Check this out. Tactical Life is an incredibly comprehensive website dedicated to weapons. In other words, this is some serious ‘Gun Porn’. LOL The one section I really liked was the calender of events. They post the various training dates for training classes of most of the tactical schools out there. Although I don’t think the classes list is entirely comprehensive, it is a good start if you are researching available schools to attend. You can also sign up for their newsletter. –Head Jundi
Doug sent me this article that he found on Strategy Page. The round sounds pretty brutal, and the range is pretty amazing as well. That sucks that they are turning up in Afghanistan now. I imagine that enough of these munitions launched at the same time, could be a pretty effective tactic to initiate an ambush. And 1500 meter range makes it an interesting stand-off/indirect weapon as well. Bouncing death, made in China–damn. –Head Jundi
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Bouncing Death From China
August 20, 2008: Chinese made Airburst anti-personnel RPG rockets have been discovered in Afghanistan, after first being encountered in Iraq, where they were used by Iranian supported Shia rebels. The Chinese made RPG rocket is optimized for anti-personnel effect. To accomplish that, the shell bounces up about six feet, after first hitting the ground. Then the 5.7 pound warhead explodes, releasing hundreds of metal fragments. Casualties can be caused nearly fifty feet away. Because the warhead explodes in the air, and is full of metal fragments, it is more than three times as likely to kill or injure than the usual RPG warhead (which is designed to penetrate armor). The “Airburst Anti-Personnel” rocket also has a longer range (over 1,500 meters, more than twice that for the anti-armor rocket).
Iran buys these rockets from China, or maybe even makes its own copies. Iran denies supplying weapons to the Taliban or al Qaeda (which are violently opposed to the Shia brand of Islam practiced throughout Iran and southern Iraq.) But in the past, Iran has aided al Qaeda, and Iranian gunrunners will sell weapons to anyone who can pay.
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Type 69 40mm Airburst Anti-Personnel High-Explosive (HE) Grenade
This variant was developed specifically for anti-personnel purpose. This round works in a similar way to the bouncing anti-personnel fragmentation mines. On impact, the grenade bounces off the ground to a chest to 2m height then airbursts over the target area, scattering about 800 anti-personnel steel balls over a lethal radius of 15m. The airburst is much more effective than typical blast warheads especially toward entrenched troops.
Sino Defence Link
Doug pointed this out to me, and I thought it was interesting. We found at least three seperate photos from Reuters of Russians carrying this weapon system into Georgia. It has a range of 400 meters as well.
How they deploy these things over there, I don’t know. And I have no clue if these are Spetsnaz or OSNAZ or whatever. I just thought it was interesting to get a glimpse at what these guys are bringing to the fight.
I guess the only clue would be how they were used in Chechnya. So I will hunt around for some articles and see what I can come up with. -Head Jundi
Edit: I found an outstanding article about Russian Snipers and what the learned in Chechnya and Afghanistan. The 9x39mm round is the popular round now, and the thing can penetrate like 8mm of armor.
But it sounds like if these guys were actual snipers, their faces would have been covered. If anything, these guys are more like designated marksmen of their unit. I was watching this youtube video and this weapon is very quiet. But here is the article about Russian Snipers.
Also, I think a weapon like this could cause a lot of havoc over there. A silenced weapon (very quiet and not just suppressed) could allow Russia to continue operations during the ceasefire. And political and military leaders could be the targets. It is hard to tell though, because it looks like journalists are having a hard time getting in there. They are also getting shot at by Russians. And killing and intimidating journalists with a VSS could also be a tactic in Putin’s grand plan there.
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From Wikipedia
VSS Vintorez
Type Sniper rifle
Place of origin Flag of Russia Russia
Service history Used by Spetsnaz, OSNAZ
Production history
Designer Pyotr Serdyukov
Manufacturer Tula Arms Plant
Specifications Weight 2.6 kg
Length 894 mm
Barrel length 200 mm
Cartridge 9x39mm
Action Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire 700 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity 290 m/s
Effective range 400 m
Feed system 10 or 20-round detachable box magazine
Sights Telescopic sight and Iron sights
The VSS (Russian: Vintovka Snayperskaya Spetsialnaya), “Special Sniper Rifle”, also named Vintorez (Thread Cutter), is a suppressed sniper rifle manufactured by Tula Arms Plant. It is in use by various military and otherwise militant organizations, especially those of former Soviet states.
The VSS Vintorez was designed by TsNIITochMash as a suppressed, flashless sniper rifle. It uses a heavy subsonic 9x39mm cartridge in combination with its integral sound suppressor. The heavy bullet is very effective at penetrating body armor even with its subsonic speed. Its effective range is 400 meters.[1] The VSS is normally used in semi-automatic, but it is capable of automatic fire.
Since the VSS is meant for use in discreet operations, it can be broken down into three parts to be carried in a special 450 x 370 x 140 mm (17.7 x 14.5 x 5.5 inch) briefcase. The briefcase also has space for a PSO-1 scope, a NSPU-3 night vision device, and two magazines.
Russian Troops with the VSS Sniper Rifle in Georgia Below
Ok, you are probably wondering why I would post this on Feral Jundi? This product is not only a very tough umbrella, but can also be used for self defense or the protection of your client. And if you are in countries that do not allow you to purchase a weapon or is very difficult to get, then this might be your ticket.
What I liked about it, is that it looks harmless. But if you wanted to wail on someone with this thing, it is not going to break and it is going to do some damage. And for those executive protection details that require you to be not armed, a tool like this might be the trick. Just like using a rolled up magazine or the corner of a hardback book, this umbrella could be a very nice discreet self-defense tool to have around.
Thanks to Doug again for hooking me up with this info, and I guess Wired did a good little story on this product as well. As for endorsements, it sounds like the Presidential Security Group (PSG) of the Philippines President uses this umbrella as a defensive tool.
And it is a fully functioning umbrella! Which at the end of the day, protecting your client from the rain will probably be your highest use for such a product. But sure would be handy to have something like this for the ‘what if’ situations. It would also be a great gift for a loved one that is looking for a dual use product like this. Be sure to check out the video on the website, to see a demonstration of this thing. And as a disclaimer, I do not own this umbrella, nor do I work for the company. I am just reporting on an interesting product that has some application to the security contracting industry. –Head Jundi
From the Website of Real Self-Defense, LLC
The Unbreakable Umbrella works just as well as a walking stick or cane but does not make you look funny or feel awkward. Whacks just as strong as a steel pipe but it weighs only 1 lb. and 11 oz. (775 g).
* Legal to carry everywhere
*Never raises suspicions
*Does not make you look silly (no strange looks if carried by an able-bodied person)
Our Unbreakable Umbrella has no unusual parts, no more metal than an average umbrella, it does not arouse suspicion, can be carried legally everywhere where any weapons are prohibited, unlike a walking stick it does not cause strange looks if carried by an able-bodied person, and it does protect from rain. Anyone who can use a stick for defense can use this umbrella.
Ok, I know it is all about politics, if you want to change a weapons system like this. But something about this just pisses me off. Why is the future of our armed force’s fighting rifle, in the hands of some aides to some politicians in DC? I understand the politics of the matter, but the reality of it just chaps my hide. Anyway….
Now for my choice of weapons. The FN FAL and it’s variants are a fine weapon system(DSA made). It is 7.62 mm, tough, accurate, easy to maintain, and works when you need it the most. I also like anything from LWRC or HK, if we are going with M-4 design, just as long as it is 7.62 mm or something heavy. It just doesn’t make sense to have two different types of rifle rounds floating around out there, like we have now (5.56 mm and 7.62 mm). If it was all 7.62 mm, then you have a round that can be used by everyone in that unit and during that fight.
And as far as the weight factor, I think guys would gladly carry that weight if they knew they were carrying something that was hard hitting and deadly. Oh, and they just might concentrate more on accuracy because they are carrying less ammunition. Or they might actually require less ammunition, because they put the enemy down with less shots. Do we want a spray and pray soldier, or do we want a precision focused soldier that can actually take down the enemy from a distance with one or two shots?
If we were to go with what we have, as far as a two rifle round system(7.62 mm for machine guns and 5.56 mm for rifle), then I would change out the 5.56 mm with the 6.5 Grendel. The 6.8 SPC is a good enough round, but the 6.5 Grendel is just a more accurate round. Please see the comparison post above between the two, and make your own determinations. –Head Jundi
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The DSA SA 58 is just an example of what the market could produce for a replacement.
Hill Aides to Test M4 Alternatives
July 11, 2008
Military.com
by Christian Lowe
In a move that could ruffle the feathers of an Army command that views the Colt Defense-built M4 as the best carbine in the world, a select group of top senate staffers is gathering today to look at what could be the future of the military’s standard assault rifle.
About 30 legislative aides have signed up to attend a July 11 demonstration at Marine Corps Base Quantico, just outside Washington, D.C., that will feature weapons from various manufacturers vying to end the reign of the M16 and M4 as the U.S. military’s most fielded personal weapon.
The range day is intended to help familiarize key lawmakers with possible alternatives to the M16 and M4 once the exclusive contract with Colt Defense of West Hartford, Conn., ends in the summer of 2009, a senior senate aide told Military.com.
“When you re-compete the M4 it shouldn’t just be for the same thing we’ve been building for the last 20 to 30 years,” said the senior senate staffer who requested anonymity because the issue is so sensitive with the Army.
Over the past year the Army has taken fire from M4 critics who say there are better options available to troops, weapons that require less intensive maintenance and fire more lethal rounds. While the Army — which is responsible for procuring small arms for all the services — continues to stand by the M4 and M16, a small group of tenacious senators, including Oklahoma Republican James Coburn, have pressed the issue, forcing the service to subject the M4 to rigorous environmental tests and pushing for side-by-side competitions with several M4 alternatives.
“There’s no urgent need to improve the M4, it’s clearly working better than the M16,” the senior senate aide said. “Our concern is that, urgent or not, we really ought to be improving it on par with technological improvements [and] not be wedded to an older weapon just because that’s the way we’ve always been doing it.”
While the aide declined to list all the companies participating in the demo, congressional and industry sources say the shoot will feature the standard 5.56mm M4 carbine, the FNH USA-build Mk-17 — which fires a 7.62mm round — and a modified “M4-style” rifle that fires a new 6.8mm special purpose cartridge round, among others.
The 6.8mm SPC round was born of a 6-month program launched by the interagency Technical Support Working Group which looked into how an M4 or M16 could be easily modified to fire a round that had better ballistic characteristics than the current arsenal when fired from a short barrel.
According to the TSWG, the so-called “modified upper receiver group” that accommodates the 6.8mm round “can be installed on [government-issued] M4 carbine lower receivers by operators in the field quickly and without tools for an immediate, considerable increase in projectile weight, surface area, and on-target terminal performance.”
“The 6.8mm MURG offers improved combat capability and user survivability over comparable 5.56mm platforms,” a TSWG statement said.
A consistent criticism of the M4 has been the 5.56 round’s perceived lack of stopping power. A 2006 Center for Naval Analyses report conducted for the Army showed 30 percent of Soldiers surveyed wanted a rifle with a more deadly round.
“Across weapons, Soldiers have requested weapons and ammunition with more stopping power/lethality,” the report said.
And one special operations Soldier who spoke to Military.com couldn’t agree more.
“I know that when I’m shooting at someone I want to be confident that when I hit him, he’s going to go down,” the Special Forces operator said during a recent interview. “That’s why I like the AK and its 7.62 round. It’ll drop whatever you’re aiming at.”
The Army brushes off such criticism, saying lethality is closely tied to marksmanship. If you hit a target in the right place, you’ll stop him, Army leaders argue.
The point of the July 11 test shoot is to allow manufacturers to showcase their M4 alternatives before an audience that’s becoming more influential on small arms procurement decisions. The senate group tried to hold a similar demo last year, but the Army abruptly pulled out when news reports of the event leaked out, senate sources said.
Participants will have the opportunity to observe the effects of different caliber rounds in ballistic jelly, be shown how to fire each weapon and, of course, there will be some hands-on time as well.
Colorado Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar is heavily involved in the M4 alternative push and wants a competitive process that rewards the kind of innovation that leads to a host of choices when the M4 is re-bid in June of next year.
“Senator Salazar’s concern is that the process itself could stifle industry innovation, it can result in lower weapons reliability and it can increase costs,” said Salazar spokesman, Matt Lee-Ashley.
“He’s going to work through the Army and the Armed Services Committee to make sure that when [the M4] is re-competed next June the process is open, that it’s based on performance-based requirements and that it encourages industry innovation.”
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