You are extremely hot. Sweat is beading up on your forehead in little rivulets and streaming down into our eyes, stinging with ferocious intensity. Yet you grit your teeth and hang on…. Just a little bit more elevation…got to remember…lead him… As the big Browning .50 caliber M2 machinegun fires, you smile gleefully, for you have just satisfactorily plastered a Japanese A6M Zero, diving down in a strafing run, from 425 yards.

What? Nobody has shot at an A6M Zero since 1945? HA! Then YOU didn’t attend the 1998 version of the Nebraska “Fun & Freedom Shoot” south of Kearney, Nebraska! Targets included the Zero, (at 55% scale size), a T-72 “Iraqi” desert-camouflaged tank (95% scale), a genuine “Art Bell – type” UFO (100% UFO scale), a silly smiling, 8 foot tall, pink bunny rabbit with a belly drum, and several dozens of barrels, red stars, old car hoods, and various assorted steel objects. I would have included a real black helicopter as another “fantasy” target, to go along with the UFO, but there is always next year, right?

This was the 12th year we have held our shoot; as usual, it was very hot and humid. Still, 422 spectators and 94 shooters attended our 3-day event, which started at 12 noon Friday, August 14th. The range is located on Roger Well’s “WR Game and Recreation” rifle range; which is 5 miles south of the Kearney, Nebraska I-80 interstate exit, 1-mile west, then back north 1 mile. It is a native big stem prairie grass area, 800 yards deep, surrounded by cattle pasture, cottonwoods and the sheer, raw beauty of the plains.

This year’s shooters and dealers brought many different varieties of fun shooting toys. For the first time at our shoot, we had a .308 mini-gun making its appearance (courtesy of Rich Pugsley of R&R Guns and Thunder Valley Gatling, Palmyra, NE). And the crowd really enjoyed watching the mini-gun shoot up a 20-foot long belt of tracer at the Saturday night – night fire. The applause was as if their favorite football team had just scored a game-winning touchdown!

Some of our shooters/dealers included: Klaus Horstkamp (Sate Arms Gun Company, Waunakee, Wisconsin), Don Austen Wagenknecht (DAW, Grandview, Missouri), Dennis Fautch (Denny’s Guns, N. Kansas City, MO), Bob Bowman (Ramsey, MN), Brian Linde (Monticello,MN), Todd Hatcher (Hatcher Guns, Elsie, NE), Dennis Warden (Cougar Arms, Carthage, MO), Charles Emig, (Old Fontenelle Gun Shop, Bellevue, NE). Tom Hoel and James Bardwell also attended, both are known to readers of “Small Arms Review.”

Next year’s shoot will be held the weekend of August 14 & 15, 1999. We will not be changing the format; as we have designed it, we will shoot for 1/2 hour, then cease-fire for 1/2 hour. This allows plenty of time to check targets, reload mags and belts, socialize, let the guns and yourself cool-off. Since the range is linear (all shooting in one direction only), we cannot allow competition shooting over on the left range area to take place during a cease-fire, as people would be downrange. Night Fire will be limited. Tracers may possibly be restricted or even banned due to the grass and the range being a working hay pasture.

Todd Hatcher and John Boyles designed competition events this year along with area IPSC shooters. Their uphill, zigzagged course of fire was setup for combat pistol, shotgun and sub-machine gun. Todd tells me they will setup something similar for the 1999 shoot. Many shooters have asked me for some kind of “sniper” rifle or “assault” course to be setup. I have several ideas, as u$ual, we only lack $ufficient fund$. Plea$e $end me whatever you can $pare. I promi$e a mo$st unique Cour$e. (Sort of an “Alvin York and Audie Murphy” style of rifle course, with a little H.W. McBride and Jeff Cooper thrown in). ANYONE who wants to help design, setup, and then help run this beast, please contact me! (Walt Kamp, 308-236-7854).

For next year’s shoot, all shooters who attended the 1998 shoot will be given first chance to return. I shall send out pre-registration letters by mid-March 1999. Please reply within 60 days or forfeit the position. Position(s) are eight foot wide and 22 feet deep, $40 each and one shooter badge is included. All shooters must have a shooters badge. Additional shooters badges are $20. Tables rent for $20 each, except under the circus tent, where they are $30 each. Spectators are $6 a day or $10 per weekend pass. Camping fee is $5 per person. Campers are reminded to be prepared for primitive camping! No water or hookups are on premises, you must provide your own.

As to vendors and dealers, we are looking for anyone who would like to attend. You can setup their own shade shelter/awning or take a table under the big tent. We need people who sell firearms accessories, ammunition, parts, militaria and the miscellaneous minutiae of shooting. Anything especially unique, rare, or collectible; sell it or show it, come and shoot it! Contact me, please! The vendor fee is $15, tables are extra. Or you can bring your own table, tents – the whole nine yards. Any vendor can also be a shooter, competitor, etc.

Fantasy targets of the future; How about a submarine conning tower? The leaning tower of Pisa? A smiling purple dinosaur (“Barney” fans lookout!) The black helicopter mentioned? See YOU next year!!!

Friends, the pot is being stirred. SAR readers from around the US have been faxing, emailing and calling SAR about their problems with getting a CLEO signature on their Form 4. For those uninitiated in regard to the purchase of an NFA firearm, typically a machine gun or silencer, the CLEO is the signature of a person who qualifies as a “Chief Law Enforcement Officer” in the area that the applicant lives in. By regulation the applicant must obtain the CLEO signature on the rear of the Form 1, 4 or 5. There are a number of people who can fulfill this capacity; the police chief, the sheriff, some district attorneys, some judges, and some state police- among others. In many areas of the country, for whatever reason, there is a conspiracy to not sign the forms. The NFA Branch of ATF in Washington DC will not approve the form if there is no CLEO signature on the back.

All the CLEO is supposed to be signing for is that he “Has no information indicating that the transferee will use the firearm or device described on this application for other than lawful purposes.” And “Has no information that the receipt and/or possession of the firearm described in item 4 of this form would place the transferee in violation of State or local law.”

Pretty simple, isn’t it? If the official doesn’t have any negative information, then he should sign the form. However, several things have been happening that caused U.S. citizens a problem with obtaining their tax paid NFA firearms. First, there are some people who just plain don’t want to sign. They don’t want to do anything they might perceive as “Risky” to their careers. Others don’t want people to have guns. Still others have reportedly been asked by local ATF people to NOT sign the forms in a de facto gun-banning scheme. Still others have been advised that the federal government can not require them to do the work involved with signing (simple movement of a pen on paper, or a background check and the simple movement of a pen on paper). This last group saw their position re-iterated in the recent Brady case where the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the background checks couldn’t be mandated- basically if they weren’t funded.

Several attorneys who are firearms oriented have contacted SAR about the possibility of starting a challenge to this present system. There are several points that this challenge can utilize, and we can get into the details later. For the moment, suffice it to say that SAR will be pleased to forward all interested parties to the lawyers for further planning. They will need litigants who can’t get a CLEO sign-off, and they will need donations as well. Personally, I will ante up $500 for this process. Anyone else want to step up to the plate, and see if we can get the door opened back up for U.S. citizens to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed Right? How about you Houston readers? Dade County? Alaska?

– Dan Shea

Dear SAR,

We find your publication and asset to our technical library and I am pleased to recommend it to my colleagues.

Bruce E. Ellis, TCE
Firearms Section,
Forensic Laboratory Halifax

SAR is always happy to hear that we are supplying good information to the readers. Our range of technical colleagues gets wider every day…

Note from Australia:
Surrender body armor, warn police – by Ben Hooper

An amnesty on the possession of bulletproof vests was announced by South Australian police yesterday. In a move to prevent their use by armed offenders, people with body armor have three months to surrender it or get written approval from the Commissioner of Police to avoid a possible jail term. The officer in charge of the firearms section, Inspector Cormac McCarron, said the amnesty would extend to February 28 next year, after which a two-year jail term or an $8000 fine would apply.

SA Police Department of Correctional Services and defence force members who use body armor in the course of their work have been excluded. Approval to other people would be given on a case-by-case basis, Inspector McCarron said. The amnesty was declared after State Parliament recently passed amendments to the Summary Offences Act.

Mr. David Hill, from the Australian Security Industry Association, welcomed the move, saying: “The industry considers armed security guards and those security guards in high risk situation as worthy of approval,” he said. “It will ensure that those who should have the equipment to protect themselves will be able to and those who want to use it for criminal purposes won’t”. Applications for approval and inquiries can be made at the Firearms Section, 30 Finders St, City, phone 8204 2512.

More from Australia
HAND THEM OVER – Amnesty for owners of deadly weapons – by Political Editor MILES KEMP

The owners of outlawed knives will be given an amnesty to hand them in before they face tough new penalties. If the legislation unveiled yesterday is approved, fines of up to $10,000 or two years jail will be imposed after the amnesty period. The far-reaching legislation proposes a range of bans on weapons devised to “kill or injure people”.

The Attorney General has compiled a category of weapons banned from sale and use in South Australia. The weapons include kung fu sticks, flick knives, daggers, knuckle knives, Star throwing knives, and devices made to hide knives or blades.

Under the comprehensive restrictions, it will be illegal to make, sell, supply, distribute, deal or possess those weapons. Mr. Griffith said that once the bans took effect the weapons could be surrendered at police stations – but no compensation would be offered to owners. Details of the amnesty had not been finalized, he said.

Only “very limited” exemptions – “a genuine need for legitimate purpose” would be granted to enable some people to carry the weapons.

Exemption categories would include the use of the items in employment or business, for display in museums and art galleries, entertainment, sport, recreation, religious purposes and official ceremonies.

People with exemptions will be made to secure the weapon and carry them safely or face prosecution. But, Mr. Griffin said the measure were not an overreaction to “some community concerns”. Legitimate hobbies which involve knives, such as fishing, would be exempt from the ban.

Thank you to the anonymous SAR reader who sent these to us from Down Under. “I have a little list, of things that never will be missed” seems to be the theme poem of the anti-personnel defense proponents. Make no mistake about it, there IS a list of items they wish to ban. They will not stop until the only people who are armed are the criminals. God bless you in Australia, and we all hope that you can elect officials to turn the madness around. The simple phrase “Adds ten years to the sentence when used in a violent crime”, might do more to stop the criminal misuse of these items- far more than making criminals out of ordinary citizens for the mere possession of weaponry, or self defense items like a “bulletproof” vest.
SAR

Blount, International, the shooting sports conglomerate, has acquired the assets of the premium optics maker Redfield from Norwest Business credit, a secured lender. Redfield ceased operations last June amid allegations that leaking chemicals from its plant contaminated area homes. Blount plans to relocate Redfield’s manufacturing operations to its Sporting Equipment plant in Onalaska, Wisconsin. Repair service on existing Redfield scopes will be provided by an optics repair center in Miami, Florida.

California-based shooting industry retailers should be aware that the state now has a law banning the possession of body armor by convicted felons. The measure, drafted in response to North Hollywood Bank of America shootout involving two body armor clad gunmen, was signed into law by then Governor Wilson last August. A 21-year old New Jersey man, Kareem Prunty, pled guilty August 12 to a charge of guilty in a gun-running scheme. Four others have been indicted in the case involving the purchase of 62 handguns from a West Virginia dealer and the sale of the guns in New Jersey.

In one of his final executive acts, California Governor Pete Wilson vetoed three anti-gun bills in September. The first would have banned affordable handguns commonly used for personal protection. The second bill would have accomplished the same purpose by establishing arbitrary “safety” and performance standards for firearms. The third measure would have expanded the definition of “assault weapons” under the state’s 1989 Roberti-Roos gun ban.

Industry To Launch $15 Million Public Relations Effort Echoing the call, “The Time Is Now,” leaders of the firearms industry attending the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s Shooting Sports Summit recently, voiced their support for a $15 million public relations effort designed to improve the image of firearms ownership. The effort will be funded by a one-half of one percent surcharge on the gross receipts of guns and related merchandise to begin January 1, 1999.

Premium walnut gunstock maker Reinhart Fajen is ceasing production. The firm’s 80,000-square-foot plant in Warsaw, Missouri is being closed due to unsatisfactory financial results. The brand name is expected to live on via a line of gun stocks to be produced by outside sources.

Dealer Inventories Expected To Rise As Result Of NICS One “good” aspect of the five working day waiting period requirement in the Brady Law, was that it allowed smaller dealers to maintain low inventory levels of handgun “samples.” When a customer indicated a desire to buy a particular model, the dealer had five days to order it in time for delivery to the consumer. But with the onset of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), dealers will have to provide “instant” delivery of a desired firearm after the background check is conducted. The higher inventories at the retailer level will help many wholesalers.

Importer KBI, Inc., reportedly intending to capitalize on the success of its recently introduced Charles Daly 1911 standard sized pistol, is planning to release compact version in the near future, according to trade sources.

Wisconsin, one of seven states that did not have a constitutional guarantee of the right to keep and bear arms, got one in the last election. Voters approved an amendment to the state constitution by a four-to-one margin which reads: “The people have to the right to keep and bear arms for security, defense, hunting, recreation or any other lawful purpose.”

Camfour, Inc., a Westfield, Massachusetts wholesale firearms distributor, has been purchased by a group of investors led by Peter A. Picknelly of the Springfield, MA-based Peter Pan Bus Lines firm. The purchase from Al Ferst, who owned Camfour since 1952, was private and no financial terms were disclosed. The distributor will remain at its present location.

SADW is a monthly electronic publication from Nick Steadman Features. Nick, intrepid world traveling reporter for much of the arms industry, files this 40,000 to 50,000 word report once a month to his loyal subscribers. Those lucky ones pay a mere $50 (US) £32.50 (UK) per year for the privilege of getting the hot tips and insights from one of the industry’s insiders. Nick’s unique perspective is globally based, as is his wit. Each issue is full of insight and information for those with an interest in Small Arms, as well as his observations on world travel.

1. NEW WEAPONS & EQUIPMENT

IMI SHOWS NEW 5.56MM BULLPUP: JDW has published details of the IMI Israel 5.56mm bullpup rifle, which is reportedly now called the Tavor. The accompanying photo showed a much neater design than the earlier prototypes, which, as we recall, resembled the Steyr AUG rather more closely. Though not stated, we assume the innards of the Tavor are Galil-based. The one-piece stock/receiver is made from synthetics and the pistol grip has a large AUG-style ‘trigger guard’, more correctly a hand protector.

A bipod and 40mm grenade launcher are reportedly also available, and the flash hider appears to incorporate an angled slot and holes for muzzle stabilisation. An International Technologies red dot sight is fitted, mounted directly on the barrel, and there is also an integrated laser aiming pointer. Mini-night sights are also available. Magazines are M16-pattern and the sample shown was right-ejecting, though – since JDW says the left-mounted cocking handle (which also seems to be inspired by the AUG) is reversible – we assume the same also applies to ejection. Weapon weight is stated as 3.5kg loaded, and length overall is 72cm.

The Israelis have been cagey in the past as to exactly what was the purpose of this project; however it would appear it has been developed as a potential replacement for the IDF’s Galils and M16s. Whether there will be other competitors (as there were when the Galil itself was adopted) remains to be seen. But if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Steyr must be feeling pretty smug.

MARINES M40A2 BECOMES M40A1 IMPROVED: just to confuse you, now that the US Marine Corps has finally unveiled its long-awaited M40A2 sniper rifle it’s actually calling it the M40A1 Improved. Like the M40A1, the new rifles are built on Remington actions, and they have custom stocks from McMillan, with adjustable ambidextrous cheekrests and hooked butts to offer a good purchase for the non-firing hand. We’re told the scopes are 4-14x Leupolds, and we note the scope rings are mounted on a Picatinny rail that extends a couple of inches beyond the breech ring. Also, the butt pad appears to incorporate a spacer system. The heavyweight barrels are threaded for muzzle suppressors, but a very finely-fitted thread protector is added for normal use. As we recall, the USMC small arms shop at Quantico made only about 1,000 M40A1 rifles; we don’t yet know whether the existing rifles will simply be taken in for upgrading or if all-new weapons will be built.

NEOSTEAD SHOTGUN UPDATE (1 NOV 98): Neostead in South Africa has provided another update on the status of its 12-shot ‘pump-forward’ bullpup shotgun, as (lightly edited) below:

‘Firstly we would like to explain that the Pre-production Models (PPM) that we are presently building are for testing and evaluation purposes, and are not for sale. To evaluate the PPMs all the major and critical components have been manufactured using permanent production tooling such as injection moulds for the polymer parts, metal stampings etc. To go into production and still be able to achieve a retail selling price of $1000.00, further industrialisation and permanent tooling is required. The planning for this stage will be finalised after the PPMs have been fully tested and evaluated.

Exciting improvements and enhancements incorporated in the PPMs are :-

– Completely new barrel guides – giving greater barrel stability resulting in greater accuracy.

– Positive sear link lock – thus preventing drop-test discharge.

– No tools are required for field stripping. Merely depress a spring loaded button and the butt/grip slides off.

The frustration is that we have not yet received the necessary permits to allow us to complete final assembly and start test firing. These permits are now 11 months overdue. It is our intention to manufacture the Neostead gun in the USA for the US market. A further update will be issued when we have completed test firing.’

STEYR 5.56MM USR – AMPLIFICATION: one of the managers of the Cybershooters mailing list in the UK wired us some comments regarding our earlier report on the Steyr 5.56mm USR, the commercial, ‘less-warlike’ (aka politically correct) AUG rifle variant, a batch of which was exported to the USA just in time to escape current import restrictions. He points out that the magazine capacity is actually nine rounds rather than ten, and that the gas system is adjustable. Though the rifle comes with no barrel release catch, he says you can simply buy one from GSI for $6 and Loctite it in place. He further notes that the more ergonomic design of the USR cocking handle is offset by the lack of a hold-open slot in the receiver, so that you can only lock the breech open with an empty magazine in place. Finally, he considers the muzzle flash is a bit excessive without the military flash hider.

SWISS SUPPRESSOR YARD SALE: the European distributor of SS-Super-Sonic-International in Niederbipp (Switzerland) is having a yard sale of suppressors, many at half price, since all must go by 31 Dec 98, after which new Swiss firearms laws forbidding their sale come into force. On offer are suppressors to fit almost every kind of pistol, carbine, SMG and military rifle (both East & West-bloc), including Impuls models for recoil-operated pistols, plus multicalibre versions. The suppliers claim up to 30% better suppression than rival products and offer a 10-year guarantee. (S Frauchiger, European distributor, Tel (+41) 32-633-2418 or 79-319-4973)

FN 5.7x28mm P-90 AMMUNITION – CORRECTION: in our item ‘5.7mm P-90 Ballistics Improved’, carried in a recent issue, the following paragraph appeared:
‘And he further notes that, at the bottom line, the P-90 projectile has just 60% the momentum of the commercial .22 Hornet, with around 52% of its energy. A closer analogue, Fackler says, would be the 1922fps .22 rimfire Remington Viper round, with momentum within 5% of that achieved by the P-90.’

We’ve recently received a wire saying that the author of the original article (in Wound Ballistics Review) misread the Remington brochure – which is apparently easy to do, given the way it’s printed – and that the figure of 1,922 isn’t the muzzle velocity of the Viper round, but the order number!

Viper MV is actually published as 1,410 fps, giving it a momentum 43% less than that of the SS190 round for the P-90, not 5% less. However, the message also said that .22 WMR is a different story, with momentum for the Winchester 34 gr Supreme is within 1% of that of the SS109 round.

NEW METAL STORM US DEAL: a report in The Courier Mail (Brisbane) said that the Charter Pacific Corporation, which has invested A$3m in a 30% stake in Mike O’Dwyers Metal Storm high-rate gun development company (see earlier issues) had negotiated a deal allowing Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) in the USA, a firm specialising in US government-funded R&D projects, to utilise Metal Storm technology. No cash value was mentioned. Under the terms of the SAIC agreement, Metal Storm will reportedly receive a percentage of the income from any commercial exploitation of the gun technology. However, Metal Storm will continue working itself on aspects not covered by the linkup with SAIC, such as projects specific to local Australian defence needs. The paper said that Lockheed Martin also entered into an ‘evaluation alliance’ with Metal Storm in 1996 to study possible applications of the invention, which readers will recall relates to electronically-fired, programmed volley gun systems with a number of projectiles loaded base to tip in each barrel, offering phenomenally high theoretical cyclic rates.

SELLIER & BELLOT STEEL-CASED 5.56MM: FAMAS users and others who (Lord knows why) prefer steel cartridge cases might wish to know that Sellier & Bellot from the Czech Republic is now selling steel-cased M193-style 5.56mm ammunition in the USA. Primers are Boxer, and made from brass. Headstamp wording is S&B 223 REM. Case colour is grey, resembling East German ammunition. It’s loaded with a lead-cored, copper-jacketed ball bullet and retails for around $25 for a box of 140 rounds.

Steel-cased ammunition is still the standard in the East, and GIAT in France also uses steel for its military 5.56mm, but most Western buyers inevitably tend to think ‘cheap & cheerful’ whenever they see steel. We think – as a straight marketing point – that Sellier & Bellot would be well-advised to use brass cases when selling into the US & Western European markets. There’s also a chance that shooters might then pick up the fired cases too – many ranges are now littered with steel East-bloc empties that no-one bothers to collect since they have no obvious value even as scrap.

2. INDUSTRY & INTERNATIONAL NEWS

A THOUGHT FOR ARMISTICE DAY: we were chatting to a neighbour about Armistice Day in November, and he related how, back in the 1970s, he went on a battlefield tour in Europe with a military guide. It was the quiet season at the war cemetery, and there was nobody else to be seen among the serried rows of headstones, but a short while later a bus turned up and promptly disgorged a bunch of children, who leapt off into the cemetery engaged in the kind of noisy stuff that kids tend to do. The tour guide was apparently outraged by this noisy ‘intrusion’ and stomped over to the bus to ask the woman in charge of the kids what she thought she was doing.

But her reply literally stopped him in his tracks. She said “We bring them here from time to time, so the men can hear the children”. He just hadn’t thought of it that way, and was duly humbled.

We can tell you from our own experience that the local school kids also take their lunch amongst the headstones at the war cemetery for the allied Burma Railway dead at Kanchanaburi in Thailand, close by the River Kwai, but we see no contradiction there either. The Week asked if we could ever tolerate something as harrowing as the Great War today, and quoted the following from Wilfred Wilson Gibson:

‘We who are left, how shall we look again
Happily on the sun or feel the rain
Without remembering how they who went
Ungrudgingly and spent
Their lives for us loved, too, the sun and rain?’

COLT PILES UP SEVERAL CONTRACTS: National Defense said that Colt had recently secured an initial $2.5m deal, with further options worth $5m, to produce ‘M16A4’ rifles for the US army. We understand this model is a ‘flat-top’ M16A2 with Picatinny scope rail and the four-rail Modular Weapon System around the barrel for improving the potential for mounting additional sighting devices and other accessories. The A4 designation is mighty confusing, since there has never been an official M16A3 model, though that’s what Picatinny Arsenal in the past took to calling the flat-topped M16A2 with scope rail to distinguish it from the A2 with integral carrying handle.

Some 20,000 A4s are eventually expected to be made, at a price of $375 each, presumably by modification from A2 flat top standard, with initial deliveries early in 1999. The same source also said that in Jan 98 Colt won a three-year US army deal, a partnering arrangement with Anniston Army Depot, to upgrade USAF M16 rifles to M16A2 standard, initially 50,000 weapons for $18m, with the possibility of further options up to more than 120,000 riffles.

The magazine said the Air Force currently had around 220,000 M16s; as we understand it, the USAF still has basic early models (not M16A1s) without forward bolt assists, though we recall seeing M16A2s with Air Force Security units from Nellis AFB some years ago.

Additionally, the magazine pointed out that back in Oct 97 Colt was awarded another $12.5m deal to provide in excess of 24,000 5.56mm M4 Carbines to the US army. Clearly this steady injection of new army & air force business will help keep Colt’s military production ticking over for a few years, but none of it changes the longer-term prognosis of very lean times ahead for all US small arms suppliers.

ANGOLA RAID LEAVES SIX DEAD: early in Nov 98 the Telegraph and others reported that the Canadian-owned Yetwene diamond mine in Angola was raided by a 50-strong unit of what are thought to have been members of the Unita rebel forces, who killed six staff, including two from the UK, and kidnapped four others. Eighteen more were wounded.

GLOBAL SCENE HITS ISRAELI DEFENCE: an item in Jane’s News Briefs said that, due to financial crises around the world, Israeli defence manufacturers could be looking at 1998 revenues as low as $1.5Bn, down from $2.5Bn in 1997, suggesting an urgent need for ‘reform’. Restructuring, downscaling & diversification are probably the words they should really be grasping for.

INTERARMS USA REORGANISATION: Firearms Business (FB) reported in Oct 98 that most of the management at Interarms in the USA had been let go and the company’s former controller, David MacGillivray, had been promoted to president & CEO. There was still no definitive word on the Umarex (Germany) purchase of Interarms which had been in negotiation for some considerable time, though Interarms confirmed it would still need to work closely with Walther, which is a Umarex subsidiary.

ARMED POLICE EVERYWHERE: it seems that the new UK government’s fears of terrorist attack extend rather further than the modest little squad of 28 armed police protecting British PM Blair around the clock. The Mail on Sunday highlighted the inauguration of a new MOD Police (MDP) control room in the bowels of the Whitehall defence headquarters in London, complete with an armoury and a team of MDP ‘marksmen’ reportedly tasked with protecting the defence secretary and military Chiefs of Staff.

One of the MOD Police staff, a female firearms instructor, was pictured with her ‘sub-machine gun’, which the rest of us would more readily have recognised as an SA80 rifle. We don’t somehow expect a platoon of armed crazies to storm the MOD HQ anytime soon, but hey – that would spoil a good bit of free ministry PR. Yet knowing how un-cordial relations between senior military staff and politicians (particularly of a Labour hue) usually are, we guess the biggest risk to the defence secretary’s health is probably from the Chiefs of Staff themselves!

DENEL LOSSES: Flight International reported that Denel in South Africa is expected to record current FY losses of up to Rand 400m ($70.5m). The group is now to be reorganised from 18 divisions to four (heavy ordnance, light ordnance, commercial & aerospace). The public enterprises minister has apparently confirmed that British Aerospace will be the first company to be approached by the South African government regarding an equity partnership with Denel’s aerospace division (Denel Aviation & Kentron).

SWITZERLAND WITHOUT AN ARMY?: in Oct 98 The Economist reported that one Tobias Schnebli from the “Group for a Switzerland Without an Army” was out collecting signatures for a petition to present to the Swiss government seeking to abolish the army. If petitioners can collect 50,000 names, a nationwide referendum can be held on an issue. With 100,000 signatures you can force an entirely new legislative initiative to be voted on. Back in 1989 Herr Schnebli’s group first forced a vote on the future of the army and 36% of the electorate reportedly agreed the army should go. However, the government is getting wise to all this and now wants to increase the number of names required on petitions for new initiatives to 150,000.

RADWAY GREEN SAA PLANT UNDER SERIOUS THREAT: Royal Ordnance sources confirm that the company has already submitted an unsolicited bid to the UK MOD for the upcoming multi-year British armed forces buy of small arms ammunition (see Section 1). In so doing, the company has stressed to the ministry the need to encourage partnership with the defence industry, as recommended in the UK Strategic Defence Review, a process intended to produce ongoing cost & efficiency savings.

However, if the MOD nevertheless simply opts for a cheap overseas bid, regardless of from whence the ammunition is sourced, Royal Ordnance has unequivocally stated that it will ‘exit the business’. This would be a major blow to the UK, leaving it with no indigenous military SAA manufacturer.

We’re conscious the UK MOD has provoked this kind of thing before, some years ago, by dint of buying successive orders of cheap Greek .50 BMG ammunition from Pyrkal and forcing Eley Ltd in Birmingham (the UK’s sole domestic source at the time) to quit the .50 business altogether. In our view, it would be grossy irresponsible of the MOD to allow yet another significant component of the UK strategic industry to wither on the vine. But in recent years the ministry has already sourced large quantities of assorted SAA from overseas and its policy on 155mm propellant purchasing (see story below) seems likely to put UK capability in that field too at risk.

ARMS IN KOSOVO AID CONSIGNMENT: TTU Europe reported that on 1 Nov 98 some sniper rifles, communications kit and ammunition were seized by Albanian customs from two containers of Swiss origin. The military materiel, travelling on a Croatian vessel, was apparently hidden in a humanitarian aid consignment destined for Kosovan refugees.

USAF HAS TOO LITTLE AMMO: a Defense News item said the US Air Force had admitted that past emphasis on funding major assets such as new aircraft had resulted in an ammunition shortfall that was unlikely to be cured for several years. Now the ammunition reserves of a few years back have been ‘drained’. 30mm GAU-8 ammunition for the A10 tankbuster is apparently a major concern, with only 1.5m rounds allocated for next year against a requirement of nearly 2m. About a third of the USAF’s total ammunition stocks of 27m rounds is apparently held in the Gulf and now considered suspect due to adverse storage conditions – this stock is now being repatriated to the USA for inspection. We begin to hear the cash registers tinkling at the ammo contractors.

CLINTON COPS OUT ON KOSOVO MONITORING: the news that the US government has hired private contractors to provide the 150-strong American contingent to the unarmed Kosovo ceasefire monitoring force has gone down like a lead balloon on the other side of the Atlantic, where the UK is sending a 200-man team, half of them serving military personnel, the rest retired officers and other experts.

A Guardian report said that the US State Department had hired Virginia-based DynCorp for the Kosovo job, and the firm would be providing a team of ‘weapons inspectors’, ‘verification experts’, drivers and technicians. DynCorp had beaten its competitors MPRI to win the contract.

The use of outside contractors is seen as a political ruse by the Clinton administration to sidestep the negative impact which might otherwise be incurred if US troops were killed on this risky Kosovo mission. But one British defence commentator was quoted as saying “It is extraordinary that a country with a highly paid volunteer army should turn to a private company of mercenaries. This is not the sort of task which should be done for profit.”

Even more surprising when one remembers the Kosovo deal itself was brokered by Washington. We can’t believe that senior American military commanders reckon much to this policy either, since it shows the US forces in rather a poor light.

UK WORLD ARMS SALES NO 2: IISS data reported by the Guardian says that in 1997 the UK (up 5% with £5Bn in sales) maintained its position as No 2 world arms exporter in a year which showed the global market rise to a record post-Cold War high of $47Bn. It has risen 36% just over the previous two years. Top of the list (no surprise) was the USA, but Russian sales have slumped over a decade from 35% of the world total to just 5.4%, suggesting that the defence industry alone is certainly not going to buy Moscow out of trouble any time soon. Biggest arms importer is Saudi Arabia at $11Bn, which raises some interesting questions about the likely impact on the world market if the oil price collapsed.

NEW THAI POLICE ACADEMY: the Bangkok Post reported early in Oct 98 that the US and Thailand had signed a deal to establish a new International Law Enforcement Academy in Bangkok, funded by the American government. It’s aim is to further co-operation twixt US, Thai & other SE Asian law enforcement agencies, focussing on drugs, the smuggling of people, terrorism and ‘economic crime’.

SUICIDE BY COP – DATA: the results of a survey of 240 US police shootings from Jan 1980 to Jun 1995 recently published in the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin concluded that suicidal intent on the part of the person confronting police and subsequently shot was a factor in probably nine cases and possibly also in another 28. Taken together these would constitute 16% of the total.

In 160 cases no reliable determination could be made, and in 43 instances a suicidal motive was absent or unlikely. 69% of the 240 shootings, which covered 18 metropolitan areas, were fatal. The findings suggest that the ‘suicide by cop’ phenomenon is indeed significant, as suspected for some time, and begs the question what – if anything – could be done to reduce its incidence.

LARGE UK 5.56MM DISPOSAL: the UK MOD has recently sold off two million rounds of Hirtenberg (Austria) 5.56mm L3A1 M193-specification ammunition which was surplus to requirements. It was in three batches, of 1984, 1987 and 1988 vintage. Some readers may find it curious that while Royal Ordnance Radway Green still has to fight tooth & nail to secure every UK MOD small arms ammunition contract, the MOD should be selling off stocks of foreign ammunition which could have been produced at home.

The disposal is even odder when one bears in mind that M193 (55gr) 5.56mm ammunition is perfectly OK to use in current NATO 1:7” twist barrels (eg SA80, M16A2), and indeed the US forces still buy M193 ball and M196 tracer for training, not least because it’s cheaper than the SS109 family.

LETHAL DOWNSIDE OF SA MAJORITY RULE: The Economist & others reported that since the majority ANC government was elected in South Africa in 1994, around 550 farmers (mostly white Boers) have been murdered in 2,000 attacks throughout the country. 104 had already been killed in 1998. In some cases their (black) attackers have lain in wait and killed whole families, carving political slogans on the corpses. In others, victims have been raped & tortured. Many farmers believe it is part of an intimidation campaign, though the government denies politics are involved. Nevertheless, we doubt this information will be appearing anytime soon in South African tourist literature.

PLA SLASHED BY 100K: According to the Telegraph, China announced in mid-Sep 98 that it had made 100,000 members of the PLA redundant, a move which is one step in a programme to trim the 3m-strong army by half a million. It’s hoped to save money with which to modernise the PLA. We guess it’ll also dump rather a lot of surplus small arms on the market too.

BUNDESWEHR GRENADE ACCIDENT: in early Sep 98 the German press reported that there was an accident at the Leopold Barracks in Amberg in which an HE/Fragmentation hand grenade exploded, wounding 21 soldiers, five of them seriously. The troops, from the HQ company of Panzerbrigade 11 and Panzerpionierkompanie 120 (armoured pioneers), were undergoing grenade training in a room when (for reasons which are unclear) a live hand grenade suddenly detonated. A corporal who reportedly brought the live grenade to the training session was lightly wounded in the blast and apparently now faces charges under safety regulations.

SYMBOLIC MACHETE DESTRUCTION: a Times short said that police in the UK had torched and ‘melted down’ a machete used in an attack on children having a school picnic in Wolverhampton two years ago. This is the sort of blatantly PC move, blaming the weapon for the deed, that we normally hear reported from California.

3. FUTURE WEAPON SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY

ISRAELI GENETIC WEAPONS?: potentially the most disturbing news of the month came via the Sunday Times, which claimed that the Israeli biological warfare establishment at Nes Ziona was developing genetic weapons intended to target ethnic Arabs without harming Jews. It said that the Israelis had used some of the genetic research carried out by South Africa under apartheid (see previous issues) and cited ‘Israeli military and western intelligence sources’ as the basis of the story.

The paper claimed that researchers had been trying to find specific ‘Arab’ genes which would make target populations vulnerable to certain biological agents, which could used either to fill weapons or to poison water supplies. But the task had been more difficult due to the common Semitic origin of Jews and Arabs. However the Israelis had already figured out specific genetic vulnerabilities, in ‘particularly the Iraqi people’. The US defence secretary was also quoted as confirming that a number of countries were working on genetically-engineered weapons, and one was indeed thought to be Israel.

The Sunday Times said that Jane’s Intelligence Review, citing South African sources, had already published a similar story, and that the Israelis were said to have done their genetic research on Arabic Jews, ‘especially Iraqis’. If these revelations are true, they are particularly shocking for a country like Israel which was founded in the wake of systematic Nazi genocide and depends heavily on Western moral and financial support for its continued existence. Yet with every ‘shock-horror’ military story of this type, it’s always educational to study the timing, which in this case was at the very peak of the latest Iraq crisis. Clearly there would be significant propaganda value in Israel being thought to have weapons designed specifically to exploit Iraqi vulnerabilities, bearing in mind the possibility of Saddam Hussein once more including Israel on his own target list – and the exceedingly hawkish Israeli government now in power.

Either way, whether or not the specific Israeli threat is real, since genetic weapons research is already thought to be under way in various states it is clearly time for this sort of work to be prohibited by international convention, as medical experts in the UK have been saying for some while.

As for Israel, we would hope the government there will realise that Western sympathy for its plight is liable to evaporate rather rapidly if that country sinks to the same sort of ‘Final Solution’ tactics practiced against the Jewish community in World War Two. All Jews should condemn it outright.

It does however highlight the need for the West to get a much firmer grip on Jewish/Arab politics and persuade all the parties that ‘end-game’ policies such as genetic and nuclear warfare are unacceptable as bargaining chips, since their only outcome, if pursued, would be mutual annihilation, hardly a triumph of late 20th century diplomacy.

NANOTECHNOLOGY FOR SOLDIER APPLICATIONS: in mid-98 the US army’s Soldier Systems Command (SSCOM) hosted a conference on ‘Nanotechnology for the Soldier System’.

Nanotechnology, as SSCOM describes it, involves ‘the exploitation of novel phenomena that occur in materiels constructed from constituents that are extremely small. For example, the size of these building blocks used in nanotechnology will range from one millionth to one billionth of a meter.’

SSCOM claims that nanotechnology will significantly reduce the soldier’s load, help track his performance and vastly improve his chemical/biological, ballistic & environmental protection, as well as protecting his eyes from directed energy (as in ‘death rays’).

According to one speaker, “Nanotechnology may benefit the soldier of the future because nanomaterials and devices could provide greater protective and intelligence capabilities at a reduced weight. This should improve the soldier’s mobility, viability and lethality.”

Another said, “Nanomaterials that can be developed and demonstrated for soldier systems in the near term include nanofibers for filtration and chemically protective membranes, nanolayered materiels for packaging and ballistic protection, nanoparticles and nanocomposites for signature reduction and ballistic protection, and nanofoams for new lightweight transparent armor.”

All well & good, but first please ensure you have more than a nanobudget to develop all this stuff.

TAC-LATCH II FOR H&K’S

JB Manufacturing is now manufacturing and marketing the Tac-Latch II, a “Do-it-yourself”, easily installable magazine release mechanism for the H&K “Black Rifles”. The Tac-Latch II is an improved version of the original Tac-Latch introduced in the early 1980’s. The Tac-Latch II provides the H&K shooter with a magazine release that can be used with the left hand much like the “flapper” mag release on the full-auto H&K’s. The Tac-Latch II is easily installed with only a roll pin punch and a hammer. The installation takes only a few minutes and best of all, the Tac-Latch II is priced at a fraction of the cost of an original H&K mag release plus installation. The only difference in the Tac-Latch II and the original H&K mag release is that the flapper on the Tac-Latch II is pushed to the side instead of forward to release the magazine. The new release is made of solid 1018 steel for years of use and is black oxide coated to match the weapons finish. There is also an anti-rattle spring incorporated into the Tac-Latch II for quiet operation. It comes in two models, one for the 308/223 (G-3,91,53,93) series of guns and one for the 9mm (MP-5,94,SP-89). This new release is made right here in the good ole’ USA and carries a lifetime warranty. For more information or to place an order contact: JB Manufacturing, Dept. SAR, 3680 W 4975 S, Roy, Utah 84067. Phone: 1-801-985-3990. Web Site: www.taclatch.com.

PAGER PAL CONCEALMENT HOLSTERS

Pager Pal Concealment Systems now has a full line of quality concealment holsters and accessories. Stepping away from traditional holsters that fall short of total concealment, the patented Pager Pal® holster pioneers the art of concealed carry. Hand made with fine leather, the Pager Pal® allows the user to conceal a handgun, dressed any way, without looking armed. It can be worn without a coat, jacket, untucked shirt or obvious fanny pack. With this holster you can even go without a shirt. The holster can be worn comfortably either sitting or standing. The Pager Pal® offers the utmost in versatility. Your real pager or six interchangeable accessories can be easily attached to the base holster. Accessories include a mini maglight case, knife sheaths available in 4 1/2” and 5 1/2” sizes, leather pager case, simulated pager, badge clip and an eyeglass case. The Pager Pal® is available in sizes for small, medium and large frame handguns, either black or tan finish and right or left-hand draw. Other holsters are available which include the Pant Pal® and the Belt Pal®. For more information contact: Pager Pal Concealment Systems, Dept. SAR, 200 West Pleasantview, Hurst, TX 76054. Phone: 1-817-285-9888. Fax: 1-817-285-8769. They can also be contacted on the web at www.pagerpal.com.

STARLIGHT GUN CASES

What has conquered the salt, sand, dust and temperature extremes of Desert Storm, survived a drop from a five story building with only a scratch, and refused to be crushed under the weight of a HUMVEE or a MK 113 ARMORED TANK? Starlight Gun and Equipment Cases!! Touted as the worlds’ finest cases, these specialized, state of the art containers will protect your valuable weapons, optics, medical instruments, cameras and laptop computers. These cases are specially formulated from a high-density polymer resin for optimum strength. They feature user configurable “Hex-A-Pluk” high-density foam inside to custom fit each case to the users particular item. Other features include an airtight, watertight “O” ring seal on the lids to keep out the environment, spring loaded unbreakable padded handles, removable, hinged lid divider shelf and shoulder strap fittings. The cases also have an air pressure equalizer valve and are watertight to 400 feet! All this and they float too. Cases are available with a floating capacity of up to 175 pounds. All Starlight Cases are rust and corrosion proof, dent proof and are virtually indestructible. The cases are available in five sizes as well as four tubular models for scopes or fishing rods. They come in black, OD green and jungle and desert camo. Other colors are available with minimum order requirements. They are also guaranteed for LIFE. For more information on Starlight Cases contact; New Innovative Products, Inc., Dept. SAR, 2180 Hwy 70A East, P.O. Box 118, Pine Level, NC 27568. Phone: 1-919-965-8643. Fax: 1-919-965-9177. On the web at www.starlightcases.com.

“PLUG” YOUR GLOCK

There is now a product that will protect your Glock handgun’s internal parts from dust, dirt, rain and any other miscellaneous gunk that might cause a malfunction. The new product is called the “Plug” and it snaps into the cavity at the bottom rear of the grip. As many Glock shooters already know, this cavity is actually a hollow tunnel that goes straight through the grip to the underside of the slide. This simple new product plugs that tunnel thus keeping all miscellaneous debris from ending up in your guns sear plate, return spring and firing pin. The plug also makes the gun more “snag free” by closing the cavity. The “Plug” simply snaps into place and locks into the small hole at the rear of the grip. The plug can be removed with a ballpoint pen. The “Plug” is made from a DuPont® plastic called Hytrelr and will last virtually forever. It has a textured finish that matches the Glock finish perfectly. At a retail price of $6.95 what have you got to lose? For more information contact; Jentra Manufacturing, Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 237, 26741 Portolla Parkway, Suite 1E, Foothill Ranch, CA 92610. Phone: 1-714-699-3843.

LOW COST AMMO FROM PARAGON

Dale Thomas, President of Paragon Sales Inc., has just informed Small Arms Review that they have a new shipment of low cost .303 ball ammo for the full-auto enthusiast. The ammo is non-corrosive, with slightly higher than normal pressure, making it suitable for the 1919 Browning machine gun or semi-version only. This clean, surefire ammo is packed loose, 1000 rounds per case and priced at $125.00 per 1000. They also have .303 ball ammo on Vickers belts. This ammo is original British WWII ball packed 250 rounds per tin and 500 per case, on 250 round Vickers belts. It is also clean and surefire priced at $85.00 for 500 rounds; $169.95 per 1000 rounds. Prices include shipping to most states. For more info or to place an order, contact Paragon Sales Inc., Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 2022, Joliet, IL 60434. Phone: 1-815-725-9212.

A term often used in conjunction with U.S. military firearms is DCM, most commonly with the DCM M1 Garand Rifle. New collectors of military arms are sometimes confused by this term and the DCM program itself. This article is intended to explain the DCM program (now called the CMP) and how to obtain a genuine U.S.M1 Garand at a reasonable cost from government storage depots.

A Brief History of the M1 Rifle

Development of the M1 rifle began in 1919 just after the conclusion of WWI. The concept of a semi-automatic military rifle met with a lot of controversy and resistance by many conservative minded individuals. These individuals believed that a semi-automatic service rifle would create an ammunition supply problem, would not be accurate, and would be difficult to manufacture.

Fortunately for the United States there were many forward thinking individuals who believed in the concept of the semi-automatic service rifle, and development went ahead to find a suitable design. Unfortunately politics and the conflicting ideas of many of those involved in the project caused the program to drag on until 1936 when a suitable prototype finally evolved. The basic design was tinkered with until 1940 when large-scale production finally began. Most of the countries involved in World War II relied upon bolt action rifles, many of which were designed prior to World War I. With the modern semi-automatic M1 rifle the U.S. serviceman was the best-equipped soldier in the war.

John C. Garand created the M1 Rifle while he was working at the Springfield Armory. During World War II the M1 Rifle was manufactured by the government operated Springfield Armory and the private Winchester Arms Company. Over 4,000,000 M1s were manufactured from 1937 to 1945. Although the Germans and the Russians during the war fielded semi-automatic rifles, they could not compare to the reliable U.S. M1. The incredible M1 design was to have a service life extending long past the conclusion of World War II.

In 1950 the outbreak of hostilities in Korea brought many of the World War II M1’s out of retirement. Soon it was decided that more M1 Rifles would be needed, and plans were set in motion to resume production. During the Korean Conflict M1 Rifles were manufactured by International Harvester, Harrington & Richardson and the Springfield Armory. In the mid 1950’s about 1,400,000 additional M1 rifles were produced, and many more WWII era rifles were refurbished. Many World War II rifles had to be rebarrled due to the U.S. military’s use of corrosive ammunition during WWII.

Supply and Demand

The M1 Garand continues to be one of the most desired World War II era firearms by both collectors and shooters. Although the M1 Garand rifles are fairly common today it wasn’t always that way. In the 1960’s and 1970’s the M1s were quite scarce in the hands of collectors, and the guns were highly sought after. Welding together parts of M1 receivers that had been demilled by the government fulfilled part of the demand for the rifles. Several enterprising individuals performed this re-welding procedure and the quality ranged from poor to excellent. The problem was knowing which ones were good and which ones were not. The commercial Springfield Armory also produced new M1 receivers and rifles for shooters and collector who didn’t want to take a chance with a welded receiver.

In the mid 1980’s a new trade protection bill was signed into law. A rider, REC S2234, was attached to the bill that would allow weapons on the Curio and Relics list to be imported into the United States for the first time since 1968. This caused a huge influx of M1 Garands, carbines and other military weapons. The condition of these weapons ranged from good to poor. This created a whole new category of collector firearms named “recent imports”. Many purist collectors snubbed the recently imported weapons, mainly because the new law allowing their importation also required the importer’s name to be stamped on the barrel. Some importers did a very nice job making the import stamp as unobtrusive as possible, while others made them as large and unsightly as could be imagined.

Still another popular source for obtaining U.S. issued firearms was the DCM or the Director of Civilian Marksmanship Program. The DCM had 1903 rifles, 1911 pistols and eventually M1 Garands all at reasonable cost, and in serviceable condition ranging from good to excellent. The condition and manufacturer of the M1 rifle received was pure chance. Prices for these weapons in the past have been a real bargain. Until recently M1 Garand rifles could be purchased for $165.00!

The CMP Program

The DCM program was changed in 1996 to the CMP or the Civilian Marksmanship Program. Up until 1996 the U.S. Army administered the program that originally began in 1916. The mission of the CMP program is to promote firearms safety training and rifle practice for all qualified U.S. citizens, with special emphasis on youth programs. The big difference was that the program now had to be financially self-supporting. What this meant was the consumer’s cost of the rifles had to be increased to help support the program. Still, the prices are competitive with the current market value of the guns. Another change in the program is that participants in the program are eligible to purchase one service grade rifle, and one collector grade rifle per year. Prior to these changes participants could only purchase one rifle per lifetime.

The CMP Board of Directors has established the following grades and prices for M1 rifles.

Service Grade- $400.00 these rifles show normal wear. May be light pitting, no guarantee of matching parts. Throat erosion will not exceed a 5.

Select Grade- $550.00 Excellent condition, though no guarantee of matching parts. Bore will gauge 2 or less.

Collector Grade- $750.00. Original as shipped from the manufacturer. These are not new but in very good to excellent condition. Barrel will gauge a 5 or less. This group includes some rare and desirable variations of the M1, however the rifle selection is luck of the draw only.

In addition to the rifle program there is a spare parts program as well, entitling participants to purchase spare parts for M1’s and M14’s (no receivers). From time to time the CMP comes across some small caches of interesting rifles. A lottery is held for those interested in obtaining one of these rifles. Most recently was the lottery for M1D sniper rifles. These desirable rifles were sold for only $650.00 each. There were also a small amount of 1903A3 rifles for $350.00. I’m sorry to report that all of these aforementioned rifles have been sold.

There is an effort being made to allow U.S. M14 rifles to be purchased by program participants. Currently the M14 rifles, because of their full automatic capability are ineligible for the program. It was suggested permanently disabling the full automatic capability of these rifles, but this in conflict with the BATF’s policy that “Once a machine gun, always a machine gun”. Making the M14 rifles eligible for sale in the CMP program would require a change in this point of view. It would be great to have an opportunity to purchase a “real” M14 rather than see them being destroyed as is currently happening. (Editor’s note: removal of the selector position lug on the bottom of the receiver, and several other small modifications would make these virtually indistinguishable from the semi automatic versions)

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to purchase an M1 from the government there are some requirements. First of all you must be a U.S. citizen 18 years of age or older and a current NRA member. Secondly you need to be a member of a club associated with the CMP program. And last of all you need to participate in a CMP sponsored high powered rifle match, show proof of high power rifle activity firing a minimum of 50 rounds or:

1. Have proof of Distinguished Rifleman status
2. A certificate of completion of the Small Arms Firing School at the National Matches, Camp Perry, Ohio.
3. Possess a certified instructor card for “Rifle”
4. Copy of Military I.D. card showing “current” active duty in any U.S. military branch.

All persons must consent to, and pass a background check, which requires the applicant’s fingerprints to be taken. The applicant must comply with all federal, state and local regulations pertaining to the purchase of a CMP M1 rifle. Persons precluded from purchasing firearms by the 1968 Gun Control Act are ineligible for participation in the program.

I recently attended a local CMP match to see first hand exactly what was required to qualify for the purchase an M1 Rifle through the CMP program. I arrived at the Sportsman’s Association of Greensburg shooting range on a Sunday morning and was greeted by Dave Petrun. Dave is an accomplished shooter and one of the clubs range masters. He was very courteous and explained the program to me. As the shooters arrived Dave introduced them to me. Without exception, the shooters were all very friendly and anxious to gain new shooters into their program. The cost of firing the match is $10.00. If you are using an M1 for the match you can obtain 88 rounds of U.S.G.I. 30’06 ammunition in 8 round clips for a donation of $15.00. A portion of the proceeds goes to the NRA.

As the match began the shooters were split into two groups. One group manned the pits to prepare and score the targets. The second group was to be the first shooters. After the first group was done firing they would man the pits for the other group. As I served in the pits I was quite impressed at the tight groups most of the participants were shooting. One needs not be immediately intimidated, because you are not actually competing against their scores. The actual match consists of firing at ranges of: 200-yards, 300-yards and 600 yards*, in timed slow and rapid fire. Various required firing positions were used: standing, sitting and prone. Two sighter shots are allowed at the beginning of each string.

*The actual distance for the third portion of the match is intended to be 600 yards, but due to the limited ranges of most clubs a 300-yard modified event is substituted. Smaller targets are used to compensate for the shorter distance.

On the firing line the shooters choice of weapons varied from a 1903 rifle to exotic match AR-15s. My host Dave explained to me that many of the shooters at first were reluctant to use the AR-15 for match shooting. They were afraid that the weapon would not be competitive, especially at the longer ranges. There was some pressure from the program directors to use the AR15, because these were service rifle matches, and the AR15 (M16) has been the standard service rifle in all branches of the U.S. military for over 30 years. Dave explained further that as shooters slowly adopted the AR15s they found that the small 5.56mm rifle could be competitive, and the shooters found that the rifle to be more reliable, having fewer parts breakage problems.

Being almost exclusively a submachine gun shooter for so many years, I had forgotten how interesting and enjoyable other aspects of the shooting sport could be. The only problem I had was that those targets looked so small at 300 yards…

For the CMP applications contact:

Civilian Marksmanship Program
ATT: M1 Sales
PO Box 576
Port Clinton, Ohio 43452
Phone: (888) 267-0796
Email: applications@odcmp.com

Special thanks to Dave Petrun, Dave Demegone, & all the members of the Sportsman’s Association.

In the previous issue, we discussed the silenced P9S pistol developed for the U.S. Navy which featured an innovative stainless steel silencer developed at Qual-A-Tec and manufactured by Heckler & Koch GmbH. The Small Suppressor was designed to work with the MP5-N and MP5K-N submachine guns as well as the P9S pistol. The P9S pistol and Small Suppressor system became standard issue in the 1986, replacing the MK 3 suppressor and MK 3 MOD 0 pistol. The previous discussion detailed the design and manufacturing of the Small Suppressor and alluded to the Large Suppressor, which was developed when the Navy discovered that the otherwise outstanding aluminum silencer built in Germany for the MP5SD integrally silenced submachine gun was subject to severe saltwater corrosion. In this issue, we’ll wrap up the discussion of H&K’s Small Suppressor and conclude with a look at the Large Suppressor designed for the MP5SD-N integrally silenced submachine gun.

Both the Small Suppressors and Large Suppressors of Qual-A-Tec design were manufactured by H&K in house at Chantilly, Virginia, and subsequently at Sterling, VA. It is interesting that a German technician would always supervise a production run of suppressors to ensure quality control. The welding required for this design was particularly demanding, and the in-house reject rate (before reworking the bullet passage by line-boring a second time) was perhaps 20 percent until H&K built a special TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welder for fabricating the Qual-A-Tec designs. The reject rate immediately dropped to 1-3 percent (before reworking the bullet passage by line boring a second time).

While not required by the end-user, H&K always test fired each and every Small Suppressor on an MP5 with optical sight to ensure that the can delivered outstanding accuracy at 100 meters. One man would shoot one gun while another exchanged suppressors on a second gun, enabling them to test a lot of cans throughout the course of a night at the in-house range. Using almost any ammunition of the day, the MP5 with Small Suppressor would deliver 6-8 inch (15-20 cm) five-shot groups when fired in semiautomatic mode. Using Winchester 115-grain JHP ammunition, the Small Suppressor on an MP5 usually delivered 2-4 inch (5-10 cm) five-round group. A given gun would be more accurate with a suppressor than without, presumably because the weight of the suppressor dampened barrel harmonics. If the suppressor failed the accuracy test, redressing the bullet passage through the suppressor to remove any burrs usually corrected any accuracy problems. If that failed, it was destroyed. H&K delivered somewhere between 1,000 and 1,500 Small Suppressors to the U.S. Navy between 1986 and 1989.

The Small Suppressor we examined with a P9S pistol featuring standard fixed sights has the following markings: CAL. 9MM HK INC CHANTILLY VA SN 91 1156-1.

This particular weapon and suppressor were used for the testing of terminal ballistics during the Navy’s quest for an improved 9x19mm round for CT (counter-terrorist) missions. The mid- to late 1980s were an important time in the history of handgun ammunition. U.S. ammunition manufacturers competed in the development of improved handgun projectiles for law-enforcement applications. Simultaneously, U.S. military units with responsibility for in extremis missions (such as hostage rescue) sought projectiles that increased the likelihood of incapacitating the target, while reducing over-penetration which could place both hostages and rescue personnel at risk. Thus, the Small Suppressor was at the right place at the right time to provide the Navy with both a superior tactical tool as well as a handy research tool for the development of new ammunition.

H&K’s Large Suppressor

H&K began the development of an integrally suppressed version of the MP5 in the late 1960s. Herr Kästner developed this first variant of the MP5SD, which featured aggressive slot-shaped barrel ports designed to rapidly vent combustion gases into metal mesh, which was combined with a series of five baffles in front of the barrel. But the mesh fouled so quickly that it had to be replaced every 70 rounds and the slots significantly reduced barrel strength, so H&K began the quest for a more durable suppressor soon after this first variant of the MP5SD was produced in 1968.

Working from 1970 to June 1972, Walter Wolf subsequently developed a silencer featuring a coaxial design that employed aluminum square tubing for the inner coaxial structure and round aluminum tubing for the outer casing. The square tubing begins life as an aluminum extrusion, which is then machined so opposing sections on all four sides of the tubing, can be bent inward and welded to form four pairs of baffles. The machined cuts are designed so that one cut section is shorter than the section facing it, forming V-shaped baffles that point at the chamber. Since the facing legs of the V have different lengths, the bent sections of extruded tubing form asymmetrical surfaces for increasing the turbulence of combustion gases within the suppressor. Machined adapters are then welded in place at each end of the square module to center the module inside the outer tube. The net result is a coaxial design, with the inner coaxial chamber being square in cross section rather than circular. One adapter nestles in a channel cut in the dome’s front end cap, while the other is threaded to mate with the separate tube that surrounds the ported barrel. Once the adapters are welded in place, the square module assembly is bored for a bullet passage. The domed front end cap and rear end cap of the Wolf silencer are glued into place, so the suppressor must be submerged in a solvent such as Varsol for several days for periodic cleaning. Simply drain and blow out with compressed air.

The system is ingenious, well suited for mass production, and quiet. The patented Wolf silencer is 11.88 inches (30.2 cm) long and 1.58 inches (4.0 cm) in diameter. The aluminum silencer weighs 1.0 pounds (0.45 kg). When fitted with the aluminum silencer and retractable stock extended, the MP5SD3 is 30.4 inches (77.2 cm) long and it weighs 7.5 pounds (3.4 kg) empty and 8.7 pounds (3.9 kg) with a loaded 30-round magazine.

The Navy discovered that the aluminum components of the MP5SD suppressor were subject to saltwater corrosion. This stimulated Qual-A-Tec to develop a suppressor for the MP5SD that was fabricated entirely out of stainless steel. While heavier than the original factory silencer, Q’s stainless suppressor not only mitigated saltwater corrosion problems, it was also quieter than the Wolf design. Qual-A-Tec produced only a small number of these replacement suppressors before licensing the technology to Heckler & Koch. This design became the so-called Large Suppressor which H&K subsequently delivered to the Navy. Like its smaller sibling, the Large Suppressor also used Q’s Type 3 baffle.

The Large Suppressor is 12.40 inches (31.5 cm) long and 1.63 inches (4.14 cm) in diameter. The stainless steel silencer weighs 2.24 pounds (1.02 kg). Because the Large Suppressor had a greater diameter than the German can (due to using tubing of Imperial rather than metric measurements), H&K had to mill down the cocking lever supports on the MP5SD-N to provide clearance for the stainless suppressor when locking the cocking lever back in the detent.

The baffle stack of the Large Suppressor is about as long as the Small Suppressor, but the stainless steel replacement can for the MP5SD only incorporates six Type 3 baffles. This silencer features a domed front-end cap and a long primary expansion chamber. Designed to envelop the MP5SD’s ported barrel, the primary expansion chamber adds considerable length to the rear of the suppressor. This rear portion of the silencer is 4.75 inches (12.1 cm) long. The primary expansion chamber vents into a cylindrical coaxial expansion chamber via three rows of six large (0.50 inch, 1.3 cm) holes. A muzzle support separates the rear-most chambers from a secondary expansion chamber formed by a cylindrical spacer that fits tightly against the outer suppressor tube. Ports in the muzzle support enable gases from the chambers surrounding the barrel to continue forward through the suppressor, which prevents the buildup of back pressure from limiting the effectiveness of the primary expansion chamber and the coaxial chamber surrounding it. A cylindrical spacer separates the rearmost baffle from the muzzle support. Otherwise the design and function of the conical spacers is comparable to the Small Suppressor. The baffles have a larger diameter and, therefore, larger coaxial and annular expansion chambers to enhance the performance of the suppressor.

The Type 3 baffle used in the Large Suppressor is 1.19 inches (30.3 mm) long and has a diameter of 1.49 inches (37.7 mm). The cut-off chord is 0.78 inches (19.9 mm) long and has a maximum depth of 0.17-inch (4.4 mm) from the circumference of the rear baffle face. The rear face of the baffle has a diameter of 1.40 inches (35.6 mm) and the lip on the front of the conical spacer is 0.20 inch high with a wall thickness of 0.037-inch (0.94 mm). The LOA of the conical spacer and lip is 0.90 inch (22.9 mm). The bullet passage has a diameter of 0.39 inches (9.8 mm). The annular expansion chamber has a depth of 0.35 inch (8.9 mm) as measured from the diameter of the baffle’s front face, and the annular chamber has a length of 0.15 inch (3.8 mm). The three outlets venting from the annular expansion chamber into the slanted sidewall bullet passage have a diameter of 1/8-inch (3.2 mm). The slots in the rear face of the baffle are 1.0-inch (25.4-mm) long and 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) in width. An individual stainless steel baffle made for the Large Suppressor weighs 1.7 ounces (49 grams).

When fitted with the stainless steel Large Suppressor and folding stock extended, the MP5SD-N is 31.0 inches (78.7 cm) long, and it weighs 8.7 pounds (4.0 kg) empty and 9.9 pounds (4.5 kg) with a loaded 30-round magazine. Heckler & Koch made perhaps 750 Large Suppressors in Virginia, most of which went to the Navy between 1986 and 1989.

An interesting footnote to this story is that H&K still uses the extruded aluminum, square tubing silencer developed by Walter Wolf in the early 1970s as the standard issue sound suppressor on the MP5SD. A recently introduced, very simple modification to that design provides an impressive 3-decibel gain in sound reduction.

Conclusions

While the suppressed H&K P9S pistol was outstanding technology, the Teams seemed to prefer using a silenced submachine gun over a silenced 9mm pistol in the decade following the introduction of the Small Suppressor. Therefore, this silencer was normally fielded on an MP5-N or MP5K-N submachine gun. Despite the fact that the Navy adopted the .45 caliber Mark 23 Mod. 0 pistol from Heckler and Koch and the Model OHG suppressor from Knight’s Armament in 1996, the suppressed P9S pistol can still be found in the arms rooms of the Teams and are still available for missions. It is safe to say that the H&K P9S pistol with H&K’s Small Suppressor remains one of the best silenced 9x19mm pistols ever fielded by a military unit.

The stainless steel Large Suppressor designed for the MP5SD-N was about 19 ounces (0.55 kg) heavier than the aluminum factory silencer used in the MP5SD, but it provided the corrosion resistance necessary for amphibious operations in the marine environment. The Large Suppressor also provided superior sound reduction to the excellent German-made aluminum suppressor. While both the Large and Small Suppressors designed by Qual-A-Tec are now out of production, they represented a major improvement in the evolution of silencer technology when Heckler & Koch began producing them in 1986. Robust, accurate and quiet—these stainless steel sound suppressors fundamentally changed the subsequent direction of silencer design around the world. Heckler & Koch and Qual-A-Tec wrote a very important chapter of silencer history with their collaboration on the Large and Small Suppressors, and these outstanding sound suppressors remain in service to this day.

Author’s note: I would like to thank Frank W. James, Doug Olson, N.R. Parker, Hays Parks, and Jim Schatz for their considerable help with my research into this story.

We have a few new and exciting things in progress that I think you just may be interested in. First and foremost, SAR has a new Web-site. Our last one got a little stale, mainly due to inattention and lack of time and this has now been rectified. Actually that is a fancy way to tell you that one day Dan said to me “Jeff, do you know how to build and maintain a web-site?” Without any necessity to think about it at all, I quickly answered him with a “Hell no.” He thought about it for a second and followed up with something like “Isn’t it about time to learn?” And here we are.

Anyway, our new site is on-line and being updated on a regular basis. It’s main purpose is to provide information about the magazine, and the firearms we cover. It should be a good reference source for you to utilize at your convenience. On the new site, we have included a complete listing of all our back issues. There is a photo of each cover, and when you click on one, you will see the table of contents for that issue. Something else many of you may find useful is a complete index of every article in Volume 1. This should assist you in locating information on particular firearms, or on articles written by a particular author.

For your convenience, we will provide a listing on our new web-site of retail locations where the Small Arms Review is available. This information is being posted only after receiving written permission from our venders and we will update it every month. We have included some advertising information, a full list of contacts, and a page for the other publications available from Moose Lake Publishing. We have included a page of some interesting links, and would welcome requests to add others. If you have any comments or ideas for our site, please feel free to e-mail me at Production@wtvl.net, or write to my attention at the office.

The thought of hosting a “Chat Area” and “Bulletin Board” came up and was squashed in about 2 minutes. There were two immediate reasons we made this decision. Number one is that I don’t have the time to provide our site the constant attention necessary to maintain and moderate areas of that nature. The second reason is that Tom Bowers is doing such an awesome job with his site we have decided it would be counter productive to start another. I spoke with Tom about throwing our support behind his effort since he provides such an important service to our community and we were met with open arms. (That is just a matter of speech. Big, hairy machine gunners don’t often actually hug!) If you have not been to his board, you are really missing quite a good resource. He has areas to buy and sell related items, and chat areas. He also has quite an impressive collection of Mac parts he sells. He does a great job moderating the board and doesn’t put up with any B.S. for very long. Check it out. It can be reached at http://www.subguns.com. As a special feature, in an upcoming issue we will be publishing an interview with Mr. Bowers.

While on the computer subject, another computer related item has crossed my desk recently. While not really Internet related, I certainly think it is of interest to all. The first is a collection of gun related “Wallpaper” for your computer Desktop. Arizona Corporate Productions has compiled a CD-ROM assortment of over 40 images that range from machine guns to antique firearms. The CD is packaged very professionally, the software is very user friendly, and their instructions are easy to follow. The CD retails for $19.95 and are currently available through Brownells and Dillon Precision. Quantity dealer discounts are available by contacting Arizona Corporate Productions. System requirements are 16MB of RAM, and Windows 95 or newer operating system.

Arizona Corporate Productions (ACP)
9393 North 90th Street
Suite 102-169
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Phone: (602)-391-1191
Fax: (602)391-3303
Email: AZCorpPro@worldnet.att.net

Collecting military steins is a vast and rewarding avocation in and of itself. With a rich history spanning several centuries of military motifs
decorated on beer steins there is a lot of room for specialization. For the purposes of this article we will take a look at steins with machine gun
images as artwork as they relate to commemorate service with machine gun units.

Beer steins with lids were mandated by law in Germany in the 16th century as one of many sanitary precautions aimed against diseases and plagues. Steins were to be made of materials such as glass, porcelain, stoneware or metal rather than porous earthenware or wood and lids were made of tin or pewter. Because the steins were now more costly to produce and thus expensive to own, they became deserving of intricate decorative artwork usually portraying something of a personal nature of the owner or commemorating a special event to which the owner was associated.

German military steins were not an item given or issued by the military. They were privately purchased by the soldier or reservist, or given as a
gift, to commemorate a soldier’s time in service, usually upon discharge from active service to the reserves. The stein could be personalized with their name, rank, time in service, branch of service, and a roster of comrades in arms from his unit and typically had “Erinnerung an Meine
Dienstzeit” (In Remembrance of My Service Time) printed on the stein. Commemorative German steins were almost always the purview of the enlisted soldier. Very few were made for career NCOs and almost none for officers.

The large Prussian regimental steins from 1888 to 1914 were beautifully made being about 11 inches tall holding approximately one half liter of liquid and generally made of fine porcelain. They were decorated in very colorful enameling with a pewter lid that often contained a finial on top that related to the branch of service they were in. These steins also generally had a translucent lithopane scene in their base. This means that at first glance the bottom of the inside of the stein appears to be just a white bottom. But when held up to a light source a scene (typically of a soldier and his girlfriend) can be seen through the bottom. These tall porcelain steins were very expensive and with the outbreak of World War I this style of stein was discontinued.

World War I era steins were smaller in overall size though still held a half liter of liquid. They were simpler in construction, not as ornate and
generally made of glazed stoneware. Their decorations, instead of being enameled, were print-under-glaze decals though they could still be
personalized with name, rank, period of service, etc. This style of stein continued through the inter-war Reichswehr period (1919-1935) and into the Third Reich era. However, stein production started to be drastically reduced in 1939 as World War II was gearing up and actually very few 1940s steins were made and even fewer survived as they were systematically destroyed. Many of the Nazi era steins that do survive today that had the swastika as part of its decoration has had the swastika removed as part of the de-nazification program after the war.

Rare, interesting, historic and colorful, every classic machine gunner should be drinking his beer out of one of these steins. (After they are done for the day on the range, of course!)