France - Forgotten Weapons

French AA-52

June 25, 2012 Ian McCollum 16

The AA-52 was adopted to replace the Chatellerault light machine gun in French military service in 1952. The AA52 is rather unusual in being a rifle-caliber (7.5×54 French, specifically) machine gun using a lever-delayed blowback […]

Vintage Saturday: French Troops with an M1916 Cannon

June 9, 2012 Ian McCollum 10

We think the M1916 37mm cannon is just terribly cute. Here one is being used by French troops – note in particular the spare ammo in a belt. The same belt and ammunition was used […]

ABC’s of Machine Guns

May 14, 2012 Ian McCollum 1

Here’s another neat manual – A.B.C du Mitrailleu – the ABCs of Machine Guns. This was published in 1917 (the fifth edition, anyway) in French, and does a nice job showing all the most useful […]

MGD / Erma PM9

May 2, 2012 Ian McCollum 9

The PM9 was an interesting an unique submachine gun designed by Louis Debuit for the French firm Merlin and Gerin (hence the MGD name – Merlin, Gerin, Debuit) in the late 1940s and early 50s. […]

Bayonet Bipod

May 1, 2012 Ian McCollum 3

So last Friday, we posted a copy of an old World War I French machine gun booklet. Not anything particularly exotic – it was only talking about the main machine guns that were in common […]

Vintage Saturday: A 1914 Hotchkiss

April 28, 2012 Ian McCollum 10

Not sure where these poilu are fighting, but the fellow in the back appears to have swapped his regulation Kepi for a bowler and shaved off his moustache.

Vintage Saturday: French AA Gunners with a 1907 St Etienne

April 21, 2012 Ian McCollum 2

I don’t think that’s a standard-issue tripod – more like something built for an 8-foot-tall surveyor. Also, note the feed strip box on the ground below the gunner.

Book Review: Military Handguns of France 1858-1958

April 12, 2012 Ian McCollum 0

Since we looked at a couple French revolvers yesterday, it seems only appropriate to have a resource on them (and later French automatic pistols) today. Specifically, Military Handguns of France by Eugene Medlin and Jean […]

Video: French Military Centerfire Revolvers

April 11, 2012 Ian McCollum 17

Today we’re look at the two main French military centerfire revolvers – the model 1873 and model 1892. These both served for many decades with French troop around the world, and they’re interesting designs. I […]

Vintage Saturday: A View of No-Man’s-Land

April 7, 2012 Ian McCollum 15

I’m hard-pressed to think of anything humorous to say about this snapshot – World War I does not lend itself well to glorification or joviality. I suppose it’s simply worth considering that if you think […]