Although this isn’t the first year I’ve heard rumor of FN halting production of the FS2000, the conviction has been much stronger recently. With so many forum threads starting up on the subject, including a confirmation from reputable source, I decided to call a few people that have been reliable in the past. On speaking with FN directly, I found the FS2000 Tactical and CQB (above) versions remaining on the FNH USA website is no mistake. The FS2000 is between runs but future sales have not been canceled.
Periodically the machines are shut down, cleaned up, retooled, and a different firearm is manufactured. Currently new PS90′s have been expected and the new batch should be on the market by early Q3. Once it is time for more of the 5.56mm bullpups to be produced, FN will retool again.
When the day comes for the FS2000 to be discontinued, I suspect NIB specimens will become worth quite a bit to purists. I plan to keep shooting mine.
Advantage Tactical’s nifty triangle sights are now available for the FNH-USA FNS and FNX pistols. The MSRP is $98.49.
The Advantage Tactical Sight (ATS) was developed by WrenTech president, Richard Nasef, in response to the inadequate iron sight products he found in the marketplace. Nasef, a practicing psychotherapist in New Mexico and California, as well as a firearms enthusiast, noticed shooters struggling with sight picture alignment and the resulting frustration at missed targets. Nasef recognized that the human brain quickly acclimates to a vertically aligned pyramid sight picture over the existing traditional sight pictures and the Advantage Tactical Sight was born.
The ATS allows new and seasoned shooters to acquire target sight pictures almost immediately and increases accuracy at all distances. The ATS, with interchangeable color schemes, provides great visibility in low-light situations and maintains the same sight picture when backlit. The sight system enhances the ability to shoot with both eyes open and while moving. Approved by the USPSA and the IDPA, the ATS give competition shooters an edge by increasing their scores and decreasing their times. The Advantage Tactical Sight is compatible with most holsters and provides better visibility in extreme weather conditions. It is windage and elevation adjustable.
“The FNS and FNX pistol series are some of the finest polymer pistols right out of the box,” Richard Nasef, President of WrenTech Industries, LLC and inventor of the Advantage Tactical Sight, explained. “The fit is exceptional and the perceived recoil is minimal. They are a joy to shoot and made even more enjoyable with the addition of the Advantage Tactical Sights.”
If summer is not for shooting hundreds of milk jugs with filled with colored water, I don’t know what it is for. A reader sent us four videos that he and his friends made of them shooting their FN PS90 carbine and FN Five-seveN pistols …
Earlier this year we reported that the Peruvian military had decided to adopt the FN SCAR-H. Only the SCAR-H was able to read the final round of the competition. MKE dropped out because they were not willing to guarantee a 20,000 shot lifespan, LWRC’s rifle failed the beach and sand test and H&K’s entry failed the mud test. The SCAR-H passed all these tests but in video footage obtained by Peruvian website Elcomercio.pe, it appears to fail the final test. You can see the test in the video below …
In the test the rifle was unscientifically dropped 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) onto concrete seven times. I assume this is the same rifle had already been subjected to all the previous torture tests. Given that it appears no rifle entered into the competition was able to complete all the tests, I think it is safe to say that the tests were at fault rather than the rifles.
We would all like an accurate and light rifle that required no maintenance, could be used as a hammer, thrown off buildings and submerged in mud and still continue to function with sub-MOA accuracy. Instead we make compromises because a modern full/semi-automatic rifle built like a tank with loose tolerances would not be a pleasant rifle to carry nor would it be accurate. Peru will probably be mounting expensive optics on their new rifles that anyway would fail all or most of the tests.
What do you TFBers think? Are modern rifles all junk? Should we be using the AKM or a Lee Enfield? Or is Peru looking for a magical unicorn rifle that does not exist?
One of my most valued correspondents from the Philippines is a resident of the city of Zamboanga, Philippines. He sent me the above photo. He and his family have been living with the noise of gun fire, military imposed curfew, closed shops, closed businesses, closed roads and a ban on air travel for the past two weeks.
Two weeks ago hundreds of Moro National Liberation Front fighters sailed into the southern Filipino city. Armed to the teeth they attempted to capture the city and declare it independent. The leader of the MNLF was no where to be seen. He had promised the troops that if they were successful the United Nations would reinforce them and each fighter would receive P10,000 ($230 USD) and a gun. I am told that the real purpose of this attack was simply to get media attention for the organization which has been losing support from the local population.
The rebels proceeded to murder and rape scores of the cities residents and take hundreds of hostages. Ironically these hostages were taken from the Muslim communities who they claim to be fighting for (and who hate them as much as anyone else I am told). A historical Catholic religious shrine left untouched by the Japanese WWII occupation was shot up by the rebels. The Philippines Army moved in to take control of the city and have since killed or captured most of the rebels but a small group of 30 – 40 fighters are still holed up with 20 hostages. A number of police and military were killed in action.
The locals suspect that the rebels have been armed with firearms sent by Libyan rebels. Below is a photo of the rebel commander (who has since been arrested) carrying an FN FAL with a muzzle attachment I do not recognize. Can anybody identify the muzzle device. It looks like it could be a rifle grenade launcher.
At the Milipol expo in Paris FN Herstal unveiled a new prototype PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) variant of the FN SCAR. The FN SCAR-P features a sleek upper receiver that lacks a full length top rail and heat vents (for a gun designed to be carried at the ready in tight spaces, less is more). The SCAR-P has a new collapsable wire stock with a very thick recoil pad. In order to accommodate the stock they removed the ”bumper” barrel screw retainers that are normally on each side of the receiver just forward of the eject port, which makes the gun look a lot better in my opinion (at the possible expense of making maintenance harder).
One thing I like about FN is that they are not afraid to show you a work in progress. This is actually the third FN SCAR PDW we have seen in as many years.
The SCAR-P look like a amalgamation of the original FN SCAR PDW prototype and the FNH-USA SCAR PDW. Is the FN SCAP-P the company’s final attempt at a PDW? Probably not.
FN Herstal’s update of the FN MINIMI, the FN MINIMI Mk3 is probably the most important new firearm of 2013 given its widespread use by the militaries of North American, South America, Europe, South East Asia and Oceania. The new FN MINIMI Mk3, which will be chambered in both 7.62mm and 5.56mm NATO, features a number of upgraded components over the previous version.
FN MINIMI MK3 Upgraded Components highlighted in blue.
The old fixed stock has been replaced with a 5-position adjustable stock that has a 4 position adjustable cheek piece (two positions for iron sights and two for optics). The stock also integrates a shoulder rest and hydraulic buffer The forend/rail/bipod have been upgraded and the folding bipod is now more compact and will not get in the way of accessories mounted on the picatinny rails. The topcover and feed tray has been upgraded for easier one-handed reloading. The cocking handle (not pictured above) is more more ergonomic and easier to operate with either the strong or weak hand. A new heat shield is an optional accessory.
FN will be selling upgrade kits to any of their customers who own the previous version. Upgrades can be performed in-house by the organizations that purchase them. FN can also provide caliber conversion kits to switch the guns between 5.56mm and 7.62mm.
There will be four 5.56mm variants and three 7.62mm variants (down from the total of eight variants previously available). The 5.56mm variants are …
DefenseWeb published this video about the new Mk3 …
It is not guaranteed that the US Armed Forces will upgrade their M249 Light Machine Guns to the new Mk3 model because USSOCOM and the NSWC have been developing their own variants and upgrades for many years. The fruits of their labor are the Mk. 46 Mod 0 and Mk 48 Mod 0/1.
Lithuania’s Ministry of Defense has purchased $3.9 million worth of the designated marksmen version of the FN SCAR-H rifle, the SCAR-H PR, along with Schmidt & Bender optics. While they will not say how many were ordered, my guess based on the contract value, would be about 750. Defense News reports …
Lithuania’s Ministry of Defense has ordered FN SCAR-H PR semi-automatic rifles for the country’s armed forces. The 7.62 mm rifle is produced by Belgian arms manufacturer FN Herstal.
The contract is worth 9.6 million litas (US $3.9 million), the ministry said in a statement. Deliveries of the weapons are scheduled to begin in 2014.
The FN SCAR-H PR rifles will be supplied to the Lithuanian land forces. The weapons are to be fitted with rifle scopes made by German manufacturer Schmidt & Bender. The amount of rifles ordered was not disclosed by the ministry.
The 17S comes in the USSOCOM flat dark earth finish, has a barrel length of 16.25″ and weighs 8 lbs. Customers have a choice of 10 or 20 round magazines.
The gun is being produced in limited quantities and pricing has not yet been announced.
UPDATE: The MSRP is $3,273.44. although I expect they will be selling for much more in the short term. (Thanks MrMaigo)
Hootiewho has posted an incredibly comprehensive article on M4Carbine.net comparing the FN SCAR and AR-15. He went as far as to do a temperature analysis!
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
This article is well worth reading.
[ Many thanks to Vitor for emailing me the link. ]
FN Herstal (Belgium) has laid off fifty workers with more layoffs rumored. RTBF.be reports (translated using Google) …
After the announcement of a fifty departures among contractors, staff representatives believe that a hundred or divestitures are now scheduled, a threat that weigh on so all the workers engaged in duration, often young. However, the NF is characterized by a lopsided pyramid. And the unions have insisted for several years about the need to ensure the renewal of the workforce. Does management have a plan in the medium term?
RTLInfo.be reports rumors (also translated using Google) that FN lost out on a 100 million euro contract to supply arms to Libya …
FN Herstal did not confirm the information released Wednesday by La Libre Belgique that a contract of 100 million euros have been spent by Libya with Russia rather than Belgium.
2010 has not been a good year for FN Herstal. These rumors follow USSOCOM abandoning the SCAR mk. 16 rifle (still denied on FN Herstal’s homepage, despite being confirmed by their US subsidiary FNH-USA).
[ Many thanks to Famas for emailing me the infomation. ]
The FN SCAR IAR has been rebranded as the FN Heat Adaptive Modular Rifle (HAMR). This automatic rifle includes the clever IAR feature of firing from a closed bolt (increase accuracy) until it heats up to a certain temperature and transitions to a open bolt configuration (better air flow and cooling).
Derived from the innovative FN SCAR™ weapon system, the new FN HAMR is a revolutionary, lightweight, magazine-fed, 5.56x45mm infantry weapon that enhances the automatic rifleman’s maneuverability and displacement speed while still providing the ability to suppress or destroy both area targets and point targets in today’s fluid battle space. In addition, the visual profile and the firing signature of the FN HAMR are virtually identical to that of the standard infantry rifle, thus reducing the counter-fire threat from enemy forces.
The high-tech FN HAMR platform is a unique, highly adaptable, fully-modular selective fire weapon system that bridges the gap between an individual battle rifle and a squad automatic light machine gun in one compact package. For enhanced accuracy and greater first-round reliability, the magazine-fed FN HAMR initially fires from the closed bolt in either semi-automatic or full-automatic modes. For added safety during sustained fire situations, the FN HAMR automatically transitions into open-bolt operation in both semi-automatic and full-automatic modes before reaching the cook-off temperature of the chambered cartridge. Once the chamber temperature has dropped to a safe level, the FN HAMR automatically transitions back to closed-bolt mode. These transitions between closed-bolt and open-bolt modes are thermally regulated by the FN HAMR and occur without any manual intervention by the operator.
The rifle weights 11.2 lbs (Including Grip Pod) and has a 650 rpm firing rate. FN claim 1 MOA accuracy when firing from a closed bolt. The company only announced a 5.56mm NATO version (same as IAR).
A reader emailed me this cool photo of the FN HAMR, equipped with a 150 round Armatac SAW-MAG, in all its glory. Apparently, the rifle operated in open-bolt mode in both semi and full auto if the temperature is to hot. Interesting.
I have been informed that the French DGA (Direction Générale de l’Armement, Armament Procurement Agency) will be adopting the FN MAG to replace the AANF1 machine guns in service.The purchase of 10-11,000 is expected to be confirmed soon.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
The AANF1 machine gun (Photo from Wikipedia)
After losing a couple of contracts, this will be very good news for FNH.
The French Defense Ministry has posted an interesting article on their website about new products at the US Army’s AUSA ’10 expo. Notably, they mention a new PDW version for the SCAR. It has a very short barrel (10″?) and an H&K-style retractable stock. I like it!
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
FN SCAR PDW
Even if you don’t understand the French, I recommend taking a look at the article. It has lots of great photos.
[ Many thanks to Clairon for emailing me the link. ]
For decades gun aficionado’s have been wondering what the story was behind the strange short-barrel FAL used by actor Ian Yule (formally a member of the SAS and later a mercenary before becoming an actor) in the 1975 movie The Wild Geese. Earlier this year I blogged about the mystery.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Ian Yule pictured with the short barreled rifle.
I was surprised, delighted and honored to get an email from Elize, a friend and former manager of Mr Yule, who promised to pass on my questions about the guy. Yesterday Elize replied with a message from Ian himself! It turns out it was an experimental British SLR and not, as many thought, an experimental South African R1. Moments like this is why I blog! Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Elize’s and Ian’s emails are below …
Hi Steve
In response to the questions regarding the weapon IAN YULE used in The Wild Geese, herewith a letter from Ian. It was written by hand and I’m typing it word for word – hope I manage with the handwriting! Ian is currently 76 years old. Any further questions, please feel free to mail me at elizelabu [at] gmail [dot] com
Best regards
Elize (friend and former manager of Ian)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
FROM IAN:
Dear Steve
I apologise to you and your readers for the delay on my part for responding to the many questions on the subject of the weapon I used on The Wild Geese. As you know, I only received your query about a week ago, so I hope I’ll be excused from an appointment with the firing squad!
The overall question is was that weapon experimental and the answer is yes.
Second question, where did it come from? Answer: The U.K. England.
Third question, what was it? Answer: It was an updated S.L.R. complete with an attached single point dot reflex sight and 4 X 40 round magazines, as well as a special rifle sling, flash eliminator and bayonet attachment.
The rounds were standard NATO 7.62 Long (with crimped ends – for blank firing). The barrel was engineered to fire blanks, not live ammunition. It was not a detachable choke as used by the South African Military for blank firing. The cocking hammer was slightly smaller than the standard S.L.R. was, but more refined and robust.
I had no input into the allocation of the weapon being issued to me, only that I was asked to assess the weapon’s performance from a certain source. I did of course point out that I was only firing blank ammunition and my assessment could only be based on those findings because the load in the blank ammo would not be the same as the varring loads used with live ammo which could vary in special operations.
My assessment of the weapon was as follows:
Because of the short barrel, the special sight was unnecessary because you would not engage a target in a so-called snipers capacity. On sustained automatic fire the barrel and stock became very hot. However, the rate of fire was abnormally high. The only weapon I’ve used with an equal rate of fire was a German Spandau Machine Gun – the version with the reduced rate of fire. But I was using live ammo on the German weapon.
Did I like the weapon and would I use it on an operation?
Not on the knowledge I gained firing blanks on a film. But after firing live ammo with varring types of ammo and cartridge load – maybe? The load in the cartridge may affect the barrel temperature but the altered load may compromise your intended purpose and operation. The weight of the ammunition could be a problem for a single operator. It has to be carried and would of course affect his speed and mobility in carrying out his operation. Without a full capacity assessment, I would choose the HANOK, which is tried and tested (HECKLA KOCK – HECKLER & KOCH?) sub-machine gun.
A film of the nature of the nature of The Wild Geese, given the subject matter and the political and international climate at the time, would have made it for a South African experimental weapon to appear on such a film extremely unlikely. Apart from that there was an arms embargo in place at the time.
I would like to thank all your interested readers for their enthusiasm shown towards the film (which I fully agree with) and private comments about me as an individual. I trust this will put to bed any further confusion regarding the experimental S.L.R.
Steve, should you require any further assistance, please feel free to contact me.
Regards
“Tosh”
Ian Yule
[ Many thanks to both Elize and Ian for helping solve this mystery! ]
