Infantry Marine, based in the Midwest. Specifically interested in small arms history, development, and usage within the MENA region and Central Asia. To that end, I run Silah Report, a website dedicated to analyzing small arms history and news out of MENA and Central Asia.
Please feel free to get in touch with me about something I can add to a post, an error I’ve made, or if you just want to talk guns. I can be reached at miles@tfb.tv
Soon after the release of the so-called Islamic State’s marksmen shots video (discussed in-depth here), the terrorist organization released another video but this montage focused on the Sinai peninsula in Egypt. The largest difference between the two is the enemy [Read More…]
The so-called Islamic State has released a video recently in a series of in-depth views of marksmen taking shots at Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers in the vicinity of Kirkuk province in Iraq. The video is titled Arrows of the Monotheists and is essentially a propaganda and [Read More…]
Earlier we reported that Česká zbrojovka (CZ) had tentative plans to partner with Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF) to locally produce a licensed variant of the CZ 807 in 7.62x39mm locally within Pakistan. Most recently we have seen official confirmation that POF is [Read More…]
While at Latin America Aerospace and Defence 2017 (LAAD 2017), Israeli Weapon Industries released the latest in their line of Jericho handguns. The 9x19mm NATO/.40 S&W/.45 ACP Jericho 941 PL Enhanced handgun is a move towards bringing the Jericho into motion with [Read More…]
A number of AR15s that have been turning up in Iraq appear to be counterfeit products but are in the markets and treated as legitimate production versions of the rifle companies the producers are seeking to counterfeit. Some of them are very small differences, only [Read More…]
The De Lisle Commando Carbine has fascinated small arms enthusiasts since knowledge of it became widespread after the Second World War. Almost entering myth like lore, it is claimed to have been the quietest weapon ever issued and used by Allied forces both in the European and Pacific theaters of [Read More…]
In what appears to be LWRC cornering the Swedish special operations and SWAT issue rifle market, we have yet more evidence of LWRC’s piston operated IC-A5 rifles in usage by the Särskilda operationsgruppen (SOG, Military SOF), the Förstärkt Regional [Read More…]
Turkish company Harp ARGE has exported its first anti-drone jamming device to the Azeri military recently, in an unmentioned quantity for delivery. Already in service with numerous Turkish military and security entities, the anti-drone device is being used to combat the usage of drones by enemies [Read More…]
Priority 1 Air Rescue is a European and U.S. based training company that focuses on training military and civilian flight crews. While at SOFINS 2017 the company introduced their multi-configurable virtual reality gunner/hoist station. The station is essentially a cage that can be produced in [Read More…]
French Counter-Terrorism group National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN) recently announced at SOFINS 2017 that it would be adopting CZ’s 806 Bren 2 in 7.62x39mm with a 9 inch barrel. So far 68 carbines have been ordered for the roughly 400 man [Read More…]
One of General Dynamics’ subsidiaries in collaboration with U.S. Ordnance has been awarded a $221 Million contract to provide .50 Cal M2 and M2A1 heavy machine guns to the U.S. Army over the next six years. General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems has a long [Read More…]
The Reising is an example of a firearm design that worked perfectly in the rear but performed horribly in actual combat conditions. It was a Second World War era submachine gun that had much potential but ultimately failed the big test down range in use by frontline infantry units. Suffering from [Read More…]
A recent solicitation originating from Quantico has come out and is specifically requesting Geissele products. Although the solicitation RFQ is worded as open to the public, it lists Geissele items and nothing else. These are the commercially available “Super [Read More…]
The Ruger .22 LR 10/22 rifle probably has the record for the most “drop in” imitation firearms ever. There are 10/22 platforms that will allow it to look like a Garand, a P90, even an AK74! The majority of these are of course mostly aesthetic and don’t [Read More…]
During the adoption of the Thales EF88 rifle by the Australian Defense Force, one of the operational requirements for the EF88 was to produce a tiered system for combatants. There is nothing new about this “system” when it comes to small arms throughout [Read More…]
Aimpoint was very recently awarded a 10 million dollar contract for the delivery of 30,000 M68 Close Combat Optic reflex sights to the U.S. Army. The commercial variant of this sight is the Aimpoint CompM4. These sights have already been in use with the U.S. Army for [Read More…]
Within the Leeds based Royal Armouries small arms collection in the United Kingdom there is a particular Soviet AK47 that is kept amongst the collection of other AKs. The serial number is ГЛ4027, in addition to a date stamp of 1953 with an Izhmash arms plant logo. [Read More…]
Unlike in the United States, Britain requires that every single firearm imported, produced, or modified on the isle to be “proofed”. This means that at least two high-pressure charges be fired through that firearm before it can be allowed for public sale or usage. Proofing has been an [Read More…]
This past week a Serbian product, the 40mm/6 M11 made by Yugoimport SDPR J.P. was seen in use by the Safwa Islamic Brigade & Suqur al-Shamal opposition groups in northern Aleppo. The launcher isn’t very prevalent outside of Serbia and thus it’s [Read More…]
Recent media have highlighted the presence of Russian Special Operations forces in Syria, and particularly around the area of the highly contested battlefield of Palmyra. According to sources, the SF soldiers pictured aren’t the famed Spetsnaz, but instead are of [Read More…]
The VSK-94 is a rarely seen Russian semi-automatic precision rifle firing a 9x39mm cartridge from a heavily modified Kalashnikov receiver with an integral suppressor. The rifle was an attempt to make a cheaper version of the VSS Vintorez chambered in the same 9x39mm [Read More…]
The Czech Ministry of Defense has announced the purchase of 30 Desert Tech precision rifles chambered in .50 BMG and .375 Chey Tac. These rifles are the commercial Hard Target Interdiction series. As reported by Jane’s Defense– The Czech Ministry of Defence [Read More…]
Precision Gun Range is a public shooting range located just south of Spencer, IN. The range has been open since 2015 but recently there have been several news reports concerning the area past the backstop on the location’s 200 meter rifle range. Neighbors who are [Read More…]
Note- This article is the second portion of an earlier article that contiues the discussion of the dynamics of being a member of a Marine Scout Sniper platoon. To read that article, please click here. The training, weapons, and gear that takes place in Sniper platoons [Read More…]
Earlier I covered the topic of the failure rates at the Marine Corps Scout Sniper Basic Course and what the Marines wanted to do to mitigate the failures. I disagreed with the solution to the problem for a number of reasons. In this article I would like to provide some [Read More…]
Marine Corps Systems Command announced the fielding of a Military Enhancement Kit (MEK) to various units that require breaching as an essential capability. This includes everything from Military Police, to Force Reconnaissance Marines that need to breach houses. The kit [Read More…]
Note-This post is a continuation of the earlier post that began, talking about some of the issues that are inherent with chopping the current Scout Sniper Basic Course in two. To read part one, please click here. Back to the supply and demand. Who are you going to send? [Read More…]
iVUE is an eyewear company that produces sunglasses that have an integrated camera system in the bridge of the frame and can record 1080p footage at the press of a button. The company has been around for several years now and customer videos using their products have been on Youtube in that time as [Read More…]
We rarely get to pick the brains of the people in our industry who are the technical geniuses that bring the products we love and enjoy to fruition. In this episode of InRange TV, Ian and Karl from Forgotten Weapons have a candid Skype talk with Nathan from Faxon Firearms about various barrel [Read More…]
Along with the recent announcement of Gander Mountain filing for bankruptcy, we also have MC Sports, a Mid-West based sporting store that has been known for a very long commitment to responsible firearms sales, is closing down all 68 of the current stores. From the [Read More…]
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