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SURVIVE Magazine #15 Jan. 2018 is the first in a series of pamphlets released with the Tokyo Marui airsoft guns starting in 2017. SURVIVE Magazine is an in-universe gun enthusiast magazine. #15 focuses on Thor's Hammer (Albert.W.Model 02) and takes place in January 2018. Scans provided by Olivier Rogue.
In this issue, the editor of SURVIVE Magazine, Johnny Takeyama, is invited to conduct a series of interviews with Umbrella Co. ("Blue Umbrella") for special reports into the company's latest anti-B.O.W. firearms as part of a proactive PR campaign. His journey takes him from Japan to the US, then deep underground. |
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COVER STORY
All the inside details on the mysterious Thor's Hammer!
1. GETTING STARTED
First of all, I'd like to emphasize that I received a great deal of assistance from the Umbrella Co. public relations department on gathering information for my article. If you live in Japan, you probably have a negative impression of the old Umbrella Corporation and its menacing image.
I'm still not sure whether it was a case of hubris on part of a corporate giant or individuals acting on their own, but after my work on this article, my impression's that things have clearly changed. Naturally, I don't mean to write as if I know everything from this report alone, but their repeated use of the phrase "proactive information disclosure", and the fact that this report itself was planned at all, give me a strong feeling the company I met is a different entity from the image in my head.
It's paradoxical to think about the background behind the incident, but it once again reminded me it did in fact happen.
COVER STORY
All the inside details on the mysterious Thor's Hammer!
1. GETTING STARTED
First of all, I'd like to emphasize that I received a great deal of assistance from the Umbrella Co. public relations department on gathering information for my article. If you live in Japan, you probably have a negative impression of the old Umbrella Corporation and its menacing image.
I'm still not sure whether it was a case of hubris on part of a corporate giant or individuals acting on their own, but after my work on this article, my impression's that things have clearly changed. Naturally, I don't mean to write as if I know everything from this report alone, but their repeated use of the phrase "proactive information disclosure", and the fact that this report itself was planned at all, give me a strong feeling the company I met is a different entity from the image in my head.
It's paradoxical to think about the background behind the incident, but it once again reminded me it did in fact happen.
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2. ENCOUNTER WITH THOR'S HAMMER
I first came across THOR'S HAMMER in part of a military photo. An Umbrella soldier held an unusual assault rifle in his hands. It was a single shot taken from a fairly far away view, probably at some sort of incident response field site. The blurry, out-of-focus soldier's hands held a gun with a handguard I'd never seen before, something you could easily miss if you don't look carefully.
At first I thought it might be a civilian M4 custom, but upon closer inspection, I realized it was bizarrely large, or rather too large to be an M4. It was hard to tell from the photo whether it was a Key-mod or M-LOK.
I couldn't get this question out of my head for a little while after. Perhaps I was intrigued by the fact that, in this age of overflowing information, such an elusive gun existed for which I had nothing on.
Then, the opportunity to uncover what it was came from an unexpected source.
2. ENCOUNTER WITH THOR'S HAMMER
I first came across THOR'S HAMMER in part of a military photo. An Umbrella soldier held an unusual assault rifle in his hands. It was a single shot taken from a fairly far away view, probably at some sort of incident response field site. The blurry, out-of-focus soldier's hands held a gun with a handguard I'd never seen before, something you could easily miss if you don't look carefully.
At first I thought it might be a civilian M4 custom, but upon closer inspection, I realized it was bizarrely large, or rather too large to be an M4. It was hard to tell from the photo whether it was a Key-mod or M-LOK.
I couldn't get this question out of my head for a little while after. Perhaps I was intrigued by the fact that, in this age of overflowing information, such an elusive gun existed for which I had nothing on.
Then, the opportunity to uncover what it was came from an unexpected source.
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A - Military photo
When I was looking at military photos on the Net, I found an interesting image.
The scene of an accident or disaster site is visible and you can see some people gathered...
B - What's this?
What's this? When I enlarged a photo, I saw a large assault rifle (?) I'd never seen.
C - Distance to Umbrella Corp.
Air travel's fun if time's reasonable, but it can last dozens of hours. And once you arrive, you'll be irritated by jet lag.
D - Exotic atmosphere
Driving north towards the freeway.
The foreign air feels restless with my expectations and anxieties.
E - Automatic Shotgun
The ancestral AA-12, an extremely rare fully automatic shotgun, was considerably planned for a long time, but the masterpiece never saw the light of day.
3. BSAA SPECIAL CASES RESPONSE TEAM
I received an e-mail from an old writing acquaintance. He's a gun writer living in the United States. To summarize it, "Are you interested in the Samurai Edge?"
Yes, yes, of course I am, so much so!! There are no gun nuts who wouldn't be exhilarated hearing this name. A Buntline Special made in the 1990s. Even in the 21st century, there's nobody who isn't aware of its heroic achievements.
There are several kinds of replicas made in Japan, but I wonder how many Japanese have been able to touch the real thing. (There's a rumor that only a certain Japanese manufacturer took actual measurements. I tried asking the PR, but they just gave me a wry smirk.)
"They'll talk to you if you're interested."
I've been in the industry a long time, but even as a full-time writer I rarely get this opportunity.
"OK, good, when do you want me in America? Tomorrow?"
I planned on pretending to play it cool, but it was futile. My joke betrayed my sincerity.
"Chill out. I've got a connection at Umbrella's PR department. They won't be wary of a Japanese writer."
A - Military photo
When I was looking at military photos on the Net, I found an interesting image.
The scene of an accident or disaster site is visible and you can see some people gathered...
B - What's this?
What's this? When I enlarged a photo, I saw a large assault rifle (?) I'd never seen.
C - Distance to Umbrella Corp.
Air travel's fun if time's reasonable, but it can last dozens of hours. And once you arrive, you'll be irritated by jet lag.
D - Exotic atmosphere
Driving north towards the freeway.
The foreign air feels restless with my expectations and anxieties.
E - Automatic Shotgun
The ancestral AA-12, an extremely rare fully automatic shotgun, was considerably planned for a long time, but the masterpiece never saw the light of day.
3. BSAA SPECIAL CASES RESPONSE TEAM
I received an e-mail from an old writing acquaintance. He's a gun writer living in the United States. To summarize it, "Are you interested in the Samurai Edge?"
Yes, yes, of course I am, so much so!! There are no gun nuts who wouldn't be exhilarated hearing this name. A Buntline Special made in the 1990s. Even in the 21st century, there's nobody who isn't aware of its heroic achievements.
There are several kinds of replicas made in Japan, but I wonder how many Japanese have been able to touch the real thing. (There's a rumor that only a certain Japanese manufacturer took actual measurements. I tried asking the PR, but they just gave me a wry smirk.)
"They'll talk to you if you're interested."
I've been in the industry a long time, but even as a full-time writer I rarely get this opportunity.
"OK, good, when do you want me in America? Tomorrow?"
I planned on pretending to play it cool, but it was futile. My joke betrayed my sincerity.
"Chill out. I've got a connection at Umbrella's PR department. They won't be wary of a Japanese writer."
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"Your passport's the best ID in the world. I'll get in touch with you again if you're accepted or not."
Huh? Wait a minute, did he say Umbrella? Isn't that like going to Russia to gather info on the M4?
Here's how he explained it. The Umbrella Corporation was rehabilitated under corporate reorganization law, and due to its moral obligations, it dismantled its private military company, the USS, and instead established a department called the Special Cases Response Team as a field agency to the BSAA.
It provides support to the BSAA, an anti-bioterror corps led by the United Nations.
The subject of this coverage is to cover the gear of the personnel assigned there. My reporting's part of their efforts to shed their villainous image, and it seems they thought a visit from a clean-cut Japanese would be welcome, so they approached me.
Naturally I was asked to share details of my reporting, but I immediately sent a brief resume to the US with two replies. I guess my mind was a dreamy haze at this point, I completely forgot the mysterious assault rifle in question.
I had several e-mail exchanges with Umbrella Co. in the period leading up to my departure. During that time, my family was incredibly worried me. Well, with common sense, you'd be right to be against it.
They've caused an endless list of tragic incidents. In the days leading up to the trip, however, my mind was preoccupied with this once-in-a-lifetime event. I was going to cover a legendary gun that had never been seen in public, after all. Was this new gear going to be mass-produced at last? Or maybe it was just a reference and I could get my hands on the original... With such delusions in mind, I laughed off my family's worries and took off from Narita bound for the US.
If my anxiety made me cancel my trip at this point, I wouldn't have had the chance to encounter the people I met later on, so I couldn't afford to lose my happy-go-lucky personality.
"Your passport's the best ID in the world. I'll get in touch with you again if you're accepted or not."
Huh? Wait a minute, did he say Umbrella? Isn't that like going to Russia to gather info on the M4?
Here's how he explained it. The Umbrella Corporation was rehabilitated under corporate reorganization law, and due to its moral obligations, it dismantled its private military company, the USS, and instead established a department called the Special Cases Response Team as a field agency to the BSAA.
It provides support to the BSAA, an anti-bioterror corps led by the United Nations.
The subject of this coverage is to cover the gear of the personnel assigned there. My reporting's part of their efforts to shed their villainous image, and it seems they thought a visit from a clean-cut Japanese would be welcome, so they approached me.
Naturally I was asked to share details of my reporting, but I immediately sent a brief resume to the US with two replies. I guess my mind was a dreamy haze at this point, I completely forgot the mysterious assault rifle in question.
I had several e-mail exchanges with Umbrella Co. in the period leading up to my departure. During that time, my family was incredibly worried me. Well, with common sense, you'd be right to be against it.
They've caused an endless list of tragic incidents. In the days leading up to the trip, however, my mind was preoccupied with this once-in-a-lifetime event. I was going to cover a legendary gun that had never been seen in public, after all. Was this new gear going to be mass-produced at last? Or maybe it was just a reference and I could get my hands on the original... With such delusions in mind, I laughed off my family's worries and took off from Narita bound for the US.
If my anxiety made me cancel my trip at this point, I wouldn't have had the chance to encounter the people I met later on, so I couldn't afford to lose my happy-go-lucky personality.
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A - Great weather
The view from the hotel entrance the next morning was blessed with fantastically beautiful weather, a great day for reporting.
B - Freeway
Finally, we sped on the freeway to the report's destination. There was nothing spoken in the tension-filled car.
C - Needed this juicy burger before...
Getting ready before battle -
I poured Coke with this delicious burger and freshly steeled myself.
D/E - Buildings emerged from the desert
A large city can still be seen in the distance.
You should be able to see the giant company's heart if you pass through this side of downtown.
4. UMBRELLA CO. ANTI-BIOWEAPON DEVELOPMENT BUREAU
A month after the e-mail, I found myself inside a forbidden door nobody's ever been able to step foot in before.
Although I can't reveal the location for security reasons, the building blends into its surroundings, standing as if it were a natural part of the city. When I came to the extremely normal reception to get my ID, I sat down on a regular sofa behind a glass-fitted automatic door to wait for someone in charge. It was just an ordinary company. Bitter memories of my old job hunting nearly 20 years ago came flooding back too.
As is often the case, old memories aren't so great. If you could've seen my face holding back my bitter memories, I must've looked like a simpleton. You should know a slim blonde beauty appeared in front of me.
"Um... Je... ju...??"
A language barrier's always a big problem in any age. Japanese names are difficult to pronounce even in Roman letters.
"Don't worry about it, folks over here call me Johnny."
When I said that, the beauty smiled bashfully.
A - Great weather
The view from the hotel entrance the next morning was blessed with fantastically beautiful weather, a great day for reporting.
B - Freeway
Finally, we sped on the freeway to the report's destination. There was nothing spoken in the tension-filled car.
C - Needed this juicy burger before...
Getting ready before battle -
I poured Coke with this delicious burger and freshly steeled myself.
D/E - Buildings emerged from the desert
A large city can still be seen in the distance.
You should be able to see the giant company's heart if you pass through this side of downtown.
4. UMBRELLA CO. ANTI-BIOWEAPON DEVELOPMENT BUREAU
A month after the e-mail, I found myself inside a forbidden door nobody's ever been able to step foot in before.
Although I can't reveal the location for security reasons, the building blends into its surroundings, standing as if it were a natural part of the city. When I came to the extremely normal reception to get my ID, I sat down on a regular sofa behind a glass-fitted automatic door to wait for someone in charge. It was just an ordinary company. Bitter memories of my old job hunting nearly 20 years ago came flooding back too.
As is often the case, old memories aren't so great. If you could've seen my face holding back my bitter memories, I must've looked like a simpleton. You should know a slim blonde beauty appeared in front of me.
"Um... Je... ju...??"
A language barrier's always a big problem in any age. Japanese names are difficult to pronounce even in Roman letters.
"Don't worry about it, folks over here call me Johnny."
When I said that, the beauty smiled bashfully.
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"Am I the only one doing this interview?"
"Yes, it's also a first for us, so we'd like to work one-on-one to avoid any misunderstandings as best we can. You'll be our first press member in this publicity project."
Wow! I unexpectedly have the first interview!!
In fact, the previous e-mail exchanges didn't touch on the details of this coverage.
I was convinced the content was highly confidential, but I had some reservations. It's a good sign that this turned out to be a benefit.
"Rather than stand here, we'll head to the lab right away."
She was quite business-like for an American. Is this what these sorts of big companies are like? As we walked along, she spoke to me with regret.
"The location we're about to show you is a very secure area. My apologies, but you're not allowed to walk around without permission. Your life's at stake, so please make sure to abide by these precautions."
Even a happy-go-lucky guy like me understood in that moment. I was delving into the belly of a company that wiped out an entire city. Contrary to what I imagined, the nondescript elevator went underground and the panel showing the current position had no indicator for the floor number.
I can't write any more about it. I'm easy-going but no fool.
I just wondered, was I heading to an abyss? The thought suddenly made my stomach curdle. Though I don't know how far we descended, I know it was a long way. When the elevator finally opened, a simple sign on the door in front read:
UMBRELLA CORPORATION, Anti-Bioweapon Development Bureau
"Am I the only one doing this interview?"
"Yes, it's also a first for us, so we'd like to work one-on-one to avoid any misunderstandings as best we can. You'll be our first press member in this publicity project."
Wow! I unexpectedly have the first interview!!
In fact, the previous e-mail exchanges didn't touch on the details of this coverage.
I was convinced the content was highly confidential, but I had some reservations. It's a good sign that this turned out to be a benefit.
"Rather than stand here, we'll head to the lab right away."
She was quite business-like for an American. Is this what these sorts of big companies are like? As we walked along, she spoke to me with regret.
"The location we're about to show you is a very secure area. My apologies, but you're not allowed to walk around without permission. Your life's at stake, so please make sure to abide by these precautions."
Even a happy-go-lucky guy like me understood in that moment. I was delving into the belly of a company that wiped out an entire city. Contrary to what I imagined, the nondescript elevator went underground and the panel showing the current position had no indicator for the floor number.
I can't write any more about it. I'm easy-going but no fool.
I just wondered, was I heading to an abyss? The thought suddenly made my stomach curdle. Though I don't know how far we descended, I know it was a long way. When the elevator finally opened, a simple sign on the door in front read:
UMBRELLA CORPORATION, Anti-Bioweapon Development Bureau
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A - Corridor to the secret facility
An empty corridor leads to one huge building. Though it's an office path, what's with this silence? I think it's everyday scenery, but there's a vague air of "something" drifting in it...
B - Laboratory of research equipment...
There's no explanation for what they do at all, but even a layman like me can grasp it's quite complicated research. I wonder if it's okay to show this photo...
C - Long distance shooting range
A different place from an ordinary research facility.
It's a shooting range.
There are various gimmicks, but I'm sorry to say I can't disclose them at all.
D - The legendary "Samurai Edge"
The Samurai Edge was the officially adopted handgun of the Raccoon City Police's elite unit S.T.A.R.S. Although not an original, it's stored for research in a state close to the original.
Will a custom handgun surpassing this appear in the future? Analysis and research are being conducted day and night.
This was a world first scoop, a moment that truly opened a door the global media could only dream of. The unexpected turn of events swept me out of my sensible state of mind, leaving my head in a state of euphoria over the world first scoop.
I can't go into detail about the structure of the building or what's behind the door, that was the deal. A wise man keeps his word and earns trust, and I suppose it was that particular conduct of mine that led to this interview. Or perhaps it was the work of my Japanese predecessors.
I can only write about what happened in a humble room with a long desk, and a workshop-like room that had a shooting range.
Even so, I assure you this meeting was a series of tremendous surprises.
"Now..." she began, the purpose of this coverage is to learn about the gear Umbrella Co. have developed. Why'd they decide to do an interview in the first place? Here are their reasons.
・To make it clear and well-known that Umbrella Co.'s proactively combating bioterrorism after reflecting on their past.
・They wish to continue developing weapons but operate safely under BSAA oversight.
・Many of their disclosable technologies help treat various incurable diseases.
I wondered, why prioritize coverage of the military sector, a localized industry? I pondered the question, but they said they were hoping specialized media would be less political and more effective in disseminating facts, and that they would accurately report that their technologies pose no threat. Indeed, we nerds are pretty even-handed in that regard. The way they thought about it impressed me. Everything that happens in the world carries meaning. I would come to understand this very keenly.
A - Corridor to the secret facility
An empty corridor leads to one huge building. Though it's an office path, what's with this silence? I think it's everyday scenery, but there's a vague air of "something" drifting in it...
B - Laboratory of research equipment...
There's no explanation for what they do at all, but even a layman like me can grasp it's quite complicated research. I wonder if it's okay to show this photo...
C - Long distance shooting range
A different place from an ordinary research facility.
It's a shooting range.
There are various gimmicks, but I'm sorry to say I can't disclose them at all.
D - The legendary "Samurai Edge"
The Samurai Edge was the officially adopted handgun of the Raccoon City Police's elite unit S.T.A.R.S. Although not an original, it's stored for research in a state close to the original.
Will a custom handgun surpassing this appear in the future? Analysis and research are being conducted day and night.
This was a world first scoop, a moment that truly opened a door the global media could only dream of. The unexpected turn of events swept me out of my sensible state of mind, leaving my head in a state of euphoria over the world first scoop.
I can't go into detail about the structure of the building or what's behind the door, that was the deal. A wise man keeps his word and earns trust, and I suppose it was that particular conduct of mine that led to this interview. Or perhaps it was the work of my Japanese predecessors.
I can only write about what happened in a humble room with a long desk, and a workshop-like room that had a shooting range.
Even so, I assure you this meeting was a series of tremendous surprises.
"Now..." she began, the purpose of this coverage is to learn about the gear Umbrella Co. have developed. Why'd they decide to do an interview in the first place? Here are their reasons.
・To make it clear and well-known that Umbrella Co.'s proactively combating bioterrorism after reflecting on their past.
・They wish to continue developing weapons but operate safely under BSAA oversight.
・Many of their disclosable technologies help treat various incurable diseases.
I wondered, why prioritize coverage of the military sector, a localized industry? I pondered the question, but they said they were hoping specialized media would be less political and more effective in disseminating facts, and that they would accurately report that their technologies pose no threat. Indeed, we nerds are pretty even-handed in that regard. The way they thought about it impressed me. Everything that happens in the world carries meaning. I would come to understand this very keenly.
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5. A MIRACULOUS ENCOUNTER Then as I was guided to the room for showcasing the firearms they'd developed, an elderly man greeted me with a smile. He was far too well-built for a researcher. But his smile, gestures, big hands and booming voice I knew well. He had the same vibe as the gunsmiths we often interview. I felt the part of me that was tense suddenly loosen up. He held out his hand as if to invite me... a conspicuously large assault rifle... I hadn't seen it, but I recognized it. I couldn't help but shout "Ahh!!!" out loud. Indeed, sat on the table was the assault rifle from the photo that had so vexed me. The elderly man and publicist appeared to exchange a suspicious look. After quickly explaining the circumstances so they wouldn't find me suspect, they evidently knew about the photo. They were very impressed that I'd spotted it in a photo like that. Then they said something even more unbelievable. "That's a photo of Chris, right?" Hmm? What was that now? "That's Chris Redfield in the back." I must've made a mad squeal. I don't recall what I said. The out-of-focus photo I found was of a legendary hero. How could such a coincidence be possible? My mind went into a light panic mode. "His team were first to use it, y'know. Only you and the staff here know Chris is the person in that photo." Nowadays, people from all over the world share all sorts of pictures, and information inundates the globe overnight. I'd come across crumbs of information buried in a sort of crucible and the facts just happened to piece together as well. And on this day, in this place, with this article. This is the only time even a realist like me could feel a divine presence. |
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A - Living Legend
I take my hat off to Mr. Chris Redfield, a living legend, for his strength and ability to use an auto shotgun weighing over 4.5kg.
B - ALBERT.W.MODEL 02 "THOR'S HAMMER"
Finally unveiled, an auto shotgun for anti-B.O.W. suppression.
A large body and aggressive frontal design. Optionally, the 20mm rail's detachable using the M-LOK system, which is thoughtful.
I calmed down and managed to bring reality back to my work. Then I looked down at the assault rifle the elderly man pointed to. At first glance it resembled a SCAR or even an M4. However, what was decisively different was its size. And the wide open Magwell makes it look oddly powerful. It wasn't the size of a 7.62mm caliber you'd have seen before. What caliber was this I wondered? When I asked, I got an answer I hadn't imagined.
"It's a 12 Gauge."
That's right, this gun I thought was an assault rifle was actually an assault shotgun. I almost fell to my knees involuntarily. Has there ever been such an aggressive shotgun? But once you know the answers, the more you'll realize its design and applications are really quite rational. Looking on happily at my excitement, the elderly man slowly began to elaborate.
6. ANTI-B.O.W. RIFLE THOR'S HAMMER DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
The effectiveness of shotguns as firearms against infected people, so-called Zombies, needs no further explanation. Against B.O.W.'s with no vital points such as a heart or vital organs, their stopping power can only be demonstrated with surface level destruction.
In recent years, demand has risen for deforming warheads such as the Black Talon and hollow-point among forces engaged in maintaining security in various countries, indicating that government agencies in each country are seeking effective means to combat B.O.W.'s.
Buckshot effectiveness is unsurpassed in terms of the undead. Its effective range is short but its estimated engagement range is about 15 meters at most, so buckshot is an extremely effective choice if used at that distance.
The history of shotguns that use buckshot goes way back. Its effectiveness was demonstrated in World War I when it rampaged through those dark, winding, low-light tight spaces known as trenches. The name trench gun seems to have been more widely used than shotgun at that time. It was later recognized for its effectiveness indoors and in riot control, becoming widespread after being proactively adopted by government law enforcement agencies.
I'm sure many of you are wondering what I'm talking about so far. So, history aside, what's the shotgun's current situation? The first thing that comes to mind is the pump action style that followed the archetypal so-called shotguns, typified by the famed Remington M870. In recent years, semi-automatic types like the Benelli M3 have also been seen in law enforcement agencies and 3Gun matches. However, tube magazines hold a sizeable share of the market as a universal common denominator.
A - Living Legend
I take my hat off to Mr. Chris Redfield, a living legend, for his strength and ability to use an auto shotgun weighing over 4.5kg.
B - ALBERT.W.MODEL 02 "THOR'S HAMMER"
Finally unveiled, an auto shotgun for anti-B.O.W. suppression.
A large body and aggressive frontal design. Optionally, the 20mm rail's detachable using the M-LOK system, which is thoughtful.
I calmed down and managed to bring reality back to my work. Then I looked down at the assault rifle the elderly man pointed to. At first glance it resembled a SCAR or even an M4. However, what was decisively different was its size. And the wide open Magwell makes it look oddly powerful. It wasn't the size of a 7.62mm caliber you'd have seen before. What caliber was this I wondered? When I asked, I got an answer I hadn't imagined.
"It's a 12 Gauge."
That's right, this gun I thought was an assault rifle was actually an assault shotgun. I almost fell to my knees involuntarily. Has there ever been such an aggressive shotgun? But once you know the answers, the more you'll realize its design and applications are really quite rational. Looking on happily at my excitement, the elderly man slowly began to elaborate.
6. ANTI-B.O.W. RIFLE THOR'S HAMMER DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
The effectiveness of shotguns as firearms against infected people, so-called Zombies, needs no further explanation. Against B.O.W.'s with no vital points such as a heart or vital organs, their stopping power can only be demonstrated with surface level destruction.
In recent years, demand has risen for deforming warheads such as the Black Talon and hollow-point among forces engaged in maintaining security in various countries, indicating that government agencies in each country are seeking effective means to combat B.O.W.'s.
Buckshot effectiveness is unsurpassed in terms of the undead. Its effective range is short but its estimated engagement range is about 15 meters at most, so buckshot is an extremely effective choice if used at that distance.
The history of shotguns that use buckshot goes way back. Its effectiveness was demonstrated in World War I when it rampaged through those dark, winding, low-light tight spaces known as trenches. The name trench gun seems to have been more widely used than shotgun at that time. It was later recognized for its effectiveness indoors and in riot control, becoming widespread after being proactively adopted by government law enforcement agencies.
I'm sure many of you are wondering what I'm talking about so far. So, history aside, what's the shotgun's current situation? The first thing that comes to mind is the pump action style that followed the archetypal so-called shotguns, typified by the famed Remington M870. In recent years, semi-automatic types like the Benelli M3 have also been seen in law enforcement agencies and 3Gun matches. However, tube magazines hold a sizeable share of the market as a universal common denominator.
PAGE 11
Although there are box magazine types such as the SPAS-15 or Saiga-12, I haven't heard any cases of large-scale widespread use. My lack of knowledge in this area leads me to believe a government agency's first priority is stability and operational reliability. In this regard, I believe both the SPAS and Saiga are at a bit of a disadvantage.
In terms of reliably feeding those large shells into the chamber, a box magazine's probably a step behind the reliability of mag tubes.
However, the story's not so simple when it comes to B.O.W.'s. In the tragedy that struck in 1998, thousands of Zombies completely occupied a city. A similar pandemic also broke out in Africa. A tube magazine with only a dozen rounds and a long reload time, though reliable, wouldn't have been able to cope with exterminating such hordes. In fact, many police officers are said to have lost their lives even with shotguns in their hands.
For some time there has been high demand for developing a new shotgun with an anti-B.O.W. focus. However, there are many issues that must be addressed to make this a reality. Even though demand has risen, it requires a considerably more aggressive and innovative design in order to meet the required specs. It'd be difficult for law enforcement agencies to adopt firearms so powerful with such limited applications. In the long run, no private arms manufacturers with the financial resources would be willing to take a shot at developing a firearm with few precedents and little commercial success. And this project spanning several years was forced to effectively freeze.
It was Umbrella Co. that broke free of this situation following its restructuring. With the company's weapons development know-how and the world's most extensive knowledge of B.O.W.'s, progress was swift.
Umbrella Co. proposed a project that could be called an armament system, not only for multiple weapons and ammunition, but also extending to personal gear. Now THOR'S HAMMER was designed to be the primary weapon in the project's short-to-medium range armament concept. The basic requirements were as follows.
A. OUTLINE OF PERSONAL RIFLE FOR MEDIUM-RANGE COMBAT
I. 12 Gauge caliber, six round minimum.
II. Weight less than 5kg, length less than 100cm.
III. Separate magazines for quick and easy replacing.
IV. Rapid-fire ability even if submerged in sand, water, grease (flame retardant) etc. for 10 minutes.
V. Can easily switch between auto and semi-auto.
VI. Basic operation based on U.S. Army M4 rifle.
VII. Possess expanded areas of the standard Picatinny provided on top, left, right and lower handguard.
VIII. Lightweight resin-made magazines highly resistant to chemicals, fire, oils and pressure.
IX. Auto fires with less than five rounds per second rate of fire.
X. Muzzle outer edge equipped with scalable standard.
Although there are box magazine types such as the SPAS-15 or Saiga-12, I haven't heard any cases of large-scale widespread use. My lack of knowledge in this area leads me to believe a government agency's first priority is stability and operational reliability. In this regard, I believe both the SPAS and Saiga are at a bit of a disadvantage.
In terms of reliably feeding those large shells into the chamber, a box magazine's probably a step behind the reliability of mag tubes.
However, the story's not so simple when it comes to B.O.W.'s. In the tragedy that struck in 1998, thousands of Zombies completely occupied a city. A similar pandemic also broke out in Africa. A tube magazine with only a dozen rounds and a long reload time, though reliable, wouldn't have been able to cope with exterminating such hordes. In fact, many police officers are said to have lost their lives even with shotguns in their hands.
For some time there has been high demand for developing a new shotgun with an anti-B.O.W. focus. However, there are many issues that must be addressed to make this a reality. Even though demand has risen, it requires a considerably more aggressive and innovative design in order to meet the required specs. It'd be difficult for law enforcement agencies to adopt firearms so powerful with such limited applications. In the long run, no private arms manufacturers with the financial resources would be willing to take a shot at developing a firearm with few precedents and little commercial success. And this project spanning several years was forced to effectively freeze.
It was Umbrella Co. that broke free of this situation following its restructuring. With the company's weapons development know-how and the world's most extensive knowledge of B.O.W.'s, progress was swift.
Umbrella Co. proposed a project that could be called an armament system, not only for multiple weapons and ammunition, but also extending to personal gear. Now THOR'S HAMMER was designed to be the primary weapon in the project's short-to-medium range armament concept. The basic requirements were as follows.
A. OUTLINE OF PERSONAL RIFLE FOR MEDIUM-RANGE COMBAT
I. 12 Gauge caliber, six round minimum.
II. Weight less than 5kg, length less than 100cm.
III. Separate magazines for quick and easy replacing.
IV. Rapid-fire ability even if submerged in sand, water, grease (flame retardant) etc. for 10 minutes.
V. Can easily switch between auto and semi-auto.
VI. Basic operation based on U.S. Army M4 rifle.
VII. Possess expanded areas of the standard Picatinny provided on top, left, right and lower handguard.
VIII. Lightweight resin-made magazines highly resistant to chemicals, fire, oils and pressure.
IX. Auto fires with less than five rounds per second rate of fire.
X. Muzzle outer edge equipped with scalable standard.
PAGE 12
A - Right view
On the right side's a large ejection port and on the other's an excellent design with no overhang and few extra bumps.
B - Cocking lever
As with the AA-12 it's an open-bolt firing ring system so the cocking lever's used frequently, as such it's much appreciated that it's on the left side for easy use.
C - M-LOK
Even in the military industry, the versatile M-LOK method's gradually gaining reliability and considered convenient.
Selecting the base model began according to the defined requirements. I've also verified there were plans to design it from scratch, but with a new design it would've taken too much time to complete. In essence, a firearm's design immediately affects human lives if problems occur. It's tested repeatedly to avoid mistakes and the cycle of design -> prototype -> test -> change -> prototype repeats... but issues still arise. Even when the U.S. military adopted the M9, they repeated a great number of tests, but our older readers will recall cases when problems occurred immediately after it was formally adopted.
Among the candidates raised for the base model were the SPAS and Saiga I mentioned previously, but the final choice was the AA-12 from Military Police Systems, Inc. I had two questions on how it ended up as the base, and unexpected feelings toward it.
I know little about the AA-12 (I'm ashamed to say my knowledge ends with the AA-12's shape and name), but in fact it's said in many respects it met previous conditions, in terms of being a gun with outstanding operational characteristics.
Let's briefly touch on the gun called the AA-12. (Thanks to the Umbrella Co. official's secondhand information). Firearm designer Maxwell Atchisson developed the AA-12 prototype in 1972 under the name "Atchisson Assault-12." It's a shotgun developed with military use in mind, capable of full-auto fire, equipped with a box magazine, operating using a special gas system with a mechanism to reduce more than 80% of recoil. Though it's an excellent design with a good record against malfunctions, I haven't heard any cases of it attracting the military industry's attention. The lack of demand for shotguns with full-auto fire resulted in it weighing over 5kg, having poor portability and lacking scalability due to its unique design. Its operability also may not have satisfied the provisions for adoption in many armed forces with unique specifications. As a result I haven't been endowed with an opportunity to witness its raw power.
So, until now, "We'd tested a lot of shotguns close to the conditions, but the AA-12 was a very top-caliber result in terms of operability, durability and low maintenance. In particular, the specially designed gas system was superior to any conventional system," said the elderly official.
Not to choose my words presumptuously, but he has tough mannerisms, notices superior capabilities and is once more making a stand in the limelight as an inventor.
I wonder how Mr. Atchisson would've looked...
Then one more point, exactly how was it the base? That was my question. You can grasp why I had this question if you look at the photograph. The appearance is different to the extent I can't possibly think of it as a gun from the same system. In fact, within this answer, there lay another reason why I'd been invited.
A - Right view
On the right side's a large ejection port and on the other's an excellent design with no overhang and few extra bumps.
B - Cocking lever
As with the AA-12 it's an open-bolt firing ring system so the cocking lever's used frequently, as such it's much appreciated that it's on the left side for easy use.
C - M-LOK
Even in the military industry, the versatile M-LOK method's gradually gaining reliability and considered convenient.
Selecting the base model began according to the defined requirements. I've also verified there were plans to design it from scratch, but with a new design it would've taken too much time to complete. In essence, a firearm's design immediately affects human lives if problems occur. It's tested repeatedly to avoid mistakes and the cycle of design -> prototype -> test -> change -> prototype repeats... but issues still arise. Even when the U.S. military adopted the M9, they repeated a great number of tests, but our older readers will recall cases when problems occurred immediately after it was formally adopted.
Among the candidates raised for the base model were the SPAS and Saiga I mentioned previously, but the final choice was the AA-12 from Military Police Systems, Inc. I had two questions on how it ended up as the base, and unexpected feelings toward it.
I know little about the AA-12 (I'm ashamed to say my knowledge ends with the AA-12's shape and name), but in fact it's said in many respects it met previous conditions, in terms of being a gun with outstanding operational characteristics.
Let's briefly touch on the gun called the AA-12. (Thanks to the Umbrella Co. official's secondhand information). Firearm designer Maxwell Atchisson developed the AA-12 prototype in 1972 under the name "Atchisson Assault-12." It's a shotgun developed with military use in mind, capable of full-auto fire, equipped with a box magazine, operating using a special gas system with a mechanism to reduce more than 80% of recoil. Though it's an excellent design with a good record against malfunctions, I haven't heard any cases of it attracting the military industry's attention. The lack of demand for shotguns with full-auto fire resulted in it weighing over 5kg, having poor portability and lacking scalability due to its unique design. Its operability also may not have satisfied the provisions for adoption in many armed forces with unique specifications. As a result I haven't been endowed with an opportunity to witness its raw power.
So, until now, "We'd tested a lot of shotguns close to the conditions, but the AA-12 was a very top-caliber result in terms of operability, durability and low maintenance. In particular, the specially designed gas system was superior to any conventional system," said the elderly official.
Not to choose my words presumptuously, but he has tough mannerisms, notices superior capabilities and is once more making a stand in the limelight as an inventor.
I wonder how Mr. Atchisson would've looked...
Then one more point, exactly how was it the base? That was my question. You can grasp why I had this question if you look at the photograph. The appearance is different to the extent I can't possibly think of it as a gun from the same system. In fact, within this answer, there lay another reason why I'd been invited.
PAGE 13
7. AA-12 & AS12
In developing the base for the AA-12, the modification plan's design was extremely difficult. Looking at the base, as far as I know, I've never seen a gun with so many flat surfaces, in other words, a gun designed to support many parts in one piece. Usually, regardless of the type of gun, such as a rifle or a shotgun, the whole gun's composed of three sections: the front section including the barrel, the frame section including the chamber, magazine, and control mechanism, and the end section where the stock, grip, and other things that hold the gun together are concentrated. The AA-12, however, seems to be the antithesis of such a design, being constructed as a single unit.
In order to refine this design, the components had to be disassembled, reassembled into the desired form, and made to work. Even at Umbrella Co., which has a wide range of engineers, there were no designers with this kind of experience. It was like taking apart a Porsche and putting together a BMW. They were at a loss at that point, said the official with a wry smile. "I was tempted to tell them we needed a clone of Mr. Browning," he said, so we can imagine it was quite a difficult task.
The project's masterpiece was Daewoo's AS12. It was designed by Gilbert Equipment in the US and manufactured by Daewoo in Korea. The AS12's problem was its weight, which the official said was over 5kg.
8. LIVE-FIRING
The lecture training alone was a lot of fun, I've never experienced anything like it. After that, the lecture discussion turned to the Samurai Edge, which turned out to be an even more interesting story, but I'll save that for the next issue.
There was a short range where we could actually shoot, about 20 meters, and when I held the Samurai Edge, I couldn't help but be moved. I wonder how many ordinary people have been able to have such an experience. Just thinking about it made me grateful for my life so far, and reminded me once again, I'm a gun nerd.
Back to the topic at hand, this time it was THOR'S HAMMER. To be honest, I'm not very good at shooting a shotgun. I'm not particularly big, and the recoil's nothing but a pain to me. There are often scenes in movies where people are firing shotguns in rapid succession, but if I were to imagine myself doing that, I'm certain I'd break my wrist. That's how strong a shotgun's recoil is. I couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness I had when firing this time. Even though it was a large very heavy shotgun, I was still frustrated with the recoil.
Thinking about this, by the time I got to the range, I was completely deflated. The instructor didn't seem to care about my trepidation and happily handed me the THOR'S HAMMER.
My first impression when I held it in my hands was "heavy". Even though they've succeeded in reducing the weight, at 4.5kg it's still an imposing heavyweight. Without any optical devices, it'd weigh over 5kg with a full configuration.
7. AA-12 & AS12
In developing the base for the AA-12, the modification plan's design was extremely difficult. Looking at the base, as far as I know, I've never seen a gun with so many flat surfaces, in other words, a gun designed to support many parts in one piece. Usually, regardless of the type of gun, such as a rifle or a shotgun, the whole gun's composed of three sections: the front section including the barrel, the frame section including the chamber, magazine, and control mechanism, and the end section where the stock, grip, and other things that hold the gun together are concentrated. The AA-12, however, seems to be the antithesis of such a design, being constructed as a single unit.
In order to refine this design, the components had to be disassembled, reassembled into the desired form, and made to work. Even at Umbrella Co., which has a wide range of engineers, there were no designers with this kind of experience. It was like taking apart a Porsche and putting together a BMW. They were at a loss at that point, said the official with a wry smile. "I was tempted to tell them we needed a clone of Mr. Browning," he said, so we can imagine it was quite a difficult task.
The project's masterpiece was Daewoo's AS12. It was designed by Gilbert Equipment in the US and manufactured by Daewoo in Korea. The AS12's problem was its weight, which the official said was over 5kg.
8. LIVE-FIRING
The lecture training alone was a lot of fun, I've never experienced anything like it. After that, the lecture discussion turned to the Samurai Edge, which turned out to be an even more interesting story, but I'll save that for the next issue.
There was a short range where we could actually shoot, about 20 meters, and when I held the Samurai Edge, I couldn't help but be moved. I wonder how many ordinary people have been able to have such an experience. Just thinking about it made me grateful for my life so far, and reminded me once again, I'm a gun nerd.
Back to the topic at hand, this time it was THOR'S HAMMER. To be honest, I'm not very good at shooting a shotgun. I'm not particularly big, and the recoil's nothing but a pain to me. There are often scenes in movies where people are firing shotguns in rapid succession, but if I were to imagine myself doing that, I'm certain I'd break my wrist. That's how strong a shotgun's recoil is. I couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness I had when firing this time. Even though it was a large very heavy shotgun, I was still frustrated with the recoil.
Thinking about this, by the time I got to the range, I was completely deflated. The instructor didn't seem to care about my trepidation and happily handed me the THOR'S HAMMER.
My first impression when I held it in my hands was "heavy". Even though they've succeeded in reducing the weight, at 4.5kg it's still an imposing heavyweight. Without any optical devices, it'd weigh over 5kg with a full configuration.
PAGE 14
A - Hard gun case
The hard case for storage and transportation's one of the most important factors since the unit's a heavy item.
Each individual's name is affixed to the case, so you can be sure to get the primary weapon matching your sights.
B - ON THE BUTT PLATE
An Umbrella marking's applied to the distinctive butt plate.
This is a sign of official adoption, the mark of an exclusive product.
C - Left view
The magazine with its see-through rear's clearly visible. You can see the remaining ammunition even while holding the gun, so you can predict when to change magazines.
The drum magazine can be used as a separate accessory, and the sling's important when the gun's heavy. The left and right sling swivels are interchangeable, making it very user-friendly.
At this time, the US military was planning to develop a Closed Assault Weapon (CAW), a weapon designed for indoor close combat. This was in the 1980s, more than a decade before the Raccoon Incident. At that time, the AS12 was evaluated, but the results showed operating the heavy and bulky AS12 wasn't practical, and that a rapid-fire shotgun was also unnecessary, and close combat was subsequently integrated into submachine gun-based tactics. However, this was a program designed for use against humans, so if we envision B.O.W.'s, the requirements are very different. A full-auto shotgun's nothing more than overkill for anti-personnel, but for B.O.W. opponents, it's not excessive. As for weight and size, if the opponent isn't equipped with firearms, the tactics themselves will be different. It's truly a change of scenery.
Umbrella Co. thoroughly researched the AS12 and implemented weight-saving and cutting-edge modifications. The unnecessary carrying handle and insufficiently strong handguard were removed, and the integrated frame structure was redesigned. Some of the parts formerly made of stainless steel were replaced with aluminum or titanium, and adjustments were made in millimeter increments to increase its operational reliability. As a result, its weight was successfully reduced by about 1kg, and it gained the sturdiness and expandability to accommodate advanced equipment. After nearly 40 years of development, the CAW concept has been brought to fruition.
By the way, he said that when Mr. Chris first picked it up, his impression was, "It's nicely balanced." After all, the way he trains is different.
When I picked up the gun, I checked its details in the daylight. The grip was slender for its weight, or roughly the same as the M4. This makes it easy to grip even if you're wearing a glove. The selector also has the same feel as the M4. Even if you're holding it for the first time, you won't be baffled by the design. The AA-12 has a rail on the trigger guard to support the magazine, and the magazine's loaded by placing the convex part of the mag against the rail. Although the rail has been shortened, the mechanism itself is still there, and this inevitably makes reloading time consuming. In the AS12, where the support had been abolished, feeding problems occurred though they were extremely rare, and the cause was analyzed and concluded to be that the magazine had gone out of whack due to impact, resulting in failure to load. It was determined necessary to prevent this from happening. The front rail section, which was unclear in the photo, is placed on two sides: the upper and lower sides, and the lower half, left and right sides are M-LOK compliant. Only the top section's leveled all the way to the end of the upper frame, the so-called "modern" style. The upper receiver's made of machined aluminum, and part of it is trimmed to reduce weight. From the handguard, you can see the thick barrel, typical of a 12 gauge, and the unique gas piston adjustment mechanism on top of it.
This area's almost exactly like the AA-12.
A - Hard gun case
The hard case for storage and transportation's one of the most important factors since the unit's a heavy item.
Each individual's name is affixed to the case, so you can be sure to get the primary weapon matching your sights.
B - ON THE BUTT PLATE
An Umbrella marking's applied to the distinctive butt plate.
This is a sign of official adoption, the mark of an exclusive product.
C - Left view
The magazine with its see-through rear's clearly visible. You can see the remaining ammunition even while holding the gun, so you can predict when to change magazines.
The drum magazine can be used as a separate accessory, and the sling's important when the gun's heavy. The left and right sling swivels are interchangeable, making it very user-friendly.
At this time, the US military was planning to develop a Closed Assault Weapon (CAW), a weapon designed for indoor close combat. This was in the 1980s, more than a decade before the Raccoon Incident. At that time, the AS12 was evaluated, but the results showed operating the heavy and bulky AS12 wasn't practical, and that a rapid-fire shotgun was also unnecessary, and close combat was subsequently integrated into submachine gun-based tactics. However, this was a program designed for use against humans, so if we envision B.O.W.'s, the requirements are very different. A full-auto shotgun's nothing more than overkill for anti-personnel, but for B.O.W. opponents, it's not excessive. As for weight and size, if the opponent isn't equipped with firearms, the tactics themselves will be different. It's truly a change of scenery.
Umbrella Co. thoroughly researched the AS12 and implemented weight-saving and cutting-edge modifications. The unnecessary carrying handle and insufficiently strong handguard were removed, and the integrated frame structure was redesigned. Some of the parts formerly made of stainless steel were replaced with aluminum or titanium, and adjustments were made in millimeter increments to increase its operational reliability. As a result, its weight was successfully reduced by about 1kg, and it gained the sturdiness and expandability to accommodate advanced equipment. After nearly 40 years of development, the CAW concept has been brought to fruition.
By the way, he said that when Mr. Chris first picked it up, his impression was, "It's nicely balanced." After all, the way he trains is different.
When I picked up the gun, I checked its details in the daylight. The grip was slender for its weight, or roughly the same as the M4. This makes it easy to grip even if you're wearing a glove. The selector also has the same feel as the M4. Even if you're holding it for the first time, you won't be baffled by the design. The AA-12 has a rail on the trigger guard to support the magazine, and the magazine's loaded by placing the convex part of the mag against the rail. Although the rail has been shortened, the mechanism itself is still there, and this inevitably makes reloading time consuming. In the AS12, where the support had been abolished, feeding problems occurred though they were extremely rare, and the cause was analyzed and concluded to be that the magazine had gone out of whack due to impact, resulting in failure to load. It was determined necessary to prevent this from happening. The front rail section, which was unclear in the photo, is placed on two sides: the upper and lower sides, and the lower half, left and right sides are M-LOK compliant. Only the top section's leveled all the way to the end of the upper frame, the so-called "modern" style. The upper receiver's made of machined aluminum, and part of it is trimmed to reduce weight. From the handguard, you can see the thick barrel, typical of a 12 gauge, and the unique gas piston adjustment mechanism on top of it.
This area's almost exactly like the AA-12.
PAGE 15
In this test firing, I sighted in with the simple flip-up sight. This is sufficient for a shotgun at about 15 meters.
The stock's fixed and not adjustable, but it didn't feel long even for someone of my size. At the rear of the stock's a large rubber butt plate, which gave me a sense of security. It also has a very uniform structure, giving it a sense of design consistency. When standing, the weight's surprisingly unnoticeable.
This is probably due to the nice weight distribution between the front and back with the grip as the fulcrum. Many shotguns, including the Ithaca, are front-heavy. If you want to keep the recoil bounce to a minimum, you need a front-heavy gun. If full-auto's possible, this point's a bit of a concern.
The polymer magazine's quite large and looks like a thicker version of an AK magazine, but because of the light weight of the polymer body and the shotshells it's loaded with, it weighs less than it looks. It was a practical idea to have the back half of the rifle completely transparent, so you don't have to unholster it every time to check it from the side. This is something I wish other assault rifles and MAGPUL would learn from.
Now, it was time for the live firing.
The magazine's loaded along the aforementioned rail. At first it was a bit of a hassle, but it seems to be something that can be solved by getting used to it. The feeling of being able to mount the magazine securely reassures me.
In this test firing, I sighted in with the simple flip-up sight. This is sufficient for a shotgun at about 15 meters.
The stock's fixed and not adjustable, but it didn't feel long even for someone of my size. At the rear of the stock's a large rubber butt plate, which gave me a sense of security. It also has a very uniform structure, giving it a sense of design consistency. When standing, the weight's surprisingly unnoticeable.
This is probably due to the nice weight distribution between the front and back with the grip as the fulcrum. Many shotguns, including the Ithaca, are front-heavy. If you want to keep the recoil bounce to a minimum, you need a front-heavy gun. If full-auto's possible, this point's a bit of a concern.
The polymer magazine's quite large and looks like a thicker version of an AK magazine, but because of the light weight of the polymer body and the shotshells it's loaded with, it weighs less than it looks. It was a practical idea to have the back half of the rifle completely transparent, so you don't have to unholster it every time to check it from the side. This is something I wish other assault rifles and MAGPUL would learn from.
Now, it was time for the live firing.
The magazine's loaded along the aforementioned rail. At first it was a bit of a hassle, but it seems to be something that can be solved by getting used to it. The feeling of being able to mount the magazine securely reassures me.
PAGE 16
A - Standing position
Shooting a gun for the first time's always a scary experience. However, once you shoot it, that feeling turns into a feeling of comfort.
And the more you shoot, the more you understand the gun's features, and the more you enjoy interacting with them.
B - Magazine Change
When you lower the lever, the magazine will come out easily, and when you insert the next magazine into the guide, you'll hear it lock into place.
C - Test firing
I fired the gun rhythmically in semi-automatic mode, which gave me more control than the violent recoil of full-automatic mode, it was interesting to see how many shotgun shells I was firing at the target.
I used up a lot of ammo, but there was no rotation failure or jamming.
The chambering handle's located on the left side and attached directly to the bolt. Cocking's smooth, but there's a certain amount of resistance. The trigger pull's long, but not much different from other auto shotguns. When the bolt's fully pulled, it stops in the open state with a unique sensation. I was surprised it was open-bolt, which is quite rare in recent years.
I held the gun in a standing position and adjusted the peep sight to the male target. Memories of the past came flooding back, and I was hit with a slightly unpleasant sensation.
I squeezed the weighty but surprisingly thin trigger and felt a distinctive thump! A unique recoil struck back to me... It's a recoil I've never experienced before. It wasn't minor recoil, but it felt like the weight was transmitted straight to my shoulder. What surprised me the most was that the muzzle hardly bounced.
The second shot was also a thump of recoil. Naturally, it doesn't take as long as it sounds in the text, it's only a momentary sensation, but the recoil feels like two stages. This is a comparison based on my limited experience, but the recoil's different from any auto shotgun I've ever experienced.
Unlike shotguns with curved buttstocks, which allow the recoil to escape upward, the recoil of this gun with a straight stock should be felt directly, but I wasn't struck with the violent energy of a shotgun. It's a very strange feeling. It was as if every mechanism in the gun was dissipating the recoil.
This time, I tried to shoot it to verify the reactions.
A - Standing position
Shooting a gun for the first time's always a scary experience. However, once you shoot it, that feeling turns into a feeling of comfort.
And the more you shoot, the more you understand the gun's features, and the more you enjoy interacting with them.
B - Magazine Change
When you lower the lever, the magazine will come out easily, and when you insert the next magazine into the guide, you'll hear it lock into place.
C - Test firing
I fired the gun rhythmically in semi-automatic mode, which gave me more control than the violent recoil of full-automatic mode, it was interesting to see how many shotgun shells I was firing at the target.
I used up a lot of ammo, but there was no rotation failure or jamming.
The chambering handle's located on the left side and attached directly to the bolt. Cocking's smooth, but there's a certain amount of resistance. The trigger pull's long, but not much different from other auto shotguns. When the bolt's fully pulled, it stops in the open state with a unique sensation. I was surprised it was open-bolt, which is quite rare in recent years.
I held the gun in a standing position and adjusted the peep sight to the male target. Memories of the past came flooding back, and I was hit with a slightly unpleasant sensation.
I squeezed the weighty but surprisingly thin trigger and felt a distinctive thump! A unique recoil struck back to me... It's a recoil I've never experienced before. It wasn't minor recoil, but it felt like the weight was transmitted straight to my shoulder. What surprised me the most was that the muzzle hardly bounced.
The second shot was also a thump of recoil. Naturally, it doesn't take as long as it sounds in the text, it's only a momentary sensation, but the recoil feels like two stages. This is a comparison based on my limited experience, but the recoil's different from any auto shotgun I've ever experienced.
Unlike shotguns with curved buttstocks, which allow the recoil to escape upward, the recoil of this gun with a straight stock should be felt directly, but I wasn't struck with the violent energy of a shotgun. It's a very strange feeling. It was as if every mechanism in the gun was dissipating the recoil.
This time, I tried to shoot it to verify the reactions.
PAGE 17
The moment you pull the trigger, there's definitely an intense energy being generated. The next moment, however, the entire gun absorbs it and converts it into a slow and heavy linear motion. This is the sensation of a fast and strong movement being replaced by a slow and heavy movement. This unique recoil reduction mechanism seems to be the reason why the gun feels like a two-stage gun. This is very easy to shoot. It took me no time at all to get through eight rounds. "Why don't you try full auto?" He handed me a drum magazine with 32 rounds of 12-gauge ammunition. The magazine weighed more than two kilograms, and when loaded, the entire gun weighed like a light machine gun, and it would've been tough for my muscles to stay still for long periods of time. I was recommended to shoot it from the waist down, as if they'd sensed I was frowning for a moment. If it were a normal shotgun, I would've refrained from doing so, but with this gun, I felt like giving it a try. I tucked the stock firmly under my arm and set the selector to full. Thump, thump, thump!
It's not a fast cycle, but the unique recoil hit me continuously. And strangely enough, the recoil comes parallel to the barrel. It's a very strange feeling. The target, having been subjected to about forty rounds of 00 recoil, no longer needed to be shredded further. The conscience of the CAW evaluators was right in not adopting it as an anti-personnel weapon. And that's how much firepower it takes to compete against B.O.W.'s. It has attained expandability to accommodate evolving gear. In fact, after nearly 40 years, it has brought the CAW concept to fruition.
The moment you pull the trigger, there's definitely an intense energy being generated. The next moment, however, the entire gun absorbs it and converts it into a slow and heavy linear motion. This is the sensation of a fast and strong movement being replaced by a slow and heavy movement. This unique recoil reduction mechanism seems to be the reason why the gun feels like a two-stage gun. This is very easy to shoot. It took me no time at all to get through eight rounds. "Why don't you try full auto?" He handed me a drum magazine with 32 rounds of 12-gauge ammunition. The magazine weighed more than two kilograms, and when loaded, the entire gun weighed like a light machine gun, and it would've been tough for my muscles to stay still for long periods of time. I was recommended to shoot it from the waist down, as if they'd sensed I was frowning for a moment. If it were a normal shotgun, I would've refrained from doing so, but with this gun, I felt like giving it a try. I tucked the stock firmly under my arm and set the selector to full. Thump, thump, thump!
It's not a fast cycle, but the unique recoil hit me continuously. And strangely enough, the recoil comes parallel to the barrel. It's a very strange feeling. The target, having been subjected to about forty rounds of 00 recoil, no longer needed to be shredded further. The conscience of the CAW evaluators was right in not adopting it as an anti-personnel weapon. And that's how much firepower it takes to compete against B.O.W.'s. It has attained expandability to accommodate evolving gear. In fact, after nearly 40 years, it has brought the CAW concept to fruition.
PAGE 18
9. IN CONCLUSION
Another very difficult aspect is attaining approved quality and robustness. However this gun was full of the charm that dwells in something like "pro tools", as represented by the Mk23. The M4 was also custom-made to be lightweight with extensive use of carbon and a finely honed charm in its own right, but a well-muscled gun for limited use also has an appeal that's hard to come by. With this gun in my hands, I once more recognized guns as tools to be used.
Now, how is it you may ask?
It's difficult to convey everything in limited page space, but you may have grasped it has adequate capabilities as new high-powered gear to the BSAA. The fact there are sites necessitating exceptionally powerful weapons appears to have shifted from the realm of imagination to reality.
During this interview I was able to hear grueling on-site tales. Though I don't have them on paper, I'd like to introduce them in a summarized form if the opportunity arises. From those tales I had glimpses of a grievousness not like war or terrorism.
Protecting the lives of soldiers in dangerous missions for the sake of our future.
I also felt that sort of keen determination from this gun. I can't help but pray for the safety of the heroes who'll be on duty today.
Next time, an American samurai at last, yet a new face. It'll be packed with information on a world first unveiling, so please look forward to it.
9. IN CONCLUSION
Another very difficult aspect is attaining approved quality and robustness. However this gun was full of the charm that dwells in something like "pro tools", as represented by the Mk23. The M4 was also custom-made to be lightweight with extensive use of carbon and a finely honed charm in its own right, but a well-muscled gun for limited use also has an appeal that's hard to come by. With this gun in my hands, I once more recognized guns as tools to be used.
Now, how is it you may ask?
It's difficult to convey everything in limited page space, but you may have grasped it has adequate capabilities as new high-powered gear to the BSAA. The fact there are sites necessitating exceptionally powerful weapons appears to have shifted from the realm of imagination to reality.
During this interview I was able to hear grueling on-site tales. Though I don't have them on paper, I'd like to introduce them in a summarized form if the opportunity arises. From those tales I had glimpses of a grievousness not like war or terrorism.
Protecting the lives of soldiers in dangerous missions for the sake of our future.
I also felt that sort of keen determination from this gun. I can't help but pray for the safety of the heroes who'll be on duty today.
Next time, an American samurai at last, yet a new face. It'll be packed with information on a world first unveiling, so please look forward to it.
