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        • Successful 27th edition of EUROSATORY after a 4-year absence!
        • EUROSATORY 2022
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        • MSPO 2022 Press Release
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Hot off The Press

Press Releases

MILITARY OPTICS SIG SAUER HEADS INTO MILITARY MARKET WITH TANGO6T
19 December, 2019

ARMAMENT RESEARCH SERVICES: DISPATCHES
15 July, 2020

CHINESE SECURITY FORCES’ WEAPON OF CHOICE
15 July, 2020

EDITORIAL SPECIAL: NIGHT VISION & THERMAL OPTICS
15 July, 2020

NEW GUNS FOR THE FRENCH ARMY
15 July, 2020

SHOW REPORT: SYMPOSIA AT SHRIVENHAM 2019
5 April, 2020

NEW PRODUCTS
5 April, 2020

ENHANCING THE AUSTEYR AUSTRALIA DEFENCE FORCE’S EF88/F90 RIFLE
5 April, 2020

Browse: Home   /   2014
IDEAS 2012

IDEAS 2012

5 December, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Search By Issue, Show Reports, V6N3, Volume 6

SADJ has been in contact with IDEAS Media Manager Ehtesham Bari for many years, planning to attend the IDEAS show in Karachi. We missed the 2008 show due to some issues with travel restrictions and the 2010 show had been unfortunately canceled due to the flooding tragedy. It was exciting to finally be able to set up at the show, and LMO’s Chief Armorer Instructor Matt Babb, Jason M. Wong from Hurricane Butterfly and I set out for Karachi to man the booth, explore the show, and then travel north to Islamabad and the Pakistan Ordnance Factories at Wah Cannt, and the Khyber Pass region.

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Machine Gun Memorabilia – Volume 6, Number 3

Machine Gun Memorabilia – Volume 6, Number 3

28 November, 2014
Damon Bolding
Columns, History, Machine Gun Memorabilia, Search By Issue, V6N3, Volume 6

TOP: German interwar period paperweight or desk ornament. 6-inch long silver German Maxim MG08 with Z.F. 12 optical sight mounted on a prone sled mount…

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International Legal Affairs: Volume 6, Number 3

International Legal Affairs: Volume 6, Number 3

28 November, 2014
Damon Bolding
Columns, Search By Issue, V6N3, Volume 6

The U.S. State Department “Eats Their Own Young:” The Basics of Mens Rea, Specific Intent, and Acting “Knowingly” American criminal legal theory is based upon…

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New Products: Volume 6, Number 3

New Products: Volume 6, Number 3

28 November, 2014
Damon Bolding
Columns, New Products, Search By Issue, V6N3, Volume 6

Bullseye Camera System Announce Remote Targeting Viewing The Bullseye Camera System is a unique patent-pending system that allows a shooter to view his downrange target…

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Industry News: Volume 6, Number 3

Industry News: Volume 6, Number 3

28 November, 2014
Damon Bolding
Columns, Search By Issue, V6N3, Volume 6

ATF Import Permits Officially Changed to 2-Year Period of Validity On February 7, 2014, ATF announced via the Federal Register that it would extend the…

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Machine Guns of WWI: SADJ Commemorates the 100th Anniversary of World War I

Machine Guns of WWI: SADJ Commemorates the 100th Anniversary of World War I

21 November, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, History, Search By Issue, V6N3, Volume 6

ABOVE: Germans with Maxim MG08. Judging from their cloth-covered spiked helmets, this apparently posed photo was taken early in the war when quantities of their…

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SchleTek Gun Care Products

SchleTek Gun Care Products

14 November, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, New Products, Search By Issue, V6N3, Volume 6

SchleTek, a German chemical company operating throughout Europe, has recently offered a line of premium gun care products. Our evaluation of this product was taken on with a degree of enthusiasm – as most things German are expected to be outstanding – and we were not disappointed with the outcome. We only tested four of the nine products offered to get a feel for the performance of these chemicals. We were impressed with the four products we tested and assume that the others we did not test will be equally impressive.

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BRIDEX 2013

BRIDEX 2013

7 November, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Search By Issue, Show Reports, V6N3, Volume 6

The fourth biannual BRIDEX (pronounced Brih-dex) exhibition was another marked success for this small South East Asian nation on the northern tip of the island of Borneo. While a relatively small regional show, it drew a solid representation of buyers and vendors in the region, reaching all the way to Africa and the Mideast. The U.S. and UK were well represented as were other European nations. In some ways this event was a bit smaller in scale than the last, but the floors were packed with VIPs who engaged with the vendors, and that’s what counts.

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Space Age Weaponry’s D-CAT: Deployable Compact Armorer’s Tool

Space Age Weaponry’s D-CAT: Deployable Compact Armorer’s Tool

31 October, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Reviews, Search By Issue, V6N3, Volume 6

Throughout the industry there are numerous combination tools for the AR-15/M16-series rifle. Most of them are not what you would consider to be armorer combination tools. They are mostly combination tools for cleaning such as the eFECT maintenance tool, Multi Tasker and the Samson Field Survivor to name just a few. These will often contain sight adjustment tools, firing pin retainer pin removal tool, carbon cleaning tools, punch, scraper and screw driver for optics. Some also will come with a broken shell extractor as well as cleaning brushes and or cables. None of these were intended for repair but just field cleaning.

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Feeding the Black Rifle: A Close Look at Current Magazines

Feeding the Black Rifle: A Close Look at Current Magazines

24 October, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Reviews, Search By Issue, V6N3, Volume 6

The key to reliability with any auto loading firearm is the feeding device whether it is a magazine, clip, belt or whatnot; the buck stops at the feeding mechanism front door. Over the last several years the industry has produced many different magazines for the black rifle. With the popularity of the rifle there simply wasn’t enough to go around as the demand was overwhelming. On the other side, there have been numerous attempts and some successful endeavors to improve greatly upon the standard aluminum GI magazine. Though not the first to produce a polymer AR magazine, Magpul has revolutionized the way we feed the black rifle. Earlier attempts to make a durable polymer magazine met with disaster. Magpul’s introduction of the PMag set a new standard, not only for polymer magazines but for the AR magazine in general.

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Honoring Herbie Woodend, Ten Years Later

Honoring Herbie Woodend, Ten Years Later

17 October, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, History, Search By Issue, V6N3, Volume 6

A large group of friends and family gathered today at the front of the old MOD Pattern Room at Enfield Lock, England, for the dedication of a plaque honoring the life and contributions of Herbert J. “Bertie” Woodend, the former Curator of the famous MOD Pattern Room in England. This is one of the largest collections of military small arms in the world, and starting in 1966 “Herbie” was the driving force at Enfield Lock and later in the 1980s-90s at Royal Ordnance in Nottingham, until the Pattern Room was moved over to the Royal Armouries in Leeds in 2002. The collection is now the core of the National Firearms Centre at the Royal Armouries.

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ROMARM Small Arms Factories

ROMARM Small Arms Factories

10 October, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, History, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V6N3, Volume 6

During its history, Romania was occupied by Turks, Austrians, Greeks and Russians. The principality of Moldavia and Walachia were acquired in 1861. Romania was an ally of Russia during its war against Turkey in 1877 and became independent one year later. Allied with Greece and Serbia, Romania fought against Bulgaria in 1913. In 1916, it entered in the Great World War beside the Allies. Between the two world wars, Romania was member of several alliances with other Balkan or Central European countries. The king renounced the throne in 1940, after a coup d’état organised by officers favourable to the Axis. So Romania, allied with Germany, entered the war against the Soviet Union in 1941. In 1944, the situation reversed after an insurrection managed by the communists.

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MILPOL 2013

MILPOL 2013

3 October, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Search By Issue, Show Reports, V6N3, Volume 6

The 18th Worldwide Exhibition of Internal Security was held in Paris from November 19 to 22, 2013. There were 915 exhibitors from all over the…

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The Armalite AR-31

The Armalite AR-31

26 September, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Reviews, Search By Issue, V6N3, Volume 6

It is nice to see a product evolve over time. The ArmaLite AR-31 .308 Win rifle is a great case in point. The AR-31 shares its design lineage

with previous ArmaLite precision rifles in the form of the AR-30 and its updated version AR-30A1. The AR-30A1 rifle is chambered in “long

action” bolt cartridges such as .300 WinMag and .338 Lapua. The AR-31 takes the no nonsense ArmaLite concept of the tactical rifle another

step forward. While the AR-31 (and AR-30A1) may resemble its AR-30 predecessor, only the pistol grip, buttpad, trigger, and a few small

components from the original AR-30 transferred over to the AR-31. All other components are new or redesigned. This is especially true with

the AR-31’s bolt action. The AR-31’s “short action” describes the length the bolt needs to travel to function/cycle the .308Win cartridge.

The longer .300 WinMag and .338 Lapua cartridges require a “long action.” The AR-31’s shorter action provides for a stiffer receiver often

translating into better accuracy.

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The SIG Sauer P229

The SIG Sauer P229

19 September, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Reviews, Search By Issue, V6N3, Volume 6

In January of 1990 a new cartridge hit the market that would pretty much be a game changer as to the cartridge preferred by law enforcement. The product of a joint effort between Smith & Wesson and Winchester would spawn the .40 S&W cartridge. The .40 caliber cartridges roots go back to the 10mm Auto cartridge when it was tested by the FBI as a potential replacement for their 9x19mm caliber pistols and .38 Special/.357 Magnum caliber revolvers. When tested, the FBI found two major problems with the 10mm Auto caliber firearm. First was the heavy recoil and second was that the current pistols did not hold up to the potent round. Due to the power it was difficult if not impossible to make a small compact version of the pistol. What if you could make a 10mm Short? Reduce the powder charge to make recoil manageable and shorten the overall length of the 10mm cartridge so it will fit in a 9x19mm size magazine/mid size pistol frame? Thus, here is the introduction of the .40 S&W. The first defensive cartridges in this new caliber were Winchester 180 grain jacketed hollow points.

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Shooting with spade grip only. Even with this configuration control was not that difficult.

K12 South Korean Light Machine Gun

12 September, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, History, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V6N3, Volume 6

From 1990 to very recently, the ROK (Republic of Korea; or South Korea) army had a tendency to reduce the presence of 7.62mm NATO light or medium machine guns. From the 1970s to 1990, the South Korea military used M60 GPMGs as their ‘almost universal’ machine gun; first supplied from the U.S. as military support when the ROK military dispatched a considerable number of troops to Vietnam and then manufactured under license by Daewoo Precision Industry, Co. (today’s S&T Motive). It was used everywhere machine guns were used: infantry, vehicle mounted, helicopter mounted, etc. Since the ROK military was heavily influenced under U.S. doctrine, it was quite natural and that influence led to the development of the K3 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon), since the U.S. Army used the M249 SAW from the 1980s. The K3 is the ‘Koreanized’ version of the famous Minimi, and the role of K3 in ROK Army/Marine Corps was initially quite similar to that of the M249 in U.S. military.

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DSEI 2013

DSEI 2013

5 September, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Search By Issue, Show Reports, V6N3, Volume 6

The Defence Security Equipment International (DSEI) 2013 exhibition was held in the London Docklands ExCeL Exhibition Centre on September 10-13, 2013. It is a bi-annual event, held in the autumn to avoid conflict with the other major international defence exhibitions such as IDEX in Abu Dhabi held earlier in the year and Eurosatory in Paris traditionally held the following year.

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Glock Generations: Detail and Feature Evolution

Glock Generations: Detail and Feature Evolution

28 August, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, History, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V6N3, Volume 6

According to company literature, the first Glock pistols imported into the U.S. came in January of 1986. These guns had serial numbers beginning with a two letter alpha prefix of “AF” followed by a three digit number. This means for every two letter combination, there were up to 1,000 pistols produced with numbers from 000 to 999. As of this writing, current new production Glock….

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Weapons Lab: Small Arms Development at USALWL

Weapons Lab: Small Arms Development at USALWL

25 August, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, History, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V6N3, Volume 6

After the end of the Second World War, the United States military, the Army especially, saw its mission as one of countering potential Soviet aggression. If this were to come, the most likely battlefield would be in Northern Europe. With the Soviet Union’s acquisition of nuclear weapons the two world powers settled into the Cold War. Though a major land war between the two in Europe would have been catastrophic, other fronts presented more potential. By supporting insurgencies around the world the Soviet Union….

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Weapons of Croatian Forces in Chad

Weapons of Croatian Forces in Chad

21 August, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V6N3, Volume 6

Since it gained independence, Chad has been shaken by numerous armed risings, invasions of the neighboring military, conflicts regarding borders and scuffles among political leaders. Since 1973 the northern part of the country was placed under control of the guerrilla insurgents supported by Libya, but with French help the uprising was repressed and operations of Libyan troops were suppressed….

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German Submachine Gun EMP44

German Submachine Gun EMP44

29 May, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, History, Search By Issue, V6N2, Volume 6

Much has already been written about German military weapons. But still today some real treasures are left to be discovered. Some of them are re-discovered – like the Erma EMP44 of the Erfurter Maschinenfabrik (in short “Erma”)….

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Indigenous Machine Guns of China: Part Two - Heavy Machine Guns

Indigenous Machine Guns of China: Part Two – Heavy Machine Guns

25 May, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, History, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V6N2, Volume 6

Up until the 1960s all machine guns manufactured in China were of foreign design. The first heavy machine gun to be produced in China was the 12.7mm Type 54, a straight-up copy of the Soviet DShKM 1938/46, made on Soviet machinery, using Soviet documentation and assistance. This weapon fired the 12.7x108mm round of Soviet origin, which was roughly similar in performance to the American .50 BMG round….

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Symposia at Shrivenham: XXVII Small Arms and Cannon Symposium

Symposia at Shrivenham: XXVII Small Arms and Cannon Symposium

22 May, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Search By Issue, Show Reports, V6N2, Volume 6

This event is held annually in the last full working week of August at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. It remains the focal point for European infantry weapons and small arms developments and complements the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Joint Armaments conference normally held annually in May in the United States…..

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AUSA 2013

AUSA 2013

12 May, 2014
Damon Bolding
Ammunition, New Products, Search By Issue, Show Reports, V6N2, Volume 6

Examining and trying to appreciate the latest greatest technology being promoted at the near countless booths at a show the magnitude of AUSA, one underlying question must be answered. What does any particular technology mean to fighting and winning? Small arms technology can be categorized into the following areas – weapon material construction, operating systems, fire control and sighting….

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The Chinese CQA

The Chinese CQA

8 May, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Reviews, Search By Issue, V6N2, Volume 6

They say that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. If that is the case, Norinco of China is the Mecca of flattery. Aside from their original designs, Norinco of China has copied many firearms and sold them including the M1911, Remington shotgun, SIG P226 pistol, M14 and also the M16. In the early 1980s, Norinco introduced the CQ M311-1. This was a semiautomatic only version of the M16A1 intended…..

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Emerson Electric's Tactical Armament Turret Line for Aircraft

Emerson Electric’s Tactical Armament Turret Line for Aircraft

5 May, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, History, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V6N2, Volume 6

The Emerson Electric Company was founded in 1890 in St. Louis, Missouri as the Emerson Electric Manufacturing Company. The company initially produced electric motors and then went on to produce entire electricity powered machines like fans, sewing machines, and power tools. By the time the Second World War broke out, Emerson turned its already half century of experience with electric power….

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PLA Infantry Weapons: Small Arms of the World's Largest Army

PLA Infantry Weapons: Small Arms of the World’s Largest Army

29 April, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V6N2, Volume 6

ABOVE: These company-level PF98 120mm rocket launchers have just a basic optical sight system. Note the basic tripod dropped to its lowest position. In a…

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Putting the AX PSR Through its Paces

Putting the AX PSR Through its Paces

23 April, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, New Products, Reviews, Search By Issue, V6N2, Volume 6

The Accuracy International AX PSR was developed to compete in USSOCOM’s solicitation H92222-09-PSR2 for a “Precision Sniper Rifle” on 15 January 2009. The essence behind this solicitation and the numerous amendments that followed resulted in a final request for a modular rifle that could be quickly transformed from a 7.62mm to a .300 Winchester Magnum to a .338 Lapua Magnum….

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Mesko: Poland's Ammunition Maker

Mesko: Poland’s Ammunition Maker

21 April, 2014
Damon Bolding
Ammunition, Features, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V6N2, Volume 6

Mesko, Poland’s leading ammunition manufacturer turns 90 this summer. From the beginning it was meant to provide the Polish Army with high-quality ammunition – and within the intervening years that’s what the plant, through its many guises, always did….

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Gateway to the Battlefield: A Sniper and His Optic

Gateway to the Battlefield: A Sniper and His Optic

17 April, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V6N2, Volume 6

A defining moment for a sniper is when he can positively identify a threat within his area of operation and exercise certain actions, from an intelligence report to target neutralization. The ability to identify a target is vital in a stability operation or counterinsurgency (COIN) environment, where precisely aimed fire is at a premium and collateral damage isn’t an option….

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The AA12 Shotgun

The AA12 Shotgun

14 April, 2014
Damon Bolding
Ammunition, Features, Reviews, Search By Issue, V6N2, Volume 6

One does not often think of shotguns as viable combat weapons and in the law enforcement arena, shotguns have lost traction in favor of the patrol carbine. The destructive power of the 12 gauge shotgun is not disputed; the real issues with the changeover had more to do with the patrol carbine being more versatile with its ability to penetrate body armor and reduce collateral damage from stray pellets. In the military arena, the shotgun still has its place but it’s rather limited. The standard….

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ISAF Peacekeepers from Croatia

ISAF Peacekeepers from Croatia

10 April, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V6N2, Volume 6

The Croatian Armed Forces are changing from an army of defenders of their homeland, and becoming an Armed Forces that are preparing for entry into Euro-Atlantic political-military associations. They have become an army that contributes to building peace and stability, by taking part in peacekeeping missions under leadership of the UN or NATO. From a country that was the recipient of peace missions during the Homeland War, Croatia and its Armed Forces have, in a very short time, become an important factor in establishing and keeping peace in the world. Participation in peace missions is undoubtedly a confirmation of the maturity….

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Stationary Protection: Unmanned Watchtower with a Remotely Operated Weapon Station and Electro-Optical Equipment

Stationary Protection: Unmanned Watchtower with a Remotely Operated Weapon Station and Electro-Optical Equipment

10 April, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Search By Issue, V6N1, Volume 6

At foreign missions in the military area, there is often no infrastructure that will meet the needs of troops. In Afghanistan, the military camps of the “International Assistance Force” (ISAF) form the infrastructural backbone and the logistical hub. It acts as an alarm and withdrawal base for rapid deployment, material depot, area hospital, military control center and also act as a rest and regeneration place for the away from home operating forces. Without this fixed infrastructure….

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Wehrtechnisches Studiensammlung at Koblenz

Wehrtechnisches Studiensammlung at Koblenz

7 April, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Military Museums, Search By Issue, V6N1, Volume 6

Almost lost in a sea of plastic-fantastic new-wave “museums of idea, not objects” resplendent in touch-screens and 3D displays, but lacking substance and exhibits, in Germany there is a besieged island of a good, old time museum close to bursting its seams with the most fascinating hardware; a variety and quality of which is getting harder and harder to find….

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IDET 2013

IDET 2013

3 April, 2014
Damon Bolding
Search By Issue, Show Reports, V6N1, Volume 6

IDET, which means International Fair of Defence and Security Technology, founded in 1993, now takes place every two years in Brno in Moravia in the eastern part of the Czech Republic. It “is one of the biggest shows of defence technology in Central and Eastern Europe.” No objection to this claim, it’s true. In this region, this fair is consistently a feast of information for every military enthusiast. But for people focusing on small arms, a visit to IDET has always been a sort of gamble….

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The Armalite AR-10: From The Beginning

The Armalite AR-10: From The Beginning

31 March, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, History, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V6N1, Volume 6

The AR-15/M16/M4 series rifle is undoubtedly the most popular rifle in the United State for all military, law enforcement and commercial markets. It is the most versatile platform of a rifle on the face of the planet. Another rifle has crept up into that popularity; one that was on the scrap heap of the U.S. Army for nearly 40 years. That would be the one that started it all, the AR-10. “Tomorrow’s Rifle Today” in the late 1950s has turned out to be today’s rifle today. The rifle that Ordnance Corp….

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The 6.5x40 Cartridge: Longer Reach for the M4 & M16

The 6.5×40 Cartridge: Longer Reach for the M4 & M16

26 March, 2014
Damon Bolding
Ammunition, Features, Reviews, Search By Issue, V6N1, Volume 6

Feedback from Afghanistan was clear – much small-arms combat was taking place at far greater distances than expected, a lot more than the U.S. Army’s standard carbine and light machine gun were designed for. The Army was being outgunned, and had to rush older, more powerful weapons to the dismounted troops. These did the job, at the cost of significantly greater weight and recoil. Mitch Shoffner has come up with a different solution – the 6.5×40, a new cartridge designed to fit….

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Indigenous Machine Guns of China

Indigenous Machine Guns of China

20 March, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Search By Issue, V6N1, Volume 6

Up until the 1960s, all machine guns manufactured in China were of foreign design. Earliest of these were well known copies of the German Maxim MG 08, generally known as Type 24 machine guns, chambered for 7.9mm Mauser ammunition of German origin. Lesser known weapons were locally made copies of the Browning M1917 and Schwarzlose M1907/12 machine guns, made between the two World Wars in very limited numbers. Light machine guns included domestic copies of Czechoslovak ZB-26 and ZB-30, as well as the Swiss SIG KE-7 machine guns, also chambered for 7.9mm Mauser ammunition…..

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MSPO 2013

MSPO 2013

17 March, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, New Products, Search By Issue, Show Reports, V6N1, Volume 6

At this year’s 21st International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO is an acronym from Polish name of the fair: Międzynarodowy Salon Przemysłu Obronnego), almost 25,000 square metres of exhibition space was the showcase for 400 companies from 23 countries. It is a tradition of the MSPO to designate the Leading Nation, which has a national pavilion to promote its defense industry’s capabilities. This year was Turkey, which signified two important anniversaries in Polish-Turkish….

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Revision Military Batlskin Cobra Helmet

Revision Military Batlskin Cobra Helmet

12 March, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, New Products, Reviews, Search By Issue, V6N1, Volume 6

While military or law enforcement budgets often fixate on high end equipment procurement, it is the unspoken rule that trained personnel are the real commodity in any organization. There are multiple companies involved in producing ballistic protection systems. This business competition has not only spurred R&D, but also lowered the cost making it available to a wider range of clients besides the military; such as law enforcement, private security, and individual citizens. A leading ballistic protection….

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The DS Arms FAL

The DS Arms FAL

10 March, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, New Products, Reviews, Search By Issue, V6N1, Volume 6

With the creation of NATO, several programs were put into place for militaries of these nations to have some sort of compatibility. One part of that would be standardization of small arms ammunition. Throughout the NATO countries numerous calibers and different types of weapons were being used. The United States had great influence in the NATO ammunition trials, or it could be better said, they drove it. Even after World War II and the success of the StG44 Sturmgewehr or assault rifle, NATO countries….

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Black Hills Ammunition

Black Hills Ammunition

5 March, 2014
Damon Bolding
Ammunition, Features, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V6N1, Volume 6

There are many manufacturers making ammunition as well as remanufacturing it. Few have a reputation of being precision ammunition manufacturers let alone manufacturing military grade ammunition. But consider ammunition that is match grade loaded to military specifications? Trying to bridge match grade accuracy and ability to produce military reliability is very difficult. Loading any precision round is difficult in mass production. But there is one company out there that has done it, and that is Black Hills Ammunition owned by Jeff Hoffman and his wife Kristi, who is a co-owner and an integral, indispensable part of….

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Which Lightweight Automatic Grenade Launcher for the Australian Defence Force?

Which Lightweight Automatic Grenade Launcher for the Australian Defence Force?

27 February, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Grenades & Rockets, Search By Issue, V6N1, Volume 6

Under Land 40 Phase 2 (L40/2), the Australian Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) are intending to deliver two new direct fire support weapons to the Army’s infantry battalions and special operations forces, and to the Royal Australian Air Force’s Airfield Defence Guards. The first, the Medium Direct Fire Support Weapon (MDFSW), has already been selected and fielded, with the M3 Carl Gustav 84mm recoilless rifle replacing the M2 variant previously in service. The second system, slated to be a “Light Weight Automatic Grenade Launcher (LWAGL)….

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Hornady Law Enforcement Ammunition

Hornady Law Enforcement Ammunition

24 February, 2014
Damon Bolding
Ammunition, Features, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V6N1, Volume 6

The name Hornady is well known throughout the industry.  Hornady is a much diversified company being involved in ammunition production, manufacturing bullets for the reloading community, manufacturing reloading supplies (presses, scales, etc.) and so on.  The ammunition business provides advanced projectiles for commercial hunters, target shooters and law enforcement….

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IWI Negev NG7 Cal. 7.62 NATO

IWI Negev NG7 Cal. 7.62 NATO

13 February, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, New Products, Reviews, Search By Issue, V6N1, Volume 6

The NG7 is a light machine gun (LMG) operated by a gas system called “gas impact.” The firearm starts the shooting cycle with the open bolt to avoid cook-off after prolonged fire. When the trigger is pulled the bolt, that is locked in a full rear position, is released and starts to go forward pushed by two compressed recoil springs. During its travel a cartridge is taken from the belt, chambered and the bolt, thanks to its locking lugs, engages the corresponding lugs in the barrel extension and locks. The bolt carrier, in this phase, keeps going forward….

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Modern Day Marine 2013

Modern Day Marine 2013

30 January, 2014
Damon Bolding
Search By Issue, V6N1, Volume 6

Speaking at the invitation-only Report to Industry at MDM Expo 2013, Jansen‘s bleak assessment of the harsh realities facing the Marine Corps in light of draconian budget cuts and resulting necessity for sharply cutting manpower, went right to the heart of the matter. “Our Commandant’s priorities are to maintain our forward presence and current readiness,” he said. “To do that, we will have to accept risk in major combat operations….

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Brazil's Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais

Brazil’s Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais

27 January, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, History, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V6N1, Volume 6

As Latin America’s largest country and with a population of 200 million souls, Brazil faces massive defense problems. Although it does not have to cope with any imminent threat from overseas or any of the ten bordering nations, properly watching and defending 8.5 million square kilometers of land territory and an unbroken coastline of just about 7,500 kilometers long (corresponding to 3.5 million square kilometers of territorial waters) requires substantial effort from the three independent military services, the Exército Brasileiro (Army)….

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Sales Tips & Tricks: An Inside Look at Sales Promotions Used by the Arms Industry

Sales Tips & Tricks: An Inside Look at Sales Promotions Used by the Arms Industry

27 January, 2014
Damon Bolding
Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V5N4, Volume 5

n 1968 the Kennedy administration closed the Springfield Armory. For the most part, it ended a long-standing process where the Government designed and produced small arms and medium cannons. The change resulted in private industry competing for contracts to procure weapons on a “best value” basis that ended up saving the taxpayer money. The change also meant that private industry would need to develop sales campaigns in order to get their products in front of military customers. Companies need promotional material, giveaways, and advertisement campaigns….

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B&T Police Equipment Show 2013

B&T Police Equipment Show 2013

23 January, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, Search By Issue, Show Reports, V5N4, Volume 5

The B&T AG (Brügger & Thomet) Police Equipment Show took place over the 12-13 of June 2013. The show, which is an invitation only event, is organized by Brügger & Thomet and takes place in their home city of Thun, in Switzerland. The show, as the name implies, is aimed at the law enforcement community and is held at the large spacious Swiss Army range facility of Guntelsey on the outskirts of Thun. There were two indoor exhibition areas, the ground floor and first floor of the range firing points where nearly 40 manufacturers and distributers had more than ample space to display their product lines….

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Spyderco Pacific Salt

Spyderco Pacific Salt

20 January, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, New Products, Search By Issue, V5N4, Volume 5

The Pacific Salt shares size, basic blade design and handle ergonomics with the Endura, but this generation was purpose built to survive maritime environments. Most notably, Spyderco forged their 3.8-inch PlainEdged blade out of H-1 Steel. (Steel generally consists of iron alloyed with carbon, (1050 usually around 1% carbon by weight as opposed to H-1 with .15%). The Carbon provides hardness and strength, but carbon steels corrode easily. Stainless Steels also add manganese, nickel, chromium, molybdenum, boron, and vanadium….

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NAMMO Lapua: Tactical Ammunition for Special Forces

NAMMO Lapua: Tactical Ammunition for Special Forces

10 January, 2014
Damon Bolding
Ammunition, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V5N4, Volume 5

The origin of the company lies in the establishment by the Finnish government in 1923 of a cartridge factory in the town of Lapua in western Finland.  The State Cartridge Factory (as it was named in 1927) was the main supplier of ammunition to the Finnish Army during the Winter and Continuation Wars with the USSR between 1939 and 1944.  In 1991 it became an independent company under the new name Cartridge Factory Lapua, Ltd.  The next year, Lapua acquired the German cartridge factory SK Jagd- und Sportmunitions GmbH.  In 1996, Finnish military manufacturers were combined under the banner of Patria Industries; Lapua became Patria Lapua.  In 1998 Patria Industries Oyj from Finland….

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The Military & Law Enforcement Ammunition of Federal Premium and Speer

The Military & Law Enforcement Ammunition of Federal Premium and Speer

10 January, 2014
Damon Bolding
Ammunition, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V5N4, Volume 5

Law enforcement and military ammunition has come a long way in the last 20 years. Military ammunition, not so much due to the Hague and Geneva convention restrictions but advances in LE ammunition have made calibers known for being poor man stoppers into very effective and efficient man stoppers. Federal has always been one of the top industry leaders in advanced ammunition development – perhaps the first true high performance hollow point with the introduction of the Hydra-Shok round that really saw its popularity peak in the mid to late 1980s. The new HST round has currently in the opinion of many been found to be one of if not the best LE/personal defense projectile on the market….

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TADTE 2013

TADTE 2013

9 January, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, New Products, Search By Issue, Show Reports, V5N4, Volume 5

The only military trade show in Taiwan, the Taiwan Aerospace and Defense Technology Exposition was held from August 15 – 18, 2013 in Taipei, Taiwan. As the premier opportunity for the Taiwanese Ministry of Nation Defense to highlight equipment and capabilities, the show was hosted at the Taiwan World Trade Center, in the shadow of the Taipei 101 skyscraper. Although the show was a means to highlight and display of Taiwan’s military might, a number of international exhibitors were present to show off weapons….

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Barnes Military & Law Enforcement Ammunition

Barnes Military & Law Enforcement Ammunition

8 January, 2014
Damon Bolding
Ammunition, Industry Profiles, Search By Issue, V5N4, Volume 5

The name Barnes is renowned in the firearms industry. It has been since its founding in 1932 by Fred Barnes. In 1965, the company was sold and renamed the Colorado Bullet Company. Then in 1974, Randy and Coni Brooks purchased the company. After getting consult from Fred Barnes, they acquired the right to change the name back to Barnes Bullets. To date, Barnes has been known for producing solid copper projectile for hunting, law enforcement and military applications. They also load cartridges with OTM (Open Tip Match) projectiles….

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Steyr Mannlicher HS .50 and HS .50 M1

Steyr Mannlicher HS .50 and HS .50 M1

8 January, 2014
Damon Bolding
Ammunition, New Products, Search By Issue, V5N4, Volume 5

Steyr Mannlicher is located in the town of Steyr in Austria. Josef Werndl founded the “Josef und Franz Werndl & Comp Waffenfabrik und Sagemuhle in Oberletten” and subsequently the Steyr Werke AG of which Steyr Mannlicher was a division. In 1885 the Austrian Hungarian army accepted a new bolt action rifle designed by Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher from whence came the Mannlicher name….

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RUAG Ammotec: Tactical Ammunition for Special Forces

RUAG Ammotec: Tactical Ammunition for Special Forces

8 January, 2014
Damon Bolding
Ammunition, Search By Issue, V5N4, Volume 5

The origin of RUAG Ammotec can be traced back to the Eidgenossische Munitionsfabrik established by the Swiss Confederation in Thun in 1863. In 1995, this was merged with another Swiss firm, Munitionsfabrik Altdorf to form the Schweizerische Munitionsfabrik (SM), following which expansions and reorganization occurred rapidly. In 1999, RUAG Holding was formed to incorporate SM; the name changed to RUAG Munition in 2001. The small arms ammunition sector of Dynamit Nobel was acquired in 2002, leading to the….

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The Vallerand Magazine Identification Guide

The Vallerand Magazine Identification Guide

8 January, 2014
Damon Bolding
History, Search By Issue, V5N3, Volume 5

Alphonse William Vallerand was an American veteran of the Korean War, and a quiet giant in the Class III collector community. He mentored many of us about military weapons. You can read about him in his interview at www.smallarmsoftheworld.com. Bill was one of the founders of Small Arms Review magazine and one of his passions was the study of magazines, belts, links, and other feeding devices. He began studying them in the 1950s and started developing identification systems with Dan Shea in the 1980s. During the 1990s….

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The Original Scorpion/Stinger Pen Gun

The Original Scorpion/Stinger Pen Gun

7 January, 2014
Damon Bolding
Features, History, Search By Issue, V5N4, Volume 5

The speed at which the United States geared up for World War II in the days after Pearl Harbor must be the paramount industrial wonder of the 20th century. Peacetime manufacturing and occupations quickly became part of the war effort with an agility that seems impossible today. Many manufacturers with no experience in small arms were tasked with converting all or part of their operations over to produce them. Singer Manufacturing, Rock-Ola, and several divisions of General Motors are among these well-known to have made the hasty transition….

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AIM HuntIR

AIM HuntIR

31 December, 2013
Damon Bolding
Features, New Products, Reviews, Search By Issue, V5N4, Volume 5

Maneuvering with pinpoint accuracy and efficiency at night as well as in daytime requires situational awareness, target classification and target identification capability. Cooled thermal imagers provide superior range performance and large field of view at night and in adverse weather conditions, with a compact design and sensitive detectors with high resolution together with large depth of focus. As part of the Soldier Modernization Program IdZ, the Federal Armed Forces of Germany implemented a cooled thermal sight for infantry weapons….

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Sirarms SIR40-24: The First All-Italian Experimental Sniper Platform

Sirarms SIR40-24: The First All-Italian Experimental Sniper Platform

19 December, 2013
Damon Bolding
Features, New Products, Reviews, Search By Issue, V5N4, Volume 5

The corporate symbol for Sirarms rifles is the halberd; a two-handed pole weapon (5 to 6 feet long) that consists of an axe blade topped with a spike mounted on a long shaft with a hook on the back side of the axe for grappling mounted combatants. For over two centuries, the halberd was one of the most valuable tools of war in use among soldiers, a weapon that allowed them to be able to withstand cavalry charges, unseat the attackers and counter attack. The emotional appeal to its effectiveness in the field therefore makes the brand mark….

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The SIG Sauer MK25 Pistol

The SIG Sauer MK25 Pistol

16 December, 2013
Damon Bolding
Features, New Products, Reviews, Search By Issue, V5N4, Volume 5

In the early 1980s a requirement came down from the U.S. Army for a new pistol that would replace the legendary but well aged M1911 pistol. With the new NATO standardization, the new pistol would be chambered in the 9x19mm NATO cartridge: hence the beginning of the XM9 program. This would be entered by several manufacturers including Smith & Wesson, Colt, FN, H&K, Star, Beretta and SIG Sauer. After the testing was done and the reports were in, there were only two left standing: the Beretta 92F and the SIG Sauer P226….

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Machine Gun Memorabilia - Volume 5, Number 4

Machine Gun Memorabilia – Volume 5, Number 4

16 December, 2013
Damon Bolding
Machine Gun Memorabilia, Search By Issue, V5N4, Volume 5

(Left) Pre World War II U.S. Army 1st Cavalry Armored Tank Corps Division with red horse’s head and red stripe on yellow shield designating the…

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The Soviet PPSH 41

The Soviet PPSH 41

11 December, 2013
Damon Bolding
Features, History, Search By Issue, V5N4, Volume 5

In 1939, just a month after the joint German-Soviet invasion of Poland in September, the Soviet Red Army invaded Finland. The primary reason used for the 30 November 1939 attack was to reclaim territory lost during the Russian Civil War of 1917. Soviet leaders wanted to extend their borders primarily as a buffer zone to protect the city of Leningrad from a foreign invasion….

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The LMT M203-2003 Grenade Launcher

The LMT M203-2003 Grenade Launcher

13 November, 2013
Damon Bolding
Features, Grenades & Rockets, Search By Issue, V5N4, Volume 5

The M203 grenade launcher has been in continuous service since 1968. It was developed during the Vietnam War to get the grenadier into the battle when his launcher was either out of grenades or in an area where it would be ineffective. The grenadier armed with a standalone M79 grenade launcher was considered a man down in an ambush or firefight because he did not have a rifle. The thought was to combine both the grenade launcher with the M16A1 rifle. Now we have severely increased the firepower on that individual level….

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Salvadorian Armed Forces Research & Development Center

Salvadorian Armed Forces Research & Development Center

6 November, 2013
Damon Bolding
Features, Search By Issue, V5N4, Volume 5

During the 12 long years of brutal and bloody internal conflict in the 1980s, military correspondents mentioned the Salvadorian Maestranza countless times.  Among others, the Armed Forces National Workshop built over 130 guntrucks and IFVs in the 70-80s, using Jupiter (7 ton), Man 630 (5 ton), Unimog (2 ton), GM/Ford (5 ton) trucks, F-250 and Dodge M37B pickups, as well as 23 tracked Woodmaster tractors.  It also tackled the conversion of elderly Madsen LMGs to 7.62mm caliber, many other small arms transformations, and became notorious for performing conversions and modifications….

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Distributed at trade shows worldwide, Small Arms Defense Journal is a bimonthly publication that focuses on small arms, accessories, gear for the soldier, new products, industry news, and defense trade shows. The first issue of SADJ was Spring 2009, which launched at the LAAD show in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. SADJ (pronounced “sage”) is targeted toward military, law enforcement, and defense industry professionals. Our job is to reach these groups and tailor content to their interests while producing a publication that is applicable to an international audience.
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