Belgium - Forgotten Weapons

Russian FN 1905 Vest Pocket Officer’s Pistol

July 6, 2020 Ian McCollum 7

In the years before World War One, the Imperial Nicholas Military Academy in Russia purchased several thousand handguns from FN for resale to its officer candidates and graduates. These were mostly FN 1900 and FN […]

Luxembourg Model 1884 Gendarmerie Nagant

June 15, 2020 Ian McCollum 27

The military of Luxembourg chose to purchase Nagant revolvers in the 1880s, and they got three different models. The most interesting of these was the Model 1884 for the Gendarmerie, which was chambered for the […]

FN 1900 for the Russian Imperial Army Fencing & Gymnastics School

June 8, 2020 Ian McCollum 11

We have an FN 1900 to look at today that was purchased by the Russian Imperial Army’s primary Gymnastics and Fencing School (Главная гимнастическо-фехтовальная школа). That was an institution established in 1909 to train officers […]

The Prototype .280 FAL from 1950s NATO Trials

February 24, 2020 Ian McCollum 112

After World War Two, the new NATO defense alliance held a series of trials to adopt a standard cartridge and infantry rifle. This would eventually devolve and the goal of a standardized rifle would be […]

The FAL for British Troop Trials in 1954: X8E1 & X8E2

February 21, 2020 Ian McCollum 33

The NATO rifle trials of the early 1950s eventually chose the 7.62mm x 51mm cartridge, and the British and Belgians agreed on the FAL rifle to shoot it (and they thought the US would as […]

FN Grand Browning: The European 1911 that Never Happened

February 17, 2020 Ian McCollum 16

When John Browning licensed his handgun patents, the North American rights were granted to Colt, and the Western European rights to FN in Belgium. Browning provided the patents and patent model guns to the companies, […]

Arming the Lion of Judah: Ethiopian FN Mauser Rifles & Carbines

February 11, 2020 Ian McCollum 11

In 1930, Haile Selassie I became Emperor of Ethiopia (aka Abysinia), and would rule for almost 45 years, with a brief exception when the country was occupied by fascist Italy. During that time, he paid […]

Water-Themed Art Deco FN/Browning B25 Shotgun

January 27, 2020 Ian McCollum 12

The B25 was introduced by FN in 1925; the last of John Browning’s designs and the first successful over/under sporting shotgun. The one we are looking at today was created as a presentation piece for […]

Book Review: Browning Auto-5 Shotguns

January 14, 2020 Ian McCollum 11

I am normally more interested in military small arms than sporting ones, but the Browning Auto-5 is such an important firearm that it deserves the recognition of and proper small arms enthusiast. It was not […]

Belgian Model 1915/27 Improved Chauchat

December 9, 2019 Ian McCollum 47

The Belgian Army was the second to adopt the Chauchat automatic rifle, after the French. Almost all of Belgium was under German occupation during World War One, leaving Belgium significantly dependent on French aid for […]