The Firearm Blog

GunPorn wrote a post on this very interesting shotgun. It is a reverse pump action bullpup shotgun invented by a South African company.

From what appears to be the official website.

Neostead Features

* Selectable twin tube magazine
* 13 shot capacity
* Overall length is 27 inches with full length barrel of 22.5 inches
* Totally ambidextrous as all controls are centrally mounted
* Pump action is reversed
* Straight line stock with magazines above barrel
* Negligible muzzle lift
* Intergral carry handle houses ghost ring sights
* High stength polymers for main external components
* Boltless design
* Sling swivels on top

Safety Features

* Trigger safety locks trigger positively
* Pump handle operates trigger disconnector
* Pump lock
* Firing pin positive return
* Out of battery firing prevention
* Reversed pump action

Wikipedia has this to say

The NeoStead 2000 (NS2000) is a type of shotgun developed by the South African company NeoStead. Along with the Pancor Jackhammer, it is considered one of the most technologically advanced shotguns ever created. The NS2000 has been used in trial runs for a few years by special forces like the British SAS and there are hopes at NeoStead that larger weapons manufacturers will license the production rights. Production of the shotgun began in 2001 and the first models were made available in October of that year.

The NS2000 is a 12-gauge pump action shotgun weighing in at just over 3kg, designed primarily for security and civil disturbance situations.

The firearm includes a 22.5 inch (572mm) barrel despite the overall weapon length of just 27 inches (686mm). The short length makes the weapon easier to handle in close quarter situations however, unlike most firearms of this type, it can still remain accurate at relatively long ranges. The long barrel length is achieved by using a bullpup configuration, with a rear-fed tubular magazine.

Another aspect of the NS2000 is its dual six round magazines. The selector switch can be set to left, right, or alternating. For example in riot conditions less-lethal flexible baton rounds can be used with standard rounds in reserve.

A possible production variant of the NS2000 has an 18 inch barrel in a weapon with an overall length of 22 inches. The shorter length reduced the magazine capacity to 5+5 rounds and makes the weapon easier to import or license in many countries.

Its pump mechanism operates in a forward-back motion, due to its rear-load configuration. This is different from conventional pump methods as the pump action is achieved by shifting the hand forward-back, as opposed to the standard back-forward motion of the non-trigger hand.

Some more photos

This photo makes it look a bit like a side by side shotgun. The two cylinders next to each other on the top are the magazines.

Patent application drawings:

This shows how the magazines are inserted:

Silencer Research has posted an impressive comparison of 19 different .22lr suppressors.

These tests were conducted on January 5, 2008 using 19 silencers from various manufacturers around the country. Some of the best silencers in the world were measured in this test. The test was fired using the Walther P22 pistol and a bolt action rifle manufactured in Russia call the Tula Toz 78. This is the preliminary release of this data and more individual reviews will become available as time permits.

Unfortunately, they require you to register (for free) to view the info and the videos are normal windows video files, not hosted on youtube type sites. They really need to get into this blogging ‘thing’.

What is interesting is that the second best suppressor, with regards to noise reduction, costs $295.00 while the worst costs $595.00! I have always said I do not trust these ‘high tech’ expensive suppressors.

Mossy Oak have launched a new camo pattern designed for …

… hardcore whitetail hunters who hunt from an elevated position. Treestand offers whitetail hunters the ideal camouflage solution for altering their silhouette among the bare limbs of a tree in late fall.

Some photos


The press release

Mossy Oak, the industry leader in camouflage design, is proud to introduce its newest pattern, Treestand, designed specifically for hardcore whitetail hunters who hunt from an elevated position. Treestand offers whitetail hunters the ideal camouflage solution for altering their silhouette among the bare limbs of a tree in late fall.

“Hunting whitetails from a tree is one of our favorite pursuits here at Mossy Oak,” said founder and CEO Toxey Haas. “If we took the time to add up all the hours that our staff has spent in a treestand over the years, we’d probably wonder just how anything gets done around here. But it is exactly that dedication to the sport that helps us bring you a pattern as effective as Treestand.”

Nearly 20 years ago, Mossy Oak introduced the original version of Treestand and revolutionized the way we look at camo by being the first to incorporate tree limbs into a pattern. Almost two decades later, Treestand now utilizes digital technology to exactly reproduce the details and subtleties of actual tree limbs laid over the neutral tones most commonly seen when looking up through bare trees.

“This pattern was specifically designed with the elevated hunter in mind,” said Butch English, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Mossy Oak. “Treestand is built to defeat the ‘deer’s eye view’ of looking up through the limbs of bare trees. Our new Treestand pattern is the ultimate camo for the over 12 million hunters that hit the woods each year in pursuit of whitetails.”

Looks alright.

Scope ring lapping is when you grind off any uneven surfaces on the inside of scope rings. This means there is much less chance of your scope getting scraped or dented as well as allowing more of the ring surface to come into contact with the scope, allowing less movement.

A scope lapping device

From Michael Carlin (via TheFiringLine forum)

Lapping scope rings trues the rings to each other. The new rings may have been well machined, but when mounted on various (note the intent to imply differences) recievers of the same make they may not be perfectly aligned with each other.

This was one of the reasons that when I was young the one piece base was supposedly superior. It tended to limit the amount of misalignment that the gunsmith could induce in installing two piece base systems.

So what you ask?

This is very important, for if the tube is tweaked, kinked, or otherwise stressed, the internal adjustments will be “bound up” by the stresses. Imagine what would happen to any precision instrument that was twisted about its long axis. The amount of bind will adversely affect the repeatability of adjustment.

The best scopes in the world will not perform to their potential if their mount torques the tube, and binds up their internals.

Additionally, stresses applied to the tube tend to degrade the optical performance. Optimum optical performance requires that the optical centers of the elements (lens) be aligned. This is definitely not going to be true if we twist the scope out of shape squeezing it into misaligned rings.

Those of you who mount a scope on your 2+ minute of angle rifle to shoot deer at 100 yards, never “sight in” at any other range, and have not touched the adjustments of your scope for years may find all of this very boringly esoteric.

Those of you shooting any rifle any sight matches at 800, 900 and 1000 yards, as well as the silhouette shooters, and long range varminters/benchresters may consider this much more important.

Is lapping necessary? It depends. If your are installing a $40 scope on a $275 factory rifle to shoot factory loads at a large game animal at under 200 yards… probably not.

If you installing a $500 instrument on a rifle capable of using that level of precision due to its accuracy, it definitely is IMHO worth the limited expense and effort to do so.

Guns Magazine wrote a review of the Brownells scope ring lapper.

UPDATE:

I found a very good scope lapping tutorial here.

An interesting article on converting an Uzi into a Mini Uzi.

Hat Tip: Sear and Hammer

This is one of Kahr’s new pistols released this year.

Specs:

Caliber: .45 ACP
Capacity: 5+1
Barrel: 3.14″
Weights: Pistol 17.3 ounces, magazine 2 ounces
Retail: $838

More info here.

This is one of Kahr’s new pistols released this year.

Specs:

Caliber: .45 ACP
Capacity: 6+1
Barrel: 3.64″
Weight: 19.7 ounces, magazine: 2 ounces
Retail Price: $556

More here.

Wow! This is the 5 millionth Ruger 10/22 produced, and definitely the most beautiful (and expensive). It is currently being auctioned at GunBroker.com. The current bid is $4,500!

Click to enlarge the photos

The rifle features rich, hand-engraved scroll designs and gold highlights that complement the clean lines and legendary performance of this classic rifle. Full-cover engraving enhances the nickel-finished receiver, featuring scroll designs and a banner that reads “Five Millionth” highlighted with 24kt gold to recognize the milestone the rifle represents. Hand-cut engraving also adorns the barrel and barrel band, and the butt plate features full-coverage engraving and the monogram of William Batterman Ruger.

The rifle has been stocked with select American black walnut.

More photos

An interesting comparison between a suppressed .308 FAL vs. an Unsuppressed FAL.

The unsuppressed shot comes right at the end of the video.

They were using a AAC Cyclone 7.62MM Suppressor:

The CYCLONE is a thread-mounting silencer for 7.62mm bolt action and semi-automatic rifles. Constructed entirely from welded 300 series stainless steel, the 8.38″ Lg x 1.50″ diameter CYCLONE is the most compact and durable 7.62mm rifle silencer on the market. The computer optimized baffle stack of the CYCLONE delivers a substantial frequency shift, and the resulting muzzle report is indistinguishable from the ballistic crack of the projectile in flight. The weapon’s flash signature is completely eliminated, and recoil is reduced to the extent the shooter can actually see bullet impact through the scope. The slight added weight of the CYCLONE will assist in reducing barrel harmonics which can equate to a significant increase in accuracy with many host-weapons.

More on the suppressor here

Ninjamaster at HKPRO forum posted before and after pictures of his USP Tactical pistol which be gave the photoshop camo treatment.

I think it looks great.

More here.