Video - Forgotten Weapons

Argentina’s Open-Bolt Pocket .22s: the Hafdasa HA and the Zonda

July 23, 2018 Ian McCollum 18

Originally made by Hafdasa (Hispano-Argentina Fábrica de Automóviles S.A.), the HA pistol is a .22 Long Rifle caliber, semiauto only, open bolt pocket pistol. It was produced in the 1950s, right at the end of […]

Book Review: The Makarov Pistol Part 2 (China, Bulgaria, Khyber Pass)

July 22, 2018 Ian McCollum 4

Henry Brown and Cameron White have released the second part of their work on the Makarov pistol, this time with additional assistance from Edwin Lowe. This second volume covers Chinese, Bulgarian, and craft-made (“Khyber Pass”) […]

Cobray Terminator at the Range: The Worst Shotgun Ever

July 21, 2018 Ian McCollum 34

Most of the guns made by Cobray are pretty awful, but one can at least understand the market they were made for. The Terminator is different, because it really is rather incomprehensible who would have […]

WW2 Mauser Becomes Heckler & Koch: the StG-45(M), or Gerat 06H

July 20, 2018 Ian McCollum 11

After the Mp44/StG44 Sturmgewehr was starting to see substantial production and field use, the German military and the Mauser company began working on a way to simplify production of the weapon. The design for the […]

Ken Hackathorn on the Thompson and the MP5

July 19, 2018 Ian McCollum 44

Today I am speaking with Ken Hackathorn about submachine guns – specifically the Thompson and the MP5. Mr Hackathorn has an extensive resume that he is quite humble about, but I will point out that […]

Kaiserliche Schutztruppen G98 – for the German Camel Corps

July 18, 2018 Ian McCollum 14

Germany established their colony of German South West Africa (Deutsch-Südwestafrika, now Namibia) in 1884, as part of its late attempt to become a colonial power to rival the United Kingdom. The soldiers deployed to protect […]

OSS “Stinger” Covert Cigarette Guns

July 16, 2018 Ian McCollum 18

During World War Two, the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) was the primary US clandestine operations organization. It was responsible for making all sorts of unique weapons, including these “Stinger” cigarette guns. They were single […]

Pistola PRESSIN: Llama’s Sneaky Self-Defense Weapon

July 13, 2018 Ian McCollum 35

Developed in 1978 and produced by Llama until 1995, the Pressin was a two-shot derringer made to be disguised as a pair of glasses. It was intended for use by politicians, military officers, and other […]

Overview of South African Gun Laws

July 12, 2018 Ian McCollum 14

Basic gun ownership in South Africa – what does it involve and how does it work? Dedicated collectors, sportsmen, and hunters? Self-dense and concealed carry? Well, when I was in South Africa I figured I’d […]

Forgotten History: World’s Biggest Black Powder Cannon – a 100-Ton Gun

July 10, 2018 Ian McCollum 32

The largest muzzleloading black powder cannons ever built were the Armstrong 100-ton guns which saw service with the Italian Navy and with British coastal fortifications on Malta and Gibraltar. They were purchased by the Italians […]