With an instantly familiar visage, the Taurus PT 92 series is representative of one of the most recognizable classes of handguns on the firearm market. Due to its well-earned reputation as a classic, however, it might be easy to forget how innovative the PT 92 really is.

Part of the pistol’s widespread recognition is likely due not only to its own popularity, but also to its familial connections to the Beretta Model 92 series. The Beretta’s fame comes not only from the fact it is the basis for the U.S. military’s standard-issue handgun—the M9—but also because it is the pistol of choice for numerous law enforcement entities in this country.
On the other hand, the Taurus PT 92 has certainly made its own headway in the U.S.—with its affordable price paving the way. As a result, the iconic design has been a recognizable staple among handgunners for nearly three decades.

Although the pistol may be considered somewhat traditionalist when compared to the polymer-framed, striker-fired designs so prevalent these days, the Taurus PT 92 series is home to a broad range of unique and innovative advancements.

Overall length is 8.75 inches.

Equatorial Origins

Where does the story of the PT 92 begin? The background is an interesting one, particularly for those who may be curious about its obvious similarities to the Beretta Model 92.

The original 9 mm Model 92 as introduced by the Italian company in the mid-1970s was an extremely modern handgun design for its day, featuring an increased-capacity, double-column magazine and traditional double-action system. This basically means the first shot with the hammer at rest is a long, relatively heavy trigger pull that cocks and releases the hammer. Subsequent shots are light, single-action pulls. Rearward slide movement cocks the hammer during reciprocation.

Marketing the pistol as an ideal military/law enforcement sidearm, Beretta made efforts to interest militaries around the world in the design. In 1977, the company was awarded a contract from the Brazilian military, with the nation placing a substantial order for its entire armed forces.

As is customary with military contracts, Beretta agreed to set up local production of the pistol in the country. The company already had a manufacturing facility in Sao Paulo that made versions of Beretta designs for the local market, so Beretta simply set up the necessary tooling to produce a variant of the Model 92 in Brazil.

The primary controls of the PT 92 series are made up of an ambidextrous safety/decocker system, a slide-release lever and a magazine-release button located to the rear of the trigger guard.

When the Brazilian military contract was filled around 1980, Beretta had to decide what to do with the tooling and machinery located there. With no interest in shipping it all to Italy where the equipment would be redundant, Beretta faced a dilemma.

Forging Ahead

Recognizing a unique opportunity, a local firearms manufacturer stepped in and offered to buy the Sao Paulo plant. This company, Forjas Taurus, is the parent of Taurus International Manufacturing in Florida. Company officials traveled to Italy and made a deal to purchase the entire facility. Eventually, all the equipment to produce the Model 92-pattern pistol was moved from Sao Paulo to Taurus’ production facility in Porto Alegre.

Taurus intended from the beginning to make the pistol its own, building on the company’s unique strengths. One of the most significant of these is indicated in the company’s name, Forjas Taurus, which basically means forge of the mythological bull. All major firearm parts produced by Taurus are drop-hammer forged, resulting in extremely strong components. The company’s Model 92-based series is no different, with its steel slide and aluminum-alloy frame receiving the same treatment.

The PT 92’s twin locking lugs engage recesses in the slide that are visible from the top of the pistol.

Its drop-hammer-forged alloy frame is significant. In many cases during handgun production, alloy parts are built from extrusions that are much more affordable to make. However, Taurus’ approach, which begins with a round aluminum bar heated and then drop-hammer forged into shape, theoretically results in a much stronger part.

Raging Bull

Once Taurus moved production to its facility, the company managed to build a complete pistol in just two weeks. The resulting pistols were dubbed the PT 92 series, with the PT standing for “Pistola Taurus.” Chambered in 9 mm, they were full-size pistols clearly related to the Beretta Model 92.

First introduced in the early 1980s, the new PT 92 represented an outstanding deal—an established military-pattern pistol for an extremely affordable price. Although that first pistol would look very different to anyone familiar with the current PT 92, it was quite similar in appearance to the existent Beretta Model 92. Specifically, it featured a rounded trigger guard, a non-ambidextrous, frame-mounted safety lever and a uniquely placed magazine-release button located at the bottom rear portion of the left side of the frame.

The location of the manual safety is significant to the story of thePT 92. The earliest models featured a manual safety lever located at the rear of the frame, quite similar in operation and configuration to an M1911. Although well designed, it had no provision for decocking the hammer apart from easing it down by hand. An added feature of the safety system was it allowed shooters the option of carrying the pistol cocked and locked.

The PT 92’s flush-fitting magazine holds 17 rounds of 9 mm. The stainless steel pistol’s two included magazines are blued steel.

To enter its pistol in U.S. military trials in the early 1980s, Beretta was required to develop a decocking system into the safety of the Model 92. The company’s answer was to move the safety from the frame onto the slide, setting it apart from the Taurus PT 92.

The Best of Both Worlds

At the time the Beretta variant was modified for the decocking lever/safety system, Taurus decided to make some modifications of its own. It developed the PT 99—an adjustable-sight-equipped variant of the PT 92—featuring a squared-off trigger guard design and offered versions with a satin-nickel finish in addition to the standard matte-blue.

Shortly thereafter, Taurus modified the magazine-release button to a more traditional location behind the trigger guard as Beretta had done, and incorporated an ambidextrous safety system—but it still did not have a decocking function.

In the intervening years, however, Taurus recognized there were many customers who were uncomfortable with the pistol not having a system for dropping the hammer safely. As a result, in 1991 Taurus introduced an extremely innovative decocking safety system that seemed to offer the perfect solution.

This new system maintained the frame-mounted location of the Taurus PT 92’s safety, with an upward sweep putting the pistol on safe and a downward sweep readying it to fire. A third, lower position was added, allowing users to move the safety lever down farther, with an arc that swept into a recess cut in the upper-grip panels. In this position, the cocked hammer would safely drop to the at-rest position.

Another innovation on the PT 92 is the Taurus Security System. When engaged, it locks the action and prevents the hammer from being cocked and the slide from being cycled.

The result was an ambidextrous safety that maintained the appealing frame-mounted location of the original PT 92 series and allowed users to carry the pistol with the hammer down as a traditional double action or cocked and locked like a 1911, with the additional ability to decock the hammer. In addition, the PT 92 sports a passive firing-pin block safety.

Continuing the Tradition

Although the decocking safety system was one of the most significant Taurus innovations to the series, it was far from the only one. In addition to the inclusion of the popular stainless steel variant, Taurus adapted the platform to a popular new cartridge—the .40 S&W. These models were the PT 100 with a fixed sights and the PT 101 with adjustable sights.

Further innovations included the Taurus Security System, a key system that locked the action of the pistol so the trigger could not be pulled and the slide couldn’t be opened.
Another significant change to the design, and one done at around the same time Beretta incorporated the same adaptation to its line of pistols, was the addition of an integral Picatinny rail machined into the frame’s dustcover.

Radical Source

Even without Taurus’ innovations to the design, the basic PT 92 itself is unique from a mechanical standpoint, offering adaptations of sound engineering elements inspired by earlier revolutionary designs.

One of the most instantly recognizable features of the pistol, and an integral part of its iconic appearance, is the open slide and exposed barrel for which Beretta pistols have been known for decades. Whereas nearly all other center-fire semi-automatic designs feature a slide that encloses the majority of the barrel, the Taurus has a radically cut-away slide that reduces bulk and weight.

One of the more recent adaptations to the PT 92 series is Taurus’ inclusion of an integral accessory rail on the dustcover area of the frame that allows mounting of a variety of aftermarket accessories.

Another distinctive element of the PT 92 series is its locking system. Inspired by the equally iconic Walther P38, the PT 92 features a falling locking-block system. This system features a locking-block assembly fitted between two integral barrel lugs that moves up into engagement with the slide to lock it. The falling locking block is held in place under tension from the recoil-spring assembly, which sits against a recess in the bottom of the falling block. The tension from the recoil-spring assembly applies pressure against the lock to keep it up and in a locked position with the slide.

As the slide moves rearward under recoil, a pin within the rear barrel lug, behind the falling locking block, is pushed against the inside surface of the frame. This causes the pin to push forward against the locking block and move its twin lugs down and out of engagement with the slide. In its fully downward position, the twin lugs align with a raceway track inside the slide. Recoil continues to push the unlocked slide rearward to fully cycle the action.

A unique side effect of this system is, instead of a tilting barrel that unlocks in the traditional Browning style—with the rear of the barrel dropping down and out of engagement—the barrel remains in horizontal alignment with the slide as the lugs in the separate locking block drop down while the action cycles.

Straight to the Point

Although Taurus currently offers several variants based on the PT 92 in a variety of chamberings, configurations and finishes, for testing I chose a relatively simple fixed-sight PT 92 pistol dubbed the Model 92SS-17—a stainless steel variant in 9 mm.

Current Taurus 9 mm PT 92 series pistols come with 17-round, flush-fitting magazines—two more rounds than earlier 15-round offerings.

Fit and finish was quite good, with bead-blasting applied to the slide complemented by subdued polishing on its flats. A high polish was applied to the aluminum-alloy frame. The rear sight sits in a dovetail groove and features two white dots. The front sight is integral with the slide and features an orange dot. I noted some rough milling marks on the Picatinny rail, but that is my only criticism.

A falling locking block is held under tension by the recoil-spring assembly, which sits against a recess in the bottom of the falling block.

Over the course of testing, I fired hundreds of rounds with no malfunctions. Accuracy was quite good, particularly with the Black Hills load. As with all PT 92s, as well as Beretta Model 92-series pistols, the ergonomics of the handgun were exceptional. Perceived recoil was light and muzzle flip was very manageable.

All controls performed smoothly and as advertised, with the ambidextrous safety/decocking system working well and magazines seating firmly and positively. The magazine-release button can be reversed quite easily for southpaw use. Also, the pistol does not feature a magazine disconnect, enabling the pistol to be fired without a magazine inserted.

A Classic Revisited

Sure, there are a lot of terrific, ultra-modern, polymer-framed pistols out there. In fact, Taurus offers a broad line of this type of handgun. How-ever, as is often the case, classics are considered classics for a reason. The many appealing characteristics of the PT 92 series, combined with Taurus’ modern-day enhancements, make it well worth a second look.

Manufacturer: Forjas Taurus
Importer: Taurus International Manufacturing; (305) 624-1115, www.taurususa.com
Type: Recoil-operated, semi-automatic
Caliber: 9 mm
Capacity: 17+1
Frame: Forged aluminum alloy
Barrel Length: 5 inches
Rifling: 6 grooves; 1:9.75-inch RH twist
Sights: Three dot; drift-adjustable rear
Trigger Pull Weight: 9.75 pounds (double-action); 6 pounds (single-action)
Length: 8.75 inches
Width: 1.5 inches
Height: 5.5 inches
Weight: 34 ounces
Accessories: Two magazines, cleaning brush, two Taurus Security System keys, manual
MSRP: $589

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Wayne’s story goes back to the early 1980s when he first opened Novak’s. The fact that his name is now synonymous with sights in the minds of many gun enthusiasts should provide an accurate assessment of his success. Choose just about any type of quality pistol today and you will have an extremely good chance of seeing either a Novak’s-manufactured Fixed Sight System or a licensed variant.

The Low Down

The hallmark of Novak’s sight systems is its “LoMount” profile, which refers to its low, smooth, snag-free and streamlined shape that does not snag during the draw or print as easily through clothing. As should come as no surprise, due to their intended use on carry guns, the sights are fixed units that can only be drifted for windage.

Over the years, Novak received requests for an adjustable variant of his sight design from both customers and major firearm manufacturers. The issue for Novak would be how to develop a sight both rugged and low profile—no small feat with an unavoidably more complex adjustable rear-sight mechanism. His answer was the Novak Extreme Duty Adjustable Sight.

A Higher Profile

Although Novak cautions that the Extreme Duty Adjustable Sight is by its nature more of a target sight than a duty sight, the new CNC-machined solid-steel sight does feature a very similar exterior design and shape to the Novak Fixed Sight System. In fact, other than a bit taller height and the elevation adjustment screw on its top face, it is hard to distinguish it from a standard Novak sight. The system is available in a choice of all black or with three dots in white, tritium or fiber-optic.

The entire sight assembly can be drifted in its dovetail slot on the slide for windage adjustments. To adjust elevation the user simply turns the micrometer adjustment screw to dial in the sight to the proper point of impact. Each click represents 1 inch of movement at 25 yards with a 5-inch-barreled pistol. Once it is dialed in, a set screw on the left side of the rear sight can be tightened to lock the setting.

Fitting Precision

Installation of the Extreme Duty Adjustable Sight varies in complexity based on the firearm in question. The system is available for 1911 pistols from Colt, Springfield, Kimber, Smith & Wesson and Taurus, and installation can be as simple as swapping out the factory sights (as on Kimbers) to as complex as requiring full milling on a pistol not initially equipped with Novak sights. However, if a pistol does require machining, the owner can simply strip the pistol down and ship the slide directly to Novak’s for the work.

I tried out the tritium version of the Extreme Duty Adjustable Sight system on my Springfield TRP 1911 pistol, which was originally equipped from the factory with a set of fixed Novak’s sights. As the installation required a small milling cut in the front of the existing rear dovetail slot, I shipped the slide for the work. Normal turnaround time for installation is one to two weeks.

When the slide was returned, apart from the taller height of the Trijicon front sight and Novak’s rear sight, it was extremely similar to my original set of sights. The quality of the sight and its installation were excellent, and Novak assured me that if I wanted to switch back to fixed sights, he has a fixed unit that would neatly fill in the new slot that was milled in the slide.

Stepping Up

Combining the positive attributes of Novak’s Fixed Sight System with the flexibility of full adjustability, the Novak’s Extreme Duty Adjustable Sight makes for an excellent addition to any 1911 pistol.

Critics often focus on two elements of the platform. First and foremost, detractors find fault with the direct gas-impingement system (DGIS) of operation that dumps fouling directly into the action. To a lesser degree, they take issue with the in-line stock system that employs a buffer assembly extending into the stock.

Although neither of these characteristics are much of an issue in standard rifle-length ARs, both become points of contention when the gun is downsized to its carbine-sized variant. At the same time, the ever-increasing popularity of the M4-style carbine exacerbates these shortcomings.

In regard to the DGIS, shortening the barrel and gas system to create a carbine results in the action opening much quicker than in a rifle-length AR. This leads to higher chamber pressures during cycling, and hotter gas and fouling jetting into the action.

The in-line stock and buffer assembly create other issues in carbines. Although the in-line design has many positive attributes—namely reduced muzzle rise due to the straight-back path of recoil and the generous amount of bolt overtravel the system allows—it prevents a true folding stock from being employed because the lengthy bolt carrier is designed to cycle rearward into the buttstock assembly. As a result, although appealing in their size, power and portability, traditional AR carbines are not as compact as some would hope.

In the past few years there has been a growing effort to address the concerns about the AR’s DGIS—most specifically through adapting the design to a piston system. However, the changes add parts to the design, often increase the gun’s weight and usually do nothing to address the issue of the action opening more quickly due to the shortened gas system. Neither do they answer the concerns over the inability of an AR design to accept a folding stock.

A Surprising Source

Maybe it was time for someone to take a look at the AR carbine as a whole, rather than just one aspect of it. Enter the genre-redefining Para USA Tactical Target Rifle (TTR), an AR-pattern rifle chambered for 5.56 NATO that offers shooters an intriguing solution to not only the gas-system issue, but also the folding-stock conundrum.

Yes, you read that right. Para’s new AR. Para USA, a company well known for its extensive line of handgun offerings, has a hard-earned reputation for innovative firearms such as its LDA and double-column, extended-capacity 1911s. However, the TTR represents the company’s first move into the long-gun realm.

In fact, the TTR is the result of a collaboration between Para and Z-M Weapons. Based on Z-M’s LR series of ARs, the TTR is being produced in Para’s new manufacturing facility in Charlotte, NC.

At first glance, the TTR appears to be a relatively traditional AR-pattern rifle, at least by today’s Picatinny-rail obsessed standards. In fact, I almost unfairly overlooked the new TTR at the 2009 SHOT Show. As I was passing by Para’s booth, rushing to a scheduled meeting, I spotted it on a rack and thought, “Hmmm. A Para AR? Well, why not? Everybody else is making one.”

However, my better judgment took hold, and I gave it a closer look. It was then that I recognized there was a bit more to the TTR than the run-of-the-mill ARs littering the show. Specifically, I noticed the buttstock appeared to be capable of folding, along with being adjustable for length of pull. That change at the very least required removing the buffer tube assembly and relocating the recoil-spring assembly.

I couldn’t help but wonder what other interesting things were going on inside the TTR, as I was aware of what would be involved in redesigning the AR to employ a stock of this sort. As I examined the rifle more closely, I ultimately missed my meeting.

DIGS It

Proudly emblazoned above the display rifle was a simple acronym—DIGS. Recognizing this is very similar to DGIS, I surmised the TTR’s gas system had been redesigned.

At this point, I made my second faulty assumption about the TTR. My initial thought was it probably featured a piston system of operation as is all the rage these days. However, after talking to Kerby Smith, Para’s director of communications, I began to realize the TTR is truly unique.

Smith told me, “DIGS stands for ‘delayed-impingement gas system.’ It does not have a piston, but instead has a redesigned impingement system.” When I expressed interest in finding out more details, Smith brought Allan Zitta from Z-M Weapons over to talk to me.

“Take a look at the gas block of the TTR,” Zitta suggested. Upon close examination, I realized it was notably long—about 31⁄2 inches in overall length. “That is the DIGS,” he said. Zitta went on to explain the system involves a lengthened gas block with a forward-directed, U-shaped gas channel inside.

This unique design channels gas forward, up, around and then back toward the action, resulting in a subtle but significant increase in the time it that it takes the gas to move through the system. The result is a gas system with the overall length of one found in a shortened carbine, but with a cycling time similar to the longer gas system found on a 20-inch-barreled rifle.

Time to Vent

The U-shaped gas channel is not the only unique element of the TTR’s operating system. On a traditional AR, gas flows through a gas tube, impacting a gas key on the top of the bolt carrier at the end of the tube. Once gas pushes the key and bolt carrier rearward, the remaining gas dumps directly into the action.

Not so with the TTR. Employing what Para has dubbed the Manifold Injector System (MIS), the TTR vents gas through the system and out of the rifle during cycling. Rather than employing a traditional short gas key, the TTR’s bolt carrier has an operation rod measuring 111⁄4 inches in length and occupying nearly 7 inches of the fore-end when the action is closed.

The op rod, which slides over the TTR’s roughly 41⁄2-inch gas tube, contains gas during cycling and prevents it from flowing directly into the action. As gas is channeled through the op rod, it then vents down into the bolt carrier. The design allows gas to be diverted through the bolt carrier and out the ejection port through extra ports bored into the carrier’s side. The result is a system that should run cooler and cleaner than a comparable DGIS-driven AR.

Short Change

Once Zitta explained the nuances of the DIGS operation, I had some questions about the folding buttstock. I knew a traditional AR’s lengthy bolt carrier extends back into the buffer-tube assembly in the stock during cycling, so employing a folding stock for the TTR would require a radically shortened bolt carrier.

“Yes, it does,” Zitta told me. “The TTR’s bolt carrier itself is only about 4 inches long, with the rear portion removed.” However, he pointed out that the bolt carrier is still long enough to employ the notches on its side to work with a forward-assist unit.

Although a truncated bolt carrier adequately explained how the TTR could dispense with a buffer tube in the buttstock assembly, I was still curious about where the recoil spring assembly was located in the TTR.

By pushing down on a spring-loaded plunger located on top and near the front of the fore-end, Zitta demonstrated the top rail section can be removed to expose the rifle’s gas system. Once this piece was separated, he explained the TTR’s recoil spring is located above the barrel, wrapping around the lengthy op rod.

Removing the top rail is part of the disassembly procedure for the TTR, according to Zitta. With it detached, you can retract the recoil spring by removing a retainer clip. The action can then be broken open, and the bolt-carrier assembly and op rod can be retracted from the upper receiver.

Zitta demonstrated the process, which allowed me to examine the bolt-carrier assembly and the op rod. It also gave me an opportunity to inspect the TTR’s charging handle, which appeared much beefier than that found on a standard AR.

“To work with this system, the TTR’s charging handle is built more sturdily than a standard unit,” Zitta said. “It has a channel in it that vents any excess gas in the system out and to the right of the handle’s rear.” He also explained the upper receiver assembly is a proprietary unit, taller and sturdier in its upper rail portion than a standard AR upper to accommodate the MIS and the strengthened charging handle.

Folder to Fore-End

The buttstock assembly of the TTR—the feature that first drew my attention to the rifle—is a Para USA unit dubbed the Rapid Deployment Stock (RDS). A side-folding stock, the RDS features five length-of-pull positions. Adjustments are accomplished by squeezing on a paddle-shaped lever in the lower face of the stock.

Simply pull up on the body of the stock against spring tension to free it from the locking block, and fold it alongside the rifle. The RDS can fold while set to any length of pull, and the spring tension from the locking-block mechanism holds it in the folded position. When folded, the stock blocks the bolt-release lever, but not the safety. Returning the stock to the extended position is as easy as swinging it back into contact with the locking block.

The TTR is offered in four variants. Three versions feature the RDS folding stock, each with a different fore-end. The TTR-XA has a fore-end with four full-length Picatinny rails; the TTR-XAS sports an aluminum fore-end with partial strips of Picatinny rail; and the TTR-NX features a Nylatron synthetic fore-end. Lastly, the TTR-XASF has the partial rail fore-end with a fixed stock.

The TTR ‘s upper and lower receivers are 7075-T6 aluminum and are machined from forgings. The 161⁄2-inch barrel is chrome lined and rate-of-twist is 1:9 inches. It ends with a Para USA Phantom flash suppressor and does not feature an M4 barrel contour.

Rather than a standard A2-style pistol grip, the TTR comes with a Command Arms Accessories G-27 grip with finger grooves, contoured backstrap and storage compartment. Finally, the TTR employs standard, readily available STANAG magazines.

Range Time

I recently had the opportunity to test a TTR for myself, in particular the TTR-XAS variant. When I received the rifle, I was extremely impressed by its fit and finish. The aluminum parts were anodized a deep black, while the steel parts featured a dark-gray, phosphated finish.

The stock folded and unfolded easily, and it was rock solid in the extended position. Adjusting the length of pull also proved to be easy. All controls functioned smoothly. Despite the radical nature of its internal operation, the TTR should be familiar to anyone who has used an AR-style rifle. However, it was very apparent when manually cycling the action that I was pulling against a spring above the barrel rather than pushing against one in the buttstock.

As I needed to fit the rifle with optics for testing, I decided to use this opportunity to try some new offerings from EOTech. In particular, the XPS2-0 holographic weapon sight and the G23.FTS magnifier unit.

The XPS2-0 is the company’s smallest sight yet, employing a single-transverse CR123 battery, and the G23.FTS is the second generation of EOTech’s magnifier units. It features a flip-to-side mount, and internal windage and elevation adjustments.

Once I had the TTR fitted with an optic, I headed out to the range to test the gun with a selection of Black Hills, Federal and Winchester loads. Over the course of a few hundred rounds, I did not experience a single malfunction. The single-stage trigger broke cleanly and crisply. Groups of less than 2 inches were common, with the TTR showing a preference for the lightest, Federal TNT 43-grain load.

During testing, the TTR had a very pleasant recoil impulse, even by the light-recoiling standards of the AR. I also noticed the front end of the aluminum fore-end—where it comes into contact with the gas block—heated up very quickly. The bolt-release lever on the left side of the receiver required more force to activate than I recall with other AR-style rifles.

The TTR from Para USA represents a noteworthy approach to the issues created by downsizing the AR. By developing a novel solution to the points of contention at both the front and rear of the platform, the company has proven yet again that it remains a go-to source for innovative firearm offerings.

Inspired by the German StG44, its prototypes were chambered for the 7.92×33 mm cartridge. As a result, the

VZ 58 is mechanically distinct from the Kalashnikovs with no part interchangeability. Even so, the Czechs ultimately chambered the rifle in the Warsaw Pact-standard 7.62×39 mm cartridge.

The svelte VZ 58 Military Sporter features a milled receiver rather than a stamped one, yet the gun weighs roughly a pound less than a comparable Kalashnikov. Rather than employing a heavy bolt carrier with a fixed gas piston rod, the gas-operated VZ 58 features a short-stroke piston system with a separate piston rod located above the barrel that can be easily removed without having to disassemble the rifle. The 16-inch barrel features a welded-on extension to its threaded muzzle that brings the rifle’s overall length to 36 inches.

Instead of a rotating bolt, the VZ 58 employs a tilting locking system. When gas is bled through the gas port in the barrel during firing, the short-stroke gas piston is driven back a short distance to give a “tap” to the bolt carrier and move it rearward. After a bit of free travel to allow chamber pressure to drop to safe levels, the bolt carrier causes the rifle’s tilting locking piece to unlock from recesses in the receiver, allowing the bolt to move rearward.

Even the nature of the VZ 58’s firing mechanism is unique. Rather than a conventional hammer-actuated firing pin, the Czech rifle features a striker-fired mechanism in which the trigger activates the disconnector, which in turn lowers the sear and releases the spring-loaded striker to impact the base of the firing pin.

The VZ 58’s 30-round, detachable box magazine is of light alloy rather than steel, bringing its weight down to roughly half of that of a steel Kalashnikov magazine. The sights consist of a wing-protected front post and open-notch rear sight. There is no scope rail or mount on the receiver of the VZ 58.

From an operator’s standpoint, the VZ 58 is quite similar to the Kalashnikov, but it does have some interesting differences. To load, rock in the magazine from front to back as with a Kalashnikov. To charge the chamber, retract the bolt carrier and release it by pulling back the operating handle on the top right of the bolt carrier. The VZ 58’s small, rotating paddle-type safety lever is located on the lower right side of the milled receiver, just above the pistol grip. Magazines are released by pushing forward on the release lever just forward of the trigger guard.

The follower of an empty magazine engages a bolt stop, which is located forward of the trigger guard and to the right of the magazine-release lever. The bolt stop can also be engaged manually.

CZ-USA’s VZ 58 combines original Czech VZ 58 parts with a new semi-automatic-only receiver and five U.S.-made parts. The latter include the steel sear, disconnector and trigger, and the plastic magazine follower and floorplate.

The VZ 58 Military Sporter is an impressive semi-automatic rendition of the original military rifle. The fit is excellent and the finish is evenly applied to the cleanly machined parts. The stock of the Military Sporter is particularly interesting in that it is a wood-impregnated plastic.

The small, svelte rifle handled quite well, with it shouldering and swinging quickly and easily. During testing, the rifle fired several hundred rounds of ammunition without a single malfunction. Due to its light weight, recoil was noticeable but by no means unpleasant. Cases were ejected upward through the large ejection port and they sometimes landed on top of the receiver, or on the shooter’s head. Accuracy was quite reasonable considering the necessity of using the iron sights.

For those with an interest in Cold War-era firearm design or for collectors just looking for a unique variant of the 7.62×39 mm semi-automatic rifle, the CZ-USA VZ 58 Military Sporter offers a high-quality rendition of one of the lesser-known rifles of that era.

The FAL has many positive attributes, including impressive power, good reliability, plentiful spare parts, etc. It also has one other unique attribute—a highly adjustable gas system that allows users to tune the rifle to a particular loading.

Devil’s in the Details

On its surface, the metric-pattern FAL’s adjustable gas system seems reasonably simple and straightforward. Located in the gas block in the forward portion of the handguard and integral to the front sight assembly, the gas system features a large gas plug on its forward face that retains the FAL’s gas-piston assembly. The rotating gas plug has two settings—“A” for open and “Gr” for closed. The “A” setting is the normal setting that allows gas through to cycle the action. The “Gr” setting cuts the gas system off completely for when the rifle would be used to fire grenades.

But a closer look reveals more. To the rear of the gas block is a regulator sleeve that wraps around the rifle’s gas tube. This regulator controls the amount of gas bled from the bore used to drive back the piston and cycle the action. Rather than simply two or three settings as is common with other systems, this regulator features 14 adjustment settings with seven numbered markings. It is important to note that some standard-pattern (as opposed to metric) L1A1-style rifles do not have numbered markings on their regulators.

These finely tuned points of adjustment on the regulator sleeve allow users to tune the system. Shooters can allow just enough gas through to the piston to cycle the action while minimizing fouling and unnecessary wear and tear on the rifle.

My Turn

So, how does a new FAL owner get his rifle set up for his preferred loading? I actually had an opportunity to learn this for myself recently, as I decided to add an FAL to my collection. The rifle I selected was a DS Arms STG58 (www.dsarms.com), one of the best deals on the market right now in my opinion. It combines original new-condition Austrian parts with new U.S.-made parts for an FAL retailing just under $1,200.

Included with every FAL rifle from DS Arms is an FN FAL owner’s manual with concise directions on the operation and maintenance of the rifle. A quick flip through it brought me to a section on adjusting the gas setting of the rifle, and it had me up to speed in no time. I then headed out to the range with the rifle, the manual and a few boxes of Black Hills Match 168-grain boat-tail hollow-point ammunition.

Following the instructions, tuning the FAL’s gas system proved to be quite simple. Adjustments to the regulator sleeve can be made with either a special wrench or by using the tip of a bullet inserted into the numbered holes on the sleeve.

Step by Step

The user should begin with the rifle empty and clear. Adjust the regulator so it is fully closed against the gas block and the “1” setting is visible on the top portion. This setting allows the maximum amount of gas through to impact the piston. Conversely, the “7” vents the most gas away, allowing only a small amount through to impact the piston.

Operation 1: Unscrew the regulator sleeve from the gas block until it is in the fully open position with “7” visible on top. After inserting an empty magazine into the rifle, single load a cartridge through the ejection port and then fire the rifle. This should result in a short recoil that does not allow the magazine to engage the hold-open device.

Operation 2: Screw the regulator sleeve forward click-by-click, firing one round after each change until the action is locked open by the empty magazine. At this point, you know enough gas is being allowed against the piston to cycle the action.

Operation 3: Fire several more rounds in this method to verify it will reliably cycle the action fully.

Operation 4: If any shot results in a short recoil failing to lock the action open, click the regulator forward one more setting and test again.

Operation 5: Repeat operations 3 and 4 as needed until the rifle cycles reliably.

Operation 6: The correct gas setting should now be determined. However, it is a good idea to click the regulator forward two more settings. For example, if you found that setting “4” cycled the rifle, click two more positions down. Counting the half-position setting between “4” and “3,” this would put you on the “3” setting.

Just Right

With just a little bit of effort, thanks to its highly adjustable gas system, an FAL owner can tune the rifle to a particular loading. This allows you to regulate the system so enough gas gets through to cycle the action, but not so much that you cause premature wear and tear on your rifle. This is just the sort of firearm regulation we can live with!

However, over the years this perception has changed, with many capable semi-automatic designs proving you could have the best of both worlds. In a sense, the Army’s new 7.62×51 mm M110 SASS (semi-automatic sniper system), which was developed to supersede the bolt-action M24, is a tacit acknowledgement of this reality. In fact, the M110 continues the military’s tradition of semi-automatic precision rifles such as the M1C, M1D and M21.

Changing Perceptions

The procurement program for the SASS by the U.S. Army caused quite a stir in the firearms community, encouraging many manufacturers to focus on developing specialized variants of established semi-automatic rifle platforms. As a result, there was soon a growing genre of highly accurate semi-automatic rifles on the market.

It should come as no surprise that FNH-USA, the U.S. subsidiary of the Belgian FN Herstal company and a name ubiquitous in the tactical realm, would also add its own unique offering to this growing market. And, although this new rifle was not part of the SASS program, it neatly fits within this increasingly popular genre.

This new rifle, the FNAR, is a semi-automatic 7.62×51 mm precision rifle designed to offer great performance at a higher rate of fire than a comparable bolt-action rifle. The FNAR’s designation, which stands for “FN Automatic Rifle,” may at first seem to be a bit of a misnomer as it is a semi-automatic rifle, but it makes sense once you understand the basis of the design.

While FN Herstal has its own line of respected proprietary firearm designs, it also understands and fully utilizes the strengths of its subsidiary companies. For example, FN bolt-action rifle lines, including the SPR (special police rifle), PBR (patrol bolt rifle) and PSR (precision shooting rifle) lines, are based off of the respected Model 70 from Winchester, one of FN’s subsidiaries. FN has also developed several fine shotgun offerings from Winchester designs.

By the same token, when FNH-USA decided to develop a semi-automatic precision rifle, it looked closely at its holdings and saw a particular design with a lot of potential for this project—the Browning BAR. The BAR, which stands for Browning Automatic Rifle, is a semi-automatic sporting rifle design that shares the same model designation with the John Moses Browning-designed Browning Automatic Rifle of World War I, World War II and Korean War fame.

A Solid Foundation

The Browning BAR, a popular sporting rifle design, is unique in that it is one of only a few traditional semi-automatic sporting rifles on the market. Chambered in broad range of powerful chamberings, the BAR has a proven record of ruggedness and accuracy—making it a logical choice for the project. While the new BAR and the original BAR share the same name and some general similarities in appearance, mechanically they are quite different.

As opposed to the select-fire military BAR, the new BAR is a semi-automatic-only design. It features a short-stroke gas-piston operating system and a seven-lugged rotating bolt that locks into an extension of the stressed-steel barrel. This allows the rifle to employ a lightweight 7075-T6 anodized-aluminum receiver.

The BAR’s short-stroke gas piston system employs a gas-tapping hole roughly 9 inches down the barrel from the forward part of the receiver that diverts gases into the gas system. The gas system is made up of a short-stroke piston and an inertia block. As a cartridge is fired, gas is directed through the gas port down into the gas system. This force operates the short-stroke piston that in turn imparts movement to an inertia block, which is attached to the bolt carrier assembly by dual action bars.

The mass of the inertia block, driven by the force of the piston, drives the bolt carrier assembly rearward, which rotates and unlocks the multi-lugged bolt from the barrel extension. Continued rearward movement extracts and ejects the fired case, while the spring-driven bolt-carrier assembly strips a new round out of the magazine and feeds it into the chamber during its forward movement. The bolt features a Sako-style pivoting extractor and a plunger ejector.

For obvious reasons, the Browning BAR made a sensible choice for FN as the basis of a new semi-automatic precision rifle. However, the sporting configuration offered by Browning did not exactly fit the needs of FN, which set about tweaking and modifying the design to fit its specific requirements.

A Jungian Take

The FNAR that resulted from the project is unique. Rather than being a long-barreled, heavyweight precision rifle, it instead seems to be more of a tactical rifle/precision rifle hybrid. With its 20-inch barrel and a weight of around 9 to 10 pounds, the FNAR has an almost dual-use approach. Although it is by no means a short-barreled “entry” rifle, its size and weight is in line with that of other full-sized standard 7.62×51 mm rifles such as the M1A/M14, the FAL or the HK91/G3 rifles.

So what exactly is the FNAR, and how does it differ from its sibling, the Browning BAR? The FNAR is offered in two configurations—the standard “light” version with an overall weight of 8.25 pounds without magazine and a muzzle diameter of 0.745 inch and the “heavy” variant, which weighs in at 9.25 pounds and has a muzzle diameter of 0.765 inch. Both versions’ barrels are of chrome-moly steel and feature hard-chromed bores for longevity and durability. The exterior of the barrels feature longitudinal flutes and a manganese-phosphated finish. The muzzles are topped off with a recessed target crown.

To take full advantage of all the barrels’ potential accuracy, the FNAR’s alloy receiver is drilled and tapped and fitted out with a strip of T6 aluminum M1913 Picatinny rail to accept optics. Another tweak to the receiver area is a red dot located on the upper face of the lower edge of the ejection port. This red dot is intended to act as a reference point relative to the location of the operating handle, indicating whether or not the action is fully in battery.

Another area of significant change from the BAR is in the rifle’s feeding device. Whereas the original BAR has a hinged floorplate that conceals a box magazine, the limited ammunition capacity of this design was an issue for FN designers. As a result, the FNAR was designed to employ a proprietary detachable magazine available in 10- and 20-round capacity versions. The magazine is solidly built from steel. The polymer follower is made of two pieces and is attached to the spring by a screw located in its forward upper face.

To accommodate this newly designed magazine, a magazine block that fits up into the bottom of the receiver was developed. This block of T6 aluminum features ambidextrous controls, with a round, knurled button release on the right side and a large, square-shaped knurled button on the left side.

Apart from the magazine-release buttons on the newly designed magazine block, the controls of the FNAR are quite similar to that of the BAR. A simple crossbolt push-button safety is located in the rear portion of the triggerguard, with a red ring around its left side to indicate the rifle is “off” safe. This is reversible for left-hand use by a qualified gunsmith. A grooved bolt-lock lever is located on the forward portion of the right side of the receiver, extending out from under the handguard. This lock can be used to release the bolt and chamber a round as well as to manually lock the action open. It is automatically engaged by the follower of an empty magazine. On a related note, the FNAR’s steel magazine has a large open cut out on its right side to allow the follower to engage the bolt lock. Care should be taken to ensure that foreign material is not allowed to enter the magazine through this opening.

The Everyman’s Rifle

The differences between the FNAR and the BAR are not just strictly mechanical. A great deal of thought was put in by FN toward modifying the ergonomics of the platform to make it more suited toward a tactical/precision rifle role. For obvious reasons, this effort focused on the buttstock and fore-end of the rifle.

One of the most visually striking differences from the BAR to the FNAR is the configuration of its buttstock. Unlike the traditionally curved pistol grip stock of the BAR, the FNAR sports a one-piece, pistol-gripped synthetic stock. Of note is the fact that the shape and size of the grip and buttstock were purposely designed around the dimensions of an AR-pattern rifle, making for a simpler transition for those accustomed to that type of firearm. Although not exactly the same configuration, the FNAR’s magazine-release button is in the generally the same location as that of an AR-pattern rifle.

FN attempted to carry over some of the modular adaptability of the AR-type buttstock—although from quite a different approach. In the interest of making the FNAR stock’s fit customizable to the broadest range of shooters possible, the FNAR employs a host of customizable features.

One feature carried over from the BAR is a replaceable stock-shim system. The FNAR comes with a set of six replaceable shims that fit in the joint between the buttstock and the receiver. The shims are designed to adjust comb and heel drop as well as the cast of the stock.

The first three adjust comb and heel drop. Shim 1 raises the comb approximately 1⁄16 inch and the heel 1⁄8 inch. The shim that comes installed on the rifle, number 2, is neutral. Shim 3 lowers to comb approximately 1⁄16 inch and the heel 1⁄8 inch.

Shims 1R1L, 2R2L and 3R3L adjust the cast, as well as the drop of the comb and heel. To adjust cast to the left or right approximately 1⁄8 inch, each of these has an “L” on one side and an “R” on the other. For “cast on” (left), install the shim with the “L” facing the butt of the stock. For “cast off” (right), install the shim with the “R” facing the butt of the stock.

In addition to the dizzying list of comb and heel drop and cast adjustments, the FNAR’s stock is also adjustable for length of pull through the use of three included interchangeable recoil pads. They include a short recoil pad that is 1⁄2 inch thick, a medium recoil pad that is 3⁄4 inch thick (which comes installed on the rifle), and a long recoil pad that is 1 inch thick. All that is required to change them is a screwdriver.

The FNAR also offers an adjustable comb-height system with three included interchangeable, rubber-overmolded comb pads. Easily interchangeable with the use of screwdriver, they come in three heights (low, medium and high) with 8 mm height differences between each of them. The rifle comes from the factory with the medium-height comb pad installed.

The synthetic fore-end of the FNAR also received some attention over that of the standard BAR. To allow users the opportunity to fit out the FNAR with a host of additional accessories such as bipods, lights and lasers, the forward section of the fore-end has three sections of Picatinny rail attached in the 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions (when viewed from the front).

Precision in Focus

The fit and finish of the FNAR is superb, as should be expected from FNH-USA. The alloy receiver features an evenly applied matte-gray anodized finish that matches exceptionally well with the gray color of the manganese-phosphate finish on the steel parts. The action in the test rifle cycled smoothly by hand, and the all controls worked positively. The 20-round magazine included with the rifle is solid and substantial, and locked soundly into place in the magazine block. Both of the ambidextrous magazine-release buttons worked positively.

For testing, I outfitted the FNAR with a Leupold Mark 2 3-9×40 mm scope and mounted it with Brownells steel rings. Despite all the adjustments available with the stock, I ultimately decided the factory configuration suited me best. With that, I headed to the range with the rifle, several types of ammunition and a new Champion folding target holder (www.championtarget.com) I have been testing.

For the first few boxes of ammunition, the FNAR was having some malfunctions early in a fully loaded magazine. However, after several boxes of ammunition this cleared up. After conferring with FN on the matter, we determined that this was likely caused by some packing grease that I had neglected to clean out of the rifle thoroughly enough before my range session.

I tried the rifle with a selection of Black Hills, Federal, Hornady and Remington ammunition. With the Hornady 168-grain TAP ammunition, I had blown out primers with roughly a third of the ammunition. All the other ammunition on the other hand performed without problem. Once I began looking closely at the shooting results, I recognized the FNAR is astoundingly accurate, as is shown in the accompanying shooting results. Also, I found the rifle to be extremely pleasant to shoot, offering the softest perceived recoil I have experienced from any .308 Win.

Chambered in 5.56×45 mm (.223 Rem.) and designed to feed from AR-15/M16 magazines, the gas piston-driven FS2000 was first introduced to the U.S. market in 2006 in a “Tactical” configuration sporting a green stock and a flat top with a polymer M1913 Picatinny rail on its open, flat-topped receiver (which FNH-USA terms the “barrel support assembly”). However, FNH-USA is now offering a new variant—the FS2000 Standard—that more closely approximates the looks and configuration of the original F2000.

Unlike the green-stocked FS2000 Tactical, the FS2000 Standard sports a sleek all-black exterior. The color is not the only significant change. Similar to the F2000, the Standard also features a built-in 1.6X optic attached to its Picatinny rail and concealed by a polymer cover, which features a 15 mm objective lens diameter and a German-style reticle. To supplement the integral optic, the polymer cover assembly has a set of rudimentary notch-and-post back-up sights molded directly into the top.

The FS2000 Standard features modern materials and manufacture, with a tough polymer stock and an aluminum receiver. The rifle’s bolt, barrel and a barrel-extension into which the bolt locks are all steel. The 171⁄2-inch barrel has a 1:7 rate-of-twist and features a permanently attached muzzle brake. A modular fire-control assembly, made primarily of polymer, is located inside the butt of rifle’s stock and is easily removable.

Another unique feature of the FS2000 is its inspection cover door located to the rear of the optics cover assembly. Since the action and chamber are completely enclosed within the rifle’s stock assembly, this door allows visual access to the chamber area.

One of the most unique qualities of the FS2000 is it’s almost entirely ambidextrous. An Achilles’ heel of most bullpup designs—particularly for southpaws—is having the action of the rifle located behind the trigger, the ejection port is then in the rifle’s buttstock near the shooter’s face. FN’s solution was novel—a forward ejection system that employs a tube above the barrel and an ejection port on the upper right side of the receiver, covered by a hinged synthetic door.

When the FS2000 is fired, gas pressure tapped through a port in the barrel drives the rifle’s short-stroke gas piston rearward, pushing back the bolt carrier assembly. This piston system employs a two-position regulator plug with two settings: normal for standard ammunition and adverse for allowing more gas in for when the system might be fouled. During the gas piston’s rearward stroke, the bolt carrier assembly’s rearward movement rotates and unlocks the six-lugged bolt from the barrel extension, beginning the process of extracting the fired case. During this movement, the extractor pulls away from the case and the ejector moves the case up into a plastic part FNH-USA terms the “rifle’s switch,” which receives the fired case and aligns it with the ejection tube.

This process is continued for five or six rounds until the ejection tube isfilled with empty cases. At this point, the pressure of the next fired case entering the tube forces the ejection-port cover open and allows them to be ejected. If the rifle is fired fewer times, the door can be opened manually and the rifle tipped down to empty the ejection tube. The result is a rifle that does not externally eject cases until the fifth or sixth round, as well as one that can be used just as easily by a lefty as by a right hander.

To further enhance the ambidextrous nature of the design, the FS2000 employs a disc-shaped safety in the lower, forward section inside the triggerguard. A clock-wise rotation places the rifle off safe, while a counter-clockwise turn places in on. An ambidextrous magazine release is located just forward of the magazine well and is pushed up to release the magazine. The only non-ambidextrous feature of the rifle is its charging handle, located on the upper left side of the receiver.

The fit and finish of the test rifle received was excellent, and all controls worked as designed. Although eccentric in appearance, the ergonomic qualities of the Standard FS2000 were quite good, with excellent balance. In addition, the integral optic was easy to use and very clear. For handling and shooting, I fitted the rifle out with an ambidextrous Urban-Sentry hybrid sling, which is convertible to either single-point or two-point configuration.

I tested the rifle with a selection of Remington, Federal and Black Hills ammunition. There were no malfunctions during testing and the rifle performed quite well. In fact, accuracy results were good considering the use of the low-powered 1.6X optic and a not particularly crisp trigger break (a common feature of bullpup rifles due to long trigger linkage).

Although by no means inexpensive, the FS2000 Standard offers civilian shooters a unique opportunity to own a cutting-edge firearm design that takes advantage of modern technology and materials. It’s also simply a blast to shoot.

What is the source of the AR’s longevity? The design’s appealing combination of adaptability and modularity. And the very qualities that make it so successful as a military design have also made it extremely popular among civilian shooters in its semi-automatic form.

Even the AR-based rifle’s adaptability has its limits, however, and some highly specialized users in the U.S. military are now fielding the next generation of firearm. Those users are the SOF (Special Operations Forces) of USSOCOM (U.S. Special Operations Command), and the firearm is the SCAR (SOF Combat Assault Rifle) from FN Herstal.

Taking the adaptability pioneered by the AR-pattern rifle to the next level, the new FN SCAR combines today’s cutting-edge technology with an even greater degree of modularity than its predecessors. In fact, the SCAR could easily represent the future of small arms development. Fortunately for civilian consumers, a semi-automatic variant of the SCAR is now available as the SCAR 16S from FNH USA.

The Usual Suspects

So why was the SCAR developed? By the nature of their roles and duties, USSOCOM forces have in the past employed a broad variety of highly specialized weapon systems. This created logistical issues for USSOCOM in regard to maintenance, repair and cost. In addition, many of these guns were simply modifications of pre-existing systems, meaning they were not necessarily fully suited to all tasks.

As a result, in 2003 USSOCOM initiated a Joint Operational Requirements Document (JORD) that began the search for a completely new SOF Combat Assault Rifle. Also, to ensure it was designed with the needs of its intended users in mind, input from members of the SOF community was solicited during the initiation and generation phase of the selection process, as well as during testing of the SCAR.

Modularity was key in the JORD’s requirements. Specifically, the new rifle had to be capable of being chambered in either 5.56×45 mm or 7.62×51 mm and easily modifiable to configurations ranging from compact entry guns to carbines to long-range precision rifles. In addition, reliability and accuracy were of utmost importance.

Despite the daunting requirements, a host of renowned manufacturers offered submissions to the JORD trials, which had the distinction of being the first procurement by the United States military through full and open competition since the M16 trials in the 1960s. And, at the end of the exhaustive testing, FN Herstal’s offering emerged as the winner.

“FN won the full and open SCAR competition because we showed up with a weapon that met, and more often exceeded, USSOCOM’s requirements. And this was not just an existing weapon that we tweaked to compete; the FN SCAR was built from the ground up, combining some of the best features from numerous weapon designs all aimed at the primary requirements of modularity, reliability, accuracy and durability,” stated Gabe Bailey, FNH USA’s marketing director for Combat Rifles and Technical Support.

Looking Forward (and Back)

Building on FN Herstal’s extensive knowledge regarding the development and manufacturing of high-quality, modern military firearms, the SCAR that emerged from the JORD trials was a model of modernity and modularity.

A rotating bolt, gas-piston-operated rifle, the SCAR is made up of two primary variants, specifically the SCAR-L (for light) in 5.56×45 mm and the SCAR-H (for heavy) in 7.62×51 mm. It is important to note the SCAR features 98-percent parts commonality within each of the SCAR-L 5.56×45 mm and SCAR-H 7.62×51 mm variants, and 82 percent between the two different platforms.

To allow the SCAR to be easily configured as either an entry gun, carbine or precision rifle, it was designed to employ a free-floated, quick-change barrel assembly that a trained operator can switch in 2 to 3 minutes with a pre-set torque wrench. The retention system is made up of six captive T-25 screws, with two sets of two screws located in caps on both sides of the receiver forward of the ejection port and two screws located in front of the fore-end.

Although the quick-change barrel system is a significantly modern change over the AR’s design, the SCAR’s system of operation is practically retro. Rather than the AR-pattern rifle’s somewhat controversial direct gas-impingement system of operation, the SCAR instead employs a short-stroke gas-tappet piston system, which should run both cleaner and cooler.

Second Cousins

Driven by its commitment to the U.S. civilian market and in recognition of the fact that the obvious strengths of the SCAR would make it a wonderful platform for a semi-automatic rifle, FN set about developing a variant for the civilian market.

Although the SCAR program was focused around both a 5.56×45 mm and a 7.62×51 mm, the first offering in the SCAR line to the civilian market is the 5.56×45 mm SCAR 16S (although the company plans to unveil a 7.62×51 mm SCAR 17S semi-auto rifle at the 2010 SHOT Show).

While the SCAR 16S is visually similar to its military sibling, there are some important distinctions between the two. First and foremost, the SCAR 16S is designed from the ground up as a semi-automatic-only rifle, incapable of accepting full-automatic parts. Although this is a significant mechanical change, the only easily visible difference between the two rifles in this regard is the SCAR’s lack of a third, full-automatic stop on the safety selector.

The other major difference between the two rifles is a bit easier to spot at a glance. While the military SCAR-L takes full advantage of the interchangeable barrel system with a selection of 10-, 14- and 18-inch assemblies available, the civilian SCAR 16S comes with a single 16-inch barrel assembly installed. Also differing from the SCAR-L is the SCAR 16S’s muzzle device, which is a FSC556 Tactical Compensator manufactured by Primary Weapon Systems. It features open prongs on its end and curved ports on its sides.

Sum of its Parts

The SCAR 16S is made up of five major components: upper receiver assembly, moving parts assembly (bolt and bolt carrier), buttstock module, trigger module (lower receiver) and the AR-15/M16-pattern magazine.

The upper receiver assembly also includes the removable barrel assembly. The SCAR’s stressed-steel bolt locks directly into a stressed-steel barrel extension, allowing the receiver to be made from extruded aluminum.

The upper receiver assembly is anodized in a flat, dark-earth color, and the upper receiver includes an integral fore-end system that extends fully forward to the gas block section of the rifle. This provides an uninterrupted strip of Picatinny rail along the SCAR’s entire top, offering a great deal of flexibility in mounting optics.

To complement an optic, the SCAR 16S comes with a set of FN proprietary folding back-up sights. The front sight, which is affixed to the gas block assembly, is hooded to prevent its post from wandering should it suffer any blows. The rear sight, attached to the Picatinny rail, is adjustable for windage and elevation and has two apertures.

In addition to the top rail, the upper receiver assembly also features sections of Picatinny rail at the 3, 9 and 12 o’clock positions on its forward portion. The two side rails, mounted directly to the sides of the fore-end section, are roughly 4 inches in length. The bottom section of rail, which is attached directly to the barrel assembly system, extends all the way back to the front of the magazine well.

Striking Change

Just forward of the fore-end section of the SCAR-16, and part of the removable barrel assembly, is the rifle’s gas block. This houses the adjustable gas system and piston and acts as a base for the folding front-sight assembly. It’s the heart of the SCAR 16S’ short-stroke, gas-tappet piston system.

Located on the forward face of the gas block just above the barrel is a three-position gas regulator. When oriented in the 12 o’clock setting, the regulator is on the “normal” setting designed to run the semi-

automatic operation of the rifle by allowing gas to bleed through the port in the bore. In addition, the regulator can be rotated down to the 4 o’clock position for disassembly. There is a third 10 o’clock setting that is a holdover from the military SCAR-L variant. It is designed for use with a suppressor and reduces the flow of gas into the system.

As gas is tapped through the port in the bore, it impacts the piston housed within the gas block that travels roughly 1⁄4-inch rearward, bringing it into direct contact with the moving-parts assembly of the SCAR 16S (which most of us would call the bolt carrier). This moving-parts assembly continues its rearward movement to cycle the action. Excess gas is expelled forward and clear of the system through the gas regulator.

The moving-parts assembly itself is sturdily constructed of steel and comprises a six-lugged rotating bolt, bolt carrier, return spring assembly and charging handle.

Where it Counts

Attached to the rear of the SCAR 16S’ upper receiver assembly is the buttstock module, a well-designed and highly adjustable stock assembly constructed of tan-colored composite polymer.

The stock is fully adjustable for length of pull, with six numbered collapsible positions and a total range of movement of 21⁄2 inches. Adjustments are made by pressing in on the black polymer length-of-pull lock located on the left rear portion of the stock. Also, the stock features an integral adjustable cheekrest on its upper face with 1⁄2 inch of cheekweld height adjustment. It is moved by pressing in on the black cheekrest button on its forward left side.

In addition to collapsing, the stock can also be folded alongside the right side of the rifle’s receiver with a press of the black lock button. Its downward cast angle of folding allows it to clear the ejection port of the rifle. A hooked piece of polymer in the rear right portion of the stock’s cheekrest interfaces with the combination shell deflector/buttstock lock at the rear of the ejection port to hold the stock in its folded position.

The trigger module of the rifle (or lower receiver) is also made of composite polymer. It features a non-integral M16-pattern grip allowing users the option of easily changing out the grip. It also houses the fire-control parts and the majority of the rifle’s user controls. These are made up of the safety selector, bolt release and magazine release, and are located in a similar position to those on a traditional AR-style rifle. Also, the SCAR 16S employs standard AR-15/M16 magazines.

The Everyman’s Rifle

The similarities of the SCAR 16S’s fire controls to that of an AR are not a coincidence. Recognizing that muscle memory and prior training were important considerations for a system designed for the SOF community, the SCAR was designed to closely emulate the controls of the AR-pattern rifle. However, FN took it one step further, making the rifle almost completely ambidextrous.

As a result, the SCAR 16S features an ambidextrous safety lever and magazine-release button, although the bolt release, due to the nature of its design, is still located only on the left side of the trigger module. Also of note, the SCAR 16S’s reciprocating charging handle, located in its track forward and above the ejection port, is easily reversible for left- or right-hand use. In addition, the ambidextrous safety lever, which has a shorter paddle on one side for the thumb of the non-dominant hand, is also reversible.

Hands On

The SCAR 16S I received came in a simple cardboard box and was packed with an owner’s manual and one 30-round magazine. The quality of the rifle was up to the excellent standards I have come to expect from FN, with the rifle featuring an evenly applied anodizing on the alloy parts, gray phosphate on the steel and attractive tan composite polymers.

The first thing I noted when handling the rifle was its feathery light weight, no doubt attributable to the extensive use of polymers in the design. It proved simple to disassemble, with only two pins in the trigger module needing to be pushed to do a basic fieldstrip. All controls functioned positively, and the handling characteristics of the rifle were excellent.

I took the SCAR 16S out to the range with a selection of ammunition from Black Hills, Federal and Winchester. Once I was set up, I put the rifle through its paces for the accuracy portion of the test. The rifle performed admirably with all three bullet weights, although it did show a slight preference for the light 43-grain Federal ammunition.

I then tested the rifle for function and controllability. I ran several 30-round magazines through the rifle without a single malfunction. I noted what seemed to be an extremely fast cycling rate with the SCAR 16S, as I was able to fire very rapid strings with it. Also, perceived recoil was very mild, enabling me to be able to keep control even during fast strings of fire. The only mild criticisms I could muster were that the stock interface latch on the cheekrest was slightly uncomfortable to me as a southpaw, and the bottom rail attached to the barrel assembly had a tendency to get a bit hot during rapid fire.

Unique Opportunity

Thanks to FNH USA, civilian shooters have a wonderful opportunity to own a semi-automatic rendition of one of the most current and cutting-edge firearm designs in existence. And, although it does not come cheap, I think it is very safe to say it is well worth the investment!

However, through a fortunate set of circumstances, a U.S.-based company is now producing a semi-automatic version of the G3 rifle in Connecticut on original H&K-licensed tooling, offering just about the closest thing to an original H&K rifle available on the U.S. market today. In fact, the circuitous storyline of how the company’s PTR 91 series of rifles came to be produced here is matched only by the convoluted history and unique nature of the radical design itself.

Internal Matters

The G3-style rifle is not ordinary. In fact, the heart of the 7.62×51 mm G3 and its civilian counterpart the HK91—its system of operation—is what sets it apart. Unlike most repeating rifles that employ a gas system in which gas is bled from the bore to power the bolt carrier or piston backward, thereby unlocking a rotating bolt and cycling the action, the G3 series of rifles employs a recoil-operated delayed-blowback system of operation. The closed-bolt G3/HK91 system features a non-rotating bolt head with twin rollers, one located on each side of the bolt head, which lock into corresponding detents housed within the trunnion inside the stamped-steel receiver. The force required to push the twin rollers on the bolt head back into the bolt head body and out of the detents keeps the rifle’s action closed for a long enough period that chamber pressures are reduced sufficiently for the action to open safely.

An interesting side note to the design is the fact that the inside of the chamber of the rifle features longitudinal fluting. This was done because it was discovered that fired cases had a tendency to stick in the chambers with this system of operation unless the case and chamber were properly lubricated. As maintaining proper lubrication of these areas in combat conditions would be practically impossible, it was determined grooves inside the chamber would help ensure consistent and repeatable cartridge case removal from the chamber during firing. In discussing this with one of PTR 91 Inc.’s engineers, it was explained to me that the flutes allow expanding gases from the fired cartridge to flow out and around the cartridge case to help free it for extraction.

Another way it differs radically is in regard to the nature of its manufacture. Whereas its contemporaneous competitors in the late 1950s (the U.S. M14, the FN FAL and even the AR-10), employed complex machined-steel receivers or ultra-modern aluminum forgings, the G3 rifle was manufactured using much simpler tooling for its stamped-steel receiver and other assorted parts. The result was an ultra-modern modular rifle design that could be manufactured with relative ease and at reasonable costs.

In fact, modularity was a key element to the design. Although the elder sibling of the family, the G3,

was chambered in 7.62×51 mm (.308 Win.), Heckler & Koch soon set about developing variants in other chamberings such as 5.56×45 mm (.223 Rem.), 9×19 mm and even 7.62×39 mm, as well as belt-fed machine gun variants and ultra-short carbines. Due to the modular nature of the design, many of these variants featured parts commonality that reduced development time and costs.

Immigrant, or Emigrant?

Complementing the unorthodox nature of the G3’s design is its equally unorthodox background. While the 7.62×51 mm Heckler & Koch G3 rifle, adopted by West Germany in 1959, is considered to be a uniquely German design, it actually has a shared lineage spanning World War II-era Germany and postwar France and Spain.

While the roller-locking design concept had existed in one form or another for some time, the earliest direct progenitor of the G3 design was the Mauser Stg45. Developed by the Germans during the desperate final years of World War II, this impressive design employed the unique roller-locked blowback system of operation. However, the situation Germany faced during 1945 combined with the hobbled state of German arms making at the time ensured that the Stg45 would never become an established arm.

The operational concept behind it would continue, though, through the efforts of a group of Mauser engineers led by Ludwig Vorgrimler working under French control in Alsace beginning in 1948. However, after a few years of refining the concept, Vorgrimler grew to be unsatisfied with working there and accepted an offer to participate in a new rifle program in Spain. It was here that he further continued his work on the roller-locked design, developing the Spanish rifle that would come to be known as the CETME. Soon thereafter, German interest in the design resulted in an agreement in 1954 between the Spanish government and the new company Heckler & Koch to prepare and manufacture the CETME rifle. The result was that, after several more years of refinement and development, the Heckler & Koch-refined CETME rifle was adopted by West Germany as the G3 rifle in 1959.

The Portuguese Connection

So how did a U.S.-based company end up producing this uniquely German rifle design on original licensed tooling right here in the United States? Ironically through another European country—Portugal.

In 2003, PTR 91 Inc. (then named JLD Enterprises after its founder Jose Luis Diaz) learned that the H&K-licensed G3 arms making plant equipment in Portugal was about to be offered for sale. The company managed to purchase thousands of parts and accessories as well as the tooling, machinery, measuring gauges, original engineering drawings and diagrams required to manufacture the rifle and set it all up in its Connecticut facility.

The result was the company’s means to produce semi-automatic renditions of the famous G3/HK91-pattern rifle on original tooling right here in the United States in its PTR 91 series of rifles. In fact, PTR 91 Inc. has a surprisingly robust listing of offerings, ranging from precision rifle variants to shortened carbines to varmint rifles in .243 Win., to even a version chambered in 7.62×39 mm.

The PTR 91 rifles, however, are not merely direct recreations. In fact, the acronym in the series’ name indicates where PTR 91 Inc. tweaked the design a bit. Recognizing that the roller-locked H&K-style rifle had an enviable reputation for inherent accuracy, PTR 91 Inc. decided to build upon that theme. In fact, PTR stands for “precision tactical rifle.”

Precision in Focus

A quick glance at a semi-automatic PTR 91 rifle reveals a rifle that would be hard for many to distinguish from an original HK91. However, a closer look reveals some interesting changes that PTR 91 Inc. applied to its design, specifically in the context of the “precision” designation in the PTR moniker.

First and foremost is the rifle’s barrel. Whereas original H&K rifles featured a tapered barrel diameter forward of the front sight assembly, the PTR 91 rifles have a bull barrel with a 0.75-inch diameter for stiffness and rigidity. Internally, it features five-groove rifling and a 1:12 rate of right-hand twist.

An additional change is inside the chamber. PTR 91 Inc., based upon experimentation with its barrels, discovered a reduction in the number of flutes in the chamber resulted in a reduction of perceived recoil with no negative effect upon reliability.

Complementing the bull barrel is the company’s rear sight assembly. Like the original, it features a rotating drum with 100-, 200-, 300- and 400-meter settings. While the 200 through 400 settings have a peep aperture, the 100-meter setting is a quick-acquisition V-notch. The major change by PTR 91 Inc. to the rear sight assembly is the addition of a knurled windage-adjustment target knob for easier sight adjustments.

Another change that PTR 91 Inc. incorporated with its rifles is relatively minor, but makes mounting an optic on the company’s rifles much easier in my experience. Unlike most current-day AR-style rifles with their expanses of Picatinny rail, the 1950s-era G3-pattern rifle does not provide an easy means for attaching an optic. Heckler & Koch’s answer was a claw mount that attached around the top of the receiver. However, these claw mounts often required hand fitting to a particular rifle, and were consequently serial numbered to ensure they remained with their intended rifle.

On its rifles, PTR 91 Inc. CNC machines the ledges on the receiver that interface with the claw mount to ensure they are uniformly true and accurate. Although the company warns that the variances and hand fitting evident with these surplus claw mounts may still cause the need for a bit of fitting on the PTR 91 rifles, I have been able to attach surplus units on two PTR 91 rifles I have handled with no problems.

A Classic Revisited

Although the company has a wide variety of offerings in their rifle line, I opted to test the most traditional variant it offers—the PTR 91 F. This variant, apart from the above-mentioned changes to the basic design, represents the company’s take on the traditional G3/HK91-pattern rifle.

The PTR 91F rifle (with the “F” indicating it is equipped with an original-style flash suppressor) I received for testing was quite impressive. Weighing in at 91⁄4 pounds and featuring an 18-inch barrel, the PTR 91 F is by no means a lightweight. However, it balanced and handled well.

The fit and finish of the rifle was excellent. The entire rifle featured an attractive powder-coated black finish applied over a parkerized finish on the steel. The receiver, which is stamped on H&K spec dies from 0.059-inch thick steel just like the original, featured clean welding marks and an evenly applied finish. All the controls of the rifle function positively, from the safety to the cocking lever to the magazine release.

Of note is the fact that the rifle, like all of the PTR 91 Inc.’s offerings, features a polymer lower grip assembly, bringing it in line with the latest iterations of the German G3A3 A1 upgrade of the design Heckler & Koch developed in the early 1990s. As opposed to the earlier-style steel lower grip assembly, this unit offers a slimmer grip and lighter weight.

Operation of the G3/HK91-based PTR 91 F is simple and straightforward. To fire the gun, a loaded magazine is inserted up into the magazine well. To charge the action, a cocking lever located atop the upper left side of the cocking lever tube above the barrel needs to be flipped up and retracted fully then released to chamber a round. Then, the rotating safety lever on the left side of the plastic lower grip assembly should be rotated down to the “F” for fire. There is no last-shot, bolt-hold-open mechanism on the rifle, and the only means of manually locking it open is by rotating the cocking lever at its rearmost position into a recess on the cocking lever tube.

To field strip the rifle, one simply pulls the two buttstock locking pins from the rear lower receiver just behind the pistol grip (the pins can be stored on two holes at the rear of the buttstock). Once removed, the entire buttstock/recoil spring assembly can be pulled rearward off the back of the receiver and the lower grip assembly can then be rotated down and away from the stamped-steel receiver. By using the cocking lever, the bolt carrier assembly can be removed out of the rear of the receiver. To access the modular trigger housing inside the plastic lower grip assembly, the safety can be rotated until it points upward and then can be pulled out of the side of the lower. Once done, the trigger housing can be pulled up and out of the plastic lower.

Matching Expectations

For testing, I acquired a surplus German claw mount and Hensoldt 4X scope from Sportsman’s Guide (www.sportsmansguide.com) and installed it on the rifle. The claw mount locked solidly onto the receiver of the PTR 91 F with only a small amount of effort. Over the course of firing a few hundred rounds, the rifle performed flawlessly. Cartridge cases were ejected smartly forward and to the right of the rifle.

In having tested and fired H&K-pattern rifles in the past, I have learned to expect good accuracy from these roller-locked designs—and the PTR 91 F did not disappoint me in this department. Frankly, for being a standard-production rifle with no accuracy tuning, the performance of this rifle was quite impressive. Although I tested the rifle with two 150-grain loadings and one 180-grain loading, I did find that the rifle seemed to prefer the lighter loadings. Although it functioned well with all three, the 180-grain loading created excessive recoil during firing and might cause unnecessary stress on the rifle over the long run.

PTR 91 Inc., through its PTR 91 series of rifles, offers U.S. civilian consumers an opportunity that has not been around since the late 1980s. And due to the company’s obvious commitment to quality, the PTR 91 series of rifles should be tough for any semi-automatic rifle enthusiast to pass up.

Fortunately for U.S. consumers, the PTR 91 is not the only beneficiary of recent moves by U.S. manufacturers to purchase European arms-making equipment and resettle it here in the United States.

In fact, in addition to producing the G3 rifle, Portugal had also developed a 9×19 mm sub-machine gun for its military. Somewhat similar in appearance to a Heckler & Koch MP5/HK94 and dubbed the “Lusa,” this design combined elements of H&K-pattern designs and the Israeli Uzi. The design employs an H&K-style lower and pistol grip combined with the straight-blowback operation and detachable barrel design of the Uzi. The result is a hybrid of an H&K-inspired design and a more traditional Uzi-inspired design.

In 2004, all the Protuguese dies, tooling, fixtures and manufacturing rights of the design were sold to Lusa USA in Hooksett, NH, [(603) 485-4800; www.lusausa.com], which is now producing it as a civilian-legal, semi-automatic rifle.

The SIG556 lower receiver is manufactured from 7075-T6 forged-aluminum alloy rather than pressed steel like its Swiss sibling, reducing overall weight by about a pound. It also readily accepts M16 magazines, features a redesigned fore-end system with built-in Picatinny rail strips and an AR-15-style collapsible stock assembly, making the Americanized SIG556 look quite different from its Swiss cousin. U.S. shooters certainly took notice, and not all of them thought these modifications were for the better.

SIG Sauer, the U.S. subsidiary of SIG Arms, quickly realized there was a market for a version styled more closely like its Swiss inspiration. In response, the company developed a new variant of the carbine dubbed the SIG556 Classic with sights, fore-end and a stock assembly akin to the original Swiss offering.

The triangular-shaped synthetic stock of the SIG556 Classic is patterned much like that of its Swiss siblings and is adjustable for length of pull over three settings. Adjustments are accomplished through squeezing the integral lever located on the bottom portion of the stock. In addition, the stock can fold alongside the receiver with a push of a half-moon-shaped release on the forward left side of the stock where it attaches to the receiver. To retain it in its folded position, the stock has a latch that interfaces with a protrusion on the rear right side of the Classic’s fore-end.

For further flexibility, three interchangeable internal plates included with the stock allow a shooter to adjust it to preset lengths or leave it fully adjustable. Also, a secondary buttpad adding an extra inch of length is included.

The synthetic, two-piece fore-end system of the Classic is also similar to the SG551 LB with its streamlined shape and molded ribs. It comes drilled and tapped to accept three optional strips of polymer Picatinny rail at the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions. Two rows of cooling vents—located on the top of the upper handguard and on the bottom of the lower handguard—help dissipate heat.

Unlike the open-post front sight of the standard SIG556, the Classic features a heavy-duty hooded front sight unit like found on the Swiss 550 series. The Classic’s upper receiver shares the SIG556’s strip of Picatinny rail and built-in, folding backup sight. SIG Sauer offers an optional, heavy-duty steel diopter rear sight that attaches to the Picatinny rail.

Controls of the SIG556 Classic are simple and straightforward, with the rifle sporting an ambidextrous safety lever located above its ribbed synthetic pistol-grip assembly. An AR-15-style magazine-release button is located forward of the trigger guard, and a bolt-release lever is situated on the opposite side of the lower receiver. A reciprocating charging handle extends out of the bolt carrier assembly through the ejection port.

Operationally, the SIG556 Classic is a gas-operated, rotating-bolt carbine with a two-position gas system driven by a piston, as with the standard SIG556. The setting of the gas system can be adjusted by twisting the gas valve located on the forward face of the front-sight base assembly. When the rib is vertical, the rifle is set on the “standard” setting; when it is rotated 45 degrees, it is on the “emergency” setting that allows more gas through.

The cold-hammer-forged, 17-inch barrel of the Classic ends in a birdcage-style flash hider and features a slim profile. The rifling’s rate of twist is 1:7 inches, making it suitable for stabilizing a wide range of even the heaviest .223 Rem. loads.

As received for testing, the Classic came with a SIG Sauer-branded 1X red-dot sight and one of the company’s polymer 30-round magazines. An interesting characteristic of the SIG556’s magazines is they can be attached together with a synthetic coupler. The company also included the optional diopter rear sight assembly with the carbine.

For accuracy testing, I headed out to the range with a selection of Black Hills, Federal and Winchester .223 Rem. ammunition. During firing, the accuracy of the Classic proved to be quite good. I did note a tendency for barrel heat to affect accuracy. The red-dot sight and the diopter rear sight unit worked well, with the iron sights co-witnessing nicely with the electronic sight.

Over the course of a few hundred rounds, there was not a single malfunction. I also noted the Classic had one of the softest perceived-recoil impulses I have experienced with a .223 Rem. rifle, with it being a gentle wave rather than a sharp spike.

Avoid the severe sticker stock of purchasing an original, pre-ban SG550. For shooters who don’t mind owning a close copy of the Swiss classic, the new SIG Sauer SIG556 Classic should make a terrific addition to their collections.