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Griffin Armament Superior Precision Rifle Modular Mounts

Sunday, November 3rd, 2019

Next Generation, Sniper-Grade, Precision Rifle Optic Mounts

Griffin Armament is a firearm industry manufacturer founded by two Army Infantry sniper qualified combat veterans. Although they are best known for their high-performance signature reducing sound suppressors, founders Austin and Evan have recently leveraged their lifelong passion for precision rifle marksmanship and nearly a decade of notable research and development into a completely new product line, The Griffin Armament Superior Precision Rifle Modular Mounts.

Relatively featureless optics mounts have dominated the market space for nearly half a century. Contemporary mount design and technology dates back to the mid-1980s. This trend of industrywide complacency has officially ended with the announcement of this new product line from Griffin Armament.

Griffin’s SPRM™ mounts feature a unique patent-pending design that splits the rings on two parallel but offset planes, allowing for the integration of Accessory Interface Suite (AIS™) products on 5 mounting surfaces. This system affords mounting opportunities on both left and right sides, 45-degree mounting surfaces on either side, as well as the top mounting surface to be used for accessory interfaces. Griffin SPRM™ mounts deliver unsurpassed flexibility and utility to the discriminating user. Left-handed or right-handed shooters are equally supported with the SPRM™ mounts and accessories.

At the time of this launch, The Superior Precision Rifle Modular Mounts are available in multiple heights in 30MM, 34MM, and 35MM ring sizes. Models are available in both standard vertical (0 MOA cant) and cantilever orientations (15 MOA cant) . They are designed to support as many optic and firearm combinations as possible. From rimfire trainers to heavy gas guns, there is a Griffin SPRM™ model optimized to fit your rifle setup.

A heavy emphasis on anatomically correct positioning of optics was placed on AIS™ products, leading to the development of the RAPID TRANSITION OPTICS plates. RTO™ plates position secondary non-magnified optics on optical centerline relationship with the stock comb for comfortable, rapid, targeting with a simple roll of the host firearm. These plates currently support the following optic models: Aimpoint ACRO, T1/T2, H1/H2, Comp M5, Sig Romeo, Vortex Spark, Trijicon RMR , SRO, Holosun HE507C HS407C, HS508C, Leupold Deltapoint, J Point, Optima, Dr Optic, Meopta, Insight microdot, Burris Fastfire, Vortex Venom, and Viper, CMORE STS, RTS, STS2, and Vortex razor. Picatinny RTO™ plates are also offered. Flat mount AIS™ products support a myriad of optics as well as Wilcox RAPTAR, Simrad, and Picatinny (STANAG 4694 “NATO Accessory Rail”).

SPRM™ mounts are manufactured in the USA at Griffin’s Wisconsin manufacturing facility. Mounts are machined on state-of-the-art multi-axis CNC equipment from 6061 T6 aluminum. Manufacturing in-house provides Griffin Armament with the ability to control quality at levels rarely delivered by contract manufacturers. The geometries of Griffin SPRM™ mounts are machined to part datums probed on each part. Prior to machining, costly manufacturing time is dedicated to each part with Renishaw probe strategies coupled with Renishaw RTS set tool magazines. This ensures critical geometries are machined to positional accuracies of +-.0002”rather than depending on human loading accuracy in a much looser relationship to workholding based datums typically found in traditional optic mount industry manufacturing processes. By bringing aerospace industry segmented production engineering concepts and inspection equipment to optics mount manufacturing, Griffin Armament has successfully enhanced the state of optical mount quality. This persistent dedication to quality ensures that the theoretical mount quality and the actual production mount quality are inseparably linked for uncompromised, superior precision.

Griffin Armament’s unwavering drive and commitment toward the transformation the optic mount market segment will continue to serve as the catalyst for future product development. The SPRM™ mount platform was born from a passion for the pursuit of excellence in product development. The next generation of precision optic mount technology has arrived, Griffin Armament Superior Precision Rifle Modular Mounts.

SPRM™ Features:
• AIS™ (Accessory Interface Suite) allowing the user to mount accessories on 5 sides of the mount body
• RTO™ (Rapid Transition Optic) accessory support – ability to mount Rapid Transition Optic plates to the system for a 40° offset to the primary optic, maintaining identical optical centerline height
• Ambidextrous support
• Individually probed during the manufacturing process for peerless dimensional consistency
• Stanag 4694 Compliant attachment, for precise return to zero
• Utility patent pending to support future technology development in the electro-optics industry

SPRM™ Specs:
• Unibody construction
• 6061 T6 aluminum
• Type 3 milspec hardcoat anodizing
• 12 (qty), 8-40 T15 fasteners for ring clamping
• 4 (qty), 10-32 fiber lock patched T15 fasteners for rail clamping

For more information regarding Superior Precision Rifle Modular Mounts, Accessory Interface Suite products, or any of Griffin’s badass kit offerings, visit their website at www.GriffinArmament.com

Posted in Optics, Press Release, Weapon Accessories | 8 Comments »

GAO Sustains Leupold & Stevens GAO Protest On USSOCOM’s S-VPS Program

Thursday, October 31st, 2019

Bottom Line Up Front: The Government Accounting Officer has sustained Leupold & Stevens’ protest against the U.S. Department of the Navy Surface Warfare Center Crane Division’s recent contract modification for Miniature Aiming Systems-Day Squad-Variable Power Scopes (Second Focal Plane).

Leupold has “won” but they didn’t get anything tangible from the protest. Unlike many other protests, they won’t be awarded anything. It’s more a moral victory.

On the other hand, Crane won’t be able to pay SIG SAUER for changes to the optics they’ve directed.

Other than withdrawing the contract modification, Crane has not announced a course of action to correct the situation. Possible outcomes are to purchase the optics with a different reticle, a new solicitation, no procurement at all, a new solicitation being issued. Alternatively, SIG may decide you eat the cost of the government directed changes.

Background

In August, optics manufacturer Leupold & Stevens submitted a GAO protest of the U.S. Department of the Navy Surface Warfare Center Crane Division’s recent contract modification published on 18 July 2019, to the internal reticle under Solicitation No. N00164-18-R-JQ30 (“the Solicitation”) and Contract No. N00164-18-D-JQ30 (“the Contract”) for Miniature Aiming Systems-Day Squad-Variable Power Scopes (Second Focal Plane) to Sig Sauer, Inc. For this solicitation, Crane was working on behalf of United States Special Operations Command as their office of primary responsibility for lethality. SOF weapons and accessories as well as Visual Augmentation Systems are procured by Crane.

Leupold asserted that Crane improperly modified its contract with Sig Sauer and that the changes made to the contract were so substantial that the contract should be terminated and a new competition conducted for the modified requirements. The additional funding of the contract modification is so much when added to SIG’s winning bid that Leupold feels someone else would have been awarded the contract instead of SIG.

While the SIG Optics TANGO6T is at the heart of this action, it’s important to point out that the protest has nothing to do with performance. That hasn’t even been actually assessed yet as neither SIG nor Nightforce have delivered any production samples to the government. This is because USSOCOM decided to integrate a new reticle into S-VPS, the Tremor8.

When the program was created, a different reticle had initially been considered, but due to the adoption of 6.5 Creedmoor, SOCOM decided they wanted a bullet drop compensator reticle. Todd Hodnett had envisioned a new Tremor reticle and this was adopted, but in concept only. The reticle was sketched out on a napkin and included settings for 5.56 M855A1 as well as the new 6.5 CM round. Even when the optics had been selected and contracts awarded, the Tremor8 still did not exist. Just recently, months later, the reticle has finally been certified. Now that it has been certified, Nightforce and SIG can integrate the reticle into their scopes and deliver samples to the government for acceptance testing.

In fact, Nightforce has already provided first production samples and they’ve passed Destructive Testing at Crane. They’ve completed the New Equipment Training and Operational Testing earlier this month and should have the Fielding & Deployment Release by early November.

SIG’s winning submission to S-VPS (SFP) incorporated a proprietary wire reticle. While this was selected, SOCOM later decided they wanted an etched, illuminated Tremor8 reticle. Naturally, this increased cost and the government paying for the additional cost of the integration of the Tremor8 into the SIG TANGO6T is what Leupold protested.

Posted in Contracts, Optics, SOF | 26 Comments »

Integrated Visual Augmentation System Brings AI to Soldier Training

Tuesday, October 22nd, 2019

WASHINGTON — The Army is now testing virtual-reality goggles that will allow Soldiers to rehearse combat missions that they are about to undertake.

The Integrated Visual Augmentation System, known as IVAS, will be tested by 82nd Airborne Division troops next month at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The IVAS goggles will allow Soldiers to see simulated images superimposed over the actual terrain.

The Soldiers will wear the goggles and miniature computer equipment as they negotiate obstacle courses, run land navigation and conduct other missions, said officials from Program Executive Office Soldier.

Called Soldier Touchpoint 2, the test is designed to provide feedback to PEO Soldier so the IVAS heads-up display can be further enhanced before 200,000 of the headsets begin to be fielded in 2021.

IVAS has been touted by senior leaders as a “game-changer” for Soldier lethality and a quick win for the modernization priority.

The IVAS headsets are a good example of how artificial intelligence is being used to enhance Soldier lethality, said Brig. Gen. Matthew Easley, director of the Army’s AI Task Force.

Each pair of IVAS goggles has “significant amounts of high-tech sensors onboard and processors,” Easley said at a Warriors Corner presentation Monday afternoon during the Association of the U.S. Army Annual Meeting and Exposition.

Each IVAS headset has integrated AI chips built into the system, he said.

“Those chips are doing visual recognition,” he said. “They’re tracking a Soldier’s eye movements, they’re tracking a Soldier’s hand as it interfaces with the system, and they’re tracking a Soldier’s voice.”

The IVAS headset “uses a customized AI piece” to make it work, he said.

AI will be an enabler for all of the Army’s modernization programs over the next decade, Easley said.

“Each one of those systems need AI,” he said, from Future Vertical Lift to Long-Range Precision Fires to the Next Generation Combat Vehicle.

“AI, as you know, is becoming a pervasive part of our society,” he said.

“Every system that you can think of — from self-driverless cars to ride-sharing applications, to restaurant recommendation systems to healthcare systems — they span every area of our society.

“They need to span every battlefield system that we have,” as well, he said, from maneuver to fire control.

By Gary Sheftick, Army News Service

Posted in Digitization, Guest Post, Optics | Comments Off on Integrated Visual Augmentation System Brings AI to Soldier Training

Update: DSS Procures Over 3,600 BE Meyers & Co MAWL-DAs for Primary NIR Weapon Laser

Monday, October 21st, 2019

October 21, 2019 (Redmond, WA) – B.E. Meyers & Co., Inc. is proud to provide ongoing support to the United States Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and to announce that following selection of the MAWL®-DA as their primary NIR weapon-mounted aiming and illumination laser, over 3,600 MAWL®-DA units are currently under contract with deliveries in progress. The MAWL®-DA selected includes the EC2 End Cap, as well as the AA Battery Adapter for dual power options in support of global DSS requirements.

www.bemeyers.com

Posted in Advertiser, Optics, Press Release | Comments Off on Update: DSS Procures Over 3,600 BE Meyers & Co MAWL-DAs for Primary NIR Weapon Laser

Meprolight Showcases Line of Innovative Optics at 2019 NASGW

Friday, October 18th, 2019

Meprolight USA will exhibit at the 2019 NASGW Expo, Oct. 22 -25, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. On display will be their line of red-dot, thermal and self-illuminated sights for the civilian and professional market.

Middletown, Penn. (October 2019) –Meprolight®, a world leader in a variety of optic solutions from electro-optics sights, thermal sights and devices, self-illuminated sights, and innovative pistol sights, will be exhibiting at the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) Expo on Oct. 22 – 25, 2019 in Orlando, Florida, at booth #523.

Meprolight, a renowned supplier for militaries and law enforcement agencies around the globe, opened the US division early 2019 to facilitate a closer relationship with US distributors and retailers with a goal of reaching the US commercial market. Meprolight’s products offer the American consumer some of the latest innovations in electro-optic sight systems for handguns and long guns that are ready to take on any challenge, whether for target shooting, hunting or home defense.

All of Meprolight’s products offer energy-efficiency, large window displays, compact housing systems, easy-to-use controls, multiple reticle options, quick detach mechanisms and superior clarity and performance in any environmental condition.

Meprolight revolutionized the weapon sight industry with the MEPRO FORESIGHT, a first-of-its-kind augmented weapon sight capable of projecting essential tactical data right on the transparent optical lens in real-time. Utilizing Bluetooth interface to connect with the FORESIGHT’s mobile app for Android or iPhone, the user can store up to 10 zeroing firearms profiles or user profiles, so the sight can be removed and replaced without ever having to re-zero. It also has access to a large database of reticles for tactical scenarios and to receive firmware updates and new features, as they are released to market.

Additionally, Meprolight will have the MEPRO RDS PRO V.2 on hand, as well as the MEPRO MicroRDS. Both electro-optical red-dot sights are the latest generation with the RDS PRO V.2 featuring an optimized combination, more brightness positions (16 brightness levels compare to four brightness levels in its predecessor), and supports both red and green aiming patterns and multiple selections of aiming patterns all through a large crystal clear, transparent display window.

The MicroRDS is a small, rugged, energy efficient, electro-optical red dot sight designed for handguns, shotguns, and rifles with a large display window and a clearly defined red-dot for fast target acquisition with both eyes open. The MicroRDS Kit includes a patent-pending dovetail adapter with a quick detach mechanism that allows mounting and dismounting the MicroRDS on the gun with a click of a finger. The adapter includes high-quality Meprolight Night Sights that allow accurate and fast shooting under any lighting conditions when the MicroRDS Optic is removed.

Meprolight’s self-illuminated sight offerings include the FT Bullseye, similar to an optical sight, but in a small, low profile with an aim point in the form of an illuminated dot and circle bullseye.

The MEPRO MX3 T, the new magnifying scope with an integrated side flip adaptor and 3X magnification is designed for the distance shooter. Also, new is the MEPRO FT Single Dot and FT Two Dot, fiber-tritium optimized for day and night brightness on a super compact, low-profile platform.

Meprolight’s array of sight options for civilian, law enforcement and military are all designed to meet the high standards of military use; therefore, customers can count on Meprolight products as exceeding traditional standards of durability, reliability, clarity and consistent performance.

The National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) was founded in 1953 to bring together shooting sports buyers and sellers through their membership and annual expo event. The NASGW provides education, marketing, and communication opportunities for its hunting and shooting sports wholesalers, manufacturers, and sales professional members.

Stay current with Meprolight USA at www.meprolight.com.

Posted in Optics, Press Release | 1 Comment »

AUSA 19 – MOOG’s Reconfigurable Integrated Weapons Platforms Features PASEO Sight by SAFRAN Optics 1

Thursday, October 17th, 2019

Weapon integrator MOOG has incorporated the SAFRAN Optics 1 PASEO Modular Advanced Stabilized Sight on their Reconfigurable Integrated – Weapons Platform.

RIwP is a remote turret which can be configured in multiple ways including for multiple missiles, direct fire weapons and sight combinations. All direct fire weapons feature reload under armor for increased crew protection.

RIwP is currently being offered as an upgrade to the US Army’s Stryker as well for the SHort Range Air Defense system.

PASEO incorporates day color HDTV cameras, cooled thermal imager, and eye-safe laser rangefinder. The day cameras allow continuous, motionless zoom. Images are always stabilized, even while on the move. The system provides panoramic scan mode for 360 deg coverage and when connected to an Inertial Navigation System, threat geo-location. It can also be armored for increased survivability.

Dual PASEO systems are currently deployed on the Cockerill 3000 series vehicle. One is used by the vehicle commander and the second by the gunner to allow independent Target acquisition and overall situational awareness.

Posted in Advertiser, AUSA, Optics, weapons | Comments Off on AUSA 19 – MOOG’s Reconfigurable Integrated Weapons Platforms Features PASEO Sight by SAFRAN Optics 1

BE Meyers & Co MAWL-X1 Added to USAF Small Arms & Light Weapons Accessories List

Monday, October 14th, 2019

October 14, 2019 (Redmond, WA) – The B.E. Meyers & Co. MAWL®-X1 high-power infrared aiming and illumination laser has been added to the United States Air Force Small Arms and Light Weapons Accessories list. It is now available to Combat Airmen organizations including Special Tactics, Combat Control Teams, Tactical Air Control Party, Combat Rescue, Special Reconnaissance, and Combat Weather Squadrons. 703 MAWL®-X1 units have been procured by the USAF, in addition to those fielded by other U.S. Armed Forces to date.

The MAWL®-X1 will be on exhibit at the 2019 AUSA Annual Meeting (B.E. Meyers & Co. booth #3825) on October 14-16, in Washington D.C.

ABOUT THE MAWL®-X1

Designed for use on individual and crew-served weapons, the MAWL®-X1 is the Department of Defense specific variant of B.E. Meyers & Company’s highly successful Modular Advanced Weapon Laser line. A truly modular system, the MAWL®-X1 is comprised of three interchangeable components (Head, Body, and End-Cap) that can be configured for right or left handed shooters, and individually replaced, or upgraded for increased versatility.

The MAWL®-X1 leverages VCSEL technology to produce unmistakably superior beam quality and clarity. Beams are stacked and balanced, providing increased situational awareness, and the ability to overcome photonic barriers created by external light sources. Preset divergence and power outputs allow the shooter to quickly switch between Short Range (CQB), Mid-Range, and Long Range pointing and illumination settings in under a second.

Modular, dependable, and deadly, the MAWL®-X1 provides unparalleled performance for the modern night fighter.

Posted in Advertiser, Optics, Press Release | Comments Off on BE Meyers & Co MAWL-X1 Added to USAF Small Arms & Light Weapons Accessories List

Brownells 4X Retro Optic Now In-Stock and Shipping

Friday, October 11th, 2019

GRINNELL, Iowa (October 8, 2019) – The Brownells Retro 4X Carry Handle Optic – designed with fans of the Brownells Retro Rifles in mind – is now in-stock and shipping to customers.

Announced during the 2019 SHOT Show, the Retro 4X Carry Handle Optic closely replicates the look and performance of the original Colt scope made for early models of AR-15-style rifles and carbines.

Manufactured with high-quality Japanese glass to the original factory specifications, it comes with the correct mounting clamp, and as an added touch, the correct inspection sticker on its underside.

Listed as #080-001-373 and retailing for $299.99 at Brownells.com, the Retro 4X Carry Handle Optic fits Brownells Retro Rifles chambered in 5.56 with a mounting hole in the carry handle.

It will not fit on .308 Retro Rifles such as the BRN-10A or BRN-10B, or the 5.56 Brownells Proto rifle, none of which have the required mounting hole in the carry handle.

The Retro 4X Carry Handle Optic quickly and easily attaches to the AR-style carry handle as found on the BRN-16A1, XBRN-177, BRN-601 and similar rifles.

Calibrated for the trajectory of modern 5.56 ammunition, it has elevation adjustments marked in 100-yard increments out to 500 yards.

To see the Brownells Retro 4X Carry Handle Optic, visit www.Brownells.com.

Posted in Black Rifle, Optics, Press Release | 11 Comments »