By and large the shotgun has been traditionally regarded as something of a brute and a blunt instrument. It lacks finesse and precision, and even if that shotgun is put to task by a skilled expert, it’s still just a shotgun. It is incapable distance or impressive accuracy. The shotgun is essentially a “ballistic hammer” used for delivering clumsy, albeit crushing blows at close range. Many were ready to give up on the shotgun as a viable law enforcement tool or effective instrument of combat for the military. It would be fair to say that outside the sporting industry, most held little hope that the lowly shotgun could ever learn a new trick, so to speak. Fortunately, it just happens that some folks in Idaho are teaching the shotgun a few new tricks. The shotgun featured here is a 12 gauge machine gun called the MLE. The ingenious magazine holds… a lot of ammo. And the MLE can fire all that ammo very quickly. In general terms, any shotgun can be described as powerful. But one must fully grasp the meaning of the word. “Power” alludes to capability, capacity, and the potential to exert force or influence. Indeed then, the MLE is powerful.

SRM Arms of Meridian, Idaho is not a newcomer to the game of small arms design and manufacture. Collectively, SRM’s team of engineers and machinists share more than a century of experience and expertise and are forward thinking problem solvers. SRM is known and respected by military and law enforcement bodies around the world. In 2010, the U.S. Marine Corps contracted SRM to diagnose and troubleshoot a serious problem with an existing design, and was tasked to improve the reliability and safety of the shotgun currently fielded by the USMC. There is no other organization in the world, military or otherwise, that can bring the kind of overwhelming force to bear than the USMC. As such, they require rock-solid and reliable weaponry to get the job done. SRM fulfilled their contract to the complete satisfaction the Marines.

The magazine index lever is located on both sides of the gun. The magazine may be rotated in either direction.

In addition to boasting top-tier proficiency and capability while consulting on research design for our military, SRM also manufactures their own combat shotgun. The first working prototype came to life around 2001. It was semiautomatic, fed by a detachable rotary magazine, and used an HK derived roller-locked delayed blowback mechanism. That design was refined, improved and perfected until it went up for sale in 2009. The first semiautomatic model made available to the public was called the SRM 1216 (12 gauge and 16-round capacity). It measures 32 inches long with an 18-inch barrel and weighs 7.25 pounds. The select-fire (full-auto variant) of the shotgun is known as the MLE (Military & Law Enforcement). The core of the MLE’s design was based on the values of simplicity, functionality and strength.

The most obvious and innovative feature of the MLE shotgun is the magazine. The mag body is a cluster of 4 individual tubes, each holding up to 4 rounds of 12 gauge ammunition for a total of 16 rounds. The gun feeds and fires from one tube until the ammo supply in that tube is exhausted. When the indexed magazine tube runs dry, the bolt locks rearward and the user then rotates the magazine over to the next tube. Thereafter the bolt automatically returns to battery, ready to fire, and the shooter may resume firing. So on until the magazine needs to be refilled or replaced. This configuration is so ideal in that the ammunition feeding device does not protrude outward from the gun. It lies flat against the barrel’s ventral surface, and behaves like the forearm assembly on any other shotgun. Thus, the operator’s hand is always wrapped around the magazine; there’s never a need to shift the hands about in order to initiate a magazine change. The automatic return-to-battery feature frees up the shooter’s focus and attention to the task downrange. And of course, The MLE conceals 16 rounds inside a space no larger than an average shotgun’s forearm.

The magazine release lever is oriented such that it cannot be actuated accidentally.

The controls to operate the magazine are found affixed to a trunnion attached to the forward portion of the barrel. The “paddles” used to rotate the mag are accessible with the thumb of the forward hand. The magazine release lever is on the front of that trunnion, below the barrel, and faces away from the shooter. The index finger of the forward hand can easily reach and actuate the release lever. When released, the front end of the mag will drop away from the gun then the rear end rolls out of a pocket located at the face of the receiver. With some familiarization, mag changes can be performed in only a few seconds. The act of indexing the mag to the next tube only takes fractions of a second. Reloading the magazine requires no trick or talent as 12 gauge cartridges are simply stuffed into the tube. The operator only needs to be able to count to four and avoid inserting the cartridges backwards.

The MLE’s design does not compromise comfort or ergonomics to achieve its mechanical prowess. The MLE can be set by the user to any of 4 ambidextrous configurations. The charge handle location and the ejection port and ejection function can be switched to either side with simple tools. So the gun is ideally suited to any discipline “gun hand” or “support hand” operation, and right or left handed. The MLE’s geometry has been tailored to enhance control and handling. The barrel and bolt are below the cheek weld. This arrangement ensures that recoil forces are delivered straight back into the operator’s shoulder; instead of up and over. Any muzzle rise would negate any advantage of a fully-automatic shotgun. The bull-pup layout of the MLE helps with the weight distribution of the gun. The heavy bits – receiver, bolt, and recoil system – are all housed above the pistol grip in the back half of the gun and all within the butt stock. The front end remains light; this becomes important once an additional 2 pounds of ammunition is loaded into the magazine. The balance of the MLE in the hands is exceptional as the mass of the gun is shared equally by the operator’s hands.

The easy open receiver for quick cleaning only requires manipulating a single captive pin to open the receiver.

SRM has lately released their shotguns in a “Gen 2” revision. It should be noted that the Gen 1 guns never required a recall or demonstrated a general tendency to fail. The Gen 2 upgrades were not in response to some mechanical shortcoming nor were they compelled by a lawyer to “fix” a problem. Gen 2 came about to ensure that those things would never happen. The man in charge at SRM told us plainly, “We saw a way to make the gun better, so we did it.” On the previous generation, the receiver and internals were investment cast and now they are machined from billet ordnance steel. The barrels are hammer forged and the chamber was fluted to improve feeding under inclement conditions and to promote positive extraction. The polymer used in the magazine and stock was upgraded to be more durable.

The select fire MLE came about in 2012, when SRM was challenged by a foreign government agency to turn their semi-auto 1216 into a fully automatic weapon. That’s not as easy a task as it may sound. Increased wear and battery of moving parts, and excessive heating, are some negative effects of high fire rate. During full-auto fire, residual operating forces known as “carryover” tend to disrupt normal function and timing. And there’s no need to mention the effect of recoil as when compounded can effectively become thrust. This is uncomfortable in the least and can be outright dangerous at its worst. So, a tall order, yes. Unless you’re SRM arms; then it’s not a problem at all. You just add the required full-auto features to your existing platform, and voila: You’ve got a machine shotgun. The fact is that the semi-auto 1216 was so well designed and thought out, the negative effects of full-auto fire never manifested. The timing of the carrier or ejection did not need fine-tuning for full-auto function. The shape and delay of the locking shoulder and rollers did not require refitting. No extra attention was given to recoil attenuation or to control the cyclic rate. It’s as if SRM arms had been planning the full-auto version all along. The only modification to the original gun came as a size option offering a smaller and lighter MLE. The 1216 held 16 rounds. There now exists a 1212 (12 round mag- 4 rows of 3), and a 1208 (8 round mag- 4 rows of 2). The barrels on these have also been abbreviated to 13 inches on the 1212, and 10 inches on the 1208. The barrels are no longer than safety requires as the muzzle ends just past the magazine latch. How does the MLE compare to the other machine-shotguns of today? It’s lighter and more compact than most. It’s got a higher fire rate than most. It’s easier to control under fire than most, which means more rounds on target, in less time. And it costs substantially less than all the others with its low 4 figure price tag while some of the others approach $20,000 USD.

The magazine’s four individual feed tubes.

How practical can a 12 gauge machine gun be? Consider the purpose the shotgun plays in its professional role. Military, law enforcement and security personnel use shotguns predominately in urban, close-quarter environments. A shotgun can be used in aggressive response to an active threat. A shotgun can be used to
deter aggression. A shotgun can be used for less-lethal riot control. A shotgun can be used to disable vehicles, and equipment, and even open doors. There is a growing point of focus among arms designers and battle strategists. It is referred to as a “force multiplier.” It describes a certain weapon, or presentation, or mode of employ of the two that produces enhanced effect; where the overall result exceeds the direct result of the components involved. The “force multiplier” may appeal to the emotional responses of an enemy combatant; to induce fear, panic, and hopelessness. The force multiplier may give a single man the battlefield effect of many men. The idea is to break the will of the enemy without making direct engagement. The psychological effect of the sound and presence of the MLE cannot be overstated and the actual effect on target of its power and lethality also cannot be overstated. From a statistical approach, increased fire rate and improved control increases the probability of successful hits on target. In skilled hands, the MLE can expel 144 pellets of 00 buckshot in 3 seconds. At distance, the effect is not unlike an aircraft making a strafing pass. At medium ranges, 100-150 yards, the MLE makes for effective indirect area denial. Consider the combined pattern density of a “volley” fired from the MLE at a single target: four ounces of buckshot, a total of thirty six .33 caliber lead balls, fired in half a second. In an engagement of a single fixed target, a car for instance, the percussive effect of full-auto shotgun fire can achieve penetration through what would normally be impenetrable cover. Inside 75 yards the MLE is in charge. The man wielding the MLE decides who stays and who goes. If supreme lethality and battlefield dominance exceeds your needs, the MLE can be configured to fire less lethal munitions. With the quick swap of the bolt and magazine, the gun can continue its role as a select fire less-lethal launcher. The less lethal componentry (or even the entire gun for dedicated use) is identified by a safety orange surface finish. The less-lethal operating system is strictly blowback as it omits the roller locked delayed blowback system. In the case of bean bags or sting balls, the “area effect” and pattern density of burst fire allows the operator greater standoff distance from assailants while still achieving effect on target. Imagine how quickly a rioting prison yard could be quelled with a few MLEs firing salvos of rubber buck into the crowd.

The opportunity to field the MLE was approached with respect and trepidation. The MLE fires 450 rounds per minute. That’s a 50% increase over the well-known AA12. And make that fire rate; the MLE does not incorporate the slow, soft “constant recoil” design of the AA12. So at first consideration, we expected that the MLE would be violent and uncontrollable under recoil. The MLE is not violent, nor uncontrollable. To the contrary, we could not have been more wrong about it. It is outstanding in burst fire – recoil is flat and predictable. It’s possibly the best handling and most forgiving shotgun we’ve tested. With a little practice we were able to completely destroy stationary targets at 50 yards. Destroy meaning even the wood stakes that once held the target were decimated. At a distance of 100 yards, entire groups of cardboard silhouettes were properly shredded by a 4 round burst of 00 buck. At 40 yards we could put 4 slugs into a silhouette target in full-auto. That’s overkill to be sure. What kind of target would ever need to be hit by 4 ounces of shotgun slug? We will never know as that target is not talking. Besides the shock and the awe, the MLE was perfectly reliable during range evaluation. Four kinds of ammunition were fired, for a total of 225 rounds. Full power slug, low recoil 00 buck, #4 heavy field loads and #8 economy game loads all ran through the MLE. All functioned without a single foul or failure.

The extractor and bolt release can all relocate to either side independently.

Where a semi-auto or pump is satisfactory, the full-auto shotgun is superlative. If we ever realize its full potential, the MLE will exceed every intent and expectation of the combat shotgun. The MLE will write the new codus on shotgun tactics. The MLE is more than just another automatic shotgun. It’s a paradigm shift in the design and direction of the shotgun’s development. In terms of reliability, balance, handling, versatility, power and presence; it’s perfect. We can’t imagine a way to make it better. The MLE could very well be among the top 10 most devastating and impressive small arms ever created.

The ejection port cover and charge handle can all relocate to either side independently.

The MLE is no larger than a common pump shotgun, and doubles the ammunition capacity.

The MLE bears the same “footprint” as the M4 carbine; so it’s convenient for storage and transport in cases and vehicles.

Captured From Rebel Forces in South Sudan

Seen in the bottom centre of the photo is a 9K310 Igla-1 (NATO designation: SA-16 Gimlet) man-portable air defence system (MANPADS). The weapons pictured were purportedly captured by soldiers of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) stationed in South Sudan to protect key government installations from rebel forces. The weapons were displayed in Bor, the capital of Jonglei state. The 9K310 system was produced in the Soviet Union, and then later in Russia, and entered service in 1981. Whilst not as capable as the later generation 9K38 (SA-18) and 9K338 (SA-24) MANPADS, the 9K310 system is notably more effective than the earlier, ubiquitous 9K32 and 9K32M (SA-7a and SA-7b, respectively) systems. These include a higher top flight speed, greater firing range, and more sophisticated fuzing (delayed impact and magnetic, as well as grazing) and guidance mechanisms.

Also pictured are a variety of small arms and light weapons more commonly seen in the region, including rifles, medium and heavy machine guns, and RPG-7 projectiles. Amongst the latter are pictured two TBG-7 (or a close copy) thermobaric projectiles. These were developed in the Soviet Union sometime in the late 1980s, and are designed to disable enemy personnel in urban or mountainous terrain (including enemy combatants in buildings or fortifications) through a combination of heat and overpressure, as well as a secondary fragmentation effect.

(This article was reproduced courtesy of Armament Research Services (ARES) and originally published February 1, 2014 – www.armamentresearch.com.)

Niagara Falls, N.Y., Monday afternoon, February 24, 1947. Parked by the wintry highway, Carl Einar Ekdahl took a sip of whisky to calm his embattled heart. Beside him sat Norman Grant of Toronto. Ekdahl passed him the bottle. Ekdahl and Grant had cleared U.S. Customs and now waited in vain for Max Brown in the second car. Finally, they accepted Brown wasn’t coming.

Max Brown held out for three days in the Erie County jail, refusing even to make a phone call. He had been caught red-handed at the U.S./Canadian border trying to smuggle parts of two machine guns into New York State. The guns had been hastily tucked under the front seat of Max’s car and fell easily into view. The plan had been to go on to Ekdahl’s Vermont farm and test the guns. But now, Customs, Police and agents of the Alcohol Tobacco and Tax Unit coached Max to start talking. He did not. Max heard how the Gestapo questioned Jews in Europe. His treatment by U.S. authorities was courteous: He could hardly yield to this.

The guns looked wicked… black and steel, pistol grips, perforated barrel jackets, hooked magazines and front sights like sharks’ fins. Combined with a hundred fresh rounds of .303, the display evoked mob massacres, assassinations, and blood-drenched insurrection. The authorities learned more about Max Brown. Still in his twenties, he was from Toronto, Canada, a World War II veteran who started the war as an aircraft mechanic and ended it as a pilot and squadron leader. He came home to study at University, and then quit to work for the formation of a Jewish state in Palestine.

Toronto Daily Star front page March 13, 1947. (Toronto Daily Star)

Max held out stubbornly, but he knew others were being tracked down and arrested. He hoped his silence would buy time for some to escape and hide the evidence. He had every reason to worry: Their mistakes could doom the nation of Israel before it was born.

Grant was arrested when he returned home to Canada. By the time the story hit the front pages, several weeks later, the guns were mis-identified as Bren guns. The few people aware it even existed called it ‘The Gun.’

Soon, Brown was out on bail; tracks were being covered on both sides of the border, and key players had vanished.

For the authorities, it was difficult to pin down what they were looking at. The guns resembled a lesser known American wartime gun; the Johnson light machine gun. They shared the Johnson’s looks and features. The short-recoil principle of operation, side mounted magazine, the rotating multi-lugged bolt head, the round receiver and the distinctive barrel jacket with dozens of holes – even the feed lips built into the gun instead of the magazine. But, something had gone weird in the genes… they weren’t Johnsons.

Carl Ekdahl shoulders a Johnson LMG outside the factory. (John Ekdahl)

Genuine Johnsons, produced by Cranston Arms in Rhode Island, were slick and smooth. These guns were rough, scaly, hand finished and differed in details. The caliber was a change. The Johnson Model 1941 LMG used the .30-06 cartridge. The mutations before them used British .303. The other differences were more subtle, but the buttstock and forends jumped out for their absence. Instead of American walnut, the buttstocks consisted of tubes of epoxy and textile, capped with a steel plate. This butt plate swung up to store a cleaning kit in the lower tube. The guns more closely resembled the M1944 Johnson, a model that never saw mass production.

The guns did not have Jewish roots. Their story began before World War Two at Springfield Armory in Massachusetts. In the early 1930s, Melvin Johnson, Jr., a bright Army ROTC Cadet and later a reserve Marine Corps Lieutenant, visited the Armory to report on the upcoming production of the M1 Garand rifle. The gun was not only being made there, it had been designed there. John Garand himself still shepherded every step.

Young Johnson was born into the American aristocracy: Smart and driven to prove himself worthy of any privilege of his birth, he worked and studied hard. He loved guns, but had no formal engineering education. One can imagine Springfield’s thrill when a Harvard lawyer critiqued their baby. When Johnson left Springfield, he believed he could do it all better. There’s no mention of him being asked to the Christmas party. The U.S. Army adopted the Garand as the standard service rifle in 1936.

Melvin Johnson, Jr. and the Chief of Staff, General C. Marshall. (Library of Congress)

While Johnson’s world revolved around the best schools, summers at the lake, and his father’s law firm, Haim Slavin had been born and educated a half-a-world away in Russia. Fired by the desire to create a Jewish state, he moved to Palestine just after World War One.

The Great War had swept away the Turkish Ottoman Empire. In Palestine, that meant the British now oversaw the pungent rabble.

Before the war, local politics were left to the Arab population. The Arabs had helped the Allies, rallying famously behind Lawrence of Arabia. Promises of an Arab nation were made in return. But, the Allies had also been helped by many Jews. The British made both groups conflicting promises. But, more and more Jews arrived, buying land, starting businesses, and many Arabs wanted Britain to stop the influx. In their efforts to keep violence off the table, Britain forbade the Jews from arming.

In 1929, rumors spread that Jews were desecrating Arab Mosques in Jerusalem. Throughout Palestine, Jews were attacked. At the time, Haim Slavin was an engineer working for the Palestine Electric Corporation. Slavin set up to produce grenades. When the violence ended, hundreds of Arabs and Jews were dead
throughout Palestine.

Haim Slavin engineered the Dror and much of Israel’s military industries. Working secretly in the United States and Canada he acquired hundreds of tons of machinery and weaponry critical to Israel’s’ victory in 1948.

An arms race with the Arabs followed, undeterred by British gun laws. Slavin became more involved in making and acquiring arms for the underground
Jewish forces.

Most Jewish guns were bought from Arabs, which had the unwelcome effect of bankrolling the Arabs to buy better weapons. In 1933, what would become Israeli Military Industries was formed. IMI operated underground, in many cases literally. It was, and often still is, referred to in Hebrew as Ta’asiya Tzvait. Literally translated it means ‘Military Industry.’ It is commonly abbreviated to ‘Ta’as.’

Slavin’s efforts helped arm the Haganah. The Haganah was the predominant armed group, vetted and controlled by the Jewish Governance, but several other groups operated as well. The Haganah asked Slavin to quit his job and devote himself to preparing arms. Slavin became General Manager of Ta’as in 1937.

An operation in Poland saw munitions welded into hollow spaces of tractors and road rollers. In 1936, the Warsaw operation smuggled 3,000 rifles, 226 machine guns, 10,000 grenades, three million cartridges, hundreds of mortar shells, and three airplanes through British customs.

Carl and Hilda Ekdahl likely posed for this photo at the time of their marriage. (Courtesy of David Nordin)

While Slavin was running clandestine factories, Johnson challenged the now entrenched M1 Garand. Both rifles are .30-06 semiautomatics, but, the Garand is gas operated and the Johnson powered by recoil. In Johnson’s design, the bolt and barrel, locked together, recoil for a fraction of an inch and then part company with the delay allowing pressure in the barrel to drop. This wasn’t new, but Johnson refined the bolt head to use eight locking lugs instead of the usual two so the bolt only had to rotate a few degrees.

Recoil operation meant the gun didn’t have a piston and cylinder running under the barrel. There was no sensitive mechanism near the muzzle and this allowed Johnson to leave the barrel in the open. The gun pointed naturally and didn’t channel dirty gases to the interior. Detractors said the barrel was unprotected.

The Garand was loaded with steel clips containing eight rounds. The entire clip was pushed into the gun, and, when empty, popped out with the last empty case. The problem was the soldier’s dilemma when he’d fired four or five rounds in action. He then had to choose between making himself vulnerable while he unloaded the gun to make room for a new eight round clip, or, chance facing an enemy with only the three or four rounds remaining. Also, the Garand often caused a painful injury when the bolt slammed forward to punish an unskilled loader. Johnson’s first solution was to use a box magazine.

Melvin Johnson (left) and Carl Ekdahl hold prototypes made at Marlin Arms. The distinctive rotary rifle magazine and the side-mounted machine gun magazine have not yet been incorporated. (Courtesy of John Ekdahl)

But before an important test, untrained soldiers loaded the magazines backwards, creating havoc. Johnson answered with a rotary magazine. It could be topped up whenever the soldier wanted, and the feed lips, so easily damaged in removable magazines, were machined into the gun itself. It was difficult to mess up.

On the downside the removable barrel was lauded as a solution to over-heating, but, no-one carried a spare barrel, and it is possible to fire the gun with the barrel unlatched… with catastrophic results. Small parts were easily lost in field stripping. The barrel-mounted bayonet was light so it wouldn’t interfere with the recoil operation. It was light, and comical.

The Garand’s ‘en-bloc’ clip and the Johnson rotary magazine are both designs of Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher. Mannlicher designed a machine rifle in 1883.

The Johnson LMG shares a remarkable, although coincidental, resemblance.

British soldiers struggled to keep the peace in Jerusalem, 1920. (Library of Congress)

Rudolph Sonneborn, the ‘wealthy New Yorker’ mentioned in the Toronto Daily Star’s headline poses in Israel with a Sten after the 1948 war. (Wikipedia)

In 1937, Johnson hired the Marlin Firearms Company to make four Johnson prototypes. Johnson was assisted by the very Carl E. Ekdahl who found himself parked on a New York highway a decade later. Ekdahl was born in Helsingborg, Sweden on March 12, 1892 and came to the U.S. in 1910, already a skilled tool and die maker. He gravitated to Gun Valley was soon a gunsmith, engineer and designer for several firms. He married Hilda Bjork and worked at Marlin during World War One. He was there in the 1930’s to help prototype the Johnsons. By the time he and Johnson met, Carl and Hilda had three children, C. Elise, born 1917, Carl
Gustav born 1920, and Thora, born 1923.

In the summer of 1938, an Army test was scheduled to compare the Garand to the Johnson. The test went well for Johnson. Johnson brushed up his design. The results were executed by another manufacturer, Taft-Pierce. As well as the new military prototypes, Taft-Pierce also made a handful of sporting rifles. Although Johnson deliberately designed his gun to be within the capabilities of smaller shops, the cost still depended on economies of scale and the sporters were prohibitively expensive.

The test of the improved models proved the Johnson to be a good rifle, but the argument was trumped by reality: The Garand in full production. Nice, but, no thanks, was the Army’s answer. But as the Garand went into service, it had teething problems. These were seized on by Garand’s political enemies. The anti-Garand forces said the Johnson hadn’t been fairly tested and the Garand was being shoved down the troops’ throats. Johnson personally tried to take the high road, but a bill was introduced in Congress to halt Garand production and force adoption of his weapon. All the arguments ended in a shoot-off in May 1940. The grasp at a political straw came to nothing. It was not about the guns; it was really just
the timing.

World War Two raged in Europe and other countries cried for semiautomatic arms. Holland had fallen to the Nazis and the government in exile functioned from London. The Dutch had colonies in the Pacific. Japan was eyeing the Dutch resources and the Allies were eager to see the Dutch defend them. The Netherlands Purchasing Commission was shopping in the U.S. The Dutch ordered just over 10,000 Johnson rifles and several hundred light machine guns.

Before joining Johnson, Carl Ekdahl was with Harrington and Richardson in the early 1940s. He is pictured on the left alongside H&R President Carney, center, and General Manager Loose. (H&R brochure)

Johnson never planned to enter the gun making business; he wanted to sell the design and have an established gun-maker do the work. But, maker after maker was simply too busy already and the order was too small. The Dutch promised a larger order. Universal Windings of Providence R.I. figured they had the resources and created Cranston Arms at their factory in Cranston, R.I.

Universal Windings had no experience with barrel making, but knew enough to see a quagmire. The problem defaulted to Johnson. Johnson recruited the helpful engineer he had met at Marlin. Carl Ekdahl, now at Harrington and Richardson, left to accept Johnson’s offer.

Most important to this story were the Johnson light machine guns. The Johnson Model 41 LMG has a 21-inch barrel, 42-inch overall length and a trim 12.5-lb. weight. Like the rifle, the LMG functions by delayed recoil and features a nearly straight-line design to minimize muzzle climb. The Johnson fire selector is on the left – up for safe, back for full-auto and forward for semi-auto. On full-automatic, the gun fires from an open bolt allowing cooling, but, flip to semi-auto and the gun fires from a closed bolt so there is no loss of accuracy from the action slamming forward to fire.

The single column magazine holds twenty .30-06 cartridges. A spring steel gate holds them in until the magazine is inserted in the well on the left side of the gun. Insertion lifts the magazine’s gate, allowing the cartridges to push into the gun and up against the feed lips. The magazine well is long enough to let the shooter load five more cartridges through the trade-mark loading gate on the right.

By 1943 Ekdahl and Hilda were living near the Cranston factory in Rhode Island. Ekdahl was suddenly stricken by a severe heart-attack and retired. He and Hilda moved to their farm in Vermont where he recuperated.

Only about 2,500 Johnson rifles reached the Pacific before the East Indies fell to the Japanese. With thousands of guns now orphaned and embargoed, production stopped. Around 30,000 rifles and 3,000 LMGs languished in storage.

The thousands of unused guns didn’t escape notice. The Marine Raider Battalion bought several hundred rifles from the Dutch and it didn’t hurt that Johnson was now a Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Even the U.S. Army joint U.S./Canadian First Special Service Forces (FSSF), received a handful of Johnson 1941 light machine guns.

Two members of the First Special Service Force cleaning a Johnson M1941 at Anzio. (Library and Archives Canada)

Some Marines loved the Johnson rifles and the FSSF liked their machine guns. Most soldiers took what they were handed. While the guns are not weighed down by praise, any new gun seeing combat and coming away liked has done very well.

The Allied use of the guns affected neither the war nor the fortunes of the company: when the war was over, the Marines and First Special Service Force turned their Johnsons back in. The Dutch again took possession of the East Indies and the remaining guns finally crossed the Pacific.

Johnson developed a promising hybrid of the LMG and the rifle. Argentina pursued this model as far as a prototype but made no purchase.

The story might have ended there, but for Haim Slavin reading his newspaper in a Tel Aviv café in 1945. Whole American munitions factories were on sale. As General Manager of Ta’as, he wrote his friend, David Ben-Gurion, the head of the underground Jewish Governance.

Carl Ekdahl studies blueprints. (Courtesy of John Ekdahl)

Efforts to mobilize American Jews were already underway. In New York lived a prominent leader named Rudolf G. Sonneborn. He supported a Jewish state in Palestine and spent months there in his youth. He had recently hosted a gathering of influential American Jews and introduced them to David Ben-Gurion.

When Ben-Gurion sent Haim Slavin to the U.S. in the fall of 1945, he sent him to Sonneborn.

Sonneborn introduced Slavin to Harry Levine, a factory owner and wartime partner in a firm making Oerlikon parts. Levine was in his late forties, with children, widowed, and now remarried. He seemed an unlikely fit for subterfuge and that made him a perfect fit. He became the legal front man for Slavin’s company; Machinery Processing and Supply.

Slavin bought a vacant building at 4366 Park Avenue, New York. He hired two key men; Philip Alper, a 22 year old engineer from Berkeley, and Elie Schalit, also in his early twenties. Schalit handled the shipping while Slavin and Alper shopped. They visited Worchester, Buffalo, Detroit, Chicago, Rockford, and Cincinnati and stormed Colt’s one-day sale. Slavin bought barrel making machinery and equipment to make 81mm mortar bombs. Alper bought six tons of machines and all the tools to make .303 from Remington’s Bridgeport plant. As a large number of Haganah weapons were in .303, the .303 was becoming Israel’s predominant cartridge.

Everything Slavin and Alper could gather in ended up going to Schalit in the windy building on Park Avenue. Out of sight and late at night, Schalit’s people cut and torched apart old machinery, stuffing the interiors with contraband.

But, it wasn’t enough for Slavin. He dreamt of arming every settler, every soldier, every brother and sister. Slavin had stood guard himself, alone in the shadows of stony hillsides on sharp cold nights. He knew the touch of a gun’s steel, or the solid weight of a grenade, was often the lonely sentry’s only friend and comfort.

The Ekdahl’s only son, Carl G. Ekdahl, survived shrapnel wounds on Iwo Jima and was featured in the New Haven Register. (New Haven Register)

Appropriately, considering its murky parentage, the conception of ‘The Gun’ occurred in a cheap hotel room. Levine brought Ekdahl to meet Slavin. How the meeting between Slavin and Ekdahl came about remains vague. In The Pledge, author Leonard Slater says Levine contacted Ekdahl saying he was a ‘friend of a friend.’ Johnson may well have given a tacit okay to the plan, but, the mysterious ‘friend’ set things in motion.

There was a man who fit the ‘friend of a friend’ description. One of Johnson’s corporate neighbors employed an engineer named David Dardick. Dardick would
later develop the unique gun named for him and worked closely with Johnson. Dardick was a Russian born Jew like Slavin, and the very kind of man Levine might reach out to. This is purely speculation and based largely on Ekdahl bringing an intriguing package to the hotel room.

Ekdahl handed Slavin a Johnson Light Machine Gun. There were a number of examples still kept at Johnson’s office. Since Ekdahl no longer worked there, if the gun came from the office, some insider must have loaned it. But, Ekdahl is also said to have owned one or more Johnsons after the war and it may well have come from his own collection. We may never know. The collection went to Carl G. Ekdahl but was broken up after his death.

Ekdahl checked off the gun’s features: It was lighter than almost any other light machine gun, but it fired full-sized rifle cartridges to hurl back an enemy charge. With the flick of a switch, it became an accurate semiautomatic, able to snipe across the hilltops. Slavin knew that with a gun like this, every man, woman and child would feel the strength of a lion.

Ekdahl proposed they redesign the machine gun, incorporating several changes he suggested, and the latest features of the Johnson LMGs. At a stroke, they would vault ahead of the world’s armies and produce the most advanced design on the planet. Built in secret under the haughty noses of the British, The Gun would be a triumph of courage, engineering and ‘chutzpah.’

Slavin didn’t need the sales pitch. He needed Ekdahl. Ekdahl took Slavin home with him and introduced him to Hilda. There were no kids still living at home, but Slavin was sick and worried about bringing in his flu. Hilda took him in and put him to bed with tea and aspirin. The reception touched the hardened Slavin deeply. Ekdahl was not Jewish but Slavin took him into his trust. For the next days he sat propped in bed going over the drawings with Ekdahl. When they finally talked money, Ekdahl agreed to a fee of $17,000.

Part two of The Secret Life of the Dror will continue with the continuing history of the development and deployment of this historic weapon.

Acknowledgement and thanks are due to Leonard Slater, author of The Pledge, Larry Collins and Dominque Lapierre, authors of O Jerusalem and to Bruce N. Canfield, author of Johnson’s Rifles and Machine Guns with Robert L. Lamoreaux and Edward R. Johnson, (Andrew Mowbray Publishers). A special thanks to Carl Ekdahl’s descendants, John Ekdahl, David Nordin and Kirsten O’Brien for their guidance, information and photos of their Grandfather, to Richard Collins for providing the 2nd model Dror, Charles Taylor of Movie Armaments Group in Toronto, Canada for use of the facilities, Graham Robertson for his photo, and G. N. Dentay, Paul Wassill and R Blake Stevens, Collector Grade Publications, for their invaluable editorial input.

Rheinmetall adds a new offering to its line of electro-optical equipment: the Vario-Ray (LLM-VR). It’s designed to be used on small arms as a primary gun sight, laser sight, and area illuminator. It attaches to any small arm that is equipped with a standard mounting fixture (Picatinny, STANAG, KeyMod, etc.). The mounting fixture can be attached to the Vario-Ray via two torx head screws. Our model came furnished with a quick-detach clamp designed to interface with M1913 Mil-Spec rail. The primary gunsight mounted atop our unit is the Trijicon RMR. All of the Vario-Ray’s functions can be selected to operate in the visual or IR spectrum for covert operation.

The Vario-Ray is more than another laser aiming module or flashlight. It offers a solution to growing problem. Current “night vision” operates using the “near infra-red” (NIR) light spectrum. NIR is a band width of light energy just below our visible range. The lasers, illuminators, and optical devices (NVGs, PVS-14, for examples) emit and detect that NIR radiation. This technology offers an advantage to those who possess it and puts those without it at a distinct disadvantage. More and more, our enemies have come into possession of NIR night-vision technology. Our soldiers have lost that in-field advantage. The Vario-Ray is one of the first weapon-mounted units to offer laser and illumination in the SWIR (Short Wave Infra-Red) spectrum. SWIR devices emit and detect a different band or light energy than older NIR devices. Light energy in the SWIR spectrum cannot be detected by older NIR devices and SWIR lasers and SWIR lights are only visible to SWIR optics. Now, equipped with these devices, soldiers will have a restored tactical advantage during covert operation. Another advantage of using SWIR light band is due to enhanced clarity. SWIR is not absorbed by material like NIR radiation; it is instead reflected by normal objects. So objects illuminated by and viewed through SWIR optics are seen in extreme detail and clarity. NIR devices require digital enhancement and clarification to achieve any utility. SWIR equipment can also operate with lower power requirements than NIR. So the illuminators and lasers maintain greater distance and effect with the same or less power requirement. In some cases, SWIR equipment can actually see through some materials. It is currently being used in limited capacity for visual inspection of objects and materials where X-ray is not available or recommended.

The British Ministry of Defense has recently contracted Rheinmetall for many thousand Vario-Ray modules. The broad adoption of such a device among the MOD’s ranks is part of a trend there to drive her Majesty’s soldiers to the forefront of battlefield superiority through the incorporation of advanced technology. The Vario-Ray enables soldiers to effect operations around the clock, and to do so covertly.

The Vario-Ray is compact and solid. It weighs 8 ounces and measures 4.25 inches long, 2.5 inches wide, and 1.7 inches tall (without the RMR attached). The illuminator and laser devices are contained within a single molded polymer housing. The gun sight and the mounting fixture remain modular and interchangeable for versatility. The controls of the Vario-Ray are located on the housing, and consist of a rotary switch and 3 constant on button switches. The unit can interface with 2 remote pressure switches for momentary control on the grip of forearm of the weapon. The Vario-Ray’s laser aiming module can be adjusted to create unique point-pattern for distinction among multiple operators with the same unit. The illuminators are all adjustable for brightness and focus. The visible and IR lasers are constructed to remain in fixed co-axial relation, so adjusting the visible laser simultaneously adjusts
the IR laser.

Contact:

Rheinmetall Soldier Electronics GmbH · Bodenseeallee 3 · 78333 Stockach · Germany. Phone +49 77 71 81-251 · Fax +49 77 71 81-396 · info-rse@Rheinmetalll.com · www.Rheinmetalll-defence.com

Recent images from the Russian seizure of the Crimean peninsula have highlighted the range of weaponry employed by Russian forces and combatants identified as either pro-Russian militias or private security contractors. Amongst these weapons is the GM-94, a pump-action grenade launcher chambered for a proprietary 43mm cartridge. These polymer-cased rounds are available in HE, HE-FRAG, thermobaric, illumination, smoke, and various less-lethal loadings. The GM-94 is fed from a three-round tubular magazine (3+1 capacity) located above the barrel, and the weapon features a double-action trigger and manual safety.

The presence of these weapons would be consistent with claims of Russian Special Forces (Spetsnaz) or Russian-backed private security contractors operating in the region. Regardless, it is important to note that the GM-94 has been observed in several other countries, including Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and even Libya.

GM-94 grenade launcher. (Alexander Garr)

Numerous other weapon systems have also been observed in the hands of pro-Russian forces in civilian clothes or unmarked uniforms, including AK-74M, AKS-74N, AKMS, and AS “Val” rifles, SVD, SVDS, and VSS sniper rifles, PKM and PKP machine guns, GP-25 and GP-30 under-barrel grenade launchers, and PP-9 “Klin” submachine guns. Many of these weapons have been fitted with post-production accessories, including rails, foregrips, PBS series suppressors, and various optics.

(This article is reproduced courtesy of Armament Research Services (ARES) – www.armamentresearch.com and was originally published on March 2, 2014.)

The short stroke/long stroke piston operated AR-type rifles are fairly mainstream now. Many manufacturers build dedicated rifles as well as drop-in conversion kits. In the late 1990s and early 2000s though, it was a very new concept. Although short stroke pistons systems go back to 1968 with the Winchester conversion and the long stroke piston approximately the same time with the Colt model 703, the system just never got any forward movement. After the initial issues were corrected, the M16A1 went on to become one of the most reliable rifles in history. In the late 1980s, it came around again with the Rhino System designed by Walter Langendorfer. He had military potential but was shut down by Army bureaucracy.

In the early 2000s, the industry was taking a real hard look at the benefits of an external piston operated rifle. The actual dates are not necessarily for sure as the companies showed prototype rifles prior to the beginning of production. Based on the years of production there were three main companies that drove the external piston into market as well as into the hands of soldiers, law enforcement and the commercial market. In 2004, the Patriot Ordnance P416 first began shipping. In 2005, Heckler & Koch released their HKM4 Enhanced/HK416 and in 2006 LWRC introduced their M6.

The Gen 2 rifle showed several changes. First being the lower receiver where the trigger guard is now integral to the receiver. POF also introduced their high free floating handguard. This Gen also marks the introduction of the POF manufactured trigger as well.

In 2002, Patriot Ordnance Factory was incorporated by the owner, Frank DeSomma. This Brooklyn, New York native never even thought about guns in his early years. New York City is less than a gun friendly environment. His family uprooted to Arizona where all that was about to change. Frank started off as a kid with his friends building trucks and Jeeps fabricating custom vehicles. After that Frank spent 28 years in the Aerospace industry as a manufacturing process engineer. He had friends who were involved in hunting – mostly dove and deer – and Frank got introduced to standard hunting firearms. Franks best friend introduced him to the AR-15. Frank was enamored by the rifle and the design genius of Gene Stoner. He decided he wanted to get into the AR business. He knew he could not compete with companies like Colt, DPMS, Bushmaster and so on. He knew if he was to succeed he had to offer the customers something different. He began his company selling parts and accessories and then went on to develop his own rifle. Frank stated that the freedom of this country offered him the opportunity to go into the gun business.

Frank recognized the excellent attributes of the AR-15 but decided to change the operating system to eliminate heat and fouling in the action. He also decided to increase reliability in the system by using an external piston operating system. According to Frank, his design approach was to start backwards from the gas block on the barrel and ending at the chamber. First he moved the gas cylinder to the gas block instead of inside the bolt carrier; then a valve to select suppressed and un-suppressed positions. This valve is critical in extending the service life of the firearm when using a sound suppressor. Without the valve, the sound suppressor increases internal pressures driving the cyclic rate up, which opens the bolt sooner and causes more wear on the internal components. Failures to extract are one of the first casualties of suppressed weapons. He designed this system to work with both semi as well as fully automatic firearms. The 5.56mm rifles maintain a cycle rate of 750 to 850 rounds per minute and the 7.62x51mm rifles maintain a cyclic rate of 650 to 750 rounds per minute. Then he designed the operating rod and bolt carrier for his system.

The Gen 3 rifles introduced the ambidextrous magazine and bolt catch as well as the POF designed muzzle brake.

In 2004, the first rifles left the Patriot Ordnance Factory; this was the Flagship Model P416. This is the early rifle with the high rails not to be confused with the later generations with plastic handguards or added rail. The first generation utilized a standard mil-spec lower from a forging. The 2-piece rail was designed and manufactured by POF. The barrel is free-floated.

The Gen 2 rifle had one major change. POF made lowers from a billet and the trigger guard is integral with the receiver. The heat sink barrel nut was introduced on this model, which helped radiate heat away with 53 inches of surface area made of aircraft grade aluminum. This long barrel nut also helped a support 4 inches of the op rod.

The Gen 3 was introduced with the new upper and lower receivers manufactured from billet 7075 T6 aluminum. Also the ambidextrous bolt release was added. This was one of the first integral ambidextrous bolt releases in the industry. Also introduced in this generation is the enhanced roller cam pin. The cam pin has a roller on the top of it that reduces friction and drag of the action while cycling. The head of the cam pin rolls when it engages the receiver wall and eliminates the worn groove and wear on the receiver. The roller cam pin is available for both 5.56mm and 7.62mm rifles. It may be purchased as an accessory as well. The 7.62mm bolt carriers require no modifications. However the standard 5.56mm direct gas impingement carriers require a special carrier key with a cut out to allow for the clearance of the roller cam pin.

The current Gen 4 has the newly crafted lower receiver, which has many improvements to the ergonomics of the lower receiver. It makes the rifle easier to handle and manipulate. Notice the groove machined into the lower in front of the trigger housing for the trigger finger so there is a place to rest your trigger finger off of the trigger.

The current model is the Gen 4. Many changes have been added to the ergonomics of the receivers that included an ambidextrous magazine release. Also, a bolt hold open lever was added in front of the trigger inside the trigger guard that by pushing upward on the lever and pulling the bolt to the rear would lock the bolt open. The trigger guard is elongated to allow the use of heavy gloves and there is a trigger finger rest divot machined into both sides of the receiver. Also introduced in this generation is a tension screw to adjust the tension between the upper and lower receiver.

POF serializes all barrels to gas blocks when they machine the gas block to the barrel. They separate the barrel from the gas block and have the barrel and gas block heat treated. The barrel and gas block will not rust or corrode because POF processes them separately. All barrels, gas blocks, upper, lowers, regulated gas plugs, drop in triggers, bolt carriers, receiver extensions, free float rail and .308 extractors
are date coded.

Perhaps one of the greatest design enhancements of the Patriot Ordinance Factory is the Push/Pull E Squared Extraction Technology. With shorter barrels (less than 20 inches), the cartridge case is still slightly obturated at the moment of extraction. This causes the extractor spring as well as the actual extractor be a little more overworked than in the standard full size rifle. With the direct gas impingement rifles, as the rifle wears, the gas port inside the barrel will erode allowing more gas to enter the system making the cyclic rate increase even more from when the rifle was new. This causes even more strain on the extractor and extractor spring. This technology features a four channel cut in the neck to help break the seal of the neck from the chamber walls during the delay from when the cartridge is fired to the gasses pushing the bullet down the barrel. The hardest the extractor works now is to exercise over the rim of the case every time the cartridge is chambered.

Perhaps one of the biggest breakthroughs in POF development is their E Squared extraction enhancement system. Note the four cuts in the neck part of the chamber.

There are commercial as well as law enforcement and military versions of the rifle. The military and law enforcement versions are offered in selective fire models. POF offers rifles in black anodized, NPS, Cerakote Tungsten, olive drab or burnt bronze colors. All bolt and barrels are magnetic particle inspected to ensure against stress cracks and are tested with proof cartridges when it is requested.

There were two rifles sent to SADJ for test and evaluation: the P-308 7.62x51mm rifle and the newly released Puritan 5.56x45mm rifle. The P-308 is a Gen 4 rifle with all of the most up-to-date enhancements offered by Patriot Ordnance Factory. The Puritan is a new product that was introduced as an entry level rifle, which is more cost effective. The rifle goes back to the Gen 1 in that it uses standard forged receivers rather than the billet receivers.

The Puritan is one of the finest built piston rifles on the market today. The fit and finish is second to none. Although designed as an entry level rifle, it has all the mechanical features of its counterpart the P415. Though primarily chambered in 5.56x45mm, the rifle can also be chambered in 6.8mm SPC.

With the cartridge in the chamber and it being fired, note how the hot high pressure gasses leak back through the notches in the chamber and how they impart right on the shoulder of the fired cartridge case. This starts the extraction process prior to the extractor engaging and in turn decreases the wear on the extractor severely. This would be a major improvement on any 5.56mm or 7.62mm auto loading rifle.

Beginning at the rear of the rifle, the 7 position mil-spec receiver extension is manufactured from 7075 T6 impact extrusion by POF. The receiver extension is designed as an anti-carrier tilt mechanism. There is a ramp on the end to properly align the bolt carrier when it enters the receiver extension, which eliminates the issues caused by carrier tilt found in external piston operated AR-type rifles and the bolt carrier is sitting in the receiver extension when the receivers are closed. The buffer used is a standard carbine buffer with three steel weights. Due to the design of the operating mechanism, it is not over gassed that would cause bolt carrier bounce issues. The rifle is equipped with a Magpul CTR stock.

The lower receiver has an ambidextrous safety manufactured by POF. The trigger used in the rifle is POF designed and manufactured. This single-stage, non-adjustable, drop-in trigger boasts a solid 4.5-pound pull weight and is pre-assembled in Hardcoat Anodized aluminum housing (complete with rubber urethane feet) for immediate competition, hunting, and tactical applications right out of the box. POF also offers this same trigger in 4 pounds. Carved from American A2 steel, the trigger, disconnect, and hammer are all Nitride heat-treated to 70 Rockwell case hardness for ultimate strength and corrosion resistance. The trigger pull on the T&E rifle broke at 4 and 1/2 pounds. It should be noted POF helped to develop the Timney Trigger. It includes custom-fit stainless steel KNS Precision Anti-walk Pins for both standard AR and POF-USA ambidextrous lower receivers. The trigger is easily installed.

On the top of the lower receiver, just in front of the rear takedown pin are two polymer hex screws that are adjustable to control the play in the upper and lower receivers. On most rifles, you have to remove the pistol grip to adjust the tension between the receivers but POF makes it so you will not have to remove the grip as the tension screws are right out in the open and convenient to get to. The bolt catch has been redesigned so there is a larger “paddle” located at the bottom of the bolt catch making for easier operation. The T&E rifle is also equipped with a Magpul MOE pistol grip and Magpul enhanced trigger guard.

The POF P-308 Gen 4 rifle being put through its paces. Note the fired cartridge case.

The charging handle is also of POF design. There are knurled edges on the front and rear permitting easier and more positive grip whether you are right
or left handed.

The bolt carrier is nickel plated and is a one-piece design with the tombstone/operating rod impact area being behind the cam track. The carrier is the full auto configuration. The bolt is chrome plated and is a standard mil-spec bolt. This bolt was just missing the unneeded gas rings. The extractor has a rubber “O” ring around the extractor spring, which increases the extraction force by a factor of 4. This is “insurance” that really expands the life of the extractor spring. In fact, with this alone, the extractor spring is really not even needed. The carrier uses the roller cam pin which is NP3 coated. The firing pin is the standard mil-spec chrome plated firing pin with a standard firing pin retainer pin.

The upper receiver is a standard mil-spec upper with a mil-std 1913 rail, forward assist and fired cartridge case deflector. The ejection port cover has laser engraved an American Flag and written “God Bless America.” On this rifle, the upper and lower receivers are a perfect match of jet black color. There is a standard barrel nut, Delta ring, spring weld and snap ring.

The gas system of the POF puritan removed showing the operating rod, piston and gas plug. The operating rod is held in-line by the long sleeve at the rear of the gas block.

The 16.5 inch barrel is manufactured from 4150 chrome vanadium Mil-V-11595 steel and is Nitride heat treated. The rifling has 5 lands and grooves and is 1 turn in 8 inches with a right hand twist. The barrel profile is thicker than the government profile barrel but not nearly what one would call a heavy barrel. There are no step cuts. The rifle uses a mid-length gas system, which is far more ideal than the standard carbine length gas system. There is more dwell time that gives the cartridge case more time to contract down to allow for easier extraction. The Puritan barrel comes standard with E Square technology in the chamber and the muzzle is equipped with a standard A2 compensator. The T&E rifle is equipped with a mid-length Magpul MOE handguard. This is a very comfortable handguard with an excellent heat shield. The end user may install rail panels on the sides and bottom of the handguard if they wish to mount any accessory. Barrel length of the Puritan is 16.5 inches and offers in 7.25, 10.5, 14.5, 16.5 and 18.5 inches in length. According to POF, they have 20 to 30,000 rounds through the barrels and still maintain accuracy.

The gas block is billet machined from one piece of material, heat treated and nitrate treated for hardness and corrosion resistance and then case hardened to 68-70 Rockwell. First and foremost the biggest advantage of this gas block is that it is pinned in place, not held on by set screws or clamping bolts. It is very well documented that a gas block will migrate forward with heavy usage—particularly in rapid or fully automatic fire. There is a vast majority of the piston system out there with very few exceptions (Colt, LMT, LWRCI, SIG) that actually drill and pin the gas blocks in place. There is a bayonet lug and behind that is a QD sling mounting point.

The gas volume is controlled by the gas valve instead of the gas port, which will ensure constant cyclic rate throughout the life of the firearm. The gas valve is locked in place by a spring loaded pin. If the carbon build up is heavy, the face of the valve is grooved to accept a cartridge case rim to give additional leverage to remove a difficult gas valve.

Sectioned view of the POF gas system. (Courtesy of POF)

The Puritan was received with one Magpul PMag. At the time this rifle was received the new Hexmag was received as well. Hexmag was founded in 2013 and started out as a 3D design and printing of an AR-15 magazine. At that time 3D printing was quite popular. They went on to refine the design and with feedback from their local gun community they decided to move forward and produce their own magazine. In March of 2014, the company sold their first HX30-AR magazine. According to Hex mag, their “Patent Pending design provides a superior grip that is missing on other magazines. The tool-less hexagon shaped latch plate release button made a perfect platform to introduce color. The Hex ID color system was founded on the principal that gun owners purchase multiple types of ammo and like preloaded magazines. With the creation of Hexmag and the HexID System colors, all other marking methods are replaced with styling, which complements our rifles.” They offer follower and floor plates in orange, black, pink, yellow, green and blue.

For compatibility purposes, the Puritan was tested with Hexmag, PMag, Hera Arms, Lancer AWM, HK High Reliability/polymer, ASC, Surefire 60-round and standard GI magazines. There were a total of 500 rounds of Black Hills Ammunition 55gr FMJ rounds fired through the rifle for function testing – some of which were fired fully automatic. The P15 upper was placed on a LMT Guardian lower receiver. For accuracy, both Black Hills Ammunition MK262 Mod1 and Remington 77gr OTM ammunition was tested. Throughout the test there were no malfunctions of any type with any of the magazines or ammunition. The best group of the day was 10 rounds of Black Hills Ammunition 77gr OTM at 100 yards with all rounds within 1 MOA. The MSRP of the Puritan is $1,499.

The second rifle tested by SADJ was the P-308 Gen 4 rifle. These models are chambered primarily in 7.62x51mm but can also be purchased in 6.5 Creedmoor and .243 Winchester. Like the Puritan, the fit and finish is immaculate with attention to every detail. This rifle is a Gen 4, which has all the latest and best of all features offered by POF.

The POF Puritan that was sent for Test & Evaluation. Notice the mid-length Magpul MOE handguard and the standard A2-style compensator. This is POF’s entry level rifle using standard forged upper and lower receivers. Also note the Hexmag magazine that arrived at the same time as the rifles.

Beginning at the rear of the rifle, the receiver extension has a total of 7 positions for the stock to adjust. The receiver extension, which is also designed and manufactured by POF, has the anti-tilt ram on the front of the receiver extension along with the alignment tab for the buffer extension to keep the stock in the proper position. The buffer is longer than the standard carbine and is designed for use in the custom length POF receiver extension. The stock on the rifle is the Magpul STR stock.

The lower receiver is cut from a billet of 7075 T6 aluminum and has many refinements over the previous generations. There is a nice swell in front of the trigger guard to rest your trigger finger on either side of the receiver. The edges are all rounded and there is a good flare on the magazine well for loading in low level light conditions. The lower is fully ambidextrous. There is a bolt release lever above the magazine release button on the right side of the receiver and there is a magazine release lever below the bolt catch on the left side of the receiver. Also located in the receiver in front of the trigger is a bolt catch lever that can be actuated with the trigger finger just by pushing upward on the lever. There is a receiver tension adjustment screws on the top of the receiver behind the rear takedown pin. The trigger is also the POF drop in non adjustable single stage trigger. The T&E trigger broke at 5 1/4 pounds. Also included are custom-fit stainless steel KNS Precision Anti-walk Pins. The pistol grip is the Magpul MOS grip. Included is the POF ambidextrous safety as well. The trigger guard is part of the lower receiver and is oversized to accept heavy gloves. The magazine is the standard AR-10/SR-25-type magazine.

The charging handle is of POF design with knurled edges on the front and rear permitting easier and more positive grip whether you are right or left handed.

One of the newest magazines on the market is the Hexmag. The main difference between these and others are the ability to color code the follower and lock plate. The color would be visible to the shooter and that color can stand for a specific type of ammunition or a different caliber. The magazines are very well made and in the Puritan rifle worked flawlessly.

The bolt carrier is manufactured similarly to the P15. However, there are no mil-specs for the 7.62 bolt carrier group and there is no place to put the gas rings. The extractor does make use of the rubber “O” ring. The bolt is chrome plated although the bolt carrier is nickel plated. The roller cam pin is used in this model as well.

The upper receiver is manufactured from a billet of 7075 T6 aluminum. There is a forward assist and a fired cartridge case deflector. The ejection port cover also has an American Flag and says “God Bless America.”

The 7.62x51mm caliber 14.5 inch barrel is manufactured from 4150 chrome vanadium Mil-V-11595 steel and is Nitride heat treated. The rifling has 5R with 1 turn in 10 inch twist. The barrel profile is fluted to decrease weigh and increase surface area to aid in radiating heat. Pinned and welded to the barrel is a POF designed and manufactured triple port muzzle brake. The barrel nut is POF’s oversized heat sink barrel nut. The barrel nut completely encompasses the chamber and throat area of the chamber. It also supports the operating rod. The rifle uses a mid-length gas system, which is far more ideal than the standard carbine length gas system as there is more dwell time, which gives the cartridge case more time to contract down to allow for easier extraction. The Puritan barrel comes standard with E Square technology in the chamber. This rifle can be purchased with 12.5, 14.5, 16.5 and 20 inch barrel lengths.

Bolt carrier group of the Puritan. Notice the one-piece construction of the bolt carrier as well as the POF Roller Cam Pin. The bolt is a standard chrome plated bolt. The bolt carrier is NP3 coated.

The gas block is drilled and pinned in place. The handguard covers the gas block. It is Nitride heat treated.

The gas volume is controlled by the gas valve instead of the gas port, which will ensure constant cyclic rate throughout the life of the firearm. The gas valve is locked in place by a spring loaded pin. If the carbon build up is heavy the face of the valve is grooved to accept a cartridge case rim to give additional leverage to remove a difficult gas valve. The gas valve has three positions: a normal mode of fire, suppressed mode of fire and a complete
shut off position.

The handguard used is the POF Modular Railed Receiver. This is a two-piece upper receiver with a free floating monolithic rail and handguard that precisely interfaces with the POF reinforced “backbone” receiver. This takes stress away from the bolt area and eliminates flex where the operating rod, charging handle and bolt carrier sit. This not only managed the platforms points of stress but they strengthen the entire upper receiver.

The POF drop in trigger group. The KNS anti-walk pins hold the hammer and trigger pin in place.

The rifle came supplied with one Magpul PMag. At the time this rifle arrived, so did the brand new Lancer L7 AWM magazine. Just released, this is a smoke colored translucent 20-round 7.62x51mm caliber magazine. Molded into the polymer is a steel insert that wraps around the top and includes the magazine catch area. You have a metal magazine catch on the rifle that now engages a metal slot in the magazines. Molded in are two nice gripping grooves. Lancer Systems has been one of the leading high quality magazine manufacturers in the industry.

The rifle was tested with the new Lancer L7, Magpul PMag, Knight’s Armament and AASC magazines. Prior to testing this rifle, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s office had put over 35,000 rounds through their 14.5 inch selective fire P308 throughout a 17 month test and the rifle was still shooting 1.5 MOA at 500 yards. The test and evaluation P308 sent to SADJ fired over 400 rounds of Winchester USA M80 Ball ammunition with no malfunctions. Accuracy testing was done with Black Hills and Hornady ammunition. The best group achieved was with Black Hills Ammunition 7.62x51mm 175gr OTM with a group .430 inches with 3 rounds.

If you are looking for a rifle that has been fully developed and in a class of its own, POF is the rifle you want. Like all high end gear there is a high price; but you are getting something totally refined and surpasses mil-spec by light years. You truly get what you pay for.

Right side of the receivers of the P308 Gen4 rifle with the forward assist, ambidextrous bolt catch, KNS anti-walk hammer and trigger pins and the trigger finger rest divot machined into the receiver in front of the trigger. Also note the Lancer L7 translucent polymer magazine.

Left side of the POF P308 Gen 4 rifle with the newly released Lancer L7 translucent polymer magazine. Notice the ambidextrous magazine release.

The Lancer L7 magazine is based on the Lancer Advanced Warfighter Magazine. This magazine is durable and reliable – what you come to expect from Lancer. This magazine was heavily tested in the POF rifle as well as a couple others including a full auto rifle. It ran flawlessly.

We have seen great strengths emerge from the two legacy organizations and are beginning to harness these… in a way that will allow us to operate in a much more agile, proactive, market-oriented way that we hope will really benefit our customers immediately and in the years to come.” Mark Cherpes, FN America
President and CEO

The “legacy organizations” that Cherpes notes are U.S. firearms industry powerhouses FNH USA and FN Manufacturing. Following a merger finalized in October 2014, they are now a single entity under the name FN America, LLC.

The receiver body of a Mk19 grenade launcher undergoing high precision robotic welding operations at the FN Manufacturing plant in Columbia, South Carolina. Computer controlled machining and welding devices are key components of the facility’s well-deserved reputation for highest quality fabrication. (FNH USA/FN America)

While this might seem to be of only passing interest to the legions of admirers and users of the highly respected Belgian firm FN Herstal’s distinguished line of military, law enforcement and sporting arms – many of which have long been in production in the U.S. at FN Manufacturing and all distributed in North America by FNH USA – Cherpes sees significant benefits for the new company and its customers.

“Consolidating our operations in the U.S. has created a unique opportunity for us to gain efficiencies and has opened the door to some exciting new opportunities for growth and profitability,” he said. “This merger will ensure a stronger, more agile organization that is better poised to meet current and future U.S. market challenges.”

Cherpes, elevated to the top position at the new FN America, brings years of experience as FNH USA’s Vice President of Military Operations. He foresees multiple benefits for distributors, dealers and consumers, including streamlined development and production of existing and new products and services.

An indicator of current and future benefits to consumers from this consolidation can be seen in an announced $100 cut in MSRP for a popular model of the striker-fired FNS Pistol line, long being made by FN Manufacturing. Other price reductions are likely.

September 2012, Afghanistan. A U.S. soldier, armed with a compact version of the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon during operations in Kandahar province. The M249, made by FN Manufacturing, features a cold hammer-forged steel barrel for enhanced accuracy and long life as well as a hard chrome-plated bore and chamber for greater corrosion resistance. (U.S. Army)

Also, of particular importance to major military, law enforcement and commercial firms, Cherpes points out that the merger will also enable the company to better manage the complete product and customer care lifecycles.

Herstal Group

While FN America, its U.S. operation, is a distinct entity, it is a subsidiary of Fabrique Nationale Herstal. FNH is known worldwide for 125 years as a leader in the development and manufacturing of reliable, innovative, high-quality firearms for military, law enforcement and commercial customers. A pioneer in innovative firearms technology since the days of John M. Browning, FN supplies a variety of products to customers in more than 100 countries worldwide.

FNH itself is part of the Herstal Group, along with FNH USA, Browning North America (Morgan, UT) and Browning International (Herstal, Belgium). FN Herstal also has manufacturing facilities in Viana, Portugal and Miroku, Japan. The Herstal Group employs more than 2,500 people worldwide, of which more than 1,000 are in the U.S.

FNH USA’s FN 15 Rifle, built by FN Manufacturing, is almost identical externally to the Army’s current-issue M16A2. While most of the M16 family of weapons has been made for the U.S. Armed Forces by Colt, U.S. based FN Manufacturing is now making and supplying the American military’s M16 and M4 family. (FNH USA/FN America)

Its new FN America, operating in four U.S. locations, employs approximately 500 people, offers customers in the U.S. a portfolio of products, training and support services under the well-established FNH USA brand name.

Headquarters, Development and Manufacturing

In addition to its headquarters in McLean, Virginia, FN America also has a Development and Technical Center (DEVTEC) in Fredericksburg, Virginia and manufacturing operations in Columbia, South Carolina.

Its sprawling, state-of-the-art, ISO 9001 certified manufacturing complex produces a wide range of small arms for the U.S. military such as Mk19 grenade machine guns, M249 SAW, Mk46, Mk48, M240, M240C, M240D, M240E1, M240H, M240B, and M240L machine guns, as well as M4/M4A1 carbines and M16 rifles.

May 2007, Iraq. USMC Sergeant Christopher Mc Cabe fires his M16A4 rifle during monthly range training at Camp Korea Village. FN underbid Colt to take over production of M16 series rifles in 1988, becoming its sole supplier to the U.S. Armed Forces. (USMC)

Particularly noteworthy from the listing above are two metaphorical earthquakes that shook the world of U.S. military rifle makers. Way back in 1988, FN underbid Colt to take over production of Uncle Sam’s M16 series rifles, and in 2013 got the M4 series carbine contract. Since then, hundreds of thousands of these U.S. military standard infantry shoulder weapons have rolled off the production lines at FN Manufacturing.

Consider how there is little doubt that this figures into the somewhat belated but now most welcome decision for FNH USA to recently begin offering semiautomatic versions of these for civilian sales such as the new FN 15 Carbine.

In addition to making small arms for the U.S. military, FN America’s South Carolina plant builds FN’s commercial handguns including the FNX series of hammer-driven pistols, the FNS line of striker-fired pistols, and the FN 15 Rifle and Carbine line of modern sporting rifles. All of these made and marketed under the FNH USA brand.

Its U.S. warehousing, warranty department and repair facility is located in Arnold, MO.

A technician at FN Manufacturing performs final assembly operations on an M240 machine gun. The company makes all versions of this well respected and ultra reliable weapon for the U.S. Armed Forces. (FNH USA/FN America)

Cold Hammer Forged

Carrying forward FN’s more than a century of arms manufacturing experience; FNH USA has long since perfected the cold hammer forging process to ensure accuracy and durability.

Current US M-series machine gunners enjoy the extreme durability and long range accuracy of FN’s cold hammer forged barrels. Now, civilian AR owners who covet these tough, precision barrels can have this wish come true.

“With the addition of this new AR-15 commercial barrel line, FN customers now have the option of upgrading their standard AR-15 barrel to an FN,” said Ken Pfau, Senior Vice President of Commercial and Law Enforcement Sales. “This will allow shooters to customize their AR-15 platforms with top-notch components that give them a great return on investment both on and off the range.”

FN AR-15 barrels are hammer forged using the same proprietary high-grade Chrome Moly Venadium steel used in FN’s venerable machine gun barrels produced to handle the punishment of sustained fully-automatic fire.

FN Manufacturing makes the full line of 7.62 NATO caliber M240 machine guns, including the remarkable M240L (Light), incorporating titanium construction and alternative manufacturing methods. At 21.8 pounds, the M240L short barrel variant is 5.4 pounds lighter than the M240B. (U.S. Army PEO Soldier)

After forging, each barrel is magnetic particle tested to ensure that it is free of micro-stresses or flaws, resulting in consistency and quality in every barrel shipped from the factory. The bore and chamber are chrome lined to help resist corrosion and provide resistance to heat erosion, which greatly improves barrel life and reliable chambering/extraction.

The M4 style feed ramp and barrel extension provide consistent feeding and the matte black Manganese Phosphate finish resists external corrosion and oxidation.

Available in popular lengths and configurations from 14.5 to 20 inches, MSRP ranges from $349 to $379.

March 2009, Camp Atterbury, Indiana. A U.S. army soldier, training for overseas deployment, fires a 40mm Mk19 automatic grenade launcher at derelict target tanks. FN Manufacturing makes the Mk19 for the U.S. Department of Defense. (U.S. Army)

Team FNH USA

Success in shooting competitions underscores what the company calls its all-around “Distinct Advantage.” The goal of Team FNH USA is to enhance the company’s products during competition and promote sportsmanship, integrity and respect for the shooting sports.

Comprised of some of the world’s best competitive shooters, members include police officers, state troopers, FNH USA employees and stay-at-home moms. All bring a love of the sport, appreciation of our Second Amendment rights and dedication to grow shooting sports for old and young alike.

The full line of products from FN Herstal and FNH USA are available to military, government and qualified law enforcement entities. Certain weapons and accessories are available for commercial sales to individuals through authorized dealers nationwide.

The website at www.fnhusa.com provides detailed information. Or telephone (885) 5-FNHUSA (Virginia, Eastern U.S. Time Zone).

February 2004, Fallujah, Iraq. Armed with a first generation Colt M4 carbine, this 82nd Airborne Division radioman monitors message traffic. The new FN 15 Carbine is based on this combat classic, serving the Army since 1994 and still going strong in updated versions. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Charles Johnson)

FN 15 Carbine: Live Firing FNH USA’s First M4 Clone

by SADJ Staff Writer

“The new FN 15 product line of modern sporting rifles incorporates all of the best features and benefits FN has developed over the last 125 years of our history and expertise in building high-quality and reliable firearms that are well-known around the world. We are pleased to bring this new line to our customers looking for the latest in FN technology to add to their collection. With this addition, FN now offers our customers robust and affordable products in all categories, whether they are looking to purchase a product for personal defense or use in the pursuit of sport or competitive shooting activities.” FNH USA news release

An AR-15 type semiautomatic rifle and carbine are the first two versions in the new FN 15 product line, unveiled in 2014 and likely to be offered with upgraded options at the 2015 SHOT Show. Both weapons closely resemble their current U.S. military, selective-fire counterparts that were originally made by Colt but are now in production by FN under U.S. Department of Defense contracts.

Seen here in the hands of a currently-serving U.S. army soldier in simulated convoy security battle drills, the FN 15 Carbine is identified by its forward hand guard that is rounded like first generation M4s. Light, compact and fast handling, it is well suited for urban warfare and motorized combat operations. (Robert Bruce)

The light and handy 5.56mm NATO caliber FN 15 Carbine version is the focus of this hands-on evaluation, featuring a 16-inch chrome-lined, alloy steel, military profile barrel. Its textured polymer forearm and butt stock are both matte black, and the stock is collapsible into six positions for individual preferences, making the total length 31.9 inches at its shortest and 35.2 inches
at its longest.

The FN 15 Carbine also features an A2-style compensator and a 1:7-inch RH rifling twist rate. It comes with fixed A2-style front sights, a removable M4-style rear carrying handle with adjustable sight, and one GI pattern 30-round aluminum magazine.

The FN 15 Carbine, immediately identified by its large, laser-engraved FN logo on the magazine well, accepts all GI pattern magazines including the 30-rounder seen here. Green tips indicate the ammunition is current issue 62 grain M855 cartridges, ballistically matched with the weapon’s 1 in 7 inch rifling twist. (Robert Bruce)

A Close Look

FN America, the new consolidation of U.S. operations of Belgium’s FN Herstal, provided a sample FN 15 Carbine on loan for our evaluation. The weapon arrived in the usual heavy cardboard shipping box along with standard accessories including a 30-round magazine, removable carry handle and operators manual.

Our overall impression of the weapon was favorable, with points awarded for workmanship, fit and nicely matching satin black anodized finish on the upper and lower receivers. Its matte black phosphate protected barrel is made in the familiar M4 contours with a distinctive recessed collar for mounting an M203 grenade launcher. At the necessary 16 inches for conventional civilian legal purposes, it is only slightly longer than that of its military counterpart.

The very large, laser-engraved FN logo on the right side of the magazine well jumps out at the observer in raw aluminum-silver color against the black background. While a notable departure from the military versions, it is, no doubt, a selling point for many of us who are attracted to FN’s long and distinguished line of weaponry.

Left side view of the FN 15 Carbine allows a careful evaluation of the weapon’s M4 inspiration. Most notable are the telescoping buttstock, flat top receiver with detachable carrying handle, rounded hand guard, short barrel with indentation for grenade launcher attachment, and “birdcage” flash suppressor. (FNH USA/FN America)

Field stripping the carbine is done in the traditional manner as taught to countless soldiers, marines and others beginning with the Vietnam War. In the process, observations and commentary for this feature were provided by a gunsmith from Virginia-based Freedom Forge Armory with extensive experience with both civilian and military versions of the AR-15.

This exercise gave us the opportunity for a close look at the all-important internals, principally the bolt carrier group. No surprises here; a sturdy and well machined assembly, strictly conforming to Eugene Stoner’s innovative multi-lug, rotating, direct gas operated AR-15 pattern that runs the entire M16 family.

Its nicely machined and aligned M4 type feed ramps at the junction of the barrel extension and upper receiver are important details to assist with reliable feeding in fast semi-auto fire from a wide variety of magazines.

The ability to clamp on supplementary sighting devices like this Aimpoint Patrol Rifle Optic is an important advantage of AR platforms with flat top upper receivers. (Robert Bruce)

While the lower receiver closely resembles its military brothers, selector settings are marked on both sides for SEMI and SAFE only, with civilian-legal parts inside. The “high shelf” internal cavity is narrowed at the top rear to block drop-in installation of most “auto sear” devices for illegal-when-unregistered automatic fire.

Crisp CNC machined markings indicate the serial number, nomenclature and the surprising designation of caliber as MULTI. This might be because it is an early version receiver, interchangeable for the rifles and carbines, marked with an eye toward calibers other than standard 5.56mm NATO.

The FN 15 Carbine’s field-strip parts layout is familiar to all who have experience with any version of the AR-15/M16.

Clarifications, Please

In the process of close examination of the FN 15 Carbine some questions arose that were conveyed to FN America’s press office. Here’s what we asked and what we got in the way of answers.

The FN 15 Carbine features M4 style feed ramps that extend as needed into the upper receiver. This facilitates reliable, high cycle cartridge feeding from both top positions in standard GI staggered double column magazines, even with weak springs. (Robert Bruce)

SAR: Why “button broached” rifling in the barrel instead of FN’s signature “cold hammer forging ?”

FN America: FN America produces the button broached (barrels) used in the FN 15 Carbine and Rifle. It was selected because the original M4 contract specified a button broached barrel.

SAR: Why a smooth and ribbed handguard instead of the more popular (and more “M4ish”) quad rail type that FN is making for the current U.S. Army M4A1 contract?

FN America: The FN 15 series was built as a basic, entry level AR platform that provided the user the most bang for his/her buck coupled with the ability to add their own aftermarket upgrades.

SAR: Noting hints in sales literature for the product line, what changes or “improvements” to the FN 15 carbine and rifle are under consideration?

FN America: Future FN 15 variants will be offered with extended rails, cold hammer-forged barrels and other options. There will also be AR-15 barrels and upper/lower receiver options sold as accessories to the FN 15 line.

SAR: Having noted a small, distinctive “keyhole” icon cast in the upper and lower receivers, is FN making these?

FN America: (no reply).

SAR: Is FN making the bolt carrier group?

FN America: (no reply).

A digital gauge shows that the single stage trigger “breaks” at 7 pounds, 12 ounces, following the usual military standard of 7 to 8 pounds of pull. (Robert Bruce)

On The Range

Assisted by a currently-serving U.S. Army NCO with recent combat experience carrying an M4, we put the FN 15 Carbine through a live fire evaluation on a local range. Steps included “zeroing” the weapon and then firing it from various positions and distances with green tip M855 ammo.

We also fed the carbine with a variety of different 5.56mm cartridges including some old type M193, soft point hunting loads and steel cased Russian ammo. It all worked fine.

The sergeant pronounced it “good” in handling, performance and accuracy, while saying he missed having full automatic capability… Our turn confirmed his observations, with the practical note that a semiautomatic weapon can be legally owned by most American citizens with no expensive permits needed.

Bottom line is the FN 15 Carbine is a worthy entry in the increasingly crowded field of M4 type weapons from dozens of manufacturers. While others may be priced lower or higher, those who have a particular affinity for the FN line will want one.


What’s Next?


Recognizing that many customers want something that looks and performs closer to the Army’s product improved M4A1, in production by FNH USA, we look forward to seeing what changes or improvements to the FN 15 Rifle and Carbine might be showcased at the 2015 SHOT Show.


(Special thanks to Freedom Forge Armory, New Kent, Virginia, for handling the transfer, for sharp eyed technical evaluation, and for combat experienced, hands-on performance testing of the FN 15 Carbine sample. Find Freedom Forge Armory LLC on Facebook. Email freedomforgearmory@comcast.net).

Pull the rear disassembly pin from left to right and it will remain captive in the lower receiver. Pivot the upper receiver open, pull the rear pin out and separate the assemblies. (Robert Bruce)

Pull rearward on the charging handle and remove the bolt carrier group. (Robert Bruce)

The FN 15 Carbine’s bolt carrier assembly is essentially the same as that of all other AR-15 series weapons. Notches on the side engage with the forward assist plunger. (Robert Bruce)

The FN 15 Carbine’s bolt carrier assembly is essentially the same as that of all other AR-15 series weapons. Notches on the side engage with the forward assist plunger. (Robert Bruce)

The buffer and its coiled spring are housed in the tubular extension at the rear of the upper receiver. It arrests rearward movement of the bolt carrier on firing and sends it forward to chamber another round. (Robert Bruce)

Although semiautomatic only, the lower receiver of the FN 15 Carbine is nearly identical to that of the military version. (Robert Bruce)

One notable exception in the lower receiver is this narrowed opening at the top. This blocks installation of commercially made “auto sear” devices for full automatic fire. (Robert Bruce)

Removing the hand guards reveals the stainless steel gas tube that channels propellant gas into the bolt carrier assembly. (Robert Bruce)

Removing the hand guards reveals the stainless steel gas tube that channels propellant gas into the bolt carrier assembly. (Robert Bruce)

The FN 15 Carbine’s field strip layout is the same as the military M4. (Top to bottom, left to right): Carrying handle/rear sight assembly, upper hand guard, charging handle, upper receiver and barrel group, buffer assembly, bolt carrier assembly, lower hand guard, telescoping buttstock, lower receiver assembly and 30-round magazine. (Robert Bruce)

GD-OTS .338NM Lightweight Medium Machine Gun doubles standard issue M240B in range and hitting power

Vast, open distances encountered by U.S. military combat troops in Afghanistan, when engaged by hostile forces situated on higher ground, illustrated a gap in squad-level machine gun capability. General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) of Vermont hopes to bridge this gap with its Lightweight Medium Machine Gun (LWMMG) offering that was on display at Modern Day Marine, 2014.

Clipped on to a Mk47 40mm grenade launcher, GD-OTS showed off its internally funded Crew Served Weapons Fire Control System (FCS) at the Marine Corps Expo. Not formally adapted for U.S. military use, the type has been tested and suggestions for improvements have been implemented.

Developing a weapon with comparable ergonomic handling, portability, size and weight, yet twice the range of the standard M240B machine gun, GD-OTS has seized on a capability gap U.S. forces have experienced in the field. Foot mobile operations restrict weapons to those carried and deployed by individuals, without the additional personnel burden of assistant gunners. Deploying M2 .50 caliber machine guns is unrealistic without mechanized transport. U.S. infantry portable squad machine guns remain at the 7.62 NATO caliber level.

GD-OTS offers its .338NM (Norma Magnum) cartridge firing LWMMG as a bridge between the range and capability of the NATO 7.62 and .50 caliber rounds; one effective against body armor and lightly armored targets out to 1,000 meters. In addition, the weapon is highly effective in the anti-material role, and particularly against slow flying aircraft such as helicopters, due to the .338NM round’s flat trajectory, speed, range and destructive force, well in excess of the M-240B machine gun. While at a comparable weight of 24 lbs, a full 5.5 lbs. less than M240B, the .338NM round’s velocity is twice that of NATO’s standard 7.62 ball round.

Field reports indicate the GD-OTS LWMMG is highly accurate. Aided by the gun’s mitigation system, feel and perceived recoil are reported to be very similar to the current U.S. military issue M240B belt fed machine gun.

A 17mm 640 x 512, 30 Hz thermal imager provides color and night imaging for the GD-OTS FCS. Targeting is aided by ANSI Z136.1 Class 1M laser rangefinder. The FCS holds a target without drift, even as the weapon itself is elevated.

The LWMMG has a quick-change barrel with fixed headspace and timing. Integrated Mil-Std 1913 rails facilitate quick installation of a variety of optics and laser attachments. Ideal for maintenance in harsh field conditions, the LWMMG is field stripped down to six functional groups and no special tools are needed for field-level maintenance.

GD-OTS reports substantial interest in the LWMMG concept within the U.S. military, yet admit the reduced funding situation has delayed system acquisition.

Next Generation Fire Control System (FCS) Ready for Integration

GD-OTS showed off its internally funded Crew Served Weapons Fire Control System (FCS) at the 2014 Modern Day Marine Expo. Displayed clipped to a Mk47 crew served 40mm grenade launcher, the FCS displayed is not yet formally adapted for U.S. military use.

The type has been tested by armed forces end users and suggestions for improvements have been implemented. Users demanded day and night capability, including thermal and infrared. Ability to zoom in closely was also a major request, the GD-OTS team mentioned.

Information is presented to the gunner on a video display interface mounted just above the leaf sight on a Mk47 grenade launcher. The Fire Control System may be used with Mk47 or Mk19 40mm grenade launchers.

Sources at the Expo revealed special operators regard the FCS sight as much an asset as a weapon. The FCS may be used with a Mk47 and Mk19 40mm grenade launchers, M2/M2A1 .50 caliber machine guns are also supported.

Prior to firing an attached weapon, atmospheric conditions are calculated and applied to deliver the most accurate ballistic firing solution possible. Information is presented to the gunner on the FCS video display interface mounted just above the leaf sight on a Mk47 grenade launcher. The FCS provides color and night thermal imaging sighting using 17mm 640 x 512, 30 Hz thermal imager. Targeting is aided by an ANSI Z136.1 Class 1M laser rangefinder. The FCS will hold a target without drift, even as the weapon itself is super elevated; the gunner’s vision is not obscured.

FCS consists of six ruggedized key subsystems, video display, ballistics processor, day optics, night optics, and laser range finder and power system.

The focus of the annual AUSA (Association of the United States Army) show at the Washington, DC Convention Center is always on the newest war fighting technologies. This ranges from aircraft, armored vehicles and logistics support equipment to munitions, firearms and optics. Because of the exorbitant costs associated with research and development, along with the extensive time and resources it requires, most hardware on display is not new technology. Rather, it’s either the refinement of existing technology or the result of off-the-shelf items where adaptive engineering has created a marriage of existing technologies to provide a new capability, or more often, the illusion of something new and revolutionary.

When walking the floor, one can only cringe at all the “new” AR assault rifle variants being promoted as a better mousetrap. This author confesses to being unimpressed by much of the AR variations; it’s overwhelming and underwhelming at the same time. Most all launch the same 5.56, 6.8 or 7.62 round. They employ a variety of floating barrels, conventional barrels, conventional and mono-uppers and lowers, hundreds of different fore ends, and exotic metallurgy and composites. Their operating systems are either clones, or close variants, of Gene Stoner’s traditional AR gas operating system, or Mikhail Kalashnikov’s short stroke gas piston operating system. Their ergonomics may vary slightly, but most all are adorned with quad Picatinny rails so the “operators” can hang all their “Gucci” lights, lasers and aiming devices on the gun, making it look cool with marginal increase in combat effectiveness and increased dependence on battery power.

Largely because of the cost of R&D and an abundance of competing DoD priorities (translate that to funding), it seems there are few new small arms that reflect invention; or as PEO Soldier says, “game changing technology.” Real game changing technology is always hard to develop and it’s always expensive. That’s because pushing the limits of engineering and science is always involved. We have, therefore, turned our attention away from the AR variants in search of invention with other types of potential.

L2J1PG comes as a short AR-style pistol grip mount for the M203. (Courtesy of LMT)

FLIR Systems, Inc. really knocked it out of the ballpark this year with their new HISS-XLR rail clip-on thermal weapon sight. This sight allows target classification and engagement at ranges up to 2,000 meters (environment permitting). The XLR uses a cryogenically cooled infrared detector housed in a closed circuit cryogenic micro-cooler that has no moving parts. Unlike other cryogenically cooled infrared detectors, the XLR’s Dewar doesn’t require recharging. The advantage of a cryogenically-cooled detector is its high sensitivity and resolution over the uncooled variety. Those attributes, coupled with a high definition organic LED (OLED) display screen, provides a remarkably tighter and cleaner presentation to the user. The XLR is weatherproof and will reliably operate in all environmental extremes ranging from arctic to desert.

FLIR also showcased their first mobile phone-based consumer product. FLIR ONE is the world’s first personal thermal camera for iPhone 5 and 5S that
incorporates FLIR’s groundbreaking Lepton-Camera Core. Lepton is the smallest IR camera available today and FLIR developed it at their expense. It contains an uncooled, long wave, 80×60 pixel low-resolution sensor. FLIR ONE is about the same dimensions as the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 simply slides into the FLIR ONE sleeve, an operating app is downloaded into the iPhone, and you’re in business with your own powerful infrared imager that operates as if it’s an integral part of your iPhone. FLIR ONE is powered by its own rechargeable battery and draws no power from the iPhone. The iPhone powers the app and itself. The thermal image is viewed on the iPhone’s screen like any other image, except FLIR ONE has 7 different colored screens that can be selected by the swipe of your finger. This selection aids in finding the best viewing color unique to a particular target and its surroundings. It also has a “thermies” capability that accurately measures the temperature of the target within +/-1 degree C up to a range of 15 feet. FLIR ONE is an affordable, user friendly, serious IR imaging capability that anyone can purchase with uses only limited by the imagination.

Prox Dynamics (PD), a Norwegian world leading Nano UAV manufacturing firm, located right outside Oslo, Norway, debuted their PD-100T Black Hornet PRS (Personal Reconnaissance System). This is the night capability version of the PD-100 that has been in operational service in Afghanistan for over two years. The PD-100T has integrated a thermal and daylight camera with fused imagery that will provide warfighters with a low or no light tactical ISR capability and it provides full night/low-light thermal real-time video and high definition snapshots that are relayed back to the base station. The complete PD-100 system consists of three parts; a base station with a seven inch view screen (although there is an option for a head-mounted monitor), a pocket transport package containing two nano-helicopters, and a multi-voltage charging and transport unit. Interestingly, the T camera carried in the PD-100T helicopter is the miniature FLIR Lepton camera described above. The self-stabilizing nano-helicopter only weighs 18 grams (less than an ounce). It has a range of about a mile with a 25 minute flight endurance between charges. It flies at a speed of about 10 knots and can negotiate wind gusts up to 20 knots with a service ceiling of 8,500 feet ASL (above sea level), though the operational altitude will normally be in the range of 10-300 feet AGL (above ground level). The helicopter can be manually directed using the control unit, or programmed to fly a given route based upon GPS waypoints. When the helicopter gets low on power it automatically sends the user a low battery message and will return to the control unit automatically (a hands off homing feature) for easy recovery. These nano-helicopters are slightly larger than a common dragonfly (insect) making them virtually invisible and inaudible beyond short distances. Like the FLIR ONE, uses for this affordable and powerful capability are only limited by the imagination.

U.S. Ordnance’s M60E6 performance rivals the M240 machine gun. (Courtesy of U.S. Ordnance)

An elegantly simple, yet inventive design manufactured by Lewis Machine and Tool Company (LMT) in Milan, Illinois, is an anodized aluminum adapter stock that allows a standard M203, 40mm grenade launcher to be mounted to it without any modification or special tools and used as a dedicated grenade launcher much like the M79. The stock comes in two variants: the L2H1PG has a full-length six position SOPMOD stock and AR-style pistol grip, and the L2J1PG comes as a short AR-style pistol grip mount, minus the shoulder stock. This means any agency with M203s can now employ them as a lightweight, rucksack or sling-carry stand-alone, without having to dedicate their ARs to the additional bulk and weight of a permanently mounted M203. Better, the M203 can be quickly removed from the Lewis stock and returned to the AR if desired. No modifications are required of the M203. Available to Federal agencies and law enforcement, this simple, low cost, interoperability solution affords them M203 new mission versatility.

A firearms attention getter this year (and exception to the AR boredom the author was experiencing) was a tactical submachine gun built by the Turkish arms manufacturer, Sarsilmaz: the SAR 109 T submachine gun chambered in 9mm NATO. Its blowback operating system fires from the closed bolt at a rate of 900-1,000 rounds per minute. Its hammer forged 6 polygonal rifled barrel has a right hand twist that offers a spin length of 1/10 inches. The upper and lower are milled from 7075 aluminum. The gun has a telescopic stock, a quad rail, and offers the same ergonomics in stock, grip and safety/fire that the familiar AR-style rifles have. Sarsilmaz offers both 20- and 30-round steel and 30-round polymer magazines, along with sturdy folding front and rear detachable sights. This deadly little sub-gun will reliably and accurately spoil your opponents’ day at ranges out to 100 yards. Put a sound suppresser on the muzzle and its special purpose mission application for close quarter battle, e.g., ship boarding, building clearance, or as an aircrew PDW, is obvious.

Those reading this who think the M60 machine gun is no longer a viable battlefield 7.62 machine gun – raise your hands. No matter what you think you should visit U.S. Ordnance and take a close look at their new M60E6. With an advertised 100,000 round life expectancy and comparable performance to the M240, the M60E6 is a refined and lethally thoughtful weapon work of art. Being a vintage Vietnam warrior myself, I cut my combat teeth with the M60. We shortened the barrels, took the butt stocks off and removed the bipod and carrying handle. These crude measures cut a bunch of weight off the otherwise truculent M60 and improved its handling in the dense jungles. The new M60E6 has it all. In addition to its 30% better feed pull, it has extended feed paws that protrude above the feed tray to prevent the linked ammo belts from falling out of the tray while the top cover is open when reloading. The carrying handle has been lightened and moved from the receiver to the Stellite-lined barrel, allowing the quick change of a hot barrel without the use of gloves. A Picatinny rail is located on the top cover and 3, 6 and 9 o’clock rails adorn the lightweight fore grip, providing plenty of space for accessory attachment. Most subtle (and brilliant), the gun’s gas piston is now reversible (it can’t be put in the wrong way). That, in itself, is worth a high five from every M60 gunner who ever carried one.

HISS-XLR rail clip-on thermal weapon sight. (Courtesy of FLIR Systems, Inc.)

Overall, the M60E6 is lighter, more compact, more ergonomic, more ambidextrous, and easier to handle than ever before. Will the U.S. military ever give up on the M240 and return to the M60 as its main 7.62 machinegun? Probably not for a variety of reasons, but that isn’t stopping other armies like the Danish Army, who have recently selected this fine machine gun as the replacement for its aging MG-3s.

Last, a discussion about General Atomics’ railgun technology is in order. Unlike a coilgun, which employs a series electromagnetic coils triggered sequentially at precise times, a railgun uses two bus bars (rails) to conduct the current lineally along the barrel (not bore) through a cross-connector (armature) that turns the current from one rail and back down the other. The force generated is analogous to that of the hydraulic force that straightens a curved fire hose. Railgun-fired projectiles ride the inside of the launch barrel in a sabot – the projectile itself is not in contact with the barrel. As the projectile exits the barrel, the sabot is stripped away from the projectile by aerodynamic lift, and the high velocity projectile is on its way to the target. A typical target can be a missile, a floating platform or something land based. Current railguns are large systems that require large power generators and capacitor storage banks. Using current technology, (Navy funded for shipboard application), a land based system would require two mammoth M1070 tractor-trailer units that each carry generators, thermal management apparatus, a battery unit and pulse power unit. These two trailers plug into a third tractor-trailer unit that carries the railgun, ammunition magazine and fire control system. This railgun system is based on shipboard installation requirements, where volume is less precious. General Atomics is working to reduce the size of land-based mobile systems, but for now, it’s big, but it’s also “bad!” The Railgun can shoot a multipurpose projectile over a hundred miles with pinpoint accuracy several times a minute. Future versions can even shoot ballistic missiles out of their in-bound trajectory prior to reentry. The railgun’s long-range projectiles have a guided capability that gives them their pinpoint accuracy and allows them to adjust their path in flight. There are even special projectiles used for space targets that contain small maneuver-thrusters for steering/course correction in a
non-air environment.

The importance of this emerging railgun technology to the future battle-space is that it provides a single weapon with a multi-role capability. Its elimination of propellant, high capacity (deep magazine), and low engagement cost, along with its minimum requirement for kinetic kill energetics, significantly reduces it logistics tail. Its precision accuracy in air and missile defense, counterbattery fire and surgical strike additionally offer a low potential for collateral damage. As this technology is perfected, we will undoubtedly see it shrink in size, but will it ever become man-portable? The scientific answer is that this technology will be refined and, at some point, it will become smaller, lighter and modular. That said, it will reach a point where the laws of physics will limit the reduction of its size and it can go no smaller. Man portability may never be attained, but robot modular portability potentially could if such a capability was seen as operationally justifiable and cost effective. More exciting however, is the likely refinement in its accuracy and capability through the use of super sophisticated fire control computers that are interoperable with other powerful target detection and direction systems. While General Atomics flatly refuses to discuss the potential (and understandably so), there is no reason why this gun couldn’t be used to shoot hostile satellites out of space orbit (with little to no attack signature). There is also probably no reason why, if fired from a sea based, or friendly country’s mobile platforms, it couldn’t be used to shoot down hostile ICBMs during the boost stage, or the orbital phase, or take out the launch facility all together. Again, the imagination is the limit for this technology.

So closes this year’s AUSA adventure, but stay tuned, there are many other exciting technologies and applications to discuss in future articles.

FLIR ONE and iPhone 5. (Courtesy of FLIR)

Since the Danish Army has now fully adopted the M60E6, we decided it was time to bring this innovative and well thought out machine gun to our readers. Matt Babb and I showed up with our woolies and repeated our foray into the cold Reno winter air and put the hammer down on two versions of U.S. Ordnance’s M60E6… and were pleasantly surprised.

The M60 General Purpose Machine Gun (the “Pig” in ‘Nam talk) was born in the post-World War II era and was actually inspired by the German MG42 machine gun, among other designs. The U.S. government was looking for a replacement for both the M1918A2 BAR and the M1919A4 LMG. Both weapons were very reliable and had served well in training and combat for 30 years. Both the Ordnance Board and Aberdeen Proving Ground had noted the advantages of some of the lighter weight weapons made by the Germans; notably the MG42 and FG42 machine guns, and began experimenting. Students of historical firearms will of course recognize the operating system of the Lewis machine gun as well. The first forebears of the M60 were somewhat odd designs in .30-06 caliber, and by 1951 the M60 GPMG was born as the T161. (Many of the tests, designs, and photos of these early M60s are archived online at www.smallarmsreview.com). Interestingly, there are a small number of these T161 machine guns registered in the civilian community in the U.S. It wasn’t until 1957 that the M60 was adopted into service by the U.S. Army, in caliber 7.62x51mm, as the Squad Automatic Weapon that paralleled the M14 rifle in caliber. Now, the service had maintained a battle rifle and machine gun in the same caliber.

This author has had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing some of the designers of the M60 back in the 1980s, and gained some insight into the thought process and requirement that the designers went through. One engineer explained that the M60 was designed as a modular system in which parts could be easily replaced and the receiver had a life that was specified to be 100,000 rounds. All military firearms have life cycles that are assigned to them, and these are expected replacement points. For example, the M249 receiver has a stated life of 50,000 rounds, and the M240 receiver is 60,000 rounds. The technical specifications on the M60 called for a 60,000 round life, but the designers had targeted 100,000 rounds. There are cases where the robust yet heavier M240 machine guns are known to have fired in excess of 2 million rounds without receiver repair, and the M60 had a receiver stretch gage issued to armorers. During the Vietnam War, U.S. troops gradually integrated the M60 into the fighting units but one tactic evolved that the designers had never foreseen: door gun use on helicopters as daily duty. It was not unusual for an M60 to be used on daily missions where the treelines around perimeters would be pounded for 5-6,000 rounds in a day before landing in an LZ. Clearly, many of these M60s would be facing terminal life at a month’s use, but they soldiered on. Quite a few of these worn out guns were donated to Central American fighters in the 1980s, and this has led to legends about how “Bad” the M60 was. The fact is, the M60 GPMG was a very reliable machine gun, and while it had its problems, it was quite popular and faithful to the machine gunner who kept it clean and properly lubed. Speaking as someone with long experience with the M60, this author can state without hesitation that the M60 was much easier to field. The rounded edges and lighter weight than its predecessor M1919A6, or the M240 that succeeded it, made it far more comfortable to carry, and it was simpler to work on in the field and operate under fire than the M1919A6. Of course, the M1918A2 was an Automatic Rifleman’s weapon in a squad, limited to 20-round magazines, so even though the M60 was to replace it as well as the M1919A6, it truly was used in a different role.

In the 1980s, Saco Defense (manufacturers of the M60 included Springfield Armory and the variations of Maremont Corporation, ending with General Dynamics) was involved in some JSSAP upgrade programs, and the “E3” was born. A lot of reliability changes were made, but one change that was global in effect on the system was moving the bipod from the barrel to the receiver group. It was a nightmare to try to change the barrel on the “Pig” under fire, keeping a low profile, because the weapon had to be supported and moved off of the bipod and a new barrel installed. This is why most operators report that they never changed a barrel in a firefight (although, to be honest, very few operators on a small unit level will EVER change a barrel in a firefight; it’s lost time and not something you think about in the heat of battle). With the advent of the M60E3, this changed. Another important modification was that in the E3 top cover, the feed cam was changed so that the cover could be closed with the bolt forward and then charged. With the old M60, the bolt had to be to the rear in order to close the top cover. Third, the E3 added a two notch operating rod; the second notch was intended to stop the “runaway gun” syndrome with underpowered ammo or when the M60 got very dirty inside.

The E3 was accepted, and upgrade programs began, yet by the 1990s the M240G and M240B were adopted and put into service, with a smaller caliber M249 “SAW” adopted as a belt fed automatic rifle at squad level in the U.S. Army and USMC. The M60E4 was the new competing generation, but it experienced a higher rate of rounds between failures than the M240, thus the services were willing to take the higher weight and length of the M240 series over the M60. (Note that this M60E4 was NOT the same as the M60E4 that is made by U.S. Ordnance today; U.S. Ordnance has a much better design and reliability record on theirs). The M60E4 was adopted in the 1990s by NAVSPECWAR for the Navy SEALS as the MK43 Mod 0, and with its shorter barrel and overall size and weight, has served reliably for over 20 years.

There are literally tens of thousands of M60 GPMG and M60E3 machine guns in service worldwide today. These modular weapon systems are getting tired, and the countries that have them in service are generally looking at replacement programs.

This has driven the duality of our Mil-Spec test design. With the adoption of the M60E6 by the Danish Army, a major Western military has now moved to the newest evolution, so SADJ decided that not only was it time to get this full testing done, but to add the upgraded M60 to the test and run it in parallel. The market for the M60E6 is not just new buyers, it’s complete upgrades to existing inventories in many countries.

As noted, U.S. Ordnance, the subject of this article, has been a military contractor for several decades, and supplies the U.S. M60E4 and U.S. MK43 Mod 0 machine guns, as well as the U.S. M2HB .50 caliber machine gun and a new quick-change barrel M2A2 variant. (We’ll be testing this soon as well). In their new plant in Reno, Nevada, they have the capabilities to manufacture almost any modern weapon system, and the MAG 58/M240 series was a project they recently dove into. That decision was made for them by the many requests from their customers around the world and since the demand was there they would apply their skills to the program and join the market. It was decided not to compete in the U.S. military market as FN Manufacturing and Colt have the longer term contracts; whereas the immediate needs of their foreign customers were an excellent starting point. However, U.S. Ordnance is the manufacturer of the M60 series machine guns and the current counterpart for the U.S. military, so it made economic sense to them to present the E6 upgrade to the U.S. military as well.

U.S. Ordnance has many strong points in their manufacturing capabilities, and they used them all through the production process. The modern U.S. Ordnance plant in Reno, Nevada has almost any capability from R&D to CNC, to “Cutting Chips,” to barrel making, and one of their strongest points is in their heat treating capabilities. They’ve been able to extend the life of many of their parts because of the deep study and knowledge they’ve put into this subject. For example, their operating rod on the M60E4 and E6 programs has a unique longevity for that part due to this knowledge base, and U.S. Ordnance’s induction heat treatment all the way through these parts has had the effect of reducing this wear point significantly. To be honest, it was this particular part that several of us kept checking – all us old M60 guys. That tower on the op rod just gets hammered, and the ones from U.S. Ordnance’s M60E6 program showed no wear at the end of the test. Very impressive, indeed.

M60E6 on the left; M60 to be upgraded on the right. Center is the M60E6 upgrade kit we would use.

This author has been involved with numerous tests over the years, so it was quickly decided to consult with several military and industry testing professionals to work up a regimen that answered the following questions:

1- Is the M60E6 up to Mil-Spec?

2- Will it perform through a U.S. Mil-Spec test?

3- Are the parts interchangeable for full function testing?

4- What are the Mean Rounds Between Failures compared to the old tests?

5- What is the barrel life and how is the dispersion testing?

6- What is the interchangeability with other M60 variants in existing national inventories? Can they be reliably upgraded to E6?

The tests were designed to answer these questions in a proficient and comprehensive manner. We invite our readers to understand that while this type of test sounds like fun, it is in fact a grueling and demanding task with many hours and many people working to keep the details in order to not invalidate the terms of the test. Since we know that U.S. Ordnance’s 100,000 square foot facility is ISO 9001:2008 certified, and are familiar with the production facility, we just went right to getting answers to the questions about the new M60E6.

One of the best ways to check on a production line’s quality control is to switch out the parts on different units and test them. Interchangeability is critical in a machine gun and it was decided to do this test indoors at the U.S. Ordnance facility instead of on the range. Several weapons were disassembled and interchanged, and function testing was fine. This is what was expected from a combat production weapon – that the parts will interchange and function without fitting or modification. U.S. Ordnance has over 15 years of experience as a company and the management/engineering team has experience going back to the 1970s; so this was no surprise and indicated to customers that they can have confidence in these weapons regarding the supply chain. Parts to U.S. Ordnance guns will work in any of their production weapons. This author has seen parts for machine guns made all over the world, and recommends that the end user gain his supply of spares from the Original Equipment Manufacturer, especially an OEM like U.S. Ordnance with very high quality control.

US Ord’s ingenius barrel cooling system consisted of a pipe with nozzles to direct air from a field compressor into the barrels. This really helped speed up the testing time, and didn’t cause the problems encountered with water baths.

Perhaps more important to our test, was taking an original Maremont M60 GPMG and stripping it to the receiver, gaging it, and rebuilding it with modern U.S. Ordnance M60E6 parts.

The point of our test was to hammer down on a production E6, and an original “Pig” upgraded to the M60E6 form, and to do this in parallel at the range: Nose to nose, so to speak.

In addition to testing of 100 rounds per minute at intervals and 200 rounds per minute in sustained fire, there is a new test called “Hasty Defense.” This new protocol that USMC and Big Army are planning to implement is 1 minute firing at the cyclic rate of the weapon. In the case of the M60E6, that would be a 650-round continuous burst. Since we were using lightweight barrels, an adjustment had to be made for safety’s sake. We moved Hasty Defense to a 400 round sustained burst.

We chose to fire the Hasty Defense test as part of the main test at the very end of the test. Because of their work with the M60 series machine guns and M2HB machine guns, U.S. Ordnance has Stellite lining capability in-house and the E6 barrels were Stellite lined. Thus, before the final accuracy testing, we chose to “put the hammer down” and end with 400-round bursts. We’re trying to beat on these weapons in a methodical, repeatable test, and find out what they can handle.

Army TM9-1005-224-10, the Operator’s Manual for the M60 GPMG, calls for the following rates of fire:

Sustained: 100 RDS/M (4-5 seconds between burst) – Change barrel every 10 minutes.

Rapid: 200 RDS/M (2-3 seconds between burst) – Change barrel every 2 minutes.

What this Operator Manual describes is not a Mil-Spec “Test,” it’s simply the recommendation for the user for his barrel change times. Additionally, there is the “Hasty Defense” test previously mentioned. We chose to intersperse the Sustained and Rapid rates of fire throughout the tests, to achieve a more homogenous result on both weapons and simulate the changing rates of fire found in real use.

The Main Test:

25,000 rounds through each of two U.S. Ordnance M60E6s

The real benchmark to reach for is reliability. In U.S. government test wording: The machine gun shall demonstrate a Mean Round Between Stoppage (MRBS) of 7,500 rounds and a Mean Round Between Failure (MRBF) of 25,000 rounds over a minimum receiver service life of 50,000 rounds. Barrel life shall be 15,000 rounds minimum. This is a pretty aggressive protocol. As an example, while the U.S. Government specifies this, the results of the 1994 competition between the Saco Defense M60E4 and the FN M240 were more realistic: the M60 had 846 Mean Rounds Between Stoppages and 1,669 Mean Rounds Between Failures, while the M240 (which was adopted) had 2,962 Mean Rounds Between Stoppages and 6,442 Mean Rounds Between Failures. Neither weapon achieved this mythical MRBS or MRBF number.

While the M240 appeared about three times as reliable in these early tests, it’s important to remember that these weapons had very different end uses in mind and the M60E4 was a much lighter and smaller weapon and the E4 variant was not fully evolved. The U.S. Ordnance M60E6 was a much better contender in our tests, as the reader will note below.

In order to properly do the testing, a series of firings at set intervals were to be done with the two M60E6 machine guns; one off the combat production line from U.S. Ordnance, the other an upgraded Maremont M60. These machine guns would have to undergo the grueling test until they each reached 25,000 rounds, and the testers would have to rigidly observe firing, cleaning, and parts replacement requirements from the test protocol. Grueling on the testers as well…

Once the testing started, the protocol had to be observed. Barrel temperature had to be kept within certain ranges, and burst firing had to be kept to the details of the test. We found that the barrels needed to be cooled to about 100 degrees F in order to stay within our barrel change guidelines. Each M60E6 was supplied with three barrels and U.S. Ordnance had designed an air
cooling system for forcing air through the barrels to shorten the process between firings. None of the testers like the idea of cooling barrels in water during a test like this.

The test protocol was the same as used by the U.S. military with some modifications due to the weather:

We used Mil-Spec 7.62x51mm NATO M80 ball ammunition linked 4 ball to one tracer (M62), in 200-round belts. This ammunition was Malaysian manufacture in the 1970s and both U.S. Ordnance and this author have used this ammunition extensively and found it to be extremely reliable. Due to recent lack of ammunition from the main U.S. manufacturers and the long delivery times, we opted to use this ammunition. Unfortunately, this ammunition is reaching the end of its life cycle and a number of ammunition related failures were experienced. (Primer and powder have definite lives defined by their chemistry; depending on how it’s stored relates to longevity). Since these failures to extract or fire, and some double feeds were readily identifiable as ammunition related, they do not count towards MRBS and MRBS. As a test matter to prove that theory, at the 12,000 round point, we switched to 2000s manufacture Lake City ammunition for 1,000 rounds and experienced no problems (but did note an increased cyclic rate).

Accuracy testing was performed at rounds 1, 10,000, 20,000, and 25,000. The first tests had a 5.5 inch spread on 8 rounds at 100 meters range. By the end of the testing, one set of barrels showed a 6.5 inch spread, the other set was 8 inches. A very acceptable performance and we were all pleased with this result and did not consider this a serious degradation.

Many U.S. Ordnance employees are retired or former military. It is a company policy to draw as many veterans into their workforce as possible. This not only works towards their company culture, it is a big “thank you” from U.S. Ordnance to the veterans, and it ensures that the people building the weapons know a lot about those weapons. Jerry Pierson, Retired USMC Infantry Gunnery Sergeant at U.S. Ordnance, and a retired USMC Infantryman, described the production protocol that U.S. Ordnance goes through before shipping machine guns: “In production, accuracy on all raw barrels is checked from a fixture fired 10 rounds, then the barrels go to finish. Then, each barrel is tested on the actual gun for function, 50 rounds per barrel. Then, the gun is tested with 10 lb. belt pull firing 5 rounds simulating lifting a 200 round standard ammo can’s worth. In each shipment of 100-300 guns, one is randomly selected and removed for 1,000 round full test and inspection.” That should explain the quality checks that are being done, and reassure the customer on that issue.

View from the barrel accuracy testing. After 25,000 rounds, none of the barrels had “Spread” the beaten zone for more than about 2 inches at 100 meters. Outstanding performance!

On to the Live Fire

Our firing rates were defined as follows:

200 rounds “slow” was a 7 round burst, then wait 10 seconds and repeat up to 200 rounds then change barrels and move to “Fast.”

200 rounds “Fast” was a 7 round burst, then wait 3 seconds and repeat up to 200 rounds, then change barrels and move to “Slow” again.

We marked the barrels M for the upgraded Maremont gun, O was for the new U.S. Ordnance made gun. This allowed us to keep the test parts with the proper M60E6s.

At 2,500 rounds, each gun was broken down for a quick field strip and general inspection, light cleaning and lube.

At 5,000 rounds, 10,000 rounds, 15,000 rounds, and 20,000 rounds, a full cleaning was done with inspection and minor parts replacement scheduled if needed.

At 10,000 rounds and 20,000 rounds, certain parts were scheduled to be replaced and this was done. These parts were: ejector, extractor, and the firing pin and recoil springs. This is protocol, and we adhered to it as all testers do.

The U.S. Ordnance manufactured M60E6 experienced a few ammunition related problems; and one instance of an extractor that was replaced with a field extractor which had a problem (not a new extractor). At 20,100 rounds, part of a case broke off and blocked the bolt. Still, that’s an ammunition issue but we called this a Stoppage. In all, we had two stoppages in the U.S. Ordnance manufactured firearm, and no failures.

The Maremont upgraded M60E6 had some problems with the ammunition, until a lubrication schedule was instituted and extractor replaced. At 16,000 rounds, there was a small parts breakage on the right rear tower on the operating rod: the firearm kept running, but the part was replaced at this point. The only real stoppage attributable to the weapon was at 23,801 rounds; the extractor broke and was quickly replaced.

Mean Rounds Between Stoppages (MRBS) is determined by dividing the total number of rounds fired by the total number of stoppages. “A stoppage is defined as any unplanned cessation in firing or the inability to commence or cease firing attributable to the gun. All incidents shall be recorded and any considered as not chargeable to the machine gun shall be substantiated by the contractor.” During testing on the U.S. Ordnance manufactured M60E6, we had 6 total stoppages that were properly attributed to the ammunition. Ammunition issues (failure of ammunition) do not count in this type of test. We had one stoppage attributable to a part failure. The math on that is: 25,000/2=12,500. That’s 12,500 Mean Rounds Between Stoppages. For the upgraded Maremont gun, we had 14 total stoppages that were properly attributed to the ammunition. We had two stoppages attributable to a part failure. The math on that is: 25,000/3=8,334. That’s 8,334 Mean Rounds Between Stoppages.

Result? The U.S. Ordnance manufactured M60E6 system outperformed the U.S. specification of 7,500 Mean Rounds Between Stoppages by a factor of 1.5. The Maremont M60 upgraded to the M60E6 system outperformed the U.S. specification of 7,500 Mean Rounds Between Stoppages by a factor of 1.12. That’s outstanding and beats the old test data from 1994.

Mean Rounds Between Failures (MRBF). MRBF is determined by dividing the total number of rounds fired by the total number of failures. “A failure is defined as any stoppage which involves part replacement or requires in excess of one minute to correct; or involves any failed or damaged part detected during scheduled preventive maintenance, the replacement of which is not authorized at the crew or organizational level of maintenance as prescribed by Source Maintenance Recoverability Code and TM-9-1005-313-23P.” The MRBF numbers are the same as for Stoppages, since we only experienced ammunition
related problems.

We’ve already mentioned the capabilities that U.S. Ordnance has at their facility. It’s necessary when supplying military grade firearms to stick to a specification for manufacturing process. However, there will be certain procedures that can be changed to produce a more durable product, as long as the R&D and production teams know what the issues involved downstream are.

U.S. Ordnance wanted to ensure full compatibility with all mounts and accessories, so the M60E6 will mount onto all M60, M60E3, M60E4 mounts, and will accept the M60D spade grip configuration, although if “D-grips” are the plan, it’s best to order M60D to begin with.

U.S. ORDNANCE, INC.

300 Sydney Drive

McCarran, NV 89434

United States of America

www.usord.com

Tel: 775.343.1320

Fax: 775.343.1331

Sales: sales@usord.com

Marketing: marketing@usord.com

Support: support@usord.com

Training: training@usord.com

Photos by Shay Swetech

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