The Pentagon has been working on the .50 calibre EXACTO for about a year already, and its main focus is to overcome climate conditions to stay accurate over a longer range. Here’s some jargon they’ve used to describe the kind of tech that might do such a thing:

Fin-stabilised projectiles, spin-stabilised projectiles, internal and/or external aero-actuation control methods, projectile guidance technologies, tamper proofing, small stable power supplies, and advanced sighting, optical resolution and clarity technologies.

Basically, we’re talking about bullets that can adjust to weather conditions in mid-air, either through external control or the abilities of the bullet itself.

Currently, snipers are really only accurate up to about 800 metres. Beyond that, it gets much harder to reliably hit a target: At 2,000 metres, snipers can probably hit the side of a barn, but a head shot isn’t too likely. This rifle could change all of that, and more importantly, lead to even more badass pirate takedowns than we’ve seen already. And we’re all about the pirate takedowns. [Time]

The Shoot and Cook Rifle BBQ Lighter is a 36cm implement that can set pretty much any flammable material on fire. Sure, it’s designed to light coals on a grill, but I can think of plenty of uses for a flame-inducing side arm.

Imagine, you’re at a bar. A lady needs a light. You reach into your pocket and pull out the Shoot and Cook Rifle BBQ Lighter. She says, “Oh no he’s got a gun!!” Bouncers rush toward you. They can’t tell if the tiny rifle is real, but these guys aren’t taking any chances.

By the time the night is through, you’ve both had your heart broken and seen what human bone looks like when exposed to air. $US10. [Bass Pro Shops via OhGizmo!]

In our original post, we speculated that using a gun stock for shooting a camera seemed like a good way for a photographer to get shot. And we wondered how common these stocks could be. Duran wrote back with a short, informed response, but I was able to twist his arm into telling us a bit more.

Pointing a long lens mounted on a stock is indeed a recipe for getting shot if you’re not careful. In fact in training at Fort McCoy, Wi., I was “shot” by Soldiers on practice missions.

I was not where they expected me to be… i.e. mixed in with the opposition who happened to be shooting at them at the time. Thus, I was “shot” at with blanks during the training even though I was in uniform. They *saw* what they assumed was a rifle in an area where bad guys were shooting at them..

This, of course, is why we train. Even as military media, we need to train in realistic conditions. It was a learning event for both myself and the Soldiers in training.

At Kajaki Dam in Afghanistan, I was there to get some on the ground coverage for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the Afghan National Army. The Afghan National Army troops there are “spot on” as the Brits say and the dam has great strategic importance. There are lots of bad guys.
I took my Bushhawk stock along for the ride out to Kajaki. The stock is of limited use as in remote regions such as this, the local population has never seen a DSLR so they limited trust when you’re pointing a long lens at them. In operations where we were going patrols or at night with night vision I’d use it a lot. However, when going where the bad guys are, there is little worry as I was with some of the best Soldiers in the world.

Okay, so why risk losing your life. Good question. Lemme see if I can figure it out.

Ok. It is an extremely stable platform to shoot pictures with (i.e. that’s why rifles are designed that way). It is very natural and comfortable which results in good images. When using long lenses, holding the camera steady is damn important.

Plus, you can sling the camera stock while walking. This is very important when trying to keep up with Soldiers that are in *much* better shape than you (lost 9 kilos during the tour). Although I’m a Reservist, there’s only one standard… so I have to keep up with Olympic-grade athletes when on Active duty.

Monopods work very well but are a pain in the arse when on the move. You have to open them, then close them when you’re going to roll out. Which happens unexpectedly at times :)

Handholding with two hands is about the only way and how most of the world gets it done. I would not advise *any* media in a war zone to use a stock. In my case, I’m a member of the armed forces and I’m with the guys with the guns. We used to joke about it in that the Taliban would wonder if we bought some some secret weapon since we were the only Americans at Kajaki. Either way, the bad guys would shoot at me anyway on any patrols with little regard if I had a camera or a rifle.

My main thing was not to make the local population feel threatened…
I have to say that there is something inherently fun about shooting a camera like a rifle. It is really more fun than I should admit. I found myself grinning every time I used the darn thing.

I guess there’s just something obsessive with me and rifle stocks for cameras. I actually designed one in drafting class in high-school but it wasn’t until this last tour that I ponied up the cheese to buy one. It’s just a lot of fun.

- Jeff Duran

or Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Duran one weekend a month, two weeks a year (unless called to go to far away places and meet new people… and take their picture).

A special thanks to Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Duran for writing in and sharing his experiences. You can see more of his photos here and here.

[AR-15 via The Firearm Blog via Crunchgear]

No kids, she doesn’t think that your iPhone is cool. [via Danger Room]

The ST-2 gives exact feedback after every shot, including hit position and a replay of the aiming movement. Results can be saved and kept in a file to record short- and long-term progress. You can even bring your own gun, which can be hooked up to the system’s programs. Pricing is on a case by case basis, but you can expect this outfit to cost a pretty penny. Snickering dog not included. [Marksman Training Systems via Born Rich]

[Ed. Note: The opinions in this post belong entirely to the writer and Dirty Harry. The editor of this site does not condone of using such devices in public places like tradeshows and press conferences (especially those) as it is inconsiderate of the work and time people put into such presentations. Plus, it definitely isn't funny a second time. At all. Period...Stop looking at me like that. ]