Johnson’s Rifles and Machine Guns: The Story of Melvin Maynard Johnson, Jr. and His Guns 

Although overshadowed by the far better known M1 Garand service rifle, the story of the Johnson M1941 rifle is an interesting part of U.S. military history. 

Melvin Johnson was the driving force behind the M1941 semiautomatic rifle and the M1941 Light Machine Gun (LMG). This book, by noted U.S. weapons expert and author Bruce N. Canfield, covers the development and use of these arms, as well as other lesser known products. 

Canfield, best known for several books on the M1 Garand rifle and M1 Carbine, profiles Johnson the man and the Johnson Automatics company, as well as his rifle and LMG. As the name suggests, this book covers the man as least as much as the guns he developed. Canfield was given access to an unpublished 600-page manuscript that Johnson had assembled over 4 years, documenting his life. (Johnson actually submitted Unpardonable Guns to a book publisher, but it was rejected.) Canfield also worked with Melvin Johnson’s second son Edward R. Johnson. This access allows Canfield to go deep into the history and struggles of the rifle selection process, the busy times during World War II and the lean times following the War. The book follows this timeline, being broken into three parts. 

Part I—History and Development 

Starting with the usual family history introduction, the book follows the early development of the semiauto rifle, the forming of Johnson Automatics, Inc., and the testing at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. The development of the full-auto LMG (eventually named the M1941 LMG) is covered also. A little known experimental gun called the Auto-Carbine is also profiled. It was essentially a much shortened Johnson semiauto rifle. It kept the .30-06 cartridge, so had nothing to do with the Winchester-designed M1 Carbine. 

Part II—World War II–Betsy and Emma Go to War 

The subtitle refers to Johnson’s habit of giving his designs female names. The M1941 rifle was “Betsy,” and the LMG was “Emma.” (The Auto-Carbine mentioned above was named “Daisy Mae.”) While the U.S. Army did not adopt any of Johnson’s designs, the USMC First Parachute Battalion did acquire a small number of Betsys and Emmas that saw action in the Pacific. The purchase of rifles for the Netherlands East Indies (now known as Indonesia) is covered, as is the transfer of rifles to the USMC after the East Indies were overrun by the Japanese forces. 

Lesser known projects during WWII are examined, such as a 20mm aircraft cannon (nicknamed “Bertha”), a takedown paratroop model of the rifle, and even a prototype of a recoilless mortar. An updated version of the M1941 LMG is also covered; this became the M1944, and with further improvements, it became the M1945. 

Near the end of the War, Johnson Automatics, Inc., was given a contract to study the feasibility of motorizing an 1880s-era Gatling gun. After buying an original Model 1886, 10-barrel Gatling chambered in .45-70 Govt., an electric motor was attached, and some amazing rates of fire were reached. A peak of 5,800 RPM is noted. 

Part III—Post-War 

With the end of the War, came lean times for Johnson Automatics, Inc., as most militaries were downsizing. In order to keep busy, they began sporterizing military surplus bolt-action rifles for the commercial market. They also introduced a low-powered BB gun, the Johnson Indoor Target Gun. (On a personal note, I placed an ad in the old Shotgun News classified ad magazine years ago, looking for various airgun pellet tins, as I collect them. I got a phone call from one of Melvin Johnson’s sons offering me a package of JITG BBs. I still have the sealed package.) The JITG used a rubber tube as the power source. It had enough velocity to tear paper targets but not enough to pierce the cardboard box it came in. The box was used as a backstop and BB catcher. During a promo event, an attractive young model dressed in party balloons acted as a live target! However, the gun lacked the power to burst the balloons, much to the shooter’s frustration. This was planned, to show how low-powered it was. (Don’t try this at home, kids!) 

In late 1948, Johnson Automatics declared bankruptcy, and an auction was held in March 1949. Johnson himself went to work for Winchester Repeating Arms following this. He worked there until 1954. Eventually, he joined Armalite, a division of Fairchild Aircraft. During this time, Armalite was working on the AR-10 rifle. Several features of the AR-10 were reminiscent of the Johnson semiauto rifle, including the straight-line stock, the multiple locking lugs on the bolt and the use of a barrel extension that the bolt locked up to. 

The book relates a comical anecdote during this time. Johnson was verbally explaining something to an Armalite engineer. The engineer wanted Mel to draw it out on paper, but Johnson preferred to draw it out in cigar smoke! 

Also during the mid-1950s, Johnson was involved with the Dardick Corp. and their unique triangular-shaped “trounds.” This was for a short-lived pistol that was sort of a magazine-fed revolver. When this ended, Johnson then began converting .30-caliber M1 Carbines to 5.7mm (.224 cal). This wildcat cartridge used a .30 carbine case necked down to .224 diameter. It became known as the MMJ 5.7mm Johnson Spitfire. It had modest success but never really took off. 

The book ends with several pages of collector notes. As the Johnson rifles are becoming very valuable now, it is vital that collectors know what to look for, to avoid getting burned by fakers. 

This is a very well-researched book that gives a detailed look into the life and times of an inventor, as well as his various guns. If you are in the market for an M1941 rifle, you would be well-served by this book. Numerous detail photos of the innards, several photos of the factory machine shops and period advertising make this a worthwhile book. 

• By Bruce N. Canfield, with Robert L. Lamoreaux and Edward R. Johnson 
• Mowbray Publishing 
• ISBN 1-931464-02-2 
• Copyright 2002, 2006 
• Hardcover, 8.5” x 11”, 272 pages, 285+ color and B&W photos 
• MSRP: $49.95 
• gunandswordcollector.com 
• Available direct from Mowbray

The Second World War was one of great technological advances. It was first war to see the use of jet aircraft and radar in combat, and it was fortunately the only time the atomic bomb was actually used as a weapon against an enemy city. One area that saw the most progress was small arms development—at the start of the War, many of the infantry weapons could rightfully be described as “antiquated.”

Almost all of the major combatant powers were using bolt-action rifles that were little improved from those used during World War I. Only the French Army seemed to be best prepared for another conflict; its Army developed a shorter bolt-action rifle, the MAS-36, a weapon designed with trench warfare in mind. Yet the German blitzkrieg ensured a quick victory, and as a result, the French small arm proved completely inadequate for this new type of fast moving warfare. 

All of the soon-to-be combatant armies sought to develop weapons that could provide offensive mobility. The Germans developed the first general purpose machine gun with its MG-34, while also making advances with submachine guns in the late 1930s. The Soviet Red Army, which was modernizing and undergoing post-purge reforms, learned valuable lessons in the brutal Winter War against Finland. 

In the post-World War I era, the U.S. military had an arsenal of reliable weapons including the Browning M1919 .30 caliber machine gun and the Thompson M1928A1. But where the U.S. ingenuity proved forward thinking was in the development of a semiautomatic main battle rifle. 

The Europeans may have created various automatic weapons, but the fact remained that when the War broke out, most of the soldiers of Europe were still carrying bolt-action rifles that had been developed two generations earlier. By contrast, when the United States entered the War it went into action with the M1 Garand, which General George S. Patton described as “the greatest battle implement ever devised.” 

Enter the Garand 

Whether it was the greatest battle implement is a matter of debate. However, the rifle gave U.S. GIs a serious advantage on the battlefields across Europe and the Pacific. Some 5.5 million M1 Garands were manufactured, offering a higher rate of fire over the bolt-action rifles used by the enemy, while also utilizing a larger caliber cartridge than the submachine guns of the era. 

The origins of the M1 went back to the First World War, when American military planners had seen that bolt-action rifles weren’t providing enough offensive firepower. This lead to the development of the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) and even the Thompson submachine gun, but it was clear that there needed to be a replacement to the standard infantry rifle. 

During World War I there were attempts to improve the rate of fire with bolt-action rifles, and one of these included a unique design from John Douglas Pedersen. Aptly named the “Pedersen Device,” it was actually just an at enabled the rifle to fire a .30 caliber pistol cartridge in a semiautomatic mode. It didn’t have any impact on World War I, but it did inspire the U.S. military to consider the need for a new semiautomatic rifle. Numerous firearms designers lent their talent towards the development of such a weapon. 

One competitor to the M1 Garand was Melvin Johnson’s M1941 Johnson Rifle, which unlike the designs by Pedersen and Thompson, actually saw some use in World War II. Some 70,000 were produced—making it a rare and desirable rifle for WWII small arms collectors. The Johnson Rifle utilized energy from recoil along with a rotating bolt—a revolutionary design, which had less recoil than the M1, as well as a greater magazine capacity. In the end, however, the Garand design won out, which itself was no small feat.

The M1 Garand was not perfect out of the gate, and it actually took the Canadian-born John C. Garand nearly 15 years to perfect the weapon. It featured an operating system similar to the Johnson design that included its gas-operated, rotating bolt. The M1 Garand could fire 40-50 rounds a minute, which was a considerable step up from most bolt-action rifles of the era. It also featured a rear adjustable aperture sight and front wing protected post, and most importantly, the rifle was designed to fire the .30-06 Springfield cartridge. That was same cartridge used with the M1903 Springfield bolt-action rifle, the BAR and the .30 caliber Browning machine gun. 

The Soviet’s SVT-40 

With its iconic PPSh-41 submachine gun— not to mention T-34 tank—it is somewhat understandable that a largely forgotten piece of Soviet equipment is the SVT-40, the Red Army’s first large scale attempt at a semiautomatic rifle. One reason it was widely forgotten is that despite the advantages the weapon offered, by War’s end it was largely withdrawn from service, yet it remains an important part of Soviet small arms design legacy. The Samozaryadnaya Vintovka Tokareva (“Tokarev self-loading rifle, Model 1940”), or SVT-40, has often been mislabeled as the “Soviet’s take on the M1 Garand” by gun collectors. But this isn’t close to accurate in no small part due to the fact that gun designer Fedor Tokarev had been working on his design essentially at the same time that Garand was refining his semiautomatic rifle. 

There were big differences in how each of the weapons was developed. One key difference is that in a democracy, multiple designers were competing for a contract, while in the Soviet Union fear of a one-way trip to the gulag, or worse, a bullet in the head, were often the greater motivators! Moreover, John Garand spent 15 years developing the rifle bearing his name—his only real claim to fame—Tokarev was an established gun designer who created the TT-30 and TT-33 self-loading (semiautomatic) pistols. 

Tokarev also developed a submachine gun prototype, but in the 1930s turned his attention back to a semiautomatic rifle. The first version entered service in 1938 as the SVT-38, which fired the same 7.62x54mmR cartridge as the Mosin-Nagant. It featured a gas-operated action along with a gas cylinder cup. By Soviet standards it was a complex weapon, and when it was used in the Winter War with Finland (1939-1940), it wasn’t well received by the Red Army. Soldiers reported that the gun was too long, difficult to maintain, and worst of all, it had a removable box magazine that had a tendency to fall out at inopportune times. The SVT-38 was also not well-suited to the Soviet’s corrosively primed ammunition, and it required near constant cleaning—something the Mosin-Nagant rarely required. Due to the shortcomings, production of the SVT-38 ceased by summer 1940, and only some 150,000 units were produced. 

Such a failure could have earned Tokarev that trip to Siberia (or worse), but Josef Stalin’s purges of the Soviet Red Army had taken their toll. The country was unprepared for the coming war with Germany; Tokarev was given another chance, and he immediately refined his semiautomatic design and designated the new weapon as SVT-40. It was lighter, less cumbersome and, more importantly for a nation that faced a massive onslaught, it was much simpler to produce.

Original plans were to replace the Model 1891/1930 Mosin-Nagant with the semiautomatic rifle, with upwards of one third of all soldiers being supplied with the SVT-40 within just a couple years. The German invasion in June 1941 derailed those plans, and worst of all, hundreds of thousands of the SVT-40s were captured. By winter, the Soviets were fighting for dear life. As a result, the Soviet military stuck with the Mosin-Nagant, as it was easier to produce, but the close combat firepower of the PPSh-41 was also recognized. The nation was under siege, and it was impossible to keep up production of all three weapons. While about a million SVT-40s had been produced by late 1941, the number actually declined as the War continued. By the end of the “Great Patriotic War”—as the Soviets dubbed World War II—only some 1.6 million SVT-40s were produced. 

The semiautomatic rifle that Tokarev had worked so hard to develop and refine thus had far less impact on the War than the American M1 Garand. However, its design was noted by the Germans. 

The German Gewehr 43 

During the 1930s, the German military had 

rearmed, which led to the adoption of the new MG-34 general purpose machine gun, and later the MP-38/40, the iconic and erroneously named “Schmeisser” submachine gun, but even in 1941 with the invasion of the Soviet Union, the German military was still largely equipped with the Kar 98k bolt-action rifle. 

In 1941 the German military sought to develop a semiautomatic rifle, and two different firms—Mauser and Walther—were charged with its development. Nearly 13,000 Mauser patterns were produced, but neither it nor the Walther design proved reliable enough or did not meet the military’s demands. Instead, the designers looked to captured stocks of the Soviet SVT-40 and noted the simple gas mechanism.

The resulting Gewehr 43, or G43 as it has become known, has been dubbed the “German M1Garand” by firearms enthusiasts. However, the G43 has nothing in common with the M1 Garand. It would be fairer to suggest it was the German take on the SVT-40’s action while taking elements from the Mauser-developed G41(W). The gun was accepted and entered service originally as the Gewehr 43 in October 1943. However, due to the fact that the main bolt-action rifle was officially a “Karabiner” (carbine), and Gewehr meant “long rifle,” in 1944 the weapon was re-designated the Karabiner (K43). The two are identical in every way apart from the letters stamped on the side. Even today among collectors the rifle is generally known as the G43, while some published sources use the K43 nomenclature. 

German military doctrine was to provide each infantry company with 19 G43s, including 10 that would be fitted with scopes for marksmen. However, as the War effort turned against the Germans, this goal was never achieved. 

Lock and Load

While all three rifles saw use during the Second World War, as noted, the M1 Garand has largely gone down as a major success—notably when compared to the Soviet’s SVT-40, which didn’t perform up to expectations. The German G43 also came up short compared to the M1 Garand.

Moreover, it should be remembered that all three rifles were ideal for the combat requirements of World War II, but all three were obsolete by the early 1950s. The M1 Garand saw use in the Korean War (1950-1953) and remained in service until 1959. While ahead of its time in the 1930s, it had a few notable shortcomings. One of the unique features of the M1 was its “en bloc” clip, which held eight rounds. This allowed for quick reloading of the rifle, where the clip was inserted with a push by the thumb, but one major downside was that if done incorrectly, the bolt could slam on the operator’s thumb, resulting in the all-too-common “M1 thumb!” It also couldn’t be “topped off” with extra bullets. 

By contrast, both the SVT-40 and G43 featured 10-round detachable magazines. This allowed for reloading by changing the magazine or by feeding five-round stripper clips. The M1 Garand had a significant advantage in offering higher capacity compared to the German’s Kar 98k, but this advantage was lost on those times when the Garand went up against the G43. 

Of the three rifles, the G43 is the heaviest, but each comes in under 10 pounds. The SVT-40, at 48.3 inches, is the longest, and it’s just slightly shorter than the Model 91/30 Mosin-Nagant (itself a shortened version of the original M91 Mosin-Nagant). The M1 Garand also had an effective range of 500 yards, slightly less than the 550 yards of both the SVT-40 and G43; however, that 50-yard difference could be largely a moot point depending on the respective shooter. 

When it came to accuracy as a sniper rifle, the G43 has largely been considered the superior of the three weapons. As noted, the German Army planned to equip upwards of half of the G43s with a scope for use by marksmen and snipers. In fact of the 402,713 G43s that were produced, a total of 53,435 were outfitted as sniper rifles. These were fitted with Zielfernrohr 43 (ZF4) telescopic sights with 4x magnification. 

By contrast, of the 1.6 million SVT-40s produced, less than 52,000 were the sniper variant—the Red Army found that the weapon performed poorly as a sniper rifle and terminated production of the sniper model in 1942. The U.S. Army tended to rely on the venerable M1903A4 Springfield for use by snipers, but in June 1944 adopted the M1C variant of the Garand to supplement demand. However, during World War II less than 8,000 of the M1C variant of the Garand were produced, and few saw active duty. During the subsequent Korean War, the United States Marine Corps adopted the M1C as its official sniper rifle. 

Legacy of the WWII Semiautomatics 

As noted above, the M1 Garand remained in use throughout the Korean War, and only in the 1950s was a replacement sought. There were attempts to “modernize” the M1 Garand by adding fully automatic firing capability and replacing the en bloc with a detachable box magazine. Numerous prototypes were developed, and this eventually led to the T44 prototype, which was finally adopted in 1957 as the M14—a rifle that would remain in use until the mid-1960s when it would be replaced with the AR-15/M16. 

In the closing year of World War II, the Soviets also reconsidered the need for a semiautomatic battle rifle and interestingly noted that the size of the SVT-40 was an issue. At the same time, the Soviets had developed an intermediate cartridge between the 7.62x54mmR used in the Mosin-Nagant and SVT-40 rifles and the 7.62x25mm pistol cartridge that was also used in submachine guns such as the PPSh-41. 

The 7.62x39mm was comparable to the intermediate round used in the German’s StG44, the world’s first true assault rifle. In 1943, even as production of the SVT-40 was being tapered off, Soviet designer Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov worked to develop the Samozaryadny Karabin sistemy Simonova (“self-loading carbine of the Simonov system,” 1945). It would more commonly be known as the SKS. Visually it does resemble a reduced SVT-40, but the operating systems are different—and any resemblance is likely due to the Soviet origin. However, the SKS did serve as intermediate step to the AK-47. 

The G43 didn’t lead to any future gun development, due in no small part to the fact that Germany lost the War, and arms development essentially ended for a decade. 

The greater legacy of all three weapons is that in the years after World War II, the age of the bolt-action rifle had truly come to an end. 

The ROK Special Forces, especially the Army’s Special Operations Command (SOC), has been using the K1A SMG as its main personal weapon. While some units are using foreign-made SMGs like the HK416 or FN SCAR, such units are the minority, and a vast majority of them are still using the K1A. While it is called an “SMG,” it doesn’t mean it’s a traditional pistol-caliber weapon; it is a 5.56mm assault carbine with a DI gas system. 

K1As have been in service for more than 35 years, and now show many signs of obsolescence. The K1A doesn’t have an ergonomically sound design. Since there was no consideration over mounting optics or other things while designed, even with modern rail systems the K1A is not good for attaching optics or laser sights. Of course, you can attach them, but in many cases using them is not as convenient or effective as using them on other foreign weapons. Also, the K1A’s DI system didn’t have a good reputation during its long service life. It’s not bad, but it had some limitations. 

So, during the last few years, the ROK military tried to find a replacement for K1As, and initially, it seemed like SnT Motiv’s K2C, a shortened version of the gas-piston-driven K2 rifle, would be the logical choice. 

But things changed dramatically during the last 2 to 3 years. Dasan Co., a weapons and machine parts manufacturing company in Korea, obtained a license to supply small arms to the ROK military. Until then, SnT Motiv had a virtual monopoly over that market as the only company in Korea with that license. Dasan offered AR-type weapons, namely Caracal’s CAR816 (Dasan has manufacturing rights in Korea) or the DAR-15P, a piston-driven AR carbine developed by Dasan. 

This offer, together with the Special Operation units’ experiences with the HK416 or M4A1 carbines used by elite counter-terror units, changed customers’ opinions quite a bit. Compared to the K1A or K2 series of weapons, those AR-type weapons were way better in terms of ergonomics and accessories. So, to counter this, SnT Motiv finally designed a new AR-type carbine of its own—the STC-16. 

About the STC-16 

The STC-16 is a very new weapon, first announced in October 2019. As you can see, it is a typical piston-driven AR carbine, only it is slightly different. It is very obvious to see it is developed to compete with Dasan’s AR-type carbines or foreign designs like the HK416 or CAR816. While SnT Motiv doesn’t produce AR-based weapons any more, SnT Motiv’s predecessor Daewoo Precision was the second largest manufacturer of M16A1s (more than 1 million), so S&T Motiv probably had no trouble in designing the STC-16 with AR specifications. In fact, many original manufacturing facilities that produced the M16A1—mainly procured during the early to mid-1970s—are still used today to produce the K1 and K2 series rifles, along with new computer-controlled machining centers. 

Let’s take a look at the STC-16 in detail. It is largely a typical AR carbine but has some differences. The trigger guard is fixed and enlarged to accommodate a gloved finger. And here’s one very different part from the typical AR—a bolt stop. Unlike the AR, the STC-16 has a bolt stop inside the trigger guard, quite similar to the G36. It is to make the bolt stop ambidextrous and also reduce the parts sticking out of the receiver. With an ambidextrous magazine catch and this bolt stop, the STC-16 is almost a perfectly ambidextrous weapon. The magazine is, of course, a typical STANAG; the magazine well is a little bit shorter than the original AR in order to reduce weight. 

The STC-16 barrel is attached to the receiver via a heavy barrel nut, which is similar to many current ARs like the HK416 or Geissele’s AR, and the handguard is also directly attached to the barrel nut with two large bolts. This is also quite similar to Geissele’s or other companies’ recent designs. The handguard has M-LOK standard slots to the sides and MIL-STD-1913 rails over/underneath. The receiver is a flat top to accommodate an optical sight. The gas system is a typical short-stroke piston, which SnT Motiv developed. I’m sorry I can’t open the system and show it to our readers; however, I can say in its current form it has a removable gas plug but has no adjustable gas regulator. Maybe it will be changed, since the ROK Special Forces also want to use suppressors with this. With a suppressor on, the gas regulator is much more desirable. 

Right now, the STC-16 has a 12-inch barrel, which is very similar to the K1A. While the total length itself is a bit longer than the original K1A, the overall mass is actually a bit smaller than the K1A’s. But many K1As in The ROK Special Forces now have AR-type stocks (attached via special adaptor); with an AR-type telescopic stock, the K1A is actually longer than the STC-16’s. So even in size, the STC-16 has the upper hand. Also, unlike the K1A and K2, users can change the barrel to different lengths relatively easily. S&T Motiv offers various barrel lengths. 

Ergonomically, the STC-16 is way better than the current K1A/K2 variants. The STC- 16 is slimmer, and its selector is way easier to access. With the K1A and K2, it’s not easy to move the selector from “fire” to “safe” or vice versa without loosening your grip from the pistol grip. With the STC-16, users easily can do it just like on an AR. Also, unlike the K2/K1A, the STC-16’s selector is ambidextrous. The selector shape is way better than K2/K1A’s as well. 

A Disadvantage 

One thing the STC-16 lacks from the original AR design is a bolt-forward assist. Well, more precisely speaking, it more or less resembles very early AR-15s before the XM-16E1 was introduced. Whether BFA is necessary is not something I can debate here; Gene Stoner himself didn’t like it, and I’ve met many people who think BFA is necessary, as well as many people who are completely against it. I think it is up to how Korean customers think. 

I also had chance to fire the weapon, and basically, it’s not bad; it’s a typical AR-type, piston-driven weapon with a short barrel. The muzzle flash and recoil are considerable but controllable. While the magazine change procedure is somewhat strange because of that not-so-familiar bolt-stop design, that’s because I’m too familiar with the AR’s paddle-type bolt stop. If it’s used by Korean soldiers, who usually have no firearms experience before entering the military, they’ll probably have no problem since they will be trained with it from the beginning. 

Final Thought 

The STC-16 is still in prototype stage and can be changed a lot with potential customers’ opinions. It will be interesting to see whether it would win the competition against Dasan’s DAR-15P carbines. Let’s see what happens! 

SPECIFICATIONS 

• Make: SnT Motiv
• Model: STC-16
• Caliber: 5.56x45mm 
• Operation system: Short-stroke gas piston (otherwise known as “Tappet” by SnT Motiv) 
• Cyclic rate: 700~900rds/m 
• Total length: 870mm with stock extended 
• Barrel length: 307mm (12in) ~ 419mm (14.5in) 
• Weight (empty): 3.3kg or less 

Ergonomics is the science of interfacing man-made objects with the human animal. This pursuit shapes the way we drive our cars, run machines on a production floor, sit at a desk, open a Coke can and fly the space shuttle. Where, in previous generations, such stuff was pretty much random, nowadays ergonomics is big business.

There’s a lot riding on how well we can run our weapons. Whether you are a young stud in uniform kicking down doors, a cop investigating a disturbance in a spooky building or just an otherwise unremarkable armed American trying to determine why the dog won’t shut up at 3 o’clock in the morning, optimizing the interface between gun and flesh can indeed be a combat multiplier. We find the current state of the art in the WASP and Venom ergonomic foregrips from Function By Design (FXD). 

Origin Story

It’s tough to say exactly who first dreamt up the concept of putting a vertical foregrip on a firearm. [EDITOR’S NOTE: I had a Farquar-Hill rifle sn 33 of 100, made in 1908, semiauto, that had a wooden verticle foregrip that had numerous screwholes to change foregrip locations, so 1908 is a good starting point.] However, it is a simple thing to identify who brought the concept into the mainstream. That would be General John Taliaferro Thompson.

General Thompson’s eponymous submachine gun was born from the ashes of the First War to End All Wars. Young men of most of the world’s nationalities were bleeding out on forsaken battlefields across France and Belgium. The military leadership of the day tried to fight tomorrow’s war with yesterday’s tactics, and the result was carnage most unprecedented. Facing the prospect of losing an entire generation, visionaries like John Thompson strived to contrive tools that could get the Tommies and Doughboys up and out of their trenches so they could end the War.

That first Thompson gun was titled the “Annihilator,” and prototypes were ready for shipment to Europe 2 days after the Armistice. When General Thompson was unable to secure any large-scale sales to post-War military or law enforcement organizations, he released his invention to the public. During the Great Depression these remarkable guns were available openly, but they remained too expensive for normal folk to afford. However, the serious criminals of the day either bought their own with ill-gotten gains or just stole what they wanted. The phenomenon of the motorized bandit burned the iconic image of the Tommy Gun into the American psyche.

The classic Thompson icon includes a 50-round drum magazine, a Cutts compensator and a vertical foregrip. The gun itself is a fairly wretched piece of kit with its center of gravity too far back and its line of recoil significantly above the buttstock. It was state-of-the-art for its day, but the design was soon eclipsed by more streamlined stuff. However, the weapon’s mass and the relatively modest power of the pistol cartridge it fired made the weapon eminently controllable. With a little trigger time a determined operator could unleash a great deal of chaos with a Thompson.

General Thompson died before he could see his invention really find its legs. Despite the fact that the Thompson was lyrically outdated at the onset of WWII, it was all we had handy. As a result, American industry churned out some 1.5 million copies before the end of the War. However, we did simplify things a bit.

The later M1 and M1A1 Tommies dispensed with the complicated Blish lock and Cutts compensator while moving the charging handle to the right side from the top. They also incorporated a simplified horizontal foregrip rather than the previous swept-back sort. These changes made the complicated Thompson slightly less so and sped up production. I’ve run both side-by-side, and I personally find the previous gun to be more effective and controllable. However, that’s as much a function of its slightly reduced rate of fire as anything else. 

Cold War

Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov rocked the world with his marvelous farm tractor of an assault rifle. The first versions had a stamped steel receiver but were deemed inadequately rugged. That determination led to the definitively forged steel AK-47. In the 1950s the Soviets perfected that original stamped receiver, and the AKM was born. 

More than 100 million Kalashnikov rifles saw service in hundreds of guises. Stocks, both folding and rigid, along with sundry barrel lengths and furniture designs defined most of them. Along the way, the Romanians developed a fairly crude vertical foregrip for their own particular versions of Comrade Kalashnikov’s chopper. There are variations to accommodate both fixed stocks and underfolders. Back when I wore the uniform, I logged a fair amount of time behind AK rifles and personally sought out those with the vertical foregrips. 

SOPMOD

September 1989 saw the advent of the Special Operations Special Technology (SOST) Modular Close Combat Carbine Project. This mouthful of milspeak was administered by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division and ultimately birthed the first SOPMOD kit. SOPMOD stands for Special Operations Peculiar Modifications. That original Block 1 kit included enough cool-guy gear to support four carbines.

The beating heart of the SOPMOD kit was the Knight’s Armament Rail Interface System. For the first time in military history we now had the accessories we needed to optimize our weapons for particular missions. One of the simplest yet most effective additions to the M4 was the basic clamp-on broomstick foregrip.

Physiology

Set the magazine down for a second and head over to the gun box. Snatch up a random smoke pole and assess how it really feels to you. If you happened to heft a Garand, M1 Carbine or lever-action Winchester, then you’ll be pushing your wrist just past a position of comfort to accommodate that long walnut forearm. If the gun you grabbed is a SOPMOD-equipped M4 or a Romanian AK, then that perpendicular orientation is just a wee bit far in the other direction. It turns out that what is just about perfect is General Thompson’s century-old trench broom. 

Tactics evolve with experience, and we run our guns nowadays in ways that would have been unimaginable back when I first donned the uniform. A lot of really smart people have spent a great deal of time pondering the subject, and entire schools now orbit around the rarefied art of gunfighting. Now that we run our weapons with our support hands outstretched for optimal control, the good folks at Force By Design have conjured the ideal foregrip.

FXD

The company name Force By Design (FXD) is a clever mathematical allusion. In the WASP and the Venom we find mankind’s best effort at transforming a black rifle into an extension of your anatomy. These high-tech appendages come in two broad flavors.

Both the WASP and the Venom are sharply swept and formed from some kind of indestructible polymer material. They both clamp painlessly onto any standard Picatinny rail using nothing more advanced than a standard screwdriver. They both also include little thumb wings on both sides upon which you may rest your weary thumbs. They are generously grooved to improve your purchase when sweaty or rushed.

The Venom is a wee bit shorter than the WASP and not quite so customizable. Where the thumb shelves are rigidly molded in place on the Venom, on the WASP you can loosen an Allen screw and adjust the angle and placement to suit. The WASP also includes an adjustable trigger on the front to optimize finger placement as well as a compartment to accommodate a pressure pad for a light or laser. Both grips are designed and produced in the USA, and 10% of the profits go to support injured veterans.

Legal Matters

In a veritable ocean of silly gun regulations, arguably the most asinine to me has always been the government’s take on foregrips. As I understand it, you can mount up an angled foregrip on a handgun and keep Uncle Sam as both a pal and soulmate. However, make that grip the 90-degree perpendicular sort, and you are a felon worthy of a decade in prison. 

The entire issue turns on the definition of a handgun. According to federal law, a handgun is a firearm with a short-angled grip designed to be fired with one hand. Considering the only time I would actually fire a handgun one-handed would be if my other hand was blown off, that seems a bit anachronistic. However, the good folks at ATF are tasked with interpreting and enforcing this tripe, and frankly they do a bang-up job considering the bucket of snakes with which the U.S. Congress has gifted them. 

The ATF adjudicates these issues on a case-by-case basis in the form of position letters in response to a citizen’s specific queries. It is well known that these letters only apply to those who requested them, but they do give insights into the .gov mindset. One particular letter dated November 20, 2013, specifically states that the sort of foregrip that would magically transform a conventional handgun into an NFA-regulated “Any Other Weapon” would be the sort that is oriented 90-degrees off of the gun’s bore. Logically, therefore, the WASP and Venom should be good to go across the board on any platform. 

How Do They Run? 

The addition of the WASP or Venom allows you to retain positive control of your weapon with your weak hand alone. Should you need to index to a sidearm or less-than-lethal tool, then the FXD device helps you keep your primary weapon handy and accessible without undue fatigue. As a result, I found that it was indeed an easy enough chore to keep my weapons pointed where I wanted them with my weak hand. The incorporation of a pressure switch on the WASP is just gravy. 

The hard angles of the thing can dig a bit if you run the weapon with your thumb wrapped around the grip. However, the thumb rests are where your thumb should live anyway, so that’s not an issue. I tried these two grips on a ludicrously large number of rifles and pistols and found them to run exactly as advertised. Orienting the support hand a bit below the bore axis took a little getting used to for me; but that learning curve remains quite pleasantly shallow. 

Denouement 

A determined warrior can be formidable wielding a $75 Hi-Point pistol or even a decent rock; but for those of us who take our tactical tools seriously, the details of ergonomics and function are the places where dreams either flourish or perish. In the WASP and Venom by Force By Design we get a glimpse of the future of tactical weapons. For more information, see forcexdesign.com. 

After WWII, the French Army was completely reorganised and wished to upgrade its equipment. Stores were filled with odd equipment such as obsolete French, British, American, German or Japanese arms and even civilian models that were quickly purchased in wartime. The French Army’s renewal concerns were: equipment, uniforms, helmets, vehicles, planes, boats and small arms. The maintenance of such an odd inventory and the supply of ammunition were a very difficult task. Only for the small arms, there were more than 20 different types of cartridges.

On May 11, 1945, a new program was set up. It concerned the replacement of pistols, submachine guns, rifles, automatic rifles, carbines and light machine guns. Concerning the SMG, the program was very similar to the one that was set up in 1933. A new caliber was chosen, along with a folding stock and a magazine housing. The French factories proposed several models.

MAC 47/1 

This model is very similar to the ETVS which underwent field trials before the War. It was manufactured by MAC. Except for the bolt and the barrel, the MAC 47/1 was made of sheet metal. It works as a delayed blowback weapon, with a hammer acting on the firing pin; its bolt head associated with a lever. The cocking handle can be folded down and was located under the trigger guard. The U-shaped stock can be folded over the frame. The magazine comes from a German MP 40 and can also be folded; a cover closes the magazine housing when the magazine is not in place. There is no selector or safety. The front sight is matched with a folding “L-”shaped rear sight scaled for 100m and 200m ranges. 

TECHNICAL FEATURES 

• Caliber 9mm (.38in) 
• Ammunition 9mm Luger 
• Overall length 0.633m (24.92in) 
• Barrel length 0.210m (8.26in) 
• Weight 2,100kg (4.63lb) 
• Magazine capacity 32 rounds 
• Cyclic rate 640 rpm 

MAC 47/2 

The MAC 47/2 is a variation of the former model, but with a skeleton stock similar to the one used on the STEN Mark II SMG. Both submachine guns were tested in May 1948, with the following results: 

Advantage

• Light weight  
• Folding magazine

Disadvantage 

• Recoil spring weak
• Poor handling due to unfit stocks 

MAC 48/1 Light

Completely different from the others, the MAC 48/1 looks like a STEN with a tubular frame and a cover for the ejection port. The barrel is fixed into the frame and cannot be dismounted; it has a tubular cooler jacket with oval holes. The cocking handle is on the left side; the bolt is cylindrical with a large-sized recoil spring. An anatomical pistol grip has a safety lever on the rear side. The trigger mechanism allows only full-auto fire. A triangular stock is made of wood and is located on the floor of the pistol grip. A German MP 40 magazine is used; it is located in a long housing which is used as a second hand-grip.

TECHNICAL FEATURES 

• Caliber 9mm (.38in) 
• Ammunition 9mm Luger 
• Overall length 0.800m (31.5in) 
• Barrel length 0.300m (11.81in) 
• Weight 3,440kg (7.58lb) 
• Magazine capacity 32 rounds 
• Cyclic rate 475 rpm

MAC 48/1 (Heavy)

The MAC 48/1 is a variation of the model above, with a long barrel and a Chatellerault M 1924 M29 bipod.

MAC 48/2 (Light) 

The MAC 48/2 is similar to the MAC 48/1 Light but with two triggers which allow single shots or burst. The stock had a folding flap designed to allow shooting singlehandedly.

MAC 48 L.S. (Light and Simplified)

This is a submachine gun with a modern design, a short barrel, a folding magazine and a telescopic stock similar to those of the U.S. M 3. The cocking lever is independent from the bolt, attached with a cover. The rear sight is a folding “L” with two apertures. The front sight is covered by a tunnel. The pistol grip has a safety button and no other safety.

TECHNICAL FEATURES

MAC 48 L.S. 

• Caliber 9mm (.38in) 
• Ammunition 9mm Luger 
• Overall length 0.640m (25.19in) 
• Overall length with stock retracted 0.420m (16.53in) 
• Barrel length 0.200m (11.81in) 
• Weight 2,700kg (7.87lb) 
• Magazine capacity 32 rounds 
• Cyclic rate 600 rpm 

Saint-Etienne Submachine Gun

Before the beginning of the new military program, MAS (a Saint-Étienne arms manufacturer) designed several prototypes from the MAS 38: 

• 9mm Luger SMG with light alloy stock; 
• Another in the same caliber with folding stock and magazine housing; 
• A .45 ACP model.

MAS 47

In 1947, MAS developed a new mechanism with a delayed blowback. It was used on several submachine guns and automatic carbines. The bolt is made of three parts: a cylindrical carrier which moves over the barrel, a bolt head and a lever. After the shot, the gas pressure pushes the empty case on the bolt head and locks the bolt in place. After a short delay, the pressure decreases, and the lever can move and push the carrier to the rear. Then the bolt can open.

A first M 1947 was designed. It has a triangular wooden stock which can be folded on the left side. The weapon has a safety grip and staged trigger which allows both single-shot and burst, depending on the pressure exerted on it.

MAS 48

This is the next generation of submachine guns, and several variations were made: A, B, C, D, E. We never saw the A and B variations, but the others can be described.

MAS 48 C1

The frame is made of moulded steel. The front looks like one cylinder over another. The top cylinder receives the carrier and the recoil spring, and the barrel is located in the other. The cocking lever is on the left side. The rear looks like a box with flat sides. It contains the bolt under which are the pistol grip, lock and magazine housing. A metal stock can be folded under the SMG, and the magazine is from a German MP 40. The sights are made of a tangent rear sight and a front sight under a cover.

MAS 48 C2

It is the same as the MAS 48 C1 but with a shorter barrel, a trombone-type stock and an “L-”shaped flap rear sight with two apertures.

MAS 48 C3 

The MAS 48 C3 has a triangular wooden stock folding on the right. The ejection port has a cover.

MAS 48 C4 

This is similar to the MAS 48 C3 but with a left side folding stock. The folding magazine housing was improved.

The MAS 48 C3 and C4 were used in Indochina, like the MAT 48.

TECHNICAL FEATURES

MAS 48 C4 

• Caliber 9mm (.38in) 
• Ammunition 9mm Luger 
• Overall length 0.650m (25.59in) 
• Overall length with stock folded 0.406m (15.98in) 
• Barrel length 0.205m (8.07in) 
• Weight 3,000kg (6.61lb) 
• Magazine capacity 32 rounds 
• Cyclic rate 600 rpm

MAS 48 D Light 

The MAS 48 D Light has a medium-length barrel and a fixed stock assembled on the base of the pistol grip. Several firing devices were used with one or two triggers.

MAS 48 D Heavy 

This gun has a long barrel and conventional fixed stock.

MAS 48 E 

The MAS 48 E is the same as the MAS 48 C3 with a longer barrel.

Tulle Submachine Gun

MAT 48

The MAT 48 was the first of a long family of experimental guns, designed by Chief Engineer Pierre Monteil and Factory Manager Jacques Delamaire of Manufacture Nationale d’Armes de Tulle (MAT). Its manufacturing process was the result of modern applications with many sheet metal parts, designed with the help of German technicians working at the Saint-Louis factory and Dallet Company in Brive.

The gun is made around a square frame associated with another part which bears the pistol grip, trigger mechanism and folding magazine housing. The magazine is the same as the one used on the STEN SMG. The front sights are at the top of the barrel, and a rear aperture sight is set on the frame (100m to 300m ranges) with a rack adjustment.

Variations were: 

• MAT 48 (light), fixed wooden stock and metallic frame; 
• MAT 48 (light), folding right side wooden stock; 
• MAT 48 (light), metal-made stock, which can be folded under the gun; 
• MAT 48 (light), with telescopic stock; 
• MAT 48 (heavy), long barrel and upper wooden stock; and 
• MAT 48 (heavy), wooden stock fixed under the pistol grip.

TECHNICAL FEATURES 

MAT 48 (Light) MAT 48 (Heavy) 

• Caliber 9mm (.38in) 9mm (.38in) 
• Ammunition 9mm Luger 9mm Luger 
• Overall length 0.708m (27.84in) 0.810m (31.89in) 
• Barrel length 0.220m (8.66in) 0.320m (12.59in) 
• Weight 3,000kg (6.61lb) 3,700kg (8.16lb) 
• Magazine capacity 32 rounds 32 rounds

MAT 49

After good results came during the field trials, the MAT 48 with a telescopic stock was adopted in June 1949 as the MAT 49 SMG. After the beginning of its production, some parts were improved: 

• The rear “cube” was enlarged; 
• A more effective safety pedal was developed, on the grip (five-point star stamped on the left side of the trigger); and
• Other details to make its manufacturing easier.

The MAT 49 was built by MAT from January 1950 to 1964 (more than 700,000 were made) and also built by MAC from May 1951 to December 1958 (125,143 specimens). 

Wikipedia defines a submachine gun as: “a magazine-fed, automatic carbine designed to shoot handgun cartridges.” The term submachine gun was coined by John T. Thompson, the inventor of the Thompson submachine gun. In modern parlance, they’re frequently referred to as “subguns.”

Most subguns operate using the blowback action where the force and gasses of the fired shell drive the bolt back against a strong spring while ejecting the spent casing. As long as the trigger is held down, this action will repeat until the magazine goes dry. The most common calibers are 9mm and .45 ACP. The rate of fire can vary by gun, but 650 rounds per minute are easily attained. A subgun can empty a 50-round magazine in less than 5 seconds. Normally, a submachine gun is fired in short bursts of three to four rounds; they are primarily a short-range weapon, with shots kept under 50 yards.

The submachine gun was never intended to be a front-line weapon, but it worked well in close quarter battle (CQB) and under short-range assault conditions. The idea of a man-portable, full-auto weapon became popular with the militaries of the world toward the end of World War I. Up until then, fully automatic machine guns firing rifle cartridges were heavy (the Browning 1917, including tripod, gun, cooling water and ammo, weighed 103 pounds) and required a crew of up to four soldiers to operate and transport. One man could carry a submachine gun and enough ammunition to sustain him for a battle.

The First Submachine Guns

Standschütze Hellriegel

The Austro-Hungarian military force ordered a pistol-caliber, fully automatic weapon in 1915. The Standschütze Hellriegel submachine gun was the result. Not much is known about this weapon, and it appears not to have advanced past the prototype stage. It used a large drum magazine located under the receiver and connected to the action by means of a flexible chute. It could also accommodate box magazines. Its likely caliber was the 9x23mm Steyr that was originally designed for the Steyr M1912 pistol. Ballistics with a 115-grain bullet were 1,025 feet per second and 268 ft-lb of muzzle energy.

An unusual feature of the gun was its water-cooled barrel. A water jacket encased in leather was fitted over the barrel. Two ports allowed the jacket to be filled or drained.

Villar Perosa

The first operational submachine gun was the Italian Villar Perosa Model 1915. First designed in in Italy in 1914 by designer Abiel Revelli, the creator of the Fiat-Revelli Modello 1914 machine gun, the Villar Perosa is a rare and unusual gun in that it is really two complete guns joined together by a bronze casting at the rear of the actions and a circular steel plate in front of the ejection ports. Both guns can be fired simultaneously, or each can be operated separately. The cartridges—9mm Glisenti—feed from dual 25-round magazines. With only a 100-grain bullet trundling along at 1,000 feet per second (if lucky) and 300 ft-lb of muzzle energy, it wasn’t too successful at hitting its intended targets—aircraft—but it worked satisfactorily as a ground attack weapon. A period black and white photo shows the Villar Perosa mounted on a bicycle’s handlebars, so it had to be fairly subdued when fired.

Normal operation consisted of firing one barrel at a time while an assistant gunner changed magazines on the other. One of its drawbacks was that it would empty a magazine in slightly over 1 second which made continuous rapid fire next to impossible. A fate of a lot of these subguns was being broken down to individual guns in 1918 and made into submachine guns by the addition of a forearm, buttstock and single trigger.

There’s a lot of room for funny comments about the care and operation of the Villar Perosa, but it was a reliable weapon for the time, and the one this author inspected was beautifully fabricated. One recently changed hands as an NFA weapon for $50,000+.

The Ubiquitous Thompson 

There’s been millions of words written about John Thompson’s submachine gun and millions of rounds fired through them. John T. Thompson was born on the last day of 1860 in Newport, Kentucky. His father was a Lt. Col., and the family moved around a lot of Army posts. John followed in his father’s footsteps and trained in engineering and artillery and then was assigned to the Army Ordnance Department, Fort Lee, Virginia. He spent the balance of his military career there.

John Bell Blish, a career Navy officer and inventor, had developed a blowback action that used a friction delay method of controlling rate of fire. This became the well-known Blish lock. Thompson saw in the Blish Lock a method of developing a fully automatic submachine gun that would be an excellent weapon to use in sweeping trenches clean. This trench sweeper was chambered in the cartridge used in the Colt 1911 pistol—the .45 ACP. The range wasn’t great, but the heavy 230-grain full metal jacket (FMJ) bullet excelled in its trench sweeping duties. Unfortunately, the Thompson submachine gun didn’t come out of development until after the armistice was signed, ending WWI. The U.S. Army adopted the Thompson in 1928, and it saw action in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. 

Variants 

Annihilator, Persuader and Model 1919 

The Persuader was a belt-fed prototype designed, but never finished in 1917. The Annihilator resembled the later models but had no provisions for a rear sight or buttstock. The Model 1919 laid down the final design for future models. Other prototypes were built, but none of them saw production. 

Production 

Model 1921. This was the first model produced in volume. Over 15,000 were produced by Colt for Auto-Ordnance Corporation, an arms firm founded by John Thompson in 1916. The company’s purpose was to handle and develop the Thompson submachine gun. The Model 1921 was expensive to manufacture due to the amount of machining required on the receiver and Blish lock. Fitted with a high grade stock, it retailed for $200; a large sum in the early 1920s. Strangely enough, that’s the exact same amount of money the ATF charged for its U.S. National Firearms Act tax stamp in 1934 forward. 

Model 1923. This was a heavy machine gun and was demonstrated for the Army. It was not adopted. 

Model 1921 AC. This was an M1921 with a Cutts Compensator on the muzzle. 

Model 1928. This gun was ordered by the U.S. military. The major users were the Navy and Marine Corps. Weight was added to the actuator to slow down the cyclic rate of fire which made the gun more controllable. This model had an “8” stamped over the last “1” on the model designation of the 1921. It was known as the “28 Navy,” or “1921 Overstamp.” 

Model 1928A1. The distinct, vertical forward grip was changed to a plain horizontal one, and sling attachment points were installed. Over 562,500 were made. Wartime variants had a fixed rear sight, no ribs on the barrel, and most of them used a stick magazine in lieu of the heavier, rattling drum magazine. 

Model M1. In 1942, the Thompson was re-engineered to be a more rugged, more serviceable weapon. The Blish lock was removed, the drum magazine latch and receiver grove disappeared, and the Cutts Compensator abandoned. The cocking handle was moved to the right side and the action converted to straight blowback. Late stocks were re-enforced with bolts and washers. 

Model M1A. The major change from the M1 to the M1A was the transition from a floating firing pin to a pin machined directly onto the bolt face. 

There are other versions of the Thompson, but they were all semiautomatic or never produced for sale. 

The M3 Grease Gun 

By 1945, the Thompson was replaced with the low-cost M3 “Grease Gun;” termed as such due to its striking resemblance to an automotive grease gun in use at the time. It fired the same round as the Thompson. Most of its major parts were made from cheap metal stampings. Adopted by the military at the end of 1942, it saw service up to and including the Syrian Civil War. 

George Hyde, a German-born American machinist, was the chief gun designer for the Inland Division of General Motors. He oversaw the production of more than 700,000 M3 Grease Guns. 

Its cyclic rate of fire is 700 rounds per minute, and it can empty a magazine in 7.5 seconds. It has no provision for semiauto fire. This helped keep costs down to a 1943, $15.00-level per unit. Guide Lamp division of General Motors produced 343,372 M3s in 1944 alone. 

One of the more interesting of the various cost cutting measures employed over the M3’s production life was the ejection port cover/safety. It has a stud that engages the bolt when it’s for ward, stopping the bolt from moving backward when subjected to rough handling. As the M3 fires from an open bolt, this is very important. When the bolt is retracted the stud engages a recess on the bolt which stops it from firing. The cover has to be open for the gun to fire.

STEN Gun

Over 4 million STENs were produced in various types during the 1940s. (Depending on who is asked, the numbers run anywhere from 3.7 to 4.6 million.) It was a cheaply fabricated British weapon with most of its parts assembled from steel stampings in a similar manner as the American M3. It was a blowback action firing from an open bolt. The magazine was on the left side of the tubular receiver and carried 32 rounds of 9x19mm Parabellum.

There were seven variants of the STEN, with the latest version, the Mk VI, costing His Majesty’s government a huge $10 in 1942. Some of the cheapest models had only 47 parts. The cheap quality of the STEN, coupled with its rudimentary open bolt, made it prone to accidental discharges.

The STEN had a long life cycle. As late as 1994, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation operating in Chiapas, Mexico, still had some in circulation. Not bad for a $10 subgun.

Post-WWII

Uzi

In the late 1940s, after Israel became a nation, an Israeli Army Lieutenant, Uziel Gal, designed a submachine gun for the Israel Defense Forces. Israel had just fought its Arab neighbors—Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Transjordan (Jordan)—with a motley collection of foreign machine guns, rifles and submachine guns which proved to be a logistical disaster and alerted the need for an arms industry of its own.

Lt. Gal designed a short, compact weapon with a collapsible stock that fired from an open bolt. Similar to other types of submachine guns, the Uzi was constructed from metal stampings which reduced production costs and made it easy to manufacture. Rate of fire was a relatively slow 600 rounds per minute, and it could be loaded with either a 25- or 32-round magazine. The slow rate of fire made controlled-round bursts easier for recruits and conscripts to operate. Its low recoil 9mm cartridge aided in keeping rounds on target.

The Uzi’s first armed conflict took place in October 1956 when the 202nd Brigade of the Israeli Army, led by Ariel Sharon, captured Mitla Pass during the Suez War. The Uzi was subsequently employed against Jordanian and Syrian troops in further conflicts.

Various military variants of the Uzi have been produced.

Uzi submachine gun. This is the standard Uzi with a 10-inch barrel. It was manufactured in both 9mm and .45 ACP. The .45ACP model has a sustained rate of fire of 500 rounds per minute.

Mini Uzi. This is a smaller version of the standard Uzi, introduced in 1980. Overall length with the stock extended is 23.6 inches. Due to its smaller bolt, the rate of fire is increased to 950 rounds per minute.

Micro Uzi. First shown in 1986, it fires from a closed bolt and weighs just 3.3 pounds.

The Uzi Pro. This is a much modified Uzi that uses polymer in its non-stressed parts. Its future is uncertain.

While in Afghanistan Small Arms Review received the unique opportunity to examine a 9x18mm PM Makarov-patterned, self-loading handgun that was produced in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region of Northwestern Pakistan. Small arms produced in this region have been colloquially referred to as “Khyber Pass Guns” due to their point of travel into Afghanistan through the passage of steep mountain valleys between Torkham in Pakistan and Jalalabad in Afghanistan. Somewhat of a misnomer, the majority of these firearms are actually made nowhere near the Khyber Pass. Instead, a more correct and prominent center of gunmaking in the region is the small town of Darra Adam Khel, which lies approximately 40 kilometers due south from Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 

The name “Darra” is important to take into account because locals on the ground refer to indigenously produced firearms as “Darraie” guns, adding the Dari descriptive postfix to the first name of the town, Darra. Although Darra Adam Khel has always been the center of craft firearms production in the region, there have been many other villages that engaged in gunmaking as well. Many of these have lost their prominence or have been shut down in the modern era. Despite this discrepancy in the actual origin of any firearm from Darra or from another village, Afghans and Pakistanis will refer to any firearm locally produced or assembled as a “Darraie” gun. 

Among many Western analysts and experts there is an attitude to refer to indigenous firearms that are almost carbon-copied from their original counterparts as “copies” or “fakes.” However the reality of local Afghans and Pakistanis is quite different when looked upon with 

a critical eye. These firearms aren’t made to “trick” or “fool” a local or tourist into purchasing a seemingly authentic rifle, only to find out later it was not an authentic production (though this hasn’t stopped generations of travelers from falling into this predicament, if only for a lack of local knowledge). It is a very implicit understanding between buyer and seller whether or not a firearm is a Darraie or an “Asleey” (Dari for “original”). The difference will be in the price and intent. The reason why one would purchase a Darraie instead of an original is because buyers want something that is as close to the original firearm as possible, but the price might be too high or supply might not be there at all. Affluent Afghans will always be sure to tell guests that their firearms are in fact the “real deal,” as one Kabul-based antique shop seller put it, as opposed to being a Darraie that lower class Afghans might have to contend with. Of course, there might be a few hiccups, unknowns and misidentifications among sellers and customers, but for the most part originals and Darraies are very well segregated within the Afghan and Pakistani markets. 

Market Conditions 

In examining this particular Darraie Soviet Makarov-patterned copy, we will first start with a description of the market surrounding the handgun. The owner purchased it on the Kabul black market for approximately $300 USD which included a magazine and four rounds of 9x18mm ammunition, also reloaded in the KPK Region. For another $300 USD in local Afghanis, two more magazines and 50 rounds of Chinese 9x18mm ammunition still in its original foam and cardboard packaging were purchased. These prices are typical for ammunition and a Darraie Makarov on the Kabul black market. An original Soviet Makarov will fetch double the $300 price tag and even more based on its condition and scarcity on the market. 

The Darraie Makarov Handgun 

At a cursory glance and without a basic knowledge of PM Makarov variants and derivatives, the Darraie Makarov handgun is made true to form and would appear to be simply another weather handgun, a survivor of the now decades of fighting in the region. The left side of the handgun has a stenciled factory scrawl of “WE 1314 (Izhmash Triangle) 91,” with an alleged manufacture date of 1991 (but this isn’t present on the slide). The magazine lacks markings, but the Bakelite pistol grips are present with the Soviet star on the sides. A note here is that many Darraie firearms will not be entirely produced from raw materials in Pakistan. Many are composites of original components from broken or otherwise unusable firearms, mixed with the Khyber Pakhtunkwa-produced portions. In this case the Bakelite grip might be an original PM Makarov, as indigenous gunmakers have taken a much longer time to catch up to evolutions in polymer manufacturing and fabrication technology. 

But once we get past the outward appearances of the handgun and start taking it apart to look at individual components, profiles and fitting, the differences between a Darraie and an original Makarov become stark. Luckily, we were able to have on hand a spare PM Makarov parts kit originating from outside of Afghanistan. In an attempt to test interchangeability, we wanted to see which spare parts would fit in the Darraie handgun and found out that the majority of the original components were not at all interchangeable with the handgun. In fact, some of them, such as the trigger and transfer bars, actually completely impaired the handgun when inserted, making it almost non-functioning until removed. 

A similar phenomena was present with the ammunition. The cartridges that had been fired and reloaded in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were dimensionally offset from the new in-box, factory-produced Chinese 9x18mm cartridges that were almost certainly to specification in regards to a comparison with other 9x18mm cartridges from the Soviet Union, Bulgaria and East Germany. But actual function in the firearm actually proved the reverse. The Darraie rounds fed, extracted and ejected flawlessly when the action was worked, but the Chinese factory rounds could not eject as their dimensions wouldn’t allow them to (as they were longer), while the Darraie rounds would. Although our sample size is small, if there are more of these Darraie rounds, then one has to conclude that there might be a 9x18mm “Darraie” that is being loaded and works with the Darraie Makarov handguns. Unfortunately, we were not able to conduct a live-fire test to see if the rounds would function reliably. 

Although not in the same location, we were able to compare angles through photographs of a Soviet PM Makarov with a production date of 1983, courtesy of the Phoenix Defence working reference collection and Dan Shea. 

Located in northern England, the city of Leeds houses one of the largest collections of historical weapons. The Royal Armouries Museum holds hundreds of thousands of artifacts dating back centuries and even millennia. It was originally located in the Tower of London, but was moved in the 1990s to Leeds. It opened in 1996 and has become an essential part of the city. It is free to enter and is quite popular for both locals and tourists. 

The ground level of the museum has a restaurant and a museum shop. The shop has a wide array of books, toys, magnets and other products. Also for sale are swords—both historical and fictional replicas. It has been a while since I ate at the restaurant; although I remember it being very good. There are actually a number of restaurants nearby, including a pizzeria, and across the canal is a famous Indian restaurant, “Mumtaz.” 

To go to the next level, there are four elevators, though only one goes to the fifth floor. The amazing alternative is to walk up the stairs in the Hall of Steel. In the form of an octagon tower with the stairs on the outside wall, the hall contains over 2,000 museum pieces. Pistols, rifles, breastplates, helmets, bayonets, swords and spears decorate the inside. The hall only goes to the second and fourth floors, but there are stairs on those floors that allow you access to the others. 

The first floor is not really meant for visitors. It contains a library with books dating back centuries on almost every military subject and an education center. You need special permission to go to the library, so it is best just to go to the next floor instead. The old MOD Pattern Room library is now inside the Royal Armouries library. 

The second and third floors are the War and Tournament galleries. The War gallery contains artifacts dating back to the Bronze Age. There are a number of exhibits throughout the second floor, including ones about the Hundred Years War, the English Civil War, the Battle of Waterloo, the Battle of Culloden and the weapons of the American Revolution. The Waterloo exhibit includes a massive diorama on a table with thousands of toy soldiers lined up like the different armies at the real battle. There are also two theaters that talk about the Battles of Agincourt and Marston Moor. 

One exhibit on the first floor of the War Gallery is about the Battle of Pavia, fought between King Francis the First and Charles the Fifth of the Holy Roman Empire, in 1525. The display shows a group of pikemen and gunners holding off a group of knights. Behind the display is a painting of the battle itself. Pavia was significant because Francis was captured, and a large number of French nobles were killed off. 

The second level of the War Gallery features exhibits of the Great Rebellion of India in 1857, the American Civil War, the Crimean War and World War I. There are also two exhibits featuring machine guns. One is devoted to the Gatling gun and its descendants, including the M134 Minigun, the YAK-B and the revolving cannon. There is also an exhibit devoted to the wars in Africa, including the Zulu War. One of the best exhibits is the Observation Post, which is looks like a modern military center as seen in the Middle East. 

Opposite the War Gallery is the Tournament Gallery. On display are large suits of armor that were worn at the medieval tournaments. This includes two sets of armor worn by Henry the VIII for the Field of Cloth of Gold, a tournament in France. There is also a special armor on display called the Lion Armor. It is covered with carvings of lions, and the head is shaped like one. There are also some old lances and horse armor on display. 

The fourth and fifth floors feature the Oriental, Self-Defense and Hunting Galleries. The Oriental Gallery is my favorite. The displays include human and horse armor from Japan, Turkey, Mongolia, Africa, India and China. Weapons include a repeating crossbow, Chinese staff weapons, finely ornamented muskets and even a replica of a Terracotta soldier. There is a large section of the gallery devoted to Japan. The display includes a tea house built in the middle of the hall, large display cases filled with Japanese muskets, bows, spears, naginatas (Japanese halberds), and, of course, samurai swords. There are even two videos that play there, one for the traditional horseback archery of Japan and one on how a samurai sword is made. 

Next to the Oriental Gallery is the Self-Defense Gallery. It contains the many weapons used by civilians around the world including cane swords and small pistols. There are also a few movie guns and swords on display, including swords from “The Lord of the Ring” franchise. Above the Self-Defense Gallery is the crossbow range. Here you can shoot a number of crossbow bolts for a few pounds. Also on this floor are a few displays containing weapons from Southeast Asia, Europe, Japan and India. 

Across the way is the Hunting Gallery. Displayed here is hunting equipment from medieval times to modern day. One of the biggest displays is the Whaling section, which explains the now almost outlawed trade and how it worked. There is a large whaling canon here, as well as a video showing how it was done. Other artifacts include old hunting bows, crossbows, boar spears, shotguns and other hunting guns. 

The museum houses a number of different amazing artifacts that include a sword that once belonged to Napoleon, a prototype of the Maxim Machine Gun—one of the four “Forerunners” made by Sir Hiram Maxim in the 1880s—a well-preserved Ming Dynasty sword and the previously mentioned whaling cannon. The two most famous artifacts at this museum are the Horned Helmet and the Elephant Armor. The Horned Helmet, or Maximilian’s mask, was a gift from the Emperor Maximilian to Henry the VIII. It is a strange looking helmet, with a human face, a pair of horns sticking out the side and what looks to be a pair of glasses covering the eyes. The Elephant Armor is in the Oriental Gallery and covers a large replica of an Indian elephant, with two armored riders sitting atop the beast. 

Outside the museum, the city of Leeds is relatively safe. There is a large shopping area nearby on the other side of the river, as well as a train station that can take you to other cities and towns. The city of York is about 30 minutes away and has a wonderful shopping area and museums. You can actually go almost anywhere in England by train. If you are feeling adventurous, Scotland is two to three hours away by train. 

The Royal Armouries Museum is worth the visit. It will probably take a few days to see everything there. To make things more fun, special events include employees showing some of the artifacts and explaining how they were used. There are also one-person shows where they dress up like the people of the time period and tell the stories of the battle or the conflict as if they were there. If you are in northern England, take your time and visit the Royal Armouries. 

ROYAL ARMOURIES MUSEUM, LEEDS 

• Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed December 24–26 
• Free admission 
• Armouries Drive Leeds United Kingdom LS10 1LT 
• 0113 220 1999 
• royalarmouries.org 

6.5 Creedmoor has a lot going for it: it’s an accurate round with modest wind drift, light recoil and adequate terminal performance. It has just one problem: the barrel length required for full powder burn. Barrels with sufficient stiffness for high accuracy get fairly heavy at 26 inches, which is the average optimal length for the caliber. By the time a brake and a sound suppressor are added to the end, we would end up with a bolt action that won’t fit inside vehicles and is only usable from support. Desert Tech out of West Valley City, UT, came up with a solution to all those issues in a single design—the SRS bullpup. 

I first tried the SRS rifle in the hills of Utah. With clear mountain air, we could see from hillside to hillside and, to my amazement, could hit almost anything we could see. Being able to hit a 12×12-inch steel at 500 yards, then 600, and most of the time at 700 as well, was something I had done before but never with such ease! My previous experience with conventional bolt actions had not prepared me for the compact, perfectly balanced form factor of the SRS-A2 Covert.

“SRS” stands for “Stealth Recon Scout.” Ten inches shorter than conventional bolt actions with the same barrel length, it can fit into even smaller spaces, thanks to the easily detachable return-to-zero barrel. The barrel is held in place with four small screws on the right and one larger screw on the left of the chassis. Unlike some of the robotic-looking chassis guns on the market, the SRS-A2 puts a clamshell stock over the supporting structure, creating a more ergonomic form. The gun is a part of an extensive system in the true sense of the word: the complete rifle options include five chamberings (.308 Win., 6.5 Creedmoor, .300 Win. Mag, .338 Lapua Mag and .300 RUM), short and long forends and short or long barrel options in .308, 6.5 and .300. Swapping barrels and, when necessary, corresponding bolts, is a quick and easy process requiring a few screw turns and popping off the buttpad. Replacing the forend is a more involved process, requiring 11 more screws to be removed. The process is uncomplicated but requires attention to detail. For even more reach and punch, the larger frame HTI chassis accommodates .416 Barrett, and .50 BMG conversion kits are available, as well as CheyTac .375 and .408. The kits for both rifles are comprised of barrels, bolts and magazines. Some bolts and magazines serve multiple calibers; for example .308 Win. and 6.5 Creedmoor. The extra-long magazine well of the rifle accommodates all those calibers, and magazines for smaller cartridges are compartmentalized internally.

Obviously, going from 6.5 to .338 requires re-sighting, but return-to-zero optic mounts such as Bobro or Desert Tech’s own designs make it a one-time process. Desert Tech (DT) offers a very complete lineup of accessories, including .30 and .338 Titanium sound suppressors and a variety of muzzle brakes each specific to barrel length. They also have a branded line of match ammunition which the author used for the accuracy testing.

Early in 2019, DT introduced the A2 revision of the original SRS. In the same configuration, SRS-A2 is about 2 pounds lighter. Part of the weight savings came from going to M-LOK forends, part came from the longer barrel flute and lightening cuts on the receiver. The flat-face trigger design has been simplified for greater ruggedness, with weight adjustable from the default 1.5 pounds to 7 pounds, if desired. The receiver now has an integral thread for a tripod head mount. Along with the lighter guns came redesigned, more effective muzzle brakes to keep the recoil the same. Conversion kits are compatible between the SRS-A1 and SRS-A2 rifles.

Configurations

My rifle came in two configurations: Covert with an 18-inch 6.5 barrel and regular with a 26-inch barrel of the same caliber. My home range tops out at 100 yards, so the accuracy testing was limited to that distance. On the 

plus side, it’s fairly protected from the wind, so that was an even lesser factor than usual with the fast and sleek Creedmoor bullet. The differences between the two barrels are moderate, with the short one being stiffer and thus potentially more mechanically accurate. The longer barrel adds 200-300fps to the muzzle velocity, depending on the load, yielding less wind drift. To me, the longer barrel is easier to shoot well, as it produces much less blast. While Kaw Valley Precision Magnum Linear Compensator does a great job of re-directing the blast away from the marksman, the famed Titanium suppressor from Thunderbeast Arms reduces both noise and felt recoil while adding only a pound of weight to the rig. The long barrel works great with the longer forend, preferred mainly because it places the bipod further out for greater stability. The long barrel can be used with the short forend if desired, but the weight saving is negligible. The short barrel can be used with the long forend, but the choice of muzzle devices becomes restricted. A built-in rear monopod, standard on the SRS-A1 and an option on the SRS-A2, aids in wringing maximum accuracy from the gun.

Desert Tech ammunition is a vital part of the overall accuracy package. They guarantee 0.5MOA, a conservative estimated compared to the actual performance observed. With muzzle velocity around 2,750fps and a high BC (ballistic coefficient) 140-grain bullet, this rifle/cartridge combination has a point-blank range of over 350 yards for a headshot and around 600 yards for a torso, counting the dispersion. Wind drift is likewise minor up to nearly 500 yards. While the terminal performance of the HPBT is no greater than that of ball ammunition, a number of major ammunition manufacturers loads soft-point expanding bullets. The accuracy with them is sufficient for most practical purposes.

Performance

The entire rig with long forend, 26-inch barrel, the 6-24x56i illuminated Kahles scope and the Thunderbeast Arms sound suppressor weigh around 13.8 pounds. As expected, the report and the recoil are negligible. The hypersonic bullet flight noise isn’t, so wear your hearing protection! The sight picture stays fairly constant as the buttpad rises above the bore line, keeping the scope image disturbance to a minimum. Both five- and 10-round single-stack metal magazines worked well, but the five-rounder is easier to load. The sliding safety levers and the magazine release are ambidextrous. The bolt handle is long and provides excellent leverage to make up for the short unlock angle of the three-lug bolt. The down side to that is the possibility of nudging the bolt just slightly out of battery. The cheek-piece has about an inch of rise, requiring a hex wrench for adjustment. Both the short and the long configurations proved hand-holdable, though Jeff Cooper’s advice about the advantages of supported positions for accuracy still applies. Since the 6-24x56i power optic doesn’t focus under 60 yards, you might want to add a 45-degree micro red dot mount or iron sights for close-in defense response.

Accuracy testing ran into the limitations of my skill level. All match ammunition used (Desert Tech, Hornady, Winchester and PRIME) varied from 0.4 to 0.6MOA depending on the concentration of the shooter. The Hornady hunting load did equally well. S&B ball ammunition produced 1MOA groups, which is still pretty respectable. Most helpfully, this wide variety of ammunition produced no more than 1MOA of variance in the centers of the groups. SRS-A2 has definitely met the stated performance goals while retaining portability. It is also much easier to shoot off-hand or from supported field positions than a conventional bolt action. 

The Tavor SAR, the U.S. version of the 5.56mm Israeli Army rifle, was one of my favorite bullpups mainly for high reliability and good accuracy. The Tavor SAR X95, the modernized variant, has been one of my favorites for the same virtues, but of course, I jumped at the opportunity to run the 7.63x35mm (.300 Blackout) model at once. These three guns share much in common, but the .300BLK model held the most surprises.

Tavors are long-stroke, gas-operated semiautomatic rifles using STANAG magazines. They are modular, but some of the configuration changes are armorer level: for example, conversion to the left side ejection requires a different bolt and a complete teardown of the rifle. By contrast, swapping out trigger packs held with two pins above the bolt stop latch takes only a few seconds. That is fortunate, as all Tavors have heavy and spongy triggers—6.75 pounds in the X95. Timney, Geissele and ShootingSight make replacement trigger packs: I have used all three in my rifles.

Compared to the earlier SAR, the X95 has three major changes: the charging handle is moved back to the middle of the rifle; the railed metal forend replaces weaker plastic; and the new magazine releases are ambidextrous buttons in front of the trigger guard instead of a single latch in front of the magazine well. For target shooting, I preferred the older release which was optimized for retaining magazines. For combat, the new latch permits dropping the empty magazine while the left hand reaches for the next one. The base trigger is also slightly lighter and better but still not ideal for precision shooting. Compared to the 5.56mm, the X95-.300 adds a two-position gas regulator for standard or subsonic ammunition accessible through the top of the rail. Most of the parts and the manual of arms between the SAR .300BLK and 5.56mm rifles remain the same. Both have excellent folding backup irons sights hidden inside the top rail. The front sight has Tritium illumination, making it easy to use with both eyes open. 

Comparison Testing 

Mastering the 5.56mm rifle was simple: pick an optic, zero it, test assorted ammunition for accuracy, and call it a day. The rifle ran everything fed to it without a hitch. With the 7.62x35mm, the process was a bit more involved. Since all testing was done with a Gemtech ONE sound suppressor, I hoped that the supersonic setting would work for all loads with the help of the back pressure provided by the can. That proved accurate only some of the time. Cycling was 100% with supersonic ammo and Remington 220-grain subsonics but sporadic with Gemtech 187-grain subsonics and none at all with 220-grain Black Hills. For those, the gas regulator had to be turned to the recommended subsonic position, just as the instruction manual advised. That, in itself, is a very minor adjustment, except for the location of the regulator on top of the optic rail. A lot of optics block access to it when mounted.

Zeroing proved more involved than expected as well. Although this rifle shares the design with the 5.56mm gun, the .30 caliber barrel appears to be less stiff. The barrel is not free-floated and is thus responsive to pressure on the forend. Firing from a bipod set on a hard wooden surface produced larger groups than shooting the same rifle with the bipod feet on soft ground. Precision shooting was also complicated by the short length of the rifle and the relatively short forend: any off-axis motion affected aim more than it would have with a conventional layout. I started with a Primary Arms PAC 1x ACSS Cyclops prismatic scope, then switched to a Swampfox 1-6x scope and completed the testing with a Hi-Lux 2x-10x ART M1000-PRO optic—the latter to minimize the influence of user error on the results.

Groups ended up broadly similar between ammunition types. All match loads in the 125-grain range shot around 1.5MOA. All subsonic ammunition in the 187- to 220-grain range printed around 2.5MOA. All ball ammunition from 115 grain to 150 grain shot between 3MOA and 4MOA, with no real consistency from group to group within the same load. The difference between group centers of different loads was significant, exceeding 10MOA between light ball and heavy subsonics. Between the two gas settings required to cycle the dissimilar loads and the requirement to adjust vertical and horizontal zero even between loads of similar weight and velocity, the rifle, its optic and the folding backup iron sights should really be fine-tuned for one load. Firing anything else can produce short-range hits, but there’s no guarantee of results past 100 yards. When using pre-calculated BDC reticles, we also have to keep in mind that the wide variety of .300BLK ammunition has different trajectories and that optic height over the bore is 3.7 inches instead of that of the AR-15’s 2.6 inches: a personally calculated dope chart with a Mil-Dot or an MOA-graduated reticle would likely be significantly more accurate.

Contrary to the expectations, I got very little gas blowback when shooting sound-suppressed. The felt recoil with all loads was negligible. The addition of the one-pound sound suppressor to the 7.5-pound rifle doesn’t affect the balance as much as it would have on an AR-15. However, the overall weight is over 10 pounds with an optic, a loaded magazine and a bipod. At that point, the spindly pistol grip feels inadequate to the task of one-handed control of the weapon. The Tavor X95 ships with the “winter” trigger guard that encompasses the entire hand, but a smaller trigger guard is available and easily installed. 

The trigger pack replacement from ShootingSight dropped the pull weight from 6.75 to 4.5 pounds. The two-stage pull is still more combat grade than target grade, but it is a great improvement over the original. Up until the accuracy testing, I didn’t understand why Manticore Arms offered a replacement forend. After dealing with the point of impact drift from pressure on the forend, I realized that it solved two problems at once: free-floating the barrel and pushing the bipod 2 inches further out. The longer rail provides a more stable forward hand position for unsupported firing. The downside is an extra 1 ounce of weight and the deletion of the folding backup iron sights, but those can be replaced with freestanding BUIS which would also be more robust. 

Conclusion 

Compared to an AR-15 of the same caliber and barrel length, the Tavor X95 is slightly heavier but is 9 inches shorter and better balanced. It has less gas blowback when suppressed. Compared to the 5.56mm, the .300BLK is far less concussive, especially when heavier loads are suppressed. Heavier bullets are less likely to break up on cover, which can be a plus or a minus, depending on what’s downrange from the foe. In my tests, terminal performance of 150-grain HPR, 125-grain all-copper CorBon, 187-grain Gemtech and all-copper 220-grain G2/Maker Bullet loads greatly exceeded the best results possible from the 5.56mm. The trade-off is the steeper trajectory and increased wind drift, especially past 200 yards. That and increased ammunition weight are valid concerns for military use but probably not a factor for civilian purposes. Civilians, private individuals and law enforcement alike seldom engage at long range. For short-range self-defense and hunting, the large and heavier .30 caliber bullets seem to work better. The Tavor X95-.300 provides a highly configurable launching platform. While my test rifle was quite heavy, a more practical set-up would take 2 pounds off by using a compact red dot or a 1.5x compact scope, along with a 3-ounce Kaw Valley Precision Linear Compensator to channel away the report.