Germany - Forgotten Weapons

Germany’s WW1 “Kurz” Model Tankgewehr

October 29, 2020 Ian McCollum 7

When the German Tankgewehr was introduced in May 1918, the first 300 or so guns were of a different pattern than the standard production that would follow (and of which about 16,000 would be made). […]

Heckler & Koch’s Modular Machine Gun: the HK21E

October 26, 2020 Ian McCollum 16

In 1961, Heckler & Koch introduced a new light machine gun based on their roller-delayed blowback system as a companion piece to the G3/HK91 rifle. While the German military was quite happy with its MG3 […]

How to Classify the H&K MP-7 and FN P90

October 25, 2020 Ian McCollum 50

My recent video proposing a particular set of definitions for three generations of submachine gun design generated a lot of comments about the H&K MP-7 and FN P90. I focused largely on the first and […]

The Erma EMP at the Range

October 24, 2020 Ian McCollum 7

Having taken a close look at this original Erma EMP submachine gun yesterday, we are out at the range with it today. Like several of the interwar SMGs, the Erma was designed with a magazine […]

Erma EMP: Heinrich Vollmer’s Interwar Submachine Gun

October 23, 2020 Ian McCollum 24

Developed by Heinrich Vollmer in the 1920s, this quite distinctive submachine guns was marketed by the Erma company starting in 1932 and sold quite well internationally. This particular example was used by the German police […]

Doughboy Bringback MP-18,I on the Range

October 21, 2020 Ian McCollum 25

The MP-18,I was most likely the first true submachine gun to see combat use, issued in the final months of World War One to German Sturmtruppen. These guns were originally fitted with 32-round drum magazines […]

Custom 1932 Longslide Walther PP For Swiss Target Shooting

September 30, 2020 Ian McCollum 23

In 1932, Walther made 10 custom long-barreled PP pistols for the Swiss target shooting community, sold through Glaser in Switzerland. These pistols had 127mm (5 inch) barrels chambered for .32 ACP, a fine satin “Verchromt” […]

Mauser “Zigzag” Revolver Patent Model and its Unique Cartridge

September 16, 2020 Ian McCollum 16

The Mauser brothers’ first handgun was the single shot C77, which they quickly followed with the C78 “zig zag” revolver, so named for the cam grooves on the circumference of its cylinder. What we are […]

Beautiful 16th Century Saxon Wheellock Pistols

September 5, 2020 Ian McCollum 13

Lot 262 in the September 2020 RIA Premier auction. Today, for your consideration and appreciation, a pair of late 16th century Saxon wheel lock pistols…

Pistols for Royalty: the Mannlicher 1900 Standard and Magnificently Engraved

July 20, 2020 Ian McCollum 16

The model 1900 was a transitional pattern of Mannlicher pistol, intended to be an improvement over the somewhat clumsy and underpowered Mannlicher 1896. Only about 250 of them were made, with an eye towards military […]