Accessories - Forgotten Weapons

Parker-Hale .303-.22 Conversion Kits for the Enfield, Lewis, and Vickers

September 14, 2021 Ian McCollum 24

In July of 1918, the British military formally adopted a Parker-Hale system of adapting .303-caliber arms to .22 rimfire for short range training. The system involved lining standard barrels with .22 caliber blanks that were […]

Deckungszielgerät – Germany’s WW2 Trench Rifle System

March 23, 2021 Ian McCollum 26

When the German attack into Russia stagnated in late 1942, some areas of the front returned to a trench-and-sniper sort of warfare that was reminiscent of World War One. The German military actually went so […]

Scattergun Science! Testing Diverter and Duckbill Chokes

February 27, 2021 Ian McCollum 13

Matt Haught joins me one more time to try out some practical testing of the Diverter and Duckbill shotgun chokes. We are using a 2-liter bottles of seltzer water on strings at 10 yards, and […]

Very Rare and Mostly Pointless: the Bren Fixed Line Sight

February 25, 2021 Ian McCollum 19

The very early production MkI Bren light machine guns were made with two dovetail brackets on the left side of the receiver. The rear one was for the standard rear sight, and the front one […]

Loading Tool for a .31 Caliber Volcanic Repeater

November 30, 2020 Ian McCollum 11

One thing I have not really though about before is how best to carry extra cartridges for a Volcanic repeater. They are self-contained, but still rather fragile compared to today’s ammunition (and they were originally […]

WW1 Prideaux Speedloader for the .455 Webley Revolvers

November 12, 2020 Ian McCollum 12

The Prideaux speed loader was one of several early such devices patented and manufactured as early as 1893, but neither it nor any competitor saw much demand until the outbreak of World War One. At […]

Königliche Marine (Prussian Navy) Colt 1851 Rig

October 28, 2020 Ian McCollum 25

In 1855, Prussian customs officials discovered a shipment of 3,000 Colt 1851 Navy model revolvers (and their accouterments) hidden in bales of cotton being shipped from New York to Russia. Prussia was a neutral power […]

Vintage Match Gear: P.J. O’Hare Sight Covers & Tool

September 29, 2020 Ian McCollum 4

Specialized hobbies have always been a market for specialized gear, and competitive target shooting is a perfect example. Today, we have a set of P.J. O’Hare sight covers form the 1920s or 30s, along with […]

Testing the Duckbill Choke with Matt Haught

September 11, 2020 Ian McCollum 34

Today I am out at the range with Matt Haught of Symtac Consulting to test out a duckbill choke. Also known as a spreader, this was a muzzle device used briefly by SEALs in Vietnam […]

Audley Safety Holster and an OSS Colt 1903

July 28, 2020 Ian McCollum 5

F.H. Audley was a saddler who ran a business in New York City starting in the 1870s. As his business in horse tackle declined with the spread of automobiles, he found himself looking for other […]