For a compact assassination pistol, the Soviet PSS with its companion SP4 silent ammunition is a hard combination to beat. While the PSS resembles a somewhat large conventional blowback pistol, it is definitely unique. The weapon is 6.7 inches long and weighs 30 ounces. Its size is comparable to a SIG P226 pistol, but the specialized ammunition delivers a close range lethal projectile with almost no sound signature….
It was clear that the EF88 is significantly better than its predecessors, and exhibits all of the traits of a competitive modern assault rifle. Within its niche as an advanced bullpup rifle, it has little competition – perhaps only from the IMI Tavor series – and exceeds the standards provided by Defence under Land 125. Thales Australia have managed to correct some of the weaknesses of the F88SA2 (poor cheek weld, excessive weight….
The famous MAG-58 General Purpose Machine Gun has its roots in John Browning’s 1918 Browning Automatic Rifle: the BAR. FN Herstal’s relationship with Browning is well-known and it’s no surprise that the excellent BAR operating system would evolve in their hands. The FN Model D BAR added features such as a quick-change barrel, but the core operating system was alive and well throughout the evolution. Put simply….
At the 2012 SHOT Show, ArmaLite introduced their new and long anticipated AR-10A family of rifles. This is an AR-10 that uses the standard magazine rather than the proprietary M14 based magazine that the ArmaLite AR-10B rifles have used since their introduction in 1995. To trace the history a little, the ArmaLite AR-10B series was introduced to the commercial market in 1995, which was one year after the infliction of the 1994 assault weapon ban that prohibited production of magazines that held more than 10 rounds for commercial purposes. Former U.S. Army Ordnance officer and President of ArmaLite Mark Westrom had a dilemma on his hands while….
Choosing the name of the most popular home video cassette system for your nation’s rifle might not have been intentional, but that’s the association that the Višenamjenska Hrvatska Strojnica (multipurpose Croatian automatic weapon) would not be able to shake off easily. Anyone who knows anything about weapons would also recognize the source of the stylistic inspiration – the French FA MAS F1 “Bugle,” an icon of the 1980s on par with the Phillips video cassette recorder system called the Video Home System….
The familiar look, feel and function of the legendary 1911 pistol designed over 100 years ago are alive in this new offering from Rock Island Armory. For those who are followers or even “fans” of this beloved design, simply holding one brings a smile to their face. For this latest incarnation, the .22TCM by Armscor, everything remains the same – until it is fired for the first time. At that single point of contact between firing pin and primer, the interest of all surrounding shooters is evident. This is not so much about a new 1911 family pistol, as it is a new cartridge with a….
Left side of the VKS rifle less scope, with iron sights raised. Over the last several decades, counter-terrorism operations became very important for most ‘civilized…
To appreciate the complexity of situations where police or military forces charged with peacekeeping duties utilize force, one must conceptualize force not as a static concept but rather as a continuum of responses, ranging from verbal commands, as a minor exertion of force, to deadly force, the maximum amount of force possible to apply. A use-of-force continuum relies on the concept of multiple categories of increasing officer perceptions of suspect resistance linked to similar groupings of the officer’s response to those perceptions….
For a rifle to be considered versatile it must be able to satisfy multiple roles with equal aplomb. A viable rifle candidate for this title is the SIG Sauer 716 Patrol chambered in .308Win/7.62x51mm. The SIG 716 Patrol joins the growing number of AR style platforms chambered in .308Win/7.62x51mm. .308Win/7.62x51mm potency in terms of ballistics and terminal effect makes it a favorite among U.S. troops and law enforcement personnel in more rural environments. A quick look at the resurrection of the M14 and…
The B&T Advanced Police Carbine 9 (APC9) is a rather nice blend of existing, proven design and some truly unique engineering. It is a clever and well thought out balance between time proven features, high tech production materials and manufacturing procedures to keep costs to a minimum. It is a statement to the excellence of Swiss engineering and innovation. The APC, not unlike the Glock pistol, was designed from the very beginning to be produced…
For the last 15 or so years, the AR-10 has seen a rebirth from the dust on the floor of the former Ordnance Corps. With the lack of vision and judgment which would eventually be their demise and have their doors shut forever by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara “Tomorrows Rifle Today” wound up being “Today’s Rifle Yesterday!” It would be Gene Stoner who would resurrect the AR-10 from the dead with the assistance of C. Reed Knight, Jr. With the introduction of the SR-25 sniper rifle the industry would experience a shift in what a sniper rifle really was….
The Czech arms industry made a great impact in 20th century weaponry history with a large range of remarkable products. Probably the most original of them all was a “special submachine gun” named the Skorpion, a successful effort for covering the gap between service pistols and traditional submachine guns chambered in pistol cartridges. The Skorpion, in its initial, less powerful caliber, i.e. 7.65mm Browning (.32 Auto), has not met modern security unit’s requirements for some years, much less that of the armed forces; nevertheless….
Afghanistan, November 13, 2011: A gang of armed Taliban terrorists hold 18 hostages in the Kabul offices of Esko International, a North American company specializing in food distribution. Task Force 45, the intervention unit of the Italian Armed Forces composed of elements taken from Italian Special Forces units; storm the building in a well coordinated, multidirectional, simultaneous attack. The raid of TF45 ends with the liberation of all the 18 hostages and the total elimination of all the terrorists winning attention and praise from the international Special Forces community for the perfect way they executed their mission….
Early in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq it was clear by the entire sniping community there was a need for a new updated sniper rifle. Modern semiautomatic rifles show little to no accuracy degradation from the traditional bolt action rifles used throughout the last century. The use of a semiautomatic sniper system not only would provide the snipers with their existing capabilities but so much more. Snipers could engage five targets in at least half the time it would take a sniper with a bolt action rifle. Also, the snipers ability to engage multi-targets is vastly increased….
A direct derivation from the TAR-21 Tavor bullpup rifle, adopted in 2003 by the Israel Defence Forces, we are going to introduce to SADJ readers the version designed for the Sayeret (Special Forces) units, a shorter and more modular rifle that, in case of need, can be converted into a SMG. The TAR-21 project in Ramat Hasharon was started in 1995 when the Israeli company name was still IMI (Israel Military Industries)….
The end of the first decade of the new millennium saw Czechs and Slovaks as the Last of Mohicans in the Unified Europe: the only country with its own creative rifle possibility to use 7.62mm caliber for the main battle long arm. The Sa-58 (Samopal vzor 58) rifle, the mainstay of the Czechoslovakian People’s Army (Ceskoslovenska lidova armada, the CSLA) has been in use since the early 1960s, when Czechoslovakia became the only Warsaw Pact country not to introduce a clone of Kalashnikov’s AK/AKM series….
Chinese submachine gun technology has come a long way in the past 50 years. From the days of chop-shop PPSh-41 variants through the copies of Thompson submachine guns and M3 Greaseguns, a very efficient and high-technology infrastructure has evolved. Westerners may not be quick to understand the devotion the Chinese have to developing the manufacturing base in their defense industry….
The new Gemtech Quicksand sound suppressor, now available for purchase, is used on 7.62 NATO rifles and utilizes a patented quick mount system. It can be fastened securely in only two seconds and at only 17.5 ounces in weight it is the lightest quick-detach .308 suppressor available….
The reintroduction of the AR-10/SR-25 in the early 1990s re-revolutionized the use of semiautomatic rifles as sniper/tactical rifles. The direct gas system combined with the eight-lug rotating bolt and a free floating barrel made this system sub-MOA with little difficulty or maintenance. Although the AR-10 was discarded nearly 50 years ago by a biased and self serving….
A soldier from the 1st Battalion the Scots Guards looking through the scope of his Sharpshooter rifle. Members of B Company, the 1st Battalion The…
The SPR Mod 1 being put through its paces by Monroe County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Steve Worden. The ArmaLite rifle is equipped with the Trijicon…
The 40mm grenade launcher has seemingly become ubiquitous in the catalog of modern rifle manufacturers. It seems that no catalog is complete without a 40mm…
Daewoo Precision, maker of the USAS12 combat shotgun, K1 and K2 battle rifles, and the K3 LMG, has manufactured well designed and robust weapon systems. …
The phone call from Carl Bertil Johansson in early summer 2009 came out of the blue. The founder of the Swedish company CBJ Tech had…
At the NRA Show in early 2009, Ruger introduced a new member to their semiautomatic rifle line: the SR-556 – Ruger’s Black Rifle. When they…
A relatively new product on the U.S. market, the Multi-Purpose Aiming Reflex Sight (MARS) has been on the international market for several years, and is reportedly…
The Makarov PB suppressed pistol with the secondary suppressor removed. This was easily concealed, and the secondary suppressor could be attached literally in seconds. The…
Dr. Philip H. Dater takes aim with the SSP-1M 4-barrel underwater pistol. The sound signature was recorded as 160.1 dB average in open air. (Dan…
The strategic placement of elements on the battlefield has been the subject of millions of words, from many sources, both experienced and those who are…
Switzerland is well known for its exquisite time pieces, fine chocolate, and its highly professional banking practices. The firearms manufactured by the Swiss are of…
There are few people intimately involved with the gun industry who have not had a favorite 1911 or two. Testing the latest .45 ACP offering…
Right side view of the Steyr SSG 08 with Heavy Barrel-type of barrel. The SSG 08 is a new marksman bolt-action rifle intended to replace…
U.S. Ordnance M2HB shown with a U.S. Ordnance Mk93 cradle, Vinghøg AS Vingfoot Combi Lightweight Tripod, B.E. Meyers Flash Suppressor, and US Ordnance improved sighting…
Rochester Police Department Emergency Task Force Operator Henry Favor test fires the LWRC M6A1 rifle. The rifle is equipped with the Magpul CTR Stock, MIAD…
Weighing in at only 7.2 ounces including the recoil device and with a diameter of only 1.25 inches, the Gemtech Tundra more resembles a rimfire…
What’s not to like about a real machine gun that’s significantly lighter than a chunky M240, about the same size as a puny SAW, pumps out powerful 7.62mm rounds with reliability and accuracy, and has long been a force multiplier in elite Navy SEAL Teams? GIs who’ve tried ‘em love ‘em, they’re comparable in price to buy and sustain as the FN guns, they’ve been in the logistics and combat doctrine chains for ever, and they’re 100 percent American designed and built. Slam dunk? Sorry….
Over the past 10 years the industry has seen several new weapon systems emerge with the older piston technology making a comeback. Due to the campaign of certain manufacturing firms, the consensus is that the older retro piston operating system is superior to the current direct gas system of the current issue M16 and M4 weapon systems. While no statistical data has come forth to support the claim, several manufacturers are coming out with piston operated 5.56mm weapon systems including Colt, POF, Heckler & Koch, LWRC and, now, Magpul Military Industries….
The sniper and spotter have been lying in their concealed position for hours observing the handful of windows and doors. Luckily they were shaded from the heat by the hide chosen in the rear corner of the room looking thru a hole in the wall caused by earlier combat in the area. Intelligence had indicated that the insurgent commander was in the area and likely using the observed structure as a safe house. The team had inserted by dropping off the back of a patrol sweeping thru the area. Range was not going to be a problem as the spotter and sniper had….
