Commentary - Forgotten Weapons

Bannerman, the Father of Gun Collecting: Tales from the Golden Age of Surplus

February 11, 2026 Ian McCollum 3

Francis Bannerman is really the father of the modern military surplus industry, and in many ways a father of gun collecting as we know it today. Before Bannerman, “gun collecting” was generally something for the […]

Which Customer Are You? (w/ Mike Branson of Gideon Optics)

February 9, 2026 Ian McCollum 1

Suit from Grayman & Co: https://grayman.co Today I’m speaking with Mike Branson from Gideon Optics at SHOT Show 2026 about what he sees in the industry. Specifically, the three categories that customers fall into…

Vaporware or Successful Release: SHOT Show 2025 Retrospective

January 25, 2026 Ian McCollum 17

Today we take a look back at last year’s SHOT Show. Of all the products I did videos on, which ones successfully came to market and which dissolved into vaporware? Hop’s HTX-1 Video: https://youtu.be/snpg6Vz5DOY AKB-23 […]

Buying W.W. Greener: Tales from the Golden Age of Surplus

January 7, 2026 Ian McCollum 5

I am joined today by Val Forgett III of Navy Arms for the first in a series of videos telling some of his stories form growing up in the golden age of surplus, with a […]

Print Gun Magazines are Dead (or are they?)

December 28, 2025 Ian McCollum 34

Print gun magazines used to be the standard way to stay tuned to the new scholarship in the world of collectible firearms. Then we got the internet. Today, researchers paid to write articles for print […]

Ian Must Face the Cursed Chauchats

December 23, 2025 Ian McCollum 34

Just for reference, here’s the Belgian M1927 Chauchat:

Why the M7 and 6.8x51mm are Bad Ideas: Welcome to my TED Talk

December 6, 2025 Ian McCollum 62

NATO Cold War Battle Rifles and much more: https://www.headstamppublishing.com Cappy Army video on the SIG M7A1: CBJ Armor Piecing ammunition: The plan to replace the 5.56mm M4 Carbine with the 6.8mm M7 as the US […]

M2 Carbine vs MP44 Sturmgewehr (w/ John Keene)

August 30, 2025 Ian McCollum 47

Today we are considering two late World War Two rifles: the American M2 Carbine and the German MP-44 Sturmgewehr. Which would you take into combat? The Sturmgewehr is certainly iconic, with a more powerful cartridge, […]

Pick One: G1 (FAL) vs G3 (H&K) w/ John Keene

August 2, 2025 Ian McCollum 49

If you had to pick one, would you take a G1 (FAL) or a G3 (H&K)? Both are 7.62mm NATO rifles adopted by Germany. The G1 has more features and capabilities, like the carry handle, […]

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 […]