DefRev Quick Hits: Lights, Sights, and other Delights…

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by David Crane
defrev at gmail dot com

December 31, 2007

1) Northrop Grumman Corporation (NGC) has a new weapons sight called the "FMWS", which stands for "Fused Multispectral Weapon Sight". It’s DefenseReview’s understanding at present that the FMWS combines an infrared (IR) imager and I2 (Image Intensification / Night Vision) imager (unfonfirmed/unverified). The FMWS is so new, we don’t even have a picture of it, yet, but Special Weapons for Military & Police (SWMP) does on the cover of their December 2007 issue, mounted to a Barrett M82A1/M107 CQ (Close Quarters) reduced-length "Mini-Fifty" semi-auto .50 BMG anti-materiel rifle. We’ll try to get more info on the new multi-spectral weapon sight, including photos, soon.

2) If you’re looking for a turnkey solution to convert your direct-gas-impingement AR-15/M16 carbine or subcarbine into a piston/op-rod-driven carbine, you might want to check out the…

Ares Defense Systems, Inc. (ADS) GSR-35 Black Lightning drop-in "Gas System Retrofit" kit. While we don’t know how well the GSR-35 handles extensive full-auto fire, we’ve been told that it can handle semi-auto fire with no problem. However, we haven’t tested the unit ourselves, yet.

3) Mesa Tactical is marketing a CAR-15 / M4 Carbine-style telescoping stock that incorporates a hydrolic recoil buffer in the buffer tube. The company claims that the Enidine-made "Recoil Stock Kit" cuts felt recoil by a whopping 70%. Obviously, Mesa Tactical is trying to go after some of the Knoxx SpecOps Stock’s market. Knoxx Industries, LLC was recently bought out by Blackhawk Products Group (BPG). Anyway, we’ll try to find out just how effective the Mesa Tactical shotgun recoil mitigation device is in a hands-on test, at some point.

4) Surefire has a real mother of a high-output combat weapons light / combat illuminator called the Surefire Hellfighter Target Illuminator, which is designed to mount to a M2HB .50 BMG machine gun or M44 Minigun/Gatling gun. The Surefire Hellfighter pumps out 3,000 lumens from its compact 8-inch (8") envelope. Its beam can illuminate a target over 800 meters away, and cover an area of approx. 120 meters wide at that distance. This makes it fairly easy for the operator to effectively track moving enemy targets. The Hellfighter can be operated in handheld fashion and is available with an IR filter for low-profile / low-observable operations. Power is supplied via vehicle cigarette lighter or two 5590 military batteries, the latter providing up to 8 hours of operation.

5) Surefire, also has some other goodies worth mentioning. First up is the SureFire X300 LED WeaponLight tactical white light, which is the next logical step from the SureFire X200. Slightly longer than the X200, the X300 is the usual Surefire-rugged. It’s also reportedly waterproof (i.e. highly water-resistant) to 22 meters via O-ring seals and gaskets. Sporting a tempered Pyrex anti-reflective window (to protect the LED) and Total Internal Reflection (TIR) lens, the SureFire X300 produces 110 lumens to blind your adversary in a fight. Oh, and its proprietary Rail-Lock system allows the operator to attach the X300 LED WeaponLight to both Universal and Mil-Std-1913 "Picatinny" rails.

6) And, SureFire has a very cool-looking tactical folder called the EW-04 Delta Folding Combat/Utility Knife a.k.a. the "Delta Knife". Blade steel is Crucible CPM S30V. Blade length is 3.37 inches, and is plain edged, although DefenseReview would like to see a partially-serrated-edge version. Frame is titanium liner-lock, with a screwdriver, wire cutter/crimper, parachute cord/seatbelt cutter, wrench, self-seating wrench slot for smaller nuts, stainless steel glass-breaker tip, and reversible pockety clip. Overal weight is 4.6 ounces (4.6 oz.). The Surefire Delta Knife tactical folder clipit knife comes in at an MSRP of $425.00.

DefRev Quick Hits: Lights, Sights, and other Delights… 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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