In this video, Ivan of Kit Badger shows how with a bit of time, and hand tools, one can modify the stock M4 pistol grip into something a bit more ergonomic and comfortable.
kitbadger.com/hacking-your-standard-m-4-pistol-grip
Archive for the ‘weapons’ Category
Kit Badger – How To Hack A Standard M4 Pistol Grip
Saturday, October 14th, 2017SPARTANAT – German KSK Adopts HK416A7
Friday, October 13th, 2017SPARTANAT: This is the new rifle of German Special Forces
On October 10, the Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr (Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology of the German Armed Forces) ordered Heckler & Koch from Oberndorf to supply 1,745 H&K 416 A7 weapons and accessories.
The Bundeswehr designation is expected to be G95 (G is Gewehr which is German for Rifle). It is a gas piston rifle in the caliber 5.56 mm x 45 NATO. The weapon has a weight of 3.690 kg and a barrel length of 14.5″. The G95 is to be the new standard gun of the KSK ( Kommando Spezialkräfte) and the special forces command of the Navy (KSM) and is expected to be delivered to the force beginning January 2019. Technical testing at the military service center 91 as well as tactical testing by the special forces starts in November 2017. This German Special Forces adoption is of a newer edition of the HK416 than that which in use with US and UK SOF. It will be very interesting to see which laser boxes and optics will be chosen for the new Sturmgewehr Spezialkräfte.
Larry Vickers noted that the A7 model is the first variant of the HK416 with a 45 Deg throw lever safety. Interestingly, this feature is also on the HK433.
Heckler & Koch on the Internet: www.heckler-koch.com
SPARTANAT: www.spartanat.com
New DHS Sidearm SIG SAUER’s P320C Currently In FAT
Thursday, October 12th, 2017Although the Department of Homeland Security selected the compact variant of the SIG P320 early this year, it was kept quiet.
Initially, there was the matter of a Government Accounting Office protest to wait on. That cleared up fairly quickly, but still the Department has kept mum on the subject despite an announcement via InSight, their internal news system. This screenshot originated on pistol-forum.com.
Currently, the P320C is in First Article Testing, a process which ensures production models will meet the same government requirements as the prototypes did during the solicitation.
This is the pistol they selected, as seen at AUSA.
Of the commercial P320 line, the DHS pistol is closest to the closest to the X Carry. Additionally, each fielded firearm comes with eight magazines, a cleaning kit, parts to support use out to 10K rounds, HD sights, training, manuals and cable lock, as per the contract.
www.sigsauer.com/products/firearms/pistols/p320
AUSA 17 – First Display Of HK 433 In US
Thursday, October 12th, 2017Developed to compete in the German Army’s replacement for the G36, AUSA 2017 was the first time Heckler & Koch has publicly displayed the HK 433 here in the US.
The 5.56mm HK433 shares attributes from both the G36 and HK416 like. In fact, it was designed as a less expansive option after the German government rejected the HK416 as too expensive for adoption as a G36 replacement.
H&K also believes that it’s ergonomics make it an easy transition for current M16 family users to the AR18’s piston design. Lower receivers are available with ambidextrous G36 (paddle mag release) or HK416 controls. Additionally, the safety is a 45 Deg throw. The ergonomic pistol grip has optional back straps and side panels.
The monolithic upper receiver features STANAG 4694 profile at 12 o’clock position as well as Picatinny rail (MIL-STD 1913) on 6 o’clock position. Additionally, there’s a maintenance-free round counter integrated into the receiver which requires no power supply and can be queried via RFID.
One interesting feature is the non-reciprocating charging handle. Not only can it be revered from left to right side by the user, it can also be used as a forward assist.
The slim line foreend features HKeyMod but when queried about standard KeyMod or M-Lok, H&K personnel answered that they would offer whichever system a client specified.
Here you can see the front and rear back up sights.
This is both sides of the 5-position folding stock, as well as it fully extended. The stock also features adjustable comb.
Here, you can see the rear of the receiver with the stock folded. The rifle can be fired in this configuration.
Although they didn’t display an example, the HK433 is also available in Flat Dark Earth and RAL8000.
Barrels can be swapped by the user and are available in 11″, 12.5″, 14.5″, 16.5″, 18.9″ and 20″. Weight and length with a 11″ barrel is 7.6 lbs and 32.2″ extended /22.7″ folded, while it’s 8.5 lbs and 41.7″ extended / 31.1″ folded with a 20″ barrel. Additionally, the gas port can be adjusted without tools for use with suppressors. The muzzle thread is M15x1.
So far, there are no plans to sell the HK433 commercially, while they concentrate on the Bundeswehr’s requirement. However, generally, H&K releases their guns to the commercial market in Germany first, so we’ll keep an eye on what happens at next Spring’s IWA.
AUSA – KAC 7.62 Assault Machine Gun
Tuesday, October 10th, 2017
At AUSA, Knight’s Armament Co displayed an example of their 7.62mm NATO Assault Machine Gun. Basically, it’s a big brother to the 5.56mm variant we recently featured. Since they are finalizing production of the 5.56mm gun, they wanted to start development of the 7.62mm version in order to provide as much part commonality as possible between the weapons.
It weighs in at 12.5 lbs, features a hard Picatinny Rail on the Receiver and can be fired without the removable stock.
AUSA 17 – FN SCAR Modularity
Tuesday, October 10th, 2017FN America breaks down SCAR modularity in this single graphic, which also serves as the backdrop to their AUSA booth.
Notice the caliber options along the bottom: 5.56mm, 7.62mm, 6.5mm CREEDMOOR, and .260 Remington.
AUSA 17 – H&K Exhibits M110A1 CSASS
Monday, October 9th, 2017
Heckler & Koch exhibited a production correct sample, based on the latest configuration of the M110A1, Compact Semi Auto Sniper System. Earlier examples on display used different parts.
Based on the G28 (417) weapon is in Flat Dark Earth color and includes a Geissele slimline M-LOK handguard, Ambi Controls, Geissele two-stage Trigger, Harris Bipod, G28 Stock and Pistol Grip, and a Barrel with 1:8 Twist. Additionally, it is equipped with a 3-20×50 PMII Ultra Short Schmidt & Bender with a modified reticle and an OSS Suppressor.
US Army’s PEO Soldier, BG Cummings, Speaks Out On 7.62mm Rifle Efforts
Sunday, October 8th, 2017
In an October 3rd Army News Service article, BG Brian Cummings, who serves as Program Executive Officer Soldier, discusses the Army’s on-again-off-again efforts to identify and field a 7.62 rifle capability.
Reading the extract below, it seems that wires have been crossed somewhere. BG Cummings makes it sound like the Interim Combat Service Rifle effort is still underway. However, we, and others, reported several weeks ago it had been cancelled. Additionally, Deputy Director of the Lethality Branch at the Army’s Maneuver Center of Excellence Matt Walker (CSM, Ret), verified just last week, that they have ceased work on what he now describes as an “evaluation” despite it being issued as a solicitation.
As we posted on September 22nd, the M110A1 Compact Semi Auto Sniper System is still underway, although unfunded, and the directed requirement to field a Squad Designated Marksman variant of the H&K G28, also remains underway.
Without the ~50,000 ICSRs which would have been fielded, the Army will have to rely on the limited number of CSASS/SDMR procured in order to deal with the body armor threat Chief of Staff of the Army, GEN Mark Milley testified about in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee, earlier this year.
Below is the pertinent section of that Army News Service article.
STILL ON TARGET FOR NEW RIFLE
Despite some reports to the contrary, the Army is still looking for a new rifle that uses a 7.62mm cartridge.
“The chief [U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley] wanted an interim combat rifle, or he was only going to fulfill a requirement to have a squad-designated marksman in each squad, called a squad-designated marksman rifle,” Cummings said. “So, there are two efforts going on to get a 7.62 inside the squad.”
What are those two efforts? Cummings said that course of action No. 1 is to have one Soldier in a squad carrying the Squad-Designated Marksman Rifle, or SDMR. Course of action No. 2, he said, is to have multiple Soldiers in a squad with the Interim Combat Service Rifle, or ICSR. Both are 7.62mm weapons.
The SDMR is already a program of record for the Army, Cummings said, and there is a weapon already identified to fill that role: the M110A1 Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System, or CSASS. That weapon is undergoing testing now, Cumming said.
But the ICSR and the SDMR do not represent the future for what weapons will be issued to most Soldiers.
“Right now, many are focused on the ICSR or SDMR,” Cummings said. “But that’s not the long-term way ahead. The long-term way ahead is a brand new rifle for all of the Department of Defense called the Next Generation Squad Weapon.”
The Next Generation Squad Weapon, or NGSW, is actually two weapons, he said. It will include one rifle to replace the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, and then a carbine that replaces the M4. Both the M249 and the M4 use the 5.56mm cartridge. The NGSW will likely use a different caliber cartridge than 5.56mm.
“For the next-generation, we wanted to make one end-all solution,” Cummings said. “With the M4, when you look at it, it’s got all these things hanging on top of it. We keep evolving by putting on things. The next-generation is going to be kind of like what we did with the pistol, with the modular handgun system. It’ll be one complete system, with weapon, magazine, ammo and fire control on it and we will cut down on the load and integration issues associated with it.”
The general said the U.S. Marine Corps is “on board” with development of the NGSW, and the British are interested as well.
Cummings said the Army can expect to start seeing the Next Generation Squad Weapon by 2022, in about five years. That will include the weapon, magazine and bullet. Later, by 2025, he said, Soldiers can expect to see a fully-developed fire-control system.
Until then, Cummings said, the Army is working on an interim solution to get a larger-caliber rifle into the hands of at least some Soldiers. It’ll either be the SDMR in the hands of one Soldier, or the ICSR in the hands of some Soldiers. But, he said, “the final decision has not been made.”
