The Firearm Blog

Merkel's answer to the new Blaser R8 is the Merkel RX.Helix. This takedown rifle makes use of a straight pull bolt action.

Its name is derived from the bolt's rotation system. The bolt is rotated in a helical motion at a 2:1 ratio (of forward motion to rotational motion). Apparently this allows for a smooth and fast bolt operation. This video shows the rifle being shot at 1 round per second. Pretty impressive!

The gun will be available chambered in 222 Rem., .223 Rem., .243 Win., 6.5x55mm SE, .270 Win., 7x64mm, .308 Win., .30-06, .308 Win., .30-06, 8x57 IS and 9.3x62. The magazine capacity is 3+1 rounds. The rifle weighs 6.4 lbs.

I have not heard anything regarding pricing or availability.

I have read through solicitation request for the Army's M24 Sniper Weapon System upgrade. I am struggling to see how it can be considered an upgrade. The original M24 is going to have little in common with an upgraded version. As I read the solicitation request only the original receiver must remain after the upgrade. Maybe some of the bolt's internal components will be used, but that is about it. Barrel, bolt face, stock, optics, sights, suppressor, flash hider, iron sights, rail system, magazine, bipod and trigger group are all likely to be replaced.

It looks like the Army is trying to get a new rifle in a roundabout way, much like how the USMC is procuring a new rifle under the guise of a machine gun. What do you think?

Remington's M24A2 (a product name, not a military designation) is a possible candiate for the M24 upgrade.

Here are a few interesting specifications for the new M24 ...

• Trigger pull must be between 3 - 5 lbs. Operators must not be able to adjust the trigger.

• Magazine must have a minimum capacity of 5 rounds. It must not touch the ground when the bipod legs are at their shortest setting.

• The rifle, with minimum length of pull set and with suppressor attached, cannot be longer than 48".

• It cannot weigh more than 17 lbs with magazine full and with day optic and suppressor attached.

• MRBS (Mean rounds between stoppage) must be at least 1200. The MRBEFF (The mean round between essential function failure) must be at least 2300.

• The minimum accuracy must be 1 MOA (at 100m), although they are hoping for at least 0.8 MOA. These days 0.8 should be easily achieved.

• The rifle and optics must survive a 5 foot drop test.

• Iron sights that mound on the rail system must be included.

• The day scope must have variable magnification. The minimum magnification must be from 3.5-6.5x. The maximum magnification must be from 14-25x.

Our European friends never seem to stop trying to find new approaches to classic weapon systems that the rest of the world has given up experimenting with and I love them for it! Case in point is the Innogun which merges a single shot rifle and a pump action rifle with a double rifle.

The Hybrid

The Innogun Hybrid lower receiver is a magazine fed pump action. The lower can be chambered in 7×64mm, .308 Win, .30-06, 8x57mm IS or 9.3×62mm. Magazines will have the capacity of 1,3 or 5 rounds¹. Its barrel is 23.6" in length.

The single shot upper receiver can be chambered in .22 Hornet, .222 Rem, .243 Win, .30-06, 8x57mm IS, 9.3×62mm or 12 Gauge. To load the upper the action opens just like a under/over shotgun or rifle. The barrel is 19.6" in length.

It weights in at between 7.7 lbs and 8.3 lbs, depending on the upper/lower combination.

By now you are asking yourself "Why?". I don't have a good answer for that question! I suppose it is useful when you want a combination gun but also want a repeater. Still, I love it.

The company is also making a lightweight version of the Hybrid called the Pulse. It is pump action only and weights in at 6 lbs.

The Pulse

[ Many thanks to the anonymous reader who emailed me the link. ]

SIG has done what Glock should have done many years ago: partner with a firm like CAA and produce official branded carbine versions of their pistol line. The SIG P226 Carbine and SP 2022 Carbine as simply their respective pistol converted to a carbine with a CAA Pistol Carbine Kit.

SIG SP 2022 Carbine

Each carbine feature a side folding stock and plenty of picatinny rails.

SIG P226

These are almost certainly going to be limited to the European market.

On a side note, I have used a Glock in a CAA Carbine Kit and it was a joy to shoot. I will blog about it soon.

[ Many thanks to Gregor for emailing me the photos and info. ]

Semi-auto civilian SIG550s at IWA ...

I love the look of white colored rifles. It is a pity they are not practical all year round

[ Many thanks to Gregor for emailing me the photos and info. ]

This video is amazing. I wish I had half his talent!

[ Many thanks to Todd for emailing me the link. ]

The civilian version of the Benelli MR1 Carbine was launched last year in the United States. It will go on sale in Europe at the end of April. The European model will probably make US owners jealous! In Europe the MR1 will come in two barrel lengths, 12.5" or 16", and with either an adjustable stock or hunting stock (only the 16" barrel and a fixed stock is available in the United States).

The MRSP is 1300 EUR (about $1800). (There is a bit of confusion regarding the correct price.)

[ Many thanks to Python for emailing me the info and photo. ]

Zel Custom has developed this bipod of their Tactilite rifles. It swivels around the barrel allowing a stable rest on very uneven ground. I took these photos of it at SHOT ...

Tyler has photos from the new Hollywood Guns exhibit at the National Firearms Exhibit. This photo is of the Barrett M107 used in The Hurt Locker.

It is good to see commonsense prevailing. ArmyTimes reports ...

The Army is finally going to give soldiers the green light to paint their black weapons so they blend in with the terrain on the battlefield.

Soldiers have been using commercially available, spray-on camouflage paint since the beginning of the war — despite an unenforced Army policy prohibiting the practice.

Allowing troops to color their rifles may also help prevent the enemy identifying higher value targets such as the tan-colored M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System. I have long since wondered why the M110 was not finished in black, which would allow it to blend in with the black M4s and M16s.

M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System

[ Many thanks to Fred for emailing me the link. ]

The Remington's XCR II is a new long action Model 700 rifle. It does not supersede the original XCR, which was introduced in 2005, but will be offered alongside it.

It features a OD Green stock with rubber Hogue grip inserts. The stock looks very similar to the distinctive stock used for the very successful Remington VTR rifle. The gun's stainless steel metal work is finished with Remington's corrosion resistive TriNyte finish.

The rifle will be offered chambered in 25-06 Rem., 270 Win., 280 Rem., 7mm Rem. Mag, 300 WSM, 300 Win Mag , 300 Rem. Ultra Mag , 300 Rem. Ultra Mag , 300 Rem. Ultra Mag , 300 Rem. Ultra Mag , 375 Rem. Ultra Mag and 30-06 Springfield.

The following specs are for the .270 Win. version ...

Two special editions with a a Realtree AP HD Camo stock will be sold. The BoneCollector Edition and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Edition are chambered in .30-06 and .300 Rem. Ultra Mag respectively.

Standard Edition, BoneCollector Edition and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Edition

LTC Chris Lehner of PEO Solider wrote a comment on the blog that I thought deserved its own post. He addresses the issue of why the Army did not just adopt one of the existing anti-tilt follower designs instead of developing their own.

LTC Lehner here. My program office is responsible for the development, production, and fielding of the Improved Magazine (tan follower) along with all the pistols, shotguns, grenade launchers, sniper weapons, rifles/carbines, and even airburst weapons that our Army uses.

Hotgun, you are on target! Our Improved Magazine has been thoroughly tested in every environmental condition for the last several years. We have fired 40,000+ rounds through them, filmed their performance with high speed cameras, and did things to them to try and make them fail. Bottom line, these Improved Magazines offer a 50% reduction in the risk of a magazine related weapon stoppage over our previous Green follower magazines. P-mag, H+K, and others may have “tested” their magazines, but no one has the resources to test the way we do. When an Improved Magazine is fielded from my office (along with all the other kit we provide) there is a commitment and promise to our Soldiers that it will serve them extremely well in combat. The other manufactures of magazines (commercial magazines) usually will not or can not make this promise because of all the unknowns their magazines will face in battle.

As a side note, our Improved Magazines (with the tan, anti-tilt, follower) were developed a few years before similar magazines hit the market. The reason our magazines are only now available is due to the extensive testing regime we must put all of our equipment through. And it is a good thing we do, because there are many commercial magazines that our soldiers bought “off the shelf” that are starting to give them problems. More on this in the future.

For all Soldiers in OIF or OEF, be sure to keep your eyes open for the Armed Forces Network (AFN) Infomercial due out at the end of this month. You will actually learn valuable information on your Improved Magazine and where they are being issued in theater. Also you can log onto the PEO Soldier Web site to learn more about the magazine, new weapons, night vision devices, and body armor that we are fielding. Thank you for your time and keep up the fight!

Chris Lehner LTC, SF PM Individual Weapons

Read more about the Improved Magazine here.

Real Guns has published a tutorial on a AR-10 style lower receiver.

[ Many thanks to Mik for emailing me the link. ]

The action in this rifle is an inverted Enfield M1917 (or maybe Enfield P14). It was done so that a lefty could use it!

[ Hat Tip goes to Max Popenker for finding this bizarre creation. ]