With a POF-USA P-9X Rail System as an exoskeleton and a M.I.M.S. suppressor at the core of the design, the Coastal Guns 9mm upper receiver is not only functional, it is an absolute overachiever.

The explosion in popularity the black rifle has achieved in the last decade has propelled its appeal far outside the circle of military firearm fans who have embraced it for almost 50 years. No longer a simple and modest 5.56mm rifle with the only options being a different stock and barrel length, some configurations are so far removed from the original design they are barely recognizable as AR-15/M16 family firearms. With this broadened appeal come new innovations as the role of the weapon system continues to evolve, and new accessories and caliber conversions are introduced at lightning speed.

While the use of pistol calibers is certainly not a new concept for this firearm, the latest innovation from Coastal Guns brings it to a level not previously achieved. Manufactured as a complete, suppressed 9x19mm upper receiver, it is a true drop-on unit for anyone with a Colt-style 9mm mag-well adapter and heavy buffer. The short 4.75-inch barrel combined with the M.I.M.S. suppressor brings the overall length far under that of a standard 9mm package and at far less cost than the short D.O.E. style upper receiver.

The barrel is free-floating and is completely shrouded by a POF P-9X Predator Rail system. The top rail extends over 16 inches, from the rear of the upper receiver giving the shooter numerous options for sights and optics, and the three additional rails located at 3, 6 & 9 o’clock allow for several accessory options. The side rails measure 8.5 inches in length and the bottom rail is 7.5 inches.

At the heart of the system is the M.I.M.S. silencer and this is where it really starts to break away from many other suppressed pistol caliber systems. Supplied with the correct thread adapter for this upper receiver, the suppressor is completely removable and can be utilized with several other firearm types. The suppressor is not dedicated or “married” to the upper receiver and with the addition of a new Coastal Guns thread adapter it can be used an almost unlimited number of other guns the owner may have. With the potential for a single suppressor to be used on so many firearms the value is enormous considering the number of transfer fees saved, not to mention the price of several silencers otherwise necessary. (See SAR Vol. 12, No. 8, May 2009 for a complete review of the M.I.M.S. silencer system).

Maximum Modularity

As an exercise in modularity we combined the Coastal Guns 9mm upper receiver, complete with a M.I.M.S. suppressor with an MGI Marck-15 Modular Lower Receiver using their “9mm SMG” mag-well. This MGI lower receiver allows the use of multiple magazine wells so it can be calibrated to the desired caliber and magazine without the use of any adapters or special feeding devices. (See SAR Vol.10, No.8, May 2007 for more information on the MGI Modular Lower Receiver.) The 9mm SMG mag-well uses factory Colt 9mm magazines and lightly modified Uzi magazines. To stretch the level of modularity even more we decided to use a .45 ACP M.I.M.S. suppressor with this system. With the identical overall length and diameter of the 9mm M.I.M.S. suppressor, the fit was perfect and the number of firearms it would adapt to would increase several-fold. Our hypothesis was the increased diameter of the baffle internal diameter would be washed out by the large volume of the suppressor. If it proved effective, the value of the system would skyrocket as the number of firearms compatible with the suppressor multiplied.

Range Time

Range time consisted of several days with almost 1,000 rounds fired by numerous shooters. After a very short break-in period of about 60 rounds, the system started to feed and function perfectly. During the first few magazines while running different types of ammunition we experienced some feeding troubles with hollow-point ammo. After a few magazines everything was running well and not another single function problem of any type was experienced during the remainder of the testing. A short break-in period to get things running smooth is not uncommon with a new firearm or component in the experience of the author.

The first thing we checked was also the most obvious. We were all curious whether the M.I.M.S. .45 ACP suppressor would be adequate for the faster and smaller 9mm round or if we were looking for a little too much in the area of modularity and ignoring too much in the performance area. In the absence of any sound metering equipment we had to rely on the second most important measuring tool: our ears. To have something as a baseline to compare against we first used a M.I.M.S. 9mm suppressor and fired a few different types of ammo. After clearing the firearm and removing the 9mm suppressor we installed the .45 ACP M.I.M.S. suppressor and fired the first few rounds. To our delight it was almost indistinguishable from the 9mm can. We started with the heavier and slower 147-grain ammo and worked our way down to the lighter and much faster 115-grain and even 90-grain ammo. It was also extremely similar in sound levels, and was so comfortable that little or no hearing protection was used throughout the remainder of the testing, even when shooting in an enclosed area. The .45 ACP suppressor would reside on the Coastal Guns upper receiver throughout the remainder of the shooting. Since the testing time overlapped a few local shoots, the system was fired by several people who were all quite impressed in all aspects and all had the same response when they looked at the suppressor engraving. The most frequent question uttered by the shooters was: “This is a .45 can?” Our suppression test was deemed a great success.

The system worked great thus far but just “sounding quiet” and running well wasn’t enough to tell us if it was going to be a useful platform. In practical terms, along with going BANG every time you squeeze the trigger, comes hitting what you need to hit, as well. Since the system is a pistol caliber we set up at approximately 50 yards and tested it with five types of ammunition. We measured some five-shot groups and recorded the muzzle velocity of all. The 9x19mm ammunition tested was: SBR GreenMatch 90-grain Frangible, Wolf 115gr FMJ, Winchester 115-grain FMJ, Atlanta Arms 147-grain Subsonic JHP Match and Winchester 147-grain Subsonic JHP.

Five-round groups were fired from a bench and were recorded as follows: Winchester JHP – 1.935 inches; Atlanta Arms JHP – 2.464 inches; SBR GreenMatch Frangible – 3.250 inches; Wolf FMJ – 3.627 inches and Winchester FMJ – 3.759 inches. Given better weather conditions and more time it would be easy to decrease the size of these groups in the opinion of the author. Acknowledging the tiny 4.75 inch barrel of this system, the accuracy at 50 yards was actually quite impressive when compared to other pistol caliber platforms with similar barrel lengths

Muzzle velocity was measured from a distance of 8 feet from the end of the suppressor with a PACT MKIV XP Championship Timer & Chronograph. The average MV was recorded as follows: Atlanta Arms JHP – 905 fps; Winchester JHP – 999 fps; Wolf FMJ – 1,120 fps; Winchester FMJ – 1,202 fps and SBR GreenMatch Frangible – 1,226fps.

The Legal Stuff

The Coastal Guns 9mm upper receiver utilizes a barrel length of only 4.75 inches in length. The addition of the M.I.M.S. suppressor gives it a perceived barrel length of about 15 inches and it doesn’t look grossly short so we thought it was important to mention the following: The Coastal Guns 9mm Upper Receiver can only be used on Title II firearms such as a registered Short Barreled Rifle or registered machine gun. Due to concerns with constructive possession, it is unwise to take possession of a short-barreled upper receiver without having either firearm mentioned above. In these days where transferable machine guns are so expensive, registered short-barreled rifles are gaining in popularity and can still be purchased or manufactured for a reasonable amount of money. (For information on registering your own Short Barreled Rifle see SAR Vol. 12, No. 12, September 2009, page 55.)

Summary

The results of this entire experiment in assembling a solid, reliable, modular rifle exceeded our expectations in all areas. The 9mm barreled upper receiver built and assembled by Coastal Guns and matched with their own M.I.M.S. sound suppressor was well thought out and executed. The addition of the POF-USA P-9X rail system to complete the upper receiver solidified it in areas of practicality, performance and even aesthetics. The fit, finish and function of the entire upper receiver system we tested is simply superb.

The use of the .45 ACP M.I.M.S. suppressor with the system absolutely enhances the ability of the owner to multiply the number of suppressed firearms several-fold. While the number of calibers possible to suppress with this system is far reaching, always contact the suppressor manufacturer prior to using it with any caliber other than that specifically listed. The tiny 4.75-inch barrel makes a fantastic platform for the M.I.M.S. suppressor, as you get the benefit of a suppressor with a huge amount of volume with the benefit of a useful overall length. The suppressor only protrudes 5.5 inches beyond the end of the POF-USA P-9x rail system.

The MGI Military MARCK-15 Modular Lower Receiver seemed like a logical choice to use with this system given the ability to use a mag-well built specifically for the magazine we needed to use with this upper receiver. When combined with their 9mm SMG mag-well the owner can utilize factory Colt 9mm magazines and slightly modified Uzi magazines with no adapters or modifications. The correct magazine for the caliber and the correct magazine for the upper receiver will always assist in enhancing performance variables no longer necessary. The more adapters or custom magazines that are necessary can hinder the performance of a system greatly, and the MGI Lower, the correct magazine and the correct upper receiver came together to function as intended.

Not only can this writer recommend the Coastal/MGI 9mm system to the readers of Small Arms Review magazine, he will be adding this system to his collection at his own expense.

Sources:

9mm Suppressed Upper Receiver
Coastal Gun, Inc.
(912) 267-9218
Sales@coastalgun.com
www.coastalgun.com
Complete Upper w/M.I.M.S. $995

MARCK-15 Modular Lower Receiver
MG Industries, Inc.
Dept. SAR
102 Cottage Street
Bangor, ME 04401
(207) 945-5441
MGI@MGImilitary.com
www.mgimilitary.com
Stripped Marck-15 Lower Receiver $499

P- 9X Rail System
POF-USA
Dept. SAR
(623) 561-9527
Sales@pof-usa.com
www.pof-usa.com
P-9X Extended Rail $264

Timer & Chronograph
PACT, Inc.
Dept. SAR
P.O. Box 535025
Grand Prairie, TX 75033
(800) 722-8462
www.pact.com
Timer & Chronograph $189.95

Wolf Ammo
Wolf Performance Ammunition
Dept. SAR
P.O. Box 757
Placentia, CA 92871
(888) 757-9653
www.wolfammo.com
This article first appeared in Small Arms Review V13N2 (November 2009)

By John Brown

In earlier articles we have alluded to the strong increase in the number of forms that are being processed by the NFA Branch. We have been working closely with the new Branch Chief, Steven Albro, to track all of the activities associated with forms processing and once again take an inside track to see what the industry can do to assist in managing the inputs to the process. Many of you who regularly read our information have seen that we continue to make suggestions on what we can do to better provide cleaner input to the examiners in processing forms. At this writing the normal processing time for Form 4s has now crept into the 120 day range and we have all been concerned as to what exactly is causing the slip. Most of you will remember two years ago when a Form 4 was taking about 22 days to process and Form 3s were actually back in dealers hands within a week of submission. With that kind of history the NFATCA wanted to, once again, dig in and get the details on the numbers.

We wanted to keep everyone up to date on the processing times and what is happening to try and improve the total process. With this article and our new web site, www.nfaformstats.com, we will continue to work closely with the NFA Branch and establish a live tracking mechanism to allow our readers and web miners to keep an accurate track of what is happening to processing times for all forms. Believe me when I tell you that the NFA Branch in Martinsburg is smoking hot in the productivity. The chief problem, as you will see in the charts, is the industry has nearly doubled the number of forms that we have submitted in the past three years. Put that into perspective with the fact that the NFA Branch is working with the same number of examiners three years later and it should not be a surprise to anyone that the processing times have slowed down. Steven Albro has instituted a ton of new procedures to better organize the processing and to improve the efficiency of the entire program. The NFATCA has and will continue to meet with Steve and the examiners to find better methods that the industry can comply with to improve inputs to the program. As we better define and get to the things that we can do to help the Branch we will post those to the site to assist everyone in their efforts to polish the input that we the industry provide to the NFA Branch.

We will begin a series of articles to address each of the forms that the NFA Branch receives from the industry. With each form we will cover the specific issues that the examiners find that slow the process of approving the forms. We will begin with the Form One and work our way through the entire contents of all of the forms that are submitted by the industry. In addition to pointing out the problems that ATF is having with industry submissions on particular forms we will also address on the www.nfafomrstats.com website the specifics of these issues so that this information is continuously available to anyone that wants assistance with forms submissions.

As we continue to look into what the industry can do to improve forms processing, we wanted to take this opportunity to point out some of the major accomplishments of the NFA examiners. In May of 2009, the NFA Branch processed some 7,742 forms topping that again in June with a record 9,219 forms. Top Gun examiner for the month of June processed a total of 1,400 forms in June. This number, by the way, was the third month in a row that examiners and the Branch had broken all previous records for forms processing. It is time for the industry to realize that even in the face of an uncertain economy you would never realize NFA buying is down.

To keep everyone better informed on just how busy the NFA Branch is, the chart on the previous page was issued in late July to initiate the tracking that they will use to provide you and the industry with a constant flow of information on how this work is progressing.

Please keep in mind that with the work flow, the NFA Branch has become a well oiled machine that runs very smoothly on its own. Like a pot of boiling water, removing the lid to take a look just means that it takes longer for the water to boil. My point with this analogy is DO NOT CALL unless you absolutely have to. Calling simply slows the entire process. If we do the math on calling let’s just say 12 examiners get three calls an hour at three minutes per call. That is a total of nearly two examiners time that gets pushed off onto an activity aside from processing forms. This estimate by the way is low. Please remember, calling only slows the process.

Time to join the ranks of the NFATCA, wouldn’t you say? Log on today at www.nfatca.org and join us today.

Tactical Rifles Announces M40T7 Stock

Tactical Rifles is proud to announce the release of the new M40T7 stock. Designed with the input of law enforcement and military sniper customers, the T7 is undoubtedly the finest non-adjustable tactical stock available today. An advanced mix of carbon fiber and fiberglass ensures lighter weight whilst giving tremendous strength. Available in a multitude of different camo patterns and colors as well as their exclusive Tac-Coat non-slip finish, the T7 offers the ergonomics that have previously been unavailable in non-adjustable stocks. It is also available with an optional spare magazine holder located flush in the rear of the stock. For more information please contact Tactical Rifles Inc., Dept. SAR, 38439 5th Avenue #186, Zephyrhills, FL 33542. Phone: (877) 811-4867. Their website is www.tacticalrifles.net.

Browning Introduces Tactical Safe

Browning has been the industry leader and innovator in gun safes for over 27 years. But there has never been a Browning ProSteel safe like the all new AR34F Tactical safe. In fact, the AR34F leads in ground breaking innovation and is the first tactical gun safe ever. And it is perfect for the person who has special guns – tactical guns – that have special storage requirements. On the outside it has the tactical look you like – black and textured – with the unique look of overhead and side racking. On the inside it is specially designed to handle the odd shapes and sizes and special storage requirements of tactical guns. That means it’s made for shorter length rifles with different shapes, unique optics and unique buttplate-to-magazine-to-muzzle dimensions. Finally a practical way to secure your AR, M16, M4, AK, FAL, FNAR, SCAR, or whatever, in a way that makes sense and doesn’t waste valuable space. It is not a beginner’s safe. If you have the goods that need protection from theft and fire, this gun safe excels. If you like the look of black guns, then this gun safe rises to the top. The AR34F has tactical looks and an interior that will conveniently hold both tactical and sporting guns. For more on this exciting new product please contact Browning, Dept. SAR, 1 Browning Place, Morgan, UT 84050. Phone: (801) 876-2711. Fax: (801) 876-3331. Website: www.browning.com.

MasterPiece Arms Adds Rifle Version of MAC-10

MasterPiece Arms, the nation’s only true MAC-10 manufacturer, introduces four models of carbine rifles to their line. Known for their innovative alterations to the traditional MAC-10, MasterPiece Arms has taken the simplicity of the firearm’s function and added rifle barrels and several stock options to form a rifle line that is sure to please any varmint hunter or collector.

MPA1T-A is a .45 caliber top-cocking carbine rifle with a 16 inch threaded barrel. This product comes with one 30-round magazine. Thread size is 11/16 x 16. This product has an MSRP of $549.95. The MPA1SST-A is also a .45 cal. carbine rifle with has a side-cocking mechanism and scope mount with a 16 inch threaded barrel with a thread size of 11/16 x 16 and includes one 30-round magazine. MSRP is $599.95. MPA20T-A is a 9mm carbine rifle and is a top-cocking model with a 16 inch threaded barrel with a thread size of 1/2 x 28 and one 30-round magazine is included. The MSRP is $529.95. And finally, the MPA20SST-A is also a 9mm carbine rifle and is a side-cocking model with scope mount has a 16 inch threaded barrel with a 1/2 x 28 thread size. MSRP is $579.95.

MasterPiece Arms uses state of the art CNC machining, turning, laser cutting and bending in its manufacturing process. MPA puts more than a year and a half into engineering, testing and re-testing its weapons to provide customers with one of the most enjoyable guns available. With versatile uses such as protection, hunting, tactical or novelty interests, MPA products are one of a kind and backed by a lifetime warranty for original owners. For more information please contact them at Masterpiece Arms, Inc., Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 669, Braselton, GA 30517. Phone: (770) 832-9430. Fax: (770) 832-3495. Website: www.masterpiecearms.com.

Gun Mounted Glass Breaching Tool from XS Sights

Tactical operations often require the breaching of glass obstacles. This can be necessary during vehicles extractions, while working with barricaded suspects or responding to hostage situations. XS Sights Systems’ CSAT GAT (Glass Assault Tool) provides a rapid and effortless means of breaching automotive or cosmetic glass while keeping both hands on the primary weapon system. The XS Sights’ CSAT GAT will let operators remain ready to properly address the threat or engage combatants immediately before, during and immediately after glass breaching actions.

The XS Sight Systems’ CSAT GAT was developed by Master Sergeant (Retired) Paul Howe. Howe is the lead instructor for Combat Shooting and Tactics (CSAT) and the Senior Manager with Triple Canopy Law Enforcement Training. Howe spent 10 years with U.S. Military Operations as an Assault Team Leader, Sniper and Senior Instructor. The XS Sight Systems’ CSAT GAT is easy to install. It slips over any standard A1/A2 flash hider and is held in place by a compression fit with two screws. The CSAT GAT is made with an aluminum housing and all-steel components. Suggested retail price is $80. It is available direct from XS Sight Systems. You can contact them at XS Sight Systems Inc., Dept. SAR, 2401 Ludelle, Fort Worth, TX 76105. They can be found on the web at www.xssights.com.

Quick Escape Tool by Ontario Knife

Accidents can happen in a split second, and can be made worse by straps, clothing or seat belts entangling the victim – whether on the highway, in the woods or on the battlefield. That’s why Ontario Knife Company has developed the Ontario Knife Model 1 Strap Cutter, the perfect tool to cut through tough nylon straps when seconds can mean the difference between life and death. This compact, but powerful design is only 6-1/2 inches long, but don’t let the size fool you. Its recessed razor-sharp blade cuts through the toughest fabrics and materials known to man in one quick motion, so you can promptly extricate yourself or other victims after a car wreck, an accident on the job, or fall from a tree stand. It’s perfect for first responders, hunters, members of the military, pilots and parachutists – or simply to be kept in any car or hanging from your belt in the woods or first aid kit. The new Ontario Knife Model 1 Strap Cutter is made from amazingly sturdy, lightweight, anodized aluminum and features a honing rod and three ultra sharp, replaceable Titanium Nitride-coated blades. These unique shatter-proof blades are flexible, impact resistant, and can slice through clothing, plastic or leather boots like a hot knife through butter. Plus, it comes complete with a rugged foliage green nylon sheath which easily houses spare blades and screws, and an equally sturdy para-cord lanyard that keeps it right within reach. This safety tool also features two perfect-sized openings that fit standard oxygen valves. Like all Ontario Knife Company products, the Ontario Knife Model 1 Strap Cutter is proudly made in the U.S.A. Please contact them at Ontario Knife Company, Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 145-26 Empire Street, Franklinville, NY 14737. Phone: (716) 676-5527. Their website is www.ontarioknife.com.

DeSantis Features Roto-Tuck Tuckable Holster

The Eighteen-11 style #D96 featuring the new Roto-Tuck attaching device and adjustable tension is now available for the Glock 17/22/31, and 19/23/32/36, and SIG P229R. Others will soon follow. The Eighteen-11is a tuckable holster, which means it’s more concealable than the competition, and you’re not limited in clothing choices. It’s constructed of rigid Kydex sheet for strength and durability, and it won’t collapse when the weapon is drawn. The Eighteen-11 can be worn strong side (butt rearward), cross draw (butt forward), small of back (almost horizontal) or anything in between. It is available in both right hand and left hand and is priced at $39.99. For more information you can contact them at DeSantis Holster and Leathergoods Company, Dept. SAR, 431 Bayview Avenue, Amityville, NY 11701. Phone: (631) 841-6300. Fax: (631) 841-6320. Visit them one the web at www.desantisholster.com.

DEZ Arms Introduces Match Grade Barrels

DEZ Arms, Inc.’s AR-15 custom match grade barrel is an upgrade from standard production or mil-spec barrels. Tactical, law enforcement, military, as well as avid hunters, report greater accuracy with this barrel. The DEZ custom match grade barrel offers durable 4140 chrome moly steel with M4 cut barrel extension. The barrel is already headspaced, predrilled for gas port hole, has 5.56 chambering, 1:9 inch right hand twist, 6-groove rifling and is turned on center. It is stress relieved, hardening to 26-33 Rc, and has a corrosion resistant matte finish (parkerized). The barrels are particle testing, air gauging, have a .750 inch diameter at the gas port, and 1/2 inch x 28 tpi threading for standard flash suppressors and muzzle brakes. Sold stripped, the barrels can be set up with your choice of hand guard. DEZ Arms is a custom manufacturer offering match grade barrels in a variety of styles including 10.5, 11.5, 14.5, 16, 17, 18 and 20 inch. AR-15 16 and 20 inch fluted and .625 retro barrels are also available. The company sells A2 front sight bases and other small AR-15 parts. DEZ Arms is committed to developing quality products made in the U.S.A. MSRP is between $160 and $190. For more information please contact them at DEZ Arms, Inc., Dept. SAR, 2899 11th Drive, Adams, WI 53910. Phone: (630) 280-9446. Fax: (630) 668-2041. Their website is www.dezarms.com.

Precision Target Rifle Snapcaps from Harbour Arms

Harbour Arms was started by competition shooters who saw the need for specialized equipment. Long time target shooter and police trainer Paolo Donisi and his partner Eric Kennard, who has 25 years of LE and instructor experience as well as being an avid mid and long range prone competitor and shooter, have introduced snapcaps in the target/sniper calibers that heretofore have been unavailable. They knew from experience that to safely test fire their rifles the cases had to properly machined to the exacting specification of accurate rifles. Their products, Precision Target Rifle Snapcaps, are machined from solid aluminum to exacting specs required, then red anodized. The brass spring loaded plungers are designed to absorb the firing pin shock at the appropriate level for the systems.

They are currently offering the following calibers: .223 (5.56x45mm), .300 Win Mag, .308 Win (7.62x51mm), .338 Lapua Magnum, 6mmBR, 6mm Dasher, 6mm BRX, 6XC, 6×47 Lapua, 6.5×47 Lapua, 6.5x.284, and .260 Remington, with more calibers in the planning stages. All are sold in pairs at $12.95 per pair.

For more information, please contact them at Harbour Arms, Dept. SAR, 231 Waterside Dr., Indian Harbour Beach, FL 32937. Phone: (321) 777-4604. They can found online at www.harbourarms.com.

By Robert M. Hausman

The National Rifle Association’s Executive Vice President and CEO, Wayne LaPierre, predicts eventual passage of national right-to-carry legislation despite the recent defeat of the legislation in the Senate. By a 58 to 39 majority, the U.S. Senate last summer voted to let concealed handgun permit holders carry handguns across state lines. Yet, it was two votes short of the 60 needed to meet a specially-imposed rule of a 60-vote minimum.

The legislation sponsored by Senator John Thune (R-SD) would have allowed reciprocity in permitting, as long as the permit holder obeyed the laws of the states that they travel in. This is the same way driver’s licenses work.

One interesting aspect of the failed vote was that newly installed Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), who initially was thought to be pro-gun, showed her true sentiments by joining with NY Sen. Chuck Schumer in calling it a “harmful measure” that would put the public at risk.

Sen. Schumer also displayed his ignorance of state and federal law during the debate stating that if the amendment became law, 16-year-old firearm traffickers would get permits in Vermont (though Vermont has no licensing system), and then go to other states carrying large numbers of handguns in backpacks, to be illegally sold to criminals. How they would get around the federal minimum 21 year age requirement to buy a handgun was not explained.

When permit holders travel across state lines, the validity of their permits depends upon a patchwork of shifting state reciprocity agreements. This is the type of problem the Constitution empowers Congress to solve, giving it authority to have states extend “full faith and credit” to each others’ public acts.

CBP Backing Off on Knife Import Ban

U.S. Customs & Border Protection has backed off on its proposal to ban the importation of assisted opening pocket knives. CBP sent a July 21st dated letter to Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR) (Oregon is home to many knife manufacturers) indicating it has halted its attempts to ban the knives for the time being.

CBP attributes its new move to the July 9th offering of an amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations Act by Sen. Cornyn (R-TX) to exclude spring-assisted knives from the prohibition on importation of switchblade knives. The amendment if passed into law, CBP says, would render the issue of whether such knives fall under the federal definition of a switchblade knife to be moot.

There are certain exceptions to the prohibitions contained in the federal switchblade knife act and Sen. Cornyn’s amendment adds another as follows: “A knife that contains a spring, detent, or other mechanism designed to create a bias toward closure of the blade and that requires exertion applied to the blade by hand, wrist, or arm to overcome the bias toward closure to assist in opening the knife.”

The language in the amendment, according to KnifeRights.org clearly covers virtually all non-automatic folding knife mechanisms, regardless of whether they have a spring assist or not, or whether they are designed to be opened with one hand or not. These style folders are biased toward closure as compared to a conventional switchblade in which the spring is constantly applying pressure on the blade when the blade is closed and thus it is biased toward opening, requiring only the release of the blade to open automatically.

This amendment unanimously passed the Senate. The Appropriations Act, with the amendment intact, has not yet been signed into law.

Obama’s Three-Prong Attack on Firearms

The U.S. Senate has confirmed President Obama’s choice of Professor Harold Koh to be State Department legal advisor. Koh is a transnationalist and an ardent opponent of gun ownership.

Koh, recently the dean of Yale Law School, was confirmed as State Department Legal Advisor with 35 votes against him. He now becomes the top U.S. authority on international law, and the top advisor to the president and Secretary of State about America’s obligations and treaty commitments.

Koh openly advocates a global gun-control regime, run by the international community and based on foreign law that would ban all handguns and subject all other firearms to draconian restrictions.

Additionally, Obama’s nominee as Undersecretary of State for Arms Control is Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), who was confirmed in late June. Tauscher is also a fierce opponent of gun rights who holds an “F” rating by the National Rifle Association. Tauscher is the Obama administration’s point person on pending United Nations gun ban treaties, advised by Koh.

The third nominee is Judge Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court. In addition to Judge Sotomayor’s support of using international law in U.S. courts, her longtime opposition to gun rights became a central issue in her confirmation battle.

Many insiders believe that Koh would be an ideal pick for President Obama to make the first Asian-American nominated to the High Court, where he would then be the most liberal justice in U.S. history and tip the scales to 4-to-3 against freedom.

Thus, Harold Koh’s nomination becomes part of a broader pattern, where adherents of foreign law and gun control intersect both at the U.N. and the Supreme Court, to effectively end U.S. firearms ownership.

Pro-Gun Senator Puts Hold on Obama Nominee

President Obama’s nominee for “regulatory czar” has hit a new snag in his Senate confirmation process – a “hold” by Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who says he’s not convinced that Harvard professor Cass Sunstein won’t push a radical animal rights agenda, including new restrictions on agriculture and even hunting. Senators are permitted “holds” to prevent a vote on a nominee from coming to the floor.

“Sen. Cornyn finds numerous aspects of Mr. Sunstein’s record troubling, specifically the fact that he wants to establish legal ‘rights’ for livestock, wildlife and pets, which would enable animals to file lawsuits in American courts,” the Republican’s spokesman, Kevin McLaughlin, said to FOXNews.com.

Cornyn’s hold on Sunstein comes just as Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-GA, lifted his own hold on the nominee, whom Obama tapped in April to become the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Budget and Management.

Chambliss said he was dropping his hold because Sunstein had convinced him that he “would not take any steps to promote litigation on behalf of animals,” and that he believes the “Second Amendment creates an individual right to possess guns for purposes of both hunting and self defense.”

One of Sunstein’s jobs would be to review and provide guidance for draft federal regulations at different federal agencies.

In a 2007 speech at Harvard, Sunstein also advocated banning hunting and encouraging the general public to eat less meat. The Center for Consumer Freedom’s David Martosko, a Sunstein critic, said those positions make the agricultural industry – major stakeholders in the states represented by both Chambliss and Cornyn – nervous.

Palin Addresses NRA Gun Collector’s Event

One bright spot on the political scene is that former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin made one of her first public appearances since she resigned as Alaska governor by addressing a gathering of gun collectors organized by the National Rifle Association.

The former GOP vice presidential candidate gave a speech on Second Amendment rights at a banquet in Anchorage.

The event capped a four-day National Rifle Association seminar hosted by the Alaska Gun Collectors Association.

NRA director Wayne Anthony Ross, president of the gun collectors’ group, says Palin attended the dinner with her husband, Todd. Ross says about 130 people were at the banquet.

Gun collector groups from outside the state presented Palin with lifetime memberships. She also received the NRA’s Gold Medal Award of Merit for the Promotion of Gun Collecting.

Sturm, Ruger Reports 87% 2nd Qtr. Sales Gain

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. reported sales surged 87.1% in the second quarter to $72.4 million from $38.7 million a year ago. Earnings jumped to $8.7 million, or 46 cents a share, from $1.1 million, or 5 cents, a year ago.

Firearms unit production grew 63% from the second quarter of 2008 and 18% from the first quarter of 2009.

For the six months ended July 4, sales climbed to $135.9 million from $81.2 million a year earlier. Earnings went to $14.5 million, or 76 cents a share, from $2.5 million, or 12 cents, a year ago. The company said its year-to-date sales growth was due to:

• About 50% to new products (LCP, LCR, SR-9, and SR-556),
• Approximately 25% to the industry-wide surge in demand that began in the fourth quarter of 2008, and
• Approximately 25% to increased market share.

Ruger’s Board of Directors declared a dividend of 12.3 cents per share for the second quarter. The company declared its first dividend in over three years at the close of the first quarter.

The company’s backlog dropped to 412,300 units as orders received in the second quarter decreased by 59% from the first quarter of 2009. This decline was attributed to:

• A reduction in the industry-wide surge in demand that began in the fourth quarter of 2008,
• The large backlog at the end of the first quarter that discouraged further orders,
• The prolonged ammunition shortage at retail that hindered retail firearms sales.

Ireland Bans Handguns

On the international scene, Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern has signed new gun control legislation into law.

The act bans handguns in Ireland and also introduces a requirement for referees, background medical checks and standards for the safe keeping of guns in the home for all firearms license applicants.

It also makes it an offense to brandish a realistic imitation firearm in public.

Ahern says the legislation is designed to halt the emergence of ‘a gun culture’ in Ireland.

Carson, CA Bans Mail Order Ammo Sales

On July 21, the City of Carson passed an ordinance that requires the registration of all ammunition sales. The ordinance also requires all ammunition vendors to obtain a license from the City, and will additionally require that all ammunition sales transactions be conducted via a face-to-face transaction, effectively banning mail order and Internet purchases of ammunition.

The ordinance is now waiting on the desk of Mayor Jim Dear for his consideration. The ordinance does not require his signature to become law, and as such it went into effect August 20, 2009.

The author publishes two of the small arms industry’s most widely read trade newsletters. The International Firearms Trade covers the world firearms scene, and The New Firearms Business covers the domestic market. Visit www.FirearmsGroup.com. He may be reached at: FirearmsB@aol.com.

Ah, the smell of gunpowder in the air, gravel underfoot, ringing ears and some excellent barbeque: it must be Knob Creek time again.

This issue is for the Fall 2009 Knob Creek Machine Gun Show and Shoot, and everyone is gathering up their guns and ammo as I write this. People are talking about what they are bringing, and it sounds like an interesting mix. The “Recession” may have put a damper on how much .50 cal. some are preparing to shoot, but they sound like they are replacing it with other calibers and some are breaking out old stocks of .50 to give Ma Deuce a run anyway.

I am looking forward to this, as always, a gathering of old friends, see what weird and unusual parts and tools I can find, and see what new, interesting people are discovering in civilian ownership of NFA Firearms.

We’ve pulled out the stops on this issue, expanded it to 132 pages, and gone all color. SAR drifts a bit toward military users in one issue, back to collectors in another, and this one is devoted to the sporting use of NFA firearms. We hope you enjoy this issue: it’s packed with fun stuff, and quite a bit of our focus is towards the newer enthusiast or the old timer who wants a new twist. I like Jeff’s take on DDs for recreation. There’s nothing like a game of “Lawn Darts” with a 60mm to liven up a garden party and give the neighbors one more reason to either come over and join in, or nervously avoid you at local social functions.

Speaking of the military – if you’re deployed out and don’t know about our “Cookies from Home for Shooters” program, all you have to do is go to www.smallarmsreview.com and fish around until you get to our military program. Just send us your APO or FPO address and we’ll send you a box of assorted copies of SAR at no charge (or send us your friend’s address). It’s our way of saying “Thanks for serving.” If you have been around a while, then you know that SAR has been with the troops to the tune of about 100,000 copies since day one of the current war, and the stories are legion about troops mustering in and finding well thumbed, dog eared copies of Small Arms Review left for them in the back of Humvees and hootches by people rotating home. The members of Moose Lake Publishing LLC, publishers of this magazine, are united in our support for you.

On that note, if you are not deployed but you want to sponsor some boxes to be sent over, you can help us out. The USPS has shown its support of the troops by tripling the cost to us for what we send and increasing the paperwork burden, thanks very much for that, and we responded by overstuffing and tripling up the load in the boxes. Each box now has 31 copies of assorted back issues in it, and it costs us $11.25 instead of four bucks to send to Iraq or Afghanistan. For $11.25 you can sponsor a box, $112.50 you can sponsor ten, $1,125 you can sponsor a hundred boxes, etc. If you want to do this, send the check to:

Small Arms Review For The Troops
631 N Stephanie St, Henderson, NV 89014

We guarantee that every dime of your donation will be used to pay postage to our bloated, spendthrift government to get these free magazines from us to the troops.

This is not a write-off for you; it’s just good for the troops. We get the names of the larger mailings from anysoldier.com and they have done a great job of providing a place for deployed military personnel to post what they need or want. Stop on their site and see what you can do to help our troops today.
– Dan

On April 19, 1879 Carl Gustave Swebilius was born in Vingaker, Sweden. He was one of five children of the town watch maker. He grew up working with his father and learning his love of precision machinery. At age 18, Gus immigrated to the United States and lived with his eldest sister in New Haven, Connecticut.

His first job in the U.S. was making barrels for Marlin firearms company. He was quickly promoted to foreman of that department. He continued to attract notice and was promoted to the tool room. After three years, he was transferred to gun design where he was working at the outbreak of World War I.

While there he modified the Browning .30 caliber machine gun for use on aircraft by lightening it from 35 to around 19 pounds and increasing the rate for fire from 400 to 900 rounds per minute. He finished that task in less than a month.

Swebilius was the first American to perfect the cam system sending bullets between spinning propeller blades and the first to synchronize a gas operated machine gun. His design was used on propeller aircraft through World War Two.

Major George Chinn, author of the classic tome The Machine Gun, recognizes Swebilius as second only to John Browning in early design of machine guns. Coincidentally, Swebilius worked with Browning during World War I. Following World War I, Swebilius worked as chief designer at Marlin and then at Winchester until 1939.

Swebilius worked not only at Marlin and Winchester, but also on a side venture producing high quality barrels and barrel drilling equipment. In 1932, Swebilius, Gustave Beck (a partner in the barrel drilling business) and three other investors bought the defunct Hartford Arms company lock, stock, barrel and manufacturing tools for $800.

The deal included enough partially assembled pistols and parts to complete around 800 pistols. George Wilson, Sr. was hired as foreman to assemble the pistols. Swebilius sold them to Galefs Hardware and Sporting Goods stores. They made enough money on the deal to pay off the note and they had the equipment to produce more pistols. This was the way Swebilius did business.

After some modifications by Wilson, the Hartford semiautomatic became the High Standard Model B starting with serial number 5000. The business was successful. Swebilius hired new Swedish immigrants whenever possible. When the United States entered World War II business skyrocketed. Initially the military used the model B for a machine gun sub-caliber firing device.

Pistols: Model B and Model B-US

From the beginning of the war there was a demand for .22 caliber pistols to train new recruits in marksmanship. The .22 was cheaper to shoot and had less recoil and report than the standard issue .45 caliber M1911.

In 1942, the War Department purchased Model Bs in mass quantity with deliveries beginning in May and June. Every model Swebilius had in inventory regardless of model or barrel length went to the military. The first pistol, a Model E serial number 95215, was shipped on March 10, 1942. Model B, Model A, Model D, Model E, Model H-B, Model H-A Model H-D and Model H-E pistols all went to the War Department.

Most early pistols were commercial Model Bs. Many survivors have the US Ordnance acceptance markings. At the request of the military, the Model B was modified to become the Model B-US. All barrels were cut to 4.5 inches to conserve steel. The frame was modified to more closely resemble the 1911 Colt in the web space of the hand. “Property of US” was roll stamped along the top of the barrel and on the right side of the frame over the trigger guard. A crossed cannon ordnance acceptance cartouche is also found on the right side of the frame. All had the standard ten round magazines. 14,000 Model B-US pistols were produced between 1942 and June 1943. Model Bs were also exported to England under Lend Lease. Several were silenced. One is in the Imperial War Museum in London and others have been located in Scandinavia.

Model H-D and USA Model H-D

The Model B-US was supplanted by a George Wilson designed exposed hammer Model H-D which was further modified into the USA Model H-D. The commercial Model H-D had the adjustable rear sight replaced by a fixed sight and the addition of an external safety. All barrels were 4.5 inches. US Property and ordnance marks were stamped like the B-US. This modified pistol was dubbed the USA Model H-D. About 34,000 were produced between 1943 and 1945. Early guns had the typical High Standard deep blue luster finish while later ones were Parkerized to save money. All grips were plastic.

USA Model H-D M/S

While the USA Model H-D was being produced for the military, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) had need for a silenced pistol for use on clandestine missions.

They contracted with Western Electric Bell Laboratories for the suppressor design. Bell chose the Kulikowski (Polish) silencer as its model. Several pistols including the Colt Woodsman, High Standard Model B, C, D, E and USA Model H-D were tested at Aberdeen. The USA H-D was selected. High Standard assembled and delivered 2,620 pistols to the War Department during World War II.

The classified pistol was officially named the USA Model H-D M(ilitary)/S(ilenced). Its code production name was the “Impact Testing Machine.”

The first batch of around 1,400 had blued frames with Parkerized suppressors. The second order came out with both frame and suppressor Parkerized. These were all shipped in black High Standard boxes. There have been several runs since then. One Parkerized batch was delivered to the CIA in plain brown Kraft boxes.

Most of the early guns were serial numbered and entered into the shipping books, although there were some missed numbers and blanks in the records. OSS/CIA reportedly had a special batch made without any markings. These were referred to as “sterile.”

The M/S had an exciting career. Soon after the first run production was completed, the head of the OSS “Wild Bill” Donovan took a sand bag and an M/S into the Oval Office. The story goes that upon his arrival President Roosevelt was doing some dictation. Reportedly, Donovan emptied the ten-round magazine into the sand bag in a trash can unnoticed by either the President or the guard outside the door. Whereupon Donovan offered the empty gun to the President with an explanation of what had just transpired. Roosevelt reportedly said, “Donovan, you are the only (expletive deleted) Republican I would trust to do such a thing.”

Roosevelt kept the pistol on display at Hyde Park until it was discovered that it was a classified weapon. It was promptly returned to Donovan’s aide.

That is a charming story and something like it probably did happen. But even a slightly hard of hearing sixty plus year old man can hear a suppressed pistol go off in a closed room at close range. The firearm reports are suppressed, not entirely and completely silenced. ALL guns make noise. The break of the trigger, fall of the hammer, movement and impact of the slide all make sounds. The escape of burning propellant gases into the atmosphere and the crack of a bullet breaking the speed of sound make even louder noises. How are they suppressed?

On the M/S, the slide can be locked in place by a disabled slide safety. The sound of the trigger break and hammer fall, while unavoidable, are fortunately negligible.

The last and greatest problem is the escaping burning propellants. In the M/S, most of the expanding gases are vented and captured in the first stage of the suppressor. The barrel has been turned down to 0.406 inch diameter and ported with four rows of eight perpendicularly oriented holes in the early versions and eleven holes in the final model. Gases behind the bullet escape through the ports and are captured in a roll of zinc plated bronze mesh. The mesh acts as a heat sink that cools and slows the gases before they escape.

The suppressor is divided into a first and then a second chamber by a brass washer. The front chamber is beyond the muzzle of the barrel. It is filled with stacked brass or bronze wire doughnuts, which capture gases escaping the muzzle.

For optimal results the weapon is prepared in advance. A liquid such as oil, water, insect repellant or optimally Burma-Shave is introduced into and allowed to fill the suppressor through the muzzle opening. Excess fluid is drained by gravity to prevent barrel blockage. A loaded magazine is inserted and the gun is then fired.

The muzzle end is then quickly sealed with a piece of masking or cello tape. The chamber end is sealed by the next bullet. This excludes oxygen from the tube thus preventing combustion of any propellant trapped in the tube. The liquid serves the same purpose and also acts as a heat sink absorbing energy while passing from liquid into a gas phase. The tape on the muzzle acts as a wipe making maximum contact with the bullet and thereby impeding remaining gas escape.

To maximize effect the muzzle should be in direct contact with the target. In that fashion, the inevitable escaping gases will follow the tract of the bullet penetrating the skin (and hopefully the skull contents). The cavitation and tissue disruption of the bullet will be multiplied by the expanding gases trapped inside the closed container.

There was little worry of fouling the rolled mesh in the M/S suppressor as it was meant to be replaced every couple of hundred rounds. Extra rolls were included in the box along with assembly instructions and a special wire brush meant for use in cleaning the weapon. The brush was usually discarded.

There was a glitch with the M/S ammunition. Standard .22 caliber bullets were in contravention to the Hague convention as they were not jacketed ammunition. As such, they were not supposed to be used in war time. A communiqué was sent out to all troops to stop use of the M/S until proper ammunition in the form of the T-42 could be supplied. The order was of course ignored.

High Standard wasn’t alone in making the M/S. Armorers in Viet Nam reverse engineered the pistol and produced an untold number of copies for use by troops and Special Ops teams. What better way to silence watchdogs (Hush Puppies?) when entering a village in the middle of the night?

During World War II, the Russians became aware of the M/S and requested samples. As we were at that time fighting a common enemy the request could not be ignored. Churchill suggested however, that the guns be shipped without the screens – which is what happened.

The Soviets had more experience with the M/S later when they shot down a U-2 piloted by Francis Gary Powers over Sverdlovsk on the First of May 1960. Powers was on what was already scheduled to be the last U-2 reconnaissance flight over Russia. The integrity of his plane was disrupted when a surface to air missile exploded in his immediate vicinity. He ejected from the aircraft at high altitude carrying several survival items including a sheath knife, suicide device disguised as an American silver dollar and a High Standard USA M/S serial number 120046.

Much to the chagrin of the Eisenhower White House, Powers was captured intact and alive. The pistol, items listed and parts of the U-2 were paraded through a propaganda trial meant to embarrass the USA. The M/S has since been known as the “Powers Pistol.”

The Powers Pistol along with other evidence is still on display in the KGB Museum in Lubyanka Prison on Lubyanka Square in Moscow. The Lubyanka Prison is notorious in Russia as it was KGB headquarters where people were taken for interrogation, torture and execution.

After the OSS was disbanded, the CIA and military operations inherited most of the remaining stock. As late as year 2000, there were still over 400 of the original guns on inventory at CIA Langley. Several had been issued to Special Ops in Kosovo.

People report coming across them while decommissioning navy ships or in the survival pack of the B-52 bombers. Dozens spilled out of a 55 gallon oil drum at an American air base in Thailand in 1966 or 1967. Some were reported in Korean CIA bases.

Many USA Model H-D M/Ss disappeared into duffle bags after the war. Some disappeared when the OSS was disbanded. At least two of those were converted back to USA Model H-Ds. There are possibly a dozen original M/Ss that were Amnesty registered and are legal for civilian ownership.

Model P-380 (.380 caliber)

Despite the efficiency with the M/S, the OSS wanted a more robust silenced weapon. The SOE had the Welrod in .32 ACP and in 9mm. It was quiet, but it was a manually operated, magazine fed, single shot pistol. The OSS wanted a magazine fed semiautomatic .25, .32 or .380 caliber silenced pistol. Colt was approached initially, but after negotiations failed the contract went to High Standard. The contract for 1,000 guns at $57 each was signed on 23 April 1945. A one month production run was scheduled to begin on 24 August 1945 but there were delays. The revised date of production was set for 15 September. The war ended in the interval and the contract was cancelled. One gun was delivered to the OSS but there may be others.

High Standard was compensated for the contract cancellation. Swebilius had the balance of frames after the contract was cancelled, so he replaced the silencer with a standard .380 barrel and marketed it as the G-380.

.25 Caliber

The prototype suppressed .25 caliber pistol serial number “1” survives. The silenced .25 caliber pistol disappeared from the inventory near the end of the war but later surfaced and was confiscated by police in New Jersey. It was transferred to a private collector “in return for favors.”

In the 1960s, ATF agents approached Harry Sefried while he was working at his desk at High Standard. The .25 prototype was on his desk. The agents inquired regarding its ownership. Sefried replied, “Depends”. “On what?” they asked. “Well if it’s legal its mine, if not it belongs to the company.” While the agents went to the front office to search through the paperwork, Sefried took the pistol to the machine shop, removed the baffles and had the left side of the suppressor milled exposing the ported barrel. When the agents returned they informed him that the company’s Title II paperwork had expired. They would therefore confiscate it as an illegal silenced pistol. Sefried protested that it was no longer suppressed as the tube had been milled. To prove that, he positioned the agents on the milled side of the pistol and fired it. All present agreed that it was not suppressed and Sefried kept the pistol. That pistol and the .32 caliber prototype are now privately owned.

Model P-22

The OSS requested another modification. They wanted a pistol which could be quickly converted from standard commercial to suppressed configuration. High Standard complied with the quick change lever placed forward of the trigger guard. By depressing the lever either barrel could be slid forward and removed allowing interchange. Four prototype .22 calibers were produced in this configuration. That lever takedown was found on the P (later G)-380 and subsequent G series commercial pistols.

.50 Caliber Browning Machine Gun

As mentioned earlier, Swebilius left Winchester in 1939 to work full time at his new company at about the time war broke out in Europe. England was in desperate need of all guns and especially machine guns for aircraft. Swebilius had secured a reputation in the field in the last war. A friend, John Owsley, convinced the British Purchasing Commission that Swebilius could supply the goods.

In November, 1940, the first contract was signed for 12,000 .50 caliber aircraft machine guns and spare parts. Initial delivery was expected in ten months. Swebilius had nothing. He had no land, no plant, no men and no tools. Worse, most tools had already been snatched up by other manufacturers. Gordon Wilson and Charles Liedke scoured the east coast for any usable machinery buying anything available. It is reported that they even went to silk weaving factories and bought outdated pieces from storage. Everything was sent back to the new Waterfront plant in East Haven where Swebilius and his crews reworked the machinery to specifications.

The first machine gun came off the line on 19 April 1941, five months after the contract was signed. Newspapers and Time magazine wrote articles acclaiming the feat as a miracle. There is a photo that shows Swebilius by a chrome plated .50 caliber proclaiming it to be the 10,000th off the line seven months ahead of schedule. There had been only one reject up to that point. A total of 228,000 guns with extra parts were produced for the Allies and another 25,000 were also refurbished.

United Defense Model 42

Swebilius was a proven genius in design of firearms, especially machine guns. He designed what was to be the UD 42 prior to World War II. It was designed to replace the venerable but weighty and labor intensive Thompson .45 caliber submachine gun. The new gun was designed to fire 750 rounds per minute and quickly convert from the European 9mm cartridge to the American .45 caliber ACP. It was one of the finest and most innovative firearms designed for World War II.

Applications for patent were submitted October 15, 1940 and four patents were issued to Swebilius for the UD 42. Another patent was issued to his friend, coworker and High Standard vice president, John Owsley, for his innovative back to back style of magazines.

Although designed by Swebilius, High Standard was dedicated to barrel and machine gun production and was unable to produce the new weapons. Marlin won the Netherlands Commission contract and manufactured 15,000 submachine guns for use in Dutch Indonesia. High Standard received a 10% royalty of $7.50 per gun.

Japan invaded Indonesia before the guns were delivered. The United States bought all the guns and transferred them to the Office of Strategic Services for overseas use. All guns were issued except 800 held back by the Dutch. In 1944, many ’42s were airdropped into the European Theater of Operations where they were used with success. They were also used in the Mediterranean and Far East theaters where they were met with favor. Later they were used in China and in Africa.

US Army Ordnance informally tested the UD 42 in August 1940 and found it acceptable. It was resubmitted for formal testing in November, 1941 with suggested modifications. It was found to be reliable, accurate and controllable. At about this time, the Ml Thompson had become available. Ordnance found the UD 42 to have “no requirement.” Development of the .45 caliber version was halted after the production of six prototypes.

In 1948 Marlin acquired exclusive rights to produce the UD 42 with royalty rights to High Standard. The Netherlands and Argentina expressed some interest but sales never materialized. The UD 42 was used through the early ’70s in Southeast Asia and Africa. Some made it back to the US but they are not common. There is rumor of a limited offshore stockpile still in Cosmoline as late as 1998.

Other Swebilius Designed Firearms

.30 Caliber Carbine

Swebilius designed .30 caliber carbines for infantry use. The Ordnance Department tested them in both semi and full automatic versions. The carbines were found to be light, accurate, reliable and easy to maintain. Although they performed well, the Winchester submission was chosen to become the M1 carbine.

M3 Grease Gun Silencers

In early November, 1942, the Maxim Silencer Company (also located in Hartford) offered to make silencers for .45 caliber M3 submachine guns. A booklet entitled Design of Silencer for M3 Cal. .45 SMG was completed in November, 1943. Trials showed that noise was reduced to only a few decibels above the mechanical action of the gun. In May, 1944 High Standard received a contract to produce 1,000 silencers for $12,970. Barrels were to be provided by General Motors Guide Lamp division.

After some delay, the first barrels arrived, but were defective as the threads had burrs and thread tolerances were not as specified. High Standard received a separate contract to remove the burrs. The first silencers were shipped in August, 1944. The silencers were used in Europe, Southeast Asia and the Pacific theaters to good effect. Beyond noise suppression, the silencer also reduced barrel flash and rise making the gun more accurate.

A second $73,440 contract for 4,000 silencers and barrels was placed in December 1944. This time the barrels were produced by High Standard. Shipment was completed by September, 1944. None of the second contract silencers were issued as there were 4,100 still in stock at the end of the war. Some were still in storage at the beginning of the Vietnam war.

High Standard also tested the M3 silencer in 9mm but found it unsatisfactory.

Barrels

High Standard Manufacturing Corporation, 1817 Dixwell Ave. Hamden, Connecticut was the pistol company. In addition to the Model B, Model B-US and USA Model H-D, it also produced barrels for the Model 1919 .30 caliber machine gun, barrels for the model 1911A1 .45 caliber pistol, the 1903, Model 1903A1 .30 caliber rifle with and without sights, the model 1903A3 .30 caliber rifle, Model 1917 .30 caliber rifle barrels and the M2 .50 caliber machine gun.

.45 Caliber Pistol Barrels

High Standard made .45 M1911A1 barrels during WWII under a “Government Free Issue” contract for Remington Rand, Ithaca and US&S as these pistol makers did not make their own barrels.

Production/procurement records show:

Remington and Ithaca used some (a few) Colt barrels in the early production days and some Flannery barrels in 1944 and 1945. If you estimate they made spares before production was halted at war’s end, you can easily argue 1,000,000 to 1,200,000 were made.

Miscellaneous Related Ordnance

High Standard also had contracts for bomb fuse bodies, bomb fuze striker, flash hiders, yoke rod ends, deep hole drills and numerous other small contracts. They continued to produce machine gun barrels and parts until the 1970s.

High Standard Manufacturing Company. Inc, 1337 Dixwell Avenue, Hamden, Connecticut was the machine gun factory. There was also a plant at 100 Waterfront in East Haven, Connecticut.

Both of these companies were paying engineering fees to a parent company called Dixwell Corporation, which was controlled by Swebilius. The officers and directors of all three companies were similar if not the same.

At fiscal year ending November 30, 1945, Swebilius personally owned 127,155 of the 150,000 shares issued (85%) for the pistol company. With the stock owned by his sons, the controlling percentage rises to almost 89%.

Epilogue

At war’s end, Gus Swebilius was second only to Louis B. Mayer as the highest paid executive in the United States. There were charges of war profiteering. The investigation board not only cleared Swebilius, but commended him for saving the United States government millions of dollars in his contracts and the production methods adopted by other companies.

Swebilius health was failing. He died of throat cancer October 18, 1948. After providing for his widow and sons, he left much of his personal fortune to cancer and epilepsy research. His legacy still provides research grants today.

(Personal correspondence from and special thanks to: John Brunner, Bill Jenkins, Charles Petty, John Stimson, and Bob Waldridge.)

Less known and less widespread than the Uzi, the Czech VZ 23 SMG, and others, were the first to bring important technology innovations in the design of this type of weapon.

It is at the end of the World War that the first machine pistols appeared. In a sense resembling small rifles, they were manufactured according to traditional methods with machined steel parts and fitted with a wooden stock. Among these first models were the Italian Beretta 1918, German MP 18 and, a bit later, the American Thompson.

Along with these first models, in the 1920/1930s, many other weapons appeared, again using the same process to produce the likes of the STA 1924, Steyr, Bergmann, Star S.I 35, Erma, Beretta 1938, MAS 38, PPD 40, etc.

A new era was introduced by the Germans in 1938 with a more modern weapon using newer technologies with stamped sheet metal, aluminium and plastic and was followed by the MP40. Other countries also introduced efficient manufacturing technologies and materials resulting in guns such as the Sten, PPS43, M3 and M3A1. Some post-war weapons took a similar design such as the Star Z-45 star, MAT 49, Vigneron, etc.

At the end of the 1940s a new design was developed: a hollow breech and a magazine introduced into the handgrip. The gun became more compact, the firing hand is placed at the center of gravity and a better balance of the mass limits the effects of the recoil.

This design appeared for the first time in Czechoslovakia from its inventor, Vaclav Holek, and the first applications were the CZ 148, 447 and 476, which were the forerunners of the VZ 23 and 25; built in 9mm Parabellum. About the same time, a similar design was made in Israel by Uziel Gal.

VZ 23

The VZ 23 is made of many stamped sheet metal parts. Only the barrel, bolt and some secondary parts are machined. The first models were blued and later models were painted gray.

The receiver frame is made of a 40 mm diameter tube (1.57 inches). The ejection port is located on the upper right and the slot for the cocking lever is on the left. The rear part of the tube has a plug and the barrel screw is located at the front. Beneath the receiver tube frame is the magazine housing; which is also used as pistol grip, and the trigger mechanism containing the trigger, sear, safety, their pins and springs.

The triangular stock is made of wood with a sheet metal butt plate. This stock is fixed on the frame with a machined collar installed behind the grip.

The bolt is made from a machined massive block of steel, tooled with a big hole in its main central part, which moves around the barrel that gives a better balance during shooting. The bolt is fitted with the extractor, firing pin and cocking lever.

The small diameter recoil spring is fitted with a rod and is located on the left side. The rod is installed on a circular rear plate that also acts as the ejector.

The barrel is particularly long compared to the overall length of the weapon. It is bored 9mm and has six right-hand grooves. It is secured in place with a threaded muzzle nut at the front end of the frame.

The front stock is made of a mixture of wood and phenolic resin, as is the pistol grip. On the right side of the front stock is a stripper guide that holds ten rounds and allows feeding into the magazine.

The rear sight is made of a four sided oblique rotary drum marked for distances from 100, 200, 300 and 400 meters. It is affixed to a collar that is welded to the collar that the stock is affixed to. The front sight is a blade protected by a hood and is located at the front of the frame.

The gun works with a blow-back bolt and has two safety devices: the cocking lever, pushed by a spring, locks the bolt in the front position and has to be pushed down before cocking; and rotary lever locks the trigger when it is pushed to the right.

Loading is made with a vertical box magazine introduced in the pistol grip. The capacity of the magazine is 24 or 40 cartridges.

On the left face of the stock is a lug that is intended for mounting a sling, and a ring is located at the left front end of the frame.

VZ 25

The VZ 25 is a variation with a metallic stock that can be folded on the left side. It is made of an aluminium rod with a sheet metal folding butt plate.

When the stock is folded it is locked by the butt plate on a hook located below the front swivel. The SMG can be fired from the hip with the stock folded, using the butt plate as a front pistol grip for the second hand.

VZ 24 and VZ 26

The VZ 23 and 25 were used by the Czech army until 1952. After this date, Czechoslovakia was forced to align its armament on that of the Soviet “big brother.” The result was the development of two new submachine guns using the 7.62mm Tokarev cartridge: the VZ 24 with fixed stock and the VZ 26 collapsible stock. The result was two new weapons because simple conversion was not possible because: the 7.62mm barrel has four groves; magazine dimension are 40×24.7 mm instead of 35×24.8 mm (1.57×0.97 inches instead 1.38×0.98 inches); the magazine housing is inclined 87° and 90° on the other model; the base plate of rear sight is welded directly on the frame as the collar which connected it to the stock support disappeared; a 32-round magazine was retained and the VZ 24 and 26 are five ounces heavier than VZ 23 and 25.

Markings

The VZ 23 and 25 are marked with the year of production over “she” over the serial number located on the left side of the stock collar that is welded to the rear of the receiver tube. The VZ 24 and 26 are marked “she” over the serial number over the year of production and is located on the left side at the rear of the receiver tube.

Accessories

The VZ 23, 24, 25 and 26 were issued with a green fabric sling with leather ends, two pouch pockets each holding two magazines for a total of four, and a cleaning kit.

Service Use

The VZ 23 and 25 remained in service in the Czech Army until 1952. After that, the VZ 24 and 26 were used by the Czechs and other countries of the Warsaw Pact, such as Rumania. The VZ 23 and 25 were widely distributed all over the world. They were seen in Cuba, Syria, Nigeria, and in the hand of terrorists such as the Irish IRA and Basque ETA.

Disassembly-Reassembly

• Remove the magazine and clear the weapon.
• Push the centre of the rear plug with a cartridge or any other tool, and turn the plug to remove.
• Push down the cocking lever and extract to the rear the bolt, recoil spring and rear plate assembly.
• Remove the recoil spring, rod and rear plate from the bolt.
• Using the bolt as a tool, unscrew the nut that retains the barrel.
• Remove the barrel.
• Reassembly is carried out in the inverse order.

During the post World War II era, Mainland China began to receive various forms of aid from the Soviet Union; in part because of the two countries sharing the same communist ideology, and anti-West polices.

During the 1950-53 Korean War, China aided the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (communist North Korea) in their struggle with South Korea and the United States. Initially, the aid was limited to material but later they committed a large number of Chinese troops to the fight. Ironically, many of the weapons used by the Chinese troops were American made Thompsons, Grease Guns and even UD-M42 submachine guns given to the Chinese under the U.S. World War II Lend Lease program.

The Russians began to aid an underdeveloped China in increasing its industrial capacity and provided technical assistance predominantly in the manufacture of weapons. The Soviet influence led to indigenous Chinese production of many copies of Russian small arms, particularly the AK and SKS infantry rifles. The Chinese began production of their milled receiver AK rifle, based on the Soviet AK-47 third model, during 1956. With a few minor design and marking variations, the Chinese version of the AK-47 was adopted and designated as the Type 56 rifle. During the 1960-70 era, large numbers of Type 56 milled receiver AK rifles and Chinese manufactured 7.62x39mm ammunition were exported to North Vietnam to assist that country in its war against South Vietnam and the United States. The primary reason for the export of the older milled receiver AK rifles was the new stamped receiver Type 56 models were replacing them in Chinese Army service.

There were a number of different state arsenals in China manufacturing the Type 56 AK pattern rifle. One of the most commonly encountered Chinese AK rifle are those produced in Factory 366. The arsenal stamp of Chinese State Arms Factory 366 is a number 66 enclosed inside a triangle. This facility is located in Hei Long Jiang Province located in northeast China. During the 1980-90 period China North Industries, commonly known as Norinco, exported commercial semiautomatic rifles manufactured at this plant to the U.S. for the civilian market.

Type 56 Model Milled Receiver, 7.62x39mm

The Chinese made several variations of their early 7.62x39mm Type 56 assault rifles based on the Soviet AK-47 with the Type 3 milled receiver. There were wood fixed-stock and underfolding metal stock models. Like most copies of the basic Soviet AK design, China implemented their own small design changes. The top of the protective ears for the front sight post had a closed top with a hole in the center to facilitate the elevation adjustment (although a few Chinese Type 56 rifles have been noted with open-ear style type front sight bases, these are believed to be Russian supplied parts). A letter D was used to mark the 300-meter battle sight position on the rear sight leaf. Other features like the smooth top covers, the 800-meter rear sight calibration and receiver mounted rear sling swivel were identical to the Russian AK-47. All Chinese milled receiver AK rifles had solid wooden stocks (except for the folding stock models) and handguards. Some of the Chinese rifles were fitted with permanently attached folding triangular-shaped spike bayonets. The spike-type bayonet was favored by the Chinese because of the knife-type bayonet’s blade having difficulty penetrating heavy clothing often worn by soldiers fighting in cold climates. The front lower handguard has a slot cut on its underside to accommodate the blade when stored in a folded position. Some early milled receiver Type 56 rifles had barrels that threaded into the receiver (again suspected Russian manufacture), while most had press-fit, pinned barrels. The Type 56-1 model was the Chinese AK with the Soviet pattern underfolding metal stock. The Chinese folding stocks were made from steel stampings. The mode of fire selector lever positions were marked with Chinese characters. There are also Type 56 rifles made for export sales that are marked with Roman characters; L for the automatic position representing continuous or full-automatic, the semiautomatic position marked with a letter D meaning single. Some of the export variants were designated as the model M22 and so marked on the receiver. Others have the Chinese arsenal identification stamp on the left front side of the receiver along with the serial number.

“AK-47” Rifles in the Vietnam War

The AK-47 gained much of its worldwide recognition during the war in Vietnam; U.S. involvement in that conflict that lasted from 1961 until 1975. During this period it was reported that the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong Guerillas were armed with AK-47 assault rifles. In reality, many of the weapons, particularly those fielded by the Viet Cong, were of a diverse collection of World War II vintage. During the later years of the war the AK rifles became more prolific, but the vast majority were actually Type 56 AK rifles made in China, not the Soviet made AK-47s as was commonly reported by the media. However, AK-47 became a generic term for all Kalashnikov type assault rifles and this remains true today. Production of the original Russian AK-47 ceased around 1959 and would represent a quite small percentage of the AK-pattern rifles that were eventually manufactured. There were many countries that copied the milled receiver Kalashnikov, but few were designated as the AK-47.

The Chinese Type 56 AK rifles with the forged/milled receivers were the most commonly encountered AK variant used by North Vietnam soldiers and Viet Cong guerillas. There were a very limited number of stamped receiver Type 56 rifles supplied to North Vietnam during their war with the U.S.

The Ultimate Vietnamese War Trophy

During the Vietnam War era it was illegal to bring select-fire AK rifles that were captured during the conflict back to the United States. However, a limited number of the weapons mysteriously made their way to the states. During the brief 1968 Amnesty Program the government allowed the registration of contraband automatic weapons. However, many distrusted the government thinking that the amnesty offer was a ruse and didn’t take advantage of the one-time opportunity to legalize their war trophies. During the poorly announced, little known and very brief 30 day amnesty period in November of 1968, a fair number of military weapons from World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam were brought out from their hiding places and registered. Time would prove that not registering a war trophy would become a grave financial and legal error.

The Type 56 Chinese AK rifle featured in this article was originally owned by a US Marine Major who served as the S-3 Operations Officer of the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Division during 1966-67. The weapon was presented to him by one of the battalion’s company commanders. Fortunately the Major was able to register the weapon in November 1968 during the brief amnesty period. It remained in his possession until recently when it was sold to the current owner. The Type 56 weapon was captured by U.S. Marines in Con Thien, an area in South Vietnam less than two miles south of the six mile wide DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) that separated South Vietnam from North Vietnam. The 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, nicknamed “The Walking Dead” were tasked with providing security of the Con Thien perimeter.

The primary US Marine logistics base in the area was Dong Ha, Con Thien was a 158 meter high mud covered hill that was located in the northwest corner of an area dubbed Leather Neck Square, which consisted of four Marine combat bases; Gio Linh, Dong Ha, Cam Lo and Con Thien. The primary reason for the Marine’s presence in the region was the infiltration routes the North Vietnamese used to move troops and supplies into South Vietnam. Con Thien provided a clear hill top view of the area. If NVA forces were to seize Con Thien, they could subject the rest of Leather Neck Square to accurate long-range artillery and rocket fire, subsequently driving the Marines out of the area.

The Vietnamese name of Con Thien loosely translates to “a place of angels,” but to the Marines that fought there, the name proved to be quite a contradiction in terms. The primary enemy units operating in the area were battalions from the formidable North Vietnamese Army’s 90th NVA Regiment. In the spring of 1967, the NVA began an aggressive push to drive the Marines out of the Con Thien area. The ensuing combat actions consisted of artillery, mortar and even flamethrower attacks by the NVA. Despite taking heavy casualties the Marines held the area. In July 1967, during Operation Buffalo, Companies A and B from the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines were sweeping an area North of Con Thien were engaged by a large NVA force, inflicting heavy casualties on the Marines. The Marines who fought there began to sarcastically refer to the DMZ area as “Dead Marine Zone.” It was some time during these actions the Chinese Type 56 featured in this article was captured.

In 1969, the Marines turned Con Thien over to the South Vietnamese Army’s (ARVN) 1st Division. In November 1971, the poorly trained ARVN 3rd Division replaced the 1st Division, and it was this South Vietnamese unit that finally surrendered the base to the NVA during the March 1972 Communist offensive.

(Special thanks to: Dolf Goldsmith, Todd Gustafson and National Archives II, College Park, MD)

If you’re like most enthusiasts you probably spend a fair amount of time perusing the various Class III oriented websites and discussion board. Recently there was yet another post on a popular board by an individual asking a very common question: “What should I buy?” Usually, the opinions requested are in regard to three submachine guns: the British Sten, the H&R Reising and a MAC or an M-11/Nine. All three of the aforementioned submachine guns are in approximately the same price range. The purpose of this article is to explore this common inquiry in depth, with text and photographs in place of the limited responses available on discussion boards. Of course, “what to buy” is ultimately up to the needs and wants of the buyer as all three are viable candidates. Often a Class III firearm is chosen by the options available to upgrade or modify it and another is the accessories available like spare magazines, magazine pouches and slings.

The British Sten

The World War II Sten submachine gun, known to the British as the Sten Machine Carbine, originated as an expedient personal weapon in 1941. One of the reasons for the development of the crude, but effective, select-fire 9mm submachine gun was to allow Great Britain to defend herself from an anticipated German attack from across the English Channel.

After evolving from the more complicated MK I Sten, the simplified Sten MK II soon became the standard British submachine gun. There were several versions of the Sten manufactured, but the MK II model was the most prolific, making up over half of the approximately 4,000,000 total production of all Stens in the series. The even more utilitarian Sten MK III, officially introduced in 1943, was the least expensive Sten model to manufacture. Production of the MK III was terminated after only eighteen months but during the weapon’s brief manufacturing run there were over 876,000 examples produced. Few parts could be replaced in the MK III including the barrel that was not readily removable from the receiver. The magazine housing was permanently fixed to the receiver tube by spot welding and could not be rotated as a dust cover over the ejection port as on the MK II model. Internal parts and operation principles were the same as the MK II model.

Today, the basic Sten Mark II version is the most common, and most of them out there are “tube guns” that were assembled with new manufacture receiver tubes by Class 2 manufacturers and individuals back in the pre May 19, 1986 “good old days.” Although there are a number of original Curio and Relic (C&R) Stens in the system, they are certainly not as common, or as inexpensive as, the Sten tube gun; nor are they something you would want to permanently alter or upgrade. Today the Sten owner has a fair amount of options to modify upgrade the firearm.

Stock Options

The stock is easily removed from the Sten and there are several different designs to choose from: some original and some aftermarket. Due to generous manufacturing tolerances some fitting may be required. (Note: never fire a Sten without a stock attached as the loop on the stock keeps the bolt from flying out of the rear of the receiver tube).

The loop type stock is a skeleton design made of steel, which mimics the outline of a conventional type buttstock. Not as common as the T-stock, but more desirable and is a reasonably comfortable platform for shooting.

The T-type stocks are probably the most common Sten stocks available. They vary slightly in design due to the large number of subcontractors that manufactured them.

There are pistol-grip only type stocks that considerably shorten the overall length of the Sten. These are often advertised as “paratrooper” grips. Most are new manufacture made of steel and mimic the outline of a conventional pistol grip.

One of the most ergonomic buttstocks attached to a Sten was fabricated from an Enfield rifle stock and adapted to the Sten by armorers of the Royal Canadian Air Force during the 1960s. Replica’s of the RCAF stocks were made up and sold during the 1990s by Michael Bush.

Wooden vertical foregrips originally designed for the MK V Sten will also fit on a MK II model. Although originals are quite rare, good quality aftermarket replicas are available.

Sten Speed Bolt

The “speed bolt” concept was copied from a World War II British bolt design originally intended for suppressed versions of the Sten. The outside diameter between the bolt’s bearing surfaces was reduced by approximately 11/32 of an inch. This reduced the overall weight of the bolt by five ounces. It wasn’t long before enthusiasts copied the altered bolt as a means to increase their Sten’s cyclic rate. The original cyclic rate of a Sten with a standard bolt has been timed at 532 rounds per minute. The “speed bolt” raised the average rate of fire to 667 rounds per minute, an increase of 135 rounds per minute.

Sten 7.62×25 Conversion

During World War II the Chinese were armed with a number of U.S. and British made weapons to assist in fighting the Japanese Imperial Army. The Chinese were divided into two factions: the Communists and the Nationalists. After years of fighting, the Nationalist Chinese fled to Taiwan. Many of the weapons given to the Chinese were in the hands of the Communists, who after World War II, converted them to fire standard Combloc calibers. The Sten was converted to 7.62x25mm by cutting off a portion of the 9mm Sten magazine housing and welding a magazine housing from a Type 54 submachine gun (PPS43 clone) onto the remaining Sten magazine housing. The breech bolt was altered to feed from the Type 54’s double-feed magazine. Lastly a 7.62 barrel was fabricated, which was slightly longer than a standard 9mm Sten barrel. The result was a “magnum caliber” Sten. With the current supply of inexpensive 7.62x25mm ammunition this conversion becomes an attractive option. A few years ago a number of the conversion kits were imported into the U.S. However, there is one problem: to install the modified magazine housing the front sight must be removed to slide the housing onto the receiver and most Stens have their front sights welded in place.

Sten Accessories

There are a number of original World War II accessories on the surplus market for the Sten, including slings, inexpensive magazines, magazine loading tools and magazine pouches.

Sten Conversions

There have been a number of interesting conversions approved by the BATF for Sten receivers.

The Mark V Sten was a vast improvement over the Mark II model featuring Enfield rifle sights and an ergonomic (for the times) pistol grip and buttstock. The conversion is not an easy one requiring the trigger housing, which is welded to the receiver, to be removed and replaced. Other components that are designed differently on the MK V were the bolt and trip lever.

The Patchett submachine gun was adopted by the British to replace the Mark V Sten in 1953. The design continued to evolve with the MKII/L2A1 and MKIII/L2A2 models. During 1955, the improved Sterling MK4/L2A3 variant was introduced. One of the most popular modifications options available for the Sten owner is the conversion to the British Sterling MK4/L2A3 submachine gun. The proliferation of the Sterling parts sets and BATF approval for the conversion has made this a viable option. Stens converted to the Sterling configuration are often called “Stenlings.” There are several Class 2 manufacturers that specialize in the Sten-to-Sterling conversion.

Like many other British weapons of the World War II era, the Lanchester Machine Carbine was born during a period of great national crisis. The design of the British Lanchester was closely copied from the German MP28 II submachine gun. As originally designed, the Lanchester featured a select-fire capability, firing either semiautomatic or full automatic. The selector switch was located at the front of the trigger guard. This complicated the design and increased reliability problems. Soon the Lanchester Mk1* (Mark one star) was introduced. This submachine gun lacked the semiautomatic feature. All existing select-fire Lanchester Mk1 weapons were to be converted to the Mk1* full-automatic only configuration. Lanchesters submachine guns were manufactured by Sterling, W.W. Greener and The Boss Company. Approval has been granted by the BATF for converting the Sten into a Lanchester.

The Reising Submachine Gun

The Reising submachine gun was designed during 1938 by Eugene Reising. The weapons were manufactured by the Harrington and Richardson Company during World War II and again during the 1950s for police sales. The production Reising submachine guns were chambered for the US .45 ACP cartridge. The select-fire weapon was designed to fire from a closed bolt, making it very accurate in semiautomatic fire. The Reising is a light weapon resulting in full-automatic controllability problems that can be mastered with practice.

The early manufacture of Reising Model 50 submachine guns are usually classified as the “police” or “commercial” model; these being the earlier polished blue guns. The second reference to the Reising is the “military” Parkerized version. Both nomenclatures have been bestowed on the guns by collectors to differentiate the features of each gun, but both names are incorrect: a more accurate description would be early and late production. The H&R factory never advertised or listed separate commercial or military Model 50 submachine guns.

The very first Reising Model 50 submachine guns were manufactured with a 28 tapered-fin barrel, a polished blue finish, and a two-screw stamped trigger guard. The small take-down screw requires a screw driver loosen or tighten it. The front sight was non-adjustable and staked into place. The rear sight was secured into a dovetailed slot machined on the receiver. The end cap of the receiver (bumper cap) and the recoil spring guide rod were made as one piece. The early guns all had the magazine housings that would accommodate the 20-round magazines.

The early production “commercial” model slowly evolved into the 2nd design commonly known as the “military” model.

Many of the Reisings first accepted by the Marines were the earlier “commercial” 1st design models H&R had in production at the time. The following changes in the Reising model 50 and 55 were made to increase production, to improve the basic design or were specified by the Marine Corps.

The number of radial barrel cooling fins was reduced from 28 down to 14 to increase the structural strength, and to shorten the time required to produce a barrel. The front sight on the newly designed Reising barrels was made adjustable for windage. The action bar was redesigned in the area where the auto connector lever hooked into the action bar. The trigger guard was enlarged for gloved hands and had a third screw added for additional strength. A larger take-down screw was installed that could be turned by hand. The mode of fire selector was made easier to manipulate by being turned upward on the ends.

A heavier stock was introduced for use on the later manufacture weapons. This style also featured lateral reinforcing tie screws through the wood. The majority of these Reisings were finished in the military gray/green Parkerizing rather than polished blue finish seen on the earlier guns.

A few features that appear on all but the earliest 2nd Design Reisings are the two-piece bumper plug/recoil spring guide, and the rear sight retaining screw.

The folding stock Model 55 was manufactured in both the early and late configurations. Most of the Model 55s documented were marked on top of the receiver Model 55. There were a few marked Model 50. Early Marine documents refer to the early folding stock model as the M50P.

After World War II ended there were several known post war production runs of the Reising Model 50 by H&R. These somewhat limited production runs took place in 1950, 1951, 1953 and 1957. These Reisings were all the late style fourteen fin barrel Model 50 guns. The post war Reising Model 50s all have serial numbers preceded by a letter that designates the year the gun was manufactured. H&R continued to advertise the Reising submachine gun for Police use well into the 1960s.

Reising Post War Production Codes

• Serial number prefix K: Production date 1950
• Serial number prefix L: Production date 1951
• Serial number prefix N: Production date 1953
• Serial number prefix S: Production date 1957

There are few accouterments available for the Reising owner. The submachine guns would appeal to those who desire an historic .45 caliber U.S. World War II and police weapon, rather than a modern gun with a lot of accessories. Magazines were manufactured in 12 and 20-round capacities. Reliable aftermarket magazine were produced in a 30-round configuration. Firing pin breakage is a common problem with the Reising, but aftermarket firing pins made of titanium are available. Spare parts are becoming more difficult to find as owners squirrel them away.

The MAC

The MAC series and M11/Nine are select-fire submachine guns that have long been at the very bottom of the machine gun price scale. Shooting a fast firing MAC is an exhilarating experience, but don’t expect to hit anything with them, and you will spend far more time loading magazines than shooting. Although the little guns are reliable, the wire buttstocks are quite uncomfortable. The short barrel and lack of a proper foregrip requires extra caution on the part of the shooter to keep their weak hand away from the muzzle.

In the last few years the MACs and M11/Nine weapons have enjoyed a renaissance, largely because of some enterprising individuals and companies that saw potential in the diminutive and inexpensive guns. One of the first features to be altered was the weapon’s quick rate of fire; followed by ergonomic stocks and improved sights. Soon the guns were achieving success in subgun competitions, outperforming other submachine guns costing far more.

The man responsible for the famous MAC series of submachine guns was Gordon Ingram. Ingram’s most famous design was the Model 10, but it took a few unsuccessful attempts and many years of effort to finally conceive the M10. The Ingram weapons were for the most part offered for foreign and domestic law enforcement and the world military market. The MAC 10’s first introduction to most Americans was when actor John Wayne shot at the bad guys with a suppressed M10 in the 1974 Hollywood movie McQ. Since its intoduction, the MAC has been made by a number of different companies. The variant that is most highly regarded is the original MAC submachine guns made in Powder Springs, Georgia. In addition to MAC (Military Armaments Corporation), the compact submachine guns have been produced by RPB, SWD, MAC (Texas) and Jersey Arms.

By 1975 the Military Armament Corporation was experiencing dire financial problems resulting from lack of sales along with the anticipated military contracts that never materialized. This series of events forced the company to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. A year later in June of 1976, a public auction was held to dispose of the company’s assets.

Three former management employees of the Military Armament Corporation, Ray Roby, Charles Pitts and R.W. Brueggmann, had purchased a great deal of the MAC inventory and tooling at the 1976 bankruptcy auction. The three partners also obtained the exclusive rights to manufacture the Ingram submachine guns under a new company that they formed called RPB Industries Incorporated. RPB represented the initials of the new owner’s last names. Many of the MAC frames bought at auction were already marked with the Military Armament’s Powder Springs address on the right side. RPB then added their Atlanta, GA address to the left side. These are known to collectors today as “RPB Overstamps” or “Transitional” MACs. After the supply of Powder Springs marked frames ran dry, subsequent RPB MACs were marked only with the RPB name and their Atlanta, GA address.

By 1978 RPB Industries was also beginning to experience serious financial problems. In 1978 the majority of RPB’s stock was acquired by Wayne Daniel. Mr. Daniel soon resumed manufacture of the submachine guns under the RPB name at a new location in Atlanta, Georgia. In the 1980s RPB Industries Incorporated offered their customers a variety of MACs including semiautomatic and carbine versions. RPB also offered suppressors, canvas gear, pistol type pouches, barrel extensions and a host of other accessories for the MAC.

These MAC 10 clones were produced in both 9mm and .45 caliber. The guns were manufactured by Hatton Industries of Indian Mills, New Jersey. The “New Jersey MAC” is quite similar in construction and design to the Military Armaments, RPB and SWD M10 guns. One exception is a more comfortable fixed butt plate stock that is a slightly different design than seen on the original MAC models. The right side of the receiver is marked “Manufactured Exclusively for Hatton Industries, Indian Mills, NJ, Jersey Arms Works, Westmont, NJ”.

In 1986 a former Military Armament Corporation employee acquired the rights and remaining stock of MAC parts from SWD Incorporated and began production under the Military Armaments name in Stephenville, Texas. The new Ingram M10A1 or “Texas MAC” had a few improvements incorporated into the basic design. These were to include a redesigned buttstock, a muzzle brake and a reduced rate of fire to an advertised 750 rounds per minute. The new “improved” MAC was claimed to be more reliable and controllable than the original MAC guns.

Many of the MAC frames acquired from SWD had been stamped with the Cobray logo. This caused a legal dispute that resulted in the Texas MAC company having to remove the circular Cobray logo by machining it out of the metal frame. A new logo was then inserted into the void left by the milling machine. The Texas Military Arms Corporation also manufactured a 9mm-conversion kit for the .45 caliber M10 guns. The kit included a heavy bolt (that reduced the cyclic rate) and a magazine well insert that allowed the use of the standard MAC 9mm magazine.

When the Texas MAC Company folded in the 1980s, Wayne Daniel of SWD repurchased some of the remaining M10 registered frames and components that he had originally sold Leatherwood for the Texas MACs. Ironically enough, Daniel then reinserted a Cobray emblem back into the spot where the original had been removed. Daniel assembled the frames with a mix of RPB and SWD manufactured parts. The Texas/SWD 9mm guns used the same SWD Zytel magazines as the M11/Nine.

In the past there have been few upgrade and accessories available for the original MAC 10 series of submachine guns with most companies concentrating their efforts on the more prolific M11/Nine series. Currently, Lage Manufacturing, LLC offers a host of upgrades for the MAC 10 in .45 or 9mm.

The Lage MAX-10/9 Slow Fire Upper Receiver for the 9mm MAC 10 features adjustable front and rear sights, full length M1913 scope rail and hard mount points for additional M1913 rails on right, left and bottom of the front handgrip. A heavy bolt assembly reduces the cyclic rate from 1,100 rpm down to approximately 500 rpm. The bolt weight is securely attached to the bolt assembly with two hardened cap screws. With a reduced cyclic rate the operator can easily fire single rounds or short round bursts. The MAX-10/9 upper attaches to the original M-10/9 lower receiver without any modifications.

Lage Manufacturing, LLC did not forget the MAC 10 in .45 caliber offering a slow fire upper designated as the MAX-10/45. Similar to the 9mm unit, the upper receiver features fully adjustable front and rear sights, a full length M1913 scope rail and hard mount points for additional M1913 rails. A heavy bolt reduces the cyclic rate from 1,100 rpm down to approximately 600 rpm making it possible to manipulate single, double or triple round bursts. With the slow cyclic rate, muzzle rise is reduced enhancing the operator’s ability to stay on target. The MAX-10/45 attaches to the stock M-10/45 lower receiver without any modification to the lower receiver.

Also offered for the MAC 10 are a large array of barrels, buttstocks (both in a number of varying configurations), different weight bolts for a specific cyclic rate, accessory rails, foregrips, suppressor gas blocks, buffers, improved extractors, improved safeties and more.

Within a few years, RPB Industries began to encounter legal problems and a lot of unwanted attention was focused on RPB from the authorities resulting in RPB Industries going out of business. Another auction was held on October 18, 1982 to sell off some of the assets of RPB. In 1983 Mr. Daniel founded a new company calling it SWD Incorporated, which represented the initials of Sylvia Williams Daniel (Wayne’s former spouse). Under the SWD banner, Daniel introduced a new small frame MAC variation called the M11/Nine in the fall of 1983. The new M11/Nine was available in either a select-fire machine gun form, or a new BATF approved closed-bolt operated semiautomatic-only configuration. SWD also marketed the M11A1 – a small frame .380 caliber submachine gun.

The M11/Nine and the MAC 11 are often confused; the original MAC 11 was chambered for the .380 caliber round, while the M11/Nine is 9mm. The M11/Nine submachine gun has a quick 1,000 to 1,200 rounds per minute rate of fire. While the fast rate of fire endears the M11/Nine to many, SWD offered a rate reducer kit for the weapon. The kit was comprised of a heavier than standard breech-bolt and a special .380 caliber upper receiver to fit the longer 9mm frame. Although the caliber was reduced to .380 ACP, the kit offered the shooter a manageable 750 rounds per minute rate of fire. Back in 1985, the rate reducer kit was offered by SWD at $119 retail. Few of the kits were sold and are rarely seen today.

The SWD M11/Nine was manufactured in the largest numbers. Many collectors like the smaller size of the M11/Nine, as well as its increased cyclic rate of fire over the M10 model. One disadvantage of the M11/Nine is the magazines. The original magazine designed for the M11/Nine was made of a “space age” plastic material called Zytel. This material proved to be less than ideal for a magazine and a poor replacement for simple stamped sheet-metal. Numerous problems have been reported with the early Zytel magazines including splitting at the seams and their feed lips wearing out prematurely. The later Zytel magazines were improved, but still were susceptible to wear, which allows the angle of the cartridge in the magazine to change and results in cartridge feeding problems.

Recon Ordnance Company currently offers metal magazines for the SWD M-11A1, .380 ACP. These are a great alternative to the problematic Zytel magazines. For the M-11/Nine, Recon Ordnance sells metal magazines converted from South American PAM-2 magazines. For those competing in subgun matches, Recon Ordnance offers 58 round “Tactical Mags.” These are made from the same magazines they use to make their M-11/9 and M-11A1 magazines but are welded together and refinished. These magazines will give you a substantial edge when competing in subgun matches. They are available for the M-11/Nine and the M-11A1 (.380 ACP). The little M11/Nine proved immensely popular. SWD continued to grow and prosper mainly because of the successful marketing of the semiautomatic-only 9mm M11 and the semiautomatic .380 caliber MAC 11A1. Over the past several years there have been a number of products introduced for enhancing the performance and ergonomics of the M11/Nine. More recently some of the most innovative and highest quality products for both the M11/Nine and MAC have come from Lage Manufacturing.

The Lage MAX-11 slow fire upper receiver converts the M-11/Nine from a bullet hose into a manageable submachine gun by reducing the cyclic rate down to approximately 600 rpm. Features of the upper receiver include; adjustable front and rear sights, a full-length M1913 scope rail and hard mount points for additional M1913 rails on right, left and bottom of the front handgrip. The upper receiver has a side-cocking heavy weight bolt assembly that telescopes over the barrel. The bolt weight is securely attached to the bolt assembly with two hardened cap screws. The MAX-11 upper easily attaches to the stock M-11/Nine lower receiver without any modification to the lower receiver. Lage Manufacturing, LLC also offers a flat top version with a full length M1913 Picatinny rail on the top. Designed for use with removable AR-15/M-16 sights (not included), or can be used with just a scope installed.

Other Lage products available to upgrade the M11/Nine includes barrels, buttstocks (both in a number of varying configurations), accessory rails, foregrips, suppressor gas blocks, extended cocking handles, improved extractors, safety levers and more.

There are quite a few companies that now specialize in the manufacture and sale of MAC and M11/Nine accessories and replacement parts.

Sten Parts
Gun Parts Corporation
226 Williams Lane,
W. Hurley, NY 12491
Orders: (845) 679-2417 or (866) Numrich
Customer Service: (845) 679-4867

IMA – International Military Antiques
1000 Valley Road
Gillette, NJ 07933
Phone: (908) 903-1200
Website: www.ima-usa.com/
Email: customerservice@ima-usa.com

Sten to Lanchester/Sterling Conversions
Don’s Gun Shop
3112-3 Palm Ave
Fort Myers, FL 33901
Phone: (239) 334-6779

Sten Repairs and Restorations
Veronesi Gunsmithing
205 Oak Ave
Seminole, PA 16253
Phone: (814) 275-4382

Reising Titanium firing pins, magazines and parts
Christie Products
www.1022central.com/

MAC Magazines
Recon Ordnance Company
P.O. Box 829
Fond du Lac, WI 54936
Phone: (920) 922-1515
FAX: (920) 922-0737
E-mail: reconord@aol.com

MAC Products
Lage Manufacturing, LLC
1792 E. Shannon St.
Chandler, Arizona 85225
Phone: (602) 430-1978
Website: www.max-11.com/

It may be a matter of opinion that one of the rarest machine guns on the line at the old North Country Shoot on June 21, 1996, was a Madsen LMG designated L.A.M.15. To some, it looked like a “funky Bren” LMG. If asked what it was, the response would be a Madsen. “Oh, the SMG that opens like a clam shell.” No, this is one of the first LMGs and the longest produced machine gun in history. As reported in the October 2008 issue of Small Arms Review (Vol. 12, No. 1), the Madsen had a design that converted a Martini, single shot rifle to a full auto machine gun. L.A.M. M15 means “Leichte Automatische Muskette, M15.” It has been purported that in 1915 the Germans had purchased 500 LAM 15s from Madsen as a transition to the Maxim 08/15s. Very few have survived to be legally registered.

Test firing proved to be difficult as it was awkward to insert the magazine without a cascade of rounds arcing out into the air: frustrating at best. Because the Madsen is a short recoil system it has a tendency to recoil heavily resulting in the tendency of the bipod legs to flop down. This was corrected by an old Germanic “expediency,” a Faber rubber band secured the legs to the barrel during firing. You will note a single round beneath the weapon and an open ejection cover that opens when first firing. This is a good point, to allow the port to be protected from debris and foreign objects getting into the mechanism.

It was a thrill to fire such a rare and historic weapon, serial #56.

Make: Madsen Muskette
Model: LAM M15 “Leichte Automatische Muskette M15
Manufacture: Denmark, Dansk Rekylriffel Syndicat, M1915
Caliber: 7.92X57mm, 8mm German
Production: Allegedly 500 for German Army in 1915
Length: 45 inches
Weight: 20 pounds
Barrel: 23 inches, 4 grooves, RH twist
Magazine: Thirty round single stack
Cyclic Rate: 450 rpm
Muzzle Velocity: 2,350 fps
Photo Origin: Taken by Patricia Ballou, on June 23, 1996
Location: Old North Country Shoot, Stratford Hollow, NH