Winchester Ballistics Calculator iPhone App

Winchester ballistics calculator review

Winchester has launched a new ballistics calculator app for the iPhone.  It’s a good application for comparing different Winchester ammunition.  There’s a good variety of loads and you can set the conditions such cross wind, temperature and the sight-in range you used.  There’s also an online version that will allow you to print the data.

I played with Winchester‘s Ballistics calculator online for about a good hour, just having fun with all the different loads and learning the effects the conditions would have; however (to no surprise) it has only Winchester loads available.  Its a great way to kill some time in the office.  The iPhone app is free and available for download in the app store.


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Regent R100 1911

Regent 1911 Review

Umarex USA introduced their R100 1911 pistol at Shot Show this year but what separates the Regent 1911 from others is the price.  The Regent 1911-A1 has a suggest retail of $499 but I’ve seen them going already for much lower.  Shooters should be able to find the Regent 1911 from 400-500 dollars making this centennial classic easier to obtain.  If you’re thinking it’s made of cheap material, well you would be wrong.

While the Regent 1911 is basically a vanilla pistol, it still comes with standard Hogue grips, a stainless steel hammer forged barrel and a low cut ejection port.  Later on this year, Umarex will be releasing a stainless steel version that will retail for $599.

If the Regent 1911 is reliable, and uses all MIL-Spec parts, then I could see it being a great starter 1911.  The 1911 has one of the biggest selection of aftermarket parts so one could easily start upgrading their budget 1911 and quickly have a superb pistol.  Hopefully Gunblog.com can obtain one soon to give you guys a full review.

Regent 1911 Review


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Buyers guide to Khyber Pass Specials

Is that advice essentially, “Don’t.”?

yep.

Never seemed with the trip anyway

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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Obscure Object of Desire: Full Auto Colt Super 38

FBI historian Dr. John Fox and I had a nice chin wag this morning. We talked about the Bureau’s early history and . . . this and that. For example, contrary to popular belief, John Dillinger did not have an enormous penis. The bulge in the morgue photo is actually the FBI-terminated gangster’s arm, taken from a funny camera angle. Even funnier now, one hopes. Anyway, we were talking about Mr. Dillinger’s non-biological arms. Dr. Fox sent me a link to an article by Kevin Williams that depicts one of Dillinger’s more, uh, unusual armaments. [click here for a pdf] And a damn strange thing it is too—fabricated by a saddle maker, not Rube Goldberg. Given the controversy surrounding a certain Glock 19 with an extended magazine, I imagine there aren’t that many people who could appreciate the artistry and sheer oomph of this crazy ass gun, never mind own one. Never mind shoot it. Oh lord I want to be in that number.

Share Robert Farago is the Publisher and Managing Editor of The Truth About Guns (TTAG). He started the site to explore the ethics, morality, business, politics, culture, technology, practice, strategy, dangers and fun of guns.

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Girls Just Wanna Have Guns. And Shoot Rapists. Apparently.

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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C.O. Arms Appear to have closed down

Linoge (Walls of the City) notes that 1911 manufacturer C.O. Arms has closed down ...

Yeah, their webpage domain registration has expired (at the beginning of this month… apparently you can “backorder” it through GoDaddy for about $21), their Millington-local phone number is disconnected, no one is picking up on their Seattle-area-code number, and their Facebook page has not been updated since June of last year (not that it was much to begin with).

More here.

awpstormbackground tfb tm tm tfb C.O. Arms Appear to have closed down photo

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GunsSaveLife.com. Or Not.

In More Thoughts About Buildings and Food. And Guns, Mr. Farago continues his “end of the world” contingency planning. Once again, RF states that he’d give his neighbors a crash course in defensive firearm skills—this time to secure the seventeen entry points to his manor. Assuming he can find enough neighbors willing to abandon their own homes and the contents therein to pull off his plan (not to mention feeding them), I find myself asking, “What are you thinking?”

Don’t get me wrong. May God bless his plan to repel hordes of smelly, unshaven mutant biker zombies with crooked teeth. But I’d like to offer an alternative scenario and still yet another more likely scenario.

The first rule of winning a gunfight I teach in my gun classes is simply not to show up. You live every time that way. If something bad happens suddenly, you make the best of what you’ve got, of course.

However, 99 and 44/100ths percent of the time, you will have an opportunity to make yourself scarce before things go so badly that you find yourself in a position to be lawfully pointing a gun at other people.

As an example, if you’re at Denny’s while two groups engage in a fight over maple syrup or some woman’s honor, this is a time when you should make yourself scarce instead of ordering up some popcorn and videotaping it on your iphone.

Your car is your escape pod and it’s usually always nearby. Keep your car fueled and keep basic supplies in your trunk – things like an MRE or three (or “Heater Meals” if you want to blend in with the sheep), water, flashlight & batteries, work boots and gloves, warm clothes, a hat and winter gloves, some basic tools and so forth.

You should already have an emergency evacuation plan in place (Google “Listening to Katrina” for a great, albeit not yet finished, guide) to leave your home in short order in case of fire or other emergency. That plan will help you protect your health, wealth and ability to earn an income while not losing all of the aforementioned defending the indefensible.

I live in a fortress compared to Robert with only three entrances (without explosives, that is), but I recognize that my home is not defensible if there are more than a few desperate or violence-prone individuals prowling my neighborhood. I’m not going to pull a Don Alejo Garza Tamez “True Grit” suicide mission defending my home. No, I’m getting me and mine the heck out of dodge if things are getting that bad and you should too.

And because of relationships I’ve developed, I’m lucky enough to have the right sort of friends who will come move us out if it’s really getting bad, as I’d do for them.

My neighbors in that unlikely apocalyptic mayhem scenario are on their own. Life’s full of choices. They chose to take golf lessons instead of shooting lessons. Let them accept the consequences of going up against violent predators with a five iron or a putter.

All of that aside, the localized emergency is more likely – such as a tornado, earthquake or massive winter storm – or maybe a hurricane for those readers within a couple hours of the coast.

You’re probably not going to need your guns or your tactical skills if you have those emergencies – certainly not right away. Instead, you’re gonna need a pair of work gloves and boots, a decent flashlight and the willingness to help close friends if they need you. If they are fine, then you’ll look out for your immediate neighbors.

In my case, this might mean shoveling some snow so the frail old woman who had a bypass last year doesn’t have to. Or making sure my neighbors have a working flashlight or two and anything else they might need if the power goes off – or perhaps a warm place to stay for a time if the power is out in the wintertime. Tip: Offering a Thermos of hot chocolate or hot soup to the old couple next door unsolicited will further cement your reputation as a great neighbor and they’ll go out of their way to look out for you in the future.

No, most of the “SHTF” we’re likely to encounter is not going to involve guns, zombies or thugs preying on sheep. It’s not going to involve a crash course in teaching non-gunowners to use that double-barrel coach gun for home defense. It is, though, going to involve being a good neighbor for those less fortunate or prepared.

Don’t get me wrong: My family comes first. However, because I’ve planned ahead and prepared, most emergencies that are commonly encountered won’t be for my family and we’ll have the luxury of being able to help our friends first, then our neighbors.

Hopefully, TTAG readers will also have made preparations for emergency scenarios and built relationships with like-minded folks so they can work together to overcome adversity as a group and assist those less fortunate.

That’s the American way.

John

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Rossi Circuit Judge in 28 Gauge

[Richard Johnson is a firearms instructor, law enforcement veteran, contributor to Guns and Patriots, and the publisher of Guns Holsters And Gear.]

With all of the rumors surrounding the 28 gauge Raging Judge, one of the overlooked new guns from the Taurus/Rossi lines at the 2011 SHOT Show was the Circuit Judge chambered in 28 gauge.

The new Circuit Judge has an 18.5? barrel with a straight rifled choke that Rossi claims extends the shooting range of this long gun.  As with the previous version, this Circuit Judge is essentially a revolving shotgun, and weighs in at 5.6 pounds with hardwood stocks.

SCJ28B RIGHT Rossi Circuit Judge in 28 Gauge photo

The original Circuit Judge chambered for the .45 Colt/.410 shotshell proved to a popular gun in 2010, and it is can still be hard to locate on dealers’ shelves.

SCJ28B LEFT Rossi Circuit Judge in 28 Gauge photo


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Bunnies n’ Guns

I was skeptical when readers emailed me about this episode of a new CG animated series called Cat Shit One. It is actually really good. The story is about a two rabbit special forces soldiers in Afghanistan fighting the camel terrorists. Episode starts 3:40 minutes into the below video.

UPDATE: They have taken the video offline.

[ Many thanks to Matt, Lt. & Paul for emailing me the link. ]

Bunnies because “rabbit” in Japanese is Romanized to “usagi”… USA GI. I put a forehead shaped dent in my desk when I realized that. Then it got lampshaded.

Been following development on this for two years now, so am thrilled it finally saw release. My Blu-ray Disc copy arrived in the mail from Amazon today (stereo only, tho’, weirdly enough).

It’s a shame they couldn’t have picked a better name.

Wohoo! My name in a blog post!

Does this make me famous?

Oh and just FYI. The reason they are bunnies is because the word “Usagi” is Japanese for rabbit. It’s a play on USA G.I.

So the show is great and I would like to throw them a couple of bucks, but not $20 for a 22 minute show.

Any ideas?

There’s a pun here. Usagi is the japanese word for rabbit. It can also be read as U.S.A. GI. That’s why the americans are rabbits.
Other nationalities are are what you’d expect: British= bulldogs, french= frogs, etc.

This is actually an animated version of a Japanese manga called Apocalypse Meow (Cat Shit One in Japan). I would definitely recommend reading the manga. The only difference is that the manga takes place during the Vietnam war while the animated series takes place in the middle east.

From the original manga :

* American – Rabbit (Rabbit is Japanese “???: USAGI”. In a word “USA-G.I.”)
* Vietnamese – Cat
* French – Pig (from pig that looks for French Ingredient truffle)
* Chinese – Panda
* Japanese – Monkey and Gorilla
* Russian – Bear
* Korean – Dog
* British – Rat (from The Desert Rats)
* Australian – Kangaroo

The following are new animals depicted in Cat Shit One ’80:

* German – Fox (from Desert Fox)
* Middle Eastern – Camel, Goat and Sheep
* Latin Americans – Cow

A little more background. The show is a sort of a pilot episode for (hopefully) a full fledged season. The premise is based on the comic series “Cat Shit One” (aptly titled “Apocalypse Meow” in US version) that focuses on a group of US Army commandos during the Vietnam war. A sequel “Cat Shit One ’80? follows characters from the original as they deal with various conflicts during the 1980s. The sequel is more “informative” as it has more of a “historical non-fiction” style narrative.

@ Overload in CO

Actually, the British are Rats, the French are pigs, Japanese are monkeys, and the Chinese and the Russians are… why, Pandas and Bears, of course.

Fore more info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypse_Meow

I discovered this a few days ago and love it. It’s like if Watership Down took place in modern Afghanistan. Also, the rabbits have assault rifles.

The best part is that the camels have a hole in their shirts for their humps.

The original mangais old and was about vietnam, if you have not read that comic I strongly recommend it. I love how they modernized it and brough packy and Botasky to the Afghan front, the manga sold in the US as Apocalypse Meow and is one of the very first i read, holds a special place in my heart.

Hells yeah! I’ve been waiting for this for some time now. Packy’s a bad ass. Looking all cute with his twitching tail and his little paws triggering the claymore.

I believe that the original comics were based on the Vietnam War where the VietKong were depicted as cats. That’s where we get the title.

:) I saw the teaser a while back, I’m very grateful to you for letting me know it’s actually been released properly!

I think the DVD contains 12 episodes. Doesn’t it?

Play on words or not, that’s just plain weird.

let read “Apocalypse Meow”! Bunnies in ‘Nam!
it’s amazing!

@ Ben: $20 is a steal; the Japanese typically pay $50 for half-hour or under, and $80-$100 for a feature-length film, depending on the format. Whenever I’d go to Japan, I’d really have to think hard before buying any videos.

Tanner, its because of the name of the original graphic novel series. Over there, our swearing isnt as taboo.

DVD – purchased. Why, oh why did Amazon NOT recommend this to me.

its worth noting they infer that the rabbits are Mercs, explaining any weapon “innacuracies”

I cant watch it because of copyright… Is it up somewhere else?

Huh, Steve,

though funny as hell, the repetition of the same idea by several posters one after the other is gonna get bananas if you don’t step in and ‘tame’ them! Apparently, they are breeding like ‘usagi’! LOL

Cheers!

In the series, French are pigs actually. This series is actually an update of a much older manga from the late 90's of the same name that was actually based around a Long Range Recon Patrol team in Vietnam. It had a reputation for a high degree of accuracy when it came to the gear and weapons used by the characters and gritty/realistic action. Chinese were Pandas, Russians were Bears, Japanese were Chimps and Gorillas, Vietnamese were Cats (hence the title), Koreans were Dogs, British were Rats, Aussies were Kangaroos, Germans were Foxes, and Latin Americans were Cows.

This is loosely based on the Apocalypse Meow comic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypse_Meow) which is where the title of this movie originated. The animals representing various nationalities kind of reminded me of Maus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maus), and interesting read for those of you who haven’t seen it before and generally a great approach to telling a story that seems to have been told so many times before.

just watched it, and have to say, it was very impressive. I’ve seen much worse war films

Also, the part about all the tacti-cool shit on the EBR is hilarious.

@MrSatyre: Oh yes, that is right. We wandered back into the anime realm. Thanks for reminding me!

Nice ! I doubt Disney will be optioning the rights for a US remake anytime soon ! The Japanese anime proves that animation doesn’t have to be always associated with the usual pap that Disney pumps out. Hope to see more such in the future.

Reminds me of Bonta-kun in Full Metal Panic: Fumoffu.

The disc you buy has the whole season on it. Your not just getting this single episode. It is intended as a teaser to encourage you to buy the whole season on DVD or Blu Ray

Sorry … gotta correct my last post on this. It is pretty much just this episode. I saw the “75 minutes” note and figured that was more episodes. Aside from that being a low number, further reading revealed that those extra minutes are all with subtitles only.

I have to agree that this seems a bit skimpy for the asking price.

Is it normal for long-range recon teams in Afghanistan to not wear pants?

:)

if they are Americans whats with the Russian attack chopper saving their puffy white tails?

As people can see a single stack 1911 is sufficient for taking down terrorists. No need for a double stack mag.

http://www.goodanime.net/cat-shit-one-episode-1

enjoy

video has been made private :( bummer dude.

Too bad the dialogue sucks

@subase: Actually, that’s and STI 2011. With a double stack magazine. LOL

Wow, late in the game. Saw it awhile back. It’s definitely awesome and it hearkens back to news posts I’ve seen here and other blogs about the Japanese and their affinity to guns. Like how they go to Guam to shoot as well as airsoft originating in Japan.

I’ve seen many anime where the attention to detail on firearms is superb, and while the gun action can range from realistic to John Woo/Equilibrium crazy, anime can be a good source of gun pr0n.

Sorry, random gun-lovin’ otaku talking.

Steve, this video has been made private and is no longer viewable.

Rijoenpial; the reason for all the repeats is that post don’t show up on the blog until hours after they are posted. My post was the third on the list but when I posted there weren’t any comments on this article yet. I always check the comments to make sure I’m not repeating info but most of the time half of the posts allready made haven’t shown up in the comments yet.

I guess they go to steve for approval first or something.

Heath, thanks for letting me know.


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M67 90mm recoilless rifle back in use

MJM has blogged about the return of the M67 90mm recoilless rifle to active duty ...

Fans of the 9mm: multiply the caliber by 10. If you like the Judge, and are intrigued by the .338 Lapua Magnum and 50 BMG, ponder the diameter difference. The 90mm recoilless rifle is fired from any ordinary rifle position, man-portable, and truly without recoil. It has been around for about 50 years, was phased out in favor of the disposable weapons of similar mission (mostly anti-tank, anti bunker) some with advanced aiming and control. The M72 LAW, the Dragon, the AT4 came afterward, for example.

I learn today that MJM’s old unit, the 1st of the 506th Infantry (101st Airborne Division) is bringing back the 90mm recoilless rifle.

m67 90mm recoilless rifle tfb M67 90mm recoilless rifle back in use photo

Being the armchair-Lieutenant that I am, it has been amusing to watch how many obsolete weapons have been brought back into action during the past decade. The M14 is one notable example. Another is the M72 LAW. The Marines should be receiving their first batch of newly manufactured M72A7 LAWs in April.

Very interesting. Sometimes the KISS priciple comes into effect. Interesting to me that they are using Flechette rounds. I’d like to know what the effective range of the flechettes are….

My platoon had LAWs last deployment; the AT4 is just too bulky for dismounting light-infantry, while you can damn near get a LAW into your cargo pocket if you work at it. :p

Any specific reason why the 101st is reintroducing it? The article didn’t seem to have a particular reason besides ambushes.

Nice. I too am a former Currahee.

If I remember correctly the M67 is almost 40lbs unloaded. The AT4 comes in about 15lbs loaded. It’s maned by 3 people while AT4 1 person. I guess they want a mobile reusable infantry platform to take out harden bunker/caves. This probably a reaction due to the fact that Close Air Support have been for a lack of better term nerfed in Afghanistan.

You’ve just made my day brighter, thanks! =)
I’ve handled a LAW, once, during my Corporal’s Training, on the Portuguese once-mandatory recruit period.

Not fired one though, the Portuguese Army hadn’t enough money to spend on that…

I see Nandy-Pamby Gadgetry is no longer favored in lieu of material that, hum, WORKS!

…And take one of these, I’ve read somewhere it detonates on a interrupted thread, add a laser range finder, and a looong thread that’s tailored to the obtained distance, you’ve just replaced that sci-fi, wi-fi, filled with electronics rifle costing N times more…

Why use a $200000 Javelin missile to destroy a mud brick structure?

A sensible decision- though I think some effort should be made to lighten it, what with the more modern materials and advancements in metallurgy in the past half century.

While the gun doesn’t have recoil, a lot of people recoil from the mere thought of having such a beast go off right next to their ear ;-)

I know a couple of NCOs who said in no uncertain terms they’d refuse any order to fire a Carl Gustaf ever again – and that had “only” 84mm…

I guess portable artillery is a plus when fighting people entrenched behind rocks and in mud houses. The French army was very fond of those recoilless rifles, and made a heavy use of 57mm and 90mm pieces in counter insurrection for a number of years.
I wonder if the performance is better with modern optics.

It is not that surprinsing, after all many countries around the world (including SOCOM) still use the Carl Gustav recoilless rifle.

Interesting news. I’m surprised the DOD still had some these 90mm RR squirreled away. I had assumed they had all been destroyed or given away by now.

The 90mm M67 was the US Army weapon most comparable to the 84mm Carl Gustav. Both are two-man-team man-portable anti-tank weapons best employed at platoon level. Though I imagine both weapons in actual service were mostly used against non-tank targets.

I read that the last US Army unit to use this weapon was in Alaska, because the batteries used in the Dragon ATGM (which replaced the M67) weren’t reliable in the cold Alaskan environment.

When the USMC first decided they needed a weapon like the SMAW, I wonder if they ever considered just using some surplus ex-Army M67 RR for the job. It probably would have been a lot cheaper, and almost as effective. (Though I think an updated M-18a1 57mm would make an even better company level support weapon than either the SMAW or the M67.)

Completely unrelated, but good news for any wounded Combatant, soon, you will get a lost ear or a nose…
3D printed!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12507034

It is my understanding that the M67 is being deployed largely in response to attacks from bunkered positions. Because of the thick wall mud and stone building techniques used in Afghanistan, and much of the Middle East, rifle rounds, and grenades are ineffective. Wide-spread use of RPGs coupled with the open areas surrounding many buildings in-country make it difficult to assault the position on foot. And, the ruggedness of the terrain precludes the use of armored assault vehicles. Modern anti-tank weapons have proven to be too light to cause significant damage or too heavy, bulky and expensive to carry and use to reduce hardened structures. Air strikes have largely been discontinued and when authorization is obtained, it is usually too late to be of any use.

Enter the M67 90mm recoilless rifle. It can fire a variety of rounds and packs a sufficient punch to rapidly breech hardened targets from a relatively long range with few rounds. It is man-portable and low-tech. And, it was available.

The Ranger Battallions used the M67 till 1991 when it was replaced by the M3 Carl Gustav, and the M3 is still in their TO&E. They’re ideal for light infantry–plenty of firepower and versatility in a man-portable package. We used to jump with them (not me–the Weapons Platoon mules did–I was a rifleman). And everyone carried two extra rounds for the 90mm (or 60mm for the mortars). And two 200-rd belts of 7.62. In addition to your own basic load. Bullets, water and socks–the rest is optional.

Being a former nuke trooper, I had to find some very creative ways to get my hands on infantry equipment. You’d be surprised how much ordinance gets squirreled away into the most unusual locations, and is virtually forgotten in lieu of fancier gear. That being said, I always had an appreciation for older/simpler/functional equipment. Dumb equipment that relied on the operator to be smart and versatile.

Bringing back the 90mmRR makes perfect sense. It’s relatively cheap to use, and gets the job done. I’m hoping this is a turning point that puts a lot of functional weapons back in the hands of capable infantrymen, and leaves the wonder-weapons ready for their unique purpose.

Just wait and see, though. Some daft bastard will find a way to mount rails, optics, and loads of other silly junk on the M67 and ruin it.

M14 is obsolete??? Was not aware of that.

Now for the Brits to bring back the L1A1 SLR!

I guess next move will be the rebirth of the Ontos M50 concept.

The M14 has alot of design compromises mostly due to the old requirement for it to be capable of full-automatic fire-the Garand receiver that it was based on had to be considerably beefed up, and this made it ungainly and heavier than it honestly had to be.

Furthermore, battle rifles as a class have been if not obsolete, than obsolescent since the second World War and the German studies that proved that the vast majority of battlefield engagements were at -400 meters and that therefore infantry weapons did not require 1000-m range. Afghanistan does not invalidate that; the majority of the planet is not Afghanistan nor does it feature it’s unique geography.

Looks like the Army re-learned what the USMC never forgot. The USMC SMAW is about half the weight of the much older 90mm recoilless rifle with about the same warhead weight and effective range. Optics for the SMAW are definitely more modern. Although I’m not aware of a flechette round, the SMAW is more geared to anti-fortification and anti-tank. It’s great to see the Army “get simple” and leave some of the more exotic stuff in the armory.

Army likes complex toys sold by retired generals to current generals.
Marines like weapons that destroy targets, period, even if cheap and/or ugly.

The M14 was certainly obsolete in its role as a main infantry rifle, which probably is what Steve means. Mind you, all of these formerly obsolete weapons are used in roles quite dissimilar to their originally intended purpose; I personally love that kind of battlefield ingenuity.

Steve old doesn’t mean its obsolete. The M-14 isn’t obsolete its been used for small niches since the Vietnam war and since Afghanistan bee upgraded and now is a vital part of infantry weapon. Recoiless rifles are needed since they are light weight and can be portable artillery in areas where artillery is too distant to provide support for troops.

I hope they bring back M-60A1 tanks as well. LOL

Steve I think too the reason we are bringing back older systems is that with the pentagon budget broke and slashed they relies on older weapons to fill in areas where there no funds to make new weapons, agree?

M 67 is really heavy…I handled a couple of these a year ago during my military service.We had hundreds of surplus training rounds but I never had the chance to fire this weapon .It’s an unsophisticated weapon system that can take a lot abuse .

Not sure why they’re reissuing the M67 when they’ve got the M3–which in my opinion is far superior to the SMAW–unless there aren’t enough M3's to go around right now. Whic may be the case because SOCOM uses them exclusively.

Back to the future!

Big Army is so in love with bullshit, camo that doesn’t work (UCP), RAH-66 Comanche and gold plated FCS crap. They have forgotten the basics.

M67 is one of the heaviest systems around (37.5 lbs) and rapidly over-heats after a few rounds!

The USMC except for the EFV has shown to be the only practical infantry force in the US. It adopted the SRAW (an Israeli B-300), which beat the old heavy 1964 M2 Carl Gustav in the original competition. The M2 also weights 35 lbs.

After losing the SRAW comp’, SAAB was pissed and designed a new weapon, the M3. The M3 has a carbon fiber reinforced barrel and weights 20 lbs. Half the weight of a M67.

Rangers grabbed it (their not BIG Army) and developed their own ammo.

Multi-purpose (MT 756)
Flechette (ADM 401)
Thermobaric (ASM 509)
Airburst (HE 441D)
Penetrator (HEDP 502),
Tandem (HEAT 751)
Smoke (SMOKE 469C)

http://www.saabgroup.com/Global/Documents%20and%20Images/Land/Weapon%20Systems/Carl-Gustav/Saab_Carl-Gustav.pdf

Every infantry platoon needs a M3 with a thermal sight, and move the Javelins up to company level. Forget the XM-25.

“If you get ambushed, here is this nuclear 10 megaton atom bomb for back-up”.

Looks like the military is catching on to what the soldiers want.

I was with the 1/75th Ranger Battalion and the weapons platoon carried those things. The back-blast dug a trench behind them when they were fired. A truly awesome and timeless weapon that served effectively in Grenada and Iraq.

The reason for some many ‘discarded’ weapons coming back is that Iraq and Astan are static wars. Resupply for niche capabilities/weapons is much easier.

Presumably the M67 are replacing TOWs and Javelins. Article says purely defensive weapon for FOBs.

Airburst 84mm M3 recoilless would be very useful.

I am with Rohan 100% about the use of 1 (such a) weapon in every infantry platoon -operated by a 3 man crue (more ammo)- but my favorite would be the RPG32 .

The older weapons (M67 or M2 carl gustafs ) , could be caried by light/medium/heavy vehicles and deployed if/when they are needed .

2-3 M72 LAWs could be carried around by every fire-team .

I dont agree about ditching the XM25s , but i dont know about the level (or number of systems per level) they should be deployed . I guess experience from active deployment will answer that question .

ps. In my mind i have enhanced platoons of 40-50 warriors and not old NATO standard platoons of 30 or so .

If FB regular “Andy in CT” is who I think he may be, I’d like to get his opinion on this. To me it appears to be a very good idea considering the ROE for airstrikes and indirect artillery.

One thing immediately came to mind when I read this article. I bet a couple of M67's with the flechette canister rounds would’ve been VERY welcome at Wanat.

“Big Army is so in love with bullshit, camo that doesn’t work (UCP), RAH-66 Comanche and gold plated FCS crap. They have forgotten the basics.”

Having a little first hand knowledge, Comanche would have worked had it not been for mission requirements creep.

For the light armed scout role it was originally intended for, it would have been fantastic.

When the brass decided that light armed scout wasn’t good enough and that they needed “stealthy Apache.” Suddenly you go from needed a very limited amount of “low tech” weaponry like 2.75? rockets, to needing a dozen plus hellfires and the associated support equipment. The end result was a beast of a machine that was ridiculously overweight.

Just to give you an idea, I’ve seen one of the access panels on a Comanche opened up before. So much wiring and other crap was crammed in so tight, that when you opened the panel, a big wad of wiring spaghetti popped out like something in a cartoon…..

It has always been my belief that there was place for RR’s and saw them used in various ways in the conflict in former Yugoslavia. They are an excellent light direct fire artillery weapon. Only drawback to their mobility is the size and weight of the shells, but for use in areas that are hard to access for heavy guns they are great and can be transported and supplied by light vehicles or choppers. Nice to see the Marines thinking out side of the box.

@ aeronathan

Is “mission requirements creep” code for gold plating?

Ever heard of KISS.

Why use a $1000 shell when you can use a $100,000 Javelin.

Because the Javelin will actually self-guide to the target and is virtually impossible to miss with?

The Comanche’s mission requirement creep was basically due to the Army feeling that their entire attack-aviation fleet was getting obsolete in the face of modern air defense. At the time of the original proposal, the Air Land Battle doctrine called for use of Army attack aviation in a deep-strike role. Against well, basically anybody with decent SAMs or fighters, the Apache would be dog meat. The Comanche was designed to address this problem.

Why not using the lighter Carl Gustav?

@ Charles222

With a Carl you can fire 1000 times for one Javelin.

A single Javelin maybe smart, but it only has a single (tandem) warhead. That might kill 2-3 in a cluster, but against a group of 20 that’s still 4-5 Javelins.

Remember one javelin missile weights 26lb, 35lbs in the tube and 14lbs for the CLU.
3 soldiers with 3 missiles is 119 lbs.

M3 Carl weights 19lbs + 3 for a FLIR / laser ranger (22lbs).
HE441D Airburst weights 8lbs, 9lbs in its case.
For 121lbs you get 11 rounds.

With Airburst you could of had a defilade weapon 20 years ago. IE during Gulf war 1.

Also the Isrealis now has “mini-spike”, a mini-me Javelin like weapon.
Cheaper, lighter, maybe not as smart as spike. But you get more kills for your buck!

As for Comanche,
Shealth on a helo is a joke,
It grew to nearly the size of an Apache,
The technology ended up in the Apache,

Just buy upgraded Apache!

“In one engagement on 24 March 2003, 31 Apaches were damaged, and one Apache was shot down and captured by Iraqi troops near Karbala”.

That was by small arms only!!!!! Your Comanche would fair no better.

Jeff88

The Cal Gustov is only used by Army units. The M-67 is US A and USMC standerd. Its cheaper and more destructive than a Javelin or AT4 or M-72 LAW. Unlike modern missiles snad and dust dosnt make a M-67 malfuntion or misjetision a rocket. The M-67 also has a larger warhead than a Gustove 90mm vs 84mm. Alot more effective aginst soft targets than tanks the Carl Gustov and its rocket counter parts are ment fore.


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Tikka T3 Sporter

This video from Accurate Shooter shows the new Tikka T3 Sporter.

It will be sold in the US chambered in .223 Rem. and .22-250.

More info at Accurate Shooter.

I’m glad to see the sporter re-introduced.
However, I feel the T3 action as too large for the .223.
It would be exceptional, if Tikka would also re- indroduce the smaller action size implemented in their previous iteration of this model.

It would enhance the actions rigidity.

I would also like to see Tikka sell their Battue in the States too,
it’s a knock-out!

Anyhow, Tikka is a great rifle.

In webpage of Tikka you could found the T3 sporter in CALIBER 222 REM, 223 REM, 6.5×55 SE, 260 REM, & 308 WIN

=> http://www.tikka.fi/pdf/specs/T3_Sporter.pdf

Per the SHOT Show flyer and the PDF available at http://www.tikka.fi/, this rifle is also available in .308.

I own the previous model Tikka Sporter from the late 1990's – absolutely great rifle for the price.


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NYC Jury Clears FL Man for Glove Box Gun

To paraphrase Winston Churchill, this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning of the end of New York City’s draconian gun laws. If a New York City jury acquits a Florida landscaper of gun charges when he clearly violated the Bog Apple’s handgun regs, then there’s been a sea change. They have and there is. “Jonathan Ryan, 29, was busted Feb. 21, 2010, when cops pulled him over on the Upper East Side for making a right turn on red,  which is illegal in the city,” newyorkdailynews.com reports. “Cops confiscated a black Sky [sic] .9 mm pistol from his glove compartment and charged him with criminal possession of a weapon. He  faced a stiff sentence of three and a half years in prison if convicted.” But he wasn’t. And that means . . .


That there’s a big ass disconnect between New York City gun laws and . . . wait for it . . . common sense.

Cops and prosecutors said ignorance  New York’s gun laws – Ryan was in the legal clear in Florida, where the gun was registered – was not a good defense.

A Manhattan jury apparently believed it was and found Ryan, who had no previous criminal record, not guilty.

Now what? The case sets a precedent. But even if that doesn’t hold up, you gotta wonder how long The City So Big They Had to Name It Twice can hang onto to its no-reciprocity regs.

Share Robert Farago is the Publisher and Managing Editor of The Truth About Guns (TTAG). He started the site to explore the ethics, morality, business, politics, culture, technology, practice, strategy, dangers and fun of guns.

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Hemingway’s .577 Nitro Rifle Being Auctioned

James D. Julia is auctioning off Ernest Hemingway's Westley Richards Droplock .577 Nitro Express double rifle. It is the gun he used on his 1953 African safari. According to Phil Bourjaily, this gun, which took a lion and a rhino, is expected to sell for between $150,000 - $200,000.

36666x 111 tm tfb1 Hemingways .577 Nitro Rifle Being Auctioned photo

Even at $150,000, I think I better let some other gun nut have this one icon wink Hemingways .577 Nitro Rifle Being Auctioned photo

In my list of Adventurers-Whose-Guns-I-Would-Love-Own. Mr Hemingway ranks number three. Sir Samuel Baker is my #1 followed by Roosevelt.


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Rheinmetall Mk20 20mm S20 Naval Gun in slow motion

This video shows an Hellenic Navy Rheinmetall Mk20 with S20 Naval Gun Mount firing in slow motion. Note how the barrel appears to recoil. At first glance it appears that the gun utilizes a short recoil action like the Rheinmetall MG3 and the MG42. It is actually gas operated but the whole barreled action is mounted on a recoiling platform in order to soften the recoil.

[ Many thanks to Aegeanhawk for the video. ]


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18 Doves/Minute with the Winchester SX3 20 Gauge

Doves are a major ecological problem in Argentina where a significant amount of crops are consumed the birds. Bird shooters from all over the world head to the Cordoba region of Argentina where there are an estimated 30 million doves (for comparison, the whole of Argentina has a population of just over 40 million people!) for hardcore shooting.

Scott Breeze headed to the Cordoba region, sponsored by Winchester, to break the dove shooting record. He shot for 14 hours, with just one 20 minutes lunch break, and downed over 15,000 birds with 16,000 shells. That averages close to 18 doves per minute! Two Winchester SX3 shotguns, chambered in 20 gauge, were used with one being loaded while the other was being fired.

Winchester had this to say about the hunt ...

All the doves shot by Scott, and by the many other hunters who go to Argentina, are utilized as best as possible. Some are eaten by the hunters, the rest are distributed to the local farmers and others who also eat them or utilize them for livestock feed

Watch the video here ...

[ Many thanks to Frank for emailing me the info. ]


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SureFire Mini-Monster


SureFire has a nasty looking new suppressor coming out called the Mini-Monster. The SureFire Mini suppressor line is SureFire’s new flagship 5.56 suppressors, and the monster is the newest model in that line.  The SureFire Minies are only 5 inches and weigh 14 ounces while maintaing little or no zero shift and typically improving group sizes according to SureFire.  SureFire has also included a new and larger lockring to the Mini suppressors making it easier to remove and attach.  The Mini-Monster shares all those characteristics with the Mini but with one obvious and striking added feature.

At the request of many military personal downrange; SureFire added the aggressive toothed crown to create the new Mini-Monster suppressor. The Mini-Monster’s intimidating cap can be used as a breaker device to smash through glass or use it as a “non-lethal impact device” as said by a SureFire representative at the Media Day at SHOT 2011.  If anything, I think it gives it a very unique and aggressive look, and the Mini-Monster definitely stands out now compared to all of the other suppressors out there.


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Napolitano Fiddles While ICE Agent Burned.

From Fox News, this item:

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent was killed and another wounded while driving through northern Mexico Tuesday, in a rare attack on American officials in this country which is fighting powerful drug cartels.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said one agent was critically wounded in the attack and died from his injuries. The second agent was shot in the arm and leg and remains in stable condition.

Those are the facts. The official reaction to them is…interesting.

Here’s the pull quote o’ the day from Homeland (In)Security Sect. Napalitano:

Let me be clear: any act of violence against our ICE personnel – or any DHS personnel – is an attack against all those who serve our nation and put their lives at risk for our safety. We remain committed in our broader support for Mexico’s efforts to combat violence within its borders.

Um…yeah. Let me see if I can run this through my top-secret dBS-er 2000 gadget that automagically converts politicianspeak to plain ol’ Anglais:

Allow me to confuse you: Anybody who murders or injures one of my employees is attacking all my employees. And I’m issuing  a strongly worded statement praising the great job Mexico is doing, keeping their murder rate from getting any higher than it already is.

Wow. So the Napolitanonator finds it unacceptable that one of her ICE agents is shot dead and another one is wounded while on the job in Mexico. Her response is to offer a statement of public support to Mexico? Huh? Am I missing something?

You may not like George Bush, but at least when he first visited the smoldering wreckage at Ground Zero, he didn’t grab a megaphone and say, “I’m upset about this, and they’ll be a strongly worded letter about it in the Times tomorrow morning!”

Where’s the outrage? Where’s the demand for justice? Hell, where’s the storm troopers, flooding across the border to get the bastards that killed one of ours? Apparently, Napolitano thinks Homeland Security should be a homey kind of place, offering mugs of hot chocolate with mini-marshmallows and a dash of cinnamon sprinkles for anyone who gets crossways with her agency.

We’ve gone from “no child left behind” to “officers will be left behind…we’ve got more where they came from.”

I dunno. Can Cabinet Secretaries be impeached? I’m not a lawyer (nor do I play one on TV). But if I were any member of her not-so-merry band of brothers in blue, patrolling our borders, I’d look carefully to see if those new jackets she ordered as a show of teamwork don’t come with great big targets on their backs.

Share Brad Kozak is an iconoclastic, curmudgeonly graphic designer/marketer/writer/musician/advertiser/conservative creative guy. In 2007, he completed a gradual transition from a conservative semi-pacifist to a proactive, armed citizen, willing to exercise his Second Amendment rights to protect his family and property. His idea of “gun control” is hitting where he aims.

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South Korea’s Robot Gun Turret

CCTV (China Central Television, the english version) has reported on the Korean robotic turret system that can detect and engage targets with or without a human operator.

The media has made a big deal about this system but American and European turret systems could easily run software to automatically detect and engage targets. They don't because it isn't a very good idea.

[ Many thanks to SeanG for emailing me the link. ]

Not a good idea? You got that right.

There isnt much point if it cant make difference between enemies and friends.

I’ll say, the blue screen of death could become litetal! Although they could be forgiven if they used the voice from the turret guns in Portal,

What the story behind the guys at the end of the vid? Is that the North/South border and are the troops from each side facing each other? I didn’t realize they stood face to face and looked around each other with bino’s….. Being a Marine and knowing the shit we talked to other braches (and any P.O.G’s) I can’t imagine the shit talking that is taking place at that post……

Hey, it’s a good idea when vicious aliens that gestate in human hosts are trying to overrun your perimeter…

Hopw does it know who’s friendly and who isn’t? That is bothering the crap out of me. what if you are a friendly and all of the sudden it goes nuts and starts shooting all willy nilly. this thing is not safe, is neat but definitely not safe IMO.

Actually, America does use automated turrets. The Phalanx CIWS is installed on every US Navy and Coast Guard vessel. The US has been using them since 1980. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalanx_CIWS

Robocop!!!

Is it really that bad an idea? I would think it would be great as a supplement or replacement to a conventional mine field. Any sort of large scale conventional war really, where you are unlikely to need to discern between civilian and military targets on an active battlefield…

Not a good idea? Perhaps automated target engagement might not catch on here, but keep in mind South Korea has a substantial northern border where these could come in handy. If you (or your robot) sees someone in the DMZ, it is probably a safe bet they shouldn’t be there. Shoot first, ask questions later.

Buildin a sentry!

It seems the purpose of these weapon systems would be more in tune with a minefield than with a machine gun nest. And in that respect, they probably perform better than a minefield in many ways- easy to remove after hostilities, at least some IFF capability, less likely to go off from children or large animals

3km?! That’s nuts. It’s so futuristic looking.


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Federal / American Eagle Ammunition .45 ACP RECALL

Federal are recalling certain lots of .45 ACP Federal and American Eagle ammunition. They may contain incorrect propellent which could cause a lot of damage to you and your firearm.

Certain lots of recently manufactured 45 Auto ammunition may contain an incorrect propellant charge. Use of product from these lots may result in firearm damage and possible serious injury.

DO NOT USE PRODUCT FROM THE FOLLOWING LOTS:
38X628 through 38X765
38T401 through 38T414

If you have in your possession any 45 Auto with the following brand names and part numbers, check to see if your ammunition package contains the above lots: American Eagle® (AE45A, AE45N1, or AE45A250), ChampionTM (WM5233), GoldMedal® (GM45B), Hi-Shok® (45C, 45D) and Federal® Personal Defense® (C45C, C45D). Example below:

45autowarning tfb Federal / American Eagle Ammunition .45 ACP RECALL photo

If you possess ammunition from any of these lots, or have questions concerning this warning, please contact us at 1-800-831-0850 or 1-800-322-2342 and ask for Product Service. Federal will provide replacement product and will cover the cost of returning the affected product.


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California Compliant AKs by Arsenal INC

There is none other more frustrated gun owner/enthusiast as the Californian gun owner/enthusiast.  Since they have some of the most strict gun laws in America, Californians are used to seeing disclaimers on gun auctions and firearm retailers’ websites stating, “We do not ship to California.”  Ironically enough, the demand for firearms in California are amongst the highest in the nation–California is Gunblog.com’s second highest readership (the first is Texas).  Californians would have needed to have a complete custom job done to an AK-47 in order to own one, until now.

Arsenal Inc of Las Vegas, NV has heard the cries from their neighbors, and are now going to be making California compliant AK-47s, AK-74s, and Saiga .410 shotguns.  The new California compliant Arsenal Aks share the same features of their less restricted Aks such as a Russian stamped receiver, a folding stock, and a scope accessory rail.  However, Californians are restricted to a 10 round magazine which also has a lock that must be engaged with a key for magazine removal.  Although they have the magazine restriction on them, it’s better than nothing for those Californians wanting an AK.  The MSRP Arsenal’s new Right to “Bear” arms California Compliant SGL23 (Ak-47) is $820, the SGL33 (AK-74) is $950, and the SGL 43 (Saiga 410 Shotgun) is $710.


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Centurion 39 Rifle and Centurion 39 Pistol

C39 Pistol Ak-47 Review

Chances are, if you’ve seen an AK in America, it was a WASR by Century Arms.  Due to their low price, they’ve become very popular.  The WASRs are reconstructed AK-47s whose parts are imported from Romania and assembled in here in the United States, but now Century Arms is going to be offering 100% American Ak-47s (…oxymoron?).

The new Centurion 39 Ak-47s‘ parts are completely 100% American made from Ak-47 parts made in the USA, unlike previous AK-47s.  Century Arm‘s new AK-47s feature an improved ergonomic pistol grip, proprietary handguard with picatinny rails, polymer furniture, and will accept all AK-47 magazines.  The Centurion 39 rifle has a longer buttstock to aid in shooting ergonomics, and feature a h igh viz front sight.  The C39 Rifle will also sport a 16.5? barrel with a 1:10 twist, an overall length of 37.25?,  weighs 8.2 lbs unloaded, and will come with two US made magazines.

The Centurion 39 pistol has the most notable features that differ from a traditional Ak-47.  The pistol version has a “shark fin” front sight which will lessen that height over bore of the C39 pistol.  The other big difference comes at the business end of the Centurion 39 Pistol, the muzzle break.  It sharply resembles an A2 birdcage flash hider of a standard AR-15.  The Century Arms Centurion 39 Pistol features an 11.375? barrel, weighs 5.4 lbs unloaded, and has an overall length of 21.375 inches and will have both a rear and front sling swivel.  The  C39 Ak-47 pistol comes with two 30 round US made magazines and a gun case.  Expect these two new Century Arms  C39 Ak-47s to be out soon.

C39 Pistol Ak-47


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New FNH FNAR Match Rifle

FNH is releasing their popular .308 FNAR rifle in a match version.  The new FNH FNAR Match has some obvious improvements starting off with the stock.  The McMillan stock really compliments the .308 semi auto rifle and seems to add to its accuracy along with its 20? hammer forged fluted barrel.  FNH is boasting and guaranteeing out of the box sub MOA accuracy for the Match FNAR all while keeping the price tag under $2,000.  The FNH Match FNAR features ambidextrous controls, a detachable magazine with capacities from 5 to 20 rounds, and a picatinny rail for mounting optics.

All in all the FNAR Match seems like a superb rifle, especially for the cost.  Considering that the main competitor in its class would have to be a Springfield Match M1A–add in an adjustable McMillan stock and that price tag well exceeds the <$2,000 dollar price of the FNH Match FNAR.  Personally, I think the McMillan fiberglass stock is a perfect fit for the FNAR; it’s a definite improvement over the normal FNAR stock, which I wasn’t too big of a fan of.

Also, since FNH added the McMillan Stock (which does not  have a pistol grip as with the normal FNAR stock) and is offering magazine capacities under 10 rounds, that means California residents and gun enthusiasts should be happy being that they’ll be able to own one.  So not only did FNH cater to semi-auto rifle shooters hungry for bolt action like precision, they’re also opening their sales to one of the biggest and most restricted firearms market, California.

(Photo Courtesy of T.A.G.)


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Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper’s ‘Man Cave’

When at Gunsite, Dudley Storey had the chance to visit the home of Jeff Cooper, where his wife still lives.

cooper sconce 2 tfb Lt. Col. Jeff Coopers Man Cave photo

I am very jealous. I would love to visit his home.

More info and photos at Dudley's blog.

I set up internet access at the Colonels home (and at Gunsite, through a company called Northlink), in 1994.

His gun room/vault is quite nice too. I only got to talk to him once when Pat Rogers brought my 250 class over to meet him, his health declined over the next few years. An impressive guy with an impressive house.

Fantastic! I keep bugging my wife by saying I would like a shed in our back yard, but she insists I can’t because she says “I’ll never see you!”

(I thought that would have been a good thing!)

:)

It is quite an experience to visit the Cooper home. Janelle Cooper was a charming and gracious hostess, and it is clear that she loved the Colonel very much.

Ugh.. please call it his office, not his “man cave” as he was not an emasculated metrosexual who was banished from his own home to a small corner of the basement.

SWEET. Every married man needs his man cave of solitude to protect his mind from the wife’s feminist house arrangements.

I like Cooper’s ideas about marksmanship. Some of his ideas and theories are outdated by more modern technology, but he certainly had a positive impact on the shooting world.
His study seems cozy and warm. The only thing that seems out of place is the Steyr Scout poster in the back. I doubt he would have that up since it did not follow his scout rifle concept perfectly. Something tells me his wife got an endorsement deal from Steyr.

Komrad, he endorsed the Steyr Scout and was involved with its development.

Chris, cool!

It is cool. But he has been dead for 5 years. Pass the stuff off to the kids and grand kids already. Or his friends. Especially the guns. Any man would want that. Any man would hate that his guns just sat around after his death, with no one enjoying them. I know where ever my grand father is, he is happy that his old Colt 1911 is here with me. His favorite rifle, a Savage 99 is still taking deer for my father. His Garrand is actually three feet from me. His .38, well, my grandmother keeps that in her night stand still.


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Change of USMC attitude towards carbines

Dan Lamothe at Marine Times reports that Marine command are keeping an eye on the Armys carbine competition ...

Marine officials still plan the service’s infantry weapons around the 5.56mm M16A4 service rifle, but “that doesn’t mean we can’t be getting smart” about other options, said Lt. Col. Mark Brinkman, head of the infantry weapons program at Quantico, Va.-based Marine Corps Systems Command.

“The thought process for us is very similar to what’s going on in the Army,” he said Feb. 1 at the Soldier Technology U.S. conference in Arlington, Va.

More here.

800px usmc m 16a 4 rifle tfb tm tfb Change of USMC attitude towards carbines photo

Last year the now retired Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. James Conway, stated that the Marine Corps would always be using a rifle and would not switch to a carbine. I wrote that this attitude was incredibly shortsighted. It sounds like the new Commandant, Gen. James F. Amos, has a healthier attitude towards firearm innovation.


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Wilson Combat .300 BLK Uppers

Wilson Combat is the next manufacturer to jump on the rapidly growing .300 BLK bandwagon.  The .300 BLK (7.62x35mm) is the best .30 cal AR solution to date.  The Advanced Armament Comapny Blackout round (AAC .300 BLK) offers more energy from a 9? barrel than a 5.56 with a 16? barrel; also, when using a 16? barrel, such as the Wilson Combat .300 BLK Upper, the .300 BLK offers 23% more energy over a 5.56.  The best part about all these benefits over a 5.56 is that the .300 BLK can use standard AR lowers and magazines–so there’s no need to completely buy/rebuild a current platform for current AR owners.

Complete Upper Assembly, 300 Blackout, Lightweight, 16

The Wilson Combat .300 BLK upper features a fluted barrel with a 1:8 twist, their new Wilson Combat TRIM rail, and sports dual m4 feedramps.  The gas system is carbine length and the muzzle threads are 5/8?x24.  Wilson Combat is offering a recon and lightweight version which have 16.5? barrels and a SBR version that has a barrel measuring in at 11.3 inches.

Complete Upper Assembly, 300 Blackout, SBR, 11.3

Surprisingly, Wilson Combat is offering every version of their .300 BLK uppers for only $1,025, which is a damn good deal.  The only drawback right now to the .300 BLK is the availability of ammo since it’s  so new.  Expect that to change soon though–I talked to AAC at SHOT SHOW this year and they should have the AAC .300 Blackout round approved by SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufactures’ Institute) which will standardize the .300 BLK round and speed up production.


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Overwatch

overwatch tm tfb Overwatch photo

Spc. Jeremy Burton, armored crewman, assigned to 2nd Squad, 3rd Platoon, Company C., 1st Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, lays in the prone position on cliff overlooking the Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan, Jan. 31, to provide security for his squad as they climb up the cliff from the valley below.

The very high resolution version of the photo is here.

[ Many thanks to Lance for emailing me the link. ]

digging that 40mm belt he has on there, i question the lack of sight for the 203 though

That’s a cool photo and a really bad camo pattern.

I’ve known a few soldiers who didn’t need a sight for their 203; using the front sight post and just remember what angle results in what range can work, and with that many rounds he can adjust fire without a whole lot of hassle.

By the Gods, that looks like a beautiful view. He’s a lucky fellow.

Looks like a long HOT day to man sitting on a rock doing perimeter patrol.

You wouldn’t believe it, but that is my old unit.

After OIF 1 (2004) 4th Infantry was reorganized into CAB’s and C co 1-22 IN became A co 1-66 AR.

I am glad to see that our military is not making the same mistakes as the Russians.

The gear whore in me notices what looks to be a Massif combat shirt he’s wearing

Afghanistan is a beautiful country once you get past the 12th-century social mores, small-arms fire, and abandoned Russian minefields. I genuinely enjoyed being up in the mountains around Bagram for Operation Mountain Resolve, myself-friendly village people, nice views.

This is pretty random, but if Afghanistan ever settles down, I’d be completely down with going hiking there. That country could have the extreme-tourism trade by the balls if the violence ended.


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Federal and American Eagle .45 Recall

Federal and American Eagle have issued an immediate and urgent warning regarding some of their .45 Auto ammunition lots that could contain an incorrect propellant charge.  Its strongly advised (by Federal and Gunblog.com) that if you own ANY Federal .45 Auto ammunition, to make sure you check the lots since that using this defective ammo could result in serious injury and/or firearm damage.

The brands that are affected are:

American Eagle PN: AE45A, AE45N1 and AE45A250Champoin PN: WM5233GoldMedal: GM45BHi-Shok PN: 45C, 45D)Federal Personal Defense (C45C, C45D)

DO NOT USE IF YOU HAVE LOT NUMBERS:

38X628 – 38X76538T401 – 38T414

You can check the graphic above to find your lot numbers to see if your ammo is part of the affected lots.  If you are unfortunate enough to have purchased some of this defective ammo, you should contact Federal Ammunition immediately at:  1-800-831-0850 or 1-800-322-2342.  Federal will provide replacement ammunition for you. Check the link below for Federal’s Official recall.

A little birdy who happens to be an insider for an ammunition manufacturer told me some interesting information right before SHOT regarding Federal.  When discussing different ammo manufacturers this executive insider was telling me that Federal has outsourced a lot of its ammunition manufacturing to Mexico.  Now I don’t know if these lots were manufactured down there, it still makes me think–furthermore, it reinforces my prejudice about foreign ammunition (very bad experiences with Wolf), and I’ll continue preferring to buy American when it comes to bullets.

45_Auto_warning


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Radom PM-06 Submachine Gun

I had the opportunity to handle the Polish manufactured Radom PM-06 sub machine gun at SHOT Show. This 9mm Parabellum chambered sub machine gun has a blow back action and fires at 640 rpm out of a 7.2" barrel. It weighs 5.5 lbs. Not having fired it, my only criticism is that they only make a 15 round and 25 round magazine. 25 rounds seems a little small in 2011.

img 5269 tm tfb Radom PM 06 Submachine Gun photo

The latest model has a top picatinny rail for optics, side rails for accessories and a rail at 6 o'clock for a forgrip.

img 5272 tm tfb Radom PM 06 Submachine Gun photo img 5274 tm tfb Radom PM 06 Submachine Gun photo Angelika Jakubowska, Miss Polonia 2008

These are cool SMGs… You can get them in Canada in semi auto configuration. Never handled one myself, but they are a pretty cool looking design. Aside from the fugly trigger guard when the front handguard is down. (BRS99 sometimes, PM09 all the time) I don’t think 25 rounds is anything to sneer at, however, they should have made it a standard 30 like most of their competition do… such as 30 round proprietary mags for HK MP5, IWI UZI, B&T TP9, FAMAE SAF… etc. my 0.02$

Poles make excellent SMGs, though they all look alike after 50 years.

a modernization of the PM-84P Glauberyt & WZ63

=> http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Submachine_gun_wz63.jpg
=> http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/PM84P_Glauberyt.jpg

East german Police (VOPO) & Army (NVA) have this weapon and the configuration of the H&K MP7 are very near

I noticed that they used the Fab Defense folding tactical grip. A great choice!

I like the near AK rpm, must make the recoil manageable.

Are they proprietary mags or based off of a commonly available pistol magazine? For instance if they’re based off of a Glock 9MM design you can always go with a 33 round stick mag or a 290 round drum…

East German Police (DDR Vopo) with Radom WZ63 or Kleinmaschinenpistole MP63 => http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/WPFG/Forum%20Uploads/200643092217_Skorpion.jpg

Looks quite like Russian SR-2M SMG

Looks nice looks similar to the Groza SMG Russia uses. Dose it come in both 9×19 and 9x18mm calibers?

Looks like a PM63

Erik, the magazine wells seem to be perfectly vertical. Most pistols have a sloped grip, and an angular magazine to match. Compare a Glock mag to an Uzi mag.

Wait wait wait…All these comments and nobody mentions the hotty! I come here for the gun blogs too, but when Ms. Polonia makes a cameo I can’t help but notice. Go Poland. Gun talk to resume after I come back from a google search for more pics of her.

In that case it could be interchangeable with the M9 magazine.

I’m digging the blonde too… POLAND IS AWESOME AND THEIR WEEMENZ ARE AWESOME!

Also, neat little submachine gun

Plus, it’s a submachine gun-pretty specialized weapon basically for hostage rescue; those don’t tend to see a whole lot of gunfire exchanged. (If there is, the hostages are probably dead by that point. :p) The magazine capacity might not be such a big deal in that sort of scenario.

wait, there were guns in this post

If 25 rounds seems a little ,you had best learn to shoot better!


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First Look: Lippard A2/Combat NCO and CQB pistols

Before I get into the meat of the article, let me start with the disclaimers: This is not a full test, for reasons which will be explained below. It is more an account of my meeting with Colorado gunmakers Karl Lippard and Charles Henderson, and my “first impressions” of their much-ballyhooed M1911 variants, the A2 “Combat NCO” and the CQB.

Second disclaimer: No, we did not get a 400 yard test. That one is in the works, but may have to wait for Spring to arrive in the rockies and melt the snow on our long range shooting facilities (we’re enjoying a bit of “false spring” today but we know better than to expect it to last.)

The wife and I traveled down to Colorado Springs last Saturday, were we met Charles who then took us to the Lippard estate. Karl led us in through his garage/workshop where many of his guns were laid out for final inspection and assembly.

The first thing I learned about Mr. Lippard was that M1911 pistols were not his first foray into gunmaking, in fact, they had become something of a sideline to his main business, which is the crafting of gorgeous, museum-quality shotguns and rifles. (website: http://www.karllippard.com/)

Now personally, I’ve never been “into” these handcrafted sidelock shotguns and double rifles. Sure, I can admire the craftsmanship that goes into them, but when it comes to guns, I’m more of a “function” guy. My workable Mossberg 500 has always been shotgun enough for me, and one of Lippard’s $50,000 shotguns would be as out of place in my gun safe as a horse in church. But I have to admit, his shotguns are stone-cold gorgeous, with a fit and finish that has to be seen to be believed.

More amazing, to me, is the fact that the barrels and chambers of his double shotguns are rifles are created out of a single, solid block of forged steel. In fact, he had a couple of drilled “blanks” sitting on a rack waiting to be finished, and sitting on the coffee table in front of us was a half-finished shotgun, with one barrel completed and the other still a block of steel with a hole in it. Impressive, to say the least.

Also impressive is the passion and enthusiasm that both Lippard and Henderson bring to their work. So much so that it’s sometimes difficult to digest all the information they’re putting out. However, after reviewing my notes, it seems that there are approximately four major differences between the A2 “Combat NCO” pistol and the run-of-the-mill M1911A1 clone (Charles was kind enough to bring his old M1911A1 Series 70 to serve as a baseline.) The differences are:

1. The construction, which is a proprietary steel that is much more resistant to bending, warping or deforming than the kind used in most steel pistols

2. The “Bellau Wood” modification to the grip safety, lessening the likelihood of a malfunction that can render the weapon unable to fire in critical situations.

3. The improved barrel link that prevents side-to-side motion of the barrel, enhancing accuracy, and

The frame’s interior is slightly modified to allow for the fatter barrel link:

4. The improved ambidextrous thumb safety.

There are also a number of smaller upgrades, which are the subject of a series of patents, but which were a little too technical for a non-gunsmith like me to really understand.

Karl and Charles spent several hours explaining the development of the A2/NCO and the CQB pistols, which I won’t reiterate here (it’s on his web site in any case.)

Of course TTAG readers want to get down to the nitty gritty: How do they look and feel, how do they shoot.

Well, fit and finish are remarkable. Although we weren’t able to do the “400 yard” shooting test, the “bucket test” (i.e., throw the parts in a bucket and see if you can assemble a workable gun) was done by Karl showing me how easy it was to interchange slides, barrels, and frames between guns. I can tell you that no matter how mixed up the frames, slides and barrels were, the guns went together perfectly, without any need for additional fitting. Karl further displayed the fit and finish by showing me that he was able to do the exact same thing with his fine shotguns – he could pick up a side plate from one gun and it fit flawlessly onto a different gun, with no visible gap and no side-to-side movement of the part.

The A2/Combat NCO models had a gorgeous deep blue finish that reminded me of an old Smith and Wesson revolver – back in the days before black painted guns were the norm, a nice bluing was the mark of a quality gun. The high and deeply stepped sight (which is how you get those supposed 400 yard shots) looked a bit odd at first but no more difficult to use than any other target sight.

The ambidextrous safety was also taken apart and explained to me in loving detail. We even had Charles Henderson’s 70-series with an off-the-shelf “ambi safety” for comparison, and the Lippard piece is definitely superior, with a tight, movement-free fit as compared to the mass-market safety’s sloppy fit and mushy feel.

The fat barrel link was also an eye opener, and allowed the barrel to move smoothly in and out of battery without so much as a hint of side-to-side motion or twisting.

The final major item that was A2 specific, the “nose piece” was, like the rest of the gun, machined from a solid piece of proprietary steel and as tight as the rest of the gun.

Shooting Impressions:

Because of time constraints, we weren’t able to do a full-on review. I’ve been in contact with Karl and Charles and we hope to have a gun available for a review sometime soon.

We did take one example each of the Combat NCO and the CQB pistols to the range for a short test. While the guns felt solid and shot well overall, we didn’t shoot them off a rest. Worse, we had some trigger issues with the Combat NCO model, which I attribute to the fact that Lippard simply picked up a couple of partially assembled guns off the bench and put them into his box – the guns were unlubricated and untested. As such, they weren’t really representative of the types of guns that will be for sale, and so another test is being arranged as we speak.

Final Notes: When talking about a gun like this premium .45 M1911, the million dollar question is really the $2750.00 question ($2750 being the difference between a run-of-the-mill .45 at a median price of $750 and the $3500 that Lippard is asking for his A2 models.): Is it worth it? The answer to that, alas, is a subjective one. Even if the A2 proves to be as accurate and dependable as Lippard states, that $2750 is a lot of coin, and a lot of shooters will reach the point of diminishing returns long before then (this writer included.)

One nice thing about Lippard is that his designs are not all-or-nothing. If you don’t have the $3500 to spend, for a lot less you can upgrade just about any 1911 clone to have a significant number of the A2’s benefits. The wide barrel link and ambi safety alone would probably be desired by quite a few 1911 shooters (particularly southpaws) and my guess is that while the A2/NCO might be the “halo” vehicle for Lippard, he’ll sell a lot more components to shooters who want to upgrade their standard-issue 1911’s than he will complete guns.

A more complete write-up will follow when we have time to test the gun more thoroughly, until then, stay tuned…

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