This is a test and evaluation of the 37mm Fireball launcher made by Bates Manufacturing LLC. The launcher is a break open, single shot design, similar to the US Military issue M-79. The launcher has no active safety mechanism. The launcher is fired by cocking the hammer to the rear, then pulling the trigger. There is a lever in front of the trigger that when pushed forward releases the barrel latch and allows the barrel to swing free and downward for loading. When opened, the extractor pushes the empty casing free of the barrel, like the extractor of a real M-79. The locking mechanism is solidly built, and well thought out, and locks the barrel tightly into position. So much so, in fact, that no light shows through between the base plate and the barrel. The machining of this launcher is top notch, and all the parts fit perfectly and are finished very professionally. The pins that hold the firing mechanism in place are solid steel pins, not the hollow type used in some launchers and weapons. The stocks are hardwood and finished perfectly to match the quality of the launcher. This is one handsome launcher, and very well worth the price. Bates advises they also making an adapter for this launcher that accepts a pistol grip folding stock or an AR type folder.
The rear sight is recessed in a piece of “U” channel that runs the length of the barrel. This serves to align the front and rear sights and protect them from damage. Neither sight is adjustable. The rear sight has 4 holes and flips up from its position inside the “U” channel. None of the holes are marked for range, so a determination of range must be made with the munitions you wish to use. The receiver is milled out of a solid piece of aluminum, and is thick. All the internal parts, such as springs, screws, trigger, hammer, locking latch, trigger guard… are all made of steel. The base plate that rests against the rear of the casings and receiver is steel also, and is approx ¼” thick. This launcher would handle shot shell adapters with no problem at all.
The launcher is currently chambered for the plastic casings available from Fireballs, and other companies. The rim area of the chamber is also cut to fit those casings. You can also see the extractor area, and the extractor in its extended position, as well as the holes for the machine screws that hold the sights and “U” channel, extractor, and front hand guard in place.
The launcher was shipped in a long cardboard box, wrapped in shipping paper. Upon first inspection, I was highly impressed with the quality of fit and finish in this launcher. The parts are very well made, to tight tolerances. There is no slop in the fit of the barrel to the receiver in this launcher. It fits tight, and closes tight. There is no space visible between the barrel and the front of the receiver. The fore grip and stock are tightly attached to their respective parts. The fore grip attaches with two stainless steel machine screws, and the stock attaches with a threaded rod through the length of the stock to the receiver. The internal parts of the launcher are well made, and are held in place with pins through the receiver. The trigger guard is attached to the receiver with 4 black steel machine screws. The receiver is milled, not cast, and not thin sheet metal. It is thick and built to last. The wood is well finished, and well formed to the launcher. The finish of the metal parts is fantastic, and the wording on the sides is actually engraved into the metal. The fore grip screws mate with the barrel itself, and the “U” channel is also bolted to the barrrel with 4 machine screws. Normally, this might be a problem, but the barrel itself is 0.245” thick aluminum! (I’d hate to feel the weight, if that were a steel barrel) The back plate of the launcher is .350” thick steel, and is bolted to the receiver with two machine screws. The firing pin hole is centered in this plate. Bates advises me that the “U” channel can be replaced with a section of Picitinny rail, for mounting your choice of Mil Spec sights or lasers, or flash lights.
To function the launcher, you push the barrel locking lever located inside the trigger guard, forward of the trigger itself, to the front, causing the barrel to swing down. Insert your round of ammo, and lift up on the fore grip until the barrel latches closed, or you can do the M79 flip close. The launcher is well made, and well fit, and can take some abuse. As a matter of fact, I have decided to register this particular launcher as a destructive device, and bore the barrel out to 40mm smoothbore. I would not do this with any launcher I felt would not handle launching standard 40mm munitions, and adapters. This, my friends, is a launcher worthy of being made into a weapon.
RANGE REPORT:
I took the launcher out to the range, after modifying the chamber and barrel to accept standard 37mm munitions. The modifications took a bit of time, as the launcher chamber was set up for those plastic casings Fireballs sells. I opened up the chamber area and barrel to accept both Def Tec® and Federal® 37mm munitions, as well as their stepped rim versions.
The following munitions were expended during this test.
26.5mm to 37mm adapter// 37mm Ferret® CS Baricade Penetrating Projectile// 2 37mm Fireballs® pyrotechnic plastic cased rounds// 2 37mm ALS® Long Range White Smoke// 5 26.5mm smoke, 4 Blue, 1 Orange
The launcher itself functioned flawlessly, and videos and photos were taken of some of the munitions expended.
I first inserted a 26.5mm adapter, and fired 4 blue and 1 orange 26.5mm smoke rounds. I aimed at the top of the range, approx 300 meters away, using the top most hole in the Bates Fireball rear sight. The rounds landed within 50 feet of each other, approx 2/3 downrange from my firing position. Wind was strong with gusts blowing from left to right across the range.
The next rounds fired were two ALS Technologies® Long Range White Smoke rounds, provided by Daniel Alverez, Owner of ALS. These rounds functioned flawlessly, and using the upper most hole in the rear sight, and aiming at the top of the range again, both rounds landed approx 10 meters short of point of impact of the blue and orange smokes. These rounds also landed within 10 feet of each other.
The next two rounds expended were Fireballs® manufacture (no relation to the launcher), one was a bird scare round, and the other a red flare. Both functioned in the Bates launcher.
After those rounds were expended, I moved over to the accuracy portion of the T&E. The target I used for the CS Ferret® barracade penetrating round was a piece of treated ½” plywood, mounted to my standard range target with backstop. I walked off a distance of 25 meters to my standard firing position. The round functioned perfectly, and struck the target board approx 12” from the center of the target, to the right side. The CS agent was deployed at the impact area.
IMPROVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS:
If I were to make any recommendations on improvement of the launcher, the only things I could think of was the addition of a set of sling swivels, so one could put a sling on it, and perhaps a graduated rear sight. One could be added by simply adding a section of P-rail to the top of the launcher, and using standard rail mount front sight, and a rear sight could be made to function with this launcher, and be adjustable for differring munitions. I know this launcher would be a “hit” with individual officers in small PDs across the Nation. The one thing they would want, IMHO-- would be an active safety. One could be very easily and cheaply be made by drilling a small hole, in the top of the receiver from one side through the other, so that the hole goes through in front of the travel of the hammer. Then inserting a grenade pin with ring, through this hole, and bending the pin on the other side slightly, it would prevent the hammer from striking the firing pin, unless the grenade pin was removed first. The launcher could then safely be carried in the patrol unit with a round in the chamber, without fear of accidental discharges, or even the fear of the launcher being taken and used against the officer (unless they figured out you gotta pull the pin before firing…)
Also, I provided the manufacturer with the dimentions of the standard aluminum casings used by DOC and less lethal manufacturers. I recommended alterations to the chamber and barrel so that more casings would chamber and fire in the launcher. As it is at present, the plastic casings will chamber and fire, as well as the 37mm “stepped rim” casings also fit and fire. The standard Def Tec® and ALS® casings with the angled rims and the Federal® casings with the thick rims will not chamber. The manufacturer is fixing this problem.
IMPROVEMENTS MADE BY MANUFACTURER:
I have been informed that the newer Bates Fireball launchers will come with the modified chamber, and an active safety. Bates will also be adding their line of launchers to their web page shortly.
RECOMMENDATION:
I would not hesitate to recommend this launcher to anyone, from the novice to the professional. It would make a very good launcher for any purpose, including line launching, Department of Corrections, and Law Enforcement department useage. This launcher is more than capable of handling the larger, crowd control baton and gas munitions. If registered and bored out to 40mm smoothbore, it is also capable of handling any of the 40mm munitions available on the market. The only rounds that would not function would be the spin armed fuzed rounds such as HE and HEDP, and the 651 type CS. Once this particular launcher is registered, and I receive the paperwork back from you know who… I will then finish the boring job, and perform another range session with assorted 40mm munitions, including the 10/22 adapter, shot gun gauge adapters, and less lethal and lethal munitions. THAT range session should provide much more “entertainment”. J
Bates Manufacturing LLC also makes an under AR launcher, and are forwarding a T&E sample of that launcher to me for testing and evaluation. That review will be the next launcher review posted! Stay tuned! GROG
PRICING: Standard model as tested: $299.00 (current as of 6/27/09)
CONTACT INFORMATION (Updated 10.26.10):
Bates & Dittus LLC website: www.BatesAndDittus.com
E-mail: sales@batesanddittus.com
From the original review: FIREBALL Grog's Review
LAUNCHER T&E Review 37mm “Fireball”
By GROG Copyright 2009 3LC Productions
