Category Archives: gun culture

Barrett Wins Army 30mm Precision Grenadier System Competition

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Tennessee-based Barrett teamed up with Mars, Inc., and brought a radical new 30mm grenade launcher over the finish line in an Army competition.

It is planned that the new gun will eventually be fielded as part of the Army’s Precision Grenadier System program. The PGS requirement is for a soldier-portable, shoulder-fired, semi-automatic, magazine-fed, integrated system that can engage targets in defilade– such as behind a hill– as well as aerial drones at close range via programmable ammunition. Ultimately, this allows the user faster fire than a 40mm, and with more power and round capabilities than the 25mm.

First launched in 2023 as part of a xTechSoldier Lethality contest designed to rapidly fill the requirement, the PGS competition soon boiled down to two platforms: FN’s PGS-001 and the Barrett-Mars 30mm Support Rifle System, and, with the SRS announced last week as the winner.

Barrett and Mars Inc. recently put their xTech Precision Grenadier System prototype to the test in a live fire event. (Photo: Barrett) 
The Barrett-Mars 30mm Support Rifle System was recently picked for the Army’s PGS program. It uses the Vortex-made XM157 fire control system, which is also used by the Army’s planned 6.5mm Next Generation Squad Weapons, the M7 rifle, and the M250 machine gun. (Photo: Barrett) 
The ammo used by the PGS will include Programmable Air Bursting High Explosive (HE), Proximity Fuzed, and Point Detonating HE, as well as a Close Quarter Battle Round. (Photo: Guns.com)
The SRS is intended to be portable and used by a single soldier. (Photo: U.S. Army xTech Program)

We visited with Barrett and Mars at SHOT earlier this year and got the scoop on the big honking 30mm bloop gun.

Mars even had one set up at their booth in the basement that was mocked up as a Heavy Bolter from Warhammer.

Auto-Ordnance Shows off 250th Anniversary Army, Navy and Marine 1911s

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With 1775 some 250 years in the rearview, Auto-Ordnance came to the recent NRA Annual Meetings in Atlanta with a trio of special new USGI .45s.

This year, besides the semiquincentennial of the start of the Revolutionary War, the Army will celebrate its official 250th birthday on June 14, followed by the Navy on October 13 and the Marines on November 10. To honor the services, Auto-Ordnance has three 250th Armed Forces Anniversary 1911s on tap.

Based on the company’s standard 80-series Government format M1911A1, complete with a GI profile slide, fixed sights, and curved mainspring housing, each variant will sport a dedicated Cerakote livery applied by Texas-based Altered Arsenal.

In each variant, the left slide will carry a “250 years of Service, 1775 – 2025” crest surrounded by laurel leaf etching. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Each pistol will have custom styling on the top of the slides that emulates the “gig line” of the respective services’ dress uniform, complete with buttons and belt buckle.

The Army variant (1911BKOC15) carries an OD Green Cerakote finish with Silver, Black, and Gold accents. The phrase “May God have mercy on my enemies because I won’t” is a well-known quote attributed to General George S. Patton.

The Navy variant (1911BKOC16) has a White, Blue, Black, and Gold Cerakote finish. The quote, “I have not yet begun to fight!” is famously attributed to Captain John Paul Jones during the Battle of Flamborough Head in 1779.

The Marine variant (1911BKOC17) has a Blue, Black, Silver, Red, and Gold Cerakote finish. The phrase “Retreat, hell – we just got here” is a famous quote attributed to Captain Lloyd W. Williams of the 5th Marines during the Battle of Belleau Wood in World War I.

These 250th Armed Forces Anniversary 1911s will ship soon with one standard 7-round magazine included and have an MSRP of $1,399.

Keep in mind that you can get an actual USGI surplus M1911A1 from the CMP for less than that. Of course, it won’t be pretty, but every old vet, even those in .45 ACP, deserves a home.

Surprises in a G48 sized package

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Glock released the slimline G48 a few years back, and I kind of passed on it, but when equipped with the new Aimpoint COA series enclosed red dot, it has changed my mind.

In all honesty, the G48 was a snoozer for me when it first came out. Don’t get me wrong, I had a chance to shoot one on several occasions, but I never felt a spark.

However, the new COA-equipped model, being optic-ready with decent steel sights, and sold with an installed American Aimpoint enclosed red dot on an interesting direct cut footprint, I felt the spark. Plus, the price point balances out to less than a G48 MOS with an aftermarket Chinese Holosun that uses a plate.

The COA has a wide field of view, and an exceptionally low deck that proves quick to “scoop in” the dot. The A-cut is simple in execution with fewer things to break than in other mounting systems.

The fact that adding Gen 3 S15 mags and a mag release gives you the bump in capacity without losing reliability is a win. We recently visited Shield in Montana and were impressed with their whole program.

When it comes to throwing rocks, the worst thing I can point out on the G48 COA combo is that the footprint and sights are limited to what you get in the box. Currently, there is no other optic that uses the A-cut footprint, and you cannot change out the rear sight for anything else. That may change but for right now you are painted into a corner.

Going past that, I think I may have a new EDC. Let me run some more rounds through it and circle back to you on that.

Yup. Feeling that spark.

Full review in my column at Guns.com.

Old Ammo plants coming and going

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Two interesting pieces of news concerning WWII-era War Department ammunition plants.

The old Milan Army Ammunition Plant (MLAAP) in Tennessee, established in 1941, is finally gone. It made everything from 40mm Bofors rounds to mortar and artillery projectiles over the years.

Employees at the Milan Army Ammunition Plant inspect 81mm mortar rounds produced at the plant in this photo from the 1960s. (Photo Credit: Joint Munitions Command Public Affairs)

Closed as part of BRAC in 2005, its remaining lines were shifted to the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant by 2009, while most of its land was transferred to the Tennessee National Guard to become the Milan Volunteer Training Site.

MLAAP was formally deactivated as a federal installation on 10 April and its colors cased.

Brig. Gen. Ronnie Anderson Jr. (right), the Joint Munitions Command’s commander, Tom Nowell, the Milan Army Ammunition Plant’s commander’s representative, and Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Reaves, JMC command sergeant major, secure the plant’s flag as the “casing of the colors” is executed bringing the ceremony to a close and formally deactivating the installation. (Photo Credit: Joint Munitions Command Public Affairs)

Meanwhile, in the Sooner State this week, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt announced that a major ammo maker will create 350 new jobs.

CBC Global Ammunition, which owns the brands Magtech and MEN, among others, and made something like 2 billion cartridges last year in Brazil and Germany, is opening a plant on 550 acres of the former Oklahoma Ordnance Works, which was used by the Army for munitions production during World War II.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the $300 million plant is expected in late 2025.

Magtech has been popular on the U.S. market for 20-30 years and is finally going to be made in America.

MEU(SOC) pistol redux

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One of the coolest things I came across at the NRA Show in Atlanta last month was this bad boy from the Military Armament Corporation (MAC).
Compare it to the 800~ MEU(SOC) pistols made by the Marine armorers at the Precision Weapons Section, MCBQ around 2001 that took vintage M1911A1 frames and upgraded them to a more modern combat handgun with a mix of Springfield Armory, Ed Brown, and Wilson Combat slides and internals, capped off with Pachy grips. The program had run earlier variants on the same theme in smaller numbers, going back to 1985.

The SN (2431001) denotes the frame as a circa 1945 Remington Rand. Everything else is commercial.

The Marines kept using the in-house built MEU(SOC) guns in Force Recon, Provost, and SRT units well into 2013, when they were replaced by the purpose-built all-new Colt M45 Marine Close Quarters Battle Pistol, which in turn was only retired in 2023.

26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Maritime Raid Force Marines and Sailors conduct live fire exercises with M1911 MEUSOC .45 caliber pistols aboard the USS San Antonio (LPD 17), at sea, April 11, 2013. Note the Novak sights. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Christopher Q. Stone/Released)

MSRP on the MAC MEUSOC.45 is expected to be in the $700 range.

Is Smith & Wesson Bringing Back the Stainless Wondernine?

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Was it a social media girl’s fever dream, or is Smith & Wesson teasing that perhaps its best “Wonderine” pistol may be ready for a comeback?

The company, on Thursday, dropped this across all its social media platforms:

 

Smith Wesson 5906
(Photo: Screencap from S&W FB page)

 

The response was fierce, with more than 2,300 comments on the Facebook post alone.

“I am *begging* you guys to bring the third-gen Smiths back. Don’t let this just be a “hey wouldn’t it be cool if…'” said one respondent.

“Do not play with my emotions,” said another.

“Listen…. Don’t play games with our feelings if you’re not going to do it…” said a third.

Why all this excitement for a gun that was replaced in the catalog by the polymer-framed M&P9 over 20 years ago?

The S&W 5906, produced from 1989 through 1999 in its standard model and until 2004 in its railed TSW variant, was a well-liked double-stack DA/SA 9mm with a stainless-steel frame and slide. An alloy-framed half-brother, the S&W 5903, had a similar run.

The 5906 was the peak of S&W’s Wondernine evolution, benefiting from over 75 years of development of the platform as well as the feedback (and warranty returns) from thousands of users going back to the old Model 39 and the Army’s circa 1948-1954 X100 pistol program.

In other words, it was about as perfect as Smith could make it for a duty-grade all-stainless DA/SA double-stack 9mm. They are balanced, dependable, and shoot well, making them a good companion to similar all-metal hammer-fired guns of the era, such as the CZ 75, Beretta 92, and SIG P226 – but all American.

Please, S&W, mess around with our feelings here. Bring back the 5906. Maybe even with an optics-ready option. Get on that. SHOT ’26 is only eight months away.

CZ Salutes WWII Free Czech RAF Squadrons

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CZ is marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II with a salute to the often unsung “Free Czechs” who served with the Allies with a special Spitfire-themed CZ 75.

Occupied by Germany on the eve of the conflict, just months before the shooting started, thousands of Czechs escaped to continue the fight against a common enemy.

Some 2,500 Czechs served in the British RAF during WWII, filling three fighter squadrons (No. 310, 312, and 313), one bomber squadron (No. 311), and one night fighter squadron (No. 68) as well as flying alongside British pilots in other squadrons. They also played a vital role in No. 138 Special Squadron, an outfit that dropped agents and supplies into occupied Europe– including Czechoslovakia.

A Czech Spitfire pilot of No. 313 Squadron
A Czech Spitfire pilot of No. 313 Squadron in conversation with his rigger and fitter at Hornchurch, 8 April 1942. (Photo: Imperial War Museum)

 

These men, exiles far from home, chalked up over 28,000 fighter sorties (at least 16 Czech “aces” flew with the RAF), dropped 2.6 million pounds of bombs on enemy targets, and made a difference from the Battle of Britain to the beaches of Normandy and beyond. Nearly 500 were killed in action.

The CZ 75 RAF special edition
The CZ 75 RAF special edition emulates the famed Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft, which was flown by many of the Czech fighter pilots serving with the British during the war. (All photos unless noted: CZ)
The CZ 75 RAF special edition
The CZ 75 RAF includes lightening cuts in the slide that recall the exhaust stacks of the Spitfire’s Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, as well as a finish that includes “riveted” body panels. 
The CZ 75 RAF special edition
The grips include a set of Czech aviator’s wings. 

 

The CZ 75 RAF special edition
The serial number sequencing starts with one of the Czech RAF squadrons, in this case, No. 310 Fighter Squadron. Note the British “bullseye” roundel. 
The CZ 75 RAF special edition
And it is repeated on the front of the slide. 
The CZ 75 RAF special edition
The magazine base has a stylized RAF. 
The CZ 75 RAF special edition
The RAF’s Latin motto, going back to 1918, “Per Ardua ad Astra,” which translates to “Through Adversity to the Stars,” is carried. 
The CZ 75 RAF special edition
Note the Czech roundel, which is still carried on the country’s military aircraft.
The CZ 75 RAF special edition
The CZ 75 RAF is a thing of beauty. 
The CZ 75 RAF special edition
Besides the pistol itself, its unique case recalls the avionics panel on the Spitfire, while its key is in the shape of the aircraft. Also included are an embroidered squadron badge patch and a hand-painted and signed Spitfire illustration by the well-known Czech painter and illustrator Jaroslav Velc.

 

Price? Availability? Just 56 CZ 75 RAF models will be created and will be offered…soon.

On a side note, as CZ now owns Colt, it would be neat to think that, at some point in the future, there may be a similar line of 1911s that salute famed American military units. Send those emails, folks!

CMP just reset their 1911 program for the better

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While CMP may be circling the drain when it comes to M1903s and M1 Garands, it looks like they have 1911s stacked deep, having recently finished out their Round 4 lottery fulfillment.

Related: I got mine and it turned out to be a RIA National Match (see above photo)!

Moving forward, the good news is that you don’t have to go through the drawn-out (it took me 16 months to get my Round 4 gun) process and can just jump right into the process. Further, you can now get four guns rather than two, and they plan on having three events where you can go and pick out your gun from a lot of 400 that they brought!

The presser:

With the completion of Round 4, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is excited to announce we have begun the processing of new orders for our surplus U.S. Army 1911 Pistol Program!

Through a partnership with the Army, the CMP offers these genuine, military-issued and field-tested M1911A1 pistols to consumers. A true piece of American history, these are the perfect addition for competitors and enthusiasts alike to enhance their firearm collection.

CMP staff members have already received over 4,000 new orders and will continue accepting more, utilizing an updated ordering process.

Who can order during the new round?

Anyone – even if you have just received a 1911 from Round 4, all those who fill out an application will be eligible to purchase during this upcoming round. We’re also excited to share that the Department of the Army has increased the lifetime limit from two to four pistols per person. Orders will be processed in the order they are received.

What’s new?

The CMP has introduced a new eStore payment method for 1911 pistols to better serve our customers.

Why the change?

The change addresses the difficulty we face reaching customers during the day while they are at work and the challenge customers experience trying to reconnect with our sales team once we’ve moved on to assist others. This new method allows customers to complete their purchases at their own convenience, anytime, without the constraints of business hours. Additionally, it significantly speeds up the overall purchasing process, ensuring a smoother and more efficient experience for everyone.

How does it work?

  • When the CMP 1911 sales team reviews a customer’s order packet, they will identify and note any discrepancies.
  • An email from 1911orderstatus@thecmp.org will then be sent to the customer detailing the specific information required to complete the packet. This process puts control back into the hands of the customer, allowing them to quickly address any issues and return the corrected order packet without unnecessary delays.
  • Once all required documentation and attributes have been satisfied, the customer will receive another email containing a secure link and a unique code. This will grant them access to the CMP eStore, where they can conveniently purchase their pistol by selecting the desired grade and quantity.
  • The entire transaction is conducted through a safe and secure purchasing process, offering customers the flexibility of 24/7 access to complete their orders at their own convenience.

NEW STOREFRONT FOR IN-PERSON 1911 SALES!

Entry to each 1911 sales day will be available to individuals that have purchased tickets (open to those registered for either Talladega D-Day or the National Matches, respectively), with a maximum of 20 customers per 50-minute time slot. The sale will feature approximately 400 pistols – organized and displayed by grade (Service, Field, and Rack) as well as by specialty categories that include select items normally reserved for auction.

Along with online ordering, individuals may now purchase CMP’s 1911 Pistols at one of three in-person sales events at our CMP Store locations! These one-day events will be held during the upcoming Talladega D-Day event at Talladega Marksmanship Park in Alabama and during the National Matches at Camp Perry in Ohio.

Dates include:

  • Friday, June 6 – Anniston, Alabama (CMP South Store)
  • Tuesday, July 15 – Camp Perry, Ohio (CMP North Store)
  • Saturday, August 2 – Camp Perry, Ohio (CMP North Store)

Ticket sales for our upcoming in-person events will go live within the next week. Be sure to check your email for an announcement with exact dates and registration details. Not on our Sales email list? Click here to sign up and stay informed!

Upcoming CMP Auction Highlight: 1911s

Keep an eye out for a select few 1911s that will be featured on the CMP Auction site in the coming weeks. A few “specialty categories” will be highlighted for our Auction page. Visit https://thecmp.org/cmp_sales/guns-on-auction/ for more details and to view current auction items.

See more on the CMP’s 1911 Program, including how to purchase, on the CMP website at https://thecmp.org/sales-and-service/1911-information/. Specific questions may also be sent via email to cmp1911@thecmp.org.

CMP Now Scraping the Drill Rifle Bucket

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As a teen back in the early 1990s, I spent hours every week caring for and maintaining the 40 WWII vintage M1903 drill rifles we had in the armory of my NJROTC unit. They had a steel rod welded in the barrel and the magazine cut-off welded up, making it so that you couldn’t work the bolt. When we had to fire blank salute volleys, say, for Veterans Day, we used still-functional M1903s borrowed from a local VFW.

Other units I saw at regional competitions had M1 Garand drill rifles that similarly had the barrel and receiver gouge torched and bolt welded to receiver.

Years ago, such drill rifles were replaced by fully fake replicas, and the welded-up war vets were put in storage. Over the years, they have floated out via CMP and other outlets. I bought one for $150 at the Anniston location back in 2017 and still have it. Heck, the wood was worth that alone.

I thought about recovering it to make a working rifle but figured it would not be salvageable or worth the effort.

Well, CMP is apparently running so low on M1 and M1903s that they are now doing just that, but at least seem to have done the homework when it comes to making them safe.

The CMP, in conjunction with leading industry experts, completed a comprehensive engineering program to determine whether weld-repaired drill-rifle receivers for the M1 Garand and Model 1903-A3 can return to live-fire use while meeting—and potentially exceeding—the same safety and durability standards as original receivers. Heritage Arms performed the weld removal, machining, and assembly of the test rifles, while Prospector Training LLC executed the proof-firing and destructive metallography and supplied quality-engineering support. Additionally, each rifle produced will undergo testing (further described below) before they will be deemed available for sale.

The reasoning behind it makes sense:

For collectors, these efforts keep authentic U.S. receivers in circulation rather than consigning them to scrap. For competitors and recreational shooters, they sustain rifle availability without altering grades, prices, or warranty terms. Most importantly, the initiative advances CMP’s Congressionally mandated mission: expanding marksmanship opportunities, promoting firearms training and safety—especially among youth—and preserving America’s military heritage. Through technical rigor and historical stewardship, the Drill Rifle Initiative exemplifies how that mission is executed for shooters across the nation.

 

Dad’s Army: Swiss Edition

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Some 85 years ago this week, on 7 May 1940, the Swiss Federal Council authorized General Guisan to set up Local Guards (Ortswehren, gardes locales, guardie locali), a home guard organization outside the regular Swiss Army and reserves.

Whereas regular service with the Army ran to age 60, with most active requirements stopping at age 50, the Local Guard was able to enlist those young men who were not old enough to be conscripted yet, and those who had aged out at age 70. Finally, those medically unfit for service or, for one reason or another, can not serve in the Army were rolled into the Local Guard.

They typically wore civilian clothes, mixed with old uniforms from prior service, and used personal or donated rifles, with a few old Eidgenössische Waffenfabrik Modell 1889/96 rifles eventually taken from storage for the force.

As with the British Home Guard (Dad’s Army), there was a dedicated partisan in waiting vibe to the Ortswehr, especially in bicycle-equipped units.

The role of the Local Guards during the last mobilization was mentioned in the Final Report of the Chief of the General Staff of the Army as follows:

“The Local Guards contribute by their presence to reassure the population of the hinterland that no longer feels completely at the mercy of saboteurs, the 5th column, paratroopers or motorized detachments that would have pierced the front.”

The force reached 127,563 men in 2,835 units by January 1941 and then stabilized at around 155,000 for the rest of the war. Keep in mind that at the time, the country only had a population of about 4 million, of which 850,000 were on the rolls of the Swiss Army, albeit only about half of those were on active orders. Between the Army and the Ortswehr, you are looking at a full quarter of the Swiss population under arms.

A Schweizer Réduit indeed.

The Swiss thought the Ortswehr important enough to keep around until 1967, and the word is still in use in the cantons today for local fire fighter organizations.

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