December, 2017 - Forgotten Weapons

Book Review – Handguns of the World by Edward Ezell

December 31, 2017 Ian McCollum 36

If I had to choose just one firearms book to keep (for some inexplicable reason), Edward Ezell’s “Handguns of the World” would be on the short list of books to consider. It is a […]

Italian Trials Czech ZK-391 Semiauto Rifle

December 30, 2017 Ian McCollum 31

The ZK-391 is one in a series of Czech developmental semiautomatic rifles designed by Josef Koucký. It was developed initially in 1939 (hence the “39” in the designation), and was tested by the Italian military […]

Machine Gun Terminology – LMG, MMG, SAW, LSW, HMG, GPMG

December 29, 2017 Ian McCollum 69

Today we will look at the various different categories of machine guns – what makes them, why they exist, and what their place in military history is. Specifically… Automatic Rifle: Shoulder or hip fired, […]

Hudson H9 Prototypes & Development (with Cy Hudson)

December 28, 2017 Ian McCollum 17

I am joined today by Cy Hudson, to take a look at the early prototypes of the Hudson H9 pistol – nicknamed the Brick and the Boat Anchor – and to discuss the development […]

Improvised & Craft-Built Firearms w/ Jonathan Ferguson & Nic Jenzen-Jone

December 27, 2017 Ian McCollum 24

Today I am joined for a round table discussion (well, octagon table, technically) by Jonathan Ferguson (Curator of the National Firearms Centre collection at the Royal Armouries) and Nic Jenzen-Jones (Director of Armament Research Services) […]

Just Shooting Compilation: 2017

December 26, 2017 Ian McCollum 3

The year in review with shooting! In order of appearance: EM-2 (.280/30) vz61 Skrpion kp/44 kp/31 Suomi ZB-26 RK-95/S American 180 Finnish Maxim KVKK-62 DP-28 Prototype Friberg/Kjellman SIG MP48 Dreyse light rifle PSM RSC-1918 RSC-1917 […]

Forgotten Weapons Field Test: 90-Round AK Magazine

December 25, 2017 Ian McCollum 30

Today I am joined by Forgotten Weapons Field Research Assistant Clay to test out one of those super-extended 90-round AK mags that are so often seen at the junk tables of gun shows. How bad […]

Book Review: Vom Ursprung der Selbstladepistole

December 24, 2017 Ian McCollum 16

Written by Josef Mötz and‎ Joschi Schuy, “Vom Ursprung der Selbstladepistole” (Origins of the Automatic Pistol) is an absolute gold mine of information on early manually operated and self loading pistols. It is limited to […]

Captain Fraser’s Webley-Fosbery: WWI in Microcosm

December 23, 2017 Ian McCollum 20

Captain Percy Fraser, DSO was born on January 22, 1879 and died in Ypres on the night of February 23, 1915 while attempting to aid men wounded outside their trench. His unit of the Queen’s […]

Prototype Friberg/Kjellman Flapper-Locking Semiauto Rifle

December 22, 2017 Ian McCollum 11

The origins of flap-locking (as used in the G41(W), G43, DShK, DP, and RPD, among others) goes back to a Swedish Lieutenant Friberg in 1870, who patented the system. At that time, however, the fouling […]