The Department of Defense has announced:
FN America LLC, Columbia, South Carolina, was awarded a $119,216,309 firm-fixed-price contract for M4/M4A1 carbine. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 30, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-20-D-0006).
On that flew under the radar at SHOT Show is the ATHENA Precision Chassis Rifle by Drake Associates.
Currently offered in a 5.56 platform and coming soon to 7.62, the ATHENA is monolithic design with the lower receiver and handguard machined from a single piece of aluminum, leaving a freefloated, 18″ Satern Button Drake Heavy Profile Contour Barrel (16″ and 20″ also available). However, there is a top section of the handguard incorporating Picatinny rail which can be removed. The 6 O’clock position also features partial Pic rail for a bipod.
This results in average accuracy of .6 – .7 MOA at 100 yds, with the best group at .366 MOA, using 77 gr Federal OTM ammunition. Now get this, it’s at a muzzle velocity of 2,737 fps.
A great thing about GAOS is that manufacturers display their wares and answer the buying public’s’ questions.
In this case, FN USA is showing off the new FN 509 Compact MRD.
Like it’s full and mid sized counterparts, it’s a 9mm, striker fired pistol with a flat faced trigger. The barrel is 3.7-inch barrel and comes with 12+1 capacity, but will accept other, larger 509 magazines. The pistol includes two different back straps to accommodate different fits.
The big thing going on is that this is an optics ready pistols, incorporating FN’s Low-Profile Optics Mounting System which accepts nearly all commercially available miniature red dot optics and features blackout iron sights that co-witness.
Available in booth Black and FDE.
Not only does the new .22LR Rebel AR from Patriot Ordnance Factory accept Ruger 10/22 magazines, it’s also the first firearm offered with the Mission First Tactical Blade Stabilizer.
Featuring a one-piece upper, the Rebel incorporates a POF-USA designed semi-auto blowback operating system. The lower receiver is injection molded and fitted with the MFT Engage V2 Pistol Grip. With its 8″ barrel, it measures 21.5” (55 cm) overall and weighs just 3.25 lbs.
Blackwater Ammunition showed up on the scene a few years ago and since then has been making a mad dash toward ammo and weapon development with some side work on body armor and load carriage. It’s all very much in line with work done by owner Erik Prince during Blackwater’s heyday in the early aughts, so really no surprise. Some of you may remember the signature BW Guns and Blackwater Gear, designed by Caleb Crye.
They had a lot on display at SHOT Show, but The Iron Horse stuck out as something completely different. You might notice that this carbine doesn’t have a traditional trigger or guard.
That’s because the trigger is a thumb activated lever above the rear of the pistol grip. The concept was originally developed for wounded veterans who had lost fingers. Turns out, the thumb is stronger than the index finger and there’s less weapon movement (at least side-to-side) with the depressing of a horizontal lever than a vertical one.
The Iron Horse will accept standard AR uppers and they plan to offer 7075 aluminum lowers for those who want to build their own.
The SIRT 20 and SIRT 20C have the functional features of the SIG P320 and P320 Carry. These are inert pistols which simulate
The Shot Indicating Resetting Trigger (SIRT) Training Pistol is available with Red or Green laser.
You get:
• 1 SIRT Training Pistol
• 1 Training Magazine
• Trigger Adjustment Tool
• Laser Windage and Elevation Adjustment Tool
Additionally, the 110 Model has functional features of the Glock 17/22 and the 107 Model has functional features of the Smith & Wesson M&P.
nextleveltraining.com/product/sirt-20
APC10? That’s right, B&T has introduced a 10mm version of their popular subgun. I got a chance to shoot it at Range Day and it’s a very smooth gun.
It features their new dual auto-folding, non-reciprocating charging handle and a side positioned bolt hold open/release. You can also customize the gun thanks to removable M4 compatible grip as well as a plethora of stock options. Better yet, the APC10 accepts Glock magazines.
January 2020: HIPERFIRE’s New Trigger Family Now Has A New Name, PDI. HIPERFIRE provides more details beyond the original announcement made January 2nd. These details are now available at www.hiperfire.com and the social media sites linked there. HIPERFIRE’s customer base clamored for an AR drop-in trigger that featured the “feel” and hard-hitting hammers its triggers are known for. Most aftermarket drop-ins are notorious for LPS, light primer strikes. To get the pull weight down, designers have compromised their hammer fall. Not so with the new PDI line of triggers. These drop-ins pull at around 2 lbs. and sport HIPERFIRE’s unique HIPERSHOE that now mounts onto a curved bow, not just straight. The hammer strikes surpass SAAMI’s copper crusher spec and hit harder than MIL-spec M4/16 hammers. Wow! The pull? It’s single stage. It’s short, sweet, and smooth as butter. The “feel” is almost transparent to the shooter. To top it all off, no PCC blowback violence can touch it. The four PDI versions feature a hammer collision bumper. Its disconnector and disconnector spring are impact and crush protected. Is it just for PCC? No way. It’s just an excellent trigger. Anyone can appreciate it shooting slow, fast, short-range, or for long-range precision, and on the move, it surpasses SAAMI’s rough handling specification. Be the first to shoot it at Industry Day at the Range, the day before Shot Show 2020 at HIPERFIRE’s full-auto lane. See it, feel it, at HIPERFIRE’s Shot Show 2020 booth #3016. For more information, visit www.hiperfire.com.
HIGH PERFORMANCE FIREARMS LLC (d.b.a. HIPERFIRE) is a Minnesota limited liability company organized in 2011. It designs, manufactures, and sells novel products into the MSR marketplace to satisfy the unmet needs of the more demanding recreational and professional shooters.
