United States - Forgotten Weapons

Milkor M32 and M32A1 40mm Grenade Launchers

July 5, 2019 Ian McCollum 18

The USMC adopted the Milkor USA M32A1 rotary multiple grenade launcher (MGL) in 2012. The history of this weapon goes back to South Africa, where designer Andries Piek was inspired to create it after building […]

Does the Boberg/Bullpup9 Design Reduce Recoil?

June 29, 2019 Ian McCollum 25

If you ask Bond Arms, they will tell you that their Bullpup9 (previously the Boberg XR9S) gets multiple benefits from its unique operating mechanism. Most everyone familiar with the gun knows about the idea that […]

H&K Mk23 SOCOM Development

June 28, 2019 Ian McCollum 27

The H&K Mk 23 pistol was developed in the 1990s for the US Special Operations Command and US Navy. The goal was to produce an “offensive handgun” that could serve as a primary armament for […]

AAI 2nd Gen SPIW Flechette Rifles

June 24, 2019 Ian McCollum 36

The SPIW program began in 1962 with entries from Colt, Springfield, AAI, and Winchester. The first set of trials were a complete failure, and both Colt and Winchester abandoned the project at that point. AAI […]

Knight’s Assault Machine Guns at the Range

May 11, 2019 Ian McCollum 66

Knights Armament introduced their “Assault Machine Gun” a couple years ago, and I had a chance to take both versions (5.56mm and 7.62mm) out to the range recently. The gun is the spiritual descendant of […]

A Brief Introduction to the M240 Golf

May 4, 2019 Ian McCollum 56

The FN MAG was adopted by the United States military to replace its aging inventory of M60 machine guns. It was designated the M240 in US parlance, and first used as a vehicle-mounted machine gun. […]

Morse Carbine: If the Army Says No, Sell it Commercially!

April 28, 2019 Ian McCollum 10

This carbine is lot #3208 in the upcoming Rock Island May 2019 auction. George Morse was one of the most significant American inventors in the development of modern ammunition. In 1856 he received a patent […]

US Navy Driggs Mk IX 37mm Quickfire Cannon

April 23, 2019 Ian McCollum 21

This Driggs cannon and its accessories are lot #1117 at Morphy’s April 2019 auction. Developed between 1883 and 1889 by Lt. William Driggs and Commander (later Admiral) Seaton Schroeder, the Driggs cannon was an improvement […]

MAC Operational Briefcase

April 21, 2019 Ian McCollum 11

This MAC briefcase, gun, and suppressor are lot #1063 at Morphy’s April 2019 auction. If a swanky outfit like H&K can make an “Operational Briefcase” with a submachine gun hidden inside it, then you can […]

Hotchkiss 1914: A French and American WWI Heavy MG

April 19, 2019 Ian McCollum 30

This Hotchkiss machine gun and its tripod are lot #2027 in the upcoming April 2019 Morphy auction. The gun that became the Hotchkiss 1914 and served as the bulwark of French and American forces in […]