weapons

Watch: Insane highlight reel from Naval weapons test range

California’s expansive Mojave Desert serves as a valuable testing and training ground for a number of U.S. military assets. The United States Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, for instance, is the largest installation in the branch — spanning out across a massive 998 square miles, much of which is devoted specifically to field training and live fire ranges. Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, also positioned within the Mojave Desert, is a bit different. Instead of training troops as they do in 29 Palms, China Lake takes advantage of the open desert for a wide variety of specialized weapons testing.

According to the Navy, there are more good reasons to use China Lake as a test bed for all sorts of missiles, bombs, and various other things that go boom: it offers a wide variety of geographical features within a fairly small area. According to the Naval Air Systems Command:

Few areas in the world offer such wide variety of geographical features in close proximity…mountains, deserts, canyons, caves and forests. The unencroached air and land ranges at China Lake provide unmatched geographic conditions in which to develop and test weapon systems and explore tactics for desert and mountain environments.

So, as you might imagine, the folks who work at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake get to see some pretty incredible things through the course of their work, firing both fully armed and inert types of ordnance at a wide variety of targets that include old aircraft and even vehicles that are pulled on trailers along a track to simulate moving targets. As you’d suspect, they know it too — and that’s why they put together this insane highlight reel of just some of the weapons testing they conducted on-site last year.

The video includes a wide variety of weapon systems, ranging from bunker busters and guided air-to-ground missiles to MANPADS engaging airborne targets. Even the inert weapons that don’t explode make for some incredible footage. After all, how often do you get to see the exact moment a guided missile penetrates the roof of a speeding Jeep?

Or the moment another laser-guided JDAM tears the bumper off of a Ford Explorer?

But if we’re being honest, some of the coolest bit of this video are obviously from the live munitions that turn their targets to toast.

This video offers more than a crash course in all the ways the U.S. Navy can blow stuff up, of course; it also offers a powerful reminder of just how accurate America’s standard and specialized guided munitions can be. For instance, here’s a picture of how accurately the Tomahawk missiles fired from American Naval vessels are against targets like the F-4 Phantoms still employed by the Iranian military… ya know, just in case they’re looking.

OpEd: What New Zealand’s prime minister just doesn’t get about American gun laws

Editor’s note: The following opinion piece was penned by the Editor-in-Chief of NEWSREP, Jack Murphy. His new book, “Murphy’s Law: My Journey from Army Ranger and Green Beret to Investigative Journalist,” is on sale now and can be found here.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recently told CNN she does “not understand” why America has not banned assault weapons the way she claims she has done in her country. New Zealand residents tell us the supposed gun ban just makes it more difficult to get licenses for semi-automatic weapons but has little impact on existing gun owners in New Zealand, a far cry from the political victory many claim Ardern secured.

CBS reported in an article about Ardern’s recent comments that the U.S. has not changed gun laws despite an “exponential increase in mass shootings in recent years.” While mass shootings make for spectacular headlines and are tragic, data does not necessarily show an exponential increase in their occurrence, although to be sure, there has been a uptick over the last decade. At the same time, gun ownership in the U.S. has increased while overall gun violence has decreased. School shootings, which were the big concern before mass shootings were re-defined several years ago, are also in decline. Claims the U.S. leads the world in mass shootings has also been debunked.

We live in a time when passionate convictions are valued above all else, but passion does not lend itself well to the practical implementation of effective policy. Climate change is another issue people are passionate about, and yes the climate changes, but what should be done about it comes down to specifics. In many cases, data is massaged to fit the most apocalyptic of narratives. This leads to further distrust and a muddying of the waters when these policy debates occur. At some point, both sides are just citing junk data and mistaking passion for facts.

Ardern is clearly enjoying her moment of celebrity as the anti-gun savior (which she isn’t) but her confusion as to why America hasn’t changed its gun laws is difficult to discern. The United States has tens of thousands of federal gun laws. We even had an assault weapons ban that didn’t work to decrease gun violence, but guns cannot ever be banned in America simply because this is a right written into our Constitution. This has been further backstopped by numerous Supreme Court decisions over the years. Banning guns is not a viable solution, and those who believe we can and should need to sit down for a Civics 101 class about how government works. Once we clear that speed bump, we can begin having a rational conversation about how to decrease gun violence in America.

What Ardern did accomplish was setting a nasty little precedent: she negotiated with terrorists. The New Zealand Christchurch mosque shootings that led to stricter gun laws were perpetrated by a self-described eco-fascist who wanted to create an ethno-state reserved for the white race. In his manifesto, he was abundantly clear as to why he was committing mass murder. The killer wanted to attack a mosque and kill Muslims, specifically with an AR-15 rifle because he knew it would encourage the government to ban such weapons. This would then, in his mind, inspire whites to rise up against their government in response, overthrow it, and replace it with bizarre Nazi Disneyland.

Ardern played right into his hand, just as many unimaginative bureaucrats would.

U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Anthony Sanchelli

Sniper’s Choice | Bolt-action vs. Semi-auto precision rifles

Bolt-action vs. Semi-auto

There is an ongoing debate as to whether someone should purchase a semi-automatic rifle or a bolt-action rifle for long-range precision shooting. There are a few key variances in both which make them very different, and probably contribute to the wide divergence in opinion. Typically, the bolt-action precision rifle is considered more accurate than a semi automatic. However, this depends on numerous factors with regard to both firearm and ammunition, and modern semi-automatic rifles can be exceptionally accurate when designed with long-ranging shooting in mind. Some of the factors that precision shooters take into consideration when accuracy is discussed between the two platforms are:

Recoil
Gas release
Moving components

Recoil

The bolt-action rifle, when fired, has only one stage of recoil, this being recoil to the rear—into the shooter’s shoulder pocket. The semi-auto precision rifle, when fired, has three stages of recoil: One being to the rear as the bullet exits the muzzle, another to the rear as the bolt slams into the buffer, and the final stage as the bolt slams forward, picking up an additional cartridge. Because the bolt-action rifle has only a single stage of recoil to the rear, some shooters find they can “drive the rifle” in a superior manner to semi-automatic rifles.

Gas release

When a cartridge is fired inside the chamber of a bolt-action rifle, the force from the burning charge and expanding gases propels the bullet down the barrel. However, some of the energy is transferred to the shooter through its normal recoil. In a semi-automatic rifle, some of the energy used to propel the bullet down the barrel is used to cycle the action.

Moving components

The moving components of the two rifle platforms must also be considered. Typically, precision-rifle shooters prefer the bolt rifle simply due to its lack of moving components, and by extension, simplicity and reliability. Taking a look at the bolt rifle, the only moving part is the bolt, which is manually operated by the shooter. Once the bolt is locked, the entire rifle is merely one solid component, thus making it easier to control through recoil and avoiding bullet-impact deviation downrange due to shooter-induced movement.

The semi-automatic precision rifle will always have a moving part in some section of the rifle, this usually being in the upper and lower receiver. If you’ve ever looked through the scope while in the prone position, you may have noticed that the slightest movement with your firing or support hand causes the upper receiver to shift slightly left or right, or in some cases, up or down. This slight shift/movement within the scope may be caused by a number of factors: shooter flinch, undue sympathetic squeeze as the rifle is firing, etc.

As the shooter begins to fire or begins to perceive recoil, the shooter may cause the upper and lower receiver to shift where the two components meet, thus causing a change in desired point of impact when the rifle is fired. To the untrained or novice shooter, this may seem like a “sloppy gun,” or a rifle that is unable to achieve 1MOA.

Malfunctions

Semi automatic

As with any semi-automatic rifle or handgun, we can find an array of weapon-induced or shooter-induced malfunctions. Some of the malfunctions I have commonly seen within the semi-automatic family of precision rifles include the following:

Stovepipe: A stovepipe occurs when the casing that has been ejected is caught in the ejection port by the slide. This could be due to unburned powder, obstructions of various sorts that are placed near the ejection port not allowing the complete ejection of the spent casing, and poor-quality ammo.
Failure to extract: This results when the cartridge case remains in the chamber of the rifle. While the bolt and bolt carrier could move rearward only a short distance, more commonly the bolt and bolt carrier recoil fully to the rear, leaving the cartridge case in the chamber. A live round is then forced into the base of the cartridge case as the bolt returns in the next feed cycle. This malfunction is also one of the hardest to clear. A failure to extract could be caused by short-recoil cycles brought on by a fouled or corroded rifle chamber. A damaged extractor or a weak or broken extractor spring can also cause this malfunction.
Failure to eject: Here, a malfunction occurs when the cartridge is not ejected through the ejection port and either remains partly in the chamber or becomes jammed in the upper receiver as the bolt closes. This could be a result of carbon or fouling on the ejector spring or extractor, or from short recoil. Short recoil is usually due to a buildup of fouling in the carrier mechanism or gas tube. Resistance caused by a carbon-coated or corroded chamber can impede the extraction, and the subsequent ejection, of a cartridge.

Double feed: This malfunction occurs when a round is in the chamber and a second round attempts to feed into the chamber. This results in a true jam. On most semi-automatic weapons, the slide has a limited motion and the magazine will not eject by pressing the magazine release.
Failure to feed, chamber, or lock: A malfunction can occur when loading the rifle or during the cycle of operation. Once the magazine has been loaded into the rifle, the forward movement of the bolt carrier group could lack enough force (generated by the expansion of the action spring) to feed, chamber, or lock the bolt. Some of the causes could be the result of the following:

Excess accumulation of dirt or fouling in and around the bolt and bolt carrier.

Defective magazine (dented, bulged, or a weak magazine spring).

Improperly loaded magazine.

Defective round (projectile forced back into the cartridge case, which could result in a stubbed round or the base of the previous cartridge could be separated, leaving the remainder in the chamber).

Damaged or broken action spring.

Exterior accumulation of dirt in the lower-receiver extension.

Fouled gas tube resulting in short recoil.

A magazine resting on the ground or pushed forward could cause an improper lock.

Failure to fire: This malfunction occurs when a cartridge fails to fire despite being chambered, the trigger pulled, and the sear releasing the hammer. This occurs when the firing pin fails to strike the primer with enough force, or when the ammunition is defective. Probable causes of this malfunction include excessive carbon buildup on the firing pin, thus restricting the full forward travel of the pin, or a defective or worn firing pin. Proper inspection of the ammunition could reveal a shallow indentation or no mark on the primer, indicating a firing-pin malfunction. Cartridges that show an indentation on the primer but did not fire may indicate faulty ammunition.

Bolt action

One major benefit of having a bolt-action rifle is the lack of malfunctions they produce. Here are a some of the most common bolt-action malfunctions that I have seen over time, both shooter induced and weapon induced.

Falling firing pin: A falling firing pin occurs when the shooter closes the bolt too fast or too hard. The firing pin will not stay in the rear position, but will instead “fall forward” and move into the fired position. When this occurs, the shooter is not able to fire the rifle. The most common causes are a lack of maintenance on the bolt, dirt or buildup on the bolt face, etc.

Failure to fire: Failure to fire in a bolt gun occurs in the same manner as in the semi-automatic.

Failure to feed: A failure to feed occurs in the same manner as the semi-automatic. The problem usually occurs when the shooter bolt overrides the cartridge in the internal or external magazine.

Performance in the field

Although one rifle platform may surpass the other in certain applications or instances, we must also understand that a given platform is only a tool for a certain task, and may not be applicable in every situation. Let’s take a look at each platform’s advantages and disadvantages by discussing different situations/environments.

Multiple engagements

Precision shooters may find themselves in a multiple-target engagement situation not only in combat (defensive or offensive), but in a timed competitive event as well. As we all know, holdovers and holdunders will greatly increase our speed at getting rounds on target, but when time matters the most, the semi-automatic rifle will by far surpass the bolt rifle. The amount of time it takes to run the bolt, acquire the target, and get a proper trigger squeeze on target is greater than that of the semi, as the shooter only has to transition through targets and apply a proper trigger squeeze while utilizing the trigger reset.

Use in urban and woodland environments

In regards to the use of a precision rifle in an urban environment, speed, accuracy, and possible presentation of multiple targets plays a big role in the choosing the superior platform. While the bolt rifle may have the greater advantage in accuracy, which is commonly needed when engaging partially obscured targets at various ranges, it may lack the speed needed to engage multiple targets.

The semi-automatic rifle, while being superior in speed and engaging multiple targets, may lack the accuracy needed to engage small, partially obscured targets. This is usually due to the shooter not properly driving the rifle while in various alternate shooting positions, but it’s a consideration, notwithstanding.

Aerial platforms

As difficult in nature as aerial shooting can be, the amount of rounds used to engage a target while the shooter is airborne are typically more than three, due to the lack of a stable platform, the amount of time the shooter is actually on or able to engage the target, and proper lead needed to engage the target. This being the case, the semi-automatic rifle surpasses the bolt-action.

*Featured image courtesy of DVIDS

The Russian Makarov service pistol

The Makarov pistol was Russia’s solution to the need for a modern military sidearm and caliber after World War 2. It was a replacement for the TT33 Tokarev, a pistol that was deemed too large and underpowered for practical use any more; it also lacked a manual safety, something that most military’s desire for a standard issue weapon. As Mikhail Kalashnikov’s AK-47 entered into service, it effectively negated the need for a pistol as anything more than a secondary to the rifle or as a defense based duty weapon. While the Makarov was designed in 1948 it did not enter service until 1951, after it had undergone several key design changes. It is still in use today in certain military and police capacities throughout several eastern bloc based nations.

The Makarov’s development came about through a contest between multiple engineers set up by the Russian military. Nikolay Makarov’s German Walther PP based design won almost hands done for its sheer simplicity, user-friendly features, and exceptional reliability in contrast to the other entries. The design has been copied and reproduced by several countries quite successfully despite essentially minor aesthetic changes.

The Makarov is chambered in 9x18mm and fires a projectile at a muzzle velocity averaging around 1000 feet per second. It features an 8 round capacity single stack magazine that can be ejected via a thumb lever on the underside of the pistol found next to the magazine’s base-plate. Its blowback design is typical of the system employed by most modern handguns and it’s all steel construction makes for a beefy 26oz frame that dampens recoil well. It’s manual safety doubles as a decocker and is disengaged by flipping the lever down. The Makarov runs on a double/single action system and should the safety be re-engaged after firing or chambering a round, the hammer will decock back to a double action set-up while simultaneously locking the slide.

Disassembly is incredibly simple and for the most part self-contained to prevent the loss of necessary parts as I’m sure was part of the intent. The slide is removed by pulling down the (hinged) trigger guard and offsetting it to catch on the frame. Then the slide is pulled to the rear and lifted up on so that it can slide off the front of the barrel. The recoil spring goes over the barrel which is pressed and pinned into a fixture that is part of the frame. The majority of the composite grips found on the Makarov are removed via a retention screw on the back-strap portion of the grip. Beyond that, is an armorer’s work and far past the basic maintenance requirements for the pistol’s routine operation or cleaning.

Overall the only real shortcoming of the Makarov is it’s extremely limited capacity although some modern variants feature a double stack magazine with an increased capacity of up to 12 rounds; still rather short by modern standards. The gun is reliable and comfortable to carry despite it’s almost all steel construction. Accuracy is good too, despite the 9x18mm round being an oddball caliber that some may think of as being underpowered. Its size caters to concealment as well but its small grip can make for a slightly difficult draw, even with a holster. If you ever get the chance to handle one or pick one up in the states, I highly recommend it as they are fairly inexpensive but somewhat hard to find off the cuff.

Featured Image Courtesy of Andrey Mironov [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons

Champion Pivot Traverse Bipod

When we have a piece of gear that serves us well during a critical moment, many of us tend to stick with it for a long time. During my military service as well as a few hunting trips, my issued bipod was reliable. So reliable in fact, I haven’t kept up on the latest in the bipod market. I’ve been stuck with 2002’s cutting edge technology and it finally caught up to me. While on a grizzly hunt in Alaska, my bipod explosively disassembled itself and I was left looking at a $90 replacement. I wasn’t sure if buying a direct replacement best suited my needs.

Luckily I came across the Champion Pivot Traverse bipod. With a street price of $49.99 it is certainly a less expensive option than the old warhorse it’s replacing.

Opening up the mailbox, I found model number 40635 waiting for me. With 6″-9″ adjustable legs and a sling swivel mount, it closely resembles the other guy it’s replacing. I mounted it onto “Dr. Green” and got into a few different shooting positions. The Pivot Traverse bipod is well built I can see already. I’m really enjoying the lever lock on the back of the bipod’s body. Unlock freedom of movement by flipping it counter-clockwise and I’m able to cant the rifle for shooting on uneven terrain or traverse left and right. Another quick flip of the lever and movement is locked down tight. This is one solid shooting platform. I can see both the cant and the traverse improving my shooting positions. Often in the woods, the log or branch you want to rest your rifle on is neither perfectly parallel nor perpendicular to the target. Being able to have both bipod legs solidly on a stable object while pivoting, traversing and locking down your rifle is key to getting into an ergonomic shooting position.

So far this looks and feels more like a high dollar item than a mid-range option.

Zero Tolerance 0450CF Knife: First Impression

Zero Tolerance 0450CF Knife: A solid choice for James Bond

While visiting Shot Show, I was fortunate enough to stop by the ZT booth and handle several of these new knives. The one that stood out to me was the sophisticated Zero Tolerance 0450CF, with its striking carbon fiber front handle. For its weight, carbon fiber is stronger than steel and is downright sexy. I’ve spent half of my life in some sort of wheeled racing machine and have grown an affinity for this dark matter. To keep weight at a minimum, the back half of the handle is made from Titanium, another lightweight space-age material. The published weight is 2.72oz however, I recorded 2.4oz on several different scales.

The blade is a compact version of a Dmitry Sinkevich design and cut from S35VN steel, a very tough, wear resistant material that’s easy to resharpen. Both the blade and the Titanium handle are further coated with a black Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) continuing it’s stealthy look.

Although the 0450CF doesn’t use the same SpeedSafe assisted opener that I’ve come to love on my daily carry Zero Tolerance 0350, it does employ a buttery smooth KVT ball-bearing opening system. Due to the lightweight nature of the Zero Tolerance 0450CF‘s blade, there is no need for a spring assisted opener. The blade locks securely into place with the slightest effort on the built-in flipper lever.

Tech Specs: (courtesy of ZT Knives)

- Made in the USA
- KVT ball-bearing opening system
- Flipper
- Reversible clip (left/right)
- Titanium frame lock, hardened steel lockbar insert
- Steel: S35VN, DLC coating
- Handle: Carbon fiber front, titanium back
- Blade length: 3.25 in. (8.3 cm)
- Closed length: 4.1 in. (10.4 cm)
- Overall length: 7.4 in. (18.8 cm)
- Weight: 2.7 oz. (76.5 g) I measured 2.4 oz on my sample
- MSRP: $225.00
- More info here

Another cool feature of the Zero Tolerance 0450CF are the two aluminum tube spacers anodized in a contrasting emerald green. I’ve always liked the ability to customize my Oakley’s when ordering a pair of shades. Maybe a full pallet of colors for the tube spacers is something ZT would consider offering for their customers at some point. One can dream…

This is a great knife tipping the scales at less than half the weight of my ZT 0350, yet retaining the same 3.25″ blade and a similar overall length. The slender shape of the Zero Tolerance 0450CF is a perfect choice for a gentleman, combining sophistication, stealth and technology. If James Bond were to carry a pocket knife, the ZT 0450CF would be a solid choice.