The Firearm Blog

It pains me to admit this, but my post on the H&K 97/Civilian MP7 was nothing more than an April Fools’ Day hoax.

For those who believed it, I apologize. But kudos to those who figured it out. I tried my best to make it as elaborate as possible. I bought an airsoft MP7, a box of 4.6×30, and a real MP7 magazine to try and make it as legitimate as possible. I had a friend take the photo me “shooting” it at the range, and the targets were shot with an FN Five-seveN pistol to make it look as real as possible.

With all the buzz the post generated on the net, maybe it will show H&K that there is real demand for such a gun, but for now there is no civilian MP7 in sight.

Andrew Tuohy announced on April Fools that our favorite hard-to-spell-the-name-of-gun-blog VuurwapenBlog is now called VuurwaffleBlog, which is just as hard to spell. Andrew is taking Excel spreadsheets and precision calipers to fast food joints instead of to the range.

I am mentioned in the VuurwaffleBlog inaugural blog post. Yes, it is true. Andrew has a terrible diet. Why he is in good shape, or more to the point why he is neither obese nor dead, should be investigated by Genetic Biologists ASAP. His DNA may contain the cure for aging.

I know this because Andrew and I shared a house for a brief while. This large house was sparsely furnished with far more guns than the number of furniture and cooking implements put together. Upstairs had various 1911s, a lone Glock 28 in the otherwise empty hall cupboard, AR-15 rifles littered the lounge and crates of ammunition were piled up in the dining room (this is back when ammunition was affordable). I got to observe Andrew in his n

Just Right Carbines manufacture blowback-operated carbines in pistol calibers that have a passing resemblance to the AR-15 platform.  The guns are designed to use existing pistol magazines, and until now the guns have only been able to operate with Glock and 1911 mags.

Just Right Carbines is now making rifles that will use Smith & Wesson M&P magazines.  Initially, the rifles will be available in 9mm and .40 S&W.  The carbines will be available in the following finishes:

• black
• desert camo
• Muddy Girl

Yes I said “Beard Camouflage”. For those super secret black ops where your tactical beard could give you away. Fear not, for Applied Orange has come to your aid. No longer do you have to worry about your awesome Viking beard clashing in the snow, unless you are Santa Claus. Applied Orange has made the BeardAway. A camouflaged sack to put your beard inside to match the rest of your gear. Note the piece of Velcro so you can personalize your BeardAway with a witty morale patch. At the moment it is only offered in Pencott snowdrift camo.

Go to their website if you need to hide your beard.

This is a bullet shaped mini black powder cannon. I am not quite sure why they call it a mug. I suppose it is somewhat mug sized.

Here is a time lapse of the Thunder Cannon being fabricated. Go to The Mans Cave to get one.

Diamondback, a company known for their small .380 pistol has released a full sized double stacked 9mm pistol.  Looking loosely like a blend of the  XD series pistols and Glock, the pistol striker is exposed when cocked for a tactile indicator as well as a Glock style slide release.

With an MSRP of $483, these are sure to make a splash.  Look forward to finding one in the wild for testing in the future.

Miami, Florida – Diamondback FirearmsTM, a Florida based firearms manufacturer of quality pistols and rifles, introduces their new full-size, polymer DB FS Nine handgun.

This new 9mm pistol is a double-action, striker-fire designed platform that incorporates an ergonomically driven polymer double stack frame with a stainless steel slide. With extensive research on the form and function of the tactile-enhanced gr

Since May of 2012, there have been a few complaints from KRISS Vector owners about the difficulty in pulling the charging handle on their KRISS Vectors. It didn’t matter if it was a Carbine, SDP pistol, or SBR. Some owners have mitigated the problem with 500 rds+ of ammo as well as storing their Vector with the bolt locked open. Here Justin Bove shows how difficult it is to charge his Vector SBR.

Back in September 2012 I did experience a difficult charging handle at a local gun shop back in NY. I wanted to confirm the claims that owners were making on the forums. I had the store clerk pull the Vector Carbine off the wall and I proceeded to try charging the Vector. I was unable to lock the bolt back without shouldering the Vector.

In November of 20

With the NRA’s Annual Meeting and Exhibits less than a month away, new gun products are starting to leak out.  One of those items is a new laser aiming device for the Smith & Wesson J-frame revolvers from LaserMax.  Among the models the new lasers will fit are the very popular 442 and 642 revolvers.

The new CenterFire model will be available in both red and green laser variants.  The red will carry an MSRP of $149 and the green will list for $199.  Shooters will be able to select either strobe mode or constant on mode when activating the laser.  Shipping should start in May.

Green lasers tend to be more expensive due to the cost of the electronics needed to produce the green color.  The benefit is an aiming point that is daylight visible.  However, one of the potential problems with green lasers is a relatively narrow operational temperature band.  Some green lasers will not work below 32˚ F.  No information on the

We here at TFB have had a great relationship with H&K for a long time. Despite them being one of the world’s largest arm’s manufacturers, they have always been easy for us to work with and get products from to review. One of the first guns I had the opportunity to review since writing here was the MR556A1 rifle, which I thoroughly enjoyed shooting. Even at SHOT, I had a chance to meet and talk to Wayne Weber, the president of H&K USA.

Wayne Weber, left, is truly a class act.

Mr. Web

This is so cool looking. It looks like something out of a video game. It will have thermal camouflage and radar absorbing material to make it stealth. The infrared camouflage technology applied to this tank is very exciting. It is armed to the teeth and has modular armor. Did I mention it looks awesome?
Check out more info over at Foxtrot Alpha

I have been wanting to start a series of articles for a while about odd and unique guns that for whatever reason are just not popular in the United States. I have admired TFB writer Ian McCollum’s personal blog “Forgotten Weapons” for years, and while he gets his hands on firearms that are truly obscure and incredibly rare, I would like to put the spotlight on firearms that are in between common and forgotten.

You have to start somewhere, and I figured a great place to begin would be with the Heckler and Koch VP70z. While Ian has done a piece on this pistol, a second viewpoint can’t hurt!

I acquired this gun in Novermber of 2012 and have not fired it until the time of this article (March 2014).

The VP70 was designed and first produced in 1970 and built until 1989. The model here is the VP70z, the semi automatic version of the true HK VP70 th

Primary Weapons Systems recently released their new Enhanced Buffer Tube for ARs chambered in .308 Winchester. Their new EBT in .308 is compatible with standard AR-15 buffers and is machined from one piece of 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum. It eliminates the use of a castle nut with a unique indexing screw and plate setup to ensure correct alignment with the buffer tube. The PWS EBT also features QD attachments machined directly into the tube as well as fluted sides and drain holes to allow water to escape. One downfall to early piston designs for the AR-15 was carrier tilt. The EBT features a lip that extends into the AR receiver that supports the carrier and eliminates carrier tilt making it a great option for piston driven ARs. There’s no official word on a price as of yet, however their other Enhanced Buffer Tubes retail for $149.95 to $199.95. Check out PrimaryWeapons.com for more info.

Modular Driven Technologies debuted their new MDT LSS Chassis system for Mossberg MVP rifle chambered in .223/5.56. It’s designed to use all the various collapsible AR-15 butt-stocks and pistol grips on the market. The LSS chassis also has a separate adapter available for use with fixed AR butt-stocks as well. The LSS Chassis also features mounting holes on the bottom of the fore-end to bolt on MIL-STN-1913 accessory mounting rails. MDT engineered their LSS Chassis to minimize warping and distortion to maximize accuracy. The chassis has plenty of clearance for standard and bull barrels and the only part of the chassis that actually touches the receiver is a V shaped bedding/recoil lug. The chassis weights in at 1.7lbs and retails for $399 and is available in either black or flat dark earth. It’s expected to be available in May 2014 with a version for the MVP in .308 on the way later this year. They’re also available for the Remington 700, Tikka T3 and Savage rifles. Check out Mdttac.com for more info.

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There has been a lot of hub-ub going on over the weekend on 5.45×39 ammunition. Originally brought to light by James Yeager and then by Tim at the Military Arms Channel, ATF Form 6′s (Request for Import) that include the mild steel core 7n6 ammunition are currently being “held”.

You may have seen the e-mail below:

We have been reaching out to our industry partners and indications are that applications are indeed being “held” (note: not denied) until the BATF can get its story straight. We are reaching out to the ATF directly to get word straight from them.

The e-mail is strange, as 5.45 pistols have been on the market since at least 2010 (Robinson XCR and other AK-74 variants).

If this e-mail holds water, it would mean that 7n6 w

This select fire bad boy cost a little more than the typical WASR-10 at your local gun store. It’s a Vietnam War bring back rifle picked up near the Mekong Delta. It has a milled receiver, front folding spike bayonet and even comes with the original cleaning kit. What’s the asking price? A cool $55,995, but if you can pay cash they’ll cut that down by $1,000. Check it out at WesternFirearms.com.

An super rare documented original Chi-Com bring back AK47 from Vietnam. This weapon was picked up off a tributary of the Mekong Delta in the summer of 1968 by a member of the US Mobil Riverine Force known as “Brown Water Sailors. There is an article on this weapon in the April 2002 issue of Small Arms Review, Vol 5, No 7, page 89. It is a milled receiver weapon from factory 66 in excellent condition. It has the original front folding spike bayonet and still has the original cleaning kit in the buttstock. The new owner will receive a copy of the letter from the US Vet that brought this weapon back to the US

Magpul just announced their new updated MOE-K Grip is now shipping to dealers. Their new MOE-K Grip features a lower profile and more compact design compared to their MAD and MOE grips as well as most other pistol grips on the market. It has a more vertical shape making it optimal for personal defense weapons configurations (i.e. AR pistols and SBRs). According to Magpul it’s more comfortable to use with weapons where the shooters hand is held closer to their body or while using body armor. The updated MOE-K Grip also has a smaller circumference making it an excellent choice for those with smaller hands or who prefer slimmer styled grips. Magpul has also added their new aggressive TSP texture for improved grip. It’s made right here in the U.S.A and will MRSP for just $19.95. Check out Magpul.com for more info.

So last week I was at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, AZ shooting the 3MR trigger system at their media event.  I had a little mishap while I was there, which could have been worse had I not been wearing gloves. The back story is that I had my own personal rifle there at the range, and was shooting it pretty hard.  Hard enough for the barrel to heat up to flesh searing temps. When I was back at the bench, I was putting my rifle down for a bit to cool it off it began to slide off the bench.  Like most people would, reached out to catch it.  I just happened to grab the barrel with my gloved hand.

Yes, my barrel is a 1×7 556 barrel.

There was smoke, burning and a lot of discomfort for a minute or two.  But in the end, the Mechanix Wear gloves I was wearing took all of the heat, even searing the barrel caliber and twist into the glove.  Yes, my hand got warm.  But there was lasting damage or even any minor burns on my hand. I f

I remember seeing it in the movie Demolition Man, being wielded by Wesley Snipes. The real thing is just as fantastic as the movie portrayed.

Remember Metal Storm? The G11 was there first. H&K developed caseless ammo for the G11. Their primary focus was to get a three round burst to be accurate. They surmised that the problem of accurate burst is due to the recoil of the weapon. So they developed this system to fire a three round burst all in a single cycle of recoil.

Similar to the FNH P90, the H&K G11 was the predecessor. The magazine had ammo oriented 90 degrees vertical rather than horizontal like in the P90. The round would be chambered and rotated 90 degrees to be fired.

It was chambered in 4.73mm x 33

The Germans even went as far as to design a pistol for their caseless 4.73mm x 33

Back in the 70s, this was originally the Individual Multi-Purpose weapon or IMP. It was chambered in .221 fireball and was designed for the airforce. A PDW for pilots. It was designed to be shot from the arm, but they also did consider shooting it from a sling. Similar to SAS technique, the shooter would press out and the tension from the sling would stable the firearm.

Bushmaster took the design and chambered it in .556. It is gas piston driven. Barrel length is 11.5″ weighs 4.25 lbs. OAL 20 inches. Retail back in the 70s was $299.50 and was offered in semi as well as select-fire.

PlumCrazy was a brand of polymer AR-15 lower receivers that were manufactured by PCF Manufacturing until they mysteriously went out of business in late 2011. Recently, a company, whose name I have been asked not to disclose, sent in a sample of a PlumCrazy lower to the BATFE to find out if the method they used to attached the metal serial number plate to the polymer lower was legal. Turns out, its not! PlumCrazy lower receivers are illegal, and have always been illegal under Federal Law.

Metal serial numbers plates attached to polymer firearms must be embedded in such a way that removing them will significantly damage or destroy the firearm. In the BATFE letter, dated June 18 2013, Firearms Technology Branch technicians were able to remove the PlumCrazy serial number using just a hammer and a screwdriver in just one minute and without doing any damage to the receiver. The letter says …

During the examination of the submitted AR- 15 type firearm receiver section (serial number RM00501 ), FTB also found that both the h