TACPROGEAR OFFERS COVERT GO BAGS

Tacprogear, a leading manufacturer of tactical equipment used by professionals around the globe, announces the Tacprogear Covert Go Bag, Covert Go Bag Lite and the Covert Go Bag without external MOLLE. The Covert Go Bag operates on a single shoulder strap that provides the user with all the functionality of a day pack while offering some distinctly different features such as: dual access to Tacprogear’s Universal Pistol Wheel and removable accessory pad, which can be used to attach MOLLE compatible pouches. The bags hold a standard 10” x 12” ballistic plate in the main compartment for added protection. Other features include 3-D mesh back for comfort, single ambidextrous padded sling with swivel buckles for easy removal, reinforced drag/carry handle and an additional internal zippered storage compartment. The bags are made of 1000D Cordura Nylon with YKK zippers and are available with ITW Nexus optional accessories. They are available in black, coyote tan, OD green and Multicam. The Covert Go Bag has dimensions of 5” deep by 13” wide by 19” high and has an MSRP of $112. The Covert Go Bag Lite has dimensions of 6” deep by 12.25” wide by 17.5” high and an MSRP of $99. Both bags are also available in a lightweight black fabric without any external MOLLE. Contact them at www.tacprogear.com.

PLINKER ARMS NOW HAS NEW LINE OF AR-15 .22 RIFLES

Plinker Arms, LLC, makers of American-made firearms magazines, accessories and components, are now in the firearms production business. Plinker Arms have unveiled their new AR-15 .22 LR rifles with a Mil-Spec, multi-caliber AR-15 lower. The Plinker Arms AR-15 .22 LR rifles in standard M4 and bull barrel model rifles allow enthusiasts, an industry first, to rack, tap and bang a .22 LR on a Mil-Spec AR-15 lower without any modifications to the lower receiver. The enthusiast can seamlessly transition from a 5.56 to a .22 LR and back again within seconds. This revolutionary design features two distinctly new systems developed by Plinker Arms, which are the bolt hold open design and the Quick Adjustment Latch System (QALS). The QALS feature allows the user of a Plinker Arms AR-15 rifle or Plinker Arms upper conversion unit to fine tune the bolt hold open latch system specifically to the user’s existing AR-15 lower receiver. Lower receivers can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and gun to gun. QALS is a simple-to-use adjustment feature that any user can operate. No gunsmithing or special tools are required. The adjustment key is supplied with all Plinker Arms rifles and upper conversion units at no additional cost. Plinker Arms tunes the QALS for all Plinker Arms rifles and upper conversion units to function with most AR-15 lower receivers. The Plinker Arms AR-15 .22 LR is built on an alloy anodized, 7075 T6 lower receiver that is fully compatible with most AR-15 upgrades. The machined 7075 T6 upper features a free-floating barrel with an integrated feed ramp and a 1×16 twist, the patent pending Plinker Arms bolt-hold open system, an anodized Picatinny style rail system, a rim polished bolt and carrier system and the Plinker Arms QALS. Three rifle versions are available, including the standard AR-15 .22 LR model, a M4 .22 LR rifle and a Bull Barrel .22 LR. There will also be a SBR model for qualified individuals. All Plinker Arms AR-15 .22 LR rifles come with the Plinker Arms Load Assist tool and a 25- or 10-round polymer magazine (all state laws applicable). American-made rifles that make training real. MSRP is $699.99 for the AR-15 and M4 rifle, and $719 for the bull barrel rifle version. Get more information at www.plinkerarms.com.

ROCK ISLAND ARMORY ADDS FIREPOWER TO GI AND XT 1911 MODELS

Rock Island Armory announces the expansion of the company’s GI and XT Series of pistols built on the 1911 platform. The new offerings are aimed at the rapid growth of gun owners who are looking for concealed carry options as well as the addition of .40 S&W and .22 magnum caliber options. New to the GI Series is the addition of a high capacity .45 ACP 13-round clip fitted for the classic 1911 platform. The XT Series adds a .22 Magnum caliber option as well as a top rail to accommodate popular accessories and also sports a brand new Bull Barrel. The new GI and XT Series pistols are covered by Rock Island Armory’s lifetime warranty and support. For more information about the new Rock Island Armory pistols visit the Armscor and Rock Island Armory website at www.rockislandarmory.com.

CUSTOMIZED TACTICAL OPTICS WITH NEW BURRIS AR RIFLESCOPES

Burris is proud to introduce AR Riflescopes, a new line of tactical optics that gives shooters a custom optic to match their rifle. A customized elevation turret matches the shooter’s ammunition, and a convenient WindMap helps determine wind hold-off for 5.56 or 7.62 cartridges. Demand first-round accuracy every time with the new AR Riflescopes. AR Riflescopes feature the Cartridge Calibrated Custom Clicker. This custom elevation turret is calibrated for either 5.56 or 7.62, so shooters can trust their riflescope will provide aiming specific to their ammunition’s velocity and bullet drop. Yardage is provided on the custom knob, so shooters simply dial in the distance to their target and say goodbye to holdover. The customized WindMap is designed to work perfectly with the C4 Wind MOA reticle. This clean, uncluttered reticle design has MOA tick marks extending out to 10 MOA on each side of the horizontal crosshair. The WindMap provides wind hold-off values specifically calibrated for your cartridge. The value tells you how many MOA tick marks to hold into the wind to compensate for a 10 mph wind at 100-yard increments. AR Riflescopes take the guesswork out of aiming and deliver an affordable customized shooting experience. AR Riflescopes offer all of the quality features Burris optics is known for. They’re equipped with high performance glass and multi-coated lenses for excellent brightness and clarity. To prevent detection and reduce lens glare, every riflescope is equipped with a removable Anti-Reflection Device (ARD). A double internal spring tension system allows each scope to hold zero under shock, recoil, and vibrations, and the precision gauged and hand fitted internal assemblies maintain a consistent point of impact through the entire magnification range. Like all Burris optics, they’re waterproof, fogproof, and backed with the legendary, no-questions-asked Forever Warranty. Get more information on these new scopes at www.burrisoptics.com.

MASTERPIECE ARMS INTRODUCES NEW MPAR 6.8 RIFLE

MasterPiece Arms, manufacturers of the MPA MAC line of pistols, carbines, suppressors and MPAR Rifles, just unveiled their new MPAR 6.8 rifle. The MPAR 6.8 rifle is a superbly accurate rifle with a short stroke piston design and a lightweight, two-piece aluminum hand guard with user located Picatinny rails and QD Mount. The MPAR 6.8 features an innovative front hand guard cap to keep debris out of the internals of the hand guards and providing strength and stability to the assembly. The MPAR 6.8 rifle will also contain a side-folding 6-position polymer buttstock, locked bolt action and a side charging, non-reciprocating handle with forward-assist. The rifle also features a full-length top rail and a 16-inch barrel with a 4 groove 1:11 twist. The MPAR 6.8 will be finished in a durable, corrosion resistant black phosphate hard coat black anodized finish or an ATACS coating is optional. It will be made available for purchase in the first quarter of 2014. MSRP is $1,103 with Vista Camo Coating and $1,028 with Black Phosphate Finish. Disassembly will be very user friendly, both for access to the internals of the weapon, as well as the piston assembly housed in the front hand guard. This gun is American made and offers the MasterPiece Arms Lifetime Guarantee. Contact them at www.masterpiecearms.com.

DEZ TACTICAL ARMS ANNOUNCES NEW TWISTED ELITE CARBINE

DEZ Tactical Arms, Inc. has just released its new AR-15 Twisted Elite Carbine Complete Rifle. DEZ Tactical Arms is becoming recognized as a top-notch manufacturer of custom, match firearms appealing to law enforcement, military, hunters, competition shooters, sportsmen, and seasoned firearm enthusiasts. DEZ Tactical Arms strives to produce high quality, performance rifles guaranteed and backed by a lifetime warranty while providing unparalleled value & customer service. The Twisted Elite model comes standard with a YHM mid-length Todd Jarrett Competition forearm, incorporating both the smooth feel of a ‘Tube’ style hand guard and the tactical potential of the quad rail. Also included are multiple upgrades such as a shock absorbing adjustable stock, crisp ALG Defense trigger and charging handle with extended tactical latch. The new gun also features a Match Grade 16 inch H-Bar barrel that is twist fluted, a low profile gas block with carbine length gas tube, Yankee Hill Phantom Muzzle Brake, Ergo ‘Suregrip’ pistol grip and Fab Defense Magwell Grip. It is shipped with one 30-round magazine in a hard plastic rifle case. You can find more information or contact them at www.deztacticalarms.com.

Healthcare.gov 2.0

“If you like your old plan, you keep it. Nobody’s going to take it away from you.” Does this sound familiar? It should because a government plan to fix what many in government widely perceived as a broken system was implemented with the proviso that you absolutely could keep what you were already comfortable with using to take care of “business.” Except that all of the new stuff that was put in place to make the new system work actually did have a negative effect upon the old plans. Many of the old plans did not meet the requirements of new rules and regulations. Not all of the old plans were quite up to snuff and even though the President said that you could keep them, that pledge turned out to be ever so much political speak for, “you’re gonna do it our way.” Pay no attention to the fact that “our way” involves a system that was poorly constructed by contractors who failed to utilize expected norms of modern technology and techniques, operation, security and usability. Ignore the fact that “our way” is regularly unavailable for even routine use. Walk past the ongoing issues of the system regularly being unable to access needed information or display it for proper use. Discount the fact that only a small fraction of the user base is able to consistently use the system for its intended purpose. Now add in the instructions from the Fed that you are encouraged to use the system, as is, and submit your information with known errors and then submit a written request to have the already overburdened staffers go back and correct mistakes after the fact. And to add to the delicious cauldron of government goodness, you are informed that all submissions to the new system absolutely will receive preferential treatment as compared to “your old plan.” The infrastructure system of ObamaCare known as www.HealthCare.gov sounds pretty shaky, as does the government’s insistence on sticking with it, no matter what.

Except that we are not discussing www.HealthCare.gov or ObamaCare. We are talking about the Department of Justice – Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives’ contribution toward government efficiency and progress that is better known as eForms. Sadly, the parallels that can be drawn between eForms and HealthCare.gov are eerily similar:

The eForms system design was created by a contractor organization that:

• Did not implement current technology
• Did not understand the scope of the project
• Did not complete the initial project

The eForms system was not thoroughly tested before launch to:

• Validate access compatibility with current, commonly used browsers (recommended browsers are not current or even shipped with current computers)
• Verify stability under load Confirm functionality of registration process
• Assure accurate data integration
• Provide reasonable error correction
• The eForms system must be taken down and restarted most every day; some restarts taking longer than others
• The eForms system is subject to intermittent stalls
• The eForms system frequently fails to load system sub-components, even after successful log on
• The eForms system requires that users force the propagation of known descriptive errors (manufacturer, model, serial, etc.)
• The eForms system does not support the attachment of fingerprints or photographs (rendering the ability to tackle the largest backlog of NFA Form approvals moot)
• The eForms system does not clearly explain what the approval process will look like and does not inform the user of the validity and acceptability of the “new stamp” process
• The eForms system does not have plans or budget in place to address the known issues
• The eForms system is faced with additional issues that are labeled as “we don’t know why this is happening”
• The replacement contractor has finished their work under the current contract and there is no additional contract being bid at this time
• The NFA Branch is informing users, when asked, that eForms applications absolutely will be given priority over traditional paper or facsimile submissions, despite the known issues
• NFA Branch has been made aware of the fact that the eForms system does not accurately reflect dashes and spaces in serial numbers, as required by ATF communication to industry via written communication and Webinars. This has the potential to cause problems during compliance inspections when an IOI does not fully understand the system limitations

To recap, the firearms community is being rather demandingly herded into using a system that is incomplete, inaccurate and just plain not ready for prime time. And even though all of the involved parties are painfully aware of the shortcomings of the preferred system, there is no plan or budget for the foreseeable future to address those shortcomings. Despite all of this, our community is trying its best to accommodate what most would consider to be a less than stellar situation.

According to the 2013 Firearms Commerce in the United States Annual Statistical Update (published by BATF), the NFA community, which is the primary target audience for eForms, has swollen the government coffers in terms of monies paid over the past decade. Total annual revenue collected by NFA Branch in terms of Occupational Tax paid and Transfer and Making tax paid has swollen nearly 300% from approximately $5.6mm in 2006 to approximately $15.5mm. The increase from 2011 to 2012 (the most current data published in the Update) is nearly 25% and there is no reason to expect anything but another huge jump in revenue from 2012 to 2013. If there are currently 21 agency folks assigned to pushing NFA “paper” (12 Examiners, 7 Specialists and 2 Supervisors), the allocated rate of cash intake per assigned personnel comes in at almost three quarters of a million dollars per desk. A glaring question comes to mind: At this income level, why can’t we get more personnel and a functioning electronic system that will actually support their efforts? There is more than enough money to fund the enterprise to the point where it could effectively and efficiently tackle the current work load and accommodate increases for many years to come. People are willing to pay for reasonable service People are not willing to embrace ever-increasing wait times, balky systems and processes that perpetuate errors and mistakes. Yet that is exactly what we have in the form of www.HealthCare.gov 2.0… otherwise known as eForms.

Those of us who submit official forms to ATF that are included in the eForms system must embrace the new reality in a manner similar to those seeking health care coverage under the government’s mandated system. Yes, you can use the old paper system if you are more comfortable with it. But your old system has changed in that it is absolutely going to take a back seat to the new eForms systems – the eForms system that is acknowledged by ATF officials as substandard. The eForms system that may or may not be available when you need it, that may or may not allow you to access it with your own current computer hardware and software technology, that may or may not be able to accurately reflect items that you are trying to transfer and that may or may not display or print information correctly. If you choose to use the eForms system, make sure that you have a healthy serving of patience by your side. If the system “insists” that you complete a form that you know has errors on it, please forward a copy of the approved form, a detailed explanation of the error and a request for acknowledgement to:

BATF
NFA Branch Chief
244 Needy Rd
Martinsburg WV 25405

You are absolutely encouraged to begin using the eForms system right now so that you can become familiar with its functionality and abilities. ATF sends out a helpful hints guide after you register, but you may wish to review the guide before you register. An electronic copy can be found at www.nfatca.org/pubs/eFormsHints.pdf. If you have specific questions regarding the eForms program you may contact Gary Schaible (gary.schaible@atf.gov, 202.648.7165) or Lee Alston-Williams (lee.alston-williams@atf.gov, 202.648.7166).

ATF Issues Ruling 2013-5 on Electronic Previous Variances Rescinded

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) recently posted ATF Rul. 2013-5 to its website. The ruling authorizes licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, and licensed collectors to maintain their acquisition and disposition records electronically, rather than in paper format, provided the requirements of the ruling are met. The ruling supersedes ATF Rul. 2008-2, Records Required for Firearms Licensees. The F.A.I.R. Trade Group notes that the significant requirements of ATF Rul. 2013-5 include the following:

1. The electronic record keeping system must retain any correction of errors as an entirely new entry, without deleting or modifying the original entry. This can be accomplished through a “notes” column to explain corrections.

2. The system must allow queries by serial number, acquisition date, name of the manufacturer or importer, name of purchaser, and address of purchaser or other transferee.

3. The licensee must print or download all records from the system at least semiannually, upon request of an ATF officer, prior to discontinuance of the database, and prior to discontinuance of the licensees’ business. Note that ATF Rul. 2008-2 required periodic printing of all records and did not authorize periodic downloading of records. This is a significant change in policy, as licensees may now download records to external media that require far less storage space than printouts.

4. The printouts/downloads outlined in 3. above must include all firearms in inventory and all firearms transferred during the period covered. ATF Rul. 2008-2 required that the printouts/downloads be limited to information required by the regulations, while ATF Rul. 2013-5 allows inclusion of other information in separate columns, as long as the required information is “readily apparent.”

5. As with ATF Rul. 2008-2, ATF Rul. 2013-5 allows storage of required records on portable storage devices, including CDs, DVDs, and flash drives. Information must be retained on the portable storage device until the next download is prepared and licensees must present the device in printed format at ATF’s request.

6. ATF Rul. 2013-5 requires that electronic records be stored on a computer server owned and operated solely by the licensee and that the records be readily accessible through a computer located at the licensed premises during regular business hours. This requirement, new since issuance of the 2008 ruling, gives licensees more flexibility in determining the location for their servers. For licensees with multiple locations, records may be stored at one location as long as all other locations have a computer with the ability to access the server storing the records. Significantly, the ruling holds that the server storing the records must be located within the United States.

7. The electronic record keeping system must back up the firearms acquisition and disposition records on a daily basis. This requirement has not changed since issuance of the 2008 ruling.

8. ATF Rul. 2013-5 specifically replaces and rescinds all previously approved variances covering electronically maintained firearms acquisition and dispositions records. Licensees holding such variances may not, consistent with the law and regulations, create and maintain their records in reliance on such variances. Licensees must either comply with the requirements of ATF Rul. 2013-5 or submit a new variance request to the Firearms Industry Programs Branch of ATF.

9. ATF Rul. 2008-2 has been superseded, which means it is still in effect but has been modified by ATF Rul. 2013-5. Clients should rely solely on ATF Rul. 2013-5, as its provisions are more specific and stringent than those outlined in the 2008 ruling.

Abramski vs. U.S. Arguments Made

The U.S. Supreme Court has heard arguments in Abramski v. U.S. At the heart of the issue is whether Congress intended to have the Gun Control Act of 1968 allow law-abiding individuals to purchase guns for someone else. The “straw man” doctrine was codified into law in 1995, when the ATF modified Form 4473 to say such purchases were illegal on their face and wouldn’t be permitted.

Notes on Broker Reports

A couple of quick notes on broker reports, which historically have been due by the end of January following the year of reported activity.

Broker reports are due with broker renewal submissions (i.e., for persons already registered as brokers). The report must cover all brokering activity not the subject of a prior broker report.

Broker reports must cover all brokering activity up to three months prior to the expiration of the broker registration. For example, if the registration expires at the end of November 30, 2013, then the broker report would cover the period from January 1st – August 31st. For subsequent years, the broker report would include a trailing 12 month period, e.g., September 1, 2013 – August 31, 2014.

ATF Faces Problems with E-forms

ATF has sent out a notice to users of its eForms system cautioning that the system is facing significant performance issues, beyond the known problems. Without the budget to address these issues and improve the system, ATF is continuing its efforts to keep the system operational.

Obama Planning New Regs on Lost & Missing Firearms

The Obama administration is working on new gun control regulations that would target stolen and missing weapons according to The Hill. Police have a hard time tracking firearms that disappear from gun shops, which “just feeds the sort of already large and existing secondary market on guns,” said Sam Hoover, a staff attorney with the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

It is unclear precisely what the draft regulations, drawn up by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and under review at the White House’s regulations office, would do. ATF would not comment on the draft rule, since it has not yet been released to the public, but a description provided by the White House asserts that it would target cases where guns go missing “in transit.”

Currently, gun dealers are required to tell ATF after they discover a firearm has gone missing, but they aren’t required to do routine checks. “They can discover a gun missing today and have no idea when it went missing, which really makes that information useless to law enforcement,” said Chelsea Parsons, associate director of crime and firearms policy at the Center for American Progress.

The draft rule was sent to the White House five months after ATF completed a report that found that more than 190,000 firearms were estimated to have been lost or stolen last year. The report was one of 23 executive actions President Obama announced in January to reduce gun violence in the wake of 2012’s shooting in Newtown, Conn. That report helped shine light on an unseen corner of the gun market, supporters of stricter gun laws say. The report was entitled, 2012 Summary: Firearms Reported Lost and Stolen.

“I think that in the area of guns and gun violence and gun commerce, we have had a complete lack of data and a lack of information,” said Parsons. She wants the ATF to be able to take stronger action to monitor and track guns that go missing.

Since 2004, an appropriations rider has prevented the ATF from requiring gun dealers to do periodic checks. Gun rights advocates say that the measure protects innocent victims of crimes from punishment by the government.

After this story was posted, ATF contacted The Hill to clarify that the pending proposal would not affect the longstanding law preventing the agency from requiring gun dealers to check their inventories.

S&W, Ruger to Stop Some CA Sales

Smith and Wesson and Sturm, Ruger have confirmed that both companies are being forced to stop selling new or improved semiautomatic handguns in California due to that state’s implementation of its microstamping law.

On January 9, NSSF and the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI) filed suit seeking to invalidate and enjoin enforcement of the unconstitutional and unworkable law, which was signed into law in 2007, but not implemented until last year.

Beretta Building Plant in Tennessee

Italian gun-maker Beretta USA plans to make Gallatin, Tenn. its manufacturing base in the United States, announcing plans to invest $45 million in a firearms plant that will initially employ 300 workers. Tennessee’s reputation as a gun-friendly state was key to the decision.

Gallatin Mayor Jo Ann Graves said “…we’re very excited that they’ve chosen (us) over eight other states.” As a result of choosing Gallatin, Beretta will be eligible for tax credits, infrastructure and job training grants from the state. Details also are being finalized for a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes grant from Gallatin.

Beretta, meanwhile, is negotiating with Gallatin officials to buy 100 acres at the Gallatin Industrial Center, where the manufacturing and research and development facility will be built. Construction should start by May, with production expected to start during the first quarter of 2015.

Beretta USA’s choice of Gallatin came after nearly a year-long search for a location to expand U.S. manufacturing outside of Maryland, where the world’s oldest manufacturing dynasty, operating since 1526 in Italy, employs about 350 at a factory in Accokeek. After Maryland passed stricter gun legislation in the aftermath of the December 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., Beretta expressed frustration about the new laws. Initially, Beretta focused on states that expressed strong support for Second Amendment rights, said Jeff Reh, a board member of Beretta USA. It narrowed down that list by looking at factors for investment, including tax rates, cost of living, quality of local educational institutions, availability of workers and job recruitment support from the state, including training programs. Beretta then visited 80 locations over five months before narrowing the number of sites to six. After more visits, three sites remained in the running and Gallatin was chosen as the best location for the expansion. “We’re convinced we could find no better place than Tennessee to establish our new manufacturing enterprise,” said Franco Gussalli Beretta, executive vice president and a director of Beretta USA. “We look forward to building operations here and being part of the community for many years to come.” The company will keep the manufacturing plant in Maryland open. “It’s a spectacular opportunity for Gallatin, and it allows for the visibility that Gallatin deserves,” James Fenton, executive director of the Gallatin Economic Development Agency, said about the Beretta expansion.

ATF Releases Inspection Report of FFLs

ATF has released a new report demonstrating the success of federal firearms licensees in complying with federal laws and regulations. ATF reported that during Fiscal Year 2013, the agency conducted compliance inspections of 10,002 licensees, and the results show that the licensees are overwhelmingly complying with myriad laws and regulations.

Less than one percent, 0.69 percent, of the inspections resulted in a license revocation or a denied renewal. Roughly half of those inspected, 48.73 percent, were found to have no violations, slightly higher than FY 2012 and generally consistent with historical patterns showing a culture of compliance.

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.

There are few books on modern military firearms that do not in some way reflect or acknowledge the contributions that Herbie made in research, and many authors and end users consider his help was essential to their cause. Many of the readers of Small Arms Review and Small Arms Defense Journal were friends of Herbie, but everyone in small arms has benefited from him and his life’s work, whether they knew it or not.

Many luminaries of the small arms community were in attendance and it is said that the measure of a man is how he is remembered. The very fact that this plaque was placed is evidence of the effect Herbie Woodend had on so many people; the influence he had in the small arms community.

It was very nice to be there and see this fitting honor put into place. What still remains is to tell the story of the many others who worked with Herbie while at Enfield Lock, as well as the continuing journey of the MOD Pattern Room at Nottingham, and the current place of the collection as the National Firearms Centre in Leeds, Royal Armouries. There is an ongoing project for this, which hopefully will be online in 2014, and more of the stories can be told.

Visiting: For those using GPS, 51°40’12.61”N 0° 0’52.42”W will get you in front of the buildings, you’ll have to ask for directions to exactly where the plaque is, if you did not know where the old Pattern Room at Enfield Lock was.

Invitation

The invitation to the ceremony stated in part: On behalf of The Worshipful Company of Gunmakers may I invite you to two events to be held at the site of the former Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield Lock on the 29th July 2013.

The first is to honour Liveryman Herbie Woodend who was the curator of the Pattern Room. It was the world’s most comprehensive collection of firearms and housed some 6,000 working weapons ranging from a William III flintlock musket, a pair of Colt duelling pistols showing the benefits of interchangeable manufacture through to the British Army’s SA 80 weapon system, all in working order. Herbie jealously guarded and developed the collection, which was vital for MOD weapons designers and used in a number of other applications. He extended the range of weapons available substantially through the use of judicious swaps. Herbie said that it housed the best set of Warsaw Pact guns outside of Moscow! The original collection was transferred to Enfield from the Tower of London around 1841 following a fire there. The contents were transferred to Royal Ordnance, Nottingham when Enfield closed in 1987/88 and subsequently housed at the Royal Armouries, Leeds when Nottingham closed. Herbie died on 29 July 2003, and we honour his major contribution to the MOD and to the small arms community through this plaque which is affixed outside his beloved Pattern Room.

The second is the display of the Branch Proof House sign in the RSA Interpretation Centre. When the Royal Small Arms Factory was privatised by Act of Parliament in 1984, it became necessary for all small arms up to 50 mm calibre produced by the MOD to conform to the Gun Barrel Acts and tested to CIP standards. Since the factory would be producing over 60,000 guns per year, it was impractical for these proofs to be undertaken at the existing facilities at the London Proof House or the Guardian’s at Birmingham. Accordingly, a Branch of the London Proof House was set up at Enfield Lock and opened for business in January 1984. The Proofmaster was Robert Pitcher who subsequently went on to be Proofmaster at London. The sign that you see is from the entrance to the Proof Ranges.

Both objects have been provided and renovated through the generosity of a number of friends of Herbie including David Lloyd, who is determined both to honour and to ensure that the history of firearms and its people are not forgotten.

Yours sincerely,

Dr David Izod
Past Master, Worshipful Company of Gunmakers
Technical Director RSAF 1984-87

October, 2003 SITREP

by Dan Shea

Herbert “Bert” Woodend, former Custodian of the MOD Pattern Room, died today; Tuesday, 29 July 2003, 16:00 GMT. He was surrounded by family and friends in the last days of his life. I managed to visit with him again on the Friday night prior to his passing, and set for a bit with friends there. Things were tough for him, but he smiled, had a kind word, and listened to our conversations. He will be missed by many. I found out that he passed while on my flight back to the States and was left in the company of strangers to reflect a bit on Herb. I wish that I could gain one tenth of the knowledge that he had on firearms history: he was an amazing man.

I would like to share a picture of Herb, in Memoriam, a picture from days gone by at the Enfield Pattern Room that predated the Nottingham facility. Herb is holding a suppressed Erma EMP that he had been fascinated by, and is surrounded by his beloved Pattern Room Collection. Vaya con Dios, my old friend.

Beginning with the torque handle, there are several capabilities. In the rear of the handle is a bit storage magazine with a rotary retention gate for 4 hex bits (flat, 9/64, 1/8, front sight tool) and a 1/8 inch punch. The opposite end has two roll pin starters and a rifle receiver extension wrench. There are two extra compartments, one of which can hold items such as hammer/trigger pins and the other can hold an additional 1/8” punch. The main body has holes to accept the tool for use as a handle in its various configurations.

The tool has multiple capabilities. These include a hex driver, magazine lip gauge, rear sight tool (A1 field sight), hammer/trigger pin punch, optics screw driver, bolt carrier carbon scraper, receiver pin driver, punch holder, magazine lip adjustment, cleaning rod attachment and gas tube wrench. Stored on the inside of the hex driver body of the tool is a roll pin starter, 0.093 and 0.0625 punches. The retainer pin, which holds the torque handle and tool together, is also used as a receiver pivot pin installation tool. Also with the tool comes a rubber cover that also serves as a muzzle cap that can be safely shot through.

In looking at the capabilities of the tool we will start with the two main configurations. The torque handle serves as the host for the inner tool sub-assembly. The rear of the torque handle has an impact area for use with a hammer or rock (i.e. field expedient hammer). The opposite end has multi purposes. First it is a wrench for an M16-series rifle receiver extension. By placing the inner tool transverse in the rear of the torque handle, it is used for a T-handle to rotate and tighten the receiver extension. Next there are two roll pin starters. One is for the 3/32” bolt catch roll pin/extractor pin and the other is for the 5/64” roll pin and forward assist roll pin. The 1/16” pin punch can be used to install and remove the rear sight roll pin, ejector pin and gas tube roll pin installation/removal.

Depending on which way the tool is inserted into the torque handle there is either a punch end or a hex bit end. The punch end is magnetized to retain the various punches and the hex ends uses a spring retainer to hold the bits in place. The end of the punch end also serves as a bolt carrier scraper. This is designed to remove built up carbon from the back of the bolt carrier. The inside of the hex driver body near the threads houses six compartments that hold up to six pin punches or a combination of punches and smaller springs and detents such as the receiver detent and detent springs. When using the pin punches, by placing the 1/8” punch in the tool, the tool can be used for removal/installation of the trigger guard pin. When inserting the flat blade screwdriver end, the tool can be used for installation and removal of the pistol grip screw as well as the tightening and removal of the buttstock screw at the end of the buttplate. A 3/16 hex driver is also included for weapons that have a socket head cap screw to retain the pistol grip instead of the conventional straight blade fillister head. The flat screwdriver may also be used for field staking of the carrier key screws. The front sight adjustment tool can be used for removal of the firing pin retainer pin as well as a sight adjustment. The 1/8” hex bit can also be used for the lifting and removal of the magazine floorplate. The tool is held by the torque handle. At the end of the tool there is a slit used for bending magazine feed lips.

The spring clip assembly is a dual purpose assembly. When the spring is attached, it is used to secure the torque handle to the tool. When removed it serves as a front pivot pin installation tool. The spring is removed from the pin. The large end of the pin is slid into the gateway in the lower receiver until the hole on the end lines up with the hole in the receiver. The spring and detent are inserted into the face of the pin. With the 0.093” punch push inward on the detent/spring and rotate the pivot pin tool. Remove the punch. Now slide the pivot pin in from the left side and rotate until the detent engages the track on the pivot pin.

Separating the two sides of the inner sub-assembly reveals additional capabilities. The punch side on the opposite side provides both a takedown/pivot pin punch as well as a hammer/trigger pin punch as well as an alignment punch for the same. On the side of the tool is a large optic screw driver. This can be used for the locking nuts on a detachable carrying handle or any optic that uses the same interface.

The hex bit end also has multiple uses. With the installation of the front sight adjustment bit, the front sight post can be adjusted or removed. The flat portion of the end of the hex bit end has a A1 Field sight adjustment tool. This makes easy adjustment of the sights without the use of a cartridge tip. The 9/64 and 1/8 hex bits are used also for removal and installation of the carrier key screws. If the carrier key screws are staked in place they may need to be too difficult to remove or may even well need to be ground. The very end of the hex bit end is also used for a magazine lip gauge; the bullet tip should align on the retention spring.

With the tool assembled it acts as a gas tube removal tool. The pin punch end has a groove cut into the tool which matches the gas tube. On the other end a rotating jaw is installed that mates with the other side of the gas tube. The hex end is tightened which closes the gas tube tool on the gas tube making for easy removal of the carbon froze gas tube.

Currently the tool is focused on the AR-15/M16 market at large. This includes military, law enforcement as well as commercial. Tools have made it out to several military units as well as the law enforcement community. John Horne is a police officer and has got them to several in the law enforcement community. The Los Angeles Police Department has purchased some of the tools. The biggest challenge facing Space Age Weaponry and the D-CAT is getting a good size inventory before the big push begins for sales. The D-CAT is U.S. Patent pending and awaiting an ITAR ruling. Once that is dealt with the D-CAT will see international marketing.

The D-CAT is unique to the industry. Based on this author’s research there is nothing like it on the market today. The D-CAT is a new product with only a few hundred units in circulation. However, with a new manufacturing partner and more exposure to the industry the D-CAT has a place in any military or law enforcement armorers tool box. The merits of this tool would be invaluable to an armorer in the field in an military unit. This small compact tool can fix most any issue that may come up in the field without having to lug around a heavy armorer kit. Many malfunctions and small part replacements could not be done in the field due to the inability to carry a big kit where the D-CAT could be used to conduct most any needed field repair. The tool is currently available direct from Space Age Weaponry at www.spaceageweaponry.com and through Brownells. This tool has an excellent future with all walks of the industry.

Carbon Cleaner

The Carbon Cleaner is offered in aerosol and pump. It’s a clear liquid with a very faint methanol odor. It was tested first on a very dirty AR-15 bolt group and a heavily stained revolver. In order to only demonstrate the efficacy of the product, we used the product here with no heavy scrubbing or soaking – only a quick wipe down with a cotton patch though the manufacturer suggests a 15 minute exposure for heavily carbonized parts. We then gave it a harder task: suppressor baffles from a well used, fully automatic 5.7×28. The results are conclusive. It’s possibly the best carbon cleaner we’ve ever used. It’s fast, it’s less toxic than the competitors’ products, and it works very, very well.

2 in 1 Gun-Tuning

2 in 1 Gun-Tuning is lubricant and surface treatment that comes in aerosol or a dropper bottle. It has a very light consistency that creeps and wicks all over a mechanism by itself. It has better lubricating qualities than we expected… in fact better lubrication than most heavy grease. One test we performed was on an AR-15 fire control mechanism – a JP Original trigger – an exceptional trigger by any standard. The trigger was lubricated with various oils and greases, including SchleTek 2-1. The receiver was oriented vertically in a bench vise, and remained in that state throughout our tests. The trigger was checked for pull using a “dead weight” system. Each lubricant was tested for the average of 3 pulls and then cleaned thoroughly after each product. The result: trigger pull with SchleTek 2-1 was 3 ounces less than the next best product (which was a high-load grease marketed specifically for triggers). It must be noted that the load on a trigger’s sear is very high and good performance here is indicative of good performance everywhere. As reported, 2-1 is a very thin oil, so when dispersed it leaves an unnoticeable film behind. This film will resist carbon buildup and copper and plastic wad fouling, corrosion and oxidation.

Optic Cleaner

The SchleTek Optic Cleaner was evaluated on eye glasses, an Aimpoint, and a large high powered riflescope. The foaming action is immediate and aggressive, and effectively lifted particulate and oil away from the lenses. We gave the lens a spray, a quick wipe around the glass, followed by a dry cloth to polish out the residual film. This left no streaks or spots behind. The product leaves a remnant film designed to reduce fogging, and dust attraction on lenses. This anti-fog and dust-repellant property was noted to last several days. The foaming action gave our evaluators extra confidence over the competitor’s liquid spray that leaves particulate on the lens when you’re wiping the glass off.

Rust-X and Gun Polish

The Gun Polish Box contains two jars of compound and two microfiber cloths. The Rust-X gel is noticeably abrasive and has a slight odor of Kerosene. The abrasive appears to be softer than steel, as it effectively removes surface oxides and tarnish without abrading the steel substrate. It seems ideal as a lapping compound, for rifle bores or a final step in fitting a pistol slide to a frame. This could be compared to JB paste; Rust-X is more fluid and uniform in consistency than JB paste, thus can flow and disperse better. The Gun Polish is milder than Rust-X and has no abrasive feel to the touch. It will polish gun and tool steel to a mirror surface, and was even used to great effect to remove scratches from plastic safety glasses. Gun Polish could be compared to Flitz or Gunbrite. Gun Polish remains in a working liquid state longer than the competitors and is easier to clean off. Both of these SchleTek products are excellent for general cleaning and fouling removal. The Rust-X is suited for stainless guns or internal surfaces. Gun Polish is ideal for blued or plated guns where a harsher compound could damage the finish.

SchleTek Deutschland is currently making a move to enter their products into the US market, and are looking for distributors.

SchleTek Deutschland

Inh. Industriegebiet West
Boschstr. 4
47574 Goch, Germany
Tel: +49 2823 975 97 80
Fax: +49 2823 975 97 82
Web: www.schletek.de
Email: info@SchleTek.de

“Quad” and the Korean War

There are not too many SAR readers who do not know about the Quad mount for the .50 caliber Browning M2: the M45 Quad mount. It was a very effective weapon system for ground attack. Of course, it was an effective anti-aircraft weapon, but its role as an AA weapon was somewhat limited during its initial service in WW2. It was not its own fault – because of air dominance of the European theatre by allied air forces, its chance of firing against enemy aircraft was not that great. But against ground targets, especially large numbers of enemy personnel, it showed devastating effect. The Quad .50 could shoot almost 40 rounds per second, and those rounds are not just ordinary .30 caliber rounds but .50 caliber rounds.

Soon after WWII, it again showed its effectiveness but this time in Korea. Again, its chance to shoot a target in the sky was very slim, but it was very busy for shooting targets on the ground with targets being plenty of Chinese and North Korean soldiers and equipment.

During the Korean War, Chinese expeditionary forces used ‘human wave’ tactics to overwhelm UN forces’ defense. To counter this threat the U.S. military extensively used Quad mounts. Fire a few hundred rounds of devastating .50 caliber rounds within a few seconds and this literally threw ‘bullet waves’ to stop ‘human waves.’ So many Chinese were mowed down by many Quads that its nickname “The Meat Chopper” was well earned.

Service in Korean Military

After the Korean War, many Quad mounts were supplied to the ROK military by the U.S. and until the late 1970s they were very important low altitude AA systems in the ROK military. The ROK was a very poor country at that time, and if they had something supplied by the U.S. for free or at a very low price, they used it as extensively as possible, since those usually would be the only thing available for them. Since they received a considerable number of Quad mounts (including many M16A1 MGMC half tracks), they used them extensively and bought no other alternatives for a long time.

From the late 1970s, some of them were replaced by more modern weapon systems such as the VADS (Vulcan Air Defense System). The ROK began to make a license-built version of VADS and soon it became the mainstay of ROK’s air defense’s lowest ceiling.

But that didn’t mean the demise of Quad mounts in ROK service. While major AA outfits received VADS, many Quads were also retained and spread to countless areas for a local defense role.

One reason the ROK military didn’t throw away those old Quads, even during the 1980s and 90s, was the AN-2 Colt aircraft. The AN-2 is a Soviet-built biplane, which can fly very slow and very low; its slow speed and low altitude make it especially hard to be detected by radar, so North Koreans bought considerable numbers of them to infiltrate special forces against the ROK. Since Korea is quite mountainous, there are many routes where AN-2s can fly through. VADS are not cheap systems, so the number of them were not enough. Thus, many Quads were placed on scores of mountains or high grounds to cover those routes. AN-2s are not only slow and low-flying, but also quite vulnerable to small arms fire; it has no armor, and its wings are basically metal frames covered with canvas. Only a few rounds of .50 tracers can light this thing up, and once you can see AN-2s, it’s quite easy to hit them with Quads.

AN-2s were not the only concern. Since North Korea can muster considerable numbers of light infantry at many points, those Quads were also used to cover such threats – not much different from the role which it had done during the Korean War.

Another role was mobile defense. While the ROK army has considerable numbers of self-propelled Vulcans (K263; which is similar to U.S. made M163, but using Korean made K200 chassis instead of M113 APC Chassis), most of them are used with mechanized outfits, so some Quads were mounted on 2.5 ton trucks and used as mobile defense for important places like airfields, until the early 2000s.

The name of the Quads in the Korean army was Seung-Gong Po or Seung-Jeon Po. Seung-Gong Po means ‘a cannon to win against air threat,’ and Seung-Jeon Po means ‘Victorious cannon.’ But it seems both of them were not official nomenclature; officially it usually being called as ‘light cannon.’

Not Retiring, But Downgrading

During the late 1990s to early 2000s, virtually all ROK Quads met their life’s end. While some parts were copied during the 70s and 80s, the military felt no need to buy important parts like motors or other power-related parts for the obsolete Quads. Also, the need for Quads become much less than previous years. The number of VADS or K263s now became considerable, and during 1990s to 2000s they bought large numbers of MANPADS (Man-portable air-defense systems, which means shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles like the famous Stinger) from France and Russia. From the late 2000s they even began to produce their own version of MANPADS. With new low-altitude radars to detect AN-2s, there seemed not much reason to place so many Quads on the northern side of ROK. So as an original form, M45 Quad mounts officially retired from ROK military in 2010.

But that doesn’t mean the ROK military, in this case the army, wanted to retire all of them; they still wanted to retain some number of them. Usually, most countries upgrade such old systems once they decided to retain them. The ROK did exactly the opposite. They just downgraded them. They stripped off most of the power related parts and removed most of the armored covers around it; and since there’s no power, the seat was also removed. They added a large handlebar on it and attached a bicycle-brake lookalike firing mechanism. Simply speaking, they changed electronically powered Quad mounts into manually operated Quad mounts in which the operator has to stand up and move it with his own muscle. Even before the official retirement of M45, many numbers of them were converted in that way. Of course, the optical sights originally provided were also removed and simple ring sights are now being used.

It’s a somewhat strange decision since most countries retained the M45 for a long time and usually upgraded them; mostly with 20mm cannons and new power system plus new sights. But the ROK army feel they already have considerable numbers of better weapons (like Vulcans and MANPANDS), and Quads are now being distributed more to rear or unimportant areas. The only two things Quads have to deal with now are AN-2s and enemy special forces (or light infantry). Both threats need no power traverse, since AN-2s are quite slow and infantry is much slower than that. Manually operated quads can still track and shoot them, and firepower is still great whether it’s moved by hand or electric motor. Cost-wise it would be quite economical while not as effective as it used to be.

Training and Live Fire

The pictures for this article were taken during the summer of 2010. The place was southwestern part of ROK, where the North Korean threat would be quite less than those of northern areas.

Actually, especially in this area, most of ROK’s manual Quads are operated by reserve forces.

The ROK military’s reserve system needs a little explanation. Unlike other countries, like the U.S., virtually all active military servicemen automatically become reserve after they finish their active military service. Until 4 years after their service, they become ‘mobilized reserve’ which receive 5 days of training per year and would be drawn into active service when war occurs. After 4 years of mobilized reserve service, they now move into the local reserve, which needs 3 years of service and 36 hours of yearly training. These local reserves are not dispatched to active service even in wartime, but defend their hometown or workplace. Most obsolete firearms are being dispatched to those local reserves: for example, ROK army still retains large numbers of M1/M2 Carbines for them.

The place we visited was a training ground to fire support weapons like machine guns. On that day, some reserve soldiers, managed by the army’s 31st Division, had been doing live fire training with the manual Quads. The soldiers were local defense reserves assigned to ‘workplace reserve.’ They were part of the local reserve that literally defends their workplace during wartime. This could include the steel mill, car factory, machine factories or even nuclear power plants.

Some quads were placed at many such places in case of wartime enemy infiltration. It’s quite hard to expect the Quads will be well-maintained in such places. Maintaining the machine guns mounted on them are probably the best they can expect, so removing all power systems was the answer. With that, nothing would go wrong even with minimal maintenance (or virtually without it).

The guns mounted on them are of course the famous Ma Deuces. While the ROK regular army is using the K6, which is the ROK version of M2HB QCB (Quick Change Barrel), all M2s on Quads are regular M2HBs that were all supplied from U.S. and virtually all of them are WW2 vintage. Of course being Brownings, they need to be checked for headspace and timing during barrel change or maintenance. But virtually all reserve soldiers in that place didn’t know how to do that or even didn’t know what headspace or timing means. While some of them used .50 cals. during their active service, their gun was the K6, which requires no headspace adjustment, so it’s natural for them not knowing about that. They’re from a completely different generation. Such work was done by very experienced NCOs and warrant officers who are in active service and supporting those reserves as armorers. Thanks to them, while eight guns were used on that training day, all guns could fire with relative reliability, though there had been a few jams occurring.

Firing the weapon was easier than it seems. Most expected some very hard labor, and indeed it needed some physical strength, but it didn’t require untold strength to use. Also, because it is operated by two loaders, the shooter can have their help to operate the guns. Feeding is basically done by ordinary 100-round ammo cans. The famous ‘tombstone’ 200-round drum cans were long gone from ROK service, and even those old armorers don’t know about them. And for the live fire exercise here, they didn’t even use such ammo cans since ammo was limited. Only 20 to 28 rounds were fired per shooter, so belts were shortened to 5 to 7 round length and fed by hand.

Overall, it’s somewhat a bizarre weapon, and needless to say it’s far from adequate to modern standards. But since the ROK is still confronting an enemy who’s also far from modern standard, these ‘Victorious Cannons’ will stay in ROK service for the time being.

By 1912, Col. Lewis had four hand-made prototypes of his new invention and gave a number of impressive demonstrations to senior army officers. They appeared duly impressed but took no action. On his own initiative he arranged an unofficial demonstration of the weapon being fired from an airplane – the first time this had ever been done. He officially offered his gun to the United States but was rejected by the Army Chief of Ordnance, General Crozier, due primarily, it seems, to a conflict of personalities. This rejection was to haunt General Crozier five years later when the United States entered World War I in 1917 resulting in a number of congressional inquires and accusations. The U.S. had adopted the Automatic Machine Rifle Model of 1909 (Benet-Mercie) in 1909 and had no money for new equipment and, unlike Europe, considered machine guns to be of secondary importance. General Crozier could not be bothered even with this obviously better weapon.

Undaunted, Col. Lewis went to Europe to sell his gun and was enthusiastically received. He helped establish the Armes Automatiques Lewis Company in Liege, Belgium in 1913 to manufacture the Lewis gun on a commercial basis for sale throughout Europe. The British were also extremely interested in the light and efficient weapon particularly since six Lewis guns could be manufactured for the time and expense of making a single Vickers machine gun. License was granted to the Birmingham Small Arms Company (B.S.A.) in Birmingham, England in late 1913. The Armes Automatiques Lewis Company did not produce very many Lewis guns as Belgium was overrun by the Germans in 1914 at the outbreak of World War I. Since B.S.A. was tooled up for production they were able to step in and supply the British and Belgian armies. B.S.A. produced a total of 145,397 Lewis guns during World War I.

As World War I settled into trench warfare the importance of machine guns became obvious. The Vickers was originally issued two per battalion but it soon became clear that more machine guns (and more flexibility) were needed when the Machine Gun Corps was formed in 1915. To partially fill the gap, four Lewis guns were issued to each battalion. As the war progressed, the Lewis gun proved itself in the rigors of combat in the hands of the British and Belgian soldiers. The greatest asset was the mobility the gun provided. One man could bring fire to bear and quickly move on the attack whereas the Vickers had a five man crew and had to be emplaced. So successful was the use of the Lewis gun that Britain adopted it as a squad level weapon. In addition, the Germans prized the capture of the Lewis gun and used it against the allied forces whenever possible. The German armament industry was geared for the production of the heavy Maxim MG08 machine gun. They didn’t have the time or resources to develop or copy the light machine gun so instead, using existing manufacturing facilities, modified and “lightened” the MG08 into the water-cooled MG08/15 – a heavy and clumsy alternative stop gap measure. There was nothing like the Lewis gun on the battlefield. The French Hotchkiss Portative and its English brother the Hotchkiss Portable Mk1 machine rifle didn’t even come close.

B.S.A. could not keep up with the demand for Lewis guns and contracted with the Savage Arms Company in Utica, New York as an additional supplier. Because of the great success of the Lewis gun in Europe, American proponents pressed for its adoption in the U.S. In 1916, the U.S. Army purchased 350 of the .303 caliber British contract guns from the Savage Arms Company for use by U.S. soldiers in the Mexican boarder war against Poncho Villa. Yet, General Crozier still felt that the Lewis gun was not suitable for adoption. When the United States entered the war in April 1917, the Navy purchased 6,000 guns for issue to the Marine Corps. The Marines trained at great length with the Lewis gun while in the United States, but when sent to France and attached to the 2nd Infantry Division, the Lewis’ were inexplicably taken away and the Marines were issued with the French Chauchat Model 1915 – a decidedly inferior gun. The Army begrudgingly purchased 2,500 guns but used them for training purposes. But it was found that the Lewis gun was perfect for use in aircraft and by the end of the war in 1918 the U.S. Army had purchased 34,000 Lewis aircraft guns.

The first use of the Lewis gun in combat was by Belgian forces as they had bought some just prior to the outbreak of the war and would have used them against the invading German army. The very distinctive sound the gun made during firing, due to the barrel jacket extending beyond the muzzle, combined with the delaying combat tactics of the Belgians, earned it the nickname of “Belgian Rattlesnake” by the Germans.

As manufacturing increased both in England and the United States, the British Army greatly increased the number of guns put into action. A British battalion had sixteen platoons in four companies and by 1918 each platoon had two Lewis guns with another four at Battalion Headquarters for anti-aircraft defense.

By the end of the war, large scale production ended. Though the gun had many excellent features and characteristics (portable, one man operation, ease of changing pan magazines, resistant to environmental fouling, etc.) it was a complex gun susceptible to a bewildering number of stoppages. There was much room for improvement in the light machine gun category and was ultimately replaced by the Bren gun as standard British issue in 1935. A British Small Arms Training manual dated 1931, Volume II, lists six “immediate action” stoppages and seven possible stoppages for the Lewis gun. The detailing and explanation of the stoppages added up to thirty one pages of small print. Considered obsolete, the Lewis was relegated to a secondary armament role but fortunately a large inventory was on hand. After the debacle at Dunkirk, the Lewis gun once again stepped in to fill the desperate need of the British army to arm trawlers, motor torpedo boats, ground anti-aircraft positions and the Home Guard.

The Lewis gun was officially adopted by Great Britain and widely used by Belgium, France and the United States for ground, air and naval use. The Yokosuka Naval Arsenal in Yokosuka, Japan manufactured copies of the Lewis gun for the Japanese Navy in 1929. Norway also manufactured the Lewis just prior to World War II.

There were a number of accessories for the Lewis gun that included: fold down front anti-aircraft ring sight, rear anti-aircraft sight to mount on top of leaf sight, front and rear illuminated night sights carried in a metal box, pan magazine lever loading tool, post style pan loading tool, metal ammunition chest that carries six pan magazines, canvass pan magazine carrier that holds four magazines, leather gunner’s kit than contains a spare bolt, cocking know, extractor, firing pin, spring, mouthpiece spanner, gas chamber spanner, clearing plug (ruptured case extractor), combination scale for spring tensions measurement with screw driver one end and “bullet point” on the other end for turning the gas key regulator.

The Lewis gun is considered one of the classic machine guns of World War I and is recognized as the first practical light machine gun produced in large quantities used in a large armed conflict. Its distinctive profile, portability and general ease of operation ranks it as the true forerunner of later light machine guns.

Operation

The primary principle on which the gun worked was gas operation. A small hole was drilled into the barrel. As the bullet traveled past the hole the rapidly expanding gasses behind it would be tapped off from the barrel through the hole into a gas accumulation chamber where it would impinge upon a piston driving it rearward. The piston was connected to an operating rod and bolt. During this rearward movement the bolt would extract the spent cartridge case and eject it through the ejection port to the right rear. A stud located on top of the bolt also engaged a feed arm which engaged and extracted the next round from the double layer, circular pan magazine located on the top of the gun. The mechanism had two stop pawls that ensured that the magazine rotated the correct distance to line up the next cartridge. Additionally, during the rearward movement of the piston, operating rod and bolt, a rack on the underside of the operating rod engaged a pinion which wound a clock-type spring, located just in front of the trigger that would store the energy needed to return the operating parts forward while chambering and firing the next round. The bolt had rotating locking lugs that locked into recesses in the barrel extension and unlocked when high pressure was reduced to a safe level.

The cooling mechanism was unique to the Lewis gun and its actual cooling capabilities versus the added weight have been a source of debate for years. The entire barrel is enclosed in a deeply flanged aluminum radiator casing. The aluminum radiator casing was then enclosed by an outer steel jacket open at both the front and rear to allow air to circulate along the entire length of the finned aluminum casing. Col. Lewis’ theory was that since the steel outer casing projects beyond the end of the muzzle of the barrel, the muzzle blast would cause the air to be sucked in from the rear opening passing along the length of the aluminum radiator casing thus assisting in cooling. This forced draught cooling system has since been proven to be over rated and the gun works quite well without it. The aircraft Lewis gun did away with the aluminum radiator casing and the outer steel casing altogether with no ill effect to operational use.

Lewis Gunners

They dwell in a medley of pawls and springs,
    Of pinions, and lugs, and racks,
Of cylinders, vents, and various things
    Which the average rifle lacks.
My word! How they polish, and oil, and clean,
    Ad Nauseam every day,
But you’ll always find them alert and keen –
For that is the gunner’s way.

At night-time they dream the most terrible dreams
    Of feed-arms and left-handed screws;
Their slumber with grooved-tailed monstrosities teems
    Till they’re nigh in a fit of the blues.
Those number two stoppages haunt them by night,
    And also far into the day;
Their remarks would, I’m sure, set asbestos alight –
    That is also the gunner’s way.

Up on the fire-step they’ll often be found
    Peering earnestly over the top,
Taking mental impressions of all that’s around,
    Watching planes, and where Fritz’s shells drop.
On the qui vive for gas, ready for the alarm
    At all hours of night or of day;
Alert and intelligent, watchful and calm,
    As is always the gunner’s way.

They pound Fritz in gaps which are torn in his wire,
    When his gangs are out working at night;
They rake all his trenches with enfilade fire
Till he’s thankful to keep out of sight.
They draw all his fire till the bombers get near,
    And pepper him from the next bay,
Then it’s “Kamerade, mercy!” and off to the rear –
    That’s the Allemand gunner’s way.

There’s a deadly “Five-nine” that’s a fav’rite of Fritz,
    There are glistening Taubes overhead;
There’s a gun and its gunners now shattered to bits,
There are several more names ‘mong the dead.
But their duty is done, as was e’er their proud boast,
    For the peace of their souls let us pray:
God rest them, brave lads! For they died at their post –
    That is ever the gunner’s way.

The Christensen Arms CA 10 DMR platform can be considered a custom built AR rifle. Dozens of configurations ensure you have the exact AR you desire. Whether you crave a compact SBR for law enforcement tactical team use or a long-range precision rifle, each Christensen Arms AR is built with the same commitment to excellence. Only top tier components are incorporated such as a Nitride coated bolt carrier group, machined forged custom receivers, Christensen LTM trigger, titanium muzzle brake or flash hider, multiple stock options, various Cerakote and hydro-dip finishes, Match grade carbon wrapped barrel, and carbon fiber handguards. Christensen Arms covers their ARs with a 1 MOA accuracy guarantee. One overarching theme with the Christensen Arms AR stemming from their carbon wrapped barrels is keeping weight down so as to maximize operator efficiency. The CA 10 DMR tested herein weighed slightly over 7 pounds. This is outstanding considering a rail is present as well as other features that are typically avoided in other builder’s efforts when attempting a lightweight AR.

It is no secret that the Eugene Stoner’s AR platform is the best selling rifle in the U.S. with many manufacturers jumping on the bandwagon in recent years by offering their versions. It seems the ARs adaptability attribute is also its most abused quality with individuals often hanging all sorts of paraphernalia on their ARs. This added weight often negates the inherent AR qualities of handling. Often a more simple approach to a primary weapon such as a rifle makes more sense for all interested users, i.e. military, private security contractor, law enforcement, and/or civilian. Years of experience and dozens of training courses has formed strong opinions as what constitutes an effective fighting rifle; meaning this is a return to AR basics such as lightweight, great handling rifles, with potent firepower. This especially applies for civilians and even most law enforcement personnel outside of specialized tactical teams who do not require the plethora of accessories currently being found on the ARs. Christensen Arms offers such a platform with its CA 10 DMR; with added benefit of it being chambered .308Win. The CA 10 DMR is lighter than some competitors AR-15 style rifles on the market let alone other AR-10 .308Win rifles.

Reports from Afghanistan and Iraq have re-exposed 5.56mm poor performance in putting a distant adversary down quickly with minimal rounds fired. While the basic M16 design is hard to improve upon when it comes to reliably launching bullets downrange accurately, many have lamented the 5.56mm’s potency in various scenarios. The last frontier with the AR is caliber expansion that fits within a standard 5.56mm lower receiver. Though the 7.62x51mm/ .308Win AR has been around for quite some time, the .308Win AR’s increase in size and weight in terms of necessary AR receiver size, ammunition, and other accessories to accommodate the larger cartridge is a drawback to many. The Christensen Arms CA 10 DMR solves this quandary. The combining of the AR platform with the increased power represented in the .308Win/7.62x51mm cartridge is the key to the CA 10 DMR’s appeal. This is speaking in terms of 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 that hard to define concept of “lethality,” the .308Win/7.62x51mm does not suffer from this reputation. Law enforcement agencies could easily consider using the rifle (not to mention private contractors, and security conscience civilians). With budgets constantly under pressure, the CA 10 DMR could be the answer to fulfilling a multitude of roles – precision rifle, general-purpose patrol rifle, or entry weapon. This is a positive reflection on the rifle’s accuracy, reliability, handling and ergonomics.

Christensen Arms’ thought process was to create a lightweight, simple to operate AR rifle similar to Eugene Stoner’s original concept while accessing the .308Win cartridge’s power. Christensen’s counter-intuitive approach involved maximizing the AR’s effectiveness and potential by simplifying it away from current trends. AR designs consisting of heavy barrels and full-length four-sided Picatinny rails adorned with lights, lasers, vertical forward grips and other accessories were abandoned in favor of simple contemporary components of the highest quality put together by a qualified gunsmith one at a time ensuring maximum quality control. Christensen Arms’ experience and industry leading development of carbon fiber barrels and forend rails further lends credence to the CA 10 DMR.

CA 10 DMR’s components are of proven quality and performance with cost not serving as the driving force of selection. A Christensen Arms Match carbon wrapped 16 inch barrel featuring 1:10 twist with titanium muzzle brake is mated to a flattop AR receiver. A Nitride coated bolt is used in the CA 10 DMR. An extended charging handle is also featured. The CA 10 DMR’s carbon fiber forend is unit finished in a speckled grey with the receiver done in a burnt bronze Cerakote finish. The handguard’s carbon fiber material minimizes weight and prevents the CA 10 DMR from being front heavy, especially when combined with the carbon wrapped barrel. This positively impacts handling while allowing for effective cooling of the barrel and secure mounting of sling swivels and flashlight attachment interface. The carbon fiber handguard is textured allowing for positive grip anywhere along its length. A Picatinney rail runs under the forend handguard for mounting of accessories. A Magpul single point mount is placed at the end of the receiver. A LTM trigger group rides in the Christensen Arms CA 10’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. A Magpul CTR adjustable sear is fitted along with a Hogue pistol grip. Other stock types can be requested for the CA 10 DMR. The Hogue pistol grip’s design enables a user to more comfortably wield a CA 10 DMR, especially one handed, without tenderizing your middle finger against the trigger guard. This may not sound that significant and certainly is not an absolute requirement, but anyone who has spent multiple training days with an AR will appreciate the attention to detail.

The CA 10 DMR’s theme is evident in terms of minimizing weight. Christensen Arms is more than willing to utilize AR improvements as long as said items contribute to effectiveness. However, the need for full length quad rails adding weight and unbalancing the AR by making it front heavy is resisted. The ability to mount infrared laser designators, night vision devices, or other sorts of tactical hardware is not something most of us require in a fighting rifle. The CA 10 DMR weighs 7.1 pounds and measures 38 inches in length with Magpul stock fully extended. The CA 10 DMR balances performance with handling. Doubters are encouraged to attend a rifle course with a rifle weighing 10+ pounds laden with accessories and compare it to a rifle configured like the CA 10 DMR. There is no doubt which rifle will allow its user to perform more dynamically, especially during cover, movement, barricade, or unorthodox firing position drills.

Hornady 168gr TAP, Federal 168gr Match, and Black Hills Ammunition 168gr and 175gr Match were tested with the CA 10 DMR. No ammunition tested produced over 1.25-inch groups at 100 yards. This is quite the statement. There are many custom precision bolt action rifles chambered in .308Win that do not have this type of accuracy – let alone a factory produced semiautomatic AR. FMJ loads from Winchester were tested as well. This was more for making sure of functionality than for primary use. The CA 10 DMR proved reliable throughout this evaluation with over 350 assorted rounds sent downrange. One DPMS magazine is shipped with the rifle. The CA 10 DMR also accepts Magpul PMag 20-round magazines. Several more of the Magpul magazines were acquired for this evaluation. Magpul’s PMag 20LR magazine is quickly becoming the standard .308Win/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 CA 10 DMR’s accuracy level justifies mounting a magnified optic such as Weaver Tactical 1.5-5x. This scope selection is certainly not that common or well known to many shooters. Most have no idea what they are missing in terms of rifle scope optics offered by Weaver. Weaver produces one of the most diversified high performing line-ups of rifle scopes on the market. Most in our community hold strongly to preconceived notions regarding rifle scope optics. There are times when one must get past these comfortable set beliefs to truly appreciate what another product may offer. The 1.5x magnification, wide field of view, edge-to-edge clarity and illuminated reticle options allow for extremely fast and accurate target acquisition. This is an ideal scope for when every split second counts and lethal shot placement is a must. The versatile Weaver Tactical 1.5-5x scope can handle close quarter situations on an AR platform and much longer shots depending on the caliber being used and the shooter’s proficiency.

Once the CA 10 DMR proved functionally reliable, it was then put through its paces on different rifle courses that were set up for a pending law enforcement competition that was to be held at the Echo Valley Training Center (EVTC) range. Magazine changes, shooting from the non-dominant shoulder and unconventional positions helped to put the CA 10 DMR through its paces. The Christensen CA 10 DMR is not marketed as the least expensive AR option. All of the CA 10 DMR’s design 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.

The 16 inch barreled Christensen AR rifle showed its true promise by performing not only within the multiple 100 yard bays at EVTC firing from barricades and engaging 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. A US Palm Multi-Platform chest rig carried five magazines during range evaluations. Several of the more dynamic drills experienced during the T&E showed the CA 10 DMR at its best; unrelenting reliability even when scorching hot after multiple magazines fired consecutively.

As with any personal weapon, and selection of a fighting rifle is as personal as it gets, individual preferences and prejudices will decide interest level in the Christensen Arms CA 10 DMR. What makes up an ideal AR fighting rifle is a hotly debated topic. The CA 10 DMR’s near $3,000 price tag is sure to give some pause. There are an overabundance of AR style rifles vying for consumer attention whether individuals, departments, or other entities. The Christensen Arms CA 10 DMR is worthy of consideration based on attention to detail and quality of materials used in its manufacture. The cliché of buy right the first time comes to mind with the CA 10 DMR being a good example.

Sites of Interest

Christensen Arms
www.christensenarms.com

Black Hills Ammunition
www.black-hills.com

ATK/Federal Cartridge Company
www.federalpremium.com

Hornady Mfg. Inc.
www.hornady.com

Echo Valley Training Center
www.echovalleytrainingcenter.com

Magpul Industries Corp.
www.magpul.com

Weaver Optics
www.weaveroptics.com

SAR obtained a test and evaluation rifle. It was received packaged in a very well made wooden crate. The rifle was broken down into the receiver, pistol grip assembly and stock all wrapped in plastic and held in place by wood planks screwed into support beams. After unscrewing the planks and retrieving the parts it was noticed immediately the incredible detail of this rifle and even the way it was assembled. This author has had significant trigger time on the World War II German StG44 and is quite familiar down to the last detail. The rifle assembled in the exact same way with the main difference being the provision that made the rifle a blow back operated .22 Long Rifle caliber. After it was assembled it had the exact fit and feel of grand daddy. One very unique fact about the StG44 is the trigger; it has a springy draw until it reaches the hammer. The GSG rifle had that exact same trigger. To someone not familiar with the actual rifle, you may not appreciate that terrible trigger. But GSG wanted to build an exact replica and that is what they did.

When looking at the data of overall length of 37.3 inches, barrel length of 16.3 inches and weight without magazine of 9.15 pounds, these are all within the specifications of the original rifle. The safety is on the left side of the pistol grip assembly and is a flip lever. The original being selective fire had a separate cross bolt selector that went from semi to fully automatic fire. Due to the GSG-StG44 being semiautomatic only there is no need for this provision so it is just molded into the receiver and does not move. The cocking handle locks open the same way by pulling all the way to the rear and engaging the stop notch. The stock is made of a very nice wood and retains the metal butt strap as well as the oil bottle hole in the top of the stock.

Disassembly is the exact same down to the removable aluminum handguard. The rear takedown pin is pushed out of the receiver and the stock comes directly off of the receiver. At this point the trigger group pivots downward out of engagement with the rear of the receiver. Now the springs and the bolt are exposed. In the case of the GSG-StG44, you remove the receiver cap spring, damping devise and breech block. You may remove the trigger group pin as well and separate that from the receiver. The last thing to remove is the metal handguard.

The rifle was taken to the range. The ammunition used to test the GSG-StG44 was ATI Scorpion ammunition. This is custom ammunition made for ATI by ARMSCOR in the Philippines that has been over a year in the making. ATI had very specific instructions to how they wanted this ammunition loaded – that is to function in semiautomatic firearms and the load was developed to do just that. The projectile is a 40 grain copper plated lead round nose. The projectile has ever so slight ogive to it with a perfectly rounded nose. The nominal velocity is 1,260 feet per second. The headstamp is the ATI logo.

More than 200 rounds of Scorpion .22 Long Rifle ammunition were fired at a 25 yard range with no malfunctions. Quite unusual for a .22 Long Rifle given some of my resent research. Both rifle and ammunition were in sync and worked well. Accuracy was within 2 inches off hand. There was no bench available. With support the groups might have been that much more tighter. The rifle felt solid and robust like its grand daddy. The thumb assist on the magazine made it easy to load, much less punishing on the thumb.

Due to the lack of availability of the real thing, the GSG-StG44 is the next best option. The attention to detail in design and manufacturing makes the rifle feel just like the original. The StG44 is truly a piece of military history that was a game changer in how future wars were to be fought. This is living history of the modern day assault rifle. The MSRP is $499.95 for the rifle without the wood crate.