Germany - Forgotten Weapons

Winchester Reference Collection: Uruguayan M1908 Short Rifle

November 22, 2021 Ian McCollum 9

Uruguay first adopted a Mauser rifle in the 1880s, with the single-shot Mauser model 1871. After an abortive attempt to update those rifles to a small bore smokeless powder cartridge (the Dovitiis conversion), they opted […]

The Schmeisser MP-28,II at the Range

November 4, 2021 Ian McCollum 14

We have previously looked at the original MP-18, the System Schmeisser improvement, and the followup MP-28,II design on the table – but we have not taken the MP-28 out to the range. So, that’s what […]

Lugers for the Dutch East Indies Army

November 3, 2021 Ian McCollum 11

Note: When I say the double magazine pouch is unique for this model, I was not thinking about those issued with LP-08 Artillery Lugers. While the Dutch Army dithered over new pistol adoption, the Dutch […]

A Police SMG Upgrade: the MP-18 System Schmeisser

November 2, 2021 Ian McCollum 39

When the MP-18 was issued by the German Army in World War One, it used the then-in-production Luger “snail drum” magazines. These were expensive, awkward, and generally not ideal. Once the war ended, Hugo Schmeisser […]

Fancy Martini-System Venus Pistole

November 1, 2021 Ian McCollum 20

This is a great example of an interwar single-shot fancy target pistol. It is chambered for basic .22 rimfire, and uses a Martini system of dropping breechblock to operate.

Politicians Ruin Everything: Dutch Luger Trials

October 27, 2021 Ian McCollum 26

The Dutch military started looking for semiauto pistols to replace its aging revolvers around 1899. They tested all the early models; the Roth, Borchardt, Mauser and Mannlicher – and then they obtained a Borchardt-Luger (aka, […]

Krieghoff: Lugers for the Luftwaffe

October 20, 2021 Ian McCollum 26

One of the scarce, small-production manufacturers of the Luger is Krieghoff – Heinrich Krieghoff to be exact. Kreighoff Waffenfabrik was a smallish arms company that wanted to get into major contracts with the rearming German […]

Quebec Papal Zouave’s Ceremonial Gewehr 71/84

October 4, 2021 Ian McCollum 20

Here’s a rifle with an interesting twisting history… This began life as a German military Gewehr 71/84, made in 1888. It was issued to a unit, but eventually replaced by the Gewehr 1888. It was […]

Portuguese m/937B Kar98k: Back to the Standard Pattern

September 22, 2021 Ian McCollum 24

In the 1930s, Portugal was looking to update its small arms, and wanted to get some top-shelf K98k Mausers to replace its 1904 Mauser-Vergueiros. The country was on good terms with Germany, and so Portugal […]

MP7A1 vs MP7A2: H&K’s Modern PDW

July 23, 2021 Ian McCollum 18

Today we are taking a look at H&K’s PDW, the MP7. Specifically, we’re going to go over the changes made form the MP7A1 to the MP7A2 pattern…