A YPG sniper employing a Zagros AMR against Islamic State forces at the Battle of Al Hawl, November 11, 2015. (AL MASIRAH) Craft-Produced Anti-Materiel Rifles…
New Drone Training Program Botach, Inc. (a drone reseller–drone service provider and distributor of tactical products to the U.S. Public Safety channel and the U.S….
International Legal Affairs – Export Reform By Jason M. Wong Draft regulations have been published regarding the transfer of USML categories I, II and III…
INDIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENCE ENTERS NEGOTIATION PERIOD WITH SIG SAUER & CARACAL SIG SAUER and Caracal International LLC are courting the Indian Ministry of Defence…
TRIJICON REAP-IR® Thermal Riflescope Line Expanded The new REAP-IR models offer two additional magnification options to the 35mm effective focal length variants (2.5x base optical…
FOXFURY Nomad® 360 FOXFURY Nomad® 360 The FoxFury Nomad® 360 Scene Light has been upgraded. With built-in tripod legs, the Nomad® 360 extends up to…
ABOVE: FIME GROUP VEPR 12 Shotgun FIME GROUP VEPR 12 Shotgun The Vepr 12 is a shotgun designed for self-defense, hunting, range shooting and 3-gun…
Raytheon, Saab Demonstrate New Carl-Gustaf Munition for U.S. Army Raytheon Company and Swedish aerospace and defense firm Saab are demonstrating a new guided munition for…
Screening Prohibited Parties As the world becomes increasingly more complicated, one might imagine that there is an official list of “naughty” countries (or individuals) to…
A History of South African Firearms South Africa has a rich history evident in its firearms, but this is a story that is seldom told…
Defense Distributed: The Final Chapter? Frequent readers of this column will note that we’ve been following the Defense Distributed case since inception and originally noted…
ABOVE: Remington’s Concealable Sniper Rifle REMINGTON Concealable Sniper Rifle The Remington® Concealable Sniper Rifle (CSR™) is a compact, highly modular sniper weapon system. The CSR…
ABOVE: Big Horn Armory’s AR500 BIG HORN ARMORY AR500 The AR500 in 500 Auto Max is designed for hunters and law enforcement. Based on a…
Photonis Announces Partnership with Night Vision Devices Photonis USA Pennsylvania, Inc., has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with Night Vision Devices, Inc., as the…
Chicago PD to Use Sig Sauer P320s On May 31, 2018, SIG SAUER announced that the City of Chicago Police Department added the P320 to…
Export Reform, Continued Faithful readers of this column are well aware of the ongoing efforts to modernize and streamline the current procedures for the export…
THE GRIM REAPER: The Story of the Weapon of Choice for Many of the World’s Armies This is a very large and thorough book on…
EXCELITAS QIOPTIQ KITE IN LINE Image-Intensified Weapon Sight EXCELITAS QIOPTIQ KITE IN LINE Image-Intensified Weapon Sight EXCELITAS QIOPTIQ KITE IN LINE Image-Intensified Weapon Sight KITE…
ABOVE: SMITH & WESSON Performance Center® & Thompson/Center® Long Range Rifle (LRR) SMITH & WESSON / PERFORMANCE CENTER® Performance Center® & Thompson/Center® Long Range Rifle…
ABOVE: ARES Director N.R. Jenzen-Jones firing the L129A1 at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom at Shrivenham in February 2017. (CHLOE TOUSIGNANT/ARES) British L129A1…
ABOVE: Aimpoint Micro T-2™ Flat Dark Earth Sight Aimpoint Introduces Limited Run Micro T-2™ Flat Dark Earth Sights Aimpoint has announced the launch of a…
ABOVE: MEPROLIGHT Mepro 6X MEPRO 6X is a compact and lightweight (640 gr.) x6 telescopic day sight with enhanced optics. Utilizing a quick-release Picatinny adaptor,…
Otis Technology Acquires Shooter’s Choice Otis Technology is pleased to announce that it has acquired the popular Shooter’s Choice brand. The deal took effect January…
Proposed Restrictions on Technology Transfers The transfer of technology is critical to innovation, development and future commercialization of new technologies. Innovations in computer infrastructure and…
ABOVE: Although ghillie suits have been seen in training settings, the majority of ISOF snipers operating in urban battlefields appear to forgo the camouflage outfits…
MEPROLIGHT MEPRO RDS PRO/M5 Red Dot Sight The MEPRO RDS PRO is an energy-efficient, compact sight that provides thousands of operating hours while utilizing a…
CZ-USA CZ S2 TI / SS Reflex The new S2 Ti Reflex uses an over-the-barrel design to maximize suppression while minimizing overall assembled length. With…
ABOVE: German 4.73x33mm HITP G11 caseless cartridge components (L-R): Plastic cap, projectile, booster cup, propellant body and primer (not visible). The propellant and primer are…
POF USA Revolution POF’s Revolution Wins ‘Rifle of the Year’ Patriot Ordnance Factory (POF) announced in January 2018 that the American Rifleman magazine has chosen…
Congressional Notification This column regularly discusses the workings and implications of the International Trade in Arms Regulations, or ITAR. News stories regarding the export of…
Sniper, CQB, and Handgun optics NIGHTFORCE OPTICS NX8 1-8×24 F1 Designed for short- to medium-range shooting, the compact, first focal plane NX8 1-8×24 F1 riflescope…
KINETIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP Optics Hub The KDG Optics Hub is a lightweight, rugged aluminum housing for your favorite spotting scope. Unlike other products on the…
Swiss VP9 Integrally Suppressed Pistol Swiss VP9 Integrally Suppressed Pistol Jonathan Ferguson | Photography N.R. Jenzen-Jones/ARES The manually operated, integrally suppressed VP9 pistol by B&T…
Following the tragedy in Las Vegas, there has been an outcry in the firearms industry as to the legality of a “bump stock” and the…
GERBER Center-Drive Black w/MOLLE Compatible Sheath Gerber’s new multi-tool offers uncompromising performance through revolutionary design. The innovative center-axis driver opens to align like a real…
New European Union Firearm Restrictions After several rounds of firearm legislation throughout the early 2000s, the European Parliament passed new restrictions on firearm ownership on…
Aimpoint Announces the CompM5 Optic Aimpoint has announced the addition of the new Aimpoint CompM5 sight to their professional product line. Powered by a single…
Hand Grenades M-84 KRUŠIK HOLDING CORPORATION Hand Grenades M-84 & M-75 M-84 Hand Grenade Manufacturer: Krusik Holding Corporation Model: M-84 Type: Hand Grenade Discharge Time:…
PHOTO COURTESY ARES Serbian M02 Coyote HMG and 120mm Mortar Projectiles in Syria By Yuri Lyamin with N.R. Jenzen-Jones In recent days, reports have emerged…
ABOVE: YANKEE HILL MACHINE 5.56 Turbo Suppressor YANKEE HILL MACHINE 5.56 Turbo Suppressor The Turbo™ was designed to meet the increasing demand for a quiet,…
Primus 8×56 King of the Night & 8×42 Universal Genius Binoculars BLASER Primus 8×56 King of the Night & 8×42 Universal Genius Binoculars Rather than…
Let’s Go Abroad: Temporary Exports and Foreign Trade Shows For many in the industry, the SHOT Show in Las Vegas may be the firearms trade…
Boko Haram with UAG-40 Automatic Grenade Launcher in Nigeria By the ARES Team In April 2016, Boko Haram (the Nigerian affiliate of the Islamic State)…
Smith & Wesson Purchases Gemtech Smith & Wesson announced that it will acquire Gemini Technologies, Inc. The Idaho company known as Gemtech manufactures “high quality…
GEMTECH TREK Silencer GEMTECH TREK Silencer The NEW GEMTECH TREK Silencer has been redesigned to make it more user friendly especially on short barreled rifles….
DRD TACTICAL LLC Aptus is a multi-caliber, quick-change barrel weapon system that allows you to go from PDW to DMR in less than 1 minute….
ATK Awarded MK44 Bushmaster Chain Guns to Lithuanian Infantry Fighting Vehicles Orbital ATK announced that the company’s MK44 Bushmaster Chain Gun was selected by the…
Exporting by Hand–Moving Controlled Items in Person Major imports and exports typically take place via ocean or air cargo. Shipping a container of goods between…
FN USA INTRODUCES NEW FN M249S™ PARA The FN M249S™ Para, a semi-automatic version of the M249 Para light machine gun, was originally developed by…
Case of Mistaken Identities? Following Iran’s ballistic missile test, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced new sanctions on Iran. The sanctions targets, Abdollah…
Arms Exports Under a Trump Presidency During the run up to the 2016 US Presidential election, candidate Trump made frequent comments regarding exports and trade,…
Iran May Have Violated UN Arms Embargo The United Nations has expressed concern that Iran may have violated an arms embargo by providing weapons to…
ABOVE: NEW FIREFIELD SIEGE MONOCULARS NEW FIREFIELD SIEGE MONOCULARS Whether scanning for game animals during serious hunting, spotting for target shooting or observing wildlife for…
Export Regulation Recap: 2016 Changes and Amendments Export Control Reform Avid readers of this column will recall that export control reform has been underway since…
THE SNIPER RIFLE OF “THE AMERICAN” Agent 2257 is having her big day off and is sitting in a upper class hotel lobby waiting for…
ABOVE: FIME Group FM-AK-47-11 Rifle FIME Group Introduces the FM-AK-47-11 Rifle FIME Group of Las Vegas, Nevada, introduces the latest member of the Molot family…
Judge Strikes Sandy Hook Lawsuit Against Remington “A Connecticut Superior Court judge struck decided in favor of Remington Outdoor companies, Camfour Holding, and Riverview Sales,…
ITAR Registration, Yet Again On July 22, 2016, the U.S. State Department, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) released new guidance on whether gunsmiths must…
ABOVE: CAA INTRODUCES NON-NFA RONI PISTOL CARBINE CONVERSION CAA, developers and manufacturers of advanced battle-tested firearms accessories, is proud to announce the RONI® Civilian pistol…
U.S. State Department Announces that “Gunsmithing” Requires ITAR Registration On July 22, 2016, the U.S. Sate Deparmtnet, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls issued new “guidance,”…
US Arms Policy Against Vietnam: History, past, present, and future. On May 23, 2016, President Obama announced lifting a nearly 50-year old arms embargo against…
ABOVE: B&T UNIVERSAL SERVICE WEAPON NEW WEAPON FROM B&T; THE UNIVERSAL SERVICE WEAPON Recent terror events in the world and especially Europe have changed the…
United States lifts the Arms Embargo against Vietnam On May 23, 2016, President Obama announced lifting the arms embargo against Vietnam. For a full discussion…
Europe Discovers the Virtues of Personal Self-Defense While European Politicians Seek to Disarm the Continent. Gun control pundits have long extolled the virtues of an…
STI™ INTERNATIONAL INTRODUCES THE NEW GUARDIAN 2011 PISTOL New for 2016, the ever popular STI™ Guardian is now available in a 2011 platform with a…
New Sanctions on North Korea Following the February 7, 2016 missile launch by North Korea, additional sanctions have been imposed by the US Government. The…
The ACE Secure Data Portal – Bringing International Transactions into the 21st Century. For many years, the import/export community has relied upon a combination of…
ATN DEBUTS LATEST OTS THERMAL MONOCULAR LINE ATN DEBUTS LATEST OTS THERMAL MONOCULAR LINE ATN, innovators of advanced night vision, thermal imaging and digital Smart…
HIMARS achieves one million operational hours Lockheed Martin’s High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) recently achieved a significant milestone with U.S. military forces, reaching one…
Lockheed Martin Receives $528 Million THAAD Missile-Defense Contract The Missile Defense Agency awarded Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) a $528 million contract in December 2015 for production…
MEOPTA INTRODUCES NEW MEOPRO 6.5-20X50 AND 6.5-20X50 HTR RIFLESCOPES MEOPTA INTRODUCES NEW MEOPRO 6.5-20X50 AND 6.5-20X50 HTR RIFLESCOPES Meopta adds to its popular 1-inch MeoPro®…
Defense Distributed – continued. A brief synopsis of the events thus far: January 2013: Defense Distributed, a nonprofit, gun-design digital publisher headquartered in Austin, Texas…
Dealing with the U.S. Government: U.S. State Department versus the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Dealing with the U.S. Government is not always…
FOBUS ANNOUNCES NEW HOLSTER FOR SELECT GLOCK MODELS FOBUS ANNOUNCES NEW HOLSTER FOR SELECT GLOCK MODELS First Samco, Inc. (FSI), the exclusive distributor of Fobus…
“Unreasonable” interpretations of the public domain exception The US State Department recently announced proposed regulatory language that would restrict the publication of technical data. Recall…
AES – The Automated Export System As computing systems get more advanced, there are increased opportunities to automate previously mundane or tedious tasks. In automating…
U.S. MACHINE GUN ARMORY ANNOUNCES THE MGA SAW K The U.S. Machine Gun Armory, an international provider of multi-caliber military belt-fed machine guns, often referred…
Two U.S. Senators Fail ITAR Literacy Test Many are understandably upset with the proposed rule from the U.S. State Department to regulate the dissemination of…
World War II Japanese home front patriotic fan. Made of bamboo and paper it measures 7-1/2 inches long and opens up to be about 10…
First Amendment Rights Versus the ITAR On June 3, 2015, the U.S. State Department published a proposed rule on the publication of firearms related information…
Kivaari .338 Lapua Rifle Now Shipping Kivaari .338 Lapua Rifle Now Shipping DRD Tactical is happy to announce that they have started shipping their new…
Fine for Improper Wire Transfer The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that it had fined the New York branch of the National Bank…
Original silk art painting done immediate post World War I during the occupation of Germany. Entitled, “Neuwied Germany, Co. A, 4th M.G., 2nd Div., With…
Recalls and Warrantees Firearms, like most mechanical items, occasionally break. Parts can fail, and barrels become worn. If the firearm was made in the United…
IWI US, Inc. Introduces Galil Pistol for the U.S. Market IWI US, Inc. Galil Pistol for the U.S. Market IWI US, Inc., a subsidiary of…
FDIC Head Admits “mistake” in ‘Operation Choke Point.’ Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Martin Gruenberg told members of a U.S. House panel that much of…
Steiner Introduces “Intelligent” Combat Sight (ICS) Steiner Introduces “Intelligent” Combat Sight (ICS) Steiner’s new “Intelligent” Combat Sight (ICS) integrates a laser rangefinder and a ballistic…
M855 – What’s the Big Deal? Pay any attention to American politics, and the reader will know that the ATF recently attempted to reclassify and…
Australian gold gilt and enameled veteran’s pin for the 2/1 Machine Gun Battalion Association’s 50th anniversary. Enameled grey, black and yellow triangle insignia of the…
Vietnam Wants Arms Embargo Lifted Vietnam wants the U.S. to lift fully an embargo on arms sales that was eased last year, but Washington is…
Sterling silver U.S. doughboy dog tag holder and locket. The outside of the holder is engraved “2nd Lieut. H.W. Billman 109 M.G. Bn. 28th Division…
Shipping Hazardous Materials Shipping ammunition within the United States? Easy. Slap a UPS Ground shipment label and ORM-D sticker on it and off it goes….
SureFire Releases Its Most Powerful LED Flashlight Ever SureFire Releases Its Most Powerful LED Flashlight Ever SureFire, LLC, manufacturer of high-end illumination tools and tactical…
Chinese Arms Appear in South Sudan The (new) civil war in South Sudan is a little more than a year old, but it won’t end…
American Built Arms Introduces Aluminum Forearm T*Rail American Built Arms Introduces Aluminum Forearm T*Rail American Built Arms Company (A*B Arms), a veteran-owned manufacturer of firearms…
Iran looking to upgrade weapon systems Faced with the arms embargo enforced by the West, China may be Iran’s last hope in upgrading its obsolete…
International Shipping: Why Does Everything Cost So Much? A recent call from a prospective client came in, and went something like this. “I’m in Canada,…
ABOVE: British Machine Gun Corps shoulder patches as adopted for the 101st Machine Gun Company. This rare and unique patch features the image of a…
HK Launches New Striker-Fired V9 Pistol Heckler & Koch has just introduced its new striker fired pistol, the 9mm VP9 to the commercial and law…
U.S. Commerce and State Departments Suspend Export Licenses to Russia Effective March 1, 2014, the U.S. Commerce and State Departments have suspended all license applications…
What Is OFAC, the SDN, and Why Can’t Russian Arms Be Imported Into The U.S.? On July 17, 2014, the Obama administration announced additional sanctions…
World War I A.I.F (Australian Imperial Forces) aluminum dog tag. Engraved “92 T. Maxwell, 10 M.G. Coy RC” (Tag #92, T. Maxwell, 10th Machine Gun…
TOP: German interwar period paperweight or desk ornament. 6-inch long silver German Maxim MG08 with Z.F. 12 optical sight mounted on a prone sled mount…
The U.S. State Department “Eats Their Own Young:” The Basics of Mens Rea, Specific Intent, and Acting “Knowingly” American criminal legal theory is based upon…
Bullseye Camera System Announce Remote Targeting Viewing The Bullseye Camera System is a unique patent-pending system that allows a shooter to view his downrange target…
ATF Import Permits Officially Changed to 2-Year Period of Validity On February 7, 2014, ATF announced via the Federal Register that it would extend the…
Negrini srl and International Case Company are introducing the Tactica Concealed Carry line of lightweight travel and security cases dedicated to shooters and collectors of tactical weapons and handguns. Designed specifically for today’s handgun and tactical weapon shooters, Negrini Tactica CC cases hide their intended use with attractive Italian design instead of looking like typical gun cases. The Tactica CC cases also offer….
Classification: (noun) A way or condition of being arranged. The act of putting into classes. A subdivision of a larger group. Classification. What’s the…
Oregon State Police (OSP) Sergeant Tyler Lee reports that on January 4, 2013 at approximately 9:13 p.m., a 1984 Toyota Land Cruiser driven by John Noveske, age 36, from Grants Pass, was westbound on Highway 260 near El Camino Way. As the vehicle negotiated a right curve, it traveled across the oncoming lane onto the dirt highway shoulder until it struck two large boulders. The vehicle rolled and Mr. Noveske was ejected. Noveske, who is the owner of a local rifle manufacturing company, was not using safety restraints and was pronounced….
“May you live in interesting times…” supposedly a Chinese curse, the U.S. arms export trade is currently facing unprecedented challenges and difficulties. Faced with threats from the United Nations via the Arms Trade Treaty, threats of new Federal and State legislation limiting the manufacture of firearms and magazines, and the recent unprecedented consumer demand for firearms have created shortages of nearly all firearms and ammunition. Those involved in the export of semiautomatic firearms from the United States know that sourcing firearms has been challenging since the end of 2012….
Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. reported that third-quarter sales were up 39 percent compared to the same period last year. “Performance gains were driven by continued robust consumer demand for firearms as well as increased sales of our M&P polymer pistols and modern sporting rifles. Based on incremental improvements in expanding our production capacity, which will be further deployed in the fourth quarter, we are increasing our financial guidance for the full fiscal year 2013,” said President and CEO James Debney….
Policies and regulations regarding exports are constantly changing. With the high degree of compliance required to lawfully export firearms from the United States, it is…
Freedom Group Announces George Kollitides as New CEO Freedom Group, Inc. (FGI) announced George Kollitides as its Chief Executive Officer. Kollitides, a lifelong hunter, shooter…
When buying consumer items online, particularly within the United States, the cost of shipping the item is frequently borne by the buying consumer. Sometimes, the…
EPA Denies Latest Anti-Hunting Group Petition to Ban Traditional Ammunition The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) denied yet another frivolous petition by the Center for Biological…
Frequent readers of this column will note many comments and criticisms of the current U.S. brokering regulations- stating they are flawed; overly broad, difficult to…
ATK Receives $24 Million Contract Modification to XM25, Individual Semi-Automatic Airburst System Engineering and Manufacturing Development Contract ATK has received a $24 million contract modification…
Photo © FN Herstal, S.A., Belgium (Herstal, Belgium) – February 6, 2012. For the first time in Asia, FN Herstal, a world leader in small arms…
With every passing year, technology and innovation make the world smaller, allowing for international business to move ever quicker. In the arms trade, offsets and…
Glock Announces Voluntary Replacement of Recoil Spring Assemblies in Gen4 Pistols Glock announced that it is voluntarily exchanging the recoil spring assembly (RSA) on its…
Those involved in the international arms trade are (or should be) intimately familiar with the International Trade in Arms Regulations, frequently known by its acronym,…
Former Bushmaster plant back in production Earlier this year, the Freedom Group, current owner of Bushmaster Firearms, moved operations from Maine to streamline operations. It…
Recent questions have arisen in the international arms community over retransfer assurances and end use restrictions on U.S. made products. While some of the U.S….
Bushmaster Manufacturing Moving to New York The Freedom Group announced a manufacturing relocation of the Bushmaster Firearms International manufacturing facility located in Windham, Maine, to…
Recently, there has been a lot of press regarding the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practice Act (FCPA). Readers active within the small arms industry will recall…
Smith & Wesson Smith & Wesson announced that Jeffrey D. Buchanan has been named executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer. Buchanan, 55, has…
The arms trade is a multi-billion dollar global international market, with arms being traded by both small and large entities. Unfortunately, like any trade, the…
U.S. Export Control Reform On December 9, President Obama announced that, as part of the Administration’s effort to reform the export control system, the Departments…
Previous articles regarding UN gun control measures have warned of current and pending actions at the United Nations that threaten to limit, or control an…
Maryland Probation Officer Convicted of Export Violations Emenike Charles Nwankwoala, a 49-year-old resident of Laurel, Maryland, pleaded guilty to charges that he exported shotguns, pistols…
On Tuesday, January 19, 2010, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a press release announcing the arrest of 22 individuals on allegations of violating the…
New Requirements for Commodity Jurisdiction Requests The U.S. Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (State/DDTC) has posted a message on its website that…
The sale of defense articles worldwide is typically straight forward – the buyer coordinates with the seller, and each party secures the proper government licenses…
ATF Manufacturing and Marking Requirements Eased On November 19, 2009, ATF released Ruling 2009-5 that relieves subcontractors from marking receivers and/or other restricted parts manufactured on…
Gun control efforts by the United Nations are well known. The Fredrik Reuterswärd sculpture of a revolver with its barrel tied in a knot is…
Law Enforcement International The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded a contract to Law Enforcement International (LEI) for the supply of a new 7.62mm semiautomatic “sharpshooter”…
Historically, U.S. export control policy has served to restrict products and technology to potential enemies, to support foreign policy goals, and by limiting exports to…
XS Sight Systems XS Sight Systems introduced the Glass Assault Tool (GAT) as a rapid and effortless means of breaching automotive or cosmetic glass while…
U.S. Navy photo of pirates captured on Feb. 11, 2009 by the USS Vella Gulf, a guided-missile cruiser patrolling the Gulf of Aden to detect…
DoubleStar 1911 DoubleStar announced the release of their new 1911 pistol. Although DoubleStar is most widely known as a maker of high-quality gun parts for…
Exporting defense articles or utilizing defense services from the United States? Like it or not, the U.S. State Department controls the export of all defense…
BAE Systems BAE Systems recently announced the Integrated Warfighter System (IWS). Still in the developmental stages, the IWS is BAE Systems’ first attempt to take…
The 2005 Lion’s Gate film The Lord of War, starring Nicolas Cage, is well known in the international small arms industry. Allegedly based upon the acts of former KGB major Viktor Bout, the movie makes a political statement against the international arms industry and claims that the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council) are the world’s leading arms suppliers.
Pelican Products acquired longtime rival Hardigg Industries to become the largest manufacturer of protective cases. The transaction was valued at US$200 Million. The merger combines the world’s largest roto-molded case manufacturer with the world’s largest injection molded manufacturer. Pelican will employ over 1,500 employees with 22 offices operating in 12 countries. The combined company boasts 6 manufacturing plants located throughout Europe and North America.
