Category Archives: weapons

FN MAGs of Havanna?

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While the American M1919 and Soviet/Chinese SG-43/Type 53 were probably the most commonly encountered .30 caliber MMG/GPMGs around the globe during the Cold War, largely due to their huge WWII production numbers and subsequent second and third-hand distribution channels, the venerable FN MAG 58 has seen service in just about every East/West side-conflict of the past 60 years including the myriad of African Bush Wars, Central American dirty wars, Vietnam (with the Australians), with the Israelis, in the Falklands (on both sides), et. al.

Swedish UN soldier during the Congo Crisis, circa 1961. Photo by Åke Sandberg, note the K gun (M/P45) and FN MAG.

SADF FN MAG

British soldier aboard the HMS Canberra waiting for an Argentine air attack with his FN MAG. Falklands War, 1982 IWM

I mean it is used by something like 90 countries and is in licensed production in like a dozen.

One of the more little-known users was Cuba. Ordered back in the Batista era and with some delivered before Castro went full-on officially Red, with the MINFAR obtaining both some early FALs and FN MAGs along with ammo and a batch of GP35 Hi-Powers. They were delivered in four shipments between Jully 1959 and March 1960, totaling some 6.8 million 7.62mm NATO cartridges, 3 million 9x19mm cartridges, 12,500 FALs, 510 FN MAGs, and 1,100 FN GP 9mm pistols.

Thus:

Well, it turns out that Bowman Armament has managed to wrangle some of those former MINFAR Cuban-crested FN MAGs and will be selling them as kits.

From Bowman:

The Cuban Contract MAG58 stands as a testament to a bygone era, offering a glimpse into the tumultuous history of Cuba. These elusive firearms, sourced from the regime of Fulgencio Batista to crush the uprising have witnessed the turbulent events of the Cuban revolution in 1959, the Bay of Pigs invasion, and subsequent conflicts, including deployments with Cuban forces in Angola (1978).

What sets these MAG58s apart is not just their historical significance but their extreme rarity. Despite exhaustive searches, no verified examples of the Cuban Contract MAG58 have been found or pictured online, making them a truly unique find for collectors and enthusiasts.

Emblazoned with the crest of the Ejército de Cuba, these machine guns have traversed continents, serving in conflicts and witnessing history unfold.

Soon available for acquisition, these MAG58s represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a tangible piece of world history. They are being demilled this week and will be loaded into outgoing cargo. These MAG58 highlight the history we hunt for every day to bring to our valued customers.

Remember the Arm Pistol? It’s Back (Maybe)

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Designed by Mack W. Gwinn, Jr, Bushmaster Armpistol ads started popping up for the gun in the early-1970s. It was arguably the first AR pistol on the consumer market. 

Mack W. Gwinn, Jr, a Vietnam-era member of the Army’s Special Forces recon teams, was also an un-lauded 1970s firearms genius. He created the Bushmaster series pistols (the Arm Pistol), rifles, and SMGs; the QCB variant of the .50 cal M-2HB, the SSP-86 pistol, and the 90-round MWG magazine for M16 and Mini-14.

His son, Mack Gwinn, III, now leads Hydra Weaponry.

HW was supposed to come to SHOT show and exhibit the newest version of the old Arm Pistol, the BMP-223, but their booth space (40420) was empty when we went looking for them in “the basement.”

As noted by Hydra: “The BMP-23 is the 5.56m pistol that Gwinn Jr. would have built if he had today’s CNC machinery and technologically advanced materials.

The AK47-type gas piston design pistol with an A2 grip is composed of lightweight aluminum and steel construction, coming in at 5.2 lbs. The chrome-moly barrel is 11.5 inches. The BMP-23 features integral iron sights and a unique 40-degree swivel design that allows it to switch from right to left-hand operation.”

Sounds cool. Be a lot cooler if we could have seen it.

From the Basement of SHOT Show

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One of the most uncovered things at SHOT Show last month, I thought, was the Rhineland R3000.

The what?

Exactly.

With styling that evokes the classic Walther WA2000 bullpup, the R3000 is constructed using full-size AR10 parts compatible with SR25-pattern magazines.

At its heart is a custom monolith extruded T7075 aluminum receiver married up to a Shilen match grade barrel with a stainless steel barrel nut, a low-profile gas block that fits under a full-length M1913 top Picatinny rail designed for top or side-mount bipods, a CMC match grade trigger pack, HK pattern push pins, and an American walnut thumbhole bullpup stock.

Note the side-charging bolt carrier group.

If you ever thought, hey, I’d love a WA2000 clone in .308 with AR10 compatibility, then the R3000 could be for you

They also have an R2000, which is the same thing but in an AR15 5.56 concept.

Gevechtstank? Ja

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As we have covered before, the Dutch Army had some light mech units before WWII but after the conflict went all-in on combined arms units, first fielding MAP-program M4 Shermans:

Dutch Sherman M4A1E8 76mm HVSS gevechtstank 1955 NIMH AKL064735

And then purchasing 468 new Leopard 1s in the 1960s.

Twee cavaleristen in een Leopard 1V (Verbeterd) tank in een verdekte opstelling tijdens een oefening, vermoedelijk in West-Duitsland, circa 1984 NIMH

Followed by another 445 Leopard 2A4s (NL version which were all German but used Dutch radios, antenna bases, FN MAG machine guns, and smoke mortars) in the 1980s, then upgraded the latter to 2A5 and later 2A6 standard.

Een Leopard 2A5 in opstelling onder winterse omstandigheden. Op de tanktoren is een mondingsvlamnabootsingsinstallatie gemonteerd. November 1998. NIMH AKL052587

This also gave them a modicum of power projection overseas to its few remaining colonies, as seen in the 2006 shot of a Leo 2A6 landing on the beach in Curacao during Joint Caribbean Lion.

Then came a great tank-going-out-of-buisness sale, with the Dutch selling just about everything they had with tracks to five allied countries and in 2012 disbanding its last full-time armored unit. The sole tank unit at the disposal of the Netherlands is 17 leased Leopard 2A6s as part of a joint German/Dutch unit (the German 414th Panzer Battalion).

Now, it seems like the Dutch have seen the error of their ways, and want at least a full-strength tank battalion– which will cost something like $339 million a year, not counting the expense of new armor.

Baa, Baa .45

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While on the ground at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas last month, we came across a Government Issue .45 1911 that looked more at home in the South Pacific in 1943. 

As part of its Air Aces Series, Auto-Ordnance had its new Black Sheep 1911 on display. Crafted by the folks over at Outlaw Ordnance, the artists start with an Auto-Ordnance Stainless 1911 and then apply a carefully researched red, white, and blue Cerakote finish that emulates a World War II aircraft associated with famed Marine air ace Major Gregory “Pappy” Boyington. 

A functional work of art, underneath the custom Cerakote finish, the Black Sheep 1911 is still an Auto-Ordnance Stainless 1911 in .45 ACP. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Note the “rivet” pattern, the sheet of Rising sun victory stencils, and the correct “Lucybelle” nose art. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

lso, note the “belly” of the gun is left in the white to emulate the aluminum body of an F4U Corsair. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

The aircraft Boyington was photographed with in November 1943, White 86 (BuNo.18086), was an F4U-1A Corsair of the same type he flew with the Black Sheep. Ironically, no records confirm he ever flew it in combat and the bird was made up specifically for the photoshoot. As such, it included 20 Kyokujitsu-ki rising suns, one for each confirmed Japanese aircraft he had shot down by that time, his name, and the nickname (“Lucybelle”) of his then-girlfriend, Lucy Malcomson. He would later fall out with Malcomson, leading to a bitter court case and, when the 1970s TV show “Baa Baa Black Sheep” would recreate this plane, Boyington, then on his fifth wife, advised the producers the plane was named “Lulubelle” instead.

A late model Goodyear FG 1D Corsair (BuNo 92246), one of only about 100 Corsairs left, is painted to emulate White 86 and is on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com) 

It has Boyington’s name stenciled under the cockpit but no “kill” flags or Lulubelle/Lucybelle nose art. I guess NNAM didn’t want to wade into that controversy

x

Smith J-frame for the win

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The odd thing about carry guns, even in a day when the market is awash in micro-compact 9mm pistols like the P365 and Hellcat, is that the snub-nosed revolver still sells and sells very well. I have often carried one over the past 30 years, either as a BUG to my primary or when in a non-permissive environment.

This thing has tagged along with me more than I care to admit

Billed as the ultimate small-frame carry revolver, S&W debuted a new line of SAO aluminum J-frame snub-nosed wheel guns at the SHOT Show this year. 
 
The new Ultimate Carry line is offered in a Model 642UC (stainless) and 442UC (black) Airweight Centennial format in a 5-shot .38 Special as well as a new 632UC and 432UC in 6-shot .32 H&R Magnum. All feature a fresh style of .140-inch XS Tritium front sight with a dovetailed .160-inch black serrated Novak-style U-notch rear sight and flush-cut “High Horn” VZ G10 boot grips. Going past that, the internals have been beefed up with titanium pins (rather than the standard aluminum) as used with the Scandium frame models to add durability over the years and a much-improved trigger pull. 

They both look and feel great.

The weight on the Smith & Wesson Ultimate Carry is right at 16 ounces. Note the enclosed ejector rod shroud, beveled cylinder front edge which aids in carry, and VZ G10 boot grips that have been updated to provide a higher backstrap on the gun.

More in my column at Guns.com.

Satisfied Lions

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80 years ago today: A “Free Belgian” lance corporal of the British Army’s No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando inspects his rifle with sniper scope in a village in Italy, 6 February 1944. Note his kit that includes not only an optics-equipped No. 4 Enfield but also Mills bombs, a toggle rope, and a cap comforter, the latter two pieces of gear considered standard issue among Commando units post-Dieppe. Further, take note of his fellow Commandos, many wearing a green beret with Belgian Lion insignia.

Official caption: “Italy. 5th Army. Belgian Commandos. Commando checking over the sniper sights on his rifle with a satisfied look. (La Vaglie) Taken by Sgt Bowman.” IWM NA 11813

The Free Belgian troops, formed in England around a 400-man kernel of the Royal Belgian Army that had escaped from the Continent in June 1940, eventually rose to include the 2,200-man Piron Brigade after its commanding officer, B. Gen. Jean-Baptiste Piron.

Volunteers from the Free Belgians for No. 10 Commando soon numbered enough to man a full Troop (No. 4), which, besides lending small groups for service to support the SOE in Belgium (all members had to be fluent in French, Dutch and English), would ship out to Italy in November 1943 to join the Special Service Brigade there and would continue to fight up the Italian “Boot” for most of the year, switching to Northwest Europe in November 1944 with Operation Infatuate: the liberation of the Dutch island of Walcheren.

Denison smocks, toggle ropes, and green berets with lions: Belgian Commandos in Training in Britain, 1945. “Men of the Belgian Army learn to use a Bren gun as part of their Commando training at a British Commando School. The NCO records to the second the time allowed for firing.” IWM D 23711

There were so many volunteers that a spin-off unit, Capt. Edouard “Eddy” Blondeel’s oversized Belgian Independent Parachute Company, became the 5th SAS in 1944 (and would become the 1er Regiment Parachutiste in the Belgian Army in 1946).

Post-war, No. 4 (Belgian) Troop, No. 10 Cmdo, would form the Belgian Army’s Commando Brigade (now 2e Bataillon de Commandos), in 1945. The organization still wears British-style para wings and its unit badge is a British Commando Fairbairn-Sykes dagger.

Steadfast, departing

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The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC 623), the 9th Reliance-class 210-foot cutter built, had a very long career.

Laid down in the midwest at the American Ship Building Company of Lorain, Ohio, on 2 May 1966, she commissioned 7 October 1968– the same year as the Tet Offensive.

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast side-launched at the American Shipbuilding Company, Lorain 1967

Following an extensive refit in 1994 that aimed to add another 20-25 years to her service, she made it an additional 30 and was just decommissioned over the weekend.

The crew aboard U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC-623) stands in formation on the ship’s flight deck while underway off the coast of Central America Memorial Day, 2022. An embarked MH-65 Dolphin helicopter detachment crew from Air Station Port Angeles hovered overhead for the photo in recognition of the day of remembrance. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Seaman Brad O’Brien)

Originally home-ported in St. Petersburg, Florida for her first 24 years, she shifted to Astoria, Oregon for the second half of her career.

The service put her to bed on Saturday. 

Five prior Commanding Officers of USCGC Steadfast (WMEC 623) attended the ceremony over the weekend

As noted by the service:

Since commissioning in 1968, she has completed over 340 Search and Rescue cases, interdicted over 1.6 million pounds of marijuana and 164,000 pounds of cocaine, seized over 80 vessels, and stopped over 3,500 undocumented migrants from entering the United States. Steadfast was the first and is one of only two cutters, awarded the gold marijuana leaf, symbolizing one million pounds of marijuana seized. Legend holds Steadfast was named “El Tiburon Blanco” (Spanish for “The White Shark”) by Caribbean drug smugglers in the 1970s for being such a nemesis to their illegal drug operations. To this day, the crew uses the symbol of “El Tiburon Blanco” as one of their logos to epitomize Steadfast’s assertive law enforcement posture.

Steadfast is a multi-mission platform and is under the Operational Command of the Coast Guard Pacific Area Commander. As a Coast Guard resource, Steadfast deploys in support of Coast Guard Districts 11 and 13 as well as Joint Inter-Agency Task Force South (JIATF-S). During deployments, Steadfast patrols along the western seaboard of the United States, Mexico, and North and Central America conducting search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, living marine resource protection, and Homeland Defense operations.

In her years of service, Steadfast has been awarded the Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbons for Campaign Caper Focus and for Operation Martillo, 8 Coast Guard Excellence Ribbons, 5 Coast Guard Unit Commendation Awards, and 4 Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendations. In July 2019, Steadfast broke the record for the most cocaine seized during a single deployment among all 15 cutters of her same class and size.

In all, Steadfast served 55 years, 3 months, and 26 days. Not a bad run.

She is the fourth of 16 Reliance class cutters to get the ax, and will probably be sent overseas as military aid as two of her sisters have already been.

A view of the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast at sunrise off the coast of San Diego, California., Dec. 2, 2019. The crew of the Steadfast was transiting north to their homeport of Astoria, Oregon, following a 60-day patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jonathan O’Connor.)

Battleship Landing Party Bill, circa 1950s

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Ensign Schuyler F. Heim and other members of the landing party from the South Carolina-class battleship USS Michigan (BB-27) preparing to disembark, on 22 April 1914, at Vera Cruz. Their whites are made khaki through the use of coffee grounds. NHHC NH 100612

The Battleship New Jersey Museum just found the ship’s organization book from 1956 and posted a great video detailing the landing party bill.

Of note, the Korean War-era landing party 201-man rifle company (6 officers, 195 enlisted), was commanded by the Marine detachment’s skipper (a captain) and made up of a platoon of 36 Marines (presumably led by a Marine LT) then fleshed out by 165 bluejackets organized into a company HQ section (commanded by a second Marine LT), a 2nd and 3rd infantry platoon, and a machine gun platoon. The senior Navy officer would be a LtJG who would act as the company executive officer while the company’s First SGT would be a Marine MSgt and the company Gunnery Sergent would be a PO1, likely GM1.

Inspecting USS New Jersey’s Marine detachment, 1944. Of note, this was one of the first Marine Detachments to hit the fleet with M1 Garands. Catalog #: 80-G-82699

Armament included 154 M1 Garands, 20 M1911 sidearms, a whopping 27 M1918 BARs, and 6 light machine guns (probably M1919s).

The three infantry platoons (at least in the case of the two Navy-staffed platoons) would be further divided into 9 four-man fire teams, each with a team leader (M1), rifleman (M1), BAR gunner (M1918) and assistant BAR gunner (M1), combined into three squads each with an additional squad leader, with the whole thing led by a platoon leader, for 40 men per platoon. No platoon Sgt/CPO, and no HMs or commo at the platoon level. Hey, it was 1956…

Anyway, good stuff, and a quick explanation of why a Cold War-era Marine Det on a battleship or cruiser included a captain and two lieutenants for a platoon-sized element.

The last Marine Carrier Dets, useful shipboard for guarding admirals, performing TRAP missions, and keeping an eye on “special munitions” (aka nukes) were disbanded in 1998.

Milsurp .30-06 Ammo Update!

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So for all of you guys with M1 Garands, M1917 “American Enfields,” and M1903 Springers, this could be of interest to you.

Sorry, it’s not cheaper (in both cases running close to $1 per round, which is actually more than the new-man S&B 150-grain that you can find on Ammoseek).

CMP has surplus ammo back in stock, including 400-round cans of Lake City M2 Ball, sadly not in en bloc clips but in cardboard cartons.

Here are the deets:

Surplus ammo is now available on the CMP E-Store. Visit the CMP E-Store at https://shop.thecmp.org/browse/Ammo.

Lake City M2 Ball 150 Grain FMJ 20 rd Boxes
Item #: 4S3006LCM2-400
$392 plus $21 s/h (Limit 1 can per person per year)

.30 Carbine 240 rds per box 10 rd clips in bandoleers
Item #: 4S30CARB-240
$132 plus $12.95 s/h (Limit 2 boxes per person per year)

.22 Caliber Surplus Ammunition 500 rounds per brick
Item #: 4S22PISTOL-500
$40 plus $12.95 s/h (Limit 2 boxes per person per year)

Documentation to order ammo includes proof of U.S. citizenship and membership in a CMP Affiliated Club or Special Affiliate (see https://thecmp.org/cmp_sales/eligibility-requirements/ for detailed information).

Customers placing a surplus ammo order through the CMP E-Store will not need to provide Form 2A (those individuals will check a box that states they are not a felon before completing their order). Customers that purchase surplus ammo in-person at our stores or at CMP events must provide Form 2A if they do not have one on file or if it’s expired.

Further, RTI has West German 200-round .30-06 battle packs

Deets:

We now have original West German .30-06 ammunition now available! This ammunition is post WWII 1960’s manufactured and has been in storage until now. This ammo was manufactured by MEN, Metallwerk Elisenhutte. The cartridges are berdan primed. This ammo is non corrosive. This ammo can be run in M1 Garands, 1903s, 1919s and more.

Please note that the rubber on these battlepack’s may be torn or ripped.

Photo I.D. required for purchase, please email a photo I.D. along with your order number to ffl@rtifirearms.com. Thank you for your business!

No ammunition sales to Alaska, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Washington D.C.

No ammunition sales to Chicago IL, New York City, NY and Cook County Illinois

Cannot Ship to a PO Box

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