The Firearm Blog

You saw it here first! I had no idea that Sig Sauer were making AR-15 / M16 rifles but my DSEi spy spotted this prototype SIG516 ¹ PDW at the DSEi 09 expo. It features a 7" barrel, putting it firmly in the PDW class, and chambers the 5.56mm NATO.

The SIG 516

Markings indicate manufacture at the Sig Sauer plant in Exeter, NH, USA

I do not know if Sig plan on a civilian carbine version. If they did it would compete directly with their Sig 550 line of full length and short barreled rifles.

UPDATE: jcmiller points out that the lower receiver is semi-automatic. A production PDW would have to be fully automatic. Maybe Sig are thinking of civilian sales.

UPDATE:

The SIG516 Tactical Rifle line has three different models:

• SIG516 PDW : 7" barrel. A personal defense weapon (pictured above).
• SIG516 CQB : 10" barrel. A Colt M4 Commando equvelent.
• SIG516 BASELINE CARBINE : 14.5" barrel. A M4 Carbine equvelent.
• SIG516 Patrol. 16" barrel.
• SIG516 Tactical Marksman: 16" barrel A squad level sniper / designated marksmen rifle.
• SIG516 Precision Marksman: 20" barrel. Possibly a true sniper rifle, or designated marksmen rifle.

They are all piston operated and feature an adjustable gas regulator like the Ruger SR-556.

Upper receiver assemblies will be sold. Just before anyone gets their hopes up, while it is likely that Sig will sell civilians models, this has not been confirmed.

Big thank you to Lusaka for the information and photos.

Magpul have developed a device called the B.A.D (Battery Assist Device) which allows quick bolt release on an AR-15 using just the trigger finger – no more fumbling around to find the bolt release.

The BAD attaches to the bolt release button. Its lever extends through the trigger guard which allows the bolt to be released with only the trigger finger .

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Incidently, Magpul designed the Remington ACR / Magpul Masada rifle so that the bolt could be released with the trigger finger.

The price on the Magpul website is $29.95.

Hat Tip: Solider Systems

Suburban has info on Anvil Arms AR-15 Lower Sale.

Caleb has reviewed the Daniel Defense’s new DDXV Carbine and finds, like Mark Twain, rumors of their demise have also been greatly exaggerated.

It’s built right, and it’s built to shoot. From the factory you get an accurate, functional rifle with excellent iron sights – you don’t need to do anything to this rifle to make it an excellent home defense carbine. It terms of “no-muss no fuss” defensive weapons, the DDXV does very well for itself, providing an accurate, lightweight platform at a reasonable cost.

Mrs Caleb also got a turn with it.

Read the whole review at Gun Nuts.

Brownells are now selling their own branded M4 style barrel.

The AR-15/M16/M4 Carbine Barrel (#080-000-681) is made of 4140 chrome moly steel, hardened to Rc 26-33 and stress relieved. It’s 16″ long with a 1 in 7 twist and ½”-28 threads for a flash hider. M4 feed ramps provide reliable feeding into the 5.56 NATO chamber. A dark gray, Parkerized finish helps prevent rust.

They are selling it for $219.99. I wonder how long before they start selling a Brownells branded upper receiver.

Wilson Combat have added a complete .22 Long Rifle AR-15 upper receiver to their AR-15 product line. It is in the M4 style with a quad rail, 16″ barrel, front flip up sight and a A2-style flash hider. The price will be $995.

When they release more information I will be sure to publish it on the blog.

Advanced Long-Range Systems (ALS) have issued a warning:

Advanced Long-Range Systems has identified a condition that may exist with the bolt supplied with the ALS 50 caliber conversion which may allow the gun to fire out of battery.

As all the facts are not yet in, and purely as a safety precaution, ALS is asking owners of its rifle uppers to suspend shooting this product until further notice.

It is our goal to provide safe and accurate products. We are currently working on a solution. Please, bear with us, it may take up to sixty days to complete this task. We will resolve this issue and make it right with our customers.

Once additional information is available, you can rest assured that it will be passed along on our website, in VHP Magazine, and the relevant firearms discussion forums.

A .50 BMG firing out of battery could easily be deadly, not just for the operator but potentially for spectators or the person in the next lane at the range!

More info here.

Hat Tip: Suburban’s Domain

Zel Custom Manufacturing recently purchased the Ultralite50 line of .50 BMG AR-15 Uppers. They have just released an improved version of the Ultralite50 called the Tactilite.

As you can see above the Taclite is a single shot bolt action that sits atop an AR-15 lower. Because the lower is considered a firearm by the BATFE, the Tactilite is legally an accessory not a firearm, a fact that I am sure would freak out certain elements of society if they ever found out!

It features a free-floating barrel and is available in barrel lengths 18.5″, 22″, 29″ or custom lengths up to 30″. There are three main models. The Ultralite is the budget model that has a Mossberg barrel. The Duty is next step up and is the basic law enforcement / military model. It features a Lothar-Walther barrel. The Super Match is the competition-grade model featuring a Lothar-Walther Super Match barrel.

TactLite UltraLite Defender with custom finish.

They also sell a variety of packages. One of the packages they sell is the ultra-short 18.5″ barrel UltraLite Defender. It is designed to be fired from the shoulder (as opposed to a bi-pod) and is packaged with a set of back-up iron sights (BUIS) and sling. I don’t think a single-shot .50 BMG is ever a good choice for self defense, as the name suggests, but it could be popular with hunters wanting to carry something exotic during their next hunt. While it would have the power for African dangerous game, civilian ownership of military cartridges are banned in many African countries where hunting is popular.

Pricing starts at $1550 for the most basic model.

Earlier this year ATI began selling the T-14, an AR-15 style .410 shotgun that uses a standard AR-15 lower. I have been asked many times if and when just the upper on its own will be available for sale. I learnt from Suburban that AIM Surplus are now selling just the upper for $499.95.

The upper had a 20″ smoothbore barrel and is supplied with a five round magazine. Two models are available, the Classic and the Compact. The only difference between the models is the handguard length.

The Compact Model


The Classic Model

The M16 in this photo, which was taken in Afghanistan a few days ago, has a carry handle mounted on the 9 o’clock handguard rail.

I had not seen a carry handle mounted there before so I asked about it on MP.net. BumpkinBoy and scrybe suggested he has it there in case his optics fail. If it failed he would need to detach the scope and carry handle, then reattach the carry handle.

I suppose it is not a bad idea if you cannot afford, are not allowed, or do not have backup iron sights (BUIS) on hand.

I learnt from Caleb at Gun Nuts that Daniel Defense are launching a new AR-15. The Daniel Defense DDXV Carbine is an entry level version of the DDM4 which was launched earlier this year. The main difference is that the DDXV has a standard M4-style butt stock and plastic handguards rather than a fancy stock and rail system.

Daniel Defense DDXV

Daniel Defense are making a California specific version that requires a tool, in this case a bullet tip, to be used when changing magazines. This allows it to be Cali-legal, although somewhat decreases its utility as a self-defense weapon. The California version also includes a 10 round Magpul PMAG magazine instead of a 30 round magazine.

10 round Magpul PMAG. Same size as the standard 30 round magazine.

It will retail for about $1150 and should be available later this month.

“FREEFALLE7″, a Ranger Instructor, posted the above photo at AR15.com. A student, on arrival at the Swamp phase of Ranger School, showed him his M4 and said “my barrel fell off”. His punishment for not telling an instructor at the Mountain phase (the previous phase) about the broken M4 was to be given a M240, which weights 27 lbs, as a replacement.

Keith J came up with a plausible theory of how this happened

Salt water in the threads. Steel rusts. Steel in contact with aluminum. Aluminum then oxidizes, reducing the rust to iron dust. Joint remains tight until it is abused, then it just falls apart.

This all started when the barrel was installed and it was tightened a bit too much, causing the anodizing to crack

Of course this would have happened over a long period of time and use.

Thanks to Jay for the link.

Caleb got thinking about bolt action rifles and noted that no bolt guns exist to his knowledge that can feed from STANAG (AR-15 / M16) magazines.

everyone seems to be talking about how the world/economy/social order is going to collapse soon (it’s not) I figured the best rifle for that collapse would be a bolt action .223 with an 18 inch barrel, forward mounted optic, back up iron sights, and the ability to feed from standard AR15 magazines.

This got me thinking and I could not come up with one that did.

My artist impression of what such a Remington 700 would look like.

The Australian AIA M-10 “5th Generation” Lee-Enfield rifle comes in 7.62×39mm and feeds from a AK-47 magazine. The one pictured below is being sold on gun broker. Not many are available in the USA because after it was found out that some parts of the rifle (maybe the whole) was manufactured in Vietnam, they were banned.

While 30 round magazines are not as practical on a bolt action as they are on a semi-automatic, magazine parity with the AR-15 would be a big bonus. Remington and Ruger are you listening?

dfwgun @ ARFCOM posted a short tutorial on how to modify a Magpul MOE AR-15 pistol grip so that it will fit on an AK.

As you can see in the photo some dremel work is required but it is a pretty straight forward procedure.