Ian McCollum - Forgotten Weapons

North Korean Small Arms, DIA 1983

May 17, 2020 Ian McCollum 8

Courtesy of reader Matthew, we have this DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) short overview of North Korean small arms to share with you. It’s appropriately timed, as tomorrow I am posting a video on a North […]

CMMG Banshee at the Range

May 16, 2020 Ian McCollum 51

Yesterday we looked at the novel Radial Delayed Blowback system invented by CMMG for their 9mm AR carbines; today we are taking it out to the range to try. It does indeed do exactly as […]

CMMG Banshee: The Unique Radial Delayed Blowback System

May 15, 2020 Ian McCollum 11

In 2015, the CMMG company decided to develop a pistol-caliber AR carbine firing .45 ACP. Such things were becoming common in 9mm, but .45 was a more open market opportunity. They spent substantial time trying […]

The Scout Rifle Study: A Book Review and Critique of the Scout Rifle Concept

May 14, 2020 Ian McCollum 50

Let me preface this by saying that I remain a big fan of the Scout Rifle concept and the Steyr Scout in particular. When I ordered a copy of Richard Mann’s “The Scout Rifle Study”, […]

Chinese 7.62mm Sten Gun

May 13, 2020 Ian McCollum 18

During World War Two, Canada supplied some 73,000 Sten guns (made by the Long Branch arsenal) to Chinese Nationalist forces in an effort to help them fight the Japanese. These Stens were standard MkII pattern […]

Carcano Moschetto 91 Carbine and its Folding Bayonet

May 12, 2020 Ian McCollum 26

Following rapidly on the heels of the M91 rifle, the Italian military adopted the Moschetto M91 in 1893 as a carbine to equip a variety of forces. They were issued to cavalry, Bersaglieri, Carabinieri, and […]

Ethiopian Modified Gewehr 88 Carbine

May 11, 2020 Ian McCollum 15

This rifle began life as a German Gewehr 88 rifle in German military service. It was sent to Ethiopia, marked in Amharic, and then at some point cut down to carbine length. The shortened gun […]

PGM Precision Hecate II at the Range

May 9, 2020 Ian McCollum 17

Today, we are taking the PGM Precision Hecate II out to the range. It is a rifle designed for use out to 1800m, but I have neither the skills myself nor the range facility to […]

PGM Hecate II: A Battle-Hardened .50 Caliber Sniper Rifle

May 8, 2020 Ian McCollum 22

Courtesy of PGM Precision USA, we have a chance to take a look at a Hecate II sniper rifle today. This rifle’s story begins with the Ultima Ratio, a classic-based 7.62mm precision rifle designed by […]

English Transitional Pepperbox Revolver

May 7, 2020 Ian McCollum 9

This is lot #3294 in the upcoming RIA Premier Auction. It was scheduled for April, but has been postponed – check their web site for upcoming Online Only auctions every month, though! Before modern revolvers, […]