Handgun - Forgotten Weapons

Walther PPKs on the Range: Comparing the .32 to the .380

July 18, 2020 Ian McCollum 26

Today I’m out at the range with three examples of Walther PPK pistols – one in .22 rimfire, one in .32 ACP, and one in .380 ACP. While the .22 is along for the comparison, […]

Kohout & Spol 7.65mm Mars Pistol

July 15, 2020 Ian McCollum 18

The “MARS” pistols made in Czechoslovakia began with the “Slavia” line, designed by one Antonin Vilímec in 1920 or 1921. Those were basically simple copies of the vest-pocket Browning pistols, and were made until 1935. […]

The Omni: Llama’s Fancy Upscale Pistol…Attempt

July 13, 2020 Ian McCollum 22

Llama was never the most prestigious of the three major Spanish pistol makers, and in the 1980s they decided to have a try at an upscale new pistol. The design was done by an American, […]

WW1 French Contract Colt 1911 for Tank Crewmen

July 8, 2020 Ian McCollum 28

France was in an interesting position during World War One of being a primary supplier of rifles and machine guns to its allies, but a major importer of handguns. In addition to a great many […]

Russian FN 1905 Vest Pocket Officer’s Pistol

July 6, 2020 Ian McCollum 7

In the years before World War One, the Imperial Nicholas Military Academy in Russia purchased several thousand handguns from FN for resale to its officer candidates and graduates. These were mostly FN 1900 and FN […]

AJ Ordnance “Thomas” at the Backup Gun Match

July 4, 2020 Ian McCollum 14

Today, I’m taking the AJ ordnance “Thomas” .45 to the Backup Gun Match to try it out on the clock. The Thomas was designed as a concealed carry pistol, with no external controls and a […]

AJ Ordnance “Thomas” – A .45 Locked by Grip Alone

July 3, 2020 Ian McCollum 35

Designed by one Frank Thomas Jr. in the 1970s, this pistol was produced by the AJ Ordnance company of Covina California, and named after its creator. It was designed to be a concealed carry pistol […]

1911 vs M1 Carbine in a Practical Match

June 27, 2020 Ian McCollum 61

The M1 Carbine was developed to be a personal defense weapon to replace the 1911 pistol for groups of soldiers like drivers, artillery crews, and others who did not need a full-size M1 Garand but […]

A Walther copied by Hungary for Egypt: the WALAM 48

June 24, 2020 Ian McCollum 16

The WALAM 48 was a copy of the Walther Model PP made by Fegyver- és Gépgyártó Részvénytársaság (aka FÉG) in Hungary in the years after World War Two. It was originally produced as the 48M […]

Walther Q5 “Arabesque”: Art in the Form of a Match Pistol

June 12, 2020 Ian McCollum 16

Engraved pistols are not just the domain of antiques; they are being made right now, on the most modern platforms. This is the “Arabesque”, a project between Walther and Bottega Incisioni Giovanelli. The base gun […]