The Firearm Blog

Henry Repeating Arms has put together a beautiful special edition of their Golden Boy lever action. A portion of the proceeds from the sale will be given to the The American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Wounded Warrior Project and the Fisher House for military families.

Gold Plating on reciver.

The seals of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard

I am not sure what the retail price will be.

The 9mm compact Glock 19 and .40 S&W compact Glock 23 will both be offered with the Rough Textured Frame (RTF2). This frame does not replace the standard Glock frame, better known as the 3rd Gen Frame, on the G19 and G23, but will be available as an option.

From the press release:

The G19 and G23 are two of the most popular GLOCK models. The G19 9x19 compact is widely used all over the world. In addition, the G23 in .40 caliber is quite popular with both law enforcement and private individuals as a back up or concealed carry firearm. Adding the RTF2 finish to these compact models increases the options for law abiding

individuals and organizations. Along with the new RTF2 finish, each of these GLOCK pistols have the same time tested "Safe Action" system, durable exterior finish, cold hammer forged barrel, durability, reliability, and light weight that GLOCK is famous for.

Glock G22 .40 S&W with RTF2 frame. © Ken Lunde. Used with permission.

The first RTF2 pistol, the G22 RTF2, was unveiled in January after much speculation. This was followed a few months later by the G17 RTF2.

Ethan Dublin, a very innovative 18 year old college freshmen, has developed an interesting charging system for AK-type rifles.

Ratchet Charging System

The Ratchet Charging System comes with a replacement gas tube and a sleeve that bolts onto the end of the gas piston. The design offers quite a few advantages over the standard charging handle. Being on the left hand side it is faster to manipulate when doing magazine reloads (if you are right handed), it can be used as a manual bolt hold open and, if the standard charging handle is removed, the Ratchet system can cycle the bolt and chamber a round with the safety engaged. This video demonstrates it in action ...

I asked Ethan if the cut out gas tube venting gas would affect the operation of the rifle. He said it would not.

The only major disadvantages that I can see is that the charging handle must be unscrewed when field stripping and that leaving the bolt locked back in the field could allow dirt to get into the gas block.

Bolt locked back.

The installation is gunsmith free and it is compatible with ...

• Romanian AK-47 (7.62x39)
• Saiga (5.56)
• Polish Under folder (7.62x39)
• Bulgarian AK-74 (5.45)
• Egyptian Maadi (7.62x39)
• Russian Milled AK-47 (7.62x39)
• ROB. Arms VEPR (7.62x39)

I wish Ethan the best of luck with his endeavor and future engineering studies. Maybe we have our next Eugene Stoner here?

LAGE Manufacturing, LLC. will soon be selling a .22 conversion kit that they have developed for the SWD Cobray M-10 and M-11 submachine guns.

This design uses your existing upper receiver and cocking knob with a drop-in barrel insert, bolt assembly, magazine adapter and modified UZI .22 LR magazines. The magazine inserts in the pistol grip mag' housing just like the original 9mm magazine.

LAGE currently manufacture a range of slow-fire upper receivers for M-11, M-10/9 (a version for the M-11A1 is in development). These uppers slow the rate of fire from 1100 RPM to 600 RPM, making the gun much more controllable.

These guns are well known for eating through ammunition with their very fast rate of fire. The cost of these uppers are around $760.

Many thanks to Jeff for the information, photo and links.

Truvelo, a South African company is best known internationally for manufacturing traffic lights, also makes firearms - notably the infamous NEOSTEAD Bullpup shotgun and the Raptor rifle.

Truvelo Raptor Rifle

I was very pleased to see that the Raptor has been given a makeover. The older stock made it look like a cheap toy rather than a real rifle.

The old style stock ... they need to update their website.

Truvelo claim the gun provides excellent controllability during full auto fire due to the recoil and bolt system. It also features is the ability to easily switch between 5.56mm NATO and 7.62x39mm.

A big thank you to Lusaka for the information and photo he provided.

REMOV let me know that H&K have redesigned their version of the FN MAG 7.62mm machine gun (designated the L7A2 in the British Army). The new models have been completely redrawn from imperial to metric and also feature a lengthly picatinny rail (what self-respecting military firearm does not these days?).

There are two models, one being slightly shorter than the other.

Manroy Engineering have also redesigned their ME 7.62 GPMG, which is a mix of features from the L7A2 and MAG 58.

A big thank you to REMOV for the photos and information.

Since SHOT Show the KAC SR-15 E3 Carbine/IWS rifles have been slowly trickling out of the factory. I believe that they are now in full production.

The Stoner Rifle 15 series are semi-automatic rifles featuring a 16" chrome chamber barrel, a URX free floating barrel system, an ambidextrous control system, a two-stage trigger, an improved multi-lug E3 bolt and integral front sight and sling mounts. This is already a comprehensive package on its own and does not require excessive modular accessories for performance enhancement. The KAC SR-15 is the first rifle model with an Integral Weapons System (IWS) that combines both built-in and modular features.

One of the upcoming guest blog posts is a review of the SR-15 so watch out for it.

Tactical Life reports that the Remington 40-XS chambered in .338 Lapua will soon be available to purchase. It was announced nearly two years ago in Remington's 2008 law enforcement catalog but, to the best of my knowledge, was never manufactured.

It is built on the custom shop's 40-SX action and trigger group and features a 26" barrel with threaded removable muzzle brake, hand bedded McMillian A5 stock, detachable magazine and lengthly top picatinny rail.

AR-15 owners will soon have another "point five-oh" option for their rifles: the .50 GI. Before now only 1911 and Glock conversion kits were available for the cartridge.

The .50 GI was born out of the idea that if .40 was better than 9mm, and .45 was better than .40, then .50 must be better then .45. It should not be compared to the .500 S&W, .50 Beowulf or the .50 Action Express as it has much less power. The cartridge is comparable to the .45 ACP +P cartridge, but with a larger diameter bullet.

8" SBR with .50 GI magazine.

Carbine with AR-15 magazines converted to take .50 GI

The .50 GI magazine holds 14 rounds and the AR-15 magazine holds 9 rounds.

The 16" upper will sell for $750 and with one magazine. You can see the contact details of the manufacturer, RMW Xtreme Inc., at the beginning of the below video.

Thanks to Giesler for the link.

Hat Tip: Photos from 475AR @ .50 GI Forum

Janes reports that Russian firm KBP are now producing a tactical version of their MTs 225 revolver shotgun:

The MTs-255 tactical shotgun is a 5-shot weapon and is designed around the revolver principle. The cartridge cylinder swings out to the left for loading/unloading. It can be fired either double-action (a long pull of the trigger both cocks and fires the weapon) or the hammer can be manually cocked for single-action firing. A heavy duty, single-strut metal side-folding stock is fitted, which pivots around a conventional style revolver pistol-grip and lies alongside the right side of the gun when in the folded position. Sights are described as 'open', but a length of Picatinny-type sight rail is fitted to the top of the receiver for the mounting of other sighting devices. The butt-plate, pistol-grip and fore-end are all constructed of high-impact polymer for durability and corrosion resistance.

The original MTs 225 was introduced as a hunting gun back in 2000. It has an interesting design. The benefit over semi-autos would be its double action revolver reliability.

12 guage

.410

Photos from Tozman @ Shotgun World Forum.

Connecticut Shotgun Mfg. Co. have designed a new high end sidelock over and under shotgun.

The A-10 American is a very low profile, shallow frame full sidelock over and under (not a box lock gun with side plates) for those who demand the very best. This is the highest form of the gunmaker’s art. Some benefits of a hand detatchable sidelock gun are perfect trigger pulls, intercepting safety sears, an easily removable action for cleaning and service, and a large surface area for the outstanding engraving.

The detachable sideplate.

Pricing for the Deluxe model starts at $9000, although there currently are discounts available.

Hat Tip: Mikes Blog (Zel Custom)

Disappointingly the dinosaur gun we were all hoping for is not a dinosaur gun after all. Beretta have not yet published anything yet, but from what I have read, their new autoloader shotgun, Xplor UNICO A400, it is a refinement of the Beretta Xtrema 2 and 391.

Beretta Xplor - It is Green!

Over the weekend I was searching for photos of the new shotgun, and even emailed my contact at Beretta USA, but all I could find was some pretty boring images taken by Beretta showing it being shot from a distance. For some reason Beretta made all the journalists who attended the launch to agree not to publish any photos before November. I believe the photo above is legit. An Italian online store published it, only to take it down soon after (presumably after realizing they were not allowed to publish it). I have blurred out their name so that they do not get into any trouble.

Onto the shotgun itself ...

The shotgun will come chambered in a 3" version and 3.5" super-magnum version. It optionally features the new kick-off^3 (that is kick-off-cubed, for those of you who do not use spreadsheets) recoil reduction system stock. Two hydraulic dampers in the stock (the return spring is forward of the receiver, not in the stock) and another damper, maybe mercury or a spring mechanism, in the forend.

Jim Shepherd reports:

With our barrels plugged for only three shots, I didn't get to try the four-shot speed, but I did empty my three shots at a rate I didn't think possible-and aimed, not simply fired. That's apparently due the test gun's using Beretta's new "Kick-Off" recoil reduction system. Along with a new Micro Core recoil pad, dual hydraulic dampers in the butt and a third to reduce recoil peak from the bit of the bolt against the receiver, it absolutely reduced the impact of a long day's shooting.

Maybe the first recoil damper is inserted into the magazine, which would explain why they were not allowed more than three rounds loaded into the magazine? I don't really know, I am guessing.

It uses a new gas system called the Beretta BLink. The name is a reference to its speed. Weighing in at 6.6 lbs, it is very light and slightly lighter than the Benelli Vinic.

James Marchington, of Sporting Shooter magazine (UK), published a scan of the specifications ...

I will update the blog when more information becomes available.

The PR image I mentioned before.

UPDATE: The actual retail price appears to be $1500 without kick-off and $1600 with.

Guns Holsters and Gear reports:

The first product in the lower receivers line is the LR100 DTI Stripped Lower Receiver, made of hard coat anodized forged 7075 T6 Aluminum. Product includes the stripped lower only, does not include any internal parts. Del-Ton price is $120.00.

Next is the LR101 DTI Complete Lower Receiver. Buyer can choose his own grip and lower parts options. Complete lower receiver includes all internal parts and is completely assembled. Standard price is $180.00.

Finally, the LR102 DTI Complete Lower Receiver with Buttstock. Buyer chooses the buttstock, grip and lower parts options. Complete lower receiver includes all internal parts & buttstock and is completely assembled. Standard price is $240.00.

I was very surprised when a reader email me about this new rifle from Winchester. The poor Browning BAR hunting rifle has been through yet another evolution and rebranding.

In early 2008 FN announced a tactical sniper rifle, the FNAR, based on the Browning BAR (FN owns both Browning and Winchester Arms). It added a detachable magazine, pistol grip and top, bottom and side picatinny rails.

The new SX-AR is a heavy barreled FNAR in a Mossy Oak camo finish but without the side rails and full length top rail (interestingly the bottom rail remains). It comes full circle, taking the tactical FNAR improvements back to the hunting market.

Winchester SX-AR

This rifle will have been developed to fight the new AR-10 based hunting rifles that have been coming into the market, for example, the Remington R-25. I suspect the reason it is being rebranded and marketed under Winchester, and not Browning, is so that the risk of the BAR being named in any Assault Weapon Ban (federal or state) is reduced. The Browning BAR can continue to be a "traditional" styled hunting rifle.

For comparison, there are photos of the SX-AR ancestors ...

Browning BAR

FNAR

A big thank you to Reese for emailing me about this new rifle.