Semiauto Rifles - Forgotten Weapons

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 […]

SIG PE-57: Swiss Roller-Delay! (Video)

February 22, 2017 Ian McCollum 35

The SIG PE-57 is the civilian semiauto version of the Stgw57, Switzerland’s first self-loading service rifle. Developed from the German MG-42 but incorporating a substantial influence form the FG-42 as well, the PE-57 is a […]

Farquhar Hill: Britain’s WW1 Semiauto Rifle (Video)

February 20, 2017 Ian McCollum 16

The Farquhar-Hill was a semiauto rifle developed in Britain prior to World War 1. It was the idea of Birmingham gunsmith Arthur Hill, and financed by Aberdeen industrialist Mowbray Farquhar. The design began as a […]

Yeah, the AR15 is Now Becoming C&R Eligible

February 7, 2017 Ian McCollum 15

Given the status of the AR15 as the preeminent military rifle still today, it comes as a surprise to many people to learn just how old the gun really is. Civilian production of the SP-1 […]

Hadar II: A Ban-Era Commercial Galil

January 31, 2017 Ian McCollum 2

The Hadar II is an Israeli commercial market version of the Galil, chambered for the 7.62 NATO cartridge. Specifically, it is a copy of the Israeli military Galatz marksman’s rifle, which was semiautomatic only and […]

Benelli MR-1 (Video)

January 24, 2017 Ian McCollum 29

The MR-1 is a recently introduced 5.56mm tactical black rifle from Benelli, which is remarkably not an AR15 or AR18 in disguise. Instead, Benelli took the gas system from the M4 Super 90 shotgun and […]