France

PAMAS G1S: The French Beretta 92 (Now in the US!)

September 28, 2026 Ian McCollum 19

Looking for a replacement for the MAC-50, the French Gendarmerie Nationale adopted the Beretta 92 in 1987 after finding it equal in quality to the SIG P226, but less expensive. In addition to the Gendarmerie, […]

Moroccan Unique Rr51 at the Hot Summer BUG Match

September 11, 2026 Ian McCollum 4

It’s pretty hot out here in the southern Arizona summer, so I figured I’d lean into it. For the BUG Match this month, I have an-Moroccan police Unique Rr51. This is a simple blowback .32 […]

ARAC: Making Submachine Guns from Bolt Actions

September 8, 2026 Ian McCollum 14

In 1954 and 1955, the French company SOFAM (Société de Fabrication d’Armaments) in Paris marketed a system to convert bolt action rifles into submachine guns. The original design is reportedly Spanish, but was marketed through […]

MAS SE 1935 SMG: Emblematic of French Interwar Gun Development

August 26, 2026 Ian McCollum 24

Submachine guns made their entrance into military thinking during World War One. The French military saw this and decided to adopt one in the years after the war, although they saw it in a bit […]

The FAMASenning: All the FAMAS from Airsoft to Centerfire

August 12, 2026 Ian McCollum 5

The military FAMAS has spawned several clones, and we are taking a look at each one of them today. First up is the Cybergun AEG airsoft FAMAS – a normal commercial production piece, but this […]

Origins of Tiger Stripe: British Windproof and French Lizard Camouflage

August 1, 2026 Ian McCollum 1

Reserve your copy of “Tiger Stripe: The Vietnam Camouflage Story” on Kickstarter today: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/headstamp/tiger-stripe?ref=evt699 Today I am speaking with Owen Thornton (author of Headstamp’s new book on Tiger Stripe camo) about the origins on Tiger […]

PAMAS G1S: The French Beretta 92 (Now in the US!)

Moroccan Unique Rr51 at the Hot Summer BUG Match

ARAC: Making Submachine Guns from Bolt Actions

MAS SE 1935 SMG: Emblematic of French Interwar Gun Development

The FAMASenning: All the FAMAS from Airsoft to Centerfire

Origins of Tiger Stripe: British Windproof and French Lizard Camouflage

MAT 54 SB: A Semiautomatic SMG for Banks and Cash Trucks

MAC 34T Aviation: Interwar French Turret-Mount Aircraft Gun

Prototype MAS 1925M Pistol: Cartridge Counting in 7.65 French Long

SIG Manurhin 543 Semiauto: I Really Like This Rifle