ForgottenWeapons

Prototype 7.7mm Arisaka Type 99 Carbine (ad-free)

The Japanese military made the decision to move form a 6.5mm infantry rifle to a more powerful 7.7mm cartridge in the 1930s, with specifications for the new rifle proposed in 1938. In response, the Nagoya and Kokura Arsenals developed new models of rifle and carbine.  

What we are looking at today is one of the Nagoya (Plan #1) experimental carbines; serial number 4 to be specific. It has a variety of novel features, including:  

Spring loaded buttplate for recoil reduct...

Dr. Jackson Crawford's Thoughts on Finnish Brutality 2022 (Audio Only)

I am very happy to have had the chance to introduce my friend Dr. Jackson Crawford to Brutality matches this year, at Finnish Brutality 2022. I thought we should take a few minutes to sit down and talk about his experience in the match as a first-time shooter. I've been doing these for a while, and it is nice to get insight into the event from a fresh set of eyes.  

Jackson runs a great channel on Norse language and mythology from an academic and historical perspective - largely th...

Dr. Jackson Crawford's Thoughts on Finnish Brutality 2022 (Ad-free)

I am very happy to have had the chance to introduce my friend Dr. Jackson Crawford to Brutality matches this year, at Finnish Brutality 2022. I thought we should take a few minutes to sit down and talk about his experience in the match as a first-time shooter. I've been doing these for a while, and it is nice to get insight into the event from a fresh set of eyes.  

Jackson runs a great channel on Norse language and mythology from an academic and historical perspective - largely th...

CZ's Embarrassing Volkspistoles: The CZ100 and CZ101 (ad-free)

Developed in the 1990s and entering production in 1996, the CZ100 and CZ101 were CZ's first polymer-framed pistols. They were offered in both 9mm and .40S&W, with the CZ100 being a double stack design (magazine capacity 10 or 13 rounds) and the CZ101 being single stack (magazine capacity 7 or 8 rounds). Interestingly, the .40 caliber model included a ported barrel/slide from the factory.   

The design intent was to create an inexpensive, very simple personal defense pistol...

KE Arms vs GWACS: Update (and How You Can Help!)

For a full deep dive into the suit, I suggest checking out the video posted by Runkle of the Bailey just recently, with Uncivil Law and Bloke on the Range as legal guest experts:  

https://youtu.be/JX0UFC5N4UY 

If you have personal correspondence with GWACS about feature or future plans, please end copies to KE Arms at: truth@kearms.com .  

If you would like to help with KE's legal defense fu...

First Shots: FN's New High Power (Ad-free)

Today I'm taking FN's new High Power out to the range for some first shots. I'm curious to see if it really is more comfortable to shoot than the original High Power, and if it can digest a wide variety of ammunition (something the originals were not great at)...

What Would Browning Do: FN's New High Power (Ad-free)

It seems like everyone is making a copy of the Browning High Power these days, and FN themselves have jumped into the arena as well. What FN is making isn't just a clone of the original pistol, though - they have built something largely new, taking inspiration and design cues from the original BHP to create a gun more suited to 2022 than 1935.   

While the original High Power (or Hi Power, depending on what era you are looking at) is lovingly romanticized by many - and I total...

Ask Ian: Liberators or Cobray Terminators for the Elbonian Resistance? (ad-free)

From Jon on Patreon:

"Elbonia has been occupied by an enemy force. Do you sabotage their resistance by airdropping them Liberator pistols or Cobray Terminators?"

To my mind, the Liberator is a substantially more useful resistance weapons, so I would supply Elbonia with lots of crates of Cobray Terminators. Why?

First, the Liberator is concealable. Historically, lots of resistance action requires hiding a small weapons. It's not all forest encampments and ambushes.

Seco...

Ask Ian: Liberators or Cobray Terminators for the Elbonian Resistance? (Audio Only)

From Jon on Patreon:

"Elbonia has been occupied by an enemy force. Do you sabotage their resistance by airdropping them Liberator pistols or Cobray Terminators?"

To my mind, the Liberator is a substantially more useful resistance weapons, so I would supply Elbonia with lots of crates of Cobray Terminators. Why?

First, the Liberator is concealable. Historically, lots of resistance action requires hiding a small weapons. It's not all forest encampments and ambushes.

Seco...

VHS-1: Croatia Copies the FAMAS (But Not Really) (ad-free)

The VHS-1 was heavily influenced by the French FAMAS, albeit with a short stroke gas piston operating system. Early development began in the late 1990s with the prototype designs we looked in over the past few weeks, and the VHS-1 itself really emerged between 2003 and 2005. It was formally announced in 2005, and after formal testing by the Croatian military it was adopted, and the first military deliveries arrived in 2007.

In addition, the VHS-1 was exported to Kurdistan and the Iraqi ...

Ask Ian: What Rifles Were the M2-M13? (Audio Only)

From Dennis on Patreon:

"What rifles were between the M1 Garand and the M14? I went through Basic with an M14 and I know the M15 was supposed to be a BAR replacement. Google doesn't really find anything on the M2 - M13 rifles."

The Army had rifle for much more than just standard infantry use. They also adopted rifles for marksmanship practice, sub caliber firing of artillery, pilot survival (as the Army Air Force), and spotting. Here are the M2 through M13:

M2 - Springfield ...

Ask Ian: What Rifles Were the M2-M13? (ad-free)

From Dennis on Patreon:

"What rifles were between the M1 Garand and the M14? I went through Basic with an M14 and I know the M15 was supposed to be a BAR replacement. Google doesn't really find anything on the M2 - M13 rifles."

The Army had rifle for much more than just standard infantry use. They also adopted rifles for marksmanship practice, sub caliber firing of artillery, pilot survival (as the Army Air Force), and spotting. Here are the M2 through M13:

M2 - Springfield ...

Q&A Questions for October/November?

I've been on the road a lot recently, so I pre-filmed the Q&A questions for September. But now I'm getting ready to start filming for for the next two months, so what would you like to ask? Priority will go to questions best suited to 5-12 minute long-form answers, as I've been posting recently.

Thanks! 

Yugoslav M70A: The AK With a Real Magazine Holdopen (ad-free)

Yugoslavia began development of a Kalashnikov pattern rifle in 1959. The Yugoslav rifle would be distinct from the standard Soviet model, as evidenced by features like the gas cutoff for grenade launching and the early use of a true bolt hold open feature.

The first version was the M64, but this saw very limited production. The first large scale model produced was the M70 (fixed stock) and M70A (under folder), and that is what we are looking at today. Note that these rifles are frequent...

Desert Brutality 2022: Registration Is Open!

Sign up for the original Brutality match here:

https://practiscore.com/inrangetv-s-desert-brutality-2022/register

November 11th - 13th, Hurricane Utah. Trooper day on the 11th, standard match is the 12th and 13th. Seven stages of Brutality!

Armatix iP1 Smart Gun at the BackUp Gun Match (ad-free)

Yesterday we looked at the history and the functioning of the Armatix iP1 "smart gun", and today I'm taking it out to a BackUp Gun Match. How will it perform? Will it cycle reliably? Will I time out before I can actually get it authorized to fire? Let's find out!

Armatix iP1: The Infamous German "Smart Gun" (ad-free)

The Armatix iP1 is a pistol created by former H&K designer Ernst Mauch that was released - or almost released - in the US in late 2013 and early 2014. It is a .22LR caliber semiauto pistol that incorporates an RFID-connected authentication link between a watch and this pistol, so that the pistol can only be fired (in theory) when the authorized user is wearing the watch. Hence, it is a "smart gun".

Mechanically, it is a simple blowback pistol that uses an electromagnet to deactivate...

Ask Ian: Why Does the AR15 Have a Buffer Thingie? (ad-free)

From Arvid on Utreon:

"Why does an AR-15 need a buffer thingy? Why can't it just have a spring like every other normal gun?"

The Ar-15 really doesn't need the buffer and tube, but it is a holdover form the origins of the system: the AR-10. The intent of the AR-10 was to create a 7.62x51mm battle rifle that was very lightweight (under 7 pounds, originally) but still soft-shooting and controllable. In order to do that, Eguene Stoner. has to pull out all sorts of tricks. As it applie...

A Path Less Traveled: IM Metal's Tavor-Based Prototype for the VHS-1

Today we are continuing to trace the development of the IM Metal / HS Produkt VHS rifles. During this period, Croatia briefly considered adopting the Israeli Tavor rifle. Part of the adoption would have included a license for domestic production, and HS Produkt would have been the company to do the manufacturing. As a result, the company got a good look at the Tavor, and when the government decided not to adopt it, the company decided to integrate some of the features into one of their own pr...

Ask Ian: Why No German WW2 50-Cal Machine Guns? (feat. Nick Moran) (ad-free)

From Nathaniel on Patreon:

"Why didn't Germany or Axis powers have a machine gun similar to the American M2?"

Basically, because everyone faced the choice of a .50 caliber machine gun or 20mm (or larger) cannons for anti-aircraft use, and most people chose the cannons - including Germany. There were some .50 caliber machine guns adopted by Axis powers, most notably the Hotchkiss 1930, a magazine-fed 13.2mm gun that was used by both Italy and Japan (among others). However, the use ...

Ask Ian: Why No German WW2 50-Cal Machine Guns? (feat. Nick Moran) (Audio Only)

From Nathaniel on Patreon:

"Why didn't Germany or Axis powers have a machine gun similar to the American M2?"

Basically, because everyone faced the choice of a .50 caliber machine gun or 20mm (or larger) cannons for anti-aircraft use, and most people chose the cannons - including Germany. There were some .50 caliber machine guns adopted by Axis powers, most notably the Hotchkiss 1930, a magazine-fed 13.2mm gun that was used by both Italy and Japan (among others). However, the use ...

Star Megastar: Spain's Massive 10mm Autopistol (ad-free)

In the late 1980s, the Spanish gunmaker Star decided to join the new hot trend of 10mm semiauto pistols. The cartridge was getting a lot of press, and Star saw this as an opportunity too ride the wave and also the get a pistol on the market that would attract IPSC competitors. Unlike some companies adapting existing .45ACP designs to 10mm, Star decided to start from scratch to build a pistol that was massive and durable; able to handle the power of the cartridge without any worries.   2022-09-19 12:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post

BMPs, Hurdles, and Kettlebells: Finnish Brutality 2022 Day 2! (ad-free)

Thanks to Varusteleka for putting on an absolutely magnificent match! I'm also very happy to have a line of merchandise now available with them: 

https://www.varusteleka.com/en/category/forgotten-weapons-merchandise/2852?utm_medium=partner&utm_source=youtube&utm_c...

Sauna, Sisu, and Sprinting: Finnish Brutality 2022 Day 1 (ad-free)

Thanks to Varusteleka for putting on an absolutely magnificent match! I'm also very happy to have a line of merchandise now available with them: 

https://www.varusteleka.com/en/category/forgotten-weapons-merchandise/2852?utm_medium=partner&utm_source=youtube&utm_c...

Great New FW Merch from Varusteleka (ad-free)

I'm really excited to have this merchandise available from my friends at Varusteleka! Check it out here:  

https://www.varusteleka.com/en/category/forgotten-weapons-merchandise/2852?utm_medium=partner&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=forgottenweapons-shop&utm_c...

Ask Ian: Good Bullpup Conversions (ad-free)

From John on Patreon: 

"You've covered your fair share of strange conversion of firearms. Have you ever come across a bullpup conversion that was actually useful, and not a kludge?"  

Nope.  

That's basically the whole answer.  

Okay, to elaborate a bit, it's because making a bullpup use blue from either shoulder requires specific accommodation of the empty case ejection, and converting a standard rifle to bullpup configuration basically guarantees ...

Ask Ian: Good Bullpup Conversions? (Audio Only)

From John on Patreon:

"You've covered your fair share of strange conversion of firearms. Have you ever come across a bullpup conversion that was actually useful, and not a kludge?"

Nope.

That's basically the whole answer.

Okay, to elaborate a bit, it's because making a bullpup use blue from either shoulder requires specific accommodation of the empty case ejection, and converting a standard rifle to bullpup configuration basically guarantees it will only be usable righ...

Genesis of the VHS: IM Metal Gets a FAMAS (ad-free)

After their abortive effort at designing a bullpup AK conversion, IM Metal (later to become HS Produkt) decided to make another try at developing a rifle for the Croatian Army. This time, they decided to base their design on the FAMAS. Why that rifle? Well, at the time the Croatian Homeland War was still raging, and some of the most experienced fighters on Croatia's side were French Foreign Legionnaires of Croatian nationality who returned home to join the war. They used the FAMAS, and that s...

CETME-L Handguards: The Poor Early Model and the Later Better One (ad-free)

The early production CETME-L (and CETME-LC) rifles used a thin, fragile, full-length handguard. It was redesigned fairly early in production with a much more durable version that provided better hand insulation. The Spanish Army updated all of its rifles to use the new pattern, but the Guardia Civil retained some of its early style ones. Here in the US, only 200 of the early pattern were imported along with the tens of thousands of parts kits. They make an interesting item for the dedicated c...

German Copies the Soviets: L23 & L27 Silencers (ad-free)

The German L23 silencer was essentially a copy of captured Soviet Bramit silencers, complete with the attachment system locking around a rifle front sight. Two hundred of these made for the K98k rifle for German trials. These resulted in a desire for a better attachment method, and this led to the L27 design. The L27 was essentially the same wipe-based suppressor but attached using the locking clamp of the German rifle grenade spigots. A full thousand of the L27 silencers were ordered for pro...