FORMERLY

GUN SALES, REVIEWS, & INFORMATION VOLUME 70 | ISSUE 27 | 2016

 By James Tarr

Springfield Armory’s
first AR-15 brings a
paradigm shift to the
world of the black gun
PAGE 6 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

Tarr thinks the new Saint has redefined the “entry level” AR, and doesn’t know
When Joseph von Benedikt of Shooting Times tells you to strike a “heroic pose” why anyone now would settle for anything less. Here he is engaging targets in
with the new Springfield Armory Saint, you try not to smirk. the Wyoming countryside with a Saint topped with a Trijicon MRO.

A
s I write this, Springfield Armory has begun to example of an American legacy firearm, and “Defend tecting their free society since 1794. On 11/1/16, we will
tease the world with its new “Defend Your Legacy” Your Legacy” doesn’t have to be just about the hardware, continue this legacy.”
slogan. By the time you read this, the news will be but can also include your rights as an American. To that point, our legacy includes the 2nd Amend-
out and you’ll know that the new tagline is directly tied To Springfield Armory, a saint is “a good guy with a ment. Anyone with a working knowledge of our Found-
to Springfield Armory’s new AR-15-style rifle, the Saint. gun.” They used those exact words to us in their presenta- ing Fathers’ mindset (or who has read the Federalist
For decades Springfield Armory has been making what tion on the Saint. As I write this, on the front page of the Papers) knows the AR-15 is exactly the kind of firearm
could be called “American legacy” firearms—the 1911 company’s website is the following: “It is your right to do they meant when they penned the Second Amendment,
and M1A. Both were uniquely American designs issued everything you can to protect what you have. In America, which details an inherent individual right that has noth-
by the U.S. military and which later found their way into you don’t have to hope that someone else will do it for ing whatsoever to do with hunting or target shooting.
the hands of civilians. To my mind the AR-15 is another you. Our name has been in the hands of free people pro- Springfield Armory seems to get that. [Cont. to page 8]

It’s taken far longer than anyone would have thought, but Springfield Armory is
now making an AR-15, the Saint. And they’re not ashamed of it—check out the Springfield’s plan was to offer an AR with a great combination of features at an
size of those letters! attention-grabbing price. Tarr thinks they succeeded.

HOLY SAINT!
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 7
PAGE 8 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

system not only slows down the speed of the bolt/carrier

to reduce wear, it helps reduce recoil when compared to a
carbine-length system.
The Saint’s barrel sports a 1:8" twist, which is believed
by most people to be the optimum twist rate for the
widest variety of bullet weights. The Saint also sports a
5.56 NATO chamber, which means it can digest either
commercial .223 ammo or MilSurp 5.56 ammo. The
barrel is tipped with a standard A2 flash hider and you’ll
also note a fixed front sight tower. There’s also a bayo-
net lug, which seems more useful these days for irritating
the gun-grabbing statists than actual combat, as mount-
ing a bayonet is the very definition of bringing a knife to
Brand new for the Saint is the PKMR handguard
a gunfight.
from Bravo Company. It has an aluminum heat shield Both the upper and lower receiver are constructed
and disassembles very easily. of 7075 T6 aluminum, Type III hard coat anodized.
The upper receiver has M4 feed ramps and a forward
assist. On the left side of the lower receiver you’ll see
Springfield Armory’s crossed cannons logo. On the right
side of the magazine well you’ll see “SAINT” in letters
nearly 3/4" tall. This doesn’t sound that large, but check
out the photos.
If you crack open the lower receiver and look behind the
trigger you’ll see something blue. That is the polymer tip
The only thing Tarr didn’t of Springfield’s Accu-Tite Tension System, a nylon-tipped
like about the Saint was the tension screw that is designed to bind against the upper
barrel profile—specifically receiver to reduce play and thus increase accuracy and reli-
how it’s fatter ahead of the
front sight (.74") than under
ability. I’ve never put much stock in this kind of receiver
the handguard (.63"). But tensioners on a general use carbine, but it’s a nice option
that’s a minor complaint. to have. You’ll have to remove the grip to adjust the screw.
In some of the photos accompanying this article you’ll
see Saints sporting ambidextrous safeties—they are early
production models, and the guns you’ll see at your local
FFL will only have single-sided selectors. The Safe/Fire
markings on the receiver are designed to work even if you
throw in a 45° selector.
Provided with the rifle is the “Springfield Armory low
profile rear flip up sight.” This sight is in fact made by
[Cont. from page 6] Leapers, and was chosen by Springfield due to a com-
Let’s look at the Saint itself before I spin off into a sions of these types of rifles have been growing in bination of features and price point. The sight features
political rant and need to be sedated. Up until the early popularity the Saint is the latest of these product- all-metal construction, has two apertures and locks into
1990s, 16-inch barreled ARs with collapsible stocks were improved M4s. place when deployed. The sight is easily click adjusted for
informally known as CAR-15s. After the introduction of The Saint is a direct gas impingement design and windage using a knob on the right side. I must admit I’ve
the M4, the CAR-15 moniker fell out of fashion, and the sports a 16-inch chrome-moly vanadium barrel with never seen one in person before and came away impressed.
current term for these types of AR rifles is “M4 style.” a corrosion-resistant Melonite finish inside and out. You might also notice the silver trigger—the GI-type
However, the AR is very easy to customize, and these Unlike the standard M4 that offers a carbine-length gas trigger components of the Saint have been given a nickel-
days plain M4-type rifles that resemble the military M4 system, the Saint has a mid-length gas system. A mid- boron coating. All the trigger mating surfaces have been
are considered entry-level carbines in the commercial length gas system has its gas port in the barrel half- micro-polished before being coated. The NiB coating is
market. Improvements to the AR platform have been way between the carbine- and original rifle-length gas not only corrosion resistant, but is slicker and provides a
more than cosmetic, and in recent years upgraded ver- port positions. Compared to a carbine, a “middie” gas slightly smoother and lighter trigger pull than standard
[Cont. to page 10]

The Bravo Company Manufacturing

(BCM)Gunfighter stock has a nice
rubber buttpad, ambi QD sling sockets, The BCM Gunfighter grip is a little more vertical than the original A2, designed to
and a tight fit to eliminate rattles. be more ergonomic when running the gun with a collapsed stock. The rifle comes
standard with one 30-round Magpul PMag.

HOLY SAINT!
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 9

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PAGE 10 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

CRIMSON TRACE LiNQ

he rifle you see on the cover and lead photo has a
T couple of things added to it. For starters, it’s got an
Aimpoint PRO (Patrol Rifle Optic), which is an excel-
lent optic for the money and is a great fit for this gun.
Second is the grip and the light/laser unit. I mention
them as a singular item because they work together
to form Crimson Trace’s latest product, LiNQ, a wire-
lessly activated light and laser combo.
LiNQ’s wireless capability comes from a secure,
singular closed system that cannot be “hacked” into
The flip-up rear sight is made for Springfield by Leap- and altered. This also means that you can have mul-
ers. Tarr was really impressed with it, and liked its tiple LiNQ-equipped rifles running in close proxim-
all-metal construction. ity to one another and there will be no interference.
There are two ways to activate the light and laser (or
separately if you so desire); the button on the rear of
the light/laser unit or the “instinctive activation” but-
ton that resides beneath your middle finger when you
take a normal firing grip of the rifle. In use, rather than
having to fool with manipulating a small switch or hit
a button with your support hand, if the LiNQ unit is
turned on, a natural grasp is all that is necessary to
activate the light, laser or both.
The light itself is a 300-lumen LED white light
that was more than bright enough for me to navigate
through an underground cave, engaging targets as
they arose. The laser is green, which is more popular
than red these days thanks to its higher daytime vis-
ibility. However, the drawback of green lasers is that
they use battery life more quickly, and the LiNQ will
last two hours with both the light and laser running.
The housing and grip unit are both water resistant.
The unit can be operated in four modes: light+laser,
laser only, light only and laser+light strobe. All you
need to attach the LiNQ light/laser unit to your rifle
Lots to see here—the NiB coating on the hammer
are a few empty spots on a Picatinny rail, and replace
and other fire control parts, the H buffer, and the blue your existing grip with the LiNQ grip (don’t lose the
nylon-tipped tension screw to keep the upper and selector spring!).
lower receivers tight. As I mentioned briefly, Crimson Trace launched
the LiNQ with an event held in the hills of Kentucky
[Cont. from page 8] where media were shown LiNQ then turned loose in
fire control parts. The trigger pull on my sample was 6 the darkest environment that you could imagine, an
pounds even, which actually felt heavier than most of the underground cave at Rockcastle Shooting Center in
Saint triggers I’ve tried. Park City. The LiNQ was the primary light source in
The Saint has an M16 bolt carrier. The gas key is hard- An AR leaning against a muddy off-road tire—is there the caves, and it was more than ample. After firing
ened and staked per USGI specifications. The bolt is anything more American? 100 or so shots underground with zero circulation, the
made of Carpenter 158 steel, shot peened and magnetic smoke got a tad thick, but the 300 lumens powered
particle inspected. The extractor spring comes with an through it just fine. As an added bonus, LiNQ owners
O-ring to provide additional tension. are entitled to Crimson Traces’ Free Batteries for Life
Instead of sticking a standard carbine buffer inside the program. Retail is set at $649
rifle, Springfield went with a slightly heavier “H” buffer www.crimsontrace.com
to help reduce the speed of the moving parts (and recoil)
even more. It rides inside a Mil-Spec six-position buffer
tube, and the castle nut on the buffer tube has been
properly staked.
There are similar “improved M4s” on the market that
sport Magpul-manufactured accessories. The Saint is the
first rifle I’m aware of which comes totally decked out in
Bravo Company Manufacturing (BCM) products.
All new for the Saint is the Bravo Company PKMR
handguard. This is a polymer handguard with KeyMod
mounting slots at 11, 1 and 6 o’clock. Officially this is a
two-piece design that easily comes off the rifle, with very
aggressive texturing on the sides. The lower half has an
aluminum heat shield.
Now, I say that “officially” the PKMR is a 2-piece
handguard because the top half actually snaps apart
into two pieces. I’m not sure why this is and suspect it is
related to economy/ease of manufacture, but wasn’t able
to get an answer to that question from BCM before the
deadline for this article. It doesn’t affect the strength of Shooting Times’ Joseph von Benedikt hammering steel targets with the Saint. None of the writers invited to
the handguard when it is mounted on the rifle. the product introduction experienced any malfunctions with their rifles.
[Cont. to page 15]

HOLY SAINT!
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 11

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9 MM .40 S&W
SMOOTH TRIGGER PULL

www.smith-wesson.com/pc #PerformanceCenter
PAGE 12 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

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Hartland, WI U.S.A. / Toll Free: 1-877-BRAVO CO (1-877-272-8626) / Fax: 262-367-0989 / BravoCompanyMFG.com

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 13

KeyMod™ is the tactical

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Hartland, WI U.S.A. / Toll Free: 1-877-BRAVO CO (1-877-272-8626) / Fax: 262-367-0989 / BravoCompanyMFG.com

PAGE 14 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

MOD 0 MOD 1 MOD 2 MOD 3

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All pricing is subject to change without notice. Please see our website for current pricing.

Hartland, WI U.S.A. / Toll Free: 1-877-BRAVO CO (1-877-272-8626) / Fax: 262-367-0989 / BravoCompanyMFG.com

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 15

Tarr hitting steel in the Wyoming hills with a Saint.

The sample guns were tipped with Trijicon MRO red
dots, and the combo worked well.

weight of the rifle is 6 pounds 11 ounces. One 30-round

Magpul PMag is provided with the rifle.
Before I left for the secret underground bunker loca-
tion where Springfield would be showing off its new AR-
15, I had a conversation with someone about the rifle.
The AR market is already awash in manufacturers, so I
wondered whether Springfield’s AR would offer consum-
ers something new and different or whether it would just
be another AR, only from a big name company that had
never made an AR before.
Don’t get me wrong, I have absolutely no problem with
a manufacturer offering “just another AR.” I’ve written
in the past that I think every American should own an
AR-15; that way when they come for one, they have to
come for us all. For example, Ruger’s AR-556 is “just
another AR;” a basic M4-style AR-15 from a reputable
American gun company that offers consumers everything
they need and nothing they don’t at an affordable price
(MSRP $799). But I had my doubts about Springfield
introducing “just another AR,” for two reasons—Dave
[Cont. from page 10] Williams and Rob Leatham.
The stock on the six-position buffer tube is the BCM If the BCM Gunfighter grip looks slightly off-kilter to Dave Williams has been running Springfield’s custom
Gunfighter stock, which is a very robust and rattle-free you, you’ve got a good eye. A lot of people these days shop for years, and the man is a genius when it comes to
design. It offers a rubber butt pad and ambi QD sling are running their carbines with the stock partially or fully making 1911s. I had no idea how much input he would
sockets as well as an old-school slot for a sling. collapsed, and if you do that, the original angle on the GI have on their AR, but I knew he’d have some. And Rob
A2 grip is a little too pronounced. The more Leatham is the winningest competition shooter in the
vertical angle of the BCM grip is actually world. He’s been with Springfield for something like
more ergonomic. The rifle also sports a larger thirty years, and was shooting AR-15s in competition
polymer BCM trigger guard. before anyone had heard of 3-Gun. And he is not known
Bravo Company has perhaps seen their as someone who keeps his opinions to himself. The
biggest success with its BCM Gunfighter chances of Robbie having zero input on the features of
Charging Handle, so I was a bit surprised to their new AR (to me at least) were pretty slim.
see the Saint comes equipped with a standard I was told that Dave Williams was in fact deeply
GI-pattern charging handle. However, many involved with the Saint, and Rob Leatham had more
people (especially those new to the AR) aren’t than a little input. Leatham told me, “We looked at what
even aware of oversize charging handles, and everybody else did and then picked all the best features.”
they do add cost to a rifle meant for a specific Which is just smart, folks, there’s no need to reinvent the
price point (more on that in a bit). Total empty wheel. Leatham also said there had been a lot of changes

Three of the “Night of the Saints” contestants. From left to

right: Katelyn, Rocky (Raquel), and Tracy. They are a bit dirty “Night of the Saint” contestant Alexandria hammers steel targets around a pickup as former Navy
as they’ve just finished shooting prone. SEAL Eric Frohardt looks on.

HOLY SAINT!
PAGE 16 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

GEISSELE SUPER 42
BRAIDED WIRE BUFFER SPRING
AND BUFFER

he AR-15 has been around long enough that any

T major problems having to do with reliability of the
design have been fixed. Manufacturers at this point
are just tweaking the design to improve performance,
especially under adverse conditions.
Geissele Automatics (www.geissele.com) made
their name making match triggers for the AR platform
that are far superior in pull weight/quality while be-
ing just as durable/simple as the government-grade
triggers. Since then they’ve expanded into other AR
parts—handguards, optics mounts, and charging han-
dles that are all better than most of the other options
on the market. Now they’ve once again thought out-
side the box and introduced their Super 42 Braided
Wire Buffer Spring and Buffer combo.
The Super 42 uses three independent strands of
wire, just like the recoil spring on the German MG42
belt-fed machine gun—hence the name.
Braided wire recoil springs are nothing new. The
factory recoil spring on the SIG P226 is braided wire.
So that brings up two questions—why has Geissele
done it for the AR-15 now, and why hasn’t anyone
done it before?

“Night of the Saint” contestants Katelyn (left) and Rocky practice shooting and moving around vehicles/
cover as a team while former Navy SEAL Eric Frohardt (far left) gives direction.

to the Saint, a lot of different versions of the rifle over GI-style M4, at a suggested MSRP of $899. I don’t know
the years of development, which doesn’t surprise me why anyone would now settle for anything less.
seeing as how much the AR has evolved over what could As my editor reminded me, “A rising tide lifts all boats.”
be considered a short amount of time. Heck, it continues I consider the Saint a “high-end entry-level” AR-15.
to evolve. What was popular or cutting edge ten years ago My cohort and Shooting Times contributor Joseph von
is dated, out of fashion, or just plain second-rate now. Benedikt has more of a literary bent and said it was the
Springfield Armory isn’t the first company to offer rifles AR for the “educated generalist.” Non AR-owners might
set up like the Saint. In fact, with its combination of fea- go for the cheapest gun on the market, but those exist-
tures, the Saint is Springfield’s version of the “mid MOE” ing gun owners who have never owned an AR or who
rifles already on the market, only with BCM-brand furni- already own a base M4 and are looking to upgrade will
ture including a never-before-seen handguard. BUT, the be all over the Saint. Not to mention brand-loyal Spring- Geissele has attempted to build a better mouse-
Saint has a price $200-$300 less than its competitors. field Armory handgun owners who are looking for their trap with their Super 42 braided wire buffer
The suggested retail price on the Saint is just $899, first rifle. spring (and buffer).
which means you’ll see it on sale for less than $800. That’s What I like as much as anything else about this new
the big news here. rifle is Springfield’s marketing campaign, which should
The “basic” M4-style AR, with a 16-inch barrel, be in full swing as you read this. In addition to the As for the why now question, the folks at Geissele
carbine-length gas system and GI furniture, the “every- Defend Your Legacy tagline, they’ll be throwing out told me this: “We are always looking for ways to im-
thing you need and nothing you don’t” AR has been the other slogans—Train Your Fear. Grip Your Nerves, and prove the M4 carbine’s reliability, and this was an area
entry level AR for a number of years now. With the Saint, Stare Down Evil. Their plan is lifestyle-oriented market- for improvement based on some feedback. However,
I think, Springfield Armory has raised the bar in the in- ing to “the youthful aspirational unapologetic civilian.” we were not sure why either. After doing some re-
dustry, perhaps permanently. It is not just prettier aes- Do you think that sounds a bit like Springfield believes search and testing we found that the standard buffer
thetically, but superior in function and performance to a that legacy you’re defending is the Second Amendment? springs tend to lose their free length dramatically and
[Cont. to page 18] at a very rapid rate. Which can contribute to many dif-
ferent malfunctions such as failure to feed, due to the
amount of force the spring once had being lessened.
ALL AMMUNITION USED WAS .223 REMINGTON A braided wire coil spring dramatically reduces exact-
Load Weight (grains) Velocity SD Avg Group (in) ly that. Although any spring will lose free length, the
Hornady V-Max 55 2,890 49 1.47 braided wire coil spring’s free length loss is minimal,
and helps maintain the spring’s force.”
Black Hills FMJ 55 2,985 22 2.02 A braided wire spring almost acts as a harmonic
Wolf SP 55 2,897 49 2.08 damper and energy absorber—the springs actually
Wolf FMJ 55 2,858 68 2.33 flex separately from each other. Installing it in your AR
you’ll notice a reduction or complete elimination of the
Federal BTHP 69 2,639 37 1.84 “twang” sound of the recoil spring vibrating inside the
Black Hills OTM 77 2,585 51 1.88 buffer tube. Per Geissele it also has an average 15%
more return force than the standard buffer spring. I’ve
Accuracy results are the averages of four five-shot groups at 100 yards from a sandbag rest. Velocities are
[Cont. to page 18]
averages of ten shots measured with an Oehler Model 35P 12 feet from the muzzle.

HOLY SAINT!
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 17
PAGE 18 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

fired more than 500 rounds through Saints. No one expe-

rienced any malfunctions, but then I would have been sur-
prised if they did—the modern AR has pretty much been
tweaked to be as trouble-free as possible. At the hotel I
did hear a couple Springfield Armory employees talking
about a rifle that was getting light primer hits, but I never
saw that. The problem apparently was due to a light ham-
mer spring—apparently they had a bad batch of springs
and hadn’t completely weeded them out.
Upon returning home I received a test rifle, and put
another 250 rounds or so through it between accuracy
testing and just having fun. No jams, no issues, no prob-
lems. The Saint is not and was never intended to be a
match rifle, so the fact that it does 2 MOA or better with
most ammo is more than acceptable accuracy.
My only real complaint with this rifle is a minor one,
and that is in the barrel profile. Forward of the front
sight the barrel diameter is .74" according to my calipers.
Underneath the handguard, however, the barrel is
narrower, only .63" in diameter. Designed to reduce
barrel whip, the thick end of the barrel should be near
the chamber, the skinny end near the muzzle. That said,
in the real world in a carbine-length barrel no one will
be able to tell the difference in group size inside 300-400
yards. And there wasn’t enough added weight to make
the rifle muzzle heavy. I’m guessing Springfield did
this for appearances, wanting a thicker barrel profile near
the muzzle but not wanting to add too much weight to
Former Navy SEAL Eric Frohardt gives instruction to contestant Stephanie on shooting around cover during the rifle.
filming for the “Night of the Saint” video series for Springfield Armory. The Saint is intended to be Springfield Armory’s first
AR-15, not their last, so get used to seeing the crossed
[Cont. from page 16] cannons symbol on lower receivers. As for their initial
Springfield is using a strong female element in their ads Saint” video series. The series is a “Top Shot/Survivor”- offering, what’s my honest opinion? This:
and marketing, and as part of that they are producing a type video series featuring attractive young professional No, Springfield Armory is not the first company to
“Night of the Saint” video series that should be premier- women very active on social media—the final six compet- offer an AR-15 with these kinds of features, but they
ing in mid-December. They looked through social media itors have 200,000 followers on Instagram among them. are the largest manufacturer to offer an AR-15 with this
and found a number of women making pro-gun or pro- Springfield introduced the Saint to a few writers at combination of modern features at anywhere close to this
Second Amendment posts. They eventually narrowed the High Bar Homestead in Wyoming and while we price. Can you say, “moving the goalpost”?
their choices down to six women, aged 24 to 30, who they were there we watched the crew filming some “Night of
invited to Wyoming to take part in their “Night of the the Saint” episodes. Eric Frohardt, a former Navy SEAL,
was putting the women through drills with the Saint, SPECIFICATIONS
teaching them not just basic weapons handling and SPRINGFIELD ARMORY SAINT
marksmanship but advanced skills like shooting from/
Caliber: 5.56x45 NATO
[Cont. from page 16] around vehicles and shooting/moving with a partner.
only got about 200 rounds through my rifle since in- The women were having a great time and I was honestly Action: Semi auto, direct gas
stallation of the Super 42, but it’s been working fine impressed with their trigger finger discipline and muzzle impingement
so far, with absolutely no twang. awareness (it was the first time behind an AR for at least Gas system: Mid-length
When it comes to the “why hasn’t anyone done this one of them).
for the AR before?” question, turns out the answer After watching pretty women run around shooting Barrel Length: 16”
was the obvious one. As Joe Plunkett from Geissele ARs for a while (hey, somebody had to do it) we writers Muzzle device: A2 birdcage
told me, “It was very hard, and we found that out the got our chance to wring out the Saint. First, one at a time, Overall Length:
hard way. Getting the 3 wire strand to mimic the cor- we worked our way along a quarter mile of mountain- 32.25 inches
(stock collapsed)
rect amount of force required for the weapon to func- ous draw engaging steel targets from ten to 150 yards out
tion and making it fit was all very difficult and took us with frangible ammo. If I look a little bundled up to you Overall Length:
35.5 inches
almost seven months of R&D to get it right.” in the accompanying photos, the weather there was fifty (stock extended)
Geissele sells this as a package, with a heavy H1 degrees with an intermittent light rain. The Saints were Weight:
buffer to go along with the Super 42 spring. If you like all topped with Trijicon MRO red dot optics that worked 6 lbs 11 ounces
(without magazine)
the idea of a braided recoil spring but don’t want “an- perfectly. The combination of a mid-length gas system
Twist rate: 1/8
other” buffer, you can’t buy just the Geissele spring. and the heavy H buffer made the rifles very soft shooting.
Why? A triple braided wire spring is fatter than the Once the aiming part of the afternoon was over we Forend: Bravo Company PKMR
standard spring. As the outside diameter of the spring hopped into ATVs and a Ford Raptor and drove over Grip: Bravo Company Gunfighter
is fixed (so as to fit inside the buffer tube), that means a few steep mountains (in Wyoming they probably call
the inside diameter of the braided spring is narrow- them speed bumps) to a steel shooting range in a small Stock: Bravo Company
er—and so the shaft of the Geissele buffer is nar- copse of pine trees. There we all took turns hammering Sights: Front post adj for elevation,
rower than standard to accommodate it. The braided about fifty targets as fast as we could pull the trigger. Fully adj rear flip-up
Geissele spring won’t fit over a standard buffer, and Taking photos of pretty women with guns? Check. Trigger: 6 lbs (as tested)
even if you somehow managed to force it over one, Off-roading in Wyoming? Check. Shooting ARs that we
the end result then wouldn’t fit inside a buffer tube. didn’t have to clean using ammo we didn’t have to pay Accessories: Hard lockable case,
Geissele also sells additional tungsten weights for for? Check. Oh, and did I mention champion 4-wheeler 1 30-round magazine
their buffer if you want to turn their H1 into an H2 Greg Foutz of Addictive Desert Designs brought a pro- MSRP: $899.00
or H3. The Super 42 spring and buffer combo retails totype 2017 Ford Raptor for us to play with? Man, I
MANUFACTURER: Springfield Armory
for $59.00, and additional tungsten weights are $20 remember when I used to have a real job…real jobs suck.
www.springfieldarmory.com
apiece. Between the shooting we did and the rounds the “Night
1-800-680-6866
of the Saint” contestants sent downrange, we fired or saw

HOLY SAINT!
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 19

Capacity Durability Accuracy

Up to 17 round flush magazine The Px4 Storm has fired up to Unique rotary barrel dissipates
and extended round magazines an amazing 150,000 rounds recoil in a radial direction, reducing
available at www.berettausa.com. without any parts breakage. felt recoil and muzzle rise.

For information on our pistols visit www.Beretta.com

PAGE 20 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27
TM
TM TM

P.O. Box 569, Whitewright, TX 75491 • www.model1sales.com • Tel: 903-546-2087 • Fax: 903-546-6346
MasterCard, Visa, AMEX or Discover accepted or send Certified Check or Money Order. Add approximate shipping, extra will be refunded. Texas residents add 8.25% sales tax.
CALL FOR CURRENT CATALOG. Prices and specifications subject to change without notice. All NFA rules apply. Void where prohibited by law.

COMPLETE RIFLE KITS

No FFL required - Complete less stripped lower receiver Shown with optional M1S Low Profile Gas
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chrome moly or polished stainless steel heavy barrel, A2 flashider, forged DISSIPATOR KITS
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are available with flashider or target crown. Specify M16 or AR15. 5.56mm NATO moly or polished stainless steel heavy barrel, A2 flashider, forged front sight
18.5” 5.56 SPR, Chrome Lined Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . $570 base, A2 handguard with heatshield, aluminum delta ring, A2 buttstock.
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16" Dissipator, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $535
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chrome moly extra heavy bull barrel, mil-spec 1913 steel gas block, two sight (A2 only), polished stainless steel barrel, A2 flashider, forged front
piece free float aluminum tube and A2 buttstock. sight base or mil-spec 1913 steel gas block, standard length two piece
5.56mm NATO/.223 Rem free float aluminum tube and A2 buttstock.
16"/20"/24" Varmint, Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-8 or 1-9 twist . . . . . . $560 6.8mm Rem SPC
18” 6.8 SPR, Stainless Steel Heavy Barrel, 1-9.5 twist . . . . . . . . . . . $680 Shown with Full Slot Flashider
16"/20"/24" Varmint, Fluted Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-8 or 1-9 twist. $610
16"/20"/24" Varmint, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . $560
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24" Varmint, Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-14 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $600 11.5” Barrel with 5.5” Welded Flashider with A2 or A3
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YHM Free Float Rail and 6-Position M-4 stock. heavy barrel, forged front sight base, CAR handguard with heatshield,
6mm PPC Caliber aluminum delta ring and 4 position CAR stock.
24" Varmint, Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-10 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $615
24" Varmint, Fluted Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-10 twist . . . . . . . . . . . $665 16” C.A.R. KITS 5.56mm NATO/.223 Rem
XM177 Style, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist, Hole flashider . . . . . $520
A2 or A3 upper, rear sight (A2 only), manganese phosphate finish
.204 Ruger Caliber XM177 Style, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist, Slot flashider. . . . . . $520
chrome moly or polished stainless steel heavy barrel, A2 flashider, forged
24" Varmint, Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-12 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $635
front sight base, CAR handguard with heatshield, aluminum delta ring and XM177 Style, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist, Full Slot flashider . . $535
24" Varmint, Fluted Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-12 twist . . . . . . . . . . . $685
four position CAR stock. NEW! .22LR Caliber Includes Black Dog 25 Round Mag
NEW! .22LR Caliber Includes Black Dog 25 Round Mag 5.56mm NATO/.223 Rem XM177 Style, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist, Hole flashider . . . . $595
20" Varmint, Fluted Stainless Barrel, 1-16 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $655 16” C.A.R., Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $485 XM177 Style, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist, Slot flashider. . . . . $595
For Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore, 5.56mm only. . . . . . . add $35 XM177 Style, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist, Full Slot flashider . $610
16” C.A.R., Lightweight Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . $485
For Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore, 5.56mm only. . . . . . . add $35
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16” C.A.R., Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-8 or 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . $535
24” TACTICAL KITS 16” C.A.R., Fluted Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-8 or 1-9 twist. . . . . . . . $585
6.8 Rem SPC 16” C.A.R., Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9.5 twist. . . $575
Shown with
optional M1S Low Profile Gas Block,
With Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore A3 upper, fluted For Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . add $35 YHM Free Float Rail and 6-Position M-4 stock.
manganese phosphate finish chrome moly extra heavy barrel, mil-spec
1913 steel gas block, two piece free float aluminum tube and A2 buttstock. .300 Fireball 16” C.A.R., Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-8 twist . . . . . $535
7.62x39mm 16” C.A.R., Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-10 twist . . . . . $535
M-16 COMMANDO KITS
5.56mm NATO A2 or A3 upper, rear sight (A2 only), manganese phosphate finish
24” Tactical, Fluted Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . $645 9mm 16” C.A.R., Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-15 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . $710 chrome moly barrel, A2 flashider, forged front sight base, CAR hand-
6.8mm Rem SPC 9mm 16” C.A.R., Lightweight Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-15 twist . . $710 guard with heatshield, aluminum delta ring and 4 position CAR stock.
24” Tactical, Fluted Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9.5 twist . . . . . . . . . . . $710 NEW! 5.45x39 16” C.A.R., Chrome Lined Barrel, 1-8 twist. . . $610 For full auto or registered SBR only, NFA rules apply.
NEW! 6.5 Sporter NEW! 6.5 Sporter 16” C.A.R., Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . $575 5.56mm NATO/.223 Rem
24” Tactical, Fluted Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . $710 NEW! .22LR Caliber Includes Black Dog 25 Round Mag 10 1/4” or 11 1/2” Commando, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . $495
16” C.A.R., Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $560 For Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore, 5.56mm only. . . . . . . add $35
16” C.A.R., Lightweight Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist . . . . . . . . $560 7.62x39mm
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20"/24" Standard, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $485 A2 or A3 upper, rear sight (A2 only), manganese
chrome moly barrel, A2 flashider, forged front sight base, M-4 handguard
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with heatshield, aluminum delta ring and 4 position CAR stock. 14 1/2"
20"/24" Standard, Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-8 or 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . $535 or mil-spec 1913 steel gas block, CAR handguard with heatshield (7 1/2”
is for full auto or registered SBR only, NFA rules apply.
20" Standard, 5.56 Chrome Lined Gov’t Profile Barrel, 1-7 twist . . $535 Kits come with aluminum free float tube), aluminum delta ring and pistol
5.56mm NATO/.223 Rem recoil buffer assembly. For full auto or pistol lowers only, NFA rules apply.
6.8mm Rem SPC 14 1/2” EM-4, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $535
20" Standard, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9.5 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $575 5.56mm NATO/.223 Rem
16” EM-4, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $535
For Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . add $35 7 1/2” Pistol, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist, Free Float Tube . . . $520
For Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore, 5.56mm only. . . . . . . add $35
7.62x39mm 20" Standard, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-10 twist . . $535 10 1/4” or 11 1/2” Pistol, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . $510
16” (14 1/2” barrel with welded Phantom Flashider) EM-4, Chrome Moly
For Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore, 5.56mm only. . . . . . . add $35
NEW! 5.45x39mm Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $565
20" Standard, Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore, 1-8 twist . . $610 6.8 Rem SPC 14 1/2” EM-4, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9.5 twist. $610 7.62x39mm 11 1/2” Pistol, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-10 twist . . $535
NEW! 6.5 Sporter 6.8 Rem SPC 16” EM-4, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9.5 twist . . . . $610 9mm
20" Standard, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $630 For Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . add $35 7 1/2” Pistol, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-15 twist, Free Float Tube . . $720
NEW! .22LR Caliber Includes Black Dog 25 Round Mag NEW! 5.45x39mm 9mm 10 1/4” Pistol, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-15 twist . . . . . . . . . $710
20" Standard, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $580 16” EM-4, Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore, 1-8 twist. . . . . $645 9mm 11 1/2” Pistol, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-15 twist . . . . . . . . . $710
20" Standard, Fluted Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist. . . . . . . . . . . $630 NEW! .22LR Caliber Includes Black Dog 25 Round Mag NEW! .22LR Caliber Includes Black Dog 25 Round Mag
20" Standard, Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-16 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $630 16” EM-4, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $610 7 1/2” Chrome Moly, 1-16 twist, Free Float Tube. . . . . . . . . . . . . . $580
20" Standard, Fluted Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-16 twist. . . . . . . . . . . $680 14 1/2” EM-4, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $610 11 1/2” Pistol, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $570

www.model1sales.com ALL PARTS MADE IN THE U.S.A.! NO FFL REQUIRED! TELEPHONE: 903-546-2087
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 21
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MasterCard, Visa, AMEX or Discover accepted or send Certified Check or Money Order. Add approximate shipping, extra will be refunded. Texas residents add 8.25% sales tax.
CALL FOR CURRENT CATALOG. Prices and specifications subject to change without notice. All NFA rules apply. Void where prohibited by law.

No FFL required - Includes A2 or A3 T7075 forged hardcoat

COMPLETE UPPER HALVES anodized upper with mil-spec Teflon coating, E.R. Shaw manganese
Shown with optional YHM Four Rail Gas Block,
YHM Free Float Rail and YHM Flip Front and Rear Sights.
phosphate finish chrome moly or polished stainless steel heavy barrel, forged front sight base or mil-spec 1913 steel gas block, gas tube, ejection port
cover and forward assist assembly. Upper halves are fully assembled, gauged and headspaced. Most are available with flashider or target crown.
Add Bolt Carrier Group and Charging Handle to 5.56mm NATO/.223 Rem Upper Half . . . . . . . . . . $120
DISSIPATOR UPPERS
Shown with optional 16” Barrel with full length A2 Handguards and rifle sight radius
MI Two Piece Rail with A2 or A3 upper, rear sight (A2 only), manganese phosphate finish
Shown with optional
YHM Free Float Rail. chrome moly or polished stainless steel heavy barrel, A2 flashider, forged
VARMINT UPPERS front sight base, A2 handguard with heatshield and aluminum delta ring.
With A3 upper, stainless steel or chrome moly extra heavy bull barrel, 5.56mm NATO/.223 Rem
mil-spec 1913 steel gas block and two piece free float aluminum tube. 16” C.A.R. UPPERS 16" Dissipator, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $395
5.56mm NATO/.223 Rem With A2 or A3 upper, rear sight (A2 only), manganese phosphate finish For Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore, 5.56mm only. . . . . . . add $35
16"/20"/24" Varmint, Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-8 or 1-9 twist. . . . . . $375 chrome moly or polished stainless steel heavy barrel, A2 flashider, forged 16" Dissipator, Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-8 or 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . $445
16"/20"/24" Varmint, Fluted Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-8 or 1-9 twist $425 front sight base, CAR handguard with heatshield and aluminum delta ring. 6.8 Rem SPC 16" Dissipator, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9.5 twist. $460
16"/20"/24" Varmint, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . $375 5.56mm NATO/.223 Rem 7.62x39mm 16" Dissipator, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-10 twist . . $430
16"/20"/24" Varmint, Fluted Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist. . . . . . $425 16” C.A.R., Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $330
24" Varmint, Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-14 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $415
NEW! 5.45x39mm 16" Dissipator, Chrome Moly Bbl, 1-8 . $460
For Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore, 5.56mm only. . . . . . . add $35
24" Varmint, Fluted Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-14 twist . . . . . . . . . . . $465 16” C.A.R., Lightweight Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . $330 Shown with optional
6mm PPC 24" Varmint, Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-10 twist . . . . . $430 For Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore, 5.56mm only. . . . . . . add $35 Triangle Handguard
and Slot Flashider
6mm PPC 24" Varmint, Fluted Stainless Steel Bbl, 1-10 twist . . $470 16” C.A.R., Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-8 or 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . $380
.204 Ruger 24" Varmint, Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-12 twist. . . . . $450 16” C.A.R., Fluted Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-8 or 1-9 twist. . . . . . . . $430
.204 Ruger 24" Varmint, Fluted Stainless Steel Bbl, 1-12 twist . $500 6.8 Rem SPC 16” C.A.R., Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9.5 twist. . . $395
NEW! .22LR Caliber Includes Black Dog 25 Round Mag For Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . add $35 XM177 STYLE UPPERS
20" Varmint, Fluted Stainless Barrel, 1-16 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $585 .300 Fireball 16” C.A.R., Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-8 twist . . . . . $365 11.5” Barrel with 5.5” Welded Flashider with A2 or A3
.22LR Upper Halves include M1S Bolt Carrier Assembly and Charging Handle 7.62x39mm 16” C.A.R., Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-10 twist . . . . . $365 upper, rear sight (A2 only), manganese phosphate finish chrome moly
9mm 16” C.A.R., Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-15 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . $365 heavy barrel, forged front sight base, CAR handguard with heatshield and
9mm 16” C.A.R., Lightweight Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-15 twist . . $365 aluminum delta ring.
NEW! 5.45x39 16” C.A.R., Chrome Lined Barrel, 1-8 twist . $430 5.56mm NATO/.223 Rem
Shown with optional
XM177 Style, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist, Hole flashider . . . . . $360
24” TACTICAL UPPERS YHM Free Float Rail. NEW! 6.5 Sporter 16” C.A.R., Chrome Moly Bbl, 1-9 twist . $395 XM177 Style, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist, Slot flashider. . . . . . $360
With Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore A3 upper, fluted NEW! .22LR Caliber Includes Black Dog 25 Round Mag XM177 Style, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist, Full Slot flashider . . $375
manganese phosphate finish chrome moly extra heavy barrel, mil-spec 16” C.A.R., Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $490
NEW! .22LR Caliber Includes Black Dog 25 Round Mag
1913 steel gas block and two piece free float aluminum tube. 16” C.A.R., Lightweight Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist . . . . . . . . $490 XM177 Style, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist, Hole flashider . . . . $525
5.56 NATO 24” Tactical, Fluted Chrome Moly Bbl, 1-9 twist . . $460 .22LR Upper Halves include M1S Bolt Carrier Assembly and Charging Handle XM177 Style, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist, Slot flashider. . . . . $525
6.8 Rem SPC 24” Tactical, Fluted Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9.5 . $525 XM177 Style, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist, Full Slot flashider . $540
NEW! 6.5 Sporter 24” Fluted Chrome Moly Bbl, 1-9 twist . $525 .22LR Upper Halves include M1S Bolt Carrier Assembly and Charging Handle

AR15 or M16
Bolt Carrier
Shown with optional YHM Smooth Free Float Handguard.
Shown with optional M1S Low Profile Gas Block, YHM Smooth Free Float Handguard. Assembly
14.5” or 16” EM-4 UPPERS Complete, 5.56mm/.223 caliber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$145
NEW! 18.5” 5.56 SPR UPPERS With A2 or A3 upper, rear sight (A2 only), manganese phosphate finish Complete, 7.62x39mm caliber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$155
A2 or A3 upper, rear sight (A2 only), manganese phosphate finish chrome EM-4 chrome moly barrel, A2 flashider, forged front sight base, M-4 Complete, 5.45x39mm caliber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$165
moly or polished stainless steel heavy barrel, A2 flashider, forged front sight handguard with heatshield and aluminum delta ring. 14 1/2" is for full auto Complete, 6.5mm Sporter caliber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$165
base or gas block, A2 handguard with heatshield, aluminum delta ring. or registered SBR only, NFA rules apply. Complete, 6.8mm SPC caliber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$165
5.56mm NATO 5.56mm NATO/.223 Rem
18.5” 5.56 SPR, Chrome Lined Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . $415 14 1/2” EM-4, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $380 AR15 or M16 Chrome
18.5” 5.56 SPR, Stainless Steel Heavy Barrel, 1-7 twist . . . . . . . . . . $470 16” EM-4, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $380 Bolt Carrier
For Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore, 5.56mm only. . . . . . . add $35 Assembly
16” (14 1/2” barrel with welded Phantom Flashider) EM-4, Chrome Moly Complete with chrome bolt, 5.56/.223 caliber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $195
Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $410 Complete with black bolt, 7.62x39mm caliber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $205
Shown with optional YHM Rail Gas Block and YHM Smooth Free Float Handguard.
6.8 Rem SPC 14 1/2” EM-4, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9.5 twist. $450 Complete with black bolt, 5.45x39mm caliber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $205
6.8 Rem SPC 16” EM-4, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9.5 twist . . . . $450 Complete with black bolt, 6.5 Sporter caliber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $205
NEW! 18” 6.8 SPR UPPERS For Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . add $35 Complete with black bolt, 6.8mm SPC caliber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $205
With Mid-Length Gas System A2 or A3 upper, rear sight (A2
NEW! 5.45x39 16” EM-4, Chrome Lined Barrel, 1-8 twist . $485
only), polished stainless steel barrel, A2 flashider, forged front sight base AR15 Young
or mil-spec 1913 steel gas block and standard length two piece free float NEW! .22LR Caliber Includes Black Dog 25 Round Mag
aluminum tube. 16” EM-4, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $540 National Match
6.8 Rem SPC 18” 6.8 SPR, Stainless Steel Heavy Barrel, 1-9.5. $530 14 1/2” EM-4, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $540 Bolt Carrier Stripped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $145
.22LR Upper Halves include M1S Bolt Carrier Assembly and Charging Handle Complete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $235
Shown with optional Fluted Stainless Barrel, VTAC Handguard.
Badger Charging Handle
With extended latch . . . . . . . . . . . . $30
Standard Charging Handle
STANDARD UPPERS Complete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $16
Shown with optional M1S Low Profile Gas Block, YHM Free Float Rail.
With A2 or A3 upper, rear sight (A2 only), manganese phosphate finish
Steel Charging Handle
chrome moly or polished stainless steel heavy barrel, A2 flashider, forged COMMANDO and PISTOL UPPERS Standard latch, complete . . . $40
front sight base, A2 handguard with heatshield and aluminum delta ring. A2 or A3 upper, rear sight (A2 only), manganese phosphate finish
5.56mm NATO/.223 Rem chrome moly barrel, A2 flashider, forged front sight base or mil-spec
Extended Latch Charging Handle Complete. . . $19
20"/24" Standard, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $330 1913 steel gas block, CAR handguard with heatshield (7 1/2” model with Wook Ambi Charging Handle With extended latch. $22
For Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore, 5.56mm only. . . . . . . add $35 aluminum free float tube) and aluminum delta ring. For full auto or reg- Tactical Latch Charging Handle Complete . $25
20"/24" Standard, Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-8 or 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . $380 istered SBR only, NFA rules apply. Tactical Latch Latch only. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $15
20" Standard, 5.56 Chrome Lined Gov’t Profile Barrel, 1-7 twist . . $380 5.56mm NATO/.223 Rem
6.8 Rem SPC 20" Standard, Chrome Moly Bbl, 1-9.5 twist . . $395
For Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . add $35
7 1/2” Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist, Free Float Tube . . . . . . . . . $350
10 1/4” or 11 1/2” Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-9 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . $330 AR15 Lower Receiver Parts Kits
For Chrome Lined Chamber and Bore, 5.56mm only. . . . . . . add $35 With
standard trigger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69
7.62x39mm 20" Standard, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-10 twist . . $365 With
Jard Single Stage Adjustable Trigger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $196
NEW! 5.45x39 20" Standard, Chrome Lined Barrel, 1-8 twist . $430 7.62x39mm 11 1/2” Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-10 twist . . . . . . . . $365 With
Jewell Trigger Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $260
NEW! 6.5 Sporter 20" Standard, Chrome Moly Bbl, 1-9 twist . $395 9mm 7 1/2” Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-15 twist, Free Float Tube . . $375 With
RRA Two Stage Trigger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $174
NEW! .22LR Caliber Includes Black Dog 25 Round Mag 9mm 10 1/4” Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-15 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $365 With
Timney Match Trigger, Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $243
20" Standard, Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $510 9mm 11 1/2” Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-15 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $365 With
Timney Match Trigger, Skeletonized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $308
20" Standard, Fluted Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist. . . . . . . . . . . $560 NEW! .22LR Caliber Includes Black Dog 25 Round Mag M16 Lower Receiver Parts Kit with sear . . . . . . $79
20" Standard, Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-16 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $560 7 1/2” Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist, Free Float Tube . . . . . . . . $510 Three Shot Burst Kit Changes Full Auto M16 to 3 Shot
20" Standard, Fluted Stainless Steel Barrel, 1-16 twist. . . . . . . . . . . $610 11 1/2” Chrome Moly Barrel, 1-16 twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $490 Burst. Includes hammer, trigger, 2 disconnectors, 2 disconnector springs,
.22LR Upper Halves include M1S Bolt Carrier Assembly and Charging Handle .22LR Upper Halves include M1S Bolt Carrier Assembly and Charging Handle hammer spring, cam and cam spring. NFA rules apply . . . . . . . . . . . $85

www.model1sales.com ALL PARTS MADE IN THE U.S.A.! NO FFL REQUIRED! TELEPHONE: 903-546-2087
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 23

HOT PredatOBR
the

RODDING
LARUE ADDS THE FLAT SHOOTING .260 REM. TO ITS LINE-UP
By David M. Fortier

F
or decades, the 7.62mm NATO/.308 Winchester One company to take note of the .260 Remington Model 520 pump-action shotguns. Personally, I find their
was the de facto standard long-range precision/
was LaRue Tactical. LaRue first carved its name in the mechanics fascinating.
sniper cartridge in the US. It was what both the
industry with its resetting Sniper Target and then with As they require less space than a traditional rifle,
US Army and Marine Corps issued to snipers, so quick-release optic mounts. Eventually the company takedown rifles have long been popular as survival guns
industry and law enforcement followed along. When moved beyond building just accessories and introduced allowing them to be neatly stored away until required.
long-range precision and tactical-style matches started
a line of semi-automatic rifles. Up until now, these have Perhaps the best known of these is the 1950s vintage AR-7
to take root among competitive shooters, the .308 Win.
been chambered only for traditional 5.56x45mm and designed by Eugene Stoner. A compact semi-automatic
was the go-to caliber. Industry responded to the upsurge
7.62x51mm NATO cartridges. Recently, LaRue decided .22 LR, it comes easily apart allowing it to be stowed
in interest by churning out monotonously similar look-
to hot rod their PredatOBR by chambering it in .260 Rem in the hollow buttstock. While the PredatOBR doesn’t
ing overweight bolt guns fitted with rotund barrels. Then
and announced the new offering in late August 2016. store in its buttstock, it does come apart into a relatively
a strange thing happened. Riflemen competing against If you are not familiar with it, LaRue Tactical’s small package. LaRue even offers a six pocket “tool roll”
one another under field conditions at unknown distances
PredatOBR is an interesting animal. What makes it stand the disassembled rifle, dismounted optic and accessories
without the aid of wind flags began to abandon the .308
out from the AR crowd is the simple fact that it’s an can be stored in. Plus the tool roll can be slipped inside
Win. As if a veil was lifted, riflemen began to seek out
honest to God takedown gun. Yes, like in the 1962 hit a matching metal toolbox for discreet transport and
flatter shooting cartridges that drifted less in the wind to
film Manchurian Candidate, it pops apart for easy well-protected lockable storage.
gain a competitive edge. Some went to magnums while stowage and discreet carry. However, unlike the 7.7mm The rifle is built using a receiver set CNC machined
others embraced 6mm and 6.5mm cartridges with their Arisaka Type 2 Paratrooper rifle featured in the film, from billet aluminum. Receiver fit is very good, but I was
very efficient projectiles. One cartridge that earned the
LaRue’s PredatOBR is an actual precision rifle capable of still able to push the take-down pin out with my finger
respect of many is the .260 Remington. This 6.5mm impressive accuracy. Not only that but it was specifically with no tool required. Personally this is the type of fit
round is blessed with impressive accuracy, respectable
designed for use with a sound suppressor. I prefer, I dislike takedown pins so tight they require a
exterior ballistics, relatively long barrel life and it will fit
Takedown rifles and shotguns have always had a tool to hammer out. Four barrel lengths are offered in
into a short-action rifle. certain mystique and appeal to them. Being able to 7.62x51mm: 14.5, 16.1, 18 and 20 inches all with a 1-10
split a firearm in half for easy storage or transport is a inch twist. Two lengths will initially be offered in the new
desirable feature. Having the ability to be taken-down .260 Rem: 18 and 22 inches both with a 1-8 inch twist.
New from LaRue Tactical is a .260 Rem. chamber- quickly and easily with no tools required undoubt- My review rifle came fitted with the 18-inch barrel. The
ing in their PredatOBR series seen here rested on a edly added to the popularity of certain famous designs, complete barrel assembly, including gas block, gas tube,
Precision Reflex, Inc. Overwatch shooting rest. such as Winchester’s Model 1897/1912 and Stevens’ barrel nut and muzzle device, weighed in at 3.9 pounds.

HOT RODDING the PredatOBR

PAGE 24 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

The PredatOBR is a well thought out and handsomely made semi-automatic precision rifle. It’s seen here
outfitted with an 18-inch barrel, but a 22-inch tube is an option.
My review rifle came fitted with LaRue Tactical’s
TranQuilo muzzle brake/sound suppressor adapter. This
It tapered from 1.16 inches just in front of the barrel nut rels feature a “Rearden Steel” mark from Ayn Rand’s fa- unit acts as a conventional muzzle brake to reduce felt
to .79 inch at the rear of the gas block and .73 inch at the mous 1957 novel Atlas Shrugged. Mark and Ellen LaRue recoil and muzzle movement. In addition it also acts as a
rear of the muzzle device. You’ll also note LaRue’s bar- are both voracious readers. If you know the novel, espe- mounting adapter for LaRue Tactical’s TranQuilo sound
cially in today’s political climate it will make you smile. suppressor. The TranQuilo was specifically designed for
Fitted to the barrel is LaRue Tactical’s proprietary Port the Larue family of semi-automatic precision rifles and
Selector Technology (PST) dual position gas block. The reduces the report to hearing safe levels and almost elimi-
gas block has two positions, one for unsuppressed and nates flash. What sets this unit apart though is its Safer
the other for suppressed fire. A low profile lever allows Operator Technology (SOT) that reduces gas blowback
the shooter to easily toggle back and forth between the emitted from the ejection port. Manufactured from 17-4
two settings. When a sound suppressor is fitted the rifle- PH Stainless Steel and Incoloy A-286, the TranQuilo is 8
man need only to rotate the lever to the right side of the inches in length and weighs 23 ounces. If you would pre-
rifle. Doing so reduces the amount of gas injected into fer a different muzzle device, all .260 Rem. and 7.62mm
the action. This compensates for the additional blowback NATO barrels are cut with standard 5/8x24 threads at the
created by having a sound suppressor mounted. For un- muzzle. This allows the rifleman to choose from a wide
suppressed fire, rotating the lever to the left side of the variety of aftermarket muzzle devices.
rifle increases the amount of gas injected into the action Surrounding the barrel is a CNC machined aluminum
allowing reliable function. handguard. This features a MIL-STD 1913 rail at 12
[Cont. to page 26]

Measuring just 37.5 inches with the stock collapsed, The PredatOBR’s fore-end easily accepts mission essential
the PredatOBR is compact and maneuverable. accessories and has hard mounts for 1913 rail sections.

HOT RODDING the PredatOBR

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 25

RUGER AR-556
D I R E C T I M P I N G E M E N T, M O D E R N S P O R T I N G R I F L E

Flattop Upper Receiver Features a

Forward Assist, Dust Cover and
Brass Deflector

16.10'', Medium Contour, Cold

Hammer-Forged Barrel with
Ruger ® Flash Suppressor
and 1:8'' Twist **

Post Front Sight and Ruger ® Rapid

Deploy Folding Rear Sight Milled Gas Block

100%
Has Multiple
Attachment
Ergonomic Pistol Points Including
Grip Features an a QD Socket and
Extended Trigger Bayonet Lug,**
Reach for More for Many Sling
Precise Trigger AMERICAN-MADE and Accessory
Mounting Options
Control

AR-556 ® Rifle (Model 8500*)

The Ruger ® AR -556 ® is a semi-automatic, M4-style, direct impingement Modern Sporting Rifle that offers consumers
an affordable, American-made rifle with the rugged reliability they have come to expect from Ruger. Extensively tested during
its development, the AR-556 ® is constructed from top-quality components, including forged 7075-T6 aluminum upper and
lower receivers and a cold hammer-forged, chrome-moly steel barrel with M4 feed ramp cuts. Chambered in 5.56 NATO, the
AR-556’s carbine-length, flattop, M4 design is fully configured with a Ruger ® Rapid Deploy folding rear sight, milled F-height gas
block with post front sight, forward assist, dust cover, brass deflector, telescoping six-position or fixed stock, improved trigger-reach
grip and enlarged trigger guard. Standardized M4/AR components are utilized throughout, so the AR-556 ® can be customized easily.
* Some rifles may not be available in all states and locales due to laws limiting magazine capacity and feature-based restrictions. Please check with your local law enforcement agency prior to purchasing this firearm
to verify that it may legally be purchased and/or possessed in your particular state and locale.
** State compliant model 8502 is offered with a fixed stock, heavy contour barrel, no bayonet lug or flash suppressor and includes one, 10-round magazine.

RUGER.COM/AR556 © 2016 Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. 091316

PAGE 26 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

LaRue developed the PredatOBR to be a reliable

semi-automatic precision rifle that is not only com-
pact, but could be easily taken down if required.

Basically, the rifle’s chamber features shallow flutes

which reduce frictional forces caused by pressure
expanded cartridge cases bearing against the walls of
the chamber. The system is designed to ensure reliable
extraction/function through a wide range of temperature
and chamber pressures. In doing so LaRue claims it also
extends extractor life.
The LaRue Tactical PredatOBR is a handsome and
eye-catching rifle. Quality of workmanship is excellent
with the machining, fit and finish all top rate. Out of
the box the rifle’s bolt worked smoothly, the controls all
operated easily and the supplied magazines ejected clean-
ly. The PredatOBR feeds from readily available DPMS/
KAC/Magpul style magazines and two 20-rounders were
included. I also utilized a Magpul 30-round polymer
design and Brownells 20-round metal magazine.

The .260 Remington

The .260 Remington cartridge is based on the clas-
sic .308 Winchester. It is little more than its parent case
necked down to accept 6.5mm (.264 inch) projectiles. It
[Cont. from page 24] began as a fairly popular wildcat called the 6.5-.308 that
o’clock and threaded stainless steel hard points at the 3, LaRue claims a point of impact (POI) shift of between Remington turned into a standard factory offering in
6 and 9 o’clock positions. These hard points allow 1913 0.0 and 0.5 MOA. After having only read the directions 1997. While 6.5mm cartridges have never taken off in the
rail sections to be easily added where needed. The hard once, I found it a simple matter to remove and reinstall US as they have in Europe, the .260 Rem. impressed many
points have an integral “spine” machined in to provide the barrel. with its performance. When loaded with 120- to 140-grain
structural support under hard use. Three 3-inch long rail The lower receiver is outfitted with a LaRue Meticu- match bullets, the .260 Rem. shoots flat, bucks the wind
sections CNC machined from billet aluminum are pro- lously Built Trigger (MBT). Rather than use someone well and does it with mild recoil. The .260 Rem. is capable
vided with the rifle. Examining the handguard you will else’s trigger, LaRue designed his own two-stage trigger, of matching the trajectory of the classic 190-grain .300
notice two stainless steel QD levers, one at 3 and the other which is precision machined from S7 tool steel. It pro- Win. Mag. load while drifting less in the wind. Reloaders
at 9 o’clock. These, rather than the barrel nut, are used to vides a very clean 2.5 pound first stage, and then breaks have a diverse array of projectiles from which to choose
lock the handguard securely to the upper receiver. In do- crisply when you apply an additional 2 pounds to the sec- with many suitable propellants. Plus, cartridge cases can
ing so this design creates a true free-floated barrel. ond stage. Reset is short and positive. LaRue outfits this be easily formed from plentiful .243 Win., 7mm-08 Rem.
To remove the barrel assembly, ensure the gun is un- model with an H2 buffer assembly that rides inside the or even .308 Win. cases. Its exterior ballistics, long barrel
loaded and the bolt is locked to the rear. Next rotate the receiver extension. Riding on top of the receiver exten- life, accuracy and plentiful components have all worked
locking tabs that retain the QD levers on the handguard. sion is LaRue’s Retract Action Trigger (RAT) stock. This together to make it popular with long range shooters.
Then release the QD levers and pull the handguard from collapsing design features six positions to adjust length A number of companies offer factory ammunition
the receiver and off of the barrel. Using the supplied bar- of pull and a non-slip pad. Hidden beneath the pad in in this caliber including Federal, Cor-Bon, Black Hills
rel wrench, loosen the barrel nut and then spin it off by internal compartments is a set of cleaning rods. This is Ammunition, Federal Premium, Nosler Custom, HSM,
hand. The entire barrel assembly may now be pulled free actually g-whiz cool. ABM and Barnes. However, it can be a bit of pain to
from the receiver. To reinstall, insert the gas tube/bar- The operating system is traditional Stoner gas- locate locally. I managed to come up with two match
rel into the upper receiver and tighten the barrel nut by impingement with a rotating bolt. The bolt carrier assem- loads for testing, one from Black Hills Ammunition and
hand. Use the wrench to torque the barrel nut another bly is both beefy and beautifully machined. LaRue did the other from Cor-Bon. Both were loaded with Lapua’s
1/8 turn (applying approximately 40 to 50 foot pounds tweak the way the PredatOBR operates with the addition 139-grain Scenar OTM which has an advertised G1 ballis-
of torque) past hand tight. Then reinstall the handguard. of their proprietary chamber system called XTRAXN. tic coefficient of 0.578 and a G7 of 0.290. In comparison,
[Cont. to page 28]

The six-position collapsible stock features a no-slip pad that covers two hidden
A look at the rifle’s bolt carrier assembly, everything is nicely machined and finished. compartments, which store a sectioned cleaning rod.

HOT RODDING the PredatOBR

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 27
PAGE 28 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

The rifle’s fore-end is easily removed be releasing the

two latches located at 3 and 9 o’clock.

[Cont. from page 26]

Sierra’s famous .308-inch diameter 175-grain MatchKing
OTM has a G1 ballistic coefficient of 0.496 at .308 Win.
velocities. This shows the .260 Rem is capable of throw-
ing very efficient projectiles that shoot flat and buck the
wind well.
With these two factory loads in hand, I began test-
ing LaRue’s .260 Rem PredatOBR from the bench at Using the supplied wrench allows the barrel nut to be
100 yards. Rounds loaded easily into the magazines, easily loosened and the barrel removed.
fed smoothly and chambered cleanly without issue. The
stock and pistolgrip were both comfortable and the trig-
ger proved an aid to accuracy. Before getting to work, I that swing from side to side when hit. My goal here was to
noted the included test target that arrived with the rifle. see how the PredatOBR would perform engaging reactive
LaRue Tactical guarantees their rifles will shoot into targets at speed. This is actually more in-line with what
1 MOA with the proper ammunition. The test target the PredatOBR is designed for and it showed. Rather
showed three rounds grouped into .75 inch, not too shab- than being an obese belly gun, the PredatOBR was de-
by for a short semi-automatic rifle. signed to be both short and light enough to be easily fired
Testing began with firing four five-shot groups with from a variety of field positions using improvised support
each load from off a rest at 100 yards. The PredatOBR when required. Fitted with the 18-inch barrel it weighs
immediately showed a preference for Cor-Bon’s load ver- 10.2 pounds without optic or magazine and measures
sus Black Hills Ammunition’s offering. I surmised this just 37.5 inches long with the stock fully collapsed. You
had to do with the noticeably lower velocity the Cor-Bon can easily shoot it offhand or around barricades. Thanks
load was running at. I had several groups with the Cor- to the mild recoiling .260 Rem. cartridge and efficient
Bon where four out of five rounds clustered well under muzzle brake, the PredatOBR is easy to control and
half an inch. My average came in at .65 inch. The Black follow-up shots come quick.
Hills load averaged .95 inch. Reliability of both brands I had beautiful weather and relatively little wind during
was flawless throughout testing. Zero malfunctions or testing so I quickly moved to 800 yards. I have one solitary
problems of any kind were experienced. Recoil is very Action Target silhouette posted at this, my furthest dis-
light and the PredatOBR proved a comfortable rifle to tance. Firing prone off the bipod using a rear bag quickly
shoot. Better still, breaking the LaRue down, removing brought satisfaction. After crunching the numbers using
and reinstalling the barrel and reassembling moved the the free Strelok ballistics app for Android, I cranked in
POI less than .3 inch at 100 yards. elevation, checked the wind and fired. Getting back on
From paper I moved to shooting on an Action Target With the handguard removed, the entire barrel the scope I could tell my elevation was good but I was off
dueling tree. This features six AR500 steel target paddles assembly is exposed, including the barrel nut. the left edge. Changing my hold I fired nine more rounds
[Cont. to page 30]

Two .260 Rem. loads were used during testing, one

A look at the rifle broken down for transport or storage. The scope could also be removed to further reduce from Black Hills and this one from Cor-Bon. Both fea-
the size of the package. ture a 139-grain Scenar OTM.

HOT RODDING the PredatOBR

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 29

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PAGE 30 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

Due to its short size and relatively light weight, the

PredatOBR is easily fired from various field positions.

SPECIFICATIONS
LARUE TACTICAL PredatOBR
Action: Stoner direct gas with rotating bolt
Caliber: .260 Remington
Barrel: 18 inches
Rifling: 1-8 inch twist
Overall Length: 37.5 inches
Trigger: LaRue MBT Two-stage with
4.5 pound pull
Feed: 20-round detachable box
magazines
Stock: 6-position collapsible
Weight: 10.2 pounds w/out mag
MSRP” $3,370.00
[Cont. from page 28] Recoil is relatively mild and easy to control thanks to the chambering and the muzzle brake.
at a fairly rapid rate. The LaRue doesn’t hop around too
much and spits empties to 3 o’clock. Watching through
the scope I could see white paint being replaced by dark lapses down to a 4x4x32 inch package and weighs just thing a bit flatter shooting than a 7.62mm NATO, then you
spots every time I came out of recoil. As soon as the gun two pounds. When extended it is tall enough to provide may want to consider their new .260 Rem. which is
settled I’d break the next round. The end result was a nine support from your knees but not standing. It’s quick and priced at $3,370. Mark LaRue has taken his Texas-based
round group measuring seven inches clustered just left of easy to use and fairly stable once you’ve practiced with it company on quite a journey since I first met him years
center. I’ll take that. a bit. At $397.50 it’s not inexpensive, but it is nicely made, ago. LaRue earned the industry’s and consumer’s respect
Just as I was finishing up testing, a new shooting aid light, easy to pack and stable. with his dedication to quality and customer service. The
from Precision Reflex, Inc., arrived, so I put it to work Not only was I, but everyone who handled and shot PredatOBR continues this legacy.
with some friends. Called the Overwatch, it is a light- LaRue’s PredatOBR was impressed by it. It exudes
weight shooting rest for field use. At a glance it resembles quality, invokes pride of ownership and looks great.
two sets of shooting sticks married together. Construct- Reliability was flawless and accuracy was quite respect-
ed from carbon fiber tubes and aluminum joints, it col- able. If you’re interested in a PredatOBR but desire some- SOURCES
LaRue Tactical
512-259-1585 / www.larue.com
ACCURACY & VELOCITY Black Hills Ammunition
605-348-5150 / www.black-hills.com
LARUE TACTICAL PredatOBR .260 REMINGTON
Cor-Bon
Load Velocity (fps) Standard Deviation 100 yards (inches) 800-626-7266 / www.corbon.com
Black Hills 139-grain Scenar OTM 2,626 25 .95 Labradar
Cor-Bon 139-grain Scenar OTM 2,4831 7 .65 316-866-2525 / www.mylabradar.com
Groups are an average of four 5 shot groups fired from a rest at 100 yards. Velocity readings measured with a Precision Reflex, Inc.
LabRadar Doppler chronograph at an ambient temperature of 70 degrees F 1,030 feet above Sea Level. 419-615-4390 / www.precisionreflex.com

HOT RODDING the PredatOBR

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 31

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Text by Peter G. Kokalis

T
RETURN
he famous Galil rifle was a phoenix, risen from the
ashes of war; a result of lessons learned by Israeli
desert fighters in the 1967 Six-Day War. Very much
the progeny of my late friend, Yisrael Galili, the former
chief weapons designer for IMI (Israel Military Indus-
OF THE
Photos by Michael P. Flores and Peter G. Kokalis

Stoner 63, the AK47, the HK33b and a design by Uziel

Gal. The test’s greatest emphasis revolved around perfor-
mance under arid-region conditions. The Galil emerged as
the clear winner and won the Israeli Defense Award. It was
officially adopted by the IDF in 1972. More than a decade
G
While the method of operation is identical to the Ka-
lashnikov, Soviet AK47 parts most certainly cannot be
used in the first Galil. When the trigger is pulled, the
hammer drives the firing pin forward to ignite the primer.
Kalashnikovs have inertia firing pins without a spring.
tries) and Yaacov Lior and now known as IWI, which is later it became available in the United States in BATFE The initial lots brought into this country by Magnum Re-
a wholly owned subsidiary of Israel Weapon Industries semiautomatic-only versions. The original importer and search had no firing pin springs. Military primers have
(IWI) Ltd. of Ramat Hasharon, Israel. The Galil was distributor was Magnum Research, Inc. in Minneapolis, harder cups, not as easily ignited as commercial primers,
a somewhat successful attempt at Voltaire’s “best of all Minn. The Galil rifle as issued to the IDF was chambered especially that of Winchester. Winchester ammunition
possible world’s” from his satire Candide. for the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge. caused several slam-fire and all Galils offered for sale in
The Galil was and is a Kalashnikov. Oddly enough, The Galil’s Kalashnikov heritage is apparent, even at the United States eventually had strong firing pin springs.
there are more versions of the Galil than most other Ka- first glance. Not so evident were its differences. It fires South African R4 rifles do not employ the pinned-and-
lashnikov-types, although most are completely unknown from the closed-bolt position and is gas-operated with- riveted, stamped sheet-metal receiver of the AKM series.
in the United States. out an adjustable regulator. The change in caliber from Their receivers are manufactured from a heavy milled
Let us briefly examine the history of the original Galil 7.62x39mm to 5.56x45mm NATO required numerous forging. In addition, they do not utilize the usual Kalash-
before we discuss the new one. Dissatisfied with the cali- alterations. The AK47’s 4.2mm gas hole was reduced in nikov barrel-extension unit for lockup of the bolt. The
ber 7.62x51mm NATO FN FAL rifle with which the IDF diameter to 1.8mm. However, as the 52,000 cup SAAMI bolt lugs lock into recesses milled into the receiver body
(Israeli Defense Force) was largely equipped, as it had (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturer Institute) itself. All of this is supposed to provide a more substan-
always been a poor performer in high sand and dust envi- pressure limit specified for the 5.56x45mm NATO round tial heat sink to disperse heat more rapidly and reduce the
ronments, Galili went directly into the field to investigate is far greater than that developed by the 7.62x39mm Com- possibility of a cook-off when the weapon is employed in
the problem. He was told that the Kalashnikov was the Bloc cartridge, Galili abandoned the pinned and riveted, the squad automatic role.
“tiger of the desert.” stamped sheet metal receiver of the Valmet M62/M76 se- The Galil uses only one spring for both the trigger
Taking what he needed from the AK47 (in fact the very ries and went to a heavy milled forging. and hammer. The R4 rifle has two separate springs for
first Galils were assembled using receivers from the Finn- In addition, the Galil did not utilize the usual Kalash- these components. They are made of multi-strand cable
ish M62 Valmet, a version of the Avtomat Kalashnikova nikov barrel-extension unit for lock-up of the bolt. The bolt for strength and durability. Unlike that of the Galil, the
made in Helsinki with barrels machined from Colt M16 lugs lock into recesses milled into the receiver body itself. R4 trigger has two holes for the spring to hook into. The
barrel blanks). An altered Stoner 63 magazine was incor- Thus heat dispersion occurs more rapidly, the cartridge re- trigger and sear springs are conventional coil types. To
porated, along with an FN FAL-type side-folding stock. mains cooler and the possibility of a cook-off, even under inhibit breakage, the R4 trigger sear has a wider tail than
Galili placed his rifle in competition with the M16A1, the the most intensive full-auto conditions, is minimized. that of the Galil.
 After originally fielding a wild conglomeration of small arms ranging from gas pressure drops to a safe level, the cam slot engages the
the British Sten Gun to the K98k rifle and even the German MG34 machine bolt’s cam pin and the bolt is rotated and unlocked as the
gun, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) adopted the FAL, including this heavy
barrel squad machine gun, which failed in the high dust desert environment.
carrier moves rearward.
Primary extraction occurs as the bolt is rotated and
thus the massive Kalashnikov-type extractor claw is not
required. Empty-case ejection is typically violent. The
cases are severely dented by the ejector and thrown to the
right and front by as much as 40 feet (a defect with regard
to “position disclosure”). At this time, the recoil spring is
compressed and its return energy drives the carrier for-
ward to strip a round from the magazine and chamber it.
The Galil’s hammer spring is made of multi-strand
cable. The trigger and sear springs are conventional coil
types. Like other Kalashnikov-system rifles, the trigger
mechanism is that first used in the U.S. .30 M1 Garand
rifle.
The Galil’s right-side selector is the same stamped,
sheet-metal bar common to all Kalashnikovs. South Afri-
can troops often wrap nylon fishing line around this selec-
tor bar to quiet the sound of its manipulation. It can also
be bent slightly to draw it away from the receiver notches.
The top position, marked “S,” is safe, where the trigger is
locked and the bolt can be retracted only far enough to

A
ALIL
inspect for a chambered round in this position.
The Galil also featured a selector switch on the re-
ceiver’s left side, intended to be manipulated by the
thumb of the trigger hand. On the semiautomatic-only
version, through use of a two-piece hinged bar inside
the receiver, the rearmost position of this selector is safe
and pushing forward with the thumb will place in the fir-
ing mode, marked “F”. This is as it should be. However,
on the selective-fire model, the rearmost position is “R”
(British terminology for Repetition, or semiautomatic),
the middle position is “A” (full auto) and the forward
position is safe. Thus to come off safe, using the left-side
selector lever, one must pull rearward with the thumb, a
most unnatural and awkward maneuver, especially un-
der stress.
On the selective-fire Galil, two sears control the firing
mechanism, the trigger sear and a safety sear. In full-auto
fire the trigger sear is held back and only the first round
of the burst is fired off this rear sear. Subsequently, the
After ignition of the primer, a portion of the propel- bly) and drives the piston rearward. The piston is hard- bolt carrier moves rearward and rolls the hammer over.
lant gases migrate into the 1.8mm vent, drilled at a 30º chrome-plated for ease of maintenance. It’s also notched The safety sear continues to hold the hammer back until
angle into the gas block, which is pinned to the barrel. to provide a reduced bearing surface and permit excess the bolt carrier is fully forward again, at which time it
The gas enters the cylinder (to which a small spring has gas blow-by. The bolt carrier is attached to the piston. trips the safety sear and the hammer rotates to fire an-
been attached to secure its retention during reassem- After a short amount of free travel, during which time the other round. Thus, after the first round, the trigger sear is

This caliber
7.62x51mm NATO
Galil when coupled
with the Nimrod
scope was designed
as a sniper weapon
system, but the IDF
much preferred the
U.S. M21.

RETURN OF THE GALIL

PAGE 34 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

With a number of
improvements, the
Republic of South
Africa adopted the
Galil as the R4.

deactivated entirely from control on the hammer. Releas- was a short-barreled version of the AR model. It had a store the bipod. Both the polymer and wooden hand-
ing the trigger will catch the hammer on the trigger sear barrel length of only 13.5 inches in caliber 5.56x45mm guards are attached permanently to the barrel and can-
once more. In semiautomatic fire, no pressure is placed on NATO (and 15.8 inches in the 7.62x51mm NATO ver- not be removed.
the trigger sear, which is free to catch the hammer each sion, and thus as a consequence these two versions were The Galil’s bipod is a sturdy, rigid affair, certified so by
time it is rolled back by the bolt carrier. available in the United States as selective-fire weapons my vivid memory of Yisrael Galili jumping wildly and
The entire safety sear assembly (sear, spring, cross pin only. Its gas tube and piston were 11⁄8 inches shorter theatrically on top of the rifle with its two steel legs ex-
and trip lever) is absent from the semiautomatic-only ver- than the other models. The caliber 5.56x45mm NATO tended. When stored in the handguard, the bipod serves
sion of the Galil. In addition, certain receiver mill cuts Galils all had six-groove barrels with a right-hand twist as a feed chute to speed insertion of the magazines. The
have not been made, the hammer spring pin protrudes of one turn in 12 inches for the 55-grain M193 ball pro- bipod can be used as a wire cutter and to open beer bot-
from the right side of the receiver to stop further down- jectile. All three models were normally issued with a tles as well.
ward travel of the selector lever and the bolt carrier has folding stock, although a fixed wooden buttstock was The Galil’s gray polymer pistol grip is one of the very
been altered to prevent full-auto fire. Unauthorized at- an available option. best ever put on an assault rifle and seems to be taken
tempts to convert this rifle to selective fire would be most At first glance, the folding stock appeared to be that from the Hungarian AKM/AMD-65 series. Of more
difficult and quite dangerous. of the FN FAL. It was not. The FN FAL stock is con- than adequate length, with a sharp bottom flare to pre-
There were initially three basic configurations of structed of tubular aluminum. The Galil folding stock vent the hand from slipping, the grip has been mounted
the Galil, all available in calibers 5.56x45mm NATO was fabricated from tubular steel—stronger, but heavier. to the receiver at precisely the correct grip-to-frame angle.
or 7.62x51mm NATO. The ARM was equipped with More important, the Galil stock has no button latch to Somehow, it just feels right.
a bipod, wooden handguard and carrying handle. It confound the operator in opening or closing, no small The Galil was available with tough, all-steel maga-
was intended that this model was for use as both an consideration during high stress situations. zines in three capacities. The 12-round magazine, color-
assault rifle and squad automatic weapon (SAW). The The ARM’s carrying handle is almost identical to that coded with white stripes, is blocked to accept only bal-
AR was equipped with a high-impact-polymer hand- of the Belgian FN FAL. Located to the rear of the wood- listite (blank) cartridges for launching rifle grenades. The
guard without a bipod or carrying handle. The barrel en handguard, it’s not positioned over the rifle’s center standard magazine has a capacity of 35 rounds. A large
length of both, in caliber 5.56x45mm NATO, was 18.5 of mass. The wooden handguard remains somewhat capacity 50-round magazine was also available. Difficult
inches with the flash suppressor (and 21.0 inches for the cooler during sustained full-auto fire than the black plas- to load by hand, it was intended for use in the squad au-
7.62x51mm NATO model). Both were available in semi- tic handguard. The squared-away shape of the wooden tomatic role. However, like all bottom-fed magazines of
automatic-only and selective-fire versions. The SAR handguard is not entirely comfortable, but necessary to this capacity, it will “monopod” the weapon when fired
with the bipod in the prone position.
An optional magazine adaptor allows the use of 20- and
30-round M16 magazines. Unfortunately, the magazine-
wells of the semiautomatic-only and selective-fire Galils
are of different dimensions and the adapter supplied by
IMI can be fitted only to the semiautomatic-only version.
Why this is so I do not know. However, the adapter is
well designed and the magazines can be inserted and re-
leased with no greater difficulty than in the M16 series.
Finnish Valmet caliber 5.56x45mm NATO will likewise
fit into the semiautomatic-only Galil, but cannot be used
in the selective-fire rifle. South African R4 magazines are
identical to their Israeli counterparts and can be inserted
into all versions of the Galil. The Galil’s magazine catch/
release latch is of the flapper-type similar to that of the
Kalashnikov series.
The retracting handle is permanently attached to the
bolt carrier and bent upright to allow cocking with either
hand, providing a useful feature.
This IDF16 is very close to the Tavor originally fielded by the Israel The flash suppressor has six ports and is almost identi-
Defense Force that replaced the Galil, except that it’s semiauto- cal to the M16 “birdcage” muzzle device. Those who still
matic-only and has a 16.5-inch barrel to meet BATFE regulations. dream of charging up San Juan Hill will be pleased to
[Cont. to page 36]

RETURN OF THE GALIL

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 35

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PAGE 36 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

meters. To use, at dusk or night, the front betalight is

folded up to expose a vertical bar, which is aligned be-
tween the two luminous dots. When the rear tritium sight
is flipped up for use, the rear peep sights must be placed
in an offset position midway between the two apertures.
The left side of the receiver is dovetailed for a scope
side mount. The Galil issue sling was constructed of
heavy, wide, black webbing with steel hooks at each end
that rotate 360º.
In addition to high marks for hit probability, the Galil
SAR that I tested years ago exhibited excellent controlla-
bility in the full-auto mode. The cyclic rate was 650 rpm.
Muzzle rise was barely perceptible with two- and three-
round bursts. In fact, firing in the off-hand position, at 30
meters an entire and continuous 50-round burst could be
contained on a standard military silhouette target. Per-
ceived recoil was virtually nonexistent. All of the above
operating characteristics are a function of the Galil’s
weight. At almost 9.5 pounds, empty, with bipod and car-
rying handle the ARM was quite heavy in comparison to
other contemporaneous assault rifles. The Galil was only
a quarter-pound shy of the U.S. M14. The Galil’s weight
was principally a consequence of the designer’s attempt
to serve the roles of both an infantry rifle and Squad
Automatic Weapon (SAW).
It was in the role of a SAW that the original Galil fell
short of the mark. By definition, in the SAW’s require-
ment for sustained fire, it must have a quick-change bar-
rel, an adjustable gas regulator and belt fed operation.
Prior to the Galil, the IDF was equipped with large numbers of the UZI submachine gun. In general pistol The original Galil had neither.
caliber submachine guns are economical to produce. Around 1988, Action Arms, owned by the late Harry
Stern in Philadelphia took over the importation and dis-
[Cont. from page 34] tribution of the Galil. That was then and this now. The
note that the Galil accepts the readily available M7 bayo- portant, correction to the preventive maintenance in- Magnum Research and Action Arms Galils are gone. If
net issued for the M16. structions given in the IMI operator’s manual is required. you want one, you can expect to pay up to $5,000, espe-
The rear end of the Galil’s recoil-spring guide rod, After cleaning, we are instructed to lubricate the gas cially if it’s a “safe queen” (purchased, but never fired and
which serves as a retainer for the sheet-metal receiver cylinder and piston. I say no to that. Keep lubricants of kept locked in a vault).
cover, has been extended to ease disassembly and lock the all types away from the piston and the interior of the gas
cover more securely to the receiver body. This is especially system. The intense heat generated in this area of a gas- The South African Galil/Kalashnikov
important as the rear sight has been mounted on the re- operated weapon will cause lubricants to bake and var- Israel and South Africa, both international pariahs,
ceiver cover. While no less secure than its attachment to nish these components. who have combined efforts on everything from nuclear
the gas cylinder on the Finnish Valmet M71, it does not The rear sight is a flip-up peep-aperture-type with 300- bombs to infantry rifles, at one time fielded in essence
provide the rigidity offered by the receiver-mounted rear and 500-meter apertures adjustable for elevation only. the same infantry rifle. The South African R4 is an im-
sight of ComBloc Kalashnikovs. The trade-off is a longer The front-post-type sight is adjustable for elevation and proved version of the Galil. The South Africans began
sight radius. windage zero. Elevation adjustments are by means of the to experience occasional so-called “ghost shots.” Firing
Reassembly of the receiver cover on all Kalashnikov- UZI front-sight tool. Windage adjustment is achieved by pin redesign efforts at LIW (Lyttelton Ingeneurswerke)
type weapons is simplified if you first place the recoil- loosening and tightening the two opposing screws, which where the R4 rifle is produced, centered around four re-
spring guide rod slightly below its notch in the receiver move the entire front sight in its dovetail on to the gas quirements. First, the firing pin had to be retained in a
onto the rear interior wall of the receiver and then set the block. The diameter of the front sight hood is such that rearward position until breech locking was completed.
receiver cover in place. Jack the retracting handle smartly it forms an additional aiming circle just within the rear Second, the firing pin had to be prevented from slamming
to the rear and the guide rod will pop into its notch and aperture to further assist sight alignment and speed target against its retaining pin. Third, the firing pin needed ad-
the square-cut hole in the receiver cover. acquisition. aptation to prevent misfires (“light hits”) without losing
Standard Kalashnikov disassembly and reassembly Taking another cue from the Valmet, the Galil was additional hammer energy. And finally, the solution had
procedures apply to the Galil. But a small, though im- equipped with tritium (betalight) night sights set for 100 to be a retrofit, not a totally new bolt design. Firing pin
[Cont. to page 38]

The very first batches of Galils were manufactured using

Finnish Valmet M62 Avtomat Kalashnikova receivers.

RETURN OF THE GALIL

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 37
PAGE 38 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

Most Action Arms semiautomatic Galils

imported to the U.S. were the Model 392 with
16-inch barrels. The rare Model 372 has an
18-inch barrel, as issued to the IDF.

a synthetic 35-round magazine for the R4, which was

adopted by the SADF. Lighter and cheaper than steel
magazines, original specifications called for a disposable
unit, but the magazine proved to be so durable that this
requirement was abandoned. Tests indicate an endurance
life of more than 20,000 rounds. Containing only four
components (a steel follower spring and nylon follower,
floorplate and body), the body is a one-piece injection
molding. The follower ends are closed to inhibit the ac-
cumulation of debris. Using international symbols, the
month and year of production appear on the magazine
body. Production rate is one body per minute, per mold,
at 50% the cost of a steel magazine. It will eventually
replace all steel magazines in the SADF, including the
less than reliable 50-round magazine. More durable than
steel, and just as reliable, this nylon magazine can absorb
tremendous shock without damage. Its strength and drop
tests surpass steel and, of course, it’s not susceptible to
corrosion and impervious to all commonly encountered
cleaning fluids. LIW’s magazine has successfully passed
accelerated ultraviolet tests (five years of exposure lying
on a steel plate on LIW’s roof) with only slight discolor-
ation. Cold weather tests have been conducted without
This very early Galil was imported by Magnum Research, Inc. It has a synthetic forearm and no bipod. failure of any kind. LIW’s nylon magazine will permit
troops to increase their ammunition load and should ap-
[Cont. from page 36] peal to all armies fielding the Galil series of rifles.
springs were added, but they failed to solve the burring block was moved rearward as far as possible and both The all-steel 50-round magazine is still encountered in
problem. Altering the cam action was attempted and this the piston and gas tube shortened. Thus the firing pin’s the SADF and remains popular with the troops—espe-
also proved to be an unsatisfactory answer. The final so- bushing collapses into the firing pin’s fluted areas and the cially those operating from Armored Fighting Vehicles
lution was ingenious and simple. A recess was milled into firing pin moves forward to strike the primer. It was even- (AFVs)—as it presumably provides more “firepower,”
the tail of the bolt and a small hole drilled at the end tually discovered that a completely fluted firing pin was whatever that means. It is not reliable. In my experience,
of the firing pin, through which a pin was installed that unnecessary; R4 firing pins are now only partially fluted staggered-column rifle and submachine gun magazines
retains both a synthetic bushing and a steel flat washer. (to permit propellant gases to blow away debris). of a capacity greater than about 36 rounds are invari-
Since it presses against the bolt recess, the bushing is pre- Galil 35-round magazines are sturdy and far more reli- ably equipped with follower springs that provide either
loaded and holds the firing pin rearward. To reduce the able than M16 magazines, but, as they are fabricated with too much stripping pressure when the magazine is fully
envelope to the minimum possible dimensions, the gas seven steel components, far too heavy. LIW designed loaded (this will drop the bolt’s forward velocity and
[Cont. to page 40]

Prior to adoption of the Galil, the IDF tested a

number of rifles, including the Stoner Model 63.

RETURN OF THE GALIL

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 39
PAGE 40 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

The latest iteration of the Galil series is this Galil

ACE, which through the substantial use of polymer
drops the weight of the original Galil by 2 pounds.

bflflflfl flfl pflflflflflfl flfldfl flfl pflflflflflfl wflflflfl flfl flflflbflflflzflflgfl bflflcfl,fl wflfl
flflflflcflfldflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflfl
flflflgflflfl flflfl flflflfl flflflflfl wflflflfl flflflfl buflflflflflckfl fluflflyfl flflflflflcflfldfl flflfl
Chambered for the 7.62x39mm cartridge, the Galil ACE 34fl5flflflcflflflfl(876fl3flmm)flflfldflwflflflflflflflflbuflflflflflckflfluflflyflflx-
retains many elements of its Avtomat Kalashnikova origins. flflfldfldfl flflfl 37fl8fl flflcflflflfl (960fl12fl mm)flfl Wflflflfl flflflfl buflflflflflckfl
flflfldfldflflflflflflflflflflgflflflflfldflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflgflflflflflfl
27fl4flflflcflflflfl(696flmm)flflflflflflwflflgflfl,flwflflflfluflflflflmflgflzflflfl,fl
flflfl7fl5flpflufldflfl(3fl4flkg),flflfluflflflflflflflflgfl2flpflufldflflflflflflflflflflflflfl
flflflgflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflfl16-flflcflflbflflflflflflflflflflflfluflflgflflflflflflflwflflflfl
flflflflgflflflflflfldflflwflflflflflflflflflflflfluflflflflflfl9fl45flflflcflflflfl(240flmm),fl
flflflfldflfldflflflflflflflflfl7fl62x39mmflcflflflflfldgflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflfl
cflmflflfl flquflppfldfl wflflflfl flflfl M16fl2-flypflfl bflfldcflgflfl flflflflfl
flfldflflflwflflflflflflcflflflfldflflflflflflflflfl6flfl’cflflckflflflflpflflflflflflflpflflflflflflflfl
dflflcflflfluflflfl wflflflfl fiflflflgfl flflflmfl flflflfl pflflflflfl pflflflflflflflfl flflfl flflgflfl
duflflflflflflflflflflmflflflflfl
flflflfl flflflflflfl flflflfl bflflflflflflfl flflflfl cflfldfl flflmmflfl-flflflgfldflfl flflflfl
cflfldfl flflmmflfl-flflflgflflgfl pflflcflflflfl cflmmflflcflflfl wflflflfl flflfl flflflfl-
flflzflflbflflflflflflbflflflk,flflfldflbyflmflflflflflflflflflflgfl-pflflflfluflflflflflflflflyfl
flflmmflflfl,flcflmpflcflflflflflflflbflflflflflflbflflflkflflflflflflflflmflfldflflflflflflflflflfl
mflflflfldflpflflducflflflflflflflflgflwflflflfluflflflflflflflmflflkflflflfld,flflflflfld-
dflflflflfl,flcflmpflcflflflflflflflmflflflcuflflflflflflflucfluflflflflflflflflflflflflflflfl,flflfl-
fluflflflflgflflflflflflmflflflfldflflflflflflfldflflflflflflgflflflbflflflflflflflSflflyflflDflflm-
flflflflPucflflpflflflflflflfldflcflfldflflflmmflflflflflflgflflgflflflflflflbflflflflflfldfl
[Cont. from page 38] cflflmbflflflflflflflcflflflmflflflflflfldflflflflflflflflbflflflflflflflufluflflflyflflflflflflflflfl
pflflducflflflflgflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflpflflmflfl)flflflflflflflflflflflugflflflflflflppflflgfl The Galil Reborn 20,000fl flflufldflfl pflflflflfl flflfl flflquflflflflgfl flflpflflcflmflflfl,fl flflfl cflm-
pflflflfluflflflwflflflflflflflyflflflflflwflflflufldflflflflmflflflfl(flflflflflwflflflflflflducflfl flflflflflfl flflfl flbflflflcflfl flflfl flflflflflflflfl dflcfldflfl,fl flflflfl flflwfl flflflflflfl pflflflflflflflflflfl6,000flflflfl10,000flflflufldflflflflflflflflflflUSflmflflflflflflyflflfl-
“bflflfl-flflflfl-bflflfl”flflflfldflflgflflflflppflgflfl)flflFuflflflflflmflflfl,flflflflflflfl flflflfl flflflflflfl flfldfl pflflflflflflfl flflflfl flmpflflflfldfl byfl IWIfl US,fl Iflcfl,fl fluflflM4flflIflflflddflflflflfl,flflflflflflflflflflflcflflmbflflflflflflflflflflwflflflflflfl
flflmflflflflflmpflflflflbflflflflflflfiflflflflflflmflflflflflpflflflflflpflflflflflflflflwflflflfl wflflcflfl flflfl flfl wflflflflyfl flwflfldfl flubflfldflflflyfl flflfl Iflflflflflfl Wflflpflflfl flflmmflflflflflflgfldflflflflflflflyflflflflflpflflflflcflflyflcflflcflflflflflcflwflflflflflflflfl
flxflflfldfld-cflpflcflflyfl mflgflzflflflflfl flflflfl flmpflflyfldflfl flflflflflflflfl Iflduflflflflflflfl(IWI)flLfldflflflflflRflmflflflHflflflflflflfl,flIflflflflflflflFire- bflflfl’flflflxflflflfl [Cont. to page 42]
flpflcflflfl-puflpflflflflmflgflzflflflflflflflflflflflflpflflflfldfldflwflflflflflflflflflflflflflfl arms News wflflfl flflcflflflflyfl flflflflfl flfl
flflflflccflpflflfl22flLRflcflflflflfldgflflflflflflflflflflflmfiflflflcflflflflflflflflflflkflfl,fl flpflcflmflflflflflflflflflflflflwflflflflflflflflflflfl
flflflflfldfldflflflflflflducflflflflflflcflflflflflflflflflflflflflflgflflflflflflR4’flflmflgfl- flflflflfl flflfl cflflflbflflfl 7fl62x39mmfl flflflfl
zflflflflcflflcfl/flflflflflflflflflflflcflflflflflflflflflflflflflflppflflflflypfl,flflflmflflflflflflflfl flflflflfl flfldfl flflflfluflflflflflflfl flflflflflugflfl
flflflflKflflflflflflflkflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflggflflflguflfldflflflflflflflfl flflflflflflflflflyflmucflflflflflflflflflflflyflflflKfl-
flflflflflflflflfludflflflflpflflflflcflflflflflflflflflcflflflflflmflflccfldflflflflflflflflflflflflflfl flflflflflflkflfl,fl flflflfl flflwfl flflflflflfl flflflfl
flflfl flflflfl mflgflzflflflflfl Lflfldfldfl mflgflzflflflflfl muflflfl bflfl flflflflflflfldfl dflflflflflflfl dflflmflflflcflflflyfl flflfl flxflflflflflflfl
byfl flflgflgflflgfl flfl pflfljflcflflflflfl flflfl flflflfl mflgflzflflfl’flfl flflflflflfl flflflflfl cflflmflflflcflfl flflflmfl bflflflfl flfl flypfl-
flflflflcflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflmflgflzflflfl-wflflfl,flflflflflflflflflflflflflgfl cflflfl Avtomat Kalashnikovafl flfldfl
flflflflmflgflzflflflflbflckflflflflflflckflflflflflflflflflflflpflflflg-flflfldfldflcflflcfl/ flflflfl flflflgflflflflfl flflflflflflfl flflflflflflbflflfl flflfl
flflflflflflflflflOflflflflflpflcflflflflyfluflflfluflflflccflflflflflyflflflflufldflwflflflflflflflfl
R4flflflflflflflflflflufldy,flflflgfldflbflpfldflflflflflcflfldflflflflflflflflgflflflbflflckflfl
Sflmflfl bflflflflflflfl flflflflfl bflpfldflfl flflfl flflflflflflflyfl flflflflflfl fldflflflflflflyflfl
flflflflcflflflccuflflcyflpflflflflflflflflflflIflflflflflflcflfldfl(flflkflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflfl
M16)fl dflflflcflflyfl flflfl flflflfl bflflflflfl,fl flfl’flfl pflflflflbflflfl flflflflfl flfl bflpfldfl The Galil
The Galil ACE comes ACE polymer
mflgflflfldflflfluflbflflflflflbflflflflfl’flflflflflmflflflcflflflHflwflflflfl,flflflflflR4fl
with one Magpul buttstock both re-
bflpfldflflflflflflflflflflflflcflfldflflflflflflflflbflflflflflflflMflflflflflmpflflflflflfl,flflflfl tracts in six positions
30-round magazine
flflflgflflflflgflflflflflflflpflflflflflflflflflmpflcflflmflgflflflbflflflflflgflflflyflflflflflflfldfl and a flapper-type and folds to the right.
byflflflflfluflflflflflflflflbflpfld,flbuflflflflflflflflflflflmfljflflflflyflflflflflflflmyfl magazine catch/
cflflflflcflflflflccuflflflflfldflflflflflcflflflflflfl100flmflflflflflflflflflflflflfl,flflfldflflflfl release in the
flflflflflflflflgflflflflflcflflflgflflflflflflflflflpflflflflflflflflflmpflcflflcflflflbflfldfl- manner of the
flflcflfldflflWflflflflfiflflflgflflflflmflflflflflpflflflflflpflflflflflflflflufldflflflflflflflflfl,fl Avtomat
Kalashnikova.
flflflfluflflflflflflflflbflpfldflflflflflflfiflflflgflpflflflflflflmflwflflflflflflflyflflflcflflflflflfl
flflflflpflflbflbflflflflyflflflflflflR4’flflbuflflflflflckflflflflflbflflflflflflflgflflflflfldfl
flfldflflflflflflbflflcflflfldflflflflmflflflflflflflflcfldflflyflflflflflflcflmflflflflflflfl,flflfl-
flflflfldflflflflflflflflflflumflflumflflubflflgflflflufldflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflflfl
buflflfljflflflflflwflflflflflflflflflfldflflflgflfldflflfldflflflpflflyuflflflflflflflflbuflflflflfl
wflflflflddfldflflflflflflflflflflflflflRM’flflwflfldflflflflflfldguflfldflflflflflflfl
bflflflflflflpflflcfldflbyflflflflflmflflflflflcflflfiguflflflflflflflflflflflflugflfluflflflgfl
The Galil ACE is equipped with an M16A2-type bird
flfl flyflflflflflflcfl cflmpflufldflfl Iflfl bflflflfl flflflflflflcflflfl flflflfl flflflflflgflflfl cage flash hider, which is closed at 6 o’clock to pre-
flfldfl duflflbflflflflyfl flflfl flflflflflfl cflmpflflflflflflfl flflflflfl bflflflfl flflgflflfi- vent disclosure in high dust arid region environments.
cflflflflyflflflflflflcfldfl

RETURN OF THE GALIL

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 41

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PAGE 42 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

[Cont. from page 40]

The Galil ACE rifle that was sent to us for
test and evaluation carries a manufacturer’s
suggested retail price of $1,899.00. The Galil
ACE pistol has a MSRP of $1,749.00 and
the Galil ACE pistol with a stabilizing brace
costs $1,849.00. These prices include an in-
struction manual, removable cheek rest for
use with a scope, sight zeroing key and one
30-round Magpul magazine. Available in
either black or sand, Magpul MOE (Manu-
facturer’s Original Equipment) magazines
feature a four-way, anti-tilt, self lubricating The pistol grip
and self leveling follower that enhances feed- contains a trap
ing reliability, a constant internal curve for door storage
consistent round stack regardless of round compartment
for the storage of
count, a true 30-round capacity that elimi- cleaning equipment
nates the need to down-load, and a SlimLine and small
floorplate design that aids in magazine ex- The left side controls include a spring-loaded dust cover over the components.
traction from pouches and eases disassembly. retracting handle slot and a bilateral selector lever.
Magpul Kalashnikov magazines weigh only
6.5 ounces and sell for only $13.95.
The Galil ACE series is the latest assault rifle series of- a polymer snap-on/snap-off cheekpiece comes with the turers in this country have devoted much time or energy
fered by IWI (Israel Weapons Industries). The Galil ACE rifle. The tapered, round post-type front sight is adjust- into the development of truly effective hollow point am-
20 series is quite obviously the second generation Galil able for elevation zero and has large protective ears. There munition in either the 7.62x39mm or 5.45x39mm cali-
AR, SAR and MAR series. The Galil was modified to are two apertures, marked “3” and “5” for 300 and 500 bers that even comes close to the effectiveness of Horna-
meet the requirements for a modern modular design. It meters, respectively. The rear sights can be adjusted for dy’s superb TAP ammunition in .223 REM (for example
was based upon the original Galil, the Hadar and the windage zero. when we tested Federal’s JHP [Jacketed Hollow Point]
MAR, both variants of the Galil. The smooth-faced, two-stage trigger was measured 7.62x39mm ammunition, the bullets either failed to ex-
The Galil HADAR was introduced in 1987, suppos- using NRA certified dead weights, as coil spring trigger pand at all or completely fell apart into very small inef-
edly intended for Israeli law enforcement unit. True or measuring devices do not yield consistent results. The fective fragments), let us then, for purposes of leveling
not, the HADAR II complies with the regulations of the trigger pull weight was 4.75 pounds, which was relatively the playing field, disregard HP projectiles and conduct
assault rifle ban of 1989. It has a thumbhole buttstock; light for a military rifle. our comparisons with only MilSpec Full Metal Jacket
it has neither a bayonet lug nor a flash hider. The entire (FMJ) bullets. Everything I say about this is based upon
stock is made of high quality wood. The rear sight on the The Great Assault Rifle Cartridge Controversy research that I was personally involved with at the U.S.
redesigned sheet metal receiver cover, a typical Kalash- Laying aside the conceptual argument of the M16/ Army’s Wound Ballistics Laboratory at Letterman Army
nikov characteristic, has two very large protective side AR-15 series versus Avtomat Kalashnikova series in their Hospital in the Presidio in California under the direc-
wings, as does the front sight. This became standard for entirety, an equally interesting dispute is which, if any, tion during the time frame I was there of Col. Martin L.
the Galil MAR and the third, fourth and fifth versions of the modern assault rifle cartridges is superior. First Fackler, M.D.
of the Galil MAR, as well as the Galil MAGAL, which let us eliminate the very excellent 7.62x51mm NATO The caliber 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge has been
is chambered for the .30 M1 carbine cartridge and in- round, as it’s a full-size battle rifle cartridge and thus at the subject of a great deal of criticism. However, at the
tended for Israeli police units. An optional receiver cover least for theoretical reasons does not qualify since one most common distances at which contact with the enemy
with a MIL-STD-1913 rail interface was also available. of the three definitions of an “assault [Cont. to page 44]
The HADAR has a thick rubber buttplate for recoil ab- rifle” is that it must be chambered
sorption. During the mid 1980s, although never adopted for an “intermediate-size” cartridge.
by the IDF, as it was out performed by the U.S. M21, That leaves us with the 5.56x45mm
the Galil GALATZ sniper rifle was introduced although NATO, 7.62x39mm and 5.45x39mm
nothing more than a modified Galil semiautomatic-only rounds. So, let’s examine individually
caliber 7.62x51mm NATO ARM. The Galil SR99 was their characteristics, each from the all-
a further attempt to develop the GALATZ into a sniper important wound ballistics perspective
weapon system. only and see if we can really determine
A clear example of IWI’s diversity into the Kalash- which is best. Because few manufac-
nikov’s systems is the Galil MAR, of which there are
no less than six sub variants, ranging in caliber from
The circular polymer forearm
5.56x45mm to .30 M1 Carbine. has a protective lip forward and
But, let’s move back to the subject of this article, the new aft to prevent the support hand
semiautomatic-only Galil ACE in caliber 7.62x39mm. from slipping off the forearm.
The Galil ACE front sight base is that of the HADAR
except for the triangular lightening hole. The buttstock,
although of the M4 five-position retractable configura-
The Galil ACE comes
tion, still folds to the right in the manner of the FN FAL. equipped with zeroing key
The charging handle, on the left side, is no longer of the for zeroing the front and rear
bent up type. A spring-loaded sheet metal cover on the re- sight and disassembly
tracting handle slot is closed in order to keep debris from of the rear sight.
entering the system. The thumb switch selector lever is
bilateral manner taken directly from the Galil. The Galil
ACE has an inverted left selector lever and thus pushing
the selector forward places it into the fire position while
sliding it to the rear is safe (white). On the right side, ro-
tating the selector lever up places it in the “S” or safe po-
sition, while rotating it down puts the trigger mechanism
in the “F” or fire position (red). The selector levers are
somewhat stiff. The right side controls consist of a fire selec-
There is a 14.5-inch Mil-STD-1913 rail interface at tor lever with a white “S” for safe and a red
12 o’clock for optical sights. In co-ordination with that “F” for fire.

RETURN OF THE GALIL

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 43
PAGE 44 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

The tapered round front

sight can be adjusted
for elevation zero and extremity hits on the arms or legs. In all tests per-
has large protective formed on this cartridge, the angle of this bullet’s long
ears. axis after it came to rest in the tissue simulant showed
a change in direction of between 80 and 90 degrees.
Curvature of a boattail FMJ bullet’s path is not un-
common, but always sporadic and generally no more
than 45º. X-rays taken at the Wound Ballistics Lab
of recovered 5.45x39mm bullets showed that the lead
sleeve flowed asymmetrically forward into the jacket
tip after rapid deceleration upon striking tissue, to
unbalance the projectile and possibly initiate its right-
angle turn. Curious, but the results are less than awe-
some. When the AK74 rifle and its cartridge first sur-
faced in Afghanistan, rumors were widely circulated
that it’s muzzle velocity exceeded 4,000 fps and that it
produced massive tissue damage. Obviously, this was
not true and the performance approximates that of the
The aperture-type rear sight has apertures marked M193 round, albeit for somewhat different reasons.
“3” and “5” for 300 and 500 meters, respectively and I am personally aware that experienced Russian
can be adjusted for windage zero. SPETsNAZ (Special Purpose Forces) personnel are not
at all enamored with this cartridge and its performance in
[Cont. from page 42] Afghanistan and although the AK74 (or AK100 in this
occurs, 100 meters and less, this cartridge can be quite boattail projectile has a gilding-metal-clad steel jacket. caliber) is in general issue throughout the Russian armed
effective. The performance generated by 5.56x45mm The un-hardened flat-tip steel core is covered by a lead forces, many SPETsNAZ units deploy with AK100 rifles
NATO military ammunition is primarily a consequence sleeve that does not fill the entire interior of the jacket, chambered for the 7.62x39mm cartridge. Why?
of bullet fragmentation. As long as this FMJ bullet trav- leaving a hollow cavity inside the nose—the focal point of Attributed to designers Nikolai M. Elizarov and Bo-
els point-forward its wound track remains small and the imbroglio over its wounding potential. ris V. Semin, Soviet historians contend that work on the
there is little tissue damage. However, after from 2 to Large caliber steel cores, such as the hardened penetra- M43 (model 1943) 7.62x39mm cartridge began in 1939,
6 inches of penetration, both the M193 (Vietnam era) tor of the U.S. .50 caliber AP round, can be screw-turned was temporarily suspended because of The Great Patri-
and M855 (current) full metal jacket (FMJ) projectiles to a pointed tip without too much trouble. It would be otic War and then re-commenced and finalized in 1943.
will yaw to 90º, flatten and break apart at the cannelure difficult to screw-turn, or even swage, a pointed tip on Others have stated that it was derived from the German
(crimping groove). The bullet point remains as a flattened the 5.45x39mm bullet’s very small steel core. I personally 7.92x33mm Kurz Patrone (short cartridge) developed
triangular section, retaining about 60% of the original believe it was simply more cost-effective to fabricate a for the world’s first assault rifle produced in significant
bullet weight and penetrating about 13 inches in soft tis- flat-tipped core and leave an air pocket under the jacket’s quantities, the World War II MP43/44 (StG44/45). This
sue. That portion to the rear of the cannelure breaks into tip as long as it did not affect the projectile’s aerodynam- latter scenario is highly unlikely, as the Soviets would
numerous fragments that penetrate up to 3 inches radially ic qualities. have required specimens of 7.92x33mm Kurz ammu-
away from the main wound track. There is nothing new about this type of construc- nition at least a year or two prior to their adoption of
These multiple fragments perforate and weaken tissue. tion. During World War I, the British .303-inch Mark the 7.62x39mm round in 1943—well before the MP43
Tissue between two perforations is often completely de- VII bullet contained an aluminum (and sometimes fiber, was fielded on the Osten front (first reported use was
tached when subsequently subjected to the sudden stretch wood, pottery or compressed paper) filler in front of its December 1942). Whatever the case, the Soviet M43
of temporary cavitation. Weakened tissue may be split by lead and antimony core directly under the jacket’s tip. cartridge is a true intermediate-size assault rifle round.
stretch that would otherwise be absorbed by the tissue’s This was principally an attempt to reduce the bullet’s First prototypes featured cases 40.29mm in length (thus:
elasticity. weight. 7.62x41mm). The case was trimmed to 38.6mm as the
It’s important to note that there’s a direct correlation With one peculiar exception, the 5.45x39mm bullet original projectile proved unsatisfactory and a new bullet
between the 5.56x45mm bullet’s velocity and the frag- exhibits no more, or less, than the usual performance was adopted that required a shorter case.
mentation pattern. At a range of 100 meters, the M193/ characteristics expected from a non-deforming Full Ball ammunition will be encountered in two configura-
M855 bullet generally breaks into two large fragments. Metal Jacket (FMJ) military bullet. There is a rather tions. Most prevalent is a 123-grain boattail bullet that
At ranges more than 200 meters, the bullet flattens some- typical bi-lobe yaw cycle in soft tissue, with the bullet usually consists of a copper-washed steel jacket, lead
what and only a few small fragments squeeze out of the ending its travel base-forward. Yaw commences af- and antimony sleeve, and a mild steel core (Soviet Type
base. Thus, if the M193/M855 bullet passes through an ter only about 3 inches of penetration in living tissue. PS). Yugoslavia’s M67 ball ammunition, as well as that
arm or leg without striking bone and before it yaws and This will increase the tissue disruption, even in many of several other countries, uses a flat-based bullet of
fragments, the damage will be minimal (this elongate por- [Cont. to page 46]
tion of the wound profile prior to breakup of the bullet is
called the “neck of the wound ballistics profile). Further-
more, these projectiles must travel varying distances be-
fore they break apart at the cannelure. Thus, it’s entirely
possible that in a leg or arm wound, the bullet will pass
through the limb without fragmenting, leaving only a .22
caliber entry and exit hole, again without much damage.
Also keep in mind that combat experience in Afghanistan
resulted in the adoption of ever heavier bullets in this cal-
iber, up to and over 70 grains, demonstrating what I saw
over the years at the Presidio: select the heaviest effec-
tive bullet in any given caliber, and leave the high velocity
small bullets to those whose experience goes no farther
than Play Station.
Development of the 5.45x39mm cartridge was quite
obviously in direct response to the 5.56x45mm NATO
M193 55-grain ball round deployed with arguable suc-
cess in Vietnam. Research on the concept began in the
late 1960s, when engineer Viktor Sabelnikov was placed
in charge of the project. The Leupold Mark 6 3-18x44mm tactical scope sets a new standard in a small, lightweight envelope. Overall
The rimless 5.45x39mm bottlenecked lacquered steel length of this scope is only 11.90 inches with a weight of just 23.6 ounces, which is quite incredible for a
case is actually 39.6 mm in overall length. The 53-grain tactical scope with a six times magnification range from 3x to 18x.

RETURN OF THE GALIL

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 45

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PAGE 46 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

Scopes in Leupold M5 series

have both windage and elevation optical features of their scopes are outstanding. I selected
adjustment knobs that feature the brand new Leupold Mark 6 3-18x44mm to test the
audible and tactile feedback accuracy potential of the Galil ACE. This latest series are
from half-minute and one-minute now Leupold’s flagship in tactical optics and they set a
numbered divisions with 0.1-
new standard in a small, lightweight envelope. And, they
minute MIL-click-stops clearly
marked between each one-minute have been very hard to obtain as the U.S. Army has re-
and 0.5-minute division. cently purchased a substantial quantity.
Overall length of this scope is only 11.90 inches (302
mm) with a weight of just 23.6 ounces (669 grams), which
commences its yaw cycle after only is quite incredible for a tactical scope with a six times
3 to 4 inches of penetration. Once magnification range from 3X to 18X. The tube diame-
again, the yaw cycle is generally bi- ter of the scope is 34mm. Over the decades since World
lobed. The bullet reaches its maxi- War II, scope tube diameters have continued to increase
mum penetration of 23 to 26 inches in size. At one time the standard was 1 inch. Then it in-
traveling base-forward, somewhat creased to 30mm and now several of the top optical sight
flattened and retaining almost all of manufacturers have gone to 34mm. A 34mm tube with
its original weight (two or three small its thicker walls has considerably more cross-sectional
fragments are shed in the area of area inside the tube than most 1-inch or 30mm tubes with
maximum cavitation). their thinner walls. Once this additional area is available,
Although the flat-based 7.62x39mm the erector tube inside the scope body (which carries
bullet is shorter (0.930-inch) than the all lenses except the ocular and objective lenses) and its
more common boattail projectile lenses can be increased in size to transmit more light and
(1.040-inch), it will be expected to thus yield greater resolution and a brighter image. Fur-
[Cont. from page 44] cause more damage to the abdomen, thermore, a heavy 34mm housing is more shock-resistant
approximately the same weight, with a copper-alloy jack- liver, spleen or pancreas because the bullet passes through than any 1-inch or 30mm tube.
et and lead core. Muzzle velocity of both types is between these organs at a large yaw angle. Remember, if we have The ocular’s exterior diameter is 1.7 inches (43.2mm)
2,330 and 2,400 fps. neither mushrooming nor fragmentation, yawing is all and the objective’s exterior diameter is 2.1 inches
In its boattail configuration, the 7.62x39mm FMJ that remains to maximize tissue disruption and enhance (53.34mm). The eye relief, an extremely important fac-
bullet travels point-forward about 10 inches in soft tis- the bullet’s performance—always provided we do not sac- tor in assessing the operator’s ability to quickly come on
sue before significant yaw occurs. At that point the bul- rifice adequate penetration. target is 3.8 (96mm) to 3.9 (98mm) inches. The linear field
let will yaw to less than 90º, then come back down to a So, what’s the bottom line with regard to these three of view at 100 yards is 6.3 feet at 18X magnification and
point-forward position, and finally yaw 180º and end its cartridges as far as I’m concerned? If given a choice 36.8 feet at 3X magnification. Leupold’s Xtended Twi-
travel in a base-forward position. Bi-lobbed yaw cycles between these three calibers and there are no logistical light Lens System optimizes the transmission of low-light
of this type are commonly observed with pointed, non- considerations, i.e., military unit weapon cohesiveness, wavelengths, so you can see the details of low-light scenes
deforming bullets. Total penetration in living tissue is ammunition supply, etc., I will select a rifle in caliber in greater, brighter detail than most other scopes. The im-
almost 29 inches. Abdominal shots usually exhibit no 7.62x39mm hands down. age is sharp and brilliant. In my opinion, this is one of
greater tissue disruption than that produced by a .38 Leupold’s finest tactical scopes with an ideal magnifica-
Special pistol bullet because, after 10 inches of travel Leupold Mark 6 3-18x44mm Scope tion range for battlefield applications at both shorter and
without yawing; the bullet has generally passed through Leupold & Stevens, Inc. has been making riflescopes longer ranges.
the abdominal cavity. However, of course, this round is for 102 years. Their product line includes optical sights Scopes in Leupold M5 series have both windage and
capable of inflicting such damage at far greater ranges that cover hunting, target shooting and tactical appli- elevation adjustment knobs that feature audible and tac-
than a handgun. cations. They sell more tactical scopes to the U.S. gov- tile feedback from half-minute and one-minute numbered
While I was working at the Wound Ballistics Labora- ernment than all other scope manufacturers combined. divisions with 0.1-minute MIL-click-stops clearly marked
tory at the Letterman Army Institute of Research in San There are several reasons for that. Most of their rifle- between each one-minute and 0.5-minute division. The
Francisco, we tested the lead-cored, flat-base Yugoslav scopes, and every component thereof, are made entirely ability to make one-tenth-minute adjustments is an im-
bullet and found it to be considerably more effective. It in the United States. Equally important, the quality and portant attribute. (Leupold’s Mark 4 M3 scopes have
[Cont. to page 48]

Galil ACE, field stripped—disassembly

procedures are almost exactly those
of any Avtomat Kalashnikova.

RETURN OF THE GALIL

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 47

964 Donata Ct.

PAGE 48 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

[Cont. from page 46]

GALIL ACE SPECIFICATIONS
1/2-minute adjustment increments. This is too coarse, in Hollow Point (HP) types. In this weight the muzzle ve- Caliber: 7.62x39mm.
my opinion, for really long range shooting. Remember, 1 locity is approximately 2,400 fps. In all calibers, Wolf Method of Gas-operated via a piston attached
MOA is the equivalent of 10 inches at 1,000 yards.) Total ammunition has proven to be reliable, accurate and Operation: to the bolt carrier but without a
elevation travel on this scope is 100 MOA and the wind- competitively priced. regulator; locked-breech with a
age adjustment is 50 MOA. The elevation knob also has a Our test protocol now always includes atmospher- rotary bolt; fires from the closed-bolt
horizontal scale that is used to keep track of the number ic measurements made with a Kestrel 4500 Pocket position. Semiautomatic-only.
of revolutions that the dial has been turned. In addition, Weather Tracker complete with external weather vane
there is a built-in anti-backlash system that guarantees and mount. Kestrel meters are used extensively by Feed: 30-round, two-position-feed,
repeatable accuracy from click to click, and back again. military and law enforcement snipers and precision staggered-column detachable
Most snipers use an elevation adjustment system such as rifle shooters throughout the world and are the very box-type magazine.
this by zeroing the rifle and scope at specific ranges and best equipment of this type available. Overall Length: With the buttstock fully retracted:
writing the elevation adjustment settings on a range card The wind velocities encountered during this test 34.5 inches (876.3 mm) and with the
attached to the rifle’s buttstock. The setting to which theand evaluation of the Galil ACE rifle with Leupold buttstock fully extended is 37.8 inches
elevation adjustment knob must be rotated for a specific Mark 6 3-18mm M5B2 scope were insignificant. The (960.12 mm). With the buttstock
distance is usually referred to as a “come up” by those other atmospheric conditions were a humidity of folded to the right side of the rifle the
who play in this elite arena. The adjustment knob on the 20.7%, which is actually somewhat high for the Lower overall length is 27.4 inches (696 mm).
left is for parallax focus and can be adjusted from 75 me- Sonoran Desert, and an ambient temperature of 83.5º Weight, Empty
ters to infinity. Fahrenheit. The elevation at the test site is 3,626 a.s.l. & Without 7.5 pounds (3.4 kg).
The reticle pattern is in the Front Focal Plane, so the (above sea level). Magazine:
reticle pattern magnifies along with the image, as a con- Accuracy has long been an area of criticism with
sequence range can be estimated at all magnification set- the Kalashnikov series. Very rarely will any AK gen- Barrel Length: 16 inches (406 mm).
tings. The M5B2 series also feature auto-locking pinch erate group dispersions better than 3 to 4 MOA. Barrel: Hammer-forged by means of
and turn adjustment. Just pinch the knurled ring on top Surely ammunition is usually part of the problem, as Austrian Steyr technology, with a hard
of the elevation knob to adjust the elevation. rarely is true match-grade ball ever available in caliber chrome-lined chamber and barrel.
Leupold’s exterior lens surfaces are treated with Dia- 7.62x39mm. In addition, the AK’s exceptional reli- Four grooves with a right hand twist
mondCoat 2, an ion-assist lens coating, for higher light ability is partially a result of manufacturing toleranc- of one turn in 9.45 inches (240 mm).
transmission and the greatest level of abrasion resistance es designed to maximize reliability under the adverse
Finish: Black oxide on steel components
ever used in optical sights. DiamondCoat exceeds Mil- conditions. This, without doubt, affects the rifle’s ac-
and black polymer.
Spec for hardness and durability. DiamondCoat 2 also curacy potential. However, the question remains how
assists in light transmission, providing greater brightness,
much accuracy is necessary, or even desired, for a Sights: Tapered, post-type front sight, adjust-
clarity and contrast. In addition, blackened lens edges re-battlefield infantry rifle? able for elevation zero; peep aperture
duce unwanted glare and diffusion through the lens edges Shooting from a bench rest at 100 meters, the Galil rear sight, with apertures for 300
to provide better resolution, improved contrast and opti- ACE yielded consistent 1.8 MOA groups and that is and 500 meters. Includes removable
cal performance. truly excellent for a Kalashnikov-type rifle. I have no cheek weld for use with optical sights.
Other features include 100% waterproof and fog proof. reservations of any kind in recommending the Galil Distributor: IWI US, Inc., Dept. FN, P.O. Box
This includes waterproofing with an exclusive, proprie- ACE. 126707, Harrisburg, PA 17112;
tary Argon/Krypton gas blend. This has two advantages. There were no malfunctions of any kind during phone: 717-695-2081; email:
It nearly eliminates the effects of thermal shock and as our test firing of the Galil ACE. Using the criteria [email protected]; website: www.iwi.us.
the Argon/Krypton molecules are significantly larger of RAM-D (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability
than the nitrogen molecules most commonly used for this and Dependability), which the US Armed Forces ap- MSRP: Rifle: $1,899.00. Galil ACE pistol has
purpose, this reduces the diffusion of gases sealed inside ply to weapons systems; the Galil ACE grades out at a MSRP of $1,749.00 and the Galil
the scope. the highest possible level. Reliability is the tendency ACE pistol with a stabilizing brace
The Leupold Mark 6 3-18mm M5B2 scope is avail- for a weapon to operate when called upon to do so costs $1,849.00.
able with seven reticle patterns: Mil Dot, Front Focal at a random point in time and to remain in operation Optical Sights: Leupold & Stevens, Inc., Dept. FN,
TReMoR 2 (Illuminated and Un-illuminated), Front Fo- (with normal maintenance). It’s expressed as either a P.O. Box 688, Beaverton, OR
cal H-58, Front Focal CMR-W, TMR Illuminated, and fraction of total time, a probability of operation (a 97075-0688, phone: 503-646-9171;
H59 with the HORUS reticle pattern. I prefer the latter flashbulb for instance) or as a Mean Time Between fax: 503-526-1475;
and my personal Leupold M6 3-18x44mm riflescope is Failures (MTBF), although the latter can be some- website: www.leupold.com.
equipped with the HORUS M59 reticle subtensions. This what vague. Maintainability is the relative ease with Magazines: Magpul Industries Corporation,
mil-based, Christmas-tree-style reticle with 0.2 mil sub- which maintenance operations can be carried out. Dept. FN, P.O. Box 17697, Boulder,
tensions is designed for speed shooting out to 600 meters, Availability is a function of both Reliability and CO 80308-0697; phone, toll free:
with a grid that accommodates shots out to 1,500 meters. Maintainability, plus the efficiency of the supply sys- 1-877-462-4785; fax: 303-828-3469;
This “field tuned” version of the HORUS H58 reticle has tem (for example: a truck without fuel or a gun with- website: www.magpul.com.
the hash grid extended horizontally by 1 mil on each side out ammo is out of operation). Dependability rates
than the H58 for additional wind capability and in addi- the overall readiness of a system based on all RAM Ammunition: Wolf Performance Ammunition, Dept.
tion features an aiming dot in the center in place of the data and things like testability, safety and some oth- FN, P.O. Box 757, Placentia, CA
H58’s heavy crosshair. While it may look “busy” at first, ers. (My personal thanks to faithful FAN reader and 92871; phone: 888-757-9653;
this is one of the finest tactical, long-range reticle pat-contributor Tom Gaylord, who used to teach RAM- fax: 714-632-9232;
terns ever designed and has become immensely popular. D at the Armor School at Fort Knox, for this precise Email: [email protected];
A similar pattern now used by the U.S. Governments has definition of RAM-D terminology.) The Galil ACE website: www.wolfammo.com.
been designated as the TReMoR 2. The manufacturer’s is, without doubt, one of the finest production series, Atmospheric Dept. FN, Nielsen-Kellerman,
suggested retail price of the Leupold Mark 6 3-18mm semiautomatic-only Kalashnikov-type rifles I have Measurements: 21 Creek Circle, Boothwyn, PA
M5B2 riflescope with a non-illuminated H59 reticle pat- ever evaluated. 19061; phone: 610-447-1555 or
tern is $3,249.99. It comes with superb Butler Creek The new Galil ACE is a further improvement of 800-784-4221; fax: 610-447-1577;
scope caps. a very fine Kalashnikov-type rifle. The extensive use e-mail: [email protected];
of polymers has allowed the designers to eliminate website: www.kestrelweather.com.
Test and Evaluation almost 2 pounds off the overall weight. As it is not
T&E Summary: Latest iteration of the Israeli Galil,
The ammunition we used in our test and evaluation of really a SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon), the bipod
which is based upon the Avtomat
the IWI Galil ACE rifle was imported by Wolf Perfor- has been eliminated and many really important fea-
Kalashnikova. Complete with
mance Ammunition. Headstamped “7.62x39 WOLF”, tures, such as a MIL-STD-1913 rail interface at 12
MIL-STD-1913 rail interface at 12
the lacquered steel case has a red case mouth sealant o’clock and a removable cheek piece have been added.
o’clock and removable cheek weld.
and primer annulus. This ammunition is Berdan primed. In addition, small features such as a storage compart-
Substantial use of polymer to
Boattail projectiles in the standard weight, 122-123 ment in the pistol grip are now also standard. This is,
decrease overall weight by 2 pounds.
grains, are available in either Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) or without doubt, the best of the Galil series.

RETURN OF THE GALIL

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 49
PAGE 50 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

SHOOT-
BEST OUT!
THE

BATTLE RIFLE
Editor’s Note: For this go-’round, Tarr and Sweeney are debating battle rifles. No, not an AR-15 or M1903, but modern-ish big-bore .30-caliber battle rifles. Some would argue
these guns are useless in fully automatic fire, we’re talking about semi-automatic variants of these heavy hitters, so that argument can pound sand. As always, I don’t determine a
winner and instead use your feedback to see who comes out on top. Enjoy. Drop me a line at [email protected]. -David Hunter Jones, Editor

By James Tarr and Patrick Sweeney

Sweeney’s Pick: FAL

By Patrick Sweeney

What is a battle rifle? Don’t we have them already?

Through WWII, all rifles were battle rifles; they all
used “manly” cartridges, with lots of extra oomph in
their performance. During the war, the Germans fielded
the Stg44/45, which used a less powerful cartridge, the
7.92x33. The Soviets made the AK-47 in 7.62x39, and
in the Vietnam War we issued M16A1s, in 5.56x45mm
NATO. Those are all “intermediate” cartridges, and the
rifles they go into are carbines, or in the modern political
parlance, “assault rifles.” (Assault rifles in actuality only
if they have the selector switch.)
Battle rifles are those that retained the powerful car-
tridge, which for us in the West is the 7.62x51, aka 7.62
NATO. Sweeney says the FAL is the be-all, end-all of battle rifles. But how does it stack up against Tarr’s HK91/G3?
Many bolt-action military rifles before and during the
war were chambered in equivalent cartridges, but the first
modern battle rifle was the M1 Garand. It was a great The Italians simply took the M1 Garands they had, some adjusting of dimensions to make it stout enough,
leap forward, but for the U.S. Army ordnance, it was the and figured out how to re-build them into box-magazine- but they did it. They then proceeded to sell it to the rest of
only leap forward. Post-war, they insisted in retaining fed .308 rifles called the BM59. They then proceeded to the world. In the process, it earned the nickname; “Right
that power level, and that threw our allies a curve. They convert all they needed, for less money than our ordnance Arm of the Free World.”
were all looking to adopt something more intermediate. department spent on R&D for the M14. The Germans wanted the FAL. They still wanted the
The U.S. Army couldn’t have that, so our allies had to go The Belgians took the FN 49, updated it, got rid of FAL after it had been force-morphed into the 7.62 FAL.
back to the drawing boards and either make what they the wood, and ended up with the FAL. They had origi- What they wanted to do was make it themselves, but the
had work, or come up with something new. What they nally planned on making it in an intermediate cartridge, Belgians, with two wars to remember, put the kibosh to
did was illustrative. and when it came time to make it in 7.62, they had to do that. So, the Germans took the CETME, which had been
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 51

My Para FAL, built by DSA, with an aluminum

lower receiver. A pound heavier and an inch longer
than a portly AR, but with a lot more horsepower.

The recoil of the 7.62, in an FAL?

No big deal. And, it’s nose-safe.
The upper and lower hinge apart, and the hinge parts are
big enough to be easy to keep track of.

German to begin with, brought it up to 7.62 NATO spec, with Garands. In fact, at the production rate of 1961, it lengths, should you need to set up a rifle for a really short
and issued that. would have been the Bicentennial before the entire U.S. (or tall) trooper.
The British had wanted a bullpup in .270. The design Army had been changed over to the M14. The upper has the adjustable gas system. This allows
they had desired had no hopes of being scaled up to 7.62, And what was it? A wood-stocked rifle with bedding you to tune the rifle to feed whatever ammo you have, can
so they adopted the FAL, after changing all the dimen- problems, a non-adjustable gas system, and no way to scrounge, or the arsenal might have loaded, intending it
sions and thread pitches to English measurement from mount a scope. It was a rifle that had to have the bore be used in some other rifle design. You can also tune the
metric. cleaned from the muzzle. gas system to play well with a suppressor.
And us? After a decade of work, testing, rigged tests All of that is the long way around to saying; my choice Because the gas system is adjustable, the barrel length
and re-tests and spurned competitors, the Army adopted for best battle rifle is the FN-FAL. can be whatever you want it to be, as long as it is enough
the M14. They promised the sun, the moon and the stars. The beginning is the receiver design. The upper is the longer than the gas system to provide the dwell time the
They delivered dreck, and little of that. It was going to rifle, with the serial number, barrel, bolt, headspacing system needs. You can easily have a 16-inch barrel, 20,
be an easy switch, because the factories could use the old dimensions, and gas system. The upper and lower hinge 22, 24, etc. If it were really necessary to make the FAL
Garand tooling, with a slight rebuild. They were either apart, and you can detach them, to replace the lower with equivalent of the XM-177, I’d bet FN could have easily
lying or incompetent, because it required all new tool- one using a different or better trigger, a different stock, a made a shorter gas system to fit it back then, because DS
ing. The new rifle, despite a decade of work, had teething folding stock, and even use an aluminum lower instead of Arms has it available today.
problems. And, they made them at a paltry rate. Adopted one made from steel. The magazines are bombproof. While all steel maga-
in 1957, by the time of the Berlin Crisis, in 1961, the Ber- The stock design is comfortable, and provided you have zines for the 7.62 are durable, I have seen rusty, dented
lin Brigade, our Cold War tripwire, was still equipped the necessary wrench, you can swap stocks of different FAL magazines work flawlessly.

SHOOTOUT THE BEST BATTLE RIFLE

PAGE 52 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

The gas system can

be shortened, as
DSA demonstrates
here with a pistol.

Putting optics on an FAL is easy. A new top cover,

with a rail, and you’re scope-ready.

The accuracy you

can get, with iron
sights, 100 yards,
and good ammo.

The lower can be steel, or to save weight as here,

aluminum. It isn’t a heavily stressed part, so alumi-
num works fine.

The controls of the FAL are ergonomic. The selector

is a big lever that is easily reached with your thumb. The
pistol grip places your hand comfortably to the trigger.
The magazine release is a lever that is located directly
where your left-hand thumb will be, when you go to rock
the empty magazine out of the receiver. And the bolt
hold-open is an unobtrusive tab you can use if you need,
but you won’t very often, because the FAL locks open
when it is empty.
The best part of the FAL is the charging handle—it
is on the left side, on the receiver, and it is unobtrusive.
DSA built FAL variants for
You can easily reach it with your left hand, without tak-
the Army SASS trails. They ing your right hand off of the pistol grip. Admittedly, this
delivered the goods. makes it a right-handers rifle, not easily used by the leftie,
but southpaws should be used to that by now.
In the modern era, optics are much more of a factor
than ever. Indeed, they are an essential part of using all
of the range and power the 7.62 has to deliver. The FAL
makes this easy. The top cover of the upper receiver slides
out when the rifle is broken open. To install an optics-
ready cover is easy; slide it in. If you want more rigid-
ity, then a top cover with a built-in clamping system, to
keep it tight to the upper receiver rails, is an easy thing to
make, find or install.
I found this out when I went to DSA to have them
build up my FAL from an execrable Indian parts kit. By
the time we were done, they’d had to replace so many
parts that we had long passed the threshold for 922(r)
compliance. While I was there, I had a chance to look at
and fondle some of the rifles they had built for the U.S.
army SASS trials, back in the 1990s. They had solved all
the complaints, real or imagined, naysayers had about the
FAL. [Cont. to page 54]

SHOOTOUT THE BEST BATTLE RIFLE

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 53

ALEXANDER ARMS 300 BLACKOUT

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS WITH ALEXANDER ARMS 300 BLACKOUT AMMUNITION.
ITS 180-GRAIN SUBSONIC LOAD AND HOLLOW-POINT PROJECTILES UNLEASH DEVASTATING
BALLISTIC PERFORMANCE, SPECIALLY-TUNED FOR SUPPRESSOR-EQUIPPED HUNTING.
UNLEASH THE SILENCE.

540.639.8356
www.alexanderarms.com
PAGE 54 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

SBRs? Of course the FAL can

do SBRs. That’s a silly question,
and this is an epic rifle.

Here’s a DSA with a scope-ready cover, and scope

installed.

[Cont. from page 52]

These rifles had excellent triggers (but mine did, too,
and it was just a box-stock setup) they had stocks that
were adjustable for pull, cheekpiece height, they were
scoped, and they even had railed handguards. The Army
wasn’t interested, but DSA did it anyway, because they
wanted to see how their rifle stacked up against the inside
favorite. Very well indeed, they did. My Para FAL, and a pair of ARs. Not appreciably longer, not appreciably heavier, and much harder hitting.
So, given the worldwide use, the utter reliability, the
options, and the panache, I’ve got to go with the FAL.
Which is why I have more than one. ther to the M16, was developed circa 1956. The HK G3 is So as a consumer, you have a choice of either surplus
their version of the Spanish CETME rifles developed in rifles or newly manufactured copies of old designs. That’s
the mid to late 50s. The FN FAL was introduced in 1951. not necessarily a bad thing, but it can lead to some issues.
Tarr’s Pick: HK91/G3 Notice those dates? And which issues depend on the rifle type, which directly
By James Tarr Even though some units of our modern military (and affects my choice of favorite.
others) have found some value in cartridges larger than If you like the M14, there were no semi-auto civilian
The heyday of the big-bore battle rifle was the era be- the 5.56 NATO when fighting in mountainous terrain, versions made during wartime, so surplus guns aren’t re-
tween World War II and the U.S. adoption of the M16 any .308 caliber rifles these days are relegated to limited ally an option for the average consumer. The semi-auto
(and its smaller cartridge) in 1964. These were the days (DMR, sniper) roles. The era of the big bore general issue civilian version, the M1A, is well known. Manufacturer
of American Exceptionalism, when men were men and “battle rifle” is gone, and likely never to return. choices are very limited—Springfield Armory and then a
women were women and nobody had any question about That’s the thing with big-bore battle rifles; nobody is few other very small companies. These guns are accurate,
which bathroom they were supposed to use. The enemy making any new ones. By that I don’t mean new rifles, as a rule have very nice triggers, but they aren’t cheap.
in those days was the reds; the Russkies and the Chicoms I mean new rifle designs. All of the rifles [Cont. to page 56]
and their ilk, and if you were going up against the God- that qualify for discussion here are based
less Commie hordes you didn’t want some sissy peashoot- on designs that qualify for senior citizen
er in your hands. discounts. The only “new” rifle that might
I think the first time I ever heard the term “big-bore qualify is the SCAR-H or SCAR-17 or
battle rifle” was in the original Highlander movie from whatever FN is currently calling their stu-
1986, where a well-armed character ran into one of the pidly overpriced rifle. And I could argue
immortal sword-wielders and ended up worse off (note that nothing about it is really new; as a
the word ‘immortal’ above). As he told the responding short-stroke gas piston rifle with a rotating
police officers, “I got me a .357. I got me a trunk load of bolt it is merely a combination of previ-
shotguns. I got three big-bore battle rifles and ammo out ously proven rifle operating systems. With
the ass, and I ain’t safe. I can’t protect myself!” Against an ugly stock.
mere mortals, though, big bore battle rifles have a pretty
good track record.
If you are going to encounter
When I think of “big-bore battle rifle” I’m thinking of a wide variety of ammo, including
the classics, the Big Four—the M14, the FN FAL, the surplus, then an adjustable gas
HK G3, and the AR-10. The M14 was an evolution of system, like that on the FAL, is
the World War II hero, the M1 Garand. The AR-10, fa- more than useful; it is essential.

SHOOTOUT THE BEST BATTLE RIFLE

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 55
PAGE 56 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

Tarr prefers the HK91 for his big-bore battle

rifle, and most recently has tested the Century
Arms C308 version of it for Shotgun News. In
fact, he liked the rifle so much he bought it.

The FN FAL was known as The Right Arm of the

Free World, but in a field of big heavy rifles it set new
standards for ridiculous. This version has a shorter
than usual muzzle device and it’s still eight feet long.

[Cont. from page 54]

And they can be picky about ammo, the M14/M1A op- That leaves us with two, the HK G3 and the AR-10. many of them have tweaked Gene Stoner’s original de-
erating system likes ammo with a specific pressure curve. And there can be only one. Let’s leave the G3 for last. sign. Why? you might ask.
And God forbid you try to mount a scope on one, Spring- The AR-10. Gee, where to start. Of all the big-bore The reason is this—while the AR-15 is actually a
field Armory is currently up to their 4th Generation scope battle rifles covered here, the AR-10 is the only one that shrunken version of Stoner’s original design, the AR-10,
mount trying to find one that holds zero. is seeing modern improvements to the operating system, in actuality the AR-15 is a more inherently reliable fire-
On top of all of the above, I’m not really religious. as opposed to just cosmetic improvements to the exte- arm than the AR-10 from which it sprung. The AR-10
What do I mean by that? Very few people just “own” rior. ARs have never been more popular, and of all the seems to be as picky about ammo as the M14/M1A—
M1As. M1A owners worship at the altar, subscribe to the non-.223 calibers the .308 versions are the most popular. that’s why all the new AR-10 clones are being tweaked,
faith, hang out with fellow travelers, and in so many oth- Numerous gun manufacturers are making .308 ARs, and so they will be reliable…or at least more reliable. The
er ways act as if they were members of some weird cult [Cont. to page 58]
founded in the ’50s, with membership limited to middle-
aged white guys. Sorry, not me, I’m not a joiner.
One of the most widely used big bore battle rifles around
the world was the FN FAL—unofficially it is known as
“The Right Arm of the Free World”—but for a semi-auto
civilian legal version in this country you’re pretty much
limited to the copies made by DS Arms. Back in the day
there were demilled parts kits to build up your own gun
on a new receiver, but that day has past. If you’re buying
surplus magazines, just make sure you know the difference
between metric and inch (or non-metric or whatever they
were called) pattern guns. Yes, there were two different
spec rifles, and not all “FN FAL” parts interchange. The
FN FAL was notoriously reliable, but the rifle was also the
length of a soccer field and weighed as much as a truck
axle. DS Arms offers shortened versions, but they are still
heavy and ugly and expensive.
The type of person drawn to the FN FAL has tradi-
tionally been a little…different. Different as in subscriber
to Soldier of Fortune magazine, expert on the Punic Wars,
and can list every member of the Selous Scouts. And by
different I mean crazy. Not dangerous crazy, but rather
like your weird uncle who gardens in the nude and eats- Tarr has tested a lot of AR-10-pattern rifles over the years, like this CMMG CBR, and while they do the job,
his-earwax crazy. they just don’t have any soul.

SHOOTOUT THE BEST BATTLE RIFLE

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 57

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PAGE 58 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

The bolt/carrier of the HK91-pattern rifles is big and heavy enough to club baby seals to death. This makes
for a bit of recoil, but the big pieces keep the rifle running reliably even when very dirty.

[Cont. from page 56]

term “AR-10” no longer indicates just one type of rifle, the thing is, the damn rifle works. Period. No matter who
but rather a whole family, many of which have different made it, when, or where. And it keeps working, no matter
dimensions and parts diagrams. And again, there are two how crappy the surplus ammo you’re using is.
different types of magazines depending on rifle brand, Their famous full-page print ad from the 80s featured
DPMS/Magpul pattern and the less popular Armalite. a tiger stripe camo-clad snake-eater crawling out of the
The AR-10 might have the most ergonomic controls mud with an HK91 and the tag line, “In a world of com-
of the Big Four, but it’s got no soul. Admittedly, I like to promise, some men don’t.” Just looking at that ad could
carry a Glock, and Glocks epitomize soulless functional- cause early-onset puberty in young men. Later on they Century’s version of the HK91 comes with a receiver
ity, but big bore battle rifles are, as much as anything, a tried to make that ad more politically correct by elimi- rail, which is an improvement over the original de-
trip down memory lane. So my big bore battle rifle pick nating the word ‘men’. That’s probably about the time sign made in an era where no general issue rifles
isn’t the AR-10. HK designed the testicularly-impaired G36, which the came with optics.
Ever heard the phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?” German government recently found in hot environs has
When it comes to big bore battle rifles, the firearm world’s a dangerously wandering zero. A study showed that the
version of a sledgehammer, I prefer the phrase, “It always G36’s hot barrel hit rate at 100 meters dropped to just 7% ings of the weak-minded. Yes, Soldier of Fortune was a
works, all the time, period, no matter who has made it (!!!!!!!!) in temperatures over 30°C (86°F). Good thing the revelation in the mid-1970s. There were a lot of good
where or when.” And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why I equatorial regions of the world are so stable… things that came out of the 1970s, but that doesn’t mean
prefer the Heckler and Koch G3. Surplus magazines for this rifle are everywhere and we need to re-live that era. The best thing about the 1970s
Technically I’m talking about clones of the semi-auto cheap, and you don’t have to worry about buying the is that they are gone. The only good thing that comes
HK91, but other than a lack of select-fire capability the wrong kind of magazines—there are only two types of from then, is something I can gleefully say to Jim; “Jim,
rifles are functionally identical to the G3. Not only have HK G3 magazines, aluminum or steel. And they all work. you ignorant slut.”
they been made all over the world, I think of all the battle Personally I’ve owned two HK clones, one made His scorn for the M14 is rightly placed. Wasted money,
rifles listed above they are still in use by the most coun- in Greece and imported by Springfield Armory that I time and effort, and the fact that it has to be essentially
tries. Consumers have more options in new-manufac- bought about twenty-five years ago, and a new Century hand-built to be a better-than-commie blaster in accu-
tured, HK91 clones than any of the other big bore battle Arms C308 which is a bit of a CETME/HK hybrid made racy is what we call a clue. The AR-10 was a promising
rifles except the AR-10, and if nothing but a true “HK” with a combination of new and surplus parts. Unlike the start, and perhaps, once the various companies are done
will do you can even find used authentic HK91s for sale original design it has a receiver rail onto which I’ve at- working the bugs out, and settling on an agreed set of
(for about what I paid for my first three cars combined). tached an Aimpoint. I don’t just talk the talk, I walk the standards, it may be the battle rifle for the 21st century.
I am no big fan of HK as a company, but consider- walk—currently that Century C308 is sitting in my pan- But until then, if you pick one, you’re locked into that
ing the rifle known around the world as the HK G3 was try, Condition 3, ready for any and all misadventures up one. Unlike the AR-15, where “parts is parts” and they
actually designed by CETME in Spain, and you can buy to and including a zombie apocalypse (which, consider- all interchange, each 7.62 Stoner-system rifle is a rifle
a copy of this great design without any of your hard- ing my proximity to Detroit, isn’t an impossibility). onto itself.
earned cash having to go to HK, it’s a win-win for the But the G3? Jim, you had three wrong answers from
American consumer. which to pick, and in your usual unerring fashion, you
The HK G3/91 is not a cute or petite design. It is a Sweeney on Tarr’s Choice picked the wrong-est of the three. The HK G3/HK91 is
heavy brute with a roller-lock operation that tends to By Patrick Sweeney a toad.
beat up your shoulder. The cases are ejected with enough First of all, it is not from Spain, but from Germany by
force to cause head trauma to anyone standing near you As expected, Jim has once again let himself be swayed Lugwig Vorgrimler. As in; the roller-lock system was be-
and usually so dented they’re a pain to reload. But see, by advertising, testosterone, and bling. All common fail- ing worked on in Germany during WWII. The MG42 is
[Cont. to page 60]

Used HK91s are available, as are clones

made around the world. Consumers can also buy
new ones made in the U.S. like this PTR91 G.I. model.

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VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 59
PAGE 60 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

Tarr walks the walk—here is his Century Arms C308 sitting in his pantry in Condi-
tion Three, topped with a red dot. If you notice the spirooli machine on the shelf
next to the rifle….no, he has no idea what that is either. The famous HK print ad from the 1980s that turned boys into men.

[Cont. from page 58]

the origin, with its roller-locked system. The Vorgrimler the rear of the receiver. Not only does this make for sharp bies will be so disappointed, swarming over your carcass,
system is more of a roller-delayed blowback. After the recoil, it hurls brass at a high velocity, and bends it on only to discover there are no brains to eat.
war, he was dragooned into working for the French, and the ejection port. Worse yet, to ensure complete extrac- Obviously, the Germans didn’t want anyone acciden-
when his contract was up, he went to Spain to continue tion, the chamber is fluted, so the brass is corrugated and tally shot, but a sear engagement that would survive a
his work. There, he perfected the rifle, in the form of the scorched even before it is bent and hurled. fall out of a two-story window? Onto concrete? Give me
CETME. The Spanish, along with everyone else paying Jim, if you are going to pot zombies out of your kitch- a break.
attention, were trying to develop a reduced-power car- en window, you’ll want to warn the kids on every shot, Oh, and before you can even pull the trigger, you have
tridge. The 7.62x51 Spanish was just that, with a lighter so they can duck. Otherwise, the empties, ricocheting to deal with the safety. The safety lever, because of the
bullet and lower velocity. around the room, might draw blood. trigger mechanism proportions, is out of reach of nor-
The Germans, rebuffed at making their own FAL, The roller-lock system depends on the angle of the mal hands. You need a thumb like an orangutan to reach
went shopping, and thought the CETME would be per- internal shoulder of the striker to time the unlocking. it. Again, Jim, you’ve got those girly-hands, what were
fect. They needed some changes, however, like making Yes, it is not dependent on powder type or burn rate, you thinking? The problem was so well known that when
the whole thing bigger, heavier, more powerful, and of but it is dependent on recoil energy. Get underpowered the MP5 was a major SWAT tool, the arguments for and
course, built in Germany. ammo, and the G3 will puke. To avoid that, the engi- against the MP5 focused on the safety. As in, do you press
They had learned all the lessons from the Eastern neers at HK designed the shoulders to be on the light the lever off Safe even before you go through the door?
Front too well. side. For what it shoots, it works really hard, and ham- A suggestion, Jim; use your left hand to press the safety
Reliable? Sure. But when the reliability is paid for at mers the shooter. lever. Don’t try to reach with your right, and fail, and
the cost of weight, poor ergonomics, recoil, difficult in Reloaders, give it up. If you can find any of your deprive us of the amusement of scorning your opinions.
handling and location signature, that’s too much. brass, it will have been abused like a Democratic voter; The cocking lever is far forward, on the top left of the
The stock is too short for normal people. If you use used, tossed aside, looking to be polished up and abused tube of the receiver. You need long arms to reach it. Jim,
proper marksmanship head position, the receiver will again. that means you need an assistant. And, because of its lo-
smack your nose on every shot. For those with beautiful The trigger mechanism is the worst combination of cation, the shooter has poor leverage to work it against
proportions such as myself, even offhand is a risk. Maybe German engineering and expectation. It is complex. One the manly spring inside. Jim, you especially can’t work
getting smacked in the face on a regular basis is a normal does not do a trigger job on an HK, one swaps out trig- the action without dismounting the rifle and practically
part of your life, Jim, but it isn’t mine. ger housing assemblies. That’s expensive. If yours is not handing it to someone else.
The sadistic stock shape is made worse by the recoil. a match trigger, the trigger pull is going to be heavy. As And last of all, the damn thing lacks a bolt hold-open.
The delayed roller-lock lacks primary extraction. The in, two-fingers heavy. Jim, you’ll have to make sure you While they were making a trigger housing with fifteen dif-
bolt moves straight back without having rotated. That eat your Wheaties, and take a handful of vitamin supple- ferent parts inside the trigger pack, that pack which then
means it needs a lot of steam to extract. The mass of ments, before you can use your HK thunderstick on the goes into the housing, they couldn’t be bothered to install
the bolt and carrier (a significant fraction of the full-up zombie hordes. If not, your girly hands might tire out and a pin, a spring and a lever to act as a bolt hold-open acti-
weight of the rifle) hammers back, and bottoms out in cramp up before you finish the first magazine. The zom- vated by the magazine follower. You know you are empty

SHOOTOUT THE BEST BATTLE RIFLE

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 61

when you; count to zero, or the rifle goes click, or you just pounds, it was too light for the job, given the recoil. At with John Moses Browning, but maybe I was wrong. See,
saw a tracer go out. And if you saw a tracer go out, so did 900 rpm, the recoil was brutal. After a belt through that, I Pat, there’s this guy named Gene Stoner. He designed a
everyone else. felt worse than I had after a successful full-contact karate couple rifles. Sound familiar at all? Maybe you should look
Disassembling the G3 is a pain in the butt. Oh, it is tournament. him up. There’s this thing called the Internet…
easy, but it is also easy to get yourself in a pickle. Pop The brass was ejected so hard, thrown so high and Okay, back to Pat’s meanderings. Pat graces us with
out the cross pins, pull off the stock, drop the trigger as- far, that you could have stood under the stream, and this gem: “Since the gas system is adjustable, the barrel
sembly, and you can pull the bolt assembly out the back. not touched it. Even you, on a stepstool, couldn’t have length can be whatever you want it to be.”
All problematic. If you lose a pin, you aren’t too bad off. touched it. I missed the part where our editor told us that if we
Lose two, and you’re screwed. The bolt assembly comes I’ve owned a bunch, and still have some in the rack couldn’t think of anything smart to say we could write
out of the receiver unlocked. If you drop it, it will lock downstairs. That doesn’t mean I’d pick them first if the science fiction. We’re not talking about modern semi-
itself. Getting it back to the unlocked position takes ex- zombies arrive, or someone is trying to kick in my door. custom variations of these rifles; we’re talking about
pensive German tools, or a vise, a big-handle screwdriver, Jim, I’m glad you’re happy. I don’t want to know how Cold War-era big boom sticks. Sure, theoretically, the FN
and a willingness to potentially bleed. much you paid for your Teutonic French tickler, nor how FAL could be equipped with a shorter barrel, but it never
Oh, and two more things; the stock and optics. happy it makes you. Just keep at it, you are so amusing was. Sure, the FN FAL could be equipped with a shorter
There are no folding HK stocks. There is the telescop- that weren’t I so cheap, I’d pay you myself. stock, but it never was. Try to find a picture of the FN
ing one. It uses two stamped rails to slide in and out. The FAL in the field during the Cold War that had a length
tele-stock is so uncomfortable it makes the regular stock measured in anything less than leagues. Go ahead, I’ll
appear to be as comfortable as Dita Von Teese décolle- Tarr on Sweeney’s Choice wait. If you need me I’ll be over here Googling Hitomi
tage by comparison. I can only surmise that the designers By James Tarr Tanaka, who is a favorite of many serious big-bore fans.
did it as a joke, and their supervisor was such a forbid- Pat completely ignored the inch vs. metric pattern
ding, unhumorous martinet, that when he saw it and liked I suppose I shouldn’t be shocked that Pat has chosen problem with FALs. Hell, with my short attention span
it, they were afraid to admit it was a joke. the FN FAL for his ultimate big-bore battle rifle. After I’m lucky if I can remember my kids’ names, so if I’ve
And optics? Jesus Frakkin’ Christ, was there anything all, even in his advanced age, after shrinking steadily for heard of this it has to be a real problem. But Pat pretend-
more expensive in the day than an honest-to-god HK over a decade, he’s still built like a less-handsome Lurch ed as if he’d never heard of it and instead used his space
scope mount? And more complicated? They are now sell- from The Addams Family. He’s never found a rifle stock to go into detail on Cold War-era Italian efforts to design
ing for $150, but that’s because the Germans are done that he didn’t wish was longer—I think his preferred a rifle. Seriously? He’s not just writing science fiction, he’s
with them, and are selling them as surplus. Back when length of pull is 17". And he obviously thinks the “big” writing satire. The only thing the Italians produced in the
we were all hot for HK, the MSRP on the mount was the in big bore means the size of the rifle—you know that 1950s that gun owners wanted was Sophia Loren.
same as a rifle from someone else. And you had to have a phrase, “I wouldn’t touch it with a 10-foot pole”? It’s re- As a fellow writer I appreciate how Pat uses fancy
stock riser to get your face in-line with the scope. ferring to the FN FAL. words like “execrable” to distract readers from the fact
No Jim, I’ve shot pretty much all the HK offerings in Pat completely ignores the AR-10. I thought of the two that his piece lacks substance. Execrable literally means
the roller-locked line. The G3/HK91, the HK93, MP5, of us Pat had much more technological knowledge when it “crappy,” and after reading his meandering piece I can’t
the 10mm, even the wretched HK21A. That’s the belt- comes to firearms, because he’s had so many more decades help but think there’s a reason that word popped into
fed G3 LMG that’s meant to be used as a SAW. At 18 of life experience, and then there’s his personal friendship his head.

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PAGE 62 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

Gaylord tests the Air Venturi Air Bolt

and discovers a hunting weapon
that’s superior to any crossbow!

AIR VENTURI’S
AIR BOLT
A NEW
APPROACH
TO AIR BOWS
By Tom Gaylord

A
irguns are coming into the mainstream of the shoot- tinuing to change. And airguns are coming of age among his skills of calling, camouflage and concealment. He is
ing sports. And they are doing it through the door hunters. For more than two decades we have seen the re- sensitive to the scent he broadcasts. He moves stealthily
marked “Hunting.” While millions of youth have surgence of big bore airguns among big game hunters. and learns the behaviors of his quarry to the extent that
participated in NRA-sponsored target matches over the They have taken all non-dangerous big game in North he thinks like his prey. Yes, big bore airgun hunting has
decades, and Daisy has hosted hundreds of thousands of America, after a lapse of about a century. come of age. And now it has brought another newer type
kids in the International BB-Gun Championships since Few hunters today are aware that deer and other game of airgun to the forefront—the air bow.
1984, neither of these large programs has increased the was routinely harvested by big bore airguns during the
number of active shooters in the United States as much 19th century. They marvel at the airguns that can launch What Is An Air Bow?
as desired. Kids tend to shoot for fun and like any other 200- to 405-grain lead bullets at bison, elk, feral hogs and An air bow is an airgun of some kind that launches
youth activity, they leave as they mature. other large game. And this has become common. Where an arrow by means of compressed air. Air bows have not
In the past the armed forces were a valuable pipeline dropping a pig or ram with an airgun was considered a been around for a long time like big bore airguns. Instead
of new shooters. People learned the rudiments while in newsworthy stunt in the late ’90s, today thousands of ani- of centuries, their existence is measured in decades. Per-
service, and were attracted to the shooting sports for one mals are routinely killed all over America. haps the most common air bow is one from Swivel Ma-
of many reasons. That existed from the end of the Civil Varmint hunting with airguns has become a huge chine Corporation. The Stealth has been around since at
War to the end of Vietnam. Then things changed, and for sport, because it forces the hunter to use fieldcraft that least the 1980s and fires a hollow arrow that slips over a
a number of reasons that pipeline was severed. Today’s was all but forgotten 50 years ago. Instead of dropping a long thin tube. It works on either CO2 gas or compressed
military operates so differently that in the past that things coyote with a centerfire rifle from a blind at a distance of air and is at least as powerful as the most powerful cross-
we once took for granted no longer exist. hundreds of yards, the airgun hunter has learned to do it bow on today’s market.
But hunting is growing! And at the same time, the up close and personal. He has to, because the ballistics of I tested the Stealth Airrow, as it is called, in the mid
American perception of hunting has changed and is con- his rifle do not support long-range shots. So he sharpens 1990s and was duly impressed. It would drive a shaft so
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 63

The Air Bolts are sold in sets of six with target tips installed. They can last a long time if they aren’t lost or damaged in firing.

The target tip is an aluminum guide that’s perma-

nently attached to the arrow. It rides on top of the
rifling.
The tail of the Air Bolt is solid and sized to fit a .50
caliber rifled bore precisely. The o-ring seals off the
compressed air during the shot. The fletching is
deep in a bale of excelsior that removal was an iffy propo- The target point is steel and comes out of the tip to straight. Note the slight taper at the back that makes
sition. It was minute-of-whitetail heart/lung kill zone accu- allow installation of different points like broadheads. loading easier.
rate at up to 40 yards when I tested it in 30-degree weather.
It was, in fact, a viable alternative to a hunting crossbow.
dreds of dollars, all you buy are the arrows for $20 apiece. many long minutes after the shot, while the animal runs
The Resurgence of the Air Bow And they are incredibly durable. In this test I fired hun- away and lies down, eventually stiffening and dying. To a
Probably because of its $1,600 pricetag, the Stealth dreds of shots, as well as allowing the public the chance new hunter it can be a surprisingly sad experience if you
never took off in a major way, but in recent years there to shoot at the 2016 Texas Airgun show. I have shot and are not prepared. But until the advent of modern high-
has been a resurgence in the technology of the air bow. recovered each Air Bolt dozens of times and have yet to velocity ammunition around the 1920s, it was a common
Earlier this year the Crosman Corporation launched see one fail. I’ve seen them damaged when one hits an- experience. And I believe it is this experience that brings
their Benjamin Pioneer, an air bow with stunning accu- other at the target, but shooting does not seem to harm the airgun hunter much closer to the bow hunter than to
racy and capability. At the launch they showed a video of them. With care, they last a very long time. the person who uses a firearm.
Jim Shockey taking a bison. At Media Day at the 2016 I tested the Air Bolt using the .50-caliber Dragon Claw
SHOT Show I fired a couple arrows at a target 30 yards rifle from Sam Yang. This big bore rifle fires 225-grain Angry Archers!
away and was surprised by the accuracy. Crosman had lead bullets in the 650–700 fps range to generate muzzle Air bows are not yet legal for hunting game in the
three Robin Hoods at their booth that day—arrows that energy of around 225 foot-pounds. While that sounds United States. You can hunt hogs and other pests with
hit the tail of other arrows and went inside. Stacking ar- low, bear in mind these slugs measure a half-inch in them, as there are no laws governing the guns used for
rows is impressive to see, but a drain on the wallet when diameter and cut a major wound channel! Like arrows, pests, and you can hunt game on exotic game ranches be-
the cost is considered. Still, I doubt there is an archer they kill by blood loss, rather than hydrostatic shock. cause they do not come under the state fish and game
alive who isn’t impressed when they happen, and with the In fact, big bore airguns have much in common with laws. But air bows are not yet legal for taking the white-
Pioneer, they happen a lot! archery. Both kill by loss of blood, which means it takes tail, blacktail and mule deer that are the most common
The Pioneer is powerful! It launches a 375-grain arrow minutes for the game to expire—not seconds. Animals game animals in this country.
at up to 450 fps, which is considered the top end for a running after the shot is not a surprise for a big bore Crosman Corporation is actively working to change
hunting crossbow—maybe even beyond the top. hunter. It’s expected. The hunter learns to stay put for the game laws and get air bows legalized so their Pioneer
In this article, however, we will look at an Air Venturi
Air Bolt that pushes a 430-grain arrow at nearly 500 fps
from a rifle and close to 600 fps from an air shotgun! Not
that you need that much power, because the Pioneer is al-
ready powerful enough. The best crossbows are topping
out at around 425 fps with lighter bolts, so either the Pio-
neer or the Air Bolt can trump them. But the Air Bolt is
fastest, which means flatter shooting over longer distance.
And there is one final consideration—cost. The Pio-
neer has a street price of $900, before the cost of the
arrows is even considered. The Air Venturi Air Bolt we
are about to examine costs you nothing, if you already
own the right kind of big bore air rifle or air shotgun.

The Air Bolt The Dragon Claw big bore air rifle is a .50 caliber single shot that is made in Korea. It’s imported and distrib-
You see, the Air Bolt isn’t another airgun. The Air Bolt uted by Air Venturi, the wholesale arm of Pyramyd Air. This one features a two-tube air reservoir of 500cc
is simply ammunition. Instead of a launcher costing hun- capacity that gives many shots with the Air Bolt.

AIR VENTURI’S AIR BOLT

PAGE 64 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

This arrow stop proved to stop every Air Bolt fired—

This Air Bolt has a target tip (or field point) installed. even those leaving the muzzle at nearly 600 f.p.s. and
It’s nominally 430 grains, and this one is very close. those tipped with broadheads!

can be used more widely, but it’s an uphill battle. Not only ever need it. In a survival situation game laws go out The tip of a target point sticks out of the Dragon
do they have the various state governments to contend the window. That is where the Air Bolt comes into play. Claw’s muzzle when the arrow is loaded.
with, there is also strong opposition from within the ar- With the Air Bolt you can own a big bore air rifle that is
chery community, of all things. Archers don’t want to see already legal for deer in 6 states, with more on the way.
air bows considered equal to conventional bows. But it’s And, just by buying the Air Bolts, you suddenly own an I asked Pyramyd Air for 12 Air Bolts to cover the lost
even worse than that. air bow, too. But, it is any good? and damaged ones I expected to have. But a greater concern
The archery community is itself split into numer- was the backstop. What arrow stop could I get that would
ous warring factions. Longbowmen dislike those who Is the Air Bolt Any Good? be strong enough to stop an arrow weighing 430-grains and
use crossbows, who were their greatest enemies before That was my challenge. To discover whether the Air traveling so fast? No crossbow in the world has that kind of
air bows came along. Now they find themselves be- Bolt makes any practical sense. Is it accurate? Is it power- power! In fact, when I went to the archery store to buy an
grudgingly aligning with the crossbow camp against ful? Is it a product you should consider? arrow backstop they were amazed when I told them what I
the air bows. This factional war is very much like needed. They had nothing in stock that was made for that
Middle Eastern politics, with camps aligning for some What I Was Told power level. So I just bought the strongest arrow backstop
purposes while maintaining their distance for others. I was told the Air Bolts are a 430-grain field point bag they had, which is rated to stop arrows traveling up to
I used to think airguns had a lot of special interest (meaning not a hunting-type broadhead) that exits a Sam 400 fps, and hoped it would do the job.
groups, but we are one big happy family, compared Yang Dragon Claw at close to 500 fps. I was also told to
to archery! expect to shoot some Robin Hood shots (where one ar- We Begin
This situation will take time to resolve, yet many air- row goes inside another because it hits at the same place) I went to a friend’s house to test the Air Bolt. He
bow shooters could not care less. They don’t plan to hunt at substantial yardage. Those two things caused me some has a shooting range on his property with a dirt berm
game with their air bow, they just want one in case they concern. that would stop the arrows if they passed through the
[Cont. to page 66]

Five shots using open

sights from 35 yards made
this group. The Air Bolt
is accurate! As the air
pressure in the reservoir
dropped, the shots landed
lower on the target.

Once we know where

to aim, my friend, Otho,
made this shot from
35 yards offhand.

AIR VENTURI’S AIR BOLT

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 65
PAGE 66 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

Fill the gun to 2,900 psi and

shoot. In the field you might
use a smaller portable tank.

After five shots the gauge reads about 160 bar, which
is 2,321 psi. There are still a few more useful shots
on this fill!

Clearly this arrow hit the tail of one in front of it be-

cause the o-ring and part of the tail piece has slid
along the shaft to the fletching, where it was trapped.

[Cont. from page 64]

backstop. I filled the Dragon Claw with compressed air to zle. That gets the plastic fletches all curving in the same Shot 1
200 bar (2,900 psi) and commenced shooting from about direction, and it’s very easy to do. I fired shot 1 from 10 yards on low power (the Dragon
10 yards. I didn’t want to miss the backstop, and was Once the shaft gets started down the bore it is easy Claw has two power levels that are user selectable) to
shooting with open sights on this first session. It turned to push to the bottom. A little of the point sticks out keep the arrow from passing through the arrow back-
out that the first arrow hit the bag and all 30–40 subse- of the muzzle when it is loaded. I imagine with differ- stop. I needn’t have worried, though, because the arrow
quent shots fired on that first day hit. Hitting the target ent rifles you might need a short ramrod if the barrel is stopped easily within the first eight inches. It seems the
wasn’t a problem. longer than the 21.65-inches of the 500cc Dragon Claw large target tip slows the arrow down inside the bag very
In subsequent sessions I mounted a red dot sight on the I am shooting. I also imagine that barrels much shorter effectively. Also, it was also very easy to remove the arrow
air rifle and noted that it was more convenient to use. But will not work as well, since the arrowhead won’t be sup- from the backstop. Problem solved and time to back up
no additional accuracy was seen. ported. to 35 yards. [Cont. to page 68]

Muzzle-loaded
The Air Bolts are loaded from the muzzle, so of course
the gun is uncocked when you load it. I had a little dif-
ficulty fitting the tail of the bolt into the barrel until I wet
the o-ring with saliva—the fit is that tight. Pyramyd Air
recommends wiping the tail with a rag soaked with sili-
cone oil, but I find saliva is more convenient in the field.
I guess I’m falling back on my muzzleloading experience.
The arrow’s fletching is straight, so the shooter is ad-
vised to load the arrow with a twist as it enters the muz-

When fired from 35 yards an Air Bolt tipped with a

With 100-grain broadheads installed, the Air Bolts broadhead did go deeper into the target bag (arrow),
Matthews Grim Reaper broadheads weigh 100 grains only gain 3 grains. That’s not much when the overall but it was stopped. The other arrows all have target
and open as they enter the target. weight is 430 grains. points.

AIR VENTURI’S AIR BOLT

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 67
PAGE 68 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

The Wing Shot air shotgun is a .50 caliber smoothbore than launches
1/4-ounce of shot at 1100 f.p.s. It is also a terror with the new Air Bolt!

[Cont. from page 66]

35 Yards Great Air Conservation Let’s get serious. You know how much the arrows
At 35 yards I tried my hand with the Air Bolt and open By this point we had fired 20 to 30 shots between us. weigh, now let’s look at their velocity when fired on high
sights. On high power the arrows dropped about 12 inch- I was impressed by how many shots I was getting on a power. This string is fired with all target tips, from a fill
es at this distance. They also went slightly to the right. I single fill of air. That 500cc air supply of the Dragon to 2,900 psi.
fired five shots on a fresh fill of air, using the same aim Claw really comes into play with Air Bolts! So I topped
point for all shots. off the rifle at 200 bar (2,900 psi) according to the on-
Once we were familiar, my friend, Otho, tried a shot board gauge and tried 5 consecutive shots from 30 yards. SHOT VELOCITY (F.P.S.)
by aiming off by the amount we now knew would I shot offhand supported, which means I steadied the rifle
1 492
place the arrow where he wanted it. It struck the center against a tree. This time I put five arrows into the critical
of the heart/lungs, which is a perfect deer shot for an kill zone of the deer target on the backstop. And after- 2 465
arrow. ward I noted there was air left over. 3 474
4 482
5 467
6 479
7 454

I stopped after the seventh shot—not because the veloc-

ity was too low but because I wanted to test other things.
However, in the field I would limit my shots to 5 per fill,
just to be safe. The target I shot from 35 yards shows that
the arrows start to drop around shot number four. This is
still a big bore air rifle, and even though it does get a lot of
shots per fill there is no reason to abuse that.

Robin Hood
You have seen the conventional accuracy of the Air
Bolt, but it doesn’t stop there. Air bows in general are ex-
tremely accurate at crossbow distances, and the Air Bolt
is no exception.
When it comes to accuracy with arrows, nothing beats
a Robin Hood. Archers know the experience of one ar-
row hitting the tail of another so that the first arrow is
either split or damaged. They call it a Robin Hood in
honor of the famous fictional archer who won a contest
that way. Robin Hoods are the archer’s equivalent of a
golfer’s hole in one.
The Air Bolt has already given several Robin Hoods
in testing—including one during my evaluation. The
Otho lines up for another shot with the Air Bolt, using the Wing Shot air shotgun. host of American Airgunner, Rossi Morreale, borrowed
my arrows at the 2016 Texas Airgun show to sight in the
[Cont. to page 70]

AIR VENTURI’S AIR BOLT

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 69
PAGE 70 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

Shooter aims at the

target pasted to the
concrete block at
30 yards. Photo by
Bryan Lever.

[Cont. from page 68]

Dragon Claw he was taking hog hunting the next day.
When he returned the arrows an hour later, one of them
had clearly hit the tail of the arrow in front of it because
the o-ring and a portion of the tail of the arrow were
threaded along the shaft of another arrow.

Broadheads
Until now I have been talking about target tips that
aren’t meant for game. Won’t a hunting broadhead add a
lot more weight to the bolt?
Actually, no. I bought four broadheads to test on the
bolts and they weigh 100 grains, nominally. They have me-
chanical blades that are pointed forward as the arrow flies
and open when it penetrates the target. That allows them
to partially fit in the muzzle of the rifle. They cut a swath
1.5 inches wide as they penetrate, creating huge blood loss.
Best of all, they weigh just a couple grains more than the
target points.
I bought Mathews Grim Reaper broadheads, and a
pack of four set me back $30. These are vicious tips! They
cut in three directions with razor-sharp blades that you
had best respect when loading! Remember—the Air Bolt
is loaded from the muzzle!
Pyramyd Air had been testing Air Bolts with broad-
heads too. They used 100-grain Rage Chisel Tip 2 broad-
heads, and three shots out of three passed completely
through their backstop target bag. Broadheads can’t be
easily stopped.
Tyler Patner from Pyramyd Air reports putting 3 arrows
Air Bolt has impacted the tipped with broadheads with them into about 1.5 inches at
concrete block and cracked 30 yards. They struck the target a couple inches below where
it in two! Photo by Bryan Lever. the field points did, but you can adjust the sights for that.

AIR VENTURI’S AIR BOLT

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 71

I had to test the penetration for myself. So I reluctantly bore, though I didn’t test it as thoroughly as I did the
fired an arrow with a broadhead into the same target bag rifle.
that had been stopping my target points. The arrow did There are fewer good shots because the air reservoir on
go deeper into the target—to almost twice the depth. the Wing Shot is smaller than that of the Dragon Claw.
But thankfully it did stop. It didn’t even come out the I did get four good consistent shots over 500 fps though.
back, which would have made extraction difficult, since For hunting this is more than enough, because you can
the fletched end of the arrows does not like to be pulled refill the gun with air in seconds.
through the target bag.
Velocity with broadheads is slightly slower than with Power
target points, but still considerably above crossbows. On It’s hard to envision just what it means to get a heavy
high power with a fresh fill a broadhead went out at 445 arrow going this fast. I saved the best for last. At the 2016
fps, where the target tips went out at 492 fps The number Pyramyd Air Cup in New Philadelphia, Ohio, Pyramyd
of shots is still five good safe ones, just remember to sight Air demonstrated the Air Bolt. Having heard from Ameri-
the gun in for the heavier arrow. can Airgunner that their film crew shot an arrow through a
I would train with target tips and practice with broad- van body, they pasted a paper target to a concrete block to
heads before each hunting trip. At the very least, you showcase the smashing power of this pneumatic missile.
would be confirming your zero. Under the warning label of, “Don’t try this at home,”
they launched an arrow at this target. One shot was all it
Air Shotguns took to smash the block in two in a shower of cement dust!
The Air Bolt was also made to work with the new Wing
Shot air shotgun Air Venturi brought out earlier this Summary
year. Essentially everything remains the same as for the Air Venturi’s Air Bolt goes beyond a regular air bow,
Dragon Claw, only now you are loading into a smooth because it does not require you to buy a new gun. You
bore. The choke must be removed from the shotgun to get double duty from your .50 caliber big bore air rifle
load an arrow, and I noted that loading was even easier, or shotgun. The only thing that would make it better is
owing to the lack of rifling. if the product could be caliber-selective, allowing you to
One shot was all it took. Photo by Bryan Lever. Accuracy at 35 yards is the same even though the gun buy the shafts and ends separately. Then you could also
has no rifling. At longer distances, though, the rifled bar- have .45 caliber Air Bolts. There are a lot of .45 caliber
rel does make a noticeable difference. big bores out there!
Everyone I talked to warned me that arrows with Velocity, on the other hand, is significantly higher My thanks to Air Venturi for supplying the Air Bolts,
broadheads could not be stopped by any target bag, but I with the shotgun. I suppose that’s due to the lower fric- the Dragon Claw and the Wing Shot. All these can be
had to know. If you lose a $27 dollar arrow (the Air Bolt tion with the bore. The first shot on a fresh charge left seen on the Pyramyd Air website at www.pyramydair.
plus the broadhead tip, every time you shoot, it’s very the muzzle at 520 fps and shot three went out at 584 fps! com or purchased by calling 888-262-4867, M–F, 10–4
challenging to gain any sort of proficiency. It seems the performance curve differs with the smooth- Eastern.

AIR VENTURI’S AIR BOLT

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PAGE 72 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

By Reid Coffield

Ask the
Gunsmith
DOUGHNUT PATTERN?

Q As I was reading in an old shooting magazine, I ran across

the term doughnut pattern. What exactly is this and what
causes it? Is it a problem with the shotgun barrel?

A
A doughnut pattern is a shot pattern that is character-
ized by a concentration of shot pellets around a hole or
area in the center of the pattern in which there are few
if any pellets. In contrast, an ideal pattern would have an even
distribution of pellets. This is not a problem caused by the
barrel. In fact, it’s caused by the shotshell and more specifi-
cally the over shot wad.
On older paper shotshells there was a roll crimp that se-
cured a cardboard wad over the top of the shot. The wad kept
the shot inside the shell. When the shell was fired the wad was
blown out ahead of the shot initially. However, the shot quick-
ly passed this wad. Unfortunately, as the shot passed around
the wad, the wad was struck by some of the pellets. These pel-
lets were then deflected to the side. This often left a hole in the
center of the pattern.
With the advent of plastic folded crimp shotshells and the
use of one piece shot cups, the problem of doughnut patterns
is pretty much a thing of the past.

SANDPAPER GRITS

Q You may have covered this before in responding to other

questions about sandpaper, but I forgot so I need to ask.
I am confused about grits of sandpaper. What is coarse,
what is medium, and what is fine? Everybody seems to have a
different idea as to what grit number corresponds to these very
ambiguous terms. Please help!

A
You’re right; there is a lot of confusion about and the
manner in which these terms are used. Some gunsmithing
books tell you to use medium sandpaper but what the heck
does that mean! As best I can determine, coarse would be equal
to about a 50-grit sandpaper; medium, about 80-grit; fine, about
120-grit; and extra fine, 240-grit or higher. I hope this helps a bit.

MOSIN TRIGGER IMPROVEMENT

Q I have a Russian Mosin Nagant rifle that I have made into

a cheap sporter. It is definitely my truck gun. It shoots
OK, but I would like to make it shoot more accurately. I
have considered bedding it. Is there anything else you would sug-
gest that would make a major improvement in accuracy?

A
By all means, install one of the new Timney adjustable
triggers for the Mosin Nagant. This will allow you to
tune your trigger and get a smooth, light, crisp pull.
Secure Strategic Home Defense
½ ½

That alone should make your groups shrink quite a bit.

RUST VS. HOT BLUE

Q Which is better, a rust blue or a hot blue?

A
It all depends on what you want in bluing. If you want
wear resistance, a traditional rust blue will generally last
a lot longer than a standard commercial hot or caustic
salt blue. On the other hand, if you want a high gloss finish,
then you can generally get the highest gloss or shine with a com 540.298.8906
hot blue. [Cont. to page 73]
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 73

[Cont. from page 72]

PARTS QUEEN

Q A good friend gave me a well-used older Smith & Wes-

son Model 10 revolver in .38 Spl. The gun had been disas-
sembled and was just a collection of parts. The biggest
problem I have found is that when the barrel was taken out of
the frame, the person doing the work failed to remove the barrel
pin. Consequently, the threads in the frame are ruined. Can you
give me any suggestions on what to do with this revolver? Can it
be saved?

A
Theoretically, you might be able to bore out the exist-
ing barrel threads and cut some oversize threads. You
would then have to turn down a barrel blank and match
the threads in your frame. All in all, it would be a lot of expen-
sive work, and I doubt that it would be worth it since it is just
a plain vanilla Model 10. Frankly, I believe you have just what
you described, a collection of parts. I doubt that it would be
practical to repair this handgun.

ROSSI VS. S&W SIGHTS

Q I have a tough one for you. I need a rear sight for a Rossi
.357 Mag. It was made in Brazil and has Interarms, Al-
exandria Virginia on the side. It also has Mod. 971 on
the side. I have been to several gun shops where they do repairs
and two gunsmiths; no one can help. One gunsmith suggested a
Model 29 Smith and Wesson rear sight would fit. Help!

A
Normally Smith and Wesson parts should not be ex-
pected to fit into a Rossi revolver. The parts look very
similar, but more often than not there are significant
dimensional differences. However, it is possible in some situ-
ations to alter some Smith parts and get them to fit on some
guns. I remember doing so years and years ago when Rossi
handguns first appeared in the U.S. and parts were just not
available at the time. I don’t recall the models I worked on or
specifically what the repairs involved. I do remember that it
took a lot of time and effort.
My feeling is that you may be able to fit the Smith sight to
the Rossi, although the work will probably necessitate modi-
fication to the sight and possibly some work on the revolver
frame as well. You can almost bet on it not being a drop in
fix and taking more time than you anticipated! Quite often,
fitting parts from one type of gun to another will fall into the
technically possible but impractical category. I’ve been caught
up in that more than once!
A good source for older Rossi parts is Bob’s Gun Shop, Box
200, Dept. FAN, Royal, AR 71968.

RARE JUNKER?

Q I am a hobby gunsmith and recently picked up what I

thought was a junker Stevens Favorite for a project gun. I
have since been told that it is a fairly rare early model. My
question is what should I do with it? The rifle is in terrible condi-
tion, no original finish, the stock has been broken and repaired,
the bore is awful, and several of the screws have been replaced
with common hardware store bolts.

A
I am always a bit skeptical about rare collectables and
especially when those guns are in extremely rough shape.
That said, the thing to do is to test the waters. Run an
ad here in Firearms News or list it on Gunbroker.com and put
a price on it. If it sells, great! You’ve just made some money
and can invest in other project guns or tools, and you’ve also
passed this gun on to a collector who will appreciate it. If, on
the other hand, it doesn’t sell that is probably a darn good in-
dication of just how rare and collectable that gun really is. The
marketplace is truly the final authority on the real or actual
value of any gun.
PAGE 74 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

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PAGE 76 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

The little
blue thrill—
always ready
when you are!
Initially offered in .223 Rem., with a
proprietary 55 gr. Sierra BlitzKing
bullet.The magic of “Varmint Blue”
lies in the exclusive HSM blue thrill
polymer tip. Great expansion,
amazing penetration.

HSM “Varmint Blue” in .223 Rem.

is available today at your favorite
shooting sports retailer. Other choice
varmint calibers will be added to this
exciting new line soon.
When you need a straight shooter . . .
go to “Varmint Blue!”

ASSURING YOUR SHOOTING SUCCESS

To learn more, please visit
www.thehuntingshack.com.
Since 1968

DELUXE1911’S
IVER JOHNSON
SERIOUS
COMPACTNESS
SALE PRICE
EACH ONLY 4.25" Hawk

$319.99 Three deluxe 1911’s, 45 acp caliber.

5" Eagle
Original Price
Government, Commander & the 3" Officer.
$364.99 Same guns are available in a GI style standard model.
These deluxe guns are available in matte
or polished finish.
The Eagle, Hawk and
the Thrasher.
KAK Shockwave + Law Black F. D. Earth O. D. Green Gray Thrasher comes blued or
Tactical Folding Brace Kit #080-001-315 #080-001-316 #080-001-317 #080-001-318
stainless steel.
 Makes AR-15 pistol as compact as possible
for carry/storage Eagle has Millett adjustable sights, and
the Hawk and Thrasher have Novak style sights.
 Shockwave Blade stabilizer makes pistol
easier to control
 Complete package: stabilizing brace, buffer/
tube/spring & Law Tactical Gen 3-M folding
mechanism
MSRP RANGE: $648-$817 3" Thrasher

Sale Ends 12/31/16

321-636-3377 www.iverjohnsonarms.com
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 77
PAGE 78 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

A CHARGING HANDLE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY GUNFIGHTER!

BCMGUNFIGHTER CHARGING HANDLE
BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Charging Handles feature
internal redesigns to direct the force off of the
weakest part of the system, the roll pin, and into
the body of the charging handle during support
hand only manipulations. This new design has a
built in “backstop” engineered into the charging
handle. As the latch is opened, its’ travel is limited by these flat sur-
face backstops. With this travel limiting feature, the shooter has a
stronger system and a smoother operation.

MADE IN THE USA FROM 7075 T6 ALUM. - MIL-SPEC HARD COAT ANODIZED
Large Latch Medium Latch Small Latch Ambi Latch
MOD 3 MOD 4 MOD 5 MOD 44

BCMGUNFIGHTER CHARGING HANDLE - 5.56/.223

MOD 3, 4, 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $44.95
AMBI MOD 44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69.95
Made by Bravo Company MFG, Inc. - VLTOR U.S. Patent 8104393,
other patents pending. All pricing subject to change without notice.
Please see website for current pricing.

BravoCompanyMFG.com • Hartland, Wisconsin U.S.A.

Toll Free: 1-877-BRAVO CO (1-877-272-8626) • Fax: 262-367-0989
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 79

“Our vflsflfls wflflfl our sellers are always

pleasanfl, I look forward flo every flflflflflflfl

Missouri’s Flying Gun Runner

The gun runners of old used sailing ships or steam lo- Frank originally pursued his private pilot license as who are not familiar with machine guns or NFA proce-
comotives to move their wares. Today, there is a Class a hobby, but the ability to cover ground in a fraction dures. MWT will travel to meet the customers and offer
3 dealer in Missouri who uses something a lot faster. of the time needed to drive soon started to pay div- an honest assessment. On more than one occasion, the
If you are selling a machine gun collection, Midwest idends for the business. “Meeting customers face to customers were heirs of estates that involved an FFL
Tactical Inc., will come to you: by air. Frank Goepfert, face is always a pleasure,” Frank says. “Gun people business.
MWT founder and president, owns and operates a Cir- tend to be nice people with whom we share com-
rus SR22 airplane. Since two other company employees mon interests, including flying. Our visits with our There are a lot of hoops to jump through with ATF on
are also pilots, MWT can cover the map to meet with sellers are always pleasant, I look forward to every FFL liquidations, and the specialists on the MWT payroll
customers and close deals on machine gun collections. flight.” can handle them smoothly, dealing with local ATF field
offices and the NFA branch. If you are not looking to sell
Nothing else in the gun business is as regulated as Title MWT is licensed to deal in machine guns and stand- an entire collection, MWT can broker your guns. The fee
II arms like machine guns, suppressors and short-bar- ard Title I firearms such as pistols, rifles and shotguns. is 10%, and MWT does all the paperwork, making life a
reled guns. A machine gun dealer must know federal In Addition, MWT holds a Type 07 license with SOT in lot simpler for the seller.
and state regulations inside and out, along with knowing Missouri. While machine guns are the focus of the busi-
current market values and the players in the trade. MWT ness, if you also have Title I firearms to sell, MWT can The NFA business is unlike any other retail model. The
is staffed with NFA specialists who deal with trusts, es- purchase the entire collection. inventory is scarce and cannot be ordered up from a
tates, National Firearms Act (NFA) transfers and Alco- local big box store. MWT can only get inventory from
hol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF) regulations. MWT does the paperwork and arranges shipment of customers who are willing to sell, so they make selling
the guns after ATF approves the transfer. ATF can take easy.
Buyers for machine guns tend to be widely scattered, months to approve a transfer, even to a dealer. MWT
as do sellers. By its very nature, the NFA business is a still pays up front. Most customers only have one or two Frank Goepfert welcomes your call if you are thinking of
national business. Having the ability to go meet the cus- machine guns to sell, and small purchases still make up selling, or want a verbal appraisal on the current market
tomers and see the merchandise is a huge plus. There the bulk of the business. Those buys of fewer than five value for your machine guns. Discussions about plan-
are only about 186,000 transferable machine guns on machine guns can usually be made using pictures and ning for future estate or business liquidations are also
the NFA registry, and there are at most only a few hun- forms, without the need for a visit. welcome. NFA transfers are serious business which
dred transferable machine guns for sale at any time. As require knowledge and expertise. The MWT team will
a result, prices of NFA arms have risen to levels once A growing number of purchases are collections and Fed- make selling your machine guns both enjoyable and lu-
thought impossible. Sellers, especially heirs of war vet- eral Firearms License (FFL) closeouts that often bene- crative.
erans, may have no idea the value of their guns. fit from a visit to the customer, especially those sellers

• MWT is staffed with NFA specialists who deal with • MWT offers more for your guns than anyone
trusts, estates, NFA transfers and BATF regulations else in our industry.
• MWT is licensed to deal in machine guns and • MWT does all the paperwork
standard Title I firearms.

CALL OR EMAIL Frank and MWT, Inc. at 417-850-1649 or email [email protected]

The MWT team looks forward to hearing from you!
PAGE 80 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

Side parallax control, 25 yd to ∞

Illuminated or non-illuminated reticles
OUR REMARKABLE NEW 4-14x56 SHV™. Capped, finger-changeable .250 MOA
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IT’S EVERYTHING YOU EXPECT FROM NIGHTFORCE. SHV™ = ShooterHunterVarminter™ designed for the widest
AND LESS. possible range of shooting and hunting applications

Starting at $995*, it’s the most affordable—and one

of the most versatile—riflescopes we’ve ever built.
All we cut were costs, not corners. We did it by limiting the
options, simplifying the controls, and using a less complex
manufacturing process…not by reducing the quality of its
components. The SHV™ is 100% Nightforce.
The 4-14 x 56 SHV™ will outperform any riflescope in its price
range. And frankly, many that cost much, much more.
If price is all that has kept you from enjoying legendary 336 Hazen Lane • Orofino, ID 83544 • 208.476.9814
Nightforce performance and quality, your wait is over. NightforceOptics.com

91114
*Pricing subject to change without notice

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THE LAST STAND

The  SenCnel  plate  with  our  interchangeable  magazine  post  is  the  last  stand  you’ll  ever  
need.  Use  it  for  display,  cleaning,  servicing,  building  that  lower  AR.  Fits  in  a  range  bag.      
Two  sizes,  large  for  rifle  and  handgun,  small  for  handgun  only.  One  side  smooth  for  display  
the  other  with  cut  parts  pocket  for  servicing.  Never  lay  that  priceless  gun  down  again.  
A  must  have  for  all  shooters.    SomeCmes  you  just  need  a  third  hand.  

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Serious American Products For Serious American People

The EASY REACH HOLSTER MOUNT quickly and easily mounts to any
type of vehicle, anywhere in a home or office, and even motorcycle and
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Our machined billet aluminum holster mount is designed to use your
favorite holster (recommend soft nylon style) with the common
1.25” x 2.25” spring steel belt clip.
Simply take your holster and weapon with you when parking your
vehicle or leave holster mounted and just remove weapon. Always have
the confidence knowing that your weapon is safe, secure and at your
The  SenCnel  plate  with  our  interchangeable  magazine  posts  available  on  line.     instant reach at all times.

Our  patented  products  are  now  in  use  by  select  US  Military,  Law  Enforcement,  DOE,  DHS,  professional   All of our mounts are proudly Made in the USA.
armorers  to  casual  shooter  at  all  levels.  Field  tested  armorer  approved.     Machined in Phoenix, Arizona from 6061 T6 billet
aluminum with a satin black anodize finish & UV coating.
Instructors,  Armorers,  FFL  holder’s  send  a  copy  of  your  cerCficaCon  /  license    for  special    
pricing.    Email  to  [email protected]  

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www.presentarmsinc.com Direct Mount on vehicle center Flush Mount inside master bedroom Handlebar Mount
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call  413-­‐575-­‐4656,    Fax  802-­‐613-­‐1040  
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VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 81
PAGE 82 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

Incredible sale on
Bald Eagle ¨

Shooting rests

CONSISTENT Triangle, Cast Iron

BE1153 18.3 lbs.
$
47500
$
SALE 19995

Slingshot, Cast Iron

BE1006 21 lbs.
$
47500
$
SALE 19995

Triangle, Aluminum
JAGEMANN PROVIDES THE PERFORMANCE YOU EXPECT. BE1004 12 lbs.
JAGEMANN’S PROCESSES ENSURE A RELIABLE, $
42500
$
CONSISTENT AND QUALITY EXPERIENCE. SALE 16500

Long Screws Optional Feet

Front
Bags
$
ON SALE FOR 3350 ON SALE FROM $
1495 ON SALE FOR $
3995
Please visit our website for a larger selection.
PRICING CODE
B16FIREN PURVEYORS OF FINE SHOOTING ACCESSORIES™
MENTION THIS CODE WHEN
PLACING YOUR ORDER

17822R2
1-800-235 -0272
same day shipping!
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 83

Bald Eagle ¨

Ammo Boxes
Buy Direct & Save!
BE1139
50 Round, Mechanical Hinge
$ 25
$ 35
2 SALE 1
Fits 50 rounds for: .38 Special,
.38 Super, or .357 Mag

BE1141
50 Round, Mechanical Hinge
$ 25
$ 35
2 SALE 1
BE1135
Fits 50 rounds for: .45 A.C.P,
100 Round, Fixed Hinge
10mm Auto, .40 S&W, or .41 AE
$ 95
$ 95
13 SALE 6
Fits 100 rounds for: BE1145
6.5 x 284, .284/.308 Win, 100 Round, Mechanical Hinge
.284 Shehane, or .30-06 $ 95
$ 95
3 SALE 1
Fits 100 rounds for: .40 S&W,
10mm, or .41 Action Express

BE1150
50 Round, Fixed Hinge Comparison between New SRC-MID Length Carbine (above) and standard SRC Carbine
$ 75
$ 20
3 SALE 1
Fits 50 rounds for: 9mm
BE1137
50 Round, Fixed Hinge
$ 25
BE1160
$ 55
2 SALE 1 50 Round, Fixed Hinge
$ 25
Fits 50 rounds for:
.41/.44 Mag, .44 Special, or
$ 50
4 SALE 2
Fits 50 rounds for: • .223 / 5.56mm Cal. • 16” Heavy Profile Chrome Lined Barrel
.45L Colt
.223/5.56mm • Mid-Length Railed Gas Block Placement
• Mid-Length Heat Shielded Handguards Made In
Please visit our website for a larger selection.
PRICING CODE The U.S.A.

B16FIREN PURVEYORS OF FINE SHOOTING ACCESSORIES™ See all the Windham Weaponry Rifles, Parts & Accessories at: www.windhamweaponry.com
MENTION THIS CODE WHEN
PLACING YOUR ORDER

17822R2
1-800-235 -0272
same day shipping!
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

Make the world a quieter place. A silencer on your firearm

can make the world a quieter place too. SilencerShop.com
FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com

Fine Firearms Go Full Auto: The Stemple Takedown Guns

BRP CORP
www.brpguns.com

These pre-1986 transferable machine

678-425-9585
guns are in limited supply.
Get One While They Last!
• Caliber: 9mm
• Cycle Rate: 750
• Includes two 70 rd drums,
one 36 rd mag, combo
tool, bipod, foregrip,
custom hard case, &
suppressor
$10,250
The Stemple Takedown Gun Universal 9 (STG-U9) is the mainstay of our U Series setups for the Stemple 76/45 machine gun. The simple, durable, smooth
running blowback system delivers the performance modern full auto shooters demand. With the 70 round drum you’ll have unparalleled capacity and
PAGE 84
control with this 9mm machine gun. It’s so smooth due to the weight, layout, and action; you can actually watch your target being hit through a 4X
scope while shooting long bursts. The quick change barrel system enables the U9 to switch between heavy and light setups with ease.
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 85

www.black-hills.com l 605.348.5150

1 2

3 4
PAGE 86 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

THE TRUE DEFINITION OF

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FIREARMSNEWS.COM
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27
starlinebrass.com FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 87

Why does Starline Brass come in a bag?

Because we care more about giving our
customers high quality brass and a great value,
than a fancy box. Our unique manufacturing
process and commitment from our team of
employees enables us to make the finest brass
available, then offer it to you at the best possible
price. Starline quality and value; it’s in the bag.
That’s why A Great Shot Starts with Starline.

Order Factory Direct

Or Ask for Starline at Your Favorite Retailer © 2016 Starline Brass

starlinebrass.com | 1(800) 280-6660

VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 135
PAGE 136 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

S&K SCOUT–MOUNT
No Drilling or Tapping!
The absolute best scope mount made for the Chilean 1895. Easy installation
without modification to your gun. Machined from solid bar stock & made in the
USA. See www.scopemounts.com for a list of our other mounts and scopes.

Chilean 1895 Scope Mount

Receive 500 FREE bullets

when purchasing any of S&K Scope Mounts
these qualifying 70 Swede Hollow Rd - Sugar Grove, PA 16350, 800-578-9862

Lock-N-Load®
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• Iron Press™ Kit
• Ammo Plant
• AP ™ Press
• Classic™ Kit
• Classic™ Kit Deluxe
• Classic™ Kit with Auto Charge
• Precision Reloaders Kit
• Hot Tub Sonic Cleaner™
• Case Prep Center

Receive 100 FREE bullets when

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• Custom Grade™ Dies
• Quick Trickle™
• Case Prep Trio
• Balance Beam Scale

1-308-382-1390 | hornady.com

For complete details and a redemption form, go to hornady.com. Offer good Jan 1, 2016 through Dec. 31, 2016. Some restrictions apply.
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 137

www.HighStandard.com
713.462.4200 • 800-272-7816 • [email protected]

ER
O R DW !
NO
FIREARMS & PARTS ONLINE STORE
LONE STAR AR15 HUNTER COMBO AK UNDERFOLDER AK TACTICAL
5.56 / .223 300 AAC & 5.56 / .223 7.62x39 Magpul Fixed
Diamondhead VR-S Stock, Handguard,
“T” 10.25" Free-Floating
HS 2 Stage Trigger Pistol Grip
Versa Handguard System
USA Receiver
Magpul Extended 7.62x39
HS 2 Stage Trigger Trigger Guard USA Enchaned
Magpul MOE Trigger Group USA Receiver
Carbine Stock 5.56/223 Rifle
1 Magpul 30 USA Enchaned
Magpul MOE Pistol Grip 300 AAC Rd Magazines Trigger Group
Magpul MOE Upper Included
Enhanced Trigger Guard
USA Barrel USA Barrel
2 Mags
Magpul Mbus Front
Flip-Up Sight 30 Rd 1 Magpul 30
Under Folder
Round Magazines
Magpul Mbus
Rear Flip-Up Sight
Blonde Wood Fixed Stock
Magpul Pmag
30 Rd 922R Compliant FDE and Black
Hard Chrome
Bore-1:7 Twist 922R Compliant
Black Furniture

Ships to FFL

DIRECT TO INDIVIDUALS
AK SPECIALS • AK 47 Barrels Chrome Lined 7.62x39 (USA)......$109.00
• AK 47 Receivers—
Fixed Stock & Underfolder (USA)......................................... $84.00
Rails, Center Support, Holes, Black Oxide—Ships to FFL • AK Metal Mag 30 Rd. Eastern Europe............ 5 for $80.00

AR SPECIALS
• HS 2 Stage Trigger (USA) .......................................................... $99.00
• AK 47 Receivers with Trigger Guard • Uppers 5.56 or 300 Blackout (USA) ..............................$299.00
Assembly Fixed Stock & Underfolder (USA) ............... $94.00 • AR-15 30 Rd. Mags (USA)...........................................5 for $45.00

SERVICES WHILE SUPPLIES LAST

REPAIRS CUSTOM WORK
* * * Pistols
• HS—Semiauto • AK Builds For *Owners
** of Part Kits MADE IN USA
• AMT—Automag II and Back-Up • AR Builds
• AKs—All Types • Finishes/Coatings—AKs, ARs,
PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE
• ARs—All Types Pistols, Cerakote, Duracoat, Tefelon
VALID FOR 30 DAYS

www.HIGHSTANDARD.com
713.462.4200 • 800-272-7816
HOUSTON, TEXAS
[email protected]
PAGE 138 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27
Militaria Wanted S5701 polished. All Money Back Guaranteed.

CASH FOR
Call for Pricing:
Cedar Ridge Shooters Supply
Kit / Vietnamese or Korean AK-47 / (402) 890-0254.
Glock 18C Owner's Manual.
Thanks, Richard 719-582-3561 BRASS
[email protected] Once Fired Range Cleaned.
9mm. $45/1000
40 S&W $45/1000
Miscellaneous For Sale S5720 223/556 $80/1000
Chuck. 623-341-9122.
D.W. GUNS
Invites you to check out our new Once fired military brass polished w/
website with over 200,000 new primer pocket swaged

MACHINE GUNS
products to fit all your shooting and 5.56mm $90/1000 $45/500
sporting needs. Come check us out at: 308mm $160/1000 $80/500
http://dwguncompany.com 9mm $50/1000 $25/500
Commercial 40 s and w $45/1000
Mercury Metal 99% $20/lb. polished only brass or nickel.
Chloroform 8oz. $15. Shipping $15. Commercial Winchester 223 cal
Salow, 270 Bighorn Drive, Estes Park, $105/1000 polished and unprimed.
CO 80517. John Dewar, 4520 County Home Road,
Reloading Components S5800 Paris, Tennessee 38242. Phone:
For Sale 731-642-6525.

Overnight Funding
*BRASS Once Fired 223,
ONCE FIRED Military 223/5.56,
9mm, 40, 45, Pistol & Rifle,
300 ACC Blackout, 308/7.62 & 9mm
Corn, Polish: 817-834-5716
processed brass - cleaned, polished,
[email protected]
inspected, resized (and roll sized 9mm),
primer pockets swaged and trimmed to ONCE FIRED BRASS
length, (223, 300 ACC Blackout & 308 IN STOCK 223, 308, 50cal, 9mm,
only). 50 BMG brass cleaned, deprimed, 940-969-2718 or
primer pockets swaged, inspected & www.texasgibrass.com

DON’T TAKE OTHER OFFERS

UNTIL YOU GET OUR PRICE.
WE CAN USUALLY BEAT YOUR BEST
UNIVERSAL
OFFER FROM OTHER BUYERS. SIGHT TOOL
CALL Toll Free • 7 days a week $59.95 - $79.95
1-866-NFA-1934
John Thedford • www.NFAsales.com
REPLACE AND ADJUST SIGHTS!

Here are some average buy prices. Condition, manufacturer,

configuration, and accessories will have an effect on prices.
We are currently paying these average prices:
WE BUY EVERYTHING—many AK’s: Up to $25,000
are not listed here. Auto sears, AC556: Up to $12,000
M16: Up to $26,000
C&R machine guns, and MP5: Up to $32,000
more. We buy them all. MAC 10: Up to $5,700
Uzi: Up to $16,000
Reising: Up to $8,000
Call or email to find Thompsons: Up to $35,000
out what your gun is worth. Smith & Wesson 76: Up to $8,000
Swedish K: Up to $22,000
CHECK IT OUT AT
1-800-632-1934 British Sten: Up to $18,000
[email protected] British Sterling: Up to $18,000
Beltfed Machine Guns: Up to $28,000 SIGHTPUSHER.COM
DIAS: Up to $32,000
HK Auto Sears: Up to $26,000
SWD Guns: Up to $7,200
Proudly Made in the USA
Transferable machine guns are valuable—don’t be misled. "Why settle for less"
We will give you an honest estimate of value.
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 143
VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 145
Stocks & Grips For Sale S5860 Dave or Mark: 610.250.3960 or visit
e-sarcoinc.com
618-483-3272.
Gun Shows S6150
Surplus Gear For Sale S5880 RALEIGH, NC - Dec. 31 &
Jan. 1, Antique Arms & Military
SARCO, INC.- FRENCH 73MM Collectors Show, North Carolina State
BAZOOKA: LRAC-50 bazooka Fairgrounds, 1025 Blue Ridge Road.
as used by the post war French in Arms & Memorabilia -- Civil War,
Vietnam & Algeria. Never on the Indian Wars, WWI, WWII, etc. Info:
market before. Comes with shield and Carolina Trader Promotions,
optics, deactivated to ATF specs. Very 704-282-1339.
limited!
Sarco Inc., 610.250.3960
SARCO, INC - RPG-2 ROCKETS
(INERT): Original Vietnam era
rockets with the warhead removed and
replacement inert head installed. Great
for completing your RPG launchers!
Sarco Inc. 610.250.3960
SARCO, INC. - WW2 VEHICLE
RADIO SETS: SCR 508, 506, & 528
radio sets with mounting bases. Perfect
for completing your military vehicle.
Supplies are dwindling. Sarco Inc., Call

Aluminum
Cases
Ziegel Engineering
Free Catalogue

(562) 596-9481
(562) 598-4734 FAX
[email protected]
www.ZIEGELENG.com
PAGE 146 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27

USMACHINEGUN.COM
2017
CALENDAR
Class III Dealer & Manufacturer web: www.usmachinegun.com

Featuring Our Rear Stock Adapter for the Ak-47 Draco &
M92/M85 Pistols. No Drilling or Welding, Easy Installation!
$69.99
— Parts and Upgrades For M-11, MAC-10, & MPA, AK & AR-15/10 *(NFA rules apply)
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12
PRICES
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P.O. Box 563 Safety Harbor, FL 34695
Buffalo ARMS CO.
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Ph: 727-726-2500 • Fax: 727-797-6134 208 263-6953

e-mail: [email protected]
www.safetyharborfirearms.com 8am - 4:30pm M - F PST
Lower receiver assy not included 660 Vermeer Court, Ponderay, ID 83852
Model shown may have features not included or optional accessories.
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VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 147

Cele

RUBEN MENDIOLA27 YEARS brat

In B
usin
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VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 27 FIREARMS NEWS - firearmsnews.com PAGE 151

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 ENTER TO

WIN!
SPECIAL EDITION CERAKOTE
MATTE BROWN/
PATRIOT BROWN MSRP: $660.00

FINISH

43
ITEM # UI4350204CKMBPB
No Purchase Necessary

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contest.galleryofguns.com/fn
Contest Ends 12/31/2016. Contest rules on website.