Video - Forgotten Weapons

Modele 1890 Berthier Cavalry Carbine

July 14, 2017 Ian McCollum 16

The Berthier was adopted in 1890 as a new repeating rifle for the French cavalry, who were at that time still using single shot Gras carbines. The Lebel rifle had been adopted in 1886 for […]

Shooting the EM-2 in .280 British

July 13, 2017 Ian McCollum 15

I had 10 rounds of .280 British ammunition to work with today, so I opted for several rounds in semiauto (including some slow motion shots) and then one burst at the end. The .280 cartridge […]

KvKK 62: The Ugly Duckling of Light Machine Guns

July 11, 2017 Ian McCollum 38

The KvKK 62 was a squad automatic counterpart to the Rk 62, Finland’s domestic Kalashnikov rifle. It is an open bolt light machine gun chambered for 7.62x39mm, feeding from push-through RPD-style belts and firing at […]

1895 Daudeteau Series S Indochina Trials Carbine

July 10, 2017 Ian McCollum 24

Louis Marie Daudeteau was a persistent and prolific arms designer in France in the late 19th century. Born in 1845, he gained substantial military experience in the Franco-Prussian War, and afterwards turned to weapons design. […]

Book Review: Weapon of Choice by Dr. Matthew Ford

July 9, 2017 Ian McCollum 11

It may look like an airport bookshop thriller, but don’t let the cover fool you – Dr. Matthew Ford’s “Weapon of Choice” is a seriously rigorous academic study of the military small arms adoption process. […]

WW1 Rifle Mud Covers: Lebel & Gewehr 98

July 8, 2017 Ian McCollum 20

Given the prevalence of muddy horrible trenches in World War 1, why didn’t anybody design dust covers to protect the actions of their combat rifles? Well, they actually did… and today we are looking at […]

Final Prices: Rock Island June 2017

July 7, 2017 Ian McCollum 3

Final prices from the last RIA regional auction (June 2017).

Thorpe EM-1: A Bullpup Take on the Roller Locked Gerat 06

July 6, 2017 Ian McCollum 51

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 […]

French Winchester 94: A Backup Arm for Fliers and Drivers

July 4, 2017 Ian McCollum 38

The French military during World War One used a number of American-made small arms, including both the Winchester Self-Loader and the Winchester Model 1894. A total of 15,100 Model 94s were purchased by France in […]

Book Review: Paul Mauser – His Life, Company, and Handgun Development 1838 – 1914

July 2, 2017 Ian McCollum 9

The new book on Paul Mauser from Mauro Baudino and Gerben van Vlimmeren is an excellent exploration through the labyrinthine corners of the Mauser Archives. Written with an assumption that the audience will already have […]