TFBTV Videos
The Armalite AR18 and its civilian counterpart (the AR180) were marketed as affordable alternatives to more expensive designs of the period. While the rifle failed to take off or find a lucrative military contract, the gas system (or elements of it) has been used in many different designs. In this [Read More…]
The FN 1900 is a classic John Browning design that put affordable, reliable semi-automatic pistols in the hands of the common man. The simple blowback guns were small enough to carry in a pocket, and .32acp was considered more than adequate for personal defense at the time. The FN 1900 kicked off a [Read More…]
The CZ Scorpion Evo is certainly getting a lot of attention from various gun guys around the USA since its introduction, and the simple blowback operated gun from the Czech Republic certainly seems to have a favorable price point. In this field strip, we take a look at what makes the Evo tick. [Read More…]
The Webley company was Britain’s premier producer of handguns in the 19th and 20th centuries. While most well known for their revolvers, they did produce a number of different semi-automatic pistols to try and break into the lucrative self-loading handgun market. While the designs never [Read More…]
The German FG42 (Fallschirmjägergewehr 42) was a rifle designed as a multi-role combat small arm for airborne troops that was part rifle and part light machine gun. Only about 10,000 were made during WWII, but the design was very influential after the conflict ended (especially in the USA). A [Read More…]
Even the most well respected gun companies produce a lemon from time to time, and the 61 is one of Smith’s. In this field strip, we rip apart a S&W 61-3 .22 caliber pistol to show what makes this little gun tick.
The Steyr M9A1 is “the other” striker fired, polymer pistol from Austria. This lesser known handgun is an often overlooked offering on the market, and by popular request we are going to give it a nice review here on TFBTV.
The German K98k served Nazi Germany from the mid 1930s until the end of World War II, and was by far the most prolific German small arm during the conflict. The rifle is essentially a shorter, lighter, and handier version of the old Gewehr 98 rifles with some tweaks and modifications to make it more [Read More…]
H&K became a household name because of their rifles, but their innovative pistols certainly shouldn’t be overlooked either. In this episode of TFBTV we shoot the VP70 pistol, the first handgun ever to make use of a polymer frame.
The H&K MP5 is the world’s greatest submachinegun, and its sales even 50 years after its introduction are quite strong. So let us take a look at what makes the greatest SMG of all time tick in this field strip.
The Remington Model 51 is an example of how added complexity results in additional benefits to the shooter without compromising reliability. These .380 or .32acp pistols sold reasonably well over the course of about a decade, and is arguably one of the most interesting pistols ever made (sharing [Read More…]
The Walther Gewehr 41 is a mechanically interesting rifle that was adopted by the German military during WWII. Over 100,000 were made, and it uses an interesting operating method known as the “bang” system that traps gas after the muzzle and uses it to self load. This system is known for [Read More…]
In this episode of TFBTV, James discusses some beginner tips for photographing your guns for posting on the internet (or hanging over the mantle?). You don’t need a fancy camera with all those megapixels to take great photos, just get some good light, properly direct it to your camera, compose [Read More…]
The “Little Tom” pistols were offered in both .25 and .32acp starting in about 1909, and they stand in history as the first double/single action semi-automatic pistols ever made. This example is in .32acp and we do a bit of shooting with this early self loader, and showcase its unique [Read More…]
The classic American M1917 revolver was a much needed answer to a very evident problem: not enough standard issue .45acp 1911 pistols to go around. Smith & Wesson and Colt both produced these revolvers at the request of the US Government, and they served in at least some capacity until Vietnam. [Read More…]
Webley revolvers today truly are symbols of imperial British might, and the MK VI is perhaps the most coveted, as most have been ruined by conversion to fire .45acp (a cartridge that is much more powerful that the .455 Webley loadings). In this video, we do some shooting with a true British icon. [Read More…]
The SKS rifle was once the most popular surplus rifle in the USA, but various import laws and regulations put a damper on its importation. Regardless, these rifles are still quite popular around the country and in this video we show you how to rip yours apart. Transcript … – [Voiceover] [Read More…]
TFBTV is giving away a custom red / engraved Kel-Tec P3AT. All members of TFBTV Patreon supporters Team TFB subscribers are eligible to enter. We will randomly select a winner on 1 July 2016. To enter either Support us on Patreon (which support TFBTV) or Join Team TFB (which support blogging here [Read More…]
The people of Finland have a tradition of taking Russian small arms and tweaking them to better meet their needs. The RK 62 rifle and its variants is a prime example of this: The Finns took the AKM and altered things like the rear sight, stock, safety, and so on until the final product was [Read More…]
The FN FNC is the standard service rifle of Belgium, and the gun that Al Pacino once used to shoot Tom Sizemore with in the face. This piston operated, rotating bolt weapon is an example of how the AK’s piston and bolt arrangement can be paired excellently with ergonomics preferred by Western [Read More…]
The German Sturmgewehr is a rifle that needs no introduction. It is a rifle with a historical mystique that results in them being highly coveted among collectors, but they are fine weapons in their own right. In this video we do some shooting with an old MP43. Transcript … (gun cocking) (gun [Read More…]
Two days ago I published a blog post with diagrams of the REVOLUTIONARY Taiwanese T86 rifle. This AR-15-style rifle featured not only a self-contained piston gas system back in 1998, long before the piston-AR craze in the USA, but it also featured the first drop-in [Read More…]
The Japanese Arisaka rifles are famous for being ludicrously strong, and the Type 38 was proven to be the strongest of the lot by various post WWII tests. However, does a strong action alone mean that the rifles are fantastic? Well, we take a nice example of a Type 38 to the run and gun […] [Read More…]
After seeing another blog claim that the AK47 shot 10 MOA (or 10″ groups at 100 yards), James became fed up with the BS and decided to test the prevalent belief that the AK is an inaccurate combat rifle. In this episode of TFBTV, James compares an American made AR15 to a Russian and [Read More…]
The Chinese Type 81 was not a copy of anything else, but a new rifle designed from the ground up in China. Normally chambered in 7.62×39, the rifles have served the PLA since 1981 but on this installment of TFBTV, we shoot an exceptionally rare EM356: A variant intended for the US commercial [Read More…]
The Japanese Type 14 was introduced into Imperial Japanese service in 1906, and was produced until the end of WWII. We have tested this pistol for TFBTV in the past, with less than spectacular results, but we have yet to show the innards of it. In this field strip, we rip apart the Type 14. [Read More…]
The FS2000 is one of the strangest looking firearms that has ever come to market in the USA, but underneath the plastic exterior is a well engineered and reliable action that has seen military adoption in Europe. While the F2000 and its semi-auto only counterpart have never been big sellers, it is a [Read More…]
The French MAS 36 is often dismissed as garbage, if not outright overlooked by most shooters. That is however a shame, as these incredible little rifles have a lot to offer at a very affordable price point. So, let’s take a look at what it can do. Old MAS 36 video: Transcript … – [Read More…]
The nations engaged in World War II all fielded one or more main infantry rifle, and in this episode of TFBTV, we take a look at five that we believe to be the best. Remember this is a list of rifles, so submachineguns, machine guns, assault rifles, and so on are not included. Transcript … [Read More…]
The Gwinn Firearms Bushmaster Rifle is an ugly thing, cursed with a bulky slab-sided aluminum receiver and a blocky overall appearance, but chambered in 5.56 with the ability to accept M16 magazines. So what makes this ugly duckling tick? Transcript … – [Voiceover] Hey guys, it’s [Read More…]