#ServiceRifle

Sightron is the newest entrant in the world of purpose-built competition service rifle scopes. Their S-Tac 1-4.5×24 SR-1 is not a general-purpose low-power variable optic. It is meant for standard bullseye targets at NRA or CMP matches. I spent a summer shooting it in competitions to see how it performs, and it is time to share my results.

The classic leather shooting sling is a bit of an anachronism today. Most rifle slings today are nylon with QD flush cup mounting and quick length adjustments that can be made on the move. The M1907 is the exact opposite; it is leather, is a pain to adjust, and shines in stationary marksmanship situations. It also looks extremely good on a classic rifle. Let’s take a look into assembling and using this old-school sling.

Since colonial times, Americans have held shooting competitions with rifles used for militia service. These “service rifle competitions” have grown and become formalized into their own sport. Thousands of shooters participate across the country each year, with the national matches held at Camp Perry each summer. Though they are not the most high-speed or tactical event, they are an accessible sport and an excellent test of marksmanship.

With the recent official news that the new AK-12 and AK-15 rifles have been adopted by the Russian Ministry of Defense it’s with interest we with Kalashnikov’s help can take a deeper look into how the rifles were developed and engineered.

The Russian Defense Ministry has made a decision regarding its next infantry rifle: It will adopt everything, it seems. Not only will Russian Army forces receive the improved 5.45x39mm AK-12 ( the new AK-12, not the different previous version), and the 7.62x39mm AK-15, but the 5.45mm Degtyarov AEK-971 and 7.62x39mm AEK-973 will be procured for special units as well. This “two-tiered” rifle mix is not unusual in the modern era, but a formal, simultaneous adoption of two such weapons is quite strange for a major military such as that of the Russian Federation. From Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star) [machine translated from Russian with corrections]:

Back in July, we reported that the Estonian Army was in the market for a new service rifle. A tender worth €75 million (approx. $86 million) was released calling for 20,000 new rifles, to be chambered in both 5.56x45mm and 7.62x51mm. The rifles are to replace the Galil (used by the the 1st Infantry Brigade) and the AK4 (a licensed G3 clones used by the the 2nd Infantry Brigade), despite a 2008 upgrade program carried out by B&T.

Every year, the historical firearms reviewing wizards at C&Rsenal create a  high quality educational firearms poster. [Note: This fund-raiser expires on Wednesday, December 6th 2017]. This is the 4th-such poster produced by C&Rsenal, two having been done for the WWII era, and now two for the WWI era. If you ask me, they keep getting better.

With the recent push for small arms ammunition with increased range, power and capability, are military customers in danger of being taken for a ride by industry marketeers working to sell rifles in new calibers? Is the primary driving force behind new infantry calibers not in fact a need to be addressed, but a desire to sell weapons in a stagnant small arms market?

We have just seen the cancellation of the Interim Combat Service Rifle, which gives me a good springboard to talk about marketing. Specifically, we will be discussing a kind of undercover word-of-mouth marketing that I’ve encountered a number of times over the years.

The US Army’s program to field a new standard-issue 7.62mm caliber rifle is dead in the water, it seems. Multiple anonymous sources have informed TFB that the Interim Combat Service Rifle program has been cancelled as part of a massive review of US Army small arms programs. The program was officially announced on August 4th, and lasted just over a month before its cancellation.

Yes, the M4 Carbine will be replaced by a 7.62mm Interim Combat Service Rifle, and also no it won’t. Ah, I see I need to explain.

The shooting world was abuzz earlier this year when the Civilian Marksmanship Program finally got with the times updated its rules to allow the use of lightly magnified optics within its Service Rifle division, bringing the CMP in line with current service rifles used by the various armed services. Specifically, this rules change was to allow the Trijicon ACOG as used by the United States Marine Corps.