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December Q&A Question Request (Patreon)

Published:
2018-12-08 18:41:12
Imported:
2021-03

Content

I will be filming the December Q&A this coming week, which means I need some questions! What would you like to have me answer?

Comments

Anonymous

What are your recommendations for best firearms museums in the US?

Anonymous

Why are striker fire mechanics almost exclusively used for bolt action rifles and duty pistols while most semi and full auto rifles use internal hammer systems?

Anonymous

After watching your videos on the Stoner 63 system, do you think that the light machine gun version would have been able to compete with the FN Minimi for the M249 trials?

Anonymous

I have been wondering about this for a long time. How exactly does a gun designer know the sizes of the various working parts in the gun. For example, how long or wide to make a gas piston or how far it needs to come back. I'm also wondering about springs, how do they know what size or strength to put in? The size of the locking lugs or even how far back the piston has to push to allow for proper cycling?

Adam March

Given the french phasing out the Famas, will other nations; Britain, Austria, Israel & Australia will follow suit and if so how soon?

Anonymous

Hey Ian, I've noticed that in a lot of your videos you show off period appropriate gear/hats/helmets for the item that you're discussing. What of these is your favourite that you own? Many thanks.

Anonymous

How about some favourite / interesting cocktail recommendations?

Anonymous

Do you know what the process and laws are like for private citizens to own firearms in Spain? Also, do you have any travel plans to visit said country? Thank you.

Anonymous

Why no sabots to increase the velocity of the bullets? For weapons like tank guns this is quite common.

Anonymous

How prevelant were the problems with the early M-16? Were the pre A1 models all unreliable or is the problem completely overstated?

Anonymous

I purchased a ppk awhile back and upon doing further research was surprised to see just how many copies exist of the ppk. Copies from Poland, Hungary, Czech repub, China, several American firms, Spain, italy even south Korea. What is it about the PPK (and also the PP) specifically that has made it so widely copied around the world?

Anonymous

i know that you are interested in the HCAR but have you ever seen the FN FNAR? Thank you for what you do on your channel

Anonymous

What firearm(s) have you come across with the most intricate, well executed, or interesting machining that still had a high degree of reliability?

Anonymous

Was there ever any attempt, successful or not, to create a long-recoil operated SMG or assault rifle?

Anonymous

Hi Ian, I've wanted to ask for a while now, have you ever missed an opportunity to check out a really unique or unicorn gun because you were already on a trip halfway around the world? Or have you ever been on a trip to see a very special or specific gun and missed the opportunity to see another? Thanks for the great content and keep up the awesome work!

Anonymous

I've heard you mention your degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue in several videos. As somebody who intends on going that career path, how highly would you recommend Purdue as a school for it?

Anonymous

Hi Ian, my question for you is why are pump action rifles such as Remington's 7600 not more popular or as well recognized as pump action shotguns have become?

Anonymous

At what point did the US start using semi auto and auto as the standard descriptors? before and during the second world war there was a lot of variance. When did all that change?

Anonymous

Maybe I’ve just watched too many of your videos but looking at the pictures of the korovin ak45 it looks like some parts are missing and it has an annular gas piston like the mkb42w, what are your thoughts? Maybe this is more for inrange but what’s your opinion on the m+m industries m10x?

Anonymous

What's the biggest 'oh shit' moment that you've had/witnessed on the range? Apart from the odd Garand thumb, how common are injuries on the range? Are these usually due to stupidity or malfunction?

Anonymous

WWI showed the value of rifle grenades, but it was not until after WWII that we started to see rifles that could fire rifle grenades without a special adapter. Why do you think this feature was not incorporated into post-WWI rifles like the MAS-36, Kar98k, Garand, No. 4, etc.?

Anonymous

What's the weirdest Q&A question you've gotten so far, and did you answer it?

Anonymous

Who is in your hall of fame for firearm designer?

Anonymous

Say you went back in time to the early 1900s, and found yourself a designer. What would you make him create right there right then in order to say make a profit?

Anonymous

How common were european firearms (not speaking about Belgian colt copies) in old West. I would think something like Gasser m1870 revolver could be quite good at the time.

Anonymous

Given the recent spate of school shootings we have experienced this year, what would you recommend as a potential deterrent to equip teachers with in a worst case scenario? I understand if you don’t want to get political.

Anonymous

What do you use to inventory your personal collection? A spreadsheet, a program designed specifically for firearms inventory, or something else?

Anonymous

What is the most practical all around (ie good as a field knife, fighting knife, and turns a gun into a spear) that you can think of?

Iain Hutchinson

Soviets and Wehrmacht both utilized explosive .30 caliber rounds, what other nations have used HE in that size? Has anyone tried anything smaller?

Anonymous

What is the story behind the water cooled MG-15 parts kit that IMA is selling.i have one with no German marks instead it has Romanian markings.Did the Romanians build there own if so why did they choose the MG15 over the other machine guns?

Anonymous

Are the Czechs the best firearms designers on the planet, per capita? Have they ever designed a true stinker of a firearm?

Anonymous

My mother is constantly complaining about me and my father spending so much money on guns and always talking to each other about guns. What does your wife think about your job/collecting?

Anonymous

I’m waiting to add a C96 to my collection what should I look for in a shooter. Probably 7.62 but maybe a 9mm

Anonymous

When it comes to buying ammo, do you shop locally or online? And it you buy online do you have a favorite supplier? And if you have a favorite supplier, do you have a promotional deal with them? If not, why not? Lol

Anonymous

The SKS rifle is such an amazing shooting rifle, and under-appreciated in the surplus market (IMHO). Could you see it further optimized with after-market accessories and becoming quite the pricey collectable in another decade?

Anonymous

After seeing the InRange test on the AK platform vs. the AR, Was the VZ58 ever considered as a replacement for the AK pattern rifle in any Com Block countries? Seems to me that it solves a lot of issues that came up in the testing and produces a lighter rifle all together.

Anonymous

Is it true that a man-bun makes 6.5 creedmore 33% more accurate?

Anonymous

You’ve frequently talked about how firearms have hit a Plateu in development, save for polymer materials and optics. I’m wondering if you feel that the next driver of innovation is going to be cheap, accessible, and effective body armor. Hence M855A1 Which is basically 5.56 +P and as much AP as possible (and it breaks guns). Could we see an arms race of rifles/calibers designed to defeat body armor vs better armor, especially if your average terrorist/insurgent could obtain body armor as easily as an AK or RPG7? Or do you think this is a non issue?

A premium hog

How cool does a gun have to be for you to plan a trip just to film that one gun? And what are some of the guns that you'd do a trip solely to film that gun?

Anonymous

If you could only have 1 milsurp/historical rifle, what would you choose, and why?

Anonymous
>>17841465

CZ52 and VZ52. Both he rifle and he pistol. Bad year for the Czechs.

Joshua Kerner

Ian, you recently argued that the Thompson was really a World War 1 weapon just made too late. Could the AK-47, FN-FAL, and M-14 all be described as World War 2 weapons that were just made too late? It seems, unlike the AR-15 for instance, all have been difficult to keep modernized with advancements in optics, accuracy potential and the like. The few solutions that are offered seem kludgy.

Molly McAllister

I've heard the SIG 550 and FN FNC described as being evolutions of the AK. How do they diverge from the AK family and from each other, and why don't we see more of them or rifles patterned after them?

Anonymous

What are your thoughts on he Steyr AUG? I had one for a while and sold it and miss it.

Anonymous

Are there any variants or modifications of Kalashnikov pattern rifles that use an upwards extention of the rear trunion as a base for the rear sight instead of the gas block? And are there any similarly unorthodox solutions to mount rails and sights so that they retain zero? (instead of using railed dust covers or siderails)

Landric Hakon

Ian, does your outspoken support for individual gun ownership/rights ever cause you problems with gaining access to collections? While I imagine this wouldn't be a problem when viewing individual collections I could see some potential problems with gaining access to "official" collections; particularly in countries with significantly more gun restrictions than those in the United States. Has it ever been an issue?

Anonymous

Have you considered expanding on the what would stoner do project to include your ideal accompanying sidearm? With all the aftermarket parts for modern handguns it would be fun to see what you guys could come up with.

Anonymous

Except for French weapons, are there other French things you collect, military or civilian?

Anonymous

Do you feel the modern tactical ninja hate against 45 cal cartridges is ignoring the historical context under which these rounds were developed (e.g. the propellant that was available at the time, the bullet technology etc)?

Anonymous

With the blooming popularity of the RPR in various calibers (including 300 Win Mag and .338 Lapua Mag), will that cause older systems like the Remington 700 (which has had quality control issues for the past decade or so) to become less common?

Anonymous

What was the most historically significant firearm you handled/ shot?

Anonymous

Were there any civilian cartridges that you believe would have been a better choice for US (or any other nation for that matter) service than what had been chosen for any particular era?

Anonymous

In recent years the United States Army stopped using bayonets. I understand that we probably had more accidental injuries than intentional. I always felt it was unwise to take tools/options away from those at the tip of the spear. It obviously isn’t as crucial as it was in say the American Civil War; but is it really irrelevant? What are your thoughts on this as you see the changes in bayonets over the last 200 years?

Mr. Frøbel

I have three questions: 1. What lesser known guns are there that, like the MG42/MG3 or AR-15 platform have served for decades and have remained virtually unchanged? A lot of companies have tried to reinvent the wheel, but few have had a good design from the start. 2. Without advances in stamping technology allowing easy mass production, would german small arms technology still have been as far ahead of most countries in WWII as it was? With the immense complexity of the StG.44 receiver, I can see that being a nightmare to machine. 3. With all the idiotic wonder weapons Hitler commissioned or had designed, has there ever been a small arms equivalent of some supposedly tide-turning concept that turned out to be completely worthless or just plain doomed from the start like the Maus, heavy Gustav or the V2? The Pedersen device never saw service and is the only one I can think of. That last one might seem a bit weird, but I did a presentation on wonder weapons in my history course, and when I found out that the V1 and V2 killed almost as many in production as it did in use I couldn't help but imagine some magnificently mustachioed general presenting a new wondergun that is supposed to win the war, but just blows up in the soldiers hands the moment it gets dirt on it.

Anonymous

What semi-automatic rifle, either last ditch or regular productiin or modern impro/craft, do you think would be best suited to an effort by home builders to recreate? (Moderate tooling, lathes, small manual mill. Purchased barrel stock)

Anonymous

I'm aware of a number of firearms that have been converted to a bullpup configuration but have there ever been any bullpups that were converted to a standard rifle configuration?

Anonymous

Hi Ian! Been a HUGE fan for years, and really appreciate what you do in preserving history. As far as a question goes, in your research have you come across soldiers carrying their personally-owned pistols into combat, particularly in WWI? I know that a lot of militaries regarded the pistol as a sign of rank more than a fighting tool, but I would imagine a soldier would try to bring along a small pocket 32 or H&R revolver just to have another option when the enemy got close to their trench. Thanks for all that you do, and I await the Fedorov video.

Christian Hanes

I asked this the last couple of Q&As but shall try again. What does your wife think of your job? What does she say when you buy a new gun, do you tell her it's for "research purposes". And are there any guns you were surprised to learn had a longer service life than you originally thought?

Anonymous

What was the most powerful full-size rifle cartridge ever generally issued to standard infantry?

Anonymous

If the tooling, cost, and ammunition were all (hypothetically) free, what specific rifle would you use for two gun matches?

Anonymous

What 1800's French rifle is your favorite? I love the Lebel.

Anonymous

I know you've been asked/have answered about the Lage M-11/15, but have you heard of the Tenco upper for the Mac series announced on Uzitalk recently, and what are your thoughts on it?

Eki T

I've been meaning to ask this for a while. During your Zip22 video, you were about to call that thing the most difficult gun to disassemble you've seen, but trailed off in thought. Aren't you going to tell us what came to mind?

Anonymous

MK23 designation for a Navy Seal specific machine gun AND pistol- coincidence?

Anonymous

What firearm specifically contributed the most to change the strategy and tactics of modern warfare.

Anonymous

What is your history in this industry that brought you to where you are now?

Lurker45

The bullpup format and caseless ammunition are two fairly recent concepts that ultimately have had little influence on firearms development. Can you think of other examples of new ideas that generated a lot of excitement as the next "big thing" but contributed little to the history of firearms?

Anonymous

I'm interested in the history of suppressors, particularly in wartime. Several Collector Grade books mention the testing with them on the German side. Was there any significant use of them during the war by any army other than examples like the Welrod, de Lisle, and a few Stens?

Anonymous

With Patreon's political leanings causing them to boot people off of the platform who have not violated their TOS, is there another place that I can support you monetarily? (ie Paypal) I'd prefer not to give patreon any money, but I'd like to continue supporting Forgotten Weapons. Keep up the good work.

Anonymous

Hi Ian! Long time viewer, new patron. Nowadays many pistols have polygonal rifling, which I believe extend barrel life. It was also tried in for instance the MG 42, and my question is: is there a reason it isn’t used in assault rifles today?

Anonymous

In ammunition development, what are semi-smokeless powder and compressed gunpowder?

Anonymous

I wondered what is you background in fire arms to have such an impressive knowledge of them?

Anonymous

Is trigger discipline a recent development? Were troops taught to have trigger discipline, with finger straight and off the trigger until ready to fire, in the world wars and before?

Anonymous

It seems to me that the FG-42 arrangement with the mag feeding from the side gives some of the benefit of a bulpup: - a longer barrel in a shorter overall weapon - but without some of its drawbacks: - the trigger is closer to the action, and the weapon can be more ambidextrous. Also, when compared to a conventional layout, changing the magazine while prone is easier, and, at least in theory, on a modular weapon system, it would be more straightforward to convert to belt-feed. I've watched your videos shooting matches with the SMG replica and you've generally been very positive about it. However, this arrangement has not been widely used in an assault rifle. Presumably there is a simple explanation that is escaping me?

Anonymous

you have said before that your father collected Arisaka’s. When did you become interested in historical firearms and were there other family members that exposed you to shooting or gun collecting? I’ve never heard you talk about your life before the college shooting team or the purchase of your first rifle.

Anonymous

Why, of all 9mm/.38 cal. pistol cartridges (9mm Bergmann, .38 Super, etc.), did 9mm Parabellum emerge to dominate the field?

Anonymous

I see 1903A3 rifles popping up for sale made by National Ordnance. If you believe the internet, these are basically bombs just waiting to go off. Do you think there is any merit to the claims that the receivers are too weak to safely shoot on these models?

Anonymous

Are there any books on Polish weapons development you can recommend? I really enjoy the book reviews and I am curious about the native Polish weapons industry both pre and post WW2.

Anonymous

I know a lot of surplus ammo tends to have hang fires but why does French ammo in particular seem to be so bad? I remember from your video on the Turkish Orman Berthier carbine that you just couldn't use the surplus and then more recently on your 35A video pretty much the same thing

Anonymous

You’ve mentioned in the past how HK, FN and Beretta are the only remaining firearm manufacturers able to supply a large military contract. What about SIG/Swiss Arms? Does SIG/Swiss Arms have the capability to equip a foreign country’s military like HK is doing for France with the HK416?

Anonymous

After having many problems with your Lee Enfield at the 2 Gun Action Challenge Matches, would you declare the entire Enfield Family as inherentley unreliable, or is it the fault of your individual rifle?

Anonymous

What historical firearm do you think is the most overrated today due to its representation/inclusion in popular culture (video games, movies, TV shows, etc.)?

Anonymous

Hello Ian, congratulations on being another step closer to publishing your book. Since now you have the French firearms book coming soon and the AK guide already published, I was wondering what advice you would give to an aspiring firearms author such as myself. Thank you

Anonymous

After re-viewing your recent piece on the FG42 and the Inrange TV episode on the M27 vs RPK, I had an epiphany an a question for you: is the USMC, in a way, following in the footsteps of the Fallschirmjagers of old, with an universal infantry weapon, i.e. the H&K 416/M27 taking up the mantel of the FG42?

Ryan Butler

When dealing with Tokarev ammo there are often warning about Yugoslavian rounds having hard primers that are often only reliable when fired fromM57 Zastavas. Can you explain what makes a primer hard in the first place. Why the Yugoslavian military who make them that way and why M57s can fire them fine when other Tokarevs can’t. Is it just a matter of spring strength?

Delta87

I have two 1) What do believe is the most underrated small arm off WWII 2) Do you think you'll ever be able to do a video on the Rheinmetall MG 3. Maybe Larry Vickers could help/colab.

Anonymous

With rare exception, most firearms pre-WWII had tiny or otherwise impractical sights. Why are large, readable sights a relatively modern feature on firearms, and what, if anything, shifted the industry towards better designs?

Anonymous

If you had the money to build a collection of NFA firearms but only enough to limit you to one theme or catagory what would it be? For example for me it would ether be WW1 heavy machine guns or 1930’s to 1950’s light machine guns.

Anonymous

Did John Moses Browning have any notable firearm ideas or mechanism concepts which didn't pan out or were outright failures? We are familiar with a seemingly endless list of his successes with handguns, rifles, shotguns and machine guns, so it seems like he hit a home run every time. Is this true or were there some bumps in the road for him too?

Ferrous

I remember you describing a particular cocktail as an archaic Bartender's Handshake (and I apologize, I forget which cocktail it was. Aviation, maybe?). What would you say would be a the equivalent of a Bartender's Handshake today? Keep up the good work and Happy Holidays!

Anonymous

Why didnt you say "at any rate" in your last couple of vids. Supremely disappointed

Zachary Eggebeen

What is the oddest, weirdest, or most unusual instruction you have come across that was taught to soldiers as "standard procedure" when handling their weapons?

Anonymous

You've said before that the German small-arms development was probably the best of WWII, in terms of developing the best small-arms. However, would you agree that the British strategy of spending as little as possible on small-arms development and mostly focusing on cost reduction, was actually better in terms of winning the war? Also, would this strategy have remained viable if the war have gone on longer, and what would have needed to change if not? Buying the M1 perhaps, or simply deploying a greater proportion of Stens and Brens?

Frizzen

How did experience in WWI shape design & tactics of issued bayonets during WWI and in the coming conflicts up to WWII, and why are bayonets not as commonly issued/trained in some of today’s militaries?

Anonymous

Ian, it seems that countries like Germany and Japan resorted to 'last ditch' weapons that functioned essentially the same and just as effectively as the well finished iterations earlier in the war. Knowing they were outnumbered and needed to equip as many troops in as little time and material as they could from the beginning, why would they not have started out with not caring about the finish or details as much and focus only on making the weapons function well?

Chris Hamlin

You’ve recently covered several Rhodesian and South African semi-automatic submachine-gun-ish carbines that used an open bolt design. Were all these made as open bolt guns with the tacit expectation that a number of owners would subvert the law and convert them to full auto, or do you think it is just a hold-over from them being patterned after submachine guns which typically have open bolts?

Anonymous

Why were so many semi-auto and full auto rifles hammer fired instead of striker fired?

Anonymous

Will (service) small arms be rifled for the foreseeable future or will they go smoothbore like MBT guns? Are shape and mass stabilized projectiles just not feasible due to the scale of the platform, or cost vs benefits? Smoothbore infantry weapons have had a number of advocates since at least the 1880s and Armand Mieg, who IIRC thought the rifled barrel was a intermediate step until projectile technology could catch up. (I find this an interesting area of investigation, comparable to the caseless ammo debate) If that's not answerable, I'd still like to hear any thoughts on the "Assault Rifle Cartridge M/2030" concept from the early nineties. (I've asked this perhaps twice before). It was a theoretical design for a dual caliber round shot from a simple, inexpensive rifle, and was featured in some magazines at the time. Link: <a href="http://guns.connect.fi/gow/2030.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://guns.connect.fi/gow/2030.html</a>

Anonymous

Two Questions: 1. Having visited HK's Grey Room, do you think it's possible to make the G11's mechanism simpler, and could the ammo be improved to better withstand handling and heat buildup? 2. Railguns vs. Coilguns as a futuristic rifle? I'm writing a TV pilot in which the future militaries use such weapons as standard issue, and I was wondering what the pros and cons of each concept might be.

Anonymous

What would modern small arms look like if a different decision was made at certain critical cross roads? For example if the US adopted the FN FAL in .280 British, or the M1 Garand was adopted in .276, how would they have developed over the decades until today?

Anonymous

Why was the roller-locked (MG-42, MG3, CZ-52) operating system developed? On the face of it, it seems like a complex and expensive system to manufacture, which seems validated by the fact that so few firearm models ever used it. So it makes me wonder what problem was it supposed to solve compared to the other operating systems of the day. Is it less susceptible to jamming, does it enable higher rates of fire, does it run more reliably with dirt and powder fouling, is it truly more complex and expensive to manufacture, something else?

Anonymous

What is a gun that you have a burning need to get your hands on? One that you haven't done a video on, I mean?

Anonymous

I read three books where MG 42 gunners complained about the crappy steal case ammo they were stuck with. The steel ammo would cause stuck cases and the tool to remove the jam would simply tear off the head. The gunners would hoard brass case ammo in case they were attacked. Is this a WW 2 problem because I know the Germans used steel cased ammo in WW 1 did it cause problems in water cooled gums?

Anonymous

First off I would like to say how much I enjoy this channel, I've learned so much and how good it was to meet you at the dig hill 80 presentation in London. This on is a bit of topic but one you have posted on before. I love my French 75 t-shirt, are there any other arms related cocktails you really like. I'm rather fond of a Gunfire on a cold day and it got a great military tradition but yours?

PHAZE

I have some questions about the "Dangerous Things Are Dangerous" incident. Specifically, how much effort did you and Karl go to secure and clean up the range before leaving for the hospital? Did you leave targets, brass, shooting or filming equipment, or that bloody mat behind, or did you pack everything? If you left things, how soon did one of you get back to collect them? Do you think about keeping guns and other critical objects easily packed so you can secure the range of dangerous objects in haste if you have to leave in a hurry?

Anonymous

Have you considered doing a video about war trophy weapons and how they were handled by the US, the military and the individuals?

Anonymous

I really enjoy the ammo reviews you have been doing. Can you do some comparison videos like 7.5 vs 7.62 stuff like that thank you

Jonathon Payne

I've been wondering why the "wonder 9" revolution took so long to occur. The Hi Power started military trials in 1935. However, as far as I can see no other pistols with the same basic pattern (9mm, double stack magazine, delayed blowback, double action) hit the market until the early 1970s. Given the obvious advantages of the Hi Power I find it hard to believe that nobody would want to make a competitor. Is there some unusual quirk of patent law that I'm not aware of which gave FN and Browning an unusually long extension? Is there some missing link that I'm not aware of? Or is there something else that I haven't thought about?

Anonymous

I've asked this question before and you answered it in part but I used a British idiom that didn't cross 'the pond' so didn't answer what I thought was the most interesting part. Have you ever had the opportunity to shoot something and even made it to the range but at the last minute decided thats way too dangerous I don't want to risk it. If so what and why?

Anonymous

Almost everything I know about guns I learned from FW. I'm still unsure about a few things. What are things like seers, trunnions, captive/non-captive and single/double action etc. Etc.

Anonymous

In your opinion why has the 10mm/40cal family of pistol cartridges failed to catch on ? In the 1970s it seemed certain that the wave of the future in military pistols would be something between the 9 and 45. With more power than the 9 but smaler andless of a handful than the 45 is for some people but this has not happened. It is true that the 40 and most especially the 10mm need moe

Anonymous

re development but that has been true of many pistol cartridges

Landric Hakon
>>17841519

Yes, but only if one also has a CZ Shadow II in an appendix holster while shooting the 6.5.

Anonymous

Any plans to do a video covering the operation/disassembly of the 6mm Winchester Lee-navy rifle? Would you ever shoot one?

Anonymous

would like to here more detailed explanation about why older sniper rifles are considerably less accurate than today’s commercial hunting rifles. Always here people say this but there is never much explanation about why. Maybe even get into the manufacturing details.

Anonymous

As Veprs (7.62x39) are afaik built on the same machinery as RPKs and they have the same bulged thicker receiver and the heavier barrel, are they capable of the same amount of sustained fire as the RPK? Thank you for your dedicated work

Anonymous

Why is the US the only country that seems to have played around with military shotguns? Combat shotguns seem obvious for the trenches of WWI well before the US Joined, then afterwords you'd think at least a few countries would play with the concept. Besides just that the US also used shotguns for training fighter pilots/areal gunners too, which again doesn't seem like any other country did either. (At least I haven't yet seen a general firearms surplus book talk about them)

Duncan Pruyne

what is your opinion on the viability of sidearms in modern combat, and the US Army's replacement of their m9 with the p320? Thanks for all the great content you produce!

Anonymous

Is there any truth to stainless guns being less reliable than carbon steel guns? Ive heard people state most military guns are carbon steel for reliability. Particularly among 1911 people. I always thought it was due to stainless being harder to work and machine and not a reliability issue?

Anonymous

When you do book reviews, have you considered contacting the publishers of out-of-print books before posting the video? I suspect that your reviews would be worth a few hundred sales, I don't know how many would be required to be worth a reprint, but I suspect there's been at least a couple times where it would have definitely been worthwhile.

Anonymous

Alternate history: say the US didn't push .308 for adoption so hard, and NATO got something like .280 British. How long do you think it would take from there to adopt something like 5.56, or would we at all?

Anonymous

Would you consider sending out mp3/podcast to your patrons, of any content that is audio only friendly? (Same as the inrange perk) Example, monthly Q &amp; A!

Anonymous

I've asked this a couple times, promise this will be the last, given unlimited resources and knowledge, what firearms would you like to build from scratch?

Anonymous

I have been reading Max Hastings' "Vietnam" book. His descriptions of the problems with the M-16 are very good, but I have read many other accounts that discuss things in more depth. Obviously, Hastings had to fit a lot of stuff into his thick book, because, as my late brother, a Vietnam vet, once said, "Everything you have heard about Vietnam is true!"

Anonymous

I seem to be having some problems getting my message completed. Sorry. My question/comment is "how about a story of the M-16 starting with Eugene Stoner and before and ending up with today's M4 rifle?"

Anonymous

Can you talk about the history/deployment of spotting scopes? Especially in Afghanistan or other longer range environments (WW1?) they would seem helpful, but I've never really heard anything about common usage of them.

Anonymous

How about sniper scopes? They go back a long way, and some of the older ones have got to be very valuable.

Anonymous
>>17844855

Yeah, why wasn't the Walther P 38 (for example) double stack? Did the military just not care that much about sidearms?

Anonymous

Two questions...

Anonymous

There is a lot of info out there about the Lebel being the first smokeless powder military rifle but what was the first smokeless powder pistol? What kind of impact did it have on the evolution of pistol making and use?

Anonymous
>>17844015

2. the problem is and always will be power consumption.

Anonymous

1. Since the vast majority of locked breech handguns use a version of the Browning tilting barrel, I was wondering what design you think would have become dominant if the Browning system hadn’t been invented? Or do you think that Browning was just the first to develop an inevitable design?

Anonymous
>>17843263

I have my own ideas, but would like to hear you answer to this question.

Anonymous

2. With many of the most popular handgun cartridges being over 100 years old, I was wondering if the designers just nailed it on their first try, or if other forces are at work?

Anonymous

Ian, I am a big fan of the C96 (and Forgotten Weapons), and would like to purchase one soon. What literature would you recommend to a for a potential buyer?

Will Sanders

Repeat Questions: One firearms related, the other not: In your video on the Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon, you mention the action was not strong enough for a full power .50BMG. Why is that? Is it because the breech block isn't connected to the barrel or is it because of the way the breach assembly was cast? Nightwish: Tarja or Floor? (yes I'm skipping Annette) Keep up the great work!!

Anonymous
>>17841900

Modern U.S. soldiers do this often, and didn't Alvin York do something similar?

Anonymous

Hey! This is a question I've asked a few times. Are there any cases of the U.S. issuing out or otherwise using captured weapons in an official capacity or on a large scale in the last 150 years or so? I know that in the Civil War the South made extensive use of captured weapons, but did the Union do this as well? Since then, I know the U.S. used U.S.-made Mosin-Nagants to invade Russia during the Russian Civil War and made sanitized ammunition for captured AK-47s for use by special forces in Vietnam, but I can't think of any other cases that came close.

Anonymous
>>17841485

Buy locally when you can. At gun shops, not Wal-Mart. They need that revenue to stay in business. This from a shooter who has literally no money.

Anonymous
>>17841545

Forget terrorists, when facing Chinese or Russian soldiers definitely NOT a non issue.

Anonymous
>>17841323

Yeah, you ever have someones girl friend point a rifle at you, with her finger on the trigger? I know I have, shudder.

Anonymous

Hi Ian! Ive been a HUGE fan for years, going all the way back to your shaky footage of the Lewis gun and Farquar-Hill. In your research, have you found any instances of soldiers bringing their personal pistols to combat, particularly WWI? I know pistols we're mostly signs of rank, but I would imagine that if a soldier could fit a small 32 pocket pistol or revolver in their uniform, they would have brought theirs along for backup or close quarters. At least I know I would have. Thanks for all that you do, and I look forward to the Fedorov video.

Anonymous
>>17849433

(this may be double posted. Not sure what happened with my phone. My apologies.)

Anonymous
>>17841171

I was going to ask this, kind of. Did the military just hate Stoner? Why would you $#!+ all over the best machine gun ever made?

Anonymous

Ian, what is your favorite French meal?

Anonymous

Did any FG 42 type 1's make it back to the US as transferable functioning rifles?

Anonymous

Ian, love all your content, i am curious what are some good reference books on Czech mausers?

Anonymous

The first rifle to use smokeless powder was the 1886 Lebel. The first rifle to use spitzer bullets was again the lebel with the introduction of Balle D. What was the first rifle to use jacketed instead of cast lead bullets?

Anonymous

I love that you include your dog in videos! You actually pushed me over the edge into letting my daughters get a Red Heeler last year and it has been wonderful. Could you please share some details about your dog and their story?

Anonymous

Why did Romania make 8mm ammo 1mm shorter?

Anonymous

If you were a US Infantryman in WWII, what sort of field modifications would you do to the various weapons in the arsenal?

Anonymous

Dear Ian, I would love to know, if you got a "christmas gun" and with that I mean two things. 1st a gun that you got gifted at Christmas eve. 2nd a gun that you like to shoot in the christmas period or that reminds you of christmas. Wish you and your family merry Christmas.

Anonymous

second time asking this charger clips vs mauser clips and why. and did any country use mausers with charger clips(charger clips meaning k31 and vetterli vitali style clips)

Anonymous
>>17842624

in addition to the above - what propelled 9mm Parabellum to be the main pistol cartridge? In WW1 it looked like every country used multiple calibers for their pistols but heading towards WW2 it seems like most nations standardized on 9mm and in the modern day it doesn't seem like there is a military not using 9mm.

Anonymous

Hi Ian, a reask but reworded a bit; Do you think there are any advantages to the toggle action found in guns like the Pedersen rifle, Luger, etc, that could make it viable again with todays modern ease of presice manufacturing and materials?

Anonymous

second time asking this as well would the franklin armory reformation be good if it were a ar shotgun (xtr-12 and or the ati .410ar-15) with a bump stock instead of a binary trigger because 1 the rifling doesn't change shot pattern like helical rifling 2 most slugs dont need rifling in the first place and the straight rifling likely would increase accuracy non the less

Anonymous

The MP5/40 has a bolt hold open. Why did this not get carried over to the 9mm version. It seems like it would be a very popular addition that people would want.

Anonymous

What do you have planned for 2019? Except the release of your book, any special project? Any international trips already planned to Europe, Asia or elsewhere?

Anonymous

Based on your recent videos on the Stoner63 and favorable opinion of it. It seems like the design was about 95% there and just needed he extra tweeking to make it soldier proof. Do you think it would be a valid/viable design for a manufacturer to take up and complete the R&amp;D and also do you think the concept behind the design is still valid or has history just passed it by?

Anonymous

Hey Ian, the mp28 depicted in the new battlefield 5 is shown being held by the mag well/magazine. This kinda makes sense as the mag release is there. Any idea if this was common practice or if it was held in a more traditional way.

Anonymous

Ian, if you ever do an historical event video, would you consider one on George Farr and the 1921 Camp Perry Shoot? That era had some interesting aspects of the ammo being used, the star-gauged Springfield rifles, and Farr's USMC competitor's rifle that was telescopically equipped. Its a tale worth recounting.

Anonymous

Hi Ian, thanks for all the great work. So, do you have any information (or even speculation) on how the Steyr-Hahn was meant to be carried by Austro-Hungarian troops? I have a pet theory that it was intended to be carried hammer down on a live round with the safety engaged because A: Cocking the hammer with the safety engaged conveniently disengages it. B: When the safety is engaged with the hammer down, the hammer is actually rotated back a bit out of contact with the firing pin. C: Lowering the hammer on a live round was probably less freaky to people in 1912 than it is now. But I haven't seen any manufacturer documentation or Austro-Hungarian field manuals that address this. Thoughts? In any case, thanks again!

Anonymous

It’s 1959 and you are equipping your mercenary force with weapons for fighting in a temperate climate. What rifle, pistol and machine gun do you choose?

Sen Kanashimi

Hey Ian, just want to say thanks for all the work you put into preserving historical firearms with such a level of detail as you do. The question I have is if you could have any firearm from any period of time in whatever caliber you wanted irregardless of era or metallurgy or anything and it just worked, what would you have and why?

Anonymous

If for whatever reason war broke out in Europe in 1886-1890, would the Lebel rifle have given the French enough of an advantage over other European powers to have any significant effect? In theory the Lebel rifle has many advantages over its contemporaries, but in practice I think some of them might be exaggerated, for example the range and accuracy advantages of smokeless.

Anonymous

hey ian, during the korean war, there are many anecdotes of us weapons having to be cleaned of all oil and lubricants so they would function the extreme cold of a place like the chosin reservoir. Do you know of any similar accounts in the winter war or the eastern front? and did the Finns, Soviets or Germans field a lubricant that would work in extreme cold? Love the show! Keep up the fantastic work!

Anonymous

As you have covered before, the trapdoor Springfield was a work-around to convert a "million" muzzleloading weapons to cartridge guns. The original Allin conversion involved cutting away the upper half of the barrel of a muzzle loading weapon at the breech and attaching the "trapdoor" bolt mechanism to the barrel by means of two screws tapped into the barrel above the chamber. This method was altered with the 1868 version to have a proper receiver version of the trapdoor and a barrel which was threaded into this receiver. Obviously this is a much stronger method of attaching the barrel, but was this the reason for the change? Was the armory still converting muzzleloading weapons with this method, or manufacturing new rifles? This was at a time when the Remington rolling block was being adopted by most of the armies on the planet. Why didn't the US also adopt the very much stronger rolling block which was also made in the US, instead of continuing to use a work-around gun? Thanks for all your great work.

Anonymous

Ian, given the historic problems with the heat treatment on low number Springfield 03 receivers. What do you think the risks of firing them with modern factory ammunition realistically are? It seems that many of the issues prior to the 40's were related to bad ammo and some of the more recent failures seem to involve reloaded brass. Were the Springfields any more failure prone than other rifles of the period?

Anonymous

Hey Ian! How many angels can dance on the front end of a FAMAS?

Jason

What is best or most comprehensive reference book on history of the FN MAG? Especially non-US use. Does a good one even exist?

Anonymous

You get the chance to make the m14 a more effective replacement for the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, Grease gun and BAR. What do you change and why?

Anonymous

Hello, Ian! I wonder how you think that US infantry effectiveness would have been affected had we (US) had adopted a more reliable LMG during WWII, such as the British Bren. The anecdote given during the full rundown you had on the Stoner 63/63A about the marines in Vietnam testing the platform and immediately rejecting the automatic-rifle configuration brought this to mind. Do you think that training doctrine and practical use based around a more reliable automatic-rifle/LMG in WWII would have made much of a difference on either front of the war?

Nick Beckwith

When I was young I remember reading about the VP-70 pistol and thinking it must be the world's greatest; three round burst capability, huge magazine (for the time) even the lines looked sleek in the grainy photos. When I finally shot one in my early 20's I was horrified, terrible sights, clunky blowback mechanism and what must be the worst trigger ever fitted to a modern production pistol. Have you ever had your expectations radically raised for a firearm when reading its specs only to have them dashed with actual experience?

Nick Beckwith
>>17855148

For the record I only shot the semi auto VP-70z, the three round burst VP-70 you tested recently might be a tad less appalling.

Anonymous

More velocity means a flatter trajectory, but surely there must be a maximum practical velocity for handheld firearms. Any insight?

Anonymous

I've noticed that every so often you're very critical of the sights on the guns you look at. Whether they're designed for civilian or military use, it seems too many of them fall well short in having what would be considered even decent. Given how important sights are for a key purpose of guns - hitting what you're pointing at - and the long development time guns usually have, you'd think they'd have some focus on this critical aspect. Why do you think so many designers and companies fall short on something that seems so obviously vital?

Anonymous

When you see rare weapons for the first time how do you identify the correct operating and stripping procedures.

Anonymous

Do you think that the Germans standardizing on a bolt action Mauser helped or hindered their efforts in WWII? Cost vs firepower?

Anonymous

I was thinking for precision /long range shooting would it make more sense to make a trigger that would fire the rifle on the release of the trigger instead of the pull? Also, you mention advances in firearm development and how we're in a plateau of sorts, where do you think the next big leap will be? case-less ammo, multi-barreled rifles that can fire 4 shots at once, electronically fired?

John S Wren
>>17855832

This please, especially prototypes and one offs where there's no manual!

Anonymous

A common view seems to be that French military equipment is idiosyncratic and ineffective. The same view seems to apply to the French soldier. Do you think this view is incorrect and what do you think is its cause?

Anonymous

I enjoy buying as many various types of surplus ammo as I can find and shooting it. I find this almost as enjoyable as collecting the rifles themselves. What are your thoughts on surplus ammunition versus new manufacture ammunition? Love the surplus ammo reviews you recently started doing!

Anonymous

Hello from Australia! I've asked this before, but you've not answered thus far so I'll try again As I'm sure you're aware, here in Australia we have fairly strict gun control laws - although not as restrictive as a lot of people seem to think. Here, Pump-Action shotguns are heavily restricted. They are categorised on the same level as semi-automatic Longarms (Category C). The only real way to get one as a civilian is to prove you need it for work - most commonly feral/pest animal management - either as full time employment, or because you're a farmer. However, Lever-Action shotguns have recently become very popular due to having a lower restriction (Category 'A', the same as Single/Double-Barrel shoguns). There are now several models widely available (predominantly the turkish made Adler A110 and Pardus LAX12,), that have become quite popular with shooters because of the lower licencing requirements, while giving you similar capabilities as a pump action. When our current firearms legislation was written, lever actions shotguns were not very popular or well known to most people, and so were overlooked. Of course now there is a lot of debate about the need to re-classify these, among other firearms. My question is; are there any other cases that you're aware of, of a gun/type of gun becoming popular more to do with not having access to other options that would be better - but are unavailable - instead of the weapon in question being the better or more desirable choice? Either due to legal restrictions, or simply lack of supply? Also, do you know of any particularly interesting example of firearms manufacturers getting around laws with, for lack of a better term, loopholes. The obvious one that comes to my mind is bump-stocks. Are you aware of any others? P.S. Do you plan to visit Australia at some point? There are several very good firearms collections, including the Lithgow Factory Museum I'd also love to see in an depth video from you about Australia's firearms laws, like the ones you've done on several other countries now, as I think our laws are widely misunderstood, usually to the effect of "all guns are banned in Australia" which is not the case.

Anonymous

What are the best iron sights?

Anonymous

Does the stamped sheet metal style of building guns have any advantages over the more modren and cheaper method of milling aluminum?

Anonymous

You seen a lot of guns that were entered in selection trials, but not selected. Are there times when you think the trials picked the wrong gun? Times when you think the 'failed' gun was clearly better than the gun that was successful?

Anonymous

Is there a particular reason why smokeless powder was invented in France (rather than Germany or Britain or any other industrialised, arms producing nation)?

Anonymous

Why did the US move from 30-06 ammo to 7.62mm NATO ammo? What advantages did 7.62mm offer?

Anonymous

One of my favourite Forgotten Weapons video is the Inkunzi PAW video. Can you tell us more about the PAW and it's unusual ammo? For example How much explosive is in the PAW's 20mm grenade, and how does that compare with more common 40mm grenades? Is the recoil of the PAW's 20mm grenade comparable to a 12-gauge shotgun shell?

Anonymous

What is so "magical" about exactly 7.62mm caliber, that it was used by casings of all kinds of types and sizes? Was there something more to it than "oh we just too used to 0.3 toolings"?

Anonymous

G'day Ian. I have enjoyed the videos you've done concerning the Chinese (and other) "mystery' pistols. Amongst those you've seen and read about are there some that you consider would match European/American quality, (for instance, up to standards of Ruby pistols - practical, no frills, reliable)? Were there larger concerns (warlords, ect) that invested heavily in making decent firearms of contemporary world standard or was it have simply more practical for them to buy western firearms?

Anonymous

Just asked this the other day on the community, but if you want to record an answer for more folks, I'll put it here Between Forgotten Weapons and C&amp;Rsenal I have found some of the most interesting content to be concerning handguns that have unique designed actions, especially with regards to early semi-auto pistols.  Do you have any recommendations for good books that delve into the history and design concepts and functions of pistols from this era?

Anonymous

Ian, Can you shed light on the development of th .50BMG round please? Also the differences between that and the Soviet/Russian 12.7mm? Regards,

Toby Williamson

Weapons like the ultimax, the ameli, and the ntw 20, to name a few, all seem like good guns with many advantages that are all from smaller countries or small creators. Why has these weapons not seen more wide spread use outside of their countries of origin?

Anonymous

Why has steel cased ammo been more accepted in western military cirlces? The old com-block nations have used it for decades with success. Considering the lower cost and savings in strategic materials (copper and tin in brass) I would think it would be an easy call to make. Is there some fundamental fact I am overlooking?

Andy Maidment

Have you ever done anything on the Kel Tec SU-16 since it isn't really forgotten but it was kind of a niche gun made fora particular time? It has some interesting features even if it's not better than the alternatives.

Anonymous

Second question: Has there ever been a left-handed version of a Kalashnikov pattern rifle? By that I don't mean an ambidextrous version, but rather a version with all parts mirror-imaged, with left side charging handle and ejection port. Wouldn't that have been more ergonomic even for right handers?

Anonymous

Asking this again, I think it's my third or fourth time: If the Mini 14 was made ten years earlier, do you think its similarity in aesthetics and function to the M14 would have given it an edge over the M16/AR-15 if they were competing against each other for military adoption during the Vietnam era? *Obviously I think the M16 is a better rifle, but I'm curious to hear your opinion on how much the Army Ordnance's bias against it at the time would have swayed them toward the more traditional looking Mini. Thanks and I appreciate the hell out of your work.

moosemaimer

In honor of the G11 video, do you think there could ever be a resurgence of interest in caseless ammunition for an aircraft gun? Cooling would be less of an issue given altitude and airspeed, RoF is improved by not having an ejection cycle, and there is the weight savings from not lofting hundreds of metallic casings.

Anonymous

What up Ian!? When putting together a new rifle, like an AR15, how often do you spray paint them? Even summers up here in Washington state are hot, so I can imagine down in Arizona it has to be that much worse having an all black rifle in the scorching heat. Love your work!

Anonymous

Hi Ian. I was wondering if you had any additional information and what your thoughts were on the reduced load 7.62x51mm cartridge that the Japan Self-Defense Force adopted back with their Type 64 rifle. I don't have any actual data other than the claimed muzzle velocity of ~700m/s, but it seems that this load puts the 7.62x51 in the realm of heavier intermediate cartridges. This combined with the other recoil reducing features of the Type 64 seem to give it the best of both worlds giving it a much more practical cartridge for modern combat whilst also being able to maintain backwards compatibility with standard 7.62x51 NATO if necessary. Do you think that this concept warrants merit and, if so, why do you think that other nations that have maintained 7.62x51 battle rifles well beyond their prime time have not tried something similar? Thanks and keep up the awesome stuff that you do!

Anonymous

4th try. Why 9x19mm? What lead to the 9mm becoming such a universal round even prior to WW2? It seems odd that a cartridge used by the "bad guys" (Germany &amp; Austria-Hungary) stayed popular after WWI.

Anonymous

Ian, I'm not sure how much you know about this but I have read some stories from pilots in WWII and they talk about not charging the guns until they were airborne and in formation and then doing some test fires before combat. What kind of mechanism would have been used to charge wing mounted weapons from the cockpit and would those mechanisms be different between machine guns and cannons or open bolt and closed bolt guns? Congrats on 1M subs.

Anonymous

Hi, Ian - I really enjoyed your overview of casting vs. forging on the Mini-14 video. Do you also have any thoughts on cast vs. forged receivers for the FN FAL?

Anonymous

Of the "Rifle Calibers" of both World Wars (and before), which one do you find the most effective or easiest to shoot? I understand this is gun specific but if you could have any rifle caliber of the time in a generic 98k action which would you choose?

Anonymous

could you make a video saying subscribe to pewdiepie

Anonymous

As someone that shoots far more than many of us get a chance to, have you ever been concernred about lead exposure? Do you take any precautions or follow any post-range routines and have you ever had your lead levels tested by a doctor?

Anonymous

How do you find the gross ergonomics of using the FG-42 compared to rifles in similarly powerful chamberings? Would there be any practical value to creating a rifle with a similarly-placed magazine in an intermediate calibre, perhaps with a constant recoil system, as a compromise between bullpups and conventional rifles?

Anonymous

Hey guys. I am really impressed with Ian's increased match skills we've witnessed since the WWSD project began, and appreciate the drills Karl devised for Ian's range practice. As noted this gets expensive, so what do you think of sub-caliber devices such as the CMMG Bravo .22 conversion? ( Yes, I've already purchased one, so I may have to take some lumps.) At close drill distances it feels good for AR handling and sight picture with a modest sight adjustment. After sub-caliber practice I return my zero and run the same drills with .556 to confirm and get full recoil, etc.

Anonymous

PS I have found .22 ammo that prints 3/4 inch groups @ 25 yards with my rifle, with only a vertical POI shift. It's even commonly available bulk ammo, but again this is in MY 16" 1/9 carbine.YMMV. I figure that's good enough for manipulation drills. OK, let me have it.

Andrew MacKenzie

Do you think we will ever see a reproduction EM-2?

Anonymous
>>17859040

7.62mm NATO (or .308) has a shorter case than.30-06, they wanted a ballistically similar cartridge in a shorter OAL.

Anonymous
>>17867248

Seconded. Would like to see more general aviation related content too if Ian is so inclined.

Anonymous

Why has no one recreated the 7.92x41 cetme style of cartridge in another caliber like 6.5 grendel or .300 blackout? Lehigh defense has a similarly constructed round but with different purpose.

nathan tran

Why is it that you haven't done a video on the Lee Enfield No.1 Mk. V? Times asked: One/1

Anonymous

Given what Jack Conte and his lackeys at Patreon have just done to Sargon of Arkad, all the while pretending to be the bastion of free speech, is vile and disgusting. As a result, I am deleting my Patreon account immediately. Forgotten Weapons is a great channel and I hope to support it on another platform which protects and defends the 1st Amendment.

Anonymous

What guns, if any, are on your 'must have' list to complete your collection of French weapons?

Anonymous

You've shown us plenty of examples of competition shooting driving completely impractical firearms development, leading to bad decisions by practical users (e.g., delicate KD target sights on combat rifles). What are some examples of the opposite, where developments in competition shooting have led to incredibly /good/ decisions by practical users?

Anonymous

You show off a lot of weapons that were commercial failures despite doing something new and innovative that still isn't on the market today in some capacity like the Burgess Folding Shotgun. Are there any of these firearms that you would consider viable for production in today's market for the strict purpose of you just wanting something really cool?

Anonymous

I really would like to know your opinion on how to preserve firearms. I m not talking about cosmolime, but a rifle you might shoot once or twice a year. On most of your videos the Firearms seem really dry. Maybe that is because you have cleaned them up for better videos. Undersable. Ballistol is an old product, that has the benefits of protecting the metal but not darkening the wood. Maybe both an oil and a light greese is best. I’m not looking for any product endorsements. Just basic logic.

Anonymous

Great work....absolutely love the show and I am an avid follower. Just a quick question I'm very curious to know how is is that some guns have extraordinarily short development times and others while successful seemed to have taken an age to get all the little defects ironed out. The Ljungman AG-42 was popped out in no time yet the Garand took much longer for a small arm. The STG-44 fits in there too....a matter of a few short years to get a final variant sheet stamping and all yet the Soviet Union took almost 13 years to get that nailed and we finally saw the AKM. Is this just wartime pressures creating urgency or just plain competency, knowledge and experience (a bunch of cleaver chaps all in the right place at the right time)

Anonymous

What in your opinion was the most important firearm of the 20th century?

Anonymous

Any plans to review modern Japanese military firearms such as the howa type 64 or howa type 89?

Anonymous

I have a question regarding the reversible magazine catch on the Beretta 92FS/M9 pistols that I would like you to address. The typical layout is with the release pushing to the right (with the right thumb) however I find it more comfortable as a right-hander to change the release to "left hand" and drop the magazine with my right middle finger. I am certain you have fired a number of 92FS/M9 pistols, do you have any opinion on thumb vs. middle finger release? Is there a military, factory, or "tactical" best practices "proper" way to configure the release? Thanks.

Anonymous

Has there been any weapon you thought would be really cool, but once you got your hands on it, was actually not interesting/unique and didn't turn into a video?

Anonymous

Hi Ian, love the channel. I was wondering if the USFA Zip 22 has taken the crown as the worst firearm you have ever handled or is the Cobray terminator still the king of the crappiest guns ever made?

Anonymous

Do you ever forsee yourself comming into the situation where creating new original content will be difficult due to having covered alot of it. (Not now but in the foreseeable future)

Anonymous

Do you ever think you'll build a "ghost gun". I think that would be a fun series.

Anonymous

Do you ever plan on doing more oflr focusing on artillery? I think this would be a good series and a trip to Fort Sill OK and the museum there would def provide alot of information.

Anonymous

Ever covered or have any information on the the .41 Action Express cartridge and why it disappeared so relatively quickly. Buried by the .40 S&amp;W, not reliable, too expensive, etc.? Thanks.

Anonymous

Any plans on doing more of Forgotten History episodes and if so are you planning to visit any of the sites in Finland when you get kidnapped again?

Anonymous

I've noticed that some of your distinctive trips, like to Malta, Denmark and Switzerland, have videos that are posted months apart. How do you choose the order in which videos are posted? 2nd question: where did you get the little FAMAS model on your bookshelf (saw it during a book review)?

Anonymous

Was a silenced sten really the best option for US Special Forces in Vietnam? If the performance of the FN FAL was really that good in Vietnam in the hands of Australians and New Zealanders why didn't at least some US or South Korean units adopt it? How much of a threat really were Lee Enfields and Nagants in Afghanistan? Did the Soviets and Americans ever consider going back to full power battle riles to counter this? What was the best rifle for bayonet combat? What was the best rifle caliber AP round? Why do we never see anyone on Youtube with a Vickers K gun? Why was the upscaled Vickers .50 such a failure in comparison to the original?

Anonymous

In your 'iron sights at 800 yards' video you had difficultly at hitting a clear target at that range (no offence!), why did so many rifles from WW1 and WW2 have iron sights that went way beyond that to 2000 yards?

Anonymous

More along the lines of your cocktail connoisseurship, but everyone has a drink that they abstain from or a drink that does not agree with them (for me it's tequila). What is the drink or liquor that you typically don't touch?

Draygone

In your video on machine gun types you did a good break down on the various types of machine guns and how it has ended up with the squad automatic, the GPMG and the HMG. What I am wondering is the gap between the GPMG and the HMG. GPMGs are around 7.62mm where as HMGs come in at almost double that at 12.7+mm. Is there a reason for the lack of a in-between caliber MG primarily for vehicle use like the HMG with a similar long range but with the faster firing rate and more manageable recoil and ammo size of a rifle caliber cartridge.? Something like the General Dynamics Lightweight Medium Machine Gun firing the .338 Norma Magnum cartridge. It is apparently being considered as a replacement for the M240 on some vehicles to supplement the M2.

Pete

The Stoner 63 is cool from a mechanical point of view, but if reconfiguring it is an armourer's job rather than something an infantryman would do in the field, then what is the military purpose of its modular nature? Why not just have the armourer issue an LMG or a rifle as required, instead of dismantling and rebuilding one weapon?

Pete

How long do you think you will be able to keep doing Forgotten Weapons in its current format before running out of eligible weapons to film? If your answer isn't "forever", do you have any kind of "exit strategy" for the channel (hopefully a change of format rather than closure!) when the time comes?

Anonymous

Ian, did any other European militaries affix discs to the stocks and record bore and other data like the Swedes did with their Mausers or was this just a Swedish phenomenon? And, was the numbering of parts on military rifles to create a "matching" firearm just a European thing or did other countries match numbers on production weapons.

Anonymous

I know you are wrapping up the book on French rifles. Have you given thought to a next book? I had never given a thought to French rifles before watching your channel and eagerly await buying your book to learn more. What other inspiration would you like to share with and educate others in the future?

Anonymous

How many guns do you have? Still not enough or you have too much? Do you sell them often?

Anonymous

Do your passion start with firearms I general or did it start with French firearms specifically.

Anonymous

Let me start by thanking You for the excellent content and presentations. You have recently presented a couple of videos on the Stoner system, a gun or better a weapons system that I find fascinating. During the video You mentioned that the modularity of the system was not designed for field conversions. Instead, You said, it was up to the gun smith to reassemble the gun in the version needed. My question is, a) are You aware of any other "multimodular" weapons like the Stoner 63 /63A? and specifically do any exist that were designed for field conversions as needed?

Anonymous

...And a second one, if I may: Back in 96 when I served my time with the greek army I was lucky enough to be issued both with the FN-FAL and the G3 (The locally produced licenced copy of) while serving in different units. All in all I was much more in favor of the FAL both in terms of accuracy and ease of firing as well as maintenance. What is Your take on this? Also, should I not be taking too much of Your time, both guns were issued to us with standart bipods. My feeling was that they improved accuracy but were tactically cumbersome. Do You thinkthat they provide an advantage for a soldier or a hinderance, and do You think the same holds true in a conscript vs a professional army?

Anonymous

So I found out a while back there was a company that produced guns in my local area around the 50s 60s. I did some basic research and came across some promotional material and a bare bones wikipedia page but not much else. What avenues of research would you recommend if I wanted to do a deeper dive to find out the story of the company.

Anonymous

Have you ever thought about about branching out to show evolution of other items besides firearms? Like First Aid kits, and web gear for different eras and countries?

Anonymous

Repeat question: Which firearms designer(s) do you believe are the most unrecognized and underappreciated?

Anonymous

Why did the Browning 1917/1919 NOT have a trigger guard?

Anonymous

Do you read the comments on youtube?

Anonymous

In your video on the Mateba MTR-8 you mentioned how a longer sight radius would aid in more accurate shooting. Could you explain this in more detail, as a non-gun owner i'm having a hard time visualising it myself.

Anonymous

Have you ever encountered the Rifleman Assault Weapon tested by the US Army as a add-on Rifle Grenade.

Anonymous

First thing, thank you so much for documenting and talking about firearms in such a friendly and educational way. I am a long time subscriber but a recent patreon supporter, thank you. I have heard some myths about cordite propellant and was wondering if you could explain the practical benefits and downsides to its use over other smokeless powders, and if you know of any use of it by modern militaries.

Anonymous

Do you have any information on or experience with the Wespi search light sight ? I have one for the "Siderlatch" Mauser 6.35 pistol. The only information I can find is scarce. The sight is from the estate of a former OSS officer and friend. I am now in possession of a couple of his modified personal weapons that quite unique such as a 1903 Winchester rifle that is very compact but legal in length that was built for use with a Maxim suppressor. It has raised S&amp;W type adjustable sights. His daughter had no knowledge of the whereabouts of the Maxim. It is likely still tucked away somewhere in her house. Thanks For your time. Larry Martin

Bruce Brodnax
>>17841172

That's where a little tool called "mathematics" comes in handy. All the best engineers use it!

Bruce Brodnax
>>17841174

Nobody else uses the FAMAS, iirc. Or did you mean "will other nations phase out their bullpup service rifles?" ;-)

Anonymous

When we think of the great firearm designers (Browning, Maxim, Stoner, etc) we think of one person, but how much are they actually dictating? Do they just come up with a general idea for how it will function and hand off the calculations to get it actually running to less senior engineers or do they also help figure out the right spring rates, piston diameters, etc for their designs. Also, how much of early gun design was trial and error, especially for self-loading rifles and machine guns, since Thompson got the M1921 working without even understanding the real reason behind it.

Anonymous

Which weapons would you bring with you to the fight Franco is 1936, as part of the International Brigades (or whichever anti-fascist group you prefer)? Assuming ammunition availability wasn't an issue. How would you outfit a whole squad of your buddies?

Bruce Brodnax
>>17841192

It has been done [Remington offered their "Accelerator" line of .22cal-saboted bullets in .30cal cases of .30-30, .308Win &amp; .30-'06.] However, at the higher velocities these spin stabilized bullets experience accuracy issues [vs. the lower velocity muzzle-loading &amp; shotgun sabots.] Things are different when using fin-stabilized projectiles in smooth-bore tank guns...

Bruce Brodnax
>>17841197

Very prevalent. Nothing was overstated: there were overlapping instances of criminal negligence: Colt knew they should have chrome-lined the barrels from the outset, but they wanted to charge the govt. extra for it &amp; the govt. turned them down. The military also changed the powder used in the issue ammo w/o testing or asking the designers if that would be suitable: it wasn't, and soldiers' lives were lost as a result. Recommend reading "The Black Rifle" by R. Blake Stevens &amp; Ed Ezell.

Alex

are there any 22lr bolt action rifles that feature locking lugs instead of locking off the bolt handle? It seems the Remington 581 might be unique in that aspect but my knowledge is limited to the rifles my family owns and the ones I see in stores. The three rear locking lugs on the 581 seem like overkill.

Bruce Brodnax
>>17841273

They tend not to be as accurate as their bolt-action equivalents because of all the clattery stuff hanging off the barrel. Not an issue in a shotgun, but it limits the useful range in a rifle. Hence their greater popularity in the eastern woods among hunters, and relatively low popularity out west where shots taken are at longer ranges.

Mark D Booth

would the US have adopted the T24 machine gun if ww2 had continued into 1946 or possible the T23e1 to replace the BAR and M1919

Bruce Brodnax
>>17841395

Fairly uncommon, I should think: who wants to spend their hard-earned gold eagle on an unknown quantity with sketchy ammo availability &amp; utility? Remember, most Yurpeen handguns of the period were under-powered by the standards of American frontier use. The ammo availability issue also explains why Colt continued to sell their C&amp;B models well into the cartridge era

Bruce Brodnax
>>17841397

How can this question *not* become political? Most teachers have no choice: they'd be immediately fired if they tried to carry in the classroom. No teacher is likely to be able to afford NIJ IV body armor on their salary, nor are they going to be able to wear it while teaching. The most they'd likely be able to get away with is a can of bear spray in their desk [higher potency, sprays further than human-rated pepper sprayers.] That or a can of wasp spray &amp; a Zippo [for dual action: long distance spray reach and they're usually oil-based carriers for the nerve agent, so light'em up &amp; poison them simultaneously.] Obviously, you'll probably get shot in the process, but at least you're going down fighting...

Anonymous

Do you believe the French were too quick to adopt the Lebel? It's my understanding that they had just purchased an updated Kropatschek rifle, which would have served them decently if they had taken some time to perfect a new rifle design. Considering that within a few years we saw guns like the magazine Lee Enfield and the Gewehr 88, it seems like the French would have been better off designing something similar to those rifles instead of trying to get a smokeless powder design a couple of years before the other countries.

Bruce Brodnax
>>17841423

Was "bayonet" missing somewhere there? I think Ian has made it perfectly clear, bayonets pretty much ceased to be of significance once the need to stop charging horse cavalry went away... OTOH, having a handy pointy bit on the end of your rifle is useful for prisoner control...

Bruce Brodnax
>>17841443

Nobody has armed airplanes in calibers smaller than .30cal/8mm, so no, no HE bobos in smaller sizes have seen development efforts. And by the early stages of WW2, it was seen that rifle caliber rounds just weren't going to cut it for aerial combat, and airplane armaments quickly evolved to .50cal &amp; larger designs...

Bruce Brodnax
>>17841495

The Russian skS's are already pricey. The Chinese pinned-barrel models never will be. There's a whole range of options. As of now their prices have already climbed to the point of "Are you kidding me?" for someone who bought one back in the '90s when they were $130 out the door with a box of ammo...

Bruce Brodnax
>>17841513

Only the intransigent Czechs were willing to gainsay the Soviet Union &amp; go their own way...

Deviant Ollam

Hey, here's what could be a neat question that you may know the answer to or perhaps another opportunity to ping Jim Sullivan! :-) This question stems from a conversation I had with a friend who loved the .22LR conversion bolt assembly I have for my AR platform… Many resources I've read point specifically to the work being done on the Armalite platform and at Fairchild when it comes to the birth of the new .223 round. When the SCHV push was under development it has been stated that the one of the Continental Army Command's requirements was that the round be .22 caliber. (Giving us the good fortunate to be able to shoot cheap, lightweight 22LR via conversions nowadays) However, was this the driving force for the “must be .22 caliber” requirement portion of the SCHV project? Or was it related to existing tooling and dies in this size? I can’t imagine that so many buttons and reamers existed as to make this an economic impact. Do you know specifically why .22 caliber compatibility was being pushed for during the SCHV format program?

Bruce Brodnax
>>17843392

1895 Colt "Potato Digger" wasn't a success [until taken over by Marlin Rockwell during WW1 and converted to linear piston activation and used in air service.]

Bruce Brodnax
>>17843831

The latter, without question. It was simply the most direct way to manufacture the cheapest &amp; most easily-produced firearm.

Bruce Brodnax
>>17844298

Because it is absurdly simple and easy to manufacture as long as you have adequate metallurgy and economies of scale. The MG42 was a fraction of the cost of the MG-34, or else it wouldn't have supplanted it, nor would it have continued production for the next 40+ years as the MG3. The CZ-52 was expensive to produce because it is an old world chunk of quality machining: they could [should?] have just as easily made it with near-net castings a la' Ruger.

Bruce Brodnax
>>17845011

"Sears" are the engagement surfaces between the trigger and hammer or trigger and striker. Have no idea where the name for them comes from. A "trunnion" is the mount for a barrel [traditionally, canon barrel but evolved to refer to the specific chunk of metal that held the barrel in modern rifles.] I think Ian has actually explained the others in certain of his videos.

Bruce Brodnax
>>17845038

Because advances in modern bullet construction enable 9mm hollow points to feed reliably enough &amp; provide sufficiently effective terminal ballistics with their greater controllability that offsets the .40cal superior terminal ballistics at the cost of greater recoil. If you are saddled with a military requirement to only use ball ammo, the .40 is better, but NATO settled on 9mmP decades ago &amp; isn't likely to change any time soon.

Bruce Brodnax
>>17845615

One of his older segments at an auction house: <a href="https://youtu.be/bH5xUzYgPEw" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/bH5xUzYgPEw</a>

Bruce Brodnax
>>17846160

Evolution of manufacturing technology along with updated designs with awareness of what leads to better accuracy.

Bruce Brodnax
>>17846860

Much longer to never at all: there wouldn't have been the perceived need driving the switch.

Anonymous

I have one if you need to do "rapid fire" Questions which require little research again: since you're already established as a fan of Nightwish (good choice!), when you hear the line "His pistol had been found" in "Over the Hills and Far Away", what pistol appears in your mind?

Bruce Brodnax
>>17848216

Lots of designers whose work has fallen by the wayside. Not many of those 100 y.o. designs were "1st tries;" Browning designed several cartridges before the .45acp, and the .45acp we have come to know was altered per U.S. Ordnance request [his original was what is known as a "softball" load today, w/ a ~200gr bullet @ 875fps, vs "hardball" of 230gr @ 850fps, iirc.] 9mmP started life as a .30cal, etc. etc. Heck, .45LC was based upon the Colt Dragoon's load [.45cal, 50gr of BP.] from 20 years before! No 1st timer success anywhere, that I can see... ;-)

Bruce Brodnax
>>17848875

In an official capacity? Not that I'm aware of, but there is plenty of records indicating the usage of captured artillery ordnance in WW2 by U.S. forces on the original owners until the ammo ran out. In the KW, my dad said he preferred carrying a [battlefield pickup] PPSh over a[n issued] shotgun on night patrols, again, until the ammo ran out whereupon it was cast aside.

Bruce Brodnax
>>17850095

The Lebel again, I think, altho' the "metal patch" was developed by Rubin @ the Swiss arsenal...

Bruce Brodnax
>>17851431

MP5/40 was developed specifically at the behest of one customer [U.S. Secret Service], who probably also stipulated the bolt hold-open. Since it followed the 9mm version and H&amp;K probably already had enough fanbois among them who liked hearing "Achtung! You vill like it ze vay ve make it already or do without!" there was no need to retrofit that feature to the regular production...

Bruce Brodnax
>>17852010

Only one question: all the mercenary activity in the late '50s was in tropical &amp; desert environments. Why would he bother? ;-D

Bruce Brodnax
>>17852072

"Irregardless" is not a word. And I have a strange feeling he's going to say "WWSD rifle..." ;-)

Bruce Brodnax
>>17852087

Range issues of smokeless were not exaggerated: it makes a flatter-shooting cartridge than any BP contemporaries, which means easier hits by poorly-trained soldiers. The bigger advantage of smokeless is the ability to fire w/o absolutely disclosing your position to the enemy.

Bruce Brodnax
>>17852873

Why? Because Allin worked for U.S. Ordnance &amp; they didn't have to pay him royalties for his conversion. The same reason they used the Allin conversion instead of the much superior Snider conversion [that he then proceded to sell to the English for their Snider-Enfield conversions...]

Bruce Brodnax
>>17858972

What makes you think milling Al is cheaper? Economies of scale for different production methodologies will have differing break-points. At the time many of the stamped sheet-metal designs were developed, aluminum was still comparatively expensive and a critical resource for other needs. Your seemingly simple question is almost absurdly complex in its details! :-)

Bruce Brodnax
>>17859022

Concurrent development, Vielle just got there 1st. That and due to some laboratory accidents in the largely Germanic [German, Prussian, Austrian, etc.] -dominated world of early organic chemistry, the research into that chemistry may have been, ah... more cautious.

Bruce Brodnax
>>17860004

JMB was approached by U.S. Army ordnance asking if he could make his machine gun in a size that would be useful against the early tank designs, a la' the German TuF rifle [which was 13mm bore size, iirc.] Since .5" is a nice even number in our American standard measurements, he took the .30-'06 cartridge and scaled it up to .5" [That's right, 50BMG is just an oversize-scale model of .30-'06.] He did so, but it wasn't ready until 1919, by which time the war had ended [it came as a bit of a surprise all around...] The Soviet 12.7x108mm round is more powerful than the 12.7x99mm .50BMG round, but probably took some inspiration from the U.S. round in its development.

Bruce Brodnax
>>17862651

Cartridge design: the U.S. had (has) legacy case designs based upon brass construction that won't have adequate reliability when converted to steel; when you taper the cartridge more to get reliable extraction, you get very curved magazines a la' AK, Chauchat, et al... &amp; I guess U.S. military thinkers never found those attractive?

Bruce Brodnax
>>17863938

It would have suffered from just as much NIH as any other rifle design.

Bruce Brodnax
>>17864057

Haven't you heard? Caseless ammo is just 10 years away from adoption... just like it has been for the last 60 years! The 80/20 rule applies: you can get 80% of the job done using conventional methods with 20% of the effort vs. going caseless...

Bruce Brodnax
>>17870696

My only complaint w/ dedicated 22lr uppers is they all seem to cost WAY more than a separate 22lr rifle...

Bruce Brodnax
>>17873451

Perceived lack of demand. Contact an ammo manufacturer, commit to buying 500K rounds minimum, &amp; get a quote...

Bruce Brodnax
>>17875465

Civilian long-distance target shooters using 50BMG spurring the development of the Barret M82 rifle...

Bruce Brodnax
>>17884235

Tradition. The long range sight ladders were developed at a time when massed fire by troops as an area denial tactic was considered viable. Once the sight was developed, there was no need to change it.

Bruce Brodnax
>>17884767

Don't drink green beer. It's just the crappiest swill they can 'enhance' with green food-coloring for St. Paddy's Day suckers...

Bruce Brodnax
>>17885144

Commonality of parts enables greater economies of scale, leading to lower "package" costs. Think of it as getting 3 weapons [carbine, automatic rifle, lmg] for the cost of 2. [OK, 2.5... ;-) ]

Bruce Brodnax
>>17897062

Take a ruler, a yardstick and a piece of paper. Put two dots on the piece of paper, more than 1 ft apart. Try to line up the ruler as best you can with the dots. Now, take the yardstick and set it down next to the ruler and see how close you got to being properly lined up. Contrast this with lining up the yardstick with the dots: how close did you get *then*? ;-)

Anonymous

Why haven't you been on Instagram for so long? You are missed!!

Anonymous

Hi! Having shot and gotten a close look at the Stoner 63, do you think that platform or concept (modular reciever) deserves more r&amp;d? Regards from Sweden!

Anonymous

What is the status on finding ammo for your Mas 38?

TJ

Have you found a nose cap for your a Finnish M27 Mosin? That´ s not a serious question for your Q&amp;A, I also would like to thank you for your work. Awesome content in your channel!

Anonymous

Do you know how many of the Navy Thompson's ended up with the US Coast Guard?

Anonymous

I was watching the Suami 31 video, my favorite Sub gun, and was wondering, when shooting is there a discernable puff of air on the back of your hand coming from the vent holes on the rear receiver cap?

Anonymous

What is your favourite English rifle ?

Anonymous

Any plans on doing a video on the vz. 58 and/or vz. 52 rifles or maybe the vz(cz) 82 pistol? More Czechnology would always be appreciated, they came up with some odd and interesting ideas.

Anonymous

What funding program is most financially beneficial to Forgotten Weapons. This platform is no longer a viable option for me to support. I think it’s time to address the subject., again.

ForgottenWeapons
>>17924945

Without any doubt, Patreon is the most important funding source for Forgotten Weapons. I think that people boycotting Patreon rather than talking to them to change their recent decision is highly unfortunate for myself and all the other creators who use Patreon (remember how user feedback caused them to change their minds on the credit card fee structure a while back?). That said, I did create an account at <a href="http://www.SubscribeStar.com/ForgottenWeapons" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.SubscribeStar.com/ForgottenWeapons</a> . I am skeptical that that site will prove viable in the long term, but it is there for people who insist.

Anonymous

Have you ever been in a legitimate self defense situation involving a firearm? If so could you elaborate a bit on what transpired and what actions you took?

Anonymous

What are the most common woods used for firearm stocks and why? Have there been any aberations, flukes, oddities or unique woods experimented with, adopted, or failed in firearms?

Anonymous

Hello Ian, I have a question about the viability of antitank/antimateriel rifles in more recent times. With the prevalence of tanks diminishing in favor of lighter armored vehicles (like the MRAP and Buffalo trucks) and up-armored versions of pre-existing vehicles (like the Humvee) as well as improvised "technicals" being fielded by insurgent forces, does an antitank style rifle have a more practical place now? As compared to a weapon like an AT-4, which is a one and done deal. Additionally, numerous rocket/missile countermeasure systems that can easily defeat incoming shaped charge rockets makes a weapon like an AT-4 even more risky, since there is no chance of a follow up shot, or even practically being able to carry more than one at a time. Whereas an antitank weapon may be cumbersome, but has the ability to be magazine fed, make impactful shots, and penetrate obstacles outside of vehicle destruction roles. A heavy infantry platoon with an antitank rifle and a grenadier seems like it could match up just as well if not better in most situations than a similar platoon armed with contemporary shoulder fired rocket launchers. Just an odd thought but after seeing some of the improvised antitank rifles in the Syrian conflict, the absurdity of such heavy rifles seems to be less ridiculous. Would love to hear your thoughts on this. Thanks for the show and Merry Christmas!

Anonymous

BHL Asks: What is the reason there isn't more automatic magazine drop mechanisms in firearms today? Especially on a EDC weapon it seems like something that could be extremely useful. (I think I remember you and/or Carl using one at Shotshow but it seems the exception rather than the norm)

Anonymous
>>17841156

Also, thanks for answering the alternate history question, I posted a while back, in do much detail. It really helped a lot.

Anonymous

Why is there not more box magazines designs using constant force springs ?

Anonymous

Ian; given the increasing hostility in some states toward semiauto rifles, I'm wondering why we haven't seen any attention paid to the idea of a lever action rifle fed from a detachable box magazine. Apart from the Browning BLR (which is basically a straight-pull, rotating bolt action attached to a rack-and-pinion lever system) I can't think of any such rifle on the market today. Apart from the potential issue of a mag interfering with the lever throw, can you think on any reason why a lever gun couldn't be designed to feed from an AR or AK-type magazine? Also, my wife wants to know what you do to your hair. I think she's jealous.

Scott

Ian: Have you ever come across a Brazilian PASAM? I think I first discovered Forgotten Weapons when trying to find info on it, but besides a few magazine clippings about it, I don't think I've ever seen any info about them.

Anonymous

Your British rationing cooking videos are a favorite of mine. Something about hearty meals and the holidays made it go together well for me. Any plans on something like that this winter?

Anonymous

What is the Barret M82A2, I've seen enough about it to know it existed at one point and was basically a bullpup M82, but I can't find out anything else about it

Anonymous

Lots of questions so feel free to pick and choose: In the 1890's we had developed most of the locking systems we see today in pistols and 80 calibers for 70 makes and models, but it took another 50 years before we saw the rifles reach the same point. Did everyone just forget for 50 years that they could design any size cartridge and rifle they wanted?? What took so long?

Anonymous

Will we ever see an intermediate cartridge round up like you did for the pistols? I've seen pictures of the guts of the G-11, what is the most convoluted and overly complex gun you've ever had your hands on? In the early/mid 90's Olympic Arms managed to make an AR-15 without the need of the butt stock assembly. Why did nobody run with this? I'm really surprised not to see a paratrooper/folding stock AR-15 system out there. When your wife is sick of you being home does she have a favorite gun to chase you out of the house with or just an 8ga skillet? :)

Mark Becht

Aside from the MAS and Arisaka, what other novel or interesting early folding stock designs were there? Much between the detachable pistol stocks and the modern designs we are more familiar with?

Andrew MacKenzie

If the US would adopt a .308 rifle for general issue within a year, what do you think they would choose? A modern Ar-10? The SCAR-17? Or something else?

Anonymous

I'm not sure if this has been asked before, but why did pump action rifles not catch on, but lever action and bolt action did. It would seem to me that a pump gun is just as simple as a bolt gun but with a faster and easier to teach general infantry to use mechanism.

Anonymous

Ian, in today's Peak AR-15 world, is there still an argument to be made for a _military_ rifle employing the roller delayed blowback system? In other words - is it possible to design a military roller delayed rifle in 5.56 that would be equal to or better the AR-15 in practical terms (accuracy, ergonomics, resistance to debris/gunk) and mass produce it cheaply enough to be worth it, or has the inertia of 50 years of perfecting the AR just made this platform superior to everything else?

Anonymous

Apologies if you've mentioned it before and I've missed it, but what kind of hearing protection do you use? I know it was custom molded, but did it come from a local shop or did you send a casting to a company?

commandZee

Ian, What are your thoughts on the Magpul bipod?

Anonymous

What shooting mat did you use in the mdr vid? Looks comfy.

Anonymous

What's more safe? Our 2a rights or a nambu type 94 pistol

Anonymous

What metric(s) would you use to define an intermediate cartridge? Is it caliber? Bullet weight? Overall size compared to a full rifle round like a .308? Effective range? Or a combination of factors? I ask because some cartridges like .35 Remington are, if you go by bullet weight, in the same league as an 8mm Mauser at around 200gr. At the same time, they're short in terms of overall length and are only considered useful to 200yds max. Thanks in advance!

Anonymous
>>17947982

Looking them up I only saw pull springs. Are there push ones? You'd need that in a mag right?

Anonymous

What is your opinion on 5.56x38 FABRL?

Anonymous

BHL Asks: I've seen commercial AR-15 piston conversion kits that don't require replacing the upper. Why has the military not adopted these. It seems like the best of both worlds (minimal weight addition?)

Dan

After watching your recent OICW video do you think the concept of an integrated weapons platform would benefit from recent advances in materials and optics the same way the WWSD project did, or is it still asking too much of a shoulder-mounted system?

Anonymous

With the modernized BAR (HCAR) being produced, what would you think something like a fully modernized FG42 would look like and could it be good enough to be a combat effective weapon?

Anonymous (edited)

Comment edits

2021-08-14 03:39:06 I have just turned 18 and am intent on getting my CCWP. Currently there are only four choices for a carry pistol in my family's collection, a Beretta Jet Fire model 650 in .25 ACP, a Baby Browning in .25 ACP, a S&amp;W 1901 (I think) pocket hammerless in 32 S&amp;W, and a S&amp;W five shot snub-nosed revolver in .38. My inclination is to go with the Jet Fire as 12+1 capacity is hard to turn down, but .25 ACP is just such a dinky caliber. The Baby Browning and S&amp;W pocket hammerless are pretty much off the table for antique and capacity reasons, leaving me with the snub-nosed .38. I have also considered carrying a full size pistol, but the only ones suitable for carry are a Colt Gold Cup National Match, a full length S&amp;W .38, and a Python .357. Out of those the Python interests me most as the ammunition we currently have for it is hand loaded "exploder ammo." (a hollow point with a pistol primer filling the front of the point, with a small explosive charge behind. Most likely gun powder, although I don't know for sure as my grandfather who would've loaded them has long since passed and I don't want to disassemble one as there are only six) Any input on the matter would be great.
2018-12-19 00:27:22 I have just turned 18 and am intent on getting my CCWP. Currently there are only four choices for a carry pistol in my family's collection, a Beretta Jet Fire model 650 in .25 ACP, a Baby Browning in .25 ACP, a S&W 1901 (I think) pocket hammerless in 32 S&W, and a S&W five shot snub-nosed revolver in .38. My inclination is to go with the Jet Fire as 12+1 capacity is hard to turn down, but .25 ACP is just such a dinky caliber. The Baby Browning and S&W pocket hammerless are pretty much off the table for antique and capacity reasons, leaving me with the snub-nosed .38. I have also considered carrying a full size pistol, but the only ones suitable for carry are a Colt Gold Cup National Match, a full length S&W .38, and a Python .357. Out of those the Python interests me most as the ammunition we currently have for it is hand loaded "exploder ammo." (a hollow point with a pistol primer filling the front of the point, with a small explosive charge behind. Most likely gun powder, although I don't know for sure as my grandfather who would've loaded them has long since passed and I don't want to disassemble one as there are only six) Any input on the matter would be great.

I have just turned 18 and am intent on getting my CCWP. Currently there are only four choices for a carry pistol in my family's collection, a Beretta Jet Fire model 650 in .25 ACP, a Baby Browning in .25 ACP, a S&W 1901 (I think) pocket hammerless in 32 S&W, and a S&W five shot snub-nosed revolver in .38. My inclination is to go with the Jet Fire as 12+1 capacity is hard to turn down, but .25 ACP is just such a dinky caliber. The Baby Browning and S&W pocket hammerless are pretty much off the table for antique and capacity reasons, leaving me with the snub-nosed .38. I have also considered carrying a full size pistol, but the only ones suitable for carry are a Colt Gold Cup National Match, a full length S&W .38, and a Python .357. Out of those the Python interests me most as the ammunition we currently have for it is hand loaded "exploder ammo." (a hollow point with a pistol primer filling the front of the point, with a small explosive charge behind. Most likely gun powder, although I don't know for sure as my grandfather who would've loaded them has long since passed and I don't want to disassemble one as there are only six) Any input on the matter would be great.

Matteo Manino

Hello Ian. As far as I know you are the biggest expert in Italian experimental semiauto rifle. Why are all the indigenous projects short recoil? There are real advantages in the gas operated sistems or thei was preferred for other reasons? Thanks for the wonderfull contents.