Hi everyone, we got the first prototypes of our new SABER® HUNTER Forend hot off the FDM machine. This particular HUNTER is configured for a Remington 700 Long action (RLA-A1A). The new HUNTER forend has been contoured with tradition long gun lines, sporting a heavy rearward taper. So when you bring your non-shooting hand to the rear and pull the rifle into your shoulder it fills your hand. What a nice feel! This particular prototype is textured with a non slip surface molded into the forend.

It takes all of about 15 minutes to uninstall the barreled action out of the factory stock and install it into the new SABER® HUNTER chassis. Torque the action screws to 65 inch pounds and it’s off to the range you go. Before we zeroed the rifle I started to fit the rifle to me, using the fully adjustable shoulder stock. We set the cheek piece for the proper sight alignment with the 5.5-22×56 NSX Night force rifle scope. Then I set the length of pull for a good fit, shooting off of a tripod support.

After getting the length of pull dialed in, the HTA shoulder stock also allowed for the recoil pad to move up and down; we’re sure you’ve felt the agony of shooting a large caliber light weight hunting rifle with the recoil pad only “half way” in your shoulder pocket! It’s a bone rattling experience, but not with the SABER® HUNTER! In addition to the other ergonomic features of the HUNTER chassis it also uses a nifty AI type 5 round detachable magazine.
On this model there are 4 flush cups and 2 sling studs for mounting slings, bipods or shooting stick attachments. We’re getting input from the hunting community on the final configuration. Stay tuned for the upcoming video of us at the range with the new SABER® HUNTER chassis with a custom .300 Remington Ultra Magnum (RUM) featuring the “little bastard” muzzle brake made by American Precision Ordnance. Please stop by our SHOT Show booth #26407 and take a look see!

In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming November 11^th as Veterans Day and called upon Americans everywhere to rededicate themselves to the cause of peace.  It is this very cause of peace and protection of our freedom for which so many of our fellow Americans have dedicated their lives and to which so many have sacrificed their lives.  Veterans Day, however, is not the day we only remember those who have died protecting this great Nation.  It is also very much a day we remember those dedicated men and women who are serving you and I in this capacity at this very moment… those who will continue to serve the rest of their lives from a wheelchair missing both legs, and for others bravely struggling to regain their lives through use of prosthetic limbs, and others still who no longer can see or no longer hear.  It is for all these brave soldiers, young and old, active duty or retired, alive and well or struggling against seemingly impossible physical impairments that today we say thank you.  May God bless you for your service, dedication and bravery.  May the people of the greatest nation on Earth never, ever forget the service of men and women of the greatest military on Earth.

Let us all seek to make every day “Veterans Day”. Whenever we see an American Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine or Guardsman, may we all take just a few seconds to thank them for the sacrifices they make every single day to protect the United States of America.

On a personal note, we wish to express our gratitude to a great veteran from our own family who served this country during some of our most perilous times. We will truly miss you, Cousin Cliff.

Oct 25 2011

New Mexico, Rio Rancho

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Clifford William Morrow, 96, of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, died Thursday, October 13, 2011 in Albuquerque, NM. He was born March 11, 1915 to William Noah and Caroline Mae (Emmons) Morrow in Milan Ohio.

 Lieutenant Colonel “Cliff” Morrow graduated from Milan High School in 1933 and attended Georgetown University. Colonel Morrow entered the armed forces with the 145th Infantry of the Ohio National Guard’s 37th Division. He commanded L Company, 145th Infantry in the assault of New Georgia in the Solomon Islands and was awarded the Silver Star Medal for Gallantry in Action.

 During the defense of the American forces beach head on Bougainville, Colonel Morrow commanded G Company, 145th Infantry, in defense of Hill 700 and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor. Later, he left the South Pacific Theater of Operations and was assigned to the 7th Army Headquarters as an air-ground liaison officer with the 324th Fighter Bomber Wing of the U.S. Army Air Corps.

 During the Korean Police Action, Colonel Morrow commanded the 1st Battalion, 31st Infantry, during the action on “Pork Chop Hill” and was awarded a second Bronze Medal for Valor. Colonel Morrow also held other military decorations including the Combat Infantry Badge with Star for service as an infantryman in two wars and the Distinguished Marksman Badge for excellence in marksmanship competitions.

 For a time, Cliff served as a conservation officer with the Ohio Division of Natural Resources. He was instrumental in creating the preserve known as Magee Marsh Wildlife Area near Lake Erie. He also served as a training officer for the Ohio National Guard. In 1963, Colonel Morrow began working for the National Rifle Association (NRA) as the coordinator for their national matches. He later became the director of Hunting and Conservation Activities for the NRA and organized the Hunting and Conservation Division, which was later named the Hunter Services Division. Colonel Morrow retired in 1977 and made his home in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. He was the published author of three books.

 Private services will be held with interment at the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. The date is to be determined.

We’ve been putting in some time enhancing the SABER®-FORSST® MT-50 modular rifle chassis system for the McBros 50BMG action and TAC-50 rifle. Here is a video of APO’s ASW50 being shot with the AAC Blackout muzzle break and Cyclops suppressor! Great accuracy with the 750 grain Amax projectile. Around the shop this ASW rifle is being called “The Big Package”.

Last week we literally had a blast hosting a visit from the NRA Publications Editors. We spent an afternoon shooting steel targets out to 500 yds with a host of smaller Pepper Poppers thrown in for good measure. Thursday was a challenging day for wind calls while shooting the smaller calibers on small targets, but the .338LM and .50BMG over ruled wind gusts approaching 25MPH. Most shooting was done suppressed which made for a very civilized and enjoyable live fire range event shooting .308Win, .338 Lapua Magnum and .50BMG. The TCR300 in .300WM was un-suppressed and hammered 300 to 500 yard targets with RUAG SWISS-P 220gr Target ammunition despite those high winds.

Highlights of the range day was firing the ASW338LM suppressed with CORBON .300gr Subsonic ammunition , which was quieter than most pellet rifles while shooting targets at 400 yds! We shot the ASW308 with RUAG SWISS-P 200gr Subsonic ammunition which was even quieter! Both calibers yeilded accuracy of 1 MOA or less at range. The NRA Publications guys nailed a series of very challenging 350yd Pepper Popper shots with the ASW308 and 200gr subsonic ammo with wind calls of up to 1 mil right wind. Very nice shooting gentlemen! All in all a fantastic afternoon on the range.

We’d like to congratulate the US Army Sniper Association and the Cadre of the US Army Sniper School for conducting another successful sniper competition and of course the sniper team winners!

1st Place: 3rd Group Special Forces (Airborne)

2nd Place: IRISH DEFENSE FORCES

3rd Place: 1st Special Warfare Training Group (SWTG)

Below are a few pictures from the vendor range day.

Great job everyone!

A US Army Sniper Instructor firing the ASW308 with a LRA Light Tactical Bipod, S&B 3-12x50 day optic and AAC 7.62 SD suppressor. Most down range targets consisted of tank hulks at around 400m. Army snipers picked out small targets on the hulks and hammered them!

As usual the ammunition provided by RUAG was superb! The ASW308 20" Pinnacle Series barrel really performed well with the SWISS-P 176gr TARGET and delivered sub MOA performance! Over the course of the vendor demo attendees quietly fired over 150rds. This was most excellent!

The firing points provided a bit of a challenge having to shoot through tall grass. The LRA bipod was moved to the rear of the Quattro Forend, legs fully extended to get the necessary height and still was rock solid. The SABER field monopod was completely extended.

Here's a view of the targets thru a VECTOR 21 binocular laser range finder w/BE-10xT optical range enhancer at approximately 400M.

Another Sniper Competition attendee getting down behind our rifle.

Lots of good vendor support for the sniper competition. In addition to the ASW308 we brought along our ASW50 outfitted with an AAC Cyclops suppressor.

In addition to the ASW50 (the big package) on the table that little guy is an RSA-A3 MOD-1 made for the Rem700 Short Action and other short action clones.

The ASW50 has been making strong progress in on-going tests delivering 1MOA accuracy with MK211 ammunition. Of course we never go to a range shoot without our trusty Sniper Field Tool Kit.