One aspect of the Remington ACR which I have not seen discussed online is that it is being offered by the company with a variety of lower receiver designs.
From the Remington Military catalog.
The standard Bushmaster / Remington ACR receiver is made of polymer with a moulded pistol grip. Remington is also offering another lower receiver that can accommodate an AR-15 pistol grip. See the above image.
An employee of Remington MPD told me that they also plan on offering a magnesium alloy receiver to select customers. I suspect that Remington would be willing to offer a lower receiver made out of diamond encrusted platinum if a large enough military customer required it!
If the Bushmaster ACR sells well, aftermarket lower receivers could bring in a lot of additional revenue. More than a few customers would be willing to hand over fistfuls of cash for a fancy all-metal lower receiver so that they could differentiate themselves from the crowd.
The original Mossberg JIC (Just In Case) cruiser shotgun comes with an airtight resealable PVC tube. The new JIC II, which will be sold alongside the original, comes in a soft case with shoulder strap. The 18.5" Mossberg 500 shotgun is stored with the barrel and pistol grip removed. A tool is included in the pack to break it down and reassemble it.
This is not designed to be a when-things-go-bump-in-the-night gun, but rather a bug out bag. My recollection may be wrong, but I believe the pack has been designed to be compatible with Mossberg's upcoming modular ASAP survival system.
Savage has just introduced a new budget entry-level hunting rifle called the Savage Edge. The action is a brand new design and not based on Savage's other entry rifle, the Stevens 200.
This rifle seems like a bargain. It's MRSP is over $100 less than the Stevens 200! It features a detachable box magazine, something rarely seen in budget centerfire bolt action rifles.
Savage Edge XP (packaged with 3-9x40 Scope)
The rifle will be available chambered in .223 Rem, .22-250 Rem, .243 Win, 7mm-08 Rem, .308 Win, 25-06 Rem, .270 Win, 30-06 Springfield. The specs below are for the .308 Win. model.
| Specifications |
|
| Caliber |
.308 Win |
| Capacity |
4+1 |
| Action |
Short |
| Finish |
Blued |
| Barrel |
22" |
| Stock |
Synthetic |
| Twist |
1 in 10" |
| Overall Length |
43.875" |
| Weight |
6.5 lbs |
| MSRP (Price) |
$329 (standard model), $379 (XP Model), $379 (Camo Model), $424 (Camo XP Model) |
I suspect this is going to be a big seller. The big question is how well does it shoot?
Brazil is looking to replace the IMBEL MD-2 service rifle (and MD-3 & MD-4 variants). The MD series of rifles is based on the FN FAL design, but instead of a FAL tilting bolt it has a M16 style rotating bolt.
IMBEL MD-2 and MD-3 (insert)
A Brazilian general has said that three rifles are in the running for adoption. These are the FN SCAR, the IWI Tavor and the IMBEL MD-97A2. The latter is an update of the MD-97 (which itself is based on the MD-2). The current MD-97 has a bad reputation for reliability.
Brazilian firm Taurus has apparently purchased a license for the production of the Tavor. Now if Taurus USA would just start cranking them out ...
[ Many thanks to Vitor for providing translation of Fórum Defesa Brasil. ]
The new Taurus 708 SLIM chambers the .380 ACP and has a capacity of 7+1. The Taurus 740 SLIM holds 6+1 rounds of .40 S&W. Both these new models will be available in black or two tone (black frame, stainless slide).
Taurus SLIM 708 Stainless Two Tone
Multiple people in the Freedom Group have assured me that Bushmaster is not laying off any executives.
I retract my previous statement on the subject.
I profoundly apologize for stating that executives were being laid off.
I don't believe anybody lied to me, but rather I misinterpreted the information given to me.
I retract my previous post on the topic. I apologize to anyone who many have been caused distress by my previous post on this topic.
UPDATE: THE INFORMATION IN THE POST IS INCORRECT AND HAS BEEN RETRACTED.
My sources tell me that about 20 members of Bushmaster's senior staff have been quietly laid off. This follows the laying off of production staff that has happened twice in the last four months.
I believe that the layoffs have not been to do with the economy but with the integration of Remington and Bushmaster. One example of Remington seemingly being the favorite son of the Freedom group would the be ACR debacle. Bushmaster's pet project, the ACR, was handed to Remington Military Products Division to make it ready for marketing to the military at the expense and delay of Bushmaster civilian sales. I suspect we will see more consolidation of Freedom Group companies over the next year. Jim Shepherd wrote about the recent Marlin factory closure ...
At this writing, it seems Marlin, Harrington and Richardson, New England Firearms and L.C. Smith- all Marlin brands -are destined for absorption into Remington's existing manufacturing facilities in Ilion, New York. Such a move would maximize use of that facilities and consolidate manufacturing operations. Consolidation is another efficiency necessary to compete with imported products.
Although it's purely speculation on my part, a consolidation move makes perfect sense if you're demonstrating lean operating abilities as part of some sort of market capitalization move. Bankers and investors are quite fond of consolidated operations, especially if the company happens to represent numerous iconic brands.
Calico has updated their line of helical-fed high-capacity carbines and pistols. Calico's guns have not changed much in the past two decades and were looking dated. The new 9mm Liberty Tactical line, which replaces the foregrip with a quad rail, is a much needed refresh. Calico has announced that they will also be adding the .40 S&W cartridge to their lineup, which currently is limited to .22 and 9mm.
Calico 9mm Liberty I Tactical (50 round magazine. $942, excluding accessories)
Liberty 100 Tactical (100 round mag, $934)
Liberty II Tactical (50 round, $1038)
Liberty III Tactical Pistol (50 round, $965)
[ Many thanks to Cameron for emailing me the link. ]
GizMag reports on JETprotect CS300K "Long Range Counter Surveillance Camera" ...
Now a new device which uses the same "red-eye" effect of flash cameras and projects it hundreds of meters, can identify binoculars, sniper scopes, cameras and even human eyeballs that are staring at you. It is hence the first machine that can offer 24/7 warning that you are being watched or targeted, BEFORE a shot is fired.
The system uses a Class IIIb laser illuminator to paint the target and a camera to watch for reflections. Software must be used to detect the difference of the reflection from a wall verses the reflection from optics. I suspect this device is designed for use in non-urban areas. In a urban area it would be hard to detect the difference between a scope or a car window.
[ Many thanks to Tarkan for emailing me the link. ]
The most-anticipaed-gun-that-you-cannot-afford is officially shipping this week, although judging by online auctions, some dealers got their quota early.
[ Many thanks to Ben for emailing me the link . ]
