Semiauto Rifles - Forgotten Weapons

Dragunov Variations: Military SVD, Izhmash Tiger, Chinese NDM-86

April 20, 2017 Ian McCollum 28

The SVD Dragunov was the Soviet marksman’s rifle that finally replaced the failed attempt to issue the SVT-40 as a precision rifle. It was introduced in 1963, after about 5 years of development, and its […]

Bern Prototype Carbine: Intermediate Cartridges in the 1920s

April 16, 2017 Ian McCollum 23

Designed by Adolf Furrer, this carbine represents a very early experiment with intermediate power ammunition. It is a long recoil semiautomatic carbine with an under barrel tube magazine – quite the interesting combination of 19th […]

Czech M14: The ZK-420S Battle Rifle at James D Julia

April 7, 2017 Ian McCollum 44

The ZK-420S is an experimental Czech rifle that is virtually unknown today, but which was remarkably influential, bearing significant elements of the Garand and several other Czech designs, and influencing the M14 and Kalashnikov rifles. […]

Two Variations of the RSC-1917 Selfloading Rifle at James D Julia

April 2, 2017 Ian McCollum 7

The RSC 1917, aka FSA1917, has the distinction of being the only true semiautomatic service rifle to see significant frontline infantry use during World War One. It was introduced in 1917 as a long rifle, […]

The Very Steampunk M1915 Howell Automatic Rifle at James D Julia

March 28, 2017 Ian McCollum 25

The M1915 Howell Automatic Rifle is a conversion of a standard No1 MkIII Lee Enfield rifle into a semiautomatic, through the addition of a gas piston onto the right side of the barrel. Despite its […]

Shooting the Czech ZH-29 at James D Julia

March 19, 2017 Ian McCollum 12

The Czech ZH-29 is one of the first well developed semiauto military rifles – it was light, mechanically simple, reliable, and handled well, unlike many of its ungainly or excessively complicated predecessors. It only found […]

The Ultimate German Sniper Rifle: the H&K PSG-1 at James D Julia

March 18, 2017 Ian McCollum 22

Developed in the 1980s, the H&K PSG-1 is one of the most iconic sniper rifles in popular culture, with a reputation for unmatched accuracy. It is, in fact, an excellent rifle, and today we will […]

Poland’s Battle Rifle: the wz.38M at James D Julia

March 17, 2017 Ian McCollum 39

Had it not been for the German and Russian invasions in 1939, Poland might have entered the 1940s with a very modern semiauto infantry battle rifle – the wz.38M. Designed by Josef Maroszek (notably also […]

British L129A1 Sharpshooter Rifle

March 16, 2017 Ian McCollum 18

Armament Research Services (ARES) is a specialist technical intelligence consultancy, offering expertise and analysis to a range of government and non-government entities in the arms and munitions field. For detailed photos of the guns in […]

Review: Semiauto DPM by SMG Guns

March 7, 2017 Ian McCollum 11

I have had a parts kit for a Soviet DPM light machine gun (actually a Polish one, but the design is identical) stashed away for many years now, with the hope to eventually have it […]