Ian McCollum - Forgotten Weapons

RIA: Brun Latrige Model 1900

April 14, 2016 Ian McCollum 32

Patented in 1896, this is one of several models of unique pocket pistols designed by Paul Brun-Latrige. He was a manager of the Manufrance company located in St. Etienne France, a large mail-order catalog company […]

RIA: Walther P38 Development

April 13, 2016 Ian McCollum 52

The Walther P38 was adopted by Germany in 1938 as a replacement for the P08 Luger – not really because the Luger was a bad pistol, but because it was an expensive pistol. Walther began […]

RIA: Whitmore 4-Barrel Swivel-Breech Rifle

April 12, 2016 Ian McCollum 17

One of the options for having multiple shots available in the age of the muzzleloading rifle was the swivel-breech rifle. Such a rifle would have typically two barrels and one lock – one the first […]

RIA: Japanese 8mm Hamada Pistol

April 11, 2016 Ian McCollum 32

Just as production of the .32ACP Type Hamada pistols was reaching full scale, Bunji Hamada was asked to redesign his pistol to use the standard 8mm Nambu cartridge. This he did, and after several changes […]

RIA: Japanese 7.65mm Hamada Pistol

April 10, 2016 Ian McCollum 33

The Hamada was one of very few Japanese military weapons made by a private commercial firm. Designed and introduced in 1940, the basic Type Hamada pistol was a blowback .32ACP handgun similar in style to […]

RIA: 11mm Devisme Cartridge Revolver

April 9, 2016 Ian McCollum 34

Devisme of Paris was one of the early manufacturers of a true centerfire cartridge revolver, with production of this model beginning in 1858 or 1859. This is a bottom-break 11mm, 6-shot revolver, made to a […]

RIA: Japanese Type 100 Paratrooper

April 8, 2016 Ian McCollum 15

The Type 100 (sometimes called the Type 0) was one of the initial Japanese experiments in paratroop rifles. Manufactured from standard Nagoya Arsenal Type 99 rifles, the Type 100 used a set of interrupted lugs […]

RIA: Walther A115 Prototype Rifle

April 7, 2016 Ian McCollum 46

The Walther A115 was one of the semiauto rifles developed in pre-WWII Germany. Apparently only three were made, and it uses a neat combination of sheet metal construction with a rotating bolt and annular gas […]

RIA: Norwegian 1846 Postførerverge Knife-Pistol?

April 6, 2016 Ian McCollum 29

This is one of the more practical knife/pistol combinations I have seen – it actually has a pretty reasonable grip when used in either capacity. It has two muzzleloading smoothbore barrels, with a percussion cap […]

RIA: Yovanovitch Model 1931 Pistol

April 5, 2016 Ian McCollum 20

Lazar Yovanovitch was a Serbian native of Yugoslavia, born in Belgrade. He left engineering school to design firearms, and developed a couple .22 and .380 caliber pistols. None were adopted by the Yugoslav military, but […]