Prototype
Colt 607: The First AR Carbine
The Model 607 was Colt’s first attempt at a carbine version of the AR-15 rifle, shortening both the barrel and stock. The action is identical to a standard AR, but the barrel is only 10 […]
Rifles
Select-fire Rifles
South Africa’s Sci-Fi Bullpup: Vektor CR-21 at the Range
Courtesy of DSA, I’m out at the range today with a Vektor CR-21 to see just how it handles compared to a regular Galil…
Bolt Action Rifles
Chinese Mystery Mauser: Fake FN Model 30
“Arming the Dragon” by Dolf Goldsmith is now available and shipping! One of the most common rifles in Warlord-era China was the Mauser Model 98 short rifle. Various Chinese armies bought large numbers of them […]
Bolt Action Rifles
A Sneaky Swiss Sniper for Israel: the ZK-31
In 1949, Israel was still fighting its was of independence, and purchasing arms internationally was difficult to do. The recently-formalized IDF wanted sniper rifles, and looked to Hammerli in Switzerland for a variant of the […]
Reproduction
Introducing the BD-38: A New Production Copy of the German MP-38
There has never been a proper semiauto version of the MP40 available in the US, until now. SSD (Sport-Systeme Dittrich) is a German company that has been making semiauto copies of German WW2 small arms […]
Semiauto Rifles
Semiauto FG-42 at the Range: 1st and 2nd Patterns
Today we have both 1st and 2nd pattern semiauto FG-42s from SMG out at the range for some comparative shooting. Which is the better one to get?
Modifications
Pacific Theater USMC-Modified Johnson M1941 Rifle
Johnson M1941 rifles were used in limited numbers by the US Marine Corps in the Pacific theater of World War Two, but they were used – and generally well liked. Interestingly, there was a fairly […]
Semiauto Rifles
Taiwan’s Retro Gas Piston AR: the Type 65
When Taiwan decided to move from the M14 platform (the Type 57 in Taiwanese service) to a 5.56mm rifle, they decided to develop a domestic gas-piston version of the AR. Development began in 1973, with […]
Select-fire Rifles
Original FG42: A Detailed Comparison of the 1st and 2nd Patterns
Today we are looking at examples of the 1st pattern (Type E) and second pattern (Type G) FG42, comparing their construction and disassembling both to get a close look at the internal differences. Despite sharing […]
Bolt Action Rifles
Argentina’s Slightly French Model 1909 SOM Sniper
Argentina was one of the first countries to adopt Mauser rifles, with the Model 1891. These were replaced by newer Model 1909 rifles a couple decades later, and in 1913 they bought 500 telescopic sights […]