Free Republic

You guys didn't do your job the first time. The proposal will be published in the government's Federal Register on Friday seeking comments for 30 days, according to a copy obtained by Reuters on Thursday. It was first published in December and had a 60-day comment period that garnered almost 13,000 responses. About 30 percent opposed the reporting requirement and 70 percent favored it, ATF said. The second round of comment is typical for new regulations, according to ATF, and no substantive changes were made. After reviewing the new comments submitted, the proposal could be implemented or altered. C'mon guys,...

I know what you’re thinking: what were they thinking? Who needs a lever action single action revolver on a stick with a Picatinny rail? As Kentucky Packrat points out below, what does the Rossi Circuit Judge do that a lever rifle can’t—other than complicate matters and shoot 3″ .410 shotshells? The temptation here is to launch impeachment proceedings against the new Rossi Circuit Judge, or at least file an appeal against Taurus’ decision to build it to a higher court. But there is no higher court than than the court of public opinion. Either Rossi’s rifle revolver sells or dies....

The M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle The changing nature of the war in Afghanistan led to the re-issue of the 7.62x51 mm NATO M14 rifle. By Maj. John Plaster, U.S. Army (Ret.) Not long after U.S. forces invaded Afghanistan, al-Qaeda and its Taliban allies came to realize that America’s 5.56x45 mm NATO infantry rifles lost most of their lethality beyond 500 meters. Demonstrating their adaptability, the insurgents exploited Afghanistan’s sprawling valleys and distant mountainsides to seek engagements beyond the M16’s and M4’s effective ranges. This is borne out by U.S. Army data, which reveals that more than half of the war’s...

I've been intrigued by the Appleseed Project and I would like to take part in some of their shooting events, as well as other recreational shooting events. Most events require 400-500 rounds for weekend participation. The ammo for my current rifles would cost nearly a dollar per round. I've done some checking at Cheaper than Dirt and ammo for .223 rifles would be only $250 or so, a much more manageable cost. I would like to get FReeper recommendations for fun-to-shoot rifles in the .223/5.56 that would be suitable for the Appleseed Project and practical for training purposes. Also, does...

BROWNSVILLE — A “suspicious object protruding from the brush” in Starr County led Border Patrol agents to a weapons cache that included an AK-47, three M4-style assault rifles, hand grenades, military-style uniforms and other related items, Customs and Border Protection said Monday. The seizure occurred Friday on the banks of the Rio Grande near Fronton, a small community about five miles west of Roma. Agents reported finding the four rifles, two hand grenades, a ballistic vest, two ammunition-carrying vests, three two-way radios, two uniforms, and 16 fully-loaded 30-round magazines. All weapons except the grenades were turned over to Immigration and...

As a presence in several evolving conflicts around the world, Marines must remain up-to-date on the newest technology in order to defeat the enemy and complete the mission at hand. For the sniper community, that title belongs to the Model 110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System. "What (Marines) were finding as we got into Iraq and Afghanistan is that the bolt-action M40 sniper rifle we had was not able to rapidly engage targets in a built-up environment," said Capt. Carlos Cuevas, precision weapons team lead, program manager, Product Group 13 (infantry weapons), Marine Corps Systems Command, Headquarters Marine Corps in Quantico, Va....

More than 100,000 new state-of-the-art lightweight SA80 rifle magazines have arrived in Afghanistan to be used by troops fighting on the front line. The 30-round Magpul EMAG magazine is around half the weight of a standard metal magazine and helps reduce the weight that soldiers have to carry in their kit. Made from a polymer, the EMAG weighs 130g compared to its metal equivalent of 249g. Troops carry up to 12 magazines, so this change means each carries around one kilogramme less weight in total than before. Although it is lighter than others, the EMAG is robust; it's durability is...

Big Five has these on sale for $79.95 (the one I looked at today was a carbine). I'm looking for an inexpensive knockabout rifle to keep in the truck (but still capable of taking out a wild pig), and this looks like it will fit the bill. Do any of you have one of these, or have experience with it? Does anyone know of a reasonable source of ammo? Here's the wikipedia link concerning these rifles- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steyr-Mannlicher_M1895

The U.S. Army has delivered, to troops in Afghanistan, 250 upgrade kits for their M24 bolt-action sniper rifles. These kids converts the M24s to the more powerful XM2010 sniper rifle. This main changed is allowing 7.62mm M24 rifles to fire the .300 Winchester magnum (7.62x67). This is a more powerful round than the NATO 7.62x51 round currently used in the M24. The conversion kit includes a new receiver and barrel, a new scope, a new flash suppressor and a folding buttstock. The XM2010 weighs 8.5 kg (18.7 pounds) and is 1.33 meters (52.2 inches) with the flash suppressor. The conversion...

Hello fellow banglisters. I know I'm going to open a can of worms with this thread -- as does every "What is the best [gun type]" thread -- but I don't know a better-informed group of people to ask. After enduring three years of the very worst of the bad economic times (unemployment, temp jobs, etc.), I'm finally in a position to increase my personal armory, in the next few months. I need a rifle -- I have only a Henry .22 survival rifle. Not bad for what it does, but it's not the same as a "real" rifle. The...

The combat zone just got a little more high-tech as soldiers in Afghanistan began testing and training on five prototype weapons that fire smart bullets. Army officials are calling the XM25 Counter Defilade Targeting Engagement System revolutionary since it is the first time soldiers will have a smart weapon in their hands. Smart weapons have some form of a processing unit that allows them to be self-guided or, in this case, have self-adjusting sights and programmable rounds. The XM25 — which is not much bigger than a standard service rifle — fires 25 mm rounds that can be programmed to...

Calling it “the biggest overhaul of service rifles in nearly 50 years,” the Army soon will send soldiers to Afghanistan with new M4A1 carbines. Upgrades to the M4 include a more resilient barrel, ambidextrous controls and a full-automatic setting. Add better ammunition, and soldiers will have a more lethal weapon to fight insurgents, according to Program Executive Office Soldier, which introduced the improvements. The new carbines are expected to be integrated into the force starting next year. Soldiers in Afghanistan expressed enthusiasm about the improvements, especially the ability to shoot on fully automatic. “That would be sweet. You could definitely...

Oglethorpe County Sheriff Mike Smith suspended a deputy for three days without pay after the deputy accidentally shot a resident's assault rifle into a driveway and pieces of flying concrete cut a second deputy's arm. The two deputies drove to Shadow Lake Drive in Arnoldsville about 10 p.m. Wednesday after a resident called to report that she thought someone was lurking around her property, Smith said. The deputies didn't find anyone hanging around, but one deputy asked the resident if she had a gun and then offered to show her how to use it, Smith said. "That's just against our...

The Army expects to field the new sniper rifle, the XM2010, by January. And conversion kits for the M4 rifle will come next year. A panel of program managers from Program Executive Office Soldier met Oct. 14 at the Pentagon to discuss the status of several programs in the PEO's portfolio. Included in the discussion was the status of the new sniper rifle, development of the Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern uniform for use in Afghanistan, Mounted Soldier System development, and the improvement program for the M4 carbine. Col. Douglas Tamilio, program manager for Soldier Weapons, said the Army will...

Sniper teams remain the most lethal force on the battlefield and have been credited with many successful engagements. As effective as sniper teams are however, their accuracy is fundamentally limited by random variables such as changing winds, muzzle velocity dispersions and round-to-round variations. The DARPA EXtreme ACcuracy Tasked Ordnance (EXACTO) program aims to maximize the effectiveness of sniper teams while improving their safety. Through EXACTO, DARPA is developing a guided round capability in a .50 caliber platform. It is currently intended to provide snipers the capability to engage targets moving at much greater speeds, in tougher environmental conditions such as...

A sniper crouches near an open window and zooms in on his target, who sits a half-mile away. He peers through a scope and holds his breath, preparing to squeeze the trigger. But it’s windy outside, and he can't afford a miss. What to do? A new DARPA-funded electro-optical system will calculate the ballistics for him, telling him where to aim and ensuring a perfect shot, no matter the weather conditions. Lockheed Martin won a $6.9 million contract this week for the second phase of DARPA’s One-Shot system, which will provide direct observations of a target, measure every variable that...

The U.S. Army has ordered 3,600 upgrade kits for its M24 bolt-action sniper rifles, which will convert them to the M24E1. This will turn the existing 7.62mm M24 rifles into ones capable of firing the .300 Winchester magnum (7.62x67) round. This is a more powerful round than the NATO 7.62x51 round currently used in the M24. The conversion kit includes a new receiver and barrel, a new scope, a new flash suppressor and a folding buttstock. The conversion will take five years and will cost about $7,800 per rifle. Last year, the army ordered 38.4 million rounds of .300 Winchester...

“When the resolution of enslaving America was formed in Great Britain, the British Parliament was advised by an artful man, who was governor of Pennsylvania, to disarm the people; that it was the best and most effectual way to enslave them; but that they should not do it openly, but weaken them, and let them sink gradually.” — George Mason of Virginia, 1788 Our Founding Fathers were absolutely adamant about the right of the people to keep and bear arms. They were students of history and understood that from classical antiquity forward, an armed citizenry was essential to the preservation...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE REVOLUTIONARY WAR VETERANS ASSOCIATION TO DISCUSS PROJECT APPLESEED ON FOX & FRIENDS Ramseur, NC - 27 August 2010 – Tune in to Fox & Friends on the Fox News Channel this August 30th, 2010 during the 8:00 a.m. ET hour to hear an engaging success story about how the Revolutionary War Veterans Association (RWVA) is teaching early American history and rifle marksmanship through a nationwide, all-volunteer program called Project Appleseed. Times may vary. Please check your local listings. Since its inception in 2006, the RWVA has doubled the number of Appleseed clinics and attendees served each year....

A burglar targeted a home in Edgefield County. He got in, but he didn't stay long, thanks to a quick-thinking 13-year-old boy determined to protect himself and his brother.