Rob Curtis reports that last month a XM-25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement system kaboomed and injured the operator.

The Army’s XM25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement system has been removed from service after a training accident injured a soldier in Afghanistan early last month.

A soldier was injured during a Feb. 2 live-fire training event during which the primer of a 25mm high-explosive air burst round ignited as a result of a double feed, according to Army spokesman Matthew Bourke.

Although the primer and propellant were initiated, safety mechanisms prevented the round’s warhead from detonating. The gun was inoperable after the explosion.

“The gunner training on the weapon system received superficial injuries,” said Bourke. “The gunner was medically evaluated and returned to duty.”

The XM25 is a bullpup and the kaboom would have been only inches from the operators face. While ideally a weapon would never fail, the prototype failed in a manner that caused little damage to the operator which shows the design is solid.

CFD International’s recently developed CFD-M3 Machine Gun was on display at the IDEX arms show last month. The CTD-M3, as the name suggests, is based on the AN/M3 aircraft machine gun design (a faster firing variant of the Browning M2). The ground/vehicle based version of the CFD-M3 fires at a rate of 1000 rpm, significantly more than the 600 rpm of the M2A1, while the aircraft version can fire at 1,100 rpm.

The ground version weighs 74.5 lbs and the aircraft version weighs 73.5 lbs.

Many thanks to Lionel for the info and photo.

Turkish defense manufacturer MKE is exporting a new version of their MP5 to European consumers. The  MKE T-94 ZSG (Zivile Sportgewehr / Civilian Sporting Rifle). The ZSG chambered in 9x19mm, is semi-automatic only, has a fixed stock and a 5.5″ barrel. The weight of the gun us 5.55 lbs.

Technically the  ZSG is not a clone of the MP5 because it is manufactured on H&K-licensed machinery in Turkey. MKE produces a wide range of old H&K firearms under license, including the H&K G3 rifle.

Many thanks to Eric (3Gun.se) for the photos.

Along with nuclear bombs and ultra high capacity AK magazines, North Korea has also developed a new grenade launcher. The rifle shaped weapon, with its unusually long barrel and an optical grenade sight, must have been designed to engage targets at long ranges. It is not clear what caliber of grenade it is intended to be used for.

The photo was published by RT.com. 

Many thanks to Rory for the tip.

Heckler & Koch had their MG4 5.56mm machine gun and their rare/still in development HK121 7.62mm machine gun both in their new Flat Dark Earth color scheme on display at IWA. In the above photo the MG4 is at the top and the HK121 is in the middle.

HK121 Stock

HK121 Trigger Group

HK121 Quick Change Barrel

HK121 Foreend / Heat Guard

H&K MG4

H&K MG4 Foreend

Many thanks to Dom for the photos.

I think the Afghan SOF solider in the foreground of the above photo has been playing to much Call of Duty. His M4 pistol grip and M203 grenade launcher have been modified with a metallic red finish. I like it.

Thanks to Nic for the photo.

As firearms go, few have been as influential – and yet seldom seen by the general public – as the MG42 machine gun. While the 1911 pistol and the Mauser bolt action rifle influenced countless other firearms, they or their descendants are ubiquitous. The MG42 and its assorted descendants? Other than those who served in combat arms units of major Western militaries, not many people get a chance to see what a general purpose machine gun (GPMG) is like.

So when I had the chance to not only poke one, but shoot it, I was truly excited to go to the range. I probably hadn’t been that excited since the last time I shot my Marlin Papoose, which was actually the week before, but I digress. This particular MG42 is a non-transferable post sample machine gun property of Piece of History Firearms, a Class 2 SOT, or federally licensed manufacturer of machine guns. Now – on to the weapon itself.

Before you ask – yes, I did fire all of this ammo.

The MG42 was the standard GPMG of the Wehrmacht – the German Army – during World War II. While many things went wrong in that country during that time, one thing the Germans (unfortunately?) got very right was the MG42. Firing belts of 8x57mm at a rate of over 1200 rounds per minute, the weapon acquired a fearsome reputation due in part to the sound it made during firing. A byproduct of that high rate of fire is that individual shots are nearly impossible to pick out. It simply sounds like a ripping, tearing saw, earning it nicknames such as “buzzsaw.”

My girlfriend’s little brother had never fired a gun before. Needless to say, he had a good time (under the supervision of Mario from Piece of History Firearms, seen here, and myself).

I had previous experience with the FN M240G from my time in the military. As the 240 is derived from the FN MAG which derives some elements of design from the MG42, it wasn’t terribly difficult to adapt to the older machine gun. There are minor differences in materials and major differences in design – it’s not as if parts will swap between the two – but loading and firing procedures were remarkably similar.

Top cover open, machine gun ready to load.

A latch at the rear of the top cover/feed tray cover allows it to rotate up, exposing the feed tray as well as the feed lever inside the top cover. With the bolt forward, a fresh belt is put in place, then the top cover closed. The bolt is pulled to the rear with the charging handle, which is then pushed to the forward position. Push the safety off, and the weapon is ready to fire.

We had a few hiccups at first, in part because it had been a while for both of us, and in part because the weapon was pretty dry. A decent amount of FP-10 from my range bag went onto the bolt, and then, other than a few malfunctions due to pressure on the belt, the “buzzsaw” lived up to its name.

Mario of POHF demonstrates proper use of the MG42.

Naturally, with no staff NCOs around to berate me, one of my first inclinations after familiarizing myself with the weapon was to attempt to fire it from the standing position. To my surprise, it was actually fairly easy to control from both “the hip” and the shoulder while standing. Now, it’s important to understand that control is relative. All of my rounds impacted the berm or the ground in front of the berm. However, I cannot guarantee that I would have been able to hit a point target past, say, 10 yards.

As you can see in the video, it was a bit demanding – the weapon weighs about 25lbs with bipod, and I was already a bit dehydrated when I hit the range. Still, it was really a lot of fun to shoot, and now I can say that I’ve fired a belt fed machine gun from the hip while wearing flip flops and Ray Bans.

Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed this little look at one of the 20th century’s most infamous firearms. Thanks for reading!

Andrew Tuohy joined the Navy but never saw a ship. He likes guns, has no regrets, and blogs at Vuurwapen Blog.

This is a topic I was pondering the other day. I thought to myself “is there any one role where a submachine gun stands out among the rest as the best firearm for any given situation?”

And I couldn’t think of one. Not one. They are much bigger than a pistol, and thus too big to conceal yet they use the same ammunition. The barrel lengths are often comparable as well so the performance increase of the round from an SMG is negligible (in most cases). They do not have the effective range of an assault rifle, and their cyclic rate is comparable. I believe they are not as efficient as a shotgun in close quarters for some type of entry type situation either, albeit I guess this is somewhat debatable.

In the early part of the 20th Century, an era where small arms issued to troops consisted mainly of breech loading magazine fed rifles that required manual cycling after each shot, the submachine gun was a Godsend; Instead of hauling around that Maxim or Vickers gun to get some suppressing fire you could equip a man with a pistol caliber automatic weapon that was light, compact, mobile, and the sub-gun was used with great success almost immediately upon its introduction. On into World War II, both sides used sub-guns alongside their standard infantry rifles and out of this conflict the Germans realized that they had a problem that needed addressing; The era of trench warfare was over and most engagements now occurred within 300 meters… so they arrived at a solution. After the advent of the assault rifle however (an idea that those crafty Germans came up with; Small arms firing an intermediate cartridge and thus bridging the gap between rifle and pistol rounds and that are capable of both semi and fully automatic fire) the beginning of the end of the SMG was near. The assault rifle concept took a while to really catch on in the West, and sub-guns hung on for a while longer as NATO stuck with hard hitting battle rifles like the M1, M14, G3, and FAL rifles until 5.56 was standardized. Even during the battle rifle era, it made sense to supplement the battlefield with some SMGs. However in the East, the Kalashnikov rifle was quickly adopted and the Russians were the first to really utilize and field assault rifles on such a massive scale. Indeed it took the West a while to catch up. It wasn’t until well into the Vietnam War that the Pentagon decided to allow the proliferation of the M16 rifle. Now I don’t want to get into an AK versus M16 debate here (there are plenty of those on the internet already), but the fact of the matter is that the M16 being newly adopted was plagued with a few problems not limited to the lack of cleaning kits being issued and a magazine capacity of twenty rounds compared to the AK’s thirty (Eugene Stoner was asked to correct this “error”).

One by one the members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (and some non-members) began to field rifles firing the 5.56x45mm round. The most popular ones out there include the American M16/M4, German G36, Belgian FNC, Israeli Galil, British SA-80, Austrian AUG, and many more. It was during this era that the world began to see the SMG being utilized less and less by armies across the globe. It seemed that the assault rifle had eliminated the need for pistol caliber automatic weapons and rifles firing a full powered cartridge by compromising and finding the middle ground.

Now I have quite a lot of experience with submachine guns. I bought my first selective fire Powder Springs M10 .45acp at the age of 21 for the price of $3,000. The photo you see above is one of me punching some holes in paper with it equipped with a Lage Max-10 slowfire upper. This gun made me fall in love with pistol caliber long guns, and it has been my go-to hog eradicator since I bought it. Let me tell you, there is nothing like spotlighting hogs from the back of a truck on a warm Texas night and letting a few magazines rip into the pack (**graphic image of a slain hog here**). After a few years I also bought a registered receiver Vector Uzi as well, and I must say that both guns are incredibly fun to shoot. I have also built a few semi automatic only pistol caliber SBRs, including my little UMP and an SP89:

Now what I can tell you based on my experience about the benefits of an SMG are that they are generally compact, light, have low recoil, are easier to suppress, may produce less penetration/collateral damage, and are easier to stay on target with than an assault rifle. However shortened assault rifles such as an M16 or g36 variant will be comparably light, produce marginally more recoil, produce an incredible amount of sound (even when suppressed, as most suppressor companies will void warranties if your barrel is too short), and whip a new shooter around a little more. From a logistical standpoint however it makes sense to ditch the SMG; If your Colt Commando can run the same magazines and ammunition as any other guy in your unit then that is a definite plus. The manual of arms also carries over so you need not train your soldiers on more than one weapon system.

It really is a bit sad that the SMG is going away. I have a friend involved in base security who said he used to see a lot of MP5s in use with military PSD teams moving in up-armored SUVs and such, but that was mostly back in 2006-2008. It seems that the SMG is also slowly leaving police armories as the AR15/M16 variants trickle in and replace the aging MP5s. So is that it for the SMG? Is the SMG a concept of a bygone era or does it still fill a niche roll in certain situations? You be the judge in the comments section!

The video below, which was released in 1990, shows the four rifles that were battling it out become the Army’s next generation Advanced Compact Rifle. It is amusing to see what was considered a good idea back then, like the high sight rib on the Colt ACR (pictured above) which was supposed to help with “point shooting”. On the other hand it is sad to see rifles more than a two decades old with more advanced ammunition than we have available to us today.

Many thanks to crisara772 for the tip.

The 9mm Peruvian MGP-87 is a fascinating weapon. It was developed in the 1980s by the Peruvian military and used by the Navy and local police forces. About 16,000 were produced. It is notable for its ability to launch rifle grenades. The photo above shows the MGP-87 fitted with its grenade launching perforated sleeve and a frag grenade ready to be fired.

South American gun expert Ronaldo Olive wrote an article about the Peruvian MGP-87 for the 1995 Edition of SPECIAL WEAPONS for Military & Police. He was kind enough to let us publish it for you all to read.

The photo below shows a number of variations of the gun …

Many thanks to Ronaldo Olive for the photos and information.

My last article entitled “Are Submachine Guns Obsolete?” asked the readers of the blog to comment on what they thought about the SMG’s place in the modern world, and you responded! After about 100 comments I have selected a few highlights that I felt were excellent points:

Kyle said:
“They’re cheaper for police departments to feed. Instead of PDW’s with boutique rounds like 4.6x30mm or 5.7×28, you have 9mm, .40, and .45 which are easily bought off the shelves.”

Deviant Saint said:
“The SMG just has been re-visioned as the PDW.”

Phil W., our own Senior Writer even weighed in:
“I was issued the MP5 SD for use on our SRU team. I had a lot of faith in the MP5 for entry work, It’s just an excellent weapon even now. We did switch to the P90 several years ago. I liked it but no more so than the MP5.”

SvenOrtmann argued:
“The HK MP5 concept of an accurate SMG for use by police/LE is still as viable as ever.
Its great advantage is that you do not get very strong overpenetration if you choose the ammunition accordingly. You won’t get a good .223 bullet that doesn’t overpenetrate.”

n0truscotsman made me laugh with his comment:
“Leave subguns where they belong: on class III ranges.”

Ben Branam said:
“The SMG isn’t dead just becoming more and more specialized. The fad is towards 5.56 but that could change.”

Nathaniel had this to say:
“SMGs don’t really have a role. This may change if pistol ammunition gets a shot in the arm (think calibers like 5.7×28), but right now, almost all submachine guns are simply worse than short barrel carbines.”

Doug, a police officer in a rural area had a great perspective:
“I personally feel that in a LE role, the SMG is not dead, or at least shouldn’t be. When they utilize the same ammunition that their sidearms use, they’re trustworthy by default because officers trust that their primary gun, the pistol, is already trusted to save their lives. The SMG merely offers more velocity through a much more stable platform.”

So there you have it, looking back at all the comments you have people declaring that sub-guns are as relevant and needed as ever, and the contrary saying that they are fossils kept around as nothing but a novelty or curio. People in the middle laid out a few scenarios where a submachine gun may still reign supreme, but one thing kept popping up; Over-penetration seemed to be the main point of contention with both sides proclaiming that a short-barreled rifle either will penetrate more or less than a round fired from an SMG (a +p+ 9mm round for example). There was also some debate as to whether or not firearms like the FN P90 or H&K MP7 are truly SMGs as they may well fall into a new category, the PDW (personal defense weapon). The PDW concept is not lost on me, but is interesting to see these firearms gradually replacing submachine guns in roles where they had previously dominated, like protection of the US President:

So if you commented in the previous article thank you for sharing your opinion. While there was no clear consensus (as there usually isn’t when it comes to most things pertaining to this great hobby of ours), I know that I learned a lot and enjoyed reading your comments!

Modern Marine South

Modern Day Marine is an annual event that takes place aboard Marine Corps Bases Quantico, Lejeune(Marine South), and Pendleton(Marine West). It is an industry display for the Marine Corps of various products, services, and schools currently in production or service. The main theme is to showcase gear that will better prepare and equip Marines on deployment. Although it is defense orientated, alot of universities and colleges show up for Marines ending their time in service. The firearms companies in attendance this year were H&K, Glock, Trijicon, Leupold, and Sig Saur. All these companies brought their main products, but a few brought their latest developments that have also recently came out.

H&K had their P2000 line on display but of particular interest was their newest PDW, the 416D and the MG4. Some interesting features about the MG4 set it apart from most light machine guns. First off, the belt pouch is connected at an angle from the machine gun so it has bottom ejection. This is uncommon of light machine guns as most utilize the bottom for connecting the belt pouch.

The bipods can be bent forward, so if the gunner needs to get more on top of the feed tray to clear malfunctions, he can pull the gun rearward and it will be closer to the ground, thus maintaining his profile instead of having to increase it by raising himself.

The charging handle can be folded up but this also leads to another neat feature. As the charging handle is retracted, it can be folded anywhere along its path and locks the bolt at whatever position it is at. This allows the operator to utilize both hands in clearing a malfunction instead of only one hand while the other is maintaining positive control of the charging handle.

An overlaying issue always present with machine guns being fired continuously is that of a “run away” gun. In which the sear breaks and the bolt cannot be stopped by the trigger and continues to fire after trigger pressure has been released. The MG4’s bolt has a number of catches on the bottom. And within the trigger housing group is another sear that protrudes up when the trigger is not depressed. If the main sear or bolt catch were to break, this secondary sear would “catch” one of the several catches on the bottom of the bolt, thus preventing a run away gun.

Sig Saur was present with their 516 and 716 line up. Of particular interest was the 516 PDW with it’s 7.5 inch barrel and the new 716 DM rifle with a Premier scope mounted. They also had on hand a belt from High Tech Industries that while made for plainclothes wear, could carry a sizable assortment of gear. On this version it had 2 M16 magazine pouches, 2 pistol pouches, pistol holster, radio holster and a plate that mounts to a rip away medical kit. All were thermamold and fit very closely to the body. The belt itself had a velcro lining so if someone were wearing a riggers belt with the opposite lining, they would stick together.

But of primary interest at the Sig booth, was that both gas systems in the 5.56x45mm SIG516 series were present.

The main difference is that the Generation I piston head is screwed into the gas block while the Generation II is locked in by a clasp like set up that is far easier to disassemble and reduces the risk of threads becoming clogged or de threaded in the field. On both the Generation I and II there are four gas settings: standard operation, sluggish operation during sustained amounts of use, Suppressor operation, and gas cut off turning the firearm into a manual operation for each shot.

The system is very similar to H&K’s gas piston system found on the 416,417 series of rifles. But, it may be more robust, as it does not require taking the entire handguard off the rifle to take the piston out to clean.

Glock had it’s usual assortment of pistols out but it had a new back strap that curves up further than their current flat backstraps do.

http://www.marinemilitaryexpos.com/modern-day-marine.shtml

The Big 3 East in Florida is an expansion of the original Big 3 event held at Kansas every Fall.  Both events were started by writers for writers. The Big 3 stands for Tactical gun, Tactical gear and Tactical training. All the companies and writers were handpicked and by invitations only. The Big 3 East event in Florida was organized by Dillard (CJ) Johnson, a highly decorated retired US Army vet and former PMC. Special thanks to WPA (Wolf Performance Ammunition) for providing the ammo, Action Target providing the steel targets and Revision Military providing the eye protections for the event.

Tim Harmsen from the Military Arms Channel (MAC) was one of the invited writers at the Big 3 East event. MAC is well know for their video reviews. I will feature two of MAC’s videos in this report.  

Alexander Arms was the first presenter. Bill Alexander introduced their new line of ultra lightweight AR-15 carbines in the 5.56mm and 300 Blackout calibers. Both feature fluted stainless steel barrels and modular hand handguards constructed from G10 composite material. Also, the Alexander Arms Ion-bond coated adjustable single-stage match trigger is now available in the standard curve shape trigger, in additional to the original blade style with lightening holes. Alexander Arms is also working on a large caliber semi-automatic platform that will be unveil at the NRA show later this year.

RS Regulate displayed their new AK-300 modular optic mounts for the AKM platform. Besides of the new streamlined locking lever and the high quality CNC works, the AK-300 mounts all use a high-strength titanium alloy bolt to hold everything together. The system is fully adjustable to accommodate just about all variants of the AKM and AK74 pattern rifles, plus the PSL, Saiga and Vepr rifles. In additional to the 30mm ring base and Micro T1 base, there’s also the AKOG base that allows low over-bore mounting of the Trijicon ACOG and Compact ACOG, the Browe BCO, the ELCAN Specter OS 3.0, the Burris AR-332 and AR-536 prism sights on the AK platform.

Another product from RS Regulate was their new BM-1 flashlight mount. It took over 2-years of R&D to make sure the clamp-on mount doesn’t affect the barrel hormonic or causing point of impact shift. This lightweight 4-slot picatinny mount should also works on AR-15 with lightweight pencil profile barrel in .625 diameter.

Hi-Lux Leatherwood presented couple of new models in their CMR series of 1-4x24mm tactical scope. Those are the feature packed CMR4 for the 5.56mm and 7.62mm calibers, the CMR-AK762 and CMR4-AK762 with reticles made specifically for the 7.62x39mm and the 300 Blackout/300 Whisper.

James from WPA (Wolf Performance Ammunition) clarified the cause of the current ammo price surge. He said on the supplier side, their cost went up an average of 5-10% (depends on the calibers) due to the demand plus another 5-10% from their distributors. The rest of price increase or price gouging are from your local and on-line retailers.

WPAA (Wolf Performance Arms) is the sister company of WPA and a major importer of the Russian made Saiga and Vepr shotguns and rifles in the US. WPAA is now offering new muzzle devices and a polymer collapsible stock for the Saiga pattern shotgun. The stock features a thick recoil pad and a second large rotating locking mechanism that helps to keep the stock in position under heavy recoil.

Marc Krebs of Krebs Custom is holding his new lightweight custom AK carbine that weights only 7.5 pounds and it comes with the new Krebs Keymod extended AK handguard and the Krebs 4-prong AK flashhider. On the table is the new Krebs DMR built from the Vepr hunting rifle in 7.62x54R. The accuracy of the Krebs DMR is around 1.5-inch at 100 yard with good ammo, which is more accurate than the SVD.

Marc Krebs always brought serveral Class III weapons for everyone to enjoy and this time he had a PKM belt-fed GPMG. Here’s a Military Arms Channel video featuring Tim and Dave on a closer look of the PKM.

Copyright Laura Burgess Marketing

Ashley from LBM is wearing a Revision Batlskin helmet, which I nicknamed it the “Master Chief” helmet. She is also holding the Krebs Custom DMR with the RS Regulate AK-300 optic mounting system and the Vltor ModPod bipod in the folded position.

Brian from Savvy Sniper is demoing his custom quad sling that’s capable of quick change from a 2-point to single-point configuration. We used the Savvy Sniper slings through out the event on various different type of weapons. The standard carbine model worked very well on the new IWI Tavor due to its quick adjustably from the use of a patterned adjustment control loop design.

Huntertown Arms brought their suppressors and explained to us that suppressor should be more affordable since it’s essentially a muffler for the muzzle. The basic design and manufacturing technology are decades old. The Huntertown Arms .22LR models, which will work for .17 HMR, .22 WMR and 5.7×28, have a starting price of just $195. The 5.56mm model is $499 and for the 7.62mm caliber is $599. They also offer a $449 replacement stainless barrel for the Ruger 10/22 with an integral .22LR suppressor.

Sccy Industries is a local Florida company that makes CCW size 9mm pistol with affordable price. Their latest Gen 2 model has improved functionality with Eastern European made ammo that uses harder primer. The Sccy pistol retail for $299 to $339 depends on the features and finish and comes with two 10-rd magazine. Gunslinger Customs in Georgia produces regular and CCW holster for the Sccy pistol.

Definitive Arms showncased their $349 conversion for 5.56mm caliber AK to use regular AR15 magazine, like the popular Magpul Pmag and the USGI aluminum magazine. It took me a bit to get used to the AR style control on an AK platform. Here’s a MAC video on how the system works: AR Mags in an AK?

Copyright Military Arms Channel

Ron DeSantis, the United State Representative for the 6th Congressional District in Florida, stopped by and let us know his firm stand on protecting the 2nd Amendment and his support for veterans. The congressmen is a former naval JAG officer.

Afterward, Representative DeSantis had some range time with both the IWI Tavor and the locally built Sccy pistol.

IWI US‘ Michael Kassnar, who spent years to bring the Tavor to the US Market. The IWI Tavor bullpups were definitely the highlight of this Big 3 East event.

Everyone at the event had the chance to shot all the current Tavor models. No issue at all with the steel case rounds from WPA. I did noticed that the hotter brass case mil-spec ammo ejects the spent case toward the front quarter, which clears the shooter to do weak-side firing.  While the steel cases were ejected more toward the side and few a little toward the rear quarter. I recommend use the higher pressure ammo if you are planning to do weak-side shooting with the Tavor. Again, the Savvy Sniper carbine sling works great on the Tavor.

Open range for the rest of the day…

Our target vehicle down range before we let loose the PKM on it.

Big thanks to CJ for putting this event together. Please check out his upcoming book: Carnivore: A Memoir by One of the Deadliest American Soldiers of All Time. The book covers his combat tours in the sandbox and the stories of how 2400+ confirmed kills, including 121 as a sniper, were credited to him.

M27 with magazines and SDO removed. Notice the interconnecting monolithic 12 o’clock rail. Display of various magazines. From left; standard issue 30 round STANAG magazine with green follower, similar magazine design but has orange follower to show it has an anti-tilt follower, H&K steel 30 round magazine, works very well with M27(not issued), popular PMAG will not fit in M27.

(This Article first appeared in Small Arms Review in 2012)

Miles Vining
This is the first part of a two-part article on the new M27 automatic rifle, now in service with the United States Marine Corps. The first part will cover initial use and training while the second will cover performance in combat. The author is a Marine infantryman serving with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, deploying to Afghanistan in 2011.
Note: All dimensions, acronyms and official terms are from Marine Corps terminology and references.

Background
Finding the perfect balance between firepower, weight, reliability and ammunition capacity has constantly been a challenge for Light Machine Gun (LMG) development. These support weapons for the traditional infantry squad have usually been a compromise among these four factors. The BAR lacked the magazine capacity to be truly successful, while the M60 gained the infamous nickname of the “Pig” due to its excessive weight and bulk. The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) came very close to being the exemplary LMG but quickly lost its glory through its high malfunction rate and weight. Recently, the United States Marine Corps has decided upon a solution that takes the Squad Automatic Weapon to whole new level.

Displayed are three of the Marine Infantry squads current issue weaponry; M16A4 for riflemen, M27 for IAR gunners, and M4s with M203s for team and squad leaders. The M27 and M16A4 displayed have 3 point slings while the M4 has a 1 point. M4 and M27 have their stocks fully extended. Positioning of the laser emitting PEQ16 is up to the individual Marines discretion.

Several years ago, while observing a Marine unit conducting pre-deployment training on Range 410 Alpha in Enhanced Mojave Viper, Twentynine Palms, California, a high-ranking officer watched a squad clear a trench as part of the training exercise. The squad’s SAW gunners established a support by fire position while the squad rushed into the trench and continued on with the range. After it was over, the officer asked the battalion Gunner (Chief Warrant Officer, an expert on Infantry small arms and tactics) why the SAWs couldn’t come into the trench with the main effort. The answer given was that the SAWs would slow the squad down and could not be effective in the trench because of the guns weight and open bolt operation. Finding this tactic detrimental to the way Marines fight today, the officer and battalion gunner decided to act. Requests were made to the firearms manufacturing community and a competition for a new squad LMG ensued.
The competition was designated the “Infantry Automatic Rifle” and the Marine Corps made it very clear that it had to fill the place of the SAW but also be a lighter and more portable weapon. Changing the designation from SAW to IAR showed that the Marine Corps was dedicated in finding a mobile automatic platform instead of being burdened down with the old technology. It had to weigh less than 12.5 pounds and accept 30 round STANAG magazines. It had to fulfill the function of the SAW but also be lighter and more mobile. Six commercial companies accepted the challenge, and three made it down to final testing: FN Herstal, Heckler & Koch (H&K), and Colt. FN’s contender was a modified SCAR, H&K’s and Colt’s weapons were both modified versions of their respective entries into the Black Rifle market. All except H&Ks were open bolt. After months of exhaustive testing, H&K came out on top. Trumping its competitors in areas of accuracy, reliability and malfunctions, the H&K submission produced outstanding results. Most of the malfunctions were classified as “user error” and accuracy was unparalleled compared to the other two. In fact, it is reputed to be the second most accurate weapon in the Marine Corps inventory after the M40A3 sniper rifle. Designated as the M27, H&K had proven itself once again.

Trijicon SDO gear pouch with accessories. The gear bag is manufactured by Eagle Industries and is issued with every M27. Marine Corps T M 11758A-OR for the SDO/RMR and TM11810A-OR for the M27 are displayed top and bottom respectfully. M27 wrench is shown disassembled to left of SDO Lens Pen. Left of bag are H&K rail protectors. Extra pamphlets are data tables, SDO care guides and LaRue Tactical throw mount lever care information.

In 2010 Marine Corps Systems Command bought a pilot batch of M27s slated to replace or compliment M249 SAWs in four Infantry Battalions and one Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (LAR). All units will have an opportunity to train and deploy with the M27 throughout 2011 in the War on Terror. If the M27 operates well in combat, plans to buy additional M27s are in store. The current recommendation is to replace all the former SAWs with M27s throughout the rifle platoons but current individual assignments are at the discretion of the company commanders.
Function/ Nomenclature
Due to the M27s commonality with the M16/M4 rifles, user operation is similar. Instead of direct impingement, it is gas piston operated. It has a free floating barrel, and uses a more efficient bolt than a M16A4. These are the only major functional differences to the standard issue M16A4 that all Marines are familiar with. Cleaning the weapon is made much easier by the gas piston that keeps a good portion of the carbon out of the bolt carrier and upper receiver. Also, unlike the M16A4, the M27 is highly ambidextrous. Sling mounts, fire selector, and charging handle can all be made left or right handed with little modification. Point target range is 550 meters while area targets are 700 meters and maximum range is 3,938 yards. There are two barrel lengths; 19.5 inch and 14.5 inch with the 19.5 inch being the primary length used so far in the Fleet Marine Force (FMF).

The rail mounted BUISs are Knight’s Armament Corporation Flip Up Front Sight and the Micro Flip Up Rear Sight. Iron sights are peep hole types with a blade and protecting ears on the front sight. The rear sight is graduated from 200-600 meters with a Z setting for zeroing adjustments. Note USMC marked on front end. Also see the two pins on charging handle that can switch the lever to either side. Sling mounts are ambidextrous as is seen from this angle.

The butt stock is similar to the M4 four position collapsable stock except that it is less sluggish and is six position. Unlike an M4 stock, it is easily removed by depressing the position toggle. It has one circular and two lengthwise sling keepers mounted at the rear allowing a diversity of slings to be used. The butt pad is rubber and can be removed with a hard twist counter clockwise. This reveals two battery compartments capable of storing AA, AAA, or Lithium 3 Volt batteries. Fully extended, the M27 is 37 inches (M16A4 length: 39.63 inches) and with the stock collapsed it is 33.66 inches (M4 collapsed length: 30 inches).
The M27 has a three position fire selector; “Safe”, “Fire”, and “Auto”, with the traditional H&K pictograms for each. Controls are on both sides of the receiver. The pistol grip is very comfortable and has a polymer pebbled surface to enhance grip. There is a battery compartment in the pistol grip that is held in place by a pivoting slider and the grip itself is more ergonomically designed than the standard M16A4 pistol grip. The magazine well has a flared opening that aids in magazine insertion but prevents Magpul PMAGs from being fully inserted. This leaves room for further magazine improvement if any manufacturer is up to the challenge. The weapon serial number is stamped upon both the upper and lower receivers right above the magazine release catch and left side safety in traditional European fashion. All M27 serial numbers begin in “USMC”. H&K proof marks are to the left of the serial number on the upper receiver.
The upper receiver has a 12 o‘clock rail that is interconnected with the Free Floating Rail System (FFRS) by a U-shaped lug. A captive locking screw adjacent to the magazine well additionally secures the FFRS. To take the FFRS off, grasp the bolt carrier with the thumb or index finger on the extractor in order to turn the strongest lug into a screwdriver. An important reason for a finger being on the extractor in such a position only the strongest lug is engaged and not the weak ones opposite the extractor. After only a quarter turn, the bolt carrier is unnecessary; hand strength is sufficient enough to complete disassembly. Only the 12 o’clock rail is marked with reference numbers up to 42 while the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock rails are left blank. Unfortunately, few attachments can be mounted directly underneath the handguard screw due to its proximity to the 6 o’clock rail.

Buffer and buffer spring. The buffer tube has three vent ports at the rear and the buffer is marked HK on the tube face with a red dot in the center as well. The buffer spring is marked with red to distinguish it from a M16A4 or M4 buffer spring.

The M27 also comes with H&K rail protectors that take up most of the rail when mounted. They are secured at the end of the protector with a plastic indent. These too have a polymer pebble surface and provide good grip. There is no permanent sling mount but all M27s come issued with a rail mounted sling mount that uses a single screw to secure it in between rails. The ejection port cover is polymer. The charging handle has an extended release lever and pins so that it can switch to the other side. Right above the chamber on the left hand side of the barrel, it reads “HK 5.56mm” alongside an H&K proof mark. The bird cage flash hider can mount all attachments that an M16A4 can such as Blank Firing Adaptors (BFAs), muzzle caps and Bayonets (bayonet stud is included for the USMC OKC3S bayonet).
The bolt carrier and gas piston system are the true moneymakers of the M27. Their design is what makes the gun run so well and so reliable. The bolt carrier is similar enough to a M16A4 for it to lock into one and chamber a round. Whether or not the hybrid weapon will function reliably is unclear. On the flip side, a M16A4 bolt carrier cannot fit in an M27. The firing pin retaining pin is captive while the firing pin has a spring that keeps the bolt forward. The weapon will function regardless of the spring in the bolt or not. Operation will have minor degradation and there will be more frequent malfunctions but it will not interfere with function of the weapon.

M27 gas system disassembled. Top left is the gas piston, this is the dirtiest part on the entire gun and is very simple to clean. Top right is gas piston rod which has a captive spring enclosed. The rod beyond the beveled half casing intrudes into the upper receiver and makes contact with the bolt carrier during operation. The Gas block is positioned just behind the bayonet stud and has a gas port facing downrange.

The gas piston system consists of the piston rod, piston and gas block. The piston rod has a captive spring and its lateral movement is no more than an inch at the most. The piston is the dirtiest part of the weapon after firing and is simple to clean. It fits into the gas block, which has a vent port facing downrange on top of the barrel. The gas port is only a few nanometers larger in diameter than the HK416 but this change in design cost the Marine Corps in excess of several hundred thousand dollars.
The M27 comes with three sighting systems; Back Up Iron Sights (BUIS), Squad Day Optic (SDO), and the Ruggedized Miniature Reflex (RMR). The Sight Unit, SU-258/PVQ Squad Day Optic was created for the M249 SAW with a contract from Trijicon in 2009 but has been since mounted on the M27. It is a 3.5×35 machine gun optic that is mounted to the rail via LaRue Tactical throw mount with duel locking lugs. It has Tactical Tough flip up dust covers and comes with an Anti Reflection Device (ARD, known as a honey comb for its pattern) screwed onto the objective lens. The reticle is an illuminated horse shoe around a center dot with a small post below. For distances of 100 and 200 meters the aiming markers are the top and bottom tips of the dot respectfully. For 300 meters it is the tip of the illuminated post and further ranges are marked on down the mil scale below the tip. The cross hair mil scale goes out to 35 mils on the horizontal lines and 40 mils on the vertical lines. On the vertical range scale there are range estimation stadia lines (Bullet Drop Compensator) that can provide accurate range estimation based on the shoulders of an average sized man (19 inches). It also has brackets for vehicle estimation both side and frontal views by using the tires.

SDO and RMR mounted on top. Adjustment dials for elevation and windage are the two screw caps in front of RMR. Dust covers may positioned at any angle that the gunner is comfortable with. Also note tape over the Fiber Optic light collector to maintain a more crisp sight picture. Dust covers may be readily positioned at any angle to the SDO for ease of operation.

On top of the SDO is the RMR, a small reflex sight intended for engagements under 100 meters. Unlike the M240B MDO (Machine Gun Day Optic) RMR, which is rail mounted to the optic, the RMR is screwed in and cannot come off except with the use of tools. An important aspect of the RMR is that the dot is rather large in the holographic image and proper cheek wield cannot be maintained while acquiring a sight picture. A gunner must take careful measures to secure a proper zero and maintain it with good muscle memory. The RMR uses adjustment dials that require a flat blade and don’t have a dust cap. The SDO has turn knob adjustment dials with dust caps.
Performance

SDO Reticle Mil scale as depicted in T M 11758A-OR. For range estimation of a human target, the average measurement of a height of 1.5 meters and a chest width of 19 inches is used. For a man sized target at 100 meters, the shoulders will touch the two mil dots opposite the center red dot. For 200 meters, shoulders will touch the lateral sides of the illuminated horse shoe and for 300 meters, shoulders will touch the two disconnected end at 6 o’clock. For 400 and 500 meters shoulders will align with the lateral line at 4 and unmarked 5. From 600-1000 meters the shoulders will fit between the respective mil dots and lateral mil scales. For vehicle estimation the tires will fit between the mil dot and the end of the solid lateral mil line in the front/rear view and from edge of mil line to mil line in the side view.

On live fire ranges the M27 has preformed flawlessly with sub Minute of Angle groups typical. Transitioning from Semi to Auto is simple and very effective when switching from long range targets to quick bursts on close engagements. On a recent live fire training evolution, the unit’s M27s went through more than 300 rounds per gun in the span of an average of 20 minutes in completing an evolution. The author only experienced one jam, caused by a double feed while simultaneously gripping the magazine well and magazine.

Close up display of magazine followers. From left; PMAG, H&K steel, original follower, tan anti-tilt follower. Issued STANAG magazines and those without the tan anti-tilt follower often have difficulty being inserted. The anti-tilt magazines were also introduced with the M27 in mind because the rate of fire was too much to keep up to with the previously standard issue magazines. Interestingly enough, H&K steel 30 round magazines have no issues whatsoever and in fact, are drop free unlike the others.

The gun is extremely controllable on fully automatic provided a proper stance and proper technique are used. M27 gunners were engaging targets well out to 500, 600 meters with one shot hits and immediately taking out near targets of opportunity with bursts and magazine dumps. For Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT), the M27 performed at the same level as an M4, if only a little longer and heavier (7.9 lbs unloaded). The RMR holographic sight was perfect for live fire kill house evolutions where Marines couldn’t afford to be tunneled into the SDO while in a MOUT environment.

Bolt carrier group and charging handle disassembled. This is relatively the same condition of parts after extended firing. Charging handle will function in M16A4.

But the M27 is not without drawbacks. Since the magazine capacity can barely match the rate of fire, gunners would routinely empty entire magazines in seconds only to reload and repeat. Marines were running through evolutions with an excess of sixteen magazines in pockets, pouches and whatever else was improvised. Many more magazines were split up among the squad to carry extra. In comparison, standard load for a rifleman is seven magazines and M27 gunners were carrying nearly three times that amount (21 non tilt follower magazines). Magazine couplers helped with reloads but they take up space on flak jackets and in pouches. PMAGs will not work because of the frontal plastic bevel, which prevents full insertion into the magazine well. The bevel can be filed down to work but, this is highly questionable and against regulation. Questions have been raised on the use of drums designed for the M16A4. These work reliably but have not been tested in military operations overseas. They also cannot stand up to extreme temperatures that military equipment operates in. Surefire has just come out with 60 and 100 round magazines that work reliably in the M16A4, but not in the M27. Currently, Surefire is working to redesign the new magazines in order to work in the M27 as of March 2011.

Top view of bolt carrier with captive spring fully extended. The large lever on top of the carrier serves two purposes: to keep the firing pin secure during disassembly and it acts as an internal safety. It prevents full travel of the firing pin unless it is struck by the hammer which pushes it up and the firing pin forward.

Grippods were an issue as well. Some gunners had theirs broken within the opening minutes of evolutions. These fore-grip combinations are not designed to be used with machine guns, which need a rugged platform to anchor themselves to the deck. The Grippod does not provide enough elevation for a gunner to successfully engage targets at an incline. Also, it is worth noting that occasionally the screws on the LaRue throw lever mounts would come loose after an extended period of sustained firing. Inside the mount there are five screw holes for connecting the optic but only two screws in place.
The M27 barrel is not meant to be readily replaced if there is a hot barrel. Tests have shown that the sustained rate of fire is 36 rounds per minute (rpm) at 120 ℉ for a 600 round load. The cyclic rate of fire is 700-900 rpm (M249 SAW 850 rpm). Little guidance has been provided in the event of a hot barrel except for the shooter to be careful and conserve rounds. During the early testing of the M27 there was a torture test of the guns reliability that was called the “Wells Test” named after the Captain who implemented it. It took 1 minute and 36 seconds to fire through 22 fully loaded magazines all lined up next each other without a single malfunction. Standard issue red M16A4 BFAs mount to the flash hider but 5.56x45mm blanks prevent full operation of the M27. On Semi, rounds cannot fully cycle the M27 and it must be charged every round. On Auto, the gun goes through an average of two rounds before it must be charged again. Currently, yellow M4 BFAs are now standard and their performance is expected to be substantially better.
Small parts begin coming off after extended use of the weapon both in evolutions and everyday use. Battery compartment covers, optic dust covers and ARDs have all been seen to come apart and off if not constantly checked. Most units have it as Standard Operating Procedure to secure serialized gear to the weapons with zip ties and 550 cord. Gunners must be wary of placement with such extremities because if positioned in certain areas they melt if in contact with the barrel (PEQ16) or interfere with disassembly of the weapon (SDO to FFRS).

M27 disassembled into major components. Note silver ball bearings on the buffer tube. Also, on the barrel below the silver captive spring cap of the gas piston rod is the melted remains of a ziptie previously used for securing the PEQ16.

Conclusion
The most pressing changes that need to be addressed on the M27 are the bipod and magazine predicaments. Issuing efficient, rugged bipods and higher capacity magazines are what the M27 needs in order to be more effective to the infantry squad’s mission; other problems pale in comparison. Apart from these issues, the Heckler & Koch M27 has made a significant impact on the way Marine squads conduct operations. However, the jury is still out on the M27 and many are waiting on results of the gun in country. The M16A4 familiarity makes it perfect to issue to Marines already so ingrained with that weapon. Its reliability and weight take away the M249 SAWs principal drawbacks. Some have even speculated that this weapon is an indirect path that the Marine Corps is taking to get more reliable squad level small arms into the hands of Marines without going through the headache of replacing the M16A4. Such programs and rifles have faced opposition ever since their inception (SPIW 1960, ACR 1986, OICW 1990, XM8 2002, SCAR 2007). Overall this is a very fine weapon and has definitely exceeded expectations. The grunts love it, and that is the most enduring compliment any firearm or piece of gear could earn.

FFRS captive locking screw extended out. Sling mount is on left side and can be moved anywhere on the rails. Note the close proximity of screw block to rails, preventing some attachments to the rail.

Article by Miles Vining. Special thanks to David Dimaruo, Tom Durwood, Liza Ponomarenko, Edward Young and the Marines and Corpsmen of 3rd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines.

Disclaimer: This article will discuss the process of completing an AR-15 80% lower with common tools found in most hardware stores. A provision in the Gun Control Act of 1968, 18 U.S.C, Chapter 44 states that an unlicensed individual can make a firearm for personal use, but not for the intent of sale or distribution. Said firearm must conform to N.F.A standards and you must be legally able to be in possession of a firearm. Should you desire to create a Short Barreled Rifle or a Machine gun the BATFE is going to require additional paperwork. If down the road you desire to sell your rifle you will have to put a serial number on it and transfer it via a Federal Firearms License holder. If you never intend to transfer or sell the firearm it must be destroyed upon you giving up possession of the firearm. Granted this is the generally accepted translation of 18 U.S.C, Chapter 44 you should still check local and Federal laws before attempting to build your own personal firearm. Technically you can sell a rifle you have made but you cannot simply make a rifle then immediately decide to turn around and sell it.

Machine, etch, anodize, Cerakote, assemble and shoot.

Now that we have the disclaimer out of the way! Should you desire to build your own AR-15 rifle you have several options. The first, if you have lots of time, money, and technical expertise is to buy a lower parts kit and stock, fabricate your own barrel, and mill out your own receiver. Due to the time and cost involved this would be a very long and expensive process. You could also buy a complete upper receiver assembly, lower parts kit, and stock, and contact your local gun shop to purchase a stripped lower receiver. Another alternative would be to bypass the Federal Firearms License/background check process, purchase an upper receiver assembly, lower parts kit, stock and buy an 80% lower receiver. An 80% lower receiver is an unfinished AR-15 lower receiver that requires the end user to mill out and drill the last 20% percent to make a functioning receiver that can accept a lower parts kit. The first section that the end user must mill out is the pocket that will contain the hammer, trigger, and disconnector, as well as the slot for the selector. The end user also drills out the holes for the hammer pin and the trigger pin. Having milled out the last 20% you can etch, anodize, and assemble your rifle.

80% lower compared to 100% lower. Notice the aluminum that must be milled out.

A lower receiver completed beyond 80% is considered a firearm by the BATFE, hence the name 80% lower. Given the rise in 3-D printed firearm components and “do it yourself” firearms, I was interested in the process of completing an 80% lower. As previously mentioned I wanted to complete an 80% lower with tools commonly found in hardware stores. The 80% lower that I chose to review/finish for this project was the Billet Rifle Systems 80% lower receiver.

Billet Rifle Systems, of Carson City, Nevada is a relatively new company. Started by Chris Garrison in the latter part of 2012, the company has a nice catalog of accessories and parts for the AR-15 family of rifles. At present the company’s flagship products are its AR-15 lower receivers. Billet Rifle Systems holds a Type 7 Federal Firearms License and manufactures both 80% and 100% completed lower receivers. When I queried Chris about his company’s core values, without missing a beat he responded “Customer Service and Quality Control.” Chris sent me a “blemished” 80% lower to practice on as well as one in mint condition. I really had to look close to find the “blemish.” Aside from a minor tool mark in the magwell, the lower receiver met size specifications and should serve fine as a complete functioning lower receiver. Billet Rifle Systems manufactures both 6061 and 7075 aluminum receivers as well as the corresponding jig set that is necessary to complete an 80% lower.

Billet Rifle Systems manufacture a beautiful lower receiver.

We have a lot of necessary material to cover in regard to building your own AR-15 lower, so I have broken this presentation into several articles. The first article is going to cover the tools and parts necessary to complete your lower receiver. This is a do-it-yourself type build, so I will use equipment and techniques that are logistically feasible to the general population. I will be using common tools found in most hardware stores. I will discuss tips and tricks I discovered during the builds. The second article will talk about the actual process of milling out the lower receiver and assembling one from a lower parts kit. The third article will address anything relevant and important not addressed in the previous articles, and show a complete AR-15. The overall process is time consuming but not overtly difficult.

In order to complete your build you will need the following…

Drill Press. This is a 10 inch Ryobi that has so far worked out superb. Granted a milling machine, lathe, or CNC machine would be much better: I wanted to approach this project with common tools and equipment. While working on the 6061 aluminum lower receiver I had the RPM set 3050. I have read that I may have to slow things down when I start milling out the 7075 test lower

X – Y Drill press milling vise. This tool is invaluable. Notice the C – clamps that are holding the vise to the drill press table. This has become one of my favorite tools in the shop. I strongly recommend you get a vise like this should you undertake an 80% project.

Hobby vise, oil, 80% lower, Jig set, diamond files, calipers, end mills, eye protection, 5/32 drill bit and brushes for removing aluminum chips. If you cannot afford a complete end mill set all you need are 2 and 4 flute 3/8 end mills to machine out the last 20% and the slot for your selector. You will need a 5/32 drill bit to drill out the hammer pin and trigger pin holes, as well as a 4 flute 5/16 end mill, to machine out the slot for the trigger.

4 Flute and 2 Flute 3/8 x 3/8 end mills.

You will learn to love your calipers. One can get spoiled with digital calipers!

As of writing this I have completed work on the practice lower but I have yet to assemble it. According to the blue prints I am working with, and compared against a spare lower receiver in the safe, all the measurements look good. I have learned a lot of tips and tricks that I will pass on in the next article.

Before I finish I would like to thank VaderSpade over at Ar15.com as well as USMCDOC14 on Youtube. Their tutorials are excellent and I learned a lot. Thank you Gentlemen!

Thomas Gomez (Farmboy7.62) currently resides in central New Mexico. He is a certified Ar-15/M16 armorer as well as a certified Glock armorer. When he is not farming, ranching and working IT, he can be found hunting and fly-fishing in the beautiful forests and prairies of New Mexico.

Rheinmetall Defence are developing a new 7.62mm medium machine gun called the RMG 7.62 which takes a unique approach to dealing with heat, the age-old machine gun nemesis. At first glance it looks like a small version of the M134 Minigun, but the RMG is no Minigun. Unlike the Minigun, with its insane rate of fire, the RMG is designed to fire at the relatively slow pace of 800 rounds per minute (the exact rate of fire is user adjustable). What it lacks in speed it makes up for in endurance. When its barrel gets over heated the electronics rotate the barrels, replacing the hot barrel for a cool one.

The three barrel system would obviously be unpractical for soldiers on the ground, but it is perfect for use with remotely controlled gun mounts where it is neither possible nor safe for the operator to swap barrels manually. This setup would allow the remote-controlled gun to fire a lot more rounds and take fewer breaks than would be possible with a conventional single-barrel machine gun like the MG3.

The short clip shows a prototype RMG 762 firing but does not show the barrel changing procedure …

Many thanks to Kirill for the tip.

‘And we’re off to Dublin in the green, in the green

Where the helmets glisten in the sun

Where the bayonets flash and the rifles crash

To the echo of the Thompson Gun.’

-‘The Merry Ploughboy’ (Traditional)

The Thompson submachine gun must have more nicknames than any other firearm: ‘Trench Broom’, ‘Tommy Gun’, ‘Chicago Typewriter’, ‘Chopper’, ‘Chicago Piano’ – but today we’d like to talk about a pair of ‘Irish Swords’ from  the National Firearms Centre at the Royal Armouries in the UK.

When General John Thompson completed his iconic submachine gun design in 1919, the world’s governments were weary of war and strapped for cash. With millions of rifles and pistols in their inventories and surplus, there was little room for an unproven, expensive, and distinctly short-range weapon like the ‘Tommy’. British impressions in June 1921 were favourable, but aside from economic considerations, existing doctrine prevented the issue of automatic personal weapons (ironic considering the existence of an 1894 British patent for an automatic rifle).

Instead, one of their enemies stepped in to fill the gap, and the order books of Auto-Ordnance; Michael Collins’ Irish Republican Army. Initial small orders were supplied via Irish-Americans in Spring 1921, before the IRA had even expressed official interest, so strong was U.S. support for the republican cause. Auto-Ordnance, the company set up to market and sell the Colt-manufactured gun, had itself been established with Irish-American money, making Ireland an obvious market for the gun.

At around the same time, the IRA itself had obtained two guns for evaluation. Though Michael Collins himself was allegedly wary of firing the new gun, it made quite an impression on him and other members of the IRA General Headquarters (GHQ). The Thompson’s close quarters firepower appeared well suited to their guerrilla tactics, and whereas it was too expensive to arm a conventional army, relatively few guns would act as a force-multiplier for their small and mobile ‘flying columns’.  Though heavy, it was controllable from the hip in fully automatic fire despite a withering cyclic rate (900 rpm), and with the stock easily removed, could be concealed under an overcoat for clandestine attacks. The demonstration in a Dublin basement further convinced the IRA to procure the weapon in numbers, but in fact a large order of 500 guns had by this time already been placed. The guns, ordered via Auto-Ordnance agent George Gordon Rorke, were intended to resupply beleaguered IRA fighters in the south of the country. The British government was tracking IRA attempts to acquire arms overseas and protested the sale of Thompsons from the officially neutral United States. Even as the 500 guns were being delivered ready for export, Auto-Ordnance Vice-President Marcellus Thompson denied that any substantial orders had been made. Which compared to the wild press claim that 15,000 guns had been ordered by the IRA, was arguably true!

Markings on Thompson M1921 serial # 1234 (PR.7398), including obliterated serial number. © Royal Armouries

Nearly all of the 500 guns were smuggled aboard a collier ship, the East Side as ‘engine room supplies’, their serial numbers obliterated to prevent trace. The ship, stuck in New Jersey as part of a worker’s strike, was supplied with a fresh Irish crew to get it underway. However, on June 15 1921, it was raided and the guns seized under the authority of none other than future FBI director, J. Edgar Hoover. There had been no tip-off from British authorities, no elaborate Bureau investigation; the ship’s captain had simply become suspicious of the activity on the collier. A court case ensued, focused on Rorke and later Marcellus Thompson himself, but this collapsed. Contributing factors included lack of evidence, the death of a key witness, and reduced British interest in pursuing prosecution following the peace treaty of 1922. More importantly however, the export of arms to Ireland from the US wasn’t actually illegal! Even the legislation used to seize the guns turned out to have been enacted for the duration of the First World War only, and had since been repealed. Amazingly therefore, the guns had to be released into Irish hands. They arrived in 1925, too late for the Irish War of Independence, but saw use during the Irish Civil War that followed, and would cause trouble for the British authorities for decades to come.

Given their acquisition by the former British Ministry of Defence Pattern Room, Irish history was a given for our two M1921s. Because their serials had been removed, the details weren’t known. Forensic recovery would have been a possibility to allow further research, but in the event this wasn’t necessary. Colt applied an extra serial number to early examples that can only be seen when the barrel is removed using special tools. Like the American gangsters, those smuggling the guns for Ireland either weren’t aware, or lacked the tools to access this vital piece of information.

Thanks to authors Gordon Herigstad and Patrick Jung, it was possible to confirm that that one of these guns, serial number 212, was an original 1920s IRA purchase. Not only that, it was one of those smuggled on board the ‘East Side’ itself.  212 was one of thirty guns shipped on 6th May 1921 to George Gordon Rorke, N.Y.C. c/o American Railway Express Company, 46th Street New York, N.Y. That company was established to be a fictional front for Rorke’s arms dealing operation.

Our other Irish gun is serial 1235, a later purchase, being one of 300 shipped on the 24th of August 1923 to M.Fitzgerald Co. New York City, N.Y. (thanks again to Mr Herigstad). Though not quite as historic as 212, it is the more original example of the iconic Model of 1921, featuring the original selector markings, knurled controls, and the correct working parts.

Thompson M1921 serial # 212 (PR.7704) with Type C (100 round) and Type L (50 round) drum magazines. © Royal Armouries

Post-Second World War, Thompson guns became prized trophies of the early days of Irish independence, but remained viable terror weapons as the ‘The Troubles’ wore on into the 1980s. We don’t know exactly when, but our two guns were captured by Irish or British forces from the terrorist Provisional IRA and were transferred to the Pattern Room at Enfield near London (now the UK National Firearms Centre in Leeds). They may have formed part of a large cache of 100 Thompsons discovered in County Mayo during the Second World War.

Either in service with the PIRA or later on (see below), gun #212 received modifications to keep it functioning as the decades wore on. It now sports an M1928 lower receiver/grip frame which has also had its serial tampered with – milled away, another number stamped, and then this too partially obliterated. Traditional collectors might view this as affecting its value, but as a museum object it simply adds more history. Some or all of these changes might have been made by the British, as after the Irish Peace Process began in 1997, the gun was once again prepared for firing. When the barrel was pulled, its true serial number was revealed, but it had one more part to play in Irish and British history. In 1998, the ‘echo of a Thompson gun’ was heard again, peacefully this time. Having been purchased during the original War of Independence, the gun was fired as part of a demonstration to assist those sitting in judgement for Bloody Sunday Inquiry into the 1972 killings of Irish civilians by British soldiers. The Inquiry finally reported in 2012, by which time an independent Republic of Ireland had been in existence for 80 years, and even troubled Northern Ireland had become used to relative peace as political efforts took over from bombs and guns.

These Thompson guns, therefore, span the story of the struggle between the emergent Irish state and the British authorities. One that is, we hope, on its way to becoming as much a part of history as these two ‘Irish Swords’.

Jonathan Ferguson

Curator of Firearms

(Title Image: Thompson M1921 serial # 1234 (PR.7398) fitted with Type C drum magazine. © Royal Armouries)

Sources/further reading:

The Gun That Made the Twenties Roar: Amazon.co.uk: William J. Helmer – Ch.3 ‘The Irish Sword’

B. Bell, ‘The Thompson submachine gun in Ireland, 1921’, The Irish Sword VIII, no. 31 (Winter 1967).

P. Hart, ‘The Thompson submachine gun in Ireland revisited’, The Irish Sword XIX, no. 77 (Summer 1995).

P. Jung, ‘The Thompson submachine gun during and after the Anglo-Irish war—new evidence’, The Irish Sword XXI, no. 84 (Winter 1998).

Web:

http://www.historyireland.com/volumes/volume17/issue4/features/?id=114408 – Article by National Museum of Ireland Keeper Lar Joye

http://thompsongunireland.com/ – Best online resource on the background to these guns

http://www.thompsonaccessories.com/home.htm – Gordon Herigstad’s site

http://www.macleantech.com/uploads/ThompsonNumbers-SAR_June09.pdf – Article by Richard Maclean on discovery and tracing of Thompson serial numbers

MasterPiece Arms announced the company upgraded the Sentinel II and Vigilant II suppressors that are designed for the .22 LR.  The upgraded suppressors are a result of re-engineering of the baffle design and the exterior components.  Benefits include:

• reduced sound signature
• quieter first round pop
• improved point of impact shift
• reduced weight
• easier disassembly

The aluminum Sentinel II has a dB rating of 116.4, weighs three ounces and is 5.7″ long.  MSRP is $279.99.

The stainless steel Vigilant II is also rated at 116.4, weighs 7.4 ounces and is 5.7″ long.  MSRP is $325.99.

SWR have published some interesting videos to their Youtube channel recently. In their latest video they use a balloon, a high-speed video camera and their new SWR Specwar 762 suppressor to show the difference in muzzle blast between a suppressed and unsuppressed rifle.

Disclaimer: This article will discuss the process of completing an AR-15 80% lower with common tools found in most hardware stores. A provision in the Gun Control Act of 1968, 18 U.S.C, Chapter 44 states that an unlicensed individual can make a firearm for personal use, but not for the intent of sale or distribution. Said firearm must conform to N.F.A standards and you must be legally able to be in possession of a firearm. Should you desire to create a Short Barreled Rifle or a Machine gun the BATFE is going to require additional paperwork. If down the road you desire to sell your rifle you will have to put a serial number on it and transfer it via a Federal Firearms License holder. If you never intend to transfer or sell the firearm it must be destroyed upon you giving up possession of the firearm. Granted this is the generally accepted translation of 18 U.S.C, Chapter 44 you should still check local and Federal laws before attempting to build your own personal firearm. Technically you can sell a rifle you have made but you cannot simply make a rifle then immediately decide to turn around and sell it.

Billet Rifle Systems 6061 lower receiver.

If you have not already, read Part 1 here.

Welcome to Part II of the Billet Rifle Systems 80% build! This article will discuss the actual milling process of an 80% lower as well as some tricks, tips, pitfalls and general observations in finishing an 80% Ar-15 lower receiver. Once again I would like to stress the use of eye protection. I would also like to mention that if you are using a drill press I do not advise using it like a milling machine. Once the mill bit is making contact and cutting the metal it is generally not considered a good idea to put lateral stress on a bit (Moving along the X and Y planes). If you plan on using a drill press to finish an 80% lower you are simply going to be making hundreds if not thousands of cuts along the “Z-axis”. Even though I am not using a milling machine I will be using the words “mill”, “drill” and their derivatives interchangeably. When I mention to “go slow” this does not pertain to the speed (RPM) of the drill press. It pertains to how fast the end mill bit is sunk into the aluminum. Due to the size of the pictures if you need to see something in greater detail simply click on the picture. The host will load a more detailed picture. Let us get started!

In order to complete an 80% lower receiver you are going to need a jig set. The jig will securely hold the receiver in your vise as well as provide a template showing where to mill, drill, and cut. As soon as you start milling away aluminum you will get a lot of aluminum flakes and chips. You will want to vacuum them up or blow them away. You will also need to experiment with the RPM speed of your drill press. I found that my mill bits cut the best when my drill press was turning at 3050 RPM.

A “100%” lower receiver. This is the pocket that will need to milled out in order to have a functioning lower receiver.

Billet Rifle Systems does an excellent and very precise job machining out their hardware. A drop of MPro 7 was used to help mate the jig plate to the receiver.

After mating the jig set to the lower receiver and tightening the top plate, the jig/receiver group is tightened in the X-Y vise. Using a 4 flute 3/8 x 3/8 end mill I slowly machined out the outline of the fire control pocket. You don’t need to drill too deep…you will be simply creating an outline that will show what needs to be milled out. While the drill press is off grab the chuck and rotate it by hand. Make sure the end mill is not making contact with the jig. The jig is relatively soft aluminum and can easily be marred.

After you make the first cut manipulate the vice and continue to cut out the outline of the pocket.

Quick tip. If you see aluminum on the side of your mill bit at this stage you are accidentally cutting into the jig. A quick way to avoid this is to manually spin the chuck while the press is off. You should be able to tell if contact is being made.

After cutting out the outline you can remove the top plate of the jig and clean the receiver of aluminum chips.

At this point it is time to start removing a lot of aluminum! For this you are going to switch from the 4 flute mill bit to the 2 flute. The 2 flute allows you to drill a little bit faster and allows aluminum shavings to bypass the flutes and be vacuumed or blown out easier.

Using the 2 flute mill bit I retraced my original outline and removed about a 1/4 inch of aluminum. Using the mill bit I slowly drilled a hole to the desired “bottom depth” of the pocket. I used this hole as a guide and I milled off aluminum from it.

Measure twice and cut slow. Continue to mill out the pocket until you have the correct width, depth, and length. At this point you may see machine/mill bit marks on the receiver walls. We will address these marks later.

After you finish milling the pocket for the trigger and hammer, rotate the top plate of the jig 180 degrees. This will provide a template for the rear take down pin and the hole for the trigger.

Like the pocket for the hammer and trigger…mill out an outline for the rear pocket and the trigger hole. Remember to use a 4 flute end mill bit for this procedure. Remove the top plate and mill out the appropriate amount of aluminum with a 2 flute end mill bit.

After you finish milling out the rear takedown pin pocket and the hole for the trigger, turn the jig on its side. Slowly mill out the hole for the selector switch. Unlike milling machines and lathes, drill presses have a lot of mechanical vibrations. If you are milling too fast the drill will vibrate and this will reflect in a larger then necessary hole. If this hole is too big your project may come to a premature end! Go slow!

After you mill out the hole for the selector, attach a 5/32 drill bit. Slowly drill out the holes for the trigger and hammer pins. Turn the jig over and repeat the process for both the selector hole and the trigger and hammer pins.

Since neither a milling machine nor lathe were used for this project, machining marks are inevitable. The marks themselves should not affect function; granted the areas that interface with the hammer and trigger are completely flat. The hammer should not make contact with the sides of the receiver…I have seen some triggers make slight contact with the sides of the receiver.

If the machine marks on the sides of the receiver truly bother you, I found several Dremmel attachments that do a decent job smoothing out the sides of the receiver. If you use a milling machine or a lathe you might see some very minor tool marks at the bottom of the receiver but none on the sides.

Since purchasing my drill press I have used it for several interesting side projects. Buyer beware! This bolt came out of a @#$%^# rifle. The ejector pin hole was partially drilled and the hole for the ejector and spring had terrible burrs inside of it. The rifle was failing to extract because the ejector spring was binding to the burrs in the hole. I re-drilled the holes and the rifle now functions fine. I have a feeling the bolt I rebuilt was not military grade 158 Carpenter steel. I will not give away the rifle brand but I can tell you this bolt did not come out of a Colt, BCM, Noveske, Spikes, Daniel Defense or LaRue rifle.

Due to the fixed comb height on this Tikka T3 Lite, my brother and I installed very low scope rings.The magnification ring was making slight contact with the Evolution Gun Works rail. Using an end mill bit I was able to mill off several sections of rail. I touched up the metal with Alumahyde II. This rifle is ridiculously accurate. It can be seen in this article.

A unique feature on Billet Rifle Systems lower receivers is the pin for the bolt catch. The bolt catch no longer requires a roll pin to be held in place. Billet Rifle Systems uses a small “free floating” pin and a tiny set screw to hold the bolt catch in place.

Pin and set screw for the bolt catch. Billet Rifle Systems supplies the appropriate Allen wrench.

The Billet Rifle Systems receiver has a slightly flared magwell.

Milling out the last 20% of the Billet Rifle Systems lower receiver was very challenging. There is no question that an 80% lower can be successfully completed using a drill press. If I were to undertake this project again I would invest in a milling machine or a lathe. A milling machine would allow cleaner work, mitigate tool marks, and generally speed up the process. If you intend to finish an 80% lower using a drill press look for a steel jig set. Due to the vibrations of a drill press I made unwanted contact with my jig and my lower receiver several times removing a fair amount of aluminum. I don’t believe this would be a problem had I used a milling machine or a lathe. When drilling, try to position the aluminum as close the the mill bit as possible. This will shorten the area the mill bit has to travel and it will mitigate vibration from the drill press. I intend to get the receivers hard coat anodized in the very near future. Since there are a lot machine shops that cater to the Defense Industry here in Albuquerque, it should prove easy to find a local shop to do a Type III, Class 2 hardcoat anodizing that conforms to MIL-A-8625 specification.

At present I am working on the third part of this article set. Part III will post in several months and will feature a complete rifle build. Many of my readers can surmise that as an Armorer I am a slave to technical data packages. A technical data package is a large set of data that specifically states how a rifle should be made. Every military firearm ever procured by the United States government in recent history has a technical data package or manual. Granted the Colt technical data package is Colt property, the military has leaked it on several occasions. A quick Google search will give you an idea concerning the proper material and processes necessary to build a military specification/military grade rifle. I believe that guns should be built to a military grade of quality. Due to recent market and political trends there are a lot of poorly made rifles flooding the market. Said rifles are being built with substandard materials. These rifles will further proliferate the myth that the Ar-15 platform is unreliable. My fellow armorers and I are seeing trends concerning broken bolt lugs due to improper metallurgy as well as carrier tilt, broken disconnectors, bent trigger and hammer pins due to piston retrofit kits. As suppressors become more common, guns that do not have a method for adjusting gas flow are being prematurely worn out. Billet Rifle Systems manufactures military grade 7075 aluminum receivers…I was given a 6061 lower receiver to test…which is not military grade. I only trust my life to military grade weapons; however, I may build a training rifle or a hunting rifle with my test lower and run it hard. As long as consumers value form over function there will continue to be sub standard rifles; however, these rifles will still need to be overhauled, maintained, fixed, and upgraded. Maintenance schedules are common for military spec/military grade rifles, but my fellow armorers and I are in desperate need of data concerning maintenance and part longevity of rifles that are not military grade. It’s safe to assume that Part III will feature a non military grade rifle that I will use to gather data concerning parts ware and maintenance schedules. Who knows….Eugene Stoner’s design, even when not built to The Standard, may surprise me!

Thoughts, comments, gripes and humor are welcome in the comments below! Feel free to contact me if you have a question!