The Firearm Blog

This photo is of an engraved CZ 75 pistol. It was posted on the official CZ-USA twitter.

Magpul is best known for their firearm accessories but they also design firearms, design airsoft guns¹, do tactical training, produce training DVDs and most recently: manufacture iPod accessories. They are now looking at entering the motorcycle business.

Magpul Ronin. Photo © Isaac

Hell for Leather has a very interesting article about the Magpul Ronin bike ...

They won't say how large a production run could be feasible, but they have "about 25" 1125Rs on hand and could potentially convert customer bikes too. If that happens and if it goes well, the company has discussed spinning of a new brand specifically dedicated to motorcycles. Magpul doesn't see itself becoming a provider of aftermarket parts, but rather a motorcycle maker. What we could be seeing here is the genesis of a new American motorcycle company.

Photo © Isaac

[ Many thanks to David and Dave for emailing me the link. ]

Packing Rat has reviewed the Advantage Arms Glock .22 Conversion Kit.

Advantage Arms manufactures two models, the Target Model and the Law Enforcement Model, often abbreviated TM and LE models, respectively. The TM has a sleek machined slide, with an adjustable rear sight and a fixed front sight machined from the slide. The LE models I’ve seen appear to have similar slide dimensions to the GLOCK and “includes removable GLOCK OEM sights, which are adjustable.” The model I owned was a 19-23 Target Model that I bought new from a Petaluma, CA gun store. I paid way more than I should have, but that’s what I get for wanting it now – right? If you can find them, expect to pay anywhere between $280-$340. It appears that the LE model demands a higher price.

Read the full review here.

UPDATE: Suburban also blogged a review.

Pig Sticking, the sport of Indian princes and British Army officiers, has always intrigued me. Rasch has written a series of posts about the sport . ...

Pigsticking. It was a blood-sport of the Raj — blood sport at its bloodiest; a one-to-one contest, if that is the word, between the hunter and his quarry. The hunter was an able-bodied man riding a trained horse and carrying a nine-foot-long spear: he hunted a pig, terrified, squealing, running for life, and, rarely, turning around to make a blind charge at its pursuer.

The sahibs who ruled India took to pigsticking like ducks to water, and in no time at all, transformed it into a ‘sport’; meaning that they framed rules for competition. There were pigsticking ‘meets’ at which teams competed. Sows with piglets were not to be chased. There were ‘umpires’ to ensure that the rules were observed. Why, there was even a ‘Lords’ and ‘Wimbledon’ of pigsticking! The annual Kadir Cup Meet at Meerut.

The sport is too bloody for me, but I don't begrudge anyone participating in it.

TALO is distributing this North American Arms limited edition. It is chambered in .22 Long Rifle, the cylinder is gold etched and the grips are pearlite. 500 will be made.

I do not have pricing information.

The M1911 is stealthily making a comeback! The Marines are wanting to procure 4000 M45 pistols. The M45 was previously know as the MEU(SOC) pistol. A few interesting points from the procurement document ...

• Pistol must have an accessory rail meeting MIL-STD-1913 specifications
• five shot group to an average of no more than 4 inches by 4 inches at 25 yards
• It has a consistent trigger pull of 5 (+/- 1) lbs.
• Reliability of an average minimum of 300 rounds between stoppages and 5,000 rounds between parts failures

[ Many thanks to Daniel E Watters for emailing me the link. ]

Over the next three years the Czech armed forces will be adopting the 5.56mm CZ 805 rifle, the 9mm CZ Skorpion EVO III (no relation to the original CZ Skorpion), CZ 75 Phantom (polymer version of the CZ 75) and CZ 805 G1 underslung grenade launcher.

CZ 805. Photo ⓒ Adamicz. Used with Permission.

Česká zbrojovka a.s. and the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic signed today the purchase contract for supply of 7, 800 ordnance sets designed for the Armed Force of the Czech Republic. During the years 2010 – 2013 Česká zbrojovka a.s. will supply to the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic in total 6, 687 pcs. of assault rifles designated as the CZ 805 BREN A1 chambered in 5.56 x 45 mm cal. and 1, 250 pcs. of assault rifles designated as the CZ 805 BREN A2 chambered in 5.56 x45 and made in shortened version – carbine, including accessories. The overall supply contains also the CZ 805 G1 underslung grenade launchers made in 40 x 46 mm cal., sighting systems to be used in day or night light conditions and marker devices. Deliveries of firearms will be accompanied with tool outfits for maintenance, sets of spare parts and proper ammunition. The overall volume of the contract makes CZK 1.1 billion incl. VAT.

Česká zbrojovka a.s today also signed a contract to supply 5, 570 pcs. of the CZ 75 PHANTOM semi-auto pistols in cal. 9 x 19 mm, including accessories such as tactical flashlights, sets of spare parts and tool outfits for maintenance. At the same time the contract contains a clause covering supply of 572 pcs. of fully-automatic personal defence weapons the CZ SCORPION EVO 3 A1 in 9 x 19 mm cal. (PDW category), including accessories. These weapons will be also accompanied by deliveries of tactical flashlights and sighting devices, tool outfits for maintenance, sets of spare parts and proper ammunition. The overall volume makes a sum of CZK 129.8 incl. VAT, and this contract will be performed over the period 2010 – 2011.

Lars Dalseide, of the NRA, was kind enough to sent me photos of the two of the guns used in the movie Public Enemies. These guns will be on display at the upcoming Nation Firearm Museum Movie Guns exhibit.

I was very surprised to learn that the bolt action used in the movie by G-Man Melvin Purvis was a Mauser 98 Sporter, not a Mannlicher. You can read more about the guns at the NRA Blog and on the latest episode of The Curator's Corner (Click on the Mar 18 tab, then scroll down to "Phil Schreier; National Firearms Museum")

Mauser 98 Sporter used by Melvin Purvis

Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless used by Depp

Remember this ...

Caleb Sommerville, who worked at the Kansan, wrote a comment on the blog ...

I worked at the Kansan as a reporter when this article (and horrifying picture) ran. Jessica Wicks is a friend of mine, and I remember very well this front page.

Let me outline what happened.

The editors wanted a story about guns and campus after the other campus shooting in Illinois. Jessica Wicks was assigned it, and wrote a fair article.

The way the Kansan (and most newspapers) run is that the reporter turns the story in to the system, where it sits until designers plug it into a layout program like InDesign. If art needs to run with it, designers insert it accordingly. Sometimes it’s photos taken by the photo staff, sometimes it’s clipart, sometimes it’s graphics.

Since this was a time-sensitive and highly timely article, they decided to run it front page, above the fold, with some eye-catching art.

Here’s where we get dicey. The horrible pictures are a DESIGNER’s fault (who was yelled at the day this ran; I witnessed it), who went against the editor’s and the reporter’s wish and created this monstrosity.

The editors were pissed because of the hilariously bad graphic with such a serious story, the reporter was pissed that her story now looked like crap, and people who knew about guns were pissed that some idiot designer pissed all over the front page with his bad photoshop skillz. Believe me, this was on the Wall of Shame for a long time.

Speaking of bad photoshops ...

For a movie that cost just $80 million to make, it is probably too much to ask for them to photograph guns from both sides rather than just mirror them in the movie poster.

[ Many thanks to Zak for the movie poster pic. ]

The Innogun Hybrid, which I recently blogged about, is reminicint of the Crossfire MK-1 pump action / shotgun combo gun. the MK-1 was not a commercial success. From a Guns Magazine review ...

I might add that because of its design and its loading, unloading and firing protocols, shooting the Crossfire requires thought and attention to details. Without studying the instructional manual and video, the average person would be challenged to operate it. Even the owner is urged not to disassemble the Crossfire if there's a problem, but to have it serviced by the Customer Service Department, a trained armorer or qualified gunsmith.

.223 / 12 gauge selector switch

The particular gun pictured above is currently being auctioned off with "buy now" of $3000.

[ Many thanks to Tim for emailing me the photos. ]