

Once again, a pavilion was organized for American companies exhibiting at the fair. While not containing all of the American firms present, the pavilion area was perceived as being busier than at past IWA editions during the last several years. The weakness of the American dollar as opposed to the strength of the Euro made American goods attractive to Europeans, and they seemed to be buying.

Italian Industry Statistics

One of the more pleasurable events held each year during IWA & Outdoor Classics is the Italian dinner banquet sponsored by the Brescia Chamber of Commerce. In keeping with tradition, an overview was presented of the firearms production and sales figures of the Italian companies situated in the northern province of Brescia.

Overall, there was an increase in production of 2.87% in 2004, versus the year before. In 2003, a total of 623,721 firearms were produced, while in 2004 the total rose to 641,618; the highest quantity achieved within the last 10 years. Handgun production rose by 20.3%, making up 29.2% of the total. Long gun production, however, decreased by 2.93% from the 2003 figure to a grand total of 454,504 units in 2004.

A total of 78,651,579 Euro worth of arms and munitions were imported into the Brescia region of Italy during 2003, a gain of 128.77% according to the Brescia Chamber of Commerce. Exports of arms and munitions during 2003 totaled 192,781,723 Euro, a gain of 4.29%.

First-half 2004 data shows that foreign exports by Brescia and its provinces were steady in the face of a material appreciation of the Euro vs. the U.S. dollar and a global slowdown in trade flows for all sectors of industry. At the same time, the trend in most sectors of Italian business of relocating production to low-cost countries continued during the first half of 2004, with a steady level of investments being made outside the domestic borders.

The growth of Italian exports to Eastern Europe confirms the content of conversations this reporter had at the show with European exhibitors. Most said they view Eastern Europe and Russia as the growth markets of the future as the economies of these countries are on the upswing. While firearms ownership is still highly restricted in most of these developing countries, it is expected that controls on ownership will be loosened in the next several years. Firearms shows are starting to develop in some of these countries. One show in particular held in the fall, the Moscow Arms Salon, seems particularly poised for growth.

Law Enforcement Forum

For the first time, on the day before IWA officially opened, a Law Enforcement Workshop was held. Some 130 delegates attended talks on optics, police and military use of sound suppressors, functional clothing, new police ammunition and high-performance flashlights. The workshop was deemed a success and it will be held again next year.

AECAC Elects New Committee

During IWA 2005, the European Association of Civilian Arms Dealers (AECAC) voted in a new committee. Henk Ketelaar of the Netherlands is the new President, Yves Collety of France is the Vice President and Victor Fabregat of Spain was chosen as Secretary General. The members also intend to register the association in Brussels.

IWA New Products

IWA is primarily a sporting arms show, so there is not a great deal of tactical and/or military goods on display. However, if one knows who the producers are, one can either see such arms “in the back room” of some of the exhibitors’ booths, or in catalogs that can be provided upon request.

Oberland Arms, a German firm, showed their new OA-15 Police Carbine 556 (an AR-15 style product) in .223 Remington. A highly compact rifle, The 292mm/11.5-inch barrel was said by the producer to be the shortest possible practical barrel length, as experiments with shorter barrels resulted in less energy, less accuracy and not controllable in rapid fire. This model is equipped with a M4-style collapsible stock, A2 front sight, detachable A3 carry handle with fully adjustable rear sight and a Picatinny rail on the forearm.

Bearing a strong resemblance to the H&K MP5, the new Oberland Arms OA-5 9mm is a self-loading carbine with a roller locking system. Produced under license from H&K, it contains no used or surplus military parts. Chambered for the 9mm Parabellum cartridge, it comes equipped with a Picatinny rail, two magazines, sling, case and an Otis cleaning kit. It does not qualify as a sporting gun under German gun laws, but can be owned by hunting license holders or by those who hold an “Expert” rating on their German firearms license.

Oberland also showed the bull pup Steyr Mannlicher OA-UG Sport rifle in .223 Rem., which bears a strong resemblance to the Steyr-AUG, which is prohibited from importation into the U.S.

Zastava Arms of Yugoslavia, while exhibiting mainly sporting guns, also produces a variety of military designs. For example, it M21S 5.56mm rifle is a Kalashnikov-inspired design with side folding buttstock, but can also accept a 40mmn grenade launcher. The rifle also has a built-in Picatinny rail, enabling attachment of optical devices.

Zastava’s M84 7.62mm belt fed machine gun is supplied with or without tripod mount and optical sight. A folding bipod is also available. Other features include all high tensile steel construction, hammer forged barrel, chrome plated bore rated for 18,000 rounds with most major parts produced on CNC-machinery. A close cousin to the M84 is the M86, which is intended for mounting on tanks and combat vehicles as an auxiliary gun. It has an electro-triggering mechanism and is directed onto the target by the vehicle’s fire-control system. Both the M84 and the M86 are gas-operated, have a rotating bolt locking system and have a firing rate of 700-800 rpm.

Zastava also produces a 12.7mm heavy machine gun, the M87. Its features include high-tensile heat treated steel forging construction, hard chromed bore, front and rear mechanical sights, CNC-machining of functional parts, belt feeding and forward eject of empty cases.

The infantry version of the M87 is tripod mounted and contains a gunner’s seat and a low mounted telescopic sight for shooting at ground targets. The mount can be disassembled in three major components, each of which is lighter than 25kg, so that the system can be transported in a soldier’s backpack. It can also be vehicle mounted for use as an anti-aircraft gun.

Zastava also produces a 30mm Automatic Grenade Launcher, the BGA. Its main purpose is in use in the disabling of open and covered targets at distances up to 1,700 meters and the neutralizing of light armored vehicles at distances up to 1,000 meters. Feeding either from a belt or a 29-round drum magazine, it has an adjustable rate of fire from 50 to 400 rpm.

1. The term “firearm” means a shotgun or rifle having a barrel of less than 18 inches in length, or any other weapon, except a pistol or revolver, from which a shot is discharged by an explosive if such weapon is capable of being concealed on the person, or a machine gun, and includes a muffler or silencer for any firearm whether or not such firearm is included within the foregoing definition.
2. The term “machine gun” means any weapon which shoots, or is designed to shoot, automatically or semi-automatically, more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.
3. The term “person” includes a partnership, company, association or corporation, as well as a natural person.
4. The term “continental United Stated” means the states of the United States and the District of Columbia.
5. The term “importer” means any person who imports or brings firearms into the continental United States for sale.
6. The term “manufacturer” means any person who is engaged within the continental United States in the manufacture of firearms, or who otherwise produces therein any firearm for sale or disposition.
7. The term “dealer” means any person not a manufacturer or importer engaged within the continental United States in the business of selling firearms. The term “dealer” shall include wholesaler, pawnbrokers and dealers in used firearms.
8. The term “interstate commerce” means transportation from any state or territory or district or any insular possession of the United States (including the Philippine Islands) to any other state or to the District of Columbia.
9. The term “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Internal Revenue.
10. The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Treasury.
11. The term “to transfer” or “transferred” shall include to sell, assign, pledge, lease, loan, give away or otherwise dispose of.

Sec. 2.

1. Within 15 days after the effective date of this act, or upon first engaging in business, and thereafter on or before the 1st day of July of each year, every importer, manufacturer and dealer in firearms shall register with the collector of internal revenue for each district in which such business is to be carried on his name or style, principal place of business and places in such district, and pay a special tax at the following rates: Importers or manufacturers, $500 a year; dealers, other than pawnbrokers, $200 a year; pawnbrokers, $300 a year. Where the tax is payable on the 1st day of July in any year it shall be computed proportionately from the 1st day of the month in which the liability to the tax accrued to the 1st day of July following.
2. It shall be unlawful for any person required to register under provisions of this section to import, manufacture or deal in firearms without having registered and paid the tax imposed by this section.

Sec. 3

1. There shall be levied, collected and paid upon firearms transferred in the continental United States a tax at the rate of $200 for each firearm, such tax to be paid by the transferor, and to be represented by appropriate stamps to be provided by the commissioner, with approval of the secretary, and the stamps herein provided shall be affixed to the order for such firearm, hereinafter provided for. The tax imposed by this section shall be in addition to any import duty imposed on such firearm.
2. All provisions of law (including those regulating to special taxes, to the assessment, collection, remission and refund of internal revenue taxes, to the engraving, issuance, sale, accountability, cancellation and distribution of tax-paid stamps provided for in the internal-revenue laws, and to penalties) applicable with respect to the taxes imposed by section 1 of the act of December 17, 1914, as amended (U.S.C., Supp. VII, title 26, secs. 1040 and 1888), and all other provisions of the internal-revenue laws shall, insofar as not inconsistent with the provisions of this act, be applicable with respect to the taxes imposed by this act.
3. Under such rules and regulations as the commissioner, with the approval of the secretary, may prescribe, and upon proof of the exportation of any firearm to any foreign country (whether exported as part of another article or not) with respect to which the transfer tax under this section has been paid by the manufacturer, the commissioner shall refund to the manufacturer the amount of the tax so paid, or, if the manufacturer waives all claim for the amount to be refunded, the refund shall be made to the exporter.

Sec. 4

1. It shall be unlawful for any person to transfer a firearm except in pursuance of a written order from the person seeking to obtain such article, on an application form issued in blank in duplicate for that purpose by the commissioner. Such order shall identify the applicant by such means of identification as may be prescribed by regulations under this act: Provided, that, if the applicant is an individual, such identification shall include fingerprints and a photograph thereof.
2. The commissioner, with the approval of the secretary, shall cause suitable forms to be prepared for the purposes above mentioned, and shall cause the same to be distributed to collectors of internal revenue.
3. Every person so transferring a firearm shall set forth in each copy of such order the manufacturer’s number or other mark identifying such firearm, and shall forward a copy of such order to the commissioner. The original thereof with stamps affixed shall be returned to the applicant.
4. No person shall transfer a firearm which has previously been transferred on or after the effective date of this act, unless such person, in addition to complying with subsection (c), transfers therewith the stamp-affixed order provided for in this act for proof of payment of all taxes on such firearms.
5. If the transfer of a firearm is exempted from the provisions of this act as provided in section 18 hereof, the person transferring such firearm shall notify the commissioner of the name and address of the applicant, the number or other mark identifying such firearm and the date of its transfer, and shall file with the commissioner such documents in proof thereof as the commissioner may by regulations prescribed.
6. Importers, manufacturers and dealers who have registered and paid the tax as provided for in section 2 (a) of this act shall not be required to conform to the provisions of this section with respect to transactions in firearms with dealers or manufacturers if such records and make such tax, but shall keep such records and make such reports regarding such transactions as may be prescribed by regulations under this act.

Sec. 5

1. Within 60 days after the effective date of this act every person possessing a firearm shall register, with the collector of the district in which he resides, the number or other mark identifying such firearm, together with his name, address, place where such firearm is usually kept, and place of business or employment, and, if such person is other than a natural person, the name and home address of an executive officer thereof: Provided, That no person shall be required to register under this section with respect to any firearm acquired after the effective date of, and in conformity with the provisions of, this act.
2. Whenever on trial for a violation of section 6 hereof the defendant is shown to have or to have had possession of such firearm at any time after such period of 60 days without having registered as required by this section, such possession shall create a presumption that such firearm came into the possession of the defendant subsequent to the effective date of this act, but this presumption shall not be conclusive.

Sec. 6.It shall be unlawful for any person to receive or possess any firearm which has at any time been transferred in violation of section 3 or 4 of this act.Sec. 7.

1. Any firearm which has at any time been transferred in violation of the provisions of this act shall be subject to seizure and forfeiture, and (except as provided in subsection
2. , all the provisions of internal-revenue laws relating to searched, seizures and forfeiture of unstamped articles are extended to and made to apply to the articles taxed under this act, and the persons to whom this act applies.
3. In the case of the forfeiture of any firearm by reason of a violation of this act: No notice of public sale shall be required; no such firearm shall be sold at public sale; if such firearm is in the possession of any officer of the United States except the secretary, such officer shall deliver the firearm to the secretary, and the secretary may order such firearm destroyed or may sell such firearm to any state, territory or possession (including the Philippine Islands), or political subdivision thereof, or the District of Columbia, or retain it for the use of the Treasury Department or transfer it without charge to any executive department or independent establishment of the Government for use by it.

Sec. 8.

1. Each manufacturer and importer of a firearm shall identify it with a number or other identification mark approved by the commissioner, such number or mark to be stamped or otherwise placed thereon in a manner approved by the commissioner.
2. It shall be unlawful for anyone to obliterate, remove, change or alter such number or other identification mark. Whenever on trial for a violation of this subsection the defendant is shown to have or to have had possession of any firearm upon which such number or mark shall have been obliterated, removed, changed or altered, such possession shall be deemed sufficient evidence to authorize conviction, unless the defendant explains such possession to the satisfaction of the jury.

Sec. 9. Importers, manufacturers and dealers shall keep such books and records and render such returns in relation to the transactions in firearms specified in this act as the commissioner, with the approval of the secretary, may by regulations require.

Sec. 10. (a) No firearm shall be imported or brought into the United States or any territory under its control or jurisdiction (including the Philippine Islands), except that, under regulations prescribed by the secretary, any firearm may be so imported or brought in when (1) the purpose thereof is shown to be lawful and (2) such firearm is unique or of a type which can not be obtained within the United States or such territory. (b) It shall be unlawful (1) fraudulently or knowingly to import or bring any firearm into the United States or any territory under its control or jurisdiction (including the Philippine Islands), in violation of the provisions of this act; or (2) knowingly to assist in so doing; or (3) to receive, conceal, buy, sell or in any manner facilitate the transportation, concealment or sale of any such firearm after being imported or brought in, knowing the same to have been imported or brought in contrary to law. Whenever on trial for a violation of this section the defendant is shown to have or to have had possession of such firearm, such possession shall be deemed sufficient evidence to authorize conviction unless the defendant explains such possession to satisfaction of the jury.

Sec. 11. It shall be unlawful for any person who is required to register as provided in section 5 hereof and who shall not have so registered, or any other person who has not in his possession a stamp-affixed order as provided in section 4 hereof, to ship, carry or deliver any firearm, in interstate commerce.

Sec. 12. The commissioner, with the approval of the secretary, shall prescribe such rules and regulations as may be necessary for carrying the provisions of this act into effect.

Sec. 13. This act shall not apply to the transfer of firearms (1) to the United States Government, any state, territory or possession of the United States, or to any political subdivision thereof, or to the District of Columbia; (2) to any peace officer or any federal officer designated by regulations of the commissioner; (3) to the transfer of any firearm which is unserviceable and which is transferred as a curiosity or ornament.

Sec. 14. Any person who violates or fails to comply with any of the requirements of this act shall, upon conviction, be fined not more that $2,000 or be imprisoned for not more than five years, or both, in the discretion of the court.

Sec. 15. The taxes imposed by paragraph (a) of section 600 of the revenue act if 1926 (U.S.C., (illegible word), title 26, sec. 1120) and by section (illegible word) of the revenue act of 1923 (47 Stat., 169, 264), shall not apply to any firearm on which the tax provided by section 3 of this act has been paid.

Sec. 16. If any provisions of this act, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of the act, and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby.

Sec. 17This act shall take effect on the 30th day after the date of its enactment.

Sec. 18. This act may be cited as the “National Firearms Act.”

For years Thompson collectors have debated the history of when and who manufactured the various drum magazines. However, never before now has definitive information been available for historical review. This article, in part, is based on letters and correspondence between Auto-Ordnance personnel and the various concerns manufacturing the drums. The later discussion on production during World War II is based on information from the National Archives.

At this point it is important to explain a few definitions of terms used in this article. First, the word “mismatched.” This term refers to drum magazines with covers and bodies that are either not matching in serial number or have different manufacturers’ parts. As an example, a United Specialties cover with a Crosby body assembly would be considered a mismatched drum. Second, a “transitional drum” is a drum which has a body and cover assembled by the same manufacturer that is using the remaining parts of one production in the beginning of another. As anyone who has ever worked in a production facility knows, you try to use up the remaining inventory from a prior production run prior to using new production; this is the most economical use of leftover stock. For the collector, these are very important drums as they can tell the historical order of various production runs.

Originally, the first ammunition feed device to be tried was a cloth belt. However, after several trial mechanisms failed to prove reliable, the Colt Model of 1911 box magazine was pressed into service. Both General Thompson and Theodore Eickhoff were very familiar with these magazines from when they worked together in the US Army Small Division. General Thompson was in charge of the development of not only the .45 caliber cartridge, but also the trials for the new Model of 1911 Colt service pistol.

The first Annihilator I, serial number one, was designed to have “wings” on the receiver to handle several Colt magazines in a line. Later, the engineers designed the twenty round box magazine for serial number one. The first design required the use of an adaptor to hold the box magazine in position.

Oscar Payne was assigned the task of designing a larger capacity magazine. After several initial designs that were unsuccessful, he created the “Spiral Drum Magazine.” The first of these Spiral Drums used a removable crank handle to wind the drum spring. This design was quickly abandoned in favor of the now familiar winding key. These very early designs, both failures and successful, were in all likelihood made in the Auto-Ordnance Engineering Department’s own machine shop at 6536 Carnegie Ave., Cleveland, Ohio.

However, once a successful design was finalized, they turned to a local company to help with the manufacturing of production quantities. The company was John’s Machine and Stamp Works Company in Cleveland, Ohio. With John’s Co., Auto-Ordnance’s Engineering Department went about the tedious and time consuming job of producing drawings for each part of the C and L drums. From these documents were created the tooling to manufacture the XX box, C and L drum magazines.

All of the formed metal parts were made by John’s Co. The rotor springs were ordered from Wallace Barnes Co., Bristol, Conn. Wallace Barnes supplied the springs to Auto-Ordnance clear through to United Specialties production in 1939.

By the end of November 1920, the partnership with John’s had produced 205 sample C drums at a cost of $871.17, 200 sample L drums at a cost of $180.69 and 506 sample XX box magazines at a cost of $327.70. The cost of the tooling for these samples totaled $48,994.28. This included 14 sets of dies to produce the XX box magazine, 40 sets for the C drum and 36 sets for the L drum. Some of the sets of dies were used to produce common parts for both the C and L drum. For example, the winding keys, rotor retaining clip, body and face plates, etc, are common to both drums. Later, John’s Co. would also be tooled to produce the felt pad oiler system for the TSMG.

It appears that John’s Co. was also assembling the drums after forming of all the individual pieces. This assembly was being closely overseen by the Auto-Ordnance personnel to assure quality. The first drums produced by John’s were of the type found in the accessories that accompanied Model of 1919, serial number 17. These drums are a bright blued finish with the serial numbers stamped into the face plates and the rotor. Markings for instructions are vibra etched into the face plates.

The second version is the first drums to have stamped information on the face plates. The rear face plate contains the winding information and has a stamped “No.” location for the etched serial number. These were the drums available when Colt’s began production of the Model of 1921. According to a report by Theodore Eickhoff, dated January 4, 1921, 4,000 of each drum (C and L) have been produced to date.

It is at this point that the John’s Co. drums start to have the dull blued finish applied to them. This is a second generation John’s C drum, but with the grit blast finish applied by Colt’s prior to blueing. With this grit blasting, any information of the face plates that was not deeply stamped would not be visible. Therefore, the etched information was not used and the winding information was still stamped into the back face plates.

As production of the guns began, the winding information is still on the back side and the serial numbers are now restarted and stamped, such as serial number one. As production continued, some time within the first hundred drums, the winding information on the back face is moved to the front face and patent and address information for Auto-Ordnance is stamped into the rear. The surface of the drum is still grit blasted and blued. The serial number (which is actually an assembly number only) is stamped into the front and rear face plates.

It was costing Auto-Ordnance approximately $5.54 each to make a C drum plus an additional .85 cents for Colt’s to grit blast and blue. The L drums were costing $3.54 each plus the additional cost of .65 cents for Colt’s work. So from these new records it seems that all variations of the C drum were produced by John’s Machine and Tool Co.

There is still the question, “How many were made?” The highest number seen on a C drum to date is about serial number 5,000. But, this does not mean that only 5,000 were made. In a letter from Oscar Payne to Auto-Ordnance he states that, “…if a drum failed to pass final inspection we did not produce a new C drum with the same number as the drum that was rejected. We simply threw it away and made another.”

The real question should be how many still exist? It is not known for sure but keep in mind that 535 C drums were shipped in the first ten weeks of production shipments (ending 6/11/21). Most of these went to the IRA. Thus, assuming 5,000 were made, this means that 11 percent are already outside the US.

Above: 5 March 2002, Camp Lejune, NC. Led by the shield man, SRT Marines rush in stack formation from the shelter of their tactical van. A close look at the men provides a wealth of knowledge on their specialized assault gear. Note ballistic leg guards on the shield man who, along with his backup, has an M9 pistol equipped with the new AN/PEQ-6 infrared and visible aiming light. The last two men in the stack have 9mm MP5 submachine guns sporting tactical lights, as well as holstered M9s. (USMC photo by Corporal Zachary Crawford)

“Although one of many, several things make Quantico’s SRT unique in The Corps: We’re one of a handful of full time teams; we conduct daily Anti-Terrorism missions that include boat and all-terrain vehicle patrols; and we support daily Military police operations to include conducting numerous security missions for VIPs in the National Capitol Region.” Staff Sergeant Aaron J. Bosch, Marine Corps Base Quantico SRT staff non-commissioned officer-in-charge

“Gas! Gas! Gas!”

The shouted warning cut through sharp bursts of submachine gun fire from the six Marines on line. But only half of the men stopped shooting to pull on their protective masks. The rest kept pumping short strings of 9mm slugs into the silhouette targets until their masked partners resumed firing. Only then did they release their weapons – securely tethered to tactical slings – and reach for their own masks.

This radical departure from regular Marine Corps tactical doctrine is one dramatic difference to be seen in Special Reaction Team (SRT) training, explained Staff Sergeant Aaron Bosch, staff non-commissioned officer-in-charge of Quantico’s elite unit, overseeing recent M9 pistol and MP5 submachine gun training on a remote range.

“You don’t want to lose fire superiority in a close engagement by having everybody stop and mask at once,” Bosh told his men prior to the drill. “Your partner has gotta hold his breath and keep shooting so get that mask on fast!”

Because SRTs must be ready to deal with the full spectrum of chemical and biological hazards ranging from ordinary tear gas to nerve agents and even anthrax spores, rapid donning and extended wear of their sophisticated MALB masks are a regular part of training exercises.

While its wide, clear visor gives an excellent field of view, says Sergeant Nathan Carithers, Team Leader, the mask increases the degree of difficulty for the men in a number of ways including the precise aiming of their weapons. It also muffles the shouted commands and responses that are so necessary for team operations and restricts deep breathing when rushing around in heavy body armor and gear. “But, that’s all part of the job,” Carithers says. “We train this way now so we’ll know how to deal with it when the real thing comes up.”

Training for the Unusual

While successful completion of the Army-run basic Special Reaction Team course at Fort Leonard Wood’s Military Police School is an entry-level requirement for these elite MPs from all the US Armed Forces, Marine Corps SRTs also conduct their own specialized on-the-job training. Teams intensively operate together in a variety of situations such as room clearing drills to build trust and teamwork. Individual skills such as small arms proficiency are regularly sharpened and then put to work in multiple engagement scenarios with lots of variables. Cross-training is essential so that every member will be able to take up the job from someone who goes down in action.

Seasoned members are afforded some exciting advanced training opportunities so that teams will have both enhanced capabilities and expertise to conduct their own classes for new team members. Among many on the long menu are Dynamic Entry and Explosives Breaching, Scout Sniper, Helicopter Rope Suspension, Advanced Close Quarters Battle, Water Survival, and Hand-to-Hand Combat Instructor.

Working with other SRTs in the Corps, other services, local and federal government, also provides great advantages. Quantico’s MOUT (Military Operations on Urban Terrain) combat town attracts a variety of teams including the Pentagon Police. There is also the unique situation of having the FBI Academy right on base.

“It’s been great to be able to train with the FBI’s Washington Field Office S.W.A.T. (Special Weapons and Tactics) team,” Bosch says, “and also to use the Academy’s shoot house for live fire.”

Balance of Power

Quantico’s SRT has some significant upgrades that will be in place by the time this is published. One of these areas is in tactical communications for voice and data in various modes including secure integration of cell phones with real-time radio.

Guns ‘n Gear of the Marine SRT

The US military’s standard sidearm is the M9, a 9mm Beretta 92F semiautomatic pistol weighing just over 2 pounds and featuring a generous 15-round magazine. A slightly modified version, featuring an underbarrel hardmount for tactical lights, is issued to Marine SRTs, typically carried in Safariland 6004 series drop leg holsters. While the sophisticated AN/PEQ-6 is available when both infrared and white light is needed for aiming, Quantico’s SRT usually employs the sturdy and bright Streamlight M3.

Because the DoD mandated 9mm ball round is not an ideal man-stopper, multiple hits are mandatory. This makes the fast firing Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun an essential tool for putting ‘em down hard and fast. The legendary reliability and demonstrated accuracy of these long serving law enforcement workhorses speaks well for their continued use by Marine SRTs who appreciate the weapon’s compact dimensions and controllability. 30-round stick magazines provide plenty of ammo between reloads and HK’s optional tactical sling and forearm with integrated white light are in use by the Quantico team.

The 5.56mm Colt M4A1 Carbine is in the pipeline for issue and will give designated team members the ability to penetrate such things as masonry walls and body armor that the 9mm can’t. Originally developed for Special Operations Forces, this short barrel, telescoping stock version of the M16A4 service rifle has a lot of hard points on the top and around the forearm for attachment of various accessories. The SRT version is expected to come with the Trijicon Reflex illuminated dot sight in SOF version with its distinctive polarizing filter and dust cover, vertical foregrip and tactical light.

A specific Marine Corps requirement resulted in fielding of the M1014 semiautomatic shotgun, a modified Benelli with telescoping stock and high capacity tubular underbarrel magazine. This versatile weapon is used with different loads by Marine SRTs for a number of practical tasks including energetic punchdowns and breaching locked doors.

Precision shooting by the SRT’s marksman/observers on cover teams is usually done with the Marine Corps’ Designated Marksman Rifle, a customized M14 semiautomatic, or a bolt operated weapon. Two of the most common of these are the Marine M40 series or the Army M24, both equipped with powerful scopes and capable of remarkable accuracy at extreme range.

When the need arises for stealthy night observation and shooting, the teams can break out the usual GI darktime hardware including AN/PVS-7B goggles and the PVS-10 integrated day/night scope.

Most teams have an intentionally ordinary-looking commercial white box van to haul all their equipment around, jam-packed with all sorts of interesting tools. Quantico’s SRT van is typical, and we’re told it is home for the team’s primary and secondary weapons, shields and ballistic blankets, tactical radios, breaching tools, and night vision gear.

Because MCB Quantico is cut in half by heavily-traveled major highways and also has an enormous perimeter that includes extensive frontage along the Potomac River as well as a spider web of rural roads out in the sprawling range complex, there are two other very interesting vehicles in the team’s inventory. They have recently put into service a brand new 23-foot patrol craft from Aluminum Chambered Boats for daily runs over water and a Polaris Ranger 4×4 all terrain vehicle to get around handily through the woods.

Becoming an SRT Marine

Because every major Marine Corps installation in the US and abroad has a Special Reaction Team, there are many opportunities for those who would like to join this elite brotherhood.

Obviously, the first step is to enlist in the United States Marine Corps as a Military Policeman, MOS 5811. Call your hometown recruiter (look in the phone book’s blue government pages) or visit the internet site www.usmc.mil. Following successful completion of Boot Camp and Military Police School, perform your duties with dedication and skill. If you are assigned to an installation with an SRT, talk with the team’s leadership about your intentions then follow this up with any necessary paperwork.

Rules and requirements for selection of SRT members vary with each installation but here are some general guidelines for volunteers:

• Hold Military Occupational Specialty 5811, Military Policeman, with at least one year of operational experience and minimum rank of Corporal.
• Demonstrate a high degree of maturity and self-control.
• Meet height/weight standards and achieve First Class on Physical Fitness Test.
• Qualify Expert with rifle and pistol.
• Have a clean record.
• Be available for fast response 24/7.

Additionally, all volunteers considered for selection to SRTs are psychologically screened before assuming their duties.

The Complete Glock Reference Guide
An Independent Look at Glock Handguns

PTOOMA Productions
290 Pages
ASIN: B00077D7U6
Lone Wolf Distributors Inc.
P.O. Box 3549
Oldtown, ID 83822-3549
208-437-0612
www.lonewolfdist.com
$29.95

Reviewed by Jeff W. Zimba

Having been involved in the retail, wholesale and manufacturing aspects of the firearms industry for several years, I am almost embarrassed to admit I have never owned a Glock as a personal firearm. I have had many in inventory and have fired several but I have never purchased one for personal use. After reading The Complete Glock Reference Guide from PTOOMA Productions, I have officially been “converted” and have decided to purchase (at least) one.

The Complete Glock Reference Guide is a soft cover, 290 page 8-1/2×11 manual that covers everything to do with Glock firearms. There are answers to Glock questions in this book that the writer did not even know existed. The Complete Glock Reference Guide is divided into 14 easy to read chapters covering everything from the manufacturing process of Glock firearms to field stripping, cleaning, diagnostics and even the much misunderstood safety devices. A detailed look at the history and background of the Glock family of firearms is also documented.

An appendix is included covering the technical specifications of all the Glock model firearms and another appendix also lists the serial number ranges along with their importation dates. With over 450 images and illustrations, no stone is left unturned in this book.

The author’s favorite chapter is Chapter 14 – The Ultimate Glock Torture Test. In this chapter, a .40 Cal Glock 23 pistol was put through more abuse than any single pistol could ever come close to receiving in real life situations. As I read one page after another I am sure I physically shook my head in disbelief while trying to imagine the punishment this gun received. I don’t want to take all the fun out of this chapter for the readers, but I will tell you it included such abuse as being submersed in caustic soda, dragged behind a truck, shot by a rifle, and even fired from a black powder cannon! I am not going to give you the final outcome or results of these tests but I will tell you I have had the chance to handle the test gun and you can see it yourself if you ever run into the crew from Lone Wolf Distributors, Inc. at one of the trade shows such as SHOT SHOW or the NRA Convention.

As previously mentioned, reading this book convinced the author to purchase a Glock where it had not even been an interest in the past. I never had imagined there was so much to learn about these firearms or there was so much information I was even interested in learning. I am quite certain that to any Glock enthusiast, this book may very well become their new product Bible. I recommend it highly. And, just in case you were wondering, the Glock model I will be purchasing will be the Model 18.

Above: The Monument to the Unknown Hero on Mount Avala outside of Belgrade, Yugoslavia. The monument sits on top of the highest mountain in the area, and there is a 360 degree panoramic view of the Serbian countryside. At the end of World War One, the new King of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes built this monument to all soldiers of all sides who were lost in that epic war. There are several sections visible that took direct hits from the German cannoneers doing target practice from the valley during World War Two. Legend has it that their officer was educated about such things, and knew this monument was to all lost soldiers, so he stopped the gunners before they could do more damage.

During the Living History class in Serbia, we spent some time in the Fortress of Kalamegdan Museum. Aside from the live fire of machine guns and cannons, this was a highlight of the tour. More information on Living History can be found at www.livinghistoryserbia.com . This brought up some of the other very interesting displays in the main areas, and the back rooms of some Serbian museums. We decided to bring you some of the special items we found. – Dan

The Old Gun Foundry at Zastava

During the 150th Anniversary of the factory at Zastava, SAR Expeditionary Force members Dr. Philip Dater and Dan Shea were invited guests, along with the main guest, General Mikhail Kalashnikov. The General has a long-standing relationship with many of the designers and engineers at Zastava, where many of his designs have been manufactured. We were fortunate to have a number of conversations with the General, and to tour the Zastava Historical Museum with him. The museum curator at “The Old Gunfoundry” is Mrs. Radmilla Milivodevic. She gave several tours while we were there, and we were impressed with the displays and her knowledge of the history represented there. As an American, I found it interesting to see the displays that represented late 19th Century and early 20th Century technical manufacturing information exchanges between the Yugoslavs and the United States.

The museum itself is located in the old gun foundry building, where cannon were made in the early days. The building itself is a testament to that new industrial architecture at the turn of the last century. Our interests were in two main places. First, the main museum display floor, and second, there were back rooms and upstairs rooms that held the specimens not ready for display. Any visit to Zastava should include a tour of the museum, if it can be arranged.

The Fortress of Kalamegdan

Long time SAR readers will be familiar with the Fortress of Kalamegdan from previous articles, but for this tour we had some special items brought from the back room. Kalamegdan dates back to the Roman times, and has seen many wars, and many masters. The museum there is one of the finest in the “Old World” and the displays cover the Bronze Age through the fighting in Kosovo.

Branka Milosavljevic, Senior Curator at the museum at Kalamegdan, was our tour guide. Her specialties are in the earlier eras, but she was well versed in the modern weapon displays and, with firearms author Branko Bogdanovic and Living History leader Mike Hajducovic, we had a wealth of information presented to us. Around every corner were new, interesting displays, and the Serbian penchant for powerful sculptures were evident throughout. Two items of note other than Tito’s statue, were the “Call to Uprising” by Vojin Bakic from 1953, which is a powerful sculpture of a man calling for the fight against the Nazis, and Nandor Glid’s “Capitulation of Italy” from 1960. In the latter sculpture, Glid uses parts of Italian machine guns, rifles, bayonets, mortars and the other accouterments of war to create a wall sculpture that is intriguing and speaks of the end of the war.

We were allowed to work through the displays of the museum at our own pace, and many items of interest were noted. I found that Tito’s Savage 1928A1 Thompson serial number S-195622 was of as much interest as the Colt Thompson that was displayed with no access to the serial number. We plan to get that information and send it to Thompson Historian Gordon Herigstad for inclusion in his new updates.

Military Museum at Kacharevo

Approximately 40 kilometers North-East of Belgrade is the Military Museum at Kacharevo. This facility is closed to the public, only opened with special permission from Army Headquarters. Colonel Makitan was in charge but he recently retired. A life-long martial arts devotee and sensei of the local dojo, Colonel Makitan had a love of weapons that showed in the displays he and his staff put together. We had a brief amount of time to visit, and found some interesting items. There was a Powder Springs marked M11A1 .380 caliber submachine gun in a glass case, with a leather magazine pouch holding six original magazines. This was credited with being from the special police units in Belgrade. Each room of the old military building had a different theme, and the long main room had rifles through mortars and larger.

The path of least resistance and least trouble is a mental rut already made. It requires troublesome work to undertake the alternation of old beliefs. Self-conceit often regards it as a sign of weakness to admit that belief to which we have once committed ourselves is wrong. We get so identified with an idea that it is literally a “pet” notion and we rise to its defense and stop our eyes and ears to anything different. – John Dewey

The anti Second Amendment fanatics are out there right now, trying to legislate some local bans on the ownership of so-called Assault Weapons. It is amazing how focused on non-issues they can be. Statistically, we are safer now that the stupid AW Ban expired over a year ago, but it remains to be seen if there is any connection at all between statistics and reality. So called “Assault Weapons” were a minor problem to begin with.

There have been a lot of Freudian accusations about why firearms owners have firearms – the most common being that we are “compensating” for something missing or inadequate. My opinion of most of the firearms collectors that I know is based on watching what interests them, and the collecting of firearms seems more related to a techno-geek type of thing. Most of the people I know are highly interested in history, technology, the science of ballistics, the amazing diversity of accessories or models, or just plain fun at the range. There might be a few who have some “compensation” thing going on, but the majority seem pretty stable, just focused on their interest or hobby. I can’t say the same for the anti-Second Amendment crowd. A very interesting observation that I have experienced over and over again, is the reaction of many anti-firearms ownership people who happen to be in a place where there are military type firearms. When talking with them, politely, I hand them a machine gun, or a rifle, and they look electrified and frightened and say, “I couldn’t have one of these – I might kill somebody.” Seriously, dear readers, I have heard this too many times to ignore.

This makes me think that the firm belief in the Second Amendment comes down to some fundamental beliefs about personal responsibility. With few exceptions, the firearms community has a strong thread of Teddy Roosevelt’s ‘Rugged Individualism” in it. Most of us are taught by our fathers, uncles, drill sergeants, hunting instructors, or other significant adults, that we are responsible for what we do with a weapon, and it is never pointed somewhere you don’t want a bullet to go. We are taught restraint. We are taught responsibility. Those who desire to disarm the others seem to lack that trait. In reading Dewey’s commentary, the above struck me as a concise paragraph on why the anti firearms ownership crowd doesn’t “get it” when they are obviously wrong. Dewey can also remind us to reassess our own beliefs and stands on issues, so that we can not make the same mistakes we are confronted with.

Off the pulpit, on to the questions….

Q-I was at a gun show, and saw a magazine on a table that said it was for fifty caliber. It seemed sort of short for a fifty but was quite large. I bought it for twenty bucks and brought it home, and sure enough it was too short. Any idea what it is?

A- There are so many unusual magazines out there it would be tough to say what it is simply from your description. I suspect, however, that it is the standard .50 caliber spotter magazine for the US M8C spotter rifle that mounts to the M40 series 106mm recoilless rifle. These do show up at gun shows fairly frequently, and there is a longer version as well. Twenty bucks is a good price for one as generally they are between forty and seventy-five dollars. Since you have ruled out it being one of the actual .50 BMG magazines due to the length of a cartridge that would fit, the Spotter magazine is the prime suspect. Other possibilities would be the magazines for the double sized military training rifles for the BAR, M14, M16, and M1 Carbine. These show up on the tables very rarely, are difficult to identify due to their oversize and are not a real weapon status. Please sell these oversized trainer magazines to me, as these are part of my personal fetish for oversize trainers. I suppose some might think I am “compensating.”

The M40 series of 106mm Recoilless Rifles are still in use in many countries around the world, and the US still has them in the inventory, although not generally active today. The M8C spotting rifle is mounted onto the main tube of the M40, sighted in, and the tracer/marking .50 caliber projectiles it fires duplicates the trajectory of the 106mm round. The M8C is semiautomatic, reloading itself from the magazine I suspect you have found. This is handy for the operator, because the 106mm is a breech loaded weapon, and having the next spotting round ready automatically cuts out one more operation in getting a second round ready to fire. The spotter rounds allow for an increased hit probability with the gun. Once the weapon is ready, the spotter round is fired. It won’t move the firing platform off of its aim and once the operator sees he has the target nailed touches off the main gun. Great for stationary targets, not quite so functional on laterally moving ones.

There are not too many M8C spotter rifles in private hands, but there are a few. The owners I am aware of have plenty of magazines for their guns, so this isn’t really a hot commodity; it is more of a collectable curiosity. The fifty caliber shooting community prizes spotter ammunition because many people pull the projectiles and reload them into .50 BMG cartridges, to achieve that very visible trace and target marking hit. However, these projectiles are very sensitive, especially to feeding, and much care should be taken with that process.

Q-I recently purchased a pre-86 dealer sample AR-10 machine gun. The seller called it a “Sudanese” model, and he had no other information on these. In the process of collecting the right parts to complete the weapon display board, I bought an” AR-10″ bayonet on E-Bay. When it came in, it didn’t fit on my AR-10. The seller insists it is an AR-10 bayonet and won’t refund my money. Who’s right on this?

A- As to whom is “right” that is a tough call. There was more than one type of AR-10 bayonet during the original production of these guns, and if he sold you an “AR-10 bayonet” and it is one – just not the right one for your gun. You are kind of stuck with it. I don’t think you will have too much trouble selling it as there are a lot of bayonet collectors out there. The basic models of original AR-10s are the very rare “Hollywood” guns, some of which could use a modified Carcano bayonet. The “Sudanese” models, which are Dutch, have a very special Mauser style bayonet. The “Portuguese” models, also Dutch, also use a Mauser styled bayonet which is cruder than the intricate and interesting Sudanese style bayonet. Since the production of the Sudanese style AR-10 rifles was limited to less than 4,000 pieces, it seems obvious that these are very rare bayonets. The Sudan contract was for 2,500 rifles, and there was another run of approximately 600 of this model with minor variations sold to Guatemala. If your gun says “Armex” on it, then odds are it is actually the Guatemalan contract gun.

This is actually a subject near and dear to me. I have always thought the Sudanese AR-10 bayonet was pretty tricked out, so let’s take a bit of time and look it over. This should help you in your search for the ultimate Sudanese AR-10 accessory. -Dan

Q-I enjoyed the picture of the VZ58 found by an SAR reader in Iraq, but you mentioned that it is not unusual for there to be “special” models made for guards in the Mid-East. I have not found reference to these models in other print references. Can you elaborate?

A- Yes, this is not an uncommon practice. In the small arms community it is not unusual to take the standard rifles or machine guns and make special presentation models or “dress” models out of them. These usually do not have a special designation. Frank James’ book on the HK MP5 series “Project 64”, includes pictures of the dressed up MP5s, and the official HK book has pictures as well. Since we were talking about Iraq, we should mention that SAR Contributing Editor Bob Bishop is a Colonel in the US Army Special Forces and he noted gold plated AK47 and RPG7s in the factories they captured. We are looking forward to getting more info later on these. As another example of this type of special run of submachine gun, I submit the following three photographs. This is a Sterling MK4 (L2A3) submachine gun that has been gold and chrome plated for the Saudi Royal Guards. On the white pistol grip is part of the symbol of the House of Saud, the Palm Tree and crossed swords. The complete symbol would have a wreath around it and a crown at the top, but for markings on a weapon this is accepted. There is no special model designation that would be recorded at the factory on these; they are simply MK4 submachine guns. I hope this helps convince you that the factories around the world do, indeed, produce the special runs of weapons for Dress Duty. (Photos by Dan Shea, Courtesy MOD Pattern Room)

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