During the Iraq War the Marines urgently ordered 180 of the Mk11 Mod 0 Sniper Weapon System's, but with the Army M110 Rifle Upper Receiver. This Mk11 / M110 hybrid was known as the Mk11 Mod 1. Later, the Marines began ordering the Mk11 Mod 2, a SOCOM / Navy developed variant of the SR-25 that is very similar to the M110.
Knight's Armament are now selling the last 50 of the Mk11 Mod 1 rifles that will ever be produced to civilians.
The suggested retail price ... $8508! Most of these 50 rifles are already spoken for with only a few left for sale. It is more than I would spend on a rifle of this class, but I suppose it is also a piece of military history.
Big thanks to Jesse for sending me the info.
Colt have won a contract worth $126 million to manufacturer the FN designed M240B machine gun, the standard medium caliber machine gun of the Army and Marines.
Colt Defense, LLC., West Hartford, Conn., was awarded on Sept. 25, 2009 a
$32,143,048 firm-fixed-price contract for M240B machine guns. Work is to be
performed in Hartford, Conn., with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31,
2015. Bid solicitation was open to the Firms in the U.S. and Canada with two
bids received. TACOM-RI, CCTA-AR-SA, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting
activity (W56HZV-09-D-0175).
Daniel Watters, an expert on military procurement, told me that the military have been trying to maintain, or expand, the small arms production industrial base by procuring from second sources.
A big thank you to Daniel Watters for the info.
The Classic 130 Master Grade is an incredibly beautiful work of art.
From the Wilson Combat newsletter ...
Over the past few years we have been working with an engraver that has done some truly lovely work for us that you our customers now enjoy. After he finished up his last project we talked for a while and a concept was born for a truly remarkable pistol.
These special pistols call on over 150 years of combined gunsmithing experience to build a master piece. Beginning with all of the finest components available held to the strictest standards, placing them in the hands of our most skilled gunsmiths, hand fitting one part at a time until it works together like a well tuned race engine. That alone makes it one of the finest pistols available anywhere, but we are not done yet. The sculpted scroll engraving on the slide is breath taking with deep and exceptional detail. While it is often said seeing is believing, when you look at the detail on the slide you will know what breath taking truly is. The beautifully engraved slide was expertly charcoal blued by Doug Turnbull Restorations bringing the engraving to life. Placing this slide atop the stainless frame makes for an exceptionally striking custom pistol.
Engraved charcoal blue slide over a stainless frame with adjustable sights, match barrel and bushing, ambidextrous safety, and speed-chute makes this beautiful pistol also have all of the features you want in your custom pistol.
I could say so much more, but I will let the photos speak for this wonderful pistol.
The Chiappa 1911-22 is a .22 pistol patterned after the M1911. The action is not that of a 1911, but a fixed-barrel recoil system and is manufactured from steel and "Chiappalloy" (presumably a pot metal).
| Specifications |
|
| Caliber |
.22 Long Rifle |
| Capacity |
10 rounds |
| Grip |
Wood |
| Barrel |
5" / 6 grooves |
| Twist |
1:16" |
| Total Length |
9" |
| Weight |
32 ounces |
| Price |
$265+ depending on model |
| Availability |
Now |
The market for this pistol, and its not-yet-on-sale competitors the GSG 1911, are 1911 shooters who want to practice with cheap ammunition but would rather have a dedicated gun than purchasing a .22 conversion kit and having to swap it in and out of their .45 1911.
Khar have given the PM9 sub-compact what I call the "Massachusetts makeover". An external thumb safety has been added along with a loaded chamber indicator. It has already been added to the Massachusetts EOPS Approved Firearms Roster. I think this model, with the safety, is probably going to be popular outside of MA.
| Specifications |
|
| Model |
PM9193 / PM9193N |
| Caliber |
9mm Luger |
| Capacity |
6+1, 7+1 (magazine with grip extension) |
| Operation |
Trigger cocking DAO; lock breech; "Browning - type" recoil lug; passive striker block; no magazine disconnect |
| Barrel |
3.0", polygonal rifling; 1 - 10 right-hand twist |
| Length O/A |
5.3" |
| Height |
4.0" |
| Slide Width |
.90" |
| Weight |
Magazine 1.9 ounces, Pistol 14 ounces, |
| Grips |
Textured polymer |
| Sights |
Drift adjustable, white bar-dot combat sights |
| Finish |
Black frame, matte stainless steel slide (PM9093), matte blackened stainless steel slide (PM9094) |
| MA Approved |
YES |
| MSRP (Price) |
$924.00 (PM9193), $1,049.00 (PM9193N) |
| Availability |
Fall 2009 |
Polish fireamr manufacturer Fabryka Broni Radom (FB Radom) unveiled for the first time at DSEi their new range of civilian rifles. The Aktyn Radom Sport family consists of three rifles which are semi-automatic versions of thier military counterparts:
- AKS assault rifle (7.62x39mm)
- Tantal assault rifle (5.45x39mm)
- Beryl assault rifle (5.56x45mm
These rifles all feature a slightly longer receiver which allows for a quick release picatinny rail that sits above the dust cover. This is the same system that is used by Polish Beryl assault rifle. The extended rear section of the receiver is also reinforced, allowing a variety of stocks to be attached. One other improvement over the standard AK design is a larger T-Shaped magazine release.
The photos below show the AKS model.
Note the magazine release.
I am very pleased to hear from REMOV that FB Radom will have a booth at SHOT Show next year. Hopefully they will find a firm in the US to partner with to distribute these rifles. One stumbling block, at least for civilian sales, is the restriction on the import of what the BATFE classify as non-sporting rifles. If a local firm could manufacture the receivers, then part kits could be imported and the rifles assembled stateside.
Many thanks to REMOV for providing me with information and photos.
Jennifer's father is an avid rifle, shotgun and bow hunter so she made this appropriately themed cake for his 60th birthday.
The brown blobs : deer droppings 
Tasty.
Num num.
Happy Birthday Jen's dad!
Many thanks to Rolf for sending me the photo.
The legendary Daniel Watters has unearthed compelling evidence that the Marine MEU(SOC) M1911 pistol has now been given the official designation "M45 Close Quarters Combat Pistol".
A Marine fired the MEU(SOC)
Two documents 1, recently posted on Navy.mil, provide information about the procurement of slide assemblies for the M45. Unlike previous documents these do not refer to the MEU(SOC) designation and refer only to the "M45 Close Quarters Combat Pistol".
Note the reliability requirements.
Many thanks to Daniel for the information.
Suburban noticed a empty webpage on Magpul's website entitled "LOWER RECEIVER TECHNICAL RESOURCES".
With their expertise in plastics I would not at all be surprised if they plan on producing a plastic AR-15 lower receiver like the Calvary Arms CAV-15.
Calvary Arms CAV-15 MK-II polymer receivers
You often hear stories about ancient AK-47 rifles being dug up and fired. In this video the Special Task Force, an elite paramilitary South African police unit, assist Mozambique authorities in locating and destroying an 18 year old weapons cache left over from the Mozambican Civil War.
One of the policemen takes a rusty AK-47, pours motor oil all over it, then proceeds to empty a magazine.
Skip to 1:50 to see the AK being fired.
UPDATE: It is an AK-47, with bakelite magazines, not a AK-74 as I originally reported. Thanks to those who corrected me. It also makes more sense, as the 74 was not introduced only a few years earlier than the start of the civil war.
Hat Tip: SaysUncle
