The Firearm Blog

I blogged about the new AR57 earlier this year. The AR Five Seven is a one piece 5.7×28mm upper that attaches to a AR-15 lower and uses the 50 round FN P90 magazines. 57 Center posted a few photos of their new SBR suppressed submachine gun/PDW:

How cool is that!

UPDATE: After writing a three paragraphs about integrally suppressed firearms it turns out this is not integrally suppressed! The suppressor fits inside the handguard. I got this via. email from the 57 Center:

This particular AR57 PDW Upper in Full-Auto with 6″ Barrel, with 6.5″ Gemtech Suppressor, is currently being produced for a couple LE Agencies.

We currently have our 11″ Pistol/SBR Upper available as well as our standard 16.125″

So they are now directly competing with the full-auto FN P90. Personally, if I had a choice between this and the P90 I would go with the AR platform.

I think the pistol configuration could be a lot of fun.

UPDATE: I asked if the 6″ barrel gave adequate performance. From 57 Center:

We have excellent results with both 6″ and 11″ Pistol/SBR Barrels, this would be peoples choice, LE prefers 6″ with the 6.5″ Suppressor, this unit also works in Sub Sonic,

It is very impressive that the action can cycle subsonic rounds (a light 30-50 grain 5.7mm bullet traveling below the speed of round is comparable to a 40 grain .22 LR Standard subsonic round).

Earlier this year at the Singapore Airshow, Singapore Technologies Kinetics, otherwise known as ST Kinetics or STK, the Singaporean firm who make the Ultimax 100 machine gun, announced their a new PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) type sub machine gun called the CPW (Compact Personal Weapon).

I think that is a kids hand. Photo from textfiend.net.

According to the STK brochure and the pieces of info I picked up on the internet:

• Can be holstered
• Lighweight
• 7″ Barrel
• Multi-caliber. Currently available in 9mm (30 round magazines)
• Translucent pistol grip to check rounds in the magazine
• Comes standard with reflex sight. Iron sights are an optional extra.
• Retractable stock
• Low recoil
• Low cost

Specs:

Length: 350mm
Barrel Length: 180mm (7″)
Mounting system: 2 sets of picatinny rails
Weight without accessories: 1.5kg (3.3 lbs).
Firing modes: semi and auto (selector can be seen on above photo)
Method of operation: delayed blow back
Rate of fire: 900 to 1100 rpm.

Click to expand.

I would assume they will also offer a typical PDW round such as the MP7’s 4.6×30mm or the P90’s 5.7×28mm.

The gun looks very similar to the MP7 and I think would be in direct competition with it. It weights less (MP7 weights 4.19 lbs/1.9kg), is slightly shorter in length and has a similar rate of fire. I think the CPW’s main selling point is cost.

A couple more photos:

This looks like a prototype. It has a slightly
different trigger to the one above.

More info at STK