Sorry Ladies and Gentleman, I need to take a week off from blogging (until 8 October). When working 16-hour days, either eating or sleeping must be forgone in order make time to blog. I happen to need both!
If any new guns are launched I will blog about them, so check back every few days. See you soon.
UPDATE: I am back! Regular postings will now resume.
FN Herstal (Belgium) has laid off fifty workers with more layoffs rumored. RTBF.be reports (translated using Google) ...
After the announcement of a fifty departures among contractors, staff representatives believe that a hundred or divestitures are now scheduled, a threat that weigh on so all the workers engaged in duration, often young. However, the NF is characterized by a lopsided pyramid. And the unions have insisted for several years about the need to ensure the renewal of the workforce. Does management have a plan in the medium term?
RTLInfo.be reports rumors (also translated using Google) that FN lost out on a 100 million euro contract to supply arms to Libya ...
FN Herstal did not confirm the information released Wednesday by La Libre Belgique that a contract of 100 million euros have been spent by Libya with Russia rather than Belgium.
2010 has not been a good year for FN Herstal. These rumors follow USSOCOM abandoning the SCAR mk. 16 rifle (still denied on FN Herstal's homepage, despite being confirmed by their US subsidiary FNH-USA).
[ Many thanks to Famas for emailing me the infomation. ]
Last year I blogged about the 1st generation RCS forward charging handle for the AK. The latest model not only looks much nicer, but is also non-reciprocating. This looks like the next must have accessory for the AK. It is compatible with AK-47 and AK-74 clones.
Read more about it here.
I was skeptical when I first saw this product, but the concept has grown on me. The kit ships with a DPMS AR-15 grip.
More info at LiteGrip15.com.
This Turkish pump action caught my eye ...
It is nice to see a glossy Walnut stock along with tactical accessories.
The Pardus Basic PA pump action is chambered in 3" 12 gauge and hodl 4+1 or 7+1 rounds. A company called Desktop Market is planning on importing them into the USA.
Army Times has an update on the next-generation carbine competition. I still think it is all a farce. The fact that the M4 Carbine is not even competing, only confirms my suspicion.
[ Many thanks to Lance for emailing me the link. ]
Beretta USA has introduced a compact version of the Px4 Storm pistol. The Compact model (3.2" barrel / 15 round 9mm magazine) fits in between the Full-size (4" / 17 round mag) and sub-compact (2.99" / 13 round mag) models. This new pistol is nothing revolutionary, but more choice is always better for the consumer.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 9mmx19 / .40 S&W |
| Capacity | 15 (9mm) / 12 (.40) |
| Barrel | 3.2" |
| Total Length | 6.8" |
| Weight | 27 oz. |
| MSRP (Price) | Not yet announced. |
I posted a comment the blog of Guy Sagi, a veteran gun photographer and Editor-in-Chief of Shooting Illustrated, asking him how he took these fantastic gun photos using very nifty colored lighting.
Guy was kind enough to respond with a comment and then later a slideshow. His reply to my question ...
If I tried to fully explain the technique in one response, when I was done Jimmy Stewart's clone would be back in DC as Mr. Smith II!
Let me start with the gel question. A gel imparts artificial, forced color on the image. Yeah, I know everyone thinks gelatine or Jello, but in photospeak it's different. It's any artificial covering of a light source that tansmits palpable color (so all you real photographers, feel free to indict that statement and realize I'm trying to provide a Reader's Digest version). I apologize if I led you to believe anything different.
In the case of my orange photo, I put an orange screen/filter/gel in front of the strobe/flash/speed light. Here's a link to the exact filter set I used (obviouslly I selected orange). Photogs call that filter a gel and it's pretty common parlance. If you go to a craft store and pick up tanslucent wrapping paper you'll run into problems with curling, dispersion at bends, plus density (and believe me, I've tried to work the inexpensive route...let me know if you have better luck, though).
The overall approach is called strobist. All strobes/flashes are off the camera, remotely triggered, and balanced as you see fit. If you're interested I'll set it back up again and explain the balance. In the photo you like, there are four flashes involved, but it would be easy to do the same thing with two without near the expense.
Guy has created a slideshow, demonstrating the techniques used to create this style of photo. It is well worth watching.
Also from Guy: More photos of the LaRue Tactical OBR in .308 Win.. The rifle will be featured in the November issue of Shooting Illustrated.
[ Many thanks to Guy for taking so much time to answer my question. ]
Mike emailed me photos of the latest addition to his collection ...
It’s a Kase Reeder made custom 10mm 1911 he has called, The Ultimate 10. According to Kase it is the newest full custom 10mm and the only longslide custom 10mm on the U.S. market. It has a custom Caspian stainless flattop 6" long slide with Bomar adjustable rear sight and Bomar front sight. It has a custom stainless Fusion Firearms Tact-5 frame with accessory rail, Ed Brown NM trigger, memory groove beavertail, Chip McCormick extended safety, and mag catch. It also has special custom Italian grips, a full action job with custom internals, a checkered mainspring housing and custom mag well. The barrel is a Clark custom ramped 6" with national match bushing. Each gun is custom made to the customer’s specs. It isn’t cheap though. I think mine was $2995.00 without taxes.
Sadly my meager gun budget won't stretch this far!
