United States - Forgotten Weapons

Fiala Model 1920 Combination Gun at RIA (Video)

February 11, 2015 Ian McCollum 23

The Fiala Model 1920 was a manually-operated repeating pistol in .22LR caliber that was marketed with the backing of famed polar explorer Anthony Fiala. The guns came as a set of one frame, three barrels […]

Lady’s (Ladies?) Home Companion at RIA (Video)

February 10, 2015 Ian McCollum 43

The Ladies Home Companion was a pistol (technically) made by the Cobray company on the same frame as their 12ga “Street Sweeper” shotgun. It had no stock or front grip, and was chambered for the […]

Standard Arms Model G Rifles at RIA (Video)

February 9, 2015 Ian McCollum 16

Right at the beginning of the 20th century, there were 3 options on the market for semiauto commercial sporting rifles in the US: the Remington Model 8, the Winchester 1905/1907 Self-Loader, and the Standard Arms […]

Roper Repeating Shotgun at RIA (Video)

February 7, 2015 Ian McCollum 12

Sylvester Roper was a great example of the classic American inventor – he had a wide range of interests, and impacted technological development in more than one industry. This shotgun is a design he patented […]

Starr DA & SA Revolvers at RIA (Video)

February 5, 2015 Ian McCollum 4

Starr revolvers are one of the less recognized designs used in the US Civil War, although tens of thousands of them were made and issued. Indeed, in many ways they were superior to the much […]

Cobray Terminator Shotgun at RIA (Video)

February 4, 2015 Ian McCollum 56

The Cobray Terminator is an unusual – and unusually impractical – single-shot 12 gauge shotgun. It uses a sort of open bolt system in which the barrel is under spring pressure, and slams backwards into […]

Lots of New Things!

February 2, 2015 Ian McCollum 11

I have a number of things from the last week or so to share with folks who are interested… First up, while I was at SHOT in Vegas, Karl and I had the chance to […]

Vintage Saturday: Not the Best Choice

January 31, 2015 Ian McCollum 16

A postcard photo from May 1918 (sent to me by Shane M. – thanks, Shane!). Featuring Arthur L. Potts, 103rd MG Co. 26th Division. The Standard Arms Model G rifle he’s holding was a direct […]

Mud testing: M1A, MAS 49/56, AR

January 21, 2015 Ian McCollum 27

I’m at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas today (and the rest of the week), and when you read this I will probably be desperately trying to wade through the sea of AR15s in search […]

Modern Take on the Sturmgewehr, and a Mile Long Shot to Kill

January 16, 2015 Ian McCollum 26

Two things today… First up, I recently had a chance to tinker with a rifle made by Brethren Arms, which is in many ways the modern evolution of the StG-45 that we looked at in […]