At this year’s IPAS 2017 held in Tehran, the Iranian state owned Defense Industries Organization unveiled a new anti-material rifle based on the U.S. produced .50 BMG M82 Barrett anti-material rifle. Similar to the U.S. version, the Iranian production variant is [Read More…]
We have already seen the 6.5mm CT Carbine prototype brought out by Textron for the 2017 Association of the United States Army annual meeting, but TFB also got an up close and personal look at Textron’s cased telescoped machine guns. Textron has two different cased [Read More…]
The HK433 family is going full power, Heckler & Koch told TFB at the 2017 Association of the United States Army annual meeting. When speaking to representatives of the company about their new rifle which was being shown off in the USA for the first time, I asked the [Read More…]
What was most telling about Iran’s Defense Industries Organization’s display at this years IPAS 2017 was what was not present at the show. Previously we’ve reported on Iran’s attempt at an AR15 copy (currently in service with some units, in a [Read More…]
This year’s IPAS 2017 held in Tehran featured a number of designs seen previously such as Iran’s 7.62x54mm PKM GPMG, and 12.7x108mm Dshk Heavy Machine Gun copies. But of particular interest was what appears to be a shortened PKM with a barrel cut to around [Read More…]
In an ongoing national conference where the top Indian Army generals are convening to discuss issues and ways to improve the military, one of the top issues is small arms program reform, especially in regards to the 5.56x45mm INSAS infantry rifle currently in use by [Read More…]
Recent images have emerged of the Pakistani Special Service Group (SSG), the countries Naval Special Operations component, with New Hampshire based Sig Sauer, Inc. 5.56x45mm NATO SIG 516PDW carbines with 7.5 inch barrels, along with Steiner DBAL I2 ATPIALs mounted [Read More…]
In the recent battle of Hawija, in northern Iraq, Iraqi security forces and Paramilitary forces lost two marksmen in the fight against the so-called Islamic State. Both of these snipers were very effective in the counter insurgency war that Iraq has been waging for [Read More…]
The Turkish national law enforcement special response teams (Police Special Operations Department, Polis Özel Harekât Dairesi) have recently adopted Accuracy International’s .50 BMG AX50 anti-material rifle according to Aybars, a Turkish defense analyst on [Read More…]
An online Italian firearms news website Gunsweek.com has published an article on a digital design concept put out by Italian firm Tecnostudio Engineering that consists of an interesting “Bullpup” submachine gun/PDW. The design incorporates a 15 (appears to [Read More…]
This summer Glock has emerged as the winner of not only one, but two very substantial contract victories to supply the Philippines National Police and the Armed Forces. The first contract was awarded in June of this year to supply the Filipino National Police Forces [Read More…]
Unlike previous Glock models where triggers and trigger bars can be more or less switched between models of the same caliber and frame, Glock changed some of the design features, most prominently being the ambidextrous slide lock which therefore changes the shape of the [Read More…]
Strike Industries has just released a series of integrated Ring Sights for the FN Herstal PS90 civilian rifle, and P90 submachine gun. There are four different versions, each one different from another in terms of power options, reticles, and back up power [Read More…]
American Built Arms Company has recently released a version of their MOD*X™ Side Folder Mechanism for the KRISS Vector series of pistols to allow a user to mount an ATF approved pistol brace on. The side folding mechanism simply threads directly onto the rear of a [Read More…]
Morgan Advanced Materials has come out with a Mobile Shield, mounted on a trolley. The company calls it the LASA Ballistic Shield Mobile Variant, and has recently showcased it at DSEi 2017 in London. Essentially a modification of various ballistic panels out there on [Read More…]
Rheinmetall has introduced a new Laser Aiming Module (LAM) unit at DSEi 2017. The picatinny mounted LAM unit is extremely compact, measuring in at 83 mm in length, 63 mm in width and 34 mm in height, also weighing in at 155 grams. It runs off of a single 3V CR123 [Read More…]
Representatives from the Columbian state arsenal Indumil recently talked to Jane’s Defense about the companies direction in trying to market their 9x19mm NATO Cordova handguns for civilian sale in the United States. Indumil is reaching out to various dealers [Read More…]
In an interesting twist of events, the State Department has refused an export license from Sig Sauer valued at $1.2 Million to sell firearms to the personal security detachment that protects Turkish President Recep Tiap Erdogan on a daily basis. The move has come after [Read More…]
A recent article in the Marine Corps Times highlighted Marine Corps Systems Command’s interest in the XM18, the compact version of the recently adopted XM17 that the U.S. Army will begin fielding en-masse in the oncoming months. Gunner Wade, known popularly [Read More…]
At a recent firearms amnesty in Australia, a Lewis Hythe Mk III Gun Camera was recently turned in, and appeared to be mistaken for an actual firearm. Although the Hythe MkIII does share the receiver, grip and drum magazine attachment point, it is very far from ever [Read More…]
According to a recent announcement by Mil Mag on the Polish defense magazine’s Facebook page, the semi-automatic version of the recently adopted (and recently renamed Grot) MSBS rifle by the Polish Land Forces (53,000 rifles for the Territorial Reserves) was [Read More…]
Polish small arms company Wytwornia Broni Popinski (Popinski’s Weapon Manufacturing), has brought to market a short barrel (10.2 inch barrel, compared to the 16.3 inch full length Jack from WBP) Kalashnikov chambered in 7.62x39mm, called the “Mini [Read More…]
Irfan Z. is a long time friend of TFB, and has contributed tips about various subjects, particularly within Southeast Asia. This is his first guest post entirely written by him, for TFB. Malaysia has just completed Independence Day 2017 celebrations and just like every [Read More…]
Alton C. is a guest writer for TFB and has contributed a number of articles in the past. The HK G3 is still soldiering in active service on more than fifty years after its introduction, but its ergonomics requires updating in the modern age. The long length-of- pull is [Read More…]
Back in July, UK armed police launched a dawn raid on a home in Kirby, near Liverpool. On searching the house they discovered a hidden pistol, a Beretta 9000S. A suspect, 24-year old, Adam Bigley, was arrested and has this week been sentenced to seven years in prison [Read More…]
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. has just released a version of their Ruger American Rifle Ranch Model chambered in 7.62x39mm. The rifle is also designed to accept Ruger Mini Thirty magazines of varying capacities. Shipped with the rifle is a 5 round magazine, but [Read More…]
A recent news report in Arabic has highlighted the efforts of opposition forces in Yemen to emplace IEDs within Kalashnikov magazines, just above the floor plates of the magazines themselves. The magazines have several rounds loaded, around 4-8 to be precise. The [Read More…]
Competing elements of the Ukrainian Special Operations Command came together recently to participate in a skill of arms testing precision rifle capabilities, teamwork, handgun marksmanship, care under fire, among numerous other skill sets often required by sniper teams [Read More…]
Originating from Russian Ministry of Defense counter-UAV trials, the most recent version of the LOKMAS (the com[any that produces it) “Stupor” Counter-UAV device was on display at ARMY 2017. Hrachya wrote about the prototypes of this device back in April of [Read More…]
Kalashnikov Concern has released several new handguns this year at ARMY 2017, most notably a compact version of the Lebedev PL-15, the company’s flagship semiautomatic handgun. We’ll post some photographs below, which are courtesy of Maxim Popenker, the [Read More…]