Ian McCollum - Forgotten Weapons

Reproduction HEL-E4A Vietnam M16 Silencer by International Milspec Co

August 1, 2025 Ian McCollum 1

The Human Engineering Lab’s HEL-E4A was the most commonly used suppressor used in the Vietnam War. It was the result of a series of suppressor designs from the Aberdeen Proving Grounds HEL which were developed […]

Swedish Paratrooper Prototype: AK Fm/57

July 30, 2025 Ian McCollum 2

Check out Headstamp Publishing’s extensive catalog of excellent books: https://www.headstamppublishing.com/home-forgotten As Sweden was looking to adopt a new self-loading infantry rifle in the 1950s, one of the contenders was a modernized version of the Ljungman. […]

ZK 381: Czech Pre-War Prototype Battle Rifle

July 28, 2025 Ian McCollum 7

The ZK-381 was designed by Josef Koucký, his first design of 1938 (hence 381). This is one of the last of the Czech pre-war self-loading rifle projects, of which there were quite a lot. It […]

SIG’s Real P320 Problem is no Longer Uncommanded Discharges

July 27, 2025 Ian McCollum 111

Penguin Brutality patch and t-shirt available from Varusteleka: https://www.varusteleka.com/en/product/forgotten-weapons-penguin-brutality-t-shirt/81986 The problem of the P320 has evolved past the actual mechanical issue with the pistol – which still hasn’t actually bee identified. The problem is actually […]

Q&A: Chinese Small Arms w/ Jason Clower from Type 56: The Story of China’s Army

July 26, 2025 Ian McCollum 7

My book “Pistols of the Warlords” is available through Headstamp Publishing: https://www.headstamppublishing.com/chinese-pistols Today I am very happy to welcome Jason Clower as our Q&A guest. Jason runs the channel “Type 56: The Story of China’s […]

ASAC Presentation: The Springfield Continental Arsenal Before 1794

July 25, 2025 Ian McCollum 1

This lecture was presented at the Spring 2025 meeting of the American Society of Arms Collectors. It was given by Alex MacKenzie, Curator of the Springfield Armory National Historic Site.

Krieghoff’s Bizarre Prototype FG42 Proposal

July 23, 2025 Ian McCollum 36

Check out Headstamp Publishing’s extensive catalog of excellent books: https://www.headstamppublishing.com/home-forgotten When the Luftwaffe was looking for its new universal paratrooper rifle, six different German arms companies were asked to submit proposals. Only two actually did; […]

.50 BMG and the Geneva Convention

July 22, 2025 Ian McCollum 36

Adorable Penguin Brutality shirt available from Varusteleka: https://www.varusteleka.com/en/product/forgotten-weapons-penguin-brutality-t-shirt/81986?option=81709 I’m sure you’ve heard the one about how targeting an enemy soldier with a .50 BMG is a war crime, but targeting his belt buckle is okay […]

G150: Swiss Silenced Guerrilla Anti-Material Rifle

July 21, 2025 Ian McCollum 36

The G150 is a rifle specifically assembled by and for the Swiss P-26 organization: a very secretive stay-behind group intended to fight foreign occupiers of Switzerland. It was one of a series of such organizations […]

ATF Hates This One Trick to Get a Short Barreled Shotgun!

July 20, 2025 Ian McCollum 16

How can you have a 12ga with a 14″ barrel but not have it be an NFA-regulated Short Barreled Shotgun? And how can you have a .410 shotgun-firing pistol that isn’t an NFA-regulated Any Other […]