France - Forgotten Weapons

GIGN’s Unique Bren 2 in 7.62×39: Counterterrorism and Hostage Rescue

October 13, 2025 Ian McCollum 21

GIGN – the “Group d’Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale” (Intervention Group of the National Gendarmerie) is the tip of the spear for French counterterrorism and major crime response. They are a relatively small (a few […]

Hotchkiss Model 1886 3-pounder Quick Firing Gun

September 26, 2025 Ian McCollum 15

Small fast boats with torpedos (or other explosives) have always been a threat to large warships. One of the weapons the British Royal Navy adopted to counter that threat was the Hotchkiss Model 1886 “Quick […]

FAMAS G1: Simplified for Export

September 17, 2025 Ian McCollum 22

The FAMAS G1 was developed as a lower-cost option for FAMAS export sales. The original F1 model had been offered for international sale, but it attracted little interest largely because of its high price. In […]

French Marine Commando 2-Gun: CETME-B & MAC-50

September 13, 2025 Ian McCollum 1

There is a well-documented incident of the French intercepting a couple hundred CETME-B rifles being smuggled to the FLN in Algeria, and putting them into service with the Marine Commandos. I managed to get a […]

French Trials FN CAL: Adding Rifle Grenade Capability

September 10, 2025 Ian McCollum 10

Check out Headstamp Publishing’s extensive catalog of excellent books! In the 1970s when the French Army was looking for a new rifle 5.56mm, they tested a number of foreign rifles alongside development the FAMAS at […]

Knife-Gun Monday: Sigaud-Barnerias 5mm Pinfire

September 3, 2025 Ian McCollum 36

Jacques Sigaud-Barnerias ran a business in Theirs, France (in the south, east of Lyon) making a variety of cutlery and associated products. Among his various table knives, pruning knives, corkscrews, and pock knives he also […]

Pauly/Roux Pistols: The First Self-Contained Cartridges

August 22, 2025 Ian McCollum 4

EDIT: Please note that apparently the Priestel book I used as a major source for this video is partially incorrect, in that Pauly did create a traditional percussion system in France. The fire piston / […]

Roller Delay in France: The H&K 33F (Trials & Export Models)

July 14, 2025 Ian McCollum 15

Check out Headstamp Publishing’s extensive catalog of excellent books: https://www.headstamppublishing.com/home-forgotten When France was looking to replace the MAS 49/56 rifle for military service in the 1970s, it tested all of the major rifle options available. […]

Galand de Guerre Model 1872: Too Good for the Military

June 23, 2025 Ian McCollum 14

Charles François Galand is best known for his simultaneous-extraction Model 1868, but he also developed a very good solid-frame revolver. This was specifically for the French 1871 military trials, which specifically required a solid frame. […]

French 1717 Rampart Musket from the American Revolution

December 7, 2024 Ian McCollum 8

American forces in the Revolutionary War took in a bunch of different types of surplus small arms, and one of the interesting ones was the French Model 1717 Rampart gun. When the French created the […]