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Michael Yon's Mystery Weapon.

By The Armorer on February 13, 2007 | | Comments (25)

Having fielded helpful email #21 pointing me to the subject...

Yes, we know about it.

Michael Yon's Whatzis

I'm flattered you all think I can nail this... but.

I don't know what it is. But we *are* worrying away at it, for the intellectual exercise if nothing else.

I want to see the guts.

Sanger - there does appear to be a trigger. It seems a very clumsy way to do a microphone. It seems a very large way to do a laser designator/rangfinder.

Absent being reloadable with a rocket with a cartridge that projects beyond the end of it, the back-blast area seems a touch close to the operator's shoulder.

The scope and mount seem a bit more robust than one would expect in a toy.

I'm still leaning toward some form of trainer - but not one I've seen or can find a reference to.

There isn't much of a breech mechanism, much less exhaust venturi, for it to be a recoiless rifle, but the relative thinness of the tube walls argue against any other type of conventional projectile weapon, and push you towards a rocket-propelled weapon - with the caveat about the closeness of the rear to the shoulder of the operator.

I want pics of the interior of the tube, both ends, and a description of the composition of the device. A pic of the scope and any markings would be nice. I can't get Yon's site to open - anybody happen to note if Yon mentioned anything about that?

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25 Comments

By wolfwalker on February 12, 2007 9:59 PM
It may be a while before anyone sees Yon's site again. He asked both Instapundit and Little Green Footballs for help on this. Both promptly linked him. I understand there was also a link from Drudge somewhere in there too. I'd guess the screams of agony from his server could be heard for a few miles. :-)
 
By Richard1 on February 12, 2007 10:04 PM
Yon's sight seems to be up tonight, if you are persistent.
 
By Richard1 on February 12, 2007 10:12 PM
Could it be related to this?
     
By SangerM on February 12, 2007 10:17 PM
Yeah on the trigger. Yours is a better picture than the one linked to earlier. But see, that scope is just not needed for anything like an RPG when a simple flip-up leaf sight could have done it, and that thing looks like it is able to be moved to boresight it (check the slide slot beneath the front screwin knob; that's meant to be loosened, adjusted, and tightened.). And it still looks awfully small.. what kind of gun is that below it, squad MG (carry handle)? And no scorch marks on the front edge of the tube, so no fire leaving the tube... Hmmm... trainer might be right, but that doesn't seem right.
 
By wolfwalker on February 12, 2007 10:22 PM
SangerM, the thing at the bottom of the photo is an RPG that Yon included for scale.
 
By kat-missouri on February 13, 2007 12:09 AM
1) Why would you put that kind of scope on a trainer? 2) I notice dark color band around the front "barrel" part as if something was slipped over it or rested there. Is it missing a part?
 
By TmjUtah on February 13, 2007 12:33 AM
I'm leaning toward trainer of some sort, too. Second guess is a plausibly-deniable import designed to be a field-expedient launcher for some existing family of low-power grenades - maybe even 40mm US? The scope is excessive for that app, though. Does the large diameter tube look like recycled artillery brass to anyone else? 122mm maybe...? If the smaller - diameter tube is the front chunk (is that a flash bell on the end? of an Oerlikon or Bofors 40mm barrel maybe you have a heavy BUT stable long barreled grenade launcher? And no, don't have a clue if "40mm" grenade diameter equals the "40mm" flack.
 
By kat-missouri on February 13, 2007 12:47 AM
I'm going with a recoiless rifle. Looking at the chinese models, they look very compact with few "parts". However, I think that it is missing the extension from the rear for exhaust if it was a missile launching/rpg device.
 
By kat-missouri on February 13, 2007 12:53 AM
Okay. The band around the front tube is obviously from a bipod that is no longer attached. I still think it is missing the rear extension or blast shield.
 
By curtis on February 13, 2007 2:41 AM
Okay, I'm going out on a limb here. Suppose this sucker is some kind of homemade RPG launcher. Notice how the tube gets redicously wider just infront of the foregrip, and the new width extends the full length of the weapon? Perhaps the blast shield or rear extension tube telescopes out? Regular RPG tubes look rather large,odvious and awkward. this sort of platform appears to be a design that would allow a terrorist to carry one of his favorite weapons in a more concealed manner, IE easily tucked away inside a car trunk or Hijab. (for those terrorists who are desperate for a good reason to crossdress.) The scope appears to be some kind of eye candy rigging that soldier wannabe terrorist would stick on his gear to look cool. "I am a pro, look at me! I have a scope! They call me 'One shot, one kill Achmed'!"
 
By LarryK on February 13, 2007 2:50 AM
Are you sure this isn't a joke? It looks a little like some home made Spud guns I have seen made of PVC with electronic ignition.
 
By Old Fat Sailor on February 13, 2007 4:39 AM
I've seen a few "local manufacture" RPG launchers and they look about like the old RPG2. i.e. a tube with a couple handles, this does look a little "spudgunish" maybe something to carry in a Hamas/Fatah swarm for the press function. The bore looks a little small for the ginned up pyro grenade launchers favored by the South American mob types. The seam and what looks like a place for a mounting screw on the buttstock suggests some degree of mass production-tis a puzzlement.
 
By John of Argghhh! on February 13, 2007 5:44 AM
Well, someone needs to head to a good library that has the Jane's books in it and start looking for laser designators, etc. I've had all the thoughts you guys are having, but I want some more details. Waaaaaah!
 
By John of Argghhh! on February 13, 2007 5:51 AM
The Chinese have developed handheld, rifle-like laser weapons intended to blind people - which would explain the scope.
 
By Gwedd on February 13, 2007 6:38 AM
Comrades, My 2-cent's says it's a joke. I believe that the item in question is simply a prop made up for propaganda stills and video for the terrorists. Sort of a "Lookit our new wonder weapon!" type of affair. This is the sort of things they can give to some poor shmuck, tell him to stand there and smile, and zap an image of him for the folks back home. It's no different to me than all the plastic AK's and other weapons they hand out to the "faithful" for parades, rallies, etc. Anyway, that's my 2-cent's worth. Respects,
 
By BloodSpite on February 13, 2007 7:33 AM
I'm guessing no one has a Hi-Res shot of this thing?
 
By John of Argghhh! on February 13, 2007 7:42 AM
Not yet, anyway. I've asked for more pics.
 
By BloodSpite on February 13, 2007 7:58 AM
Hrmm Ok well without that lemme see what I can come up with and throw in to the pile To me it reseambles a dervitive of the Carl Gustav's At first I leaned towards a Steyr make/model because Steyr has always had an affinity for what I consider oddly placed grips. Now I'm notso sure. One thing that strikes me funny is immediately forward the "receiver" where the "barrel" seems to start, it looks fleshy....like tape thats been painted over. A single strip around the unit. But on further looking I tend to think that something is missing from this set up. Either a Back Blast shield or, something more. The Scope does not appear to be in line with the grips at all in my book. Look how much forward it is of the "trigger"? Would cause someone to lean up, over and forward of the unit to site it. So that doesn't make sense, unless thats some laser based range unit model that I'm unfamilliar with. I also don't see any form of breech, if it's firing 40mm rounds, short of dropping them down the barrel I don't see how you'd load the blasted thing. I'm calling foul. I think it's a hoax gun.
 
By MajMike on February 13, 2007 8:02 AM
well, by applying my general rule #1 for Armored Fighting Vehicle Identification ("if it looks stupid, it is French"), i would have to say this appears to have been manufactured in downtown Paris.
 
By BloodSpite on February 13, 2007 8:05 AM
A quick example of Steyr's unique designs for reference for those unfamiliar. Thats the Steyr ACR And the infamous Steyr AUG
 
By AughtSix on February 13, 2007 9:23 AM
I wouldn't be suprised if Yon, et al., know what it is. (As in, it's some sort of RPG, or a designator, or whatever) But want to know specifically, as in, it's a model whatever made by whomever. That's my guess why he didn't supply a picture of the fiddlybits. They've got that part figured out. They want to know who made it. At least, that's my guess.
 
By Darren on February 13, 2007 2:19 PM
The lack of provision for backblast doesn't prevent it from being an antitank missile launcher. The Germans developed the ARMBRUST system that fired a countermass of shredded plastic so that a LAW-class rocket could be fired inside a building. They sold the rights to Singapore. It doesn't look like an ARMBRUST, but it's not beyond the pale that the Iranians have reverse-engineered something similar. It would have less signature on firing than an RPG-7 would. It does look more than a little like a mockup of a real weapon. You would also expect some kind of "DON'T LOOK INTO THIS END" on a blinding laser. The only one I'm aware of is the Chinese ZM-87, and it doesn't look anything like this one. The absence of reported eye injuries due to the use of a blinding laser suggests that this isn't one.
 
By John K. on February 17, 2007 12:13 AM
Go ahead and copy the image and save it... open it up in any capable photo-editor. The entire thing appears to be made of wood... the scope isn't secure and in it's position would be prone to bumps and breakage. No signs of rust anywhere on the "weapon" and no signs of repeated (or even single shot) firing... the trigger mechanism may be electrical, however with the shoddy appearance of the rest of the "weapon" I doubt it. 95% chance it is a child's toy, made for Ramah the Jihadist Jr by Ramah Sr or some other psycho that got stuck on guard duty at the "weapon mall" and was left there.
 
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