Germany - Forgotten Weapons

Broomhandle Mauser “Red Nine” – the C96 in World War One

February 5, 2021 Ian McCollum 7

The German military did not actually adopt the Mauser C96 “broom handle” before World War One. It was the first really successful semiauto pistol, but the German military chose the Luger instead, in 1908. However, […]

Book Review: Vickers Guide SIG SAUER, Volume 1

December 8, 2020 Ian McCollum 5

The most recent addition to the Vickers Guide series of books is SIG Sauer Volume 1. This is 460 pages covering SIG’s handguns and submachine guns from it’s very first contract (the Mannlicher 1894 blow-forward […]

Korriphila HSP-701: A Masterful Bespoke German Pistol

November 27, 2020 Ian McCollum 23

The Korriphila HSP-701 is a boutique luxury pistols designed by Edgar Budischowsky in the late 1970s, which entered production in 1984. It uses a fixed barrel and roller-delayed blowback action with a single roller below […]

British L66A1: A Pistol for Northern Ireland

November 18, 2020 Ian McCollum 40

In 1974, the British Royal Army Ordnance Corps purchased about 3,000 .22lr caliber Walther PP pistols to issue as Personal Defense Weapons to service members of the Ulster Defense Regiment. These were to be issued […]

Krupp 50mm Mountain Guns for Siam (Thailand)

November 16, 2020 Ian McCollum 23

In 1906, Siam (now Thailand) purchased a batch of 50mm mountain guns form Krupp of Germany. These were simple fixed barrel guns with steel-belted wooden wheels. Designed to be carried by elephant, mule, or even […]

MP5SD at the Range: Subsonic vs Supersonic

November 14, 2020 Ian McCollum 23

While the MP5SD is made with a barrel ported right at the chamber to reduce bullet velocity, I am curious to see if it will actually work. Can I tell the difference between 115gr supersonic […]

H&K MP5SD: The Cadillac of Suppressed Submachine Guns

November 13, 2020 Ian McCollum 20

Shortly after introducing the MP5 submachine gun, Heckler & Koch added an integrally suppressed model to its line at the request of special operations forces. It was called the MP5SD, for “shalldampfer”, or suppressed. In […]

Hitler’s Zipper: The MG-42 Universal Machine Gun

November 4, 2020 Ian McCollum 79

The MG42 was developed to be a more reliable and easier to manufacture replacement for the MG34, although both would serve side by side until the end of World War Two. Designed by Grossfuss company […]

Steyr-Solothurn MP-34 in .45 ACP at the Range

October 31, 2020 Ian McCollum 9

Today we are out at the range with the .45 ACP Steyr-Solothurn MP-34. I was curious to see how this submachine gun, much more commonly found in 9mm, would handle with the big .45 caliber […]

Subguns for South America: the Steyr-Solothurn MP-34 in .45ACP

October 30, 2020 Ian McCollum 8

The MP-34 was made by Steyr-Solothurn in four different calibers – 9×19 for the Germany army, 9×25 for the Austrian army, 9×23 for the Austrian police, and .45 ACP for the export market. This is […]