This is the fourth part of a series of posts seeking to describe and analyze the 7.62mm Lightweight Rifle concept promoted by the Americans, and subsequently adopted by NATO in various forms. This series will cover development from before World War II to the present [Read More…]
Two nationally renowned contributors to the shooting sports have recently passed away this week. Ed Shilen, founder of Shilen Rifles Inc. and an exceptional precision barrel maker passed away recently. Jim Clark Jr. continued his father’s legacy with his Clark [Read More…]
While it’s well known that the Germans were the first to field select-fire assault rifles in large numbers during World War II, the Soviets, thoroughly impressed by the idea of an intermediate-power infantry cartridge and intrigued by the idea of the assault [Read More…]
Things are looking up for Smith & Wesson this month, as the company has just passed their millionth mark in Shield production. Hard to believe, the pistol has been in production for five years already, and I think it is safe to say that it is still just as popular [Read More…]
Nearly two weeks ago, I published an article that caused a great deal of consternation among my readership, even resulting in a prompt rebuttal video from Ian and Karl with InRange TV. That highly negative article was entitled 7 Reasons I Don’t Like The [Read More…]
When researching historical weapons and ammunition, it is sometimes helpful to know what sort of ballistics a round produces. However unfortunately not every cartridge in history comes to the historian complete with a set of period ballistics tables, and in some cases [Read More…]
What was the standard issue U.S. Army infantry rifle with the shortest service life? The most common answer is probably the Springfield Krag–Jørgensen rifle, which was quickly replaced after its lackluster performance in the Spanish-American War versus [Read More…]
Yet another impossible-to-resist gun from Forgotten Weapons’ time with the Rock Island Auction Company. Try though I might I cannot seem to pass up the daily posts Ian is currently putting up on his YouTube channel, and although I tried to resist, I clearly [Read More…]
Apparently YouTuber Forgotten Weapons managed to get his hands on quite a few historically interesting firearms through the Rock Island Auction, resulting in his doing daily posts. He says the daily phenomenon is only temporary and that things will go back to normal in [Read More…]
Recently, I ran an article on this site pointing out some of the less impressive aspects of the MP.44 assault rifle’s history. Many people were unhappy with my assessment that the legendary Sturmgewehr was overrated and over-hyped, and therefore I think it’s [Read More…]
Recently I stumbled upon this gem of creativity, a fellow somewhere in the US who designed and put together a bullpup configuration of an AR15 by re-configuring the trigger group into a stock, putting a pistol grip and trigger guard along the rail system, raising the [Read More…]
In a recent article on Guns.com shows an outlined plan for Colt Defense to get itself out of the current financial quagmire that it finds itself in these days. And no, it doesn’t involve a Native American Casino company as was proposed earlier this year in an [Read More…]
In the world of firearms it’s always exciting to see the latest and greatest advances, whether it’s in ammunition – like Hornady’s recent announcement – or guns. While it’s fantastic to live in such technologically advanced times and [Read More…]
Some of John Browning’s contributions to the effort of the First World War – like the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle and the M1917 Browning Machine Gun – are well-known, but there’s one that never made it to production, or even any substantial [Read More…]
During World War I, manufacturers on both sides, including sporting arms manufacturers, lent their material support for the war effort. One of the more mysterious instances of this has come to be known simply as the “Beholla”, after its primary producer, the [Read More…]
Jeff from New Zealand (the owner of Beaver Grease) sent us a photo of a his Wesley Richards .310 Greener (Cadet) with recreated woodwork. The rabbit was taken with a CBE 325-125 cast lead heel bullet over 5gr Unique. I must admit I had never heard of this cartridge [Read More…]
In November of last year, we blogged about an early Soviet encounter with the MKb.42(H), the open bolt machine carbine that would become the famous closed bolt MP/StG.44 assault rifle. Ensign Expendable, author of the Soviet Gun Archives blog that provided the material [Read More…]
If you or anyone you know of, live in South Carolina and have experienced a firearms theft, it might be worth a shot to contact the authorities in Pageland, South Carolina with the description and serial number of the firearm. A man was recently caught with a warehouse [Read More…]
The Simonov PTRS 14.5mm anti-tank rifle was a very innovative rifle, that seemingly offered the Soviet AT gunner of the early part of World War II a frightening amount of firepower. Its semiautomatic action, and en-bloc clip loading gave the infantry five rounds of [Read More…]
The Mauser 1914 is not a well-known firearm today, but during the First World War, it became one of the most important small semiautomatic handguns of the early 20th Century. The Mauser pocket pistol family’s story begins with Josef Nickl of Austria. He envisioned [Read More…]
Manticore Arms and Circle 10 AK are jointly releasing a proprietary side folding stock for the AK platform.The stock was a collaboration between the two companies and costs the same on both their websites: $139.95. It allows the stock to fit completely flush against [Read More…]
I was originally alerted to the idea of this post by the recent posting of pictures from a parade in Pyongyang in which troops were shown goose stepping with bayonet affixed Model 91/30 rifles and thought to myself, just how bizarre looking it appeared in the modern [Read More…]
Thomas Kivlehan Jr is a retired Marine 2112. In other words, he knows a thing or two about how to manufacture and maintain firearms of all types. The majority of his accomplishments come from being in the Precision Weapons Section in Marine Corps Base Quanitco, [Read More…]
Our good friend Trev Weston sent us this photo. I love the expression of the guy holding the tripod steady! The machine gun looks to be, at least to my untrained eye, a MG34. It has anti-aircraft “spider web” sights mounted at the front with rear [Read More…]
I stumped upon this photo on a Google image search earlier this week. Ian at Forgotten Weapons blogged it a few ago. This young Russian is carrying two M1895 revolvers, a PPsh, six hand grenades and a belt of ammunition… and that is just what is on the outside of [Read More…]
LIke the previously published Remington video, I am always amazed at the industry behind manufacturing firearms, especially pre-CNC. In this installment, Springfield Armory is showcased in true 1950’s video style with all pre-CNC machines. Those looking for rare [Read More…]
Ben, an old friend of mine, emailed me this photo of a gun he saw yesterday at the Musée de l’Armée (Army Museum) in Paris. Apparently France’s national military museum is packed full of interesting firearms. This triple barreled wheel-lock pistol was [Read More…]
The Spencer Carbine was one of the first successful repeating rifles ever fielded by the US Army, seeing use in the Civil War. Despite being a very advanced design for the period offering firepower well above what muzzleloading rifled-muskets of the period were [Read More…]
The Indian Ministry of Defense is awaiting the results of trials to do with their Excalibur program, of which they are hoping will pass, and then plans to purchase over 600,000 rifles, at the price of 60,000 INR, or around $900 US dollars each. We’ve already [Read More…]
This post is a result of a recent post done by War History Online of a story that has certainly made its rounds among different communities, American Rifleman, Field & Stream, Guns.com and Sightm1911.com. You can read the biography behind the pilot involved at [Read More…]