There has been a resounding boom in popularity of suppressors in recent years. They have become less the stuff of secret agents and more the stuff of sport shooters, hunters, standard-issue gear for military personnel and law enforcement. Their tactical advantage on the battlefield and practical application in shooting have crossed a threshold. More producers are simply making more quality products at more accessible prices, and this is an undeniably good thing for special operators and weekend plinksters alike.

While there is still some squabbling about proper terminology, mostly used to arrogantly put down the less experienced, the article in question is generally referred to by the shooting community as a “sound suppressor.” Silencers obviously do not silence a weapon’s operation, and those who refer to them as such usually get their terminology from Hollywood or the National Firearms Act of 1934. As much as suppressor gurus cringe at the use of the word “silencer,” it is the language used by Federal law, as regulated under Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and was coined by Hiram Percy Maxim, himself. For this reason, this author has never really worried about the terminology and just enjoyed the suppressor/silencer for what it is—a wonderful tool that adds another level of convenience and tactical practicality to the battlefield and the range. With the influx of usage during this suppressor renaissance, training is key for users to properly deploy their suppressor, as it is not like any other accessory.

This author had the pleasure to attend a tier one course operated by Dan Shea of Phoenix Defence. His company is well known to the U.S. Defense community, as well as to NATO and NATO-aligned nations. The course was organized as a seminar and was instructed by Dr. Philip H. Dater, MD. “Doc” Dater has over 50 years of experience in firearm suppression, including design and manufacturing. He is also an expert in firearm sound measuring techniques and pioneered the standardization of measuring procedures. Dr. Dater found this passion while filling the hours on-call as an overnight radiologist. In his spare time, he began to tinker with suppressors and successfully reproduced and improved upon existing designs. In the 1970s, he launched the Automatic Weapons Company (AWC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. By 1994, he had left AWC and started Gemini Technologies (Gemtech) in Idaho with a team of professional designers. A man of many hats, Dr. Dater also created his own private consulting company, Antares Technologies, which works with other defense manufacturers and the U.S. government. His consultancy specialized on firearm and suppression testing with modern sound equipment, high speed photography and other technologies.

The Seminar

The seminar was filled with top tier representatives of a wide spectrum of three letter agencies from around the DC beltway and government design groups. Apart from tuning up on suppressor deployment, many were conducting research for product procurement and possible contract solicitation. The seminar instructors included pioneers in modern suppression who offered development workshops, testing procedures, and live-fire testing of many examples. Instructors walked participants through the basic principles of suppression, source of sound, acoustic characteristics, ballistic crack and flash suppression through proper suppressor design with optimal material construction. As a class, participants reviewed proper suppressor maintenance, cleaning and common problems encountered. We discussed, at length, the role of muzzle length and gas pressure, the role of suppressed pistols and recoil management and modern linear inertial decoupler design. These lectures were punctuated with high-speed photography and videos, which transformed more abstract concepts into concrete engineering problems, and ideally, solutions.

Doc also passed on an interesting look into craft-built expedient devices. These lectures were complimented by detailed examples in the history of suppressor developments. He elaborated on advantages and disadvantages of integral and mounted suppressors, baffles designs, including K and M baffles, and different construction materials in common use today, which in part, determine durability and service life and affect potential sound reduction. The seminar also addressed the persistent first-round pop problem, which challenges designers to this day. Of particular interest was the dissection of Soviet/Russian suppressed systems and specialty, reduced velocity ammunition, such as the 9×39 cartridge and the VSS rifle, and the role of captive piston ammunition.

Lesson Learned

The most valuable lesson from the course was the standardization of sound measuring procedures which Doc helped to develop and which private and government operators and instructors are able to bring back to their respective agencies. This author would highly recommend the seminar to any agency or individual looking to gain insights on next level suppressor deployment and development.

Contact Phoenix Defence for the next upcoming advanced suppressor seminar. The next course is waiting to be set.

phoenixdefence.com / 702-208-9375

The Soviet PSS semiautomatic pistol is a six-shot semiautomatic silent weapon designed to utilize only the SP4 captive piston silent ammunition.  The PSS firing mechanism is single/double action with open hammer and slide-mounted safety/decocker of conventional Makarov design.  The sights are fixed, and the intended operational range of the weapon system is short.  Although approximately 25 years old, it remains on the forefront of captive piston technology and is still an operational weapon.

The SP4 (also referred to as 7.62x41mm) cartridge is unique.  The cartridge case is made from steel (alloy presently unknown) with a heavy copper-zinc plating meeting the specifications of C220 (ComBz).  The projectile is a 155-grain mild steel cylinder that is launched at approximately 650 ft/sec.  The projectile features a brass driving band on the forward diameter that engages the rifling in the short barrel.  There is a recess in the center of the rear of the projectile that both centers the rear of the projectile on a protrusion on the short piston as well as stabilizes the piston during its travel forward.

SP4 (7.62x41) sectioned cartridge showing relation of the projectile, driving piston, and cartridge case.

On firing, the primer ignites a small powder charge that then accelerates the piston forward (pushing the projectile).  At the end of the piston’s travel, it is suddenly arrested by a retaining crimp or shoulder on the front of the cartridge case.  The projectile then continues in a forward direction, and the case ejects from the weapon.  The driving piston, which is captured in the case, obturates the neck of the case and contains the pressure within the spent cartridge case.  It is known that these expended cartridges may contain pressure for several weeks, and attempts to disassemble them within a month of firing can be hazardous.  Because the driving gases are contained, the weapon is essentially silent.  Sound measurements utilizing the International Industry Reference Protocol have shown the absolute sound pressure level to be in the vicinity of 122 dB, which is on a par with simple airguns and suppressed .22 LR rifles.

We have had the opportunity to do fairly extensive testing and study of this unique weapon system.  This includes complete disassembly of the PSS pistol, a project not to be undertaken lightly.  The pistol includes a floating chamber, and the method of operation and reason for the floating chamber have been a matter of speculation until recently.

The floating chamber is not a new concept and dates back to the days of its inventor, David (“Carbine”) Williams around 1931.  The floating chamber is a steel cylinder that surrounds the cartridge case and that can move rearward with the case in the early part of the weapon’s unlocking cycle.  It has most commonly been used in .22 rimfire weapons.  In this application, it permits a greater rearward force against the face of the bolt to assist in cycling the weapon by presenting a larger area with greater mass to drive rearward against the bolt face.  Proper operation of the floating chamber for recoil enhancement requires that high pressure propelling gases be present in the bore of the weapon between the forward end of the cartridge case (and floating chamber) and the bullet in the bore.  This permits propelling gases to act against both the cartridge case and floating chamber.  The purpose of the floating chamber in the PSS has been a mystery.  The author believes that the sequencing shown by the high speed video offers clues as to its function.

In smaller caliber handguns and submachine guns, the most common action is the simple, unlocked blowback.  In these weapons, ignition of the powder charge in the cartridge generates significant pressure that exerts force in all directions.  The forces directed forward press against the base of the relatively lightweight bullet, accelerating the bullet forward through the barrel.  Being lighter than the weapon, the bullet accelerates to a high velocity.  The acceleration continues as long as pressure remains in the bore of the barrel until the bullet exits and pressure suddenly drops.  This is simple Newtonian physics of equal and opposite reaction: the energy to drive the lightweight projectile forward at high velocity is equal to the energy to drive the heavier slide or bolt rearward a shorter distance and at a lower velocity.

In discussing weapon cycling, time is often difficult to conceptualize.  In conventional weapons, there is a finite (although short) time under pressure referred to as “dwell time.”  This is the time during which the bullet is still being propelled by the gases in the bore and there is pressure in the bore to act on the slide or bolt.  If a floating chamber is present, the pressure will initially move the cartridge case (and floating chamber) rearward almost microscopically and allow pressure to push on the larger cross section area of the floating chamber.  In a locked breech handgun, the barrel (locked to the slide) starts rearward acceleration and the action starts to open once the barrel unlocks from the slide and pressure drops in the bore and cartridge case.

In conventional weapons, pressure in the cartridge case causes the case to expand slightly and form a gas seal against the chamber itself or the neck of the chamber, maintaining pressure in the bore.  The same forces driving the bullet act over the same finite time interval against the base of the cartridge case, which starts acceleration of the case and slide (or bolt) rearward against the recoil spring with the same energy.  Because of the greater mass of the slide or bolt, velocity is significantly lower.  However, friction of the expanded cartridge case against the chamber delays actual movement for a few microseconds until the pressure drops slightly on bullet exit.  At that point in time, the case can start its extraction process.  In high speed video analysis, there has been shown to be virtually no extraction until the projectile has exited the bore.

FRAME 683: The hammer has completed its fall, but there is no observable movement of the slide or exit of the projectile, which is still within the barrel. It is assumed that ignition has taken place and the piston is starting its travel forward. FRAME 684: The projectile is approximately 70% out of the end of the barrel with no sign of instability. The copper driving band is no longer engaged in the rifling. The slide has also started its rearward travel, and the rear of the floating chamber is in contact with the face of the slide. FRAME 685: The projectile has cleared the muzzle of the piston and the rear of the projectile is approximately three projectile lengths forward of the end of the barrel. There is a small area of turbulence from escaping gas between the rear of the projectile and the front of the barrel. It is thought that this is a small amount of propelling gas leakage before the piston completely obturates the cartridge case and that this is what is responsible for the sound level to be as high as 122 dB. The slide has continued its rearward travel with the floating chamber moving rearward with the slide. The slide and cartridge base are just beginning to move rearward slightly faster than the floating chamber. FRAME 686: The projectile has continued to move forward another two to three projectile lengths and remains stable. The small puff of escaping gas is dissipating. At this point, the slide continues its rearward travel. The rearward motion of the floating chamber continues, but not as fast as the slide and the base of the cartridge case starts to be visible. FRAME 687: At this point, the slide continues to open with the base of the cartridge case in contact with the bolt face. Although the floating chamber continues its rearward motion, the gap between it and the slide face widens. The projectile remains stable. FRAME 689: The floating chamber now remains stationary with respect to the pistol’s frame and the slide continues rearward extracting the cartridge case. At its farthest, the floating chamber appears to have moved approximately four millimeters. FRAME 691: As the slide and cartridge case continue rearward, the floating chamber starts to retract forward into the barrel. FRAME 697: Continued rearward slide movement. The floating chamber is now completely retracted into the rear of the barrel into its original location. FRAME 701: The front of the cartridge case has been completely extracted from the barrel and is ready for ejection.

In late March 2012, we utilized an Olympus I-Speed 3 high speed video camera to observe the operation of the pistol in operation.  Camera settings were a frame rate of 3,000 frames/second and a shutter speed of four microseconds (1/250,000 second).  This corresponds to a frame every 333 microseconds.  The short shutter speed allowed a series of frames capturing the projectile in early flight to check for yaw and other signs of instability.  In operation, the camera records continuously, looping through memory.  To capture the action (in this case weapon cycle), the camera is stopped manually immediately on completion of the event, and the desired segment of the video showing the action is saved as a video file.  One of the options in the video software is to print individual frames as a series of JPEG still images.  Nine of these images are presented with the first five being consecutive.

In the case of the SP4 captive piston ammunition, all of the projectile propelling gas is contained within the cartridge case and there is no propelling gas to create pressure in the bore of the pistol prior to projectile exit from the barrel of the PSS pistol.  There is also no gas to drive the floating chamber rearward, initially raising the question as to why it was included in the PSS pistol.

The series of frames from the high speed video starts (F-683) with the hammer having fallen and ignition.  The next consecutive frame (F684) shows the immediate start of rearward movement of the floating chamber pressing against the slide.  It isn’t until the fourth frame in this series (F-686) that the cartridge case starts to extract from the floating chamber.  It is interesting to note that in spite of minimal rifling length, a cylindrical projectile, and the awkward propulsion method, there is no apparent instability or yawing of the projectile.

The floating chamber in the PSS has several functions.  For one, it increases the mass of the moving parts in the initial stages of recoil.  There has been speculation that it also is used to slow down the slide on its final stages of movement to dampen the sound of the slide hitting the stop on the end of the recoil cycle.  However, the high speed video does not bear out this explanation.  What the floating chamber does do is to eliminate the lag time waiting for the cartridge case to shrink slightly away from the chamber wall.

PSS pistol field stripped. The floating chamber in the rear of the fixed barrel is labeled.

At the instant of ignition, there is going to be a minimal amount of expansion of the steel cartridge case.  Initially, the pressure in the rear of the cartridge case is going to be higher than the pressure elsewhere in the case, and this is going to cause increased expansion of the case in the rear.  Once the piston has reached the extent of its travel, pressure will equilibrate and there will be some relaxing of the expansion in the rear of the case.  The expansion of the rear, while only transient, will increase wall friction significantly until pressure equilibrates.  The dwell time in this weapon is significantly shorter than in a more conventional blowback, because the dwell endpoint is when the piston stops as it is captured by the end of the cartridge case.  Piston travel is approximately one inch.

As the piston moves forward driving the projectile, there is high acceleration until the copper driving band engages the coarse rifling in the barrel within the first 2-3 millimeters of piston travel.  The expanding gas inside the cartridge case causes force in opposite directions: first to propel the projectile toward (and out) the end of the barrel, and second to start accelerating the base of the cartridge case rearward against the slide.  Since pressure remains high in the rear portion of the cartridge case, the case remains stuck in the floating chamber until the piston is at the forward limit of its travel and pressure equilibrates.  Because the floating chamber shows little or no friction with respect to the barrel or frame, the slide can start immediate rearward acceleration.  Once the pressure in the case has equilibrated, the case can then start its extraction from the floating chamber, which then returns to its original position under spring tension.  The time under pressure for extraction is significantly less than in conventional firearms because of the limited motion of the piston, and any delay in initiating rearward travel would prevent complete cycling of the weapon.

Were it not for the floating chamber, cycling of the weapon would not be possible as friction would hold the case in the chamber of the barrel too long.  Further, it is thought that the floating chamber provides additional reinforcing of the rear portion of the steel cartridge case until pressure has equilibrated.

There are several items of information that would be helpful in proving this theory. First, it would be of great interest to know the pressure curve in the cartridge itself.  Lacking ability to track the gradual change in pressure from ignition until the piston arrests, knowing the maximum pressure would be of value.

The forgoing is a postulation as to the mechanism of cycling and extraction of the SP4 cartridge in the PSS as well as the role played by the captive piston in this most unique weapon.

Over the last several decades, counter-terrorism operations became very important for most ‘civilized world’ law enforcement organizations.  Increased terrorism threats plagued Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union, and in recent years local law enforcement organizations, especially the FSB – Federal Security Service, formulated requirements for some specialized equipment to deal with modern threats.  One type of such threat is a well-armed terrorist, equipped with relatively long-range weapons and wearing body armor or hiding behind some sort of a barrier, such a car body.  To engage such threats at stand-off ranges without causing unnecessary alert, in around 2002, FSB requested development of a silenced sniper rifle, with effective range of up to 600 meters.  Existing silenced weapons, such as VSS or VSK-94 sniper rifles, which fire 9×39 subsonic ammo, are not up to the task, as their effective range is limited to 300-400 meters maximum against unprotected targets and is only about 200 meters or less against targets wearing body armor.  Their accuracy at extended ranges also is not entirely sufficient.

The development program, codenamed “Vychlop” (exhaust) was handed over to the design team at the State-owned Central Design and Development bureau of Hunting and Sporting arms (TSKIB SOO), located in the city of Tula.  The team started its work with development of a new subsonic sniper round, provisionally titled as STs-130.  It is built upon a .338 Lapua Magnum case, shortened to 54 mm (2.125-inches) and necked out to 12.7mm (0.5-inch).  Three types of projectiles were developed for this round – PT, PT2 and VPS.  The first two are standard jacketed ball and solid brass bullets respectively, intended for sniping and the latter is a composite AP bullet with hardened steel / tungsten core exposed at the nose.  Muzzle velocity with all bullets is about 295 m/s (970 fps).  Bullet weight is about 48 grams (740 grains) for the least expensive solid brass PT2 bullet, 59 grams (910 grains) for jacketed PT bullet (with typical Russian steel / lead core and gilding metal jacket) and 76 grams (1,173 grains) for the VPS armor-piercing bullet.

VKS rifle, less scope and silencer, is quite compact and well balanced and could be a formidable CQB weapon.

With ammo at hand, the design team developed a new weapon, which was first displayed to the Russian public in 2005.  Known officially as VKS – “Vintovka Krupnokalibernaya Specialnaya” – special large caliber rifle, it was originally built in very small numbers and issued to elite anti-terrorism units of Russian FSB.  As the time progressed, the VKS and its ammo apparently proved itself well enough to warrant more extensive acquisition and issue to regional SWAT-type law enforcement teams across Russia, such as OMSN, SOBR and OMON.

The VKS rifle is a manually operated, bolt action rifle of bullpup layout.  The receiver is made from stamped steel with a polymer stock / housing.  The straight-pull bolt action employs a four-lug rotary bolt, which locks into the barrel extension.  The charging handle can be installed by the user on either side of the rifle, according to his preference.  Feed is from a detachable box magazine, made of plastic, with 5-round capacity.  A manual safety is located on the left side of the stock, behind the magazine.  Obviously, this is not the best position for a safety switch, but Russian users are used to poor ergonomics optimized by and for production engineers rather than end user shooters.  The rifle is provided with a detachable, screw-on silencer of impressive size and rather conventional design, made of steel.  The front part of the silencer body contains a multi-baffle assembly, while its rear part is filled with a spool of fine steel mesh.  Apparently, the rifle can be safely fired with the silencer removed, although this is not listed in the manual.

Disassembled STs-130 rounds with PT2 solid brass bullet on the left and jacketed ball PT bullet on the right.

To provide necessary stability when firing, the rifle is equipped with an integral folding bipod, which can be folded up rearward to be stored in the recess made at the bottom of the stock, in front of the trigger guard. The lever at the front of the trigger guard is the bipod lock / release.

Sighting equipment includes an integral Picatinny rail on top of the receiver and a set of back-up iron sights on folding bases.  Unlike most Russian firearms, VKS has an aperture-type rear sight, adjustable through a micrometer screw and with two range scales on either side, for ball and AP rounds (which, due to different projectile weight, have noticeably different ballistics).  The rifle is usually supplied to users with two sights – daytime variable-power 4-12x telescope of local manufacture or image-intensifying night sight with 6x magnification (also of Russian manufacture), with Gen 2+ or Gen 3 sensor, depending on particular departments’ funding.  Other standard accessories include spare magazines, soft carrying bag, cleaning kit and manual.  Ammunition is supplied in plastic boxes each containing five rounds, with bullet type pressed into the box cover.

VKS rifle field-stripped into major components.

Unfortunately, limited availability and high cost of the STs-130 ammo precluded informal test firing of VKS at the time of this writing, but it appears that in trained hands the VKS can live up to expectations, delivering deadly and accurate sniper fire to ranges of up to 600 meters.  Another interesting aspect of this rifle is that it is rumored to serve as a starting point for ongoing development of several new sniper weapons, including a long-range sniper rifle with similar hand-operated action and bullpup layout, chambered in .300 Lapua Magnum and .338 Lapua Magnum, as well as semiautomatic rifles of similar layout, also chambered for potent .338 Lapua ammunition.  So far, no official info emerged on these weapons, but it appears that TSKIB SOO is making good progress with at least some of these prototypes.

Weight, with empty magazine and silencer, less cope: 6.5 kg (14.3 lbs)
Overall length: 1,125 mm (44.3”) with silencer, 650mm (25.6”) less silencer
Magazine capacity: 5 rounds
Muzzle velocity: 290-295 m/s
Maximum effective range: 600 m

Accuracy at 100 meters, R100:
With PT and PT2 ‘sniper’ ammo – 35mm or less (1.5 MOA or less in five-shot groups)
With VPS ‘enhanced penetration’ ammo – 70mm or less (3 MOA or less)

It must be noted that listed accuracy is ‘factory guaranteed,’ that is, every rifle fresh out of the factory, shoots no worse than listed above. Many rifles can shoot noticeably better but actual accuracy may vary depending on many factors.

The Chinese are keeping what they consider the best to themselves – their basic weapon systems in the 5.8mm cartridge types.  The Type 05 submachine gun in the 5.8x21mm indigenous caliber is not for export.  This bullpup style polymer based open bolt submachine gun with its integrated but detachable suppressor is accurate, robust, and well thought out.  The export version is called the “JS” submachine gun, and it is in 9x19m.  There are other submachine guns made in China at present.  The Type 85 is an advance on the old Type 64 design with its proprietary 7.62mm cartridge, and the Chang Feng series of submachine guns are active for export and police use.

Chang Feng-designed late model CS06/LS06 submachine gun with suppressor.

The original CS06 submachine gun came from the Chang Feng manufacturing company in China and it was designed with its helical magazine to feed the 5.8x21mm cartridge, but could also use the magazine from the Chang Feng made pistol, the QSZ-92. This feature was dropped on the production model.

During a trip through Southwest Asia, we uncovered a cache of Chinese weapons and were able to disassemble, analyze a bit, and test the CS06 and its suppressor.  We are uncertain of the nomenclature: popular gun lore suggests the LS06 is the suppressor, the Chinese call this the CS06/LS06 model, but we do not know for certain.  The suppressor was an elaborate and overcomplicated design, expensive to machine, and it performed poorly.  Dr. Dater’s initial analysis of how ineffective the design would be was born out in testing.  Lack of time kept us from doing a complete armorer’s photo shoot and video.

Overall, the CS06 was an effective submachine gun platform.  Disassembly was difficult and a bit complex, not near as troubling as reassembly – until we found a manual and discovered the secret in the rear pin system.

The CS06 submachine gun barrel has rows of angled ports that aim gas into the rear entry chamber of the suppressor. Mounting the suppressor is using the lock ring of the can onto the left-hand, standard metric threads.

CS06 Specifications

Caliber:  9x19mm
Length:  591.5mm buttstock extended, 408.5mm buttstock retracted
Weight:  2.3 kg
Mag. capacity:  50 round Helical drum
Rate of fire:  not measured – reported to be 750-850 RPM
Life cycle:  8,000 rounds
Manufacturer:  PolyTechnologies (www.polyinc.com)

Raw sound test results taken on various sound suppressors 
Dr. Philip H. Dater & Dan Shea.

Temp:  83.5/29(F/C)
Humidity:  37.2%
Barometric Pressure:  675(mmHg)
Velocity of Sound:  1,143 ft/sec.
Protocol:  Mil-Std-1474D
Meter:  Larson-Davis 800B
Microphone: Larson-Davis 2530, 1/4 inch Random Incidence
Calibrator:  Larson-Davis CA250 N.I.S.T. traceable calibration and certification

Chinese manufactured (Polytechnologies offers this) CS06/LS06 submachine gun with suppressor above it. Note the 50-round helical drum to contain the 9x19mm ammunition. Charging handle is on the right. The bolt system telescopes around the barrel to shorten the action. A short Picatinny style rail is under the front of the barrel area.

Chinese SMG CS06 or LS06 (Chang Feng family), detachable suppressor, Baseline with no suppressor:

Weapon & Ammunition: CS06 / LS06  9x19mm
Suppressor:  NONE
Weighting:  A
Average of 3 samples:  157.2 dB
1st Round Pop:  -0.3 dB
Average remaining 2 rounds: 157.3 dB (157.0, 157.3, 157.3)
Standard Deviation:  0.14

Chinese SMG CS06/ LS06 (Chang Feng family), suppressor installed:

Weapon & Ammunition: CS06/ LS06  9x19mm
Suppressor:  CS06/ LS06
Weighting:  A
Average of 5 samples:  135.5   dB
Reduction:  21.7
1st Round Pop:  +1.6 dB
Average remaining 4 rounds: 135.2 dB (136.8, 135.0, 136.3, 134.3, 135.3)
Standard Deviation:  0.90

The new Gemtech Quicksand sound suppressor, now available for purchase, is used on 7.62 NATO rifles and utilizes a patented quick mount system.  It can be fastened securely in only two seconds and at only 17.5 ounces in weight it is the lightest quick-detach .308 suppressor available.

Modeled after the popular Gemtech Sandstorm, the Quicksand is manufactured to be as effective as it is light.  It also adds the feature of a Quick Mount.  Using an entirely new baffle design, just like the Sandstorm, the Quicksand sound suppressor is manufactured from corrosion resistant Titanium, providing a light package that is stronger than steel and tuned to maximum efficiency.  The lightweight construction is not only attractive when working in environments where extra ounces translate into a much heavier burden, but Titanium also cools much faster than many other materials and has far less impact on point-of-impact shift from changing barrel harmonics.

While one attractive feature of the Quick Mount is the speed and accuracy of the attachment method, it is equally interesting that it is “backwards compatible” with the older HVT and TPRS mounts and allows a duel-use with the G5 mount for use with the Gemtech 5.56mm series of silencers.  This gives the user a great amount of usefulness and continues to increase the versatility of the suppressor.

Alpha Group Long Range Shooting Instructor Bruce Roscoe assists in testing the Gemtech Quicksand mounted on a DPMS LR-308 Carbine.

Live Fire
The base rifle chosen to test the Gemtech Quicksand was a DPMS LR-308.  This rifle is an accurate platform and has performed very well under numerous testing conditions.  The free-floating barrel of the test rifle is 16 inches in length, with an M4 profile.  The rifling rate is 1 turn in 10 inches.  The flattop upper receiver provides a suitable base for almost any mounting option.  The magazine design of the DPMS LR-308 rifle is based on the early, original ArmaLite magazine design, and this has been adopted by several other manufacturers including POF-USA.  There is a great selection of available magazines ranging in size from 5-rounds to 25-rounds and MAGPUL is even making a .308 version of their wildly popular PMAG in this design.

Ammunition being utilized in this testing included Lake City Special Ball and Wolf Performance Ammunition Gold.  Optics for this test would be an IOR Valdata fixed 4x scope.

After an initial sighting-in period, the first order of business was to collect muzzle velocity measurements.  This was repeated with each load – suppressed as well as unsuppressed – using the Vortex-style flash hider that is built into the Gemtech Quick Mount.  It is important to note that due to the design of the Quick Mount, the suppressor can only mount on a single way.  This is a great design step above earlier 3-lug mounts and some other commercial mounts that allow mounting in numerous positions.  Since the Quick Mount only allows mounting one way, the repeatability of critical shot placement when taking the suppressor off and remounting it is held to the highest standard possible.  As anyone who shoots an accurate rifle combined with a suppressor knows well, any variable, such as mounting the suppressor in a different position, has the potential to affect the point of impact greatly.  The design of the Gemtech Quick Mount takes this potential for error out of the equation with their design.

Since the lugs of the Quick Mount are different sizes, the Quicksand can only mount in one orientation. This provides a positive lock with no shifting or unlocking possible and allows for point of impact repeatability when removing and reinstalling the suppressor. There are no tools necessary and it takes less than 2 seconds to install or remove, with precise fitting.

The suppressor had a surprisingly low impact on the muzzle velocity (MV).  We conducted the majority of our tests with 150-grain SP Wolf Gold and 173-grain Lake City M118 Special Ball.  The complete information is included in the accompanying chart but in summary the average muzzle velocity from the 16-inch DPMS AP4 barrel with the Lake City was 2,496 feet per second (fps) unsuppressed and 2,500 fps suppressed.  The Wolf Gold averaged 2,680 fps with no suppressor and 2,668 through the Quicksand.  An interesting note may be the continuity of all ammo fired through the Quicksand Suppressor.  While the overall change was not significant, the extreme spread of all ammo was decreased greatly while the suppressor was in use.

The repeatability of the suppressor was tested with great results.  Testing was performed in the following manor; a string of 10 rounds was fired and the suppressor was removed.  This was followed by another string of 10 rounds and the suppressor reattached.  This was carried out 2 times per test so we would eventually end up with 4 groups of 10 rounds each.  The return to zero was absolute each time so it actually ended up being 2 groups of 20 rounds each, one suppressed and the other unsuppressed.  The deviation was a slight point of impact (POI) shift of approximately 2 inches at 100 yards, and repeatable.  The Lake City Special Ball ammo performed the best in the accuracy phase although the Wolf Gold was much more consistent in muzzle velocity.

An interesting side note on ammo selection is that the Wolf Gold ran well in the stock 16-inch unsuppressed configuration, but we experienced some trouble while using the suppressor.  A few rounds had trouble extracting and actually blew out primers.  No other ammunition in any configuration exhibited this activity.

The Gemtech Quicksand was tested on a 16-inch DMPS LR-308. Muzzle velocity testing was measured with a PACT MKIV XP Timer & Chronograph. Shooter: Sergeant First Class Bruce Roscoe.

Summary
The Gemtech Quicksand is a very desirable suppressor.  The extremely light weight of the 17.5-ounce system caused everyone who handled it to verify that it was actually a .308 can.  All shooters testing this combination had fired numerous 7.62 suppressors in the past and all were impressed with the feel and sound signature of the Quicksand as well.  The firearm no longer exhibits that “nose heavy” feeling common with many other sound suppressors, making initial and follow-up shots very fast, especially when engaging multiple targets.  Although Gemtech claims an average decibel reduction of 32Db, the “tone” of the Titanium suppressor seems “softer” to the ear.  This seems to be a standard observation as this writer recently tested the Gemtech 5.56x45mm TREK and TREK-T series sound suppressors and the same result was noted with the Titanium model in that caliber as well.  All ammo fired was traveling well over 2,400 feet per second at 8 feet from the muzzle and none was the least bit uncomfortable without hearing protection of any kind as it was well below the threshold of discomfort.

The Quick Mount mounting system is a big advantage for a number of reasons – the most obvious is in the performance.  Since it is a Bi-Lock system with 2 different size lugs there is only one way it can mount.  This is beneficial for repeated accuracy when mounting since it will always end up with the same orientation.  When the suppressor is attached it is pushed onto the mount, rotated and released.  It is under spring tension which applies pressure to the front when released giving it a positive position lock the operator can actually feel.  When locked in place it is not possible to shift or rotate; thus maintaining position for accuracy and retention.  In the rare occurrence when the suppressor is not desired for use, the mount doubles as an effective Vortex-style flash hider/muzzle brake.  Also, the threads are protected and never exposed at any time once the mount is secured.

Close up of the Quick Mount illustrates the locking lugs below the Vortex-style flash hider / muzzle brake.

The ability to use the Quicksand with a Gemtech G5 mount allows the owner to utilize it on a 5.56x45mm (.223) platform when desired is a positive aspect as well.  While it has always been “possible” to use a 7.62mm suppressor on a 5.56mm platform, either the necessity of a thread adapter to fit, or the excessive size and weight of the 7.62mm designs didn’t make it “practical.”  The Quicksand provides a solution to both situations with the mounting system and light weight of the system.  The MSRP on the Quicksand is $1,400.

Caliber:
.308 or .300 (7.62 NATO)

Overall Length:
9.2 inches

Diameter:
1.5 inches

Construction:
Titanium

Mount:
Bi-Lock Quick Mount (Numerous available threads)

Weight:
17.5 ounces

Finish:
Bead-blasted natural Titanium (grey)

This photo illustrates the average point of impact (POI) shift at 100 yards using Lake City M118 Special Ball 7.62 NATO. Each circle represents 7 rounds fired. The top circle is suppressed and the bottom circle is unsuppressed. The light weight and design of the Quicksand silencer keep POI shift to a minimum. The Bi-Lock Quick Mount system makes it repeatable when removing and replacing the suppressor.

Please don’t call SureFire’s latest “muzzle devices” a sound suppressor.  Cans they are not, even though they do reduce the decibels of a gunshot.  Elementary suppressor science— that pertaining to a cartridge’s gas volume and a suppressor’s internal volume— is violated by the California-based manufacturer of high-performance tactical illumination tools with their new Mini and Micro models, but the designs are an intentional compromise of sound reduction in exchange for size and weight.

SureFire has always manufactured products based on operator input, and the Mini and Micro models are classic examples of this philosophy.  An elite unit within the Special Operations community approached SureFire’s Barry Dueck, director of the Suppressor Division, and requested a muzzle device that would cut muzzle flash on a 10.5-inch Mk 18 while maintaining about the same noise reduction of SureFire’s trademark K-can (part number FA556-212).

Of course these operators aren’t running 14.5-inch M4s.  They employ either 10.5 inch Mk 18 SBRs or something even shorter.  Black ops being what they are, you never know for sure what the intended application of a short-length suppressor might be— but the Micro would definitely not ride on an M4.

What we do know is that the weapon’s overall length was the main driver in the development of the Mini and Micro models, coupled with flash elimination for night operations.  Reduced weight would be a very much foreseen consequence, resulting in faster target-to-target tracking and improved handling in an MRAP.

SureFire’s latest Mini and Micro models join the company’s previous lightweight champ, the model FA556SA, cutting substantial weight and overall length: (L to R) FA556SA tips the scales at 10 ozs. while the Mini comes in at 14 ozs. made of Inconel and 8.0 ozs. in titanium, lighter than even the Micro model, 12 ozs. and made of Inconel.

But at what price?  The OSHA “safe” level for short-duration noise is 140 dB.  It turns out that the Micro at barely over 4-inches overall nips the sound wave of M855 ammunition from a 10.5-inch barrel to 148 dB while the Mini gets it down to 141 dB, just a hair over the 140 dB “safety ceiling.”

Does it matter?  Not really.  At least not to the guys who specified they want to barter noise for size.  An unsuppressed round of M855 measures about 170 of Mr. Bell’s eponymous units.  If a fully suppressed M4 clips the sound down to the low 130s, a gunshot from an SBR with a Mini or a Micro in the low to high 140s is not much worse than the cymbal clap at the end of the Star Spangled Banner.

The Mini comes in two materials, Inconel alloy or titanium alloy.  Inconel is a highly durable steel that’s popular with many suppressor manufacturers.  Inconel is a brand name of Special Metals Corp. and comes in a variety of formulations, all of which are oxidation and corrosion resistant in extreme environments.  The best attribute of Inconel is that when it’s heated, it forms a thick, stable, passivating oxide layer that protects the material.  Inconel maintains its integrity at extremely high temperatures – and suppressors get sizzling hot in a hurry.

Titanium is an element (atomic number 22) that is known for its strength-to-weight ratio.  It comes in more than two dozen commercial alloys and is a prime component in the aerospace industry.  The best thing is that it’s light as a feather yet strong as an anvil, so the SureFire Mini made of Inconel weighs 14 ounces while the same exact model made of titanium barely tips the scales at 8 ounces.

The tradeoff?  Titanium is expensive, it’s hard to machine and it’s not as long-lasting as Inconel.  The payoff?  A muzzle-heavy rifle is hard to swing dynamically from target to target but a Mini or Micro equipped AR swings like a dream.

The Mini and Micro feature the latest SureFire improvement to its lock-ring system of attachment to a mated muzzle brake adapter.  One could call this the Gen 3 lock ring as it’s the third distinctive method used since SureFire first manufactured a suppressor in 2002.

The first lock ring utilized a system similar to a Walker liner lock on a folding knife.  A metal tab “snapped” into place to prevent the locking ring from unloosening from the threads on the rear of the suppressor.  Gen 2 eliminated the spring tab and replaced it with a press-to-unlock tab.  The latest version that I call Gen 3 features an improved release latch with a lower profile.  This lower profile also decreases the chances of the latch accidentally releasing, should it be bumped hard, dropped or knocked around.  The new lock rings also feature user-replaceable parts so, should a repair ever be necessary, it can be made directly by the operator or armorer rather than requiring the entire unit to be sent back to SureFire.

“These (lock rings) are also all backwards-compatible,” says Dueck.  “So you can have an old adapter and a new suppressor, same model, and it still fits.”

This is particularly good news for armorers in military and law enforcement where SureFire suppressors have been making impressive inroads.  One example: every Marine Corps M40A5 sniper rifle now comes standard with a SureFire MB762SF adapter and a SureFire FA762SF suppressor.  Not that SureFire makes a .308 caliber Mini or Micro, but the point is that their cans are gaining kudos wide and far in the U.S. military.

In fact, sources within the industry tell this author that SureFire product will soon be replacing AAC product as the issue-suppressor for FN’s SCAR system.  The competition has led to some contentions that will be played out in the end-user community and final contracts.  When the smoke clears, SADJ will bring you the report.

SureFire has been issued patents for its repeatable barrel attachment method of a muzzle brake/adapter interfacing with the suppressor via an eccentric locking ring that sucks the two together with in-line tension.  Threaded-on attachment methods are useless for securing two parts; threads serve only to align, not fasten.

The primary benefit of the SureFire attachment method is that a repeatable point-of-aim/point-of-impact is achieved.  Most suppressor brands cannot hold a repeatable zero from suppressed to unsuppressed, or even from attachment to removal to attachment again.  Not SureFire.  The engineers that developed high-intensity WeaponLights have also worked out how to make a rifle hold its zero – with or without a can.

SureFire suppressors are not inexpensive;  a SureFire can’s street price is around $1,300, not including a muzzle brake/adapter.

Surefire Blank Safety Device
How many times have tragedies occurred that seemingly “can’t” happen? The U.S. military adheres to strict safety protocols when training with real weapons and blank ammunition, yet someone is killed when a live round sneaks into a blue-on-red training exercise.

SureFire has addressed the problem of live ammunition in a blank-firing environment with a “safety suppressor” that looks just like the company’s real sound suppressors, but comes with a special “bullet capture” chamber to prevent a live round from launching a bullet in training environments.

Dubbed the BSD or Blank Safety Device, the bright yellow tube is made of solid aluminum with a steel “blow-out valve” to vent high pressure gases as the unit captures up to three projectiles. If you fire three live rounds into the BSD and still haven’t figured out that something is very wrong, the next one will damage your rifle and render it inoperable.

It works like this: the bottom of the BSD features an exhaust port sealed with a membrane. Should a live round enter the BSD, the gas pressure blows out the membrane and the shot is substantially louder than a normal blank. This provides an audio clue to the shooter that something is very wrong, coupled with a jet of flame from the bottom of the BSD to alert others that a live round has been triggered.

The BSD fits on any SureFire muzzle brake/adapter and can be fitted with a replaceable orifice to fit a standard GI birdcage.

The International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) of 2011 is a biannual show that has reached its 10th anniversary with this event.  It is a mature show with well developed habits and procedures for the exhibitors and attendees.  Having established itself as a benchmark show much like Eurosatory, Milipol, DSA or AUSA, IDEX attracts a rich diversity of attendees from around the world.  The show itself is centered in Abu Dhabi, the capitol city of the United Arab Emirates.  The UAE controls 9% of the world’s oil reserves, and 5% of the natural gas.  As such, the UAE has a strong interest in their defense industry and tries very hard to stay modernized and up to the best technology in the region.  Many Middle Eastern/South West Asian countries had their military in attendance, and the technology was highly evident.

This year’s show was full to the brim, and the “New Exhibitors” section in Hall 1 was also filled.  More than 50,000 attendees filled the halls, and there were exhibitors from over 50 countries.  This shows growth from the 2009 show, but in any event this is a massive defense show.  Being paired with NAVDEX gives both events a boost as well.

One of the more interesting pieces of show talk was Jordan’s deal with ATK to rebuild two Jordanian CN235 military transport aircraft into the ATK light gunship package.  The technology that makes this possible is the most modern series of sensors and controls, but the Hellfire missiles, 70mm rockets and 30mm M230LF chaingun make for a true “gunship.”

IGG is a six year old UAE company focused on the needs of the UAE military and police units, as well as regional sales. IGG has gathered together some of the finest defense manufacturers in the world to offer their products for sale. (www.iggroup.ae)

Advanced Defense Systems is a new company that is part of the UAE Tawazun group’s small arms portfolio, along with Caracal and Tawazun Precision Industries. Well known precision rifle manufacturer Vlad Lobaev of TSAR-CANNON in Russia has moved his company lock, stock, and barrel to the UAE to participate in this project. His rifle designs in .300, .338, and .408 Chey-Tac are legendary for long-range accuracy, and Vlad tells us that with the new venture he expects to be integrating a lot of new technology and advancing the precision rifles he offers. (www.tads.ae)

The UAE ammunition manufacturer ADCOM has been purchased and is now Caracal Light Ammunition, part of the Tawazun Group. Products range from 9x19mm, 5.56x45mm, 7.62x51mm, to 12.7x99mm (.50 BMG). Sources tell us that they will be expanding the production range soon. (caracalammo.ae)

Burkan is a Rheinmettal partner manufacturing munitions in the UAE, including 40x46mm HEDP, 40x53mm HEDP, mortar rounds, 107mm rockets, and 122mm artillery systems. They also provide munition demilitarization services. (www.burkan.ae)

Safran in France presented their SWORD T&D multi-weapon thermal & day sight system. This can be mounted on most systems from M2HB to 94mm Carl Gustav M3, and any rifle or machine gun in between. This ambidextrous TWS allows for remote operator controls - keeping his FCU hold; digital day and thermal channels, as well as choice of reticle. (www.sagem.ds.com)

Armar started their thermobaric shoulder fired rocket program in 2007 with the DREB-G 73mm appearing in 2008. The new Armablast is a thermobaric one shot unit, the same warhead, but with a new safety and fuze operation. Complying with Milstandard 810, this 2nd model can be disarmed easily. These are shipped in plastic bags, 5 pieces per wooden crate, and can fire from enclosure. (www.armarbg.com)

Turkish handgun manufacturer Canik55 unveiled their Piranha, Shark, Dolphin, Stingray, and S-FC series of handguns. www.canik55.com

Turner Strategic Industries presented their Armored Personnel Shield, which was developed to meet requirements for a light-weight ballistic protection for machine gun operators. Panels are available in NU Level III or NU Level IV in any color. TST Tactical Program Manager Jerry Hurd is shown speaking with representatives of Saudi Arabia, showing the TST APS with an M2HB made by US Ordnance. (www.tstvb.com)

Turkish small arms manufacturer Sarsilmaz was on hand with their full line of revolvers, pistols and shotguns. The ST-10 9x19mm pistol is new for 2011 and drew quite a lot of interest. (sarsilmaz.com)

Bushmaster Associates is concentrating on upgrading existing M16 platforms in the Middle East and Africa. They were working with Remington and Bushmaster, presenting the new ACR and MSR. (bushmasterassociates.com)

Leupold, the oldest U.S. based rifle scope manufacturer, recently invited Small Arms Defense Journal to tour its facility and test fire several new optics.  Based in Beaverton, Oregon, the company rose from humble immigrant beginnings to become a classic American company.  In 1907, Fred Leupold set up a one-man shop at 5th and Oak streets in Portland to repair surveying equipment.  He was later joined by his brother-in-law, Adam Voelpel, and by inventor John Cyprian Stevens.  Together, the three men set the foundation for more than a century of success.  Readers may not be aware that many of the industry’s standards – nitrogen waterproofing, the Duplex reticle, and other common features were Leupold innovations.

A family-owned fifth-generation company, Leupold has been designing, machining, and assembling precision optical instruments and other products since 1907.  Of course, the needs of law enforcement and military community have changed significantly since 1907, and Leupold continues to improve and innovate its product line.  Two new optics have recently been released, and opportunities arose to test and evaluate both.

The Close Quarters Battle Scout Scope
The Close Quarters Battle Scout Scope (CQB-SS) is an extremely versatile 1.1-8x24mm optic specifically designed for the needs of the U.S. military.  With an illuminated front focal plane, a shooter is able to utilize the optic with both precision and a wide field of view.  According to Leupold, the field of view at 100 meters in the 1.1 power setting is 31 meters, while the field of view at 100 meters in the 8 power setting is 4.9 meters.  Clearly, the optic allows for a wide variety of situations and circumstances that may arise.

Leupold headquarters, Beaverton, Oregon.

Featuring a 34mm main tube, the optic is very robust, and seemingly able to take typical soldier induced abuse.  Windage and elevation dials are large, and can easily be grasped with or without gloves.  The dials automatically lock, yet can be quickly adjusted by pinching and turning the dials.  Each click of the dial adjusts the optic by 1/10th of a Mil.  Incorporating a bullet drop compensator (graduated for use with 77 grain, 5.56mm ammunition) the ability to use the CQB-SS optic for longer range shooting at distances at and above 300 meters is entirely possible.  The option of changing the bullet drop compensator to alternate loads is easily accomplished via a quick change system.

Unlike other optics with small power adjustment rings, adjusting the optical power on the CQB-SS is easily accomplished by a large knurled bezel at the rear of the optic.  In a stressful combat situation, locating the power adjustment is beyond easy – the shooter would merely grab the rear of the optic and turn as needed to the desired power.

Suitable for weapons from assault rifles to light machine guns and squad automatic weapons, the CQBSS also features an illuminated reticle.  The illumination dial is on the side of the scope, which makes it more accessible for prone shooters.  With 8 illumination settings, the brightest position was easily visible in strong sunlight.  The optic is reportedly night vision capable at the lowest illumination settings.  “In the small arms sphere, our new CQBSS with its advanced lens technology gives the warfighter battle space dominance over current and future threats,” said Kevin Trepa, Leupold’s vice president of tactical sales and marketing.

Manufacturing capability inside the Leupold facility.

As tested, the CQB-SS featured the new M-TMR reticle, requested by the U.S. Marine Corps.  The staircase reticle design allows shooters to rely upon instinctive fire capabilities on low magnification, while allowing precise range estimation at any power setting.  The M-TMR reticle is comprised of 0.5 mil graduations with a 0.1 mil line thickness in the center for absolute precision on higher magnification settings, but increases to 0.5 mil line thickness and 2.0 mil line thickness to ensure fast reticle acquisition on low magnification.  The lower portion of the field contains rapid acquisition ranging brackets allowing the user to quickly estimate the distance to objects of known size.  When the target fits within the brackets, the corresponding bracket number immediately relays the distance in hundreds of meters.  With brackets that allow ranging out to 1,200 meters, the shooter may not be able to reach out to those distances with a 5.56 rifle, yet still allows for accurate observation for designated marksmen or snipers with larger caliber rifles and higher powered optics.

Shooting the CQB-SS
Putting the CQB-SS through its paces required close up shooting combined with shooting at long range targets.  Unfortunately, the range was limited to 100 meters, and it was impossible to utilize the full 8-power capability of the optic.  Nevertheless, the ability to engage a target at 2 meters at 1.1 power while maintaining situational awareness and peripheral vision with both eyes open was very effective and attractive for the optic’s intended purpose.  If used as a CQB optic, the 1.1 power optic setting would be ideal for close range engagements out to 15 to 20 meters.  A quick transition with increased optical power for precision shots at 100 meters proved equally effective.  The Leupold CQB-SS optic will not serve well as a long range optic, as the maximum eight power setting lacks the ability to truly reach out at long ranges.  As a general optic to allow shooting from close range out to 300 meters or more, the CQB-SS is an ideal optic that is easy to use in its intended role.

The Mark 4 6.5-20x50mm Extended Range/Tactical (ER/T)
Content with shooting close range targets, the opportunity arose to shoot Remington’s new MSR (Modular Sniper Rifle) chambered in .338 Lapua, with a Leupold Mark 4 ER/T optic.  With the rifle specifically designed and developed to compete for the U.S. Special Operations Command Precision Sniper Rifle (PSR) contract, an optic was needed to allow the rifle to achieve maximum capability.  Specially designed, engineered, and built with the military sniper in mind, the ER/T optic is available in either a 6.5-20x50mm or 8.5-25x50mm platform.

Knight’s Armament SR25 rifle, with Leupold CQB-SS Mark 8 optic.

Utilizing a 34mm main tube, the optic allows for maximum elevation and windage travel, with 1/10 milliradian adjustments for fast and intuitive shot correction.  Similar to the CQB-SS, the ER/T also features a front focal plane reticle design to provide accurate measurements regardless of the magnification setting.  The optic is filled with an Argon/Krypton gas blend – Leupold’s exclusive internal gas blend – as a means of providing thermal shock resistance, while also keeping the riflescope fog proof and waterproof.

An elevation zero-stop was engineered into the design to prevent under-rotation in stressful situations, with a tactile revolution indicator, a feature proprietary to Leupold.  The revolution counter helps snipers and other shooters in dark conditions know they have turned the dial past one full revolution, so that they can then return to zero much easier, and eliminate any guess work.  “This new scope incorporates all of the features our warfighters have been asking for,” said Kevin Trepa, Leupold’s vice president of tactical sales and marketing.  “We are working hard to design, manufacture and deliver the tools they need to get the job done.”

Shooting the Mark 4 Extended Range/Tactical
Shooting long range targets is not easy; it typically take thousands of rounds of practice in varying conditions to achieve expertise in the field.  Nevertheless, shooting long range targets was made easy with the Mark 4 ER/T optic.  Intended as familiarization rather than formal training, there was scant time to put the rifle or the optic to its full capabilities.  Shooting conditions were nearly ideal, with temperatures in the high 60s F, with bright sunlight, and little wind.  Under the circumstances, it was nearly impossible to miss.  Adjustments in power were easily accomplished via the large adjustment ring.  The image was clear and bright, as would be expected.

U.S. Marine Corp requested, and Leupold designed, M-TMR reticle. The M-TMR reticle allows the shooter to accurately range targets to 1,200 meters.

While at the Leupold factory, the staff was quick to point out that Leupold is the only U.S. based optics company that designs, manufactures, and assembles all of their optics within the United States.  In addition, the total number of optics manufactured and sold by Leupold on an annual basis exceeds the total sales of the next 5 largest optics companies in the world, to include Swarovski and Schmidt and Bender.  While the last claim could not be independently verified, the number of units being produced within the factory was staggering.

Look for Leupold to enter its second century of manufacturing high quality optics with precision, innovation and original designs.  Leupold’s success has been built on their commitment to their customer’s absolute satisfaction, and their commitment to building the best optics for the hunting, military and law enforcement markets.