by David Crane david@defensereview.com The TangoDown M16/AR-15/M4 Vertical Grip (vertical foregrip), made by TangoDown, LLC/Buffer Technologies has received many highly positive reviews from some very knowledgable and experienced people, since it was first introduced. In fact, DefRev has yet to hear even one negative thing about it. The TangoDown vertical foregrip is designed to fit any MilSpec (i.e. Mil-Std) M1913 …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com US Army ARDEC, AMSTA-AR-PC, and Picatinny Arsenal (NJ) have just issued a Sources Sought Notice for a "Non-Developmental multi- configurable 5.56mm modular weapon system". It’s possible that this notice is specifically designed to save/salvage the HK XM8 development program, in which the US Army TACOM-ARDEC and Picatinny Arsenal already have a significant time and money investment. …

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 …

"Eclipse Engineering & Design is releasing new products to benefit Law Enforcement, DoD, and Govt Employees acting in public defense to protect our American way of life and to fight terrorism. We want to keep our Officers and Service members informed and equipped with the best… tactical tools and weaponry available. Our website provides complete information, along with downloadable graphics, …

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 …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com October 26, 2004 Unique Alpine, of Austria, is making a rather interesting modular multi-caliber bolt-action sniper/long-range-interdiction rifle called the TPG-1. DefRev doesn’t know much about it yet. Here’s what we do know: the TPG-1 high-precision rifle utilizes a 3-lug bolt, which locks directly into the barrel extension. The TPG-1’s receiver is manufactured from special high-grade aluminum …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com Bushmaster Firearms, Inc. has a pretty neat tactical-config AR-15/M16-based rifle/carbine in .308 (7.62x51mm) caliber that deserves mention, called (appropriately enough) the Bushmaster .308 Rifle. Charles Cutshaw’s written an excellent article on it for the January 2005 issue of "Guns & Weapons for Law Enforcement" (GWLE). The Bushmaster .308 Rifle/Carbine was designed to take metric FAL magazines, …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com Mid-South Tactical Network (MSTN) has been churning and burning over there, turning out some really sweet AR-15/M16-based custom tactical rifles and carbines (short to medium-range interdiction/sniper rifles and carbines, to be more specific) in 6.8x43mm SPC (6.8mm SPC/6.8 Rem SPC), as well as 5.56x45mm subcarbines utilizing 10.5" LMT (Lewis Machine & Tool) uppers. All the guns …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com DefenseReview just read an interesting piece on the Calvalry Arms CAV-15 MKII AR-15 lower receiver in the latest issue of "S.W.A.T." Magazine. According to the author, Mike Detty, Shawn Nealon (of Cavalry Arms) came up with the idea of doing a polymer AR-15/M16 fixed-stock lower receiver back in 1990, while he was in Desert Storm. Basically, …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com Sage International, Ltd. has teamed up with Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Indiana (NSWC Crane) to create a Special Operations-focused M14/M1A rifle package called the M14 EBR/M1A EBR, or M14/M1A "Enhanced Battle Rifle". Apparently, the M14 EBR/M1A EBR was developed to win a five-year Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (Crane NSWC) contract to …