Traditionally, Heckler & Koch has been known for making some of the finest pistols and assault rifles in the industry. They have also had a major handicap that has prevented them from being as prevalent in the law enforcement and military market: the extremely higher than normal price. H&K has priced themselves out of much of the commercial and military market in the U.S. In 1989, H&K completed a study of the United States pistol market and came up with a set of criteria they would need to meet to compete with Glock, Beretta, SIG Sauer and Smith & Wesson. In September of 1989 work began on this new generation pistol. The criteria needed for this new pistol was to be affordably priced, conventional design, innovative features, reliable, durable, safe, accurate, high quality, advanced materials, large magazine capacity, low recoil, user friendly, many modes of operation and conventional locking system.

During these early days of research and development, another pistol opportunity presented itself. In February of 1991, United States Special Operations Command announced their Offensive Handgun Weapon System (OHWS) proposal. Much of the criteria for both pistols were the same and both pistols would use the same basic technology. The OHWS would be put through the toughest testing the world has ever seen for a pistol. In September 1991 the acronym USP or Universal Self-loading Pistol was assigned to the new family of weapons. The pistol was designed for the newly introduced .40 S&W caliber pistol. Unlike most of the other pistols in the industry, the USP was designed for this new caliber, not a 9mm pistol modified for the larger caliber. Prototype 1 was reviewed in February 1992 and the second prototype in June of 1992. In August of 1992, H&K delivered 30 OHWS pistols to SOCOM, which would eventually be adopted as the MK23 MOD O pistol. In September of 1992, the third prototype was reviewed and endurance testing began. In December, both the USP40 and USP9 completed the first half of the 20,000 round endurance testing. Upon completion, the USP design was frozen and production planning began. The USP was unveiled at SHOT Show in 1993 and in February 1993 USP production began at H&K GmbH in Germany. That same month the USP40 Variant 7 was submitted to U.S. INS/Border Patrol for evaluation. In April of 1993 the first USP40s arrived for sale at H&K Inc. for purchase, followed in June by the USP9.

The first model of the USP or Universal Self-loading Pistol, the .40 S&W caliber USP40. By looking at the safety lever you can see this one is a Variant 1. This offers both a safety as well as a decocker.

The early pistols (USP40 and USP9) both operated from short recoil modified Browning-type linkless system. Sights provided were fixed partridge style, adjustable for windage and elevation. Standard white 3 dot and tritium sights were also available. The total length of the pistol is 7.64 inches with a barrel length of 4.13 inches. The barrel twist length for the USP40 is 14.96 inches and the USP9 9.84 inches. The width of the slide is 1.14 inches with the frame being 1.26 inches. The total weight of the USP40 with an empty magazine is 29.62 ounces and the USP9 is 28.46 ounces. The slide force on both pistols is 17.64 pounds.

One of the very unique features of the new USP pistol was that the fire control was offered in 10 different variants. Any pistol can be converted by an armorer to any of the variants offered. Both right and left hand controls were made available to the customer in an easy to reach location. They allowed for various modes of carry that include decocked safety on, decocked safety off, hammer cocked with safety on, double action only safety on as well as double action only no safety like that of a revolver.

• Variant 1: Single Action / Double Action with manual “Safe” position and safety/decocking lever (left side).


• Variant 2: Single Action / Double Action with manual “Safe” position and safety/decocking lever (right side).


• Variant 3: Single Action / Double Action without manual “safe” position with decocking lever (left side).


• Variant 4: Single Action / Double Action without manual “safe” position with decocking lever (right side).


• Variant 5: Double Action Only with manual “safe” position with safety lever (left side).


• Variant 6: Double Action Only with manual “safe” position with safety lever (right side).


• Variant 7: Double Action Only without manual “safe” position or safety/decocking lever.


• Variant 8: Double Action Only model that was especially configured for a U.S. government agency test in the 1990s. Never produced.


• Variant 9: Double Action / Single Action position and control lever with manual safety and no decocking function (left side). Cocked and locked version.


• Variant 10: Double Action / Single Action position and control lever with manual safety and no decocking function (right side). Cocked and locked version.

The true American USP, the USP45, chambered in the .45 Auto caliber cartridge.

The pistol was designed to be a combat pistol, but as a safe to carry combat pistol. The basic variants (1, 2, 5, 9 and 10) have a manual safety. All have a double action mode of carry. All models have a passive disconnector safety that ensures that the slide must be in battery for the USP to fire. If the USP slide is out of battery, then the solid portion of the slide pushes the disconnector and therefore the trigger bar out of engagement with the catch and the hammer. The drop safety on the sear actuator latch blocks the hammer from striking the firing pin unless the trigger is pulled so when the hammer is in the decocked position, it is not in contact with the firing pin (like a 1/4 cock if you will) and the most important the firing pin block. The firing pin safety blocks the firing pin’s forward movement under spring pressure. When the trigger is pulled all the way to the rear, the tip of the catch is activated by the forward movement of the trigger bar and lifts the firing pin block out of position so when the hammer strikes the firing pin, the firing pin will be able to protrude enough from the breech face to ignite the primer. Early service pistols such as the Colt M1911 and the Browning High Power lacked this device and were prone to unintentional discharge by dropping the pistol on its muzzle from less than 5 feet.

The pistol uses the modified Browning-style locking system (linkless) that is a time proven mechanism that is combat demonstrated as well as allows for a simple, reliable, easy to replace barrel and is inexpensive to produce. Early USP barrels did not use H&K trademark hammer forged polygon rifled barrels. They opted for conventional 6 lands and grooves with right hand twist barrels. However, customers began to complain about the fact the barrels were not the hammer forged polygonal technology and H&K heard and listened to the customers. Within 2 years of production H&K went to their hammer forged barrels.

The slide release is extended rearward to make for easier actuation and also doubles for takedown of the pistol. The magazine release is also ambidextrous; it is activated from either side without the need for being swapped to the other side like most pistols of the time.

A colored cutaway of the USP pistol. Mostly a conventional operating mechanism but pay particular attention to the recoil reduction mechanism located behind the recoil spring guide.

The slide of the USP pistol is manufactured by milling a single piece of 42 Cr Mo 4 steel. Machining is flawless, which is what you expect from H&K. The finish of the slide is called HE or Hostile Environment. The slide finish is extremely hard (732 HV1 Vickers), is corrosion resistant and is a proprietary nitrogen/carbon process. All other internal and external components are finished with a unique Dow-Corning “Molykote” finish that was tested and proven by the German Navy Kampfschwimmer (Combat Swimmers). All parts are finished in this making them resistant to corrosion and wear due to the non-reflective finish. The extractor is aggressive and pivots on its center axis. When looking at a USP40 and a USP9 slide from the bottom you can easily see where much material has been removed for use with the lower power 9mm cartridge

One of the most interesting aspects of the USP is its use of a proprietary glass fiber reinforced polymer material the frame is made out of. Molded into the frame are metal guide rails as well as the serial number plate. H&K is not new to polymer frames. They, in fact, predate Glock with the VP70, G11 and CAWS. This strong polymer is actually in many ways stronger than steel. The polymer absorbs recoil rather than have impact of metal on metal, which will wear on the metal. There are tear-away grooves allowing the shooter to grasp the magazine and remove it if it should become stuck. The trigger guard is very oversized permitting those with winter gloves the ability to manipulate the trigger. Like any good service pistol, the pistol incorporates a lanyard lock. The texture is stippled and grooved with the stippling on the front and backstrap quite aggressive – in fact some may say too aggressive. People have been known to take a file to them to dull them down a bit. Certainly they are anti-slip.

On top is the recoil reduction mechanism from a USP45. This same design is used in all USP full size pistols in 9x19mm, .40 S&W as well as .45 Auto. On the bottom is the system used in all USP compact pistols as well as the HK45 series pistols. Notice the polymer spacer that prevents the steel slide from impacting the polymer frame.

The magazines for the pistol are manufactured from the same material as the frame of the pistol. They contain a stainless steel insert to insure uniformity and that the magazines will drop free from the magazine well. The USP40 magazine contains 13 rounds and the USP9 contains 15 rounds. On the rear of the magazine are witness holes so the shooter can see exactly how many rounds are in the magazine by simply looking at the back of the magazine.

Perhaps the crowning achievement H&K accomplished with this pistol is the U.S. Patent Number 5,309,815 (May 10, 1994) mechanical recoil reduction system that was first used in the development of the OHWS/MK23 pistol. This devise reduces the recoil force by up to 30%. This adds many features to the pistol. First and foremost it reduces stress on the components of the pistol. This results in longer service life even when using +P or +P+ ammunition. One of the requirements for the OHWS/MK23 was its compatibility with +P ammunition, which would eventually destroy an M1911-type pistol. In turn, the mechanism reduces felt recoil to the shooter. This also makes for a pistol that has decreased sensitivity to ammunition variations. This mechanism makes the USP one of the few pistols on the market at the time that could handle the high pressures associated with the .40 caliber round as well as have a 9mm pistol that could handle without issue a steady diet of +P and +P+ submachine gun ammunition without damage to the pistol. The life of the frame of the OHWS/MK23 surpassed any pistol on the planet. The USP shares this as well.

The USP was one of the first pistols to have a Universal Mounting Groove (UMG) on the front of the frame. This was pre-Mil-Std 1913 rail. This UMG allowed easy installation of lasers, flashlights and optical sights. The groove made the accessory parallel with the bore and was exceedingly more secure than mounting to the trigger guard.

Drawing of the USP pistol in full recoil. You may visually see the recoil reduction mechanism at work.

Testing of the USP40 was significant. The pistol was tested and passed the military (NATO) testing procedures. These far exceed the testing standards the industry does for commercial products. The NATO test included tolerance inspection on trigger pull, firing pin energy/protrusion, headspace, velocities, etc. The controls and safeties were tested as well as testing with two Winchester DP40 proof loads. Targeting testing included zeroing at 25 meters (point of aim/point of impact) and ammunition compatibility (as of this time more than 85,000 rounds had been fired thought the USP40). The accuracy testing showed the most accurate being 3.2 to 3.9 inches with Winchester 155 grain Silver Tip Hollow Point and Remington 155 grain Jacketed Hollow Point. Reliability testing consisted of 20,000 rounds fired in various attitudes. Parts were checked for damage every 1,000 rounds. The slide was cycled manually 1,000 times after firing every 10,000 rounds. Test results showed no normal wear detected in less than 5,100 rounds. The pistols performed flawlessly in the testing. Also conducted was a barrel obstruction test where a live round was fired with a projectile positioned at the forcing cone and another test with the projectile inserted 1.18 inches into the muzzle. There was no damage to the pistol and accuracy was unaffected. The pistol was submitted for drop testing and the pistol was dropped on all six sides plus 45 degree top of muzzle onto rubber from a height of 4 feet as well as six times onto cocked hammer on steel and concrete from a height of 3 to 6.7 feet with no ignition of the primed cartridge case nor any indent on the primer. Fouling testing consisted of the pistol firing 1,000 rounds without cleaning or lubrication. No malfunctions had occurred. The last portion of the test was environmental, which consisted of low temperature (-51 F), high temperature (145 F), thermal shock (-50.8 to +145.4 F), mud bath (10 minutes exposed), sand (10 minutes) and freezing rain (1 hour to -50.8, sprayed with water to .039 to .118 inches thickness). The USP40 passed all testing.

This pistol has a 6.02 inch barrel plus the slide has been extended to cover the entire length of the barrel. This additional weight on the front balances the weight of the pistol.

The USP was an instant hit in the United States with both commercial and LE customers. The MK23 Mod 0 was less successful with SOCOM due to no fault of the pistol. It was truly the most advanced pistol in the world. But the size was the problem. It was too large for the operators to carry. They got accustomed to the low recoil 9mm caliber pistols with 15 round magazine capacity such as their SIG Sauer P226 pistols. So unfortunately this pistol never saw the use for which it was designed. But the pistol was a success in that it did exactly what SOCOM wanted. There was a gap now in the USP line up. Although it was built for the American market, it was not in America’s caliber, 45 Auto. Soon after the release of the USP40 and USP9 the market asked for a USP pistol chambered in the classic American caliber. At SHOT Show 1995, the American prayers were answered. The USP45 was basically a USP40 on steroids. The USP45 clearly showed its lineage with the MK23 minus the threaded barrel and without the rubber O-ring. The USP45 retained the USP fire controls as opposed to the MK23 with its separate decocking lever and safety. The USP45 was of course slightly larger. The barrel length is 4.41 inches long and the pistol 1.90 pounds compared to the USP40 weighing 1.74 pounds. The height of the USP45 is 5.55 inches compared to the 5.35 inches of the USP9/USP40. The overall length is 7.87 inches compared to the 7.64 inches in length of the USP9/USP40. At the time of its introduction, the U.S. Crime Bill was in effect limiting magazine capacity to 10 rounds. The non restricted magazines held 12 rounds of .45 Auto caliber ammunition. The pistol had the polygonal rifling from the beginning. The pistol was also an instant success. This pistol got attention from law enforcement as well not only as a duty weapon but also as a SWAT weapon. It was adopted by the City of Rochester New York Police Department Emergency Task Force as their sidearm. The recoil was less than any other pistol of its caliber. The true nemesis of the USP45 is the Glock 21. Special Operation groups liked the USP45 as well. Although similar in design to the MK23, the USP45 was much smaller making it an excellent sidearm in .45 Auto caliber. The MK23 was designed to be an offensive weapon, part of a three piece system including the pistol, a laser aiming module and a sound suppressor. The USP45 was comparable in size to that of the SIG Sauer P226 they had carried. The USP45 and soon to be introduced other variants would not become truly realized until the onset of the Global War on Terrorism after the September 11, 2001 attack. For the first time since the Vietnam War, American soldiers would be involved in infantry and special operation engagements on a foreign land. The troops and operators found out really quick the benefit of a .45 caliber handgun over the 9mm pistol they were so fond of in peace time training.

The USP45 Tactical field stripped for cleaning. All USP pistols come apart in a similar fashion.

The T&E pistol, as requested, was the traditional and most common version of the USP 45 pistol: the Variant 1, which has a safety, decocker as well as permits carrying in the cocked and locked position. This pistol has gone through incremental improvements since its introduction. The sights on this pistol are the common 3-dot system with white dots. The pistol performed flawlessly and was very accurate with offhand groups at 15 yards under 2 inches.

The USP45 spanned a wide array of uses – the commercial market, self defense, competitive shooting, law enforcement as well as military. The pistol could be modified to fit each of those applications that much better.
The USP45 Compact

In 1997, H&K introduced their next version of the pistol, the USP45 Compact. This pistol was only 5% larger than the 9mm version with a 3.78 inch barrel and an overall length of 7.09 inches. The magazine held 8 rounds. To make for a more snag free design, the hammer of the pistol was bobbed. This pistol too had the proprietary mounting groove. The USP compact only employs a polymer absorber bushing due to the length restrictions on the compact guide rod. The bushing does not reduce recoil; it simply stops the slide from directly engaging the frame after firing. The weight of the pistol is only 1.76 pounds.

The USP45 Tactical is similar to the MK23 but smaller. It has all the features but keeps the USP safety lever. Notice the threaded muzzle.

The USP45 Tactical

The MK23 Mod 0 was without a doubt the most advanced pistol in the world but as previously stated very large. The pistol was nicknamed the “crew served pistol” by those who used it. The demand came from the customers for a USP45 pistol with all of the advanced features of the MK23. In 1998 that pistol was introduced: the USP45 Tactical. The 5.09 inch barrel incorporated the O-ring of the MK23 to increase accuracy as well as the muzzle of the barrel was threaded to accept a sound suppressor. The weight of the USP45 Tactical is 2.05 pounds compared to the 2.46 pounds of the MK23. The overall length of the USP45 Tactical is 8.64 inches compared to 9.65 inches of the MK23. The sights are high profile for use with the sound suppressor. The rear sight is fully adjustable for windage and elevation as well. The trigger is improved with a match single and double action. The trigger has an adjustable trigger stop to eliminate trigger over-travel. Like the MK23, the pistol has the patented recoil reduction system. The extractor doubles as a loaded cartridge indicator. The same 12-round magazine is used in this pistol as the standard USP 45.

The T&E pistol is quite impressive and it is easily seen why one may prefer this over the MK23. It is smaller and does everything the giant crew served handgun will do. This pistol proved to be the most popular with the police/SWAT officers that tested the firearms with this author. The sights proved to be extremely accurate and the groups tightened up a little off hand. On a bench the groups tightened up to an in to an inch and a half with Hornady Critical Duty 220 grain +P ammunition.

The MARK 23 is the commercial version of the of the military Mk23 Mod 0 pistol. The only changes are the chamber on the Mark 23 is SAMMI specification and the marking on the left side of the slide.

The Mark 23

Like most military weapons, the commercial market wants the same high-tech weapons as the military. Once the story broke of the history and developments of the MK23 Mod 0 pistol there was an immediate commercial demand. H&K responded with the Mark 23 in 1998. There are only two real differences between the two pistols. The Mark 23 has the SAAMI spec .45 Auto chamber and the marking on the slide differentiates the military model from the commercial version. This pistol always carried a hefty price of nearly US$1,800 but they have always sold as many as they could produce.

The USP45 Match pistol designed for competition shooting. Notice the weight on the muzzle as well as the fact the pistol has high profile match sights. The rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation.

The USP45 Match

The 3-gun shooters as well as combat pistol shooters requested a model of the USP45 that was more geared for competition. In 1998, H&K introduced the USP45 Match. This pistol is the basic USP45 with some very significant changes. The rear sight is a target sight with a micrometer for adjustments in windage and elevation. The barrel length is extended to 6.02 inches. There is a custom barrel weight assembly added to perfectly balance the weight of the pistol. The pistol has a 10 and 12 shot magazine. The weight of this pistol is 2.38 pounds with an overall length of 9.45 inches. The trigger has an adjustable trigger stop for precise let off.

The USP Expert

Introduced in 1999, the USP45 Expert has many modifications from any previous pistol. The control lever is on both sides of the frame making it fully ambidextrous. The slide has been elongated to assist in balance and to cover the longer 5.20 inch barrel. The trigger is match grade in both single and double action along with an adjustable trigger to eliminate over-travel. The barrel has the O-ring for increased match accuracy and the extractor also works as a loaded chamber indicator. Like all before it, this pistol too has the recoil reduction mechanism. The pistol weighs in at 2.30 pounds with an overall length of 8.74 inches. Both 10- and 12-round magazines are offered.

The USP45 compact. Although small and chambered in the .45 Auto caliber, this pistol is easily controllable.

The USP45 Compact Tactical

This pistol is the basic USP45 Compact pistol with a threaded barrel to accept the sound suppressor. The magazine holds 8 rounds. The hammer is bobbed so not to snag on clothing. The barrel length is 3.78 inches with an overall length of 7.09 inches

The USP45 Elite

This too is a modified pistol for the combat shooter or special operation operator. The slide has been extended to cover the 6.02 inch barrel to both extend the range of the pistol and to balance the pistol. The barrel has the O ring to increase accuracy as well. The trigger is also a match trigger with an adjustable trigger stop. The pistol can be had with both a 10- and a 12-round magazine. Target sights are standard with the rear sight having a micrometer for adjusting both windage and elevation. The pistol has an overall length of 9.45 inches which is comparable to that of the MK23. This pistol also features a chamber loaded indicator.

The compact version of the HK45 or the HK45C has all of the same features of the HK45 but with a smaller barrel and an 8- instead of 10-round magazine capacity.

The HK45

The HK45 is the newest member of the H&K 45Auto family of weapons. It is actually quite different than the USP. This also marks the first American made USP pistol manufactured in the New Hampshire plant. The overall size is actually smaller than that of the original USP40/USP9. The grip is similar to that of the P30 series with modular backstraps to accommodate the size of the individual shooter’s hand. The frame is also equipped with a Mil-Std 1913 accessory rail. The slide is contoured and radiused with a forward slide gripping groove. The safety lever is an improved slimmer contour. The slide catch lever is on both sides making the pistol fully ambidextrous. The barrel is 4.47 inches with traditional polygonal rifling. The barrel is equipped with the accuracy enhancing O ring. The weight of the pistol is 1.95 pounds with an overall length of 8.03 inches. The magazine is not the standard USP 45 one but modified to accommodate the thinner grip. This magazine has a capacity of 10 rounds. The T&E pistol was also equipped with TRU DOT tritium night sights. The sights are standard so they would not be able to be used if the pistol was to be equipped with a sound suppressor. This pistol does not share the recoil reduction mechanism of the USP full size and MK23/MARK23 pistol but the one used in the compact type pistols. The extractor doubles as a live cartridge indicator.

The T&E pistol shot flawlessly. This is the new series HK45 version of the USP Tactical. The grip was noticeably smaller. Those with smaller hands commented on their preference for it. There was really no noticeable recoil difference given the different recoil reduction system. The USP Tactical has the edge on accuracy but that could be attributed to the USP Tactical having target sights instead of combat sights (three dot).

The HK45 Tactical is the same pistol with the threaded barrel to accept a sound suppressor.

The HK45 Compact

This is the compact version of the HK45. The barrel is 3.90 inches long with an overall length of 7.27 inches. This small package packs 8 rounds of .45 Auto ammunition and keeps all of the advanced features of the HK45 but in a smaller package. The barrel also has the rubber O-ring for increased accuracy. To assist in concealment the hammer is bobbed to avoid snagging on clothing. This pistol comes standard with TRU DOT tritium night sights. The slide is low profile and slim lined for ease of concealment. The entire pistol weighs 1.78 pounds with an empty magazine. The T&E pistol is equipped with the LEM trigger system. The extractor also doubles as a loaded chamber indicator. This, like its bigger brother, has a Mil-Std 1913 rail on the front of the frame.

This T&E pistol is perhaps the most impressive of the lot; mostly due to it being compact with the recoil of the full size. There was little noticeable recoil in the smaller gun. This author has very large hands and was able to grip the pistol firmly. The LEM trigger proved to be very nice and very accurate.

The HK45C Tactical is the same pistol as the standard HK45C but there is an addition of a threaded barrel for the attachment of a sound suppressor. Also, there is a standard hammer on this pistol instead of the bobbed hammer found on the standard HK45C.

The HK45 Compact Tactical

This pistol is identical to the HK45 Compact with a couple additions. The first is a 4.57 inch threaded barrel to accept a sound suppressor. It also comes with a 10-round magazine and a extended floorplate and grip backstrap. The increase in weight is negligible at 1.82 pounds, only 4 ounces different.

Although the USP is 20 years old, it is still state-of-the-art. H&K continues to build on it modernizing it for the changing times. The USP series pistol is in service throughout the world, although not necessarily in .45 Auto caliber. There is no doubt that the .45 Auto is America’s caliber and will be with us for a very long time. Deep rooted in tradition as well as a well backed up reputation make it one of the finest combat pistol calibers of all time. H&K has undoubtedly been on the forefront of modernizing pistols to fire this over 100 year old cartridge with the MK23, making the most advanced handgun in the world using this proven cartridge. The American market will continue to procure pistols from H&K in this caliber and by Americans I mean commercial, law enforcement as well as military. These pistols have seen service with American forces in the Global War on Terrorism as well as many other places throughout the globe including the MK23, USP45 and the USP45 Tactical models. The adaptability to any trigger variation has also put this gun on the list for law enforcement. Although not the most popular caliber abroad, the pistols in their 9mm variations are in use by the security forces of Australia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa and Spain. Also in that lineup are numerous U.S. military and law enforcement agencies. These are top tier pistols used by top tier operators.

On top is the Mark 23 SOCOM pistol, which competed for the SOCOM Offensive Handgun Weapon System trials and won. Notice the laser aiming module in front of the trigger. This is a masterpiece of engineering but considered by the end user to be too big. On the bottom is the smaller USP45 Tactical, which although small, packs most of the features of the Mk23. This is a preferred special operation forces pistol. Both you can readily mount a sound suppressor on.

ATF Panel

The opening panel was from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the agency responsible for administering the import provisions of the Federal firearms laws. Alphonso Hughes, Chief of the Firearms and Explosives Services Division, announced a number of staffing changes, including recent hires to assist in processing import applications and National Firearms Act documents. Chief Hughes announced a goal of reducing the current processing time for tax-paid NFA forms (Forms 1 and 4) from 9 months to 6 months. Chief Hughes also announced ATF’s intention to update two popular publications, The Imports Guide Book and the NFA Handbook. Industry members were asked to submit suggestions for revisions to ATF at importsguidebook@atf.gov and nfahandbook@atf.gov by September 30, 2014. Chief Hughes introduced the newest member of his management team, William Boyle, Chief of the National Firearms Act Branch.

Desiree Dickinson, Imports Industry Liaison, discussed the mismatch between terms of validity for ATF’s import permit (2 years) and the International Import Certificate (IIC), which is 6 months. Ms. Dickinson advised that the Department of Commerce, which has ownership of the IIC, will soon extend the term of validity to 1 year. She suggested that industry members discuss extension of the IIC to 2 years with Commerce. Ms. Dickinson reviewed the changes made to the U.S. Munitions Imports List (USMIL) by an ATF final rule published in March, 2014(rule can be accessed at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-03-27/pdf/2014-06778.pdf). The rule removed a number of categories from the USMIL as part of the Administration’s export control reform initiative. William Majors, Chief of the Imports Branch, emphasized the staffing challenges presented by the increasing volume of import licenses. Mr. Majors made it clear ATF will entertain requests to expedite import applications only with documentation the articles sought for importation are required for a law enforcement agency or other government agency.

Lee Alston-Williams, a senior specialist from the Firearms and Explosives Services Division, gave an update on ATF’s e-Forms. Due to problems with the current software, ATF has removed a number of NFA forms from the e-Forms system. Ms. Alston-Williams stated the system currently supports the Form 6 import application, Form 6A, Release and Receipt of Imported Firearms, and the ATF Form 1, Application to Make and Register a Firearm. ATF is working with a new e-Forms contractor and hopes to provide the firearms industry with new and improved e-Forms in the future.

The final speaker on the ATF panel was Helen Koppe, Chief of the Firearms Industry Programs Division. This Division is responsible for marking variances for firearms, which are generally processed within 90 days. Ms. Koppe announced that the responsibility for responding to marking variance requests will be transferred to the Firearms Technology Branch in September.

During the question and answer session, a question was raised about publication of the final rule relating to the notice of proposed rulemaking on NFA trusts (ATF 41P, published in the Federal Register September 9, 2013, www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-09-09/pdf/2013-21661.pdf). Andrew Lange, Chief of ATF’s Regulations Division, stated that the large quantity of public comments may delay publication of the final rule until 2015. Alphonso Hughes answered a question about possible suspension of permits authorizing import of firearms and ammunition from Russia. Chief Hughes announced that all permits would remain valid until the Department of State directs otherwise. He stated that ATF would process all new applications for permits unless the application lists a party blocked by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (i.e., Kalashnikov Concern).

Automated Export System

Joe Cortez from the Census Bureau’s Trade Division gave an update on the Automated Export System (AES). Mr. Cortez outlined recent changes made to the Foreign Trade Regulations and the data elements added to the system by those changes.

United Nations Arms Trade Treaty

Bill Kullman, Deputy Chief of ATF’s International Affairs office, and Rick Patterson, Executive Director of the Sporting Arms Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI), gave an informative presentation on the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty. Mr. Kullman emphasized the role of the United States as raising the small arms import and export requirements of the world to the “gold standard” of the United States and to avoid committing the U.S. to additional unnecessary requirements. Mr. Patterson stated that the firearms industry should be concerned about the treaty’s lack of definitions for terms including “small arms,” “ammunition,” and “stockpiles.” He said these omissions are deliberate and provide a placeholder for future amendments that could be detrimental to legitimate commerce in firearms. Mr. Patterson also mentioned end-use certificates and more burdensome transshipment requirements as potential problem areas in the treaty.

Round-Table Sessions a Big Hit

Sponsors of the conference made a major change in format by devoting most of the afternoon of the first day to round-table discussions. Ten different tables were set up with government experts ready to discuss imports, National Firearms Act transactions, Firearms Industry Programs issues, ATF e-Forms, ATF field compliance inspections, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, firearms and ammunition excise tax (Treasury’s Tax and Trade Bureau), Automated Export System (Census Bureau), State Department Licensing and Policy, and sanctions imposed by Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. The smaller groups and informal discussions resulted in many lively interchanges between government experts and industry members. Experts and attendees said the format resulted in great communication and should be continued.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement Emphasizes Criminal Smuggling Violations

The final session for Day 1 was from David Whalen of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Mr. Whalen’s experience investigating cross-border firearms smuggling was evident as he gave attendees examples of “red flags” that should raise suspicion in international import and export transactions. He assured attendees that HSI is interested in investigating egregious criminal violations, rather than technical regulatory violations.

Add-On Session for Basic Import/Exports Training

Based on feedback from previous conferences, F.A.I.R. and NSSF offered attendees an optional 2-hour basic course on importation and exportation. Approximately 60 attendees signed up for the course, many new to import/export. Teresa Ficaretta, a Federal retiree with 28 years of ATF experience, gave the imports section of the training, which included an overview of the import provisions of the Gun Control Act, the National Firearms Act, and the Arms Export Control Act. Jim Bartlett, Partner and Director of U.S. Operations for Full Circle Compliance, gave the export portion of the training, covering State Department regulations, Commerce Department’s Export Administration Regulations, and sanctions imposed by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. F.A.I.R. and NSSF report positive feedback for this type of basic training and may expand it at future conferences.

Day 2: ITAR Registration, Brokering, Voluntary Disclosures, and Compliance Programs

Day two of the conference was devoted to the controls over exports of defense articles governed by the Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC). Danielle Pressler from DDTC Compliance gave a thorough overview of registration requirements of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), recent amendments to the brokering requirements of ITAR, and the elements of an effective compliance program. She also discussed voluntary disclosures of violations to DDTC and encouraged self-audits to identify such violations. Ms. Pressler emphasized the fact that 99 percent of all voluntary disclosures are closed without further action.

Ms. Pressler’s remarks meshed well with a presentation from a panel titled “Designing and Maintaining an Effective Compliance Program.” James Bartlett from Full Circle Compliance, Johanna Reeves, Managing Partner of Reeves and Dola, and Thomas Trotto, from Immigration and Customs Enforcement HSI, made up the panel. Many of the compliance program elements emphasized by Mr. Bartlett and Ms. Reeves were similar to those in Ms. Pressler’s presentation. Attendees had questions for the panel about potential violations and when they warrant disclosure to State.

The final presentation at the conference was by Julio Santiago, a licensing officer with DDTC licensing. Mr. Santiago made informative and entertaining remarks on licensing, end-user monitoring, permanent exports, temporary imports, temporary exports, congressional notification, and licensing exemptions.

Next Year’s Conference

F.A.I.R. and NSSF report positive feedback from attendees and have begun planning next year’s import/export conference. Given frequent changes in foreign policy, ongoing export control reform, and the ever-changing nature of domestic firearms policy, industry members should definitely plan on attending the 2015 conference.

Johanna Reeves, Managing Partner, Reeves and Dola, LLP and Executive Director of F.A.I.R. Trade Group, contributed to this article.

“The point is not to have the highest on-base percentage, but to win games as cheaply as possible. And the way to win games cheaply is to buy the qualities in a baseball player that the market undervalues, and sell the ones that the market overvalues.” – Michael Lewis

In Moneyball, The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis the story is about the Oakland Athletics baseball team and its general manager Billy Beane. Its focus is the team’s analytical, evidence based, sabermetric approach to assembling a competitive baseball team, despite Oakland’s disadvantaged revenue situation when compared to a team like the New York Yankees.

For 12 years the military has had New York Yankee levels of money. “The nation has paid for everything we have asked for since 9/11. It has made us intellectually lazy.” (Retired Lieutenant General Paul Van Riper.) “When the money gets short, it’s time to think.”
Snipers are a remarkable breed. Given the multitude of factors that can cause a bullet to miss its intended target, it is a wonder that snipers are consistently able to hit anything, especially at extended ranges. Humans are of course, the ultimate fire control system. Science will never supplant a trained sniper. Technology can only augment the skills that snipers already possess. However, with bravado set aside, snipers tend to only remember that one remarkable shot in combat at 800 meters. The sniper tends to overlook the number of rounds expended in training and combat and they attribute any “flyer” in a group to fate. Military strategists need to strive to provide snipers with the best tools available so that they can do their job but as cheaply as possible.

Wilcox RAPTAR M with built in Applied Ballistics software.

Weapon Employment Zone
(WEZ) Analysis

Bryan Litz, renowned competitive shooter and ballistician, has created an analysis method called The Weapon Employment Zone, or WEZ for short. The WEZ analysis is model based, statistic in nature, and quantifies the hit percentage of a given shooting system on specified targets as a function of range. This analysis is carried out using defined uncertainties related to practical field shooting. With this capability, you can calculate your probability of hit for specific weapon systems in different levels of environmental uncertainty. The value of quantifying the hit percentage of a given sniper/rifle/ammunition combination is that the information can be used to quantify sniper effectiveness in war gaming scenarios. In short, the WEZ aims to increase the first round hit probability of the sniper team, thus reducing target engagement time by reducing the number of rounds spent to score the first hit. If a sniper hits the target 99 percent of the time, then you can feel pretty safe predicting that he’s going to hit it the next time he shoots. So knowing the sniper’s rate of success tells you that he’ll almost certainly accomplish the mission. In summary, the WEZ can be used to assist the decision makers on how to decide on where to focus training resources, budgets, etc. (Accuracy and Precision For Long Range Shooting – Bryan Litz). The Applied Ballistics Analytics package retails for $200 USD. The cost of the standard sniper round M118LR (AA11) is $1.25 USD. Fiscal Year 13 ammunition cost expense at the United States Army Sniper School $489,739. Could the WEZ cut those costs in half? Can it lead to better planning on how to effectively train a new sniper?

Not surprisingly, the WEZ analysis shows range and crosswind to be the two variables that lead to the greatest error in a miss. Range uncertainty is almost a given when in an unknown environment. The sniper has to rely on various methods of range estimation to assign the correct range to the target. The most common range estimation method used by snipers is to use the reticle inside their scope to measure a target using a reticle graduated in Mil dots. A simple formula is applied that uses the actual target size in inches, and the size of the target in the scope’s reticle to formulate a range to the target. This method is effective, but is subject to uncertainties. With recent advancement in technology, the sniper now has access to more sophisticated tools to measure range. The newest device to hit the market is the Wilcox RAPTAR-M with built in Applied Ballistics software. The RAPTAR is a very unique device that incorporates both visible and IR aiming lasers, an IR illuminator and a laser range finder that displays the range to the target via screen. The RAPTAR-M model with the built in Applied Ballistics software includes its own ballistic computer with back-lit LCD screen and weather chip to monitor atmospheric conditions. The RAPTAR-M’s rear display also provides the sniper with a virtual cant device, elevation information specific to your rifle load and the ability to manually input windage. The RAPTAR-M also has the ability to communicate with other Bluetooth devices via other Applied Ballistics devices such as the AB Kestrel. This type of synchronization can provide live wind data for a complete firing solution.

DRS Ventus RT kit.

Wind, Our Greatest Enemy

Wind will always be the snipers worst enemy. Instrumentation can help the sniper hone one’s ability to “read” the wind. A Kestrel wind meter is a staple piece of equipment in a snipers toolbox. The sniper can use the Kestrel at anytime and practice guessing the wind speed that you feel or see in the indicators then apply that to what they might see downrange in similar indicators such as vegetation. Another excellent training tool for wind is the Ventus System from DownRange Systems. This system allows the sniper to know what the winds are doing down range, where it has the most effect on the path of the bullet. There can be several different wind conditions present at any given time on a typical shooting range. Shifting winds, lay of the land, trees, and other obstacles make accurate wind calls difficult. By using the Ventus with a Kestrel 4500 wind meter, the sniper can obtain accurate wind velocity and direction from up to 1 mile away from his location. It is an invaluable tool for learning/teaching the fine art of calling wind. DownRange System’s Ventus Kit allows the user to place a Kestrel weather station down range at long distances and receive accurate and fast transmission of data.

United States Army Sniper School ammunition expense FY13.

Ventus –RT Kit Components

• Down Range Data Transmitter-1A (DT-1A)


• Down Range Receiver-1A (DR-1A)


• Mini tripod and weather vane


• Charging system


• Carrying case


• Kestrel 4000 or 4500 (User Supplied)


• Tripod for Transmitter (User Supplied)

The tools mentioned above would cost the military no more than what a used car would cost. Despite what the Pentagon wants to believe, the next conflict isn’t going to be won by robots or drones, but by smart, adaptive men who look for ways to innovate ones set of skills to build the perfect sniping team.

Wilcox RAPTAR M.

Author using a Kestrel with Horus ballistic software.

In 1982 I had just accepted a job to run the engineering department at FN Manufacturing, Inc. where the M240 machine gun would be produced for the first time in the U.S. My first job was to hire some engineers to assist me, and my very first interview was with Sal Fanelli, a young engineer out of Remington. It didn’t take me long to figure out Sal really understood firearms and that I wanted him on my team. I hired him on the spot. Through the years we enjoyed many successes together, getting new machine guns, systems, and accessories type classified in the military. In 2000, Sal was awarded the George M. Chinn Award for his contributions to the small arms industry. Presently, Sal is a supervisory engineer for Infantry Weapons Systems at the Marine Corps Systems Command. I recently learned the Marines had awarded Sal the Donald Roebling Award for acquisition. Sal led the charge in acquiring a new 5.56mm combat round for the USMC. I caught up with Sal recently to find out more about the new round and his role in the acquisition.

Why did the USMC decide they needed a new round of 5.56mm ammunition?

USMC determined that the performance of the M855 was inconsistent. Firing into a block of ballistic gelatin, we determined the M855 had yaw dependency. What we mean by that is from high speed videos of one round from an M4 we observed the path of the projectile doing exactly what we expected. It provided adequate terminal effects, but this didn’t happen every time. Other rounds went straight into the block and straight out of the block – no yaw, no enhanced terminal effects. We considered this inconsistent performance and confirmed that the M855 was impact yaw dependent.

We needed a round that gave consistent terminal effects from round to round, ammo lot to ammo lot and gave the exact terminal effects every time. We needed this performance at ranges from 0 to 400m.

You mentioned that the bullet went straight through. Was there a cause you could determine or was it just pure inconsistency?

From one round to the next, the terminal effects were not consistent. We determined it wasn’t due to being the first shot out of the gun, a cold barrel or a hot barrel, or anything else. It was so random it had to be the ammo.

It was through extensive testing that we saw these inconsistent effects and we couldn’t live with them. We wanted a term to describe this inconsistent phenomenon. That’s when the Marine Corps accepted the term “blind to barriers” suggested by Supervisory Special Agent Buford Boone, Supervisor of the FBI’s Ballistics Research facility and Hays Parks, a senior lawyer in the Office of General Counsel, DOD. Our new round would be blind to impact yaw and blind to barriers. That means it would not matter at what angle the projectile entered the gelatin block. It would give the same performance every time. At the same time we needed a round that went through intermediate barriers, like car glass, or a door, or clothing and did not ricochet or deviate from the shot line. The new round was to defeat the barriers and continue to do what it was supposed to do as far as terminal effects.

Gelatin Block Tests compare lethality of M855A1 to Mk318Mod 0.

While you were looking for a new round, was the Army’s M855A1 improved 5.56mm ammunition in consideration?

No, it wasn’t around – at least as far as we knew. Later we found out the Army was quietly developing a new 5.56mm round but was so quiet about it the other services were not aware. So, we put a “sources sought” announcement out to industry to let ammunition manufacturers know we were in the market for a new 5.56mm round. The new round had to be designed so it would give us consistent results.

We did have an ulterior motive. There was a pending requirement for a new intermediate caliber. If we could improve the consistency of the terminal effects of our current 5.56mm round and use it as a temporary solution, it would bridge the gap until we could get the requirement going for an intermediate caliber. The intermediate caliber requirement remains in the discussion phase. Instead, our development resulted in a round that equaled the performance of the current 6.8mm round. Remember the Belgian SS-109 ammunition? It was selected as the NATO standard in the U.S., and was designated the M855? Well, that ammunition outperformed the Vietnam era M193. In a similar way, our improvements have now given us a 5.56mm round that gives us the performance of the current 6.8mm round. Of course, with the same technology approach, we know today that we can get a better performing 6.8mm round and 7.62mm round than the NATO standard 7.62x51mm M80 Ball.

When we put our solicitation out on the street, we didn’t know about the Army activity to improve the M855 round nor did we know that SOCOM was developing an improved round through the Navy’s ammunition development group at Crane, Indiana. The Navy liked the wording in our solicitation and asked if the USMC wanted to join forces with them in developing a new round. We formed a joint Navy/SOCOM/USMC team and used the USMC wording to establish the requirements for the new round.

U.S. Army-designed M855A1.

Tell us what makes this round different from what is being used now.

It basically comes down to the design of the projectile. Look on line and you can see the cross section. It’s an open tip match determined by DOD and military services lawyers to be consistent with U.S. law of war obligations. By using this type projectile, we gained the flexibility to select the design of the overall projectile configuration. The design work was done by Federal Cartridge Company. They came up with a combination of a reverse draw projectile with a lead core that is crimped down into an open tip match.

With Federal building the round, now you have to check compatibility with both the M4 and the M16A4.

USMC requirement was that it had to work in the M16A4 because, at that time, that is the rifle that all USMC infantry was using. M4’s were only for special applications, officers, etc. The new round was initially designed to work in a short barreled rifle so we had to confirm that it would work in the longer-barreled M16A4. We’ve gone through three iterations of testing that have used a total of 30 guns firing anywhere from 9,000 to 15,000 rounds per weapon. We tested for function, reliability, corrosion, accuracy, you name it.

What about environmental testing, like hot, cold, sand and dust?

Yes, it was full up testing in all environments.

Sectioned projectile from Open Tip Match Mk318 Mod0.

How did you evaluate terminal effectiveness?

You know, you can’t do it well because it’s so hard to get volunteers (just kidding!) so we shoot into ordnance gelatin as adopted by government agencies. A few years back there was a joint wound ballistics Integrated Product Team (IPT). It had Army, Navy, USAF, Coast Guard and virtually every DoD organization – it was really joint, and that meant everybody. What they determined was that each agency used a different methodology for testing terminal effects, so they decided to write a charter, a test plan and gelatin block procedures. Those procedures even included how the gelatin was made, verified, and validated. With a standard gelatin block that everybody could use, terminal effects could be studied and data could be shared. Next, the IPT established criteria for how the projectile should perform in gelatin. We compared our results to the specification and also compared it to M855. Again, you can’t confirm this is what it will do in the human body, but it’s the best we can come up with. Buford can give you all the details, but essentially his eight points are:

Is Blind to Impact Yaw
Limits penetration – 12-18”
Resists yaw in tissue – no earlier than 12” is desired
Continues on shot line after penetrating tissue
Is barrier blind
Limits fragmentation
Performs consistently from 0 – 300 meters
Is accurate enough to engage human targets to 600 meters

Sal, this all sounds too easy. Surely you came up against some problems along the way.

Oh, sure there were problems. Field trials showed that the Mk318 Mod 0 did not exactly match the ballistics with the reticle pattern of the sight being used. The original ammunition’s exterior ballistics differed from the sight’s reticle pattern because it was originally designed for a 14.5-inch barrel. Since the Marine Corps’ primary service rifle is the M16A4 with a 20-inch barrel, we went back to Federal to adjust the ballistic coefficient. About this time the issue about environmentally friendly green ammo came up and we had to take a look to see if it was possible to replace the lead and still meet the specification. We found that we could replace the lead with copper, stretching the jacket around ever so slightly so it allowed us to crimp the nose even more. With that, the ballistic coefficient went up allowing the round to fly more efficiently through air with a better trajectory. Now it’s a ballistic match to the stock off-the-shelf reticle patterns that the Marine Corps uses, like the Trijicon ACOG sights. We named the improved round the Mk318 Mod1.

So, how do you avoid confusion with the new round to others that are already fielded?

There are two different configurations. The original round was adopted as Mk318 Mod 0. This is a copper jacketed, open tip match, 62 grain projectile. If you don’t know ammunition well enough you might confuse it with the Mk262 which is a 77 grain projectile. The Mk262 is an open tipped match round used by the Special Ops community. Since we were worried about confusion with the Mk262, we had to take another look at the color of the tip. Every color was taken except for solid silver so we decided to nickel plate the entire projectile. As we now jokingly say, “All Marines will have silver bullets.” That round hasn’t been fielded yet, and a potential production contract is in the future. I can just see the Marines out there polishing bullets.

Who will produce the new ammunition?

The government owns the drawings in the Technical Data Package (TDP) so Crane will procure it through open competition. There are a lot of top-notch ammo manufacturers out there.

Mk318 Mod1 with the Silver Bullet.

What about the legal wickets that had to be passed? Years ago, we used to pass any new ammunition by the legal department at the Pentagon. Hays Parks was in charge in those days, but I’ve learned he’s retired.

When I first was given this project, I spent many hours talking about the legal aspects of a new round with Supervisory Special Agent Buford Boone (ret.) at the FBI, BRF and others, including Hays Parks. Hays retired about a year ago and is currently working under a support contractor for another Government agency. Fortunately, we still have access to him. I needed his input for all of our written documents. Anything put into writing that becomes public information is subject to intense scrutiny. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) watches the development of every new round very carefully and is quick to point out what they perceive as any violation of the “Law of War” declarations. Even though other ammunition very similar to this has passed the legal review, we could not afford any misinterpretation. We don’t want to give any reason for the ICRC to file a complaint that would delay the fielding. Hays has a lot of experience as the U.S. negotiator on proposed law of war treaties related to military small arms ammunition. I requested his assistance in developing a round that would meet the capabilities we needed and be consistent with our law of war obligations. For the data Hays needed, the FBI served as the independent laboratory.

What about compatibility with other service rifles in NATO?

The testing we did was M16A4, M4, M4A1, M27 and we also tested it in the SCAR. We have not tested other country’s guns, but there are some that are currently evaluating it. It’s public knowledge that Canada has adopted it.

Is there a tracer version?

No, there is no tracer planned for this round.

So that means it’s strictly as a rifle cartridge.

On our last test, we took 16,000 rounds, linked it, and successfully fired it through the M249 to confirm compatibility for emergency use; but yes, the round is strictly meant for our rifles.

What about accuracy of the round?

The performance is phenomenal. The way the specification is written, we focus on dispersion, not accuracy. The reason is that we define accuracy as a combination of the gun, the optic, and the shooter. Whereas, the dispersion of the ammunition is set at 2 Minutes Of Angle (MOA) at 100 meters.

If you ever get a chance to read the spec, the Mk318 MOD 0, it shows the MOA no greater than 2 at 100 meters. If you read the spec of the M855, the average standard deviation is not to be more than 2MOA. There is a big difference. We’ve proven that you can have a very large group and still meet the specification.

When you were managing this program you faced a lot of challenges. What was the biggest?

In order to get buy-in from Marine Corps senior leadership, I had to prove to them that this was a technically superior round of ammunition. I had to present the results of extensive testing.

What is next? You just now going to field this round, is the USMC working on another round?

Well, I’m still putting this one to bed. There is some additional testing that needs to be done. The USMC has type classified, adopted, and issued the Mk318 Mod 0 as an interim solution until formal testing has been completed on the Army’s M855A1. The decision on which round (Mk 318 Mod 1 or M855A1) will be fielded will be made within a year.

We’ve been working on improved sniper grade ammunition. A joint Navy, SOCOM, USMC requirement yielded the AB 39, 7.62mm round. The projectile is the same as the AA11 but it uses a different primer, propellant, and amount of propellant. Now we have an off-the-shelf round that gives consistent performance lot-to-lot, shot-to-shot. Lower dispersion is achieved through 1,000 meters.

Now we are looking at the barrel geometry. A twist of 1:12 is not ideal for this projectile so we developed computer models and simulated firing with faster twist rates. We’ve had test barrels built for us, and just finished firing them using ballistic radar. ArrowTech, who developed PRODAS simulation software, has been tasked to determine the optimum twist for the barrel configuration based on this radar data. Eventually, the USMC may be going to a different twist rate that may include changes to land and groove configuration.

Finally, the Army is looking at improving the machine gun ammo and we’re just keeping track of what they’re doing.

Thank you, Sal for taking the time to provide this excellent information for our readers. We truly appreciate it.

You’re more than welcome. It has been my pleasure.

Even though the IWA Outdoor Classic exposition held each March in Nuremberg, Germany, is traditionally mostly a hunting and sporting event, tactical users have also found some interesting things.

This year there was not just one, but two venues for the tactical aficionado. The IWA itself had a complete Hall 9 singled out for tactical displays – a new one, added this year, and one of the largest in the whole Nuremberg Fair complex. The other was a whole separate fair and conference devoted to military and law enforcement hardware and training preceding the IWA show – the Enforce Tac 2014.

The tactical trend, both in its professional and non-professional format (the latter, perhaps spending more for hardware than the real thing, as a whole – even though he spends his own, not the taxpayers’ money) is growing here in Europe, as it is in other parts of the world. Taking its cue from the U.S. SHOT Show, the IWA management tries to tap into that trend, expanding the law enforcement/military sector.

Starting this year, the Enforce Tac (also known – quite fittingly – as the ‘ET’) is again separated from the IWA – even though advertisements keep hammering the phrase ‘Enforce Tac by IWA’ at every possible opportunity. This connection was often interrupted in the past. At the beginning, since 2006, there was a two-day police training session organized by the Verein Polizeitrainer in Deutschland e.V. (PiD), accompanied by a modest (but growing with each year) exposition of the wares by the companies that sponsored the conference; but admittance was for conference guests only. Then, in 2012, the exhibition was moved from the conference venue to the IWA area, re-named the Enforce Tac show, and made to straddle both events, taking place on the second day of the conference and first of the show – with admittance to invited guests and journalists. The new venue was just a few steps outside the press office, between the office and the escalator leading down to the show – a perfect trap. After those two years, the 2014 ET returned to the previous schedule, but with a significant change. Now, the ET is no longer the Police Conference subsidiary: it’s the other way round. This year there were two parallel conferences: one on police force professional skills, with practical trainings, organized by PiD, which drew 550 participants from all over Europe (and then some), and the other on police equipment and armament, staged by the Deutschen Hochshule der Polizei of Münster (170 participants). The show moved once again, this time to Hall 10.1. This is one of the smaller halls, and it had to be partitioned in two (and still had lots of space) but that shows the growing potential of the ET, which was this year patroned by 50 companies including HK, FN, Rheinmetall and other industry’s heavyweights. If the growing trend continues, the annual Enforce Tac might with time replace the bi-annual GPEC, the police fair, in Leipzig – and then some day maybe Milipol of Paris as well, who knows?

The Enforce Tac is (yet) no match for the “tactical” hall of the IWA, nor in numbers of exhibitors, nor in coverage. Two days at the fringes do not equal the four days during the season’s prime industry gathering of the year. But it has certain advantages – e.g. the exhibitors can display hardware that they would not dare to show at the IWA unless deep behind the counter and by invitation only. The IWA still outlaws public display of real military weapons, particularly fully automatic ones. This might be a soft spot of the otherwise dynamically rising German show. They want to tap into the tactical trend, but still have to face protests from loden-clad gentlemen, outraged at the sight of those tan and black monstrosities at their fair, instead of as many cuckoo clocks or antler hanging boards. Waiting to see whose interest would prevail; let’s have a look at some of the stores.

The ALR-338 is a hefty piece of hardware – it only looks like an AR.

ALR-338: A JAFAR on Steroids.

The AR is on the rise in the recent years, probably the half-centenary of the system has awakened interest. And it keeps rising. Each year we see AR-style direct impingement or piston-driven rifles firing bigger and more powerful rounds. Now that the AR chambered in .30-06 causes nothing more than a shrug, some have gone over the top, harnessing Stoner’s rifle to really powerful medium-caliber rounds, like the .338 Lapua Magnum. At the ET and then during the IWA, a German company displayed their ALR-338. The Schweinfurt-based company of Waffen Albert GmbH (a.k.a. Albert Arms) started as a firearms training business. Their headquarters contains one of the biggest ‘shooting cinemas’ in Germany, with a 55-yard indoor range fitted with a 26×16 ft. interactive target screen. There they started a firearms business and weapon repair shop. One of the shop’s attendants, a young Russian by the name of Vitaly Grauer, in his free time started to tinker with a large-caliber piston-driven AR. When he was finishing it, the boss decided to bankroll the prototype – as a matter of fact, hoping mainly for an advertisement value of the extreme endeavor. But as soon as the KSK (German Special Forces) trainees heard about it, the unfinished prototype was bought right away. Now, the ALR-338 (Automatic Long Range Rifle, .338 caliber) is series-manufactured, and for a while was a seriously-considered contender for the Bundeswehr medium-caliber sniper rifle, replacement of the G22 (the AI bolt-action rifle) until the military revealed that they’re looking for another bolt-action rifle. Nevertheless, the company has a full portfolio of orders for a rifle, capable (says DWJ gun magazine, Jan/2014) of putting 5 shots of .338 LM into a 69 mm circle at 300 m – in 9.87 seconds.

The unfinished receivers of the ALR-338 show the charging handle slots at sides. These are manufactured by Albert Arms themselves.

The ALR-338 is built on own-manufactured uppers and lowers, with a 650 mm long Lothar Walther match-barrel of 1:12 inch pitch (to be soon replaced by 1:10 inch pitch), fitted with M18x1 (same as Sako TRG-series) muzzle thread for a muzzle brake or suppressor attachment. The rifle is totally ambidextrous, with standard cocking handle replaced by two new, side-slot mounted ones. The bolt and bolt-carrier are of size and design appropriate to tame the powerhouse cartridge. The bolt has two rows of locking lugs, 16 in total. Even the extractor has two full-size lugs to stabilize the bolt-head. There’s a polymer accuracy wedge installed into the lower receiver, individually screw-adjustable from the outside to take out the play. Of course, as the ALR-338 is a product of the custom gunsmithing department, it can also be ordered in a mirror-image version for lefties, ejecting to the left.

Polish Szafir sighting system looks like an ACOG with Docter sight slapped on; but it was designed from scratch. What looks like a laser protruding from behind the LKA-4 tube is in fact a battery compartment for an AA battery.

PCO S.A.

The Warsaw-based Polish optronics company presented their wares at the joint Polish booth in Hall 9, with PSO Maskpol (means of ballistic and NBC protection), FB Lucznik-Radom (small arms manufacturer), ZM Tarnów S.A. (sniper rifles) and HPE Holsters (gun leather crafter). Amongst the PCO products the newest CKD-1 Szafir rifle sighting system was showcased. The Szafir (Sapphire) seems to be a new opening for the company, designed at the company’s own initiative, with an eye towards the Polish Soldier of the Future (ISW Tytan) – and now offered as the Polish Army’s new standard rifle sight for both legacy (Beryl) and objective (MSBS-5.56) individual rifle systems. The Szafir is comprised of two sights, a constant 4-power LDK-4 scope for precise shooting with an open MK-1 red-dot sight on top of it for CQB. The sight is still under development and its future will be cast by the results of the military testing.

Voere is back with an X3 – and every inch as cutting-edge avant-garde as it used to be.

X3 – Voere’s Back

The Austrian sniper rifle, Voere X3, is a further development of their modular 20-03 model, designed for tactical application. The 20-03 started a series of precision rifles that dusted-off the somewhat forgotten recently, once avant-garde trademark. Still remember that electric-primed ‘hunting’ rifle chambered for ‘caseless’ soft-point ammunition of the 1990s? Yes, that’s them, same Voere company. The first step towards X3 was the LBW hunting rifle, and its tactical sibling, the LBW-M, chambered in about everything starting with .222 Rem up to .375 H&H. Then came the .338 LM-chambered only LBW-M2, and here comes the X3, which is a notch bigger LBW-M2, shooting anything from .308 Win to .408 Chey-Tac. A bolt locking into a barrel extension enabled the aluminum receiver – but still depending on caliber and type of barrel (steel bull, steel fluted, carbon composite) the rifle weighs in at 7.6 to 8.6 kg (16.7 to 19 lbs.). Not Avant-guard enough for you? Then consider a 390 g (13.96 oz.) bolt, which is (save for the exchangeable bolt head in 4 caliber-group sizes) also made of aluminum in a .408 Chey-Tac rifle, mind you.

The X3 is a long-distance rifle, which you might guess by looking at the scope base. Instead of parallel with the bore it is 3 MOA convergent, so that firing a heavy bullet at a long distance you don’t have to move the reticle all the way up to find a cross-hair.

Shape of the thing to come – an American variant of the new HK civilian rifle, the HK-243S with factory STANAG magazine adapter in place. This is a TAR model, note adjustable stock and Keymode metal RIS forend.

HK had displays at both ET and IWA. The ET booth was bursting at seams with LE/Mil weapons, while the IWA booth showcased the civilian offer. The main news at the LE/Mil booth was the all-new all-metal RIS forend for G36 in all lengths, made of aluminum with Grenade Launching Module anchor points. The forend had only two permanent 1913 rails, top and bottom, with now fashionable Keymod openings at the sides for temporary mounting of the shorter side rails – or accessories mounted directly into the keyholes. Other than that, the MP7A2 had a 1913 bottom rail instead of the folding foregrip, and there was the 5.56mm UTM-chambered pale blue Plastic Training MP7PT.

The HK booth in Hall 9 showcased the all-new product from the civilian line – the HK 243S. Finally, after 18 years of manufacturing, the G36 had spawned a civilian model worthy of a name, replacing the earlier ‘look-unlike’ nightmarishly disastrous SL8. The new HK243S is simply a semi-auto only G36, offered in black or Flat Dark Earth, and in two versions, or rather levels: the SAR (Semi Automatic Rifle) Sporter Basic Variant (semi-only equivalent of the basic military G36A1, fitted with the coveted KSK 1913 rail – MSRP in Germany 1,730 EUR) and TAR (Tactical Automatic Rifle) Sporter Professional (with KSK adjustable stock, low 1913 rail with integral BUIS and the all-new military Keymod RIS forend, with additional options of Norwegian-style bolt hold-open release within the trigger guard, MSRP Germany – 2,290 EUR). The third option was initially to be called the HK293S – being the same rifle in both configurations, fitted with a STANAG magazine adapter. The latter is finally to be called the same as the European version, but would be aimed squarely at the American market.

A Welrod reborn for veterinary purposes – Brügger & Thomet VP-9.

Brügger & Thomet VP-9: For Tactical Vets

Swiss suppressor maker Brügger & Thomet (B&T) showed a new product this year, a 9mm pistol called the VP-9, or Veterinary Pistol, 9mm. This weapon is a modernized copy of the British Welrod of World War II fame. The name is not some kind of a sophisticated camouflage, but its real intended use. Apparently, dispatching animal victims of road accidents rose in Switzerland to the level requiring a determined solution. The neo-Welrod would deal with the problem swiftly and without undue noise. Also, owing to the design of the suppressor, slowing the regular 124 grs bullet to subsonic speed, the ricochet threat is greatly reduced. The noise level is (according to the manufacturer) ‘not unlike slamming the car door’, or up to 129 dB with normal ammunition, and use of a subsonic round would reduce that by mere 4 dB. The pistol is 286 mm long and weighs in at 862 grams, the magazine holds 5 rounds, and the pistol is of course a repeating bolt-action weapon.

Puckle Gun in Christian configuration – for round bullets.

Transarms – Tactical Retro

German classical arms dealer Transarms has each year a small exhibition of their wares – from .45 Luger, to a Krieghoff Luger, to Red Nine Broomhandle or Colt 1902 Military. This year they truly outdid themselves by displaying the (replica) Puckle Defense machine gun – one of the earliest such ever, patented in England, on May 15, 1718. This is essentially a big crank-turned flintlock revolver with a single barrel and a 7-chambered cylinder, replenished by an assistant gunner. The inventor of that contraption, one James Puckle, even graced the patent drawing with a ready advertisement copy of his own pen: ‘Defending King George, your Country and Lawes, / is defending Your Selves and Protestant Cause’. To this end served the most frequently cited today idea of Puckle’s: using ‘ye olde rounde’ bullets against hostile Papists, and square-sectioned ones ‘to convince the Turks of the benefits of Christian civilization’. Somehow it proved not a commercial success, and as a newspaper of the era commented, the Puckle Gun ‘only wounded those who hold shares therein.’

NR81 is a civilian version of the QBZ 81, a 7.62x39 weapon, merging AK and SKS design: the first native Chinese small arms design accepted by the Chinese Army.

Norinco ante portas

The new exhibitor this year, so far not in tactical Hall 9, is Norinco of China. They brought a nice selection of semi-only versions of the modern Chinese military rifles, like Type 81 (NR81 and NR81-2 folding stock model), or the bull-pups, like Type 88 (NR9TM) or Type 97 (NR97A as well as a compact NR97AS). New Chinese AR-15s were on display, as well – both ‘M16’ (NRCQ) and ‘M4’ (NRCQ-A) size. A new product, soon to trigger a visit of non-plussed Russians from Molot, was the NSS12 semiautomatic magazine shotgun, looking unnervingly alike to the Saiga-12. Another new product was the new Shanghai Police sidearm, the NRP9 revolver, mixing together in S&W-like layout an eclectic collection of ideas, like Ruger-like transfer bar firing mechanism with an additional manual safety.

The new SIG P320 pistol is essentially a P250 without a hammer.

American SIG-Sauer

After Swiss SIG fell, and German J.P. Sauer & Sohn reverted to hunting rifles, the U.S.-based SIGARMS soon overshadowed its roots, boldly breaking out from pistol ghetto into rifle territory under a new name of SIG-Sauer. Soon there were inevitable AR-15s and even 1911s coming down the chute. The MPX submachine gun series caused many an eye-brow to rise.

At the ET and IWA fairs SIG-Sauer displayed the new P320 pistol, a hammerless version of the P250, and a new rifle, modular SIG 556xi series. The selective fire variant has premiered at the ET, but semiautomatic version shown at IWA also drew crowds. This is a development of the older SIG 556, turning multi-caliber: the exchangeable lowers, barrels, bolts and magazines each rifle allow them to fire any of the three rounds – .223 Rem, .300 BLK or 7.62 x 39 Russian.

The NSS12 shotgun seems to be a Saiga-12 lookalike.

Chinese police revolver, the 9mm NRP9, issued as of this spring to the Shanghai Municipal Police.

The new SIG 556xi rifle in full selective fire glory but at both SHOT Show and IWA only semiautomatic ones were shown.

In preparing research for this article it was found that there was no consistent consensus on the actual proper name of this weapon among the many sources utilized – both in English and in Japanese. A good part of that may be as simple as how the Japanese word or words were translated into English, the time period or era in which it is discussed or the emblematic usage of a nick-name. This gun is known by many names: Type 11, T-11, Taisho 11, Nambu Type 11, Nambu Taisho 11 and Model 1922; with Type 11 and Taisho 11 being the most encountered. For consistency purposes the name used throughout this article will be Type 11 as that is what it is commonly known as and accepted in the broadest of terms.

At the turn of the twentieth century, the Japanese military, like most of the rest of the world, was unsure of the effectiveness of machine guns and what they meant and how they were to be used on the battlefield, whether offensively or defensively and how they would, or would not, affect the outcome of engagements. They had no modern firearms strategies and relied on foreign designed guns to test, evaluate and use. The leading candidates of the time were the water-cooled short recoil Maxim gun and the air-cooled gas operated French Hotchkiss gun. The Japanese ultimately choose the Hotchkiss Model 1901 gun as they felt that even though the Hotchkiss used 24-round feed strips, being air cooled and lighter in weight provided them with a mobility advantage without the reliance of always being near a water source. Thus it was the combat knowledge gained in the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905 where the Japanese used the Hotchkiss Model 1901 heavy machine guns versus the Russian Maxims that convinced the Japanese of the usefulness of machine guns; particularly in providing covering fire for advancing infantry.

Japanese infantryman on station in China. Note the Type 14 pistol holster, the metal ammunition box beneath the gun and the feed housing hopper appears to be loaded as the follower is in a high position.

Later, as World War I raged all across Europe in 1914, Japanese military attachés made direct observations of the battles and combat tactics, which
ultimately reinforced their estimations of the use of automatic weapons in warfare. Wanting to expand its sphere of influence in the Far East, Japan sided with the Allies and declared war on Germany in August 1914, quickly occupying German-leased territories in China’s Shandong Province and the Mariana, Caroline and Marshall islands in the Pacific. While the rest of the world was focused on the European battleground, Japan continued to expand and consolidate its position in China and expanding control over German holdings in Manchuria and Inner Mongolia. World War I permitted Japan to expand its influence in Asia and its territorial holding in the Pacific while the Imperial Japanese Navy, seized Germany’s Micronesian colonies.

It was in 1914 that Japan started production, under license, of the Taisho 3 heavy machine gun based upon the design of the French Hotchkiss Model 1914 as their heavy machine gun in 6.5x50mm Arisaka ammunition. Beyond that, they recognized the value of a lightweight, man-portable weapon such as they saw with the Lewis gun as a huge advantage for infantry on the offensive. After the hostilities ended in Europe, the Japanese Army Technical Bureau was charged with the development of a lightweight machine gun that could be easily transported and used by one man in the infantry squad resulting in the Type 11 in 1922. Gaining combat experience in Japan’s growing sphere of influence in Manchuria and northern China confirmed Japan’s effectiveness of providing automatic covering fire for advancing infantry troops.

The feed housing is located on the left side of the feedway and is shown with ammo clips in the hopper. The oil reservoir is seen directly on top of the receiver of the feedway and the rear sight offset to the right. The kanji (Japanese symbols) along the top of the receiver are read from top to bottom and read “11 Year Type.”

The first light machine gun to be manufactured in large quantities in Japan was the Type 11 light machine gun and when accepted was “Typed” in commemoration after the 11th year of the reign of Emperor Taisho, or 1922. The gun was a highly modified design by the famous Japanese arms designer General (then Colonel) Kijiro Nambu of the French Hotchkiss Mle 1909 light machine gun. Retaining the cooling fins on the barrel and the collapsible attached bipod, he instead of using the typical Hotchkiss feed strip design, developed a hopper feed housing design holding 30 rounds to feed the weapon. He also completely redesigned the bolt and locking system. His design also meant that the bolt violently extracted the spent cartridge casing requiring an oiler system to oil the cartridges prior to chambering. This oil reservoir had to be located immediately over the center of the feedway causing the sights to be offset to the right. He then radically changed the shoulder stock configuration to be offset to the right to be ergonomically beneficial because the sights were offset. The Type 11 saw active service in the Imperial Japanese Army from 1922 through to the end of World War II in 1945. It was the oldest Japanese light machine gun design to see service in the Pacific War in World War II even though it was superseded by the Type 96 light machine gun (6.5x50mm Arisaka) in 1936 and then the Type 99 light machine gun (7.7x58mm) in 1939. Both guns resembled the 1920’s design of the Czech ZB 26 being gas operated with a top feed magazine and bipod mount, but the Japanese guns were completely different internally.

Front cover of the German magazine Die Sirene (The Siren) dated February 1935 with the picture caption saying, “Machine gun protects a Japanese Regiment of the Guards. World powers struggle for the Pacific.” The Japanese soldier is posing for the picture as his feed hopper housing is empty. Note the metal ammo box for carrying cartridge clips beneath the gun.

Type 11 (1922) 6.5mm Light Machine Gun

The Type 11 was the standard equipment in the Imperial Japanese Army infantry squad. It is gas-operated, air-cooled, and hopper fed and full automatic only. Like many Japanese automatic weapons, its design stems from the French Hotchkiss system, but the method of feed, consisting of a removable feed housing hopper attached to the left side of the receiver in line with the feedway and charged with clips of cartridges, is unique. The hopper holds six five-round clips; or thirty rounds in all. The five-round clips are stacked lying flat above the receiver, secured by a strong spring arm follower, and the rounds stripped from the lowest clip one at a time, with the empty clip thrown clear and the next clip automatically falling into place as the gun was fired.

The hopper can be refilled while attached and does not require removal during operation and can be replenished at any time. The inherent and obvious disadvantage of this hopper system was that the open feeder box was susceptible to dirt, dust, grime and mud entering the gun. That, along with poor dimensional tolerances, made the gun prone to operational jams. Additionally, it was practically impossible to reload the weapon during an assault charge due to the clip feeding system and the strong spring arm follower holding the cartridge strips in place. A soldier literally needed three hands to reload the weapon while advancing

Left side of the Japanese Type 11 light machine gun. Note the extended bipod legs and the unique feed housing hopper just in front of the bolt slide (cocking handle).

Another issue was that the Type 11 had to use a reduced charge rifle cartridge as it would not function properly with the standard-charge rifle ammunition as it was causing reliability problems. This reduced-charge ammunition contains 2 grams of propellant instead of the 2.15 grams that is the standard charge for rifle ammunition. All reduced-charge ammunition cardboard boxes are marked with a Roman letter G inside a circle. The “G” was for the Japanese word “gensou” – or “reduced.” The ammunition is loaded in clips of 5, placed 1,440 rounds to the wooden box. Clips are also packed 3 clips (15 rounds) to a cardboard container and 24 clips (120 rounds) in a small steel ammunition case with a handle. Because the Type 11 had to use a reduced load, it of course negated the advantage of a single cartridge compatibility with their Type 38 rifle.

Another unique and easily identifiable aspect of the Type 11 is the ‘bent’ buttstock to the right. The trigger housing extends behind the trigger with a very narrow metal wrist that then expands into a wide wooden buttstock. This entire assembly is offset to the right. Since the cartridge oiler is located along the top of the receiver along the centerline axis, the sights have to be offset to the right. The idea being that the stock was also offset to the right to align with the offset sights. (Though offset sights are not unusual in guns designed with a magazine feed on the top of the receiver like a ZB or Bren gun, whose stocks are not offset, apparently in 1922, Colonel Nambu thought it mattered.) Another (weak) theory that surfaces on occasion hypothesized that due to the weight of thirty cartridges loaded in the hopper that hangs from the left side of the gun, to counteract that weight imbalance, the stock was offset to the right.

Manufacturing nomenclature for the Type 11 is located on the right side of the receiver. The five symbols and numbers on the Type 11 shown here represent, from left to right, the identifying mark for the Hitachi Heiki manufacturing plant. The next symbol represents the current reign of the Showa, manufactured in the 14th year of the Showa Reign (1939) in the month of September (9) and, finally, the four intertwined circles, (which actually characterize stacked cannon balls viewed from the top) represents the Kokura Army Arsenal. So this reads as made by Hitachi Heiki in September of the Showa year 14 under the supervision of the Kokura Army Arsenal. Note the oil reservoir can be seen directly above the ejection port in line with the feedway. Also observed just above the receiver is the externally mounted ejector arm that rocks up and down as the gun cycles.

Overall, identifying the Type 11 may be easily observed by the unique feed hopper, the cartridge oiler located on top of the receiver, the cutout thin wrist section of the wide wood shoulder stock that is offset to the right, the front and rear sights being offset to the right and the markings, which are on top of the receiver and reads Juichinen Shiki meaning “11th Year Type.”

The weapon has a bipod fixed permanently to the gun near the muzzle that can be folded rearward back along the gas tube and barrel when in transport. It can also be fired from the model M1922 folding tripod mount, which is carried by the gun squad for use as desired. When the mount is used the bipod is folded back along the barrel. This mount has both a traversing and elevating mechanism. When the gun is to be used against aircraft, the legs are extended and the tripod raised to its maximum height, which places the gun about four feet from the ground. The elevating device is then unfastened so that the gun will have free traverse and elevation.

Type 11 disassembled.

Operation

A safety lever located on the left of the trigger guard is shifted downward until approximately vertical for “safe.” In this position its lower end engages a small notch in the side of the trigger guard and cannot easily be displaced. For “fire,” the safety lever is rotated backward and upward until it points horizontally to the rear.

The safety lever is attached to the end of a pin, part of which is cut away. When the safety lever is set at “safe,” the solid portion of the pin obstructs the trigger, whereas when it is set on “fire,” the cutaway allows the trigger to operate freely and to depress the sear.

Viewed from the top, the unique shape of the Type 11 can be seen. The feed housing hopper is hanging off the left side of the receiver in front of the feedway with the sights offset to the right of the receiver. The stock is offset to the right to ergonomically align the soldier to line up with the offset sights.

Before firing, one must be sure that the oil in the oil reservoir is adequately filled. As the rounds are fed into the gun, they work against an oil pump. This allows a small amount of oil to come down on the cartridge, thus oiling the rounds as they are fed into the gun. The ammunition is oiled as this gun does not have a slow initial extraction to prevent ruptured cartridges.

The rate of fire is regulated by means of a gas regulator with several openings of different sizes for the passage of gas through the regulator until it strikes the gas piston. The gas cylinder has five holes of different sizes and is numbered 10 – 15 – 18 – 20 – 28, the small number being the small hole. These holes regulate the force with which the bolt recoils. Adjustments are made to ‘smooth out’ the action of the gun so that only enough gas is utilized to force the recoiling parts to the rear smoothly and without their striking the buffer with excessive force. After initial regulation, changes are necessary only when the gun becomes excessively fouled and dirty, so that more force is required to drive the parts rearward. If the bolt recoils too fast, a smaller hole should be used. If the bolt recoil is slow, sluggish or insufficient, a larger hole should be used.

The legs of the folding tripod are fully extended for use as an anti-aircraft platform. Note that the traverse and elevation mechanism has been detached to allow freedom of movement for traverse and elevation. (Japan Arms & Ammunition Catalogue A, Taihei Kumiai, Marunouchi, Tokyo, Japan)

The ammunition hopper must be filled and is accomplished by raising the follower and placing six five-round clips in the hopper. The follower is then lowered on the cartridges. As the follower is under spring tension it holds the cartridges down against the feed mechanism in the bottom of the hopper.

Cock the gun by pulling back the bolt slide (operating handle) on the left until the projection on the piston engages the sear notch. Push the operating handle forward until its catch clips into the receiver. The gun is now cocked and ready to be fired.

As the bolt is pulled to the rear the operating slide cams the feed slide to the right. As the feed rack plunger is against a shoulder of the feed housing, it causes the feed rack, due to a diagonal cut in the feed slide, to be cammed up until the feed rack plunger (which also raises), comes to a cut-away portion of the feed housing. During this movement the feed racks raise and engage the cartridge in the lower clip. As the feed rack plunger has raised to the cut-away portion of the feed housing it allows the feed and stripping racks to move in with the feed slide, stripping a round from the lower clip and placing it in front of the holding pawl. At the same time the feed rack plunger is cammed in and comes out in another slot.

The Type 11 ultimately had to use reduced power ammunition for proper functioning of the weapon. The 15-round (three strips of five rounds each) ammunition cartons were specially marked with a G inside a circle on the ammo packaging label to identify the reduced loads. The markings within the hexagon read as follows from the top: Line 1: DAN-YAKU-HO “Loaded Cartridges”; Line 2: ICHI-ICHI-SHIKI-KEI-KI-JU “Type 11 Light Machine Gun”; Line 3: The star with the circle inside is the symbol of the 1st Tokyo Army Arsenal; Line 4: SHOWA-JU-YO-NEN-SAN-GATSU-CHO-SEI “Showa 14 year 3 month (1939 March) loaded powder” (Powder loaded March 1939); Line 5: YAKU-ITA-ICHI-YON • NI-GATSU-SAN-SAN ROKU GO “Powder Ita(bashi) 14.2 - Month 336 Lot (Powder from the Itabashi (Gun Powder Factory of the 1st Tokyo Army Arsenal) 14.2 moth (1939, February) – 336th Lot”: Line 6: JU-GO-HATSU “Fifteen Rounds”. The characters in red on the right hand side, read vertically, denote the optimal temperature operating range of the ammunition (60-80 degrees). (Courtesy Rick Scovel collection)

As the bolt comes forward and pushes the round into the chamber, the feed slide is cammed out. As the feed rack plunger is in another slot the feed racks are held, due to the diagonal cut in the feed slide. The racks are cammed down until the feed rack plunger is cammed in. During this action the feeding and stripping racks have dropped down below the level of the cartridge. After the feed rack plunger has been cammed in, the feeding and stripping racks move out with the feed slide until they reach their outmost position; at that time the feed rack plunger comes out into the first slot and the cycle is repeated. After the cartridge has been stripped from the clip, the clip is ejected out the rear bottom of the hopper by the clip ejector.

The holding pawl is holding the first round of ammunition in line with the chamber. As the trigger is pulled it causes the sear to move down, disengaging the sear from the operating slide. The operating slide, bolt lock and bolt travel forward under the pressure of the compressed recoil spring, the bolt chambering a round. After the bolt has reached its forward position, the operating slide continues to move forward. As it travels forward it cams the bolt lock down behind the locking lugs on the side of the receiver, locking the breech. As the operating slide continues to move forward, a portion of the operating slide strikes the firing pin, driving it forward, striking the primer and firing the gun.

From a Japanese manual, the Type 11 showing internal parts placement.

As the projectile passes the port in the barrel the gases pass down through the port and into the gas cylinder, giving the gas piston a push to the rear. As the gas piston is made on the forward end of the operating slide, the slide also moves to the rear. The first one-half inch of movement cams the bolt lock up, unlocking the bolt. During this movement the bolt lock cams the firing pin back from the face of the bolt. After the bolt is unlocked the operating slide, bolt lock, bolt and empty cartridge case, which is held to the face of the bolt by the extractor, recoil. When these parts have recoiled a sufficient distance, the rear of the bolt strikes the ejector, pushing out on the rear end of the ejector, causing the front end to pivot in knocking the empty cartridge out through the ejection port opening. The operating slide, bolt lock and bolt continue on to the rear, compressing the recoil spring until the bolt strikes the buffer fork, thus absorbing the remainder of the recoil force.

The front and rear sights are of necessity offset to the right to prevent obstruction of sighting by the oil reservoir. To set the rear sight, press the knurled catch on the left side of the rear-sight slide, move the slide to the desired range, and release the catch. The rear sight is in increments ranging from 300 to 1,500 meters. There is no means for windage adjustment.

To unload the weapon, pull back on the knurled feed-housing lock on the feed-house assembly, where it projects out of the lower center of the right side of the feedway, and remove the entire feed-housing hopper assembly to the left. Remove the live ammunition from the feed well of the feed-housing hopper assembly and replace the feed-housing assembly in place on the gun. Do not attempt to unload the gun by working live rounds through the gun, because it fires from an open bolt and will fire when the bolt closes and locks.

Detail of the packing order of the 24 5-round stripper clips (120 rounds) in the metal ammunition box carried along with the Type 11 light machine gun. (Courtesy Rick Scovel collection)

Disassembly

Always make sure the weapon is unloaded by visually checking the hopper magazine, feed-housing assembly and the chamber.

Taking care that the backplate does not fly out under spring tension, remove the backplate pin by releasing the catch, turning it down to a vertical position, and puling it out. Remove the backplate group and operating spring.

Japanese soldier in winter gear in China with Type 26 pistol and Type 11 light machine gun. Note the metal ammunition box beneath the gun.

Pull the bolt slide (cocking handle) to the rear and remove the operating slide, the bolt, and the bolt lock. Line up the lugs on the bolt slide with the opening on the side of the receiver and remove the bolt slide to the left. Lift the bolt and bolt lock from the operating slide. Slide the firing pin from the rear of the bolt and remove the bolt lock from the bolt by sliding off the top of the bolt. Lift up on the front of the extractor spring and rotate it to the left ninety degrees, and remove from the bolt. The extractor will now lift off of the bolt.

To remove the feed housing from the receiver, pull the feed housing lock, on the front right side of the receiver, to the rear. Slide the feed housing to the left, removing it from the receiver. Note that the feed housing can be removed in the same manner when the gun is assembled and the bolt is in battery position. To further strip the feed mechanism, raise up on the feed slide lock on the rear left side of the feed housing. Slide the feed mechanism to the left, removing it from the feed housing. Slide the stripping and feeding rack to the left and lift up on the stripping rack, separating the two pieces. Press in on the feed rack plunger and lift up on the feed rack, removing it from the feed rack. Extreme care should be used in removing the follower spring. Remove the follower stop, which is located to the rear of the follower pivot. Then raise the follower up, holding the front of the feed housing against a table or some other object to catch the follower plunger and spring. The follower can then be removed by aligning the lugs on the follower pivot with the cut-away portion of the follower bearing on the feed housing. The holding pawl should not be removed except in case of breakage. It is then drifted out to the left.

Accessories for the Type 11 include: 1) Bulk ammunition carry bag with shoulder strap designed to hold a total of 150 rounds of Japanese 6.5mm in 30 loaded 5-round stripper clips; 2) Type 11 waist pouch and leather waist belt (normally a Type 11 gunner wore a pair of these pouches in front with a standard infantryman’s rear ammunition pouch at the rear; 3) Steel ammunition box that holds a total of 120 rounds in 24 5-round stripper clips; 4) Small sized (12” x 16” x 1/4” thick) armor shield (Japanese LMGs were sometimes issued with these shields, which were made in two sizes, small and large (14” x 20” x 1/4” thick); 5) Canvas draw string sleeve for spare barrel; 6) Original set of Type 11 manuals, one having 102 pages of just text and the other having 22 fold-out detail images of the gun and all its parts; 7) Flip-up muzzle cap; 8) Canvas and leather lined transport cover for the gun; 9) Leather LMG sling with Type 11 style quick disconnect clips at both ends; 10) Type 11 maintenance kit with canvas waist pouch; and 11) canvas pouch with waist belt straps for carrying the ammunition feed housing when transporting the gun. (Courtesy Rick Scovel collection)

The oiler assembly is removed by pressing down on the oiler lock, which is located directly in front of the rear sight, and sliding the oiler assembly to the left, removing it from the receiver.

The trigger housing and stock can be removed from the receiver by using a drift to drive out the trigger-housing split pin from right to left. This pin is located between the trigger housing and receiver, directly behind the trigger. By pulling the trigger, the trigger housing together with the shoulder stock can now be removed by sliding it off to the rear of the receiver. To further strip the trigger housing, rotate the safety down, raising up on the end of the safety at the same time, and continue rotation until it is in the forward position, then pull out, removing the safety from the trigger housing. Drift the trigger pin out, removing the trigger, sear and sear spring.

The barrel jacket can be detached by removing the barrel jacket lock retainer plate, which is located on the left rear part of the gas piston tube, by drifting to the front of the weapon. The barrel jacket lock retainer can be removed and the barrel jacket lock drifted to the front of the gun, removing it. The barrel jacket will now unscrew from the receiver, right hand threads.

The feed housing disassembled into its component parts.

Unscrew the gas cylinder from the front of the gas piston tube. Slide the gas piston tube to the rear about one inch and remove from the bottom of the barrel jacket. The barrel is pressed into the barrel jacket and cannot be replaced without having access to a press.

The ejector is located on the left top corner of the receiver, and it removed by removing the ejector pin. The bolt locks are located under a plate and are pressed into the receiver, on the right and left side of the receiver, directly behind the feed opening.

The extremely rare, seldom seen and hardly ever used folding tripod for the Type 11. (Japan Arms & Ammunition Catalogue A, Taihei Kumiai, Marunouchi, Tokyo, Japan)

Accessories

The Type 11 light machine gun was intended for both infantry and cavalry use. Among the accessories of this weapon are manuals, a small armor shield, foldable tripod, waist ammunition pouch, spare barrel, spare barrel cover, spare feed-housing (hopper) pouch, bulk ammunition sacks, muzzle cap, canvas and leather transport case, spare parts and tools maintenance kit and steel ammunition box containing 24 five-round strips for a total of 120 rounds. There were also special pack and saddle outfits for use by the cavalry.

Operating cycle of the feeding mechanism of the type 11. (The Machine Gun, Vol. IV, Parts X and XI. Bureau of Ordnance, U.S. Navy, compiled by Lt. Col. George Chinn)

Conclusion

The Japanese Type 11 (1922) light machine gun was an early attempt at a single man-portable automatic weapon following in the footsteps of the Lewis gun, Chauchat and Hotchkiss Portative. Using the French Hotchkiss as a starting point, tweaking the operating system and adding a unique feed mechanism and a bent buttstock, Colonel Kijiro Nambu made his mark on this early design. Though light and man-portable, its unique feed system was a central cause of its problems in various sandy or muddy environments that Japan fought in and having to oil the cartridges prior to chambering was a big drawback both operationally and logistically. Nevertheless, the gun, when properly maintained, was accurate and reliable and provided the cover for advancing infantry that it was designed for and saw extensive use in Manchuria and China prior to World War II. Although in the 1930s, in skirmishes with the Chinese, the Japanese army realized that their awkward, hopper-fed Type 11 was inferior to the Czech ZB machine guns used by the Chinese and set about to create a similar type of weapon that became the Type 96 and Type 99. With approximately 29,000 Type 11s manufactured from 1922 to 1941, and superseded by the likes of the Type 96 and Type 99 light machine guns, it was never declared obsolete and fought alongside the newer types throughout the entire Pacific Campaign right up to the end of the war. It is believed that four or five companies manufactured the Type 11. Initial production began at the Nagoya Army Arsenal and the Kokura Army Arsenal. TG&E (Tokyo Gas and Electric) produced the Type 11 until production was taken over by the Hitachi Manufacturing Company in 1939. It is possible that the Hoten Arsenal in Manchuria also produced the gun in quantity.

Like many Hotchkiss designs, the Type 11 feels clumsy except when actually fired as its forward center of gravity becomes an advantage. And, since so many of the Hotchkiss designs used feed strips, it was felt the hopper design eliminated snagging problems. Though not a bad idea, it did not meet practical expectations in the field.

The rare and seldom encountered tool and spare parts wallet is made of brown cowhide leather that folds in half and is secured by a single leather strap attached by a nickeled steel buckle. The wallet is carried in a canvas waist pouch that attaches to a waist belt.

The contents of the tool and spare parts wallet are as follows:
1) Brown cowhide leather wallet with stitched in loops and tool holders.
2) White metal cartridge case remover with claw end.
3) Punches (2), one 0.077 in. (2 mm) and one 0.188 in. (4.5 mm).
4) Ruptured case extractor tool.
5) Unidentified tool (not in manual).
6) Standard folding type screwdriver.
7) Gas regulator adjustment tool. One end is to remove, install and adjust the gas cylinder. The other end is to extract a broken firing pin.
8) Scraper attached to end of cleaning rod segment.
9) Cleaning bore rods (2).
10) Operating spring. 16 3/4 in. long x .38 in.
11) Brass drift or cheater bar.
12) Brass hammer with 2 oz. head with wood handle.
13) Spare parts can (tinned steel). The can is 6 in. long (15.24 cm) and 1 in. (25.4 mm) wide. Note that the can is made up of two sections indicated by a raised rib that can be seen on the outer tube with a steel disk in the interior at the point of the rib that provides a partition. The left hand side of the container as shown here is 4 3/4 in. long (12.065 cm) and the right hand side is 1 1/4 in. long (3.175 cm). The following list of items numbered 16-18 fit in the long left hand side of the tube and items numbered 19-28 fit in the smaller right hand side of the tube.
14) Screw cap for left side of spare parts can.
15) Screw cap for right side of spare parts can.
16) Firing pins (2).
17) Extractor springs (3).
18) Bolt spring.
19) Extractors (3).
20) Threaded brass tube for attaching to bore rods to attach cleaning jag. It is 1 in. (26 mm) long and 0.23 in. (6 mm) in diameter with different internal threads on each end: 0.12 in. (3.2 mm) one side, 0.144 in. (3.6 mm) on opposite end.
21) Feed rack plunger.
22) Feed housing follower stop.
23) Coil spring 29 x 9.5 mm (trigger sear spring)
24) Coil Spring 14 x 7.5 mm (back plate buffer spring)
25) Coil Spring 8 x 3 mm (gas regulator adjustment spring)
26) Coil Spring 15 x 4.4 mm (feed rack plunger spring)
27) Coil Spring 20 x 4.3 mm (undetermined)
28) Coil Spring 28 x 4.4mm (oil reservoir applicator spring)

Japanese Type 11 (1922) Light Machine Gun

Weight of gun: 11.5 lbs.
Length of gun: 43.5 inches
Length of barrel: 19 inches
Caliber: 6.5mm (.256 in.)
Ammunition: Model 38 (1905) semi rimmed, reduced-charge cartridges in 5-round clips
Rifling: 4 lands, right hand twist
Sights, front: Inverted V blade with guards, offset to right
Sights, rear: Leaf with open V notch sliding on ramp, graduated from 300 to 1,500 meters, offset to right; no windage adjustment
Operation: Gas-operated, full automatic only
Type of feed: Hopper
Hopper capacity: 30 rounds in six stripper clips
Cyclic rate of fire: 5-600 rounds per minute
Effective rate of fire: 150 rounds per minute.
Production: Approx. 29,000 (1922-1941)
Manufacturer: Nagoya Army Arsenal, Kokura Army Arsenal, Tokyo Gas and Electric (TG&E), Hitachi Heiki and possibly Hoten Arsenal in Manchuria.

A young Japanese soldier marches in China with full field pack and Type 11 light machine gun. The cherry blossom branch he carries has great cultural meaning and holds many spiritual beliefs. It is interpreted as ‘transient of life’ as they are so fragile and because the cherry blossom tree has short blooming periods. Additionally, it is believed that cherry blossoms were the souls of Samurai warriors who lost their lives in battle.

The folding tripod with legs extended half way for firing from a sitting position. (Japan Arms & Ammunition Catalogue A, Taihei Kumiai, Marunouchi, Tokyo, Japan)

The war machine of the Soviet Union has always been a source of intrigue to those interested in the development and proliferation of arms. The cold war era is full of truly incredible if not seemingly impossible military developments by the Soviets; the submarines, rockets, armored vehicles, aircraft, nuclear powered, and small arms from the period could easily be mistaken for today’s science fiction. Their secret military programs are indeed often the subject of Hollywood films; but sometimes reality is stranger than fiction. This is the AN-94; the Avtomat Nikonova-94. To keep it short, the Nikonov, or Abakan. Most gun enthusiasts have never heard of it. Few have ever seen it. And you could count on one hand the number of Americans who have fired it. This rifle is a paradigm of military small arms innovation in the last 50 years.

Through the 60s and 70s, most of the world’s major powers had adopted small caliber, high velocity cartridges to replace the .30 calibers of the past decades. In 1974, the 7.62mm AK-47 was replaced by the AK-74, essentially the same rifle, but now chambered in a new 5.45mm cartridge. The 5.45 offered lighter recoil, better control and accuracy in automatic fire, and a soldier could carry more ammunition on his person. But in action, the AK-74 was not on par with other modern rifles on the battlefield. Control and inherent accuracy in automatic fire were found to be unacceptable, despite the promises of the new cartridge. By 1981, the Soviet Union was looking to advance its small arms program yet again. The USSR Council of Ministers issued the call for new trials to begin; to create a better battle rifle. This endeavor became known as Project Abakan, or the Abakan Trials. The requirements set forth for the new rifle were very ambitious. The new rifle would be expected to improve on all aspects of the AK-74; accuracy (in full-auto and slow aimed fire), fire rate, weight, reliability, and mission capability and adaptability. For almost 15 years, twelve teams of Russia’s top engineers and weapons designers worked toward this goal. One of these engineers, Gennady Nikonov, created and built over 20 prototype rifles to prove principles of operation and demonstrate mechanical function. The exact details of Project Abakan may never be known publicly, so all we can conclude with any certainty is the outcome. By 1994, One of the rifles created by Nikonov had won the Abakan trials. But the Cold War was over and Russia’s engagement in Afghanistan was finished. The arrival of this game-changing rifle from the future was over 4 years overdue. The AN-94 would not adopted as a general replacement for the AK-74, however it was put into production and reserved as a special purpose weapon for the Spetznaz.

These parts are unique to the Nikonov – the feed shuttle and cable, cartridge carrier, and the pulley.

To see the Nikonov in person is an experience in itself. The gun is so far-out and unexpected you find yourself searching for an answer or explanation. You can guess from the visual clues that it’s Russian. The gun is totally utilitarian; its external shape is simply what happened when they covered up the machine that hides within. The AN-94 has no aesthetically pleasing lines – it’s disproportionate and bulky. Any exposed steel surfaces are simply painted black. All surfaces inside and out are crude. There is no polishing and there are no high-performance surface coatings. The weapon is roughly machined steel and plastic casting. The majority of the exterior is heavy polymer molded around a steel skeleton. There are areas inside and out where the skeleton protrudes from the polymer to serve as guide rails and other working surfaces. The construction is similar to the ubiquitous polymer-framed pistol of today. The receiver and forearm are molded as a single unit for simplicity and strength. The Nikonov’s shape does however resemble an AK. The molded top cover is shaped like the AK’s stamped sheet metal top cover. The magazine latch is nearly identical to the AK. The grip’s shape is similar to the AK, but is nearly vertical as the trigger pulls slightly downward rather than swinging up and rearward. The charge handle’s location is where you’d find that of the AK. The side folding stock is basic; made of hollow plastic with a compartment for a cleaning kit. The stock is notably longer than a typical AK stock, so the rifle is a better fit for a larger shooter. The stock folds and locks to the right side of the gun so it does not interfere with the optics mount, but does interfere with operation of the bolt and trigger. The Nikonov will use any magazine intended for the AK-74. One point of interest is the orientation of the magazine; it’s positioned approximately 10 degrees away from vertical, hanging off to the right side of the rifle. The magazine’s unusual position is required to allow for the unique internal workings. The front sight is a post protected by a “TV view” window with night sight ears protruding from the top of the protective hoop. The rear sight is a 5 position rotary aperture, calibrated for 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7 hundred meters. The sight is mounted at the 2 o’clock position atop the rifle towards the rear of the receiver just above the trigger, allowing quick range adjustments with the thumb or index finger of the trigger hand. The rifle is equipped with the standard soviet side plate optics mount; which is an integral part of the internal steel skeleton. This quick detach mounting system has been featured on almost every battle rifle built by the Russians since the mid-1950s, so the Nikonov offers reverse-compatibility with most Russian optics. The muzzle is fitted with a strange looking brake. It has only 3 ports; a single small port at the 1 o’clock position of the first chamber and two small cuts just at the muzzle. The gas system that is visible atop the AK’s barrel is missing; though the Nikonov does indeed function with a long stroke piston. The piston structure is shorter and thinner than that of the AK and is concealed within the forearm. There is another tubular structure hanging below the barrel. This tube conceals the recoil spring for the reciprocating receiver. This structure serves as a mounting point for a grenade launcher, and bears the guide rail upon which the reciprocating barrel assembly rides. The crossbolt style safety is just ahead of the trigger guard, and is easy to access with the trigger finger. The safety effectively locks the carrier forward. The Nikonov offers no mechanical means of locking the bolt to the rear. While the rifle is set to “safe,” the bolt cannot be moved. The selector operates in a track and moves fore and aft. It is on the left side of the grip, within easy reach of the thumb. Internally, the only feature shared by the AK and the AN-94 is the shape of the bolt and how it interfaces with the carrier. However, the Nikonov’s bolt and carrier are much smaller – maybe half the scale of the AK’s comparable parts.

The left side of the receiver shows the integral scope mount, the selector switch just above the grip, and the push button safety at the front of the trigger guard. Also visible is the lack of attention to finish quality.

The Nikonov offers three modes of fire; semiautomatic, two-shot burst, and fully automatic. The burst mode is what really sets this rifle apart. In burst mode, it can send out a pair of projectiles at an effective 1,800 rounds per minute. That’s 33 thousandths of a second apart (.033 second); two and one half times the rate of the M4. Among all modern military arms, the Nikonov owns the honor of the highest rate of fire for any shoulder fired small arm in service. In actual fact it currently owns the highest fire rate for any single barrel. Heckler and Koch experimented for 20 years to create a rifle that could have exceeded the fire rate of the AN-94. But this project, known as the G11, never made its way to field service. The other close contender to the title was another rifle designed by Gennady Nikonov. This was a twin barrel shoulder fired 5.45×39 light machine gun that would have delivered a completely mad 3,000 rounds per minute in sustained fire.

The AN-94 consists of a barreled receiver that reciprocates within an outer shell, or how it’s translated from Russian, and referred to herein as, “the envelope.” The receiver assembly carries the barrel, bolt, carrier and piston, sliding hammer, and a cartridge shuttle. The envelope is composed of the stock, grip, trigger mechanism, magazine well, and a cartridge carrier. The bolt and carrier and hammer travel within the receiver, and the receiver assembly and barrel, travel within the envelope. Due to the major differences in recoiling mass, the receiver and bolt assembly travel at very different rates during fire. The masses of the major moving parts are carefully balanced to manipulate cycle times for the receiver and bolt carrier. This balance of mass and force plays a key role in achieving the high rate of fire. This reciprocating function also serves to dissipate felt recoil. The interface between the receiver and envelope is not unlike the soft mount used for modern heavy automatic weapons. The result is that very little recoil energy is transferred to the shooter. Under the effect of recoil, the receiver can move almost one and one half inch rearward within the envelope. The method of function is referred to as “blowback shifted pulse.” The locking bolt is gas operated, yes, but the receiver is set in motion by recoil, or blowback. And the “pulse” refers to the impulse or energy created by a fired round. The reciprocating mechanism delays or “shifts” the energy pulse to a later moment in time.

The sliding hammer. At left, disengaged. At right, note the lug at the rear in locked position with the carrier. The hammer is in contact with the bolt and firing pin. When in this locked configuration, the Nikonov will slam fire.

In semiautomatic fire, the Nikonov operates similarly to any other semi-auto rifle. At each shot, gasses diverted from the barrel act against a piston connected to the bolt carrier. The carrier then forces the bolt to unlock from the breach. The sliding hammer is forced rearward by the bolt until it is engaged by the sear. This is where the Nikonov begins to differ from other guns. Normally, a trigger will disconnect from the sear by way of mechanical input from the bolt or carrier. In the Nikonov, the trigger disconnect is actuated by the recoiling receiver itself. The bolt can then return to battery as the receiver returns to its forward location. The sliding hammer is maintained at the rear of the receiver in a cocked state; ready for the next trigger pull.

Before we get further into the cyclic function, it should be understood how the Nikonov gets ammunition from the magazine into the chamber. The Nikonov incorporates a “pre-feed” system, whereby rounds are stripped forward from the magazine by a shuttle that delivers them into a carrier that serves to raise the cartridge up and into the path of the bolt as it closes. The shuttle is connected to the bolt carrier by means of a steel cable routed around a pulley. By this arrangement, as the bolt travels rearward to eject a spent case, the shuttle travels forward to strip a round from the magazine. The Nikonov is a multi-tasker – it ejects a spent case and feeds a new cartridge simultaneously. The carrier that elevates the cartridge also facilitates reliable feeding from any location as the receiver moves within the envelope. In semi and full auto modes of fire, the bolt must close on the chamber while the receiver is nearing its forward battery position. In burst fire mode, the bolt is required to close while the receiver is traveling rearward and then again while the receiver is at its rearmost position. So the bolt must be able to feed a fresh cartridge from any position within the receiver’s range of motion. The recoil spring resides under the receiver and acts against the feed shuttle forcing it rearward. The feed shuttle and bolt carrier are connected by the cable. As the shuttle travels to the rear under the influence of the recoil spring, the bolt is pulled forward into battery. The ventral location of the recoil spring is the reason for the magazine’s odd orientation.

The business end. The Nikonov can be fit with a bayonet and grenade launcher at the same time. The bayonet lug is on the side of the sight base. The grenade launcher uses the lug just behind the guide rail, below the barrel.

The workings of the Nikonov are extremely nuanced. Many have attempted to realize and rationalize its internal operation; and have given up, failed, or just guessed. This weapon can fire, eject, reload, fire, eject and reload, with perfect reliability, while almost totally eliminating recoil, in less time than the human eye can blink. Quite literally, the Nikonov fires two rounds just 33 milliseconds apart. Your eye blinks in 150 milliseconds. So you can imagine that an attempt to break down this mechanical function; so compressed in time can be a tedious task. So bear with us, we shall now expound on the internal function step by step, starting from a closed, loaded chamber, with the selector set to burst mode.

The trigger is pulled, and through a series of linkages (which will be explained later), lets the sliding hammer loose. The sliding hammer travels down its guide rails in the receiver to strike the firing pin, at the rear of the locked bolt. The sliding hammer is allowed to shift sideways in its rails, and lock into place, becoming a fixed part of the carrier assembly. The cartridge is ignited, projectile begins moving, and rearward recoil begins acting on the entire locked receiver. This recoil energy overcomes the receiver’s inertia, and the receiver begins to travel rearward, at a comparatively slow rate. As the bullet passes the gas port, energy acts on the piston, just above the barrel. The relatively lightweight piston and carrier assembly is forced rearward, unlocking the bolt from the breech. As the bolt travels to the rear, it acts on the cable and pulley, which activate the cartridge shuttle. The shuttle travels forward to strip a fresh cartridge from the magazine and presents that new cartridge into the cartridge carrier, just ahead of and above the magazine. The spent case has ejected; the bolt and carrier begin their return to battery; the barrel and receiver are still traveling rearward. As the bolt travels forward to meet the barrel, and the barrel travels aft to meet the bolt, the cartridge carrier raises and presents the round between the barrel and bolt. When the bolt and barrel meet and lock with a fresh cartridge chambered, the hammer, still fixed to the carrier, ignites the cartridge immediately upon locking. A second recoil impulse transfers more recoil energy to the reciprocating receiver. The receiver finally reaches its rearmost position within the envelope. As the bolt completes the second ejection cycle, and reaches its rearmost position within the receiver, it delivers a rearward blow to the receiver, delaying its return forward, but allowing enough time for the cartridge carrier to present another fresh round. The bolt, carrier and barrel can now return to forward battery, with a live round chambered, ready for the next burst. And the shooter has only felt a single recoil impulse – seemingly the result of only the second shot fired. The end result on target is two very closely placed shots. In the full automatic setting, the first two rounds always fire at the burst rate of 1,800 rpm, and continued fire resumes at the normal rate of 600rpm. As the user fires in full-automatic, the sliding hammer does not travel with the carrier; it is only released at the moment that the bolt and receiver return to forward battery. Semi-and full-auto modes of fire utilize the reciprocating sub-receiver to attenuate recoil and improve accuracy and time of follow-up shots. The burst function makes use of the extended time interval during the receiver’s rearward travel.

The AN-94 broken down to the major assemblies. The user need only swing two levers to strip the Nikonov to this state.

Perhaps the most overlooked achievement of the Nikonov is the fire control, or trigger pack. It does not function like any other trigger mechanism on the planet. The trigger pack only houses the trigger, selector and safety. The selector switch slides in a track just above the pistol grip. The complexity and genius of the selector lies in its gross simplicity. As the selector moves fore and aft, a series of ramped edges along a hook are relocated in any of three positions beneath the receiver. The trigger simply pulls down on the selector hook. The sear itself hangs from beneath the receiver. The sear contains a horizontally oriented plunger that serves as the disconnector. The selector hook pulls down on the disconnector to release the hammer and fire the gun. The sear disconnects from the selector hooks when the receiver travels far enough rearward to clear the hooks completely. The sear is operated to fire the gun in two ways; when the disconnector travels into one of the ramped surfaces on the selector hook or when the selector hook receives direct input from the trigger, to pull down on the sear. The different fire rates are controlled by where the disconnector is activated in the receiver’s field of motion. In semi-auto, the selector shelf is farthest forward, resulting in disconnect immediately following ignition. The hammer is captured by the sear each time the bolt carrier makes cycles. In full auto, the selector hook is at its rearmost location. The disconnector is allowed to escape from under the selector hook so that the sear may capture the hammer. As the receiver returns to forward battery, the disconnector encounters a ramped surface that pulls down on the sear, releasing the hammer just as the bolt carrier closes on the breech. In burst mode, the first shot functions like a closed bolt striker fired system except the sear does not disconnect following the first shot. The sliding hammer is not caught by the sear but instead remains locked into the bolt carrier. The bolt and hammer are allowed to return to battery as the receiver is still traveling rearward. This results in a second shot being ignited immediately as the breech closes; as if it were an open bolt firing mechanism. The recoil stroke from the second shot forces the receiver into a position relative to the selector hook where the disconnector can now escape, and the sear can capture the hammer as the bolt and receiver both return to forward battery, ready for the next shot.

Here is a simplified review of the operation. In burst mode, the sliding hammer locks itself to the bolt carrier after the first shot. The sear will not disconnect until after the second shot, thus will not capture the hammer yet. The second shot is fired from an “open bolt” condition as the sliding hammer is locked against the carrier and firing pin. This way, all which is required to fire the second shot is that the bolt close on a live cartridge. And to expedite things, the barrel is moving rearward to meet the bolt half way. Nearby, the feed shuttle strips a round from the magazine and pushes it into the cartridge carrier which lifts it into the bolt’s path just before the bolt and barrel come together around the cartridge. In normal full-auto fire, after the second shot, the mechanism operates step-by-step; not dissimilar to any conventional automatic rifle. The bolt returns to battery, closing on a fresh cartridge, as the receiver reaches forward battery. As the receiver comes to rest, the selector hook activates the sear to release the sliding hammer to begin its trip forward to contact the firing pin to ignite the chambered round. The difference in fire rate between full-auto and burst fire is attributable to mechanical lock time; the time it takes for the receiver, bolt, and hammer to travel back and forth, and where the sear is allowed to disconnect. The muzzle brake is worth mentioning again. Muzzle brakes are designed to mitigate recoil, but for a gun that uses recoil in its proper function, this would be counterproductive. We were interested to discover that the gun would not function at the burst fire rate without the brake affixed. The gun only fired at 600 rpm, in burst and auto setting. The hypothesis we came up with suggests that the closed internal volume of the brake does not dissipate or redirect recoil but instead captures the expanding gasses that cause recoil and retains these gasses as potential energy. The compressed gas is allowed to escape the brake’s chambers over time, in a controlled “flow” to extend the duration of recoil effect.

The simple engineering of the trigger mechanism. The hook to the top right is the functional end of the trigger blade. The structure on the top left is the selector hook.

The AN-94 boasts an incredible fire rate to be sure, but some promoters make impossible claims to the gun’s effect. It has been said that a burst from the Nikonov can place both rounds in a single hole at 100 meters. It has been said that the burst effect can defeat armor. These are simply not true. The rounds fired in burst do impact close together, but do not coincide, as our test targets demonstrate. It would be safe to assume that the intention of Gennady Nikonov in building this burst feature was not to put two rounds into the same hole. More practically, his intention was to increase a shooter’s chance of making a hit on target, and increase the lethality of those hits. Fire rate has never been a guarantee of a rifle’s effect. The success or failure of any weapon system is due entirely to the training and expertise of its operator. This is no secret to the world’s armed forces. Every country has its elite or special forces; these special units often use the same standard issue small arms as the regular soldiers. These special units can put those arms to greater effect only by inherent skill and exhaustive practice. With that in mind, and considering the expense, complexity, and capability of the AN-94, Russia has reserved this weapon for its special operations unit; the Spetsnaz. Is the AN-94 really “better” than the AK-74 or AK-12 or any of the AK-100 series of variants? It would only be fair to call the Nikonov “alternatively capable.”

To say that the AN-94 is scarce in the western hemisphere is a gross understatement. Make no mistake; there are not many of these floating around outside the Soviet Union. So we did not hesitate at the chance to field test one of the world’s most rare and advanced battle rifles. The Nikonov would be tested in the Nevada desert, 30 minutes from Hoover Dam. First, just to get a feel for the “Nik,” we fired it off hand short range, in semi, full and burst. The reciprocating mechanism is very effective at dissipating recoil force. In semi-auto, the recoil felt was on par with a tuned match rifle. In burst mode, we noticed an increased recoil impulse compared to semi-auto, as the single perceived push is the result of 2 rounds fired. In full-auto, the gun is very controllable. The burst mode gets the hype, but full auto fire with the Nikonov is remarkable. We shot targets at 50 yards in burst and full. The burst rounds did not impact together. The best results we could manage showed groups averaging 2 inches spread vertically. In full auto fire, it was easy to maintain 8” groups from strings of 10 rounds. This shows that the rifle can maintain impressive control during automatic fire – better than any other battle rifle we’ve tested.

Detail of the receiver. You can make out the position of the hammer locked into the carrier and you can see the recoil spring below, impinging on the shuttle, and the cable that connects the two. The spring on top is the mainspring, which act against the hammer. The small structure hanging from the receiver, in front of the shuttle, is the sear and disconnector.

Is the Nikonov an innovative weapon? No. it’s beyond that. Most anything mechanical is formed after a preexisting idea, or can trace its development to another device. The AN-94 comes from… nowhere. It’s as great a quantum leap in small arms design as any of the original Browning guns. What spark of inspiration could have sent Gennady Nikonov to his desk to invent this rifle from thin air? Some have suggested a possible connection to some UFO activity in 1989 in Voronezh, Russia. Could the Nikonov be a piece of reverse engineered alien technology? We would love to think so; because there’s just no other logical explanation for this “Blackest” of black rifles.

In October 2013, Salvadorian authorities discovered some 213 anti-tank projectiles hidden in an underground reservoir in the community of El Congo, in the department of Santa Ana, some 51 miles west of San Salvador. The arsenal was in good condition and it is believed it was destined to Mexican cartels. Los Zetas have been mentioned as the likely recipients. The grenades were M371A1 HEAT types, so the nature of the finding would suggest that a few M67 RCLs are also missing from a military warehouse. Indeed, in Central America, El Salvador is the only army that makes use of large numbers of M67 as the primary means of anti-tank and fire support for infantry platoons.

Israel supplied 8 RBY-Mk1 AT, and 8 RBY Recce variants to Honduras. In the AT variant, the turret can traverse 360 degrees, and up to 16 rounds of ammunition can be carried. The AAA variant carries a TCM-20 twin 20mm light anti-aircraft gun system and 360 rounds of 20mm ammunition. Mechanically, the Honduran RBYs have been updated to RAM standard. The V6 diesel engine is located in the rear. It has a semi-elliptical leaf spring-type suspension, with hydraulic shock absorbers. Power steering and power brakes have been added and the brakes are hydraulic.

This 90mm recoilless rifle weights 17 kg unloaded, and consists of a steel tube, open at both ends, much like the old Bazooka. The rear end of the cylinder is equipped with a lock and a Venturi nozzle. The gun is loaded by unlocking the bolt, and opening it to the right side. The M67 is a 90mm portable cannon working on the recoilless principle. It uses M371A1 HEAT ammunition, weighing 4.2 kg, and with a theoretical effective range against fortified targets of up to 2,000 meters, the M371 practice projectile, and the M590 TP APERS ammunition, which weighs 3.1 kg and it is loaded with about 2,400 steel darts, being able to reach a range of 200 meters. The weapon has a trigger grip. It comes with a basic M103 optical telescopic sight with 3x magnification, and with integrated range settings between 0 and 800m. The U.S. supplied some 379 M67 RCLs to El Salvador between 1981 and 1992 to arm the soldiers, and became most important in the urban fighting for San Salvador and three other cities in November 1989.

Honduran cavalrymen working on their M38C equipped with M40A1. These elements are members of the 1st Armored Regiment (RECABLIN). Today, a superiorly protected and mobile M1152P1 as base would be ideal. Infantry units could be equipped with M40A1 modified with a trailer similar to the Austrian 10.6 cm rückstoßfreie Pak, or similar. (DVIC)

Pounding Guerrillas with RCLs

That November 1989, FMLN guerrillas launched the “To The Top Offensive,” also known as “Out with the Fascists, Febe Elizabeth.” The attacks came on November 11, when some 2 to 3 thousand fighters descended from Ayutuxtepeque to San Salvador, and occupied the neighborhoods of Mejicanos, Ciudad Delgado, Soyapango, and San Jacinto, and later took positions at the high class neighborhoods of San Benito, Maquilishuat, Lomas Verdes and Escalon. They also attacked the oriental cities of Zacatecoluca, San Miguel and Usulután. The troops, fighting in the densely populated areas, brought their heavy and cumbersome M67 RCLs to open holes in the walls, to allow movement from house to house, backyard to backyard. They were also used to defeat heavy guerrilla positions.

Mexican Humvees equipped with M40A1. The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), commonly known as the Humvee, is a four-wheel drive military automobile produced by AM General. The up-armored M1152 with B2 armor kits would be a better option. (J. Montes)

The 90mm M67 was introduced in the early 1960s along with the heavier 106mm M40. It was a reliable and effective weapon, but somewhat large and heavy. It eventually was replaced with guided missile systems in U.S. service, but remained in service in areas of extreme temperatures. U.S. Rangers used M67 RCLs to destroy two BTR-60s approaching the tarmac at Point Salines Airport on the island of Grenada in 1983. Another two M67s were used by C Company, 5/87th Light Infantry, 193rd Infantry Brigade in Panama during Just Cause, just a month after it’s used in the streets of San Salvador by Salvadorian troops, in 1989. In Panama, U.S. troops used the M590 AP projectiles to soften up Panamanian positions. The M67 was resurrected in 2011, when units of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division deployed to Afghanistan.

In Central America, the Guatemalan Army is said to have received some 64 examples. The weapon was more common in South America. However, most countries have exchanged the M67 for lighter Carl Gustav and/or RPG types. Argentinean units did carry it to combat around the Malvinas, and used it against the British during that confrontation.

Heavy Hauling Tools

The Argentineans also used a 105mm RCL of local design and construction to fight back the British in the South Atlantic. It is known that positions around Mount Longdon, in the Falkland Islands – defended by B Company, 7th Infantry Regiment, and two Marine Platoons – deployed the Model 1968 RCL during the war in 1982. Argentineans bombarded the approaching British’s 3 PARA with their 105 mm RCL during the engagement, managing to hit a Milan missile position with it. It is said that the weapon was widely used in the battles for the outer hills around Stanley as well. The Model 1968 entered service in 1968 with the Argentinean Army. The RCL is aimed through a stadia-metric rangefinder optical sight and it is equipped with a spotting FAL Automatic Rifle for aiming up to 1,200m range. The weapon can fire in the indirect mode to a range up to 9.2 km and in direct mode up to 1,800 meters. Its ammunition selection includes an 11 kg HE and a 15 kg HEAT projectile, with the last mentioned being able to penetrate up to 200mm of armor.

The Laser Homing Anti-Tank (LAHAT) missile seen in LAAD, Brazil. This semi-active laser homing guidance missile was developed by the Israeli industry with the idea to use the 105mm tube as a launching platform. Its hi-tech system is used to upgrade the M40A1. Israel has also developed the RAVEN- (RArefaction waVE guN), and improved friction- and spring-based recoil reduction/negation technologies, with the development of the High Impact Weapons System that can be used in the M40A2 when mounted on a turret. (J. Montes)

Rio Tercero Military Factory also developed and built the Model 1974 FMK-1, weighting 397 kg. Both types of RCLs rest on a two-wheeled undercarriage trailer for transport, which can be raised or lowered to fire in either a raised, medium, or low position. The weapon mount has an elevation between -7 to +40 degrees. Once deployed, the weapon uses a crew of 4. This weapon is also used by the Guatemalan Army, with 64 in inventory; along with 56 U.S. designed M40A1 RCL. It fires 105mm rounds, to include among others, a 16.6 kg HE round or a 14.7 kg HEAT, with a capacity to penetrate up to 400mm of armor. There are four types of ammunition developed specifically for the Model 1968 and Model 1974 FMK-1, and both are said to be able to fire U.S. M40 RCL ammunition as well. The weapons would also fire Chinese (HE & HEAT), German (HE-FRAG), Spanish (M-DN-11 FRAG) and Israeli (I-HEAT) ammunition. This is in addition to the standard M-581 APERS, M-344A1 HEAT, and M-346 HESH. Austria and Sweden developed the RAT-700 HEAT-T and the 3A HEAT-T, and both able to defeat 700mm armored plates at 2,000 meters, a cheap substitute to any AT missile.

U.S. Heavy Recoilless Type

Returning to those dark days of November 1989, in El Salvador, we found Ilopango Air Base in the outskirts of San Salvador under siege from all fronts. The Air Base was defended by the 2nd in the Southern part of the airfield, covering from Santiago Texacuangos, Changallo, and Santa Lucia neighborhoods; and 3rd Paratroop Squadrons defending the Northern, part from Cañas river, San Jose and Conacaste neighborhoods. An Air Base Security Unit had been established in January 1982, with two riflemen companies, and one AAA battery (6 M55A2 guns). A 3rd Riflemen Company was established in 1984, and a 4th was established in January 1986, and all forming the Air Base Security Battalion. In addition to securing the airport, these were assigned patrol duties along Chalatenango, in the region of San José Guayabal, and to provide convoy security to fuel convoys to San Miguel.

After heavy fighting from November 10 to the 13, the troops were exhausted. On the 13th, the Air Force used two C-123K and four C-47, to relieve and exchange the 2nd and 3rd PARA squadrons for the 1st and 4th from Comalapa, which allowed them to take the initiative on the 14th. The M40A1 RCLs, which were normally kept in fixed defensive positions around Ilopango, were hauled by the paratroopers’ Support Weapons Squadron, air base security battalion, and other troops advancing on Soyapango and Santa Lucia. These were used to bombard with direct fire fortified guerrilla positions in areas where air support could not be used. The RCLs had to be emplaced by hand, a tasks very difficult in normal circumstances, and almost impossible under combat conditions. The losses after three weeks of fighting were tagged on December 12 by the Planning Ministry disclosed that the fighting produced 64 civilians killed, 428 KIA from the Armed Forces, 17 paratroopers among them, and 1,526 KIA from the guerrillas.

U.S. troops firing tube-launched optically tracked wire-guided missiles to defeat the fortified position where Uday and Qusay Hussein were barricaded in Mosul. Perhaps a more economical option to the TOW would be a M40A2 gun upgraded with a comprehensive package to make it effective at maximum range, day and night, and all weather, along with reduced IR/blast signature. (U.S. DoD)

The M40 RCL followed the steps of the ill-fated M27 recoilless rifle. This weapon was a 105mm recoilless rifle developed in the 1950s, and rushed into service in time for the Korean War. An example was examined at the Colombian Army Museum, Candelaria, Bogota. It resembled the M40A1, but had trunnions that were mounted far to the rear, and are said to be part of the problem with the design. From the failed M27 design, the U.S. designed the M40 RCL, firing the same 105mm round as the M27, but categorized as 106mm to avoid confusion. In this manner, the M40 entered in service in 1955 as Battalion Anti-Tank (BAT) gun. It is a heavy weapon, and at 462 lbs. (209.5 kg) is usually mounted on a vehicle. This is convenient since the high signature of the back-blast gives the position of the gun away, and it would be useful to reposition before the enemy recovers and counterattacks. The M40A1 is one of the most important support weapons in Latin America, and one able to destroy almost any contemporary tank. Its effective range is 1,200 m, being able to perforate up to 450 mm of concrete with standard HEAT rounds. It continues to be used by relatively modern Latin American armies, such as Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Venezuela. The improved M40A1 is said to have a rate of fire of 5 rpm, and the standard round weights 17 lbs. (7.7 kg), having a maximum reach of 6,900 meters. Mounted on its standard M79 tripod, the gun has a traverse of 360 degrees, and an arc of elevation between -17 and +65 degrees. The M40A2 is a little heavier, at 485 lbs. (220 kg), and has a better range, being able to fire a HEAT round to a maximum range of 2,745 m, but a lower rate of fire of one round per minute.

In addition to the U.S. variants, the Santa Barbara 106mm RCL is common in Latin America. This is basically the U.S. A1 made under license in Spain, and it is similar in all respects to the U.S. counterpart. It can fire anti-personnel rounds to a maximum range of 7,600m. Israel has also supplied numbers of M40A1/A2 to Latin America.

M274 mechanical mule with M40A1. An alternative for use of light infantry and airborne units of small countries, such as those in Central America, would be to use trailers similar to the Austrian variant (10.6cm rückstoßfreie Pak), or the a Norwegian version (Kanon-Rekylfri 106mm) or even the Finnish type (95 Sinko 58-61), along with either the Israeli package, or the Bofors/Saab (Simrad LP101 laser sight and a KN250 light intensifier). (USMC Cpl. Jessica L. Martinez)

Mechanizing and Modernizing the M40A1

The weapon is too heavy for regular infantry to use, unless modified to facilitate is emplacement with a light towed two wheeled trailer. In fact, at least one of such devices it is known to have been developed in the U.S., but this was discarded in favor of the M274 mule. This 4×4 M274 tiny tractor became a weapon platform for airborne and light infantry battalions, and was more useful than the wheeled carriage. However, for small armies and where the M40A1/M40A2 is still used as weapon support for the infantry, and where mechanization is not the norm, the trailer can still be useful as already demonstrated by the Argentinean and Guatemala M1974 FMK-1 models.

The Austrian variant, the 10.6cm rückstoßfreie Pak (rPAK), and the Norwegian version, the Kanon-Rekylfri 106mm, were both mounted on a two-wheel undercarriage with adjustable height. In 1961 the Finnish mounted their own 95mm Sinko M1958 on a light two-wheel trailer that allowed it to be hauled by two men for positioning or repositioning. Modified as such, the weapon became the 95 S 58-61. In addition to the two-wheel trailer, some countries added a front protective shield, also a nice feature when being used by Infantry troops in a more exposed position – if much to WWII style. Off course, that kind of likely combat scenario should be considered. A light undercarriage on their M40A1 RCLs would have been a feature much appreciated by the Salvadorian troops since the M40A1 is not as easily deployed and redeployed by regular Infantry when mounted on its standard M79 mono-wheel tripod.

Salvadorian M240 with M40A1. The RCL can be reconfigured with a laser range finder compatible with Image Enhancing NVDs for evening and limited night time use; a Thermal Sight (TS) Command Launch Unit (CLU) could be useful, and an Israeli designed Spike Fire Control System (FCS), with a built-in Laser Range Finder/Laser Target Designator (LRF/LTD). (J. Montes)

Most common in Latin America has been the M40A1 mounted on light utility vehicles, such as M38C/CJ8 Jeeps. The M825 refers to the M151 MUTT variant with a M40 RCL in the rear. This vehicle was common in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and almost universally in South America. The M38C and M825 were replaced in many Latin American countries with the Israeli version of the Jeep, the M240 Storm. Given that the M40A1/A2 when fired does shake and lift light platforms, other countries in Latin America, like Colombia, have switched to heavier vehicles such as the M642 Abir light truck. Mexico, and Honduras, and now likely to be implemented by Chile, the M40A1/A2 is being accommodated in the Humvee. This provides for a more stable platform on a highly mobile and maneuverable vehicle.

Another desirable modification would be to mount the M40A1 on an armored vehicle to provide protection to the crew and means to redeploy quickly. During the internal conflict, the Salvadorian Cavalry Regiment modified several CJ-8 jeeps with front plates and partial side plates to protect the crew, and the gun tripod rested on a raised pedestal to clear the windshield and allowing forward firing. The most simple modification today, in similar fashion to the Salvadorian CJ-8/M40A1, would be to place the M40A1/A2 on a raised platform to clear the cabin in the bed of a M1152 troop transport protected (TTP) variant or similar. In fact, Venezuela has developed the Tiuna 106mm weapons platform, a heavier variant of their Humvee look alike, reconditioned to fit the 106mm RCL. The Tiuna is a 4×4 vehicle equipped with a GM Vortec V8 5.3L made in Mexico, and matched to a 5-speed transmission. Although most M40A1 guns were obtained from Venezuela before Hugo Chavez time, the country is likely to receive replacements parts now from the Defense Industries Organization (DIO) from Iran, where the M40 is manufactured as the Anti-Tank Gun 106. The Venezuelan forces are also recovering and repowering their IAI/RAMTA RBY-Mk1 vehicles, at the Logistical Support 108 Battalion General de División José Escolástico Andrade from Ciudad Ojeda, Zulia. Although the RBY-Mk1 are being remodeled as AAA vehicles, with the TCM-20 Mk.5 (a match also realized with the Tiuna), the vehicle is also able to carry the M40 RCL.

Peruvian Army M1165 – an ideal platform to accommodate a modernized M40A1 RCL. As with the M1152, GM indicates that the M1165 provides superior protection for crew, weapons components, and ammunition. The armor is available in two kits: The “A” kit, which can be factory installed, and optional “B” kit, which when combined, provide gapless mine and ballistic protection. (J. Montes)

Effectively, Israel supplied 8 RBY-Mk1 AT to Honduras. The version applied all the above mentioned principles, encasing a 106mm recoilless gun on an open topped turret with a 360 degree traverse. The gunner and loader seat together, safely within the compact turret, and there are up to 16 rounds of ammunition ready for use in a compact, agile, highly maneuverable, and protected base. The platform was a mine resistant vehicle, with its wheels and axles placed as far forward and backward as possible, and the thickest, 10mm, steel armor was incorporated into the floor while 8mm steel armor protected the rest of the vehicle. The floor itself was V shaped. The vehicle weighted 3,600 kg, and remained open-topped, allowing for all sorts of weapons to be placed immediately behind the driver. These vehicles saw combat in early 1980s.

In February 1983, the Honduran Army had moved the 2nd Recce Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, comprising two RBY ATs, three RBY scout vehicles, and three M-38C gunjeeps (eight vehicles), to San Lorenzo. On 29 April 1983, FMLN guerrillas wiped out defenses on the Salvadorian side of the Amatillo Bridge that separates Honduras and El Salvador. When the call for reinforcements came, the Honduran Army dispatched two platoons from A Company, 11th Infantry Battalion, along with the 2nd Recce Squadron to the bridge. These units occupied positions about 1 km away at Nancito Hill, with the 1st recce platoon taking the right (north) zone and the 2nd the left (south) zone. Once the counter-attack was ordered, they used their 106-mm rounds to destroy positions at 800 meters. The Hondurans also received a battery of three SOLTAM 160mm mortars, which continued to suppress the guerrillas. After the confrontation, an Armored Detachment (platoon)/Tank Squadron moved to Salamer valley near the 11th Infantry Battalion.

Original RBYs carried a Chrysler 225-2 V6 gas engine, but those in Honduran service have been upgraded to RAM V1 standards by repowering them with the Deutz BT6L 912S inline-V6 diesel engine, developing 132 hp, coupled to an Allison AT-540 automatic transmission, with 4 forward speeds and 1 reverse speed. The transfer case is a 2-speed Harwaythorn type, and the drivetrain has 4×4 capability. The fuel capacity is 150 liters to provide for an 800 km range. In El Salvador, several years ago, General Gustavo Perdomo came up with a similar idea and developed a gun truck using a Jupiter 7-ton truck equipped with a large open-topped turret encasing a M40A1. The turret had a 360 traverse but was too large, cumbersome, and provided little protection to be practical.

Guatemala M1974 FMK-1 105mm RCL. This weapon was developed and built by Rio Tercero Military Factory in Argentina. It weighs 397 kg, and rests on a two-wheeled undercarriage trailer for transport, which can be raised or lowered to fire in either a raised, medium, or low position. The weapon mount has an elevation between -7 to +40 degrees. Once deployed, the weapon uses a crew of 4. (José Turcios)

These examples proved that the idea to encase the M40A1 under protection persists. The Jordanian KADDB has probably produced the best solution, by accommodating the 106mm recoilless gun inside a compact turret mounted on top of an Al Jawad Vehicle. The RCL is aimed using a camera sight slaved to the gun and controlled from inside the protection of the armored turret; the image is displayed on an 10-inch screen to the gunner and a switch is used to fire the gun from inside. Presumably, the M1167 gunner protection kit (GPK) turret can be modified in similar manner. The ring mounted GPK provides a 360 degree arc of fire, and has been modified to dissipate the back-blast from a TOW missile. The GPK could function in the same manner of the KADDB-turret, or in a simplified manner with hi-tech sights.

In the 1980s, Bofors developed a modernization package that did away with the spotting rifle, and provided for first shot and first hit at maximum range (some 2,000 meters) capabilities. The package matched the Simrad LP101 laser sight and a KN250 light intensifier. The LP101 could be replaced for a modern Simrad LP10TL target locator, which according to the manufacturer is a fully integrated fire control solution. The lightweight KN250 is part of the Simrad KN200 intensifier series and night vision binoculars KDN250. These are; “clip-on units providing a night time capability to optical day sights. The night vision image is viewed through the eyepiece of the day sight. This allows the user to retain the same eye position, aiming reticule and magnification for both day and night use.”

The weapon is considered so viable that it remains in service even when a number of AT missiles are being incorporated. Chile uses an upgraded M40A1, and Venezuela uses the weapon in large quantities as well and has the means to upgrade it using Eastern European technology. Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador are three other countries that could end up upgrading their RCLs; while the Mexican and Central American armies could follow suit, along with Uruguay and Paraguay.

Two Salvadorian soldiers demonstrate how the M67 is loaded. This 90mm recoilless rifle weighs 17 kg unloaded, and consists of a steel tube, open at both ends, much like the old Bazooka. (FAES)

Cheap But Awesome Power

It fits that in environments where adobe and concrete structures are the norm, and where the enemy is unlikely to consist of massive armored formations with side troops hunting down anti-tank teams, the awesome firepower of high explosive ordnance is preferable and makes more sense than the more expensive high-tech missiles. The deadly beehive swarm of flechettes for close-in defense provides unique combat solutions as well.

The M40A1/A2 is still produced by several nations, including Pakistan. The Israeli variant is said to be fitted with a thermal sight and laser range finder/target designation system compatible with Image Enhancing NVDs. This is the result of combining the gun with gadgets of the Laser Homing Anti-Tank (LAHAT) missile. This semi-active laser homing guidance missile was developed by the Israeli industry with the idea to use the 105mm tube as a launching platform. The missile uses a tandem warhead with the capability to penetrate 800 mm up to 8 km away and can be used to engage extreme range targets, and where pinpoint accuracy is required. There is a LRF/laser designator module, and inclusion of LAHAT programming in the fire control computer. The LAHAT is stowed and handled much like any other 105mm round.

The Venezuelan Army perhaps could modify its M40A1 using technology developed for Russian AT missiles such as this Kornet-E from the Peruvian Army. This would be in a similar manner as done by the Israelis with their LAHAT missiles. However, this suggestion could apply only to the sights since the LAHAT has been designed specifically to be used in conjunction with the M40 as a launcher, while the Kornet-E has a 152mm diameter. (J. Montes)

Cost is a factor when engaging the enemy. On 23rd July 2003, U.S. troops hunted down Saddam Hussein’s sons in northeast Mosul. Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez would later acknowledge that units of the 101st Airborne Division had fired ten tube-launched optically tracked wire-guided missiles to defeat the fortified position where Uday and Qusay where barricaded. The price of a TOW missile in 2000 was $180,000, so it had taken about $1,800,000, just for the cost of the missiles, to defeat the unworthy target. By comparison, in about the same time period, an 18.73 kg M-581 APERS (anti-personnel) round was said to have a cost of some $1,405; a 15.7 kg RAT-700 HEAT-T was some $530; and a 16.89 kg M344A1 HEAT was $380; and a 14.5 kg 3A-HEAT-T round was $450. Therefore, the fortified position would have been demolished for less than $10,000.

Definitely an argument to keep the M40A1/A2 around for some time.

Most of the Black Rifle manufacturers have both AR-15 and AR10-type rifles in their lineup. This is going back to 1994 when Gene Stoner worked with Reed Knight, Jr. to bring back his AR-10 design from the depths of the scrap heap of U.S. Ordnance where it laid dormant since the early 1960’s. Many companies have come to market with AR-10 type rifles. With all the companies who have produced the 7.62x51mm/.308 Win caliber AR-10, the one you thought would be the first to come out with it pretty much is on the tail end. On February 15, 1959 Colt acquired the rights to both the AR-10 and the AR-15 rifles from ArmaLite. That included all of Gene Stoner’s U.S. Pat. No. 2,951,424. While upon the first payment being made to ArmaLite, Colt began tooling up to produce both variations. However hearing from a representative demonstrating the rifles throughout the world, Colt was told to drop the AR-10 in favor of the AR-15. They felt that is where their market share would be and they did just that. As the years went by the AR-10 drawings disappeared and the idea never resurfaced with Colt. That is not until 2004 when SOCOM announced the SCAR program. This program required modular rifles that were ambidextrous and could have various barrel lengths depending on the operation. They wanted two different models, the 5.56mm SCAR-Light and the 7.62mm SCAR-Heavy.

In 1991, Larry Robbins was hired by Colt as a senior design checker. Oddly enough Larry had no firearms experience at all; his background was electrical electronic packaging but had several contracts as a mechanical design checker on his resume. Larry stayed at Colt through all the tough times, bankruptcy, layoffs and several Presidents. During his time there, Larry worked on the development team for the M16A2, M4/M4A1 and numerous law enforcement programs. Larry received two patents while at Colt. One for a clamp-on gas block and the other for the 4 position fire control group (Safe, Semi, Auto and Burst). Larry went back to college to learn Pro-E engineering software and left Colt for his own contracting ventures.

Left side of the Colt LE901 rifle. Note the VOLTOR Modstock, ambidextrous magazine release and the Magpul PMag 20LR magazine.

In March 2004, Larry contacted Mike LaPlante and asked if Colt needed any design help. Mike said yes, they were just gearing up for their SCAR program entries. Colt’s Paul Hochstrate was assigned the SCAR-Light 5.56mm rifle. Larry was tasked with the design of the SCAR-Heavy. By requirement, Colt was to provide actual SCAR-Light guns for competitive testing by SOCOM. The SCAR-Heavy was to be a conceptual/virtual design. As for the M4, it was already “modular.” One could reconfigure the barrel by just removing the existing upper receiver and replacing it with another with the desired barrel length. The normal barrel lengths required were 10.5 and 14.5 inch barrels. The SCAR-H was entirely new, not only to accept the larger 7.62x51mm cartridge but they also wanted different barrel lengths. The design required a modular upper receiver and magazine well. Larry worked on this virtual design and was granted in February of 2006 U.S. Patent Number 2006/0026883 A1 and another in November of 2006 U.S. Patent Number 7,131,228 B2. These two patents were also awarded to two others involved with the development, Paul Hochstrate and Art Daigle. Colt faired very well in the SCAR-Light competition but the winner in the end was FN’s SCAR-Light. It should be duly noted that SOCOM tried for several years to get the FN SCAR-Light to work as needed but due to complication and the excellent performance of the M4A1 and Mk18 rifles, the program was dropped. Larry completed his contract and moved on to another.

From the 2004 to the 2010 time period, Colt was missing out on an entire market being limited to 5.56mm caliber M4 and M16 rifles. Many of their competitors had developed weapon systems where they could provide their customers with 5.56mm rifles and carbines but also a 7.62mm caliber sniper rifle based on the same platform. This of course makes training easy. All your muscle memory remains the same and you are comfortable with how to operate and maintain the system. Many of these companies started showing up at all the U.S. military trade shows as well as foreign military trade shows. Around 2009, Mark Westrom, CEO of ArmaLite participated in early discussions of the SOCOM SCAR-Heavy program. The officials were looking for a weapon to replace the M16/M4 family of weapons with a strong preference in a rifle with an external gas system rather than the Stoner designed internal gas system. Westrom briefed Colt on a version of the original ArmaLite AR-180 rifle, which featured a sliding cylinder mounted to the front sight. His analysis, based on firing tests he conducted while being an Ordnance Officer in Germany, led him to conclude that the external gas system offered no significant advantage over the Stoner system, and indeed suffered a number of technical and logistical disadvantages. He then decided that ArmaLite’s best candidate was in fact the ArmaLite M-15 carbine. Westrom knew that a new system would not be adopted because the Service was certainly not going to replace an existing system with another one varying only slightly. He therefore contacted Colt to suggest that the two firms join in the SCAR program to offer the Colt M4 and the ArmaLite AR-10. At several key military shows, Colt displayed ArmaLite AR-10 rifles with Colt markings. Only about 22 of these rifles were produced. Colt got very favorable reactions from customers on this rifle. It was displayed with a Daniel Defense free floating handguard, Norgon ambidextrous bolt catch and the newly released ArmaLite manufactured forward assist upper receiver, which included a forward assist assembly and various backup sights. Both a rifle and carbine variations were on display.

CM901/LE901 designer Larry Robbins holding his creation: the LE901 Modular Rifle.

The reality was Colt wanted their own rifle. In May of 2009, Larry Robbins was coming off another contract and he contacted Paul Hochstrate to see if Colt needed any help in the design group. Colt had suffered a major loss when Mike LaPlante unexpectedly passed away in 2007. The design group knew that Larry had already worked on the modular carbine (SCAR-H) concept but it was not exactly what Colt was looking for. Larry was told that General Keys (then CEO of Colt Defense) wanted a modular carbine that would shoot a 7.62x51mm cartridge but could be easily converted to fire the 5.56mm cartridge. Larry was assigned full time to work on the new modular carbine. Originally an idea was put out to have a helical locking lug configuration on the bolt. Larry worked on that idea for a week or so and determined it was not workable for any number of reasons but mostly because General Keys wanted something to show at the AUSA (Association of the United States Army), which was in October of 2009. Colt had well over 50 years experience with the Melvin Johnson designed multi-lug rotating bolt that Stoner used on his AR-10/AR-15 rifles so he decided to go with an already proven concept. At this time, numerous other manufactures had proven this design including Gene Stoner himself on his newly 1995 introduced SR-25 sniper rifle. Larry started with a basic AR 10 bolt/carrier for his design. He then came up with the idea of offsetting the tail end of the .308 carrier with a 5.56mm bolt carrier. This would keep the lower receiver unchanged for the conversion from one caliber to the other. There is a significant difference in the centerlines of the 7.62mm and the 5.56mm barrels and heights of the magazine when installed in the lower. The SR-25 magazine catch is the same as the M16/M4 at the interface with the magazine. The difference in the magazine between the M4 and the SR-25 determined the barrel height difference and that worked in conjunction with the offset bolt carrier. The tail end had to be shortened to be compatible with the standard M4 receiver extension. This is unique to this model. On many other AR-10 carbines from numerous manufacturers examined by this author, a vast majority use a slightly longer receiver extension. According to Larry, one of the biggest obstacles was the magazine well. It had to be large enough to accommodate the standard AR-10/SR-25 magazine and at the same time small enough to take the 5.56mm magazine. Although not made available to Larry by the design group, another Colt engineer named Kevin Audibert sort of became Larry’s consigliore on many design related issues. When Larry came on as the primary designer, Kevin gave all of his ideas over for Larry to consider. Kevin is a Mechanical Engineer with a BS degree and also has a MBA. Kevin had been with Colt Defense since 2008 and was the primary designer on the Colt entry for the Marine Corps Infantry Automatic Rifle Program. Larry often bounced ideas off of him. Kevin had already been thinking about the magazine design for the modular carbine long before Larry was hired on to design this rifle. Kevin had a good design that needed some tweaking. Kevin’s original concept started with detailed research into other 7.62x51mm magazines on the market including FAL, G3, M14/AR-10 and others. The SR-25 is very similar to the old 20-round 5.56mm magazine and even shared the rib on the back of the magazine. These similarities were the deciding factor in the chosen magazine platform, the SR-25 magazine. The straight up insertion of the SR-25 magazine matched the M4. With this information, Kevin designed an adapter that would fit the SR-25 magazine well and support the M16/M4 magazine using the same magazine and bolt catch for both.

In late June/early July of 2009, Larry completed the virtual design and was ready to present it to General Keys for approval. Upon his approval Larry would get the full backing of Colt to get prototypes built of the rifle. During the presentation, there were many questions but the buck stopped at the General saying when could he shoot one. As previously stated, the General wanted to display this rifle at AUSA and that was less than 3 months away. Following that successful meeting, which moved the project to the next level of building prototypes, Larry went to work on the ambidextrous controls. Unfortunately, Larry’s designs were not used because they were unproven and time was too short and in large part because the rifle had to have as many parts in common with the M4 as possible. So another design ensued. The most difficult to design for Larry was the ambidextrous magazine release. The magazine release had a shaft going across the receiver to the right side. Larry put a lever on the left side to lift the mag catch bar out of its slot. This design went through several iterations to satisfy the configurations for the forging dies. Two former military guys at Colt, Art Daigle and Casimir Pawlowski assisted with the final refined ambidextrous magazine release as seen on the current production rifle. Real world experience is extremely helpful in the design of any military weapon. It is difficult if not impossible to design a battle rifle in an engineering department or model shop without knowing what the guy in the field needs. Without that input at the time of design, when the customer is presented with the rifle, the manufacturer may be in for a lot of cost in redesigning the rifle.

Shown for the first time is the ArmaLite made Colt AR-10 rifle around the 2009/2010 time period at defense shows by Colt Defense. This was more of a proof of capability. None were ever produced. Colt clearly wanted their own rifle.

After the presentation to the General, and his approval of the concept, Larry was able to get priority in purchasing, manufacturing, model shop, test and now with design from Kevin Audibert. The program was now on a fast track and the next prototype was in plastic and metal. Colt’s Art Daigle is probably one of the finest model makers in the industry and was invaluable in his ability to produce upper and lower receivers’ solid models and other small parts. The time constraints worked against them on the first prototypes for AUSA. To get a bolt carrier machined in time was impossible, so they cut off a .308 AR-10 bolt carrier front end and machined an eccentric boss on it and cut off a 5.56mm bolt carrier tail end and welded it together. This was much easier said than done. Kevin had been working on a newly designed front sight base due to the larger barrel and gas tube due to it needing to be higher than the standard LE6940 front sight base. Prototype front sight bases were made from billet but production would be cast. By the end of August parts began trickling in and soon Larry had a working prototype. Larry had an incredible opportunity to get some real professional opinions to his design. Some members from a highly regarded Special Operations Force group visited the plant and test fired the prototype rifle. They were duly impressed. There were a few small tweaks made and it went down to the wire but General Keys got two working prototypes shipped out to AUSA. Before Colt could actually show the rifle to anyone, Colt had to apply for a provisional patent to protect the new design.

The rifle made its public debut at SHOT Show 2011. Due to patent issues, the rifle’s receivers were zip tied shut so nobody could open the rifle and examine the spacer for the magazine well and how the bolt carrier was made. These were the two major parts that made this rifle work as intended. The prototypes were tan color. All of the prototypes were selective fire rifles and were designed to be this way with an 11-inch gas system and a 16.1 inch barrel that utilized the Smith Enterprises Vortex flash hider. There were only one or two authors that were permitted to write about the new gun. Larry’s contract was up after the completion of the prototype rifles and he moved on to other things. Colt would further refine the rifle and get a patent application going for the magazine well adapter for the conversion in calibers of the modular rifle. Kevin took over the refinements of the rifle after Larry’s contract was up. Kevin made some modifications to the esthetics of the rifle as well as worked on trying to integrate some standardized M4 parts instead of some of the custom parts Larry designed. But little was changed from Larry’s design. Other minor tweaking was done by Kevin for the forward assist, the front pivot pin as well as rounding off some corners on the left and right side bolt release. Colt would continue to show this rifle at trade show for a couple years prior to actual production. Production of the CM901/LE901 commenced sometime in 2012 and as of this writing is in full production. To the customers’ disappointment, the early rifles did not come with the conversion block and it was not available. They were upset due to the rifle supposedly being a modular rifle but they were not able to use it in that way. Not so long after the first rifle left, Colt began to provide the rifles with the conversion kit that consisted of the magazine well adapter, 5.56mm “H” buffer and action spring. As of this writing, there is a high demand for this rifle and Colt is able to sell as many as they can produce.

The Colt LE901 uses the Smith Enterprises Vortex flash suppressor. In this author’s opinion, this is perhaps the finest flash suppressor in the industry for any military weapon.

Colt has introduced this as a commercial, law enforcement as well as a military weapon, offered in both semiautomatic and selective fire models. Military sales are very small, given the fact this is a brand new weapon without a track record for reliability and accuracy. This will come in time as the rifle gets tested and eventually adopted by foreign customers. It is competing with rifles that already have proven combat records such as the LMT MWS/LM8, Knight’s Armament SR-25, Armalite AR-10, Heckler & Koch 417 and the FN SCAR-H.

The current production rifle is the LE901 16s. The basic rifle is hard coat anodized black. Starting with the lower receiver, the rifle is equipped with the VLTOR Improved Modstock, which is an excellent and durable stock with a rubber anti-slip buttpad. It has two battery storage compartments along with two quick detach mounts. The receiver extension is the standard Mil-Spec carbine 4-position model. As previously mentioned, this is unique to the Colt modular rifle. Most of the manufacturers use a modified longer receiver extension. The buffer is shorter than the standard 5.56mm buffer due to the slightly longer bolt carrier. The lower receiver is manufactured from a 7075 T6 aircraft grade forging. The rifle can be seen with and without an ambidextrous safety selector. The standard pistol grip and trigger guard are used. On the right side of the receiver is an ambidextrous bolt release that is above and behind the magazine release. This is very easy to reach with your trigger finger. The magazine release button is in its traditional place. On the left side of the receiver, the selector is in the normal location along with the bolt catch. The ambidextrous magazine release button is cleverly positioned right in front of the trigger. The button is an arm connected to the magazine release. When the button is pushed the magazine release is lifted out of position to release the magazine. The magazine well is obviously large enough to accept the AR-10/SR-25 magazine. The trigger group is the standard Mil-Spec trigger group. This stands to reason as anyone who purchases a rifle like this is probably going to want to put another trigger in it. There are numerous options out there including Geissele, Timney, JP Enterprises, HPERFIRE, CMC, CMMG, Jewell and Slide Fire to name a few. It is by far better for an OEM to put a basic trigger in and let the customer choose. The trigger on the T&E rifle broke at 8 lbs.

Marking of the ArmaLite produced Colt AR-10 rifle. Very few of these are in existence.

The magazine provided with the T&E rifle is the proven Magpul PMag 20LR. For the most part, when you buy any AR-10 type rifle in the industry, this is the provided magazine. It has without a doubt set the standard for the AR-10/SR-25-type magazine. This particular magazine was a little different. Added to this magazine is a stop notch that prevents the magazine from over-traveling the magazine catch. In speaking with Magpul, this magazine is no longer in production. So it is likely to assume Colt bought a quantity of these but will eventually use the standard PMag 20LR. Quite honestly, this author has used these magazines in rifles for years and never had an (continued on page 108)
(continued from page 39) over-travel issue. I also don’t smack the bottom of the magazine with all my strength to ensure it is engaged either. The LE901 T&E rifle was tested with the Knight’s Armament steel SR-25 magazine as well as the C-Products 20-round steel magazines with no problems.

The 7.62x51mm/.308 Win upper receiver has a continuous top rail. It would not be proper to call this a monolithic upper receiver since mono means one. The bottom rail is removable. There are quad Mil-Std 1913 rails with four quick detach sling mount points – two in the front of the handguard and two at the rear on either side. The receiver has an integrated fired cartridge case deflector and has a forward assist assembly. There is an ejection port dust cover as well. The receiver is manufactured from a single 7075 T6 aircraft grade aluminum forging and is hard coat anodized black. Like all Colt rifles, the inside of the receiver is coated with a dry film lubricant. Additionally, there is a metal insert located in the rear of the cam slot in the upper receiver. This prevents damage to the upper receiver from the carrier bounce mostly associated with piston operated rifles. Colt appears to have applied this to all of their “monolithic rails.” This was first done by Winchester-Western Division during the time period of 27 November 1967 to 27 May 1968 in a project called Modifications of the M16 Rifle Gas System (DAAG25-68-C-0742). Their mandate was to convert the direct gas system to a short stroke tappet piston operation with a conversion kit. They found back then that when trying to integrate a short stroke tappet piston mechanism into a M16 platform that the upper receiver behind the cam slot would get damaged from the bounce of the carrier with the cam pin digging into the receiver. They put a metal screw in place to prevent damage to the receiver and this was a very effective way to deal with the issue. The front pivot pin slot lines up with the forward pivot pin on the lower receiver. The barrel nut requires a special wrench for installation and removal. There is no indexing the barrel nut for the gas tube so the barrel nut can be accurately torqued. The receiver allows the barrel to be fully free floated with numerous ventilation holes to assist in cooling.

The LE901 7.62x51mm bolt group shown disassembled. Notice how the bolt carrier is half AR-15 and half AR-10. The firing pin has a spring on it as well to prevent slam fire when firing soft commercial primers. The bolt carrier, bolt, extractor, extractor pin, firing pin and carrier key are proprietary components not interchangeable with factory standard AR-10 parts.

The barrel is chambered for the 7.62x51mm cartridge although it is stamped .308 Winchester. The rifling is 1 turn in 12 inches and is 16.1 inches long. Colt also offers a 13 inch barrel as well with the Smith Enterprises Vortex flash suppressor. Like all Colt barrels, the barrel is proof tested with a high pressure cartridge and then magnetic particle inspected to insure against stress fractures. This is a military grade barrel so it is button rifled and chrome plated. Attached to the muzzle is the proven Smith Enterprises Vortex flash suppressor, which has the well earned reputation of being the most effective flash suppressor in the industry. The cast front sight base has a folding front sight and has been updated since in first appeared on the Colt LE6940 rifle. Customer requests came in for a locking mechanism rather than the detent mechanism that was used to engage/disengage the front sight. Colt added a heavy duty lock so it cannot be disengaged by hitting the front sight base on something. The front sight base is pinned in place with two taper pins. This is a very important reliability enhancement for the rifle. This author recently has had two incidents where bolted on front sight bases migrated forward during rapid fire first causing short stroking and then the gas was cut off completely. Pinning the front sight base on prevents this and ensures the front sight base can never move. Additionally, there is a bayonet lug on the button of the front sight base. The bayonet will slide over the Vortex flash suppressor and mount to the bayonet lug. The front sight post is the standard square 4-notch front sight post. Early rifles used the 11 inch gas system but it was later changed to the 9 inch gas system, which is considered a midlength gas system. Much of the reasoning for this came out of feedback from special operations forces who said they wanted a 13 inch barrel. This also permitted the ability to accept a M9 bayonet.

Complete Colt Modular Rifle system with both the 7.62x51mm upper receiver, 5.56mm Colt LE6920 upper receiver, both buffer systems, both bolt carrier and both magazines. All use the same lower receiver.

The bolt carrier group is very unique to the Colt Modular Rifle. Due to the requirement of being able to convert the rifle from 7.62mm to 5.56mm, the back end of the bolt had to fit properly into the standard receiver extension spring. As previously stated by Larry Robbins, the bolt carrier is half AR-10 and half AR-15; the front end is AR-10 and the back is AR-15. This design was not only necessary to get the bolt carrier to properly align with the receiver extension but also to actuate the firing mechanism, including the hammer to properly strike the firing pin, but also to function the automatic sear. The bottom of the carrier is modified to allow for the magazine to be inserted with the full capacity. The bottom of the bolt carrier is somewhat triangular in nature allowing the rounds to sit up farther taking some spring tension off of the magazine spring. The firing pin has the addition of a spring that assists when using match ammunition with a standard nonmilitary primer. Standard primers are softer than the military and the spring gives a little insurance against a slam fire (firing pin detonating the primer due to the inertia of the bolt carrier moving forward) when using soft primers. The bolt was modified to accept the new heavier extractor. Early endurance testing showed that the extractor was prone to failure within 3,000 or so rounds. The extractor had to be modified to cope with this issue to extend the service life of this component and the bolt had to be modified to accept the redesigned extractor. The breechface depth was slightly increased. The extractor pin was modified so it would only go in one way. There was a larger head on one side and the hole in the bolt was countersunk on one end. All of these modification caused incompatibility with industry standard bolts, extractors, extractor pins and firing pins making the LE901 bolt and firing pin proprietary components to Colt. Like all Colt bolts, the bolt is proof tested with a 67,500 psi high pressure cartridge and then magnetic particle inspected to ensure against stress fractures. The extractor pin has been redesigned as well having one end larger than the other. This way there is only one way to insert the extractor pin also this is easier to make sure the pin is flush with the bolt. The initial extraction problems were found with the early 11 inch gas system with breakage of the extractor after relatively few thousand rounds. However, with the change to the 9-inch gas system, this extraction improvement became a key to reliability due to higher cyclic rate.

Left side of the Colt LE901 receivers. Notice the ambidextrous magazine release button and the standard bolt catch.

The rifle has an overall length of 34 inches with the stock retracted and 37.25 inches with the stock extended with the standard 16.1 inch barrel. The rifle weighs 9.4 pounds unloaded. With standard 7.62x51mm NATO ammunition, the 16.1 inch barrel gets a muzzle velocity of 2,770 feet per second and with the 13 inch barrel 2,540 feet per second. The rifle can be had with a selector of semi-auto only or selective fire with full automatic or 3 round burst.

Magazine well adapter that is attached to the front pivot lug on a Mil-Spec 5.56mm upper receiver. Once in place, the adapter pivot pin is slid in and locked in place. Shown is the adapter pivot pin open on top of the adapter.

To convert the rifle from a 7.62x51mm to 5.56mm is very simple. First, you separate the receivers. Remove the 7.62mm buffer and action spring and replace it with the standard M4 action spring and “H” buffer. The magazine well adapter has a detent pin: insert the front lug of the standard 5.56mm upper receiver into the front of the magazine well adapter and close the pin to detent. Now slide the magazine well adapter into the top of the magazine well until the receivers are flush and push in the front pivot pin to detent. Now push inward on the rear takedown pin locking the receivers in place. This is all there is to it. The additional length of the lower receiver compared to the standard M4 is approximately 1.3 inches in length. The receiver used to test fire the T&E rifle was a standard Colt LE6920 upper receiver equipped with a Knight’s Armament RAS System.

The LE901 comes with a Magpul PMag 20LR magazine. The rifle came with the magazine on the top. Notice the stop notch on the back spine of the magazine put there to prevent over-travel of the magazine catch when inserted in the rifle. This is a Colt proprietary magazine. On the bottom is the standard PMag 20L without the stop notch.

Initial testing was conducted with Black Hills 7.62mm 175gr OTM, Winchester USA 7.62x51mm NATO and Hornady 168gr OTM ammunition. The weather was 3°F with a wind chill of -15°F. The first ammunition used was the Hornady. The first two rounds short stroked in the rifle. After the rifle warmed up, there were no malfunctions in the 200 rounds fired. The expected culprit was the ammunition had some stability issues in the extreme cold weather as the ammunition had been sitting outside for a couple hours prior to shooting. The other two are military grade ammunition and worked flawlessly. The optic chosen was a Leupold Mark 4 LR/T 3.5-10x40mm Matte, M3 Illumination reticle scope (67950) optic. The best group of the day was with the Black Hills 175gr OTM (M118LR) at 100 yards the group was 1.2 inches. Under better conditions, perhaps the group would have been better but it was cold!

The rifle was now reconfigured to fire 5.56mm. The LE6920 upper was placed on the adapter and then into the rifle. More than 500 rounds were fired through various magazines including the Surefire 60-round magazine, Hera Arms H3, Magpul PMag, H&K steel and translucent magazines, Lancer AWM and Troy Battle Mag with no malfunctions of any kind. The ammunition used was Federal XM193, 55gr full metal jacket. The shooting was conducted at 25 yards off hand.

Detail of the receivers of the Colt LE901. Note the ambidextrous bolt release above and behind the magazine release button. This rifle has a forward bolt assist as well as a fired cartridge case deflector.

When comparing the modular rifle configured in 5.56mm to the standard LE6920 there was really not that much of a difference in feel. The lower receiver was slightly longer but it had little bearing on the feel and balance of the gun. The modular rifle concept is sound and it does as designed and advertised. Is there a requirement or military need for such a weapon? That is up to the military customer. The rifle is an ideal combat rifle in 7.62x51mm for a soldier in the mountains of Afghanistan. As far as mission adaptability to 5.56mm, it is assumed a special operations unit will know their environment to determine their gear. If they are to be in a close quarters environment they would probably just take a M4A1 or a Mk18. If they know they will be in an area where they will need long range it would be assumed they would go for the LE901. It is obvious they would not carry a spare upper and magazines with them in the field. They would have the weapon in one configuration. This rifle will by far have far more of a future as a 7.62mm rifle than a 5.56mm. The LE901 is a top quality rifle, what you would expect from Colt. The rifle was released later than the consumer would have wanted but Colt, throughout the last 60+ years, has never put a new product on the market without proper testing to insure the rifle was ready to be put into production. With the rifle being so new to the market, only time will tell where its true niche will be found. It has entered the military market a little late in the game and will compete with rifles with several years of combat service. It will have to prove itself the same way as the M4 did – on the battlefield.

The magazine well adapter is slid onto the front pivot pin lug of the 5.56mm upper receiver and the adapter pivot pin is closed securing the magazine well adapter to the upper receiver.

Once the magazine well adapter is in place the upper receiver is placed on the lower, the magazine well adapter is slid in the top of the magazine well and the front pivot pin and rear takedown pins are installed.

Barrett is known for their innovative approaches in designing rifles. Much of this stems from Barrett’s non-typical background for a firearms firm. Their first product the semiautomatic M82 .50 BMG’s typifies this. Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee was founded in 1982 and centered on Ronnie Barrett’s idea of a shoulder-fired .50 BMG rifle. Barrett’s first conventional military success was the sale of about 100 M82A1 rifles to the Swedish Army in 1989. World events then transpired to give Barrett a major impetus towards success in 1990, when the United States armed forces purchased significant numbers of the M82A1 during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Kuwait and Iraq. About 125 rifles were initially bought by the United States Marine Corps, and orders from the Army and Air Force soon followed. The success of the Barrett .50 BMG rifles allowed for Barrett to expand its product line to include AR and precision bolt action rifles.

The Ronnie Barrett saga of one man’s vision coming to represent a whole new class of weapon that harnessed the brute power of the Browning .50 caliber round is a thing of legend. Many are familiar with the Barrett story thanks to several documentaries and articles that have been featured since 1982. Ronnie was a professional photographer and artist who wanted to create a shoulder fired rifle chambered in .50 BMG. He had no prior experience in manufacturing or as an engineer. He hand-drew the design for what was to become the Barrett semiautomatic .50 BMG rifle. When he took those drawings to machine shops in the area they laughed at his ideas. Instead of giving up, he decided to manufacturer his idea himself. This same attitude has carried through to other Barrett products. Ronnie Barrett’s “amateur” boldness in bucking the norm by challenging conventional thinking; his dogged refusal to accept no as an answer believing his product was a better answer was eventually rewarded both in terms of worldwide military procurement and recognition by his peers.

For this evaluation a Schmidt & Bender 5-25x56mm PM II with H2 CMR reticle was mounted on the MRAD via AWP rings.

The focus of this article will be on the Barrett MRAD – Multi-Role Adaptive Design. The MRAD was initially introduced chambered in .338 Lapua in response to the United States Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM) solicitation for a new long range anti-personnel rifle. One of the main objectives of the USSOCOM PSR (Precision Sniper Rifle) specifications is caliber modularity; providing military snipers with the capability to change calibers without armorer support. This shows through in the Barrett MRAD. While it would seem a sniper would always use the most powerful long range cartridge, the truth is many training venues and budgets do not allow full time use of expensive .338 Lapua ammunition. A removable barrel also provides the tactical operator the advantage of carrying the MRAD in components, thus reducing the package size during transport. The .338 Lapua is the obvious main cartridge that the USSOCOM specifications were built around. However, the military is also interested in maximizing logistics of using current cartridges such as the .308Win/7.62 NATO and .300 WinMag as well as allowing operators to choose cartridges that best suit their needs. Allowing snipers to swap to .308Win/7.62 NATO or .300 WinMag saves precious resources while still satisfying mission requirements. If ammunition resupply becomes a problem in a combat theater, snipers can count on the availability of various .308Win/7.62NATO ammunition compared to .338 Lapua or even .300 WinMag. As a footnote to this, the ability to use .308 Win, and to a lesser degree .300 WinMag, will find favor with law enforcement agencies.

The Barrett MRAD represents the cutting edge of rifle technology combining many innovative patent pending features with time proven accuracy producing enhancements. The MRAD’s distinctive aesthetics immediately puts one on notice that this is not an ordinary rifle. With the MRAD, Barrett has created very accurate modular long range rifle. Barrett’s instincts for how to create a minimalist design while retaining the ability to change barrels and accommodate mission specific accessories is the key to its performance success. Just like the AR platform, the Barrett MRAD is comprised of an “upper” and a “lower” section. The MRAD’s upper is a monolithic rail system with a free floated barrel inside. As previously mentioned, the Barrett MRAD is configured to accept multiple calibers with a simple barrel and bolt change. The MRAD’s mission flexibility will be on display in this article by featuring the .308 Win and .300 WinMag chamberings. Time spent with Jeff Burch, the Barrett Director U.S. Commercial Sales really brought home the simple genius of the MRAD design. Jeff demonstrated the barrel change procedure with the MRAD. The procedure is instinctual and easily accomplished afield with only rudimentary tools needed that are easily carried in a drag bag or other gear.

Barrett MRAD was tested with a variety of ammunition types to make sure it handled all with equal aplomb. Various .308 Win loadings from Black Hills Ammunition, Federal, Winchester, and Hornady provided the basis of my accuracy tests.

The .308 Win MRAD features a 1:10 RH twist 17-inch fluted barrel and functions with a 10-round detachable double stack magazine. The .300 WinMag barrel measures 24 inches and is also fed via 10-round detachable magazine. Further listing of MRAD dimensions includes an overall length of nearly 42 inches with the .308 Win and 49 inches with the longer .300 WinMag barrel. The folding stock reduces length by nearly 9 inches. Weight is around 13 pounds. An integral 30 MOA Picatinny scope rail is ready to accept a myriad of optics and other accessories. The MRAD upper receiver forend rail system can accept additional rail sections for mounting of night vision devices, laser designators, and anything else a user would need to fulfill a mission. The MRAD’s bolt is encased in a polymer sleeve that adds lubricity and makes cycling the action almost effortless. The Barrett MRAD had no problems keeping scope reticle relatively stable when functioning the bolt even when firing multiple rounds in relatively rapid fashion; a compliment to its design and smoothness of the bolt. There is a “hitch” felt at the top of the bolt handle lift before it starts its rearward path. Once accustomed to this characteristic it did not hinder bolt manipulation. The Barrett MRAD has a familiar AR type pistol grip and safety lever. The rear stock is multi-adjustable in terms of length of pull and comb height. The modular Barrett adjustable trigger arrived set for 3 pounds.

A tactical rifle weapon system is made up of rifle/optics/ammunition/shooter. For this evaluation a Schmidt & Bender 5-25x56mm PM II with H2 CMR reticle was mounted on the MRAD via AWP rings. In the past few years, Schmidt & Bender (S&B) has made a couple of powerful statements by winning two of the most prestigious U.S. military optic contracts. Most recently, S&B was chosen to provide the optic for the U.S. Precision Sniper Rifle (PSR) contract that the Barrett MRAD was created to contend for. Schmidt & Bender will be supplying its 5-25×56 PM II scope in a special PSR version to U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Special Forces for existing and future sniper rifles. The Schmidt & Bender optic is expected to serve and perform all over the world under widely varying and harsh environmental conditions; albeit under water, near coastlines, in arctic surroundings, in the jungle and last, but not least, in urban warfare. Another milestone that established Schmidt & Bender as a major player in the tactical optic market was the S&B 3-12×50 PM II model being chosen for use by the U.S. Marines on their sniper rifles. This was after two years of comprehensive testing by the U.S. Marines against twenty five rival scope types.

Barrett’s Jeff Burch demonstrated the ease of changing calibers with the MRAD

The first requirement of a tactical precision rifle is accuracy. Testing consisted of .300 WinMag Black Hills Match 190gr BTHP, Federal Premium 190gr Sierra Matchking, and Hornady 178gr A-Max TAP loadings. The same brands were used in the .308 Win portion of evaluation along with Winchester. The Black Hills .308 Win Match loads tested consisted of 168 grain and 175 grain Match bullets. The Federal .308 Win chambering was the venerable 168 grain Match load. 168 grain TAP from Hornady along with Winchester 168 grain Match was also used. The thought process is simple; if these loads do not produce accuracy nothing will. Prior use of these loads backs-up this belief. The Barrett MRAD shot all the premium loads tested into 1 MOA or better at 100 yards; mostly better with 5/8” groups not untypical. This statement covers both the .300 WinMag and .308 Win chamberings. The bench testing was done off a Champion tripod front rest and rear sand bag. The accuracy figures are based on firing three five-round groups and averaging group sizes. Not a lot of time was spent at the 100 yard range. 300 yards and out is the more indicative test of a weapon system like the Barrett MRAD. This generates useful ballistic information for the shooter, especially when it comes to elevation and windage data for log books and ballistic calculations. Accuracy out to three hundred yards was sub-MOA and it was the shooter who ruined the sub-MOA potential at the 600 yard targets. The Barrett MRAD was tested over an extended time period constantly producing sub-MOA groups with several different ammunition brands – an important logistic consideration. Another sign of an accurate, dependable rifle is how cold bore zeros compare over time and if the point of aim shifts after a few rounds heat up the barrel. The Barrett MRAD showed no shifts in point of aim and cold bore zeros produced fine groups when overlaid together.

The MRAD’s relatively light weight for a precision rifle at 13 pounds translates into a weapon that can be carried afield without fatiguing the user and is easier to adapt to non-standard firing positions even offhand if needed. Tactical rifles weighing significantly more than the Barrett MRAD have been handled. While accurate from a fixed prone position, all were challenging to shoot in any other position besides prone, even if employing shooting sticks or other means of support. The 17 inch and 24 inch barrels are a solid compromise balancing weight, performance, and field handling for the precision marksman. The MRAD had no problems with shifting points of aim even when firing 10 aimed rounds in relatively rapid fashion. Let’s face it, the majority tactical precision rifle scenarios will not require this many rounds fired during one mission or call out, especially for law enforcement.

The MRAD’s modular trigger is adjustable and arrives from factory measuring a crisp 3 pounds.

After testing innate accuracy from the bench, field tests were performed at Echo Valley Training Center. This consisted of shooting prone off a bi-pod or pack. The MRAD’s stock configuration is unique to say the least. After firing over 450 combined rounds of .308 Win and .300 WinMag, the MRAD’s ergonomics, especially firing from the prone position, came to be fully appreciated. The buttstock is fully adjustable for length of pull; further tweaking can be accomplished with the cheek piece, which can be raised or lowered per individual preference. The Barrett MRAD’s smooth bolt manipulation became evident on the range when having to quickly correct hold point based on spotter’s feedback and re-engage any missed target. The MRAD’s ease of manipulation aids a shooter chambering a fresh round with minimal head disturbance. This enables a fast, accurate follow-up shot on a target not anchored with the first shot or another separate aiming point if a shooter is in a target-rich environment. The ten-round magazine capacity is also valued in target rich environments. This is where all of the MRAD’s technological innovation pays off for the law enforcement or military sniper deployed in the field. Extremely accurate range rifles do not always translate into effective tactical rifles due to durability issues that arise when taken afield. The MRAD was tested during various range conditions and subjected to course conditions made familiar by training at Storm Mountain Training Center. An operator will quickly overcome any preconceived notions about the MRAD based upon appearance once it is utilized in the field or training operations. The MRAD’s advantages in accuracy and ergonomics will quickly become apparent. Any department or individual contemplating a new tactical rifle would do well to consider the MRAD – not only for what it offers in performance, but also the advantage of having Barrett as a company backing it in terms of service, parts and accessories.

Orientation and intimate familiarity with a weapon such as the Barrett MRAD is a must for shooter and rifle to achieve full potential. The modularity of the MRAD comes in very handy in this aspect of being able to convert to .308 Win/7.62 NATO, .300 WinMag and .338 Lapua. In fact, for most missions, especially in the law enforcement realm, the .308 Win chambered MRAD is more than suitable for sniping/tactical applications. The Barrett MRAD .338 Lapua is best thought of as a specialized platform when needing to extend range beyond 1,000 yards. The .308 Win still allows the trained marksman a ballistic advantage, especially when combined with the MRAD’s gilt edge long range accuracy. The .300 WinMag chambering in the Barrett MRAD fills the gap between the .308 Win and .338 Lapua with many feeling it is the optimum chambering by offering extra horsepower compared to the .308 Win without the blast and recoil of the .338 Lapua. The key thing to remember with the Barrett MRAD is that you have a choice and flexibility to adapt to specific mission profiles.

The MRAD’s modular nature is on display in this photo. The bolt slides inside a polymer sleeve that also serves to seal off the raceway from debris.

The MRAD’s rear stock folds securing the bolt handle and reduced length to 31.75 inches. This was a requirement from the USSOCOM PSR requirements.

Barrett’s proprietary muzzle brake efficiently tamed recoil to levels that made shooting the MRAD comfortable.

Echo Valley Training Center’s multi-stepped berm allowed for realistic evaluation of the Barrett MRAD.

The .300 WinMag chambered MRAD proved itself a sub-MOA performer with five-round groups; not just three-round groups that some rifles use to describe their accuracy.

The .308 Win MRAD features a 1:10 RH twist 17-inch fluted barrel and functions with a 10-round detachable double stack magazine. Further listing of MRAD dimensions includes an overall length of nearly 42 inches (31.75 inches with stock folded) and weight of 13 pounds.