Sarsılmaz showcased its extensive range of products, from pistols all the way to heavy machine guns, at SHOT Show 2023 and received acclaim and praise from visitors and experts alike. Sarsılmaz’s USA-based brand, SAR received the Best Handgun award from one of the leading marksmanship and firearms magazines in the USA, Ballistic Magazine, for its SAR 9 Compact X model. In addition, Sarsılmaz sponsored the SHOT Show 2023 and chose to launch SAR 9 Sub Compact and SAR9 SOCOM models for the American market, with the latter pistol being developed for the special forces and their unique needs.
SHOT Show, the largest huntsmanship and marksmanship fair in the world, was held between 17-20 January in Las Vegas, NV. Sarsılmaz, one of the leading firearms players in the global firearms market and proud of Türkiye in this regard, presented the cutting-edge products it developed with national resources and capabilities at this fair. Over 2,000 companies participated in the event, and Sarsılmaz went beyond merely participating and joined the ranks of sponsors.
Diverse Product Range for All Small Arms Needs of a Military Unit
Sarsılmaz currently has over 300 different models of products, and it is among the most significant small arms producers in the entire world. The company showcased around 100 models at SHOT Show 2023, receiving praise from sector professionals worldwide. Sarsılmaz’s product range can quickly provide all the small arms needs of a military unit. The company mustered 27 military firearms in pistol, submachine gun, assault rifle and machine gun classes for the event and presented them. The company’s booth also included 64 different models of civilian firearms.
Sarsılmaz showcased its SAR 127 MT heavy machine gun mounted on a Humvee, and the product enjoyed close attention. SAR 762 MT machine gun that was presented in the company’s booth also saw plenty of attention.
SAR: Best in the USA
SAR, which is Sarsılmaz’s brand for the American market, the largest civilian firearm market in the world, also claimed its place at SHOT Show. SAR had received awards before with various models, and the brand added one more to its string of pearls with SAR 9 Compact X model. The model in question was chosen as Best Handgun by Ballistic Magazine, one of the most popular marksmanship and firearms magazines in the USA. In addition, SAR presented its SAR 9 Sub Compact (SC) model it will start offering to the American market, and a special pistol designed for special forces, SAR9 SOCOM, at the fair.
SAR 9 Compact X: Fit for Both Professional and Civilian Use
SAR 9 Compact X offers high performance in rapid-fire thanks to the cooling channels it has on its slide and comes with a 15-round magazine. The pistol is designed for both professional and civilian use, and it can be customised with reflex sights and a flashlight without requiring any other modification or device.
Professional, Practical and Suitable for Concealed Carry: SAR 9 Sub Compact
SAR 9 Sub Compact is the smallest member of SAR 9 family, designed for the sub-compact class, and offers professional and practical use to its operator with an 85 mm long barrel and a 12-round capacity. The pistol is designed explicitly for minimum muzzle rise and quick shots, along with concealed carry capabilities. SAR 9 Sub Compact has three-dot fibre optic sights, and as with all other SAR 9 models, it focuses on safety as well. It has a firing pin safety and a loaded chamber indicator, and even a trigger safety.
SAR9 SOCOM: Special Pistol for Special Forces
SAR9 SOCOM was designed for the unique needs of the special forces that serve in the toughest conditions, and its barrel can accept all standard suppressors. Its heightened tritium sights allow the pistol to be aimed precisely, even in low light conditions with a suppressor attached. SAR9 SOCOM has a slide with all the required interfaces to accept optical sights and cooling channels to allow the pistol to dissipate heat while firing rapidly. The pistol also has a picatinny rail for various accessories and comes with 17-round or 21-round magazine options for its widened magwell.
SAR 127 MT: Serving on Land, at Sea and in the Air
SAR 127 MT heavy machine gun is designed and developed from scratch by Sarsılmaz, and the company provides all its technical data packets. The machine gun was among the most visited firearms in the fair, and its technical specifications set it apart from its competitors.
SAR 127 MT provides adequate firepower to units on the battlefield, can fire both in semi-automatic and automatic modes, and can be integrated into remote-controlled weapon stations (RCWS) or land, sea, or air platforms with the required interfaces.
The qualification tests for the SAR 127 MT continue, and the firearm’s version with a quick-change barrel feature can be used in all land vehicles and platforms. Sarsılmaz is also working on a version aimed at air platforms, with differences like a fixed barrel with quick cooling features, lightened internal parts, and a faster fire rate.
Sarsılmaz and TR Mekatronik cooperated to integrate this air version into a pod, which will be mounted under the wings of Turkish Aerospace’s HÜRKUŞ-C aircraft. Sarsılmaz and TR Mekatrionik are performing the qualification tests for the system. If required, the pod can be integrated into other air platforms or naval platforms. The machine gun weighs around 38 kg, and its effective range for area targets can reach 1,830 metres, provided it is mounted on a tripod.
SAR 762 MT: Now in Service
Sarsılmaz presented its SAR 762 MT machine guns chambering the 7.62×51 mm round in the exhibition while the deliveries of the firearm continued. The first batches were delivered to the Turkish General Command of Gendarmerie, where they were integrated into remote-controlled weapon systems (RCWS) on 4×4 tactical wheeled armoured vehicles.
SAR 762 MT has 4 different models. Of these, SAR 762 MT-A can be used in RCWS. SAR 762 MT-B model was developed for infantry use and can be fired from both a bipod and a tripod. SAR 762 MT-C is aimed to be used in ALTAY main battle tank as a co-axial machine gun. Having very similar features to the SAR 762 MT-B, the SAR 762 MT-D’s rate of fire can be changed thanks to its 3-position gas valve. The machine gun has an effective range of 1,100 meters for area targets and a maximum range of 3,725 meters. The average weight of the gun’s different models is 12 kg. In addition, it can be integrated into unmanned ground vehicles.
Sarsılmaz’s Take on National Assault Rifle: MPT-76 SH
Sarsılmaz took its MPT-76 to SHOT Show as well. Sarsılmaz is among the few producers of MPT-76 assault rifle as a part of National Assault Rifle Project, and the company lightened the firearm through the efforts of its engineers and technicians by 470 grams, creating MPT-76 SH version. The rifle uses NATO standard 7.62 x 51 mm round and has a 20-round magazine. MPT-76 SH, with its 700 rounds per minute fire rate and 800 m/s muzzle velocity, can achieve an effective range of 600 metres. Thanks to its modular picatinny rail stock, it can be upgraded with various accessories. The MPT-76 SH rifles produced by Sarsılmaz are being used by Turkish Armed Forces Turkish National Police, serving the forces reliably.
