19Nov05

The XCR from Robinson Arms

This is from Alex Robinson of Robinson Arms in Salt Lake City. This represents a genuine advancement in the evolution of military rifles, and we all need to take notice:

"The XCR is genuinely modular. It is designed and built to comple te in the SCAR (Special Forces Combat Assault Rifle) trials. At first glance, it may look like an M4 with a rail system. However, it is fresh, from the ground u p.

When one asks veterans of serious and sustained fighting what they want in a battle rifle, they will say that they like the Stoner System (M16/M4) for it s light weight, its ability to be accessorized, and for its ergonomics (pisto l grip, selector, magazine release). However, all comment that the M16/M4 requires anal maintenance to keep it running, and even then, is no where ne ar as reliable as the Kalashnikov (AK-47). In addition, several M16/M4 parts are particularly prone to breakage, notably the extractor spring.

We designed the XCR from scratch, borrowing features from both the M16 and AK-47. Here is what we did:

We designed a bolt similar to the Kalashnikov's, with large, sturdy lugs and a durable, reliable extractor. We reverted to a traditional gas/piston and

a robust, 'knock out' ejector.

During our interviews with operators, we discovered what is liked best abou t the M16/M4 is the way the magazine inserts and drops free quickly, the position and design of the selector lever, and the design of the pistol gri p. Accordingly, we retained those features. However, the rotation of the sele ctor lever, from 'safe' to =80=98fire=E2=80=99 is now forty-fi ve degrees (instead of ninety) and then sixty more degrees to full-auto. This was done for speed and convenience and so that the selector lever does not dig into the left-handed shooter' s hand.

We also added a 1913 Standard (Picatinny) rail system with rails at the three, six, nine, and twelve o'clock positions, to facilitate use with the SOPMOD accessories.

While then added several valuable features found on neither the Kalashnikov

nor the Stoner Systems:

The XCR has a non-reciprocating charging handle on the left side of the rifle, with built-in bolt forward assist. The forward-assist is actuated by

depressing the charging-handle knob while pushing the charging handle forwa rd. The charging handle is in the middle of the upper receiver (left side). Thi s ensures that no matter what is attached to the rails, the rifle can be manu ally cycled with ease. Actually, the forward-assist feature is needed only to close the bolt completely after a chamber check. In tens of thousands of rounds fired during testing, we've never had to use the forward assist to c lose the bolt during normal cycling.

Another ergonomic feature is an ambidextrous bolt hold-open. Wrapped aroun d the bottom of the trigger guard, it can be operated easily, whether shootin g right or left-handed. Along with our charging handle, this allows the operator to do everything necessary to function the rifle while keeping the weapon mounted and his eyes downrange.

The XCR's upper receiver is not only strong, but it also has a quick-change

barrel feature. The barrel of the XCR has substantially more support than th at of the M16/M4 barrel and can be removed quickly and easily. Barrel chang e time is less than two minutes. Removing and reinstalling the barrel result s in no change in zero.

The XCR is field stripped quickly. One button allows complete access to th e interior.

Our rifle is being produced initially in 5.56mm (223), but features easy an d convenient caliber conversion! We have conversion kits to upgrade to 6.8mm

Rem and 7.62x39mm Soviet. Kits consist of barrel, bolt, and magazines. Conversion from one caliber to another takes less than five minutes.

In conclusion, the XCR has reliability, durability, accuracy, rails, superior ergonomics, and quick-change barrels. All this in a 7.5 pound pac kage!"

Comment: Alex deserves a lot of credit for devoting so much of his life to bringing this new rifle into fruition. I'll report back when I get my hand s on one!

/John

19Nov05

My friends in Country tell me that two, good hits will take down most insurgents when Marines are using the Black Hills 77gr 223 round. With the M855 (62gr "penetrator"), six hits are commonly required, particu larly when they use the short-barreled M4

The Pentagon surely has a curious definition of "success!" The M855 works

so poorly (and has since its introduction) that even an anemic improvement (two hits vs six) is considered a miracle. Now, we have a military rifle cartridge in general issue that is well-nigh half as good as the 308, which it replaced!

/John

19Nov05

"Like you, I've been carrying OC for years as well as keepin g it close to all entry points at the house. Recently, I ordered several pocket OC bottle s to replace what I had, which was several years old. When the new ones arrived, I pulled out an old unit, just to practice spraying it.

To my enormous surprise, when I pushed the button, just little more than a drop came out, and it traveled two feet! The propellant was dead. I was forced to confront the fact that I had been carrying nothing but a talisma n for the last year or so.

In any event, I'm on an annual replacement schedule now. Every Tha nksgiving it will be turkey and fresh OC!"

Lesson: Test your critical gear regularly. I, for one, don't like surprises!

/John

19Nov05

More on Immigration from a friend at ICE:

"When Western Europe was busy colonizing the Third World, white Euro peans were seen in every corner of the globe. When the world became bipolar at t he end of WWII, movement of peoples changed direction. As you pointed out, newly-arriving immigrants were looked upon by the ruling class in Europe, as in the USA, only as a source of cheap labor and easily purchased votes, nothin g more. Along came Islamic fascism, an ideology that supports neither person al responsibility, nor personal initiative, nor individual achievement,

Europe thought, in order to insure that fascism never returned, it needed socialism/Communism. Unfortunately, it exchanged one plague for another! What it really wanted was international respect, that socialism preaches but never practices, and it needed to realize that the engine of progress and prosperity is not content sheep, but a thriving, private economy which offe rs opportunity to all. A paternalistic government will not prevent poverty an d injustice. Dynamic, private enterprise will. When given then opportunity, people who are striving to succeed don't riot nor do they embrace a 'let 's kill all the infidels' ideology.

Edward R. Murrow used the term, 'Old World chronic fatigue,=80 to describe Europe's inability to shake off its cynical lethargy (a souvenir from WWI) and lack of commitment to ideals strong enough to motivate them to fight or even to take meaningful action to defend themselves or their future. Europe won't fight! It will allow itself to be enslaved by Islamic fascists witho ut a shot being fired."

Comment: What will happen with the illegal immigrant population of this country? Go to any Western Union office on any Saturday morning and see ho w much money is being sent out of this country. It is an enormous river of hard currency, flowing south. There is no way Mexico's President Fox wa nts that river interrupted. He'll insure that a river of illegals continues to flow

north. Weak politicians in this country, seeing only cheap labor and easily-purchased votes, do nothing to stop it. One wonders how many Islami c fascists are now included among these newly-arriving illegals!

/John