Hinderikus (Henk) Lucas Visser was born in the City of Groningen, the capital of Groningen Province in the northeast of the Netherlands, on 5 August 1923. Henk was very involved in the CETME rifle project, the original HK G3, Stoner’s projects (most notably the Stoner 63A1), Oerlikon, Mauser, and many other historical events that impact on the small arms community today. Smallarmsreview.com is pleased to bring this lengthy and comprehensive interview to our readers from our 2006 issue and will be presented in two parts. – Dan Shea, SAR Editor-in-Chief

SAR: Thanks for joining us, Henk. I guess the readers would like to know what got you started with firearms – what was your first gun?

Visser: My first gun was an old pinfire revolver, which you could buy for about two bucks in those days. I was maybe fifteen years old. Pinfire ammunition was very rare so I just collected these and enjoyed looking at them and I would hide them from my mother who did not approve. My father had died when I was ten years old. Later in life my mother would complain about my gun collecting habits, but I would say, “Mother, it’s your own fault. You never bought me an air rifle.”

SAR: And your interest in military firearms?

Visser: I had wanted to be in the military, so as soon as I could ride my bicycle, I was always around the barracks in Groningen and the nearby airfield. After the German occupation of Holland, May 10, 1940, there wasn’t much hope for me to join the Dutch army. I was still in high school, and was definitely not a Nazi sympathizer. With friends, we harassed the occupying military units, and I was arrested by the Germans but managed to talk my way out of it several times. I was eighteen years old when the SD (German Sicherheitsdienst) finally arrested me.

SAR: What were the charges? And, I suppose, were you actually guilty?

Visser: Guilty as charged. Sabotage, gun possession, those were the main charges. It was May 5th, 1942 when the German SD arrested me. It was in the classroom, in front of all the other kids. (Laughs) It was quite something! On one occasion I had broken into the German barracks and put a match to a wooden building that the Germans were setting up for storing radio transmitters. It was at the airfield next to our town that the Germans had expanded and made into a bigger airfield. They held me, because the last thing I did was to break into the Navy officers’ mess, and I stole a K98, a machine pistol, a pistol, ammo and some of their papers. We had a small group of people that had gotten together to do this, and there was one man who was a traitor, he tried to blackmail me. Anyway, the Dutch police got involved, and I got arrested. Then in July I had a Navy court-martial in the town of Utrecht.

SAR: So, your first machine gun involved getting a Navy court-martial from the Germans while you were in high school?

Visser: (Laughs) Yes, and they condemned me to death and also three years for another break-in in a Dutch Nazi gunsmith shop in town.

SAR: An additional three years?

Visser: With the Germans, you were condemned separately for each crime and punished that way as well. I had a friend in jail, a cadet from the Dutch military academy, who was condemned separately to death three times, plus ten years, and four months. His father was very rich, and he started paying people off, so the Germans took off two of the death sentences and shot him for the third. My uncle, who was a director of the Dutch Philips electronic company, knew one of the German supervisors of the factory and tried to get me off. He told the supervisor, “You have to go and see if you can get the boy pardoned since his mother is a widow and only has one other younger son.” The supervisor went to see Seis Inquart, the German ruler of Holland, who said that this was a job only for the military. He suggested that my uncle should talk to General Christiansen, who was the military commander in Holland…but he also said no, and he said that Dutch high school boys who think that they can make a joke out of the German Army will be shot. So my mother was quite desperate, and she went with our lawyer to see the German Navy commander herself. Just to let you know how these Germans were; he lived in a big villa…my mother and our lawyer passed the guards at the gate, rang the bell, and a Navy sailor opened the door. He took the letter that my mother had brought asking for a pardon, and left my mother and the lawyer standing outside in the rain for half an hour. Then the door opened again and the same sailor gave the letter back to my mother, torn in half.

My mother was very desperate at this point. Her father had a butcher shop in town, and next to that was a vegetable shop…our two families were good friends. One of the children of the vegetable shop owner, Kees Veening, had gone to live in Berlin to be a speech therapist, teaching them how to breathe, etc. Kees Veening had a neighbor, and they became good friends. The neighbor was a historian, a reservist in the German army and was called up for duty in 1938. He had become a general and was responsible for the daily historical facts in Hitler’s headquarters, the “Wolfschanze.” This man had an idea: if he could get a hold of my file from the Dutch prison and keep it, the Germans in Holland would not be able to shoot me. So I sat for three months in the section of the prison where they kept the prisoners who were condemned to die, and oftentimes at 5 in the morning you would hear the Germans with the steel-toed boots coming up to take one or two of us out to be shot. So the question was always, “Who’s next?” I was there for three months.

SAR: On a German death row cellblock for three months, waiting to be shot every day?

Visser: Yes. You had to take all of your clothes off at night, so that if you escaped during the night you’d be naked. One night, there was a tremendous row and shouting and a group of drunken German guards came knocking on my door. I was sleeping on a straw bale, so I got up and ran to the window, stood at attention, reported myself and my punishment. The Germans shouted “Visser, who was condemned to death…You swine, our Führer has pardoned you!” After repeating this several times they threw my door closed, and I thought, “Oh, this is wonderful,” and went back to sleep on my straw bale. The next morning I realized that I had made it, and had gotten 15 years in a German prison instead. Later I learned that the German historian had waited until the Germans were throwing a party for their successes in Russia. They had taken over a million prisoners at that occasion and were celebrating. They were extremely pleased and were drinking champagne in Hitler’s headquarters. As Hitler was sitting at the table, the historian, General Scherff, approached with the letter from my mother and explained the story. Hitler looked up and said, “A friend of yours, eh?” and Hitler himself crossed out “Death Penalty” and wrote “15 years Zuchthaus” instead. When the people at my prison got the telex message from the Wolfschanze, they got drunk and came to my door at 2 or 3 in the morning to tell me that I had made it.

SAR: Well, there’s a project for some of our better connected readers. Somewhere, there is a piece of paper with Adolf Hitler’s handwriting on it that freed Henk Visser from a death sentence.

Visser: Yes, yes, I would pay $10,000 for that piece of paper! I was then transported to prison in Germany, a prison with small factories inside. There I had to work very hard, we had to make little aluminum cylinders. After the war, while taking apart a 20mm shell, I found one of those little cylinders. It was an aluminum detonator. We had to fashion them and drill a hole through them and of course thread them. We would make 5,000 of these per day and if you didn’t make 5,000 then you only got a liter of cabbage soup instead of 1.5 liters. Cabbage soup may not sound very special, but in the prison, an extra 0.5 liter of soup was important! So we made 5,000 per day.

We were in a very old prison called Zuchthaus Reinbach, near Bonn. Then I was moved to another prison called Zuchthaus Siegburg, on the other side of Bonn, and there I also worked for my dinner. I repaired military uniforms, and worked in a tool making shop. We worked about twelve hours a day in shifts, sometimes during the day and sometimes during the night. I must say I was lucky; in a concentration camp I would have died. In these prisons you had a roof over your head. It was a big building with thick walls, and if it was 20 degrees below zero outside it was only just freezing inside, which was cold but you didn’t freeze to death. We had guards who had been guards for all of their lives, they were professionals and so there were not many beatings or much abuse. We had some new guards who came in from the Eastern front missing an arm or something, and since they really couldn’t do a good job they would sometimes beat us to take revenge.

Anyway, I got very ill. I had tuberculosis in my lungs, intestines, on my vocal cords, and on a heart valve. I was dying and my weight was 100 pounds. Still, I was always treated a little differently from the other prisoners.

SAR: You must have had some pull from somewhere.

Visser: They knew I had received a pardon from Hitler himself, and the General Scherff sometimes inquired about how I was doing, so yes, they were careful with me. I was taken to the prison hospital. It was unbelievable, there were 3,000 prisoners with half of them sick and there were only 14 beds in the hospital. I got one of those beds, and I was dying. My uncle, who’s company Philips also owned a lot of factories in Germany, started inquiring about how I was doing. He was told that I was ill, but treated very well, and that I was cared for by nuns and that every day I would get an egg, but my uncle didn’t trust them. He sent someone who talked to the director of the Zuchthaus who reported that I couldn’t talk anymore and that I was dying. So he had his lawyers look over the German law regarding prisoners, and they found an old law that said if you were incarcerated and dying, you could go home to die. All of the judges that condemned me would have to sign off for my release, so my uncle went to see all five of the judges, at that time they were dispersed all over Germany because of fear for an invasion in Holland. When all of them signed I was sent home, but because of my contagious disease, I wasn’t allowed to go back by train. They didn’t want me infecting anybody else. The Phillips people had an ambulance that ran on propane, but since the gas stations were so far apart in Germany, they put the ambulance on top of a truck and trailer which ran on a wood burning gas generator. They came with a nurse to the prison, and through my uncle managed to rescue my hospital cellmate as well, another Dutch student from Groningen. We drove back through Germany and I was very happy to see buildings still on fire from Allied bombings. We got back to Holland and they hid me in a Roman Catholic sanatorium in Bilthoven. I was there for two and a half years, recovering.

SAR: Was that the end of the war?

Visser: On the 18th of May, 1944 I got out of Germany. The liberation of Europe happened while I was convalescing, and at the end of 1946 I went home.

SAR: It must have taken a long time to build your strength back.

Visser: I felt ok, I did what I had to do, and I could even bicycle a little bit. My mother made me go back to high school; she said I needed a high school diploma. (laughs) Of course the military was out of the question for me, because of my weak lungs. I wanted to go to the police academy, but was offered a job as a sales inspector in Java, in the East Indies – formerly the Dutch East Indies – and I accepted. The company had me tested to make sure that my health was alright, it was, and I was approved to go and work in the tropics.

SAR: Was this a firearms related job you were looking for in the tropics?

Visser: No, it was in the tobacco industry. I was in Java for five years where I worked and hunted; wild boar, mostly. I had a German 7mm rifle with a 12 gauge shotgun barrel. My job was inspecting the cigarettes sold by our company in Java. We manufactured the cigarettes, and wanted to make sure that the cigarettes weren’t being sold or bought on the black market. There were many Chinese sales outlets all over Indonesia and the islands that needed to be inspected. I traveled a lot, all over Java, and for a while I lived in Jakarta, Malang and Semarang. There were about five Europeans running the factory, and for a year and a half I was the chief purchasing agent. This was from 1950 until 1955. (Dolf mentions that he was there at the same time, too bad they hadn’t met at that point.) It was a fantastic time; the company was really well run. The Dutch people who were running it were no-nonsense and everything was always ok. Holland had given up Indonesia in December of 1949, and the bad thing was (and I’m very pro-American) that under American pressure, they pushed the Dutch out and threatened to stop the Marshall Plan for Holland. There were millions of dollars going into rebuilding the Netherlands. So you can understand that our government gave in.

SAR: (Dolf) The Americans pushed the Dutch into giving up the country. My father was very bitter about that, too.

Visser: Yes, yes, the Americans had the idea of instituting liberty and democracy and everything Western, but we were not ready for it! Our Queen Wilhelmina had already said in 1942 that Indonesia would be a free country in the future; the process would have only taken about 15 years to complete.

SAR (Dan): In America we tend to think that there’s a magic wand for those who’ve been under colonial control or subjugation or despotic control, that they can suddenly handle freedom. I don’t want to get too far off the subject, but I’ve seen it too many times in too many places. Often we think we can touch a country and suddenly it’s free. It’s certainly not that simple. Henk, you lived right through the middle of the Jakarta incidents? Is this the point where you started to develop more of an interest in machine guns?

Visser: No, Dan, I have always been crazy about weapons. But going through the war years changed my perception of the world. When the Germans first “arrived,” they acted nice and very friendly. Holland was very wealthy and a rich booty. When it came to food I saw German soldiers go into Dutch shops to buy and eat an entire stick of butter, they hadn’t seen real butter in so long. Other things too, pastries, breads, all sorts of foods, they took them back home to their families. So in the beginning there wasn’t any ill treatment, but as every good Dutchman, I hated them from the very first moment. It wasn’t until later that the Germans showed their real character. They cleaned out the whole country. I actually started my collecting interest with military weapons when I got home from prison and the sanatorium. There was a gun in almost every home, taken from the Germans when they fled. I had friends at the police department, so if they had a really nice machine gun I was able to shoot it or buy it if they didn’t require it.

SAR: This was before your journey to Indonesia? Were you able to pick up many rare guns?

Visser: Yes, this was from 1947 to 1949. My interest in collecting military firearms was very intense, starting then. In those days it was all the common guns, also French guns that the Germans used. For instance, the first French machine gun that I got was a Hotchkiss 1914. It was a great big machine gun with cooling fins and a huge tripod. I was very interested in German sniper rifles at the time. When I went to Indonesia, I had to hide my collection in my mother’s house, since I had no license for these guns.

SAR: Are we seeing a pattern of youthful disregard for gun laws here?

Visser: (laughs) Yes, yes, and they were all cleaned very well before I left, so that when I returned there wasn’t a spot of rust on any of them.

SAR: When did you get involved in arms trading?

Visser: On my way to an appointment I stopped at a gun shop in a small street in Groningen. The guy that owned the shop had also spent some time in a German prison, as well as a concentration camp. In the shop I met a gentleman who was on the board of an ammunition factory in the south of Holland, he invited me to come and see the operation. I went there; it was a small factory that had just received an order for .30 carbine ammo from the Americans. The factory itself was a mess. I was told that the chairman of the board from the factory would like to talk to me; he offered me a job as director. He told me that the founder of the factory had died and that his younger brother wasn’t doing a good job running things. I said no, I didn’t want that job; I wanted to go back to Indonesia.

My boss back in Indonesia was a colonialist. He worked us to death, we never got enough salary, but we still led a wonderful life. He would always say, “Do this and I’ll give you a raise and a promotion.” I learned that even if I got a promotion, there would be no raise for me. He told me to go to Jakarta for a year and if I did a good job there, I would get a raise and a promotion, but when my review came up, I got a good promotion but no raise, as usual. He always had another task for me but I never got a raise. After five years, I got 8 months furlough. Usually when people went on furlough they would go straight home to Holland, but I asked if I could go to America. My boss agreed to pay for it, saying that I wasn’t such a bad guy. I flew to the Cocos Islands, Australia, lots of other small islands, Samoa, and then on to Hawaii, Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, Boston to visit a friend, and down to Washington D.C.

SAR: That doesn’t explain your start in the arms trade…

Visser: I am getting to it, Dan, patience. Before I went on vacation my boss in Indonesia began to worry about the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer, which was getting more and more attention in America. He asked me to see how the American tobacco companies were dealing with it. I went to Philip Morris, and they told me that more and more people were buying mentholated and filtered cigarettes because the public thought that they were not as bad. I wrote back to my boss what the Americans had told me, and he quickly started ordering the machinery to manufacture filtered cigarettes. These of course are more dangerous than unfiltered cigarettes because it allows you to smoke the cigarette all the way to the filter. You end up inhaling far more tar, etc. than you would get from smoking a cigarette without filter.

My boss had told me that upon my return from furlough I would become the Inspector for the Island of Sumatra. And so again I asked him if I would get my raise, he said that we would discuss it when I returned. He was in Holland at the same time, so I traveled to Eindhoven where he was with his family and had dinner with him. I asked him during dinner if I would finally get the position I wanted, with a higher salary and the ability to sign for the company as a representative. (Editor’s note: In Europe, the right to sign documents in the name of the company puts you in a much higher level socially. You generally get a much better salary.) He said that if I did a good job working in Sumatra that I would get the position I wanted. At that moment I realized he was lying, and the next morning I started talking to the people from the ammunition factory again. I asked for what was at that time a fantastic salary, not at all contingent on how the company did at the end of the year. They accepted!

SAR: So your international weapons career started in the ammunition factory in Hertogenbosch in Holland.

Visser: You might say it started when I was making those fuzes in a German prison (Laughs). But, I’ll tell you, my first day as director there, I almost cried. There were two secretaries, and neither one could write or type a letter without mistakes. Everything looked horrible and unprofessional from that office on down to the factory. I had to fight to straighten out that company. When I arrived, there were 63 people working there, and when I left there were over a 1,000.

SAR: Did this job lead to you becoming a member of the 7.62 NATO council?

Visser: After the cigarette factory in Indonesia, I think this was a really big start for me. I got a call one day from an American friend at the Pentagon who said, “Henk, we know you’re working on blanks with a lengthened case so that they feed automatically. We don’t have that, and this morning during a mock battle in Panama the American side had to shout “Poof! Poof!” because they had no blanks that would function automatically in their weapons. The general who was responsible for Panama got mad and demanded immediate delivery of the special blanks.”

I said to my friend that I could get some of my guys and some of our new blanks, cases, powder, tools and the necessary weapons, and fly over to see what we could do. We flew to Washington and went from there to Frankfurt Arsenal, where testing began on our ammo. Whether fired from a gun that had been in a freezer or not, our blanks worked perfectly! The guys from Frankfurt Arsenal wanted to inspect our blanks and see how they could copy them, but they didn’t have the time. The Pentagon wanted 45 million blank rounds in cal. 7.62 NATO, and we would get one-third of the order, which for us was a very, very big order. We were very excited until one day I got a call from them with sad news. They said that Congress refused to release the money needed for that big order and instead specified that only 30 million rounds would be purchased, with the order going to Frankfurt Arsenal, so we lost out. This was a big blow to our company, but there was also good news. They told me that they understood that we wanted to make 20mm aircraft ammo. They offered me a 20mm ammunition factory for free, with new machinery and everything, in St. Louis, that had been used to manufacture .60 caliber ammo and later 20mm aircraft ammo. It had been “mothballed” for use in an emergency.

SAR: The early M39 revolver cannon series, the T161s, were T130E3 .60 caliber machine guns before they were moved into the 20mm range.

Visser: Yes, it was the plant for that ammunition. We went to St. Louis to look at it, and we were flabbergasted. Everything, the machines, the tools, etc. was brand new, and just for us. I went back to Holland to arrange for transport. I came back to the Pentagon (which was very easy to just walk into in those days) to talk to Colonel Moor and a couple of other officials, but they had sad news again. “We cannot give you the plant,” they said. They saw my reaction…and after a long pause continued, “But we can sell you the plant for a $1,000.” We paid the thousand dollars and brought all of the machinery back to Holland. The end result was that once we got operational we supplied every NATO Air Force with the 20mm rounds: the Brits, the Norwegians, the Germans, the Dutch, everybody. Later, when the Vietnam War began, the US Air Force realized that they did not have enough 20mm rounds. They requested an order for 10 million 20mm rounds. Our Holland plant could fill that order so a meeting took place at the pentagon. One of the officials said, “This is crazy! Lake City is not the only ammunition plant we have. Don’t we have one in the South?” Colonel Moor pointed at me and said, “Yes, and HE has that plant.” (Visser laughs) So we used the plant from St. Louis to fill a 23 million dollar order for 10 million rounds.

SAR: Like all good arms dealers, I love a story where you get a plant for surplus and then get to sell the product back to your source (laughter). Henk, that probably would have been 1967 or 1968 and jumps us too far ahead in this story. When did you first get involved with Armalite?

Visser: Ah, patience, Dan, patience. First we must address the CETME (Centro de Estudios Technicales de Materiales Especiales) program. When I started to work in Holland for NWM in 1955, they had an advisor that was a retired Dutch rear admiral who became a very good friend of mine. He had been in Spain recently (he spoke fluent Spanish), where some Spanish and Germans had been working on a new gun made from sheet steel. I knew of some of the developments that had been done in Germany with the Sturmgewehr, and I flew to Madrid. The operations there were very isolated from the outside world. The main operation was on the CETME rifle. They showed me the whole factory, and pointed out some of the small tools and things that they were missing which I could supply, so I told them I’d help out. I became very friendly with them, and pretty soon I had my own CETME rifle to take back with me to Holland. That rifle…that’s a whole other story.

It was made for special ammunition, an aluminum bullet with a copper jacket…a very long bullet with a short case. The man who designed this ammunition was Dr. Voss, and he was the German Air Force ballistician, and he was also the ballistician for the CETME group. He was very knowledgeable about recoil and automatic fire and the physics of holding a gun. During that time, the first German armed forces were the Bundesgrenzschutz who were supposed to guard the German boarders. There were 20,000 soldiers armed with German K98’s and the MG42’s, as well as 100 new 20mm Hispano guns and of course the P38 pistol, and nothing else. The boss was Colonel Naujokat, and he had been in charge of the two flat cars before and behind Hitler’s quarters on his train (during WWII). These open cars had 4-barreled 20mm automatic cannons on them.

The Spanish went to the Colonel and demonstrated for him in Bonn. The Colonel liked the new Sturmgewehr and the ammo very much, but told them they had the wrong caliber. The standard caliber was cal. 7.62, but this new Spanish ammunition was cal. 7.92. So they went back to Spain and changed the gun, the magazine, and, of course, they had to make new ammunition. They also made new firing tables, it took a year. After which they had their new CETME ammunition in cal. 7.62.

SAR: This was not yet 7.62 NATO ammunition, correct?

Visser: Correct. After the Spanish finished their new ammo, they brought it and the guns back to the German Colonel, who turned white and said, “Oh my God. I should have told you that 7.62 also requires a new case: the T65 case.” The Spanish group was beside itself, returned to Madrid and decided that it was all over. The gun was mathematically designed for a low powered cartridge and the 7.62 NATO had much more power, so it needed a totally new gun. But one of the bosses at the Madrid factory pointed out that the factory had good relations with the American military attaché, since they had just received an order to develop caseless rifle ammunition and caseless 20mm. The boss said, “Go and get a barrel and 1,000 7.62 NATO rounds.” Which they got from the U.S. The CETME with that barrel fired 600 7.62 rounds before the gun fell apart. The cartridge was far too powerful, since the gun was designed for a lighter round. The German engineers rebuilt and strengthened the housing as the German army wanted to arm their soldiers with them.

They had contact with the Heckler & Koch people, who were all old Mauser people working in two wooden barracks, making tools for pressings and so forth, and that’s how I came into contact with Heckler & Koch. The Germans at the Weapons Department in Bonn were always making changes in the gun, and it was Heckler & Koch who made the changes on the CETME. I told the CETME people, “You guys have no sales organization….let NWM have the rights to act for you all over the world.” They told me I had to pay for the right, which was no problem for NWM. They gave me the world rights for the CETME rifle, excluding Spain, Portugal and Germany. The rest of the world was ours. They also said that if I wanted to set up production elsewhere, they would help us get started.

In the meantime they were still working on the guns…making a new grip and so on…they had spent millions making the guns and making the changes. I went to the Dutch army, who agreed to test out the gun with all kinds of different ammo, including French steelcased ammo. They fired the steel ammo. When the trigger was pulled, there was a BIG noise, the rate of fire was 1,800 rounds per minute, and about half of the empty steelcases got stuck in the wooden wall. I told the Colonel to stop the test…it was a hopeless case. As it turned out, they never actually manufactured the steel ammo, but it was a hopeless case nonetheless.

To make the gun work, they had added grooves in the chamber, so that some of the gas would press on the exterior of the case to release it. The main fault of the CETME rifle is that as soon as the climate gets moist, firing the gun without immediately cleaning it results in sticky cases. This design of the roller locking system is only good for lightly-powered ammunition. We had a very fortunate thing happen; the Germans had improved the gun enough so that it functioned, but later on I learned that Heckler & Koch had a trick up their sleeves. All of the guns were tested, and they had seven different-sized sets of rollers, so that if there was a problem they would put other rollers on the locking mechanism. They would change the rollers until everything worked properly!

SAR: Very pragmatic from the point of view of a demonstrator. What year was that?

Visser: 1958 as I remember. Because the Germans had changed the rollers and had gotten the first order for 400,000 rifles, the whole world wanted the CETME rifle in the form of the G3. They had to say no to worldwide orders, because they didn’t have the rights to sell outside of Spain, Portugal and Germany, I did! We did have plans to make the rifle outside of Spain, but I stopped those plans because I felt the design was not good. I got a call from Bonn, it was my good friend from the Ministry who said, “Henk, we cannot have this. Here we are, a great nation, and we cannot sell our own rifle. I’ll offer you a deal: I know you want to make 20mm ammo for those thousand Starfighters we have bought.” They were so far back, they bought 1,000 Starfighters and they didn’t know what gun was in it! He said, “You’ll get 33% of all orders for 20mm ammo if you relinquish the rights to sell the CETME rifle.” I said, “OK.” He immediately went and got his secretary to type up a document saying that I would forever get 33% of all the 20mm orders for the Germans. ANY 20mm ammo. It saved our neck. It was one of the best days of my life…I didn’t realize it at the time, but that was the end of our CETME involvement.

SAR: You were the link between CETME and Heckler & Koch?

Visser: Partly, yes. Heckler & Koch were not big shots. Their company wasn’t large enough at that time to make the big deals. They grew because of all these orders that came in from everywhere. Later they designed many important weapon systems. It was really something to see.

SAR: Henk, I would like to come back to the rifle design programs in more depth, later. If you share your experience as a collector with our readers, I am sure they would be interested. This may seem somewhat insensitive, but to obtain your collection must have cost a fortune; far above the income of a young Dutch boy who was on the Nazi death row.

Visser: Yeah, that’s about right. I have been very fortunate in my business decisions and made some very nice commissions. We can come back to that business later.

SAR: So, what was your passion?

Visser: Collecting guns. Well…really the military guns. That was the start, anything military I could get. Later it was the Dutch firearms and I sold my military collection to Bonn, it was the beginning of the museum they have now in Koblenz. 849 of my guns are still there – even my Gatling gun – the beautiful brand-new Gatling gun with the carriage and the ammunition car.

SAR: What was the Gatling, a British one?

Visser: No, an American one. The Colt 1883 model with the jacket around the barrel, and the tripod. One day in a military base, somewhere in America, near Picatinny I believe, a sergeant was cleaning up the attic, and he found this Gatling gun. It was brand new but completely taken apart, no one had ever looked at it. He went to his Colonel who said to get rid of it. And there, magically, was Val! (laughs) And who do you think bought it on the spot?

SAR:(Dolf) Yes, Val would certainly have been there! (We are discussing the late Val Forgette of Navy Arms, another international arms dealer of the good old days.)

Visser: I knew Val very well and he sold the gun to me. Very cheap, I might add. It was really a big affair, and when I left NWM they wanted to take it, but instead I sold it to Bonn, and the Gatling is in their museum today. Two of the magazines disappeared, it is sad that there are always people in museums stealing things. There were many rare guns in the military collection. One that I thought was very rare was a 7.62 NATO Gatling gun from GE. I was the only private guy in the world who had a brand-new one.

SAR: Gatling Gun, you mean an M134 Minigun?

Visser: Yes, I got it out of Vietnam…I had so much stuff there….I was working for Dutch intelligence at the time, so they arranged for a Shell tanker to haul all the stuff I had gotten to Singapore. I had 10 RPG-7 anti-tank launchers, with 200 rounds of HE grenades. The Dutch and the Germans wanted to test them.

SAR: And how about the testing?

Visser: Well, we finally got the shipment and it had to go on the deck of a Dutch destroyer in Singapore. They loaded it from the tanker onto the warship. I had managed to get a lot of interesting items for the collection during my time in Vietnam. With the RPG-7, we had to do some testing for the government. They decided that this test they wanted to run was too big for them and they made a deal with the Germans, who did a tremendously detailed testing. They even tested the glue on the wooden cases, they checked the labels to see where they were made, in Russia or East Germany. I still have one RPG-7 and an inert rocket at home. I was very interested in the American M72 LAW. I once owned six LAWS.

SAR: When did you get into the antique guns?

Visser: Slowly I got more and more interested in the antique guns…I had always hated them, so crazy and ugly they seemed to me…but then, because of my historical interests, I decided to get rid of anything that was non-Dutch. I had the best automatic pistol collection in the world, all the early Mausers, Bittners, Schonbergers, Borschards, Gabbit Fairfaxes, etc, etc. I sold them all in one lot to Dr. Sturgess, a good friend of mine. He came to my place the first time and I opened drawers for him, and he started sweating, he was going crazy. He was…really, I’ve never seen anybody so excited by my collection.

SAR: (Dolf) Even the Maxim automatic pistols came from you? I have them in my latest book.

Visser: Yes, Dolf, the Maxims as well! I was collecting automatic pistols when nobody was interested. I went to every gun shop in Switzerland where they hadn’t had the German occupiers to take everything, and there were a hell of a lot of people saying, “That old gun there, 150 francs and you can take it, with ammo too.” Those days are gone, you know. There was a gunsmith who I was talking about Lugers with, about how the prices of the Lugers had started going up, and he said, “You know, I have Luger serial number 0001, which was presented to my neighbor, an officer, in front of the troops.” It was the first Luger that the Swiss Army officially adopted. I said “That’s interesting, can I see it?” and he brought it to me in the holster. He said, “The normal price for this is 225 francs, but if you give me 275 then it’s yours.” Those were better days, you know? You would go into a gunshop and there would be a Mondragon rifle with special bayonet. It just doesn’t happen like that anymore.

SAR: Basically Henk, all the money you made you put into collecting guns?

Visser: Everything. I had no capital, no shares; I only had substantial commissions from sales. Eventually I sold my pistols and all my special ammo to Geoff Sturgess…but…it’s like a sickness, you know? I was at the Las Vegas Antique Show and there was a very rare Dutch gun there. It looks like a single-shot pistol, but it’s a three-shot pistol with a little channel where the powder goes for the first, second and third shot, and there is a Maastricht mark under the barrel. It was from the Funderburg Collection, a very famous collection. It’s in a catalog. I bought it for a lot of money! It’s crazy!

SAR: You’re preaching to the choir when you talk to Class 3 owners in the United States. You did a series of books on your collection of Dutch guns….

Visser: Yes, they are available commercially, but are out of print at the moment. The set weighs 22 kilos. Now I’m writing more books, one with the names of all of the Dutch gun makers, about 1,400 of them. Another book project that I was working on with two technicians, both specialists with Master’s degrees in History Drs. Martens en Drs. de Vries, was to write the story of Dutch weapons starting at the Napoleonic era. As these books were written in Dutch they will be translated into English and the 3 volumes will be condensed into one. There is another book in English, almost finished, about a very special German – who later became an American – Otto von Lossnitzer, the father of the modern aircraft revolving guns.

Look for a link to the second half of our smallarmsreview.com interview with Henk Visser in an upcoming SAR newsletter when we look at Vietnam, Oerlikon, the changes to the Stoner 63 system and the innovative Mecar rifle grenade programs, as well as Visser’s work to restore Dutch firearms in Russian museums. – Dan Shea

We at Small Arms Defense Journal have always tried to have a bit of reference material in each issue, something you can save for later identification. In this issue, we’re covering Heckler and Koch’s original 5.56x45mm select fire rifle—the HK33 series. It’s comprised of the HK33 rifle, the short-barrel HK33K, the semi-auto HK93, the HK33 SG1 sniper variant, the HK53 “Submachine gun,” and the various HK13 designs.

The weapon system was meant to be the roller locking answer to the 5.56mm M16 system and was successfully sold in many countries.

In 1965-66, HK produced a promotional catalog showing all of its products. At this time, the MP5 was called the HK54. In addition to the, then, unheard of HK25 belt fed .50 BMG which looked like an HK21 with a belt of .50 hanging from it, there were HK32 variants offered in 7.62x39mm and a number of 5.56mm variations: HK33, HK33K, and the HK13. The catalog lists the HK33 with a 20-round magazine, the HK33K with a 40-round magazine, and the HK13 with a 100-round magazine. We’ve never seen this offset “drum” type HK 5.56mm in the wild. Another item of note: the HK13 was a heavy barrel gun, but the original did not have a quick-change feature; the barrels of later HK13s could be changed like the HK21/23 series belt feds.

The HK magazines are of the box shape type, curved to match the taper of the 5.56mm case, and are double column, and present to the bolt from both columns. A magazine such as a Sten (not shown) is double column and feeds from a single central position—both columns must move the rounds to the center. A magazine that feeds from dual presentation, like the HK magazines and the M16 magazine, has less resistance in feeding, and the bolt must be designed to drive the cartridge to the feed ramp from both columns. It’s a successful and reliable design.

A closer look at the original and the 1994 compliant LE markings for U.S. import. 5.56x45mm is engraved along the edge.

Over the course of 40 years, myself along with William Vallerand, Herbie Woodend, Bob Faris, and others, designed an identification system that we referred to as the “Vallerand Magazine ID System.” There were about 4000 magazines for machine guns and rifles that we photographed and measured, hoping to someday put this into a forensic system. A description of the system is available on www.smallarmsreview.com. Just search the Archives section for “Vallerand” to find a link. If you have input on this, please let us know.

SAR is starting the “Identification Guides as a series”. We believe that these guides need to be done. We have plans to cover the HK internals, the Models of the Colt M16 series (YES, we do mean ALL of them) and various magazine identification. This is a photographic series.

Probably the most popular modern submachine gun is the HK MP5. This is a simple statement and the evidence makes it hard to refute. Elite military groups, law enforcement tactical teams, and civilian shooters all utilize the MP5, and it dominates the marketplace. The HK weapons are the subject of intense scrutiny by the users, and the modular concepts involved give rise to many variants. This can get confusing to the users and to the armorers.

We chose the HK trigger housings as a start, because there is so much confusion about them. The following photographic essay covers all of the variants that we are aware of as of August 1997. This was compiled with the help of Jim Schatz, from the Federal Operations Division of HK in Sterling Virginia, and he has our thanks once again.

The only variant that is missing is the early 3 shot burst group, which had the burst cam in the rear of the pack- we have one on the way as we go to press, and will try to do a comparison of the old and the new. (Well, it’s the only variant that we KNOW is missing).

We have covered every conceivable model of the West German manufactured HK guns. If you have any trigger housings that we may have missed, let us know and we will publish an update later in SAR.

Please send in your requests for us to design different Identification Series to SAR at 223 Sugar Hill Rd, Harmony, ME 04942 phone 207-683-2172, fax 207-683-2172, email at sareview@aol.com.

SureFire M600IB Intellibeam ScoutLight

SureFire, LLC, manufacturer of the world’s finest—and most innovative—illumination tools and tactical products, has launched their new M600IB Intellibeam ScoutLight. The revolutionary M600IB utilizes SureFire’s proprietary IntelliBeam Technology—an intelligent sensor and microprocessor-based system that continuously evaluates the environment where the beam is aimed—to automatically adjust the light output to the optimal level, anywhere between 100 and 600 lumens. So you always get just the right amount of light for the task at hand, based on your surroundings! Inside, in close quarters, you get less light, to eliminate light splashing back into your eyes. Outside, or with longer distances, you get maximum output. Find out more about this WeaponLight at www.SureFire.com.

CENTURY ARMS AK OPTIC MOUNTING SYSTEM

Century Arms, North America’s premier AK manufacturer, is proud to announce the introduction of the new addition to their AK-47 accessory line, the AK Micro Dot Side Mount. This solid and easy-to-install mount contains features that set it apart considerably from other side mounts currently available on the market. This AK receiver rail and side mount represent a true evolution of optics mounting systems for the AK platform. The AK Micro Dot Side Mount is machined from 6061-T6 billet aluminum and is hardcoat anodized per MIL-A-8625F Type III, Class 2 specifications, giving it superior overall strength. The AK Micro Dot Side Mount is the first AK side scope rail mount that has true return-to-zero capability. The mount offers four times the clamping engagement over traditional side scope rail mounts, improves sight acquisition for follow-up shots and allows for complete field stripping of the rifle without removal of the mount. It is compatible with most standard T1/H1 style optics and provides a modular mounting system to adjust the optic from front to back. All of Century Arms’ American Made AK47’s in the C39v2 and RAS47 product lines now come equipped with a new receiver side rail that is compatible with the AK Micro Dot Side Mount. This combination allows the modern shooting enthusiast the ability to customize their rifle and make it a more capable, flexible platform. The AK Micro Dot Side Mount includes all necessary hardware and has a suggested retail price of $119.99. You can find them at: www.centuryarms.com.

HARTMAN MHI SIGHT HAS LANDED IN THE US

Hartman Ltd., an optics company co-founded by Lt. Col. (Ret) Mikey Hartman of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and founder of the IDF Marksmanship and Sharpshooting School, is proud to announce the arrival of the MH1 reflex sight to retailers across the U.S. The game-changing features of the patent-pending MH1 sight have been specifically designed to meet and exceed the demands of military, law enforcement and sportsmen around the world. The Hartman MH1 reflex sight is distributed exclusively in the U.S. by CAA. The MH1, is an advanced tactical red dot sight, featuring multiple ground-breaking technologies, including: the largest field-of-view on the market, an optional customizable user interface and a USB charging port that allows the user to charge the sight via any mobile device, computer or wall socket (a single CR123 backup battery provides additional extended battery life). In addition, the sight is motion activated and will stay in battery saving mode until its dual 30° motion sensors perceive the firearm is being moved in a shooting position. The MH1’s rear panel and activation buttons are uniquely angled allowing the user to mount additional optics or night vision gear behind it without impeding access to the controls even when using gloves. Optionally, as part of the interface feature users can customize a variety of controls: PTT on or off, sleep mode duration, motion sensors enable/disable, low battery indicators and adjusting brightness levels. In addition, an optional remote control PTT strap allows the user to activate the sight as well as control brightness while maintaining two handed control of the firearm, useful when moving from low light to bright light conditions or vice versa. You can find out more at www.hartman-il.com.

FDE AND TACTICAL MODELS JOIN THE HK VP PRODUCT LINE

Two new models of Heckler & Koch’s VP striker fired pistol have been added to the company line-up. New Flat Dark Earth (FDE) colored frame variants and threaded barrel “Tactical models” join the renowned VP family of 9 mm and .40 caliber pistols. The new VP FDE models are manufactured using special colorants added to the frame during the molding process and are available in both 9 mm (VP9) and .40 caliber (VP40). The color frame cannot fade or chip and is unaffected by chemicals, sun, and exposure to the elements. FDE models have all of the highly regarded VP features-with the addition of their colored frames. Flat Dark Earth is a tan/brown color scheme that has gained favor among many military and security units in recent years. The VP Tactical models (available in both 9 mm and .40 S&W) are also identical to standard HK VP pistols, except for the addition of premium grade threaded barrels only their weights and lengths differ due to the longer and slightly heavier threaded barrel. The threaded barrels are manufactured at HK’s Oberndorf factory in southwest Germany, using the legendary Heckler & Koch cold-hammer forging process. HK cold hammer forged barrels, made from proprietary cannon grade steel, are well known for their long service life. Similar HK barrels on P30 models have fired more than 90,000 rounds in endurance tests. Both the VP FDE color frame models and the VP Tactical models are made completely in HK’s Oberndorf factory in southwest Germany using all of the company’s advanced technologies for barrel manufacturing, as well as production of the machined steel slide, polymer frame, and all internal components. HK VP pistols are competitively priced and covered by Heckler & Koch’s lifetime warranty. Learn more at www.hk-usa.com.

CCI AMMUNITION ADDS HANDGUN SHOTSHELL LINE-UP TO HANDGUN LOADS

CCI Ammunition, the only American manufacturer of handgun shotshells, introduces all-new handgun shotshells featuring larger shot for deeper penetration and extended range. They are available in four popular handgun calibers. Shipments of this new product are being delivered to dealers. Centerfire handgun shotshells have long proven themselves as highly practical options for close-range pests. CCI has added to its one-of-a-kind offering with exciting new CCI Big 4 loads to extend the range and capabilities of these downsized shotshells, thanks to a payload of No. 4 lead shot. The resulting energy and patterns enable Big 4 loads to take down larger pests at longer distances, making them even more useful. The new ammunition is packed in reusable 10-round boxes and is available in 9mm, .38 Special/.357 Magnum, .44 Special/.44 Magnum and .45 Long Colt. More information is available at www.cci-ammunition.com.

NEW CREEDMORE PTR AMMUNITION

Creedmoor Ammunition, a division of Creedmoor Sports, is now loading Creedmoor Precision Tactical Rifle (PTR) ammunition, made specifically with law enforcement in mind. Hard-hitting and extremely accurate, the new .223 caliber PTR round is loaded with a 55 grain Sierra HPBT bullet. The Sierra HPBT leaves the muzzle at a sizzling 3,200 feet per second, and generates 1,250 foot pounds of threat-stopping energy. When zeroed in at 100 yards, the bullet drops a scant 3.4 inches at 200 yards. The new PTR ammunition is loaded into Creedmoor’s own high-quality brass, sold in boxes of 20 in a MTM case, and is made in the USA at Creedmoor Sport’s Anniston, Alabama facility. Quantity discounts are available. Every round Creedmoor Sports produces is hand inspected, after being loaded in new state-of-the-art AmmoLoad machines. The PTR rounds–like all Creedmoor Ammunition–are offered at the lowest prices possible because Creedmoor sells directly to consumers-no distributors or middle-men to drive up prices! For more information, please visit www.creedmoorsports.com.

POLYCASE RELEASES NEW SPORT UTILITY AMMO

PolyCase Ammunition releases their new line of Sport Utility Ammo. PolyCase Ammunition has taken the industry by storm with their innovative copper-polymer projectiles, performing beyond expectations. The New Sport Utility line is range-friendly with its copper-polymer blend. Unlike other jacketed and frangible ammo, the Inceptor RNP Sport Utility Ammo can be shot on hardened steel with safe range distances being measured in feet, not yards, resulting in a safer and more realistic training experience. The Sport Utility Ammo is the perfect practice round for both indoor and outdoor shooting. This sport/training product is perfectly matched to the recoil and performance of the Inceptor Preferred Defense and Ruger Self-Defense lines of ammunition, making it the ideal practice ammo choice for users of Ruger or Inceptor-branded defense ammunition. The Inceptor RNP Sport Utility Ammo delivers high velocity and low recoil providing a comfortable day of shooting at the range while holding the accuracy and performance expected from PolyCase products. The Inceptor RNP Sport Utility Ammo line is available in .380 Auto, 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 Auto and .38 Special. This flatter, faster and frangible ammo is now available in contemporary packaged and competitively priced 50-round count boxes, making it the obvious choice for today’s cost-conscious shooter. Contact them at www.polycaseammo.com.

The show, held January 15-18 at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center, comprised 715,000 square feet of exhibit space, with 1,800 exhibiting companies. According to preliminary figures, this year’s show attracted 25,384 attendees, 22,098 exhibiting personnel and a record 1,425 members of the media for a total attendance of 48,907.

“This has been a tremendously successful show from a number of standpoints,” said NSSF President Steve Sanetti. “Exhibitors and buyers were very upbeat, the products sold well, and I’d say the industry begins 2009 with a sense of cautious optimism in this challenging economy.”

Small Arms Review exhibited at the SHOT Show, and presents this overview to new products of potential interest to the NFA community.

Constitution Arms Palm Pistol

The Palm Pistol made a splash in the national news media outlets when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it was revoking a prior determination that the pistol was a “medical device.” Whether accurate or not, a solid model of the pistol was available for examination. The model proved to be very ergonomic and easy to grasp. The design incorporates two independently operable grip safeties that are deactivated by firmly gripping the pistol. A loaded chamber indicator allows the user to quickly determine if the firearm is loaded while a Picatinny rail allows the attachment of a small flashlight or laser aiming device.

Similar to a rifle where the recoil force is directed rearward to the shoulder, the palm pistol directs recoil into the palm and through the forearm of the shooter. While a firing model was not available for examination, the solid model was a very effective demonstration tool to show that the firearm is a viable design, is comfortable to handle, and capable of wide market appeal.

Elite Iron Suppressors

Elite Iron Suppressors of Bonner, Montana showcased several new suppressors within their line up. The Tango Down pistol suppressor is offered in three calibers: 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP. Utilizing a 7075-T6 aluminum tube, the .45 caliber suppressor is capable of 19-22 dB reduction when fired dry or 33-35 dB reduction when fired wet. The suppressors also feature a removable recoil booster for Browning-type pistols, as well as a super tough Ceracote surface treatment. Owner Dale Poling explained that the Ceracote is more durable than anodizing and provides a superior surface treatment. With a limited lifetime warranty, the Tango Down suppressors weigh 11 ounces (without the recoil booster) and retail for $750.

Elite Iron also has two new rifle suppressors intended for .223, .308, .338 Lapua, .416 Barrett, or .50 BMG. The SERE features an oversleeve design and is intended for a 20-inch barreled AR-15 type weapon. Due to the oversleeve design, the suppressor is better able to capture residual high pressure gas during the firing sequence, is lighter in weight, and operates as a highly efficient flash suppressor. SERE suppressors are built to order and retail at $825 for a .223 suppressor, or $925 for a .308 suppressor. Brian boasted that he currently has over 70,000 rounds through the .223 suppressor design with minimal wear to the suppressor.

The Alpha suppressor is intended for .416 Barrett or .50 BMG rifles. Weighing just under four pounds, the Alpha provides hearing safe suppression on the .416 Barrett platform when shooting 438-grain projectiles at 3,200 feet per second. Field testing of the suppressor provided a 24-inch group at 3,000 meters. The Alpha suppressor retails for $1,395. All suppressors made by Elite Iron are 100% TIG Welded. Additional information on Elite Iron Suppressors may be found on the web at www.eliteiron.net.

Airtronic USA, Inc.

During a brief interview, Airtronic revealed that they are currently manufacturing all M203 grenade launchers for the U.S. Government, with over 22,000 M203s manufactured during 2008. Airtronic also currently manufactures 65% of all spare parts for the M2HB machine gun.

Airtronic displayed a 40mm stand-alone grenade launcher system. Intended to allow the use of an M203 without a host rifle, projected retail for the stand alone system without sights is $250. Future developments include a version without a buttstock for use as a breaching tool. Mr. Dockery reports that the recoil from a breaching round when fired without a stock is manageable. More information may be found online at www.airtronic.net.

SWR Manufacturing

SWR Manufacturing displayed their new A2RA suppressor. Rated for full automatic fire, the suppressor is intended for the M4 rifle system but may be utilized with any 5.56mm rifle that uses a standard A2-type flash hider.

The suppressor uses a proprietary mounting system licensed from SAI in Denmark. The design uses two locking rings – the first ring acts as a gas check while the second ring secures the suppressor to the weapon. With this design, the suppressor locks tightly to the host weapon but will not interfere with existing sling mounts or bayonet lugs. While conducting research into the design, it was noticed that some suppressors could not be securely mounted to the HK416 rifle due to dimensional differences between rifle manufacturers. The A2R2 suppressor eliminates this concern, and will operate effectively on either gas or piston operating systems.

The A2R2 features an inconel blast baffle, measures 1.5 inches in diameter, is 7.5 inches in length, and weighs 21 ounces. The suppressor is fully TIG welded, and cannot be disassembled. Projected retail price is $795, with full production available in Summer 2009.

Smith and Wesson

Whether due to commodity prices on the world market or a shortage of ammunition due to uncertain political conditions, the cost of shooting has increased. Enter the Smith and Wesson M&P 15-22. A dedicated full sized AR-15 type rifle, the M&P 15-22 is a dedicated .22 caliber rifle.

Both the upper and lower receiver is engineered from high strength polymer. The rifle’s operating features, functionality and durability are true to the standard AR-15 design, offering all of the features found on an AR-15 or M16 rifle. The M&P 15-22 features a 16-inch barrel with a 1:15 twist. The M&P 15-22 comes standard with a six-position collapsible stock and an A3 style flat top upper receiver with a quad-rail hand guard.

Similar to a full sized AR-15, the bolt and charging handle are fully functional. The fire control parts feature standard AR-15 parts in the expected locations on the rifle. Reportedly, the internal fire control parts (with the exception of the springs) are standard AR-15 parts and after firing the last round the bolt locks to the rear allowing the user to easily load a new 25-round magazine.

The unloaded weight of the rifle is approximately 5 pounds; measures 31 inches with the stock collapsed and 34 inches with the stock fully extended. The M&P 15-22 is designed to accept all 1913 Mil-Std rail adaptable accessories, Mil-Spec carbine stocks and most standard after-market AR-15 pistol grips.

When asked, Smith and Wesson representatives indicated that the entire system was designed from the ground up and that the upper receiver will not function on a standard AR-15 lower receiver. S&W representatives were also unable to comment on whether the system could be converted to a post-86 restricted machine gun.

The M&P 15-22 is well suited to recreational shooting while also being an extremely viable training firearm for law enforcement and military personnel and has a retail price of $449. 25-round magazines will retail for $29.95.

Wylie X

Whether a recreational shooter, active military, or a member of law enforcement, gloves should be considered as important as eye protection. Accidents happen – barrels get hot, out of battery detonations occur, and targets may have sharp edges. Wearing gloves while shooting protects the shooters hands and may reduce the possibility of injury. Wylie X is well known to U.S. military personnel for their line of eye protection and now Wylie X has released four new flame resistant combat gloves.

Currently listed on the Government approved product list as non-flammable, the Wiley X CAG-1 glove is sold in either short or gauntlet length. When compared to the standard aviator’s Nomex glove, the CAG-1 gloves were hands down more comfortable. Unlike the standard issue Nomex gloves, the CAG-1 allows the wearer to easily pick up small objects with no loss of manual dexterity. Current feedback from deployed troops indicates that the CAG-1 gloves are lasting twice as long as current issue gloves.

The CAG-1 gloves are available at Military Clothing Sales Stores, AAFES, civilian clothing outlets, and on the web at www.wileyx.com. Suggested retail ranges from $88-$150, depending on model and style.

Heckler and Koch

As reported last year in Small Arms Review, Heckler and Koch has released the MR223 rifle for US sales. While similar in exterior appearances to the HK416 rifle, subtle engineering differences were observed. The changes were explained as necessary in order to comply with German firearm regulations.

Three significant differences between the MR223 and HK416 were observed. The rear take down pin on the MR223 lower receiver was relocated 6mm to the rear, preventing the installation of a 416 upper receiver on an MR223 lower receiver. In addition, the MR223 chamber has a protrusion preventing the installation of a standard AR-15/M16 bolt carrier into the MR223 receiver. In the event that an AR-15/M16 bolt carrier was installed in an MR223, the bolt would not fully seat within the chamber and the rifle would not function. The MR223 bolt carrier has a corresponding notch to match the chamber protrusion allowing the rifle to function properly with use of an MR223 bolt carrier. Unlike the European version, the firearm was equipped with a flash suppressor.

The need for the design change is based upon German and U.S. law. As a German company, Heckler and Koch must comply with German law while complying with U.S. law when importing or manufacturing domestically. German law prohibits the sale of the HK416 to civilians, regardless of where the rifle is manufactured. As a result of the 1989 import restriction, the HK416 cannot be imported into the U.S. without substantial modifications to the external design. As a result, the MR223 is being made within the U.S. Prior efforts to import rifles from Germany resulted in the HK SL8 rifle, which was internally similar to the HK G36 battle rifle yet featured a highly modified stock. Domestic production of the MR223 should avoid import and design issues encountered with the HK SL8 rifle.

FNH-USA

As reported in the February 2009 issue of Small Arms Review, FNH-USA announced the release of a civilian legal SCAR rifle chambered in .223. According to FNH-USA representatives, the civilian version of the SCAR rifle will be virtually identical to the military version. Two obvious changes to the civilian SCAR rifle include semi-automatic only function and an 18-inch barrel with standard A2-type birdcage flash hider. The rifle is expected to retail for $2,499.

Timney Triggers

The Ruger 10/22 is one of the most popular American made firearms in recent history. The ability to easily change the barrel and internal components makes the rifle easily adaptable. As many SAR readers are aware, the rifle is also easy to suppress, or make into a short barreled rifle. In 2006, Timney triggers took the shooting world by storm with the release of their AR-15 trigger system. Timney has done it again with the release of a new trigger system designed for the Ruger 10/22 rifle.

As a true drop in and self-contained modification, the Timney unit replaces the 10/22 trigger mechanism by providing crisp trigger response and allowing increased accuracy. The factory 10/22 features a 6-8 pound trigger pull. The new Timney trigger system eliminates trigger creep and reduces the trigger pull to a highly accurate 2-3 pounds. Easy to install, the unit utilizes the factory pins with the addition of two set screws to secure the unit within the receiver. Total installation time was about 15 minutes, with the majority of that time spent assembling and disassembling the rifle. Suggested retail is $149.95.

Tango Down

Tango Down presented two new products for commercial and military customers. The new Tango Down AR-15/M16 magazine presents a new take on an old design. The Tango Down magazine is a sealed two piece design that is not intended for disassembly. Traditional AR-15/M16 magazines are molded in a constant radius throughout the body of the magazine. With the multitude of manufacturers producing AR-15 and M16 lower receivers, there is no control over the specifications or design features within the lower receiver. As a result, Tango Down discovered that traditional AR-15/M16 magazines do not always fit within certain lower receivers, specifically, the Heckler and Koch 416. The newly designed magazine features a straight section that is inserted within the weapon, while utilizing the traditional curved section for the exposed section of magazine.

The magazine spring has also been redesigned with tests replicating the loading and unloading of the magazine through 10,000 cycles. Ten thousand cycles translates to 300,000 rounds of ammunition through a single magazine. The life of the magazine spring should far exceed the life of the magazine body.

Two types of magazines are offered. The first is intended for the military market and incorporates a seal between the magazine and the magazine well. The sand seal is intended to eliminate and prevent sand and other debris from entering the weapon, while providing a high quality product. The commercial version will not feature the sand seal, as the seal increases the magazine width. Suggested retail for the Tango Down magazine is $24.95.

Tango Down also featured a newly designed vertical grip. The new grip eliminates the dual locking bars currently found on existing Tango Down and Knight’s Armament forward grips. Jeff Cahill of Tango Down explained that dimensional tolerances in Picatinny rails can result in a bad fit when locking bars are utilized. If the rail is undersized, the grip will be loose and may wobble. If the rail is oversized, the grip may not fit, or may break once installed. In addition, it can be difficult for users to install, remove, and adjust grips utilizing dual locking bars.

The new grip utilizes a throw lever, which allows for adjustment in size. If the rail is oversized, the throw lever can be adjusted to accommodate the rail. If the rail is undersized, the throw lever system can be adjusted to fit snugly, unlike the current locking bar type grip. Additional information on Tango Down products may be found online at www.tangodown.com.

Badger Defense

A combined display by Badger Defense and Airtronic caught the eye of many at SHOT 2009 with a display of RPG-type rocket launchers. Formerly Badger Barrels, the company has been acquired by Airtronic USA, Inc., of Elk Grove Village, Illinois and renamed Badger Defense.

The latest offering from Badger Defense includes an American manufactured RPG rocket launcher. Representatives for the company indicated that the entire design had been improved with 3130 barrel steel being used in place of original cast barrels, an upgrade to the double action trigger group, the addition of an electronic sight, (with a built in internal ballistic and range finder) the addition of Picatinny rails to allow the addition of a bipod and other accessories, and an improved AT-4 type stock. The improvements will reportedly allow the system to hit a point target at a range of 500 meters.

Badger Defense will be manufacturing a full line of energetic and Less-Lethal ammunition for the system. Kevin Dockery has been hired as the production manager and will be in charge of day-to-day operations. Mr. Dockery explained that during the redesign process, “We were finding dimensional differences of 2mm in Russian, Chinese, and other rounds. The newly made American rounds will be superior to any round manufactured in a Warsaw Pact country.” The Badger Defense version of the OG7 fragmentation round will boast a better fuze system and provide controlled fragmentation compared to the original Russian offering. The redesign includes an improved rocket and propellant system to include the elimination of black powder as a propellant and the elimination of the original piezoelectric fuze system. Instead, a triple redundant electronic fuze will be employed to comply with current U.S. Military requirements.

Sub-caliber devices chambered in .308 Winchester are in the planning stage. The entire system will be available for sale on the commercial market, with the option of purchasing a live destructive device, or an ATF-approved deactivated system. Reportedly, the deactivated system will be classified as a Title 1 (Non-NFA) firearm and will allow the user to fire the sub-caliber conversion. According to Mr. Dockery, the sub-caliber conversion has been classified as a “pistol,” due to the short barrel length, and will also be sold as a Title 1 firearm.

The 2010 SHOT Show is scheduled for January 19-22, 2010 and is returning to Las Vegas, Nevada. Reportedly, the SHOT show will remain in Las Vegas through 2021. Additional information may be found online at www.shotshow.org.

“We are only now able to speak about this program publicly due to a recently dismissed legal challenge that kept the HK416 out of the public eye and out of the competition for the Special Operations Force Combat Assault Rifle, commonly known as SCAR” – Jim Schatz, Military Programs Manager, HK Defense

Much ill-informed commentary has surrounded nearly all aspects of USSOCOM’s (United States Special Operations Command) SCAR competition, particularly as to why HK was so conspicuously absent. This reporter believes the problem can be summed up neatly with just one word: Lawsuits.

When SCAR solicitations went public, HK’s versatile XM8 system was in an advanced state of development under Program Manager Soldier Weapons (PMSW) after transitioning from the Joint Services Small Arms Program. JSSAP, set up years ago in an attempt to avoid the inherent wastefulness of uncoordinated development, is the official new weapons and ammo pipeline for all the US Armed Forces. A fully SCAR-compliant version XM8, we were told, was ready for submission to USSOCOM. But it was barred at the last minute because it was a “government-sponsored entry.”

While most of us probably have some heartburn with the concept that the SCAR program’s much-touted “full and open competition” actually meant that only industry-submitted rifles could be candidates, such thinking doesn’t necessarily apply in a genuine emergency situation.

In fairness to the folks who were desperately trying to get US Special Operations Forces something measurably better than their stubbornly troublesome M4 carbines, it was a certainty that any legal challenge to the winning SCAR would delay fielding for months or even years. So, if PMSW’s HK-built XM8 SCAR emerged on top, a crippling lawsuit alleging favoritism was all but inevitable.

It is also reasonable to say that one or more of the expected entries from some big names among US and international gunmakers would almost surely meet the grade. Most anything better than the M4, fielded quickly, would be preferable to waiting interminably for other candidates to run the gauntlet of lawyers and judges.

We at SAR would like to think that these admitted speculations are prominent among the real-world factors that may explain the tough decision to disallow the HK XM8 SCAR.

But, what about the HK416? This assault carbine and rifle system was clearly an industry-funded COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) development, it likely met all the stated SCAR program requirements, and the required test samples with all bells, whistles, papers, and whatnot were ready to go into the arena of competition beginning 18 June 2004.

Back in April 2004, Colt filed legal action against Bushmaster Firearms and Heckler & Koch, alleging infringement on proprietary aspects of the AR-15/M16/M4 design. Although recently resolved in an undisclosed but apparently satisfactory manner for all parties, the lawsuit and related court orders kept HK’s 416 out of the running for SCAR.

This was unfortunate for HK’s plans, and in reality, many in the military community as well as the small arms industry had really wanted to see the HK416 put through the SCAR testing to see what it was made of. A drop on unit to fix the M4 is of great interest to many who carry it. This would have also allowed the HK416 to move onto the SCAR Heavy phase and the EGLM (Enhanced Grenade Launcher Module) section.

Operator Envisioned

Army Special Operations Command, which includes Rangers, Green Berets, “Nightstalker” aviation, and at least one officially nonexistent unit of legendary prowess, was not at all happy with the performance of standard-issue M4 series carbines. Despite SOPMOD (Special Operations Peculiar Modifications) and other extraordinary efforts over several years to identify and correct problems with reliability, durability, accuracy, and lethality, Army special operators were rapidly losing confidence in Colt’s chopped “Sixteens.” Particularly those deployed in the aftermath of 9-11 to fight Osama bin Laden’s terrorists in the harsh terrain and climate of Afghanistan.

This dissatisfaction achieved critical mass when it was determined that cleverly worded restrictions in Colt’s government contract blocked all other firms from participation in PMOD (Platform Modifications) to the troubled weapons. Unwilling to let the M4 situation continue, but not having authorized funding to attempt a “Fix” on the problems, Army Special Operations turned to a company with a reputation for solving small arms problems and doing it on their own dime.

The half century old German firm of Heckler & Koch has earned a well-deserved reputation for innovative firearms design and excellence in manufacture. US and allied special operations units are enthusiastic customers for the full line of HK weapons including the iconic MP5 submachine gun.

Relevant to this story, in the last few years some of the company’s prominent engineers bought out corporate interests and now run the whole show. This streamlined, performance driven structure is one major reason for agreeing to help Uncle Sam at no cost. The other comes from long established relationships between HK’s military and federal operations representatives and special operations personnel of all services. For Jim Schatz and many other long-time HK reps, the bottom line isn’t money; it’s men whose lives are on the line.

Mid-Life Crisis

The willingness to work on the M4’s woes without direct compensation was one thing. The ability to succeed where all others had failed was quite another. As luck would have it, HK could proudly point to an extraordinary success story in transforming the British Army’s relentlessly awful SA80 rifles from rubbish to reliability. The bullpup L85 and L86 weapons are a textbook example of a basically sound design, improperly produced and fielded in an unreliable condition. They repeatedly defied all home-grown efforts to correct their many deficiencies and, in a decidedly embarrassing development, Royal Marine Commandos had insisted on the switch to Canadian-made M16s in the run-up to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

At this time HK was a subsidiary of giant conglomerate British Aerospace, so it was politically acceptable for Germans to get the rifle-rework job as a one-last-chance before the scrap heap. The short version of the epic tale of the “SA80 Mid Life Improvement Programme” is that HK’s Ernst Mauch succeeded, dumbfounding the critics and delighting the UK’s long-suffering Tommies by delivering SA80A2 Rifles and Light Support Weapons that worked.

One of the ripest areas for improvement in SA80 weapons was the magazine, a NATO standard aluminum 30-rounder of the same type as issued to American GIs for their M16s. Just like ours, the British magazines were flimsy, prone to damage, cheaply made and geometrically awkward. They had to go.

HK’s team quickly concluded that no amount of tinkering including polymer housings, synthetic followers and the like would do the trick. In short order they produced a gracefully curved, rock-steady version with heat treated steel walls and follower with anti-friction finish, advanced spring stock, and careful attention to production tolerances. It is available also in 20-round capacity and both with HK’s same proprietary “Maritime” anticorrosion coating as used on the famous MK23 SOCOM pistol.

Formal testing and combat experience have conclusively demonstrated the dramatic increase in reliability and service life from the combo of Mauch’s A2 engineering changes and the switch to High Reliability magazines. As of this writing, HK is well along in refurbishing some 300,000 existing weapons at its factory complex in Oberndorf, Germany.

Project HK416

US Special Operations Command knew all this because operators in Afghanistan got a planeload of HK High Reliability Magazines as a Christmas present in 2001. So, with a government-approved no-cost contract in hand, a purposely-unnamed “user unit” in Army Spec Ops confidently lent HK some of its troubled M4s for intensive technical and operational evaluation beginning early in 2002. Aside from some general requirements to maintain the M4’s major mechanical and handling features and keep as many of the original parts as possible, HK was to have a free rein.

Design team chief Wolfgang Bantle put the guns through all steps in the proven test regimen developed in the SA80 experience including high-speed video of mechanical action, detailed metallurgical analysis and carefully considered parts swapping.

Bantle’s assessment identified key areas for modification to increase accuracy, safety, “user friendliness” including ease of handling and cleaning, modularity, and parts interchangeability. Most importantly, he promised a significant increase in reliability as well as extending component service life to at least double that of the M4 series carbines.

Fundamental to the success of the rework was the decision to scrap AR-10/AR-15/M16 inventor Eugene Stoner’s direct gas system of operation. Indelicately but accurately described as “craps where it eats,” the M16/M4 pumps hot gas and carbon fouling into the bolt carrier and receiver with every round fired.

It must have been a no-brainer for Bantle to immediately change out the M16 gas system and plug in the HK G36 assault rifle’s piston and pushrod. An adaptation of a system first widely used in the WWII Russian SVT (Tokarev semiautomatic rifle) this is HK’s highly successful departure from its traditional roller locking system as found in the seminal G3 and MP5. Stoner’s successful multiple lug lock up system was retained. The G36 operation system has since been further modified in the XM8 family of weapons.

As seen in the accompanying photos, the G36 system in the HK416 has a gas block mounted above the barrel at a position near the muzzle end of the quad rail. Inside is a port drilled in the top of the barrel that diverts a small amount of gas as each round is fired. This enters an expansion chamber in the gas block to kick a piston rearward, simultaneously driving a pushrod against a striking surface atop the bolt carrier. Superheated gas and carbon fouling are vented at the front of the handguard.

This clever arrangement not only gives much cooler operation and far cleaner internals, it is also said to be insensitive to barrel length and variations in ammunition. Both are very important for “modularity” and multinational logistical interoperability.

Operator Tested

At appropriate stages, Bantle’s rework would be sent to the purposely-unnamed “user unit” for operator evaluation, much of which was done in extreme environments including the scorching Arizona desert in mid summer. Their feedback was carefully considered then cut into steel before resubmitting each in a succession of new and improved prototypes.

All of this was being done over many months with no monetary compensation under terms of the contract with USSOCOM. On the other hand, there was still much comfort at HK to be taken in strong sales worldwide of their full line of military and law enforcement weaponry. The future looked good for the XM8 at PMSW as did prospects for the developmental 416 system to enter and do well in the upcoming SCAR trials. Until, of course, both systems were barred from competition.

Undaunted, Bantle and his team pressed on toward the finish line. Requested improvements continued including availability of four barrel lengths from 10 to 20 inches, all cold hammer forged from the finest steel with hard chromed chambers and bores for greatly extended service life and immunity from obstructed bore disasters.

Interface between the moving parts, the bolt and barrel extension in particular, was carefully studied on high speed video then modified to optimize performance. This included refinement of the locking recesses and lugs as well as strengthening the extractor and its spring. Extending the barrel nut some 10mm yielded greater rigidity for accuracy and function, as well as giving a heftier anchor point for HK’s very important free-floating quad rail forend.

This forend itself is noteworthy for a number of design features obviously demanded by the operators. Rock solid when in place but quickly and easily removable with only a screwdriver or bolt lug as a tool, it precisely indexes to the receiver top rail at exactly the same height. Full length MIL-STD 1913 hardpoints at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions offer plenty of room to mount a catalog of SOPMOD accessories. Numbered positions facilitate exact relocation of day and night sights, IR and visible lights, grips, grenade launchers, and more.

The M4’s buffer, despite being “improved” in two stages by Colt, still didn’t perform to HK standards. Bantle’s solution called for a carefully calculated filler of granulated tungsten paired with a new spring of better materials and more consistent tension. This smoothed out the action and virtually eliminated the unhealthy phenomenon of “bolt bounce.”

Operator Chosen

The resultant HK416 Enhanced Carbine was accepted by USSOCOM on behalf of that purposely-unnamed Special Operations “user unit” in December 2004 and deliveries of production models began soon afterward. It wasn’t long before reports of combat success in southwest Asia were forwarded to HK; compensation in a very real sense for the hard work and economic uncertainty of the multi-year project.

Not surprisingly, HK now has its hands full with a flood of orders from not only the original requestors, but other elite military and federal law enforcement organizations, the names of which are carefully guarded. Program spokespersons explained to press event attendees that orders from other LE customers – however urgent – must wait for awhile. Disappointingly, the possibility of civilian-market sales of the Drop-In-Kit is “not likely in the foreseeable future.”

Lock, Stock and Barrel

Despite this list of modifications, the HK416 Enhanced Carbine and Rifle System maintain the basic mechanical characteristics of Stoner’s otherwise efficient design. So, “legacy” M4s (Colts already in the field or on the repair bench) can be quickly and simply upgraded using the Drop-In Kit by substitution of HK’s upper receiver with bolt assembly, buffer and spring assembly as well.

No vexing serial number change and no retraining to new operational and handling characteristics. Not to mention the vast increase in reliability, serviceability, accuracy, and compatibility with rail add-ons.

Of course Bantle was inspired to go ahead and fix the lower receiver as well. HK’s own 416 D (“Defense”) model lower offers superior fit and finish with pictograph selector markings and a specially flared and beveled magazine well for faster reloading. Add HK’s carbon-reinforced polymer four-position telescoping stock and you have the Mercedes of M4s at your fingertips.

Just as the SCAR is to have both Light and Heavy versions, a firing prototype HK417 is undergoing testing in Oberndorf, chambered for powerful 7.62x51mm NATO standard ammo. Rest assured that other calibers are under consideration including 6.8 Remington SPC.

Building a Better Blooper

Beginning way before but still unresolved during the run-up to the SCAR program, the Army has long been dissatisfied with the Vietnam War era M203 40mm grenade launcher; the familiar push-the-barrel-forward-to-load “blooper” (named for the distinctive sound of its low velocity cartridge on firing) is simple in mechanical function, straightforward to operate, tough and accurate enough. But there’s room for improvement and the search for an Enhanced Grenade Launcher Module has been a funded requirement under various names for years.

HK has had a better blooper ever since they took the top-break HK69 and made it open on the side instead. This deceptively simple and eminently practical change immediately allowed under-barrel mounting to most any weapon with a suitably long forearm. And, since the open breech stuck out to the side, even extra long special grenades (pyrotechnics, riot loads, etc.) could be inserted without a problem.

Improvements to the firing mechanism were also made for safety and serviceability. One in particular is the double action trigger system that, in the event of a misfire, allows multiple tries at activating a stubborn primer without the hair-raising need to open the breech every time for recocking. An unpleasant experience with a balky HE round in the chamber of an M203.

A modified version of the original HK69’s integral pistol grip was retained, giving the grenadier a truly ergonomic foregrip that’s handy not only for grenade popping but also helping to stabilize full auto fire with the host rifle or carbine. This isn’t available on the M203 where one’s hand stretches to grip the magazine and reach the trigger at the same time.

This new and improved blooper was first offered by HK as the AG36, a welcome addition to the innovative G36 family of assault weapons. It has since found favor clamped under other designs including the afore-mentioned British SA80A2 (L85A2) rifles and it does nicely as the standard 40mm component of PMSW’s HK-made XM8 family of rifles and carbines.

A slightly modified AG36 was HK’s obvious choice to compete in the Army’s 40mm Grenade Launcher Module (GLM) solicitation that kicked off in June 2004. Don’t be embarrassed if you confuse this with USSOCOM’s Enhanced Grenade Launcher Module (EGLM) program, a “spiral development” component of the SCAR light and heavy rifle, also beginning that same month. And don’t be further confused that the ARDEC GLM apparently morphed into PM Soldier Weapons’ XM320 GLM. Clear?

Anyway, the M203 is toast since HK’s GLM/XM320 entries came out on top and now, as announced in May 2005, HK Defense will soon be providing Uncle Sam’s grenadiers with as many as 11,000 side-opening forties, special day-night sights, and all the support equipment that normally accompanies a new small arms system.

As to USSOCOM’s EGLM, this automatically went to FN when the FN candidate won the SCAR L competition. HK has cause to hope that their XM320 will be under consideration as an alternate GL component in the SCAR family of light and heavy weapons.

Pistol Power

Handguns tend to be an afterthought to the regular military services. Not so for special operations and law enforcement where a quick draw and double taps are all-too-often required to satisfactorily resolve a whole lot of sticky situations.

HK has an almost overwhelming array of choices when it comes to pistols. From undercover concealment to underwater infiltration, there is a design, configuration, caliber, and compatible accessory to cover just about any contingency.

HK Defense points with justifiable pride at the “largest pistol contract in U.S. law enforcement history” coming in August of last year when the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced its intentions to buy as many as 26 million dollars worth of HK pistols.

After four months of exhaustive testing of 46 models submitted by five of the industry’s most prominent names, DHS selected HK’s USP Compact LEM, the P2000 and P2000SK. Each one was selected in 9x19mm, .40 S&W and .357 SIG calibers.

Future Handgun System Candidate?

One handgun system that commanded the most attention from attendees was the USP COMPACT TACTICAL .45, intriguingly equipped with a “wet technology” sound suppressor from Knight’s Armament.

HK’s family of USPs (Universal Self-loading Pistols) has found great favor with military, law enforcement and civilian shooters who like the classic M1911 but also appreciate the advantages of updated mechanical characteristics. Among these are a patented recoil reduction system that easily handles punishing +P+ loads, super accurate and high endurance polygon rifling, choice of ten trigger/firing mode configurations, and four popular calibers from 9mm to .45ACP.

With the Army’s recent announcement of the Future Handgun System program has come intense speculation over which COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) pistol is most likely to emerge victorious as a replacement for tens of thousands of current Beretta M9s. It’s NATO-standard 9mm ball cartridge’s deficiencies have been irrefutably documented and, according to the Program Manager for Soldier Weapons, “the Future Handgun will almost certainly be chambered in .45ACP.”

Any number of worthy contenders may be found among offerings by US and overseas firms making serviceable handguns that fire John Browning’s enduring 95 year old copper jacketed bumble bee. But the performance criteria, physical characteristics, business and manufacturing aspects, plus a laundry list of other things certain to be required by Uncle Sam, will rule out most from the beginning.

HK spokespersons politely decline to speculate on any aspect of their firm’s possible participation in the Future Handgun trials. So, this leaves it up to us to look at what is available right now and speculate that HK’s likely entry will be a USP Compact – easily configured from currently available options with whatever the Army’s specs call for.

The USP Compacts are both sturdy and light, featuring a shorter trigger reach and grip circumference that make it female soldier friendly without compromising combat performance. Ambidextrous controls? Check. DA/SA/LEM triggers? Yep. Anticorrosion? Of course. Service life? 20,000 rounds minimum. Tac light mounting? Rails molded in. Suppressor? Glad you asked….

SPECOPS types will no doubt appreciate the afore-mentioned USP Compact Tactical .45, pretty much a standard Compact equipped with a threaded o-ring barrel. This allows screw mounting of many different suppressors including the Knight’s Armament wet can shown in the accompanying photos.

Bureaucrats will also appreciate the significantly lower price vs. USSOCOM’s formidable MK23, as well as modularity that allows installation of a match-grade trigger mechanism and micrometer target sight if needed.

Wartime pressures have accelerated many aspects of the weapons and ammunition procurement process but the biggest steps must be taken very deliberately. As this is written in the last week of June there is no definitive answer to several important questions involving HK weapons under consideration by the US military.

Until such time as contracts are actually awarded (and maybe lawsuits settled) for key items like the XM8, HK Defense has prudently postponed construction of the major manufacturing complex planned for the 29 acre site it has purchased in Columbus, Georgia, just outside of the US Army’s Fort Benning, Home of the Infantry. Meanwhile, its products continue to be made in Oberndorf by an engineering and manufacturing team of unrivalled skill.

These winning designs are represented in the United States by men like Jim Schatz, Wayne Weber, Phil de Garis, Bob Schultz, Sal Fanelli, George Kontis, and plenty of others who are the underlying truth behind HK’s familiar motto: “In a World of Compromise, Some Don’t.”

Visit HK Defense on the web at www.hkdefense.us. Also, SAR recommends the unofficial but highly informative www.hkpro.com.

HK416 Model 10RS Tech Specs

Caliber: 5.56 x 45mm (.223 Remington)
Operation: Short recoil piston and pushrod, fires from closed bolt
Locking: Stoner type multilug bolt rotates in carrier
Selector: Safe, semi and full auto
Cyclic rate: 700 to 900 rpm
Barrel: 10.5 inches, conventional rifling 1 turn in 7 inches, cold hammer forged
Overall length: 27 inches (stock retracted) to 30.9 inches (extended)
Weight: 7.3 pounds
Notes: Drop-in upper receiver kit is fully compatible with M4 and similar lower receivers. Optional barrel lengths
include 14.5, 16.5 and 20 inch versions. Proprietary free-floating quad rail and buffer assembly. Now in service with special operations units in southwest Asia.

HK XM320 Grenade Launcher Module Tech Specs

Caliber: 40 x 46mm
Operation: Single shot
Locking: Side opening
Trigger: Double action
Barrel: 8.47 inches, rifling 1 turn in 47.24 inches
Overall length: 11.81 inches.
Weight: 3.39 pounds as mounted on M4
Notes: Operator configurable as under-barrel or stand-alone launcher with additional components including mechanical ladder or day/night/ranging electronic sights, and detachable/retractable stock. Side-opening feature accepts extra long special purpose rounds. Modular design and open architecture for multi-weapon compatibility and planned upgrades.

HK USP Compact .45 Tech Specs

Caliber: .45 ACP
Operation: Recoil
Locking: Modified linkless Browning type
Trigger module: 10 variants
Barrel: 3.8 inch, polygon rifling, 1 turn in 15.98 inches
Overall length: 7.09 inches
Weight: 1.6 pounds
Notes: Slightly smaller version of standard USP. 8- and 10-round magazine capacity. Carbon fiber reinforced polymer frame. Recoil reduction system, 20,000 rounds minimum service life. Tactical model with threaded o-ring barrel for suppressors.

By Al Paulson

Heckler & Koch decided to develop a pistol suitable for international competition in the realms of IPSC (International Practical Shooting Competition) and other so-called “practical” competitions. Developed with the help of several internationally successful competitors, HK’s first foray into this field produced a pistol called the USP Expert, which was introduced in 1998. The new pistol delivered superior accuracy by combining the best features of the USP Match, USP45 Tactical, and the Mark 23 in chamberings that included 9x19mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP. HK subsequently stretched the 9x19mm and .45 ACP variants of the Expert to create the USP Elite, which features a 6-inch barrel. Both the Expert and Elite accept high capacity magazines (18 rounds in 9mm). The slide is contoured in a distinctive fashion forward of the frame to reduce weight and improve balance. Thanks to the U.S. ban on large-capacity magazines, and the fact that these guns are optimized for high-cap magazines, the Expert and Elite are not imported through normal channels. They do sometimes trickle in as GI bring-backs, however, as we shall see. I was very pleased to have the opportunity to borrow both 9x19mm Expert and Elite pistols for a hands-on evaluation.

The general design characteristics and accuracy of the 9x19mm Expert and Elite pistols are compared in Table 1.

HK Expert Pistol

The USP Expert has been performing very well indeed among European IPSC shooters, thanks in large part to its inherent accuracy and large-capacity magazines. The USP Expert features hexagonal polygonal rifling with a right hand twist rate of one turn in 250 mm. Polygonal rifling provides a better gas seal than conventional land-and-groove cut rifling, less barrel fouling, and longer barrel life. The Expert employs the now recognized and accepted O-ring bushing system. The barrel on the USP Elite features the Mark 23’s type of elastomer O-ring just behind the muzzle. The O-ring provides an interface between the barrel and slide that significantly improves the weapon’s accuracy. While this might seem like a weak link in the system, the O-ring has a demonstrated lifespan in excess of 20,000 rounds. Simply oil the O-ring after cleaning the weapon and replace if necessary. The pistol will function normally without the O-ring in a life and death emergency, but shooting it without an O-ring will eventually damage the barrel/slide interface. Specifically when shooting without an O-ring, the groove in the barrel will hammer at the slide’s muzzle opening, so extended shooting without the O-ring will permanently damage the slide.

The 9x19mm Expert accepts 18-round magazines, while the .40 S&W variant takes 16-round magazines, and the .45 ACP Expert takes 12-round magazines. The speed of magazine changes is enhanced by a beveled, extended magazine-well that HK Oberndorf calls a Magazintrichter in German. That literally means “magazine funnel”, but HK Oberndorf officially calls the mag well a “Jet Funnel” in English. The Jet Funnel can be removed, so residents of the United States can use restricted capacity 10-round magazines. I have no doubt that reducing U.S. competitiveness in international IPSC competition by limiting magazine capacity makes all our American children quite safe from latent psychopaths and terrorist sleepers. I’m also sure this legislation makes congressfolk sleep more soundly at night. My fellow Americans: let the joy of your sacrifice gladden your hearts as you abstain from the Elite’s wonderfully evil and efficient 18-round magazines in favor of the righteous and legally mandated 10-rounders that force you to plummet from First Place to 300th when competing overseas. All American practical pistol shooters must make this one small sacrifice. For the children.

Presentation of the HK Elite from the holster is facilitated by the fact that the rear of the slide has been milled down to lower the profile of the large, adjustable match rear sight. The rear sight features micrometer adjustments for windage and elevation. Balance is facilitated by the long slide, which also gives a long sight radius of 7.5 inches. Accuracy is not only enhanced by the aforementioned O-ring in the barrel, but also by a match grade single-action/double-action trigger. An ambidextrous safety enhances safety and performance in events where the shooter must engage targets with the weak hand. An extended slide release lever and an ambidextrous magazine release facilitate rapid magazine changes. Other nifty features include an extractor that also functions as a loaded-chamber indicator, HK’s patented recoil-reduction system that is standard in full-sized USP variants, and an adjustable trigger stop.

The trigger stop limits trigger travel after the sear releases the trigger. This enhances practical accuracy. Adjustments can be made with a 1.5 mm socket wrench that is supplied with the pistol. Turning the setscrew in the trigger clockwise will reduce overtravel, but care must be taken to ensure that the screw is not adjusted so far that the trigger stop prevents the trigger from functioning in both single action and double action modes.

The incorporation of the USP’s recoil-reduction system should come as no surprise because the Expert is very similar to the USP9 (which was introduced in September 1993). Both are chambered for the 9x19mm cartridge. While these pistols feature a polymer frames and hammer-forged barrels, they are basically pistols of traditional design adapted to modern materials and manufacturing processes. They operate by a using a modified Browning short-recoil, locked-breech system that is a well-established linkless design. The dropping barrel locking system is similar to the design of the Ruger P90 and SIG-Sauer P266, among others. In the locked position, a large block above the barrel’s chamber engages the ejection port in the slide. The P35, on the other hand, uses Browning’s locking grooves milled into the barrel and slide to lock the breach during the high-pressure phase of the action cycle.

Upon ignition, combustion gases simultaneously push the bullet down the barrel and the empty case backward against the breech face. I realize that’s a penetrating glimpse into the obvious, but we do need to begin at the beginning. This rearward force pushes the slide and barrel backward for about 3 mm (0.1 inch) until a lug underneath the chamber engages a hooked locking surface at the rear of the guide rod, which is a part of what H&K calls the recoil/buffer spring assembly. As these angled surfaces fully engage, the rear of the barrel is pulled downward, which causes the locking block above the chamber to disengage from the ejection port. The slide then continues its rearward movement to complete the extraction, ejection and reloading sequence.

The innovative recoil/buffer spring assembly is a particularly interesting aspect of the engineering found in the Elite, Expert and other USP variants. It actually works coming and going. The robust guide rod has two captive springs: a full-length recoil spring and a short, smaller diameter buffer spring just in front of the hooked locking lug at the rear of the guide rod assembly. The latter spring buffers the barrel as it unlocks from the slide. This can reduce measured recoil by as much as 30% with +P ammunition, although the relatively high axis of the barrel in USP variants tends to exaggerate felt recoil.

Other similarities between the Elite and USP9 with the Browning’s 9mm Hi-Power and his older .45 ACP M1911A1 include a grip angle identical to the M1911A1, and the placement of the slide release, magazine release, and control lever in the same relative place as each of these older pistols. On Browning pistols, this control lever functions as a safety: UP for SAFE and DOWN for fire.

The control levers on most USPs work in a similar fashion, although there are ten basic variations on that theme. Table 2 lists nine of the ten variants based upon published HK data and my own guess as to the tenth. The precise control lever function employed for so-called Variant 8 is not listed in official HK literature I’ve seen.

Note from Table 2 that Variant 1’s trigger and safety system features a SA/DA trigger with a safety lever on the left side of the grip. The control lever has both a safety and decocking function. Safety markings are on the control lever, and a white index mark on the frame points to which feature is engaged. Pushing the lever fully upward engages the safety and index mark points to a white S for SAFE. The slide can still be manipulated (a round can be loaded) with the weapon set on SAFE. Push the lever down and the index mark points to a red F for FIRE. To decock, simply push the lever below the F position to drop the hammer. Both the Expert and the Elite are supplied overseas with spare “detent” plates that allow the user to convert the safety lever to DECOCKING operation only with no safety engagement.

The Expert and Elite incorporate several additional safeties. The hammer system features a lever that rotates upward when the trigger is pressed; this action depresses the spring-loaded firing spring safety and allows the striker to move forward. The pistol also incorporates a passive disconnector safety.

The USP Expert also differs from its Browning heritage because the Expert’s magazine release differs from Browning designs in that it does not take the form of a push button, but rather a small lever that is pushed down to release the drop-free magazine. For most shooters, this represents better human engineering than Browning’s button on the M1911A1 and P35, especially when the operator has gloved hands. I have small hands and must shift the grip of the firing hand in order to manipulate the magazine release with the thumb. Most operators with small hands manipulate the release with their trigger finger, which does not require shifting the hand on the grip and has the additional benefit of ensuring that the finger is off the trigger and outside the trigger guard during the magazine change.

The injection-molded polyamide frames of HK’s Expert and Elite pistols are reinforced with microscopic glass fibers that constitute 15% of the frame’s material. This polymer has a better tensile strength than aluminum and it’s lighter than steel. Polyamide also resists chemicals, high temperatures, and corrosion. Four short steel rails (two on each side) are molded into the polymer frame to guide the slide much like a Glock pistol.

A key feature of both the Expert and Elite frames is the modular, oversized beveled magazine well that facilitates magazine rapid magazine insertion under stress. Unfortunately, honest citizens of the United States cannot use the wonderful 18-round magazines intended for HK’s 9mm Expert and Elite pistols thanks to mindless, feel-good provisions of the infamous Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Public Law No. 103-322, 108 Stat. 1796), which banned the manufacture of magazines with a capacity greater than ten rounds for private ownership. While the presence of the Jet Funnel prevents the use of HK’s 10-round magazines, HK Oberndorf was thinking ahead and made the extended magazine-well modular and easily removable, so that 10-round magazines could be used in the Expert and Elite in the States.

In terms of handling characteristics, the 9x19mm USP Expert balanced extremely well and the long slide made the Expert a remarkably stable platform. Between the match-grade trigger and its trigger stop, shooting this handgun provides more of a religious experience than a shooting experience compared to other premium out-of-the-box 9x19mm pistols such as HK USPs, the Beretta M9/92F series, and the Walther P99. The Expert’s polymer frame, long and heavy slide, and the recoil reduction system—plus the small 9x19mm cartridge—make recoil a nonissue.

Since the Germans commonly use 123-grain FMJ ammunition for accuracy testing, this study used Hornady’s outstanding 124-grain JHP/XTP ammunition. Shooting the user-friendly Expert in double-action/single-action mode at 25 yards, the pistol delivered five-round groups averaging 1.5 inches. Other premium 9mm out-of-the-box pistols I’ve tested over the years generally delivered 2-3 inch groups at that distance. In terms of confidence-inspiring balance and other handling characteristics, match trigger, and outstanding accuracy, shooting HK’s 9x19mm USP Expert will raise the bar considerably for the serious practical shooter. HK’s USP Expert is the penultimate out-of-the-box 9mm target pistol in my experience.

HK Elite Pistol

Heckler & Koch did not rest on its laurels after creating the impressive USP Expert target pistol, but rather forged ahead to create the even better USP Elite pistol by stretching the Expert’s 5.2 inch barrel to 6.0 inches, which required designing a sleek new target slide. The Elite’s slide is hand-fitted to the frame to achieve maximum accuracy. Available thus far in 9x19mm and .45 ACP, the USP Elite pistol is designed to take 18-round 9mm magazines and 12-round .45 mags. Like the Expert, the Elite features a match trigger with trigger stop, and target sights with fully adjustable rear sight. The barrel employs the same elastomer O-ring as the Expert, located just behind the muzzle as an interface between the barrel and slide that significantly improves the weapon’s accuracy. Trigger and control lever functions are the same as the Expert, as is the recoil reduction system. A modular Jet Funnel speeds magazine changes, and the extended magazine-well can be easily removed to use 10-round magazines.

In terms of handling characteristics, while the Elite is 3 ounces heavier than the Expert, it balances better in my hands. That is a considerable achievement, because the Expert’s balance is wonderful. The longer sight radius of the Elite will be an advantage for young eyes and a disadvantage for tired old eyes, with one curious caveat. The longer sight radius of the Elite combined with my progressive multifocals allow me to maintain a more natural and comfortable head angle when shooting the Elite, compared to the Expert.

In terms of performance, shooting the Elite in double-action/single-action mode at 25 yards, the pistol delivered five-round groups averaging an impressive 1.3 inches with my Hornady’s outstanding 124-grain hollow point ammunition.

There is such a thing as love at first sight. A vision of graceful lines, proportion and manner that stir the soul, form a wistful smile on the face, and conjure a silent note of gratitude to the gods. Besides the all-important smile that melts your heart, there are the artistic yet functional creations of the human spirit that appear so beautiful on so many levels that you know deep in your bones that this creation approaches perfection. Somehow, when an old salt sees a truly beautiful sailboat, the seafarer knows that sailboat will function as good as it looks. When a pilot sees a beautiful sailplane, the aviator knows that aircraft will soar circles above and beyond the norm. To the seasoned mind, beauty becomes the sum of a lifetime of experience, a complex equation factoring in many variables related to projected performance in a host of real-world situations—as well as simple aesthetics. As one first handles the USP Elite, this pistol designed for practical pistol competition appears to have the graceful lines, proportion and manner comparable to the finest sailboat or sailplane. It is an artistic achievement of consequence that holds the promise of great practical performance in the real world. In terms of real-world performance, HK’s USP Elite delivers on that promise. It is the ultimate out-of-the-box 9mm target pistol in my experience.

Advanced collectors who would like to own an HK Expert or Elite pistol should contact Capital City Firearms. From time to time, they purchase NIB GI bring-backs of these pistols and offer them for sale. For outstanding holsters, cases, and web gear in use by many elite military and government organizations, contact the London Bridge Trading Company, Inc.

Capital City Firearms
Dept. SAR
P.O. Box 29009
Richmond, VA 29009
Phone 804-740-4926
Fax 804-740-9599
Website www.ccfa.com

Hornady
Dept. SAR
P.O. Box1848
Grand Island, NE 68802
Phone 800-338-3220
Fax 308-382-5761
Website www.hornady.com

London Bridge Trading Company, Ltd.
Dept. SAR
3509 Virginia Beach Blvd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23452
Phone 757-498-0207
Fax 757-498-0059
Website www.londonbridgetrading.com

Long time readers of Small Arms Review should know by now that my favorite annual gun event is NDIA’s get-together for manportable weaponry enthusiasts, known formally as the Joint Services Small Arms Symposium, Exhibition & Firing Demonstration. I look forward to this in much the same way a kid anticipates Christmas morning when friends and family gather, gifts are opened, and there are lots of great new toys to play with.

This year’s three day fete was held in mid-August in a swanky hotel in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas (insert your own Bill Clinton and Paula Jones joke here), featuring the usual mix of thoughtful technical papers, exciting industry exhibits, and the chance to go out to the range for some earplug-packing, gunsmoke-snorting live-fire fun.

Now, there is much new and improved hardware to report on that is of immediate interest and practical value for military, police and civilian shooters. However, let’s start with something we saw there that may be a year or two away from the hands of freedom’s defenders but has damn sure got the attention of the firearms establishment right this very minute.

METAL STORM

“My amazement is at the process — O’Dwyer didn’t blow up a barrel or kill himself in making it.” SAIC Physicist Adam Drobot, quoted in Scientific American magazine.

I can’t think of a better name than METAL STORM to represent Australian inventor Mike O’Dwyer’s bold new concept in projectile pushing at fantastic rates and quantities. Now with private and government financing in excess of $400 million, O’Dwyers multinational corporation seems likely to brush aside nearly a millennium of warfare’s established launcher and payload technology.

Overhearing mutterings from a number of exhibitors and other conference attendees about some “weird Star Wars stuff”, I hastened to METAL STORM’s booth and wormed my way through the crowd to snag some promotional materials. Retreating to a quiet corner, I skimmed the handouts and zeroed in on the vivid description of its operational principle. O’Dwyer’s inspiration came, we are told, by the speed and precision of an inkjet printer head on his everyday desktop computer. This led him, by trial and error (fortunately not life-threatening error), to have a computer program electronically fire rounds at infinitely tailorable speeds and sequences.

In his METAL STORM ballistic system, the only significant moving parts are projectiles from uniquely designed (also patented) caseless ammunition, loaded one in front of the other as many as practical depending on the length and caliber of the launch tube. Discarded entirely are all the usual mechanical contrivances required by existing multi-shot weaponry for feeding, mechanically firing, extracting and ejecting. Time to reload? Just rip out and replace the pre-loaded, non-metallic barrel cluster.

Does it work? Documented firings of “Bertha,” the thirty-six barrel, 9mm prototype, burping out 180 rounds in about one one-hundredth of a second, have established a new official Guinness World Record. Is it practical? For one thing, this sealed block of bullets and barrels could prove vastly superior to complicated and maintenance-intensive cannon caliber Gatling type systems now protecting many free world warships against EXOCET type missiles.

Advanced Sniper Rifle

Numerous demonstrations of Bertha and other configurations including a handgun have been conducted for high level leaders in military and scientific communities in Australia and the US. This has resulted in a gusher of RDT&E funding including a $10 million contract from DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), the Holy Grail of America’s defense technology, to develop the Advanced Sniper Rifle.

The cluster of four barrels on the rifle’s conceptual prototype is apparently its only unconventional aspect. Microprocessor based fire control allows the gunner to key in and send the best combination of a variety of projectiles as required for antipersonnel or antimateriel applications. Aiming and related functions are to be optimized using ongoing developments from such official US government initiatives as the very expensive “Objective Individual Combat Weapon” and the very spooky “Project White Feather.”

Electronic Handgun

METAL STORM is also creating quite a buzz in the world of law enforcement with the O’Dwyer Vle (Variable Lethality Law Enforcement handgun). Another Guinness honoree as the world’s first 100 percent electronic handgun, as of this writing it is a single barrel, seven shot working prototype. In addition to a personalization feature that will let only one specific officer fire the weapon (desirable if it’s taken in a scuffle or otherwise lost) its computer chip “brain” also stores additional keypad instructions from the gunner. This allows tailoring of each firing among a number of options including single shot (semi-auto), double tap, triple tap, or high energy modes. This last setting kicks out two shots at a mind-boggling 500,000 rpm so as to drill right through body armor!

Subsequent handgun models forseen by METAL STORM include multiple barrels in a soft recoil mount with different ammo ranging from “less lethal” stuff like stun bags and CS, to conventional kinetic energy terminators.

Dick Tracy take note: The Vle will eventually be equipped, we are told, with any number of optional gadgets like a two-way radio for immediate situation reporting and “advice” from the incident commander, as well as a GPS so everybody knows where the gun and its owner are located. Even “political correctness” can be enforced by a provision for a superior to electronically jam the weapon if a combat-stressed peace officer is about to take out the “wrong” category of miscreant at an embarrassing moment. Try explaining that to the family of the subsequently slain or horribly injured officer…

Other applications of METAL STORM technology cry out for development. According to O’Dwyer in his formal technical presentation at the event, some military initiatives include several already funded programs such as the Area Denial Weapons System (minefield replacement), vehicle self-defense, and arming of unmanned aircraft.

Not surprisingly, much of the muttering about METAL STORM overheard at the show is coming from established gun and ammo makers. Many of those who do not have their heads in the sand are understandably concerned by the potential of the O’Dwyer system for rather quickly putting conventional firearms in the same category as bows and arrows in the atomic age. In response, numerous very legitimate objections and cautions are being raised including danger from exploding barrels and system vulnerability to EMP (electro-magnetic pulse). So, SAR will be watching and reporting as this story unfolds.

Back to Earth

The symposium part at NDIA is like going to school for a highly concentrated series of half-hour lectures on the latest developments in guns, ammo, sights and related things that are of value to the soldier and policeman. This year’s lineup of distinguished speakers presented some 48 technical and informational papers, most well illustrated with computer-generated visuals and some with fascinating video clips. Space does not permit a detailed account here, but what follows are some of the highlights. Those with internet access plus the time and tenacity to delve deeper are encouraged to access the full collection of technical presentations that are thoughtfully posted by NDIA in cooperation with the Defense Technical Information Center for your viewing pleasure at www.dtic.mil/ndia/2001smallarms/2001smallarms.html

Small Arms Master Plan

As should be expected, there is intense interest from many directions in the formal plans that the US military has for research, development and procurement of weapon systems. After all, America’s Armed Forces are the free world’s largest and have the most money to spend. This is well covered each year by a series of presentations from top names in the Joint Services Small Arms Program (JSSAP) who tend to cover everything from improving the old stuff currently in use (now euphemistically called “legacy systems”) to crystal ball projections of at what is possible ten or twenty years out.

Some short-term projects include development of non-lethal ammo that will work the semiauto action of the new M1014 shotgun (which works just fine right now with crowd control loads by pulling back on the charging handle after each shot) plus ways to lighten existing weapons like the M249 Squad Auto Weapon and the M240B Machine Gun. In the mid term, the US military wants an Advanced Medium Machine Gun – presumably to finalize the lingering death of the tin can M60 and replace the ultra-reliable M240 even though it will probably be lighter by then. Finally, programs are well underway to harness various forms of directed energy (real ray guns, sonic blasters, and who knows what else) for use in WWIII.

Interestingly, both the Objective Individual Combat Weapon and the Objective Crew Served Weapon have been bumped up a notch in funding and fielding and are said to be on track for FUE (First Unit Equipped) in 2009. It will be quite fascinating to see if METAL STORM technology has any impact on these programs in the next couple of years.

The Few, The Proud, The Oughta Be Better Equipped…

A bare-knuckled assessment of the current state of US Marine Corps weapons and equipment for amphibious warriors at the spear point was delivered by Lieutenant Colonel James Diehl of Systems Command, with a bit of dry humor backed up with lots of actual instances. For example, don’t tell the bad guys, but after making sure first line guns stay up and running, the Marines don’t have enough maintenance money to repair and recondition the M249’s in wartime reserve!

A later presentation by a top-level guy from JSSAP noted an $11 million shortfall in funding the Army’s small arms rebuild program to keep “legacy” guns working. Yes, they’re all waiting for something to happen from that presidential campaign-promise that “Help is on the way.”

LTC Diehl’s laundry list of the Corps’ initiatives includes dropping the 60mm mortar in favor of a lighter but longer-reaching 81mm, more M4 carbines and their add-on accessories, ensuring all optical devices have laser-proof coating, and painting all those black guns and other stuff “Coyote Brown” for better camouflage. The Corps is also seriously exploring the use of ceramic liners to enhance performance of machine gun barrels, searching for more effective airbursting fuses, and seems to have a healthy skepticism toward Army plans to replace the combat classic M26 “Lemon Frag” grenade with something smaller and lighter so that girls can throw it.

Oh, and by the way, the Marines are once again taking a hard look at and doing live-fire testing of Jim Sullivan’s light, compact and highly controllable ULTIMAX 5.56mm Squad Auto Weapon. Sullivan, by the way, is also the guy who worked on making Stoner’s AR-10 into the M16, designed the incomparable C-MAG, and lots too much more to mention.

High Tech Crap

The irreverent Mr. Sullivan himself was on hand at the meeting to receive this year’s prestigious George M. Chinn Award for his lifetime of high achievement in the small arms world. He delighted many and offended others with pungent remarks during his acceptance speech, decrying such “fribble-frabble of fashion” as full-auto provision on individual weapons and the expensive, heavy, complex “high tech crap” that is likely to break or otherwise be rendered useless in the crucible of combat. Nothing stings so much as the truth…

Sullivan wasn’t the only iconoclast to shake up this gentlemen’s club with frank and pungent opinions. Reed Knight, Mr. SEAL Weapons himself, delivered a lively talk formally titled “Challenge for the Defense Industry.” Noting JSSAP’s commendable and continuing search for weaponry that is more reliable, easier to make and maintain, lighter and more effective, he criticized the often poorly thought out and confusingly written requirements documents put out by the military’s bureaucracy that contractors must bid on. “The customer needs to clearly set goals, challenges and rewards,” Knight said, “and say what you are willing to pay to meet those needs.”

SOCOM

Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has lots of things underway to support Rangers, SEALs, Special Forces and such, but their three big initiatives are the Advanced Light Grenade Launcher (the SACO 40mm showcased last year), a 7.62mm Lightweight Machine Gun (SEALs have pretty much used up all their specially chopped M60s), plus more and improved bells and whistles for the M4 carbine and the Navy’s new Mark 11 Mod O (Knight’s SR 25) sniper rifle.

Step Right Up

Now, unrelated to SOCOM’s presentation but as luck would have it, Knight’s Manufacturing and more than forty other business and government entities were downstairs in the exhibit hall with a whole bunch of exciting hardware. This is a great place to pick up and point exotic guns, eyeball the latest in sighting systems and often be able to talk with the actual person who designed and/or built them.

Taking Knight’s for example, they had brought along not only the SR-25 in various configurations, but a whole array of new and improved items like their Rail Adapter System’s MRE (Modular Receiver Extension with “more real estate”). This is a response to the very critical need of many spec-ops types for lots more space to clamp on any number of devices as dictated by particular missions.

They also offer a bunch of things to clamp on to US military and other small arms including a forward pistol grip, bipod, various suppressors, and the in-line “KnightScope Model 007.” This unity magnification image intensifier is intended for tandem mounting with the customer’s preferred day scope, giving around-the-clock operation capability.

Oh, and if you want a handguard for your M4 carbine in the stylish new “Coyote Brown” or other terrain matching colors such as green or white, Knight’s can fix you right up.

Many other great companies were on hand with cutting-edge products like the Leitz Pocket Laser Rangefinder, AirMunition marking rounds, Armalite Mk 19 blank adapter, and lots of night vision devices.

Free Range Time

This year’s host for the event’s all-important live fire portion was the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center at nearby Camp Joseph T. Robinson. They had set aside Range 13, a classic Known Distance facility dating all the back to WWI, and thoughtfully provided a diverse and interesting array of hard and soft targets to accommodate a full spectrum of weapons from 9mm handguns to .50 caliber sniper rifles. In addition to such classics as swinging steel plate silhouettes and oil drums (empty, of course), there were several old 2 1/2 ton trucks positioned at various distances. Also, Caswell International set up a bunch of their radio-controlled popup target mechanisms complete with stroboscopic hostile fire simulators that are particularly lively in the dark.

Yes, in the dark. This year a significant departure from the usual blistering summer afternoon range ordeal called for the live fire demos to begin about 90 minutes before sunset — right after a speech by Little Rock’s mayor and a tasty barbecue supper. Theoretically, this was going to allow sufficient daylight for regular “shoot and tell” by nine companies, and then as darkness fell the night sight guys would have perfect conditions.

Well, a combination of factors delayed the first rounds going downrange and frequent halts for safe passage of small planes to and from a nearby airport meant that most of the rest of the live fire was done under conditions rapidly progressing from low light to pitch black. But hey, that’s a lot like what the real world imposes on infantrymen and generator-mounted floodlights give sufficient illumination to allow spectators to see what was being demonstrated. Suck it up and drive on.

Oldies but Goodies

Another departure from the norm was conspicuous in the evening’s first demonstration. Distinguished retired soldiers Colonel Tom Brown (now with VT Kinetics) and Colonel John Meloy (now with Benelli) put on vintage US Army uniforms and live fired several of the classic infantry weapons that were used in World Wars One and Two. Taking the microphone while “Private Benelli” stepped up to the firing line, Brown pointedly contrasted these old machined steel and hardwood guns with the sheet metal, cast aluminum and plastic weaponry of the period from the Vietnam War to the present. “These,” he said, “are the guns that actually won wars.”

New Generation

Moving down the firing line as twilight rapidly deepened into purple then black, subsequent presentations of ten to fifteen minutes each were made by VT Kinetics firing the ULTIMAX and the SAR-21, GEMTECH suppressors, HK’s new P2000 pistol, PDW and chopped G36k assault carbine. Knight’s Armament fired several KnightSight equipped suppressed weapons including their 5.56mm SR-15 and 7.62mm SR-25, dramatically closing with a long belt of ball and tracers full auto from a Stoner Light Machine Gun.

Big Boys

These relatively small weapons were followed by several big and spectacular .50 caliber sniper rifles, grouped near the center of the range and all mounting various types of night sights. Mark Westrom cut loose with his AR-50, Jim Owens touched off the FN-PGM, and Ronnie Barrett pumped out a few from his semiauto M82A1. All of these guns use a backward-deflecting muzzle device to help tame recoil and reduce the enemy’s ability to detect muzzle flash and report. Well, as dramatic as this is on firing in daylight when the dust and grass goes flying, you ain’t seen nothing until you stand behind and to one side of these shoulder cannons at night. Wow!

Nowhere to Hide

Well, nearly an hour after it was really, really dark, the night sight guys on the far end of the firing line had their turn and nearly perfect conditions. Moonrise wasn’t going to happen for a while and a crosswind was blowing clouds of smoke from numerous tracer-induced grass fires to completely obscure most targets from 300 yards on back. This is bad news for image intensifiers but just right for thermal imagers. Recent advances in the technologies of thermal imaging including micro-cooling and reduced power consumption have made these previously heavy, bulky and temperamental devices much more practical and affordable for wider use on small arms systems.

Jim Looby and the FLIR team had set up a table with computer and television screens right at the spectator barrier so the crowd could look at real-time color video output from the TIPS-HPC thermal sight mounted on a bolt action rifle. This got really dramatic when the rifle was fired and spectators watching the video screen could see sparks from the bullet’s impact on metal targets.

Raytheon was right next door, similarly feeding the output of a tripod-mounted AN/PAS-13 into table top video screens. This gave onlookers a great thermal image picture of whatever it was downrange that anybody was firing on at any given time.

First Look at the HK P2000 Pistol

Jim Schatz, Director of Federal Operations for Heckler & Koch’s American office, brought along the brand new P2000 semiauto pistol for display at NDIA Small Arms 2001. We caught up with him on the range at Camp Robinson where he was preparing to function test and zero the P2000 along with several other weapons in advance of the evening’s live fire demonstrations. Jim was nice enough to give me a few minutes alone with this interesting new handgun so I could take the detailed pictures seen here, and then he did a little shooting for action views.

Surprisingly slim despite having a 13 round magazine, the P2000 was created at the request of Germany’s federal police for reduced size and weight with greater operational simplicity and human engineered for higher hit probability. Purposely eliminated is any specific mechanical safety that slows getting off that very important first shot. Its innovative double-action-only mechanism can be set in “semi-cocked” mode for a smooth, relatively light trigger release on the first squeeze. Subsequent shots are even lighter and faster as the recoiling slide fully cocks the exposed hammer with each round fired. A polymer recoil absorber and improvements on the classic Browning locking system also contribute to smooth and low-shock blowback operation.

Ergonomics of its ribbed and rough-textured polymer frame and machined steel slide are noteworthy, with all surfaces comfortably rounded and no angular protrusions to hang up when pulling it out of a holster, handbag or shirt. Different sized hands are easily accommodated by a selection of interchangeable back straps and the double stack magazine floorplate comes with or without a last finger extension. Grooves and slots in the frame accept a wide range of tactical accessories like laser pointers or mini-lights.

Both the slide catch lever and mag release are ambidextrous for easy operation and a red insert on the extractor serves splendidly as a chamber loaded warning indicator. The fixed square “U” notch rear sight and post front are marked by big white dots for low light shooting.

P2000 Technical Specifications

Caliber: 9 x 19mm, 13 rounds capacity
System of Operation: Recoil, modified Browning locking system
Overall Length: 178 mm
Barrel Length: 92mm
Sight Radius: 140mm
Height & Width: 128 x 34mm
Weight: 620 grams unloaded

2002

Military, industry and law enforcement and government professionals who need to keep up with the latest in weapons technology are encouraged to join the National Defense Industrial Association and attend the 2001 International Infantry & Small Arms Symposium and Exhibition. This is currently scheduled for 13-16 May 2002 in Atlantic City, NJ, but up-to-the-minute information and registration is available at www.ndia.org or write to NDIA, 2111 Wilson Blvd., Suite 400, Arlington, VA 22201.

In August of 2001, HK did their desert testing of the new MG43 machine gun system in 5.56 x 45mm. As usual, this was a torture test of the testers as well as the weapons. The 116º f ambient temperature does not begin to describe the actual temperatures out in the noonday sun. The dust and sand is everywhere, gets into everything, and is a great environment for finding out where the weak points in a system are. We did not find many in the MG43. There were far more weak points in your faithful correspondent than in anything that HK tested on the Cibola Dust Range those weeks in August of 2001.

The United States is not the only country that has requirements for a lightweight belt fed weapon. While this writer is a dyed in the wool, true believer, old school (Readers may insert more clichés) curmudgeon on the caliber issue- I believe that a machine gun should be in 30 caliber in order to perform all of the functions that a machine gunner needs it to do out to 1200 meters +, there is definitely a demonstrated need for an intermediate belt fed weapon. After Action reports (Yes, those modern day “Lessons Learned” reports) have demonstrated at what short ranges most modern combat happens at, and emphasizes the need for a lightweight, portable, reliable belt fed weapon in a 5.56 caliber, allowing each squad to have a belt fed operator. To this point in time, the FN Minimi / M249 system has been the predominant offering, accepted in many armies around the world. There have been other offerings ranging from the well known HK23 series, to the famed Stoner 63, to the mysterious Israeli Negev, to the very sexy but totally unreliable Spanish Cetme Ameli. I love that Ameli’s miniature MG42 looks, but wouldn’t want to bet the farm on it.

Lately, there have been many more requirements written, reaching for ever lighter weight, and ever more reliable and ergonomic designs. Some of these have moved into the 30 caliber range – 7.62 x 51mm NATO- and there are presently trials that SAR will be bringing you updates on. However, the current offering is in 5.56 x 45 mm NATO.

In this present requirement, the German firm of HK GmbH in Oberndorf has been working on a new weapon, the MG43. SAR was given an early look at this interesting and innovative weapon last year. We were asked to keep this quiet until the new system was unveiled at the NDIA Small Arms Symposium in May of 2002. I have chosen to present the features of this weapon as a photo essay in the issue that will be at the NDIA, and if you read through the captions and look at the photos, you will get a working view of this new design.

HK has taken some things from the old, and added a lot of new features. The goal of the German designers has been to make an extremely reliable system, as usual. And they have succeeded, as usual.

For our testing, the Germans fired 102,000 rounds of US Milspec 5.56x 45 ammunition. There were minor glitches here and there, but the two guns made it through the tests in one piece. It was most amazing to watch the testing cycle- fire a belt, toss the barrel into a barrel of water, slap another barrel on the gun, load a belt, and repeat. Endlessly. The barrels stood up to the rapid temperature changes, as did the MG43 system.

I observed the firers for quite a while to determine the controllability issue- and the MG43 was easy to handle. This is a subjective part of the report- what’s it like to shoot it? Well, the 750rpm cyclic rate is smooth for the weapon, an appropriate compromise between what the end users want for burst hit probability, and what is probably the natural harmonic of the weapon- I suspect it to be just above 500 rpm. I found it to be very easy to control, and keeping on target was quite easy. A negative would have to be the flash hider- it was opened at the bottom, I immediately went to bipod supported prone position and in that sandy environment it raised a cloud of dust- however, HK has corrected that situation. Shoulder fire was relatively easy to accomplish and the ambush busting “Hip fire” was easy to control as well. (God save me if Peter K reads this and thinks I advocate “Hip Fire”).

Please read through the accompanying picture captions for a better view of the HK MG43 machine gun. I am certain that we will be hearing a lot more about this new offering.- Dan

HK MG43 Machine Gun Specifications

Caliber: 5.56 x 45mm NATO
Operating System: Gas Operated
Bolt system: Positively locked, rotary two lug bolt head
Mode of fire: Sustained fire
Rate of fire: 750 Rds/ minute
Overall Length: 1050 mm, 810 mm with buttstock closed
Width: 90 mm
Height- bipod folded:….250 mm
Barrel Length: 480 mm
Weight: 6.4 kg
Bipod Weight: 0.43 kg
Barrel Weight: 1.72 kg
Standard Sights: Adjustable rear sight with range marks from 100 to 1000 meters in 100 meter increments.
Optical Sights: Picatinny rails on the top cover allow for the installation of various day and night sights.

Each baffle of the Impuls IIA suppressor indexes with a spacer (made from aluminum alloy in pistol caliber suppressors) using a tongue and groove arrangement possibly inspired by the tongue and groove indexing structures used in the cast baffles with integral spacers developed for the Vaime suppressors in Finland during the 1980s. The B&T design uses tongues on the front and back faces of the baffle base, which mate with grooves cut on each end of the spacers. This feature ensures that asymmetric structures on the baffles align properly for optimum performance.

The metallurgy used in the B&T designs is unusual. The baffles are now machined from an exotic steel alloy not available in the States. This steel has its atypical structural and harmonic properties because of the rather surprising elements that are added to the alloy. Originally, the baffles were machined from an esoteric aluminum alloy with an Inconel blast baffle, but HK (Oberndorf) wanted a suppressor that would give a longer service life to the HK pistols than the original military requirement of 5,000 rounds. B&T changed the material used in the baffles, and redesigned the Nielsen Device for the new suppressor mass, producing a silencer that now gives a pistol and silencer service life of 10,000+ rounds.

What’s the actual lifespan of the suppressor itself? I don’t know of anyone who has tested one to destruction yet. One user has 14,000+ rounds through the system. The rearmost baffle sustained enough sandblasting by unburned powder and primer particulates after about 8,500 rounds that the user moved the rearmost baffle to just behind the front-most position. Since five of the suppressor’s six baffles can be rearranged, this implies a baffle life for the system of 5 x 8,500 = 42,500 rounds. Unpublished data from Europe suggest the suppressor tube should have a minimum lifespan of 15,000 to 20,000 rounds.

The suppressor tube is made from an exotic aluminum alloy not available in the States, and it requires a proprietary heat treatment to provide an unusual mix of strength and elasticity. It appears that, if either the baffles or the suppressor tube were made with the aluminum and steel alloys commonly used in the U.S. firearms industry, these components would experience structural failure. The lifespan of the tube might be increased dramatically by reheating the tube to the aforementioned proprietary temperature to “normalize” the work-hardened alloy every 10,000 rounds (thereby removing the brittleness that slowly accumulates with use). This is an area that has received no research to date, however, and there would appear to be little financial incentive to conduct such a study.

Since the requisite steel and aluminum alloys are not available in the States, CCF/Swiss goes to the significant expense of air-freighting its tube stock and bar stock into the country from Switzerland to ensure the necessary durability of these critically engineered systems. CCF/Swiss manufactures these baffles to very close tolerances on a $0.312 million six-axis CNC indexing machine and the complex fluted structure requires considerable machine time per baffle.

The basic Impuls IIA suppressor is available for pistols in the following calibers: 9x19mm, .40 S&W, 10mm Auto, and .45 ACP. A variety of impulse or Nielsen devices are specifically engineered to the timing and force requirements of the following pistols: Heckler & Koch Mark 23, USP (Universal Self-Loading Pistol), and USP45 Tactical; Glock 17, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 29, 30; SIG 226, 228, 229; and SIG Pro. Nielsen Devices are also available for the 9x19mm and .40 S&W variants of HK’s USP Tactical Pistol, which are not available in the United States at this time.

As designed for the HK Mark 23 pistol, the Impuls IIA is 7.83 inches (19.9 cm) long and has a diameter of 1.38 inches (3.5 cm). With six proprietary steel baffles, the .45 caliber Impuls IIA weighs 14.9 ounces (421 grams). Steel components are finished in a matte black oxide, the aluminum spacers are anodized, and the suppressor tube, Nielsen tube and front-end cap are finished in a black hardcoat anodizing. The rear of the suppressor tube is knurled, as are the Nielsen Device tube (attached to the rear of the suppressor tube) and the rear end cap of the Nielsen Device, so the both the suppressor and impulse device can be fully disassembled for cleaning or servicing, although this is not required very often. At the insistence of HK (Oberndorf), B&T’s Nielsen Device incorporates the alignment indexing system developed at Knight’s Armament Company, although the different manufacturing techniques and specifications used to build the Impuls IIA make any such adjustments unnecessary.

Cleaning and Maintenance

While the Impuls IIA suppressor comes with a disassembly tool and manual, I do not recommend disassembly for routine cleaning and maintenance. After a shooting session, simply unscrew the rear end cap and remove the Nielsen Device piston with its captive spring. Place the suppressor with the rear end down in a metal tennis ball can or similar vessel filled with WD-40. Soak along with the rear end cap and piston for one hour. Drain and blow-dry with an air hose. No other routine maintenance should be required. If you have a Dillon CV-2001 Vibratory Case Cleaner, an acquaintance informs me that you can transform a pair of metal tennis ball cans into a poor-man’s ultrasonic suppressor cleaner in a few minutes. You’ll need a hole cutter for your electric drill sized to the cans, a board wider than a can and as long as the diameter of the vibratory cleaner’s lid, a roll of picture hanging wire, and some dry wall screws and screw eyes. Drill a can-sized hole in the middle of the board and then one on each side of that hole equidistant from the center hole. Remove the lid from the vibratory cleaner, and screw it onto the board with drywall screws so that the central hole gives clearance for the lid’s wing-knob. Set the cans in the two outlying cutouts in the board and secure with guy wires wrapped several times around the top of the cans (leaving enough room to fit the can lids), securing the guy wires to screw eyes appropriately spaced in the board. Buy a gallon can of WD-40, place suppressors in the cans and then fill with WD-40. While this may not be as effective as a $3,000 ultrasonic cleaner, it’s a whole lot better than a simple soaking on the workbench.

Performance

The milspec version of the Mark 23 (engraved “MK 23” on the slide) features a match-spec chamber, enabling it to deliver 2-3 inch groups at 50 yards using Black Hills 230 grain FMJ ammunition (with or without a CCF/Swiss Impulse IIA suppressor installed). The commercially available version of the Mark 23 pistol (engraved “Mark 23” on the slide) features a looser SAAMI-spec chamber, which might be a contributing factor as to why these pistols seem to deliver somewhat less accuracy than the milspec “MK 23” pistols. That said, the SAAMI-spec chambers make more sense for civilian end-users because they will digest a wider range of ammunition.

The Mark 23 barrel is threaded 16x1mm RH, while the barrel on its smaller sibling, the USP45 Tactical, is threaded 16x1mm LH. Left-hand threading was used by HK on the 9x19mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP variants of the USP Tactical as a simple way for organizations or individuals fielding both the Mark 23 and USP45 Tactical pistols to avoid accidentally installing a recoil enhancement module designed for the Mark 23 on the smaller pistol, or vice versa. This is a consideration because the same Impuls IIA sound suppressor can be used for either the Mark 23 or USP45 Tactical pistol by changing the piston in the Nielsen Device. Simply swap out the piston with its captive spring for the piston required for a particular pistol. It’s easy to keep track of which piston goes with which gun. The piston without holes in its side is used with the Mark 23 (either the milspec or commercial variants), while the piston with large holes drilled in its side must be used with the USP45 Tactical.

To evaluate the performance of the sound suppressor, I tested CCF’s Impuls IIA on HK’s Mark 23 pistol and USP45 Tactical pistols using Black Hills 230 grain FMJ ammo (Black Hills Ammunition, Inc., Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 3090, Rapid City, SD 57709-3090; phone 605-348-5150; fax 605-348-9827; URL http://www.black-hills.com). The Impuls IIA can be used as a dry can for maximum convenience or as a wet can for maximum sound suppression. When using in wet mode, the Impuls IIA uses a tablespoon of water as the coolant medium. To add coolant, simply pour some water from your canteen into the rear of the Impuls IIA, shake a few times to distribute the water, and allow any excess to drain. This entire procedure takes about five seconds. Then mount the suppressor on the gun. The Impuls IIA will retain this water for about a day at moderate temperatures without shooting or for at least a full magazine of shooting.

The sound pressure levels of suppressed and unsuppressed pistols are reported as decibels in Table 1, and net sound reductions appear in Table 2. The Black Hills ammunition averaged 829 fps using the HK Mark 23 pistol and 821 fps using the HK USP45 Tactical pistol. All tests were conducted on the same day at a temperature of 72 °F. When fired dry, the Impuls IIA produced a mean (average) sound signature that was just above the pain threshold of 141 dB on the Mark 23, and just below the pain threshold on the USP45 Tactical. If maximum stealth or hearing protection is required, adding a bit of water to the rear of the can drops the mean sound signature by 11-13 decibels, which is a bunch when you recall that the decibel scale is logarithmic rather than linear. The CCF/Swiss Impuls IIA fired wet provided a net sound reduction of 29 dB on the Mark 23 and 30 dB on the USP45 Tactical.

This is very good performance. What the numbers don’t show is the butter-smooth operation of the CCF/Swiss Nielsen Device. It is perfectly tuned to the force and timing requirements of the Mark 23. When this smoothness of operation is combined with the fact that the suppressor eliminates about half of the perceived recoil, placing rapid follow-up shots is addictively easy. The elevated sights on the Mark 23 and the USP45 Tactical provide excellent sight pictures over the suppressor, so the speed of target acquisition and precision of shot placement are outstanding. Whether mounted on a Mark 23 or an HK USP45 Tactical pistol, the Impuls IIA from CCF/Swiss operates more smoothly than any Nielsen Device I’ve ever used on a .45 ACP sound suppressor. This makes me a better and a more confident shooter. The Nielsen Device is also very well designed to tolerate the grit and grime encountered during military operations in the real world.

It is also interesting to note that the Impuls IIA was quieter on the USP45 Tactical than the Mark 23. The fact the Impuls IIA was quieter on the pistol with the shorter barrel implies that the baffle design “likes” higher velocity gases. This, in turn, suggests that the suppressor might actually be more effective if it were redesigned to a smaller diameter so the asymmetric baffles could work the gases even harder.

Final Thoughts

It is safe to say that the Impuls IIA is a tough, user-friendly suppressor that provides acceptable sound suppression when fired dry and very good sound suppression when fired wet. If you count all caliber variants, the Impuls IIA is probably issued in greater numbers to elite military, security and law-enforcement units outside of the United States than any centerfire pistol suppressor in history. Thanks to CCF/Swiss Inc. (Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 29009, Richmond, VA 23242; phone 804-740-4926; fax 804-740-9599; URL http://www.ccfa.com), agencies and qualified individuals within the United States now can obtain this impressive technology for their own demanding applications. Mounting the CCF/Swiss Impuls IIA suppressor on the Mark 23 or USP45 Tactical pistol provides an accurate, quiet, and robust system that should satisfy both the armed professional and the qualified civilian.