Heavy MGs
Russia’s Big Fifty on the Range: DShK-38
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!
Machine Guns
Heavy MGs
DShK-38: The Soviet Monster .50 Cal HMG
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 […]
General Purpose MGs
Darne Model 1933: An Economic & Modular Interwar MG
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 […]
Light MGs
Yugoslav M72: The Early Balkan RPK
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 […]
Submachine Guns
Romanian Orita Model 1941/48
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 […]
Prototype
Bechowiec: Polish Teenager Makes a Resistance SMG
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 […]
Grenade Launcher
Inkunzi Strike 20mm Grenade Machine Gun
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 […]
Aircraft MGs
Parabellum 1914/17: Germany’s Ultimate Aircraft Maxim
Forgotten Weapons merino wool hoodies from Varusteleka: https://www.varusteleka.com/en/product/forgotten-weapons-sarma-merino-wool-hoodie/72488 The DWM company in Germany had a license on the Maxim gun design prior to World War One. They produced the rather old-fashioned MG08 for the German […]
Submachine Guns
Błyskawica: The Polish Home Army’s Clandestine SMG
The Blyskawica (“LIghtning”) is an SMG developed in occupied Poland to be issued out to Home Army units during Operation Tempest; the liberation uprisings planned for the advance of the Red Army into Poland. The […]
Conversion
From Aircraft to Improvised Infantry: the Vickers MkI No2
The Vickers MkI No2 was an improvisation of the British Royal Air Force. They needed arms for airbase defense, without unduly impacting the production of weapons for the infantry. Wheat they had a good supply […]