SADJ 8#2

VOLUME 8, NUMBER 2 

DEFENSE 

Optoelectronics 

Optics Creeping Closer 

to the Chip 

Barrett 

Direct impingement 

Global 

Security 

Asia 

MAchine Gun 

Armored PAtrol 

Carriers 

TACTICAL 

SCOPES 

SADEFENSEJOURNAL.COM 1

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NDIA JOINT ARMAMENTS 

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TOP: Knight’s Armament Company (KAC) UNS-A3 in front 

of a Leupold Mk 8 CQBSS 1.1-8x on a KAC SR-25 E2 APC 

with KAC 7.62 QDC Suppressor. The UNS-A3 is a clip-on 

inline GEN 3 image intensification night vision device. It is 

optimized for medium range application in conjunction with 

magnified (up to 8x) day optics, with no shift of zero. The 

UNS-A3 bridges the gap between small close-range and 

high-detail but heavy night vision targeting solutions. 

BOTTOM: Knight’s Armament Company (KAC) UNS-A2 in 

front of a Leupold Mk 6 1-6x on a KAC SR-15 Mod 2 with KAC 

5.56 QDC Suppressor. The UNS-A2 is a close to medium-range 

clip-on inline GEN 3 image intensification targeting unit. Refractive 

lens provides high-performance light collection in a lightweight 

design with image detail that integrates with magnified 

optics in the 1-6x range. 


COLUMNS 

10 INDUSTRY NEWS 

JASON WONG 

11 NEW PRODUCTS 

CHRIS A. CHOAT 

15 INTERNATIONAL LEGAL AFFAIRS 

JASON WONG 

97 ADVERTISING DIRECTORY 

FEATURES 

10 LA RUE TACTICAL PRESS RELEASE 

18 OPTOELECTRONICS GROSS 

ANALYSIS 

PAUL EVANCOE 

22 NSV AND KORD MGS - 

IDENTIFICATION AND DIFFERENCES 

JONATHAN FERGUSON 

26 BARRETT DIRECT IMPINGEMENT 

TODD BURGREEN 

34 NDIA’S CHINN AND 

HATHCOCK AWARDS 

DAN SHEA 

SHOWS 

40 AUSA 2015 

PAUL EVANCOE 

92 GLOBAL SECURITY ASIA 

MEGAN SHEA 

38 LIBYAN WORKSHOP 

REFURBISHES SMALL ARMS 

HASSAN MORAJEA 

39 PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN 

RIFLE AT UKRAINE ARMS INSPECTION 

MICHAEL SMALLWOOD 

44 3-9X TACTICAL SCOPES 

ALTON CHUI 

54 MACHINE GUN ARMORED 

PATROL CARRIERS 

JULIO MONTES 

64 IMBEL 5.56 

RONALDO OLIVE 

74 MALAYSIAN POLICE MUSEUM 

DAN SHEA 

84 LWRCI PSD MKII 

CHRISTOPHER R. BARTOCCI 


BreakingNEWS 

INDUSTRYNEWS 

BY JASON M. WONG 

Scout Sniper 

Mount Awarded 

to LaRue Tactical 

LaRue Tactical is proud to announce 

that their LT840-34 QD 

Scope Mount has been selected as 

the new USMC Scout Sniper Day 

Scope-Improved Mount (SSDS- 

IM). Over 2,800 units have been 

ordered with the first delivery already 

in the Marine’s hands. 

The LT840-34 (SSDS-IM) is a 

lightweight, ruggedized quick-disconnect 

(QD) mount capable of 

mounting M8541 and M8541A 

optics to the inventory of M110 

and M107 rifles. Like all LaRue 

QD Mounts, the mounting attachment 

method is adjustable, durable 

and repeatable if removed and 

reinstalled. The 34mm mount is 

offered in two versions; zero-MOA 

and 20-MOA bias for different applications. 

This award adds to the growing 

number of LaRue Tactical mounts 

currently being used for virtually 

every optic operated by the 

USMC. A commercial version of 

the LT840-34 will be available in 

early 2016. 

www.larue.com 

10 SADEFENSEJOURNAL.COM 

VOL 8 NO 2 // by JASON M. WONG 

LOCKHEED MARTIN RECEIVES $528 MILLION 

THAAD MISSILE-DEFENSE CONTRACT 

The Missile Defense Agency awarded Lockheed 

Martin (NYSE:LMT) a $528 million contract 

in December 2015 for production and delivery 

of interceptors for the Terminal High Altitude 

Area Defense (THAAD) system. The new interceptors 

will support a growing number of U.S. 

Army THAAD units. 

THAAD is a key element of the Ballistic Missile 

Defense System (BMDS), and is highly effective 

at protecting America’s military, allied 

forces, citizen population centers and critical 

infrastructure from short- to medium-range 

ballistic missile attacks. 

“Our THAAD interceptors are on the cutting 

edge of missile defense technology. With 

advanced range, agility and accuracy, our interceptors 

are fully capable of defeating dangerous 

missile threats today and into the future,” said 

Richard McDaniel, Lockheed Martin’s vice president 

for the THAAD system. 

ATTEMPT TO SMUGGLE NIGHT VISION TO NORTH 

KOREA THWARTED 

A man from North Korea accused of trying 

to buy military-grade night vision goggles from 

a Utah-based undercover agent and illegally export 

them to China has pleaded guilty to a federal 

charge in an agreement with prosecutors. 

Song Il Kim was arrested in Hawaii after 

agreeing to pay $22,000 for the equipment and 

packing it into boxes that he claimed were filled 

with used toys and towels so he could ship them 

to his Chinese business, charges state. 

Kim, who is also known as Kim Song Il, was 

born in North Korea, holds a Cambodian passport 

and lives in China, court records show. 

Prosecutors say they believe the six pairs of goggles 

would have gotten to North Korea from there, 

though defense attorney Scott Williams disputes 

that allegation. 

Under the terms of the plea deal, Kim is facing 

40 months in prison at a sentencing hearing 

set for February. 

He was arrested in Hawaii after a monthslong 

investigation by a team of Homeland Security 

agents in Utah that started after an agent 

responded to an ad on a business-to-business 

website. It culminated in July with an in-person 

meeting with an undercover agent in a Waikiki 

hotel where Kim provided a $16,000 cash down 

payment, authorities said. 

The agent and Kim packed three of the devices 

in a box and Kim filled out a customs form stating 

the box contained used toys and towels, according 

to court documents. 

They took the box to a post office, where Kim 

paid the postage and handed the box to a mail 

clerk, the charges state. The package was intercepted 

by agents before it was shipped out, according 

to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Utah. 

It is federal policy to deny licenses and other 

approvals to export the items to certain countries: 

Belarus, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and Venezuela. 

The policy also applies to countries the 

United States maintains an arms embargo with, 

including Burma, China, Liberia and Sudan. 

APPROVED DSP-5 EXPORT LICENSES NO LON- 

GER NEED TO BE LODGED WITH U.S. CUSTOMS 

Effective December 21, 2015, the U.S. State 

Department approved DSP-5 export licenses allowing 

the permanent export of defense articles 

no longer need to be lodged with U.S. Customs. 

The U.S. State Department has coordinated with 

the U.S. Census Bureau to upload the relevant 

data into the Automated Export System (AES),a 

and allowing U.S. Customs to access the required 

information via AES. 

LOCKHEED MARTIN HELLFIRE MISSILE 

ENDS UP IN… CUBA. 

A Hellfire missile manufactured by Lockheed 

Martin was lawfully exported from the United 

States to Spain for NATO exercises. Upon completion 

of the NATO exercise, the missile was 

packed for shipment back to Lockheed Martin’s 

Florida facility. Apparently, the freight forwarder 

in Madrid, Spain was supposed to put the missile 

on a truck for shipment to Frankfurt, where 

the missile would be shipped via air cargo to 

the United States. 

Instead, the missile was placed on a truck 

to Paris, France and delivered to Air France. 

Air France took possession of the missile, and 

shipped the cargo to Havana, Cuba. Not surprisingly, 

the Cubans do not want to return the missile 

to Lockheed Martin. Thankfully, it appears 

that the missile was a training missile, without 

the operational seeker or fuze system used in 

the live missiles. 

The U.S. State Department issued a statement 

that “...[i]f it turns out that the Hellfire was 

lost because of human error, the criminal probe 

would end and the State Department would have 

to determine whether to pursue a settlement with 

Lockheed Martin over the incident.” This statement 

is more than a little ridiculous, as it appears 

that Lockheed Martin did not commit the violation 

and was not aware of the violation until after 

the fact. Rather, the Spanish freight forwarder 

committed the violation by shipping the missile 

to Paris instead of Frankfurt. Nevertheless, under 

a theory of strict liability applied to exporters for 

export violations, Lockheed Martin may face a 

civil penalty for the export violation.

NEW PRODUCTS 

VOL 8 NO 2 

by CHRIS A. CHOAT 

MEOPTA INTRODUCES NEW 

MEOPRO 6.5-20X50 AND 6.5-20X50 HTR RIFLESCOPES 

Meopta adds to its popular 1-inch MeoPro® riflescope line 

with the addition of the new 6.5-20x50 and 6.5-20x50 HTR 

(Hunt/Tactical/Range). Designed for long-range hunting and 

precision shooting, these scopes feature a powerful magnification 

range and side turret parallax adjustment. The MeoPro 6.5- 

20x50 is ideal for hunting predators, varmint or big game at long 

distances, and its HTR variant for long-range hunting, tactical 

applications and target shooting. Bench rest shooters will especially 

appreciate the precise tracking and superior resolution of 

this scope. The MeoPro 6.5-20x50 is available with capped hunting 

turrets, and the MeoPro 6.5-20x50 HTR version features exposed 

target turrets. Four different reticle options are offered to 

meet a variety of shooters’ needs: Z-Plex, BDC, McWhorter HV 

and Windmax 8. These second focal plane reticles are non-magnifying 

thereby covering less of the target as power is increased. 

The 50mm objective lens, MeoBright multi-coated lenses and 

SCHOTT glass deliver unsurpassed clarity and high contrast for 

seeing detail from afar, while the brightness of this scope gives 

hunters extra precious minutes of shooting time in the low light 

of dawn and dusk when it matters most. Made of rugged aircraft-grade 

aluminum alloy, this scope is built to withstand heavy 

recoil. Eye relief is constant at 3.5 inches and the quick-focus 

eyepiece ensures a crisp, clear and sharp image. This scope also 

features ¼ MOA windage and elevation adjustments and is waterproof, 

fogproof and shockproof. Like all Meopta optics, the 

MeoPro 6.5-20x50 and MeoPro 6.5-20x50 HTR are backed by 

Meopta’s North American Lifetime Transferrable Warranty. See 

their full line at www.meoptausa.com. 

CCI INTRODUCES HIGH-IMPACT, LOW-NOISE 

QUIET 22 SEGMENTED HP ROUNDS 

CCI® Ammunition reminds hunters and shooters 

that it has turned down the volume with the 

Quiet-22 line of rimfire ammunition. This means 

stealthy small game hunters will enjoy more success 

using the company’s high-impact, low-noise hunting 

option: Quiet-22 loaded with extremely effective 

segmented, hollow-point bullets. Quiet-22 cartridges 

generate 75 percent less perceived noise level than a 

standard velocity .22 long rifle round. The 40-grain 

Segmented HP bullet splits in three on impact, with 

each section creating its own distinct wound channel 

to bring down small game fast. In addition, the ammunition 

boasts accuracy and reliable function performance 

the company is known for—which are just 

what small game hunters need most. 

This new ammunition may not cycle semi-auto 

guns. You can find more information at 

www.cci-ammunition.com. 


AMERICAN TACTICAL INTRODUCES 

THE FX-H HYBRID 1911 

American Tactical, pioneers of the Omni Hybrid MAXX Series 

of products, is pleased to add the first of its kind FX-H Hybrid 1911 

handgun to the line-up of quality polymer-based firearms. The 

FX-H 1911 is unique in the fact it has a polymer frame with two 

metal inserts at the stress points for premium quality construction, 

while keeping the overall weight of this full frame 1911 down 

to 1.6 lbs. The FX-H is believed to be the lightest full size 1911 on 

the market today. The FX-H includes features like a 5” matchgrade 

stainless steel barrel and a stainless steel slide that accepts 

Glock style sight systems and a removable plate to accommodate 

RMR style optics. The FX-H 1911 comes in .45 ACP with additional 

calibers coming soon. All milspec 1911 parts are interchangeable. 

They completely designed and manufactured this product for the 

ultimate shooting pleasure while giving the owner a lightweight 

solid 1911 platform like no other. With a retail rice of only $659.95, 

the FX-H Hybrid is sure to be one of the most popular firearms of 

2016. More information is at www.americantactical.com. 

TRIGGER TECH INTRODUCES 

THE ZERO CREEP AR-15 TRIGGER 

TriggerTech, a manufacturer of high-end firearm and crossbow 

trigger systems, is proud to introduce their AR-15 Trigger. TriggerTech 

provides Frictionless Release Technology, a patented 

free floating roller that sits between the sear and the trigger. The 

roller eliminates sliding friction that causes creep and heavy 

pull-weights. FRT increases your accuracy by providing 

an instant zero-creep release. It is also highly 

resistant to contamination and wear. It is ready 

for the most rugged conditions, all while maintaining 

its premium performance and safety. 

The TT-AR-15 triggers are available 

to purchase through select dealers 

and directly from their website at 

TriggerTech. With an retail price 

of $199.99, the TriggerTech trigger 

will soon become popular for 

not only OEM’s, home builders, 

three gunners, first time and even 

the most discriminating of shooters. 

They have spent over a year 

developing this product and testing 

it to insure its quality and reliability. The 

new trigger is adjustable from 2 to 5 lbs with a patent 

pending design. It also features Enhanced Reset Control 

with sub .030” reset – one of the shortest on the market. 

The unit’ts hammer, sear and trigger are all stainless steel 

and all other components are corrosion resistant. For 

more information please visit www.triggertech.com. 

NEW SHOTGUN SUPPRESSOR FROM UTAS 

UTAS has just introduced their new Octave 12 shotgun silencer. 

The new silencer comes in at half the weight, a full 1 inch 

shorter and about 1/3 the cost of the only other 12 gauge suppressor 

on the market today. The new UTAS Octave is a carbon 

fiber wrapped 12 suppressor that can quiet a shotguns muzzle 

blast down to around 135 decibels. The new Octave suppressor 

muffles a shotguns blast by using a core of specially designed 

fibrous insulation made from volcanic rock that’s both heat and 

flame resistant. The fibre is spun much like cotton candy and 

then encased in steel mesh. This is then wrapped around a 4140 

skeletonized steel muffler tube that is designed not to inhibit 

the shotgun shell’s wad. Expanding gas passes from the muffler 

tube through stainless steel baffling screens into two separate 

expansion chambers filled with the special noise dampening 

packing material. The Octave can be run either wet or dry. The 

new suppressor weighs in at just ounces and measures 11 inches 

long. The retail price of the Octave is $899. Adaptor chokes are 

available for $95 and cover Win Choke, Rem Choke and Beretta 

Choke patterns. Contact them at www.utas-usa.com. 


NEW HARTMAN MH1 REFLEX SIGHT 

Hartman Ltd., a new innovative optics company, is proud to 

announce the ultimate red dot reflex sight: the MH1. Designed 

to meet the rigorous demands of worldwide armed forces, law 

enforcement and sportsman alike, the MH1 Reflex Sight is unlike 

any red dot reflex sight ever created. The MH1 breaks new 

ground in field of view, reticle design, quick reaction, user interface 

and battery efficiency. The patent pending advanced red dot 

sight offers the largest field of view through the sight, instantly 

improving target acquisition and situational awareness in day and 

night scenarios. The MH1 produces a near “0” parallax increasing 

accuracy. The unique reticle helps keep the firearm on a vertical 

plane using balancing lines at 3 and 9 o’clock with a centered red 

dot. The reticle also always stays on target independently of the 

operator’s eye location in the MH1 window. The MH1’s innovative 

design allows operators to attach additional magnifiers or night 

vision devices behind the sight. Once attached, the operator will 

not have any difficulty accessing the controls of the MH1 for both 

left and right-hand shooters. 

For operators in the field, battery use and preservation is critical 

to mission success. The MH1 offers a different approach to 

battery consumption from other reflex sights. T he sight charges 

via a USB rechargeable battery plugged into any wall socket, 

computer or lighter. A single backup CR123 battery installed provides 

extended battery life. Additionally, the MH1’s sleep mode 

and dual 30 degree motion sensors only activate the sight when 

a shooting movement occurs, greatly enhancing battery life. The 

MH1 red dot reflex sight is built to MIL-STD-810F and designed 

to perform in the most challenging environments. A composite 

reinforced polymer housing protects the interior technologies and 

a forged aviation grade aluminum QD mount and base keep the 

MH1 operating under the most extreme conditions. The sight is 

pressure filled with nitrogen gas and fully sealed to prevent fogging 

or dust from entering the sight. The outer surfaces of the 

window have been specially coated to produce high clarity with 

no mirror like reflection from the objective side of the sight that 

would give away the user’s position, an extremely valuable benefit 

for law enforcement and military personnel. Options for 

the MH1 include a custom user interface that allows the user to 

reprogram some of the MH1’s features and customize the sight 

for various sleep mode activation time and reticle brightness levels, 

motion sensors and more. Another option is the ambidextrous 

infrared push-to-transmit (PTT) strap, making the MH1 

the only remote-controlled reflex sight. The PTT activates the 

sight and controls reticle brightness levels (10 levels – 5 for day 

and 5 for night). It allows the user to control the sight without 

disengaging the supporting hand from the weapon, thus alwaysremaining 

ready and reducing critical reaction time. The new 

Hartman MH1 Reflex Sight is available in black, tan or green 

with an RETAIL PRICE of $650.00. The optional remote control 

strap (PTT) has an RETAIL PRICE of $49.95. Contact them at 

www.commandarms.com. 


NEW QUICK CHANGE CALIBER CONVERSION 

UPPER FROM WINDHAM WEAPONRY 

The Windham Weaponry Multi-Caliber 

Upper Receiver Assembly Kit is designed 

as a unique upgrade for the AR15 Type Rifle 

- offering quick & easy caliber changes by 

simply switching out the barrel, and if necessary, 

the bolt/bolt carrier and magazine. 

The kits are completely “ready for the range” 

once you add the optic or iron sights of your 

choice. As with their complete rifles, they 

are manufactured to the highest standards 

from the best materials available. Barrels are 

Chrome Lined for long wear and easy cleaning 

- machined from 4150 Chrome Moly Vanadium 

Steel, finished in Black Manganese 

Phosphate, and rifled appropriately for the 

intended caliber. Upper Receivers are CNC 

machined from forged 7075 T6 Aircraft Aluminum 

and finished in Hardcoat Black Anodize. 

Bolts are machined from Carpenter 

158 Steel. The MCS 1 Kit includes a complete 

Upper Receiver assembly with .223/5.56mm 

caliber M4 barrel assembly; integral railed 

forend; (with barrel release levers, and barrel 

retaining block). Additionally, a .300 Blackout 

caliber barrel assembly is included allowing 

the change between .223/5.56mm caliber 

and .300 Blackout caliber by utilizing the 

same bolt / bolt carrier and .223 magazines. 

The .223/5.56mm bolt / bolt carrier and 

.223 magazines are utilized. The .300 Blackout 

caliber barrel assembly is complete with 

railed gas block, gas tube, and A2 flash hider. 

The MCS 2 Kit includes a complete Upper 

Receiver assembly with .223/5.56mm caliber 

M4 barrel assembly; integral railed forend; 

(with barrel release levers, and barrel retaining 

block). Additionally, a 7.62 x 39mm caliber 

barrel assembly is included allowing the 

change between .223/5.56mm caliber and 

7.62 x 39mm caliber by utilizing 7.62 bolt / 

bolt carrier and the included 7.62 x 39mm 

caliber magazines. The 7.62 x 39mm caliber 

barrel assembly is complete with railed gas 

block, gas tube, and A2 flash hider. Their 

7.62 Bolts are marked with 3 rings behind 

the locking lugs so as not to be confused with 

the .223 caliber bolt. More information can 

be found at www.windhamweaponry.com. 

CMMG INTRODUCES NEW MK47 KRINK MODELS 

CMMG has unveiled the Mk47 line-up 

featuring a KRINK-style muzzle device. 

Similar to the original Mk47 MUTANT design, 

these new rifles are built around the 

7.62x39mm caliber and feature a shortened 

AR-10 sized bolt carrier group that is paired 

with a unique upper and lower receiver to 

minimize weight and increase ergonomics. 

One of the primary benefits of the Mk47 

design is its ability to accept existing AK 

magazines and drums. The new Mk47 models 

come equipped with the KRINK muzzle 

device. These new KRINK models include 

the Mk47 AKS8 AR Pistol, Mk47 AKS8 SBR 

(short-barreled rifle) and Mk47 AKS13 rifle. 

The KRINK-style muzzle-brake design was 

derived from an AK, which they modified to 

thread on standard AR threads. It serves as 

a booster, flash suppressor, blast reducer and 

also reduces recoil slightly. 

The Mk47 AKS8 SBR (all NFA rules apply) 

has an 8-inch barrel with a 9-inch RKM Key- 

Mod Handguard, a Magpul CTR Buttstock 

and Magpul MOE Pistol Grip. It comes with a 

CMMG single-stage trigger and one Magpul 

AK PMAG. The full-sized Mk47 AKS13 has a 

13-inch barrel with the KRINK muzzle device 

pinned and welded permanently to the end 

of the barrel to meet the 16” requirement for 

Title 1 Firearms. It features a 15-inch RKM 

KeyMod handguard, a Magpul CTR Buttstock 

and MOE Pistol Grip. It comes with a 

CMMG single-stage trigger pre-installed and 

one Magpul AK PMAG. For more information 

contact them at www.cmmginc.com. 

NEW CIVIC DUTY SELF-DEFENSE AMMUNITION 

G2 Research Inc., introduces its NEW Civic Duty round for serious self- defense. Designed 

to reliably and quickly expand to 2.5 times its caliber, this new round delivers incredible attack 

stopping energy, large wound area and excellent penetration. A “humble” 100-grain 9mm 

Civic Duty bullet will open up to 0.855 inches, creating a near-instant fight-stopping wound by 

effectively delivering all of its energy inside the target. The Civic Duty bullet is a solid copper, 

CNC-machined bullet that upon entering the target immediately begins expansion as a large 

hollow point. At initial contact, six large petals of the jacket peel back to create a fight-stopping 

wound. Unlike conventional hollow point bullets, which may not expand reliably due to clothing 

filling up the hollow point, the Civic Duty will indeed reliably open up because of its peeling 

petal design. The Civic Duty round is currently available in 9mm and a .45ACP round will be 

on the market in the near future. The Civic Duty round is designed to function exceptionally 

well at lower velocities (.45 ACP) and at higher velocities (such as the 9mm at 1,230+ fps). The 

lighter bullet weight greatly reduces felt recoil and muzzle flip, making for faster and more accurate 

follow up shots-if necessary. Priced at $41.99 for a box of 20, this is no low-cost plinking 

round. Then again, low-cost rounds are not made on CNC machines. The Civic Duty round is 

designed to stop a fight quickly and sometimes you must ask yourself: “Is my life worth two 

bucks a shot?” Find more information at www.G2Rammo.com. 


INTERNATIONAL LEGAL AFFAIRS 

DEFENSE DISTRIBUTED – CONTINUED. 

A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THE EVENTS THUS FAR: 

VOL 8 NO 2 // by JASON M. WONG 

January 2013: Defense Distributed, a 

nonprofit, gun-design digital publisher headquartered 

in Austin, Texas started offering 

free online technical information about 

gun-related items, including a 3-D printed 

magazine for the AR-15 rifle. 

Following publication of the AR-15 magazine 

code, the Defense Distributed website 

provides instructions for a 3-D printed pistol 

called the Liberator. According to Defense 

Distributed, within days, users downloaded 

the files “hundreds of thousands of times.” 

May 8, 2013: the U.S. State Department 

Directorate of Defense Trade Controls 

(DDTC) sent a letter to Defense Distributed, 

informing the company that the online instructions 

may have violated regulations for 

exporting defense articles and services. According 

to DDTC, ITAR restrictions may require 

Defense Distributed to obtain prior authorization 

from the Directorate of Defense 

Trade Controls before releasing the technical 

data online. 

Following receipt of the Government’s 

letter, Defense Distributed removed the instructions 

to manufacture the Liberator pistol 

from the internet. 

June 2013: Defense Distributed submitted 

the first commodity jurisdiction request 

to DDTC, seeking review of (10) 3-D printer 

files. No response is received from DDTC. 

September 2014: Defense Distributed 

sent a request for pre-publication review to 

the Department of Defense Office of Prepublication 

Review and Security (DOPSR). 

October 2014: DOPSR refused to review 

the Defense Distributed submission because 

DOPSR is uncertain whether the submission 

is subject to ITAR. DOPSR suggests that Defense 

Distributed submit a commodity jurisdiction 

request to DDTC. 

January 2015: Defense Distributed sent 

a second commodity jurisdiction request to 

DDTC. 

April 2015: DDTC determines that ITAR 

restrictions apply to the 3-D printer software, 

CNC software and firearm design files, but 

do not apply to the physical CNC machine or 

3-D printer. 

April 29, 2015: Defense Distributed, in 

conjunction with the Second Amendment 

Foundation, files a lawsuit against the U.S. 

State Department, alleging that pre-approval 

publication amounts to a violation of free 

speech rights, a violation of one’s right to 

keep, bear, and manufacture arms, and a violation 

of due process. 

May 11, 2015: Defense Distributed seeks 

an injunction against DDTC, seeking to restrict 

the enforcement of any prepublication 

approval requirement against unclassified 

information under the ITAR, including all of 

the Defense Distributed files submitted for 

DOPSR review. 

June 3, 2015: DDTC publishes proposed 

regulations to re-define the definitions of 

“defense services,” “technical data,” “public 

domain,” and “fundamental research.” DDTC 

also seeks to define electronic transmission 

and storage of technical data in terms of 

the ITAR. Within the proposed definition of 

“public domain,” DDTC attempts to restrict 

the publication of any firearm-related technical 

data online without prior approval. 

NEW DEVELOPMENTS: 

On August 4, 2015, the 5th Circuit Court 

issued a ruling on Defense Distributed’s 

request for injunction. When reviewing 

an injunction, a court will examine four 

factors in determining whether to issue 

injunctive relief: 

1. Irreparable harm. The court will consider 

whether the significance of the harm 

suffered by the requesting party if he injunction 

is not granted. 

2. Balance. The court will determine the effects 

of not issuing the injunction. That is, 

will the non-requesting party be harmed if 

the injunction is issued? 

3. Public interests. If the injunction is issued, 

what effect will the injunction have 

on the public interest? 

4. Likelihood of success. How likely is the 

party requesting the injunction to succeed 

at the end of the litigation? 

In making its decision, the Court determined 

that Defense Distributed proved 

a substantial threat of irreparable injury. 

Nevertheless, DDTC is tasked by law to regulate 

the export of defense articles from the 

country. If the injunction were issued, DDTC 

would also suffer harm, as it would not be 

able to perform its lawful duties in preventing 

foreign nationals from accessing the technical 

data provided by Defense Distributed via 

the internet. In the interest of the public, the 

court found that the harm of an illegal export 

outweighs the individual harms that Defense 

Distributed may suffer. Finally, the court 

found Defense Distributed likely would NOT 

succeed in its case against the Government. 

In reviewing Defense Distributed’s case, the 

court delved into each of the three alleged 

Constitutional violations. 

VIOLATION OF THE 2ND AMENDMENT: 

Defense Distributed alleged that the ITAR 

regulatory scheme violated their Second 

Amendment rights. The court disagreed. In 

very basic terms, the Court ruled that there 

were no restrictions placed upon the possession 

of the computer code created by Defense 

Distributed. Defense Distributed was in 

possession of the code, and DDTC made no 

effort to restrict Defense Distributed’s possession 

of the code. Co-Plaintiff, the Second 

Amendment Foundation (SAF) argued that 

by preventing distribution, DDTC violated 

the possessory rights of its members – that 

is, the right of SAF members to possess the 

computer code was restricted by DDTC via 

the Government’s restriction from publishing 

the information on the internet. The Court 

ruled that “SAF members are not prohibited 

from manufacturing their own firearms, nor 

are they prohibited from keeping and bearing 

other firearms. Most strikingly, SAF members 

in the United States are not prohibited 

from acquiring the computer files at issue directly 

from Defense Distributed.” As a result, 

the 2nd Amendment argument in support of 

the injunction failed. 

Violation of Due Process. 

The 5th Amendment to the U.S Constitution 

provides that no one shall be “deprived 

of life, liberty or property without due process 

of law.” In protecting due process rights, 

U.S. law acts to prevent the mistaken or unjustified 

deprivation of life, liberty, or property, 

and enables individuals to contest Government 

actions that are based upon a vague 

regulatory scheme. In this case, Defense Distributed 

argues that the terms “export,” and 

“defense articles” within the ITAR are vague. 

The terms “export” and “defense articles” 


are defined within the ITAR. Defense Distributed 

argued that 22 CFR §120.6, the section 

that defines “defense articles” was too broadly 

written, to the point that it was unconstitutionally 

vague. One section to which Defense 

Distributed quoted included restrictions on 

information “which is required for the design, 

development, production, manufacture, 

assembly, operation, repair, testing, maintenance 

or modification of defense articles” 

which additionally “includes information 

in the form of blueprints, drawings, photographs, 

plans, instructions or documentation.” 

Defense Distributed argued that it cannot 

determine whether its computer code is 

regulated under this section of the ITAR. 

Similarly, Defense Distributed argued 

that it cannot determine whether placing 

its data on the internet would be classified 

as an export. Exports are defined to include 

“[d]isclosing (including oral or visual disclosure) 

or transferring technical data to a foreign 

person, whether in the United States or 

abroad.” 22 C.F.R. §120.17(a)(4). 

There is no question that reading the 

ITAR regulations is difficult. The rules of 

Standard English seemingly do not apply, as 

sentences run on with multiple commas and 

semi-colons. Nevertheless, the court determined 

that placing the computer code on the 

internet would result in an export, pursuant 

to the regulatory definition. Similarly, the 

court found that although the definition for 

“defense articles” was extensive, the ITAR 

adequately defined and identified items with 

significant specificity. As a result, the 5th 

Amendment due process argument failed. 

VIOLATION OF THE 1ST AMENDMENT: 

Defense Distributed’s best argument may 

lie with an alleged violation of the 1st Amendment 

right to free speech. In addressing First 

Amendment claims, there are three steps to 

the analysis: 

1. Determine whether the claim involves 

protected speech, 

2. Identify the nature of the forum, and 

3. Assess whether the justifications for 

exclusion from the relevant forum satisfy 

the requisite standard. 

Not all speech is protected. Individuals are 

not permitted to commit perjury, commit a 

true threat against others, commit blackmail, 

engage in defamation, incite actions to harm 

others, or make obscene materials. Instead, 

the 1st Amendment allows an individual (or 

group of individuals) to express their beliefs, 

thoughts, ideas and emotions about different 

issues free from government censorship. 

The restriction against government censorship 

is a central issue within this case – 

if prior DDTC approval is required prior to 

publication by Defense Distributed, DDTC 

may have created a censorship scheme in violation 

of the U.S. Constitution. Prior courts 

have ruled that “[a]ny prior restraint on expression 

comes ...with a ‘heavy presumption’ 

against its constitutional validity”; Shuttlesworth 

v. City of Birmingham, 394 U.S. 

147, 150–51 (1969) Similarly, “a system of 

prior restraint avoids constitutional infirmity 

only if it takes place under procedural safeguards 

designed to obviate the dangers of a 

censorship system.” Collins v. Ainsworth, 382 

F.3d 529, 539 (5th Cir. 2004) (quoting Southeastern 

Promotions, Ltd. v. Conrad,420 U.S. 

546, 559 (1975). The prior approval scheme 

proposed by DDTC in responding to Defense 

Distributed and again proposed in June 2015 

as an amended regulation cannot stand if it 

violates the 1st Amendment. 

In arguing against Defense Distributed, 

DDTC argued that computer code is not protected 

speech, as the code is largely unintelligible 

to most people. The Court found that 

although Sanskrit is also largely unintelligible 

to most people, a book written in Sanskrit 

would be protected. In addition, Defense Distributed 

sought to distribute the file as open 

source, allowing others to read, amend, and 

change the original code. As a result, the court 

found that the first element of the review was 

met – the computer code written by Defense 

Distributed was protected free speech. 

All parties agreed that the internet was a public 

forum. As a result the second element of 

review was met. 

In reviewing the third element of review, 

there are different standards of review. Depending 

upon the restriction on speech, two 

possible levels of review are possible. Restrictions 

that are based upon a content-neutral 

basis are afforded “intermediate scrutiny,” 

and will be permissible as long as the restriction 

is narrowly tailored to serve a significant 

governmental interest. A content-neutral 

regulation must allow ample alternative 

channels for communicating the affected 

information. Content-based restrictions are 

examined under strict scrutiny, meaning that 

the regulation must be narrowly tailored to 

meet a compelling government interest. Defense 

Distributed and DDTC disagree as to 

whether the regulation is content-neutral or 

content-based. 

In determining whether the ITAR is content-neutral 

or content-based, the court 

looked to the U.S. Supreme Court, which 

found regulations to be content-neutral where 

the regulations are aimed not at suppressing a 

message, but at other “secondary effects.” The 

Court found that there is no doubt that the 

ITAR “clearly regulates disclosure of “technical 

data” relating to “defense articles,” [and 

that] the ITAR… unquestionably regulates 

speech concerning a specific topic.” Nevertheless, 

the Court found that the ITAR “does not 

regulate disclosure of technical data based 

upon the message it is communicating.” As 

a result, the ITAR was deemed to be a content-neutral 

regulation, and subject only to 

intermediate level scrutiny. 

Intermediate level scrutiny requires that 

a “regulation of the time, place, or manner of 

protected speech must be narrowly tailored 

to serve the government’s legitimate, content-neutral 

interests but that it need not be 

the least restrictive or least intrusive means 

of doing so.” Ward v. Rock Against Racism, 

491 U.S. 781. In this case, the parties agree 

that there is a substantial governmental interest 

in regulating the publication and distribution 

of military related technical data. 

The only issue at stake is whether the ITAR 

is tailored sufficiently narrowly to meet the 

government’s interests in preventing distribution 

of restricted technical data to persons 

outside of the United States. 

The court determined that the ITAR 

was sufficiently narrow to meet the government’s 

interests, and did not infringe upon 

Defense Distributed’s ability to disseminate 

the information domestically. In making its 

ruling, the Court determined that Defense 

Distributed could use any medium of communication, 

to include the mail – as long 

as the chosen medium did not allow for 

international distribution. 

By failing on all three claims within the 

motion for preliminary injunction, the Court 

ruled in favor of DDTC. 

WHAT’S NEXT? 

The most recent court action was only a 

motion for preliminary injunction. Nevertheless, 

the hearing was an important view 

into the Court’s thought process, and how the 

Court may rule when the full case is heard. 

Defense Distributed has appealed the motion, 

and a second hearing on the injunction 

will be heard at a future date. Surprisingly, 

a number of groups have come out in support 

of Defense Distributed, to include the 

Electronic Frontier Foundation, U.S. Congressman 

Thomas Massie, the CATO Institute, 

and the Reporter’s Committee for the 

Freedom of the Press. 

Restrictions on the export of defense articles 

have existed since the 1940s. The ITAR 

was enacted in 1976, and although it is updated 

from time to time, the regulatory language 

has never fully addressed the internet. Clearly, 

the regulation will need to be amended to 

remain current and applicable in the modern 

era; the only question will be how to amend 

the regulation while remaining within the 

bounds of the U.S. Constitution. Stay tuned, 

this case is not resolved yet. 





ABOVE: Guided Firearms employ computer vision tracking optics and advanced fire control technology built into a 

dedicated firearm. Once the shooter tags the target, the fire control computer automatically calculates the desired 

point of impact and precise firing point leaving no guesswork for the shooter. This sophisticated fire control system 

is an example of optoelectronic cutting edge sighting devices available today. Picture by Tracking Point. 

Advancements in optoelectronics 

is changing the firearms 

sighting device industry as we 

know it today and it is likewise 

changing society’s very perception. 

It’s no surprise that the optical 

industry is heading toward the 

ultimate replacement of traditional 

ground lens see-through glass optics 

with optoelectronic sighting devices. 

This sophisticated technology, like 

high definition multispectral cameras 

and viewing screens that offer 

reliable performance under all light 

extremes and environmental conditions, 

is becoming the norm. 

Optoelectronics is the science 

and application of electronic devices 

that source, detect and control light 

and is considered, by many, a sub-field 

of photonics (the science of radiant energy). 

In this context, light includes visible 

light as well as invisible forms of radiation 

such as gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet 

and infrared. Optoelectronic devices are 

electrical-to-optical or optical-to-electrical 

transducers (devices that convert forms of 

energy), or instruments that use such devices 

in their operation. Electro-optics is 

often erroneously used as a synonym for 

optoelectronics, but electro-optics encompasses 

a much broader branch of physics 

that includes all interactions between light 

and electric fields, whether or not they 

form part of an electronic device. 

First some necessary background explanation 

on optoelectronics. The science 

of optoelectronics is based on the quantum 

mechanical effects of light on electronic 

materials, especially semiconductors, 

sometimes in the presence of electric 

fields. Semiconductors are the foundation 

of modern electronics because anything 

that’s computerized or uses radio waves 

depends on semiconductors. 

What is a semiconductor? Semiconductors 

are made from material that has 

an electrical conductivity value falling 

between that of a conductor, such as copper, 

and an insulator, such as glass. Semiconducting 

materials exist in two types 

- elemental materials and compound materials. 

Semiconductors are at the heart 

of microprocessor chips as well as transistors. 

Today, most semiconductor chips 

and transistors are created with silicon, 

one of the most abundant minerals on 

planet Earth. 

The modern understanding of the 

properties of a semiconductor relies on 

quantum mechanics to explain the movement 

of electrons and holes in a crystal 

lattice. Development of quantum mechanics, 

spearheaded by Albert Einstein, led to 

the development of the transistor in 1947. 

However, the road from Einstein and 

quantum mechanics to the first manufactured 

transistor was paved with thousands 

of science and engineering hours, failed 

attempts, and billions of dollars. Yet, in 

hindsight, it was a simple road to build. 

Optoelectronics can be traced back 

to 1907 when a Londoner by the name 

of Henry Round discovered electroluminescence 

using silicon carbide and a cat 

whisker while experimenting with a turnof-the-century 

crystal radio set. Uniquely, 

this very simple radio receiver’s only 

source of power comes solely from the 

power of radio waves received by a wire 

antenna. It gets its name from its most 

important component known as a crystal 

detector, originally made from a piece of 

crystalline mineral such as galena. 

Galena is the naturally occurring ore 

of lead. Its crystals act as a semiconductor 

with a small bandgap of about 0.4 eV. In 

solid-state physics, a bandgap, also called 

an energy gap, defines an energy range in 

a solid where no electron states can exist. 

In graphs of the electronic band structure 

of solids, the bandgap generally refers to 

the energy difference (in electron volts expressed 

as eV) between the top of the valence 

band (the highest range of electron 

energies) and the bottom of the conduction 

band in insulators and semiconductors. 

Therefore, the bandgap is a major factor 

determining the electrical conductivity 

of a solid. Substances with large bandgaps 

are generally insulators; those with smaller 

band gaps are semiconductors, while 

conductors either have very small bandgaps 

(or none at all), because the valence 

and conduction bands overlap. 

Galena crystal was used in early crystal 

radio sets as a point-contact diode capable 

of rectifying alternating voltages and current 

and detecting radio signals. The crystal 

was “tuned” with a sharp pointed wire, 

known as a “cat’s whisker.” The operation 

of the radio required that the point of the 

wire in contact with the galena crystal be 

shifted about the crystal’s faceted surfaces 

to find a part of the crystal that acted as a 

rectifying diode. Today the crystal and cat 

whisker have been eliminated. This component 

is called a diode and they are manufactured 

with specific semi-conductance 

purpose-intended values. 

Now back to Henry Round’s research. 

In the 1920s, Round’s luminance investigation 

was further advanced by Russian 

physicist, Oleg Losev. Losev studied the 

phenomenal properties of light-emitting 

diodes (LED) in radio sets and published 

a number of detailed scientific papers that 

quantified and documented his findings. 

Even though one might think World War 



LEFT: A close kin to Aimpoint’s optoelectronic Micro T-2 ruggedized military 

sight, the Micro H-2 provides sportsman much of the same affordable performance 

and user friendliness in the smallest package possible. RIGHT: 

Trijicon’s MRO LED illuminated 2 MOA dot has 8 brightness settings (2 are 

for use with night vision) and a battery life of 5 yrs of continuous use at 70F. 

It’s military-grade rugged and water proof to a depth of 100 ft. 

II would have inevitably advanced Losev’s 

research out of wartime necessity, it was 

largely forgotten until the late 1950s and 

history cannot account for the reason. 

In early 1961 Bob Bard and Gary Pittman 

accidently discovered the infrared 

light emitting diode (LED) at Texas Instruments 

while trying to make a laser diode. 

This led to the first modern LED. In 1962, 

General Electric’s Nick Holonyack, Jr. developed 

the first visible light red LED. This 

headed the future discoveries of multi-colored 

LEDs, liquid crystal diodes (LCDs), 

organic LEDs (OLED) and the expansion 

of optoelectronics. Applied variations of 

these are found in today’s optoelectronic 

devices in the form of smart phone cameras, 

computers, visible and IR spotting and 

ranging lasers, low light imaging devices, 

starlight-magnifying devices, passive and 

active infrared sighting and imaging devices, 

HD digital multi-spectral micro-imaging, 

flat screen monitors, high intensity 

visible light LED light bulbs, flashlights, 

headlights, marker lights, and the list goes 

on and on. 

As chip technology advances, the next 

generation gun-sighting devices will undoubtedly 

incorporate navigation, ranging 

and spotting capabilities, a user headsup 

display, an encrypted data recording 

capability, an encrypted data in motion 

link to any smart phone for real time social 

media-like or other communications 

connectivity and USB ports for uploading/ 

downloading data. In the near future these 

devices might also include target acquisition 

and identification capabilities, electronic 

picture stabilization and a host of 

other wiz bang effectiveness options. They 

will be cheaper to manufacture than traditional 

glass optics, smaller and lighter, 

more rugged with a longer life expectancy, 

and provide down-loadable upgradeable 

capability option apps all in one optoelectronic-packed 

multipurpose sight. Imagination 

is the limit, and remarkably all this 

technology currently exists. 

So why aren’t manufacturers offering 

the ultimate gun sight that includes all this 

technology? The answer is simple. When 

market requirement demands can be met 

with a competitive cost for the functions 

delivered, they will be. Manufacturers are 

slowly adding optoelectronic capabilities 

to their product lines, however with the addition 

of sophisticated technology comes 

the problem of user interface, training and 

familiarity. The analogy is similar to problems 

designers faced when teaching pilots 

to fly a drone. The engineers quickly realized 

that it was easier to train a computer 

game player to fly a drone using a gamelike 

hand paddle and joystick than by using 

something that simulated an aircraft 

cockpit. The reason was user familiarity 

(muscle memory). Most of today’s generation 

grows up playing computer games and 

they are at home with the gaming controls 

that all work very similarly. Thus, the transition 

to drone piloting using similar functioning 

game-like controls is easy. 

That is exactly the problem the optoelectronic 

gun sight design engineers now 

face. They must design an electronic sight 

with controls that closely mimic something 

that the users are at home with and already 

know how to use. Like the drone controllers, 

the gun sight controls must look, work 

and feel much the same no matter what 

brand they carry. This is achievable and we 

will see it transpire within the decade. 

Like most things that appear almost 

too good to be true there is also an optoelectronic 

downside and, in this case, that 

involves one of the Laws of Physics. As 


capability becomes greater in optoelectronic 

devices so does the power requirement. 

Today’s batteries have insufficient 

life span to meet most future operational 

requirements requiring their frequent replacement 

or tethering the device to either 

a battery charger or an alternate power 

generation source. New sources of power 

will need to be developed and they cannot 

be cost prohibitive. Power generation 

strategies like power harvesting generated 

from human movement may be a partial 

solution (much like a self-winding watch), 

as may Uranium-powered batteries (recently 

patented). 

With more power and prolonged use, 

adequate dissipation of the heat generated 

by the electrical components (known as 

heat sinking) becomes a major problem. 

This physical-limiting problem results 

from the fact that the microcircuit size limit 

has been reached. Today’s components’ 

feature size is measured in layers of atoms. 

The rigid Law of Physics at play is Arrhenius’ 

Law. Most optoelectronic devices 

(and many other manufactured electronic 

goods) fail because of internal chip material 

migration resulting from overheating. 

Within the chips, all the Ps (P-type dopants 

are electron acceptors) and Ns (N-type 

dopants are electron donors) migrate into 

one another and the transistors cease to 

function as designed. Arrhenius tells us 

that for every 10 degrees Centigrade temperature 

elevation, the migration rate doubles. 

In this regard, optoelectronic sights 

are no different than laptops or flat panel 

video displays. Microcircuit chip components 

like transistors; diodes, resistors 

and capacitors change value when overheated. 

When circuit components change 

value, electronic devices malfunction or 

outright fail. While engineers are not out 

of ideas and have hypothetical solutions to 

resolve such problems, they quickly bump 

up against the limitations imposed by the 

Laws of Physics – at some point something 

can be made no smaller and that physical 

limitation has been reached in today’s 

component circuitry. 

Nonetheless, there are a variety of optoelectronic 

devices available to the shooter 

today. Most range in price from several 

hundred dollars on the low end to many 

thousands of dollars for those offering 

greater sophistication and capability. Best 

of all, most major shooting sports suppliers 

offer a wide selection, as does the Internet. 

Today’s exponential explosion in 

semi-conductor technology coupled with 

better understandings of the quantum mechanics 

involved means the best available 

today will be quickly eclipsed by radically 

more capable next generation optoelectronic 

technology tomorrow. 

As history reflects, the optoelectronic 

development road extending from the 

first transistor to the device technology 

in today’s iPhone 6 has been exponentially 

more complex (and more costly), but 

very quickly accomplished, in comparative 

terms. Optoelectronic gun sights don’t 

enjoy the commodity status of cell phones 

and iPads so for now, recovering development 

investments results in expensive 

end cost products. As with most technology 

evolutions, it will likely take longer to 

materialize than forecast, but when it does 

happen, the impact will be bigger than anticipated. 

Stay tuned. 

Schmidt & Bender’s ultra-sophisticated 

prototype sniper scope employs 

an LED viewing screen, low light enhancement 

capabilities, image capture 

and blue tooth image transmission. 


NSV & Kord 

machine guns 

identification & 

Differences 

Photo credit: Sergei Gritts/AP 

by Jonathan Ferguson 

Untrained observers frequently confuse superficially similar 

small arms and light weapon (SALW) systems, particularly 

with the pressure of covering a current conflict. These mistakes 

can act as a red herring for those seeking to establish 

the objective reality on the ground, or at worst, incorrectly 

act as evidence of involvement by external parties. 

The Ukraine conflict is a great example of such a situation, 

with many subtle variants of former Soviet and Russian weapon 

types employed by both sides. A report from June 2014 as well 

as subsequent reports claimed to have identified the relatively 

modern ‘Kord’ heavy machine gun (HMG), ostensibly in Russian 

service only, in the hands of pro-Russian separatists. Needless to 

say, the presence of this weapon would be a significant indicator 

with regards to the supply of SALW to separatists in eastern 

Ukraine. However, as was briefly mentioned in ARES report No. 

3: “Raising Red Flags: An Examination of Arms & Munitions in 

the Ongoing Conflict in Ukraine, 2014″, this particular identification 

proved to be in error. The HMG in question was actually 

the rather more innocuous 1970s vintage NSV, which is in service 

with both Ukrainian and Russian armed forces (and several 

others around the world). This mistake was an easy one to make, 

because the two weapons are, externally at least, remarkably similar 

and difficult to tell apart without access to internal components 

or visible designation markings. They are also both still in 

production; the NSV in Kazakhstan, Poland, and elsewhere, and 

the Kord in Russia. ARES has not seen evidence of Kord HMGs in 

eastern Ukraine, although other recently-produced Russian arms 

and munitions were identified. Research for this report found no 

published method for differentially identifying the NSV and Kord, 

in the Anglophone world at least. We therefore present our findings 

in hope that they will aid other researchers in the field. 

vehicle (AFV) machine gun, but can also be tripod mounted, in 

which role it is more properly designated NSVS-12.7 or NSVS-N3. 

It is noteworthy for employing an unusual manifold breech block 

design containing three side-folding ‘sub-blocks’ (see Jane’s 2014 

for details of operation). The older of the two designs, it is currently 

known to be manufactured by Metallist JSC and Kaspex, both 

based in Kazakhstan. 

NSV 

The design of the NSV Utes (Утес; ‘Cliff’) dates back to 1969 

and the weapon is named for inventors: Nikitin, Sokolov, and 

Volkov. It has traditionally seen service as an armoured fighting 

This article is courtesy of Armament Research Services (ARES) – 

www.armamentresearch.com 


Right side view of the same NSV. 

Photo credit: Vitaly V. Kuzmin 

KORD 

The location of NSV production, in Kazakhstan, presented a 

problem for the Russian armed forces following the break-up of 

the Soviet Union. A replacement was commissioned, apparently 

with some leeway in design specification, because the entirely new 

team (Obidin, Bogdanov, and Zhiryokin) created a rather different 

design retaining little of the original weapon’s internal workings. 

The detachable barrel system was retained, but much of the 

mechanical design was abandoned. A new rotating bolt operating 

system was designed, resulting in reduced recoil and increased 

accuracy (and probably increased reliability) over its predecessor. 

The Kord entered service in 1998 alongside existing examples of 

the original NSV. It is produced in Russia by V.A. Degtyarev Plant 

JSC, Kovrov. 

Left side view of a NSV HMG on a tripod mount. Note 

in particular the riveting down the side of the receiver. 

Photo credit: Vitaly V. Kuzmin 

Left side view of a Kord HMG on tripod mount. Note 

in particular the forward portion of the receiver, with 

less rivets and a different rivet pattern when compared 

with the NSV. Also note the attached bipod 

Photo credit: Zonawar 


NSV & Kord 

Right side view of a Kord on a bipod mount. 

Photo credit: Zonawar 

DIFFERENTIAL IDENTIFICATION 

A number of differences are apparent from examination of 

photographs, yet some of the more obvious are not actually definitive 

and may result in misidentification. This is a particularly 

easy mistake to make if the two weapons are not compared to one 

another. Black polyamide furniture may be more advanced than 

wood or Bakelite, but it is to be found on both types depending 

upon date of production, and could conceivably be retrofitted to 

older receivers. Whilst the traditional conical flash-hider of the 

NSV is not likely to be seen on the Kord, some examples of the 

NSV feature one of two Kord-style muzzle brakes, an earlier cylindrical 

pattern, and the flat, chambered design in production 

currently. Additionally, the Kord is fitted with the 6T19 bipod as 

standard, and this remains in place when the weapon is also tripod 

mounted, acting as another identifying feature of the type. By 

contrast, no bipod appears to have been designed for use with the 

older NSV; instead, it uses heavier mounting systems like the 6T7 

tripod. Anecdotally, this is due to the reduced recoil of the Kord’s 

new operating system. 

These features may or may not appear on a given example, or 

be visible from a given photographic angle. However, there are 

diagnostic features of these types that should be visible either to 

first-hand observers, or indeed in a variety of photographic angles. 

The Kord is, by design, a product-improved NSV. However, 

the changes made were far more extensive than the better-documented 

alterations of, say, PK to PKM, or even AK to AKM. These 

fundamental design changes resulted in a very different receiver 

that retains common external features only where necessary for 

compatibility with existing NSV mounts and accessories. 

The true diagnostic features of the Kord are in the receiver, 

most evidently its left side, where there is a marked absence of 

rivets on the forward portion (see the image below). The right side 

is likewise considerably less cluttered on the more modern Kord. 

These features should prove diagnostic in most situations. 

LEFT: Side-by-side comparison 

of NSV (top) and Kord 

(bottom) receivers. Note differing 

rivet patterns. Photo 

credit: Vitaly V. Kuzmin & 

Zonawar (composite image). 

SPECIFICATIONS 

NSV 

Kord 

Cartridge: 12.7 x 108 mm 12.7 x 108 mm or 12.7 x 99 

mm (.50 BMG) 

Operation: Gas, automatic only Gas, automatic only 

Locking: 

3-part horizontal side-folding 

Rotating bolt 

breech block 

Feed: 

Non-disintegrating metal Non-disintegrating metal 

link belt 

link belt 

Belt capacity: 50 rds 10 rd sections, with 50 rd 

linked belt ready to use 

Weight – Gun only: 25 kg 25 kg 

Weight – Barrel: 9.2 kg 9.25 kg 

Weight – Tripod 16 kg 16 kg 

Weight – 50rd belt: 7.7 kg 7.7 kg 

Length, overall: 1.56 m 1.58 m 

Rifling: 8 grooves, RH 8 grooves, RH 

Fore sight: Post Post 

Rear sight: 

Folding tangent leaf, graduations 

from 2 (200 m) to 

20 (2000 m) 

Folding tangent leaf, graduations 

from 2 (200 m) to 20 

(2000 m) 

Optical: SPP optical sight available SPP optical sight available 

Rate of fire – Cyclic: 700 – 800 rds/min 600 – 700 rds/min 

Rate of fire – Practical: < 270 rds/min – 

Muzzle velocity: 820 – 860 m/s 820 – 860 m/s 

Effective range: 2000 m 2000 m 



.300BLK provides superior 

barrier penetration compared 

to standard 5.56MM cartridge. 

Barrett has taken its vision of the 

AR rifle another step forward with 

its new direct impingement AR. 

Interestingly, the REC 7 DI is Barrett’s 

fourth AR pattern rifle; the 

first being the Barrett M468 rifle, which 

also employed a direct gas-impingement 

system. The M468 was subsequently discontinued 

from production. The second Barrett 

AR was the piston driven REC 7 in 2007. The 

Barrett REC 7 II, which tweaked the original 

REC 7, can be considered the third Barrett AR 

variant. Barrett will continue to produce the 

piston driven REC 7 alongside the DI variant; 

the best of both worlds for the AR user. 

It is not unusual to see military pattern 

weapons embraced by civilian shooters outside of 

the armed services. This pattern can be discerned 

even before the AR rifle arrived on the scene à la the 

Trapdoor, Springfield, M1 Garand etc. Why not take 

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Range vehicles presented realistic ambush 

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REC 7 Direct Impingement: 

By Todd Burgreen 

Continued evolution of Barrett’s 

AR platform combined with 

.300Blackout 

nations’ armed forces in doing the initial 

leg work of what works in terms of reliability 

and effectiveness. This is not to say military 

weapons are to be blindly followed; 

just that millions of dollars and countless 

hours of research & development should 

not be ignored as a starting place. The 

AR’s modular nature combined with advances 

in CNC machine technology allows 

for enhancements beyond what could have 

been imagined 50+ years ago. This same 

concept can be applied to cartridges chambered 

in the AR. 

Of late, much attention seems to be 

on “improving” the AR platform via cartridge 

enhancement. The .300 Blackout 

(.300BLK) is emerging as one of the most 

successful alternate AR chamberings. Reports 

from our ongoing war against terror 

combined with near constant operational 

tempo in Afghanistan and Iraq have 

re-exposed 5.56MM poor performance in 

putting an adversary down quickly with 

minimal rounds fired. While the basic 

AR15/M16 design is hard to improve upon 

when it comes to reliably launching bullets 

downrange accurately, many lament the 

5.56MM caliber. Though the 7.62x51MM/ 

.308Win AR10 has been around for quite 

some time, the .308Win AR’s increase in 

size and weight in terms of necessary AR 

receiver size, ammunition, and other accessories 

to accommodate the larger cartridge 

is a draw back to many. The last 

frontier with the AR is caliber expansion 

that fits within a standard 5.56MM lower 

receiver. Combine this with the increasing 

use of suppressors and the stage is set for 

an AR chambered in a cartridge capable of 

supersonic and subsonic factory loadings. 

This is where an AR chambered in the .300 

Blackout (.300BLK) comes into the story. 

The .300BLK (7.62x35MM) was introduced 

by Advanced Armament Corporation 

(AAC) in cooperation with Remington 

Defense in response to the US special 

operation military forces discussions. Literature 

illuminates their goal with the 

.300BLK as being the ability to launch 

.30 caliber projectiles from the AR platform 

from existing 5.56MM magazines 

without a reduction in magazine capacity 

or reliable functioning. Another notable 

characteristic of the .300BLK is its compatibility 

with the AR standard bolt; thus 

only a barrel change is necessary. Anecdotal 

information compares standard velocity 

.300BLK 115-125 grain ammunition as 

matching the ballistics of the 7.62x39MM 

AK and eclipses 5.56MM both in ballistics 

and terminal punch. At 300 meters, 

the .300BLK has approximately 17 percent 

more energy than the 7.62x39MM. 


American Eagle Suppressor 220 grain OTM ammunition 

produced tight 50 yard grouping when 

fired with or without Barrett suppressor attached. 

The .300BLK from a 9 inch barrel has the 

same energy at the muzzle as a 14.5 inch 

barrel 5.56MM M4 and surpasses it as 

ranges extend. One interesting twist with 

the .300BLK, obvious considering AAC is 

in the suppressor business, is the ability 

to choose subsonic loads for optimal use 

with a sound suppressor. The ability to access 

either supersonic or subsonic factory 

ammunition offers great flexibility to the 

.300BLK AR user; especially considering 

the special attention paid to its compatibility 

with the AR platform. 

The REC 7 DI evaluated herein is 

chambered in .300 Blackout (.300BLK). 

5.56MM and 6.8 SPC are other cartridge 

options. Talks with Barrett’s Director of US 

Commercial Sales, Jeff Burch, indicated 

that the 5.56MM and 6.8 SPC REC 7 DI rifles 

will have either 16 inch or 18 inch barrels 

with a DMR model in the works. The 

.300BLK DI will be offered with 16 inch or 

10 inch barrels. Barrett’s AM30 suppressor 

was used in conjunction with the REC7 

DI to fully explore what the .300BLK Barrett 

REC 7 DI offers. The Barrett suppressor 

is made from titanium alloys and measures 

8.3 inches with 1.5 inch diameter. 

Weight is 12.4 ounces. Sound reduction is 

rated at -25-30dB. 

The same Barrett quality and attention 

to detail in providing accurate, rugged, and 

reliable weapons such as the MRAD and 

98B, both examples of other Chris Barrett 

designs, was turned toward the AR. For example, 

the Barrett Enhanced Bolt is made 

from high-strength 9310 steel. Every bolt 

is proofed and magnetic-particle inspected 

to guarantee reliable performance. The 

REC 7 DI upper and lower receivers are 

forged from 7075 aluminum upper and 

then hardcoat anodized. An ALG ACT 

trigger is standard with the REC 7 DI. A 

proprietary Barrett muzzle brake of Chris 

Barrett’s design is threaded to the 16 inch 

free-floated, Match stainless barrel with 

M4 feed ramps machined into the receiver 

and the barrel extension. Barrett is profiling 

and chambering barrel blanks for the 

REC 7 DI barrel enabling tighter quality 

control and smoother supply chain. Magpul 

MOE adjustable buttstock is fitted to 

the REC 7 DI. The REC 7 DI weighs 6.5 

pounds and measures 32.5 inches with 

stock collapsed and 35.75 inches extended. 

The REC 7 DI features Cerakote finish. 

Available colors are ODG, tungsten gray, 

tan, and black. The rifle evaluated herein 

features a custom paint job. 

The REC 7 DI tested arrived with 

Barrett’s new BRS (Barrett Rail System) 

forend. It is a free-float hand guard that 

helps trim 4 to 7 ounces of weight of the 

rifle. The BRS is available as a stand alone 

accessory from Barrett. The REC 7 DI is 

one of lighter AR versions on the market, 

especially considering that it features a 

full length rail and 16 inch barrel, weighing 

less than 7 pounds. The low profile 

gas block found on the Barrett REC 7 DI 

is machined from heat-treated tool steel 

and is lighter than standard gas blocks. 

The Barrett REC 7 DI shows versatility in 

satisfying customer needs by not using 

full length quad rails, but instead a lower 

profile handguard. The BRS handguard 

minimizes weight and contributes to the 

excellent balance of the REC 7 DI. Some 

full length rails cause a front heavy feel. 

Side benefits of the BRS consist of effective 

cooling of the barrel, secure mounting 

of sling swivels and other accessories 

deemed necessary. The minimalist 

approach of the BRS still allows plenty 

of room for VFG, bipod and lights/lasers 

if so needed. Barrett’s decision to 

produce its own forward rail system 

for the REC 7 DI in lieu of using one 

from another manufacturer is a further 

commitment of ensuring production 

capability and quality. 

Chris Barrett decided to include 

several nuances with the REC 7 DI 

to separate it from other rifles on 

the market. A BCM Gunfighter 

charging handle shows Barrett’s 

effort in improving user manipulation 

of the rifle. Inexpensive 

charging handles tend to twist 

and bend when put under stress 

as expected with a rifle designed 

for hard use either in training 

or deployment. Along these 

same lines Barrett has chosen 

to nickel boron the bolt carrier 


REC 7 Direct Impingement 

Suppressor use dominated testing with the Barrett 

REC 7 DI. Suppressor use is often the bane 

of direct impingement ARs due to the increase 

in fouling caused. The Barrett never faltered no 

matter type of ammunition used. 

EVTC’s “jungle walk” firing venues allowed 

for a variety of supported firing positions. 



30 30 SADEFENSEJOURNAL.COM

SADEFENSEJOURNAL.COM 31 31


Working around barricade with Barrett REC 7 

DI with Barrett suppressor mounted. 

to further enhance 

the reliability of the 

REC 7 DI. 

Ammunition 

tested with the Barrett 

REC 7 DI Ammunition 

was Hornady 

supersonic 110 grain 

VMax and subsonic 208 

grain AMax. American 

Eagle Suppressor 220 

grain OTM ammunition 

was also used. While the 

Hornady ammunition is 

listed as .300Whisper on 

their webpage, a notation 

on the box clearly states 

it is usable in a .300BLK. 

In fact, Hornady utilizes 

.300WSPR/BLK labeling on 

its boxes. The .300Whisper 

predates the .300BLK and is 

dimensionally very similar. 

However, prudence dictates 

caution of any interchangeability 

unless clearly noted as 

with the Hornady loads. The 

.300Whisper is a J.D. Jones 

trademarked round dating 

back to 1992. A whole article 

can be dedicated to discussing 

the .300BLK and .300Whisper. 

In short, the .300BLK is a SAA- 

MI standard cartridge and the 

.300Whisper is not. 

The Hornady and American 

Eagle loads were chronographed. 

The Hornady 110 grain 

averaged 2315 fps and 208 grain 

1010 fps from the Barrett 16 inch 

barrel. American Eagle Suppressor 

measured 1020 fps. A Leupold Mk 4 

1.5-5x optic was mounted. Accuracy 

from a “bench” position with the Barrett 

REC7 DI measured slightly over 1 

inch at 100 yards. The American Eagle 

Suppressor brand ammo produced 

tight clusters at 50 yards. This accuracy 

level justifies considering leaving 

a magnified optic such as the versatile 

Leupold Mk 4 1.5-5x mounted on the 

REC 7 DI. Several magazines’ worth of 

ammunition was spent engaging plate 

racks and man-sized steel targets with 

the Barrett REC7 DI. Drills quickly moved 

past stand and deliver drills to more dynamic 

drills involving movement, magazine 

reloads, and firing from behind cover. 

The Barrett DC30 suppressor was used frequently 

during the drills. After all that is the 


A BCM Gunfighter charging handle and nickel boron coated bolt shows 

Barrett’s approach to provide a rifle ready for hard use with the REC 7 DI. 

ABOVE: Hornady Ammunition is available in both supersonic 

and subsonic loadings. 

of the time it is a liability. Selection of a 

fighting rifle is as personal as it gets. The 

Barrett REC 7 DI is intended for serious 

practitioners who plan on using it for patrolling, 

training, or defense. A return to 

AR basics such as lightweight, great handling 

with potent firepower is often the 

answer. Barrett offers such a platform with 

its REC 7 DI. 

SITES OF INTEREST 

Barrett Manufacturing Inc. 

www.barrett.net 

point AR rifle chambered in .300BLK— 

suppressor use. 

Barrett’s thought process with the REC 

7 DI was to create a lightweight, simple to 

operate AR rifle similar to Eugene Stoner’s 

original concept. The flexibility to 

also chamber it in 6.8SPC and .300BLK is 

a nod to realism that 5.56 MM is not the 

only viable option for entities with the option/motivation 

to choose other wise. All 

Barrett REC 7 DI features are intended for 

maximizing effectiveness during a fight 

or realistic training on the range. The key 

component in a fighting rifle is reliability. 

No matter how accurate or powerful chambering 

a rifle is if it does not work 100% 

Leupold 

www.leupold.com 

Federal Cartridge Company 

www.federalpremium.com 

HornadyMfg.Inc. 

www.hornady.com 

Echo Valley Training Center 

www.echovalleytraining.com 


National Defense 

Industrial Association’s 

Small Arms Group: 

NDIA started out in 1919 as the Army 

Ordnance Association and through 

various mergers over the last century, 

in 1997 was finalized as the NDIA. 

There are a variety of divisions, and 

the Small Arms Group has several Execu- 

tive Board/Steering Committee meetings 

per year, and an annual meeting that rotates 

around the United States. The Small 

Arms Committee of the Armaments Division 

is dedicated to insuring that the 

U.S. Military men and women have the 

weapons they need for direct use on the 

battlefield. The small arms family of weapons 

extends from self-defense handguns 

to offensive, longer-ranged, crew-served 

systems. Through continuous interchange 

of information in regularly scheduled conferences 

and direct assistance to users and 

suppliers alike, the Committee insures 

the continued improvement of the weapons 

themselves along with their associated 

ammunition and support devices. The 

Committee’s primary concentrations are 

individual and crew-served weapons, ammunition, 

ancillary support equipment, 

training devices, and new technology. 

www.ndia.org 

NDIA SMALL 

ARMS GROUP’S 

COL. GEORGE M. 

CHINN AWARD: 

BY DAN SHEA 

PAST RECIPIENTS OF THE CHINN AWARD: 

1988: Thomas E. Cosgrove 

1989: James Ackley 

1990: John S. Wood, Jr. 

1991: Roderic A. Spies 

1992: not awarded 

1993: Edward C. Ezell 

1994: Richard E. Brown 

1995: Joseph Unterkofler 

1996: C. Reed Knight, Jr. 

1997: Robert A. Trifiletti 

1998: George E. Kontis 

1999: Vernon E. Shisler 

2000: Salvatore A. Fanelli 

2001: L. James Sullivan 

2002: Ernst Mauch 

2003: Phil Baker & 

Georges Chauveheid 

2004: Ronnie Barrett 

2005: Rich Audette 

2006: Richard Swan 

2007: Bill Dittrich 

2008: Troy Smith 

2009: Joel M. Goldman 

2010: Frank Puzycki 

2011: Chuck Buxton 

2012: Dan Haywood 

2013: Rudy Nedelka 

2014: George Niewenhous 

2015: Jim Schatz 

“The George M. Chinn Award 

is presented annually to honor 

a government or industry 

individual who, in the opinion 

of the Small Arms Division Executive 

Board, has made significant 

contributions to the field of small arms 

and/or infantry weapons systems. A 

significant contribution is considered 

to be a creative invention, new design 

or innovative concept in small arms 

weapons, ammunition or ancillary 

equipment that provides an advancement 

in the state-of-the-art or capability 

enhancement that clearly benefits 

the warfighting or general military 

capability of the United States. The 

Chinn Award may also be conferred as 

recognition to an individual who has 

performed sustained superior service 

in a career field of science, engineering, 

test & evaluation, manufacturing, 

program management, academic study 

& research, publishing or maintenance 

relating to military small arms or infantry 

weapons. The Chinn Award is 

named in honor of Lt. Colonel George 

M. Chinn, a career Marine Corps officer 

who dedicated his life to the study, 

development and refinement of machine 

gun mechanisms. Lt. Colonel 

Chinn is remembered for his work as a 

gun designer and for having compiled 

a five volume reference work entitled, 

The Machine Gun.” 

2016 CHINN AWARD GOES TO DR. PHILIP H. DATER: 

Dr. Philip H. “Doc” Dater started his military service as a physician in the early 1960s, 

but began his career in suppressor/weapon design much earlier than that. His first 

designs in the 1950s were rudimentary in nature, related more to suppressing his collection 

of machine guns than industry oriented work. In the mid-1970s, Doc started 

in seriously on improving the performance of suppressed 22 caliber pistols and rifles, 

and formed AWC- Automatic Weapons Company- in 1976. His intention was to improve 

performance in the suppressors, and he succeeded in that- rebuilding countless 1960-70 

era suppressors that were in existing inventories with his newer, innovative designs. By the 

mid-1980s, AWC had expanded, and formed up into AWC Systems Technology, with the 

late Lynn McWilliams. He later formed up Gemtech with Greg Latka, and continues Antares 

Technologies, his R&D company. “Doc” was always a presence at military and civilian 

shows worldwide, wherever suppressors were being tested or sold. 

SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF “DOC” DATER’S CAREER REGARDING 

THE SMALL ARMS COMMUNITY: 

1. Redesigned the Vietnam use, disposable MAC integrally suppressed .22 Ruger pistol 

for improved sound signature, significantly enhanced accuracy, made a more 

compact design, and added the ability for the end user to easily rebuild to new performance 

standards with simple tools and readily available materials. (1976-1977). 

Although archaic technology today, it remains one of the most compact and quiet 

integral .22 auto pistols. This was produced from 1977 through 1993. 

2. Designed and built several prototype disposable (and flame consumable) suppressors 

in both .22LR and 9mm. The project never moved forward due to lack of demand in 

the civilian market with the $200 tax and the small military use possibility. All were 

destroyed by incineration after prototype testing and information gathering. 

3. Pioneered the inclusion of a detailed use and maintenance manual for suppressor 

users, increasing awareness of how to extend the life and use of the suppressor. 

4. Pioneered the use of high speed video cameras (capable of 150,000 frame/sec but 

usually shot at 5-10,000 frame/second with microsecond shutter speeds for best resolution) 

for analysis of the effect of suppressors on their host weapon and documen- 


tation of the effect of the suppressor on 

bullet flight. It was through the use of 

this camera that Doc verified how the 

recoil booster (Neilsen Device or Linear 

Inertial Decoupler) actually works, and 

analyzed the split chamber functioning 

of the Russian PSS captive piston assassination 

pistol. 

5. ”Doc” Dater has traveled extensively 

throughout the world and had access 

to numerous non-public collections 

to examine, study, and test silencers 

and silenced weapons. Many of 

these weapons had never been seen in 

the Western world and very few had 

been subjected to accurate sound testing 

utilizing equipment specified in 

MIL-STD-1474D. 

6. He produced numerous papers describing 

the testing results of some of these 

weapons as well as basic silencer principles. 

Doc shared his knowledge and 

experience with many in the community, 

on the quality and effectiveness of 

foreign suppressed weapons our troops 

are facing, as well as using. 

7. For the past nine years, Doc has conducted 

2-day seminars several times 

per year, discussing the history and 

identification of various silencers. The 

seminars also include the principles of 

operation, testing protocols, material 

analysis, and issues involving the design 

process. The seminars target primarily 

forensic scientists, armorers (military 

and law enforcement), and procurement 

personnel, and numerous of Gemtech’s 

competitors have attended. In a 

true spirit of being an elder statesman, 

“Doc” taught all who came to the courses 

in the hope of serving the end users 

better, and shared the knowledge with 

all. The seminars do not instruct how to 

build, but rather emphasize the thought 

processes necessary for design, along 

with history, technology, and testing 

protocols. There is live testing involved. 

8. In 1996 for a solicitation, Doc took a basic 

design with Gemtech partner Greg 

Latka and tweaked the design to significantly 

improve the sound signature and 

life expectancy on a major government 

competition, creating the M4-96D suppressor, 

one of the most popular M16 

suppressors in use by police and foreign 

military groups. Although Gemtech did 

not receive the award on the US contract, 

this was their most popular 5.56x45mm 

quick-detach suppressor until it was replaced 

with a slightly lighter and more 

compact version in 2006. 

9. Pioneered the concept of actual port 

peak pressure measurements in suppressor 

entrance chambers to determine 

suppressor safety factors when using 

various weapon/ammunition combinations 

and duty cycles. Gemtech will 

not release for production a suppressor 

that does not have a safety factor 

of at least 2 on what is determined to 

be the minimum barrel length of a host 

weapon, and “Doc” has championed 

the safety aspects for all manufacturers 

and end users. 

10. Using his experience with port pressure 

measurements in suppressor entrance 

chambers, Doc undertook a study to determine 

the peak pressures of the 5.56 

M855 round. The studies determined 

that M855 performs best in a 20” barrel, 

and has less than ideal performance 

within a 14.5” barrel, confirming the 

results of a USMC study on the same 

issue. Within the same study, the effects 

of port pressure, perceived muzzle 

blast (when measured in decibels) and 

the effects of a short barreled weapon 

was examined. The outcome showed 

that short barreled rifle coupled with 

a suppressor require different physical 

requirements (of the suppressor) than 

a longer barreled weapon, thereby empirically 

confirming industry opinions 

on the issue. 

11. “Doc” has also helped publicize and 

explain the debilitating effects on our 

veterans and police officers of firing 

weapons unsuppressed. It has been his 

mantra for many years now, to publicize 

the Veterans Administration’s issues 

with veteran’s hearing loss. Preventing 

loss through proper use of firearms 

sound suppressors is one excellent alternative, 

and “Doc” has been tireless in 

promoting this information to the benefit 

of our veterans. 

“Doc” Dater has mentored many in the 

small arms community over the last three 

decades, and today is a senior partner of 

Gemtech working in Research & Development, 

and testing. He is the owner of Antares 

Technologies Inc. which consults in small 

arms and suppressor design, and is a writer 

for Small Arms Review and Small Arms 

Defense Journal. In the spirit of the Chinn 

Award’s namesake, Dr. Philip H. Dater has 

been a designer, innovator, teacher, writer, 

mentor, and explorer in the world of small 

arms. “Doc’s” willingness to share with others 

the knowledge he’s distilled of principles, 

history, and technology (including some of 

his competitors) over the last half century, 

and his ability to explain principles in a simplistic 

manner, is proof of this gentleman’s 

fitness for inclusion as NDIA’s 2016 Colonel 

George M. Chinn Awardee. 

If you enjoy a good read, then go online 

to www.smallarmsreview.com and search for 

The Interview: Dr. Philip H. Dater. It’s in 

four parts and includes a rollicking, rambling 

world traveling adventure with Doc. 


NDIA SMALL 

ARMS GROUP’S 

GUNNERY SGT CARLOS 

N. HATHCOCK AWARD: 

“The Hathcock Award is presented to recognize 

an individual who, in the opinion 

of the Small Arms Division Executive 

Board, has made significant contributions 

in operational employment and 

tactics of small arms weapons systems which 

have impacted the readiness and capabilities 

of the U.S. military or law enforcement. A significant 

contribution is considered to be a superior 

performance of duties in an operational 

environment or the development of tactics or 

training. The Hathcock Award is named in honor 

of Gunnery Sergeant Carlos N. Hathcock, II, 

USMC, a career Marine who dedicated his life 

to the service of this country in both the military 

and law enforcement communities. He was 

honest, tactful, considerate, courageous, quietly 

proud and determined in all things and all places 

from the range to the battlefield. “The Gunny” 

not only distinguished himself in combat as a 

scout-sniper, but also as a competitive marksman 

and trainer. In his capacity as a trainer, 

he not only significantly impacted the current 

United States Marine Corps Scout-Sniper Program, 

but also influenced the sniper programs 

of the other military services and similar law enforcement 

programs nationwide.” 

PAST RECIPIENTS OF THE HATHCOCK AWARD 

1999: Carlos Hathcock 

2000: Charles B. Mawhinney 

2001: Bart Bartholomew 

2002: Jim Owens 

2003: Larry Vickers 

2004: Steve Holland 

2005: Pat Mitternight 

2006: Allen Boothby 

2007: American Snipers.org 

2008: J. Buford Boone 

2009: Lt. Commander Robert J. Thomas 

2010: Jeff Hoffman 

2011: SGM Jason Beighley 

2012: MSgt Craig R. LaMudge, USAF (Ret) 

2013: MSG Jim Smith 

2014: not awarded 

2015: SGM Pete Gould, USA (Ret) 

2016 HATHCOCK AWARD GOES TO W. HAYS PARKS: 

W. Hays Parks entered federal 

service as a commissioned officer 

in the Marine Corps. His 

initial service was as a reconnaissance 

officer. He served 

in the Republic of Viet Nam (1968- 

1969) as an infantry officer and senior 

prosecuting attorney for the 

First Marine Division. Subsequent 

assignments included service as a 

congressional liaison officer for the 

Secretary of the Navy, and as Chief, 

Law of War Branch, Office of the 

Judge Advocate General of the Navy. 

Mr. Parks became the Special 

Assistant to The Judge Advocate General of the Army for Law of War Matters in 

July 1979. He has served as a legal adviser to U.S. Special Operations Forces since 

1979. He was a legal adviser for the 1986 airstrike against terrorist-related targets 

in Libya. From 1978 to 2006, he was a United States representative for law of war 

negotiations in New York, Geneva, The Hague and Vienna, during which time he 

was the senior U.S. representative in international experts’ meetings and diplomatic 

conferences for military small arms ammunition issues, defeating every 

proposal by other governments or non-governmental organizations for new treaties 

to regulate or ban military small arms ammunition projectile design based 

upon ill-conceived or economically-driven arguments of proponents. He joined 

the International Affairs Division, Office of General Counsel, Department of Defense, 

in August 2003 as the senior DOD law of war subject-matter expert. He 

chaired the DOD Law of War Working group until his retirement in 2010. 

Mr. Parks occupied the Charles H. Stockton Chair of International Law at 

the Naval War College for the1984-1985 academic year. In 1987 he served as a 

staff member on the Presidential Commission established to examine security 

breaches in the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. In 1989 he prepared the U.S. Government’s 

legal opinion defining assassination. He has testified as an expert witness 

in cases against terrorists in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom,during 

which time he was the senior U.S. representative in international 

experts’ meetings and diplomatic conferences for military small arms ammunition 

issues, defeating every proposal by other governments or non-governmental 

organizations for new treaties to regulate or ban military small arms ammunition 

projectile design based upon ill-conceived or economically-driven arguments of 

proponents. A retired colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve, he earned Navy-Marine 

Corps, Canadian and British Parachutist wings, U.S. Army Master Parachutist 

wings, and 82nd Airborne Centurion wings during his military career. 

Mr. Parks has lectured on the law affecting military operations at the National, 

Army, Air Force and Naval War Colleges; the service staff colleges; and 

other U.S. and foreign military schools. In 2001 he became the sixth person in the 

history of the United States Special Operations Command to receive that command’s 

top civilian award, the U.S. Special Operations Command Outstanding 

Civilian Service Medal. In 2006 he was awarded the USSOCOM Major General 

William F. Garrison Award for a career of service to Special Operations Forces. 

Notwithstanding the above resume, Hays has been a well-known figure in the 

small arms community, championing the cause of the warriors. His support and 

work behind the scenes has been a part of every major small arms ammunition 

improvement in recent history. But for Hays Parks’ efforts, there is a strong possibility 

our military and law enforcement snipers in harms’ way would not have 

gained access to “Open Tip Match” (OTM) ammunition. 

Interestingly enough, the first military inquiry Hays answered regarding use 

of this type of projectile was for competition only. Hays’ approval included a 

strong indication that OTM would receive a favorable review for combat use, if 

requested. Once the DOD got around to asking for approval of the OTM projectile 

for combat use (a decade later), Hays wrote the legal opinion approving it. This 


was initially in 7.62x51 but has also spread to 

other cartridges. This review set the precedent 

that the American warfighter is legally 

entitled to use the most precise ammunition 

available in the military system, previously 

prohibited solely because of its appearance. 

The projectile has an opening at the tip. 

This opening is a byproduct of manufacture. 

It had never been requested for combat because 

no one in the military (much less the 

JAG Corps) prior to Hays Parks had the 

combination of current and historical legal 

knowledge, extensive ballistic experience, 

bulldog tenacity and articulate grasp of the 

English language to “fix” a misapplied treaty 

standard not binding on the United States. 

His fundamental philosophy: “To provide 

maximum support for the first Marine 

across the beach, the first assaulter through 

the door, the sniper taking the cold bore 

shot, and other US military and law enforcement 

personnel operating in or likely to 

operate in harm’s way.” 

Colonel Parks set the groundwork for 

his later opinions regarding OTM versions 

MK248 Mod 0 and Mod 1, M118LR, AB39, 

MK262 Mod 0 and Mod 1, SOST, MK255 

Mod 1 and many more, including several that 

some of our readers may have used but discussing 

in this arena is not appropriate. His 

work to make these rounds available to our 

troops has resulted in more effective fire on 

our enemies and fewer chances for those enemies 

to fire back or ever again pose a threat 

to US forces. These actions saved American 

lives. Hays did more than just answer paper 

requests. He encouraged innovation, provided 

careful guidance to those responsible for 

development, and used articulate, masterful 

analysis to meet our treaty and policy obligations, 

successfully defeating challenges to existing 

military small arms ammunition, such 

as the 1999-2000 challenge of legality by the 

International Committee of the Red Cross of 

the Raufoss 12.7mm Multipurpose Projectile, 

while at the same time giving the most effective, 

lawful ammunition to our troops, and 

confidence as to its legality. 

He always sought personal challenges, 

such as infantry and recon command, 

airborne and similar schools. Serving as 

an infantry company commander at Camp 

LeJeune, he volunteered for Viet Nam and 

combat assignment when he could have 

avoided it. He volunteered for every school 

he could attend, and the tougher the school, 

the better. This philosophy continued even 

after his assignment to the Judge Advocate 

General’s Office, when rank and position 

might have made such schools seem superfluous. 

To Hays, it was important to know 

the job intimately. To do his job at the level 

his pride demanded, he needed the perspective 

of the guy on the ground, pulling 

the trigger. In summary, Hays Parks’ efforts 

have had a positive influence on the success 

of every U.S Military 

Sniper in recent history. He has had 

similar influence on the success of most of 

those of our closest Allies. For the above reasons, 

Hays Parks was chosen as deserving 

of the 2016 Hathcock Award and the eternal 

gratitude of all of us, especially those 

whose lives he saved. There are countless 

US servicemen alive right now because 

Hays Parks put more accurate, reliable 

and effective ammunition into their hands 

and the hands of their fellow warfighters. 

W. Hays Parks is also one hell of a shot, 

and spends a lot of trigger time working out 

with like-minded shooters. 


Libyan workshop 

refurbishes small arms 

for ongoing conflict 

ABOVE: Shows AKM type rifle and PKMT 

undergoing refurbishment. Libyan workshop 

refurbishes small arms for ongoing 

conflict. Photo credit: Hassan Morajea (Armament 

Research Services) 

By Hassan Morajea 

BELOW: Hassan Morajea (Armament Research 

Services) 

LEFT: Hassan Morajea (Armament 

Research Services) 

In a militia-controlled garage in Misrata, 

Libya, workers service and refurbish 

weapons for fighters from 

different Misrata brigades. Free services 

provided range from fixing and 

servicing small arms and light weapons 

(SALW) to mounting multiple-launch 

rocket systems (MLRS), anti-aircraft 

guns, and various machine guns on militia 

vehicles. 

A woodworking area within the garage 

produces furniture for various 

SALW. For PKT and PKMT machine 

guns, for example, wooden butt-stocks, 

grips, fore ends, and makeshift triggers 

are produced. These weapons, removed 

from tanks and other armoured fighting 

vehicles, are typically solenoid-operated, 

and lack a hand-held firing mechanism. 

With damaged weapons provided to 

the workshop by the Misrata fighters, a 

variety of craft-produced components 

are made, enabling weapons to be reissued. 

The PKMT has been particularly 

prolific recently due to clashes with rival 

Zintan militias in Tripoli, resulting in 

many such recovered items. An estimated 

600 PKT and PKMT machine guns 

have been converted by the workshop. 

Belt-fed machine guns are favoured 

amongst the Libyan fighters, and their 

relative scarcity makes this recovery and 

conversion attractive. 

Other weapons, such as the AKM 

type rifle pictured above, also receive 

newly produced stocks and fore ends, 

have spares taken from unserviceable rifles, 

or are repaired. The example above 

had been recovered from a burnt out 

weapons storage facility. The FN Herstal 

FAL seen below received a similar treatment, 

being fitted with a new pistol grip 

and butt-stock after recovery from the 

same facility. 

This process of repairing and re-purposing 

available arms is essential to 

these fighters, and significantly increases 

the militias’ stockpiles of serviceable 

arms. According to one of the workers at 

the garage: “you can never have enough 

weapons”. Given the fractious nature of 

the ongoing conflict in Libya, there remains 

the distinct possibility that these 

weapons could proliferate within the 

broader sub-region, and an understanding 

of these makeshift factories may 

prove valuable to future identification 

and tracing efforts. 

It should be noted that weapons recovered 

from badly damaged buildings 

or vehicles, especially those exposed to 

significant thermal or mechanical stresses 

or very high pressure, may not be safe 

to operate. 

This article is courtesy of Armament 

Research Services (ARES) – www.armamentresearch.com 


National Guard of Ukraine 

Previously unseen rifle 

presented at Ukrainian arms inspection 

By Michael Smallwood 

Amongst arms and equipment inspected by Ukrainian President 

Petro Poroshenko, one suppressed rifle stands out. 

The display of military hardware took place at a National 

Guard of Ukraine (NGU) training centre outside of Kiev in 

2014, and displayed predominantly Ukrainian-produced 

armoured vehicles, small arms and light weapons, unmanned aerial 

vehicles. 

In a line of small arms and light weapons on display shown 

above, the second-from-left rifle, with what appears to be an integral 

suppressor and bipod , is unfamiliar. A media release from 

the NGU sheds further light, listing among the arms displayed the 

Гопак-61, or ‘Hopak-61’. A machine-translation of its description 

reads “operational portable rifle, based on AK/AKM”. While the 

Hopak-61 appears to have a wholly conventional AKM-style receiver, 

complete with gas block, no gas tube is visible. This could 

indicate that the rifle is blowback operated, likely chambered for a 

pistol calibre cartridge, or that it is manually operated. 

Another weapon of note is seen on the far right, more easily 

identifiable in the photograph below. The UAG-40 automatic grenade 

launcher (AGL) is tripod-mounted, belt-fed, and capable of 

a 2200 metre maximum range. It is chambered for the 40 x 43SR 

mm cartridge, common amongst NATO and allied nations’ AGLs, 

and weighs less than 30 kg complete with tripod. The UAG-40 is 

manufactured by the Leninska Kuznya plant in Kiev. Previously 

only the AGS-17 AGL has been documented in service with 

Ukrainian security forces, as noted in ARES Research Report 

3, Raising Red Flags on arms, munitions and equipment of the 

Ukrainian conflict. 

This article is courtesy of Armament Research Services 

(ARES) – www.armamentresearch.com 


SHOW COVERAGE 

AUSA 

STORY & PHOTOS BY Paul Evancoe 

Sig’s MCX mission-adaptable weapon system 

contains several significant engineering 

modifications that increase reliability 

and extend weapon life. 

The 2015 AUSA Expo premiered a number of exciting new 

firearm technology advances. We have chosen some we 

consider exemplary from various offerings in assault rifles, 

pistols, sights and ammunition. 

SIG Sauer displayed their short-stroke gas piston SIG 

MCX mission-adaptable weapon system. The engineering modifications 

SIG has made to the existing AR design are truly noteworthy 

because they accomplish two premier goals demanded by 

everyone – increased weapon reliability and extending weapon 

life. First, it is important to understand the AR’s operating system 

design beginning with the AR upper receiver. 

The steel bolt carrier rides on a cam path (two aluminum 

rails) located internally on either side of upper. When the weapon 

is fired, gas pushes the bolt-operating rod backward, driving 

the bolt rearward along the cam path where several mechanical 

events occur almost simultaneously. The bolt runs rearward out 

of battery, extracting (dragging) the swollen spent brass from the 

chamber. The force required to release the swollen spent brass 

from the chamber walls involves a degree of torque being applied 

to the bolt during the first inch or so of the backstroke. The cam 

path on which the bolt rides maintains the bolt’s travel alignment 

throughout the spent brass extraction, ejection and full backstroke, 

and again during the forward stroke as a new cartridge is 

skimmed from the magazine, pushed forward into the chamber, 

and the bolt locked back in battery for firing. This process is repeated 

every time the gun fires. 

The bolt carrier group’s left side guide rail on an average AR 

aluminum upper receiver begins to show significant wear around 

the 30-40 thousand round mark (sooner if the gun isn’t maintained) 

from the back stroke’s extraction torque. No matter how 

well the gun is lubricated and maintained the AR will wear at that 

point and the result is the BCG gets “sloppy.” In turn, this causes 

ejection and/or feed malfunctions. The government’s answer is 

to replace the AR’s upper receiver. SIG’s solution (and it is brilliant 

engineering) on the MCX is to mill a precision slot through 

the upper receiver’s left side and replace about the first inch of 

the receiver’s cam path (guide rail area that experiences the most 

wear during the backstroke) with a fitted flush steel piece that is 

held in place by two countersunk machine screws. This replaces 

the aluminum rail’s wear point with steel. This one improvement 

will double, if not triple, the upper receiver’s life expectancy while 

also immeasurably increasing operational reliability. 

A second improvement seen on SIG’s MCX upper involves 

the charging handle latching point. ARs have historically experienced 

malfunctions when the charging handle latch (made of 

steel) wears down the aluminum indents cast into the upper that 

the latch locks onto. When this occurs the charging handle will 

first become sloppy and then finally come loose during firing and 

bolt stroking operation, causing operating malfunctions (usually 

on the forward stroke). SIG’s solution was to simply replace the 

aluminum upper latch points (indents) with two small replaceable 

steel dowels about the diameter of a No. 2 pencil lead. The 

charging handle latch closes around the steel dowels and the 

wear (steel on steel) is insignificant. More engineering brilliance! 


Based upon the combat-proven attributes 

of the SCAR 17, FN’s new CSR-20 

Compact, Semi-automatic Sniper Rife 

has been a long awaited addition to FN’s 

product offering. Attached to a monolithic 

aluminum alloy receiver, its 16 inch 

chrome-lined cold hammer-forged barrel 

chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO claims 

sub-MOA accuracy. With a fully adjustable 

stock providing SCAR-like ergonomics 

and a full length Mil-STD 1913 rail that 

will accommodate both scope and in-line 

night vision optics, this highly reliable advanced 

combat sniper rifle is lightweight, 

man-portable and user-maintenance 

friendly. Its superb accuracy and handling 

ease will make it a favorite for military, law 

enforcement and sporting applications. 

Offering sub-MOA perfection, FN nailed it with their new CSR-20 Compact 

Semi-automatic Sniper Rifle chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO. 

LWRC International manufactures the Compact Semi Automatic Sniper System 

(CSASS 20) chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO and it’s a tack driver. 

Headquartered in Cambridge, MD, LWRC International, 

LLC, manufactures a complete military-grade 

line of AR-style short-stroke gas piston 

assault rifles. Their latest is their C.S.A.S.S. 20 

chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO with a unique 

20-position adjustable gas block. Weighing in at 

10 ¾ pounds this precision sniper rifle has a spiral 

fluted hammer forged barrel mounted on a 

monoforge upper receiver that utilizes an AR-style 

charging handle. Its fully ambidextrous lower receiver 

reflects AR ergonomics and employs a Geissele 

SSA trigger with a Magpul PRS fully adjustable 

stock on its recoil end. This striking sub-MOA precision 

rifle portrays exactness and scrupulous purpose-driven 

engineering. Better still, it will reliably 

reach out and touch somebody. 

From Istanbul, Sarsilmaz Firearms, Inc. 

has brought us a work of art in the form of a 

superbly well-engineered pistol they call the 

ST9. This pistol has numerous beautifully 

engineered features that reflect Turkish design 

and manufacturing elegance. The ST9 

is offered in 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP. 

Its overall ergonomics are thoughtful with 

three changeable back straps to fit any hand 

geometry. Its snag proof dovetail-mounted 

front and rear combat sights can be easily 

replaced if user upgrades are desired. The 

forged steel slide and barrel ride above a 

composite polymer lower that has aggressive 

non-slip checkering and it’s offered in seven 

colors options. The operating buttons and 

levers are ambidextrous with a well-placed 

thumb operated mag release button located 

at the rear of the trigger guard. The ST9’s 

double stack high capacity dishwasher-safe 

magazines are made of clear high-strength 

polymer with a firm installed fit and solid 

lock-up. This is a gunfighter’s pistol you can 

bet your life on. 

ST9 by Sarsilmaz Firearms is a quality pistol 

available in 9mm, 40,S&W and .45 ACP 


Penn Arms of Jamestown, PA showed 

its 10½ pound PGL6-40IR pump action 

40x46mm HE/HEDP compatible low velocity 

shoulder-fired grenade launcher. 

The six barrel revolving cylinder advances 

with each pump, achieving positive barrel 

alignment with a locking pin. Uniquely, 

the cylinder chambers and barrel both 

have right hand 6 grove rifling with a 1:47 

twist, making this launcher as accurate 

as the sight placed upon its top receiver 

1913 Picatinny rail - and most rail-mounted 

sights are compatible. It further sports 

a length-adjustable composite polymer 

stock. This is an all American solidly built 

gun that will reliably perform under all 

field conditions imaginable. 

The shoulder-fired PGL6-40LR built by Penn Arms is a potent 40mm low 

velocity grenade launcher that will get the attention of the receiving end. 

Aim point has greatly improved their Micro T-2 

now in use by the FBI’s HRT and SOF. 

Aimpoint, with headquarters 

in Chantilly, VA, has greatly 

improved their Micro T-2 with 

a redesigned extruded high 

strength aluminum housing, 

improved lens and crisper dot. 

Even under magnification, the 

dot is now perfectly round. T-2’s 

operating range goes from -50° 

to +160° F and it’s submersible 

to 25 m (82 ft). It’s powered by 

one CR2032 3v lithium battery 

that provides 50,000 hours 

of run time between battery 

changes – and no radioactive 

signature. With integrated rail 

mount and flip-covers it weighs 

a mere 4.9 ounces. It has undergone 

rigorous operational 

testing with the FBI and is now 

in use by their famed Hostage 

Recuse Team. The Micro T-2 is 

likewise in use with U.S. Special 

Operations Forces. 

When it comes to high-end optics, Germany’s 

Schmidt and Bender has proven 

that bigger isn’t necessarily better. They 

recently debuted their PM ll - an ultra 

short sniper scope not short in capability. 

Less than a foot long, with a robust 

34mm diameter tube, this 5-20x50 full 

metal rugged military design shorty even 

has a 4x zoom. It also has an ultra low profile 

double turn locking elevation turret 

and a capped windage turret. Better, it’s 

completely waterproof to a depth of 25m 

(82ft). Schmidt and Bender designed this 

potent little scope for use on small caliber 

and/or short barrel sniper rifles where full 

size scopes and limited rail space prevents 

the use of in-line night vision devices. The 

PM ll is the solution. The PM ll is available 

in a number of colors, illuminated and 

non-illuminated versions, turret configurations 

and several types of reticles. 

Schmidt &Bender’s new PM II ultra short 

sniper scope is a prefect fit for in-line night 

vision on rifles with limited top rail length. 


What is the EXACTO Program you 

might ask? Teledyne and Orbital ATK’s Armament 

Systems Division have the answer 

but remain very tight lipped about any 

details – and for good reason, EXACTO is 

ITAR protected. EXACTO is the research 

and development (R&D) program headed 

by DARPA for round guidance technology 

involving a combination of “fire and 

forget” technologies currently applied to 

guided .50 cal rounds. That’s right – guided 

.50 cal rounds that can make course 

corrections in mid flight. 

DARPA’s official description goes like 

this: EXACTO’s specially designed ammunition 

and real-time optical guidance 

DARPA’s EXACTO program seeks to provide 

guided .50 cal rounds that can be fired from any 

standard .50 cal MG or sniper rifle. 

system help track and direct projectiles to 

their targets by compensating for weather, 

wind, target movement and other 

factors that can impede successful hits. 

“True to DARPA’s mission, EXACTO has 

demonstrated what was once thought 

impossible: the continuous guidance of 

a small-caliber bullet to target,” said Jerome 

Dunn, DARPA program manager. 

“This live-fire demonstration from a standard 

rifle showed that EXACTO is able 

to hit moving and evading targets with 

extreme accuracy at sniper ranges unachievable 

with traditional rounds. Fitting 

EXACTO’s guidance capabilities into 

a small .50-caliber size is a major breakthrough 

and opens the door to what could 

be possible in future guided projectiles 

across all calibers.” 

The EXACTO program developed new 

approaches and advanced capabilities to 

improve the range and accuracy of sniper 

systems beyond the current state of the art. 

The program seeks to improve sniper effectiveness 

and enhance troop safety by allowing 

greater shooter standoff range and 

reduction in target engagement timelines. 

The above statement translated: DAR- 

PA is developing the technology to create 

command-guided ammunition for military 

applications in a variety of direct 

fire systems - primarily medium-caliber 

at this time. EXACTO models on existing 

.50 BMG ammunition and rifles instead 

of needing new hardware. How they’re 

achieving this quantum advancement using 

a fin-stabilized projectile, or spin-stabilized 

projectile, internal and/or external 

aero-actuation control methods, projectile 

guidance technologies, tamper proofing, 

macro-power supplies, advanced sighting, 

optical resolution and clarity technologies 

is up to the imagination. An educated 

guess could be hazarded but we might be 

right and compromise things that should 

not be revealed. More to follow when 

known – maybe at the 2016 AUSA Expo. 

With headquarters in Raufoss, Norway, 

Nammo has developed and qualified 

a new .50 cal Reduced Range cartridge 

for training on smaller ranges and to reduce 

the danger area downrange of the 

shooter. While not designed as a training 

round, it absolutely provides affordable 

training options never before available. 

The safety template of the cartridge is the 

same as standard 7.62mm NATO rounds, 

so warfighters and law enforcement snipers 

can train with .50 caliber weapons at 

ranges previously approved for 7.62mm 

and below, or by carving up an existing 

.50 caliber range into several smaller sites. 

Some users are also interested in the RR 

Cartridge for combat in urban operations 

where line of sight is limited and there is 

high concern about collateral damage. 

The Nammo round has the same ballistics 

as NATO standard .50 cal ammo to 

about 800m (875 yards) and accuracy has 

been shown to be better than standard 

.50cal Ball/AP ammo within this range. 

The Nammo .50 Cal Reduced Range ammunition 

is qualified in accordance with 

NATO specifications and already fielded 

by several countries for use in both 

machine guns and rifles. 

Nammo’s new .50 cal Reduced Range cartridge 

exhibits exceptional accuracy typical 

.50 cal energy out to 800 Yards but beyond 

that it drops off significantly allowing it to be 

used for practice on ranges approved for 

7.62 weapons and operationally where using 

a standard .50 cal is out of the question 

for risk of down range collateral damage. 


3-9x Tactical Scopes 

A perfect partner to the Modern accurate Rifle 

BY ALTON CHUI 

Scopes around 3-9x cover a majority 

of rifle sighting requirements: 

powerful enough for extended 

distances, but can be dialed down 

for moving targets close-in. Such 

a versatile optic is naturally partnered 

with the adaptable AR-15 modern sport- 

ing rifle, with the MK11 and MK12 rifles 

having done much to promote such a 

partnership. Over time, scopes in this application 

(usually termed tactical scopes) 

have evolved to feature exposed knobs 

and ranging reticles. This article evaluates 

a sample of such scopes. 

CANDIDATES 

All candidates have exposed turrets and 

reticles marked in miliradians (mil), although 

some can also be had in minute of 

angle (moa). Scopes with mismatched turrets 

and reticles require the conversion of 

SWFA SS HD 

3-9x42 

Leupold 3-9x40 

VXR Patrol 

Vortex PST 

2.5 -10x32 FFP 

Burris 2 -10x42 

XTRII 

Leupold 3.5-10x40 

Mk4 LRT M5 

Nightforce NXS 

2.5-10x32 

Nightforce NXS 

2.5-10x42 

Approx. Price ($) 600 600 800 900 1500 1700 2000 

Weight (oz) 19 15 19 23 19.5 19 20.5 

Eye Relief (in) 4.13 - 3.03 4.20–3.70 4 4.25-3.50 4.7-3.4 3.7 3.5 

Field of View at 100yd 

(ft) 

33.2 - 14.51 33.6-13.6 10/09/47 10/05/52 29.9-11 03/04/44 03/04/44 

Tube Size (mm) 30 30 30 34 30 30 30 

Parallax Adjustable? No No Yes Yes Yes No Yes 

FFP/SFP FFP SFP FFP FFP FFP SFP SFP 

Illuminated No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes 

*Information obtained from Manufacturer Website 


Left to Right: SWFA 3-9x42mm, Leupold VXR Patrol 3-9x40mm, Vortex PST 2.5-10x32mm, Burris XTR II 2-10x42, 

Leupold MK4 LRT 3.5-10x40mm Front Focal, Nightforce NXS 2.5-10x32mm, Nightforce NXS 2.5-10x42mm. 

1 mil = 3.44 moa when inputting observed 

corrections into the turret. 

The exposed turrets are readily accessible 

for dialing-in corrections and are generally 

stiff enough to reject accidental bumps. 

They also feature a resettable zero so that 

the turrets can read “0” wherever the rifle 

is actually zeroed. Some scopes with multiple 

turret revolutions include a zero stop 

and revolution counter to prevent lining up 

at “0” in the wrong revolution, causing the 

user to mistakenly think it is back at zero. 

With a hard zero stop such as the clutch on 

Nightforce, one dials the turret down until 

it stops moving. With a soft zero stop such 

as shims on Vortex, one must visually reset 

back to “0” after the turret stop moving 

(usually less than 1mil below zero). 

TERMS AND DEFINITIONS 

From the optical perspective, eye relief 

is the ideal distance between the eye 

and the ocular lens. While the image may 

be usable at other distances, field-of-view 

and image quality are compromised. Eye 

relief that changes with magnification 

can be undesirable as it leads to inconsistent 

head position. Field-of-view (FOV) is 

self-explanatory and is not influenced by 

the size of the front objective. That size, 

denoted by the number after the “x” (e.g., 

2.5-10x42mm has a 42mm diameter front 

objective), drives resolution and light gathering 

abilities, as well as exit pupil size. A 

larger front objective linearly increases resolution 

as described in Rayleigh’s criterion, 

and it nonlinearly increases light gathering 

power due to the circular area being πr2. 

The exit pupil is the size of the image 

projected at the eye relief point, and is idealized 

as the front objective divide by magnification 

(e.g. 42mm objective at 10x has 

a theoretical 4.2mm exit pupil). A higher 

number is more forgiving of poor head position. 

A 24mm front objective can be challenging 

to use in low light at high magnifications 

given that an eye pupil is roughly 

2-4mm in full sunlight and 3-8mm in low 

light. The tradeoff in front objective size 

is between resolution/light gathering/exit 

pupil and weight. 

To avoid parallax error, a scope must 

bring the target and reticle on the same focal 

plane. As an example, driver and passenger 

will read a speedometer differently 

due to the needle and dial being on different 

planes and the slant view angle of the 

passenger causes parallax error. To remove 

the error, the reticle focus ring (a.k.a. fast 

focus eyepiece) is first used to compensate 

user vision deficiencies. Then the parallax 

adjustment knob brings the target image 

into focus on the same focal plane as the 

reticle. Note that reticle focus is user specific 

and should be a one-time setting, while 

target focus varies with distances. SWFA, 

Leupold MK4 and both Nightforce scopes 

feature locks on the reticle focus ring, while 

flip-open scope caps can also reasonably 

secure the ring. 

Another way to avoid parallax is to look 


(SFP) indicates where the reticle is placed. 

Reticle in SFP stays the same size independent 

of magnification, so the mil hash 

mark is only true at one magnification 

(usually the maximum). Reticle in FFP 

changes size, so the 1mil hash mark holds 

true across magnification. An illuminated 

reticle can be useful at night if dim enough 

to not overpower the target, and one can 

cover the front objective with a cap for use 

as an occluded gun sight during daytime 

at close-range. Lastly, some of the candidate 

scopes can be equipped with a Bullet-Drop-Compensator 

(BDC) turret which 

directly along the optical axis by centering 

the crosshairs in the ocular lens. The maximum 

parallax error, induced when the user’s 

pupil rests on the edge of the exit pupil, 

is given by the equation where D is the 

front objective diameter, T is the range to 

target, and P is the parallax-free distance. 

Take the SWFA 3-9x42mm with parallax-free 

distance fixed at 100yd (manufacturer 

2information), it has a maximum 

error of 25mm (0.13mil) at 200m, 71mm 

(0.18mil) at 400m, 117mm (0.2mil) at 

600m. Given the error magnitude and 

mitigation procedure, the author believes 

parallax adjustment is not necessary and 

that the chief benefit is a sharp target 

at varying distances. 

Chromatic Aberration (CA henceforth) 

manifests as color fringing between light 

and dark objects which causes the image 

to lose sharpness. Different colors have 

different wavelengths and refractive indices 

for the same lens; this is why a prism 

can split white light into the rainbow spectrum. 

As such, focus error is varying as a 

function of wavelength (e.g., zero error at 

only one wavelength). Keeping in mind 

that CA is eliminated if focus error is zero 

at all wavelengths, note that adding lenses 

together changes the error function 

into a second-order shape for achromatic 

(2-lenses) and third-order shape for 

apochromatic (3-lenses) for a flatter line 

which reduces focus error across the spectrum. 

However, more lenses mean more 

weight and cost. 

On mechanically related matters, First- 

Focal-Plane (FFP) or Second-Focal-Plane 



is marked in range. While easy to use, a 

BDC is only pinpoint accurate for a particular 

cartridge and atmospheric conditions. 

OPTICAL PERFORMANCE 

The author found the brightness and 

clarity of all candidates more than adequate 

for sighting purposes with none exhibiting 

bad lens flare. In fact, the SWFA 

and Nightforce x32 front objectives are set 

about 25cm inside the body and act as an 

integral sun shade. This section addresses 

optical artifacts that may cause eye fatigue 

or hinder speed: chromatic aberration, color 

cast, distortions, and eye box. Readers 

are reminded that the following evaluation 

is subjective to the author. Readers 

should also note that optical performance 

OPPOSITE PAGE LEFT CENTER: 

Larue LT745 mounts with VFZ in 

front and QD levers in the back. 

ABOVE: Left to Right: Leupold MK4, Vortex 

PST, Nightforce NXS. Note the revolution indicator 

on the Leupold is readable only at the 

“0” mark while both the Vortex and Nightforce 

implementations are usable everywhere. 

BELOW: SWAF SS HD 3-9x42mm. 


Burris XTR II 2-10x42. Both the parallax and illumination 

adjustments are on the left side. 

is degraded when the turrets are near their 

travel limits. 

The SWFA has visible CA at 9x for far 

targets, but is well controlled at the 100yd 

parallax-free distance. The Leupold VXR 

has similar performance. The Vortex, Burris, 

and both of the Nightforce all have less 

CA that is still noticeable if carefully examined 

at maximum magnification. Leupold 

MK4 requires the eye to be positioned directly 

on the optical axis to obtain a nearly 

CA free image, but the image quality rapidly 

degrades when off axis. 

SWFA and Leupold VXR are color 

neutral and fairly vivid at 3x, only falling 

off towards 9x with some purple tinge. 

Vortex and both Nightforce renders a rich 

image; but while Vortex has a visible purple 

tinge at 10x, both Nightforce only have 

a slight outline at 10x. Burris is color neutral 

but has noticeable purple tinge at 10x. 

In comparison, Leupold MK4 renders colors 

somewhat flatly with a cool cast across 

the magnification range. 

Distortion is another optical artifact 

that can affect scope use. Barrel distortion 

is an artifact where a column of straight 

lines are rendered in a bulging manner 

akin to the stakes of a wooden barrel. Petzval 

field curvature is where a flat object 

(e.g. wall) is rendered on a curved image 

plane, such that only the central part is 

sharp. Tunneling is a phenomenon where, 

as magnification decreases, the image itself 

no longer fills the ocular lens and the 

black band between the image and ocular 

bell increases in size. 

SWFA has noticeable tunneling from 

3x to 4x accompanied by slight barrel distortions, 

and is not as sharp for distant 

targets due to the fixed parallax. Leupold 

VXR also suffers a lesser degree of tunneling 

from 3x to 3.5x. Vortex is sharp across 

the image with some fuzziness near the 

very edge. The Burris is distortion free at 

2x, but has Petzval field curvature at 10x 

which causes smearing and noticeable 

CA at the edges. Leupold MK4 has slight 

tunneling from 3.5x to 4x, and slight distortions 

at the very edges throughout the 

magnification range. Lastly, the Nightforce 

x32 has noticeable barrel distortion at 2.5x 

which are mostly gone by 5x, causing the 

author some disorientation when pan- 



Nightforce 2.5-10x32mm on the left, Nightforce 2.5-10x42mm on the right. 

ning for a moving target. The x42 scope 

has some barrel distortion at the outer 

fringes at 2.5x. Both are distortion free 

and sharp at 10x. 

Eye box refers to a combination of 

eye relief and exit pupil. As expected, the 

author found all scopes with 40/42mm 

front objectives much easier to mount than 

those with 32mm front objectives. This is 

especially true for low-light conditions 

when the pupil has dilated. Vortex has a 

noticeable black edge between the image 

and eyepiece, creating a sucked-in feel. 

In contrast, both Leupold candidates and 

the SWFA leave very little black space and 

feel less claustrophobic. Both Nightforce 

ocular lenses are not inset much from the 

eyepiece, but there is a noticeable black 

edge which can bleed into the image under 

the right lighting conditions. In addition, 

both Nightforce scopes seem less forgiving 

in eye relief as there is very little distance 

between having the ocular ring obscures 

the full image, to having the image not fill 

the ocular lens. As to the Leupold MK4 

that varies eye relief with magnification, 

the author found it bothersome but workable 

especially since 10x is used typically 

in prone, which positions the head closer 

to the eyepiece anyway. 

MECHANICAL EVALUATION 

A positive and relatively stiff click is 

necessary on the turret to prevent accidental 

changes and to provide users feedback. 

SWFA turrets are tactile with the right 


Leupold VXR Patrol 3-9x40mm. 

amount of resistance, but are not very 

audible. While the clicks are not mushy, 

they do not “clunk” into place either. The 

turrets also have a slightly sharp edge on 

the cutouts. Leupold VXR turrets have audible 

and tactile clicks, but are too easily 

moved. Curiously, both windage and elevation 

knobs move easier in one direction 

than the other. In addition, they lack revolution 

counters and zero stop, so one can 

easily get lost in the dials. Vortex turrets 

are comfortable in hand with tactile but 

not too audible adjustments. They also feature 

fiber optic to indicate the zero mark. 

Burris elevation turret is very stiff and 

positive that became easier to move after 

break-in, while the windage turret is just 

as stiff but less positive. It is also the only 

scope amongst those evaluated to have 

10mils per revolution which can take a 

77gr 5.56 cartridge to around 800m when 

using a 200m zero, obviating the need to 

track revolutions for most scenarios. Leupold 

MK4 M5 turrets have sharp edges 

that are not comfortable to adjust with 

bare hands. Initially, the elevation turret is 

stiff and reasonably positive but windage 

is very mushy. There are significant improvements 

after cycling the turrets from 

one end to another multiple times: the elevation 

clicks are audible and crisp while 

the windage clicks are now audible if still 

mushy. However, the revolution counter 

is not user friendly because it is readable 

only at the “0” mark and the revolutions 

are unnumbered while lacking a zero stop. 

In contrast, Nightforce turrets feature 

very crisp, audible, and positive clicks that 

while stiff enough to lend confidence, are 

easy to dial and easy on the hands. 

The magnification ring on every scope 

feels very smooth with the Leupold VXR 

with just a trace of grit. Both of the Nightforce 

feature a “Power Throw Lever” that 

helps in changing magnification rapidly 

without breaking the shooting position. 

Similarly, both of the Leupold scopes feature 

a small nub that is unobtrusive but 

achieves the same goal. For other scopes, 

there are aftermarket “cat tails” that clamp 

onto the magnification rings for the same 

effect. Of note is the SWAF magnification 

marking that proves impossible to read 

from a shooting position. 

HANDLING IMPRESSIONS 

The author was surprised by the change 

in handling of a lightweight AR-15 due to 

the center-of-gravity and weight of various 

scopes. Both Leupold MK4 and the Vortex 

have roughly the same weight, but the Vortex 

balances 25mm aft of the Leupold. The 

reduced rotational inertia makes a Vortex 

equipped rifle much easier to swing. The 

Burris weights only about 4oz more than 

the Leupold MK4, but it makes the rifle 

feel top-heavy. 

Aside from physical attributes, reticle 

design also heavily influences the target 

acquisition speed. SWFA features a reversed 

German #1 reticle with the heavy 

post on top and extended mil marks on the 

bottom. The author found the heavy posts 

to be too distracting at max magnification 

but does an excellent job of drawing the 

eye to the center at low magnification. The 

Burris reticle strikes a better balance and 

the mil marks are large enough to read 

at about 4x against a light colored background. 

The 0.1mil marks of the Nightforce 

SFP MIL-R reticle are too fine to 

be usable, and the crosses on the vertical 

bar and the downward hashes on the horizontal 

bars make the reticle feel too busy. 

The mil marks on the Vortex is usable at 

lower magnifications even when the marks 

themselves are indistinguishable (starting 

about 7x) because of the numbering. In 

contrast, the marks on the Leupold TMR 

reticle are not visible below 6x on anything 

but than a white background. 

To compare the utility of SFP and FFP 

reticle at intermediate magnifications, the 

author compared using holdovers with the 

FFP Leupold MK4 and SFP Nightforce x42 



Leupold MK4 LRT 3.5-10x40mm. Note the nub on the magnification 

ring that is unobtrusive and offers good leverage. 



at 5x where the former acted like a duplex 

reticle and the latter still had visible hash 

marks. A healthy amount of changes were 

dialed into both elevation and windage to 

give a random impact point. The author 

fired into a dirt berm and proceeded to 

walk the splash onto target with holds. On 

average, it took the FFP one more round 

than the SFP to hit because the visible 

marks allow for a more systematic approach. 

The tradeoff is that if one must dial 

down the magnification (e.g. falling light) 

and use the reticle to range or holdover, 

then mental math must be performed. 

While it is difficult to determine whether 

FFP or SFP is a definite winner, there are 

scenarios where one would be superior. 

CONCLUSION 

Despite the author’s nit-picking, all 

evaluated scopes are fine pieces of kit. 

Optical performances as well as turret 

feel are mostly subjective, and the differences 

are subtle and only apparent when 

compared side-by-side or under challenging 

conditions. The biggest discriminator 

aside from price is the feature-set 

such as FFP or illumination. SWFA SS 

3-9x40mm delivers a no frills scope that 

performs well for a very reasonable price. 

Vortex PST 2.5-10x32mm is a light-weight 

feature-packed scope that has good optics 

at a reasonable price. Burris trades 

some optical performance for 10mil per 

rev turrets and larger front objective. Leupold 

MK4 3.5-10x40mm gives up some 

of those features for better optics at nearly 

double the price. Lastly, the excellent 

optics and mechanics of Nightforce is 

reflected in their price. 

RIGHT: Top to Bottom: SWFA 3-9x42mm, Leupold 

VXR Patrol 3-9x40mm, Vortex PST 2.5-10x32mm, Burris 

XTR II 2-10x42, Leupold MK4 LRT 3.5-10x40mm 

Front Focal, Nightforce NXS 2.5-10x32mm, Nightforce 

NXS 2.5-10x42mm 



In El Salvador, the AML-90 was relegated to perform 

security escort to artillery units, with an UR-416 traveling 

alongside — not with mechanized infantry, but with 

additional rounds, and providing additional security 

with its machine gun. (J. Montes) 

Machine gun armored patrol 

carriers in Central America 

BY JULIO A. MONTES 

The phrase auto-ametralladora in 

Spanish does not refers to the obvious 

automatic machine gun, but it 

is a direct translation of the French 

“Auto Mitrailleuse Légère”, translated 

to “Light Machine Gun Car” (LMGC), 

and referring to a light-armored machine-gun 

carrier. The French denomination 

was actually applied to their AML (for 

short) Type-245, a vehicle designed and 

developed to replace the Daimler Ferret, 

for service mainly in Africa. In Spanish, the 

term is broader, and usually refers to any 

compact lightly armored “self-propelled” 

machine gun platform. The Daimler Ferret 

had been developed itself as a replacement 

of the WW-II Dingo, and both British-designed 

vehicles fit the original concept of 

the LMGC. 

However, the term in Central America 

represents more a concept than a reality 

since the local armies have lacked a truly 

compact mobile lightly armored machine 

gun platform, other than using armored 

personnel carriers in this form. Actually, 

none of the countries in Central America 

really counted with a light machine gun car 

as such until the British deployed Daimler 

Ferrets to Belize in 1973. 

The British Army had a presence in 

that Central American nation from the late 

1940s until 1994. The old British-Honduras 

colony had been formally and permanently 

established in the late 1870s, after 

the British Honduras Company became 

the predominant landowner and emerged 

as the Belize Estate and Produce Company, 

cementing its dependency with Britain. 

Although independence finally came in 

1981, Belize was at the time facing a potential 

invasion from its northern neighboring 

country. Guatemala claimed the entire ter- 


Salvadorian APV have been issued to the EMCFA (Armed Forces HQ) Security Battalions, 

and they could be carrying USOR M60DE4 with enhanced features (J. Montes) 

Learning how to use the J8 APV in 

Guatemala (US DoD Kaye Richey) 


armored patrol carriers 

ritory (since 1859), and repeatedly threatened 

to use force to take over the British 

enclave. In the 1945 Constitution, Guatemala 

claimed the territory as the 23rd department, 

and three years later it deployed 

troops along the border. The UK responded 

by deploying two companies from the 

2nd Gloucestershire Regiment. Nine years 

later, a company from the Worcesteshire 

Regiment was moved to the border, but 

again, the Guatemalans did not invade. 

Several months later, a British platoon exchanged 

gunfire with a group calling themselves 

the Belize Liberation Army, and 

managing to capture 20 suspects. In 1972, 

Guatemala threatened to invade once 

again, so the British garrison was beefed 

up, deploying 8000 troops, and several 

ships, to include an aircraft carrier. When 

talks broke off again in 1975, tension flared 

and the UK deployed troops, a battery of 

105mm field guns, a few 40mm Bofors, 

and Rapier missiles systems, six Harriers, 

and a frigate. Among the reinforcements 

came several Ferrets to provide for airport 

perimeter defense, security and patrol. 

The UK had relinquished most political 

control to the locals from 1964, and 

retained only defense, foreign affairs, internal 

security and some other internal 

affairs. In June 1973 the colony became 

known as Belize, and in 1975 it moved to 

grant independence, only to be prevented 

by Guatemalan gestures and treats. Tension 

flared once again two years later. Belize 

finally became independent in 1981, 

but the British Forces in Belize remained 

until 1994. 

Between 1977 until the departure of 

the UK forces, the British Army deployed 

in two infantry battle groups (South and 

North)(1). The main barracks, and home 

of the Headquarters British Forces Belize, 

was located at Airport Camp (APC), adjacent 

to the International Airport. Here, 

the UK maintained the Harriers, and a 

flight of Puma helicopters, while rotating 

squadrons from 3 RAF Regiment provided 

for defense, manning the Rapier systems 

and L40/70 Bofors. Elements of the Royal 

Armored Corps (RAC) and Royal Artillery 

Regiment (RAR) were based at Holdfast 

Camp, near Cayo district, capital of San 

Ignacio (2). It is understood that the RAC 

deployed only tracked Scimitar/ Scorpion 

CVR(T), so the Daimler Ferrets observed 

guarding Airport Camp appear to have 

come with 3 RAF Regiment; these were 

likely to be Mk 2/3 models, sporting the 

typical hand-operated turret. This sported 

a Browning L3A2 machine gun (Commonwealth 

designation for the M1919A4), with 

2,500 rounds of ammunition. The weapon 

could be elevated between -15 degrees and 

+45 degrees and the turret having a full 

360 degree traverse. 

The tiny FV701 (Ferret) was a 4x4 compact 

armored light gun car, measuring a 

mere 3.835metres in length, 1.905m in 

width and 1.448m in height, and with a 

combat weight of just 4,210kg (in its Mk1/1 

variant). The first prototype was produced 

in 1949 by the Coventry-based Daimler 

Company, and production started in 1952. 

Its all-welded armored shell protected 

against small arms fire and splinters, and 

it mounted a Rolls-Royce B60 Mk6A, 

six-cylinder in-line water-cooled gas engine. 

This engine developed 130hp, providing 

for a speed of up to 93km per hour. 

The mentioned Mk1/1 was open-topped 

design, usually armed with a Bren light 

machine gun, with 450 rounds. The Mk1/2 

variant (FV704) was somewhat heavier, 

and the vehicle evolved up to the Mk5 variant, 

armed with the Swingfire wire-guided 

anti-tank missiles. The Ferret was fast and 

small, appropriate for urban environment, 

and also strong to operate off road, having 

a combat weigh of some 3.7 tons, and an 

armored hull with a thickness between 6 

mm to 30 mm. 

AML WITH BRITISH LEGACY 

After the 1969 war, the Salvadorian 

Army had been preparing to fight a conventional 

war with Honduras. Therefore, 

around 1979, it received some 12 vehículos 

ligeros auto-ametralladoras, in the form 

of the Panhard AML-245. Unfortunately, 

these were of the H-90 variant, which do 

not really fit the definition of machine gun 

carriers since they are equipped with the 

GIAT Industries’ smoothbore, low-velocity 

90 mm D 921 F1 gun. The cannon fires 

HEAT, HE, smoke and canister rounds. 

There is also a 7.62 mm coaxial machine 

gun to the left of the main armament. The 

turret has a full 360 degree traverse, and 

the gun can be elevated between -8 to +15 

degrees, but has space for only twenty 

90mm projectiles, compared to 56 mortar 

rounds that could had been accommodated 

in the 60H/HE variant. In El Salvador 

it was relegated to perform security escort 

to artillery units, with an UR-416 travelling 

alongside — not with mechanized 

infantry, but with additional rounds, and 

providing additional security with its ma- 


The tiny Ferret, as those deployed in Belize by the 

British, with its small turret equipped with a Browning 

L3A2 machine gun (J.Montes) 


Firing a M1919A6 from the J8 

APV in Guatemala (U.S. Army 

photo by Kaye Richey) 

chine gun. Mechanically, the AML-H90 

proved difficult to maintain, and at least 

six were out of service by 1988. It was fitted 

with coil spring suspension and drum 

brakes, lacking hydraulic assist on either 

brakes or steering. Its Panhard Model 4 

HD air-cooled 90hp gas engine proved 

weak, and was a constant concern. When 

actually working, the vehicle could develop 

up to 90 Km/h, and had a range of 600km. 

Its combat weight was 5.5 tons. Its hull 

was all-welded armor, with a thickness 

between 8 mm and 12 mm. Two were destroyed 

by the FMLN guerrillas, one with 

RPG fire and another one with an IED that 

pulverized it. 

The AML was produced with a turret 

equipped with a 60 mm breech loading 

mortar and 7.62 mm and/or 12.7 mm machine 

guns (AML-60 and 60HE), and two 

20 mm cannons (AML 60 S530). The 90 

mm gun had been chosen to fight the Honduras’ 

Saladins, not to fight a counter-insurgency 

war developing in El Salvador. 

As it came to be, a machine gun armed 

AML would had been a lot more useful 

than the H90 variant to operate in the 

narrow urban streets or the narrow roads 

of the Salvadorian environment, where 

the length of the cannon proved a disadvantage, 

and where a solid shot of its gun 

proved of little use against elusive guerrillas. 

The Salvadorian Army would realize 

that what it needed was a vehicle capable 

to fight short and sharp skirmishes, fast 

and agile --and more in line of the Light 

Gun Car concept--than the clumsy and 

unreliable gun carrier. 

Ironically, the AML has its origins in 

the mentioned Ferret. As it happens, the 

French Army had also found the FV701 

a useful tool in Africa as a liaison, reconnaissance, 

patrol and support vehicle. 

They had employed some 200 Ferrets in 

Algeria, and wanted to place the British 

design in production under license. However, 

the French industry lobbied to build 

its own version of the Ferret, with superior 

firepower. Panhard built a prototype in 

1959 and entered in production in 1960, 

and with the first models, equipped with 

a breech loaded 60mm Brandt mortar 

and two MAS AA-52 NF-1 machine guns, 

reaching troops in Algiers a year later. 



The RPG damaged AML is preserved 

at the Salvadorian Military Museum. The 

Army CIDET (Research and Development 

center) has introduced an upgrade 

program, adapting Nissan diesel engines, 

but mentioning that there are only 9 hulls 

available to the upgrade, to include the 

hull at the Military Museum. This would 

indicate that there are two hulls unaccounted 

for. In any case, ideally, the H90 

would be replaced with a turret similar to 

the one developed by the CIDET VCTA2, 

with a combination of machine guns and 

HS-404 20mm cannon(s). The redundant 

H90 turrets, and any other that can 

be obtained, could then be place2d on the 

VCTA2. This would bring back the Panhard 

H90 more in line with the light machine 

gun car concept. 

Another alternative would be to seek 

excess stocks from the Irish AML fleet, 

which was retired in 2013. The Irish incorporated 

20 AML-H90 and 16 AML H60- 

7HB in 1975, followed by another 16 AML 

H60-7CS. In 1999 all 20 H90 and 16 H60- 

7 were overhauled and repowered with 

turbocharged diesel engines. Those H60-7 

had their turret replaced by the two-man 

Ratel-20 turret. This is equipped with a 

South African made GI-2 (licensed GIAT) 

20 mm cannon with a coaxial 7.62 mm 

machine gun. The 20mm cannon has an 

effective range of 1,500 m. These vehicles 

are designated AML-20. 

THE APV ARRIVES 

The Salvadorian Maestranza (Military 

Workshop) did modified a CJ-8 jeep in 

the mid-1980s. The prototype was used 

as a test bed before production could be 

implemented. A turret was placed on the 

bed. This was a one-man mechanically 

assisted model, equipped with a M2HB 

machine gun. Front, rear and side plates 

The GIAT turret from the Salvadorian AML-H90 could be replaced 

with a CIDET VCTA2 variant - with a combination of 

machine guns and HS-404 20mm cannon(s) – to bring it back 

to the light machine gun car concept. (J. Montes) 



The J8 APV in detail. (J. Montes) 

were mounted on a lightly modified Jeep. 

The turret was later used as basis for the 

Cashuat APC, but the vehicle proved unreliable, 

and it constantly overheated. 

Only a prototype was ever built which 

was later transferred to the DM-1 in Chalatenango 

to be used for short distance 

road patrol. Ideally, the Salvadorian military 

could had acquired surplus Ferrets to 

upgrade and deploy. 

In 2013, the US announced the supply 

of 42 J8 APVs to equip a new armored battalion 

assigned to the Tecún Uman Task 

Force. Another 8 APVs arrived in 2014 to 

supply the FIAAT (Fuerza de Tarea de 

Interdicción Aérea, Antinarcótica y Antiterrorista), 

another Guatemalan Task 

Force composed of Huey-II helicopters, 

soldiers, police and a token armored platoon. 

Even more followed to equip other 

forces, and the US delivered additional 

APVs to El Salvador, to the Honduras’ new 

Public Order Military Police (PMOP), and 

the Panamanian Border National Service 

(SENAFRONT). 

The APV variant refers to the armored 

patrol vehicle equipped with a hot formed 

ballistic steel body into a J8 frame. Actually, 

according to JGMS, the original J8 

body is replaced with an armored cell, 

which level of protection is certified by 

Germany’s Beschussamt to BRV 2009/ 

VR7 (ballistic) and ERV 2010 (blast). The 

armored cell provides ballistic protection 

to the underbody, roof and side blast. The 

overtly armored variant is ideal for military 

and peacekeeping missions. JGMS 

indicates that the entire body of the J8 is 

replaced with hot-formed ballistic steel 

shaped to the precise contours of the original 

vehicle. The vehicle has a VM 2.8 L 

(2,766 cc) V4, direct injection, common 

rail, turbo-charged, intercooled diesel engine 

Bore and Stroke 94 x 100 Max Power 

145 kw (194 bhp) @ 3,800 rpm. The APV 

fills exactly the concept of the machine gun 

armored patrol carrier. 

Finally the Central Americans can fill 

the requirement for a fast, agile, and lightly 

armored vehicle that can provide liaison, 

reconnaissance, patrol, and security. 

The Guatemalan APV mounts a M1919 

machine gun. The most common Browning 

observed in the new APVs has been 

the elderly, but superb, M1919A6 model, 

without the stock, and with its typical 

muzzle booster; those mounted on the 

APVs have their bipod removed. It is a 

heavy weapon (32 lbs – 15Kg), but highly 

reliable. Other models have been observed 

with the M1919A4 version, distinguished 

by the lighter barrel (as the M1919A6), but 

without the muzzle break. The Guatemalan 

Brownings are said to have been converted 

to 7.62x51 mm, either by the local 

War Material Service, with kits provided 

by Israel, or are actually modified Mk 21 

Mod2 0 (ex-U Navy) models. The Mk 21 

Mod 0 have the barrel, bolt, and feed cover 

are replaced and a chamber bushing, a 

link-stripper, and a second belt-holding 

pawl are added. However, the Guatemalan 

variants lack the six-inch flash hider typical 

of these variants. 

The Salvadorian APV sports a M60D, 

which is the basic M60 GPMG, modified 

with spade grips. It is mounted on a pintle 

mount found on the ring base of a basic 

turret. The gunner can swivel the gun in 

a front arc of fire, and a 50-round ammo 

can is normally mounted with it. The gun 


The J8 APV has been supplied to Belize, Guatemala, 

Honduras, El Salvador and Panama (J. Montes) 

is fired manually at up to 550 rounds per 

minute. US Ordnance offers an enhanced 

model, brought up to M60E4/Mk43 standards. 

USORD indicates that the M60D 

Enhanced “features a redesigned machined 

aluminum feed cover with integrated 

M1913 Picatinny rail for mounting optics 

aiming lasers and accessories. Another 

forward M1913 Picatinny rail allow additional 

accessories. It comes with ambidextrous 

safety features, and all major components 

directly interchange with other M60 

configurations.” It is known that the US 

has supplied new M2HB models to the Salvadorian 

Army, but it is unknown if M60D 

Enhanced models have been supplied as 

well. On this mark, the Salvadorian military 

suffered a setback in June 2014, when 

four M60Ds were stolen from the Cavalry 

Regiment armory. 

Honduras has supplied its APV to the 

new Public Order Military Police. They 

normally mount a MAG-58 on the APV, 

although M60 GPMGs are also available. 

The Panamanian SENAFRONT, the border 

police, uses an RPD to arm its APVs. 

This is a 7.62 x 39 mm light machine gun, 

normally used as squad automatic weapon. 

It uses a long stroke piston system 

and locking system proper of the Degtyaryov. 

It has a fixed barrel, and folding 

bipod. It feeds from the left-hand, and it 

normally is equipped with a 100-round 

drum magazine. 

Need for light machine gun car patrols 

In May 2011 Guatemala was shaken by the 

discovery of 26 decapitated bodies on a 

cattle ranch in the northern Petén region. 

The reports spoke of dozens of armed commandos 

storming the ranch, looking for 

owner Otto Salguero. These were elements 

of Mexican drugs cartels who searched 

for Salguero to seek revenge. Before this, 

the government acknowledged finding the 

chopped body of Allan Stowlinsky, Assis- 



tant District Attorney, assassinated for 

his participation in seizing 500 kg of cocaine 

in Alta Verapaz, a stronghold of the 

Sinaloa Cartel in Guatemala. A year earlier, 

Los Zetas had invaded in force Peten, 

when some 80 elements of the Mexican 

drug cartel, riding on armored pickups 

and SUVs entered the villages of El Chal, 

Sabanetas, and Grano de Oro; from there, 

they moved to Caoba, a crossroad with 

the Tikal Highway, where they clashed 

with a police roadblock, injuring a soldier 

and destroying five police cruisers and a 

military vehicle. As the narcos retreated, 

Army patrols found a Toyota pickup and 

an armored Mitsubishi abandoned about 

1 Km from the first encounter, along with 

assault rifles, ammunition and communication 

gear. Within days, authorities had 

seized 6 vehicles. The narcos had come 

from Belize all the way to El Naranjo, towards 

México manning some 15 vehicles. 

Los Zetas had moved deep into Guatemala 

since 2007, establishing strongholds 

in Nentón, San Mateo Ixtatán, and 

Coatán Barillas. Then into Cobán, Alta 

Verapaz. A year later they had strongholds 

in Guatemala City and Chiquimula 

and Zacapa, where they clashed with los 

Lorenzana, associated with the Sinaloa 

Cartel. They have been known to operate 

from Huehuetenango, with a stronghold 

at La Democracia, south from Santa 

Ana Huista. In 2009, a military training 

camp was discovered in Quiché, followed 

by the discovery of a drug warehouse in 

Amatitlán. The breakup between the Gulf 

Cartel and Los Zetas in 2010 shows the 

path to the cartel conquering Guatemala, 

El Salvador and Honduras (3). After the 

gruesome findings, the Guatemalan government 

ordered the State of Siege, and 

the Army moved into Alta and Baja Verapaz. 

Pictures of the confiscated arsenal 

included dozens MG 34 machine guns. In 

Coban City alone, the seizures netted 45 

vehicles, 35 pistols, 39 assault rifles, and 

23 MG 34 (4). Yes, the legendary Mashinengewehr 

34 from WWII. Guatemala 

received hundreds of these weapons in 

the 1950s from then Czechoslovakia. 

In June 2012, the Army deployed a 

new Jungle Special Ops Brigade in Peten, 

and US military aid poured in to establish 

Inter-agency Task Forces along 

the borders, in addition to some 200 US 

Marines. The Jungle Brigade started operations 

from Subín, at La Libertad municipality, 

Petén, and was tasked with the 

patrol of the 345 kms border with Mexico. 

The Brigade nucleus is a 500-strong 

Jungle battalion operating specifically 

from San Andrés, San Francisco, La Libertad, 

Las Cruces and Sayaxché, along 

with being tasked with the protection of 

the Tigre Lagoon Park. The remaining 

two 500-strong battalions are formed 

with Kaibiles, and additional support 

comes from the 1400-strong 1st Infantry 

Brigade, and so the Guatemalan Army 

increased from some 16,000 soldiers to 

23,000. In El Salvador, 6500 soldiers deployed 

to internal security duties, and in 

Honduras, the new 5000-strong Public 

Order Military Police has been organizing 

and deploying. 

In June 2014, Guatemalan authorities 

confiscated in a single raid USD $1.8 million 

and 22 Kgs of cocaine, at San Pedro, 

municipality of El Naranjo, Petén. These 

overtly open and daring confrontations 

explain the need for the light armored 

machine gun carriers. The fight against 

the drug trade is far from over. 



IMBEL 5.56 mm rifle developments 

BY RONALDO OLIVE 

Way back in the early 20th Century, 

the world’s armies were generally 

equipped with bolt-action rifles in 

calibers of around .30 in -- exemplified 

by rounds such as the U.S. 

.30-06, the British .303 and the German 

7.92x57mm – which offered a range (effective 

or so) of around 1,000 meters. This remained 

virtually unchanged during WWI, 

but rifleman theory began to be modified in 

WWII. Not only were semi-automatic rifles 

introduced by the U.S. (the M1 Garand), 

the Soviet Union (SVT-40), and Germany 

(G43), but the German Wehrmacht later 

also broke new ground with the service 

introduction of its new family of MP-44/ 

StG-44 assault rifles and the corresponding 

7.92x33mm “KurzPatrone” round. 

The Russians soon followed suit with their 

AK-47/AKM rifles in 7.62x39mm caliber. 

Post WWII rifle cartridge evolution included 

the NATO adoption of the 7.62x51mm 

round in the mid-1950s, followed by the 

U.S. choice of the smaller 5.56x45mm 

M193 cartridge for the AR-15/M16 rifle 

which debuted in combat a decade later 

during the Vietnam War. The early 1980s 

saw NATO adopting the slightly-mod- 

ified SS109 (M855) 5.56x45mm round 

it had chosen as standard for rifle use. 

Then, the “five-five-six” quickly became 

the caliber of choice of almost every military 

force in countries outside the Soviet 

area of influence. 

Pretty much like a great number of 

the world’s armies, the Exército Brasileiro 

(Brazilian Army) was widely equipped 

with 7x57mm bolt-action Mauser rifles of 

different origins (CZ, DWM, FN, Mauser, 

Oviedo) during the earlier periods of the 

20th Century. In the mid-1930s, the service’s 

Fábrica de Itajubá (Itajubá Factory), 

located in the city of the same name in the 

Minas Gerais State, started the local manufacture 

of the Mauser M1908/34 rifle, a 

200 mm shorter variant of the omnipresent 

1908 model that was locally called the 

“Mosquetão” (Musketoon). While fighting 

alongside U.S. 5th Army forces in the Italian 

front in World War II, however, troops 

of the Força Expedicionária Brasileira 

(Brazilian Expeditionary Force) were 

armed with M1903 Springfield and M1 Garand 

rifles, plus M1918 BARs and Browning 

M1917/M1919 machine guns. Following 

the conflict, the Army not only kept 

all those weapons but immense supplies 

of .30-06 ammo as well, which prompted 

it to decide to abandon the older 7x57mm 

cartridge as its standard round. Local rifle 

production followed suit, and Fábrica de 

Itajubá soon introduced its Mq .30 M1949 

and a later Mq .30 M954 bolt-action rifles, 

both in .30-06. 

In the early 1950s, an attempt was 

made at the Itajubá facilities to make 

a Brazilian variant of the German G43 

semi-automatic rifle chambered to the 

U.S. round, this resulting in a very small 

batch of the so-called Mosquetão Semi/ 

Automático .30 Modelo 1954 (Mq S/Aut. 

.30 M954) for test purposes, the guns apparently 

employing a BAR-type 20-round 

detachable box magazine. Another similar 

G43 conversion, which received no 

designation, was also made by the Army’s 

Arsenal de Guerra do Rio de Janeiro (Rio 

de Janeiro War Arsenal), but both ventures 

were unsuccessful for reasons never 

clearly explained. 

The official adoption of the 7.62x51mm 

cartridge by NATO in 1954 was a clear 

indication of what would happen in most 

Western nations in the decades to come. 


Exactly ten years later, in 1964, the Brazilian 

Army announced not only its shift 

to that round but also the choice of the 

FN FAL rifle to equip its troops, and this 

would include full local manufacture of 

the Belgian gun. This, of course, would 

be carried out by Fábrica de Itajubá, and 

activities began in August of that year to 

get the program started. This involved the 

acceptance of an initial batch of 48,000 

complete FALs, 2,000 units in KDCs 

(Knocked Down Components), and 2,000 

FAPs (Fuzis Autmáticos Pesados, Heavy 

Automatic Rifles), the heavy-barrel SAW 

model), plus ammunition, rifle grenades, 

production tooling, technical drawings, 

etc. On May 5, 1977, State-owned IMBEL 

– Indústria de Material Bélico do Brasil 

was created, and two months later the Itajubá 

Factory was incorporated to the new 

company as Filial Número 5 – Fábrica de 

Itajubá. Full nationalization of the Fz 7,62 

M964 (fixed stock) and Fz 7,62 M964A1 

(foldable stock) FALs had been achieved 

in 1973, the type also having been adopted 

by the Marinha do Brasil (Brazilian 

Navy) and its Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais 

(Marine Corps) in 1978 as a replacement 

of their FN SAFN-49s in .30-06 caliber 

that had been in service since 1957. For the 

record, the Força Aérea Brasileira (Brazilian 

Air Force) adopted the 5.45x45mm 

Hecker & Koch HK33 in rifle and carbine 

variants in the very early 1970s, becoming 

one of the first international users of 

this German weapon. 

Mention should also be made of the Mq 

7.62 M968, the so-called Mosque-FAL, a 

Fábrica de Itajubá conversion of the local 

Mausers to the 7.62x51mm caliber that 

also incorporated modified sights (FALtype, 

rear; G3-type, front), a standard FAL 

22-mm flash hider fitted to the 415 mm 

barrel, a folded-down bolt handle, and a 

rubber buttplate. Thousands of those rifles 

were made in Itajubá, and found their 

way into Brazilian Army second-line units, 

mainly those involved in training. 

The first move towards a Fábrica de 

ABOVE LEFT: This early IA2 prototype is fitted with a longer barrel than the current 330mm 

(350mm, with flash hider) unit, while its polymer foldable stock, also adjustable for length, 

has now given place to a simpler design. A: This 1984-85 prototype marked the shift to the 

FAL tilting-block breech locking system for the IMBEL 5.56x45mm rifle venture and the use 

of the characteristic tubular folding stock of the larger-caliber gun. Note the short wooden 

handguard and the unprotected gas cylinder. B: The 1983 Fz 5.56 IMBEL MD1 compared 

to a standard fixed-stock FAL. C: This FIL-97 rifle, while introducing a polymer-made foldable 

stock, still retained typical FAL components, such as the pistol grip/trigger assembly 

and the synthetic handguard. The FILC-97 carbine, on the other hand, broke new ground 

in the general configuration department. D: A major evolutionary step came in the form 

of the MD97 models which featured a rotary-bolt breech locking system and a light-allow 

receiver. The selective-fire MD97L rifle (437 mm barrel) was supplied in limited numbers 

to the Brazilian Army for field evaluation purposes, while the semi-auto MD97LC carbine 

(330 mm barrel) was adopted by some state police agencies, including the Brasília-based 

Força Nacional de Segurança Pública (National Public Security Force). 

A 

B 

C 

D 


IMBEL 5.56 mm 

A 

D 

Itajubá-made 5.56x45 mm rifle materialized 

in mid-1983, when the company 

completed the prototype of a selective-fire 

rifle chambered to that round, the Fz 5.56 

IMBEL MD1, that had been designed 

and built by the company’s Oficina de 

Protótipos (Prototypes Workshop). Not 

surprisingly, it incorporated more than a 

few FAL components, the fixed stock and 

grip/trigger group being the more evident. 

However, the gas-operated piston system 

parted from the Belgian rifle’s tilting 

breechblock component, and employed a 

rotary bolt with multiple locking lugs, the 

20-round steel magazine being a proprietary 

type. The gun featured a redesigned 

lower receiver fitted with a stamped magazine 

housing, as well as a perforated jacket 

that involved both the gas tube and part of 

the 464 mm-long barrel, which was fitted 

with a NATO-standard 22mm flash hider. 

Loaded weight was about 4 kg, heavy all 

right, but weight reduction along the development 

phase was a goal of the small 

design team. The author had a chance to 

fire that single prototype at the factory 

range in June 1983, and pretty much liked 

how it handled and worked. Its moderate 

cyclic rate of fire of roughly 700 rounds 

per minute plus the relatively high weight 

(for the caliber at hand) was a plus when it 

came to controllability in full auto. 

It should be pointed out that the initial 

development of this weapon did not come 

as a result of a possible local army intention 

of a general move to the smaller caliber, 

but rather of an in-house study that 

showed that this might be a trend in the 

future. Official interest eventually came 

in the form of a Brazilian Army Staff document 

of 1986 (Objetivos Básicos Operacionais 

39/86, Basic Operational Targets 

39/86) which stated that a 5.56x45mm 

rifle would be needed as the basic weapon 

for the 1 Batalhão de Operações Especiais 

(1st Special Operations Battalion) 

C 

that had been created three years earlier. 

However, the unit’s reduced size of about 

600 men at that time meant that a possible 

Army purchase would be comparatively 

small and would not justify the considerable 

R&D costs involved in creating an 

entirely new weapon. 

With the obvious goal of reducing development 

time and costs, however, IM- 

BEL’s management later modified its objective. 

Instead of developing a rifle using 

some M964/M964A1 components, it was 

decided to go ahead and build a whole FAL 

in 5.56x45mm, and this included the use 

of the original tilting block breech locking 

system. In fact, virtually all tooling and basic 

reference drawings for the 7.62x51mm 

model could be used with little or no 


B 

changes. A prototype of the new rifle was 

completed in 1985, and this employed the 

well-known tubular folding stock the of the 

so-called “PARA” version of the FAL. No 

thermal protection was provided for the 

gas cylinder nor for most of the weapon’s 

barrel, but a short wooden handguard taken 

from the heavy-barrel version (squad 

automatic weapon) of the Belgian gun was 

fitted. The dedicated 20-round magazine 

was kept, and this appeared to be the general 

way that the factory had chosen for the 

weapon’s evolution. 

Still keeping the original Fz 5.56 IMBEL 

MD1 designation, the gun was certified in 

April 1989 and cleared for production by 

the Brazilian Army as the M989, but it was 

not, in fact, officially adopted. Very small 

batches for demonstration and evaluation 

A: This particular example of the semi-auto IA2, photographed in April 2015, displays a number of changes, 

such as a much-redesigned foldable buttstock (adjustable in length), a hand support forward of the magazine 

housing, and a duplicated fire-selector lever on the right side. B: This short foldable-stock FILC-97 

prototype features a trigger guard for all the fingers of the firing hand, a short cylindrical handguard and 

a raised structure for, say, electro-optical sights. The weapon’s iron sights were used through openings 

in the so-called carry handle. C: To all intents and purposes, the semi-auto IA2 seen here is the same 

selective-fire rifle called a “carbine” by IMBEL for internal marketing reasons. The all-black finish is typical 

for the weapons delivered to and in use by Brazilian LE agencies. D: This FILC-97 light carbine prototype 

is fitted with the same folding stock of the rifle, but other details depart broadly from the FAL, as in the case 

of the pistol grip with a full-size trigger guard, the short handguard, the foldable vertical grip, and the raised 

structure for the fitting of optical/electronic sights. 

purposes were made, and these hardly 

differed from a PARA-FAL, featuring the 

very same foldable stock, synthetic handguard, 

pistol grip, trigger guard, knob-type 

cocking handle, sights, fire selector lever, 

flash hider, etc. With an optional foldable 

bipod fitted and a full 20-round magazine 

in place, the MD1 weighed 4.9 kg. One helluva 

heavyweight for a five-five-six! 

The next evolutionary step took form 

in the early 1990s with the MD2/MD2A1 

models (foldable stock, selective fire/ 

semi-auto only) and the MD3/MD3A1 

variants (fixed stock, selective fire/ 

semi-auto only), but the initial market response 

made the FAL-type tubular folding 

stock the usual choice of operators. A rifle 

in this configuration was officially tested 


IMBEL 5.56 mm 

LEFT: Seen here in the hands of Rio de Janeiro Military 

Police troopers in training, the MD2A1 shifted to the 

use of STANAG-type 30-round magazines, while still 

keeping the FAL tilting-block breech locking system. 

at the Campo de Provas da Marambaia 

(Marambaia Proving Grounds), in Rio de 

Janeiro, receiving its ReTEx – Relatório 

Técnico Experimental (Experimental 

Technical Report) No. 1364/91 on March 

13, 1991, which cleared the way to production 

and sales. Following some local and 

foreign demonstrations, the MD2 received 

a number of orders, this including batches 

for some Brazilian Army BILs - Batalhões 

de Infantaria Leve (Light Infantry Battalions), 

while the semi-auto MD2A1 found 

its way into the armories of several state 

LE agencies, the Rio de Janeiro Public Security 

Department (Civil and Military Police) 

having purchased 1,050 examples in 

1995, for example. As delivered, the rifles 

had a 453 mm barrel, an overall length of 

1030 mm (764 mm, with the stock folded), 

and a loaded (30 rounds) weight of 

4.85 kg, still a hefty gun for the caliber. 

At this point, however, STANAG-compatible 

magazines were used rather than the 

earlier dedicated type. 

In 1995, the Brazilian Army issued Requisitos 

Operacionais Básicos (Basic Operational 

Requirements) No. 06/95 in which 

new parameters for a 5.56x45mm rifle 

were established, which included a 3.8 kg 

weight limit and a three-round burst facility. 

And things began to get better that year, 

when a young and enthusiastic Brazilian 

Army engineering officer, Captain (later 

Lieutenant Colonel) Paulo Augusto Capetti 

Porto, joined IMBEL. Some of his ideas 

began to take shape in the so-called MD97 

family, with members available both in 

rifle (MD97L) and semi-auto carbine 

(MD97LC) versions. The latter eventually 

received a substantial order for 3,000+ 

copies to equip the Força Nacional de Segurança 

Pública (National Public Security 

Force), a nationwide LE agency with headquarters 

in Brasília, the nation’s capital, 

which deploys whenever and wherever an 

emergency situation arises in any state. Series 

manufacture of the MD97LC carbine 

began in 2004, while a small batch of selective-fire 

MD97L rifles was handed over 

to the Brazilian Army for troop evaluation. 

This was carried out by the CAEx – Centro 

de Avaliação do Exército (Army Evaluation 

Center) and by some units, such as the Bda 

Op Esp - Brigada de Operações Especiais 

(Special Operations Brigade). Evaluation 

tests were also carried out by the Air Force 

and the Navy/Marine Corps, but no orders 

were received. 

The main design improvement in the 

MD97s was the use of a rotary bolt whose 

radial lugs locked directly to a barrel extension 

rather than to the lower receiver, 

as required by the FAL tilting block, permitting 

the use of light alloy materials in 

the somewhat redesigned lower. This resulted 

in some weight saving, the MD97LC 

carbine coming down to reasonable 3.3 kg, 

empty, while the rifle was 0.3 kg heavier. 

The cold-hammered, chrome-plated 330 

mm (440 mm, for the MD97L rifle) barrel 

was rifled with a 1:10 in (1:254 mm) pitch 

so that both M193 and SS109 rounds could 

be fired with adequate ballistic performance. 

Respective muzzle velocities were 

840 and 920 m/s. Barrel life was officially 

quoted as being over 5,000 rounds fired, 

but some prototypes eventually passed the 

8,500 mark. Characteristic FAL components 

were still to be found here and there, 

including the pistol grip/trigger assembly, 

the foldable stock, and the handguard 

(shortened in LC carbine). Picatinny rails 

began to find their way to the top cover of 

the gun’s receiver, some of full length but 

most in the form of two in-line short units. 

However, the MD97 family was still far 

from being what the Brazilian Army, the 

main potential client in view, wanted. 

While series production was under way to 

meet the Força Nacional and a few other 

local police forces orders, the design minds 

at the Itajubá Factory were not idle. Still 

under the strong leadership and personal 

participation of the head of the R&D 

Office, Captain Capetti, some interesting 

ideas turned into several working prototypes 

in 1997. They were generally designated 

FIL-97 (Fuzil Imbel Leve, Light 

Imbel Rifle) and FILC-97 (Fuzil Imbel 

Leve Curto, Short Light Imbel Rifle), a 

carbine-type variant. 

The initial selective-fire FIL-97 rifle, 

while keeping a FAL pistol grip/trigger 

assembly and the same handguard, introduced 

a new synthetic foldable stock, 

while a Picatinny rail was added to the top 

of the gun, which kept the original iron 

sights. More radical changes were found in 

a FILC-97 carbine variant of the same period. 

Although it presented a similar polymer 

right-side folding stock, a redesigned 

handguard of the same material was fitted, 

and this incorporated a rearward-folding 

foregrip. In addition to that, the gun featured 

a raised metal structure to accept 

optional optical sights, but the iron sights 

could still be used all the time thanks to the 

openings that existed on the front and rear 

ends of the, well, “carry handle”. Another 

distinguishing feature of that carbine was 

the pistol grip design that incorporated a 

full-size trigger guard that protected all the 

fingers of the firing hand. 

Several other prototypes of both FIL 

and FILC variants incorporating varied 

ergonomic characteristics were made and 

tested at that time, and some are depicted 

in the accompanying photos. However, 

R&D funds were pretty much limited and 

did not allow full in-house development of 

a genuine IMBEL 5.56x45 assault rifle, a 

situation that was to persist for ten more 

years or so. In fact, it was only in 2008- 

2009 that the company appeared to seriously 

commit itself to the rifle program by 

adequately investing in personnel qualifi- 


cation and modernization of its production 

equipment. Emphasis was also placed on 

establishing comprehensive in-house test 

facilities, including environmental (sand, 

mud, water, hot/cold weather) conditions. 

All that had the aim of allowing the development 

and series manufacture of a rifle 

that would, at the very last, meet Brazilian 

Army’s ROB – Requisitos Operacionais 

Básicos (Basic Operational Requirements) 

and, at a later stage, Ministry of Defense’s 

ROC – Requisitos Operacionais Conjuntos 

(Joint Operational Requirements) for the 

three services, Army, Navy, and Air Force. 

In mid-2010, some prototype photos and 

computer-generated images of the officially-called 

Fuzil de Assalto 5.56 IA2 began 

to emerge, complemented by the news 

that small batches were being completed 

for preliminary demonstrations and trials 

with the armed forces and law enforcement 

agencies. Pre-productions examples 

were fully displayed in April of the following 

year during the LAAD 2011 defense 

exhibition in Rio de Janeiro, these already 

incorporating visible modifications (notably, 

in the foldable polymer stock) from 

the earlier prototypes. On December 15, 

2011, the Ministry of Defense issued Rule 

No. 3885-MD establishing the joint operational 

requirements for a common Fz Lv 

Cal 5.56 mm (Fuzil Leve Calibre 5.56 mm, 

or Light Rifle Caliber 5.56 mm) for the 

Brazilian Armed Forces. In 2012, extensive 

demonstrations of the semi-auto-only 

version of the rifle were carried out aiming 

at local police forces, while an initial production 

batch of 1,500 guns began to be 

delivered to the Brazilian Army for more 

comprehensive evaluation tests with 15 

units in 11 different states. In October of 

that year, twenty IA2s were handed over 

to the Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais (Marine 

Corps) for the same purpose. A major 

breakthrough in the IMBEL rifle program 

was reached on October 23, 2013, when 

the Army issued Document No. 211-EME 

announcing the official adoption of the selective-fire 

rifle. Two thousand additional 

guns were delivered to the Army in 2014. 

In additional to these, the semi-auto IA2 

has been adopted by a number of civil and 

military police forces, including those of 

the states of Bahia, Ceará, Espirito Santo, 

Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraíba, Piaui, Rio 

Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Roraima, 

Santa Catarina, Sergipe, and São 

Paulo. In all, about 6,000 copies of both 

models had been made and delivered by 

December, 2014. 

In its current form, the Fuzil de Assalto 

5.56 IA2 operates with a pretty conventional 

gas piston/seven-lug rotary bolt 

system offering selective fire (semi-auto 

and full-auto, only) capability. For the record, 

the earliest versions were fitted with 

a three-round burst mechanism, but this 

was eventually omitted from the design 

as a result of extensive troop trials in the 

Amazon region having shown that this 

mechanical device was prone to malfunctions 

when used in severe environmental 

conditions. So, it seems that adequate 

troop fire training will prevail over extra 

gears, springs, and cams fitted inside the 

gun. Although featuring the same barrel 

length of 330 mm (350 mm, flash hider 

included), the semi-auto-only LE model is 

called by IMBEL Carabina 5.56 IA2, both 

models sharing the same dimensions and 

weights. The explanation appears to be 

that the local military authorities, whom 

the LE agencies depend on to get a green 

light for armament purchases, used to be 

somewhat reluctant to allow the police 

to buy “rifles”, but would generally agree 

to let them have “carbines”… The coldforged 

steel barrel has four RH grooves 

and is rifled to 1:254mm (1:10 in). Overall 

and folded stock lengths are 850 and 600 

mm, while the empty weight with the factory-made 

steel 30-round STANAG magazine 

is 3.6 kg (3.4 kg, no magazine fitted). 

As expected from any current weapon of 

its class, extensive use of polymers is found 

in the IA2, such as in the non-adjustable, 

right-side-folding stock, the pistol grip, 

and the three-piece handguard, where Picatinny 

rails can be added in the 3-, 6-, 9-, 

and 12-o’clock positions, in addition to the 

top receiver’s rail. The more-inclined FAL 

pistol grip for long used in all the earlier 

IMBEL 5.56x45 mm rifle attempts has given 

way to a redesigned model, its hollow 

being used for the storage of a cleaning kit. 

For the rifles being delivered to the Brazilian 

Army the polymer parts come in green, 

while those aimed at the local LE market 

are black. In fact, any color specified by a 

client can be provided by the manufacturer. 

Special attention was given to provide 

the handguard with adequate thermal pro- 


IMBEL 5.56 mm 

A brand-new IMBEL IA2 rifle in the hands of a Brazilian 

Army Parachutist Infantry Brigade officer, the weapon’s 

polymer components green color having been a choice 

of that service. 

tection, a problem that characterized the 

earlier MD97s which became very uncomfortable 

to hold after consecutively firing 

about six 30-round magazines in full-auto, 

when the hand contact zone reached about 

54 degrees Celsius. New heat insulation 

materials used in the IA2 have reduced 

this to reasonable 38 degrees Celsius, with 

a slight temperature increase after firing 

240 rounds in rock-and-roll. Water immersion 

tests have also shown the weapon 

to possess satisfactory functioning under 

most conditions, even being fired immediately 

after emerging, although at least five 

seconds of water drainage is recommended. 

Comprehensive environmental tests at 

extreme low (-40 degrees Celsius during 

four hours) and high temperatures, in 

addition to sand and mud exposure, have 

been successfully carried out. Preliminary 

rifle certification for the pilot batch was 

obtained on October 1, 2013, while that 

for the full technical and operational evaluation 

aspects, completed in December, 

2014, are expected for early-2015. 

Firing procedures with the IA2 are 

pretty straightforward. IMBEL has opted 

to supply the rifle with 30-round steel 

magazines of its manufacture for higher 

resistance and reliability, although any 

STANAG (AR-15/M16) model can be used. 

Magazine release from its well is achieved 

either by pressing inwards a protected button 

located on the right side at the junction 

of the upper and lower receivers or 

by pressing forward a lever at the rear of 

the magazine housing. The cocking knob, 

an FAL type, is on the left side and does 

not reciprocate when the gun is fired. If 

you are a right-handed shooter, you’ll find 

the fire selector lever conveniently located 

on the left side within easy reach of your 

thumb, immediately above the pistol grip. 

Some guns, however, have been fitted with 

a selector lever duplicated on the right 

side, apparently, a Brazilian Navy/Marine 

Corps requirement for a future purchase. 

Settings are “S” (Safety), up; “I” (Intermittent, 

or Semi-auto), slightly down; and, not 

available in the LE carbine, “A” (Automatic), 

slightly under 180 degrees, forward. 

Cyclic rate of fire is around 750 rounds per 

minute. The rifle version comes with a bayonet 

lug where IMBEL’s FC-IA2 (178 mm 

blade) or FC-Amz (247 mm blade) bayonet 

knives can be attached. 





Royal Malaysia Police Museum 

BY DAN SHEA 

Modern Malaysia is a beautiful country, 

rich in agriculture and history, with a 

growing industrial base. It was born 

from the ashes of the Japanese occupation 

during World War II- famine, 

along with the war, killed many and left 

a void in the country which was filled by 

Commonwealth (British) organization. The 

Malaysian Communist Party, supported 

by the Soviets, worked towards removing 

the British- who it was felt had not really 

made life better after the Japanese left. 

Chaos ruled in many areas and the entire 

series of skirmishes and wars are worth 

studying, but beyond the scope of this article. 

The name “Malaysian Emergency” was 

bestowed on the wars there because the 

European landowners/farmers who were 

insured by Lloyds of London could not be 

covered if it was a “War.” The name “Emergency” 

stuck and it is generally considered 

to have been from 1947 through 1960. The 

problems reemerged in the 1980s. 

The Royal Malaysian Police Museum 

presents the story of the police all through 

the Emergency with a very factual, even 

hand. The diorama of the Bukit Kepong 

Incident, a tragedy on 23 February 1950, 

provides excellent insight into what the 

Malaysian Police had to contend with. 

Early on that morning, approximately 180 

heavily armed members of the Malayan 

Communist Party attacked the Federation 

of Malaya Police station at Bukit Kepong. 

The attackers thought this would be 

a swift victory. Five hours later, the battle 

still raged. In the end, the communists 

killed 14 policemen, 5 auxiliary Police, and 

6 civilians- including wives and children 

of the police. While this was a loss for the 

government, the true story of the bravery 

of the police and how their wives came 

and took up arms, and it ended as their 

building burned and the last 4 policemen 

charged the communist position. It is compared 

to the Battle of the Alamo in U.S. 

legend, and the even energized the people 

against the communists. 

The Royal Malaysian Police Museum 

was founded in Kuala Lumpur in 1961. It 

went through a variety of buildings and 

leadership, built again in 1983, then the 

current museum was opened to the public 

on 2 October 1998. 

An Oerlikon MK4 20x110RB cannon on s2ingle 

naval mount, with 60 round right hand drum, looks 

over the museum grounds. 


BELOW: Ford Lynx Scout Car (BB 8128)- this armored car was introduced in the Police 

Force on 24 July 1952, and was given to the Kelanian Contingent. It is a two man vehicle, 

one driver, and one to man the machine gun. During The Emergency this armored car was 

always used at the head of an escort convoy in every operation. Armored cars of this type 

were last seen in use at the parade to mark the end of The Emergency on 1 August, 12960. 



We found the museum to have excellent 

displays- there were so many varieties 

of firearms it was intriguing to consider the 

sources- a melting pot of armies and insurgents. 

There were many displays indoors 

and outdoors, and SADJ recommends that 

while you’re in Kuala Lumpur, if you can 

find the time, pay the museum a visit. 

A: Top to bottom: 37mm gas launcher; M79 40x46mm grenade launcher with jungle stock and finish; SMLE 

rifle modified to launch tear gas grenades from the cup (Forend is wire bound); 5 shot 37mm launcher; Steyr 

AUG (F88) 5.56x45mm; Australian F1 9x19mm submachine gun; Sten MKII 9x19mm submachine gun with loop 

stock; Ingram M10 9x19mm submachine gun. B: Top to bottom: Johnson M1941 light machine gun in 30.06 

caliber; HK21E in the HK11E configuration with G3 magazine in 7.62x51mm; British L4A1 Bren light machine 

gun in 7.62x51mm; US M60 GPMG in 7.62x51mm. C: Top to bottom: HK MP5 9x19mm submachine gun with 

collapsible stock and S-E-F trigger group; Spanish Z-84 9x19mm submachine gun; Beretta PM12S 9x19mm 

submachine gun. D: A variety of assault rifles, featuring FAL variants but on the very top is a Portuguese Model 

AR-10 rifle in 7.62x51mm (Note bayonet lug on top of grenade launcher on barrel). E: Many of the weapons on 

display were modified and in various stages of repair. The second rifle down appears to be an M2 carbine with 

added custom pistol grip. 

A 

B 


C 

E 

D 


LEFT: A very popular weapon with insurgents was taking a semi-automatic 

handgun and embedding it into a rifle stock, while extending a link to the stock 

trigger. This made for an early “Roni” type system- stabilizing the handgun for 

longer distance shooting. The displays had a number of examples. 

BELOW: The top firearm shows the pistol mounted into a carbine stock, but 

the bottom weapon is much more interesting. A 1928A1 Thompson SMG in 

.45acp with a homemade buttstock. 

RIGHT: In this display, the top 3 Derringers are described as “Colt Lady 

Derringer.” The pistol on the left is not described, but it is clearly a home 

workshop piece mimicking a Walther P38, with “Carl Walther” engraved on 

the slide. The bottom piece marked “24” is a cigar lighter made to look like a 

pistol. One of the most intriguing pieces in the museum was the small boxlike 

pistol on the right, marked “23.” The description is as follows: King Cobra type 

based on Pasir Putih- On 24 December 1980 at 0900 hours, acting on information 

received from the public, a group of policemen under the command of 

Inspt. Kasdiran Bin Kasban made an ambush at Pasir Putih town in Kelantan. 

At 0930 hours the police officers arrested two Malay males as they left a taxi. 

One of them was holding a plastic bag containing 3 pairs of shoes, a pistol 

“King Cobra” type in the shape of a lighter was found hidden in the heal of his 

shoe, and 493 sticks of cannabis (ganja) was found under the soles of the 

shoes. The two males were appropriately punished by the court. 

OPPOSITE PAGE BOTTOM: Ten barreled 1881 model Gatling Gun on 

“Camel” tripod. The Bruce Feed is not installed. 




Smooth jacketed British Vickers Mk I water cooled machine 

gun in .303 caliber, on improvised mount. 


NO. 5 JALAN PERDANA 

50480 KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA 

WWW.MUZIUMPOLIS.COM 

EMAIL: MUZIUMPOLIS@YAHOO.COM 

TEL: +03-22725689 

ADMISSION: FREE 

VISITING HOURS: 

TUESDAY – SUNDAY 

10:00AM – 6:00PM 

FRIDAY 10:00AM –12:30PM & 

2:30PM – 6:00PM 

CLOSED MONDAYS 





The LWRCI PSD MKII 

6.8x43mm Carbine 

The First Ever Large Scale Sale of a 

6.8x43mm Caliber Rifle to a Military 

By Christopher R. Bartocci 

The author firing the M6 PSD MKII chambered in 

6.8x43mm SPC caliber. Notice the proprietary Magpul 

magazine designed for optimal feeding of the 6.8mm 

SPC caliber cartridge. Without a suppressor there is 

one heck of a muzzle blast! 


Back in 2001 a new cartridge concept 

was thought up by 5th Special 

Forces Group MSG Steve Holland. 

He wished to increase the firepower 

of the Special Operations soldier by 

providing a much more effective round 

than the 5.56mm. He felt it lacked the 

stopping and penetration power needed by 

a battle rifle. Starting with a .30 Rem cartridge 

cases, MSG Holland created a wildcat 

cartridge that would function in an AR/ 

M16 platform rifle and would only require 

changing of the barrel, bolt and magazine. 

This prototype cartridge was handed over 

to the United States Army Marksmanship 

Unit headed by Troy Lawton. This product 

would be funded by Remington’s Sean 

Dwyer, who claimed Remington wanted to 

do their part in the Global War on Terrorism. 

Remington began final development 

of the cartridge in the fall of 2001 using 

the concept wildcat cartridges made up by 

MSG Holland which were in effect shortened 

.30 Rem brass. Auto CAD drawings 

of the cartridge case were prepared by Cris 

Murray of the Army Marksmanship Unit. 

Remington’s final task was to standardize 

the dimensions. The first production 

of the new 6.8x43mm Rem SPC cartridge 

was in 2002 with full production beginning 

in 2003. Right up to the 2004 time 

period this cartridge was kept very secretive 

by all the companies involved. Some 


LWRCI PSD MKII 

Shown is the right side of the M6 PSD rifle 

chambered in 6.8mm SPC. This is the configuration 

of the rifle that went to the Mid-East 

special operations unit. The only thing missing 

is the EOTech sight. Notice the ambidextrous 

bolt catch and selector lever. 

Shown is the complete left side of the SIX8- 

UCIW. Notice the Magpul pistol grip and 

6.8x43mm magazine. The rifle is equipped with 

LWRCK Skirmish folding backup sights. 

Shown is the complete left side of the commercially 

produced SIX8-UCIW . Notice the Magpul pistol grip 

and 6.8x43mm magazine. The rifle is equipped with 

LWRCK Skirmish folding backup sights as well as a 

EOTech holographic sight. 

of the first rifles were manufactured by 

David Dunlap of Precision Reflex, Inc. At 

SHOT Show 2005, many manufactures 

were quick to produce rifles chambered for 

the new cartridge before ammunition was 

even available. However, even after initial 

release the cartridge was still under development 

to maximize its potential. SAAMI 

accepted the new cartridge and some other 

manufacturers got on board with manufacturing. 

The finalized 6.8x43mm Rem 

SPC required a slightly modified chamber 

than the original, hence the Spec 2 chamber. 

It was found with the fully optimized 

ammunition, it was not safe to load it in 

the original Spec 1 chamber. The primary 

load was a 115gr Sierra open tip match 

projectile at a velocity of around 2,650 feet 

per second. Loads available are from 77 to 

135 grains in weight. 

Many manufacturers decided to stay 

with the SAAMI spec chamber which was 

the original Spec 1. Others went ahead 

and upgraded to the Spec 2. Ammunition 

manufacturers did not really want to make 

a cartridge that would not be safe in some 

guns that were out there so they mostly 

stayed with the SAAMI Spec 1 chamber. 

They could be sure that their ammunition 

would be safe to shoot in all existing rifles. 

One company did take on the Spec 2 load 

and that was Silver State Armory. It would 

be safe to say that Silver State Armory 

has done more product development of 

6.8x43mm ammunition than anyone out 

there other than Remington. Their Spec 2 

chamber ammo is specifically marked. 

The path of the 6.8x43mm Rem SPC 

cartridge is quite disappointing to say the 

least. USSOCOM looked at it and they were 

less than thrilled, more than likely not due 

to its performance capabilities but due to 

ammunition compatibility. This would 

also be the introduction of a non-NATO 

standardized cartridge. Feeding was an 

issue. Designing a magazine that would 

fit an M16/M4 lower receiver proved to 

be a difficult task. The cartridge did get a 

following in the commercial market. Several 

companies manufacture rifles in this 

caliber. The cartridge is ideal for medium 

game hunting and is quite popular for deer 

and hog. Few ammunition companies really 

took it on. Of course Remington offers 

a good line of ammo. As previously 

stated Silver State Armory specializes in 

the 6.8x43mm Rem SPR cartridge offering 

more loads than any other company. 


Ammunition is also offered by Hornady, 

Corbon, Federal, Seller &Bellot, Double 

Tap and Barrett. 

Of all the manufacturers of modern 

military arms, LWRCI has come to be best 

known for producing military grade rifles 

chambered in the 6.8x43mm Rem SPR 

cartridge, releasing their rifle in 2007. The 

company is known for producing rifles 

with their proprietary short stroke tapped 

piston 2that adapted a 6.8 barrel, modified 

bolt and magazine. Magazines are produced 

mostly by CProducts Defense and 

Precision Reflex, Inc. They are now also 

made by D&H Tactical. In an industry that 

had pretty much given up on the caliber, 

LWRCI always believed in its potential and 

continued to improve their rifles. LWRCI 

is also in the international market and 

sells arms throughout the world. Of course 

their primary sales are all 5.56x45mm and 

7.62x51mm. However in 2010, LWRCI 

met with a special operations group from 

a Middle Eastern country. Due to contractual 

agreements they are not at liberty to 

divulge the name of this unit. This group 

was looking for a short barreled rifle that 

packed a heavy punch. LWRCI looked at 

their requirements and though that this 

would be ideal for the 6.8x43mm Rem SPC. 

It was the same size for the most part as a 

short 5.56mm rifle but packed a lot more 

punch. The customer was quite interested. 

LWRCI imported some of their 6.8x43mm 

rifles in country to do demos. During negotiations 

LWRCI was told the order would 

be more than 30,000 weapons. With that 

kind of number they decided to make a real 

bold move. They understood the potential 

feeding issues and the sandy environment 

could complicate things, so they decided to 

team up with Magpul and create a proper 

magazine that would be optimized for the 

6.8x43mm Rem SPC cartridge. Logically 

this means the magazine well must be 

made wider, which they did. The magazine 

looks like the familiar PMAG with Maglevel 

windows and holds 30 rounds. 

The rifle presented to the Middle Eastern 

Special Operations unit was the PSD 

MKII. The rifle has a short telescopic stock 

which is of LWRCI design. With the stock 

extended the overall length is 26.73 inches 

and with the stock closed it is 23.97 

inches. The weight of the rifle without a 

magazine is 6.39 pounds and fully loaded 

with 30 rounds 7.71 pounds. The barrel is 

8.5 inches in length with a flash hider installed 

to the end. The rifle is selective-fire 

(Semi- and fully-automatic) and magazine 

fed. The rifle has quad Mil-Std-1913 rails 

and comes with LWRCI folding Skirmish 

back up sights. The rifle is fully ambidextrous 

with ambi selector, magazine release 

and bolt catch. Without suppressor 

the cyclic rate is roughly 700 rounds per 

minute and with suppressor roughly 1,000 

rounds per minute. 

Before we delve into the specific features 

of the rifle there is one very important 

component to this particular weapon 

system, the ammunition. Due to the short 

8.5 inch barrel there were issues with reliability 

in adverse conditions. In normal 

6.8 loads the port pressure is not at its 

peak until it is around 8 or so inches. This 

means the 8.5 inch barrel has low port 

pressure using standard ammunition. Also 

the current ammunition is commercial 

grade, lacking the flash inhibitors in the 

powder of military grade ammunition. So 

LWRCI in partnership with ATK Federal 

went on to develop a round that would be 

optimal for use in an 8.5 inch barrel. Basically 

a propellant that was faster burning 

that would get the port pressures back up 

to where they would need to be to cycle the 

rifle reliably. In testing the PSD MKII, this 

author tested more than 9 different loads. 

The rifle would only function properly with 

the specified load. All commercial off the 

shelf ammunition caused the rifle to short 

stroke. The load used is called XM68GD. 

The projectile is a 90 grain Speer Gold 

Dot projectile with an approximate muzzle 

velocity of 2420 feet per second and 

with a muzzle energy of 1181.6 ft lbs. Impressively, 

the maximum range of the rifle 

is 500 meters at a point target. Currently 

all ammunition made for the Middle East 

customer is ATK. LWRCI ammo has been 

sourced and tested by Seller & Bellot, Hornady, 

ATK and Silver State Armory. The 

PSD MKII is the only rifle that requires 

this ammunition. The Six8-UCIW which 

is the current commercial off the shelf rifle 

will work with standard ammunition. 

Modifications have been made to the gas 

system for it to run reliably 

Examining the weapon system the 

only differentiation between the military 

PSD MKII and the SIX8-UCIW will be 

the ammunition compatibility. All other f 

eatures are the same. 

Starting with the lower receiver assembly, 

the rifle is equipped with the LWRCI 



The proprietary Magpul magazine is designed for this weapon system. This magazine 

was specifically designed to feed the 6.8x43mm cartridge properly and reliably. 

88 SADEFENSEJOURNAL.COM 

produced short stock. There are 4 positions. 

There are two quick-detach mount 

sockets on the stock, one on each side. The 

buffer and spring are designed specifically 

for the 6.8x43mm Rem SPC cartridge. 

The lower receiver itself is proprietary 

and not compatible with industry standard 

receivers. It is manufactured from a 

7075-T-6 aircraft grade aluminum forging. 

The receiver is hard coat anodized as 

per Mil-Spec to a flat black color. Primary 

difference is as we mentioned, the magazine. 

The joint effort LWRCI and Magpul 

magazine looks like a standard PMag but 

on steroids. It holds a full 30 rounds and 

has high visibility orange magazine follower 

and lock plate. The geometry of the 

magazine is optimal for this cartridge. So 

the magazine is wider than the standard 

magazine. Therefore the receiver is wider. 

The selector lever is ambidextrous and 

also made by LWRCI. The lever is easy to 

grab and manipulate even with gloves. The 

pistol grip is the very comfortable Magpul 

MOE. The lower receiver is fully ambidextrous. 

On the right side, right above the 

trigger is the ambi bolt catch. It looks the 

same as the one on the left side and is actuated 

in the same manner. The magazine 

catch is in the normal location on the right 

side of the receiver. On the left side the 

ambi mag catch is located right behind the 

catch and is easily manipulated by either a 

left or right handed shooter. The hammer, 

trigger, disconnector and automatic sear 

are all nickel boron coated. The trigger pull 

is the Mil-Spec 5.5 to 8.5 pounds. 

The upper receiver is also manufactured 

from a 7075 T6 aircraft grade aluminum 

forging and is proprietary to the PSD 

MKII 6.8x43mm SPC lower receiver. It has 

the traditional forward bolt assist, fired 

cartridge case deflector and ejection port. 

The handguards have quad Mil-Std-1913 

rails. The bottom handguard is held on by 

a collet over the barrel nut. The top handguard 

is removed for maintenance of the 

gas system by two pusher screws. The locking 

nut itself is non-indexing. The barrel 

nut is self-locating and guides the operating 

rod through the upper receiver. 

The 8.5 inch barrel is cold hammer 

forged right at LWRCI. Just at the time the 

PSD MKII went into production, LWRCI 

bough their own hammer forge machine. 

LWRCI has always been very convinced of 

The process of drilling and pinning of the gas 

blocks onto the barrels. LWRCI makes extensive 

use of custom assembly fixtures throughout 

their production lines of rifles.

A box of receivers ready to assemble into 

PSD MKII carbines for the Middle Eastern 

customer. Notice the use of UID code labeling. 

These receivers are fully ambidextrous. 

Assembly of the barrel, flash suppressor and piston system. 



The bolt of the PSD MKII chambered 

in 6.8x45mm Rem SPC. 

Notice the whale tail shaped enhanced 

extractor as well as the 

two extractor springs. 

the benefits offered by the hammer forging 

process. 41V45 steel-alloy and then treated 

with NiCorr surface conversion technology. 

This process is deemed superior to 

using standard chrome plating. The barrel 

has a 1 turn in 10 inch right hand twist. 

The bolt carrier is a one piece carrier 

with a machined “tombstone” which is the 

impact area of the operating rod. The rear 

of the bolt carrier is flutes which accomplishes 

two things. One, it deals with and 

eliminates bolt carrier tilt caused by the off 

center movement of the bolt carrier in turn 

caused by the operating rod striking the 

top of the tombstone. The second is with 

egression of dirt, fouling and whatever else 

may find its way into the mechanism. It is 

nickel boron coated. 

The bolt has enhancements over the 

standard. The extractor, similar to that of 

the LMT Enhanced bolt has a whale-tale 

shaped extractor utilizing dual extractor 

spring with a more aggressive extractor 

claw. The extractor claw engages more of 

the surface area of the rim of the cartridge 

case than the norm. The bolt face fully 

supports the rear of the cartridge case. 

This helps prevent case head failure unlike 

the standard M16/M4 bolt which has 

a large cutout to allow for insertion of the 

extractor. This helps to prevent case head 

failures from high-pressure situations like 

firing with water in the barrel. The geometry 

of lugs 1 and 7 has been redesigned 

to make these lugs much stronger and 

stress relieved, preventing breakage. Also 

the face of the bolt has a “crud” groove 

cut around the perimeter of the inside of 

the bolt face. This permits crud such as 

brass shavings, carbon and primer sealant 

a place to go that will not affect the 

function of the rifle. 

The gas system is made of 4 components. 

Pinned to the barrel is the gas 

block/nozzle, then the intermediate rod, 

piston cup and operating rod are installed. 

Once the projectile passes the gas port, gas 

goes up the gas port and into the nozzle, 

pushing the piston cup, intermediate rod 

and operating rod rearward. The operating 

rod gives a hammer-like blow to the tombstone 

on the bolt carrier driving the bolt 

carrier to the rear. The bolt unlocks and 

the extraction and ejection process commence. 

The spring on the operating rod returns 

the operating rod, intermediate rod 

and piston cup forward ready for the next 

shot. Hot gasses escape at the front of the 

gas system. This eliminates hot and dirty 

fouling entering the carrier group. The bolt 

carrier remains cool as well. 

For the Middle East contract the PSD 

MK11 was put through a gamut of testing. 

This includes mud, sand, water, salt 

spray and temperature extremes. The gun 

was tested up to 40,000 rounds. Keep in 

mind the Mil-Spec acceptance testing for 

the M4 carbine is but 6,000 rounds. The 

first rifles were delivered in 2012/13. This 

sale is a landmark in the history of the 

6.8x43mm SPC cartridge. It documented 

the first large sale order (30,000+ rifles) in 

the industry. The cartridge was designed 

by MSG Holland as a Special Forces cartridge. 

Although it never saw US military 

service, it was adopted abroad. The customer 

appears to be very pleased with the 

performance of the rifle. They possess the 

most firepower of any military for a rifle 

that size. For the desert environment, the 

500 yard range is also a plus. Part of the rifle’s 

requirement is that it shoots sub MOA 

at 100 meters. This is an excellent example 

of quality of the system (rifle and ammunition), 

especially for an 8.5 inch barrel. 

Every rifle sold to the customer is ready to 

install a sound suppressor as well 

The author was provided with 500 

rounds of the Federal XM68 ammunition 

from LWRCI along with one PSD MK11 

and one SIX8 with a 16 inch barrel. Also 

brought to the range was 6.8mm Rem SPC 

ammunition manufactured by Silver State 

Armory, Remington and Hornady. Projectile 

ranged from 90 to 115gr. The range 

was limited to 25 yards so accuracy testing 

was limited. The optic chosen was the 

EOTech holographic sight which is the one 

provided with the PSD MKII to the middle 

eastern customer. With the PSD MKII, 

the accuracy was clover-leafed at 25 yards 

which was expected with the XM68 ammunition. 

All other ammunition tested in 

the PSD MKII did not cycle properly. The 

rifle would continuously short stroke. This 

was expected due to the entire reasoning 

around the development of the XM68 

ammunition in that short 8.5 inch barrel. 

When the 16 inch Six8 barrel was installed 

on the lower, all ammunition brought 

functioned flawlessly including the XM68. 

Between the 8.5 and 16 inch barrels more 

than 800 rounds were fired. I have to say, 

this author has tested 6.8x43mm SPC rifles 

in the past and has never experienced 

this type of reliability. With all the standard 

mags tested they just never were 

combat reliable. The LWRCI rifle using the 

proper designed PMag for this cartridge 

worked without issues. LWRCI really took 


The nickel boron coated bolt carrier group of the PSD MKII chambered in 6.8x45mm 

Rem SPC. Notice the carrier itself is one piece and the flutes on the rear of the carrier. 

a gamble on designing a “Not industry 

standard” receiver platform to optimize 

the use of this caliber and it certainly 

paid off. This author is quite surprised 

the industry has not followed in building 

rifles in this caliber. 

The LWRCI sale to the Middle East 

is a true milestone in the book of the 

6.8x43mm SPC cartridge. Is this the ideal 

military caliber? Could be. NATO standardization 

will always be a major factor in 

anything adopted. This may always have 

and continue to prevent this cartridge 

from ever going prime time. Sometimes 

being better is just not good enough. You 

always have the politics that get in the way. 

For special operations units who can request 

and purchase their own gear, this is 

a very viable option for a high performance 

firearm. This sale to this undisclosed Middle 

East country is a perfect example of 

this. American hunter, target shooter and 

enthusiasts use this caliber every day. No 

question that the caliber has its following. 

This 6is how each and every of the rifles shipped to the Middle Eastern customer was packed. Over this station was a 

video camera which took a photo of each completed box. This was if something was missing in the box, LWRCI could 

look up the serial number and pull up the picture to verify if the product was missing at the time packing. 


Photo: SADJ Staff 

SHOW COVERAGE 

Global Security 

Asia 

by Megan Shea 


Global Security Asia has been held in Singapore since 2005, 

and the show has continued to grow and gain favor with attendees 

and exhibitors alike. The goal of bringing the world 

to Asia for a special security show is resulting in a show that 

is not just maturing, but growing every year. The international 

delegations continue to be a feature that the exhibitors appreciate, 

as GSA brings in high-quality attendees. 

Global Security Asia is now part of the Milipol network 

and, starting with the 2017 edition, will be renamed as Milipol 

Asia-Pacific. This is a biennial show, so the next show is in 2017 

and they expect over 200 exhibiting companies and 7,300 attendees. 

The 2015 edition was held in March at the Suntec Singapore 

convention center, but in 2017 the exhibition will return 

to the Marina Bay Sands. 

Milipol Asia-Pacific 2017 will continue to serve the ASEAN 

region and retain its 3-day format showcasing the latest technology 

solutions in the Defense and Security environment. The 

Show will address the fundamental issues of global terrorism and 

internal state security, which will present opportunities for specialists 

and engineers in the vitally important areas of internal 

state security and counter terrorism to share their experience 

and expertise regarding the sophisticated threats currently facing 

governments in the region. 

Photo: SADJ Staff 

OPPOSITE PAGE BOTTOM: Post-show, Trijicon, Inc. delivered 1,973 TA02- 

RM06 optics to the Singapore police in April 2015. Photo: SADJ Staff LEFT: 

Regional Sales Manager, Yotam Gal, emphasized that CAA is concentrating 

on bringing their signature RONI to Southeast Asia. TAR Ideal Concepts 

promoted their “one stop shop” for military and police equipment, as well as 

training. Photo: SADJ Staff 


ABOVE LEFT: Marketing Supervisor 

José Kalil of Brazilian company Condor 

Non-Lethal Technologies promoted 

the Spark for the Singaporean market. 

Released in 2011, the Spark is the first 

100% Brazilian electronic control device. 

Photo: SADJ Staff ABOVE RIGHT: 

Condor Non-Lethal Technologies offers 

tactical kits for a variety of needs. Photo: 

SADJ Staff LEFT: Imperium Global 

Partners displayed a variety of equipment 

including products from Ohio Ordnance 

Works, such as their M2HB-QCB 

and 240B. Christian Olson, Managing 

Director, emphasized Imperium’s commitment 

to the exploration of markets in 

Southeast Asia. Photo: SADJ Staff 

ABOVE: Colt - New rifle based on the R0977. Photo: SADJ Staff 

LEFT: Nathan Grove and Ben Grainger, International Sales Managers of Colt’s 

Manufacturing Company, LLC highlighted a new 5.56mm rifle based on the 

R0977. Photo: SADJ Staff 

LEFT: Newly rebranded in 2015, Steiner eOptics (formerly Laser Devices) is 

a Beretta Holding company. Senior Sales & Business Development Manager, 

Michael Keegan, demonstrates the DBAL-PL (Dual Beam Aiming Laser Pistol 

Light). Photo: SADJ Staff ABOVE: Steiner eOptics DBAL-PL. Photo: SADJ Staff 


SHOW INFO: Global Security Asia 

An assortment of non-lethal ammunition, 

tear gas and grenades from Condor Non-Lethal 

Technologies. Photo: SADJ Staff 

SHOW COVERAGE 

WEBSITE: www.milipolasiapacific.com 

2015 DATES AND VENUE: 

March 3-5, 2015 - Suntec Singapore 

2017 DATES AND VENUE: 

April 4-6, 2017 - Marina Bay Sands 

CONTACT: Varies by region, go to www.globalsecasia.com/contact 

for more info. 

FOCUS: Counter Terrorism and Security 

DRESS: Professional dress (though Singaporeans 

tend to be more casual and often don’t 

wear suit jackets). Summer weight clothing is 

a good idea, even though inside it might be 

freezing from the AC. Bring an umbrella. 

ATTENDEES: Trade and professional visitors 

only, no admission for those under 18. 

HOTEL HINTS: Marina Bay Sands is an excellent 

hotel, with access to a large mall, dining 

and a rooftop pool deck with restaurants and 

one of the best views in the city. The Pan Pacific 

Singapore is a great hotel right across the 

street from the Suntec Singapore exhibition 

center, but in 2017 the exhibition moves back 

to the Marina Bay Sands (also a great hotel). 

Check www.tripadvisor.com for guest reviews 

of Singapore hotels. Take the heat and 

humidity into account when calculating your 

“acceptable walking distance.” 

SHOW FOOD: You will never go hungry in 

Singapore and the old show venue as well as 

the new one are adjacent to malls with food 

courts, so if the show food isn’t what you 

want, you’ll have options. 

FOOD: Eating 5-6 meals a day is normal here. 

Hawker centers (kind of like U.S. food courts, 

but way more awesome) abound, filled with 

every type of Asian cuisine imaginable. 

For a true Singaporean breakfast, find 

a place that serves kaya toast (kaya = coconut 

custard jam), soft-boiled eggs and 

a cup of coffee. 

Hainanese Chicken Rice is popular and 

the most famous place is Tian Tian Hainanese 

Chicken Rice, stall 10 at the Maxwell Food 

Centre. Other popular dishes include: char 

kway teow, oyster omelette, satay, chai tow 

kuay, chili crab, bak kut teh, laksa, teh tarik 

(pulled tea), nasi lemak, murtabak, fish head 

curry...too many to name! A friend tried some 

“Delicious Frog” in Chinatown and said it 

was, well, delicious. 

POWER & PLUG TYPES: UK 3-pin plug, type 

G. Power: 220V / 240V, 50Hz. 

COUNTRY WARNINGS: Singapore is generally 

considered to be a safe country. Please 

note that Singapore laws and penalties are 

strict. There are severe penalties regarding 

illegal drugs, including the death penalty in 

many instances, so don’t have anything to do 

with them. A person can be arrested for taking 

drugs even before entering the country. 

Also avoid the following: littering, jaywalking, 

spitting, carrying firearms or projectiles 

(research laws for further information), “outrage 

of modesty,” drinking and driving, vandalism 

(including graffiti), and many more. 

CULTURAL HINTS: Be respectful of religion 

and race. Feet are considered dirty, so don’t 

point with your feet or show the bottom of 

them. Take off your shoes before you enter a 

mosque or temple. Wash your feet and hands 

before you enter a Hindu temple. Make sure 

you’re dressed appropriately before you enter 

any religious building/site. 

TIPPING: Overall, Singapore is not a country 

where gratuity is expected. Hotel: Tipping 

is discouraged except for porters (give 

SG$1-2 per bag or SG$2-5 for flagging a 

cab). Restaurants: A 10% “service charge” 

is often added to the bill, so check for that, 

but note that restaurant-added gratuity will 

probably not go to your server, so a small tip 

is greatly appreciated for good service. This 

should be given in cash directly to your server. 

If it hasn’t been added, 10% is normal for 

good service. Gratuity is not expected at food 

courts. Taxis: Round up or none, not expected. 

Spas: Not expected. Tour Guides: Not expected. 

Airport: Do not tip at Changi Airport, 

it is not allowed. 

CURRENCY: Singapore Dollar - SGD. For current 

exchange rates, go to www.xe.com. 

LANGUAGE: English, Malay, Mandarin, 

Tamil. English is widely spoken. 

GETTING AROUND: Day passes for the MRT 

(subway service) are inexpensive. Taxis are, 

of course, the most convenient means of 

transportation, plus they’re clean and reasonably 

priced. However, you may have 

an issue getting one during peak hours 

or if it’s raining. 

MILITARY MUSEUMS: The Army Museum of 

Singapore (ARMS) is a small museum dedicated 

to preserving the heritage of the Singapore 

Army. Go to www.armymuseum.gov.sg 

for more info. 

TOURISM: Grab a Singapore Sling from the 

Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel Singapore. 

Sure, it’s expensive and touristy, but the Long 

Bar is where the drink was created and you 

only need one, it packs a punch! Great sights 

include Chinatown, Merlion Park, the Singapore 

Flyer, Arab Street, Singapore Aquarium, 

Little India, Singapore Zoo and the National 

Orchid Garden. Shoppers will be ecstatic; 

there are many, many malls. Check out Orchard 

Road and the Shoppes at Marina Bay 

Sands for high-end retailers. 



Advertising 

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