Tag Archives: fn mag

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.

Canada finally gets new GPMGs

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Canada adopted the C6 (FN MAG 58) back in the late 1970s, replacing the Bren and others, but the ones in service are dated…

It was announced this week that Colt Canada will add 13 jobs as a result of a contract to provide the first new general purpose machine guns to the nation’s military in 30 years. The new design will be flexible across all platforms and used by ground troops as well. Upgrades from legacy C6s include a polymer stock and furniture and the ability to add optics and accessories via an integrated rail system.

More in my column at Guns.com

Inside the Estonian national militia

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Tiny Estonia, who share a long and increasingly tense border with Russia, uses a force of volunteer unpaid citizens– equipped with their own military arms– to hold the line.

The Estonian Defense League, a militia independent from the government, is made up of over 15,000 members, making it several times larger than the 6,500-member official Estonian Defense Forces.

Stationed in every part of the country the League is ready at a moment’s notice to sally out and repel possible invasion from unnamed neighbors. It’s the largest military force in the region and members vow to put up more of a fight than they did when the Soviet Union took over the county in 1940 and remained for decades.

Earlier this summer Vice News spent some time in-depth with not only the minutemen of the League but also those on both sides of Estonian politics and the above video shows some interesting footage of their training and doctrine.

The firepower shown is impressive, showing some sweet shots of donated German HK G3s and MG3s, old-school Chevy K5s that likely came from the U.S., a sweet 1950s-era Bofors Pvpj 1110 90 mm recoilless rifle, a smoking hot M240/FN Mag, some IMI Galils, a sprinkling of 84mm Carl Gustavs and at least one BTR-80 armored personnel carrier.

It seems Estonia is very down with the concept of civilian use of military-style arms.

Sure, Estonia has no illusions about stopping an all-out Russian incursion, but they just have to slow it down enough to allow fellow NATO members to apply action or rush reinforcements to the region and they plan to do so by putting a rifle behind every blade of grass.

“If Russia knows that attacking Estonia is not a walk in the park, maybe Russia will think twice,” says a commander.

Speaking of which, check out a recent NATO exercise with the League as part of Operation Hurricane in the video below.

With so much firepower at the hands of your everyday civilian, its hard to sell the prospect of being a member of the League because you want to hunt ducks.

But then again, back here in the states we know that Washington didn’t cross the Delaware to get to a duck blind.

More in my column at Guns.com

Possibly the most English photograph…

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SAS_GQ_27Mar13_rex_b

HM The Prince of Wales takes a ride with members of the Special Air Service Reserves (SAS (R)) in a sandy location abroad. Dig the old school FN MAG.