SAR 18#6

www.smallarmsreview.com 1 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

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Chipotle Publishing, LLC
SAR STAFF 22
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
”The Usual Suspects”
David Albert
Felix A. Alejos Cutuli
Mark Barnes
Chris Bartocci
Charles Brown
John Brown
Todd Burgreen
Bob Campbell
Chris A. Choat
Will Dabbs, MD
Leszek Erenfeicht
Robert Hausman
Michael Heidler
Jean Huon
Frank Iannamico
N.R. Jenzen-Jones
Richard Jones
George Kontis
Jean Francois Legendre
Julio Montes
Ronaldo Olive
Paolo Ortenzi
David Pazdera
Maxim Popenker
Dean Roxby
Jim Schatz
Robert G. Segel
Dan Shea
Gabriele Tansella
Joseph Trevithick
Anthony Wicks
Tony Williams
Jason Wong
Jeff W. Zimba
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ON THE COVER:
A HIGHBROW
KEL-TEC
16
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COVER PHOTO BY: MICHAEL BALASKO

50
8 NEW REVIEW
By Chris A. Choat
14 LEGAL SIDE
By Mark Barnes, Esq.
15 OUR WORLD
By Scott Novzen & Robert G. Segel
102 INDUSTRY NEWS
By Robert M. Hausman
108 NFATCA
By Jeffery E. Folloder
101 CROSSWORD
By Caroline Schloss
112 MG MEMORABILIA
By Robert G. Segel
CONTENTS
COLUMNS
FEATURES
16 A Highbrow Kel-Tec
By David Lake
22 SIG Sauer P320: Evolution of the
Modular Striker Fired Duty Weapon
By Todd Burgreen
34 Bullseye Camera System:
Remote Target Viewing
By Chris A. Choat
42 VP9 Suppressed Pistol From B&T:
The Silent Helper
By Mark Zimmerman
50 Glock Generations
Detail and Feature Evolution
By Aaron Brudenell
60 The ASAI One Pro Handgun
By Bob Campbell
64 .22 Long Rifle Conversion
for the Black Rifle Part II
By Christopher R. Bartocci
74 The wz.38M: Lost Classic is Back
By Leszek Erenfeicht
84 Pistol Caliber Carbines:
Not Another AR-15
By David Lake
91 Revisiting the SPIW Part I
By R. Blake Stevens
100 Book Review:
The Americans on D-Day
By Robert G. Segel
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 CONTENTS
7

NEW REVIEW
NEW PRODUCTS
by Chris A. Choat
Innovative Grip Adds Picatinny Rail
To Your 1911 Pistol
Recover Tactical is proud to announce
the release of the new Recover
CC3 2-in-1 grip and rail adaptor for
the 1911. The patented design of the
CC3 fits all standard size 1911 guns and
can be easily installed in about three
minutes without a gunsmith. Launched
to the public at SHOT Show 2014, the
Recover CC3 was designed by world
renowned Israeli weapons designer
Tamir Porat (Porat also designed the
IWI Tavor assault rifle). The CC3 grip
is manufactured in Israel on the same
manufacturing line used by many leading
gun manufacturers. Produced from
the same high-grade polymer used by
many polymer gun manufacturers, the
Recover CC3 will not scratch or damage
your gun. Weighing in at only about
80 grams (2.8 oz) it will not significantly
change the weight of your gun or the
thickness of the handle. The CC3 offers
a great value for gun owners who want
to add a rail to their 1911 but don’t want
to buy a new gun. It is a truly functional
and universal rail accessory that won’t
break the bank. The Recover 1911 grip
and rail system is currently available in
black, desert sand and olive green and
comes with a limited lifetime warranty.
Retailing for only $49.99, the CC3 is
the easiest and most affordable way to
add a full Picatinny rail to any standard
sized 1911. For more information or to
purchase the Recover CC3 grip, visit
www.RecoverTactical.com.
New Bushnell Elite Long Range Scope
8SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 Nov., Dec. 2014
Bushnell, an industry leader in high performance sports
optics for 65 years, has introduced the Elite Long Range
Hunting Scope (LRHS). This 3-12x 44mm configuration, the
inaugural offering in the Elite Tactical Hunter product line,
showcases the integration of technology and functionality
from the acclaimed Bushnell Elite Tactical series in a scope
designed specifically for the long range hunter.

New .22 Suppressor From SureFire
SureFire, LLC, manufacturer
of high performance illumination
tools, suppressors, and tactical
products, has begun shipping its
new SF Ryder Series Suppressors
- debuting with the SF Ryder
22-A. Built to the same exacting
standards as the Fast-Attach
models, this ultra-lightweight
and rugged rimfire suppressor is
optimized for .22 caliber pistols
and rifles. The SF Ryder 22 features
a unique pig-nosed baffle
design that provides superior
sound attenuation while still
making it easy to disassemble
and clean. Each baffle is Red
Mil-Spec hard anodized to minimize
finish erosion and makes
carbon buildup easier to spot
when cleaning. Built-in spacers
also help reduce carbon buildup
between the suppressor
tube and baffle stack, and each
baffle is numbered and indexed
to make re-assembly simple.
The ultra-lightweight SF Ryder
comes in at a mere 3.1 ounces
due to its fluted body design and
rounded edges. A stainless steel
threaded interface ensures the
Ryder removes as a single unit,
and its single-point cut 1/2 x 28
threads provide a secure attachment
to any .22 pistol or rifle with
a 1/2 x 28 thread pitch. At only
5.4 inches in length, and 1 inch
in diameter, the SF Ryder 22 will
not weigh down the host firearm
or obstruct your sight picture.
The SF Ryder 22-A comes with
an assembly/disassembly tool
and suppressor pouch. Retail
price is $469 and is available
for purchase through authorized
SureFire Suppressor dealers.
For complete product information
visit www.surefire.com/ryder22.
The LRHS is the first hunting riflescope
Bushnell has offered with a
first focal plane reticle. The new G2H
milliradian-based reticle is designed
to give hunters the ability to range
targets at any magnification setting.
The G2H reticle has .5 mil hash
marks with eight mils of holdover
and six mils of windage adjustment.
In addition, the center of the reticle
features a Vital Bracket that has a
diameter of two Mils at any range,
equivalent to 7.2” at 100 yards. Constructed
with a forged aluminum
one-piece 30mm tube, the scope
has an overall length of 13 inches
and weighs 26 ounces. The LRHS
features low profile, tactical-style
turrets calibrated in .1 mil clicks with
10 mils of adjustment per revolution.
Equipped with the RevLimiter zero
stop mechanism, the elevation turret
is designed to allow the hunter
to “dial up” and then quickly return
to the preset zero without the possibility
of dialing past zero. In addition,
the scope features a rubber-armored
fast focus eyepiece and side parallax
adjustment to retain a crisp, clear
sight picture at any range.
The Elite LRHS is argon purged
to provide 100 percent waterproof
and fog proof performance, while the
patented RainGuard HD water-resistant
coating provides a permanent
exterior barrier against the elements.
When moisture hits the RainGuard
treated lenses it beads up and scatters
less light, giving hunters a clear
view in conditions that would render
untreated optics unusable.
Every product in the Elite series
is not only covered by the
Bushnell limited lifetime warranty,
the entire product line is also
backed with the one-year, no-risk
Bushnell Bulletproof Guarantee. The Elite
LRHS 3-12x 44mm riflescope has a retail price
of $1,499.99. For more information about Bushnell
and its complete line of sports optics, visit
www.bushnell.com.
NEW REVIEW
9
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

New TFO Handgun Sights
from TRUGLO for Glock 41
and 42 Pistols
TRUGLO, Inc., manufacturer of the
world’s most advanced line of fiber-optic
sights and accessories for the shooting
sports industry, introduces its newest
additions to the Brite-Site TFO (Tritium/
Fiber-Optic) family of handgun sights
for the Glock 41 and Glock 42 models.
These new sights offer revolutionary innovation
with TRUGLO’s patented combination
of TFO (Tritium and Fiber-Optic)
technology delivering an enhanced sight
picture 24/7. Rapid target acquisition is
achieved with TFO technology by utilizing
existing ambient light to illuminate
the sight picture during bright lighting
conditions and then utilizing the tritium
component to illuminate the fiber-optic
during low light or no light conditions.
The TFO technology offers an uninterrupted,
consistent sight picture for the
shooter when other sight systems fall
short. The low profile sight housings are
constructed from CNC-machined steel.
The technical design protects the fiber
while concealing its view from the target.
The TFO sights fit in standard holsters
and are designed to be snag-resistant
and dependable. Each set is available
in a green front sight /green rear
sight combination or green front sight
/ yellow rear sight combination. For
more information on TRUGLO’s New
Brite-Site TFO (Tritium/Fiber-Optic)
sights for Glock 41/42 models, please
visit www.truglo.com.
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 10 Nov., Dec. 2014

New Bad Guy Shoot-N-C Targets
From Birchwood Casey
Practice is important to handgun shooters, especially
with the rapid rise in the number of concealed
carry holders and the small handguns on the market.
Birchwood Casey’s new Bad Guy Shoot-N-C
Target gives shooters instant feedback, providing a
bright chartreuse “halo” around each shot, making
it easy to adjust your hold. The Bad Guy Target has
a black background with the bad guy outlined in orange
for great visibility. It measures 12”x18” and is
self-adhesive, making it easy to mount on any solid
target backing. They are supplied with target pasters
that can be placed over bullet holes to extend
the life of the target. Shoot-N-C Bad Guy Targets
come in packs of five with 75 pasters for $15.20
and 12 packs with 180 pasters for $30.30. They
can be purchased individually in multiples of 100
for $2.30 each. Visit www.birchwoodcasey.com for
more information.
DeSantis Introduces the
Road Runner
DeSantis Gunhide, a division of Helgen
Industries, Inc., introduces a new
holster, The Road Runner. The Road
Runner is a casual running, concealment
holster that can be worn under or
over your garments. It is what they refer
to as a “hide in plain sight” holster and
DeSantis invented the concept. The gun
pocket can be accessed from either side
making the Road Runner ambidextrous.
It is lightweight and well-padded on the
body side. The outer pocket has room for
keys, wallet, ammo or whatever you may
need. Like all DeSantis products, the
Road Runner is made from very durable
materials for a lifetime of use. It is meant
to fit most autos and revolvers. Retail
price is $39.99. You can visit them at
www.desantisholster.com.
www.smallarmsreview.com 11 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 12 Nov., Dec. 2014
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www.smallarmsreview.com 13 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

LegalSide
by Mark Barnes
The
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 Nov., Dec. 2014
14
Losing Your License:
ATF Enforcement Policy with Regard
to FFL Revocation Actions
A firearms dealer’s worst nightmare
is receiving a notice of license revocation.
Your livelihood and business are
at stake; you face being forced to liquidate
or surrender your inventory and let
your employees go. In some situations
a licensee is able to continue firearms
operations, but will need to undertake
comprehensive compliance reforms and
be subject to increased scrutiny for several
years. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)
can issue administrative actions such as
revocation notices for various reasons,
with the seriousness of the notice and
the rationale supporting it often being an
indication of your chances of staying in
business. This article will explore Federal
Firearms Licensee (FFL) violation notices
and how ATF approaches common
violation situations.
I. Triggering a Revocation Notice
FFL violations usually come to light
during an ATF compliance inspection.
Once violations are discovered, generally
ATF Industry Operations Investigators
(IOIs) will issue a report of violations
(ROV). For lesser violations, such as a
missing zip code on a Form 4473, the IOI
will include the citation on the ROV and
instruct the FFL to take corrective action
but will not recommend any further action
be taken by ATF management. For
significant or repeat failures that ATF
deems to be willful, such as failure to
keep accurate bound books, missing
Form 4473s, inventory discrepancies, or
failures to complete background checks,
the IOI may make a recommendation for
administrative action. (Note: ATF is not
required to take revocation action, even
if willful violations are disclosed; it is
strictly at their discretion.)
These recommendations are scaled
to the seriousness and frequency of violations,
and range in severity from the
issuance of a warning letter, to conducting
a warning conference, to revocation
of a license or denial of a license renewal.
The IOI makes the recommendations
for further action to ATF management
officials as part of their inspection report.
A warning letter is generally issued by
the IOI’s Area Supervisor, and advises
the FFL of the violation(s) identified by
ATF during an inspection, specifies the
need for correction, and notifies the FFL
that its license may be revoked if the
FFL does not come into compliance with
regulations. If ATF recommends a warning
conference, the FFL is requested by
letter to appear before the local Director
of Industry Operations (DIO) or an Area
Supervisor to discuss violations, corrective
actions, and the potential of license
revocation. A warning conference is typically
followed by a recall inspection approximately
one year later.
Alternatively, if ATF finds that an FFL
has severe or repeated violations that
disregard legal obligations or have been
conducted willfully, ATF can revoke the
FFL’s license or deny an application
for renewal of the license. It is important
to note that less than one percent
of compliance inspections result in a
revocation notice.
II. The Revocation Letter
Decision Process
The decision to revoke a license is
not left to the discretion of the ATF Industry
Operations Investigator (IOI) who
conducted the compliance inspection.
When an IOI recommends revocation,
both the Area Supervisor and the DIO
review the recommendation, particularly
the facts and circumstances leading up
to violations. The DIO makes the final
decision on whether ATF will pursue issuance
of an initial notice of revocation.
Before the notice is sent to the FFL, the
DIO consults with Division Counsel to
assess whether revocation is appropriate
and Division Counsel will review the
inspection report.
ATF policy dictates that the
Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) for Industry
Operations at ATF headquarters
must also review all proposed revocations
before the FFL can be notified.
The Deputy Assistant Director does
not review the complete report; rather,
a synopsis of the report is submitted as
a Significant Inspection Report or SIR.
This final review helps ensure that revocation
decisions are consistent throughout
the country; it also gives ATF headquarters
the opportunity to take over the
proceedings if the matter will be highly
complex or if the alleged violations have
taken place in several field divisions.
The decision to issue a revocation
notice depends in a large part on the actions
of the FFL once it is on notice of
violations. ATF looks to whether the FFL
violated the law willfully, that is, whether
it intentionally disregarded a known legal
duty or acted with plain indifference
to its legal obligations. Examples of
willfulness include knowingly participating
in a criminal act such as instigating
and facilitating a straw purchase or enabling
sales of firearms or ammunition
to known prohibited possessors. Blatant
record keeping actions are often cited
for revocation notices, such as repeated
or intentional failure to update bound
books after acquisitions or sales, especially
if the FFL had already been put on
notice of such failure. Such violations
will likely result in the issuances of a
revocation notice. If it is apparent that
the FFL was unaware of a requirement,
such as the proper procedure for updating
errors in bound books, ATF is more
likely to educate the FFL on the requirements,
give the FFL opportunity to come
into compliance, and will issue a notice
of revocation only if the FFL refuses or
otherwise fails to comply. However, if
the FFL was aware that its actions were
illegal, and knowingly disregarded the
obligation, ATF will likely issue an immediate
notice of revocation.
Depending on the severity of the
situation, ATF policy allows a DIO to
recommend alternatives to revocation
or denial of a license. In order to

ecommend alternatives, the DIO must
work out an agreement with the FFL
whereby the FFL assents to compliance
conditions over and above those
mandated by law. These conditions can
range from implementation of a compliance
plan where one was lacking,
to allowing ATF to conduct additional
investigations, to suspension of certain
business operations.
III. Responding to a
Revocation Notice
Upon receipt of a notice of revocation,
an FFL may request an administrative
hearing within the next 15 days.
Failure to request a hearing results in
prompt, final revocation of the license.
If the FFL requests a hearing, an ATF
hearing officer will be assigned from
outside the ATF field division where the
FFL is located. The hearing officer will
preside at the hearing and will examine
the facts and hear testimony from both
sides. Current ATF policy requires that
the DIO sit in on a revocation hearing.
The FFL has the right to hire an attorney
to represent its interests at the
hearing, as well as present any relevant
evidence, including documentation and
testimony. The FFL can use the hearing
to establish that the alleged violations
were not willful, and provide any exhibits
to sustain its contentions. The DIO
will read the hearing officer’s report, and
either allow the FFL to retain its license,
or issue a final notice of revocation containing
the legal conclusions upon which
the revocation is based.
Once a final notice of revocation or
denial is issued, the FFL has 60 days to
appeal that decision to a U.S. District
Court. If and when the FFL petitions the
court for de novo review of the revocation,
the FFL may submit a request to
the DIO for permission to continue operations
during judicial review. The DIO
may deny such a request if he or she
determines allowing continuance of firearms
operations would pose a risk to
public safety. If the request is denied,
the FFL can appeal to the court for permission
to continue operations while the
appeal is pending. In the last 11 years
for which data is available, courts have
only overturned ATF’s revocation decision
on four occasions.
IV. Conclusion
No licensee wishes to face any of
these extra procedures in order to maintain
an FFL, let alone being forced to
shutter its business. The best option is
to implement a comprehensive compliance
plan, ensure that all employees
are thoroughly and properly trained on
the relevant laws and regulations, conduct
periodic internal self-audits to catch
any compliance issues, and stay up-todate
with any policy changes or regulations
that ATF issues. While human error
is inevitable, taking these steps will
minimize the chances that the FFL will
have serious errors, and will enable the
FFL to rectify problems and forestall any
need of ATF to issue potentially disastrous
warnings.
This brief summary does not constitute
legal advice and we strongly
suggest that you review the applicable
regulations, and seek the advice of competent
counsel or ATF when necessary
to guide you on a specific transaction.
Mark Barnes is an attorney with
over 30 years of experience. He began
his career in public policy serving in both
the legislative and executive branches
of federal government. His firm, Mark
Barnes and Associates, is located in
Washington, D.C. and has been specializing
in all aspects of federal firearms
law since 1993. He can be contacted at
MarkB17@aol.com.
OUR WORLD
by Scott Novzen and Robert G. Segel
“Must be an American.”
15
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6
LEGAL SIDE

A HIGHBROW
TEC
By David Lake
KEL
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 16 Nov., Dec. 2014
Small arms today are following new
trends compared to the whole of the last
two centuries. Guns used to be tools
of a trade, utilitarian implements that
served a vital role in maintaining law
and order or providing food for the family.
Then they became less necessary
as civilization began to provide goods
and services. Recreational hunting and
sport shooting were the reasons many
people bought rifles and shotguns in
the 20th century. Now in the 21st century,
to make a broad generalization,
for many, guns are just toys. The aging
“video game” generation and its demand
for impractical excess has created
a new world of modular quick detach
hi-speed adjustable tactical accessory
convertibility. This new breed of “toy”
guns at least has the capability to get
back to its roots and find purpose. Fortunately,
there are still a few guns being
invented and built that are specialized
“tools-of-a-trade.” These are crafted
and honed to serve a singular purpose.
We can conclude that there are infinitely
capable weapons, and there are perfectly
refined weapons. The difference
between the two is simple: One has the
potential for excellence, the other already
is. The weapon featured here is
called the SU2000-SS and is the work
and achievement of Mr. Ralph Seifert of
RAS Engineering. It is a fresh example
of a “perfectly refined” system – powerful
words to assign to the Kel-Tec.
Conception of the SU2000-SS was
not an “ah-ha” moment. The gun was

just the product of an engineering mind
putting things together that belonged
together. Seifert simply saw a niche in
the market that needed to be filled. With
the assistance and support of his friend,
George Kelgren (owner of Kel-Tec), Seifert
was able to give his project some
steam. Seifert got Red Lion Precision
involved in the project as well. Red Lion
specializes in aftermarket upgrades for
Kel-Tec firearms. It must be stated that
the SU2000-SS is not simply assembled
from existing accessories. It represents
much research and development and
trial and error. Kel-Tec makes a special
barrel for the SS. The barrel, butt stock,
internals and forearm are proprietary
“revisions” to standard components.
These special parts are not available
for sale from the manufacturers. One
cannot “build” his own SU2000-SS.
It can only be purchased from RAS
Engineering or one of its retail outlets.
The SS is based on the Kel-Tec
SUB-2000, a blowback operated pistol
caliber carbine that feeds from commonly
available pistol magazines. It is
mostly plastic to save cost and weight
and can be folded in half at the breech
for transport or storage. The SUB-2000
has maintained market presence since
its introduction in 2001. The basic SUB-
2000 is a recreational sporting arm. The
SU2000-SS is a professional grade,
9mm only, PDW that uses Glock pistol
magazines and there are no iron sights.
The SS weighs 4.6 pounds and measures
14”x7” when folded. The unit is
26-inches long and 10 inches tall when
deployed with an optic attached. The
barrel is 6.5-inches long and has the
muzzle threaded 13x1mm left hand.
The stock is 1-inch shorter than that of a
www.smallarmsreview.com 17 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

KEL-TEC
A
B
C
standard SUB-2000. The Red Lion forearm
can swivel 180 degrees to place
the optic below the barrel, allowing an
optic to be fitted to the gun and remain
there when the SS is folded. This forearm
features 4 detents in the articulating
joint that return a noticeable “click” to
ensure proper location of the optic. The
forearm is locked into position by a large
knurled nut near the receiver. To fold the
gun, the trigger guard needs to be pulled
downward, and the front half of the gun
will unhook, and swing over the top of
the butt stock. The SS lacks a mechanical
detent to keep the gun locked in its
folded state. With practice, the SU2000-
SS can be deployed from a collapsed
condition in less than 3 seconds. The
suppressor is an Advanced Armament
Evolution. The Evolution was chosen to
compliment the SS for its size and effect
and is the largest suppressor that
will fit into the forearm assembly. For
any given length, a wider suppressor
proves more effective. The SS is not
available without this suppressor. The
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 18 Nov., Dec. 2014

A. The stock tube has been shortened by 1 inch from the original Kel-Tec configuration.
The bolt buffer has been made from brass. When the stock was made shorter,
it needed to become heavier. The charge handle reciprocates with the bolt, but does
not interfere with the shooter.
B. The articulating joint of the forearm. The knurled nut is unscrewed two turns to
unlock the forearm.
C. The Aimpoint T-1 is the ideal sight for a weapon like the SS. The Aimpoint is very
durable and can survive bumps, water, dust and anything else to be encountered in a
backpack or tool box. The SU2000-SS does indeed require a riser on any optic used.
SS is assembled from choice components,
but should not be considered
a “parts gun.” It is a balanced
weapon system and nothing about the
design is arbitrary.
To become properly acquainted with
the SS we needed to shoot it. An Aimpoint
T1was installed to the forearm rail
and gave it a quick laser boresight. At
25 yards, 3/4-inch groups were printed.
Off-hand at that distance we could hold
our shots inside 1.5 inches with little effort.
The SS greatly improves the 9mm’s
capability. The gun was fired with several
different brands and bullet weights
of 9mm. Federal’s “9mm Suppressor
Subsonic” 124 grain was totally quiet…
we’d call it “Hollywood quiet” and this
was the same ammo that printed the
3/4” groups. This ammo was so well
suited for suppressor use, even while
shooting indoors; we could hear the bolt
slam against the breech as the gun cycled.
We performed timed discretionary
drills with the SS beginning with the gun
collapsed and concealed and with the
gun held at the low ready. When “snap”
shooting the SS at an IDPA target at 25
yards, “A” zone hits just seemed to happen.
The gun points instinctively. Drills
beginning with a concealed SS were
enlightening. We were able to draw, deploy,
aim and fire the gun, in 3 seconds.
That’s good enough for government
work as they say - it inspires confidence.
The weapon functioned perfectly for 99
rounds, and only failed to eject number
100. We know that a suppressor causes
more fouling and particulate to enter a
gun’s mechanism, especially in a blowback
operated gun. So the 1% malfunction
could probably be defeated by a
preemptive strike with a bore mop.
This gun has great potential to find
its way into the professional market.
Every police car and motorcycle should
have one onboard and every armored
vehicle and every armed security detail
should have one. Additionally, every
Special Forces unit should have it in
the armory. While that’s a lot of “Should
haves,” it certainly is a remarkable
weapon system. The advantage of a truly
silent, concealable, compact, semiautomatic,
with the accuracy of a rifle, cannot
be overstated. The SS fills a role yet
to be fully realized. We’d like to coin the
term “aggressive defensive” for the role
the SS will play. It is indeed a defensive
weapon; suppressed to conceal the users
location from an assailant. It is highly
concealable; to remain out of sight; and
keep its user from becoming the first
target of a gun wielding madman. It can
deliver 29 rounds of 9mm very quickly,
and accurate enough to make deliberate
hits on a target inside 100 yards. The SS
can turn a “guy in crowd” into “guy that
saved the day” in 3 seconds. With the
ever growing frequency of “armed crazies”
on our streets, a weapon of this
sort, in the hands of law enforcement,
could mean the difference between another
shooting tragedy and a swift decisive
resolution. In short, it’s as concealable
as a pistol, and as effective as a
rifle. It punches above its weight.
The end result of Seifert’s effort is
www.smallarmsreview.com 19 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

KEL-TEC
so much more than the simple sum of the parts involved.
He has brought us a little piece of James
Bond’s arsenal. The SS can be carried in a briefcase,
a purse, backpack, fanny pack, lunch pail,
maybe even your cargo pants. You’d expect the
wow factor of the SS to come at a compromise.
You would expect accuracy or reliability or handling
must suffer somehow, but you’d be wrong. It’s
beyond good. The SU2000-SS is undoubtedly the
leanest, lightest, and coolest pistol carbine made.
It forces one to ask the question; why, then, are
all other pistol carbines so big and heavy? It’s not
to make them more accurate; this one is superbly
accurate. It’s not to ensure quality and reliability;
this one is reliable and seems indestructible. Big
and heavy seems exactly what you don’t want in
a defensive arm. By exclusion then, this is exactly
what you do want. It really achieves the most
with the least.
RAS Engineering
Melbourne, FL.
(321) 544-5141
RASE223@MSN.com
Gun Mountain, LLC.
180 Cassia Way, suite 507
Henderson, NV 89014
(702) 564-0948
http://www.gunmountain.com/
This target was engaged at 25 yards. This
kind of accuracy inspires confidence. The
SS is capable of 100 yard hits.
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 20 Nov., Dec. 2014

KEL-TEC
PHOTO BY: MICHAEL BALASKO
www.smallarmsreview.com 21 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

SIG Sauer
P320:
EVOLUTION OF THE MODULAR
STRIKER FIRED DUTY WEAPON
By Todd Burgreen
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 22 Nov., Dec. 2014

A variety of ammunition was used to test the P320
including Black Hills, Speer, Hornady, and Winchester
with bullet profiles consisting of FMJ
and JHP and weight ranging from 115 grain
to 147 grain.
The SIG Sauer introduction of the P320 striker fired handgun
is a sure response to the U.S. market that continues to expand
and generate firearm sales among both civilians and law
enforcement consumers. The P320 was officially introduced in the
U.S. at the 2014 SHOT Show; though as is often the case with
new items in the firearms industry its pending arrival was known
by many. SIG Sauer’s goal was to introduce the P320 with sufficient
numbers available to consumers at the time of release – unlike so
many products unveiled at SHOT with customers waiting over a year
for the item to appear on dealer shelves. SIG should be commended
for this and illustrates their upper management are not only businessmen,
but also shooters relating to other shooters. The striker fired P320
is a departure from other SIG Sauer handguns such as the P220 and
P226 series, which are more traditional hammer fired designs.
What is the difference between the more classical hammer fired handgun
designs and the striker fired variants now taking over preponderance
of serious use by LE and military units around the world? This is a valid
question we can use to explore what the SIG P320 offers to its users as
well as how handguns have evolved over the last 100 years. Firearm evolution
is a slow tedious matter at times with breakthroughs and improvements
www.smallarmsreview.com 23 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

P320
Above: SIG Sauer P320 Full size model.
(SIG Sauer)
Left: No external hammer is present with
the P320 since it is striker fired – a big
change for SIG Sauer.
coming in bits and pieces influenced
by a multitude of factors such as manufacturing
techniques, metallurgy, cartridge
improvements, technology, market
forces and countless other factors
as experienced in individual countries
and cultures. From the turn of the late
19th century semiautomatic handguns
were typified by hammer fired steel
frames and most likely single action in
that the exposed hammer was cocked
rearward when ready to fire. The Mauser
1896 “Broomhandle” and Browning
1911 serve as good examples of this. In
the 1930s, double action hammer fired
handguns arrived in force typified by the
German P38 up to the Beretta M92 now
serving U.S. military forces.
In the 1930s, the double-action/
single-action (DA/SA) hammer fired
handgun genre arrived in the form of
the German P38. Its arrival was just as
revolutionary as the striker fired Glock’s
arrival 50 years later. The Walther P38
was spawned by the German military
desiring a replacement for the classic
Luger. The Luger’s tight tolerances, intricate
interplay of many parts and unreliability
when exposed to trench conditions
were causes of this; not to mention
the Luger’s high cost and low production
capability due to the need for extensive
hand fitting. German military planners
requested the new handgun design be
simple, with as few parts as possible. In
addition, component interchangeability,
ease of disassembly/assembly and reliability
was also required. The P38 design
concepts held sway until the 1980s
until the advent of polymer framed
striker fired handguns displaced those
types. The function of the DA/SA trigger
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 24 Nov., Dec. 2014

mechanism is similar to a DA revolver.
The DA/SA trigger will cock and release
the hammer when the hammer is in the
down position, but, on each subsequent
shot, the trigger will function as a single-action.
On most DA/SA pistols there
is the option to cock the hammer before
the first shot is fired if time or situation
permits. This removes the heavy pull of
the double-action. The DA/SA hammer
down carry on a live chamber with either
safety engaged or not combined with
longer heavier DA trigger pull reminds
one of the revolver’s trigger, which was
a much more familiar and considered
inherently safer and less prone to accidental
discharges. The DA/SA handgun
design is still going strong today with numerous
models being produced by multiple
manufacturers. Excellent examples
are the SIG Sauer variants being used
by many police departments, federal
agencies, and military units. While other
early examples of DA/SA handguns
are possible to find, the Walther P38 is
considered by most the first widespread
successful rendition.
While examples of striker fired
handguns predate 1982, this date is critical
in that this is when the Glock striker
fired handgun entered service. Though
this is an article on the SIG Sauer P320,
there can be little debate that semiautomatic
handguns were redefined by the
9mm Glock 17 in terms of capacity and
polymer construction. Polymer framed
striker fired handguns are inherently
lighter, thinner, and simpler due to the
limited number of parts needed to make
the gun. There are less large steel parts
needed, such as a hammer in more
traditional designs, thus there are less
parts to break. This makes the gun easier
to maintain, and more reliable. The
relative quick adoption of striker fired
weapons for LE use bears out this truth.
The striker-fired weapon works without
a standard hammer or firing pin that
we can visible see in the first modern
semiautomatic pistols. Instead, the firing
pin, or “striker”, sits captive under some
spring tension inside the slide while
the gun is not being put through the
firing process.
The P320 shares many of the design
features of an earlier SIG offering
the P250. Many felt the SIG P250 was
a benchmark in handgun development
when it appeared. Quite a bold statement
that time will have to validate
when viewed backward in future years.
The SIG P250’s across the board modularity
in terms of grip sizes, frame interchangeability
combined with various
slide lengths, multiple trigger positions,
and caliber swapping heralded the next
www.smallarmsreview.com 25 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

Above: The modularity of the P320 allows
for caliber, grip size, and frame to be tailored
to individual user and role.
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 26 Nov., Dec. 2014

P320
www.smallarmsreview.com 27 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

P320
wave of high capacity polymer framed
handguns. Gun culture members are by
nature conservative and view new offerings
skeptically until proven via use.
The P250 found its reception somewhat
cool in the U.S. market. The P250’s
adaptability to individual shooter needs
seemed too good to be true and the
hammer firing mechanism affected a not
very user friendly trigger. Time elapsed
with SIG evaluating what could be done
different to attract users. SIG knew its
P250 concept was valid with its modularity,
but turned to a striker fired design
to breathe life into platform.
The P320 is currently available in
9mm (tested herein), .40 S&W, and .357
SIG with a .45 ACP variant in the works.
The heart of the SIG P320 is the fire
control mechanism or chassis. (For clarity
sake, SIG refers to it officially as the
frame assembly.) The chassis is considered
the pistol and bears the required
serial number marking. The chassis is
the key component allowing for the SIG
P320’s modularity. The fire control chassis
fits into a grip module. Grip module
sizes are labeled as “Full” and “Carry.”
It is obvious to see the reasoning behind
the titles. The grip modules are further
adaptable to individual preference with
three different grip circumference sizes
available – large, medium, and small.
An optional tabbed trigger safety complements
the P320 modular package if
required to meet certain agency specifications
with the smooth trigger face
standard. Rounding out the P320 ergonomic
package are ambidextrous slide
levers and the ability to switch the magazine
release to either side of the frame.
The SIG P320 features a trigger pull
measuring approximately 6 pounds. The
key with the P320 is it is the same trigger
pull every time. Overall, the P320’s trigger
is an asset with its consistency. Anyone
that dedicates the time to familiarize
oneself with it will not be disappointed
as it is similar to other striker fired weapons
on the market. The fire control
chassis aids in reducing the number of
parts in the P320. The chassis contains
the trigger mechanism, hammer, and
slide catches. The slide assembly does
not interact with the grip module, but is
guided/operates along the chassis integral
steel rails located on both sides
of the chassis front and rear. The fire
control chassis is easy to swap between
grip modules without requiring any tools.
Rotate the takedown lever and remove
the slide. Remove the takedown lever
by turning and pulling simultaneously.
This frees the fire control for removal by
pulling/pushing it upward while drawing
the hammer backward allowing for the
trigger to move into a position for it to
move from the trigger housing. You are
done. Reinsert into another grip module
in the reverse order of direction. The SIG
Sauer operating manual details this in
only two pages; most of which is largely
graphics. An important nuance pointed
out in SIG literature is that the P320 can
be field stripped without requiring either
tools or needing to pull the trigger. Anyone
who is familiar with what concerns
law enforcement administrators knows
this is an often heard gripe against
some of SIG’s competitors for safety or
logistic reasons.
The SIG P320 Full model weighs
29.4 ounces without magazine and
measures 8 inches in length, 5.5 inches
tall, and 1.4 inches in width with a barrel
length of 4.7 inches. For comparison’s
sake, the P320 Carry model weighs 26.9
ounces without magazine and measures
7.2 inches in length, 5.1 inches
tall, and 1.3 inches in width with a barrel
length of 3.9 inches. The P320 come
equipped with SIGLITE night sights with
a Nitron finish on the slide. Both the Full
and Carry P320 models feature an integral
accessory rail dust cover. Magazine
capacity of the P320 9mm Full size is
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 28 Nov., Dec. 2014

The P320’s fire control chassis houses the ambidextrous slide catch lever, trigger bar,
trigger, hammer, slide rails, and associated springs. The chassis allows for the modularity
of the design and is the serialized number component of the design.
seventeen rounds and the 9mm Carry
fifteen rounds. Two metal magazines
arrived with the P320.
It is best to think of the SIG P320
line-up of handguns as a “system”
stretching from the Full to the Carry
model. Every P320 shares a lineage
back to the fire control chassis and
similar striker fired trigger pull. Another
key to the P320’s success in getting
accepted will be its minimal operating
controls, high cartridge capacity to size
ratio, and relentless reliability. While the
P320’s grip size may change based on
user preference, the position of the slide
and magazine releases will instantly be
familiar. Simplicity should not be confused
as lack of refinement. SIG Sauer
reliability and solid performance is well
regarded in the weapons community.
Ideally, personal defense or service
handguns should not be complicated
by required manipulations in order to
bring them to bear. This is a hallmark
of most striker fired handguns with the
P320 no exception.
The SIG P320 9mm was tested at
the range first by verifying sight zero and
then firing several magazines rapidly at
various steel man targets. This quickly
shows if any reliability issues exist as
well as getting a feel for the trigger pull
SIG Sauer P320 Carry size model. (SIG Sauer)
and reset. Further testing consisted of
strings of fire against steel plate racks
and popper targets at 7, 15, and 25
yards. The sights were zeroed in for 25
yards using the classic 6 o’clock hold.
While a carry pistol’s reliability must be
beyond reproach, carry ability is just as
important considering the hours spent
with the weapon holstered. The SIG
P320 will find compatibility with most
holsters made for the previous P250.
In fact, the P320 arrived with a SIG
Sauer Kydex holster that had P250 inscribed
on it. A variety of Galco leather
holsters are available for use with the
P320 as well such as the Yaquii slide,
Side Snap Scabbard, Stow-N-Go IWB,
and Concealable Belt holster. The important
point is blending retainage with
accessibility. Remember the defender
is reacting to an attack and must overcome
the reactionary curve. Flexibility is
the key to effective carry practices with
Stow-N-Go IWB, Yaqui slide, and Belt
www.smallarmsreview.com 29 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

P320
slides all a part of a concealed carry
practitioner’s repertoire. Galco magazine
carriers and gun belts are not to be
underestimated in importance either.
The SIG P320 tested herein was
chambered in 9mm. Black Hills Ammunition,
Hornady, Speer, Winchester,
and Federal ammunition was used for
range T&E. The SIG P320’s ergonomics
and handling characteristics are quickly
appreciated. No malfunctions with
the SIG P320 were experienced while
test firing over 500 rounds during range
visits to Echo Valley Training Center
(EVTC). Loads fired spanned 115gr to
147 grain with hollow points and FMJ
bullet types utilized. The SIG P320 was
also put through its paces by shooting
a course designed for a LE competition
held yearly at EVTC. Multiple targets are
engaged from three different positions
with mandatory magazine changes between
firing positions. This gives a good
benchmark for time and accuracy by
being able to compare it to the average
times posted by numerous competitors
and their different weapons. Even under
the induced stress of drawing against a
timer and engaging multiple targets, the
SIG P320 performed smoothly with the
trigger conducive to accuracy or speed
of placing multiple hits on target.
While appreciating firearm development
trends, any future retrospective
does nothing for us in the present if the
SIG P320 does not perform in the here
and now. The SIG Sauer P320 features
mean nothing if it does not perform up
to the standards SIG is famous for. It is
truly a worthy handgun that is finding
appeal with federal agencies and law
enforcement departments based on its
flexible modularity catering to shooters
of all shapes and sizes. This is a dream
of many law enforcement administrators
attempting to pick one handgun model
that suits every individual and job
description in a department.
Sites of Interest
SIG Sauer, Inc.
18 Industrial Drive
Exeter, NH 03833
(603) 772-2302
www.sigsauer.com
Galco International
2019 West Quail Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85027
800-874-2526
www.usgalco.com
Above: SIG Sauer equips the P320 with
Trijicon tritium night sights.
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 30 Nov., Dec. 2014

www.smallarmsreview.com 31 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 32 Nov., Dec. 2014

Bullseye
Camera System:
Remote Target
Viewing
By Chris A. Choat
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 34 Nov., Dec. 2014

If you are like most shooters, sighting in
a new rifle is both rewarding and tedious. The
reward comes with finding out that the new
gun will indeed shoot well with good ammunition
and the shooter doing his part. But the
other side of the coin is the laborious task of
getting it sighted in. You set up at the range,
put the rifle on a good rest and stand up numerous
targets. Maybe your eyes are not the
best anymore and even .30 caliber holes in
the target don’t seem to show up as well as
they used to – so you take a spotting scope
along. You know that you will need multiple
targets as well before the sight-in is done, so
you have a range box with targets, plasters,
a staple gun, staples and numerous other
things that are needed to get the job done.
Then the tedious task of walking back and
forth to the target in between adjusting the
turret knobs of the optic begins.
There is now a new product that puts
the fun back into sighting in a rifle, or even
a handgun, shotgun or a bow for that matter.
The product is called the Bullseye Camera
System and it is set to revolutionize shooting.
It also allows you to shoot all day using just
one target, but more on that later.
The Bullseye Camera System comes as
a complete unit, ready to use. In a nutshell,
what it does is provide the shooter with a real
time view of his target so that he can see,
close up, where his bullets are striking the
target. It does this by means of a remote
wireless target camera, set at the target location,
which allows a close up view of the
target from your shooting location up to 1
mile away. The unit sends the video wirelessly
to any wireless device including a laptop,
iPhone, iPad or Android device.
The Bullseye Camera System comes
complete in a fitted, hard plastic secure
carrying case that includes everything you
need except the device you want to view
the video on. The system consists of a
weatherproof camera that also has night
vision, a 5 hour rechargeable battery with
charger, router, antenna, connecting cables,
tripod and thumb drive with included
Bullseye Target Manager Software. The
system is available in four editions; the
Standard and the Long Range Editions as
well as Elite Editions of both that include a
Windows based laptop.
To set the system up you merely open
the case, unfold the tripod, mount the camera
to the tripod, plug in three USB cables,
pivot the antenna into the upright position
and turn on the battery pack. The system can
be set up in a matter of minutes and the battery
will run the unit for 5 to 6 hours – plenty
The new Bullseye Camera System is a complete
wireless video camera setup that provides
remote viewing of a target from up to 1
mile away.
www.smallarmsreview.com 35 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

A
C
B
A. The system comes with everything you need packed in a secure weather resistant plastic case.
All of the components fit into die-cut pockets inside the case. There is even a tripod included. All
the shooter needs are his targets and something to hang them on. Targets can be paper, cardboard
or even steel.
B. With the camera set on the tripod you merely plug in three color-coded USB plugs, raise the
antenna to the vertical position and turn on the battery pack. A weather resistant, laminated
plastic instruction is included.
C. The camera features 60 infrared LEDs that provide the camera with excellent night vision allowing
the shooter to use the system to sight in his or her night vision optic in the dark. The shield
over the top of the camera slides back and forth to provide glare protection. Notice the small laser
mounted on the side for centering the camera on target.
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 36 Nov., Dec. 2014

Bullseye
www.smallarmsreview.com 37 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

The unit in action with the target placed at 100
yards. The author used his laptop to wirelessly
view the image of the target.
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 38 Nov., Dec. 2014

Bullseye
of time to sight in several guns. The battery
pack has a micro USB port and can
be charged from the included charger or
from any USB port.
Once the camera is set up and the
system turned on, you position the camera
off to the side and back a few feet
from the target. It just needs to be far
enough away from the target that you
don’t risk hitting the unit with a stray bullet.
If you use a laser boresighter before
you head to the range your first round
should at least be on the paper. The
camera has a small red laser mounted
on its side to position it so you don’t
have to make another trip down range
after setting up your laptop, tablet or
phone. Just turn the laser on and center
the laser dot on your target. There are
also some other camera features that
are worth mentioning. The camera has
60 infrared LEDs that give it incredible
night vision for viewing from up to 30
meters from the target. Having this feature,
you can use it when zeroing in your
optic coupled with a night vision device.
The camera’s lens is hand focus-able
to give the sharpest view of the target
possible. It also has a sliding sunshade
to prevent unwanted glare. With this
done it is time to head back up range
and start shooting.
With your firearm set up at the
shooting bench you can then use your
laptop or other wireless device to connect
to the wireless Bullseye Camera
System. With a laptop you just plug in
the included thumb drive and the included
software takes over. You may have
to go to the wireless settings on the device
and connect but it usually connects
by itself. Once it connects you have a
live video view of your target. For iPhones,
iPods, iPads and Android devices,
you can download the software free
of charge from either the App Store or
Google Play. When using a Windows
based laptop you actually get a lot more
information on the screen. The software
allows you to add shooter profiles that
keep track of who is shooting, at what
distance, what firearm is being shot,
type of ammunition and even ballistic
information of loads associated with the
target groupings. The user can also add
notes to each individual shot. All this information
can be saved along with the
images of the target.
The unit beams live video back to
your device but once you fire a shot and
hit the space bar (on a laptop) or touch a
certain button on your touch screen (on
a phone or tablet) it is saved as a still image.
The software then takes over and
the last shot is shown FLASHING on
the image. You never have to remember
which hole in the target was your last
shot. Each image is saved and shown
as a row of photos across the bottom of
your screen. You can either click on or
touch previous images to review them.
This “flash shot” feature alone makes
the unit a must have accessory but the
shooter can also change the color of
the flashing bullet holes. So if there are
multiple shooters a different color can
be assigned to each shooter and all the
shooters can use the same target. In
fact, you can use one target all day long
and still see the last shot fired. This also
works with archery (a flashing image
of the arrow) and shotguns (where all
holes from the last shot flash). You know
instantly what difference your sight adjustment
made. You can also number
the bullet holes so you know in what
order they were fired. At any time you
can switch back to a live video view of
your target.
If all these features aren’t enough
the system can work with any target. It
doesn’t matter if it’s paper, cardboard
or steel. In fact the shots show on anything
you fire at. While testing, one of
the shooters missed the target and the
bullet struck a piece of concrete block
that was downrange. The bullet took a
chunk out of the block but there was still
a flashing image of where the bullet hit.
You would think that this system is
only for shooters that have a very deep
wallet - but that’s not the case. The Long
Range Edition unit such as the one that
was used in our test retails for just $549.
For less than the price of a case of most
center fire ammunition you can own one
of these state of the art units. It comes
with a 1 year warranty and the user can
purchase an innovative new warranty
that the company calls their Downrange
Protection Plan. For just $29.95 the Bullseye
Camera System owner can have a
warranty that will replace any part of the
system that is damaged during use for 2
years. This plan even covers the unit if it
is hit by a bullet.
In this author’s opinion, the Bullseye
Camera System is a must have for
any serious recreational shooter, hunter
or even tactical shooter. The system
makes sighting in firearms fun plus the
“cool factor” is off the charts.
www.smallarmsreview.com 39 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 40 Nov., Dec. 2014

www.smallarmsreview.com 41 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

VP9
SUPPRESSED PISTOL
FROM B&T:
THE SILENT HELPER
The VP9 is inspired by the Welrod design
but modernized for Veterinary use.
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 42 Nov., Dec. 2014

BY MARK ZIMMERMAN
PHOTOS BY HILLER W. PAHLM
The legendary silenced Welrod pistol that was developed
during the Second World War for special operations has found
a worthy successor thanks to the Swiss special weapons producer
B&T (formerly Brügger & Thomet). It is called the VP9
and remains a modern, compact and extremely quiet weapon.
The primary mission of this product however, is not as “Top
Secret” as with the Welrod.
The Welrod was developed during the Second World
War for use by the British SOE and U.S. OSS and its first
deployment was in the fall of 1943. Records indicate that
2,800 pieces of this special weapon were produced in total.
Since then it has been regarded as the benchmark of practically
all specifically designed suppressed clandestine weapons.
Small Arms Review covered the Welrod in much greater
depth some years ago and the reader can refer to these well
written and in-depth articles by Anders Thygesen in the January
and February 2006 issues of SAR (available online at
www.smallarmsreview.com).
B&T presented at this year’s IWA show in Nuremburg,
Germany the VP9, a pistol that is very similar to the design
principles of the Welrod of many years ago combining the
same basic principles with modern materials and technology.
The Company
In the world of the police and military small arms and accessories,
B&T is a well-known and a highly respected manufacturer.
For the last twenty three years the company has
produced suppressors and weapons for Law Enforcement,
Special Forces and internal security. This small but dynamic
and highly innovative company is located in Thun, Switzerland.
B&T suppressors are used by virtually all major European
arms manufacturers and if one of the major OEMs in
Europe deliver a weapon with a suppressor it is more likely
than not a B&T suppressor. B&T is regarded as the world’s
leading suppressor manufacturers with B&T products being
used in more countries worldwide than any other.
Though the company started out in 1991 building suppressors,
they now also produce weapons for law enforcement
and the military. Some of the weapons produced by B&T
include the MP9, APC9, SPR300, APR308 sniper rifle and the
new APC556 and APC300 carbines chambered and qualified
for the .300 Whisper cartridge. There are several more
products in the works but that is perhaps for a later time.
Application of the Veterinary Pistol 9mm
The VP9 may have it roots in the Welrod but it has in
reality a completely different purpose than its predecessor.
The abbreviation VP9 stands for Veterinary Pistol 9mm. The
intended purpose of this weapon is the quick and humane
dispatch of sick and wounded animals.
The operator’s manual that B&T is preparing with the gun
has diagrams of where to aim exactly on certain animals to
ensure a swift and painless death. The brain cavity is placed
in much different places on different animals, i.e., the point
of aim on a horse is different than on a pig, which is different
than on a cow. A veterinarian will know this but this weapon
may also be used by a law enforcement officer or an animal
control officer who may not be familiar with a particular
animal’s physiology for a proper and humane euthanasia shot.
www.smallarmsreview.com 43 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

VP9
Above: The VP9 broken down into its major
components. Normal maintenance will never
require disassembly down to this level.
Veterinarians often use an injection to euthanize sick animals,
but there are many cases where this cannot be done
without risk. This is especially true with larger or more dangerous
animals. Of course, a normal firearm, in such a case, can
be used, but for a vet who is not experienced in dealing with
weapons, a single shot and easy to use weapon presents a
significant safety advantage. In addition, the integrated silencer
is also a safety benefit. It not only prevents hearing damage
of those present, but will also ensure that other animals in the
area are not panicked. The reduced sound of the gunshot will
also greatly aid in communication between the people present.
Hearing also will not be encumbered by hearing protection.
Another salient point is the appearance of the weapon.
The VP9 looks more like some kind of tool than a weapon.
The handle (magazine) disappears completely in the hand and
the otherwise characteristic trigger guard is missing. It doesn’t
look scary in the mind of the good citizens in the area or other
unrelated third parties. The sound of an unsuppressed gunshot
could create unwanted attention or anxiety. The low report that
is muffled and disguised will alleviate this. Additionally, the lowered
velocity of the 9mm FMJ has a much lower risk of doing
greater damage if exiting the head of the animal.
The Suppressor
Normally a weapon is constructed and the silencer is then
adapted to the weapon itself. In this case with the VP9 it was
vice versa. The B&T suppressor designers were able to draw
on the wealth of their suppressor experience in the company
and the optimal suppressor was designed and constructed
first. Only afterward was the appropriate weapon developed to
be put behind the suppressor.
The suppressor itself has a diameter of 35 mm and a
length of 154 mm. At the rear end, it has a threaded socket for
mounting on the barrel. The connector is located in the rear of
the suppressor by a 35 mm long expansion chamber, which
we can refer to as the second expansion chamber. In front
of this there are three further chambers; each chamber being
17 mm long. The chambers are separated from each other
by synthetic discs 6 mm thick. These discs are pre-cut in the
center crosswise in order to allow a projectile to slip through
the suppressor, while the remaining gases are trapped behind.
This system works extremely well for sound reduction but what
is really interesting is when one opens the action of the VP9 for
a follow up second shot there is actually a slight jet sound as
the trapped gases escape. This indicates how tight the system
is contained and how well it functions in gas retention.
Although the synthetic discs maximize the sound reduction,
these have a short service life as the reduction capacity
will decrease after about ten shots. One can expect to fire a
maximum twenty rounds with the operational field suppressor
before changing the discs are required. It makes little sense
to train with these types of baffles as one would be forced to
change the baffles regularly. To encourage practice, B&T offers
a training suppressor system. This baffle system is made of
alloy and though is not as dramatic in sound reduction it is still
well below the 140 dBA. (dB measures sound pressure levels
that are unweighted. dBA levels are “A” weighted according
to the weighting curves that approximate the way the human
ear hears.) It is virtually maintenance free and can be shot
for thousands of times. It is practically identical to the external
dimensions of the operational baffles but consists of four different
pieces and corresponds to the well-known and widely used
Impuls IIA suppressor – the same suppressor that B&T sells to
most of Europe’s pistol producers.
The Suppressor’s Performance
Many times statements made by some producers about
the sound reduction of certain products often seem rather
ambitious. Suppressor reduction claims always needs to be
treated with extreme caution; not to mention the general public
is “tainted” by cinema and television in terms of the sound a
suppressed weapon will produce.
In reality, the method of measuring sound reduction is governed
by a Mil-Std (Military Standard). The only serious and
scientifically recognized method of conducting this type of testing
is governed by Mil-Std-1474 D. When measured according
to this test protocol, the actual report of the VP9 is well below
129 dBA when using standard FMJ ammunition. This corresponds
to noise of an air rifle. As a matter of fact, the sound of
the operator manipulating the action makes more noise than
the report the weapon produces.
The Gun
The receiver of the weapon itself and various attachments
actually forms different components of the system. The first
part of the system is the receiver. It is in cylinder form and
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A
B
C
A. Field Suppressor 10 Meters.
B. Training Suppressor 10 meters.
C. The two different suppressor designs here can
be observed. The one on the left is the training version
and the one on the right is the field version.
www.smallarmsreview.com 45 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

VP9
TECHNICAL DATA:
VP9
Welrod
Caliber 9 x 19 mm 9 x 19 mm /.32 ACP
Magazine Capacity 5 6/8
Size 28.8 x 3.5 x 11.4 cm 31.0 x 3.8 x 13.3 cm
Weight 853 g 1,116 g
Sound Produced < 129 dB A n.a.
Above: The entire package comes in a very nice leather attaché case.
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 46 Nov., Dec. 2014

Top: The middle finger is used to press the trigger.
Bottom: The pistol can be fired without the magazine inserted into the weapon.
produced of standard ordinance grade steel that is 130 mm
long and 32 mm in diameter. The barrel is threaded and
screwed into the recess of the receiver. The barrel is quite short
being 50 mm long and has fifteen holes evenly drilled around
the diameter of the barrel. The only part that extends from the
receiver is the threaded part of the barrel that is about 10mm
in length. This barrel design will ensure that the gas pressure
of a standard velocity 9mm projectile is reduced to below 300
meters per second. The reason for this configuration is quite
simple: it will ensure that the operator will not be dependent
on subsonic ammunition to achieve the maximum results
regarding noise.
The locking system is somewhat like a bolt action rifle. It
has two locking lugs not unlike a standard Mauser system. The
locking lugs each have 30 mm² area. To unlock the system,
take the bolt head at the end of the weapon between the thumb
and index finger and turn the lock 90 degrees to the left. Then
pull the bolt to the rear until the action is open. To load the
weapon for the next shot, simply push the bolt closed and turn
the bolt head 90 degrees to the right to lock the bolt in battery.
A fresh cartridge will be fed from the magazine and chambered
as the bolt closes. There is a red line on the top of the bolt and
receiver that should be lined up. Repeat the process to eject
the spent case and to reload a fresh round.
The magazine functions as the handle grip of the
weapon. This feeding device has a molded handgrip applied
directly onto the magazine. The extension that the magazine
fits into extends 28 mm below the contour of the receiver.
This extension could be called the trigger assembly as the
trigger feeds into it as well. It also contains the magazine
release and safety. The safety is activated by pushing the knob
from left to right.
The Magazine
One of the design considerations of the weapon application
was that it be as compact as possible. To fill this requirement,
B&T has utilized the single-row magazine of the SIG
P225; though this magazine has been modified to accept a
capacity of only 5 rounds. This plus one in the chamber gives
the operator 6 rounds in total. The magazine is further modified
by having a polymer grip shroud that functions as a grip. Standard
P225 magazines without the shroud cannot be used. The
operator can see how many rounds are left in the magazine by
observing the holes on the side. Height of the weapon with the
magazine inserted is just shy of 114 mm. The height minus the
magazine is only 63 mm. The weapon can be fired without the
magazine inserted.
The Accessories
It can be expected that the weapon could be used during
hours of darkness or at least at twilight. It is for this reason
that the VP9 has a NATO Accessory Rail that can be mounted
on the tube of the suppressor. This will enable the operator to
mount either a light or a laser or combination of both. There
is also a rather nice transportation box made of leather which
is more like an attaché case. Inside, the foam is cut out for all
the accessories. There is another bag that that can be worn
over the shoulder or around the waist. There is a flap at the
www.smallarmsreview.com 47 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

VP9
Above: The weapon is easily operated but does take some time to get the feel of it. This is not, however, an obstacle to easy use.
muzzle end so the weapon can be fired while still being in the
case. When the weapon is disassembled it fits nicely into the
case as well.
On The Range
During the preparation of this report B&T was in the process
of conducting firing tests of the VP9 in one of their inhouse
shooting ranges. In this test there were a total of 500
shots fired from the test weapon to see what potential problem
might develop in either accuracy or functioning. Every stoppage
was analyzed and logged so that it could be discussed
with engineering to see if there was the need for some modifications
in the design. Such tests need to be completed during
the development phase of the project before it gets turned over
to production. This is an important part of the development because
despite the entire CAD design process and simulations
these experiments provide valuable insights to the actual performance
of the product. With a weapon like the VP9 it is not
required to do a 20,000 round torture test to see what failures
may or may not develop as with a select fire weapon like the
APC or MP9.
The author was present during this test and fired the weapon
quite a bit and can state that after about 200 rounds one
could feel the fact that the grip is not an ergonomic miracle.
The fact that the gun is a bolt action pistol, there is no opposing
recoil force to mitigate the recoil impulse. However, in training,
only about 20-30 rounds would be necessary as distances
would be so short and in service, use would only be one or two
rounds at a time.
Precision
The barrel length of the VP9 is only 50 mm, of which 16
mm of that is the chamber, so actually the barreled part is only
34 mm. In addition, the bullet must still pass through the 4
polymer discs, so with respect to the precision one cannot expect
too much. It isn’t a sporting gun… On the other hand, one
must understand that such a weapon will rarely be fired at distances
more than 5 meters. We conducted a test by shooting
at a target at a distance of 10 meters. The primary concern was
to determine the accuracy; a laser aiming module was mounted.
There was no Ransom Rest possible. We shot a 5 shot
group at 10 meters with both the training suppressor and the
field suppressor. The groups were: 37mm with the training suppressor
and 48mm with the field suppressor. The difference
with the synthetic discs is evident. For a closer distance of say
5 meters the accuracy would be half for a head shot of an
immobile yet wounded animal.
Conclusions
The B&T VP9 is a very interesting product that meets a
wide variety of applications. In this sense it seems to be more
of a tool than a weapon. In conversations with some of the
B&T employees they would sometime refer to it as the “Device.”
The two weapons used in these tests are pre-production
samples, one of which has already been shot more than 500
times. So it is not possible to say anything regarding the surface
treatment. In the past however everything that B&T has
produced has performed well so there is no reason to expect
the production series will not perform as well. Another point
that takes a bit of getting used to be that to eject an expended
shell and before chambering a second round one must turn
the device 90 degrees either to left or right so the round can be
ejected. With a little training it goes quite fast but it does take
some getting used to.
This is surely is an interesting item and let’s just hope that
where such devices are not considered legal, the legislation
soon changes. It makes sense in terms of animal welfare and
to protect the hearing of users and bystanders.
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 48 Nov., Dec. 2014

www.smallarmsreview.com 49 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

Glock
Generations:
Detail and Feature Evolution
By Aaron Brudenell
Introduction: Serial Numbers
According to company literature,
the first Glock pistols imported into the
U.S. came in January of 1986. These
guns had serial numbers beginning with
a two letter alpha prefix of “AF” followed
by a three digit number. This means
for every two letter combination, there
were up to 1,000 pistols produced with
numbers from 000 to 999. As of this
writing, current new production Glock
pistols bear serial numbers with a four
letter and three number combination, a
testament to the brand’s success and
longevity over the past quarter century.
Most firearm manufactures who employ
sequential serial numbering systems
would not guarantee the sequence
of numbers exactly matches production
order but on the longer time frame they
generally follow that trend. That is to
say, a firearm bearing the serial number
ABC001 may not have been completed
prior to the same model numbered
ABD001 but it’s a fair assumption that
they were made around the same time
and that EFG001 came later. Notable
exceptions to the standard serial number
structure are firearms ordered with
specified serial number ranges and formats
for law enforcement agencies and
commemorative models.
Using this assumption as a framework,
this article will seek to identify
changes in individual Glock cosmetic
and design features and identify their
sequence in the model history. While
a strict serial number sequence is an
inexact assumption, an accurate time
line of importation for serialized firearms
can be dated through records
available from Glock.
Overview of Glock Generations,
Terminology and Associated Models
Because of the nature of the firearms
manufacturing industry, terminology
can be inexact due to the influence
of non-anticipated design changes,
marketing language, and customer terminology
not originating from the manufacturer.
In some cases, this post production
vernacular sets the standard for
terminology in use by most. This stands
to reason given that the number of people
buying, using, and writing about the
firearms far out numbers those within
the company that might otherwise like
to control the terminology. This is how
distinct Glock generations came to
be understood.
Glock pistols are categorized into
four distinct generations (with a 4th ultimately
being officially acknowledged
by the gun’s markings). The first generation
guns had a relatively uniform
grip texture around the entire handle
of the frame behind and below the trigger
guard and consisted of the original
Glock model 17 and a few scarce early
model 19 pistols. The second generation
guns had rectangular checkering
on the front and back grip surfaces and
can safely be counted on to include the
models 17 through at least 24.
Third generation guns are described
as those with finger grooves
superimposed on the front strap checkering
and an accessory rail forward
of the trigger guard on models large
enough to incorporate this feature. The
addition of a slight “thumb rest” at the
upper edge of the grip is also among
these third generation features and
this particular feature relates to U.S.
importation criteria.
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Finally, 4th generation Glock models
incorporated rectangular checkering
throughout the grip surface, a
smaller grip with back strap extensions,
a reversible magazine release, and the
slide/recoil spring assembly was updated
to include a dual spring for all models.
The new slide and guide rod assemblies
are not back-compatible with
earlier models.
While these categories are useful,
the details in some cases can muddy
the waters. Several models of Glock
firearms were made bearing the 3rd
generation finger grooves but no associated
accessory rail. Guns of this
type are rare and typically described as
transitional or “Generation 2.5.” For the
collector or firearm examiner wishing
to evaluate this firearm, it’s safe to say
that guns of this type were produced in
relatively low numbers and for a short
period of time. The early versions of the
subcompact Glock 26 and 27 pistols
(9mm and .40 S&W) produced around
the same time had finger grooves on
the front strap of the pistol that were
devoid of checkering that eventually
Above: From the first generation to the
fourth, Glock models have undergone subtle
changes to the markings and textures
replicated in the molded polymer frames.
appeared on later 3rd generation versions
of those models. The slightly
larger subcompact models 29 and
30 (10mm and .45 ACP) were always
made with the checkered finger
grooves but eventually produced with
the previously omitted accessory rail.
The earlier non-railed versions of the
www.smallarmsreview.com 51 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

Glock 29 and 30 frames were made for
a longer period of time than the early
smooth finger grooved versions of the
model 26 and 27 frames.
All models produced during the
various generations were made consistently
with the features of that generation.
For that reason, early models like
the Glock 17 will have versions from
each of those generations. The Glock
model numbers appeared sequentially
although some models like the select
fire 18 and the .380 models (25 and
28) are less common due to NFA and
import restrictions.
Generation 1 Glock Features
The Generation 1 guns are an
exclusive club consisting of only the
model Glock 17 and a very few of the
earliest model Glock 19 pistols. (The
Glock 18 is the select fire version of the
model 17 and while 1st generation versions
exist, because of their rarity and
distinct internal geometry they won’t be
discussed in this article.) A long-slide
version of the 17 known as the 17L was
also produced using 1st generation
frames but the slides are interchangeable
and the frames are indistinguishable
with other model 17s. These will
be described hereafter as belonging to
the standard frame size designed for
pistols chambered in 9mm Luger, .357
SIG, .40 S&W, .380 ACP, and eventually
the .45 GAP (wide frame guns came
later). The model 17 is categorized as a
full sized pistol while the 19 is considered
to be a compact in size. Both models
were almost exclusively chambered
for 9mm Luger although a few special
exceptions have been known to exist
(e.g.-9x21mm in Europe).
The first Glock pistols imported
into the U.S. came with serial numbers
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 52 Nov., Dec. 2014

Glock
beginning with two letters followed by
the typical three numbers and a “US”
suffix indicating they were for export to
the United States. The two characteristic
proof mark logos appeared on the
frames, slides, and barrels while additional
markings, such as a three letter
manufacturer’s code and a pentagon
appeared on the barrel only.
The official serial number in the
United States is the one appearing on
the frame which includes the “US” suffix.
These numbers appear on a metal
insert on the bottom of the frame
just ahead of the trigger guard. The
early versions of these were black in
color and the “US” appears to be in a
different font than the alpha-numeric
characters that make up the rest of the
numbers. These black serial number
plates were used in the early Generation
2 Glock 19 pistols in the same serial
number ranges as their Generation 1
Glock 17 siblings.
Glock pistols have always had two
cartouches on the top and bottom of
the right side of the grip. The upper
cartouche on the generation 1 pistols
reads: “GLOCK, INC., SMYRNA, GA.”
while the lower marking read “US. Pat.
4,539, 889”. Each of these is a single
line of text that appears with embossed
characters over a smooth background
surface in the polymer of the frame
surrounded by the existing texture.
Opposite Page Top: Beginning with late 3rd and early 4th generation guns, Glock
began manufacturing handguns in the U.S. These are designated with markings on
the slide, barrel, and the upper grip cartouche on the right side of the frame.
Opposite Page Bottom: (Left to right) Grip shape and texture on generation 3, 2, and
1, Glock 17 pistols seen with corresponding generations of magazine floor plates.
Above: It was not until the 4th Generation of Glock pistols that the “Gen#” was
added to the slide markings. “Gen4” guns have a larger magazine release, square
texture elements on all sides of the grip, and a smaller palm swell that can be
augmented with grip shoes to accommodate a larger hand size.
www.smallarmsreview.com 53 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

The model 19 had another feature
change from the 17 to add points towards
those required for importation
into the U.S. The otherwise smooth
trigger of the model 17 was replaced
with a serrated version. All Glock pistols
the size of the model 19 or smaller
were fitted with serrated triggers
for importation, although it’s not uncommon
for their owners to prefer the
smoother trigger and retrofit the parts
since they are interchangeable. Another
key difference between the models
17 and 19 is the geometry of the barrel
lug and matching locking piece inside
the frame. They are positioned differently
which is why barrels are not interchangeable
between the full sized
and compact frames. This distinction
remains in subsequent generations and
models/calibers.
Generation 2 Glock Features
Because the Glock 17 preceded the
Glock 19, there was initially no need to
distinguish the two frames by markings.
In fact, the very first Glock 19 pistols (1st
generation) were actually made from
Glock 17 frames that were trimmed to
accommodate the smaller slide and
magazine. An apparent mold mark on
the left front corner of the trigger guard
was eventually used for a marking location
indicating which frame was being
produced. This subsequent mold
mark consists of a circular cartouche
with the number 17 or 19 depending
on the frame (earlier model 17’s had
no such mark).
As has been described above, the
main change that constitutes the generation
2 models is the retexturing of the
grip surface. This rectangular pattern
grip checkering on the front and back of
the grip is often referred to as “grenade”
checkering. Early generation 2 pistols
were model 17’s and 19’s that retained
the two single line grip cartouches on
the right side, the 17/19 mold marks
on the left, and Austrian proof marks
of the generation 1 models, but not all
had the silver colored serial number
insert plate.
Around 1990 and about half-way
through the two-letter serial number
ranges, Glock started importing the
models 20 (10mm), 21 (.45 ACP), 22,
and 23 (both .40 S&W). By this time,
the Austrian proof marks and the 17/19
mold mark were no longer present. The
models 22 and 23 are essentially the
.40 S&W versions of the 17 and 19 respectively;
however, the more powerful
cartridge forced a design change that
added an additional pin to retain the
locking piece in the frame. Some rare
and early versions of these pistols may
not have had the additional (3rd) pin.
The models 20 and 21 were the first of
the wide frame sizes made to accommodate
the 10mm Auto and .45 ACP
cartridges, respectively. All of these
models are 2nd generation or later with
both locking block pins in their design.
Prior to reaching the end of the
two-letter serial number ranges, a second
line was added to the upper cartouche
on the grip of the pistol which
now read:
MADE IN AUSTRIA
GLOCK, INC., SMYRNA, GA.
Right around the time of the roll
over from two-letter serial numbers to
three-letter series, the internal parts of
the pistol changed from being mostly
black in color to silver. This feature is
not always a reliable one to consider
because older guns receiving factory
or armorer upgrades often have newer
silver colored parts including some
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 54 Nov., Dec. 2014

early upgrades to pre-EH### pistols
that required an enhanced trigger bar
that would increase the sear/striker
engagement. These improved early
trigger bars had a “+” stamped on the
top rear portion near the area of striker
engagement. While this upgraded
trigger bar had a distinct shape, this
author has seen at least one example
of an earlier shaped part that has a
bronze/gold color.
Shortly after the change from
two-letter to three-letter serial numbers,
a second line was added to the lower
cartouche on the grip with two additional
patent numbers. The next internal
upgrade in this approximate chronology
was angled cuts made to the interior
of the frame to relieve the back two
corners where the locking piece sits.
Without this modification, those two
corners were prone to the initiation of
vertical cracks in the polymer due to
the repeated impact of the corners of
the metal locking piece to the frame.
The relief cuts seemed to prevent the
occurrence and could also be added to
older models after the cracks had begun
(essentially removing the cracks
in the process of making the cuts
at their location).
As with other internal upgrades,
because these were often done by the
factory after production, their presence
tells less about the age of the pistol
than their absence. Hypothetically,
were the people at Glock, Inc. to discover
an old batch of early generation
2 serialized frames; they would surely
complete these upgrades before assembling
them into pistols to be sold as
new. Likewise, pistols returned to the
factory as trade-in towards new models
might also have similar upgrades.
The list of generation 2 changes
above can be described sequentially
Glock
Top: Midway through the 2nd generation,
relief cuts were added to the rear cutout
area for the locking block. Earlier models
tended to develop tiny cracks in the polymer
of that area due to the impact of the
locking block corners during recoil. For a
time, Glock would retrofit earlier guns if
requested, although, there’s little indication
these small cracks were more than a
cosmetic issue.
Right: During the 1994-2004 ban period,
some magazines for the subcompact
Glock 26 and 27 pistols were delivered
with “RESTRICTED. . .” markings and extended
floor plates because their capacity
exceeded the 10-round limit.
www.smallarmsreview.com 55 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

ased on the assumption of the serial
numbers being sequential although this
may not strictly be true. A more accurate
description would be to say the changes
listed here occurred during a watershed
period during the middle of the
second generation. The change from
black internal parts to silver upgrade
parts, the locking piece relief cuts, and
the addition of a second line of text of
the lower cartouche are all relatively
contemporary changes roughly coinciding
with the change from the two-letter
to three-letter serial number range. Also
in this time frame, the spring and guide
rod assembly was upgraded to a one
piece unit.
A few years later, in 1994, Glock
began importing the model 24, which is
essentially the 2nd generation equivalent
of the 17L described earlier chambered
in .40 S&W. With the exception
of custom marked guns, all model 24’s
and all subsequent model numbers
have at least three letters in the serial
number range. Some time later the angle
of the right rear surface of the ejection
port was changed from a 90 degree
angle to something slightly larger. This
change occurred between the introduction
of the model 24 and the subcompact
models 26 and 27 in 9mm and .40
S&W respectively. What this means is
that one may encounter a model 24 with
the earlier 90 degree ejection port angle
but all models 26 and later had the
newer geometry.
The early model 26 and 27 pistols
were the first to incorporate finger
grooves in the front strap of the grip;
however, these were not checkered like
those that came before and after. It may
be easiest to regard the models 26-28
with the smooth front strap as generation
2 because they are like the proto
type for the generation 3 changes and
appeared prior to the addition of the accessory
rail that fully defines generation
3 guns. These first subcompact pistols
incorporated the “thumb rest” feature
at the top of the grip so they could be
legally imported into the U.S. market.
On the other hand, the large frame
subcompact pistols, models 29 and 30
(chambered in 10mm Auto and .45 ACP
Above: The “Short Frame” Glocks appeared in the 3rd Generation and were designated by an embossed “SF” in a cartouche on the
right side of the frame just ahead of the trigger guard. One model of the 21 SF even included an ambidextrous magazine release and
1913 rail attachment point in lieu of the traditional accessory mount. These features were added in anticipation of a U.S. Army handgun
contract that never materialized. Both features appear to have been discarded on all later models, although all future magazines
(regardless of caliber) retain the additional new magazine release geometry on the front wall of the magazine. These Ambidextrous
Glock 21 SF models represent a relatively limited number and short period of time for manufacture.
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 56 Nov., Dec. 2014

Glock
Top: One unusual 3rd generation variation is the Rich Texture Finish (RTF) model that incorporated a tiny pyramid element texture to
all surfaces of the grip and a different geometry to the slide serrations. These models are relatively uncommon.
Magazines evolved from left to right with the following changes: 1-the earliest NFML type without caliber markings and a U shaped
top, 2-with caliber markings, 3-FML type with a square shaped top, 4-FML type without two smaller holes on the lower/rear face and
with RESTRICTED LE/GOVERNMENT ONLY markings, 5-FML with variable hole spacing towards the top (also with “RESTRICTED.
. .” markings), 6-FML without “RESTRICTED. . .” markings, and 7-later FML with narrower feed lips and a new internal geometry not
compatible with prior follower types. “RESTRICTED. . .” markings coincide with the 10 year period of the Assault Weapons Ban from
1994-2004 and are so dated.
www.smallarmsreview.com 57 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

espectively) were always produced with
checkered finger grooves on the front
strap and their ultimate upgrade to having
an accessory rail occurred much later
so it may be best to classify all of these
in generation 3.
Generation 3 Glock Features
Generation 3 Glocks incorporated
all of the feature changes listed above
and changed very little in the years to
come. A few early models of the .357
SIG pistols were made with finger
grooves and no accessory rail (a.k.a.
“generation 2.5”) but these can be considered
rare. Additional models added
after the switch to generation 3 included
the 29 (10mm), 30 (.45 ACP), 31-33
(.357 SIG), 34 (9mm), 35 (.40 S&W),
and the slim frame model 36 which was
unique in that it was a .45 ACP pistol
with the slide dimensions of the 9mm
and a single stack frame that was even
thinner! The models 37-39 were later
introduced in the .45 GAP cartridge.
These guns used the standard 9mm
sized frame with a wider slide similar to
the 10mm/.45 ACP models.
Towards the later years of the 3rd
generation, some special versions of
existing models were introduced along
side the standard models. Versions of
several models described as having a
Rich Texture Finish (RTF) were made
that incorporated a distinct texture on
all surfaces of the grip and cosmetically
unique slide serrations. These were not
commercially successful and subsequently
produced in smaller numbers.
Some of the larger 10mm/.45 ACP
models were made with “Short Frames”
(SF) that had a grip back strap/palm
swell that was reduced in size. These
models arrived around the same time
as the addition of the accessory rail
on the subcompact versions (29/30)
and were marked on the right side of
the frame above the trigger guard with
a short cartouche bearing an “SF”
embossed on the smooth polymer.
One smaller subset of these models
is the Glock 21 SF with the larger
1913 rail built into the frame instead of
the usual single notch accessory rail.
These were made in anticipation of design
features requested for a new U.S.
Army service pistol competition. This
particular model was made with a new
ambidextrous magazine release that
was very different from the previous designs.
This system captured the magazine
with a thin paddle on the forward
interior of the magazine well and would
not function with older magazine designs.
For this reason, all subsequent
magazines were made with this additional
forward cutout, although the military
competition never happened and
these design features have not been
repeated on subsequent models.
Around the time of the SF models,
the serial numbers on Glock frames
dropped the “US” suffix and all slide,
frame, and barrel numbers were identical.
This occurred before the arrival
of the 4th generation designs or the
U.S. made Glock pistols that appear
to all use the longer four letter plus
three number serial number structure.
At present, both 3rd and 4th generation
pistols are being made in the U.S. and
Austria. The only technical difference
between the two seems to be in the
metal finish – the Tennifer process used
in Austria has been replaced by a Melonite
process for U.S. made handguns.
It remains to be seen if this difference
will distinguish the two products in the
open market.
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 58 Nov., Dec. 2014

www.smallarmsreview.com 59 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

THE ASAI ONE PRO HANDGUN
BY BOB CAMPBELL
The ASAI One Pro is an exceptionally
well made handgun that should give
good service.
The ASAI One Pro pistol may be the
finest example of Swiss precision this
author has yet seen. Comparing this
.45 caliber handgun to the SIG P210
or any other handgun doesn’t leave the
One Pro coming up short. The One Pro
is now out of production and only a few
were imported. When originally offered
for sale by Magnum Research the pistol
sold for less than six hundred dollars
and today examples in good condition
command twice that sum. In this review
we will look at some of the reasons the
One Pro is held in such high regard.
The pistol was designed by European
designer Martin Tuma and manufactured
by Oerlikon. The pistol features a
double action first shot trigger, a well-designed
and easy to manipulate slide
lock, an equally handy decock lever, excellent
combat sights and custom grade
slide serrations. The pistol is a double
column magazine .45 ACP caliber handgun
with an 11 round capacity. The pistol
is similar to the AT 88 and other Tuma
designs, but it is an improvement over
earlier pistols.
In common with the CZ 75 handgun
that the One Pro seems based on, the
slide of the One Pro rides inside the
frame rails. This results in a lower bore
axis than is common with double action
handguns. While there are advantages
to the low profile CZ the slide is more
difficult to rack as a result of this design.
The One Pro addresses this difficulty
with seven diamond pattern studded
cocking serrations on each side of the
slide. The slide is taller than the CZ 75
while remaining a low profile inside of
the frame. The full length rails maintain
contact with the receiver and increase
accuracy potential in terms of intrinsic
accuracy. The One Pro is of all steel construction,
which means that it is about as
heavy as a Government Model 1911A1
.45. In modern times this weight would
limit institutional sales. Supposedly a
lightweight frame pistol was planned but
I have never seen one.
The pistol relies upon proven locked
breech short recoil principles. There is
no barrel bushing and the One Pro relies
upon angled camming surfaces for
unlock. The barrel hood butts solidly
into the slide. There is a positive firing
pin block or drop safety. The tall sights
seem dated and while they offer a good
sight picture a more modern handgun
would probably use low profile sights.
Just the same, the overall fit and finish
of the pistol is excellent and few if any
handguns surpass the feel of quality
although a few equal the One Pro. The
sights ride in a wide dovetail and there
is a nicely turned rib that runs along the
top of the slide. The machining of the
slide is first class and clearly took considerable
time to execute. This is not a
handgun designed to be produced economically,
but a handgun designed to
promote excellence.
The frame is nicely finished with
the front and back strap each nicely
checkered to aid adhesion. The trigger
guard is conventional and the trigger is
rounded rather than hooked as in other
CZ clones. The trigger guard will accommodate
gloved hands. The grip frame is
engineered to accept a ten-round magazine.
The One Pro is a 10 +1 or 11 round
.45 ACP pistol. This is quite an engineering
feat. The grip frame is no larger
than a 9mm CZ 75, as an example,
and considerably smaller than a Glock
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 60 Nov., Dec. 2014

ASAI ONE
The diamond pattern cocking serrations are a custom grade touch that makes handling the pistol much easier.
21 .45 caliber handgun. However, the
single bone of contention with the One
Pro comes with this grip frame. The bevel
at the front strap is not comfortable
for all shooters compared to the original
CZ 75. The grip panels are skimpy
for the frame and seem out of place on
such a well-made handgun. The grip
panels are roughened for abrasion and
do the job but little else. The grip frame
is slightly recurved near the base, perhaps
in a portion of the Divine Angle.
The grip frame isn’t uncomfortable but
the angle of the bevel could have been
more rounded.
Ergonomically, the decock lever,
the magazine release and the slide lock
are all within easy reach without resorting
to shifting the grip on the handgun.
The pistol has a good heft and a good
natural point. The One Pro is heavy but
sets well in the hand. This weight serves
in good stead when firing heavy loads.
While lighter .45 caliber handguns are
not painful to fire after a few magazines
the jolt of recoil begins to take its toll.
The One Pro is comfortable to fire in extended
training sessions. As an example,
the powerful Speer 200 grain Gold
Dot +P was used in the One Pro and the
recoil was not severe, in fact, downright
comfortable. Yet this load breaks 1,000
fps in the One Pro’s 4.5 inch barrel. The
pistol is well made of good material and
seems smooth in operation but the true test
of the handgun is in firing.
When firing the One Pro a consideration
was the trigger action. The double action
mechanism of the One Pro is the lightest
and smoothest I have tested in any handgun.
The double action trigger compression
was measured on an electronic scale and
the trigger breaks at 5 pounds 11 ounces.
This is lighter than many single action triggers.
Yet, when the trigger is pressed the
trigger both cocks and drops the hammer
with less than six pounds of pressure. There
was some concern that the action might not
be sufficient to crack all primers, but this
was not the case (some brands of ammunition
use harder primers than others). The
One Pro never failed to ignite the primer.
www.smallarmsreview.com 61 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

ASAI ONE
The single action trigger compression
is less than three pounds. When using
such a light trigger action the compression
felt like a finely tuned target handgun.
This pull weight is far too light for a
service pistol, in my opinion. The shooter
that wished to use such a handgun
for personal defense would be advised
to adhere to this handgun and no other
and to train hard and then fire the pistol
often. During the firing test on more than
one occasion the author doubled, firing
two shots when I intended to fire a single
shot, with the single action press. After
some acclimation the trigger was mastered
sufficiently to rate it controllable.
In off-hand combat firing the light trigger
isn’t really an advantage as the light
press sometimes causes even a trained
shooter to clutch the trigger. When firing
for groups off of the benchrest the
situation was different. The good sights
and light trigger action aided in obtaining
excellent accuracy. Firing at 25 yards
from a solid benchrest, the One Pro
sometimes delivered five shot groups
hovering around an inch. Almost always
human error intervened and the average
groups opened to 1.5 to 2.0 inches. Just
the same, the One Pro is a very accurate
handgun. An observation was made
that the single action trigger of the One
Pro is free of the modest backlash often
exhibited by CZ 75 type trigger actions.
When running combat drills the One
Pro showed excellent results. Drawing
and engaging targets at 5, 7 and
10 yards, hits were well centered. The
transition from double action to a single
action trigger presented no difficulty.
When performing speed reloads the tapered
high capacity magazines allowed
rapid replenishment of the ammunition
supply. The pistol functioned well with
CCI Blazer ball ammunition and brass
cased American Eagle ammunition.
230 grain ball loads strike just above
the point of aim. This is a good service
setting, with the slight off-set easily accounted
for at close range. The pistol
is dead on with this zero at 50 yards
and will probably prove accurate at
extended handgun range.
All told, the One Pro is an interesting
handgun with much to recommend.
It is accurate, reliable, and well made of
good material. It is an excellent handgun
on every count. While there are less
expensive handguns, there are few with
the pride of ownership and heritage of
this handgun.
Right: The One Pro proved accurate,
reliable and fast handling in all drills.
Accuracy results, fired from a solid benchrest firing position at 25 yards-
Load
Average for two 5-shot groups
CCI Blazer 230 grain FMJ
2.5 inches
Federal American Eagle 230 gain FMJ 1.75 inches
Federal 230 grain HST 230 grain JHP 1.5 inches
Speer 200 grain Gold Dot +P
1.5 inches
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 62 Nov., Dec. 2014

www.smallarmsreview.com 63 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

.22 Long Rifle
CONVERSION FOR THE BLACK RIFLE PART 2
By Christopher R. Bartocci
Without a doubt, the .22 Long Rifle caliber
ammunition is the most popular in the industry.
Rifles and handguns are made in every configuration
possible making it a universal caliber. For
the occasional plinker there is a gun and ammo
combination and for the competitive shooter
there is a rifle and ammunition combination as
well. Hunters love the caliber for small game.
All of the major U.S. ammunition manufacturers
make multiple loads in this popular caliber.
Ammunition is broken down into 4 categories
for the most part. First is subsonic, which is normally
1,050 fps or less. This is good for use with
suppressors as well as when noise is desired
to be reduced. The second is standard velocity,
which is normally around 1,150 fps. This is often
target and match ammunition. The third is high
velocity, which is usually around 1,280 fps. This
is often for target and hunting ammunition. Also,
this is preferred in semiautomatic firearms to reliably
cycle the action. The fourth is hyper velocity,
which is around 1,500 fps. This is normally
a hunting load. Projectiles for the .22 Long Rifle
are basically lead round nose or hollow point. Often
they will be copper plated to keep the bore
from leading. Some are truncated cone shaped
such as the Remington Viper and Yellow Jacket.
These truncated cone shaped projectiles often
encounter feeding problems in semiautomatic
firearms. There are specialty bullets as well is
various subsonic loads.
For instance, Federal Cartridge Company
offers standard (Champion), subsonic (American
Eagle), match (Gold Medal) and high velocity
(Champion and Game Shok) hunting rounds.
Remington offers a wide range of loads. In standard
velocity they offer a .22 Target Load. In high
velocity they offer the Cyclone, Thunderbolt and
Game Load. In hyper velocity they offer the Viper
and Yellow Jacket. CCI offer one of the largest
selections of loads. In subsonic they offer the
Subsonic HP and Quiet .22. CCI offers Standard
Velocity with the STR VEL, Green Tag Match,
Pistol Match and Select. High velocity offerings
include SGB, Mini-Mag and AR Tactical. CCI offers
hyper velocity rounds in the Stinger, Velocitor
and SRG. Winchester offers a significant number
of options as well with one in particular that is
pertinent to this article. It is called their M22 load
which is a 40 grain Black Copper Plated round
nose projectile fired at 1,255 fps. This was specifically
designed to burn cleaner in AR-type .22
Long Rifle rifles.
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 64 Nov., Dec. 2014

Above: Left to right: The original U.S. Government M261 conversion kit used by the U.S. military from the 1970s until the adoption
of the M16A2. The second is the WMD “Little Beast.” This is a NiB-X coated conversion kit designed by Jonathan Arthur Ciener. It
is an Atchisson-style drop in carrier. This particular conversion bolt is sold by CMMG and Stag Arms. The conversion bolt Colt sold
in the early 1990s was similar with a modification – the addition of a spring loaded plunger to the rear of the bolt. The third is the
Tactical Solutions bolt. Notice the unique buffer on the rear of the action spring. The fourth is a modified Atchisson-style with the
feed ramp on the end of the bolt instead of the barrel. This style bolt has been used by CMMG, Spikes Tactical and Core15. The fifth
is the Chiappa bolt, which is similar in design to the Tactical Solution. There is a spacer added to seal the ejection port and not allow
dirt to enter. The sixth is the DPMS bolt – very simple and robust. The mass in the rear assists in the forward movement of the bolt.
www.smallarmsreview.com 65 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

Black Dog Machine, LLC Magazines
In 2005, Black Dog Machine of
Nampa, ID introduced their first polymer
AR-22 Long Rifle magazine. The
AR 15/22 magazine referred to as “the
skinny body” magazine is now referred
to the “Gen 1.” Black Dog Machine
began their development with polymer
because they wanted to supply the market
with the first molded magazine for a
reasonable price right when the 1994
Assault Weapon ban sunset. Black Dog
Machine is without a doubt the leading
manufacture of .22 Long Rifle magazines
for the AR platform in the industry.
They manufacture magazines for 14 different
OEM’s. In fact, all but two of the
conversion upper receivers tested for
this article came shipped with Black Dog
Machine magazines.
In 2011, the Black Dog Machine
magazines got an upgrade to cast stainless
steel feed lips. This is a big upgrade
to this sensitive part of the magazine
and was released on all of the XF line
of magazines. The follower on the Black
Dog Machine magazines holds the bolt
open after the last shot. It does not actuate
a bolt catch; as soon as the magazine
is removed from the rifle the bolt
slams forward. This is very important in
the life of the firing pin. If the chamber
is empty and the hammer falls, the firing
pin will peen around the chamber on
the face of the barrel – not only damaging
the firing pin but the peening of the
chamber can be enough to stop a round
from chambering. Locking back on the
follower prevents this damage from
taking place.
Black Dog offers magazine capacity
of 10, 25, 32 and 50 rounds. Straight
stick magazines are offered in 10-round
capacity in both black and translucent
polymer. The 25-round magazines
are curved like the standard 30-round
5.56mm magazine and are also offered
in black and translucent polymer. The
most interesting magazine tested was
their billet black 25-round magazine.
This was designed to mimic the exact
weight of a full 30-round 5.56mm
magazine at 1 pound. When this was
placed in the Tac Sol and DPMS upper
equipped rifles the weight/balance was
identical to that of a standard M4 carbine.
Also offered is a polymer 32-round
magazine. The follower is thumb assisted
to aid in loading. This is a very long
magazine. Of the three lowers tested,
both of the sample magazines fit in the
well quite snug. When tested they did
not malfunction but due to the extreme
size the standard 25-round magazines
were far more appropriate for shooting
off a bench as they all dropped free from
any mag well they were inserted into.
The other magazine tested was Black
Dog Machines’ 50-round drum magazine.
Many attempts have been made
to make 50 and 100-round capacity
magazines in .22 Long Rifle. Most were
a complete failure. This one, however,
is quite well thought out and executed.
The magazine is convertible by simply
getting a conversion kit and changing
out the feeding tower so it can be used
in either a Ruger 10/22 or AR-type lower
receiver. The magazine has ridges on
the rear of the back of the drum to aid
in loading. Slightly pushing down on the
rear allows the follower to drop slightly
so a round may be easily inserted. This
magazine was loaded five times with
CCI Mini-Mag and Stinger ammunition
out of the Tac Sol upper and the Chiappa
upper and there were no malfunctions at
all. This magazine performed well with
the high and hyper velocity ammunition.
All of the mentioned magazines were
tested throughout the research for this
article. No malfunctions were encountered
due to these magazines at all. All
of the malfunctions encountered were
ammunition related (low power standard
ammo). The quality is excellent which is
why 14 OEM’s trust these magazines to
go out with their product.
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 66 Nov., Dec. 2014

.22 Long
Top: Chiappa .22 LR upper conversion kit mounted on a ATI OMNI Hybrid lower
receiver group. The group at 25 yards was just under an inch with ATI Scorpion .22 LR high
velocity ammunition.
Bottom: Black Dog Machine, LLC was kind enough to provide samples of their entire
line of magazines for testing the receivers for this project. As test and evaluation receivers
started coming in, it was found that most of the sample receivers came with
Black Dog Machine magazines. So Black Dog Machine is a major OEM supplier.
Magazines are made in 10, 15, 25, 26, 30 and 50-round capacities in both black
and translucent configurations.
www.smallarmsreview.com 67 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

Spikes Tactical .22 ST-22 Upper
Receiver Conversion
In 2008, Spikes Tactical introduced
their .22 Long Rifle conversion kit as
well as complete rifles called the ST-22.
These are amongst the highest quality
of those tested. It should be noted that
as of this time, Spikes Tactical has discontinued
production of the ST-22 series
due to the high demand of their 5.56mm
and .300 Blackout rifles. There is a good
chance once things calm down with the
demand for the larger caliber, Spikes
Tactical will bring back the ST-22 line.
Spikes Tactical has offered nearly 50
variations of their ST-22. That is every
combination of handguard, lower receiver,
gas block, barrel length and muzzle
device you can think of including some
different markings on the receivers.
The receiver sent for test and evaluation
came with a Mil-Spec 7075-T6 aircraft
aluminum upper receiver. It has a
Close views of the features
offered by Spikes
Tactical on their .22LR conversion
upper. Notice the
marked receiver stating the receiver
is ST-22, .22LR caliber.
Shown top right is a close view of
the Spikes Tactical Dynacomp. The
bolt is similar to that of the CMMG
where the feeding mechanism
is contained in the end
of the bolt group instead of
the feed ramps being attached
to the end ofthe
barrel. Also notice the
bolt group is nickel
boron coated.
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 68 Nov., Dec. 2014

forward assist although it serves no purpose
other than cosmetic. The receiver
also has the fired cartridge case deflector
and ejection port dust cover. The top
of the rail has a regular Mil-Std-1913 rail
along with a beautifully engraved spider
on the rear by the charging handle.
The barrels used by Spikes Tactical
are both Lothar Walther and Green
Mountain, both 1:16 twist. The barrel
on the test and evaluation unit was a
Lothar Walther. The Lothar also had a
slightly tighter chamber and bore that
improved accuracy and reliability due to
the increased back pressure. The barrel
lengths offered go from 5.5 up to 16
inches. The barrel on the T&E unit was
16 inches in length. The muzzle device
attached was the Spikes Tactical Dyna
Comp. The Dyna Comp is designed to
reduce recoil impulse and muzzle climb
to provide faster follow-up shots. This is
accomplished by balancing the direction
of the blast along the vertical and perpendicular
planes of the muzzle to lower
muzzle rise, while the end of the devise
restricts forward energy to reduce parallel
recoil. The ports are ball dimpled
for smoother expansion of gases and
rapid heat dissipation. The compensator
is Melonite treated.
The rail provided on the upper receiver
is the Spikes Tactical ST/S3. The
rail is 13.2 inches in length with quad
Mil-Std 1913 rails. The rail is attached
to a proprietary barrel nut that leaves
the barrel fully free floated. The rail is
manufactured from an extrusion and
Type III anodized hardcoat finished.
All of the rails are scalloped for operator’s
comfort. There are four QD sockets
as well. The rail is very well made
and very durable.
The bolt is a modified Atchisson design.
This design has an interchangeable
front that is held in place by the
receiver frame. This particular one is
equipped with a barrel collar assembly
that contains the feed ramp; the barrel
end slides into the barrel collar assembly.
The bolt group is entirely finished in
NP3 Nickel Teflon.
The upper receiver was placed on
the Aero Precision lower receiver. All
magazines used were Black Dog Machine
10, 25 and 50- round magazines.
The upper was tested with CCI Mini-
Mag, Remington Golden Bullet, Scorpion,
Federal Match and CCI Stinger.
The rifle would not reliably cycle with the
Federal Match and justly so due to it being
standard velocity but this was by far
the most accurate load. All other ammunition
fed reliably and accurately. More
than 200 rounds were fired through this
upper with only a few malfunctions due
www.smallarmsreview.com 69 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

to ammunition. Every manufacturer of
these conversion units recommended
high velocity or hyper velocity ammunition
to make the rifle fire reliably.
Although the ST-22 went out of production
in January of 2013, there are
still many upper conversions as well
as complete rifles out there. This is a
high quality conversion that has had a
lot of time and thought gone into it to
make it that much better than some of
its competitors. Hopefully at some point
Spikes Tactical will put them back into
production. Tom Miller at Spikes Tactical
told this author that they have everything
they need to go right back into
production when the time comes.
Core15 .22 Long Rifle Conversion
Core15 is one of the newest manufacturers
in the AR-business out of
Ocala, Florida. When they opened their
doors they hired Israel Anzaldua, formerly
a Bushmaster senior executive,
to assist them in getting going. They
have very quickly gained a reputation of
being one of the higher tier AR manufacturers.
They make rifles in 5.56mm,
7.62x51mm and .300 Blackout. They
manufacture .22 Long Rifle conversion
uppers only, not complete rifles. Core15
introduced their .22 Long Rifle line up
in December of 2011. They offer 5 different
variations: M4, MOE, TAC, TAC
III with 12 inch rail and the TAC III with
a 15 inch rail.
The upper receiver received for test
and evaluation was the TAC III with the
15 inch rail. The MSRP on this particular
upper is $629.99. The upper receiver is
a standard 7075 T6 aircraft grade aluminum
upper receiver with a forward assist
(looks only), fired cartridge case deflector
and ejection port dust cover. The
charging handle is manufactured from
a solid piece of 6061-T6 billet aluminum
allowing it to be held to extremely consistent
tolerances and maintain exceptional
level of strength. The charging
handle is equipped with the Core15 V2
tactical latch.
The 16 inch barrel is nitride coated
and equipped with a standard A2-
type compensator. Core15 currently
out-sources their .22 Long Rifle barrels
to Green Mountain but are in the process
of manufacturing their own barrels.
As of this writing, Core15 is manufacturing
their own 5.56mm barrels. The
barrel on the test and evaluation unit is
manufactured from 4140 steel and has a
twist rate of 1 turn 16 inches. The handguard
provided on the test and evaluation
unit is the Midwest Industries Gen
2 SS series handguard. The handguard
has a 1.5 inch outer diameter and is very
light. The rail is manufactured from 6061
aluminum and uses a proprietary barrel
nut that must be installed by a gunsmith.
The rail is set up so that there are removable
rail segments that allow the
user to only put on what is needed and
not to worry about the others being damaged.
The provided upper was equipped
with two of the 2-inch rail panels mounted
at 3 and 9 o’clock on the front
of the handguard.
The bolt is a modified Atchisson design.
This design has an interchangeable
front that is held in place by the
receiver frame. The bolt group is made
from 4143 stainless steel. This particular
one is equipped with a barrel collar
assembly that contains the feed ramp.
The barrel end slides into the barrel collar
assembly. The bolt group is nickel
boron coated.
The upper was tested solely with
Black Dog Machine magazines and
placed on the Aero Precision lower receiver.
The upper was tested with CCI
MiniMag, Remington Golden Bullet,
Scorpion, Federal Match and CCI Stinger.
Approximately 200 rounds were fired.
Like all the rifles before it and after it, the
upper would not cycle with the Federal
Match ammo due to it being standard
velocity. However, the best groups were
shot with this ammo. Other than that, the
rifle cycled reliability with all the ammunition
it was fed. Core15 recommends
CCI and Winchester ammunition and
stated their uppers have zero issues
with CCI Stingers.
Core15 offers 5 variations that cover
any customer. They are very high
quality but expensive. You do get what
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 70 Nov., Dec. 2014

.22 Long
Above: Core15 TAC III .22 Long Rifle with 15 inch rail. The upper receiver
was put on an Aero Precision lower receiver group. The EOTech holographic
sight used for testing accuracy at 25 yards.
Above: DPMS upper.
Right: Bolt used in the DPMS .22 LR
upper conversion. Note the two piece
bolt group linked by the action spring.
On the bottom, the DPMS is the only one
of the receivers that had the ejector bolted
into the receiver.
you pay for. Their most popular upper
is their TAC III with the 12 or 15-inch
Midwest Industries rail system. Core15
feels that it is the narrowest rail in the
industry, providing comfort, lightweight
and modularity.
DPMS
DPMS has been around for quite
some time and they were probably
one of the earliest to come out with a
.22 Long Rifle conversion kit. DPMS
introduced their line of conversion upper
receivers in the fall of 2011. They
offer two models: The AP4 and the Bull
Barrel. The Bull barrel is a very heavy
16 inch barrel with a free float tubular
handguard. The AP4 was sent for
test and evaluation.
The upper receiver is rather unique
compared to all the others tested. The
receiver is manufactured from 7075 T6
aircraft aluminum and is machined to be
dedicated solely to .22 Long Rifle caliber.
First, the ejection opening is half
the length of the standard M16/M4. Second,
there is no cam slot machined into
the receiver. Thirdly, the inside of the
receiver is a different shape to accept
www.smallarmsreview.com 71 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

a rectangular shaped bolt group. The
forward assist is permanently attached
into the receiver and stationary. You
have the appearance but it is non-functioning.
The rail is the typical Mil-Std
1913. Another totally unique feature of
this upper receiver is that the ejector is
screwed into the left side of the inside of
the receiver.
The barrel on the AP4 tested is 16
inches in length with a 1 turn in 16 inch
twist. The barrel is manufactured by
DPMS and is manufactured from 4140
steel and Teflon coated. The barrel has
the step-cut for mounting the M203 (not
that you would) as well as a standard
A2-style compensator. The front sight
base was pinned to the barrel and has
a bayonet lug. Standard large M4-type
handguards came on it with a delta ring.
The charging handle is proprietary
on this design. There is a raised portion
of material on top of the bolt that rides
in a track in the charging handle. The
bolt is also very unique compared to the
rest of the uppers tested. It consists of
two pieces and the recoil/action spring.
The front part of the bolt is not so out of
the ordinary other than the shape. The
piece of metal on the rear is out of the
norm. It is a rather large chunk of metal.
It appears the reason for the large chunk
of metal is not just to take up space but,
due to the mass, will assist on more energy
to drive the bolt forward. Try to picture
bolt carrier bounce on a M4 but reverse
the direction of the bounce. When
two pieces of metal collide and one is
heavier than the other, there will be rebound
due to the physics of the thing.
This would appear to be the logic behind
it – or it could just be a sheer benefit of
the design.
The upper receiver was placed
on the Aero Precision lower receiver.
Only Black Dog Machine magazines
were used. The upper was tested with
CCI MiniMag, Remington Golden Bullet,
Scorpion, Federal Match and CCI
Stinger. This was the only rifle to cycle
the standard velocity Federal match
ammunition. The upper fired all 25 without
a hitch. More than 200 rounds of
the mentioned ammunition were fired
without a single malfunction. The rifle
grouped very well, although the range
was 15 yards.
The DPMS is certainly an excellent
option for one looking for a .22 Long
Rifle conversion kit. The AP4 is a great
all-round upper. The bull barrel version
is great for a competitor or for one who
likes to put every bullet in the same hole.
The quality of this upper receiver is excellent
and with an MSRP $399 it is hard
to beat.
Chiappa M4-22, .22 Long
Rifle Conversion
Chiappa has been known mostly
for blank firing weapons as well as
reproduction firearms from way back
– opening their doors in Italy in 1958.
They opened a facility in Dayton, Ohio
in 2007 to expand their North American
market. Chiappa introduced both their
M4-22 upper receiver conversion and
their M4-22 complete rifle. They offer
three different upper receivers. First is
the M4-22 (CF500-059) upper, which
is a 16 inch government profile barrel.
This upper has standard M4-type handguards
and a polymer upper receiver.
The receiver has a forward assist (nonfunctional),
fired cartridge case deflector
and ejection port cover. The average
selling price is around $350. This upper
comes with a 28-round magazine. The
next is the M4-22 Gen II Pro (CF500-
097), which differs from the standard
by having a 7.8 inch free floating handguard.
The third variation is the M4-22
Gen II Pro (CF500-095), which differs
from the previous by having an 11.8 inch
free floating barrel.
There were three different uppers
tested during this research. All were the
same but with different handguards. The
barrel was equipped with a standard A2-
style compensator. The bolt is a modified
Atchisson. The feed ramp is on the
end of the barrel itself. There is a spacer
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 72 Nov., Dec. 2014

.22 Long
Left: The Chiappa upper receivers were mounted on an American
Tactical Imports OMNI Hybrid polymer lower receiver for testing.
Note the Leupold optic that was used for accuracy testing.
Above: The Chiappa bolt group (top). Notice this is black; the other two receivers had a chrome plated finish. The back
of the bolt has a spacer to keep dirt from entering the receiver through the ejection port. The bottom shows both loaded
and unloaded Chiappa polymer magazines.
directly behind the bolt that seals up the
ejection port protecting the inside of the
rifle from debris. Both black and chrome
plated carriers were seen.
The upper receiver was placed on
an American Tactical Gen 2 Hybrid polymer
lower receiver. This was the most
finicky of the lot. Quite accurate at 25
yards with 28 rounds in just over an inch
with Scorpion ammunition but the uppers
experienced some failures for the
bolt to fully close. This was pretty much
the only type of malfunction. Probably
5% of the rounds failed to cycle properly.
If the round fired, it extracted, ejected
and fed. At this point is where the hiccups
began. This rifle did not like Stingers;
the longer case was a contributor
to failure of the bolt to close. The best
performance came with Scorpion and
CCI MiniMag ammunition. The magazine
is proprietary to Chiappa but the
Black Dog Machine magazines worked
perfect as well. The Chiappa magazine
was a little more difficult to load and
you had to get the technique down. If
the back end of the rim of the cartridge
did not all stagger, that would interrupt
the shot column from rising and cause
a stoppage. All three of the uppers tested
experienced this failure for the bolt
to close. One of the uppers only had it
happen a few times. This could have
well been a chamber issue. The chamber
and bore were scrubbed and clean
to insure there was no lead fouling.
The Chiappa receiver has the lowest
MSRP and is not a bad unit to start
off with. Chiappa has excellent customer
service and were very helpful.
Chiappa has some OEM contracts for
these upper receivers. Finding the right
ammunition is always the key to reliability.
During testing, due to the sheer
number of uppers tested there just was
not enough time or ammunition to do
any real ammo compatibility testing.
Given more time and ammo this author
is sure I could have found a winning
ammo/rifle combination.
There are many options out there
for the purchaser of a .22 conversion
kit. Certainly some are better than others.
Based on this testing, price is not
always a determining factor for quality.
Mostly yes, but not always. The DPMS
is the perfect example, with a low $399
MSRP it outperformed some of the ones
in the $600 range. Then again the top
performer has an MSRP of $625. The
testing showed clearly that the .22 Long
Rifle caliber is just not as reliable as a
center fire cartridge. When the rifle malfunctioned
it took some time to determine
if the problem was with the rifle or
the ammunition. Mostly, it came down to
the inconsistencies of the ammunition.
Good magazines make a difference and
for best reliability result leave a standard
trigger group with a rounded hammer.
During testing two match grade triggers
were tested with the notched hammer
and the rifle would malfunction. Also,
you do not want to change out your
hammer spring for a lighter one. This
may cause issues with detonation on
the hard rim of the cartridge case. Stay
with high velocity ammunition. The best
result from this testing showed CCI MiniMag,
CCI Stinger, Scorpion, Federal
American Eagle, Winchester M-22 and
Remington Thunder Bolt. Every rifle can
be a little different; you may find a round
that works better in your particular rifle.
www.smallarmsreview.com 73 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

By Leszek Erenfeicht
For years on end it was but a legend.
With just a few words about it and
even fewer photographs known thereof,
two were repatriated; then a gunsmith
from Poznan started to manufacture
replicas of it. The Maroszek self-loading
rifle was resurrected at last.
The uncertainty of even the very
existence of such a rifle ended in 1974
when a letter arrived at the Polish Army
Museum in Warsaw from an Arizona-based
American gun collector containing
several photographs of a rifle
nobody had seen before – but some
had heard of. The sender was the late
Robert Faris, and the photos were
showing an unknown self-loading rifle,
s/n 1048, of his collection. He bought it
from another gentleman with the understanding
that this was a Czech weapon
for the description on top of the receiver
said “Zbr.2” like ‘Zbrojovka’ and there
were stamps showing a ‘Z in circle’ all
over the rifle – exactly like Czechoslovak
stamps. Then Mr. Faris undertook
research in Dr. Miroslav Sada’s book on
Czechoslovak small arms, published in
Prague in 1971, and found not a sign of
any weapon similar to that. When after
a year or two he found similar ‘Z in circle’
stamps all over the Polish wz.35 anti-tank
rifle, a thought finally dawned on
him – ‘What if that one is Polish as well?’
And so he wrote his letter to the museum
on the other side of the Iron Curtain
to find out.
For more than a year he didn’t get
any answer for the addressees were no
less at a loss than he was. They then
contacted the Warsaw-based historian
of Polish interwar armament industry,
the late Mr. Leszek Komuda, and finally
he had the answer: ‘That looks like the
Maroszek rifle, but let me ask Mr. Maroszek.”
Józef Maroszek, the designer
of both the wz.35 anti-tank rifle and the
wz.38M self-loading rifle was still alive
then, retired from his teaching career at
the Warsaw Technological University,
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 74 Nov., Dec. 2014

www.smallarmsreview.com 75 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 76 Nov., Dec. 2014
Top: The wz.38M self-loading rifle cross-section.
Bottom: Maroszek SLR s/n 1027 from the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw.
Opposite page: Józef Maroszek (1904-1986) posing with his M1935 (wz.35)
anti-tank rifle in the early 1980s.

wz.38M
and Mr. Komuda got to know him while
preparing an article about the anti-tank
rifle. Several days later they met at the
museum, and the American rifle was
finally identified: ‘Yes, that’s definitely
one of my self-loaders. See that ‘Zbr.2’
on the receiver? That’s Zbrojownia Nr
2 (No.2 Armory) in Warsaw, where we
had them made in 1938.” Also, the ‘Z in
circles’ proved to be not Czechoslovak
stamps after all – they were ‘2 in circles,’
Zbrojownia’s control stamps. Only then
an answer could be sent. Mr. Faris told
this author in 2000 upon meeting him
that he had long lost hope of receiving
an answer after so long a silence.
Five or so in the World
For many years this was the only
Maroszek SLR officially known to exist
in the world – but it turned out it was not
the only one as the Polish Army Museum’s
vice director was to discover several
years later, and much closer to Poland
than Arizona. In Moscow’s Central
Red Army Museum he found another
one, s/n 1027, but it took more than a
decade to repatriate it, just before the
whole Eastern Block came crumbling
down. At the very last moment, in 1989,
they were able to swap it for some Soviet
memorabilia, and finally a Maroszek
rifle, or rather what was left after it was
viciously deactivated when it arrived
home in Poland.
In subsequent years several more
cropped up, but still only five are known
to exist for sure, as photos showing serial
numbers are known: 1014 in Germany,
1019 in U.S. (recently repatriated to
Poland, now exhibited at the Warsaw
Uprising Museum), 1027 (in Polish Army
Museum), 1030 and 1048, both in private
collections in America. Additionally,
two other rifles, s/n 1017 (Germany) and
1054 (USA) are rumored to exist, but no
photos are in evidence to corroborate
that as of yet.
The SLR Contest
Józef Maroszek (1904-1986) was
born to a peasant family at Boglewice,
near Grojec, in Mazovia (40 miles south
of Warsaw). The family sent him to be
educated in Warsaw, and encouraged
by his physics teacher, who discovered
his technical gift, he enrolled into
the Warsaw Technological University in
1923. There he quickly joined the Armament
Section – a joint academy-military
probe to find potential future engineers
for the then-organizing Polish armaments
industry. The Section’s member
allowance greatly alleviated the financial
burden carried by the family, paying his
stipend and then leaving some change.
Membership carried with it other perks:
it greatly enhanced chances of a solid,
stable, government-paid employment.
In 1930, he wrote his final thesis on
Technological Improvements in Current
Service Rifle, which was a Mauser
98-based wz.29 carbine. He did not limit
himself to the improvements of production
methods, but instead designed a
simplified Mauser rifle. That made quite
an impression and he was given a temporary
job at the Warsaw’s Rifle Factory
(the FK for Fabryka Karabinów) to build
and test prototypes. These were tested
in 1932, found promising, yet requiring
too much time and effort to perfect. But it
put his foot in the door and he was hired
by the ITU (Armament Technological
Institute) in Warsaw.
On March 14, 1934, two weeks after
his simplified rifle was finally rejected,
the ITU announced a contest for a
www.smallarmsreview.com 77 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

self-loading rifle for the Polish Army. The
requirements were: weapon chambered
in the service caliber (7.9mm Mauser),
not heavier than 4.5 kg, with a magazine
capacity of 10 rounds, barrel length
equal to the service wz.29 carbine (600
mm), easy to operate, simple in design,
reasonable number of parts and manufactured
with simple production methods.
The deadline was 31 December,
1934. Nine rifles were proposed, but unfortunately
most are only known by the
codenames: 14895, ABC-34, BK, Celer,
ES, Gajos, Samopał, SKS and Turniej.
The jury, under ITU commander
Lt. Col. Czesław Kunart, selected on 8
January, 1935 three rifles for further development:
SKS by Engineer Stefański
(unfortunately the given name is absent
from all correspondence), ES by Edward
Szteke and Turniej by Józef Maroszek.
The Stefański SKS rifle was a
gas-operated weapon with the gas cylinder
on top of the barrel. During development
the original SKS got ‘thoroughly
redesigned’ into kb.sp. wz.34 but the
details are missing. In 1938 due to no
progress evident in subsequent testing
it was discontinued.
Edward Szteke’s ES rifle was a lever-retarded
blowback recoil-operated
weapon, with fixed barrel; somewhat
along the lines of the HK G3, but with
kidney-shaped levers instead of rollers.
It was patented in Poland, Europe and
the U.S. in 1933-1937. Mr. Chinn may
be right on many things in his monumental
series of books The Machine
Gun, but how he managed to find in it
a predecessor of the MG 42 is a mystery.
Perhaps he mistook MG 42 (short
recoil gun, roller locked with recoiling
barrel) with MG 42V, Vereinfacht, or
Simplified, prepared to be introduced
into the Wehrmacht’s inventory as the
MG 45 – a retarded blowback with fixed
barrel, like the ES...
Maroszek Rifle
The Maroszek ‘Turniej’ was a
gas-operated weapon, but the details of
his original design, especially the lock,
we cannot ascertain for lack of documents.
Polish ordnance archives were
pretty thoroughly sieved, vetted and dispersed,
first by the capturing Germans
and Soviets in 1939, then by Germans
re-capturing them from the Soviets, and
then in 1945 by the British, American,
French and Soviets, capturing them
once again from the Germans.
Szteke’s rifle was judged
the best while Maroszek placed third.
Regardless, he was too busy designing
his AT rifle, which was given
much higher priority, and so he was
given a respite, while ES and SKS
were toiled upon.
In 1936 the rifles were progressing
steadily, but as the AT rifle was then
ready for production, the SLR board
requested Maroszek to submit a prototype.
Meanwhile, he had an epiphany
as to the locking system of his rifle,
and instead of starting to build his original
rifle, he turned it inside out to accommodate
his new idea of tilt-locking
the bolt into the ejection opening of the
receiver – what we now call a Browning-Petter
locking, generally associated
with handguns. The new receiver was
much shorter, with no need for barrel
extension. The return spring is similar to
the BAR – but the original M1918, not
the wz.28 Polish one – being stored inside
the bolt-carrier and gas piston. The
new ideas seemed plausible enough
to grant him six weeks deadline extension
in which to redesign the rifle from
scratch. In mid-1936 at the No.2 Armory
at 2/4 Szwedzka Str. in Warsaw’s Praga
district, a three-man team which last
year cooperated with Maroszek in preparing
the AT Rifle production set to
manufacturing parts for his second
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 78 Nov., Dec. 2014

design for the Polish Army, now re designated
the ‘kb.sp. M’ (kb.sp. is an abbreviation
for ‘karabin samopowtarzalny’
or self-loading rifle, the SLR, while
M stands for Maroszek). The finished
rifle was tested at the Ballistic Research
Center in Zielonka, and evaluated positively.
The only fault was the firing pin,
which accounted for nearly all of the
jams, triggered by the tip breakage.
Arrested Development
A
wz.38M
The first time the FK’s Bureau of
Studies budget indicated expenditure
towards the Maroszek SLR was in FY
1936. The rifle’s development was funded
to the tune of złoty 10,314.42 (of
which Zł 7,409 was paid to Zbrojownia
Nr 2 for manufacturing the functional
model and five prototypes). [Polish Złoty
exchange rate to USD at that time was
Zł 5.14 to $1]. The real costs were certainly
higher as some of the development
was paid for from the Zbrojownia
Nr.2’s own budget, while Maroszek was
the ITU employee, so he was paid only
a salary for his work. This sum was
more than already was paid for the ES
rifle over past two years (Zł 9,918.64
zł) – but still half of the cost incurred by
the Stefanski’s SKS rifle over that same
period – Zł 20,096.24. It was not that
the SKS was that much worse – simply
Stefański was an outside man, so all his
costs were paid directly from the Bureau
of Studies budget. On the other hand,
Szteke was employed by the FK, so the
cost of his prototype work was paid from
their budget – hence the difference.
In 1937, five pre-prototypes were
subjected to military testing, and another
round of improvements was introduced.
The Stefanski rifle program was
terminated with the end of FY 1937, with
kb.sp. M substituting for it. In May of
1938, a complete set of manufacturing
drawings were ordered from the State
Armament Works Central Laboratory in
connection with the planned ordering of
72 rifles for military testing from the Radom
Fabryka Broni (FB). FB, however,
politely declined – it was already fully
busy with orders for wz.29 carbines and
still saddled with wz.35 (Vis, the Radom
pistol) orders, already two years in arrears.
The order was then extended to
the FK in Warsaw, with the same answer
– thanks, but no thanks. Finally, it was
the latter’s experimental establishment,
Zbrojownia Nr.2, which accepted the order
on 13 July, 1938. However, it was
reduced to just 55 rifles with delivery
date extended to 1 January, 1939. Lacking
the barrel-making facilities, Zbr.2
ordered 63 barrels from FK. The order
was worth Zł 277,000.
B
C
D
A. Bolt unlocked. The bolt carrier hooks pull the bolt down from locking abutment
in the ejection opening, tilting it and carry it to the rear.
B. Parts positions at the instant of firing: Bolt carrier all the way forward, bolt
locked, propped by the bolt carrier, hammer striking the firing pin.
C. Gas block with gas bore, piston and gas cylinder with gas regulator separated.
D. Rifle muzzle with muzzle brake windows (note real muzzle crown inside), front
sight base and bayonet catch.
www.smallarmsreview.com 79 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

1
3 4 5
2
7
6
Top: The wz.38M SLR field-stripped into main groups. Note the clean lines and seemingly few parts of the rifle
Bottom: The fire control group of the wz.38M SLR: 1. hammer spring; 2. hammer; 3. FCG flat spring – with branches
powering safety retainer, trigger and sear; 4. trigger bar; 5. safety; 6. disconnector; 7. trigger.
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 80 Nov., Dec. 2014

The final wz.38M SLR is a semiautomatic,
gas-operated weapon with
a tilt-locked bolt, fed from a 10-round
fixed internal magazine. The rifle had
68 parts, which was quite reasonable
against the background of the contemporary
designs: the SVT-38 numbered
63, the G41(W) 66, but the M1 Garand
only 55. For cleaning it can be broken
down into just four components: barreled
action with buttstock, gas cylinder,
bolt carrier with return spring and bolt.
This was not the end of the road
neither for the Maroszek rifle, nor for the
SLR for the Polish Army. The contest
was still hot, the Szteke’s kb.sp. wz.37S
(former ES) was also still under development
and tested in November 1938,
where during the durability testing it still
did not reached the goal of 10,000 shots,
having failed (receiver hairline crack discovered)
after 8,000. This was the final
failure, but earlier on the 37S chewed
through three firing pins (after 300, 550
and 1,800 shots), extractor (859 shots),
and bolt bumper (4,923 shots). Despite
all that the project continued with new,
improved 3rd Gen prototypes ordered
for further testing in 1939. On 26 February
1939 one each ‘enhanced accuracy’
wz.37S and wz.38M rifles were ordered
for a shoot-off to determine which rifle
would serve as a basis for a sniping rifle.
This is unfortunately the last paper trace
left by either of the rifles.
As the delivery deadline for the 55
rifles was 1 January, 1939, and no trace
of any further barrel orders was found
so far, it is safe to assume that not more
than that number of the wz.38M rifles
were ever manufactured. All serial numbers
known so far are contained within
the 1001 – 1055 range, corroborating
the quantity.
Maroszek Redux
This author had the opportunity to
handle, strip and examine in detail the
Maroszek rifle, s/n 1048 that was owned
by Bob Farris in the U.S. but unfortunately
firing it was not possible as it had
a familiar Maroszek ailment: the firing
pin point was broke off. Regardless, it
was different from the one we had in Poland
– with just one cross-bolt, instead
of two. Later on, two other Maroszeks
were found in America, both of a single
cross-bolt variety, while another twobolt
rifle was found in Germany. With
no hard documents to prove it, one can
only assume that this might have been a
last-minute addition, perhaps a result of
the spring of ‘39 troop-testing, perhaps
to reduce the lower receiver wobble. So,
perhaps the 1014 and 1027 were prototypes
for the new series-production
model? How significant, that one ended
up in Germany, and the other in Russia
– two hoodlums conspiring against
Poland in 1939... We’ll never know.
Or do we? Once at the Museum,
I met a gunsmith from Piotrowo near
Poznan, Mr. Ryszard Tobys, whom I
knew as the Guinness’ Book of Records
world’s largest cap-and-ball revolver
manufacturer. He was planning to build
a shooting replica of the Maroszek rifle.
Technical Data
Caliber: 8mm x 57 JS
Length: 1,134 mm
Barrel length: 625 mm
Weight:
Magazine capacity:
Method of operation:
Locking method:
4.45 kg
10 rounds
wz.38M
He was taking some measurements to
reverse engineer some small bits, which
in reality looked quite different from the
blueprint. It transpired that Mr. Maroszek’s
nephew in Białystok inherited a
set of production blueprints for the wz.
M rifle. This was the penultimate version
of it – those five prototypes of 1937, so
several changes were introduced later,
which he was then analyzing comparing
blueprints with the real thing.
In November 2013 rifle s/n RT001
was ready, and I’ve been the first journalist
to see it, handle it, and shoot it.
The first rifle was more of a test-bed
than show-piece, but I’ve seen three
barreled actions in various stages of
manufacture, so there would be better
and prettier ones once all the bugs
are ironed out of the first. The price tag
would be enormous as the project already
cost thousands upon thousands
of hours of hard work, but fortunately
Ryszard’s two sons, Błażej and Remigiusz
can program his CNC machines
for free, so he can avoid the most costly
part. At first, the components were machined
in aluminum and brass to check
if they fit together, then real parts were
made and fitted. This seems to be a
really nice, well balanced, and smooth
to shoot rifle – given it’s chambered in
8mm x 57JS Mauser.
Gas-operated with piston
Bolt tilting into ejection opening (Browning-Petter)
www.gunmountain.com
www.smallarmsreview.com 81 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 82 Nov., Dec. 2014

www.smallarmsreview.com 83 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

PISTOL CALIBER CARBINES:
NOT ANOTHER AR-15
By David Lake
Since the advent of repeating arms
and cased ammunition, the goal and
purpose of small arms manufacturers
has been to improve and even specialize
those weapons. Shoulder fired arms
have to be divided into specific categories,
ranging in size and power from the
highly compact PDW, up to the robust
anti-materiel rifle. In between these extremes
you’ll find submachine guns, carbines,
assault rifles, light machine guns,
heavy machine guns, shotguns, launchers,
and sniper rifles. Each represents a
unique field of study, development, and
application. Military and law enforcement
will have access to, and a purpose
for, all of the above weapon types. The
civilian consumer will generally have
less choice; whether collector, competitor,
hobbyist, or hunter. The vast majority
of guns lining the retail shelves today
can be described with only two letters:
AR. The overwhelming array of variants
and versions of the AR-15 dominate our
current gun market. The simple fact is
that the AR-15 is so versatile it can be
adapted to fill almost any role. As the
gun-buying public supports the industry
focused on the AR-15, we continue to
see growing specialization and development
for that platform. It would seem
that the development and marketing of
other weapon types is given less attention
by most manufacturers of arms. It
would seem that a well-developed carbine
dedicated to firing a pistol cartridge
does not command as much attention in
the retail market.
We should discuss the small arms
arsenal of the two world wars. In World
War One, scattered among the Mausers
and Springfields and Carcanos, and
Enfields and Hotchkiss and Maxims and
Vickers of the day, there were the M15
Villar-Perosa, and the MP18 Bergmann.
They were short, light (by comparison to
the infantry rifles of the day) and fired
pistol cartridges at the rate of a machine
gun from very high-capacity magazines.
In World War II we still see the presence
of high-powered infantry rifles; but now,
well developed on all fronts is the submachine
gun. It is important to grasp this
point that based on the lessons of World
War One; every country that would be
involved in the Second World War would
develop and field a pistol caliber shoulder
fired small arm. Government and
military bodies had learned that battle
engagements were typically happening
at close to intermediate ranges. The infantry
rifle’s size and power and potential
to hit the horizon were proven unnecessary
in most situations. The battlefield
would eventually adopt a lighter, smaller
rifle that could sustain automatic fire
and hold 30 to 40 rounds and hit a mansized
target up to 150 yards away. To
properly illustrate the proliferation of the
pistol caliber carbine, here’s the short
list of sub-guns from WWII: Thompson,
M3 Grease Gun, Reising, Beretta
1918, Moschetto 38, Sten, Sterling,
Lanchester, Owen, PPD-34, PPD-38,
PPD-40, PPS-42, PPS-43, PPSH-41,
UD-M42, LAD, Nambu type 100, Suomi,
MAS 38, Ribeyrolle, Danuvia, Orita, Bechowiec,
Blyskawica, Volks MP3008,
MP28, MP34, Erma MP35, MP35 Bergmann,
MP38, MP40, and MP41 etc.,
just to get the list started. Consider
that 24 years prior to the start of WWII,
only 2 submachine guns saw their start
in World War 1. We need not argue in
support of the efficacy and practicality
of the SMG. History speaks well to that
effect, by the marked proliferation of this
class of weapon.
The world’s militaries would eventually
adopt the “assault rifle,” which
1
Right:
1. 50 yards with 124 grain remanufactured bulk ammunition from the Thureon.
2. 50 yards with 124 grain remanufactured bulk ammunition from the TNW.
3. 50 yards with 147 grain FMJ from the Thureon.
4. 50 yards with 147 grain FMJ from the TNW.
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 84 Nov., Dec. 2014

The TNW Aero Survival Rifle weighs 5.6 pounds, is 33
inches long with the stock extended and has a height of 6.5
inches from grip to mount. The basic carbine costs $799
and caliber conversions range from $275-$400.
The Thureon GA Carbine weighs 6.15 pounds, is 35 inches
long with the stock extended and has a height of 7.5 inches
from bottom of the grip to the top of the receiver. The basic
carbine costs $960. A fully enhanced package can cost up
to $1,620. The Aimpoint Patrol sight was the ideal optic for
a rifle of this sort.
2 3 4
www.smallarmsreview.com 85 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

Above Top: TNW’s carbine only charges from the right side, but the user can switch
ejection to either left or right. The magazine release is the circular button toward the
front of the magazine well. We found this release difficult to manipulate in a hurry, and
easy to bump on accident while manipulating the weapon.
Above Bottom: The Thureon GA carbine places the ejection port and charge handle on
opposite sides. The right handed gun is “charged” with the left hand. The scope rail and
receiver are machined from a single billet. We appreciate the oversized ejection port as
it makes for easy visual inspection and, if need be, the operator can get a tool inside to
clear a malfunction.
fired a high velocity low impulse cartridge,
featured large magazine capacities,
and automatic fire capabilities;
but only after the submachine gun had
proven its worth. The assault rifle was
only a logical next step for the SMG; it
had greater effective range. The German
MP43(44) and STG 44 assault
rifles were the immediate descendants
of the submachine gun. Today’s military
and law enforcement have kept the submachine
gun in service; mostly among
SWAT and Special Forces units. The
most notable and successful examples
would be the ubiquitous Heckler & Koch
MP5 from Germany and the infamous
Uzi, from Israel. Most people would be
hard-pressed to name any others. But
can the average “Joe” get his hands on
an SMG? The high price and legal restrictions
on a transferrable submachine
gun pushes many consumers out of
that market. The closest many will get
to owning one will come in the form of
a semiautomatic pistol caliber carbine;
referred to herein as a “PCC.”
Many major arms maker have offered
a PCC at one time or another.
Ruger and Marlin both made excellent
PCCs in years past. Beretta, Calico,
Kel-Tec, and Hi-Point offer their own
unique PCCs – all incorporating very
advanced design and materials. The Auto-Ordnance
Thompson, Kriss Vector,
FN PS90, and the HK 94 (and clones)
represent true submachine guns that
have been recreated in non-NFA configurations
for the civilian market. Do-ityourselfers
have fostered a huge market
for rebuilding old war surplus guns from
parts kits. Salvaged Sten, Sterling, and
Suomi semiautomatics have become
quite common. There exists a family of
devices that can be affixed to an existing
handgun to render it a carbine; suggesting
improved accuracy and handling
characteristics that exceed the basic
pistol. These are available from companies
like FAB Defense, Command Arms
Accessories, Hera Arms, MechTech and
SIG Sauer. All but the MechTech employ
the pistol’s existing short barrel, and require
an NFA tax stamp for legal use.
And the inherent accuracy, range, and
effect of the pistol are not necessarily
enhanced by simply adding a stock.
Some firms that manufacture the AR-15
produce the AR rifle in pistol calibers.
They either create a new receiver to
accept the pistol magazine, or install a
magazine adapter. The barrel, bolt, and
some internal parts are also replaced in
these converted rifles. But the platform
is not purpose-built, and the resultant rifle
maintains the size and weight of the
basic AR-15. At times, this is desirable,
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 86 Nov., Dec. 2014

as the manual of arms is the same no
matter the AR-15’s chambering.
Then there is a small group of innovative
companies that are making dedicated
pistol caliber carbines that take
a more practical approach to the PCC.
They mimic the form or function of a familiar
weapon platform as it’s quick to
learn. They utilize commonly available
parts and basic repairs are cheap and
easy. Proprietary components are simple
and robust – they’re durable and unlikely
to fail. They might feature a quick
caliber swap so the gun can adapted
and upgraded easily, even without tools.
They scale the weapon down for the pistol
ammunition; so it can be made smaller
and lighter. The result is a dedicated,
purpose-built carbine. These companies
have names like JRC, TNW, and Thureon
Defense. The JRC is a slick little
package; it’s approaching its 10th year
of manufacture and has earned its accolades.
But for this evaluation, we wanted
something newer to the PCC market, so
we procured some PCCs from two relative
newcomers; Thureon Defense and
TNW. We opted for the basic models
from each company in 9mm luger.
Thureon Defense GA Carbine
This PCC can be ordered in any
of five calibers; 9mm, .40 S&W, .45
ACP, .357 SIG, and 10mm auto. The
.357 and 10mm versions feature some
unique internals to properly handle the
increased pressure and velocities. This
carbine can be ordered to work with any
of five common magazine types; Glock,
XD, M&P, SIG, or Uzi, and will soon be
released to accept 1911 single stack
magazines. Thureon’s PCC is not able
to switch calibers or magazine well.
What you get is what you get. This carbine
can be ordered with a number of
enhancements. These include a Picatinny-railed
forend assembly, a slide-fire
stock, and a selection of Magpul AR-15
furniture and components. The charging
handle is on the left side of the receiver
so it’s fast to operate with the shooter’s
front hand and it ejects empties to the
right. The gun is offered as a left-handed
version with the charge handle and ejection
switched accordingly. The Thureon
borrows the fire control assembly from
the AR-15, so it will accept any trigger
upgrade meant for the AR-15. The stock
trigger breaks at 5.5 pounds. The magazine
release can be reached with the
trigger finger. The lower receiver houses
the fire control, magazine, feed ramp
and ejector. The feed ramp and ejector
are attached to the lower by screws and
are easily replaced. The lower connects
to the upper with two captive pins, not
unlike the AR-15. The upper houses the
barrel, bolt, forearm and an AR-15 buffer
tube and stock. The forearm is not an
AR part; it is unique to this gun as it acts
as a jam nut against the receiver to lock
the barrel in place. The barrel is threaded
at the muzzle and comes equipped
with a flash hider. A 16-inch barrel is
standard and 19-inch is an option. A
pistol and SBR version are available,
both with 10.5-inch barrels. The GA can
be stripped down to all its moving parts
with only a pin punch for a tool. We must
note that the Picatinny base atop the receiver
is located one inch over the stock
– one-half inch higher than we find it on
the AR-15 and its derivatives. This is
significant as most scopes mounts and
sights are made to a specific proportion,
which contributes to proper location
of that sighting device while maintaining
correct check weld. The extra
height of the scope rail can cause some
complication here.
TNW Aero Survival Rifle (ASR).
The gun can be had in 9mm, .40
S&W, or .45 ACP. Conversion kits allow
the gun to be swapped over in minutes,
without tools. The TNW only accepts
Glock magazines. The company has
plans to release the ASR in .22 long
rifle, .22 and .17 magnum, .357 SIG
and 10mm auto. This PCC is offered in
PISTOL CALIBER CARBINES

PISTOL CALIBER CARBINES
black, OD green, dark earth, pink camo
and green camoflage anodized finishes.
TNW does make a “bullet buttoned”
model for states with restrictive “assault
weapon” laws in place. It is also available
as a pistol. The weapon is charged
on the right side of the receiver, and
ejection is user selectable to be toward
the left or right. The quick-change barrel
nut consists of a ventilated tube surrounding
the first 3 inches of the barrel.
Real estate on the receiver is cramped,
or one could say that it “makes efficient
use of space.” There is no forearm; the
user’s front hand is meant to occupy a
4-inch section of receiver between the
magazine and barrel nut. The TNW’s
compact proportions remind one of the
MP5K. If you’re wearing a glove, the
trigger guard may be a tight squeeze.
The factory trigger breaks at 4 and 1/4
pounds. The magazine release is located
on the left side of the magazine well
near the front of the receiver. We spent
some time developing the muscle memory
for the location of the magazine release;
the button was often hard to find
from a shooting position, but at the same
time was easy to “bump” inadvertently
with the wrist or palm. The receiver and
full-length scope base are machined
from a single block of aluminum. The
Picatinny-style scope base is almost
twice as long as that of the Thureon; this
leaves more options and possibilities for
optics selection. The TNW maintains the
proper, standardized scope base height
over the stock to ensure compatibility
with common sights and optics. As standard
equipment, this carbine includes a
4-inch Picatinny accessory rail that can
be attached to the bottom front section
of the receiver. This option costs extra
on the Thureon. The internals are totally
unique to the TNW. The fire control
design looks to be derived from an
FAL rifle. The upper and lower receivers
are held together by two pins, similar to
those of the AR-15, but on the TNW, the
takedown pins are not held captive in
the receiver. The ejector is held in with
two roll pins, and is fast and easy to replace
should the ejector ever break. The
chamber is recessed into a deep pocket
in the breech end of the barrel. This design
creates a “feed chute” to guide the
bullet toward the chamber. This is also a
safety measure, to keep a ruptured case
from blowing debris sideways from the
ejection ports.
We headed to Pro Gun Club, just
outside Las Vegas, to air these guns
out. What we learned in our testing
is that these two carbines are totally
distinct from one-another. The Thureon
GA carbine demonstrated tremendous
accuracy; the best of it was a 2-inch
group at 100 yards. There are full-sized
high-power rifles on the market that can
barely achieve this. The Thureon was as
reliable as can be expected (with new,
brass cased ammunition). We fired a
total of 400 rounds through the GA carbine.
50 rounds of Wolf steel and 50
rounds of Blazer aluminum ammo both
resulted in frustrating failures to eject
and the occasional failure to fire. We experienced
a 20% malfunction rate with
this “bargain” ammunition. We tested
the GA carbine with 300 rounds of brasscased
ammo, including hollow point,
full metal jacket, frangible, commercial
remanufactured and some hand loads.
Bullet weights were 115, 124, 135, and
147 grains. Of this batch of ammo we
only had two stoppages, which occurred
with the commercial remanufactured
ammo, and these came in the form of
a “click” instead of a “bang.” This type
of failure suggests a bad cartridge rather
than a deficiency in the gun. At closer
inspection of the remanufactured
ammo, we found a few rounds that were
not crimped at the case mouth which
could prevent that cartridge from completely
entering the chamber. The most
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satisfying thing about the Thureon
was not that it produced excellent
accuracy, but that the accuracy
was extremely consistent for all bullet
weights and types. The barrel
is truly “match grade,” a term that
is often misused today in order to
sell a product. The accuracy of the
TNW Aero Survival Rifle was not as
impressive. At 100 yards the best
we could print were 5 inch groups.
Different bullet weights showed extreme
point-of-impact shift (groups
wandered several inches across
the paper). So we could be realistic,
and remind ourselves that it’s just a
9mm and 100 yards is asking a lot
of it. If we look at it from another angle,
a 3-inch 50 yard group is more
than adequate. At ranges where
a handgun would be appropriate,
say, 5-20 yards, the TNW can easily
make 1-inch groups. Most shooters
cannot shoot that well with a 9mm
handgun, so the TNW still greatly
enhances the capability of the 9mm
cartridge. The TNW did prove slightly
better than the Thureon in terms
of reliability. The Wolf and Blazer
ammunition fed, fired and ejected
as well as the brass-cased ammunition.
That’s quite an achievement.
The only repeated malfunction was
a failure to eject with 147 grain subsonic
ammo. This occurred 6 times
out of 25 rounds of this ammunition
type. Again, this was not indicative
of a defect in the gun, only that this
particular ammo was underpowered
to cycle the weapon. The only real
gripe we have for the TNW is that
the barrel loosened a bit while firing.
By not featuring a proper forearm, the TNW
is low on real estate. Fingers can interfere
with ejection, or even result in minor injury.
Magpul’s RVG should be considered necessary
hardware with the TNW ASR. Handling,
balance, and control were massively
improved with this $25 accessory.
Left: The Thureon fired at 100 yards. 124gr FMJ and 147gr Hydrashok both fired at the 10 ring. There’s little to no point of impact shift
between the two different rounds. It is a rare occasion to find a gun that performs this consistently.
Right: The TNW fired at 100 yards with 124gr FMJ and 147gr Hydrashok. The group high right is the 124gr. One bullet missed the
paper completely. This kind of point of impact shift can only be attributed to the removable barrel of the TN.
www.smallarmsreview.com 89 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

PISTOL CALIBER CARBINES
The barrel nut is engaged by a spring
detent, which proved insufficient. The
shifting point-of-impact and sporadic
accuracy are likely due to the barrel nut
loosening during operation.
We then took these guns away from
the rifle range and put them on a CQB
range where a gun’s personality really
shows; employing these PCCs in some
gun fighting scenarios involving hot reloads,
left to right transitions, firing from
different positions and barricades, rapid
fire while moving, failure drills and double
taps, up to 25 yards. The TNW was the
clear winner here. The Thureon is longer,
heavier, has more overall recoil and
a pronounced muzzle rise. The compact
nature of the TNW forces the shooter to
really “saddle” the gun, and keep it all
locked in tight. Its recoil impulse is very
flat with almost no muzzle rise. All else
being equal, this enhanced control is the
result of the gun’s geometry. When we
intentionally held the TNW “wrong” the
muzzle flip became apparent. To prove
this theory, we employed the same
“locked in” hold on the Thureon, and
were able to eliminate muzzle rise. We
all know perfectly well that technique is
everything; but the design of the TNW
encourages a shooter to adopt a proper
hold and stance - automatically and unconsciously
- even if that shooter does
not have or even understand shooting
technique. Thus, the TNW proved to be
more inherently “shootable.” Both guns
proved excellent at the CQB role. At a
full 25 yards, a rapid controlled pair of
shots could be held within a 4 inch circle
with the TNW. The Thureon’s muzzle flip
would throw those same shots up to 8
inches apart. Still very good, and for all
intents and purposes, both guns would
serve well in this role. Compared to a
5.56mm rifle, a pistol carbine has very
little muzzle blast. When working in and
around barricades and obstacles, this
is a valuable attribute of the PCC. The
shooter’s senses are not overwhelmed
by pressure, noise, dust, and blast; all
common ailments of a high-powered rifle
in a close-quarters environment.
There are clear justifications to own
a PCC. Some shooters can appreciate
the soft recoil, or the total lack of muzzle
blast. The ammunition can cost much
less than 5.56mm NATO. Rules of a
local or indoor shooting range may not
allow rifle calibers. The PCC utilizes
pistol magazines that a shooter may already
own. The average shooter’s skill
level may not be able to exploit the potential
of a high-powered rifle. For the
hunter, excess velocity can waste meat
and damage a hide. A PCC can double
or even triple the effective range of the
handgun cartridge, making it a viable option
for hunting small to medium game.
For law enforcement, security, personal
and home defense applications, a
pistol cartridge has enough power to
stop an assailant, without the danger of
over-penetration of an intended target.
We cannot honestly say if one of
these is better than the other. They each
have their strengths and weaknesses.
Any mechanical deficiencies are easy
to overlook, as both of these guns are
loads of fun to shoot and easy to operate
and maintain. They are as effective and
reliable as the ammunition used in them.
The Thureon’s larger frame and familiar
controls make its operation quick and
instinctive. Its accuracy is beyond expectation.
The TNW’s ergonomics make
for more and faster hits on close targets.
It is supremely suited for close quarters
applications. We are pleased to see
the AR-15 challenged for market share
by weapons like these and the “dark
horse” companies that make them. We
hope to see TNW and Thureon continue
to expand their product lines and gain
prominence in the small arms market.
Thureon Defense
PO Box 173
New Holstein, WI, 53061
(920) 898-5859
www.thureondefense.com
info@thureondefense.com
TNW Firearms
(503) 429-5001
www.tnwfirearms.com
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 90 Nov., Dec. 2014

Revisiting the SPIW
Part 1
By R. Blake Stevens
Edward C. Ezell, Ph.D. (left) and Mikhail Kalashnikov during their first meeting in the House of Optics in Moscow in July, 1989. The
book Ed is holding, which appears to have captured Kalashnikov’s attention, is none other than the 1985 Collector Grade title The
SPIW - the Deadliest Weapon that Never Was, open here to pages 26 and 27. (Smithsonian Institution photograph, author’s collection)
A popular topic for discussion
among collectors is “my favorite firearm”
where arms of every type and period
are put forth and loyally defended. Every
time I consider my own response to
this fascinating question my thoughts
immediately return to the SPIW (Special
Purpose Individual Weapon), which was
the subject of a Top Secret development
program undertaken by U.S. Army
Ordnance during the 1960s and 1970s,
initially as an offshoot of Project SALVO
(1952 - 1960).
What Was the SPIW?
SPIW was to be a hand-held weapon
holding sixty rounds of “point target”
ammunition (deliverable in the form of
controlled bursts of tiny, lethal darts or
“flechettes”), plus three 40mm “area
target” grenades in a piggyback launcher,
all in a package weighing less than a
loaded .30 caliber M1 rifle.
SPIW promised dramatic increases
over the performance of the Army’s
existing small arms, both in point-target
hit and kill probability, plus devastating
area-fire potential. Irresistibly,
these fantastic advances in combat
lethality touched a responsive chord
in everyone.
In actual manufacture, however,
the enthusiastic all-things-to-all-people
SPIW specifications translated into
extreme weapon complexity and high
multiple-ammunition capacity within
ultra-light weight. These characteristics
were soon found to be mutually
exclusive, yet were stubbornly insisted
upon by the Army. Unfortunately, the
SPIW never materialized as an actual,
combat-ready weapons system, and the
program was eventually abandoned as
a very expensive and embarrassing flop.
A Fatal Blurring of the Line Between
Fact and Fantasy
As the program progressed into the
‘Sixties despite its deep-rooted problems,
there was an increasingly political
need for SPIW to figure meaningfully
against other weapons, such as the M14
and M16. In order that the SPIW might
participate, in theory at least, against
its vastly more fully-developed conventional
rivals, first- and second-generation
SPIW performance at its best was
projected and extended, using computer
models of actual combat scenarios.
The results of these biased studies,
which pitted the SPIW’s theoretical best
www.smallarmsreview.com 91 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

against actual simulated-combat data
from competing conventional weapons,
showed the SPIW as being clearly superior
to the best existing weapons in
the world. The heavily slanted nature of
these comparative standings led to the
fatal temptation to confuse potentiality
with reality.
Ed Ezell to the Rescue
While attending the U.S. Army Show
in Washington in 1984, I remember mentioning
my fascination with the SPIW to
Dan Musgrave, a very knowledgeable
and respected author with a prestigious
military career behind him. Dan shook
his head and remarked, “You will never
find out anything about the SPIW. It was
so embarrassing it has all been buried
so deeply it will never be found.” However,
thanks to the efforts of the late Edward
C. Ezell, Ph.D., then the Curator of
Military History at the Smithsonian’s Museum
of American History, the story was
indeed unearthed in voluminous detail,
and became the subject of the Collector
Grade title The SPIW - The Deadliest
Weapon that Never Was, which was
co-authored by myself and Dr. Ezell and
published in 1985. The following copyrighted
material is largely excerpted
directly from this long-out-of-print book.
Origins of the SPIW Program
As described in Chapter One of The
SPIW, the origins of the program go
back to the early postwar period, during
the dawn of the computer age.
The Hall Study
The Ballistic Research Laboratories
(BRL) had been formed at Aberdeen
Proving Ground in 1938, with an ongoing
mandate to conduct basic ballistic
research for the Army. The official reason
behind the ground-breaking BRL
study into combat rifle effectiveness
was to address the unsettling fact that,
despite the Army’s doctrinal insistence
on accurate, long-range aimed rifle fire,
an estimated 50,000 rounds of ammunition
had been expended per enemy casualty
during World War II. The results
of the study by Mr. Donald L. Hall were
released in BRL Memorandum Report
No. 593, dated March 1952, entitled An
Effectiveness Study of the Infantry Rifle.
The Hall Study was the first real,
authenticating publicity for the fledgling
small caliber, high velocity (SCHV) concept,
a new and cooperative research
effort involving Aberdeen’s Development
and Proof Services (D&PS) and
the Ballistic Research Laboratory (BRL).
Mr. Hall blended the initial SCHV results
with his own theoretical studies to produce
history’s first serious espousal of
the small caliber concept:
The theoretical consideration of a
family of rifles indicates that smaller
caliber rifles than the .30 have a greater
single-shot kill probability than the cal.
.30 M1. This is obtained by increasing
the muzzle velocity and thereby obtaining
a flatter trajectory, so that the adverse
effect of range estimation errors
is reduced.
When the combined weight of gun
and ammunition is held constant at fifteen
pounds, the overall expected number
of kills for the cal. .21 rifle is approximately
21/2 times that of the present
standard cal. .30 rifle. If the number of
rounds is fixed at 96, the total load carried
by a soldier with a cal. .21 rifle and
ammunition with 6/10 the charge in the
M2 cartridge will be 3.6 lbs. less than
that carried by a soldier with a cal. .30
rifle. This is a 25% reduction in load.
Furthermore, if it were necessary for
a soldier with the M1 to carry the rounds
required for the same expected number
of kills at 500 yards as a soldier with 15
lbs. of cal. .21 6/10 charge rifle and ammunition,
it would be necessary for him
to carry 10 lbs. more ammunition, or a
total load of 25 lbs.
The Hitchman Report
In September, 1948 the Army General
Staff created the civilian Operations
Research Office (ORO), whose initial
mandate was to supply the Army with
scientific advice about the conduct of
nuclear war.
The second important study under
discussion here complemented but
greatly expanded on the Hall Study. It
was presented by the head of ORO’s
Infantry Division, Norman A. Hitchman,
on June 19, 1952. Originally
classified SECRET, ORO’s Technical
Memorandum ORO-T-160 was entitled
Operational Requirements for an
Infantry Hand Weapon.
The Hitchman Report began where
the Hall Study had left off, taking as its
gospel that “it is desirable to increase
in both number and rate the hits which
may be inflicted on the enemy by aimed
small arms in the hands of the infantry.”
ORO summed up these opening
remarks by stressing that the “severity
of weapons as measured by their
lethality has not changed, at least in
the past century.”
There was stubborn Army opposition,
especially among Ordnance officials,
to this ORO attempt to quantify
certain parameters as they truly existed,
as opposed to how they had traditionally
been perceived, regarding the infantry
rifle and its effectiveness in combat.
Out of all the combined British and
American research available, 80% of
the effective rifle and LMG fire had been
reported at ranges under 200 yards,
with a full 90% under 300 yards. This
substantiated the Hall Study, wherein
hit probability from small arms fire
at ranges exceeding 300 yards rapidly
descended into the “negligible.”
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Origins of Project SALVO
The Hitchman report’s suggested
solution to low combat effectiveness
was to compensate intentionally for the
soldier’s inherent aiming errors by developing
a new type of automatic arm
capable of projecting missiles either in a
burst or salvo:
...either a simultaneous [salvo], or a
high cyclic rate burst, with the number
of rounds per burst automatically set
rather than dependent upon trigger release.
In the (salvo), the scatter would
be obtained and controlled by multiple
barrels, a mother-daughter type of projectile,
or projection of missiles in the
manner of a shotgun.
The State of Affairs in the “Lightweight”
Rifle Program
Consider the unfortunate state of
affairs as they then existed in Col. Studler’s
vaunted “lightweight” rifle program,
wherein his original favorite, the T25,
had evolved briefly into the T47 only to
be ignominiously terminated in favor of
what was basically nothing more than
a “product-improved” M1 Garand. This
arm, the selective-fire, 20-shot T44, had
been in its initial stages of development
at Springfield Armory when the Hall
Study and the Hitchman Report were released
in 1952. The controversial ORO/
BRL results stood in direct opposition to
nearly every single feature the Army had
approved in the T44.
Nevertheless, the luckless M14 rifle,
the final embodiment of the T44, was to
be adamantly adopted as the standard
U.S. service rifle in May, 1957 after
five more years of snail’s-paced refinement.
During this time the privately-developed
.223-caliber ArmaLite AR-15
had appeared; a direct result of ORO/
BRL research and the resulting SAL-
VO studies. Ultimately, it was to render
both the M14 and the 7.62mm NATO
cartridge obsolete.
The Three Branches of
Project SALVO
Meanwhile, the multi-agency SAL-
VO project was initiated in November,
1952, and immediately diverged into
the three main areas of experimentation
already introduced above.
The Multiple-Bullet, Single-
Barrel Concept
ORO became a strong proponent of
the nested multiple-bullet, single-barrel
salvo weapon concept, testing Duplex
and Triplex loadings in a number of experimental
cartridges, all based on the
standard .30 caliber case.
A version of the ORO Duplex
loading of the 7.62mm NATO cartridge
was subsequently adopted - ORO later
termed the green-tipped M198 Duplex
round, with considerable justification,
a “low-cost, low-risk, high-payoff innovation.”
Curiously, the M198 cartridge
was never made in significant numbers,
nor was it ever issued in any but
token quantities.
Two- and Three-Barrel
SALVO Weapons
Springfield Armory and Olin (Winchester)
drew up plans for several complex
and unwieldy prototypes of two- and
three-barreled salvo weapons, designed
to fire near-simultaneous bursts of small
caliber projectiles. Valuable research
into the nature of burst fire was gleaned
from each of these studies, but as a
design for a combat shoulder rifle, the
sheer and dismaying forward imbalance
of their weighty multiple barrels proved
utterly impracticable.
The AAI 32-Flechette Shotshell
SPIW
On another tack, the Office of Naval
Research had initiated a contract
in 1952 with Aircraft Armaments, Inc.,
of Cockeysville, Maryland, to supply
for test a quantity of 12-gauge shotgun
shells, each loaded with 32 small
nested steel “flechettes,” or arrows.
A display board headed “ORO SALVO Test Ammunitions,” showing cutaway views of the various experimental ball, Duplex and
Triplex loadings under examination, together with the AAI 32-flechette shotshell (far right).
www.smallarmsreview.com 93 SAR Vol. 18, No. 6

Right side view of the Winchester caliber .224 “Light Weight Military Rifle,”
originally chambered for the experimental .224E1 version of this cartridge.
Impressive preliminary tests showed that
these tiny, 8-grain flechettes were capable
of penetrating nearly six inches of wood
at 100 yards.
Results of the Project SALVO Field
Experiments
1956 was an eventful year for U.S.
Army Ordnance developments. The ArmaLite
AR-10 rifle had been introduced
to the Infantry Board and other officers,
and many thought it an admirable attempt
to create a truly modern and
controllable light rifle firing the 7.62mm
NATO cartridge. The latest developmental
model of the T44, the nine-pound
T44E4, was meanwhile still nearly a full
year away from adoption as the M14.
This then was the backdrop for what
became known as the “SALVO I Field
Experiment.” Within this framework of
innovative combat simulation, three
different SALVO concepts were tested
during June and July of 1956, alongside
the M1 rifle firing the standard M2 AP
cartridge as control.
General conclusions made after the
trial were that typical combat aiming errors
were in fact even greater than had
previously been allowed for. Automatic
fire was again proven inferior to aimed
single shots on point-fire targets.
The results were somewhat disappointing
for Aberdeen’s SCHV concept,
as the .22 test barrels tended to “walk”
badly when heated by rapid burst fire,
rendering the weapons extremely inaccurate
and thus denying BRL’s high
theoretical hit probability forecasts any
conclusive, practical proof.
Regarding ORO’s “long-necked”
Duplex and Triplex .30 M2 loadings,
the results were extremely encouraging
and substantiated the Hitchman
Report’s findings that bullets fired in a
simultaneous salvo are independently
potentially lethal, and therefore for each
shot fired a sum of lethal probabilities
existed, which increased the statistical
kill probability dramatically over that of
single-bullet firings.
Meanwhile, the shotgun-launched
clusters of flechettes were found to have
a distinctive value in the short-range area-fire
role, especially in darkness. In a
dispersion trial, however, only fifty-two
percent impacted into a 30-inch circle
at 40 yards. Nevertheless, even when
launched in a cluster from the relatively
low-pressure shotshell, the .087-inch
diameter flechettes would often pass
cleanly through one side of an M1 helmet
and liner at 300 yards, and would
sometimes even make a hole in both
at 500 yards.
The Evolution of the Serial Flechette
To the SALVO teams, there was
now no question as to the effectiveness
of multiple projectiles being delivered
with each trigger pull. As noted, ORO
had devised the Duplex bullet in the
7.62mm NATO case as the most expedient
method of adopting this controlled
dispersion theory. Soon, however, ORO
switched allegiance to even more exciting
and dramatic advances in hit
probability, by marrying BRL’s concept
of high velocity and consequent flat trajectory
to the almost imperceptibly low
recoil impulse of a lightweight, single
flechette. ORO recommended that by
following this path, a controlled-dispersion
burst weapon could become a reality
for every American combat soldier.
This new weapon would be devastatingly
lethal, regardless of his individual
marksmanship abilities.
Sabot Refinements - from “Pusher”
to “Puller”
Irwin R. Barr, one of the seven
founders in 1950 of Aircraft Armaments,
Inc. (AAI), was by all accounts the “father”
and leading proponent of the flechette
concept. He had already seen his
ideas become reality in the U.S. Naval
Research contract for the 32-flechette
shotshell, but felt that the concept had
even more to offer:
...The large dispersion of these
[shotshell] projectiles and the resulting
short range limitations… caused us
to feel that another radically opposite
approach was required to achieve the
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high ‘Salvo’ hit capability of a rifle at
long ranges by using a short burst of
serial-fired flechettes.
For several years AAI experimented
with the single flechette idea without
any outside assistance or funding,
gambling on the eventual recognition
of the flechette’s innate advantages of
minimal recoil, high penetrating power,
and light weight.
Two initial considerations when firing
single flechettes were to guide the
reduced diameter of the body of the
arrow-like flechette on its short and
speedy trip to the muzzle, and also to
provide an adequate gas seal around
it. Enter the sabot: a sort of segmented,
bore-sized plug which would either sit
behind the flechette and push it, or grip
the body of the flechette firmly and pull it
down the bore:
… All previous work by AAI on single
projectiles utilized a pusher type
of sabot. However, this configuration
would make a cartridge too long to be
satisfactory, as the propellant had to be
packed behind the long, thin, needle
projectile and sabot.
… The basic [AAI] idea… required
a new concept. The projectile must be
pulled by the sabot, which would surround
the forward part of the projectile…
using the gas that propels the round to
push inward on the sabot of constrictable
material and so generating a friction
force to transmit the pull of the sabot
to the projectile...
The AAI “.22 Arrow” Cartridge, with
Piston Primer
Aircraft Armaments, Inc. responded
to two further Ordnance R&D contracts
in 1959 with a finalized first version of its
“.22 caliber, Single Flechette Ammunition.”
An interesting and integral feature
of the slim, belted cartridge case was its
unique piston primer.
In assembly, the piston primer was
inserted down through the neck of the
case and held securely against forward
movement by means of a crimp, which
showed as four distinctive dimples in
the outside circumference of the case.
It was intentionally positioned slightly
forward inside the primer pocket, and
was designed to be fired by a blow
from the weapon’s flat-faced firing pin.
This would collapse the whole piston
forward, whereupon the internal, frontal
point of the piston itself detonated
the priming compound, thus igniting the
powder charge. The resulting pressure
inside the case not only pushed the saboted
flechette down the bore, but at a
certain point forced the collapsed piston
backward a short distance, cushioned by
the flat-faced firing pin. When the piston
protruded about two millimeters (0.80”)
beyond the base of the case, primer
movement was halted by the flared front
section of the primer body contacting
the inner base of the cartridge case. The
heavy-bodied firing pin continued to the
rear, transmitting the energy needed
through a camming action to rotate and
unlock the bolt and thus begin the action
cycle of the weapon.
The .22 Versus the .30 Caliber
Debate: Testing Three .22 Rifles
All of this of course did not go on in
a vacuum; indeed the events which by
this time surrounded our story were so
remarkably fraught with acrimony that
probably even without the flechette program’s
strictly “SECRET” classification,
it would have generated little interest.
By the beginning of 1959, the .22 versus
the .30 caliber debate had reached
a positively feverish pitch. Both the Army
Infantry Board and Aberdeen’s Development
& Proof Services (D&PS) had the
year before held comparative trials of
three contending small caliber rifles: the
.223 cal. ArmaLite AR-15; Winchester’s
short-lived M1 Carbine-like “Light
Weight Military Rifle” in caliber .224; and
an even shorter-lived Springfield light
rifle design, chambered for another similarly
named but non-interchangeable
.224 cartridge.
The Infantry Board Favors the AR-15
The Infantry Board was initially quite
enthusiastic about the AR-15, recommending
in its September, 1958 report
that a few deficiencies be corrected and
that the modified AR-15 be summarily
adopted as their ideal follow-on to the
aging M1 Garand. Aberdeen, an Ordnance
Corps agency, demurred. There,
the small calibers were deemed inferior
to the 7.62mm with regard to penetration
and brush-bucking, while the AR-
15’s high line of sight was seen as objectionable
in that it exposed too much
of the firer’s position.
These developments themselves
took place in waters already muddied by
the Ordnance Corps’ beleaguered M14
procurement program, which by this
time was under way at Springfield Armory
with an initial order for over fifteen
thousand rifles.
Vetoing Further Purchases
of the AR-15
SPIW
Above: A cartridge comparison. From left: early version of the .223 (5.56x45mm), headstamped
“REM-UMC 222 SPL”; Winchester .224E1 (5.56x43mm), unheadstamped;
Springfield Armory .224 (5.6x47mm), unheadstamped. This round was later marketed
commercially as the .222 Remington Magnum and the ORO-developed green-tipped
M198 Duplex loading of the 7.62x51mm NATO round, headstamped “[NATO cross-incircle]
WRA 64.” (Author’s collection)
In February, 1959, the Chief of Staff
of the Army, General Maxwell Taylor,
vetoed any further purchases of the
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SPIW
Above: Left side view of ArmaLite AR-15
serial no. 4, with 20-round magazine and
sling. (U.S. Army Infantry Board photo,
dated May 27, 1958)
AR-15 in favor of continued procurement
of the 7.62 NATO-caliber M14. By
February 17th, the first civilian M14 procurement
contract was in place at the
Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation’s
Winchester-Western Division, where
35,000 M14 rifles were to be fabricated
at $69.75 apiece.
Colt’s Takes Over the ArmaLite AR-15
As stated in The Black Rifle, another
Collector Grade title co-authored by myself
and Dr. Ezell,
… An initial, 20-year “letter of understanding”
was put on paper as early
as September 22, 1958 regarding “the
ArmaLite matter,” but it was some
months before any actual money could
be put together.
… Ironically, the final signing of
the arrangement between Colt’s new
directors and the newly-formed Fairchild-Stratos
Corporation coincided almost
to the day with General Taylor’s
formal veto of further .22 caliber rifle
purchases by the Army.
The All-Purpose Hand-Held
Weapon (APHHW)
Returning to the text of The SPIW,
one other Ordnance recommendation
had been enthusiastically endorsed by
General Taylor, which paved the way
for the development of a completely
new light, flat-shooting weapon that
would truly qualify as the successor to
the M14. It would fire patterned bursts
of the ten-grain flechettes developed
by Aircraft Armaments, Inc., and would
be called the All-Purpose Hand-Held
Weapon (APHHW).
The Infantry Board Tests the
“Cartridge, .22 Caliber, Arrow”
With the M14 finally locked securely
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into a production program and the ArmaLite
proponents temporarily stunned
into disarray by General Taylor’s
adamant veto of the AR-15, the spotlight
slowly swung onto the flechette
cartridge and the concept of the All-Purpose
Hand-Held Weapon.
With the future at stake, the AAI
engineers held their breath as lots of
the single flechette cartridge they now
dubbed the “AAI Arrow” were examined
and fired in a crucial 1960 Army Infantry
Board trial. The Infantry Board trial report,
dated March 18, 1960, contained
a list of perceived deficiencies of the
flechette cartridge, which included the
following:
• cartridge case lacks rigidity and
hardness;
• accuracy in semiautomatic fire is not
satisfactory;
• weapon appears to lose accuracy
as it heats;
• danger zone for sabot particles is
excessive;
• muzzle flash is excessive.
Nevertheless, the report’s overall
conclusions were very encouraging.
The United States Army Infantry Board
concludes that:
• The single flechette has sufficient
military value under temperate
weather conditions to warrant
further development.
• The single flechette has more potential
than… 7.62mm NATO ammunition
for meeting the proposed direct
fire ammunition requirements of the
All-Purpose Hand-Held Weapon.
The “Cartridge, 5.6mm, XM110”
in Arctic Trials
By May, 1960, the first-generation
AAI flechette cartridge’s short-lived proprietary
designation had been superseded:
the “Arrow” was now officially the
“Cartridge, 5.6mm, XM110.”
Results of trials of several cartridges
under Arctic conditions, including 1,000
rounds of the newly-named XM110 single-flechette
round along with several
lots of 7.62mm M59 and M80 ball and
the Winchester .224, appeared in a report
prepared by the Arctic Test Board,
dated May 7, 1960.
Again, the single-round accuracy of
the XM110 flechette cartridge was criticized,
even though the stated purpose
of the APHHW program was to provide
the combat soldier with the means
to fire controlled bursts, intentionally
spread around the point of aim. A perfected
weapon capable of firing bursts
of flechettes did not yet exist, however,
and so there was little the Army could
do except continue to record the results
of single-round firings, which were often
inexplicably erratic.
However, the overall consensus
was again favorable with the Army
being particularly excited about the
XM110 flechette cartridge. Two salient
paragraphs from the Accuracy Test Results
section of the Fort Greely report
read as follows:
… Due to the flat trajectory of the
single flechette, it was unnecessary to
make elevation adjustments on the sight
when firing at 300 and 500 yards.
… Three rounds of single flechette
were fired into eight inches of solid
ice at 500 yards range. All flechettes
perforated the target.
Overall, the promised APHHW
was deemed definitely worthy of
further development.
Competition for AAI
A parallel Defense Department
flechette weapon-and-ammunition development
program was set up, under
which Springfield Armory was tasked to
come up with an alternative proposal for
a flechette-firing weapon, and Frankford
Arsenal was ordered to develop the best
possible competitor to the piston-primed
XM110 cartridge.
One important area of commonality
was stipulated from the outset:
AAI’s flechettes and rubber-obdurated,
fiberglass “puller” sabots were deemed
satisfactory, and were to be loaded as
an AAI-supplied “package” into both the
XM110 cartridge and the new Frankford/
Springfield round.
Thus there soon existed a new,
shorter, conventionally-primed version
of the single flechette cartridge, called
the XM144. Design studies for two types
of flechette-firing shoulder rifles were
begun at Springfield.
Note: There is a significant amount
of documentation, manuals, reports and
photos regarding the SPIW program on
www.smallarmsoftheworld.com website.
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BOOK
REVIEW
The Americans on D-Day:
A Photographic History of the
Normandy Invasion
By Martin K. A. Morgan
Hardcover, 240 pages
190 color and 360 b&w photos
Size: 10 x 12.25
Published by Zenith Press, 2014
$45 US, £30 UK, $50 CAN
Reviewed by Robert G. Segel
With 2014 being the 70th anniversary
of D-Day, the June 6, 1944 Allied
invasion of Europe through Normandy,
France, there are numerous media venues
being used to commemorate this
monumental historic event: television,
newspapers, magazines, bloggers,
online sites and books. Among the
many books published during this 70th
anniversary, though visually appealing,
most tend to repeat familiar photos and
rehash stock story lines. But this book,
The Americans on D-Day: A Photographic
History of the Normandy Invasion
by Martin K. A. Morgan stands out
as an exceptional volume both in terms
of photographic content and text.
D-Day, June 6, 1944, was the most
complicated and pivotal amphibious
landing operation of the Second World
War. Although it took a multinational
coalition to conduct the landings, the
U.S. military made a major contribution
to the operation that created the mighty
American legends and unforgettable
heroes. In The Americans on D-Day: A
Photographic History of the Normandy
Invasion, World War II historian Martin
Morgan presents 450 of the most compelling
and dramatic photographs captured
in northern France during the first
day and week of its liberation.
The way that the battle unfolded
in the sectors where the U.S. military
fought was documented by hundreds of
photographs – images that captured the
intensity of World War II combat from the
landing beaches to the drop zones and
hedgerows. Wherever the battle raged,
photographers were there to snap still
pictures of what was happening and
who was fighting. The majority of these
images were taken by U.S. Army, Navy
and Coast Guard photographers – men
who went to war with cameras in their
hands. But personal cameras also
recorded a more intimate side of the
fighting in Normandy and beyond.
With eight chapters of place-setting
author introductions, riveting period imagery,
and highly detailed explanatory
captions, Morgan offers anyone interested
in D-Day a fresh look at a campaign
that was fought seven decades ago yet
remains the object of unwavering interest
to this day. While some of these
images are familiar, they have been
treated anonymously for far too long and
haven’t been placed within the proper
context of time or place. Many others
have never been published before. Together,
these photographs reveal minute
details about weapons, uniforms, and
equipment, while simultaneously narrating
an intimate human story of triumph,
tragedy, and sacrifice. From Omaha
Beach to Utah, from Sainte-Mère-Église
to Pointe du Hoc, The Americans on
D-Day is a striking visual record of the
epic air, sea, and land battle that was the
Normandy invasion.
The author, Martin K. A. Morgan, is
a historian and expert on the American
experience in World War II authoring
and contributing to a number of publications
and appearing regularly on numerous
TV programs such as Discovery,
National Geographic, History, H2,
Outdoor Channel and the History Channel.
He has worked as a park ranger
and museum professional, worked for
the Alabama Historical Commission at
Fort Morgan Historic Site, and served
as historian-in-residence at the National
World War II Museum in New
Orleans, Louisiana.
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SAROUND SELECTION
Answer Key on page 110
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AMMUNITION
AZ
By Robert M. Hausman
2014 Firearms Directory
KY
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AUCTIONEER
Supreme Court Affirms Curb on
Buying Guns for Third Party
The U.S. Supreme Court has
ruled that federal law does not allow
a person to buy a gun for someone
else - even if both are legally eligible
to own firearms. The 5-4 ruling
on so-called straw purchasing came
down in the case of Bruce James
Abramski, Jr., who bought a Glock 19
handgun in Collinsville, Va., in 2009
and later transferred it to his uncle in
Easton, Pa.
Federal officials brought charges
against Abramski because he assured
the Virginia dealer he was the
actual buyer of the weapon, even
though he had already agreed to buy
the gun for his uncle.
The high court ruled that the
federal background check law does
apply to Abramski, rejecting Abramski’s
argument that since both he
and his uncle were legally allowed
to own guns, the law shouldn’t have
applied to him.
“We hold that such a misrepresentation
is punishable under the
statute, whether or not the true buyer
could have purchased the gun without
the straw,” the court ruled.
Writing for the majority, Justice
Elena Kagan said the federal government’s
elaborate system of background
checks and record-keeping
requirements help law enforcement
investigate crimes by tracing guns to
their buyers. Those provisions would
mean little, she said, if a would-be
gun buyer could evade them by simply
getting another person to buy
the gun and fill out the paperwork.
Kagan’s opinion was joined by Justice
Anthony Kennedy, who is often
considered the court’s swing vote,
as well as liberal Justices Ruth Bader
Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and
Sonia Sotomayor.
In dissent, Justice Antonin Scalia
said the language of the law does
not support making it a crime for one
lawful gun owner to buy a gun for
another lawful gun owner. He was
joined by the court’s other conservatives
– Chief Justice John Roberts
and Justices Clarence Thomas and
Samuel Alito.
Abramski had been convicted for
knowingly making false statements
“with respect to any fact material to
the lawfulness of the sale” of a gun,
18 U.S.C. §922(a)(6), and for making
a false statement “with respect
to the information required... to be
kept” in the gun dealer’s records,
§924(a)(1)(A).
The court reasoned since the
dealer could not have lawfully sold
the gun had it known that Abramski
was not the true buyer, the misstatement
(by Abramski) was material to
the lawfulness of the sale.
Background
The question to be resolved in
this case, was whether, as the ATF
declares in Form 4473’s certification,
those statutory provisions criminalize
a false answer to Question 11.
a. – that is, a customer’s statement
that he is the “actual transferee/
buyer,” purchasing a firearm for himself,
when in fact he is a straw purchaser,
buying the gun on someone
else’s behalf.
The petitioner was Bruce Abramski,
a former police officer who offered
to buy a Glock 19 handgun for his uncle,
Angel Alvarez. (Abramski thought
he could get the gun at a discount by
showing his old police identification,
though the government contends that
since he had been fired from his job
two years earlier, he was no longer
authorized to use that ID.)
Accepting his nephew’s offer,
Alvarez sent Abramski a check for
$400 with “Glock 19 handgun” written
on the memo line. Two days later,
Abramski went to a dealer to make
the purchase. On the Form 4473
he falsely checked “Yes” in reply
to Question 11.a. asserting he was
the actual “transferee/buyer” when,
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according to the form’s clear definition,
he was not. He also signed
the certification acknowledging his
understanding that a false answer to
Question 11.a. is a federal crime. After
clearing the background check, the
dealer sold him the Glock. Abramski
then deposited the $400 check in
his bank account, transferred the gun
to Alvarez, and got back a receipt.
Federal agents found that receipt
while executing a search warrant at
Abramski’s home after he became a
suspect in a different crime. A grand
jury later indicted Abramski.
Abramski then moved to dismiss
the charges by arguing that his misrepresentation
on Question 11.a. was
not “material to the lawfulness of the
sale” under §922(a)(6) because Alvarez
was legally eligible to own a gun.
And he claimed that the false statement
did not violate §924(a)(1)(A)
because a buyer’s response to Question
11.a. is not “required ...to be kept
in the records” of a gun dealer. The
District Court denied those motions.
Abramski then entered a conditional
guilty plea, reserving his right to challenge
the rulings. He was sentenced
to five years probation.
The Court of Appeals for the
Fourth Circuit affirmed the conviction.
But it also noted that of the three
courts to have addressed the issue,
one agreed with Abramski that a
misrepresentation on Question 11.a.
is immaterial if “the true purchaser
(here Alvarez) can lawfully purchase
a firearm directly.” The U.S. Supreme
Court decided to review the
case principally to resolve the Circuit
split about §922(a)(6).
The Supreme Court looked at
Abramski’s original claim, that a false
answer to Question 11.a. is immaterial
if the true buyer is legally eligible
to purchase a firearm. (The National
Rifle Association and a group of 26
states joined Abramski as amici in
making this argument).
Additionally, Abramski made a
new and more ambitious argument,
which he concedes no court has previously
accepted – in that, he alleges
that a false response to Question
11.a. is never material to a gun sale’s
legality, whether or not the actual
buyer is eligible to own a gun. (The
NRA and the 26 states did not join
Abramski on this argument).
On his first point, Abramski argued
that the dealer could have sold
him the gun even if he had truthfully
answered Question 11.a. by disclosing
that he was a straw buyer, because
all federal firearms law cares
about is whether the individual standing
at the dealer’s counter meets the
requirements to buy a gun. This argument
is based on the federal regulation
of licensed dealers’ transactions
with “persons” or “transferees,”
without specifically referencing straw
purchasers. Dealers are prohibited,
for example, from selling firearms
to persons in certain categories,
such as felons, the mentally ill, drug
addicts, etc. Abramski thus argued
that since Congress (when drafting
the regulations) did not make mention
of “straw purchasers” or “actual
buyers,” it “is not illegal to buy a gun
for someone else.”
In its opinion the court declared
that Abramski’s reading would undermine
and virtually repeal the federal
gun law’s core provisions. Thus
criminals could employ strawmen
with impunity. The record-keeping
provisions as well would serve little
purpose if they did not reveal the real
buyers’ of firearms.
The court also found that by
concealing that Alvarez was the actual
buyer, Abramski prevented the
CLASS 2 MANUFACTURER
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2014 Firearms Directory
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CLASS 2 MANUFACTURER
CLASS 3 DEALER
dealer from transacting with Alvarez
face-to-face and thwarted application
of the federal firearm’s law requirements.
Alvarez however underwent a
background check with a dealer in his
home state.
Abramski noted that until 1995,
the ATF took the view that a straw purchaser’s
misrepresentation counted
as material only if the true buyer could
not legally possess a gun. The majority
of the court disregarded this point,
noting that only the voice of Congress
mattered and nothing Congress did
has supported Abramski’s view that
straw purchasing for a non-prohibited
person was legal.
The Dissent
In the dissent, Justice Scalia
joined with chief justice Roberts, and
justices Thomas and Alito to note that
under §922(a)(6), it is a crime to make
a “false...statement” to a licensed gun
dealer about a “fact material to the
lawfulness of” a firearms sale. While
Abramski made a false statement
when he claimed to be the gun’s “actual
transferee/buyer” as Form 4473
defined that term, that false statement
was not “material to the lawfulness
of the sale” since the truth – that
Abramski was buying the gun for his
uncle with his uncle’s money – would
not have made the sale unlawful.
The dissenters also wrote that
no provision of the Gun Control Act
prohibits a person who is eligible to
possess firearms from buying a gun
for another person who is eligible to
possess firearms, even at the other’s
request and with the other’s money.
The justices found the government’s
contention that Abramski’s
false statement was material to the
lawfulness of the sale depends on a
strained interpretation of provisions
that mention the “person” to whom a
dealer “sells” a gun. The government
contended that Abramski’s uncle was
the person the dealer sold the gun to
and that Abramski prevented the dealer
from running the background check
on the real buyer, checking his ID,
etc., though this was later done.
The dissenters found that the uncle
was not the person who bought
the gun, but that it was Abramski who
fulfilled all federal requirements albeit
providing a false answer to question
11.a. They note that a vendor sells
an item of merchandise to the person
who physically appears in his
store, selects the item, pays for it, and
takes possession.
The dissenters also rejected the
heart of the majority’s argument in its
claim that unless Abramski’s uncle is
deemed the “person” to whom the gun
was “sold,” and that the Gun Control
Act’s identification, background-check
and recordkeeping requirements
would be “rendered meaningless”
as an overstatement. They opined
that the purpose of crime prevention
might be served more effectively if
the requirements at issue looked past
the “man at the counter” to the person
“getting the gun,” to ensure he is
eligible to possess firearms.
The dissenting justices also listed
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CLASS 3 DEALER
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scenarios in which the government
regards the man at the counter as the
“person” to whom the dealer “sells”
the gun:
Guns Intended as Gifts. In the
government’s view, an individual who
buys a gun “with the intent of making
a gift of the firearm to another person”
is the gun’s “True Purchaser.”
(ATF Federal Firearms Regulations
Reference Guide 165 (2005). The
government’s position makes no exception
for situations where the gift
is specifically requested by the recipient.
So long as no money changes
hands, and no agency relationship is
formed, between gifter and giftee, the
Act is concerned only with the man at
the counter.
Guns Intended for Resale. Introducing
money into the equation
does not automatically change the
outcome. The government admits
that the man at the counter is the
true purchaser even if he immediately
sells the gun to someone else.
And it appears the government’s position
would be the same even if the
man at the counter purchased the
gun with the intent to sell it to a particular
third party, so long as the two
did not enter into a common – law
agency relationship.
Guns Intended as Raffle Prizes.
The government considers the man at
the counter the true purchaser even if
he is buying the gun “for the purpose
of raffling it at an event” in which case
he can provide his own information on
Form 4473 and “transfer the firearm to
the raffle winner without a Form 4473
being completed or a background
check being conducted” on the
winner. 2005 ATF Guide 195.
The government concession
that the statute is operating appropriately
in each of those scenarios
should cause the majority to
reevaluate its assumptions about the
type and degree of regulation that
the statute regards as ‘meaningful,’
the dissent stated.
What the just-listed scenarios described
show is that the statute typically
is concerned only with the man
at the counter, even where that man
is in a practical sense a “conduit” who
will promptly transfer the gun to someone
else, wrote the dissent.
Noting that compromises had
to be made in the Gun Control Act’s
provisions to enable it to pass, the
dissenters surmised “perhaps those
whose votes were needed for passage
of the statute wanted a lawful
purchaser to be able to use an agent.”
ATF
The dissent next turned its attention
to ATF, noting that for decades,
“even ATF itself did not read
the statute to criminalize conduct like
Abramski’s. After Congress passed
the Act in 1968, ATF’s initial position
was that the Act did not prohibit the
sale of a gun to an eligible buyer acting
on behalf of a third party (even an
ineligible one). (See Hearings Before
the Subcommittee To Investigate Juvenile
Delinquency of the Senate
Committee on the Judiciary, 94th
Cong., 1st Sess., pt. 1, 118 (1975).
“A few years later, ATF modified
its position and asserted that the Act
did not “prohibit a dealer from making
a sale to a person who is actually
purchasing the firearm for another
person” unless the other person was
“prohibited from receiving or possessing
a firearm,” in which case the
dealer could be guilty of “unlawfully
aiding the prohibited person’s own
violation.” (ATF Industry Circular 79-
10 1979, in (Your Guide to) Federal
Firearms Regulation 1988-89 (1988)
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p. 78. The agency appears not to have
adopted its current position until the
early 1990’s. See U.S. v. Polk, 118 F.
3d 286, 295, n.7 (CA5 1997).“
Thus, the ATF read and interpreted
the Gun Control Act in a manner consistent
with Abramski’s argument for a
period of about 25 years, it was noted.
“It is especially contrary to sound
practice to give this criminal statute a
meaning that the government itself rejected
for years,” wrote the dissenters.
On another point, the dissenters
note that the list of information required
to be kept in a dealer’s records
does not include whether the transferee
is buying the gun for an eligible third
party. The majority argued that since
federal regulations requires dealers
to retain Form 4473’s, any false answer
on that form, even one that is not
enumerated in the regulations (such
as Question 11.a.) “pertains to information
a dealer is statutorily required
to maintain.”
Thus in the majority’s view, if the
bureaucrats responsible for creating
Form 4473 decided to ask the buyer’s
favorite color, a false response would
be a federal crime!
The statute punishes misstatements
“with respect to information
required to be kept,” not with respect
to “information contained in forms required
to be kept.” Because neither
the Act nor any regulation requires a
dealer to keep a record of whether a
customer is purchasing a gun for himself
or for an eligible third party, that
question had no place on Form 4473-
any more than would the question
whether the customer was purchasing
the gun as a gift for a particular individual
and, if so, who that individual was,
the dissenters note.
Note on Abramski Case
Though not mentioned in the
preceding article, the Abramski case
originated when Abramski bought a
handgun in Virginia, in 2009 on behalf
of his uncle using his uncle’s money
and later transferred it to him in Pennsylvania
through a firearms retailer after
a background check of the uncle.
Thus, Abramski did not just “give” the
gun to his uncle, but sent it to a dealer
in the uncle’s home state where it
was transferred by the dealer after a
background check.
SHOT Show to be at Sands
Through 2020
NSSF and Sands Expo and Convention
Center have extended their
agreement so that the SHOT Show
will be presented at the Sands Expo
through 2020.
The author publishes two of the
small arms industry’s most widely
read trade newsletters. The International
Firearms Trade covers the
world firearms scene, and The New
Firearms Business covers the domestic
market. He may be reached at:
FirearmsB@aol.com.
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NFA
TCA
REPORT
\\\\
The Doors of ATF Cooperation
Are Opening Once Again?
By John Brown
TX
WI
Many of you have experienced
the silence from ATF over the last
couple of years. The kind of silence
we are referring to is the silence
that occurs when a new President
takes office and the various offices
of the government sit back and wait
to get their orders. The first term
was quiet but we all know now that
this administration is doing an end
run on congressional approval to
get the legislation that they want;
primarily through executive orders.
What was once a healthy and
productive relationship with the
industry turned silent. Whenever
the anti-gun party takes the head
seat then things quickly go south
on Capitol Hill. Like many government
agencies, ATF gets caught up
in the politics of the day and in most
situations the best interests of the
community are not always served.
Unfortunately, many of the senior
executive staff begin to listen very
closely for the little bits of information
that trickle out of the Department
of Justice giving some type
of indication as to how they should
set the stage for the coming years.
DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES
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This presidency has been no
different and organizations like
the NFATCA have suffered the
wrath of this political backlash in
a number of ways.
The one thing that we always
try and remember is that deep
inside ATF there are still many
good friends of the firearms
community, as well as many
who simply want to get their jobs
done “Right.”
Remember that the firearms
industry is a great place to work
and, once you retire, given that
as an option, creating a lot of
enemies in the private sector
for politically expedient factors
might not necessarily be the best
strategy. There are many examples
where that type of transition
has worked extremely well. Let’s
always keep those doors open.
On June 18, ATF convened
an industry meeting at its headquarters
in Washington D.C. as
a forum for new announcements,
changes to regulatory issues,
and many tidbits of good news
on issues like transfer times for
NFA. This meeting served as
a level playing field where both
ATF and the industry could sit
and discuss a number of issues.
As with many other controversial
issues that had come up
during the year, e.g., P41, a lot
of good healthy guarded discussions
ensued at that meeting. It
was the first time in nearly two
years where we sat and discussed
issues of mutual interest
and directions forward. I came
away from that meeting thinking,
“Things must be changing.”
How they are changing we still
don’t know but it was certain that
this was a good opportunity for
us to begin discussions again.
In that meeting were powerful
men who represented some of
the largest manufacturers in the
country. Cautiously optimistic
was the term of the day. At the
conclusion of that meeting ATF
had agreed to begin the process
of updating the NFA Handbook
and taking a good hard look at
the Firearms Technology Handbook,
a project in the making for
nearly three years.
Although the meeting lasted
over an hour, all representatives
from every major branch of ATF were
present and presented an overview of
the highlights of things they were individually
working. This news represented
improvements to process or updates to
the activities within the branch. This was
information that we all used to share on
a regular basis and it looks now as if they
want to come to the table again and invite
industry to enter into discussions
on activities, issues, and the things that
we can work on and contribute together.
This is a far cry from having sat in front of
previous representatives who boldly told
me, “We don’t need any input from the
industry.” The meeting was upbeat and
was well received and perceived as the
first in series of events that brought our
regulators and the industry back to the
table to work together.
At the conclusion of this meeting
there were additional meetings set to
follow up on initiating joint actions on
issues such as the NFA Handbook and
exploring the work on the Firearms Technology
Handbook. Although ATF had
taken title and ownership of the NFA
Handbook, I had almost given up hope
that any further progress would be made
on this resource. Over the last few years
the NFATCA and ATF have collected
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numerous issues with the text and
clarification that badly needed to
be updated. Very soon we will solicit
comments from the industry
on update information and comments
for the next revision of this
important document. The NFA-
TCA will also keep you updated on
the progress on the Technology
Handbook. At this writing, the draft
of the document entails nearly 300
pages of information accumulated
by many hours of work with the
Firearms Technology Branch. This
initiative will be exciting and will
draw questions and input from the
industry. Watch the NFATCA web
site as we work down the path of
completing version one of this tremendous
resource of information.
I might suggest to readers
that the one thing that you will
want to pay particular attention to is
the NFACTA web site. We will post
regular updates on our forum and the
web site to keep you informed. We
will also ask for your input on issues
like the NFA Handbook and the FTB
Handbook. We have not quite figured
out how to get a 300 page document
out for comment yet, but believe me
we are working on that. I know as
many of our readers digest this information
you will take the same position
that most of us at that meeting had,
and that again is being “Cautiously
Optimistic.” It is a start of a potential
new beginning and we can’t afford to
ignore the offering. Once again we
will keep you posted and keep our
fingers crossed.
Thank you for your continued support
as we push forward. Come visit
us at www.nfatca.org.
CROSSWORD
ANSWER KEY
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ADVERTISER’S INDEX
10 Ace Limited
83 Americansnipers.org
4 Apex Gun Parts
3 Barnes Bullets, LLC
115 Battle Arms Development, Inc.
12 / 13 Battle Arms Development, Inc.
78 Black Hills Ammunition
33 Chipotle Publishing, LLC
28 Dealernfa, Inc.
109 Dillon Precision Products
111 DS Arms Inc.
59 Elite K9 Cop
96 Elite Survival Systems
106 Elzetta Design, LLC
108 Galati International
116 Gemtech
63 Global Security Asia
81 Gun Mountain
90 Gun Mountain
82 Indo Defence
25 J & T Distributing
49 K9 Cop
104 KNS Precision Inc.
66 Langlotz Patent Works, Inc.
40 Leupold & Stevens, Inc.
97 Lone Wolf Distributors
2 LWRC International
94 Molon Labe
54 Nightforce USA
11 NRA
5 Ohio Ordnance Works, Inc.
41 Ohio Ordnance Works, Inc.
61 Precision Weapons Corp.
103 RDTS Manufacturing
58 Rock Island Auction
32 SAR West
110 Shooter's Book
99 Small Arms Defense Journal
88 Small Arms Review
98 Soldier of Fortune
92 Spyderco, Inc.
87 SRT Arms
105 SSK Industries
69 Sun Devil Manufacturing
107 Thompson Machine
114 www.smallarmsreview.com
SAR Vol. 18, No. 6 112 Nov., Dec. 2014
EMMAGEEMAN’S
CORNER
Machine Gun
Memorabilia
BY ROBERT G. SEGEL
1) White Russian (Russians with Tsarist sympathies
in the period immediately following the Russian
revolution 1917-1919) handmade machine gun
company headquarters flag of black velvet material
with white stitched image of Colt Automatic Gun and
abbreviated Cyrillic text reading “3rd Special Machine
Gun Company Colt.” Flag is approximately
2 feet square.
2) South African Regiment Louw Wepener metal
and enamel arm flashes. Yellow, black and white
enamel on gold gilt metal backing. Left and right
facing Vickers water-cooled machine guns against a
stylized view of the mountain fortress at Thaba Bosigo.
Each has three straight pins to rear. Regiment
Louw Wepener was one of six Afrikaans-speaking
Active Citizen Force regiments established in 1934
as part of the expansion of the Union Defence
Forces. Recruits were drawn from the Orange Free
State. The regiment was named after the Free State
commandant, Louw Wepener, who was killed in
1865 during the 2nd Orange Free State—Basuto
War at Thaba Bosigo, the former mountain stronghold
of Moshoeshoe, founder of the Basuto nation.
The Regiment was absorbed into Regiment President
Steyn at the start of WWII, which served as
a machine gun battalion with the 1st South African
Division in North Africa in 1941.
3) Italian World War I veteran’s armband from the
inter-war period showing the FIAT Revelli Model
1914 machine gun with the red and blue collar insignia
of the two different machine gun divisions.
The letter “A” in the Red sections represents “Association”
and the “N” in the blue section represents
“National” denoting the “Associazine Nazionale
Mitraglieri” or the “National Association of Machine
Gunners.” Beneath that is “Mitraglieri della Regina”
or The Queen’s Machinegunners.” The red with
white stripes side represents the collar insignia for
the “Reparto Autonomo Divisional Migraglieri FIAT
(The Autonomous Department FIAT Machine Gun
Division) and the blue with white stripes side represent
the collar insignia for the division that used the
St. Etienne machine gun. Further around the back
of the armband shows Fascist columns to the right
and left. The Armband is connected together at the
rear by two elastic bands.
4) Remembrance lapel button that reads around the
edge, “Australia Day 1917” to the top and “Somewhere
in France” to the bottom. The central image
is of a silhouetted Australian Machine Gun Corps
soldier manning a Vickers machine gun. Attached is
a red ribbon with a blue tin map image of Australia
that also reads “Australia Day 1917.” The button is
side maker marked “A.W. Patrick Maker, 440 RAF
St., NH Fitzroy, Melbourne.”

1 2 4
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5) Finnish machine gunner’s unit sweetheart
bracelet. Silver and enameled with
gold Maxim machine gun in the center of
white enamel surrounded by silver bullets
on a machine gun belt in a diamond
shape. Cobalt Blue enamel cross with
“2MGK” at top (Maskingunkompani – 2nd
Machine Gun Company) with “N” and “R”
on each side (Naantali Re Reimente – Nådendal
Regiment) and “1930-31” below.
Between the cross sections are bas-relief
images of the Finnish Royal Lion. The
rear is engraved “Grönqvist, K.” with silver
proof crown marks. The bracelet is made
of hinged links with clasps and securing
chain. Finland has two languages, Finnish
and Swedish. This bracelet reflects
its Swedish language origins as Naantali
Nådendal is near the city of Turku and is a
partially Swedish town. (The name Naantali
is the Finnish version of the Swedish
name of the town, Nådendal.)
6) Veteran’s regimental blazer patch for
the New Zealand 27th Machine Gun
Battalion of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary
Force in World War II. Crown
over crossed Vickers with ‘27’ to the top,
‘N’ and ‘Z’ to each side and “BN” below
all within a fern leaf wreath. Latin motto
banner below reads “Potus Mori Quam
Foedari” (Rather Die Than Be Dishonored).
Beneath that reads ‘2.N.Z.E.F.’
The NZ Machine Gun Corps was formed
in January 1916 and saw service in France
in World War I. The Corps was disbanded
at the end of the war in 1918 and was reformed
in 1940 as the 27th (Machine Gun)
Battalion. This unit became part of the
2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force
and saw service in Greece, Crete, North
Africa, Italy and in occupied Japan. It was
disbanded in 1945. It is interesting to note
that the crown on this blazer patch is the
Queen’s crown, not the King’s crown that
was proper at the time of actual service.
This veteran’s patch is made later, probably
for a reunion, and honors the current
reign of the Queen.
7) South African Railway Police sleeve
patch with a central image of an Uzi
submachine gun. Printed yellow sleeve
badge on camouflaged uniform fabric.
The text is in both Afrikaner and in English
with “Streekstaakmag” over “Regional
Task Force” at the top and “SA
Spoorweg Polisie” over SA Railways Police”
below. This South African unit was
disbanded in 1986.
7
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