Video - Forgotten Weapons

From Service Sidearm to Match Gun: the Astra 400 Target Model

August 26, 2022 Ian McCollum 4

A very small batch of special target model pistols was made at the very end of Astra 400 production in 1945. They were fitted with Patridge front sights and adjustable revolver-style square-notch rear sights, much […]

When MAC-10 Meets Skorpion: Croatia’s Homeland War ALKA mod 93

August 24, 2022 Ian McCollum 13

The ALKA model 93 is one of the nicest of the several dozen simple SMGs made in Croatia during the Homeland War of the 1990s. It was produced by the IM Metal company (later renamed […]

Ask Ian: Analyzing the Savage Rotating Barrel (at 7500 frames/sec)

August 23, 2022 Ian McCollum 24

A question I have been asked by several different people in several Q&A threads is: “Does the Savage rotating-barrel system actually do anything?” In his 1905 patent, Elbert Searle specifically claims that his design creates […]

The Original Shorty Mosin: The Model 1907 Carbine

August 22, 2022 Ian McCollum 13

The creation of a short and handy Mosin Nagant carbine to complement the standard M891 was prompted by the Russo-Japanese War. Lots of Russian troops with roles other than infantry – machine gun and artillery […]

Scrome J8 Commercial Production Update (For the FR-F2)

August 21, 2022 Ian McCollum 4

Scrome, the original maker of the J8 scope used by the French Army on the FR-F2 sniper rifle, is making a commercial run of J8 scopes for collectors who have the recently-released surplus FR-F2 rifles. […]

Roller-Delay Showdown: Angstadt MDP-9 vs H&K SP-5

August 20, 2022 Ian McCollum 4

Today we are out at the range to compare the Angstadt Arms MDP-9 to the classic H&K SP-5. We will do a bunch of runs on a course of fire that incudes precision targets, spinners […]

Angstadt Arms MDP-9: MP5 Meets AR15

August 19, 2022 Ian McCollum 10

Angstadt Arms has recently released their MDP-9 carbine, an AR-type lower coupled with a roller-delayed blowback upper assembly. This is the same operating system as the much-lauded MP5, and Angstadt version of the design is […]

Ask Ian: Tractors to Typewriters, Non-Gun Companies Making Guns?

August 18, 2022 Ian McCollum 52

From Brian on Patreon: “Would you give your thoughts and comments on non-gun companies making guns? For example Baldwin Locomotive/Eddystone 1917s, IH Garands, GM M-16s, most M-1 carbines, maybe even TRW M-14s. How did the […]

Belgian GP-35: Pre-War Browning High Power Complete Rig

August 17, 2022 Ian McCollum 8

The Browning High Power (“Grande Puissance”, aka GP-35) was developed by Fabrique National in Belgium, designed primarily by John Browning’s apprentice Dieudonné Saive. It began in the very early 1920s as a pistol designed for […]

What Are Some of the Best Investment Handguns?

August 16, 2022 Ian McCollum 8

Today I’m joined by Len Antaris of Historic Investments to discuss, well, historic investments. I maintain that firearms are better bought for their historic value than as speculative investments, but there are certainly plenty of […]