Commentary - Forgotten Weapons

Print Gun Magazines are Dead (or are they?)

December 28, 2025 Ian McCollum 32

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 […]

.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 […]

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 […]

Valmet M78 vs FN-D (w/ John Keene)

July 12, 2025 Ian McCollum 46

If you had to pick one, would you take a Valmet M78 (in 7.62mm NATO) or an FN-D (in .30-06)? Both are reliable and well-made machine guns and they use essentially the same caliber. The […]

Jonathan Ferguson: British Military AR15s & Flintlock Revolvers

June 29, 2025 Ian McCollum 0

Jonathan’s book, “Thorneycroft to SA80”: https://www.headstamppublishing.com/bullpup-rifle-book “Clockwork Basilisk: The Early Revolvers of Elisha Collier”: https://www.headstamppublishing.com/collier-book “Who Invented the Wheelgun?”: https://www.headstamppublishing.com/purchase/p/wheelgun Armax Journal: https://www.armaxjournal.org Jonathan’s flintlock revolver article: