DefenseReview.com (DR): An online tactical technology and military defense technology magazine with particular focus on the latest and greatest tactical firearms news (tactical gun news), tactical gear news and tactical shooting news.
By David Crane
defrev (at) gmail (dot) com
June 30, 2010
DefenseReview (DR) got to see the latest Smith & Wesson (S&W) M&P tactical AR (AR-15) rifles/carbine/sBRs developed for Special Operations Forces (SOF) at SOFIC 2010 (Special Operations Forces Industry Conference 2010. The new guns incorporate ambidextrous controls and advanced coatings. It’s possible that the weapons we saw could be the same or similar configuration to what S&W submitted to the Army for the recent “Individual Carbine” sources sought notice/solicitation and/or for the Army’s sources sought notice/solicitation for a “Market Survey” for an M4 Carbine “modification kit”/performance upgrade kit, but we don’t know, yet. Defense Review wasn’t permitted by the S&W staff to take any photos of the relevant products at their booth, but here are the features we saw and/or that were communicated to us at the show:
– Adams Arms gas piston/op-rod system. S&W may also have a direct-gas-
impingement system option, but we’re not sure.
– Ambi controls (ambidextrous operating controls, all controls), including bolt carrier release/stop
button.
– Quick-removable (enlarged) trigger guard/receiver floor/trigger
housing ceiling for easy cleaning and maintenance of trigger group
(non-removable). S&W claims this feature is patent pending.
– Coated bolt carrier group and possibly other internals like hammer,
barrel extension, inside upper receiver etc. Latest-version FailZero
Nickel-Boron coating/finish was what they were using on bolt carrier DR saw,
but they’re testing additional self-lubricating coatings.
– Desert tan (anti-ir/thermal?) external coating/finish. Don’t know who’s.
DefenseReview will try to obtain photos of the weapons we saw, ASAP.
The guns (tactical ARs) we saw at the S&W booth looked good. And, S&W seems to have its act together with regard to product development, market responsiveness, and aggressiveness, at present.
Company Contact Info:
Smith & Wesson (S&W)
2100 Roosevelt Avenue
Springfield, MA 01104
800-331-0852 Toll Free
800-331-0852 USA Office
413-781-8300 International Office
413-747-3317 USA Fax
413-731-8980 International Fax
qa@smith-wesson.com Email
http://www.smith-wesson.com Website
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M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability Issues Part II: Diagnosing the root cause.
M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability Issues: Why They Occur, and Why They’re Our Fault!
Ruger SR-556 Gas Piston/Op-Rod AR-15 Carbine/Rifle: Ruger Enters the Piston-Driven AR Fray
Are the FN SCAR Weapons (MK16 and MK17) Necessary? And do we really need to replace the Colt M4/M4A1 Carbine?
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