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Archive for the ‘weapons’ Category

SIG SAUER Custom Works Expands Equinox Elite Finish to Popular Classic Line Pistols

Thursday, January 6th, 2022

NEWINGTON, N.H., (January 6, 2022) – SIG SAUER is pleased to announce the expansion of the Equinox Elite Series for the P220, P226, and P229 Classic Line pistols. 

“For this latest release from SIG Custom Works, we have combined one of our most popular finishes with our most popular Classic Line pistols; the two-tone Equinox treatment offers a new level of customization to these SIG favorites,” said Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, Commercial Sales, SIG SAUER, Inc.  “This is a limited-run release from SIG Custom works and based on the popularity of both the Equinox finishes and these Classic Line series of pistols, we are excited to officially begin our 2022 product year with this release.”

The SIG Custom Works Equinox Elite treatment for the P220, P226, and P229 pistols features a black anodized alloy frame with black G10 grips, a two-tone Equinox polished slide with X-RAY 3 Day/Night Sights, and nickel-plated controls.  SIG Custom Works pistol ships with (3) steel magazines and comes with a Limited-Edition SIG Custom Works case, coin, and certificate of authenticity.

P220 Equinox Elite:
Caliber: .45ACP
Overall length: 7.7 inches
Overall height: 5.5 inches
Overall width: 1.3 inches
Barrel length: 4.4 inches
Sight Radius: 6.3inches
Weight (w/magazine): 30.4 oz.

P226 Equinox Elite:
Caliber: 9mm
Overall length: 7.7 inches
Overall height: 5.5 inches
Overall width: 1.5 inches
Barrel length: 4.4 inches
Sight Radius: 6.3inches
Weight (w/magazine): 34 oz.

P229 Equinox Elite:
Caliber: 9mm
Overall length: 7.4 inches
Overall height: 5.4 inches
Overall width: 1.5 inches
Barrel length: 3.9 inches
Sight Radius: 5.7inches
Weight (w/magazine): 30.1 oz.

The SIG Custom Works Equinox Elie Series pistols are now shipping and available at retailers; to learn more visit sigsauer.com.

MISINFORMATION: M17 Grip Module Replacement by Soldiers

Thursday, January 6th, 2022

BLUF: End user Soldiers ARE authorized to separate the receiver from the grip module.

Some folks read the -10 TM and conclude that Soldiers aren’t allowed to do this. Here’s what TM 9-1005-470-10, MHS Operator Manual says right up front in Work Package 16:

“Army only: To prevent damage to equipment, procedures in this work package should be performed by unit armorer.”

Contrast this with the Air Force guidance, which follows the above:

“Air Force only: Changing of the grip module will only be accomplished by Combat Arms qualified personnel with AFSC 3P0XXB, SEI 312, or properly qualified Civilian Equivalent Personnel.”

The source of this confusion is a general misunderstanding of key words and what they mean. Notice that the Army note uses “should,” and the Air Force note uses “will.”

Here’s the breakdown, and this applies to all Army official publications*:

“May” = Optional; acceptable means of accomplishment

“Should” = Optional; preferred method of accomplishment

“Will,” “must,” & “shall” = Non-optional; mandatory requirement

Also, the -10 Operator Manual provides 10-level operation and maintenance “with you, the user, in mind.” [from -10 TM “How to Use This Manual,” page v.] If it’s in the -10, you, the Soldier, are permitted to perform all procedures included in the TM…it’s a 10-level function, after all.

So, the bottom line is….

In the Army it’s recommended that unit armorers remove the receiver from the grip module, but not a requirement.

Meanwhile, in the Air Force the Combat Arms folks are the only ones authorized to do the same.

*Some, but not all, doctrinal references provide these definitions within the publication.

By SSG Ian Tashima, CAARNG Asst State Marksmanship Coordinator

ADS x SIG SAUER Range Day at Freedom Shooting Center

Tuesday, January 4th, 2022

Join ADS for the SIG SAUER Range Demo on Thursday, January 6th at Freedom Shooting Center in Virginia Beach, VA from 1100 to 1600.

The one-day event includes five different time blocks of shooting to choose from: 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400 and 1500. Each time block begins with a mandatory classroom product overview and ends in the range. Safety equipment will be available and all equipment will be sanitized between each use.

Qualified attendees include active duty military, law enforcement, first responders, and federal, state and local agencies. To register your range slot and for more information about the event, please contact your ADS Representative.

M17 Rear Sight Installation – Updated Procedure & Torque Spec

Monday, December 27th, 2021

On 13 December 2021, instructions were made publicly available by TACOM on the PS Magazine website for M17 Rear Sight Installation. This is for maintainers.

END USER SOLDIERS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO PERFORM THIS PROCEDURE.

1. Insert the loaded chamber indicator spring and loaded chamber indicator into the slide.

2. Inspect the rear sight screw, NSN 1005-01-665-4524 (PN 13067025), to see if there’s a red Nylok® patch on the first 4 threads of the screw.

Note: Perform steps 3 and 4 for screws with a Nylok® patch.

3. Thoroughly clean the screw and rear sight threads to clear away excess Nylok® or Loctite®.

4. Apply one drop of Loctite 243, NSN 8030-01-620-3313, to the interior threads of the rear sight.

Note: Perform step 5 for one-piece rear sight installation.

5. Install the rear sight plate assembly onto the slide.

Note: Perform step 6 for two-piece rear sight installation.

6. Install the rear sight plate and rear sight onto the slide.

7. Install the screw into the rear sight. Tighten the screw to 21 in-lb.

8. Back the screw out until it is loose but not completely out.

9. Tighten the screw to 34 in-lb.

10. Check the rear sight plate and rear sight to ensure they are not loose. The use of sealing compound, Loctite 243, allows reuse of the rear sight screw. The rear sight screw will no longer be a mandatory replacement part (MRP).

PS Magazine article (no credentials required – open source):

www.psmagazine.army.mil/News/Article/2871712/m17m18-pistol-new-rear-sight-installation-instructions

TACOM Message (credentials required):

tulsa.tacom.army.mil/Maintenance

– SSG Ian Tashima, CA Asst State Marksmanship Coordinator

Rapid Dragon’s First Live Fire Test of a Palletized Weapon System Deployed from a Cargo Aircraft Destroys Target

Friday, December 17th, 2021

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA (AFRL) – The Air Force Rapid Dragon Program, a fast-paced experimentation campaign led by the Air Force Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation (SDPE) office, successfully completed its final flight test December 16 at the Eglin AFB Overwater Test Range.

The flight test capstoned a 2-year series and culminated in a live fire of a current inventory cruise missile armed with a live warhead. Rapid Dragon demonstrates the ability to employ weapons using standard airdrop procedures from cargo aircraft using the Rapid Dragon Palletized Weapon System.

The program name is derived from a thousand-year-old Chinese military designed crossbow catapult that launched multiple crossbow bolts with the pull of a single trigger, raining destruction down on armies from tremendous ranges. These lethal devices were called Ji Long Che—Rapid Dragon Carts. Today, the Rapid Dragon concept is changing the game again, this time as an airborne delivery system for U.S. Air Force weapons. And like its namesake, these palletized munitions promise to unleash mighty salvos en masse on distant adversaries.

During the December test, an MC-130J flown by an Air Force Special Operations Command operational flight crew, received new targeting data while in flight which was then routed to the cruise missile flight test vehicle (FTV). The aircraft agnostic Battle Management System’s inflight receipt and upload of the new targeting data into the FTV was a first-time achievement with a live cruise missile.

Once inside the drop zone over the Gulf of Mexico, the MC-130J aircrew airdropped a four-cell Rapid Dragon deployment system containing the FTV and three mass simulants, which were sequentially released from the palletized deployment box while under parachute. Safe separation from the deployment box and weapon deconfliction was demonstrated using an unconventional deployment method (nose-down vertical orientation). Immediately after the vertical release, the FTV deployed its wings and tail, achieved aerodynamic control, ignited its engine, performed a powered pull-up maneuver, and proceeded toward its newly assigned target. The cruise missile successfully destroyed its target upon impact.

The next step for the Rapid Dragon Program will be a live-fire test with a cruise missile from a C-17 in Spring 2022, demonstrating the aircraft agnostic capabilities of the Palletized Weapon System. Of note, the new retargeting methodology developed by the Rapid Dragon team is designed to be transferrable to other strike and cargo platforms, potentially increasing the lethality of those aircraft. Lastly, a follow-on program will look at expanding the Rapid Dragon carriage portfolio to include additional weapon systems and multiple effects capabilities, as well as continuing the maturation of the system, taking it from a developmental prototype to an operational prototype over the next two years.

“This type of experimentation campaign, that address capability gaps and demonstrates transformative efforts, helps us shape future requirements and reduces timeline to fielding,” said Maj. Gen. Heather Pringle, Air Force Research Laboratory commander, adding “This approach ultimately enables a rapid fielding alternative to traditional lengthy acquisition timelines.”

In addition to SDPE and AFSOC, demonstration participants included the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Dahlgren; Standoff Munitions Application Center; Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control; Systima Technologies; Safran Electronics & Defense, Parachutes USA, and R4 Integration, Inc.

Agility and collaboration enabled this government/industry team to go from a design to a system level flight test in 10 months, followed by a live fire five months later. During those last five months, Rapid Dragon has conducted five system level flight tests using three different aircraft (MC-130J, EC-130SJ, and C-17A).

“Rapid Dragon is a prime example of a government/industry partnership that embraces this acceleration mindset, building a community of subject matter experts and executing an aggressive, but well-thought-out, experimentation campaign,” said Dr. Dean Evans, SDPE’s Rapid Dragon Program Manager.  This sentiment was echoed by Aaron Klosterman, SDPE’s Experimentation & Prototyping Division Chief when he said, “This accomplishment is a testament to what an agile U.S. Air Force and industry team can do when it is empowered to do business differently.”

The successful Rapid Dragon experiments pave the way for U.S. and allied mobility platforms to dramatically increase fires available for a combatant commander to place more adversary targets at risk. 

“Rapid Dragon was able to accelerate development by building a broad and strong team.  We were committed to a ’test often/learn-fast’ culture, dedicated to experimenting frequently and taking calculated risks. In addition to the MAJCOMs and Air Staff, the Rapid Dragon team included the Developmental Test (DT) and Operational Test (OT) communities, the aircraft and weapons Program Offices, and the mission planners. This collaboration from the onset streamlined the process and accelerated development, involving groups from the program inception that are not normally included at the very early stages, and that has made all the difference,” Evans added.

By Air Force Research Laboratory Public Affairs

Black Collar Arms SBD

Monday, December 13th, 2021

Austin, TX (December, 2021) — The culmination of extensive testing and development, Black Collar Arms is thrilled to announce the launch of our SBD line of integrally suppressed firearms. In partnership with AB Suppressor we have created a compact, lightweight, accurate, and highly capable system that is among the quietest centerfire rifle caliber setups ever made.

Black Collar Arms currently builds SBDs in three flavors: Rifle, Modular Integral Pistol, and Modular SBR.

Rifle: 16.25-inch legal length with permanent, all-titanium, integral suppressor made by AB Suppressor (one-stamp gun). Available in our Pork Sword Chassis with folding Stock Option and SD Handguard (~6 lbs 13 oz) or in a custom-inletted Grayboe Ridgeback stock with Grayboe DBM (~8 lbs 6 oz). The SBD rifle is an insanely quiet gun that’s fully suppressed within the length of a standard, 16-inch rifle, and it’s only 27 inches long with its Stock Option folded! Chambered in 300 Blackout, .308 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, or 375 Raptor.

Modular Integral Pistol: Available only in 300 Blackout. A 6.5-inch 1:5 twist barrel in our Pork Sword Chassis, ready to accept the Picatinny rail-compatible pistol brace of your choosing (or file a Form 1 to SBR it and pick up a Stock Option after approval). Removable AB Suppressor Raptor 7.62 silencer with 5-inch reflex mount and 5/8×24? flush mount, available with either 6 baffles or 8 baffles. This is a one-stamp gun (standard transfer on the pistol, one Form 4 for the silencer). In a 5.0-pound package, the SBD Modular Integral Pistol provides all the badass looks and much of the sound suppression performance of an integrally suppressed firearm, but the silencer is removable! Now you can have your integral cake but use it on other firearms as well.

Modular SBR: Just like the Modular Integral Pistol, but it ships from Black Collar as a factory SBR with our folding Stock Option already mounted. This is a two-stamp gun (one Form 4 for the SBR, one for the silencer). 

SBDs are custom built to order on Black Collar Arms’ Pork Sword Custom Actions (a version of the fantastic Bighorn Origin) with uniquely purpose-built, match-grade barrels. While integrally suppressed firearms have historically earned a reputation for excessive weight and poor accuracy, neither is the case with the SBD. In fact, we have achieved the same length, weight, and accuracy of a high quality, unsuppressed 16-inch rifle all with some of the most effective sound suppression in the world built right in.

For more information, technical specifications, and photos/videos, or to configure your own SBD, visit Black Collar Arms HERE.

Note to customers and potential customers who have been keeping an eye on us, waiting patiently for our Pork Sword Chassis and Stock Options to return to in-stock status: 2021 has been a whirlwind, and as we complete the move into a new facility we’re quickly getting caught up thanks, in part, to increased production capacity coming online. We will satisfy any backorders and wait-list customers first, and this process is built into the custom-made SBD lead time stated on our site. In early 2022 we will be expanding our customer service team to better serve our customers via email and phone. Black Collar originally earned a stellar reputation for thorough responsiveness only to screw that up over the last year amid incredible supply chain complications and general “growing pains.” We’re fixing this and we thank all of our amazing customers for their patience of late.

Interactive Guide on Small Arms and Light Weapons

Friday, December 3rd, 2021

SSD reader JP shared this link with us and it’s a great resource. The Interactive Guide on Small Arms and Light Weapons is an open source database based in Germany, that provides information on the global distribution of, and how to identify commonly used small arms and light weapons (SALW).

MasterPiece Arms Adds the DS9 Commander to its Line of World-Class DS Pistols

Sunday, November 21st, 2021

Comer, Ga. (November 2021) – MasterPiece Arms (MPA), manufacturer of precision Pistol, BA Rifles and Chassis Systems, announces today it has added the MPA DS9 Commander to its wide-body, double-stack 1911 pistol line. This everyday carry pistol provides incredible accuracy and reliability, and comes with MPA’s lifetime warranty.

All parts of the 9mm DS9 Commander Pistol are machined in the USA from Barstock and Billet and include no MIM, castings, or forgings. The components machined by MPA include the classic length light rail frame, TriTop slide, 4.25” MPA 416R stainless bull barrel, stainless steel beavertail/grip safety, stainless steel ambidextrous safety, stainless steel slide stop, firing pin stop, ejector, carry magwell, and 7075 black anodized aluminum grip.

The DS9 Commander Pistol also includes a Koenig hammer, sear, and disconnect, Wolff Springs, custom machined aluminum trigger shoe, a true one-piece stainless guide rod, and a 3.5 lb. trigger pull. . The FGW-style slide serrations with stepped inset create additional gripping texture. Each pistol is hand-built, including hand lapping the frame to slide fit, and comes in a custom MPA single pistol case with two 126mm MBX magazines.

Please allow approximately six – 10 weeks for delivery from the time of order. MSRP is $2,999.99.

For any custom builds, colors, race guns, or other inquiries, please contact phil@masterpiecearms.com. For more information on MasterPiece Arms and their product line of pistols, rifles, chassis systems, and accessories, visit www.masterpiecearms.com.