#Punisher

Last week, I received a DM from an IG follower asking how he could find employment in the firearm industry. This was a striking question because I’ve never thought about how I ended up working in this business (although I constantly ask myself how I am still employed), and frankly, it took a moment of reflection to provide an answer. After thinking about the advice I could give this young man to set him in the right direction, it made sense for me to put together an article discussing several ways to get into the gun business as this question comes up often enough.

A company you may have not heard of, but have absolutely seen their work in numerous films for decades is Independent Studio Services (ISS). This 3rd generation, family business got its start in 1977 by the way of Greg Bilson, Sr and the family business is making firearms for Hollywood!

IDEF 2017 occurred in May of this year, but we missed this important Turkish development when it comes to ammunition. MKEK, the Turkish state-run armament company, and privately owned Aselsan signed agreements at IDEF 2017 to cooperate on the design and manufacture of “Smart” 40x46mm Low Velocity for use in UBGLs or stand alone launchers employed by the Turkish Military. The two companies have already worked together on a similar project, being the 35mm Anti-Aircraft using various technologies, most likely for different air burst capabilities. It would appear that MKEK will handle the manufacture, as it already manufactures standard 40x46mm munitions, and Aselsan will work on the actual electronics package, with the companies expertise in technology. What this “Smart” ammunition most likely entails is the ability to detonate a shell at a set distance from impact, thus denying an enemy the ability to hide behind cover. If this cooperation is successful, it will bring Turkey to the forefront within the MENA region with an advanced 40x46mm targeting capability, very rare throughout the world as well.

In a new twist to the ongoing story of the US Army’s XM25 CTDE “Punisher” airburst infantry grenade launcher, Orbital ATK, a technology partner on the program, has sued fellow partner Heckler & Koch for failure to deliver 20 units of the new weapon. Orbital ATK is seeking more than $27 million in damages from H&K, and transfer of some intellectual property to another contractor. Orbital ATK says that Heckler & Koch’s failure to deliver the weapons has jeopardized its contract with the US government, raising the chance of program termination, and at least causing a substantial delay.

How much firepower can you hold in your hands? Quite a lot, according to Kiev-based Precision Systems, who has developed a handheld automatic 30mm grenade launcher capable of dispensing five 30x29mm grenades quickly when used by just a single individual. News of this assault-rifle-sized automatic grenade gun was first published in the Anglosphere by ISH Jane’s:

In May of this year, I got the rare opportunity to travel to Heckler & Koch’s headquarters in Ashburn, VA, to take a look at some of the experimental and prototype firearms they have located there in their famous “Grey Room”. It wouldn’t be worth as much for me to just tell you about it and to snap a few foggy cell phone pictures, though, so I brought along Othais of C&Rsenal to help me take high resolution light box photos of these unique and rare firearms.

The US Army’s “Punisher” XM25 Counter-Defilade Target Engagement (CTDE) weapon program is in danger, says a report released earlier this week by the Department of Defense Inspector General’s office. The program has been riddled with delays and cost spirals, as well as three accidents in 2013, but beyond that the Army has failed to outline a plan for procurement and basic issuance of the weapon, putting the program in jeopardy. From the (heavily redacted) report:

South African defense firm Denel Praetoria Metal Pressings (PMP) have announced a new project for a derivative of their radical 20mm PAW handheld semiautomatic cannon. The new weapon will reportedly be tripod-mounted, fully automatic, and compatible with the same 20x42mmB (belted) explosive ammunition used by the handheld version. Denel PMP is advertising a rate of fire for the new machine cannon of about 200 rounds per minute; via defenceweb.co.za:

LegallyArmedAmerica posted up these pics of their recycled RIA 10mm 1911s. They were non functioning and turned them into side mirror brackets for their Jeep. Many people commented that it is a waste. However I have to agree with LegallyArmedAmerica. What would you do with non-working 10mm 1911s? I suppose it depends on what is wrong with them to begin with. If it was a frame that is out of spec there might not be much you can can do to get it working safely. Anyway it is a different use to display one’s penchant for the Second Amendment.

The US Army’s XM25 “Punisher” airburst programmable infantry grenade launcher  is being prepared for acceptance testing, but a major component, and a major source of criticism, has received an overhaul from the versions tested in Afghanistan. Military.com’s KitUp! reports on the new optic and fire control system being displayed at the Association of the US Army 2015 conference: