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Category: A Victory!
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Happy WWI Victory Dad – Grumpy
The Hell Fighters From Harlem
Have you ever wonder what the strongest revolver being manufactured is? According to the gent over at Sootch00, it’s the Manurhin MR73.
Never heard of it? That’s not really surprising considering there aren’t very many of them in the United States. The revolvers are made in France at the same factory that used to make Walther PPs and PPKs. That’s thanks to the fact that Walther was not able to produce them in Germany after the war, so the company contracted with Manurhin for the manufacturing.
Because the Manurhin MR73s aren’t super well known here in the States, they are pretty hard to come by. Sootch00 says that since 1973, these are the best revolvers in production. So good, in fact, that the French Special police forces helped design them to fit their standards. They are so well made that the MR73s are designed to take a full 150 fully loaded 357 magnums a day. He went on to say that some revolvers are documented to have run at least 175,000 rounds through them.
The MR73s that are in the country are being imported, but most are police surplus. He says the prices can range from $500 for used ones on surplus sites to $6,000 for a new model. The ones reviewed by Sootch00 are the police/combat models that come in 357 Magnum as well as 38 Special. Manurhin did have a 9mm cylinder to swap into the frames, but in the 1980s French law changed to make the 9mm illegal, so the company had to stop production.
The models have 3”-10” barrel options, with the longer barrels having bipods and scopes mounted to help with precision. The grips that are found most often are the military rubber ones, as it’s nearly impossible (or cost-prohibitive, perhaps) to find the walnut grips. He also
likes the beavertail on the grip to hold for 2nd and 3rd shots (or more) of the 6-round cylinder.
Each MR73 spends about twelve hours in the factory getting all the parts hand-fitted. They have hammer forged barrels along with the forged cylinders and receivers out of what they refer to as ordinance steel alloy. They are roughly the size of a K-frame with a straight back single- or double-action hammer.
MR73 accuracy is solid and known to be accurate even after many rounds. Supposedly the revolver’s accuracy has to be at most a .8” grouping at 25 yards in order to leave the factory. Not only that but the revolvers are tested with loaded ammo that has pressures about 30 percent stronger than commercially available loading.
He said that since they are surplus, that they’ll need to be taken apart to clean them up. With a two-piece grip and replacement parts being hard to come by, you’ll want to take it slow and easy and make sure you’re using gunsmithing tools to minimize any potential damage.
So, there you go, the Manurhin MR73 revolver — the strongest revolver out there.
French Badassery: The .357 Magnum GIGN Revolver Sniper
Bucky Lawson (June 14, 2021)
“The coolest combat revolver ever made.” That’s how Forgotten Weapons firearms guru Ian McCollum describes the Manurhin MR73 “Sniper Revolver.” A bold statement, but I have to agree that it would be tough to top a hand-fitted double-action .357 Magnum with an eight-inch
barrel designed to fire “multiple hundreds of thousands of rounds” over its lifetime that’s also equipped with a scope and bipod.
The MR73 was the standard service pistol of the elite French counterterror unit known as the Groupe D’Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale (National Gendarmerie Intervention Group) or GIGN. Think of them as the rough equivalent of the American FBI Hostage Rescue Team or the German GSG 9. The GIGN revolver first entered service in 1973 and has not been officially retired, though it last saw widespread operational use around 2000.
I wasn’t personally aware of the MR73 and its official role until quite recently, and I thought to myself, “Why in the name of Sam Colt would a high-speed outfit like the GIGN choose a revolver as its primary sidearm?” Well, they had some pretty good reasons, as I learned. Ian does a great job explaining them in his video, keeping in mind the context of the early 1970s when all this went down:
• The only autoloaders available to the GIGN at the time were the Colt 1911, Browning Hi-Power, and French Mac 50, all single action only pistols.
• At the time, it was standard to not carry “cocked and locked,” meaning that any SA autoloader would require some kind of manipulation upon being drawn.
• The available autoloaders only met reliability standards with FMJ ball ammo, but since GIGN envisioned much of their mission to be hostage rescue, possibly in confined quarters such as airliners, they needed to use JHP to prevent over-penetration. A revolver gave them that capability with the reliability they needed.
• GIGN philosophy focused on fewer high precision shots as opposed to volume of fire, again reflecting their mission parameters. Because of this, capacity wasn’t a major concern, especially considering the available autoloaders only had standard capacities of eight or nine rounds anyway. GIGN was thinking in terms of two to three well-aimed shots.
Mechanical Stuff
So, the Manurhin Firearms Division designed the MR73 to the exacting standards laid down by the GIGN. Chambered in .357 Magnum, it features, essentially, what Ian describes as “improved Smith & Wesson lockwork” beefed up to handle the demanding training schedule of the GIGN. They had to be able to maintain a pace of around 150 rounds per day, every day, over the lifespan of the gun. As mentioned earlier, “multiple hundreds of thousands of rounds” without major wear and tear or malfunctions. And that is with .357 Magnum combat loads. No .38 Special plinking for this hot rod.
The MR73 was available with 3, 4, and 5 ¼ inch barrels, and every GIGN revolver was extensively hand fitted. As Ian notes, “the quality is there.” The trigger is equipped with roller bearings for a smooth pull and is adjustable in both SA and DA. Ian describes a “heavier cocking stroke” (snicker) for the hammer, but a lighter and smoother DA pull designed for a high level of precision. And high precision they are. The factory accuracy standard was no more than a 20-millimeter (0.8 inches) group at 25 meters. Ian says the MR73s are “supremely accurate revolvers.” Now put a scope on that.
The scope was a 2.5x Bushnell Magnum Phantom (again, consider the context of the time) with a simple crosshair reticle. The bipod was a Harris 1A2 Ultralight with a proprietary mount designed by GIGN and manufactured by Manurhin.
Mission
The sniper version came about in 1981 when the GIGN took over Presidential security from the police. According to Ian, the Presidential Mansion has certain windows that make great spots for snipers as part of the security setup but are so cramped that a rifle would have had to stick way out past the sill. So, the “supremely accurate” MR73 GIGN revolver, with an eight-inch barrel, scope, and bipod was slotted in. The shots in that role were expected to be no more than 100 yards, well within the capabilities of the scoped revolver, especially with a highly trained GIGN shooter on it.
As mentioned earlier, the MR73 hasn’t seen widespread operational service since about 2000, but it hasn’t been officially retired. It serves as the standard GIGN sidearm in ceremonial duties and it is believed that certain GIGN operators still carry it, as they have a lot of freedom regarding their personal weapons and gear. Ian says that GIGN “Likes the idea that they are high-speed operators using .357 Magnum revolvers,” so that may well be the case. There are a “handful” of sniper versions still in the armory, but none are known to have been used in that role for fifteen years or so.
Manurhin
Ian gives a brief, but interesting, history of the Manurhin company, including their involvement with Walther after World War II. I personally own a Manurhin P1 version of the venerable Walther P38. The company has been bought up by at least a couple of conglomerates over the last few decades, its current parent company being the French hunting firearms manufacturer Chapui Armes. Beretta USA has partnered with Chapui Armes to import a new civilian MR73 to the US, with the same standards and quality (and price). Damn fine-looking firearms.
Ian doesn’t hold back on his final evaluation of the weapon: “Every bit as good as the Colt Python, arguably better, given the longevity they can stand up to… The MR73 is, I think, without a doubt, the finest revolver they (Manurhin) ever made and, arguably, one of the best revolvers ever made, period.”
https://youtu.be/d7PlIx_tqGc
I guess that I was EXTREMELY lucky enough to talk to some of these great men. Like my Dad’s Father & my Grandfather Morris, who even in their old age were a riot to be around. As they were always up and trying out new things & ideas even when they were in their 70’s and up in years.
All I can say is this. That I almost felt sorry for the Folks that they went and kicked the shit out of . Nah they needed it! Grumpy
I snagged this off American Rifleman.
The invasion of Grenada had just begun, and the U.S. assault troops were in trouble. American transport aircraft dropped a company of U.S. 75th Rangers onto the runway at Port Salines Airport, and the American troops were quickly engaged by 23 mm anti-aircraft guns. With the men scattered along the length of the runway and struggling to shed their parachutes, two Soviet-made BTR-60 armored personnel carriers appeared at the end of the runway and began to close on the Americans. The BTRs’ heavy machine guns began to chatter, and soon, 14.5 mm rounds were splattering off the tarmac among the American troops.
Urgent Fury was a multi-national operation. Men of the Eastern Caribbean Defense Force help secure the island. The soldier in the foreground carries the FN FAL rifle (7.62 NATO) while the man to left holds a Sterling submachine gun (9 mm).
A particularly large amount of communist small arms were found on Grenada. The crate is filled with M44 carbines (7.62×54 mm R). The rifle in the middle is the relatively rare Czech vz.52/57 rifle (7.62×39 mm). On the left is the ubiquitous AK-47.
The vz.52/57 was a surprise find for U.S. troops on Grenada. These rifles had been phased out of Czech service in 1957, and many found their way to Cuba, who then passed them on to nations like Angola and Grenada. The vz.52/57 has an integral blade bayonet in a recess cut into the right side of the stock.
Maj. David T. Rivard noted the difficult initial moments of the Grenada operation in his report “An Analysis of Operation Urgent Fury” to the Air Command and Staff College:
“The anti-aircraft guns had been positioned on hills near the airport and could not depress their guns low enough to effectively fire on the C-130s. As the 700 Rangers drifted toward the airstrip in their chutes, the Cubans met them with AK-47 fire. Armored personnel carriers appeared within 400 yds. of the landing zone and started to engage the Rangers. The troops took cover, and the AC-130 gunship overhead provided effective covering fire. The enemy forces had been waiting for the attack.”
Czech Samopal Sa 25 (vz. 48b) submachine guns (9 mm) captured in Grenada. The wooden-stocked Sa 23 is seen at the right.
An UZI captured among the communist AK-47s.
Soviet-made PKM (7.62×54 mm R) general-purpose machine guns captured on Grenada. These gas-operated MGs fire from an open bolt with a cyclic rate of 650 rounds-per-minute.
As the BTR-60s quickly closed the range, it appeared that the Rangers’ drop zone would be overrun. When the vehicles reached the mid-point of the runway, both BTRs were suddenly struck with hollow-charge antitank rounds. The fast-acting Rangers had set up 90 mm recoilless rifles and immediately scored hits. This was just in time, as the sky above was filled with the descending parachutes of the next wave of Rangers. The second group of Rangers quickly assaulted the 23 mm AA guns positions atop a nearby hill. Within 10 minutes, the AA guns were silent, too.
At War in America’s Backyard
The invasion of Grenada began on the morning of Oct. 25, 1983. Operation “Urgent Fury” quickly became fast and furious, as America’s Rapid Deployment Force, including elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, Marine Corps, U.S. Army Delta Force, and Navy SEALs, moved to secure the island from Grenadian and Cuban communist forces.
A PKM machine gun posed alongside a broad range of long arms captured on Grenada, including an SMLE Mk III, a Martini-Henry rifle, a commercial shotgun and a Czech vz. 52/57.
Many more eastern-bloc small arms were captured on Grenada than there were men to use them—leading U.S. intel experts to believe that the Cubans and Soviets were planning a strong push to extend their influence into Latin America.
A PKM machine gun captured, along with a M1 carbine.
President Reagan directed U.S. forces to Grenada specifically to guarantee the safety of 600 American medical students on the island. The action in Grenada came just two days after the deadly terrorist attack on the USMC barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, where a suicide truck bomb killed 220 U.S. Marines. The Cold War turned hot in the sunny Caribbean, only 1,500 miles southwest of Miami, Fla.
Communist Defenses
Communist forces on Grenada were well-equipped with anti-aircraft guns, particularly the Czech-made M53 quadruple 12.7 mm gun. These guns were particularly dangerous to the helicopters that supported the landing force. While Operation Urgent Fury may not rival the Marine landings of previous wars, there was no shortage of leatherneck heroism on Grenada. The USMC profile “U.S. Marines in Grenada 1983” describes the dangers presented by enemy AA on the island and traditional Marine courage in response:
“Marine Capt. Jeb F. Seagle dragged Captain Timothy D. Howard away from their burning AH-1 Cobra, shot down by Grenadian 12.7 mm antiaircraft fire near Fort Frederick. Capt. Seagle was killed while looking for help for Howard, who had been severely wounded. Howard was ultimately rescued by a CH-46, piloted by Maj. DeMars and 1st Lt. Lawrence M. King, Jr.
A U.S. Ranger poses with a haul of AK-47s and a Czech vz. 52/57 light machine gun (7.62×39 mm). The vz. 52/57 used either metallic link belts or 25-round box magazines interchangeably. Its cyclic rate was 1,100 rounds-per-minute.
A haul of carbines: M44 types, vz 52/57, and the U.S. M1 carbine.
A mixed crate of vz. 52/57 rifles and M44 carbines.
While another Marine Cobra attacked the antiaircraft site with 20 mm cannon and rockets, Maj. DeMars landed his CH-46 in the field near Howard. The landing chopper attracted small-arms fire to the field. A few rounds hit the CH-46, slightly damaging the stabilizing equipment. The squadron maintenance chief, Gunnery Sgt. Kelly M. Neidigh (a Vietnam veteran) riding along as a gunner, quickly disconnected himself from his intercom equipment and jumped from the aircraft.
Armed with an M-16 rifle, he sprinted the 40-yd. distance to Capt. Howard. Ignoring the fire directed at him, Neidigh half-dragged, half-carried Howard back to the aircraft and hoisted him on board with the aid of the crew chief. Cpl. Simon D. Gore, Jr. Still under fire, DeMars continued to wait in hopes of finding Capt. Seagle, not knowing that hostile fire had already killed him.
A soldier of the Eastern Caribbean Defense Force poses with a captured RPG-2 rocket launcher and a Bren L4 light machine gun (7.62 NATO).
Bren L4 light machine guns captured on Grenada.
Cold War trophies: U.S. Rangers enjoy their haul of AK-47 assault rifles. Note the Czech vz. 52/57 LMG to the far right.
Finally, with no sign of the second Cobra pilot, and with Howard’s condition rapidly worsening, DeMars decided to take off. The second Marine Cobra was hit by AA fire and crashed into the harbor with the loss of the pilot and copilot. The CH-46 flew Captain Howard to the USS Guam, where he received medical treatment that saved his life but could not save his right forearm.”
An Island Base for Communist Expansion
The island of Grenada was filled with arms caches, with the communists storing far more firearms than there were Cubans or Grenadians available to use them. The Marine history of Urgent Fury describes the efforts made to secure the stockpiles:
“Local citizens immediately began to point out members of the militia and the People’s Revolutionary Army to the Marines, leading them to houses and other sites of concealed arms caches. Grenadians even loaned their vehicles to the Marines for use in gathering the considerable quantities of arms and ammunition that were being uncovered. Patrols, accompanied by local guides, moved into the countryside to search out caches; Marines established roadblocks to stop and identify members of the Grenadian army and militia who were trying to escape detection by changing into civilian clothing.”
Multiple styles of AK-47 rifles captured on Grenada. An extra barrel for a Czech vz. 52/57 LMG is seen on top of the pile.
AA defense: several examples of the Czech-made M53 (12.7 mm) AA gun were captured on Grenada. This gun was used in the defense of Point Salines airport.
Liberated: American students at St. Georges University on Grenada pose with a trooper of the 82nd Airborne Division. He carries an M16A1 rifle equipped with an M7 bayonet.
Later, as the Marines took the Grenadian fort at St. Georges:
“Large quantities of weapons, including light machine guns, AK-47 assault rifles, heavy machine guns and great stacks of ammunition were left behind in Fort Frederick. Nearby, Marines discovered a truck with three new 82 mm mortars and two trucks heavily loaded with anti-aircraft ammunition. In underground tunnels below the fort, which had housed a headquarters of some type, Dobson’s men found quantities of significant documents, including an arms agreement recently signed by Nicaragua, Cuba, Grenada and the Soviet Union.”
Covering the evacuation of American students, a US soldier cradles a M60 general-purpose machine gun.
The barefoot grenadier: an M16/M203-armed soldier enjoys the weather on Grenada.
A Marine radio operator on Grenada armed with a M16A1.
Clearly, communist forces in the Caribbean were preparing to expand their influence out from Grenada, turn the 135 square-mile island nation into a fortress or both. The “Island of Spice” was filled up with a lot more than nutmeg. Major Rivard’s report details the firearms discovered by U.S. forces:
“There were about 10,000 rifles, including assault rifles, sniper rifles and carbines; more than 4,500 machine guns, 294 portable rocket launchers with 16,000 rockets. In addition to this, there were 60 anti-aircraft guns of various sizes including almost 600,000 rounds of ammunition and 30 57 mm ZIS-2 anti-tank guns with about 10,000 rounds of ammunition. Finally, 60 armored personnel carriers, 30 76 mm ZIS-2 field guns and 20,000 uniforms were also found. Large amounts of this equipment were captured still in shipping crates stored in warehouses.”
Classic Small Arms of the Cold War
The fighting on Grenada was a microcosm of the Cold War and a technological snapshot of a conventional engagement between western and communist forces. Most of the small arms used during Urgent Fury are well-known players, the U.S. M16A2 and the M60 machine gun versus the Soviet AK-47 and PKM GPMG. The island’s location gave some of the Grenadian small arms a certain uniqueness.
Every Marine a rifleman: a USMC M16A1 in action on Grenada.
A ride home: a trooper of the 82nd Airborne behind the wheel of an M151 1/4-ton utility vehicle (the “Mutt”), featuring an M60 on the pedestal mount.
The paratroopers come a-knocking. Men of the 82nd Airborne clear houses on their sweep through Grenada. Both carry M16A1 rifles and M72 LAW (66 mm) anti-tank weapons.
M1 carbines were a part of the mix. Soviet M44 bolt-action carbines were also there. So were a few British Bren guns chambered in 7.62×51 mm NATO. The Cubans sent a few older Czech-made firearms to Grenada, including the vz. 52/57 semi-automatic rifle and the rare vz. 52/57 light machine gun (both in 7.62x39mm).
Kind of a Big Deal
I have a couple of friends who were part of Operation Urgent Fury, and for years, they have described the invasion to me as “not a big deal.” For years, I have let them get away with under-selling it. Looking back and realizing the large (and growing) firearms stockpile on Grenada at that time, the operation was rather important. America simply could not let more communist dominoes fall in the Caribbean or in South America. Urgent Fury helped keep the Cold War from reaching a boiling point while also keeping communism contained. Just six years later, the Berlin Wall would come down, and the Soviet Union fell with it. Of the opposing players, only Cuba remains today.
Evacuees board a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter mounting a stripped-down M60D machine gun, featuring spade grips and a canvas bag to catch ejected spent casings.
M151 “Mutt” sporting a pair of M60 machine guns, as well as a wire-cutting bar attached to the front grill.
Officers and men of the 82nd Airborne test out a captured PKM machine gun (with a 100-round ammunition belt container).
Ultimately, 19 American troops were killed in Operation Urgent Fury, and nearly 120 were wounded. Communist forces lost 45 dead and nearly 350 wounded. This was the price to halt Soviet and Cuban communist expansion in the Caribbean. The American students on the island were returned safely to the U.S. Democracy was restored in Grenada, a free nation where they now call Oct. 25 “Thanksgiving Day”.