The Firearm Blog

Over the past 10 years the Swiss conscript army have had 4300 firearms lost or stolen from their homes (the army issues firearms to citizens to keep at home). Although it should be pointed out that an estimated 1.5 million army firearms are in circulation.

In that year 82 rifles were stolen from an army depot in Marly in French-speaking Switzerland, bringing the 2006 total to 84 rifles plus 15 pistols.

Endrich told the Swiss news agency that the army did not keep statistics that made a distinction between lost or stolen weapons. Those that simply disappear are categorised as lost, he said.

Under Swiss law, all able-bodied men aged 20-30 are conscripted for about three months and are issued with a rifle. They are required to do up to four weeks of army service a year until they have served 260 days or are aged 34.

Throughout this time they keep the rifles – but no ammunition - at home. According to some estimates there could be as many as 1.5 million army weapons in circulation.

SIG SG 550: Swiss standard service rifle

More here.

A very interesting thread over at rec.guns.

The best answer to the question is by Mark Crispin

# Is there a legal way for me to buy guns for self-defense and/or
# recreational plinking?

The US government has a long series of FAQs on this question here:
http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#r

Short answer: probably no.

Longer answer:

Non-immigrant aliens (which includes tourists) in the USA are generally
prohibited from possessing firearms.
With the proper US export paperwork and home country import paperwork, you
may purchase firearms in the USA. However, the firearms must be shipped
by the seller to your home country; you can not accept delivery of your
firearms in the USA.

There are certain exceptions to this prohibition. The easiest way for a
non-immigrant alien to legally possess firearms in the USA is to obtain a
hunting license from any state. This license must not be allowed to
expire, as it effectively serves as your alien firearms possession
license.

There are also state requirements. For example, Washington State has no
licensing requirement for citizens to possess firearms, but does require
aliens to obtain a Washington State alien firearm license. Only two
states (Alaska and Vermont) permit carrying a concealed pistol without a
license.

Even after you obtain a state hunting license, you won’t be able to
purchase and take possession of a firearm in the USA due to the transient
nature of your vis
it. The ATF web page above has detail about the
requirements.
However, with your hunting license, you can borrow someone’s firearms for
plinking, hunting, etc. You probably will not be able to get a license
to carry a concealed handgun.

I’m sorry that we’re so unfriendly to visits these days. Blame cretins
who decided to take out their rage against the world by coming to the USA
and killing Americans.

One of the most notorious of these incidents happened on the Long Island
Rail Road in New York State in 1993. A Jamaican lunatic named Colin
Fergunson killed six people and wounded nineteen others, claiming that it
was justified by “Black rage” against his White and Asian victims. In the
aftermath we gained one of the most anti-gun members of Congress.

Read the whole discussion here.

Alleged Russian arms dealer, Viktor Anatoljevich Bout, 41(C), is escorted by Thai commandos as he arrives Thai Royal Police headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, 07 March 2008. Viktor Bout, dubbed the ‘Merchant of Death‘ one of the world’s most notorious weapons traffickers arrested in Bangkok on 06 March 2008 with arms dealing in Thailand.

The charges Bout faces in the US stem from a sting operation in which he and an accomplice agreed to sell weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which is designated a terrorist organisation in the United States, police said

The Yuri Orlov the arms dealer in the movie Lord of War was loosely based on Viktor Bout.

Hat Tip: MP.net

The National Research Council have published a report advising against a national database of “unique” markings made by firearms on bullets and brass.

“Ballistics testing is only as useful as the number of images in the database,” Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., said while pushing for the database in 2002.

Actually, the opposite is true, today’s report said. The larger the database, the more errors the computer will return.

Under the current system, the computer might find 10 possible matches for a single bullet and there’s a good chance one of them will be confirmed. After adding more than 1 million guns to the database each year, the same system might produce hundreds of possible matches.

Comparing rimfire brass. Photo from forensicmag.com.

More here.

Snow Wolf Commando Unit (Beijing Special Police) are premier Chinese SWAT unit and will be the behind the scenes at the Olympics.

The QBZ-95 rifle

Type 79 SMG (7.62×25mm)

If is interesting to see the Type 79. Gun.ru:

Type 79 submachine gun is rather unusual for its class as it is very lightweight and uses locked breech, gas operated action instead of more traditional (for SMG) blowback action. This weapon was (and probably still is) widely used by PAP (Chinese police).

If the SAS can do it …

No doubt these guys will be quelling the protests against Chinese policy that could break out.

A lot more photos here.

DoubleTapper has an excellent write-up about the firearm and carry laws in Israel. It is very interesting.

Read it here.

An interesting device. Although I cannot see why officers would want it. More likely to get them into trouble, than exonerate them I would think.

PistolCam®, with it’s patented AUTO-ON technology records 60 minutes of video documentation. Using MPEG4 imaging technology, PistolCam ? automatically records 60 minutes of DVD quality video with sound when an officer’s handgun is removed from the holster. PistolCam?is integrated with an Ultra-High Intensity Tactical Illuminator and Targeting Laser.

Front and profile:

More here.

Ride Fast & Shoot Straight snapped a shot of an Irvine PD scooter mounted shogun.

More here.

This year Kimber is introducing a tactical series of rifles. These rifles will come in three models.

Entering the tactical rifle market is no stretch for Kimber. Accuracy standards are already exceeded by lightweight hunting rifles, with durability proven in game fields around the world

LPT (Light Police Tactical)

• Black laminated stock with panel stippling.
• Mil-spec Picatinny rail.
• Scope rail secured with HD 8-40 screws.
• Oversize bolt handle.

Specs

Caliber: .308 Win.

Approximate Weight: 8lbs. 7oz.
Overall Length (inches): 43.25

Stock:
Sling swivel studs 3
Front swivel stud only for bipod.
Recoil pad (black) thickness (inches): 0.5 inches
Length of pull: 13.75 inches
Drop at heel: 1.75 inches
Drop at comb: 0.25 inches

Barrel:
Length: 24 inches
Heavy sporter contour
Finish: Matte blue
Twist rate (right hand): 12
Grooves: 4
Fluting
Match grade chamber

Action:
Full length Mauser claw extractor
Finish: Matte blue
Magazine capacity: 5
Pillar bedding
Glass bedding
3-position Model 70-type safety

Trigger:
Adjustable
Factory setting (pull) pounds: 3-3.5

Retail Price: $1258.00

Tactical

The Model 8400 Tacticalâ„¢ .308 Win. is based on the heavier Model 8400â„¢ action with an oversized bolt handle and knob. Specialized features include a heavy match grade barrel and McMillan stock with stippled texture. All metal surfaces are finished in matte black, and the stock incorporates a third sling swivel stud.

I like the stock

• McMillan A-5 stock with black/grey/green marble finish.
• Mil-spec Picatinny rail with 20-minutes of elevation.
• Scope rail secured with HD 8-40 screws.
• Oversize bolt handle.

Caliber: .308 Win.

Specs

Approximate Weight: 9lbs. 4oz.
Overall Length (inches): 43.5

Stock:
Sling swivel studs 5
Front swivel stud only for bipod.
Recoil pad (black) thickness (inches): 1 inch
Length of pull: 13.63 inches
Drop at heel: 0.43 inches
Drop at comb: 0.38 inches

Barrel:
Length: 24 inches
Bull contour
Finish: Matte blue
Twist rate (right hand): 12
Grooves: 4
Match grade chamber

Action:
Full length Mauser claw extractor
Finish: Matte blue
Magazine capacity: 5
Glass bedding
3-position Model 70-type safety

Trigger:
Adjustable
Factory setting (pull) pounds: 3-3.5

Retail Price: $1836.00

Advanced Tactical

The Model 8400 Advanced Tacticalâ„¢ is also chambered in .308 Win. Primary metal surfaces are coated in the premium KimPro II Dark Earth finish that is both self-lubricating and extremely resistant to wear and the elements. A McMillan fully-adjustable stock with a sling swivel stud and four flush swivel cups plus a premium hard case is standard.

• McMillan A-5 stock in desert camo.
• Mil-spec Picatinny rail with 20-minutes of elevation.
• Scope rail secured with HD 8-40 screws.
• Oversize bolt handle.

Specs

Caliber: .308 Win.
Approximate Weight: 9lbs. 13oz.
Overall Length (inches): Adjustable

Stock:
Sling swivel studs 5
Front swivel stud only for bipod.
Recoil pad (black) thickness (inches): 1 inch
Length of pull: Adjustable
Drop at heel: Adjustable
Drop at comb: Adjustable

Barrel:
Length: 24 inches
Bull contour
Twist rate (right hand): 12
Grooves: 4
Match grade chamber

Action:
Full length Mauser claw extractor
Magazine capacity: 5
Glass bedding
3-position Model 70-type safety

Trigger:
Adjustable
Factory setting (pull) pounds: 3-3.5

Retail Price: $2497.00

More here.

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that the Orange County Sheriff’s Office has bought 14 Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf AR-15 rifles.

The article is obviously written by someone with no clue about firearms. For example “…the new semiautomatic, .45-caliber Heckler & Koch machine pistols.”. I can’t be sure that the journalist understood the real reason why the Sheriff bought the .50 Beowulf rifles.

The journalist claims that the rifles are for ridding the expressway of cows and exotic animals, who sometimes escape from the local theme parks, such as elephant and lion.

I do not think killing cows would be money well spent on these expensive rifles. Surely a .308 will dispatch a cow just as fast and at a longer range. They are sure to have tactical rifles in their arsenal.

(Disclaimer: I have never hunted exotic dangerous game … the following is just my uninformed opinion)

If they were really worried about dangerous game a few .375 H&H rifles would be more effective.

According to Alexander Arms and Cartridges of the World 11th edition this is how the .375 H&H and the .50 Beowulf compare

The .375 H&H also offers much greater penetration due to the smaller caliber.

I do not think the Sheriff is really planning on using his new AR-15 rifles on elephants or lions! It is most likely for use against people and vehicles.

From Alexander Arms:

The external ballistics of the Beowulf® cartridge are well suited to urban environments where the shorter range template allows for more flexible application and the large projectile energy delivered by the ammunition can disable both motor vehicles and assailants with body armor. Windscreen glass does not affect the trajectory of the bullet nor does automotive body panels.

The .50 Beowulf AR is defiantly a very nice rifle Here is a video of is being shot: