Select-fire Rifles - Forgotten Weapons

Colt’s Vietnam Prototype AK/M16 Hybrid: the Model 703

August 17, 2026 Ian McCollum 15

“From Hartford to Vietnam” is available here for preorder: Or you can find it bundled with “Tiger Stripe: The Vietnam Camouflage Story” on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/headstamp/tiger-stripe?ref=3b3v8y The Model 703 was an experimental project at Colt which […]

Sweden’s Green Trials Galil: the FFV-890C

August 3, 2026 Ian McCollum 34

When Sweden decided to replace the AK-4 (a license-built H&K G3) with a 5.56mm rifle in the 1970s, they tested nearly every potential rifle on the market. Only two survived the stringent Swedish arctic trials; […]

Testing 9×39 SP6 AP Ammo Against Body Armor

July 17, 2026 Ian McCollum 29

Today I have a chance to test out a couple rounds of SP6 armor-piercing 9x39mm ammo, using an ex-Russian AS Val rifle. First I’ll try an MNIJ Level 3A soft vest, which is rated for […]

AS Val: The Soviet 9x39mm Silent Assault Rifle

July 8, 2026 Ian McCollum 11

The AS (Special Assault rifle) Val was one of two dedicated silenced rifles developed in Russia in the 1980s. The Val was intended for assault use with full auto firing, while the VSS (Special Sniper […]

FN’s New ARKA: Revamping the SCAR for Military Tenders

June 10, 2026 Ian McCollum 2

The ARKA is essentially FN’s SCAR rifle on the inside but with more AR-style controls and handling. It was developed in response to a number of military and security service tenders which required specifically an […]

AK-12: The Improved 2019 Model

June 1, 2026 Ian McCollum 3

The AK-12 went through an extensive development program that attempted to substantially change the AK design, but failed. In 2015 the early design plans were scrapped, and the project reverted to simply making some changes […]

AK-12: The Original Adopted Model (with Shooting)

June 1, 2026 Ian McCollum 9

Full version with all the shooting footage is available for all Patrons: http://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeapons It is also available to subscribers on Pepperbox and Floatplane: https://www.pepperbox.tv/video/12941 https://www.floatplane.com/post/cvS8e83PUH The AK-12 went through an extensive development program that attempted […]

H&R T223: In Vietnam Before the HK33

May 18, 2026 Ian McCollum 26

The very first iteration of the HK 33 roller-delayed rifle was included in early US rifle testing in Vietnam. H&K worked with Harrington & Richardson as their US representative, who did final assembly on a […]

Battle Rifles in the Jungle: Guatemalan AR-10

April 8, 2026 Ian McCollum 11

Available at Morphy’s here: https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_N__ARTILLERIE_INRICHTINGEN_AR10_MACHINE_GUN__PRE_-LOT667077.aspx Guatemala was one of the handful of countries to purchase original AR-10 rifles, made at Artillerie Inrichtingen (AI) in the Netherlands. The sale was made by Sam Cummings, legendary arms […]

TRW Low Maintenance Rifle: America’s Roller Locked Flechette Rifle

March 30, 2026 Ian McCollum 63

TRW’s Low Maintenance Rifle seems to have been the result of a program to use a blank slate and a modern space age scientific mindset to develop a rifle that would be more reliable and […]