While watching a video of the MetalStorm 3GL 40mm Grenade Launcher I was blown away by the incredible technology1 that these Australians have developed. I have blogged about the 3GL before, but I had not imagined it worked so well in practice. The video is worth 1000 words ...
3GL Mounted Under M16 AR-15
The MetalStorm technology allows multiple rounds to be loaded into, and fired from, a single barrel. This makes a much more compact weapon than competing MGL2 systems such as the Milkor. The weapon has been designed to be within the same tolerances as the M203/M320 and so achieves similar range, velocity & accuracy. It makes use of standard 40x46mm grenade warheads which are inserted into the MetalStorm 'tail assembly'. This would make the system much more attractive to nations which currently use the standard 40x46mm rounds.
The grenades are fired electronically as fast as the trigger can be pull and the barrel is capable of 720 rounds per minute! I asked Mark, MetalStorm's armorer, about battery life and he told me that the 2xAA batteries is uses will last as long as the barrel does.
What really impressed me was how fast it could be reloaded. In the video you see the operator remove the rifle's magazine when reloading - this was for safety and it not required in the field.
In its stand-alone configuration (not attached to a rifle and with its own stock) it weighs 5 lbs - less than half the weight of the 11 lb Milkor MGL!
Milkor MGL / M32
MetalStorm have also been working on a bullpup version of the 3GL. Aside from the shorter overall length, it allows the system to be used with rifles, such as the AK variants, which require the magazines to be rocked into place. The pistol grip of the non-bullpup version would get in the way during magazine changes,
3GL Bullpup. It is tiny!
As I said before, I am very impressed with this weapon. It offers a lot of power in a very small package.
Many thanks to David for answering my questions and providing photos and videos for the blog.
If the suave gentlemen in the above photo had a beautiful woman beside him, I think the scene could hardly be distinguished from a Bond movie. Style, sophistication and an incredible amount of high explosive firepower!
The side mounted pistol grip makes this a very compact weapon for its class.
Quite frankly, this is an awesome piece of hardware. I can't say much else than that. I hope to be writing more about this weapon in the near future.
[ I have done my best to ensure there are no spoilers in this blog post, but read forth at your own risk and DON'T read the comments that are below the blog post. All pictures are from the trailers and promotional material, not the movie itself. ]
Two readers emailed me saying that many of the weapons I mentioned in my 5 Weapons that should’ve been in Transformers 2 post were used in new hit sci-fi movie District 9. I was considering seeing the movie, but after hearing this I decided I had to go. It was fantastic! Despite being a low budget production, they must have hired a very competent weapons consultant. The weapons used were appropriate for the task at hand and were used correctly, something few action, or even historical, movies do right.
Where can I buy this target?
There are three main human factions in the movie. The Multi-National United is organization styled after the UN. The Mercenaries (I can’t remember what they are called in the movie) are private military contractors styled after the likes of Blackwater (Xe). The Gangsters live among the aliens and are involved in the arms trade.
The movie is set in South Africa so it is no surprise that many of the weapons used in the movie are weapons produced by the South African defense industry.
Multi-National United (MNU)
Vektor CR-21 – This is the “white” gun used by the MNU. The 5.56 mm CR-21 is a bullpup version of the Vektor R4. The R4 is the South African licensed-built version of the Israeli Galil (an AK-47 derivative).
CR-21
R1 (FN FAL) – The R1 was the South African licensed-built FN FAL. In the movie it is used by airborne snipers.
R1 / FN FAL
Unknown Pump Action Shotgun – A pump action shotgun is used by a minor character. I could not identify it.
Mercenaries
Vektor R5 – This is the carbine version of the Vektor R4 rifle. The R5 has a 13.1″ barrel.
Vektor R5.
Colt M4 with M203 – Some troops appear to be using the M4 Carbine and M203 grenade launcher.
Colt M4/M203
FN Minimi – Better known as the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW).
FN Minimi
PMP Neopup PAW – I am pretty sure this awesome semi-automatic grenade launcher was used briefly.
Denel NTW-20 – This South African made 20mm rifle was used too good effect.
Unknown Machine Pistol – A machine pistol or submachine gun was used in one scene, but I could not identify it. UPDATE: Commenters point out that it was the BXP.
Unknown Pistol – I could not identify the pistols carried by the mercs. UPDATE: IMFDB says it was a Beretta 92FS.
Gangsters
AK-47 – Not introduction needed.
RPG-7 – Again, no introduction need. Used realistically in the film.
RPG-7
Milkor MGL – I was surprised to see the gangsters packing this. I only saw it in one scene.
M1911 pistol – I am pretty sure a 1911 clone is used by one of the gangsters.
Aliens
Unknown weaponry
Alien Assault Rifle
While watching the movie I tried to keep track of what guns they were using. I probably missed many and I had trouble identifying some. Please post a comment below if noticed any mistakes or omissions I have made or identify any of the unknown weapons listed.
Thanks to Cory and Raymond for their emails regarding the movie weapons.
Some Eastern Bloc countries have restrictive self-defense laws that prohibit bullet firing handguns but allow less lethal weapon systems such as guns that shoot solid rubber balls or paintballs filled with capsicum (pepper spray). Once such company that produces these guns is the Hungarian firm Keserű.
They make a particularly interesting rubber ball shooting gun called the Dragon which resembles what I imagine the mutant offspring of a pump action shotgun and under-over shotgun would look like.
The Dragon is powered by a .380R blank cartridge (the “R” is for “Rimmed”), which propels a rubber ball which is 18mm (0.7″) in diameter.
What I find fascinating is that the chambers are removable. To facilitate fast loading, instead of loading the ammunition components, the operator loads pre-loaded chambers, much like you would load a magazine. I suspect the local laws require the projectile and propellent to be loaded into the chamber separately, so innovative the locals came up with this duel chamber system.
18mm Rubber Balls and .380R Blank
The pump mechanism is used to lock and unlock the chambers. Its trigger makes use of a double action striker fired mechanism.
While this system has nowhere near the power of a self defense handgun, it can generate considerable energy. I am not sure about the Dragon, but the Omerta-T, which uses the same ammunition, generates an impressive 95 ft/lbs of energy. This is slightly lower than a Standard Velocity (sub sonic) 40 gr .22 Long Rifle round. The rubber ball would hurt like hell. I have a high pain tolerance and I can assure you that a less than one foot pound plastic bb fired at point blank onto bare skin is very sore. I know I would much rather be hit by a taser than a rubber ball being propelled by 95 foot pounds of energy!
Omerta-T with its magazine style removable chamber.
The patent describes a device that looks like a claymore but instead of hundreds of steel balls and C4 explosives, it is armed with over one hundred laser diodes and LEDs arranged to simulate a claymore explosion, including the back blast.
Real Claymore Range
Simulated Claymore Killing Zone
To increase authenticity, the device could be hooked up to a pyrotechnic charge to simulate the light, sound and smoke of a real claymore. In short, it provides everything expect the for horrific mess and mental trauma that is the modern anti-personnal mine. I am sure it will help green recruits learn that “FRONT TOWARD ENEMY” does in fact mean front toward enemy
Last week I went to see the movie Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen and I really enjoyed it. It is not the type of movie that will provide intellectual stimulation, an emotional experience or give insight into human character, but it is very entertaining. For those of you who are not familiar with the Transformer story, is basically about an intergalactic war between two races of robots that is being fought on Earth. There are good guys, the Autobots, who are allied with humans, and the Decepticons, who want to wipe out both Autobots and humans. UPDATE: Matt corrects my ignorance about the Transformers story in the comments below.
Optimus Prime. The Autobot leader.
While I enjoyed the stunning CGI effects and battle scenes I could not help but notice that the humans soldiers, a mixture of British and American special forces, were getting a very raw deal. They were being sent into battle armed with M16s against robots that are about 20-30 feet in height and made out of metal.
Taking some serious punishment from the Decepticons
What the Robot Fighting Warriors were Carrying
I did not pay much attention to the weaponry as I normally do when watching a movie because I was enjoying all the special effects, but if my memory serves me correctly the human were all armed with M16 rifles that featured some funky, almost triangular, handguard. Below the handguard they had a fore-grip with light attachment. I cannot remember if there were any M203 grenade launchers. If there were they were not using them much.
Major William Lennox (left), leader of the humans, on the run.
The M16 fires the 5.56mm NATO round which is an intermediate (low power) rifle cartridge. Although an armor piercing variant is available, it was never intended as an anti-vehicle round. It is not even considered powerful enough to hunt deer, let alone robots.
How to Destroy a Robot
One word: Power. Lots and lots of pure armor destroying power. Forget about pistols, which can be seen dangling off the legs of the soldiers in the above photo. Forget about low powered assault rifles. Leave them at home.
For most anti-robot needs we must turn to South Africa. Because of the oppressive apartheid régime in South Africa during latter half of the 20th century, arms embargoes were levied against the country. The arms embargoes from Western countries combined with a proxy war in Angola against the Soviets meant that the South African arms industry developed in isolation. The isolation resulted in a variety of unique and very powerful, some would say overkill, small arms.
1. PMP Neopup PAW – 20mm Personal Assault Weapon
The Neopup PAW (Personal Assault Weapon) is manufactured by South African firm Denel. It is a semi-automatic 20mm grenade launcher. As far as I know it is the only semi-automatic grenade launcher designed explicitly to replace a rifle in the hands of a soldier, unlike the XM25 (I believe XM25 operators would carry an M4 or equivalent weapon).
The latest model. Note the more compact curved magazine.
The Neopup fires high explosive 20×42mm grenades. These grenades are designed to have a very flat trajectory, allowed you operator to point and shoot, rather than lobbing shells into the air on a steep trajectory. This is what makes it the perfect robot killer. The user simply needs to aim at the head, neck, chest or any other venerable area and fire a HE (High explosive) round to do some serious damage. Try doing that with an M16! I propose the robot warriors dump their rifles and pick up Neopup PAW.
20mm grenade 20×42 vs. 40mm grenade trajectory.
2. Milkor MGL – 40mm Multiple Grenade Launcher
While the 20mm grenade launcher may offer fast reloading and more accurate shooting, outfitting grenadiers with 40mm “artillery” could turn the tide of a battle.
The Milkor MGL has an interesting history. It is basically a scaled up version of the infamous South African Armsel Striker aka. the Protecta aka. the Street Sweeper 12 gauge shotgun. The design made for a scary looking but very inefficient shotgun. Another South African firm, Milkor, scaled it up from 12 guage to 40mm and developed a very successful multiple grenade launcher that was recently adopted by the US Marines as the M32 MGL.
A Marine with the M32 in Iraq.
The weapon can fire six 40×46mm grenades as fast as the operator can pull the trigger, although aimed fired from this heavy recoil weapon does slow down the effective firing rate. At relatively close range a trained operator should be able to hit a Decepticon robot and a high explosive round would do considerable damage. It can also be used to lay down indirect fire much like a mortar.
3. Denel NTW-20 – Long Range Anti-Robot Sniper Rifle
Denel also produces the enormous NTW-20 anti-material rifle. This rifle can be configured to fire the Semi-Armour Piercing High Explosive Incendiary (SAPHEI) 20×82mm rounds or the 14.5×114 mm Armour Piercing Incendiary (API).
Click to expand the image.
A better sense of scale. It is huge!
This weapon is more than twice as powerful as .50 BMG (12.7×99mm NATO) rifles! It can accuracy fire out past 1000 meters taking the fight to the enemy before than are in range.
The reason I chose the NTW-20 over other anti-material rifles is that is can quickly be broken down in half for portability.
Being carried by a two man team.
4. Metal Storm MAUL: A pistol that packs a punch
A couple of months ago the Australian firm Metal Storm unveiled the MAUL. It is a lightweight semi-automatic shotgun that is being funded by the US Navy. The unique Metal Storm technology stores the ammunition inside the barrel and then electronically fires it one round at a time. This allows for a shotgun so compact, it can be configured as a pistol!
While this would be no-where as powerful as a full-sized shotgun, due to the short barrel length, if it was loaded with 12 guage grenades it would pack a punch orders of magnitude more powerful than a conventional pistol making it a perfect last ditch defense side-arm to use against ranpaging robots.
5. RPG-7: An oldie but a goodie
This weapon needs no introduction. The Soviet designed RPG-7 is by far the most well known and recognizable grenade launcher and is favored by third world armies, rebels and terrorists.
An Afghan policeman being taught how to use the RPG-7
So why would a nearly 50 year old weapon make a good robot killer? Versatility. The large size of the warhead allows for a wide variety of ammunition.
Currently high explosive anti-amour, tandem anti-armour (two charges fired in tandem to defeat reactive armor), fragmentation and even thermobaric ammunition is available. The RPG-7 would make a perfect platform for an anti-Robot weapon such as some sort of Electromagnetic pulse (EMP) device.
Conclusion
The troops in Transformers 2 were very poorly armed. If an alien race of robots landed on earth today, any half-decent arms dealer could could supply much better weapons that what the script writers of the movie came up with.
Hopefully the producers will hire me as a technical consultant before the next Transformers movie comes out
The Rock Island Auction Company are holding a massive auction next week (April 25, 26 & 27). Thousands of guns are being auctioned from some prestigious collections. All the guns can be viewed online and it makes for interesting reading.
Here are a few interesting firearms I came across:
German WW I Mauser Model 1918 Tankgewehr 18 Anti-Tank Rifle
This is a nice example of a rare and desirable German massive, single shot, bolt action, 13 mm anti-tank rifle. Known as “Elefant-Buechse” (elephant rifle) by the German Army. The Tankgewehr 18 (T-Gewehr) was an up-scaled, single-shot version of the Model 98 infantry rifle equipped with a bipod and pistol grip. The T-Gewehr could penetrate the armor of any Allied tank used during WWI. Some 15,800 T-Gewehr rifles were manufactured in 1918. Most were destroyed after the war because no one brought them home as war trophies (probably because of it’s size). The massive 39 inch barrel has a fixed, inverted “V” front sight and tangent rear sight graduated to 500 meters. The receiver is marked with the Mauser Banner and dated “1918″.
This is a rare example of a Czech Model ZH29 semi-automatic rifle with distinctive, finned, cast, aluminum handguard, European walnut stock, forearm and detachable magazine. The Model ZH29 was one of the first successful military semi-automatic rifles. Introduced in 1929, it was purchased in limited quantities by Ethiopia and Thailand. In 1929, a ZH29 chambered for the .276 Pedersen cartridge was tested by the U.S. Army at Aberdeen Proving Ground as a possible semi-automatic replacement for the Model 1903 Rifle. The ZH29 features a milled steel receiver with a tangent rear sight graduated to 1600 meters.
The first impressions I get looking at the rifle is not the distinctive aluminum handguard, but that the bolt carrier looks like it was installed on its side.
Morrill, Mosman and Blair Elgin Cutlass Pistol with Scabbard
An extremely rare example of an Elgin Cutlass Pistol made by Henry Morrill, Silas Mosman and Charles Blair in 1837-38. The Elgin Cutlass Pistol was patented by George Elgin of Macon, Georgia, in 1837. The unique design combined a box-lock percussion pistol with a Bowie type knife. The Elgin Cutlass Pistols were equipped with a distinctive, form-fitted, black leather scabbard with a metal throat. The U.S. Navy contracted for 150 Elgin Cutlass Pistols to arm the Wilkes South Seas Exploring Expedition in 1837. The Wilkes Expedition pistols were made by Cyrus B. Allen and N.P. Ames manufactured the blades. Apparently spurred by the Navy order, the firm of Morrill, Mossman and Blair was established to manufacture Elgin Cutlass Pistols in August 1837. Silas Mosman previously worked as an engraver for N.P. Ames and subsequently returned to work for that firm in July, 1838. In contrast to the Navy cutlass pistols manufactured by N.P. Ames and Cyrus Allen; Morrill, Mosman and Blair manufactured both the pistol and the Bowie blade. This pistol has a round, four inch, .34 caliber rifled barrel with brass front sight blade.
Can any of you remember a time in your life where laser guns were not just a few years away? Sven found a photo that was published in a German military journal from 1964.
Very rifle like. Click to expand.
The caption:
“The laser rifle…that was developed by an American company and now presented for the first time is lighter than an infantry rifle. 10 kg baggage in form of batteries make it possible to shoot 10,000 times. The effect in the target is quite small. Only if the enemy coincidentally looks into the muzzle of the laser rifle he’ll have serious eye damage even at a distance of 1.5 km as a result of the strong dazzling. Fire effects are at such distances not possible yet, and it’s still a long way to the “death rays”. “
Sven pointed out that the first laser guided bombs were developed only a few years later. These bombs were guided by a laser mounted in the back seat canopy of an F-4 cockpit and manually operated by the Weapons System Operator. The laser used was probably very similar to the one use in the above photo.
Thanks to Sven, who blogs at Defense and Freedom, for the scan and translation.
These photos are apparently of a Palestinian using some sort of homemade grenade launcher. It looks like it could be a 40mm grenade in the barrel, or maybe some type of 40mm less/non-lethal grenade like round, such as tear gas.
It appears to work by striking the firing pin (a drill bit) with a stone. I would not want to be within 200 yards of somebody firing that weapon.
Russian VOG-25 40mm Grenade. Photo from gunbroker.
UPDATE: DrStrangegun noticed that the size of the launcher is very simular to Russian GP-30 launcher. The Grenade is propelled through the vents you see in the above photo. Much like a rocket.
AR 15 lower receiver, 170lbs built in easy cocking mechanism 3 rails. 425 grain arrow 420 fps. TAC 15 Tactical Assault Crossbow
I think this finally ends the 5.56mm vs. 6.8mm vs. 7.62mm debate. Clearly a 425 grain bolt beats them all!
Actually “tactical” crossbows have been around for a long time. Special forces were known to use them as weapons or as zip line launchers. I would be surprised if they are still in use as weapons.
When the JASON team did the maths, however, results were not good for the plan’s supporters.
The technique is so inefficient that it would take longer than the lifetime of the universe for every power station on Earth to produce a gravitational wave with the energy of one ten millionth of a Joule. Accelerating a spacecraft at 10 metres per second squared, a rate that just exceeds the pull of Earth’s gravity, would require 10^25 times (a 1 followed by 25 zeroes) the electricity output of the world.
Danger Room reports that the US Army is look at developing a less-lethal grenade that “shower of high velocity rubber pellets that sting and disorient”.
Airsofters have long been using non-lethal gas powered reloadable “grenades” such as this one from Airsplat.com:
It will be interesting to see what the military come up with. A gas system instead of a pyrotechnic solution would definitely decrease the danger of injuring or killing people in a crowd which is one of the problems with flashbangs.
EOTech have developed a next-generation grenade sight at the request of the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC). SMGLee grabbed some exclusive shots of it.
The reticle tracks up and down as the weapon is raised or lowered. How cool is that? I don’t have a grenade/flare/golf ball launcher but I want one!
More photos at MP.net
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!
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.
