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Overview:The Minimi (short for French: Mini Mitrailleuse; "mini machine gun") is a Belgian 5.56mm light machine gun developed by Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Herstal by Ernest Vervier. First introduced in 1974, it has entered service with the armed forces of several countries, among them: Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Thailand, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. The weapon is currently manufactured at the FN facility in Herstal as well as being license-built in Australia, Greece and the USA by FN Manufacturing LLC. The Minimi is configured in several variants, the 'standard' model as a platoon or squad support weapon, the 'Para' version for paratroopers and the 'vehicle' model as secondary armament for fighting vehicles. The weapon is fed from the left-hand side by disintegrating-link M27 ammunition belts (a miniaturized version of the 7.62 mm M13 belt), from either an unsupported loose belt, enclosed in a polymer ammunition box with a 200-round capacity attached to the base of the receiver, or from detachable STANAG magazines, used in other NATO 5.56 mm assault rifles such as the M16 and FNC. Magazine feeding is used only as an auxiliary measure, when belted ammunition has been exhausted. The ammunition belt is introduced into the feed tray, magazines are seated inside the magazine port at a 45° angle, located under the feed tray port. When a belt is placed in the feed tray it covers the magazine port. Likewise, a magazine inserted into the magazine well will prevent the simultaneous insertion of a belt. The magazine port, when not in use, is closed with an L-shaped hinged flap equipped with a tooth, which engages a corresponding opening in the magazine and serves as a magazine release. This feature was developed by FN's Maurice V. Bourlet and allows the Minimi to pass instantaneously from belt feed to magazine feed without any modification. The pawl-type feeding mechanism is modeled on the system used in the MAG general purpose machine gun, which borrows from the World War II-era MG42. The belt is moved in two stages during both the forward and rearward movement of the reciprocating bolt carrier, which provides for a smooth and continuous feeding cycle. The feeding mechanism top cover features a device that indicates the presence of a cartridge in the feed path. The barrels used in the Minimi have an increased heat capacity for sustained fire, feature a chrome-lined rifled bore (six right-hand grooves) and are manufactured in two versions: with a 178 mm (1:7 in) twist rate used to stabilize the heavier Belgian 5.56×45mm SS109 projectile, or a 305 mm (1:12 in) twist for use with American M193 ammunition. The barrels have a quick-change capability; a lever is provided on the left side of the weapon that releases the barrel from its trunnion. A carrying handle is also fixed to the barrel and assists in the barrel change process. A trained soldier can perform a barrel change and ready the weapon for aimed fire in 6–7 seconds. Early versions of the Minimi had a flash suppressor with side ports as seen on the FNC, CAL and FAL rifles; new production guns have a shorter, cone-shaped slotted flash suppressor.Specifications:Type Place of OriginWeight - 6.85 kg (15.1 lb) (standard model).
- 6.56 kg (14.5 lb) (Minimi Para).
- 5.32 kg (11.7 lb) (vehicle model).
- 8.17 kg (18.0 lb) fixed stock (Minimi 7.62).
- 8.4 kg (19 lb) telescopic metal stock (Minimi 7.62).
Length- 1,040 mm (40.9 in) (standard model).
- 914 mm (36.0 in) stock extended / 766 mm (30.2 in) stock collapsed (Minimi Para).
- 793 mm (31.2 in) no buttstock (vehicle model).
- 1,015 mm (40.0 in) fixed stock (Minimi 7.62).
- 1,000 mm (39.4 in) stock extended / 865 mm (34.1 in) stock collapsed (Minimi 7.62).
Barrel Length - 465 mm (18.3 in) (standard model).
- 349 mm (13.7 in) (Minimi Para).
- 502 mm (19.8 in) (Minimi 7.62).
Width - 110 mm (4.3 in).
- 128 mm (5.0 in) (Minimi 7.62).
Cartridge- 5.56x45mm NATO.
- 7.62x51mm NATO (Minimi 7.62).
Action - Gas-operated.
- Rotating bolt.
Rate of Fire - 700–1150 rounds/min.
- 680-800 rounds/min (Minimi 7.62).
Muzzle Velocity- 925 m/s (3,035 ft/s) (standard model).
- 866 m/s (2,841.2 ft/s) (Minimi Para).
Effective Range- 300–1000 m sight adjustments.
Feed System- 100-round M27 disintegrating-link belt.
- 30-round STANAG magazine.
Sights - Rear aperture.
- Front post.
Overview:The Minigun is a 7.62 mm, multi-barrel machine gun with a high rate of fire (over 3,000 rounds per minute), employing Gatling-style rotating barrels with an external power source. In popular culture, the term "minigun" has come to refer to any externally-powered Gatling gun of rifle caliber, though the term is sometimes used to refer to guns of similar rates of fire and configuration, regardless of power source and caliber. Specifically, minigun refers to a single weapon, originally produced by General Electric. The "mini" of the name is in comparison to designs that use a similar firing mechanism but larger shells, such as General Electric's earlier 20 mm M61 Vulcan. The basic weapon is a 6-barrel, air-cooled, and electrically driven machine gun. The electric drive rotates the weapon within its housing, with a rotating firing pin assembly and rotary chamber. The minigun's multibarrel design helps prevent overheating, but also serves other functions. Multiple barrels allow for a greater capacity for a high firing rate, since the serial process of firing/extraction/loading is taking place in all barrels simultaneously. Thus, as one barrel fires, two others are in different stages of shell extraction and another three are being loaded. The minigun is composed of multiple closed-bolt rifle barrels arranged in a circular housing. The barrels are rotated by an external power source: usually electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic. Other rotating-barrel cannons are powered by the gas pressure or recoil energy of fired cartridges. A gas-operated variant, designated the XM133, was also developed, but was not put into production. While the weapon can feed from linked ammunition, it requires a delinking feeder to strip the links as the rounds are introduced to the chambers. The original unit was designated MAU-56/A, but has since been replaced by an improved MAU-201/A unit. G.E.'s minigun is in use in all major branches of the US military, under a number of designations. The basic fixed armament version was given the designation M134 by the U.S. Army, while the exact same weapon was designated GAU-2/A by the U.S. Air Force. The USAF weapon has three subvariants, while the US Army weapon appears to have incorporated any new improvements without a change in designation. Available sources show a relation between both M134 and GAU-2/A and M134 and GAU-2B/A. A separate variant, designated XM196, with an added ejection sprocket was developed specifically for the XM53 Armament Subsystem on the AH-56 Cheyenne helicopter. Another variant was developed by the U.S. Air Force specifically for flexible installations, at the time primarily for the UH-1N helicopter, as the GAU-17/A. The primary end users of the GAU-17/A have been the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps, who mount them as defensive armament on a number of helicopters and surface ships. The weapon is part of both the A/A49E-11 armament system on the UH-1N and A/A49E-13 armament subsystem on the HH-60H aircraft. The weapons on these systems feature a selectable fire rate of either 2,000 or 4,000 rpm. There is mention of a possible GAUSE-17 designation (GAU-Shipboard Equipment-17), in reference to the system when mounted on surface ships, though this would not follow the official ASETDS designation system's format.Specifications:Type - Gatling-type machine gun.
Place of Origin CartridgeCaliber Action- Electrically driven rotary breech.
Rate of Fire- 4,000 RPM (practical maximum)/ 6,000 RPM in some applications.
Feed System - Disintegrating cartridge belt or linkless feed (dependent on installation).
Sights
Overview:The M24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) is the military and police version of the Remington 700 rifle, M24 being the model name assigned by the United States Army after adoption as their standard sniper rifle in 1988. It is also used by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). The M24 is referred to as a "weapons system" because it consists of not only a rifle, but also a detachable telescopic sight and other accessories. The United States Marine Corps also employs another variant of the Remington 700 as their standard issue sniper rifle, with the model name M40. The main difference between the M40 and the M24 is that the M24 uses the "long" version of Remington 700 receiver versus the M40's "short action". The M40's short receiver is dedicated to cartridges that do not exceed the length of the issue 7.62 x 51 mm NATO round. In contrast, the M24's longer receiver allows the rifle to be converted from 7.62 mm NATO to the more powerful .300 Winchester Magnum cartridge. The U.S. Army specified this capability in case future tactics required the larger cartridge's extra range and penetration. The M24 SWS is to be replaced with the M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System, a contract awarded to Knight's Armament Company. However, the Army still plans on acquiring M24s from Remington until February 2010.
Specifications:
Type Place of Origin Sights- Leupold Mark 4 10x40mm LR/T M3 scope[2], detachable emergency iron sights (Redfield Palma International).
Barrel- 1 twist in 11.25 in (285.75 mm), 5 radials, free-floating, 416R Stainless Steel. Stock: HS Precision — adjustable for length of pull.
Accuracy- According to MIL-R-71126(AR), the M24 shall achieve the accuracy results stated below when using M118 Special Ball and fired from a Government approved machine rest. The average mean radius shall be less than or equal to the following values:
- 200 yards: 1.3 inches.
- 300 yards: 1.9 inches.
- 200 meters: 1.4 inches.
Weight - 5.4 kg (12.3 lb)w/sling empty (without scope).
Length Barrel Length Cartridge - 7.62 × 51 mm NATO.
- .300 Winchester Magnum.
- .338 Lapua Magnum (M24A3).
Action Muzzle Velocity - 2,580 ft/s (790 m/s) w/M118LR Sniper load (175 gr.).
Effective Range - Over 800 m (ammunition/sniper-dependent).
Feed System - 5-round internal magazine.
Sights - Telescopic; detachable backup iron sights.
Overview:The M16 (more formally Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is the U.S. military designation for the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 rifle family has been the primary infantry rifle of the United States military since the 1960s. With its variants, it has been in use by 15 NATO countries, and is the most produced firearm in its caliber. The M16 entered U.S. Army service in 1964. The M16 is a lightweight, 5.56 mm caliber, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed assault rifle, with a rotating bolt, actuated by direct impingement gas operation. The rifle is made of steel, aluminum, and composite plastics. The U.S. Air Force's rifle, the M16, and the United States Marines and Army rifle, the XM16E1, were the first versions of the M16 rifle fielded. Soon, the Army standardized the XM16E1 as the M16A1 rifle, an M16 with a forward assist feature requested by the Army. All of the early versions were chambered to fire the M193/M196 cartridge in the semi-automatic and the automatic firing modes. This occurred in the early 1960s, with the Army issuing it in late 1964. Commercial AR-15s were first issued to Special Forces troops in spring of 1964. The M16A2 rifle entered service in the 1980s, chambered to fire the standard NATO cartridge, the Belgian-designed M855/M856 cartridge. The M16A2 is a select-fire rifle (semi-automatic fire, three-round-burst fire) incorporating design elements requested by the Marine Corps: an adjustable, windage rear-sight; a stock 5/8-inch longer; heavier barrel; case deflector for left-hand shooters; and cylindrical hand guards. The fire mode selector is on the receiver's left side. The M16A2 is still the primary rifle in the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, and still is in heavy use in the Army and Marine Corps. The M16A3 rifle is an M16A2 rifle with an M16A1's fire-mode control (semi-automatic fire, automatic fire) used only by the U.S. Navy. The M16A4 rifle was standard issue for the United States Marine Corps in Operation Iraqi Freedom; it replaced the M16A2 in front line units. In the U.S. Army, the M16A2 rifle is being supplemented with two rifle models, the M16A4 and the M4 Carbine, as the standard issue Assault rifle. The M16A4 rifle has a flat-top receiver developed for the M4 Carbine, a handguard with four Picatinny rails for mounting a sight, laser, night vision device, forward handgrip, removable handle, and a flashlight. The M16 rifle is principally manufactured by the Colt and the Fabrique Nationale de Herstal arms companies, with the variant rifles made elsewhere in the world. Versions for the U.S. military have also been made by H & R Firearms General Motors Hydramatic Division and most recently by Sabre Defence Industries. The semi-automatic versions of the M16 rifle, generally called the "AR-15" (Colt bought the nomenclature from Armalite), are popular, recreational shooting rifles, with versions manufactured by other small and large manufacturers in the U.S.Specifications:Type Place of Origin Weight - 7.8 lb (3.5 kg) unloaded.
- 8.79 lb (4.0 kg) loaded.
Length Barrel Length Cartridge Action - Gas-operated.
- Rotating bolt.
Rate of Fire - 700–950 rounds/min (cyclic depending on model).
Muzzle Velocity - 3,200 ft/s (975 m/s) (M16A1).
- 3,050 ft/s (930 m/s) (M16A2).
Effective Range Feed System - Various STANAG Magazines.
Overview:The M2 Machine Gun, Browning .50 Caliber Machine Gun, or "Ma Deuce" is a heavy machine gun designed towards the end of World War I by John Browning. It was nicknamed Ma Deuce by U.S. Military personnel or simply called "fifty-cal." in reference to its caliber. The design has had many specific designations; the official designation for the current infantry type is Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, HB, Flexible. It is effective against infantry, unarmored or lightly-armored vehicles and boats, light fortifications, and low-flying aircraft. The Browning .50 caliber machine gun has been used extensively as a vehicle weapon and for aircraft armament by the United States from the 1920s to the present day. It was heavily used during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, as well as during operations in Iraq in the 1990s and 2000s. It is the primary heavy machine gun of NATO countries, and has been used by many other countries as well. It is still in use today, with only a few modern improvements. The M2 has been in use longer than any other small arm in U.S. inventory. It was very similar in design to the smaller Browning Model 1919 machine gun. The M2 is currently manufactured by General Dynamics and FNH for the United States government. FNH has been the manufacturer since John Browning worked for them in the 1910s and '20s to develop the machine gun. The M2 is a scaled-up version of John Browning's M1917 .30 caliber machine gun (even using the same timing gauges), fires the .50 BMG cartridge, which today is also used in high-powered sniper rifles and long range target rifles due to its long range accuracy, external ballistics performance, stopping power, and lethality. The M2 is an air-cooled, belt-fed, machine gun that fires from a closed bolt, operated on the short recoil principle. In this action, the bolt and barrel are initially locked together, and recoil upon firing. After a short distance, the bolt and barrel unlock, and the bolt continues to move rearwards relative to the barrel. This action opens the bolt, and pulls the belt of ammunition through the weapon, readying it to fire again. The M2 has varying cyclic rates of fire, depending upon the model. The M2HB (heavy barrel) air-cooled ground gun has a cyclic rate of 450-575 rounds per minute. The early M2 water-cooled AA guns had a cyclic rate of around 450-600 rpm. The AN/M2 aircraft gun has a cyclic rate of 750-850 rpm; this increases to 1,200 rpm or more for AN/M3 aircraft guns fitted with electric or mechanical feed boost mechanisms. These maximum rates of fire are generally not achieved in use, as sustained fire at that rate will wear out the bore within a few thousand rounds, necessitating replacement. The M2HB's sustained rate of fire is considered to be anything less than 400 rounds per minute. The M2 has a maximum range of 7.4 kilometers (4.55 miles), with a maximum effective range of 1.8 kilometers (1.2 miles) when fired from the M3 tripod. In its ground-portable, crew-served role as the M2HB, the gun itself weighs in at a hefty 84 pounds (38 kg), and the assembled M3 tripod another 44 pounds (20 kg). In this configuration, the V-shaped "butterfly" trigger is located at the very rear of the weapon, with a "spade handle" hand-grip on either side of it and the bolt release the center. The spade handles are gripped and the butterfly trigger is depressed with one or both thumbs. Recently new rear buffer assemblies have used squeeze triggers mounted to the hand grips, doing away with the butterfly triggers.Specifications:Type Place of Origin Weight - 38 kg (83.78 lb).
- 58 kg (127.87 lb) with tripod and T&E.
Length Barrel Length Cartridge Action Rate of Fire - 450-575 rounds/min (M2HB).
- 750–850 rounds/min (AN/M2).
- 1,200 rounds/min (AN/M3).
Muzzle Velocity - 2,910 feet per second (M33 Ball) (887.1 m/s).
Feed System - Belt-fed (M2 or M9 links).
Overview:The M249 light machine gun (LMG), previously designated the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW), and formally written as Light Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249, is an American version of the FN Minimi, a light machine gun manufactured by the Belgian company FN Herstal (FN). The M249 is manufactured in the United States and is used by all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. The gun was introduced in 1984 after being judged the most effective of a number of candidate weapons to address the lack of automatic firepower in small units. The gun provides the heavy volume of fire of a machine gun with accuracy and portability approaching that of a rifle to infantry squads. The M249 is gas-operated and air-cooled. It has a quick-change barrel, allowing the gunner to rapidly replace an overheated or jammed barrel. A folding bipod is attached near the front of the gun, though a M192 Lightweight Ground Mount tripod is also available. It can be fed from both linked ammunition and STANAG magazines, like those used in the M16 and M4. This allows the SAW gunner to use rifleman's magazines as an emergency source of ammunition in the event that he runs out of linked rounds. However, this will often cause malfunctions because the magazine spring has difficulty feeding rounds quickly enough to match the SAW's high cyclic rate. M249s have seen action in every major conflict involving the United States since the 1991 Gulf War. Soldiers are generally satisfied with the weapon's performance, though there have been many reports of clogging with dirt and sand. Due to the weight and age of the weapon, the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) is considering designs for an infantry automatic rifle, which is planned to complement and partially replace the M249 in their service. The M249 is a belt-fed light machine gun. It fires the 5.56x45 mm NATO cartridge, usually a combination of one M856 tracer and four M855 ball cartridges fed from M27 linked belts. Belts are typically held in a hard plastic or soft canvas box attached to the underside of the weapon. It fires from an open bolt and is gas operated. When the trigger is pulled, the bolt and bolt carrier move forward under the power of the recoil spring. A cartridge is stripped from the belt, chambered, and discharged, sending a bullet down the bore. Expanding propellant gases are diverted through a hole in the barrel into a chamber. This pressure moves a piston providing the energy to extract and eject the spent casing as well as advance the belt and compress the recoil spring, thus preparing for subsequent shots. At 1,041 mm (41 in) long and 7.5 kg (17 lb) in weight (10 kg (22 lb) including a 200-round belt and plastic ammo box), the M249 is a cumbersome weapon. The barrel has a rifling twist rate of one turn in 180 mm (7 in). Because firing heats up the bore, the air-cooled barrel is equipped with a mechanism to remove and replace the barrel assembly with a spare.[26] A folding bipod with adjustable legs is attached near the front of the weapon, though there are provisions for hard-mounting to a M192 Lightweight Ground Mount tripod or vehicle mount. The M249 provides accuracy approaching that of a rifle, combined with the sustained volume of fire of a machine gun. Its original gas regulator offered two different gas port sizes, allowing cyclic rates of fire of 750 rounds per minute (r/min) or 1,000 r/min. The latter setting was intended for adverse conditions such as an excessively dirty firearm or cold weather. The two-position gas regulator was discarded as part of a product improvement program. Sustained rate of fire, the rate of fire at which the gunner can fire continuously without overheating, is approximately 85 r/min.Specifications:Type - Squad automatic weapon/Light machine gun.
Place of Origin Weight - 7.5 kg (17 lb) empty.
- 10 kg (22 lb) loaded.
Length Barrel Length Cartridge Action Rate of Fire Muzzle Velocity Effective Range Feed System - M27 linked belt.
- STANAG magazine.
Overview:The SVD (Russian: Снайперская винтовка Драгунова, Snayperskaya Vintovka Dragunova, literally "Dragunov sniper rifle") is a semi-automatic sniper rifle chambered in 7.62x54mmR and developed in the Soviet Union. It was selected as the winner of a contest that included three competing designs: the first was a rifle designed by Sergei Simonov (known as the SSV-58), the second design, a prototype designated 2B-W10 by Alexander Konstantinov, and the third rifle, the SVD-137, a design submitted by Evgeny Dragunov. Extensive field testing of the rifles conducted in a wide range of environmental conditions resulted in Dragunov’s proposal being accepted into service in 1963. An initial pre-production batch consisting of 200 rifles was assembled for evaluation purposes, and from 1964 serial production was carried out by Izhevsk Mechanical Works. Since then, the SVD has become the standard squad support weapon of several countries, including those of the former Warsaw Pact. Licensed production of the rifle was established in China (Type 79 and Type 85) and Iran (as a direct copy of the Chinese Type 79). The SVD is a semi-automatic gas-operated rifle with a short-stroke gas-piston system. The barrel breech is locked through a rotating bolt (left rotation) and uses three locking lugs to engage corresponding locking recesses in the barrel extension. The rifle has a manual, two-position gas regulator. The weapon is fed from a curved box magazine with a 10-round capacity and the cartridges are double-stacked in a checker pattern. After discharging the last cartridge from the magazine, the bolt carrier and bolt are held back on a bolt catch that is released by pulling the cocking handle to the rear. The rifle has a hammer-type striking mechanism and a manual lever safety selector. The rifle's receiver is machined to provide additional accuracy and torsional strength. The SVD receiver bears a number of similarities to the AK action, such as the large dust cover, iron sights and lever safety selector, but these similarities are primarily cosmetic in nature. The SVD's barrel is ended with a slotted flash suppressor. The barrel’s bore is chrome-lined[1] for increased corrosion resistance, and has 4 right-hand grooves with a 320 mm (1:12.6 in) twist rate. The barrel is not rifled throughout its entire length; only 547 mm (21.5 in) contains lands and grooves. Later the twist rate was tightened to 240 mm (1:9.4 in) which slightly reduces the accuracy of fire with regular cartridges and reduces the muzzle velocity to 810 m/s (2,657.5 ft/s). This was done in order to facilitate the use of tracer and armor-piercing incendiary ammunition. These special bullet types required a shorter twist rate for adequate stabilization. The rifle features mechanically adjustable backup iron sights with a sliding tangent rear sight (the sight can be adjusted to a maximum range of 1,200 m) and is issued with a quick-detachable PSO-1 optical sight.[3] The PSO-1 sight (at a total length of 375 mm with a lens cover and sun shade, 4x magnification and 6° field of view) mounts to a proprietary side rail mount. The PSO-1 scope includes a variety of features, such as a bullet drop compensation (BDC) elevation adjustment knob, an illuminated rangefinder grid, a reticle that enables target acquisition in low light conditions as well as an infrared charging screen that is used as a passive detection system. The PSO-1 sight enables targets to be engaged at ranges upwards of 1,300 m; effective ranges in combat situations have been stated at between 600 to 1,300 m, depending on the nature of the target (point or area target) quality of ammunition and skill of the shooter. Several other models of the PSO sight are available with varying levels of magnification and alternative aiming reticules. Rifles designated SVDN come equipped with a night sight, such as the NSP-3, NSPU, PGN-1, NSPUM or the Polish passive PCS-6 and can be used to engage targets at night. The SVD has a vented, two-piece wooden handguard/gas tube cover and a skeletonized wooden thumbhole stock equipped with a detachable cheek rest; the latter is removed when using iron sights. Newer production models feature synthetic furniture made of a black polymer - the handguard and gas tube cover are more or less identical in appearance, while the thumbhole stock is of a different shape. For precision shooting, specifically designed sniper cartridges are used, developed by V. M. Sabelnikov, P. P. Sazonov and V. M. Dvorianinov. The proprietary 7N1 load has a steel jacketed projectile with an air pocket, a steel core and a lead knocker in the base for maximum terminal effect. The 7N1 was replaced in 1999 by the 7N14 round. The 7N14 is a new load developed for the SVD. It consists of a 151 grain projectile which travels at the same 830 m/s, but it has a sharp hardened steel core projectile. The rifle can also fire standard 7.62x54mmR ammunition with either conventional, tracer or armor piercing incendiary rounds. The Russian military has established accuracy standards the SVD and its corresponding sniper grade ammunition have to meet. Manufacturers must perform firing tests the check if the rifles and sniper grade ammunition fulfil these standards. To comply to the standards the SVD rifle with 7N1 sniper cartridges may not produce more than 1.24 MOA extreme vertical spread with 240 mm twist rate barrels and no more than 1.04 MOA extreme vertical spread with 320 mm twist rate barrels. When using standard grade 57-N-323S cartridges the accuracy of the SVD is reduced to 2.21 MOA extreme vertical spread. The extreme vertical spreads for the SVD are established by shooting 5-shot groups at 300 m range. The accuracy of the SVD with sniper grade ammunition corresponds to the American M24 Sniper Weapon System with M118SB cartridges (1.18 MOA extreme vertical spread) and the M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System with M118LR ammunition (1.27 MOA extreme vertical spread).Specifications:
Type Place of Origin Weight - 4.30 kg (9.48 lb) (with scope and unloaded magazine).
- 4.68 kg (10.3 lb) (SVDS).
- 4.40 kg (9.7 lb) (SVU).
- 5.02 kg (11.1 lb) (SWD-M).
Length - 1,225 mm (48.2 in) (SVD).
- 1,135 mm (44.7 in) stock extended / 815 mm (32.1 in) stock folded (SVDS).
- 900 mm (35.4 in) (SVU).
- 1,125 mm (44.3 in) (SWD-M).
Barrel Length - 620 mm (24.4 in) (SVD, SWD-M).
- 565 mm (22.2 in) (SVDS).
- 600 mm (23.6 in) (SVU).
Cartridge Action - Gas-operated.
- Rotating bolt.
Muzzle Velocity - 830 m/s (2,723 ft/s) (SVD, SVDS, SWD-M).
- 800 m/s (2,624.7 ft/s) (SVU).
Effective Range - Up to 800 m sight adjustments for point targets.
Maximum Range - 1,300 m with scope.
- 1,200 m with iron sights.
Feed System - 10-round detachable box magazine.
Sights - PSO-1 telescopic sight and iron sights with an adjustable rear notch sight.
Overview:The G3 is a 7.62mm battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH (H&K) in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CETME (Centro de Estudios Técnicos de Materiales Especiales). The G3A3 (A4) is a selective-fire automatic weapon that employs a roller-delayed blowback operating system. The two-piece bolt assembly consists of a breech (bolt head) and bolt carrier. The bolt is held in battery by two sliding cylindrical rollers that engage locking recesses in the barrel extension. The breech is opened when both rollers are compressed inward against camming surfaces driven by the rearward pressure of the expanding gases upon the bolt head. As the rollers move inward, recoil energy is transferred to the locking piece and bolt carrier which begin to withdraw while the bolt head slowly moves rearward in relation to the bolt carrier. As the bolt carrier clears the rollers, pressure in the bore drops to a safe level, the bolt head is caught by the bolt carrer and moves to the rear as one unit, continuing the operating cycle. The bolt also features an anti-bounce mechanism that prevents the bolt from bouncing off the barrel's breech surface. The spring-powered claw extractor is also contained inside the bolt while the lever ejector is located inside the trigger housing (actuated by the recoiling bolt). The rifle is hammer fired and has a trigger mechanism with a 3-position fire selector switch that is also the manual safety toggle that secures the weapon from accidentally discharging (fire selector in the “E” or “1” position – single fire mode ("Einzelfeuer"), “F” or “20” – automatic fire ("Feuerstoß"), “S” or “0” – weapon is safe ("Sicher"), trigger disabled mechanically). The weapon can be fitted with an optional 4-position safety/fire selector group illustrated with pictograms with an ambidextrous selector lever. The additional, fourth selector setting enables a 3-round burst mode of fire. The G3A3 (A4) uses either steel (260 g) or aluminum (140 g) double-stacked straight box magazines. The firearm was equipped with iron sights that consist of a rotary rear drum and hooded front post. The rear sight, mechanically adjustable for both windage and elevation, has an open notch used to fire up to 100 m and three apertures used for: 200, 300 and 400 m. The receiver housing has recesses that work with HK clamp adapters used to mount day or night optics. The rifled barrel (contains 4 right-hand grooves with a 305 mm twist rate) is ended with a slotted flash suppressor which can also be used to attach a bayonet or serve as an adapter for launching rifle grenades. The barrel chamber is fluted, which assists in the initial extraction of a spent cartridge casing (since the breech is opened under very high barrel pressure). Standard accessories supplied with the rifle include: a detachable bipod (not included with rifles that have a perforated plastic handguard), sling, cleaning kit and a speed-loading device. Several types of bayonet are available for the G3, but with few exceptions they require an adapter to be inserted into the end of the cocking tube. The most common type features a 6 3/4 inch spear-point blade nearly identical with the M7 bayonet, but with a different grip because of its mounting above the barrel. The weapon can also mount a 40 mm HK79 under-barrel grenade launcher, blank firing adapter a straight blowback bolt (called a “PT” bolt, lacks rollers) used for firing 7.62x51mm ammunition with plastic bullets, a conversion kit used for training with .22 LR ammunition and a sound suppressor (that uses standard ammunition).Specifications:Type Place of Origin Weight - 4.4 kg (9.7 lb) (G3A3).
- 4.7 kg (10 lb) (G3A4).
- 5.54 kg (12.2 lb) with optic (G3SG/1).
- 4.1 kg (9.0 lb) (G3K).
Length - 1,025 mm (40.4 in) (G3A3).
- 1,025 mm (40.4 in) stock extended / 840 mm (33.1 in) stock collapsed (G3A4).
- 1,025 mm (40.4 in) (G3SG/1).
- 895 mm (35.2 in) stock extended / 711 mm (28.0 in) stock collapsed (G3K).
Barrel Length - 450 mm (17.7 in).
- 315 mm (12.4 in) (G3K).
Cartridge Action Rate of Fire Muzzle Velocity Effective Range - 100–400 m sight adjustments.
Feed System - 20-round detachable box magazine.
Sights - Rear: rotary diopter.
- Front: hooded post.
Overview:The Beretta 92 (also Beretta 96 and Beretta 98) is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and manufactured by Beretta of Italy. The model 92 was designed in 1972 and production of many variants in different calibers continues today. The United States armed forces replaced the M1911 .45 ACP pistol in 1985 with the M9. Although only 5000 copies of the original design were manufactured from 1975 to 1976, the design is currently produced in four different configurations (FS, G, D and DS) and three calibers:- 92 series in 9x19mm Parabellum
- 96 series in .40 S&W
- 98 series in 9x21mm IMI
The Beretta 92's open slide design ensures smooth feeding and ejection of ammunition and allows easy clearing of obstructions. The hard-chromed barrel bore reduces barrel wear and protects it from corrosion. The locking block barrel lockup provides good accuracy and operability with suppressors due to the in-line travel of the barrel. This is in contrast to the complex travel of Browning designed barrels. The magazine release button is reversible with simple field tools. Reversing the magazine release makes left-handed operation much easier. Increasingly, it has become popular to reduce handgun weight and cost (and increase corrosion resistance) using polymers, and polymer parts have started showing up in Beretta 92/96 models too. In 2003, the first internal polymer part to be introduced was a recoil spring guide. New polymer parts include safety lever, trigger, mainspring cap, magazine floorplate, and follower. In contrast some parts have been painted black to match the included polymer parts, these include; slide release, disassembly latch, and hammer. The 92 also spawned several variants of similar internal design. The Beretta 90two is a full-size variant of the 92-series with a redesigned frame, slide, and grip, and has an accessory rail. The Beretta PX4 Storm is a series of pistols in 9x19mm, .40 S&W and .45ACP with the same basic action as the 92, but a modified slide and frame to drastically reduce weight and incorporate a sleeker styling.Specifications:Type Place of Origin Weight - 950 grams (34 oz) (92).
- 970 grams (34 oz) (92S/SB/F/G).
- 920 grams (32 oz) (92D).
- 900 grams (32 oz) (Compact/Vertec).
Length - 217 millimetres (8.5 in).
- 211 millimetres (8.3 in) (Vertec).
- 197 millimetres (7.8 in) (Compact/Centurion).
Barrel Length - 125 millimetres (4.9 in).
- 119 millimetres (4.7 in) (Vertec/Elites/Border Marshal/Combo).
- 109 millimetres (4.3 in) (Compact/Centurion).
Cartridge - 9x19mm Parabellum (92 series).
- .40 S&W (96 series).
- 9x21mm IMI (98 series).
Feed SystemDetachable box magazine:- 10, 15, 17, 18, 20 rounds (92, 98 series).
- 11 rounds (96 series).
- 10, 13 rounds (Compact L).
- 8 rounds (Compact Type M).
Overview:The AK-47 is a selective fire, gas operated 7.62mm assault rifle developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. Six decades later, the AK-47 and its variants and derivatives remain in service throughout the world. It has been manufactured in many countries and has seen service with regular armed forces as well as irregular, revolutionary and terrorist organizations worldwide. Design work on the AK began in 1944. In 1946 the rifle was presented for official military trials, and a year later the fixed stock version was introduced into service with select units of the Red Army (the folding stock model was developed later). The AK-47 was officially accepted by the Soviet Armed Forces in 1949. An early development of the design was the AKS-47 (S—Skladnoy priklad), which differed in being equipped with an underfolding metal shoulder stock. The AK-47 was one of the first true assault rifles and, due to its durability, low production cost and ease of use, the weapon and its numerous variants remain the most widely used assault rifles in the world — so much so that more AK-type rifles have been produced than all other assault rifles combined. It was also used by the majority of the member states of the former Warsaw Pact. The AK-47 was also used as a basis for the development of many other types of individual and crew-served firearms. The main advantages of the Kalashnikov rifle are its simple design, fairly compact size and adaptation to mass production. It is inexpensive to manufacture, and easy to clean and maintain; its ruggedness and reliability are legendary. The AK-47 was initially designed for ease of operation and repair by glove-wearing Soviet soldiers in Arctic conditions. The large gas piston, generous clearances between moving parts, and tapered cartridge case design allow the gun to endure large amounts of foreign matter and fouling without failing to cycle. This reliability comes at the cost of accuracy, as the looser tolerances do not allow for precision and consistency. Reflecting Soviet infantry doctrine of its time, the rifle is meant to be part of massed infantry fire, not long range engagements. The average service life of an AK-47 is 20 to 40 years depending on the conditions to which it has been exposed. The notched rear tangent iron sight is adjustable, and is calibrated in hundreds of meters. The front sight is a post adjustable for elevation in the field. Windage adjustment is done by the armory before issue. The battle setting places the round within a few centimeters above or below the point of aim out to about 250 meters (275 yd). This "point-blank range" setting allows the shooter to fire the gun at any close target without adjusting the sights. Longer settings are intended for area suppression. These settings mirror the Mosin-Nagant and SKS rifles which the AK-47 replaced. This eased transition and simplified training. The prototype of the AK-47, the AK-46, had a separate fire selector and safety. These were later combined in the production version to simplify the design. The fire selector acts as a dust cover for the charging handle raceway when placed on safe. This prevents intrusion of dust and other debris into the internal parts. The dust cover on the M16 rifle, in contrast, is not tied to the safety.Specifications:TypePlace of OriginWeight - 4.3 kg (9.5 lb) with empty magazine.
Length- 870 mm (34.3 in) fixed wooden stock.
- 875 mm (34.4 in) folding stock extended.
- 645 mm (25.4 in) stock folded.
Barrel LengthCartridgeAction- Gas-operated.
- Rotating bolt.
Rate of FireMuzzle VelocityEffective Range- 100–800 sight adjustments m.
Feed System - 30-round detachable box magazine.
- Also compatible with 40-round box or 75-round drum magazines from the RPK.
Sights- Adjustable iron sights.
- 378 mm (14.9 in) sight radius.
