Today I’m at B&T in Thun, Switzerland taking a look at the whole history of the company’s suppressors. They began back in the 90s when founder Karl Brügger was working as a machinist and had spare time available – so he started making silencers for himself and his friends. That grew into a small business, then a larger business getting contracts for Swiss police departments and making commercial sales, and eventually into the major industry player it is today. B&T is not the best-known name in the United States, but they have a long history of making OEM suppressors for major European arms companies like H&K.
Antiques
Finland Salvages a “Tragic Boating Accident”: Grafton Vetterli Rifles
During the Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese government helped smuggle arms to potential revolutionaries in Russia, in hopes of provoking a domestic crisis that would divert Russia military force form the war. This included a plot […]
Semiauto Rifles
Mondragon 1908 Semiauto Rifles – 4 Different Examples (Video)
Best known as the first semiautomatic service rifle adopted by a mainstream military force, the 1908 Mondragon was designed by Mexican native Manuel Mondragon, manufactured by SIG in Switzerland, and adopted by the Mexican Army […]
Submachine Guns
The Swiss Suomi: MP43/44 (With Bayonet)
During World War Two, the Swiss had adopted Adolf Furrer’s toggle-locked MP41 submachine gun, and they found it too fragile, complex, and expensive. Looking for an alternative, one easy choice was the Finnish Suomi. Used […]
Had to check myself – 4.3mm, yep never adopted but interesting that B&T was making a suppressor for the HK 36. Great vid.
HK36 (not to be confused with Bundeswehr G36 which originally was called HK50 if I remember correctly) fired a 4.6 mm x 36 cartridge.
I was going to say that I wondered why the project was so short-lived but the energetics of that round probably tell the whole story. ~1k J v 5.56 @ 1.7k and my favorite “forgotten” 6.5 Grendle @ ~2.5k
12:09 – I think brain surgery might be easier than attaching this can?
😀