Bolt Action Rifles - Forgotten Weapons

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 […]

Berthier with a Chauchat Magazine at the Range

June 13, 2020 Ian McCollum 30

Today I am out at the range to put the first shots through a completed replica of the French Chauchat-magazine Berthier conversion. The real versions of these guns were made on Mle 1890 cavalry carbines […]

M44L: The Experimental Midlength Folding-Bayonet Mosin Nagant

June 10, 2020 Ian McCollum 12

Courtesy of The Mosin Crate, we have a Soviet “M44L” today. This was an intermediate length (24 inch barrel) pattern of the Mosin Nagant rifle with an M44-style permanently attached folding spike bayonet. Developed in […]

M91/41: A Step Back From the M38 and the Last Carcano

June 9, 2020 Ian McCollum 16

In my opinion, the M38 Carcano as a very insightfully designed infantry rifle for World War Two, acknowledging the real-world use conditions of such weapons. With the M91/41 (aka M41), Italy took a step back […]

Adventures in Surplus: Yugoslav M48 Mauser

June 6, 2020 Ian McCollum 33

Today is a look at a Yugoslav M48 Mauser. This was the standardized model that Yugoslavia adopted to replace its assortment of repaired and rebuild older Mauser rifles in the aftermath of World War Two. […]

Adventures in Surplus: Mid-war “CE44” German Kar 98k

June 5, 2020 Ian McCollum 29

Today’s rifle is a German Karabiner 98k, made by JP Sauer in 1944 and marked with the appropriate receiver code, “ce”. This is from the final year of JP Sauer production of the K98k, before […]

French FR-F1 Sniper Rifle at the Range

June 4, 2020 Ian McCollum 5

The FR-F1 was adopted in 1967 as the French Army’s marksman or sniper’s rifle. It was based roughly on the MAS-36 bolt action system, but with a heavier receiver and 10-round detachable box magazine. It […]

Adventures in Surplus: Chromed Argentine 1891 Parade Rifle

June 3, 2020 Ian McCollum 9

When I got this Model 1891 Argentine rifle, I assumed it was the unfortunately result of someone’s experimenting with chrome plating parts. All the small parts are chromed and then heavily worn, while the barrel […]

Adventures in Surplus: A WW1 & Weimar Police Kar98a Carbine

June 2, 2020 Ian McCollum 10

I have been wanting one of these rifles for a long time, and with this example I think I have found a fantastic example. This is a Kar98a carbine made in 1918 and used in […]