United States - Forgotten Weapons

Iver Johnson Prototype .25ACP Blow Forward Pocket Pistol

May 13, 2026 Ian McCollum 1

This is a one-of-a-kind prototype of a .25ACP blow forward pistol made by Iver Johnson. It was patented in 1916 (patent applied for in 1912) by William O. Barnes of Massachusetts, and assigned to Iver […]

Remington Model 17 Police Special: The Shockwave a Century Ago

May 11, 2026 Ian McCollum 12

Available from Morphys here: https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_N__REMINGTON_ARMS_COMPANY_MODEL_17_SPECIAL_POLICE-LOT665717.aspx Remington introduced the Model 17 as a lightweight 20ga pump shotgun in 1921. In addition to a variant of sporting grades and a 20” barreled riot model, they also offered […]

Navy M1 Garand Conversions to 7.62mm NATO: Mk2 Mod0 & Mk2 Mod1

May 9, 2026 Ian McCollum 16

Available from Morphys here: Mk2 Mod0 – https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_C__DOCUMENTED_USN_SPRINGFIELD_M1_GARAND_MK_2_MOD_-LOT661040.aspx Mk2 Mod1 – https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_C__DOCUMENTED_USN_SPRINGFIELD_M1_GARAND_MK_2_MOD_-LOT661041.aspx When the US military adopted 7.62mm NATO, the Army considered converting M1 Garands to the new caliber, and decided it wasn’t worthwhile. For […]

Singer M1911A1: The Rarest WW2 1911

May 6, 2026 Ian McCollum 19

Available from Morphys here: https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_C__OUTSTANDING_SINGER_MODEL_1911A1__45_ACP_SEMI_A-LOT660708.aspx The Singer Manufacturing Company, best known for its iconic sewing machines, received an Educational Contract to product 500 M1911A1 pistols on April 17, 1940. They set up production for the […]

Minimalist Outdoorsman’s Combination Gun: The Marbles Game Getter (1st Model)

May 4, 2026 Ian McCollum 14

Available from Morphys here: https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_C__MARBLES_1908_GAME_GETTER__22_RF____44_GAME_GET-LOT663251.aspx Webster L. Marbles was a lifelong outdoorsman, who spent 30 years working as a surveyor, trapper, and lumberman among other jobs. He invented an axe with a safety cover to […]

Model 1867 Trapdoor: A Unique Rifle for West Point Cadets

April 24, 2026 Ian McCollum 4

Available from Morphys here: https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_A__SPRINGFIELD_MODEL_1867_TRAPDOOR_CADET_STYLE_RI-LOT661752.aspx When the US military academy at West Point opened in 1802, one of the things it did was train cadets in rifle drill. The cadets were as young as 14 […]

M26 MASS (Modular Accessory Shotgun System)

April 22, 2026 Ian McCollum 43

Available from Morphys here: https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_N__VERTU_CORP_C_MORE_COMPETITION_M26_MASS_12_GAUG-LOT661207.aspx The M26 Modular Accessory Shotgun System (MASS) was designed by C-More Products company as a new shotgun option for the US military. First prototyped in 1999, it was not actually […]

Franchi LF-57 vs Colt SMG (w/ John Keene)

April 17, 2026 Ian McCollum 12

LF-57 Available from Morphys here: https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_N__MARS_EQUIPMENT_CORP_FRANCHI_M1962_MACHINE_GUN_-LOT667044.aspx Today John Keene and I are comparing and contrasting a pair of quite different submachine guns. One is a Franchi LF-57, a rare second generation stamped Italian design very […]

Henry Deringer’s Remarkable Percussion Pocket Pistols

April 15, 2026 Ian McCollum 26

Henry Deringer Jr was born in Easton PA in 1786 to German parents. As a young man he apprenticed to a gunsmith, then spent 1808 working in the Virginia Manufactory making guns, and then open […]

Simplified Warner Revolving Rifle: Caught by Colt’s Patent

April 10, 2026 Ian McCollum 4

Available from Morphy’s here: https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_A__RARE_WARNER_S_PATENT_OPEN_FRAME_GROOVED_CYLIND-LOT665548.aspx James Warner was a gunsmith and owner of the Springfield Arms Company. In the 1850s he produced a series of revolving rifle designs which are interesting, but poorly documented. Only […]