by Jim Jensen Assault Rifle/Carbine with interchangeable bolts, barrels and magazine wells can shoot 5.56mm, 7.62mm Russian, and 7.62mm NATO bullets Iraq: ”Ping” “ping” “ping” an U.S. Army light infantry Soldier firing from the top cargo hatch of a BAE Systems M113 APC (Armored Personnel Carrier)/armored vehicle is placing well-aimed 5.56mm (5.56x45mm/.223 Remington) M16A2/A4 rifle shots on an Iraqi rebel …

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 …

by Bob Taubert Like the SHOT Show, the annual Modern Day Marine Military Expo gets bigger and better each year. However, unlike SHOT some of the toys for Uncle Sam’s boys that are on display cost millions of dollars a pop. Aircraft, particularly the unmanned variety, unmanned and manned waterborne patrol and attack platforms, wheeled and tracked robots, people and weapons …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com DefenseReview is going to be publishing articles (with photos and possibly even audio interviews) on a good number of technologies that interested us at SHOT Show 2006. But, just to get the ball rolling, the following are some "quick hits" on these items, just to get the ball rolling: — Vltor Weapon Systems blew a lot …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com On January 11th (2006), DefenseWatch/Soldiers For The Truth (SFTT) published an article by DW/SFTT editor Nat Helms about a critical/damaging U.S. Marine Corps forensic study on Interceptor OTV body armor, titled Interceptor OTV Body Armor Costs Lives, An Internal USMC Report Shows.Two days later, on January 13th (2006), DefenseReview reported on the current Pinnacle Armor Dragon …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com While you’re over at the Armed Forces Journal (AFJ) Shoot-0ut at Blackwater 2005 page checking out the Auto Assault-12 (AA-12) full-auto shotgun video, you’ll also want to take a look at their video clip on Heckler & Koch’s HK416 carbine/subcarbine (5.56x45mm). In the video, you’ll want to listen to what AFJ evaluators Bob Taubert and Lt. …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com All digital photos of the HK416 Enhanced Carbine at International SOF Week/APBI below were taken by, and are the exclusive property of, DefenseReview.com. Click on photos below to view them full-size. July 15, 2005 It looks like the FN SCAR-Light (FN SCAR-L) carbine/subcarbine (select-fire, 5.56x45mm) might have some competition in SOF (Special Operations Forces) circles–and, more …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com The Wilderness Tactical Products currently carries MagPul XT Rail Panels (rail covers) for the (MilSpec) M1913 Picatinny rail system. According to The Wilderness Tactical Products, MagPul rail panels/rail covers "feature a segmented full-length design that can be more easily cut into modules by the user". DefenseReview thinks these panels look pretty sweet. MagPul XT Rail Panels …

Variable1 writes: "Just in time for the sunset of the assault weapons ban, Vltor Weapon Systems ( www.vltor.com ) is offering a new BASIC model of their excellent line of Modstocks. The Vltor Modstock is an updated version of the collapsible stock for the AR15/M16 family of weapons. The main benefits of the stock design is the much improved cheek-weld …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com Chip McCormick Corp. (CMC) is making some very interesting drop-in “Super Match Trigger Groups” for AR-15/M16’s. The Super Match Trigger Group is made up of a “totally self-contained one-piece assembly”, which, on its face, would appear to adhere to the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle. The sales literature on the CMC Super Match Trigger Groups …