Caracal has unveiled their first service rifle, the CAR 816. The CAR 816, as its name suggests, is based on the M4 / AR-15 and is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO. It is gas piston operated.

The rifle will be available in either a black or Flat Dark Earth finish and with barrel lengths of 10”, 14.5” and 16”.  The video below demonstrates the CAR 816 being used in sand, mud and water.

This rifle rounds out Caracal’s product line up. They now have a pistol, a pistol-caliber carbine, an assault rifle and a bolt-action sniper rifle.

A photo posted on MP.net purports to show a member of the new Libyan Armed Forces with a new AR-15 in a short barreled rifle configuration. The rifle, a Oberland Arms OA-15 M7,  has ambidextrous controls, a barrel of 8″, it has a SOPMOD-style stock, the scope is an EOTech, the magazine is a OA-MAG (Oberland Arms manufactured clone of the Magpul PMAG) and the laser light module looks to be a Rheinmetall LLM01 (or a variant thereof). I cannot identify the quite distinctive quad rail. Can anyone identify the rail and/or the rifle manufacturer?

It is very interesting to see an EOTech scope exported (or re-exported) to Libya. In February and March of 2011, the UN Security Council passed resolutions which placed an arms embargo on Libya. In May 2011 the State Department amended the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to ban all export of all defense article to Libya. Exceptions can only be granted on a case-by-case basis and then only if the transaction is not in violation of the UN Security Council embargo. A week ago Libya and Russia announced that they would petition the Security Council to lift the embargo.

UPDATE: We incorrectly stated the magazine was a Magpul PMAG. It is in fact an unlicensed clone of the PMAG made by German firm Oberland Arms called the OA-MAG. The rifle was identified by Henrik Bergdahl as the Oberland Arms OA-15 M7. Thanks Henrik.

UPDATE: Oberland Arms contacted us saying they have never exported any rifles or parts to Libya.

For your information. Oberland Arms never sold anything to Libya. No screws, no springs and for sure no rifles. In fact we never sold anything to the African continent.

We are very strict with the export regulations.

Thanks to Albi for the photo. Thanks to Andrew Tuohy , Matt & Roy for help identifying parts of the rifle.

Wilson Combat has been making several top of the line AR-15 variants for awhile now. They aren’t afraid to embrace unusual concepts that some would say are forward thinking, and others would dismiss as too oddball or unproven. Their 7.62×40 WT caliber grapples in seemingly hopeless direct competition with the .300 AAC Blackout. Their Recon SR, with a 14.7 inch barrel and permanently attached suppressor mount, is advertised as the shortest possible suppressed AR15 that is still a Title 1 (non-short barreled rifle) firearm. All of the Wilson guns are top quality builds with no expense spared and no corners cut. Bargain hunters looking to get a “good enough” rifle for a song and a dance are advised to look elsewhere.

It should come as no surprise then, that Wilson is offering an upgrade package to their existing rifle packages, in the form of billet upper and lower receivers beautifully anodized in green or brown. If you just want a billet upper receiver, add a $200 premium. $400 gets you a matched billet upper/lower set. Carved from solid hunks of 7076-T6 aerospace aluminum, the receivers incorporate all sorts of trick features like EDM cut flared magwells and undersized bolt raceways. One feature they don’t have is a forward assist– Wilson Combat has decided that it’s nothing but a discredited liability in this day and age.

Normally, I would shrug at a $400 premium for fancy receivers on an AR. What’s the point, when most of us can’t shoot well enough to take advantage of any functionality difference between billet and standard receivers? But in this case, “why” turns to “why not?” When you are already melting your credit card on a Wilson Combat rifle featuring the latest, trickest, state of the art concepts executed using the best materials and workmanship money can buy, why skimp on a potential upgrade to critical components? These firearms are so advanced that they are starting to stretch the definition of what AR-15 type rifles are– they have moved so far from the Colt M16A1 of 40 years ago that they are really the children of Eugene Stoner’s design.

If you’re buying a new Ferrari, go ahead and get those optional wheels and tires. If you’re buying a Wilson Combat AR-15, go billet aerospace aluminum. You’ll have one of the best rifles of any type that any amount of money can buy.

DRD Tactical, the company that bought us the innovate stealthy Paratus-16, have now developed an AR-15 upper receiver that uses the same quick change/detach barrel and handguard system as the Paratus-16. The rail/handguard unit can be quickly detached from the upper receiver, decreasing the space required to store the rifle. DRD Tactical is also selling a hard case with pre-cut high density foam …

Two models are on offer. The P556-FN model comes with 16″ FN Hammer Forged chrome lined barrel and flash hider. The P556-LW model comes with 16″ Lothar-Walther stainless steel barrel and flash hider.

Dynamic Arms Research is a high-end German manufacturer of AR-15 rifles. DAR manufacture their own uppers, lowers, rails and muzzle brakes. They use Lothar Walther barrels and Magpul stocks and magazines.   They are chambered in .223 Rem., .300 Whisper and 6.8mm SPC. The rifles sell for around €3000 (nearly $3,900 at todays exchange rate).  These photos were taken at IWA ’13.

Many thanks to Eric (3Gun.se) for the photos.

The lucky folks at Modern Pawn and Guns, Corpus Christi TX, seems to consistently get hold of new guns before anyone else. They managed to get hold of the much anticipated LWRC Six8 UCIW Rifle, the new Magpul 6.8mm SPC PMAG and the new Federal/ATK XM6.8GD 90 grain Gold Dot ammunition.

Now if you are thinking “Steve, this is just another AR-15″, you would be wrong. It is not a standard 5.56mm AR-15 with a 6.8mm barrel. The receiver dimensions have been blown out to better accommodate the 6.8mm SPC round. The Magpul 6.8mm magazine only works with this rifle and won’t fit in a standard AR-15 lower. The magazine holds a full 30 rounds, not the usual 25 rounds held by 5.56mm conversion magazines.

The SBR 8″ Barrel version of the Six8

Magpul 6.8 PMAG. If you look carefully you can see the new Blood Red follower.

The guys at Modern Pawn and Guns, LWRC and a US Navy Seal, took the gun pig hunting at Wild River Ranch in South Texas to see how it fared with Federal’s new (not yet on sale) XM6.8GD 90 grain round. They shot this video …

Federal/ATK XM6.8GD 90 Grain cartridges.

Bushmaster Firearms is now making the M4-style Patrolman’s Carbine with Cerakote finishes.  Currently, two finishes are offered:  olive drab (OD) green and flat dark earth (FDE). The rifle’s furniture is black as is the barrel, front sight and carry handle.

The rifles are chambered in 5.56 NATO and come with a 16.5″ contoured barrel.  The twist rate is 1:9.  The bore and chamber are chrome lined.

The A2 flash hider is standard, along with a removable carry handle.  The stock is a six-position adjustable to better fit a variety of shooters.  Total weight, unloaded, is 6.7 pounds.

The Bushmaster carbine ships with a single 30-round magazine.  MSRP is $1,289 if you can find one in this market.  If you do find one, good luck on getting it at that price.

Boberg Arms Corporation is now manufacturing machined billet aluminum AR-15 lowers.  According to Boberg, CDH stands for Cold Dead Hands.

The CDH-15 offers “guaranteed fit and function to ensure complete compatibility” with your upper.  It is machined from 7075 T6 aluminum and should be good for pretty much any caliber you can jam into the AR platform.

There is an integral trigger guard, which should be large enough for use with gloves.  It does prevent the use of certain other parts such as the Stark grips.  The mag well is bevelled for easier mag loading.

The CDH-15 is available in black only.  MSRP is $399.  Shipping of the lowers is supposed to start this month.

The ACCU-GRIP is a new two piece AR-15 pistol grip that can be adjusted forward/back so that the correct part of your trigger finger naturally rests on trigger, regardless of the size of your hand.

It is being sold for $59.95.

ACCU-GRIP set far back.

Vice has produced a 30 minute documentary on Cody R Wilson’s quest to develop a 3D printed AR-15. Much of the documentary is political in nature, but it has enough interesting non-politics content to justify blogging on TFB.

Many thanks to Ethan for the tip.

AR-15 owners have to constantly resist putting more cool items on their modern sporting rifles, but I couldn’t resist trying out the custom rail covers put out by a company called Custom Gun Rails (CGR) out of Texas.

CGR makes a number of interesting designs that you can buy right off their website, or they can also custom make a cover using a logo, text, or other design. I tried out the laser engraved American flag covers which mount on any standard 1913 rail. Installing them was easy, a simple snap onto the rail, and then there are two screws to tighten with the included hex wrench. To take them off, perform the installation steps in reverse.

The two covers only weigh 11 grams each (about the weight of four nickels) so they don’t add any significant weight.

Bonus points to TFB readers who know the significance behind why the stars are on the right side of the flag in this picture.

The website has this description for their laser engraved aluminum products:

Our small Laser Engraved Aluminum (LEA) rail covers are made of high strength, abrasion and solvent resistant thermoplastic bonded with a hardcoat anodized, laser engraved aluminum insert. The anodization process prevents the image from chipping, cracking or peeling.

Here are some other samples:

CGR can even make a custom QR code rail cover.

CGR also makes custom dog tags, coins, and other items. From the CGR website:

Custom Gun Rails, Inc. (CGR) was founded in 2011 by a former Green Beret. After his service in the U.S. Army Special Forces, he worked in the private sector for various Private Security Companies and has been an active member in the community, deploying regularly. It was during one of these trips that the desire and necessity for units and individuals to customize their weapons became apparent.

Custom Gun Rails, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).

www.CustomGunRails.com.

Chris Cheng is History Channel’s Top Shot Season 4 champion. A self-taught amateur turned pro through his Top Shot win, Cheng very much still considers himself an amateur who parachuted into this new career. He is a professional marksman for Bass Pro Shops who shares his thoughts and experiences from the perspective of a newbie to the shooting community. www.TopShotChris.com.

DPMS is making a new generation of rifle designed for three gun/multi-gun matches.  The 3G2 is designed for entry-level competitors who are facing a significant cost barrier to entry.

The 3G2 uses a 16″ lightweight 416 stainless steel barrel with a M111 modular free-float handguard.  It has a 1:9″ twist and is capped with a Miculek compensator.  The sights are standard Magpul BUS and the stock is also a Magpul: the STR.

The pistol grip is an Ergo grip.  The 3G2 has a standard DPMS two stage trigger.

The rifle weighs in at 7.1 pounds. MSRP is $1239.

A British company called the Southern Gun Company (SCG) has developed a semi-semi-automatic AR-15 rifle action they call the Lever Release. After a round is fired the bolt always locks back and to release it (and chamber a new round) a lever, located opposite the selector on the left side of the lower receiver, must be actuated. Because this lever must be manually toggled to load a new round in the chamber, the UK does not class this as a semi-automatic rifle and is therefor easier to own by regular folk. The rifle is demonstrated in the video below …

Many thanks to Jacob for the tip.

It has been a looonnnggg time coming but Magpul is finally making a 10 round capacity PMAG. The PMAG 10 will retail for $13.95.

PMAG Round Limiter

Magpul also announced a line of PMAG Round Limiters. These limiters reduce the capacity of a PMAG by 5 or 10 rounds. You could, for example, combine the 5 round PMAG Round Limiter with the new PMAG 10 to get a PMAG with a 5 round capacity. Hunters will be happy.

The Marine Corps of the Chilean Navy has ordered 2,000 M4 Carbines from Colt reports IndoDefensa …

The first order, with deliveries to be completed in 2014, is designed to equip combat units that integrate Amphibious Expeditionary Brigade (BAE) , rapid deployment training from sea with 1,400 troops created in 2012. The remaining members of the BAE and other units of the CIM will continue to use the rifles in caliber 5.56mm HK33A2 acquired in the early nineties.

…

The final shortlist selection process also included CIM HK 416 German manufacturer Heckler & Koch and SCAR-L produced by FN Herstal of Belgium.

The M4 version produced under license by DPMS Panther Arms U.S. manufacturer was also evaluated, but was discarded in view of the problems faced with the rifle by the Brigade of Army Special Forces.

Thanks to Albi for the tip.

If you want an 80% AR-15 lower for as low as $65, you might want to check out a new crowd sourced project from Fealty Arms.  The new company is using RocketHub to acquire funding, and offering backers a variety of non-regulated 80% lowers in exchange.

An 80% lower is essentially the start of a “from scratch” rifle.  Since it is not complete, it is not regulated by the US government as a firearm.  There are no serial numbers, dealers or other hoops to jump through.  They can be mailed directly to your residence – just like any other piece of metal.

An 80% lower is not something you can just drop a trigger kit into and slap on an upper to make a functioning AR-15, however.  The lower will still require a fair amount of work with a drill press to turn it into a useable lower.

It may not be quite as intense as building an AK-47 from a shovel, but these lowers will definitely add a little complexity to the relatively simple process of assembling an AR from parts.  The funding period for Fealty Arms runs through April 30.

Modern Marine South

Modern Day Marine is an annual event that takes place aboard Marine Corps Bases Quantico, Lejeune(Marine South), and Pendleton(Marine West). It is an industry display for the Marine Corps of various products, services, and schools currently in production or service. The main theme is to showcase gear that will better prepare and equip Marines on deployment. Although it is defense orientated, alot of universities and colleges show up for Marines ending their time in service. The firearms companies in attendance this year were H&K, Glock, Trijicon, Leupold, and Sig Saur. All these companies brought their main products, but a few brought their latest developments that have also recently came out.

H&K had their P2000 line on display but of particular interest was their newest PDW, the 416D and the MG4. Some interesting features about the MG4 set it apart from most light machine guns. First off, the belt pouch is connected at an angle from the machine gun so it has bottom ejection. This is uncommon of light machine guns as most utilize the bottom for connecting the belt pouch.

The bipods can be bent forward, so if the gunner needs to get more on top of the feed tray to clear malfunctions, he can pull the gun rearward and it will be closer to the ground, thus maintaining his profile instead of having to increase it by raising himself.

The charging handle can be folded up but this also leads to another neat feature. As the charging handle is retracted, it can be folded anywhere along its path and locks the bolt at whatever position it is at. This allows the operator to utilize both hands in clearing a malfunction instead of only one hand while the other is maintaining positive control of the charging handle.

An overlaying issue always present with machine guns being fired continuously is that of a “run away” gun. In which the sear breaks and the bolt cannot be stopped by the trigger and continues to fire after trigger pressure has been released. The MG4’s bolt has a number of catches on the bottom. And within the trigger housing group is another sear that protrudes up when the trigger is not depressed. If the main sear or bolt catch were to break, this secondary sear would “catch” one of the several catches on the bottom of the bolt, thus preventing a run away gun.

Sig Saur was present with their 516 and 716 line up. Of particular interest was the 516 PDW with it’s 7.5 inch barrel and the new 716 DM rifle with a Premier scope mounted. They also had on hand a belt from High Tech Industries that while made for plainclothes wear, could carry a sizable assortment of gear. On this version it had 2 M16 magazine pouches, 2 pistol pouches, pistol holster, radio holster and a plate that mounts to a rip away medical kit. All were thermamold and fit very closely to the body. The belt itself had a velcro lining so if someone were wearing a riggers belt with the opposite lining, they would stick together.

But of primary interest at the Sig booth, was that both gas systems in the 5.56x45mm SIG516 series were present.

The main difference is that the Generation I piston head is screwed into the gas block while the Generation II is locked in by a clasp like set up that is far easier to disassemble and reduces the risk of threads becoming clogged or de threaded in the field. On both the Generation I and II there are four gas settings: standard operation, sluggish operation during sustained amounts of use, Suppressor operation, and gas cut off turning the firearm into a manual operation for each shot.

The system is very similar to H&K’s gas piston system found on the 416,417 series of rifles. But, it may be more robust, as it does not require taking the entire handguard off the rifle to take the piston out to clean.

Glock had it’s usual assortment of pistols out but it had a new back strap that curves up further than their current flat backstraps do.

http://www.marinemilitaryexpos.com/modern-day-marine.shtml

The Big 3 East in Florida is an expansion of the original Big 3 event held at Kansas every Fall.  Both events were started by writers for writers. The Big 3 stands for Tactical gun, Tactical gear and Tactical training. All the companies and writers were handpicked and by invitations only. The Big 3 East event in Florida was organized by Dillard (CJ) Johnson, a highly decorated retired US Army vet and former PMC. Special thanks to WPA (Wolf Performance Ammunition) for providing the ammo, Action Target providing the steel targets and Revision Military providing the eye protections for the event.

Tim Harmsen from the Military Arms Channel (MAC) was one of the invited writers at the Big 3 East event. MAC is well know for their video reviews. I will feature two of MAC’s videos in this report.  

Alexander Arms was the first presenter. Bill Alexander introduced their new line of ultra lightweight AR-15 carbines in the 5.56mm and 300 Blackout calibers. Both feature fluted stainless steel barrels and modular hand handguards constructed from G10 composite material. Also, the Alexander Arms Ion-bond coated adjustable single-stage match trigger is now available in the standard curve shape trigger, in additional to the original blade style with lightening holes. Alexander Arms is also working on a large caliber semi-automatic platform that will be unveil at the NRA show later this year.

RS Regulate displayed their new AK-300 modular optic mounts for the AKM platform. Besides of the new streamlined locking lever and the high quality CNC works, the AK-300 mounts all use a high-strength titanium alloy bolt to hold everything together. The system is fully adjustable to accommodate just about all variants of the AKM and AK74 pattern rifles, plus the PSL, Saiga and Vepr rifles. In additional to the 30mm ring base and Micro T1 base, there’s also the AKOG base that allows low over-bore mounting of the Trijicon ACOG and Compact ACOG, the Browe BCO, the ELCAN Specter OS 3.0, the Burris AR-332 and AR-536 prism sights on the AK platform.

Another product from RS Regulate was their new BM-1 flashlight mount. It took over 2-years of R&D to make sure the clamp-on mount doesn’t affect the barrel hormonic or causing point of impact shift. This lightweight 4-slot picatinny mount should also works on AR-15 with lightweight pencil profile barrel in .625 diameter.

Hi-Lux Leatherwood presented couple of new models in their CMR series of 1-4x24mm tactical scope. Those are the feature packed CMR4 for the 5.56mm and 7.62mm calibers, the CMR-AK762 and CMR4-AK762 with reticles made specifically for the 7.62x39mm and the 300 Blackout/300 Whisper.

James from WPA (Wolf Performance Ammunition) clarified the cause of the current ammo price surge. He said on the supplier side, their cost went up an average of 5-10% (depends on the calibers) due to the demand plus another 5-10% from their distributors. The rest of price increase or price gouging are from your local and on-line retailers.

WPAA (Wolf Performance Arms) is the sister company of WPA and a major importer of the Russian made Saiga and Vepr shotguns and rifles in the US. WPAA is now offering new muzzle devices and a polymer collapsible stock for the Saiga pattern shotgun. The stock features a thick recoil pad and a second large rotating locking mechanism that helps to keep the stock in position under heavy recoil.

Marc Krebs of Krebs Custom is holding his new lightweight custom AK carbine that weights only 7.5 pounds and it comes with the new Krebs Keymod extended AK handguard and the Krebs 4-prong AK flashhider. On the table is the new Krebs DMR built from the Vepr hunting rifle in 7.62x54R. The accuracy of the Krebs DMR is around 1.5-inch at 100 yard with good ammo, which is more accurate than the SVD.

Marc Krebs always brought serveral Class III weapons for everyone to enjoy and this time he had a PKM belt-fed GPMG. Here’s a Military Arms Channel video featuring Tim and Dave on a closer look of the PKM.

Copyright Laura Burgess Marketing

Ashley from LBM is wearing a Revision Batlskin helmet, which I nicknamed it the “Master Chief” helmet. She is also holding the Krebs Custom DMR with the RS Regulate AK-300 optic mounting system and the Vltor ModPod bipod in the folded position.

Brian from Savvy Sniper is demoing his custom quad sling that’s capable of quick change from a 2-point to single-point configuration. We used the Savvy Sniper slings through out the event on various different type of weapons. The standard carbine model worked very well on the new IWI Tavor due to its quick adjustably from the use of a patterned adjustment control loop design.

Huntertown Arms brought their suppressors and explained to us that suppressor should be more affordable since it’s essentially a muffler for the muzzle. The basic design and manufacturing technology are decades old. The Huntertown Arms .22LR models, which will work for .17 HMR, .22 WMR and 5.7×28, have a starting price of just $195. The 5.56mm model is $499 and for the 7.62mm caliber is $599. They also offer a $449 replacement stainless barrel for the Ruger 10/22 with an integral .22LR suppressor.

Sccy Industries is a local Florida company that makes CCW size 9mm pistol with affordable price. Their latest Gen 2 model has improved functionality with Eastern European made ammo that uses harder primer. The Sccy pistol retail for $299 to $339 depends on the features and finish and comes with two 10-rd magazine. Gunslinger Customs in Georgia produces regular and CCW holster for the Sccy pistol.

Definitive Arms showncased their $349 conversion for 5.56mm caliber AK to use regular AR15 magazine, like the popular Magpul Pmag and the USGI aluminum magazine. It took me a bit to get used to the AR style control on an AK platform. Here’s a MAC video on how the system works: AR Mags in an AK?

Copyright Military Arms Channel

Ron DeSantis, the United State Representative for the 6th Congressional District in Florida, stopped by and let us know his firm stand on protecting the 2nd Amendment and his support for veterans. The congressmen is a former naval JAG officer.

Afterward, Representative DeSantis had some range time with both the IWI Tavor and the locally built Sccy pistol.

IWI US‘ Michael Kassnar, who spent years to bring the Tavor to the US Market. The IWI Tavor bullpups were definitely the highlight of this Big 3 East event.

Everyone at the event had the chance to shot all the current Tavor models. No issue at all with the steel case rounds from WPA. I did noticed that the hotter brass case mil-spec ammo ejects the spent case toward the front quarter, which clears the shooter to do weak-side firing.  While the steel cases were ejected more toward the side and few a little toward the rear quarter. I recommend use the higher pressure ammo if you are planning to do weak-side shooting with the Tavor. Again, the Savvy Sniper carbine sling works great on the Tavor.

Open range for the rest of the day…

Our target vehicle down range before we let loose the PKM on it.

Big thanks to CJ for putting this event together. Please check out his upcoming book: Carnivore: A Memoir by One of the Deadliest American Soldiers of All Time. The book covers his combat tours in the sandbox and the stories of how 2400+ confirmed kills, including 121 as a sniper, were credited to him.

On the 3-gun competition circuit, you get to see a lot of different gear used by other competitors. Shooters frequently swap tips and tricks, and naturally you want to have stuff you don’t have. I’ve seen a number of 3 gunners use the MGM Switchview scope lever to quickly transition magnification between targets. Here’s a closer look.

The MGM Switchview on the author’s Leupold Mk-6 1x6x20mm CMR-W scope. The scope is at 1x with the lever at the 9 o’clock position.

Each Switchview lever is made of 6061/T-6 aluminum and is CNC cut for precision fit. Even though the lever is not very big and is very light, it feels solid and should be able to handle the stress of my 3-gun needs. Installation is very simple. The Switchview splits in two halves, and you just screw them together.

They are compatible with many popular scope manufacturers such as Burris, GRSC, Horus, IOR Valdada, Leupold, Millet, Mueller, NightForce, Schmidt-Bender, Trijicon, US Optics, Vortex, Weaver, Zeis and many others. They have a compatibility chart and if you don’t find your scope listed, just give MGM a ring and they’ll see what they can do for you.

The Switchview at the 3 o’clock position which has the scope at 6x magnification.

I’m very excited to run the MGM Switchview in my 3-gun competitions.

www.mgmswitchview.com.

Chris Cheng is History Channel’s Top Shot Season 4 champion. A self-taught amateur turned pro through his Top Shot win, Cheng very much still considers himself an amateur who parachuted into this new career. He is a professional marksman for Bass Pro Shops who shares his thoughts and experiences from the perspective of a newbie to the shooting community. www.TopShotChris.com.

M27 with magazines and SDO removed. Notice the interconnecting monolithic 12 o’clock rail. Display of various magazines. From left; standard issue 30 round STANAG magazine with green follower, similar magazine design but has orange follower to show it has an anti-tilt follower, H&K steel 30 round magazine, works very well with M27(not issued), popular PMAG will not fit in M27.

(This Article first appeared in Small Arms Review in 2012)

Miles Vining
This is the first part of a two-part article on the new M27 automatic rifle, now in service with the United States Marine Corps. The first part will cover initial use and training while the second will cover performance in combat. The author is a Marine infantryman serving with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, deploying to Afghanistan in 2011.
Note: All dimensions, acronyms and official terms are from Marine Corps terminology and references.

Background
Finding the perfect balance between firepower, weight, reliability and ammunition capacity has constantly been a challenge for Light Machine Gun (LMG) development. These support weapons for the traditional infantry squad have usually been a compromise among these four factors. The BAR lacked the magazine capacity to be truly successful, while the M60 gained the infamous nickname of the “Pig” due to its excessive weight and bulk. The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) came very close to being the exemplary LMG but quickly lost its glory through its high malfunction rate and weight. Recently, the United States Marine Corps has decided upon a solution that takes the Squad Automatic Weapon to whole new level.

Displayed are three of the Marine Infantry squads current issue weaponry; M16A4 for riflemen, M27 for IAR gunners, and M4s with M203s for team and squad leaders. The M27 and M16A4 displayed have 3 point slings while the M4 has a 1 point. M4 and M27 have their stocks fully extended. Positioning of the laser emitting PEQ16 is up to the individual Marines discretion.

Several years ago, while observing a Marine unit conducting pre-deployment training on Range 410 Alpha in Enhanced Mojave Viper, Twentynine Palms, California, a high-ranking officer watched a squad clear a trench as part of the training exercise. The squad’s SAW gunners established a support by fire position while the squad rushed into the trench and continued on with the range. After it was over, the officer asked the battalion Gunner (Chief Warrant Officer, an expert on Infantry small arms and tactics) why the SAWs couldn’t come into the trench with the main effort. The answer given was that the SAWs would slow the squad down and could not be effective in the trench because of the guns weight and open bolt operation. Finding this tactic detrimental to the way Marines fight today, the officer and battalion gunner decided to act. Requests were made to the firearms manufacturing community and a competition for a new squad LMG ensued.
The competition was designated the “Infantry Automatic Rifle” and the Marine Corps made it very clear that it had to fill the place of the SAW but also be a lighter and more portable weapon. Changing the designation from SAW to IAR showed that the Marine Corps was dedicated in finding a mobile automatic platform instead of being burdened down with the old technology. It had to weigh less than 12.5 pounds and accept 30 round STANAG magazines. It had to fulfill the function of the SAW but also be lighter and more mobile. Six commercial companies accepted the challenge, and three made it down to final testing: FN Herstal, Heckler & Koch (H&K), and Colt. FN’s contender was a modified SCAR, H&K’s and Colt’s weapons were both modified versions of their respective entries into the Black Rifle market. All except H&Ks were open bolt. After months of exhaustive testing, H&K came out on top. Trumping its competitors in areas of accuracy, reliability and malfunctions, the H&K submission produced outstanding results. Most of the malfunctions were classified as “user error” and accuracy was unparalleled compared to the other two. In fact, it is reputed to be the second most accurate weapon in the Marine Corps inventory after the M40A3 sniper rifle. Designated as the M27, H&K had proven itself once again.

Trijicon SDO gear pouch with accessories. The gear bag is manufactured by Eagle Industries and is issued with every M27. Marine Corps T M 11758A-OR for the SDO/RMR and TM11810A-OR for the M27 are displayed top and bottom respectfully. M27 wrench is shown disassembled to left of SDO Lens Pen. Left of bag are H&K rail protectors. Extra pamphlets are data tables, SDO care guides and LaRue Tactical throw mount lever care information.

In 2010 Marine Corps Systems Command bought a pilot batch of M27s slated to replace or compliment M249 SAWs in four Infantry Battalions and one Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (LAR). All units will have an opportunity to train and deploy with the M27 throughout 2011 in the War on Terror. If the M27 operates well in combat, plans to buy additional M27s are in store. The current recommendation is to replace all the former SAWs with M27s throughout the rifle platoons but current individual assignments are at the discretion of the company commanders.
Function/ Nomenclature
Due to the M27s commonality with the M16/M4 rifles, user operation is similar. Instead of direct impingement, it is gas piston operated. It has a free floating barrel, and uses a more efficient bolt than a M16A4. These are the only major functional differences to the standard issue M16A4 that all Marines are familiar with. Cleaning the weapon is made much easier by the gas piston that keeps a good portion of the carbon out of the bolt carrier and upper receiver. Also, unlike the M16A4, the M27 is highly ambidextrous. Sling mounts, fire selector, and charging handle can all be made left or right handed with little modification. Point target range is 550 meters while area targets are 700 meters and maximum range is 3,938 yards. There are two barrel lengths; 19.5 inch and 14.5 inch with the 19.5 inch being the primary length used so far in the Fleet Marine Force (FMF).

The rail mounted BUISs are Knight’s Armament Corporation Flip Up Front Sight and the Micro Flip Up Rear Sight. Iron sights are peep hole types with a blade and protecting ears on the front sight. The rear sight is graduated from 200-600 meters with a Z setting for zeroing adjustments. Note USMC marked on front end. Also see the two pins on charging handle that can switch the lever to either side. Sling mounts are ambidextrous as is seen from this angle.

The butt stock is similar to the M4 four position collapsable stock except that it is less sluggish and is six position. Unlike an M4 stock, it is easily removed by depressing the position toggle. It has one circular and two lengthwise sling keepers mounted at the rear allowing a diversity of slings to be used. The butt pad is rubber and can be removed with a hard twist counter clockwise. This reveals two battery compartments capable of storing AA, AAA, or Lithium 3 Volt batteries. Fully extended, the M27 is 37 inches (M16A4 length: 39.63 inches) and with the stock collapsed it is 33.66 inches (M4 collapsed length: 30 inches).
The M27 has a three position fire selector; “Safe”, “Fire”, and “Auto”, with the traditional H&K pictograms for each. Controls are on both sides of the receiver. The pistol grip is very comfortable and has a polymer pebbled surface to enhance grip. There is a battery compartment in the pistol grip that is held in place by a pivoting slider and the grip itself is more ergonomically designed than the standard M16A4 pistol grip. The magazine well has a flared opening that aids in magazine insertion but prevents Magpul PMAGs from being fully inserted. This leaves room for further magazine improvement if any manufacturer is up to the challenge. The weapon serial number is stamped upon both the upper and lower receivers right above the magazine release catch and left side safety in traditional European fashion. All M27 serial numbers begin in “USMC”. H&K proof marks are to the left of the serial number on the upper receiver.
The upper receiver has a 12 o‘clock rail that is interconnected with the Free Floating Rail System (FFRS) by a U-shaped lug. A captive locking screw adjacent to the magazine well additionally secures the FFRS. To take the FFRS off, grasp the bolt carrier with the thumb or index finger on the extractor in order to turn the strongest lug into a screwdriver. An important reason for a finger being on the extractor in such a position only the strongest lug is engaged and not the weak ones opposite the extractor. After only a quarter turn, the bolt carrier is unnecessary; hand strength is sufficient enough to complete disassembly. Only the 12 o’clock rail is marked with reference numbers up to 42 while the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock rails are left blank. Unfortunately, few attachments can be mounted directly underneath the handguard screw due to its proximity to the 6 o’clock rail.

Buffer and buffer spring. The buffer tube has three vent ports at the rear and the buffer is marked HK on the tube face with a red dot in the center as well. The buffer spring is marked with red to distinguish it from a M16A4 or M4 buffer spring.

The M27 also comes with H&K rail protectors that take up most of the rail when mounted. They are secured at the end of the protector with a plastic indent. These too have a polymer pebble surface and provide good grip. There is no permanent sling mount but all M27s come issued with a rail mounted sling mount that uses a single screw to secure it in between rails. The ejection port cover is polymer. The charging handle has an extended release lever and pins so that it can switch to the other side. Right above the chamber on the left hand side of the barrel, it reads “HK 5.56mm” alongside an H&K proof mark. The bird cage flash hider can mount all attachments that an M16A4 can such as Blank Firing Adaptors (BFAs), muzzle caps and Bayonets (bayonet stud is included for the USMC OKC3S bayonet).
The bolt carrier and gas piston system are the true moneymakers of the M27. Their design is what makes the gun run so well and so reliable. The bolt carrier is similar enough to a M16A4 for it to lock into one and chamber a round. Whether or not the hybrid weapon will function reliably is unclear. On the flip side, a M16A4 bolt carrier cannot fit in an M27. The firing pin retaining pin is captive while the firing pin has a spring that keeps the bolt forward. The weapon will function regardless of the spring in the bolt or not. Operation will have minor degradation and there will be more frequent malfunctions but it will not interfere with function of the weapon.

M27 gas system disassembled. Top left is the gas piston, this is the dirtiest part on the entire gun and is very simple to clean. Top right is gas piston rod which has a captive spring enclosed. The rod beyond the beveled half casing intrudes into the upper receiver and makes contact with the bolt carrier during operation. The Gas block is positioned just behind the bayonet stud and has a gas port facing downrange.

The gas piston system consists of the piston rod, piston and gas block. The piston rod has a captive spring and its lateral movement is no more than an inch at the most. The piston is the dirtiest part of the weapon after firing and is simple to clean. It fits into the gas block, which has a vent port facing downrange on top of the barrel. The gas port is only a few nanometers larger in diameter than the HK416 but this change in design cost the Marine Corps in excess of several hundred thousand dollars.
The M27 comes with three sighting systems; Back Up Iron Sights (BUIS), Squad Day Optic (SDO), and the Ruggedized Miniature Reflex (RMR). The Sight Unit, SU-258/PVQ Squad Day Optic was created for the M249 SAW with a contract from Trijicon in 2009 but has been since mounted on the M27. It is a 3.5×35 machine gun optic that is mounted to the rail via LaRue Tactical throw mount with duel locking lugs. It has Tactical Tough flip up dust covers and comes with an Anti Reflection Device (ARD, known as a honey comb for its pattern) screwed onto the objective lens. The reticle is an illuminated horse shoe around a center dot with a small post below. For distances of 100 and 200 meters the aiming markers are the top and bottom tips of the dot respectfully. For 300 meters it is the tip of the illuminated post and further ranges are marked on down the mil scale below the tip. The cross hair mil scale goes out to 35 mils on the horizontal lines and 40 mils on the vertical lines. On the vertical range scale there are range estimation stadia lines (Bullet Drop Compensator) that can provide accurate range estimation based on the shoulders of an average sized man (19 inches). It also has brackets for vehicle estimation both side and frontal views by using the tires.

SDO and RMR mounted on top. Adjustment dials for elevation and windage are the two screw caps in front of RMR. Dust covers may positioned at any angle that the gunner is comfortable with. Also note tape over the Fiber Optic light collector to maintain a more crisp sight picture. Dust covers may be readily positioned at any angle to the SDO for ease of operation.

On top of the SDO is the RMR, a small reflex sight intended for engagements under 100 meters. Unlike the M240B MDO (Machine Gun Day Optic) RMR, which is rail mounted to the optic, the RMR is screwed in and cannot come off except with the use of tools. An important aspect of the RMR is that the dot is rather large in the holographic image and proper cheek wield cannot be maintained while acquiring a sight picture. A gunner must take careful measures to secure a proper zero and maintain it with good muscle memory. The RMR uses adjustment dials that require a flat blade and don’t have a dust cap. The SDO has turn knob adjustment dials with dust caps.
Performance

SDO Reticle Mil scale as depicted in T M 11758A-OR. For range estimation of a human target, the average measurement of a height of 1.5 meters and a chest width of 19 inches is used. For a man sized target at 100 meters, the shoulders will touch the two mil dots opposite the center red dot. For 200 meters, shoulders will touch the lateral sides of the illuminated horse shoe and for 300 meters, shoulders will touch the two disconnected end at 6 o’clock. For 400 and 500 meters shoulders will align with the lateral line at 4 and unmarked 5. From 600-1000 meters the shoulders will fit between the respective mil dots and lateral mil scales. For vehicle estimation the tires will fit between the mil dot and the end of the solid lateral mil line in the front/rear view and from edge of mil line to mil line in the side view.

On live fire ranges the M27 has preformed flawlessly with sub Minute of Angle groups typical. Transitioning from Semi to Auto is simple and very effective when switching from long range targets to quick bursts on close engagements. On a recent live fire training evolution, the unit’s M27s went through more than 300 rounds per gun in the span of an average of 20 minutes in completing an evolution. The author only experienced one jam, caused by a double feed while simultaneously gripping the magazine well and magazine.

Close up display of magazine followers. From left; PMAG, H&K steel, original follower, tan anti-tilt follower. Issued STANAG magazines and those without the tan anti-tilt follower often have difficulty being inserted. The anti-tilt magazines were also introduced with the M27 in mind because the rate of fire was too much to keep up to with the previously standard issue magazines. Interestingly enough, H&K steel 30 round magazines have no issues whatsoever and in fact, are drop free unlike the others.

The gun is extremely controllable on fully automatic provided a proper stance and proper technique are used. M27 gunners were engaging targets well out to 500, 600 meters with one shot hits and immediately taking out near targets of opportunity with bursts and magazine dumps. For Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT), the M27 performed at the same level as an M4, if only a little longer and heavier (7.9 lbs unloaded). The RMR holographic sight was perfect for live fire kill house evolutions where Marines couldn’t afford to be tunneled into the SDO while in a MOUT environment.

Bolt carrier group and charging handle disassembled. This is relatively the same condition of parts after extended firing. Charging handle will function in M16A4.

But the M27 is not without drawbacks. Since the magazine capacity can barely match the rate of fire, gunners would routinely empty entire magazines in seconds only to reload and repeat. Marines were running through evolutions with an excess of sixteen magazines in pockets, pouches and whatever else was improvised. Many more magazines were split up among the squad to carry extra. In comparison, standard load for a rifleman is seven magazines and M27 gunners were carrying nearly three times that amount (21 non tilt follower magazines). Magazine couplers helped with reloads but they take up space on flak jackets and in pouches. PMAGs will not work because of the frontal plastic bevel, which prevents full insertion into the magazine well. The bevel can be filed down to work but, this is highly questionable and against regulation. Questions have been raised on the use of drums designed for the M16A4. These work reliably but have not been tested in military operations overseas. They also cannot stand up to extreme temperatures that military equipment operates in. Surefire has just come out with 60 and 100 round magazines that work reliably in the M16A4, but not in the M27. Currently, Surefire is working to redesign the new magazines in order to work in the M27 as of March 2011.

Top view of bolt carrier with captive spring fully extended. The large lever on top of the carrier serves two purposes: to keep the firing pin secure during disassembly and it acts as an internal safety. It prevents full travel of the firing pin unless it is struck by the hammer which pushes it up and the firing pin forward.

Grippods were an issue as well. Some gunners had theirs broken within the opening minutes of evolutions. These fore-grip combinations are not designed to be used with machine guns, which need a rugged platform to anchor themselves to the deck. The Grippod does not provide enough elevation for a gunner to successfully engage targets at an incline. Also, it is worth noting that occasionally the screws on the LaRue throw lever mounts would come loose after an extended period of sustained firing. Inside the mount there are five screw holes for connecting the optic but only two screws in place.
The M27 barrel is not meant to be readily replaced if there is a hot barrel. Tests have shown that the sustained rate of fire is 36 rounds per minute (rpm) at 120 ℉ for a 600 round load. The cyclic rate of fire is 700-900 rpm (M249 SAW 850 rpm). Little guidance has been provided in the event of a hot barrel except for the shooter to be careful and conserve rounds. During the early testing of the M27 there was a torture test of the guns reliability that was called the “Wells Test” named after the Captain who implemented it. It took 1 minute and 36 seconds to fire through 22 fully loaded magazines all lined up next each other without a single malfunction. Standard issue red M16A4 BFAs mount to the flash hider but 5.56x45mm blanks prevent full operation of the M27. On Semi, rounds cannot fully cycle the M27 and it must be charged every round. On Auto, the gun goes through an average of two rounds before it must be charged again. Currently, yellow M4 BFAs are now standard and their performance is expected to be substantially better.
Small parts begin coming off after extended use of the weapon both in evolutions and everyday use. Battery compartment covers, optic dust covers and ARDs have all been seen to come apart and off if not constantly checked. Most units have it as Standard Operating Procedure to secure serialized gear to the weapons with zip ties and 550 cord. Gunners must be wary of placement with such extremities because if positioned in certain areas they melt if in contact with the barrel (PEQ16) or interfere with disassembly of the weapon (SDO to FFRS).

M27 disassembled into major components. Note silver ball bearings on the buffer tube. Also, on the barrel below the silver captive spring cap of the gas piston rod is the melted remains of a ziptie previously used for securing the PEQ16.

Conclusion
The most pressing changes that need to be addressed on the M27 are the bipod and magazine predicaments. Issuing efficient, rugged bipods and higher capacity magazines are what the M27 needs in order to be more effective to the infantry squad’s mission; other problems pale in comparison. Apart from these issues, the Heckler & Koch M27 has made a significant impact on the way Marine squads conduct operations. However, the jury is still out on the M27 and many are waiting on results of the gun in country. The M16A4 familiarity makes it perfect to issue to Marines already so ingrained with that weapon. Its reliability and weight take away the M249 SAWs principal drawbacks. Some have even speculated that this weapon is an indirect path that the Marine Corps is taking to get more reliable squad level small arms into the hands of Marines without going through the headache of replacing the M16A4. Such programs and rifles have faced opposition ever since their inception (SPIW 1960, ACR 1986, OICW 1990, XM8 2002, SCAR 2007). Overall this is a very fine weapon and has definitely exceeded expectations. The grunts love it, and that is the most enduring compliment any firearm or piece of gear could earn.

FFRS captive locking screw extended out. Sling mount is on left side and can be moved anywhere on the rails. Note the close proximity of screw block to rails, preventing some attachments to the rail.

Article by Miles Vining. Special thanks to David Dimaruo, Tom Durwood, Liza Ponomarenko, Edward Young and the Marines and Corpsmen of 3rd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines.