The last gun Garand worked on before retirement was the T-31 Bullpup. From the Springfield Armory website ...
U.S. RIFLE GARAND T31 "BULLPUP" .30 (T65E1) SN# 2
Manufactured by Springfield Armory, Springfield, Ma. - Limited prototype experimental select-fire weapon shoulder weapon; never went into production. Lightweight, selective full and semiautomatic rifle with an in-line stock in an attempt to reduce recoil. Cyclic rate of fire 600 rpm. Weapon weighs approximately 8.7 lbs. without accessories. Handguard cooled by circulating fresh air. German FG42 rear sight. Rubber stock and handguard. This was the last model worked on by John Garand.
What is especially interesting about this gun is the recoil system. The tube that surrounds the barrel is not a handguard but gas tube (I use the term lightly). A small around of gas deflected by the muzzle brake would enter the tube causing a shockwave to ripple down the tube towards the receiver end where it would actuate a piston. The system did not work very well because the tube would accumulate 3 grains of dirt for every shot fired!
Garand retired before the second version of the rifle was complete and so the project was terminated. The legacy of this rifle can be seen in the magazine design which was adopted for the M14 rifle.
Posted because everybody love the MP7. My first impression was that it is much bigger in real life than in photos. While it is a sexy gun, the .17 cal (4.6x30mm) cartridge does not inspire me with confidence.
That video shows the same test with an M-4 equipped with a thicker, heavier barrel, which is used on a specialized carbine, known as the M-4A1. This variant is carried by some Special Operations users.
...
Colt Defense and the Army have been discussing making the change to a heavier barrel for several months and appear likely to begin requiring standard-issue rifles to have the barrel previously manufactured for the M-4A1.
Sounds like Colt is going on the PR offensive.
[ Many thanks to all the readers who emailed in these videos. ]
I admit to being one of those smart-asses you find lurking in gun shops who insist on using the correct pronunciation for the names of foreign guns Laurent was kind enough to record an MP3 for us which demonstrates the pronunciation of French firearms and manufactures.
The transcript of the words he is saying is below. I suggest reading along as you listen to the audio.
Transcript of Words Pronounced in the MP3
MAB
Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne
MAB P15
MAC
Manufacture d'Armes de Châtellerault
Pistolet Automatique MAC 50
MAS
Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Etienne
Fusil MAS 36, Fusil Semi-Automatique MAS 49/56
Fusil d'Assaut de la Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Etienne
FAMAS F1 FAMAS G1 FAMAS G2 FAMAS FELIN
Fusil à Répétition F1 FRF1
Fusil à Répétition F2 FRF2
Pistolet Automatique MAS G1S PA-MAS G1S
Manufacture d'Armes de Tulle (MAT)
Pistolet-Mitrailleur =mitraillette MAT 49
Berthier
Mousqueton Berthier
fusil de chasse Chapuis
fusil Chassepot 1886
revolver Lefaucheux
Manufrance
Manurhin
Manurhin MR-73
Unique
Verney-Carron
Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FN)
Fusil automatique léger FAL
Mitrailleuse d'appui général MAG
Minimi Mini-Mitrailleuse
Pistolet Automatique MAC 50. Photo from Wikipedia.
Explication of some French terms
Manufactures d'Armes : Armory, like in Springfield Armory
Pistolet Automatique : semi-auto pistol, in the french military nomenclature
Pistolet-Mitrailleur or Mitraillette : SMG
Fusil : rifle
Fusil à répétition (lacking : manuelle) : bolt-action rifle
Over the past 6 months I have been following the Marines sly procurement of M45 1911 pistols (formally MEU(SOC) pistol) in small parts. The Marines have just procured 150,000 rounds of Federal Premium Gold Medal .45 Auto 185GR FMJ-SWC Match Ammunition.
The procurement is notable because the rounds are not loaded with classic 230 gr hardball bullets, but the lighter and faster 185 grain FMJ-SWC bullets.
[ Many thanks to Matt for emailing me the info. ]
UPDATE: Daniel pointed out that the purchase was for the USMC Competition-In-Arms Program and that the solicitation appears to have been canceled.
Unbeknown to me, China has been developing a line of underwater guns. Their designs are based on Russia's underwater guns but are chambered in a new cartridge that appears to use 5.8x42mm (Chinese DBP87) brass.
The Chinese version of the Russian SPP-1 three barrels in a triangular configuration, rather than the SPP's four barrel setup.
SPP-1 (top), Chinese variant (bottom)
The Chinese version of the [Russian APS] rifle(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APS_underwater_assault_rifle) being fired.
One of the citations on the gun sights, 2COR4:6, is an apparent reference to Second Corinthians 4:6 of the New Testament, which reads: "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
The tradition of inscribing bible verse references on the sights was started by the founder, a devout Christian, and continued after his death in 2003.
[ Many thanks to all the readers who emailed in this story ]
Last year I blogged about NASA's incredibly powerful hybrid/air gun used for simulating impacts from meteor and space debris. Quicklaunch is taking the concept even further. PopSci reports on their proposed cannon which could be used to launch fuel, supplies and satellites into space.
The Quicklaunch cannon would float at sea at the equator. The proposed firing system works by burning natural gas inside a heat exchanger. The heat from the burning natural gas is used to heat hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas expands quickly and pushes the projectile out of the barrel. Release valves prevent over pressure inside the barrel. There is a photo at the PopSci website.
The idea of launching objects into space from a cannon is not new. In the 1960s Canada and the United States attempted to develop a Space Gun as part of the High Altitude Research (HARP) Project. The most infamous attempt at building a Space Gun was Saddam Hussein's Babylon Project which fortunately never came to fruition before the project was dismantled following the fist Gulf War.
Barrel sections of Iraqi supergun Big Babylon at the Imperial War Museum
For bulk purchasers, a new M-4 costs about $800 per rifle, though the price is often higher when after-market rail systems, used for mounting optics and lights, are included. For rifles used by the American military, the United States Army requires Colt to install a rail system manufactured by Knight’s Armament Company of Vero Beach, Fla.; this pushes the price per piece to about $1,100.
[ Many thanks to Keith for emailing me the link. ]
The T48 was the designation of the FN FAL entered into the competition to replace the M1 Garand. The T44 (later called the M14) won the competition but the Marines appear to have kept their quote of T48 rifles. These have been meticulously photographed by an Australian who visited Quantico in 2008.
[ Many thanks to jdun1911 for emailing me the link. ]
Hi, welcome to The Firearm Blog! This blog is dedicated to all things firearm related. If you are into AR-15 and AK carbines, skeet shotguns, self defense pistols or hunting rifles then there will be something here for you. I hope you enjoy it.
I want this blog to appeal to a worldwide audience and so I will focus on firearms and shooting rather than country specific politics. There are already many great blogs defending your rights!
Laurent was kind enough to record an MP3 for us which demonstrates the pronunciation of French firearms and manufactures.
Hi, welcome to The Firearm Blog! This blog is dedicated to all things firearm related. If you are into AR-15 and AK carbines, skeet shotguns, self defense pistols or hunting rifles then there will be something here for you. I hope you enjoy it.
