By Clyde H. Morgan

Had we jumped in February, 1864, we would have seen General William Tecumseh Sherman and two corps plus cavalry, about 35,000 federals, marching, burning, and foraging (Southerners call it pillaging) right below our canopies on their way from Vicksburg to burn Meridian, Mississippi. We might also have heard a few .58 caliber minie balls whistling through the air and through our parachutes. We also would definitely have needed our firearms once we hit the ground because we all just happened to be good old Southern boys. Now, 134 years and two months later, the only remaining trace of the General was his namesake, Sherman Hill Public Shooting Center, where Chute ‘N Shoot 2000 was taking place.

For the fourth time in four years, skydivers and firearms enthusiasts converged on Sherman Hill at Forest, Mississippi on the 8th and 9th of April, 2000, to enjoy blending their separate sports into two days of non-stop fun and competition.

Eighteen competitors from six states assembled by noon on Saturday. Seven came from Mississippi, five from Alabama, three from Texas, and one each from Louisiana, Georgia, and Florida. As though the sheer fun of jumping out of an airplane and shooting a rifle, handgun, shotgun, and submachine gun was not gratification enough, twenty parachute and firearms companies generously donated more than $6,000 in prizes and freebies to supplement the 1st and 2nd place trophies and a perpetual plaque that were awarded.

There were five events: one skydiving and four shooting. Because of unusually high winds on Saturday, the jumping was postponed until Sunday morning. The shooting events ran simultaneously from 1 to 5pm on Saturday. Competition was finished by noon on Sunday. All of the events included a timed element. The maximum amount of time allowed in any event was 2 minutes. The competitors were ranked according to the total amount of time in which they completed all five events. Winner and Second Place trophies were awarded to the two competitors who completed the events in the least amount of time. The winner’s name was inscribed on a perpetual plaque that remained with Sherman Hill Public Shooting Center. The prizes also were determined by rank with the competitor finishing the competition in the least amount of time having first choice, the second ranked competitor having second choice, and continuing until all prizes were awarded. The competitors were encouraged to make fun jumps whenever they were not competing. T.K. Donle from DeLand, Florida was our overall winner finishing first in two events and completing two of the other three events without receiving a time penalty. T.K. unseated Chuck Davis from Grace, Mississippi who had won the first three Chute ‘N Shoots. Chuck finished Second, and Jim Cazer from Talladega, Alabama finished Third.

For the PARACHUTING EVENT competitors jumped from a Cessna 182 at an altitude of 3,500’ and attempted to land on a target within a 30’ circle. A time penalty was assessed based on the distance the competitor landed from the 5’ center of the circle. Competitors were allowed two jumps, keeping the better of the two. If a competitor landed within the 5’ circle on the first jump, he was not allowed a second. A scoring chart can be found at the end of this article.

Parachuting gear had to have an in-date reserve and was checked prior to the jump. All competitors had to show proof of possession of a United States Parachute Association D (Master) license. Because Sherman Hill is located on Interstate 20, and because of the many obstacles such as range sheds, berms, and power lines, it was necessary to require that each competitor possessed the highest sport license offered by the United States Parachute Association. Fun jumps were allowed at the jumper’s expense so long as they did not interfere with the competition. The pilot was Roy Sims from Durant, MS. The Parachute Judge was Jim Cazer, Talladega, AL.

The HANDGUN EVENT allowed any centerfire handgun with iron sights; any ammunition except magnum, armor piercing, and tracer; any amount of ammunition; and any number of pre-filled speed loaders or magazines. The competitor was allowed a one-minute preparation period during which time the handgun could be loaded. There was no maximum number of rounds that could be loaded or fired. The competitor had to fire from a standing, unsupported position.

At the end of the preparation period and after receiving a “Ready” from the competitor, the Range Officer commanded “Fire” and punched a stopwatch. The targets were six steel pepper poppers placed from 10 to 25 meters from the firing line. When the sixth pepper popper was hit, or when 120 seconds had elapsed, the Range Officer commanded “Cease Fire” and recorded the competitor’s elapsed time in seconds. If a competitor fired early or late, that competitor received the maximum time penalty of 120 seconds. In past years we had required the pepper poppers to be knocked over, but 20 to 30 mph wind which tended to blow the poppers over, coupled with the desires of most of the competitors, allowed a hit to equal a fall. The Range Officer was Eric Anderson, Brandon, MS.

The RIFLE EVENT allowed any centerfire rifle except selective fire; any sight; any caliber under .50; any type of ammunition except armor piercing and tracer; and any amount of ammunition pre-loaded in magazines or clips. The competitor was allowed a one-minute preparation period during which time the rifle could be loaded. There was no maximum number of rounds that could be loaded or fired. The competitor had to fire from a standing, unsupported position.

At the end of the preparation period and after receiving a “Ready” from the competitor, the Range Officer commanded “Fire” and started a stopwatch. The targets were one-gallon milk jugs filled with water at 40, 80, and 120 yards, and a reactive silhouette pop-up target at 140 yards. The competitor had to hit one jug at each of the three distances and the silhouette. When the silhouette fell, or when 120 seconds had elapsed, the Range Officer commanded “Cease Fire” and recorded the competitor’s elapsed time in seconds. If a competitor fired early or late, he received the maximum penalty of 120 seconds. John McCoy, Pearl, MS was the Range Officer.

The SHOTGUN EVENT allowed any gauge and any type of shotgun with any size and type of birdshot except tracer. The competitor was allowed a one-minute preparation period during which time the shotgun could be loaded with one shell. The competitor was limited to 15 shells and had to fire from a standing, unsupported position.

At the end of the preparation period and after the shotgun was loaded and held with the muzzle high and the butt low, the competitor yelled “Pull” and a single clay target was thrown across his front. A clay was thrown only at the competitor’s command and only when the shotgun was held muzzle high and butt low. The competitor was allowed to load only one shell for each clay. The competitor’s time was determined by the number of shells used to hit five, single clay targets. If a competitor fired when a clay was not in the air, that competitor would receive the maximum time penalty of 120 seconds. The Range Officer was Eldon Harralson, Lawrence, MS.

The SUBMACHINE GUN EVENT generated as much interest as the parachuting. Almost half of our competitors had never fired a fully automatic firearm before. Competitors were allowed to load a 30 round magazine into the SMG during the one-minute preparation period. They were limited to two, 30-round magazines. The targets were water-filled, one-gallon milk jugs, one each at 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 yards, and a reactive, pop-up silhouette at 50 yards. Competitors were required to fire full-auto, meaning more than one round per burst, from a standing, unsupported position. If only one round was fired and if that bullet hit a target, the competitor was scored a miss unless that was the last shot fired from that magazine.

At the end of the preparation period and when the competitor said “Ready” the Range Officer commanded “Fire.” When all seven water jugs had been hit, the silhouette target appeared. When it was hit or when 60 rounds had been fired, the Range Officer commanded “Cease Fire. Any remaining targets were counted as a miss. If a competitor fired early, he was assessed a time penalty of 120 seconds. The Range Officer was John McCoy, Pearl, MS.

The submachine guns were Uzis and Stens provided by Storrie Parachute Works, 215 East Hickory Street, Denton, TX 76201, 1-800-928-0157.

Almost as much fun as the competition was the opportunity to shoot machine guns which were made available by enthusiasts who did not compete. Some of the firearms on hand included an American 180 in .22 Long Rifle, two MP5s, an M1 Thompson, two 1919A4s, an Uzi, an M60, and an M16. The owners of these beauties kindly allowed those who were interested (especially the ladies) to fire them. What a pleasure to see everyone having such a good time with firearms.

Saturday night brought forth a special treat: a seafood buffet at the Back Forty Seafood Restaurant at Lake, Mississippi, not far from Sherman Hill.

The following is a list of the competitors who either won or finished an event without receiving a time penalty:

PARACHUTE
Vern Melancon, New Iberia, LA
T.K. Donle, DeLand, FL
Bill Schmitt, Dallas, TX
Al Alexander, Allen, TX
Chuck Davis, Grace, MS

HANDGUN
T.K. Donle, DeLand, FL

RIFLE
T.K. Donle, DeLand, FL

SHOTGUN
Larry Stapleton, Flowood, MS
Richard Hill, Pelahatchie, MS
Clyde Morgan, Brandon, MS
Pete Certain, Huntsville, AL
David Cazer, Harvest, AL
Steve Thompson, Amory, MS
Jim Cazer, Talladega, AL
Chuck Davis, Grace, MS
Frank Hill, Worthy, AL

SUBMACHINE GUN
Clyde Morgan, Brandon, MS
T.K. Donle, DeLand, FL
Bill Schmitt, Dallas, TX
Al Alexander, Allen, TX
John Storrie, Denton, TX
Steve Thompson, Amory, MS
Jim Cazer, Talladega, AL
Howard Stetson, Huntsville, AL
Frank Fowler, Hattiesburg, MS

The Chair of our Sponsorship Committee, the person who did the most work in making C’NS 2000 so successful, was Al Alexander, Allen, TX. Some of the competitors received as many as three prizes. All received at least two. The following is a list of the companies who sponsored the C’NS with their fine products:

ACME Rigging, 112 Deer Trail, Brandon, MS 39042, 601/825-4616.
Bev Suits, 2746 Bleiler Road, New Tripoli, PA 18066, 610/285-6994.
Cazer Para Loft, 589 East Lake Hill Drive, Talladega, AL 35160, 256/268-9843.
Cummings Rigging Works, 15 Gaynor Avenue, Manhasset, NY ll030, 516/627-1432.
Decot Hy-Wyd, PO Box 15830, Phoenix, AZ 85060, 1-800-528-1901.
DeSantis Holster & Leather Goods, 149 Denton Ave, New Hyde Park, NY 11040, 516/354-8000
Flite Suite, 24390 Aviation Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, 530/753-1516.
Hoppe’s, Airport Industrial Mall, Coatesville, PA 19320
Jumper Sportswear, 221 North Main, Suite 100, Wichita, KS 67202, 1-888-558-6737.
Kroop’s Goggles, Dept. P, 9865-E N. Washington Blvd., Laurel, MD 20707, 301/498-5848.
Para Gear Equipment Co, 3839 West Oakton St, Skokie, IL 60076, 847/679-5905.
Para Publishing, PO Box 8206, Santa Barbara, CA 93118, 805/968-7277.
Performance Designs, 1300 East Int’l Speedway Blvd, DeLand, FL 32724, 904/738-2224
RelativeWorkshop,1545 Lexington Avenue, DeLand, FL 32724.
Skydiving Magazine, 1725 North Lexington Avenue, DeLand, FL 32724
Storrie Parachute Works, 215 East Hickory Street, Denton, TX 76201, 1-800-928-0157.
Sun Path Products, 4439 Skydive Lane, Zephyrhills, FL 33540, 813/782-9242.
Sunrise Rigging, 38529 5th Avenue, Zephyrhills, FL 33540, 813/788-1910.
West Tennessee Skydiving, 441 Sweet Apple Cove, Apt. 7, Collierville, TN 38017, 901/854-8780

Next year’s Chute ‘N Shoot is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, April 7th and 8th, 200l. Competitors will be limited to the first 30 with a USPA D license who pre-register. Entrance fee is $50. There will be trophies for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Fun jumps by D license holders will be allowed. Point of contact is Clyde H. Morgan, 66 Glenway Place, Brandon, MS 39042, 601/825-3971.

Come to think of it, given the number and types of firearms present, the amount of ammunition, and the abilities of our competitors, it is probably just as well we weren’t 134 years back in time. I don’t think that the General and his bluebellies would have even made it out of Tuscalameta Swamp, much less all the way to Meridian.

By William R. “Bob” Bishop

Many SAR readers have wondered over the past five years what ever happened to the lot of Group Industries registered Uzi receivers that were sold at the Group Industries auction. Did someone purchase these valuable pieces of ordnance and “sit on them” until market conditions changed and a huge profit margin become realized?

Not really.

They were bought by Ralph Merrill, President of Vector Arms, and it simply took this long to find a high quality source of new parts to build them up into a finished product. He has finally done so and is now selling them on the fully transferable C3 market. As there has been so much talk about the Vector Uzi, this article will answer many questions by providing a detailed history, evaluation and test of a regular production version…no special “hand finished” ringers here! The standard of comparison will be the world famous IMI 9mm Uzi.

Finally, let me take all the suspense out of your mind. I have carried an Uzi in a war zone for months (1996-97 in Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia) and also own the IMI version. While not being a total expert, I do have sufficient knowledge and real world experience to fairly test/evaluate one. Saying this, and with no financial interest in Vector Arms, I can unequivocally state the tested Vector Uzi is the finest one I have ever used. Period.

Birth of the Receiver

The heart of the Vector Uzi is its registered receiver. These started life in 1985-86 when the flats were stamped and folded by Michael Brown, at that time the President of Group Industries. This company had gained a reputation in the 1980’s as a converter of the semiauto IMI Uzi into select fire. As the price of the IMI Uzi increased and the supply became spotty, Michael conceived the idea of making his own US-version and not being dependent on a foreign supplier. Further, he would be able to directly influence the quality and end up with a superior product. As an inside joke, the Group Industries Uzi’s were engraved with the model number HR4332. Mike selected this number as it was the House of Representatives law enacted in May, 1986 which banned newly-manufactured machine gun ownership by private citizens.

To gain additional funding for this very ambitious project, Michael teamed up with Roger Small, head of Scattergun Technologies (And the old Automatic Weapons Company). Roger agreed to partially fund it for approximately $250,000 providing he (Roger) received specific delivery schedules and exclusive distribution privileges.

In the end, Group Industries could not meet the agreed upon terms and Scattergun Technologies sued for breach of contract. After a prolonged length of back and forth moves from both sides, Scattergun Technologies finally won a judgment against Group Industries in 1993. Meanwhile, Group sought protection from its creditors by filing for several reorganizations under Chapter 11. This only temporarily prevailed, however, and in early 1995 the creditors ordered the assets to be liquidated under Chapter 7. An auction was held on 24 August 1995 the likes of which has rarely been seen before (MAC auction in 1976) and probably not since.

Among the many items up for bid included forming/stamping dies, boxes of parts, several full automatic weapons, one WWII WC24 command car, two M5A1 light tanks and 3318 registered – and fully transferable – Uzi receiver frames. There were nowhere near enough spare parts to complete these valuable receivers and some people wondered if the buyer had bought the proverbial “pig in the poke”.

The mysterious high bidder was #221 who paid $265,000 for the 3318 Uzi receivers along with an additional 109 Post-86 DS receivers. Including the 10% buyer’s premium to the auctioneer, the total bill was $291,500; this meant the unit cost for all 3427 receivers was $85.06 each. The buyer’s name was Marcos Garcia and he was the representative for one Ralph Merrill…President of Vector Arms.

Now that Vector Arms had just entered the Uzi market in a big way, Ralph had to figure out: 1) where to access a very large supply of new parts to complete these 3318 fully transferable receivers; and, 2) where to find a production facility to assemble the Vector Uzi? These two items became a world class nightmare.

Sourcing of Parts

Ralph first contacted Israeli Military Industries (IMI) in January, 1996, to inquire about the parts/production necessary to finish the receivers. Though their Uzi production lines had been shut down several years earlier when moved from Tel Aviv, it was expected that substantial numbers of parts would remain in inventory and thus be available for Vector’s use. Incredibly, IMI had none available as they had been sold off or consumed by the world market. Further, they were not interested in reopening the production lines for a relatively few number of SMG’s.

In February, 1997 he contacted the other major Uzi manufacturer – Fabrique Nationale (FN) of Herstal, Belgium. FN had been famous for years regarding its high quality manufacturing processes and had supplied numerous military/police forces of several nations. Unfortunately, as with IMI, no parts or production services were available. Their production line had been shut down in the 1980’s and the ability to restart it was not economically feasible as tooling, jigs, dies, etc. had been sold, transferred or outright destroyed.

During March, 1997, Ralph contacted Distraco SA (IMI-Europe) headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. He hoped they possessed a suitably large inventory of spare parts and the supporting production facilities to finish the Group Industry receivers. This, too, was fruitless. They did have a good number of parts but could not support any Uzi production. Distraco SA could install parts and repair existing firearms but did not possess the facilities to perform initial buildup of the receiver. The equipment needed to install barrel trunnions, rear plates, sight brackets, etc. did not exist.

At this point, Ralph felt pretty down. It appeared he would have to undertake the exact events which led to Group Industries’ downfall…1) set up his own production facility; and, 2) make the parts himself. Technically it was feasible, but financially it was a prohibitive process. Thus, in the Spring of 1997, it was decided that Vector Arms would set up their own production facilities in Utah (more on this later). Further, as this would push them to the limit, the location of existing new Uzi parts was now imperative.

Closeup of the ratcheting top cover assembly. The ratchet teeth (arrow) are an essential safety feature all select fire Uzi’s must have.

And then luck smiled…

In July, 1997, Ralph heard that South Africa could be a salvation regarding parts. During the late 1970’s the Pretoria-based firm of Lyttleton Engineering had quietly manufactured thousands of Uzi’s to supply South African forces engaged in the Rhodesian war. Upon conclusion of this war and creation of Zimbabwe, the demand for these Uzi’s had ceased. Consequently, over 5000 brand new Lyttleton-made SMG’s were carefully stored in a South African warehouse. Yes, the government would sell them but was not interested in dismantling them into parts kits – someone else must do that. Negotiations to acquire these new Uzi’s and get them stripped down would take the next 1 1/2 years.

An Uzi is comprised of 85 parts and the Lyttleton Uzi’s could provide 77. This is because the balance (7, not counting the receiver) are welded/built into the receiver in such a way that they would be destroyed during removal. Thus, where to acquire the barrel nut latch housing, front sight bracket, bayonet lug, foregrip lug, pistol grip lug, rear plate and rear sight bracket? Perhaps a final foreign trip could locate these seven missing parts.

In September, 1998, Ralph visited the Croatian firm of RH-ALAN, which was producing an Uzi clone – the ERO 9 – and amenable to providing the seven missing parts. But…they wanted $500,000 to do so. Additionally, some of these parts were investment cast and somewhat suspect regarding long term use/wear which the American shooter would expect of a “new production” fully transferable SMG. Ralph thanked them very much and decided he would make these seven parts himself. There was no other solution.

At this same time in September, 1998, the South Africans finally shipped the 5000 Lyttleton Uzi’s to Switzerland where they were carefully disassembled into the necessary 77 parts by a respected Swiss firm. The US import permit was easily approved and the first 60 kits landed in Utah via Delta Airlines in February, 1999, with the bulk arriving by sealift in May.

After four years of diligent searching, Vector Arms finally had 77 of the 84 new parts they needed. Now, they were going to make the additional seven parts themselves and set up full production facilities.

Vector’s Manufacturing Process

As mentioned earlier, Ralph had decided in the spring of 1997 to set up production facilities himself when IMI and FN did not come through. To learn how to make an Uzi, he located Mike Brown and asked him to conduct an “Uzi school” and teach how it is done. As Mike had remained true to the product and wanted “his” Uzi’s to be completed and distributed to the American market, he agreed to take Ralph under his tutelage. If Group Industries was dead, then Vector Arms would finish the job.

Over a ten-day period in the summer of 1997, Mike taught Ralph everything there was to know about correctly building an Uzi. From the initial stamping to the final finishing, he covered it all. To validate his skills, Ralph built ten Uzi’s and had Mike carefully examine each one. They were equal to, or better than, those of IMI and FN. In fact, the Vector Uzi is built to the highest commercial standards and exceeds that of any milspec version. Surface finish is much finer, edges are carefully deburred, welds are correctly dressed down, forming marks left by the stamping dies are removed via special tooling, etc. After Ralph graduated the school he went back to Vector Arms and taught his crew how to do it to commercial standard.

With this production knowledge and the 77 Lyttleton-made parts in hand, Vector Arms manufactured their own seven parts to complete the set. The rear sight bracket is formed from 14-gauge steel with a stamping die formerly owned by Group Industries. Also, stamping dies were built to form the front sight bracket, while the remaining five parts were machined via CNC equipment from a steel billet. At long last, the registered receiver and all 84 parts necessary to make a true Uzi were available.

Let’s see how Vector Arms does it.

As the heart of the Vector Uzi, the raw receiver is CNC machined in several areas to bring it into proper specification. Group Industries initially stamped them slightly oversize, therefore, the front and back are slightly shortened while the top is milled down a bit to reduce the receiver’s height. Also, the distance between the front/rear sight ears is adjusted to permit proper fitting of the top cover. These operations are all done on a CNC mill which is equipped with a special anti-vibration fixture. Once completed, all edges are deburred via stoning.

With the receiver now in tolerance, it is time for welding. The bayonet lug, foregrip and pistol grip lugs, barrel trunnion, barrel nut catch housing and butt plate are all TIG welded into position while using special holding fixtures to assure correct placement and 3-axis alignment. Once completed and passing inspection, the front and rear sight brackets are then fixtured in place and spot welded.

With this work completed, it is time for another inspection followed by extensive weld grinding and polishing to bring the entire receiver up to commercial standard. No jagged edges, globs of weld, non-square corners, etc. All are brought up to the highest standard possible. Then, the front and rear sight holes are drilled out on a press and tapped with the appropriate threads. The final work on the receiver, before the first grit blasting and heat treating, is the riveting of the sling swivel to the left side. This is done via a special support fixture and pneumatic riveting equipment. Now, time for case hardening.

The Group Industries receiver is unique among all those produced by IMI, FN, Lyttleton or RH-ALAN: it is case hardened. When a typical Uzi is used over a very long period of time the rails on the bottom of the bolt may wear longitudinal grooves into the receiver. This can lead to incorrect stripping/chambering of the cartridge, alteration of sear release geometry, etc. Mind you, we are talking about a lot of firing being done to achieve these grooves, but, it can happen. As the receiver is the registered part, Vector wanted to make sure it would not wear out. The bolt can be replaced, not so the receiver.

To harden the Vector receiver via a carburizing process, it is first placed in a special oxygen-free oven at 1500F and then exposed for four hours to carbon gas. This penetrates the metal surface to a depth of .015”. Then, it is quenched in oil to bring the receiver hardness towards 60C on the Rockwell scale. As this is too brittle, it is then tempered to bring the hardness down to the acceptable range of 35C. By doing so the skin of the receiver is hard (resists wear) while the interior is relatively soft (absorbs shock). Even though normal Uzi receivers are noted for their toughness, this receiver is simply not going to wear out.

A little known fact is that the Uzi ejector is also heat treated. The Vector Uzi ejector is of a higher Rockwell number than the receiver, therefore it is pneumatically riveted in place after the receiver is hardened. Once this is done, it is time for finishing.

The parkerized finish of the Vector is first class and bears special examination. After grit blasting the Uzi receiver/parts with #80 aluminum oxide grit to remove hardening scale (receiver) and existing finish (the parts), it is then dipped in a low flashpoint Stoddard solvent cleaning tank to ensure all grit dust and contaminants are removed. Next, it is transferred to the Parco Lubrite #2 parkerizing tank and immersed for 15 minutes at 205F. When removed, the acid is neutralized via dipping into a hot water wash tank; when brought out of this tank the heated metal rapidly air dries itself. Finally, everything is dipped into a tank of light oil so the parkerizing’s crystalline structure will readily absorb the petroleum and provide the necessary protective surface.

The final step in production is to carefully assemble all the parts into a Vector Uzi, gauge/examine it for fit of parts, smoothness of action, etc. Firing tests are done by doing a full magazine dump; particular observation being paid to the functioning of the first and last rounds as this is where the greatest malfunction chance occurs. Upon passing these tests it is then cleaned up and boxed into inventory.

Evaluation of the Vector Uzi

The Vector Uzi is an Uzi….there is nothing new or unique about it since the IMI version first emerged in 1951. It fires from the open bolt, while cyclic operation is based on the blowback principle. As it is a select fire weapon, the safety lever located by the right thumb of the firing hand allows Auto-Repetitive-Safe operation. The Vector Uzi uses the traditional A-R-S markings are seen on many IMI and most FN versions.

Starting from the front and moving backwards, the first item to observe is the barrel itself. It is 10.2” long and has a 4-groove RH twist of 1:10. The chamber has been cut slightly larger than that of the IMI semiauto carbine as it must handle rapid cycling of the brass cartridge case. This one modification alone will solve a number of mysterious cycling issues. The barrel is not chrome lined and thus the firing of corrosive ammo must be followed up immediately with a good hot soapy water scrubbing and appropriate oiling

The next item is the ratcheting top cover. This is exactly what late production IMI/FN full auto Uzi’s used and is a key safety component. Since the Vector fires from an open bolt, anytime the bolt slams home and there is a round in the chamber and/or magazine it will fire. This is inherently unsafe and requires this special top cover. The cocking knob is directly attached to the ratchet assembly, which contains a small pawl. When the knob is pulled back to cock the bolt, the pawl clicks against the ratchet teeth and will not let the bolt slide home if it is accidentally released before the sear can engage the trip ledge. Thus, this overcomes a major safety concern of all open bolt firearms. Ralph did the right thing by insuring his Uzi has a ratcheting top cover.

Next up is the Vector pistol grip assembly. As earlier, this is directly from the IMI design and will interchange freely with their equivalent SMG assembly. The selector lever on the Vector pistol grip assembly is the traditional A-R-S version. When moved to the rear detent, it is on safe. One click forward is repetitive (semiauto) and a final click forward is full auto. The thumb grip safety is retained and adds further security when handling the weapon. Once you are used to achieving a proper firing grip it falls quite naturally to hand.

The Vector bolt deserves special attention. With the proliferation of the 950 B&G Machine registered bolts, some visibility has been given to what kind of bolt an Uzi has and its method of construction. As most B&G bolts were hurriedly investment cast of 8620 steel this led in some cases to problems during cooling with dimensional integrity. This is not the case with the Vector bolt. It was machined from high grade 4140 billet steel then carefully hardened and quenched. With normal (and some abnormal) use it will last for the life of the Uzi. The extractor which comes with the bolt is the “wide lip” SMG type and achieves a very firm grip on the brass case. A final note of interest: close examination behind its ejection cutout will show a “Circle P” stamped proofmark. This indicates the Pretoria arsenal where it was made…quality parts meant for use in a very dirty African war.

Unlike registered bolt guns, the registered receiver Vector does not have a bolt blocking rail. Also, it has the taller SMG ejector which gives a very positive kick to the case during extraction. The feed ramp does not carry the barrel restrictor ring as found on IMI semiauto carbines. The feed ramp also does not support/interfere with the chamber end of the barrel in any way….it simply and reliably guides the cartridge into the barrel. The front and rear sights are exactly as found on the IMI SMG and Model A carbine. This means a special front sight adjusting tool (widely available) is needed to make aiming corrections. Finally, the folding stock is exactly as found in the IMI version. It is hinged in two places to allow breaking down and locking forward under the receiver.

Looking down into the Vector pistol grip assembly. Key item to notice is the large sear pads (arrow) indicating a true SMG sear…not the smaller pads of a semiauto sear.

Testing of the Vector Uzi

The unloaded Vector Uzi weighs 7.8lbs and is 25.5” long with the stock open, and 18.5” with the stock collapsed. The barrel is 10.2” long and retained via the large barrel nut which screws down over the mounting flange. Sights are the exact same as the IMI SMG and Model A, with a 100/200m rear flip sight and windage/elevation adjusted through the eccentric front sight. The plastic furniture is optionally green or black. The black plastic grips which came with the evaluation model had been in storage for many years and did not have the substantial appearance of the IMI grips. However, Vector Arms has now contracted with Prestige Plastics, of Louisville, KY, for a large production run of very high quality furniture. These newer grips are currently available and look beautiful.

Firing the Vector is exactly the same as the IMI Uzi. Squeeze the thumb safety on the back of the pistol grip assembly. Pull back on the large cocking knob and listen to the ratchet assembly lightly click its way through the top cover teeth. When it strikes the rear of the slot, let go and the knob will spring forward while the bolt is held to the rear by the sear pads. Place the selector switch on “S”. Insert the 25-round magazine into the mag well opening and snap it into place. Take up a good shooting position and ensure the backstop is appropriate. Sight on the target, squeeze the thumb safety with the web of your hand and slide the selector switch forward to either “R” or “A”. Press the trigger and the fun will immediately begin.

The Vector Uzi cyclic rate is the same as the IMI SMG – approximately 650rpm. You will feel each individual round as it goes off and can easily traverse your fire to match the target(s). The muzzle of the Uzi will lightly rock up-and-down as the heavy bolt reciprocates. After the 3-4th round of a burst is fired it is easy to adjust impact and bring the rounds back into the target. Yes, the Uzi is a second generation SMG and it is heavy when compared to newer competitors…big deal. This increased heft smothers the 9mm recoil and gives a very high feeling of user confidence.

My test Vector exhibited only two minor problems as received: the black plastic grips which have since been corrected; and, one locknut from a handguard screw fell off. The locknuts are difficult to screw all the way down as they must be tightened with a small spanner wrench. After a lot of firing the vibration may cause the nut to back off until it falls out. Vector Arms immediately replaced it with a new one after a quick phone call; a homemade tool is simple to fabricate and will eliminate this problem which affects all Uzi’s. My personal IMI SMG has also dropped one or two.

That was it…the Vector Uzi functioned flawlessly after firing over 2,000 rounds – without ever being cleaned a single time!

Warranty and Accessories

The first Vector Uzi was shipped on May 25, 1999. Including that very first one, they come in a sturdy cardboard box with a 25-round magazine, owner’s manual and warranty card. The warranty card really catches your interest as it covers the SMG for one year on materials and workmanship. When was the last time a fully transferable C3 firearm came with a warranty?

Accessories for the Vector Uzi cover the full range of options. Original IMI wooden buttstocks, a very well done vertical foregrip, .45ACP conversion kit, BFA, bayonet, front sight wrench, cordura nylon assault case, etc. are all available. Perhaps the one option which every Uzi owner should consider is Vector’s soon-to-be released .22RF conversion kit. During my conversations with Ralph he stated that it will drop in and function with both registered receiver AND registered bolt Uzi’s.

Another option being offered is a suppressor which is licensed from a world famous Swiss firm and made here in the US. It features CNC machining of the internals and thus allows operator disassembly/reassembly with little fear of resulting misalignment. For ease of use it replaces the barrel nut and requires no barrel modifications. Cost is $450 for 9mm and $475 for .45ACP.

Finally, Vector Arms will work on your Uzi even if they did not make it. If you need a tuneup or major rework, Ralph can do it…this includes case hardening your own receiver. Further, ATF allows registered bolt owners the option to remove the barrel restrictor ring, align bore the barrel trunnion to fit SMG barrels and enlarge the receiver sear openings. The cost is typically $30 per operation. So, for about $100 Ralph can upgrade your registered bolt Uzi to take advantage of cheap SMG barrels and full auto sears with their larger pads.

Conclusion

Ralph Merrill and Vector Arms have truly created the ultimate Uzi. It is superb in both material and workmanship. For $2995 you can own a fully transferable SMG which has a very well equipped manufacturer standing behind it. The range of optional accessories is most heartening, and the new products coming out such as the .22RF conversion kit and multi-caliber sound suppressor are quite impressive.

Vectors Arms has created a first class piece of ordnance and now us fellow C3 enthusiasts can emerge as the real winners…give Ralph a call!

When you do, ask about the upcoming 72-round Suomi drum for $295 and the 240 fully transferable Mini Uzi’s, and…watch their website.

Vector Arms
Attn: Ralph Merrill
Dept: SAR
270 West 500 North
North Salt Lake, UT 84054
(801) 295-1917
www.vectorarms.com

By Jim Schatz

The long touted arrival of the year 2000 marks the fiftieth year of existence for Heckler & Koch GmbH. Though actually incorporated in late December 1949, HK did not start actual production of product, at that time precision-machined parts for sewing machines, until 1950, almost ten years before they produced their first series-production firearm. In its relatively short existence as a small arms design and production firm, Heckler & Koch has earned a reputation for innovation in the design and production of advanced military, law enforcement and sporting firearms and accessories for the discriminating user. Few firearms companies can brag about their accomplishments in the last half of the 20th century in the way that HK can, though chooses not to.

The Heckler & Koch 7.62 mm G3 rifle was at one time the second most commonly encountered assault rifle in the world, second behind the ubiquitous Kalashnikov AK47/AKM. More than 80 nations selected the G3 to outfit their Armies. In fact the German Army still uses the G3 today though many forward-deployed units have transitioned to the newer 5.56mm HK G36 rifle and carbine. The design of the G3 spawned an entire family of small arms employing the proven and unique delayed roller-locked bolt system, a common feature of most early HK’s weapons, to include even the HK P9S handgun. The technology to produce complete firearms, save the barrel and bolt, from metal stampings and in modular assembly groups for decentralized assembly was not pioneered by HK but was certainly exploited to near perfection by the Oberndorf gun maker. Today HK has replaced sheet metal stamping and welding with injection polymer molding and powdered metal technology in the design and production of their newest products, like the UMP submachine gun and G36 assault rifle.

A short history lesson

Two former Mauser engineers, Edmund Heckler and Theodor Koch founded Heckler & Koch along with a third member, Alex Seidel. Messrs. Heckler & Koch had worked for the Mauser Werke factory, also located in the town of Oberndorf, Germany , along the Neckar river, before and during the Second World War and participated in the design of the GerotO6H rifle and later the StG45(M) assault rifle which employed an early rendition of HK’s famed roller-locked bolt. After the war this operating system reappeared in an early Spanish CETME rifle and then returned to HK’s hometown by the mid-1950’s to be refined by into the G3 rifle, adopted by the new German Army in September of 1959. Heckler & Koch got its start in wooden barracks once used during the Second World War for housing the work force for the Mauser Werke factory. Though today only one of these buildings remains, retained as a historical landmark. The modern design and production facility that is HK GmbH today is among the finest and most technically advanced in the world.

A Gun for Every Purpose

Since 1959, Heckler & Koch has developed and produced an astonishing array of small arms in nearly every category and caliber up to and including 40mm, and in using most of the methods of operation and breech locking known to man. HK’s have been designed in no less than 30 different calibers from .22 Long Rifle through the devastating 40X53mm High Velocity cartridge capable of delivering a high explosive fragmentation grenade to targets at ranges out to 2,200 meters. Small arms produced by Heckler & Koch have weighed as little as a few ounces to more than 57 pounds, and have used gas operation and gas retardation, short and long recoil, simple and delayed blowback with and without advanced primer ignition, manual operation with mechanical, gas and hydraulic buffers, mechanical and even electrical primer ignition. All methods of operation, recoil mitigation and cartridge ignition are employed in one or more HK firearm over the past 40 years. The chambers of HK firearms have been locked using rotating, spinning, revolving, rising or linear locking bolts, fixed, tilting and rotating barrels and bolts and slides locked by means of lugs, rollers, pins and simple inertia. HK’s have been fed manually one round at a time, from vertical and horizontal box magazines, belts, drums, boxes and corkscrew style feed towers and at cyclic rates of fire in excess of 2,200 rounds per minute.

Few if any other small arms manufacturer in the world has produced the wide ranging product line that HK has become well known for. In its 40 year history of producing firearms HK has manufactured three flare pistol models, 40 models of semi-automatic handguns, 19 different pistol-caliber submachine guns, 14 models of assault rifles, nine paramilitary rifles, 6 sniper rifle models, 9 semi-automatic hunting rifles, 5 grenade launchers, 6 machine guns in varying forms and calibers and has put its name on two or more shotguns. This is a conservative total of 111 models to which there are countless variations resulting from the operator level exchange of modular assembly groups such as trigger groups, buttstocks and forearms.

For the MP5 submachine gun alone there are more than 120 variants of the four basic models, not to mention those produced with special language specific markings for the customer. The USP pistol is now available in four calibers, two sizes, two finishes and with nine variants per model, and a host of mission specific types like the USP Expert and USP45 Tactical. This adds up to more than…well you get the idea.

Everything but the kitchen sink

Currently HK produces more than 250 different models of HK firearms, not including the many variants of each. While each HK firearm may not be at the very top of each customer’s shopping list in every category (many are), they all come fairly close at being the best available anywhere. No other manufacturer in the world can completely outfit a military unit for instance with the complete array of small arms as Heckler & Koch can and has on many occasions. It is also safe to say that HK leads the entire industry currently in the development of new small arms designs, many that the world has seen in the past five years and far more that will emerge in the next five years.

In addition to firearms, HK produces many of its own accessories, including mounts and tripods for machine guns and ball socket firing ports for pistols and submachine guns that allow the shooter to fire through vehicle windows. Heckler & Koch still produces barrels, bolts and belt drums for the 7.62mm MG3 machine gun still serving in the German military and the firing mechanisms for the Panzerfaust 3 and Armbrust rocket launchers. HK has designed flame-throwers, road spikes, specialized 40mm less-than-lethal projectiles, visible and IR laser aimers and lights, gas grenade launchers and special weapons designed for use underwater. In fact HK has designed and produced items totally unrelated to small arms, items such as the linkless feed system for the Eurofighter aircraft and even an airbag deployment system using the caseless ammunition propellant developed for the G11 rifle.

Until only a few years ago HK designed and produced its own high precision multiple station CNC milling, drilling and grinding machines and computers to drive them in a separate company called Hekoma. HK even had a division that specialized in the custom design and fabrication of advanced indoor and outdoor shooting ranges for law enforcement and military organizations the world over, to include a few here in the United States. HK has run for years a training school for apprentice technicians in its Oberndorf hometown.

HK has set up for the host country production facilities in 13 locations around the world as “turn-key” operations for internal military and/or law enforcement use. HK weapons, to include rifles, submachine guns, machine guns and handguns have been and in some cases are still being produced in these licensed facilities in Turkey, Greece, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Columbia, the U.K., and other countries. HK’s users list is like a who’s who of military, law enforcement and special operations organizations. It is safe to say that HK weapons are in use in nearly every country in the world.

Leading through Technology, Innovation and a “No Compromise” attitude

HK has constantly pushed the envelope of small arms, ammunition and materials technology by challenging its design department to create some of the world’s most unique if not deadly shoulder fired weapons. While many of these HK small arms marvels never entered series production, in most cases this was not due to a lack of promise offered in their design and performance and was more as a result of the lack of funding or changes in user requirements. The caseless ammunition firing G11 rifle offered a huge increase in combat capability over existing assault rifles allowing the soldier the means to carry three times the ammunition compared to that of a soldier armed with a 7.62mm rifle like the HK G3. Fully loaded with three 45-round magazines the G11K3 weighed just over 10-pounds and fired at an amazing 2,200 rounds per minute when firing in the 3-round burst mode. The G11 was not adopted by the German armed forces for political reasons related to the end of the Cold War.

The HK CAWS (Close Assault Weapon System) developed in the 1980’s in conjunction with Olin Winchester was the most awesome “combat shotgun” ever devised. Firing 8 tungsten-alloy OO buck pellets or a compliment of steel flechettes from a 3-inch brass belted magnum case the CAW could perforate both sides of a 5-ton military truck at ranges beyond 100 meters. The select-fire CAW fired from a 10-round box magazine and would have been a defender’s weapon of choice for distances out to 150 meters against aggressors protected by body armor or in lightly armored vehicles. More gun that the users wanted, the HK CAW tested well but never entered production.

An HK long-range rifle system that also never progressed into production known as the WSG2000 could propel a 340 grain projectile to man sized targets at ranges out to 2,000 meters with pinpoint accuracy. It’s full-solution fire control system was designed to remove 90% of the aiming error caused by the effects of range to the target, the effects of weather and those produced by the shooter. The WSG2000 died when the funding and user requirements changed.

The HK36 rifle in caliber 4.6X36mm, developed in the early 1970’s, weighed just 8.1 pounds loaded with 90 rounds of the newly developed 4.6X36mm round loaded with the deadly 42-grain bullet with beveled “spooned nosed” tip. The HK36 was a modern assault rifle that was never produced because of the political ramifications of a German firm offering such a deadly assault rifle/ammunition combination so soon after the close of World War II.

HK’s of the 21st Century

The new century promises to bring a host of new and innovative products out of the design and production departments at HK. In the personal weapons category, a smaller reincarnation of the lethal HK36 4.6X36mm round in a 30mm length was recently announced by HK for use in their new Personal Defense Weapon (PDW). Weighing in at just 2.6 pounds loaded with 20 rounds in the pistol grip, the PDW can be fired with one hand or from the shoulder using a slide-out shoulder stock and fold down vertical foregrip. With the capabilities of a 5.56mm carbine out to 250 meters, but in a package comparable in size and weight to a large handgun, the new HK PDW redefines the state-of-the-art for personal firepower for the 21st century.

HK’s latest small arms marvel is the Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW) that fires air-bursting 20mm grenades out to 1,000 meters and allows the combatant to engage targets behind cover, for the first time in the history of the infantryman. Using a ballistic computer and laser range finder combined with titanium barrels and a unique recoil mitigation system, the OICW promises to raise the bar in the field of small arms development and combat capability for the next century with the first U.S. combat units equipped in 2006.

The Submachine Guns

HK is probably best known in the American market for the famed MP5 submachine gun as a result of the weapon being used by the world’s most elite counter terrorist organizations, such as Germany’s own GSG9 and the British Special Air Service (SAS). Nearly every elite military unit in the world, and most law enforcement organizations in the United States have or still employ at least one version of the MP5 for close in defensive and offensive applications. Known internally at HK as the HK54, the “Machine Pistole 5” is still in series production after three decades, and while not the world’s most prolific submachine gun by sheer numbers, the MP5 is widely considered as the world’s finest and most capable submachine gun.

The first MP5 in caliber 9mm Parabellum was produced in 1965. More or less a downscaled version of the G3 assault rifle, the 9mm MP5 has progressed through countless iterations in the past 35 years. The basic unsuppressed MP5A2 with fixed plastic buttstock was closely followed by the retractable stocked MP5A3 version. In 1974 the integrally suppressed MP5SD provided the user with sound suppressed fire using standard supersonic ammunition. The third model in the MP5 family is shorty, officially known as the MP5K, K meaning Kurz or short in the German language, and appeared on the scene in 1976. The latest and last model of the MP5 first produced in 1992 are those rarely seen outside of the United States and chambered for the .40 S&W and 10 mm Auto cartridges, namely the MP5/40 and MP5/10. As is the case with almost every category of HK firearms, pistols, rifles, machine guns, etc., many variants of these four models exist and in almost every and any possible configuration. Like a gun built with a Lego building block set, seldom do two MP5’s look identical.

In addition to the MP5 sub gun, since 1982 HK has quietly been developing a totally new pistol-caliber “machine pistol”. Not intended as a replacement for the MP5, the new submachine gun was originally developed for the US military as the SMG under a JSSAP R&D contract. After successful user testing, “the community” decided to purchase the series production MP5 and the SMG Program was shelved, but not within the design department of HK. Seeing the advantage of using polymer materials in the weapon’s design, HK refined the SMG into a never produced prototype called the MP2000, one gun that would do all the jobs currently performed by the then three models of the 9mm MP5. In the end after some additional years of development and testing, HK unveiled the 4.5-pound UMP (Universal Machine Pistole) in caliber .45 ACP in 1999. Later that same year the UMP was also released in caliber .40 S&W to replace the discontinued MP5/40.

Handguns

HK has had a long tradition of developing handguns for nearly every imaginable purpose, from the sub-combat caliber-convertible HK4 pistol first produced in 1962 for the German police, to the relatively large and sometimes referred to as massive USSOCOM MK23 Offensive Handgun delivered to the U.S. Navy SEAL’s in 1996. As a general statement about HK’s family of handguns one word comes to mind — different. With the exception of the USP and MK23 no two HK pistol models are even remotely alike. The operation and design of the HK4 compared to that of the VP70 “Volks-Pistole”, the roller-locked P9S and the gas-retarded P7 series of handguns are radically different and certainly share little in common with the exception of their source of origin. Only the more recent HK pistols, the USP and MK23, share common technology, materials, features and manual of arms.

As of 1999 HK still produces the 9mm Parabellum P7 family (PSP, P7M8, P7M13) and all versions of the USP and MK23 and even the single shot P2A1 and 5-shot EFL flare pistols. The earlier pistol designs have since been discontinued in favor of the more conventional, more affordable and more successful in terms of units sold, USP series which first appeared on the worldwide market in the early 1990’s.

The HK handguns have been historically innovative. The HK4 could be converted by the operator into any one of four calibers (.22 LR, .25 Auto, .32 ACP, .380 Auto) using simple tools supplied with the conversion kits. The VP70, designed in 1973, was intended to be a pistol for the people, or “Volks-Pistole”, thus the origin of the “VP” in the pistol’s acronym. Intended to be simple to operate and maintain and inexpensive to produce, the VP70 is considered by many to be the predecessor of the enormously popular and extensive Glock pistol family. With an 18-round 9mm magazine, DA Only trigger system, polymer frame, the first of it’s kind in the industry, striker firing mechanism and durable finish, the HK VP70 set the trend for features that would be common in many of the pistol designs that would appear throughout the industry decades later. An interesting M version of the VP70 could be fitted with a plastic shoulder stock and fired in 3-round burst mode at an incredible rate of 2,000 rounds per minute, a true machine pistol in keeping with the proper definition for such a beast. A limited number of VP70’s were also produced in 9X21mm for the Italian market.

In keeping with the HK Weapons System protocol, the roller-locked P9S was considered clearly an extension of the long guns into the handgun category using the operating and breech locking principle of the HK assault rifles and submachine guns. The P9S was available in combat (fixed sights), target (adjustable sights and trigger stop) and competition or “Sport” model with extended barrel and barrel weight, in both 9mm and .45 calibers. A never produced prototype P9K, 1/2 inch shorter than the standard P9S was also created as were prototype select-fire models with buttstock, sound suppressed model (P9SSD) and models in calibers .25 Auto, .380 Auto, .22 LR and even 9X18mm Ultra.

Few readers are not familiar with the HK USP and MK23 handguns. Sharing common and conventional operating characteristics, the two pistol designs utilize the latest in injection polymer molding technology spawned 30 years earlier with the HK VP70 pistol. The USP and to a lesser degree the .45 ACP MK23/Mark 23 handguns have faired well in the competitive world-wide handgun market against pistols priced considerably less. The full-size 9mm USP is the standard issue service pistol for the German military (P8) replacing the aged P1 pistol. The HK P10, a compact USP9 pistol also in caliber 9mm Parabellum, was recently selected as the new German police pistol.

Rifles

HK has produced some of the finest rifles found anywhere in the world. Assault rifles and carbines, sniper rifles, paramilitary rifles and even a complete line of wood stocked hunting rifles. Until recently all HK rifles employed some variation of the blowback operated delayed roller-locked bolt system first pioneered in the G3 rifle. HK rifles have been produced with barrel lengths ranging from the 8.3 inch barrel of the HK53 rifle- caliber “submachine gun” to that of the PSG1 sniper rifles at over 25 inches. HK rifles, namely the hunting rifles, have been chambered in most popular sporting cartridges to include .22 LR, .22 WMR, .223 Remington, .243 and .308 Winchester rounds and .30-06 Springfield. Let’s not forget the HK32 assault rifle chambered in caliber 7.62X39 mm Russian and the HK940 hunting rifle in 7X64mm Brenneke. Developmental rifles never produced were also chambered for unique cartridges like the 4.73X33mm caseless round of the G11, the 4.6X36mm HK36 round and a long-range cartridge known as the 9X90mm MEN. The 9X90 MEN was essentially a necked down .50 BMG cartridge firing a 340 grain 9mm bullet for the HK long-range sniper rifle design never produced termed the WSG2000.

Most Americans know the HK line of rifles from their exposure to the well known HK 90 series rifles comprised of the HK91, HK93, HK94 and along the same lines the SP89, actually a pistol but based on the MP5K submachine gun. The 90 series rifles remain popular today even though they were banned from further importation to the U.S. in 1989 by the Bush administration. Many unlicensed copies exist, most notably those that are modeled after the semi-automatic HK91 rifle. HK rifles are known for their extreme reliability and durability, excellent accuracy and modularity allowing interchangeability of parts and assembly groups, like all HK firearms, without the need for hand fitting. Original HK 90 series rifles now sell on the open market for well over $2,000, the HK94 approaching $4,000 or more.

The latest rifle system from HK, the G36, is also probably its finest. Lightweight and inexpensive the G36 combines low recoil with minimal fouling into a complete package that addresses all of the drawbacks of earlier HK rifles. The G36 is now the standard 5.56mm assault rifle of the German military and more recently the Spanish Army and has done very well in the current very competitive and shrinking world market for assault rifles. The SL8-1, a semi-auto version of the G36, has recently been offered for retail sale in the United States.

For extreme accuracy from an auto-loading rifle, the HK PSG1 is still considered today as the preeminent precision “sniper” rifle in the world. Produced since 1974 the PSG1 has seen service the world over in the hands of expert marksman from military units and law enforcement tactical teams. The PSG1, now banned in the U.S. for retail sale, also has the unenviable reputation as being one of the world’s most expensive rifles. Capable of 5 shot groups measuring under 1/2 inches at 100 meters the PSG1, like most HK firearms, in the right hands excels in its intended role.

Machine Guns, Grenade Launchers and Shotguns

In the area of belt-fed machine guns few modern guns match the capabilities of the HK21E machine gun. A direct descendent of the 7.62X51mm NATO G3 rifle, the HK21E weighs only 18 1/2 pounds and is capable of sustained fire at a cyclic rate of approximately 900 rounds. The HK21E and its 5.56mm cousin, the HK23E, are actually the same weapon with different components. This makes it possible for the operator in the field to convert an HK21E to caliber 5.56X45mm NATO and even 7.62X39mm Russian and from belt feed to box magazine or drum feed with no special tools required. Renowned for the precision accuracy and utter reliability, the HK21E and its variants are often the choice of the world’s most elite units when the hard-hitting firepower of a 7.62mm belt fed machine gun is required in a relatively lightweight package that can stand up to hard use and abuse that these units are famous for.

HK has produced single-shot grenade launchers firing the low pressure 40X46mm grenades also used in the U.S. M79 and M203 launchers, both standalone shoulder fired versions like the HK69A1 and add-on models such as the HK79A1 that fit on the HK G3, HK33 and out of production G41 assault rifles. A new lightweight aluminum launcher for the G36 rifle called the AG36 is nearly complete as is the belt-fed 40X53mm HK Grenade Machine Gun (GMG) expected to enter service with the German military early in this new century. Capable of firing 350 high explosive grenades per minute out to 2,200 meters, the HK GMG weighs only 57 pounds, a full 21 pounds lighter than the current U.S issue automatic grenade launcher, the MK19.

HK has actually never produced its own 12-gauge shotgun, with the exception of prototypes such as the HK CAWS described earlier. However, HK’s name has been placed on as many as three single shot and semi-automatic shotguns, such as the well respected model HK512, produced exclusively for HK by Franchi and issued to elite German anti-terrorist units.

The Future

The future is now. What the next 50 years will hold for Heckler & Koch is anyone’s guess. The world’s small arms market is shrinking as a result of the end of the Cold War, the resulting shrinking defense budgets and the additional competition for small arms sales from former Eastern Block and third world manufacturers from around the globe. Unlike many struggling arms makers in the world, HK has continually reinvested in its future, in its employees, production facility, methods and capabilities and in new products, a key to survival in any competitive international industry.

One thing is clear. No matter what happens in the volatile world small arms market, Heckler & Koch will continue to follow its motto of “Leading Through Technology”.

By Charles Q. Cutshaw

There are many axioms regarding training, but probably the closest to reality is that the soldier, marine or police officer will fight as he has been trained. If training is unrealistic and highly structured, that is the way the individual will learn to fight – ultimately to his detriment and possible demise. There is no simple formula for training, but the best is that which is as realistic as possible and stressful without being so much so that the student fails to learn. Realistic and dynamic training is the key to operational success and military forces that water down their training to meet lowered standards to accommodate “gender norming” or those who cannot meet higher standards will ultimately suffer in the long run. Specialized national military training facilities are generally excellent, but there are only so many such facilities in existence and after conducting repeated training exercises through the same facilities, the student becomes accustomed to the facility, learns what to expect, and as a result his training suffers. It is for this and other reasons that a number of commercial training facilities have been established in the USA, some better than others. One of the best is Blackwater Training Center in Moyock, North Carolina, just south of the Virginia border near the Virginia Beach/Norfolk/Chesapeake metropolis.

If one or two words were to be used to describe Blackwater, they would be self-contained and flexible. In the paragraphs that follow we will demonstrate why this is so. Blackwater was designed and built by former military special operations personnel with a goal in mind of providing the best training possible to military personnel, law enforcement officers and qualified civilians. Every aspect of Blackwater was conceived and developed with this sole purpose in mind. Blackwater literally began with a “blank slate.” There were no existing facilities that required any compromises with the established goals. The land was purchased with a view in mind that all ranges and training would be on Blackwater-owned property. The training facility presently encompasses over 20 square kilometers (8 square miles) with potential for further growth to accommodate expanding training missions. In addition to ranges and urban training areas, Blackwater has a US Department of Defense approved parachute drop zone for airborne operations and man-made lakes that are sufficiently deep and wide for divers to conduct realistic amphibious training and “raids” on shore facilities. There is a helicopter landing pad and the facility can accommodate heliborne military operations, to include “fast roping” (rappelling). Blackwater also has a realistic mock urban training area, complete with a “high school.” The internal walls of many Blackwater buildings can be reconfigured to provide variety and additional training challenges. The overall city facility is designed for the use of Simunitions, but other facilities are set up for live ammunition training. There are two such tactical close quarters battle (CQB) live ammunition “shoot houses,” one single story, the other two stories.

Blackwater’s outdoor CQB range training facilities are varied and challenging. There are seven ranges, several of which are computerized with random target presentation in each student’s “shooting lane” so that training does not become repetitious and the challenge of engaging targets at different ranges and heights and with varied times for successful engagement is maintained. The student is forced to use his weapon in a variety of shooting positions from offhand through prone; using both strong and weak handed shooting positions. The reader will note that the class in which the author participated included several females, one of whom was the author’s wife, but the training standard was the same for all personnel of equal experience, both male and female. One accompanying photograph shows the author’s wife in a very low prone position being forced to engage difficult targets through a small ground-level aperture. During such episodes, the instructors provide an extra level of additional verbal stress to ensure that the student’s adrenaline level is maintained. Steel targets for ranges and the ranges themselves are constructed by Blackwater personnel. In fact, Blackwater recently established a secondary “spin off” branch called Blackwater Target Systems and now does a thriving business manufacturing and selling range target systems to other training facilities and ranges throughout the USA. Because it has its own in-house engineering and facilities manufacturing capabilities, if a unit scheduled for training desires special features for its training curriculum, the Blackwater engineering staff can expeditiously design and construct the facility modification or set of targets on very short notice.

A training facility is much more than the physical plant, however. While “shoot houses” and ranges where academic lessons are put to practical use comprise the core of the training experience, there are other important aspects, as well. To prepare the students for tactical training, Blackwater has two classrooms, each with seating for 50 students. Both classrooms are fully equipped with multimedia training aids, including TV/VCR, overhead projectors, slide projectors, chalkboards and other state of the art audiovisual training equipment. Another Blackwater feature not to be found elsewhere is on-site accommodations. There are four private hotel-like rooms, and while these are not equivalent to luxury hotel facilities, they are comfortable, clean, well-maintained and include cable TV, telephone, computer connection, private bath, air conditioning, private outside balcony and full housekeeping service. For tactical teams, the accommodations are somewhat more spartan, with barracks-type facilities to accommodate up to 68 persons. The lodge facility also has three lounges with recreation facilities, refrigerators and microwave ovens. Breakfast and lunch are provided each training day in Blackwater’s on-site dining facility. The meals are hearty home-style fare prepared by local cooks and the quality and quantity are both first class. Beverages are available all day. Blackwater is a fully licensed firearms facility and can receive and accommodate any type of small arm, whether individual or crew served, in its vault facility. There is a covered dedicated space for weapons maintenance where students can clean and maintain their firearms. If the student happens to forget, lose or break a piece of his or her gear, the Blackwater Pro Shop has a variety of weapons, accessories and equipment for sale at reasonable prices.

Staff personnel are also a critical element in any training environment and those at Blackwater have been chosen not only for their background – all are former military and most were special operations personnel – but for their ability to relate to students and achieve training goals, as well. Potential Blackwater instructors are evaluated by the organization’s staff prior to ever conducting a class and are probationary until they have proven their ability as instructors. Although highly desirable, merely having military or special warfare experience is only the first step towards to achieving instructor status at Blackwater. All CQB classes are taught by former special warfare personnel or seasoned SWAT officers. The Blackwater sniper and precision rifle training, however, is conducted by LtCol Norm Chandler, USMC (ret), an internationally recognized authority on the subject and one of the world’s premier manufacturers of precision rifles.

SAR recently participated in one of Blackwater’s tactical pistol courses, which is a prerequisite for civilians prior to participation in any other Blackwater training course. Both the author and his wife participated in the course to obtain differing viewpoints of the training. We should note that the author and his wife are both graduates of other nationally recognized firearm training facilities and both are nationally certified and experienced firearm instructors. The author is also a former army infantry, ordnance ammunition and technical intelligence officer and a Vietnam veteran. We believe that we are thus well qualified to evaluate the quality of training in which we participated.

Our class was small and consisted of a number of individuals, both men and women, whose experience with firearms varied from none whatsoever to one individual who was qualified as an international pistol master. Such a diverse class is a true challenge to the instructor, who must not only relate to persons who had rarely fired a handgun, but at the same time challenge an individual who was probably his equal in mastery of the pistol. At the same time the Blackwater instructor had to relate to and challenge a variety of other men and women whose experience levels ran from basic to expert. The instructor wisely began by assessing the experience levels of the class and then modified the training curriculum to meet the class’ individual and collective requirements. Without entering into detail, a post-course poll of students revealed that all felt that the training was superb. Beginners learned safe handling and basic tactical use of the handgun, while more experienced individuals were able to enhance their abilities through new training challenges. These challenges, coupled with individual attention from the instructor, resulted in a truly outstanding training experience for all.

While at Blackwater, we had the opportunity to observe other training classes in progress. As mentioned, there was a sniping class underway and we were surprised to find two NATO special operations snipers participating, along with some American military colleagues and a few police snipers. We were even more surprised to observe a NATO special operations team (see Photo top right of page 57.) conducting counterterrorism, dynamic entry and building clearing tactics under the supervision of US special warfare personnel. We were given permission to photograph the team and mention these facts on the condition that we did not divulge the nationality of the nation whose men were undergoing training at Blackwater, nor the American unit helping them. We also had to wait until the team member’s faces were covered by their gas masks. (Special operations personnel are virtually all reluctant to be photographed.) Suffice it to say that both US and foreign special operations forces regularly use Blackwater for training.

Blackwater offers training in many more disciplines than those mentioned herein. Courses are also offered in tactical shotgun, carbine, submachine gun, hostage rescue, high-risk warrant service, executive protection and driving and competition pistol and rifle. Courses can also be tailored to the needs of a specific organization upon request. All courses include on-site lodging and two meals per day.

In sum, we found the Blackwater training experience to be challenging, dynamic and for those reasons alone, rewarding and enjoyable. The quality of training alone is sufficient reason for the facility to merit close consideration by any individual, military organization or law enforcement agency wishing to experience challenging, dynamic and realistic training. The outstanding on-site training facilities that can accommodate virtually any type of training are another positive feature. Blackwater’s personnel are all professional, proficient and cheerfully helpful. These attributes, coupled with on-site accommodations and meals combine in a synergy that frees the student from concerning himself with anything other than achieving his training objectives during his stay at Blackwater. Once the individual or team arrives, virtually every personal requirement may be obtained on-site. This optimizes the individual and team training experience because time that would otherwise be spent on administrative matters is unnecessary, unlike other facilities where lodging and meals are off-site, requiring extra time for meals and travel. Because of these unique features, we believe that Blackwater presently offers what is arguably the premier commercial training facility in the United States.

Blackwater Training Center
850 Puddin Ridge Road
Moyock, NC 27958
(252)435-2488 Phone
(252)435-6388 – Fax

By Frank Iannamico

Eugene G. Reising began designing his submachine gun in the late 1930s as the threat of war loomed in Europe. Reising’s design was unlike most submachine guns of the day, which utilized the simple, but efficient open bolt method of operation. Reising’s weapon used a delayed blow back principle much like that of semi-automatic pistols. The design allowed his weapon to be lighter in weight, and more accurate in the single shot mode than any existing submachine gun of the period.

After his design was refined, Eugene Reising entered into an agreement with Harrington & Richardson Arms Inc. in 1939. It was agreed that H&R Inc. would manufacture and market Reising’s submachine gun. Reising was to receive a $2.00 royalty fee for each of his submachine guns that were sold. The market targeted was military and police sales. Early H&R literature describing the Reising often compared it to a heavier and much more expensive submachine gun that was available. Although the Reising brochures never mention the “other” submachine gun by name, they were referring to the Thompson Submachine Gun. The low price of the Reising attracted the attention of many police departments. After WWII began the Auto Ordnance Company committed all of their Thompson production to the military, and the Reising became the only option for any police department that wished to add a submachine gun to their arsenal. Federal Laboratories of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was the main distributor of the Reising submachine gun, and its accessories for police sales.

One of the first attempts to sell the Reising submachine gun for use in a military application was to the British in August of 1940. The British were already at war with Germany and were desperate for small arms, fearing that a land invasion by the Germans was imminent The first British tests of the .45 caliber Reising M50 resulted in the rejection of the weapon. There were a few quality control problems at the factory that resulted in the weapon not performing well. The British testing team also described the weapon’s construction as being “quite crude.”

In 1941 the British grew increasingly desperate for small arms. They decided to retest the Reising, which by this time had undergone further development resulting in a substantially improved, more reliable weapon. The second British trial was moderately successful. Although a few of the Reising weapons were purchased, the British had just finished development of their own submachine gun design, the 9mm Sten. Reising and Harrington & Richardson Inc. also unsuccessfully tried to interest the British in the .30 carbine caliber version of the Reising in 1943. The .30 caliber version of the Reising had competed in the U.S. Ordnance Department’s light rifle trials of 1941.

While the Thompson was the submachine gun of choice for the U.S. Ordnance Department, there were problems. The first problem was the Thompson was expensive to manufacture. The second and more serious problem was that they could not be manufactured in the numbers required for the United States and her allies. During WWII the U.S. Marines were often low on the priority list for new weapons, and often relied on obsolete WWI small arms to get the job done. The Marines had discovered in prior minor actions, the value of the rapid-fire submachine gun, and desperately wanted to procure them for their troops. As a result the Marines adopted the Reising Model 50 as a supplementary submachine gun early in 1942. The weapon proved to be unreliable in the harsh jungle environments that the Marines fought in, and incidents of jamming and severe rusting of the arms were reported from the field. Shortly thereafter the Reising was relegated to rear echelon and guard duty, but did continue in service. Eugene Reising, when asked in a post war interview regarding the reported failure of his weapon, stated that no formal complaints were ever filed by the Marines or the Navy Department, though he knew of some problems. Mr. Reising felt that the troops issued the Reising were not given adequate training with the weapon, although he did confess that parts interchangeability between weapons was a problem contributing to their poor performance. He also stated that there was great emphasis placed on getting the weapons into the field, and there was no time to re-engineer the design or production process to allow for complete interchangeability of parts between the weapons.

The Reising was also sold to police departments in large numbers both during and after WWII. In the police role the Reising was a very capable weapon. Unfortunately the Reising’s long successful police career is often overshadowed by its marginal performance during its brief military service. The Reising submachine gun was manufactured in several configurations and models by Harrington and Richardson Arms Inc. of Worcester, Mass. This segment focuses on the Model 50.

The Model 50 is fairly well known to collectors and shooters of today, and is often referred to as being either a “military” or a “commercial” model. (The “commercial” model is also known as the “police” model) These nomenclatures of the Reising are often used and accepted today, but are incorrect for several reasons. Harrington and Richardson never advertised or acknowledged any specific “military” or “commercial” model. The Reisings were simply referred to as the “Model 50” regardless of their features. The so-called early “commercial” model eventually evolved into the later “military” configuration. Another reason the “military” and or “commercial” model designation is incorrect is that the military and the police used both configurations. The early models accepted by the Marines were the blue so-called “commercial” models, as were many of the early guns being purchased by the police. After the “commercial” model had fully evolved into the “military” configuration in the fall of 1942, Reisings were pulled from the military production line at random for any police orders that H&R Inc. received.

The early production Reising Model 50s had a polished blue finish and a 28 or 29 fin barrel. Many of the early stocks had no provisions in which to attach a sling. Sling swivels first appeared mounted on the left side of the stock. When the British tested Reisings equipped with the sling attached to the left side of the weapon they complained that it interfered with the shooters weak hand that grasped the forearm of the stock. The designers then moved the sling swivels over to the right side. Installing swivels on the bottom of the stock was not considered at first, because it was felt that the sling would interfere with access to the cocking handle (action bar) which is accessed through the underside of the stock. Most “commercial” model Reisings issued by the Marine Corps had the bottom mounted sling swivels installed. All later production “military” Reisings also had their sling swivels located on the bottom of the stock. Sling swivels were an option on the Reisings sold for police use.

Other features unique to the early “commercial” Reising Model 50 are a stamped 2 screw trigger guard, and a small take down screw that required a tool to loosen. The receiver end cap had a hollow recoil spring guide that was an integral part of the cap. This design proved to be unreliable and the hollow pin was replaced by a solid one. The first major change in the evolution of the Reising was the receiver. The bolt-locking step in early receivers was hardened manually with an acetylene torch. This was automated in the new receiver to make the hardening of this critical area more consistent. Another improvement in the new receiver was the addition of a second locking ball to keep the receiver end cap or “bumper plug” from loosening during firing. The second design receivers are easily recognized by the direction of the logo stamped on the top. Early receivers have the H&R logo stamped so that is readable from the right or ejection port side of the weapon, while later receivers are readable from the left. The new style receiver first appeared in the early 15,000 serial number range.

The contents of this article were excerpted from the new book “The Reising Submachine Gun Story” available from Moose Lake Publishing 207-683-2959 Next: the evolution of the “military” Reising.

By Jim Schatz

The Definition of a Successful Demonstration:

“A successful demonstration is a day where no one at the demo gets hurt, all the guns work as designed, you hit all your targets and, if you are a salesman the customer leaves with the intention to buy your product, in that order. Strive for perfection!”

Safety is the first concern but preparation is the key to a successful demonstration!

(We now continue the helpful hints that the author started in SAR Volume 3 Number 11)

•20. Always, always, always, demonstrate the capability of the weapon in your competent hands before letting the attendees shoot the weapons! The inexperienced customers (with your particular product or possibly any like it at all) cannot be counted on to demonstrate to themselves and the other attendees the capabilities and superior aspects of the weapons (i.e. accuracy, controllability, etc.) during their time behind the guns. It is paramount that you show them the potential in the weapons.

•21. Help the attendees do well with the weapons. While it’s great that you can shoot the weapon like an expert, it is even more important that the attendees feel confident with their ability to shoot well with the products that you are trying to sell them. Therefore, if the customer is accepting of it do not hesitate to offer the group, before shooting begins, training on proper shooting positions, sight alignment, trigger control and other shooting fundamentals to enhance their results down range. Shoot at ranges where the customers can do well and see their results. 15 meters is more than adequate for pistols, submachine guns and defense shotguns.

Example 7:

The deal was struck, the purchase order all but signed. The unit commander was placed on the firing line with the prospective buzz gun in hand in a stance not suitable for a squirt gun let alone a 900-rpm bullet hose. Actually easy to control with the right firing stance his first burst shot the light out of the roof of the indoor range and nearly knocked him on his,,,, wallet. The proud rep and adoring subordinate watched as the boss laid the loaded weapon on the deck, commented that the gun was uncontrollable for his officers and walked off the range. The sale that almost was.

Lesson: Not everyone’s a shooter. Often the attendees, especially the decision-makers, need a little coaching to shoot the weapon properly. Be alert and watchful for this and tactfully provide input were necessary.

•22. Don’t attempt to make shots or perform feats of weapons “magic” unless you have at least a 90% chance of success. Missed shots and stoppages during demos are both embarrassing and counterproductive to your effort to “wow” the crowd. Don’t overestimate your abilities and never forget about the ever-present “Murphy factor” (What can go wrong, will go wrong!). Go for the safe and sure shots as opposed to the long (low percentage) shots.

•23. Use “reactive” targets (targets that react to being struck by projectiles) for immediate target feedback. Most people can’t see bullet holes in paper targets beyond 15 meters! Use approved steel targets, balloons, exploding targets, cans, canned soda, cinder blocks, clay pigeons, food color filled jugs of water, and even fruit, etc. so that the impact of the rounds on target are clearly visible to the shooter and/or observer. White targets with other than black (orange) pasters show the dark bullet holes better than black or dark colored targets.

DO NOT use glass targets during demos. Tracer ammunition is also great when it can be used especially for distant targets but ask first to avoid starting fires, an act that will not get you invited back real soon. Clean up your target debris before departing the range and if you use them do not leave unexploded exploding targets on the range.

•24. Never, never, never clear more than one stoppage in a weapon during your demo! If it malfunctions a second time, don’t add insult to injury! Clear and ground the weapon and move on to another one without comment or acknowledgment. Act as though it was a planned interruption or, better yet, did not occur at all. Problems do occur during demos but the observer often misses them. Don’t attract attention to these screw-ups or stoppages by repeatedly trying to clear the stoppages or by mentioning the problem to the entire crowd.

Always have another gun close at hand that you can immediately transition to in the event that the previous weapon malfunctions. In that way the problem with the previous weapon is easily overlooked by all in attendance. For critically important demos for a particular item have a second gun available, just in case.

Example 8:

This was painful to watch. An experienced and popular manufacturer’s rep whom we shall call Rex was demoing for a large crowd an otherwise very reliable weapon recently selected for a sizeable government contract. Even a few of the proud procurement people and testers were in attendance. From the reputation of the weapon everyone knew it would go well. As the crowd watched 2-3 rounds were fired from a string of hundreds and then silence. For more than five minutes, for what seemed like an eternity, Rex and numerous assistants tried to revive the gun to no avail. It was later found that the weapon had a loose 1-cent roll pin that kept the weapon from firing. This gun had been used previously for other purposes to include armorers training and the offending roll pin was repeatedly removed and reinstalled and not replaced as new and thus shifted on its own during the first couple rounds. The contract still went through but a painful lesson to learn regardless.

Lesson: Use nothing but your best weapons for demos. If you are not 100 % confident in the gun it will make you regret using it. When in doubt replace or repair them before use. And beware of a gun that is “good to go” as prepared by someone else. Control your destiny and take the time to prepare your own guns.

•25. Remove malfunctioning weapons from the firing line after they are cleared as soon as possible. Avoid trying to “fix” malfunctioning guns in front of the attendees. Having a similar back-up gun or guns available in the event of an irreconcilable problem is always a great idea when feasible and pays excellent dividends in the end. Your assistant can take the gun off range and away from the attendees to fix the gun covertly if necessary?.

•26. When you conduct a perfect, malfunction free demo let the attendees know about it! Already knowing in advance that the answer will be “no”, ask if anyone had any stoppages during the shoot. When no one does, it’s always impressive to say, “that’s typical of the quality and reliability of this weapon, 2,000 rounds fired and no malfunctions”.

•27. Close out your demo with closing comments. Invite the attendees to stay after to go over the weapon in greater detail if necessary. Remind them to take literature and your business card. Thank them for their attendance.

•28. During the demonstration, periodically reapply lubrication to the weapons after about 200 to 300 rounds, especially with the select-fire, sound suppressed, weapons with tight tolerances or those with a past record of sensitivity to lack of lubrication.

•29. Always leave a copy of your inventory list by serial number of the weapons you have out with you that day with someone else back at the office or at home in case the weapons are lost or stolen.

Example 9:

Think it can’t happen to you? Two manufacturer’s reps were headed out on a road trip to conduct demos and training at various locations along the East Coast. During a brief stop their vehicle was broken into and a single case containing 22 handguns was stolen. Upon realizing their loss the two reported the theft to the local authorities. As bad as that was things would have been appreciably worse if they could not have provided details of the guns that were stolen, especially the serial numbers, to the officials. A travel list of the demo guns carried separately from the weapons saved the day. Some of these weapons were recovered in the hands of bad guys in the commission of numerous crimes only days later in a city 1200 miles from where they had been taken.

Lesson: Safeguard and record what you have with you in case someone else gets it.

•30. Always “clear”, inventory and secure your weapons prior to and immediately after the close of the demonstration.

•31. Be honest with the attendees. No one likes a be-s-er, especially when he or she is trying to sell something. If you are caught in one lie (a small white lie or otherwise) you will loose all credibility with those in attendance. There are many people that you will run across at demos that are as or more knowledgeable than you are about firearms and related subjects, maybe even your own product. Therefore, never underestimate the customer. If you don’t have the answer to a question, say so and promise you will get them the answer as soon as possible. If you promise something to a customer, come through with that promise ASAP or at least explain to the customer why you cannot.

•32. Always carry basic spare parts and the tools necessary to replace these parts to the range with you, along with cleaning equipment for the unexpected occurrence. Firing pins, bolts complete with all parts, trigger mechanisms, suppressor wipes, assembly hardware or pins can be quickly switched in the guns should a problem, loss or breakage occur. However, DO NOT try and fix the weapon in the full view of the attendees. Don’t forget batteries where applicable (for tactical lights, lasers, Aimpoints, etc.)

The attendees will expect the weapons to work perfectly without parts replacement during the demo. However, we all know that the weapons we use for these demos are used hard year after year at shows and other demos and breakages do occur and cannot always be predicted. Few weapons are used as hard as regular demo weapons where shooters keep coming with loaded magazines one after the other sometimes without interruption for hours on end. A good idea is to replace the key parts, those most likely to cause stoppages (i.e. extractor or extractor spring), before an important demo, just for good measure. It’s money well spent and is made up on the first weapon sold. When in doubt, replace the part!

•33. Attempt to arrange your demonstration in a manner that allows the semi-automatic only and lower recoiling weapons to be fired before the select-fire or heavier recoiling weapons. Heavy recoil and fully automatic fire tends to temporarily impart “the shakes” in the muscles of many shooters making accurate rifle or precise pistol shooting extremely difficult. If possible, start with the pistols, then semi-automatic rifles, and then pistol caliber select-fire weapons. Save the shotguns, heavy caliber (.223 Remington and .308 Winchester) select-fire rifles and belt or box- fed machine guns for last. A low velocity 40mm grenade launcher like an M79 or M203, like a pistol requires excellent trigger control and follow through due to the slow exit velocity of the projectile and should therefore be fired before semi-automatic or select-fire weapons or the shotguns.

•34. Before firing your demo, take a second to slow down your mental processes. Relax! Concentrate on making accurate shots on target with each trigger pull. Avoid unnecessary hand or body movement that is not absolutely essential to the task you are performing at that moment. Take your time and avoid mistakes at all costs.

Example 10:

Watch the talented professional demonstrators and learn from their actions. Watch the Gunter Schaeffer’s from HK GmbH, the John Satterwhite’s from Beretta, the Shane Healy’s from FN Herstal, and the Reed Knight’s (in business suit and all). Not only are they well prepared and intimately familiar with the weapons but they handle them as though they were an extension of their own body. No wasted hand movement, all motions have a clear purpose. Each target is hit with apparent ease and they progress through the demo with visible confidence. They make the gun stand out and sing so much so that the attendees are both impressed and entertained. And they look the part and are dressed appropriately, except for Reed who always overdresses for demos!

Lesson: Prepare, practice and stay focused on the immediate task at hand.

•35. Where possible, coordinate with a fellow demonstrator to have one person narrating while the other shoots or handles the weapons. The narrator’s comments are used to direct the attention to the key things that the shooter/demonstrator is doing that may not be readily apparent to the untrained eyes in the audience and would be missed if not mentioned. This method works particularly well when addressing a large crowd, a very influential group or when using a public address system. The demonstrator and narrator can switch places during the demo to keep things interesting.

•36. Don’t shoot unproven or untested items received from some other person in a demo before trying it out first. Sound like common sense? More than one unfortunate guinea pig (sucker) has volunteered to “dress up” his product with “high speed, chrome go-faster” accessories from another source without first testing them. Nothing stays with you longer than wishing “If I had just not shot that gun with Billy Bobs suppressor”! Right before or during a demo in front of onlookers and prospective customers is no time to field test accessory items. Mr. Murphy works overtime just waiting for opportunities like these. The author has personally seen many examples of non-compatibility between otherwise safe and reliable firearms and untried add-ons that caused reliability, accuracy and even safety problems. Try this one on for size.

Example 11:

A major manufacturer decides to allow a sound suppressor manufacturer, a good one, to demo his weapons with the can makers’ latest product. The weapon is excellent, the can is excellent, they fit and looked great together but they needed to be tested together before a public debut. They weren’t. In front of a large crowd containing numerous potential buyers of a new weapon struggling for acceptance, the suppressor maker’s demo team begins an embarrassing show of poor preparation and dismal reliability. What they did demo over and over again was mostly the correct immediate action drill for the host weapon. The suppressor was most effective, extremely quiet each time the trigger was pulled and the weapon failed to fire from a previous stoppage. If this wasn’t bad enough the demonstrators also broke cardinal rules number 23 AND 24 above and repeatedly cleared and tried to fix the stoppages/problems on the range to no avail. The demonstrators looked at the weapons, then looked at the gun maker. The gun maker looked at the suppressor makers then at the grounded guns surrounded by live rounds ejected during constant clearing drills. The crowd watched it all. The guns never did decide to run that day.

Lesson: Try it as though you were buying it. Don’t take someone else’s word for it. Test it extensively before you need to shoot it in a demo and until you and your most trusted assistant are satisfied.

•37. If you are demoing to customers that speak a language different from your own, ensure you have someone available in advance to interpret for you during your demonstration, especially the safety briefing. Learn three key words or phrases in the customer native language before your demo. “Stop”, “Cease fire” and “Commence Firing”.

By Charles Q. Cutshaw

Although Singapore existed as a regional trading port since at least the 14th Century, it was not until Sir Stamford Raffles established a British enclave there in 1819 that Singapore took on worldwide importance as a trade center and strategic military component of Britain’s empire. Lying at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, Singapore dominates the passage from the Straits of Malacca into the Java and South China Seas. It is also centrally located with respect to other British colonies that were established at the time. The British recognized Singapore’s strategic importance early on and began fortifying the island against assault from the sea. The jungles of the Malay Peninsula were considered impassable and thus threats from the landward side of Singapore were considered extremely unlikely, a fact that ultimately led to the downfall of the British bastion in early 1942. But that is another story.

Fort Siloso is one of a series of fortresses that were constructed in the latter half of the 19th Century to defend what was then a key element in Britain’s Asian defense strategy. Sentosa Island, known as Blakang Mati until 1972, when it was turned into a recreational center for Singapore residents and foreign tourists, was the southernmost geographical feature of Singapore Island, dominating the approaches through the Singapore Strait and thus was heavily fortified. Indeed, Blakang Mati was essentially a military installation in its entirety until 1972. Fort Siloso formed an integral part of the mutually supporting, but individually independent, fortresses on the island. The other two, Forts Serapong and Fort Connaught on the eastern end of the island, were long ago buried by commercial development. There were also several artillery batteries located at key sites on Blakang Mati, but their guns were for the most part eventually incorporated into one of the three main fortresses and they were razed. The only battery that maintained its independence was Berhala Point Battery, but like the other forts and individual batteries, Berhala is now buried beneath commercial development.

Although the British recognized the military importance of Blakang Mati from the beginning, it was not until 1879 that construction of fortifications got underway. It was then that the Royal Artillery began sending troops and weapons to the island to protect Keppel Harbor, Singapore’s lifeline through which all supplies had to pass. Fort Siloso itself was built by a work force of Royal Engineers and Chinese laborers in 1879 -1880. Huge quantities of gunpowder were used to blast away the top of Mount Siloso to create fields of fire for artillery so that engineers could build gun emplacements. At that time, Fort Siloso was merely one of Blakang Mati’s several artillery batteries, but later was expanded into a fortress complex that was intended to protect Singapore’s western approaches.

Duty for a soldier stationed at Fort Siloso was not too bad for the times. The worst enemy that he would have to face throughout most of Fort Siloso’s existence was boredom from the daily routine. Reveille was at 0600 and lights out at 2100. (That’s 6 AM and 9 PM to those of you who never served in the military.) Between those hours, life was generally predictable. Mornings were usually devoted to roll calls, administrative work, gun drills and parades. Some soldiers spent their afternoons in athletics, while others mended uniforms, repaired equipment, or prepared for inspection. In the evening, if they had the money, soldiers crossed over to the Singapore mainland for an evening on the town. (Some things never change!) The routine changed dramatically in December 1941, however, with the outbreak of war in the Pacific. Singapore was attacked from the air almost simultaneously with Pearl Harbor and was forced to surrender in February 1942 when the Japanese attacked the island from the landward side after having proceeded down the “impassable” Malay Peninsula. During the remainder of the war, Blakang Mati served as a prison camp for both military and civilian allied prisoners.

After the war, the island became home to a variety of military units with the Royal Artillery in overall command until 1958, when the British government ordered the coast artillery disbanded. A battalion of Gurkhas was stationed at Blakang Mati and its commander was placed in overall command when the Royal Artillery departed. The Gurkha commander remained in overall charge until Blakang Mati was handed over to the Singapore Military in 1967. Besides Royal Artillery coast artillery batteries and the Gurkhas, other Blakang Mati elements included a training center for locally recruited enlisted personnel and HMS Sultan, a naval processing center for sailors and marines in transit between Great Britain and Far Eastern assignments. When the commercial developers of Blakang Mati began their transformation of the island into what today is Sentosa Island, they decided to preserve Fort Siloso as an open air museum and monument to those who died in the defense of Singapore during World War II, and to those who served in Singapore’s defense forces. We must say that the developers of Fort Sentosa have achieved their goals. The fort preserves the atmosphere of a British colonial military installation, shows the life of the soldier at various times of the fort’s history, while at the same time blending in Singapore’s historic role. The fort itself has been meticulously restored with incredible attention to historic detail and is kept in pristine condition, a remarkable achievement given Singapore’s tropical climate. (Singapore is only 90 miles north of the equator.) The individual exhibits, virtually all of them in the open, are virtually lifelike and most have accompanying audio to enhance realism. One has to look twice to see if the human figures are posed or merely mannequins. There is a good representation of weaponry from all stages of Fort Siloso’s history, beginning with 17th Century Malayan cannon and ending with post World War II field artillery. There are only a few small arms, represented by the rifles carried by the “soldiers” on exhibit. There are many photographs, maps and pictures that represent life on Blakang Mati throughout its history. Rather than waste words trying to describe the outstanding exhibits, we will let the accompanying photographs speak for themselves.

Our sole complaint is that the museum shop located at the Fort Siloso monorail station has nothing whatsoever of historic interest, being merely a shop for cold beverages and snacks. We found the curator’s office locked and there was no response when we knocked on the door, although it was mid morning. None of the attendants knew where the curator could be found and there was no indication as to how to contact him (her?).

All in all, if one visits Singapore and is a student of military history, Fort Siloso is a “must see.” It is without doubt the best preserved 19th Century fort that the author has ever seen. The historical accuracy and attention to detail in the exhibits are, again, remarkable. The visitor is given a clear impression of the life of Fort Siloso’s residents in times past. It is also clear that a great deal of money and effort went into restoring and preserving this historic jewel for the 21st Century visitor. Even the underground ammunition magazines are open to the public, kept clean and rubbish free and preserved as if they were to receive munitions the day following one’s visit.

To reach Fort Siloso from the Singapore Mainland, go to Sentosa Island. Hotels have information on how to get there. We took a taxi, which was very reasonable. (Taxis in Singapore are regulated and fare rates fixed.) We recommend the cable car to Sentosa, as the harbor view is spectacular! Once at the Sentosa Visitor Center, take the monorail to Station 3. The monorail makes a circuit of the island and runs on a regular schedule. One ticket is good for a day’s riding between island attractions. Admission to the fort is S$3.00 (about US$1.75) per person. Hours are from 9AM-7PM daily with last admissions at 6:30PM. We recommend allowing at least two hours at Fort Siloso to see and appreciate all the exhibits.