By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com November 12, 2008 A company out of Sheldon, Iowa called JARD, Inc. has introducted a new semi-auto .50 BMG (12.7x99mm NATO) anti-materiel/sniper rifle called the JARD J50. The J50 is a gas-operated direct-gas-impingement (DGI) rifle that utilizes a 9-lug rotating-bolt locking locking mechanism. The combination of the weapon’s DGI operation, 30" free-float …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com September 26, 2008 Speaking of M14/M1A tactical rifles, just in case you’re not quite ready to go bullpup, J. Allen Enterprises, Inc (JAE) has a good-looking M14/M1A rifle stock comprised of a composite polymer skin chemically-bonded over an aircraft-grade aluminum skeleton. So, what’s the point. Well, first, it looks pretty slick. But, …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com September 22, 2008 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”. On August 30th, 2008, …

By Charlie Cutshaw Revolutionary is a word that is occasionally inappropriate, but sometimes it is about the only word that fits. Suppose we told you that we had fired a new AR based rifle that didn’t need lubrication? And suppose we told you that it really didn’t need regular cleaning, either? Finally, suppose we told you that this new AR …

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 at defensereview.com The civilian-legal, semi-auto-only version of the FN F2000 and F2000 Tactical 5.56 bullpup assault rifle/carbines (5.56x45mm NATO), the FN FS2000 Semi-Auto Carbine, appears to be getting full-court press-level coverage in the various tactical firearm magazines, including the January 2007 issue of Guns & Weapons for Law Enforcement (GWLE). DefenseReview first reported on the FNH …

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 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 DefenseReview is eager to see a three-way match-up between a full-auto/select-fire version of the DSA Z4-GTC (Gas Trap Carbine) the Arms Tech Compak-16 subcarbine (and longer-barreled Arms Tech Recon Rifle) and the HK416 carbine/subcarbine (formerly known as "HKM4" or "HK M4" carbine/subcarbine) in an adverse conditions/high-round-count test. To date, of the three, the Compak-16 subcarbine is …