United States - Forgotten Weapons

Prototype Winchester WW1 .50 Cal Antitank Rifle

July 5, 2017 Ian McCollum 16

With the advent of the tank in World War One, antitank rifles became a priority for many countries, to provide infantry with some weapon to counter the new armored threat. The best known example of […]

French Winchester 94: A Backup Arm for Fliers and Drivers

July 4, 2017 Ian McCollum 38

The French military during World War One used a number of American-made small arms, including both the Winchester Self-Loader and the Winchester Model 1894. A total of 15,100 Model 94s were purchased by France in […]

Lewis Short Recoil .45ACP Prototype Pistol

June 28, 2017 Ian McCollum 15

Isaac Newton Lewis is best known for the Lewis light machine gun, but that was not his only foray into firearms design. He also patented two different types of handguns – one gas operated and […]

The Ching Sling – A Simpler Shooting Sling Compromise

June 22, 2017 Ian McCollum 7

The Ching Sling is an answer to the question, “how can one have a sling that is both a useful shooting aid and also quick to get in and out of?” The formal shooting sling […]

InterArms G33/50: Not a Real Carbine

June 21, 2017 Ian McCollum 15

Among the many Swedish Mauser carbines imported into the United States is an interesting batch of guns marked “InterArms G33/50“. What are these actually? They are rifles imported by InterArms, of course, and they began […]

Winchester Lever Action Development: Model 1895

June 19, 2017 Ian McCollum 32

Carbine Rifle We have reached the final iteration of the Winchester lever action rifle development story today, the Model 1895. This was another John Browning design, although the locking system is basically the same as […]

The Steyr Scout: Jeff Cooper’s Modern Day Frontier Rifle

June 18, 2017 Ian McCollum 60

Jeff Cooper was an icon of the American firearms community, best known for his work with the Southwest Pistol League and father of modern practical handgun competition. Cooper was a Marine Corps veteran and avid […]

Winchester Lever Action Development: Model 1894

June 17, 2017 Ian McCollum 21

Carbine Rifle The Winchester 1894 has become one of the most manufactured and most popular sporting rifles in American history, and it owes this success to a combination of factors. Mechanically, the 1894 was a […]

Winchester Lever Action Development: Model 1892

June 15, 2017 Ian McCollum 28

Rifle Carbine As the Model 1873 began to show its age, Winchester wanted a new rifle to take its place in the company catalog. Scaling down the Model 1886 to the pistol cartridges of the […]

Warner Infallible: An Optimistic Competitor to Savage and Colt

June 14, 2017 Ian McCollum 26

The Warner Arms Company was formed in (or around) 1911 to import and sell Schwarzlose 1908 blow forward pistols in the United States. It was run by Franklin Warner, who also operated a sporting goods […]