North Korea’s first truly indigenous handgun design, it is nevertheless an interesting conglomeration of features from other countries’ guns, combined in a simple, effective firearm.

In the 1960s North Korea’s state arsenals began manufacture of their own pistols with the Type 64, essentially a reverse-engineered, unlicensed copy of the Browning 1900 pistol produced by Belgium’s Fabrique Nationale.

There has been no official explanation for using such an aged weapon as the model, but in 1909 a Korean officer in their occupied country used one to assassinate a Japanese political official—perhaps sentimentality, then, may lie behind that choice.

Their next effort, the Type 66, was a direct copy of the Soviet Makarov PM pistol of 1951, while the Type 68, copied the Soviet Tokarev TT33 of World War II fame.

With those copies providing experience in the art of gunsmithing, the North Koreans set two work on a more or less indigenous design to succeed the imported Chinese NORINCO Type 64 series of pistols that had served as their principal sidearms. The project came to fruition—and achieved acceptance in their armed forces in 1970—as the Type 70.

A simple blowback operated semiautomatic, single action gun with a detached barrel within the slide and an exposed hammer firing a 7.65x35mm .32ACP round, the Type 70 actually combined selected elements from such successful role models as the Makarov, the German Walther PPK and even the old FN 1900.

The muzzle, for example, is similar to the Makarov’s, although the overall configuration of the gun is definitely not. Rounds are ejected out a port on the right side of the weapon, while the safety button above the trigger on the left side also served as the main locking block—pushing the entire crossbar out the right side allows the barrel assembly and recoil spring to come out for disassembly and cleaning.

Users of the Type 70 have been impressed with the overall simplicity with which all of its outside influences have been incorporated into a solid, reliable weapon.

Vertical grooves along the side of the handle culminating in an engraved star on the upper part—are another Makarov feature, which make for a firm hold on a pistol that is, overall, comfortable to handle. The trigger is likewise solid within the thick trigger guard and the heel release for the seen-round magazine is, like the gun overall, simple and reliable.

The Type 70 is 6.3 inches long, with a barrel length of 3.74 inches. Muzzle velocity is 1,035 feet per second for an effective range of 50 meters.

When introduced, the Type 70 was initially issued to high-ranking senior officers, who also received the symbolically significant Type 64, while the Type 68 and Chinese pistols continued in use by the more junior officers and senior noncommissioned officers.

The Type 70 is not known to have been exported to other nations, but one is known to have found its way into the hands of the Rock Island Auctions Company in Illinois. Unknown is how it got there and its whereabouts since April 2015.

All that can be said of this unusual indigenous product of the “Hermit Kingdom” is that it is still in use, it serves its purpose well and it makes a truly rare collector’s item for any Western gun collector.

You know the scene in which someone on one side or the other—or both—draws an automatic weapon the size of a large pistol and starts spraying the room with lead? The compact weapon might be an Uzi or it might be an Ingram…but it’s equally likely to be a Škorpion.

Miroslav Rybář (1924-1970) originally had security forces in mind when he conceived of the little weapon in 1959, but it was readily accepted by the Czechoslovakian army for use by low-ranking staff, vehicle crewmen and special forces.

It entered production in 1961 by the Česko zbrojovka arms factory in Uherský Brod as the Samopal vzor 61 (submachine gun 61), although posterity has since questioned the little weapon’s official status: submachine gun or machine pistol?

The Škorpion is a hammer-fired, straight-blowback-operated weapon with a lightweight, telescoping bolt assembly that wraps around much of the barrel, accounting for the gun’s overall compactness. It fires from the closed bolt position, which helps it more accurate than a comparable open-bolt weapon.

That is further helped by the low recoil impulse of its 7.62x17SR Browning Short cartridge, which when fired is driven back by the blowback gases and the inertia of the bolt against two recoil springs, to be ejected vertically upward through a port in the receiver housing top cover.

[Read More: How the the FN FAL took on the AK-47]

[Read More: How the North Vietnamese army modified a WW2 submachine gun for its war against the US]

One somewhat irritating side effect of that action is experienced by shooters firing from a stationary position, as the hot cartridges tend to fall back down, directly on his head.

Another minor annoyance is the small button on the right side of the receiver that cocks and chambers the first round. This lever does not jut out as on normal SMGs, making for some awkward charging, but it does allow the Škorpion and a 10-round curved box magazine to fit snugly inside a large leather pistol holster.

A selector lever on the left side of the receiver gives the shooter a choice of three settings: “0” for safe, “1” for semiautomatic and “2” for fully automatic firing mode. Additionally, an inertial rate reducer in the handle can be further adjusted to lower the rate of fire from 1,050 to a more manageable 850 rounds per minute.

Besides the gun holster, optional ammunition holsters contain curved 20-round magazines for added firepower.

The Škorpion’s iron sights include a mechanically adjustable post in front and a flip rear sight with notches for 75 and 150 meters. A wire stock folds forward over the receiver to lock on the front sight’s protection capture. Although the Škorpion can fire reasonably accurate short bursts when held in two hands, anyone with a musculature falling below that of Arnold Schwarzenegger would be well advised to flip the shoulder stock back when firing fully automatic.

A total of 200,000 Škorpions were produced by the Czechoslovakians between 1961 and 1979. A strictly semiautomatic civilian version, the vz.61S, could be had to fire 7.62mm or 9mm rounds (the latter carried in straight, rather than curved magazines). In addition, Yugoslavia license-produced the sv.61 from 1984 to 1992 as the M84, with a plastic pistol grip in place of the wooden one used on the Czech original.

A strictly semiautomatic civilian version, the M84A, was bored to use either the 7.62mm or a 9x17mm short round. After the breakup in Yugoslavia, production continued in Serbia.

Škorpions have seen use in the armies or security forces of more than 20 countries throughout the world. During the Vietnam War some turned up in the hands of North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. Others saw use in civil conflicts in Lebanon, Peru, Liberia and Yugoslavia.

However handy the Škorpion has been among military and police personnel, that very trait made it a natural choice for criminals and terrorists as well. The Irish Republican Army made it a part of their arsenals throughout “The Troubles.”

On March 16, 1978, Škorpion-armed members of the Italian Red Brigades kidnapped former prime minster Aldo Rossi, in the process kicking two carabinieri and three policemen, subsequently murdering him as well on May 9.

In the 1990s the Gang de Roubaix, a terrorist cell of Al Qaeda, used Škorpions in a number of robberies and other attacks in France. In 2017 Swedish authorities estimated some 50 formerly deactivated Slovakian-produced vz.61s had found their way into the hands of Swedish criminal gangs.

All this adds up to some food for thought the next time one sees Škorpions in action on the silver screen. Is art imitating life or the other way around?

Buckle your seatbelts and get ready from lots cool images to emerge of US troops in the sea, jungles and skies of Asia battling it out with their Pacific brethren in the latest installment of Cobra Gold.

Sponsored by the Thai and US military, Cobra Gold 2020 brings together around 30 countries with everything from bombers to fighters, SEALs to soldiers, cruisers to carriers and has served for nearly 40 years as a way to coordinate allied military operations in a vast swath of Asia.

Returning to a part of their Vietnam War lineage, the American 25th Fighter Squadron based in Osan Air Base, South Korea, went retro in this year’s Cobra Gold exercise, donning headwear that harkens back its deployment to Thailand when the squadron flew F-4 Phantoms in Southeast Asia.

[Read More: 5th Special Forces Group went old school with their tiger stripe uniforms during a training exercise]

The latest Pentagon videos coming out of the exercise show A-10 pilots from the 25th gearing up for a flight wearing so-called “Saigon Cowboy” hats, popularized by the fighter jocks of yore.

These wide-brimmed, cotton hats kept the blazing sun off the faces of U.S. fighter pilots on the hot ramps of Ubon and Udorn before missions. The pilots often festooned squadron patches and other unit designations on the flipped-up brims, giving them an OD Australian look to them.

Taking a page out of the 1960s book, some of the 21st century versions of the Saigon Cowboy hats feature the “Thailand” chevron attached to the brim.

And this isn’t the first time we’ve seen US units going old-school when it comes to highlighting their Vietnam heritage.

In August 2019 we spotted soldiers from the 5th Special Forces Group dropping simulated bad guys wearing Vietnam-era tiger stripe uniforms emblazoned with retro Special Force patches in blue and yellow.

It’s a seemingly small thing, but when US troops commemorate their previous badassery by wearing gear from their historic exploits, it’s always something that adds a little motivation to any exercise.

Imagine you’re at the beach. It’s 90 degrees out, the sun is blazing and your landnav skills are failing you as you search in vain for the best spot to setup your umbrella and cooler.

It’s miserable out, but you’re wearing your favorite ranger panties to keep cool – but it’s not enough. Your 10 inch Belleville One Xeros may have served you well in country, but they’re drawing looks from other beach-goers, and causing your feet to to heat up.

What do you do?

Thankfully, the fine people over at Combat Flip-Flops has you covered. Their line of Floperator sandals are built for the rigors of amphibious stateside operations like chasing your kids on the beach. But what about more covert relaxation? Coyote tan and Black are great, but how will your fellow operators know how cool you are?

Stealth grey. Boom! Mic drop.

That’s right, the veteran-owned Combat Flip-Flops has introduces the latest addition to their military-grade open-toed foot: Stealth grey Floperators. More than just super cool summer shoes, the Floperator is a heavy duty, yet lightweight sandal built from military-grade nylon with injection-molded arch support.

So even if your dogs need to breathe, you can still have high quality footwear perfect for relaxing at the beach or hiking in the woods. (Or for the intrepid, a 10-mile ruck!) Check out the full release below.

If Special Operations had flips flops, it would be the Floperator from Combat Flip Flops. Built for any terrain, these not-so tactical, military, or law enforcement footwear will take you where you need to go in style.

When you show up as a Floperator, you show up with authority. On the land, over the sea, and in the air-these foot soldiers perform. Military grade nylon, proprietary rubber for increased traction across any terrain, and real estate to proudly display your current vibe with customizeable morale patches. Combat Flip Flops Floperators do what yhey do. Floperate.

So if you want to get your hands on a pair of ultra-durable Floperators to stick your favorite patch to, go ahead and BUY NOW.

Sightline Media Group, LLC writes about products and services to help our readers navigate when shopping online. Sightline Media Group, LLC may receive a share of revenue from our affiliate partners if you purchase products or contract services through our links.

The shift to an almost-standardized kit in countries that have less-than-impressive funding (or in the case that inspired this piece: minimal funding) has been a relatively new phenomenon. The world’s specialized units have rushed to share an appearance with what is commonly considered the industry standard: the United States’ robust cadre of SOF operators.

One of the units that has enthusiasts and professionals scratching their head lately is the Syrian Defense Force’s Yekîneyên Antî Teror, or “YAT.”

It is a unit that is still shrouded in considerable secrecy due to the nature of its origins, comprised mostly of senior YPG and YPJ fighters who fight for a free Rojava (Syrian Kurdish state) — very different from the Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters most are familiar with.

Besides the differences in political, societal, and economic principles that define the two groups of Kurds, the YAT is different because it is possibly trained and equipped by US intelligence community personnel, in addition to American SOF trainers.

Prior to 2019, the YAT was trained and equipped by United States Army Special Forces, commonly referred to as Green Berets. The world’s foremost experts in guerrilla and unconventional warfare, these teams linked up with Kurdish forces in Northern Syria in early 2016.

The equipment pictured is unique, especially when compared to the roughly three dozen other SDF elements equipped by SF teams. Instead of the budget body armor and off-the-shelf uniforms fielded for traditional SDF units, YAT members could be seen wearing a derivative of the Eagle Industries kit, SOCOM’s standard during the early years of the Global War on Terror.

Like many US SOF-led partner forces, YAT members were armed with Kalashnikov rifles and various Soviet-era sidearms.

However, a recent photo has emerged of a newly outfitted YAT — one that paints a clearer picture of their specialized role in their fight against ISIS and Turkey, and hints at their possible connection to the IC.

The military operates under Title 10 authorities which are far more transparent and accounted for than the Title 50 authorities that the intelligence community operates under. Title 10 train-and-equip programs typically utilize gear and kit that provide a semblance of deniability, but recent open source information shows modernized, western-influenced kit and gear.

Another YAT fighter, this time with another US-supplied weapon, M249. pic.twitter.com/ujq7yt8c5A

— Cᴀʟɪʙʀᴇ Oʙsᴄᴜʀᴀ (@CalibreObscura) December 27, 2019

The above pictured kit appears to be a US-made Crye precision Jumpable Plate Carrier with High Speed Gear’s suite of pouches. The addition of any helmets is unusual, as partner forces aren’t typically issued any.

However, the YAT operative runs a “commando cut”, usually reserved for special operations units that operate a communications package with headset.

He carries a Mk 17 produced by Sword International, a high-end manufacturer of precision rifles modeled after the AR-10 chambered in 7.62×51 mm or 6.5 Creedmoor. Atop it sits a Steiner T5Xi 3-15×50 scope, a favorite of European SOF units for medium range shooting.

Even the magazines are commercial made — another commonality with American SOF favoring commercially available magazines over the STANAG magazines that are found throughout the United States military.

Even more shocking is another recently released photograph of a YAT fighter who has a night optic device mount latched onto her helmet’s shroud. The addition of night vision capabilities is a testament to the fact that the YAT is a more autonomous special operations unit than just a mere well-equipped partner force.

The YAT operative in this picture also wears western gear and carries what appears to be a modernized US-supplied M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. While a few legacy models lurk in the region’s black markets, they don’t tend to have integrated Picatinny rails on the handguard.

While it’s fun to comb the feeds of open source intelligence journeymen to see the latest and greatest tech and kit being fielded in combat zones, it’s important to realize that there’s often a “why” attached to it all.

So, while the milsim fans and Airsoft players will gain some inspiration, there’s a myriad of questions attached to something as innocuous as an Instagram cool-guy pic.

Nicholas Guy is a United States Special Forces soldier with 19th Special Forces Group and a financial intelligence analyst with a large bank. Previously, he was with 5th Special Forces Group.

For LEOs, this was a modified dress shoe and later black rugged sneakers or boots. While soldiers, sailors and airmen were stuck with combat boots of one for or another.

Neither of these were terribly comfortable, but they tended to be well built if heavy.

Today, there are dozens of companies making hundreds of tactical boots for both. And because there are at least as many foreign-made knockoffs of questionable quality, choosing a solid shoe or boot that wouldn’t fall apart and didn’t cause the wearer undue pain was almost as bad as the blisters the cheap ones would cause.

Thankfully, the engineers at 5.11 invented a brand new line of duty footwear that let officers and soldiers have their proverbial cake, and eat it to. Enter, the A.T.L.A.S.

An acronym for All Terrain Load Assistance System, these new shoes are anything but simple sneakers. They are designed from inception to hold up to hard use while evenly distributing the added weight of an officer’s gear across their feet. Preventing painful fallen arches, and stinging blisters. check out the full details below.

Irvine, Calif. (February 13, 2020) – 5.11, the global innovator of technical, purpose-built gear, debuted its biggest product launch of 2020, the all new 5.11 A.T.L.A.S. footwear collection last month during the Shooting Hunting Outdoor Tactical Trade Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. As the name implies, the All

Terrain Load Assistance System footwear series features three styles: an eight-inch Boot, Mid Hiker and Trainer.

Several years in the making, the 5.11 A.T.L.A.S. footwear series was designed with professional end users who carry considerable loads while on duty in mind. 5.11 A.T.L.A.S. footwear enhances agility and stability while at the same time adding cushion support, which is increasingly important when adding considerable weight to a user’s frame.

“Listening to our end users and solving problems to allow them to perform better is at the heart of why we design our products,” said Brendan Rynne, Footwear Category Manager for 5.11. “We heard our guys complain about ‘work weight’ over and over again, and after several years, we are really excited to be giving them the answer to their footwear support and stability problems in the new 5.11 A.T.L.A.S. series.”

The 5.11 A.T.L.A.S. Boots—available in 8-inch and mid heights—featuring 5.11’s new Echo (high rebound) and Force (high impact) foam midsole with the 5.11 A.T.L.A.S. plate for turning and stability control, while carrying additional weight. 5.11 utilized a key engineering partner to help create these new foam formulas. In addition, the 5.11 A.T.L.A.S. Boots and A.T.L.A.S Mids also feature a new Ortholite®foot bed, slip and oil resistant outsoles, and highly breathable uppers for maximum comfort. MSRP for the 8-inch Boot is $149.99 and MSRP for the Mid is $139.99.

In a nutshell, the A.T.L.A.S. boots are super light, ultra durable footwear designed to give owners the maximum amount of comfort. Plus, unlike several other duty boots, these new featherweight boots are very affordably priced. Making them an excellent choice not just for combat or duty use, but also people who like high quality footwear that can stand up to abuse. For more information on the new A.T.L.A.S. boots, including pricing and availability, visit https://www.511tactical.com/.

Let’s face it, if you’re reading this, you more than likely forgot that Valentine’s Day is almost here.

With the excitement from all of this year’s SHOT Show debuts and tons of cool new military hardware just around the corner, it’s easy to forget everyone’s favorite day of romance, chocolates, and cheesy cards.

Don’t worry, GearScout has your six (you’re welcome)!

This year, make your Valentine’s Day tacticool, GearScout-style, with these awesome products that we’ve curated to save your butts (and probably ours too).

And if you’re single on the big day, just go ahead and treat yourself!

We’re not judging.

For the shooter

If you’re a recreational shooter, you compete, or you’re issued a blaster for work, chances are you’ve heard of Trijicon’s Miniature Rifle Optic, their bestselling red dot sight.

This year at SHOT Show, the company debuted an MRO on steroids — the MRO HD. Re-engineered and revamped, the MRO HD turns it up to 11 with an optic that offers shooters a 2.0 MOA center dot encompassed by a 68 MOA segmented circle reticle.

Trijicon boasts a “truly ambidextrous reticle” on this optic, as well as a brightness control that allows the user to switch between a full reticle or a simple center dot, based on their preference.

The MRO HD is set to sell for $919.

For the beach bum

It’s no secret that we’re a fan of Combat Flip Flops. Not only are their products incredibly badass and highly inspired, it’s also hard not to love a company that pledges to support a day of school for Afghan girls with each purchase.

For that special someone who also happens to be a beach bum or a hardcore aloha-type, check out CFF’s Floperator Coyote. Designed to be rugged and damage resistant, these flip flops aren’t just going to last you a while, they’re also going to make you look pretty moto with the option to customize their look using moral patches.

You can pick up a pair on CFF’s website for $39.99. Just don’t take these things into *actual* combat.

For the regular bums

Being able to recline and take some of the weight off your feet after a long day is one of the most underrated and unappreciated bonuses in life, especially if you’re on the trails or parenting it up at a soccer game.

NEMO Equipment knows this just as well as we do, and that’s why they’ve rolled out their Stargaze Camp Chair, currently retailing for $149 with free shipping on their website.

The camp chair is a more budget-friendly modification of the company’s Stargaze Recliner, though with the ability to gently swing like a rocking chair. NEMO boasts that this chair can go virtually anywhere unimpeded, working easily on most surfaces including unimproved terrain.

For the always-hungry

We’re always hungry.

Writing articles on Gear Scout to navigating traffic, 3-gun competitions, and all-day hikes can get incredibly tiring.

We also know we’re not the only ones out there craving a snack while reading this. That’s where Good-to-Go steps up to the plate with a number of meal options that are easily prepared, highly nutritious, and in sizable servings that will fix any hunger craving in a hurry.

With a wide menu available, Good-to-Go’s products are especially geared towards outdoorsy people who find themselves on the go, be it hitting the trails, conquering a mountain, or just enjoying a relaxed camping trip with loved ones.

Vegan, low-sodium, and gluten-free options are available.

For the tactical poet

We know the value of a good pen — especially one that can write anywhere, regardless of the elements and conditions outside.

For those who need to keep a writing implement on them at all times, be it to take notes, jot down a hot rhyme or poem, or fill out forms on the go, Gerber offers its Impromptu Tactical Pen.

Featuring a Cerakoted machined steel body (you read that right), the ITP is easily one of the most badass pens on the market today, capable of writing in driving rains and also equipped with a glass breaker to help escape rougher situations.

Gerber offers the ITP on their site for $73 — a lofty price for a pen, but then again, this is no ordinary pen.

For the tactical every(wear)

View this post on Instagram

ATTENTION! Perfect gift alert Soldier up in with this little infidel print & twin w/ your fav comrade. These cheeky babies are made from 4 way stretch breathable moisture wicking material.

A post shared by Tactical Distributors (@tactical_distributors) on Oct 29, 2019 at 1:37pm PDT

We can’t say enough about Tactical Distributors’ “Battle Briefs.”

They’re comfortable, they’re cool as sh*t and they’re super functional. No need to actually go “commando” with these bad boys against your butt!

The Battle Briefs have a ton a style, with cool graphics and accessories — even ones with built in pockets for those who like to let it all hang out around the house (or are really into Every Day (and Night) Carry).

In case you’re wondering, these skivvies are even built for the Tiger Mom in your life, with new female-friendly designs coming out all the time.

And if you’re super tactical, you can even sign up for a subscription service to receive a new pair of briefs each month. Happy Valentines Day baby!

For the outdoorsy tacti-nerd

Anyone who knows GearScout knows we’re big fans of LOWA footwear.

In fact, it turns out our pimpin’ may have paid off, with rumors that the boys from the CBS show “SEAL Team” will be sporting some LOWA kicks when the season resumes this spring!

Well, along with their tactical line of shoes and boots, LOWA has also refined their hiking and approach shoe offerings to blend the needs of the outdoor enthusiast who’s trekking through the rough stuff and the operator who’s going low profile but may have to go loud when the fur starts flying.

Presenting the Explorer GTX Lo for both men and women. A blend of the company’s high-end mountaineering boot line and its trekking shoe, the Explorer GTX features a DynaPU midsole, a cushioning heel wedge and an easier walking flex. It’s also lined with Gore-Tex and features a Vibram Rock Trac outsole with MegaGrip rubber.

I don’t know what that all means, but I know I’d want some for V-Day!

The ultimate tactical snack

What’s Valentines Day without chocolate?

And what could be better than a chocolate bar shaped like a 1911?

Nothing.

So get on it boys and girls and order up your honey a silky sweet token of John Moses Browning’s greatness with this blaster from Chocolate Weapons (no mystery what these guys are all about, huh?)…

The chocolate 1911 is almost a full pound of milk chocolate goodness and comes packed in a no joke padded gun case. And you can even order candy ammo to load into it (or your mouth bro!).

And for you tactical love bunnies who like to pork out on candy then wash up after your gluttony, there’s even a matching set of 1911s in chocolate and soap.

All we ask is that you make sure to kind of tell your tactical valentine that the gun case isn’t hiding a new sidearm. Don’t want to have to deal with that let down.

Sightline Media Group, LLC writes about products and services to help our readers navigate when shopping online. Sightline Media Group, LLC may receive a share of revenue from our affiliate partners if you purchase products or contract services through our links.

Among the latter was the British Sten submachine gun (SMG), an emergency measure that from its introduction in 1941 came to be a mainstay among resistance and guerrilla forces—an ugly little assembly of stamped metal parts that got the job done.

Arguably the weirdest looking SMG of World War II, however, emerged from the other side of the earth: Australia.

Born in Wollongong, New South Wales on May 15, 1915, Evelyn Owen was a poor student, a failure at the pre-mixed mortar business and an alcoholic.

He also had a penchant for tinkering with firearms, which led in July 1939 to his proposing an “automatic carbine” with a large revolving cylinder for a magazine at the Victoria Barracks in Sydney.

The Australian officers were not impressed. The gun was a feeble .22-caliber, it lacked a proper trigger or safety mechanism and the ammo cylinder could not be removed, only reloaded by hand. Owen literally cast his rejected invention aside in a sugar bag.

When World War II broke out, he joined the Australian army as a private.

In September 1940 Owen’s neighbor, who chanced to be Vincent Wardell, the manager of a steel firm at Port Kembla, happened to find the sugar bag and the gun therein. Impressed by its simplicity, he arranged to have Owen transferred to the Army Inventions Board and put to work developing his fundamental design.

A more conventional trigger and safety mechanism was devised and the rotating cylinder replaced by a simple box magazine that fed not from down under, but from atop the gun, allowing it to be fired prone, but necessitating having the sights offset to the side, an arrangement that favored a right-handed shooter. Weight was about 10 pounds and its simple blowback action with an open bolt could loose 700 rounds per minute.

After trials in mud and sand with three types of ammo—alongside a Sten gun and a Thompson SMG as benchmark weapons—the Own was accepted with 9x19mm rounds as its standard ammunition. Contracted to the John Lysaght factories at Port Kembla and Newcastle, 28,000 Owens guns were produced between March 1942 and February 1943.

Weird as it looked and quirky as its genesis had been, the Owen was doomed to an equally eccentric debut. The initial batch of rounds produced for the gun proved to be the wrong type, delaying issue of the first 10,000 weapons to Australian soldiers who, engaged in combat with the Japanese in New Guinea, sorely needed them. Intervening, the Australian government overrode military bureaucracy to expedite issuance of the right ammo.

Once they finally got their hands on it, Aussie troops appraised the Owen as being a bit bulky but blessedly reliable and handily outperforming the Sten gun. The Owen’s top-mounted magazine may have made sighting awkward, but gravity enhanced the spring in popping rounds into the chamber.

Further, the opening through which the spent round ejected downward also allowed water or other foreign matter to drain from the chamber. Its combat record in New Guinea earned it the nickname of “Diggers’ Delight” and even the American soldiers who got to handle it were favorably impressed, claiming that the Owen was more reliable than their Thompsons. At one point General Douglas MacArthur proposed contracting 45,000 for his own men. As it was, by 1944 Owen SMG production had risen to 45,000 at a price of $30 per gun.

After serving with distinction to the end of World War II, the Owen continued to prove its worth in the Korean War. At the Battle of Kapyong in 1951, Major Ben O’Dowd of 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment recalled, “All hell broke loose as Diggers cut down the first surge of attackers, directing into them as much rapid fire as their weapons could produce, the Owen submachine gun being the most effective weapon for this, and the dear old single-shot Lee-Enfield the worst.”

The Owen returned to the jungle that seemed to be its natural element during the Malayan Emergency from 1948 to 1960. It remained a popular weapon of choice with the Australian contingent in Vietnam before finally being phased out of service in 1971. It continues to turn up in the hands of collectors.

Alas, the Owens SMG was much longer-lived than its creator, who would never even learn of its exploits in Korea. Paid 10,000 pounds in royalties, Evelyn Owen sold the patents to the Commonwealth of Australia and bought a saw mill. He continued to tinker with firearms, especially sport rifles, but nothing came of it, while alcohol took its growing toll on his health. He died in Wollongong hospital of cardiac syncope on April 1, 1949, aged 33.

Indeed, that ages-old tradition hasn’t yet gone away, as we reported last year when pictures of Gen. Austin “Scott” Miller, the commander of all US forces in Afghanistan, surfaced with him carrying a tricked-out 1911 as his sidearm.

Though the 1911 has been mostly out of service with the US military for years, having last been widely fielded by various Marine Corps special operations units, there’s an incredibly cool relationship between Miller and the back-to-back world war champ pistol.

Long before the man pinned on his fourth star, he served as an operator with the Army’s famed 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, aka Delta Force, or “The Unit.”

Back when Miller joined Delta, the 1911 was the secretive Tier 1 outfit’s go-to sidearm, with its operators spending almost unbelievable numbers of hours perfecting their marksmanship with the legendary .45 gun, according to former operator Eric Haney in his book, Inside Delta Force.

The Unit eventually moved away from the pistol, opting for a Glock solution in .40 S&W, though not before retooling the 1911 repeatedly to boost reliability and accuracy. According to one former operator, by the 1990s, Delta’s 1911s boasted a stunning perfect reliability rate.

Years later in 2009, Miller officially chose the 1911 as his personal sidearm, though details on that specific weapon and its customization are still a tightly-held secret. It shouldn’t be any surprise that Miller returned to a gun he, as well as other former operators of his ilk, could very well be considered a virtual expert on.

As it turns out, it looks like Miller straps a second piece to his gun belt — and this one’s pretty badass, especially for all you Glock fanboys out there.

When he doesn’t tote around his operator-spec 1911, Miller seems to prefer Glocks — pistols that SOCOM warfighters have become well-acquainted with over the years.

In one picture, the general appears to be carrying a Glock in a hip holster with a threaded barrel, and what looks like a red dot sight mounted on the slide. From the picture, it’s difficult to determine the model of the gun.

However, during an award ceremony , Miller was once again spotted with what is clearly a Glock 19 with a threaded barrel — likely the same blaster from the previous picture.

The red dot sight was also identified as a Leupold DeltaPoint Pro, a direct competitor to Trijicon’s widely popular RMR sight.

Glock 19s have been in use with US Army Special Operations Command for years, first appearing in the early 2000s in the hands of Green Berets deployed to combat zones. Rangers of the 75th Ranger Regiment were also later issued G19s as sidearms, including models with slide cuts to mount red dot sights.

By 2016, SOCOM adopted the G19 across the board, with multiple American special operations units incorporating the reliable and customizable pistol into their arsenals.

Indeed Miller, having worked intimately with SOCOM for considerable portions of his career (including a stint as Joint Special Operations Command’s commanding officer), would probably be very familiar with the G19.

While some might question the need for a 4-star to carry around a pistol in country, especially when escorted around by a protective detail that’s armed to the teeth… Miller has found himself in dangerous situations in recent years, including one last year where he was forced to draw his weapon and pull security while casualties of an insider attack were evacuated.

Speaking of a loaded-for-bear protective detail, check out Miller’s SOF entourage, including the one pipe hitter with an “extendo” magazine in his Glock, right behind the general.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @sofwannabe

This scene prominently features the Colt 733, which inspired Noveske Rifleworks and Dead Air Armament to partner up and “master the art of the Colt 733 portrayed in the film”.

The result of this collaboration is the Dead Air + Noveske “Heat Model” Colt 733 Enhanced Clone Package. Available in extremely limited numbers, the “Heat Model” Colt 733 starts with a Noveske / Dead Air Gen 1 lower receiver, with a prominent rollmark that consists of a combination of both companies’ logos.

The upper receiver is a Noveske A1E1 carry handle receiver with shell deflector. Both the upper and lower receiver are coated in a durable Elite Smoke Cerakote finish. Accessory-wise, the “Heat Model” 733 features an A2 pistol grip, GI charging handle, and carbine-length M4 handguard.

The collapsible stock is a CAR 15-style aluminum stock, with a Graphite Black Cerakote finish. Rounding out the “Heat Model” 733 is a 5.56mm, 11.5″ light commando profile barrel, with a Forward Controls Design 6315KM 1/2×28 flash hider.

This particular flash hider is compatible with Dead Air’s Sandman-K suppressor, which comes with the package. The Sandman-K included with the “Heat Model” 733 features the same combination logo as the rifle itself, and both the rifle and suppressor have matching serial numbers.

The Dead Air + Noveske “Heat Model” Colt 733 Enhanced Clone package is currently up for sale for $2995 – plus $400 for the two tax stamps the short barrel and suppressor bring.