The New Beretta M9A3 Proposal for the US Army

After delivering over 600,000 M9 pistols to the DOD and on the heels of being awarded a new contract for up to 100,000 M9s, Beretta USA announced today the presentation of the M9A3 to the US Army. The M9A3 introduces major improvements to the M9 that will increase the operational effectiveness and operational suitability of the weapon. The improvements include design and material enhancements resulting in increased modularity, reliability, durability, and ergonomics.  They are being submitted via an Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) in accordance with the terms of the current M9 contract.

Obama shooting a Browning Citori Shotgun

President Barack Obama shoots clay targets on the range at Camp David, Md., Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012.  (Official White House Photo)

President Obama stated last week that he picked up shooting clay pigeons as a new hobby during stays at Camp David.  As a result of his comments, this photo was released by the White House as many in the press remained skeptical after President Obama stated that he did it all the time.

In this photo, President Obama is discharging a shotgun and is wearing proper eye and hearing protection.  He's sighting the shotgun properly and has decent form, so we can assume that he's had lessons or has been practicing.

On an email to the Washington Times, Travis Hall (CEO of Browning) identified the shotgun as a Browning Citori.  He described it as possibly a Citori 625 Sporting Golden Clays, adjustable comb, left hand, in 12 gauge retailing for $4,799.

25,000 GLOCK 17's (Gen4) to be delivered to UK Military

 Model GLOCK 17 Gen 4 replaces previous choice, used for more than 40 years.
Today GLOCK, Inc. announced its contract award by the United Kingdom Armed Forces, to use the GLOCK 17 Gen4 pistol for its personnel. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) chose GLOCK to deliver 25,000 pistols by the end of March 2013. Troops deployed to Afghanistan will be among the first to use the new weapon.

Warrant Officer Class 1 Mark Anderson, Royal Marines, who conducted a trial of the new weapon before the contract was awarded, enthused, "Pistols are vital in close combat and are a key part of a soldier's armory. Reliable, light and easy to carry, the GLOCK inspires confidence and performs exceptionally well."

"After extensive and intense tests and evaluations, GLOCK is pleased to be selected by the MOD," stated Josh Dorsey, GLOCK Vice President. "The deciding factors were the GLOCK's higher magazine capacity, the superior accuracy, the ease of use and maintenance and the reliability. The GLOCK SAFE Action System also enables the pistol to spring into action faster."
The selection process for replacing the Ministry's previous guns was stringent. The trials for eight of the leading pistol manufacturers in 2011 consisted of a human factors integration test, nine months of scientific evaluation and a coinciding nine months of environmental trials under different climatic conditions. Ultimately, GLOCK proved the best fit for the MOD, and contracts were signed in 2012.


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Magpul MOE-K2 Grip, XTM Hand Stop, and XTM Panels

Magpul Industries display at SHOT Show 2013 features the XTM Enhanced Rail Panels, XTM Hand Stop Kit, and the MOE-K2 grip on a Magpul AR lower receiver.

The XTM Enhanced Rail Panels are designed for improved grip and better protection for picatinny rails.  And the XTM Hand Stop Kit is designed for a lightweight and low-profile for the ideal placement of the hand stop as well as index point.

The MOE-K2 grip is designed for a steeper grip angle and enhanced ergonomics and also provides storage and is compatible with the Magpul Grip Core.  The grip has an aggressive texture and is designed for compact weapons such as PDW's (Personal Defense Weapons) with short length-of-pull.

DANIEL DEFENSE ISR (Integrally Suppressed Rifle) new for 2013

New for 2013 is the new ISR (Integrally Suppressed Rifle).  Chambered in .300 AAC Blackout with a permanently attached sound suppressor at the gas block.  The gas block is of pistol length and is fitted to a 10.3 inch cold hammer forged barrel and a 5.7 inch suppressor.

The ISR is built on Daniel Defense's AR mil-spec upper and lower receivers.  It comes standard with with mil-spec internal parts, mil-spec pistol grip, Magpul MOE stock, and 1 Magpul 30-round Magazine.  The sample model was fitted with the Modular Float Rail 12.0 (MFR 12.0) with rail mounted DD fixed front sight and the A1.5 fixed rear sight.

Because the suppressor is permanently attached to the barrel, it's exceeds the minimum 16" OAL, making this a non-NFA rifle.  The sound suppressor contains removable monolithic baffles for cleaning and maintenance.  At 7.62 lbs it's designed as a lightweight and compact suppressed rifle.

Daniel Defense ISR will be available in April and will retail for $3,199.

Marines train with the new M27 IAR Infantry Automatic Rifle

By LCpl Scott Whiting

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - The United States Marine Corps explored many options to replace the currently employed M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, and found an upgrade with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. The IAR has been extensively tested by the Marine Corps since 2010. They examined the pros and cons of the rifle, and after confirming the benefits of issuing it, some battalions were recently outfitted with the weapon in Afghanistan.

 Infantry Training Battalion - East also implemented training with the weapon in the last few months. Company D’s basic riflemen, who will use the weapon most with their job responsibilities, familiarized themselves with the IAR Jan. 9 aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.

 “We went to the IAR because it is more precise when aiming, and it also has the ability to fire at a semi-automatic rate,” said Staff Sgt. Scott Bare, infantry course chief for ITB – East. “The SAW was fully automatic at all times, which can limit its uses. The simple change of it going from a light machine gun to an automatic rifle offers more mobility and maneuverability within a rifle squad.”

 Switching from an approximately 17-pound light machine gun to an approximately 8-pound rifle will make moving with the weapon easier, since it weighs close to the same as a standard M16A4 rifle. 

The option to fire the IAR as a semi-automatic will give riflemen the ability to engage farther targets with more accuracy than firing on fully automatic does.

The IAR uses a 30-round magazine, reloads and fires the same way an M16 does, but a big difference is the safety switch on both sides of the IAR. The M16 has a safety switch only on the left side of the rifle, beneficial only to right-handed shooters. The IAR also does not have a three-round burst option. Instead, Marines can switch between the semi-automatic and fully automatic rates of fire.

Even though the IAR is similar to the M16 on the outside, the inner-workings vary drastically. “There’s a lot of internal difference between the two,” said Bare. “As much as (the IAR) looks like an M16, the rifle itself has many changes to it. Once you actually break it down to the different parts and operating systems, you notice some distinct differences. The M16 itself uses gas tubes, and the IAR uses a short piston. The bolts and buffers are different as well. The (IAR) is truly meant for an individual to employ precise fire at a high volume when necessary.”

Bare said the goal is to eventually replace SAWs within squads and fire teams with the IAR, but the SAW is still a useful weapon in certain situations and still has a purpose overseas.

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HK MR762A1 LRP (Long Rifle Package) New for 2013

Taking an essentially standard MR762A1 (caliber 7.62 x 51 mm NATO) semi-automatic rifle, Heckler & Koch USA turns it into a more effective precision rifle by an astute addition of the right optics and accessories. A Leupold 3-9VX-R Patrol 3-9 x 40 mm scope and mount, HK G28 adjustable cheekpiece buttstock, and LaRue Tactical BRM-S bipod are the primary add-ons that make the MR762A1 Long Rifle Package (LRP) more than a sum of parts.

A semi-automatic rifle originally developed from the fully automatic HK417, the MR762A1 LRP employs the same HK proprietary gas piston operating system found on current HK rifles and carbines, using a "pusher" rod in place of the gas tube normally found in AR15/M16/M4-style firearms.

This method of operation virtually eliminates malfunctions that are common to direct impingement gas systems since hot carbon fouling and waste gases do not enter the receiver area. This is the same key feature critical to the success of the current generation of HK rifles used by leading military and law enforcement customers.

The MR762A1 LRP uses a barrel produced by Heckler & Koch's famous cold hammer forging process. The highest quality steel is used in this manufacturing

process, producing a long-life barrel that provides superior performance with minimal degradation of accuracy and muzzle velocity after prolonged use. The barrels are manufactured in Germany and finished in the USA.

The MR762A1 used in the "Long Rifle Package" is being produced with the same commitment to quality as German-made HK firearms. By using joint U.S./ German manufacturing, Heckler & Koch leverages the relative strengths of two continents to make the preeminent AR-type firearms, combining the design innovations of the USA and Germany into superior products.

Additional accessories and add-ons for the LRP variant of the MR762A1 include an ERGO Pistol Grip from Falcon Industries, the same Blue Force Gear sling used on the HK M27 IAR supplied to the USMC, and an OTIS cleaning kit. The rifle package, complete with one 20 and one 10-round magazine is shipped ready to use with the scope attached in a compact 42-inch Model 1720 Pelican case.

The MR762A1 LRP has all the features sought by civilian precision shooters as well as law enforcement organizations seeking a basic and lighter weight alternative to the HK G28 series of designated marksman rifles.

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