The Springfield Trapdoor was America’s first standard issue breech-loading rifle beginning in 1873. The advantage of rifles using metallic cartridges was quickly realized, and the hinged breechblock action of the Model 1873 was chosen over competing designs because of the ease by which [Read More…]
So far in our exploration of firearms operating systems, we’ve covered ten different mechanisms for locking and actuating an automatic firearm, with two supplementary introduction posts. There’s still a lot more to talk about, but at the request of our [Read More…]
If you live in a state that allows the use of night vision for hunting, the ATN X-Sight HD digital night vision riflescope would be an excellent choice of optic. The ATN X-Sight HD series of night vision rifle scopes are digital night vision scopes. These scopes do not [Read More…]
Daniel Defense announced a new .308 semi-automatic rifle called the Ambush. The new hunting rifle is chambered in .308 Win, a cartridge considered by some to be the perfect hunting round for North America. The SR-25 compatible rifle is distinctive with a Kryptek [Read More…]
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of the long handguard on a rifle, but there is a thing as TOO long of a handguard. In recent years the trend has been to push handguards out as far as possible with the non-firing hand pushing forward on the gun for better [Read More…]
There is a lot going on with this Kel-Tec Sub2000 Gen 2. First it is a modified version that is now a takedown model. While not approved by Kel-Tec and would certainly void any warranty, it is an interesting design. While the concept of a takedown is intriguing on other [Read More…]
Few rifle designs make me stop in my tracks. The JARD J67 was one of them. Browsing through Google looking to build my own pistol caliber carbine (and sick of all the AR variants), a lone photo grabbed my attention screeching for attention. Having been struggling [Read More…]
Kirsten Joy Weiss posted up a video about the M1 Carbine which she calls “The Mutt Gun” due to its many different origins. For those who are not familiar with the M1 Carbine, the information is interesting and you may learn something new? The video has [Read More…]
In the comments to James’ recent video review of the SIG MPX (click here to see it), he noticed that a number of TFB viewers said the MPX was filthier than daytime television when you shot it suppressed. Given that so many TFBTV commenters claimed that a silenced MPX would gas out anyone behind [Read More…]
It just might be the unsung hero of the ammunition world: frangible rounds. Of course, it also seems to be widely misunderstood, not to mention underused. And while there aren’t a lot of companies out there manufacturing quality frangible rounds, there are a few. [Read More…]
The McMillan Group, known for their high-end fiberglass stocks for bolt-action rifles has announced the formation of a new company, “Grayboe”, to offer high-volume high-value stock systems for the consumer and OEMs. The new company is launching with three [Read More…]
In the first article discussing the mechanisms by which a firearm locks its breech, we mentioned briefly two quantities that are important for small arms design: Pressure, and bolt thrust. The latter we’ll discuss in a later installment, but today we’ll [Read More…]
This is one of those posts I’ve been meaning to get to for a while, but haven’t really felt the urge to write. The subject came up recently* in my comments, though, and I really enjoy responding to people, so I might as well kill these two birds with one [Read More…]
What if there was a caliber that was suitable for everything from coyote to brown bear, kicked less than your whitetail gun, fit in a micro-length (2.25″/58mm) action, and cost a quarter a round to shoot? That would be a pretty awesome caliber, wouldn’t [Read More…]
Some guns just seem to attract the most ravenous fanboys. These fanatics collaborate and overtime form cult-like cells within the community of firearm enthusiasts. In this video we explore five firearms that have developed a fan base akin to cults, often bordering on outright religious behavior.
Does anyone know what this rifle is? It has a huge magazine that looks similar to a SureFire 60rd magazine. But seeing how this bullpup has three barrels, I think maybe it has three magazines coupled into one giant magazine feeding all three barrels. I am curious if [Read More…]
Heckler and Koch has won a major victory against the German government this week, regarding the sale of G36 assault rifles to Saudi Arabia. In the mid-2000s, Heckler and Koch sold tooling for the G36 to the Saudi government capable of producing 14,000 rifles per year. [Read More…]
Previously in our introductory series on ballistics, we’ve discussed the concept of caliber, as well as ballistic coefficient and its close relative form factor. Today, we’re going to look at the concept of rifling, and how it relates to bullet stability. [Read More…]
Previously in TFB’s series on weapon operating mechanisms, we examined both the closed-bolt blowback system and the open-bolt API blowback system, two very close relatives that share a common feature: Closure of the breech through the inertia of the breechblock [Read More…]
I just received some additional information on license agreements presented to the defendants in the ongoing Mossberg patent lawsuit. Of course we reported the validity of that patent is very much in question which hasn’t changed. What’s interesting is since [Read More…]
The Armalite AR18 and its civilian counterpart (the AR180) were marketed as affordable alternatives to more expensive designs of the period. While the rifle failed to take off or find a lucrative military contract, the gas system (or elements of it) has been used in many different designs. In this [Read More…]
The much-hyped M249S (S for “Semi-Automatic”) is finally starting to make it out to the wild after being the showpiece for many a tradeshow. One of the first to get one in their hands is Copper Customs, Military Arms Channel’s sister company, which [Read More…]
After posting the article about the Hungarian 9mm Carbine, Iwan Steiner reached out to me. He is the maker of the Steiner Bark-9. He wanted to clarify where his experience came from and how the Steiner Bark came to be. 1. First the story of the Danuvia VD 01. The [Read More…]
Last August I posted an article about Clinton Westwood’s DIY barrel rifling tool. Well he has updated it and motorized it. He used an old bicycle for parts and re-purposed it to drive the rifling tool. It acts as a differential. One side has the barrel twist rate [Read More…]
The history of the IWI Tavor is a subject that has interested me for close to a decade. The rifle’s history doesn’t seem to have been well-documented so far, at least in sources I have read; yet available on the Internet are many of the original concept [Read More…]
As has recently been explained, terminology is important – and not only because I say it is. Seeing the use of correct terminology as either a nuisance or something not worth the effort of learning has a way of breaking things down not only within the industry but [Read More…]
Locking systems we have previously covered include tilting barrel locking, the most common pistol locking mechanism, and rotary bolt locking, the most common rifle locking mechanism. However, at one time another locking mechanism was widely believed to be optimum for [Read More…]
At the 2016 Eurosatory defense trade show, Czech gunmaker CZ debuted for the first time its improved 806 Bren 2 rifle on the international market. The Bren 2 was announced in October of 2015, and improves on the 805 Bren by being lighter, having an improved selector [Read More…]
Target practice isn’t just fun, it’s a vital part of honing your marksmanship skills. Of course, target practice is a lot more interesting when the targets are more than plain white sheets of paper. Enter Birchwood Casey, the company whose Shoot-N-C targets [Read More…]
Previously on Operating Systems 101, we discussed the straight blowback method of firearms operation; today we’ll be talking about its close cousin, API blowback. “API” stands for advance primer ignition, which refers to the chief way that the [Read More…]
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