(CHLOE TOUSIGNANT/ARES)

British L129A1 Sharpshooter Rifle
By Ian McCollum & N.R. Jenzen-Jones

With the trend toward so-called “intermediate caliber” cartridges following World War II, several influential studies deemed the range requirements for contemporary infantry small arms to be substantially less than provided by earlier, “full-power” rifle cartridges. In several reports—including the important Hall and Hitchman reports of the 1950s—ranges of no more than 300 meters were anticipated for most infantry engagements. With increasingly responsive and accurate firepower, especially airpower, some later military thinkers envisaged the role of small arms further diminishing. In recent conflicts, particularly Afghanistan, however, infantry small arms have played a more pivotal role than was anticipated on a “modern” battlefield. As one of the authors wrote in two of his recent reports:

“Traditional supporting fires—delivered by heavier weapon systems such as artillery and air-delivered munitions—were often restricted under rules of engagement or operational practices. Meanwhile, opposition forces have increasingly operated from within civilian communities, and military leadership and popular opinion have exhibited a lower tolerance for civilian casualties.”

(N.R. JENZEN-JONES/ARES)

As a result, infantrymen were frequently forced to engage enemies at longer ranges than anticipated, regularly beyond 300 meters and often beyond the 500-meter effective range of, for example, the U.S. Army’s M4-series standard rifle.

“U.S. Army data suggests that more than 50 percent of the small arms engagements in Afghanistan in 2011 required U.S. Army forces to engage targets beyond 500 meters. For their part, opposition forces would engage International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) units from ranges of up to 900 meters or farther, employing full-power-caliber GPMGs and designated marksman rifles (DMRs).”

This threat “overmatch” has been a driving factor behind the rapid adoption or increased issue of various full-power DMRs and GPMGs by several NATO and other forces, as well as an increased interest in so-called “general-purpose calibers.”

Different armed forces drew on existing stocks of GPGMs, in many cases, as well as purchasing new machine guns chambered for full-power rifle cartridges, such as the Mk 48 as adopted by the U.S. and the FN Herstal Minimi in 7.62x51mm adopted by the New Zealand Army.

(N.R. JENZEN-JONES/ARES)

These were supplemented by a number of DMR-type weapons, with both modernized variants of available weapons such as the U.S. development of the Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle (EBR) series, and new weapon systems, such as the Australian acquisition of the Heckler & Koch HK417, seeing service.

The British acquisition of the L129A1 followed this same trend, with the British Ministry of Defence issuing a 2009 Urgent Operational Requirement for a self-loading “sharpshooter” rifle “specifically to fill a need in Afghanistan.” The weapon was to be suitable both for use as a DMR and in close-quarters battle (CQB) scenarios.

Various manufacturers submitted rifles; after several testing stages, the final contenders for the role were the Heckler & Koch HK417 and the Lewis Machine & Tool LM7. LMT, partnered with Law Enforcement International (LEI) of the U.K., eventually won the contract. Their offering was type classified as the L129A1 and formally adopted in October 2009, with 440 L129A1 rifles purchased for some 1.5 million GBP. These entered field service by May 2010, and subsequent purchases have since been made.

LMT and LEI partnered to enter the LM7, the export version of LMT’s LM308MWS, into the sharpshooter trials program. This is essentially an SR-25-type self-loading rifle, using the original Stoner quasi-direct-impingement action and a multi-lug rotating bolt. Original guns, acquired under the UOR, were built on machined billet receivers. Later guns have been built around the LMT Monolithic Rail Platform, a one-piece upper receiver milled from a single 7075 T6 aircraft aluminum forging. The weapon’s case deflector has been through three iterations. With the billet receiver guns, a flat-topped “bump” shape was machined and added. This was then adjusted to a forged design, before a customer requirement in advance of the 2012 Olympics was met by modifying the design so that it deflects ejected cartridge cases out at the two o’clock position instead of a typical three o’clock position as is standard on the LM308MWS. According to one industry source, this was so that the L129A1 could be better used from helicopter platforms, such as was seen during the 2012 London Olympics. The concern was that brass ejected at a traditional position would be more likely to fall back into the helicopter and create a safety hazard for the crew. As part of LMT’s Modular Weapon System (MWS) family, the L129A1 features a 16-inch heavy stainless steel barrel that can be quickly swapped out. LMT produces compatible barrels in 13.5-, 16-, 18- and 20-inch lengths.

(N.R. JENZEN-JONES/ARES)

The internal components are of similarly high quality. As Chris Bartocci notes: “In keeping with the original AR-10 design, the bolt and bolt carrier are chrome-plated. Chrome is much easier to clean than most finishes, is corrosion-resistant and has self-lubricating properties. The rifle uses an H3 buffer with three tungsten weights. The bolt carrier has a captive firing pin retainer pin—a major plus when cleaning a rifle in the desert. A cotter pin is easy to lose in the sand, and this design prevents that. The bolt, like the barrel, is test-fired with a proof cartridge, magnetic-particle-inspected and marked “MP” to indicate the testing was done. Also, Lewis improved the hammer/trigger pins by incorporating a swell on one end, making them easier to remove.”

The rifle is issued in British service with a Trijicon TA648-308 6x48mm (ACOG) illuminated optic for precision engagements. The ACOG is fitted with a Picatinny rail to which is mounted a Trijicon RM01 1x Ruggedized Miniature Reflex (RMR) for CQB use. The L129A1 is fitted with a two-stage match trigger with a 4-pound trigger pull.

Unlike some similar programs in the U.S., the British requirement was for the Sharpshooter rifle to fire standard 7.62×51 L2A2 ball ammunition produced in the U.K. at Royal Ordnance Factory, Radway Green (RG). According to Greg Felton from LEI:

“The ammunition criteria stated by the MOD was that the rifle was to be able to use both RG 155-grain sniper ammunition, plus M80 ball and tracer, including de-linked machine gun belts. In the end, during their trials with the various competitors, they found that the 155-grain fired so much better than the standard ball that it was made the official issue ammunition for the weapon. As to what it is “matched to,” [Karl & I] designed the rifle to use both standard ball and 168-grain Match. With a 1:11.25-inch twist it works well with these weights, however, the heavier 175-grain projectiles need a faster twist for the best results at longer ranges.”

The L129A1 was issued at section level in the British Army, with one soldier in eight carrying the rifle. Three soldiers per section would be trained on the rifle, should they need to take over its operation. The relative heaviness of the L129A1 and good field of view of its optic make the weapon particularly amenable to rapid follow-up shots, a key performance characteristic in the DMR role. It has proved effective and popular amongst British forces. One British soldier who spoke to ARES about the weapon described it as “comfortable and easy to shoot.” During our brief time on the gun, we found that to be true. The LM308MWS, on which the L129A1 is based, is also in service with other military and law enforcement customers.

Technical Specifications

The British Army is currently looking to expand the role of the L129A1, considering issuing it as a sniper support weapon. However, this would involve a change in anticipated targets to include enemies wearing modern body armor, which the current 7.62x51mm ball projectiles are not particularly good at defeating at longer ranges. A new projectile with a mild steel penetrator core (similar in principle to the 5.56x45mm SS109 projectile)—but with ballistics matching the ball cartridges already in service—has been developed to allow the L129A1 to fill this new role if desired.

This article is part of a series of collaborative works produced by ARES Researcher Ian McCollum, who also runs the Forgotten Weapons blog and YouTube channel, in conjunction with ARES Technical Specialist Jonathan Ferguson and ARES Director N.R. Jenzen-Jones. Using access to unique collections facilitated by ARES, the series examines a range of interesting weapons in both video and print formats.

Special thanks to the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom at Shrivenham, for allowing us to handle and fire an L129A1 rifle, and to Neil Grant. This article is courtesy of Armament Research Services (ARES). See www.armamentresearch.com for further original content.

(N.R. Jenzen Jones/ARES)

British Submachine Gun Development: An Overview
By Ian McCollum

Great Britain was one of the few countries that went into World War II having undertaken virtually no submachine gun (SMG) development. Not every country had issued an SMG by 1939, but almost all major military powers had been working on experimental concepts. Germany, for example, was developing a number of concept guns during the interwar period, which would eventually result in the highly regarded MP 38. Some countries had already successfully employed SMGs in the First World War and understood their military utility. The British had only a small number of minor SMG developments in the interwar period; none of which progressed past the prototype stage. It was only with the outbreak of hostilities that the British need for such a weapon suddenly became apparent, and its acquisition became a military priority.

As a stopgap measure, two German MP 28/II submachine guns were acquired in Ethiopia, and a plan was set in motion to more or less copy them outright. The result of this reverse-engineering process was the Lanchester. This design was an effective and high quality weapon and provided an option besides the painfully expensive commercial purchase of Thompson guns from the United States–each Thomspon gun costing some three to five times as much as a Lanchester. During discussions with the armed services regarding each branch’s desired number of Lanchesters, the Army indicated they had no need given the acquisition of Thompson guns. While the Royal Air Force expressed a limited interest, this was scaled back by the time the guns were manufactured. The Royal Navy was the primary supporter of the Lanchester concept, asking for the provision of 50-round magazines with the guns, and ended up acquiring nearly all of the approximately 50,000 Lanchesters produced. (In fact, Lanchester SMGs saw limited Naval use into the 1970s, chained to ship bulkheads to provide arms to repel boarding-parties.) However, the Lanchester featured a lot of machined parts and a wooden butt-stock and still proved too expensive and time consuming to produce.

(N.R. Jenzen Jones/ARES)

In an effort to dramatically simplify the Lanchester, the Sten Mark I (Mk.I) was born. The Sten, taking its appellation from the first letters of the surnames of its designers–Major Reginald V. Shepherd and Harold Turpin and “EN” from “Enfield” (the Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield), where the gun was developed. With a development period of less than six weeks, the Sten was essentially a study in removing all the non-essential elements from the Lanchester design. The Sten Mk.1 still featured wooden furniture components and was fitted with a folding foregrip and flash hider and was adopted in March 1941. This design reduction was still determined to be more elaborate than necessary, however, and the Mk.I* was soon introduced. This interim development removed the foregrip, wooden furniture and flash hider. In total, some 300,000 Mk.I and later Mk.I* SMGs were produced. Nonetheless, further manufacturing expediency was sought; within just a few months of adoption, the Mk.I and Mk.I* were superseded by the Sten Mk.II.

The development and production timelines of the various iterations of the Sten gun were astonishingly fast, despite the weapon’s relative simplicity. By August of 1941, the Sten Mark II had entered production. The Mk.II was truly a study in spartan submachine gun design. All the wooden components were done away with. The barrel shroud was shortened to the bare minimum necessary to keep the shooter from burning their hand on the barrel. The stock was simplified to just a single strut and a flat plate. While a crude and simplistic weapon, it was cheap and fast to make, requiring just 5.5 man-hours per gun and costing some 7 percent of what a Thompson had cost. This was a weapon that would rearm Britain and be delivered to resistance movements across Europe–nearly 2.5 million of these weapons were produced between 1941 and 1945. The Sten Mark III was very similar to the Mk.II, but made with a stamped and welded tube receiver instead of a seamless tube. It was developed simply to exploit different manufacturing infrastructure, and more than 800,000 of these were made alongside the Mk.II.

(N.R. Jenzen Jones/ARES)

Holding the Sten Mk.II and Mk.III securely has always been something of a problem. While the 1942 manual instructs soldiers to hold the weapon by the handguard, there are images showing that some troops opted to grip the gun by the magazine or magazine well. The design of the gun did not lend itself to ergonomics, and there remained several possibilities to burn one’s hand or introduce malfunctions to the gun by improper hand placement under combat conditions. As the war progressed and the immediate threat of a German land invasion of the British Isles faded, there was time available to make some much-appreciated improvements to the Sten. In the Mk.V guise, a good wooden butt-stock and pistol grip were added, along with a Lee Enfield front sight and bayonet lug (note that while made in some small numbers, no ‘Sten Mk.IV’ was ever adopted). These guns were mechanically the same, but much more user-friendly and ergonomic. The Mk.V was manufactured from February 1944 until the end of the War, with some 527,000 being produced.

With the end of World War II, the time came to retire the Sten and develop a better design to carry the British armed forces forward. The Sten had always embodied a conscious comprise of quality for expediency, but now that compromise was no longer necessary. In the late 1940s and very early 1950s, Britain would test a number of potential replacements.

(N.R. Jenzen Jones/ARES)

The Vesely V-42 was designed in Britain by a Czech refugee named Josef Vesely, who applied for patents in 1942 and 1943. The V-42 was a particularly unusual creation, with a clever but complex 60-round magazine comprised of two separate 30-round columns. It failed to get beyond prototype stage, but three other weapons did: the MCEM (Machine Carbine Experimental Model) series, a family of guns made by BSA (Birmingham Small Arms) and George Patchett’s improvements to the Sten design. A number of different trials took place, with the most important in 1947, 1949 and 1951.

The MCEM guns were rather quickly dropped from testing. The example examined by ARES was from the MCEM-2 series (including the later MCEM-4 and MCEM-6), a small submachine gun with the magazine well located in the pistol grip. The MCEM-2 series was first developed by Polish small arms designer Jerzy Podsedkowski in 1944 and trialled in 1947. It may be considered by some to be a “machine pistol.” While large, it could be fired one-handed and is fitted with a fire selector for semi-automatic fire. When fired in automatic mode, it had an unacceptably high rate of fire of approximately 1,000 rpm (later models featured rate reducers). The detachable butt-stock is of a hollow design made of a stiffened woven fabric and is designed to serve double duty as a holster. It also features an unusual bolt design which is charged with the finger, which was likely to cause issues.

(N.R. Jenzen Jones/ARES)

The BSA guns were much better and featured a creative charging system in which the front handguard of the gun was, in its entirety, a cocking handle. One would pull the handguard forward and then press it back to manually cycle the bolt. While an interesting design, it was no doubt more complex than was desired. These featured a design layout similar to the earlier Sten and their competitor, the Patchett, and fired at a much more practical 600 rpm. Much like the Patchett, the BSA guns also featured under-folding wire stocks.

It was George Patchett’s gun–first prototyped all the way back in 1942–that would prove the winner. Patchett, working at the Sterling Armaments Company in Dagenham, essentially worked to refine the Lanchester/Sten design for modern service. He designed a low profile folding stock, moved the grip assembly forward on the gun and most importantly developed a new and much-improved magazine for his gun. Where the Sten had used a single-feed magazine prone to jamming (adopted in a rush as a copy of the MP 28/II magazine), Patchett instead employed alternating-feed (sometimes called “dual-feed” or “double-feed”) geometry. He added rollers to the magazine follower and gave the magazine body a slight curve. The result was one of the best submachine gun magazines designs ever produced. Magazines are a critical component for automatic firearms, and especially otherwise simple blowback-operated submachine guns, and Patchett’s design would propel his weapon to adoption in 1953 as the L2A1. It was subjected to a handful of minor improvements before entering mass production in 1955 as the L2A3. Produced by the Sterling company and becoming commonly known as the Sterling SMG, Patchett’s gun would remain in British military service until 1994.

(N.R. Jenzen Jones/ARES)

(N.R. Jenzen Jones/ARES)

(N.R. Jenzen Jones/ARES)

(N.R. Jenzen Jones/ARES)

This article is part of a series of collaborative works produced by ARES Researcher Ian McCollum, who also runs the Forgotten Weapons blog and YouTube channel, in conjunction with ARES Technical Specialist Jonathan Ferguson and ARES Director N.R. Jenzen-Jones. Using access to unique collections facilitated by ARES, the series examines a range of interesting weapons in both video and print formats.

Special thanks to Neil Grant and a confidential source. This article is reproduced courtesy of Armament Research Services (ARES). See www.armamentresearch.com for further original content.

Russian paratroopers with AN-94 rifles at the 2015 Victory Day Parade in Moscow. (RUSSIA DEFENCE FORUM)

Russian AN-94 Self-Loading Rifle: Overview and Technical Analysis
By Jonathan Ferguson

Development

While a capable and reliable service rifle, the AK-74 was only ever intended as a stop-gap for the then-Soviet armed forces when it entered service in 1974. By contrast, the move to the small caliber, high-velocity (SCHV) 5.45 x 39mm cartridge was seen as a permanent one, mirroring the adoption of 5.56 x 45mm by the United States a decade previously. In embracing this concept, both nations sought enhanced accuracy and a flatter trajectory, as well as the advantages associated with a lighter-weight cartridge. Unlike the U.S., Russia had already adopted and refined an “assault rifle” in a so-called “intermediate” caliber that more easily lent itself to caliber conversion. Adopting an interim SCHV variant of the AKM would act as a large-scale field test of the new cartridge, using a battle-proven rifle design. The new cartridge, coupled with an added muzzle brake, would enhance accuracy and reduce muzzle climb in rapid and automatic fire, thus increasing hit and kill probability. Importantly, it would also buy sufficient development time to design a scratch-built successor that could incorporate the latest thinking and perhaps provide an edge over NATO in small arms design.

By the time of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, the Russian Missile & Artillery Directorate (Glavnoye raketno-artilleriyskoye upravleniye MO RF or “GRAU”) and the TSNII TOCHMASH research institute had laid the theoretical groundwork for formal trials. Two promising ideas emerged from their research. The first was a so-called “balanced recoil” system, in which the mass of the bolt carrier and piston were matched with an equivalent counter-mass. This reduced recoil for the firer, at the expense of greater overall weight. The other was what would later be dubbed in the U.S. Advanced Combat Rifle (ACR) trials as “hyper burst;” a means of two or more projectiles within a very short space of time in order to minimize disturbance to the shooter’s hold and sight picture. The Russian design competition to find a new service rifle thus began in 1979, before the ACR trials, and lasted longer, ending in 1992.

Contrary to pervasive myth, it was not named Project Abakan after the Siberian city where testing was to be conducted. Maxim Popenker has pointed out that “ABAKAN” was simply a code name, and in fact trials were conducted at TSNII TOCHMASH in Klimovsk. This became an informal nickname for the winning rifle. Twelve design teams entered, the top two both representing Izhmash products. The more conventional AKB project was led by Victor Kalashnikov (son of the famous Mikhail), but lost out to the ASM series of Dr. Gennadiy Nikonov. Nikonov’s team produced a series of prototypes between 1979 and 1992, all designed around the concepts of a very high rate burst and delayed felt recoil, together dubbed “blow-back shifted pulse” (“pulse” here meaning “recoil”). The known examples, interestingly beginning with a bullpup design, are detailed and illustrated in a Small Arms Review article by Valery Shilin (Vol. 5, No. 4). Perhaps inevitably, feedback received from troop trials led to the sliding magazine being fixed in place, necessitating the infamous pulley/follower arrangement but preserving a more conventional “manual of arms” and shooting experience (no doubt also eliminating a potential new failure mode of magazine obstruction!). It was also thought that three shots per burst were excessive, and so this was reduced to two in order to conserve ammunition.

In 1990, the U.S. and German hyper burst candidate, Heckler & Koch’s caseless G11 rifle, was shelved along with all of the other entrants in the ACR trials. Instead, a compromise measure was adopted in the shape of the burst-fire M16A2 (1983) and M4 carbine (1994). As an aside, in recent years the limitations of this compromise measure have been recognized, and the fully automatic function has once again supplanted it in the M4A1. By contrast, the Soviet Union apparently set far more stock by the hyper burst concept. The final Nikonov prototype was the ultimate winner of the Abakan contest and was assigned the store’s number 6P33 by GRAU. In 1994 it received the service designation “AN-94” and was formally adopted with the intention of replacing the several AK variants then in service.

An AN-94 self-loading rifle* in profile, right-hand side. (N.R. Jenzen Jones/ARES)

General Operation

The Nikonov rifle features a variable rate of fire, with a two-round burst mode operating at 1800 rpm and a conventional automatic mode at 600 rpm. To achieve this, a combined gas- and recoil-operated system was coupled with a unique feed system. Simply put, two cycles of the gas system are completed for every one of the recoil system. Thus, two rounds are fired before the recoiling firing unit strikes the rear buffer, although only a few millimeters before, as the high-speed footage reveals. Only when both shots have been fired is the full momentum of both mechanisms imparted to the firer, causing the muzzle to rise. The long, rearward-inclined travel of the recoiling barrel and firing mechanism (described together as the “firing unit”) substantially reduces felt recoil and muzzle rise even in this mode of fire. With the weapon’s fire selector set to “AB,” or automatic, the first two shots are fired at the high rate, after which normal cyclic fire takes place at the circa 600 rpm rate. Whereas in normal automatic fire, the bolt travels with the firing unit on its full travel, slowing the rate drastically.

Technically speaking, the system is primarily gas-operated, but this mechanism sits within a recoil-operated firing unit. Feed arrangements are unique. Although supplied by a standard AK-74 magazine, the weapon actually feeds from a unique intermediate position, which is served by the distinctive pulley wheel and cable. Contrary to popular belief, this is not part of a balanced recoil system. Indeed, the AN-94 is not a balanced recoil weapon, and the reduced recoil that it offers is achieved entirely by the firing unit as detailed below. The pulley simply positions cartridges in this intermediate position for feeding. “Balanced recoil” describes a system using counter-mass to reduce felt recoil and therefore increase hit probability. This was an entirely separate concept also trialled as part of “Abakan.” None of these designs was successful in the trials, but the Koksharov AEK-971 has since been further developed and re-evaluated for military service. In any case, located between the magazine and the chamber is a separate follower under spring tension. This is necessary, as Maxim Popenker puts it, to “…transfer the rounds from stationary magazine and into the recoiling receiver.” As soon as the firing unit begins to recoil, there is no longer sufficient room for the second cartridge for a burst to be chambered. This is why early prototypes featured a moving magazine: to preserve spacing and alignment for feeding purposes. This secondary follower is superficially reminiscent of the elevator in a lever-action rifle, but the Nikonov rifle goes further, using it in conjunction with the recoiling firing unit to very rapidly feed, chamber and fire two rounds in one combined cycle. Also unlike a Winchester elevator or a Maxim breech face, there is no stacking or “queuing up” of cartridges. There is only ever one cartridge either on the follower or in the chamber.

Feeding from the magazine to the secondary follower happens during the operating cycle, While the empty case is being extracted and ejected. The trigger mechanism is also unique to this type, lacking the conventional disconnector and pair of sears. Instead, a large flat trigger plate (“tripper” in the patent) connects the trigger to the only sear. The former tilts when the trigger is pulled, in order to pull down on the sear and release the hammer for a shot. To change firing modes, the selector switch is depressed and slid forward or backward. Because a projecting plunger on the bottom of the sear (“pawl” in the patent and “pin” in the parts catalogue) rides under a shelf in the trigger plate, this alters how and when the trigger is disconnected from the sear, and therefore whether or not the hammer is captured or allowed to travel forward with the bolt carrier. A simple cross-bolt safety (when pressed to the operator’s right) prevents this plate from being depressed and therefore a shot from being fired. It is disengaged by the index finger of the firing hand, as per other trigger guard safeties (e.g., as on the M1 “Garand”).

Detail of trigger mechanism and grip components of an AN-94 self-loading rifle*. (N.R. Jenzen Jones/ARES)

Operation in Detail
Common Features (All Firing Modes)

With a projectile travelling down the bore, the recoil-operated firing unit starts moving fractionally before the gas-operated bolt and carrier, compressing the front buffer. The latter is driven by a long-stroke piston running inside the gas tube, which is located on the firing unit and concealed under the upper handguard. The carrier group, which has its own return spring, begins a normal gas-operation cycle by extracting and ejecting the first fired case but, thanks to the counter-recoil pulley, also pushes a second cartridge into the feeding position on the follower at the same time. It then returns forwards, picking up this second cartridge and chambering it. At this point, with the firing unit almost at the rearward limit of its travel, the second cartridge is fired, and the gas system again cycles the bolt and carrier. However, despite having reciprocated once already, the carrier group is still (overall) moving to the rear due to the ongoing recoil of the firing unit. The firing unit has moved further back by this point, and the carrier moves further back within the outer receiver on this second cycle, even though it travels the same distance within the firing unit for both shots. In effect, the chamber has moved backwards, so the bolt carrier group must also move further to the rear. This is visible in high-speed footage captured by Larry Vickers and his team (watch the bolt handle). A fraction of a second later, both mechanisms reach the rear of the receiver together, and at the same time, thanks to the pulley, another cartridge is being pushed onto the secondary follower by the appropriately named “pusher.” First the bolt carrier and then firing unit return to their forward positions, and the next cartridge is picked up from the follower and chambered.

With the bolt locked into the firing unit, the firing pin is shrouded by the bolt carrier, protecting it from out-of-battery discharge. On engagement with the barrel extension the bolt is pushed back, protruding its rear from the carrier and putting the back of the firing pin in contact with the closed hammer. This system has been described as “slam-fire,” but this firing pin safety system means that this is not quite accurate. The firing pin cannot reach the primer until the bolt is fully locked. This locked-together mode of operation only occurs on the second shot of burst or automatic fire, when the selector is set accordingly. Detail of the trigger mechanism and its three modes follows below.

An AN-94 self-loading rifle* stripped to show operating components. (N.R. Jenzen Jones/ARES)

Semi-Automatic Mode

With the selector switch slid all the way to the front and the trigger pulled, the weapon cycles as detailed above. As it travels rearwards, the pawl (#48 on the patent drawings) attached to the sear is permitted to slip off the rear of the shelf (“long cam,” #56) on the trigger plate, quickly disconnecting the trigger from the sear. The hammer, which has been automatically locked into the bolt carrier when it fired the cartridge, recoils with the carrier and strikes the top of the sear. This not only re-cocks it, but pushes it sideways, unlocking it from the carrier for a second semi-automatic shot. The carrier is then free to return home within the firing unit, before the firing unit itself starts to move forwards again, with the bolt closed and locked. The pawl then meets the trigger plate again and is pushed inwards by it. This allows it to pass forward along the outer edge of the long cam (56) on the trigger plate. If the trigger remains held, the pawl (48) stays pressed in and out of engagement. When the trigger is released, the pawl can pop back out underneath this shelf, ready to be pulled down again for a second shot. This is how trigger reset is achieved.

The interrelationship of the trigger (#52), disconnector pawl (#48), “tripper” (trigger plate) (#53), sear (#43) and hammer. In the top drawing (with the weapon in battery) the pawl (#48) is positioned under the short cam of the trigger plate but is actually engaged with the long cam that runs just beneath it, ready for a semi-automatic shot. In the bottom image (with the weapon in full recoil) the trigger plate has been pressed down by the trigger, pulling the pawl and sear down and releasing the hammer. The pawl has then slid all the way to the rear of the trigger plate and out from under the long cam (shown as a dotted line on the trigger plate). Diagram from patent document.

Burst Mode

Note: the first two shots in Automatic Mode also take effect as follows.

Prior to firing the first shot of a burst, the pawl (48) starts out behind the front angled projection (“short cam,” #57) of the trigger plate. On the first shot, the pawl travels rearwards along the trigger plate as the firing unit recoils, and as in the other modes, it slips off the rear of the long cam. Importantly, however, it does not achieve this until the first shot has been fired. The middle position delays the trigger reset long enough for the bolt and carrier to complete the first cycle within the firing unit. Effectively, the trigger is pulled, the first shot is fired, and the firing unit and bolt/carrier both start travelling backwards. By the time the sear travels backwards far enough to slip off the back of the trigger plate, the bolt, locked into the carrier, has overridden it and is on its way into battery, where it fires the second shot.

The diagram showing the relative starting position of the pawl and trigger plate is useful and yet potentially misleading, since at the end of its return, the pawl now stops in line with the short cam (57) on the front of the trigger plate, which projects further out than the continuous shelf (56). Provided the trigger is held, this short cam holds the pawl and therefore the sear down; this, in turn, allows the hammer to remain locked to the bolt carrier and the second shot to be fired when the bolt carrier has returned forward, but just before the firing unit reaches the rearward most position of its travel. This is sometimes referred to as “slam-fire,” but in fact as described above, a firing pin safety prevents the hammer from being released until the bolt has fully locked. At this point the pawl slips off the back of the long cam (56) and finally disconnects. The trigger is released, and the pawl–also a plunger–is pressed in and resets for the next burst.

This is the most confusing aspect of the operation of the AN-94. In lieu of an animation of burst fire, see the semi-auto equivalent here (and the photo below under “Automatic”). This time index represents the end of the return forward stroke of the sear in semi-automatic. The picture would be almost identical in burst mode, with two crucial differences. First, the trigger plate (marked in yellow) is slid slightly forwards, just shy of being centrally aligned with the round pin of the cross-bolt safety. This places the pawl directly beneath the front projection on the trigger plate, where trigger pressure keeps it down and out of the way. Because the pawl cannot slip off the back of the trigger plate’s long cam shelf, the sear is not pulled downward, and the hammer is not released. The second major difference from the animation at that time index is that the hammer would appear still locked into the bolt carrier, ready to fly forward with it to fire the second shot of the burst as described above, and before the firing unit hits the rear of the receiver.

A polymer 30-round detachable box magazine for the AN-94 self-loading rifle.

Automatic

Slid all the way to the rear, the pawl (48) cannot slip off the long cam of the trigger plate until two shots have been fired as per burst mode above. The rifle then shifts into 600 rpm automatic fire. You can see the shift occur in the sequence of fire shown in the widely circulated Larry Vickers video. With the pawl held down by the trigger plate for even longer than in burst mode, the sear is also retained, and the hammer remains locked to the bolt carrier. As a result, the second shot is fired at the high rate as per two-round burst mode; that is, just before the firing unit hits the rear of travel. With the trigger held down and the firing unit continuing to move rearward, the plunger finally travels far enough back to slip off the back of the selector and resets, catching the hammer on the next return stroke.

The pawl plunger slips off the back of the long cam on the trigger plate, which occurs at the rearward stroke of the cycle in automatic mode. It is not easy to see, but without a cutaway, this is the only way to observe the actual operation of the AN-94 trigger mechanism. The light grey selector plate is visible at center-left, just in front of the darker grey pawl plunger.

On the forward stroke, because the trigger plate is so far forward, the plunger is now able to slide all the way to the laterally projecting shelf (57 on the patent drawings) on the front of the trigger plate, where an angled surface on the rear allows it to pop back out, just before it reaches its fully forward position. It is now popped back out and positioned under the flat front projection on the trigger plate, meaning that provided the trigger remains held and there is ammunition in the magazine, the hammer is automatically tripped as the bolt closes.

Safety Catch

When the cross-bolt safety is pushed to “?,” a projection under the trigger plate prevents the latter from tilting and therefore the trigger from moving. In turn, because the trigger cannot move, its nose remains in place in a notch cut into the lower right corner of the firing unit, physically barring it from moving further back than a couple of millimeters unless the trigger is pulled. Thus even with the safety disengaged, this prevents the weapon being inadvertently placed out of battery by an environmental obstruction (such as cover or a firing port) or by the body of an enemy.

The wedge-shaped component on the front of the trigger plate runs in a groove on the underside of the pusher. When the safety is engaged, this wedge is pushed into a slot in the pusher, preventing it from moving. Because this is connected via the cable to the carrier, the carrier is also unable to move. Thus the weapon is prevented from being cocked in a parallel to the uppermost position on the AK’s much simpler selector/safety lever (albeit the latter permits “press checks,” and the AN does not).

General Description

The production weapon differs from the final prototype only in detail, other than its club-shaped butt-stock, replaced with a derivative of that found on the AK-100 series. In fact, all of the furniture and the main receiver (“housing” in the parts catalogue) are made from the same black polymer as the AK-100 series, but none of the furniture is interchangeable. Indeed, the only components (i.e., not accessories) on the entire weapon that are interchangeable with the AK family of rifles are the front sight post and sling swivel. Even the pistol grip is a different moulding and the magazine catch a different steel pressing. The gas system, bolt and provision for ejection are heavily inspired by the AK, however. According to Jane’s, metal components such as the firing unit are produced from aluminium alloy investment castings and are laser welded. The barrel features 4 RH rifling with one turn in 195mm. Barrel and chamber are chrome-lined, giving a minimum service life of 10,000 rounds. The two-chambered muzzle device is actually a combined brake, flash and sound suppressor, designed to swirl and control expansion of the propellant gases to disrupt, cool, and reduce pressure differential. Typical muzzle brakes produce a lot of sound and flash in their effort to reduce and/or redirect recoil energy. Importantly, the muzzle brake also provides the necessary precise timing for the two-round burst feature to work.

Also unique is the rotary rear diopter sight, which incorporates five non-adjustable apertures. A battle sight is marked for 200 meters and incorporates two cavities for Tritium inserts. The remaining four apertures cater for 400 to 700 meters. The unusual shape of the front sight protector with its flat top and wide notch is designed to accommodate the front optional Tritium element and also allows for quick alignment for reaction shooting at close range. However, in practice, the presence of two front sighting points may prove confusing. On the AN-94N variant (which appears to be the production standard), the standard Soviet/Russian mounting bracket is provided on the left side of the receiver, envisaged for use with either a 1L29 ×4 optical sight or an NSPU-3 night sight. Standard mounting bracket is provided on the left side of the receiver, envisaged for use with either a 1L29 4x optical sight or an NSPU-3 night sight. The standard issue bayonet is of the 6×5 second AK-74 pattern (first issued c. 1988), although unlike that weapon, the AN-94 will not accept AKM pattern bayonets. Unusually, on the AN-94 this attaches to a lug on the right side of the barrel (with a traditional ring over the muzzle) and sits at an horizontal angle in order not to interfere with the moving barrel/firing unit or the fitment of an under-barrel grenade launcher.

A GP-25 or GP-30 30mm under-barrel grenade launcher can be fitted, mounting to the buffer housing under the barrel, with a rear mounting point on the handguard. A rubber butt pad is provided for fitting to the rifle’s stock when a grenade launcher is installed. A standard AK cleaning kit is supplied in a butt-trap, but due to the lack of space for a cleaning rod up front, a two-piece rod is housed in the front of the butt-stock.

Technical Specifications

Observers have claimed a two-fold increase in effectiveness over the AK-74, although this appears to be based on the success of the burst mechanism in placing two shots on a man-sized target at typical battlefield engagement ranges, rather than on verifiable combat engagements. In other words, two hits for the price of one. Small Arms Review reports Dr. David Bolotin’s opinion that the AN-94 is also “1.5 times more effective than the American M16A2,” presumably on the basis that the M16A2’s three-round burst feature increases hit probability slightly over the AK-74. Popenker claims a single hole may be made at 100 meters given a sufficiently trained operator. Larry Vickers was only able to achieve dispersion of two inches at 20 meters, but this was without prior training and from the off-hand position. However, even with more practice firearms writer David Lake was only able to improve this to 2-inch groups at 50 meters. Whatever the specifics of capability, the Abakan program unquestionably achieved its goal of increased hit probability and lethality, at least under certain conditions. However, the price of this increased effectiveness is high, due to the complexity and associated costs of materials, manufacturing, maintenance and training. Introduction of the type also coincided with a post-Cold War period of reduced military funding, something that had entirely killed German adoption of the H&K G11 rifle around this time. Another cost due to mechanical complexity is in user ergonomics, which have been criticized and were found by ARES staff to be somewhat difficult. The weapon is also relatively heavy and ill-balanced, and when loaded and fitted with an optical sight, weighs as much as a DMR of larger caliber. Of course, the intent here was to increase the effectiveness of the average infantry soldier rather than to train every man as a designated marksman. Optical sights were also uncommon when the rifle entered service.

While the AN-94 was officially adopted, it has not seen extensive issue and therefore only limited service. Published sources, including Jane’s Infantry Weapons and The World’s Assault Rifles by Nelson & Johnston, report usage in First Chechen War of 1994-1996, and one example was in evidence in a YouTube video filmed in Crimea in 2014 (since deleted, but verified by ARES staff). The primary and likely only state military users are Russian Special Operations Forces, specifically paratroopers. Another image circulated online shows a naval infantryman with the weapon. Other sightings of the type are at gun shows, parades and on military exercises. Many of the examples with visible receiver markings are revealed to be MMG factory-made inert guns, such as the example used for the images in this article (see note, marked with an asterisk*, below). The AN-94 appeared in promotional literature as late as February 2015, but by the time the new www.kalashnikov.com website had been launched in Summer 2016, the weapon was no longer featured as a product. Large scale manufacture seems to have begun around 2002; although the relevant patent was applied for in 1998, the official parts catalogue was not published until January 2003. It is not known when this production run ceased or how many examples were completed. However, limited sales may have occurred. In 2002 a U.S. government report claimed that 20 examples had been sold to the Provisional IRA. Beyond the initial production models (AN-94 and AN-94N with sight rail), there are no confirmed variants or improved models. A 7.62 x 39mm variant was reported as early as 1998, and two photographs have since emerged that do appear to show examples in this chambering. As an attempt to court the user’s ongoing preference for the bigger 7.62mm bullet, this is plausible. Confusingly, however, in 2015 Kalashnikov Concern’s Head of Media denied that such a variant had been produced. If the photos are genuine, this variant must be extremely rare, perhaps produced for limited troop trials only.

Today the type remains in limited service, as trials continue to replace the AK family of weapons. However, with attention once again on balanced recoil systems for any “high tech” replacement, and considerable effort being put into further product-improved Kalashnikov variants (including the AK-12 with its conventional three-round burst), it seems that the AN-94’s days are numbered. International patents on the design even began to lapse in 2010 “because of non-payment of due fees.” Nonetheless, the weapon represents a tremendous engineering answer to a long-standing question in small arms design. It may have failed as a service rifle, but Nikonov’s design is nothing short of brilliant.

*Note: While the AN-94 in the Royal Armouries’ collection is a factory-made inert (MMG) example, as shown in the ARES photographs included in this article, ARES personnel had access to a “live” example from another confidential collection. This example could not be photographed for security reasons.

Special thanks to the National Firearms Centre at the Royal Armouries, the relevant staff at another, confidential, collection and to D.E. Watters for a tip regarding the 7.62 x 39mm AN-94.

Aimpoint Introduces Limited Run Micro T-2™ Flat Dark Earth Sights

Aimpoint has announced the launch of a limited run of Micro T-2™ carbine-ready sights in Flat Dark Earth (FDE) color. This is the first time the company has offered an FDE finished sight to the U.S. market.

The sights are being finished with Cerakote® H-Series surface coating—an advanced thin-film ceramic coating that bonds completely with the aluminum alloy housing of the sight. Cerakote® finishes are known worldwide for their corrosion and chemical resistance, UV and thermal stability and durability under extreme conditions.

“We needed to match our choice of color surface finish with the durability and performance of the Micro T-2 sight,” said Jonas Ardemalm, Director of Commercial Sales & Marketing at Aimpoint AB. “Cerakote® offers an extremely durable coating that has been proven to perform under very demanding conditions, and it offers advantages beyond typical paint applications. We are very happy to offer this enhanced Micro T-2 to our customers in the USA.”

This initial run of FDE Micro T-2 sights is being offered on a test basis through a select group of authorized Aimpoint Dealers in the U.S., and they are expected to sell out quickly. For more information on Aimpoint and Aimpoint products, visit the company’s website at: aimpoint.com.

National Shooting Sports Foundation Appoints New Board Member

In early March 2018, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) Board of Governors announced the appointment of new board member, Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, Commercial Sales, of SIG SAUER. Taylor will replace Colt Manufacturing’s Dennis Veilleux, whose term expires end of 2019.

Since March 2015, Taylor has led all global marketing initiatives and U.S. commercial sales as well as product development for SIG SAUER.

Taylor’s prior experience includes serving as Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, at Mossberg from 2010 to 2015; as Vice President, Marketing and Product Development at Smith & Wesson leading the development and introduction of the now iconic Military & Police (M&P) pistol and rifle lines; and as Senior Vice President at Remington/Freedom Group where he supervised several special projects.

Taylor has also served on the International Hunter Education Association (IHEA) Foundation Board of Directors, volunteers his time as Chairman and Executive Director of Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) and is involved in many other hunting and shooting support organizations.

About the NSSF

The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 11,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, visit nssf.org.

Streamlight® Announces Sporting Goods Sales Rep Agency of the Year

Streamlight® Inc., a leading provider of high-performance lighting and weapon light/laser sighting devices, announced that Vincent Pestilli & Associates has been named the company’s 2017 Sales Rep Agency of The Year for the Sporting Goods market.

Vincent Pestilli & Associates is a group of independent manufacturers’ representatives that provides sales and marketing services for premium brands in the shooting, hunting, law enforcement and outdoors markets. Based in Brownfield, ME, the company received the award in recognition for outstanding sales achievement in its Northeastern sales territories.

“Vincent Pestilli & Associates’ outstanding sales performance last year contributed greatly to the company’s success in the Sporting Goods sector, a strategically important market segment for Streamlight,” said Streamlight Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Michael F. Dineen. “We look forward to their continuing contributions to our sales efforts.”

For more information about Vincent Pestilli & Associates, please visit vpestilliassociates.com. For more information on Streamlight Inc. please visit streamlight.com.

SADJ Tours the Family– Owned FAB-Defense Factory

The use of polymer on firearms has taken strides since the wide adoption of Stoner’s AR-15 rifle. Injection-molded polymer is light, yet strong, and is cheaper to mass produce compared to machined aluminum. Items such as the buttstock, pistol grip and fore grip on modern rifles and shotguns are made of injection-molded, fiberglass-reinforced polymer. Not to mention the proliferation of the polymer-framed, striker-fired pistols from the likes of Glock, Smith & Wesson M&P and SIG SAUER P320, etc., solidified its use in the firearms industry.

I was invited by the people at FAB-Defense® to drop by their new factory for a guided tour. FAB-Defense is a subsidiary of FAB Manufacturing & Import of Industrial Equipment Ltd., one of the largest manufacturers of polymer AK, AR, shotgun and pistol accessories outside of the United States. They have recently moved into their brand new building that is 2,000 square meters (21,500 square feet). Their old facility was less than half the size at 900 square meters (9,700 square feet).

FAB-Defense has a wide array of polymer accessories ranging from pistol to carbine conversion kits called the KPOS; AR, AK and VZ magazines, their SCORPUS holsters, various rifle and shotgun buttstocks, grips and bipods, and so on. They even have self-healing target systems under the brand Reactive Target Systems Ltd.

Mold for polymer foregrip.

Itay Goldenberg, who is their sales manager for North America, picked me up from my hotel in Tel-Aviv in the morning, and we took a 30-minute drive southeast to Modi’in Maccabim-Re’ut.

They have recently moved into this new building with production, assembly and warehousing on the main floor and offices for sales and engineering located on the upper floor.
I had the opportunity to meet the company founder, Tuvia Faifer. Originally he had a military career in the bomb disposal unit, and he developed devices to defuse bombs and their mechanisms. Tuvia founded the company in 1961, manufacturing machining tools, molds and machines. It was in the 70’s and 80’s that he began developing accessories for soldiers and military clients.

At 77 years old, he still comes to work on time every morning, but he has passed the torch over to his son Sagi to run the business.

Sagi oversees the whole company from design and manufacturing to sales and marketing. He was part of this family business at a young age, and over the years he understood each aspect of the company from top to bottom.

He noted that they were the first to manufacture polymer pistol holsters with paddles. The story of the inception behind the holsters was there were two Israeli agents on a mission in enemy territory. During the extraction process they threw away their pistols, but they were caught during a search and the police found them with their holsters on their body. After that incident, the government requested affordable holsters, made of polymer instead of leather, which is time consuming to produce and expensive to buy. Polymer holsters can be thrown away and replaced after each mission if required.

All of their employees are IDF veterans, and most of them carry their pistols on them at all times.

Machinist building a fixture.

Engineering Plastics

The thermoplastic resin pellets called Polyamide (PA) is the highest grade polymer used in the industry. It costs approximately $12-15 (USD) per kilogram which is quite expensive. Unlike ABS plastic which is not resistant to extreme temperatures like high heat, Polyamide (PA) is fiberglass-reinforced which makes it high-impact tolerant, chemical resistant and functional in extreme hot and cold temperatures.

Sagi stressed that they purchase the material directly from the manufacturer, and they do not add any recycled materials or additive into the mixture. This means the final product will maintain its strength in extreme hot and cold temperatures in countries like Russia where it’s normal to experience -30 degrees Celsius during most of winter.
The reason for other manufacturers to do this is to increase manufacturing speed (up to 10 times quicker) and reduce cost as these plastics are expensive to procure.

“Positive” piece made of copper for AG-44S Quick Release Ergonomic Foregrip. The grip texture is carved carefully by hand.

Design

The first step of designing is to have a set of basic parameters the product is made to achieve. For example, does this product make magazine reloading quicker and easier? The second step is to communicate with the end users and distributors to get their initial feedback. Following that is doing a design review—finalizing the product dimensions and weight. All the employees provide their feedback. Each design is 3D-printed so the product can be tested on the firearm itself to get the actual feel of it and do preliminary field testing.

One major step is to design the mold. It involves coming up with complex CAD drawings that include channels to direct the injection of molten material into a mold. This requires special engineering skill and working knowledge as the cost of each mold starts at $10,000 (USD) each.

The CAD drawings for the molds are done in conjunction with the design of the product. The shape and size of a product can make designing the mold difficult if not impossible. In the case of FAB-Defense, the designer and engineer work together to solve all the potential problems before they occur in the manufacturing process.

Electrical discharge machine creating a mold.

Factory Floor

The tour begins at the warehouse section of this industrial building, which consists of storage racks that are 20-feet-high completely filled with boxes containing products. Each side of the aisle is labeled by a unique alphabet, and below each letter is the product category of the type of products on the aisle. Each box is properly labeled with the product SKU.

Nearby, they have four large CNC machines that are running constantly, machining metal parts such as handguards, quick-detach levers, folding stock latches, etc. FAB-Defense also utilizes external contractors if they need to increase their output upon receiving large orders.

In the workshop area, there are manually operated machines that are used to build the fixtures for test fit such as the AK-47 buttstock. One of the technicians is a big heavy metal music fan; on the wall is a Metallica poster, and their music blares in the background trying to beat the sound of machining noise.

A complete piece from the injection molding machine, showing multiple polymer pieces connected by the “runners” that are about to be trimmed away.

The mold is first created by making a “positive” piece machined out of copper. Using electrical discharge machining (EDM), material is removed from the mold by rapidly recurring current discharges between the copper acting as an electrode, creating a negative piece that will be used in the injection molding machine. Additionally, the mold has to be cleaned and maintained in order to keep it dimensionally accurate. Each copper piece weighs over 70 pounds, and they are carefully stored in one section while the hundreds of molds are stored in another section on shelving units that are easily 2 stories high.

At the other end of the shop floor are five gigantic injection molding machines. First the polymer pellets are loaded into the machine; they have a melting temperature of 270-320 degrees Celsius which is also the injection temperature. After injecting the melted polymer into the mold, it needs to be slowly chilled to 100 degrees Celsius in order to stabilize the polymer or else it can warp out of shape. After that, it will cool from 100 to 30 degrees Celsius which only takes a few second’s time. After the product is ejected from the mold, the machine operator will trim off the “runners” which are the excess polymer pieces in the channels used to fill the mold. The product is then put in a large water bucket to cool down to room temperature. On average, each machine can produce about 20 products per hour; however, certain products are made from three to four molds.

Each machine is fully automated, but I was told each one has to be set up and adjusted in order for it to work in its own optimal setting.

Once all the components are made, they are manually assembled in the assembly room. Unfortunately this is a laborious process that cannot be replicated by a machine as the assembly can get very complicated. Case in point, the TPOD is a Picatinny foregrip with a button-activated, integrated bipod that contains 28 springs that have to be carefully installed by the technician. The end result, however, is an extremely rigid bipod that you can stand on with your own weight.

After completing assembly the products will be packaged and stored back in the warehouse ready for shipping to customers worldwide.

Storage of the molds. This is about 1 million dollars’ worth of molds.

Product Line-Up

The most recognized product from FAB-Defense is its GLR-17 Tactical Stock for full-size Glocks. It was used in numerous Glock 18 videos on YouTube which showed its effectiveness as well as converting the pistol to a concealable small machinegun (SMG). It might be surprising to some that the stock was designed by hand drawings, well before the days of CAD drawings and rapid prototype/3D printing. It’s something they still produce now (it only fits Generation 1 to 3 Glocks), but the portfolio of accessories has certainly expanded greatly.

The concept of the GLR-17 Tactical Stock came around in 1980 when Israel was in the peace process with its neighboring country Jordan. At the time, the security personnel working at the Israeli embassy in Amman were not allowed to carry rifles. Working with only pistols, they needed something with more accuracy and that could be easily deployed in case of long-distance engagements.

With the modern requirement of red dot optics to further increase shot accuracy, FAB-Defense has created the KPOS pistol-to-rifle conversion kits that can turn any modern pistol, like a Glock 17, SIG SAUER P226 or IWI Jericho into a Personal Defense Weapon (PDW). The pistol slides into the chassis in seconds and the user can mount Picatinny-compatible accessories such as flip-up sights, red dots, vertical grips and flashlights on the chassis. It also features an AR-style charging handle for easy racking and a folding stock that is quick to deploy.

Due to the current Israeli gun laws, security companies and civilians are only allowed to own and use pistols. Security personnel and civilians can legally leave the KPOS in the trunk of their car or motorcycle as it is not a firearm. These units are currently in use by various Special Forces units such as the motorcycle unit in Jerusalem, Dutch Navy Seals (their version is made out of stainless steel for better corrosion resistance), the IDF LOTAR Eilat Counter-Terrorism unit as well as the German police.

The next iteration of the KPOS, first announced at SHOT Show 2018, is called the KPOS Scout. It uses a mix of polymer and aluminum with the Picatinny rails made out of aluminum to maintain zero for optics. The benefits are saving weight and keeping the price point more affordable in comparison to the earlier versions. It will be compatible with all current generations of Glocks including models with compensated barrels.

I was shown the prototype KPOS Scout made with a 3D printer. It adds little weight to a Glock, which means it’s quicker to shoulder and transition between targets while providing better stability for follow-up and longer distance shots. It’s expected to be available by the time this article hits print with a retail price of $299.00 (USD). For the American market, it is sold with a right-folding stabilizing brace to avoid NFA paperwork and tax stamp.

Technician carefully assembling the KPOS conversion kits.

Conclusion

What will the future hold for polymer? If we take a look at car manufacturing, we can predict Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) will potentially have a future in firearms and its accessories. CFRP is lighter and stronger than even the highest quality fiberglass-reinforced polymer. It is already in use today with mass-produced vehicles such as the BMW i series of electric cars. In due time, the cost will go down to the point that firearms accessories manufacturers will be able to use this new material. The only question is when that will happen.

The “Ratnik” Trials

The “Ratnik” trials program was organized by the Russian Army as a result of the “Barmitsa” R&D program that has been conducted since about 2007. The “Barmitsa” (this codename refers to a part of the medieval Russian body armor) program was conducted to bring the Russian Army soldier’s individual equipment up-to-date by creating and eventually adopting new combat uniforms for all seasons and geographic areas, new body armor and new communication and navigation equipment. Small arms were not on the list, because Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) officials reported that existing stocks of AK-74 and AK-74M rifles could sustain the Russian military for many years to come, and there’s no reason to waste money on new rifles. Despite that, certain elements within Russian SOF (Spetsnaz) structures sought weapons that would be more customizable and more combat-effective than existing Kalashnikovs.

It must be noted that even the Soviet Army knew that the AK-74 left something to be desired in terms of combat effectiveness (which was usually calculated as integral target-hit probability under various realistic scenarios). As a result, in 1994 the Russian Army adopted the unorthodox and quite complicated Nikonov AN-94 assault rifle, which offered significant increase in hit probability over the AK-74, especially in full automatic or burst fire and from unsupported standing positions. However, the AN-94 turned out to be a problematic child, running into issues with high manufacturing costs and quality control problems during the times when military budgets were especially tight. Only about 20,000 of AN-94 rifles were delivered to the Russian Army before its production stopped some time during the early 2000s.

AK-12 adjustable rear sight.

As the “Barmitsa” program gradually evolved into the more specialized “Ratnik” (Warrior) program, intended primarily to equip Russian SOF, Airborne and Naval Infantry troops, their “lobbyists” with the industry and MoD managed to enter requirements for new small arms into the trials agenda. Because it was initially an SOF / Spetsnaz thing, one major requirement was to deliver new rifles in two calibers—standard issue 5.45x39mm and the old, but still popular among Russian SOF, 7.62x39mm. It must be noted that one important reason why the old 7.62x39mm refuses to abandon the battlefield is that it offers a decent compromise of standard issue “supersonic” ammunition and special-operations-capable “subsonic” ammunition for suppressed use in one weapon. The other reason is that this ammunition is still extremely popular and easily available in most parts of the world.

Late in 2014 officials from TsNIITochMash (Central Research Institute for Precision Machine Building), and leading state-owned organizations responsible for developments and testing of small arms and equipment, announced that two remaining contestants (ZID and Kalashnikov) were selected for initial production of their weapons and for subsequent troop trials in the field. According to the statement, four weapons were to be produced, two from each manufacturer: 5.45mm A-545 and 7.62mm A-762 balanced action assault rifles from ZID and 5.45mm AK-12 and 7.62mm AK-15 from Kalashnikov Group. Following protracted field trials, early in 2018 the Russian MoD announced that it would recommend all four weapons for adoption, with balanced action rifles from ZID intended for the relatively small Russian SOF and Kalashnikov rifles destined for the main body of the Russian military. The latter family is the subject for this article.

AK-15 full kit.

The Rifle

The 5.45mm Kalashnikov AK-12 assault rifle (Official GRAU index “6 ? 70”, or 6P70 in Latin script) is a 5th generation Kalashnikov-type rifle which is eventually intended to replace previous generations of 5.45mm Kalashnikov assault rifles (AK-74, AK-74M) in service with Russian and other governmental forces. The AK-12 project was commenced in 2011 by IZHMASH factory (now part of the “Kalashnikov” Group) as a private venture in an attempt to participate in the “Ratnik” trials which were held by the Russian Army.

During these years, the AK-12 rifle went through several modifications. The latest one, which was officially approved by Russian MoD and is described below in detail, was first displayed to the general public during a Russian Army-2016 expo in a Moscow suburb in September 2016. Compared to the previous version, the 2016-style AK-12 is said to be more reliable, more accurate and better suited to the latest military requirements. Its version chambered for a 7.62×39 M43 cartridge received its own designation of 7.62mm Kalashnikov AK-15 assault rifle (GRAU index “6 ? 71”).

It must be noted that an earlier version of the AK-12, which was shown to the public in 2015, is completely dropped from future consideration due to cost and certain design issues. While it looked much more “modern” and “ergonomic” than the winning configuration, its ambidextrous controls and switchable charging handle were not sufficient to fulfill military requirements and surpass existing AK-74M rifles in terms of effectiveness, while maintaining similar or higher reliability. The present day AK-12, while looking slightly less “trendy,” managed to win trials, fulfill all requirements and win the hearts and minds of the troops who extensively tested it across Russia.

As of this writing (Spring 2018), the Kalashnikov Group is gearing up to deliver first-production batches of AK-12 and AK-15 rifles to Russian MoD, with the first deliveries scheduled toward the end of 2018.

Specifications

Technical Description

AK-12 is a select-fire military weapon firing all existing types of Russian 5.45x39mm ammunition. The AK-15 is essentially the same weapon but adapted for the older, but still very popular 7.62x39mm ammunition, so the description below equally applies to both weapons.

Kalashnikov AK-12 assault rifles have the traditional Kalashnikov-type gas-operated action with long stroke gas piston and rotary bolt locking. The bolt has two large lugs that engage with trunnion, riveted at the front of the stamped steel receiver. Front trunnion, while conceptually similar to earlier generations of the AK, has a different top part with a new receiver cover interface and a new gas tube receptacle. The gas tube is permanently attached to the receiver and has a maintenance plug at the front, where it meets the newly designed gas block / front sight base. What looks like a manual gas regulator is in fact a simple removable plug, but if need arises, it can be easily replaced with a new plug with built-in gas regulator (this could be of particular value for a civilian version, when used by competition shooters). The top cover is also of new design. It is made of steel and has a permanently attached aluminum alloy Picatinny rail on the top. Locking to the receiver is achieved by a captive cross pin, located to the rear of the rear sight base. To remove the top cover, one has to rotate the pin head from its horizontal position and then pull it to the right as far as it goes. After that, the top cover can be separated from the gun. To achieve a stable and durable platform for all types of optics, including relatively heavy Night Vision / IR sights, the top cover has a spring-loaded pin at the rear which engages hook-shaped projections on the receiver. This powerful spring eliminates any play that might otherwise creep in after extensive field use and numerous disassembles of the gun. Because of this setup, the return spring guide is also redesigned and does not have top cover locking projections at the rear. The bolt carrier itself and the bolt are similar to that of previous generations of AK, with the charging handle permanently fixed on the right side of the carrier.

Kalashnikov demo team with AK-15, AK-12 and AK-15K.

The trigger and safety are more or less the same as before, with the addition of a 2-round burst mode (as per “Ratnik” requirements). The traditional Kalashnikov-style safety / selector lever is improved with the addition of a “finger pedal,” so it can be easily operated by the index finger or thumb without breaking the grip.

The handguard is made from two lightweight alloy parts, upper and lower, and is attached by cross-pins to the gas tube and front of the receiver, forming a stable and rigid platform for accessories and protecting the barrel from external stresses and bending, because the barrel does not touch the handguard.

The AK-12 is compatible with all previous generations of the 5.45mm AK-74-type magazines, but it is normally seen with a new pattern of 30-round magazine, made from polymer and equipped with small transparent windows that allow easy assessment of remaining ammunition supply. The AK-15 is compatible with all styles of 7.62x39mm magazines used in previous generations, such as AK, AKM or AK-103. New polymer magazines for AK-15 are similar in design to those used in AK-12, but are of a more curved shape.

The rifle is equipped with a side-folding shoulder stock which is adjustable for length of pull. The stock has an all-steel hinge and is durable enough to withstand extensive use of the 40mm underbarrel grenade launcher. Iron sights consist of a shrouded front post, mounted on the gas block, and an adjustable rear aperture sight, installed on the removable base using an upper Picatinny rail. The rear sight has a windage adjustment knob on the right and range scale marked from 1 to 8 (100 to 800 meters in 100-meter increments).

The barrel is chrome-lined, as per long-standing Russian tradition, and is provided with an effective removable compensator / muzzle brake. Depending on the tactical situation, a bayonet or quick detachable sound suppressor can be mounted on the barrel. To further increase combat effectiveness of the rifle, it can be equipped with a 40mm underbarrel grenade launcher such as a GP-25 or GP-34. A cleaning kit and a three-piece cleaning rod are stored inside a shoulder stock tube; the polymer pistol grip has a removable container for small accessories such as spare batteries for a red dot sight.

AK-15K.

What Else?

There was much confusion created by the external similarity of the AK-12 and previous generation of the AK-74M family, upgraded with a “KM-AK” 6Ch63 (“6?63” in Cyrillic) modernization kit, which also adds Picatinny rails and a telescoping / folding M4-style shoulder stock to existing guns. As is clear from the description above, AK-12 is not an “AK-74M with modernization kit.” For one, the AK-12 is about 0.5kg (1.1 pounds) lighter than either an AK-74M upgraded with KM-AK or an AK-200 (also known as AK-74M1, a new, factory-made AK-74 derivative with KM-AK upgrades), and its top cover design proved to be more durable and better suited for long-term use of optics and night vision / IR scopes. It is also more effective in terms of target-hit probability, although exact results are still held as confidential by Russian MoD.

A Whole New Family of Small Arms

Recognizing the potential of its new weapons, the Kalashnikov Group is set to offer a complete family of infantry small arms for the Russian military, law enforcement and possible foreign clients. Besides two basic rifles, Kalashnikov has developed two “compact” versions, the AK-12K and AK-15K, which feature shorter barrels and can be handy for CQB operations or as a PDW for vehicle and heavy armament crews. Another offspring of the project is the RPK-16, a magazine-fed 5.45mm squad automatic weapon with removable barrel, which deserves a separate article.

Photos by Kalashnikov Group

On November 24, 2017, the Norwegian Government made changes in the Budget (2017–2018) for the Norwegian Armed Forces. One change includes the VIDAR Project, an acquisition of 24 K9 Thunder 155mm self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) and a number of K10 Ammunition Resupply Vehicles (ARVs) from Hanwha Techwin (founded as Samsung Techwin), South Korea. According to the government’s proposal, the Project also includes artillery precision and smoke ammunition, materiel for training and logistics. Deliveries are planned to start in 2019 and be finished within 2024. In connection with the purchase, it will be required that an offset agreement of cooperation between Norwegian defense industry and Hanwha Techwin is approved before the main contract is signed. An offset agreement on industrial cooperation must have at least one equivalent value and quality as the main contract. The Ministry of Defense will closely monitor the agreement being fulfilled. The estimated cost framework for the project is NOK 3.193 million (2017) ($409,470,320), including VAT, an amount for uncertainty as well as implementation costs. The project’s management framework is set at NOK 2.900 million ($371,896,000), including VAT.

Extensive Winter Trials—Short List

The choice of K9 has been expected since the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) executed field trials in Norway, January 11-30, 2016. There were four selected contenders for its 155mm self-propelled howitzer system procurement program nicknamed VIDAR (Versatile InDirect ARtillery system) or NAS The choice of K9 has been expected since the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) executed field trials in Norway, January 11-30, 2016. There were four selected contenders for its 155mm self-propelled howitzer system procurement program nicknamed VIDAR (Versatile InDirect ARtillery system) or NAS (Norwegian Artillery System). Based on the tests with:

• K9 Thunder, Hanwha Techwin,
• Panzerhaubitze 2000 (Krauss-Maffei Wegmann—KMW),
• M109 KAWEST (an upgraded and modernized M109A2, RUAG), and
• CAESAR (the wheeled truck mounted system, Nexter Systems).
• The K9 Thunder and the M109 KAWEST were shortlisted in June 2016.
• K9 Thunder’s Handbooks/Manuals Have Editorial Similarity to Those of the M109

The K9 system can transit new conscript crew to active duty quickly due to simplicity and similarity to M109 operational doctrine. It takes 4 weeks training for crew proficiency and 2 weeks training for maintenance crew proficiency.

The K9 Thunder fires a Nammo 155mm IM HE-ER Base Bleed (BB) projectile out to a range of 43.6km. (The flashing from the BB is not rocket propulsion but only reduces the drag when it is rising from the origin.) Here with a muzzle velocity of 950 m/s, the ascending trajectory of the projectile reaches a vertex (the highest point of the trajectory) up to a height of 15km before descending to the designated target area more than 40km horizontal distance away from the firing position. (THOMAS DANBOLT/NAMMO)

Investment for Future

Why K9 Thunder and not M109 KAWEST? On one hand, regarding future growth potential for a platform, it is important to purchase new equipment to have modern and efficient systems that comply with current and future needs. On the other hand, further technological development possibilities for M109 KAWEST is considered to be not feasible, and the old parts of the piece (power plant, driveline, etc.) will be at their technical useful end in the middle of the 2020s.

K9 Thunder Is the World’s Leading 155mm/L52 Caliber Self-Propelled Howitzer System in Terms of the Volume of Production

The Republic of Korea’s Army (RoK’s Army) was the first in Asia to field a 155mm/L52-caliber self-propelled system. The K9 Thunder 155mm/L52-caliber tracked SPH, designed and developed in RoK by Hanwha Techwin, have given the RoK’s Army a significant improvement in capability over their current K55/K55A1 (the South Korean variant of the M109A2). K9 Thunder 155mm/52-caliber SPH will augment and replace the RoK Army’s 155mm/L39 caliber M109A2 SPHs.

When Experience Counts

The company was the prime contractor for the co-production of 1,040 M109A2s for the RoK. The first XK9 prototype was completed in 1994, and the first production weapons were delivered in 1999. In South Korea, a total of 1,136 K9 Thunder and 179 K10 Ammunition Resupply Vehicles (10 ARV) are delivered, and K9 Thunder is the only tracked armoured SPH system in mass production. K9 Thunder has proven its superiority through demonstrations and evaluation tests in various proving grounds such as extreme weather in jungles, barrens and severely cold areas. K9 Thunder has an excellent mobility and conformability with any other field artillery units. The K9 has been operated in RoK since 1999 (K10 ARVs from 2009). K9 Thunder is serving as one of the main conventional deterrent forces in the RoK Army.

The Norwegian Army’s old M109A3GNs have limited maneuver capability in hilly terrain covered with deep snow. (OLE-SVERRE HAUGLI/NORWEGIAN ARMED FORCES)

The K9 and K10 Artillery Battery’s Tactical Concept

K9 Thunder SPH is designed for manoeuvre operations in a highly technological battlefield, along with main battle tanks and infantry combat vehicles. The K9 Thunder is an adaptable weapon system with a sophisticated fire control system embedded on each K9 and with the coordination of the Fire Direction Centre (FDC). The K9 is able to deliver indirect fire support to disperse, subdue and neutralize enemy ability to wage war in a network-centric environment. In the RoK, a K9 Thunder/K10 ARV combined battery has the versatile capability needed to engage any enemy target. Each K10 ARV supports two K9s. K10 ARV has a fully automated robotized equipment delivery system and resupplying capability to maximize the efficiency of artillery forces. K10 shares the same chassis, power pack and suspension with K9 Thunder. That gives efficiency in logistics support and tactical movement. The K10 ARV moves to the firing position after loading the ammunition stored in the ammunition dump or on the truck to resupply the K9 Thunders. In order to sustain the firing mission, K10 ARV approaches the K9 and resupplies its on-board munitions immediately when needed, wherever K9’s position, regardless of weather, daylight or darkness. K10 ARV has an electrically operated telescopic arm and conveyor belt to transfer rounds and charges and feeds 155mm projectiles and associated charges into the bustle at the rear of the K9 turret at a rate of 48 rounds and charges in 18 minutes. All crew is under protection during resupply. K10 ARV carries 104 rounds, sufficient to resupply two K9 guns.

K9 Thunder’s Features

The South Korean-made armoured Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH) 155mm L52-caliber howitzer with a 23-liter combustion chamber volume is compatible with all NATO 155mm standard ammunitions and conforms to the Joint Ballistic Memorandum of Understanding (JBMoU).

The K9 Thunder is autonomous with a Modular Azimuth Position System and a Kongsberg Automatic Fire Control System connected to the CI2 network. With coordination of the FDC, K9 Thunder is able to deliver indirect fire support to disperse targets, neutralize and incapacitate enemy ability to wage war in a network-centric environment.

K9 has a great fire power and rate of fire to provide fast and concentrated fire power over time.

The 155mm IM HE-ER has been designed to defeat light armour and soft targets up to 40km away (with a L52-caliber cannon). IM explosives provide an enhanced blast and fragmentation effect and have greater impact on semi-hard targets. For increased flexibility the round incorporates an interchangeable base bleed and hollow base. Nammo’s 155mm-caliber ammunition family is designed to significantly strengthen the effect of the artillery. Shown on the ground, the 155mm IM HE-ER projectile and the 155mm TP-ER—cost-effective training with ballistic match to IM HE-ER (available in two versions: inert [no energetics] or with a small explosive spotting charge). (THOMAS DANBOLT/NAMMO)

Longer Firing Range: K9 Thunder fired a Nammo 155mm IM HE-ER (Insensitive High Explosive Extended Range) Base Bleed projectile out to a range of 43.6 kilometers. The live firing took place at the Swedish firing test range Ravlunda, May 2–4, 2016. The test was checked by the Norwegian Defence Research Institute. A maximum range of 54km has been achieved in trial.

K9 Thunder is designed and developed to the tactical concept of “Shoot & Scoot.” K9 Thunder carries out its first round within 30 seconds while at rest and 60 seconds while in movement as soon as it receives firing information from the FDC. After completing the mission, K9 Thunder quickly moves away from the primary firing position prior to the enemy’s counter fire and implements the next mission. A burst rate of fire of three rounds can be achieved in less than 15 seconds, with a maximum rate of fire of from six to eight rounds a minute for three minutes. Sustained rate of fire is from two to three rounds a minute for one hour.

The K9 has proven to be modern, reliable and precise. At all times, when executing fire missions, the crew is protected under steel armour.

It has deployment capability in difficult terrains in all weather conditions. K9’s 1,000hp MTU engine with Allison automatic transmission engine delivers high power-to-weight ratio (21.6hp/t*) and has equal mobility like modern main battle tanks and tracked Infantry Fighting Vehicles [*Benchmark: Leopard 2 A4, 1,500hp engine power/weight 62.5 = 24hp/t].

K9’s individual HSU (Hydro-pneumatic Suspension Unit) at each wheel station provides the K9 Thunder SPH with capability to manoeuvre and fulfil its missions in diverse environments and terrains. The HSU minimizes shock and vibration to the cabin and significantly reduces crew fatigue. The HSU gives a quick stabilization of the gun between firing of rounds. The old Norwegian Army’s M109A3GN cannot travel across the Norwegian hilly terrain in deep snow and immediately execute a firing mission without help from snow clearing machines (due to low power-to-weight-ratio).

K10 Ammunition Resupply Vehicle (ARV) fulfils the requirements of the substantially increased ammo amount used in modern warfare to supply the K9 Thunder so that it can meet its tactical requirements of a higher firing rate and Shoot & Scoot. K10 has a fully automated resupplying capability to maximize the artillery batteries’ efficiency and shares the same chassis, power pack and suspension with K9 Thunder for efficiency in logistics support and tactical movement.

The “Family” of K9

Besides the Republic of Korea, the countries mentioned below show that the K9 SPH 52-caliber 155mm protected artillery system qualifies to be the largest number of 52-caliber SPHs system in terms of the scheduled volume of production and fielded in the world and the only SPH system in mass production.

Turkey

In 2001, Turkish Land Forces Command signed a contract with Techwin to provide K9 subsystems for integration with locally produced components in Turkey. Delivery of the Turkish SPH, named the T-155 Firtina (Storm), began in 2004. Production in Turkey began in 2012, and a total of 350 designated T-155 Firtina will be produced, with production continuing.

India

May 14, 2017—In the first howitzer order to a domestic private sector company, the Indian Ministry of Defence signed a $700 million contract defense company, Larsen & Toubro (L&T). L&T will produce 100 155mm /52-caliber-tracked howitzer guns in India with Korean defence firm Hanwha Techwin. India’s system of choice after exhaustive comparison tests against the Russian system has reasserted K9 as the leading 52-caliber system in the world.

Poland

Two K9 Thunder chassis were provided to Poland for use with the Krab (crab is a Polish-license built “AS90 Braveheart” 155mm/L52-caliber turret married with a K9 Thunder chassis) and after trials accepted for production, with eight vehicles delivered in 2008. After this first pre- series, production was left in 2014 to Korean Samsung Techwin. 120 more vehicles are in order for the Polish Army.

Finland

On March 2, 2017, in Seoul, South Korea, the Finnish Defence minister signed a contract regarding acquisition of 48 SPH K9 Thunders, spare parts and training. The Estonian Ministry of Defence has decided to join Finland’s plan to acquire South Korean K9 Thunder 155mm self-propelled howitzers.

Estonia

As a part of the development program to upgrade military equipment, Estonia will acquire at least 12 SPH K9s and according to current plans should enter service by 2021.

Egypt

The Egyptian Army has performed evaluation tests for the K9 howitzer in Egypt. The final contract is expected to be signed in early 2018.

January winter day trials. (WALTER HÅLAND)

Nordic Cooperation Possibilities

Norway can, together with Finland and Estonia, establish a base for a system commonality and thus have an advantage to maximize use of regional subsystems in addition to full system support from Hanwha Techwin.

Through Life Support (TLS)

Hanwha Land Systems provides full system support throughout the life cycle for maintenance of the K9 through a proven ILS package. The ILS for K9 includes:

Integrated Logistics Support (ILS)

ILS of K9 Thunder has not only made a great contribution to its combat readiness but also made a noticeable reduction of life-cycle cost. Spare parts availability is anticipated beyond 2050.

Supportability Analysis (SA)

Various elements of SA have been applied to accomplish K9 ILS, such as: Test & Support Equipment, Spare Parts & Inventory, Facility/Utility, Level of Repair, Criticality, Operator Task, Distribution, Personnel Training, Maintenance, Interactive Electronic Technical Manual (IETM) + TM Publication, Test & Diagnostic Equipment/Special Tool and Training Aids.

Through Life Support (TLS)

TLS utilizing regional support base and technical transfer to local entity of choice, ILS and tech data to manage Maintenance Level 2~4, Establish field service at a Nordic company, Train the trainer at a Nordic/Baltic country, Transit TLS activity to Nordic/Baltic countries after first 5-year TLS, Maintain REACH BACK to Hanwha for sustainment support, Develop national industry as part of global supply chain for K9 SPH International, Regional parts supply, Licensed K9 components, produced in Poland and/or Turkey, could be utilized in an emergency, Synergize user community group dialogue to maximize support capability.

Norwegian Industry

Kongsberg Defence Systems (KONGSBERG) has entered into a contract with Hanwha Land Systems to deliver Integrated Combat Solution (ICS) to Finland’s new K9 artillery system. That means that KONGSBERG can deliver risk-free integration of ODIN (C2) to ODIN (FCS) and system networks to other Norwegian Armed Forces equipment, as well as risk-free integration for remote-operated weapon stations. Nammo will deliver the 155mm HE-ER (High Explosive Extended Range) ammunition.

All Surgeon rifles are customized to some extent before they leave the factory. The Scalpel 591 action is, on the surface, a very basic design with a two-lug bolt and conventional forward-back rocker safety. The main feature of this rifle isn’t in the features but in the extremely precise execution of the basic design. The recoil lug and the 20MOA rail are integrated into the receiver, making for a stronger system that can’t work loose. This action is available in .223 Remington, .243 Winchester, 6XC, .260 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Winchester—I went with the 6.5 as the reasonable balance between recoil and sufficient payload at range. 6.5 Creedmoor can be considered a conceptual descendant of the 6.5 Swedish, still a moderately powered cartridge but with a 120-yard or greater advantage in muzzle velocity for the same bullet weight. Around the year 1900, several 6.5mm cartridges were popular in European armies but fell out of favor by the 1930s due to the insufficient volume available for AP cores or long-range tracer elements desired for machine guns. Neither is a concern for most present-day US shooters, so the soft recoiling yet flat shooting 6.5mm made a comeback in compact (Grendel), short (Creedmoor) and long (6.5-284) actions. Barrels from 16 inches—mainly for dedicated suppressed use—to 26 inches are available, heavy (Palma) or bull (MTU), with optional fluting and a choice of muzzle devices. Mine came with an unfluted 24-inch tube, threaded and capped. Even though I could see the flats of the barrel cap, I had to look at the line between the barrel and the cap with a loupe to see it. The hairline was so thin as to be invisible in normal light, and that exemplifies the quality of mechanics throughout this rifle. I specified no muzzle device because I had been expecting a matching sound suppressor. That wasn’t available in time, so all the testing was done with a bare muzzle.

The look of the complete rifle comes mainly from the stock or chassis selected to support the action. Scalpel is available with two different stock or four chassis options: mine came with a J. Allen JAE-700, a highly customizable aluminum chassis that looks more like a conventional stock. It feels more like a conventional stock as well, rounded and warmer in cold weather than bare aluminum, thanks to the composite color inserts instead of paint over metal. While hefty, this chassis has the balance of a conventional stock, allowing easy balancing in off-hand and supported field firing positions. Everything about this chassis is about options: in addition to several QD sockets, it has a recessed flush mount rail running on the sides and the bottom the full length of the forend. Out of the box, it had a sling swivel stud mid-forend and a 2-inch Picatinny rail at the front—the two can be reversed or replaced at will. Every detail, from the length of pull to the cheek rise to the hand grip dimensions, can be adjusted and modified to fit the shooter or to switch between several users. The raised cheek rest is removable for breech-side cleaning of the barrel. Even the bolt handle is swappable to fit shooter preference. The base 3-pound trigger is excellent, minutely adjustable and entirely transparent in use. Trigger upgrades are an option for the true connoisseurs. The only flaw I found with the construction is in the unbroken upper edge of the flush mount rail: in theory, it can abrade an ungloved hand. In my own practice, I had zero problems with it, so this remains a theoretical concern.

With the long-range scope set at the minimal 5x magnification, it can be used off-hand for a minute or so.

Scalpel action uses industry standard Accuracy International (AI) magazines in 5- and 10-round lengths. The supplied 5-rounder fits flush and is easy to load. Single-feed magazines, while slightly harder to load than double-feed designs, require a smaller opening in the bottom of the receiver, improving overall rigidity. The chassis forms a deep magwell that keeps the magazine more closely aligned with the action. While several good loads are available in 6.5 Creedmoor, I did my testing with Nexus 142gr HPBT Match provided by Strategic Armory Corps (SAC), the parent company to Surgeon Rifles. This ammo is advertised as matched to the rifle, and SAC states that 1/4MOA accuracy is possible. In theory, I can get this kind of result firing from a rest, but my interest was more in the field use of the rifle for typical real-world employments.

Good accuracy at range presupposes a good optic. Pulling a trigger on an indistinct, not fully identified target would be neither safe nor effective, so using a high magnification scope was in order. A Burris 5-25x50mm FFP scope fit the bill without excess bulk. The rifle so scoped weighed in at 15.6 pounds, but the balance remained excellent. The illuminated MOA reticle provided ranging and holdovers at any magnification, while the zoomed-out view gave a quick crosshair thick and simple enough to remain usable for close-in defense. An auxiliary red dot is available for emergency CQB, but I didn’t mount it on the theory that a sidearm would be a quicker option at such close range. The weight, combined with the thick and effective recoil pad, makes felt recoil a non-event. A well-sculpted hand rest on the bottom front of the stock added to the feeling of comfort. Recoil control was absent as a conscious part of the shooting experience.

Used to zeroing high-velocity rifles at 200 yards, I ended up having to re-calculate hold-overs from the 100-yard data on the ammunition box. Since the 24-inch barrel in use matched the test barrel length, I could count on the velocity to be very close to the rated 2770fps. Once zeroed, the rifle overlapped lead splatter from each impact on top of each other at 200. The real test was a cold shot at 500 yards on a hard-to-see target; in this case a torso-sized steel target hung on a branch. Over time, it rusted brown matching the leafless trees around it and was impossible to see with unaided eye or low-magnification optics. With the Burris scope at 20 power, it was just visible enough for a certain aim. From a bipod, Surgeon is absurdly easy to keep steady, so the only real question was drop estimation. Re-calculating drop had to be done not only from the 100-yard zero to 200, but also from the 1.5-inch sight over bore assumed by Nexus testers to 2 inches. Fortunately, at long range, height of sight over bore becomes a negligible concern. The longer zero distance reduced the 500-yard drop to 42 inches or 8.4MOA. With the Burris SCR reticle, it was an easy correction. Unlike holding off “by the height of the target,” using the reticle calculation doesn’t require the knowledge of the target size. I originally assumed the target was 36 inches or taller, in which case aiming its own height above would have given me a hit. Once the target was ranged with the same reticle and found to be only 6MOA or 30 inches in height, a more reliable, calculated aim was taken and gave consistent hits.

AI-style 5-round magazine. 10-round version is also available.

While I am not a fan of muzzle brakes for mild calibers like 6.5 Creedmoor, either a brake or a sound suppressor would have eased the job of spotting. At 25x, the sight picture got disturbed just enough to make spotting my own shots difficult. Roughly 2/3 second time of flight wasn’t enough for it to settle so that I could watch the impact unless I zoomed out some. This is where a proper spotter would have been useful. Here’s where my quip about the rifle being a constant rather than a variable comes in. Typically, shooting a high powered rifle includes a degree of dispersion, so the marksman is steering an area of probable hits somewhere near the point of predicted impact. Sometimes, the shooter’s flinch plays into this as well. With the Scalpel, flinch is a non-issue because the entire shooting experience is so comfortable. The same is nearly true of the dispersion. With a less accurate rifle, let’s say a 1MOA for example, the error of plus/minus 2.5 inches from the expected point of impact is added to the errors of ranging, windage, reading of humidity and other factors. Although 6.5 Creedmoor is viewed as a flat shooting cartridge with good wind drift resistance, the actual numbers show it is merely an incremental improvement over the .308 Winchester. It enjoys at most a 100-yard advantage in drop and drift at 1000 yards, and only about a 50-yard advantage at 500. The main win is in the comfort of shooting, with noticeably lessened felt recoil. With the Scalpel, the offset produced by the barrel and ammunition combination is so minute as to be neglected in practice, at least at the very close range of 500 yards. So a marginal aim by a mediocre shooter still has a much higher chance of connecting than it would with a more typical rifle with less precise ammunition.

The Scalpel is quite expensive at around $6000 as configured, not counting the scope and rings which add $1200 or so. Is the extra money over a more pedestrian option going to produce much better results for the same skill level? Definitely! The key is to bring an adequate skill level to the range, as even the best equipment won’t make up for ignorance of the ballistic basics and sound shooting techniques. In addition to excellent performance, Scalpel also serves up a sheer enjoyment of the experience with the perfected controls and functionality so well considered they become transparent to the user.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

surgeonrifles.com
jallenglobal.com
burrisoptics.com

The buttstock of the J. Allen chassis is adjustable in every way, yet remains streamlined.

The maglatch is nested behind the magazine to prevent accidental activation

Single-feed magazine reduces the size of the opening required in the receiver.

Despite the formidable weight—16.5lbs with the Burris 5-25x50mm scope installed, the rifle balances well for the supported field position.

The two-lug bolt is fluted for working through sand or dirt in the action.

The 6.5 Creedmoor’s flat trajectory permitted reliable hits at 500 yards using 200-yard zero and hold-over data from the ammunition box.

The seventh edition of Enforce Tac International Exhibition & Conference Law Enforcement, Security and Tactical Solutions billed as the “International Trade Fair for Command, Control and Operational Equipment used by security forces” was held over March 7–8 at the Nuremberg Messe Exhibition Centre, Germany. The 2018 event which was stated to be 20-percent larger than last year attracted 242 exhibitors and more than 3,500 visitors over the two days.

The event continues to grow in size, and this year’s event occupied four halls located at the Messe centre entrance which is adjacent to the various entries points for road, rail and car parking. The extended exhibitor focus is on police service issue firearms and ammunition, ballistic accessories, optics, information and communications technologies and uniforms. The latter, primarily of a service nature, included stab and bullet-proof vests, shields and helmets and restraining devices. Reflecting the changing threat scenario, the counter-drone system “Dropster,” a hand-held discharger firing a cut-resistant net, was displayed. Effective up to 30 meters, the Dropster is used and aimed like a pistol for event protection and other media attracted events. Noteworthy on the firearms side was the Heckler & Koch 5.56mm NATO caliber HK433 contender as a replacement for the G36 assault rifle in German service. At the current time, only two contenders are now in the running to replace the G36, namely Heckler & Koch and Haenel Defence with their military version of the CR 223, the MK 556 in 5.56mm NATO.

RUAG Ammotec AG of Thun, Switzerland, displayed a full range of current production ammunition which now includes blank rounds for .338 Lapua Magnum caliber rifles!

The ground floor exhibition hall provided a display area for specialist police and security vehicles.

To provide added value in attending, Enforce Tac was complimented by a programme of lectures and seminars organized by the European Police Trainer Conference 2018 and sponsored by the Polizietrainer in Deutschland e.V. (Police Trainers in Germany PiD), that brought together subjects of current interest to the police service in regards to theory, practice, application and equipment. Seminars focused on areas ranging from “Preventing Excited Delirium In-Custody Deaths” to “Dynamic Use of Firearms” and “Reactive Target Systems.” To assist delegates attending from outside of Germany, a simultaneous translation from German to English was also provided.

Among the regular European manufacturers were two Swiss manufacturers of law enforcement firearms, Wyssen Defence AG and Glarner Waffen Manufaktur + Handelshaus AG, exhibiting for the first time, together with Knights Armament Company (KAC) of Titusville, Florida.

Enforce Tac has traditionally preceded IWA International Hunting & Sporting Trade Fair also held at the Messe exhibition centre, allowing those attending the former to attend the latter, which was held over March 9–11. IWA itself continues to grow in size and popularity (vying with the U.S. Las Vegas SHOT Show for the size), with individual halls now being themed along specific product lines and with Hall 5 remaining the home of the large U.S. Pavilion, but now complimented with a growing craft custom and utility knife area.

Additionally, those attending Enforce Tac were able to visit the second edition of the U.T.SEC–Unmanned Technologies and Security, Exhibition and Conference which focused on security by and against unmanned technologies.

Shown is the Heckler & Koch HK433 5.56mm assault rifle. Developed as a potential replacement for the in-service G36 assault rifle, HK433 will be available in law enforcement configurations. It is seen here with folding-stock extended and cheek-piece raised, with emergency back-up sights raised.

The Heckler & Koch stand was an early port of call for the firearm-minded.

Shown is the “Dropster” counter-drone pistol fitted with discharger cup containing the “capture net” and reflex sight unit. Offered in a sturdy transit case with five re-loads instantly to hand. (© – Droptec GmbH)

Mehler Law Enforcement GmbH was one of many local companies to display their range of law enforcement clothing and accessories.

Wyssen Defence AG of Switzerland displayed their product range of generic Armalite platform-based rifles, their own design of submachine gun and a range of propriety design sound suppressors.

General

Many of today’s “shoulder-launched munitions” are capable of taking out armored Infantry Fighting Vehicles, even MBTs, having a breakthrough effect on building structures and covered targets and acting as an Area Denial weapon. These types of weapons are used with day/night optics as well as a fire control system. Even on the lightest disposal weapons there are reflex sights, laser range finders and fire control available. Independent of that, there are two categories: Reusable launchers and Disposal launchers.

RPG 7

The reusable RPG-7, loaded from the muzzle, is one of the world’s most widely used weapons of its kind to date. The RPG-7 was introduced into the Soviet Armed Forces in 1961. The “Ruthnoy Protivotankovy Granatomyot” (RPG stands for hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher) has undergone numerous modifications since then. The Russian Armed Forces operate the variants RPG-7V2, besides ammunition (PG-7VL) and tandem hollow charge projectiles (PG-7VR), thermobaric (TBG-7V, splitter (OG-7V) and anti-structural warheads (GSh-7Vt). Of the RPG-7, there are some licensed products and modernized versions. These include a version manufactured by AirTronic USA.

Launched in 1989, the larger-caliber RPG 29 “Vampir” fires the PG-29V tandem-shaped charge warhead, which itself is capable of penetrating Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA); it’s said to have disabled combat several Merkava Mk.3 in the Second Lebanon War.

For the RPG-29 there is also the thermobaric warhead TBG-29V.

The Kornet anti-tank missiles with their lethal tandem laser-beam warheads were also penetrating the advanced armor of the Merkava Mk.4.

German soldier with Panzerfaust 3, armed with practice [übungs] warhead (ballistically as the HEAT, multi-purpose).

Panzerfaust 3 Family

Panzerfaust 3 (Pzf 3) is one of the most powerful shoulder-fired, anti-armor weapons currently available. The launcher is the only Davis Gun in full series production introduced in many armies that can truly be fired from small enclosures (Davis Gun principle: uses only a small amount of propellant together with a gel counter mass). The reusable firing device with a high resolution, high quality optical sight contributes to the excellent accuracy of the weapon system.

The Dynarange is the fire control device for the Pzf 3 family’s rounds. Using the control button on its front handle, the gunner can acquire targets with a laser range finder, measure the speed of a moving target and compensate for wind and temperature influences. The ballistic computer provides a red dot aiming mark for the gunner in the high quality, high resolution sight and greatly improves the accuracy at ranges out to 600m. The Dynarange provides the gunner with an excellent first-shot-hit probability. Night operation is achieved using an image intensifier device fitted on the sight.

Panzerfaust 3-IT (Improved Tandem) is the latest version of the famous Pzf 3 family of anti-armor shoulder-launched weapons developed for the defeat of Main Battle Tanks (MBT). Its powerful tandem-shaped charge warhead has been designed to defeat all current types of ER, including the most resistant types. The large amount of high explosives in the dual mode warhead of Pzf 3-IT has significant performance against secondary targets like field fortifications, buildings made from concrete or brick and sand bag walls. Pzf-IT is fired with the standard firing device suitable for all Pzf rounds. The weapons weight is 14.3kg with the 110mm-caliber AT Tandem (HESH—High-explosive anti-tank/High-explosive squash head) warhead. The effective range is from 15m to 400m, but with the standard firing unit and Dynarange the effective range is 600m against moving targets.

Dynarange is the firing device for all Panzerfaust 3 rounds with a fire control system. Photo: DYNAMIT NOBEL DEFENCE GMBH

Panzerfaust 3-T (Multi-purpose Tandem Warhead) combines an innovative precursor charge in telescopic stand-off spike with the proven shaped charge of Pzf 3 for the defeat of MBDs fitted with ERA, as well as secondary targets. A special feature of the tandem-shaped charge warhead is the incorporation of the so-called not-detonating design principle: the precursor charge punches a hole through the ERA without initiating its explosive content thus avoiding dangerous ERA fragments that could be harmful to the gunner especially at short firing ranges. The dual mode warhead in combination with the firing from confined space feature of the round make Pzf 3-T ideal for urban operations. The effective range is from 11m to 400m (600m with Dynarange). The weapon’s weight is 13.3kg with 110mm AT Tandem (HESH) warhead. Panzerfaust 3 with its High Performance HEAT, multi-purpose warhead with an extendable stand-off spike provides optimum stand-off for the shaped charge to defeat heavy MBT armor. With retracted spike the warhead is highly effective against light-armored vehicles, field fortifications and all kind of masonry including reinforced concrete. This multi-purpose feature makes Pzf 3 ideal for Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) and Rural Operations.

The effective range is from 15m to 400m (600m with Dynarange), and the weapon’s weight is 12.9kg with 110mm HEAT/HESH warhead.

Bunkerfaust (BKF) this bunker burst ammunition fired with Pzf 3 is designed to enable troops to defeat targets behind cover. The tandem warhead with a penetrating charge and a follow-through grenade has a high performance against a variety of structures ranging from reinforced concrete to the armor of infantry fighting vehicles. With retracted spike, the BKF is highly effective against light-armored vehicles. The multi-purpose feature of the warhead, the effective range of 15m to 400m, as well as the fire from enclosure (FFE) capability makes BKF a powerful weapon to meet the threats in MOUT and Rural Operations.

Carl Gustaf: From Armored to Multi-Purpose

The 84mm Carl Gustaf (CG) weapon was developed in the late 1940s and is now being produced by Saab Defense. The weapon has undergone several modifications and is in use by more than 40 nations. Saab introduced the latest generation M4 in October 2014. The CGM4 weighs less than 7kg. A considerable amount of weight is saved (28%) thanks to new materials and a shorter tube that measures less than 1 meter. Other major improvements include modernized ergonomics, an integrated shot counter and faster deployment handling because the CGM4 can be transported safely while loaded. The predecessor model M3, in use in the USA as a Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System, has a weight of 10kg and a length of 1,065mm. One of the biggest M3 users is the USSOCOM (US Special Operations Command), but even there they are about to introduce the M4 with more than 1,000 pieces under the name M3E1 MAAWS (Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System). Their older M3 models are being transferred to the regular U.S. Army. Thanks to the extensive ammunition range which can be fired from the launcher, the CGM4 is suitable for nearly all target scenarios. The ranges are at just over 1,000 meters against semi-hard targets.

Panzerfaust 3-IT. Photo: DYNAMIT NOBEL DEFENCE GMBH

AT4-CS

In addition to the famous 84mm Carl Gustaf, Saab Defense also has their AT4-CS family ready, in the 84mm caliber. CS stands for “Confined Spaces” and indicates the possibility of using the weapon from confined spaces. Its ammunition family is to be merged more closely with the CGM4. The AT4-CS weapons follow a different principle; they are pure disposable weapons. Among the AT4-CS users is the U.S. Army, who introduced this weapon as M136A1.

In December 2014, French forces ordered the supply of the “Roquette NG” weapon system from Saab and Nexter. It includes three AT4 variants: AT4-CS ER (anti-armor extended range), AT4-CS AST (anti-structure and breaching) and AT4-CS HE (high explosive anti-personnel). You can read more about the Carl Gustaf M4 online in the Small Arms Defense Journal article “The New Carl-Gustaf M4: Lighter-Better-Smarter” (www.sadefensejournal.com) and read about the 84mm AT4 in the Small Arms Defense Journal article, “The Soldier’s One-Man Low Weight, Heavy Impact Weapon–The New 84mm At4,” Vol. 9, No. 3.

M72 LAW

The M72 LAW family is smaller in caliber, 66mm. The M72 LAW (Light Anti-Tank Weapon is also referred to as the Light Anti-Armor Weapon, or for short: LAW). American production of the weapon began in 1963 and was terminated by 1983. Currently it is produced by Nammo in Norway and their subsidiary Nammo Talley, Inc., in Arizona. The handy disposable weapon is available in many designs today, including anti-structural variants that can be fired from confined spaces/ FFE. The Nammo M72 LAW combines decades of innovation and Nammo expertise to deliver a world-leading, close-combat weapon. The system is disposable, easy to operate and extremely lightweight; it offers precision, power and capability in a single system.

M72A5 LAW is effective against armor vehicle, concrete walls and light-armored personnel carriers (APCs).

M72A6 LAW is used by the warfighter as a multi-purpose weapon and is effective against concrete walls, APCs and technical vehicles.

M72A7 is used by the warfighter as a multi-purpose weapon and is effective against concrete walls, APCs and technical vehicles.

German soldier firing the Panzerfaust 3. Photo: Bundeswehr/Jana Kazda

M72A9 LAW is an Anti-Structure Munition (ASM) suitable for defeating brick, adobe, solid core and steel fire doors as well as earthen fortifications and technical vehicles. This variant offers more payload on target with optimized blast effects.

M72 ASM RC variant is an Anti-Structure Munition Reduced Caliber suitable for defeating brick, adobe, earthen fortifications and technical vehicles. The carbon fiber warhead gives low collateral damage. The dual safe fuze and on-axis trigger equip the warfighter with an improved weapon system that is both safe and effective.

M72 EC LAW is an enhanced capacity variant which may penetrate up to 450mm RHA (Rolled Homogeneous Armor). It has a dual safe fuze and on-axis trigger as on the M72 ASM RC.
M72 Training System with the 21mm subcaliber rocket gives a truly similar experience as the live round.

Status NATO qualified, combat-proven and in production NATO qualified, combat-proven and in productionUS Type Classified, combat-proven and in production Limited Release, combat-proven and in production NATO qualified, combat-proven and in production NATO qualified, combat-proven and in production.

Nammo’s Bunker Defeat Munition (BDM) M141

BDM is the first lightweight, shoulder-fired weapon system with true multi-purpose effectiveness and uses the same High Explosive Dual Purpose (HEDP) rocket as in the USMC SMAW. The HEDP rocket is packaged in a rugged, compact telescoping, disposable launcher that has all gunner controls needed to aim and fire the weapon. The BDM is highly effective against double-reinforced concrete, triple brick, solid adobe, earthen fortifications, caves and technical vehicles.

SMAW Ammunition has proven combat performance, providing accuracy and reliability to demolish bunkers, breach fortifications and defeat armored vehicles. Ammunition variants include HEDP, Novel Explosive (NE), High Explosive Anti-Armor (HEAA) and the Common Practice Round (CPR). The served, man-portable, reusable launcher weapon system is lightweight, versatile and effective.

At left standing on floor: Carl-Gustaf M4, NLAW second from left. From top: AT4CS ER, AT4CS HE and AT4CS AST (all three new versions). Ammo from left: ASM 509, HE 441, ADM 401, SMOKE, ILLUM and TPT 141 (training). Ammo on the other side from the left: MT 756, HEDD 502, HEAT 655 CS, HEAT 751, HEAT 551 C RS and HEAT 551.

Grenade Weapons “Shmel-M” and “Bur”

The traditional Russian arms company KBP (Instrument Design Bureau) from Tula has presented in recent years two handy disposable rocket launchers. The RPO-M PDM “Shmel-M” (bumblebee) has an improved version of the late 1980s thermobaric agent RPO-A. Caliber and weight have been lowered, increasing effectiveness allegedly up to ~518m (1,700 feet). Even more handy is the 62mm Malogabaritny Granatomyotny MGK “Bur” (compact grenade-launching system), first shown in the West at Eurosatory 2014. Grenades with thermobaric or explosive/splinter-effect cargo are available in the disposable launch tubes. The effective range is 650 meters.

Conclusion

Combat leadership of the future may be able to provide versatile means of action with joint tactical fire support, and there are already concepts for loiter-capable or quick-call on effectors. Nevertheless, the grip-ready, multi-purpose shoulder-launched effectors remain indispensable for dismounted fighting warriors.

No matter what operating system a firearm employs, there are only two mechanisms used to fire metallic centerfire and rimfire cartridges; they are striker fire and hammer fire. Most people correctly associate a hammer-fired weapon with a revolver from Hollywood’s depiction of a cowboy cocking his revolver’s hammer fully back to its firing position. Less known are striker-fired firearms because the striker is hammerless and is concealed within the gun. The advantages and weaknesses between the two firing mechanisms have been the subject of a 100-year-old debate, with fans of each providing emotional reasons why their favorite is better; but is one functionally better than the other?

A technical understanding of how and why these two firing systems are used in a particular firearm design is important. For example, there are three basic autoloading operating systems used in modern autoloading firearms: gas impingement, gas piston and blowback (more on the operating systems in a future article). No matter which operating system is used, most autoloading rifles are hammer-fired while modern autoloading pistols, especially those designed for concealed carry, often use striker fire.

On the other hand, manually operated actions include bolt action, lever action, pump action and the break open hinged receiver. Bolt guns generally use striker fire while lever action, pump action and break open actions often use hammer fire.

Modern firearms all fire metallic-cased centerfire (to include shotgun shells) or rimfire cartridges offered in a variety of calibers. Both cartridge types must be struck on the primer-base end of the cartridge to be initiated. Center fire cartridges refer to the primer’s location being in the center bottom of the cartridge. Rimfire cartridges have the primer cast into the entire base of the cartridge and can be struck anywhere on the base to be fired. Rimfire is used on cartridges with a base diameter too small to contain a center fire primer (typically .22 caliber cartridges, but there are several others) and thus cannot be reloaded.

All firearm designs commonly employ a firing pin of sorts that strikes the cartridge’s primer (dimpling it), which in turn initiates the spark that ignites the propellant (smokeless gun powder) charge contained inside the cartridge case. Once the propellant charge is ignited by the primer, the propellant burns at high velocity (it does not explode contrary to popular belief). The propellant burn generates a predetermined level of pressure based upon the powder’s chemical formulation and quantity that propels the bullet (projectile) down the bore at a determined velocity to exit the gun barrel in stable ballistic flight on its way to the target.

So how does one determine whether a gun is hammer-fired or striker-fired and why does it matter?

Simply put, a hammer employs rotational energy to strike the cartridge primer. A striker uses linear energy to strike the cartridge primer. Both the hammer and the striker are propelled forward by a spring. Therefore, spring quality is a common key reliability factor to both hammer- and striker-fired firearms. Neither can operate without a spring to propel (power) it forward.

Hammers are exposed on three of these guns. The exception is the double-action-only Smith & Wesson M&P 340 compact revolver which has an internal hammer shrouded by its frame to prevent snagging during concealed carry.

Hammer Fire

While some hammers are contained internally, or shrouded from outward appearance, they all pretty much work the same. When the trigger is pulled releasing the trigger sear, the hammer springs forward, either directly or indirectly, striking the firing pin which in turn strikes the cartridge primer, firing the weapon. Many older revolver designs with exposed hammers have the actual firing pin attached to the hammer. In more modern hammer-fired designs, the hammer has a flat face that strikes a firing pin, which subsequently strikes the primer and fires the cartridge.

In flat-face, hammer-fired designs that utilize a firing pin and striker-fired designs, there is a small internal spring that shrouds the firing pin housed inside the firing pin cavity. The purpose and importance of this small spring is to retract the firing pin backward from its extended firing position following each hammer strike. This small firing pin retraction spring prevents the firing pin tip from dragging across the next chambered cartridge and from accidentally firing it as the bolt/slide is closed or a revolver’s cylinder rotates. Thus, the firing pin retraction spring is a critical safety element in preventing misfire during bolt / slide / cylinder-cyclic operation. As such, they should be regularly checked for proper operation and replaced if the firing pin doesn’t fully retract.

A hammer fire’s disadvantage is the inherent delay caused by rotational travel of the hammer. While this delay is negligible, it is present, and its travel timing must be accounted for in automatic weapons. Secondly, in autoloading firearms like the AR, for example, the hammer is cocked by the bolt carrier group passing over it on the recoil back stroke. The opposing force of the hammer dragging on the base of the bolt carrier group causes wear if not lubricated. It can also slow the rate of fire or cause a failure to eject, or a failure to feed malfunction if not maintained and lubricated properly. In some blowback operating system designs, hammer drag is used to time the rate of fire by slowing the slide’s or bolt’s backstroke.

Carrying a hammer-fired weapon with the hammer down, the hammer spring is at rest–and not under tension in a condition one scenario. This may add a comfortability factor while carrying because it significantly reduces the probability of accidentally firing a round when drawing. On the other hand, it presents a disadvantage in the event you need to draw and fire your weapon quickly because the hammer must first be cocked to fire the gun. Or, if you’re using a double action gun, the first-shot trigger pull is much greater than the following shots and this greatly increases the chances of a first- or second-shot miss for less experienced shooters.

Why then do most military assault-style weapons and machine guns utilize hammer fire? The answer is subtle and little understood. Because the hammer rotates on axially and is powered by a spring, its mass can be made more robust (heavier) than a striker. Additionally, the fact that it springs forward on an axial pivot point allows its inertial travel momentum greater leverage and thus, a consistently harder strike upon the firing pin / primer. Therefore, the rotational operation of the hammer mass provides a more energetic primer strike.

A robust primer strike is important because military (MILSPEC) ammunition generally uses a harder primer which requires a harder firing pin strike to initiate than the primers used in the civilian counterpart. From a military perspective, a harder primer provides an additional degree of safety in rough handling combat scenarios and as such, it requires a harder firing pin strike to initiate. It is for this reason that the military generally prefers hammer-fired weapons. Some famous US military hammer-fired weapons include: Colt Model P “Peacemaker” revolver, Colt M1911 pistol, Beretta M9 pistol, M1 Garand, M14 rifle, M16 rifle, and M4 carbines.

A hammer-fire AR compared (note the hammer sticking up from the AR’s lower receiver) beside a striker-fire bolt action FN sniper rifle.

Striker Fire

Striker fire is a different ballgame; its primer-striking energy is linear. With less parts required than hammer-fired designs, striker fire is less complex, and less parts mean less weight, but not necessarily less maintenance or greater reliability.

Invented by Daniel LeFever in 1878, the first striker-fired weapon was a shotgun. Striker-fired designs differ from hammer-fired designs because in most applications, the striker is the actual component that strikes the cartridge primer and is often thought of as an elongated firing pin.

Here’s how a striker works: When the trigger is pulled and the trigger bar releases, the striker is propelled forward as its compressed power spring relaxes. This linear motion drives the striker forward to impact the chambered round’s primer, which subsequently fires the round. In some designs, the striker travels forward to impact with a firing pin (similar to a hammer strike), and in some designs, the striker and the firing pin are one.

Strikers are commonly used in many modern semi-automatic pistols, bolt-action weapons and shotguns. Even though Glock wasn’t the first to use striker fire on pistols, Glock can be credited for making the striker fire popular in the 1980s when they started using striker fire in their entire line of pistols. As Glock became popular, other manufacturers started using striker fire as well, proliferating it across the firearms manufacturing community on a grand scale.

It is important to remember, there are several striker-fire design variations employed by various firearm manufacturers used to tension the striker’s power spring. For example, in Springfield’s XD pistols and Smith & Wesson’s M&P models, the spring is fully tensioned as the round is chambered. Correspondingly, Glock partially tensions the spring until the trigger is pulled which increases the spring tension just prior to the striker’s release. These differences largely effect the trigger pull (feel) and little else. Today, striker fire can be found in Glock pistols, Smith & Wesson’s M&P models, Springfield’s XD line, Ruger’s SR9 and numerous other pistols, rifles and shotguns.

There are several benefits to striker-fired firearms, especially in concealed carry. Since there is no protruding external hammer, striker fire offers a more snag-free carry design. Secondly, each trigger pull, from the first through the final round of the magazine, has the same weight of pull (and feel) as compared to double-action/single-action hammer-fired designs (where the trigger pull force is different depending on whether the firearm is working in single-action or double-action mode). Third, most striker-fire designs lack an external safety. This means the operator can draw and fire upon an assailant(s) with fewer preparatory steps; for example, no need to manually disengage a safety or cock a hammer before firing.

There are some disadvantages to striker fire as well. When carried “hot” with a round chambered, the firearm is in condition one and ready to fire. Just pull the trigger. This can be a blessing or a curse depending upon one’s shooting experience. For those shooters who are comfortable on their draw, a striker-fired gun can significantly reduce the time from draw to first shot. For inexperienced shooters, it can lead to accidental discharge or unintended fire before the gun is on target and is a major safety issue. Last, dirt and sand can jam a striker if it enters the cavity containing the striker. This is a reliability issue that largely concerns the military that again has historically driven them to hammer-fire weapons over striker-fire designs. Note: That preference was debased in 2017 by the US Army’s decision to replace the service standard Beretta M-9 hammer-fired pistol with the SIG SAUER P320 striker-fired pistol (and they’re already having problems with the new pistol).

With top slides removed, a hammer-fire Colt 1911 .45 ACP beside a striker-fire Springfield XDS .45 ACP.

Find Your Operational Purpose

Most experienced shooters own several hammer-fired and striker-fired firearms. Some might say that one gun fits all requirements. That is simply not the case, especially for concealed carry, because the choice of gun you’re concealing should be consistent with the type of clothes you’re wearing—for example, shorts and T-shirt versus shirt, coat and slacks—as well as the level of shooting experience you maintain. Choosing a hammer- or striker-fired pistol comes down to purpose, personal preference and best feel. The same is true for long guns. Both designs offer advantages and disadvantages in safety, ergonomic feel, trigger pull and concealability.

The “which is better” argument between hammer fire and striker fire directly correlates to mindful firearm design to best achieve the firearm’s operational purpose. As you now know, both striker- and hammer-fire designs have technical and operational advantages and disadvantages. When one or the other is appropriately designed into a firearm, “better” quickly becomes the opponent of “good enough.” The bottom line is, identify the operational purpose of the firearm and get to know what works best for you before you buy. Don’t do it any other way. Your life might depend on it.

LUCID OPTICS BR-10 Binoculars

The B-10 10×42 ED binoculars weigh in at only 24 ounces, designed with an aluminum reinforced glass-filled polymer open frame, utilizing high-definition ED Fluoride lenses. The B-10s truly have nothing in their price point that is a fair comparison. In keeping with Lucid product standards, the B-10s are also waterproof and fog proof.
For added comfort features, Lucid added twist-up ergonomic eye cups, neoprene cover and padded neck strap. Lucid includes a rugged waterproof hard-sided carrying case to keep everything safe. As with all things Lucid Optics, the BR-10s are backed with a lifetime warranty. lucidoptics.com

SELLIER & BELLOT 6.5 Creedmoor Ammunition

Sellier & Bellot (S&B) has developed an all-new 6.5 Creedmoor round for range and plinking use. This fills a hole in the market for reliable, cost-effective 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition. The new 6.5 Creedmoor round is a solid performer, offering reliable function in bolt or semi-auto rifles. S&B selected a time-tested 140 grain, full metal jacket, lead core 6.5mm bullet. It’s loaded into a premium, boxer primed, brass case suitable for reloading. sellierbellot.us

PELI-HARDIGG™ Min Mac Rack™ Container

Peli-Hardigg™, manufacturer of Military and Aerospace approved reusable plastic shipping and storage containers, announced a new 19-inch shock-mounted Min Mac Rack™ Container, a lightweight solution that offers superior compact mobility for rack mountable equipment and is designed to meet the requirements of NATO and European military standards.

Its angled precision-engineered elastomeric shock mounts are fine-tuned to match the weight and fragility of your equipment, ensuring maximum shock and vibration isolation. The high-strength, lightweight, heat-treated, square-holed, steel rack frame of the Min Mac Rack provides a range of mounting options for single or multiple fragile equipment, IT and communications, broadcast and video gear, aerospace instruments, servers, flight simulators, electro-mechanical devices, memory storage devices, command and control equipment, military mission planning tools, mobile operations, ground controllers, among other applications. peli.com

MEPROLIGHT Mepro NYX 200

The MEPRO NYX-200 combines an uncooled thermal channel with a sensitive high-resolution digital day/night camera. The sight improves the soldier’s situational awareness and allows rapid target acquisition in any lighting conditions and in any environment. MEPRO NYX-200 was designed and fabricated to the most stringent military standards, including MIL-810.
The MEPRO NYX-200 is available in two configurations: thermal channel with digital night camera or thermal channel with digital day camera. The combination of thermal channel and digital night camera (DNC) enables enhanced situational awareness with maximum view at any level of darkness in any environment. The thermal channel can be used in total darkness and through fog, camouflage, etc. The sight’s digital night vision is optimized for Close Quarters Battle (CQB), face recognition and more. meprolight.com

STREAMLIGHT Streamlight® TLR-7® and TLR-8®

The extremely lightweight and low profile TLR-7® and the TLR-8®, which also features an integrated red aiming laser, each deliver 500 lumens for a variety of tactical uses. The new lights are designed to fit a wide array of compact and full- frame weapons, making them effective for a variety of concealed carry and law enforcement uses. Each is powered by a single 3 Volt CR2 lithium battery. The TLR-7 offers two lighting modes, LED only or LED strobe, each with a run time of 1.5 hours. The TLR-8 also offers a 640-660nm red laser that increases the user’s ability to focus on a target. Both lights also include a safe off feature, locking them so they cannot be turned on accidentally. streamlight.com

SAVAGE ARMS Model 110 Tactical with AccuFit

When the stakes are high, settle for nothing less than the precision and adaptability of the Savage 110 Tactical. The rifle’s AccuFit™ system lets tactical and competitive shooters customize length-of-pull for the utmost consistency, and the user-adjustable AccuTrigger™ provides a light, crisp pull. Together with the AccuStock™, which secures the action three-dimensionally along its entire length, the 110 Tactical provides the fit and function of a custom rifle—right out of the box. It features a suppressor-ready threaded barrel, a one-piece scope rail and 10-round detachable box magazine. Available in right- and left-hand models. savagearms.com

FEATURES:
+ AccuFit system lets shooters quickly adjust comb height and length-of-pull
+ User-adjustable AccuTrigger
+ AccuStock rail system secures the action three-dimensionally along its entire length
+ Detachable 10-round Magpul AICS magazine
+ Threaded heavy barrel with end cap
+ 20 MOA EGW rail
+ Gray synthetic stock
+ Soft grip fore-end and pistol grip surfaces
+ New Model 110 design and ergonomics
+ Tactical oversized bolt handle

FLIR Breach Thermal Monocular

The FLIR Breach multi-functional thermal monocular is FLIR’s lightest, most compact, full-featured 320×240 thermal monocular. Powered by FLIR’s 12-micron high-performance Boson™ thermal core, the Breach delivers crisp images on a high-definition display and offers recording and internal storage of up to four hours of video and 1,000 still images. In addition, it includes a digital compass, inclinometer and seven color palette options for enhancing the imaging experience. Weighing only 7.4 ounces, it can be concealed in a pocket or mounted to a helmet. flir.com