Rules and Regulations

Amazingly, there really aren’t any. If it uses separate ammunition and loads from the front you can build, buy, or own most anything you want without so much as a nod to the federal government. Coehorn mortars, Parrot rifles, and Napoleon howitzers – the world is your playground, go wild. Without all-encompassing government regulation how is it that we are not simply awash in cannon-related crime? Indeed, I suppose some things are simply imponderable.

Interestingly, it does not cost a great deal to get into miniature artillery so long as you are handy in a workshop. The same money that might get you a low-end black rifle would set you up with everything you need to add a truly respectable black powder cannon to your collection. The modest version profiled here cost less than half that.

We selected a 1/3-scale Napoleon howitzer. The originals sported a three-inch bore so ours is an inch exactly. That is the equivalent of a 4-gauge shotgun. This yields a size and footprint small enough to be manhandled readily without a team of horses yet still sports enough boom to put a little hair on your chest.

Now a bit of explanation is in order. This project really is within the capabilities of the average American handyman in possession of a back porch, an electric drill, and a few basic carpentry tools. The components are available at very reasonable cost from the internet and Home Depot and the resulting artillery piece will add a definitive flair to any decent gun collection. If properly executed, the resulting gun and carriage are quite attractive and your spouse may even let you display it as décor in the living room – maybe.

Components

The barrel is the hard part. Everything else you build yourself. A little internet research uncovered a howitzer barrel of the appropriate dimensions. There are sizes and configurations available for any budget ranging from those that launch little musket balls all the way up to the full-scale Civil War-era real steel. The barrel liner in our example is high quality steel nested within a sand-cast iron casing. The fuse hole must be drilled by the user but the barrel is otherwise ready to go out of the box.

Our cannon was a home-school project and it took a day at a local military park to draw and dimension the carriage from the static display versions at the Vicksburg, Mississippi, battlefield. The American South is dotted with these parks but if you do not live near one the internet will provide whatever pictures or schematics you might need. Don’t fret too much about the details. Just make it really stout.

The wagon wheels used on this artillery carriage would be a bit tedious to build from scratch so a pair of decorative wheels from Harbor Freight Tools provided a starting point. These wheels are available online and are dirt cheap. The downside is that they are subsequently fairly flimsy. The wheels are designed as garden decorations and are not intended for hard use. However, after firing this cannon regularly for fifteen years these cheap decorative wheels are still soldiering along. We did form rims for the wheels out of aluminum stock to make them a bit more robust.

The lumber for the carriage itself came from Home Depot. The center piece to the trail began life as a 4×4 fence post. Figure out what you want and design it from scratch. That is half the fun. If the artillery carriage with its wagon wheels and elevation device seem too onerous just build a naval carriage. This design uses the same gun tube but incorporates small solid wooden wheels and can be fabricated by stacking two-by-fours in place. It is little more than a chunky box. If having fun on the range overwhelms your desire for historical accuracy just forget the wheels altogether.

Details

The elevation device began life as a hefty machine screw and a nut secured in the carriage. This is not really necessary, some naval carriages just used a wooden wedge, but it is cool to be able to dial-in your shots. The bore mop is at its heart a cleaning attachment designed for a 10-gauge shotgun mounted on a dowel. A homebuilt ramrod had a similar genesis. Large bore eyebolts mount both attachments on the carriage.

A steel rod serves as an axle and clevis pins allow the wheels to be removed for transportation in an SUV. A little time with a hammer and some small-caliber steel bar stock beats out the rest of the appliqué accessories for the carriage. The internet will provide pictures of the originals.

Drilling the fuse hole is painless with a hand drill just be careful to get it aligned properly. Measure the depth of the bore with a dowel or cleaning rod to set the position of the hole along the tube’s length. If desired the gun can be fired with nothing more than waterproof cannon fuse available in rolls online. For a little extra bit of coolness we designed a lanyard system that uses musket caps.

Thread the hole with a hand tap to accept a standard musket nipple. The tap is maybe three bucks from the local hardware store and anyone can use it. The nipple seats in place and accepts Civil War-era musket caps. An old belt and some scrap steel form a little housing with a manual hammer that pivots on a machine screw. A little work with a Dremel tool produces a groove for the lanyard cord that applies enough mechanical advantage to detonate the cap. It is easier to build than to describe and works swimmingly though the lanyard must be snatched with some vigor to detonate the cap consistently.

There are a few aspects of the design that are critical for safety. The recoil on this gun with a full charge is impressive so the carriage itself needs to be robust. Drill and glue dowels across the grain on all load-bearing portions and use long lag bolts to secure the mounting straps over the trunnions. The mounting straps are built from light gauge steel stock beaten into the right shape with a ball peen hammer.

The finish is at the discretion of the builder. Deep walnut stain makes the carriage look classy and some decent spray paint designed for barbecue grills has kept the tube rust free for more than a decade and a half. Now that the carriage is complete and the priming system in place it is time to retire to the range.

Turning Black Powder into Air Pollution

The barrel manufacturer will provide recommended black powder loads. Never use modern nitrocellulose powders unless you crave a fast and gory death. Black powder is a fairly slow-burning propellant and modern gunpowder would result in unacceptable pressures that can rupture the barrel. Pack your powder charges in paper or foil and secure them with thread or tape in advance. Use a piece of wire to puncture the charge through the flash hole to provide an unimpeded path between the cap and the propellant. Track down or build a couple of simple wooden boxes with rope handles for your ammunition and firing supplies to complete the effect.

As regards projectiles let your imagination run wild. Molds for cannonball fishing sinkers are available online to produce cannonballs of any reasonable size. Your local tire place can either give you tire weights or sell them to you for practically nothing. A cheap hot plate and an old cooking pot will melt the lead. I typically use a propane torch to accelerate the process.

Be forewarned, lead is quite toxic and if you spill molten lead on your foot you will wish you hadn’t. Look around online to find the safest ways to manage your own lead casting and don’t handle the stuff without gloves. Interestingly, a four-ounce lead ball has a one-inch diameter but the sleeve in our cannon barrel had a tiny seam that originally prevented our using true one-inch balls. The most convenient projectiles come from steel bar stock cut into little cylinders with a cutoff wheel on a table saw. They are not particularly accurate but they do make a massive splash downrange. Cardboard tubing filled with concrete works great as well and can be made in volume for pennies.

Dixie cups filled with BBs, fishing sinkers, or musket balls properly loaded over wadding yield splendid service as grapeshot. Old batteries shoot just fine as well if your sense of ecological responsibility allows you to deposit them three feet deep into your backstop. For the most part anything you can stuff down the bore in reasonable quantities makes for effective ammunition. Load the gun with nothing more than newspaper and it still makes an awesome bang.

Theatrics

The practical effect of miniaturized cannon fire must be seen to be believed. Even this modest gun is amazingly powerful. Steel bar projectiles sink deep into tree trunks and the crack of firing is audible for miles. Fire the gun at dusk and the fireball is the size of a washing machine. Even in bright sunshine the massive cloud of white smoke and the inimitable smell of burned black powder strike a visceral cord.

As with all pursuits involving firearms, such things are terribly unforgiving of inattention or stupidity. A home built cannon can kill or maim you but so can your high-end black rifle. The same basic gun safety tenets that drive your forays to the range with more conventional iron hold you in good stead with miniaturized artillery. Don’t walk in front of the gun, be completely certain of your back stop, use eye and ear protection, swab the bore between shots with a little water, and check everything several times before firing. Just remember that this gun is incredibly powerful and shoots a really long ways.

Parting Shots

So, if your collection has expanded to the point that your last trip around the local gun show left you feeling unfulfilled you might want to consider a little DIY artillery. For a surprisingly small investment in materials the typical American gun guy with even a little mechanical aptitude can build up a Napoleon howitzer aesthetically pleasing enough to sit next to the coffee table in your living room. This same gun will launch a quarter pound lead ball through a tree trunk or spray the countryside with a charge of grapeshot. Should your aspirations take you in a different direction you could build a Coehorn mortar that will launch a soft drink can filled with sand into low earth orbit. I think that may be my next project. Stay tuned.

For the 14th straight year, Small Arms Review is a co-host of the show and has one entire building all to itself. This building houses mainly exhibitors whose wares have to do with “black rifles,” Class III items, which include machine guns and suppressors, and all accompanying parts and accessories. The show draws vendors from all over the United States as this show is a destination for shooters and collectors. Many of the companies advertising in Small Arms Review magazine or other notable industry publications can be found here showing off their products. The show gives attendees a great chance to have hands on inspection before they part with their hard earned dollars. It also is a chance to meet with industry leaders and the people behind the products that they sell. This year’s show was once again sold out and attendance was above average. Ammunition seemed to be the hot item at this year’s show and even though it was fairly pricey there was plenty of it and the only limit on the amount you could buy was the size of your wallet. Most of the time you had to stand in line to purchase something from one of the vendor tables. There were some very interesting transferable machine guns for sale including a Remington Model of 1917 that was used at Sing Sing prison. Generally, prices on transferable machine guns have stabilized a bit and a number of vendors reported sales.

A lot of the exhibitors choose to introduce their new products at this show much like they do at the SHOT Show. This year was no exception with new firearms, suppressors and tons of new accessories for sale.

There was a new bullpup rifle at this year’s show made by a company called K&M Arms (www.kmarms.com). The new rifle is called the M-17S and weighs just slightly over 7 pounds. It is chambered in .223 with 300 Blackout following next. The manufacturer says there will also be another model to follow in calibers 6.5 Grendel and .308. While you may think that there is nothing new in the way of bullpup rifles, the M-17S has numerous improvements over others that are marketed today. Probably the most notable is that the gun has a 3.5 pound trigger pull. As anyone that has fired a bullpup knows, a good trigger is not usually one of their attributes. This author tried the trigger on the sample gun and it was absolutely fantastic. It was 3.5 pounds and it was very crisp with absolutely no slop or mushy feel to it. It felt like the proverbial glass rod breaking. The gun will also be available with a 5 pound trigger, for law enforcement agencies require at least a 4.5 pound trigger pull for liability reasons. Another remarkable feature is that the rifle only requires three screws to be taken out for the barrel to be removed. The rifle uses AR-15 type magazines and the .308 version will thankfully take the .308 P-Mags. While all controls on the gun are ambidextrous it does eject from the right hand side. The manufacturer tells the author that later versions will be available with left hand ejection for southpaws. Watch upcoming issues of SAR for a detail test and evaluation of this new rifle.

While it is not a brand new firearm, another gun drew lots of attention at the show. A company called U.S. Machine Gun Armory, LLC (www.machinegunarmory.com) is producing a belt-fed gun that is modeled after and even accepts parts from the FN M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. Their gun comes in three models, the MK48, MK46 and the M249. The guns feature several improved features over the FN guns but probably one of the most notable is that these guns accept the H&K G3 or Model 91 triggers pack. So if you already own a registered select-fire H&K trigger pack you can install it in one of the U.S. Machine Gun Armory guns and have yourself a select-fire belt fed. The new guns fire from the closed bolt position and the machining tolerances are much tighter than on the military guns. This provides much better accuracy and longer parts life. These guns are also easily caliber convertible and can be ordered in 5.56 (.223), 5.45×39, 6.8 SPC, 300 Blackout, 7.62×39, Wilson Combat 7.62×40 as well as 7.62×51 (.308). These guns are not cheap but the quality is outstanding. U.S. Machine Armory LLC is also offering Class III models of all guns for qualified purchasers.

There was also a new bolt-action rifle at the show from Robar, originators of the Robar NP3 firearms finish. The new rifle is called the SR 21 Precision Rifle and is a modular chassis system mated with an accurized Remington model 700 rifle. It features a full length Picatinny rail across the top of its monolithic receiver with a 20 MOS slope built in allowing the shooter enough room to mount NV optics in front of the regular scope. It also features side and bottom rails for other accessories. Robar is known for producing precision firearms and the SR21 is no exception. Out of the box they guarantee 0.5 MOA or better accuracy. The gun comes with a MagPul PRS stock that can be removed with the flip of a lever making it easier to store or transport. The new rifle accepts AR-15 style grips and comes with a MagPul MIAD grip installed. The SR21 accepts AICS style magazines and comes with two. The trigger on the rifle breaks at 2.5 pounds but the trigger pull can be custom tailored to user specs. The gun is finished with Roguard or Ply-T2 finish and has NP3 coating on the bolt and internal parts, which makes the action butter smooth. It can be ordered with an optional Surefire flash hider or muzzle brake or with the barrel threaded to customer specifications. The rifle can also be built with a customer supplied Remington 700 short or long action or even most short action Savage rifles.

Michael’s Machines (www.michaelsmachines.com) have long been known for producing H&K style belt-fed guns in .223, 7.62×39 as well as .308. Their rifles are top-of-the-line and run like sewing machines. Now they have turned their attention to the AR-15 style of rifle and have come out with machined billet aluminum upper and lower receivers that are designed to accept AK pattern magazines to turn your AK into a 7.62×39 gun. While this is not a new idea, Michael’s Machines has done it the right way. They have widened the magwell on the lower to accept standard unmodified AK magazines. They have also designed an upper receiver that is wider to match the profiles of their new lower. The new units are black hard-coat Mil-Spec anodized and will accept most all AK magazines and even most drums. Knowing this company, these products will work perfectly.

Suppressor technology has been advancing very rapidly in the last several years. New suppressors are smaller, lighter and quiet their host weapons to a degree that was never thought possible before. On the forefront of these designs is a relatively new suppressor company called APD (Asymmetric Product Development) LLC (www.apdcans.com). The new suppressors from ADP offer extreme sound reduction as well as a small size in a product that does not have to be rebuilt and will hold up even to the abuse of a short barreled rifle in heavy calibers. They have taken cues from the aerospace industry in manufacturing and assembly principle that are used to keep jet aircraft engines intact under harsh conditions and applied them to the manufacture of suppressors. Their manufacturing process is proprietary and results in a can made from the highest quality materials but is still affordable. All of their suppressors are made from 17-7 and 304L stainless steel as well as Inconel 718. Another feature of the ADP suppressor that a lot of other suppressors do not offer is complete flash suppression regardless of caliber. Keep your eye on this company for some dramatic suppressor design.

Another suppressor manufacturer that has been at the show for years was Gemtech. They have been producing quality suppressors since the “early days” but are not much for standing on their laurels. They were showing off several newly released suppressors in different calibers. Watch these pages for more on these new suppressors as they are released. They also are also selling a subsonic .22 cal. LR round with a 42-gr bullet for specific use in suppressed .22 caliber weapons. This ammunition is of the highest quality and with excellent reviews has been greatly accepted by the firearms community. They brought 2 pallets of ammunition and by the end of the show, all were sold.

Firearms are not the only weapons that are displayed and sold at the SAR Show. You can find anything from mini-guns to knives and this year’s show was full of interesting weapons. Arsenal, Inc. (www.arsenalinc.com) is a regular at the show and this year they were displaying their new Special Ops weapons collection. This collection of three NFA weapons are .22 caliber firearms that are disguised to look like something else. Hidden in the handle of a very well made combat knife is a .22 caliber revolver that shoots from a short barrel. The whole mechanism is hidden in the knife handle and is therefore classified as an NFA item requiring a special tax stamp. There are three different models of the knife/gun; the aforementioned model, another that is built into an AR-15 bayonet and a third model that is actually built right into the handle of an aluminum briefcase. These Special Ops weapons are available to anyone that can own a NFA weapon but they are available in very limited quantities. These new weapons bring a whole new point of view to the saying, “Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight.” Now you can have both.

Ammunition, magazines and other firearms accessories make up the show as well as the firearms themselves. There was ammunition there to be had literally by the truckload with enough magazines to supply small countries. With several companies vying for buyers’ attention the prices were very competitive. The items mentioned here are merely a glimpse into the new and exciting things that were displayed at this year’s show. It would take a book to describe everything and even then you would probably not know of everything that was there.

This author has been to a lot of gun shows over the years but this is by far the best one to attend. It has something for everyone, whether you’re a cowboy action shooter or a Class III collector. The show opens on Friday at noon and continues all day on Saturday and Sunday. Even with the show lasting 2½ days it’s still almost not enough time to take it all in. So plan now for next year’s show. The show is always approximately the same time of year, the first weekend in December. If you are looking for ANYTHING firearms related, you can probably find it here. Not to mention that Phoenix is a lovely place to visit in December. Just be sure to take lots of cash and your truck so you can haul home all of your treasures. You also might be as lucky as this author was and your wife will say; “Here’s some money, I never know what to get you anyway, just buy your Christmas present while you’re there”. It doesn’t get any better than that!!

Ruger describes its short stroke piston as a two-stage affair eliminating the sharp pulse often associated with other piston ARs as the op-rod strikes the flat faced carrier key located on the bolt carrier. Ruger’s transfer rod lies behind the gas block regulator and rests between captive springs and bushings. The transfer rod is acted on by the piston between it and the gas port regulator sending it rearward to work the SR-762’s action. One interesting feature of the SR-762’s operating method is the inability to remove the transfer rod and spring for routine cleaning and maintenance. Ruger claims this is not needed as the components are nickel-Teflon coated for lubricity and rust resistance with the transfer rod spring made from stainless steel. The movement of the action provides a functional cleaning of the transfer rod. Another reason for Ruger wanting the transfer rod left alone are the bushings installed around it serve to further dampen vibration caused by the piston acting on the transfer rod. It could be problematic for the users to get these re-installed correctly after disassembly. The design makes the Ruger forend almost monolithic in design compared to free floated. Free floated forends are often temperamental in finding a load that suits it compared to “bedded” forends being steadier in accuracy across the board with a variety of loads.

Conversations with Ruger’s Mark Gurney helped to clarify what is meant by Ruger stating that their piston is a two-stage design. As stated above, Ruger wanted to minimize the sharp impulse of the piston striking the bolt carrier typically found in short-stroke ARs. This impulse is the cause of much criticism leveled at piston ARs associated with carrier tilt and the perception that piston driven ARs are inherently more inaccurate than direct impingement brethren. In laymen’s terms, the Ruger piston delivers two smaller impulses to the operating rod in lieu of one longer sharper impulse of other designs. The piston fitting inside the gas regulator is acted upon initially only by a small amount of gas once cartridge ignition occurs and moves down the barrel. The smaller nipple area of the piston moves about 3/16 of an inch unlocking the action; once this happens the larger surface area of the piston is exposed allowing gas pressure controlled by regulator to effect it and cycle the action during the second stage of piston operation. The bullet has left the barrel at this stage. In crude summary, the first stage acts to alleviate the state of inertia in the action by a “softer” impulse which is then followed by the stronger pulse working the action. The net sum of this is a less traumatic strike on the action as typified by other short stroke piston ARs leading, in theory, to better accuracy and better durability in the bolt carrier.

Ruger’s piston AR design has a four position gas regulator allowing for the user to completely cut gas off (Setting #0) in effect making SR-762 a manually operated rifle up to Setting #3 with the widest orifice in case the rifle is extremely fouled or underpowered ammunition encountered. Setting #2 is the normal setting. Ruger is “all in” making the SR-762 one of the most durable piston driven ARs on the market by chrome plating the piston and bolt carrier along with chrome lined Mil-Spec 41V45 1:10 twist hammer forged barrel. The SR-762 has a Ruger Mini-14 style flash suppressor mounted with a 5/8 inch-24 threads. Overall, length of the rifle is 34.75 to 38 inches depending on adjustable buttstock position. Weight of the Ruger SR-762 is 8.6 pounds.

The Ruger SR-762 features a minimized rail design and that helps to save weight. Not all weapons need rails and an array of accessories to be considered viable. While reliability should never be compromised in terms of cost/performance ratios, other items considered a must for some may not be high priority or worth it for others. The Ruger forend rail is rounded with smooth sides combined with full length flattop receiver featuring Mil-Spec 1913 Picatinny rail at the 12 o’clock position that extends the full length of the handguard. The Ruger forend is drilled and tapped for additional rails at the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions with two additional rail sections included with the rifle to use as owner sees fit. Three Magpul 20-round 7.62 magazines are included along with a very functional soft case for the rifle. Along these lines, Samson iron sights are also included serving as stand alone battle sights or folded down acting as back-up sights once an optic is mounted. A Mil-Spec trigger group rides in the Ruger’s lower receiver. An over engineered match or any kind of competition trigger that can malfunction or go out of adjustment is not suitable for a fighting rifle. All of the Ruger features are intended for maximizing effectiveness during a fight or realistic training on the range. The key component in a fighting rifle is reliability. No matter how accurate or powerful chambering a rifle is, if it does not work 100% of the time it is a liability. All of these features, including slim forend rail, would be several hundred dollars if a user were to purchase a base rifle and set up with these features accessed as after market accessories.

Suppressor use is increasingly popular in the civilian and military/LE realm. As a result, Ruger’s SR-762 is suppressor friendly even though suppressing a .308 AR type rifle while maintaining reliability is difficult. There is simply too much gas volume and pressure in an AR .308 type rifle to allow for proper function without some kind of gas adjustment to account for the suppressor. The need for simple adjustment at the gas block was obvious with Ruger responding. Ruger’s multi adjustable gas system accommodates this.

A Weaver Tactical 1-5x with Illuminated MDR Reticle was used along with a Leupold Mk 4 3.5-10x. The Weaver Tactical 1-5x is designed for instinctive, close-range/low-magnification situations with illuminated reticles, yet allow shooters to engage targets with greater precision at longer ranges thanks to the 5x. The Weaver Tactical 1-5x scope will strike many as unconventional in terms of commonly associated optics on a military style rifle. However, for law enforcement, civilian or private security contractor it is worthy consideration as it supplements the Ruger SR-762’s performance flexibility. The SR-762 mated to variable power Weaver optic is able to handle diverse roles albeit close range engagements or further. The concern for operating the magnified Weaver Tactical in a CQB environment is quelled once one becomes familiar with the Bindon aiming concept. Human vision is based upon a binocular (two eyes) presentation of visual evidence to the brain. The addition of a bright red or green dot in the center of the cross-hairs makes it very easy to keep both eyes open, especially at a low power setting. The brain merges the two images. During dynamic movement, the scene through the telescope blurs because the image moves more rapidly due to magnification. The one eye sees the bright dot against the blurred target scene, so the brain picks the scene from the unaided eye. The shooter swings the weapon towards the target while perceiving the dot indicating where the weapon is pointed. As soon as the weapon begins to become steady in the target area, the brain switches to the magnified view.

The Leupold Mk 4 3.5-10x scope served as primary optic during accuracy testing. Frankly, the Leupold could be left on the Ruger SR-762 if a user desired; based on the accuracy level exhibited by the rifle. An offset mount bracket featuring a Leupold Deltapoint or similar pattern red dot offered by other manufacturers would quell any concerns of the Leupold not being conducive in a CQB engagement. The offset mount allows a quick rotation of the rifle in the shoulder pocket a few degrees accessing the red dot optic with minimal effort or disturbance of handling.

Winchester 168gr Match, Hornady 168gr TAP, Federal 168gr Match, and Black Hills Ammunition 168gr Match was used evaluating the Ruger SR-762. No ammunition tested produced over 1.75 inch groups at 100 yards with most five round groups at 1 inch or slightly over. This is quite a statement. There are many bolt action rifles chambered in .308 that do not have this type of accuracy – let alone a factory mass produced semiautomatic AR. FMJ loads from Winchester were tested as well. This was more for making sure of functionality than for primary use. The Ruger SR-762 proved reliable throughout this evaluation with over 400 assorted rounds sent downrange. The SR-762 accepts Magpul PMag 20-round magazines. Three are shipped with the rifle. Several more of the Magpul magazines were acquired for this evaluation. Magpul’s PMag 20LR magazine is quickly becoming the standard .308/7.62x51mm AR magazine with several manufacturers setting up their lowers to utilize the Magpul product. Quality magazines are a linchpin for a reliably functioning semiautomatic or select-fire weapon.

The Ruger SR-762’s 16 inch barrel combined with 168gr bullets produced velocity in the low to mid 2,500 fps range when tested over a RCBS chronograph. The SR-762 was evaluated at Echo Valley Training Center (EVTC). The rifle was not only evaluated within the 100 yard bays at EVTC firing from barricades and engaging multiple targets, but also back at the prepared firing position line with targets placed out to 300 yards. Numerous drills were run involving magazine changes and moving between barricades simulating cover. US Palm Multi Platform Attack Rack chest rig and Agile Combat System (ACS) armor was used in evaluating the Ruger SR-762. The Multi Attack Rack is a low profile platform that can be configured for a variety of magazine profiles. For this evaluation with Ruger SR-762 it was set up for five PMag magazines and four pistol magazines. The Multi Attack Rack chest rig can be worn over hard or soft body armor and is built to military specifications out of 500d Cordura nylon for durability and minimal weight. It allows for a Level III soft armor insert. The ACS also comes with a Level III soft armor insert with ability to install hard SAPI plates. Like the Ruger SR-762, the US Palm ACS is imminently adaptable allowing a user to configure front and rear components as needed based on perceived mission needs. The ACS is another addition to US Palm’s stable of products available for security conscience civilians, military, or law enforcement. The ACS mounts quickly and offers body armor protection along with capability to carry rifle magazines and pistol magazines if so configured.

Ruger’s decision to expand its AR model line-up with the piston driven SR-762 is a valid one. While the SR-762 is not going to be issued to our military services, LE and security conscience individuals would do well to consider it. The combining of the AR platform with the increased power represented in the .308/7.62x51mm cartridge is the key to its appeal. This is speaking in terms of lethality and effective range, while still allowing for multiple rounds sent quickly downrange if needed in a close range melee. In training courses experienced involving LE, military and private security contractors the mantra of “one mag one kill” is often repeated in relation to the M16/AR-15. While the 5.56mm round is often chided in terms of lethality, the .308/7.62x51mm does not suffer from this reputation. With budgets constantly under pressure, the Ruger SR-762 could be the answer to fulfilling a multitude of roles – DMR rifle, general-purpose patrol rifle, or entry weapon. This is a positive reflection on the rifle’s accuracy, reliability, handling and ergonomics.

Nothing is as individualistic as choosing the pack for carrying necessary items on a mission or even a back country foray. Factors such as accessibility, adaptability, fit, weight to mobility ratio, retention, and most effective use of limited real estate found on an operators body all come into play in the decision making process. Military, law enforcement, private security contractors (PSC) and civilians each will have different stimuli dictating what carry method works better from them. The process gets even more complicated when multiple weapon platforms are in the operator’s inventory. Training experience, observation, and communication with personnel from the above mentioned cross section – military, law enforcement, PSC, and civilian – indicates that Eberlestock is a good place to start looking for a pack.

Eberlestock traces its founding to 1985. At the time, Glen Eberle was working his way through college and competing in biathlons at the Olympic level. Glen Eberle was a member of the U.S. National Biathlon Team for eight years, and a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team. Biathlon is a grueling sport that combines the opposing disciplines of cross country skiing and rifle marksmanship. Following the 1985 World Championships, Glen decided that it was time to make some changes to the rifle he’d been packing around. He embarked on a project to build a better gunstock. The initial idea was to simply make it stronger, but as he began studying the concept, he realized that there were opportunities for weight savings as well. Glen invented a rifle system that set the standard for modern biathlon competitions by removing four pounds from the rifle weight. Soon, Glen was making dozens of his new stocks. In homage to this start Glen named his company Eberlestock. Eberlestock soon evolved into other innovative products that set the standard in their respective fields: the Eberlestock hunting/military packs. The Eberlestock Gunslinger II (G2) pack is being reviewed herein and serves as an excellent example of Eberlestock’s simple, practical ingenuity.

Glen Eberle’s entry into backpacks evolved from his own passion for hunting in the rugged terrain of Idaho and surrounding states combined with his background in biathlon. Glen states, “…after an elk is down is not the time to think about heading off of the mountain in order to get a freight pack, so that you can come back up the mountain to start carrying meat. At the end of the day, you’ll be glad to have saved those extra miles, especially if they’re vertical ones. The desire to have my meat pack with me, combined with the experience of carrying rifles on my back in the sport of biathlon (along with my habit of tinkering) led me to start making true hunting packs for myself many years ago. At the time, there really weren’t any good hunting packs available, so if you wanted to make something to get the job done, and didn’t own an industrial sewing machine, you spent a little time with a Speedy Stitcher and made what you needed.”

A true hunting/tactical pack is not something picked up at a national retail chain store. It needs to be quiet, tough, and versatile in terms of serving as both a pack for active hunting and when the work starts of packing out meat. Of course, it is not a large stretch of the imagination to realize that once you make a backpack that carries a rifle, then the military, law enforcement, private contractors, and security conscience civilians will take note. Eberlestock’s hunting packs evolution into a tactical pack product line up sped up after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Eberlestock gear is in service all over the world with Special Forces, regular military and police units. Eberlestock’s “secret” as typified by the Gunslinger II is to design a pack so gear is easy to find as well as make it easy to attach things to the outside of it. The G2’s combination of being a top loader and accessible front panel means that the main compartment is hassle free to access. There’s no digging and wrestling with your pack to free an item – its quick at hand. It’s a great combination. Glen learned via biathlon experience if you carry your weapon on your back, you’re much more agile and effective than if it’s stuck in your hands or on a shoulder sling all of the time; simply no better way to move about in an organized fashion. By having the pack carry the rifle, your hands are free for all of the things you need them for when you are traversing terrain. Furthermore, Eberlestock makes it so that you can get your weapons off the pack without having to un-strap everything that you’re wearing. Most importantly the pack must be comfortable considering all the time spent with it out in the field. The Gunslinger II (G2) has all these characteristics.

The G2 is the latest evolution of the original GS05M Gunslinger pack. Glen Eberle relates conversations he had with numerous SOCOM operators who choose the G2 over all others available. It’s a mid-sized pack with a full-width scabbard to better accommodate weapons with larger cross-sections or bulky optics; weapons up to 60 inches long can be accommodated. The wide scabbard also allows it to serve as an excellent laptop or military radio compartment and because it is also wide at the bottom users have the option of carrying weapons butt-down or butt-up. Eberlestock’s “Control Clips” at the top of the G2’s Backscabbard compartment are used to segregate the scabbard and also to securely hold a rifle. The Control Clips are also used to hold the top cover onto the scabbard locking your rifle into the pack. The G2 offers 2,700 cubic inches of space measuring 22 inches high, 10 inches wide, and 8 inches deep. The G2 can be generalized as a Three-Day pack in terms of what it can carry afield. The G2 is waterproof with the 1000d Cordura Nylon material polyurethane coated.

The G2 comes with the Eberlestock’s Intex-II frame system. The Intex-II is another example of Eberlestock innovation; it out-performs both traditional external frames and internal frames. The G2 equipped with Intex-II frame offers the support structure of an external frame without the noise. The Intex-II frame helps to minimize weight while offering the close to the body ride and comfort of an internal frame pack. The G2 weighs just over 8 pounds. The Intex-II adds a new level of stability to the Gunslinger II making it a tough heavy load capable pack. The Intex-II frame can be removed, which effectively reverts the pack back to the traditional G2 platform. The distinguishing Eberlestock weapon scabbard of the G2 can be folded into the pack secured by a buckle if not required. This configuration is good for shorter weapons and other gear. The folded scabbard makes a great place to carry a laptop computer if rifle carry is not required for specific missions. Eberlestock has enhanced the padding configuration on the G2 to increase critical comfort points on the users back. The G2 padding and carry straps allow for maximum breathability and optimal contact point for increased comfort even when worn over armor.

The Eberlestock G2 was evaluated during multiple trips to Echo Valley Training Center (EVTC). These visits included accommodating various rifle types that were being tested as well as general scouting/patrolling on EVTC’s 300+ acres. The Eberlestock G2’s versatility was appreciated – especially its numerous easily accessible compartments. Many train and operate with multiple calibers either by choice or necessity. Accessing gear must remain seamless with no hitches caused due to different feel or location of pouches. The G2 is designed with this set of circumstances in mind. An obvious question is to what degree is your rifle accessible when placed in the G2’s scabbard. Most military applications see a sniper or precision rifle contained within the G2 scabbard during entry into operational zone with CQB weapon carried in the hand. It is certainly not optimal if surprised and required to dig your weapon out of the scabbard during a hunting or tactical situation. The key to success is drawing the top shoulder pull-straps tight, so that the top of the pack is brought as close to your shoulders as possible. Reach back with your left hand and find the rifle and begin to withdraw it. Once the left arm is extended, reach up and grasp the gun with your right hand and continue to withdraw it. These two hand-holds usually free the gun from the scabbard, and take as little time as un-slinging a gun from your shoulder. This method was validated during “walk arounds” at EVTC.

Anyone contemplating using an Eberlestock pack, or any other pack for that matter, is encouraged to visit Eberlestock’s well done informative website. Much valuable knowledge is available in terms of custom fitting your pack. The Eberlestock advantage is quickly perceived in terms of adjustability and the insightful tweaks made to their designs with both vertical and horizontal adjustments possible. As discussed on Eberlestock’s site and experienced during use of the G2, start by loosening the shoulder straps enough so that the pack settles right down onto the top of your hips and the bottom of the lumbar pad rests on your upper pelvis. Crank the waist belt tight. Next, adjust the shoulder straps to bring the pack snugly around your shoulders. Next buckle and adjust the chest strap for comfort, and to control the lateral placement of the shoulder straps. Slide the sternum strap vertically up or down as necessary. Finally, crank the top-pull adjustment straps snug to bring the top of the pack closer to your body. These simple measures ensure maximum user comfort and performance while afield. More extensive and detailed directions are available in video form on Eberlestock’s website.

The G2 is no compromise candidate relying on its adaptability for its sole attraction; it offers a user the capability to adapt his equipment to the mission at hand without concern of losing performance. This peace of mind is invaluable for someone working in dynamic shifting environments. The Eberlestock Gunslinger II is not a “sniper” only pack. The G2 is perfect candidate for a “bug out” bag, especially considering one’s weapon can also be stored in same place as pack with a magazine in place if an AR or AK. It is possible to completely cover your rifle with the Eberlestock “butt cover” to keep away elements or prying eyes. A top pocket on the G2 features a handy internal organizer, with several small pockets, pen holders and a padded pocket that effectively serves as magazine holder for AR-15 or similar style magazines. Anyone needing a flexible pack set up that does not compromise on retention, accessibility, and maximum effective use of limited space on one’s person should consider the Eberlestock Gunslinger II.

Eberlestock

PO Box 862
Boise, ID 83701
(877) 866-3047
www.eberlestock.com

Chris Kurzadkowski was not new to firearms. While serving active duty in the Army he was on the 9th Infantry rifle team and eventually would become the division sniper. Then he was off to Korea, then to the 7th Infantry Division where he was assigned to CEDC while on active duty with a test battalion. Then he entered the Army Reserves where he wound up in Mechanized Infantry units and finally to test and evaluation units until he retired. He tested small arms and served in test and evaluation units until his retirement from the reserves.

Battle Rifle Company debuted at the 2012 SHOT Show where he introduced his standard lines of rifles. In 2013 the company attended SHOT Show as well as the NRA Annual Meeting and Exhibits.

With all these different Black Rifle manufacturers, something has to set each of them apart from the other. Battle Rifle Company has many areas they stand out.

• Every rifle is assembled by an armorer. There is no production line. Each rifle is individually crafted and custom for the customer if special ordered. It is Chris’ plan to remain this way. Although only 30 rifles are made per month at this point, he plans to hire additional experienced armorers to increase production to 100 per month.
• Battle Rifle Company manufactures their own design flash suppressor that eliminates 98% of the flash according to Battle Rifle Company.
• All of the barrels are cryogenically treated to increase the life of the barrel.
• Each rifle is custom tuned to run optimally.
• Every rifle has a rail of some sort on it. Knowing most every customer would want one to add accessories, the rifle is provided this way so it may be pulled right out of the box and put into service.
• Every rifle is equipped with back up sights. Early rifles have either A.R.M.S., Inc. folding polymer sights or Magpul polymer sights. As of this writing, Battle Rifle Company is phasing in their own design folding back up sights on their production rifles.
• Each rifle comes with a C Products steel magazine or PMag LR polymer magazine.
• Each trigger is polished giving a trigger pull from 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 pounds. Also what is a referred to as rapid reset spring are added to increase the speed of follow up shots.
• All components are manufactured by manufacturers that make Mil-Spec parts for the U.S. government as well as the OEM that produce them such as bolts, carriers, receivers and so on.
• The customer has options of stock assemblies such as the Damage Industries Enhanced Combat System Stock, Magpul stocks, Chaote M4 stock and Enhanced M4 stock to name a few.
• Depending on the model, the barrels are manufactured by Ballistic Advantage, Green Mountain, DSS or Blackhole Weapons.
• Every mag well is currently inspected with numerous manufacturers of magazines to insure compatibility with all commercially available magazines.

The rifle submitted for test and evaluation had an 18-inch barrel with the Battle Rifle Company designed Disintegrator flash hider. The precision machined barrel has a 1 turn in 11 inch twist and is cryogenically treated to relive stress from the steel. There is a low profile gas block, which is under the handguard. The rifle was equipped with a Troy Industries fully free floating handguard. There are removable rail sections on the handguard as well. There are two-inch rail panel sections on the front left and right side and a 4-inch rail panel on the front bottom of the handguard. Attached to that is a Harris bipod, which is standard on the 18 and 20-inch barrel versions of the rifle. The 18 inch barrel uses a mid length gas tube.

The upper receiver is DPMS pattern with the combination of forward assist and fired cartridge case deflector all in one. This particular rifle had a standard charging handle/latch. There is an ejection port dust cover as well. The front and rear back up sights provided on this rifle were the A.R.M.S., Inc. #17 folding polymer buis.

The bolt carrier group provided was the JP Enterprises low mass bolt carrier and enhanced bolt. The low mass bolt carrier is designed to regulate the bolt velocity with regulation of gas pressure rather than by the mass of the bolt. The enhanced JP Enterprises bolt is a high pressure bolt and deals with ammunition incompatibility that plagues .308 rifles. Primer blowback and case head ejector flow modifications have been made. The bolt uses a more durable extractor over a wide variety of ammo. The firing pin mass has been reduced and that gives a 30% increase lock time.

The lower receiver also is DPMS based. The receiver extension offers six positions for the buttstock. The rifle was equipped with an Enhanced Combat Stock system with a sling swivel and easy grip adjustments. The stock has a triangular shaped cheek weld with the Battle Rifle logo on it. The rifle features a custom heavy buffer. The rifle has an Ergo grip that makes a much more comfortable and stable grip on the pistol grip. An ambidextrous safety lever was provided on the lower receiver. The trigger guard is part of the lower receiver making it very strong and durable. The magazine well is adapted for the standard SR-25/original AR-10 pattern rifle. The rifle was supplied with one Magpul PMag LR magazine and was also tested with a Knights Armament steel 20-round magazine as well as a C-Products steel magazine. The trigger provided in this rifle was a standard one stage combat trigger that broke at 7 1/2 pounds. On the rear of the receiver extension plate is a one point sling adapter mount. There is a tensioning screw located in the bottom of the lower receiver that permits tension to be put on the upper receiver to keep the receiver’s tight similar to that of the SIG 517 rifle.

The rifle was equipped with a Trijicon ACOG 4×32 TA31RCO-A4CP. This optic is powered by both fiber optics in day time use and tritium lamp by night. The scope is manufactured from 7075 T6 aircraft aluminum forgings, same as the Mil-Spec M16/M4-series rifles. The scope was equipped with a flash kill on the end to eliminate glare being seen that may give away the shooter’s position. The reticle was a red chevron with a bullet drop indicator. This particular optic has bullet drop compensation for the M855 62gr 5.55mm projectile but zeroing at 100 meters worked just fine for this 7.62x51mm rifle.

The ammunition chosen for this test and evaluation rifle was U.S. military M118 Match 7.62mm ammunition, Hornady 175gr Superformance Match OTM and Black Hills 168gr OTM. Silver State Armory 7.62x51mm M80 FMJ ammunition was used for function testing. The rifle experienced no malfunctions with any of the ammunition. More than 200 rounds of M80 ball were fired. The best group of the day was 1.565 inches at 100 yards using Hornady Superformance Match 178gr BTHP (#8077) ammunition. All ammunition fired was under 2 MOA. The only issue encountered with this rifle, and it may have affected the accuracy, was the trigger. The trigger had significant creep and was scratchy. In speaking with Chris Kurzadkowski, he stated that all new production rifles will come with a two stage trigger. I expect this rifle would have shot even better with one of these newer triggers.

The rifle can be had in 14.5, 16, 18 and 20-inch barrel lengths. There are various offerings with different rail assemblies and ambidextrous charging handle/selector lector lever. BRC also offers their logo to be left black or colored in their trademark yellow. Battle Rifle Company is a new entry into the Black Rifle market and just finding their way in. Although they do not make many rifles they do make fine quality rifles.

The story of the UTS 15 shotgun begins around 2006, when Smith & Wesson decided to explore expanding its line of shotguns with an unorthodox design based on improving the South African Neostead shotgun. At the time Smith & Wesson did not manufacture any of its shotguns in house; instead they utilized UTAS as an OEM and thus they turned to UTAS for the project as well. (As a sidenote, during this time, UTAS was also making shotguns for other U.S. brands like Savage-Stevens and Kimber.) UTAS obtained patent rights and samples of the Neostead shotgun from its designers. After initial evaluation UTAS decided to redesign the weapon completely, retaining its basic bullpup configuration and dual over-the-barrel magazines but create everything else from the ground up. All development work was carried out at the UTAS facility in Turkey. In 2008, Smith &Wesson withdrew from this project due to its internal problems while UTAS deciding to continue development of its new shotgun design under its own name.

Many would offer up the 12 gauge pump-action shotgun as the most utilitarian weapon option on the market. The operating standard for the tactical shotgun has been pump-action fed by a magazine tube located under the barrel since John Browning showed the way with the 1897. This is based on the 12 gauge pump-action shotgun’s simplicity, flexibility, reliability, price, and potency; especially considering ranges that typify law enforcement or home personal defense situations. Whatever the label, i.e. combat/tactical/self defense, shotguns can be had in various configurations ranging from double barrel, pump action, semiautomatic and for good measure even lever action. There have even been bolt action shotgun designs; none of these impinged on the pump action’s popularity based on reliability, ruggedness, able to handle a multitude of ammunition types, and ergonomics. The inherent flexibility of the shotgun, especially the pump-action, to digest a variety of cartridge types such as birdshot, slug, buckshot, non-lethal, low recoil or breaching is one of its greatest attributes.

The UTS 15’s bullpup profile immediately grabs one’s attention with its unique aesthetics. Attempts at finding the exact origin of the term Bullpup came up with nothing definitive with a favorite being that in British usage a “Bulldog” was a heavy caliber revolver firing a .45 caliber bullet from a snub nose barrel. They were based on the Webley Police Revolver for the Royal Irish Constabulary. As most know, British police did not normally carry guns. However, a British policeman in Ireland who did not have a gun was tempting fate, so they wanted a powerful, yet compact weapon they could fit under their uniform. It was called “Bulldog” because the archetypical British breed Bulldog has a snub nose, similar to a revolver with a short barrel. Therefore, the British who were early innovators of the modern form of the “Bullpup” rifle associated the earlier term “Bulldog” i.e. a shortened or abbreviated form of a handgun, with the same form for a rifle and thus the endearing term “Bullpup” is born. Or so the story goes…

Bullpup style weapons have always generated strong opinions both for and against with both sides putting forth a litany of reasons regarding the concept to support their position. Advocates claim that nothing more than pointless moribund traditionalism stifles Bullpup-style weapons from being adopted widespread with detractors denigrating Bullpup effectiveness to the point of challenging the basic raison d’être for the design. Bullpups are firearm configurations in which the action is located behind the trigger group in the space normally solely reserved for the stock. This permits at least 7 to 10 inch shorter firearm length for the same barrel length thus improving maneuverability, handling and reducing weight. The UTAS UTS 15 features a full length 18.5-inch barrel yet has an overall length less than 28 inches. The compact size disguises great capacity with two 7-round tube magazines nestled over the barrel offering 14+1 capacity with 2 3/4 inch shotgun shells. The UTS can also accommodate 3 inch 12 gauge shells.

We should guard against inherent conservatism that runs deep in the gun culture when first evaluating the UTS 15 and keep an open mind. While more familiar traditional pump-action manual of arms needs to be tweaked with the UTS 15, it is worth the training effort as it offers a significant increase in the shotgun’s capacity – always a knock against the design. A pivoting selector switch located behind the magazine tube’s loading area allows a user to select between left or right magazine tube. Each magazine contains up to 7 rounds and has its own loading port on the side of the gun, so each magazine can be loaded independently. The loading ports have covers offering generous access to load shotshells once pulled back. The UTS 15 is provided with a large hinged top opening cover, which also serves as a comb of the stock, to ensure fast and convenient access to the action to check if the chamber is loaded or to clear an occasional jam in case of a deformed round. The UTS 15 shotgun is fitted with a rubber buttplate and several sling attachment points. Since the UTS 15 has its magazines located on top of the barrel, there is plenty of space inside the sliding forend guide below the barrel. This space has been maximized by UTAS via proprietary laser/light combo unit. The laser offers point and shoot characteristics perfect for shotgun and the tactical light is crucial equipment for any tactical weapon.

UTAS’s decision to utilize the compact bullpup profile with the UTS 15 minimizes the expected front heavy feel when both magazine tubes are fully loaded as would be the case with a standard profile pump action shotgun. Loaded tube magazines located above the barrel aids in keeping the muzzle down during firing. Slots along the magazine tubes allow a user to visually inspect how many rounds are available. The UTS 15’s ejection port is located on the right side of the gun and has a hinged dust cover that opens up automatically when the action is cycled. Its barrel has a chrome-lined bore and is provided with internal removable chokes. An AR-15/M16 style manual safety is located on the left side of the pistol grip. The right side of the grip is reserved for controls for the optional built-in laser/light unit. Barrel locking is achieved by conventional rotary bolt with three lugs that lock directly into the barrel extension.

The UTS 15’s pump action proved smooth with a compact stroke. The pump release lever is located on the bottom of the buttstock and can be manipulated with either hand. A Picatinney rail runs along the top of the UTS 15 allowing for the mounting of a variety of sights. The AR style sights, especially with the large aperture selected, are similar to ghost ring sights commonly found on tactical shotguns. The sights proved proficient at placing slugs at a distance. Individual user preferences can be fully explored as to sight selection with red dot sight a consideration.

The eye opening and most unique feature of the UTAS UTS 15 is its compact Bullpup shape combined with two 7-round tube magazines above the barrel Range evaluations were twofold concentrating on determining if the dual tube magazines negatively impacted the UTS 15’s reliability in any way and if the Bullpup design magnified felt recoil. The UTS 15 weighs in at 7 pounds and has its own unique operational characteristics that need to be accepted for the most efficient use of the platform. The dual magazine tubes could be used to load certain types of shotgun ammunition in one side for breaching, for example, and then switch the selector to buckshot once through the door.

There is something re-assuring about the power of a shotgun for any close range engagement, which is what most civilians and LE face. The UTS 15 accentuates this feeling with its compact size yet higher than norm capacity. In terms of combat or personal defense, shotguns fire two primary types of shells – slugs or buckshot. This ability to handle different styles of projectiles is at the root of shotgun effectiveness and popularity with LE, military, and civilian users. (Many advocate the use of #7.5 or #8 birdshot in a shotgun for use in a home to limit any chance of over penetration. A column of birdshot at close range, such as across a room, is lethal due to not having time to disperse.)

The UTAS UTS 15 was tested with Hornady Critical Defense #00 buckshot (8-#00 pellets) and Federal Premium Personal Defense #00 buckshot (9 #00 pellets). Wolf and Winchester 1oz. slugs were utilized as well. Both slug loads were designed for hunting but work fine in any role including defense. Slugs leave the muzzle between 1,300-1,600 fps depending on particular manufacturer producing over 2,500 ft/lbs of energy and offer a ballistic track of +3 inches at 50 yards to give a 100 yard zero. The Hornady Critical Defense and Federal Premium buckshot loads utilize special wads for tighter buckshot patterns – thus longer effective range. Tighter patterns translate into more potent performance at ranges thought unrealistic for buckshot effectiveness. Low recoil Winchester and Federal buckshot and slug loads were also employed in testing the UTS 15. This is another advantage of the pump action in that a user or department does not have to worry about low recoil shotgun cartridges functioning with a pump action as compared to a semiautomatic action.

The UTS 15 generated a spread of 2-6 inches at 10 yards with the Federal and Hornady buckshot loads. This indicates that a shotgun must be aimed to ensure accurate shot placement. Both buckshot loads’ spread increased to 12-18 inches out to 30 yards. The UTS 15 with the Hornady Critical Defense 12 gauge #00 and Federal Personal Defense #00 was able to place four to five pellets on IPSC style silhouette targets out to 45yards. This is unheard of performance with standard buckshot loads.

Supplementing the standard slugs for testing with the UTS 15 was the innovative Winchester PDX 1 12ga loading combining a 1 ounce slug and three-#00 pellets. The Winchester PDX 1 12ga loads stretch preconceived 12ga lethality notions even further with its combination of slug and buckshot. Range testing of the Winchester PDX 1 raised eyebrows with its performance combining the best of both worlds for the combat shotgun – 100 yard slug single projectile performance and 15-20 inch buckshot pattern spread out to 30 yards with one of the holes being made by the 1oz slug. The Winchester PDX 1 had the same accuracy as dedicated slug only loads, 3 inch groups at 50 yards, with added benefit of three-#00 buckshot pellets allowing for shotgun multi-projectile performance. If only one load is possible for use in a combat shotgun, the Winchester PDX 1 may very well be it. It has the ability to eliminate the need for transitioning between buckshot and slug loads; thus eliminating the need for the infamous “switch to slug” drills employed in many training seminars.

The UTAS UTS 15 is all business with its matte black receiver, Bullpup rear stock, enlarged barrel with dual tube magazines resting above the barrel, and tactical light/laser the forend. The use of AR aperture sights take nothing away from the UTS 15’s pointability and quick shot placement required from a shotgun as numerous thrown clay targets were destroyed while testing at Echo Valley Training Center. The shotgun’s popularity is derived from the ability to hit targets at moderate ranges better than any other weapon with its cone of firepower via the numerous projectiles it can send downrange with a single trigger pull. The firing of 15 rounds of #00 buckshot translates into 135 projectiles sent downrange in a few seconds. The combat shotgun’s utility should not be doubted or held in disdain once its role is understood. Yes, the smaller individual buckshot pellets are comparable to a small caliber handgun in wounding potential, but multiple projectiles increase the likelihood of more hits and damage.

Typical of most pump-action shotguns, the UTS 15 proved simple, effective and reliable. The UTS 15 has received mixed reviews on the various internet forums and video channels. Near 250 rounds of various loads were fired in this T&E, including light birdshot, without issue. Range time consisted of the patterning described above along with other exercises trying to get a better appreciation of how the UTS 15 shotgun handles and performs. Drills involving moving between barricades engaging shoot and no-shoot targets were handled without issue. Yes, a shotgun can be viewed as limited in terms of range, but this is not necessarily a liability for civilians, LE and certain missions in the military where range is not an issue with a premium put on CQB stopping power. Range testing proved the UTAS UTS 15 is not a fad or conversation piece, but a workable solution to many of the negatives associated with the 12 gauge pump-action tactical shotgun.

UTAS USA

1247 Rand Road
Des Plaines, IL 60016
Phone: (847) 768-1011
www.utas-usa.com

A Brief History of the .22 Caliber Uzi Conversion Kits

In the past, .22 caliber conversion kits for the Uzi have been manufactured by Israeli Military Industries (IMI), Action Arms, Group Industries, Vector Arms and more recently, the Barrelxchange and Subgun Ordnance. Group and Vector made several variations of their full-auto kits, most having only moderate success. However, despite having a known reliability concern, today the kits, and their accompanying .22 caliber magazines, are sought after by collectors. One thing that most of the kits had in common was they required some tuning to be functional.

When the first semiautomatic Uzi carbines were imported into the U.S. during the 1980s by Action Arms, Ltd. of Philadelphia, one of the many accessories offered was a .22 caliber conversion kit made in Israel by IMI. The kits came with a two-piece .22 caliber steel bolt, a six-inch barrel liner for insertion into the 9mm barrel, and two steel .22 magazines. A .22 conversion kit was also offered for the Uzi submachine gun, but few kits were sold and are quite rare today. The bolt for the submachine gun kit was marked SMG, the bolt for the semiautomatic kit was marked carbine. Later Action Arms introduced their own .22 caliber conversion kits that had a steel bolt inside of a plastic housing, and came with a complete barrel, instead of a barrel liner. The kit came with two plastic magazines and a loading tool. The retail price of the kit was $159.

Group Industries was a well-known name among Uzi enthusiasts, first for their IMI Uzi carbine conversions to select-fire submachine guns, prior to May 1986, and for their conversion parts for the semiautomatic carbines, at a time long before “genuine” Israeli Uzi parts became common. Later, Group Industries began to manufacture their own “U.S. Made” Uzi receivers and parts. Unlike converted semiautomatic IMI Uzi carbines, the Group Uzis were made to submachine gun specs, with all parts: sears, barrels, trigger housings and bolts completely interchangeable with original factory IMI Uzi submachine guns. Group Industries also offered a .22 conversion kit for semiautomatic and select-fire Uzis.

The Group Industries early .22 conversion submachine gun kits were similar to IMI’s semiautomatic conversion kit, having two springs and a two-piece steel bolt. The two springs made the unit difficult to cock, and it had a very fast cyclic rate (when it worked). Group later modified the original design using an aluminum bolt, also having a separate firing pin that was actuated as the bolt closed on the chamber. The third Group conversion was further modified to be more reliable. This variation used a one-piece aluminum bolt with a fixed steel firing pin, a steel insert to contact the weapon’s sear surface and a single recoil spring. Group’s third .22 kit design, was far more reliable than the previous two. As production continued, the feed ramps on Group Industries’ barrels were reconfigured a few times for improved feeding. Barrels were configured to fit the semiautomatic carbine with restrictor rings or submachine gun receivers without them.

Vector Arms

After Group Industries went out of business, many of their unassembled Uzi semiautomatic and submachine gun receivers were procured by Vector Arms and eventually assembled into functional firearms. Vector also produced several variations of the .22 conversion kits for the Uzi. The early Vector conversion kits were similar in design to the late Group kits with an aluminum bolt and a fixed steel firing pin. Early kits sometimes experienced interference with the 9mm ejector, resulting in Vector including an instruction sheet on how to modify it. Later production Vector kits were upgraded by modifying the bolt to clear the ejector, and a new recoil spring. The instruction sheet also mentioned that the kit should work with the 9mm spring assembly, but a weaker spring was included if problems were encountered with the original spring. The instructions recommended the use of high-velocity Winchester or Remington .22 ammunition. The feed ramps on later production Vector barrels were widened to improve reliability.

Group Industries Magazines

The Group Industries .22 caliber magazines were fabricated using original Uzi 25-round magazines bodies. A two-piece aluminum insert and follower were used to adapt the Uzi 9mm magazines to accommodate the smaller .22 rounds. The follower used two springs to feed cartridges, a primary long spring and a stiffer short spring positioned underneath it. Several round “witness” holes were drilled into the body and inserts so the operator could see how many rounds were in the magazine. The feed lips were formed on the aluminum inserts. Later production magazines used the same aluminum inserts and follower with the dual-springs, but the feed lips were made of steel and welded onto the top of the magazine body. Later magazines only had one witness hole to indicate when the magazine was loaded to capacity.

Vector Arms .22 Magazines

The early Vector magazines, marketed in 20- or 28-round configurations, were similar to the later Group Industries design, using steel 9mm Uzi magazines with aluminum inserts and followers for the .22 cartridges. Later Vector Arms began to use plastic inserts and followers. Some of the later Uzi magazines offered by Vector were of unknown origin and had a slightly longer body length than the originals, were used for the conversions. Reportedly these magazines will not readily fit into some Uzi magazine wells.

With the Uzi submachine guns becoming increasing popular in the last few years, there has been similar interest in spare parts and accessories. The Group and Vector Arms .22 conversions and their steel magazines have become popular, particularly since the escalating cost of 9mm ammunition. Now out of production, and not especially common, the .22 conversion kits and their steel magazines have become sought after by collectors, and accordingly expensive.

There is little doubt that a market existed for a .22 conversion kit for the full-size Uzi SMG, and Subgun Ordnance of Racine, Wisconsin decided to fill the need, introducing their .22 conversion kit in 2009. Subgun Ordnance’s kit consists of a .22 caliber barrel, bolt and a plastic magazine manufactured by Black Dog Machine LLC. Like the Uzi was originally designed, the .22 kit fires from an open bolt, and functions in both semiautomatic and full-automatic modes of fire. The conversion kits are designed for select-fire Uzis only and will not fit or function in semiautomatic-only versions, or conversions that have the receiver-blocking bar in place.

The 32-round magazines that were chosen for inclusion with the Subgun Ordnance kit are an existing item being manufactured by Black Dog Machine LLC originally designed for the Vector manufactured .22 Uzi conversion kits. The magazines are a double stack, single feed design manufactured from polycarbonate to form the magazine body; they have a slight curve to compensate for the rimmed .22 cartridges. The follower and floor plate are made from plastic and have a steel coil-type follower spring. No magazine adapter is needed; they fit in the standard Uzi mag well. The magazines are inexpensive and readily available.

The Barrelxchange

Most of the .22 conversion kits for the Uzi are for the full-size model. However Troy Edhlund of the Barrelxchange has manufactured a conversion for the semiautomatic and select-fire Mini- Uzi and is introducing a new Universal Model that will fit the full size, mini or the Uzi pistol. The new kit is an updated/improved version based on the original IMI .22 conversion kit that is charged by the original top-cocking handle; the new kit comes with a modified Black Dog magazine. The Barrelxchange also makes .22 caliber replacement barrels for the IMI, Vector Arms and Subgun Ordnance kits, and offers a tune-up service for problematic .22 conversions and magazines.

The BWE .22-Uzi Slow-Fire Enhancement

BWE Firearms

Richard Hoffman of BWE Firearms specializes in the Uzi with a particular interest in the .22 conversion kits. One of his latest innovations is the slow-fire upgrade service for the .22 Uzi. The top of the customer’s .22 aluminum bolt is milled out and a steel weight inserted and attached by Allen screws. The increased mass of the bolt along with his custom-tuned spring assembly is able to closely duplicate the original cyclic rate of a 9mm Uzi with no loss of reliability. The service is currently offered only for existing customer’s conversion kits.

As designed, the Subgun Ordnance .22 conversion kits have a cyclic rate of 875 to 900 rounds per minute, rather fast, but many shooters feel it is ideal. Others have expressed a desire to have a slower cyclic rate similar to that of the standard 9mm Uzi, approximately 600 rounds per minute. There are several reasons for reducing the cyclic rate of the 22 kits, one is to experience the original feel of the 9mm Uzi, extend the length of time to “dump” a magazine on full-auto, and another is to conserve ammunition.

The Group Industries and Vector Arms .22 conversion magazines using original Uzi steel 9mm magazine bodies are highly desired items, but they were not manufactured in very large quantities. During Group Industries and Vector production, original Uzi 9mm magazines were not as prolific or inexpensive as they have become in recent years, which limited their use for conversion to .22 caliber. Today, the original steel conversion magazines are very hard to find and can be quite expensive.

Aware of a ready market for steel .22 magazines, BWE Firearms decided to develop and market new ones. The 28-round magazines are made from original Uzi magazine bodies modified for use with .22 caliber ammunition by the addition of a two-piece Acetal Copolymer (plastic) insert and follower. The feed lips are machined right into the inserts eliminating alignment issues. The inserts are fitted to each steel magazine body. The magazine’s steel bodies are Parkerized in a smooth gray-green finish, giving the magazines a factory new appearance. The completed magazines are then tested for proper function. Currently under development at BWE is a 12-round extension to increase magazine’s capacity to 40-rounds.

BWE also offers custom tuning of .22 conversion kits that may not function to the customer’s satisfaction, and offers a full line of parts and shop services for the Uzi.

One downside to .22 caliber full-automatic firearms is that it usually takes a lot longer to load the magazine than it does to empty it. To make the task of loading easier, Ken Christie of Christie Products, offers a magazine loader specifically designed for .22 Uzi magazines, and works with both the Black Dog plastic and BWE’s new steel magazines. The tool not only makes loading easier, using the loader stacks the cartridge orientating the rims of the .22 cases in the correct order. If the rim of the top cartridge gets loaded with its rim behind the rim of the round under it, a malfunction due to “rim-lock” is sure to occur. During initial testing of the Subgun Ordnance .22 conversion kits, it was discovered that loading the magazine with the aforementioned loader greatly enhancing the magazine’s feeding reliability.

Uzi online resources:

www.barrelxchange.com/
www.bwefirearms.com/
www.Uzitalk.com/forums/index.php
www.Subgun-ordnance.com/
www.Uziparts.com/

The NFATCA Welcomes LWRCI & Heckler & Koch USA to the NFATCA Board of Directors

Many of you have heard me discuss the issue of adding board members of such stature and importance to our industry that we are better able to increase the strength of our voice and the depth of our experience in dealing with industry issues across the spectrum of firearms regulatory affairs. That issue is rapidly becoming a reality with the invitation and acceptance of two major firearms manufacturers. In this issue we will welcome the addition of Darren Mellors, Executive Vice President of LWRCI in Cambridge, Maryland and also welcome Wayne Weber, President of Heckler & Koch, USA in Ashburn, Virginia. Both gentlemen joined the board in the summer of this year and are a welcome addition to the depth of our organization. Presently, the NFATCA is also working to welcome other major industry representatives to our board, once again to kick the organization up a notch in contributing to the level of experience that we bring to the industry and to beef up the level of work that we continue to take on with government regulatory organizations within the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Having representatives from such large manufacturers will serve to strengthen our position of negotiation on all fronts.

It is appropriate to share the background and experience of our newest NFATCA Board Members:

Mr. Darren Mellors LWRCI

Mr. Mellors graduated from the Canadian Forces School of Electrical Mechanical Engineering in 1991 (Weapons – Land). Previous to that he was an Infantry SAW gunner in a Mechanized Infantry Unit in the Canadian Armed Forces. After five years in the Canadian Forces, Mr. Mellors attended College at Ontario University (Durham College) graduating with President’s and College Honors, with a Health Sciences degree. He moved to San Antonio, Texas and after many years working in level 1 and 2 Emergency/Trauma centers, he managed a Level 2 Trauma/Emergency Department at a large San Antonio Health System Hospital.

Concurrently, Mr. Mellors started Grenadier Precision Ltd. Co. along with Jesse Gomez. Grenadier Precision, Ltd. Co. was a small business that designed and manufactured small arms and accessories for small arms that solved issues with conventional weapons and greatly added capability and reliability to the individual weapons employed by the Warfighter. The demands of this business required he commit to it full time to pursue company growth. After a short time, LWRC, Inc. in Springfield, Virginia, acquired Grenadier Precision (early 2006) and Mr. Mellors took on the position as VP of Business Development at LWRC.

In 2008, Mr. Richard Bernstein, who was the founder and owner of K&L Microwave, Lorch Microwave, BAI Aerosystems, Salisbury Pewter, and Machining Technologies purchased the assets of LWRC, Inc. With the acquisition of assets, LWRC, Inc. was closed and a new company formed in Cambridge, Maryland called LWRC International, LLC. Mr. Mellors was charged with setting up LWRC International in a vacant facility that formerly housed Black and Decker’s plastic injection molding operations. He started by hiring a staff of local employees and began to build the infrastructure of what is now LWRC International. He wrote the original policies and procedures and the company was certified and registered ISO 9001 and AS 9100 by Lloyd’s Registrars.

In the first 12 months of operations, LWRCI brought $20 million dollars in revenue. Profits were put back into the company organically growing his sales departments, building regulatory compliance programs, and personally pursing government and international sales opportunities. He accomplished this with an annual marketing budget of only $120,000 and a sparse operating budget. Due to the budgetary restraints, Mr. Mellors not only had to plan and supervise operations, but was also required to do much of the work and employee training himself. The following two years yielded similar revenue numbers to the first two years.

By LWRCI’s fourth year in business, Mr. Mellors and his team had increased the sales backlog to $140 million dollars. He personally supervised and serviced 29 Government contracts. Projected revenue for 2012 is $60 million dollars. He was directly engaged in the capture, negotiation, and signed the contract awarding a $109 million dollars for supply of small arms, accessories, services and support equipment to the Government of Saudi Arabia. Other international contracts include orders in Taiwan, the Czech Republic, the U.A.E., and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Mr. Mellors spent over 90 days out of the country in the pursuit and servicing of these international contracts. Concurrently, Mr. Mellors developed a Government and International Sales team, a Law Enforcement Sales Team, and a Commercial Sales team and increased the distribution networks for all of these market segments.

Mr. Wayne Weber Heckler & Koch USA

The history and prominence of Heckler and Koch is likely no hidden achievement to the majority of the NFA community. Wayne Weber has been an integral part of HK’s success in the United States and his enthusiasm is hard to miss. A twenty-five year veteran of the firearms industry, Wayne joined HK as a government sales rep in 1993 and has since worked his way up through various sales positions, handling significant federal/military programs, ultimately being appointed President in 2008. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing all operational aspects of the U.S. business, which is based in Ashburn, Virginia with facilities in Columbus, Georgia and Newington, New Hampshire.

Prior to joining HK, Wayne spent seven years in the U.S. Air Force as a Combat Arms Specialist, conducting training on the complete spectrum of firearms ranging from the 9mm pistol to the belt-fed 40mm Grenade Machine Gun. In his spare time, he was very involved in competitive shooting and worked as a rangemaster for one of the largest indoor shooting ranges on the west coast.

In addition to Mr. Mellors and Mr. Weber joining the new board, we will announce new additions in the coming months. The existing board will continue to drive NFATCA policy and provide guidance to the new board members in working issues critical to success in the industry working with our regulatory agencies.

I will continue to serve as the NFATCA President and existing board members will work with me diligently to provide direction on all issues. Current plans are to have Wayne and Darren both make public appearances and take a more active role in all of the regulatory issues.

Please join me in welcoming both Mr. Mellors and Mr. Weber as the newest members of the NFATCA Board of Directors. There are some exciting times coming for us in 2013 and 2014 and the new board will be at the forefront of our movements. Please visit us at our web site for daily updates and changes as we move forward. www.nfatca.org.

Obama Bans Re-Import of U.S. Origin Firearms

The firearms industry has known for the last four years that an import ban was on the horizon, and now the first of what may be several has arrived as Obama issued an executive action banning almost all re-imports of military surplus firearms.

The move follows Obama’s largely tooth-less executive actions issued January 16th, during which the industry expected some sort of import ban, particularly on over 10-round capacity magazines to be issued. Obama takes credit for now doing “something,” as Congress has failed to pass new gun or magazine bans.

Additionally, seeking a weak spot domestically, Obama has placed new restrictions on the ability of some in acquiring National Firearms Act arms.

One big stumbling block for many unlicensed individuals to acquiring an NFA firearm has been to obtain a local chief law enforcement official’s (CLEO) signature on their federal acquisition/registration paperwork. This is a relic of the 1930s and asks the local CLEO to sign that he doesn’t know anything that would make the transfer illegal to the applicant. FFL’s can pay a Special Occupational Tax and thus avoid the need for a CLEO signature.

Seizing on the public and press confusion and lack of knowledge on the content of federal firearms law, along with ATF’s refusal to set the record straight about the on-going efforts they were involved in to end the antiquated CLEO requirement and replace it with modern checks, Obama is free to put over another con job. The White House issued its announcement that Obama has “closed a loophole to keep some of the most dangerous guns out of the wrong hands.”

“Current law places special restrictions on many of the most dangerous weapons, such as machine guns and short-barreled shotguns. These weapons must be registered, and in order to lawfully possess them, a prospective buyer must undergo a fingerprint-based background check,” the announcement correctly reads.

“However, felons, domestic abusers, and others prohibited from having guns can easily evade the required background check and gain access to machine guns or other particularly dangerous weapons by registering the weapon to a trust or corporation. At present, when the weapon is registered to a trust or corporation, no background check is run. ATF reports that last year alone, it received more than 39,000 requests for transfers of these restricted firearms to trusts or corporations.” the release reads.

However, it is unlikely that a hardened criminal is going to go through all that is required in setting up a trust or a corporation and then wait 3 to 6 months or more to acquire an outrageously expensive NFA firearm. This is political posturing at its worst, and simply impedes the transfer process.

The release continues, the “ATF is issuing a new proposed regulation to close this loophole. The proposed rule requires individuals associated with trusts or corporations that acquire these types of weapons to undergo background checks, just as these individuals would if the weapons were registered to them individually. By closing this loophole, the regulation will ensure that machine guns and other particularly dangerous weapons do not end up in the wrong hands.”

While at press time this proposed regulation had not yet been released, if trusts or corporations seeking to acquire these types of firearms must get a local CLEO signature on their paperwork, this will unnecessarily constrict civilian ownership of NFA arms in some areas, and unduly burden police departments liable for performing signature services. It is unknown at present what “background checks” actually will entail.

Import Gun Ban

When the United States provides military firearms to its allies, either as direct commercial sales or through the foreign military sales or military assistance programs, those firearms may not be imported back into the United States without U.S. government approval. Since 2005, the U.S. Government has authorized requests to re-import more than 250,000 of these firearms.

However, the Obama Administration has announced a new policy of denying requests to bring military-grade firearms back into the United States to private entities, with only a few exceptions such as for museums. The White House justifies this new policy by saying it “will help keep military-grade firearms off our streets.”

In regard to this new initiative, the F.A.I.R. Trade Group, which represents importers, noted, “Pursuant to this new policy, the State Department is denying the Korean request to retransfer M1 Garands to U.S. importers. Pay close attention to this, because the reason for denial is that M1 Garands are “military-grade” firearms.

“The White House’s careful word choice of “military grade” must not be overlooked. This is an undefined term, and as is evident with the M1 Garands, there could be no limit to what constitutes a “military-grade” firearm. Consequently, this is likely the first step in restricting importation of other firearms into the US.

This is a direct assault on the firearms import trade, collectors and enthusiasts, and it has nothing to do with curbing crime. We urge you to immediately contact your representatives in the House and the Senate and voice your opposition to this unilateral and unjustified action taken by the President.”

Background

As noted herein, this action will effectively ban the importation into the United States of all U.S.-origin curio and relic rifles. This ban will make it impossible to import historically relevant rifles such as the M1 Garand. This action reinstitutes a presumptive denial policy that was in effect during the Clinton Administration.

U.S. law generally prohibits the importation of U.S.-origin surplus military firearms. The law does, however, carve out an exception for those firearms that qualify as curios or relics. A firearm will qualify as a curio or relic if (1) it was manufactured at least 50 years earlier than the current date; (2) it was certified by the curator of a municipal, State, or Federal museum that exhibits firearms to be curios or relics of museum interest; or (3) it derives a substantial part of its monetary value because it is novel, rare, bizarre or associated with a historical figure, period, or event.

Following the enactment of the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA) through the early 1980s, the GCA did not permit the importation of historical military surplus firearms. In the 1980s, however, Congress enacted 18 USC § 925 (e) to permit the importation of curio or relic firearms. Despite the change in law, the Department of State continued to enforce a policy opposing the importation of U.S.-origin curios or relics. During the 1990s, the Clinton Administration continued the presumptive denial policy against the importation of U.S. origin curios or relics. Finally, in the early 2000s, an appropriations amendment passed that prohibited the use of any funds to pay expenses to deny any application what was submitted to ATF or import U.S.-origin curio or relic firearms. In 2005, during the Bush Administration, the Department of State advised ATF that it had changed its policy of presumptive denial to one of approval (which in practice has been selective approval). This announcement by the White House reverses that approval policy and reinstitutes the presumptive denial policy that plagued the importing and collecting community through 2005.

The announcement stifles the ability of licensed importers to import into the United States the M1 Garand rifles that had been approved at all levels in the Federal government for importation, but were awaiting the White House’s approval. Now we know the answer from the White House.

Double-Standard

In fact, the U.S. government, through a separate quasi-government program, known as the Civilian Marksmanship Program, is doing exactly what licensed importers are not allowed to do. How’s that for a double-standard?

Many of these firearms are obsolete, or antique, and are pieces of history that should not be treated as “crime guns.” In fact, they are not currently “military-grade” as described in the White House’s fact sheet. These guns are over 50 years old and are in no way a threat to the safety of the general public.

As stated herein, the Department of Defense already brings in large quantities of M1 Garand rifles for the Civilian Marksmanship Program, without obtaining any Department of State or ATF approval. This executive action threatens access to these firearms by the more than 60,000 federally licensed collectors, and millions of American consumers, who actively pursue these historic collectibles. Many of these individuals are World War II and Korean War veterans, for whom these firearms have significant sentimental and patriotic value. For little practical reason, this executive action would eliminate veterans’ access to these firearms.

However, a legislation fix is at hand. The Collectible Firearms Protection Act, H.R. 2247. This Act, reintroduced this year by Representative Cynthia Lummis (WY), would amend the Arms Export Control Act to permit curio and relic firearms to be imported into the United States by a licensed importer, without obtaining authorization from the Department of State or the Department of Defense.

Jones Sworn In As ATF Permanent Director

B. Todd Jones received the ceremonial oath–of–office as Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) administered by Vice President Joe Biden August 29th, at the White House. With his confirmation, Jones becomes the agency’s first permanent director in seven years.

Jones has served as the acting ATF director since being appointed to the post on August 31, 2011. While serving as the acting director of ATF, Jones was also the United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota, a post he held since August 7, 2009. Jones served as both ATF Acting Director and U.S. Attorney until his confirmation as ATF Director.

In fiscal year 2012, ATF says it recommended 17,366 defendants for prosecution resulting in 7,210 convictions but these were not necessarily all firearms cases. However, as Jones himself has confirmed, the Justice Dept. rarely prosecutes straw buyers. Of 48,321 cases involving straw buyers, the Justice Dept. prosecuted only 44 of them — saying that “hard decisions” to prosecute were made based on “limited resources.” Jones has also acknowledged that as the U.S. attorney in Minnesota, he never prosecuted anyone accused of being a straw buyer.

Also in 2012, ATF industry operations investigators conducted 13,100 federal firearms licensee inspections and 5,390 federal explosives licensee inspections.

Democrats Propose Taxing Civil Right Out of Existence

A pair of Democratic lawmakers are proposing steep new taxes on handguns and ammunition, and tying the revenues to programs aimed at preventing gun violence.

Called the “Gun Violence Prevention and Safe Communities Act,” the bill sponsored by William Pascrell, D-N.J., and Danny Davis, D-Ill., would nearly double the current 11 % tax on handguns, while raising the levy on bullets and cartridges from 11 to 50 %.

“This bill represents a major investment in the protection of our children and our communities, and reflects the long-term societal costs of gun and ammunition purchases in our country,” Pascrell said.

The two say the bill would generate $600 million per year, which would be used to fund law-enforcement and gun violence prevention, the two say as they try to mask its true purpose – confiscatory taxation.

The bill would also increase the transfer tax on all weapons covered under the National Firearms Act (which excludes most common guns) from $200 to $500 and index to inflation and increase the transfer tax for any other weapons from $5 to $100.

Davis, who represents a portion of Chicago that has been ravaged by gun violence in recent years, said money raised from the new taxes will go to good use.

“This legislation is a pro-active approach to reducing gun violence by using proven preventive programs which have been starved for funds until now,” Davis said. “As part of a comprehensive, multidimensional strategy to reduce gun violence, this legislation closes major loopholes in tax law and lays out an equitable, long term, sustainable strategy to provide the requisite resources.”

ATF Authorizes Electronic Filing of AFMER Forms – ATF Rul. 2012 – 3

ATF authorizes an alternate method or procedure to the requirement that licensees submit a form containing certain required record information. Specifically, licensed manufacturers may submit the Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Exportation Report (AFMER) ATF Form 5300.11, electronically using ATF eForms, provided all conditions set forth in this ruling are met.

The manufacturer may now obtain through the Internet, electronic copies of submitted ATF Forms 5300.11, which can be printed and preserved as documentation of compliance with the filing requirement. FFL’s can register on the ATF website (atfonline.gov) to get access to the forms.

ATF Authorizes Electronic Filing of Forms 6 – Part 1 & Form 6a ATF Rul. 2013 – 1

To register to use the eForms system, licensees must access the ATF website at atfonline.gov and obtain a unique user ID and password. Applicants may also continue to use the paper forms.

CDC Report Finding Disputes Obama’s Rhetoric

Tasked by the Obama administration “to research the causes and prevention of gun violence,” the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) delivered a report in June that has been largely ignored by the media and certainly does not advance the president’s gun-control agenda. Coming as it does from the CDC, reading that, “Almost all national survey estimates indicate that defensive gun uses by victims are at least as common as offensive uses by criminals.”

In-Person Firearms Disposition to Foreign Purchasers In Airports

ATF advises that FFL arrangements of exportation of firearms and ammunition through an in-person disposition to foreign purchasers at the airline ticket counter of international airports violates the Gun Control Act.

The typical scenario involves an FFL bringing a firearm to the airport ticket counter where the foreign purchaser is waiting to check in baggage for an out-bound flight. The firearm is then either checked in its own shipping case or inserted by the FFL or an airline employee into the foreign purchaser’s baggage. The FFL has usually obtained the required export license and approval from the U.S. Dept of State. Neither a Firearms Transaction Record, ATF Form 4473, nor a NICS check is completed by the FFL in connection with the transaction.

Delivering and disposing of a firearm to a foreign purchaser at the airport without completing an ATF Form 4473 or conducting a NICS check would violate 18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(3), (b)(5), (m), and (t), and 27 CFR. §§ 478.102, .121©, and .124(a). Because the purchaser has lawful authority and control over his/her baggage, it makes no difference whether the FFL enlists the aid of an airline employee to act as an intermediary in taking the firearm from the FFL without the foreign purchaser ever actually handling the firearm. Even after check-in, the foreign traveler may request and retrieve his or her baggage containing the firearm prior to a flight.

Circumstances may also arise preventing the purchaser from travelling, and the baggage holding the firearm would be returned to the foreign visitor. Likewise, it makes no difference whether the firearm is inserted into the purchaser’s baggage or kept in a separate container, because both would constitute baggage of the foreign purchaser.

Further, if the foreign purchaser is legally present in the U.S. on a tourist or other non-immigrant visa, the sale or disposition of the firearm and/or ammunition would be unlawful under 18 U.S.C. § 922(d)(5)(B), unless the person falls within one of the exceptions listed in 18 U.S.C. § 922(y)(2). Additionally, it is unlawful under 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(9) for a non-licensee who does not reside in the U.S. to receive any firearms unless such receipt is for lawful sporting purposes.

Proper Procedure to Follow

However, an FFL acting as an exporter may lawfully complete an export transaction at the airport consistent with the GCA. The proper procedure would be for the FFL, consistent with the airline’s freight policy, to deliver the gun or ammo directly to the airline as freight to be sent by the FFL to the foreign purchaser. The airline would then ship or transport (i.e. export) the firearm on behalf of the FFL to the purchaser outside the U.S. Since the gun and/or ammo being sent would be under the exclusive direction and control of the FFL exporter, this procedure would not result in an unlawful disposition at the airport.

Kansas Gun Act Superseded by Federal Law

The passage of the Kansas Second Amendment Protection Act effective April 25, 2013 does not exempt Kansas licenses from fulfilling their federal obligations, notes Debra Satkowiak, chief, ATF Firearms & Explosives Industry Division.

The Act exempts personal firearms, firearms accessories, and ammunition manufactured in the state of Kansas, and that remain in Kansas, from federal regulation.

ATF maintains that federal law supersedes the Act, and accordingly all provisions of the Gun Control Act and National Firearms Act, continue to apply.

In pertinent part, federal law requires a license to engage in the firearms or ammunition manufacturing business, or to deal in firearms, and the 4473 form must be filled out, the NICS check conducted, etc., etc. even if the firearms or ammunition remain within the same state.

These requirements, as well as other federal requirements and prohibitions, continue to apply whether or not the firearms or ammunition have crossed state lines.

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. He may be reached at: FirearmsB@aol.com.

What long arm is typically found in the hands of civilian or even law enforcement in a potential personal defense encounter? Notice the use of the term “long arm” in the question. One would have to wager a shotgun is the most likely candidate. This is based on the shotgun’s simplicity, flexibility, reliability, price, and potency; especially considering ranges that typify personal defense situations. Yes, a shotgun can be viewed as limited in terms of range, but this is not necessarily a liability for civilians, LE and certain missions in the military where range is not an issue with a premium put on CQB stopping power.

The shotgun is a victim of its own reputation at times. Proponents speaking from what can be only labeled as ignorance would have you believe the shotgun is automatic death no matter the range with the weapon only needing pointing in the general direction of its intended target. Based on the above, gaining solid training and understanding it weaknesses and strengths is crucial. The misconceptions that the mere sound of a pump action’s slide being worked will send adversaries scurrying away needs dispelled. On the other side, detractors will label the shotgun as an outdated weapon that is only viable within 30 yards and has no ability to influence tactical situations beyond. The truth is somewhere in between as evident by the staying power of the shotgun in the law enforcement patrol cruiser and civilian go to weapon.

Recent attendance in a Graham Combat Shotgun course assisted in re-evaluating the shotgun. This was the third training experience with Matt Graham. It is rare indeed to attend numerous classes from the same trainer and yet feel like each is an entirely new experience. This is a credit to Graham’s method of instruction. Graham is imminently adaptable with total command of subject and breadth of experience to back it up. He does not impose a rigid syllabus on attendees playing only to his strengths; rather during his introduction he asks each student what they want out of the class. He then strives to provide this over a long day of training that spans 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. An important part of performing effectively in a tactical setting is an understanding of the basics of weapon manipulation and tactics. Graham goes to great lengths to explain this. Matt’s nuanced way of instruction extends all the way to the way he lists his courses on his website. He provides an overview of the course with little listed in terms of specific gear to use. This provides the student with an initial exercise of prioritizing what to bring to fulfill course. Graham thrives on adapting to environment and situation and wants to inculcate this as much as possible to his students.

Matt’s credentials, the ones he can report publically, lend legitimacy to his methods. Graham is a former police officer in Washington state and recipient of that state’s Medal of Honor. He served as a Federal Air Marshal being inspired to join the force after the 9/11 terrorist attack. Matt’s current “day job” is as a private contractor providing firearms and tactical instruction for the Department of Defense. He teaches many of the best operators in the world in small arms, tactics and combat mindset. Matt is not that well known outside of law enforcement and military training circles due to his 200 plus days of working for the Department of Defense. Thankfully, he has decided to expand into the private sector.

Graham Combat’s philosophy stresses the importance of mindset. Matt constantly emphasizes that an aggressive mindset supported by solid training is the key in surviving hostile encounters. Maxims such as shoot until the target is down illustrate this. Matt’s instruction technique is flexible allowing for analysis of a class’s strengths and weaknesses with extra attention to correcting weaknesses.

He treats each class as an opportunity to teach as much as possible to the attending students. Matt takes pride in addressing things that other courses overlook or assume as known. His demeanor of instantly embracing a class as a “band of brothers” puts everyone at ease allowing a smooth flow of information. This same demeanor hides an almost obsessive attention to detail methodology of instructing; this approach of building a solid skill set is so craftily done that the student is often unaware of it until a training exercise puts it to the test.

A word about gear used during the course. A fast paced course such as Graham Combat’s Shotgun Course is a great proving ground not only for the individual, but also for firearms and ancillary equipment. A failure with your weapon, shotgun in this case, only takes away from the learning experience. Based on this, it was chosen to bring a Mossberg 590A1 14 inch SBS and custom Saiga S12.

The Mossberg M590A1 is a pump-action 12 gauge combat shotgun with an alloy receiver, a bayonet lug and ghost-ring style sights on request. The 14-inch barrel Mossberg used in the Graham course did not possess the bayonet lug feature. The receiver of the M590A1 is of aircraft aluminum with the bolt locking into a steel barrel extension. The weapon is designed to facilitate maintenance under field conditions, with easy access to internal components. It has a removable end cap, spring and follower on the magazine for straight-through cleaning, and barrel removal is simple for detailed cleaning and maintenance. The receiver mounted safety is convenient for right or left-handed shooters; simply push the button forward and you’re ready to fire. In addition, the Mossberg 590A1 features an anti-jam elevator for reliable feeding and dual extractors for positive shot shell extraction/ejection.

The Mossberg 590A1 as it arrived had a generous recoil pad mounted on the “Speedfeed” stock. 12 gauge recoil is stout and anyone telling you different should be scrutinized. While recoil is not prohibitive and one gets accustomed to it, anything that reduces a combat shotgun’s recoil without effecting weapon handling should seriously be considered by anyone who spends time training or deploying the combat shotgun in the field. The BlackHawk’s Knoxx SpecOps recoil reducing stocks was chosen to mitigate recoil. It solves two of the biggest problems facing shotgun users – recoil and length-of-pull adjustability.

The Knoxx SpecOps incorporates two separate recoil-reduction devices. One system in the pistol grip that absorbs the majority of the recoil energy and a second one in the buttstock handles the rest. With the SpecOps stock the majority of the recoil is removed by the mechanism located inside the pistol grip, so there is no pain to the shooters hand or shoulder. BlackHawk literature states an 85% reduction in perceived felt recoil along with limiting muzzle climb allows faster follow-up shots if warranted or more than one adversary is encountered. The SpecOps is adjustable from a minimum of 11.25 inches to a maximum of 15.25 inches by pressing a lever and pulling or pushing the stock to the desired length a la the familiar AR-style collapsible buttstocks. This adjustability enables a better fit to individual shooters and adaptability if tactical vests or body armor are employed. The butt plate of the stock is highly textured to improve shooter control when the shotgun is mounted to the shoulder. The SpecOps stock comes with a sling swivel stud installed at the toe of the butt. In addition, there are two alternate sling mounting locations along with a slot through the stock to install a web sling. Only comment found worthy of making is that it would be nice if the Knoxx stock had provision for utilizing a single point sling in lieu of a two-point type.

Another modification made to the Mossberg 590A1 was the addition of a Surefire weapon light forend; specifically the 621LF model due to the shorter 14 inch barrel and resultant shorter forend tube. Beware to specify the Surefire single battery light module as the double battery light assembly protrudes past the Mossberg’s muzzle negating the purpose of going the 14-inch barrel SBS route. The Surefire forend improves upon the Mossberg’s utility. It features a high-efficiency LED emitter that is virtually immune to failure since there’s no filament to burn out or break. Maximum output is 80 lumens, and it continues producing tactical-level light for over three hours. There are two separate switches integrated into the forend: a momentary-on pressure pad switch on the right side and a constant-on rocker switch on the left side. A molded-in polymer high-friction pad enhances grip in wet or cold conditions. The Mossberg 590A1’s pump action is simple, effective, and reliable. The manual pump-action operation allows for use of any ammunition type spanning the gamut from low brass shotshells to specialty breaching rounds.

The second shotgun used at the Graham Shotgun course was a Saiga S12 shotgun. The Saiga shotgun is modified to meet import requirements via sporter stock with no pistol grip. The heart of the Saiga shotgun is an AK operating system. The process to modify the Saigas back into the more familiar AK profile, albeit with much larger hole in the barrel, is well known and relatively straight forward process involving moving trigger guard forward to make room for pistol grip, replacing fire control group, and installing AK-type stock of choice. The Saiga S12 is all business with its 18-inch barrel, foldable rear stock, SAW-type pistol grip, and black synthetic forearm giving an overall length of 40.5 inches weighing 7.5 pounds empty. A Krebs safety lever is fitted to the S12 that features a manual bolt hold open notch in an effort to provide one possible solution to the Saiga magazine change conundrum.

The Saiga S12 shotgun requires a total change in operating method versus a tube fed shotgun. The S12 is fed via 5, 8, 10, or 12 round stick magazines along with drum magazines with capacities as high as 30 rounds. The S12 was used in the Graham Course with 10-round AGP stick magazines combined with high capacity drums from MD Arms and Alliance Armaments. The drums represent performance enhancement in a big way. The Saiga S12 is closer to an assault rifle in its manual of arms versus a tube fed shotgun.

The Saiga S12 has its own unique characteristics that need to be accepted for the most efficient use of the platform. The Saiga S12 does not have a last round hold open feature which complicates reloads, especially if magazines are topped off to capacity. The size of the 12 gauge rounds make full capacity magazines problematic to lock in place with the bolt forward. Different methods can be employed such as downloading magazines making it easier to compress the magazine’s spring. This is not preferred by many considering limited capacity of the stick magazines to begin with. Magazine changes were definitely different in nature; even if you are already familiar with the AK “rocking” method via rifles. The girth and weight of the Saiga magazines take time to get used to when performing reloads under speed compounded by the need to keep the Saiga’s bolt open allowing for the magazine insertion. A Kreb’s safety with bolt hold open notch proved a worthy addition to the S12 in this regard.

The Graham class was conducted at Echo Valley Training Center (EVTC). We started with the basics of presentation, loading, and engaging multiple targets. As most know, basics are the foundation that all must return to in order to maintain effectiveness. After all, “advanced” shooting methods are the basics done faster and better. Matt’s gift of instruction brought home the importance of grip and shouldering the shotgun in the most efficient manner. Matt showed how important it was to mount the shotgun toward the centerline of one’s body to control recoil enabling accurate hits and fast follow up shots. The Graham shotgun course progressed quickly from static positional shooting into firing on the move. How to move dynamically while remaining safe around fellow students was introduced and illustrated how Matt followed a building block of skills approach.

The Graham Combat course’s goal was to give attendees the skills to operate and survive in real world situations. Matt introduced basic self care methods including tourniquet use. A large portion of the medical evolution detailed different tourniquets and how to affix on oneself properly before turning to doing so on training partner. It is quickly evident that the effective application of the tourniquet is a key part of managing a traumatic injury. The use of the tourniquet has evolved over the last couple of decades by receding from prominence to now re-emerging as a life saving tool. Field dressing and wound packing was demonstrated and practiced as well, which is an important skill applicable in areas that a tourniquet is or is not used.

Graham drilled how to better operate the shotgun without being confined by traditional firing positions. Matt’s building block method of instruction was most effective here as well. A drill that Matt labeled as “Crazy 8s” took a student from standing to kneeling to sitting, and then to sides and back as he called out positions while engaging threat targets. This drill proved a precursor to the next training evolution. Matt arranged for EVTC to bring in a vehicle for use during the course. Matt’s logic is that the majority of law enforcement and civilians spend a large proportion of time with cars and thus must be comfortable in such an environment. The maximum amount of cover was stressed to minimize the shooters profile while still effectively engaging the target.

The Graham Combat course pace never slowed down with several training evolutions keeping students moving briskly. Matt proved capable of taking a group of relative strangers with a variety of experience and backgrounds and had us moving as teams under control while engaging multiple target areas. His immersion training allowed for the square range to transform into realistic scenario driven exercises with clear objectives. The crucial importance of communication, sound tactics, weapon manipulation skills, and discipline learned during the training is hard to deny.

Graham’s approach at instruction has a nuanced way of incorporating all of the different drills and techniques into a comprehensive skill set. Each shooter progressed rapidly in skills and confidence during the course. Too many items were covered during the intense day of training to be fully explained in a space constricted article. Along this same line of reasoning, there are items in the Graham training that must be personally experienced to fully grasp. For as many items listed in this article, there are just as many not mentioned due to space limitations.

Sites of Interest:

Matt Graham
www.grahamcombat.com

Echo Valley Training Center
www.echovalleytrainingcenter.com