GunMag Gun News: 5×5 Friday | July 2019

This week, Strike Industries announced the launch of their GRIDLOK Handguard for the AR Platform. They say that they spent two years doing research and development in order to create this handguard and that this is the “QUICKEST rail removal process ever.”

Take a look:

Here are some more details from Strike:

The GRIDLOK is precision CNC Milled from durable 6061 Aluminum and given a semi-matte finish for the smoothest grip. The QD Locking Lever allows for rapid detachment of the rail housing from the barrel nut. Using 7250 Anodized Aluminum, the barrel nut creates a lightweight solution that is exclusive to the GRIDLOK system. The Gridlok also features the release of our new patented RaiLok mounting system. Combining the versatility of MLOK with the profile of a traditional Picatinny, this rail attachment system is the best of both worlds and allows for endless customization for accessory attachment and configurations. With a larger Internal diameter of 1.6″ the GRIDLOK is built to accommodate mid to large compensators, namely the Strike Oppressor.

Starline Brass

.350 Legend

Starline Brass just added the .350 Legend to their lineup of rifle brass.

According to Starline:

…this tapered case has a rebated rim allowing it to utilize the standard .223 bolt face found on many common rifles including the AR-15. Like many other AR cartridges, the .350 Legend only requires changing the barrel and magazine. This cartridge’s allure is that it can be used for hunting in several states that allow straight-wall rifle cartridges only, but doesn’t have near the recoil of other AR cartridges that fill this niche. Utilizing .355” diameter bullets, the .350 Legend is capable of impressive ballistics, without a lot of recoil.

Sig Sauer

P320 XSERIES TXG GRIP MODULE ASSEMBLY

Sig Sauer announced that their full-size tungsten-infused heavy grip module assembly for the P320 XSeries is now available exclusively on their website.

Grey Ghost Precision

GGP320 Slides

Grey Ghost’s latest gun news: they just announced the launch of their new line of slides for the 320 that features a hybrid optic cut for greater versatility.

Says Grey Ghost:

One of most requested features from our slide customers has been additional optic compatibility. With so many miniature red dot optic choices on the market today with varying and often impeding mounting screw locations, it became a challenge to integrate simultaneous compatibility while retaining a rock solid, low-profile, combat-ready design.

We’ve already introduced the Dual Compatible Optic Cut with our GGP17/19 Version 3 & 4 slides, which gives you the ability to mount either a Trijicon RMR or Leupold DeltaPoint Pro. We knew the GGP320 needed the same capability. However for those who want to run SIG ROMEO1 Micro Red Dot Sight on their P320®, we’ve engineered a solution that allows all three brands of MRDS to share the same footprint!

The result is a slide with mounting compatibility with the Trijicon RMR footprint, as well as the Leupold Deltapoint Pro and the SIG ROMEO1 optic… all without requiring a bulky adapter plate that would raise your optic further above the bore axis. Its a snug, reliable mounting method that gives you even more options right out of the box.

While you’re looking at all of the cool accessories for the P320, you might as well check out the Sig Sauer magazines that we have at GMWH.

Peter Nealen, Novelist

Maelstrom Rising

Here’s a bit of gun news for those of you who enjoy military fiction. Novelist Peter Nealen, a former Reconnaissance Marine turned writer, recently released the first book new action-adventure series called Maelstrom Rising; the follow-up novel is already about to hit stands. The first installment, Escalation, takes place in a near-future Eastern Europe.

Things are substantially complicated by tension-fraught international events (as you can read in the prologue). Among those: an ever more bellicose Chinese hegemony, an increasingly militaristic and resurgent Japan, Russian aggression, narco-guerrilla terrorists along the US-Mexico border…

As you can see, it’s complicated.

Among Nealen’s protagonists are several SOF operators of an unofficial military formation called the Triarii. They’re accompanied by a handful of surviving US Peacekeepers, most of whom are more hindrance than a help. Against them are pitted: the most combat-ready units of the European Defense Corps of the EDC (European Defense Council), Islamist mercenaries, local separatists, and other opponents whose identities and backgrounds have yet to be revealed.

Previous Nealen novels about door-kicking modern Praetorians were focused at the small unit level. This new series will have plenty of such kinetic activity but will feature much more mayhem on a global scale.

Here’s an excerpt:

The thunderous report of the 7.62 echoed across the hills around the town, shattering the early morning calm.  The dark-clad man with the FAMAS bullpup staggered, staring down at the widening dark stain on his chest for a brief fraction of a second before he crumpled, crashing to the deck with a thump and a muffled clatter as he landed on top of his rifle.

I was already up and moving as he hit the floor, sprinting around the side of the guest house and heading for the steps leading up to the deck.  A figure loomed in the doorway, and I caught a glimpse of a weapon.  I started to slow, bringing my own rifle back up to fire, but a shot cracked past my shoulder and took the man in the chest.  He fell backwards, into the house.

Then I was up onto the deck, my OBR leveled at the door, Jordan right on my heels, as Dwight opened fire on the front of the house with a long, roaring burst of 7.62.

The back wall was mostly big picture windows and the door.  There was no point in pausing; there was no cover.  Fortunately, Jordan was right there with me, and so we didn’t even slow down as we punched through the door and into the house.

I stepped over the fallen body in the doorway.  The man was in his death spasms, choking on his own blood.  I still kicked the old Skorpion machine pistol away from his hand as I passed, just in case.

We were in a sort of living room, or at least it had been.  The sectional couch and chairs were still there, as was the coffee table.  The pictures on the walls had been torn down, and the place was trashed.  There were piles of propaganda leaflets on the coffee table, as well as porn and what looked an awful lot like drugs.  A partial wall closed half of it off from the rest of the house, though the opening into the kitchen/dining area was wide open.

I went left, Jordan went right, and Phil darted in behind us, following me along the left-hand wall.  He’d paused to take that shot on the way, then rushed to catch up with the two of us.  A two-man entry was preferable to a one-man, but the more guns in the fight, the better.

More gunfire echoed outside.  It sounded like Dwight and Greg were in a medium-range firefight with somebody up near the front of the house; not all the fire was going in one direction.  We rapidly closed on the doorway; the living room was clear.

Jordan had hung back closer to the door, having moved only far enough to get his back to a wall instead of a window.  He had a lot wider field of fire than I did, even as I quickly crossed the room, angling toward the end of that partial wall, with Phil right behind me.  Jordan snapped his OBR up and fired, pumping three shots rapidly into the dining room.  The reports were deafening inside the enclosed space of the house.

He ceased fire just as I reached the end of the wall, and then I was committed.  Taking a breath, I stepped around, snapping my own rifle toward the nearest corner.

There was a stairway ahead of me, leading up into the second story, and a short hallway next to it, leading to the entryway and more rooms on the ground floor.  There was also a body at my feet.  A few feet away, I saw another Kosovar fighter with a SIG 550 in his hands, crouched and aimed in at the corner that I’d just rounded.

He was half-slumped against the wall, his rifle pointed off to one side, and off balance.  He’d apparently dived for cover as Jordan blew his buddy’s brains all over his jacket, but that momentary loss of balance was all the advantage I needed.

I drove my rifle toward him, barely picking up the offset irons alongside the shortdot scope, and blew a chunk of his heart out of his back.  The second shot, that scorched his beard with the muzzle blast as the bullet blew the back of his skull off, spattering blood and brains against the wall behind him, was little more than insurance, but it had been so instinctive that the twin reports almost blended into a single, catastrophic noise.

The dead man was still sliding down the wall, his rifle slipping from nerveless fingers, as another figure appeared at the top of the stairs, his eyes widening as he saw the weird, leafy apparitions with rifles standing over his fellow militiaman’s body.  He lifted the FAMAS rifle in his hands.  I had a split second to shift targets, throwing myself sideways as I did so.  Staying still was a good way to get shot.

He triggered a burst into the wall above Phil’s head, just before both of us blasted him.  He staggered, wobbled for a second, then fell face-first down the stairs, actually doing a somersault before he hit the floor at the bottom.

More gunfire erupted behind me as Jordan shot at somebody toward the front of the house, but Phil and I were already driving our way up the stairs, stepping hard on the body at the base of the steps as we went.

Press the immediate threat.

Take a look at the guns of the Triarii in a recent article about the LaRue Tactical OBR used by some of Nealen’s protagonists. You can also visit the American Praetorians website to learn more. Find Maelstrom Rising on Amazon or order a signed copy and do your bit to support a veteran author.

Follow Pete Nealen on Instagram, @peternealen.

Five(-ish) Gun News Items to know on Friday 7-12 (2019)

What happened in Gun News this week? A Space-Gun is up for auction and a kid got suspended because his friend posted images of him and a disabled gun. Also, did you know that Aguila Ammunition is going to be part of a Guinness World Record competition? Read on to get these details and more about the latest firearm industry happenings.

1911 Meteorite Pistols up for Auction

You won’t see this kind of gun news very often. Heritage Auctions is selling two rare 1911’s made from the Muonionalusta Meteorite on July 20. The ancient piece of iron is estimated to be approximately 4.5 billion years old. They say it hit the Swedish soil about a million years ago but wasn’t discovered until 1906. The opening bid for each pistol is $550,000. To date, these are the first meteorite firearms to be sold or auctioned. 

According to Heritage Auctions: 

These one-of-a-kind meteorite handguns are made from the Swedish Muonionalusta Meteorite which renders them very rare and in high demand. The set of 1911 pistols offered by Heritage are fully operational and have been test fired by Lou Biondo of Business End Customs, considered to be one of the finest 1911 gunsmiths in the world by industry experts. A set like this has never been sold previously and successful bidders can be certain they will be the first private owners of the guns.

You can find more details and follow the auction at Heritage Auctions.

14-Year-Old Suspended for Social Media Posts with Images of *Gasp!* A Gun

This piece of gun news is a little political. An eighth-grade boy from Maryland received three weeks of suspension after school officials took note of two social media posts that included the boy and a disabled air-soft gun. The school insisted that the incident was “very, very serious,” warranting suspension through the end of the school year, so he did not get to graduate with his class.

According to reason.com:

This was his punishment for appearing in the background of a friend’s video in which said friend held a disabled airsoft gun. The eighth-grader also posed for a photo with the friend, who held him in a headlock with the fake gun pointing at his head. The picture was shared with 13 other friends on Snapchat.

Aguila Ammunition is the official Shotshell of the New Guinness World Records title

This week, Aguila Ammunition’s gun news is the announcement of it’s participation as the official shotshell in the Guinness World Record for “Most Clay Shooting Targets Broken in 12 Hours” competition. The event is on October 12, 2019, at Powder Creek Shooting Park in Lenexa, Kansas.

More from Aguila:

CZ-USA and David Miller, CZ-USA’s Shotgun Product Manager, Aguila Pro Shooter and current world record holder, will attempt to break the current record of 4,602 targets on October 12, 2019 at Powder Creek Shooting Park in Lenexa, Kansas. Before the attempt can be made, Dave needs four more shooters to join his team. Two youth shooters from the A.I.M shooting program and two shooters from the SCTP program will earn their spots on the team by qualifying at A.I.M and SCTP events this summer.

SIG SAUER Modular Handgun System Receives Full-Material Release from U.S. Army

Sig Sauer’s latest gun news: they just announced that their Modular Handgun System (MHS) officially received notification of Full-Material Release from the U.S. Army.

More from Sig Sauer:

Ron Cohen, President & CEO, SIG SAUER, Inc. began, “the Army’s announcement of Full Material Release is the final stamp of approval for the MHS Program, and a true testament to the successful collaboration of the U.S. Army, SIG SAUER, and Winchester Ammunition to deliver the highest quality MHS program to our soldiers in the field. The FMR notification really highlights the safety and quality of the M17 and M18 handguns, and the success of the MHS program in its entirety.”

To date, over 59,000 Modular Handguns have been delivered by SIG SAUER, and over 44,000,000 rounds of ammunition delivered by Winchester Ammunition to the Government for MHS; in the next 5-7 years, an additional 350,000 handguns and 100,000,000 rounds of ammunition are scheduled for delivery.

Galco Gunleather’s New & Improved VHS 3.0 Shoulder Holster System

Galco’s latest gun news: they just announced a new holster system to their product line, VHS 3.0 system. It features redesigned harness straps, key-hole fastener attachment, and a new tie-down system.

Galco says:

Galco’s original VHS™ (Vertical Holster System) was field-proven across the globe from Afghanistan to America. Thousands were used by US military personnel fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Countless others are in use by US and international law enforcement, being particularly popular among police helicopter pilots. The VHS also provides an alternative for those who want the concealment of Galco’s Miami Classic but prefer the traditional vertical carry style.

A key component of the VHS 3.0 shoulder system is its spider harness. All four points of the spider harness can pivot independently and are connected by our clover-shaped, trademarked Flexalon™ swivel back plate. This, along with our patented swivel connectors, results in a perfect fit and lasting comfort for virtually all body sizes and shapes.

The wide harness straps on the VHS 3.0 have been recontoured to enhance both comfort and concealment. The VHS 3.0 also features Galco’s improved key-hole harness fastener system that replaces the earlier screw-and-post system, resulting in greater security, ease of assembly, and greatly reduced chance of fastener loss.

Available for $249 at Galco Gunleather.

Five(-ish) Gun News items to know on Friday 7-5 (2019)

LWRCI SMG

New SMG .45

LWRCI has released its first pistol-caliber carbine: the SMG-45, combining (the company advises) the “…the company’s experience on the AR platform with an innovative delayed blowback/short-recoil operating system that delivers a unique pistol caliber shooting experience.”

More about this gun news from LWRCI:

Built from the ground up around US-manufactured UMP magazines, the SMG-45 is a completely new PCC in .45 ACP that features many of the same controls and performance attributes found in LWRCI™’s luxury gas-piston AR lineup. LWRCI™’s commitment to craftsmanship and design excellence is clearly evident in the SMG-45: the firearm delivers the high performance that discerning shooters demand alongside the quality and innovation that customers have come to expect from LWRCI™.

Constructed of advanced aluminum and steel alloys and protected with hard-coat anodizing, ferritic nitrocarburization, and nickel-boron surface treatments, the SMG is built to last. Features on the SMG include a signature fully-ambidextrous lower receiver with AR-style controls for the safety and bolt catch/release, a paddle magazine release, the LWRCI™ Ultra Combat Grip™, and an LWRCI™ Enhanced Fire Control Group™. The upper includes an 8.5” cold- hammer-forged CrMoV steel barrel, LWRCI’s familiar Modular Rail System with LWRCI™ Rail Panels and Hand Stop installed at 3/6/9 o’clock, Magpul MBUS Pro sights, and more. The launch configuration for the SMG-45 is a pistol equipped with the SB Tactical SBTi folding subgun brace. The SMG-45 ships with two 25-round magazines.

To coincide with America’s Independence Day the SMG-45 Pistol+Brace began shipping on July 2 and is expected to be ready for retail from an authorized LWRCI Wholesale Distributor or Premier Dealer by early next week.  

Franklin Armory

Reformation RS11 Upper Receiver

Franklin Armory announced a limited run of Reformation .300BLK upper receiver groups, available only in the month of July.

More from Franklin Armory:

The Reformation is truly redefining upper receiver group as it has the same benefits as the full Reformation Firearm! Short Barreled, Non-NFA, No Tax Stamp, No ATF Waiting period, and able to be equipped with a shoulder stock and forward vertical grip!

Specs:

• .300 Blackout
• 11.5” Barrel
• 0 x 0 Twist
• Patented Straight cut lands and grooves
• Triumvir™ Flash Hider
• 11.5” FST™ Handguard – M-Lok compatible
• SBN Bolt carrier group
• Mil-spec Charging handle
• Mil-spec upper receiver with forward assist

To learn more about this latest release and other gun news from Franklin Armory, visit https://franklinarmory.com/.

Crimson Trace

LaserSaddle line expanding?

Crimson Trace, manufacturer of the LaserSaddle shotgun laser sight (which as of this report is on sale) has been dropping gun news hints on social media that they may soon be expanding that line. Currently, LaserSaddle only fits the Mossberg Shockwave (including the magazine-fed 590M), but it’s entirely possible we’ll soon see one for the Remington Tac14: both of which we compared recently in Travis Pike’s Tac-14 vs. Shockwave Battle.

Crimson Traces says,

The Lasersaddle™ is a feature-packed laser sighting solution for Mossberg 500, 590, & 590 Shockwave 12 Gauge Shotguns. Attaching seamlessly to the receiver, Lasersaddle provides multiple ambidextrous laser activation pad points for instant targeting. Choose from red or green laser models.

American Defense Manufacturing

Limited edition ADM4 Betsy Ross lower receiver (stripped)

American Defense Manufacturing (ADM) has released a limited edition ADM4 stripped lower receiver bearing the “Betsy Ross Flag.” They describe the flag as the “original symbol of freedom.” Available for $309 at www.americandefensemanufacturing.com.

More about this gun news from ADM:

Please allow 4 weeks for delivery. To expedite your order, please have your dealer fax or email their FFL to us. If the dealer you are using to transfer a firearm has not sent us a currently updated FFL to put on file, there will be an extended period of time needed to process your order. Any items placed on the same order as a lower receiver will also be shipped to the FFL. If you would like additional items shipped to you directly, please place them on a separate order.

The ADM4 billet 7075-T6 lower receiver features a Type III Teflon impregnated hardcoat anodized finish, is outfitted with our proprietary Ambidextrous magazine release, Ambidextrous bolt catch and release, and our dimpled Takedown and Pivot Pins. The trigger guard is ready for winter gloves without manipulation. Radii and chamfers throughout make this billet lower a marvel that stretches the capabilities of modern production CNC manufacturing.

A 20-degree competition style mag well is concealed in the design, allowing lightning fast magazine changes. An integral upper/lower tension adjustment screw allows the end user to compensate for tolerance between your upper receivers and your favorite lower. ** The only difference between the ADM4 Lower Receiver and the UIC-15 Lower Receiver is the pattern on the magazine well. The ADM4 Lower Receiver features a slick sided magazine well. All internal function and features are the same as the UIC-15 Lower Receiver.**

The ADM4 Lower receiver kit will ship with all proprietary ambidextrous controls installed and include our dimpled takedown/pivot pins. **Due to the design of the Ambi Bolt Catch/Release, the lower is NOT Compatible with certain triggers that utilize anti-rotation pins that use external screws or plates. We have developed a low head pin to be used with CMC Triggers. Standard GI type triggers, Drop-in triggers that use standard pins, and Geissele triggers WILL work with this lower.** Weight: 11 oz

Thunder Ranch

Nighthawk Custom Thunder Ranch Combat Special

Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch has collaborated with Nighthawk Custom. The Thunder Ranch Combat Special is a Government model, available in both 9mm and .45ACP. It is available with or without an accessory/light rail. It also features newly designed front and rear cocking serrations, a lanyard loop mainspring housing, a “GI-Style” nub thumb safety, custom engraving, and a gold bead front sight. The gun is finished with a unique Smoked Nitride finish and green linen/micarta scales.

More information on the new Thunder Ranch-Nighthawk Custom collab can be found at ThunderRanchInc.com.