The conversion work, as well as first level maintenance, is performed by the unit armourer, avoiding the need of sending the rifle to central logistic units; a time consuming procedure that could definitely slow down configuring the carbine to the mission profile.

Short and handy but equipped with a 13-inch barrel, the X95 is a bullpup with a polymer body that offers simple maintenance with an excellent degree of modularity of the essential components like the barrel, bolt group and trigger group.

It is this modularity that allowed them, with very few modifications, to design and realize a conversion kit for the Russian caliber 5.45×39 for the X95, starting from the 5.56 NATO version, making this carbine available in three calibers.

Replacing the barrel, the bolt group and using a modified STANAG 4179 magazine, the X95 is able to shoot the intermediate Russian ammo designed for the AK74.

The operating system, as in the case of the 5.56 NATO, is a gas recovery long stroke piston system with a self-adjusting gas valve.

This version seems to be dedicated not specifically for Special Forces engaged in “Black Ops,” but much more addressed to a possible diffusion on East European markets and to offer a diversified product in those markets where IWI is a consolidated reality, like South America.

Considering this perspective, IWI produces not only the conversion kit but a complete firearm, denominated as the X95R, while the carbine in 5.56 NATO caliber equipped with the conversion kit for the 5.45×39 is identified by the denomination X95L

The new X95 carbine will be presented at the Interpolitex, Moscow, and Expodefensa, Colombia.

A direct derivation from the TAR-21 Tavor bullpup rifle, adopted in 2003 by the Israel Defence Forces, we are going to introduce to SAR readers the version designed for the Sayeret (Special Forces) units, a shorter and more modular rifle that, in case of need, can be converted into an SMG.

The TAR-21 project in Ramat Hasharon was started in 1995 when the Israeli company name was still IMI (Israel Military Industries). In recent times, IMI ownership has been handed over from the State of Israel to a private company, the Samy Katsav Group (the same holding that includes also Meprolight, Selectron International Optronics and Global Shields) and changed its name to Israel Weapon Industries or IWI.

It was the intention of IWI that the new rifle design would have to satisfy the needs of the Israeli infantryman due to the most recent battlefield requirements. A large majority of the combat actions of the IDF happened in urban areas, where soldiers must fight in harsh CQB conditions: apartments, narrow roads, restricted spaces typical of small villages where the terrorist enemy have their site and hold their positions.

Another tactical consideration comes from the fact that IDF is a highly mechanized army. Even if the Israeli soldiers, during their GIBUSH (the selection for the combat units), are trained to cover long distances marching by feet, it is an operative reality that most of their movements on the battlefield are done travelling by APCs, IFVs or by helicopters. This requires them to have the equipment, including the assault rifle, as compact as possible. IDF learned this lesson when they adopted the FN FAL, in the 1960s. Aside from reliability problems they had with this rifle, the FN FAL was a very long rifle and very uncomfortable to carry inside an armoured vehicle or to be handled inside a helicopter during an airborne infiltration behind enemy lines.

Currently IDF is armed with a very small quantity of IMI Glilon (the Galil short version), and mainly with M16A1s, refitted with round handguards and different sling system, and Colt M16A1 Carbines, with old style polymer collapsible stocks, both with fixed carrying handle on the upper receiver. Only in recent times has the series 900 Colt M4A1 carbines been issued. According to battlefield reports, even the M4A1 has been judged by the Israelis as too long to fit the need of the Israel mechanized infantry.

The solution chosen by IWI engineers was to design a bullpup rifle; to have a short rifle without limiting the ballistic of the 5.56mm cartridge because of very short barrels. The result was the TAR-21 rifle (the acronym stands for Tavor Assault Rifle – 21st Century), officially adopted in 2003 by the IDF.

Due to the high number of Elite and Recon units in the IDF, IWI was requested by TSAHA’L to modify the TAR-21 design for its own special forces. The Micro Tavor was born, and after some intensive field testing, the design was refined and modified into the last version, currently delivered to the Israeli army: the IWI X95 Special Forces carbine.

The X95 is really compact: only 590 mm long with its 13 inch barrel. To make a fast comparison, an M4A1 with fully extended stock and a 14.5 inch barrel is 880 mm long.

The rifle is built around a backbone made of a “U” shaped steel rail, where its mechanics move and the polymer receiver is fixed. It’s hard to say that the X95 is beautiful, but its appearance, in the gray-black polymer livery, is very aggressive and martial and less “toy” looking than the previous green polymer. The change reflects the fact that the polymer chosen for building the external body of the carbine has been changed from the previous models.

The old greenish polymer was designed to be rigid and impact resistant as much as possible. With the frequent use during field testing, the main problem was that even if it was able to absorb hard shocks, the polymer was not able to last: after a while cracks in the body started to appear, compromising structural integrity of the weapon. The solution was to adopt another polymer, the current black gray looking one that was “softer” but did not show cracks after intensive use, being also more resistant to the strong UV middle-east sun radiation.

The X95 operates with two different mechanics: the 5.56×45 carbine with gas recovery system and 9×19 caliber blowback operated submachine gun, both using the same body.

The 5.56 carbine uses a long stroke gas recovery mechanism. During the shoot sequence, the bullet in the barrel uncovers a hole, the gas port, which blows high pressure gases into a tube where there is a gas piston that starts to move rearward due the effects of the gases. The gas piston is permanently locked with the prismatic bolt carrier, that starts, in its turn, to move rearward too, and so doing, due to a cam on the bolt carrier body, causes the bolt head to rotate and unlock the breech only when gas pressures are on safe values. The group bolt-bolt carrier keeps travelling rearward for about 70 mm, compressing the recoil spring and ejecting the spent brass. When the kinetic force of the shot ends, the recoil spring pushes forward the bolt-bolt carrier group, feeding a fresh cartridge from the magazine, chambering it and locking again the bolt in the breech locking lugs.

When shooting the 9×19 SMG version instead, it is only the prismatic bolt weight and the force of the recoil springs that define the bolt opening delay to ensure a safe opening of the breech, the rest of the operation sequence being identical to the 5.56 version.

The X95 barrel is produced using a cold hammer forging process, with 6 right-hand grooves, 1:7 twist. This is quite curious since the IDF uses both M193 and M855 ammunitions. The explanation is due to the IDF doctrine, since they do not want to renounce to the better terminal effects given by the 55 grs ball, and reserve the heavier 62 grs ball ammunition only for squad sharpshooters. On the muzzle end of the barrel is mounted a flashider with 5 radial slots located only in the upper portion of it, while the lower part is closed, being this solution identical to the one adopted on the American M16A2 assault rifle.

The gas port is located 187 mm from the end of the barrel extension. On the breech is mounted the barrel extension, with the locking lugs for the bolt. The bolt face presents a singular asymmetric locking lug configuration: the three locking lugs, in fact, are located at 12 o’clock, 4 o’clock and 7 o’clock. This last one, in its turn, is split into two smaller ones. The bolt face is hollow, to create a belt that completely surrounds the cartridge rim ensuring a level of safety in case of gas leak from a broken primer or shell rupture.

On the bolt face there are also a big extractor claw that engages the cartridge rim for almost one quarter of the diameter, and a spring loaded ejector pin. To reverse the spent case ejection, the bolt head must be replaced – an operation that must be performed by the unit armourer.

The bolt carrier is a prismatic rectangular shaped block of steel CNC machined to accept the cam and the bolt head. Protruding from the upper front of the bolt carrier body there is the integral operating rod, ending with the stainless steel terminal of the self adjusting gas valve. Internally the operating rod is hollow to accommodate the recoil spring and the recoil spring rod. The bolt, bolt carrier, recoil spring and spring rod are permanently joined and do not need to be separated during field maintenance. The bolt carrier side walls are straight, sealing the ejection port on the polymer body, avoiding the need of a ejection port lid to keep dust and debris out of the action.

The X95 body is realized in a black-dark gray highly UV and impact resistant polymer plastic. While the rear portion of the body is identical to the standard TAR-21 rifles, the front and middle portion differ greatly for their shapes and commands collocation.

The front handguard has a round section, with ribs on the lower part to give the shooter a better grip. The front and upper part has ventilation holes to allow air to circulate and cool the barrel. At the upper tip of the front handguard there are the backup front sights, realized in polymer and adjustable only for windage. After the backup front sights there is a short Picatinny rail to allow accessories to be mounted. Standard configurations foresee for X95s a tactical lamp, with its PTT button strapped with Velcro on the front handguard.

In the middle portion of the X95 body there is the charging handle. This item is not reciprocating with the bolt movement (on the TAR-21, the charging handle is located in the upper portion of the front handguard) and can be reversed on the opposite side at the shooter’s choice.

Just behind the slot where the charging handle travels, there is a round hole showing a slot to operate a latch. A unit armourer, with a simple tool, can disengage the latch and remove a damaged barrel in minutes.

On the upper part there is another portion of Picatinny rail where the primary sight system is locked. The X95 is normally delivered with the Mepro MOR reflex sight that allows having a red dot sight and a visible/IR laser target pointer (the equivalent of a M68 CQB sight and of the AN/PEQ2) in one compact unit. Lasers can be activated by another PTT button, with its cable placed at operator convenience and strapped to the weapon with another Velcro ribbon.

At the rear end of the main Picatinny rail there are the rear flip up backup sights, integral to the polymer body and built in the same material. Those sights are battle zeroed at 300 meters from the factory and are intended to be used only in case of failure of the primary optronic sighting system.

Behind the backup sights there is a polymer proprietary mount, designed to accept several accessories: the Meprolight MX3, a 3x magnifying riflescope to extend the range of shooting of an infantryman, the Mepro GLS, the Tritium reflex sight for the 40mm grenade launcher (not used on the X95 but on the GTAR-21 rifle), and the Mepro Minimon-I, a II Gen monocular light intensification night vision device compatible with the daylight reflex sight.

IDF prefers to use II Gen NVD, instead of III Gen, because their battlefields are more often urban areas, where there is some degree of artificial illumination, than open rural areas, where night vision must rely only on stellar light.

The trigger guard is very wide, protecting the hand of the operator and allowing him to use it to distribute the weight of the weapon in a more comfortable way than traditional assault rifles. The weight and mass balance of the X95, together with the compact size and central position of the pistol grip, allows an operator to shoot even in full auto the weapon holding it with only one hand, as in the case of shooting around a corner without exposing the rest of the body or the head to enemy fire. The trigger guard can be replaced, on request, with a more traditional one, more suited for operators wearing scuba gloves, such as Shayetet 13 IDF Navy commando units.

Just above the trigger, reachable by the shooter’s index finger, is the ambidextrous magazine release button. The location of this button demands a long rod to transmit the movement to the mag catch, since the magazine well in the bullpup configuration is in the rear portion of the stock and not immediately near to the release button as in traditional rifles.

Immediately to the rear of the trigger guard, easily operated by the shooter’s thumb, is the ambidextrous safety/fire selector with three positions: “S” for safety, “R” for semiautomatic fire (it stands for “Repetition” taken from the FN FAL British nomenclature) and “A” for full auto.

In the rear part of the body, in the middle of the stock at the height of the cheekpiece, there are two wide ejection ports, one for each side. For a right handed shooter, for example, the right ejection port will be left open, and a brass deflector will be mounted with one hex head screw. On the other side, the ejection port will be closed with a plastic lid fixed also with another hex head screw. Set up of ejection ports is done by the unit armourer on the field.

At the bottom of the stock is the magazine well and, behind it, a big hidden button to operate the hold open: when a fresh magazine is inserted, the shooter can press the button with the thumb of the same hand and the bolt will be released, closing the rifle action and chambering a unfired cartridge.

The buttstock is covered with a rubber pad, to help the shooter to keep the rifle on the shoulder and to absorb the recoil.

he trigger group, with the mechanics similar to the AK47, of course is not located in proximity of the trigger, but behind it, in the gap between the pistol grip and the magazine well. IWI has designed it as a whole modular unit to make maintenance easy by both the shooter and the unit armourer. Replacing the trigger group is easy and takes only few seconds: just push out the two big pins before the magazine well and tilt the trigger group module until it is possible to remove it.

All the X95s, and the TAR-21s rifles, are designed to keep essential maintenance as fast and simple as possible, keeping the logistic at field unit level. Only in a few malfunction cases will the rifle be sent to a superior level of maintenance.

The X95 magazines are the usual 30-round M16 magazines, STANAG 4179. This has been done to maintain compatibility with the existing logistic chain. Changing magazines while in battle, for soldiers used to the M16, could be a little bit awkward and slower, but this is a common problem for all the bullpup configuration rifles and can be improved only with training.

Since the TAR-21 rifles have been started to be deployed in IDF combat units, recruits are no longer trained with the M16s, but directly with the new rifles, to avoid problem with manipulation under the stressful conditions of the battlefield, when only muscular memory of movements repeated hundreds of times when performing training drills will drive the soldier to make the right thing in the right moment.

Field stripping the X95 is really easy. After magazine removal and the safety checks to ensure that the carbine is clear with no round chambered, just put the rifle with the muzzle down and have the rubber buttstock in front of your eyes. Push the upper pin at the end of the stock out and open the rubber buttstock like a lid. The buttstock cavity will now be accessible. With two fingers pick the polymer pad, where the recoil spring and the recoil spring rod are attached, and pull it out. Done.

Basically, the X95, and all the TAR-21 rifles and carbines, after field stripping are divided into only two subassemblies: the rifle and the bolt group. That’s all the soldier is requested to deal with. No more pins or small parts that can be lost and make the weapon inoperable.

The X95 can be produced also as a 9×19 caliber SMG. This is the case, for example, of the X95 silenced version, with integral silencer that does not need subsonic ammunitions but uses the ordinary 9 Parabellum ammunition. But in case the mission profile needs it, the 5.56 carbine can be converted into a blowback SMG that shoots from closed bolt position. The kit includes the barrel, the bolt, an insert that will fit the X95 standard M16 magazine well and, of course, 32-round Uzi magazines for the 9mm ammunitions.

The 9mm Parabellum barrel has no gas port and is the same length but has a different rifling twist: 1:10” 4 RH grooves, specific for the 9mm heavier bullets.

The bolt group has no rotating bolt. The bolt, with its extractor and ejector, is integral to the bolt carrier body and machined into it.

The magazine well for the Uzi magazine is a polymer-metallic insert that has the same external dimensions of the 5.56 magazine. It’s a drop-in item that will lock to the normal magazine catch. To operate the 9mm magazine release the operators will use the same magazine release button used for the 5.56 magazines.

The purpose of the 9mm conversion is not only to use a different cartridge when the mission profile requires it, but also to use less expensive ammunitions for training purposes maintaining the same ergonomics.

The X95, in the IWI and Israel Defence Forces, is the next generation of Special Forces assault rifle that combines its compact size and light weight keeping the same ballistics of much longer military selective fire carbines.

It has been designed and developed with the close collaboration of IDF Special Forces, but it can offer a good use potential for all those military/police forces that need for some reason a flexible, modular and compact carbine that can be switched into a pistol caliber SMG.

Battlefield reports, during IDF “Cast Lead” operation in late 2008, have been quite promising, showing that the X95 and the TAR-21 weapon family have a very good reliability record and can stand the ruggedness of real combat.

IWI X95 Specifications

Model: X95
Manufacturer: Israel Weapon Industries (IWI)
Type: Bullpup selective fire carbine (5.56mm) or SMG (9mm)
Rate of fire: 700-1,000 rpm (5.56 version); 750-1,200 rpm (9mm version)
Caliber: 5.56 x 45 or 9 x 19
Action:
Rotating bolt, gas operated by long stroke piston (5.56 version)
or blowback (9mm version)
Barrel: Chrome lined, 6 RH 1:7 twist
(5.56 version); 4 RH 1:10 twist
(9mm version); length: 330 mm for both versions.
Magazine: STANAG 4179 30-round magazine (5.56 version); 32-round Uzi magazine (9mm version)
FCG: Internal hammer, single action, selective fire (safety, semiauto, full auto positions); closed bolt design for both versions.
Sights: Primary sights: reflex optronic sights on Picatinny mounts; backup sights: fixed front polymer sights, rear flip up polymer sights.
Materials: Body: Reinforced, UV and impact resistant injection molded technopolymer; internal chassis, barrel/bolt/carrier: forged steel CNC machined.
Overall Length: 590 mm
Weight: 2,980 grams (5.56 version); 2,900 grams (9mm version); both without magazines.

Transition from a full power caliber round – 7.62x51mm NATO – to the smaller 5.56x45mm intermediate caliber, as the standard cartridge for Italy’s Armed Forces, has been time consuming and troublesome, generating a technological gap between Italy and other nations, both NATO and Warsaw Pact. All this may have changed with Beretta’s new creation: the ARX 160.

The authors were invited to attend the presentation ceremony of the new Beretta ARX 160 Assault Rifle from the world’s oldest firearm manufacturer still in business and test fire the weapon on an Italian Army firing range located in Nettuno, a city facing the Mediterranean Sea, roughly 35 miles south of Rome. This location is well known in America for being, together with Anzio, the beachhead and battle site for the Allied Forces landing of Operation Shingle in World War II.

The ARX 160 is currently delivered in a hard case containing all accessories. A special waterproof and floating soft bag is also available for maritime operations. It is a gas operated, select-fire assault rifle, with a piston action located above the barrel, which fires from a closed bolt.

The weapon’s design is streamlined and stylish, with a dark, flat grey colored Polymer body and is totally different from the sharp and edgy lines of the well known AR70/90. It loosely resembles the lines of the FN SCAR, especially in the stock design, but the rifle is lighter, more compact and structurally very different.

We tested the final version of the weapon that was assembled in a small scale production line that will be ramped up for full scale production in a few months. This version was preceded by a long series of prototypes, built patiently pursuing the best results and performance, taking seriously in account vital feedback from military beta testers, including operators in actual combat scenarios.

The ARX 160 has been engineered from the start to be extremely flexible and modular so as to tailor its individual performance for the mission or task at hand. There are two barrel lengths available at this time for the weapon: 16-inch (standard) and 12-inch (defined, by Beretta, “for special operations”). A 20-inch barrel has been tested, and a 16-inch HB with Match grade rifling should be available shortly to fill in a DMR role.

Both the 16-inch and 12-inch barrels have a flash hider/compensator fitted with 5 radial cuts, plus other 4 smaller cuts, indexed so as to aid in controlling muzzle climb when shooting full auto. Barrels are chrome lined and have a 1:7 twist, optimized for the SS109/M855 ball, and L110/M856 tracer ammunition. Barrels are user changeable in the field, and replacing a 16-inch barrel with a 12-inch barrel, reconfiguring the ARX 160 for CQB scenarios, is amazingly simple and fast. Obviously, there will be a POI shift, and the sights have to be re-zeroed, but the POI shift is consistent from change to change and zero settings can be noted down for both barrels.

To remove the barrel, one only need to simultaneously pull down two slide levers located on the sides of the upper receiver in front and above the magazine well. Once freed, the barrel assembly, which includes the gas block, piston system and the barrel extension, can easily be lifted out of the fore-end. The barrel is not free-floated.

The barrel has an integral gas block from which a short telescoping cylinder protrudes. It took a while to fully understand the rather unusual principle of operation: an evolution of the basic gas operated, short stroke piston system.

The engineers at Beretta managed to design a relatively low pressure gas system that is conceptually somewhere in between a long stroke piston system as used in the AK (and the AR 70/90) and the short stroke piston, i.e. of the AR-18 and recent weapons such as the H&K G36 or 416, FN SCAR, Magpul Masada and others. The piston is not limited to fractions of an inch in its travel under the gas pressure drive, imparting a sharp blow to the bolt carrier. Instead, it is free to move for almost two inches, practically following the bolt carrier for most of its rearward travel, and the gas pressure level in the cylinder is relatively low, yielding a gentler and more constant, positive rearward push to the bolt carrier group.

This system allows the barrel to be mechanically free from the bolt carrier group and operating rod, simplifying barrel removal.

The ARX 160’s bolt carrier sports an integral and monolithic milled operating rod, which projects in front of the carrier and also allows some of the weight to be moved forward, helping to tame muzzle lift. Other benefits that this system offers include the chance to position the gas block in the most efficient location. The absence of mechanical constraints between the barrel and the gas system itself prevents any vibration and interference affecting the weapon’s accuracy, a trait of the majority of long stroke firearms with piston and op rod permanently joined to the bolt carrier, such as the AK. It also solves the problem of carbon build up and hot gases entering the action, so typical of AR weapons employing Stoner’s “direct gas impingement” system.

The gas block features a front sling swivel that is free to rotate 180 degrees allowing it to be out of the way when not needed, and a standard M7 bayonet lug, unorthodoxly positioned over, and on top of, the barrel.

The breech end of the barrel features a multi-lugged barrel extension, similar to the one used in the AR-15 family of weapons and of direct descent from Johnson’s system as used in his Model 1941 rifle. The barrel extension solves any headspace related problem and, being the only other part other than barrel, bolt and gas system subject to propellant gas pressure, allows the use of light materials such as polymers for the receiver of the weapon.

The bolt uses seven locking lugs, each radially placed at 40 degrees and two extractors are located respectively at 3 and 9 o’clock of the bolt face. Apparently, there is no ejector. Each extractor is spring loaded and has a small actuating rod that rides within, and extends beyond the rear of the bolt. Depending on how we move a steel block, accessed thru a hole in the rear of the receiver with the tip of a cartridge, an ejection side is selected. The receiver has an ejection port open on both sides and very shallow case deflectors are present just behind each ejection port. They work surprisingly well and the spent round is ejected towards the front with a 45 degree angle from the barrel.

When the bolt unlocks, and starts moving toward the back, the spent case rim is captured by both extractors. Approaching the end of the bolt’s travel, one of the two actuating rods of the extractor assembly hits the steel block and stops, while the bolt and the other extractor assembly keep moving rearwards. The case is violently pushed by the extractor that suddenly stopped, and that now acts as an ejector. The thrust is exerted not on the base of the cartridge but inside the extractor groove, on the chamfered portion of the groove, to be precise.

The bolt itself is a rather complex block of CNC machined forged steel. The body of the bolt is deeply fluted. The grooves serve as cam guides to rotate the bolt, thru an integral pin within the bolt carrier, to actuate locking and unlocking and also to prevent carbon and other grime build up. The firing pin is spring loaded. The bolt rear presents a milled slot where the firing pin head is located. If the bolt is not fully locked, and this slot is not perfectly vertical and aligned with the hammer, the latter cannot reach the firing pin head and even partial out-of-battery firing is totally prevented.

The bolt carrier is quite interesting as well. It is very long and the flat, strip shaped, front portion acts as an operating rod and receives the impulse from the gas cylinder. The upper portion of the carrier presents a milled channel that contains the recoil spring and guide, while the rear portion interfaces with the bolt. The vertical sides of the bolt carrier are flat and smooth. When the bolt is locked, the carrier seals both ejection ports – meaning a port cover is not needed. Between the bolt and the bolt carrier, right behind the bolt head, we find the hinged, small cocking handle and its flat spring. The cocking handle can be positioned indifferently to the left or to the right side of the weapon, depending on the operator’s choice.

The weapon’s body is entirely made of an impact resistant Technopolymer plastic charged with composite fibers, and can be divided in two main assemblies. The upper receiver contains the bolt carrier group, barrel and gas system, and includes the integral handguard and ends with a folding, and partially collapsible, stock. The smaller lower receiver houses the trigger pack, the magazine well and pistol grip. The upper and lower receivers very cleverly interlock with each other when assembled together, and there is no need for receiver push-pins.

With the stock folded to the side of the weapon, we can access the disassembly lever. Pushing on the lever, and rotating the selector past the “safety” mark, we can pivot open the lower, and remove the bolt carrier assembly. We’ll also find that there is no “hinge,” simply a massive curved notch right in front of the magazine well.

The stock of the weapon is obviously in-line with the barrel, and it is permanently fastened to the upper receiver with a hinge on the right side while the latch button is on the left.

The injection molded upper receiver contains many metal parts and embedded subframes, such as structural reinforcements, sling loops, and metal backplates where Picatinny rails are bolted on. There are no metal guides for the bolt carrier, which rides in the receiver with metal to polymer contact only.

The smooth and streamlined appearance is not only due to “Italian Styling,” it also serves a purpose. Learning from other Polymer based weapon body designs Beretta engineered the weapon with constant curves to eliminate stress points which could lead to cracks.

The top of the upper receiver is fitted with one continuous 7075 alloy Picatinny rail. At the front of the fore-end, right behind the gas block, on both sides we find a number of cooling slots and two more small Picatinny rails, plus one more full length rail is present at the bottom. The latter is not fully 1913 standard, as it ends with a “T rail” specific for fastening the single shot GLX 160 40mm grenade launcher, and is normally protected with a plastic cover when no accessories (i.e. GLX160, VFG, or tactical flashlight) are mounted.

Foldable sights are standard issue. Made of the same polymer as the receivers, the sights are adjustable. The front sight post is adjustable in windage and elevation and the rear peep sight has a six pre-set position disc with dialed distances from 100 to 600 meters.

The sights mainly serve as BUIS, as Italy will field the ARX 160 with an optical primary sighting system: the Aimpoint ACIES, a custom version of the M2 CCO. Being the ARX 160 is the weapon for Italy’s “Soldato Futuro” program (the equivalent of USA’s Land Warrior program); a host of hi-tech aiming systems (including NVG, Thermal, LLTV and Image Fusion technology) are also available, although in prototype form.

The weapon has six sling loops: two on each side, one on the stock, and one on the gas block.

As mentioned, the cocking lever can be positioned on either side of the weapon. About in the middle of the ejection port there is a small mark molded in the plastic. Aligning the cocking lever with the mark, and pulling out the lever, the bolt carrier group freezes in place, and it is now possible to rotate the cocking lever from one side to the other, pushing it thru the ejection port. Pushing in the lever unlocks the bolt carrier and locks the new cocking lever position.

Looking at the aft portion of the upper receiver, next to the folding stock hinge, we note a large hole: it is also present on the other side of the receiver, next to the stock latch button. This is where we insert the tip of a cartridge to select the spent case ejection side.

The polymer stock with a rubber buttplate resembles a large, inverted “L” and is composed of two parts that can slide one inside the other. It is hinged to the receiver, and when folded (pressing on a latch similar in function to the one used in the SIG 550) it does not interfere with the controls or the ejection port, so the weapon remains fully useable. The length of the stock can be adjusted by collapsing the buttstock in one of 4 positions spanning 80 mm. The buttstock can also be completely removed revealing a small tubular compartment for batteries or cleaning kits.

The magazine well, in the lower receiver, is very peculiar. To release the magazine, the ARX 160 offers an ambidextrous and fenced button (similar to the one used in the AR 70/90) on each side of the receiver, and an additional button in the base of the trigger guard. Pushing right up with the thumb releases the magazine. This button is also fenced to prevent unwanted activation. The same button is also the hold open. When the bolt carrier group locks back on an empty magazine, the button will project inside the trigger guard, and upon magazine change, pressing down with the index finger on the button will release the bolt. It is actually a lot easier done than said.

The magazine is totally compatible with the universal STANAG 4179 standard (M16 magazines), and holds 30 rounds.

The fire control group is a classic internal hammer single action, selective fire design offering a three position selector lever, with safe (marked S), semiautomatic fire (1) and full auto (R). The lever itself is ambidextrous and of rounded, smooth design, rotating in total only 82 degrees for best comfort.

The pistol grip is of very simple design with a comfortable inclination and a moderate grip. It integrates a small compartment, closed with a trapdoor, for the issue cleaning kit.

Future improvements include the possibility to change calibers, swapping barrel, bolt, lower receiver and magazine. It is still some 70% of the gun, and it may be viable only for some agency large-scale inventory scenario, since the serial number is engraved on the upper receiver on a steel block embedded in the polymer and readable thru a small window on the right rear portion of the receiver. In addition to 5.56×45 NATO, Beretta has announced that the ARX 160 may be also available in 7.62×39 and 6.8×43 (6.8 SPC Remington). Feasibility studies of chambering the weapon in 5.45×39 mm (M74 Russian cartridge) are under way. Last but not least, a “Heavy” version is undergoing prototypal stages, chambered in 7.62×51 NATO, as this seems to be the trend in the industry and the market (M16 and SR25, SCAR L and H, HK 416 and 417).

The weapon is well balanced though just a bit muzzle heavy. Once we adjusted the stock, cheek weld was perfect. Aiming using both optical sights and the provided fixed sights is natural and comfortable. Trigger reach is satisfactory for small and medium hands though it may be a bit short for operators with very large hands. The plastic trigger shoe is wide and smooth. Feedback is good both in aimed, accurate fire and in full auto. Controls are easy to reach with the firing hand’s index finger and thumb without having to change position.

On a tactical magazine change, the weapon offers various methods to release the bolt. Pulling on the cocking lever, pressing the hold open button inside the trigger guard, and slamming the rifle on the shoulder (works real good if you wear SAPI plates) as the bolt will move back a fraction of an inch and the bolt catch will disengage.

Rapidly shouldering the rifle from a low standby to the natural aiming point is fast and comfortable. The sight picture is perfect after a single familiarization session.

The trigger is smooth and predictable, and has a very crisp let off with minimal overtravel.

At this time, the ARX 160 has been thoroughly tested only in an Italian military proving ground. Reports credit the weapon with performance and MTBF comparable to the HK G36. Design and engineering of the weapon was refined following advice and feedback coming from actual users, serving in the various branches of the military that will most likely adopt the new ARX system as standard issue in the near future.

Samples have been sent abroad and a few are present in United States now for testing and evaluation.

The ARX 160 is a very flexible and innovative assault rifle, featuring many surprisingly simple and intelligent engineering solutions that allow the weapon to be easily adapted for the job. Maintenance of the system appears to be quite straightforward, and the manufacturer claims the weapon to be able to function even without lubrication. As for all things, time will tell if the ARX 160 will be a milestone in firearms development. Our impression is that Beretta managed to jump ahead with what, for all accounts, is a new generation of military assault rifles.

Manufacturer: Fabbrica D’Armi Pietro Beretta S.p.A. Gardone Val Trompia (BS); www.beretta.it
Model: ARX 160
Type: Modular, selective fire assault rifle
Rate of fire: 700 rounds per minute
Caliber: 5.56 x45 NATO
Action: Rotating, multi lug bolt, gas operated by a low pressure “short” stroke piston
Barrel: Chrome lined, 6 RH grooves, 1:7 twist; available lengths: 12 in. (305 mm) and 16 in. (406 mm)
Magazine: STANAG 4179, capacity: 30 rounds
FCG: Internal hammer single action, selective fire (semiautomatic and full auto). Closed bolt design.
Sights: Adjustable, folding iron sights; Picatinny 1913 rail for optical sight attachment
Materials: Barrel, bolt and carrier: forged steel; receivers and stock in technopolymer injection molded plastic charged with composite fibers, and embedded steel structure; Picatinny rails in 7075 alloy (Ergal)
Overall length: With a 16 in. barrel: 920 mm with stock extended; 820 mm stock fully collapsed and 690 mm with the stock folded on the side