Surfing the net, I chanced upon the latest Defense Review article on the PWS Diablo Long-Stroke Gas Piston/OP-Rod-Driven 5.56mm AR-15 SBR (whew! long one to pronounce). Produced by Primary Weapons Systems (PWS). Written by one of Defense Review's contributors, David Crane, when he was at the Shot Show 2009, this is a short barreled rifle, hence the SBR, and is primarily designed with direct action missions. This was designed to make it of the same length of the HK MP5 SMG.­

So what else is special about this gun?

"Hands down, one of the coolest and most interesting pieces of tactical hardware/equipment DefenseReview saw at SHOT Show 2009 was the Primary Weapons Systems (PWS) Diablo Upper, 5.56, which is a long-stroke gas-piston/op-rod (operating-rod a.k.a. push-rod) 5.56x45mm NATO (5.56mm NATO)/.223 Rem. SBR (Short-Barreled Rifle) complete upper receiver assemby with 7-inch (7") barrel and proprietary PWS Flash-Hiding Compensator, newly renamed the "CQB Comp" as of today (2/03/09).

This weapons package is the brainchild of PWS co-owners/partners Todd Tuttle and Dean Sylvester (Lead Designer), and was designed specifically for CQB/CQC operations, including Direct Action operations/missions like enemy/threat neutralization/liquidation, hostage rescue, and snatch-and-grab ops, as well as PSD/executive protection ops where the weapon is deployed from a vehicle. The 7" barrel resulted from their desire to make the Diablo roughly the same length/size as an HK MP5 submachine gun (SMG), yet fire the more ballistically-capable 5.56mm round for enhanced penetration and terminal ballistics (terminal ballistic performance against live, soft tissue and hard barriers). The PWS Diablo 5.56mm SBR upper is a NFA item, so all NFA rules apply to it that would appley to any Short Barreled Rifle upper receiver."

Click on the image below to read the full review from Defense Review. Just hope an airsoft manufacturer will try to make a replica of this one soon. That is, if you find it special too.

Photo Source: Defense Review

Photo Source: Primary Weapons Systems

Photo Source: Primary Weapons Systems