Machine Guns - Forgotten Weapons

M1907/12 Schwarzlose HMG at James D Julia

March 3, 2015 Ian McCollum 37

The M1907/12 heavy machine gun was the standard mounted MG of the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the First World War, and saw sporadic use clear through the end of WWII. The design is unusual among heavy […]

Vickers Semiauto Conversion at RIA (Video)

February 16, 2015 Ian McCollum 34

The Vickers machine gun was an evolution of the Maxim, the world’s first successful machine gun. The Vickers was adopted by the British armed forces shortly before World War I and remained in active service […]

Japanese Type 97 Tank Machine Gun

January 26, 2015 Ian McCollum 29

While in Las Vegas last week, I stopped into Battlefield Vegas to check out some interesting machine guns (and join Tim from Military Arms Channel for a video). While there, the owner took the time […]

Vintage Saturday: Why They Make Tripods Like That

January 24, 2015 Ian McCollum 38

Waffen-SS soldier manning a Czech ZB-37 machine gun on its tripod. Note that the articulated tripod legs have been put to good use mounting the gun up on a large rock that offers some cover […]

Rexim-Favor SMG

January 20, 2015 Ian McCollum 24

The Rexim-Favor was a Spanish-made, Swiss-marketed, and allegedly French-designed submachine gun produced during the 1950s. Only about 5000 were made in total, as the gun failed to procure any significant military or police contracts. Mechanically, […]

Vintage Saturday: Mitrailleuses

January 10, 2015 Ian McCollum 40

From left to right, a 1914 Hotchkiss, a captured German MG08, and a 1907 St. Etienne.

Hefah Machine Gun

January 6, 2015 Ian McCollum 28

The Hefah machine gun was a wartime expedient British light machine gun design. It was created by a private company (the Ductile Steel Company) in 1940, in response to a generalized concern that all LMG […]

Vintage Saturday: Child Labor

January 3, 2015 Ian McCollum 45

PPD-40 submachine guns being assembled by young girls.

Slow Motion: .303 Lewis Gun

January 2, 2015 Ian McCollum 30

A Lewis Gun, in .303 British, at 2000 frames per second: The Lewis Gun was developed by American Isaac Newton Lewis shortly before WWI, but the US military was not interested in it (in part […]

Vintage Saturday: Yer Doin’ It Rong

December 27, 2014 Ian McCollum 12

Waffen SS soldiers investigating a captured (and disassembled) DP-28 LMG pan magazine.