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Archive for the ‘weapons’ Category

The Luminae Running Rifle

Thursday, February 11th, 2021

I once worked for a guy at Fort Bragg who wanted everyone in our Det to buy a 4×4 fence post and attach a sling to it for road marches and local training. Although we had perfectly good rifles in the arms room we could check out any time we needed them, he always failed to plan and would pull stuff out of his ass rather than create a training schedule.

Had it been available at the time, the Luminae Running Rifle would have been much preferable to walking around with a big chunk of wood.

These days, it makes even more sense due to the sensitivities over open carry, even on military installations.

The Luminae Running Rifle is a military training aid that simulates carrying a rifle but can be used in public places and does not need signed in and out of an armoury. Perfect for training or keeping fit.

The only drawback for American users is that it’s based on a bullpup, the British issue L85, but it makes sense as Luminae Designs is a British company.

SIG SAUER Statement on CANSOFCOM Incident

Friday, February 5th, 2021

Yesterday, a Canadian news outlet, CBC News, published a story regarding the unintended discharge last year of a SIG P320 by a Canadian Special Operator, resulting in injury and his unit withdrawing the pistol from service. After the accident the unit returned to using the SIG P226 they had planned to replace with the P320.

Unfortunately, the story is not well researched. For example, they edited it after publication, removing an inaccurate description of how the pistol operates. Rather than critique it all here, we leave it up to you to read it.

However, we will point out that the story alleges that the pistols in question do not feature the drop safety upgrades found in the US Military Modular Handgun System M17/18 and current production P320s. Considering they were procured from SIG after the changes were made to the design, this is false and severely undermines the narrative offered up in the article.

While the story was shared in various corners of the web and social media, it didn’t gain near the traction that we had expected. Reactions ranged from confirmation bias from those who don’t like 320s and just read the headline and not the full story; to others who brushed the issue off as a Negligent Discharge; to those who questioned the timing of the story as a hit piece placed by SIG’s competitors.

The last factor is worth examining, considering that the Canadian Department of National Defence is poised to release a tender for a replacement for their long-serving Browning Hi-powers, a firearm which should have been replaced years ago.

In a similar fashion to US “Buy America” directives, the Canadian government requires “Canadian Content.” For small arms, this means Colt Canada, a company which doesn’t manufacture modern, polymer, striker fired pistols.

In 2011, DND tested the waters, surveying industry’s willingness to sell their pistol Technical Data Packages to the Canadian government so that Colt Canada could be involved in the procurement. As you can imagine, the notion fell flat. Almost a decade has gone by and they’ve finally refined their requirement, deciding to open it to international contenders. Word is, they also homed in on a modular design inspired by MHS, with different frame and barrel sizes along with a common trigger mechanism. If true, this gives SIG a serious leg up on the competition.

But back to the firearm. Apparently, the pistol and holster made it to SIG where they attempted to replicate the malfunction. They couldn’t. What they did find odd was that the P320 was paired with a P226 holster which had modified, possibly with a Dremel tool, and heated and reformed. The fit is reportedly, far from optimal.

Naturally, the Canadian government is reticent to address the entire issue, considering the sensitivity of the unit in question. Since it made the papers and a point was made in the story to politicize the weapons purchase (it is categorized under politics for good measure), the Minister of Defence was assuredly briefed.

Absent an official statement from DND, we can only imagine how this affair might affect the upcoming pistol tender. Only time will tell.

However, we do have SIG SAUER’s statement on the matter:

NEWINGTON, N.H., (February 5, 2021) – SIG SAUER is working with Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) to resolve an incident involving the unintended discharge of a P320. An inaccurate and incomplete report of this incident was recently published in the Canadian media that called into question the safety of the P320. While this incident occurred months ago, this erroneous media report is driven by multiple sources, including our competitors, and coincides with the imminent release of other Canadian military and law enforcement tenders, indicating the timing of its release is an attempt to improperly influence the procurements.

The firearm involved has been extensively tested by SIG SAUER and it has been determined to be safe. The investigation revealed the use of an incorrect holster not designed for a P320. The use of a modified P226 holster created an unsafe condition by allowing a foreign object to enter the holster, causing the unintended discharge.

The SIG SAUER P320 is among the most rigorously vetted pistols in the market. The P320 meets and exceeds all US safety standards and global military and law enforcement protocols, including the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and Department of Justice (DOJ). The P320 is one of the most innovative and sought-after pistols in the firearms market, and the pistol of choice for all branches of the United States Military (M17/M18), along with numerous law enforcement agencies and other military units worldwide.

What caused the malfunction? That’s still up in the air, but the actual pistol doesn’t seem to be the culprit. That leaves poor holster choice or operator error. Regardless, the article served its purpose, to disrupt pistol procurements. If not for DND, at least for LE Agencies in Canada.

– Eric Graves
Editor

Arnold Defense Teams with MSI Defense Solutions as an Integration Partner to Deliver FLETCHER

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021

Arnold Defense, the St. Louis based manufacturer of 2.75-inch rocket launchers, has teamed with MSI Defense Solutions®, the North Carolina based specialist defense company to deliver integration solutions for Arnold’s unique FLETCHER land based, laser guided rocket launcher system. The FLETCHER precision guided 2.75-inch/70mm weapon system was first unveiled in 2017 at DSEi in London with several recent contracts being announced in October 2020.

Utilizing MSI Defense Solutions Vehicle Integration Kit (VIK) to mount the FLETCHER 2.75” launcher and firing APKWS® laser-guided rockets, the system has demonstrated exceptional performance. The VIK successfully completed its first ground based, APKWS guided rocket launch with impressive results. As an integrator with Arnold Defense’s recently announced FLETCHER launchers and BAE Systems’ APKWS laser-guided rockets, MSI has delivered rapid vehicle mounting options for the FLETCHER, fitting to a host of vehicle types and configurations.

Designed for transportability, efficiency, and ease of use, MSI’s VIK enables customer mission success. Following effective trials, the FLETCHER system has now been delivered, helping achieve defense superiority and safe standoff for armed forces. Leveraging features such as small form factor, vibration isolation, a customizable stowage solution, G-meter (with optional logging capability) aided by MSI’s aggressive delivery, customers now have immediate effectiveness in place. Precision strike capability has been delivered in near-record time to meet constantly emerging threats. 

With the growing need for ground-based weapons system configurations, MSI is developing integration kits for a variety of platforms to meet the needs of its customers, providing rapid-capabilities to perform critical missions with success. Together with Arnold Defense, MSI are working on some interesting new concepts that will see FLETCHER integrated in the marine environment on a RHIB and, in the air.

MSI Defense Solutions President, David Holden, is excited about the VIK success: “we have shown that the flexibility of the VIK enables customers to install on nearly any make and model of turret fitment, providing world-renowned ground-based lethality and standoff capability. We have also shown that we can deliver it in a very compressed timeline. Our fitments are available for remote weapons stations (RWS) like the Terrahawk as well, so we are able to give our customers a unique breadth of choice for guided rocket launching”.

Doug Wallace, President at Arnold Defense said: “Arnold Defense is pleased to have teamed with MSI Defense to integrate our FLETCHER surface-based rocket launcher on a variety of platforms”. He added: “FLETCHER has generated huge interest globally with its unique capability to deliver organic, long-range precision firepower to even the smallest tactical element. Having a capable, flexible and reliable integration partner such as MSI Defense Solutions® allows us to deliver exactly what our customers need onto any platform be that land, sea or air based.”

www.arnolddefense.com

SIG SAUER Completes Final Delivery of Next Generation Squad Weapon System to U.S. Army

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021

NEWINGTON, N.H., (February 2, 2021) – SIG SAUER, Inc. is proud to announce the final delivery of the Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) systems to the U.S. Army, consisting of the revolutionary 6.8×51 hybrid ammunition, the NGSW-AR lightweight belt-fed machine gun, the NGSW-R rifle, and suppressors.

“This historic moment is the culmination of an incredible collaboration between the U.S. Army and SIG. We commend Army leadership for having the vision to undertake this monumental procurement process and for remaining vigilant in their mission to bring a modern, transformational weapon system to the battlefield,” began Ron Cohen, President and CEO of SIG SAUER. “Throughout the program we have been given unprecedented access to the soldiers and Marines who will ultimately field these weapons. These soldier touchpoint events have led to rapid advancements over the current weapons systems and resulted in our delivery of the most innovative Next Generation Squad Weapons system to the U.S. Army.”

Each component of the SIG SAUER NGSW system offers significant advancements in battlefield weapons performance beginning with the SIG SAUER 6.8×51 Hybrid Ammunition – a lightweight cartridge designed to handle higher pressures resulting in increased velocity and terminal performance.

The SIG SAUER Lightweight Belt-Fed Machine Gun (NGSW-AR) doubles the effective range and is 40% lighter that the current M249 while maintaining the preferred belt-fed operation, with reduced felt recoil to increased accuracy.

The SIG SAUER Rifle (NGSW-R) is built on the foundation of the battle tested MCX platform with the added firepower of the 6.8×51 round; both the NGSW-AR and NGSW-R feature familiar AR-style ambidextrous ergonomics designed for a seamless transition from the legacy weapons to the SIG NGSW system.

The final component of the system is the SIG SAUER Next Generation Suppressors for reduced sound signature.

We are immensely proud that our entire NGSW submission has been designed, engineered, and manufactured as one integrated system by one single American company at our U.S. facilities,” continued Cohen. “Each component has been exhaustively tested with the others to ensure peak operational performance and endurance for the rigors of the battlefield.”

“As a leader in the firearms manufacturing industry we understand the challenge of bringing a system like this to reality. We designed our NGSW system to be production ready and with every component coming from SIG, it presents minimal fielding risk to the U.S. Army. The form, fit, and function of the firearms is familiar to our warfighters so the transition in the training and qualification of soldiers and Marines is faster and easier, and despite its revolutionary design, hybrid ammunition can be manufactured on a widespread basis immediately. We have a proven and successful track record of delivering multi-branch, service-wide, successful weapons programs to the U.S. Army, and we stand ready,” concluded Cohen.

The revolutionary designs and engineering advancements that were made throughout the development of the SIG NGSW system have ushered the launch of multiple commercially available products in the coming months. These products include SIG FURY hybrid ammunition which uses the NGSW cartridge design for various calibers, and recently gained the regulatory Small Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI) approval, the MCX-SPEAR semi-automatic rifle, and the SIG Next Generation Suppressors.

Visit sigsauer.com to learn more about the U.S. Army selection and delivery of the SIG SAUER Next Squad Weapons.

SIg Announces M18-Commemorative: Own a Piece of History

Thursday, January 28th, 2021

The limited release of the M18-Commemorative Edition of the official U.S. military service pistol, a variant of the SIG SAUER P320, is now available. The M18-Commemorative pistol shares the same components, coatings, and markings as the firearm that was awarded the U.S. Army contract for the modular handgun system (MHS), and was recently chosen as the official sidearm of the U.S. Marine Corps.

To complement the M18-Commemorative, an exclusive M18 Collector’s Case is available and features a slate-grey flocked foam insert and precision laser placement cuts for the pistol, the official serialized M18-Commemorative Certificate of Authenticity, and the serialized M18-Commemorative Challenge Coin.

www.sigsauer.com/m18-commemorative.html

Tippmann Armory Teases New Accessories for 9MM Gatling Gun

Friday, January 22nd, 2021

Coming this summer, Tippmann Armory has loads of new accessories for the 9 MM Gatling Gun. Customize your own with different style tripods, carriages, or even barrel lengths! Whatever entails in your man cave, a Gatling Gun will certainly make things more interesting.

www.TippmannArmory.com

Rock River Arms Announces First Precision Bolt Rifles

Friday, January 22nd, 2021

Colona, IL – Rock River Arms, one of the industry’s most respected name in Modern Sporting Rifles and pistols, enters the long-range bolt rifle category with the introduction of the all-new RBG Bolt Gun series.

The RBG series bolt rifles are designed to deliver a turn-key precision rifle suitable for long-range shooting and competition. Based on RRA’s proprietary short-action stainless steel receiver and a Wilson (stainless-steel barrel (offered in 24-inch, 22-inch or 20-inch models), the RBG Bolt Gun is available in .308/7.62×51 and 6.5 Creedmoor chambering. The barrel is air-gauged for bore diameter uniformity and cryo-treated to ensure structural consistency.

The barreled action sits in a KRG chassis, which was chosen for its lean profile and precision aluminum bedding. Toolless field adjustability provides a custom fit in any shooting condition. The chassis is compatible with AICS-style detachable box magazines and is ideally suited for multiple long-range shooting disciplines. Color options include tan, black, and green.

Rounding out the action assembly is a one piece, interchangeable two-lug bolt cycled by an oversized knurled bolt handle. The two-lug bolt design provides a smooth action when cycling and features an easy-access external bolt release. Beneath the action is a short-travel Triggertech trigger, or option of a Timney trigger, with adjustable pull weight and a crisp, zero-creep break.

Included with the RBG is a 20 MOA base. This allows the scope to be zeroed to prevent elevation runout for long-distance targets. Standard scope base holes are drilled into the receiver for shooters who desire conventional ring mounts.

Weighing a modest 10.2 pounds with an empty magazine, the RBG Bolt Gun measures 39.5-inches to 43.5-inches in length and is guaranteed by the factory to shoot sub-MOA groups.

Rock River Arms RBG Bolt Gun Specifications

Caliber: .308/7.62x51mm or 6.5 Creedmoor

Action: proprietary short action, stainless steel

Barrel: 20-inch, 22-inch or 24-inch stainless steel, 1:8 twist, 5/8-24 thread muzzle, air gauged, cryo-treated

Trigger: Triggertech trigger (Timney trigger option)

Bolt Handle: knurled, oversized

Picatinny Rail: 20 MOA base

Magazine: detachable box (AICS compatible/Magpul compatible)

Weight/Length: 10.2 lbs. / 39.5 in. – 43.5 in.

Accuracy: sub-MOA

Chassis: KRG, adjustable

Chassis Color: tan, black, green

MSRP: $4,235.00

For more information on the complete line of production AR15 style rifles and accessories, contact: Rock River Arms, 1042 Cleveland Rd, Colona, IL  61241.  Phone: (309) 792.5780   Fax: (309) 792.5781  www.rockriverarms.com

Ruger Introduces Custom Shop Precision Rifle in 6mm Creedmoor

Thursday, January 21st, 2021

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE: RGR) is pleased to introduce the Ruger Precision® Rifle chambered in 6mm Creedmoor as the newest addition to the Ruger Custom Shop® line of firearms. Designed in collaboration with Team Ruger Captain, Doug Koenig, this new model builds upon the already competitive Ruger Precision Rifle to deliver a factory-built firearm specifically designed for long-range competition.

The new Custom Shop Ruger Precision Rifle features a factory-installed TriggerTech Trigger with Frictionless Release TechnologyTM providing an exceptionally crisp break, minimized overtravel and an extremely short and tactile reset. A unique barrier stop is installed on the front of the magazine well to enhance the shooter’s positional support during competition by providing a stable and repeatable shooting position. Internally, the rifle boasts an improved firing pin tip geometry that enhances functionality with a wide variety of primers while allowing for decreased force necessary to manipulate the bolt.

This rifle’s custom, heavy-contour (.850″ at the muzzle), highly accurate free-floated barrel is cold hammer-forged from chrome-molly stainless steel and features 5R rifling for minimum bullet upset. Minimum bore and groove dimensions (air-gauged for process control) and a centralized chamber deliver outstanding accuracy, longevity and ease of cleaning. The barrel features a 1:7” twist rate, 5/8”-24 threaded muzzle and APA Muzzle Brake (.264 bore) to effectively reduce recoil aiding shot observation for quick follow-up.

Encompassing the stainless steel barrel is a hard-coat anodized aluminum, free-float handguard that features M-LOK® slots on all four sides for improved clearance for long-range scopes and easy mounting of M-LOK-compatible rails and accessories. The handguard is flat bottomed for stability and incorporates an integral bottom 1.50” dovetail, making the gun compatible with RRS S.O.A.R. and similar QD systems.

With its ability to accept AR-style grips and buttstocks, the rifle incorporates a Magpul® MOE® K2+ grip to provide a more vertical grip angle in a full-sized design. Select parts of the rifle are finished with a durable Cerakote® for improved wear resistance. This model ships with two Magpul PMAG® magazines and a Sorbothane® cheek pad that provides a comfortable and stable cheek-to-stock weld for quick target acquisition.

The value proposition of the Ruger Custom Shop Precision Rifle in 6mm Creedmoor is without peer. With top-tier accuracy, adjustable ergonomics and the rugged reliability and affordability for which Ruger is famous, this new offering provides a long-range, competition-ready rifle directly from the Ruger factory.

www.Ruger.com