300 BLK by AAC: An Introduction

Will AAC's New 300 BLK Be The Breakout Product

Of SHOT 2011?

Each year at SHOT Show a product catches everybody's attention and usually signals the beginning of a hot sales trend. In his weekly video podcast Michael Bane identified the compact single stack 9mm, like the newest one from Ruger, as the hot ticket for 2011.

AAC's new 300 BLK is a 30 caliber round

is made to deliver AK performance while

using standard AR platforms and magazines.

While this category of concealed carry pistol will no doubt sell extremely well in 2011, it is perhaps not a gun but a new caliber that will mark the beginning of a larger trend in the industry. That caliber is the 300 AAC BLACKOUT from suppressor makers Advanced Armament Corp., one of the Freedom Group companies.

The 300 ACC BLACKOUT, designated 300 BLK, is a 7.62x35 round that was developed in response to military requests for an M4/HK-416 platform to launch 30 caliber rounds both subsonic (suppressed) and supersonic. AAC's new caliber offers loadings ranging from 110 grain for hunting and self defense to 220 grain for suppressed weapons - AAC's undisputed area of expertise.

You can learn more about the 300 BLK at http://www.300aacblackout.com/. But the question for consumers and dealers is what makes this caliber any different than those in the past, like the 6x35mm, that were not widely adopted?

Well, unlike the 6x35mm developed by Knights Armament which was not made available as an open standard (meaning there was no SAAMI specification to follow) the 300 BLK is open standard and SAAMI certification is expected shortly. AAC wisely sought to share the new caliber's specifications as early in the process as possible.

The 300 BLK was developed in response to

military requests for an M4/HK-416 platform

to launch 30 caliber rounds.

Additionally the 6x35mm wasn't designed for the standard AR magazine and standard M4 bolt increasing the costs of adoption by military units or law enforcement already equipped with AR rifles.

For any new caliber to reach commercial viability it must meet production levels high enough to bring the cost to consumers in line with their current expectations. To hit the production numbers needed requires buy-in from the military, and in the case of the 300 BLK that's already begun with the darker side of the special operations community ordering "unspecified" quantities.

Adoption by iconic military units - most of which are the basis for video games, television series and feature films - insures this round will top the must-have lists for all those wanting what the 'cool kids' shoot.

You can't sell ammo without guns though. One of the most important features of the 300 BLK is that it uses a 223 Rem (or 5.56 NATO) casing necked up to 30 caliber. That means it can be used in existing AR magazines - without giving up capacity - in existing AR platforms with the only a change of the barrel.

Can you say ease of manufacture?

Loads will range from 110gr. to 220gr.

for hunting use to suppressed use.

And how interested are manufactures in this new 30 caliber round that fits existing ARs and can deliver performance equal to the 7.62x39 depending on the load? Well, insiders say to expect eight or nine new rifles announced at SHOT. The popularity among manufacturers is said to be significant with one manufacturing supplier already producing a record number of reamers for this new caliber to supply ammo and gun makers.

It is even rumored that Hornady, which currently supplies the aforementioned "dark groups", is rushing to bring a commercial load to SHOT Show that may be sold under the AAC brand.

Yes, the notion of Hornady rolling out ammo for AAC instead of sister company Remington does seem odd. This development, if it does pan out, certainly won't be viewed favorably by Freedom Group executives, but considering that AAC has not lost a military contract in the last four years, and they are a revenue generating juggernaut for the IPO bound company, it's unlikely that Cerberus executives will impede AAC's efforts and will likely fully support them to insure the new caliber's success.

So when SHOT Show opens keep an eye on the AAC booth. Because when you combine the performance characteristics of an AK with the ease of manufacture and wide availability of a standard AR, throw in the über-cool factor of the black SOF community's buy-in, it looks like you have a winner. Wrap all that up in an Advanced Armament bow and you have the makings of a real trend.

-- Paul Erhardt, Editor of The Dealer Wire

Keywords: AR15, AAC, AAC300, AAC 300, AACBLK, AAC300BLK, AAC 300 BLK, Advanced Armament Corporation, 300 ACC BLACKOUT, 300 BLK, 7.62x35 round

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The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Snot Nose Lives!

For those of you interested in the day to day things that transpire on Kandahar Air Field, here is an interesting snapshot by Albert A Rasch.

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Snot Nose Lives!

How Terrorists Choose Their Targets

© 2010 Albert A Rasch™ and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
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How Terrorists Choose Targets

Anti-Terrorism Series: #2

This is another installment in the Anti-Terrorism Series I am putting together. There are a number of reasons why I have decided to write some of these ideas down. First of all, I am not an anti-terrorism expert. But I am cognisant and aware of many things, simply from the exposure to the concepts. Much of this is my opinion, tempered with real-world knowledge, and hard earned experience. I am open to criticism, suggestions, and any comments that will help us make our Nation more secure.

Thank You,

Albert A Rasch

** * **

Terrorists and criminals usually choose their targets based on a limited number of factors:

Symbolism, Presence, and Prestige = Media Attention

The targets that terrorists choose are not going to be hardened or well protected facilities. It is unlikely that they will attack anything of a military nature or that disrupts military operations. The targets that terrorists choose will be those that represent their enemy's presence, power, and prestige. Terrorists will choose targets whose symbolic value will elicit the greatest media reaction. Generally this is accomplished by killing and maiming as large a number of people as possible in order to generate graphic, sensational images that are guaranteed to be prominent across television screens and on the front pages of newspapers the following morning.

Accessibility

We are all too familiar with the heinous acts of 9/11. World wide, global terrorist organizations will continue to target singular high priority targets, but the small operator, the independent local criminal cell, will likely target open and accessible points of civilian or industrial concentration. Terrorists will select their targets based on vulnerability and lack of defenses or protection. Soft targets like our unprotected rail, mass transit systems, commerce yards, natural gas pipes, and even large hotels will be likely targets.. The American infrastructure, power, water, and transportation, are particularly vulnerable to terrorist attack, again due to their inherent vulnerability and accessibility.

Maximize Casualties

Terrorism is based on the principle that seemingly random, deadly violence will create fear and confusion in the populace. Mass casualties stretch the infrastructure, and strain the social contract among people. By killing and maiming large numbers of people, the terrorist accomplishes two goals, it guarantees world wide media coverage, and weakens the resolve of the people attacked.

As I mentioned in the first post of this series, The Range Reviews: Tactical: Infrastructure Threats: Mass Transit public transportation systems including city buses and subways concentrate people, and maximize human casualties, disrupting daily activities and sowing fear, confusion, and eventually terror.

Fear and confusion will lead to:

Physical and Economic Disruption

 Psychologically, fear induced by terror attacks will cause panic and disruption in the daily routines of people, possibly for years as terror attacks escalates. The ensuing economic strain could possibly knock out an entire city if one terrorist attack is executed properly. Political indecision, even in stable, progressive countries like the United States, due to the inability of the government to eradicate terrorism, may become the norm. This lack of direction, may lead to instability because both small and large groups of many different affiliations may act out of self preservation in the face of governmental inaction and a mounting death toll.

Those are in my opinion the core criteria used by terrorists to mount attacks. As you can see, the importance placed on symbolism and casualties leads to the selection of targets where the vast majority of victims will be civilians, people involved with nothing more than their daily lives.


Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch™
Member: Kandahar Tent Club
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...

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Infrastructure Threats: Mass Transit

Threats to American Mass Transit and Infrastructure
© 2010 Albert A Rasch™ and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
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American Infrastructure: The Weakest Link
Anti-Terrorism Series: #1

I am concerned.

Maybe I am wrong, but I sense a shift in the winds, not only world wide, but in the United States. Complacency, fear, laziness, anxiety, a feeling of entitlement - things that should never enter our minds have instead become commonplace and expected. I would like to wake people up; let them test the winds themselves.

As such, I am going to try to put together a series of essays and commentaries on the overall picture as I see it. The places that I think we are weak at, or unprepared.


From the Homeland Security Net:

"Mass Transit Facts

·Almost 2 trillion passenger-miles traveled each year worldwide
·Almost 10 billion passenger trips traveled each year in the United States
·More than 500 Amtrak stations in the US
·More than 2,000 additional rail transit stations in the US (subway and light rail).
·More than 140,000 miles of rail lines"

"Trains, ferries and urban transit systems are more vulnerable to terror attacks than air travel, which has benefited from a decade of tightening security. Public transit systems are open, dynamic and inherently vulnerable to attacks.They have for decades served as a principal venue for terrorist acts. Last year a threat assessment by Britain's Commons committee reporting on an inquiry into the Government's counter-terrorism strategy stated that the London Tube, bus and trains are considered extremely vulnerable to terrorist's attacks. The report went on to say that the "London Underground network will always be a high-profile and iconic target for would-be terrorists, as is the case with similar networks in other countries vulnerable to terrorism."

While the most significant of these attacks, such as the Sarin attack in Tokyo, and the bombings in Moscow, Madrid or London garnered worldwide public attention, response in the U.S. was generally subdued. Terror against rail passengers and transport is not a new phenomenon; only the scale, sophistication and public impact of the attacks sets them apart. For a variety of reasons, similar attacks or attempts at attacks are likely to be with us for the foreseeable future, because stations, rail lines, and people are everywhere, and difficult to defend. Train cars carry hundreds of passengers in an enclosed environment where a medium size explosion will wreak maximum damage, and the potential for economic disruption is substantial and the multiple modes of terror delivery are simple. Consider that threat to mass transportation from terrorism must never be underestimated because is attractive in part because it can be carried out with minimal resources in numerous ways."

NYC is, as always, the preeminent target of the radical Muslim population that lives within the US. The massive hubs of transportation: rail, auto, and air, make it a particularly valuable target to the terrorist. But there are other equally important targets throughout the Nation. It is up to all of us to be vigilant and prepared.

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch™
Member: Kandahar Tent Club
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...

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Operational Security: OPSEC a Primer

How to Maintain Operational Security


James G, editor of Death Valley Magazine has posted an excellent Operational Security primer for those that are going into threat theaters.

EXPAT SURVIVAL: OPSEC For NGO’s and Humanitarian Aid groups

"What these people don’t realize is any half descent photo intelligence guy can not only pinpoint there exact location based on the vegetation and topography in the background – he has put himself and anyone working or traveling with him on a shit-list. Or even worse, they may have endangered the very people they are supposed to be helping."

It's a great read, and filled with important tips.

I highly recommend Death Valley Magazine to all tactical personnel, operators, ex-pats, NGO employees, contractors, and anyone else going places most people would rather not!

Best Regards,
Albert Rasch