As sad as it is, I am unable to attend SHOT Show 2010.
If you are going, and own a digital camera or camera cell phone, please let me know. The more spies who volunteer to gather information, the better my coverage of the new guns and gear will be!!!
My email address is here.
I am hoping I will be able to make it to SHOT 2011.
UPDATE: Just to clarify, I don't need you to do any writeups, although you can if you wish, but just send me photos and information.
Waffen Greger, a German company, makes bullpup conversions of the Browning BAR (the hunting rifle, not the military BAR).
Once converted the overall length of the rifle is just 31.5", about 12" shorter than a standard BAR1. Aside from the length, a significant benefit would be the better balance offered by the bullpup configuration, with the action sitting right up against the shooters shoulder.
The standard magazines that are supplied with the rifle hold just two rounds, although they can supply three or four round mags. In Germany, hunting with semi-automatic rifles holding more than two rounds is prohibited.
Many thanks to Mehul for sending me the link to this company.
Simon, aka. Simon_the_Brit, was an Armorer in the British Army. He sent me photos of the M16 he was issued with during the British Army jungle training in Malaysia, which he participated in sometime between 1984 and 1986.
I was surprised to learn that at the time, just before the introduction of the L85A1, the Army had quite a mix of rifles in use, including M16s. This particular M16 was of 1960s vintage.
Now that, my friends, is a nice mustache 
Simon with a L1A1 SLR (FN FAL), the standard issue rifle at the time.
Many thanks to Simon for these very interesting photos.
Weatherby will soon be selling a line of Vanguard rifles which feature detachable magazines. Currently Weatherby Vanguards use internal magazines.
Hunters often argue the benefits of internal vs. detachable magazines. I personally prefer internal, but there are obvious advantages of removable magazines.
The semi-automatic FN SCAR 17S, which chambers 7.62x51mm NATO, was supposed to be on sale this year, but FN-USA have announced that it won't go on sale until 2010 ...
Released for 2010 is the highly anticipated SCAR 17S now available for civilian purchase. Chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO (308 Win.) and slightly heavier than the SCAR 16S, this unique carbine offers long-range accuracy, exceptional reliability and match winning versatility.
Both SCARs have fully ambidextrous operating controls, a free floating, cold hammer-forged Mil-SPEC barrel with hard-chromed bore; a receiver-integrated MIL-STD 1913 optical rail plus three accessory rails for mounting scopes, electronic sights, lights, or lasers. The side-folding polymer stock is fully adjustable for comb height and has six settings for length of pull. The SCAR also features a tactically advantageous reciprocating charging handle for quick ammo and magazine failure response.
SCAR 17S (top) and its smaller brother the 16S.
A matte black finished model of the 5.56mm FN SCAR will be on sale to consumers next year. I think it looks great (... and yes, I know getting excited about a gun being black is pretty sad).
Earlier this year FN gave dealers the chance to pre-order a limited edition black SCAR. One dealer is trying to sell one of these for $9,999!
Now, it appears, that the black SCAR is going into full production and will be offered as a standard model, not a limited edition. I suspect there will be some unhappy customers who pre-ordered a limited edition, only to find it is now a full production model.
Other than the opportunists on Gun Broker, I have seen the black SCAR listed for between $3000 and $4000. When it is actually available, it will probably sell for the same as the tan, aka. Flat Dark Earth, colored model ($2500 - $3000)
Interestingly, early prototypes of the military SCAR had a black finish:
UDPATE: Replaced top photo with better quality image. Thanks Elaine.
Over the next couple of days I will be making some major changes to the software that powers The Firearm Blog. Some downtime is probable, although it should not be much. If the blog is not working when you visit, try again 1/2 hour later.
Max, of THOR Global Defense Group, emailed me photos of their .50 BMG Nemesis MKV-NV and .408 Chey-Tac XM408 rifles.
The XM408. It can be packed into a very small space when broken down.
Snipers trying it out at a recent sniper competition.
Thanks Max!
Military Times (via. SNAFU!) reports ... (emphasis mine)
James Conway had questioned how the IAR will fit into fire teams, but said that his concern was “answered in short order.” Smith declined to elaborate, and Maj. David Nevers, a spokesman for Conway, said the commandant was unavailable for comment.
At the Modern Day Marine exposition held at Quantico in October, FN Herstal displayed a high-capacity magazine for its IAR variant that can hold 100 to 150 rounds. Another contractor, Armatac Industries, has approached the Corps about a 150-round magazine it makes and says is compatible with each of the finalists’ weapons.
Early in the evaluation process for the IAR, the Corps’ requirement called for the weapon to use 100-round magazines. That was eventually eliminated in favor of using the same 30-round magazines, as Marine officials sought to cut weight from the SAW’s replacement.
Translation: Ultra-high capacity magazines have poor reliability and so we are pretending that they are in fact too heavy for our Marines to carry.
I was not aware that the requirement had been dropped. Not having a ultra-high capacity magazine would seem to significantly decrease the utility of the rifle, insofar as it being a replacement for the SAW.
Many thanks to Solomon for the link.
I finally got hold of a photo of the tacti-awesome version of the KBP's revolver shotgun. The gun was on display at the recent Interpolitex security expo in Moscow.
© Vitaly Kuzmin. Click to expand photo.
More info about this gun can be found here.
Many thanks to Vitaly Kuzmin for his help and the use of his photo.
