Single Shot Rifles

The Manda: Croatia’s Minimalist .50 BMG

February 21, 2024 Ian McCollum 6

The Manda is a rifle that was designed for the Croatian Special Police at the beginning of the Homeland War in 1991. At that point, the Special Police (basically the SWAT teams) were basically the […]

Whitneyville Rolling Block for the Montreal Riot Squad

February 2, 2024 Ian McCollum 1

In 1875 the Montreal City Police decided that they wanted to equip a riot squad in case of public disturbance. They initially requested funds for 50 revolvers, but this changed to 60 carbines instead, and […]

Beecher’s Bible: A Sharps 1853 from John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry

January 8, 2024 Ian McCollum 63

On October 16, 1859 John Brown and 19 men left the Kennedy farmhouse and made their way a few miles south to the Harpers Ferry Arsenal. They planned to seize the Arsenal and use its […]

Variations on Gras Cavalry Carbines & Conversions from Ethiopia

January 7, 2024 Ian McCollum 2

While I was at InterOrdnance unpacking French rifles, I took the opportunity to pull out a couple different examples of Gras Cavalry Carbines to show the differences between original French production examples and Belgian commercial […]

Croatian Improvised Weapons: From Obrez to Single-Shot Yugo M70 Hybrid

October 25, 2023 Ian McCollum 16

During the Croatian Homeland War – as in all wars of independence – a wide variety of cobbled-together firearms were used by people who could not access proper factory arms for one reason or another. […]

The Rarest Chassepot: Rifle for the African Cavalry

July 14, 2023 Ian McCollum 8

“Chassepot to FAMAS: French Military Rifles 1866-2016” is in stock and shipping now: https://www.headstamppublishing.com/purchase The rarest pattern of factory-made Chassepot is the fusil modèle 1866 pour la cavalerie d’afrique – the Model 1866 rifle for […]