Defense Technology announced three new 40mm products at the recent shot show: one launcher and two projectiles. The new launcher is called the 40mm Tactical 4-Shot Launcher. Not a terribly imaginative name, but very descriptive. The unit is made in collaboration with [Read More…]
Raytheon has tested a new missile that could give a long-range high explosive payload delivery capability to grenadiers in the Army’s infantry rifle squads. From Raytheon’s press release: TUCSON, Ariz., Oct. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Raytheon Company [Read More…]
In a head-scratching ruling, the ATF has reclassified 40mm practice (“chalk”) rounds and 40mm flares as “destructive devices”, putting them in the same category as actual explosive 40mm grenade ammunition. While several sources have covered this [Read More…]
The UK has become the first nation to embrace “cased telescoped” ammunition technology*, having announced an order for 515 40mm CTA guns to retrofit the Warrior IFV and arm the new ASCOD-derived Scout SV vehicle, which will replace the long-serving CVR(T) [Read More…]
During the Vietnam War, both the US Army and the US Marine Corps revived the use of sniper rifle. The US Army chosen the M14 based semi-automatic rifle match with a dedicated build Leatherwood ART scope with build-in range estimation mechanism. The USMC selected a [Read More…]
The author recently had the privilege and opportunity to qualify with 40mm Low Velocity Less Lethal rounds. As a Marine infantryman in Afghanistan, these rounds are usually not part of our tool kit. They would be much more commonplace among Military Police, Marine [Read More…]
Small Arms Defense Journal spent some significant ink profiling the development of a new AR-15 platform compatible long-range round. The 6.5x40mm (aka .264 Warrior Magnum) is not to be confused with the (relatively) common 6.5 Grendel. Developed by Mitch Shoffner, the [Read More…]
ST Kinetics has been developing their 40mm ABMS (Air Bursting Munitions System) for a while now. The ABMS Upgrade Kit can be installed in a wide range of 40mm automatic grenade launchers, such as the Mk19 Mod 3, H&K GMG, CIS 40 and STK LWAGL. The company now [Read More…]
These videos show the new Madritsch ML40AUS 40mm grenade launcher, mounted on Thales Australia EF88 Assault Rifle, being fired with a M583A1 White Star Parachute illumination round (top video) and a M433 HEDP (bottom video). The Madritsch ML40AUS was designed for use on [Read More…]
The US Army has patented a system to convert surplus 155mm projectiles containing bomblets into 40mm grenades. Someone in the Pentagon thinks it would be cheaper to convert surplus bomblets into 40mm grenades than to dispose of them. I had always assumed that the cost [Read More…]
Our favorite Bulgarian arms manufacturer has added two new exotic grenades to their 2012 line up. The RLV-AD (Anti-Diver) round is designed to explode at a depth of 5 meters creating an underwater shockwave that is lethal at up to 15 meters and harmful up to 30 meters. [Read More…]
Earlier this year Chuckyzord guest blogged about his DIY replica SKS. Yesterday he emailed me a video of a replica China Lake (40mm pump action) grenade launcher he has just finished making. The replica is very impressive. It loads, fires and cycles just like the real [Read More…]
Matthew Cox reports that the USMC like the XM-25 semi-automatic air burst grenade concept but would prefer it in 40mm instead of 25mm. “I have not seen a detailed analysis on the [XM25’s] lethality,” Clark said. “We think we can get more [Read More…]
The US Machine Gun Armory have developed a set of kits to convert the MK46 / M249 SAW into a range of 7.62mm calibers including the 7.62x39mm, 7.62x40mm Wilson Tactical, .300 AAC BLK and 7.62x51mm. All that is required is swapping out the top-cover, barrel and a few [Read More…]
I was very skeptical when I first heard that Leupold was selected to supply the USMC with their Mark 8 1.1-8x24mm CQBSS scope for use on .50 BMG M2 and 40mm Mk19. machine guns. The CQBSS is an impressive scope but was designed for sniper or DM rifles, not heavy machine [Read More…]
Marine Corp Times reports that the USMC are fielding the DefenseShield MAG-D (Molle Adaptable Grenade Dispenser). The nifty device, which resembles a large magazine, allows easy access to five 40mm grenades. [ Many thanks to Lance for emailing me the link. ]
The M992 40mm IR cartridge, 5.56mm M855A1 & M240L were all winners of this years Army Greatest Inventions competition. Most of you will be familiar with the M240L, the lightweight version of the 7.62mm M240, and the 5.56mm M855A1 Enhanced Performance Round, the new [Read More…]
With forwarding operating bases closing and troops withdrawing from Iraq, Joint Munitions Command civilian and military staff have to sort, clean, package and, in some cases destroy, the ammunition, hand grenades and C4 explosives left behind. Army.mil reports … [Read More…]
[ This guest post was written by Brian Nelson. ] Not quite a month ago, Wilson Combat released the new 7.62×40 WT (Wilson Tactical) round. When I first read about it, I wasn’t sure I had a use for it. But after looking closer at it, I think it has a real future [Read More…]
This interesting grenade, manufactured by Bulgarian firm ARCUS Co., is designed to combat frogmen. The AR476 is fired from standard 40mm launchers at the area where combat divers are suspected to be underwater. When the projectile hits the water, a time deployed fuse is [Read More…]
The Army Times reports that the H&K developed M320 will being replacing the M203 in February next year. The Army plans to begin fielding the first of 71,600 new replacement launchers in February for a cost of about $3,500 each, Audette said. Fielding of the M320 [Read More…]
The “Neon”? It looks like Poland is developing their own version of the XM29 OICW concept, according to the MSPO 2008 website. It may or may not be called the “Neon”, Google translate is not great at best of times. What makes the Polish concept [Read More…]
Austria’s Steyr Arms have announced they have been awarded a contract to supply elements of the German armed forces with their GL 40. Steyr’s 40mm grenade launcher can be mounted under the barrel of a service rifle or it can be mounted on a Steyr-designed [Read More…]
The German Special Forces has awarded Wilcox Industries together with their German partner IEA Mil-Optics GmbH a contract to supply the Rapid Acquisition Aiming Module – Grenadier Sighting System (RAAM-GSS). The Wilcox RAAM-GSS has been developed to increase hit [Read More…]
Welcome back to Wheelgun Wednesday, our weekly article series where we cover everything related to revolvers. Today’s topic is the technical challenge of effective sound suppression of revolvers. In Part 1 we looked at mechanically sealed revolvers, today [Read More…]
Palmetto State Armory (PSA) had a ton of new things in their main booth at SHOT Show 2024. Some are in production now, while others are merely concepts at this time. Let’s take a little virtual tour through those items. PSA @ TFB: [SHOT Show 2023] Palmetto State [Read More…]
We’re now officially into 2024, and that means it’s time for the latest CMP rule changes. Some of these changes were teased earlier but we can now look at the full text. As far as I can tell, these all seem like improvements. CMP @ TFB: CMP Adds Mid-Range [Read More…]
It’s not very often our Photo Of The Day is taken by myself, but here’s an exception. This is the Rheinmetall SSW40 – Squad Support Weapon 40mm, shown at EnforceTac in the spring of 2023. The SSW40 looks very futuristic, yet we know the future is already [Read More…]