Rifles - Forgotten Weapons

American Viven-Bessières WW1 Grenade Launcher

November 26, 2017 Ian McCollum 22

The standard American grenade launching system in World War One was the Viven-Bessières, borrowed directly form the French. It had been adopted by France in 1916, replacing copies of the British Martin-Hale rod grenades. The […]

PIAT: Britain’s Answer to the Anti-Tank Rifle Problem

November 25, 2017 Ian McCollum 81

The British began World War Two with the Boys antitank rifle, but like all antitank rifles it rather quickly became obsolete. The replacement for it was adopted in 1942 as the PIAT – Projector, Infantry, […]

Wilson’s Lorenzoni Repeating Flintlock Musket

November 23, 2017 Ian McCollum 17

The Wilson family was a gunmaking dynasty in London that began in 1730 when Richard Wilson was accepted as a Master Gunmaker by the Gunmakers’ Company. Wilson’s eldest son William Wilson would receive the same […]

Navy 7.62mm NATO Conversion M1 Garand – Mk2 Mod1

November 22, 2017 Ian McCollum 25

When the M14 rifle was developed to replace the M1 Garand, is was met with some uncertainty by the US Navy. The Navy had a lot of things to spend money on, and not a […]

Gebert Custom Mauser 71 with all the Bells and Whistles!

November 20, 2017 Ian McCollum 47

Made by Carl Gebert, a master gunsmith in Munich, this custom sporting rifle exhibits all the fancy options available in the 1870s or 1880s! The base action is an 1871 Mauser, which was a single […]

Action Arms Semiauto Uzi Carbines (Model A and Model B)

November 18, 2017 Ian McCollum 34

Guns in this video: Folding stock Model A Folding stock Model B Wood stock Model B Although it was adopted by the Israeli military in the 1950s, the Uzi submachien gun did not generate much […]

“Fat Mac” – SSK Industries’ .950 JDJ Rifle

November 17, 2017 Ian McCollum 13

JD Jones’ .950 JDJ cartridge is a generally described as the largest sporting rifle cartridge ever produced, producing more energy than even the 4-bore cartridges that match it in bore diameter. Only three of these […]

America’s First Metallic Cartridge: The Burnside Carbine

November 16, 2017 Ian McCollum 22

The Burnside carbine was originally invented by Ambrose Burnside – the man who would later command the Army of the Potomac and after whom sideburns would be named. Burnside came up with the idea while […]

“Double Deuce” 2-Bore Rifle: A Gunsmithing Spectacle

November 11, 2017 Ian McCollum 20

Double Deuce rifle Lil’ Deuce pistol The largest sporting rifles ever actually used in the field as more than an exhibition were 4-bore stopping rifles, firing roughly 1″ in diameter (25mm) projectiles. These were intended […]

Shooting the Cameron Yaggi 1903 Trench Rifle Conversion

November 10, 2017 Ian McCollum 24

The Cameron-Yaggi conversion was an experimental American trench rifle that was never put into service. However, this one example has survived, and today we are going to put a few rounds through it. The literature […]