Saturday, April 28, 2007

AMMUNITION SHORTAGE


Bullet shortage tales spur police to load up

By Rebecca S. Green
The Journal Gazette
Clint Keller/The Journal Gazette
Jeff Volmerding reloads his pistols while target shooting at H&H Firearms in Fort Wayne.
Clint Keller/The Journal Gazette
Wayne Kiefer, manager at H&H Firearms, restocks the shelves with pistol ammunition. The owner says prices are rising.

Some area law enforcement agencies have stocked up on ammunition in recent months after rumors of shortages and backorders caused by increased usage by military and law enforcement in the ongoing war on terror.

Though Jeffersonville-based Kiesler Police Supply and Ammunition Co. sent a letter in February to law enforcement agencies in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, alerting them to a continued ammunition shortage, many local agencies are not worried about running out of bullets.

“We wish to advise every police and sheriff department or agency in our territory (whether or not you are a customer of Kiesler’s) that deliveries of duty and practice ammunition are horribly backordered,” the letter read.

The Bluffton Police Department received the letter, and Chief Tammy Shafer informed the city’s board of works about the matter not long afterward.

Her second-in-command, Deputy Chief Nathan Huss, said the department made an extra order at the beginning of March, in part to combat what Kiesler promised were lengthy delays in receiving certain types of ammunition.

Increased usage by the military and law enforcement, as well as a number of foreign manufacturers ceasing U.S. sales, has contributed to the backlog, which is “the worst shortage Kiesler’s has seen in its 35 years of being in business,” according to a copy of the letter obtained by The Journal Gazette.

The letter to police goes on to indicate that .223-caliber rounds, used in assault rifles such as the M-16, are backlogged until the end of 2007 or early 2008 for both training rounds and ammunition carried on duty.

The M-16 and its descendants, such as the M-16A1 and others, have been the primary infantry rifle used by the U.S. military for more than 40 years, and are also used by a number of other countries.

Officials from Kiesler declined to comment for this story but on Friday referred calls to ATK, a weapons system company.

No correlation between the increased demands for ammunition by law enforcement agencies, particularly training ammunition, should be drawn to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Brian Grace, spokesman for weapons manufacturer ATK.

The company manufacturers a large amount of ammunition used in the civilian, law enforcement and military sectors, doing an estimated $1.3 billion in business in its Ammunition Systems Group and produces about 1.5 billion rounds of small-caliber ammunition annually.

ATK’s law enforcement ammunition, both training and duty rounds, is manufactured at plants in Minnesota, while small-caliber rounds for military use are made in Missouri, according to the company’s Web site.

Grace said ATK has ramped up production of training ammunition, as well as increased capacity at its plants, making bullets “24/7.”

He said the move was driven 99 percent by demand, rather than by a shortage in supply.

And those who are having a tough time acquiring certain types of ammunition should check with their supplier’s representative, he said.

Searching for supply

Huntington police officer Dale Osborn has served as the department’s firearms instructor for the past decade. He said the .45-caliber is the hardest round to obtain, the only backlog for his department’s supplier, Precision Cartridge Inc. in Hobart.

Officials at Precision told Huntington that some suppliers were slower because of an increase in the military’s need for bullets, Osborn said.

Slightly cheaper than the rounds carried in officers’ weapons, training rounds make up the bulk of police departments’ ammunition purchases, unlike the more complicated duty ammunition, which expands after contact with a target.

Sgt. Chad Hill, public information officer at the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, said his department has had such a hard time obtaining the .223 rounds needed for the M-16A1 military surplus rifles carried by the deputies they have had to buy the ammunition from the Czech Republic.

The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department spends about $22,000 in training ammunition and $4,000 buying duty ammunition each year, Hill said.

He said the department has also had difficulty getting training ammunition for the duty-issued .45-caliber handguns and 9 mm handguns used by the department. While the department has been told to expect an easier time buying bullets by August, there is no guarantee, Hill said.

The department tries to keep a surplus on hand, Hill said, but the department tries to keep that a secret from the officers so they don’t shoot off too much during training.

Michael Ward, executive director of the Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police, said none of the members of the association has contacted the organization and to advise of any shortages.

“I’m sure there’s a whole variety of factors, not the least of which is the demands for certain rounds because of the growing size of police departments and federal government needs,” Ward said. “It was not an alarming thing to us or to any of our chiefs,” he said.

And even with Kiesler’s notice, area law enforcement officials do not seem to be in any way alarmed.

Bluffton’s Deputy Chief Huss said the department ordered two cases of .45-caliber duty rounds, with each case containing 1,000 bullets, and 20 cases of .45-caliber training rounds. But after receiving the letter in February, the department ordered an additional nine cases of training rounds and one additional case of duty ammunition.

They also ordered 500 more rounds of the .223-caliber ammunition for rifles, in addition to the 800 ordered earlier, Huss said.

Demand, costs rise

Not only has some ammunition taken longer to obtain, it is also much more expensive.

In its warning to area police departments, Kiesler officials said that while the production of ammunition has almost doubled since two years ago, and prices have increased 20 to 30 percent, shortages are worse today than last year, according to the letter.

Bill Hartsing, who owns H&H Firearms in Fort Wayne, said the price of ammunition has gone up more than seven times in recent years. On Friday, he heard it was going to jump again, possibly by 10 percent.

“There’s not so much a shortage if you are willing to pay for it,” he said.

Hartsing said the .223 rounds are harder to find, but the price is “staggering.”

His company is now paying more for ammunition than it sold it for a year ago.

The ammunition makers that are of any size are now mostly making rounds for the government, Hartsing said.

The spike in price is also likely influenced by the steep costs of metals like copper and lead, Hartsing said.

“You get what you can get and buy what’s available at the best price you can get it,” he said.

He said he has never seen the market this tight for ammunition, and compared the situation to the hikes in gas prices.

“It’s all a game,” he said.

Fort Wayne police officer R.J. Sutphin said he had heard rumors of an ammunition shortage last year, affecting only the .223-rifle ammunition.

An instructor at the Fort Wayne Police Academy, Sutphin said it affected a couple classes he taught.

But the area’s largest law enforcement agency has plenty of duty ammunition on hand, he said.

“I was down in the ammo room, and there’s just case after case,” Sutphin said. “We’ve got plenty of bullets.”


Bullet backlog

Area law enforcement agencies use a number of different types of firearms. If they purchase ammunition through Jeffersonville-based Kiesler Police Supply and Ammunition Co., they may have to wait:

•Assault rifles such as the M-16 are used by some departments. These weapons use a

.223-caliber cartridge for training and duty which is back-ordered until the end of 2007 or 2008.

•Handguns carried by officers can vary in caliber, though many are 9 mm, .40 caliber or .45 caliber. These rounds, both training and duty, are back-ordered from five to six months from date of order.

•Shotgun shells, buckshot and slugs are back-ordered 90 to 120 days.

............................................................................................................
VIDEO ON GUN CONTROL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn9cX5BaqYc

Friday, April 27, 2007

THE GLOCK 17

A Critical Look at the Glock 17

By Stephen Camp

www.hipowersandhandguns.com

Not the first polymer frame pistol made, this is the one that started the "revolution" to "plastic pistols". That they are popular is an understatement. In the early '80's the Austrian army adopted this new handgun design and soon hit the US market in a big way with the establishment of Glock, Inc, in Smyrna, GA, in '85. Since then it has remained a most popular defensive handgun in this country and fills more than a few police holsters. The largest US police agency I can think of that issues Glock handguns would be NYPD.

Traditionalists such as myself were shocked and viewed this new "thing" with a jaundiced eye. It didn't look "right"; plastic in a handgun? How could it last? Would it be safe? "Oh, this will never work or catch on," I thought.

Simply put, I was wrong.

Even among folks favoring steel and wood in handguns, some find a role for the Glock in one model or the other. I fall into this category though I freely admit I do not subscribe to the theory of "Glock Perfection" as espoused by the company. Like any other handgun, the Glock has both good and not so good points.

Glock handguns have gone through several changes since the first versions arrived on the scene and this includes their first model, the G17. The one used for this report is a current one and is factory stock; nothing has been altered.

Specifications:

Slide Length: 7.32"

Pistol Height: 5.43" (measured from bottom of magazine floor plate to top of fixed rear sight)

Weight: 24.79 oz. (with empty magazine in place)

Width: 1.18"

Sight Radius: 6.5"

Barrel: 4.49" with 1:10" twist (Actually, most of the European pistols described as having 1:10 are actually 1:9.84".) It is polygonal rifled. Glock calls it "hexagonal".

Action: The Glock uses a locked breech and uses what is called a "safe action". The pistol does not have a hammer. It uses a spring-loaded striker and is partially retracted when a round is chambered. Pressing the trigger fully retracts and releases the striker so the pistol can be thought of as a form of double-action-only.

Factory Standard Recoil Spring: 17 pounds

Factory Standard Striker Spring: 5 1/2 pounds

External Safety: Yes, on the trigger itself. Newer versions have an extractor with an elevated flat that is obvious visually and by feel when there is a cartridge in the chamber.

Internal Safety: Yes, striker is blocked until trigger is pressed fully rearward.

Magazine Disconnect: No

Sights: Available in fixed or adjustable as well as with night sights

Magazine Capacity: 17 rounds

Finish: Tennifer (A dark and very corrosion-resistant proprietary finish)

In the picture on the left we see the trigger position when the pistol does not have a round in the chamber. On the right there is. Note the difference in position. Though the Glock can be thought of as a DAO, the trigger pull is only about a half-inch. The factory rates it at about 5 1/2 pounds as it comes from the box. Note the fixed sights. They are made of plastic and are the familiar 3-dot variety. The front grip strap has finger grooves with checkering between and an accessory rail is visible molded in the dust cover. There have been changes to various parts within the pistol over the years as well. The Glock 17 is the first Glock pistol but 9mm versions both larger and smaller are now made.

Here you can see the raised flat on the external pivoting extractor. There is a round chambered and the extractor acts as a loaded chamber indicator. It is also easily felt in the dark. On the right we see that the extractor gets a very healthy "bite" on the 9mm case rim. The cylinder visible at the lower left below the cartridge is what blocks the striker until the trigger is pressed and it is pushed up and out of the way.

Shooting: This pistol was shot over the chronograph to provide a rather extensive list of actual 9mm velocities ranging for 9mm loads with bullets from 65 to 147 grains. Average velocities are based on 10 shots fired approximately 10 feet from the chronograph screens. Average velocities, extreme spreads, and standard deviations are in ft/sec.

Glock 17 Chronograph Results:

Load:

Average Velocity (ft/sec):

Extreme Spread (ft/sec):

Std. Deviation (ft/sec):

Aguila 65-gr. IQ

1668

79

25

Glaser 80-gr. Silver SS +P

1605

28

14

Hirtenberger 100-gr. JSP FL

1353

24

8

Corbon 100-gr. Powerball +P

1505

28

15

Federal 105-gr. PD EFMJ

1233

37

14

Corbon 115-gr. DPX +P

1228

54

19

Federal AE 115-gr. FMJ

1194

27

10

Fiocchi 115-gr. FMJ

1179

43

15

Winchester USA 115-gr. JHP

1167

26

9

Remington 115-gr. JHP +P

1290

45

17

PMC 115-gr. SFHP

1166

34

12

Remington UMC 115-gr. FMJ

1209

25

9

Federal 115-gr. JHP

1177

27

9

Sellier & Bellot 115-gr. FMJ

1172

41

15

Corbon 115-gr. JHP +P

1413

9

3

Fiocchi 123-gr. FMJTC

1130

64

19

CCI/Speer Blazer 124-gr. FMJ

1154

23

7

Hornady 124-gr. TAP

1166

27

11

Magtech 124-gr. GG JHP

1122

46

12

Speer 124-gr. GDHP

1125

19

7

Corbon 124-gr. (GDHP)+P

1327

30

10

PMC 124-gr. SFHP

1091

52

16

Federal 124-gr. Nyclad HP

1155

48

16

Federal 124-gr. HydraShok

1114

22

9

CCI/Speer 124-gr. TMJ

1143

37

11

Corbon 125-gr. JHP +P

1320

39

13

Winchester 127-gr. JHP +P+

1288

21

7

Federal AE 147-gr. FMJFP

958

52

13

Winchester 147-gr. STHP

1003

41

16

Remington 147-gr. GS

1016

56

18

(GS = Golden Saber, GDHP = Gold Dot Hollow Point, SFHP = Starfire Hollow Point, SS = Safety Slug, FMJTC = Full Metal Jacket Truncated Cone, FMJFP = Full Metal Jacket Flat Point, GG = Guardian Gold, PD = Personal Defense, TAP = Tactical Action Police)

The fastest round fired was the standard pressure Aguila IQ but it also had the greatest extreme spread and standard deviation. In standard velocity loads, Remington UMC 115-gr. FMJ, Winchester USA 115-gr. JHP, Federal 115-gr. JHP were exceptionally consistent in this weight range. In the 124-gr. range, CCI/Blazer, CCI/Speer Gold Dot, and Federal HydraShok lead the way, but not by much in some cases.

In +P and +P+, Corbon 115-gr. JHP +P was scarily consistent as is Winchester RA9TA +P+ in 127-gr. The now discontinued Corbon +P 124 gr. Gold Dot load was right in there and their current 125-gr. replacement (Sierra Power Jacket Hollow Point) is as well.

None of the 147-grain loads showed any significant differences in consistency shot to shot.

Shooting groups was limited today. I only got to fire at 15 yards due to heavy winds and an influx of people showing up unexpectedly. The groups that were shot are fairly typical of what I've seen in the past with Glock 17 handguns.

The group on the left consisted of 10 shots of Sellier & Bellot 115-gr. FMJ while the one on the right is but 5 shots with Corbon's DPX +P in the same weight. The two high hits with the S&B are not from "first round flyer syndrome" but from me. Recent lots of S&B (2005) are reportedly coming with extremely hard primers that are not always detonated by Glocks and other handguns. Though this lot had no problems, I have seen this in the past with S&B and suggest that it not be carried for "serious" purposes.

There were no failures or malfunctions of any kind in today's shooting session. This is pretty much typical of Glock handguns and I suggest this is a major reason for their popularity. Ejection was positive and cases fell pretty much in the same area with cases from lighter loads landing about 5' to the right and hotter loads, a bit farther. Feeding was slick and w/o hesitation with all bullet shapes from traditional ball to truncated cone and very blunt and short JHP's.

In past shooting sessions when using the Glock 17 and 19, I experienced no accuracy problems out to about 25 yards or so. At 50 yards, I do not get quite as tight of groups with the Glock as with other handguns such as the Browning Hi Power or various 1911 pattern pistols. I do not know if this is due to mechanical accuracy potential of the Glock pistols or me and I have not tried this with the longer versions of the gun. If I can get a group of 5 or 6" with a 1911 at 50 yards from a rest, I can expect a group roughly 2 to 3" greater with the Glock. I suspect the problem is me as groups at 15 and 25 yards are distinctly comparable to those fired from other quality autos.

Those shooting copious amounts of +P ammunition will be happy to know that the Glock 17 handles these with ease. G17's are tough guns and reports of extremely high round counts with zero problems are plentiful. I know one officer who shoots his first-version Glock 17 heavily and has done so since the '80's when he bought it. He has had no problems or major parts breakage. If memory serves correctly, he replaced a broken trigger return spring. Before retiring from police service I saw lots of handguns on the firing range and did see a few broken Glocks. Usually the problem was either a broken trigger return spring or slide stop spring. (Glock suggests that the slide be released via the "slingshot" method rather than depressing the slide stop lever to avoid wearing this stamped metal part. The gun will continue to work, but it is possible to wear the catch such that it no longer holds the slide rearward when the last shot is fired.)

Here we see the cracked breech face of a Glock 19 that was fired less than 100 times with only factory ball ammunition. Glock replaced this gun free, but it serves as a reminder that nothing is perfect and that lemons can come from any manufacturer. (The replacement Glock 19 has been fired steadily with no problems whatsoever.)

Like any other make handgun, Glocks have their downside issues. "Kabooms" are one. This is a term referring to catastrophic case failure when the gun is fired. Though it has happened in 9mm, the primary caliber these events stem from seem to be .40 S&W. While it may be exaggerated, the KB's have occurred more than a few times, but I don't think all of this can be laid at Glock's doorstep. I personally witnessed two KB's with Glock 22's using Federal 180-gr. HydraShok factory ammunition. This occurred early in the ammunition's manufacture and has long since been corrected. It is true that in some calibers, Glock handguns don't provide any excess of case support, but in the original caliber, 9mm, they do fine.

Both the Glock 17 (left) and Glock 26 (right) have sufficient case support at the chamber to handle high-end 9mm loads without worry.

Glock nixes the use of cast bullets in their pistols due to the hexagonal rifling, which leads badly with some alloys and can raise pressures. When pressures exceed a certain point the weakest link in the chain breaks and this is usually the unsupported case head. I have seen badly bulged cases firing standard pressure ammunition in .40, .45 and 10mm Glocks, but have not seen it in 9mm. In the case of the 10mm, Glock replaced the barrel and the bulged case problem was alleviated.

I have shot cast bullet handloads in Glock handguns, but never more than a couple of hundred before cleaning the barrel. Though I did not notice excessive leading this does not mean that it couldn't happen rapidly; lead alloys from cast bullet makers varies. For the record I suggest shooting only jacketed ammunition in any Glock handgun, regardless of caliber.

Felt recoil was minimal with the G17. The warmer loads kicked a bit more and were "sharper" but nothing was either "bad" or hard to control. I suspect strongly that this is one reason for the 9mm's continued popularity. You get quite a bit of "oomph" for minimal recoil in a service size handgun.

The rear tang of the Glock 17 is wider than the slide and spreads the recoil impulse which results in less felt recoil for most people.

Observations and Conclusion: For me the Glock 17 feels better than any other 9mm offered by this company. For many that accolade goes to the Glock 19, but those have never felt comfortable to me. This is entirely subjective and there is no right or wrong answer; it's up to the individual.

Glock 17's have a well-deserved reputation for general ruggedness and utter reliability. Though they can be made to malfunction by limp-wristing, they normally run 100% with about any type of ammunition they're fed.

For those going into harm's way with the expectation that cleaning will not be regular and the elements harsh, the Glock has one of the most corrosion resistant finishes extant. Certainly the polymer frame won't corrode, but the steel parts are covered with tennifer, a Glock finish that is for all practical purposes rust proof.

To me, the primary weak point remains the factory sights. They are polymer and easily damaged. While it is true that they're very inexpensive and easily replaced, it is somewhat silly to put a set of sights on a pistol that can be worn to a nub in a holster that touches them or that can knocked from the gun w/o much effort. The sights on this Glock are being replaced with steel ones in the near future.

The Glock 17 can be lightly customized without much effort as Glock and other manufacturers offer various guide rods, trigger connectors, sights, springs, etc.

Mine will remain about as it is with the exception of the sights and I'll probably go with Wolff's one-piece steel recoil spring and guide. That said, the polymer guide is holding up fine.

Here is the Glock 17 fieldstripped. The recoil spring guide rod is polymer but so far, no problems. The recoil spring is a captive unit, which makes replacement require a new guide rod if one wishes to remain in factory trim. The Wolff one-piece steel guide rod requires the use of the Wolff spring and is not captive. Changing the recoil spring is simplified, but it is not as easy to install this spring and guide as is the factory unit.

Glock handguns are not so internally complex as some more modern automatics. In this picture we can see the ejector. These are bent and this is normal and the way they come from the factory. Yours should be the same and there's nothing wrong with your gun; it is supposed to be that way.

Cleaning the G17 is easy compared to some other automatics I shoot. These pistols require but a minor amount of lubrication for proper function. Take down is simple and cleaning should be a regular part of any shooter's regimen. That said, the Glock series of handguns are usually capable of shooting extreme amounts of ammunition before cleaning is necessary. I clean mine after each range session whether it is "necessary" or not. Do NOT get oil or solvent into the striker channel. This can caramelize and/or attract grit that can weaken the striker's ability to detonate primers. Keep this area clean. The hole on the underside of the slide is not there to allow us to lube this area. Speaking of primers, I suggest using only quality American-made ammo in this pistol if possible. Reliable though it is, there are some makes of ammunition having hard primers that the Glock's striker system simply does not fire with 100% reliability. In most cases this turns out to be foreign surplus ammo. I have never seen a Glock pistol in any caliber fail to fire any brand of US ammunition.

The Glock 17 is a capable, dependable pistol whether for home defense, concealed carry, or uniformed law enforcement work. Mine will be used primarily for the first two categories as well as for range shooting for fun and practice. These pistols are not forgiving. It is absolutely essential that the finger not be on the trigger until ready to fire. While this is true of all handguns, it must be remembered that the one and only external safety on the Glock is deactivated when the trigger is touched from the front. Holster selection should also be made with an eye to retaining straps and thumb breaks. They must not be able to enter the trigger guard and touch the trigger. If they do, the pistol could discharge when inserted back into the holster.

Not so beautiful to my eye as a number of other handguns, I do find the Glocks reliable and worthy of respect as defensive handguns. Light, easy to carry, and essentially corrosion-free, they possess traits high on the list for daily carry and under less than ideal conditions. They can take lots and lots of shooting and with hot ammunition, too. A serious shooter can buy a Glock 17 and go hundreds of thousands of rounds without worry. The barrels are very long-lived and there are usually no catastrophic parts failures. One might break a spring now and again but those concerned can go with the "New York" trigger springs, which supposedly alleviate this problem. (They will change both the trigger pull weight and feel.)

Not likely to replace the Hi Power, CZ, or 1911 as my favorite handguns, I do admit that I trust and recommend the Glock as a quality handgun that can be counted upon in the "dark place". Just be aware that it doesn't allow much less-than-careful use without the possibility of a negligent discharge. Negligent or not, these pistols will fire when called upon.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

ROCKET PROPELLED GRENADE

RPG-7/RPG-7V/RPG-7VR
Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher

(Multi Purpose Weapon)
Manufacturer: Basalt, Russia

[Photo]RPG-7 is a reloadable, shoulder-fired, muzzle-loaded, recoilless antitank and antipersonnel rocket propelled grenade launcher that launches fin-stabilized, oversized rocket - assisted HEAT grenade (85-mm in the PG-7 version, 70-mm in the PG-7M) from a smooth bore 40mm tube. The launcher with optical sights weighs 6.9 kilograms (15.9 pounds) and has a maximum, effective range of 300 meters against moving point targets and 500 meters against stationary point targets. 500 meters is also the maximum range of rocket assisted flight, which enables a flatter trajectory and more accurate aiming.

The RPG-7V is light enough to be carried and fired by a single operator. An assistant grenadier deploys with the shooter, to the left of the gunner to provide cover with his personal weapon and reload after fire. [Photo]The shooter normally carries two additional rounds of ammunition, and his team member three more rounds. The use of the weapon is fairly simple. Without much practice, a user can hit a vehicle sized target most of the time at ranges of 50-100 meters. More practice enable engagement of targets at extended range, which also provide relative safety to the user. At the maximum range of 920 meters, RPGs self explodes (4.5 seconds from firing) and that's how the weapon is sometime used as a form of "artillery", spraying shrapnel over military installations, or slow, low flying or hovering helicopters.

The antipersonnel grenades reach over 1100 meters. Following the conflict in Afghanistan, new anti-personnel grenades were added. A modified version, PG-7BR (VR for the RPG-7V1) is also designed to defeat reactive armor. It uses a precursor charge to eliminate the reactive armor and a main charge to penetrate the main armor. Basalt, the original RPG manufacturer currently offer the RPG-7V1 40mm launcher, which weighs 6.3 kg. It is available in two versions, the standard unitary tube at a length of 950mm and the RPG-7D which can be split into two sections, measuring 630 mm when packed for transportation or airdrop. The PRG-7V1 can fire 4 - 6 rounds per minute, and can be equipped with PG-7V shaped charge, PG-7VR tandem shaped charge, both are designed to penetrate over 500 mm of steel (600 mm behind ERA in PG-7VR, which can also penetrate two meters of brickwork, 1.5 meters of reinforced concrete and 3.7 meters of log or sand).

The RPG-7V1 can also fire the TBG-7V thermobaric or OG-7V fragmentation charges. Basalt has also designed further advanced versions, including RPG-26 and RPG-27, with effective range of 200-250 meters for anti-tank, anti-personnel and anti-material missions. Thermobaric warheads were also adapted for RPGs with the RShG-1 and the RShG-2. Both are optimized for operations in enclosures of up to 200 cubic meters and can create a devastating effect in a trench or within a bunker or building even when they explode at a range of 1.5 - 2 meters from the target. For the RPG-7V1 the TBG-7V thermobaric round uses a 4.5kg 105mm warhead effective at a range of 200 meters (maximum 700 m'). The kill radius of this rocket is 10 meters.

The latest version available is the RPG-29, available in tandem-HEAT and thermobaric versions. The current RPG-7V model can mount a telescope and both infrared and passive night sights. All RPG-7 models have optical sights which can be illuminated for night sighting. Among the production grenades are the PG-7, PG-7M, PG-7N, The PG-7V rocket has a penetration capability of 330mm of steel armor. PG-7VL antitank grenades with armor penetrability of up to 600 mm of rolled homogeneous steel. The PG-7VR is a tandem warhead designed to penetrate explosive reactive armor and the armor underneath. The OG-7 and OG-7M are high-explosive antipersonnel grenades. OG7V is a 2 kg, 40mm fragmentation warhead effective at a range of 350m with a kill radius of 150 m. [Photo]The RPG-18 is another derivative of the original RPG. It was designed as a short-range weapon, The tube-launched, disposable launcher contain a single 64mm PG-18 rocket, similar in principle to the US LAW system.

The operator carries the launcher in a collapsed position and extends the inner tube to make the weapon ready to fire. The weapon has an effective range of 200 meters, with a HEAT warhead which is capable of penetrating up to 375 millimeters of steel armor. The fuse of the HEAT grenade activates 2 to 15 meters after leaving the tube and self-destructs after a flight time of 4 to 6 seconds. The folding sight at the forward end of the tube is calibrated for ranges of 50, 100, 150, and 200 meters.



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BROKEN NAA GUARDIAN TRIGGER SHOWN IN PHOTO - LOWER LEFT

The image “http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/oldgranpa/NAAtriggerassembly.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.


Nchornet
Message Board Member
Username: Nchornet

Post Number: 1
Registered: 03-2007
Posted on Saturday, March 17, 2007 - 02:13 pm:

I found a beautiful, hardly shot 32ACP Guardian with gutter sniping. I took it out back today to test relaibility and was very disappointed. Every mag jammed on the 2nd to 3rd round. What happened is the magazine would release causing it to drop slightly this keeps the fed round from loading at the correct angle. At first I though maybe I was hitting the mag release button by accident, but two more mags with one hand clearly showed it was something happening internally and not my doing. This is a real bummer as I have waited for this gun for a long time. I also just paid to have it shipped to my FFL and now I may have to ship it again back to NAA. Has anybody else heard of this problem or have an idea of what it might be. If it does go back maybe they can replace the night sights as well. They don't evenm light up at all and according to the paper that was in the box they have a 15 year warranty. On NAA's website they claim a cost of $22.50 using UPS to ship the firearm. How can they attatch this amount to the shipping, doesn't it vary where it was shipped from? Also UPS wanted $41 to ship from MN to NC, so how do I get the $22.50 price. Thanks for your help.
Kevin
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RPG-7/RPG-7V/RPG-7VR
Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher
(Multi Purpose Weapon)

Manufacturer: Basalt, Russia

An RPG fire team operating in the Gaza strip, January 2004. Although Palestinian militants have used RPGs for many years, the amount of damage caused by these wepons was relatively small, due to adequate countermeasures and protection the IDF implemented on vehicles and installations.RPG-7 is a reloadable, shoulder-fired, muzzle-loaded, recoilless antitank and antipersonnel rocket propelled grenade launcher that launches fin-stabilized, oversized rocket - assisted HEAT grenade (85-mm in the PG-7 version, 70-mm in the PG-7M) from a smooth bore 40mm tube. The launcher with optical sights weighs 6.9 kilograms (15.9 pounds) and has a maximum, effective range of 300 meters against moving point targets and 500 meters against stationary point targets. 500 meters is also the maximum range of rocket assisted flight, which enables a flatter trajectory and more accurate aiming. The RPG-7V is light enough to be carried and fired by a single operator. An assistant grenadier deploys with the shooter, to the left of the gunner to provide cover with his personal weapon and reload after fire. The RPG-7V is light enough to be carried and fired by a single operator. He also carry two more rounds of ammunition.The shooter normally carries two additional rounds of ammunition, and his team member three more rounds. The use of the weapon is fairly simple. Without much practice, a user can hit a vehicle sized target most of the time at ranges of 50-100 meters. More practice enable engagement of targets at extended range, which also provide relative safety to the user. At the maximum range of 920 meters, RPGs self explodes (4.5 seconds from firing) and that's how the weapon is sometime used as a form of "artillery", spraying shrapnel over military installations, or slow, low flying or hovering helicopters. The antipersonnel grenades reach over 1100 meters. Following the conflict in Afghanistan, new anti-personnel grenades were added. A modified version, PG-7BR (VR for the RPG-7V1) is also designed to defeat reactive armor. It uses a precursor charge to eliminate the reactive armor and a main charge to penetrate the main armor. Basalt, the original RPG manufacturer currently offer the RPG-7V1 40mm launcher, which weighs 6.3 kg. It is available in two versions, the standard unitary tube at a length of 950mm and the RPG-7D which can be split into two sections, measuring 630 mm when packed for transportation or airdrop. The PRG-7V1 can fire 4 - 6 rounds per minute, and can be equipped with PG-7V shaped charge, PG-7VR tandem shaped charge, both are designed to penetrate over 500 mm of steel (600 mm behind ERA in PG-7VR, which can also penetrate two meters of brickwork, 1.5 meters of reinforced concrete and 3.7 meters of log or sand). The RPG-7V1 can also fire the TBG-7V thermobaric or OG-7V fragmentation charges.

Basalt has also designed further advanced versions, including RPG-26 and RPG-27, with effective range of 200-250 meters for anti-tank, anti-personnel and anti-material missions. Thermobaric warheads were also adapted for RPGs with the RShG-1 and the RShG-2. Both are optimized for operations in enclosures of up to 200 cubic meters and can create a devastating effect in a trench or within a bunker or building even when they explode at a range of 1.5 - 2 meters from the target. For the RPG-7V1 the TBG-7V thermobaric round uses a 4.5kg 105mm warhead effective at a range of 200 meters (maximum 700 m'). The kill radius of this rocket is 10 meters. The latest version available is the RPG-29, available in tandem-HEAT and thermobaric versions.

The current RPG-7V model can mount a telescope and both infrared and passive night sights. All RPG-7 models have optical sights which can be illuminated for night sighting.

Among the production grenades are the PG-7, PG-7M, PG-7N, The PG-7V rocket has a penetration capability of 330mm of steel armor. PG-7VL antitank grenades with armor penetrability of up to 600 mm of rolled homogeneous steel. The PG-7VR is a tandem warhead designed to penetrate explosive reactive armor and the armor underneath. The OG-7 and OG-7M are high-explosive antipersonnel grenades. OG7V is a 2 kg, 40mm fragmentation warhead effective at a range of 350m with a kill radius of 150 m.

RPG-18 AT rifle grenadeThe RPG-18 is another derivative of the original RPG. It was designed as a short-range weapon, The tube-launched, disposable launcher contain a single 64mm PG-18 rocket, similar in principle to the US LAW system. The operator carries the launcher in a collapsed position and extends the inner tube to make the weapon ready to fire. The weapon has an effective range of 200 meters, with a HEAT warhead which is capable of penetrating up to 375 millimeters of steel armor. The fuse of the HEAT grenade activates 2 to 15 meters after leaving the tube and self-destructs after a flight time of 4 to 6 seconds. The folding sight at the forward end of the tube is calibrated for ranges of 50, 100, 150, and 200 meters.