In 1985 a legend was retired. The highly regarded M1911A1 pistol was replaced with the Italian designed Beretta 92F chambered in the now NATO standardized 9x19mm cartridge. This caused ripples in the small arms community on many fronts. Perhaps the most significant was the replacement of the combat proven .45 ACP cartridge with the 9x19mm. Although the 9x19mm has seen just as much, if not significantly more combat throughout the world, its reputation as a “man stopper” was less than the venerable 45. The 124 grain full metal jacketed projectile often passed right through the target and kept on going, requiring multiple shots. The 45 ACP’s reputation was that any place the enemy was hit would bring them down. Playing the devil’s advocate, that perception is more than a bit unrealistic, and the U.S. was the only country in NATO to use the 45 ACP cartridge. There was a huge push to standardize all NATO countries with the same ammunition for all small arms. The M1911-series had significantly more recoil that the 9x19mm caliber pistols and held half the magazine capacity. The facts are that 9x19mm is the NATO standardized cartridge, it is easier to shoot and it carries double the ammunition without reloading.

The new US service pistol program was called the XM9. The XM9 competition had participants from all of the major American gun manufacturers including Smith & Wesson, Colt as well the foreign firms of Heckler & Koch, SIG Sauer, Beretta, FN, Walther and Steyr. On September 18, 1984 the Army eliminated three of the five finalists. The Heckler & Koch P7M13, Walther P88 and the Smith & Wesson 459M were eliminated leaving the finalists, the Beretta 92SB-F and the Sig Sauer P226 as the only “technically acceptable” candidates. The final award would be a combination of the scores based on the candidate’s performance as well as price. When the dust settled, Beretta U.S.A. was awarded the M9 contract. The price was extremely close between Beretta and Sig. In fact the guns cost the same. The deciding factor was on the cost of the magazines and spare parts. Beretta came in slightly under Sig on the cost of the magazine and spare parts package. The fact that Beretta had a manufacturing facility in the US helped out this decision greatly. On January 14, 1985 the formal announcement was made by the Department of the Army announcing a five-year multi-year fixed price contract of 315,930 M9 pistols. There were terms in this contract, in particular where the pistols were to be manufactured. The first 52,930 pistols could be manufactured in Italy. The next 56,000 M9 pistols would have to be assembled and tested in Accokeek, Maryland. After that, all the M9 pistols must be manufactured in the American plant in Accokeek, Maryland. Based on this author’s research, the Beretta and Sig pistols performed equally as well. There was no quality compromise by purchasing the Beretta over the Sig.

The standard US service pistol since 1985, the Beretta M9 pistol. Basically a Model 92FS but with US Government markings. There have been several attempts to replace this combat proven pistol but it still stands. We’re all curious to see the outcome of the Modular Handgun System, will it come up with a suitable replacement?

The competitors were not ready to go quietly into that good night, as Dylan Thomas had raged against. Beretta was to have the final signed contract in February but this was delayed by a lawsuit brought on by Heckler & Koch, Smith & Wesson and SACO. At this time a retrial was to be conducted as requested by Congress. Claims were made by competitors that Beretta used hand-selected pistols for the trials that were not an accurate representation of their production pistols. The request for test samples went out on May 10, 1988 inviting any contractor to submit candidates for government testing. Only Smith & Wesson and Sturm Ruger submitted weapons. Randomly selected M9 pistols from the most recent Beretta U.S.A. production were used in this re-competition. The competition got their second trial and perhaps regretted it. During the testing both the Smith & Wesson and Sturm Ruger candidates failed to meet some of the mandatory requirements as well as the minimum performance requirements. On May 22, 1989 the Department of the Army announced that the Beretta M9 won the retrial, Beretta’s M9 was still the winner.

Based on testing done by Beretta U.S.A., the average rounds between stoppages of the M9 pistol is an incredible 17,500 rounds. During one test, twelve 92F pistols fired 168,000 rounds without a single malfunction. U.S. Army tests established the average durability of the M9 slides at over 35,000 rounds and the frame was over 30,000 rounds, the point at which testing ceased. This is over 7 times the contractually mandated service life of the pistol. The M9 pistol was assigned the stock number NSN 1005-01-118-2640.

The slide is very unique as well. The entire top of the slide is open, basically preventing the possibility of a failure to feed or eject. Beretta 92-series pistols are legendary for their reputation of reliability. The first article this author ever did was a 20,500 round endurance test on a Beretta 92FS. Throughout all that ammunition there was not one single failure to feed, extract or eject. The only failure was due to an underpowered cartridge which caused the slide to short stroke. The locking block failed on this pistol at just over 19,000 rounds. Based on the pitting on the right wing of the locking block there was evidence this was going to happen. Normally, once these signs are seen on inspection, you would replace the locking block but this was a torture test and was meant to push the limits. As per the military specification, the M9 slide, barrel and locking block are proof tested and magnetic particle inspected to ensure there are no stress fractures before they are shipped to the U.S. Govt.

The M9 service pistol (top) compared to the proposed replacement pistol by Beretta, the M9A3 (bottom). Notice the different colors between the two. The modified trigger guard and Mil-Std-1913 rail pop right out as defining improvements.

Once the pistol went into service the Navy SEALs had found an issue with the M9. One SEAL unit broke seven slides, causing a catastrophic slide failure. The slide cracked and separated in the location of the locking block causing the rear of the slide to come off the rear of the pistol and the slide striking the shooter in the face. No serious injuries were caused but this alarmed the military. Safety notices went out mandating changing out M9 slides at very low round counts as safety precautions while the investigation was underway. So, what was to be determined was if this was a problem with the pistol, the ammunition or the operator. The SEALs immediately felt it was due to the poor quality of the pistol. They stopped using the M9 in favor of the Sig Sauer P226. Beretta has never seen this condition with more than a million of pistols they had produced. Upon completion of the investigation it was found the culprit of the problem was ammunition. The major contributing problem was that the ammunition was +P+ ammunition, which the pistol was not designed for. The first runs of M882 Ball ammunition exceeded 50,000 PSI, which was significantly hotter than proof loads. The pistol can handle limited numbers of this ammunition but it is not recommended that any alloy frame pistol fire a constant diet of submachine gun ammunition. This same ammunition cracked frames of Sig P226’s. Another contributing factor was the extremely high round count on these SEAL pistols. The broken slides had between 4,500 to 30,000 rounds through them. After the investigation was concluded, the restrictions on slide and barrel replacement was halted.

Due to the fact that this ammunition existed out in the field, the military decided they wanted a safeguard in case this was to happen again, so the shooter would not get injured. Beretta felt it was important to correct the safety risk by getting proper spec ammunition and that the pistol could be designed with a slide stop safety. At the request and on the dime of the government, Beretta designed a slide overtravel mechanism that if the slide were to fail it would not come off the frame of the gun. Beretta enlarged the head of the hammer pin on the left side of the gun, then a recess was machined under the slide on the left side where the hammer pin would sit underneath. The recess cuts off at a specific distance. If the slide were to come back farther, the hammer pin would stop the slide’s rearward travel protecting the shooter. Beretta retrofitted a quantity of pistols and they worked it into new production (92FS). Beretta did offer slide and hammer pin upgrades to customers who anticipated high usage but never offered this as an across the board upgrade to commercial or law enforcement customers due to the rareness of the problem. Currently, slide failures are normally seen in training units where the same pistols are used to train troops day after day and the pistols wear out. It is extreme round counts and heavy use that causes this condition. The military was much slower to respond to absolve Beretta of fault of the slide failures than it was to criticize them. In fact Beretta’s reputation was damaged enough that Beretta sued the government and won. The claim was settled out of court.

The M9A3 arrives suppressor ready with a threaded barrel along with a thread protective cap.

The locking block used on the M9 is similar to the one utilized in the Walther P38. Unlike most recoil operated pistols where the barrel drops down to unlock, the M9 barrel stays in line with the shooter. The locking block drops down allowing the slide to recoil. This alters the felt recoil of the M9 compared to many other conventional military pistols. The recoil is more of a “push” than a “snap”. This helps the controllability of the pistol during rapid fire. Every locking block manufactured for the M9 pistol as per specification is proof tested and then magnetic particle inspected. The final locking block will have “PM” marked on the top front of the locking block, indicating the part was proof tested and then magnetic particle inspected. If one were to say there is a weak link in the original M9, I would have to say it would be the locking block. It must be clarified that Beretta has had three generations of updates to the locking block since the adoption of the M9. The original locking block had a service life of between 8 to 10,000 rounds. The second version of the locking block main changes were the radial relief cuts near the locking surface of the block to relive stress increasing the serviceability of the part to 17 to 22,000 rounds. Now there is a third generation. When a locking block fails, it is almost always the left wing. This is due to the torque caused by the right twist of the barrel. The locking block seldom breaks without warning. There are warning signs that if heeded prevent this from happening at an inopportune moment. One will see pitting on the face of the wings on the locking block from wear. Once this is seen in the M9 pistol, it is time to change it out. The third generation locking block increases the surface contact area of the locking block so much that it has to use a modified plunger as well as a change in shape. This further increases the service life. The M9 pistol would not see any of these enhanced locking blocks. Due to the government approved Technical Data Package, the pistol must adhere to the original drawings. They never approved any of the updated versions of the locking blocks. However, there were several contracts over the years where the government bought commercial off the shelf (COTS) versions of the M9 which did have the updated components. The new Marine Corps M9A1 for instance was a COTS pistol and shared all the new improvements. The M9 had developed some bad situations in the Global War on Terrorism due to failing locking blocks. Most of this was caused by defective locking bocks manufactured by sources other than Beretta U.S.A., they were not made to specification and broke relatively early.

The barrel itself is 4.92 inches long and rifled with 6 lands and grooves and a right hand twist. As per military specification, it has a chrome bore and chamber. This is common on most of Beretta’s pistols and shotguns. This prevents pitting, which is caused by corrosion and it aids in extraction and ejection. The barrels are proof tested and magnetic particle inspected to ensure quality and integrity (Marked PM on the left side of the barrel).

The M9 utilizes a 15-round double stack magazine. The magazine is black and has an aluminum follower. It should be noted that Beretta switched over to a more reliable polymer follower years ago. The US Government subcontracted this magazine out to Checkmate Industries as spare parts. During combat operations in Iraq it was found the sand would stick in the finish causing failure of the shot column to rise resulting in failures to feed. Troops who were deploying learned very quickly to look for Beretta marked magazines.

The backstrap of the M9 (top) and M9A3 (bottom). The M9A3 is equipped with the more slender handgrips intended for users with smaller hands.

The Marine Corps Updated the M9 pistol to the M9A1

In the spring of 2005, Beretta U.S.A. was awarded a contract for the United States Marine Corps for 3,480 M9A1 pistols along with 6,960 PVD nickel plated improved magazines as well as 3,480 M9A1 pistol holster systems. The M9A1 was designed with specifications provided by the Marines. The M9A1 pistol is a COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) firearm being procured by the Marines. Basically what that means is the pistol does not have to conform to the M9 Technical Data package. In other words the Marines were able to make changes to the pistol without going through the political small arms procurement establishment and get exactly what they wanted. Also, these are not marked with U.S. government markings nor proof codes. No rights nor TDP will be provided to the government.

One major change to the pistol is the addition of a Mil-Std-1913 rail to the front of the frame for attaching a flashlight. Another addition to the frame is that the vertical gripping grooves of the M9 pistol would be replaced with a checkering pattern to further enhance the ability to grip the pistol under adverse conditions. Additionally the trigger guard was re-contoured to better accept various tactical lights on the market. The identifying mark is on the left side of the frame which states “Type M9A1”. Next to that is the serial number which has the non-military “BER” serial number prefix.

The components of the M9A1, with the exception of the frame, are all compatible with the M9 service pistol. The same components are used so there is no logistical burden of using special components that needed added into the inventory. The slide is marked with commercial marking and no proof or magnetic particle inspection marks are present. The Marines opted for a three-dot sight system instead of the standard M9 two-dot system. The M9A1 uses the third generation improved locking block as well.

The magazines have been improved as well. There is a special PVD nickel finish placed on the magazine to increase their reliability in the desert by eliminating the need for lubrication. The magazine body has been improved to make it more durable and reliable. The ribs built into the magazine body reduce fouling from sand and dirt environments by allowing the debris to trickle down the internal sides of the magazine tube. The improved plastic followers are used. These are more reliable due to the fact that dirt and sand do not stick as easily to them as the aluminum followers and they are corrosion resistant.

Perhaps the most monumental change is the improvement to the safety. Complaints have been heard that if one charges the M9 pistol (top) by grabbing the back of the slide and pulling rearward, the safety would inadvertently engage (Bad idea). The M9A3 (bottom) has changed the angle of the safety lever allowing one to easily retract the slide without accidentally engaging the safety.

US Military Solicits for a New Service Pistol: The M9A3

In January of 2013 the army released the requirements for yet another handgun replacement program which would be between 250,000 to 550,000 pistols. This Request for Information would be called the Modular Handgun System (MHS). This is by far not the only program started to replace the M9 pistol. There have been many in the more than 30 years the M9 has been in service. The program was to provide a handgun with improvements such as various grip configurations, additional magazine capacity, have a Mil-Std-1913 rail for mounting flashlight and laser modules, be fully ambidextrous, make use of a sound suppressor and have a finish of a non-reflective neutral color. They are also looking for possible increases in accuracy and dispersion out to 50 meters, modularity, durability, and reliability in all environments. For accuracy the gauge is being able to hit a 4-inch circle 90% of the time at 50 years throughout the life cycle of the pistol. It must be ergonomically viable for use with soldiers with smaller hands such as many females. Reliability threshold is 2,000 mean rounds between stoppages, 10,000 mean rounds between failures and 35,000 round service life, which is really not that much more than the current M9 pistol.

The most interesting thing, in this author’s opinion, is that this request is not caliber specific. They want improved terminal performance than is provided by the M882 ball round. This makes a world of difference for the tried and true 9x19mm. With the use of modern ammunition (Federal HST, Hornady Critical Defense, etc….) it can change the entire terminal performance possibilities of the 9x19mm to the point there is little if any need to replace the caliber. Some companies are expected to introduce the .40 cal and for sure some will try to bring back the all American 45 ACP caliber.

Beretta USA wasted no time. In December of 2014 they introduced a new pistol by way of an Engineering Change Proposal in accordance with the terms of the in effect M9 contract. It was a highly modified version of their Commercial Off The Shelf M9A1, a pistol that they felt would meet almost all of the MHS requirements at a fraction of the cost. Furthermore, they had already made the considerations of costs for the government to procure a new pistol; cost of pistols, magazines, spare parts, training, time to replace current inventory for both pistol and ammunition and they offered the Army a way to get everything they wanted with a very low cost. This pistol they coined as the “M9A3.” The only government approved M9 pistol is the standard M9 pistol. Both the M9A1 and M9A3 are named by Beretta.

The US Marine Corps Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) M9A1 pistol. Notice the enhanced trigger guard, Mil-Std-1913 rail and removable front and rear sights.

This new Beretta M9 pistol design uses the basic configuration of the M9A1 frame. This includes the 3-slot Mil-Std-1913 rail and reinforced trigger guard. The frontstrap and backstrap of the pistol grip have an improved grip pattern. The pistol sports two grip configurations. For small handed individuals there are two thin grip panels and for those users with larger hands a wrap-around grip manufactured by Hogue is offered. The magazine release button is still ambidextrous but has been made larger, which makes its actuation much easier.

The slide has several improvements over the standard M9. The front and rear sights are now both removable permitting easy sight replacement as well as easy configuration of night sights or whatever else may be required. The M9A3 comes standard with tritium night sights. One of the most frequent complaints was that due to a slide mounted safety, when the slide was retracted the user could inadvertently actuate the safety and engage it when the rear of the slide was grasped. Beretta now has given the lever a slight angle which would basically eliminate this. Beretta also redesigned the slide to be “universal” and allow the unit armorer to easily replace the “F” safety/decocker with the “G” decocker only lever… with a simple change of parts.

The barrel remains the same with the addition of threading for easily mounted sound suppressor. Also the most recent revision of the locking block is being used which significantly increases the life of the locking block over that of the TDP original Mil-Spec M9 pistol.

The magazine is similar to that of the PVD finished magazine of the M9A1 but the capacity has been increased from 15 to 17 rounds of 9x19mm ammunition.

The frame is anodized a Flat Dark Earth tone and the slide and barrel are Cerakote™ finished in a Flat Dark Earth color. For all intents and purposes this pistol meets the MHS criteria.

Going through Beretta’s line-up you notice the M9, M9A1 and M9A3. Where is the M9A2? Beretta had this part figured out for Uncle Sam as well and proposed it in its ECP. Beretta could upgrade all M9’s in the inventory to almost the M9A3 configuration, hence the “A2” monicker. The MIL-STD-1913 rail would be permanently attached to the frame (instead of integrally machined), and the grip would remain standard M9, but otherwise all other improvements would be introduced to this “upgraded” M9. The current guns could be modified or have replacement frames issued. Also a majority of the parts in current inventory can still be used. Basically the barrel, sights, safety and grips would be added to the inventory. Refinishing of slides can be done by an armorer. Taking all this into consideration there is a tremendous amount of savings to the US government and taxpayers.

Shown is the disassembled M9 pistol. Both the M9A1 and the M9A3 disassemble and clean in an identical manner to the standard pistol of more than 30 years issue. Pistol is disassembled for maintenance without the need for any tools.

The M9A3 provided to SAR is what has been described. The only difference is the way the slide is marked. It has the commercial Beretta Stylized PB on the slide. It was provided in a plastic tan ammo can-type case with three 17-round magazines. Double action pull was 8.75 pounds and single action was 4.25 pounds
on the T&E pistol.

The M9A3 was tested with a SilencerCo Octane sound suppressor. The threads on the M9A3 are .5×28 inch and that was the required spec from SilencerCo. The length of the suppressor is 7.50 inches with a diameter of 1.37 inches. The suppressor weighs 10.8 ounces and is manufactured from aluminum and stainless steel. The suppressor is user disassembled for maintenance guaranteeing long service. The baffles are manufactured from stainless steel and use the SilencerCo CTA™ or Click Together Assembly baffle system. This particular suppressor is full-auto rated and can be used with everything from .380 ACP, 9x19mm, .357 Sig and 300 Blackout ammunition. The MSRP is $918. According to SilencerCo the Octane has a muzzle decibel average of 127.0 dB.

In testing there were 200 rounds of IMI Samson 9x19mm 124gr NATO ball fired for function. There were 100 rounds of Winchester 147gr FMJ subsonic and 100 rounds of Hornady Custom 147gr XTP (Extreme Terminal Performance) rounds fired with no malfunctions of any sort. Throughout the 400 rounds of ammunition the pistol was never cleaned. Moderate lubrication was applied before testing began.

The Army in the end rejected the Beretta proposal in favor of conducting the MHS program. Was this a wise move? If in fact the Army decides to stay with the 9x19mm cartridge this is without a doubt a very good option for them. No matter what a new pistol does, it will not offer enough benefit to warrant the expenditure. If they opt for a different caliber, then that is a different story. In this case, these costs are unavoidable. Going with modern hollow point ammunition technology in this author’s opinion will enable the 9x19mm caliber to be extremely effective and be the right military caliber. If still restricted to M882 ball though, perhaps a new caliber will be in order. Beretta USA has come up with an excellent alternative that would benefit both the US soldier as well as the US taxpayer.

In almost all modern militaries, the belt-fed machinegun remains a mainstay. In small unit use it provides significant cover and suppressive fire. While numerous machine gun designs exist, the M249 remains the current SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) for many of our military units. Polling those having used these in harm’s way, it is either loved or hated. Considered similar in reliability to its frequent companion on the battlefield, the M240 chambered in 7.62 x 51mm, the M249 has in fact suffered from a few more problems. A friend of the author’s tasked with running one of these in the U. S. Army stated he “Swore by the M240, and at the M249.” Others have had the opposite opinion of the M249, many using them to great effect in battle. In the opinion of some, the “SAW” could do with some changes and U. S. Machinegun Armory offers a number of improvements.

Over the years, several upgrades and enhancements have made typical issue SAW’s more reliable and they remain in use. U.S. Machine Gun Armory has their own versions, addressing many issues suffered in early versions. Along with certain operational improvements, the MGA SAW is available in a number of calibers other than 5.56x45mm using the same basic receiver. They can be ordered in 7.62x51mm, 7.62x39mm, .300 Blackout, 6.8 SPC, and .260 Remington. Patented design changes allow for that significant increase in versatility. Having had the opportunity to test the MGA SAW in all but the 260 Remington, it’s the 6.8 SPC that caught my
attention the most.

My affinity for the 6.8 SPC started shortly after this cartridge hit the market. Working on a SWAT team at the time, several weapons in that caliber have gone through my hands over the years. Most had barrels in the 12-14 inch range, a few were select fire, all worked well for me. Early ammunition support was slim, making it more difficult and costly, but there have always been several in my inventory. An early Barrett Rec7 is still used on occasion, but it was the LWRC Six 8 platform that really garnered my interest. Designed to meet a large contract in the Middle East, the Six 8 platform is a ground up re-design of the rifle, around the caliber and magazine. Starting with a magazine built by Magpul, LWRC built the rifle from there. It works perfectly, and meets the needs of several Middle Eastern allies that are less than enamored with the 5.56 x 45mm (.223) cartridge. It begged the question, “So, how about a Squad Automatic Weapon? One that was built to work with this caliber and not just a conversion.” With the 6.8 SPC’s popularity with some of our Middle Eastern allies’ rifles, a matching SAW seemed the perfect complement. U.S. Machine Gun Armory has answered the need with their MGA SAW.

Attachment of the bipod is solid, yet shaves off weight and keeps the weapon under complete control.

Test Rifles

Two machineguns were provided for testing. One MGA SAW was U.S. Machinegun Armory’s latest chambered in 6.8 SPC . For comparison a 5.56 x 45mm model configured without magazine well was provided. While never having fielded a SAW in the military I have extensive experience during testing for proposed tactical team use post-9/11. The test weapons were very similar. The barrels are fluted and built to improve accuracy along with some proprietary improvements to the operating system. The SAW chambered in 6.8 SPC was similar to the one being sought by MGA’s Middle East clients.

Designed for Airborne troops jumping out of aircraft, this MGA SAW in 6.8 SPC used a standard M249 Para buttstock. The rest is pretty standard fare, with a 200 round box magazine, iron sights, and rail for optics mounting. It included their latest Bi-pod, very strong, yet lighter than the original. Being more compact it tucked nicely into the handguard when not in use. For testing, the M16 box magazine attachment was left off, along with the carry handle. The 6.8 SPC Barrel was capped with a Primary Weapons Systems TRIAD flash hider.

The 5.56mm version was configured similarly to an issue weapon utilizing a number of the MGA improvements. The fluted barrel was capped with a standard A2 flash hider. Equipped with their improved bi-pod, it also had a modular handguard. It is lighter than the original and provides a straight line rail from the top of the receiver. Based off the original Knights Armament M249 rail project, it is available as an option on the MGA SAW. It used the Savic collapsing stock.

Browe’s 4×32 Combat Optic was added for sighting at some longer ranges. Browe optics are housed in titanium keeping them light and strong. It also uses a unique Target Light Sensor that senses light at the target and adjusts the brightness. It means you can be in a dark environment, yet your reticle will use the proper brightness for the target. It has several settings, including an automatic where the lighted portion turns off until the optic is moved. Available with a number of reticle choices you can get one to suit your caliber and tactical needs. Elcan’s Dual role 1.5x to 4x Optic was used on the 5.56mm SAW.

Elcan’s dual optic is often used on issue SAW machine guns. It is clear, rugged, and provides increased versatility with the dual 1.5x and 4x capability.

Range Time

Initial testing started with the 5.56 x 45mm using M855 Green Tip ammunition. The weight and balance of this weapon surprised me. Much of my time is spent wielding a 14 or so pound sniper rifle in various positions so heavier guns are not new to me. That being said, it was surprisingly easy to move from prone, to kneeling, to standing. Holding it up in with the off-hand propped against a wall there was no issue staying on target. The 200 round drum, while not intended for this function, made for a nice rest on surfaces not suitable for the bi-pod. The stock made operation in full kit, including Level 4 plates, pretty comfortable for the operator. It is easy to see how someone using this system in the real world could become very attached to it. It brings some pretty significant firepower to bear that can be accurately applied in just about any urban operation. While accuracy testing is not something you generally see, with these the improved barrels they really shine. My experience lies with standard issue M249’s and they are less than tack drivers. While getting singles off was not practical, it was possible to put doubles inside a 6 inch circle at 100 yards pretty much at will, from the bipod supported prone position. What ever MGA changed, worked. Since recoil is all but non-existent with this system, especially in this caliber, it was very easy to stay on target, especially at closer ranges. It was time to move to my favorite caliber, the 6.8 SPC, and see if it provided the same level of accuracy and make a few comparisons.

Using the MGA rail it is possible to co-witness sights as well as attach lasers and other devices.

MGA SAW in 6.8 SPC

Given the difference in the 6.8 SPC cartridge, increased recoil was expected, but it just did not appear that way. Shooting them side by side, there was little difference. Getting into a solid bipod supported prone position, it was possible to keep doubles and triples on the same 6” plate most of the time. The MGA SAW in 6.8 SPC was very accurate. Using the red dot sight at 100 yards or closer it stayed centered. It quickly became evident the Para M249 stock was less than desirable, a sentiment heard from many a soldier or Marine using them in the field.

Moving out to longer ranges, the MGA SAW remained accurate. Staying on steel at 400 meters was pretty easy even with triples, and an occasional five round burst. Keeping them all on a 24” x 16” steel plate at that range was pretty easy. Given a solid position and concerted effort they were surprisingly accurate at this range. This is purely anecdotal, but it was much easier for me to stay on steel with the MGA SAW chambered in 6.8 SPC than the 5.56mm MK46. Staying on a man sized target with controlled bursts with the 6.8 SPC MGA SAW was easy out to 300 meters.

While no lightweight, the MGA SAW can certainly be fired from standing and other positions. Not something you would want to do for long periods, but it is not much heavier than some of the older sniper rifles used. Empty weight is a bit under 15 pounds, loaded with 200 rounds adds a few pounds, so it’s probably not for the gym averse. Getting a solid hold around the 200 round box takes some work, but it can be done. It is much easier with the 100 round pouches. Shooting from kneeling is much easier, although you would clearly want to try and get to prone, or at least get it rested on something if you can. Working around the range and some rocky outcroppings it was easy to steady it using natural terrain.

The MGA SAW is compatible with any standard M249 box magazine.

General Improvements

Since 1984 there have been no M249 Product Improvement Programs (PIP) from the US Department of Defense (DOD). Contrast that with the M16 and M4 and it has all but been neglected. Yet, the SAW remains a mainstay for much of our armed forces, and others around the world as a Squad Automatic Weapon. U.S Machinegun Armory has re-engineered and modernized this proven weapon.

One of the biggest complaints is a warping of the receiver rails and this was almost uniform amongst those early weapons seeing the hardest use. This is one of the improvements found in the MGA SAW, the receiver is stronger and better built allowing for a longer service life. It also contributes to a tighter mechanism providing for greater accuracy. Their improved trunnion design makes for a tighter fitting barrel and more accuracy. Further improvements have been made to feed trays, hand guards, stocks, and barrel assemblies. Chambered in 7.62 x 51mm it still comes in at 4 pounds lighter than a typically configured M60, ten pounds lighter than an M240. Versatility is unparalleled with interchangeable barrel kits available in 5.56mm, 300 BLK, 6.8 SPC, 7.62 x51mm, as well as 260. Same receiver, just choose the proper kit and swag as needed. Various barrel lengths allow you to fit the mission at hand, not just deal with what’s in hand. Changes to the recoil system make it tunable and allow the use of an M4 buffer tube and any M16 style stock. U.S. Machinegun Armory has left no stone unturned or item unexamined when it comes to the build, function, and reliability of the MGA SAW, it is truly a re-design.

The enhanced charging handle is stronger, and the MGA SAW action is smooth and reliable with improvements throughout.

Final Thoughts

As the threat to the homeland increases from organized terrorist groups, the need for reliable belt fed machineguns is on the rise. Everyone from local law enforcement to anti-terrorist units needs the firepower to win against a highly motivated and often well armed threat. U.S Machinegun Armory’s MGA SAW brings a versatility never seen before to that arena. Being able to use calibers suited to each task, often urban, with controlled space requiring significant attention to detail is a major plus. Whether headed to a battlefield or the mean streets, the MGA SAW can be equipped to get you exactly what you need. U.S. Machinegun Armory’s MGA SAW truly brings a SAW for the next generation and beyond.

Specifications: MGA SAW
Caliber: 6.8 SPC (tested) ( 5.56mm, 300 BLK, 7.62 x51mm, .260 available)
Barrel: 14 – 20 Inches (depending on caliber)
OA Length: 33-39 Inches (depending on configuration)
Weight: 14.5 pounds
Sights: Standard Open (Optics Capable)
Stocks / Grip: M4 style extension (multiple stock options available
Action: Open Bolt- Fully Automatic / Multi Caliber Receiver
Finish: Teflon Coated Receiver, Melonited Barrel Upgrade available.
Capacity: 200 Round Box Magazine (Compatible with all M249 Magazines)
Price: Cost Available by Quote

U.S. Machine Gun Armory
545 West 9460 South
Sandy Utah
Machinegunarmory.com

When necessary the bi-pod tucks nicely unto the handguard allowing for solid shooting from barricades or other obstacles.

During World War I, the primary weapon issued was the full-power, long range battle rifle, while many officers were issued revolvers or pistols as a personal defense weapon. Handguns, which with their limited range, are generally considered a “last ditch” defensive weapon. The advantage was their relatively small size, which did not interfere with a soldier’s routine non-combat duties.

The Military Armament Corporation’s .380 caliber Model 11 is only slightly larger than a 1911A1 pistol. The Corporation attracted a lot of investors after they were told that that the U.S. Army was going to adopt the Model 11 to replace the standard issue 1911A1 pistol. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Hooper)

Machine Pistols

In the past, efforts were made to increase the effectiveness of hand guns by adding a detachable buttstock and a full-auto capability. Select-fire pistols with detachable stocks were produced by Mauser, Star and others, and they were very popular during the warlord era in China. Although the concept had been long considered obsolete, machine pistols reemerged, based on modern pistol designs like the Soviet APS Stechkin, the Beretta 93R, the Glock 18 and others. Similar weapons were based on existing submachine guns. Heckler and Koch began the trend in 1976 with the MP5K, a small stockless version, of their MP5 submachine gun. Israeli Military Industries introduced their compact 9mm Mini UZI in 1980 and the Micro Model in 1986, both weapons were based on the standard size UZI submachine gun.

During World War II the lightweight M1 carbine (bottom of photo) was conceived to arm officers, NCOs and personal whose primary duties were in a support role. The M1 Garand battle rifle was issued to combat troops.

The U.S. M1 Carbine

Recognizing the limitations of the pistol as an effective combat weapon, the U.S. proposed the light rifle concept in 1938. The idea was to provide a lightweight, compact personal weapon to arm support troops not directly involved in combat. The “light rifle” was adopted as the M1 carbine in 1941. The carbine weighs only 5.8 pounds with a loaded 15-round detachable magazine, and has an overall length of 35.6 inches. During the last months of World War II a select-fire version of the carbine, the M2, and accompanying 30-round magazine, was introduced. The carbine fired a relatively small 7.62x33mm cartridge with a 110 grain FMJ bullet at a velocity of approximately 1970 feet per second. Recoil was mild compared to the primary U.S. battle rifle, the 30’06 caliber (7.62x63mm) M1 Garand.

The Military Armament Corporation manufactured Gordon Ingram’s Model 10 submachine gun during the 1970s. The .45 caliber MAC 10 pictured is fitted with a MAC sound suppressor and 10-round “concealment” magazine.

Submachine Guns

During World War II the submachine gun, firing pistol caliber cartridges, came into widespread use. The United States and many allied nations adopted the Thompson submachine gun. The Thompson was expensive, heavy and a somewhat cumbersome weapon, whose design was nearly twenty years old in 1941. As the war went on many new more modern designs emerged, which were smaller, lighter and cheaper to manufacture. During the period following World War II more compact submachine gun/machine pistol designs were introduced, like the Military Armament Corporation’s MAC 10 and MAC 11, which were only slightly larger in size than many handguns.

After adopting the 5.45x39mm AK-74 in 1976, the Russians introduced the compact AKS-74U model, the weapon is the same caliber as the AK-74 and uses the same 30 and 45 round magazines.

Assault Rifles

As World War II went on, yet another class of small arms was introduced by the Germans, the Sturmgewehr. The revolutionary weapon fired an intermediate range cartridge, in between the long-range battle rifle and the short range submachine gun. The Sturmgewehr had acceptable range capability and was controllable when fired in its full-automatic mode. The assault rifle was born and it would change the way armies viewed infantry small arms.

During the post-World War II years the Soviets, following the midrange infantry rifle concept of the German Sturmgewehr, introduced their soon to be infamous AK-47 rifle. Now there were a number of categories of small arms: the pistol, the machine pistol, the submachine gun, the assault rifle and the battle rifle. The assault rifle replaced many of the aforementioned weapons in most modern armies. During 1959, the United States adopted the short-lived 7.62x51mm M14 rifle, which was replaced by the small caliber high-velocity 5.56x45mm M16 rifle in 1964. During 1976, the Soviets adopted the AK-74 firing the small caliber high-velocity 5.45x39mm round. Before long, compact models of the AK-74 and M16 were designed and adopted as the AKS-74U
and CAR-15 respectively.

Israeli Military Industries introduced the 9mm Mini and Micro (pictured) versions of their UZI submachine gun.

Return of the Submachine Gun

After the introduction of the midrange assault rifle, the submachine gun was considered obsolete as a military weapon. However, the proliferation of increasing violent, and well-armed, drug gangs operating in the U.S. during 1970 thru the 1980s forced many law enforcement agencies to adopt automatic weapons so they wouldn’t be outgunned by their criminal adversaries. One of the most popular weapons was the submachine gun, which with its short range was an asset to minimize collateral damage. The weapon of choice for many law enforcement agencies was Heckler and Koch MP5 made in Germany. The MP5 is a compact, select-fire 9mm weapon that is accurate in semiautomatic and quite manageable in full automatic. The MP5 was able to accommodate a sound suppressor, which when used with subsonic 9mm ammunition provided stealth when needed. Eager to get in on the growing worldwide law enforcement submachine gun market, Colt introduced a 9mm version of their M16 rifle in 1980. One of Colt’s selling points was operation and training for the Colt 9mm SMG is similar to that for the M16, substantially simplifying the familiarization process, and that the weapon was U.S. made, an important considerations for many agencies during the period.

More recently, many law enforcement agencies have begun to replace their submachine guns with the more powerful 5.56mm M4 carbines and the compact Colt Commando. The reason was to match the firepower of their criminal and terrorist adversaries, who often are armed with AK-47 type weapons, as well as their increasing use of personal body armor.

One of the first weapons of the modern Personal Defense Weapon category was the FN 90, firing a bottle-neck 5.7x28mm cartridge, the company also produces a semiautomatic pistol that fires the round. (Courtesy of Dan Shea)

Modern Personal Defense Weapons

The development of the modern PDW began with a 1989 NATO request for a new personal defense weapon to replace current 9mm NATO caliber submachine guns. What was being sought was something more effective than a submachine gun, but less powerful than an assault rifle. Submachine guns were proving ineffective in the face of new threats and the emergence of new ballistic protections. Assault rifles, like the 5.56mm M4 were considered too powerful for lethal engagements in densely populated areas. The NATO request for a more effective weapons resulted in a widespread development of new
cartridges and firearms.

Designers have redefined the Personal Defense Weapon or PDW. Some of the weapons are completely new designs, while others are hybrids of existing weapons. A modern personal defense weapon is now defined as one that is compact, easily concealed, fitted with modern optics. Most modern PDWs fire a small, but powerful bottle-neck cartridge. A PDW is desirable in a high threat situation were a pistol or submachine gun would normally be carried. The concept was introduced during the late 1980s primarily because of the increasing widespread use of modern body armor, which weapons firing the NATO 9mm round cannot not penetrate.

One of the earliest weapons in the new personal defense class to reach series production during 1990 was the FN P90. The weapon was developed by the Belgian firm of FN Herstal. The FN P90 fires a small high-velocity 5.7×28mm caliber bottle-neck, centerfire round also developed by FN. The original cartridge was called the SS90, featuring a 23 grain plastic-core projectile, which had a muzzle velocity of approximately 2,800 feet per second when fired from the P90 weapon. The cartridge has been updated since its introduction. The FN P90 feeds from a unique top-mounted 50-round magazine. The P90 is a selective fire, blowback-operated weapon with a cyclic rate of 900 rounds per minute. The ambidextrous P90 fires from a closed bolt for maximum accuracy, and its design makes extensive use of polymers for reduced weight and cost. Overall, the weapon is relatively lightweight, weighing 6.6 pounds (3kg) with a loaded 50-round magazine. FN also offers a semiautomatic pistol, the FN FiveseveN, that fires the same 5.7x28mm cartridge as the FN P90.

The Brügger & Thomet MP9 is a selective-fire chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum round. The MP9 is a development of the Steyr TMP with a few upgrades added.

Heckler and Koch introduced their MP7 Personal Defense Weapon in 2001 chambered for their proprietary 4.6×30mm cartridge. A new cartridge designed to meet NATO requirements published in 1989, as these requirements call for a personal defense weapon (PDW) class firearm, with a greater ability to defeat body armor than current weapons limited to conventional pistol cartridges. The 4.6x30mm proprietary cartridge was developed jointly by HK and Royal Ordnance (RO), HK’s parent company and a division of BAE Systems. The standard full metal jacket bottleneck cartridge has a 2.7 g bullet with an alloy core and a steel copper plated jacket. Muzzle velocity is approximately 2,000 feet per second (600 m/s). There are also special loadings available that include the Law Enforcement Hollow Point, and the DM11 Penetrator Ultimate Combat round.

The MP7 is gas operated using a short stroke piston and rotating bolt. Barrel length is 7.1-inches (180mm). The weapon is fed from a detachable box magazine available in 20, 30 and 40 round capacities. The full auto cyclic rate is 950 rounds per minute. The weapon weighs 2.76 pounds (1.25kg) with magazine; overall length with the stock extended is 25.1-inches (638mm) with the stock folded the length is reduced to 16.3-inches (415mm). Since introduced, the MP7 has been updated. The current production versions are the MP7A1 and the MP7A2.

There were other attempts at developing a personal defense weapon, however, few have progressed past the experimental stage.

Colt introduced the 5.56x45mm XM177E1 during the Vietnam War. The weapon was a short barrel variant of the standard issue M16. The concept has evolved into today’s M4 Commando, popular with many law enforcement agencies.

Colt attempted to enter the PDW market during the 1990s with their Mini Assault Rifle System or MARS. The prototype weapon was based on the proven M16 rifle, chambered for an experimental 5.56×30mm MARS cartridge. The MARS cartridge fired a 55-grain projectile at a velocity of 2,592 feet per second (790 m/s).
ST Kinetics of Singapore developed a multi-caliber, delayed blow-back submachine gun designated as a Compact Personal Weapon or CPW. The loaded weight of the CPW with a 30-round magazine is only 4.4 pounds (2.0kg). The weapon is select-fire, with a full-auto cyclic rate of fire of 900 to 1100 rounds per minute. Barrel length is 7-inches (180mm) with an open prong flash hider, overall length is 13.78-inches (350mm). Although the original prototype was chambered in 9×19mm, the weapon was designed for easy conversion to either 5.7×28mm or 4.6×30mm cartridges.

Another variation of the M16 offered by Colt was the basic weapon reconfigured to fire 9mm cartridges. The 9mm/M16 was available in several configurations including the “Briefcase or DOE Department of Energy” model pictured.

U.S. manufacturer Knight’s Armament Company developed an experimental personal defense weapon chambered for a 6×35mm cartridge. The advantage of Knight’s round was its low recoil and reported ability to penetrate bullet proof glass and body armor at ranges out to 300 meters. The weapon developed by the company is similar in appearance to Colt’s M4 Commando, but with quite a few internal differences.

One of the Russian entries into the PDW field is the PP-2000, a weapon manufactured by the KBP Instrument Design Bureau. The PP-2000 was introduced during a 2004 exhibition in Moscow. Although the weapon is chambered for the 9×19mm round, it was specifically designed for use with the Russian 9x19mm 7N21 and 7N31 +P+ armor-piercing versions of the cartridge. The performance is reportedly comparable to the 5.7×28mm and 4.6x30mm PDW cartridges while still being able to use common 9x19mm rounds.

The MP9 is a compact weapon currently being manufactured by Brügger & Thomet of Switzerland. The MP9 is a selective-fire PDW chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum round. The weapon fires from a closed, locked bolt utilizing a rotating barrel locking system. The MP9 is a development of the Steyr TMP. The design of TMP was purchased from Steyr in 2001. The primary difference is the TMP has a stock that folds to the right side of the weapon, an integrated Picatinny-style rail, and a trigger safety.

CBJ Tech firm of Sweden has developed a new 6.25x25mm cartridge with case dimensions similar to the 9×19mm Parabellum round. The primary purpose the cartridge’s development is to convert 9mm weapons into modern personal defense weapons with the ability to meet the NATO CRISAT body armor defeat criteria consisting of 1.6 mm titanium and 20 layers of Kevlar.

The cartridge round features a sabotted 4 mm tungsten sub-projectile. The 6.25x25mm round was engineered to produce the similar recoil and pressures to allow most 9mm weapons to be easily converted to 6.5×25mm CBJ by changing the barrel. The 9mm bolt is retained because the cartridge head diameter is also the same for both cartridges. The rounds are designed to fit and feed from the weapon’s original 9mm magazine. The firm also has designed a compact weapon chambered for the 9mm or 6.5mm round, the CBJ-MS personal defense weapon. SAAB-Bofors was initially involved in helping to market the 6.5x25mm but is no longer involved with the project. CBJ Tech is continuing to develop the ammunition and demonstrate its capability in a wide variety of converted submachine guns and pistols. However, CBJ Tech is now mainly focused on adapting existing 9mm weapons.

The select-fire Mauser Model 712 was also popular with the Chinese. RIGHT: To increase the range and effectiveness of the basic Luger pistol, the Germans conceived the Lange Pistole 08 Artillery Model Luger with a long barrel, detachable buttstock and 32-round Trommel-Magazin 08 drum magazine.

SADJ first visited the at the time brand new Caracal firearms manufacturing facility in 2011 and the article by SADJ Editor-in-Chief Dan Shea can be read online at: www.sadefensejournal.com/wp/?p=889. It’s interesting to see the growth and evolution of direction of this innovative company over the past 5 years.

When one thinks of the Gulf region they may think of oil and wealth. This is true in many areas. But oil is one of the very few exports of the Middle East countries. In the defense industry throughout the region, for the most part all military small arms and ammunition are procured from other countries making the defense of the region dependent upon the shipping schedules and the political views of the government of their vendor at any given time. There are reasons for this. One of the biggest is not having the labor and skill force needed to design and test weapons as well as those who can operate modern CNC and other modern machines. Unlike the US and Europe, there are not machine shops or manufacturing support companies throughout the region. Separate companies that do aluminum forging, deep hole drilling, hammer forging, polymer mold injection, heat treating as well as anodizing to name a few. To make a successful small arms manufacturing facility in this part of the world, you would have to be self-contained, and have basically all needed manufacturing processes in-house. If such a company was to exist the Middle East would have a place to go to procure small arms that is in their back yard. Not dependent on foreign countries, but Arab built military grade weapons for law enforcement and military use.

Such an company is steadily up and coming in the United Arab Emirates city of Abu Dhabi. It’s called Caracal, LLC. Caracal aspires to be a self contained military small arms manufacturer that will make the UAE less dependent on foreign military equipment and will be able to equip law enforcement in the UAE as well as their Arab neighbors with Arab made small arms. Caracal wishes to be a defense enterprise with global wide sales to military, law enforcement and commercial markets. Plans are underway to invest in a manufacturing facility in the US. Currently there is a Caracal office in the US.

Shown are the rows of brand new state-of-the-art CNC machines on the manufacturing floor of Caracal in Abu Dhabi UAE.

In 2004 a team of UAE weapons experts collaborated with European weapons designers to develop a range of modern combat pistols. In 2006 the first prototype of the Caracal F & C models were made. Perhaps the biggest milestone is the test certificate being issued to Caracal in May of 2006 which apparently fully certified that the Caracal pistols to be compliant with the test criteria of NATO CD14 standards, TA police standards and the Federal Armed Forces Technical Purchasing requirements. The 1st CEO was Hamad El Niyadi and the company was run by a group of investors. With the initial prototypes plans were made to gradually increase the number of parts manufactured in the UAE until the entire pistol was made in-house. At first pistols were mostly made from vendor parts outside of the country. Going through the development process helped Caracal to determine what processes needed to be brought in house and which ones just made no sense. In 2008 they improved and began molding and manufacturing of the polymer pistol frames.

As the most modern CNC machines, mills, hammer forge machine, heat treating station, anodizing line, barrel manufacturing stations, stress relieving stations, polishing, development of quality control programs and so on Caracal had to deal with the biggest problems they would face as an arms maker in the Middle East. First were resources. They cannot call a local tool shop and have tools next day mailed to them. Getting tools and materials had to be bought in large quantity to keep production going. Getting tools could be months away. Keeping these necessary resources on hand is critical. The second is who was going to run these high tech machines? There is really no industrial capability in the area. Caracal brought veteran arms design experts and manufacturing experts from countries including the US, Germany, Russia, Australia, England and India just to name a few. The team was able to get everything up and running and to get technical training schools to train the UAE work force to run these machines.

Caracal really only offered two products from 2004 to 2013; two pistols. The Caracal F (Full Size) and C (Compact Size) 9mm pistols were sold. This was by design, to get their manufacturing expertise and logistics down to be able to support new projects and larger scale production. They sold these pistols locally in the UAE as well as to customers on the American market. However in 2013 Caracal discovered that an extremely low percentage of pistols experienced discharge upon being dropped. The decision was made immediately to recall all of the pistols. Caracal felt the safety of their customers was the first priority. They offered customers a new pistol or a refund. To Caracals testament, the vast majority of customers wanted the new gun. They experienced some customers they had difficulty getting the guns back from because the customers were fond of them. Recalls are not unusual for any company in any industry let alone the firearms industry. Caracal was slightly more visible due to it being their first product. Given the background of what was going on with Caracal in Abu Dhabi, one can see the difficulty they had that American and European firearms manufacturers did not.

Caracal does all anodizing in-house as well on their CS514 and CS518 M4-type rifles and the receivers for the CS308 long range rifle. Also Cerakote finishing is available upon request.

Today in 2015 Caracal has had a drastic transformation into a self contained small arms manufacturing facility in a place that can make it almost impossible to do so. This is a state-of-the-art facility which would put some of the greatest names in firearms manufacturers into shock. Rows of brand new CNC machines, new barrel cutting machines as well as mold machines for the polymer pistol frames are found. The complex has sections for assembly, testing; heat treat and another capability to manufacture hammer forged barrels up to 18 inches long in any caliber. Between the button cut and hammer forged lines they make calibers 9x19mm, 5.56x45mm, 7.62x51mm and 338 Lapua Magnum barrels. They finish their own with anodizing, manganese phosphate and Cerakote. The only finish they send out for is QPQ. The company is now led by Hamad Salem Al Ameri. He is not your typical CEO or businessman. He is an active duty UAE Army Special Forces officer who was commissioned in the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, UK. He has seen combat tours in numerous locations throughout the world and has been decorated for bravery in those missions. Hamad brings an end user sense of need and the urgency of high quality military weapons from the perspective of a combat soldier. He permits no corner cutting or compromise in the manufacturing or the quality of the weapons made at Caracal. Combine this with the fact that Hamad is a very astute businessman and the company has a strong presence in its CEO. As of this writing Caracal weapons are in service in the UAE as well as some other Gulf countries and many other Caracal rifles and pistols are being tested throughout the region. Hamad assures the quality to the military small arms industry and they will be facing stiff competition in the Gulf and globally. The Caracal cat has a firm paw print in the sand of the Gulf region.

The most well known product in Caracals lineup are the 9x19mm pistols models F and C. As of this writing the pistol is 85% made in the UAE. The F is the full size duty pistol that is being seen in holsters of military and Law Enforcement in the UAQ. First look at is you may think it is just another Glock clone. But that would be the farthest from the truth. The frame is manufactured in-house at Caracal and is steel reinforced. The pistol is striker fired with a firing pin block safety. The grip angle is probably the most significant feature of the pistol. The slide sits very low with the bore axis right in line with the shooting hand giving perhaps the softest recoiling pistol this author has fired. The muzzle flip is noticeably less than anything this author has fired in 9x19mm caliber. During testing the muzzle flip was compared to some other high quality name combat pistols and the video clearly showed this to be true. The trigger pull is a short .314 inches resulting in quick accurate firing. The barrel is hammer forged with a QPQ finish. The barrel of the F model tested is 4.09 inches and was tested at Caracal with a proof cartridge and then magnetic particle inspected. The slide is manufactured from steel and is also QPQ treated. The first Generation was recalled in 2013 due to the possibility of the pistol discharging if it was dropped. The Gen 2 or upgrade pistol exceeds the military specification drop test to ensure the pistol is in compliance and they give their customer the safest gun possible. The pistol weighs a light 1.65 pounds and has a width of 1.10 inches. The magazine catch is ambidextrous. The magazine is manufactured from steel and holds 18 rounds. The pistol disassembles similar to that of a Glock. With an empty chamber the trigger is pulled and the slide lock is pulled down from both sides and the slide is slid right off the front of the frame. The recoil spring is captured and the spring is flat giving a long service life. The pistol is constructed to be rated for +P and +P+ ammunition. There is a slide stop on the left side of the pistol similar to that of a Glock. The author was able to test fire the Caracal F 9mm pistol at the Caracal Shooting Club; an impressive facility in its own right with extremely modern indoor air conditioned 25 meter and 10 meter ranges located in the middle of Abu Dhabi. The pistol was fired with 1,100 rounds of UAE produced 9mm 124gr FMJ ammo. There were no malfunctions of any sort regardless of attempts to cause them. There was in fact a string of 8 (18 shot) magazines fired as fast as the trigger could be pulled. Impression of the pistol was this is at least as good as any pistol put out by the top brands in the US and Europe. The Caracal is a newcomer so its reliability and durability record is not really known. Every day more and more of these pistols find their way into military and Law Enforcement hands in the UAE and the Gulf Coast region. This pistol will be a force to be reckoned with for
Middle East sales.

The first Caracal product was the F pistol chambered in 9x19mm. Shown is the new generation 2 variant. Notice the extremely low bore axis on the grip which gives the pistol very little muzzle flip compared to any other pistol of its sort. The pistol magazine holds 18 rounds of 9x19mm ammo.

Caracal is also offering a modern 9mm carbine called the CC10. As of this writing, they are shipping their first 1,000 CC-10 semiautomatic 9mm carbines to the US for commercial sales. Caracal aspires this to compete with their competitor, the Beretta Cx4 9mm carbine. They wish to compete in price but not take away and quality or reliability. The stock is synthetic and has a pistol grip. On the backstrap of the pistol grip is a grip safety similar to that of an older UZI. The trigger pull is approximately 3.3 pounds. The rifle fires from a closed bolt, blowback operation. The non reciprocating cocking handle is on the left side of the receiver. The barrel is hammer forged and 16.1 inches long with no muzzle devise. A short barrel 9 inch model is available as well. On top of the rifle is a continuous Mil-Std-1913 rail and on the bottom of the fore end is a small rail segment allowing for the attachment of a vertical grip or bipod. There are also fixed iron sights on the carbine. The magazine itself is the standard 18 round pistol used by the Caracal model F. The 15 round magazine of the Caracal C is interchangeable. This carbine was also made available to SADJ for test fire. Approximately 100 rounds were fired with no malfunctions. At 25 yards 18 rounds was kept just a hair over an inch group. This gun will certainly have a future in the US commercial market.

To fill in the portfolio Caracal also offers a tactical sniper rifle that is manufactured 100% in-house in the Abu Dhabi manufacturing facility. The rifles are offered in 7.62x51mm (CS308) and .338 Lapua Magnum (CS338). The chassis is manufactured from a billet of 7075 T6 aircraft grade aluminum. Attached to the receiver are an A2-style pistol grip and a fully adjustable stock. The stock is sort of complex but extremely high quality. The stock is adjustable for length and cheekweld. Attached to the bottom is a monopod. The bolt is manufactured from stainless steel. The rifle is fed from a detachable box magazine which is available in 5 or 10 round capacity for the 7.62x51mm and 5 rounds only for the .338 Lapua Magnum. The two stage trigger is adjustable by the user from 1-6 pounds. The barrel is made in house and is button cut. The barrel is manufactured from stainless steel and is match grade quality. Each barrel is test fired with 2 proof cartridges and then magnetic particle inspected to be sure there are no stress fractures. The 7.62x51mm barrel is 26 inches long with a 1 turn in 12 inch right hand twist. The .338 Lapua barrel is also 26 inches with a 1 turn in 12 inch twist. The muzzle is equipped with a Caracal designed muzzle brake on both models. The barrel is held into the receiver with a barrel nut which is attached to an aluminum handguard. This handguard has a long rail segment of Mil-Std-1913 rail which will allow for thermal/night vision optics. The 7.62x51mm caliber rifle weighs in at 15 pounds and has an overall length of 49 inches. The .338 Lapua Magnum caliber rifle weighs 18 pounds and is 49.5 inches long. These are for government contract only.

The Caracal CC10 9x19mm carbine uses the Caracal F and C pistol magazines. The carbine has been designed for the commercial market. Notice the grip safety on the back strap of the pistol grip.

Caracal has entered the assault rifle market as well. These military grade direct gas and short stroke piston M4-type rifles are military grade and will surely step up the competition for the Gulf Coast market for the American and European small arms manufacturers. Caracal has hired lead design personnel from backgrounds in Heckler & Koch and Sig Sauer. These minds created the Caracal CAR814 (Direct gas) and CAR816 (Short Stroke Piston) rifles.

The CAR816 has been purchased locally in the UAE and as of this writing production is ramping up. The barrels are offered in 7.5, 10.5, 14.5 and 16 inches. These are colt hammer forged barrels which are 1 turn in 7 inches and chrome lined. Caracal expects under normal use the barrel to have a life of 20,000 rounds. This is the configuration of choice for Caracal in the Middle East region due to heat. Ambient temperature for a rifle in this environment can well exceed 100°F. Once a few magazines go through the rifle, it will heat up very rapidly. By using a short stroke piston, the heat is not transferred back into the receiver or bolt carrier group. Also due to the fine sand in the region, the rifles are subjected to another major environmental factor. By using the short stroke piston, fouling from the firing mechanism is not introduced into the bolt carrier group and receiver. This will increase reliability when the mechanism is exposed to sand. The gas valve on the rifle has three positions. First is the normal operating conditions, two is for harsh conditions and the third is for use with a sound suppressor. The rifle uses a buffer that differs from the norm. Standard M4/M16-type rifles use steel and tungsten sliding weights to cope with bolt carrier bounce and to delay opening of the bolt. Caracal uses Tungsten powder. The receivers are made from 7075 T6 aluminum forgings and are machined right in the Caracal manufacturing facility in the UAE. They are also anodized in the same plant. The grip is a standard A2 pistol grip with a standard selective fire trigger group (SAFE, SEMI and AUTO). The trigger pull is 7.5-11.5 pounds. The stock is a six position stock and Magpul CTR and STR stocks are used. The handguard is an aluminum handguard with quad Mil-Std-1913 rails and 4 quick detach sling mounting points. The rifle is provided with folding back up iron sights. Cycle rate of the CAR816 is 750 to 950 rounds per minute with an average of 800 rounds per minute. The rear of the bolt carrier has “skis” on the bottom to assist with proper bolt carrier alignment in the receiver extension to minimize the effects of bolt carrier tilt. The carrier is one piece with a ‘tombstone” on the top to serve as the impact area of the operating rod. The carrier is lightened compared to many other s this author has seen. The overall length of the CAR816 with the stock extended with a 14.5 inch barrel is 34.6 inches. The weight without a magazine is 7.93 pounds.

The Caracal CS308 rifle is a uniquely manufactured rifle with a 7075 T6 aluminum billet cut receiver. This rifle is 100% manufactured by Caracal in the UAE. Notice the fully adjustable stock with monopod.

The CAR814 is the direct gas version of the Caracal assault rifle line. This rifle is available with barrel lengths of 11.5, 15.5 and 16 inches. This rifle is offered with a pinned on standard front sight base. It is also selective fire. The handguard is not free floating but similar to a KAC Rail Adapter System. It has 4 quick detachment points for a sling adapter. It also uses the tungsten powder buffer. This model is not made in large quantity and it is likely to become the most popular export model- especially in semi-automatic. Caracal was keen to mention that, like some high end competitive models, the CAR 814 is Over The Beach test compatible which is impressive for a direct impingement rifle.

With Caracal coming online as a self contained small arms manufacturer, the small arms sales market both in the middle east and globally could have a drastic change. For any Gulf or Asian country, it might make more sense to procure their small arms from a local country rather than one overseas. The logistics of transportation and getting spare parts as well as access to technical factory assistance is made downright simple. Caracal has capabilities many western firearms manufacturers do not have on site. They manufacture truly military grade weapons and will be able to offer at a price and maintenance package that western companies would be hard pressed to match. Caracal at this point has everything to prove, they are a new company. With the current leadership and business plan they are on fast track to be a force to be reckoned with in the Gulf and ultimately worldwide.

Two UAE soldiers carrying Caracal assault rifles. The soldier on top carrier the short stroke tappet operated CAR816 and the soldier kneeling has the Caracal direct gas impingement CAR814.

The left side view of a Caracal CAR816 short stroke tappet rifle which is similar in appearance to the M4. It will take a bayonet and the handguard which is also manufactured by Caracal has quad Mil-Std-1913 rails for mounting any needed accessories.

The Caracal CAR814 direct gas operated assault rifle.

Shown is the cold hammer forge machine used to make 9mm and 5.56mm barrels. All operations are done in-house.

The gas system of the CAR816. Quite a simple system really. There is a gas plug an operating rod assembly which contains the piston and operating rod spring. The regulator has 3 adjustable settings for normal, abnormal and suppressed conditions.

The 9th edition Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD), the continent’s Premier Exhibition and show of Air, Sea and Land will be taking place from 14- 18 September 2016. The AAD was born from the Aerospace Africa civilian exhibition (the roots of which lay in the original Lanseria air show in 1975) and the DEXSA military exhibition.

Organized and managed by the successful partnership of the Department of Defence and Military Veterans (DOD), Armscor (Armaments Corporation of South Africa SOC), AMD (South African Aerospace Maritime and Defence Industries Association) and CAASA (Commercial Aviation Association of Southern Africa). The event attracts over 400 exhibitors from over 30 Countries.

While AAD covers the full spectrum of defence equipment, the focus has been on ground forces equipment, which is where most African requirements lie. Ground forces equipment and secure communications and elements of electronic warfare have also been the main areas of focus of the South African defence industry, although it has developed remarkable systems and equipment in the air force and naval environment, notably the Rooivalk attack helicopter, which is of obvious and considerable importance to ground forces, and the Umkhonto SAM, which is also offered as a ground-launched weapon.

The state-owned Denel is the major actor in South Africa’s defence industry, with most divisions active in developing and manufacturing equipment for ground forces – from combat vehicles and artillery systems and guided weapons at one end of the scale to explosives-sniffing dogs at the other. Two companies partly owned by Denel, Rheinmetall Denel Munition and Airbus Optronics develop and manufacture munitions and optical/optronic equipment. Other South African defence companies active in the ground forces sector include DCD Protected Mobility, Integrated Convoy Protection, OTT Technologies, Paramount, Reutech, Thales and Truvelo, plus many who develop and manufacture components or materials such as ceramic armor (MOH-9).

Other South African companies import and where necessary adapt equipment for ground forces, and several foreign companies will be showing equipment they believe suited to African military and paramilitary requirements. In the past that has included Chinese, Indian, Russian and Ukrainian companies. This year it will include the armored vehicle specialist Streit and possibly some other newcomers to AAD.

Denel Land Systems is best known for long-range artillery, and will show the current versions of its 155 mm G5 and G6 guns, a truck-mounted 155 mm long-range gun and its LEO long-range (30 km+) 105 mm gun, which has also been developed as a turret system for medium vehicle platforms. RDM will show their long-range artillery ammunition and other munitions. Another interesting system likely to be on show is the Scorpion mobile mortar system developed by Thales in South Africa.

Denel is also very active in the field of combat and protected vehicles: Denel Land Systems is the prime contractor for the Badger infantry combat vehicle, for which it developed the turret, which is being exported to Malaysia, the cam-operated 30 mm cannon and 60 mm breech-loading mortar. Denel has also acquired the former BAE Land Systems South Africa, now Denel Vehicle Systems, and will be showing their RG series of mine-protected vehicles, including the light RG32M that has been exported to several countries including Sweden, and the RG12 police riot control vehicle that has been exported to Italy and other countries. Among them will also be the RG35, which is now being further developed by the Nimr group in the United Arab Emirates.

Denel’s Mechem has a full range of Casspir mine-protected vehicles in production in the NG2000 family – armored personnel carrier, weapons carrier, command vehicle, truck, tanker, recovery vehicle and ambulance – allowing an entire battalion to be equipped with a single vehicle type. Mechem is also active in several countries in clearing mines and unexploded ordnance, and has developed its dog-centered explosives sniffing system to also be used in the counter-narcotics role.

Also in the Denel stable is Land Mobility Technologies, which has developed a range of military and paramilitary vehicles that have found a ready export market, protected cabs for trucks (in use by Canada), protected personnel containers and protection kits for light vehicles. LMT also developed the flat-bottom mine-protection kit and the internalr fit of the Badger.

Other companies active in the field of protected vehicles include Integrated Convoy Protection, whose Reva vehicles have been exported to the Middle East and Asia; OTT technologies, whose M36 mine-protected APC is in service with the Kenyan Army and the UN among others, and who have also developed a light armored patrol vehicle on the basis of the Brazilian Agrale Marrua utility vehicle. The Paramount group will show its mine-protected vehicles, including the latest version of the 6×6 Mbombe and the very impressive four-wheeled Mbombe 4 that was originally developed by Industrial and Automotive Design.

The Streit group will be showing some of its wide range of paramilitary and military vehicles.

A rather different mix of vehicles will be shown by DCD Protected Mobility. The emphasis will be on the Husky mine-detection vehicle, which is one of relatively few non-American systems ever to be type-qualified by the US Army, and which proved effective in Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. Other DCD vehicles on show will be the innovative Mountain Lion MRAP vehicle with its four-wheel steering, the simpler Springbuck mine-protected patrol vehicle that is being exported to Nigeria and elsewhere, the Oribi light modular truck and the Testudo remotely-operated vehicle for explosive ordnance disposal and close reconnaissance tasks.

Denel Dynamics will be showing the Ingwe anti-tank missile in its vehicle and ground mount form, Mokopa missile with both anti-tank and blast/fragmentation warheads and the Umkhonto surface to air missile, which is in service with the South African, Finnish and Algerian navies, and which has been developed as a ground-launched system for Army use. Related to this, Reutech Radar Systems will be showing their dual L/X-Band RSR 320, which is being developed with an eye to the SA Army’s requirements.

At the lighter end of the ground forces equipment scale, Denel Land Systems will be showing its long-range (6 000 m) 60 mm mortar, its 40 mm automatic grenade-launcher and its long-range anti-materiel rifle, which has proven itself in the long-range sniping role in the course of peace-enforcement operations in the DRC. Denel’s small arms ammunition division, PMP, will also show the innovative 20×42 mm individual fire support weapon, and Truvelo a range of sniping and anti-materiel rifles in calibers from 7.62 mm to 20 mm.

Other South African companies that will be showing equipment related to ground forces include the Reutech group, which will show its Rogue overhead weapons mounting, ‘Stealth Rad’ family of low-probability of detection ground surveillance and air warning radars, as well as tactical communications equipment. Saab Grintek Defence will show their electronic self-protection system for combat vehicles, which has been exported to the Netherlands.

Among the South African companies showing both its own and imported equipment is Twiga, who will be showing weapons mounts, night vision equipment, the Thermoteknix range of thermal fusion devices. Twiga will also show patrol craft manufactured using high-density polyethylene, which makes them impervious to small-arms fire and other light damage. While not strictly ground forces equipment, the smaller versions are ideal for river and lake operations that often fall within the ambit of ground forces.

With 95% of the exhibition space sold out. Traders can expect a fully-fledged display of Land forces innovation and capability from African and global industry players. Once again AAD 2016 will feature a mobility track to give vehicle manufacturers a chance to showcase proficiency.

The UZI 9mm submachine gun is one of, if not the most iconic submachine guns ever built. Even people that don’t know guns seem to know what an UZI is. Its profile alone says submachine gun like no other. Probably the only gun more recognized just by looks alone is the Thompson submachine gun. The UZI was designed by Uziel Gal in the late 1940’s and went into production in the early 1950’s. It was shown to the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) and they later adopted it in 1957. The UZI was designed as an open bolt gun with the bolt telescoping over the barrel to keep it compact. It is blow back operated with the sheer mass of the bolt used to overcome the bolt’s recoil force. The gun uses a stamped steel receiver with the magazine housed in the guns pistol grip at about the midpoint of the gun. This allowed the gun to easily be carried and fired one handed as well as the “hand finds hand” principle makes it quick to reload. The cyclic rate of the select fire full-sized guns runs in the 600 to 700 rounds per minute range. The gun was a hit with the IDF officers, tankers and Special Forces. It was available with either a fixed wooden stock or a stamped steel folding stock. The gun incorporates a grip safety along with a sliding safety/selector on the pistol grip’s left hand side.

The UZI has been used by IDF for decades and is still used to this day by Israel Defense Forces as well as troops and police in numerous other countries. The gun was made famous being used in the Six-Day War, the Yon Kippur War, the Vietnam war and others too numerous to mention. In the 1970’s and 1980’s there wasn’t an action movie made that didn’t feature the UZI. It was even used by the Secret Service to protect the President, as was shown in the famous photo of an agent pulling one out of a concealable briefcase when President Regan was shot by John Hinkley Jr.

At the rear of the pistol is a plastic cap that covers the stock mounting grooves that are made into the rear of the receiver. It can be removed by simply driving out two roll pins. IWI US offers a folding pistol stabilizing brace that fits these mounting grooves. They will also offer the pistol in a factory SBR (Short Barreled Rifle) version complete with the same stock that comes on the submachine gun version.

In later years the UZI underwent several design changes and other models were introduced. The first was the Mini UZI submachine gun that was designed to make for a smaller, more concealable version. It was considerably shorter as well as lighter, had a shorter barrel and a side-folding stock. The Mini UZI was produced in both closed-bolt and open-bolt select-fire models. Unfortunately, its smaller size gave the gun’s bolt a shorter travel distance as well as it was lighter, having less mass. These two things combined to give the Mini Uzi a cyclic rate of between 1700 to 1800 rounds per minute. This author owned one of each of these little bullet hoses and I actually have photos of people firing the gun with 32 rounds of empty brass suspended in the air. That’s 32 rounds of brass, out of the gun, before the first one hit the ground! The rate of fire was very impressive but not very practical. Even at that, the Mini UZI was popular with bodyguards and VIP protection groups. This was in the mid 1970’s and that was about the time that a company called Action Arms began importing semi-auto versions of both the full-size UZI as well as the Mini UZI. These guns were extremely popular with civilians as everyone wanted a gun like the ones used in the movies. The guns were semi-auto only carbines and had 16 inch barrels that stuck way out the front making them look rather odd. Action Arms saw this as well and began sending the guns out with a dummy display short barrel making them at least look like the “real thing” while displayed.

A few years later the UZI went through another design change version in the form of a new even smaller, lighter gun dubbed the Micro UZI. This model looked like a pistol version of the UZI but retained an abbreviated side-folding stock similar to the Mini UZI. This author fired one of these years ago and timed the rate of fire with a Pact timer. It fired an unbelievable 2200 rounds per minute. To go along with the select-fire Micro UZI there was a semi-auto only version with no stock introduced as the UZI Pistol. The pistol retained the stamped steel receiver design along with many other features of the original UZI.

The pistol features all the new improvements that were introduced on the submachine gun, such as side-mounted charging handle, ambidextrous thumb position magazine release, top-mounted Picatinny for optics and a small accessory rail for lights or lasers.

The UZI design changes then went pretty much stagnant until in 2010 when IWI (Israel Weapon Industries) introduced the UZI Pro which was an improved version of the Micro UZI. The UZI Pro submachine gun brought several new age design improvements. First and probably most noted is that the guns lower receiver is made from polymer instead of steel. The upper receiver is still made from stamped steel. The magazine release has also been moved to the standard traditional pistol based position on the grip where it can be released easily by the shooters thumb. It can also be changed from the right to the left hand side as per the shooters preference. The new submachine gun has three safeties instead of two as it now incorporates a firing pin blocker. The select-fire UZI Pro has a polymer right hand side folding stock with an adjustable height cheekpiece. Another prominent feature that has been implemented is that now the cocking handle has been moved to the left-hand side of the upper receiver and been replaced on the top cover by a length of Picatinny rail for the mounting of optics. The front of the polymer lower receiver also has a molded-in 5-slot Picatinny rail located just below the barrel for adding lights, lasers or other accessories. The select-fire UZI Pro also has a forward grip with side mounted Picatinny rails.

IWI (Israel Weapon Industries) US has now introduced the newest version of the UZI, the UZI Pro Pistol. The gun offers the size and features of the select-fire UZI Pro only in a semi-auto only pistol version. The new pistol naturally comes without a stock but is milled at the rear to accept the same stock as the select-fire version. This feature follows a theme that a lot of manufacturers are incorporating in their new shorter barreled guns; the ability to add a shoulder stock to make the gun an SBR (short barreled rifle). IWI US will also be offering a second model with a side-folding pistol brace that resembles the original factory made shoulder stock.

The sights on the new pistol are advertised as target sights but in reality are very coarse with a standard notched, windage adjustable, rear and an elevation adjustable post type front. Both the rear and the front offers white dots for quick alignment.

The new UZI Pro Pistol is blowback operated and fires from a closed bolt with a floating firing pin. It is fed by what looks like the same magazines that have fed UZI’s from the beginning but is slightly different. The magazines for the Pro series guns have two magazine catch notches stamped into them. One for the original UZI’s magazine release (which is located at the base of the grip on the left hand side) and one that locks into the new Pro series magazine release. These new magazines will work in the old UZI’s but the old magazines won’t lock into the new Pro series guns. The gun is shipped with one 20-round and one 25-round magazine. The new magazines are also available in 32-round capacities. The magazines are still the double stack, double feed type. The pistol also comes with a nice boxed kit that contains the cleaning tools, an oil bottle and sight adjustment tool. There is a very detailed, glossy operators manual that covers the operation as well as the disassembly of the gun.

Even though the pistol has a polymer lower it is fairly heavy, weighing in at slightly over 3.6 pounds. The gun has a 4.5 inch barrel that has a 1 in 10 inch right hand twist and is cold hammer forged. Like its predecessors, the barrel of the new pistol is removable via a barrel nut that unscrews allowing it to be removed out the front of the receiver. Just like the UZI Pro submachine gun the pistol features a side-mounted charging handle and a top cover mounted 5 inch length of Picatinny rail. The pistol’s sights consist of an elevation adjustable front and a windage adjustable rear. The front sight post features a white dot on all four sides of its post and the rear has two white dots making for an easy to see 3-dot configuration.

The barrel can be removed from the pistol by simply unscrewing the barrel nut and pulling the barrel out the front of the receiver.

The new pistol is designed to be one of the safest new firearms made, incorporating four safeties. The pistol has the selector and grip safeties that UZI’s have always had, but it also has a blocking latch which prevents the locking of a round into the chamber so no firing occurs if the breech block does not fully complete its backward movement, as well as a firing pin block that is only released when the trigger is pulled.

The gun can be taken apart quickly and easily without the need for tools. First remove the magazine and check to make sure the gun is unloaded. The rear sight base contains the top cover latch. You push this latch rearward and pivot the top over up and off of the pistol. Retract the bolt slightly and pull it up and out of the upper receiver. If need be you then can unscrew the barrel nut and pull the barrel out. This is basically as far as the gun needs to be disassembled for routine maintenance. If you have ever taken apart any UZI, the disassembly of the UZI Pro Pistol will seem natural as they all come apart the same way. The only difference is that to separate the upper and lower receivers on the new Pro series you need to remove two cross pins instead of one as on the older models. Like the original UZI the UZI Pro Pistol can be taken apart, cleaned and put back together in literally just a couple of minutes.

Shooting the new pistol proved that it is just as durable and reliable as all of its lineage. The test pistol fired all ammunition that was utilized from full metal jacket ball ammo to hollow point defense loads. Even the hottest +P+ 9mm loads ran perfectly through the gun. Accuracy was just what would be expected from a gun such as this. With a 4.5 inch barrel the gun could be as accurate as any other handgun as long as the shooter can master the trigger. The trigger pull is long, mushy and very heavy. With some practice it can shot well but don’t expect to shoot one hole groups with this type of gun. Off hand 10-shot groups fired with the open sights at 50 feet would cluster inside of 3 inches. The addition of a small red dot optic improved the gun’s accuracy dramatically. The UZI’s open sights are basically blocky and coarse, designed for a submachine gun not a competition pistol so being able to install an optic is one of the UZI Pro’s greatest new features. The small lower rail is also an added benefit as the shooter can now also add a laser or a light. With an on-all-the-time red dot such as the new Aimpoint Micro T2 and a light mounted on the pistol it would be a great home or vehicle defense gun. It is compact, ruggedly built and utterly reliable. Not to mention it is a lot of fun to shoot. When you buy one of these guns be sure and stock up on 9mm ammunition as you will go through vast quantities of it. If you take it to the range hide most of your ammunition as everybody that sees it will want to shoot it.

IWI US, Inc.
P.O. Box 126707
Harrisburg, PA 17112
1-717-695-2081
www.iwi.us

Disassembly of the gun is basically just like any UZI ever made. Remove the magazine and make sure it’s unloaded, remove the top cover, pull the bolt back slightly and lift out. This is all that’s needed for routine cleaning and maintenance.

The magazines for the new UZI Pro Pistol, at first inspection, look just like all UZI magazines but there is a difference. The new magazines, shown here on the left have another magazine catch milled into them (shown with the pointer) to accept the newly positioned thumb release magazine catch. The new magazines also have the original magazine catch notch as shown here with the older UZI magazine shown on the right. The new magazines will fit the older guns but the older magazines will not lock into the new Pro series of guns.

Everything we do is about warfighting,” Neller said. “We don’t do anything that won’t make us more ready and effective on the battlefield.” General Robert B. Neller, 37th Commandant of the Marine Corps

It was no coincidence that four star General Neller toured the enormous exhibit tents at Modern Day Marine Expo on September 24, 2015, the very first day of his new assignment as Commandant. This is, after all, the place to see in person the best of what Marines have to move, shoot and communicate now and perhaps in the near future.

That same day, addressing a packed briefing hall at the “Crossroads of the Corps,” Neller seemed to throw down a metaphorical iron glove to assure his highly esteemed Marines there and those deployed worldwide that the Corps under his stewardship would put combat readiness first.

While this time-honored priority would seem chiseled in stone, many in the Corps and in its sister services can’t be blamed for believing that demonstrably hostile agendas, pushed at the highest levels of domestic political power, degrade combat effectiveness.

The ugly realities of crippling budget cuts and radical social engineering over nearly a decade have combined to stress a necessarily shrinking Corps to a dangerous degree. The Herculean challenge to do more with less – always a bedrock Marine Corps virtue – may be approaching critical mass.

Hoverbike. With the simplicity of a motorcycle and the freedom of a helicopter, Hoverbike is touted as the world’s first flying motorcycle, under development as a new class of Tactical Reconnaissance Vehicle (TRV). Plans to mount a light machine gun for the operator are, thankfully, being considered. Survice Engineering and U.K.-based Malloy Aeronautics have teamed up as part of an ongoing research and development contract with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. Hover-bike.com. Photo courtesy of Survice Engineering

Briefings big and small

Reaching out to industry partners helps take up the slack, and the Corps wisely uses the annual Expo as an efficient venue for meaningful interaction. This year, in addition to MARCOR Systems Command’s traditional Report to Industry, four additional panels were added, with General officers and top-level civilians highlighting trends in Marine Corps force development:

Building the Future Marine Corps: Harnessing Innovations Across the MAGTF
Building From the Sea: Future Amphibious Operations by Sea, Air, Land, and Cyber
Marine Corps Special Operations Brief
Marine Corps Small Business Programs Office

Spyderco. Michael Janich of Spyderco showed us (top to bottom) the SzaboHawk, the Street Beat, and the covert Dog Tag Folder. SzaboHawk is a modern tomahawk designed to excel as both a tool and a close-combat weapon. Constructed from a solid billet of .300-inch-thick D2 tool steel, it features a curved handle that places its center of balance approximately midway along its length, making it faster in the hand than conventional head-heavy designs. The Street Beat Lightweight’s Bowie-styled blade is machined from VG-10 stainless steel and features a full-flat grind for superior balance of edge geometry and strength. For tactical users who operate in environments where light discipline is a concern, the blade also features a non-reflective black ceramic coating. The Dog Tag Folder is fabricated from solid titanium and accurately replicates the size and shape of a military dog tag. An alternate version features a handle machined from a solid piece of black carbon fiber/G-10 laminate with an inlaid detent spring arm. The blade and all metal hardware have a matching black titanium carbonitride coating. spyderco.com Photo by Robert Bruce

Nuts and Bolts

And, reviving the Planning Brief to Industry, a popular forum from 2012, Systems Command and PEO Land Systems provided registered exhibitors the opportunity learn what’s in the field with Marines now, what’s in the pipeline, and what’s needed in the near future to enhance warfighting at individual and unit levels.

Among nine specific Program Managers, our attention is naturally on those for Ammunition and Infantry Weapons. Be advised that immediate opportunities for significant ammo acquisition by the Corps include 5.56mm SESAMS cartridges and 9mm blanks.

On the Infantry Weapons side, a $9 million cut in the budget for traditional hole-punching weapons is slightly offset by a million dollar plus-up for “non-lethal.” Cynics may be forgiven for seeing both as an obvious response to directives from a politicized Pentagon for kinder and gentler operational encounters.

Actual briefing slides from these and other PMs can be found and downloaded from SYSCOM’s website marcorsyscom.marines.mil Click the COMMAND BRIEFINGS bar.

Also there you can find the 2016 ACQUISITION FORECAST.

For specific solicitations and contract awards at FEDBIZOPS and elsewhere, Defense Innovation Marketplace is a comprehensive resource: defenseinnovationmarketplace.mil/industryresources.html

HK VP9. No doubt hard to beat if entered in the XM17 Modular Handgun System competition, the exciting new VP9 is Heckler & Koch’s latest handgun. Breaking new ground with its integration of a unique striker firing system with an enhanced HK “light pull” trigger, unequaled in any production striker fired handgun. It also uses HK’s ergonomic handgun grip design that includes three changeable backstraps and six side panels— accommodating all hand sizes. Molded finger grooves in the front of the pistol’s grip also instinctively position an operator’s hand for optimal shooting. All controls are completely ambidextrous. Slide releases are on both sides of the frame and the magazine release can be easily activated by left- or right-handed shooters. For female shooters with reduced hand strength, patented charging supports mounted on each side of the rear of the slide provide better gripping leverage for racking the slide rearward. It uses standard P30 magazines, has a Picatinny rail molded into its polymer frame for mounting lights and accessories and the proprietary captive flat recoil spring helps reduce the recoil forces. The respected cold hammer forged barrel with polygonal rifling ensures long service life as well as a slight increase in muzzle velocity. Its machined steel slide is protected from corrosion and wear by HK’s hostile environment finish and all metal components, including springs and pins have superior metallurgy. Hk-usa.com Photo by Robert Bruce

Essential face time

An efficient change to in-person meetings went into effect this year. Following each of the Planning Brief to Industry sessions, there was the opportunity to register for a one-on-one meeting right at the Expo with the proper Program Manager one is looking to reach. Registration was done via online form on the MDM website at the conclusion of each session.

Targeted to purveyors of grunt gear, Systems Command’s sprawling exhibit in Tent B included an ongoing “Integration with Industry Workshop,” where individual exhibitors could showcase and demonstrate equipment intended to be worn or carried by dismounted Marines.

Beyond the usual “show ‘n tell,” this involved actually adorning a combat-ready Marine’s standard outfit with whatever gadget or gear enhancement was being offered. An expert panel then provided a “usability assessment” right on the spot.

Guns and ammo, sights and accessories

In spite of the Corps’ shrinking procurement budget, the expo was once again filled with thousands of items needed for expeditionary warfare, an ongoing challenge to SADJ’s mission to find and report on the best in guns and related gear for infantrymen. This year’s roster included weapons from prominent and emerging names like Beretta, Colt, FN, HK,, Glock, HK, Knight’s, Magpul, S&W, Sig Sauer, and Troy.

CSR-20. FN calls its new CSR-20 (Compact Sniper Rifle) “the future of advanced combat precision sniper rifles.” Derived from combat-proven architecture of the FN SCAR family of weapons, the CSR-20 provides a highly reliable, accurate and modular weapon system designed for easy operator and armorer level maintenance. Chambered in 7.62x51mm, it features a sub-MOA, 16-inch, cold hammer-forged, chrome-lined barrel, monolithic aluminum receiver, and non-folding stock with adjustable cheekpiece. It’s seen topped here with an optional Leupold MK6. Fnamerica.com Photo by Robert Bruce

Handgun hopefuls

While relatively small potatoes in the world of mega military contracts, the tantalizing prospect for yet another back-from-the-dead appearance of an M9 sidearm replacement program always has our interest. So when the Army announced just a couple of weeks before MDM that it is seeking bids for the new XM17 Modular Handgun System we were on the hunt.

While pistol pushers there were understandably wary of revealing too much to competitors, we zeroed in on likely contenders from Beretta, S&W, SIG, Glock, HK, and FN. Given the Army’s inscrutable evaluation procedures, no sane writer should speculate on which combo of pistol, ammo and feed mechanism might prevail. If any…

TORC. Standing center stage on the Robotics side of MCWL’s exhibit, this tracked mini platform from Polaris Defense is fitted an optional M240 machine gun and the TORC (Tele-Operated Robotic) system as a wireless robotic remote control support vehicle. It incorporates a user-friendly and intuitive operator control that can be customized to meet varied operational needs. Multiple camera options, including fixed, PTZ, EO/IR, thermal and low light options are available for full 360 degree awareness around the vehicle, eliminating any blind spots. The operator control unit (OCU) is matched to customer needs, and ranges from a belly box or rugged laptop to an exact replica of the vehicle’s operator chair and controls. TORC’s tele-op system has been integrated onto multiple Polaris vehicles, all of which have different missions and payloads that can be controlled remotely with the TORC robotic systems as well. Polaris.com/en-us/military and Torcrobotics.com Photo by Robert Bruce

Lethal lipstick

Ever hopeful year after year at MDM for some big news about LSAT, the Lightweight Small Arms Technologies program at Textron/AAI that we have doggedly followed from its inception more than a decade ago, we stopped by to talk with program engineer Ben Cole.

Mature in design and well proven in numerous hard-knocks evaluations as a Squad Automatic Weapon firing 5.56mm “lipstick tube” plastic cased, telescoped ammo, this contender to replace the M249 – along with a prototype Carbine to hopefully boot the M16/M4 series weapons – still remains on the sidelines.

The good news for overburdened grunts seeking relief from lugging anvil-heavy M240s is that a prototype of an LSAT medium machine gun firing 7.62mm plastic telescoped ammo is up and running.

Oh, and the program itself, optimistically funded all these years by the Army’s Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center, has been rebranded as “Cased Telescoped Weapons and Ammunition.”

Zion MIS B. Zion Armament weapon designer Eric Tonkin is justifiably proud of his MIS B, the Monolithic Integral Suppressed Barrel. It is a reinvention of the relationship between the suppressor and rifle, made from a single piece of billet material with no welding, threading, screwing, attaching etc. The MISB is said to be quieter, lighter, stronger and reduces recoil better than any other rifle on the market. Zionarmament.com. Photo by Robert Bruce

Shusssssh and see

Short of alchemy, there seems little that can be newly conjured to significantly enhance effectiveness of existing guns and ammo. So innovations in such things as signature suppressors command attention. Among other quiet can contrivances, we urge you to check out Zion Armament’s Monolithic Integral Suppressed Barrels (Zionarmament.com) and the new TranQuilo M308 suppressor from LaRue.

Sights too, particularly for multi-weapon commonality, night and foul weather applications. As such, we commend Aimpoint for their computing DURS, as well as new clip on thermal sights from Knight’s (UNS-Ts) and Flir (HISS-XLR). Don’t overlook items from L3, Leupold, Schmidt & Bender, Trijicon, and more.

Other firms, offering innovative weapon sights, ammo, accessories, edged weapons, and more enjoy not only our attention, but that of seasoned Marines of all ranks swarming the aisles. Word of particularly notable items gets around quickly and reps from Geissele, Nammo, Surefire, Rheinmetall, Spyderco, Benchmade, Ontario, Otis, and many others were kept busy with show and tell duties.

Trijicon MRO. Mike Walkowiak, Trijicon Operations Manager, shows Staff Sergeant Matthew Traywick the new Trijicon MRO™ (Miniature Rifle Optic), intended for use on rifles, carbines and shotguns to provide fast target acquisition. The 2 MOA red LED aiming dot is powered by a single CR2032 battery, capable of providing up to 5 years of continuous use at the day setting. Its large aperture and tapered light path maximizes the viewing area, giving better situational awareness and faster fast target engagement – especially from non-standard shooting positions. It boasts ambidextrous brightness controls, sub-flush adjusters, advanced lens coatings, and a fully sealed, waterproof to 30 meters, hard anodized forged 7075-T6 housing. Trijicon.com Photo by Robert Bruce

Train as you fight

Always on the lookout for GI entrepreneurs who have transitioned to the civilian world to develop and market items clearly superior to those in service, we made it a point to locate ex-Army NCO Jon Ford in the Small Business Pavilion. His Advanced Tactical Training System has some demonstrable advantages in economy, simplicity, versatility, and realism over AirSoft, Simunition, Paintball, and MILES systems.

Pushing the lethality/reality envelope with a CQB gunfighting trainer using actual service weapons and ammo, the partnership of giant General Dynamics IT and small firm Troysgate has produced the InForce Advanced Live Combat Training System. Real operators with real weapons exchange fire with live threat counterparts each shooting real bullets right thru a giant mirror-like screen in tailorable scenarios. Computers precisely sense hits or misses in real time and video cameras record everything for after action review.

Combat Action’s ATTS. Jon Ford, the retired US Army NCO who developed Combat Action’s Advanced Tactical Training System (AATS) explains how its highly realistic M16/M4 type training weapons work with proprietary sensors on the special tactical vest. ATTS fires an infrared data packet with a standalone network allowing the custom programmed server to track all data in real-time during active training scenarios. ATTS software features live GPS waypoint information, live interactive mapping, live mission data, live indirect fire simulation, live IED simulation, live communications, indoor and outdoor setup modes, quick mission setup, and more. With decided advantages over competing systems like MILES, Simunition and AirSoft, its unique training system does not require any extra protective equipment, allowing soldiers and law enforcement officers to train in a realistic environment. Combataction.net Photo by Robert Bruce

HighTech

Exhibits by the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab and Office of Naval Research (ONR) are mandatory stopovers, never disappointing. Once again, robot warriors were the focus, with recent favorites MAARS, the little machine gun-toting Modular Advanced Armed Robotic System crawler, and LS3, the mule-like walking quadruped. These are now joined by Spot, DARPA’s mechanical scout dog and the Robotic Vehicle Modular, a tailorable tracked platform intended to support infantry squads.

The Navy claims ownership of the Marines, so cutting edge research and development at ONR deserves respect and attention. While this super high tech command has lots of spooky projects in the works, we gun guys are most interested in things that punch holes; one
way or another.

One way is the hole-burning GBAD, ONR’s vehicle-mounted, aerial drone-killing laser system, getting better and better. Another way is EMRG, the decidedly unconventional Electromagnetic Railgun, a giant, kinetic energy puncher that is even more spectacular. The railgun is a long-range weapon that launches projectiles at hypervelocity using electricity instead of chemical propellants. It is currently undergoing sea trials aboard the joint high-speed vessel USNS Millinocket.

Magpul Hunter 700. Magpul Industries’ Drake Clark answers questions from Marine Corporal Dylan Fitzgerald about the Hunter 700 Stock for Remington 700 Short Actions. Made from reinforced polymer and an anodized aluminum bedding block, it offers users a cost effective replacement featuring fully adjustable length of pull, comb height, and enhanced ergonomics. It requires no bedding and is a true “drop-in” solution for the end user*. This stock is also M-LOK compatible to accept a broad range of accessories. Magpul.com Photo by Robert Bruce

Tent City

Billed as “the world’s largest military exposition focusing on enhanced capabilities for expeditionary forces,” this year’s Modern Day Marine Expo was held from September 23rd to 25th aboard Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia.

Co-sponsored by the base, the Marine Corps League, and Marine Corps Systems Command, the 35th annual MDM showcased the products and services of more than 300 firms and entities/companies that support military land, air and sea operations.

Exhibits at this year’s exposition filled three enormous, modern, climate-controlled tents, as well as others showcasing small business and housing briefings. These, and adjacent space in the outdoor display area, were packed with the latest operational equipment and technology, along with videos, models and prototypes of items soon to enter service.

Defense contractors from throughout the U.S. and some allied nations signed on to show their products and services, get feedback from the warfighters, and respond to questions.

Much of the equipment now used by Marines and other U.S. and allied forces confronting enemies in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world was first presented to military leaders, operations planners and acquisition managers at previous editions of the expo.

Instant Eye Drone. Tim Debs of Darley Defense with the Instant Eye Drone, a high-performance, low-cost aerial system that can be hand launched and recovered by a single person in any weather. The quadcopter weighs less than one pound and can go from a stowed configuration to airborne in under 30 seconds to provide rapid situational awareness and tactical sensor operation for 30 minutes. No piloting skills are required to operate the InstantEye system in day/night conditions, in winds up to 30mph, or from a moving ground or maritime position. darley.com Photo by Robert Bruce

“Crossroads of the Marine Corps”

Strategically located about 30 minutes’ drive south of Washington DC, America’s capitol city with powerful lawmakers, the Pentagon, numerous defense contractors, and foreign embassies, MCB Quantico is an ideal Expo location.

It is home of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command, charged with developing Marine warfighting concepts and determines the Corps’ capability requirements for doctrine, equipment, organization, training, education and support.

The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory at Quantico is part of the Development Command and responsible for improving current and future naval expeditionary warfare capabilities for the Marines and their amphibious roles and missions.

Also at Quantico is Marine Corps Systems Command, principal agency for acquisition and sustainment of systems and equipment for the Marines’ warfighting mission. Many of the personnel who staff those organizations took advantage of continuously-running shuttle buses to visit the exhibit halls and discuss missions, capabilities and requirements with defense industry professionals.

Knight Vision UNS-TS. At the Knight’s Armament booth, Jack Leuba was enthusiastic about the many virtues of the new Knight Vision UNS-TS (Universal Night Sight – Thermal Sniper), seen here mounted in tandem with a Leupold MK6 1-6 x on Knight’s SR15 Mod 2 LPR The UNS-TS Clip on Weapon Sight adds long range, high resolution (640×480, 17µ) thermal capability to an existing rifle and day scope. It offers reduced target acquisition times and improves solider effectiveness both daylight and clear air conditions as well as degraded visibility conditions caused by adverse weather, dirty battle field conditions and complete darkness. It’s SWaP-C (size, weight and power – cost) architecture design represents a quantum leap forward in soldier systems product technology. In addition to this uncooled VGA video format array, the UNS-Ts also incorporates a patent pending Ultra-Wideband wireless radio communications system using multiple imagery display methodologies (goggle, helmet mounted, remote display, etc.) so that it can be used 1) in conjunction with a DVO interconnectivity, such that the UNS-Ts display output imagery serves as the input for the DVO, 2) as a stand-alone rail mounted Weapon Sight or 3) as a Hand- Held imager. Knightarmco.com Photo by Robert Bruce

Honors and Awards

With so many high-level Marine leaders converging on the Expo, several important ceremonial events are conveniently scheduled to coincide.

Congressman Mac Thornberry, (R-TX), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and tireless advocate for the Marine Corps, received the Iron Mike Award at Tuesday evening’s Grand Banquet and Awards Dinner.

At Wednesday morning’s colorful Enlisted Awards Parade, featuring the world-renowned USMC Drill Team and Drum and Bugle Corps, ten outstanding Marines and one Navy Corpsman were honored.

For us, the Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock Award for outstanding contribution to marksmanship training is most prominent among these, this time going to Sergeant Joseph S. Peterson of Marine Corps Training Command, Weapons Training Battalion, Marine Corps Shooting Team in 2014.

Streamlight TLR-6. Streamlight’s Matt Barker showed us the new TLR-6 Universal combo laser and light module that can be tailored with any of 6 housings to for use with more than 18 different handguns. With a C4® LED illuminator and a 640-660nm red laser 100 lumens; 2,000 candela; 89 meter beam distance. Uses two CR1/3N lithium batteries and runs 1 hour (LED only or LED/laser combo); 11 hours (laser only). Its parabolic reflector produces a balance of beam and peripheral illumination; optimized electronics provide regulated intensity; red laser provides long-range targeting. Ambidextrous switching with push-button on both sides to access three modes: Laser only, Laser/LED combo, LED illumination only All modes feature a 10 minute auto shut-off to conserve batteries. Streamlight.com Photo by Robert Bruce

MAGPUL PMAG D-60. Could the new MAGPUL PMAG D-60 be the answer to firepower enhancement of the Marine Corps’ HK416/M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle? This is a durable, lightweight, highly reliable 60-round 5.56x45 NATO polymer drum magazine for AR15/M4 compatible weapons. The unique drum configuration keeps the height of the magazine manageable as well as allowing for prone firing and easier storage. Features an easy-to-use loading lever, paint pen dot matrix for easy marking, and a rear window for instant capacity indication. It’s compatible with a wide range of NATO firearms such as the M4, M16, SCAR™ MK16/16S, HK®416, MR556, M27 IAR, IMI Tavor, and others. Magpul.com Photo by Robert Bruce

Troy American Gunfighter Rifle. Alyssa Fuentes of Troy Defense with their feature-packed, specially priced American Gunfighter Rifle. Easily a $1500 value, it’s being offered at the deeply discounted price of just $854; exclusively to individual U.S. active or retired federal, state and local law enforcement officers, as well as military active duty, reserve component, and retired. Recently, the program has been expanded to include active, part-time, on call, volunteer and retired Fire and EMS personnel. The TROY Defense 5.56 features a free-float modular rail system with integrated front sight, MIL-SPEC bolt and carrier with upgraded extractor, MIL-SPEC forged upper and lower receiver, TROY BattleAx 6 position buttstock (fixed or folded), Melonite coated 1/7 twist 5.56 barrel, TROY Medieval Flash Suppressor, TROY Rear Folding BattleSight, and TROY 30 Round BattleMag.  Available in Black only at special pricing. Troyind.com and Americangunfighter.com Photo by Robert Bruce

Israel Defence Force (IDF) soldiers from the Yahalom (“Diamond”) special unit, recovered hundreds of weapons as well as quantities of ammunition and explosives during a raid in Nablus, West Bank, on 17 June 2014.

Prominently featured is an AR-15 with A1 style 20” barrel, A2 style handguards, and fitted with what appears to be a cheaply made Chinese 20x magnification telescopic sight. The weapon is not an IDF configuration, so it may be a civilian semi-automatic variant (the scope reinforces this likelihood). A number of AR-15 accessory and component parts are also visible, suggesting attempts at basic gunsmithing.

Several homemade, blowback-operated submachine guns have been captured, most likely chambered for 9 x 19 mm. These are of the type previously recovered from Hamas, and sometimes referred to locally as ‘Carlo pistols’. They are built upon simple round-section metal tube receivers, with these examples featuring AR-15 pistol grips.

One image shows a 1950s-vintage Beretta Model 951 type pistol, chambered for 9 x 19 mm. An AR-15-style CO2 paintball gun is seen in one image, and an air rifle or possibly expedient single-shot
rifle also appears.

Full stable of 10MMs with the G20, G29, G40 MOS

GLOCK has made noteworthy additions to their product line at the last two SHOT Shows. The GLOCK 4040 (G) MOS 10mm is an excellent example of this. In effect, the G40 MOS is a long slide 10mm Auto with 6 inch barrel combined with means of mounting a variety of red dot optics on its slide. The G40 appearance coincides with a recent up surge in handguns being chambered in 10mm Auto. Only Freud could provide analysis of why so many are deciding to explore the 10mm Auto; better late to the party than not showing at all considering the 10mm’s up and down history. GLOCK has been a 10mm standard bearer since the early 1990’s with introduction of the G20 and G29; each of which has been in constant production since. The introduction of the G40 MOS further shows GLOCK’s support of the 10mm Auto.

In firearm circles Jeff Cooper is given the most credit for the early development of the 10mm Auto. Yes, other .40 caliber pistol wildcats had been in existence. However, the 10mm Auto is the one that achieved the most commercial success. The 10mm Auto was designed to be a rimless semi automatic pistol cartridge with magnum power associated with the .41 Magnum. The ill fated Bren Ten was chambered in 10mm Auto. Fortunately, other manufacturers such as Colt and GLOCK picked up the 10mm Auto mantle keeping it viable. The brief FBI flirtation with the 10mm Auto also raised its profile within the shooting community. The 10mm Auto story must be finished by stating that the .40 S&W eventually emerged from and succeeded the 10mm Auto becoming a pre-eminent personal defense and law enforcement cartridge. In short, no pun intended, the .40 S&W is a reduced length and powered 10mm Auto. The .40 S&W case is 3mm shorter than the 10mm Auto’s 25mm case length. All of this came about as a result of the recoil of the full powered 10mm Auto causing consternation among certain law enforcement personnel and trainers.

G40 MOS.

Many detractors would have you believe that GLOCK has grown complacent by not introducing any “new” designs that depart significantly from the template laid by G17’s arrival in 1982. This is not correct considering Fourth Generation of refinement combined with multitude of calibers and frame sizes offered. The 10mm G40 MOS a perfect example of this. Yes, GLOCK is reacting to current market trends showing a propensity for using miniature red dot sights on handguns; still does not detract from fact of making such an option available. The stout GLOCK platform has proven an ideal companion to the 10mm Auto chambering from the start.

The 2010 SHOT Show was the “official” presentation of the Fourth Generation GLOCK. The 4th Generation GLOCK reflects a combination of both ergonomic and internal changes. Many will point to GLOCK finally acceding to market demand by offering interchangeable backstraps of different sizes with the 4th Generation introduction. It is suspected the increasing amount of competitors offering the ability to change grip sizes was making too many inroads into both the law enforcement and civilian markets. Grip sizes are small, medium, and large frame. Grips are changed via removing a single pin. The Gen 4 comes with the small grip frame molded the frame with the medium and large grips fitting over the frame as a user sees fit. Along these same lines 4th Generation GLOCKs receive a modified rough texture frame and grip texturing. Basic grip size is smaller with the 4th Generation introductions with the GLOCK backstrap “hump” lessoned along the lines of the previously introduced Short Frame (SF) 3rd Generation GLOCKs. This aids shooters with smaller hands by reducing the circumference of the grip frame. The medium grip size of the 4th Generation GLOCK can be likened to the grip found on 3rd Generation GLOCKs. The magazine catch on the 4th Gen GLOCK is enlarged and reversible requiring no additional parts to do so. 4th Generation GLOCKs come with three (3) magazines configured with the cutout catches on either side of the magazine body. All previous GLOCK magazines will work with the 4th Generation GLOCK as long as the magazine catch is configured on the frames left side.

The G20 10mm is the “standard” sized GLOCK resembling a muscled up G17 with 8 inch length and 1.27 inch width (G17 is 1.18 inches wide). The G20’s hexagonal rifled barrel (more on this later) measures 4.6 inches. The Gen 4 G20 variant arrives with three (3) 15 round magazines. The G29 10mm is the more compact variant measuring 6.88 inches in length thanks to 3.7 inch barrel. Width is 1.27 inches. The G29 features 10 round magazines, though the 15 round G20 magazines will fit as well. The G29’s size offers compact size, roughly analogous to 1911 Commander, with superior capacity and firepower. The last tale of the tape will focus on the new G40 MOS. It is a true “long slide” reminding one of 17L dimensions. A length of 9.5 inches provides extended sight radius. G40 MOS width is 1.27 inches. The 6.02 inch barrel gets the most out of the 10mm Auto in terms of velocity.

Various sight systems were used in conjunction with the different GLOCK handguns.

10mm Auto ammunition from Federal, Buffalo Bore and Hornady was accessed for use in the 10mm GLOCK handguns. Buffalo Bore is a prime source of true 10mm Auto ammunition offering several bullet types ranging from hard cast, JHC, to FMJ-FN. Buffalo Bore hard cast bullets are not verboten with the GLOCK hexagonal rifling. This goes against typical warnings related to lead bullets. This is because of the differences between soft lead “cowboy” bullets and hard cast bullets. True hard cast bullets (as opposed to lead swaged bullets) that are properly lubed will not lead foul hexagonal barrels any more than any other type of rifled barrel. Hard cast bullets are not “lead” bullets as most associate with the term. The Buffalo Bore hard cast loads are an excellent option for anyone contemplating using the 10mm Auto for hunting.

Users must be aware that some 10mm Auto loads are watered down resembling 40 S&W velocities. Not the case with the loads tested for this article. For example, the recently introduced Federal Premium 180 grain Vital Shok Trophy Bonded 10mm Auto shows the cartridges potential. The bullet used with the Federal load is based on the proven Trophy Bonded Bear Claw rifle bullet and features a jacket with formed inner profile that controls expansion to ensure deep penetration. The load features a 180 grain bullet that leaves the muzzle at 1,275 feet per second (fps) compared to the usual 1,030 fps of many manufacturer offerings. The Federal load delivers 650 foot-pounds of energy which puts it roughly between the 357Magnum and 41Magnum for comparison purposes. This kind of power offers great flexibility for the user in terms of use in a personal defense or hunting of medium sized game.

Premium 10mm Auto loads from Hornady were used consisting of 155 grain XTP and 175 grain FlexLock Critical Duty. These Hornady loads were designed with personal defense in mind with XTP and Critical Defense bullets loaded to 1150 to 1250 fps. The Critical Duty’s FlexLock bullets have a heavy jacket and a harder, high-antimony core designed to defeat barriers. The jackets are locked to the core via the same InterLock process the company uses on its centerfire rifle bullets. Hornady has also taken full advantage of recent advances in propellant technology use low muzzle flash powder in Critical Duty ammunition. Hornady Critical Duty FlexLock bullet balances barrier penetration with proper expansion in the target for maximum effectiveness. Hornady Critical Duty passed all five of the FBI’s barrier criteria tests giving 12 inches plus of penetration no matter if through glass, sheet metal, heavy clothing, drywall, and plywood while still expanding for maximum wound channel as well as not passing through the ballistic gel test medium. FlexLock bullet nose prevents the hollowpoint from deforming or clogging when passing through barriers. The ogives of the Critical Duty bullets do not taper as much as compared to other hollowpoints bullets, which improves feeding characteristics in autoloaders. The nickel plated cases are another attention to detail nod that limits drag into or out of a weapon’s chamber limiting chance for failure to feed or extract. Critical Duty, as the name implies, was designed for law enforcement in mind. However, security conscience citizens would be amiss not to at least consider it for use as well.

Top Sequence: Hornady 155 grain XTP clocked 1242 fps in G29, 1309 fps in G20, and a blistering 1406 fps in G40 MOS.

Another positive associated with any GLOCK product is the availability of supporting products, especially when it comes to holsters. BlackHawk! and Galco holsters were chosen to support the GLOCK 10mms during T&E sessions. Much anticipation awaited firing the three GLOCK 10mms in terms of recoil and muzzle blast. Range T&E took place at Echo Valley Training Center (EVTC). The Federal Vital Shok 180 grain Trophy Bonded 10mm Auto and Buffalo Bore were the stoutest loads, but in no way harsh or unmanageable. Anecdotally, empty brass was ejected briskly several feet away such was the slide velocity. The GLOCK polymer frames were appreciated for absorbing and mitigating felt recoil. Even the more compact G29 proved no problem. EVTC TacStrike steel targets were rocked with a more substantial smack than a typical handgun round. While one was definitely aware you were not firing a 9mm, recoil was not prohibitive with accurate rapid shots possible. As anticipated the larger G40 MOS was the smoothest. All of the 10mm Auto loads tested had no issue penetrating windshield or car body sheet metall. This is the type of performance and barrier penetration capability that the 10mm Auto was designed for. Further range testing consisting of dumping multiple magazines at several targets in rapid fashion.

Each GLOCK was tested fired through a chronograph to determine the effect of barrel length on velocity per specific load. Velocity gain between the 3.7 inch G29 and 6 inch G40 MOS was in the 100-120 feet per second range. For example, the Buffalo Bore 180 grain JHP clocked in at 1320 fps from the G29 and 1445 fps from the longer barreled G40 MOS. The Hornady 155 grain XTP chronoed 1242 fps from G29, 1309 fps with G20, and 1406 fps out of the longer barreled G40 MOS.

EVTC facilities were taken advantage of when evaluating the G20, G29, and G40 MOS by working in, around, and thru range vehicles. IPSC cardboard targets were placed within vehicles so that the 10mm Auto power could be judged thru automobile sheet metal, side glass, and windshield. In conjunction with this targets were arrayed in front of a range vehicle with the GLOCKs used to engage through the windshield from the front seat.

The G20 sights were left factory standard with TRUGLO TPX sights installed on the G29. The TRUGLO TPX iron sight combines fiber optic with tritium. This enhances visibility in daylight as well as at night. The TPX sights are CNC machined from steel for durability. The G40 MOS’s ability to mount red dot optic was taken advantage of by mounting a Trijicon RMR. This approach allowed an exploration of the different sight systems. The standard GLOCK factory sights are a known commodity and serve their purpose. There is no doubt that the TPX sights draw your eye to the front post; something most firearms instructors advocate for effective aiming. TRUGLO has further reinforced this by installing a white locking retention ring on the front sight to contrast with black retention rings around the two vials in the rear sight. The rear TPX sight is wider compared to a standard sight allowing for daylight around the front sight for more precise aiming and allowing for easier tracking of the target. A six o’clock hold produced tight groups at 15 yards seemingly on top of the front post. The TRUGLO sights stayed solid after hundreds of rounds fired with the G29. The TPX sights are a definite performance enhancement worthy of considering for retrofitting other carry handguns with.

LEFT: A variety of 10MM Auto was accessed/available for use in T&E of the three 10MM Auto GLOCKs.

The RMR equipped G40 MOS came into its own for precise fire at any range desired with placing the dot on the target and applying correct trigger control. The G40 MOS demonstrated the ability to hit steel man popper targets at 50 yards with amazing efficiency and even out to 100 yards with regularity. Speed drills involving plate racks and dueling trees were run with times more similar to a pistol caliber carbine than a handgun. The advantage offered by use of red dot sights in the competition environment is well known. The ability to place the RMR dot on the plate and not having to align front and rear irons proved adept at moving rapidly from plate to plate. The G40 MOS was also fired using the standard adjustable GLOCK sights that arrived on it. As expected the longer sight radius proved beneficial.

The inherent familiarity most have with the GLOCK platform, not to mention its ergonomics, validates anyone’s decision to chamber it in 10mm Auto. It is best to think of the GLOCK line-up of handguns as a “system” stretching from the mini G42 thru the G40 MOS. This was quickly evident when handling the G20, G29, and G40 MOS. While the balance and weight may change between each, the position of the slide and magazine releases will instantly be familiar. The key here is the similar trigger pull and feel found on the GLOCKs. Simplicity should not be confused as lack of refinement. As experience and knowledge expands, GLOCK reliability and solid performance has become more entrenched as the standard. There are many tactical situations in which the penetration and power of a 10mm Auto fired from a GLOCK type weapon could be very advantageous. Is the GLOCK 10mm Auto a prime weapon for all situations or users? Of course, not; however as a duty, personal defense or hunting handgun it is hard to beat thanks to powerful chambering and superior capacity. All of the GLOCK 10mms places real power in an accurate and reliable handgun package. The ability to reliably engage targets out to 100 yards was a pleasant surprise; the red dot equipped G40 MOS greatly expands assumptions about handgun effective range pushing the handgun operating envelope. The GLOCK G20 and G29 represent good balance of features for daily use as a duty or concealed weapon. After all, at its origin the 10mm Auto was designed specifically as a fighting cartridge. Each of the 10mm Auto GLOCKs allows a user to indulge oneself by having something out of the ordinary, while maintaining
sound functionality.

SITES OF INTEREST

GLOCK
www.glock.com

HornadyMfg.Inc
www.hornady.com

Federal Premium
www.federalpremium.com

Buffalo Bore Ammunition
www.buffalobore.com

TRUGLO
www.truglo.com

For many years, the import/export community has relied upon a combination of paper and electronic submission of required documents. As the U.S. Government gets pulled into the 21st Century (albeit, sometimes reluctantly) we are beginning to see increased automation and efficiencies in the import/export realm. ATF established the E-Forms system several years ago, allowing the electronic submission of import permit applications. Similarly, U.S. Customs and Border Protection established the Automated Export System (AES) as a means of electronically filing export paperwork. Despite AES, Customs entries for incoming shipments still required submission of clearance documents in paper format. Outbound shipments required exporters to present paper copies of export paperwork in person, so that CBP could enter the data into their system.

Under the legacy AES system, industry members were the nexus of all information. Importers filed for, and received ATF Form 6 import permits. Importers then filed the ATF Form 6 with U.S. Customs upon arrival. An ATF Form 6A was presented to U.S. Customs for execution. There was no way for U.S. Customs to speak directly with ATF without significant effort. Similarly, exporters applied for, and received BIS and DDTC export licenses. DSP5 export licenses were presented in paper format by exporters to Customs for entry into the CBP system. Shipping documents were examined in paper format by individual officers, often while holding up a shipment. That is, until now.

In April, 2001, U.S. Customs announced a modernization effort to import and export transactions, thus starting the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Portal system. In 2003, Customs began designing a web portal, and invited 40 importers to test and evaluate the system. By June, 2004, over 145 importer and Customs Broker accounts had been established within the nascent system. During the next ten years, the system was upgraded, tested, and verified by users in the import/export community. The system is now ready for full implementation, with plans to disable and shutter the legacy AES system.

According to U.S Customs, “the ACE Secure Data Portal is a web-based application providing a single, centralized on-line access point to the ACE system and connects CBP, the trade community and government agencies involved in importing goods into the United States. The ACE portal gives users access to view their account information as it exists in CBP and to their transactional data, which they can use to identify and evaluate compliance issues and monitor daily operations.” Importers no longer need to present an ATF Form 6; the approved form is automatically uploaded into the ACE system by ATF. Although the form will still be required, the ATF Form 6A no longer needs to be presented to U.S. Customs. Similarly, exporters no longer need to present a paper copy of the DSP-5 export license to U.S. Customs, as DDTC will automatically upload a copy into the ACE system. In terms of efficiencies, the new ACE system will allow for faster and more streamlined transactions for imports and exporters.

In addition to ATF and DDTC, the ACE system plans to implement partnerships with the Centers for Disease Control, Defense Contract Management Agency, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration/Department of Transportation, and the Food and Drug Administration.

The system is not perfect; the ACE portal is still experiencing growing pains. At some point, the legacy AES system will be phased out. The deadline for shuttering AES has been pushed back several times, but migration has already begun.

As of February 28, 2016, CBP has announced that it will offer limited Client Representative and Technology Service Desk support, will perform AES maintenance during peak business hours, and will provide processing priority to ACE entries where corresponding AES entries are still available. Full migration is expected sometime during the summer of 2016.

Importers and exporters needing an ACE account will find the application for the new system relatively easy. In addition, there are plans to place historical AES data within the ACE system, to allow for seamless transition between the two systems. More information on the ACE data portal may be found at the U.S. Customs website, or by searching for additional information online.