Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/901315
Here is one problem with B&T USW – it's hard to classify that weapon. USW means Universal Service Weapon. In fact it is strongly "muscled up" 9 mm Para semi-automatic pisto. By the ap- pearance and purpose it is sim- ilar to submachine gun or PDW, it has stock folded to the side, micro red dot and weapon light yet it fires only on single mode. In terminology showed up lately term of Pistol Carbine and proba- bly it suits well to USW. Off course, there were previously available different kits that were looking similar and has similar purpose allowing to turn pistol into „carbine for pistol ammuni- tion" – examples are Israeli caa Roni or German HeRa arms Triarii (the most popular are ones are for Glock but there are available for some other popular pistols). Why the USW was designed and what is designated for? Observing constantly growing terrorist threat in europe, engineers from B&T stared to look for solution that would provide average police- man bigger chances of effective defense against terrorists armed in rifles (mostly aKs), but at the same time not putting too much weights during everyday duty – because weapon has to be carried by officer all the time and pistol is much more comfortable, lighter and handy than submachine gun or rifle. plus, it does not scream RIFle for bystanders. and media. B&T (formerly known as Brugger &Thomet) has great experience in firearms manufacturing – B&T designed for apc SMG/carbine/ri- fles available in 9 mm parabellum, .223 .300Whisper/Blackout and .308 Win), Mp9/Tp9 SMG's (ba- sically face-lift of austrian Steyr TMp), .300 Whisper/Blackout SpR integrally suppressed precision rifles, apR sniper rifles and even Gl06 40 mm grenade launchers. lesser known constructions are p26, KH9 and GHM9 submachine guns. vigilant eye will notice that base of USW is... famous Swiss Sphinx SDp pistol known by pre- cision performance and fitted like Helvetian watch, being much wanted clone of czech cZ 75. and it's basically true. How is that happened? Because of the an- nouncement from 30 november of 2015 and financial failure of Sphinx System aG (being part of KRISS Group, producing sub- machine guns vector SMG) – all spare parts supply and technical documentation was bought by B&T. production of Sphinx pistols in USa is continued by KRISS USa, by this is something totally not relevant in that manner. B & t engineers began a search for a weapon that would provide the average officer with a better chance of effectively repelling a terrorist attack armed with a long gun. The Sphinx logo on the first draft of the USW was deliberately destroyed. www.fragoutmag.com