Você está na página 1de 5

The LWRC Short-Stroke Gas Piston system provides a

worthwhile improvement in reduced fouling and reliabili-


f there ever was a child born of controversy, it’s the M16. ty over the direct impingement gas system of the M16.

I
the two rifles was held at Aberdeen Proving Ground late in 1962.
Almost half a century after its inception, it still is. The M16 The results were ambivalent.
(originally called the AR-15) is a child of the late Eugene A comparative lethality and wound ballistics test at Edgewood
Stoner, then-chief engineer for Armalite, a division of Fairchild Arsenal stated that the earlier Project AGILE report of the .223’s By the spring of 1967, Colt’s bed of roses started to rot as
Aircraft. The AR-15 was essentially a scaled-down version of killing power was a gross exaggeration. The official Army reply to reports of widespread malfunctions in combat began to appear in
Stoner’s AR-10. Secretary of Defense McNamara’s order for the comparative a mainstream media hungry for every tainted tidbit about the war
A small quantity of AR-15 rifles was delivered to Ft. Benning examination of the two rifle systems flatly concluded that “…only in Vietnam. The press gleefully printed melodramatic letters sup-
for test and evaluation against the M14 on 31 March 1958. In a the M14 is acceptable for general use in the U.S. Army…” posedly written by GIs whose comrades had fallen dead next to
simulation of combat environments, the M16 proved to be three But too much evidence pointed to an opposite conclusion. An their jammed M16s.
times as reliable as the M14. But General Maxwell Taylor, the Army Inspector-General’s investigation decided that the Army had There were real problems. Foremost was the change in mid-
Army Chief of Staff, vetoed any further CONARC development rigged some of the tests against the AR-15. As a consequence, stream from a cartridge using an IMR propellant to a ball pow-
of the AR-15 in favor of continued procurement of the M14. McNamara terminated procurement of the M14 rifle on 23 der. Innuendos of intrigue were leveled against the powder man-
Fairchild, disenchanted with the AR-15 program, sold the entire January 1963 and announced a “one-time buy” of 85,000 AR-15 ufacturer, Olin Winchester. In truth, ball propellants generally
AR-15 package to Colt in December 1959. rifles for the Army and 19,000 for the Air Force. An entirely new burn cooler than extruded IMR-type powders, extending barrel
The AR-15 was tested in Vietnam by the Defense Department weapon system called SPIW (Special Purpose Infantry Weapon), life. This no small consideration for modern, lightweight assault
in the summer of 1962, under the code-name Project AGILE. firing small-caliber cartridges using steel-flechette, multiple pro- rifles with selective-fire capability.
The AGILE report was more than enthusiastic, as great claims jectiles imbedded in plastic sabots, was believed to be at hand. The M16 upper and lower receiver bodies are fabricated
were made for the caliber .223 cartridge’s killing power, and the SPIW never materialized, and intensification of the war by from T6 aluminum, not steel, which is a far superior heat
improved handling, reliability, durability and ease of mainte- 1965 caused General Westmoreland to request the M16A1 rifle reservoir. The tradeoff—and there always is one—is that
nance over the M14. A favorable cost-effectiveness report fol- for all ground combat elements in Vietnam. Procurement was ball propellants generate more carbon residue which, of
lowed from the DOD Comptroller’s Office. accomplished by August 1966. In December of that year, the course, accelerates fouling of the gas system. And, “there’s
The anti-M14 group now had an alternative to rally around. A U.S. Army type-classified the M16A1 rifle and it replaced all .30 the rub,” as Shakespeare’s Hamlet would say, since the
number of Pentagon agencies entered the fray and began com- cal. rifles in its inventory, except those eventually retained for M16’s gas system has been subjected to unending criticism
paring the AR-15 and M14. A comparative evaluation between use as sniper rifles. from day one.
The short-stroke gas piston system used by LWRC borrows
heavily from the World-War-II-era Soviet SVT40 Tokarev rifle
(top) and the subsequent German G43 (bottom). the Middle East, the problems associated with this portion of the ponents through their cycle. The piston spring is stout and rec-
M16 system have increased. tangular and ensures that the piston cup does not move off the
Reducing the length of the gas tube shortens the gas pressure nozzle’s collar until enough energy is collected. The stroke off
After firing a round, the projectile passes through the gas port, curve and increases the potential for bolt bounce and firing out the collar occurs in this 6/10ths of an inch.
permitting gas to flow back through a stainless steel gas tube and of battery, short-stroking, feeding malfunctions, increased wear After the piston cup has passed the collar, the carrier group
a so-called bolt carrier key into the hollow interior of the bolt on the reciprocating components because of faster cyclic rates unlocks and moves through its cycle. Venting of the propellant
carrier. This is usually referred to as a direct impingement gas and a greater recoil impulse. Many of these problems can be gases is a staged event, so the gases are not released in a single
system. As the carrier moves rearward, a cam slot cut into the reduced or eliminated by use of a short-stroke gas piston method “dump” at the end of the recoil stroke. As a consequence, use of
carrier turns the bolt’s cam pin, which causes the bolt to rotate of operation. a sound suppressor or higher energy impulse ammunition does
clockwise, freeing the eight locking lugs from their abutments in SHOTGUN NEWS was recently sent an upper receiver using not alter the piston stroke.
the barrel extension. The carrier’s momentum draws the bolt this latter method of operation for test and evaluation by LWRC, To access your gas piston, simply remove the upper poly-
rearward at a slightly reduced velocity. Inc. (Dept. SGN, 7200-G Fullerton Road, Springfield, Va. 22150; mer hand guard of the weapon. In the case of the SRT upper
There is no primary extraction and the extractor withdraws the phone: 703-455-8650; fax: 703-455-8654; website: www.lwrifles. receiver sent to SGN for test and evaluation; remove the top
cartridge from the chamber. The spring-loaded, bump-type ejec- com; e-mail: info@lwrifles.com). rail portion of the Accessory Rail Modular—Rifle (ARM-R).
tor emerges from the left side of the breech face and rotates the The LWRC gas system is similar to that of the World-War-II- This is a return-to-zero removable top that is pushed on to
empty case, after it has cleared the chamber, around the extrac- era German G43 rifle, which, in turn was patterned after that of high tensile steel retaining pins and under the angled rail
tor claw and out the ejection port of the upper receiver body. The the Soviet SVT40 Tokarev rifle. The LWRC system uses a fixed clamp by two captive pusher screws that are designed to be
bolt carrier assembly continues rearward, compressing the recoil piston (called by LWRC the “nozzle”) and a reciprocating cylin- turned finger tight only.
spring and cocking the hammer. der, which they refer to as the “piston cup.” With the cover installed, the unit is as strong or stronger
The buffer and recoil spring return the carrier and a fresh The nozzle is fixed to a low-profile gas block. The nozzle than any one-piece rail on the market with zero movement of
round is stripped from the magazine. All forward bolt motion has a collar and is ribbed with integral rings. The piston cup the top rail. No re-zero of optics or the iron sights is required
stops after the round is chambered. The carrier continues forward slides over the nozzle. Using a hollow piston cup instead of after removal and reinstallation the top rail portion of the
to contact the rear face of the barrel extension and its cam slot a solid piston reduces the reciprocating mass. In addition, ARM-R.
turns the cam pin, which in turn rotates the bolt and its lugs anti- the nozzle scrapes carbon fouling from the inside of the pis- One of the issues associated with a piston is that kinetic ener-
clockwise into the locked position. ton cup with each firing cycle, blowing the fouling out of gy is applied to the bolt carrier off axis. That means the steel car-
The M16’s trigger mechanism is based upon that of the .30 M1 vent holes. LWRC suggests taking the piston assembly apart rier could tilt and wear on the aluminum receiver. LWRC uses a
Garand. The direct impingement gas system was taken from the and soaking it in copper solvent every 2,500 to 5,000 rounds, proprietary bolt carrier (but standard bolt) in which a special car-
Swedish Ljungman AG42(B) rifle. This method of operation was although it will continue to function reliably much longer rier key is used.
also used in the French Model 49 series of rifles prior to being than that. The carrier key is made from a billet of ARAMAT (a material
duplicated by Eugene Stoner in the AR-15. While in recoil, the cup floats on the venting gas while recip- used in the fabrication of jet engine turbine blades). ARAMAT is
This method of operation has been subjected to a great deal of rocating, thus making a complete disconnect with the barrel impact resistant and does not peen or bend as other alloys do. It
criticism. While the bolt carrier key can be cleaned by the oper- assembly. The collar on the nozzle is 6/10ths of an inch long. is completely hardened, not just casehardened. LWRC has dove-
ator, usually by means of a tobacco pipe cleaner, the stainless One hundred percent of the energy of the tapped gas is used to tailed the carrier to accept this solid key. No forces are applied to
steel gas tube cannot be successfully maintained by a soldier in propel the operating rod to impinge against the carrier. the carrier key screws. The screws are there to prevent lateral
the field, and its replacement requires special tools and training. It hits the carrier key with a sharp hammer blow during a very movement only.
As the original 20-inch barrel has been compressed to 14.5 inch- short stroke to overcome the operating group’s mass and all asso- To prevent carrier tilt, LWRC has designed a slight downward
es in the M4 configuration so popular with Coalition troops in ciated springs and allow inertia to propel the reciprocating com- angle on the carrier key—toward the operating rod to re-vector
the delivered kinetic energy to the carrier so
that it moves straight back in the receiver
This M16A2 with LWRC SRT upper receiver is in M4 con-
instead of tilting. The carrier is also stabi-
figuration except for the buttstock. It’s equipped with an lized by a boss of increased diameter on its
EOTech Model 553 sight and SureFire vertical foregrip. back.
The carrier is devoid of gas vent holes as
no gas passes through it. The carriers are
phosphate-finished and then coated with
Dupont Teflon so the weapon may be run
devoid of any lubricant. The inside of the
receivers are coated with Sandstrom finish
like the exterior of the original M16A1,
which allows the carrier to travel smoothly.
This SRT (Special Rifle—Teams) upper
receiver has a stepped 14.5-inch barrel for
attaching an M203 40mm grenade launcher.
Both the chamber and barrel are chrome
lined. The six-groove rifling has a 1:7 right-
hand twist. An M16A2 flash suppressor was
attached to the muzzle. It’s similar to the
are blue (which shows up blood), but
white and red are also available. The
Millennium M910A Vertical Foregrip
WeaponLight sells for $616. I consider
this to be at the highest possible level of
truly professional combat equipment.
It’s an essential accouterment for the
modern battlefield rifle and receives my
recommendation without reservations
of any kind.
Collapsible buttstocks look “profes-
sional.” There are some applications,
such as within vehicles, where their
potential for compressing the M16’s
envelope can be of benefit. However,
they just do not provide the degree of
stability that a fixed stock does. To
obtain as stable a firing platform as pos-
The handguard is equipped with full-length MIL-STD-1913 rail interfaces at 12, 3, sible, there is almost no scenario in
6 and 9 o’clock. The rail interfaces have removable rubber guards for comfort.
which I would not select the excellent
M16A2 buttstock.
The A2 buttstock is 5/8-inch longer
original M16A1 birdcage-type, except that the sixth port on the than that of the M16A1 and this increased length-of-pull was
bottom was deleted to reduce muzzle climb slightly during burst- determined to be ideal by the Human Engineering Laboratory at
fire and diminish position disclosure when firing from the prone Aberdeen Proving Ground. Fabricated from foam-filled, high-
position in dusty, arid region environments. The flash signature impact plastic designed to resist fracture from launching rifle
remains the same. grenades, the A2 buttplate is deeply checkered to improve reten-
The handguard is equipped with full-length MIL-STD-1913 tion in the shoulder pocket. When folded, the profile of the Troy Industries Battle
rail interfaces at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. The top rail interface has There are dozens of different pistol grips that can be installed Sights is only .460". The post front sight has protective
index numbers from “T1” forward to “T12” in the rearmost rail on the AR-15/M16. I prefer the Model BG-16 Battlegrip manu- ears and can easily be adjusted for elevation zero.
notches. The rail interfaces have removable rubber guards as cur- factured by TangoDown (Dept. SGN, 884 North Fair Oaks
rently used by the U.S. Army in the Middle East. I attached this Avenue, Pasadena, Calif. 91103, website: www.tangodowwn-
upper receiver to a Colt M16A2 selective-fire lower receiver. llc.com). The Battlegrip, available in either black or tan, comes acquisition and more than adequate accuracy at ranges less than
Vertical foregrips are popular with Coalition troops serving in complete with anti-rattle foam battery spacers, stainless steel 100 meters. And, in fact, no matter what the terrain, the average
the Middle East. Without doubt, combining the advantages of a Dry-Lok fastener, grip installation tool and complete instruc- distance to contact with the enemy is less than 100 meters
vertical foregrip with a flashlight designed for combat is the tions. throughout the world. I learned this in Angola in the mid-1980s
most attractive alternative of all. Since they introduced their first The salient feature of this grip is its ability to store two when I interviewed South West African Defense Force platoon
flashlight in 1987, SureFire (Dept. SGN, 18300 Mount Baldy Aimpoint-type power cells in addition to two AA or 123 lithium leaders who were at that time engaged in heavy combat with
Circle, Fountain Valley, Calif. 92708-6122; phone: 800-828- batteries all in a water- and dust-resistant cavity, sealed by an SWAPO terrorists.
8809; fax: 714-545-9537; website: www.surefire.com) has come easy-to-access cover. This is an important attribute as so many of They informed me that even in the relatively open landscape
to totally dominate the field of combat flashlights. the devices now attached to the M16 require batteries, which encountered in South West Africa (now Namibia) and Angola,
The SureFire Millennium Vertical Foregrip System is on the always fail at the wrong time. their troops rarely fired at enemy personnel at distances greater
ground, in combat, with Coalition forces in both Iraq and The LWRC SRT sent to us for test and evaluation was equipped than 100 meters. And, so too today in both Iraq and Afghanistan
Afghanistan. I installed a Millennium M910A Vertical Foregrip with folding iron sights manufactured by Troy Industries, Inc. where rapid acquisition red-dot-type sights of one type or anoth-
WeaponLight on the LWRC, Inc. SRT upper receiver’s 6 o’clock (Dept. SGN, 17 Main Street, Lee, Mass. 01238-0308; phone: 413- er are found on most of the M4 rifles fielded by Coalition troops.
rail interface. 243-9315; fax: 413-383-0339; website: www.troyind.com; e-mail: In my personal opinion, the very best of all those available is
The M910A attaches to the MIL-STD-1913 rail interface by info@troyind.com). This Folding Battle Sight Set is available in the EOTech HOLOgraphic Weapon Sight (HWS) manufactured
means of a built-in dual thumbscrew mount. Two lamp assem- USSOCOM flat dark earth and black and carries a manufactur- by L3 Communications EoTech (Dept. SGN, 3600 Green Court,
blies are included. The high-output MN10 lamp assembly pro- er’s suggested retail price of $250, including a front sight adjust- Suite 400, Ann Arbor, Mich. 48105-1570; phone: 734-741-8868;
vides 125 lumens of light for one hour of runtime. The ultra ment tool.
high-output MN11 lamp assembly offers 225 lumens with a run- When attached to a MIL-STD-1913 rail interface and folded,
time of 20 minutes. The “A” model Millennium features a stan- the profile is only .460". The post front sight has protective ears
dard 1.625-inch bezel. The “AB” model is equipped with a 2.5- and can be adjusted for elevation zero with a fired cartridge case.
inch TurboHead reflector. The rear sight, calibrated for M855 ammunition, has dual same-
The M910A is equipped with five separate switches: two pres- plane apertures: .197" for 0 to 200 meters and .070" for 300 to
sure-sensitive momentary activation pads to control the main 800 meters.
battle light—one on each side of the vertical foregrip for The stainless steel cross locking is easy to use and remains up
ambidextrous operation, a constant on/off switch at the rear of and zeroed under the most extreme battlefield conditions. To
the light housing, a system disable switch at the base of the ver- fold, simply press the release button located on the left side of
tical foregrip to lock the system in the OFF position, and a third, each sight. These robust combat sights are in use by Coalition
smaller momentary switch at the rear of the grip assembly to troops in the Middle East and have been well received.
control two low-output LED lamps. The LED lamps are designed Red-dot sights are very popular. They provide rapid target
for deployment whenever there is a
requirement for a very small
amount of light, such as for stealth
navigation or nighttime breaching
operations.
The Millennium uses three lithi-
um 123 3-volt batteries with a 10-
year shelf life. The housing is fab-
ricated from Nitrolon, a non-con-
ductive, impact-resistant, aramid
glass-filled polymer. The lens win-
dow is made of Pyrex with a shock-
isolated aluminum bezel featuring
a hard-anodized finish.
The flawless white beam is
always in focus and is bright
enough to temporarily blind an The Troy Industries rear battle sight is calibrated for M855
opponent. The secondary LED nav- A stepped 14.5-inch barrel allows attachment of an M203 40mm grenade launcher. ammunition and has dual same-plane apertures: .197"
igation lights on the unit sent to us Both the chamber and barrel are chrome-lined. An M16A2 flash suppressor was fitted. for 0 to 200 meters and .070" for 300 to 800 meters.
Bridgewater, Mass. 02379; phone: 508-584-7816; fax: 508-588- Glint screens (sometimes referred to as Anti-Reflection
8045; website: www.armsmounts.com). Devices) are not necessary.
These throw levers are intended for interface with a MIL- The Model 553 HWS has 20 levels of brightness adjustment
STD-1913 rail system. The M553 HWS is powered by two 123 in the normal visual spectrum. When the sight is turned on, the
lithium batteries, permitting cross application with other elec- brightness level is automatically set at the factory to level 12.
tronic gear, such as the SureFire Millennium M910A Vertical There is also an auto shutdown mode and the unit will automat-
Foregrip WeaponLight. Battery life is 1,100 continuous hours at ically shut itself off eight hours after the last push-button control
the M553 HWS’s nominal setting of 12. has been pressed. The user can also program the HWS for a four-
Other new features include 66 feet (2 atmospheres) of water hour shutdown mode. As the batteries run down, the reticle
submersibility and a unique battery cap tether to avoid loss in the brightness will remain at the set intensity and then shut down
field. It also has a 7mm (quarter-inch) raised base to provide the abruptly.
operator with a consistent cheek weld with all other standardized Overall, AK47/AKM magazines have outperformed M16/AR-
optics. The Model 553 is available with either a black or Flat 15 magazines for almost half a century. We have tested and are
Dark Earth finish and this anodized finish has been beefed-up to favorably impressed with the 20- and 30-round M16/AR-15
meet Type III, Hardcoat anodization standards. Without doubt, magazines distributed by Brownells, Inc. (Dept. SGN, 200 South
this is the best EOTech unit of all. It is destined for total domi- Front Street, Montezuma, Iowa 50171-9989; phone: 800-741-
nance of the rapid-acquisition-sight market. 0015; fax: 800-264-3068; website: www.brownells.com) and
The EOTech HOLOgraphic Weapon Sight is a transmission- carrying their logo on the floorplate.
type hologram and thus projects what appears to be an illumi- Both the 20- and 30-round magazine bodies are curved and
nated reticle pattern directly on the target. Yet no forward light is thus use the same MIL-STD green plastic follower. The maga-
actually projected. zine bodies are MIL-STD hard-coat anodized with a dry-lube
To me, the HWS’s most important feature is the operator’s coating. They’re available with either chrome silicon or stainless
ability to acquire the target without regard to a cheek weld or steel follower springs. While not MIL-STD at this time, I prefer
consistent alignment of the shooter’s eye, the sight’s reticle pat- the chrome silicon follower spring as it doesn’t continue to take
tern and the target. No matter how you move your head and eye a set and thus can be stored with a full load of rounds.
about, the reticle pattern will always remain in exactly the same With either type of follower spring and in either capacity the
place on the target. Brownells magazines have a manufacturers’ suggested retail
This is an incredibly important phenomenon, especially when price of $17.95. In general, I much prefer 20-round M16/AR-15
rapid and accurate target acquisition under stress becomes liter- magazines for a number of reasons. They are less cumbersome
ally a matter of life and death during a gunfight. when shooting off a bench or in the prone position. In addition,
Mud or other obstructions do not affect the operator’s ability I feel that they promote fire discipline, as operators with less
to effectively see the reticle pattern and engage targets, even if ammunition in the well are not as likely to draw so deeply from
the display window is almost completely covered. The heads-up it and thus program themselves to more conservative fire tech-
display window is 3/8-inch thick, with three panes of glass bond- niques, which almost always yield greater hit probability.
The TangoDown Battlegrip comes complete with anti- ed together to form a shatterproof laminate. The two outside In my opinion, the so-called Giles Sling is one of the very best
rattle foam battery spacers, stainless steel Dry-Lok fas- panes have an anti-reflective coating. combat slings available. Designed by Giles Stock, a retired ser-
tener, grip installation tool and complete instructions. The Model 553 HWS sent to SGN for test and evaluation was geant and SWAT team armorer for the Phoenix Police
equipped with the standard reticle, which is a two-dimensional Department, it is manufactured by, and available from, The
ring (65 moa in diameter) with tick marks and a center 1 moa Wilderness (Dept. SGN, Wilderness Plaza, 1608 West Hatcher,
fax: 734-741-8221; e-mail: john.bailey@L-3com.com; website: dot. Custom reticles are available. The exit aperture is 45º. Phoenix, Ariz. 85021; phone: 602-242-4945 or toll free 800-775-
www.L-3Com.com/Eotech). After adjustment of elevation and windage zero, you sim- 5650; fax: 602-242-8260; email: orders@thewilderness.com;
Just introduced is the long awaited Model 553 Military ply look through the sight assembly’s window; place the ret- website: www.thewilderness.com).
HOLOgraphic Weapon Sight (HWS—order code: 553.A65/1). icle image on the target, and fire. The eye relief on the Because of the MIL-STD-1913 rail system, a so-called “Tri-
Developed in conjunction with and standardized by the US Model 550 HDS is an incredible 1 inch to infinity. Both the Glide”-type forend attachment was mounted on the left-side rail at
Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) as its 1X weapon elevation and windage adjustments are in half-moa click 9 o’clock. This version of the Giles Sling costs $46. The Tri-Glide
optic for close quarter, urban combat zones, the M553 Military increments. forend attachment was interfaced to the MIL-STD-1913 rail by
incorporates a number of new features required within the SOP- In a tactical environment the operator’s peripheral vision is means of the excellent GG&G (Dept. SGN, 3602 East 42nd
MOD Block 2 program. almost unlimited and up to 50% on each side of the target. Stravenue, Tucson, Ariz. 85713; phone: 520-748-7167 or toll free
These important new features include two quick-release throw That’s because there is no tube, the reticle window remains 800-380-2540; fax: 520-748-7583; website: www.gggaz.com)
levers on the left side for instant attachment as designed and close to the eye, and the large reticle pattern neither covers up “Sling Thing” for dovetails, which costs $35.
manufactured by Atlantic Research Marketing Systems, Inc. nor obscures the target. As no light is cast upon the target, Fabricated from heavy, 1.25-inch, black, coyote or foliage
(Dept. SGN, ARMS, Inc., 230 West Center Street, West there is no signature to compromise the operator’s position. green (US Army ACU) nylon webbing with 1.25-inch Delrin

The SureFire Millennium Vertical Foregrip


System is popular with Coalition troops.
Combining a vertical foregrip with a flash-
Just introduced is the new EOTech Model 553 Military HOLOgraphic Weapon Sight that light is the most attractive alternative.
incorporates a number of new features required within the SOPMOD Block 2 program.
penetrates steel fire doors to deliver terminal results on LWRC
the other side. LWRC is a firearms manufacturer and defense contractor.
TAP Barrier ammunition maintains structural integrity LWRC is an acronym for Leitner-Wise Rifle Company; although
through barriers while still offering expansion in soft tis- the company is undergoing a name change to reflect the fact that
sue. For tactical applications that require both barrier pen- the founder and namesake of the company no longer have any
etration and expansion in human targets, this projectile affiliation with the company. The company will retain the
provides the ultimate answer to an ugly question. acronym LWRC.
The caliber 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge has been LWRC started in 1999 and generally was an R&D “skunk
the subject of a great deal of criticism. However, at the works” and small manufacturer but now has moved to full-
most common distances at which contact with the fledged manufacturing in its plant in Springfield, Va., after man-
enemy occurs, 100 meters and less, this cartridge can be agement reorganization in early 2006. Jesse Gomez and Darren
quite effective. The performance generated by Mellors of Grenadier Precision folded into LWRC and formed
5.56x45mm NATO ammunition is primarily a conse- completely new management along with the new CEO, Patrick
quence of bullet fragmentation. As long as this FMJ Bryan.
bullet travels point-forward its wound track remains LWRC is currently a contender in the US Marine Corps
small and there is little tissue damage. However, after Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR) Solicitation along with Fabrique
from 2 to 6 inches of penetration, both the M193 Nationale and General Dynamics. IAR is a program developed
(Vietnam era) and M855 (current) projectiles will yaw to replace the SAW (M249) at the squad level with a light auto-
to 90º, flatten and break apart at the cannelure (crimp- matic rifle harkening back to the Browning BAR concept.
ing groove). Essentially IAR is a light automatic rifle that the squad rifle-
The bullet point remains as a flattened triangular sec- man can use for all the duties of a standard rifleman with the
tion, retaining about 60% of the original bullet weight added capability of providing light automatic fire support when
and penetrating about 13 inches in soft tissue. That por- required.
tion to the rear of the cannelure breaks into numerous
fragments that penetrate up to 3 inches radially away Conclusions
from the main wound track. While the number of rounds fired through the LWRC SRT
These multiple fragments perforate and weaken tis- upper receiver sent to SHOTGUN NEWS for test and evaluation
Brownells’ new 20- and 30-round M16/AR-15 magazines are sue. Tissue between two perforations is often complete- was limited to only a thousand of the assorted Hornady TAP
curved and available with either chrome silicon or stainless ly detached when subsequently subjected to the sudden ammunition described above, there were no functional problems
steel follower springs. They have been big sellers. stretch of temporary cavitation. Weakened tissue may of any kind in either the semiautomatic or full-auto modes. The
be split by stretch that would otherwise be absorbed by recoil impulse appeared to be slightly less than that usually expe-
the tissue’s elasticity. rienced with M16-type rifles using a direct impingement gas sys-
buckles, the sling is stitched with heavy polyester thread, which It’s important to note that there’s a direct correlation tem. The rifle’s accuracy potential was not affected.
is more sun-resistant than nylon thread. Available for the between the 5.56x45mm bullet’s velocity and the fragmenta- Upon disassembly, the amount of fouling observed was mini-
M14/M1A, Armalite series, Steyr AUG, Colt M16/AR-15 series, tion pattern. At a range of 100 meters, the M193/M855 bullet mal. I intend to leave this short-stroke gas piston upper receiver
Ruger Mini-14, Heckler & Koch rifles and the Benelli and generally breaks into two large fragments. At ranges more attached to my personal M16A2 lower receiver as I have no
Remington Model 1187 and 870 shotguns, the Giles Sling is also than 200 meters, the bullet flattens somewhat and only a few reservations about it whatsoever and feel that it is a worthwhile
custom-made for other shoulder-mounted weapons, which must small fragments squeeze out of the base. Thus, if the and significant improvement. I recommend it highly. The LWRC
be fitted in the shop. M193/M855 bullet passes through an arm or leg without strik- SRT upper receiver supplied to us complete except for the emer-
It can be used as a carry, shooting or hands-free sling (in the ing bone and before it yaws and fragments, the damage will gency iron sights carries a manufacturer’s suggested retail price
manner of the H&K combat carrying sling). Most important, the be minimal. of $1,645.
Giles Sling permits the operator correctly and safely to transi-
tion to his service sidearm in a combat environment.

Hornady TAP LWRC SRT Upper Receiver Specifications


Our test and evaluation of the LWRC short-stroke gas Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO (also available in caliber 6.8x43mm SPC and .499 LWRC).
piston system was conducted using ammunition provided
by Hornady Mfg. Co. (Dept. SGN, P.O. Box 1848, Grand Method of operation: Short-stroke gas piston; rotary bolt with eight locking lugs; fires from the closed bolt position
Island, Nebr. 68802-1848; phone: 800-338-3220; website: in both semiautomatic and full-auto modes.
www.hornady. com). We used three different loads of Cyclic rate: 700-900 rpm.
Hornady’s TAP (Tactical Application Police) .223 Rem. Barrel: Six-groove with a 1:7 right-hand twist
ammunition, which was specifically designed for law
Barrel length: 14.5 inches—available for use with registered Title II firearms only (other barrel lengths
enforcement tactical applications. When fired off the bench
available)—stepped for installation of the M203 40mm grenade launcher.
with a scope of high magnification, all three of these loads
will punch half-moa five-shot groups into paper at 100 Sights: Post front sight with protective ears that can be adjusted for elevation zero with a fired
yards. cartridge case. The rear sight, calibrated for M855 ammunition, has dual same-plane
My advice would be to use the heaviest bullet (up to 77 apertures: .197" for 0 to 200 meters and .070" for 300 to 800 meters. Folding-type,
grains) that can be stabilized through flight to the target with designed for installation on MIL-STD-1913 rail interfaces.
this caliber. The barrel’s very fast 1:7 twist permits you to do Finish: Aluminum components—Type III Hardcoat black anodized; barrel—black polycoat over phosphate.
so with considerable effectiveness. Manufacturer: LWRC, Inc., Dept. SGN, 7200-G Fullerton Road, Springfield, Va. 22150; phone:
The 60-grain TAP (part #83286) is a polymer-tipped spitzer 703-455-8650; fax: 703-455-8654; website: www.lwrifles.com; e-mail: info@lwrifles.com.
flat base bullet with a ballistic coefficient of .265. This bullet
offers high velocity in medium length (14.5-inch or longer) T&E summary: Outstanding reliability with minimal fouling, worthwhile improvement and highly recommended.
barrels with NATO chambers. It provides rapid expansion, MSRP: $1,645.
high fragmentation and low retained weight. This bullet will Ammunition: Hornady Mfg. Co., Dept. SGN, P.O. Box 1848, Grand Island, Nebr. 68802-1848;
begin to fragment in a sheetrock wall, but still has significant phone: 800-338-3220; website: www.hornady.com.
retained velocity, weight and penetration in ballistic gelatin.
Holographic optical sight: L3 Communications EoTech, Dept. SGN, 3600 Green Court, Suite 400,
I especially like the 75-grain TAP (part #80265), which is a
Ann Arbor, Mich. 48105-1570; phone: 734-741-8868; fax: 734-741-8221;
match-grade bullet that is Hornady’s heaviest TAP offering in
5.56x45mm NATO. It demonstrates rapid expansion and e-mail: john.bailey@L-3com.com; website: www.L-3Com.com/Eotech.
excellent fragmentation. It provides deeper penetration than Magazines: Brownells, Inc., Dept. SGN, 200 South Front Street, Montezuma, Iowa 50171-9989;
the 55- and 60-grain bullets, yet penetrates less than most phone: 800-741-0015; fax: 800-264-3068; website: www.brownells.com.
police handgun service rounds. It penetrates glass with mini- Folding iron sights: Troy Industries, Inc., Dept. SGN, 17 Main Street, Lee, Mass. 01238-0308; phone: 413-243-
mal deflection due to its retained weight. This bullet exhibits 9315; fax: 413-383-0339; website: www.troyind.com; e-mail: info@troyind.com.
minimal breakup on sheetrock, retaining most of its weight
Giles Sling: The Wilderness, Dept. SGN, Wilderness Plaza, 1608 West Hatcher, Phoenix, Ariz. 85021;
and penetration. The ballistic coefficient of this boattail hol-
phone: 602-242-4945 or toll free 800-775-5650; fax: 602-242-8260;
low point is .390.
email: orders@thewilderness.com; website: www.thewilderness.com.
The most specialized Hornady round we tested was the 60-
grain TAP Barrier (part #8375), a protected-point spitzer with Pistol grip: TangoDown, Dept. SGN, 884 North Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, Calif. 91103,
a ballistic coefficient of .245. This projectile was originally website: www.tangodowwnllc.com.
designed for use in nuclear power plant security. The bullet

Você também pode gostar