Frag Out! Magazine

And boom! Here they are! The "shorties" have arrived. And not just "shorties" but the latest HK416A5 shorties! These were initially meant from GROM SMU only but somehow they made their way to JWK. Couple dozens of them to be exact. When compared to the short HK416A3 used by GROM earlier, the new version came with a slightly extended 11" barrel. It also has doubled ambidextrous magazine release lever (port side) and bolt release (on the starboard). The shape of the stock was changed, new foldable iron sights were added and a couple of other details. First impressions were positive. The shorter barrel increased balance and improved portability and maneuverability. After a short time of euphoria, we had to identify problems and find solutions. First problem was the magazine re- lease button on the left which was of- ten accidentally activated when the gun was facing the body armor. Well, such things should not happen during the op, so we quickly removed the levers as right handed shooters didn't need them. Then we changed new stocks with their not-so-perfect length adjustment button to proven Magpul MOE's. The additional bolt release was less comfortable in use than BAD Lever and took longer to deploy it (verified with timer). Unfortunately, due its shape, we couldn't replace it with a Magpul lever. But this wasn't a critical problem we had faced with new rifles. The 11" HK416A5 was designed as a compact weapon built for use in CQB/DA oper- ations. It is effective up to 300 meters. Problems arise with targets beyond. Shorter barrel decreased range, accuracy and stopping power. Some may say that shooting over 300 meters is just fine and shooting further is fiction. It all depends. It depends on missions and it depends on the operational environment. In Afghani- stan, during daytime engagements in the open, the distances were beyond 500 me- ters. Of course, SOF units operate mostly at night but you always have to expect the unexpected. We found the solution. Additional com- plete upper receivers group with 14.5" barrels. This would allow us to choose the proper configuration for each mission. Assault team would use short barrels, the roof team could choose long barrels. Perfect! At least in theory. But it took time before first uppers arrived. Then, we had to set them up. So for the next deployment we went with short barreled rifles and we were still trying to shave some weight off them. H&K was pretty slow when it came to "new things" and the HK416A5 was com- ing from the factory with a quad Picatinny rail handguard. Big, thick and heavy. In the meantime we are able to get some lightweight handguards. We choose the M-LOK attachment systems which are lighter and far more comfortable than Picatinny rails. We have tested the Geis- sele Automatics and Lancer Systems handguards which were the best after- market parts available for HK416. And again, both had their pros and cons. Geis- selle is rugged but heavier and heats up faster. Carbon fiber Lancer is lightweight and does not heat so quickly, but it is not a MIL-SPEC product so we require more complex testing. Our team fell in love with Lancer handguards but JWK ultimately purchased Geissele ones. For us the deployment was always the best testing lab, literally a sandbox. It ver- ified our assumptions and perfect con- figurations built home usually were not so perfect anymore in-country. In A-stan we preferred rifles with magnified optics (HWS + magnifier combos or Specters). HWS with a short barreled rifle wasn't a problem - it just needed to be zeroed properly. Specter was more complex as its reticle was matched with a 14.5" bar- rel so it required adjustments and correc- tions when shooting at a longer distance. But the perfect glass of Specters allowed 30 www.fragoutmag.com

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