Special Operations Command recently posted a solicitation on the government ran Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) resource in regards to a need for a domestic U.S. manufacturer to produce exact copies of the Soviet 7.62x54r mm PKM medium machine gun, and the [Read More…]
Recent photographic evidence has shown that Assad’s Syrian Arab Army (SAA) is equipped with DNS-1 Day & Night Vision Sights from the Belarusian company “Belarusian Optical & Mechanical Association”. These optics have been seen mounted on both [Read More…]
Russian Northern fleet mechanized infantry units (also referred to as Arctic forces) have recently held training maneuvers in Murmansk, Russia. Among expected equipment such as skis and snowmobiles, they were also practicing to ride reindeer and dog sleds. The idea [Read More…]
Russia has adopted a small arms training system called 1U35M (1У35М)․ It is designed by a company called TsNII Toch Mash (ЦНИИ Точ Маш, stands for Central Scientific – Research Institute for Precision Machine Engineering). The system simulates both [Read More…]
Russian company “FRONT – Tactical Systems” has developed, patented and manufactures a backpack style ammunition belt storage and feeding system called Scorpion. It works with 7.62x54R ammunition and with PKM machine gun and its versions. Russian [Read More…]
Al-Hashd Al-Sha’abi translates to “Popular Mobilization Forces” and is an Iraqi Government sponsored umbrella group composed of people’s militia, to augment Iraqi Military forces in the fight against the so called Islamic State. Photographs of [Read More…]
Here is a cool video of some Russian Special Forces practicing shooting from a seated position in an unstable platform. This simulator gives the shooters a similar sensation to riding in a moving vehicle where they will have to shoot out of. Once they get the basics of [Read More…]
What happens when you take the two concepts of a traditional, full-power rifle and machine gun round, and a small-caliber, high-velocity round, and smash them together? You get one of the most extreme military small arms calibers ever developed, and one of the last [Read More…]
Modern? Sure, but let’s take a step back… Way back. It’s 1890 and smokeless powder has just been invented. There’s this guy named Rubin going around and spreading the gospel of the small caliber, high velocity .30″ bore round. You’re [Read More…]
The Russian Army will be upgrading its automatic infantry support weapons soon. The legacy 7.65x54mmR PKM belt-fed general purpose machine gun will be supplanted in the dismounted role by the PKP “Pecheneg” automatic rifle designed at the end of the 20th [Read More…]
I was at a local indoor action match a couple weeks ago. This guy came over and commented on my Wiselite Sterling Mk4 and Zenith Firearms MKE Z-5RS. He asked about the MP5 clone and then asked “Want to see a real MK4 and MP5?” Yes, yes I would. He had his [Read More…]
Russia’s next-generation infantry modernization program is in full swing, and while here at TFB we’ve covered two of the rifles, the AEK-571/A545 and AK-12, competing for orders as part of the program, but the program as a whole is more extensive than [Read More…]
Photographer Konstantin Lazarev is a reliable source for photos of the latest and greatest small arms to come out of Russia. His latest batch of photos shows several different Pecheneg and PK machine guns, configured with night vision and holographic optics. Some of the [Read More…]
The new Arsenal MG-1M (a PKM variant) is taken to full-auto and and slow-motion task by Larry Vickers. The new machine gun is a blend of the original design but makes use of some modern tricks including a fluted and finned barrel that uses a CHF and chrome-lined [Read More…]
At this years MSPO (Miedzynarodowy Salon Przemyslu Obronnego), a large defense exposition in Poland, an upgraded PKM was unveiled to the public. The UKM 2000P is a 7.62x51mm upgrade that will be replacing the Soviet era 7.62x54R mm PKMs currently in service with the [Read More…]
Gunwebsites has a kickstarter to fund making identification playing cards, similar to the old aircraft identification playing cards, but with AK style rifles printed on them. If you are interested in supporting them, you can go to their kickstarter page.
TFB friend Cameron Slater from New Zealand emailed us photos he took at the 100 year commemoration ceremony of the WWI ANZAC military campaign on the Gallipoli Peninsula. The ceremony was held earlier this year in Turkey where the campaign was fought. About [Read More…]
Rifle Dynamics (RD) is one of the top tier custom AK builder in the USA. They are local to me and I was invited for a factory visit. Unlike the popular AR-15 platform with its lego like modular construction, building an AK properly requires a lot of skills and [Read More…]
A Russian gun enthusiast has developed a Predator-style ammunition feeder backpack that holds 7.62x54mmR cartridges for the PK Machine gun. If my understanding of the Google-translation of the Russia text is correct, the backpack, feeding mechanism, ammo box and 450 [Read More…]
VLTOR are now mass producing their full and semi-auto PKM receivers. They selling PKMs built with their receiver and imported parts kits. Apparently their receivers are better than the original PKM receiver. Obviously the full auto receiver will not be sold to the [Read More…]