Italy - Forgotten Weapons

Book Review: The Italian Vetterli Rifle by Robert Wilsey

March 9, 2017 Ian McCollum 36

Here in the United States, the Italian Vetterli is overwhelmingly found in the 1870/87/15 guise, and considered unsafe to shoot. However, this is simply the final transformation of a rifle which saw substantial military service […]

Sosso 1941 Italian Prototype Pistol (Video)

March 6, 2017 Ian McCollum 20

The Model 1941 Sosso is a huge Italian experimental semiauto pistol designed by Giulio Sosso. It uses a short recoil locking mechanism and is chambered for standard 9x19mm Parabellum ammunition, but its more unusual feature […]

Benelli MR-1 (Video)

January 24, 2017 Ian McCollum 29

The MR-1 is a recently introduced 5.56mm tactical black rifle from Benelli, which is remarkably not an AR15 or AR18 in disguise. Instead, Benelli took the gas system from the M4 Super 90 shotgun and […]

Vintage Saturday: Goumier

December 17, 2016 Ian McCollum 52

Moroccan troops, known as les Goumiers Marocains were part of the French auxiliaries in the Army of Africa. As with all post-surrender French forces in WWII, they were armed and equipped with other Allied equipment; […]

Armaguerra Model 1939 Semiauto Rifle (Video)

November 21, 2016 Ian McCollum 25

The Italian army actually adopted a semiautomatic rifle in 1939: this Armaguerra Model 1939. It was intended to supplant the M38 Carcano bolt actions, but ultimately never managed to get into mass production. The rifle […]

Terni M91 Carcano Semiauto conversion (Video)

October 19, 2016 Ian McCollum 14

This rifle started out its life an a normal M91 Carcano long rifle, before being converted into an experimental self-loader by the Terni Arsenal. Rather than adding a gas piston to the barrel, Terni engineered […]

RIA: Beretta Model 1931 (Video)

September 4, 2016 Ian McCollum 12

With the development of the Model 1931, Beretta had nearly arrived at the first really popular pistol (the 1934/5). The 1931 was the result of taking the exposed-hammer 1923 design, shrinking the frame down to […]

RIA: Beretta Model 1923

August 28, 2016 Ian McCollum 33

Beretta offered its first semiautomatic pistols during World War One, with the Model 1915 chambered in 9mm Glisenti. This was quickly supplemented by the 1915/17 scaled down to the .32ACP cartridge, which was both handier […]

RIA: Beretta 1918/30 Semiauto Carbine

August 11, 2016 Ian McCollum 37

The Model 1918/30 is a semiauto-only carbine made by Beretta in between the early Model 1918 submachine guns and the excellent Model 38 family. It was marketed (well, sold) primarily to security and police forces, […]

M1915 Villar Perosa Video

August 5, 2016 Ian McCollum 39

The Villar Perosa is one of the first small machine guns developed and used by a military force. It was designed in Italy and introduced in 1915 as an aircraft weapon, to be used in […]