Uses:

• A2 Buttstock Screwdriver
• A2 Flash Hider Wrench
• A2 Buffer Tube Wrench
• Standard Mil-Spec AR15 Barrel Nut Wrench
• Free Float Handguard Wrench (also can be used for looser tolerance barrel nuts)
• Luth-AR Palm Guard Barrel Nut Wrench
• Hammer
• 3/8 in. Drive Torque
• Castle Nut/Lock Ring Wrench
• Bottle Opener

Specifications:

• 8620 Steel
• Nitride Finish
• Length: 11.75 in.
• Width: 2.625 in.
• Thickness: 0.875 in.
• Weight: 1.29 lb.

Technical Specifications:

• Proprietary Receiver Extension: 7075-T6 Aluminum, Type III Mil-Spec Anodized Finish
• Materials: Impact Modified, Glass-Filled Nylon Polymer
• Weight (AR15/M16): 12.0 oz.
• Weight (AR10/SR25): 12.7 oz. 
• Length of Pull (AR15/M16): 10.8 in. – 14.2 in.
• Length of Pull (AR10/SR25): 11.6 in. – 15.0 in.
• MSRP: $159.95 (includes receiver extension tube and all mounting hardware)

The initial production run of AR15-length RECC·E Stocks are available to dealers exclusively through RSR Group; consumers can place individual orders directly from www.reptiliacorp.com. AR10/SR25 RECC·E Stocks will be available in late Q1 2023.

About Reptilia

Founded in 2017, Reptilia is an American weapon accessory firm founded with the primary mission of supporting American and Allied warfighters. With a background at companies such as Magpul, Crye Precision, Advanced Armament Corporation, SilencerCo, and Radian Weapons, our team is focused on delivering premium products and bespoke solutions to both professional end users and civilian shooters.

There are several famous firearms that we have all looked at, read about or simply heard of that we would like to claim personal ownership of. No matter the style or discipline of interest, such a famous or personally important gun exists. For those of us who take fondly to the black rifles, the most famous of all may arguably be the Colt ArmaLite AR-15 Serial Number 000106, also known as “The Coconut Rifle.” This particular gun is credited for the adoption of this weapon system eventually becoming the primary service weapon of the United States Military for almost 50 years.

The mystique of this special rifle begins its journey from Hartford, Connecticut to Baltimore, Maryland on February 17, 1960 and ends up in Fairfield, Maine in 2011 after traveling around the globe more than two times.

According to the research of David Norman, and later confirmed by Mr. William Mullen, Vice President of Cooper Macdonald Corp., it is believed that in December of 1959 Colt manufactured 20 of their new Colt ArmaLite AR-15 automatic rifles and it is documented through Colt that rifle #00106 was shipped to Cooper Macdonald Corp. on February 17, 1960. Cooper Macdonald Corp. was contracted to market this firearm.

It was in a July 15, 1992 meeting where many of the former suspicions were realized as factual. When Mr. Mullen was asked if #000106 was indeed the rifle that traveled around the world on two occasions and the rifle involved in the famous July 4, 1960 “Watermelon Demonstration” he replied, “Absolutely.”

When asked to recount the demonstration that would eventually lead to the adoption of this weapon system Mr. Mullen recounted the day. He stated the event was actually a yearly gathering at the Macdonald’s farm, usually for recreation: in his words, “a cookout and beer-bust.” A few days before the date he was asked to bring the rifle along because there would be “…some brass there.” Little did he know that the guests that day would include General Curtis LeMay, the United States Air Force Chief of Staff.

When it came time in the day to shoot this new rifle some watermelons were placed at approximately 50, 75 and 100 yards. General LeMay fired at and destroyed two of the watermelons. The General was very impressed with the results and noted there was one target remaining. When he was asked if he wanted to shoot the last watermelon or just go down and eat it, General LeMay sighted in on the lone melon and replied, “Let’s eat the son of a bitch!” It was in the middle of a field, eating watermelon where the discussion arose about an 8,500-unit order for the Air Force. It was at that point that Colt ArmaLite #106 became the rifle that made the M16 weapon system happen.

Another piece of information that seems to follow this rifle and its history is that it was fired by President Kennedy from the deck of his grandfather’s yacht, the Honey Fitz. Though this writer to date has uncovered no official documentation, this claim has been personally seen in an ad in Shotgun News dated November 15, 1977 and more recently in several Internet sites and blogs. Though very far from irrefutable proof, it is just another bit of lore that follows this legendary rifle.

The coconut part of the rifle’s adopted nickname came from its sales trips where it traveled to South Vietnam and several other “tropical” places. Coconuts were often used as targets to demonstrate the lethality of the rifle, hence the nickname. Other targets were also used in these demonstrations but due to the number of countries it traveled to and the newness of the weapon system it was quickly associated with the most common target engaged with this new, tiny projectile from a completely different type of rifle and the nickname “coconut rifle” stuck like glue.

Being a perpetual student of the black rifle, it has been an honor to actually handle this historical firearm and share its exciting role in the direction of the United States weapon procurement process with the readers of Small Arms Review. Fortunately for all of us, and especially for one extremely lucky individual, this story does not end here. Like we have all joked about when a pitchman on late night infomercials barks, “But wait, there’s more!” it applies to what you will read next. This rifle is not just something of lore that can never be seen, but it will actually be offered for sale October 4th of this year. The famous Colt ArmaLite #106 will be sold to the highest bidder at the James D. Julia Auction Company in the 2011 Fall Firearms Auction. Even though it is far above my pay grade you can bet I will be there to view and photograph this exciting piece of American history. Maybe I will see you there…

For more information:

James D. Julia, Inc.
203 Skowhegan Rd.
Fairfield, Maine 04937
Tel: (207) 453-7125
Fax:(207) 453-2502
Email: info@jamesdjulia.com
Website: www.JamesDJulia.com

According to most of the statistics available, seven to ten percent of the world’s population is left-handed. Unfortunately for those folks most machines and other devices are engineered with right-handed individuals in mind. Firearms are one of those devices.

During the mid 1960s the U.S. military officially adopted the small caliber 5.56x45mm M16 rifle. The M16 immediately began to replace the M14, which had served for less than 10 years as the primary U.S. infantry weapon. Although the M16 encountered many initial problems during its baptism of fire in Vietnam, the weapon was upgraded into the reliable M16A1 in 1967, the M16A2 during 1982 and the M4 carbine in 1994. The M16 has continued to evolve and has remained the preferred weapon of U.S. forces for over 40 years making it the longest serving “Standard” infantry rifle in continuous U.S. service.

The M16 was a revolutionary design made of aluminum alloys and composite plastics. The ejection port of the M16 and its variants was located on the right-hand side of the upper receiver, primarily designed with the right-handed shooter in mind. For left-handed troops, the position of the ejection port proved to be both distracting and annoying as the weapon ejected spent, hot cartridge cases directly across the front of the shooter’s face. Knowing of the problem left handed troops were facing with the M16, the military made available to recruits a brass deflector made of plastic. The deflector had a spring-loaded ball that secured it to the top of the carry handle of the M16A1. The device deflected the spent brass forward and down away from the shooter’s face. When the M16A2 was designed, a brass deflector was added to the upper receiver. The deflector consisted of an integral triangular shaped block just aft of the ejection port and it was designed to deflect spent cases forward away from the shooter’s face.

In 1964 a semiautomatic version of the M16, designated the AR-15, was introduced by Colt, who was at that time the primary contractor of the select-fire M16 for the military. (AR-15 was the original ArmaLite Company’s and later Colt’s designation of the M16 prior to being adopted by the U.S. Military). Like its counterpart the M16, the semiautomatic AR-15 rifle was primarily designed for right-handed shooters. Since its introduction and subsequent expiration of its patents, the original AR-15 rifle has spawned many clones with numerous companies marketing them. While a few companies have come and gone, new companies continually spring up to cash in on the popularity of the “black rifle.” Because of the rifle’s growing popularity the civilian aftermarket has created an enormous amount of upper receivers, heavy barrels, sights, forearms, buttstocks, optics and other accessories. Making the AR-15, and its many clones, one of the most popular and accessorized firearms since the 1911 pistol, with a following of dedicated enthusiasts.

Unlike the military, the aftermarket manufacturers did not forget the left-handed shooter. Stag Arms was the first to introduce an AR-15 type rifle specifically designed for lefties by relocating the ejection port to the left side of the upper receiver. The left-hand rifle proved to be quite popular, and Stag was soon joined by several other entities offering left-hand AR-15 type rifles and upper receivers.

In the past few years, several economic factors have come into play that has increased the cost of surplus and commercial centerfire ammunition to nearly double that of their former price levels. Many calibers have become difficult to find in any quantity. Making matters worse was the 2008 election of an anti-gun president. This touched off a panic among gun owners the likes of which had not been seen since Bill and Hillary Clinton were running things. The buying spree saw the prices of both firearms and ammunition escalate to unheard levels, due in part to the free enterprise system’s law of supply and demand. Following closely behind was reloading components; powder, bullets and especially primers. During this period there was renewed interest in .22 caliber firearms, and .22 conversion kits for centerfire rifles and handguns.

The .223 AR-15 rifle is a natural for conversion to .22 rimfire caliber due to its bore diameter. However, .22 caliber conversion kits for the AR-15/M16 family are nothing new. The Military Armament Corporation, best known for manufacturing the Ingram/MAC submachine guns, marketed a .22 caliber kit for the M16 rifle back in the 1970s. The kit was designed by MAC engineer Max Atchisson and, proving to be quite successful, the kits are still manufactured and sold today. Currently there are several entities that offer .22 rimfire conversion kits for the AR-15 type firearms, however, as before, the left-handed shooters of the world have been ignored…until now.

Christie and Christie Enterprises, Inc.

The name Christie is probably familiar to most NFA firearm enthusiasts. Ken Christie became well-known during the 1980s when he introduced the 30-round magazines, replacement firing pins and other accessories for the Reising submachine gun. Since those early days, Ken has kept busy creating new products expanding in the accessories for the 10/22 Ruger rifle. Ken has become famous for making quality products and standing behind them. Now there is another Christie, Chance, who is Ken’s son. Like his father, Chance has jumped in the aftermarket accessory business with both feet fulfilling a need with quality products. Being a left-handed AR-15 shooter, Chance Christie saw a need for a left-handed .22 conversion kit for the oft-neglected left-hand AR-15 owners of the world. With this idea, he set out to develop just such a kit. Initially progress was slow, fraught with many unforeseen problems, but Chance kept at it, and when the dust finally settled he had perfected the first .22 caliber conversion kit specifically designed for use with the left-hand AR-15-type upper receivers.

Chance Christie offered to demonstrate one of his conversion kits to SAR magazine. Arrangements were made and a shooting session was scheduled in Pennsylvania, to coincide with Ken and Chance’s trip to the SAR East show in York, PA. Chance brought several brands of .22 caliber ammunition to demonstrate his device’s ability to function with just about any brand on the market.

The kit includes a .22 conversion bolt unit, two 26-round magazines, take-down tool, cleaning brush and an instructional DVD. Most of the unit’s components are made of 316 stainless steel, with the exception of the extractor and firing pin, which are made of titanium. Apart from for the material used for the travel rails of the bolt, which had to be imported from Germany, the kit is made in the U.S.A. The unit is easily installed. First insuring that the rifle is not loaded, remove the rifle’s rear take-down pin to separate the receiver halves, then simply remove the .223 bolt assembly and replace it with the Christie .22 caliber bolt assembly, close the receiver halves and reinsert the rear pin. The polymer magazine used with the kit are made by Black Dog Machine, LLC. No adapter is required as the outside dimension of the magazines are the same as a standard .223 mag and fit perfectly into the magazine well. Also tested was the optional 50-round drum magazine also manufactured by Black Dog Machine, LLC. Like the standard magazine, the drum preformed without a hitch.

During the testing, over 500 rounds of various brands of .22 caliber ammunition were fired without a single stoppage; quite impressive considering how dirty and inconsistent .22 ammunition can be. Chance recommends field-stripping and cleaning the conversion unit at 500 rounds and, at this point, it is highly recommended that the original .223 bolt be reinstalled and three to four rounds of factory .223 ammunition be fired – this practice is to keep the barrel’s relatively small gas port and gas tube free of lead build up. After firing 1,000 to 1,500 rounds, a more detailed cleaning is suggested that includes removing the extractor and firing pin. All of the maintenance procedures are clearly demonstrated in the DVD that comes with the kit. Currently the kit will only function in a semiautomatic mode, however, if there is enough interest, a left-handed full-automatic kit maybe the Christie’s next project.

Christie & Christie Enterprises, Inc.
(440) 413-0031
www.1022central.com
Email: Christieinc@msn.com

Background Information Muzzle flash occurs when partial combustion products from the propellant emerge from the muzzle of a firearm and ignite in the atmosphere. The combustible products consist of hydrogen and carbon monoxide from the deflagration of the fuel-rich nitrocellulose propellant along with partially consumed propellant particles. These gases and particles are expelled from the muzzle at high temperatures and pressure. Like any fuel, they must reach a satisfactory air-to-fuel ratio before they can be ignited. Flash suppressors interfere with this mixing process. Some additional factors dictating the presence or absence of muzzle flash and its character include barrel length, propellant type and chemical composition, the effectiveness of any flash retardants in the propellant, flame temperature, muzzle pressure, gas volume generated by the propellant, exhaust gas products and by-products and adequate mixing of these products with air. This mixing usually takes some time and distance. Consequently, photographs of muzzle flash from most small arms often show a non-luminous space between the fireball and the muzzle. Any small amount of flame present in or at the muzzle is likely due to the primer.

The size, character and color of muzzle flash can vary greatly ranging from virtually no visible light in front of the muzzle to a very large fireball. Color can vary from a dull to bright red, yellow-orange to yellow to nearly white with a slight lavender hue. The presence of muzzle flash is, of course, a serious problem in firearms intended for military and law enforcement.

Over the last 50 years, manufacturers of military firearms such as the M14, AR-15 and other similar rifles have developed muzzle attachments that attempt to reduce or even obviate muzzle flash. Flash suppressants in the propellant are also an important constituent of nearly all military and law enforcement ammunition. Nearly 20 chemical additives have been listed in the literature as flash suppressants. The most common are potassium sulfate, potassium nitrate and potassium chloride in amounts up to about 2% but the presence of a flash suppressant is seldom if ever noted on canister propellants or, for that matter, on boxes of commercial ammunition.

Test-Documentation Procedures

The U.S. military under the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command has a Test Operations Procedure (TOP) for evaluating and measuring muzzle flash for a variety of small arms and larger weapons systems. TOP 3-2-045 (December 1983) contains a rather archaic procedure calling for the open shutter cumulative recording of twenty (20) shots with a 4×5 film camera positioned 4 to 5 feet out from the muzzle of the test firearm. A particular film speed and f-stop are also described. The testing is, of course, to be carried out in darkness. Strangely, no mention is made of the ammunition to be used or its composition or propensity to produce a muzzle flash with or without a flash suppressor attached to the firearm. This procedure not only seems awkward in the extreme but also self-defeating if one wants a realistic view of muzzle flash and some idea of its shot-to-shot consistency and reproducibility.

Contemporary digital cameras and a few chosen selections for f-stop and ISO settings comparable to those described here, along with a standoff distance on the order of 3 to 4 feet, provide the reader given to scientific testing a means for documenting and comparing muzzle flash.

While not absolutely necessary, a mechanical gun rest of some sort makes a very desirable addition to any set up since it keeps the rifle at the same standoff distance from the camera and area of interest immediately in front of the muzzle centered in the camera’s view. An outdoor location free of ambient light except for a full moon was chosen for the majority of this work. Alternatively, a small camp light placed on the ground and behind the camera will provide sufficient working light and will not interfere with the photographic process.

The authors used a Nikon D100 digital camera for the tests illustrated in this article but most any camera with a bulb setting or a built-in timer that will hold the shutter open for at least 4 to 5 seconds will accomplish the same end. If the bulb setting is to be used, a cable release will also be necessary and the cameraman will have to count off 4 or 5 seconds of exposure. The camera was positioned on a sturdy tripod so that it viewed the test rifle in profile from a distance of 4 feet with the test gun at the right edge of the frame. The remainder of the frame was reserved for any muzzle flash produced by the test shot.

The exposure time was set at 4 seconds, with Auto White Balance, an ISO setting of 400 and an aperture of f/5.6. With a little practice, this time interval allows for a strobe to be flashed followed by the discharge of the test rifle. A hand-held strobe was held near the camera and at such a position so as to properly ‘burn-in’ the pre-discharge image of the rifle. The rifle was then fired and any muzzle flash is added to the previous image. The immediate playback on the rear screen of the digital camera also allowed for the confirmation of a suitable image. A minimum of three shots with each rifle/flash suppressor/ammunition combination was carried out as a test and documentation of reproducibility.

It is important to realize that in this method all visible light is captured and integrated into the final image. The duration of a muzzle flash is on the order of 0.01 to 0.03 seconds and even less in some cases whereas the average duration of an involuntary eye blink is about 0.1 to 0.4 seconds. This means that it is possible that an eye witness looking directly towards a nighttime gunshot will not see the muzzle flash even though other witnesses see it and subsequent testing shows that the gun-ammunition combination consistently produces a large, bright muzzle flash.

Firearms

The first series of tests employed the following firearms:

• Olympic Arms MFR – 20-in. barrel
• Bushmaster XM15E2S – 14.5-in. barrel
• LAR15 Rock River – 7-in. barrel

All three of these firearms possessed a 1 in 9-inch twist

Ammunition

Two sources of .223Rem./5.56mm ammunition loaded with 55-gr FMJ-BT bullets were used in these tests. These consisted of Norinco .223Rem ammunition (Chinese manufacture – no lot number – headstamps “C J 8”) and Federal brand XM193 ammunition bearing the Lake City headstamp “LC 07”.

Flash Suppressors

The flash suppressors tested were as follows:

• A1
• A2
• Phantom A1
• Phantom A2
• Vortex
• Early Vortex

Test Considerations and Results

The essence of the Scientific Method in any testing protocol is to only change one variable at a time. The combined use of six flash suppressors and three barrel lengths allows a number of comparisons to be made. For example, one can isolate barrel length and ammunition (hold barrel length and ammunition constant) and study the effect of the six flash suppressors as well as the total absence of a flash suppressor. Alternatively, the effect of barrel length can be isolated by holding ammunition and flash suppressor constant. Finally, any difference due to the ammunition used in this study can be assessed by inter-comparing the appearance of any muzzle flash where the ammunition is the only variable.

Observations and Interim Summary – Phase 1

• 1. With only a few exceptions, muzzle flash, when present, was consistent and reproducible in appearance and size for each ammunition-barrel length-suppressor combination.
• 2. The muzzle flashes with both sources of ammunition were consistently yellow-orange in color. They invariably possessed a non-luminescent space between the muzzle and the actual fireball.
• 3. The Federal ammunition appears to contain a more effective flash suppressant than the Norinco ammunition (based on the results of the 20-inch rifle without a flash suppressor).
• 4. As expected, barrel length played an important role in the presence or absence of muzzle flash. The longer the barrel the less the muzzle flash, keeping the other variables of ammunition and flash suppressor constant.
• 5. Of the six flash suppressors employed in this study, the Vortex units far exceeded all other makes and models in their ability to suppress muzzle flash.
• 6. This technique or some simple modification of it will allow the reader to record and study muzzle flash. For those involved in ammunition selection, the inclusion of a scale at the gun position will allow quantitative measures of muzzle flash and criteria to be established for large quantity ammunition purchases. It also provides a means to study and compare the effectiveness of other existing or future flash suppressors.

Results and Observations According to Barrel Length

• 7. The Federal ammunition only produced a significant muzzle flash in 1 out of 3 shots with the 20-inch Olympic rifle without a flash suppressor. All of the flash suppressors were effective with this rifle and ammunition combination.
• 8. The Norinco ammunition produced a large muzzle flash with all 3 shots with the 20-inch Olympic rifle when this rifle lacked a flash suppressor. All of the flash suppressors were effective with this rifle and ammunition combination.
• 9. The Federal ammunition produced a large muzzle flash for all 3 shots with the 14.5-in. Bushmaster rifle without a flash suppressor. All of the flash suppressors were effective with this rifle and ammunition combination with the exception of the A2 suppressor that failed to totally suppress the muzzle flash for one of the three shots.
• 10. The Norinco ammunition produced a large muzzle flash with all 3 shots with this rifle when it lacked a flash suppressor. All of the flash suppressors were effective with this rifle and ammunition combination.
• 11. The Federal ammunition produced a large muzzle flash for all 3 shots with the 7-in. LAR15 rifle without a flash suppressor. The A1, A2 and Phantom A1 flash suppressors were only slightly effective with this rifle and ammunition combination. The Phantom A2 was partially successful in that it suppressed the flash in 2 out of 3 shots. Both Vortex suppressors were completely effective in suppressing muzzle flash with this rifle-ammunition combination.
• 12. The Norinco ammunition produced a large muzzle flash with all 3 shots with this rifle when it lacked a flash suppressor. The A1 and Phantom A1 were only partially successful in reducing muzzle flash. The A2 flash suppressor prevented 2 out of 3 flashes and the Phantom A2 only prevented 1 out of 3 flashes. Both Vortex flash suppressors were completely effective with this rifle and ammunition combination.

Phase 2 Tests

The ‘C J 93’ Norinco ammunition was used in combination with a Stag Arms 18-inch AR-15 to evaluate the flash suppressing capabilities of the 3-prong flash suppressor that came as original equipment on very early M16s. These results were compared to the current A1 “birdcage” flash suppressor and two types of Vortex suppressors. These tests were carried out in Forensic Science Service’s range using a black drop cloth behind the muzzle area of the rifle. A CED chronograph with infrared detectors was used to record the velocity values of each shot measured 10 feet downrange. The camera-to-muzzle distance for these tests was 3.5 feet and the aperture changed to f/6.3 due to the shorter standoff distance.

The two types of Vortex flash suppressors totally negated any muzzle flash whereas the 3-prong and A1 suppressors were reasonably effective, allowing only a small amount of flash to occur.

Summary

This work provides a method and some photographic parameters that will allow the reader to carry out and document muzzle flash tests. Some representative examples of muzzle flash, muzzle flash suppressors and muzzle flash suppression by these devices have been provided in the numerous figures contained in this article.

Special thanks are extended to David Fisher of Fisher Enterprises, Tempe, AZ for his assistance and the use of his Bushmaster XM15E2S.

It’s said that Abraham Lincoln may have freed all men, but Sam Colt made them equal. Founded in 1836, the Colt name has long been associated with innovative and advance firearm designs. Colt Manufacturing (and later Colt Defense) first started producing the Stoner and Sullivan designed AR-15 in 1960. The basic foundation continues today as the M4 Carbine. Recently, individuals within the industry and in the press have been critical of the M4 Carbine as a legacy weapon, in need of modernization and improvement. Several representatives of Small Arms Review recently had an opportunity to discuss innovations and improvements to the AR-15 and M4 design with MG Jim Battaglini, (USMC, Retired), Chief Operating Officer; Mr. Jeff MacLeod, General Manager, and Mr. Kevin Brown, Vice President of Military Programs.

At the outset, MG Battaglini explained that despite recent tests conduced at the request of Congress, the U.S. military remains satisfied with the M4 carbine, and has not requested any major changes to the basic design. The M4 carbine performs as requested and meets current military needs. Nevertheless, Colt decided to take a proactive position and recently displayed nine new variants of the M4 carbine, demonstrating a mix of new designs and prior technology. Not all variants that were displayed will be produced. Rather, the variants are intended to demonstrate what features are available, should the U.S. military seek to upgrade the M4 carbine at a future date. Although the following upgrades have been built into specific models, MG Battaglini pointed out that all of the developments can be built into a complete system in response to the needs of the military.

The APC: Advanced Piston Carbine

Recently, it seems as though nearly every AR-15 manufacturer has introduced a piston-based recoil system to their catalog. While the benefits of a piston upper are numerous, not all manufacturers have executed a successful design. Is the APC just another piston carbine? Not at all. Outfitted with a 14.5 inch barrel, the APC weighs 6.2 pounds (empty), measures 33.5 inches in length with the stock collapsed, and features a piston recoil operating system.

Built with a monolithic upper receiver, the barrel is free floating for increased accuracy, despite the short barrel length. With nothing restraining the barrel, the barrel is free to flex during the firing sequence. Viewed under high speed photography, the barrel can be observed flexing in a wave pattern. When constrained by a gas tube or piston operating rod, the natural harmonics of the barrel are interrupted, resulting in decreased accuracy.

How did Colt respond to the issue? The APC features an articulating operating rod that flexes with the barrel during firing, rather than impeding the barrel or disturbing the rifle’s accuracy. The result: increased accuracy from a shortened weapon platform, with a stable rate of fire. Kevin Brown, Colt’s vice-president of Military Programs, pointed out that even after firing 18,000 rounds through the weapon, there was no significant increase in the rate of fire. With a traditional gas recoil system, barrel wear would result in an increased rate of fire, rapidly exceeding the original rate of fire specifications. As a testament to the effectiveness of the piston system, the rate of fire for the Advanced Piston Carbine was within 50 rounds per minute of the original specification after firing 18,000 rounds.

The AHC: Alternative Hybrid Carbine

Similar to the APC, the AHC is outfitted with a 14.5 inch barrel, weighs 6.2 pounds (empty), measures 33.5 inches in length (with the stock collapsed,) and features a piston recoil operating system. Unlike the APC, the AHC utilizes a mid-length, direct impingement, gas operated piston. Why did Colt develop two outwardly similar rifles with differing types of recoil systems? Recall that the purpose of the recent developments was to showcase and highlight the available technologies available. There are multiple methods of making an AR-15 or M4 operate effectively in semi and fully automatic mode. Rather than focusing on a single type of piston recoil system, Colt presented an alternative that allows drop in retro fitting to existing M4 carbines.

Designed as a short-stroke system, the mid-length piston is designed to eliminate accuracy issues inherent in the traditional full length piston design discussed above. As a short-stroke system, the piston is still reliant upon a short gas tube. Unlike the traditional gas recoil system, the mid-length piston system does not release combustion gas into the upper receiver of the weapon. Rather, the gas is released under the hand guard, and directed forward and away from the shooter.

The SCW and SCW-P: Subcompact Weapon (Piston)

By outward appearances, the SCW harks back to the M231 Firing Port Weapon designed for use within the M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle. Designed to be used from within the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, the M231 had a high rate of fire, was only capable of fully-automatic fire, was difficult to control, and was only intended for use from within the vehicle. Understandably, the M231 was not the most effective weapon, and added one more piece of equipment in the already confined space of an armored personnel carrier.

By all accounts, the SCW is a response to similar requirements. Designed as a personal defense weapon available as either a gas or piston operated system, the SCW can be used by soldiers to engage targets from within an armored vehicle. This is where the similarities between the SCW and M231 end. Outfitted with a 10.3-inch barrel and designed with a dual collapsible/folding stock, the weapon can be made extremely compact – just 23 inches in overall length with the stock fully collapsed.

In the event that the soldier is required to exit the vehicle to engage the enemy, the SCW stock can be extended to provide a stable firing platform that exceeds the capabilities of the M231 wire stock. Combined with a Lasermax front grip, the SCW is capable of engaging targets to 200 meters and beyond. Unlike the M231, the SCW is designed to be the soldier’s primary weapon – not a weapon to augment the M4 carbine. While the shortened maximum effective range may seem limiting when compared to the capabilities of an M4 carbine, bear in mind that the majority of military engagements take place within the 200 meter effective range of the SCW. Due to its small size, increased accuracy, and upgraded operating system, the SCW has potential to become a highly effective weapon for cavalry and mechanized infantry troops.

The ERC: Extended Range Carbines

Recent infantry doctrine has called for the inclusion of a designated marksman, allowing a designated infantry soldier the ability to engage targets beyond the limitations of the M4 carbine. Currently, the U.S. military trains soldiers and sailors to use the M4 at 300 meters. The M16 has a maximum effective range of 600 meters, while the M4 carbine is effective to 550 meters. Clearly, the platform is not being utilized to the fullest potential. Enter the ERC-16 and ERC-20. As an enhanced rifle system, the rifle uses either a 16-inch or 20-inch barrel that allows the designated marksman to engage targets to 600 meters. While outwardly similar to the legacy M4 systems, the EHC is a highly accurate platform that provides the user with the familiarity of the M-4 system.

Use of a .30 caliber rifle by the designated marksman presents several issues. Parts commonality and different ammunition can be problematic on the battle field. Engagement of targets is often within the 600 meters. More importantly, use of a different weapon immediately identifies the designated marksman as a valuable target. By using the same ammunition, using the same major parts, and using a similar weapon profile with the M4 system, the ERC is effectively integrated into an infantry platoon, while also providing the designated marksman a highly accurate weapon.

Relocation of the Charging Handle within the M4 System

The original AR-15 is an excellent design, as demonstrated by its longevity and ability to be modernized and updated as needed. One may recall that the original charging handle was located at the top of the upper receiver, and within the carrying handle of the weapon. In terms of marksmanship training, the original location of the charging handle allowed the shooter to maintain a good sight picture while reloading the weapon. The current AR-15 requires the shooter to break the sight picture and lift his head from the butt stock when operating the weapon’s charging handle. Recent developments and innovations may change the manner of operation for future iterations of the AR-15 design.

By utilizing a piston recoil system, the charging handle is no longer constrained to the traditional location on the upper receiver. By engaging the piston, the newly relocated charging handle is tasked with double duty. First, the handle is used to operate the bolt when charging and clearing the weapon. Designed with ambidextrous use in mind, the newly designed charging handle can be extended to the opposite side of the receiver, allowing for ambidextrous use of the charging handle. Second, the charging handle can now be used to engage the piston to push the bolt home into the chamber, augmenting or replacing the forward assist when trying to close the bolt.

By relocating the charging handle to the hand guard, the new design allows the ability to shoot with better technique, allows ambidextrous operation of the charging handle, and allows replacement (or elimination) of the traditional forward assist. In return, the shooter potentially loses the ability to use a small portion of the Picatinny rail. Is the exchange worthwhile? The exchange may be worthwhile, if the new design allows the shooter to more accurately engage the target. The U.S. military will ultimately decide whether the new system is worthwhile to implement. In the meantime, the new design is an excellent example of thinking outside of standard parameters to improve an otherwise proven product.

Other design innovations included the introduction of a built in suppressor, the elimination of the traditional dust cover, and self-lubricating internals. Only time will tell whether these innovations will prove effective, and whether they will be implemented into future designs of the M4 family.

As indicated earlier, the designs displayed by Colt were intended to demonstrate the combination of new designs and prior technology. Most of the variants will never be made as production models. MG Battaglini pointed out that the models were not designed for commercial, international, or law enforcement sales, nor are the models intended as a replacement for the M4. Rather, the models were built solely to demonstrate what technologies are available should the U.S. military decide to upgrade the existing specifications at a future date. Based upon the designs presented, it appears as though Colt is well equipped to modernize and update the M4 well into the 21st century.

Whether a troop, a cop or a civilian, magazines are the key to the weapon’s reliability and knowing which magazines to buy will keep your rifle firing reliably when you need it most. The magazines we will examine here are magazine that have proven themselves through time and service. One is relatively new to the market but may prove to be the leading polymer magazine.

Capacity

Military magazines generally come in 20 and 30-round capacity. When the AR-15 first appeared in the early 1960s, they were equipped with a steel 20-round magazine known as the “waffle” magazines due to the pattern of the magazine. These magazines were quickly replaced in Vietnam with the aluminum magazines. The steel magazines would corrode and cause malfunctions amongst many other problems. These magazines are rare and often found in the hands of collectors. These magazines should not be used for defense purposes.

Soon after the weapon went into service, the aluminum 20-round magazine was introduced and remains in government inventory to this day in limited quantities. These magazines were manufactured by many different companies and came anodized in a grey, silver and green finish utilizing aluminum magazine followers. The base plates were locked in place by a leaf spring. Common practice was to only load them with 18 or 19 rounds due to them being difficult to load into the rifle with a full capacity if the spring was fully compressed. By removing one round, the follower/ammunition stack could lower into the magazine body enabling the magazine to be easily inserted with the bolt closed. These magazines worked well but their problem was they only held 20 rounds compared to the AK47 rifle’s 30-round magazines.

The standard aluminum 20-round magazines introduced in Vietnam are reliable and are still in use by military and law enforcement professionals; although now they are preferred by operators firing prone or off a bench. Newer 20-round magazines use a plastic follower. The longer profile 30-round magazines can cause difficulty when trying to remain low to the ground. These magazines are used with the SOCOM Mk12 special purpose sniper rifles. These magazines have been out of production for some time so any magazine should be tested before being used in a duty weapon. The feed lips on the 20-round magazines are more easily damaged than the 30-round magazines as the feed lips on the 30-round magazines are supported all the way to the rear of the magazine. Most of the 20-round military magazines will be manufactured by Colt, Adventure Line and Universal Industries.

The 30-round magazines were introduced during the middle of the Vietnam War and did not really see wide distribution until the end of the war. This higher capacity magazine was requested due to the fact the enemy AK rifles had 30-round magazines. These remain the standard issue magazines. The 30-round magazine is curved for a reason. If you were to lay fifteen 5.56mm cartridges, one on top of the other on a table, you would see they will curve. This is their natural position and they feed more reliably this way.

Colt does not manufacture magazines in house. They subcontract them out primarily to Okay Industries of New Britain, Connecticut. Okay Industries has manufactured 30-round magazines for Colt going back to the 1970s. This is a precision manufacturer who is the primary U.S. Government contractor producing more than 140,000 magazines a month as of their recently completed contract for the military. Current production Okay Industries magazines can be identified by their CAGE code appearing on the left side of the magazine, 33710 and underneath a month and year code. This will be found on magazines regardless if they have Colt or Okay Industries floor plates on them. Based on a U.S. Army report, during the Global War on Terrorism, the Army restricted magazine issue to troops in theater to only use Okay Industries/Colt magazines due to production problems with other subcontractors. Okay Industries make them off of the Colt Technical Data Package and are held to Mil-Spec standards that insure their quality. Okay Industries, by DoD request, has made magazines for the FNMI as well. The military has had difficulty in quality control with many of their sub contractors and have rejected many lots. These are what are commonly found at gun shows. There are no surplus magazines. These rifles are in service and the government gets all the magazines they can get their hands on. Okay Industries/Colt magazines are among the most reliable in the industry and are often the magazines chosen by law enforcement and military. They are also the most difficult to get.

Colt 30-round magazines went through an evolutionary change with the development of the M16A2. A new follower was introduced commonly referred to as the “green” follower. This follower was designed as a reliability enhancement for the M16A2 by the Marine Corps. Due to the cyclic rate, it was possible for the nose of the projectiles to be pushed into the front of the magazine and the bolt to push the round forward causing the bullet to impact the front of the magazine and subsequently push the bullet into the cartridge case. To remedy this, the green follower extended the legs on the front of the follower to prevent the follower from coming out of alignment with the magazine body. All GI magazines are now produced this way for the U.S. military. A sure bet to see you have a newer produced mil-spec magazine is to look for the manufacturer CAGE code.

Heckler & Koch High Reliability Magazine

Not a company you would expect to design a M16-type magazine, the famous German firm probably manufactures the finest magazine in the world for the M16-family of weapons. The High Reliability magazine stemmed from H&K’s attempt to fix the horrendous deficiencies in the British SA80 (L85A1) rifle program. As previously stated, the M16’s weakest link has always been the magazine, normally due to abuse and reusing over and over again when they were not intended to. The H&K magazine is designed precisely with constant use in mind. As with most German engineered weapons, the magazine is over designed. It is the sturdiest magazine of the lot.

The High Reliability magazine is made of steel instead of aluminum and coated with a special maritime finish to keep it from rusting as well as having self lubricating properties in the inside of the magazine that aid in feeding. The feed lips have the same strengthened design as the standard 30-round magazine. The profile of the magazine is somewhat different from the standard magazine that has two bends. The magazine has a constant curve to it, which H&K claims is another improvement in the reliable feeding of the magazine. The follower is made of steel as well. The follower is 100% anti-tilt inside the magazine body. H&K has used this magazine with their HK416 weapon system. Additionally, a rubber plug was inserted underneath the magazine, behind the floor plate. The purpose of this plug was to prevent unintentional release of the floor plate when firing the M203 grenade launcher without any rounds in the magazine.

Without doubt, these are the Cadillac of the magazines available anywhere. But along with that goes the price. They are normally 3 times more expensive than the standard magazines. You do get what you pay for. However, is it worth it? Well, it depends on your funding. In an ideal circumstance, this would be the best combination but when the funds are not there, the standard magazines are just as reliable when used as intended – they are just not as durable over the long haul and rough handling. H&K provided two of these excellent magazines for testing. More than 600 rounds were fired through each of them with no malfunctions at all in a Colt M4 carbine. Most of the fire was fully automatic.

Diemaco (Colt Canada) Polymer Magazine

Most early testing has shown that polymer magazines are not nearly as reliable as the standard aluminum magazines. Many attempts have been made. The first successful attempt was by the Canadian firm, Diemaco, now called Colt Canada. In the initial stages, the magazines did not fare too well and were, in fact, rejected by the Canadian forces in favor of the aluminum magazines. Not too long after that, Diemaco completed the design and worked out all the bugs producing the first combat reliable synthetic magazine. These magazines are identified by the maple leaf on the side of the magazine. Depending on the die, it could appear on either side. This should not be confused with the after-market look alike. They may look the same but they are not where it counts. These magazines have been sold too many other nations militaries by Diemaco including Denmark and the Netherlands. They have been used in many theaters of operations throughout the world. They are also in service with many Canadian Police Agencies. The only catch is that they are not available in the United States. While some may find their way south of the Canadian border, they are not sold directly into the U.S.

The Lancer “Green Magazine”

The Lancer magazine was developed in part by using the Colt M4/M16 magazine technical data under a technology license from Colt Defense. The prototype Lancer magazine examined is made of green translucent polymer but could be made in smoke, tan or any other color. There are labels marked “20” and “30” to let the shooter know how many rounds are in the magazine and when it needs to be changed out. The magazine uses the mil-spec green magazine follower. Metal feed lip inserts are molded into the polymer on the magazine. Disassembly is accomplished by use of a plastic tool that pinches the sides of the floor plate, releasing it. The floor plate, spring and follower are then removed. This will increase the maintainability aspect in sandy environments. Initial testing has yielded positive results in terms of reliability and durability. These magazines are manufactured by Lancer Systems, a manufacturer of plastic and composite products for military markets.

MagPul PMag

Although very new to the market, the PMag has a bright future ahead of it. Of all the polymer magazines examined, the PMag is the most sturdy and solid of the lot. As of this writing, the first production magazines are being shipped. They debuted at the 2007 SHOT Show. The factory reps were throwing the magazines on the ground, stomping on them and grinding the heels of their boots into them to show the durability of this magazine. The PMag will withstand any drop test. One of the supplied magazines was dropped from 6 feet with the magazine feed lips striking concrete. The feed lips were not damaged and functioned normally through a Colt Law Enforcement carbine (LE6920).

Currently, there are two different versions of the magazine. The other model is the model with two witness windows showing the number of unfired cartridges. This magazine has a magazine spring that is colored orange on a specific coil. When the orange is shown at the top of the window you are either out of ammunition or just about out of ammunition.

MagPul is offering their PMag in some different colors as well. The traditional black magazine, the new trendy earth tone as well as forest green. Additionally, they will be offering a completely clear magazine with a smoky tint to it.

Another innovative feature of the PMag is the introduction of a cover that fits over the top of the magazine. This does two things; first it protects the feed lips from damage and dirt. The second and most important, when installed, the cover pushes downward on the top cartridge, releasing tension from the top cartridge pushing upward on the feed lips. This gives a long storage life to a fully loaded magazine. The PMag is also designed to be a 30-round magazine which can be inserted easily into a rifle with a closed bolt. Some magazines are so stiff on the 30th round that it is difficult to insert the fully loaded magazine in the rifle. The PMag also has a proprietary magazine follower that is 100% anti-tilt. This is a major reliability enhancement. The alignment of the cartridges are straight and supported preventing failures to feed. When looking at standard GI magazines, you can push the front of the follower into the magazine body and it will stick. The PMags will not do this.

MagPul provided 5 sample magazines for testing. Of those, 4 were taken out to the range and more than 1,000 rounds were fired through those in a Colt Mk18 Mod O 10.3 inch barrel. Of those, most of the rounds were fired fully automatic. No malfunctions were experienced with the magazine or weapon. The fully loaded magazines were easily inserted into the weapon with a closed bolt. MagPul is currently working on a shorter 20-round PMag for use by bench shooters/snipers as well as patrol carbines.

The magazines are the heart and soul of any firearm. Care should always be taken to protect them. The standard GI magazines are extremely reliable but do have a service life. When used in the field, attention should be given to be sure the magazines are not dropped on the feed lips nor stepped on. With the recent controversy of the performance of the M16/M4 series weapons under scrutiny, the main problem is, and always has been, the magazine. This is not due to a design flaw. It is a design intent versus application issue. When Gene Stoner first developed the AR-10 with lightweight magazines, he designed them to be lightweight and disposable enabling the soldier to carry large numbers of preloaded magazines. But the key word is disposable. They are not designed to be loaded an indefinite amount of times and left loaded for months at a time without cleaning and inspection. The main issues coming back from the Gulf from the small percentage of troops who had problems all described their problems as double feeds, bolt over base and failure to feed. All of which are due to damaged magazines. The other issue brought out was failure to extract, which is caused by sand getting in-between the cartridge case and the chamber. Any weapon with this scenario will experience the same failure. The same soldiers interviewed claimed to be issued old magazines out of bins in some depot and carried them throughout his entire tour. The magazines were never gauged or checked for bent feed lips or magazine bodies and he never received replacement magazines. Many soldiers interviewed brought personally purchased magazines from home or ordered them through catalogs to insure reliability. The Army has had difficulty re-supplying troops with new magazines on a regular basis. Part of the way the Army is combating this is to have Colt Defense provide seven new magazines with every M4 they ship to the Army. Troops also do not clean the magazines at regular intervals to prevent the followers from seizing with sand. This type of detailed disassembly is really unique to the desert environment. Users need to keep in mind the design of these magazines as they are a disposable commodity. They should be replaced as often as possible and every magazine should be tested prior to it going in an ammo pouch. This will insure you do not find out you have a damaged magazine in a firefight.

With the advancements in synthetic materials, these are just as, if not more, reliable than the standard aluminum ones. However, the synthetic magazines (PMags, Canadian military and Green Magazines) offer some incredible improvements. Most troops will not notice a damaged aluminum magazine until they put it in their rifle and try to shoot. With the synthetic magazine, immediate signs show damage. The feed lips would be broken off and cartridges falling out. These new plastics are stronger than the aluminum ones and will not bend or dent. The magazines will be less expensive to make as well. All of the synthetic magazines examined in this article are simple to maintain and the MagPul PMag and Canadian magazines are proving themselves in combat. The Army has issued a magazine improvement program. This program calls for improved followers such as the ones MagPul is manufacturing which are 100% anti-tilt. The program calls for synthetic magazines as well as a standard go/no go gauge. Many defense contractors as of this writing are developing synthetic magazines though it is expected that the MagPul PMag will be the standard in synthetic magazines.

I would like to thank Matt Nassar (H&K Defense), Colt Defense, Matt Kirkpatrick of Colt Canada, Drake Clark from MagPul and Okay Industries for all their assistance with this article.

Every war is different. Every battleground has diverse characteristics. Each mission, whether a military role or civilian law enforcement detail varies greatly in its specific purposes. It seems almost impossible on the surface that a single weapon system could adapt and function in such a range of climates and missions, but the familiar M16 is still going strong. From a lightweight carbine to a heavy barreled LMG, the M16 weapon system has been fulfilling the role of America’s primary service weapon for more than 40 years and it doesn’t seem it will be replaced wholesale anytime soon.

The earliest history of the inception and design of the black rifle bas been chronicled numerous times and it is not the intent of this author to rehash this historical material other than a very brief and condensed historical summary. There are many credible sources for this information including The Complete AR-15/M16 Sourcebook by Duncan Long, The Black Rifle I by Blake Stevens, Black Rifle II by Christopher R. Bartocci and an extensive Colt M16 ID Guide in the Machine Gun Dealers Bible by Dan Shea. This article will focus on the versatility of the M16, the characteristics that have allowed the metamorphosis from the original designs to the current battle rifle of the 21st century and possibly beyond.

Although there are a countless number of model designations for these rifles from numerous manufacturers, for simplicity purposes in this article, the designation “M16” can be assumed to be a fully automatic rifle while the designation “AR-15” makes reference to the semiautomatic version.

A Very Brief History

While its initial roots are clearly in the Stoner designs of the early 1950s, like most designs, the multiple lug bolt head, lockup into a barrel extension, and gas system principle can be traced back farther. It was at ArmaLite where this all came together. The first heavy public exposure to the black rifle started in the wet and humid environment of the tropics with the earliest variations sent to US troops in Viet Nam. There were many positive responses at first, but after the ammunition/propellant change, the black rifles were plagued with an extremely lackluster initial impression and poor performance in the field. Problems were eventually minimized after several rounds of intense testing combined with numerous committee change recommendations. Many alterations in production were initiated including chamber dimensions, rifling twist ratios, firing-pin changes, redesigning the flash hider and charging handle, and (against the advice of many people) the addition of a forward assist assembly. Along with ammo and gunpowder refinement, proper maintenance, and problems addressed with early magazines, the early version of black rifle as we know it today was on its way to becoming the cornerstone of the modern American military arsenal.

As early as 1963, Colt started manufacturing this “new” rifle in semiautomatic only with the civilian population and the law enforcement community in mind. Sold as the AR-15 Sporter it was virtually identical to the M16 with the exception of the fire control group. With an early retail price of $189.50 it was marketed to the hunting and sporting community as a beacon of a new wave of manufacturing technology allowing it to be lightweight while remaining accurate and effective. Although several minor changes have been made to separate the function of the semiautomatic version of these rifles from their fully automatic relatives over the years, and to keep them from being easily converted to fully automatic, they remain wildly popular and an enormous civilian market thrives today. Numerous upgrades and model enhancements of the civilian line of semiautomatic variants have followed very closely to those designed for the fully automatic models keeping them on a fairly level playing field.

With the 1977 expiration of Gene Stoner’s patent on the M16 gas system, several companies sprang up and started manufacturing their own versions of this popular rifle. The trademark model name of “AR-15” was, and still is, owned by Colt, and they are still one of many businesses that manufacture this weapon system and its many configurations.

Modularity is King

At the heart of the black rifle is the versatile lower receiver. This portion of the firearm is the section considered by federal law to be “the firearm” by definition. The lower receiver is the portion of the firearm that contains the trigger group and the pistol grip as well as the magazine well. Also attached to the lower receiver is the buffer tube and stock. This is the part that requires purchase through a licensed federal firearms licensee (if ordered from an out-of-state dealer) and the paperwork that goes along with any other firearm purchase, depending upon the laws of the State of the buyer. Every other part of this firearm may be ordered directly by the end user and requires no federal licensing or paperwork. All other parts, including the upper receivers and the barrels are treated just like any other non-regulated parts.

The upper receiver plays an equally important role in the mechanism. The upper receiver is the point of attachment for the barrel and the housing for the bolt, bolt carrier and charging handle. It is attached to the lower receiver by two takedown pins that are operable without the aid of any tools. The upper and lower receivers may be separated and rejoined at any time without fear of losing any components under normal handling. This may be attractive for size considerations when breaking down for transportation or when changing the characteristics of the rifle for a specific task.

Several rifle configurations may be assembled on a single lower receiver simply by swapping out barreled upper receivers. Specific tasks may require features unique to that task but may not be desirable to others. This is where the real beauty of the black rifle comes in. Unlike most other firearms, the characteristics of the black rifle can be altered at any time, and reversed back again, just by changing upper receivers. It is indeed more than a weapon; it is truly a “weapon system” as it is often properly referred as.

For obvious reasons, an entry-type rifle may consist of a very short barrel and either iron sights or a zero-magnification dot-type sight. A varmint hunting rifle may be much more effective with a long barrel and high power telescopic sight. With a black rifle, both of these configurations are only a quick upper receiver swap away with no lack of performance in either field.

There are barrels ranging from the 7-inch* “Kitty Kat” barrel from DPMS (www.dpmsinc.com) to a 24-inch Varminter Extra Heavy Barrel from Bushmaster Firearms (www.bushmaster.com) and a multitude of lengths in between. (* Under Federal Law a rifle barrel has to be over 16 inches in length to be a legal Title I firearm. By purchasing or registering the rifle as a Short Barreled Rifle, the owner can use any barrel length at will. With registered machine guns, the barrel length is not a legal stipulation under Federal Law and any length barrel may be used). There are not many rifles that allow the flexibility of swapping out barrel lengths without the necessity of tools in less than 30 seconds like this system. Additionally, another major advantage is the sights are part of the upper receiver as well, so there is no need to re-zero after making this swap. If multiple barreled upper receivers are owned, they can all be sighted-in and swapped as desired with a complete return to zero with careful handling and the correct ammunition.

From Plinking to Protecting

If there is any one thing that can always be counted on in the firearms community, it is American Ingenuity and the desire to make something bigger and better. (Sometimes smaller and better, in this case.) Fortunately, this has proven to work well in transforming the once light .223 Rem. (5.56x45mm) rifle into something left only to one’s imagination and budget. With the ease of changing upper receivers, the transformation from the original caliber to a completely new round is almost as simple. Since the upper receiver holds the barrel, bolt and bolt carrier, this is the portion of the rifle where the caliber of the ammunition to be utilized is determined. Thanks to many able minded firearm enthusiasts, these rifles can be converted to almost any caliber ranging from .17 to .50 BMG with minimal (if any) temporary modifications to the lower receiver. From the luxury of plinking for recreation on a budget or additional training, to having the stopping power to assist our front line fighters in the War on Terror, the black rifle can be custom configured to suit every application.

One of the most popular subcaliber units among black rifle shooters is the “Atchisson” .22LR conversion manufactured by Jonathan Arthur Ciener, Inc. (www.22lrconversions.com). When utilized with the recommended ammunition, properly maintained and operated, they provide hours of plinking fun in semiautomatic AR-15s or full automatic fun when used in conjunction with a registered M16. On the opposite end of the ammunition spectrum is the .50BMG Upper Receiver from Watson’s Weapons Inc. (www.watsonsweapons.com). This upper receiver actually allows the use of the massive .50 BMG round when attached to your lower receiver. It functions as a single-shot rifle that must be partially taken down to be reloaded between shots.

One of the most popular pistol caliber conversions would include the 9x19mm (Luger) conversion. First introduced in 1985, Colt offered a 9mm blowback-operated submachine gun that worked quite well. Most of the characteristics were the same as the standard rifle, making operation simple for anyone who had utilized or trained on the 5.56x45mm rifle. A special magazine (both 20-round and 32-round) was developed for the much shorter 9x19mm round and a block was pinned inside the standard lower receiver’s magazine well to accommodate the smaller magazine while utilizing the same magazine release. A civilian version was soon to follow in semiautomatic only with a 16-inch barrel. Other than the upper receiver and bolt differences, only the buffer was changed to a heavier one, and a few of the trigger group parts were slightly modified. In the 1990s, the US Drug Enforcement Agency adopted a silenced version of this rifle. The Department of Energy also adopted a very short variation known as the Model 633, commonly called a “DoE Upper.” The 633 had a 7-inch barrel, collapsible stock and a front handguard to keep the operators hands from straying in front of the muzzle.

Several other companies started manufacturing these pistol caliber conversions with numerous types of feeding systems. While a few emulated the Colt style mag-well block and use the factory Colt 9mm magazines, others used highly modified magazines reworked to fit the interior portion of the factory magazine well. Although many of the modified magazines work very well, they are often expensive and the availability is less than desirable in most cases. Even though there are several manufacturers of aftermarket (any non-Colt) black rifles including several Caliber conversions, the pistol caliber most often encountered remains the 9x19mm.

Many different calibers in black rifle variations have been written about here in the pages of Small Arms Review over the last 10 years. While there are new caliber combinations coming out at an amazing rate, some of the latest ones we are familiar with include the Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf and 6.5 Grendel, (www.alexanderarms.com), .502 Thunder Sabre by Cloud Mountain Armory (www.bigborecanyon.net) and lastly the .45 Bushmaster (www.bushmaster.com). We will be testing the .45 Bushmaster for a future issue of Small Arms Review very soon. Some of the more common calibers include, but are not limited to: .308 NATO*, 7.62x39mm and 6.8SPC and can be found from multiple vendors. (*.308 NATO (7.62×51) requires a different lower receiver due to the longer interior dimension of the magazine well necessary to accommodate that particular round).

Feed Me, Seymour!

Like the hungry man-eating plant named Seymour in the 1960s cult classic film Little Shop of Horrors, a black rifle is always hungry and never seems to be fed enough. Firearms, especially those in a military role, are no exception. The earliest magazine design of the AR-15 was a 25-round magazine, which had problems due to being straight, and was immediately replaced with a 20-round magazine. The first ones were steel “waffle” pattern magazines, which were also immediately replaced with the standard aluminum 20-round magazine that eventually evolved into the 20-rounder so common today. In the mid 1960s, a 30-round magazine was manufactured with a slight curve and it seemed to work great in all new rifles but had a hard time feeding in some, including the earlier ones. This was corrected in part by keeping the top portion of the magazine straight like the 20-round version and starting the curvature at the bottom of the magazine well. These magazines still had a reputation for jamming if they were loaded to 30 rounds, and the SOP was load to 28 rounds. This was corrected later by stabilizing the follower with equal leg lengths.

In order to address this “need for feed,” Colt experimented with a belt-feed mechanism that operated with a modified upper and lower. With a 20-inch barrel this unit weighed in at almost 8 1/2 pounds without the bipod or ammo box. The belt fed M16 never made it to production.

Fast forward to the early 1980s and bring Jonathan Arthur Ciener back into the picture. A manufacturer primarily specializing in sound suppressors at the time, Jonathan took it upon himself to redesign and reintroduce the concept of a belt-fed AR-15 and M16 and made them available to the general public. When they were evaluated for the now defunct Machine Gun News in 1992, this writer had the pleasure of working on the article and spending some trigger time with these guns. We were provided with both a semiautomatic model and a fully automatic model. They were built on factory Colt AR-15 and M16 rifles, and like Colts early design the upper and lower receivers were both modified. The Ciener system had a few very interesting points. First, the belt-feed mechanism could be removed from the weapon and it would again accept factory magazines. Second, Ciener produced some of the belt boxes which locked into the magazine well, as in the original design.

We tested them under several conditions with many types of ammunition in semiautomatic and full automatic. We tested it in belt-feed and magazine feed. We tested it with and without the addition of a sound suppressor. In summary it performed excellently. The only drawback was that in the case of a jam it was a “4-handed” operation to clear it and have it up and running quickly, but with a little practice it could be done quite efficiently. It also used a proprietary, modified link that was quite expensive at the time compared to standard unmodified links. These were sold for a few years but were eventually discontinued due to the enormous amount of time necessary to manufacture them.

There are a few current belt-feed systems for the black rifle but nothing yet has reached a mass marketing level. In the March 2003 issue of Small Arms Review (Vol. 6, No. 6), the Shrike 5.56 from Ares Defense (www.aresdefense.com) was covered in great detail as it was due to be released en masse around the time of publication. To this date, it is still being manufactured, released and shipped in very small quantities due to several redesign upgrades and improvements. The great attraction to the Shrike 5.56 is the fact that it works in conjunction with a completely unmodified lower receiver. All attempts at a belt-fed black rifle in the past have required major lower receiver modifications. Like the Ciener, model it can be fired from belt or box magazine but in the case of the Shrike 5.56, when the belt is out, a box magazine is simply inserted, the rifle charged and firing is uninterrupted. There are no parts to take out or change over. We are anxiously awaiting mass shipments of the Shrike 5.56 and will certainly test the newest production model as soon as they are shipped.

Another interesting belt feed option for the black rifle is the XMG from BRP Guns (www.brpguns.com). The XMG34 is essentially an MG34 “upper receiver” designed for use on an M16 lower receiver. Currently in its 5th year of production this inexpensive alternative to an original MG34 has been receiving great reviews for years. Available in 8mm and in .308, they are popping up at ranges nationwide and are becoming more popular with every passing year. They will function in fully automatic when used in conjunction with a registered lower receiver and require only a small (nonpermanent) modification to function.

Seeing a need for a belt-fed black rifle that is inexpensive to feed, the master of the miniatures, Lakeside Machine of Tippmann Arms fame decided to design a .22LR belt fed upper receiver with a similar mechanism to the popular Tippmann 1/2 scale miniature machine guns. (www.lakesideguns.com). This upper receiver, available for both semiautomatic and fully automatic function, was tested in the April 2006 (Vol. 9, No. 7) issue of Small Arms Review. The only modifications required to the lower receiver in this assembly are the exchange of the factory buffer and the suggested replacement of the hammer spring.

Understanding the demand for more ammo capacity than the 30-round magazines were able to provide, the Beta Company, of Atlanta, Georgia (www.betaco.com) worked with Jim Sullivan of the old ArmaLite and the M16 design fame, the original inventor of the 100-round C-Mag. Sullivan worked as a consultant with Beta Company in the early developmental stages of the new Beta C-Mag and with the introduction and advances in plastic materials and its ability to keep tight tolerances the C-MAG as we know it today has developed into an extremely reliable system, all while keeping weight to a minimum.

Mounting Madness

We live in a market driven economy and combined with the simple truth that necessity is the mother of invention, some “solutions” have been presented to us for “problems” we may never have known existed otherwise. In the last several years there have been an enormous number of accessories manufactured for mounting on MIL-STD-1913 rails. Along with these accessories came a mad rush for mounting platforms, and the standard factory handguards on the AR-15 and M16 are quickly being antiquated and replaced with new and improved rail systems. There are several to choose from including the Knight Rail Interface System (RIS) and Rail Adapter System (RAS) (www.knightarmco.com), VLTOR VIS System (www.vltor.com), POF-USA Predator Rail System (www.pof-usa.com), LMT Monolithic Rail Platform (www.lewismachine.net) and many more. All of the aforementioned have been of excellent quality.

For those not needing the precision, or wishing to spend the amount of money those mentioned may cost, some simple handguard replacements have been introduced that incorporate rails into them and some rail adaptors have been manufactured that simply bolt on to the existing A2-type handguards. A few of those have been utilized for testing devices like vertical grips where a slight amount of movement was not detrimental to the system and they performed fine. Other applications like mounting optics or more “load bearing” accessories would probably not be recommended for the latter systems.

All the new configurations and types of intended deployments these systems are capable of bring the necessity of new support equipment. One area where a serious advancement has been made is in the sighting systems available. Electronic “dot type” sights are very popular for close-up work and there are many types and styles. A few extremely popular systems include the EOTech Holographic Sight (www.eotechinc.com), the Aimpoint CompM4 (www.aimpoint.com) and the Trijicon ACOG (www.trijicon.com). While each system has distinct advantages the author is very familiar with the EOTech model 552. It has several settings for use with a night vision monocular as well as the standard day settings. The Holographic Sight is placed in a forward position on the top rail and utilized as usual during normal daylight. During low light the monocular is mounted behind it so the operator can use it at night without having to re-zero the weapon.

Along with the popularity of low or zero magnification electronic sights, the demand for a well-made, high quality, Back Up Iron Sight (BUIS) has been high for use during a potential electronic failure. Several contenders on the market include the Troy Industries, Inc. Folding Battle Sight (www.troyind.com), the GG&G Flip-Up Sights (www.gggaz.com), and A.R.M.S. Inc., #40 Folding Sights (www.armsmounts.com). An interesting front sight is the POF-USA FTA2005 Front Sight. It is not a folding sight but a stationary sight that is hooded for an extremely fast target acquisition and has been found to be complementary to use in conjunction with “dot-type” sights or as a stand alone with the correct rear BUIS. Due to the great number of new sight requirements, many of the modern rifles are available with a removable carry handle. Once the familiar carry handle and rear sight is removed, a standard MIL-STD-1913 rail is exposed to be used alone or in conjunction with these new sights and rail systems.

Another interesting new front sight was recently introduced for the black rifle. It is made by KNS Precision (www.knsprecisioninc.com) and is actually a circular “peep” with a crosshair in it. Initial testing appears it is fast and accurate and we are anxious to spend more time with this new front sight as well as several more of their latest offerings.

As a Catch-22, these new mounting platforms that were spawned from new items in need of mounts have spun off their own items made to be mounted on this newly available space. There are several devices available for mounting on MIL-STD-1913 rails including visible lasers, IR lasers, and lights. optics, night vision, camera equipment and many more items. Some earlier available items that were designed to mount on standard handguards or directly on the barrel have even been redesigned to mount directly on a rail system due to the high proliferation on later models. A prime example is the new rail mount 40mm LMT M203 Grenade Launcher. This tried and true M16 accessory used to mount on the barrel of the standard black rifle and a special handguard replaced the factory A1 or A2 handguard issued with the rifle. With the new rail mounted version, no additional handguards are necessary and due to the nature of the mounting system there is no longer any stress on the barrel as it is allowed to free-float with many current rail systems.

AR Accessories

As mentioned previously, several companies exist today just to service this weapon system. A quick glance around the Internet or any large, stocking gun shop will uncover thousands of items geared toward users of the AR-15 and M16 weapon systems. A look at KNS Precision and their product line will unveil several components for the black rifle useful in simple preservation roles such as pins that are designed not to rotate and egg-hole the aluminum receivers at the thin section supporting the hammer and trigger pins. They carry a variety of sights for target, plinking, competition and tactical applications and even manufacture a set of Spade Grips so you can shoot the rifle in the same manor as a 1919A4 with butterfly grips or an M60D model. We tested these grips in the May 2007 (Vol. 10, No. 8) issue of Small Arms Review and we found them a blast to shoot, especially with a pintle mount and Beta C-MAG. They are well made and functioned flawlessly.

While you are in research mode, take a peek at some of the products in the Command Arms Accessories line (www.commandarms.com). Some of these accessories manufactured for the AR-15 and M16 weapon system look more like they came back from a fact finding mission from the 22nd Century than from Ivyland, Pennsylvania where they are located. With accessories and upgrades from buttstock to muzzle, the only part of the original weapon system that looks familiar is the distinct shape of the receiver section. Watch for a piece in an upcoming issue of Small Arms Review where we take a “Plain Jane” AR-15 and give it the complete CAA treatment while testing it every step of the way. We are looking for something that really enhances performance and not just cosmetics and we have been assured we will not be disappointed.

Back to the Future

There is one unique feature of the black rifle that is as controversial as all other designs combined. This would be the way the gas system of the firearm operates and whether changing it is considered an upgrade or downgrade by the user. The black rifle operates with a direct impingement gas system in the following manner. When the rifle is fired, the rotating bolt is in its locked position in the barrel extension. As the bullet passes a gas port located under the front sight, some gas is bled off into a gas port and directed through a gas tube to the rear. The hot gas pressurizes the gas tube and the rear end of the pressurized tube is the gas key located on top of the bolt carrier with the gas thus exerting rearward pressure on this movable part. This pressure starts the bolt carrier traveling rearward, unlocking the bolt via its cam pin in the cam path on the carrier, and initiating the extraction. The bolt carrier travels rearward, and the projectile exits the bore evacuating the pressurized gas from the gas tube, ending any rearward pressure from the gas system. That time under pressure is critical to reliability and is dictated by the amount of time the bullet is traveling in front of the gas port. As the bolt carrier passes into the buffer tube (concealed in the stock) the fired casing is ejected. Met with a forward amount of spring tension from the now compressed buffer spring, the bolt carrier is returned to the front, picking up a new round from the magazine, loading it in the chamber and rotating and locking the bolt to restart the sequence.

The problems with this particular system are multiple. It is dumping combustion byproduct – “dirt” – into the same place it feeds ammunition from. This leaves a lot of carbon buildup over time and can create function problems when not maintained regularly. The lower receiver and its trigger group are often heavily soiled from this gas system and it is compounded numerous times over when combined with the use of a sound suppressor. Due to the carbon, unburned powder and extra heat following the path of least resistance, the extra back pressure created with the use of a silencer leaves more debris than normal and blowback is often an unpleasant effect inflicted on the shooter. On top of the maintenance issue, which in the recreational shooting world should be a no-brainer, is an issue not often spoken about. As indicated before, the additional debris is carried back into the action of the gun and it is carried by very hot gas. It has been suggested by some people that the effect of these hot gasses under heavier than normal shooting conditions could cause metal temperament problems over time. A heavy influx of heating and cooling could create some structural problems with extremely heavy use.

There are several systems that now use a gas piston system in place of the direct impingement system and Small Arms Review has covered several of them in the past. In the last two years we have examined the HK416 System, the POF P-416 System and just recently, the Colt LE1020 Advanced Law Enforcement Carbine. Fairly recently, Ares Defense introduced their GSR-35 Black Lightning system, which is a drop-in piston kit that takes the place of the original gas tube and bolt carrier. Leitner-Wise Rifle Company (www.lwrifles.com) also specializes in a piston system however we have not had the opportunity to evaluate it yet. While the concept is certainly nothing new, (Colt experimented with a piston system in the 1960s, and there are many other examples pre-dating that) its time certainly seems to have come and it appears to be here to stay.

Other than a brief amount of time spent working with an early “Rhino System” in the early 1990s, of all the systems mentioned above, this writer only has an extensive amount of time on the POF P-416 system at this point. Other SAR contributors have extensive trigger time on the HK416, and will cover other systems in the future. On the POF system that I have tested, there are definite advantages that have been witnessed, primarily the number of rounds it is able to run with little or no maintenance with no malfunctions. The POF P-416 utilizes C.R.O.S. (Corrosion Resistant Operating System) where their major components are impregnated with silicon nickel creating an incredibly slick surface. After firing several thousand rounds, the surface easily wipes clean with only a dry cloth, and after almost 20,000 rounds in one particular test unit there is no visible wear on any of the coated parts.

During initial testing the system was fired in excess of 9,000 rounds with no maintenance or lubrication of any kind and when it was finally cleaned because we thought there was a single failure to feed, ending the endurance test, it was later found that it was a faulty magazine creating the feeding problem and not the gun itself. Another factor that assists the P-416 system in functioning so well under harsh treatment is the fact that there are no gas rings necessary since there is no actual gas pushed back into the bolt carrier. This seems to translate into a firearm that will operate in a harsher environment due to much lighter tolerances. Without the presence of gas rings creating a seal between the bolt and bolt carrier, everything moves much smoother and is less meticulous in its typically tight tolerances.

If there is an immediately noticeable advantage in this particular gas piston system it is durability. On top of the several thousand rounds fired with no maintenance except for the initial cleaning after the perceived stoppage, many of them have been in a succession so rapid that it would have been certain failure for a direct impingement system; melting the gas tube and ending the testing very early on. After years of testing black rifles, the author has a collection of failed gas tubes, many resembling spaghetti found lying on top of the barrel after reaching the point of failure. If there are any immediate disadvantages of this gas piston system over a direct impingement system, this author has not yet noticed them.

Now Left Can Be Right

A fantastic example of how the civilian market often takes its own direction and even has the potential to influence the military marketplace is a manufacturer from New Britain Connecticut named Stag Arms, LLC. (www.stagarms.com). Founded in May of 2003, Stag decided to cater to a percentage of the market who had been all but ignored for years. They completely redesigned the upper receiver, bolt and bolt carrier to eject from the left, specifically for left-handed shooters. Featured in the March 2006 (Vol. 9, No. 6) issue of Small Arms Review, southpaws will never again have to depend on a brass deflector keeping hot brass from hitting them or crossing their line of fire.

The Future

It is the versatility of the AR-15/M16 that has allowed it to adapt and thrive in so many differing environments and it is the modularity of the system that is a direct contributor to its survival and evolution. There are a few companies that are addressing this in ways that could never have been originally conceived 40 years ago and will lead the way into a long future for the black rifle.

MGI (www.mgimilitary.com) has been in the black rifle business for decades. Their upgrades have been chronicled in the pages of Small Arms Review several times including their Rate Reducing Buffer – May 2004 (Vol. 7, No. 8), The QCB Upper Receiver – December 2004 (Vol. 8, No. 3) and most recently The Hydra Modular Weapon System – May 2007 (Vol. 10, No. 8). With such versatility as a quick-change barrel upper receiver that requires no tools and works with original factory barrels, changes in length, style and caliber have never been faster, easier or less expensive. The Marck-15 Lower Receiver with interchangeable magazine wells, again with no tools, allows the correct magazine to be used to coincide with the caliber being fired. For example, if you are utilizing a 7.62×37 barrel and bolt, you can use the AK mag-well and utilize standard AK47 magazines. This ensures the correct feed and presentation rather than redesigning a new magazine around an existing space and angle. Mags are inexpensive, available and reliable. Next in the works is a 9mm SMG mag-well that will utilize the factory Colt 9mm SMG magazines. Several new offerings are in the pipeline, some certain to be out even before this magazine hits the newsstand.

Cobb Manufacturing (www.cobb50.com) has a line of rifles called the MCR (Multi Caliber Rifle) and it is based on the design characteristics of the AR-15, just a little bigger. The MCR is a semiautomatic, gas operated system that can be chambered in a long list of calibers from 9mm to 338 Lapua, designed originally for the SCAR rifle program. They are far from newcomers to the industry and have been dealing with such innovative firearms as the .50 BMG FA50 and BA50 for several years. Teamed up with top-line suppressor manufacturers their systems are well made and versatile.

With the “feeding” frenzy a constant issue as discussed previously, we expect to see upgrades and alterations to this portion of the weapon system as long as it is in use. Just before finishing this article the author received what is perhaps the latest offering to the high-capacity quest to evaluate for a future article. It is the CL-Mag from Armatac Industries, Inc. (www.armatac.com). Resembling the Beta C-MAG in shape, the CL-Mag is manufactured from aircraft aluminum and holds 150 rounds of 5.56x45mm. Finished in a hard coat type III anodized finish, it is intended to work in all AR-15/M16 variants. We are anxious to proceed with testing this new feeding system in the near future.

Conclusion

Since there is really nothing to compare the popularity of this unique weapon system to, with its longevity in both military and civilian applications, it is the opinion of this writer that the sheer ability to act as a chameleon and adapt to almost every environment is the life force behind its ever growing popularity. It has to be noted that many of the upgrades and enhancements are civilian based ideas with no military spec sheet giving them direction. Some of these ideas and items can be looked at as simply “fun” and that is an important aspect of shooting that some of us who are a little too hung up on being “professionals” tend to overlook a little too often. Not everything that is discovered or tested has to have an adrenaline soaked special operations application in mind. Some of the best gear for our professional applications stands a chance of starting out as a light-hearted civilian product, just because it is looked at and designed with fresh, new, untainted eyes. Some of the greatest design innovations this writer has witnessed have come from challenges from people who specifically stated that in their professional opinion something couldn’t be done.

With an ever-changing requirement for the ultimate weapon system in this unpredictable War on Terror, if any weapon stands the test of time it is the AR-15/M16. With a virtual flood of new accessories, upgrades, calibers, finishes, furniture and design enhancements being introduced at breakneck speed, this writer has a hard time even thinking of the day where the black rifle or some form of it is not going to be the basis for our primary service weapon for at least 40 more years.

Author’s Note: While this article started out to be a short overview of the AR-15/M16 and its longevity, it soon became obvious that it could not be done in just a few words. The system is too complex and the changes, alterations and upgrades are far too numerous to simply skim over and condense. Unfortunately, due to space constraints, it had to end somewhere and we were not able to include every single company that offers firearms and accessories related to this weapon system. They are far too numerous, and even a quick glance through the pages of Small Arms Review will reveal several more businesses who specialize in parts and accessories for the black rifle. It is not our intention to promote anyone in particular while leaving anyone else out, nor should either be misconstrued as an endorsement or lack of such in the latter case. We would be happy to put together a condensed Black Rifle Buyers Guide listing every business related to this system in the future, but had no room to so in this article.

Ever since the change over from the 7.62x51mm to the current 5.56x45mm there has been controversy between two fundamental schools of thought on what a military cartridge should be. The United States military can be summed up in one word: tradition. In the 1960s, that tradition clouded the vision that a new dawn of small arms development in both concept, mechanics and ammunition had come. Still entrenched in the “one shot, one kill” mentality, our soldiers were sent into combat in Vietnam with the M14 which many considered to be an inferior weapon to the AK47 assault rifle that the enemy used. The enemy were able to lay controlled large volume of automatic fire on positions which, in a meeting engagement, will win you a fight. Our soldiers were equipped with a heavy recoil rifle that was impossible to control on fully-automatic. The accuracy was of no use because the enemy could not be seen.

With much trepidation, the military adopted the AR-15 rifle destined to become the M16/M16A1. A new age of small caliber high velocity cartridges gave way to providing an individual soldier with firepower he had never had before. The 5.56x45mm cartridge utilizing a .224 diameter 55-grain full metal jacketed bullet proved to be a great asset to the American fighting man with the ability to have a lightweight rifle that was completely controllable on fully-automatic fire and the soldier could carry more than twice the combat load with an M16 than he could with the heavy M14 rifle.

The Third Generation M16A2 and M855 Ball

With the product improvements of the M16A2 the weapon system was enhanced. Due to the heavier 62-grain bullet, 1 turn in 7 inch rifling twist and new fully adjustable rear sight, both penetration and long range accuracy were enhanced. However, the culprit of the future problems with ammunition terminal performance would come from the ammunition, the M855 Ball.

The M855 Ball is a three piece bullet consisting of a copper jacket, lead plug and a steel penetrator core in the tip. This bullet was designed for a machine gun, not a rifle. With the onset of the Global War on Terrorism, terminal deficiencies were found using M855 Ball, particularly in M4 carbines, when striking thin, malnourished, Taliban and Iraqi soldiers. There was a serious inconsistency in at what point the bullet would yaw and splinter. Some lots of ammunition would penetrate only slightly within inches and yaw and splinter. Others would go straight through and never yaw nor splinter. This caused serous knockdown problems particularly with the decreased velocity of 14.5 inch carbine barrel.

A solution put forth by the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) was the creation of a new and improved 5.56x45mm cartridge that would increase long range accuracy and terminal performance with consistency. Accuracy is seriously degraded in the M16A2/A4/M4 due to the inherent characteristics of the M855 bullet. The penetrator core degrades accuracy and if not manufactured properly, the center of gravity will be off causing the bullet to become a “flyer.” Additionally, in the area of terminal performance, there was no consistency from lot to lot on what exactly it would do upon hitting a human target.

The answer was the Mk 262 MOD 1 cartridge that SOCOM adopted. This is a Sierra 77-grain open tip match bullet loaded by Black Hills. This is undoubtedly the most effective 5.56x45mm military cartridge in the world manufactured to match grade specifications with combat reliability. The long range accuracy was drastically increased and its terminal performance enhanced. This new projectile works well regardless of the type of target and performs considerably better on human targets in all known distances and conditions. This round is used almost exclusively by SOCOM operators in their M4A1 carbines and Mk12 rifles. This solution satisfied most of the SOCOM operators: except for one.

The 6.8x43mm REM SPC

The 5th Special Forces, particularly MSG Steve Holland, felt that there was still room for improvement. The concept was not original. The U.S. military experimented with the possibility of the 6mm caliber projectile being the ideal compromise of accuracy, range and terminal performance. In the late 1970s the concept was abandoned in favor of the 5.56x45mm battle rifle.

With the assistance of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, Holland came up with a concept for a 6mm cartridge that could be fired in the M4 platform. The starting point was the .30 Remington cartridge which is merely a rimless .30-30 Win. round. It was trimmed and resized to accept a 6.8mm projectile. This concept, along with the hand-loaded experimental ammunition and CAD drawings went to Remington Arms. Remington wanted to aid in the Global War on Terrorism so they took on the task of developing the ammunition.

The 6.8mm REM SPC cartridge has been mostly a myth for the last few years due to the fact it has been developed quietly and kept proprietary. No ammunition has been made as of this writing in large quantities due to the fact the ammunition is being perfected before it will be shipped. Remington has reported three small runs of ammunition including ball and match grade ammunition. Hornady has also produced some loads in this new caliber.

The Firearms

Prototype rifles were manufactured by Precision Reflex, Inc. (PRI). Dave Dunlap assembled upper receivers with free floating handguards or A.R.M.S., Inc. SIR systems and the OPSINC silencer and muzzle break. Dunlap also was charged with designing the magazine which is different from the standard 5.56x45mm magazine. Currently, PRI has been the only producer of 6.8x43mm Rem SPC magazines. PRI also produces complete upper receivers chambered in the 6.8x43mm Rem SPC cartridge.

The Barrett M648

At the 2004 SHOT Show, Ronnie Barrett unveiled a new product line: his M648. This company, dedicated to .50 BMG caliber specialized weapons, introduced the first production 6.8x43mm Rem SPC firearm and has taken the lead on this project. While the cartridge is still technically under development (to be more correct would be to say “tweaked”), Barrett has teamed up with Peter Forras to work with Remington to optimize the weapon and cartridge. Forras has spent much time down at Remington working with them to perfect the 6.8x43mm cartridge.

The rifle has been based on the standard M16-platform. Barrett offers the rifle in both commercial and law enforcement/military configurations. The “bells and whistles” are the same for both versions, the only real difference is the use of selective fire, flash suppressors, bayonet lugs and telescopic stock on the law enforcement/military models.

The weapon as offered uses a mid-length gas system developed by Mark Westrom of ArmaLite, Inc. This mid length gas system changes the location of the gas port by placing it further forward than the carbine and slightly behind the rifle. This gives two major advantages: reliability and durability. By putting more distance between the bolt carrier and gas port, lower port pressures are created resulting in the bolt assembly’s velocity being slower. This increases reliability in extraction as well as extending the life of the bolt and some of the trigger components.

The barrel is manufactured by Fred Fedderson. This 1 turn in 10 inch twist barrel is chrome plated and is currently available in 16 inch length only. Barrett has plans on offering 12 and 20 inch barrels in the near future. The commercial version has a muzzle check similar to the one used by ArmaLite, Inc. The law enforcement/military versions use the standard M16-style muzzle break/compensator

The M648 gas block utilizes a folding front sight assembly. This assembly was designed by Barrett. On the law enforcement/military version, there is a threaded collet on the edge of the gas bock to install the silencer.

The Mid-Length SIR System

The A.R.M.S. Inc. SIR (Selective Integrated Rail) system developed by Richard Swan is the solution for many problems associated with military use of this type of weapon system. The SIR system is a free-floating handguard assembly that attaches to the carrying handle by a sleeve that goes on top of the rail (thus protecting it) as well as directly to the barrel nut. This give an extended top rail that runs the entire length of the upper receiver to the front sight assembly. There are four Mil-Std 1913 rails that enable optics, laser, flashlights and whatever other accessories that may be needed for the rifle with no effect on the barrel and its performance.

Free floating a military weapon has many benefits. First would be accuracy. With nothing impeding on the harmonics of the barrel, better uniform accuracy is achieved. Additionally, the barrel remains cooler as there is significantly better air circulation enabling the weapon to fire longer on full automatic fire. Another benefit, particularly with a hot barrel, pulling down on a vertical fore grip will not cause the barrel to bend or droop. The SIR system may also have a M203 grenade launcher attached to it. All the current models of the M648 feature the A.R.M.S. Inc. SIR system as well as the ARMS #40 L emergency flip-up backup sight.

The Bolt

The bolt carrier is standard M16/AR-15. The difference lies in the bolt itself. The bolt was designed by Chris Barrett and is manufactured by Lewis Machine & Tool (LMT). The bolt uses the trademark dual extractor spring “lobster tail” extractor manufactured by LMT as it is more durable and reliable. The bolt has other similarities to the LMT Enhanced bolt but Barrett made some changes in materials and specifications specifically for the M648. The bolt has a nickel plating on it.

Configurations

The M648 comes as a full weapon with fixed rifle stock as well as selective fire carbine lower receiver with the telescopic buttstock. The system is also sold as an upgrade or a conversion kit which will include the entire upper receiver assembly and magazine. The conversions can be obtained with either selective fire bolt carriers or semiautomatic only. It should be noted that when putting a conversion on a standard selective fire carbine lower receiver, the “H” buffer should be used. This is the buffer with two steel weights and one tungsten. If the standard three steel weight buffer is used the carbine may experience bolt carrier bounce resulting in light strikes on full automatic. This is not an issue with the full length rifle selective fire lower receiver. Semiautomatic guns can use either due to the bolt group will have sufficient time to lock before the next shot is fired. There has been some discussion about Barrett eventually coming out with a piston driven mechanism for this weapon system.

Shooting Impressions

The rifle received for testing was a law enforcement/military upper receiver with a standard semiautomatic only lower receiver. The author’s own Colt M4 full automatic carbine lower was used for full automatic testing. The semi-automatic only lower receiver was equipped with an LMT two-stage match grade trigger. The optics used were the M68 Aim Point Comp II, EOTech holographic sight as well as the standard backup sights. Approximately 700 rounds were fired in total in both semiautomatic for accuracy as well as fully automatic for functionality. The magazine used was a PRI made 28-round steel magazine. The ammunition was manufactured by Remington.

Fully-automatic tests were conducted in close quarter battle conditions. Targets ranged from 5 to 25 meters. The cyclic rate was about the same as the standard M4 carbine and recoil was really not that much more. There was no problem controlling the weapon. The EOTech sight made shooting easier allowing both eyes to remain open increasing speed and accuracy. By adjusting the brightness of the sight, it was useful for both close tactical work as well as short range sniping.

Conclusions

The 6.8mm Rem SPC is without a doubt an improvement over the existing 5.56x45mm for military use. But the question is, how much better? The cartridge unfortunately has a very steep uphill battle ahead of it once the military community gets a hold of it. The weapon itself is not an issue. The M16-based design is well proven. But in order for SOCOM in particular to adopt such a cartridge for use will be a gigantic undertaking. First and foremost it has to be more than better, it will have to be drastically better and offer a large advantage. Second, and perhaps the most critical, will be logistics. The cartridge will be at best used by SOCOM operators and them alone. From a logistical standpoint, adding a new cartridge into inventory, in particular one nobody else in the service uses, can cause serious problems. Once SOCOM operators are deployed they become part of the unit they are assigned and along with that goes their supply. Having non-compatible ammunition can put the operators at risk given they do not have re-supply specific to them.

The Barrett M648 and 6.8x43mm Rem SPC ammunition performed flawlessly and accurately. Barrett has not been too quick to go into production due to the fact they have waited until the development of the rifle and ammunition was completed insuring their customers get a final production weapon and not a semi-prototype. As of this writing, after more than three years of advertising and manufacturing of barrels to fire this new cartridge, the ammunition has yet to be completed and put into full production. This weapon and cartridge will undoubtedly find a following in law enforcement and commercial shooters and competitors. As far as the military use of this weapons system, only time will tell.

Imagine standing on the Tee area of your favorite Par 4 hole and wishing you could get to the green in 1. (Putting for Eagle is something that most of us never have the chance do). You reach into your bag and select your 20-inch Colt H-Bar. As you drop your Top-Flite XL-3000 ball into the Bloom muzzle device, you read the wind and aim a little to the left to compensate for it. With a hollow sounding thump your ball takes flight and bounces just short of the green, rolling up beside the pin. It looks like another day of shooting under par.

We don’t know how your local golf course will feel about using the Bloom Automatic Golf Ball Launcher but we have yet to encounter a shooting range that doesn’t allow it.

The Bloom Automatic Golf Ball Launcher is a muzzle attachment designed to be used with several firearms. Rather than having a dedicated thread that must be matched to a particular firearm, this device will function with any standard 22mm flash hider or grenade launcher. It simply slides over the factory flash hider or grenade launcher and is secured with dog-point set screws in the corresponding grooves. Unlike cup-point set screws, there should be no scratching or marring of the original finish.

The firearms the Bloom device can be used with include, but are not limited to, the following unmodified firearms; Yugo SKS, AR-15, M16, FAL, Galil, CETME, G-3 and MAS 49/56. It will also function on the 1903 Springfield, M1 Garand and M1A / M14 when used in conjunction with their grenade launching attachments. They also recently added the correct flash hiders for an AK47 to use with this system.

After securing the launcher to the firearm, all that is necessary is a bucket of golf balls and a corresponding number of blanks. For obvious reasons this device should NEVER be used with live ammunition. A golf ball is dropped into the launcher and the blank round is loaded into the chamber. To fire, hold the rifle on your shoulder in a slightly elevated position so the ball will not roll out.

The distance the ball will travel depends entirely upon the caliber and the barrel length of the firearm used. With a 20-inch barrel on an AR-15 the balls can fly as far as 350 yards. When used with an 11.5-inch barrel, the distance was reduced to somewhere in the area of 100 – 150 yards. With an SKS they will fly in excess of 500 yards; almost completely out of sight. We can only assume that when used with the M1A or M1 Garand they will travel further. Standard blanks are used in conjunction with the Bloom Automatic Golf Ball Launcher and the use of grenade launching blanks is not recommended.

Something that has to be considered when firing golf balls is that they react unpredictably when they strike a hard surface. It would not be recommended to fire at a hard surface where there is the potential for the ball to bounce back towards the shooter or any spectators.

During our testing we found it fun to place several 5-gallon pails in a large area and try to see if we could drop any balls in the pails. Other suggested “sporting” options would be to use 55-gallon drums or paint large circles in the field or range in a bulls-eye fashion and, in a 21st Century version of “Jarts,” hits could be scored by their proximity to the target. While there is no tactical factor being sold with this attachment, the fun factor is certainly high, and with a little imagination several competitive and recreational uses can be discovered.

In support of this neat accessory, Bloom Automatic is going to offer blank crimp dies for sale. This will assist the reloaders who wish to manufacture their own loads instead of purchasing factory blanks, which at times can be elusive and expensive. Some factory blanks can be corrosive and reloading will solve that concern.

There has been a lot of discussion about specific launching accessories and their rulings within the Technology Branch of the ATF. As of this writing, ATF has ruled that the Bloom Automatic Golf Ball Launcher does not constitute a firearm or a destructive device. This conclusion followed a 6-month discussion period with the ATF legal department and they have even issued a ruling letter to this effect. A copy of this ruling is available at the Bloom Automatic website:

There are several new platforms for the launcher to be used on and they now include the 1911 pistol and some of the MAC family of firearms. All of this new information is available on their website as well. The price for the standard launcher, as tested in Small Arms Review magazine is $40 with an additional $5 shipping fee.

Bloom Automatic, LLC Dept. SAR 402 2nd Street Monongahela, PA 15063 E-Mail: bloomautomatic@yahoo.com Website: www.bloomautomatic.com

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