HK416 standard rifle

HK416 standard rifle (not IAR)

The H&K entry was a modified version of their HK416 piston-operated AR-15 rifle. Unlike the Colt and FN entries, it is said to fire only from a closed bolt. Given the lack of an open-bolt fire mode I had presumed it was the least likely choice for an automatic rifle.

Presumably it is fitted with a heavy barrel, like H&K's previous, and commercially unsuccessful, attempt at the automatic rifle: the MG36. The Marine Corps has been reporting the weight of the 16.5" barreled H&K IAR as being 7.9 lbs. This is not possible as a standard 16.5" barreled Hk416 weights in at 7.84 lbs. I also think that the photo of the H&K IAR shown by the Military Times is that of a standard HK416.

I have contacted H&K to see if they are willing to publicly acknowledge if they have won. If they do, I will endeavor to get the specs of the new weapon.

Umarex MP5 A5 and MP5SD

MP5 A5

MP5SD

Umarex is also manufacturing .22 LR carbines patterned on the famous MP5 and MP5SD. These carbines features ...

• Metal revievers
•  Compensators
• NAVY style pistol grip.
• Retractable stocks.
• H&K style diopter iron sights. Adjustable for elevation or windage.
  

The A5 model features a standard MP5 forend and a faux suppressor. The MP5SD foreend is modeled on the original SD forend although the suppressor is also just for the look and is non-funcationing. Standard fixed stocks will be able for purchase.

TDI KRISS Vector

The TDI KRISS Vector is now available in a pistol configuration. This allows civilians to purchase a short barreled configuration where previously they were limited to the 16" carbines. The military and law enforcement the select-fire pistol version makes for a compact and controllable PDW.

TDI KRISS in 40 S&W

The entire TDI KRISS line is going to be available in .40 S&W later this year. Additionally, lower receivers will be sold so that a .45 model can be converted to .40 S&W. Like the .45 version, it also uses Glock magazines.

The photo below of the prototype .40 S&W submachine gun model. I had to promise them I would make is clear it is a prototype and that the finish on the lower is rough and not what will be seen on the production version.

H&K MP7

Posted because everybody love the MP7. My first impression was that it is much bigger in real life than in photos. While it is a sexy gun, the .17 cal (4.6x30mm) cartridge does not inspire me with confidence.

SIG P226 Carbine and SP 2022 Carbine

SIG has done what Glock should have done many years ago: partner with a firm like CAA and produce official branded carbine versions of their pistol line. The SIG P226 Carbine and SP 2022 Carbine as simply their respective pistol converted to a carbine with a CAA Pistol Carbine Kit.

SIG SP 2022 Carbine

Each carbine feature a side folding stock and plenty of picatinny rails.

SIG P226

These are almost certainly going to be limited to the European market.

On a side note, I have used a Glock in a CAA Carbine Kit and it was a joy to shoot. I will blog about it soon.

The Hybrid

The Innogun Hybrid lower receiver is a magazine fed pump action. The lower can be chambered in 7×64mm, .308 Win, .30-06, 8x57mm IS or 9.3×62mm. Magazines will have the capacity of 1,3 or 5 rounds1. Its barrel is 23.6" in length.

The single shot upper receiver can be chambered in .22 Hornet, .222 Rem, .243 Win, .30-06, 8x57mm IS, 9.3×62mm or 12 Gauge. To load the upper the action opens just like a under/over shotgun or rifle. The barrel is 19.6" in length.

Our European friends never seem to stop trying to find new approaches to classic weapon systems that the rest of the world has given up experimenting with and I love them for it! Case in point is the Innogun which merges a single shot rifle and a pump action rifle with a double rifle.

The Hybrid

The Pulse

It weights in at between 7.7 lbs and 8.3 lbs, depending on the upper/lower combination.

By now you are asking yourself "Why?". I don't have a good answer for that question! I suppose it is useful when you want a combination gun but also want a repeater. Still, I love it.

The company is also making a lightweight version of the Hybrid called the Pulse. It is pump action only and weights in at 6 lbs.

The Army’s M24

I have read through solicitation request for the Army's M24 Sniper Weapon System upgrade. I am struggling to see how it can be considered an upgrade. The original M24 is going to have little in common with an upgraded version. As I read the solicitation request only the original receiver must remain after the upgrade. Maybe some of the bolt's internal components will be used, but that is about it. Barrel, bolt face, stock, optics, sights, suppressor, flash hider, iron sights, rail system, magazine, bipod and trigger group are all likely to be replaced.

It looks like the Army is trying to get a new rifle in a roundabout way, much like how the USMC is procuring a new rifle under the guise of a machine gun.

Here are a few interesting specifications for the new M24 ...

• Trigger pull must be between 3 - 5 lbs. Operators must not be able to adjust the trigger.
• Magazine must have a minimum capacity of 5 rounds. It must not touch the ground when the bipod legs are at their shortest setting.
• The rifle, with minimum length of pull set and with suppressor attached, cannot be longer than 48".
• It cannot weigh more than 17 lbs with magazine full and with day optic and suppressor attached.
• MRBS (Mean rounds between stoppage) must be at least 1200. The MRBEFF (The mean round between essential function failure) must be at least 2300.
• The minimum accuracy must be 1 MOA (at 100m), although they are hoping for at least 0.8 MOA. These days 0.8 should be easily achieved.
• The rifle and optics must survive a 5 foot drop test.
• Iron sights that mound on the rail system must be included.
• The day scope must have variable magnification. The minimum magnification must be from 3.5-6.5x. The maximum magnification must be from 14-25x.
  

New Blaser R8

Merkel's answer to the new Blaser R8 is the Merkel RX.Helix. This takedown rifle makes use of a straight pull bolt action.

Its name is derived from the bolt's rotation system. The bolt is rotated in a helical motion at a 2:1 ratio (of forward motion to rotational motion). Apparently this allows for a smooth and fast bolt operation. This video shows the rifle being shot at 1 round per second. Pretty impressive!

The gun will be available chambered in 222 Rem., .223 Rem., .243 Win., 6.5x55mm SE, .270 Win., 7x64mm, .308 Win., .30-06, .308 Win., .30-06, 8x57 IS and 9.3x62. The magazine capacity is 3+1 rounds. The rifle weighs 6.4 lbs.

M1 Carbine 10/22 Tribute

The E. Arthur Brown Company are selling a kit to that makes a Ruger 10/22 feel like a M1 Carbine.

Tech-SIGHTS for CZ 452

Tech-SIGHTS have developed a new adjustable aperture sight for the CZ 452 rifle. The CZ200 sight costs $69.

Machine-gun style

This machine-gun style camera was used in Japan in the 1940s to train aerial gunners, much like the English version above. This model does look arguably more intimidating, though.

Handgun-style camera

There’s not a lot of information on this handgun-style camera other than it was used by the police at some point. Imagine looking down the barrel of a police officer’s gun, only to hear him say “cheese” instead of “freeze.”

Military trainees

Believe it or not, cameras that look like guns haven’t always been exercises in testing limits for design students; some of them have very useful purposes. This gun camera was used to help military trainees develop their aerial gunnery skills. The gun was similar in size, shape and weight to the actual gun they would use later in their careers, and the resulting photographs were used to assess their “shooting” accuracy.

Gun-shaped digital camera

The gun-shaped digital camera we saw recently seemed like a misguided, if somewhat entertaining, pun on the phrase “point and shoot.” As it turns out, it wasn’t the first of its kind. Gun-shaped
cameras have been around since at least 1916. These are only a few of the designs that have come and gone in the last century.

Crossfire MK-1 rifle

Gauge selector switch

The Innogun Hybrid, which I recently blogged about, is reminicint of the Crossfire MK-1 pump action / shotgun combo gun. the MK-1 was not a commercial success.

I zeroed the .223 at 50 yards which permitted me to check the alignment of the shotgun barrel with the rifle barrel. For coyote and turkey calling, a 50-yard zero is actually very useful. With the ghost ring sight combination and that heavy trigger, I averaged 1 1/2" with the Winchester Silvertips.

Loading some Winchester #4s in the shotgun half of the Crossfire, and moving up to 40 yards, I fired at several test targets consisting of Birchwood Casey's "Shoot-NC" turkey, head/neck silhouettes. The combination of Winchester's latest turkey loads and the Crossfire with a full choke delivered exceedingly deadly patterns. Better, yet, the impact of the pattern was in line with the zero I had established with the rifle. Finally, the #4 Buck loads at 50 yards just devastated the target.

Did I get a coyote? Two -- one with the .223 and one with the 12 gauge. Where does this position the Crossfire as a sportsman's firearm?

It's a very useful medium-range, varmint and turkey combination, and on future hunts, I would add a Red Dot or a low power variable scope. The Crossfire would make an ideal camp or yacht gun, a handy gun around the farm or ranch, and the Crossfire could always double as a home defense firearm.

I might add that because of its design and its loading, unloading and firing protocols, shooting the Crossfire requires thought and attention to details. Without studying the instructional manual and video, the average person would be challenged to operate it. Even the owner is urged not to disassemble the Crossfire if there's a problem, but to have it serviced by the Customer Service Department, a trained armorer or qualified gunsmith.

If you enjoy innovative firearm design, you will find the Crossfire a very intriguing new firearm indeed.

Guns from Public Enemies

Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless used by Depp

Mauser 98 Sporter used by Melvin Purvis

Lars Dalseide, of the NRA, was kind enough to sent me photos of the two of the guns used in the movie Public Enemies. These guns will be on display at the upcoming Nation Firearm Museum Movie Guns exhibit.

I was very surprised to learn that the bolt action used in the movie by G-Man Melvin Purvis was a Mauser 98 Sporter, not a Mannlicher. You can read more about the guns at the NRA Blog and on the latest episode of The Curator's Corner (Click on the Mar 18 tab, then scroll down to "Phil Schreier; National Firearms Museum")

Submachine gun

Over the next three years the Czech armed forces will be adopting the 5.56mm CZ 805 rifle, the 9mm CZ Skorpion EVO III (no relation to the original CZ Skorpion), CZ 75 Phantom (polymer version of the CZ 75) and CZ 805 G1 underslung grenade launcher.

Česká zbrojovka a.s. and the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic signed today the purchase contract for supply of 7, 800 ordnance sets designed for the Armed Force of the Czech Republic. During the years 2010 – 2013 Česká zbrojovka a.s. will supply to the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic in total 6, 687 pcs. of assault rifles designated as the CZ 805 BREN A1 chambered in 5.56 x 45 mm cal. and 1, 250 pcs. of assault rifles designated as the CZ 805 BREN A2 chambered in 5.56 x45 and made in shortened version – carbine, including accessories. The overall supply contains also the CZ 805 G1 underslung grenade launchers made in 40 x 46 mm cal., sighting systems to be used in day or night light conditions and marker devices. Deliveries of firearms will be accompanied with tool outfits for maintenance, sets of spare parts and proper ammunition. The overall volume of the contract makes CZK 1.1 billion incl. VAT.

Česká zbrojovka a.s today also signed a contract to supply 5, 570 pcs. of the CZ 75 PHANTOM semi-auto pistols in cal. 9 x 19 mm, including accessories such as tactical flashlights, sets of spare parts and tool outfits for maintenance. At the same time the contract contains a clause covering supply of 572 pcs. of fully-automatic personal defence weapons the CZ SCORPION EVO 3 A1 in 9 x 19 mm cal. (PDW category), including accessories. These weapons will be also accompanied by deliveries of tactical flashlights and sighting devices, tool outfits for maintenance, sets of spare parts and proper ammunition. The overall volume makes a sum of CZK 129.8 incl. VAT, and this contract will be performed over the period 2010 – 2011.

Marines wanting

The M1911 is stealthily making a comeback! The Marines are wanting to procure 4000 M45 pistols. The M45 was previously know as the MEU(SOC) pistol. A few interesting points from the procurement document ...

Pistol must have an accessory rail meeting MIL-STD-1913 specifications

five shot group to an average of no more than 4 inches by 4 inches at 25 yards
It has a consistent trigger pull of 5 (+/- 1) lbs.
Reliability of an average minimum of 300 rounds between stoppages and 5,000 rounds between parts failures

NAA Queen of Hearts

TALO is distributing this North American Arms limited edition. It is chambered in .22 Long Rifle, the cylinder is gold etched and the grips are pearlite. 500 will be made.

Thunder 380 Duotone Plus

BRAND:    Bersa

MODEL:    Thunder 380 Duotone Plus

TYPE:    Semi-Automatic Pistol

CALIBER:    380

FINISH:    Two-Tone

ACTION:    Double Action

STOCK:    Black Rubber Grips

CAPACITY:    15+1

# OF MAGS:    1

SAFETY:    Manual, Firing Pin, Integral Locking System

SIGHTS:    Rear: Notched-Bar Dovetailed Front: Blade

BARREL LENGTH:    3 1/2"

OVERALL LENGTH:    6 5/8"

WEIGHT:    23 oz

FEATURES:    Exclusively Available from Davidson's

Civilian firearms

AN ESTIMATED 875m small arms are in circulation worlwide: one for every seven people on the planet. Nearly three-quarters of these are owned by civiliands. And about 80% of those guns in civilian hands are found in just 30 countries, accourding to the small Arms survey, a research group. Although America accounts for40% of firearms in civilian ownnership, people put them to more deadly use elsewhere. The gun murder rate in Olombia and South Africa, for example, is much higher than in America.