Video - Forgotten Weapons

P7M7: The Mythical Lost .45 ACP H&K

July 12, 2019 Ian McCollum 27

The P7 was one of the most interesting and original handgun designs of the last few decades. Originally created for West German police trials, it was chambered in 9x19mm. As it became popular beyond Germany, […]

How Does It Work: Lever Delayed Blowback

July 11, 2019 Ian McCollum 40

Lever-delayed blowback is a relatively uncommon action system, although it is applicable to a wide variety fo firearms and has been successfully used in submachine guns, rifles, and light machine guns. It uses a principle […]

Toolroom Prototype .32 ACP Walther Olympia

July 10, 2019 Ian McCollum 6

In the late 1930s, Walther experimented with the idea of an Olympia target pistol in .32 ACP. They used the frame from a 1936 pattern standard (.22LR) Olympia with a .32 caliber barrel, increased mass […]

History of the PK, PKM, and Pecheneg w/ Max Popenker

July 9, 2019 Ian McCollum 25

I’m happy to be joined once again by Russian small arms historian Max Popenker, for a discussion of the development of the Kalashnikov PK machine gun. This is universally regarded as one of the best […]

German-Capture 1910 Russian Maxim in 8×57

July 8, 2019 Ian McCollum 9

This is a very interesting WW1 heavy machine gun. It is a Russian M1910 Maxim that was repaired at some point using the brass jacket from a 1905 Russian Maxim. This may have been done […]

Book Review: Vickers Guide – WWII Germany, Volume 2

July 7, 2019 Ian McCollum 7

The latest Vickers Guide book is now available: WWII Germany, Volume 2. Where the first volume focused on bolt action rifles and submachine guns, this second volume has the really cool stuff: semiauto and select-fire […]

Shooting the Milkor M32 40mm Grenade Launcher

July 6, 2019 Ian McCollum 12

Thanks to Milkor USA, I have a chance today to do some shooting with both the M32 and M32A1 rotary grenade launchers they make for the US military. I’m using 40mm chalk training ammunition, with […]

H&K Prototype Sniper: the SL7 Match

July 3, 2019 Ian McCollum 15

Built in the 1990s, this rifle is part of an experimental series of precision rifles made by H&K. It is marked “SL7 Match”, and uses the same action as the standard SL7 sporting rifle (the […]

Last Gasp of the ZB26: Czech vz 52/57 LMG

July 1, 2019 Ian McCollum 40

Czechoslovakia adopted the 7.62x45mm cartridge after World War Two, introducing both a vz.52 rifle and vz.52 light machine gun using the round. It was about 200 fps faster than the Soviet standard 7.62x39mm. It was […]

Book Review: Echoes of an African War

June 30, 2019 Ian McCollum 21

Chas Lotter was 22 when, in 1971, he enlisted as a field medic in the Rhodesian Army. He served until 1980, leaving as a Sergeant and emigrating to South Africa. His book, “Echoes of an […]