Bolt Action Rifles
What is a Duffel Cut?
American service members in World War One and World War Two brought a tremendous number of firearms back to the US as trophies and souvenirs. While some mailed guns home, most brought them back in […]
Rifles
Prototype
FAMAS Commando Prototypes
Unlike most countries that adopted bullpup rifles, the French military never had a short-barreled version of their standard FAMAS. However, GIAT created several prototypes as part of their (ultimately unsuccessful) effort to market the FAMAS […]
Bolt Action Rifles
Steyr Dragoon Scout and African Big Game Cartridges: .376 Steyr, .375 Ruger, .375 H&H
Jeff Cooper envisioned a few variation on the Scout Rifle, most notably a heavier-caliber type suited more for African dangerous (or large) game hunting, for which the .308 Winchester cartridge was not really suitable. Cooper […]
Semiauto Rifles
Calico Liberty 100 Carbine on the PCC Evaluation Course
Before I even started filming this video, the Calico’s muzzle brake fell off…not an auspicious beginning! But we will push on without it, and see if the Calico can even finish the course without malfunctioning…and […]
Semiauto Rifles
Calico Light Weapons System: Roller Delay and Helical Drums
The Calico family of firearms was developed in the late 1980s, and put on the market just in time to be squashed by the 1994 Omnibus Crime Act. The heart of the Calico system was […]
Bolt Action Rifles
The Gras in Ethiopia: Carbines of Emperor Menelik II and Empress Taytu
Ethiopia is a fascinating and unique example of an African nation that was able to uphold its sovereignty through force of arms, and resist become a possession of any of the European powers during the […]
Bolt Action Rifles
Elmech EM-992: Croatia’s First Domestic Sniper Rifle
There was a fair amount of small arms production in Croatia during the breakup of Yugoslavia, but most of it was not particularly high quality. After the government of Croatia had become established, it looked […]
Competition
1911 vs M1 Carbine in a Practical Match
The M1 Carbine was developed to be a personal defense weapon to replace the 1911 pistol for groups of soldiers like drivers, artillery crews, and others who did not need a full-size M1 Garand but […]
Single Shot Rifles
Arcelin Mousqueton: An 1850s Breechloader with a Ludicrous Bayonet
The Arcelin system was a capping breechloader provisionally adopted by the French military in 1854. It was a bolt action system with a folding bolt handle, firing a paper cartridge. It impressed Emperor Louis Napoleon […]
Semiauto Rifles
PCC Showdown: H&K SP5 vs Kalashnikov USA KP9 vs CMMG Banshee
Since SHOT Show this year, I have gotten three different 9mm carbines that are all interesting in their own ways. The Kalashnikov USA KP-9 is a virtual copy of the Russian Vityaz submachine gun, much […]