The Firearm Blog

The blackpowder cannon enthusiasts over at the Graybeard forums came up with some amazing pieces of artillery.

CU_Cannon built the “Nano-mortar”. It fires .177″ BBs. The bed it sits on is 1″ long.

Click to expand the images.

The Nano-mortar

Here is a video of it in action

Blueprints

Cal.45 built a 3mm mortar called the “Pico “Mortar”

The “Pico Mortar”

The pico mortar was build solely with a drill-press, some files and emery paper. It fires 3mm shot pellets (0.118 inch diameter) and has a maximum load of 0.2 grains of blackpowder. It has a barrel length of 8mm (0.315″) and can fire 6 meters (20 feet)

Anyways. I started with a load of about 0.2gr Swiss #2 but this did just a sizzling sound, so from the next shots on I used Swiss #1 (which is even finer in granulation: about 0.011 to 0.015 inch) which produced a nice snapping. Cheesy.

The touch hole is 0.5 millimeters = close to 0.02 inch (that makes it about 16% of the bore diameter (if one may still call it so).

Priming was done by filling the touch hole granule by granule; sweaty hands help maneuvering these tiny particlesin place.

First I wanted to enlarge the touch hole to fuse diameter and keep the rest at the smaller diameter (to keep some pressure) but the wall thickness is that small, that this wasnot possible.

Ignition with a lighter proofed to be better than trying to do it with a match: the flame produces soot but therefore does not function (kept them as size reference on the photo though).

Whatever. At first I thought that the shot would barely leve the muzzle: wrong!

Firing from the kitchen table I shot dimples into the door! This was 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) away! By the trajectory (angle of the mortar and height of impact) this means an estimated firing distance of 6 meters (about 20 feet): I would never have guessed this to be possible with a piece that has a barrel length of just 8 millimeters (0.315 inch).

The “Pico Mortar” being fired

“Pico Mortar” blueprints

Rickk built the “Nano Cannon”

The “Nano Cannon”

Now I know what only the others who have made one know… what the tremendous roar they make sounds like Grin

Bore is 3/16 (.186), so it will take a BB. Fuse is 5/64, so it will takes 1/16 fuse.

Trunions, as well as cascable, are 3/16 inch steel rod pressed into shallow 3/16 holes and then brazed in place.

All the work was done on my drill press, with some help from an angle grinder and a file for shaping.

It needs a pit more polishing, but I just couldn’t wait to fire it ! Total time into is so far is about 2 hours.

The “Nano Cannon” with carriage

I found the smoldering paper towel pieces about 15 feet away, and the gun recoils back about 6 inches!

BTW, for BB caliber, Q-tips make excellent cleaning rods.

Terry C. built the the very first micro-gonne. A hand gonne is a hand held cannon. It fires #4 buckshot.

the micro-gonne

The micro hand gonne being fired. Note the wooden rod attached.

Victor build a bigger scale hand gonne:

The Remington MasterBlaster is a big suppressed 8 Gauge kiln gun.

The MasterBlaster system is the most productive and cost-efficient way to remove virtually any type of build-ups in boilers, kilns, silos, quarries or mines. Both the gun and the ammunition provide superior power, accuracy and dependability, shot after shot, at distances up to 300 feet

“Rapid Firing” nice

It fires special remington 8 gauge slugs weighing up to 3 oz. / 1312.5. 8 gauge has a caliber of 0.835″ / 21mm.

Zinc Build-Ups With Hard Exteriors and Soft Interiors

Perfect for self defense
More info here.

30mm rounds from an A-10 land close to British troops in Afghanistan.

That cannon sure makes a cool sound, I can see how the whole “Show of Force” thing would work. The sound would be enough to make me run. I would not like to be on its receiving end!

The A-10 fires the 30×173mm round:

Compared to 7.62×51mm
(photo by ekranoplan)

Hat Tip: MP.net

Taser recently announced a deal to sell 3000 M26 Tasers, an older model, to an undisclosed country. After a 30 second google search I guess it is Australia.

From CourierMail (dated January 29 2008):

POLICE will not say how many Tasers will be issued across the state after Police Minister Judy Spence brokered a deal with the controversial police union to provide one to every front-line officer.

I say three thousand. I don’t know they bother hiding these details in the information age.

According to the Motley Fool Taser increased is value on the stockmarket by $43 million on this deal which is worth only 1.2 million. The market sure likes Taser.

The older M26 model

VLTOR are now mass producing their full and semi-auto PKM receivers. They selling PKMs built with their receiver and imported parts kits. Apparently their receivers are better than the original PKM receiver. Obviously the full auto receiver will not be sold to the public.
From VLTOR:

Compared to conventional PKM receivers, Vltor’s receiver is more robust, rigid and wear resistant. Vltor has researched the PKMs history and found the weaknesses of the existing chassis and moved forward to improve upon its design.

For example, the PKM receiver was notorious for cracking around the rear trunnion rivet holes. This was cured through increased strengthening around the said holes. Another downside to the original PKM receiver was the excessive wear on the receiver’s rails. Vltor has remedied the problem by the eliminating the conventional “stamped” rails by replacing them with fully machined, heat-treated tool steel rails. Finally, with the installation of the tool steel rails, the Vltor PKM receiver is less likely to flex or twist during operation, when compared to the original.

Vltor Production Models

Complete Kit of the Vltor PKM

Production Model Hungarian PKMs

Production Receivers

Each kit contains:

1 complete gun (made from an un-issued Hungarian PKMS Parts Kit)*
1 Spare Barrel (matching serial number)
1 Tripod
2 100 round assault ammo cans, with belts**
2 200 round box ammo cans, with belts**
1 spare parts kit (parts that break or wear down)
1 blank firing adapter
1 cleaning kit
1 spare barrel carry bag.
1 tripod carry bag
1 weapon carry bag
1 bag of misc. slings*

*Most of the kits have matching number, including barrels. Tripod serial number does not match the numbers found on the parts kit. **Ammo Cans and accessories may vary in condition.

Marcolmar Firearms are selling the semi auto VLTOR PKMs:

MarColMar Firearms LLC and our manufacturing partner Wise-Lite Arms are pleased to bring you the exclusive semi-auto belt-fed PKM. Incorporating a state of the art PKM receiver manufactured by Vltor, and our ATF approved and exclusive Patent Pending semi-auto striker-fired PK/PKM design, this firearm has been extensively fired, torture–tested, and continuously refined to provide you with years of trouble-free shooting from arguably the greatest GPMG in existence today. Matched with Wise-Lite’s Limited One-Year Warranty and the quality of a brand new Hungarian PKM parts kit, this system will undoubtedly be the highlight of any military weapon collection.

Lucky kid with a VLTOR semi PKM

The semi PKM will sell for US$6075.
More information here and here.

The PKM machine gun according to Wikipedia:

The PKM is a modernized, product-improved version of the PK machine gun. It is just 7.5 kg empty and PKMS version on the light Stepanov’s tripod weights only 12 kg. The PKM and other variants (such as the PKMT or PKTM, its tank version) are in production in Russia and currently are exported to many nations. Additionally, various models are manufactured locally around the globe. Zastava Arms produces the PK under license as the M84 (along with the PKT as the M86), and it remains in use with many of the former Yugoslav successor states. The Chinese-built Type 67 also features notable design similarities. The most recent modification is the Russian Pecheneg, which features a forced air cooling barrel that, unusually for a modern machine gun, cannot be removed in the field for quick replacement. The PK and its descendants will continue to see service throughout the world for some time.

Mossberg and Taser have teamed up to produce the X12 23 guage shotgun that can only accept non lethal rounds such as the TASER XREP (Extended Range Electronic Projectile), a wireless taser like projectile that fires from a 12-gauge shotgun.

I think a regular shotgun loaded with a couple of XREP projectiles followed by shot makes more sense for cops. That way if the fancy electronic projectiles fail they have a backup.

The video:

Introducing the TASER XREP – the eXtended Range Electronic Projectile. XREP is a self-contained, wireless projectile that fires from a standard 12-gauge shotgun. It delivers the same Neuro-Muscular Incapacitation (NMI) bio-effect as our handheld TASER X26, but can be delivered to a distance of up to 100 feet, combining blunt impact with field proven TASER NMI.

The press release:

TASER International, Inc. (Nasdaq:TASR), a market leader in advanced electronic control devices, today announced it will debut the new TASER X12 LLS Mossberg(r) shotgun during the 2008 SHOT Show in Las Vegas to be held February 2-5, 2008. The TASER X12 Less Lethal Shotgun (LLS) is a fully integrated less-lethal platform manufactured by Mossberg that has been optimized for the TASER eXtended Range Electronic Projectile (XREP), while providing for integration of the TASER(r) X26 electronic control device (ECD) for close-in engagements. The TASER X12 LLS includes TASER Radial Ammunition Key technology (patent pending) to prevent the system from accepting lethal 12-gauge rounds in order to remove the possibility of end users loading a lethal round in a less-lethal system during high stress situations.

TASER International will be in booth number 22117 in the Gold Hall outside of the Las Vegas Convention Center this weekend. Mossberg will be in booth number 4751 in the central exhibit halls (C1-C5.1).

“In speaking with our customers and law enforcement experts, we found that many law enforcement agencies would prefer dedicated 12-gauge systems for less-lethal use only,” commented Rick Smith, Chief Executive Officer of TASER International, Inc. “However, none of the systems on the market today actually prevent the operator from inadvertently loading a deadly round of buckshot or slugs. The TASER X12 LLS is designed with the important safeguard of precluding the possibility of lethal accidents through round mis-identification.”

The TASER X12 LLS provides a dedicated less-lethal platform based on the proven Mossberg 500 shotgun which is the only 12-gauge system to attain Mil-Spec certification.

In addition to the TASER Radial Ammunition Key system, the TASER X12 LLS also provides the following features:

* A high twist, rifled barrel system that is optimized for the lower velocities of less-lethal projectiles. Whereas standard Mossberg rifled barrels have a twist of 1 in 36 inches, the twist ratio for the TASER X12 LLS is 1 in 18 inches This higher twist rate provides enhanced projectile stability at the lower velocities used for less-lethal projectiles such as the TASER XREP projectile.

* A Picatinny Rail system with the X-Rail mount pre-installed. The X-Rail mount allows the user to mount a standard TASER X26 ECD to the system. Together, the TASER X12 LLS with TASER X26 ECD integration gives the operator the ability to engage subjects across the full range of engagement distances, with the TASER X26 ECD optimized for engagements within 20 feet, and the TASER XREP projectile for subjects beyond 20 feet.

* TASER-Yellow coloration of the stock and fore-end of the shotgun for immediate identification as a less-lethal system

* A ghost ring sighting system

* Collapsible tactical stock

“We are very excited to be partnering with TASER International on the manufacturing and development for the TASER X12 LLS system,” said A. Iver Mossberg, Jr., CEO for Mossberg. “Teaming Mossberg’s vast array of product knowledge and experience with TASER International’s pioneering less-lethal technology will only enhance our continuation as the market leaders in firearms innovation.”

TASER International will begin training the agencies involved in the pilot programs in February and will release the TASER XREP into pilot programs by the end of the first quarter. The TASER XREP is a wireless Neuro Muscular Incapacitation projectile designed for a 12-gauge platform. The XREP which contains miniaturized TASER technology as well as groundbreaking flight stabilization and microprocessor-controlled intelligent electrode selection technologies, weighs only 14 grams, or half an ounce, and has a maximum range of 65 feet or 20 meters.

TASER expects to complete pilot programs and release the TASER XREP product and the TASER X12 by the end of 2008, pending results of the pilot programs.

Photos and video of the TASER XREP and TASER X12 are posted at www.TASER.com/XREP.

Following on from the AK firing out-of-battery, here is a 40mm grenade exploding in MK 19!

This site showcases some very small firearms.

.38 caliber, the brass padlock alarm gun


.22 rimfire pipe gun

This one is truly bizarre! I guess it is some sort of ’self defense hook’! I don’t know the caliber or how it was supposed to work. LibertyNews and bigfoot explain how it works in the comments below.

More here.

Hat Tip: Xavier Thoughts

This essay takes a look at early firearm development up till the 1500’s. It is a fascinating read.

Certainly, the first uses of gunpowder are psychological - loud bangs and sausage-shaped rockets snaking across the battlefield to terrify men and horses. This is the role we can see for the fire lances of 1132. It is a short step from here to the early handgonne. I believe that while the bamboo pellet throwers of 1259 did not use true gunpowder, they certainly were a first application of the principle of using burning gases to throw a projectile…

Serpentine lock firearm, 1411

More here.

From the Metro:

A pantomime troupe has been ordered to keep its toy weapons under lock and key – because of health and safety rules.

The amateur dramatics society imagined its plastic cutlasses, wooden swords and gun that fires a ‘Bang’ flag were harmless enough for a production of Robinson Crusoe.

However, it was a case of ‘Health and safety officers are behind you’ when they were told to call in police to ensure every ‘weapon’ was safe. The toy gun must now be kept in a safe box in a locked room when not in us

Photos of the dangerous weapons:

I am pleased I don’t live in the UK, with all of those kids running around with guns and knives. It must be a dangerous place.

I can’t believe this exists! It is a holster for a Taser with a built in MP3 player! It has just been announced at CES.

They call it the “TASER MPH Holster”.

Is it appropriate is it to be fiddling with a taser holster when riding public transport? Of course not! No more appropriate than playing with sword sticks or knives while on public transport.

I don’t know what TASER were thinking.

More here.

Hat Tip: Danger Room

Sounds like a good idea!

“I got tired of being pushed out of people’s offices,” she says. “Nobody wants to purchase a product that they think is lethal or going to kill somebody.”

A lot of people, especially women, need time to get comfortable with a unique product like Taser before they’ll consider buying one, Shafman says.

Read more here.

Hat Tip: Double Tapper (a new blog worth checking out)

I came across a cool photo of an MP5SD with mini-uzi type stock.

Click to expand image.

Hat Tip: MilitaryPhotos.net

The Economist.com has a short article about the banning of swords in the UK. Or, more specifically, making swords illegal to sell or import.

EVERY summer, in the Cambridge suburb of Romsey Town, a man emerges from his house dressed from head to foot in black and clutching a katana, a curved Japanese sword. Fortunately for his neighbours, the target of his ire is the weeds that have grown up in his garden. Half an hour later, the undergrowth reduced to stalks, he goes back inside.

Not everyone is so harmlessly eccentric. On December 10th a man appeared at an Inverness court charged with attempting murder with a similar weapon. On the same day, to much fanfare, the Home Office said it would add “samurai swords” to a list of exotic-sounding proscribed weapons. These include butterfly knives, blowpipes and shuriken (throwing stars). It is already illegal to carry bladed weapons; adding the swords to the list will make it illegal to import or sell them.

….

In any case, the precedents for a ban are not encouraging: gun crime has risen dramatically since legislation following the Dunblane massacre in 1996 made handguns of all kinds illegal. The sword ban is less swingeing, since exceptions will be made for martial-arts clubs and collectors. And it seems oddly specific: only “single-edged, curved blades” will be prohibited, leaving straight-bladed or double-edged weapons untouched.

James has written a post on the subject.