Gun Envy: Grand Power K105R Machine Pistol

I was going around Youtube when I came across this video of a little known, modern Machine Pistol: The Grand Power K105R

I was immediately hit with an extreme case of Gun Envy, mainly because of the gun's controllability at full-auto, shot in FREE HAND (i.e., no Forward Vertical Grip, no Shoulder Stock, etc.). Having some experience with shooting my Glock 22 in full auto mode, I knew this was something special.

Despite the adding a Shoulder Stock, Vertical Grip and DPM Recoil Reduction System, the Glock 22's recoil at full auto is still relatively considerable, definitely not anywhere near that of a full-pledged Sub Machine Gun. So when I saw the K105R in full auto at freehand with low recoil, I thought, wow, this is something I've always wanted my Glock 22 to be as a Machine Pistol, but which I could not do.

Here is another shorter video from the front showing the gun's low recoil at full-auto:

http://youtu.be/JSV3cFzRDRc

The pistol is designed and made in the little country of Slovakia in Eastern Europe, and is imported in the United States by the well-known American firearms manufacturer STI International. Strange name for a gun manufacturer, "Grand Power". Perhaps it sounds better in Slovak than in English. It is currently issued only in 9 x 19 mm Parabellum caliber, and has a steel slide/barrel on a Polymer frame. Standard capacity magazine is 17 rounds.

'Short Recoil, Rotating Barrel Operation'
A big part of the pistol's excellent recoil performance at full auto seems to be the fact that it operates differently than most semi-auto pistols nowadays. My Glock 22, for example, operates using the "Short Recoil, Tilting Barrel" principle. This basically means that the barrel is allowed to tilt and lock it up with the slide after the bullet is fired, delaying the release of the slide only after the pressure in the chamber have subsided to lower levels.

The K105R, on the other hand, uses a "Short Recoil, Rotating Barrel" principle. This means that instead of "tilting", the barrel actually rotates before it allows the slide to unlock. This rotating action seems to help dampen recoil a lot as compared to the Tilting Barrel design. Beretta has two pistols with a similar rotating barrel operation, the "Cougar" and the "Storm" series of pistols. Both designs have a reputation for low felt recoil as per feedback from the firearms forums.

The supossed downside of the rotating barrel action is that it needs more lubrication to function properly because the action has more surface area in operation during firing. However, both the Beretta Cougar and Storm pistols have a great reputation for reliability.

I also noticed that the cyclic rate at full auto of the K105R seems to be slightly slower than on my Glock 22 at full auto. This is just a subjective observation, there is no way to check for now if that is, indeed, true. I could be wrong, but it just seemed like it, especially when firing short bursts. This is a very good thing, as it helps recoil control further, as well as conserve a little bit more ammunition during firing.

'Parting Shot'
I can only salivate at the prospect of this gun as a Machine Pistol. Hopefully it will be available in the Philippines soon, and that more aftermarket accessories will be available for it. A compensator would be nice, driving that recoil and muzzle jump even further, and extended magazines will improve its firepower. And perhaps Vertical Front Grips and Shoulder Stock to turn it into an effective Sub Machine Gun. Here is a last video of this gun being shot in full-auto:

SOURCES:

- Grand Power Pistol Wikipedia page, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Power_K100

- Official website of Grand Power, http://www.grandpower.eu/en/