Semiauto pistol - Forgotten Weapons

When Revolver Meets 1911: The Coonan .357 Magnum Automatic

July 22, 2022 Ian McCollum 26

Dan Coonan first designed his pistol in graduate school as a drafting project: a 1911 pistol chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge. No easy feat, designing a self-loading pistol magazine to cycle a big rimmed […]

AutoMag 160 in .357AMP: For When the Regular AutoMag is too Common

July 20, 2022 Ian McCollum 25

The AutoMag was originally designed to use a rimless version of the .44 Magnum cartridge; the .44 AMP. Shortly after it was introduced, though, the company Brough out a second cartridge, the .357 AMP. This […]

New .44 AutoMag Behemoth at the BackUp Gun Match

July 2, 2022 Ian McCollum 24

Yesterday we were looking at the new resurrection of the AutoMag pistol, and today I have it out at the monthly BackUp Gun match. Is it appropriate to bring this behemoth of a pistol to […]

Is the AutoMag Curse Over? The New Auto Mag 180-D

July 1, 2022 Ian McCollum 37

Historically speaking, the AutoMag 180 pistol has been a reaper of investors. Between 1971 and 1982, no fewer than six different companies went bankrupt trying to make a profit building Auto Mags. However, we may […]

Two World Wars: A Weimar Police C96 Mauser

June 22, 2022 Ian McCollum 32

In the aftermath of World War One, German police forces were responsible for maintaining social order is a very chaotic Germany. They were reequipped with small arms, and in particular needed pistols. The ideal sidearm […]

.30 Super Carry at the BUG Match!

June 18, 2022 Ian McCollum 15

I don’t normally take actual backup guns to the backup gun match; it’s usually some oddball old pistol. But today, I decided to bring out the new S&W Shield Plus in .30 Super Carry. It’s […]

.30 Super Carry: My 7.65 French Long is Back! (feat. S&W Shield Plus)

May 30, 2022 Ian McCollum 32

Want a more in-depth review of the S&W Shield Plus in .30SC? Check out James Reeves’ video today on TFBTV: When Federal announced their new .30 Super Carry cartridge, I was really excited to see […]

Arex Delta Gen2: How Gun Designs Iterate and Improve

May 25, 2022 Ian McCollum 18

In firearms, as in really all technology, the market iterates and improves concepts over time. A novel new system – like the polymer-framed, striker-fired semiauto pistol – will never be perfect on its first introduction. […]

Business Intrigue Gone Wrong: High Powers for Oman

May 16, 2022 Ian McCollum 8

The story of the Browning High Power pistols with Omani national crests is and interesting one. It begins with a man named Paul Van Hee brokering a contract for Cadillac-Gage “Commando” armored cars for the […]

Walther Prototype MP – A Missing Link From PP to P38

May 9, 2022 Ian McCollum 34

During the late 1920 and early 1930s, the Walther company worked on developing a military pistol in 9x19mm. They began from the basis of the PP/PPK design, and produced three separate designs, the first two […]