Commentary - Forgotten Weapons

Handguns in the US Army in World War Two

June 28, 2024 Ian McCollum 45

Was the 1911 an emotional support totem or a viable combat weapon? Or both? American soldiers had a bit different take on handguns than soldiers of many other armies, and I think it stems from […]

How to Avoid the Legal Pitfalls of a Transferrable H&K Auto Sear

April 29, 2024 Ian McCollum 2

One of the particularly popular transferrable machine guns out there is the H&K auto sear. Since H&K grip and trigger assemblies are interchangeable between 9mm, 5.56mm, and 7.62x51mm guns (ie, MP5, HK33, and G3) a […]

What is the Best Maxim Gun? (with John Keene)

April 21, 2024 Ian McCollum 12

Today, Ian is talking to John Keene, NFA specialist for Morphy Auctions. The question is, what is the best model of Maxim gun? Whether it’s for a recreation shooter or a historical enthusiast, there are […]

What is a Battle Rifle?

April 10, 2024 Ian McCollum 129

“Battle rifle” is not a formally recognized term like “assault rifle”, but it is widely used, and I think it has a lot of utility. It is intended to differentiate between intermediate-caliber and full-power military […]

Fundamentals of LPVOs: Cheap vs Expensive

April 7, 2024 Ian McCollum 2

At SHOT Show this year I took some time to speak with Mike Branson of Gideon Optics (formerly of Primary Arms and Swampfox). Mike’s a friend and a true optics nerd, and I figured he […]

Announcing my Newest Book! Small Arms of WW2: Soviet Union

April 3, 2024 Ian McCollum 4

Preorders are open now! http://www.headstamppublishing.com/ For European orders, save on shipping by ordering here: https://www.headstampbook.com I’m very excited to announce my newest book: Small Arms of WWII – Soviet Union! This is the second volume […]

Moons Out Goons Out 2024 Overview: Yeah, I Ran a Hi-Point

March 31, 2024 Ian McCollum 2

Last weekend we ran Moons Out Goons Out 2024, a night rifle match presented by Tactical Night Vision Company at the Echo Valley Training Center. The match was a fantastic success, and I figured I’d […]

Intro to Prism Scopes: What are they Anyway?

March 24, 2024 Ian McCollum 4

At SHOT Show this year I took some time to speak with Mike Branson of Gideon Optics (formerly of Primary ands and Swampfox). Mike’s a friend and a true optics nerd, and I figured he […]

Enough Nonsense; What is an “Assault Rifle”?

March 16, 2024 Ian McCollum 0

Want to see a proper assault rifle in action (a SIG 540)? Check it out right now: https://forgottenweapons.vhx.tv/videos/sig-540-range The technical definition of an “assault rifle” is pretty simple and straightforward. It’s a shoulder-fired rifle with […]

Why Don’t We Have Top-Loading Shotguns?

March 13, 2024 Ian McCollum 56

When I posted some video of the real-life Halo M90 shotgun, one of the most common questions I got was, “why don’t we have top-loading shotguns like that?” Well, it’s an intriguing question…so let’s see […]