Category Archives: gun culture

Running tomorrow’s rifle with yesterday’s optics

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Military small arms acquisition programs are always funny. More so if there is a “package” of accessories and goodies that go with it.

The most persistent problem lately seems to have been jumping the gun on over-ambitious optics systems on combat rifles and carbines.

We’ve already talked about the “M7 Surrogate Fire Control Program” on the Army’s 250,000 Next Generation Squad Weapons in rifle (M7), carbine (XM8), and LMG (M250) variants, which have eschewed the apparently not-ready-for-primetime Vortex M1157 Fire Control System for commercial off-the-shelf optics and lasers from EoTech and B.E. Meyers.

Similarly, in Germany, the new HK G95 program— the Bundeswehr’s dirty mustard-toned (“ekelhaftgelb“) HK416A8 rifle– is supposed to use the Leonardo-supplied Elcan Specter DR 1-4x as the companion day optic of record.

This bad boy, seen in two different colorways and with and without caps:

However, very specific changes and tweaks to the version of the Specter wanted by the Bundeswehr mean that just about every one I have seen has been wearing a very chunky Hensoldt RSA-S reflex sight atop a ZO 4x30i fixed-power optic with an IR pointer module.

Thus:

And as seen with these troops of Panzerpionierbataillon 701 in a video posted last week:

If it seems kind of a throwback, that optics combo was adopted a decade ago for the circa 2016 IdZ-ES (Infanterist der Zukunft – Erweitertes System) future soldier program for use with the G36, the rifle the G95 is replacing.

Cue the rimshot. Everyone laughs.

Meanwhile, the EOTech OGL-C is now civilian-legal and non-restricted.

Sometimes, you get to shoot something really special…

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While hanging out at an industry event in Idaho, we came across a fairly rare and very quiet German-made rimfire rifle and just had to shoot it.

Attending SilencerCo’s Summer Camp at the Day Mountain Ranch outside of Preston (oddly enough, the small town where Napoleon Dynamite was filmed), we had a chance to get some trigger time on some amazing platforms, most of them shooting out to extended ranges. Like starting at 200 yards and punching well out to 1,300.

Day Mountain Ranch
I mean, with these hills, you aren’t running many 15-yard flat ranges. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

One exception to that was a station that had some great little rimfire guns that attendees used offhand on spinner and groundhog plates at like 25 yards, squinting into the morning sun.

Volquartsen-enhanced Ruger 22/45, complete with an everlasting SilencerCo Sparrow can.
There was this great Volquartsen-enhanced Ruger 22/45, complete with an everlasting SilencerCo Sparrow can.
Sparrowed FN 502 MRD with a matching Steiner MPS and TLR-7A
Then there was this Sparrowed FN 502 MRD with a matching Steiner MPS and TLR-7A.

But the real gem was a Heckler Koch HK270…

What is the HK270?

Travel with us back to the late 1970s. Back to when HK was the global powerhouse when it came to 7.62 NATO battle rifles, with its Gewehr 3 (G3) being standard not only in the West German Bundeswehr but in more than 50 other militaries around the globe. The G3’s little brother, the 9mm but still roller-locked MP5, was almost as popular with the black balaclava gang worldwide.

So why not market a rimfire blow-back action sporting rifle with a G3-style turret “castle” style rear sight that could be used for training, small game hunting, and sporting purposes?

Boom. That gives you the HK270.

HK270
SilencerCo’s engineers kept the gun as original as possible, save for threading the barrel to accept a modular Switchback suppressor.

More in my column at Guns.com. 

Army buys a *lot* of force-on-force practice rounds

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The British firm of UTM just got a mega contract award from the Army for marker rounds to be used in what it calls Close Combat Mission Capability Kits, which convert standard M4s and M249s, etc., to cycle them, a conversion that is easily reversible and doesn’t (overly) damage said small arms.

These things…

The company sells Man-Marker Rounds (MMR/RVR) in red, blue, yellow, or green; Non-Marking & Target Bullet Rounds (NMR/TBR) plastic-backer training rounds, and very loud Battlefield Blanks (LBBR)s without a projectile, all of which cost around 75 cents a pop on large Mil/LE contracts, and this one is a big contract, so that price is likely lower.

The Contract, emphasis mine:

UTM Ltd., Bury St. Edmunds, United Kingdom, was awarded a $257,402,691 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the procurement of 5.56mm M1042 loose and M1071 linked marking ammunition cartridges for use in the Close Combat Mission Capability Kit. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 24, 2031. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-26-D-A102).

Of note, the ATF recently backpedaled on a rule that banned the import of UTM rounds for consumer use, which was proffered by the Biden administration. It is possible the size of the contract could be a bit of a salve to make the company whole on those lost sales.

Well versed in MG

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Some 110 years ago this month.

Imperial Russian Army pilots and observers training in Kiev, Ukraine, August 1916, with American-made Colt 1895 pattern “potato digger” machine guns, likely made by Marlin-Rockwell.

Contrary to the common trope of being underarmed, the Tsar’s purchasing agents were fond of all things machine gun, with Cossack cavalry carrying Madsen guns in Manchuria in 1904 and the Tula Arsenal putting the Russian version of the water-cooled light Vickers (Maxim) in mass production by 1910– a model that is still in active service today around the world.

As best recalled from “Quiet Flows the Don” by Mikhail Sholokhov, when a young Cossack came to the unit’s attention in 1920:

“I’d like to ask to be transferred to the machine gun team.”

“Are you familiar with a machine gun?”

“I know the systems of Shosha, Bertier, Madsen, Maxim, Gochkis, Bergman, Vickers, Lewis, and Schwarzloze.”

Bellissimo! Benelli’s Italian Plant has the Best Foyer in the Gun Industry

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On a recent trip to the Benelli factory in Urbino, Italy, we got a peek at their one-of-a-kind facility that blends Old World craftsmanship with modern manufacturing standards.

We were there to get the scoop on the new gas-operated M2-G1 tactical shotgun but would be remiss if we failed to bring you at least some coverage of the factory itself. For instance, the 430,000 square feet of shotgun and rifle-making brilliance is nestled in the hills and Roman walls of the Via della Stazione, at the terminus of the region’s historic former railway station.

Benelli factory, Urbino Italy
While Benelli began as a mechanical and motorcycle company 115 years ago in nearby Pesaro, its Benelli Armi firearm factory came to Urbino in 1967. (Photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Benelli factory, Urbino Italy
Note the old walls surrounding the plant.
Benelli factory, Urbino Italy
The influence of Raphael – whose painting style was one of harmony, balance, and grace – and Count Federico da Montefeltro, a military strategist and benefactor remembered as “the Light of Italy,” is everywhere in Urbino and still very alive at Benelli. 

Come with us as we take a closer look at the shotguns and rifles on the wall of the foyer, many of them rare and one-of-a-kind demo guns.

Benelli factory, Urbino Italy Ethos shotgun
How about this amazing Ethos?
Benelli factory, Urbino Italy Raffello
Note the clear polymer furniture on this Raffello
Benelli factory, Urbino Italy concept gun on display
This one could be right from the 2045 catalog cover. 
Benelli factory, Urbino Italy concept gun on display
The Raffellos are high-end Intertia-driven Benelli autoloaders

More in my column at Guns.com.

Czech You Later: CZ 75 B, CZ 75 BD, and CZ 75 Compact Discontinued

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Cue the funeral dirge for a few classic CZ models that are being escorted out of the company’s pistol catalog this year. 

CZ announced on Thursday that 2026 will “mark the conclusion of production for three CZ 75 models: the CZ 75 B, CZ 75 BD, and CZ 75 Compact.”

CZ 75 B
The all-steel firing pin block-equipped CZ 75 B was introduced in 1993 as an updated, second-generation version of the original Cold War “Pre-B” CZ 75 model and was the standard for the company for the past three decades. (Photo: CZ)
CZ 75 BD
The CZ 75 BD variant features a decocker (hence the “D”) in addition to the firing pin block and arrived on scene in 1997. (Photos: CZ)
CZ 75 compact
Meanwhile, the CZ 75 Compact debuted in 1992 and chopped about an inch off the slide and frame and a half-inch off the grip to trim the pistol down for concealment while still keeping a 16+1 magazine capacity.  (Photos: CZ)

The move will close out several of the classic era CZ 75 models, save for the new CZ 75 Legend, introduced as a 50th anniversary product for the series. Also still in production will be the assorted SP/P-01 series CZ 75s, the alloy-framed CZ 75 D PCR and the CZC A-01 line, the latter being a CZ Customs-tuned model.

The company noted in a release that the discontinued pistols “have each played an important role in carrying the CZ 75 design forward,” and “have been valued by shooters for their balance, craftsmanship and proven design, becoming lasting parts of the CZ lineup and of the shooting experiences of generations of customers.”

Of course, new old-stock models are still circulating around, at least for now, but will probably start commanding a premium as CZ collectors move to round out the holes in their gun safes.

I’ve known about the new Benelli M2-G1 for a bit…

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While the original circa 2004 Benelli M2 was a linear development of the M1/Super 90 line of semi-automatic shotguns, which were first introduced in 1986, the line has always used the Inertia style recoil-operation system as its heart.

There have been few complaints about the classic Benelli M2 Tactical that we have heard. I had one from about 2005 through 2016 and ran case after case through it without notable issues. I put it through several courses and loaned it out to others going to schools, all with good feedback.

classic Benelli M2 Tactical
Ol’ Papa Eger’s Benelli M2 of yesteryear with an aftermarket mag tube, at rest on a Navajo saddle pad sometime around 2015. No M-LOK. No optics. No lights. No Pic rails. Super rubbery furniture. Man, we used to be wild, didn’t we? 

While a classic that delivers a clean, reliable, and adjustment-free system, Inertia takes a back seat to gas-operated piston systems such as the Benelli M4’s ARGO (Auto-Regulating Gas-Operated) system.

Gas guns provide a softer “push” for the user by significantly reducing felt recoil, while also reliably cycling a much wider variety of loads. Plus, gas guns hold up better to high-volume shooting such as in extended military and duty use.

So why not take an M2, give it a gas system upgrade very similar to what is seen on the vaunted “bombproof” M4, and add other upgrades? All purposely engineered to run cleaner, require less maintenance, and stay ready when it matters most.

Well, then you get the new M2-G1.

I recently traveled to the land of spaghetti and preserved meats to get the scoop on it.

The Benelli M2-G1
The Benelli M2-G1 is the company’s first gas-operated M2 autoloading tactical shotgun. Designed and built for hard use. (Photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
The Benelli M2-G1
We saw the new M2-G1 begin to feed through the line at Urbino from raw materials to components…
The Benelli M2-G1
…to final assembly and proofing.  
The Benelli M2-G1
A new face headed from Italy to shelves across the U.S., with availability starting this week. 

Read the full review in my column at Guns.com. 

Do you know the German .45ACP Service Pistol?

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While the huge (37 ounces, unloaded) H&K Mk23 SOCOM freakbeast in .45ACP is well known in the West, at least in video game use, the Bundeswehr’s similar (in concept) P12 flies largely under the radar.

You know, this bad boy:

The beefy Mk23 was a stepping stone for HK to create the USP (Universal Self-loading Pistol), which the Bundeswehr adopted in 9mm in 1994 as the Pistole 8 (P8) to replace the Walther P1– which itself was just an aluminum-framed Walther P-38.

With the Bundeswehr eager to fill a niche for a full-time suppressed pistol with subsonic ammo for commando and sniper support roles, the USP Tactical in .45ACP got the nod for adoption as the P12.

It comes in a tiny bit lighter (32 ounces, unloaded) but confusingly uses a longer standard suppressor (7.7 inches) than the 7.5-inch KAC found on the Mk23!

Meanwhile, the German Landespolizei also uses the 9mm USP Compact as the P10, but that’s a different story.

EOTECH, B.E. Meyers seen in more NGSW Spaces

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While the Vortex M1157 Fire Control System is the electro-optic of record for the Army’s 250,000 Next Generation Squad Weapons in rifle (M7), carbine (XM8), and LMG (M250) variants to the tune of a fantastical $2.7 billion, Big Green is also looking at other, more modular, options under what is being termed the “M7 Surrogate Fire Control Program.”

The Vortex NGSW-FC has a direct view 1-8×30 magnification and combines a laser rangefinder and ballistic computer in an overlaid display for increased first-round hit probability. Even if the high-tech add-ons take a dirt nap, the backup etched reticle should still allow the sight to work as akin to an LPVO. (Graphic: PEO Soldier)

EOTECH just picked up an award for 14,000 sets of OGL (On-Gun Laser) systems, HWS (Holographic Weapon Sights), and compatible magnifiers.

The EOTECH OGL (On-Gun Laser) aiming and illumination system mounted on a rifle rail, as part of recent U.S. Army modernization and surrogate optics evaluations

The moto video on the OGL:

Plus, and this may or may not be folded into the contract, EOTECH just introduced a CUAS (Counter Unmanned Aircraft Sight) reticle to its existing EXPS3 and XPS3 HWS models, which you could see being deployed downrange very rapidly.

Similarly, B.E. Meyers has also been awarded a contract for 8,936 DAGIR‑V1 systems. The DAGIR is an infrared and visible aiming and illumination laser system designed for multi-platform applications.

Sure, they look more 2026 than 2036, but it seems like they may have a shorter road to realization.

Looking for a Franchi SPAS-15?

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Every gun nerd knows about the Franchi SPAS-11, LAW-12, and SPAS-12 SPS autoloading shotguns of the 1980s; I mean, they were something of a pop culture fad if nothing else.

The SPAS-11 was an upgrade of the Franchi 500 meant for mil/LE sales

Meanwhile, the Franchi SPAS-12 SPS is iconic.

What you may not have known was the Franchi SPAS-15, which went box mag instead of tubular and was made (and imported) in much fewer numbers.

If you are curious, Atlantic has some as C&R SBRs, but be warned, they are $15K.

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