Chinese company Hawk Industries produces a line of semi-automatic shotguns for hunting and security / police purposes, which persumably are based on US-made Remington 1100 semi-automatic shotguns (although this information is not yet confirmed). Civilian semi-automatic models of Hawk line-up with tubular magazines are sold outside of mainland China under variety of names, often exported through the NORINCO corporation. It apears that versions of the same shotgun, but adapted for a proprietary detachable box magazines are intended mostly to government export sales, as those were demonstrated on several international Military and Police / Security exhibitions. A more compact bullpup version is also produced, and was displayed on several Military and police exhibitions.

Hawk semi-automatic ‘18.4 mm Anti-riot guns’ (18.4mm is a metric equivalent of 12 gauge) are gas-operated self-loading shotguns. Those are unusual in using proprietary detachable box magazines (apparently the same as used in Type 97-1 pump-action shotguns from same manufacturer). ‘Standard’ configuration police shotguns of this line are fitted with side-folding butt, pistol grip and adjustable rifle-type sights; Bullpup-configured shotguns are fitted with fixed sights integral to the carrying handle. It appears that the bullpup stock is a plastic shell, bolted onto the standard receiver.

Hawk model SF28WB semi-automatic shotgun, hunting configuration. Note that it uses more common underbarrel tubular magazine.

Hawk semi-automatic police shotgun (18.4 mm Anti-riot gun in Chinese nomenlcature), with box magazine and side-folding butt

Hawk bullpup semi-automatic police shotgun (18.4 mm Anti-riot gun in Chinese nomenlcature), with box magazine

	Hawk anti-riot gun, standard	Hawk anti-riot gun, bullpup
Type	semi-automatic shotgun
Gauge	12; 76 mm / 3″ chamber
Length	900 mm / 35.4″	630 mm / 24.8″
Weigth	3.2 kg / 7 lbs	3.2 kg / 7 lbs
Magazine	5 rounds in removable box magazine

]]> http://fire-arms.info/archives/hawk-semi-automatic/feed 1 http://fire-arms.info/archives/high-standard-hs-10 http://fire-arms.info/archives/high-standard-hs-10#comments Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:26:52 +0000 Megan http://fire-arms.info/?p=168

The basic idea of the bullpup stock for the semi-automatic shotgun vas devised by the US police sergeant Alfred Crouch circa 1957. He developed a “device for firing the shotgun single handed” around a Remington 11-48 autoloading shotgun, and began to offer it to various shotgun manufacturers. His ‘device’ was built from the shotgun, stripped from its stock, and a hand-made aluminum bull-pup type stock with the pistol grip and a rotating buttplate, attached to the rear part of the shotgun receiver. The trigger was linked to the sear by the long sliding bar. He finally sold his design to the US company High Standard circa 1965, which redesigned the Crouch stock, replacing the single aluminum stock with the plastic shell, assembled from three parts, with integral carrying handle at the top. The carrying handle served as a sighting rib and as a mounting for the built-in flashlight. The heart of the system was the gas operated, self-loading High Standard Flite King shotgun, stripped from its conventional stock and enclosed in the patented plastic bullpup shell. The first production shotguns of this design, designated as HS model 10A, appeared circa 1967. In the 1970 the High Standard improved the basic design. The integral carrying handle was replaced with the folding one, the separate front and rear sights were added, the cocking handle was doubled on the left side of the gun, the flash-light mount was made detachable. This model was designated as the HS model 10B shotgun. Both models were originally sold only to the law enforcement agencies and other such users, but latter found its way to the civilian market as a police surplus and trade-ins. While being very promising in theory, the HS 10 shotguns were known for inadequate (if not marginal) reliability, especially with the non-magnum loads. The relatively low magazine capacity of only 4 rounds also was a minus. Initially HS 10 shotguns found some popularity among the US police departments, but latter were quickly retired from active duty.

Technical description.

The basic action of the model 10 is the High Standard Flite King semi-automatic gas-operated shotgun, with the annual gas piston located around the magazine tube, under the barrel, and the tilting bolt locking. The return spring is located just behind the gas piston, around the magazine tube, allowing for the bullpup configuration. The tubular magazine can be loaded by single rounds via the opening at the bottom of the receiver, the spent cases are ejected via the port at the right side of the receiver.

The gun housing is made from strong plastic and consists of 3 major parts: rear, that encloses the receiver, front upper with the carrying handle and flashlight mount, and front lower, with pistol grip and triggerguard. The housing is fixed to the receiver by the removable front cap at the front of the magazine, by the buttplate screw at the rear end of the receiver, and by the U-shaped union member at the front end of the receiver. The buttplate can be rotated around its screw, so it could be set in the horizontal plane to act as a support against the holding arm, when firing the gun off hands. On the model 10A the crude open sights are built into the integral carrying handle. On the model 10B the rear sight is built into the folding carrying handle base, and the front sigh is mounted on the barrel and can be folded back and down, when not in use, to avoid snagging.

High Standard HS-10A shotgun – a drawing from the original High Standard patent (filed in 1968 and issued in 1970).

The HS model 10A shotgun

The HS model 10B shotgun with the flashlight attached and carrying handle raised

The HS model 10B shotgun with the flashlight removed and carrying handle folded

Type: gas operated, semiautomatic
Gauge: 12 (2 3/4 in – 70 mm magnum chamber)
Length: 686 mm (27 in)
Barrel length: 457 mm (18 in)
Weight: 3.63 kg empty, without flashlight
Capacity: 4 rounds in underbarrel tube magazine

Chinese company Hawk Industries produces a line of pump-action shotguns for hunting and security / police purposes, which are based on US-made Remington 870 shotguns. Civilian and certain security-type models of Hawk line-up with tubular magazines are sold outside of mainland China under variety of names, often exported through the NORINCO corporation. It apears that versions of the same shotgun, but adapted for a proprietary detachable box magazines are intended mostly to government export sales, as those were demonstrated on several international Military and Police / Security exhibitions. The version of the tube-fed pump action shotgun appears to be adopted by the Chinese police (PAP) as the ‘18.4mm Type 97-1 Anti-riot gun’ (the 18.4mm is the metric designation of 12 gauge).

Hawk pump-action shotguns are available in three basic configurations: standard configuration with fixed tubular magazine below the barrel, standard configuration with detachable box magazine, and bullpup configuration with detachable box magazine. The last modification is notorious for the fact that it has a massive horizontal forward grip, which is used to cycle the pump action but also contains an integral flash-light at the front. Box magazine fed versions employ proprietary single stack magazines made from steel. Police guns of standard layout (including Type 97-1 guns) feature rifle-type sights with blade front and tangent-type rear blades; bullpup shotgun features fixed sights built into the integral carrying handle.

Hawk PF26W2 hunting shotgun

Hawk Type 97-1 police shotgun (18.4mm Type 97-1 Anti-riot gun) with folding stock

Hawk Type 97-1 police shotgun (18.4mm Type 97-1 Anti-riot gun) with fixed stock

Hawk combat pump-action shotgun with box magazine and folding stock, based on Type 97-1 shotgun

Hawk combat pump-action shotgun with bullpup layout and box magazine, based on Type 97-1 shotgun

Hawk 18.4mm Type 97-1 Anti-riot gun (12 gauge police shotgun) in use by PAP officer

	Type 97-1	Hawk pump	Hawk bullpup pump
Type	pump-action shotgun
Gauge	12; chamber 76 mm / 3″
Length	940 mm (fixed stock) / 37″	840 mm / 33″	670 mm / 26.4″
Weight	~ 3.1 kg / 6.8 lbs	3.2 kg / 7 lbs	3.1 kg / 6.8 lbs
Magazine	5 rounds in underbarrel tubular magazine	5 rounds in removable box magazine	5 rounds in removable box magazine

]]> http://fire-arms.info/archives/norinco-hawk-industries-type-97-1-pump-shotgun-anti-riot-gun/feed 0 http://fire-arms.info/archives/benelli-m1-super-90 http://fire-arms.info/archives/benelli-m1-super-90#comments Wed, 29 Jul 2009 21:32:53 +0000 Megan http://fire-arms.info/?p=105

The Benelli M1 semi-automatic shotgun based on the proprietary Benelli system, which utilizes the gun recoil and inertia of the moving parts to operate the action. This system was developed by Benelli by the mid-1980s, and is simple and reliable in operation. System utilizes the rotating bolt head with two locking lugs that lock into the barrel extension. The bolt is mounted inside the massive bolt body (bolt carrier), and fixed to it by the locking pin, which allows the bolt head to move slightly forward and back and rotate simultaneously within the bolt body. The massive inertia spring is interposed between the bold body and head, and separate recoil spring is located in the buttstock, pressing the bolt body forward via the link at its rear. When bolt is in the battery, the locking lugs of the bolt head are engaged with the barrel and locked it. Inertia spring, pressing on the both bolt body and head, holds the head in the forward position relative to the body. When gun is fired, it recoils and moves back slightly against shoulder of the shooter. Due to the inertia of the bolt body, it resists the initial recoil movement, so the bolt head, locked rigidly with the barrel and the rest of the gun, moves back relative to the bolt body, compressing the inertia spring and rotating itself to unlock due to the head locking pin being encaged in the cam slot in the bolt body.As soon as the rotation of the head is enough to unlock the bolt head from the barrel, the residual pressure of the barrel pushes the bolt head back, and this, in turn, pushes the bolt body against the recoil spring, overcoming the bolt body inertia and commencing the reloading cycle (ejection of the spent case and feeding and chambering of the fresh round). As soon as the bolt group returns into the battery, the pressure of the compressed inertia spring pushes the bolt body slightly back against the bolt head, causing the bolt head to rotate and lock into the barrel. Now, gun is ready for the next shot. This sounds quite complicated, but the whole system is mechanically very simple and has few moving parts, resulting in high reliability and easy production and maintenance.

The Benelli M1 shotgun is no more than the system described above, built inside the aluminum alloy receiver and mated with conventional underbarrel tube magazine and polymer stock, which is available with semi-pistol or pistol grip. Sights options are traditional shotgun sights, rifle type open sights or ghost-ring (diopter) sights. Mounts for laser pointers, tactical flashlights and red dot scopes also available on the market.

Overall, the Benelli M1 is a high-quality shotgun, available in numerous versions for both civilian, law enforcement and military use.

M1 Super 90 “Tactical” model with “ghost ring” (diopter) rear sights

M1 Super 90 “Entry” model with rifle-type open sights, shorter barrel and alternative buttstock with pistol grip

Benelli patented recoil inertia operated bolt system. Very simple, very effective.

Type: Semi-automatic, recoil inertia bolt system
Gauge: 12
Chamber: 76mm (3″)
Weight: 3.18-3.63 kg.
Overall length: varies with barrel length
Barrel length: 508 mm (20 in) Tactical model, 355 mm (14 in) Entry model; other lengths available in hunting and self-defense versions
Capacity: 3 to 7 rounds, depending on model

John Moses Browning, the legendary American gun designer, invented the first practical self-loading shotgun in 1898. In fact, Browning designed and patented three different systems, but finally choose the last one to go ahead. It must be noted, that at the time the autoloading shotgun was something of absolute novelty, and the task of designing such gun was severely complicated by the fact that the switch over from black powder to smokeless ammunition was well under way, and general quality of shotgun ammunition was rather uneven, to say the least. Nevertheless, Browning managed to make hist prototype model work, and work well. He first offered this shotgun to Winchester, which was the sole buyer for his designs from 1886 on. However, severe technical conservatism on the part of the Winchester’s boss, T.G.Bennett, and financial disagreements (Browning insisted on royalty-based payments, but Winchester at the time always bought new designs for fixed amount of money) resulted in break between the designer and the company. Browning then turned to Remington, but tragic death of the Remington’s president from hear attack just minutes before scheduled meeting with Browning put an end to this route as well. Browning then turned to the Belgian company Fabrique Nationale (FN), which at this time (1901) produced first Browning-designed selfloading pistol (M1900) as fast as it could be made. FN management greeted Browning and his new gun with great enthusiasm, and in a short while FN produced the first FN Browning autoloading shotgun, known as Browning Auto 5, or A-5 in short. Browning himself ordered 10,000 A-5 shotguns from the first batch for sales and distribution in USA, and sold all 10 thousands in about a year. Following the introduction of the new, increased custom tariffs by US government, Browning found that it was economically not reasonable to import more A-5 guns into USA, so he pursued FN to release rights to make and sell Browning autoloading shotgun on US market to Remington Arms Co (FN originally had worldwide rights for manufacture of Auto 5).In 1906 Remington offered the Browning-designed autoloading shotgun as Model 11, and manufactured it without interruption until 1947, with well over 800,000 guns made. Between 1949 and 1968 Remington also produced an updated (lightened and streamlined) version of the Browning’s design, known as Remington Model 11-48. The FN produced Browning Auto 5 shotguns continuously (with interruptions for German occupation during both World Wars) until 1999, making Auto-5 probably the most successful and longest-producing sporting shotgun in the history. Overall output of Auto-5 shotguns made and sold by FN (During WW2, A-5 shotguns were made for Browning Arms Co by Remington, and since mid-1970s Auto-5 shotguns were also produced for FN in Japan by Miroku, under FN license) over the century well exceeds two million guns (2,000,000th Auto-5 was produced in 1970). Total estimate of worldwide production numbers for this legendary Browning design is well over three million guns.
Copies and clones of the Auto-5 shotgun were also manufactured in Italy by Franchi and Breda, in USA by Savage and in USSR / Russia by TOZ, and by some other manufacturers around the world. Many Auto-5 guns, made many decades before, are still used for hunting and shooting today, but, as time goes, Browning Auto-5 shotguns increasingly become collector’s pieces.

Over the time, both FN and Remington produced wide variety of versions of the basic design. Hunting guns were made with plain or ribbed barrels of various lengths and gauges (12, 16 and 20), with magazine capacities of 4 or 2 rounds, various stocks, finishes etc. For police and military applications, FN and Remington created shorter-barreled shotguns with plain barrels. Many Remington guns have seen extensive use by US police and security services; US military also used Remington shotguns to train AA and aircraft gunners in shooting at fast-moving flying targets (clay pigeons), using traditionally stocked guns or guns, mounted in special fixtures to emulate aircraft machine guns. Belgian-made guns have seen less military service, although British army issued more than few A-5 shotguns as L32A1 during Malay counter-insurgency operations and later.

Browning Auto-5 shotgun uses recoiling barrel to operate its action. The system is of so-called long-recoil type, as barrel and bolt recoil together for entire length of the recoil stroke, being securely locked by pivoting piece, installed in the bolt. This piece, when pivoted up, engages the cut in the barrel extension with its large locking lug. Upon completion of the full recoil path, the bolt is arrested in the rearmost position, and the locking piece inside it is tipped down to release the barrel. Barrel, under pressure of its own return spring, located around the magazine tube, slams forward, leaving the empty shell on the bolt face. Once the empty shell is clear of the barrel, it is ejected out of the gun. When barrel comes to the rest in the forward position, it automatically releases bolt catch, allowing the bolt to run forward, picking the fresh cartridge from the raised cartridge lifter, and locking the to the barrel at the end of the forward run. Bolt return spring is located in the butt. To achieve reliable functioning with wide variety of loads, Browning used self-adjusting friction brake in the recoil system, which consisted of several (one or two, depending on the exact model) friction rings, located around the magazine tube. The tubular magazine holds four rounds; fifth one can be loaded into the chamber, making the total capacity of five rounds. One important difference between FN Auto-5 and Remington Model 11 shotguns is that the FN guns had a magazine cut-off lever, located on the left side of the receiver. This lever, when turned to the rear, locks the cartridges in the magazine, allowing for quick replacement of the loaded round with another (presumably, with different type of projectile(s), i.e. shot to slug or vice versa). Remington shotguns did not have this feature.

Browning Auto-5 shotgun of early Belgian manufacture, left side

Browning Auto-5 shotgun of early Belgian manufacture, right side

Advertising from pre-WW1 era Russian mail-order hunting supplies catalog that offered “New autoloading shotgun, five-shot, Browning system, made by Fabrique Nationale”

Browning Auto-5 “12 gauge Light model” shotgun of late Belgian manufacture

Browning Auto-5 shotgun of Belgian manufacture in military configuration, as used by British forces under L32A1 designation

Browning Auto-5 shotgun of Belgian manufacture, special version for police use, with factory extended 8-round magazine

Early production Remington model 11 shotgun, commercial model

Remington model 11 shotgun in “Riot” configuration, for police or guard use

Remington model 11 shotgun with recoil pad and Cutts compensator, as used by USAF during WW2 to train aircraft machine gunners.

Remington model 11 shotgun set up into special mount to emulate aircraft machine gun. This setup was used by US Air Force during WW2 to train aircraft machine gunners on shooting at moving targets

Type: semi-automatic, recoil operated
Gauge: 12, 16 and 20
Length: varies with model
Barrel length: varies with model
Weight varies with model
Capacity: 4 rounds in underbarrel tube magazine

American gun designer Maxwell Atchisson developed his first selective fire shotgun by 1972. This weapon was intended for close combat in environments like city streets or jungles. It was to provide tremendous short range firepower for troops during ambushes, room clearance operations and other such combat situations. First prototypes were rather simple in design and used certain components of existing weapons. These were also highly unusual in that Atchisson used most unusual (for shotgun) method of operation – simple blowback with advanced primer ignition. This shotgun fired from open bolt, and had rather heavy (1,4kg) bolt. Firing pin was movably built into bolt along with the internal pivot lever that caused the firing pin to extend and ignite the cartridge just prior to full bolt closure. To reduce peak recoil and cyclic rate of fire, Atchisson used extra-long recoil system, in which bolt after each shot recoils much further back than it is usually required to reload the weapon. Receiver of early Atchisson shotgun was made from steel tube, with attached M16-type buttstock and forearm. This shotgun also employed trigger group borrowed from Browning BAR-1918 automatic rifle, which allowed for selective semi-automatic of full-automatic fire from open bolt. Feeding was from detachable magazines, either 5-round boxes or 20-round drums. To provide necessary support for heavy drum magazines during recoil, gun was equipped with magazine support bracket that rested against pistol grip. Simple sights were of open type, with non-adjustable rear diopter and post front, both mounted on high bases.

During late 1970s and early 1980 Atchisson reworked his basic design from open bolt blowback action to more safe locked breech, gas operated action. This was done in the view of the use of more powerful, specially developed military shotgun ammunition, loaded with flechettes or heavy load of buckshot. This system employed the traditional gas chamber and piston, located above the barrel, and locking system that used single vertically sliding locking lug in the bolt head. Upon closure of the bolt, this lug was forced up to lock into the projection of the barrel. Upon discharge, gas piston forced the bolt carrier back, which, in turn, first lowered the locking lug to unlock the bolt, then carried the bolt back for reloading cycle. New weapon retained the long bolt travel, but had more conventional hammer-fired trigger unit, and it still fired from open bolt. The stock and receiver also were redesigned; now, receiver, shoulder stock and forearm were made as a single housing, assembled from two symmetrical units, left and right. This weapon also was selective fired, and used M16-style safety / fire selector on the left side of receiver, above pistol grip.

This second generation design languished for almost two decades, but recently it has been picked up by Military Police System Co (Tennessee, USA) that offers the slightly modified AA-12 selective fired shotgun for authorized military and police users in USA. It is possible that AA-12 will be used in limited numbers by some US agencies, but so far we have no information on actual use of this awesome weapon, which traces its ancestry to late days of Vietnam war.

Atchisson assault shotgun (ca. 1972), blowback operated, with 5-round box magazine

Atchisson assault shotgun (ca. 1972), blowback operated, with 20-round drum magazine

Drawing of AA-12 Atchisson assault shotgun (ca. 1985), gas operated, from original patent

Current production AA-12 shotguns

The “Bekas” (Snipe) pump-action shotgun was brought to the Russian hunting / home defense weapons market in 1997, chambered for once popular 16 gauge (70mm / 2 3/4″) shells. The popularity of the 16 gauge, for various but mostly unknown reasons, dropped significantly since Soviet times, so the gun was eventually redesigned to handle 12 gauge (70 mm / 2 3/4″) shells, and this version was designated “Bekas M”. It must be noted, however, that modified “Bekas” shotguns are still manufactured in both gages – 12 and 16, all being made to similar configurations. These shotguns are somewhat popular among Russian hunters and people who buy guns for home defense (it is legal in Russia), because of good handling and inexpensive price. These guns certainly lack the lackluster of European or American-made shotguns, and do not carry modern ‘tactical’ features such as polymer stocks, Picatinny rails etc, but they still can get the job done, be that bringing the meat to the table or protecting the one’s home from criminals.

The Bekas shotgun uses traditional pump action with sliding wooden forend that has dual action bars. Locking is achieved by a tilting locking piece, which is installed in the bolt and engages the notch in the barrel extension when in battery. Feed is from tubular underbarrel magazine which holds 6 rounds. Barrels can be easily removed, and available in a variety of lengths and styles (with ventilated ribs or with no rib and rifle-type sights). Barrels are equipped with interchangeable choke system. Some Bekas guns are sold as kits with two barrels (long ribbed and short with rifle sights) and with optional wooden pistol grip which can be easily installed by the user instead of the traditional wooden stock.

Bekas 12M shotgun with 720mm barrel, hunting version

Bekas 12M shotgun with 535mm barrel, hunting / home defense version

Bekas 12M shotgun with 535mm barrel and pistol grip, home defense version

Type: pump-action
Gauge: 16 or 12, 70mm (2 3/4″) chamber
Length: 1067 mm (with 535mm barrel and stock); 844 mm (with 535mm barrel and pistol grip)
Barrel lengths: 535, 680, 720 or 750 mm
Weight: 3.4 – 3.6 kg depending on configuration
Capacity: 6 rounds in underbarrel tube magazine