The Slide Fire Ruger 10/22 kit turns the little rifle into a sleek, fast firing, and very “tacticool” looking rifle. The Ruger BX-25 magazine was one of the few that could keep up with the machine gun like rate-of-fire produced by the Slide Fire conversion.

By Chris A. Choat

Several years ago this author reported on a then new stock that allowed an AR style rifle to be bump-fired and thus produce almost as high of rate of fire as a full-auto gun. As the stock was merely an addition to a semiautomatic rifle and the rifle’s trigger still had to be pulled every time the gun fired, the device was approved for sale by the BATFE. One of the major advantages to this unit over other bump-fire devices is that the shooter could not only produce high rates of fire but he or she could do it in a safe and controlled way. Also, with a little practice, the shooter could produce semi-auto type fire as well as 2 or 3 round burst fire without changing anything on the rifle. The stock was produced by a company called Slide Fire Solutions (www.slidefire.com) and to date they have literally sold tens of thousands of these stocks.

In the past year or so the dramatic increase in the price of ammunition has caused lots of shooters to cut down on the amount of rounds that are put downrange. While the prices of all ammunition have gone up, centerfire seems to have taken a bigger hike than rimfire. That being said, more shooters are now turning to rimfire guns to go to the range with. This (along with a shortage of rimfire powder) has produced what seems like a shortage of .22 shells for sale on store shelves. It is very possible that more shooters are now turning to their favorite rimfire guns to satisfy their desire to go shooting. It also has increased the market for rimfire rifles that look and function like their AR style centerfire counterparts.

One of the most popular AR style rimfire rifle is produced by Smith & Wesson (www.smith-wesson.com) and is a member of their M&P series of guns. The M&P15-22 is styled about as close as you can get to an AR-15 style rifle – in fact, a lot of parts will interchange between the two. The M&P15-22 has an AR pistol grip, M-4 type stock, quad rail forearm, flat-top upper with Picatinny style rail and a 1/2 X 28 threaded barrel. While the gun uses polymer upper and lower receivers, it is built plenty strong enough to handle rimfire ammo. It uses S&W proprietary magazines in either 10 or 25 round capacities but several aftermarket companies have now started producing magazines that fit this rifle including 50-round drum magazines. The function and quality of this gun is typical S&W with flawless performance.

Another rimfire gun that offers flawless performance is the Ruger (www.ruger.com) 10/22 rifle. This rifle has been produced since the early 1960s and Ruger, as of last count, has sold well over 6 million of them. Almost every shooter has at least one of them in their collection. For over 50 years this gun has been the one to go with when teaching new shooters or just going out for a
day of plinking.

Now, Slide Fire Solutions has started producing a couple of kits that incorporate their bump-fire style stock units. These two new kits are being made for the S&W M&P15-22 and the Ruger 10/22 rifles. These new kits not only allow the Slide Fire stocks to fit the two most popular .22 rifles being made, they also include some other added enhancements for the guns as well.

The kit for the M&P15-22 is called the SFS 15/22. The kit includes a Slide Fire SBS stock with attaching hardware, a CMC Triggers (www.cmctriggers.com) complete drop-in 3.5 pound trigger unit and one of their new custom designed muzzle devices called a recoil enhancer. The SBS stock is Slide Fire’s newest design stock and will fit any rifle with an AR style buffer tube whether mil-spec or commercial. The trigger is a complete unit that includes the hammer, disconnector, trigger and associated springs in a drop-in module. The unit has been factory tuned to a 3.5 pound trigger pull. This light trigger pull has been found to allow the rimfire guns to work perfectly with the Slide Fire stocks. The final item included is Slide Fire’s recoil enhancer. The recoil enhancer replaces the standard flash hider on the rifle and helps to give the rifle a gentle rearward push as the bullet exits the barrel. This is accomplished by the design of the recoil enhancer. Think of the unit as a small enclosed chamber with tiny gas ports around the front of it. As the bullet exits the barrel escaping gas is trapped in the chamber and then vented out of the ports creating a slight rearward push. This can hardly be felt but does add to the reliability of the gun with the Slide Fire stock.

The kit for the Ruger 10/22 is called the SSAR-22 and is somewhat different in that it includes a chassis system. The system includes three pieces; an upper and a lower receiver and a forearm. The upper and lower combine to encapsulate the action of the 10/22 as well as having an attached AR style buffer tube. A uniquely styled forearm fastens the three pieces together and gives the 10/22 a very modern, tactical look. With all the pieces installed it gives the rifle a full-length rail across the top for attaching optics or other accessories. The kit also comes with a complete 3-pound trigger unit that is manufactured by Volquartsen Custom (www.volquartsen.com), long known for their work on enhancing the Ruger rimfire guns as well as a complete line of guns of their own. This trigger unit is a complete unit made to replace the whole trigger pack of a Ruger 10/22. The kit also includes Slide Fire’s OGR stock, which is their original pattern stock. The chassis system is available separately as the TAC-22 and comes with a standard M4 type stock and A2 pistol grip.

Either kit can be installed in just a matter of minutes with the only tools needed being a supplied Allen wrench and a Phillips and a straight blade screwdriver for the Ruger. To install the M&P15-22 kit the rifle’s original stock and pistol grip are removed and replaced with the Slide Fire stock with attached pistol grip. The original pistol grip is replaced with an interface block. This block and the buffer tube allow for bearing surfaces for the Slide Fire stock to reciprocate on. The S&W M&P15-22 uses the same fire control parts as a standard AR-15 so the original parts are merely replaced with the CMC Triggers drop-in module and pins. The only thing left to do is to unscrew the original flash hider and replace it with the recoil enhancer. To install the Ruger kit the original barrel band and stock are removed. The original Ruger trigger group is removed by pushing out two trigger pins. The Volquartsen unit is then installed into the Ruger’s receiver. The author chose to replace the original steel bolt stop pin with a Buffer Technologies recoil buffer. The high impact polymer pin absorbs the bolt’s rearward momentum and cushions the impact. Every 10/22 should have this inexpensive accessory. The three piece chassis system is then installed along with the matching forearm. The Slide Fire OGR stock is then attached to the chassis system and the installation is complete. The kits are available in either right or left handed versions and now come in three colors: Black, Dark Earth and OD Green.

With the kits installed it was time to grab lots of ammunition and head to the range. While on the subject of ammunition, it needs to be made clear, these devices work by harnessing the recoil energy of the gun and using it to assist the cycling. They require good, high quality, high powered ammo. Not the white box discount store variety. Low power, target or standard velocity just will not work as reliably as the “good stuff”. This author chose CCI Mini Mag and the newer CCI Tactical .22 and they both work well; but most other high velocity .22 LR will work well. There is no fun if you have to always clear malfunctions due to weak ammunition.

The S&W unit was tried first. The gun was loaded with a S&W 25-round magazine of CCI Mini Mags and the fun began. There is a slight learning curve associated with a Slide Fire stock. Someone picking up a gun equipped with one might not have the best of luck with the first couple of magazines. It seems like it usually takes a couple of magazines before a new Slide Fire user gets the feel for it. First of all to use one of these stocks you don’t PULL the trigger, you PUSH the rifle. Slide Fire stocks incorporate a little shelf that is positioned just to the side of the trigger. The shooter places their trigger finger through the trigger guard and onto this little shelf and keeps it there. The rifle is then pushed forward with the off hand, which in turn pushes the trigger against your stationary trigger finger. The result is that when the gun fires it recoils rearward and the trigger resets but the shooter still has forward pressure on the rifle, which pushes the rifle forward again and the cycle starts over. The all happens in a nanosecond and the result is a rate of fire that equals a full-auto gun. A .22 equipped with a Slide Fire stock will shoot at a cyclic rate of about 500 to 600 rounds per minute. Though there are other select-fire .22s that fire twice as fast (1,000 to 1,200 rpm), their cyclic rate is was too fast. At those rates a 30-round magazine is finished in about 1.5 seconds. With the slower rate of fire, a shooter with a Slide Fire equipped gun has more control and gets the full-auto sensation without going through ammunition like water through a fire hose.

Secondly, a light grip on the rifle’s forearm works the best. In fact, with the .22’s tested, if you just laid the forearm on the palm of your offhand and used the thumb and forefinger to grip it and pull back they worked best.

The S&W gun worked just as advertised with a 10-round burst erupting from the gun. Another forward push and the rest of the magazine fired completely. This was followed up with several more magazines. The only time that the gun quit was when it came across a “light” load. You could actually tell by the feel of the shell’s recoil that it was a light load. In a standard .22 bolt action or even a semi-auto you would never notice as the gun would continue to function as long as the shell produced enough energy to eject the empty brass. But with a Slide Fire equipped gun a light load will usually cause it to stop. With quality ammunition and a little practice you can empty a full 25 rounds without a hitch.

The Ruger 10/22 equipped with the Slide Fire unit was a little problematic at first. The gun was loaded up with a 30-round Butler Creek magazine. It would fire just 2 or 3 rounds and stop; then maybe 4 or 5 and stop. This continued through the first two magazines, both Butler Creek. We then tried a third magazine that was one of Ruger’s own BX-25 mags. The whole magazine fired without one malfunction. This was repeated several times with the same result. It turns out that the two Butler Creek magazines would not work 100% in another 10/22 that was tried as well. The magazines that worked the best turned out to be the original Ruger 10-round, the aforementioned Ruger BX-25 and the HC3R magazines (www.hcmags.com). If you haven’t tried one of the HC3R magazines do yourself a favor and get one. They load easily, hold a total of 45 rounds on board and can be taken apart to be cleaned. They are a first rate piece of equipment. By switching to the other magazines and giving the rifle a shot of WD-40 the gun ran perfectly. We found that both guns seemed to like just a small amount of lube and they would run multiple complete magazines without an issue.

Another great feature of the Slide Fire stocks is that they can be converted from working in the bump-fire mode into a regular “fixed” stock instantly. All of the stocks have a small engagement lock lever located at the bottom of the stock about where the release lever is on a standard collapsible carbine stock. This lever is turned 90 degrees either right or left to select either a locked or a sliding mode. This is handy when letting a youngster that is not quite ready for the Slide Fire experience shooting the gun.

In conclusion, the testing revealed that the Slide Fire Solutions .22 kits are a complete blast and work just as advertised. This company hit on the magic remedy for accessories. Make them for a reliable gun that is produced in very high numbers. The Ruger 10/22 and the S&W MP15-22 rifles fall into both of these categories. You can’t go wrong with either rifle or with the Slide Fire Solutions .22 kits. The stocks are not tactical and they are not for everybody. But if you want to have an afternoon of shooting fun without spending a fortune, try one.

Introduced at SHOT Show 2014, the first Glock .380 Auto caliber pistol available to the American Market is the Glock 42. The pistol is manufactured at Glock USA, in Smyrna, Georgia.

By Christopher R. Bartocci

The Glock pistol has without a doubt become the preferred sidearm of many law enforcement agencies in the United States. The commercial market is just as large if not the largest in the country. Throughout the world the pistol has been adopted by Army and Special Forces units, law enforcement as well as competition, recreation and self-defense users. Here in the United States, Glock pistols have been sold in 9x19mm, .40, .357 SIG, 10mm, .45 Auto and .45 GAP. The reputation for durability and reliability is well documented and legendary throughout the world.

However, one very popular caliber is missing: the popular .380 Auto (9x17mm). Oddly enough, Glock has made pistols in this caliber for many years but they did not appear in the U.S. The models G25 and G28 never made it. Why was this?

In order to import pistols into the United States there is a point scale that they must reach (Please see Legally Armed in this issue, page 16). Caliber is part of the component of the point scale. The configuration of the pistol chambered in .380 Auto caliber did not accrue enough points to be considered importable due to the caliber. However for Glock Austria, this pistol was extremely exportable to many other countries. There are several countries throughout the world that prohibit their populous from having firearms chambered in military calibers. So a 9x19mm caliber pistol would be illegal, but you could have a 9x21mm or a 9x17mm. One such country is Italy. You may not own an AR-15 chambered in .223 Rem but you could purchase one in .222 Rem caliber. In fact, Colt manufactured rifles in this caliber specifically for this market. The same went for the pistols. The Italians were prohibited to have a 9mm pistol but they could in .380 Auto. The Glock 25 and Glock 28 pistols would come to be very popular in this country. In Central as well as South America, the market is very lucrative for the G25 and G28 pistols as well. Really, the United States is the only country this author knows of that the .380 Auto caliber Glocks are not available for individual civilian purchases. But as previously stated, one would have a very hard time justifying a less powerful cartridge in a pistol the exact same size. It would defy logic but you never know what the customer wants.

All Glock pistols fire from what Glock refers to as “Safe Action.” Due to the Glock pistols being striker fired, there is no need for an external hammer to cock and uncock. There is no lever to decock the striker. The main benefit to the Safe Action pistol is that every trigger pull from the first pull to lock back is the exact same trigger weight. Unlike more common double action / single action pistols, when the trigger is pulled for the first time the trigger pull is a heavy 12 or so pounds due to the hammer being cocked back. After the pistol fires, the trigger pull is approximately 6 lbs. The first shot you shoot low and the next shot you shoot high until you get the consistent single action pull. The Safe Action for some is much easier to shoot due to the consistent trigger pull. Also, once you get used to the trigger reset, the pistol excels at rapid fire. When the pistol is in the loaded condition, the position of the striker has about 1/4 load of the striker spring. As the trigger is pulled to the rear, the striker is drawn to the rear of the pistol fully compressing the striker spring until the trigger bar drops down off the drop safety, releasing the striker to hit the firing pin. The trigger pull is normally 5.5 pounds from the factory, but by altering the geometry of the connector and replacing the trigger return spring the trigger weight can be increased upwards of 10.5 pounds. Safe Action comprises of 3 different passive safeties. Passive meaning they are not mechanically engaged by a lever but when the trigger is pulled each one disengages in order and when the trigger is released they all re-engage in the reverse order. The first part of the Safe Action is the passive trigger safety. There is a small spring loaded tab in the center of the trigger that must be depressed before the trigger may have any rearward movement. Unless the trigger is manually pulled the tab blocks any rearward travel of the trigger. The second is the firing pin block. There is a mechanical steel plunger blocking the striker’s forward movement so it may not pass through the breech face to strike the primer. As the trigger is pulled, a tab on the trigger bar pushes upward disengaging the firing pin block. The third safety is what is called the drop safety. The trigger bar (cruciform) rides on the drop safety. When the trigger is pulled all the way to the rear the trigger bar drops down releasing the striker to fire the round. If the trigger is not pulled, there is no way for the trigger bar to release the striker. The drop safety prevents this. Only a full rearward movement of the trigger can drop the trigger bar off the drop safety to release the striker.

The Glock 25

The G25, introduced in 1995 is built on the exact same frame as the Glock 19, Glock’s compact version of the Glock 17. The G25 has been produced in both generation 2 and 3 variations. The overall length of the G25 is 7.36 inches with a height of 4.99 inches. The width of the slide is 1.18 inches. The barrel length is 4.01 inches in length and uses the same hammer forged polygonal rifling as the rest of the Glock family of weapons. The weight of the pistol is 23.30 oz unloaded and 31.70 oz loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition. Like its 9mm counterpart, the magazine capacity of the G25 is 15 rounds of .380 Auto caliber ammunition. The G25 is offered with standard or tritium night sights. All holsters and magazine pouches are compatible with any one that fits a G19/G23 or G38.

The major difference between the G19 and the G25 is not just the chamber dimensions and caliber but also the locking mechanism. Due to the relatively low slide thrust of the .380 Auto caliber cartridge, the standard locked-breech design of all the other Glock pistols had to be altered to a blowback design. To accomplish the change from locked to unlocked blowback operation the locking surfaces on the barrel were removed as well as the redesign of the locking block. Unlike the common blow back operated pistol the barrel of the Glock 25 is not fixed to the frame but assembles in the same fashion as all of the other Glock pistols. The slide moves rearward in recoil until it is tilted below the slide, similar to that of the standard locked breech mechanism. Other than the modifications to the chamber and locking surfaces of the barrel and slide, all of the other components are standard.

When looking at the G19 vs the G25 from an Americans perspective it is difficult to see why one would want the G25. To take two guns in the exact same size and have one a full powered 9mm and the other in the significantly lower .380 Auto caliber one would find it difficult to justify the .380 Auto. When firing each side by side, the recoil difference is really quite irrelevant as recoil is very similar. There are always those who want what is prohibited and that would more than likely explain the demand from American consumers for a .380 Auto caliber pistol.

The Glock 28

The G28, introduced in 1997, is built on the exact same frame as the Glock 26; Glock’s sub-compact version of the Glock 19. The G28 has been produced in generation 3 variations. The overall length of the G28 is 6.41 inches with a height of 4.17 inches. The width of the slide is 1.18 inches. The barrel length is 3.42 inches in length and uses the same hammer forged polygonal rifling as the rest of the Glock family of weapons. The weight of the pistol is 20.65 oz unloaded and 23.83oz loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition. Like its 9mm counterpart, the magazine capacity of the G25 is 10 rounds of .380 Auto caliber ammunition. The 15-round magazine from the G25 may also be used in this pistol although it may stick out of the magazine well. The overall thickness of the G28 really feels off for a pistol chambered in .380 Auto. The G25 has a more proportioned feel to it for a .380 Auto caliber pistol than that of the G25. The G25 really feels very large for such a small caliber pistol. This is from a personal perspective comparing two pistols of different size in the same smaller caliber.

The major difference between the G26 and the G28 is not just the chamber dimensions but also the locking mechanism. Due to the relatively low slide thrust of the .380 Auto caliber cartridge, the standard locked-breech design of all the other Glock pistols had to be altered to a blowback design. To accomplish the change from locked to unlocked blowback operation the locking surfaces on the barrel were removed as well as the redesign of the locking block. Unlike the common blowback operated pistol the barrel of the Glock 28 is not fixed to the frame but assembles in the same fashion as all of the other Glock pistols. The slide moves rearward in recoil until it is tilted below the slide, similar to that of the standard locked breech mechanism. Like the G26, G27 and G39, the recoil spring is altered. Due to the recoil spring compartment, a dual recoil spring is used. Although necessary for functioning reliably there is also an alteration of the recoil springs, along with a reduced feeling in recoil.

As previously stated with the G28, from an American perspective comparing the exact same size gun offered in .380 Auto, 9mm, .40 caliber, .45 GAP and .357 SIG there is no foreseeable benefit in going with the .380 Auto caliber pistol given the choice of all calibers. Comparing the .380 Auto to the 9mm NATO there is no recoil difference to speak of – certainly not enough to warrant the decrease in firepower from 9mm to .380 Auto. For those whom size is the issue and not recoil, the extremely effective .40 cal. and .357 SIG may even be more appealing. Please keep in mind this is if one is given the choice, which is not the case in every country throughout the world.

This author had the opportunity to test a G28 pistol several years ago when a Glock representative stopped by the Wisconsin Department of Justice State Crime Laboratory in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where this author held the position of a Forensic Firearms Examiner. First look at the pistol looked just like the G26/G27/G33 and G39. What stood out the most was the weird shape of the locking surfaces on the barrel. They were gone. When the slide was retracted the barrel did tilt giving the impression of unlocking but it was not. The magazine looked very distinctive. To differentiate the .380 Auto caliber magazine from the 9mm magazine the rear of the magazine was sunken in to accommodate the shorter .380 Auto cartridge.

The G28 was then completely disassembled. The same components were used in the G28 and the other models. The only noticeable differences was the barrel locking surfaces removed as well as the locking surface on the underside of the slide in the front of the ejection port. Otherwise, the same trigger group, same drop safety and the same firing pin block mechanism.

The pistol was then test fired with numerous types of ammunition. This included Federal American Eagle .380 Auto FMJ, Remington UMC .380 Auto FMJ, Federal Hydra-Shok, Winchester Silver Tip, Remington JHP, Wolf FMJ and CCI Gold Dot ammunition. All of this ammunition combined there were over 300 rounds fired through the G28. As one would expect from a Glock pistol there were no malfunctions at all. The range was limited to 10 yards and all groups were respectable off hand. Recoil was noticed to be on par with the 9mm NATO caliber. Direct blowback operated guns do generate more felt recoil compared to the same gun with a locking mechanism. When firing the G26 and the G28, they were compared side by side in all aspects. This included accuracy, recoil and reliability. Oddly enough they were the same in almost every way. Even in recoil. With some loads the .380 Auto caliber pistol barked just as much and in some cases more than the 9mm counterpart.

The Glock 42

At SHOT Show 2014, Glock introduced a new pistol to the American market. Many things were special about this pistol. First it was the first .380 Auto caliber Glock pistol to be made available to the American market. The second is the pistol was manufactured in the United States. This new pistol was introduced at SHOT Show 2014 as the Subcompact Slimline Glock 42.

To begin with, Glock, Inc. in Smyrna, Georgia has been a major assembly plant since it opened. Daily operations at this plant consisted of assembly, test firing, warranty repair and much more. Also, Glock USA sales and marketing operations are run out of the Smyrna, Georgia facility. All United States sales were handled through this office but engineering remained at the parent company in Austria. They had not manufactured anything. As of now, Glock manufactures all the major components for the G42 in house. This includes frames, slides and barrels. Due to EPA regulations, Glock USA is unable to use the Tennifer process so they had to adopt another treatment for the slide and barrel. As of this writing, Glock USA is producing G17, G19 and G42 for U.S. and export sales and has the capability of producing any Glock pistol currently on the market.

Why now can individual Americans own .380 Auto caliber Glock pistols and we could not before? All those ATF importation regulations do not apply to pistols manufactured in the United States. There is no point requirement. Thus, Glock USA is free to manufacture the .380 Auto caliber pistol without concern for the importation point restrictions. In fact there is a stamp on the barrel, slide and frame of the state of Georgia on the G42. Since the assault weapon importation ban, several foreign companies have set up production facilities here in the U.S. and began production of the rifles in the U.S. This has become commonplace in the industry. This is perfectly legal and gives customers the firearms they want.

The Glock 42 is truly a subcompact slimline pistol. When comparing it to the G28, the length of the G28 is 6.41 inches compared to the Glock 42 coming in at 5.94 inches. The real difference is in the width. The width of the G28 is 1.19 inches and the Glock 42 is .94 inches. This makes for an incredibly flat pistol that is comfortable to carry in a back pocket or a cargo pocket. The barrel length of the G28 is 3.42 inches compared to 3.25 inches. The overall weight of the G42 unloaded is 13.76 ounces and loaded with 6 rounds of .380 Auto caliber ammunition is 14.36 ounces. For comparison purposes the weight of the G28 is 20.65 oz unloaded and 23.83oz loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition. The magazine capacity of the G46 is six rounds and the magazine is single column. If one chooses, they could carry a total of 7 (6 rounds in the magazine plus one round in the chamber).

The narrow and lightweight Glock 42 pistol did require some redesign. The most notable change is the return back to a locked breech mechanism from the direct blowback of the G25 and G28. Due to the much lighter weight slide, the mass did not exist to keep the slide closed long enough for residual pressure to drop so the fired cartridge case could be safely and reliably extracted and ejected. The firing pin safety has been changed from the round shape to a more oval shape with much more bearing surface. Another change is the slide stop spring. There is only a trigger pin, so the spring of the original slide stop had nothing to grab to give tension. The G42 uses a coiled spring on the front of the slide stop to give spring tension.

The slide has the loaded chamber indicator on the extractor. As of this writing, only fixed sights are available. It is safe to assume that tritium night sights will be available in the near future. The recoil spring is similar to the Gen 4 subcompact using the dual recoil spring due to the limited size of the recoil spring compartment. When looking directly at the breech face the shape of the firing pin hole is more of a tear drop than a round or elliptical shape hole. The shape of the firing pin on the Glock 42 does not have the same elliptical shape of the other models. The firing pin itself is tear drop shaped. The top of the firing pin is round and the bottom has the tear drop shape and the bottom comes back at a rearward angle.

The American made frame itself has the same checkering of the Gen 4 series on the sides, front strap and back strap. There are thumb rest grooves on both sides of the frame. The magazine release is ambidextrous. It may be moved to the right or left side. Looking at the fire control mechanism, it looks like every other Glock but smaller. The trigger broke right at 5.75 pounds. The trigger has a smooth contour to it. The pistol disassembles for cleaning in the exact same way as its big brothers.

The Glock 42 pistol was tested with several types of ammunition to check for reliability. First ammunition tested was 200 rounds of Remington UMC .380 Auto FMJ and 200 rounds of Federal American Eagle FMJ. The pistol was also tested with 300 rounds of Black Hills Ammunition FMJ. There were no malfunctions at all with this ammunition. The same two magazines that came with the pistol were used for all testing. Federal Hydra-Shok was also tested. There were 20 rounds fired with no malfunctions of any kind. The next round was the Remington Golden Saber high performance hollow point (Brass Jacket). There were no malfunctions. The last were the Hornady Critical Defense. This was a particularly difficult load for the pistol. If the slide was locked to the rear, magazine inserted and the slide manually released the pistol would occasionally experience a failure to feed. However if the magazine was loaded with the slide closed and the slide pulled to the rear and released the malfunction did not seem to happen. When firing the pistol, this author only experienced one out of 40 failures to feed. The pistol was fired without lubricant.

The Glock 42 is an excellent choice for personal protection. Whether it be a back up pistol, carried concealed in a purse or holster or even a pocket the Glock 42 fits the bill. The pistol is short, flat and snag free. There are some guns on the market in the same caliber that are slightly shorter and others slightly larger. There are always tradeoffs. The locked breech will decrease recoil and increase reliability. The trade off may just be an extra half inch or so. The G42 is as reliable as can be. The family of weapons has built their name on durability and reliability. This pistol can do anything and more you would expect from it. Now is the real big question. This question I heard at the Glock booth at SHOT Show 2014, that is, “so when is the 9mm coming out in this size?” We will just have to wait and see. Scaling up to 9mm will not be so easy giving the significant increase in pressures and cartridge length. We will just have to wait and see what Gaston Glock comes out with at SHOT Show 2015. He never disappoints his customers.

Krebs Custom S12 is a serious alternative to more U.S.-centric combat shotgun designs that are tube fed and typically pump action. Krebs Custom S12 Tac-18 is all business, especially when viewed back towards the muzzle.

By Todd Burgreen

The U.S. standard for the combat shotgun has been pretty well confined to the “pump-action fed via tube magazine located under the barrel;” John Browning showed the way with the Model 1897. There have been lever and bolt action shotguns as well, but these did not impinge on the pump action’s status, to which all others are compared. This is based on its simplicity to operate, reliability, and ability to handle a multitude of ammunition types. While semiautomatic shotguns have showed capability, few have demonstrated the “hell and back” reliability necessary to gain the confidence of users in life or death situations. Leave it to the Russians to adapt their ultra reliable AK operating system to the combat shotgun; thus challenging assumptions to what a combat shotgun should be with the Saiga S12 – a scaled-up AK-style action fed from detachable magazines.

The Saiga S12 uses a rotating bolt operated by gas-piston ala AK. For clarities sake, Gennady Nikonov is the Russian designer responsible for taking Kalashnikov’s AK design and adapting it into shotgun form. Obviously, a 12 gauge shell is much larger than a 7.62×39 rifle round. The 12 gauge’s flat hull design further compounded design adaptation issues, especially in terms of magazine design. In brief, the Saiga S12’s rear and forward trunnions were reinforced with the op-rod piston shortened and bolt carrier modified allowing for shell clearance during the ejection process in the firing cycle. The bolt head was enlarged to accommodate the larger 12 gauge shell face along with the top cover opening to provide clearance for the larger 12 gauge shells compared to the original rifle round size.

Though 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 a relatively straight forward process involving moving the trigger guard forward to make room for pistol grip, replacing fire control group, and installing AK stock of choice. Krebs Custom was one of the first AK “smiths” of note in the U.S. with pioneering work on AK rifles and Saiga shotguns. The Krebs Custom portion of the S12 shotgun equation is crucial and is a significant upgrade over a standard Saiga S12 shotgun as it arrives in the U.S.

The Krebs Custom ghost ring rear sight is clearly evident and mates up to a front sight that Krebs extends out to end of barrel.

The Krebs S12 is all business with its black finished receiver, 18 inch barrel with a Kreb’s muzzle device, foldable rear stock, SAW-type pistol grip, and black synthetic forearm giving an overall length of 40.5 inches weighing 7.5 lbs. empty. Krebs installs and tunes a G2 trigger along with dehorning and smoothing the Saiga S12’s edges. Krebs smoothes and polishes the bolt carrier group and receiver guide rails. Even without firing a live round the Krebs S12 superiority over a standard Saiga S12 is easily detected in the smoothness of the action, trigger pull, quality of re-finish and overall weapon feel. A Krebs Mk VI safety is fitted to the S12. The Mk VI safety features a manual bolt hold open notch in an effort to provide one possible solution to the Saiga magazine change conundrum, which we will go into more detail about below. A Kreb’s ghost ring rear sight finish off the Krebs S12 package moving the front sight assembly to the barrel’s muzzle area thus extending the effective sight radius beyond the standard notch and bead provided from the factory.

The AK operating action is the benchmark for reliability in assault rifles with the Saiga 12 gauge following in this pattern. We should guard against being biased toward the Saiga S12 with our proclivity for tube fed shotguns. The magazine fed Saiga S12 positively impacts handling by locating the ammunition at the center of the weapon allowing for faster handling. The Saiga changes previous instilled training centered on tube fed shotguns such as shoot 2 reload 2 tactics. The Krebs Custom Saiga S12 is fed via 5, 8, 10, 12-round stick magazines along with drum magazines with capacities as high as 30 rounds. AGP stick magazines of different capacities combined with high capacity 20-round drums from MD Arms and Alliance Armaments were utilized during this T&E. The drums represent performance enhancement in a big way. A nuance discovered with using the drum magazines is that your hand placement on the forend needs to be pushed forward slightly more than normal to get around the drum’s circumference. The Saiga S12 12 gauge is closer to an assault rifle in its manual of arms versus a tube fed shotgun most are more familiar with.

A definite nuance with operating the Saiga S12 is the magazine change technique. This is a twofold issue in terms of making sure magazines fit and function as well as manual of arms for running the S12 shotgun most efficiently. The Saiga S12 has its own manipulation techniques that need to be accepted and not resisted. The Saiga S12 shotgun does not have a last round hold open feature. The size of the 12 gauge rounds make full capacity magazines problematic to lock in place with the bolt forward. Magazine changes are 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 held open allowing for the magazine insertion. The Kreb’s Mk VI safety with bolt hold open notch proved a worthy addition to the Krebs Custom S12 in this regard by allowing the operator to lock the bolt rearward allowing for smoother insertion of loaded S12 magazines.

In terms of combat or personal defense, shotguns fire two primary types of shells—slugs or buckshot. There are various types of each. This ability to handle different styles of projectiles is at the root of shotgun effectiveness and popularity. The Krebs Custom S12 was tested with Wolf Ammunition, Hornady and Federal Premium #00 buckshot 2 3/4 inch. The Federal Premium FliteControl and Hornady Critical Defense buckshot load utilize special wads for tighter buckshot patterns – thus longer effective range. Federal Premium, Winchester, and Wolf 1 ounce slugs were also tested with the Krebs S12. The recently introduced Winchester PDX 1 12 gauge loading combining a 1oz slug and three-#00 pellets was also tested. The Winchester PDX 1 load harkens back to the “buck-n-ball” loads used by our forefathers against the British in the Revolutionary War and each other during the Civil War.

The Krebs Custom S12 generated spreads of 5-10 inches at 10 yards with the tested buckshot loads. This indicates that a shotgun must be aimed to ensure accurate shot placement at close ranges. The buckshot spread increases to 12-22 inches at 25 yards with the Federal Premium and Hornady loading being on the tighter side and standard buckshot more dispersed. The Federal Premium and Hornady #00 buckshot load is the epitome of the new age tactical buckshot taking advantage of advances in wad technology to keep patterns tighter and thus extending effective range of #00 buckshot.

Many would comment that past 30 yards one should resort to slugs. Testing with the Krebs S12 combined with Federal Premium and Hornady buckshot indicated otherwise. The combination was able to place the majority of its pellets on IPSC style silhouette targets out to 40yards. Slugs performed in the 4 inch range at 50 yards with the Kreb’s ghost ring sights proving their worth. Steel man sized targets were hit regularly at 100 yards with a certain amount of satisfaction derived witnessing the 1 ounce Federal and Wolf slugs rocking the target back on its base.

The Saiga gas-operated action is simple, effective, and reliable as expected considered it is derived from the AK operating system. Nearly 300 rounds of various loads were fired in this T&E, including light birdshot. The Saiga S12’s gas system has two settings allowing for it to be adjusted to ammunition type used. This system allows for use of most any ammunition type including low brass shells and aids in recoil management by restricting gas flow setting when firing full powered buckshot or slug loads. Low recoil buckshot or slugs need to be proofed as to which setting works the best. The Krebs S12’s gas setting was not moved during testing and worked with everything from low brass birdshot to slugs. Credit for this is given to Marc Krebs asking ahead of time what loads I would most likely be using. Disassembly for maintenance is simple and allows for effective cleaning in minimal time. Anyone that is familiar with the AK rifle will be right at home on the Saiga S12 shotgun.

Range time consisted of the patterning described above along with other exercises trying to get a better appreciation of how the Krebs S12 shotgun handles and performs. The drills involved moving between barricades engaging shoot and no-shoot targets. Another drill used was based on engaging several shorter range targets out to 30 yards before having to engage a designated target placed 90 yards away. The Krebs S12’s “ghost ring” sight come into its own during this type of work. The “ghost ring” gives nothing up in terms of CQB ranges with front sight as easy to place on target as bead and ultimately proved better at accurate placement of fire. This necessitated a switch from buckshot to slug before engaging. This is accomplished by switching magazines in the Krebs S12. The relatively limited capacity of shotguns compared to high capacity magazine fed rifles is often listed as major detriment of choosing a shotgun over another weapon type. One of the most crucial things to learn when choosing a shotgun for defense is how to keep it from running empty of ammunition. U.S.-centric tube fed shotgun methods must be avoided when deploying the Krebs S12. The Krebs S12 is best operated as a magazine fed assault rifle.

A great test for any shotgun especially one to be used in a quick reacting CQB setting is shooting thrown clay targets. This also verifies reliability with ammunition with less recoil impulse than slugs or buckshot and helps get more rounds fired to verify operating soundness. Low brass Wolf Ammunition and Federal Premium #7.5 shot was used with no issue. The ghost ring sight was no problem at all with the rear sight “disappearing” naturally as eye focused on flying clay target and front sight leading it. The low brass shells were a welcome relief in terms of recoil. Yes, the Krebs S12 is semiautomatic, but it still is a 12 gauge and anyone telling you any different should be scrutinized. Recoil was not prohibitive and one gets used to it, but do not start using a shotgun
after a day of firing an AR or AK as it is significantly more.

The Krebs Custom S12 combined with drum magazine or stick magazines is a different beast entirely than a tube fed shotgun, especially in a personal defense or LE environment. The combat shotgun’s utility should not be doubted or held in disdain once its role is understood. Not wanting to employ sideways math, but 20 rounds of buckshot in the MD Arms or Alliance Armament drum magazines translates into 180 projectiles sent downrange in a few seconds. My time with the Krebs Custom S12 convinced me that the Saiga S12 is worthy of consideration as an alternative to the tube-fed shotgun.

Sites of Interest

Krebs Custom, Inc.
1000 Rand Road
Wauconda, IL 60084
(847) 487-7776
www.krebscustom.com

MD Arms, Ltd.
PO Box 237
Casstown, OH 45312
(937) 552-9383
www.MDArms.com

AGP Arms, Inc.
1930 East 3rd Street #12
Tempe, AZ 85281
(480) 983-6083
www.agparms.com

Alliance Armament
1077 Mt. Gilead Rd.
Boonville, IN 47601
(812) 897-4908
www.alliancearmament.com

Echo Valley Training Center
www.echovalleytrainingcenter.com

By Chris A. Choat

FNH-USA introduced their line of FNS pistols a couple of years ago with the first being their Standard Model. It was then followed shortly thereafter by their Longslide version of the same gun. The FNS models are different from FN’s existing line of FNX pistols in that they are double action only and are striker fired instead of single/double action and hammer fired. The FN Five-SeveN pistol is also striker fired but is chambered in the somewhat odd for a pistol caliber of 5.7x28mm; this is a potent submachine gun caliber but a little odd for a handgun. Sales of this handgun have never been brisk as the cost of the 5.7 ammunition makes the gun very expensive to shoot. Regardless, in this author’s opinion, the FNS line of handguns was introduced by FN to compete with Glock handguns, which are also striker fired. Being a polymer striker fired handgun, the Glock has steadily gained acceptance with military, recreational shooters and especially law enforcement worldwide. Like other handgun manufacturers, FN wanted a bigger slice of this handgun buying pie especially with the law enforcement and recreational consumer. Striker fired, polymer handguns have proved their safety and reliability now for many years.

FNH-USA has now gone after another segment of the handgun market with their new FNS-C models. Sales for guns like the FNS-C, designed for concealed carry, have been brisk for the last couple of years. It is the smallest of the FNS models with a 3.6-inch barrel and an abbreviated grip. As the FNS and FNS Longslide were geared toward the full sized and competition handgun markets respectively, the FNS-C models are geared toward the concealed carry market. The new FNS-C pistols are offered in either 9mm (FNS-9C) or .40 S&W (FNS-40C). They come in either a matte black or matte silver models and are available with or without an ambidextrous manual safety. The gun that SAR received for testing was chambered in 9mm and was the model that did not have a
manual safety.

The FNS-C features a stainless steel slide and barrel with the frame being made of polymer construction with replaceable steel slide rails. The slide has an external extractor with a loaded chamber indicator consisting of a red dot that is visible when viewed from above. It has front and rear serrations that provide a very good gripping surface for cocking the gun. The sights are dovetailed into the slide and are drift adjustable for windage only. The rear sight is serrated on the rear to prevent glare. They are the three-dot type with white dots and are also available with 3-dot Trijicon night sights. Both front and rear sights have been beveled and rounded so that they are snag-free. This allows for better concealment and a faster draw. The whole slide and barrel assembly has a matte black finish. Like the barrels of other FN pistols, the FNS-C barrel is cold hammer-forged and has a polished chamber and feed ramp.

The frame has a long list of features and has an overall slightly textured finish, which makes the gun very attractive. The grip itself has molded-in checkering on the front and back and horizontal grooves on the front. The front of the trigger guard also has these same grooves for a non-slip two-handed hold. The frame’s dust cover features a molded-in three slot length of Mil-Std 1913 Picatinny mounting rail for adding lasers or lights. Fire controls are minimal, which is typical for double action only pistols. The gun has an ambidextrous slide locking lever, a left side mounted take-down lever and ambidextrous magazine release buttons. The backstrap of the frame is replaceable (the gun comes with two) that can be exchanged to custom fit the grip to the shooter’s hand. You get the best of both worlds; a larger grip for shooters with larger hands and a compact grip just right for concealed carry. The pistol, with the larger of the two backstraps installed, fit the author’s medium sized hand perfectly as it did with other shooters. In fact, we never installed the thinner backstrap.

The gun is box magazine fed and it comes with 3 magazines – two of which hold 12-rounds while the third holds 17-rounds. The magazines are made from steel with polymer base pads and low friction followers. The base pads on the 12-round magazines are the finger hook style but the 17-round magazine is obviously longer and has an extension on the bottom that mimics the look and feel of the upper part of the grip. With this magazine inserted, the gun has what feels to be the same size grip of the full-sized FNS. All of the magazines drop free positively when the release is pushed. The magazines are double stack but single feed type and the backs of the magazines have round count inspection holes.

Disassembly of the gun is typical for this style pistol. The slide is brought fully to the rear and locked using the slide-lock lever. The take-down lever is then rotated 90 degrees down and while holding the slide let it go forward until it aligns with the frame. At this point pull the trigger releasing the striker. The slide can then be removed forward away from the frame. Turn the frame upside down and pull the recoil rod and spring forward away from the barrel lug. Lift it up and out and then the barrel can be lifted up and out of the frame. This is all the further the pistol needs to be taken apart for routine maintenance.

Testing of the new pistol consisted of speed drills and accuracy shooting from a sand bag on a bench. Several types of self-defense 9mm hollow point loads were used as well as some standard FMJ blasting ammunition. The pistol fired every type of ammunition that it was fed from the FMJ to the largest of hollow points. Some +P ammunition was even fired with absolutely no problems. In fact, we never had a single issue with any of the loads that were tried. The FNS-9C is just what you would expect from FN: Quality throughout. When the slide is released from a locked open position it sounds like a vault door closing. The pistol’s fit and finish was flawless with the slide to frame fit perfect with no play whatsoever. The pistol felt like a solid piece of steel in the hand.

Accuracy with the compact 9mm was very impressive as well. At 25 feet the gun would tear one ragged hole in the target about the size of a silver dollar as long as the shooter did his part. Right out of the box this pistol had a decent trigger and it seemed the more it was shot the better it got. This double action only trigger is much better in the FNS than in other pistols of its type and helps produce this type of accuracy. The trigger has about a 1/4 inch long initial pull then a crisp break, at 5 pounds, with no over-travel and a fairly short reset. The trigger is the two-piece pivoting style; much like a lot of striker fired pistols are incorporating these days.

The FNS-9C felt very good in the shooter’s hand. It seemed to be a toss-up which grip was preferred, the longer one with the 17-round magazine or the shorter one with the 12-round magazine in the gun. Some shooters like the full-size grip; others like the compact grip that is provided with the 12-round magazine – either way it seemed to fit everybody.

In conclusion, this author believes this is one of the best pistols of its type. Hundreds of rounds were put through the gun with not one problem. If you are looking for a carry gun that offers high capacity and total quality throughout then you need look no further. It is utterly reliable, very accurate and built like a tank; exactly what you want for a concealed carry personal defense weapon.

FNH USA
P.O. Box 9424
McLean, VA 22102
(703) 288-3500
www.fnhusa.com

By Teresa G. Ficaretta, Esq. & Johanna Reeves, Esq.

 The “Sporting Purposes” Test for Imported Firearms

Federal firearms licensees who wish to import firearms into the United States for commercial sale must navigate a complicated Federal system of laws administered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This article focuses on the “sporting purposes test” under the
import provisions of the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA), which most firearms must satisfy to be imported for unrestricted commercial sale.

I. Legal Background

Since 1968 the GCA has included import criteria for firearms codified in 18 U.S.C. § 925(d)(3). This provision requires, in pertinent part, the Attorney General authorize a firearm to be imported if the firearm is of a type that is not regulated under the National Firearms Act (e.g., machine gun, short barrel rifle, short barrel shotgun, silencer, destructive device, or other concealable weapon); is not a surplus military firearm; and is generally recognized as particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes.

The language highlighted in bold above will be the focus of this article. There is a lot of history and meaning packed into the “sporting purposes” language above, with a significant amount of agency explanation to assist in clarifying it. (This article addresses only the sporting purposes language in 18 U.S.C. § 925(d)(3). The restrictions under 18 U.S.C. § 922(r) on assembly of semiautomatic rifles and shotguns from imported parts, which is identical to any rifle or shotgun prohibited from importation, is beyond the scope of this article.)

II. History

Legislative history for the GCA indicates the primary concern of Congress regarding firearm imports was small, cheaply made handguns referred to at that time as “Saturday Night Specials.” Although there are references to rifles and shotguns in the legislative history, Congress did not specifically mention a concern about so-called nonsporting rifles and shotguns entering the United States. Rather, their focus was to prohibit the importation of surplus military firearms, including rifles and shotguns. (See S. Rep. No. 1097, 90th Cong. 2d Sess. 80, 1968 U.S. Code Cong. and Admin. News 2112, 2167.) Readers may recall that President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 with a surplus military rifle imported from Italy. This seminal event in history was one of the catalysts for the import controls imposed on firearms under the GCA.

Consistent with the direction given by Congress, the first steps the Treasury Department took to implement the “sporting purposes” test was developing criteria for sporting revolvers and pistols. The Factoring Criteria, ATF Form 4590, were developed by a panel of experts that included government and non-government experts. This system for evaluating handguns was put into place by Treasury within months of enactment of the GCA. The panel did not propose criteria for evaluating rifles and shotguns under the sporting purposes test, likely because long guns imported prior to 1968 were primarily manually operated long guns with fixed magazines that were indisputably sporting firearms. Accordingly, in 1968 there was no reason to develop sporting criteria for rifles
and shotguns.

In fact, prior to 1984, ATF disqualified few, if any rifles or shotguns from importation under the GCA sporting purposes test. In 1984 ATF classified the Striker-12/Streetsweeper shotgun as nonsporting, holding that the 12-gauge revolving cylinder shotgun had a capacity of 12 rounds and was designed and developed in South Africa as a military, security, and anti-terrorist weapon. Then, in 1986 ATF classified the USAS-12 shotgun as nonsporting on the basis that its weight, bulk, designed magazine capacity, and other features indicated it was a military-type shotgun that was not particularly suitable for sporting purposes. Litigation challenging ATF’s classification of the USAS-12 shotgun was unsuccessful. (Gilbert Equipment Company, Inc. v. Higgins, 709 F. Supp. 1071 (S.D. Ala. 1989), aff’d without opinion, 894 F.2d 412 (11th Cir. 1990)).

In 1989 ATF made its first classifications of nonsporting rifles when it suspended, then banned, the importation of a number of “semiautomatic assault rifles.” The classifications were made immediately following a schoolyard shooting in Stockton, California, where the perpetrator used an AK-type rifle. On July 6, 1989, ATF banned the importation of 19 named models of rifles, including AKS variants, FAL variants, and other specified types of rifles. The basis for the classifications of these rifles as nonsporting was centered on certain characteristics common to modern military assault rifles that distinguish them from traditional sporting rifles. ATF subsequently extended the ban to cover over 40 types of semiautomatic rifles. ATF set out its criteria in the 1989 “Report and Recommendation on the Importability of Certain Semiautomatic Rifles,” available on ATF’s website.

A number of importers filed suit challenging ATF’s 1989 classifications of certain rifles as nonsporting, but again the courts showed deference to ATF and upheld the government’s classifications. (See, e.g., Gun South v. Brady, 877 F.2d 858 (11th Cir. 1989)).

Subsequent to ATF’s 1989 classifications of certain rifles as nonsporting, several manufacturers modified certain models to remove all of their military features except the ability to accept a detachable magazine. For a brief time, such modified rifles were lawfully imported into the United States. However, on November 14, 1997, President Clinton ordered a review of the importation of the modified versions of the rifles into the United States. On April 6, 1998, ATF issued a report announcing that the modified versions of the rifles could no longer be imported under the sporting purposes test. (See “Department of the Treasury Study on the Sporting Suitability of Modified Semiautomatic Assault Rifles,” available on ATF’s website).

Shortly thereafter in the 1990s, ATF began denying applications to import shotguns if they had (1) a capacity of more than 5 rounds; (2) a bayonet; or (3) a folding or telescoping stock. The reason was that any one of the foregoing criteria were considered disqualifying under the sporting purposes test.

In 2011 ATF published the first comprehensive discussion of its criteria for evaluating shotguns for importation. The document, titled “ATF Study on the Importability of Certain Shotguns” listed ten features, any one of which resulted in the shotgun being nonsporting and therefore ineligible for importation. ATF received an astounding 21,000 public comments to this study. On July 2, 2012, in response to the comments, ATF published a follow-up report modifying the criteria published in 2011 by removing two features. (See “Update-Report on the Importability of Certain Shotguns.”) ATF’s criteria for evaluating sporting shotguns are set forth below.

III. How ATF Applies the Sporting Purposes Test to Handguns, Rifles, and Shotguns

A. Criteria for Handguns
ATF Form 4590, Factoring Criteria for Weapons, has been used by ATF and its predecessor agency, the Internal Revenue Service, from 1968-present to evaluate pistols and revolvers for importation under the sporting purposes test of the GCA. The form awards points for length, barrel length, frame construction, weapon weight, caliber, and safety features. Revolvers must also pass a safety test that requires a safety feature that causes the hammer to retract to a point where the firing pin does not rest on the primer of the cartridge. ATF performs a drop test with the revolver that involves the revolver being secured in a metal vise and dropped from a distance of 36 inches a total of 5 times. The factoring criteria have been criticized because they allegedly favor heavy, bulky handguns; they rely on outdated safety features; and they are overly focused on frame construction. ATF has been reluctant to change the Factoring Criteria, because they have withstood the test of time, are well understood by the firearms industry, and changes would likely require notice and comment rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act. The bottom line is that the Factoring Criteria will likely remain in place for evaluating handgun importability for the foreseeable future.

B. Criteria for Rifles
As stated above, there are two ATF studies on sporting purposes as that term is applied to rifles; the first published in 1989 and the second in 1998. The 1998 study modified the criteria announced in the 1989 study, and we will focus on the more recent criteria. In the 1998 study, titled “Department of the Treasury Study on the Sporting Suitability of Modified Semiautomatic Assault Rifles,” ATF specified the following criteria for determining whether a semiautomatic rifle is a nonsporting rifle: (1) the rifle is a semiautomatic version of a machine gun; (2) the rifle is chambered to accept a centerfire cartridge case having a length of 2.25 inches or less; and (3) the rifle has one or more of the following military features:

• Ability to accept a detachable magazine with a capacity of more than 10 rounds
• Folding or telescoping stock
• Separate pistol grip
• Ability to accept a bayonet
• Flash suppressor
• Bipod
• Grenade launcher
• Nightsights

C. Criteria for Shotguns

As revised in its 2012 report, the criteria adopted by ATF for nonsporting shotguns are the following:

• Folding, telescoping, or collapsible stock
• Bayonet lug
• Flash suppressor
• Magazine over 5 rounds or a drum magazine
• Grenade launcher mount
• Light enhancing device
• Excessive weight (greater than 10 pounds for 12-gauge or smaller)
• Excessive bulk (greater than 3 inches in width and/or greater than 4 inches in depth)

Any one of the above criteria render a particular shotgun nonsporting and ineligible for importation into the U.S. for commercial sale.

IV. Conclusion

The criteria ATF uses to evaluate handguns, rifles and shotguns under the sporting purposes test of the GCA are set forth in detail on the agency’s website. To avoid issues in lawful importation of firearms into the United States, importers should ensure their understanding of the sporting purposes test is thorough and up-to-date.

ATF has broad discretion to interpret the sporting purposes test, and it is apparent the agency can and will revisit its interpretation when it sees fit. ATF has never defined the term “sporting” and courts will defer to ATF, the agency responsible for implementing the GCA, to determine what firearms may and may not be imported. Indeed, legal challenges to ATF’s interpretation of the statute and classifications of firearms under the sporting purposes test have been unsuccessful to date. It is for these reasons that importations of firearms under the sporting purposes test remains the low-hanging fruit for any administration that wishes to enact stricter gun control. Unless Congress takes steps to change the language of Section 925(d)(3), the sporting purposes test will remain a significant obstacle for importers indefinitely.

The information in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed or used as legal advice.

by Chris A. Choat

IWI Now Debuting UZI Pro Pistol and UZI Pro Pistol SB

The Uzi Pro Pistol and Uzi Pro Pistol SB are the latest evolution of that storied design, now featuring the most advanced firearms technologies. Based on the famous Uzi SMG, the Uzi Pro is purpose-built with only one goal: uncompromising performance and reliability on a robust design. This 9mm Luger Parabellum version for the American public sports an advanced polymer pistol grip that reduces weight and incorporates an integrated magazine release button for fast and easy magazine changes. The cocking handle is located on the receiver side allowing for a full-length Picatinny rail on the top receiver cover. A short Picatinny rail is also incorporated into the polymer body, mounted below the barrel, perfect for additional accessory placement. Two versions of the Uzi Pro Pistol will be available in the U.S. The first is the basic pistol but perhaps the most exciting news is that the Uzi Pro Pistol will also be offered with a side-folding stabilizing brace, the Uzi Pro SB. The stabilizing brace will be produced exclusively for IWI US by SB Tactical, LLC, designers and manufacturers of the original SB15 and SB47 Pistol Stabilizing Braces that have reinvigorated the market for large frame pistols in the U.S. Originally designed as a means for persons with limited mobility to operate and fire the AR-15 pistol, it soon became clear to shooters across the USA that by adding a stabilizing brace to their large frame pistols, they could achieve greater accuracy while enjoying an enhanced shooting experience through improved firearm stabilization and control.

The custom adaptation of the stabilizing brace to the Uzi Pro SB takes the application of large frame pistol control and stabilization to a new level. With the IWI brace’s unique side-folding feature, the Uzi Pro SB can be fired with or without the brace extended depending on the shooter’s need. With the brace in the folded position, storage space required in your safe or range bag is minimized. The new Uzi Pro and Uzi Pro SB feature three safety mechanisms: a conventional manual thumb safety, a firing pin block and a proven grip safety that must be fully depressed before the gun can be cocked and fired. Simple maintenance on the Uzi Pro requires no special tools for quick and easy field stripping. Each Uzi Pro Pistol comes with one 20-round and one 25-round magazine. Find out more at www.iwi.us.

Bushnell Announces Lynx Night VIsion Binocular

Bushnell, an industry leader in high performance sports optics for 65 years, has just introduced the new Lynx 2.5x 40mm night vision binocular. The Gen I night vision unit features 2.5 times magnification, a viewing range of 750 feet combined with a wide field of view and an extended battery life. With its compact ergonomic design, the night vision binocular measures just seven inches in length and weighs only 17 ounces. Depending on ambient light conditions, the built-in infrared (IR) spotlight can be turned on or off to improve the viewing experience. Powered with two AAA batteries, the night vision binocular can run up to 20 hours with the IR illuminated, or up to 70 hours with the IR off. The ability to manage the IR setting allows users to control the viewing experience while improving battery life. Built with a durable rubber-armored housing, the night vision binocular is easy to carry and field-ready. The Bushnell Lynx night vision binocular is available for a retail price of $599.99. You can contact them at www.bushnell.com.

Auto Ordnance Introduces Budget-Priced 1911BKO

USA based Kahr Firearms Group is proud to announce the introduction of the Auto Ordnance 1911BKO. The 1911BKO is only the second 1911 pistol to be introduced over the past year, following in the footsteps of the successful 1911TC model in stainless steel just last year. The Auto Ordnance 1911BKO frame incorporates GI specs and features a matte black finish frame, barrel and slide. The carbon steel slide, sear and disconnector are machined from solid bar stock and heat treated properly to assure durability and long life over many thousands of rounds. The low-profile sights feature a blade front sight and a rear drift adjustable for windage. The grip is brown checkered plastic. This .45 ACP has a 5 inch barrel, length is 8.5 inches overall and weighs just 39 oz. The 1911BKO is 100% made in the USA and ships with one 7-round magazine. The BKO has a thumb safety, grip safety and firing pin block and carries a retail price of just $517. For more information on the complete line of Auto Ordnance products, please visit www.auto-ordnance.com.

Lancer Introduces Adaptive Magwell and SIG 716 Handguard

Lancer Systems LP, a leading advanced weapons and components manufacturer, has just announced the availability of two new products: the Adaptive Magwell and SIG Sauer 716 Replacement Handguard. Both are engineered using advanced, high-performance technologies to reduce weight and maximize reliability, exceeding military standards. The Lancer Adaptive Magwell is machined from 6061 T6 aluminum and is designed to fit mil-spec 5.56 AR style rifles. The component increases the diameter of the magwell and the speed with which the rifle can be reloaded. It is installed by opening the winter trigger guard and attaching the lower half to the trigger, then engaging the lower component to the trigger guard attachment on the rifle. The upper component is then slid on from the front and attached with two Allen screws. Retail price is $99.99. The Lancer replacement handguard for the SIG 716 features a free float design with aluminum Picatinny sight rail at 12 o’clock. It also has an octagon carbon fiber tube with cut-outs to expose the gas block adjusting knob. Cooling slots in the tube accept rails and slots at 6 o’clock and accept a rail for mounting a bi-pod. Available with top rails in carbine length, 7.4 inches, and extended length, 13.1 inches. Prices start at $274.99. Contact them at
www.lancer-systems.com.

TargetVision Introduces Portable Remote Target Changer

The new Portable Remote Target Changer has just been introduced by TargetVision. The Portable Remote Target Changer is an aluminum, battery powered, wireless target changing system with AR500 armor plating. With the push of a button, a user can roll down a fresh, new target from up to 600 yards away. The unit can easily be set up by one person. The system minimizes a shooters number of trips down range and is the perfect complement to a wireless spotting scope to improve their overall shooting experience. The unit operates on 900MHz radio frequency and weighs 97 pounds. It is powered by rechargeable lithium ion batteries and has an assembled height of 3 feet 6 inches. The target size is 24 by 24 inches. It comes with a 74 count roll of targets, a 12 volt DC charger and a remote controller. The target changer can also be ordered with its own fitted Pelican case. For more information go to www.targetvisioncam.com.

Magnum Research Announces First All Stainless Desert Eagle

Magnum Research has taken their most iconic handgun, the Desert Eagle, and given it an exciting new look. For the first time ever, the Desert Eagle .50 AE can now be purchased with an all stainless steel construction in the frame, slide, barrel, rail on the frame and an integral muzzle brake. The stainless steel models are 100% made in the USA and currently in production ready to ship to wholesalers and dealers. The Desert Eagle has always been considered a bit of a beast, but now, with the rugged stainless steel frame, slide and barrel, black appointments, and the new Picatinny bottom rail for accessories, it has a very distinctive new look. This high quality stainless steel model has an overpowering appearance at the gun counter and at the range, and it will be much easier to repair minor scratches than some of their other custom finish models. Also new from Magnum Research for 2015, the Desert Eagle all stainless steel model is offered in either a standard 6 inch barrel or with an integral muzzle brake. The integral muzzle brake is also offered on the DE50, DE44, and the DE357 6-inch barrel models in black. The integral muzzle brake will replace the add-on brake that Magnum Research has offered for several years. The integral muzzle brake offers significant recoil reduction, less muzzle flip and a new streamlined look. In addition, since the overall length remains the same as the standard 6 inch barrel model, the same holsters will fit the integral brake model. The integral muzzle brake model also means it can be offered at a lower price than the add-on muzzle brake. For more information and ordering instructions contact them at www.magnumresearch.com.

Great Britain – The Tommy Gun Story
By Tom Davis, Jr.
Copyright 2014
ISBN #9781502977816
Available from: www.createspace.com/5070216, and from fine bookstores and book dealers around the country.
Soft cover
$29.95
170 pages and over 100 pictures and illustrations
Reviewed by Robert G. Segel

It has been 6 long years since an authoritative book has been published about the beloved Thompson gun. This changed in January 2015. Tom Davis, Jr., known for his in-depth and thoroughly researched stories in Small Arms Review, has written a book about the Thompson in Great Britain during World War II. The book was actually an offshoot of a story published in SAR (3rd Quarter 2013) about the Savage Model of 1928A Thompson gun. Tom obtained so much additional information from the National Archives in London for this story that he just started writing. Over 50,000 words later the end result is: Great Britain – The Tommy Gun Story.

This is a reference book, a documented history of the British adoption and procurement of the Thompson gun during World War II. Every sentence in this book is supported by a document, a recorded meeting or some type of irrefutable proof. The reader will not have to wonder where the information was obtained. There are over 350 footnotes detailing by document and date the source of all facts and figures presented. And the footnotes are located at the bottom of each page for easy reference.

When was the first time the Thompson gun was put into active service with the British military? How many guns were involved? When was the first order placed? Who was involved in the decision making process? When were the first guns shipped to Britain? How many – and for what purpose? These questions and many more are answered completely in only the first few pages.

This book also avoids and corrects much of the misinformation that has been published over the years. Have you ever wondered what information the pundits used when discussing the number of Thompson guns lost during U-Boat attacks? For the first time you will be able to review the documented losses of Thompson guns by ship name, date of attack and number of guns lost. Are you interested in Colt Thompsons in British service? Or the early Savage Thompson guns? What about Savage guns commercially sold to law enforcement organizations in the USA during WWII? Early Canadian orders; French orders? This is your book. Does your interest include spare parts? Read the ‘war of spares’ and review the many official parts lists included in this book – some published for the first time.

Confused about the many markings on the Thompson gun? Learn the four variations of the Savage Arms receiver in a chapter of pictures that takes the enthusiast through time. There is also a chapter about the Thompson gun in Great Britain today. And so much more!

Much has been written about the Thompson and its U.S. development and service. But the Thompson gun played a huge part in the history of Great Britain during World War II and is a story in its own right. Thankfully, Mr. Davis’ thoroughly researched book has brought the details of that important story to light.

With 170 pages and over 100 pictures and illustrations, the book is priced at only $29.99 – a real bargain for the information it contains. A must book for every Thompson enthusiast’s library. It is available directly from Tom’s website at www.createspace.com/5070216 and from fine bookstores and book dealers around the country.

By Jeffery E. Followder

The Nature of Association

“I don’t like the NRA. They aren’t pure enough for me, so I don’t give them money.”

“I simply cannot support the Gun Owners of America.”

“The Second Amendment Foundation doesn’t align with my objectives.”

“Come And Take It is a little too ‘in your face’ for my liking.”

“The Open Carry folks are gonna get us all in trouble.”

“The NFATCA is a good old boys club.”

“What part of ‘shall not be infringed’ do you not understand?”

I cannot tell you the number of times that I have heard each of these sentiments or some variation on the theme. Many people tend to have a pretty clear idea of what they want an advocacy group to be and pretty much look for reasons to support only those groups that perfectly align with those ideas. The rest of the groups can only garner their derision – until it’s time to actually do something.

“The NRA should be pouring money into this state issue.”

“NFATCA should be fighting to get us another amnesty registration period.”

“GOA should be building support for federal concealed carry legislation.”

“SAF should be funding my pet project.”

“Somebody should be suing ATF over this!”

And well they should. All of these things are important and deserve resources and attention. Unfortunately, without individual financial support, the ability to drive grand plans becomes a tenuous proposition for established organizations. This is not new news. The cause of the disconnect is rather straightforward: people want the battle waged with somebody else’s money. It’s just like government programs for the masses. “We get it free from the government!” Except that “somebody else” is actually picking up the tab, whether it is the wealthier taxpayers or future generations of taxpayers. As long as the individual gets the benefit without the direct cost… Take the following as an example:

“You guys should be working to repeal the Hughes Amendment so that all of us can get access to new, inexpensive machine guns.”

“We’d love to do that. Matter of fact, we did some preliminary research to figure out just exactly what kind of resources and effort we would need to mount such an effort. We are going to need some bright minds to do the heavy lifting of lobbying Congress to find supporters and sponsors. We’ll need to pay those folks and also pay the folks to help draft the new legislation. We’re looking at several million dollars in just the first two years, alone. And be warned, this is going to take a long, sustained effort to
be successful.”

“Great! Let’s get started now. I want this!”

“We do, too. Would you be willing to support the effort? A check for $1,000 would be a great start to help get things going.”

“Umm, this has actually been a rough year for me. I don’t have that kind of dough just lying around. Can’t you get some of the big collectors to make donations? How about the NRA? Can you get them into the fight?”

“We’ll work on that. Absolutely. In the mean time, can we count on you to join us? Every little bit helps and even a $50 membership is a place to start.”

And we hand the enthusiast a sign-up card and get told that they will take care of it later, instead of signing up now. We tell them that we can run a credit card right now, very easily – which gets brushed off. We remind him that he can sign up online. It never happens. In all truth, this person also did not renew his NRA membership. He didn’t sign up for GOA or any of the other organizations, either. He also will spend a lot of time on the Internet and with his buddies complaining that (insert organization name here) just doesn’t care about the “important stuff.” This causes somebody to start up their own new organization that will be more focused and better aligned with the needs of the constituency. Traction will be gained and effort expended in all the right places. That is until the funds get tight. And then there is a cash call beyond the opening splash. It isn’t too long until the new group is just like the old groups.

At a recent gathering of NFA enthusiasts we were asked point blank: “You guys have been around for a dozen years and are always asking for money. Are you going to be here in another few years?” Great question. It’s something that every association must ask itself on a continuous basis. Without a bit of hesitation the response was “Yes!” The NFATCA is in it for the long haul. We understand that progress is a long term project and that there will be ups and downs. We will be lauded for our wins and we will be derided for what others perceive to be mutiny or missteps. We will take that in stride. Each and every member of our board and steering committee understands that there are no quick wins, no easy solutions with low cost/low effort. It’s a message that we try to communicate to our membership because we know that the glacial pace of our progress can be frustrating. “Yes, we’re going to be here and we absolutely will make a difference. We will work on issues that will make a difference and we will ultimately succeed. And we are going to do it with your support and your money.”

We are determined to stay the course. We know that it does require support and money to accomplish much of what we all want. So we eagerly await the news that you are willing to fund the fight instead of waiting for somebody else to do it for you. Go to www.nfatca.org and click the Join Now button on the left. Sign up as a new member, renew your membership, extend your membership or increase your membership level today. And send us a note at info@nfatca.org to let us know what issues are important to you.

he ATI AT47 rifle marries the high quality of the Yugoslavian Zastava AKM with an American made milled receiver and barrel.

By Christopher R. Bartocci

The legendary AK-series rifle has its own following in the U.S. with many variations available. Due to the large demand, companies supply in several ways. Some import complete rifles such as Century Arms with the WASR Romanian AKs, others import Russian Saiga rifles and convert them to the traditional AK look. Companies like Krebs Custom manufacture rails and mounts to make the AK more modernized and have the ability to take modern optics and flashlights/lasers. Due to ATF regulation 922(r), if you wish to have an AK it must have a certain number of American made components to allow it to be assembled in its proper configuration; so there are manufacturers making American made stock sets, trigger groups, magazines and piston rods.

Another way of selling these rifles is to have American made receivers built up with foreign parts kits. Many different variations of parts kits come into the country including Russian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Yugoslavian and East German. The parts kits are assembled on the American made receiver along with the proper number of American made parts and American made barrels are used. This is what American Tactical Imports (ATI) has done. The condition of the barrels in the parts kits can be anywhere from decent to completely shot out and corroded.
At the 2013 SHOT Show, ATI introduced their new AT47 rifle to the industry. ATI has procured milled AK receivers from two different manufacturers in Rochester, New York. The receivers are very well made and being they are milled they do not have to deal with the complex issues of riveting. The receiver is parkarized to a dull grey finish. These receivers will permit the rifle to be refitted with a new barrel when the old one wears out; unlike the stamped receivers which are basically throw away. You would not want to replace the barrel on a stamped receiver.

The receiver is built off of Yugoslavian parts kits that contain everything but the barrel and receiver. Yugoslavian Zastava AKs are known for being some of the finest made AK-type rifles in the world. (Zastava is located in Serbia, which was a former Yugoslav country, and the M70 type rifle is referred to generally as “Yugoslav” although that is no longer a country). They also have a very unique and distinctive look to them. The trigger components in the kits cannot be used due to them being selective fire so American made trigger groups are used. Currently, all AT47 rifles use the under folding stock that the receivers are designed for. As of this writing, ATI is only offering folding stock versions of the rifle. The parts that come in the kit are all refinished to put them to a new looking component. The black polymer pistol grip is quite distinctive as well.

The 1:10 inch twist barrel is manufactured in the USA and is made specifically for the Yugoslavian parts kit. The 16.3 inch barrel has 4 lands and groove with right twist, which is the same as the Yugoslavian barrel. Like all other Yugoslavian rifles, the barrel is not chrome plated. This is a curiosity as Yugoslavia is the only country this author knows that did not chrome the bore and chambers of their service rifles. The gas block is very unique on the Yugoslavian rifles/AT47 in that it has a folding grenade launcher sight on it. Grenade launching blanks are available in 7.62x39mm caliber, so with the proper base the rifle can be used to launch projectiles. Also attached to the gas block is a bayonet lug and a sling mount. The front sight base is also rather unique in that it has the early AK47/49 profile and adjusts the same for elevation and windage as any other AK-type rifle. What is unique is the flip up sight that folds into the rear of the front sight base, which normally would have a night sight placed on it. The AT47 does not have that as that cannot be imported into the U.S. due to it being a hazardous material. The rifles can be seen with two different muzzle devices depending on what comes with the individual parts kit. First is the basic thread protector, which has no mechanical affect of the rifle performance. The second is the AKM style slanted compensator. What this does is direct gas from the muzzle blast up and to the right to keep the muzzle down when firing. The benefits with this are mostly seen when firing the rifle on automatic but there is still a good benefit when firing in semiautomatic.

The sample AT47 has very nice wood handguards that fit well into the American made receiver. The gas tube attached to the upper handguard has gas vents on the tube itself like the original AK-47/49 rather than on the gas block such as the AKM’s. The folding stock is a stamped stock and is parkarized. The receiver cover is the smooth early AK-47/49 type. Another unique Yugoslavian feature is the rear recoil spring guide is locked into place so the cover can never come off accidentally. In order to remove the receiver cover, the button on the top rear on the left side of the receiver must be pushed in before the rear recoil spring guide can be pushed in to release the cover.

The parts kits are imported by ATI and so far have had no interruption with the importation of the parts kits. This is always the concern in the back of one’s mind when they gear up for production of rifles made with foreign parts kits. More and more companies are starting to manufacture AK components here in the U.S. Those parts are generally much more expensive but made to a much higher quality standard than were in the former Warsaw Pact countries. Then the receivers and barrels are procured. All the parts in the parts kit are inspected for serviceability and the ones to be used to build the AT47 are refinished to look new. The AT47 is then assembled by ATI in their facility in Summerville, South Carolina. This includes pinning of the barrel. Every rifle is test fired prior to shipping. It should be noted that as of this writing ATI has moved its operation to Summerville, South Carolina. The political climate, including the New York State “SAFE Act” have forced many in the firearms, defense and training industry out of the state due to their profession. The law has banned all of the equipment used by people in these trades. ATI will be creating over 200 jobs in South Carolina and that state has welcomed ATI with open arms and made it perfectly evident that ATI is wanted in that state.

ATI ships every rifle with a Tapco 30-round polymer magazine. This is a robust polymer magazine but of course the rifle will use any standard AK-type magazine in 5, 10, 30, 30, 40 and 75- and 100-round drums. The rifle was tested with the Tapco, Russian, East German and Bulgarian magazines. The ammunition used was Russian Wolf 7.62x39mm 124 grain soft point ammunition. As one would expect from an AK-type rifle, there were no malfunctions of any sort. The range distance was limited so all firing was done at 25 yards.

The fit and finish of the T&E rifle is superb. There was no scarring or marring of any of the finish of the rifle. The wood is in excellent shape. The receiver is very well made with little to no tool marks on it to be seen. Certainly by looking at it, you would never guess it was not a brand new rifle let alone made of parts from a kit. The components have been refinished prior to assembly of the rifle to give the rifle that new out of box look. This is necessary due to many of the parts kits rifles are well used rifles showing finish wear. After inspection of the parts they will go to refinishing. The bolt carrier/piston rod assembly and bolt are shiny stainless steel and look as god as new. This rifle has the newly added “shepherd’s crook” and hammer pin stop to increase the performance of the rifle. All AT47s fully comply with ATF 922(r) in regards to importation and proper number of American made components. This year ATI has manufactured more than 1,000+ of the AT47 and has had
excellent feedback.

With the move to South Carolina completed at the time of this writing, production will be will begin on AK-production in-house to meet the demand for the AT47. The AT47 is the marrying with the high quality Yugoslavian Zastava AK components with an American made barrel and milled receiver making for an extremely high quality durable and long lasting rifle. The rifle is not cheap with a MSRP of $949.95; however this is not a cheap stamped AK. This is a high quality milled receiver of the highest quality Yugoslavian components. The Zastavas have always been considered the “Cadillac” of AK’s and they compete with Finland’s Valmet for the title.

ATI is a quickly growing company. With the move to Summerville, South Carolina the industry can expect many great things from them. As of this writing, ATI manufactures AT15 (M4-type), AT74 (AK-47-Type) and M1911-type pistols. There is a heavy demand so production is high. ATI has plenty of new ideas to offer different configurations of the AT15 and AT47. With a very progressive management team partnered with a friendly state, ATI will surely bring many new products to the market.

The Top Secret Pedersen Device installed in a Mark I U.S. 1903 Rifle.

By Frank Iannamico

World War I began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918. The underlying cause of the war was a complex series of political, territorial and economic problems. The stage for war was set on June 1914 with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. Within weeks, the major powers were at war, and the conflict quickly spread around the world. Initially the United Kingdom, France and the Russian Empire were fighting with the Central Powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary. Before long Italy and Japan joined the Allies while the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria joined the Central Powers.

By early 1915, the fighting had reached an impasse on the Western Front. Artillery barrages, along with water-cooled machine guns, made crossing open ground impossible. Massed infantry advances on enemy positions became suicidal. Armies had not developed infantry tactics for breaching entrenched positions without suffering heavy casualties. However, new offensive weapons, such as gas warfare and the tank designed to break the stalemate began to appear on the battle field.

On 2 April 1917, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson asked a special joint session of Congress to declare war on the German Empire. On 6 April 1917, Congress declared war on Germany on the grounds that Germany violated U.S. neutrality by attacking international shipping.

The United States’ Secret Weapon

Development of the Pedersen Device began in late 1916 at the Remington Arms Division in Ilion, New York by John D. Pedersen aided by long-time associate and tool designer Oliver H. Loomis. By the spring of 1918 a working prototype was ready. Pedersen contacted the Army’s Chief of Ordnance William Crozier to arrange a demonstration of his Device. Mr. Pedersen was well-known and respected by the Army Ordnance Office and his request was granted. The demonstration was held on 8 October 1917 in Washington, DC at the Congressional Heights rifle range, with only a few high ranking officers and Congressmen invited to attend. On the firing line Mr. Pedersen produced a modified 1903 bolt-action rifle (reportedly serial number 789300 owned by Pedersen) and began to fire the weapon in its original .30-06 configuration. He then removed the rifle’s bolt and replaced it with a strange object, which was removed from a scabbard attached to his belt. Pedersen inserted a magazine into the rifle and began to fire 40 rounds semiautomatically down-range in rapid succession. Those witnessing the demonstration were duly impressed by the volume of fire produced by Pedersen’s Device. A few months later one of the Devices was shipped to France for evaluation by General Pershing. On 9 December 1917 a board was convened at Langres, France to evaluate Pedersen’s “secret weapon.” The Device was tested for accuracy, penetration, rate of fire and reliability. It was quickly determined that turning the 1903 rifle into a short range rapid-firing semiautomatic weapon, while retaining its bolt-action ability to fire at long range targets had merit.

Convinced of its potential, General Pershing requested 100,000 of the Devices and modified 1903 rifles to use them. The initial order was placed with Remington Arms Company on 26 March 1918. To conceal the true purpose of the top-secret Device it was designated as the Automatic Pistol, Caliber .30, Model of 1918, after its official adoption.

Automatic Pistol, Caliber .30, Model of 1918 Mark I

One of the secret weapons of World War I developed by U.S. arms designer J.D. Pedersen was a device designed to convert the issue U.S. 1903 bolt action service rifle into a semiautomatic weapon. The device was a blow-back design that fired specially developed .30 caliber pistol rounds semiautomatically from a modified 1903 rifle. The “barrel” of the Device was in the shape of a .30-06 cartridge that fit into the 1903 rifle to fill the chamber. The “barrel” of the Device had an internal chamber for the small cartridge, and was rifled with lands and grooves to start the bullet spinning as it entered the 1903’s barrel. The device was designed to replace the 1903’s bolt and could be installed by the soldier in the field in as little as 15 seconds. The Device and its scabbard weighed 2.12 pounds. The rifle could just as easily be restored to function in its original .30-06 configuration by removing the device and installing the original bolt assembly.

The Magazine

The Pedersen Device fed from a double-stack, double-feed 40-round magazine that extended vertically from the 1903’s receiver, and was positioned at a 45-degree angle so that the rifle’s sights could be used. The magazine was retained in the Pedersen Device by two spring actuated fingers that engaged projections on the magazine. The sheet-metal magazine’s body had strengthening ribs pressed into its side.

The back of the magazine that faced the soldier firing the weapon had a series of holes, in 5-round increments, designed to indicate the number of rounds in the magazine. A loaded magazine weighed 1-pound. Soldiers were to be issued ten magazines for a total of 400 rounds, carried in two canvas pouches attached to the cartridge belt. Production of the 40-round magazines was subcontracted out to the Oneida Limited, Mount Vernon Silversmiths and an unknown contractor using the manufacturers’ code TP. An estimated 1.6 million magazines were manufactured for the Pedersen Device.

The stamped steel magazines had a 40-round capacity. The back had “witness” holes in 5-round increments. The contractor’s initials M.V.C. are stamped at the top. The magazines for the M1917 Rifle’s Mark II Device were slightly different.

Accoutrements

There were several accessories designed to be issued with the Pedersen Device. To carry the Device itself a stamped metal scabbard, with a hinged top secured by a wire bale, was provided. Hooks were used to attach the scabbard to the metal eyelets in the cartridge belt. A canvas pouch was also supplied to contain and store the 03’s bolt when the Device was installed in the rifle. A 5-cell canvas magazine pouch was designed to hold the magazines. Two or three pouches were to be carried attached to the cartridge belt. The magazine pouches were produced at the Rock Island Arsenal and ink-stamped R.I.A. and date of manufacture. Two identical stamped steel wrenches were provided to adjust the Device’s barrel to ensure a snug fit in the host rifle. The complete Pedersen Device, accessories and ten loaded 40-round magazines added 14-pounds to the soldier’s basic equipment.

Caliber .30 Auto-Pistol, Ball Cartridge, Model of 1918

Ammunition for the Pedersen Device was a comparatively small .30 caliber pistol round with an 80 grain bullet and a 3.5 grain powder charge. Fired from a Pedersen Device in a 1903 Rifle the bullet had a muzzle velocity of 1,300 feet per second, though far less powerful than the M1906 .30-06 service cartridge, it was estimated that the 80 grain bullet would be lethal at ranges up to 400 yards. The primary advantage of the Pedersen Device was of course volume of fire.

The cartridges were produced by the Remington Arms Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut. Most of the brass cartridge cases were manufactured at Remington’s Hoboken, New Jersey plant and then shipped to their Bridgeport factory for loading and packing. The rounds were packed 40 to a box (the Device’s magazines each hold 40-rounds) 5 boxes to a carton. Cloth bandoleers were produced to hold three of the 200 round cartons. The cartridge cases were head-stamped: RA 18, RA H18, RA 19 or RA H19. RA=Remington Arms, H=Hoboken, New Jersey plant 18 or 19 the year of production.

An experimental cartridge for the Pedersen Device was developed to enhance its lethality. The cartridge featured a 90 grain bullet with a muzzle velocity of 1,490 feet per second, but the round’s overall length was too long to fit in the original magazines.

The 1903 Mark I Rifle

Modifications to the standard issue M1903 Rifle to the Mark I configuration required to accommodate the Pedersen Device included the following:

• Receiver: The receiver had an oval port milled out of the left side to line up with the ejection port of the Pedersen device allowing the spent case to be ejected from the Device and the rifle. The receiver ring was roll-marked with the Mark I nomenclature to indicate the
• rifle’s modifications.
• Sear: The sear was modified to include a pivoting trip lever designed to trigger the Pedersen Device.
• Trigger: The 03’s trigger was altered with a light relief cut on its rear upper surface to allow function of the Mark I’s trip lever.
• Cut Off: The magazine cut-off was redesigned to secure the Device in the rifle. The body of the cut-off was relieved to engage machined cuts in the Device securing it when the lever was placed in the “off” position. There were two different types of cut-off alterations.
• Early production had two retention grooves while later manufacture only had one.
• Cut-Off Spindle: The cut-off spindle was reconfigured to add a small spring and plunger into its forward end to apply pressure to the Device’s safety. The rear of the spindle had a slot for a screw driver to aid in assembly. The cut-off screw seat is a single hole in the Mark I spindle, in place of the radial slot on the original design.
• Stock: The stock had a slight relief cut on its rear upper surface in line with the ejection port.

The Mark I rifle could still function normally as a bolt-action rifle and fire .30-06 cartridges when the Device was replaced by the original bolt assembly. In its modified form the Mark I rifle weighed 9.25 pounds. The Mark I barrel had four-lands and grooves with a 1 in 10 inch twist.

Automatic Pistol, Caliber .30, Model of 1918 Mark II

When the U.S. entered World War I there were not enough 1903 rifles to equip the rapidly expanding U.S. Army. Prior the United States’ entry into World War I Great Britain contracted with several U.S. companies to manufacture its .303 caliber
Pattern 14 rifle.

To supplement 1903 rifle production the Ordnance Department decided it would save both time and money by adapting the British rifle to accept the U.S. .30-06 cartridge, rather than re-tool the factories making the Pattern 14 factories to produce the standard U.S. rifle, the M1903 Springfield. Accordingly, Remington Arms Co. altered the design for caliber .30-06, under supervision of the U.S. Army Ordnance Department, which was formally adopted as the U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, Model of 1917. The production of Model of 1917 rifles far exceeded 1903 production, and thus issued in larger numbers to U.S. soldiers. Because of the numbers of the Model of 1917 rifles being issued it was decided to design and manufacture a Pedersen Device for the weapon designated as the Automatic Pistol, Caliber .30, Model of 1918 Mark II. Few were ever produced before the war ended.

In addition to the Mark II Device for the Model of 1917 rifle, a third model of the Pedersen Device was planned for the Russian Mosin Nagant rifle. However, after the Communists overthrew the Czarist government, a treaty was negotiated with Germany, and on 3 March 1918 Russia pulled out of the conflict. As a result there was no production of the Device for the Russian rifle, other than tool room models.

Tactics

The Pedersen Devices was believed to have potential as both an offensive and defensive weapon. Commanders envisioned their soldiers crossing no-man’s land firing their 1903 rifles fitted with the Pedersen Device, saturating the enemy position with a hail of bullets. It was also theorized that the Pedersen Device as a defensive weapon, which could be used to repeal a close quarters attack on their positions. The secret Device was to be revealed to the enemy during a massive offensive planned for the spring of 1919.

The War Ends

An Armistice was declared on 11 November 1918 ending World War I before any of the Pedersen Devices reached the troops in the field. But production of the Pedersen Device continued until 1 March 1919 when the contract was cancelled. At the time of the contract cancellation there were a reported 65,001 Devices and 65 million rounds of .30 caliber ammunition produced. Production of the 1903 Mark I rifles continued at the Springfield Armory with a production figure of 91,750 rifles in fiscal 1919, and an additional 10,025 in fiscal 1920. The 101,775 modified 1903 Mark I rifles and 65,005 Pedersen Devices and accouterments were then placed in storage as war reserves.

J.D. Pedersen

John Douglas Pedersen (May 21, 1881 – May 23, 1951) was a prolific arms designer who worked for Remington Arms, and later for the United States Government. He would be best known for his Pedersen Device that never fired a shot in anger.

Although Pedersen had success with many firearms for the commercial market, his timing always seemed to off when it came to military weapons. The U.S. Navy recommended adoption of his .45 pistol design, but Pedersen’s design was shelved in favor of the M1911 pistol already in production for the army. His semiautomatic rifle and accompanying .276 caliber cartridge were passed over in favor of John Garand’s rifle.

During World War II Mr. Pedersen formed The Irwin-Pedersen Arms Company financed by the Irwin family of Michigan. Primarily through Pedersen’s contacts in the Ordnance Department, the Irwin-Pedersen Arms Company received a contract to manufacture M1 Carbines. Unfortunately, the company failed to achieve mass production and produced slightly over 3,500 M1 Carbines. None of the carbines met Ordnance Department standards and thus were not accepted by the military. In March 1943, the Ordnance Department cancelled the carbine contract it had with the Irwin-Pedersen Arms Company.

During the post-war years the Pedersen Device was reevaluated. Tests were conducted in 1919 and 1920. Approximately 4,000 Mark I 1903 Rifles fitted with Pedersen Devices were shipped to the Panama Canal Zone in 1920 for field testing. All involved in the testing came to the same conclusion: the Device and associated accessories were cumbersome and heavy and its cartridge underpowered. Realizing that the Device had no future in the Army, and reportedly to keep them out of the hands of the growing number of “motorized bandits,” during April of 1931, it was decided to scrap the all of the Pedersen Devices rather than keep them in storage.

Advanced Collector’s Item

Apparently, the government was unusually efficient in destroying nearly all the Pedersen Devices as very few still survive today. Even rarer than the Devices themselves are the thin sheet metal scabbards. While magazines are not especially common, they are not impossible to locate. Ammunition is scarce, but like the magazines can sometimes be found. The canvas bolt pouches and magazine pouches are fairly common and often in unissued condition.

Complete Pedersen Devices and acouterments are generally offered at auction, and depending on condition, bring low to mid five-figure bids.