Chapter 22: The Fifth Person of the North American Branch
Shi Niaoren left for the United States the next day. The weapons debate was far from over, and the North American group would wait for their final decision before making any purchases.
The Executive Committee was not entirely satisfied with the discussion. A fishbone of doubt was stuck in their throats. They had a wealth of theoretical knowledge about military weapons, but when it came to the civilian market, they were completely at a loss.
For days, Jiang Ye lobbied the committee, promoting his package plan: semi-automatic rifles and bolt-action Mosin-Nagants. Chief Wen was swayed, even going so far as to research the Type 38 rifle. But the Sports Group had no interest in revolutionary traditions or pulling bolts. And the masses, for their part, wanted weapons that could “strafe.” They were firmly against bolt-action rifles.
A few days later, a transatlantic call came from Dr. Shi. The North American group had a new member, a man who would be returning to China immediately to discuss weapons. He had more experience with firearms than Little Rui, and knew the North American civilian market inside and out. He was, Dr. Shi said, a man who had “fired cannons on the ground and flown a Mustang in the sky.”
They expected a burly, muscular MAN. Instead, they were greeted by a dandyish young man, his face slightly powdered. A wave of disappointment, and a flicker of doubt about Dr. Shi’s judgment, went through the room.
The visitor’s name was Lin Shenhe. He was a firearms enthusiast. Thanks to the decadent American empire, he had spent years playing with countless famous and nameless firearms, and had even helped build a Nordenfelt machine gun and a 12-pounder Napoleon bronze cannon. The military fans in the room were drooling. After hearing the committee’s firearms dilemma, he smiled a leisurely, knowing smile, like Zhuge Liang on TV.
“You all don’t know much about the civilian weapons market in North America, do you?” he began, his voice soft but clear. “Civilian weapons are very different from military weapons. Take the AR-15. Everyone knows it’s the civilian version of the M-16, a semi-automatic. But the civilian market is flooded with shoddy products. The barrels of many AR-15s aren’t even chrome-plated.
“And the M1A, the civilian M-14. It’s produced by the famous Springfield Armory, but its receivers are all investment cast, unlike the forged receivers of the military-contract M14s. In contrast, the M-14s produced by our Norinco have forged receivers, though the quality is not very good.”
“So the treacherous US merchants are deceiving the working masses with shoddy products?”
“Not exactly. The civilian gun market is huge. There are companies that take the low-price, simplified-craftsmanship route, and there are those that make high-priced, high-quality products. The civilian M14 from LRB Arms, for example, has a forged receiver and is much more expensive than the one from Springfield Armory.”
The complexity of the US civilian gun market was a revelation. A newfound respect for the man before them began to grow.
“So what is your opinion on the choice of weapons?”
“That depends on the committee’s requirements. I agree with Group Leader Xi. Given our situation, it is best to choose semi-automatic. 200 semi-automatic rifles are enough to deal with any situation at the beginning.”
“We don’t have any objections. The problem is which semi-automatic to choose.”
“For cost-effectiveness, the SKS is very good. The retail price is only $400, and the M43 ammunition is very cheap. And the stock is very sufficient.”
“Didn’t Little Rui say the Mosin-Nagant is only $80 a piece?” the bolt-action party persisted.
“Who among you has used a Mosin-Nagant?” Lin Shenhe’s all-knowing smile returned. “Among bolt-action rifles, the Mosin-Nagant’s bolt is the most difficult to open. And bolt-action rifles require a lot of practice to become combat-effective.”
“Then we can choose others… like the Lee-Enfield.”
“It’s not impossible. But in my opinion, bolt-action rifles would be good for a native army in the future. For us, it’s better to be well-equipped.”
“I still oppose the Warsaw Pact weapons,” Xi Yazhou insisted. “Their service life is too poor.”
“Not entirely true. It depends on where they are made. The AK series produced by IZMASH in Russia have cold-hammer-forged, chrome-lined barrels with a service life of over 80,000 rounds. The AR-15 series, only the HK416 uses a cold-hammer-forged barrel. The AK series from Arsenal in Bulgaria is said to have a barrel life of over 15,000 rounds.”
“Then let’s buy a large number of AKs! They can be converted to full-auto!” the AK party crowed.
“I rather agree with Xi Yazhou’s idea,” Lin Shenhe said. “At least some should be semi-automatic rifles that use full-power cartridges. Full-power rounds have a certain penetrating power against old-style houses, and are also very advantageous in dealing with enemies in the bushes.”
…
After a round of brainwashing by Lin Shenhe, the committee, their eyes shining, finally chose a hybrid plan:
A small number of Russian-made Saiga-308 semi-automatic rifles, using the 7.62mm NATO round, for the military group.
The SKS semi-automatic, using the M43 round, for the transmigrator militia. The ammunition was cheap, and the SKS-D model, which could use AK magazines, offered improved firepower.
“As for handguns, the M9 is purely for show. The Glock is a better choice. It’s cheap, plentiful, and American police love it. Less than $50.”
Lin Shenhe had changed their minds. The M9 was handsome, but the Glock was just as cool. The procurement ratio was adjusted. Automatic pistols would be issued in small numbers to military professionals. Most would be armed with S&W revolvers, which were more suitable for low-quality reloaded ammunition.
He also suggested they purchase a large number of Russian-made 4x optical sights, a few high-magnification sniper scopes, and a small variety of other light weapons as blueprints for future reverse engineering.
The Sports Group, except for Xi Yazhou, remained silent throughout the discussion. Afterwards, however, several of them asked to go to the shooting club to try out the M-14.
“Arrange it,” Wen Desi said to Xiao Zishan. “And if that… what-cha-ma-call-it 308 is available, arrange for everyone in the Sports Group to try it.”
Getting the money to the United States was another problem. The 200 rifles alone would cost $100,000. A bank transfer was out of the question. Wen Desi sent a few kilograms of gold over in a container, hidden among a shipment of electronic products from one of his newly established import-export companies.
“Do you really trust that Dr. Shi, and Lin Shenhe?” Xiao Zishan asked Wen Desi one day as they were walking on the sports field.
“If we don’t trust them, what can we do?” Chief Wen replied. “Our weapons can only rely on them.”
“True,” Xiao Zishan said, falling silent.
“Our entire operation is built on mutual trust,” Wen Desi said. “If you and Engineer Wang didn’t trust me, you wouldn’t have gone through the wormhole. If these people didn’t believe we had a wormhole, they wouldn’t have come. Even for those who left… if we didn’t trust their promise of secrecy,” his face turned cold, “we should have…”
Xiao Zishan shivered. “Be careful with your words!”
“Yes,” Chief Wen nodded. “How is Xi Yazhou? Is he upset?”
“No. His proposal wasn’t completely overturned. He even went drinking with Lin Shenhe. That Lin Shenhe has a lot of practical experience. He’s a talent.”
“And the others in the Sports Group?”
“They think we’re making a big fuss over nothing. As long as there are guns to use, they don’t care what kind.”
“That’s good. We need stability. I’m afraid that after we go over…”
“When one holds a sharp weapon, the intent to kill arises on its own.”
“Exactly. Especially when everyone has a gun…”
“So we need a system to manage firearms and ammunition?”
“Yes. In the long run, we must have one.”
“But that’s a technical detail. We need a complete political system. A political program, a code of conduct… a constitution?”
“Yes,” Wen Desi said. “We need a complete system… a constitution.”