Select-fire Rifles - Forgotten Weapons

VHS-1: Croatia Copies the FAMAS (But Not Really)

September 28, 2022 Ian McCollum 8

The VHS-1 was heavily influenced by the French FAMAS, albeit with a short stroke gas piston operating system. Early development began in the late 1990s with the prototype designs we looked in over the past […]

Yugoslav M70A: The AK With a Real Magazine Holdopen

September 26, 2022 Ian McCollum 15

Yugoslavia began development of a Kalashnikov pattern rifle in 1959. The Yugoslav rifle would be distinct from the standard Soviet model, as evidenced by features like the gas cutoff for grenade launching and the early […]

A Path Less Traveled: IM Metal’s Tavor-Based Prototype for the VHS-1

September 21, 2022 Ian McCollum 3

Today we are continuing to trace the development of the IM Metal / HS Produkt VHS rifles. During this period, Croatia briefly considered adopting the Israeli Tavor rifle. Part of the adoption would have included […]

Genesis of the VHS: IM Metal Gets a FAMAS

September 14, 2022 Ian McCollum 26

After their abortive effort at designing a bullpup AK conversion, IM Metal (later to become HS Produkt) decided to make another try at developing a rifle for the Croatian Army. This time, they decided to […]

Croatia’s Prototype Bullpup AK Conversion

September 7, 2022 Ian McCollum 21

The HS Produkt company, best known for making the XD pistols sold in the US by Springfield, was originally called IM Metal, and was a general fabrication company in Croatia. When the Croatian Homeland War […]

SIG 550 / Stgw 90: The Swiss Kalashnikov

July 4, 2022 Ian McCollum 17

Make sure to check out the new video on 9 Hole Reviews, with the SIG 550 on their 500yd course of fire, plus discussion with a Swiss infantry officer: https://youtu.be/FL_zcqOFrbI

CEAM 1950B: A Roller-Delayed Missing Link in .30 Carbine

June 27, 2022 Ian McCollum 27

At the end of World War Two, the Mauser factory complex was in the French occupation zone, and more than a few Mauser engineers went to work for the French. Among them were Ludwig Vorgimmler […]

Beretta SCS-70 for Italian Special Forces

April 20, 2022 Ian McCollum 13

The SCS-70 (Special Carbine, Short) is a version of the standard Beretta AR-70 rifle made for Italian special forces use. It has a 12.7” barrel, no gas cutoff or rifle grenade capability, pistol grip storage […]

Bigger is Better? The Bren 2 Battle Rifle (BR)

April 2, 2022 Ian McCollum 58

CZ has taken the Bren 2 design, and scaled it up to 7.62mm NATO as the Bren 2 BR (Battle Rifle). A decent number of military and security organizations are still interested in the larger […]

H&R’s Prototype Simulator, M14, .22 Caliber, Mark I

March 28, 2022 Ian McCollum 13

Harrington & Richardson was one of the main contractors for the M14 rifle program, and they also had been a major producer of the M1 Garand rifle. In particular, H&R had produced a .22 rimfire […]