The Firearm Blog

Vinícius Cavalcante sent me the below photos of guns captured by the police in Rio de Janeiro during recent operations in the favelas of Vila Cruzeiro and the Complexo do Alemão. Everything from belt-fed machine guns to mortars to AKs, Thompsons and Garands are represented. The drug dealers do not let their colleagues in Columbia or Mexico outdo them.

Click on the photos to enlarge them.

Some readers asked why the Brazilian's went into the slums with machine guns. I think this is why.

Desert Eagle ... something no druglord should be without.

Look at the condition of these grenades.

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

Nexus-7 at ARFCOM said ...

This M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle, along with 83 others, was delivered last Friday to Marine Corps Base Hawaii, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment armorers. Since then, M27 IAR gunners and armorers have received training on operating and maintaining the weapon system from Marine Corps Systems Command and gun makers Heckler and Koch.

Marine Corps Base Hawaii, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment armorers perform a function check on new M27 Infantry Automatic Rifles under the supervision of a Marine Corps Systems Command New Equipment Trainer last Friday. The 1/3 Marines will train and deploy with the weapons to provide feedback that will help decide the weapon systems future in the Marine Corps.

Excuse me while I pay a visit to the nearest Marine Corps recruiter.

[ Many thanks to jdun1911 for emailing me the link. ]

The Universal Camouflage Pattern will be replaced with three different camo patterns.

Universal Camouflage Pattern

[ Many thanks to Lance for emailing me the link. ]

The Contemporary Classic Centennial, 100th Anniversary Edition, is Wilson Combat's answer to the question "What would John Moses Browning have done with the 1911 if he had modern CNC machines available?". Just 100 are being made.

From the press release ...

Using the same materials Browning would have used in his era like forged and billet machined carbon steels, select walnut for grips and painstakingly hand-finished bone charcoal blue from Doug Turnbull, Wilson Combat has built a modern version of what Browning might have originally envisioned with his 1911-The New Wilson Combat Contemporary Classic.

...

Limited to 100 serial numbered pieces in 2011, the Contemporary Classic is hand crafted with turn-of-the-century materials and finish-with many Wilson enhanced performance options to suit the modern shooter. Custom features abound-and they all have a practical purpose-fine checkering fore and aft for enhanced grip, better sights with a gold bead insert front blade, and better ergonomic controls like a beavertail grip safety that will make this an easier pistol to shoot well than an original-especially for more than a handful of rounds. A fine presentation case is included to protect and display your investment.

Browning’s original features still remain like an integral lanyard loop attachment for field use and flat mainspring housing and long, steel trigger that will still fit most hands perfectly a century later. We added our carry cuts to the front of the slide in deference to Browning’s second greatest handgun design, the GP-35 or “Hi-Power”, a feature that gives a the slide distinctive silhouette and enables easy holstering. You will also note the “JMB” initials and unique serial number, our lasting tribute to the “Maestro” on every gun.

This looks like a gun that would make JMB proud. It will sell for $3995.

Steyr has announced that they have redesigned the Reset Action System (striker) of their SA-1 and MA-1 pistols.

The modification results in a much smoother trigger take-up and a remarkably consistent and crisp break at approximately five pounds.

The redesign incorporates a small pin beneath the rear sight that bisects the striker firing-pin channel. A small roller on this cross-pin allows the striker firing pin to move much more smoothly during the compression phase of the trigger pull. This also allows for a much cleaner break when the trigger mechanism releases the striker firing pin.

Earlier this year Steyr began reimporting the SA-1 and MA-1 pistols.

Sage Control Ordnance, who manufacture single shot and revolver-style grenade launchers, will be introducing an over/under launcher. It makes perfect sense. Grenade launchers are more of less oversized-shotguns and double barrel shotguns have been around since the dawn of time. Solider Systems has the story.

Is there any weapon system these days that does not feature a Magpul stock?

McMillan has introduced the M3A rifle, a medium range .308 Win. semi-automatic built upon the Springfield M1A action (The M1A is based on the M14).

At first glance it looks a lot like the Springfield M1A SOCOM II. Unlike the SOCOM, which is optimized for close range work, the M3A is designed for medium range action and for scope use. Coming out of the McMillan shop, I would expect it has very good accuracy.

The rifle comes in two flavors. The compact model is not all that dissimilar to the SOCOM II. Instead of the McMillan M3A stock it has the SOCOM adjustable stock. The standard model has the M3A stock (pictured above).

[Hat Tip: Accurate Shooter for sending me the info. ]

Firstly a disclosure: The publishers of The Gun sent me a free advanced copy. I was thoroughly enjoying the book so I purchased a copy of it for my Kindle, which cost slightly less than the cost of the free hardcover I received. Now onto the review ...

I cant't remember when, where or form whom I heard that Simon & Schuster were planning to publish a book about the AK-47. Not realizing who the author was, I remember thinking that another book on the topic was unnecessary. Frank Iannaminco's excellent book AK-47: The Grim Reaper already adequately covered just about every AK variant known to mankind. Fortunately, instead of delving into the technical details of the ubiquitous AK-47/74/10x design C.J. Chivers instead tells the story of the background of the modern machine gun¹ , the Soviet development of AK-47, the American response² and the AK's effects on modern warfare. In fact, only three of the eight chapters deal directly with the AK-47 itself. Chivers explained his reasons for examining the wider context (excerpt from the book's prologue)...

The significance of the automatic Kalashnikov lies deeper than its origins in Stalin’s Soviet Union, its technical utility as a killing tool, its famed reliability and ease of use, the awesome size of its number or the multiplicity of its meanings—though these themes are all essential. The richer context is this: The automatic Kalashnikov offers a lens for examining the miniaturization and simplification of rapid-fire firearms, a set of processes that when uncoupled from free markets and linked to mass production in the planned economies of opaque or brittle nations, enabled automatic firepower to reach uncountable hands.

The author was the New York Times's Moscow correspondent and so superbly placed to investigate the history of the AK. I found the real story of Mikhail Kalashnikov particularly fascinating. Unknown to me, many of the stories about Kalashnikov were myths developed by the Soviet propaganda machine and, at times, Kalashnikov himself confirmed these false accounts of his life. The Gun has given me great insight into the man and his recent, puzzling, rants.

I have just two criticism of the book. It would have been nice to find out more about the recent use of diplomatic pressure / blackmail by the Russians in order to suppress the sales of AK clones. The other criticism is that while I am 100% against illegal small arms, unlike the author I don't believe destroying military surplus small arms would benefit society when they could instead be sold to civilians in whole or as part kits.

I don't hesitate to say that if you read and enjoy The Firearm Blog, I would be very surprised if The Gun disappointed you. It is packed full of fascinating facts and insights into the history and evolution of firearms. On just about every page I was thinking to myself "this paragraph would make a great blog post".

Recommendation: Buy - you won't be sorry.

Amazon Link : The Gun  ³

Gun Holsters & Gear have published two gun reviews. The first is by Jay G. (of the MArooned blog). He reviews the North American Arms Mini-22LR.

I remember as a kid when I held a mini-revolver for the first time and wondering what it was useful for. I still don't know Jay says ...

And that’s where it shines – it’s such a unique firearm that brings gunnies together, making it a great addition to any armory. You may not win any target competitions with it; you’re not going to win any IDPA matches; and it’s not recommended as a self-defense piece. But if you want something to catch people’s attention at the range; if you want something that will draw as many curious onlookers as a S&W 500 Magnum (only without the muzzle blast); or if you want something that few others are likely to have, this is a good choice for your armory.

The other review, by resident blogger Richard, is of the Smith & Wesson SD40.

Smith & Wesson has a real winner with the SD40. It is a very affordable pistol with excellent features and ergonomics, and 100% reliability. You can find a better pistol, or a cheaper pistol, but I don’t think you can find a better pistol at this price.

S&W SD40

The BarrelXchange has been converting 7.62x39mm Romanian drum magazines to 5.45x39mm for use in AK-74 compatible rifles.

77-rounds of fun comes at a hefty price: $299+shipping.

[ Many thanks to T.G. for emailing me the link. ]