Bolt Action Rifles - Forgotten Weapons

Turkish Model 1903/30 Short Rifle with Folding Bayonet

October 7, 2020 Ian McCollum 9

The Ottoman Empire purchased a staggering number of Mauser rifles over many decades, and Turkey would update many of them to a standardized pattern in the 1930s. This particular example is very rare, with an […]

Lee Metford and Lee Enfield Carbines for the Cavalry

September 28, 2020 Ian McCollum 13

When the Lee magazine rifle was adopted for British military service, it was initially produced as a long rifle for the infantry. To accommodate the cavalry on horseback, a much more compact carbine version was […]

Origins of the Lee Enfield Rifle: Lee Metford Updates

September 21, 2020 Ian McCollum 16

The Lee Metford MkI had scarcely been introduced when it was modified into the MkI* pattern, This was quickly followed by the MkII and MkII*, the Lee Enfield MkI, and Lee Enfield MkI*. In essence, […]

Ethiopian M90/95 Hybrid Mannlicher Carbine

September 15, 2020 Ian McCollum 8

Today we are looking at a uniquely Ethiopian carbine, a hybrid M90/95 Mannlicher. It began life as an Austrian-issue M90 carbine proofed in 1892. It served through World War One, and was probably given to […]

Lee Metford MkI: Great Britain’s First Magazine Rifle

September 14, 2020 Ian McCollum 10

The British went into the 1880s with plans to adopt the Enfield-Martini as its new rifle, a single shot Martini-action rifle with essentially a sidesaddle of ready-access cartridges on the side of the receiver. It […]

Not Always Bubba: A Factory Sporter Winchester-Lee Navy Rifle

August 26, 2020 Ian McCollum 12

Lot 3106 in the September 2020 RIA Premier auction. I am happy that the practice of sporterizing military rifles has fallen out of favor, but sometimes one can throw the baby out with the bathwater. […]

What is a Duffel Cut?

July 21, 2020 Ian McCollum 19

American service members in World War One and World War Two brought a tremendous number of firearms back to the US as trophies and souvenirs. While some mailed guns home, most brought them back in […]

Steyr Dragoon Scout and African Big Game Cartridges: .376 Steyr, .375 Ruger, .375 H&H

July 16, 2020 Ian McCollum 26

Jeff Cooper envisioned a few variation on the Scout Rifle, most notably a heavier-caliber type suited more for African dangerous (or large) game hunting, for which the .308 Winchester cartridge was not really suitable. Cooper […]

The Gras in Ethiopia: Carbines of Emperor Menelik II and Empress Taytu

July 7, 2020 Ian McCollum 9

Ethiopia is a fascinating and unique example of an African nation that was able to uphold its sovereignty through force of arms, and resist become a possession of any of the European powers during the […]

Elmech EM-992: Croatia’s First Domestic Sniper Rifle

July 1, 2020 Ian McCollum 14

There was a fair amount of small arms production in Croatia during the breakup of Yugoslavia, but most of it was not particularly high quality. After the government of Croatia had become established, it looked […]