Last Tuesday held an important anti gun regulation has been passed in Washington state. The Initiative 594, which requires universal background checks for gun buyers in the state.

The Initiative was voted for by 60 percent of voters, and will require regulation of weapon purchases at gun shows or over the internet. Seattle mayor Ed Murray claims that this is a part of a system of common-sense rules that could make a huge difference. He noted that 18 states (19 if you count Washington DC) have fewer LEOs shot, fewer women killed in domestic disturbances and fewer suicides with firearms.

Images of gun rampages and mass shootings seems to be fresh in the minds of the public. They in turn, draw ever increasing media attention which forces people to question the cause of these horrific events, and to seek ways to prevent, or at least, minimize them. The latest shooting took place at Washington school on October 24. Five victims died and their killer shot himself. This is probably one of the causes of an increase in support of I-584. This is reminiscent of the similar measure passed in Colorado after the Columbine tragedy.

Tuesday vote was a very clear electoral victory for the gun ownership reform movement that arose two years ago in the wake of Sandy Hook shooting. Two movements – Everytown for Gun Safety, backed by Michael Bloomberg, and Americans for Responsible Solutions, founded by former congresswoman and mass shooting survivor Gabrielle Giffords – dedicated massive funds and other means of support to the fight. These groups have the primary goal to counterbalance the political influence of the National Rifle Association. The passing of I-594 (and the defeat of a counter-initiative) seems to indicate they gained a large amount of influence in less than two years of their existence. Over 2.5 million people support Everytown, their former executive director Mark Glaze said that the movement has a significant amount of money and talent, a huge step up from just a few years ago.

As staunch proponents of less strict gun control laws, the NRA spent millions fighting this Initiative. NRA spokesperson expressed concern that these anti-gun movements will successfully replicate this and that they will face gun-control ballot initiatives across the country.

This experience seems to have poked holes in tried and tester reliance of the gun lobby on their allies and supporters in the statehouses. Glaze says that Nevada, Arizona, Oregon and Maine are excellent prospects for more gun control initiatives. While ballot initiatives are not allowed in all states and tend to be fiendishly expensive, expanded background checks have been drawing consistent support in national polls. This might be the true battleground where gun control debate will be decided, with a simple majority vote. It is extremely unlikely the NRA will take this lying down, so we should expect a protracted and vicious battle for hearts and minds of voters, encouraging them to vote in the way of true participatory democracy.

Image courtesy of: http://www.motherjones.com/

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A relatively unknown American company “DRD Tactical” has recently launched a new unusual assault rifle design, called P762 Gen2. The rifle construction raised interest among users of other similar rifles. Chambered for 7.62×51 NATO and limited to single fire, the whole system can be broken for transport and it can be put together in less than a minute. The idea was to create a high-powered and accurate rifle which could be held closely at hand in a bag, even a briefcase, and deliver supporting firepower in the time of need. The target users are the military or law enforcement who need to conceal their identity until engagement, but also plain clothes officers guarding VIPs and buildings. The rifle’s name Paratus means “ready” in Latin, which further indicates its use.

The rifle was designed in 2011 by the famous gun designer Skip Patel in association with US JSOCOM (Joint Special Operations Command) which requested for a clandestine breakdown sniper system. This gifted engineer with loads of experience has previously worked on a row of modular systems based on AR-15/M16. In the meantime, Skip founded his own company “DRD Tactical” which hit the markets with a complete line of assault rifles and carbines, clones of AR-15/M16 and AR-10, but also the models which resulted from his cooperation with “FN Browning”.

One of those “new” systems is the Paratus P762 Gen2 rifle which looks like an AR-15/M16 and FN SCAR meld. It was fully developed in 2012 and released into production, but not a single military or law enforcement unit in the USA has adopted it yet.

Paratus P762 Gen2 uses the standard gas operation with direct impingement, copied from Stoner’s AR-15/M16. The rotating bolt head has seven radial locking lugs which guarantee extreme precision. The rifle caliber is 7.62×51 NATO. The receiver is made of aluminum alloy with a plastic stock. The barrel is forged and chrome plated, 406 mm long with four grooves with the right turn rate of 1:304.8 mm, and is manufactured by “Lothar Walther”. The barrel ends in an efficient twin chamber muzzle brake which significantly reduces the recoil.

With fully extended stock, which has six length settings, and the comfortable cheek rest, slip-resistant Magpul MOE rubber butt, the rifle is 890 mm long and weighs only 4.2 kg. The two-piece receiver design is borrowed from FN SCAR. Even the bolt carrier and the bolt itself are almost identical to those on FN SCAR.

The barrel shroud is made in one piece, and is mounted over the barrel, locking into the receiver with safety located on the lower back side. And that’s all it takes. The shroud is made of the same aluminum alloy as the receiver and is designed similarly to the newer barrel shrouds for M4 carbines. It has Picatinny rails on all four sides to accommodate every possible tactical attachment (laser sights, flashlights, IR illuminators, vertical forward grips, etc.). The shroud is perforated on both sides in order to provide better cooling of the barrel.

The upper receiver houses another Mil. Std. 1913 Picatinny rail with a set of outstanding Magpul folding irons sights. A separate piece of the rail enables the scope to remain mounted after the rifle is broken for transport. Paratus is fed with standard 20-round plastic box magazines. The magazine release is located in front of the index finger, when pointing forward. The cocking handle is forward on the left side, on the upper receiver. The bolt release lever is on the left.

The top quality steel mechanism is machined with stunning precision. The outer surfaces are protected with powdercoating, increasing the overall reliability. The two-stage trigger action is short and brusque with the force of pull of 2,600 daN.

DRD Paratus is a reliable and accurate rifle. Paired with a scope and match-grade ammunition, it easily achieves 35-55 mm groups and 100 yards, which is on par with semi-auto sniper rifles. For a multi-purpose battle rifle, this is more than enough. Well-built and undemanding, with simple design, this rifle definitely deserves more attention. On the other hand, its price of $3,600-6,000 may force the potential users to look elsewhere.

Images courtesy of: http://www.drdtactical.com/, http://www.gunsandtactics.com/, http://www.defensereview.com/

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Both New York and Connecticut passed gun control laws of questionable constitutional provenance – according to some interpretations, thousands of people owning AR-15 will be in violation of the law for not registering their guns. Now, gun owners from Washington state plan to engage in some large scale civil disobedience. Some 5,500 people plan to deliberately violate Washington’s new gun control law, the I-594, at a rally on December 13^th in Olympia. The law goes into effect after tge Secretary of State certifies the results, on December 4^th.

Washington gun owners are incensed that a handful of billionaires managed to effectively “buy” a law. After unsuccessful attempts to get it passed as law, gun control advocates pushed it through as an initiative, with generous aid of their billionaire supporters. They spent a total of $10 million creating and running adds supporting their agenda, almost ten times as much as the opposition.

The message of the gun owners is clear, it is even on a Facebook page “I-594 I Will Not Comply”. Washington gun owners plan to meet at a rally at the capitol, openly exchange guns, and violate the I-594 in every possible way, thereby unveiling the legislation as unworkable.

Under I-594, simple transfer of guns could be considered a felony, including loaning a gun to a family member or a friend on a shooting range . Over 2 million people own guns in the Washington state, and they could all become felons for doing something that was once a common activity. The law itself does not stop there, there are other vague and badly worded provisions that are too numerous to list here.

The police will be in a pickle if this rally goes as planned. There will be 5,500 people openly committing felonies by transferring guns to each other Arresting them all would be impossible, especially since most regular policemen oppose the I-594. Even one of the recent candidates for Yakima County Sheriff is helping set up the rally.

This rally aims to point out just how ridiculous, and unenforceable this law is, both for the gun owners and LEOs. The protest against I-594, unlike some prior civil disobedience, will be non-violent. Last month, there was another rally opposing the I-594 in down-town Seattle. While most protesters came armed, the law enforcement presence consisted of a lone unarmed Washington Park Ranger. This shows that law enforcement officers trust gun owners, because they have proven time and again to be some of the most law-abiding citizens in the country. It is unsettling that they became so distressed to be provoked to felony civil disobedience.

Gun control supporters have scented blood in the water though and are now moving on to pass even more laws infringing on the second amendment, banning assault weapons and requiring trigger locks are just some of their goals. Other states, like Oregon, Nevada, Arizona and Maine, should be prepared for another initiative like the I-594.

Fortunately there are those willing to fight this unconstitutional legislation. Washington’s Second Amendment Foundation intents to file a lawsuit challenging the I-595, they will likely be joined by the NRA on a larger scale.

According to the Gallup’s latest poll, a majority of Americans – almost two thirds – are of the opinion that having a gun in the home will make it safer. The society needs to stop wrongfully association firearms with criminals, and recognize the need that law-abiding citizens might want to own a gun to fend of criminals. As it stands, the toxic anti-gun culture is what allows wrong-minded legislation like I-594 to continue to strip away our constitutional rights to defend ourselves.

Well, no, this is explicitly allowed in the initiative.

Image courtesy of: http://townhall.com/

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Colt Mustang XSP

Brand: Colt .380 Mustang

Manufacturer: Colt

Model: Colt Mustang XSP

Another Member of the Legendary Family

Colt is probably one of the most renowned weapons manufacturing brands in the US, and possibly the world, responsible for some of the most iconic weapons in the last 150 years. While most of their recent models were simple rehashes of their previous successes, it seems the Colt Manufacturing has stopped resting on its laurels and made something new and innovative for a change.

Reliable Backup

This is a compact gun that can fit into a pocket. It uses single row magazines that can hold up to six bullets. Nothing sounds particularly new or innovative (there are plenty of guns like this on the market), but this unusual configuration blends the best characteristics of traditional and conservative guns with the ultra-modern and new… the result is an excellent model that can be the pride of any gunsmith.

The new XSP was developed by improving the earlier pistol model of this manufacturer – the Mustang, that was made in 1983. At the time, this was a successful concept, it was a small but reliable and deadly handgun. It was designed as a backup firearm for police officers and a weapon for support personnel in the army and the police force. From the start, it was a weapon you were supposed to rely on.

Its redesign, the new Colt Mustang XSP is a miniature pistol with a polymer frame and a package of classical, tested solutions and characteristics. Today it is one of the smallest guns in its class, while maintaining handling comfort, reliability and firepower necessary to save your life. Its length is 142 mm and height is 100 mm. Also, it weighs only 348 grams. Its barrel is somewhat thin, but still of high quality.

Excellent Ergonomic Design

Despite its small size and weight, its excellent design allows the gun to be very comfortable to hold and use. The slider has straight, parallel finely checkered sides and slightly slanted cocking ridges as well as well profiled extractor. The rear part of the slider is slanted and well rounded, while the top is oval and matted to reduce reflections. All metal parts of this gun are made of stainless steel, in order to make the maintenance easier, but the slide is protected with mat black, very resistant polyurethane coating. In order to control the powerful recoil of 9×17 K rounds, XSP uses a double recoil spring that functions as a recoil compensator.

The weapon frame is made from polymer plastic, and its design is a significant improvement when compared to previous classical versions. There is a small rail for laser sights or tactical flashlight mounting at the front of the frame. Trigger guard is wider and rectangular which fits well with the rest of the weapon design. It narrows a bit near the handgrip allowing a more comfortable grip. The front and rear of the grip is textured with large cubes while the sides are only slightly rough.

Its controls are what you would expect from a miniature M-1911. While the beginners might need a crash course in how to handle it, the pros will appreciate the efficiency. The Mustang has an external hammer with a round opening in the middle a lighter tail and a classical SA firing mode. A short, nicely curved trigger is set by default to a very heavy trigger pull force of 3,600 daN, but that can be easily modified. Trigger operation is both precise and short, very important for a weapon this small. The Mustang has an external, reliable Colt safety levers on both sides. The magazine safety button is on the rear end of the trigger guard. It has a slightly serrated surface and protrudes slightly. All controls are done in the natural light color of stainless steel, making them stand out nicely from the otherwise completely black weapon.

Combat Sights

The mustang comes with two single row steel magazines. Magazines fit perfectly into the handgrip, minimizing the pistol silhouette. Unlike previous versions, the current XSP has professional, adjustable, low, rectangular combat sights. In total, this is a very ergonomic model, it has comfortable grip, with well-made sights and it uses the excellent SA firing system. This small pistol shoots much better than you would expect. Using different types of ammo, this XSP can form shot groupings of 4 inches at a distance of 15 yards, an excellent score. So far, it has shown great reliability with all ammunition types, including the JHP. The 9x17K is still a bit too powerful for a weapon weighing two thirds of a pound, but considering just how compact this weapon is, it is forgivable.

All in all, the new Mustang XSP is a great example of a well-made combination of traditional and ultra-modern, with its simplicity, reliability accuracy and firepower can attest to. It is definitely a winning combination in its class. Its only flaw could be its price of 650 USD, which is a bit steep, even for Colt.

Images courtesy of: http://www.gunsandammo.com/, http://www.topgunsupply.com/

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These days it would seem that all modern sniper repeaters come from the same place. The concept is well-known: bolt-action mechanism, a heavy free-floating barrel, a fully-adjustable synthetic stock and Picatinny rails installed onto an aluminum alloy receiver, with everything compatible with widely available Remington 700 accessories. When listed down, it seems no fun at all.

There is a small company from a resort town AngoloTerme in northern Italy that seems to follow the concept to the end. Unlike most of the exhibitors on the IWA Outdoors Classics who use the central position of the booth for their latest or basic model, the guys from “G.A.C. Rifles” had set up a small booth overloaded with all sorts of rifles and calibers.

In June this company celebrated its 20^th birthday. Their primary business is weapon making, but as the head characters are people with rich biographies, they also offer services like weapons training for individuals and teams, maintenance, spare parts, silencers, electronic aiming devices, ballistic tables, but also designing custom sniper rifles.  The company boasts a technologically advanced machining workshop, highly-skilled workforce and rigorous quality control. All these aspects combined guarantee top weapon performance. In the company they insist on something they call “G.A.C. difference”, highlighting the exclusivity of the brand and their products.

Strict quality control automatically implies higher price and the number of discarded parts. For their tactical rifles G.A.C. uses Krieger and Bartlein stainless steel barrels. These two manufacturers are among the leading in the world, and yet G.A.C. discards up to 30% of the delivered barrels, as they do not fulfil the standards. That is the reason why all elite Italian army, police and Carabineri units equip themselves with G.A.C. sniper rifles. The company’s booth on this year’s IWA was adorned with emblems of units like GIS, COFS, Comsubin, Col Mischin, and StormoIncursori. Experts know that there is hardly better recommendation that that, as we know that those formations have virtually unlimited possibilities for procuring the best equipment available.

Besides a few competition and hunting rifles, G.A.C. offers six tactical models in up to 46 different calibers. Models Big One, M-40 A3 and Hurricane have the classic platform with aluminum bedding and McMillan fiberglass stocks, while Trident, Thunder and Wolverine are based around aluminum alloy XL Revolution frame. The trigger is Shilen Tactical, set at 700 g force. The rifles use five or seven-round box magazines identical to those used with Accuracy International sniper rifles. The receiver is made of 416 Stainless steel with a Picatinny rail mounted on the upper side, with angle of 20 or even 30 MOA, which enhances the capability of scope mechanism to follow the ballistic curve on long ranges.

The bolt and the handle are milled from a single piece of 4320 CM tool steel, and may be spirally grooved at request, which increases reliability of the system in mud and snow. Special ceramic-based coating acts as the corrosion protection with additional advantage that it doesn’t require lubrication to operate smoothly. That’s why the rustlocker finish is so popular among snipers operating in dusty desert environments, as it prevents sand sticking to oiled surfaces.

All tactical sniper systems have threaded muzzle for mounting a muzzle brake or silencer. When it comes to silencers, the people in G.A.C.  have always considered endurance and easy maintenance  more important than the level of noise reduction. Most importantly, according to them it mustn’t interfere with the rifle precision. Aside from the muzzle brake and the silencer, there is an array of other options and accessories, like stock adjustment, bipods, camo patterns, etc. The capabilities are endless, and the greatest percentage of these rifles end up in USA market, where civilians have to wait up to a year to get their custom orders fulfilled.

It’s pointless to discuss grouping for every single G.A.C.  model and ammo type. We’d expect maximum precision and nothing else. It is one of the elements of their principle “G.A.C.  difference”. They really make a difference!

Images courtesy of: http://www.gac-rifles.com/

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In November, Washington state voters passed legislation regarding background checks for firearm purchases, including online sales or gun shows, as well as transfers or loans. This affected, among others, the Lynden Pioneer Museum which had to return 11 guns from WWII they currently have in the exhibit. The exhibit is named “Over the Beach: The WWII Pacific Theater” and it relied heavily on people borrowing their old guns.

The law allows some exemptions, concerning family members and antiques, however, the current exhibit at the Lynden Pioneer Museum, including vintage military equipment from the war, falls in neither of those two categories.

Museum statement said that they “will be returning these guns to their owners because as of Dec. 4, we would be in violation of the law if we had loaned firearms that had not undergone the background check procedure”.

The office of Washington Attorney General, Bob Ferguson, issued a statement stating that there was no opinion request for guidance, nor have there been lawsuits against background check.

“At this point we have no interpretations of the initiative to offer to the public beyond the text of the measure itself,” said Attorney General’s spokeswoman.

The exhibition included, among other guns, an anti-tank rifle and a Japanese flare pistol, which are now being returned to their owners.

Image courtesy of: http://www.foxnews.com/

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Syracuse Post-Standard’s report from last week shows that there the state made a list of 38,718 names, representing a collection of persons for whom it might be risky to won a gun, as deemed by health professionals, such as psychiatrist. When this was compared to the list of gun permit holders, the concurrence was less than 1%, at 278 names.

Leah Gunn Barret from New Yorkers Against Gun Violence is among those who claim that the list is rather small, since the population of the state is a whole 20 million. She also adds that “It only takes one individual to wreak mayhem and tragedy if they have access to a firearm.”

On the other hand, database size worries some mental health providers, such as the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services in Albany, Harvey Rosenthal, who says that it’s bigger than he thought. “It sends a message to those who might need care that there are a lot of people who are going to be in a database.”

Cortland County Clerk, Elizabeth Larkin, says that the police had, so far, confiscated guns from at least one person from the database. “We had another man who came in and voluntarily handed us his permit and gave his weapons to the police and said, ‘I don’t want them anymore,’” she adds.

Post-Standard said that the state does not keep records on the individuals in the database whose permits have been suspended and that the names from the list are confidential. Suspensions and confiscations must be signed by a judge and can be challenged by those about to lose their gun rights.

Image courtesy of: http://www.foxnews.com/

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On December 12^th, the authorities in Southwest Ohio said they arrested a man who had painted his handgun to resemble a toy.

This happened four days after a legislation was passed which requires all “lookalike” firearms to be brightly colored or clearly marked in another way. Ohio legislature took passed the bill after two fatal police shootings of young people who carried fake guns in recent months.

Police officers responded to a call about an armed man and found Orlando Lovery, age 23, with a handgun painted bright red and a small amount cocaine. Lowery was jailed for carrying a concealed weapon and a drug count; as of yet he has no listed attorney.

The bill requires all airsoft rifles, BB guns and air rifles to be made in stand-out color or have a prominent fluorescent strips. The bill was named after the 22 year old John Crawford III, who was shot by the police in a Dayton Wal-Mart while carrying an air rifle. According to police report, they thought he had an assault rifle. Just last month, a boy aged 12 was also fatally shot by the police; he was carrying a pellet gun.

Several other cities and states have similar laws.

Some people opposing the law have, apparently correctly, predicted the criminals would try to disguise real firearms in order to confuse the police. They also expressed doubt that the bill would do anything to actually prevent accidental shootings.

The Hamilton County sheriff, Jim Neil, declined to express his opinion on the bill but said his office would provide facts about the arrest.

“And the fact is right here in Hamilton County, we arrested a dangerous individual who we believe purposefully painted a loaded handgun red to mislead law enforcement into thinking this was a toy gun,” The sheriff said.

Image courtesy of: http://abcnews.go.com/

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Swiss quality and precision is legendary. In this case it is applied to a remarkable rifle. Optimal military/police weapons have to fulfill some contradictory conditions – weapons have to have sufficient range and firepower to be effective but it also had to be as compact as possible, so soldiers can carry more gear and ammunition. Police weapons have an additional requirement – reduced penetrating power of their ammunition in order to reduce civilian casualties due to overpenetration. On the other hand, military weapons require their weapons to be able to punch through bulletproof vests, sandbags or earthen walls. In both cases, it is useful to have suppressed ammunition, which by itself creates a slew of problems. One of the solutions for the military weapons is the use of different types of standard ammunition (suppressed 5.56 however has very poor overall characteristics). Another solution is the use of standard rifles or carbines in different calibers, which allows for significant performance optimization but complicates the supply process. The second solution is what carbines B&T APC 556 and 300 are using.

5.56 mm and .300 Whisper

B&T APC 556 model uses 5.56 mm caliber, while the APC 300 uses the famous .300 Whisper. The Whisper is a good compromise between various characteristics, such as accuracy and capability of firing subsonic ammunition. In addition, its size matches the 5.56 ammunition, making the conversion extremely simple. Not surprising, considering the .300 Whisper has been developed on the basis of the 5.56 mm by shortening its casing. Essentially there are two types of ammunition, classical 125 grain with the muzzle velocity of 2100 ft/s (1,638 J muzzle energy) and subsonic 220 grain ones with muzzle velocity of 1050 ft/s (717 J muzzle energy). This makes the supersonic rounds marginally weaker than classical Russian 7.62×39 M43, the .300 Whisper being somewhat smaller. Subsonic version of M43 however performs markedly worse than other ammunition in its class.

APC 556 and 300 carbines have classical configuration and mechanical systems. Mechanism is based on the short-stroke gas piston located above the barrel. It can also be controlled manually which ensures rifle reliability both with and without sound suppression. APC 300 can use supersonic and subsonic ammunition without any additional adjustments. It also has multi-lug rotary bolt, a tried and tested solution used in almost all modern rifles and carbines.

Barrels are cold forged and hard chromed. Lengths vary depending on the model: APC 556 has typically carbine length barrel of 310 mm but can be fitted with a longer 406 mm variant, the APC 300 has the barrel length of 265 mm. The .300 Whisper ammunition comes with the efficient ROTEX II suppressor. Measured noise level is 122.1 dB making it efficient compared to the world “standard” of the silenced MP5SDs 129.2 dB. However the rounds fired by ACP 300 have significantly more range and energy, and are more accurate compared to the 9×19 Para. Effective range with subsonic ammunition is 150 to 200 m, while supersonic variant exceeds 300 m. Range when using 5.56 mm and newer modern ammunition is even greater. Of course, instead of the silencer, the original B&T flash suppressor can also be fitted.

New Concept

As usual, these carbines have a built in hydraulic buffer, which is there to reduce recoil and improve accuracy during burst and fully automatic firing. Hypothetical rate of fire is 600 rounds per minute. All models are ambidextrous, charging handle can be installed on either side of the weapon, while other controls are duplicated on both sides. Magazine is standardized according to NATO’s STANAG and replaceable with other rifles or carbines in the same caliber, such as M16. It comes with mechanical backup iron sights Aimpoint Micro T-1. Because of the presence of Picatinny rails, the sight selection is practically unlimited. Carbines have four such rails.

Materials are definitely up to snuff, lower receiver is made from strong (unnamed) polymer while the upper one is made from a strong aluminum alloy. Shoulder stock is foldable (to the right) and made from polymer, and there is an option of installing a special adjustable stock. APC 556 weighs 3.57 kg (7.87 pounds) while APC 300 weighs 3.42 kg (7.54 pounds), both weights refer to unloaded weapons.

B&T APC 556 and 300 offer excellent assault rifle/carbine potential. Although they are currently meant for law enforcement agencies (under the name of Advanced Police Carbine), it is likely B&T would not mind selling it to interested military units. According to the data we have so far, APC is a great solution for various situations.

Images courtesy of: http://world.guns.ru/, http://www.all4shooters.com/, http://www.all4shooters.com/

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“U.S. Firearms” is a small company originally famous for its quality SA revolvers, while their own version of Model 1911 semi-automatic pistol was never much popular.  Interestingly enough, this company’s seat is located in Hartford, CT which is the home of “Colt Armory”, and their manufacturing program was so far based on Colt clones. However, their new .22 LR ZiP gun is something completely different and it certainly deserves closer inspection.

We would do it justice if we called this a small caliber gadget, than a firearm. Most of the parts are made of plastic, save the steel barrel and a few springs, levers and bolts. Yes, we know that polymer frames are getting more popular by the day, however, this apparatus is far from confidence inspiring. It is reminiscent of all those old single shot devices concealed as pens, umbrellas, belt buckles or cameras. Generally those improvised firearms are called zip guns, and hence the name of the USFA new offspring.

On the other hand, it’s worthwhile mentioning that the history of concealed firearms is full of accidents boiling down mostly to self-inflicted injuries. That possibility is more than real with this gun as well, as the new users must analyze it first from all sides in order to determine where the muzzle is. Its otherworldly shape says goodbye to ergonomic features, as you can never be sure if you’re holding a stapler or a nail gun.

Only when looked form above it might resemble one of the modern polymer pistols, like the Austrian Glock. The first feature that strikes the viewer is that there is no handle to hold it by. The concept of this gun calls for a three finger grip, while the palm rests on the back of the frame. The remaining two fingers hold onto the magazine. And this is the beginning of functionality issues with USFA ZiP, because it generally known that .22 magazines are prone to jamming, especially the double-stacked ones, made of plastic.

Originally it was planned that ZiP uses 10-round magazines for Ruger 10/22 rifle but it can also use curved 25-round magazines which only add to the alien look. The interior of the system reveals many flaws in the design, as its semi-auto action is supported by plastic parts, flimsy coil springs and levers, with the complete mechanism set between two plastic molded halves held together with screws. The barrel is only partially fixed and the feeding and extracting mechanism looks unsafe.

Many features of this gun are underdeveloped and unfinished, the most obvious example being the two protruding plastic levers outside the barrel shroud on the both sides. The designers wanted to avoid every moving surfaces on the outer side of the frame, and as a conventional cocking handle or a slide would be impossible to fit here, their function is taken by the massive cast short-action block, actuated by the two plastic levers.

This is the root of all the problems, as the two symmetrical moving slides often act as a DA feeding feature, leading rounds from the magazine into the breech. According to the users, this firearm is the infamous champion of unreliability. To the point that almost no user could fire a satisfactory number of rounds without a spent casing jamming into the next round. The people in USFA claim that these outer levers are an excellent solution as the gun can be cocked by pushing one of the levers on a table edge. A great show for impressing the friends but hardly useful.

The more experienced users will give this novelty a pass, as it from the very beginning caused many injuries, mainly cuts and bruises dues to the escape of hot gases directly into the palm. As if all that wasn’t enough unstable and unreliable, the left lever is slightly longer and it’s used for loading a cartridge, while the right one is shorter and is called a restrike – it’s used to cock the striker but does not engage the bolt and does not load a new cartridge. In theory that is not a bad concept. It gives the possibility to re-cock the gun after a misfire, but in real life it causes ammunition jams. Not convenient at all in a gun that you need a screwdriver to take apart.

The trigger force is set to 6 kg, which is too stiff and does little to improve the accuracy, especially if we remember that keeping a USFA ZiP aligned with the targeting line is close to impossible. Of course, the new wave of gun enthusiasts doesn’t care about such thrifty details, but are thrilled if their gun looks cool, tactical, if it has a Picatinny rail, etc. An extra feature is the longer barrel with a threading for mounting a silencer and the most pretentious detail is the possibility to mount this “shooter” as anunderbarrel attachment of an AR15 based rifle. We couldn’t understand why someone would want to increase the weight of their M4 Carbine by mounting a .22 LR pistol with the useful range of several meters.

The data reports that using Winchester ammunition caused four jams out of 30 fired rounds, with CCI Mini Mag it was 48 fired out of 50, with CCI Stinger it fired 46 times out of 50, with only Federal Lightning working flawlessly. The definitely worst ammunition was Remington Golden Bullet, making every fourth shot a jam, while after 26 fired shots the casing bottom cracked, injuring the shooter.

We sincerely hope that USFA consider improving this zip gun, making it more useful and redesigning its otherworldly look. Until then, ZiP stays an experiment and a novelty item for a selected clientele.

Images courtesy of: http://www.momoneypawn.com/, http://www.petersenshunting.com/

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With the events in Ferguson still worrying the nation, perhaps it is not surprising that the amount of guns being sold in the vicinity is on the rise. A small gun shop near the city of Ferguson is seeing its business rising on daily basis.

Adam Weinstein, the owner of County Guns, says that a lot of people are buying their first handgun, or perhaps a backup home protection weapon. “We have sold a boatload of guns in the last few months,” he adds.

This has been the case in most gun shops close by. Missouri gun sales have reached highest levels right around the start of the first riots are still going strong. FBI gun background checks were up by 16 percent in the last four months of 2014. Just in St. Lois County, number of people applying for concealed weapon permit more than doubled when compared to the same period last year.

There is little doubt that today the number of guns in Ferguson region is rising. Would this mean more gun-related crime?

Daniel Webster, the director of John Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research doesn’t know when or how big, but expects “some uptick in gun violence”. He has been studying guns and gun-related violence for some time. Missouri has long been the most relaxed state when it came to firearm laws. When the state repealed the handgun purchase permit law in 2007, there was a stark difference in murder rate compared to the national level. In Missouri it rose by 16%, on the national level it fell.

There are already signs of increased violence in St. Louis City. 2014 ended with a five-year high of 159 killings. City police chief believes that one of the reasons was the “Ferguson effect” – the belief that everything that’s been happening made criminals more emboldened and the police exhausted.

Webster points out that even if most of the guns are sold to law-abiding people, it still means more guns out there, which might eventually trickle down to the wrong hands. He recalls a researcher who found that pickup trucks outside St. Louis stadium were a common target for thieves because their owners likely carried guns and left them in the car, since they could not carry them into the ballpark.

“There are more guns out there for someone to decide to transfer it to a prohibited person,” he says.

Here’s to hoping that one death in August will not prove to be a catalyst for more gun violence in the future.

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The German company Rheinmetall is currently in the process of designing a new machine gun that neatly solves the barrel overheating problem. Instead of one barrel, like most machine guns, the RMG 7.62 has three.

Despite the multiple barrels, this is not a Gatling machine gun, it is derived from another famous German model, the MG42. Unlike its predecessors however, the RMG is not meant to be a general purpose machine gun (GPMG). It is designed to be a vehicle mounted and remote controlled weapon that will provide greater range, fire control and safety than its counterparts.

Continuous Full Auto

The basis of the new machine gun is the well known MG3, a lighter variant of the WW2 legend MG42. The MG3 is a recoil operated, belt fed machine gun with a typically German roller locked bolt mechanism. Unlike the MG42, the MG3 has two theoretical firing speeds: 700-800 and 1.100-1.200 rpm, instead of the “insane” 1.200-1.500 rpm the MG42 used. Both models had a quickly replaceable barrel.

The new thing with the RMG model are three barrels bundled together, looking at first glance like a Gatling model. Additional barrels are there to ensure rapid barrel replacement when one barrel reaches critical temperature. This, of course, requires the presence of a thermometer and a servo engine which would rotate the barrels. This way, while the overheated barrel is cooling down, firing can continue without problems. When the second barrel overheats, it is replaced by the next one and so on. This system also reduces the wear-and-tear of the barrel, significantly increasing their life-cycle and reducing the chance of damage.

One of the advantages of the automatic barrel replacement is increased safety of soldiers during the exchange of fire. Previously, vehicle crews had to actually leave the vehicle to replace the barrel, which put them in significant danger from enemy counter-fire. Remotely controlled machine guns promise to put an end to that and allow soldiers to remain in cover/vehicle during the entirety of the engagement.

A Different Solution

While this system of three-barrelled machine gun has not been used before, there are examples that support the idea that long burst fire is a problem that has been solved a while ago, in a much simpler fashion, perhaps even a better one.

The first and the simplest solution is the installation of a heavy barrel. Thickness of a barrel in machine guns like M60 or FN MAG is larger compared to, for example, PKM, which means that it can theoretically fire longer bursts without overheating. On the other hand, that makes the whole machine gun heavier. Another solution is the use of ribbed barrels, which increases the barrel surface area and improves cooling. Finally, there is water cooling, which is also the first solution developed to solve the overheating problem. Of course, additional cooling water increases the weight of a machine gun even more.

All in all, the solution developed by Rheinmetall is certainly an interesting one, time will tell if it’s the best one.

Images courtesy of: http://en.wikipedia.org/, http://www.thefirearmblog.com/

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The current law in Florida forbids students from carrying guns when entering certain venues, most importantly when it comes to universities and colleges. Rep. Greg Steube is aiming to change that with the new HB 4005, which would allow concealed-carry with the proper license.

Steub claims that gun-free campuses actually draw shooters aiming to kill, and that this could be stopped by allowing access to guns for „law abiding citizens“. He goes on to explain: „We’re not really talking about students. We’re talking about folks who have gone through the training, more faculty, staff“.

Unfortunately, the research done concerning the relationship between access to guns on one side and safety on the other does not really match up to what Rep. Steub claims. Harvard Injury Control Research Center connected the presence of more guns to a higher rate of homicides. Another research done by The Journal of American College Health says that there is a higher percentage of gun-threats in schools that allow gun possession. It might sound logical that there is a higher number of altercations in an environment that is known for a pretty “wild” lifestyle that includes a lot of intoxicated people. Given access to guns to people who regularly “party a lot” might not prove to be the best way to reduce gun-related accidents.

This comes in the wake of the last shooting at Florida State Library, which left one student paralyzed. Florida might become the eighth state to allow concealed-carry on campuses, should HB 4005 be enacted.

Image courtesy of: http://thinkprogress.org/

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At the beginning of the 20^th century, a legendary gunsmith called John Moses Browning came up with the most successful semi-automatic pistol design ever. With the million units produced worldwide, as well as countless copies, Colt M-1911 is the unchallenged champion amongpistols that has remained in active service for more than a century. Its design is a match between a simple and reliable construction and excellent ergonomic features. More importantly, it’s easy to use, while its effective large caliber is still a reference for many modern pistols.

After the advent of polymer frames, the Sig safety feature, double stacked magazines and other improvements, many weapon experts still prefer the original design. One of them is Mr. John Jardine, a famous custom gun maker and a veteran of the trade. Since 1965 he has been considered one of the best custom M-1911 makers. As he says, he wanted to start a line production of pistols which would combine the quality of a custom piece at a reasonable price. However, although back then his first model, Valtro M-1998 A1 was priced at $1,200, today a good condition piece may reach over $4,500.

Customization which turns a good gun into an excellent one is not a simple process. All the expertise and original ideas don’t worth much if you lack the good base. After several decades of customizing and improving many different gun designs, he finally concluded that there’s no single model that can fulfill all his requirements. That was the moment he decided to start production of his own pistol. And he found a partner for his business on the other side of the world.

Serial production offirearmsprobably started in the 15^th century, even before Columbus. The hotspot of the trade was Val Trompia valley in northern Italy, which is even today the home of many world-class gun factories. Mr. Jardin made a deal with the company “ValtroStochetta SLR” to make pistols based on Browning M-1911 design. Soon enough, the cooperation was extended to a pump-action shotgun model. In the beginning, these firearms were made exclusively on preorder, and delivered mainly to the police SWAT teams.

The user’s feedback was more than encouraging so a sister company was founded – “Valtro USA” located in Hayward, California. Its field of work was marketing, distribution as well as market research and improvement of the current product line. And only one model was offered – Valtro Mod. 1998 A1 chambered in .45 ACP. Its design was familiar to the customers: a semi-auto operation, with the moving 127 mm barrel. The empty gun weighs 1,120 g and the magazine holds eight rounds. Still, many enthusiasts keep talking about it as a near custom model. And not without a reason.

All the parts are milled and ground from quality 4340 NiCrMo steel using CNC machines with highest industry standards. Interestingly, machining is performed after the tempering which not only saves time, but eliminates any dimension irregularities. The frame and slide dimensions are taken form the competition National Match model. Full profile match grade barrel is manually fitted to the front guide and the slide, and the loading slope is highly polished, to reduce any probability of cartridge jamming.

All the checkered surfaces have thick texture of 30 lines per inch, which is the sweet spot between the aggressiveness and the sure grip. The handle scales are made of quality hardwood. As Valtro Mod. 1998 A1 is designed for self-defense and everyday use, all straight and sharp edges which could catch on the clothing or scratch other equipment are rounded in the final phase.

While there is a number of improvements that add to the functionality, most of them are hidden under the slide. Every internal part is carefully selected and manually finished for the perfect fit, especially the trigger mechanism. There are ten contact points in total between the frame and the slide, and they are mirror-polished for minimum resistance. The springs are softer than the standard ones and they are outsourced to a renowned company “Wolf”. The main spring guide is thicker and heavier. The extractor and the ejection port have been enlarged, which contributed to the reliability.

The safety is ambidextrous, but not too bulky so it carries more comfortably than the original model. The slide got the serrations in the front end as well, while the handle lower side is enlarged to enable quicker magazine change. When the pistol is assembled, it goes through the final inspection by several experienced gunsmiths, and every one of them has to give it a green light before it hits the stalls.

To ensure perfect operation every time “Valtro” also offers their own lubricant. The basic version is offered in black blued finish, and for extra pay you can go for chrome plating, teflonizing, or polymerizing in a desired color. And this is the only external improvement of the original model. If you were hoping for Picatinny rails, you better start looking elsewhere.

The competition sights are fully adjustable for elevation and windage, with an option of tritium inserts for low light conditions. An interesting feature is the option of heavier trigger for law enforcement users, as the Federal law limits the minimum force of trigger pull at 1,300 g.

All the improvements have made Valtro Mod. 1998 A1 exceptionally reliable, easy to handle, and accurate.The manufacturer guarantees that five rounds at 50 yards will fall into 76 mm groups. This is outstanding even for the competition pistol. In combination with the powerful .45 ACP round it is likely one of the best combat pistols today.

In order to complement the service pistol, “Valtro” offered a pump-action shotgun. Aside from luxurious hunting pieces, Italian factories have long experience and success in manufacturing top-grade combat shotguns. Their autoloaders are probably the best in the world. Still, when ti comes to repeating shotguns, the US companies rule supreme, while Remington 870 system is one of the best there is.

That is the reason why it was chosen for the new service shotgun PM-5. However, while the most of the shotguns use tubular under-barrel magazines, PM-5 uses a 7 or 12-shell box magazine. Since it is a repeating design, it can use 12/70, 12/76 and 12/89 shells. The 510 mm barrel is chrome plated and comes with a set of interchangeable chokes. The basic advantage of this design is quicker reloading time, while it also make changing the ammunition type far easier.

All these features made it a weapon of choice for French and Italian Special Forces. Still, they are not as popular in the USA, even though second hand pieces cost twice the price of a new Remington or Mossberg.

Images courtesy of: http://www.valtrousa.com/, http://wall.alphacoders.com/

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The Fausti company was founded by Cavalier Stefano Fausti in 1948. The first series of rifles made by the company, the Taranto series, was very well received.

Exquisite Craftsmanship

Stefano Fausti proceeded with crafting hammerless double-barrelled shotguns and side-by-side shotguns. The success of these weapons led to expansion of his business. In fact, he was so successful and respected that he received the honorary Italian title of Cavalier. After Stefano’s death, the business passed into capable hands of his three daughters Elena, Giovanna and Barbara; often referred to in the gun literature as the “Gun Sisters”. They introduced modern CNC machines and CAD-CAM design systems. They managed to present even more luxurious and overall better models of these rifles. Today, the Fausti stand on all major gun fairs is among the most visited ones.

Let’s start with a side-by-side hammer shotgun. The Noblesse rifle comes in two variants – Theme 1 and Theme 2. The only difference is the shape and pattern of engraving and luxury finish. It can be made in all shotgun calibres with multiple barrel lengths and choke configurations. The gun is always made with slender English butt-stock crafted from high-class walnut. Seven pins on each side plate, along with valuable V-type leaf springs allow for external hammers to be cocked softly and strike with precise amount of force required. Hammers can come in contact with the firing pin only when the trigger is fully pulled, almost eliminating the chance for accidental discharge.

Safety and Design

Fausti Stefano designed his hammer rifles with extremely strong locking systems. Aside from two Purdey lugs they also have a single Greener Crossbolt and a Scott spindle. Barrels are joined together using the chopper lump procedure.

Noblesse Theme 1 us not engraved, it has rich gold inlay that looks like golden lace on black velvet. While gold inlay often looks tacky, good design of Theme 1 avoids that problem. Noblesse Theme 2 has a classic burnt finish with scrollwork engravings.

Another luxury Fausti side-by-side model is the Senator shotgun. It uses an H&H mechanism, sidelocks with seven pins with leaf springs and interceptors. It’s purpose is to arrest the movement of hammers before they reach the firing pin unless the trigger has been fully pulled. Interceptors are installed only in première weapons, they are the highest-class internal safety system. Senator side-by-side can come with or without a lever used for removing sidelocks. Barrels are of course chopper lump joined and come in all calibres and choke sizes. While English stock is common, Senator can also be made with a German variant. The buyer can decide on the type and level of engraving. Owners initials can also be engraved on the trigger guard. Finest hand chequering is always present in the fine walnut stocks of Senator class “Fausti” rifles.

Incredibly Attractive

Dea British SL model is using the Anson-Deeley system. That means their striking mechanism is inside the action. Barrels are joined with the mono block procedure, a reliable and cheap method of making double-barrelled shotguns. However, the price is brought right back up thanks to the so called round body – completely rounded action. This required a completely new design of the firing mechanism because it had to be placed in much smaller space. Rifles from this set look incredibly slender and attractive.

Special mention goes to Theme 6 of this series, which harkens back to the 14^th and 15^th centuries, when wealthy Italian noblemen ordered rifles with engraved images of their fiancées or wives. This theme can have an engraving of a female face on its action.

It is almost impossible to consider Fausti rifles anything other than pure luxury items, they are gorgeous, exquisite works of art done in old European style. Their performance leaves nothing to be desired, but these weapons are made to be status symbols and they definitely fulfil that purpose.

Images courtesy of: http://www.faustiarms.com/

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Three-year-old’s accidental self-shoting: the gun was not locked

A sad day in LeBleu Settlement, Louisiana. Alexis Mercer, 3, died at the local hospital on Monday evening after accidentally shooting herself at home. Sherriff Tony Mancuso stated that the father was cleaning his guns when his three children, aged 1-3, were away with his wife, however, did not lock them up before he went to work. When the family returned, the girl managed to get to one of the guns, which was loaded, and pull the trigger.

‘Lock your guns, and keep them out of reach of children,’ said Mancuso, ‘They can’t do it on their own. They’re curious. They’re going to go look. They’re going to show a friend. If you can’t afford a gun safe, every single gun that’s sold in America comes with a gun lock. Lock your guns and keep them out of reach of children.’

‘It makes me angry. It makes my heart hurt. It’s just something that shouldn’t happen,’ he added.

Sheriff’s spokesperson, Kim Myers, says that the father’s gun collection included a rifle and two handguns, one of which was used. The case is going to the District Attorney’s Office, in order for them to determine if charges will be filed, now that the investigation is finished.

She added that the other two children were not injured.

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By the end of the last year, Glock has come out with two new models, which were described as “revolutionary” and “fantastic”. Since Glock is Austria’s No1 gun maker and one of the most popular pistol brands, the gun enthusiasts were eagerly looking forward to the new models. They were premiered at last year’s Vegas Shot Show. The markings of the new models are Glock 41 and 42 and their design is somewhat different from what we would expect from Glock.

Glock 41 – The Big Guns

For all you .45 lovers who wanted to see a full size version of Glock 21, the day has come. Model 41 was created as a breed between 4^th generation G-21 frame and the longer slide which is used on Tactical/Practical models G-34 and G-35 in 9 mm Para and .40 S&W. Unlike these models, the slide on G-41 doesn’t have the top groove, but it’s narrower than the G-21 one. Unloaded, the pistol weighs 775 g and it’s 266 mm long. Its height is 139 mm and it’s 32.5 mm at its widest part.

The good grip is achieved by the handle which is thinner that the rest of the frame. Every 4^th generation Glock is delivered with 4 interchangeable inserts two of which feature the beavertail. These inserts are invaluable for people with big hands, as they keep the upper part of the hand away from the slide. What is more, beavertail protects the holding hand completely, while helping with consistent grip in fast draw scenarios.

The low barrel axis relative to the hand is something Glock is famous for, so the deep grip helps with controlling the recoil. Another feature that helps controlling the gun is the prominent depression near the disassembly lever, on both sides of the frame, where the thumb of the other hand rests when the pistol is held by both hands.

The interior of the 135 mm barrel is polygonal with octagonal cross section. It is corrosion-protected with a special coating which works fine even with careless users. The twist rate is 400 mm, a standard for .45 ACP pistols.  The handle surface is checkered in a tiny, sharp pyramid pattern, enabling the secure grip. The sloping edges in the front part of the slide make retracting the gun into its holster much easier.

The lower front part of the frame is equipped with molded rail for tactical attachments, and the manufacturer is planning a longer barrel version which could support a silencer. The .45 ACP is an ideal caliber for silencers, as it’s subsonic even with standard charges, due to the heavy round.

This gun is definitely too big for concealed carry, while the caliber choice is a limiting factor in IPSC and similar competitions, where the .40 S&W offers easier control and increased number of rounds for the same pack. It’s more likely that it will be adopted by military and law enforcement special forces, and there is a great number of civilians who believe that a 13-round .45 is a perfect home defender.

Glock 42 – Call for Backup

Unlike somewhat over dimensioned G-41, the new G-42 is something completely different. It is a 9 mm Glock with a single-stack magazine. The big surprise is that it is not 9 mm Para, but its shorter cousin the 9×17 mm (.380 Auto). Many gun experts consider it to be the lowest standard when it comes to self-defense. On the other hand, with its reduced energy, this caliber still allows simple design features like simple blowback operation and compact size. Similar guns are often used as concealed back-up service weapons.

On the other hand, this is not the first Glock in this caliber. For almost two decades there has been the G-25, with 15-round magazine and dimensions similar to G-19. Also, there is a subcompact model G-28 with a 10-round magazine, which is similar to G-26. Those compacts, however, are not very popular, except maybe in Mexico, where some police units adopted them as service pistols.

The G-42 silhouette is reminiscent of the first Glock models, without finger grooves, 4^th generation surface finish and straight lines with no rail nor handle inserts. Still, the beavertail feature provides the safe and secure grip. The gun is 151 mm long and 105 mm high. It certainly isn’t the smallest 9×17 mm pistol on the market, but with its empty weight of 390 g, 82 mm polygonal barrel and maximum width of 24 mm, G-24 still packs a powerful punch within its class.

In some states, the police officers are required to carry an “off duty gun”, a weapon that LEOs carry after their working hours. The people in Glock are hoping to launch the G-42 as an “off duty gun” because their full size pistols have already become the most numerous models in the US law enforcement agencies. And the best part is that all Glocks use the same trigger action so there is no need for the G-42 owners to get used to something new. It’s simple – once 2.5 kg of force and 12.5 mm of travel is reached, the shot is fired.

However, a number of users have reported problems with the operation of G-42. Several magazines and blogs have made lists of ammunition types which is prone to jamming. Among the problematic ammo is the Freedom Munitions 100 grs, Buffalo Bore (Standard and +P) Hickok45 100 grs, Federal FMJ 95 grs and Winchester JHP. Hornady Critical Defense has achieved best results when it comes to reliability as well as accuracy. The malfunctions that were reported can be divided into two groups. One, the pistol fails to eject the spent casing, and two, the slide remains in backward position after only two shots fired.

Images courtesy of: http://www.gunsandammo.com/, http://www.all4shooters.com/, http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/, http://cdn.gunsamerica.com/

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In  recent news, a Colorado business owner designed some new clothes that might get you in trouble with the police. His custom shirts have a “realistic” gun, holster and shoulder strap, that might trick people into thinking you are actually carrying a gun.

Paul Liebe, strong supporter of open carry, says that his shirts are “freedom of speech, with a little kick on the side”. The initial idea was for the shirts to be friendly gifts for people from the town, but the orders started coming from everyone, even globally.

“We’ve got requests from Italy, we have shipped them to soldiers in Afghanistan,” Liebe says with satisfaction.

However, he would also like to make sure that safety is first and provides a strong warning with every shirt sold of not playing around when law enforcement officers are near.

“Don’t put your hand on the shirt on the gun. Listen to the officer. If he says, ‘freeze, halt, stop,’ just listen to him.”

Liebe has yet to hear about anyone having conflicts with the law because of the shirts.

Image courtesy of: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

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The Kel-Tec company made its name by making innovative, avanguarde weapons, such as KSG shotgun, RFB rifle, and SU carbine series. It has recently developed their latest products, the RDB and M43 rifles. The first model, the RDB looks very modern while the M43 has a more “old-timey” feel and still has all the modern and innovative characteristics of the RDB.

Some weapon designers point to the Kel-Tec RFB rifle as a way forward with weapons that use heavier ammunition such as 7.62×51 and want to reach greater range than other rifles. According to Kel-Tec, the secret is in the bullpup configuration which can have longer barrels while maintaining the same bulk. Longer barrels allow for more efficient use of gunpowder gases, especially when slower and more aerodynamic ammunition is being fired. The RFB rifle makes the standard 7.62×51 ammunition perform like .300 Winchester Magnum, a significant improvement.

Due to the success of the RFB, it was only a matter of time for Kel-Tec to release a bullpup rifle using 5.52×45 caliber. The latest weapons developed by Kel-Tec are the RDB semiautomatic rifle and its retro variant M43.

Classic

RDB stands for Rifle Downward-ejecting Bullpup. At first glance, this rifle looks a lot like a shrunken RFB. However, the mechanism differs in a few significant ways. Both rifles use short stroke piston system which prevents gases from penetrating the hull. This reduces tarnishing and heating of the interior of the hull and mechanical components. While RFB uses oscillating extractor and ejection above the main barrel of the weapon, RDB uses a rotary bolt with a spring-loaded ejector and an extractor. The spent case is pulled backward along the top of the magazine and then ejected downwards. While RDB system is more conventional and case ejection is faster and simpler but the whole mechanism is somewhat larger. Fortunately, that does not affect the rifle much, it is still a compact and light weapon.

RDB has two Picatinny rails, on the top and bottom sides of the barrel, allowing for mounting of all kinds of sights or other addons.

The barrel is 442 mm long (17.4 inches) while the total length of the rifle is 696 mm (27.4 inches). If automatic fire was to be added to this weapon, it could become an excellent compact alternative military rifle. It weighs only 3.2 kg (7 pounds).

Sure Fire Alternatives

The rifle uses standard AR-15/M16 magazines. They typically hold 30 rounds but there are some alternatives, such as SureFire quad-stack magazine that can hold up to 60 rounds. It is marginally longer than the standard 30 round magazine but its lower part is divided into two sections, each of them being double stack. The higher capacity definitely seems worth the cost in terms of added length and weight. There is also a 100 round variant but it is much longer and might not be suitable for all firing positions.

The Second Variant

M43 rifle was the last thing anyone was expecting from a weapons manufacturer like Kel-Tec. The retro looking rifle just doesn’t fit in the catalog of modern and almost futuristic weapons made by the company. The M43 looks like a Soviet weapon made during the cold war. Its mechanism is identical to the one used by the RDB and all parts are interchangeable between the two rifles. However, instead of cast polymer, M43 is made from rough and stamped steel sheet metal. Its rough finish and wooden parts make it look almost like it has been made from scrap metal. Instead of Picatinny rails like RDB, M43 uses classic folding sights.

Both rifles have identical length barrels but differ slightly in total lenght. M43 is around one inch shorter while being heavier (due to the use of classic materials); it weighs 3.6 kg or almost 8 pounds. They also have different muzzles, RDB has a classical flash suppressor with radial slits on the top side that also serves as a recoil compensator while M43 has a gas break that direct gunpowder gas to the side like the AK-74.

Aside from the base 5.56×45 model, other variants are in development, such as: 6.5 mm Grendel, .300 Blackout, 9 mm and 7.62×39 with AK-47 magazines.

While RDB definitely seems oriented towards people who want the modern, sleek, military look the M43 is meant for collectors who want something unique and exclusive. At the costs of $2,000 and $2,300 respectively, they should find their niche with people who don’t mind paying extra for great performance (or stylized retro look in the case of M43).

Images courtesy of: http://www.all4shooters.com/, http://www.alloutdoor.com/

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After its premiere showing at the Las Vegas Gun Show, the double-barrel pistol with a badass name “Double Tap” has finally hit the stores. Its name is derived from a combat shooting technique, in which the weapon is aimed at the center of a human size target and two quick shots are fired, which is usually considered enough for target neutralization. Actually, the name is perfect for this small and thin double-barrel .45 ACP pistol, designed by the companyDoubleTap Defense LLC from Sent Louis, Missouri, which is also the home of its sister company Azimuth Technologies which actually manufactures the Double Tap.

The double-barrel handgun concept is more than a century old, and almost completely forgotten, but still, the new subcompact Double Tap is a modern and above all reliable weapon. The first question that arises is what was the motivation behind the constructing such a handgun. The answer to it hides in the fact that in the last few years there have been many new and successful pistols and revolvers that combined tiny, almost unbelievable dimensions and enormous firepower of standard service calibers. Still, we are witnessing the constant debate between the magazine capacity and stopping power on the one side and the overall dimensions on the other.

Large calibers and the need for smallest possible dimensions, often drive the construction team outside the common solutions that are usually based on compact variants of full size service pistols. That is why in this case they turned to 19^th century Derringer concept, which produced some of the smallest and deadliest pistols that survived along the “big guns” despite their evident shortcomings.

More than six years ago, a group of constructors affiliated with Azimuth Technologies machine industry, which is today a part of DoubleTap Defense LLC, came up with an idea of creating an ultralight pistol for concealed carry and self-defense in a high-power caliber, based on a double-barrel, break-action design. The construction was complete, and the first trials have shown that it is a potent weapon. The basic characteristic of Double Tap, which distances it from its anemic ancestors is the absolute reliability, achieved by carefully engineered action and the use of modern materials and world-class technology.

Although their main field of work is manufacturing machine parts and equipment, Azimuth Technologies cooperates with many famous weapon factories in the US like Otis, Kel-Tec, Lancer and others, so that organizing a production of the new pistol was relatively simplified. The manufacture was carried out at the highest quality level. The new weapon, Double Tap is smaller than any existing on the market and still capable of firing two fast and reliable shots of .45 ACP or 9×19 mm Para. It is praised forsimple use and maintenance, which again makes it a perfect choice for a back-up or emergency gun.

With its 76 mm barrels, Double Tap is 140 mm long, 99 mm high and the version chambered for .45 ACP weighs only 368 g with Dural frame, while the version with titanium alloy weighs 425 g. The most stunning fact is that it’s only 16.9 mm wide, although it uses 11.43 mm ammunition. A perfect option for concealed carry. The top part of the pistol consists of the O/U barrel block machined from a single piece of steel. The barrels have an octagonal profile, with the flat top side that houses a simple front iron sight. On the lower side there is an axis which carries out the breaking action of the barrels and behind it is the simple locking block.

There are options with or without ports which reduce the recoil. The variant with ports has two rows of five 2 mm circular openings per barrel which direct a part of the gases upwards to counter the kick. The barrels are made of 17-4 PH stainless steel, protected with black polyurethane Mil-Spec coating.

The other part of the pistol is made out of a single piece of steel and contains the frame with the lock, rear sight and trigger mechanism. The frame is made of 7075 aviation grade aluminum alloy or 6A14V titanium alloy. The frame is designed so it resembles the silhouette of a classic pistol and houses the locking levers under the barrels on both sides. The lock is operated by pulling the levers backwards and the barrels are broken for charging. The barrel hinge is connected to the frame with a pin that can be pulled sideways so the barrel changing can be done easily in a few seconds.

The handle is small but comfortable with all four surfaces checkered. The trigger is enclosed by a classic trigger guard. The mechanism works as a regular DAO system with hidden hammers. When the trigger is pulled, the lever actuates a double gear that alternates between the hammers. There is no other safety than the internal firing pins and the relatively high trigger force of 6300 daN. Double Tap lacks the automatic safety but the hammers are physically separated from the firing pins about 10 mm, so the effect is the same as with modern revolvers which feature a block between the hammer and the firing pin.

The handle has an internal space with a cover which can take two spare rounds loaded on a fast loading clip. This feature enables two sets of quick double taps at close distances, which is more than enough for neutralizing a lone assailant. Every other scenario makes this weapon’s concept absurd. On the other hand, the tests have shown that this pistol can be successfully used on distances up to 10 meters despite its powerful kick. The only problem with this specific self-defense gun is its price of about $360. Still this concept has passed the history test and with the overall quality of Double Tap, it is the weapon that you can trust with your life.

Images courtesy of: http://www.gunsholstersandgear.com/, http://www.gunsandammo.com/, http://www.hausofguns.com/

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