Machine Guns - Forgotten Weapons

Prototype Silenced Sten for Paratroops: the Mk4(S)

March 24, 2023 Ian McCollum 0

The Sten Mk4 was developed experimentally in 1943 for use by British paratroops. It used a remarkably awful folding stock along with a shortened receiver and barrel to make a very compact package – albeit […]

VMP 1930 at the Range: does the Monopod Help?

March 18, 2023 Ian McCollum 15

Yesterday we took a look at the mechanics and history of Heinrich Vollmer’s 1930 pattern VMP, and today we have it out at the range. I’m curious is the mid-point monopod will actually help or […]

SMG With a Monopod? The Vollmer VMP-1930

March 17, 2023 Ian McCollum 12

In 1925, the German military began a series of secret SMG trials at the Kummersdorf testing grounds. One of the participants was Heinrich Vollmer. He was funded directly by the government for his small arms […]

Russia’s Big Fifty on the Range: DShK-38

March 11, 2023 Ian McCollum 21

Yesterday we looked at the history and the mechanics of the Soviet heavy machine guns from World War Two, the DShK-38. Today, we are taking it out to the range!

DShK-38: The Soviet Monster .50 Cal HMG

March 10, 2023 Ian McCollum 6

In 1925 the USSR began a program to develop a heavy machine gun for antiaircraft use. After some initial experimentation with a converted Dreyse machine gun, they brought in Degtyarev to scale up his recently-adopted […]

Darne Model 1933: An Economic & Modular Interwar MG

February 15, 2023 Ian McCollum 67

The Darne company was one of relatively few private arms manufacturers in France, best known for shotguns. During World War One they got into the machine gun trade, making licensed Lewis guns for the French […]

Yugoslav M72: The Early Balkan RPK

February 3, 2023 Ian McCollum 29

When the Yugoslav Peoples’ Army began AK development, they produced the M64 infantry rifle and the M65 support weapon. The M65 had a longer and heavier profile barrel and a bipod – and in its […]

Romanian Orita Model 1941/48

January 30, 2023 Ian McCollum 14

The Orita SMG was designed by a Romanian Army Captian Marin Orita in 1941, and went into service in 1943. It was used primarily in Southern Europe in late WW2 with Romanian forces. It was […]

Bechowiec: Polish Teenager Makes a Resistance SMG

January 25, 2023 Ian McCollum 16

The Bechowiec (or Beha) is a fascinating SMG produced in small numbers in southern Poland under German occupation during World War Two. It was made for use by the Bataliony Chłopskie (Peasant Battalions) by a […]

Inkunzi Strike 20mm Grenade Machine Gun

January 20, 2023 Ian McCollum 42

Tony Neophytou developed this for Denel Land Systems, which has completely fallen apart as a company and left it now as his own independent design, with no manufacturer. I filmed this video in 2018, to […]