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RM277 Next Generation Squad Weapons from General Dynamics-OTS, Manufactured by Beretta Defense Systems

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SSD has a article up today about the ongoing waste of tax payer money known as the NGSW program. AKA , the sweet retirement gig for 4 star generals program.

General Dynamics-OTS is competing with Textron Systems SIG SAUER in the US Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) program which seeks to replace the current M4A1 Carbine and M249 Light Machine Gun in the close combat squads with a Rifle and Automatic Rifle designed to fire 6.8mm ammunition. The intent is to provide similar characteristics to 270 Win Short Mag. It’s important to note that the 6.8mm settled on by the Army is the equivalent of .277 in Imperial measurement.

General Dynamics-OTS is partnered with Beretta Defense Systems and True Velocity to offer their NGSW candidate system. The .277 ammunition size has influenced the naming of their rifle and ammunition, the RM277, which also makes it handy to begin marketing to other customers.

General Dynamics-OTS designed the bullpup RM277 and Beretta provides Research and Development support and future high-volume manufacturing capabilities at its new Gallatin, TN, facility.

When the Army decided on a 6.8 cartridge, they left it up to industry to develop the actual ammunition. True Velocity has named their composite cased cartridge the 277 TVCM.

The composite construction makes it 30-40% lighter than current, conventional ammunition. Additional benefits are reduced heat transfer as the composite insulates the chamber and bolt face, the production of extremely concentric and consistent case and precise powder drop which results in consistent pressure and muzzle velocities for improved accuracy, and elimination of heavy metals that produce adverse health effects on Soldiers.

TV also boasts magnetic retrieval of spent cases during training and a case which is 100% recyclable.

Unlike the weapon candidates from their competitors, GD-OTS’ M277-R and RM277-AR are extremely similar. The AR is naturally longer and heavier for sustained fire.

Rather than introducing a box-fed rifle and belt-fed automatic rifle like the others, the bullpup design called for both weapons to be box-fed. The bullpup also allows for longer barrels for both increased velocity and accuracy.

They are gas and recoil operated and impulse averaged with short recoil to offer controllable, accurate automatic fire. They also incorporate dual firing modes, closed bolt in semi-automatic mode and open bolt in automatic mode. Naturally, the weapons feature ambidextrous controls. The suppressor is 3D printed and provided by Delta-P.

Having participated in Soldier Touch Points and reliability and performance testing at Aberdeen Proving Ground, next up for General Dynamics-OTS is to incorporate feedback from Prototype Testing #1 into their design and produce the Prototype Testing #2 samples of weapons and ammunition.

RM277 Next Generation Squad Weapons from General Dynamics-OTS, Manufactured by Beretta Defense Systems

Remington Model 513T Target Rifle

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After months of development and a research cost of $16,500, Remington announced a new small bore bolt action rifle. It was advertised as a moderately priced alternative to the Model 37 rifle. This was the model 513 T Matchmaster target rifle, one of the 500 series family of rifles. It was ready for delivery in May 1940 for the price of $29.99. Originally it was referred to as the Model 513TR rifle.

The rifle features a heavy straight no taper 26 3/4 inch semi floating target barrel. a full target style pistol grip, walnut stock with target beaver tail forend, an adjustable front sling swivel, Redfield globe front sight with 7 interchangeable discs, a new Redfield No. 75 micrometer rear sight, adjustable trigger stop, short firing pin travel, and a 6 round magazine that was detachable.

Remington offered the rifle without sights for 5 bucks less and two sporter versions.

Factory documents indicate that accuracy of an out of the box Model 513T was 1 inch and 3/4 at 100 yards. Impressive for a moderately priced target rifle from the 1940s. I can say from first had experience that it is not capable of that accuracy in its standard factory off the shelf condition. Not with modern match Rimfire ammo anyway.

Remington Historian, H.J Swinney recalled seeing a number of 513Ts chambered for the experimental .267 rimfire cartridge. Remington never offered them for sale to the public and no surviving example is known to exist.

During the war the US Gov purchased 59,964 model 513Ts for marksmanship training and another 1,300 during the Korean war.

Following WW2 Remington resumed production of the Model 513TR in early 1945, and the model 513SP the next year. Remington last offered the 513TR and TX target rifles in 1968. In total Remington produced the rifle for a 29 year period from 1939 to 1968.

Makes you want one doesn’t it?

More 3D printing guns

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I was surfing the web and I came across a picture of this:

This is the Anderson Wildfire, a 3D Printable AR15 lower designed to use standard parts, including take down pins.

I find it interesting the design changes to make it more successfully printable.

Unfortunately with this design, you would have to remove one of the screws to pivot a side reinforcing plate in order to disassemble the gun. I also read that this lower is lacking in rigidity. Still, I decided I was going to print one.

UNTIL. . .

The very next day I found out that a new and improved version had been designed and released.

The Anderson Hellfire.

I found out that the data package is over on Keybase and I went and downloaded it and looked at the design.

Lower design aside, the documentation and design files of this project are superior to most every business and professional project I have worked on or seen.

I had to make one.

Now, just a quick word of warning. The main model in the Hellfire is designed as fully freedom. Depending on what you are trying to accomplish, you might want to print the alternative, semi-free model.

The Wildfire, and the Hellfire lowers are printed in several parts. Partially due to limitations in 3d Printer capabilities, to maximize the strength of the parts, and to make it easy to replace broken parts.

As an attempt to better secure the area where the buffer tube screws into, the Hellfire uses two bolts to hold it on to the rest of the lower, and a third bolt to (uniquely as far as I know) put tension on the top left while the bolts hold in compression on the bottom and bottom right.

I have no idea how good it will work, but let us give it a try.

Tally Ho!

QBZ-191: China’s new service rifle

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Last week, Chinese state media released footage of the PLA’s next-generation assault rifle, the QBZ-191, Peter Suciu at National Interest reported.

This would replace the QBZ-95-1 bullpup that has been in service since 1997, the report said, as China adopts a weapon with a more “traditional” layout — including a magazine forward of the pistol grip.

The infantry version will have a 14.5-inch barrel while the marksman version will have an even longer barrel. Visually the weapon has characteristics to the American AR15/M16 platform as well as modern European assault rifles including a full-length Picatinny rail (a mounting platform for firearm accessories) on top, the report said.

According to sources, the new rifle is a gas-operated short-stroke pistol assault rifle, and is chambered in the standard 5.8x42mm caliber, but it utilizes a new type of round that has been designed to perform better, the report said.

In its carbine configuration it has an effective range of 300 meters, while the infantry assault rifle version is effective to 400 meters. Both have a rate of fire of 750 rounds per minute (rpm).

QBZ-191: Meet China’s new assault rifle

Model 31 Riot gun?

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I stopped in Cabelas last week and ran across something rare. The riot model Model 31 Remington. I got excited about that for as long as it took to see the “Full” on the barrel. Some one some where had this baby cut down. A shame. I was tempted to buy it anyway but the 299 was too much for a hacked on shotgun.