2017 - Forgotten Weapons

Bergman 1920s Trials Prototype Pistol

January 20, 2017 Ian McCollum 28

This was, as far as I can tell, the final iteration of the Bergmann pistols, developed by AEP in Liege for potential military contracts. It retains the locking system of the 1910 pattern pistol, but […]

Carl Ehbet’s Gas Operated Bergmann?

January 19, 2017 Ian McCollum 43

I got a really interesting patent in my mail recently, from Othais at C&Rsenal. It’s and idea clearly based on a Bergmann 1894 or 1896 pattern pistol, but instead of being blowback it uses a […]

Bergmann 1908, 1910, and 1910/21 Pistols

January 18, 2017 Ian McCollum 20

By the time Bergmann found a production subcontractor in AEP for the Spanish order of 1903 Bergmann pistol, the Spanish had added a few new changes to their order, which became known as the Model […]

Woodhull Export Model 35 Carbine

January 17, 2017 Ian McCollum 9

Does anyone recognize this rifle? It was designed by Fred Woodhall in 1945 (after his unsuccessful entry in the M1 Carbine trials), and now his son Tad Woodhull is trying to track it down. If […]

Magnificent Engraved Bergmann Pistols

January 16, 2017 Ian McCollum 9

Today we are taking a brief side trip in Bergmann development to look at a couple of magnificent engraved Bergmann pistols – specifically, a pair of model 1896 No.3s, a Bergmann Mars 1903, and a […]

Bergmann Mars 1903

January 15, 2017 Ian McCollum 33

The military breakthrough for Bergmann finally came in 1903 with a new locking system for the pistol, designed by Louis Schmeisser (who had also designed the previous Bergmann handguns). In 1901, Schmeisser developed the new […]

Schwarzlose machine gun in the Schutz & Larsen factory, 1941

Vintage Saturday: Machine Tools

January 14, 2017 Ian McCollum 15

Schwarzlose machine gun in the Danish Schutz & Larsen factory, 1941. Known for sporting rifles, S&L also subcontracted for Bergmann making submachine gun and light machine gun parts. This photo suggests that they repaired other […]

Bergmann Transitional No 4/5 Pistols

January 13, 2017 Ian McCollum 3

Another pair of transitional Bergmann transitional prototypes today, this time ones that sit between the 1896 and 1897 designs (No2/3/4 and No5). One of these is basically an 1896 frame with an 1897 upper assembly […]

Bergmann No.5 / 1897 (Video)

January 12, 2017 Ian McCollum 8

The Bergmann #5 was the first pistol in the Bergmann line to have a locked breech action, taken from one of Schmeisser’s machine gun patents. This model was introduced in 1897 using a more powerful […]

Book Review: Vickers Guide AR-15

January 11, 2017 Ian McCollum 4

I don’t normally have much interest in coffee-table books, and the Vickers Guide: AR-15 would definitely be considered a coffee-table book. That said, it is substantially different than most such books, and much more worthy […]