WesWorld

The Thai army is currently looking for a new Rifle and Carbine for the Army. The current Thai guns of this type use 7.56x53 Mauser ammunition and any new type should use that same ammunition. Both bolt-action and semi-automatics are being looked at. Descriptions of the current rifle and carbine can be found here.

Emmanuel Holek is a famed designer in Czechoslovakia and Ceska Zbroevka of Brno will offer his ZH-29 Semi-auto rifle, or the later ZH-36 varient. The Czechs have also started to bring the ZH-39 into production.

The ZH-29, with some modifications has been in production for years. Persia adopted a variant of the weapon and others may have. ZH-29 errata

This was actually the weapon planned for adoption under the HEBCO regime, and so may be tainted
ZH-29

The ZH-36 in 7.92x57 is the Dutch-funded variant currently produced under license by Fabrique Nationale in Belgium. From the Dutch point of view, field trials of Semi-Auto weapons in the Kongo in 1935 indicated unsatisfactory elements of all of them.

The ZH-36 eliminated the metal heat dissapater for a ribbed barrel and included some chromed parts and was more suitable for mass production, but slightly heavier and somewhat expensive.

The ZH-39 is an update of the ZH-29
Zh-39

FN Herstal of Belgium will submit their SLR40.
The SLR40 is being issued to the Belgian army, but is available for export.



The base model is a gas actuated semi-automatic in 7.65x53 mauser and comes with a 5 round clip and iron sights.

Unfortunately, I've been able to find very little on the weapon- the picture was a triumph. Hmm, just noted the vented barrel shroud- which was an alternative explored for my hypothetical ZH-36

Im almost tempted by this, but the potential for FN FALs down the line is making me think about waiting...

The Swiss and Bulgarians have developed a nice little semiauto carbine based on the K31 Schmidt-Rubin rifle. It's notable for being one of the most accurate and most reliable semiautomatic rifles in the world at the present time (the Swiss involvement says all you really need to know to prove that).

It's currently in use by the Bulgarian and Argentine armies. (I don't think we ever fully determined if it was used by the Swiss Army.)

Quoted

[SIZE=5]STPR-36 Radichkov[/SIZE]

Type: Semi-automatic rifle
Caliber: 7.5x55mm Schmidt-Rubin
Overall length: 1105 mm
Barrel length: 652 mm
Weight: 4.20 kg empty
Magazine capacity: 10 rounds

Brock, would a rechambering to 7.56x53 Mauser be possible?

Quoted

Originally posted by snip
Brock, would a rechambering to 7.56x53 Mauser be possible?

Yes. The rifle's already been produced in test batches for 8x57mm Mauser, 7.5x55 Swiss, 6.5x51 Atlantean, .303 British, and a variety of other cartridges. 7.56x53 would be a very easy rechambering to make, considering it's slightly smaller than the originating 7.5x55 Swiss.

Quoted

Originally posted by Brockpaine
The Swiss and Bulgarians have developed a nice little semiauto carbine based on the K31 Schmidt-Rubin rifle. It's notable for being one of the most accurate and most reliable semiautomatic rifles in the world at the present time (the Swiss involvement says all you really need to know to prove that).

FN will point out that Swiss Alps and Tropical Jungle are different environs :p

Quoted

Originally posted by Kaiser Kirk

Quoted

Originally posted by Brockpaine
The Swiss and Bulgarians have developed a nice little semiauto carbine based on the K31 Schmidt-Rubin rifle. It's notable for being one of the most accurate and most reliable semiautomatic rifles in the world at the present time (the Swiss involvement says all you really need to know to prove that).

FN will point out that Swiss Alps and Tropical Jungle are different environs :p

Kazanlak and Sig-Sauer were unaware that tropical jungle has overtaken the unfortunate country of Belgium. FN has our condolences.

Thailand's purchasing agents are invited to take home a few dozen SK-36 rifles, toss them in a mud-hole, leave them for a few weeks, run over them with a tank or two, and then clean them off and test them to destruction against any competing product to verify our claims. Or the Thai purchasing agents can talk to to the Argentine Army's purchasing agents, who were invited to do the same thing.

Quoted

Originally posted by Brockpaine
Kazanlak and Sig-Sauer were unaware that tropical jungle has overtaken the unfortunate country of Belgium. FN has our condolences.

Well, the WWI battles in Belgium are famed for deep mud, but actually, I was referring to the License-built ZH-36, which was the result of year long trials in the Kongo with Dutch Marines. It has been tossed in the mud already, toted through swamps, used in mountains, jungles, and with little support.

Oo..OO!!...SALESMAN FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brings a whole new dimension to mud slinging...!

Running a tank over it might be a tad extreme. On the other hand Argentina can confirm that its a happy STPR-36 user (and has plans to buy more in 41)

After some consideration... I wanted to add in that the US has the M1 Carbine (an ahistoric one) which the Chilean Army is preparing to adopt. It might be worthwhile for Thailand to consider it, but I'll note that in absolutely no way could this carbine take the 7.56x53 Mauser cartridge - so YMMV.

Quoted

[SIZE=3]M1 Carbine[/SIZE]
Weight: 6 lb (2.7 kg) empty
Length: 38 in (965 mm)
Barrel length: 18.7 in (475 mm)
Cartridge: .276 Carbine (7x36)
Action: Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire: Semi-automatic
Muzzle velocity: 2,250 ft/s
Feed System: 15 or 30-round detachable box magazine
Sights: Aperture L-type flip or adjustable rear sights, barleycorn-type front sight
Notes: Can come with either fixed wood stock or folding stock (shown)

[SIZE=3].276 Carbine / 7x36 Carbine[/SIZE]
Bullet diameter: 7mm (.276cal)
Neck diameter: 8mm (.32 cal)
Shoulder diameter: 9.8mm (.385cal)
Base diameter of 10.4mm (.40cal)
Case length: 35mm
Bullet diameter: .2842 in (7.22 mm)
Overall length: 57.5 mm
Notes: the .276 Carbine round is a standard .276 Pedersen round shortened by 15mm off the rear of the case.

After much debate, the Thai Army has chosen the STPR-36 as its first semi-automatic carbine. While the FN SLR40 was also considered, the larger clip size and more widespread use of the STPR-36 were the deciding factors. Proposals are still being sought for bolt-action replacements for the the FN-Mauser Model 1889 rifle and carbine that are the current standards for there type in the Thai Army.

Excellent.

Did we determine the other night how many you would end up needing?

I dont remember if we agreed on anything

BS-1918 (calibre 7,92x57mm)





Uploaded with ImageShack.us