2026 - Forgotten Weapons

Model 1867 Trapdoor: A Unique Rifle for West Point Cadets

April 24, 2026 Ian McCollum 4

Available from Morphys here: https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_A__SPRINGFIELD_MODEL_1867_TRAPDOOR_CADET_STYLE_RI-LOT661752.aspx When the US military academy at West Point opened in 1802, one of the things it did was train cadets in rifle drill. The cadets were as young as 14 […]

M26 MASS (Modular Accessory Shotgun System)

April 22, 2026 Ian McCollum 43

Available from Morphys here: https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_N__VERTU_CORP_C_MORE_COMPETITION_M26_MASS_12_GAUG-LOT661207.aspx The M26 Modular Accessory Shotgun System (MASS) was designed by C-More Products company as a new shotgun option for the US military. First prototyped in 1999, it was not actually […]

Late-War Commercial K98k – Production in 1944 But Not for the Wehrmacht

April 20, 2026 Ian McCollum 25

Available from Morphys here: https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_C__RARE_LATE_WAR_COMMERCIAL_GUSTLOFF_WERKE_BCD_4_-LOT662278.aspx Late in 1944, a number of small companies assembled a batch of K98k rifles and commercially proofed them. These are a known group of guns to the collecting community, although […]

Aimpoint ICE: A More Aesthetic 1990s Prototype Red Dot

April 18, 2026 Ian McCollum 5

https://youtu.be/GfIAE4PFJyQ During the 1990s, Aimpoint had a product developed who thought it would be good to develop a new red dot sight that had a more curved, organic look to it. The design he came […]

Franchi LF-57 vs Colt SMG (w/ John Keene)

April 17, 2026 Ian McCollum 12

LF-57 Available from Morphys here: https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_N__MARS_EQUIPMENT_CORP_FRANCHI_M1962_MACHINE_GUN_-LOT667044.aspx Today John Keene and I are comparing and contrasting a pair of quite different submachine guns. One is a Franchi LF-57, a rare second generation stamped Italian design very […]

Henry Deringer’s Remarkable Percussion Pocket Pistols

April 15, 2026 Ian McCollum 26

Henry Deringer Jr was born in Easton PA in 1786 to German parents. As a young man he apprenticed to a gunsmith, then spent 1808 working in the Virginia Manufactory making guns, and then open […]

St Chamond 75mm Field Gun: From Mondragon to WW1 Tanks to Israel

April 13, 2026 Ian McCollum 6

Available from Morphy’s here: https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_D__EXCEPTIONAL_CONDITION_ST_CHAMOND_75MM_FIELD_GU-LOT657326.aspx The design for the St Chamond 75mm field gun was initially created by Mexican small arms designer Manual Mondragon, who worked extensively in artillery as well as small arms. As […]

The Origins of Aldo Uberti and Reproduction Cowboy Guns

April 11, 2026 Ian McCollum 15

In 1958, Val Forgett of Navy Arms contracted with Beretta engineer Aldo Uberti to produce 1,000 reproductions of the Colt 1851 Navy revolver. That turned into the beginning of many decades of production of a […]

Simplified Warner Revolving Rifle: Caught by Colt’s Patent

April 10, 2026 Ian McCollum 4

Available from Morphy’s here: https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_A__RARE_WARNER_S_PATENT_OPEN_FRAME_GROOVED_CYLIND-LOT665548.aspx James Warner was a gunsmith and owner of the Springfield Arms Company. In the 1850s he produced a series of revolving rifle designs which are interesting, but poorly documented. Only […]

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 […]