By Miguel C. Gil

The recently enacted Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Act of 2013 is far from being a perfect law. In fact, it contains certain provisions that many gun rights advocates continue to find rather objectionable. Still, it fills-in the ambiguities of the Philippines’ old gun law—which used to change with the caprices of government regulators.

It is now in black and white that private citizens can own firearms chambered for centerfire cartridges up to .30 caliber—so long as they are not selective-fire (full auto) capable. This is good news for enthusiasts of military-type sporting rifles in 5.56mm to 7.62mm… and everything in between!

United Defense Manufacturing Corporation or U.D.M.C. is the first local firm, as far as we know, to respond positively to this new niche in the civilian gun market. This small but aggressive company has been manufacturing AR15-style rifles and carbines in pursuit of the reportedly elusive government market. The firm is best known for its proprietary piston-operated AR-15 variant dubbed the “PVAR.”

Upon our request, UDMC founder and C.E.O. Gene Carino furnished Home Defense Journal some photos of his company’s brand new semi-automatic rifles, carbines and short-barrelled rifles (SBRs) made especially for the local civilian market. They are available in both the piston-driven PVAR variant and the more traditional direct gas impingement system or DGIS.

Our personal experience with UDMC products is rather limited… so an objective review of them will have to wait until we get more time on the trigger. Meantime, we are posting images of UDMC’s current “semi-auto” offerings for the perusal of our readers.

PLAY: The UDMC select-fire SBR in this video is strictly for government sales only. But the company now also offers semi-auto versions for the civilian sporting and defense market. (Video by Anthony James)