FEDERAL AMERICAN EAGLE ANNOUNCES REVOLUTIONARY SYNTECH AMMO

Federal Ammunition is pleased to announce a whole new concept for range ammunition with introduction of American Eagle Syntech: A smoother way to shoot. Shipments of this new product are now being delivered to dealers. American Eagle Syntech is the first range-specific ammunition designed to reduce fouling and extend barrel life with a high-tech polymer bullet coating. Combined with specialized clean-burning powders, your gun will stay cleaner, longer, so you can shoot more—and shoot better. The exclusive Catalyst primer provides the most reliable, consistent ignition possible. The Syntech system offers target shooters the most advanced range ammunition available and the perfect way for handgun owners to protect their investment from the inside out. The features and benefits include the polymer-encapsulated Syntech bullet that prevents metal-on-metal contact in the bore, eliminating copper and lead fouling, while extending barrel life as well as an exclusive primer formulation that provides reliable, consistent ignition. Clean-burning propellants also minimize residue and fouling which significantly reduces the required frequency of firearm cleaning. The absence of a copper jacket minimizes splash-back on steel targets, making it perfect for target practice or competition. The new rounds also have less perceived recoil. The American Eagle ammunition is available in 9mm Luger 115 grain, 40 S&W 165 grain and .45 Auto 230 grain. Contact them at www.federalpremium.com.

IWI US LAUNCHES HIGHLY ANTICIPATED TAVOR X95

IWI US, Inc., a subsidiary of Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) Ltd., proudly debuts the compact, modern designed TAVOR X95 bullpup. IWI US introduced the X95 select-fire bullpup to law enforcement customers last year and now our civilian customers can buy a commercial version. The X95 is a modern, modular bullpup design emulating all the familiar features of the TAVOR but on steroids. The TAVOR X95 platform incorporates a tri-rail forearm covered by three removable vented rail covers. The TAVOR style trigger guard is modular and can easily be converted to a more traditional trigger guard with pistol grip. The charging handle has also been relocated closer to the shooter’s center mass, and perhaps the most significant departure from the TAVOR is the ambidextrous magazine release, located to a more traditional AR-15/M16 location on the X95. Like the TAVOR SAR, the X95 will be available in a 16.5” 5.56 NATO and .300 Blackout and 17” 9mm Luger Parabellum. All models feature interchangeable cold hammer forged (CHF) barrels manufactured and engineered to IWI’s demanding specifications. Conversion kits in .300 Blackout, 5.56 NATO and 9mm will also be available. The TAVOR X95 in 5.56 NATO and .300 Blackout uses standard AR-15/M16/STANAG magazines and is supplied with one black Magpul Gen III PMAG. It will be available in Black, Flat Dark Earth and OD Green. Watch future issues of SAR for a full test and evaluation of this new rifle. The price for the TAVOR X95 is $1,999.00 and the Conversion Kits are $899.00 in 5.56 NATO and 9mm and $499.00 in .300 Blackout. For more information, please visit www.iwi.us.

DANIEL DEFENSE RELEASES FIRST CHOICE 300 AAC BLACKOUT AMMUNITION

Daniel Defense, engineer and manufacturer of some of the world’s finest firearms and accessories, has released the first caliber of high-quality ammunition it will offer under its First Choice brand: 300 AAC Blackout. The company also has plans to expand its offerings to include the popular 5.56mm and 7.62mm calibers in the future. The new Daniel Defense 300BLK (7.62x35mm) Subsonic Ammunition is designed for target shooting and/or home defense. It is manufactured using the highest-quality components available, including durable brass cases and precision 220-grain Lapua Scenar-L OTM bullets, the first choice for serious target-shooting competition.

They’re passionate about the launch of their new 300BLK ammo, as it represents a whole new era for their brand—one where they can now ensure that the ammo that goes into their firearms is as high quality as the firearms themselves. To ensure the highest levels of quality, each and every First Choice round stamped with a “DD” must undergo and pass a thorough inspection to ensure critical dimensions that affect accuracy are met before it leaves the Daniel Defense factory. The Daniels have a long-standing philosophy on seconds and blemished product, “If it’s not perfect, it doesn’t go to market.” Daniel Defense 300BLK Subsonic Ammunition retails for $50.00 for a box of 30 rounds. It is currently for sale only directly from Daniel Defense online at www.danieldefense.com.

LIBERTY SUPPRESSORS INTRODUCES THE NEW CENTURION SUPPRESSOR

The Centurion is everything you want in a compact 9×19 pistol suppressor. It is designed to provide excellent suppression on 9mm handguns, dry or wet. They designed it to be taken apart since 9mm tends to run a little dirty, this by default makes it suitable for 22LR as well. If there was ever a suppressor that is perfect for the nightstand, the Centurion would be it. The length added to the host firearm is only about 6 inches so it fits really well with virtually every 9X19 handgun that has ever had a threaded barrel put in it. They made this suppressor 34% shorter than their outstanding Mystic X suppressor by reducing the footprint a full 3 inches from the silencer module. This makes for a very compact platform that handles very well. This suppressor also performs very well in rimfire calibers as well as the 300 Blackout carbines. Short, light and handy, this suppressor works well in many different roles. The Centurion breaks down into 3 basic parts (not including the mount) and due to the wavelok cut tube, can only be assembled one way. This makes reassembly a snap and virtually foolproof. The core is stainless steel, which makes it acceptable to being cleaned with harsh chemical solvents, stainless steel pins and ultrasonic applications (electrical tape on the Cerakoted end will protect it from the vibratory cleaning action). The outer tube is made from titanium so the entire suppressor weighs just 7.9 ounces. This unit comes standard with a 1/2-28 booster assembly installed and all of the Mystic X mounting solutions are compatible as well. This suppressor is sure to be a range favorite as well as being right at home on the nightstand at the end of the day. You can find out more at www.libertycans.net.

NEW AR9 9MM PISTOL CALIBER FROM WILSON COMBAT

The Wilson Combat AR9 9mm pistol caliber carbine was designed from the ground up as the new standard in pistol caliber carbine reliability. The use of common 9mm service pistol magazines makes it an ideal choice for patrol, home defense and cost-effective
tactical training.

Wilson Combat engineers have designed three unique AR9 lower receivers with last round bolt hold open that are compatible with the most popular 9mm service pistol magazines from Glock, Beretta and S&W. The Wilson Combat AR9 closed-bolt blowback operating system is soft shooting and reliable with a wide variety of 9mm loads and exhibits flawless feeding with all common pistol bullet shapes, including hollowpoint and +P tactical ammunition. The AR9 bolt hold open ensures reliable lockback on empty with your pistol’s factory magazines. The AR9 proprietary bolt carrier group with heavy duty claw extractor and plunger ejector is tuned for exceptional reliability. These new billet machined aluminum receiver models also accept standard AR accessories like furniture, triggers, charging handles, buttstocks and optics, and incorporate an integral trigger guard and flared magwell for fast reloading. The AR9 series of carbines has multiple unique patent-pending features that make it unique to the 9mm carbine market. The AR9 is also an optimized suppressor host with minimal gas blowback and enhanced accuracy over other designs. Wilson Combat carbon steel match-grade button-rifled 1-10” twist 9mm barrels ensure that the AR9 meets our stringent quality and accuracy requirements. The Wilson Combat AR9 can be ordered with your choice of Glock 17, S&W M&P or Beretta 92 magazine compatibility and configured as a pistol, carbine or short barreled rifle (all NFA rules apply). The AR9 is offered with your choice of fluted or non-fluted barrels in multiple lengths and various Wilson Combat designed muzzle devices. Not simply a converted AR-15, the Wilson Combat AR9 has been specifically designed for superior reliability and maximum accuracy, while retaining the familiar handling and controls of the AR platform. The AR9 is available with your choice of pistol magazine compatibility, barrel length, custom Armor Tuff colors and other accessory options to suit your specific needs. Find out more at www.wilsoncombat.com.

TACTICAL WALLS ADDS NEW RFID LOCKING MODELS

TacticalWalls continues to change the way people think about home firearms storage. Known for its Hidden in Plain Sight philosophy, each product in the TacticalWalls line is disguised as a fully functional piece of home décor – such as shelves, mirrors, marker-boards and much more. Now, users will have even greater security and easier accessibility thanks to TacticalWalls new Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) locking models. The RFID locking mechanism will be offered as an optional alternative to the existing magnetic lock on select TacticalWalls models. With the release of the new RFID models, firearms owners can access their guns even faster in an emergency. Opening up the hidden compartment is as easy as swiping the preset RFID card in front of the locking mechanism. Each unit will come standard with two key cards and one programming card used to match the key to the proper unit(s). Firearms owners can also order additional RFID cards if needed. One card can also be set to open multiple units, granting access to each firearm staged throughout the home. Another unique feature of the new RFID-locking models is a programmable Tattle Tale function. When turned on, the Tattle Tale function will start beeping after the unit has been left open for a period of time. This important safety enhancement helps firearms owners keep guns from unwanted users by reminding them when the compartment is left open. This feature can also be disabled if preferred. If the battery on the RFID locking mechanism runs out of power, the unit automatically defaults to an unlocked-but-still-closed position. Find out more at www.tacticalwalls.com.

4-22-2016 1500 hours: Longtime machine gun aficionado and gun culture personality James Lester Ballou died today at the age of 75. He was pre-deceased by his wife Pat, whom he married at the North Country Shoot in Stratford Hollow, NH. They were married during the machine gun shoot, sealed the nuptials by firing twin Thompson Submachine Guns, and then rode off for their honeymoon atop a live Sherman tank.

Jim was a regular at machine gun shoots around the country from the mid-1980s on, and he wrote articles for Machine Gun News and was a regular contributor to Small Arms Review among other magazines. His passion was for any John Browning invention, but in particular it was the 1918 series Browning Automatic Rifle. His pride and joy was a genuine, original transferable Colt Monitor, one of 150 or so made, the FBI’s first “Fighting Rifle” from the 1930s. Jim was extremely proud of this and the trip to Idaho he took to see his friend, the late Kent Lomont, when his transfer came in.

Jim may hold a world’s record of sorts, his personal hobby was to fire every known machine gun, have his picture taken doing so, and he would only top that if he could fire one in each hand. The count was well into the high 300s
when last reported.

He donated his excellent collection of 1911 series pistols to the NRA Museum, where they are on display.

Many who knew him will remember his kindness, and the time he would take to teach, explain, and demonstrate various firearms, interspersing the discussions with historic tidbits.

Jim considered his magnum opus to be the BAR book: Rock in a Hard Place: The Browning Automatic Rifle, with 500 pages and 751 illustrations. This has always been “The” book on the BAR, published by Collector Grade Publications.

Many of Jim’s articles from SAR are available online at www.smallarmsreview.com and we continue to post more there in The Archives on a monthly basis. Jim requested that we include his articles from the old “Machine Gun News” and we will do so in the future.

Today’s tactical folding knife market offers more choices than ever before. While choices are typically a good thing, they can also be overwhelming—unless you have a logical, step-by-step method to select a knife that best meets your personal need. This article is intended to provide exactly that. To avoid semantic arguments, please note that it is presented with the premise that “tactical” means a knife suitable for defensive use.

Step 1: Research the Law

The first step in choosing any carry knife should be to research the laws in your area and the areas you frequently travel. This research should include both state laws and county or municipal laws that might apply. Smaller jurisdictions cannot “relax” a state law, but they can create laws that are more restrictive than the rest of the state.

Many concealed carry and knife rights web sites provide guides to state knife laws, as does the Smartphone app “Legal Blade.” These are a great place to start, but the only definitive way to understand the laws in your area is to hire an attorney to research knife case law—how the written laws were actually interpreted in real cases.

Step 2: Define Key Characteristics

Based on your legal research, the next step is to define the key characteristics of a knife that’s legal in your area, such as blade length, number of edges, types of folding knife actions, and any other criteria specific to the laws in your area. Make a checklist of what you’re looking for and every time you consider a knife, compare it against these criteria.

Step 3: Choose a Blade Style

Blades are available in a bewildering array of shapes and profiles. Unless you already have an advanced skill set and strong knife-design preferences, stick with the basics and look for a blade shape that cuts and punctures effectively.

The most efficient way to cut with a knife is to use the entire length of the cutting edge while maintaining constant pressure into the target. If a blade has curve or “belly” to the edge and its point is high in relation to its centerline, the force of your cut will dissipate significantly as you reach the tip of the blade. Straighter edges cut deeper and center the point of the blade better, making it more acute and more effective as a thrusting weapon. Some people insist on extreme point strength so the tip will not break if it is accidentally thrust into bone or other hard objects. While this logic has merit, don’t let tip strength become so important that it compromises the knife’s ability to penetrate your real targets—flesh and the clothing covering it.

Another aspect of blade design is edge geometry, or the “grind” of the blade. This is basically the cross-sectional shape of the blade that creates the bevels and the cutting edge. Common blade grinds like hollow, flat, and convex are all suitable for a defensive knife, provided they are executed well enough to provide a relatively thin, keen cutting edge while maintaining enough thickness to ensure blade strength. With rare exceptions, serrations are not desirable on a defensive knife because they tend to “grab” clothing and dissipate the force of the cut. Stick with a standard “plain” cutting edge.

Step 4: One-Hand Opening

A tactical folding knife must have the ability to be brought into action quickly, preferably using only one hand. To do this, most include some type of “purchase” on the blade that allows it to be rotated open with thumb pressure. These typically come in the form of blade holes, thumb studs, and disks. All of them work well, provided they are positioned high enough above the line of the blade’s pivot pin to be easily accessed and provide good leverage for a straight-line drive of your thumb.

“Flippers” are another type of one-hand opener. A flipper is an integral lever on the edge side of the blade designed to be stroked by the index finger to open it. This requires you to compromise your grip slightly and is more of a fine motor skill, so it requires a higher level of training to use under stress.

All one-handed “purchases” can be found on pure manual folding knives; however, there is also a category of folder called an assisted opener. When the blade of an assisted opener is opened partway by manual pressure, a spring mechanism in the handle gains mechanical advantage and kicks the blade open the rest of the way. By the definition of federal law these are not switchblades, but there has been significant legal controversy around them challenging this.

In general, manual-opening knives are preferred because they can be opened as fast or as quietly and slowly as you want; however, if you have arthritis or other finger dexterity issues, they might be a good option. Avoid assisted openers that have secondary safeties to ensure that the blade stays closed as they negate the speed gained by the quick-opening mechanism.

One unique one-hand opener is Ernest Emerson’s “wave-like opening feature.” Hands down the fastest way of opening a folding knife, it consists of a hook on the spine of the blade that catches on the edge of the pocket as the knife is drawn. This creates leverage to pivot the blade open as it clears the pocket. While it is very fast and easier to learn than manual opening methods, it does take its toll on your pockets if you practice a lot.

Automatic knives, aka switchblades, can be legally carried by civilians in some states. Although they open quickly with the press of a button or lever, they usually require a safety of some sort to be carried safely in the pocket. Again, operating the safety negates the speed of the auto opening, making autos slower to deploy than conventional folders.

Step 5: Choose a Lock

Another important consideration is the type of mechanism that locks the folder’s blade open. Obviously, strength is a key consideration to prevent the knife from failing during use and potentially closing on your fingers; however, the lock mechanism also has a profound effect on how easy a folder is to open.

In the closed position, lock mechanisms like back locks apply considerable spring force to keep the blade closed. This “self-close” feature makes them very safe to carry, but also requires more force to open the blade. Conversely, locks that apply pressure to the side of the blade like LinerLocks, frame locks, Axis Locks, and Compression Locks apply much less pressure to keep the blade closed and offer a much easier blade opening action.

A good folder lock should be strong, well manufactured, and easy to operate. It should also engage fully even when you open the knife dead slow—a useful covert tactic if you have the time to “prep” your draw before trouble starts. The lock’s design should also prevent your hand from applying pressure on it when the knife is gripped tightly. This can either impede one-hand opening of the blade or release the lock unintentionally during use.

Step 6: Handle Construction and Texture

The handle of your knife should be comfortable in your hand, devoid of any hot spots or sharp edges, and large enough for you to get a secure grip with your entire hand. To ensure that you can maintain your grip and manage the shock of impact during powerful cuts and thrusts, the handle must also provide good traction—either through the use of ergonomics, texture, or both.

Good knife handles should also be structurally strong and durable. Materials such as steel, titanium, G-10, Micarta®, fiberglass-reinforced nylon, and wood are all perfectly suitable, provided that they offer adequate texture for traction.

Step 7: Clip Position

Pioneered by Spyderco’s founder Sal Glesser nearly 40 years ago, the pocket clip anchors a folding knife to the top of the pocket to keep it poised for immediate access. Depending upon the clip’s attachment point, it positions the closed knife either tip-up or tip-down. This has a significant effect on your draw and the technique you will need to use to open the blade. Clips may provide only a single carry position or have multiple mounting holes to support two, three, or four different carry orientations. In general, more is better, since it allows you to experiment and tune your carry style to best fit your needs, your hand size, and your knife.

Step 8: Blade Steel

Virtually all high quality folding knives use blade steels that are suitable for defensive use. Unless you are a metallurgist or insist on the latest super steel, stick with a steel takes a good edge and resists rust well. For a knife carried constantly, corrosion resistance is actually more important that long-term edge holding.

Step 9: Invest in Quality

Although price is no guarantee of quality, don’t go cheap. Do your homework, make logical decisions, and invest in a respected brand and you’ll have a knife you can trust when you need it most.

“Speed” (1994)

In 1994, “Mad Bomber” Howard Payne took an elevator full of people hostage with a bomb, and then demanded a large amount of money. Two police officers, Jack Tavern and Harry Temple, manage to save the hostages on the elevator, but learn that Payne is not far away, in another elevator. They attempt to get to him by climbing down the elevator shaft above him, but Payne hears them and starts shooting his Mossberg 500 shotgun at them. He soon runs out of ammo, but manages to escape, where he plays a sick extortion game with a bus full of innocent people.

This is the plot to “Speed,” a 1994 movie that is considered one of the best movies from the nineties. Jack Tavern is played by Keanu Reeves and Harry Temple is played by Jeff Daniels. Howard Payne is played by Dennis Hopper, and Sandra Bullock plays a passenger on the bus. It’s a great movie and was a financial and critical success, even getting a sequel a few years later, though nowhere near as good as the original.

One of the prominent guns in the movie is a Mossberg 500. It was designed by Oscar Fredrick Mossberg and was put into production in 1960. It is currently being used in eleven countries and is popular for home defense or camping. It is a pump action shotgun, where the handgrip is used to pump back and forth to both eject spent cartridges and load fresh ones in. O. F. Mossberg and Sons has other models of the Mossberg 500, including the Model 505, Model 535, and the Model 590.

The Mossberg 500 used in the movie has a factory pistol grip. Traditionally, it is used as a riot control gun, and is called a Mossberg 500 Mariner. Its weight is 5.2 pounds and is close to 26 inches long, with a 16 inch barrel, so it is a registered Short Barreled Shotgun. It was made by Ellis Mercantile in 1993, along with the second gun (Backup). The safety is on top and it lacks a front sight. It has 5 shells in the tube magazine and one in the chamber for a total of 6) 12 gauge shotgun shells, despite the fact that in the movie, Dennis Hopper shoots 8 at the police
without reloading.

Other firearms in the movie include the HK94A3 and HK94A2, both of which were chopped and converted to look like other guns. Later in the movie, Dennis Hopper uses an HK SP89, mocked up as an MP5K in satin nickel finish. The two MP5K clones that Hopper used were serial numbers 2117134 with Fleming sear number H0569, and 211735 with Fleming sear number H0570. Ellis Mercantile obtained these in 1991.

Keanu Reeves uses both an M1911A1 and a Smith & Wesson 6904. A passenger on the bus at one point pulls out a Smith & Wesson Model 36, and LAPD Snipers are seen using Pre-1964 Winchester Model 70s. We don’t have a record of the serial numbers on these handguns or rifles, if we find this we’ll add it online later at www.smallarmsreview.com

As mentioned before, “Speed” was a big success in 1994. It truly launched Sandra Bullock’s and Keanu Reeves’s careers and made 350 million dollars worldwide. Both have great performances and are wonderful to watch. Dennis Hopper is excellent as the villain, in which he is shown to take vengeful joy in his victim’s agony. It is definitely a film worth watching.

The gunner’s kit for the MG 34 was originally designed for the MG 13 but since many of the tools were also usable on the MG 34 the kit was easily adapted for use for the MG 34.

There were five variations of the gunner’s kit through 1944, all top opening. The first early type, originally for the MG 13 and then for the MG 34, was an all leather box with a leather shoulder strap. This then changed to an all leather box but with belt loops on the rear instead of the shoulder strap (as shown here). As the war wore on leather was a commodity needed elsewhere for the war effort and later versions were made with substitute leather (ersatz-leder), which was a pressed paper material with a water-resistant leather-like finish.

The kit was simple with just a few components. Carried on the outside of the box and secured with the leather closure strap was the hot barrel pad (handschützer) made of asbestos and heavy duty wool. One side had a cloth strap to be slipped over the hand to help hold it in place when using it to change a hot barrel. All the other components were carried inside the box. On the inside there was a metal partition affixed at the back of the box that held the double-ended MG 13 wrench and inside the front of the box was affixed a metal partition for the anti-aircraft sight. The bolt rested vertically on the left supported by a leather pad that helped protect the bolt face. The oil can sat in the middle and the other components were carried vertically on the right side of the box.

Contents of the MG 34 gunner’s kit:

1) Leather box with single closure strap secured by a lone brass stud on the bottom (Werkzeugtasche).
2) Hot barrel pad (Handschützer).
3) Oil can (Ölkanne).
4) MG 13 wrench, double ended usable on the MG 34 (Schlüssel).
5) Spare bolt assembly complete (Schloss).
6) Broken shell extractor (Gerät zum Entfern von
Hülsenreissern u Hülsenklemmern).
7) Combined screwdriver and stuck case/cartridge
remover (Winkelschraubenzieher).
8) Anti-aircraft sight (MG Kreiskorn).
9) Two flexible muzzle covers (Mündungskappe).
10) Belt starter tab complete (Einführstück) used to
assist in barrel removal.

The Ukraine is a region that has suffered grievously over the centuries- first a part of this empire, then another, then split into different regions with different overlords. In 1917 through 1921 the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was formed in a battle of independence parallel to the USSR formation. The Soviet Union quickly swallowed it up, and Joseph Stalin’s Holodomor (Massacre by starvation) of Ukrainians in 1932-33 had far reaching effects as World War II marched into the horizon. This is not to give the impression that Ukrainians are just victims, and everything is so bleak and dark that it’s a hopeless place- certainly not! Ukrainians have a wonderful culture, vibrant colors in clothing and dance, a long history of arts, poetry, and food that’s wonderful for the visitor. They also have a history as warriors, and have tremendous pride in that history.

During World War II, many in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic fought against both the Germans and the Russian Soviets, and in some cases with the Germans against the USSR. This is despite the fact that the Ukraine was one of the founding states of the USSR. Terrible sacrifices were made during The Great Patriotic War, and in the days afterwards. The Ukraine SSR gained a UN seat after the war and a measure of independence, however the USSR was always in the background controlling and not to the benefit of the Ukrainians. In 1991 during the “Breakup” of the Soviet Union days, the Ukraine finally declared itself an independent country.

Plans for the museum started in 1943 during the war, and in the periods of the later 1940s, and 1950s, artifacts were gathered and displayed. It wasn’t until 1974 that the museum really progressed, and in the modern era receives hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. The large parade grounds are perfect for huge commemorative military ceremonies.

The statue “Motherland-Mother” is perhaps the most striking thing about the museum- it is visible for many miles. Sculptor Basil Boroday designed it and had many sculptors, architects and many other experts involved in his creation. The monument is a figure of a woman with a shield and raised sword- it is made from .5 mm thick stainless steel, with a total height of 102 meters. The statue is 62 meters of that height- and the entire display weights 500 tons. There are three layers- a core steel frame, a support frame of plating, and 70 tons of stainless steel on top. The sword is 16 meters in length.

There are two galleries of heroes in the buildings, and many displays of artifacts and mementos of service and sacrifice that are scattered throughout the buildings in very personal displays. It would take days to study the items in these displays. For our interests, there are hundreds of machine guns, cannon, mortars, rifles, pistols and other arms on display, many are very rare or of great historic import.

“Other wars”- There is a special building, off to the side, dedicated to “other wars” that Ukrainian soldiers have served in for the USSR. This was frequently through conscription if the USSR needed more soldiers. An example: in the 1980s Afghanistan was a quagmire that required large amounts of soldiers to be stationed in the unforgiving Afghan mountains. Ukrainian and Russian veterans (Called “Afgantsy”) speak of this time as “Their Vietnam” and there was a lot of desolation and drug abuse in certain parts of their military. There was no heroes’ welcome home, and many of these veterans are today fighting on one side or the other of the current Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Draftees from the Ukraine came home from the war zone with many alienated, and are still standoffish today. Also like American veterans of Vietnam, most are strong willed, filled with purpose, they simply don’t like to discuss the past with those who weren’t there. Most of the “Other Wars” displays are from their mementos and bringbacks, with lots of weapons and stories thrown in. These displays are in stark contrast to the rest of the museum displays about World War II with their monumental and heroic nature.

Tanks and Cannon:

There is a large section of the museum property that has vehicles and cannon parked in lines for visitors to view and photograph. Due to space, SAR can’t publish these pictures, but we decided to place as many as we could online for our readers to view. https://www.smallarmsreview.com/archive/reference.03-2016.cfm#03292016

National Museum of the Great Patriotic War
Address: m. Kyiv, str. Lavrska 24
Tel: +380 (0) 44 285-94-52
Website: www.warmuseum.kiev.ua
Hours: 10:00 to 18:00 daily,
closed on Mondays
Ticket office closes at 17:00
Metro Station “Arsenal” take bus No 24 or bus No 38 to the National Museum of Ukraine in the Second World War stop.

A belief commonly held among submachine gun historians is that the Italian Villar Perosa devised in 1915, was the very first submachine gun. This is to some extent true, but the Villar Perosa was originally manufactured to be mounted on aircraft or vehicles. The Villar Perosa was actually a scaled down machine gun, except that it used pistol caliber ammunition. Altering the Italian Villar Perosa into a personal shoulder fired weapon by adding a wooden stock, was done at a later date. So it remains controversial among historians as to which gun, the Villar Perosa or the German M.P. 18,I, was actually the first shoulder fired submachine gun. The Villar Perosa was originally chambered to fire the 9mm Glisenti cartridge, which is less powerful than the 9mm Parabellum round.

The requirements for a new type of weapon were set up by the German Rifle Testing Commission at Spandau in 1915. The using branches of the services wanted a lightweight, fully automatic, short range weapon. The proposed weapon had to be simple, robust and able to be easily carried by one man. Desired was a weapon that combined the handiness of a pistol, with the firepower of a machine gun. It was also requested that the new weapon to be chambered for the standard German pistol cartridge, the 9mm Parabellum. One of the early attempts at meeting these requirements was done by altering a long barreled Artillery Model of the 9mm Luger pistol. The modifications included a buttstock and adding a few internal parts to provide full-automatic capability. After an intense evaluation, the transformed Luger was deemed unsuitable for adoption. The weapon was considered to have too fast of a cyclic rate of fire and excessive muzzle climb. Adapting existing weapons to fulfill a specific requirement generally results in a compromise; an entirely new concept was needed.

By 1916, two German weapon designers, Andreas Schwarzlose of Berlin and Hugo Schmeisser of Suhl, both submitted prototype weapons that were deemed superior. Both of the weapons were thoroughly evaluated and tested. Schmeisser’s weapon was developed with the resources of the Waffenfabrik Theodor Bergmann, and was eventually chosen by the Commission in 1918. Schmeisser’s new weapon was designated as the Maschinenpistole (M.P.) 18,I. In 1918 the Prussian War Ministry ordered 50,000 of the new M.P. 18,I weapons.

The M.P. 18,I saw limited use with the German army in the final days of World War One. The 9mm weapon was issued to troops in 1918 to use for infiltrating and assaulting a dug-in enemy in their trenches. The standard bolt action service rifle was too awkward and slow firing for this style of close quarter combat. While the enemy would be using rifle-mounted bayonets to repel such an attack, the Germans would be using their rapid firing maschinenpistolen. The new German machine pistol was also useful for defending their trenches from similar close quarter assaults from the enemy. The troops using these tactics for assaulting the enemy trenches were known as Sturmtruppen, or Storm Troopers. These specially trained and motivated soldiers were armed with mortars, grenades, machine pistols and flame throwers, and would basically use concentrated firepower to open a narrow gap in the enemy’s line. After breaking through the defenses, regular infantry troops were then used to exploit the breach. These tactics were improved with the use of aerial reconnaissance and artillery support. Soon, with much protest from the Germans, Allied troops began to employ shotguns for repelling these close quarter assaults.

The M.P. 18,I machine pistol was affectionately nicknamed the Kugelspritze or bullet squirter by the German troops. Today’s common term “submachine gun” wouldn’t be used until American John Thompson coined the phrase in 1920 for his Thompson submachine gun. The term “submachine gun” was slow to catch on in Europe, and the nomenclature wasn’t used there until well after World War II. The basic design of the M.P. 18,I and its (box type) magazine would be very influential on many future weapons. The German M.P. 18,I was developed as a blowback operated, open bolt design. This new, revolutionary open bolt concept would soon be standard on submachine guns produced throughout the world.

Reportedly, Schmeisser originally designed the M.P. 18,I to feed cartridges from a 20-round box type magazine, however the German Rifle Commission wanted the weapon to utilize the existing high capacity 32-round Luger drum magazine. As a result of that directive, the production M.P. 18,I weapon utilized the same 32 round capacity Trommel magazin, or snail type drum magazine originally developed for the P.08 Luger pistols. An adapter sleeve was used on the magazine to keep the drum from being inserted too far into the magazine well and interfering with the operation of the breech bolt. The Luger drum magazine also required the magazine housing to be configured at the same 60-degree angle (rearward) as a P.08 Luger pistol grip in order to feed the cartridges properly. This odd magazine housing angle, and the weight (2.35 pounds loaded) of the magazine protruding horizontally from the left side of the receiver, made the M.P. 18,I awkward to handle. The heavy Luger drum magazine would prove to be the weak point of the M.P. 18,I machine pistol.

The M.P. 18,I machine pistol was a full-automatic only weapon, and fired at the relatively slow rate of 350-400 rounds per minute. An experienced shooter could easily accomplish single shots by careful trigger manipulation. A separate, moveable spring-loaded firing pin was used. A two-leaf flip style notch rear sight was fitted to the receiver tube. One leaf was calibrated for 100 meters, the second leaf for 200 meters. A very similar rear sight configuration would be used on the MP40. The front sight was an inverted V-blade dovetailed to the barrel jacket. The receiver was hinged at the front of the stock allowing it to tip up for easy disassembly and maintenance. A wooden carbine style stock with a semi pistol grip and grooved forearm was fitted. A sling swivel was attached to the underside of the barrel jacket, a rear swivel was attached by screws to the underside of the buttstock. The weapon’s overall length was 32.1 inches. The barrel was a six-groove, right hand twist, its length was 7.88 inches. The weight of the weapon with a loaded 32 round drum magazine was heavy at 11.61 pounds. The cartridge used in the weapon was the German Pistolenpatrone 08, better known as the 9mm Parabellum cartridge.

After the war ended, the design of the M.P. 18,I machine pistol was altered slightly by Schmeisser, in order to replace the troublesome and heavy Luger snail drum, with a box-type magazine. The new magazine was a double-stack, single-feed design. In order to fit the new magazine to the M.P. 18,I machine pistol, a new magazine housing also was developed and fitted to the gun at C.G. Haenel factory located in Suhl, Germany. The new re-designed magazine housing was marked “M.P. 18,I System Schmeisser”. The new magazines for the M.P. 18,I (modified) were manufactured in both 20 and 32 round configurations. In addition to the magazine housing and magazine, a new bolt safety was fitted and a lock was added to the barrel retaining screw.

The double-stack single-feed design of the MP box magazines would prove to be responsible for many weapon malfunctions. This was especially true when the magazines were exposed to dust and dirt. Despite the problems encountered with the double-stack single-feed design, it was used, with a few notable exceptions, on virtually all World War II submachine gun designs that followed. The horizontal magazine position was also less than ideal. The advantage was that it allowed the shooter to get closer to the ground during a firefight, resulting in less exposure to enemy fire. The disadvantage was the weight of the loaded magazine protruding from the side of the weapon. The magazine mounted hanging in a horizontal position was also much more likely to cause cartridge-feeding problems.

After the conclusion of World War One, Germany was stripped of almost all of her weapons. Many of the World War One produced M.P. 18,I maschinenpistolen were seized and subsequently destroyed by the Allies. Germany was permitted by the treaty to maintain a 100,000 man Reichswehr or self-defense force. This defense force was very limited on what type of weapons they could be armed with. Issue of machine pistols was very restricted and subject to approval by the Allied Commission. The German police were also permitted to have limited use of machine pistols. The M.P. 18,I machine pistol would be one of the weapons they were issued to perform their duties. The post war issue M.P. 18,I weapons were marked with a 1920 date.

The German based Bergmann Company was forced to cease manufacture of the M.P. 18,I. The company negotiated a licensing agreement with the Schweizer Industrie Gesellschaft (SIG) to manufacture the M.P. 18,I in Neuhausen, Switzerland. The weapon was manufactured with the modified magazine housing and box style magazine into the 1920’s principally for foreign sales. The Swiss made M.P. 18,I was marketed as the Bergmann Machine Pistol, and was produced in 7.65mm Mauser, 7.63mm, 9mm Mauser and 9mm Parabellum. The weapons were distributed by the Swiss firm Societe Industrialle Suisse. The majority of the weapon’s sales were made to Japan chambered for the 7.63mm cartridge. The Japanese contract guns were designated as the Type BE. There were at least two variants of the Japanese contract guns. One style had a removable collar that fitted on the barrel jacket for mounting a Japanese service bayonet; the second type was made with and without the bayonet feature, and were marked with Japanese characters. Over 25,000 post WWI M.P. 18,I weapons (modified) were produced for export.

Many of the pre-World War II submachine guns marketed by Germany were exported to South America where they saw service in the 1932-1935 Chaco War between Bolivia and Paraguay.

The M.P. 28.II

The M.P. 28.II machine pistol was a post World War I attempt to further develop the original Schmeisser M.P. 18,I design. The M.P. 28.II was also developed by Hugo Schmeisser, and was manufactured at C.G. Haenel Waffen-und Fahrrad Fabrik. The M.P. 28.II was very similar to the M.P. 18,I, and used the same 20 and 32 round magazines as the modified version of the M.P. 18,I. The M.P. 28.II weapon however had a few additional changes implemented into its design. The M.P. 28.II was capable of semi-automatic or full-automatic fire (select-fire), and had a faster cyclic rate of fire than the M.P. 18,I. The mode of fire selector was marked with a letter “D” for Dauerfeuer (full-automatic fire) and a letter “E” for Einzelfeuer (semi-automatic fire). The rear sight was designed differently, being optimistically graduated for 1000 meters. A larger diameter recoil spring that slipped over the outside rear portion of the bolt was used. The loaded weight of the M.P. 28.II machine pistol was 9.54 pounds. Overall length was 32 inches, barrel length 7.8 inches. The M.P. 28.II was given an illegal service test by the Reichswehr at the Kummersdorf testing facility in 1925.

There are many different variations of the Thompson submachine gun. What started life as a “trench broom” in 1921 has morphed into several different models and sub-models from different generations of production. For many, the differences are easy to recognize. There are the guns with round drums and pistol grips like Eliot Ness used in The Untouchables. And guns with the long stick magazine and sling like Sgt. Saunders carried in COMBAT! How those black & white television shows of the 1960’s made everything so easy. However, those of us in the Thompson community understand that nothing is simple with the Thompson gun. Pages of many books have been filled with information about the gangster and World War II Tommy guns. This story is different; it is about a lesser known and greatly misunderstood Thompson variation. One manufactured, some argue assembled, when the Tommy gun was fading fast from the limelight of World War II. These are the “NAC Thompsons,” sometimes referred to as the “crate” Thompsons. The mis-information about this variation began almost immediately after examples became available on the civilian market. The reason for the confusion is simple: the receiver markings. Some of these NAC Thompsons had genuine Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company receivers, and were so marked! The confusion this caused exists to this day. The below information should lessen the many misunderstandings. First, a little history…

Auto-Ordnance Corporation (AOC) went through a change of ownership on July 21, 1939. Wall Street underwriter J. Russell Maguire assumed control of AOC and a new era for the Thompson gun commenced. Maguire sensed a major war was brewing in Europe and contracted with Savage Arms Corporation of Utica, New York, in December 1939 to place the Thompson gun back into production. AOC later opened its own factory in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Production of the Thompson gun ended in February 1944. Savage Arms packed away all the left over Thompson parts, gages, prints and tooling, including all the left over items they obtained from the earlier Colt era production, and shipped these assets to AOC. Soon after production ceased Maguire took the first of many steps to convert AOC into a post war company. The corporate name was changed to Maguire Industries, Inc. The Thompson gun became a product of the new Auto-Ordnance Division of Maguire Industries, overseen by an employee who was hired by General Thompson during AOC’s earliest years, George E. Goll. The Auto-Ordnance Division was but one of several divisions in Maguire Industries. Thompson guns were assembled from left over Auto-Ordnance Bridgeport plant receivers and frames and sold for several years. These Thompson guns form another often misunderstood Thompson variation and are usually referred to by collectors as the “AC” variation or model. Fortunately, these guns are for the most part easily identified because the “U.S.” markings were ground off the receiver and a letter “C” was stamped over the numeral 1 in the receiver marking “A1” to form the new “Model 1928 AC” nomenclature. Please note the qualifiers “for the most part” and “usually” – exceptions are the rule after 1944. Like the NAC Thompsons, documented sales of the “AC” guns appeared to be primarily to law enforcement agencies. For the record, the NAC and “AC” variation guns were not and are not US military issued World War II Thompson guns – regardless of the receiver markings. And as you will see, their history is intertwined with the NAC Thompson guns.

Maguire Industries did not fare well in the post war business environment. By 1949, Maguire Industries was having severe financial problems. George Goll had retired a few years earlier and Thompson sales had ceased. Russell Maguire reached out to former AOC Vice-President Frederic A. Willis to sell the Thompson assets. These assets included all rights and interest in the Thompson gun Maguire acquired when he took control of AOC. Willis found a buyer – the Kilgore Manufacturing Company of Westerville, Ohio. Kilgore was an established toy company that had become heavily involved in the production of pyrotechnic munitions during World War II. Documentation from the then president of Kilgore Manufacturing revealed the original plan was to sell the Thompson assets to a foreign country, but the sale never took place. Kilgore transported some of the Thompson assets to its plant in Ohio and appeared to have an alternate plan to manufacture and market the M1A1 version of the Thompson. No new manufacturing of parts took place but several guns, assembled from parts or found complete in the crates, were sold. A large explosion of Kilgore munitions on May 19, 1950, in South Amboy, New Jersey, exposed the company to numerous lawsuits. Kilgore reached out to Frederic Willis to sell the Thompson assets – again. Willis formed a syndicate of buyers and purchased the Thompson assets from Kilgore on August 7, 1950. There is no indication Willis or his investment syndicate did anything with the Thompson assets during their period of ownership.

The Willis syndicate sold the Thompson assets to Mr. George Numrich, owner of Numrich Arms Company of Mamaroneck, New York (now located in West Hurley, NY) on October 23, 1951.

Some Thompson pundits espouse the AOC formed by General Thompson in 1916 ceased to exist at the end of World War II. Or the Auto-Ordnance Corporation was purchased by Numrich in 1951. Nothing could be further from the truth. The original Auto-Ordnance Corporation exists today and is located in Dallas, Texas. The Auto-Ordnance name was simply abandoned when the corporate name was changed to Maguire Industries in 1944. The corporate name was changed again in 1961 to Components Corporation of America (CCA). As with the Auto-Ordnance name in 1944, the Maguire Industries name was also abandoned. CCA is a privately held company whose majority shareholder is Cary Maguire, the son of Russell Maguire. CCA is not involved in the production of firearms and does not claim any ownership rights in the Thompson gun. That corporate product was sold off (to Kilgore) long ago.

When employees of Numrich Arms Company (NAC) began unpacking the crates of physical assets, they found a number of complete guns, and sufficient parts to assemble others. Included in this catch of parts were model of 1921 and 1928 Thompson receivers manufactured by Colt’s in 1921/1922, and Savage Arms in 1940/1942. Model M1 and M1A1 receivers were also present. Hence, the reason for this brief history lesson.

THE INVENTORY

The number of weapons found by George Numrich requiring registration with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been an ongoing point of debate. The numbers of 86 and 95 guns have been cited with some authority for many years. The difference could be the number of Thompson guns found versus the number of Thompson guns plus other guns found requiring registration. Complete guns found in the crates have also been reported. Many have assumed that Thompson guns straight from the production line were found. Unfortunately, no details exist of exactly what type of complete guns were found but the below information may go a long way toward an explanation of these complete guns.

Recently, an inventory of weapons owned by the Auto-Ordnance Corporation, dated July 26, 1934, was found. The July 26, 1934 date is familiar to most in the Class Three community as that is the day and year the National Firearms Act (NFA) was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This law restricted the private ownership of automatic weapons, short barrel rifles, silencers and weapons classified as “any other weapon” by registration and taxation. It is believed this inventory was conducted to insure AOC was in compliance with this new law.

The beginning inventory lists 9 Birmingham Small Arms (B.S.A.) prototype Thompson submachine guns as being directly possessed by AOC. Included are 5 of the “new” B.S.A. models and 4 of the earlier and now “obsolete” B.S.A. models. Also shown is one “Thompson Submachine Gun, assembled from Colt’s scrapped parts, frame No. 2308, and receiver No. 7308.” Two more Thompson guns are also listed, one “belt fed” and one “for box magazine” without serial numbers.

The earliest prototype Thompson guns were manufactured one at a time at the Warner & Swasey Company in Cleveland, Ohio. These are mostly marked “Model of 1919” and so referred to by those that study the Thompson gun. The inventory of the “Cleveland made” Thompson guns begins at serial number No. 1 and ends at No. 40. However, not all numbers are accounted for. Only 33 “Cleveland made” Thompson guns remained in AOC inventory in 1934. Missing guns include Nos. 6, 9, 11, 17, 36, 37, and 38.

The inventory also contained weapons that were not Thompson guns. Firearms requiring government registration included (one each) Hotchkiss, Lewis and Vickers machine guns and eight (8) Maxim silencers. In addition, the inventory contained a listing of guns that were owned by AOC but consigned to individuals and companies. These are not included in the below total because it is not known if any of these weapons were ever returned to AOC.

How many of these 56 weapons noted on the 1934 inventory that required federal registration were packed away in the crates when sold to George Numrich is unknown. This inventory could have easily grown in number after 1934 with the known Savage M1 and 9mm prototypes, the AOC Bridgeport T2 prototypes and AOC Model of 1929 B.S.A. prototypes. Other known prototypes constructed after 1934 include at least two AOC experimental rifles in .30 caliber and .30 caliber carbine, both requiring federal registration.

The weapons referenced above could easily account for the majority of machine guns found in the crates and registered with the IRS by George Numrich. The existence of many of these weapons is not in doubt as Numrich donated several prototypes to the United States Military Academy at West Point, including the first prototype, named “The Persuader” by Auto-Ordnance engineers Theodore H. Eickhoff and Oscar V. Payne. Numrich also sold many of the surviving Thompson prototypes that grace collections today. Complete weapons found in the crates? There is little doubt.

THE RECEIVERS

After acquiring the Thompson assets, Numrich Arms advertised it was “the exclusive manufacturer” of the Thompson gun. Some self-described Thompson purists take issue with the statement that Numrich Arms manufactured Thompson guns. They claim all that happened was an assembly of already manufactured receivers and parts to create guns to sell in the marketplace. However, it has long been recognized that assembling parts into a complete working unit is by definition manufacturing, including the U.S. legal definition. All evidence found today indicates Numrich Arms sold complete working products, not bare receivers.

The prototype Thompson guns found by Numrich are not the machine guns that cause all the confusion in the Thompson community. The misunderstanding arise from the Thompson guns manufactured or assembled from receivers – and serial numbered for IRS registration requirements with the letters “NAC” as part of the serial number.

It is unknown how many receivers were found by George Numrich in late 1951 and registered with the IRS in 1952. While some limited information about the crate guns has been provided by Numrich Arms over the years, no records detailing the total number including serial numbers stamped by Numrich employees on the receivers have been released. What is known from the study of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) information on various NAC guns is not all the receivers were found and registered at one time. Based on a sampling of dates of initial registration documents, many NAC Thompson guns were registered with the IRS at different times in 1952. However, it appears additional Thompson receivers turned up at Numrich from time to time – probably as more and more crates of Thompson assets were opened and inventoried. Like the AC variation above, it appears many, possibly most, of the NAC Thompsons were sold to law enforcement agencies. This kept the NAC Thompsons out of the public eye for many years. The NAC Thompsons referenced in this story have been identified one by one over the years by the author.

THE COLT NAC’S

NAC Thompsons with the Colt receivers are the culprits that caused most of the confusion in the Thompson community – and garner the most attention. For the uninformed, they appear just like an original Colt production Thompson. To complicate matters further, several Colt receiver variations have been observed. Imagine a so called Thompson guru that does not fully understand all the different Colt production receiver variants trying to explain the NAC variation to the uninformed. The most common Colt receiver variation for a NAC Thompson appears to be the last variation with the 1922 patent dates on the right side of the receiver.

Examination of FOIA documents from NAC Thompson guns indicate Numrich Arms sold a number of Thompson guns with Colt receivers to the Virginia State Police in 1953. These guns remained in police service for 21 years before being sold or traded to Class Three dealer J. Curtis Earl of Phoenix, Arizona.

The Class Three or machine gun community was very small during this time period. However, J. Curtis Earl soon became somewhat of a national celebrity. What brought Earl into such prominence with the American public were his advertisements and catalogs. He certainly understood the value of advertising and puffery; his prices for machine guns were at the top of the market. But Earl had something most of his competitors did not have – a very large inventory. And he showcased this very impressive inventory in a series of catalogs he sold throughout his career.

A review of a partial copy of Earl’s Firearm Dealer Bound Book revealed Thompson submachine guns with the serial numbers NAC – 2 through NAC – 15 were transferred to him on September 3, 1974 from the State Police in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The manufacturer for each one is listed as “COLT U.S.A.” with the model listed as “1921 THOMP” with the exception of NAC – 7, which is listed as a “1928-A1(1921).”

Unless otherwise noted, all the Thompson guns described in this story are in private collections. The following information is known about these 14 NAC Thompsons:

• NAC 2: NAC 2 was on display at the J. Curtis Earl Automatic Weapons Collection at The Champlin Fighter Museum in Mesa, Arizona for many years. Its disposition after the museum closed is unknown. Information released by Numrich Arms in 1996 revealed NAC 2, a Model 1921, was transferred to Numrich Arms in Mamaroneck, New York on December 1, 1951from Fred A. Willis, 25 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, New York. NAC 2 was subsequently transferred to the Department of State Police, Richmond, Virginia on June 5, 1953.
• NAC 3: It is currently on display at the Idaho State Historical Museum, donated to the museum by the late J. Curtis Earl. It has a late Colt receiver with 1922 patent dates. FOIA information revealed NAC 3 was listed on an IRS Form 2, Return of Firearms Manufactured, Imported, Or Received By Manufacturer, Importer, Dealer (Other Than Pawnbroker), and Pawnbroker, Under Chapter 26, Subchapter B, Internal Revenue Code, as “manufactured, imported , or received” on December 1, 1951. Registration of NAC 3 was sent to the IRS by Numrich Arms on or about June 20, 1952.
• NAC 5: It has a late Colt receiver with 1922 patent dates. FOIA information revealed NAC 5 was listed as “manufactured, imported, or received” on December 1, 1951. Registration of NAC 5 was sent to the IRS by Numrich Arms on or about June 20, 1952.
• NAC 6: It has a late Colt receiver with 1922 patent dates.
• NAC 9: It has a late Colt receiver with 1922 patent dates.
• NAC 11: It has a late Colt receiver with 1922 patent dates. It has been professionally refinished to appear like a Colt production Thompson.
• NAC 15: The receiver is devoid of the normal markings but is believed to be of Colt manufacture. The receiver is hand-stamped on the left side toward the front: “M 1928” and “N.A.C. 15.” The top of the receiver is marked in three lines on the right side of the cocking slot: AUTO-ORDNANCE CORP. BRIDGEPORT, CONN. USA 45 CAL.

The frame is also unmarked except for the serial number, “NAC 15” and the letter “G” at the bottom of the trigger guard. FOIA information begins with the June 5, 1953 transfer to the Department of State Police in Richmond, Virginia. Apparently, the clerk in the ATF Disclosure Division could not locate the original IRS Form 2 as identified for NAC 3 and NAC 5, above. Information from Numrich Arms in 1996 shows the same past transfer history for NAC 15 as NAC 2, above, with the following additional information: NAC 15 is a Model 1928 and was originally transferred to Numrich Arms as a “Sample” marked “A.O.C.” and Numrich Arms “numbered it NAC 15.”

A continuous study of the NAC marked Thompson guns has revealed other Thompson guns with Colt receivers.

0049000 408 NAC: One can only imagine what IRS officials thought when Numrich Arms filed a Form 2 for this Model 1928 NAC Thompson gun with this serial number on June 21, 1968. The Colt era receiver is devoid of all markings except the serial number and the Auto-Ordnance early trademark logo, AUT-ORD-CO-, found at the top of the early square actuator slot receiver. This NAC Thompson has been professional refinished in the Model of 1928A1 format and is mated with a Savage Arms frame. There is no reason to believe this Thompson gun is not one of the original crate guns even though it was not registered with the IRS until much later.

533 NAC: This Colt era receiver also features the Auto-Ordnance early trademark logo, AUT-ORD-CO-. It has the commonly found patent dates ending at December 28, 1920. The standard model and serial number nomenclature markings are missing and the remaining factory markings are very weak. The serial number is hand stamped on the upper left side of the receiver toward the front. The frame has a Savage Arms serial number.

When other NAC guns within the serial number range of 1 through 15 are examined more information on these early numbered NAC guns may be obtained. All the NAC Thompson guns with Colt era receivers appeared to have been assembled with left over Colt and WWII parts to make complete submachine guns. No one is alive today that can describe exactly what parts were used and why. Suffice to say, there was no standardization of parts from one gun to the next. It appears whatever parts first found and available were used. The goal of Numrich Arms was to make a marketable product.

The NAC story is far from complete. Part Two of The NAC Thompson Guns will be presented in an upcoming issue of Small Arms Review!

The German T-Gewehr

The Tank Abwehr Gewehr Mod 18 (usually abbreviated to T-Gewehr) was the world’s first anti-tank rifle and was developed by Mauser. Development of the rifle and its ammunition started in November 1917 in response to the British use of tanks in the autumn of 1916 at the Battle of the Somme. The first of these rifles rolled of the production line only 3 months later in January 1918. At this time the steel-cored armor-piercing ammunition was also ready (the ammunition was jointly developed by Mauser and Polte Werke and could penetrate 25mm of face-hardened steel at a range of 250m). It is claimed that around 15,800 T-Gewehr rifles were produced. The T-Gewehr itself has been described adequately in many previous articles and will not be repeated here. The purpose of this article is to describe how suitable “range ammunition” was fabricated at low cost for use in the T-Gewehr.

The Collector’s Dilemma

The authors are both collectors of firearms in South Africa, and each of them possesses an original T-Gewehr. They were faced with a dilemma that is quite common amongst collectors:

You have a very collectable firearm in your collection that you would like to shoot, but it is chambered for an obscure and obsolete cartridge.

This is exactly the case with these T-Gewehrs. They are both fully original and hence most collectable. However, the owners also wanted to shoot these rifles. Unfortunately original 13.2x92R ammunition is obsolete and unobtainable, in fact original ammunition is eagerly sought after by ammunition collectors.

In the past some T-Gewehr’s were converted to .50 BMG caliber by their owners to enable them to be fired, but this was considered too drastic a step as it would destroy the value of the firearm. So the logical next step was to manufacture suitable 13.2x92Rmm “range ammunition” on a small scale and at a cheap cost.

Making the bullets

Monolithic bullets can nowadays be easily turned on a lathe, using brass or copper. After finding an original 13.2x92Rmm round and measuring up the original bullet, we settled on a new lathe-turned solid copper bullet of boat-tail design, somewhat resembling the shape of the original bullet. Because of the differences in density of the materials, the new bullet is slightly shorter in length than the old bullet, but the weight is approximately equal. The original bullet weighs 803 grains and the newly made bullet weighs 795 grains. In order not to escalate pressures in these old barrels, the bullets were machined with a body diameter of 12.7mm, stepping up to 13.3mm for the base and three driving bands. On the computer-controlled lathe it was easy to turn out 200 bullets in no time.

Making the cases

The main problem with making ammunition for the 13.2x92R is how to fabricate the cartridge case and what to use as a starting “base” case. The first step was to obtain a set of full-length reloading dies from CH Tool & Die Co. in the USA. The initial attempt at making a cartridge case used a 700 Nitro Express case as a basis. A few rounds were successfully loaded and fired, but the following problems were experienced:

• The rim diameter of the 700 Nitro is about 1mm too small which results in insufficient extractor tension.
• The 700 Nitro case is about 3.5mm too short.
• The 700 Nitro case is very thin in the neck area leading to cracks in the neck after firing (see photo) and insufficient neck tension on the 13mm bullet.
• The diameter of the 700 Nitro case just in front of the web is about 1.3mm too small which results in a severely swollen case after firing (see photo)
• The main problem with the 700 Nitro case is its price!

After looking at many other surplus cartridge cases, including various 20mm cannon types, the authors came to the conclusion that the .50 BMG case had the most potential. It was long enough and its body was roughly the correct size, and it was cheap and freely available. The main problem of course with the .50BMG case is the fact that it has no rim. The solution was simply to add a rim with the dimensions of the 13.2x92Rmm rim, to the .50BMG case body. This was achieved by machining off the .50BMG’s normal rim and extractor groove, threading the case head, and screwing on a separately machined brass threaded rim. The threaded rim was locked in place with high-grade Locktite and the resulting case was full-length sized, loaded and fired in the T-Gewehr.

Loading the ammunition

Loads were developed using the homemade bullets and cases as described above. Since the primer pocked of the original .50BMG case was intentionally left intact, we could use standard CCI No.35 50BMG primers. Propellant used was a South African local powder called “Somchem B12.7” which was originally developed specifically for the .50BMG. A load of approximately 210 grains gave a muzzle velocity of 2600fps over the chronograph. It was felt that this was close enough to the original ballistics. The original WW1 ammunition muzzle velocity is claimed to be 2500fps or 2575fps or 2650fps or 2700 fps, depending on the literature source. It is interesting to mention that the original powder charge, using some unknown flake powder, was 200.6 grains. To date approximately 50 rounds of this load have been fired without any problems and some cases have been fired and reloaded 3 times.

Shooting the beast

It was with some trepidation that the first rounds were fired through the T-Gewehr as it is historically reported to have fierce recoil. In the literature it states that “its powerful recoil broke the shoulders of some untrained troops” and “the 2-man crew alternated when shooting, since after 2 or 3 shots, they complained of headaches and dizziness”. It must be remembered that the T-Gewehr was built without the modern recoil-reducing muzzle brakes and other devices. In fact it does not even have a recoil pad!

We found the recoil to be substantial, but manageable. Provided of course one limits the number of shots fired. It seems that these historical reports are perhaps somewhat exaggerated. Under wartime conditions there should be no problem firing quite a number of rounds.

An interesting observation of both T-Gewehr’s used in this article is that the rear tangent sight is graduated from 100m to 500m only. The rifle and its 795grain boat-tail bullet with a high BC at 2600fps is certainly capable of shooting way beyond 500m! The rear sight looks as if it was designed for much longer range settings, but is only marked to 500m. This looks rather curious. It is suspected that the rear sight was purposefully limited to 500m as the bullet probably could not penetrate armor beyond 500m. Another theory is that the T-Gewehr team should not give their position away to the enemy tanks too early by firing at the tanks at ranges beyond 500m.

Truvelo Manufacturing began in the 1960s in South Africa, manufacturing electronic devices. In 1994, the Truvelo Armoury branch was formed and entered into the manufacture of high-quality rifle barrels and bolt-action receivers. Their market share included both civilians and military and government agencies. As their processes and capabilities continued to improve and expand they unveiled a complete line of professional grade precision rifles. The selection of precision long-range rifles from Truvelo demonstrates supreme quality and performance. Truvelo has garnered our full attention by implementing robust design and a rare measure of practical thinking in the creation of their rifles… which are now available for sale in the United States.

The Truvelo Counter-Measure Sniper rifles (CMS) meet the demands of the professional marksman in the roles of anti-personnel and anti-materiel interdiction. These rifles are available in 6 calibers (though some are restricted); .308 (7.62 NATO), 338 Lapua Magnum, 50 BMG (12.7×99), 14.5×114 soviet, 20x82mm, and 20x110mm. Assuredly, almost any stationary target at an identifiable distance can be successfully engaged with one of these weapons. The 7.62 can be used to good effect on soft targets and unarmored combatants out to 800 yards. At the extreme, the 20×110 fires a 2000 grain projectile at 2800 fps and generates 35,000 ft/lb of energy on target. This rifle can be expected to hit and penetrate… and maybe destroy hardened and armored targets at 2500 yards. The 20mm projectile is large enough to carry a significant payload, which can offer “enhanced effect” on target- to include high-explosive, armor-piercing incendiary, and the indiscriminate crowd-pleaser, the SAPHEI (semi armor-piercing high explosive incendiary).

The rifles displayed herein represent the 3 smallest offerings- the 7.62, .338, and .50 BMG which are available on the retail market. We assume these will be the most commonly demanded, thus most commonly encountered by the armed professional and well-informed sportsman. At first encounter, the Truvelo rifles are intimidating. They’re heavy and thick. The lines and contours are abrupt and totally utilitarian. But at close inspection and in operation, we found these rifles to be refined- care and attention were given to the details. The machining and final finish on all metal parts is perfect and smooth. The fit of all components is tight and seamless. There’s no rattle or wobble in these rifles. The bolt opens with a solid, audible crack- then glides through the receiver smoothly. The bolt does not ride in broach-cut races, as most bolt actions do- it runs through a perfectly smooth cylindrical bore cut through the receiver. The round bolt body is fully supported around its circumference so it cannot bind or tilt during operation. The bolt is helically fluted- this extra machine operation lets the bolt make less contact with the receiver bore, for reduced friction, while providing an escape path for debris and particulate matter that may settle in the receiver. The bolt’s lugs are cut into the diameter of the bolt body (rather than protruding from it). This configuration allows for the simple cylindrical receiver bore. There are 4 locking lugs- so the bolt handle only requires a 40 degree rotation for operation. It’s strong, positive and fast. The extractor and ejector are larger than they need to be- in support of the design ideas behind these over-built rifles.

The receiver-mounted Picatinny scope rails are machined from steel and include a third degree forward tilt (20 MOA) for long range zeroing capabilities. Also being over-engineered, the scope mount rails are held on by 6mm socket screws (equivalent to SAE 1/4×28). This mounting should allow the scope to endure triple the shear forces that more “domestic” rifles could never expect to survive. In both design and dimension, the scope mount is overbuilt. It’s much longer than most commercially available mounting options. This extra real-estate makes it versatile and adaptable. The extra mass makes it strong and reliable. It’s also worth noting, that a few years ago there had been some change to the standard Picatinny rail interface- the critical dimensional criteria and tolerances were revised- to allow better clamping consistency and capability, while ensuring reverse compatibility with any accessory designed to the old dimensional standard. This new rail interface has been labeled the NAR, or NATO Accessory Rail. What’s important here is that the Truvelo CMS rifles feature scope rails that fit this new standard.

The trigger mechanism is what we would expect on a professional-grade rifle such as this. The trigger pull offers good feel and feedback- without being overly sensitive. The pull weight approaches 4 pounds and the take-up is longer than most “match grade rifles” would exhibit. At the same time the trigger is not handicapped by any sort of roughness or inconsistency. This kind of trigger pull expects the operator to be committed and in tune to his task and deliberate in his choice of action. It’s the right piece of hardware on rifles such as these. It’s fully adjustable, should the user find any room for improvement. The safety lever is located just ahead of the trigger blade inside the trigger guard. The way it’s situated makes it almost impossible to forget to deactivate the safety before taking a shot. The thoughtful design of the safety basically lets the operator keep the gun on safe, until his finger approaches the trigger to fire. By doing so, the safety is automatically bumped into the “fire” position by the trigger finger. It’s a very positive safety with fast passive control. The control lever for the detachable magazine is integrated into the profile of the trigger guard- so the “shooting” hand can drop the mag while the free hand is retrieving or replacing the magazine. The magazine release lever does take considerable effort to operate. This protects against accidental mag drop during handling.

The stock of the CMS is not totally unique- it’s just good technology- and probably derived as a common conclusion by most designers and users of precision rifles. It consists of an alloy substructure that houses and connects the barreled action, trigger-guard and detachable magazine box, furniture panels, and folding mechanism for the stock. The substructure protrudes from the front end of the plastic enclosure to present a 3 rail accessory boom and a spigot for a quick-detach swiveling Gibbs bipod. The grip seems to be borrowed from the AK pattern rifle. The folding and adjustable stock is standard to all Truvelo CMS rifles. The locking hinge mechanism is very solid- as stated before, there’s no wobble anywhere. The button is easy to actuate to unlock from the open position. And as long as the bolt handle is lifted, the stock will lock into its forward folded position. The requirement to lift the bolt handle ensures that a loaded rifle is not placed in storage or transport. The action of deploying the stock from the stowed position is not as quick- the user must lift up on the butt assembly then swing it out and back- this action takes a bit more strength than folding. The cheek rest is not infinitely adjustable- it can be locked into a number of mechanical notches- spaced about ¼” apart. Though the user may not be able to access just that perfect height, this arrangement is very solid- and cannot slip out of location. That is a welcome compromise. The buttpad is adjustable vertically by means of a rotating locking lever. It can be adjusted (with the free hand, in firing position) approximately 1” up and 1” down from its central location. This aspect does indeed allow a user to match the rifle to his unique body geometry- the proportion of the head, neck, and shoulder. The stock features an accessory rail at the ventral edge for affixing a rear monopod.

Truvelo Armoury cut its teeth making rifle barrels- from .22 up to 40mm. They are a premier OEM supplier to many other arms manufacturers worldwide. And of course, the CMS rifles all come outfitted with the best Truvelo can muster. Their own rifles however, get an extra dose of “special.” All CMS barrels are fluted- heavily. The 8 groove pattern is aggressive in pursuit of material removal. And that’s what is required to make fluting worthwhile. Most gun manufacturers put fluting there for looks while Truvelo gets after it and makes the grooves deeper than they are wide. Now let’s kill the misconception- fluting does not make a barrel stiffer (than unfluted of the same size). The process of removing longitudinal sections of barrel steel is used as a means to affect some weight savings while maintaining most of the original rigidity. So comparatively, a fluted barrel is stiffer than a non-fluted barrel of the same weight and length. And a fluted barrel is lighter than a non-fluted barrel of the same length and diameter (but not more rigid). That said- these rifles are not lightweight by any means. Truvelo barrel contours exceed what American brands might call a bull barrel. The “root” of the barrel- the section that meets the receiver is about 25% larger than some mainstream American brands. So even with the weight loss from the deep fluting, these barrels are still heavier- and thus stiffer than any mass produced big brand rifle on the shelf today. Adding a lot of extra metal is the wise caveman’s approach to making an accurate rifle.

The 7.62 is the only CMS that is not born with a muzzle brake. The muzzle is threaded to accept a suppressor. The 7.62 has moderate recoil, and lends itself well to dedicated suppressed use with full-power or short range subsonic ammunition. The muzzle brakes on the .338 and .50 are good designs that boast 60% reduction in felt recoil. Without access to an appropriate laboratory and equipment to prove that claim, we were content to just shoot the rifles. All we can confirm is that the muzzle brakes are more than adequate; the recoil forces produced by these rifles are very manageable. The .338 produced no more felt impulse than the 7.62 rifle. The recoil from the .50 was like that generated by a 12-gauge firing a full-power 3.5” magnum shell. Stout recoil, yes. But very controllable and not totally unbearable. Considering that this is a fixed breech rifle, recoil force is always going to be higher than a semi-automatic.

The included Gibbs bipod is of the famed Parker-Hale design. These bipods may look old fashioned to some, but don’t be fooled by popular consensus. The Parker-Hale design allows for the user to freely swivel and tilt and pan his rifle (within a narrow field) without being tasked with loosening and tightening locking levers and knobs. The free motion of the Gibbs pod allows a shooter to easily match and track the motion of a moving target or pan and scan a target area. Once presented with a target and firing solution, the sniper need only apply forward pressure to the rifle; this will cause the joints of the bipod to bind up and become quite solid. The legs of the Gibbs bipod are extendable and may be folded forward or backward when stowed. The Gibbs pod only showed weakness while supporting the .50. The rifle, being so heavy, took constant attention to keep it under control. A rifle of this bulk and weight may need a more rigid bipod configuration. But the .308 and .338 could be adequately controlled and stabilized with the rear support hand.

We tried firing the CMS 7.62 and .338 off-hand but found it difficult to maintain good control and balance. We could not utilize the ideal forward hand position- the Picatinny accessory boom occupies that space. With the exception of the 7.62 version, these rifles are too heavy to fire free-handed anyway. These rifles definitely favor a rested firing position. So again, that’s a compromise we can accept. Truvelo did allude that there may be forearm options in the works- possibly extra panels that can be attached over the Picatinny accessory boom to form a more conventional profile.

Putting the Truvelo rifles to work was a special opportunity. As staff of Small Arms Review, we get to field test many types of weaponry. The Truvelos stood out among other precision rifles we’ve spent time with. The heft and quality feel of these rifles seems to instill the operator with an added boost of confidence. We would employ premium ammunition to demonstrate the accuracy potential of these weapons. The .308 fired Black Hills Match with a 168 grain Match King. The .338 was also fired with Black Hills Match ammo- with the 300 grain Match King bullet. Hornady Match with a 750 grain A-Max pill was fed to the .50 caliber. We used our best judgment (referring to the twist rate of the barrels) for bullet weight selection, and relied on the reputation for quality from these 2 ammo manufacturers. All three rifles were fitted with the Nightforce BEAST scope for testing. Considering that the scope is the only connection the rifle and target share- a rifle’s potential for excellence can only be viewed through perfect glass. The Nightforce is unmatched and would allow us to exploit the Truvelo’s talent. The Beast goes way above and beyond. We found its clarity and resolution to exceed our Kowa spotting scope. The reticle’s subtensions and click corrections are absolutely accurate.

We had assumed that at this level of expected quality, the Truvelo would “just shoot” and not exhibit a tendency to favor a certain ammunition type (which is usually the case among small arms manufacturers). Our range day would take us into the vast open of the southern Utah desert on the day after a storm. The sky was still overcast, so no mirage to deal with and the wind had blown itself out- we had perfect conditions. Given such a perfect day, the “Truvelo Trio” performed famously. All returned sub MOA accuracy on a paper target at 300 yards. We engaged a hanging 12”x18” steel plate at 600 yards; all three rifles found this test too easy. At 850 yards the .308 gave up 30% of its hits to waning bullet stability. With the .338 and .50 we were able to continue to ring the 12×18” at 1200 yards. The .50 begged for more, so we took her to task on that same steel at 1600 yards. At this distance- just shy of a mile- a successful shot indeed owes much to the shooter. But indeed, the shooter owes as much to his rifle and scope. Without embellishment, we connected with that 12”x18” plate at 1600 yards on the fourth attempt. At that range the sound of the impact could not be heard- but the energy of the 750 A-Max made visible effect on target.

It is becoming obvious that there are too many “sniper” rifles made for the masses that just miss the mark when it comes to the why and the how of the engineering and final execution. The market has become diluted with hobby-level hardware and mediocre quality – all displayed as the next tactical fashion trend or promoted as the new “game-changer.” Considering the plethora of long-range precision rifles we’ve been able to review, Truvelo rifles will be counted among the best. Truvelo gives us hope- they have not lost sight of real purpose for their craft. Truvelo rifles demonstrate perfectly simple rock solid utilitarian design in long-range weapon that can support the demands and exploit the abilities of even the best shooter.

In the United States, Truvelo 7.62 x 51mm, .338 Lapua Magnum, and .50 Cal BMG rifles are available from Gun Mountain LLC, 410 Marks St, Henderson, NV 89014 Tel: 702-564-3272 website: www.gunmountain.com