I’m your typical red-blooded American male. I like guns, and I don’t like being told I can’t have something. The more you tell me no, the more I want it. Sadly, there are lots and lots of guns I can’t have. Today, I want to point out five modern rifles that I really want but can’t get. I’m not picking rifles that hardly exist or are simply restricted due to the NFA, but rifles that I could theoretically own but just can’t.
Why can’t I own them? Some are due to import restrictions. I.E., we can’t buy most guns and ammo from Russia or China. Others are because certain countries have restrictive export laws. Some companies simply don’t have the capability to make rifles for the civilian market and the logistical arm to get them across a vast ocean of red tape. There are plenty of reasons why I can’t have these modern rifles, but none are satisfactory to me.
Howa Type 20
The Howa rifles have always been fascinating to me. The Howa Type 20 is Japan’s latest assault rifle designed for the Ground Self-Defense Force. These guns were initially produced in 2019 and are replacing the Type 89. This is a modern short-stroke gas piston gun, and to the surprise of no one who follows modern rifle design, it’s an AR-18 derivative.
The Howa Type 20 is a modern rifle series with a modern rifle design. It has a collapsing and folding stock, a monolithic upper receiver, a polymer lower receiver, and a mix of Picatinny and M-LOK rails. The Type 20 series is Japan’s take on the SCAR, and I dig it. Sure, it’s not all that different from the SCAR or BREN, but I want it!
Why can’t I have it? Japan does not export firearms. They didn’t export any of the old Howas for civilian purchase, and the Howa Type 20 remains locked in that small island nation. If Weebs can get katanas, I should be able to get a Howa Type 20.
FB MSBS Grot
The Beryl AKs that Poland used have always been a favorite of mine. It’s just different enough to draw my eye. When I learned they were replacing the Beryls with more modern rifles, I dived right in. I saw the FB MSBS Grot and immediately wanted one. The MSBS brings Poland into the modern era with a modular rifle.
It’s also another AR-18 derivative short-stroke gas piston gun. (What the hell is going on here?) Anyway, the rifle has a folding and collapsing stock, a monolithic upper, an M-LOK handguard, and barrel lengths varying from 10 to 20 inches. What’s really slick with this gun is the fact that users can easily swap the lowers to make this a standard configuration rifle or a bullpup. It’s the only rifle I know of that can do that.
Why can’t I have it? We’ve gotten a few Beryl kits in the past, so they’re not totally off the table. I don’t think FB Radom has the capability to produce rifles for both Poland and the foreign civilian market. If they did, they’d have to either make large-format pistols or somehow make them 922R compliant.
Heckler & Koch HK433
Why are all the modern rifles I want derivatives of the AR-18? Or at least derivatives of rifles that are derivatives of the AR-18 gas system? The HK 433 is the bastard child of the HK G36 and HK 416. It ditches any semblance of trying to be an M4-type rifle and embraces the modern accouterments of a modern rifle.
We get the folding and collapsing stock, the monolithic upper, the M-LOK handguard, and the ability to easily swap barrels to configure the weapon the way you want it. We get ambidextrous controls and that HK quality people love. I’m not an HK cultist, and this is the first rifle they’ve produced that I’ve really wanted.
Why can’t I have it? Because I suck, and HK hates me. Okay, not really, but Germany is pretty strict on weapon exports, and HK doesn’t seem all that keen on making long guns for the civilian market. However, this could change with HK USA’s new facilities.
Kalashnikov Concern AM-17
I think the AKS-74U is one of Russia’s peak aesthetic carbines. I love the look, and when I heard it was being replaced, I wasn’t exactly surprised. The Kalashnikov Concern AM-17 aims to replace the little Kalashnikov with an uber short and modern carbine. The AM-17 is a 5.45x39mm rifle, but there is also a 9x39mm variant known as the AM-17B. The gun is decked out in modern features, including an M-LOK handguard.
The guns feature 9.1-inch barrels and are seemingly designed to be run-suppressed. This is a short-stroke gas piston system, but it’s based on the Yevgeny Dragunov MA Compact Rifle rather than the AR-18. That’s the same Dragunov behind the SVD Dragunov, another short-stroke gas piston gun. It seems to mix some vibes from the ARX160 with an ultra-short platform.
Why can’t I have it? We have had a lot of import restrictions on Russia since its initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014. I’m sure Russia would sell it if they could, since they historically aren’t shy about selling their weapons overseas.
QBZ-191
It’s completely possible that the QBZ-191 is a complete piece of crap, I’ll accept that. I want to find out for myself. This Chinese-made QBZ-191 is another short-stroke gas piston gun, but I have no idea if it’s an AR-18-like gun or not. It fires the 5.8x42mm round, but there is a T model that chambers 5.56 NATO. It vibes a bit like a Chinese-made SIG 550 series rifle.
The QBZ-191 seems to be a modern mix of features, including a monolithic upper that’s optics-ready, a Chinese module accessory system, and a few ambidextrous controls. The magazine appears to be curved like an AK and locks in like an AK series rifle. Throw a Holosun on this bad boy, and the PLA larp is ready to rock and roll.
Why can’t I have one? China and Norinco tried to arm street gangs with RPGs and machine guns, and Customs caught them. This banned most Chinese firearm imports outside of some shotguns.
Sad but True
Sadly, I don’t think we’ll get any of these guns in the country during my lifetime. Certainly no Chinese or Russian guns. The Japanese won’t sell them, but the MSBS does have a semi-auto-only version. Maybe, just maybe, I can get my hands on one with both a standard and bullpup lower. I’ll cross my fingers and expect you to do the same.
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