Armsel Striker
Summary
| Country | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| Category | Combat shotgun |
| Manufacturer | Sentinel Arms Co |
Technical specifications
| Armsel Striker | |
|---|---|
| Fire Rate | 240 rounds/min. |
| Caliber | 12 (19.5 x76 mm) |
| Magazine | 12 rounds |
| Length | 792 mm (31.2 in) |
| Weight | 4.4 kg (9.7 lb) |
| Range | 40 m (131 ft) |
Description
Designed in 1981 by Zimbabwean citizen Hilton R. Walker for riot control and combat, the Armsel Striker is a 12-gauge shotgun that employs a revolving cylinder. Walker later moved to South Africa, taking his design with him. Despite its success in export markets, the original Striker suffered from a bulky rotary cylinder, long reload times, and flaws in its basic action. In 1989, Walker redesigned the weapon as the "Protecta," which eliminated the cylinder rotation mechanism and added an auto cartridge ejection system. An American copy, known as the "SWD Street Sweeper," was produced by Cobray between 1989 and 1993.
Early models of the Striker featured a rotating cylinder action, similar to that of a revolver, along with a conventional double-action-only trigger. The heavy cylinder required a pre-wound clock-work spring to rotate it, which allowed for a shorter, lighter trigger pull but slowed down the loading process, as each shell had to be individually loaded and the spring wound. Ejection was performed via an ejector rod. Later versions removed the clockwork mechanism and ejector rod, opting instead for an automatic ejection system and a cocking lever that automatically winds the cylinder. The standard Striker holds twelve rounds and has a short overall length, while compact models hold seven rounds.
Several variants and related firearms have been developed:
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Armsel Striker: Hilton Walker's original design.
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Armsel Protecta: An improved version designed to simplify handling and increase reliability.
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Armsel Protecta Bulldog: A significantly shortened, stockless variant of the Protecta, intended for use in confined spaces.
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Sentinel Arms Co Striker-12: A licensed and improved copy for the American market, available with either an 18-inch barrel or a 7-inch stockless configuration.
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Cobray/SWD Street Sweeper: A lower-end clone of the Striker, with limited parts interchangeability.
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Cobray/SWD Ladies Home Companion: A reduced-caliber variant of the Streetsweeper, with a trigger group adapted for a .410 bore or .45/70 Government cylinder and barrel.