Video - Forgotten Weapons

Mannlicher Model 1894 Pistols

February 26, 2017 Ian McCollum 6

The Mannlicher Model 1894 was one of the first successful semiauto pistol designs, and used a very unusual blow forward action. Instead of having a moving slide, the bullet would actually pull the barrel forward […]

Maxim Silverman Model 1896 Automatic Pistol (Video)

February 24, 2017 Ian McCollum 35

Hiram Maxim is obviously best known for the Maxim Machine Gun, but he and (most significantly) his assistant Louis Silverman also dabbled in handgun design. It appears that the work was primarily Silverman’s, done with […]

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 […]

Shooting an MP-40 (Video)

February 21, 2017 Ian McCollum 22

Just a bit of shooting with an MP40 at an indoor range, courtesy of Hill & Mac Gunworks.

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 […]

Savage .25 ACP Prototype Pocket Pistols (Video)

February 19, 2017 Ian McCollum 19

Savage was very successful with their .32 ACP and .380 ACP pocket pistols, and in the 1910s was interested in also breaking into the .25 ACP market, to compete with the Colt 1908 “Baby Browning”. […]

Q&A #9: Gas Impingement, Reading List, Squeeze-Bores, and More (Video)

February 18, 2017 Ian McCollum 18

And if you would like to help support Belt & Holster, you can find his site at http://www.beltandholster.com . I have no financial involvement in this project; I just like the idea. Today’s questions: 1:06 […]

Whitney-Beals Walking Beam Pocket Revolver

February 15, 2017 Ian McCollum 13

This revolver, designed by Fordyce Beals (how cool of a name is that?), was developed while Colt’s patent on using the hammer to index the cylinder was still in effect. To avoid that patent, this […]

Frank Wesson’s Rimfire Carbine (Video)

February 14, 2017 Ian McCollum 12

First patented in 1859 and sold as a sporting rifle before the Civil War (in calibers 32, 38, and 41 rimfire), Frank Wesson added a military model with a 24 inch barrel and chambered for […]

Astra 700 Special: Failed Copy of the FN 1910

February 12, 2017 Ian McCollum 9

The Model 700 Special was an attempt by Astra to piggyback on the popularity of the FN Model 1910 automatic pistol. Astra took their Model 100 (a renamed Ruby pistol of WWI lineage) and changed […]