The Special Operations Warrior Foundation provides financial aid to the children and families of fallen Special Operations service-members and ensure their children can go to college. Through the Memorial Day Weekend, FirstSpear will match any donations made through the website to SOWF.
To donate: go to www.first-spear.com, go to your shopping cart and click the “Donation” tab in the upper-right hand corner of your screen underneath the “Proceed To Checkout” button.
May, 2019 – ZEV Technologies is proud to announce sponsored competitive shooter K.C. Eusebio won both the Open Division at the 2019 World Speed Shooting Championship and Production Division.
On his way to placing first overall in each division, K.C. used his competition OZ9.
Match- 2019 World Speed Shooting Championships
Location – Talladega, Alabama
Placement – 1st place Open Division, 1st Place Production Division
Equipment – ZEV OZ9 KC Competition Model
K.C. had this to say – “This is another special victory to be able to compete on the world stage with the new KC OZ9. Not only am I able to bring home a win with ZEV Technologies but I’m able to do it with my model in the production division. I truly love competing with my OZ.”
His next match will be in Dunbarton, New Hampshire – June 21-23 at USPSA Area 7
Mystery Ranch has introduced a new tale webbing to certain models. Developed in conjunction with MMI Textiles, it uses MMI’s patented CTEdge to conceal and blend the edge, making the webbing stronger and thicker than your typical 55301 MOLLE webbing which uses solution dyed yarns. This allows for better pull strength, break strength and less slip through the buckles. The 1″ version also incorporates MMI’s exclusive High Blend of MultiCam to reduce any lattering effect that only 1 repeat of the pattern causes.
Along with the increased performance of the webbing, MMI print technology improves UV and abrasion of the ink for long lasting color in the harshest of environments.
This is available on a limited basis through MMI Textiles.
Knight’s has introduced a dedicated Suppressor for their LAMG. It comes as an assembly consisting of barrel and thread-on suppressor.
It utilizes Pressure Reduction Technology which is forward venting so it doesn’t push gas into the shooter’s face and doesn’t change the cyclic rate.
Sale runs through May 28th
Use Coupon Code NEVERFORGET20 for 20% OFF the entire website.
Massif has unveiled their new Jungle Uniform, printed in OCP.
Designed to be lightweight, durable, breathable, and quick drying, the uniform is made from a Cordura NYCO fabric technology.
Shirt
• Mesh-lined pockets allow for fantastic dry times
• Dual-caped mesh-vented back for enhanced breathability and optimal cooling
• Cuff tabs with internal insect guard mesh
Pant
• Gusseted inseam for full range of motion
• Internal mesh gaiters and elastic closure with roll tabs
• Reinforced seams for improved performance
• Built-in knee articulation
This is the first time WL Gore & Associates, Inc, makers of Gore-Tex material have shown a product made from their new lightweight Thermium insulation. It’s the new Extreme Cold Weather Boot from Belleville.
The boot features 600 grams of composite insulThe Gore Thermium is in the form of a boot insert construction, similar to the Gore-Tex membrane boot insert. However, as depicted in this graphic, the insulation is mapped, with thicker areas covering certain parts of the foot in order to ensure a better fit and protect those parts of the foot which get the coldest.
Built on the Belleville 675 platform, the boot will protect down to -20 deg F and is flight approved. In addition to the Gore Thermium Insulation, the boot also features Gore-Tex protection.
In a surprising move, SIG exhibited their final prototype candidates for the US Army Next Generation Squad Weapon program which seeks to replace the M4 Carbine and M249 Squad Automatics Weapon with a new family of 6.8mm* Weapons which are lighter, yet feature a longer range and more lethal ammunition capable of defeating sophisticated threat body armor.
There are currently two Army efforts underway simultaneously. Both are leveraging an alternative form of procurement referred to as Other Transactional Authority, where Prototype Opportunity Notices are issued to industry and multiple candidate technologies are quickly developed and assessed. The initial round of the multi-phased, first PON to produce a Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle to replace the SAW comes to a close soon. It includes a requirement for a 20% reduction in weight over legacy brass cased ammunition, but in 6.8mm.
There are currently five companies, delivering six candidate weapons to the Army:
W15QKN-18-9-1017 – AAI Corporation Textron Systems
W15QKN-18-9-1018 – FN America LLC. (Design 1)
W15QKN-18-9-1019 – FN America LLC. (Design 2)
W15QKN-18-9-1020 – General Dynamics-OTS Inc.
W15QKN-18-9-1021 – PCP Tactical, LLC W15QKN-18-9-1022 – Sig Sauer Inc.
Senior Army leaders are expected to fire the weapons next month at Fort Benning in addition to a formal evaluation to determine which candidates move to the next phase.
A second, more ambitious PON for Squad Weapons is just beginning with a requirement for both SAW and Carbine replacement as well as ammunition. SIG informed us they plan to submit the same belt-fed Machine Gun along with their new, fully developed Carbine.
It’s important to note that although the program calls for replacement of the current 5.56mm NATO M4 and M249 in the Rifle Squad of Brigade Combat Teams, this is a .30 class weapon. If everything goes as planned, the Soldier will have an improvement over not only their 5.56mm weapons, but the 7.62mm NATO ones as well such as the M240 Machine Gun.
Previously, SIG had shown their 338 Norma Mag SIG Light Machine Gun at both AUSA and SHOT Show as well as a 6.8mm Carbine Concept called MCX Medium Range, during AUSA. Their Next Generation Machine Gun candidate is very much a smaller version of their SL LMG.
These latest revelations show a much more mature design.
One of the concerns of the more to the 6.8mm cartridge is recoil impulse. Like with their 338 NM-class weapon, SIG has incorporated a recoil mitigation technology into the Next Gen belt-fed. This brings the recoil in at 2.8 lbs while an M240 in 7.62mm has a Recoil impulse of 13.1 lbs. Considering they are seeing a muzzle velocity of over 3000 FPS for a 16″ barrel, this is impressive. The Carbine on the other hand is delivering 2850 FPS with a 13″ barrel.
The Carbine boasts an interesting feature. It incorporates both a side folding non-reciprocating charging handle and an AR-style charging handle above the boat carrier group.
This is so the weapon can be charged or immediate action drills implemented without the shooter moving his head from behind the weapon.
The side charger is also not operational when the collapsible folding stock is in the stowed position. Obviously, the side charging handle is not ambidextrous, but the other controls are.
As part of the program, SIG has also introduced a new three piece construction hybrid ammunition. It features a Brass case, Steel base and an internal clip to connect the two.
So far, they have manufactured 40,000 of their 6.8 x 51 cartridge at their plant in Arkansas and are working on an additional 60,000. Due to its construction, the hybrid ammo offers increased velocities over standard ammunition in the same caliber and can be used in all current weapon systems, unlike some next generation ammunition proposals.
As the final Army requirement begins to coalesce, expect to see a Designated Marksman Rifle variant of the Next Generation Carbine as well. This, combined with the increase of performance of 6.8mm over 7.62mm signals the eventual end of 7.62mm weapons in the close combat formations of the BCT along with 5.56mm.
*Editor’s note: This new cartridge is not the 6.8 SPC looked at by USSOCOM a decade ago, but rather something completely new, with performance close to .270 win short mag.
