The Firearm Blog

Yesterday I blogged about the trick of racking a Glock slide by using the slides' own inertia.

Sebastian has calculated the acceleration needed to achieve the trick.

Last year I reported that Izhmash would launch a new line of AK-style rifles this year. While this new line has not yet materialized, a prototype has been unveiled. It modernizes the AK-74M / AK-100 series by adding rails for optics and other accessories, as well as a few other minor improvements.

Head of Izhmash (I think) holding the new rifle. Note the nifty fore-grip / bipod.

President Dmitry Medvedev.

The following photos show one of the new prototype AK rifles.

Chambers 7.62x39mm. This means Izhmash also plan on updating their export rifles (the AK-100 series).

In the above photo you can see the new thumb safety. It simply prevents the trigger from being pulled back when it is engaged, very much resembling the SKS safety. One of the problems with the AK rifles is that it is slow to disengage the safety. This safety allows the operator to disengage the standard safety and put the rifle on semi or full auto mode, but reduces the chance of an accidental discharge.

The pistol grip has been updated and made more ergonomic.

The dust cover now features a rail for optics. To prevent a loss of zero when opened, the dust cover features a lever to lock it in place. The cover does detach from the gun but instead it hinges just in front of the rear sight.

The butt stock now stores the cleaning rod. It appears to have a slot cut in it for a sling, as well as the standard sling swivel. UPDATE: The slot exists so that a recoil pad can be attached. (Thanks Johnny for the correction).

The rear sight is now adjusted differently. The dust cover hinge can be clearly seen.

The forward rail sits above the gas tube.

I can't decide if that is a side rail or not.

Bottom rail and a side rail.

While many of these modification are not pretty, they all seem like good ideas. In Iraq and Afghanistan all the allied forces are issuing optics (expect, of course, the cash-poor indigenous troops). I am sure the Russian Army does not want to fall behind everyone else and Izhmash does not want to lose sales to because their current stable of rifles lacks a decent rail system for optics and accessories.

Many thanks to Max Popenker for his help and insight.

This video shows a USPSA shooter load a Glock 35 and rack the slide with just one hand. He uses the inertia of the slide to rack it. It is very impressive.

The shooter claims that the Glock is stock standard and that their have been no modifications to recoil spring.

How long till we see this in an over-the-top action movie?

Many thanks to Advocate for the links and slow-mo video.

Talo is selling a special edition Colt 1911 named the Colt Ghost Commander. It is a limited edition with just 400 being manufactured.

I let y'all down! Somehow the Taurus 1911 pistols chambering 9mm Luger/Parabellum and .38 Super which were launched earlier this year slipped below my radar.

I also did not realize they were now available in stainless!

The .38 Super model is very similar to the 9mm. Both types of are also available in a blued finish.

You can browse the line of 1911's at TaurusUSA.com.

Next month Montie Design will be selling a new version of their X-REST. The AR-REST is designed to be tall enough to accommodate AR-15 and AK rifles with their standard magazines.

The Original X-REST

These lightweight rests are made from aluminum and locks together with a steel pin. The idea behind them is that they are light and compact enough to easily carry in your range bag,

The AR-REST will sell for $60 (+ $12 shipping)

Digital Concealment Systems have developed a new camo design that will be used on Remington, Bushmaster and DPMS guns. While the company is planning on unveiling it at SHOT '10, it has been in development for a while now and a few promotional photos can be found online.

Remington ACR with A-TACS camo.

Its universal pattern¹ is a kind of improved digital pattern that uses blended blobs instead of the square pixels that are used in digital camo.

More info at Solider Systems and Strike - Hold.

I am back blogging!

A HUGE thank you to all the guest authors who wrote articles for the blog during my break. Your hard work has been much appreciated by me and, I am sure, all the readers as well.

Carl Walther GmbH has filed for a patent on a mechanism which prevents a pistol being disassembled if a round is chambered. It works by using the extractor to manipulate a pin which prevents the disassembly.

Diagram from the patent.

Personally, I think all gadgets like this are unnecessary. Police departments, on the other hand, love these kind of features. That the Glock requires its trigger to be pulled on disassembly has often been cited as a reason police have switched away from the Glock in favor of its competitors.

The patent application can be viewed online at Scribd.com.

Zimmerman Arms have developed what looks like the best tactical Ruger 10/22-style rifle available. What sets the Rezolution (yes, it is spelt with a "z") apart from other tactical 10/22 type rifles is that they have developed their own receiver. It does not enclose a standard 10/22 receiver inside an outer shell like the Ruger SR-22 and other similar guns.

Rezolution Tactical

The CNC machined receiver features a full length monolithic top picatinny rail. A bottom rail and side rails are bolted onto the receiver. Internally it makes use of a Ruger 10/22 compatible bolt, trigger group, magazines and v-block barrel mounting system. Rimfire Technologies, a well known supplied of after market 10/22 parts, supplies many of the internal parts, including the barrel.

Precision model with bull barrel.

Rails

The familiar shaped receiver and bolt

As most of you have already guessed, the Rezolution is compatible with standard AR-15 stocks. What is slightly disappointing is that it is not compatible with AR-15 pistol grips, although this is a minor fault.

The pricing starts at $941.81 for the R-RT-21BL (Rezolution Tactical with 21" length receiver). This model features a 16" .750 diameter fluted stainless threaded barrel with AR-15 A2 flash-hider and a M4 style stock.

Production has only just begun and some models will not be available until next month. I personally think these guns are a very good deal and are going to sell very well.