Ian McCollum - Forgotten Weapons

A 75mm Maxim-Nordenfelt Cannon and the Type 30 Arisaka

July 7, 2016 Ian McCollum 18

First up, a 75mm Maxim-Nordenfelt cannon that was on display at the Carabinieri Museum in Rome. Guns like this one were pretty widely used by countries all over the world, with a wide variety of details […]

Cody Firearms Museum Virtual Tour

July 6, 2016 Ian McCollum 14

The Cody Firearms Museum is a part of the Buffalo Bill Center for the West, and one of the very best firearms museums in the US (if not the world). It incorporates a number of […]

The kit of a French Private Soldier in the Battle of Verdun, 1916

World War One Soldiers’ Loadouts

July 5, 2016 Ian McCollum 54

A reader sent me a link to a pretty cool image gallery showing the basic clothing and equipment of five different major combatant powers from mid-WWI. I have re-uploaded the individual photos in case the […]

Burton 1917 Light Machine Rifle

July 4, 2016 Ian McCollum 58

America’s first assault rifle? Well, it does meet all the requirements – select-fire, intermediate cartridge, and shoulder-fired. It was never actually fielded, though. The Burton Light Machine Rifle was developed during World War One, with […]

Vintage Saturday: Folding Transport

July 2, 2016 Ian McCollum 35

Not just any bicycle, but a folding Gladiator bicycle! You can see the entire 13-photo set here. Thanks to Denny for pointing these pictures out!

Beretta Model 1931 & 1937 Prototype Semiauto Rifles

July 1, 2016 Ian McCollum 42

In the 1930s, the Italian military (like all major military forces at the time) was investigating options for a semiautomatic service rifle. Beretta’s Tulio Marengoni developed one such rifle, and submitted it in two forms. […]

Italian Scout Bicycle

June 30, 2016 Ian McCollum 48

So, this is a bit off our normal subject matter, but it appealed to the mechanical nerd in me, and I figured at least a few of my readers would have the same reaction. If […]

GunSpotting in Rome

June 29, 2016 Ian McCollum 71

About a month ago I spent some time in Italy, and noticed a few things that I thought would be interesting. The biggest thing that stood out to me (on the matter of firearms, I […]

Q&A #5: Rollin White and Other (Better) Designers

June 28, 2016 Ian McCollum 51

Questions in part I of today’s Q&A: 1:04 – What was Rollin White’s revolver like? 7:09 – Why did pan magazines disappear? 10:14 – Why no pointed pistol bullets? 13:24 – Funky rounds like Trounds […]

Transitional Swiss Sniper K31 Rifles (Video)

June 27, 2016 Ian McCollum 12

During World War II, the Swiss military experimented with two models of K31 carbine with integral optics (the K31/42 and K31/43). These were found to be not sufficient for military service, and after more experimentation […]