The world is big, and it's filled with guns, lots of different guns. If you're a member of the military, some branch of government, an overseas entrepreneur, or just a traveler who enjoys the more dangerous aspects of travel, we need to talk.
Specifically, we have to talk about the weapons that you might encounter during your missions, objectives and travels. I call them threat weapons.
Threat Weapons are the firearms you are most likely to encounter on your travels to the dangerous and more interesting parts of the globe. I couldn't list them all, but I can give you an overview of the most common threat weapons you're likely to encounter. However, keep in mind that if they were made in Russia, they likely fall into the category of threat weapons.
Knowledge is power, and when it comes to threat weapons, you need to have a working knowledge of them. As a firearms enthusiast before my first deployment, I was able to use my firearms knowledge extensively in Afghanistan. I knew how to clean, secure and even disable the wide variety of firearms we encountered.
This is just a list of weapons, a starting point. If it piques your interest, grab this list and learn the following:
First, basic information regarding weapon capabilities: This includes caliber, magazine type, and maximum effective range.
Second, how to unload the firearm. This is probably the most important skill you will learn regarding threat weapons. This involves removing the magazine, if any, the ammunition from the chamber and effectively unloading the weapon.
You should also know the basic functions of weapons. How to load it, disable security and fire it.
Without further ado, here are our nine most common threat weapons.
There AK-series needs no introduction. Every tin warlord in the Third World has his men armed with Kalashnikovs of some variety. Many countries issue these rifles; they appear everywhere and on almost every continent apart from Antarctica.
Featuring a brilliantly simple design knowledge of the AK series is essential for police, military and prepared citizens. If you can only learn one of these menacing weapons, learn the AK family.
The AK series includes different generations of assault rifles, submachine guns, light machine guns and even sniper rifles. Knowing how to clean and use a basic AKM rifle allows you to use and clean an RPK, Dragunov, PSL, RPK and many more.
Kalashnikov designed a simple rifle with a simple system. If it is a genuine AKM, always remember that the first selector selection is fully automatic and users run it all the way down for semi-automatic.
Like Russian rifles, this Russian pistol is widespread. Digging them into caches was common in the far reaches of Afghanistan, and they were produced in Soviet bloc countries and cloned in communist Asian countries.
Makarovs are relatively compact pistols that draw much inspiration from the Walther PP series of pistols. Like the AK, the Makarov series is simple to use, robust and reliable. These weapons can last almost forever and tend to go around the world.
Learning the ins and outs of the Makarov takes no time at all. Don't be surprised by a terrible double action trigger and hand recoil.
Browning started but could not finish the Hi-Power pistol that bears his name. It was finished by accomplished engineers at FN Herstal and became one of the most popular pistols of all time outside of the United States. As usual, they spread to criminal and terrorist forces and became threatening weapons.
Often considered the first wonder nine, the Hi-Powers holds 13 to 17 pounds of 9mm. Hi-Power ranges are widely used in Western Europe, South America, Asia and the Middle East. Gaddafi had a gold plated engraved Hi-Power. At one time Allied and Axis forces packed Hi-Powers during WWII.
The Hi-Power uses a single action trigger which is nice enough but hurt by the presence of a magazine safety. Many Hi-Powers will not fire with the magazine removed, but some can. Never trust the gun without a magazine and never believe it won't fire because you don't have one.
Glock pistols have become one of the most common modern pistols around the world. They are often in the hands of police and military forces, but as always, when a firearm becomes popular, it easily drifts into the civilian and criminal worlds.
These simplistic guns are inherently reliable and high performing weapons.
Glock pistols are, for the most part, all the same. They all use the same overall design, so knowledge of how to use and clear a Glock 19 will translate to Glock 17s, 35s, 43s and beyond. The only oddball is the Glock 18 in terms of function.
CZ 75 pistols and their clones are the most reproduced firearms in the world. This Czech design is inspired by the Browning Hi-Power and the SIG P210. Most are 9mm, but since the series is so widespread, they appear in 40 S&W, 38 Super, and many other variations.
These DA/SA pistols come in a wide variety of configurations, including models with safeties, decockers, and even single-action or double-action-only modes. CZ 75 handguns are distributed in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America.
Although known as Czech-designed weapons, companies in Italy, Asia, the Middle East (and especially Turkey) produce various clones. If you can learn basic CZ patterns, you can expect to have a working knowledge of most CZ patterns.
Israelis are familiar with a machine shop. The Uzi is a testament to the Israeli arms industry. It is a widely produced weapon that was also very popular. According to reports, Israeli Military Industries has sold two billion dollars worth of SMG Uzi to nearly 100 countries.
These weapons too often fall into the hands of the bad guys. The Uzi family of weapons includes full-size, mini, and micro weapons. Uzi SMGs are simplistic open-bolt weapons that spit out 9mm pills at a fairly rapid rate.
Burma, Serbia, China and Vietnam are copying the Uzi to varying degrees of success and none of these countries are extremely strict about who gets the weapons. If your Uzi does not have a Star of David, the Communist Party red star may be present.
The G3 is a Teutonic killing machine produced by the Germans to modernize their army during the Cold War. The G3 is a full-power rifle that was produced in fairly large numbers not only by the Germans, Norwegians and Swedes, but also by Iran, Turkey, Colombia and Pakistan. Dozens of countries manufacture firearms, and some are less strict than others on arms exports.
This is why the G3 and its variants are common threat weapons. This roller-delayed blowback gun is quite powerful, powerful, and decently accurate. It's an old workhorse, but it still has a lot of life.
These weapons are popular among Mexican forces and G3s are often in the hands of cartels. HK made the weapon relatively simple, and working knowledge of the G3 can translate to the MP5, HK33, and other delayed variants of the HK roller.
The “right arm of the free world” is a name that the Belgian-designed FAL wears with pride. With the end of World War II and the creation of NATO, the FAL became one of the most popular rifles with European forces and even rivaled the terrible M14.
The FAL's service in Europe, South America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia makes it widespread with actors ranging from the military and police to terrorists and criminals. It is a must in a threat weapons curriculum.
Like the G3, it is a 7.62 NATO rifle, but instead of a roller-delayed blowback system, the FAL uses a short-stroke gas piston. FALs come in many variations, but most, if not all, operate identically.
Finally, the last entry on the list is one of the most common handguns in the world. Smith and Wesson revolvers and their clones exist on every populated continent of the world. When police and military forces abandoned revolvers for automatics, they usually sold or offered them en masse to Third World countries.
The popularity of these weapons makes them a common sight across the globe. The 38 special mid-frame models are the most common, especially the 10 model variants that appear anywhere you can find firearms. Knowledge of a basic S&W double action revolver will result in almost any S&W double action revolver model.
Now that you know what weapons to expect, it's time to start your training. You have access to the Internet, the most powerful information resource known to man. Stop staring at pictures of cats and learn about the menacing weapons you might be facing.
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