DefRev Quick Hits 2 from SHOT Show 2006: More ‘Latest and Greatest’

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by David Crane
david@defensereview.com

This is our second installment of "Quick Hits" from SHOT Show 2006 for our readers. Again, these are quick blurbs on items that we believe to be significant. DefenseReview will be reporting more in-depth on these technologies, later.

Cobb Manufacturing Inc. displayed their BA50 .50 BMG Anti-Materiel/Sniper rifle/carbine, at their booth, and one of the Cobb staff took us through the gun. The BA50 operates via bolt-action, as opposed to the fast-action system utilized by the Cobb FA50(T) rifle. The BA50 rifle features some impressive engineering. This is one precision-made weapon. The bolt is locked into place with the aid of a secondary locking arm that utilizes a roller. You have to see it and operate the bolt to really appreciate it. Anyone looking for a bolt-action .50 Cal. rifle should take a serious look at the Cobb BA50 rifle/carbine. This weapon generated a lot of interest at the show. Just like the FA50(T), the BA50 has some parts commonality with the AR-15/M16 rifle series.

Another Cobb weapon that that attracted a lot of looks was the…

Cobb MCR 400 .338 Lapua semi-auto anti-materiel/sniper rifle. "MCR" stands for "Multi-Caliber Rifle". We’re not sure whether or not Cobb is producing these yet, but those looking for a highly-accurate semi-auto rifle in .338 Lapua should consider the MCR 400, in our opinion.

— Smith & Wesson was promoting both their M&P pistol and M&P15 AR-15 rifle/carbine series. If you need an M&P15 with a rail system, the M&P15T rifle gives you a Troy Industries MRF (Modular Rail For-end). The MRF is a Mil-Std-1913 rail that free floats the barrel. The customer also gets Troy’s front and rear BUIS (Back-Up Iron Sight), which is considered by many experts to be the best BUIS in the world, right now. The bottom rail removes quickly and easily with a bullet tip. These guns had a nice deep matte black finish and looked good. The M&P15 receiver is reportedly made to Smith & Wesson’s specs from 7071 T6 aluminum. We’re not sure why it’s 7071 and not 7075, but we’ll ask. It’s our understanding that the M&P15’s upper and lower receiver components are manufactured by Stag Arms, so they are of high quality.

Click here to read Dick Metcalf’s review of the M&P15 series for Guns & Ammo magazine.

–Knight’s Armament Company (KAC) displayed their XM110 SASS (Semi-Automatic Sniper System), which beat all comers (comers (including Remington Arms Company) who unsuccessfully protested the outcome) in the U.S. Army’s SASS competition. The dark earth-finished KAC XM110 SASS was outfitted with the new Leupold SASS optic (scope), and featured an adjustable stock with plastic socket supply in conjunction with t-wrench, built-in flip-up front site, and a quick-detach latch for the silencer/sound suppressor. The entire package comes with a hard case for protection, and includes the weapon (gun), optic, drag bag, magazines, and all miscellaneous accessories, components/parts, and tools, including the sound suppressor/silencer.

SIGARMS was showing off their SG556 semi-auto rifle series, including the SG556SWAT and "shorty"/subcarbine/SBR models. The latter two versions sported Brugger & Thomet-type Mil-Std-1913 rails. DefenseReview would prefer that SIGARMS make the front flip-up sight/BUIS (Back-Up Iron Sight) rail-mounted/removable, so the user can replace it with a Troy Industries front BUIS. It would also be interesting to see if the Vltor VIS series "monolithic upper receiver/rail" could somehow be incorporated into the SG556 series. Also, DefRev isn’t crazy about a righthand-situated cocking/charging handle. We would much prefer a lefthand-situated charging/cocking handle. In other words, the gun should be designed around righties, rather than lefties. Let the lefties deal with canting the weapon for cocking/charging procedure. However, since the charging handle on the SG556 rifle series is integral with the bolt carrier, we’re not sure if a lefthand-situated handle is even possible. DefRev took its own photos of the SG556 series weapons. We’ll publish them as soon as possible.

Leitner-Wise is offering some new tactical rifle/carbines. First new weapon of note is LW’s new gas piston/op-rod system 6.8mm (6.8x43mm) rifle/carbine. They also have a limited-run (500 units) 5.56mm (5.56x45mm) gas piston M4-config carbine made to virtually the exact specification of what they’ve already reportedly supplied to U.S. Army 5th Special Forces Group and 3rd SFG. Leitner-Wise’s LW15.499 "Mini 50" .50 Cal. rifle/carbine, 7.62x51mm/.308 Win. gas piston rifle/carbine, and LW 5.56K-P subcarbine/SBR were also on display. DefRev plans to publish an article on a number of these Leitner-Wise weapons (along with high-res digital photos), soon.

Click here to visit "SMGLee’s" excellent SHOT Show 2006 report, titled SMGLee’s take on the Shotshow….lot of pics…complete report. The report includes lots of great photos of the various weapons, accessories (including optics), etc. that "SMGLee" saw and handled (and found interesting/noteworthy) at the show, which appears to parallel much of which DefenseReview saw (sought out, actually), handled, and found to be interesting/noteworthy. So, go take a look. "SMGLee" has good taste.

By the way, SMGLee also took some great pics of some other cool items which DefenseReview also liked, like:

1) The EOTech 553 HWS (Holographic Weapon Sight), a.k.a. Holographic Diffraction Sight (HDS) or HOLOsight, which is made to USSOCOM/NSWC Crane’s SOPMOD2 specs, and utilizes an integral A.R.M.S. throw-lever mount. The EOTech 553 incorporates some new electronics and utilizes CR123 batteries, which, according to our understanding, allow the 553 HWS to be run for approx. 1500 hours. The battery compartment is tethered (via dummy cord) to the sight body.

2) The new Surefire helmet-mounted LED light, which can be separated into LED light module and mount module components.

3) The Steyr AUGA3, which features an improved receiver with integral Mil-Std-1913 rail system and new flash hider (flash suppressor).

4) The Daniel Defense RAS2, which was designed/developed for SOPMOD Block 2 RAS competition, and the Daniel Defense AR-15/M16 lower receiver. The DD RAS2 competed against the KAC URX2 and new A.R.M.S. S.I.R. 50MCV.

"Quick Hits 3" is on the way, so stay tuned.

Previous "DefRev Quick Hits from SHOT Show 2006" articles:

DefRev Quick Hits 1 from SHOT Show 2006. Quick Hits 2 On the Way…

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DefRev Quick Hits 2 from SHOT Show 2006: More ‘Latest and Greatest’ by

About David Crane

David Crane started publishing online in 2001. Since that time, governments, military organizations, Special Operators (i.e. professional trigger pullers), agencies, and civilian tactical shooters the world over have come to depend on Defense Review as the authoritative source of news and information on "the latest and greatest" in the field of military defense and tactical technology and hardware, including tactical firearms, ammunition, equipment, gear, and training.

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