By David Crane defrev (at) gmail (dot) com All photos contained in this article were taken by DefenseReview.com, and are copyrighted. DefenseReview.com owns the copyright on these photos. The photos were shot with a Canon PowerShot S90 10-megapixel digital camera (still camera with video capability). February 4, 2010 After last year’s SHOT Show (2009), DefenseReview published information on the Primary …

By David Crane defrev (at) gmail (dot) com November 23, 2009 A company called VBR-Belgium (Van Bruaene Rik – Belgium) has developed a rather interesting and potentially important pistol-format compact PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) system. While it may look like a futuristic movie prop, the VBR-B Compact PDW is arguably the most intelligently-developed PDW weapon/ammo concept to date. So, what’s …

By David Crane defrev (at) gmail (dot) com August 26, 2009 Back on June 7, 2009, DefenseReview published a heads-up piece on the new Ruger SR-556 gas piston/op-rod AR-15 tactical carbine. In that piece I wrote this: “One of the things were going to investigate is whether or not the SR556 is completely debugged, or whether it has the normal/usual …

By Michael Pannone This article is the follow-up to the author’s first article on the subject, titled "M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability Issues: Why They Occur, and Why They’re Our Fault!". March 15, 2009 If your Explorer gets a flat does that mean "Fords are unreliable"? If you put bad fuel in your Tundra does that mean "Toyotas run crappy"? Stay with …

By Chen Lee a.k.a. “SMGLee” All photographic images contained in this article were taken by Chen Lee, and are the exclusive property of Chen Lee. Chen Lee owns the copyright on these photos. February 16, 2009 Following the success of British SA80A2 project that HK did for British MoD, HK carried that momentum to the AR-15/M16 platform as the next …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com All photographic images contained in this article were taken by DefenseReview.com, and are the exclusive property of DefenseReview.com. DefenseReview.com owns the copyright on these photos. All photos were shot with an Olympus Stylus 790 SW 7.1-megapixel digital camera, which is advertised as "shock + waterproof". This article last updated on February 7, …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com December 29, 2008 If you’re looking for an alternative to standard USGI 30-round AR-15/M16 magazines, but you’d prefer to stick with metal mags instead of going polymer with the MagPul PMAG, TangoDown ARC mag, or Lancer Systems L5 Translucent Polymer Mag for your tactical AR-15 carbine, Fusil-USA, LLC has just the thing …

Why M4's have reliability issues…and why it's our fault! By Michael Pannone December 24, 2008 I fired 15,000 rounds through a semi-automatic M4/M4A1-type direct-gas-impingement (DGI) carbine in 31 weeks without a single malfunction attributable to anything except bad ammunition or bad magazines, with a grand total of 9 malfunctions. The least number of rounds fired between cleanings was 960 rounds, …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com October 9, 2008 On August 22, 2008, the U.S. Army issued a sources sought notice for an "Improved Carbine and Subcompact Individual Weapon System" (Solicitation #: W52H0908CARBINESV) to replace the Colt M4 Carbine, since Colt Defense’s M4 Carbine sole source contract will end in 2009. On September 11, 2008, I got a …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com DefenseReview first reported on the M16 Clinic AR-15/M16/M4/M4A1-platform 5.56x45mm subcarbine/SBR (Short-Barreled Rifle) weapons packages back in December, 2004. That first article discussed the select-fire/full-auto,  SOPMOD M4 CQBR (Close Quarters Battle Receiver)-style M16 Viper and M16 Viper-XRP (eXtra-Range/Perimeter) 5.56mm subcarbines/SBRs, which are built specifically for military Special Operations applications, including anti-terrorism/counterterrorism operations. These weapons would appear to …