The Firearm Blog

1962 model

guns.ru just posted an article on the Korobov TKB-022, an early bullpup assault rifle designed by Russian gun designer G. A. Korobov.

All weapons were tested by Soviet army, but turned down on unpublished reasons (most probably becuse the gun was simple too advanced for contemporary military thinking, but also possibly because no-one at the time could tell for sure if plastic housing would hold its integrity in extreme weather conditions or during many years of storage or use).

More here.

CZ USA are now selling the VZ 58. The VZ 58 is chambered in 7.62×39mm and although it looks like the AK-47 the similarities end there. Internally it is completely different.

VZ 58 Tactical Sporter

VZ 58 Military Sporter

The Czech SA Vz. 58 service rifle is now available from CZ-USA in 2 semi-automatic only versions, the VZ 58 Tactical Sporter, and the VZ 58 Military Sporter.

The Sa vz. 58 was developed by Ing. Jiri Cermak in 1956 and 1957, adopted by the Czechoslovakian army in 1958. and was produced by Ceska Zbrojovka in Uhersky Brod, Czechoslovakia until 1983. Approximately one million Sa vz. 58 rifles were produced during it’s 20 year production run. As of 2007, it is still the standard issue service rifle in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

The new Tactical and Military Sporter models are manufactured by combining original Sa vz. 58 components with a new semi-auto only milled receiver, a new trigger mechanism and new fire control parts.

While the appearance of the VZ 58 looks similar to the AK-47, it was inspired by the German StG 44 and initial development was actually based on the 7.92 x 33. Mechanically, the VZ 58 is completely different from the AK-47, and no parts including magazines are interchangeable.

Differences between the VZ 58 Sporter and the AK-47

* The VZ 58 has a milled receiver, the AK-47 is stamped.
* Even with the milled receiver it is almost one pound lighter than a stamped AK-47.
* The bolt of the VZ 58 stays open after the last round in the magazine has been fired.
* The VZ 58 has a more natural point of aim and is faster handling.
* The safety is more ergonomic making a faster first shot possible with the VZ 58.
* The ejection port is HUGE. There is no chance of an empty case getting stuck in the action of the VZ 58.
* The VZ 58 gas piston can be removed or exchanged without tools.
* The alloy magazine of the VZ 58 is half the weight of the steel AK-47 magazine. (.42 lb. vs. .84 lb.)
* VZ 58 is easier to field strip.
* The VZ 58 is striker fired unlike the hammer fired AK-47. This reduces the number of parts and possible points of failure.

More here.

Alex Robinson sent me an email saying that the Robinson Arms XCR 6.5mm (I assume it is the 6.5mm Grendel) caliber conversion kit will be shipping in the second week of February and the 7.62×39mm kit near the end of February.

Robinson Armament XCR

Robinson arms recently caused some controversy over their support of Mitt Romney.

Defense Review have written an article about the new SIG 556 SWAT Rifle/Carbine/Subcarbine

SIG 556 rifles/carbines at SHOT Show 2006 (photos accompanying this article), and found them interesting. We’ve always been fans of the SIG 550-series weapons, particularly after we test-fired a Gemtech-supressed (sound-suppressed) SIG 552 SBR/Subcarbine at SWAT Round-Up 2002. The SIG 550-series assault rifles / tactical rifles utilize an AKM / Kalashnikov-type gas-piston/op-rod system for operation, and you can’t really go wrong with that with regard to weapon reliability.

While the SIG 556 series weapons are currently only availale in 5.56mm NATO, 6.8×43mm SPC (a.k.a. 6.8mm SPC a.k.a. 6.8 SPC), 7.62×39mm, and possibly even 7.62×39mm NATO (7.62mm NATO)/.308 Win. (unconfirmed/unverified) versions are on the way. DefenseReview doesn’t know at present whether the select-fire variant of the SIG 556 SWAT is available in true semi-auto/full-auto configuration, or only in semi-auto/three-round burst config, or semi-auto/3-round burst/full-auto config. Unfortunately, Mr. Poole’s article does not make that clear. Defense Review prefers a straight semi-auto/full-auto selector switch. We like our trigger finger to determine how many rounds we put down range on full-auto, not an artificial limiter. In any case, the SIG 556’s trigger action in the 3-round-burst-capable variant appears from what Mr. Poole wrote to be superior to the Colt M4 Carbine trigger with regard to smoothness and consistency.

I like their caliber offering. It looks like they will be competing with the Magpul Masada.

More here.

A photo of arms and ammunition recently captured from militants in Kashmir. The condition of the firearms is just awful. I suppose that the fact they keep functioning is a testament to the design of the weapons.

Ammunition and bodies of suspected militants lie on ground at an Indian Army camp after a gun battle in Pattan, 30 kms north of Srinagar, 09 November 2007. Five Islamic militants and four Indian soldiers were killed in a long gunbattle in Kashmir, officials said. A police spokesman said the fighting had started on the evening of 06 November when Indian troops were attacked by a group of rebels

Hat Tip: Military Photos

A classic post by ‘dstorm1911′ over at Surplus Rifle Forum

Folks due to members on another forum going on bout how the AK is a spray and pray rifle at best etc… or theirs won’t hit accurately because its got a wore out bore or the trigger is crap or….. a plethora of other excuses I decided to run a little test.

I took a 1964 Rommy “GP” (regular army full auto) parts set that’s been sitting on my desk for months (I use it for demo pics etc..) and put it together this morning on a NODAKSPUDS NDS-3 receiver, it is by far the most worn out AK I have either assembled or still in kit form, Below are a few pics to show just how worn out it is.

I used ALL the original components for this test; other than the Full auto disconnector and the rest of the full auto parts and receiver of course otherwise it was tested EXACTLY as it was last used by a Romanian soldier who ran easily a couple hundred thousand rounds through this thing in full auto ….

More here.