IWA is an abbreviation for Internationale Waffen Ausstellung (International Weapons Exhibition). It’s an annual trade-show for the shooting, hunting and firearms industry in Nuremberg, Germany. (No irony there.) I wanted to send Leghorn but the boy’s busy blogging and practicing for his debut on FNH USA’s 3-Gun team. Luckily, thetacticalwire.com had a man on the ground: Frank James. Mr. James reveals that the IWA Show was originally developed to showcase the products and skills of the German gunsmiths and firearms trade. It has since become the leading European international trade exhibition for the hunting, the shooting sports and outdoor equipment of all types and in recent years for law enforcement and personal security.” (Still no irony.) James reports that the gun above is . . .
“The Saiga MK-107 is a semi-auto rifle being offered for the first time by the Russians at IWA. It is chambered for the 5.56x45mm cartridge instead of the normal 7.62x39mm or 5.45x39mm. It is a variation of a military rifle the Russians developed to provide for more accurate fully-automatic fire, but one questions the advantage in a rifle capable only of semi-auto fire.
“FIRST SPEAR [relatively logo-free stand above] is a tactical equipment company based in St. Louis, MO. They know the importance of the IWA for more sales and increased exports. Even though the firm is only two years ago their experienced staff know the value of attending the IWA Show and international sales.
“Shown above: a new blowback operated, closed bolt submachine gun from Swiss company B&T AG. It features a 3 lug barrel, a folding stock and select-fire capability. This together with the Sig MP-X represents renewed interest by manufacturers who sell to law enforcement in tactical weapons chambered for the more traditional calibers and not the newer anti-soft body armor cartridges and guns.
“The M26 [above] is a modular accessory shotgun system developed by Ira Kay. Because it features a short 16.5 inch barrel it is ruled by the American BATF as an NFA device, but that doesn’t mean the European law enforcement market isn’t interested in a short handy dual purpose firearm for both ‘breaching’ and ‘entry’ duty.”
This image above: the new HK developed MG121 which is the new belt fed 7.62 NATO machine gun that some think will become the standard general purpose machine gun for the German Army.
This post is reprinted here with permission.
Is any of this gear legal for the subjects in Europe to own? Or is it strictly for the upper classes men at arms?
In the UK and Ireland, obviously not. In some of the continental countries, the semi-auto versions are probably obtainable after you jump through the hoops.
Ummm….. I dunno about that
http://www.rusmilitary.com/
Czech Republic and Slovakia have rather liberal gun laws (up to and including concealed handgun carry). Ditto for Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. IIRC, Moldavia as well.
Tangental question: What was the logic (if any) to making short barrel shottys NFA guns? Concealability? Pattern not tight enough?
In spite of the Hollywood propaganda about the tommy gun and the roaring 20’s, gangsters used a butt load of sawed off shotguns in thier criminal activities. The short shotgun got the blame for the bad actions of those gangsters.
Nowadays we see full on retards like biden, difi and mikeyb#’s trying to blame the gun for people like lanza. Same stupidity got the short shotgun put on the list.
Concealability.
The idiots and tyrants of the time thought no honest man needed a short barreled shotgun, full auto or whatever.
Nice looking weapons. First Spear 2 years old? Randy
For the AK at the top, how does that optic maintain zero on a dust cover?
If you look closely, I think it’s hinged and locked into the lower.
Optics are for those who need glasses but won’t wear them.
Iron sights. PERIOD.
Iron sights are for the range so that you practice ALL the basics. Optics are for everything in the real world.
In the real world glass cracks, and batteries die.
Sexy sexy weapons that will never be legal here in the US 🙁
I want a real G36 so bad, I would sell my truck to get one!
Not the most unobtainable weapon, you can have a conversion for about 3-4 grand on gunbroker right now.
what is it with euro gun makers and the need to make all their guns look like a 3 story tall building from the side?
The one exception would be that m26, nice a sleek… reminds me of the mp40
Why use the ak-12 when you have something like that? Love that Saiga, definitely the most modern firearm to come out of Russia I’ve seen. However that barrel rail combo seems a little un-nerving.
????
It has a longer gas tube that extends past the barrel port to provide for the counterweight/ counterbalance piston to move opposite to the piston driving the action.
I guess they saw a stable place to put picatinny rails on it….
I’m just trying to figure out where the rocket launcher gets mounted…
Di…you listening?
That would be Frank W. James to be precise.
http://frankwjamesgunwriter.blogspot.com/