It looks like Poland is developing their own version of the XM29 OICW concept, according to the MSPO 2008 website. It may or may not be called the “Neon”, Google translate is not great at best of times.
What makes the Polish concept unique is that the grenade launcher part of the weapon will, at this stage in the design, be able to be removed and swapped for a different caliber, either 40mm or 25mm.
I am going to predict that they will end up with one caliber and not bother with the complexity and cost of multiple calibers.
It has the usual fire control system to program air burst grenades to detonate at a certain distance.
I will be watching with interest to see what happens with this program. Sweden and Singapore are also developing similar weapons and South Korea will be fielding the XK11 Korean New Rifle in 2010.
I have done my best to find accurate information about this firearm on the Polish MSPO 2008 website. I do not speak or read Polish so I had to rely on Google Translate. If I got something wrong, please correct me in the comments.
Also on display at MSPO 2008 were the Alex bullpup bolt action rifles. They look awesome. As far as I know they come in three models. The Alex762 (7.62x51mm), Alex -338 (8.6x70mm / .338 Magnum Lapua) and the Alex Sports Tactical (7.62x51mm).
It is so pretty I could not help posting another photo
The Alex-338 weights 6.5 kg without scope and 7.3 kg with the scope, 0.4 kg more than the Alex-762. It has a 5 round magazine. I can’t read Polish and I am unable to find more useful information on the rifles.
Earlier this year US firm Desert Tactical Arms launched a bolt action bullpup rifle at SHOT.
I have done my best to find accurate information about this firearm on the Polish MSPO 2008 website. I do not speak or read Polish so I had to rely on Google Translate. If I got something wrong, please correct me in the comments.
The RPG-40 was on display at MSPO 2008. The Centre for Research and Development Equipment Mechanics (OBR SM) and Military Technical Academy, which I assume are Polish organizations, have developed the RPG-40. Despite its name it has nothing to do with the Russian RPG-* arms and does not fire rocket propelled grenades, just the standard 40mm variety.
The RPG-40
It holds 6 rounds and features an oversized chamber so a variety of lethal and non-lethal ammunition can be chambered – limited by how much pressure the weapon can withstand.
Oversized 40mm chamber
It may be in direct competition with the South African Milkor MGL (M32) that is currently used by the Marines in Iraq. It looks like it has a very similar spring-loaded magazine, which rotates after a shot has fired. I would not be surprised if the MGL technology has been licensed.
Marine with M32 MGL (MGL-140) in Iraq.
Photo from Wikipedia
MGL MGL Mk-1
The MGL is a scaled up version of the Striker/Streetsweeper/Protecta rotary magazine 12 gauge shotgun:
Striker shotgun with 12″ barrel. Photo from guns.ru
I have done my best to find accurate information about this firearm on the Polish MSPO 2008 website. I do not speak or read Polish so I had to rely on Google Translate. If I got something wrong, please correct me in the comments.
The other new Polish pistol at MSPO 2008 is the 9mm MAG 08. It is a redesign of the MAG 98 which itself was a redesign of the MAG 95. It looks nice, but I do remember reading complaints about the previous generation MAG pistols somewhere.
I have done my best to find accurate information about this firearm on the Polish MSPO 2008 website. I do not speak or read Polish so I had to rely on Google Translate. If I got something wrong, please correct me in the comments.
The P99 RAD was unveiled at MSPO 2008. As far as I can tell it is a standard P99 with a Picatinny rails and a different, but still interchangeable, grip.
The “RAD” part of the name refers to the hometown of the Lucznik Arms Factory, Radom. Interestingly enough “Rad” was the the unofficial nickname of the Polish Vis semi-automatic pistol used in WWII.
The pistol was designed by the Polish military and I do not know if Walther will sell this design to the public.
More here (this page is English, most of site is not)
I have done my best to find accurate information about this firearm on the Polish MSPO 2008 website. I do not speak or read Polish so I had to rely on Google Translate. If I got something wrong, please correct me in the comments.
MSPO 2008 International Defence Industry Exhibition was held in Kielce, Poland and ended about an hour ago. I will shortly be posting some of the cool firearms that were displayed, or at least the cool firearms I could find. Not being able to read polish makes it hard to find information.
SayUncle blogged a video of this ulta-high capacity 150 round AR-15 compatible (STANAG) magazine: the Armatac Industries CL-MAG.
The CL-MAG™ offers for the first time a reliable and efficient 150 rd magazine for the .223/5.56mm rifle. Designed to fit NATO standard (STANAG-4179) rifles, the CL-MAG™ quickly converts a rifleman with a standard M4 into automatic support personnel. The 150 rd magazines have been routinely emptied through the standard AR-15 setup without weapon failure. (Ambient temperature starts). The flexibility of such force multiplication makes the CL-MAG™ the most dominant accessory for the AR/M4/M16 family of weapons.
I must say I don’t get it. If the magazine breaks you are stuffed unless you are carrying other magazines. For example you may have to carry a 150 round CL-MAG, as well as 3×30 round magazines. If the CL mag jams after 50 rounds you are now carrying 100 rounds less than you were a minute ago.
On the other hand the Singaporean 5.56 LMG, the STK Ultimax 100, the same people who make the CPW, takes STANAG magazines and currently uses a modified 100 round C-Mag. This would give it 50% more capacity and increase rate of fire. The added weight may even be beneficial (when being fired, not carried).
Photo from Wikipedia.
The Ultimax 100 is being marketed to the Marines. It is has very low recoil, takes standard M16 magazines and can be operated by one person.
Xavier has written an excellent post about teaching people to shoot.
When a person asks me to teach a them how to shoot, the first step is that I require them to memorize the Four Rules. This request performs two functions. First, it gives them the minimum knowledge needed to be safe with a firearm. Second, it demonstrates that they are serious about learning
