American Guns in British Hands – The Great Donate Scheme

By

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July 24, 2024

The American Committee for the Defense of British Homes is one of the greatest propaganda efforts ever orchestrated. America started out as a neutral force in World War II, and prior to our entry into the war, there was a ton of American support for our European allies. This led to the formation of the American Committee for the Defense of British Homes, which was an effort by Americans to donate weapons and equipment to the British Home Guard. The idea was simple, American guns would be sent overseas to the Brits, who could then fight the Nazi scourge.

In reality, it was more or less a propaganda scheme to drum up support from the untied States to the UK via Lend-Lease and even potential entry into the war. The scheme itself was arguably successful in its intention, but it was also very controversial. American guns made their way to Britain, but did they make a difference? That’s debatable. It’s often said that the donated stopwatches and binoculars made a bigger splash than the guns.

Rather than dive deep into the efforts, the opposition, and the eventual end of the scheme, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the gun donated by the average United States citizen to the British Home Guard and the war effort in general. There are plenty of sources for the history of the American Committee for the Defense of British Homes, but as a gun nerd, I’m fascinated by what was donated.

American Guns – By the Numbers

According to In Search of the Real Dad’s Army: The Home Guard and the Defence of the United Kingdom 1940-1944: The American Committee for the Defense of British Homes gathered 25,343 firearms and over two million rounds of ammo. More than half of the weapons donated were purchased through monetary donations to the ACDBH. Additionally, the committee gathered 2,993 binoculars, 4,800 new helmets, and 379 stopwatches.

The numbers are great, but what guns were actually donated? Was anyone running around with a Remington Model 8 or maybe a Winchester 1894? What American guns made their way to the hands of the British Home Guard? I can’t find a total breakdown of the 25,343 firearms, but I could identify at least a few that made their way to the U.K. through various sources.

The American Guns in British Hands

The American Committee for the Defense of British Homes obtained American guns through three main sources. First, donations by individuals. Second, through police forces who emptied their evidence lockers or gave away guns that were out of service. Third, they collected monetary donations and used the money to buy firearms.

Automatic Firearms

The ACDBH was able to gather a number of machine guns through donations from police agencies. Through monetary donations, they ordered 110 Thompson M1928 SMGs. They also donated one BAR and one Lewis gun.

While not many automatic weapons were sent, it’s impressive they were able to gather any in the first place. While 112 machine guns sound like a lot to you and me, the Brits purchased 38,000 Lewis guns before Lend-lease even went into effect. By the end of the war, over 43,000 Thompsons had been purchased by the British.

Military Rifles

Military rifles of this era were bolt-action, full-powered rifles with a full handguard, bayonet lugs, and iron sights. After World War I, there were tons of surplus American guns, and plenty made their way to the U.K. This includes guns from the United States, like the Springfield M1903 and M1917, which both served faithfully in World War I. They would be capable rifles even in World War II.

American guns like the Krag also went overseas, and while older, they were still capable. The ammo type is what would often hold odd guns like this back. While Krag ammo was easy to get in the States, they unlikely had much in the U.K. There were also donations of foreign surplus, including French rifles from 1874 and 1894 and the Ross Model 10.

Major John W. Hession donated a Springfield M1903 to the cause. Hession was an Olympic shooter, and he famously asked for the gun to be returned when the Germans were defeated.

Sporting Rifles

There was a large donation of various sporting rifles, including some guns that would be nearly useless for military forces. For example, various .32 rimfire rifles were given away, and a rimfire rolling block from World War II wouldn’t be on my top ten list of gun options.

There were also Winchester lever guns and Savage M1899 lever guns in the mix. While these weren’t optimum, they did provide a more modern option. The M1894, in particular, had been used by the French and Brits in World War I and would be issued in small numbers to Americans serving Stateside.

Winchester, Mauser, Steyr, and Marlin made several hunting rifles with indeterminate models and calibers.

The most famous sporting rifle came from Kermit Roosevelt, who donated Theodore Roosevelt’s Winchester Model 1886 Lever Action Rifle in .47-50.

Shotguns

In all my research, I have only found a few mentions of shotguns. In fact, I can only find references for three models. One was a Remington M1910 in a riot configuration, and the other was a single-shot H&R .410. Shotguns aren’t great weapons for warfare, and I’m sure they weren’t used. The riot M1910 was a million times better than the H&R Handy-Guns.

The Handy-Guns were subject to the NFA as AOWs of Short-Barreled Shotguns. I’m sure more than a few were given away just to be gotten rid of. They certainly weren’t worthy of military use unless you need to kill pests at camp.

Oilman Herbert Pratt donated a finely made Charles Daly trap gun. This was when Charles Daly was a big name and not just an importer. A trap gun at war wasn’t useful, but I imagined the ACDBH sold it to buy other, more effective weapons.

Handguns

Over 19,000 revolvers ended up being donated to the cause. It’s worth mentioning that these weren’t all American guns. The largest donation of guns came from a single order of 13,763 revolvers. It’s also known that various .32 revolvers were donated, as were a handful of .22LR automatics.

The End Of The Donations

When lend-lease went into effect, the donations slowed, and when America entered the war, they basically ended. In reality, the donations didn’t have much of an effect. The real effect came from the support American citizens offered the British people, which likely helped convince American politicians to help the Brits. It’s not the entire reason, but just a sliver of effective propaganda. It played well in people’s desire to do something to help. In that regard, the American Committee for the Defense of British Homes was massively successful.

If you would like to read more about this subject and the British Home Guard, I’d suggest checking out To The Last Man: the Home Guard in War and Popular Culture by Malcolm Atkin and In Search of the Real Dad’s Army: The Home Guard and the Defence of the United Kingdom 1940-1944 by Stephen Cullen.

A Brief History Of Light Machine Guns

By

Travis Pike

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July 23, 2024

Machine guns have a very fascinating history in warfare. Ever since we figured out ways to throw lead at each other, we tried to find ways to do it faster. Machine guns are the ultimate lead-throwing device. There are several genres of machine guns; today, we are diving into a brief history of light machine guns.

What’s a Light Machine Gun

The definition of machine guns has changed drastically over the years. A Gatling gun is one of the first machine guns, but today, the ATF wouldn’t define it as a machine gun; rather, it is a semi-auto firearm due to its firing mechanism. Light machine gun is also a term that’s changed over the years. The M1919A4 was considered a light machine gun even though it weighed 31 pounds without its bipod.

The modern definition of a machine gun has evolved to the point where we have a fairly clear picture of the concept. A modern light machine gun—a significant advancement in warfare—chambers an intermediate cartridge that is belt-fed, fully automatic, and air-cooled. Most importantly, it’s a weapon that a single soldier can use, distinguishing it from crew-served weapons. An assistant may be used but isn’t required by doctrine.

It’s important to understand that not all Squad Automatic Weapons meet the definition of light machine guns. Weapons like the RPK and M27 IAR are more akin to machine rifles rather than light machine guns. While the distinction may be arguable, it is not necessarily relevant to the history of light machine guns, which we are focusing on in this article.

The Rise of Light Machine Guns

World War I, a war fought with modern weapons but old-world tactics, was a turning point in the development of light machine guns. The war, which came to a near stalemate at several fronts, with miles of trenches, bombs, and wire forming a barrier that your Europeans and Americans died fighting against, highlighted the need for more efficient firepower. The machine gun, which became the star of infantry combat, showed commanders and tacticians that automatic fire was here to stay, paving the way for the rise of light machine guns.

This led to the creation of early squad automatic weapons. The Allies had guns like the Chauchat and the Lewis gun. The Germans had guns like the Madsen. These all fell into the category of machine rifles. Lightweight firepower was a must-have, and by the end of the war, machine rifles and submachine guns became new parts of modern military arsenals.

The Evolution of Light Machine Guns and Machine Rifles

Machine rifles evolved, and guns like the Bren and the BAR took center stage. The Germans developed the first modern General-Purpose Machine Guns with the MG 34 and MG 42. These were much lighter than most machine gun designs and purpose-built for infantry forces. They chambered 7.92mm Mauser and were belt-fed.

Military forces worldwide looked for ways to trim the weight of their old machine guns to make them easier for the infantry to carry. That’s how we got the M1919A4, A5, and A6. These were adaptations of guns and weren’t as graceful or handy as the purpose-built German designs. While they were considered light machine guns of the era, these were still crew-served weapons.

These weapons formed a base of fire weapons for the early world of maneuver warfare. None are what we consider light machine guns these days. Machine rifles, in particular, offered an early version of a squad support weapon for basic infantry squad functions.

The SMG Entry

The infantry owns the last 100 yards of every battlefield. As units came into close combat territory, guns like M1919A6 and even the lighter MG42 became more difficult to use. As you close into close combat, even the one-man-wielded BAR becomes difficult to mount. This is where submachine guns came in.

The submachine offered capable and portable firepower. Guns like the Thompson and M3, the German MP40, the British STEN, and a handful of Russian bullet hoses provided much smaller, faster-firing weapons that could suppress the enemy up close and kill the enemy easier than battle rifles and 30-plus pound machine guns.

As other fire teams or squads maneuvered on the enemy, submachine guns could keep heads down. These became proto-SAWs that were only efficient in close combat.

A Break For the M14

After World War II and Korea, the Army squad was armed with M1 Garands, M3 SMGs, BARs, and M1/M2 carbines. The Army wanted to squeeze all those guns into one and simplify the logistics. This resulted in the M14 and the short-lived M15. They would be rifles capable of automatic fire and replace a half-dozen weapons in an infantry squad. The M14 would be both the main fighting arms and the gun responsible for laying down suppressive fire within a rifle squad.

In 1943, the Soviets began developing a light machine gun as we know it today. This gun became the belt-fed RPD, which chambered the 7.62x39mm round. It’s a true light machine gun and became an enemy weapon in Vietnam.

The M60 would be the belt-fed medium general-purpose machine gun, and that would be that. As we all know, that was not that. The M14 had a service life shorter than those guys who couldn’t pass a hump at infantry school. The M16 replaced it in Vietnam, and it was the M16 and the M60, but the M60 was a crew-served weapon that wasn’t organic to a rifle squad.

As a replacement, the Army issued snap-on bipods. These were issued one per fireteam, and the automatic rifleman with the bipod-equipped M16 was allowed to hit go on his fire selector. During Vietnam, Eugene Stoner introduced the Stoner 63, which the United States military tested in small numbers.

The Marines found it too maintenance-heavy for general use. The SEAL Teams tested it and loved it. Specifically, they loved the belt-fed light machine version of the gun, an 11.7-pound, belt-fed 5.56-caliber machine gun. This is one of the first successful, major implementations of a light machine gun.

The Cold War Til Today

Throughout the 1970s, belt-fed light machine guns became more in vogue. The Soviets experimented with the IP-2 in 5.45. The Belgians developed the 5.56 FN Minimi. The Spanish adopted the CETME Ameli, and on and on. This led to the United States’s own Squad Automatic Weapon. The M249 is an American adaptation of the FN Minimi and has served since 1984.

The light machine gun concept is falling out of favor. Guns like the Evolys from FN are impressive, but we are seeing a move to machine rifles worldwide. There has also been a move from light machine guns to lighter medium machine guns that have more reach and punch. As part of the NGSW program, the M250 from SIG was selected in SIG’s not-so-intermediate 6.8mm cartridge.

While the light machine gun isn’t fully gone, its future seems to be up in the air. Maybe it won’t be the future of squad support weapons, but maybe lighter machine guns remain the best choice for so-called light infantry. Only time will tell.

BoreBuddy Announces the 22LR Quiet Conversion Kit

By

Tim Stetzer

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July 23, 2024

Literally, a day after I ordered a conventional .22LR conversion kit for my AR, I saw that BoreBuddy was releasing a modular one, the 22LR Quiet Conversion Kit.

What’s a Modular Conversion Kit?

A traditional .22LR conversion kit for 5.56mm ARs replaces the bolt carrier group (BCG) of your rifle. This allows it to use .22LR ammunition. It uses the existing 5.56 barrel and conversion magazines, which are sized to fit an AR mag well and have an insert to align and feed .22 ammo. Part of the conversion kit consists of a chamber adapter that fits your AR barrel and will accommodate .22LR rounds.

Conversion kits like this make it easy to shoot inexpensive .22LR ammo through your 5.56mm rifle. However, they do have drawbacks. The biggest one is accuracy. Typically, 5.56 barrels aren’t optimized for .22LR bullets, so you won’t get the kind of accuracy out of them that you would through a dedicated .22 barrel.

It’s not uncommon for a shooter to start with a conversion kit and then decide they want a dedicated .22 upper instead. The problem is that most conversion kits work with 5.56 barrels and won’t work with a .22 barrel. You need to get a separate .22LR bolt carrier group for that. That’s where the modularity of the BoreBuddy comes into play.

The BoreBuddy 22LR Quiet Conversion Kit

The BoreBuddy 22LR Quiet Conversion Kit works just like other conversion kits—if you have a 5.56 barrel. In addition, when you decide to upgrade to a dedicated .22 upper, the BoreBuddy kit stays with you. The chamber adapter is a separate piece with their kit. Simply remove it, and their bolt carrier group works with your .22LR barrel now.

The 22LR Quiet Conversion Kit comes with a collar, chamber adapter, hardened firing pin, power extractor, and a 6 lb recoil spring. It has all the upgrades that users typically do to other conversion kits. It includes one 15- or 25-round Black Dog magazine, a pressure plug, and a charging handle insert. The MSRP is $249.50, which is more than other conversion kits but cheaper than first buying a 5.56 kit and then having to buy a second .22LR BCG later.

To learn more, check out BoreBuddy.com.

VERTX BASECAMP

By

Linas Cernauskas

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July 22, 2024

There is a slew of backpacks in my closet that range from the fully tricked-out tactical MOLLE bags to the more covert backpacks and such. I recently had a chance to try out the Vertx Basecamp, and it has easily become my favorite, hence my go-to backpack. The Vertx Basecamp is full of neat and extremely useful features.

Vertx Basecamp

One of the first things you’ll notice, or not notice, is that there is no outward MOLLE. Nothing screams “Tactical” or “There are guns in here” about the Basecamp. It’s very unassuming, which is something I like. Less attention on me, the better. Behind the front panel, you’ll find the laser-cut MOLLE just in case you get a bit of MOLLE withdrawal.

Vertx’s new Rapid Access Tab is one of those, “why didn’t I think of this” ideas. It is a large tab that can be swapped from zipper to zipper, no more fumbling with small zippers during times of stress. The CCW compartment of the bag is nice and roomy, measuring 20 inches high, 12.5 inches wide and 2 inches deep. The Gatekeeper G-hooks prevent unintended exposure of the inside of the CCW compartment.

What’s In The Bag

Other tricks up Basecamp’s sleeve are that the main compartment that opens 180 degrees for easy access and is lined with Velcro Brand loop for customization. It comes with a modular padded laptop sleeve, which can be adjusted for size and position and will fit laptops up to 15 inches. Basecamp also comes with a Tactigami Double Admin Panel. It has pass-throughs for hydration or communication equipment. The 3D-molded foam back panel is super comfortable and allows pass-through for rolling luggage handles. Off to the side, the backpack has an adjustable stretch water bottle pocket to fit a wide range of water bottles.

The Basecamp is offered in It’s Black, Heather OD/OD Green, Dark Earth/It’s Black and Heather Medium Grey/Smoke Grey color combinations. The backpack itself is 30 liters in size, and the outside dimensions are 24.5 inches in height, 13 inches wide and 8.5 inches deep. The Vertx Basecamp is completely worth it, and I believe it will surprise you with how versatile it is. The MSRP is $289. Check them out at vertx.com.

DURAMAG Releases New 10/30 5.56/300 Blackout Magazines

By

Tim Stetzer

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July 22, 2024

Magazine bans suck. But if you live in the unfortunate number of places in the country that have them in place, it’s something you have to deal with. DURAMAG thinks they suck too, but realize that people behind enemy lines still want to shoot. They’re releasing a new line of DURAMAG 10/30 5.56/300 Blackout magazines on social media today for folks in need.

The DURAMAG 10/30 5.56/300 Blackout Magazine

The new mags are made from the ground up as 10-round mags and are made for use with both 5.56mm and .300 Blackout rounds. They use a 30-round magazine profile, but they aren’t just modified 30-rounders with a block in them. They start with DURAMAG Speed bodies made from 6061-T6 aluminum and have a type-III hard-coat anodized finish.

They’re available in Black, FDE, Gray, Pink, Red, Blue, Bronze, OD Green, and Desert Gold. You can also get a stainless steel 10/30 magazine in Black. They have a special follower that limits mag capacity. The follower is available in black or orange colors, depending on which mag you pick. Mags have clear capacity markings on the side as well.

DURAMAGs are robotic welded and suitable for extended storage while loaded. You don’t have to worry about loaded mags flexing or swelling, either, which can be the case with some polymer mags. DURAMAGs are made in the USA at the C Products Defense plant in Florida. Prices are $21.70 for the stainless steel mags and $20-70 for the aluminum mags.

10 Rounds in a 30-Round Body?

I have mixed feelings about 10-round mags with a 30-round mag body, but it makes some sense. For one, it gives folks limited to 10 rounds the look of a normal capacity magazine. They can at least pretend their state doesn’t suck that way.

Probably more practically, it allows you to use conventional magazine pouches. It also facilitates reloads better than a short 10-round mag since you have more to grab hold of. If you’re stuck in a ban state and can’t just move, give the new DURAMAG 10/30 5.56/300 Blackout Magazines a look.

To learn more, please visit DURAMAG.com.

PWS UXR Rifle: Multi-Caliber And Modular

By

Athlon Series

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July 21, 2024

Idaho-based Primary Weapon Systems (PWS) has a fairly new and highly modular semi-auto rifle, the PWS UXR. Upon first glance, it’s extremely hard not to think of other designs, such as the original Magpul Masada (better known as the ACR) or even the FN SCAR—this is especially because of the way the PWS UXR’s short-stroke piston-actuated rotating bolt works. Not to mention its multi-role and multi-caliber adaptability.

Switching calibers and barrel lengths is straightforward and keeps the same serialized upper receiver in place. There are only three parts that need to be swapped out in order to effect change: the barrel, magazine well, and bolt head. Naturally, the sizing of these parts depends on the cartridge itself.

From Our Friends At Athlon Outdoors:

The UXR launches initially in .223 Wylde and .300 BLK. But the line, when fully developed, will give shooters the ability to switch between numerous chamberings via caliber conversion kits. Additional chamberings in .308 Win and 8.6 BLK are planned for later this year. But we fully expect anything and everything from 7.62×39 to 6.5 Creedmoor rolled into conversion kits as well, as the platform lends itself to present offerings in everything from door-kicking to PRS cartridges.

The platform utilizes a host of component upgrades, including a folding stock design, adjustable length of pull, and adjustable cheek piece, along with fully ambidextrous controls. Finally, and this may be one of the more impressive aspects of the system, the UXR delivers a return to zero after conversions measures a mere 1/2-minute of angle. That should keep you on target, no matter the caliber, from entry gun out to long-range DMR.

PWS UXR Features & Specs

Calibers: .223 Wylde, .300 BLK, .308 Win
Barrel Length: 14.5 – 16 inches
Frame Size & Version: Medium Elite
Muzzle Device: PWS FRC Compensator
Trigger Pull Weight: 2.5-5 pounds
MSRP: $2,650

To learn more about the new Primary Weapon Systems UXR rifle, please visit their website.

Smith & Wesson Releases the New Bodyguard 2.0 .380 ACP Micro Compact

By

Tim Stetzer

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July 20, 2024

Smith & Wesson has been busy with a flurry of mid-summer releases, and the latest is the .380 ACP micro compact Bodyguard 2.0. Smith released the original Bodyguard back in 2010 as a 6-shot, single-stack pistol. It was designed to go toe to toe in the market with other micro compact .380’s like the KelTec P3AT and the Ruger LCP. The new Bodyguard 2.0 is a major evolution of the original design, featuring a larger frame that will accept a double-stack magazine. The Bodyguard 2.0 substantially increases capacity with a flush-fit 10-round magazine and an extended 12-round magazine.

The Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0

The new Bodyguard shares design characteristics with the newer M&P pistols and, in fact, looks like a baby Shield Plus. It has an overall height of 4 inches, is a bit under 1 inch wide, and only weighs 9.8 ounces unloaded. It’s very close in size and weight to the Ruger LCP MAX and should give that popular EDC pistol some competition in the high-cap pocket pistol market.

The Bodyguard 2.0 is striker-fired and has a flat-faced trigger. It also has a more ergonomic grip and slide serrations than the original Bodyguard. It still uses a polymer frame and has a stainless steel slide and barrel coated with a black Armornite finish. The 2.0 has a black U-notch rear sight and a tritium-insert front post.

You can get it in either a base model or a TS model with a manual thumb safety. There are no provisions for an optic or a threaded barrel yet—like you’re seeing on some micro compacts like the Beretta 30X—but it wouldn’t surprise me to see that down the road. If you’re in the market for a new CCW pistol or a backup gun for duty use, you may want to give the new Bodyguard 2.0 a look.

Tech Specs:

Caliber: .380 ACP
Size: Micro Compact
Width: 0.75 in.
Length: 5.25 in.
Height: 4.1 in.
Weight: 9.8 oz.
Capacity: 10,12
Action: Striker Fired
Barrel Length: 2.75 in.
Grip: Polymer
Sights: Black
Color/Finish: Black
Barrel material: Stainless Steel
Frame: Polymer
Number of magazines: 2
MSRP: $449

For more information, please visit Smith-Wesson.com.

Testing The Beretta BRX-1 Straight Pull Rifle

By

Athlon Series

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July 20, 2024

Athlon Seriers Beretta BRX-1 Straight Pull Rifle

Earlier this year at SHOT Show 2024, Beretta unveiled its BRX-1 straight pull bolt action rifle. The BRX-1 is a first for Beretta in terms of fielding a fully modern modular hunting rifle. Its basic design is both ambidextrous and modular with the added ability to swap out to different barrels in order to change calibers. The action still uses a rotating bolt, but this is more akin to one on a semi-auto rifle that automatically turns and pivots into place as opposed to the turn-bolts in rifles dating back to at least the 1870s.

The Beretta BRX-1 From Our Friends At Athlon Outdoors

In its entirety, the BRX1 is a solid rifle. It’s designed and built in Italy, which is a first for a Beretta. It’s not built by the Sako/Tikka arm of the company. Extensive research and effort was dispensed upon the BRX1, and it has some pretty unique features.

While offered in several calibers from 6.5 Creedmoor to .300 Win Mag, the rifle makeup is the same: eight-lug rotation bold that equates to 16 lugs when fully engaged, single-stage trigger, quick-change cold hammer forged barrel, and fully ambidextrous. It also is guaranteed to shoot under MOA. The samples we tested were chambered in .308.

The barrel and bolt are interchangeable, meaning caliber swaps are possible, allowing the user mission-specific capability. The BRX1 features a front-receiver extension, and on that extension is the Picatinny rail for scope mounting. Think of the pic rail as a permanent fixture and the optic need not be removed to do barrel swap or maintenance.

Beretta BRX-1 Specifications

Type: Bolt-action straight pull
Caliber: .308 Winchester
Weight: 7.3 pounds
Length: 43 inches
Barrel: 22-inch Cold Hammer Forged, 1:8 threaded
Trigger: Proprietary drop-in, adjustable
Grip: Modular
Stock: Polymer
Capacity: 5
MSRP: $1,599

To learn more about the Beretta BRX-1 rifle, please visit beretta.com.

The Smith & Wesson M&P 5.7 Series

By

Athlon Series

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July 19, 2024

The 5.7×28 mm cartridge seems to be improving in popularity to the point where many of the major gun companies, in addition to FN, are now fielding models available for this chambering. Likewise, it’s now easier than ever before to find 5.7×28 mm ammunition loaded by major cartridge companies like Federal Premium and Fiocchi.

One such “new wave” 5.7 mm pistol is the Smith & Wesson M&P 5.7 series. For these models, Smith & Wesson took its M&P style cues and adapted them to the unique, high-velocity bottlenecked cartridge. As a result, the grip and magazine are noticeably longer. More importantly, the S&W M&P 5.7 Series uses a different action compared to the traditional delayed blowback tilting design found in standard M&Ps. This is the Smith & Wesson TEMPO system.

From Our Friends At Athlon Outdoors

Right from the jump, this pistol owns the looks that most of these 5.7s have. But it retains a lot of M&P styling as well. It gains the slim profile and grip. And an internal, hammer-fired, gas-operated, locked-breech TEMPO barrel system stands out. The barrel doesn’t cam open until the bullet passes the gas port, according to S&W. The 5.7x28mm continues to prove itself as the little cartridge that could. It just keeps finding new favor with interesting semi-automatic pistol releases. The latest entry–the new Smith & Wesson M&P 5.7. This bad boy packs a whopping overall capacity of 22+1 rounds of the smoking-fast cartridge.

Smith & Wesson M&P 5.7 Specs & Features

Caliber: 5.7x28mm
Frame Size: Full-Size
Action: Internal Hammer-Fired, Gas-Operated, Locked-Breech
Overall Capacity: 22+1
Barrel Length: 5 inches
Rifling: 1:9″
Front Sight: Steel, White Dot
Rear Sight: Steel, White 2-Dot
Frame Width: 1.1 inches
Overall Height: 5.25 inches
Overall Length: 8.5 inches
Sight Radius: 7.125 inches
Grip: Slim, textured
Overall Weight: 26.7 ounces
Barrel Material: Stainless Steel
Barrel Finish: Armornite
Slide Material: Stainless Steel
Slide Finish: Armornite
Frame Material: Black Polymer

To learn more about the Smith & Wesson M&P 5.7 Series, please visit Smith & Wesson website.

The Vang Comp TAC-14 Deluxe

By

Travis Pike

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July 19, 2024

Have you ever gotten an email that makes you think, I don’t need a retirement account? Or maybe, do all of my kids have to go to college? That’s how I felt when Vang Comp sent out an email showing that their new TAC-14 Deluxe had dropped. To be fair, it’s not that out of financial reach at $1,350. Admittedly, that’s pricey, especially for a pump-action shotgun. We are getting into a high-quality Italian-made semi-auto at that price point.

A lot of folks also assume the TAC-14 and similar firearms are novelties and range toys. If that’s your view, then it’s a hell of a lot of money. I would counter and say the general attitude around these firearms has changed. Pistol grip-only shotguns are tough to handle, but the Raptor grips do wonders for recoil reduction, and they don’t bang your wrist up. With a proper push/pull technique, you can mitigate recoil and have a very powerful and capable tool for close-quarter fights.

The Vang Comp TAC-14 Deluxe radicalizes the TAC-14. While the PGO TAC-14 can be a capable weapon, Vang Comp produced the weapon with the clear intention of creating a short-barreled shotgun. They even refer to it as the Form 1EZ. A number of the features also point more to shouldered use than pistol grip use. Speaking of features, let’s break down what makes the TAC-14 Deluxe oh so deluxe.

The TAC-14 Deluxe – In Living Color

A few features make the Deluxe a bit better as a shouldered gun. First, the rear ghost sight points more to shouldered use. Ghost rings can work for PGOs, but a bead is better. The rear sight is a two-in-one deal. Not only does it serve as a rear sight, but it also serves as a red dot mount.

It mounts RMR-patterned optics at 1/3rd co-witness height. The front sight is a big ramp topped with an adjustable and replaceable AR-15 post. It’s easy to install your choice of front sight, opening you up to a night sight option. A pair of wings protect the front sight post.

Behind the front sight sits the Vang Comp porting system to reduce recoil and muzzle rise. On a PGO, that would make the weapon very soft handling and easy to control. The Vang Comp TAC-14 Deluxe features the famed VCS barrel mod to increase the tightness of your buckshot patterns.

The gun has a +1 magazine cap to increase the total capacity to five rounds. A stainless steel follower allows for smooth movement, especially with the extended magazine cap installed. A Wolff magazine spring also ensures total reliability and is one of the first upgrades any shotgun should make.

The TAC-14 Deluxe has a VCS dome head safety, a forward sling plate, and a Magpul MOE forend. Vang Comp doesn’t just stock the gun with tacked-on upgrades but also deburrs the receiver and reduces edges for easier, pain-free reloads that don’t take a DNA sample. It also gets the VCS express reliability service and inspection.

Reviving Remington

It’s no secret that Remington has fallen out of favor with a lot of shotgun enthusiasts. They are trying to make a comeback, but it’s slow going. With the Vang Comp treatment, we are getting a Remington 870 worthy of the Remington name. Each and every feature was put together by a group of dedicated shotgun enthusiasts.

The gun is designed to offer 12-gauge firepower with less recoil and tiger patterns. Qualms with ergonomics have been solved, and the TAC-14 Deluxe model delivers a slick action with unbeatable reliability. This isn’t the first shotgun Vang Comp has given the treatment to, and it likely won’t be the last. It is the first PGO-only gun they’ve taken to town and developed into a very capable platform.

While many PDWs are semi-auto, pistol-caliber guns or maybe uber-short .300 Blackouts, the Vang Comp TAC-14 Deluxe might be the first that fits the role. I’d love to see Vang Comp do the same treatment but designed to remain a pistol grip-only shotgun. I’m talking out loud at this point, so let’s cut it short.

If you want a TAC-14 Deluxe, they’re for sale now in three different colors. Check it out on Vang Comp’s website, and if you buy one, let us know how it is handled.

Sweat, Lead And Steel: Barrett Firearms

By

Athlon Series

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July 18, 2024

In the world of firearms, there are many companies around the world with histories spanning several generations. And some of these, even centuries, like a certain northern Italian gunmaker if you will…

Barrett Firearms

On the flip side, there’s Tennessee based Barrett Firearms headed up by Ronnie Barrett who designed his first .50 BMG chambered semi-automatic rifle from scratch and made the right moves at a grassroots level to get the rifle in front of both civilian and government buyers in order to get it sold and produced. At the time, Mr. Barrett worked in a photography studio and a chance meeting with a client while photographing Vietnam era riverine watercraft sparked a conversation and some ideas. He began developing his prototypes, by hand, in a tiny machine shop smaller than most garages with the help of Harry Watson.

The original prototype, which is still proudly in Barrett Firearm’s possession, took roughly four months to conceive, design, manufacture and test out. Eventually this prototype was refined into the classic Barrett M82 rifle. The Barrett Firearms story is fascinating for many reasons. For starters, until the invention of his .50 BMG rifles, the closest firearm in existence and concept was probably the Browning M2 Ma Deuce .50 BMG machine gun that famed Vietnam war sniper Carlos Hathcock modified to accept a telescopic sight for extreme long range shooting. Barrett’s story is also fascinating due to how quickly he took his original rifle from concept to reality in a relatively short period of time.

From Our Friends At Athlon Outdoors

Sweat, Lead and Steel is an Athlon Outdoors original series profiling the history and passion of companies in the shooting sports industry, and taking an intimate and cinematically powerful look into the history and current state of manufacturers.

To learn more about Barrett Firearms, please visit their website at barret.net.

The NIVA XM1970 – An Infantry Recoilless Rifle

By

Travis Pike

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July 18, 2024

Swedish firearms manufacturer Carl Gustafs stads gevärsfaktori, hereby known as Carl Gustafs, makes some really cool stuff. My personal favorite is the M/45, aka the Swedish K. The American military uses the M3 MAAWS, an 83mm recoilless rifle. Most of their designs are solid, reliable, and well-made. Others are the NIVA XM1970. I’m not saying the NIVA XM1970 was a bad gun, unreliable, or poorly built. It’s just weird.

The years after World War 2 were a wild time for modern guns. The move to assault rifles was gaining steam, and companies were trying to find ways to make the individual infantryman a more lethal entity. This led to programs and successes like the M203. Carl Gustaf and their creative minds crafted the NIVA XM1970 to make the average infantryman a horse multiplier.

The NIVA XM1970 – The Madmen

Let’s rip the band-aid off here and get to the roots of the XM1970. NIVA stood for Nytt Infanteri Vapen or New Infantry Weapon. The engineers created a weapon that combined a bullpup assault rifle with a recoilless rifle design. If you’re familiar with recoilless rifles, they mount over your shoulder, allowing the backblast to fire rearward and out of the tube. This creates the recoilless effect.

Rifles have historically been mounted to the shoulder, not over the shoulder. As you’d imagine, this creates a weapon that seems somewhat cumbersome and awkward to be a rifle. You’d be running around aiming your rifle with a huge tube over your shoulder. Awkward, but certainly novel.

The XM1970 rifle was a 5.56 design that looked to feed from 20- —to 30-round magazines. We hadn’t quite settled on 30 rounds as the standard in this era, and it’s tough to tell by length. The rifle used gas operation, but I can’t find information on what type.

Knowing the Swedes, it was likely a gas piston design, either a long stroke or a short stroke. The long stroke seems likely due to its simplicity and the Swedes’ history of using long-stroke gas pistons.

The recoilless rifle was a 45mm design. That’s fairly small. Remember, in the modern era, we are wielding 83mm recoilless rifles. The weapon weighed 11.9 pounds unloaded and was 35.4 inches overall. It’s a big gun, which is heavy for the era but light compared to guys slapping ten gadgets on their guns.

The XM1970 In Practice

Obviously, the gun has some problems. It’s awkward as a rifle. Imagine running around with this thing and trying to get in and out of vehicles, clear rooms, and all the modern stuff we use assault rifles for. The XM1970 definitely has some faults.

Other faults included the fact you needed two sighting systems. The recoilless rifle required its own fold-down sights that sat on the right side of the gun, near the rifle sights. While iron sights were the norm back then, there didn’t seem to be any thoughts on ever adding an optic.

This gun would only work for a right-handed shooter. Lefties were left out. Another problem is that running around with an XM1970 loaded increased the weight substantially. Leaving a 45mm round loaded made the weapon quite heavy.

Swapping from an assault rifle to a recoilless rifle isn’t easy either. Apparently, several steps were required before one could switch between the two systems. Although in testing, the weapon worked. Carl Gustav doesn’t build crappy weapons, and while odd, the system worked as advertised.

No one was interested in the design or concept. The military passed on it, and without interest, the NVIA XM1970 program came to a halt. Only a few prototypes were made.

Reflections

It’s crucial to understand that the NIVA XM1970 was always a prototype. Its intended use remains a topic of debate. Equipping an entire squad with this weapon might seem impractical. One can only imagine the scene, with all the 18-year-old infantrymen shouting ‘back blast area all secure’ as they aimed their NIVA XM1970 at a single threat firing from a window.

In the 1970s, the Cold War raged on, and if war came to Europe, it would be the Soviet Union using armor to cross the Fulda Gap. It’s lost on us now, but the next war in Europe was predicted to be all about armor. The XM1970 was likely pictured as a light anti-armor weapon in a ground war that could be issued amongst a squad of soldiers.

Luckily, that war didn’t come. Even if it did, I don’t think the XM1970 would have been the hot ticket. It’s a bit too awkward and a bit too specialized. The idea did live on, and ideas like the OICW spring to life with a similar idea, but more about grenades than recoilless rifles. The NVIA XM1970 is just an old ball and an interesting piece of history.

Rise Armament Iconic 2-Stage Drop-In Trigger

By

Athlon Series

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July 17, 2024

The premise behind the Rise Armament ICONIC two stage trigger is to provide a drop-in trigger for modern AR-pattern firearms that has two completely independent stages. This arrangement provides the shooter with the feel and quickness of a single stage trigger but with the control and precision of a traditional two stage trigger at the same time. The main difference between the Rise Armament ICONIC’s internal layout and that of traditional two stage trigger designs is that these traditional triggers have the entire trigger components linked, from the beginning of the pull all the way to the break of the shot.

From Our Friends At Athlon Outdoors

The trigger is a two stage design with the two stages being completely independent and totally separate mechanical components for each stage. Because of this design, you get unmatched performance.

On regular two stage triggers, the hammer sear and trigger sear interact on both the first and second stages. Also, the disconnector controls the second stage; this old design hurts performance. The

Rise ICONIC’s independent two stage design allows for a very distinct wall with hardly any over travel. The trigger’s first stage has a curved blade that is wider than the second and has smooth edges for maximum comfort and control. That first stage pulls at only one pound, so you hardly feel it, but somehow you know it is there.

The second stage is a skeletonized blade with an insanely crisp, clean break that’s very comparable to a high-performance single stage trigger. That second stage pulls at only two pounds.

The two blades are designed not to collide but rather to slide and nest with each other. There is virtually no creep and absolutely none of the spongy feel in conventional two-stage triggers caused by their compression of the disconnector spring.

To learn more, please visit risearmament.com

Republicans Barely Mention Gun Rights At RNC

By

Travis Pike

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July 17, 2024

The Republican National Convention started today, and the news cycle is dominated by the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump over the weekend. Historically, Trump has not been a very gun-friendly President. He didn’t do much for gun rights during his term and even used an executed fiat to ban bump stocks. A move illegal enough that the Supreme Court overturned it only recently. While that’s not comforting for gun rights, what’s even less comfortable is the fact the RNC Platform barely mentions gun rights.

In fact, the closest we get to any protection of the 2nd Amendment comes from a passing reference in ‘Twenty Promises’ offered by the Republicans if they win the White House and and the entirety of Congress. The seventh promise pays lip service by stating, “defend our Constitution, our Bill of Rights, and our fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to keep and bear arms.”

That’s all we get from the RNC on the Second Amendment. They offer to protect it but not expand or recapture ground. Their defense of the Second Amendment amounts to a single sentence. The rest of the RNC platform aligns with Trump’s America First vision, but sadly, that doesn’t include a fervent defense of the 2nd Amendment or methods to reclaim lost ground.

The RNC Of Yesteryear

I think it’s worth looking into the RNC of the past to see how they treated the 2nd Amendment. In 2020, the party didn’t release a platform. In 2016, there was a very fervent defense of the 2nd Amendment, which was several paragraphs long and openly supported Constitutional Carry, they praised Congress’ defense of the 2nd Amendment against ‘evisceration.’

Here, read it yourself:

The Second Amendment: Our Right to Keep and Bear Arms

We uphold the right of individuals to keep
and bear arms, a natural, inalienable right that
predates the Constitution and is secured by the
Second Amendment. Lawful gun ownership enables
Americans to exercise their God-given right of self-defense for the safety of their homes,
their loved ones, and their communities.

We salute the Republican Congress for
defending the right to keep and bear arms by
preventing the President from installing a new liberal
majority on the Supreme Court. The confirmation
to the Court of additional anti-gun justices would
eviscerate the Second Amendment’s fundamental
protections. Already, local officials in the nation’s
capital and elsewhere are defying the Court’s
decisions upholding an individual right to bear
arms as affirmed by the Supreme Court in Heller
and McDonald. We support firearm reciprocity
legislation to recognize the right of law-abiding
Americans to carry firearms to protect themselves
and their families in all 50 states. We support
constitutional carry statutes and salute the states
that have passed them. We oppose ill-conceived
laws that would restrict magazine capacity or
ban the sale of the most popular and common
modern rifle. We also oppose any effort to deprive
individuals of their right to keep and bear arms
without due process of law.

We condemn frivolous lawsuits against gun
manufacturers and the current Administration’s
illegal harassment of firearm dealers. We oppose
federal licensing or registration of law-abiding
gun owners, registration of ammunition, and
restoration of the ill-fated Clinton gun ban. We call
for a thorough investigation — by a new Republican
administration — of the deadly “Fast and Furious”
operation perpetrated by Department of Justice
officials who approved and allowed illegal sales of
guns to known violent criminals.

Modern Needs

These days, we don’t face much open anti-gun legislation. What we are facing now is much worse. We are facing restrictions on gun rights through executive power that’s commanding the DOJ and ATF to find every possible means to pursue gun owners. They’ve targeted pistol braces, 80% lower receivers, and tried to make anyone who sells a gun a felon. This led to the murder of Bryan Malinowski by ATF agents in a no-knock raid.

The fact the RNC has done nothing to address that is absurd. Republicans historically aren’t as gun-friendly as the anti-gun rights advocates would have us believe. At the federal level, a recoup of our rights hasn’t taken place, and we can only seem to win at the state and local levels.

What can we do? I think we need to let the RNC and our elected officials know that we demand our 2nd Amendment rights are protected. They need to take gun owners as a voting block seriously, and it’s no longer enough for Republicans to barely mention the 2nd Amendment. Write your elected officials, see them during office hours, and get heard!

As a group, we’ll plop down a grand for a rifle, five hundred bucks on ammo, and buy every gadget and gizmo out there but fail to give to gun rights organizations. I’m guilty of this myself, and this year, we are taking a stance. We need to become the fervent defenders of the 2nd Amendment and stop being complacent.

FN’s Catch 22 Ti Rimfire Suppressor

By

Athlon Series

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July 16, 2024

FN’s Catch 22 rimfire suppressor is a modern designed titanium suppressor that is able to handle all of today’s rimfire chamberings including .22 LR, .22 Long, .22 Short, .22 WMR (Magnum) along with .17 HMR. Besides the ability to handle all of these diverse cartridges, the FN Catch 22 Ti is also very compact. It’s diameter is 1.1 inches in diameter and weighs only 5 ounces. It’s overall length is a fairly 5.2 inches too. The FN Catch 22 Ti rimfire suppressor is also fully end user serviceable, meaning that owners can fully take down the suppressor itself and the internal baffle stack in order to clean it periodically–something that’s part and parcel of shooting high rimfire round counts anyway no thanks do the combination of bullet lubricants and fouling from rimfire grade gun powders.

With industry standard 1/2 by 28 threads per inch, it’s very easy to attach this suppressor directly to most any threaded rimfire firearm, be it a rifle or a pistol. However being that this is an FN designed and produced product, it was also made to naturally mesh with the FN 502 Tactical semi-automatic rimfire pistol. The FN 502 Tactical already includes taller suppressor height sights along with that threaded barrel. And you guessed it, because the thread pitch is 1/2 by 28 TPI!

FN Catch 22 Ti Specs

CALIBER: 22 LR, 22 MAG, 22 WMR and 17 HMR
LENGTH: 5.25 inch
TUBE DIAMETER: 1.12 inch
WEIGHT: 5 oz.
MOUNT: 1/2 inch x 28 TPI
MATERIALS: TITANIUM, STAINLESS STEEL, ALUMINUM
FINISH: HT CERAKOTE ™

To learn more about the new FN Catch 22 Ti rimfire suppressor and the FN 502 Tactical .22 LR rimfire pistol, please visit fnamerica.com