In the last 15 years, over 2,000 rangers have been killed in the line of duty.
Protecting wildlife in Africa is one of the most dangerous professions. Rangers and employees of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries often confront organized gangs of poachers or criminals and rebels. In the last 15 years, over 2,000 rangers have been killed in the line of duty. Their organizations and agencies are forced to arm them and organize units that function as paramilitary groups. With equipment, communications, tracking dogs, and vehicles, they try not only to limit the illegal poaching of protected species such as the rhino and the elephant but also to create a safer working environment.
Different needs
A central figure in the upgrading of ranger services in South Africa is Kurt Steiner, a former military man who, since 2014, has offered training and survival knowledge to rangers. Government agencies provided rangers with smoothbore cal. 12 shotguns or automatic rifles such as the AKM (7.62x39mm) and the R4 (5.56x45mm) from military surpluses. Training employees in places like Tanzania and South Africa, Steiner realized that they were unsuitable for the specific role. Law enforcement in wildlife parks is not a military operation or the conduct of battles.
Rangers patrolling forested areas for days need a reliable and powerful rifle. It should be simple to maintain with few components. It should work with optics and thermal devices for locating animals and people. If necessary, it should be capable of stopping attacks from wild animals. Furthermore, some countries prohibit the issuance of automatic weapons to civilian personnel.
Two ideas meet
Between 2017 and 2019, Steiner focused extensively on the problem. Looking back, he discovered the idea for the Scout Rifle of the American Jeff Cooper. Forty years earlier, Cooper had introduced the concept of a bolt-action "general purpose rifle" for defense and hunting into the literature. The specifications called for a bolt-action, magazine-fed rifle with scope support capability.
The caliber he preferred was the .308 Winchester (the civilian equivalent of the 7.62 NATO) because it is capable of taking down animals weighing 200 kilos and is commonly available worldwide. He preferred barrel lengths of 47-50cm for greater maneuverability and because they helped achieve a weight of 3-3.5 kilograms.
To Steiner, these specifications sounded realistic. It is no coincidence, after all. Cooper spent much of his life in the savannah of the southwestern US, while he often hunted on the African plains. His ideas were based on experience.
On-site assembly
Steiner began looking for ready-made rifles from abroad, but it was difficult to find something that met the needs of the rangers within a reasonable budget. Most companies were not interested in modifying existing models or were deterred by the difficulties of exporting weapons to African countries.
Finally, in 2022, he decided to manufacture the rifles the Ranger Service needed on-site with components imported from abroad.
The Japanese company Howa is one of the largest and most "unknown" manufacturers of bolt-action rifles. This is because its actions — especially the Model 1500 — circulate in the international market with other names engraved on the receiver. Companies such as Mossberg, Weatherby, Ruger, Smith & Wesson, and Brownell use them as a basis for "branded" weapons. About four-fifths of their production concerns unfinished components that will end up with someone else's brand.
It consists of a simple bolt with two locking lugs that secure at the periphery of the barrel. A large extractor holds and guides the cartridge case's path. The bolt handle is on the right side. Combined with the HACT two-stage trigger (1.6 kg pull weight), it achieves 1 MOA (2.6cm) accuracy at 100 meters.
The South Africans ordered a batch of unfinished receivers in .308 Win caliber. The barrels had a thin profile and a length of 47cm for low weight. A flash hider at the muzzle reduces the flash of the discharge. A set of mechanical sights (with a protected front sight post and adjustable rear sight) ensures that the weapon remains useful even if the scope is damaged. A rail on the receiver bridge supports rifle scopes and thermal sights, as rangers often track animals at night.
In an environment with intense temperature changes and high humidity, wooden stocks wear out quickly. Steiner's team preferred a chassis made of aluminum and plastic. It ends in an attachment that accepts the pistol grip and a folding stock of the Colt M4 type. This allows the length to be varied (between 98cm and 104cm) to suit different body types. M LOK slots on the chassis allow for the mounting of flashlights. An angled foregrip facilitates its carrying in a "patrol stance," despite its 3.3 empty kilograms.
Broader acceptance
The venture of the South African Ranger Rifle, as it was named, became a model for the path being followed by other countries in the region. In an environment where disciplined attitude and appropriate equipment make the difference between life and death, the South Africans overcame the difficulties at a low cost and are exporting their know-how to neighboring countries with similar needs.
www.bankingnews.gr
Different needs
A central figure in the upgrading of ranger services in South Africa is Kurt Steiner, a former military man who, since 2014, has offered training and survival knowledge to rangers. Government agencies provided rangers with smoothbore cal. 12 shotguns or automatic rifles such as the AKM (7.62x39mm) and the R4 (5.56x45mm) from military surpluses. Training employees in places like Tanzania and South Africa, Steiner realized that they were unsuitable for the specific role. Law enforcement in wildlife parks is not a military operation or the conduct of battles.
Rangers patrolling forested areas for days need a reliable and powerful rifle. It should be simple to maintain with few components. It should work with optics and thermal devices for locating animals and people. If necessary, it should be capable of stopping attacks from wild animals. Furthermore, some countries prohibit the issuance of automatic weapons to civilian personnel.
Two ideas meet
Between 2017 and 2019, Steiner focused extensively on the problem. Looking back, he discovered the idea for the Scout Rifle of the American Jeff Cooper. Forty years earlier, Cooper had introduced the concept of a bolt-action "general purpose rifle" for defense and hunting into the literature. The specifications called for a bolt-action, magazine-fed rifle with scope support capability.
The caliber he preferred was the .308 Winchester (the civilian equivalent of the 7.62 NATO) because it is capable of taking down animals weighing 200 kilos and is commonly available worldwide. He preferred barrel lengths of 47-50cm for greater maneuverability and because they helped achieve a weight of 3-3.5 kilograms.
To Steiner, these specifications sounded realistic. It is no coincidence, after all. Cooper spent much of his life in the savannah of the southwestern US, while he often hunted on the African plains. His ideas were based on experience.
On-site assembly
Steiner began looking for ready-made rifles from abroad, but it was difficult to find something that met the needs of the rangers within a reasonable budget. Most companies were not interested in modifying existing models or were deterred by the difficulties of exporting weapons to African countries.
Finally, in 2022, he decided to manufacture the rifles the Ranger Service needed on-site with components imported from abroad.
The Japanese company Howa is one of the largest and most "unknown" manufacturers of bolt-action rifles. This is because its actions — especially the Model 1500 — circulate in the international market with other names engraved on the receiver. Companies such as Mossberg, Weatherby, Ruger, Smith & Wesson, and Brownell use them as a basis for "branded" weapons. About four-fifths of their production concerns unfinished components that will end up with someone else's brand.
It consists of a simple bolt with two locking lugs that secure at the periphery of the barrel. A large extractor holds and guides the cartridge case's path. The bolt handle is on the right side. Combined with the HACT two-stage trigger (1.6 kg pull weight), it achieves 1 MOA (2.6cm) accuracy at 100 meters.
The South Africans ordered a batch of unfinished receivers in .308 Win caliber. The barrels had a thin profile and a length of 47cm for low weight. A flash hider at the muzzle reduces the flash of the discharge. A set of mechanical sights (with a protected front sight post and adjustable rear sight) ensures that the weapon remains useful even if the scope is damaged. A rail on the receiver bridge supports rifle scopes and thermal sights, as rangers often track animals at night.
In an environment with intense temperature changes and high humidity, wooden stocks wear out quickly. Steiner's team preferred a chassis made of aluminum and plastic. It ends in an attachment that accepts the pistol grip and a folding stock of the Colt M4 type. This allows the length to be varied (between 98cm and 104cm) to suit different body types. M LOK slots on the chassis allow for the mounting of flashlights. An angled foregrip facilitates its carrying in a "patrol stance," despite its 3.3 empty kilograms.
Broader acceptance
The venture of the South African Ranger Rifle, as it was named, became a model for the path being followed by other countries in the region. In an environment where disciplined attitude and appropriate equipment make the difference between life and death, the South Africans overcame the difficulties at a low cost and are exporting their know-how to neighboring countries with similar needs.
www.bankingnews.gr
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