A little update

So what's new in my world lately, eh? Well not too much excitement. I'm working the night shift this week to cover for another person on my team who usually does so who is out of the office. That works out fairly well for me as the better half is taking a trip out of state for most of the week anyways. In the meantime though, I found myself bored to tears without the wife being around to talk to, so I've had to find ways to keep myself occupied. 

I finally got to the point of building three more new AR15 lower receivers. I've still got two more to do, but I'll need additional parts to complete them. One I want to be an M16A1 style and will need parts for that, and the other I'll need to get another actual stripped lower to complete. So those will need to wait until the next paycheck to get started on. 

Just for kicks and giggles I went on a little mini road trip to the Brigham City airport the other day just to see what I could see and was pretty surprised to see some really cool military aircraft trainers that were there at the ramp.

Looks to me like a BAC Jet Provost

Another de Havilland Vampire. Coincidentally, the one I wrote about earlier was sitting on the ramp right behind it, but you can't really see it in the picture.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks to me like a Soko G-2 Galeb

In addition to what you see there, I couldn't help but notice a HUGE stockpile of MiG-15 parts of the two seat trainer variety as well as a Fouga CM.170 Magister that was sitting on the ramp that appeared flight worthy. What also surprised me was there was a variant of the SH-3 Sea King sitting out there, too. All in all a very surprising find for a seat of the pants trip to a random small town airport. 

And just for fun, something hilarious I saw on Reddit to make you laugh:

Happy Freedom Day! Now with Tanks!

I pray that this Independence Day, you are enjoying some precious time with loved ones while hopefully doing something that is pissing off some government somewhere, like shooting guns, blowing stuff up, tearing up the road with some powerful car, telling horrifically politically incorrect jokes, or breaking some unenforceable unconstitutional regulation, or just telling politicians to piss off.. 

Not sure if I'll have the money for it this year, but I'll be wanting to plant some freedom seeds of my own. Still want a darn G36, though. 

In other patriotic news, I have to give a hat tip to Scott over at the Unwanted Blog again, for letting me know about the new light tank that was adopted by the US Army, the General Dynamics Griffin III. I had heard years ago about the program to develop and field one, but had completely lost track of the progress on it, so this news completely came out of left field for me.  This would also be the first time the Army has had a light tank in decades, even longer if you think the last one was a flop. 

Thankfully, this one seems to be pretty formidable, both it's turret and fire control systems being mini version of what is used on the M1A2 Abrams, and with a 105mm cannon instead of a 120mm. It's 38 tons, which despite being heavy, is still 2 tons lighter than a Bradley IFV, offers more firepower than an IFV, has better protection than the up-armored humvees and JLTVs we are currently using, and will be getting a formal designation by the Army in a few months. 

The General Dynamics Griffon III that won. 

I remember that the big contender that was suspected to be the front runner back when I heard about it was BAe Systems with their model based on the old M8 AGS light tank from back in the day. But it seems BAe botched it by showing some serious issues in delivering prototypes on time to the program, which really hurt them in the long run, so they lost out to the GD team. From a purely technical standpoint I don't think the Army made the wrong choice, but it's a shame BAe couldn't get it together, because their machine was pretty good too.

 

The updated BAE M8 that lost. 

Now some may criticize the army for adopting a new light tank when we are seeing so many pieces of armor being defeated by missiles in the current Ukrainian war, but that's for people not drawing the correct conclusions from the right examples. Light tanks were never meant to defeat any major anti-tank weapons (even back in the day), but they are really there to be lighter, more mobile firepower platforms for more mobile infantry such as Airborne and amphibious forces, that would be unable to be supported by main battle tanks due to their weight. .  

Take for example, the Russian airborne raid on the Hostomel air base near Kiev, Ukraine in the beginning of the war, the Russians did have a small element of surprise, and were initially successful in taking the airport, but were quickly defeated shortly afterwards and nearly annihilated for two big reasons: 

1. They had no armor/artillery to back them up against the Ukrainian armor and light vehicles

2. They were not employed in a fashion in which they would get relieved/backed up from advancing friendly forces. 

The need for the light tank is specifically for these reasons why the Army is adopting them, to avoid these these types of mistakes. They aren't meant for going toe to toe with ATGMS and Tanks, but rather it's there to provide tank like firepower for airborne or amphibious forces to attack fortified positions, provide limited long range fire support, and defend against attacks from enemy mortars, artillery, light infantry, and be light enough to be airdropped in with the forces they are supporting in enough numbers that they can overwhelm the enemy and provide that firepower until other supporting forces can arrive. 

TMy only complaint with the new light tank order is that it appears the Army is only ordering a little more than 500 of them, which seems on the ridiculously low side to me. 

The Army hasn't had a light tank in decades since the ol' M551 Sheridan, which was plagued with problems from the start. 

Well, technically...

Technicals are just a fun thing to think about because it's basically Mad Max engineering applied to real life and if it weren't for the restrictions and paperwork, the average American likely has the funds to make one. 

That, and it's amusing to see lesser countries employ them as a viable combat vehicle against things it has no chance of winning against. That isn't to say that they don't have a place on the modern battlefield/insurgency/police action, as they certainly do, but they are NOT a cure all, nor are they a substitute for legit hard cars or armored vehicles (or a good RPG for that matter). That being said, if legit official militaries are using/converting normal cars into technicals, it just smacks of desperation; see the Toyota War for reference.

So, I have to give a shout out to a couple of things I've seen recently, first being that it seems that converting crappy Volga sedans is the new low reached by Ukraine in the recent conflict there, as reported by The War Zone. It's a shame in that I don't think the Ukrainian government is worth fighting for, but I still think the sovereignty of the land and independence of the people are, so I really hope that this isn't a sign that they are crumbling (but they likely are).

On the other side of the spectrum, there's also the subreddit called r/shittytechnicals, which is just a hoot and a holler if you want to be entertained by just how desperate the world's forces can get and it never ceases to entertain me.

Just a local news update

The South East Asian Pacific Rim is not exactly known for quality products outside of linen, fresh fruit, and electronics. However, the Rock Island Armory company is one that is known for some very affordable and good quality firearms being based out of the Philippines by it's parent company Armscor. They make a variety of products but they are perhaps most famous for making 1911s in every caliber you can think of that actually work right out of the box. 

So, as I mentioned in my mini-SHOT show review, I was pretty exited to hear that they are making a new manufacturing location down in Cedar City, Utah primarily for manufacturing their new VRF series of shotguns, if I'm not mistaken. 

The big news on The Firearm Blog is that they just opened the Cedar City facility with a ribbon cutting ceremony just the other day, and will be starting up operations soon. Hopefully it's a huge success for them, not only for the community in Cedar City, but to having more gun companies in Utah, and for continued success for a good gun company. 

Shout out to printer gunsmithing

I've been giving shout-outs to all sorts of cool local restaurants and places to see, but I realize I haven't really given enough credit to some cool gun stuff done by the little guys. On this occasion I'm going to highlight an awesome little one man operation over at https://ar180parts.com/. In short, this guy filled a really cool niche in the market for people with old AR-18 style clones and also the new Brownells BRN-180. 

Basically, Brownells was leaning more into the fact that their gun was to be a modernized AR18, and have really dragged their feet when it comes to accessories that help give it a real retro look, despite popular demand from customers for it. So, here's where the free market shines, and this guy comes to the rescue. 

On the right is a new BRN-180S that features a reproduction conical muzzle device, handguard cover, pistol grip, and stock that are close enough to identical to the original AR-180 on the left. Taken from the official site.

He has all sorts of 3D printed parts like pistol grips, stocks, and handguards that mimic the original AR-18 styles, but are compatible with newer guns like the AR-15/BRN-180. He also has metal parts such as original style charging handles and muzzle devices that are also compatible with the BRN-180 and AR-180s.

lastly, he also has a couple other AR15 braces and stocks that resemble the XM-177 style for those wanting that retro look.  So go give him a look see if you really want to pimp out your AR or BRN-180 or are just looking for some really cool stuff you can't find anywhere else. 

My Mosin and the Mosin

So, the last time I visited my Uncle, the man was very kind and extremely generous in giving me his old 91/30 Mosin rifle. It's a really nice example of a hex-receiver model made in 1935 and is one of the last years that hexagonal models were made. It needed a solid cleaning of the barrel, but is otherwise still in fantastic condition and is certainly one of the nicest ones I have ever seen. I was able to take it to the range not too long ago to take a few shots with it, and it's still perfectly zeroed. The only thing I had to do afterwards, other than clean it, was to immediately buy a bayonet for it and some stripper clips.  

One fine looking and shooting rifle, indeed.

The Mosin Nagant was produced by Russia as it's primary infantry rifle and was adopted in 1891. Because of both economic hardship and large scale war, it remained the primary rifle for Russia and the USSR until the end of WWII. It had also been adopted by many other nations in the early 20th century, such as Finland, China, Czechoslovakia, Estonia, Hungary, Romania, and Poland. Some were even build in the US by Remington Arms and New England Westinghouse in 1916. By the end of it's production, it had become one of the most mass-produced rifles in history with over 37 million made and it still shows up in conflicts all over the world. By far the model that is most common is a slightly refined, improved model called the M1891/30 introduced in (you guessed it) 1930.

Russian soldiers circa WWI equipped with the Mosin with the bayonets attached. Sourced from the Wiki page. 

Holy crap in a hat!

Finally! SIG comes out with a modern striker-fired pistol I actually want for once!  Somehow, actually good 10mm auto pistols are so hard to come by.  To be honest, I would still prefer a baseline EAA Witness in 10mm if I can get one (since it's cheaper and is a steel frame), but if I can't get that, I'm getting one of these:

For the uninitiated, I've been wanting a good 10mm pistol for ages, as it's basically the power of a .357 mag in an automatic pistol.  For the longest time, your only options for one were either a Glock 20 (that leaves a Glock-y taste in the mouth) or a 1911.  Both of which are not appealing to me, because Glocks have that crappy grip angle and are boring, and 1911s are far too expensive and fragile.  So this is why I look like the picture below at the thought of a 10mm P320 for a reasonable price.

Wheelgats

Revolvers just were not really my thing for a long time, but I have to admit they are far better than modern guns for teaching and refreshing yourself on some of the essentials of shooting. That, and some of them actually look really good, but as with a lot of things I enjoy, I tend to have taste that my wallet just can't cash. There are really only a few revolvers that I think would be fun to have, one of which feels like it would be cheating. 

The Model 28 has a classic look to it.

The first would be a solid classic, the .357 Magnum Smith & Wesson Model 28, also called the Highway Patrolman. Most of them seem to be of the short barrel variety (about 4in), but I would really only want the longer 6in barrel if I were to get one at all, as it just looks better. The only problem here is that it is hideously expensive.

The Model 610 on the other hand looks better with the short barrel.

As an alternative, the Smith & Wesson Model 610 in 10mm Auto is also a fun choice that I actually thinks looks a bit better in the shorter barrel style that would be cool. Just as you can shoot .38 Special out of a .357 mag to save on ammo, you can also shoot .40 S&W out of the Model 610 as well as 10mm, which is pretty neat. 

Thing is so cool it looks like it would be in the original Blade Runner.

Another one I would like is probably considered heresy by most wheel gun fans, as it's a total space-gat. The Smith & Wesson Model 327/R8/TRR-8 is an eight shot .357 magnum that also sports a lot of rail space on it for all the modern doo-dads, and I love the fact you get a couple extra shots in there. Another hideously expensive gun, but at least you literally get more bang for your buck. 

This Uberti repro is just gorgeous. Dunno if I want the short or long barrel, as both are good looking. 

Lastly, I've always liked the idea of going a little retro, and just grabbing a cartridge cylinder conversion to shoot modern .45 Long Colt loadings out of an old west type of revolver like a reproduction Remington Model 1858 by either Uberti or Pietta. My dad actually used to own one of these back in the day, but without the cylinder conversion, and used to load up and wax the cylinders himself and I have some fun memories of that. It's also nice that it's likely the most economical option on the list, too.

Despite all these being desirable, I think if I were to actually get a revolver, I'd still only buy one, so I'll have to make up my mind at some point. As just an added thought, I really would love an .45 ACP M1917 revolver as well, but they are just stupidly expensive for what you're getting, so fugheddaboutit. 

So this is the future rifle? Well, it kinda sucks.

Spoiler alert: they settled.

Just heard the news not too long ago that SIG has won the NGSW contract becoming the new rifle and squad automatic weapons of the US Army. 

Now, I fully predicted that SIG would be the winner of the contract, simply by virtue that that Army is notoriously superstitious and because SIG was the only somewhat traditional-looking competitor left, it would win by default. So, here we are. 

Now, I am in agreement with the Military Arms Channel on this one. I think this is a monumentally boneheaded decision by the Army. First, is that despite the new rifle offering a number of advantages, namely: much better range, better terminal ballistics/lethality at range, better accuracy at longer ranges, better suppressor compatibility, less wind drift, and an excellent sighting/range finding system, and lighter ammunition than 7.62 NATO. 

However it does this at the massive cost of, increased weight compared to 5.56 NATO, increased recoil, it's significantly heavier than legacy systems, no magazine compatibility requiring additional new logistics, increased bulk/size of ammunition, and the inability to convert older 5.56 rifles to the new cartridge, as well as wasting all that R&D money when commercial off the shelf solutions were present that would have been significantly cheaper and easier to implement. 

I also agree with MAC that a far better option would have been to adopt either the 6mm ARC, or the 6mm optimum (PPC), as they could be used with existing magazines and rifles with relatively little modification and cost, while offering nearly all the advantages of the 6.8 without any of the disadvantages. 

Once again, the Army missed an obviously good option.

Wow, I actually want one

Despite being a huge gun guy, there's not a whole lot of .22 LR guns that actually interest me. Even rarer is when a .22 not only interests me, but is not a uber-rare collector's item that costs a million bucks (looking at you, Whitney Wolverine!). So color me shocked when SiG comes out with a 20 round capacity semi auto pistol called the P322 that I can actually afford. The potential quality and reliability is also something that is particularly interesting to me, as I have shot a lot of temperamental 22s in my time. I want one...really bad. 

Can we just repeal the NFA already?

It's effing disgustingly unconstitutional, as it's nothing but a way to stifle/infringe on the second amendment rights of the people. 

I'm sick and tired of seeing third world country's citizens, with no second amendment to speak of, shown in the news enjoying all the things we aren't allowed to in America. Often these people in the news have them because they need to combat another government, or other foreign invaders of some kind. 

I'm also sick of the cheerleading from moronic American lefties who cheer these guns being in the hands of citizens of other countries, but do nothing but literally hate on their fellow Americans for wanting the same for the same reasons. It also doesn't help that the ATF and FBI are breaking the law by having de facto gun ownership registries to begin with, then they break the law again by constantly changing the definition of the law and how they enforce it. 

I just want an non-neutered AK, AR, MP5, Glock 18, M249, G36, or any other gun with a full auto capability, short barrel, or suppressor, as they do have a use against the government. I want no restricted access to sawn off or full auto shotguns as they are some of the best home defense and vehicle defense tools ever made. I just want to exercise my rights to their fullest extent without being infringed.

Repeal the NFA now!

Browning's Utah headquarters

A google street view of the main gate.

For a long time I was wondering where in the world the Browning headquarters was at since all documentation seems to suggest it's in Morgan, UT.  Lo and behold, it's not actually located in the town of Morgan, UT but just in the county of Morgan. In reality, it's located in the town of Mountain Green, which is little unincorporated town that is about 6 mi north of Morgan just off I-84. 

They not only have their headquarters there, but also the executive offices, research and development labs, along with sales and data processing offices at the location. Just a shame that most of Browning's manufacturing is located in various overseas locations, such as Belgium, Portugal, Italy, and Japan, as I would love to have that come back home to the U.S. of A.

That's it I'm moving

Because I want to become the lord of war:

Ukraine’s National Agency for the Protection against Corruption (NAPC) has declared that captured Russian tanks and other equipment are not subject to tax declaration. 

Yeah, war zone or not, that's some serious money to be made right there. Long term dream almost within reach now.

H&K Bayonet MP5

Teufelshund Tactical is another one of those youtube channels that delves DEEP in to all HK firearms with some crazy amounts of info on them, especially when it comes to training and armorer info. Consequently, I love it when they put out a short video about an MP5 variant I had no idea existed until then.

Still can't wait to get my hands on one of those PTR9 clones of it at some point. The MP5 is just a MUST have gun.

Think it's new? Think Again!

I always loved that title of the little section of Popular Mechanics magazine back in the day.  They always loved highlighting things people thought was new, but was a decades old idea, but likely was only made practical by modern innovation. 

Anyways, as I have said before, I have next to no interest in purchasing/owning most bullpup guns (if not all). However, I still find them very fun and interesting from an engineering perspective. The one that caught my eye lately was a prototype bullpup rifle featured on the firearm blog made by a company called Senex Arms. 

Pic of the prototype obviously swiped form TFB.

The firearm blog says it's meant to be as compatible with as many AR-15 parts as possible, and mentions it uses a slightly modified AR bolt carrier group. From the looks of it, it seems it would also use the same fire control group, magazine, and barrel. However, they do say it will feature an HK-type non-reciprocating charging handle, and will have a quick change barrel as well. It's seems like an actual good idea for people that basically want a bullpup AR with parts compatibility with the AR. 

Hopefully, it doesn't turn out to be like the Bushmaster M17S.

However, the whole thing reminds me of another decades old project that turned into the ill fated Bushmaster M17S. The concept was similar, make a bullpup AR18 action, but use as many AR15 parts as possible like mags, mag release, grips (on later models), pins, and springs. The whole thing just didn't pan out due to weird ergonomics, poor controls, heavier weight, and somehow it's not as accurate or reliable. The production run was small, and is not made anymore because most people just didn't like it. The Senex guys seem to have a much better, well thought out concept, so hopefully the same fate doesn't befall them. 

As an aside, I found while making this post, that the M17S has been re-engineered/improved by K&M Arms to fix many of the long-standing issues of the platform, and is now back in production. Here's a picture of the modernized rifle from K&M Arms' website:

All the missed SHOTs in the show

 For all the cool crap that is shown off at SHOT show every year, there's an equal (if not greater) amount of puzzling, odd, or outright dumb things shown off there too. Here's all the stuff I saw that was either confusing to me, had an indifferent reaction, or were just outright silly:

There seem to be a lot of people introducing (or-reintroducing) their own PCC/SMG type guns that really want to chase that HK MP5 (and clones) market, but to me offer no real advantage over it. I got no problem with competition, but these are kinda puzzling to me.

The first one is just WTF territory IMO. The YKMF-5 is just kind of silly, in that it's meant to just LOOK like an MP5. It uses MP5 mags (so there is no bolt hold open), and is straight blowback, so recoil is likely to be worse. It comes with no sights, and retails for nearly $1800, so you're better off just getting a PTR MP5 clone for cheaper that likely shoots far better (and sure as hell looks better). What market did they think they were going for? The more money than sense people? Same goes for the Dead Foot Arms MP5-like thing. 

Why make an MP5 competitor if it has literally no advantages over the MP5, not even price?

Another that's on the "but why?" scale of MP5 wannabes is the MDP-9. Now, don't get me wrong, it seems like a straight up high quality product. It's part of the concept that puzzles me. Why make a PCC/SMG type weapon if you are gonna use freaking Glock mags, unless the sale price is super cheap, like the AR PCCs? There are plenty of better alternatives out there (like CZ Scorpion 2 mags), but people keep doing it. That, and for this particular gun, you are again getting something that'll cost you a ridiculous amount (MSRP $2700), so I'd still rather straight up buy a freaking G36C or an actual HK SP5 for nearly the same price (or a Pistol AR for far, far cheaper). Same goes for the Czech CSV-9 Four Peaks is importing. Really cool gun, just stupid that I'm stuck with those Glock mags.

To continue on the same topic, the excellent company B&T has again released a new PCC/SMG, that being the SPC-9. It's another high quality gun (I mean, it's Swiss, of course it is), but the thing I just don't like about it is the same thing as the MPX or MP7. Why in the world do you use that same charging handle style from the AR? It's just an awful feature on an otherwise amazingly great gun. 

Another thing that was still pretty surprising (or at least WTF) in the world of rifles, was the announcement that the other competitor in the Army's NGSW program, the bullpup RM277, will also be offered for civilian sale soon. Gosh, that thing is ugly, and I'm still just not a fan of bullpup rifles at all, despite the advantages they offer. 

On a related note, I mentioned earlier that the RM277's competitor the SIG MCX SPEAR is also coming to the civilian market, but I only now found out the price. It's also going for the outrageous MSRP of nearly $8000; and that's for something that ultimately equates to nothing but a fancy AR upper, so I can't imagine the price the RM277 is going to go for. Freaking idiots. 

Just a big "I don't really care" from a lot of the stuff at this year's show, unfortunately.

I don't hate the 5.7mm cartridge, and I am kinda glad to see more people making new platforms for it, but as for buying one, I still just shrug my shoulders at it. So I guess the new PSA 5.7 Rock pistol, despite looking really good, even better than the kinda dumb Ruger 5.7 pistol, it gets just a big 'meh' response from me. That, and I don't exactly equate PSA with anything resembling "quality" after a few incidents experienced by myself and friends.

Then there is Fabrique Nationale re-releasing their semi auto M249S for the civilian market. Not only that, but they are also offering a para model as well.  I guess I'm just on the fence with this one too, as I love the idea of a belt-fed gun without a tax stamp, but being that it's not full auto just kinda takes all the fun out of it along with the very point of a belt-fed.

Another thing is all the Glock kits, clones, and custom Glock parts. Glock is a good gun, I just don't like 'em at all, so I just think "ho hum" whenever I see the ever increasing onslaught of those kind of products at SHOT, when they really don't do much than just offer a copy of the same ergonomics, takedown, trigger, etc. I didn't link to any specific examples, as there's just too many being announced/shown to even list them here.

Going back to FN Herstal, remember the really nice new Hi-Power they were re-releasing? Well, I finally got wind of the MSRP for those things and it's gonna be a whopping $1270-1370 for that effing dumb thing! I'd rather buy a freaking used Desert Eagle or anew  USP .45 Tactical, or a really nice rifle for that price! I was expecting it to be pricier than the other offerings out there, but jeez! So, screw those guys sideways at FN for making you pay for their name and not the gun.

Everyone's reaction when FN says they'll make the Hi-Power cost more than novelty and gucchi guns!

Although not really a big thing at SHOT show this year, the Springfield Saint Edge ATC was recently reviewed by the Military Arms Channel. Just a shame it appears to be a bit a of a disappointment, as I had high hopes for that one.

The ultimate SHOT pattern (for me anyways)

SHOT show is freaking huge, and a single person or company can't really cover all the things seen there. That being said, I do love the coverage offered by The Firearm Blog, In-Range, Brownells, and Forgotten Weapons. So here are all the things I loved most from the coverage of SHOT show 2022:

AKs are just great. Even better is when they are official. All images obviously ripped from TFB blog. 

First off, I can eat my own words about Kalashnikov USA, as they had basically a 5.56 AK-74M (called the KR-101) at the show and they plan on releasing a true 5.45 AK-74M before the end of the year, and you can guarantee I'll get one of them at some point, because AK:
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2022/01/18/shot-2022-kalashnikov-usa-shows-off-kr-101/

Another cool thing is that the 'ol 44 AutoMag is being re-released and the company is not just shoveling out the same old broken gun, but they have been trying to implement significant improvements to increase reliability. I'm not really interested in getting one at all (until I have more money than sense), but it's nice to see they are trying to improve the old classic:

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2022/01/18/shot-2022-44-mag-auto-mag-pistol-back/

A small but neat thing from Magpul.

I've always said an AR15 is better for new shooters because it's so easy to use, but they are far more complicated to clean or disassemble beyond field stripping than most. So, a silly, little thing that makes dealing with ARs easier, is the Magpul AR ejection port cover:

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2022/01/18/magpul-enhanced-dust-cover/

Also, despite being commie Chinese, I do rather like Holosun, as they are both cheap, reliable, and durable for the price. So I am rather interested when they come out with solar-powered holographic pistol optics that are fully-enclosed/tube type form factor:
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2022/01/18/shot-2022-new-solar-powered-holosun-pistol-red-dots/ 

Magpul X4. So cool, but likely to be hideously expensive, I assume. 

The Magpul X4 system, which is an optic mounting system that allows for a Heads Up Display to be used on a variety of optics. It's one of the few things I thought was super cutting edge at the show and I really think stuff like this is the future of firearms: 
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2022/01/18/shot-show-magpul-x-maztech-x4-system/

I think the only PCC/SMG type gun at the show I thought was kinda cool was the POF USA Phoenix. It's cool in that you have AR style fire controls (including bolt hold open), 35 round mags as standard, forward HK-style retractable charging handle, and all for an MSRP of under &1700. Kinda cool, but would still have preferred some kind of delayed blowback system instead of straight blowback:

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2022/01/19/pof-usa-phoenix-risen/

Drum mag for the MP5? Sign me up! Looks dang good on it too.

Another thing from Magpul is all their MP5 stuff, but especially the new 50 round drum mag for it. So cool:

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2022/01/19/shot-2022-magpul-mp5-stock-drum-mag/

Also, Brownells FINALLY came out with their AR-18 style folding picatinny mounted stock for the BRN-180, and I'm glad to see that actually come to market after so long. I'm totally buying one at some point. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCD_v6LV5cQ

Man that thing is pretty cool and it MSRP's for under $500? Wow.

Rock Island Armory is always selling great stuff for low prices and the crazy VRF series of shotguns do seem like a really good alternative to the hyper expensive 12 gauge AK/Saigas out there. Also, soon to be made in Cedar City Utah. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTePYYshxOA

Lastly, the other really interesting thing of the show is the Desert Tech AR lower specifically made to accommodate quad stack mags to make them more reliable.  Hooray for cool Utah companies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3s5XH3FpWo

Rock Island Armory's STK100

Another neat thing is RIA's STK100 that has an extremely high level of parts compatibility with the standard Glock. I generally hate the Glock; the crappy trigger, the terrible grip angle, and the awful takedown method. So, it's nice to see that this gun seems to solve a lot of my issues with it. It has a more 1911 style grip angle in an aluminum frame, and allows for drop in triggers. All for an MSRP of only $499. Nice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1_3ZPOIrio

Another handgun that caught my eye was the Alpha Foxtrot 15rd 9mm 1911-S15. Really neat that they manage to make a double stack compact 1911 that is slimmer than a regular single stack full size model. Pretty cool.

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2022/01/25/shot-2022-alpha-foxtrot-1911-s15/

Honorable mentions:

These are things I thought were interesting or cool, but just didn't set me on fire for whatever reason:

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2022/01/19/shot-2022-whats-new-at-arsenal/

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2022/01/19/shot-2022-new-cetme-l-options-from-marcolmar/

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2022/01/18/shot-2022-magpul-fdp-9/

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2022/01/24/shot-2022-aimpoint-duty-rds/

It's back again

I was gonna make a massive post covering all the things I liked from SHOT show, and I still will, but I figure I have to post this one now. 

It is ridiculous how many people are jumping on board the bandwagon of releasing updated Browning Hi-Power pistols recently. Now to follow up on their own mistake of stopping production on the Hi-Power to start with, is Fabrique Nationale's American division are now releasing an updated/modernized version as well.

Pics ripped from FN's Hi-Power site page.

The CEO of FN America stated “Rather than introduce a clone of the original, we had to deliver much more than other brands, knowing the FN High Power would be held to a higher standard." No kidding. 

As opposed to other offerings now on the market, this one features some unique new improvements such as:

-A 17+1 round capacity (which is rather impressive).
-Fully ambidextrous controls (also cool).
-New grip shape and frame texturing to improve handling (much needed).
-A complete change in how the pistol is field stripped to be far simpler (also impressive). 

Please tell me the grips on the black model on the far left is actual wood, otherwise they screwed up.

I know I've harped on this type of gun too much already, but I think they stole the show on improved Models of Hi-Powers being offered now. The only thing I'm left wondering though, is both the price and what the parts compatibility there is with older models (if any). Cause unlike the other Hi-Power remakes on the market (or even FN's other pistol offerings), I'd actually want to straight up own this one, as long as it ain't too expensive.

Speaking of odd gun news

Right after I post about odd gun stuff going on, the embargo for SHOT Show news seemed to lift for Springfield Armory's new product, the Springfield "Hellion" (the HS-Produkt VHS-2). Much like Springfield's other products that aren't 1911 handguns and M14 rifle clones, this is another re-branded Croatian gun they are importing to the American market.

Behold, the HS-Produkt VHS-2...um...I mean...the Springfield Hellion? Taken from the Forgotten Weapons site.

Now, I don't disparage the Croats, as they are a surprisingly adept country at firearms development and production. I do disparage Springfield Armory for trying to market the Croat guns as if they are American guns, which they blatantly aren't. If I were them, I'd stop with the re-branding of everything and just lean into the fact that they are foreign guns, but what do I know? After all, I'm just some guy.

Anyways, the Croatian VHS-2 (be kind, rewind) rifle is, in my mind, basically a bullpup version of an HK G36 rifle. Yes, there are significant differences in the internal components and other details (with no interchangeable parts other than the mag), but hear me out. The similarities are:

1. It's basically an AR-18 style short stroke gas piston system, like the G36.
2. The military version in Croatian service uses G36 magazines and supposedly HK had a hand in it's development, to help with the magazine integration.

3. The charging handle operates exactly like the G36 and is in the same position/configuration, as with it's carry handle and top rail.
4. The gun also uses the same symbols on it's selector lever as HK firearms.
5. The trigger is contained in a modular pack much like nearly all HK rifles and SMGs. 

6. The magwell can be easily swapped to to use AR style mags, much like the G36.

7. It was designed with the idea of using an integrated optic in one version of it's carry handle like the G36. 

The HK G36 (this one is a K model). I'd still kill to own just a few of these suckers. Taken from HK's USA website.

Again, I don't say this to disparage the Croats, but rather as a compliment, as I hold the HK G36 in high regard (despite the dumb controversies). However, the VHS admittedly has several improvements over many other bullpup and traditional rifles, as it can be configured to eject casings from either side very quickly, has adjustable length of pull (a rarity on bullpups), and has some actually good iron sights included. 

A pic illustrating the big advantage of bullpup designs, pic taken from Springfield's site. 

Perhaps the most impressive part of the whole thing to me, is that it seems like the rifle isn't neutered in any form or way from the military version. Other than the obligatory changes to prevent any full auto mode (necessary for import by law), the only other differences appear to be the Springfield company markings on the rifle, it has the AR-15 magwell included by default, has no integrated optic carry handle, and has a setting for a suppressor on the gas regulator instead of a shutoff setting for rifle grenades. 

Yeah, that's pretty much what you are getting, other than the grenade launcher and the integrated sight handle. From the HS-Produkt website.

Overall, it still suffers from some of the disadvantages of bullpups, namely a garbage trigger, and already long length of pull, and you still need to take it apart to change the case ejection. However, I would still dare to say it's the ONLY bullpup service rifle I would really be interested in trying out.  But...considering the incredible price it's going for (MSRP of around $2k), I'd likely just pay the extra $900 to buy a G36 from Tommy Built instead. 

That, and as much as I like the name, I don't think it lives up to the level of coolness established by the Judas Priest song (shame on Springfield for not using/licensing that song in every freaking marketing blurb imaginable).

Also, with SHOT show coming up, I'm sure I'll be offering a flood of more boomstick related content here soon.

It's not April, right?

 All the news I've been hearing in the gun world recently is making me check the calendar to see if it's April 1st or something, because there's been some straight-up bizarre announcements by some gun companies.  The roundup of odd stuff I've heard includes:

A military actually uses the Ruger Mini14 as a service rifle

A new cartridge that is less powerful than .380ACP, so no one will likely care

A new bullpup conversion AKM that nobody wants or asked for

Kalashnikov USA is releasing more new guns that are NOT the AK-74 or AK-12

Beretta USA is snubbing their nose at just about all major events

But the one that takes the cake is that SIG USA is releasing their new NGSW MCX-SPEAR commercially to the public. If you aren't familiar with it, it's the SIG offering to the Army's Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) trials to replace the incredibly long lived M16/M4 platforms.

Way cooler looking that the bullpup configured competitor's weapon, but it still gets a big "Meh" from me. 

On the one hand, it makes sense since it's basically an upper that is compatible with the standard (.308) AR lower receiver.  On the other hand, I wonder if this means they already know they've lost the program, as generally most companies don't care about meager civilian sales when tooling up for a huge government contract. I also forgot to mention that they are releasing it in a variety of calibers including the new one for the Army tests, 277 SIG Fury (6.8 x 51mm). Which is confusing, as I don't remember it being listed as a SAAMI cartridge and the Army generally doesn't like it's latest and greatest to be available commercially. Stuff to think about.