Since Jim Fuller founded Rifle Dynamics more than a decade ago, the company has risen to an extremely high standard of craftsmanship within the AK industry in the United States. Jim talks about the story of the company, starting with his very first introduction to the weapon system as an electrician on a job site to making mistakes with Chinese import guns, and ending with what Rifle Dynamics will be coming out within the next year of production when it comes to the Kalashnikov derivatives that it has become famous for manufacturing.

Pictured is an ultra minimal, highly compact submachine gun design which is a clear contender for the simplest ever conceived. Disassembled It consists of only nine parts including screws and springs. Almost every main component is fabricated using steel box section tube, including the one-piece thumb operated trigger.

Generally speaking, firearms laws in the United States are better than those in the United Kingdom – except when it comes to museums.

A confidential source has revealed to TFB the current contestants that have passed the most recent phase of the Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle Competition (NGSAR). This phase is less of an actual competition between small arms prototypes but more of a theoretical feasibility of design concepts before any trials progression ensues. Results from this recent Prototype Opportunity Notice (PON) showed that out of ten industry contestants, only six were advanced to the next stage of the competition. These six companies are in order of most successful: Aircraft Armaments, Inc. Textron (AAI Textron), PCP Tactical (a division of PCP Ammunition), Sig Sauer, General Dynamics Ordnance & Tactical Systems (GT-OTS), and two entries from FN America (labeled as Lightweight and Adaptive).

Back in 2009, Chesapeake Police Department seized a fully-automatic, undocumented Sturmgewehr 44. Now they want to donate it to the US Navy’s Naval History and Heritage Command.

Everyone knows about Binary Triggers by Franklin Armory by now. It is a clever design that allows your firearm to fire on pull and release of the trigger. This has been approved by ATF as two independent manipulations of the trigger and therefore considered semi-automatic. At SOFIC 2018, Franklin Armory debuted their latest Binary Trigger the TR-4. It is a Binary Trigger with a full auto option.

Last week we looked at the Stoner 86/ARES LMG-1 in depth while at the Institute of Military Technology in Florida. This week we are comparing the older design to the much more modern Knight’s Armament 5.56x45mm NATO Light Assualt Machine Gun (LAMG) that the company brought to SHOT Show last year and this year. In addition to the 5.56x45mm version, there is also a 7.62x51mm version as well. Hopefully we’ll be able to get an in-depth look at it in the future, but for the time being, we were only able to see the smaller caliber version.

About a year ago we reported about several new firearms that were designed or were in development by the Russian TsKIB SOO. Among these guns, there was a semi-auto marksman rifle called OTs-129. Apparently, that was one of the guns of a project called “Alatau” (Алатау). A couple of days ago, Kalashnikov Gun Magazine has published images of the OTs-128 machine gun that was also a part of the Alatau project.

A local TV channel of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic has published a video telling about two domestically made firearms: an anti-materiel rifle and a twin-barreled machine gun. They adapted or used the parts of standard-issue guns to build weapon systems that could be used in different roles than the donor firearms. Let’s take a look at each of these guns.

The US Army’s PEO Soldier – Project Manager Soldier Weapons has issued an Request for Information (RFI) to obtain industry feedback on possible submissions to Sub Compact Weapons (SCW) evaluations. The specification details offered by the Project Manager Soldier Weapons (PMSW) are scant and extremely broad. Describing potential SCWs as being select fire weapons, chambered in 9x19mm and having MIL-STD 1913 rail (Picatinny Rail) space.

Similar to many small arms in use by Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), the diversity of Soviet patterned Heavy Machine Guns is quite high among the ANSF forces of today. Almost to a point where every derivative and variant produced in other countries is represented within the ANSF ranks from the Afghan Uniformed Police (AUP), Afghan National Army (ANA), the Nationa Directorate for Security (NDS), and the Afghan Border Police (ABP).

Viewers of TFB TV will be especially aware of a number of episodes that I completed with a local reenactor that represents elements of the 82nd Airborne Division all over the Midwest. To date we’ve filmed episodes about the BAR in the First World War, the M1A1 “Paratrooper” Carbine, 1903 Springfield rifle grenades, and even an introduction on blank rounds for various uses. Indeed, if I hadn’t left the Midwest I would most likely be still interested in producing content for TFB TV with his excellent insight.

A short video clip has recently emerged depicting an Indian soldier in contact with a distant enemy. It appears the soldier is suppressing the enemy positions more than his own bunker is receiving any fire throughout the video. The video was initially posted on an Indian Facebook page but was sent to TFB by an eagle-eyed reader. Apart from the combat, what is particularly interesting about the encounter is that the soldier’s INSAS-LMG starts to fail about a quarter of the way through the video. Which isn’t unexpected given the plaguing reliability problems that the Indian Armed Services have faced with the weapon system ever since its inception, or any program designed to replace it.

The Pakistani commercial firearms company Daudsons Armory or DSA is much more known for their handguns and historical reproduction shotguns sold in the United States through Cimarron. However, the company also has a 40x53mm High-Velocity Automatic Grenade Launcher (AGL) that they have been developing for over a decade at this point. Currently, the PAK-40 AGL is undergoing Pakistani Army trials that could potentially lead to replacing U.S. Mk.19s and MKEK designs that are being used now. Testing consisted of severe temperature firing in both cold and hot extremes in addition to accuracy testing at 500, 1000, and 1500 meters. The AGL was also sent to South Africa to be tested with RDM ammunition (jointly owned by South African and German companies), in addition to NATO standard and Korean 40mm linked grenades.

Recent images have emerged of CCTV video cameras mounted to Nigerian Army tactical vehicles operating in the country. At first glance it would almost appear to be an attempt at configuring a remotely operated turret but upon closer inspection, this doesn’t appear to be the case due to the lack of relevant gearboxes and hydraulics necessary to operate the accompanying machine guns. In one example the CCTV camera is bolted to an adjustable mount that is attached to the upper portion of the armored cupula that forms the turret. There appears to be a wire running from the camera itself to the inside of the armored vehicle, either for power or to a screen so vehicle operators can observe the footage of the camera. At present it is unclear how the wire is to be protected while the turret is operated in its 360-degree arc, as spinning the turret around might tangle the wire. The person behind the 7.62x51mm NATO GPMG appears to be a law enforcement officer instead of an actual soldier that would be manning the turret. In another example the CCTV camera is mounted to the roll cage of a light all-terrain tactical vehicle, just below the armored mount behind which a gunner would stand or sit with a machine gun.

Damien Spleeters of Conflict Armament Research recently posted this photograph on his Twitter feed of a 7.62x39mm Chinese Type 81 LMG that was recovered among an entire cache of Type 81s after the battle for Mosul.

The 9x19mm NATO MPi 69 and its improved variant the MPi 81 certainly don’t take many points for revolutionizing submachine gun design. But nonetheless, they are interesting designs of their own accord, essentially based on the Uzi from Israel and taking some elements from the Steyr AUG rifle which was also in development at the time.

In what some would say might be one of the best prototype versions put forth of the Ultimax yet, the 2000 model initially came into the United States for U.S. Military trials, specifically the Marine Corps. It is almost an “Americanized” version of the Singaporean invention (designed by James Sullivan) with larger grips to accommodate bigger hands of American shooters. Gone are the hole punched STANAG magazines and replaced with a standard STANAG magazine well, but also gone is the excellent 100 round drum that was specifically designed for the Mark II. A Picatinny optics rail was added to the receiver but because of the square-shaped design of the bolt, it had to be welded instead of riveted or bolted in place. Issues with the charging handle and buttstock were addressed, allowing for a much more reliable platform in both regards. However, a Paratrooper version was created with a shorter barrel and folding stock. Although this did make the platform much more compact, it took some away from the constant recoil system being fully taken advantage of.

The Liadong (Liaotung) Peninsula, China, 1904-5.  The Russo-Japanese War.   The Japanese are seeking to regain the use of Port Arthur and the Liadong Peninsula , given to them by the Treaty of Shimonoseki after the Sino-Japanese war.  This territory was taken from them by Russian political maneuvering (aided by the French and British) in the Triple Intervention of 1895.

The Charted Industries of Singapore Ultimax is one of the most renowned light machine guns in the world, yet has never really been adopted to the full extent of what it was capable of. The only real military it served was the Singaporean Armed Forces. It was used by multiple other countries and agencies, but not in a full-service adoption.

As I had mentioned in the Brownells HK416 article, I got a chance to visit Zib Militaria and tour their facility while I was in Germany. Normally they do not offer tours to customers. They run a mail order business but they do allow local customers to come and pick up their orders. I told Heiko, the owner, that I was traveling from the US and would like to see his facility and some key items. He was more than accommodating.  Heiko started this business 12 years ago after he finished getting his Masters in Business Administration in Texas of all places. He fell in love with firearms and enjoyed exercising his 2A rights and acquired firearms while he lived in the US. After working in finance for a short stint he decided to work for himself. He started by reselling remote control tanks from China. Then moved onto Chinese-made military-themed objects. It was a success. He slowly made connections and acquired German surplus goods and put all his money back into the business and now he is the exclusive surplus firearm dealer in Germany.

The Stoner 86/ ARES LMG-1 unfortunately never received much fanfare in the time that it was produced. Originally intended as Eugene Stoner’s concept idea for the SAW trials in what would later become the FN Herstal M249, it never reached full production potential. Truly a shame considering the well thought out features of the weapon system. Essentially Stoner was really updating his Stoner 63 LMG from the Vietnam era, bringing it into the 1980s. Whereas the Stoner 63 was conceived as a modular small arm with the ability to be converted from rifle to carbine, or even to an LMG, the Stoner 86/ARES LMG-1 was produced with the sole intent of being a lightweight LMG that could either be belt fed or magazine fed.

Program Executive Officer (PEO) Soldier out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia recently tweeted an image depicting U.S. Army Brigadier General Anthony Potts (currently commanding PEO Soldier) on the test range firing a test rifle apart of “emerging technologies for Next Generation Squad Weapon” as spelled out in the tweet.

This is Marawan M.’s second guest post for TFB. His first guest post is about the  Istanbul Military Museum: Small Arms of the Ottoman Empire if readers are interested in reading more from him. In addition, we previously reported on the Sham R-3, but as promised Marawan will be doing an in-depth analysis of the RCWS.

A recently released Marine Corps Times article covers a discussion with a MARSOC spokesman who confirmed in no uncertain terms that the command was not interested in an M27 IAR procurement program. The reasons stated involved the Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) of MARSOC, working in confined quarters and requiring not only a shorter barrel for these types of operations but also a weapon in which adding a suppressor to won’t make it even longer. Also mentioned was a statement about the lack of compatibility with the SOCOM upper receiver group to be mounted on an M27’s lower receiver. On top of both of these concerns is that MARSOC appears to be quite content with having a belt-fed light machine gun integral to the small teams in which they operate from. Previously this has been the M249 SAW, but currently, MARSOC is fielding the FN Herstal 7.62x51mm NATO Mk.48.

The Fiscal Year 2019 Department of Defense Budget Proposal has been submitted to Congress and will take some time before we find out if it is approved or denied. But within it there is a specific budget document titled “Counter-Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) Train and Equip Fund (CTEF)”. This proposal covers the Pentagon’s plans to purchase equipment and arms that will be provided to forces that the United States (i.e- SOCOM) supports in Syria and Iraqi government security forces. At the low end of the supply chain are items such as magazine pouches and canteens, while at the high end are HUMVEEs and bulldozers. We are going to narrow down our focus to the small arms segment for TFB’s interests. A key element to keep in mind here is that this proposal hasn’t been approved yet and thus we are simply looking at what the Pentagon wants, instead of what they are going to get in terms of funding for all this equipment. The final result could be less, or it could even be more depending on the politics that go into the decision making process.

Often completely overshadowed by the larger SHOT Show, the Antique Gun Show is strategically held during the weekend after SHOT Show (although this year it was held the weekend before). Although possibly not the best antique show in the United States, it certainly ranks highly up there with the quality of firearms brought into it. The majority of everything sold within this show is from the 1800s and early 1900s, with even a few older firearms as well. And unlike SHOT Show which is strictly regulated to media and industry folks, the Antique Arms Show is open to the general public for a small admission fee at the door. Apparently, for the first time since attending SHOT, TFB was able to pay a visit and bring to light a number of the more interesting pieces on display. Although not comprehensive of everything that was on display, this post will highlight some of the odder and more fascinating tables and vendors.

The Israeli Dror Light Machine Gun was born during a time of necessity. What would later become the state of Israel was fighting off numerous enemies all around it and needed every weapon system possible. Through this endeavor, a sympathetic employer who formerly worked at Johnson Automatics helped supporters in the United States form a working copy of the M1944 Johnson LMG, fabricated in Canada, and then covertly shipped over to Israel where production was completed.

Here is an interesting device but it is shrouded in mystery. Colin Despins of Max Venom Product Group has a crowdfunding campaign to sell the Fast Fire Device (FFD). At the surface level, it looks like a Glock burst firing.