Tag: rifles

Arms Captured by the Taliban during their Conquest of Afghanistan

Mick F. Overview In May 2021, the Taliban began their annual spring offensive into Afghan Government-controlled territory. In previous annual campaigns—despite regularly inflicting a significant number of casualties against Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and achieving some territorial gains—the Taliban were unable to topple the Afghan Government. The 2021 campaign was different. Following an agreement

Continue Reading

Variations in Early AR-15/M16 Rifle Buttstocks

Chuck Madurski A surprising—albeit subtle—variety of fixed polymer buttstocks were used on early AR-15/M16-series rifles. There are five basic types, although it does not appear that these ever received unique manufacturer’s designations. Collectors today know them as the Type A through Type E. These stocks were fitted to the Colt Models 601 through 604, and

Continue Reading

Firearms Seized from Venezuelan Smugglers in Florida

Matthew Moss On 15 August 2020, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers took two Venezuelan nationals into custody at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida. The two men were about to depart aboard a private jet loaded with a cache of firearms and ammunition. As a recent ARES report into the illicit online

Continue Reading

Headstamp Publishing launches British bullpup rifles book!

Headstamp Publishing, publishers of the wildly successful Chassepot to FAMAS: French Military Rifles, 1866–2016, have today launched a Kickstarter pre-order campaign for their second book. This book, titled Thorneycroft to SA80: British Bullpup Firearms, 1901–2020, was written by ARES Technical Specialist Jonathan Ferguson and charts the British love affair with the ‘flipped’ bullpup rifle and

Continue Reading