Vektor H5: Pump Action Adaptation of the South African Galil Forgotten Weapons 2019-01-02 | http://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.bbtv.com/collections/forgotten-weaponsThe H5 is a pump-action conversion of the South African R4/R5 Galil rifles, developed by Vektor in the early 1990s. It was fairly difficult at that time to get a permit for a semiautomatic rifle in South Africa, but manually operated rifles were much less strictly regulated - so the H5 was introduced to sell to the civilian market. It was found to be quite popular with private security firms, and so a second version was introduced for them, with a pistol grip, folding stock, and black furniture in place of the original wood. Three barrel lengths were offered between the two models, a long sporting barrel and two shorter ones equal to the R4 and R5 barrels.The rifle is designed to keep as many standard Galil parts as possible for economic manufacture, but the whole gas system was omitted. This necessitated a new top cover, new safety, and obviously a new front handguard which would work as a pump handle. No iron sights were put on them, instead they have a scope rail fixed to the top cover and were shipped with 4x32 inexpensive scopes.With the clarification of South African gun laws around 2000, semiautomatic rifle permits actually became substantially simpler to acquire, and the market for the H5 pretty much disappeared.Many thanks to the private collector who provided me access to these two examples to bring to you!Contact:Forgotten WeaponsPO Box 87647Tucson, AZ 85754
Arsenal Strike One: Russian Police Pistol Comes to the West Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-27 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvThe Strike One pistol originated around 2011 as a collaboration between Nicola Bandini and Dimitry Streshinskiy as a pistol to replace the Makarov in Russian police use. By 2014 is was progressing very successfully through testing and trials, and had gained some international interest, and that's when (allegedly) bribery negotiations went badly and the gun disappeared from Russian official consideration. The company behind it (Arsenal Firearms, out of Italy) pivoted to international commercial markets, and it was released in the US and Europe instead. It has since gone through several iterations and importers, and is currently being manufactured in parallel as the Arsenal Strike One in Italy and the Archon Type B in the Czech Republic.Mechanically, the gun is mostly interesting for its non-Browning operation system. It is a short recoil action using a vertically traveling locking block, similar to (but developed independently of) the Bergmann 1910. This action allows it to have a very low bore axis, and the fire control parts are similarly unorthodox in pursuit of that low axis. The version in the video today is a Strike One Speed, and it is indeed a flat-shooting, very nice pistol!Disclosure: This pistol was provided for filming by American Precision Firearms, the importer for Arsenal Italy.utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
New Reproduction Colt 4x AR-15 Scope by Brownells Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-26 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvIn the 1970s and 80s, Colt offered a 4x20 fixed power scope for its commercial AR (the SP-1). These replaced the earlier 3x scopes, and were designed to fit directly to the rifle's carry handle. They are a simple design, with a duplex reticle, BDC calibrated out to 500 yards in 100 yard increments, and good optics. Well, Brownells found the factory that originally made these scopes for Colt, and they still have the original plans. So Brownells arranged a license to use Colt's name and logo, and had a new run of scopes made. They use the exact same design as originally done, but with material and quality standards of today instead of the 1970s. A pretty cool accessory for a carry handle AR!utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
BUG Match Pickelhaube Edition: German 1883 Reichsrevolver Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-25 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvToday I took a Model 1883 Reichsrevolver out to the monthly BackUp Gun Match. This is an 1894-manufactured gun (made at the Erfurt Arsenal). It is a single action only, six-shot revolver chambered for the 10.6mm German Ordnance cartridge. The first type of Reichsrevolver was adopted by the young German Empire in 1879, with the significantly shortened model here adopted in 1883. Both models do also have manual safety levers - unusual for revolvers - but that wasn't relevant to the match today. These revolvers were front-line German service handguns until replaced by the Luger starting in 1908.For more details on the revolver, check out my full videos here:Model 1879: youtu.be/jOI4557ioaAModel 1883: youtu.be/4C72LZtJTIgutreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Cartridge History: The .451 Detonics Magnum is a Supercharged .45 ACP Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-24 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvDetonics was founded as a company in the 1970s, making high-end 1911 pistols. Their first product that really put them on the map was their 3" micro-compact 1911; something that just wasn't available on a production basis at the time. After the .45 Winchester Magnum cartridge was introduced in 1979, Detonics jumped at the chance to now make a higher-power .45 cartridge that would fit the 1911 magazine. Since the .45 WinMag brass was much thicker at the base than .45 ACP, Detonics was able to cut it down to ACP length (actually one millimeter longer, to prevent it from being chambered in a standard .45 ACP chamber). They then cranked up the pressure and were able to increase velocity by 30% over the original .45 - and they called the new round .451 Detonics Magnum.Detonics made several different models of pistol in their new cartridge, both standalone guns, replacement slides for other frames, and package sets with both .45 and .451 barrels. They were never able to get an ammunition manufacturer on board though, and the .451 remained a hand loading proposition throughout its entire life. This crippled its chances at becoming mainstream, and it remains a very niche cartridge to this day. Its successors included the .45 Super and the .460 Rowland, which survive today but are definitely special-interest offerings.utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Sten MkI & MkI*: The Original Plumbers Nightmare Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-22 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvThe Sten gun was designed by RSAF Senior Draftsman (sorry, Draughtsman) Harold Turpin in December, 1940. He sketched out a simple trigger mechanism on December 2, showed it to Major Reginald Shepherd the next day, and then finished out the rest of the submachine gun design that week. The first prototype gun was completed on January 8, 1941 and it was tested by the Small Arms School that same month. The design was approved for production (alongside the Lanchester) March 7th, 1941 and the first of 300,000 Sten MkI guns was delivered to the British military on October 21, 1941. The MkI and MkI* Stens were all manufactured by the Singer sewing machine company in Glasgow, with three contracts for 100,000 guns each issued in 1941. The Sten was the British response to a dire need for a large number of cheap infantry weapons, and it served that purpose well. The MkI was quickly followed by a somewhat simplified MkI*, which discarded the unnecessary flash cone and the wooden front grip. An even simpler MkII optimized for mass production followed, along with a MkIII. As the end of the war approached the MkV was introduced which had much improved handling, and it would remain in service until the 1950s, when it was finally supplanted by the Sterling. Many thanks to the Royal Armouries for allowing me to film and disassemble these rare submachine guns! The NFC collection there - perhaps the best military small arms collection in Western Europe - is available by appointment to researchers:royalarmouries.org/research/national-firearms-centreYou can browse the various Armouries collections online here:royalarmouries.org/collectionutreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
McCann Industries MAS 49/56 in the Elbonian Royal Air Service Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-20 | Elbonian Royal Air Service merch:varusteleka.com/en/product/forgotten-weapons-royal-air-service-elbonia-t-shirt-cotton/78756In the early 2000s, the Elbonian Royal Air Service was looking for an aerial interdiction rifle - something to arm snipers in dirigibles, for shooting down light aircraft and drones. In this, they were remarkably similar to a mission performed by French Army de l'Air snipers - and the Elbonians made the critical mistake of attempting to copy the French.They purchased surplus MAS 49/56 rifles from McCann Industries in the United States. These were rifles converted to 7.62x51mm, and then fitted with McCann's modernization package. McCann manufactured a new aluminum lower that used AR grips and stocks, and fitted the barrels with quad rail assemblies. The Real Story:This is in fact one of the very few McCann Industries modernized MAS 49/56 rifles produced. It is also, in fact, very similar to the MAS 49/56 MSB and the modernization work done by French gunsmith Herlé Kaigre. The French Air Force snipers did apparently at least test one or two of this sort of modernized 49/56, as the semiauto action offered benefits over their bolt action FR-G rifles. Ultimately, though, they adopted the FN SCAR-H a few years ago. And yes, the aerial interdiction mission is a real thing.utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
The Truth Behind the One Chinese Red Dot Factory Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-19 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvAt SHOT Show this year Ian took some time to speak with Mike Branson of Gideon Optics (formerly of Primary Arms and Swampfox). Mike's a friend and a true optics nerd, and I figured he could help give folks an understanding of some of the fundamentals of modern firearms optics. Today the topic of conversation is that one mythical Chinese factory responsible for making all the red dots in the country. You know, the one that will just put your company name on their dot for a few extra bucks and sell it to you. But seriously, what's the deal with the indisputable similarities between elements on so many of these things? Well, let's let Mike explain it...utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Enjoying Black Powder Episode 1: The Trapdoor Springfield Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-18 | For the full episode with the hand loading instructional section, click here:forgottenweapons.vhx.tv/videos/trapdoor-app-cutBlack powder military rifles of the 1860s-1880s are a really enjoyable group of guns. A lot of them are relatively reasonably priced, and they are actually pretty easy to reload for. The unavailability of factory ammunition (for most, although not so much for the Trapdoor) makes them seem like a daunting prospect, but for a pretty simple investment in tools and time one can make up ammunition and have a lot of fun with rifles like this.That's the idea behind a new series here on black powder military rifles. Each month, my friend - and handloader - Tom and I will take out a different model to have some fun at the range and compare how they handle. And then we will show you how to make the ammunition for them. So grab your pith helmet, pause "Zulu" and join us! Today is Episode One: Trapdoor Springfield!Edit: Note that we were using 70 grain powder charges on all our rounds, but the original carbine load was actually 55 grains. Sorry!utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Last Day: Rifles of the Danube Discount & Special KS Edition! Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-17 | kickstarter.com/projects/headstamp/rifles-on-the-danube?ref=64v2l6Today is your last chance to join the preorder for Rifles on the Danube!Until the end of today, you can still join the Kickstarter for "Rifles on the Danube: Hungarian Kalashnikov Firearms 1959-2002". This is the last chance to get the discounted pre-order price, and to get the special Kickstarter cover. We are really excited to be part of publishing the book, as it is truly groundbreaking new material on Hungarian AKs. Hopefully with your help we will hit that final stretch goal and be able to include a shoot of Hungarian-themed and inspired cocktails with each Kickstarter Edition book!utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
SA-85S: FEG Adapts the Hungarian AK for American Import Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-15 | Get your copy of "Rifles On The Danube" today - only 2 days left!kickstarter.com/projects/headstamp/rifles-on-the-danube?ref=71lkjiHungary began importing semiautomatic civilian versions of FÉG's AK-63D into the United States in the 1980s. As more restrictions were put on importation, the models had to change several times to remain legal. The pattern produced between 1990 and 1994 was the SA-85S with a thumbhole stock, and a total of 24,500 of them were imported during this period.All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvutreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Can I Shoot 1 MOA All Day? (Bloke/Polenar Challenge Accepted!) Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-14 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvBloke on the Range Challenge Video:youtu.be/BM3SHvYosSsBloke and Žiga have challenged us - and you! - to shoot a 1 MOA group on demand, with a non-benchrest sort of rifle. The idea is that a whole lot of people will happily insist that their regular hunting rifle will quite easily shoot 1 MOA all day long. Well, will it? Prove it! One minute of angle is a pretty impressive standard if you aren't talking about 3-shot groups, called flyers, do-overs, and mulligans. So let's see if I can meet the challenge.I'm using my 8.6 Blackout Fix with Gorilla 300gr subsonic FMJ and a Burris Eliminator 6 scope.Want to show me up? Grab your phone and your rifle, hit the range and film your own attempt!Complete rules:docs.google.com/document/d/12K7e1G2tEi9_Q9YDo0CyuTtW3ufhOf1NjhI0HInDQeMutreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Finlands Prototype Belt-Fed GPMG: L41 Sampo Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-13 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvDuring the 1930s, there was interest in Finland in replacing the Maxim heavy machine gun with something handier and more mobile. There were experiments with large drum magazines for the LS-26 light machine gun, but these were not satisfactory. Aimo Lahti began to work on a gas-operated GPMG, but lack of funding and competing priorities led to it having slow progress until the eve of the Winter War. By the time the gun was completed and the first preproduction batch ready for troop trials, the Continuation War was underway.Twenty eight of the L41 Sampo machine guns were sent out to a variety of units for field testing in the fall of 1942, and the guns were generally well liked, although not perfect. Before improvements and full-scale production could begin, though, the Finnish military was basically distracted by an alternative possibility of procuring MG42 receivers from Germany and building them into complete guns in 7.62x54R. At least one such prototype was completed, and that project caused the L41 program to stall. By the time it might have progressed, the war was going rather badly for Germany and the possibility of getting receivers was basically gone. The L41 never did see further refinement or production, although the trials guns remained in service with their units, in a few cases right until the end of the war.Mechanically, the L41 is a fascinating hybrid of Bren/ZB and Maxim elements, and incredibly sturdily built. Only seven are know to survive today, six in Finland and this one in the UK. Thanks to the British Royal Armouries for giving me access to it to film for you!utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Blk Lbl Integrated Handguard/Bipod for the Q Fix Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-12 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvEver since I first saw Blk Lbl at SHOT Show many years ago I've really liked their handguard-integrated bipods. They are completely slick and unobtrusive when folded up, but offer a good range of motion, stability, and adjustability when deployed, while being lighter than all but the lightest polymer detachable bipods when combined with a handguard. In addition to making these units for the AR15, AR10, Tavor 7, Tavor X95, Tikka, and MDR platforms, they also offer them for the Q Fix (and also SIG Cross). I'm very happy to have one on my Fix!utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
AK-63F: Hungarys Last Military Kalashnikov Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-11 | Join our Kickstarter for "Rifles On The Danube" today and get your copy of the best book on Hungarian AKs!kickstarter.com/projects/headstamp/rifles-on-the-danube?ref=dioegqIn 1978, as AMD-65 rifles in service were starting to get worn out, FÉG launched a program to refurbish the old original AKM-63 rifles with new wood furniture for new military service. Conversions began in 1980, and when the supply of old rifles ran out, the factory began making new ones to the same basic pattern. However, production was slow, and by 1982 only about 50,000 had been produced (about 35,500 for Hungarian use and another 14,500 for export). At that point, complaints had built up about the length of the rifles, as people were used to works with the quite compact AMD-65. The solution was to introduce the AK-63D, a model of the rifle with the same 16" barrel but with a Soviet-style underfolding stock instead of the fixed wooden stock. These replaced the AK-63F in production until 2002, when the fixed-stocks guns went back into production using leftover parts. This production appears to have continued until 2016, with Hungary selling the rifles to states in the Middle East. The exact details are still classified by the Hungarian government, but a 2018 Conflict Armament Research report identified 166 AK-63Fs captured from Isis. Some of these late-production guns have come into the United States as parts kits, including this one (which I purchased from Atlantic Firearms).The Hungarian military decided to adopt the Czech Bren 2 rifle in 2011, bringing its use of Kalashnikovs to an end. The AK-63F rifles still in service today are expected to be all replaced by 2030.All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvutreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Romania Copies the Jericho: Cugir Models 95 & 98 Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-10 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvBy the end of communism in Romania in 1989, the standard service pistols for the army and police were still the old Tokarevs and the Cugir Model 74 "Carpați" Walther PP copy. These were obviously outdated, and as it moved more towards the West, the Romanian military wanted a modern handgun. In 1992 they assessed what was available, and decided to make a domestic copy of the IMI Jericho, with a few minor tweaks. The process of reverse engineering the design took until 1995, when production began on an order of 10,000 for the Army as the Model 95.The guns performed well, but were considered too heavy. When the Romanian police decided to adopt the pistol in 1998 and placed an order themselves, they asked Cugir to reduce the weight. This was done by eliminating metal in several different places, most notably shorting the full-length frame dust cover and replacing the steel grip backstrap with a more skeletonized design covered by a wraparound grip. This shaved a few ounces off the gun, and 5,000 were made as the Model 98. In addition, a few manufacturing changes were made during this production run, most notably moving from chrome-lined barrels to hard nitrided barrels.Production of the guns ceased in the mid 2000s, until the Army requested another small batch in 2021. By this time Romanian industry had moved form Russia material standards to Western ones, and much of the TDP had to be reworked to accommodate the materials now available. Once that was done, 1100 were produced - 1,000 for the Army and 100 as a commemorative batch for ANCA, the Romanian national arms collectors' association. These remain the standard service pistol for Romanian army and police forces, although they have not entirely replaced the Model 74 today.Thanks to Uzina Mecanica Cugir S.A. for giving me access to these pistols for filming, and to A.N.C.A., the Romanian national firearms collectors' association, for organizing the trip that made this video possible!https://www.anca.com.routreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Hungarian Blast Machine: AMD-65 at the Range Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-09 | "Rifles on the Danube" Kickstarter is live!kickstarter.com/projects/headstamp/rifles-on-the-danube?ref=ewy77iToday I took my AMD-65 out to the range. I've shot regular AKMs with AMD muzzle brakes, but never had the chance to try the AMD-65 in its original proper configuration. And you know what? It's actually not bad, at least in short helpings. The brake is really concussive for people around the gun, but it's not bad at all for the shooter. The grip would get tiring after a while, but for just a bit of shooting it's not bad at all.Thanks to Brandon Herrera / The AK Guy Inc for building this rifle for me!All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvutreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Tanegashima: Guns of the Samurai Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-08 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvThe first Japanese exposure to firearms came from Portuguese traders in 1534, as the southern Japanese island of Tanegashima. They received a matchlock, and quickly recognized its utility and potential - within 10 years matchlocks were in significant production in Japan. The style of gun took hold nationally, and they became known collectively as “Tanegashima”. These matchlocks served as major military arms during the Japanese warring period between 1575 and 1638, and then remained standard arms until the reopening of Japan to the west in the mid 1800s.The distinctive stock design of the Tanegashima is intended to be held and fired at the cheek, and not rested on the shoulder. The style of armor in use at the time did not easily allow a firearms to be shouldered, and so the cheek was used instead. Calibers varied from 8-9mm at the smallest up to guns well in excess of 1 inch in bore diameter. The example in this video is a very representative common type of about .50 caliber, but specialized versions also existed from short guns for mounted shooting and reloading to massive “wall gun” types.With the closing of Japan to the outside world for several centuries, the matchlock Tanegashima became set as the standard firearm. Flintlock and wheel lock systems never saw any significant use, and small arms evolution only resumed with the Meiji Restoration in the mid 1800s, when the Emperor reformed the Japanese military along contemporary European lines. Today, the Tanegashima is a distinctive part of Japanese cultural history, although quite rare in the West and not widely collected.utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
ATF Update: More Transferrable MGs and One-Week NFA Transfers Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-07 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvTwo pieces of surprisingly good news regarding the NFA :First, ATF has recognized that about 4,000 machine guns imported prior to 1986 for police agencies were mis-classified as dealer samples when they should have been fully transferrable. Those guns are being reclassified as transferrable now, and lots of dealers have already probably noticed the change. We are still waiting on written confirmation from ATF, but this has been a project years in the making between NFATCA and the ATF, and it has finally come to fruition.Second, with some changes to their internal processes and fully exploitation of the eForms digital system, processing waits for Form 4 transfers (ie, transfers to individuals) are down to one week or less. This assumes that someone uses the electronic eForms system with digital fingerprints and pays the tax stamp electronically as well, and that there are no errors on the form. Given those conditions, the previous standard of +/- 9 excruciating months is now down to a few days. Would it be better for the NFA to be repealed entirely? Yep, but I will take incremental improvements in the meantime!utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Researching Hungarian Kalashnikovs: Interview with László Becz Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-07 | Rifles on the Danube: Hungarian Kalashnikov Firearms 1959-2002 is available now on Kickstarter:kickstarter.com/projects/headstamp/rifles-on-the-danube?ref=ezuyuvNic Jenzen-Jones, Director of Research for Headstamp Publishing, spent some time in Budapest speaking with László Becz, author of "Rifles on the Danube: Hungarian Kalashnikov Firearms 1959-2002". They talked about everything from the history of the FÉG factory to the difficulties in finding and interviewing retired engineers who don't have phones. All in all, Laszlo has put twenty years of work into this book, and it's exciting to see it come fully to fruition now!All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvutreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
MG08: The Devils Paintbrush Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-06 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvThe MG08 was the German Army standard Maxim gun in World War One. The Germany Navy adopted the Maxim first in 1894, followed by the Army in 1899, then a new pattern in 1901, and finally the MG08 in 1908. This was actually a somewhat old-fashioned pattenr of Maxim when it was adopted, as the Germans chose to use the 1889-style lock, which was neither headspace adjustable not field-strippable. Their decision was based on the idea that they could produce locked to perfect interchangeable headspace, and field stripping was not really necessary - and they were not wrong in these assumptions. MG08 guns were issued with two spare locks in each sled mount, and that handled any broken parts that might occasionally happen. During the war, about 106,000 MG08s were built by two main factories, the Spandau Arsenal and the DWM company. This remained the standard German Army heavy machine gun until the adoption of the MG34. utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Rupertus Pepperbox: A Sophisticated 8-Shot Rimfire Pocket Gun Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-05 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvThe Rupertus Patent Pistol Manufacturing Company was founded in Philadelphia by Bavarian-born Jacob Rupertus. The company made a variety of derringers, pepperboxes, and revolvers and today we are looking at an 8-shot, .22 rimfire pepperbox patented by Rupertus in 1864. It’s a tiny civilian pocket gun, and one that seems to be well made and cleverly designed. The loading port is a rotary piece that prevents any accidental firing during the loading process and also ensures that the loading port cannot come open and let a loose cartridge jam the action when in use. About 3,000 of these guns were made in the mid to late 1860s. utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
.30-06 M1918 American Chauchat - Doughboys Go to France Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-04 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvWhen the US entered World War One, the country had a grand total of 1,453 machine guns, split between 4 different models. This was not a useful inventory to equip even a single division headed for France, and so the US had to look to France for automatic weapons. In June 1917 Springfield Armory tested a French CSRG Chauchat automatic rifle, and found it good enough to inquire about making an American version chambered for the .30-06 cartridge. This happened quickly, and after testing in August 1917, a batch of 25,000 was ordered. Of these, 18,000 were delivered and they were used to arm several divisions of American troops on the Continent.Unfortunately, the American Chauchat was beset by extraction problems. These have today be traced to incorrectly cut chambers, which were slightly too short and caused stuck cases when the guns got hot. It is unclear exactly what caused the problem, but the result was that most of the guns were restricted to training use (as best we can tell today), and exchanged for French 8mm Chauchats when units deployed to the front. Today, American Chauchats are extremely rare, but also very much under appreciated for their role as significant American WWI small arms.utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
AMD-65: The Specialists AK Turns Standard-Issue Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-03 | Get your copy of "Rifles On The Danube" today!kickstarter.com/projects/headstamp/rifles-on-the-danube?ref=5zte5bThe Hungarian AMD-65 (Automata Módosított Deszantfegyver - "Modified Paratrooper Automatic Rifle") was requested first in 1964 because the standard AKM-63 rifles in Hungarian service were too long for a lot of troops. The Ministry of the Interior requested a new rifle 30% shorter and 10% lighter than the standard AK, and the result was the AMD-65. The designers at FÉG decided that the regular Soviet underfolding stock design was too complicated and expensive - and also prone to getting loose with use - and designed their own folding stock design. It was cheap, easy to make, and solid - but it gave a lousy cheek weld. This was an acceptable compromise. The AMD-65 first saw combat use with elements of the Hungarian forces that occupied Czechoslovakia in August 1968, and they liked it. In a surprise move a few months later, the Hungarian MoD decided to adopt it as the standard infantry rifle for all troops, on account of its lower cost than the AKM-63. This was really not the role the AMD-65 was intended for, but the decision stood. Production for the Hungarian military ran until 1980, and commercial and export production continued another decade until 1990. In total, about 1,068,000 AMD-65s were made, accounting for 56.5% of all Hungarian Kalashnikovs. It was widely exported, and is seen in conflict zones worldwide to this day.All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvutreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Rifles on the Danube: Hungarian Kalashnikovs - Headstamps New Book! Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-02 | kickstarter.com/projects/headstamp/rifles-on-the-danube?ref=c1i2loRifles on the Danube: Hungarian AK-Pattern Firearms, 1959–2002At the end of the Second World War, Hungary was occupied by Soviet troops and soon fell into the Soviet sphere of influence, joining the Warsaw Pact in 1955. Like most other socialist countries behind the Iron Curtain, Hungary would soon be producing domestic copies of the Mikhail Kalashnikov’s Avtomat Kalashnikova. Hungarian engineers at FÉG developed several unique AK models and variants—such as the AMP and the AMD-65—putting Hungary’s distinctive mark on the ubiquitous Avtomat. Many of these are still used today conflict zones around the world.In Rifles on the Danube: Hungarian AK-Pattern Firearms, 1959–2002, László Becz charts the course of the AK’s Hungarian history, from the first imports of Soviet rifles to the rifles of the new millennium. The book presents a general history of Hungarian arms production, with a particular focus on the complexities and nuances of manufacture under the Soviet system—something rarely found in English-language works. This story is told through the lens of the FÉG factory, and includes a number of short biographies of key design personnel. Renowned Hungarian firearms researcher Zoltán Szőrös has called Rifles on the Danube “undeniably the most complete chronicle of the golden age of firearms production in twentieth-century Hungary”, and the book certainly delivers on this endorsement. In addition to the unique historical stories and geopolitical context presented herein, this book provides deep details about each Hungarian AK in terms of its production, manufacturing, and technical characteristics. Rifles on the Danube covers the following firearms in detail: - AK-55- AKM-63- AMD-65- AMP- AK-63 - NGM & NGV- SA-85M, SA-85S & SA-2000MEach chapter describes the conception, development, trial and testing, and intended role or one or more weapons. Essential technical aspects of design and operation are framed in their historical context and the whole is laid out in a clear, logical, and chronological manner. Additional sections of the book address magazines, accessories, rifle grenades, and markings. More than just a presentation of dry facts, the narratives relayed in the book are lavishly illustrated with photography of key firearms from Hungarian and international collections. The manuscript is illustrated with hundreds of full-colour photographs and additional archival imagery, and the book will be printed on beautiful photo-quality paper stock, tastefully laid out in a contemporary style. Like other Headstamp Publishing books, Rifles on the Danube is a handily sized hardcover edition, measuring some 10.25 × 7.75 inches (26 × 20 cm) and an anticipated 370 pages in length. It will be section-sewn and bound for increased durability and easier, flatter opening. The cover is wrapped in a premium material, with beautiful debossed details in white and gold foils.Written as the culmination of nearly two decades of research, Rifles on the Danube: Hungarian AK-Pattern Firearms, 1959–2002 is built upon Mr Becz’ exceptional access to factory and military sources, combined with painstaking archival research, and will appeal to the collector, historian, and enthusiast alike. All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvutreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Madsen M50: From the Korean War to Star Trek Forgotten Weapons 2024-05-01 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvDuring World War Two, Madsen (DISA) manufactured a licensed copy of the Finnish Suomi (see: youtu.be/hjs1uiAIpNQ). When the war ended, they wanted to replace this with a more modern, inexpensive design of their own. The result was the Model 1946 Madsen, a creative clamshell design of stamped parts. It is a very simple blowback, open-bolt 9x19mm SMG that perfectly fit the post-war era. The M46 version was sold to a few countries, and after some continued development and refinement the M50 version was demonstrated to a public audience in November 1950. This pattern was even simpler than before, and proved a popular gun for many unaligned countries in Central and South America and Southeast Asia - so much so that it remained in production until the 1980s. A bunch were imported into the US in the 1950s and 1960s, and they found a home in the movie industry, where they were often used in fantasy/sci-fi films to avoid having guns that would be recognized by American movie audiences.utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Clockwork Basilisk - The Early Revolvers of Elisha Collier and Artemas Wheeler Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-30 | Available now at:http://www.headstamppublishing.com/collier-bookClockwork Basilisk: The Early Revolvers of Elisha Collier & Artemas Wheeler reveals the first attempt to put a multi-shot firearm in the hands of the common soldier and sportsman. This novel device—patented in America in 1818 by Artemas Wheeler—was taken to England by his partner, Elisha Collier, to be trialed by the military shortly after the Napoleonic wars. Rejected by both the British and French militaries, the Collier revolver with its clockwork-advanced cylinder eventually found its place as a bespoke self-defense and hunting weapon. Across two volumes and more than 600 pages, the book’s thirteen chapters trace the life of the design, including: - 280 years of revolver design from the 1530s to the 1810s; - Prototype phase of First Model manual- and clockwork-advance Collier designs; - An explanation of the Patent, supported by digital cutaway drawings created by World of Guns; - Military versions presented to the American, British, and French armies and navies; - Bespoke Second Model flintlock Colliers produced for the gentry; - The transition from hand-building to partial machine production; - Third Model Collier—the first percussion revolver; - The decoration of the Collier with symbolic motifs; - Elisha Collier’s nine engineering patents; - Collier’s design as exposed in Samuel Colt’s revolver lawsuits.Seven appendices complement the text. They include a catalogue raisonné, timeline, broadsheets, the case label, the British Patent, parts lists, and key passages from the 1851–1852 Colt trials. An animated digital Collier has been created in cooperation with the digital project World of Guns, revealing its operation and disassembly.Clockwork Basilisk sets a new standard for an academic firearms publication, combining rigorous original scholarship—supported by facsimile documents—with beautiful presentation and the very latest in digital object interactions. It is equally accessible to all generations of firearm enthusiasts. The book’s meticulous production is an even match for these rare weapons, of which fewer than 250 were made.utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
How to Avoid the Legal Pitfalls of a Transferrable H&K Auto Sear Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-29 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvOne of the particularly popular transferrable machine guns out there is the H&K auto sear. Since H&K grip and trigger assemblies are interchangeable between 9mm, 5.56mm, and 7.62x51mm guns (ie, MP5, HK33, and G3) a single registered full-auto grip assembly can allow someone to effectively have three machine guns for the price of one (albeit only one at a time). However, there are some potentially very expensive and dangerous pitfalls for someone acquiring one of these without a full understanding of the law and the technical details.In short, an H&K upper receiver that has the ability to fit a factory full-auto grip assembly is considered a machine gun by ATF, just like an AR lower with the third pin hole drilled. If you have a registered standard factory full-auto grip, any gun it can attach to is also by definition a machine gun. Instead, the proper way to do this is to register a grip assembly that is modified to fit onto factory semiauto receivers. This sounds pedantic and strange - and it is - but it is a complex and tricky area of law and ATF rule making. If you are planning to put tens of thousands of dollars into a transferrable H&K, you really ought to have a clear understanding of these issues before you make a purchase!utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
M1 Thompson: Savage Simplifies the SMG Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-28 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvThe Thompson submachine gun struggled to find a market when it was originally produced, with the first batch of 15,000 Colt-made guns not finally all selling until the late 1930s. By that time, the clouds of war were gathering, and demand for submachine guns finally began to really grow. The US military had some Thompsons, and the British began buying as many as they could. The US wanted to increase production, and that meant simplifying the gun, both to reduce cost and to increase manufacturing efficiency. Talks to this end began in late 1941, and by February 1942 the engineers at Savage had a prototype of what would become the M1 Thompson.This new version simplified almost every element of the gun, but most significantly it replaced the 3-piece Blish lock bolt with a solid one-piece affair that just worked as a normal blowback action. Unnecessary elements like the vertical front grip, Cutt’s compensator, quick-detach stock, and fancy contoured selector levers were discarded. The adjustable Lyman rear sight was replaced by a single metal tab with an aperture (quickly given a set of protective wings though, as the tab alone proved too fragile). The recoil guide rod was simplified, the oiling pads inside the receiver removed, and a simpler recoil buffer designed. The capability to use drum magazines was also discarded, and a new 30-round box magazine took their place.The M1 was adopted in the spring of 1942, and July saw the first major delivery, of 48,000 guns. Simplifiecation work continued, however, and by the end of October a yet-simpler M1A1 pattern was adopted. This model replaced the hammer mechanism with a fixed firing pin. As a result, M1 production lasted only about 5 months. A total of 285,480 M1 Thompsons were made, but most of these were retrofitted to M1A1 configuration by simply swapping in the simpler new bolt. Finding intact M1 configuration guns is rather unusual today as a result.utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Daly Arms Tom Thumb - A Tiny Ring-Trigger Revolver Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-27 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvThe "Tom Thumb" is a tiny .22 rimfire revolver made in Belgium by an unknown shop and imported into the US to be sold by the Daly Arms Company of New York. These are antique guns, probably made in the 1870s or 1880s, chambered for the original black powder .22 rimfire cartridge. There are other similarly sized guns (like the Colt New Line rimfire revolvers), the the use of a ring trigger here is quite unusual. The ring appears to be too small to actually use, and in seeming acknowledge of this, the front face of the ring is textured for grip. Why these revolver didn't use the much more practical sheath trigger is a mystery...utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Colt Automatic Machine Rifle Model 1919: the First Commercial BAR Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-26 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvSeveral patents were taken out on the BAR during World War One, but they were all kept unpublished and secret during the war. Just days after the Armistice, Colt patent attorney CJ Ehbets wrote to the US Patent Office requesting release of the secrecy restrictions. They responded just two days later sending formal publication of the patents, and Colt was able to move directly into commercial export sales of the BAR.The model being sold by Colt was officially the Colt Automatic Machine Rifle, Model of 1919. It was nearly identical to the regular M1918 US military BAR, but without the cylindrical flash hider and with the recoil spring moved from the gas tube into the buttstock. The first sale was made on April 11, 1919 (serial number C-100251) and a total of 1,003 of these guns were purchased by the end of 1923. In 1924, Colt released a new model, with a pistol grip and some other improvements.Of the 1,003 Model 1919s, 701 were chambered for 6.5mm and sold to FN - almost certainly for resale to a European client, as FN was not yet set up for BAR manufacture. The remaining 302 were made in a variety of calibers (.30-06, 7.92mm Mauser, 7.65mm Mauser, 7mm Mauser), and also included a small batch in .303 British purchased by the UK and used in the light machine gun trials that ultimately let to the Bren.This particular example is fully transferrable, but was at some point rebuilt by a prior owner in World War Two, M1918A2 configuration. It retains the original style hand guard and trigger assembly and is a proper Model 1919 receiver, and would be an ideal project for someone to properly return to Model 1919 configuration (IMO).utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Six Phases of Gun Design Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-25 | The six phases of a firearms design project, as explained by David Findlay in his recent book, "Firearms Anatomy Book III: The Remington Double Derringer".Highly recommended for any aspiring gun designer - full review coming in a few weeks. Get your copy at Amazon:amzn.to/4daGdYy
Maxims in the Skies: the German LMG 08/15 Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-24 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvAs soon as the MG08/15 "light" machine gun was adopted by Germany, it was recognized as an ideal basis for an aircraft gun. Weight was of the essence for WW1 aircraft, and a lightened Maxim was just the thing to use. So the Spandau Arsenal began producing the LMG08/15 (the "L" in which might stand for either air-cooled or lightweight; we really don't know which) in May 1916. In addition to cutting a ton of lightening slots in the water jacket, the guns also had mechanisms added to allow a pilot to cycle both the bolt and the feed system from behind the gun (something not possible with a standard ground model). The example we are looking at today has a great example of an early style of such device completely intact...utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
The Rarest 1911: North American Arms Co Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-22 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvIn the summer of 1918, the US government wanted to increase production of M1911 pistols, but all current manufacturers were working at capacity. So they looked to issue new contracts, and someone realized that the Ross rifle factory was a potential option. Now, the Ross Rifle Company was bankrupt by this time, and its factory lay essentially abandoned. So in June of 1918, two Canadian lawyers by the names of James Denison and Edmond Ryckman incorporated the North American Arms Company Ltd in Quebec, signed a contract to manufacture 500,000 1911 pistols for the US, and then leased the Ross factory for a term of 18 months. Whether they would have been successful in producing pistols at scale is unknown, because their contract was cancelled on December 4, 1918 before any deliveries were made. With the end of the war, arms requirements plummeted, and pretty much all ongoing weapons contracts were cancelled, not just this one. However, parts for 100 pistols had been produced, and these were assembled and sold commercially after the contract was cancelled. utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
What is the Best Maxim Gun? (with John Keene) Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-21 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvToday, Ian is talking to John Keene, NFA specialist for Morphy Auctions. The question is, what is the best model of Maxim gun? Whether it's for a recreation shooter or a historical enthusiast, there are some models that are better than others...utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Murican 2-Gun: M1918A3 BAR and M1911A1 Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-20 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tv Today I'm taking a brand new Ohio Ordnance M1918A3 semiauto BAR to the 2-gun match, along with a Tisas M1911A1 clone. The BAR is the WW2 configuration, but I followed the footsteps of many a US GI and took off the bipod (and it didn't come with a carry handle). That reduces the weight a bit from the very beefy 19 pounds the WW2 BAR tipped the scales at. Even so, it's still like running a shoulder rifle with a second rifle strapped to it...It was a fun match, even if I did place very near the bottom of the scores!All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvutreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
MG11: The Magnificent Swiss Maxim Gun Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-19 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvThe Swiss were one of the first countries to test Hiram Maxim’s new automatic machine gun in 1887, and they found it far superior to their just-recently-purchased Gardner guns. The first Swiss maxims were delivered in 1889, and the country came back three more times for newer models. The MG94 was the first major adoption, followed by the MG00 for cavalry. Finally, after the Maxim patents expired and DWM introduced their improved 1909 commercial pattern, the Swiss adopted it as the MG11. The first 167 MG11s were produced by DWM, but deliveries ceased in 1915 because of the war. This prompted the Swiss National Assembly to order the government arsenal W.F. Bern to begin production, and between 1915 and 1946 the Swiss made 10,269 more MG11s domestically. They were absolutely beautifully made weapons.In 1934/35, a modernization program made a number of improvements to the guns. The booster was simplified, the trigger was made one-hand friendly (so the second hand could be used to adjust aim while firing), a bracket for antiaircraft sights was added, and traverse and elevation stops were added to the tripods. Most significantly, the cloth belt was replaced by a fully metal belt. That belt is widely regarded as the best Maxim belt ever produced, and it is particularly valuable to shooters today, as it will function with essentially any caliber in any model of Maxim.Swiss Maxims were never exported in quantity, and they are quite rare today.utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Type 100 / 44 (Late Pattern) Japanese SMG Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-17 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvThe Japanese never really embraced submachine guns during and before World War Two. A series of development programs in the 1920s and 30s led nowhere, and there never really seems to have been much motivation behind them. Some small batches of guns were purchased from abroad for units like the Special Naval Landing Force, comprising things like SIG Model 1920 Bergmann guns and Steyr MP34s. Finally in the late 30s, apparently spurred by Japanese experience in the taking of Shanghai, Kijiro Nambu replaced his complex early designs with a simple blowback open-bolt gun chambered for the standard 8mm Nambu pistol cartridge. This was tested and accepted in 1940 as the Type 100.The early 1940 model of the Type 100 had a distinctive underdog on the barrel shroud for attaching a bayonet, and some examples had bipods or simplistic folding stocks. It wasn’t until 1944 that the design was simplified and production increased - although still not to a level that would be considered significant in any other army. Only about 8,000 of the 1944 pattern guns were made. They had a higher rate of fire (about 800 rpm, compared to 450 rpm on the 1940 pattern), and used a different 30-round curved magazine as well. utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
M14: America’s Worst Service Rifle - What Went Wrong? Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-15 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvWhile the US never adopted a significant variation of the M1 Garand (excluding sniper models), testing continued on new iterations and features throughout the war. By the time the war ended, the US military had some specific ideas about what it wanted in a new service rifle. That being, something lighter, capable of automatic fire, and to have one single platform replace the M1 Carbine, M3A1 Grease Gun, M1 Garand, and M1918A2 BAR. New rifles to meet these requirements were developed by Springfield, Remington, and Winchester, ultimately competing against the FN FAL for US service use. The Springfield T44E4 won out (barely) and was adopted on May 1, 1957 at the M14 rifle.Production of the M14 was plagued by problems, largely due to quality control lapses. Early in production there were heat treatment problems that led to sheared looking lugs and broken receivers. Once those were addressed, the main problem because one of accuracy, with a shocking number of M14s failing to meet the 5.6 MOA minimum accuracy standard. Ultimately production ended in 1963 with 1.38 million M14s produced, and the M16 took over as the new American service rifle.utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
A Gun to Save Lives: Winchester 1886 Line Thrower Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-14 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvLine-throwing devices have long been an important part of maritime safety, and many different have been guns adapted to launch ropes from shore to ship or ship to ship. Usually they are inexpensive obsolete surplus of the era, but a change in law in 1918 led to a spike in demand for line-throwers in the US. As a result, a number of entrepreneurs put together line-throwing rifle kits. One of these was William Read & Sons, who bought 497 Model 1886 Winchester lever action rifles in .45-70 form the Winchester factory, specifically bored smooth and with barrels cut down the 14.5 inches. They packaged these with line launching projectiles, spools or rope, blank cartridges, and other accessories and sold them commercially. This particular model was used by both the US Coast Guard and Navy as well as private ship owners, and remained in use until after World War Two.For a tremendous amount of information on line throwers, I highly recommend John Spangler's article "Guns to Save Lives":americansocietyofarmscollectors.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2015-B111-Line-Throwing-Guns.pdfutreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Lugers in Thailand: The Siamese Artillery Luger Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-13 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvIn 1936 and 1937, Siam purchased a batch of several hundred new Luger pistols for the Bangkok Police, including 100 long-barreled lP08 Artillery Lugers. These were new production gun, but made with surplus WW1-era barrels, sights, and stocks. The Siamese serial numbers range from 3450v to 3553v. The guns are standard Mauser production, all dated 1936, similar to the purchases by Persia and Turkey around the same time. The one distinctive marking on the Siamese contract are local rack numbers added to the back oft he frame some time after World War Two - a circled lion’s head emblem and a 3-digit Thai number (this example translates to #278). Those rack numbers are not exclusive to the 1936 Lugers, as they are also seen on other pistols in Bangkok police service.utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Chinese Type 50 PPSh: Founding “Gun City” in Manchuria Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-12 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvOne of the first new weapons adapted and used by the Chinese Peoples’ Liberation Army after the Communist victory in the Chinese civil war was the Type 50, a copy of the Soviet PPSh-41. The story of its manufacture begins at the Japanese occupied Mukden Arsenal. It was briefly occupied by the Soviets in 1945 before coming under control of the CCP. It was a huge manufacturing complex at the time, making artillery, small arms, ammunition, and more. A Nationalist bombing raid in 1949 led to the production being distributed among three separate smaller facilities, and the small remote town of Bei’an was chosen to become the new small arms factory site.The town became so heavily focused on weapons manufacture that it gained the nickname of “Gun City”. The factory was formally named #626, and given the cover name of Qinghua Tool Company. It initially began with production of the Type 38 Arisaka, Type 24 Mauser (the Chiang Kai Shek rifle), the M1 Carbine (a failed project), and the Type 50 copy of the PPSh. In the spring of 1951 in response to UN advances northward in Korea, production was ordered to scale up on the Type 50, to 7500-9000 per month. This took a couple months to achieve, but in June 1951 the first large shipment of the guns left the factory, and by December 1953 a total of 358,000 had been made. At that point, production shifted to the Type 54, a copy of the PPS-43.The Type 50 is a close copy of the Russian Shpagin, but differs in a couple details. The Chinese used a rear aperture sight, and the sights were placed slightly farther forward than on Russian guns. They are also generally very well made - better than most Russia wartime examples.For many more cool small arms stories, check out WWII After WWII:wwiiafterwwii.wordpress.comutreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
What is a Battle Rifle? Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-10 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tv"Battle rifle" is not a formally recognized term like "assault rifle", but it is widely used, and I think it has a lot of utility. It is intended to differentiate between intermediate-caliber and full-power military rifles, and to that end I propose these four criteria to define a "battle rifle":1 - A military style or pattern rifle2 - Intended primarily to be fired from the shoulder3 - Self-loading (either semi- or fully automatic)4 - Chambered for a full power rifle cartridgeAll the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvutreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Colt Viper: A Rare Snake and a Great Revolver Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-08 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvColt has released seven different revolvers named after snakes, and they have become a popular niche collection for many people. The Python is by far the best known, but several others are very rare. One of these is the Colt Viper, of which only a few thousand were made and only in 1977. The Viper is fundamentally a variation of the Police Positive Special with an aluminum alloy frame and a 4" barrel. They were all chambered for .38 Special, and in fact the only variations are in the finish - either blued or nickeled. utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Fundamentals of LPVOs: Cheap vs Expensive Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-07 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvAt SHOT Show this year I took some time to speak with Mike Branson of Gideon Optics (formerly of Primary Arms and Swampfox). Mike's a friend and a true optics nerd, and I figured he could help give folks an understanding of some of the fundamentals of modern firearms optics. Today, we are talking about Low-Power Variable Optics - LPVOs. In particular, what are the differences between cheap and expensive ones? What can you improve by spending more money, and what is basically limited by physics?utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Boombox / Clarion Thermal at MOGO24: Zee Goggles! Zey Do Nuthink! Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-06 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvFor my Passive Division run during the staff match portion of Moons Out Goons Out 2024, I used a borrowed prototype Boombox from Q, with an AGM Clarion thermal scope. The Boombox is essentially a Honey Badger scaled up to AR10 size, chambered for 8.6mm Blackout. With a 12" barrel and Porq Chop suppressor, it was crazy quiet, and the 300gr subsonic FMJ from Gorilla Ammo that I was shooting made a great CLANG on the targets. The Clarion is a large thermal from AGM, with the option for either 2x or 3x optical zoom. I went for 2x, and was unfortunately surprised by how difficult some of the targets were to find. Last year I did not have the same issues with a similar thermal scope from AGM, and so I didn't expect them this year. Well, live and learn...Thanks to our awesome match sponsors! Thanks to them, we were able to make this a great event with an outstanding prize table:TNVCAGM Global VisionBE MeyersBrownellsGorilla AmmunitionQRefuge MedicalT-Rex ArmsVarustelekaVirginia Citizens Armoryutreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
Moons Out 25 - Save the Date! Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-05 | Moons Out Goons Out 2024 was a huge success! Thanks to everyone who attended, as well as those who helped run and sponsor the match. We've set the dates for Moons Out 25, which will be March 14-16 2025 - save the date! Registration will open in December 2024. We hope to see you all there!
Model 74 Carpati: Cugirs Romanian Walther Clone Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-05 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvThe Model 74 "Carpați" is a copy of the Walther PP made by the Cugir factory in Romania. The project began at the direction of the Romanian secret police, who delivered a worn out Walther to the factory in 1972 with a request that they produce a domestic copy. Work on the design took two years before the final product was ready in 1974, and was adopted at the Model 74 (although it is colloquially known as the "Carpați", after the Carpathian Mountains around Cugir).The Model 74 has an aluminum alloy frame and a 90.5mm barrel, almost exactly splitting the difference between the barrel lengths of the PP and PPK. It is chambered for .32 ACP, and is pleasant and easy to shoot, capable of better accuracy than most would expect thanks to its fixed barrel design. It is a single/double action gun, with a decocting lever. The magazine capacity is 8, although users typically load 7 to reduce magazine fatigue - and in police use that standard set up was two magazines each loaded with just 6 rounds. The gun was designed for a minimum lifespan of 3,000 rounds fired.Entering production in 1974, it quickly scaled up to 6000/month. Production ran until the early 1990s, with hundreds of thousands made. They were used by police and military forces in Romania and also exported widely. After the fall of communism in Romania, a Model 95 was made in two variations. One was a steel framed version in .380 caliber, made in small quantity mostly for export. The other was a copy of the Model 74 chambered for 9mm blanks, which was reasonably popular on the Romanian civilian market. It could be fitted with a less-lethal rubber ball launcher, and the purchase permit for such a pistol also served as a carry permit, allowing them to be kept for at least a minimal form of self-defense.Thanks to A.N.C.A., the Romanian national firearms collectors' association, for organizing the trip that made this video possible!https://www.anca.com.routreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
My Newest Book: Small Arms of WWII: Soviet Union Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-03 | headstamppublishing.com/ww2-soviet-unionExcited to launch my newest book, Small Arms of WWII: Soviet Union! Available now for pre-order...
Announcing my Newest Book! Small Arms of WW2: Soviet Union Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-03 | Preorders are open now!headstamppublishing.com/ww2-soviet-unionFor European orders, save on shipping by ordering here:headstampbook.comI'm very excited to announce my newest book: Small Arms of WWII - Soviet Union! This is the second volume in our Headstamp series of World War Two arms (the first was the United States). It's approximately 500 pages of gorgeous photography and insightful history on all the small arms of the USSR during the Great Patriotic War (as it is called in Russia). Specifically, I cover all the standard small arms and lots of experimental and early-production variations. The book is divided into chapter by type of weapon - Handguns, Submachine Guns, Bolt Action Rifles, Self-Loading Rifles, Sniper Rifles, Machine Guns, and miscellaneous Others.One of the aspects I really like about doing this book is being able to bring a good baseline of information to the English language sphere about Soviet small arms. While we have a few references here and there, the majority of Russia weapons are very poorly documented in English. By working with a bunch of Russian-langauge research and materials I was able to put together a lot of information that has been previously unknown or misunderstood by most Western collectors and enthusiasts. To be clear, this book is not a detailed reference guide (nor was the first volume on US arms) - but my goal was to include a good overview of each weapon's development, operation, production, and use in the war. We have preorders open and available now, and after two weeks we will send the book to our printer (knowing at that point how many copies we should print). We expect a 5-month time frame for printing and shipping, so we should have books in our warehouse and going out to you in mid-September. The price is $108 plus shipping, and we also have options for signed copies, slipcases, and signed copies with slipcases. We also have slipcases available for the US edition for those who are interested in them. We will be sending a batch of books from the printer directly to a shipping hub in France, which will reduce our shipping costs for European (and British) buyers - make sure to use the European option web site (headstampbook.com) if that applies for you! Thanks!Ian
Bonus: Ians Boombox Shootoff with Mitch from Q Forgotten Weapons 2024-04-02 | All the best firearms history channels streaming to all major devices:weaponsandwar.tvMitch, design engineer at Q, challenged me to a shutoff at Moons Out Goons Out 2024. If I win, I get a Boombox from Q. If he wins, I have to embarrass myself on the internet. Sounds like a risk worth taking!The Boombox is essentially a Honey Badger scaled up to SR25 magwell size, chambered for 8.6mm Blackout (and they will have a 7.62x51mm version as well).utreon.com/c/forgottenweaponshttp://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeaponshttp://www.floatplane.com/channel/ForgottenWeaponsCool Forgotten Weapons merch! http://shop.forgottenweapons.com
