by David Crane david@defensereview.com DPMS Panther Arms is currently making a civilian-legal replica of the semi-auto-only 5.56mm (5.56x45mm) U.S. Army Squad Designated Marksman Rifle (SDM-R), which is designed to allow squads to engage enemy targets at ranges of 600 meters (600m). According to the 2005 U.S. Army Field Manual, "The primary mission of the SDM [Squad Designated Marksman] is to …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com Back in February (2006), DefenseReview briefly discussed the new and improved MGI QCB (Quick Change Barrel) Upper Receiver system and MGI D-Fender "D-Ring" in our article titled DefRev Quick Hits 3 from SHOT Show 2006: And the Hits Keep Comin’. We got to handle and examine both of these items, as well as MGI’s Modular Lower …

by David Crane david at defensereview.com This article has been updated with digital photos (JPEG format), as well as a link to the KAC CQB PDW fact sheet/spec sheet.  Click on the photos below to view them full-size.   Knight’s Armament Company (KAC) has just (formally) introduced a 6x35mm PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) with AR-15/M16 controls for the Mil/LE market (tentatively) called the …

by David Crane david at defensereview.com – Vltor Weapon Systems is now manufacturing Russian-type 7.62mmx54R (7.62x54mm) PKM General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG) for U.S. military forces. It’s our understanding that the Vltor PKMs will be used for familiarization training, and possibly OPFOR (just seems logical). DefRev got to view and handle one of these guns at the Vltor booth, and …

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 Below are more DefRev "Quick Hits from SHOT Show 2006. DefenseReview will be reporting more in-depth on these technologies, later. –While we were in the outdoor tent, we ran into Frank and Chris Desomma at the Patriot Ordnance Factory (P.O.F-USA) booth. POF-USA had their new 7.62x51mm/.308 Win., 6.8mm (6.8x43mm), and 6.5 Grendel gas piston upper receivers …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com This is our second installment of "Quick Hits" from SHOT Show 2006 for our readers. Again, these are quick blurbs on items that we believe to be significant. DefenseReview will be reporting more in-depth on these technologies, later. — Cobb Manufacturing Inc. displayed their BA50 .50 BMG Anti-Materiel/Sniper rifle/carbine, at their booth, and one of the …

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 Bob Taubert One of the driving ideas behind the adaptation of the "Black Rifle" and its varmint caliber ammunition was to lighten the load of the ground pounding Infanteer. That was achieved through remarkable engineering, but it didn’t take long for the soldier to reverse the situation. The new light weight rounds enabled the trooper to up his basic …