Older, Odd, Offbeat and Forgotten Guns & Ammo

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The Sigs of Jack Carr: The Devil's Hand​

May 2, 2025

THE DEVIL’S HAND asks a simple but chilling question: What has the enemy learned by watching us?
I started writing this one in early 2020—right as COVID hit. Then came the chaos: lockdowns, civil unrest, a contentious election cycle. The nation was on edge, and you can bet our adversaries were watching closely. Studying. Taking notes.
In this novel, Reece is up against an enemy who’s been learning from our every move. His weapon of choice this time around? The P365XL, outfitted with a red dot optic—compact, and capable.
THE SIGs of Jack Carr P365 Collection: https://www.sigsauer.com/firearms/pis...
  • P365XL with Red Dot Optic
  • P365, P365X-Macro, P365 Custom with True Precision
  • P365 Legion.

3:39
 

"Howth" Mauser 1871: Irish Volunteers Gunrunning into Dublin​

On July 14th, 1914 the 50 foot pleasure yacht “Asgard” sailed into Howth harbor in Dublin with its cabin completely filled with arms. It has 900 Mauser 1871 rifles and 29,000 rounds of ammunition for the Irish Volunteers, and there is a crowd of a thousand people turned out to unload them - just daring the British authorities to try a crackdown. These rifles would ultimately become some of the most iconic weapons used in the 1916 Easter Rising.

Video on Ulster gunrunning: • UVF Gewehr 88: Gun Running Into Irela...


17:57
 
www.thefirearmblog.com

Silencer Saturday #379: The Ultra Lightweight TiOn Dragoon 7.62 QD

Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday, brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the new YHM R45 Multi-Host Suppressor.Victra-12 shotgun suppressor.This week we’re looking at TiOn Inc’s dedicated 30 caliber suppressor aimed at the best noise...
www.thefirearmblog.com www.thefirearmblog.com
 

Jennings 5-Shot Repeating Flintlock Pistol​

May 9, 2025

Isaiah Jennings patented an improvement to the Belton repeating flintlock system in 1821 - but we don’t know exactly what his idea was because the Patent Office lost his patent (and many others) in a large 1836 fire. Jennings' system was used by several gunsmiths, though. In 1828/9 the State of New York contracted to convert 521 of their muskets to Jennings'-pattern repeaters. We also have a few examples like this custom 5-shot pistol made by John Caswell of upstate New York.

Jennings' system uses superposed charges loaded in the barrel along with a movable lock. Each charge has its own touch hole, and the cover plates for them act as stops for movement of the lock, to ensure proper alignment. The trigger will fire the lock in any position, and it is also fitted with an automatic magazine frizzen - so cocking the hammer automatically charges priming powder into the pan and closes the frizzen. These were very advanced arms for the early 1800s, and expensive to produce.


10:10

Belton Repeating Flintlock: • Belton Repeating Flintlock: A Semiaut...
 
Forgotten Weapons

DSA's Unique Titanium FAL Project​

DS Arms got some billet titanium and decided to make a batch of titanium receivers and other parts. This turned out to be a nightmarish amount of work, and two of the receivers had to be scrapped, leaving only 10 completed. They also made a number of other titanium parts, including flash hiders (which this rifle has) and gas blocks (which this one does not). Between the titanium and aluminum parts and the choice of a lightweight configuration, this FAL tips the scale at just UNDER 7.5 pounds (3.4kg). That is a very remarkable achievement, and does so without making sacrifices in durability or features. It is slightly sharper recoiling than a standard 50.00 FAL (which weighs almost 10 pounds / 4.5kg), but not uncomfortable at all - the recoil is less than I had expected.

DSA's Unique Titanium FAL Project
 

American Tankettes ( 1917 - 1969 )​

Feb 21, 2021 #WWII #Vietnam #WWI
Ford 3-ton Tank - Light Tank from 1917 -1918 http://aviarmor.net/tww2/tanks/usa/li...
Holt HA-36 One-Man Tank - Technology testing / parade vehicle -
Cunningham T-1 - Tank Development Chassis T-1 Prototype Tankette from 1928 - design and built by James Cunningham, Son and Company in 1927 - 1928.
Christie Airborne Combat Car M1933 -
Marmon-Herrington CTL-1 ( CTL-2 ) - for Poland ( rejected it ) and later to Iran
CTL-4 to 6 Series - Exports to Dutch East Indies ( Java ) , Australia , Mexico and Marmon-Herrington CTVL - Exports to Mexico
M50 Ontos - used in Vietnam war - carried by CH-53 Sea Stallion utility / transport helicopters. it was mostly used by the US Marines for direct fire support of infantry support vehicle in combat as the NVA didn't really deploy tanks in large numbers.
also used in the Dominican Civil War in 1965, destroying serveral swedish made L/60L light tanks, and french AMX-13 light tank. the Ontos was removed from service in 1969


18:10
 

Inside the Secret Italian Factory Making $150,000 Shotguns by Hand | "Beretta Two"​

Jun 10, 2025
Almost exactly three years ago, I got rare access to Beretta Due—the private custom gun workshop where Beretta builds its most exclusive firearms by hand. These shotguns start around $8,000 and climb to over $250,000, depending on the level of engraving, wood, and customization. From Olympic-grade competition shotguns to museum-quality masterpieces, Beretta Due is where old-world craftsmanship meets cutting-edge performance. In this video, I tour the facility with Beretta’s own team to see every step of the process: engraving, wood selection, custom cases, and fitting. This isn’t just a gun factory—it’s a temple of craftsmanship.


17:16
 

SAP TAAKMAG R1 PARA - DSA KOMMANDO​

Jun 1, 2025
Taking a look at my TAAKMAG R1 PARA clone, built as a tribute to the elite South African Police unit fighting crime and terrorism within South Africa since the mid 80ies. This build is based on a DSA Kommando rifle sporting a 16.25" pin and welded barrel.


8:31

Initial Review DSA Kommando • DSARMS @ KALASHBASH24 - KOMMANDO FAL
RecoilWeb DSA Kommandohttps://www.recoilweb.com/dsa-kommand...
 

AR-1 "Parasniper" - The First Armalite​

Jun 11, 2025
The first rifle produced by Armalite began in 1952 as a project between the brothers-in-law, Charles Dorchester and George Sullivan (no relation to later Armalite engineer L. James Sullivan). Sullivan is the chief patent attorney for the Lockheed aircraft company, and the two have the idea to produce an ultra-light rifle using aircraft industry materials like fiberglass and aluminum. They create a company called SF Projects and get to work using Remington actions. They fit aluminum (and then later aluminum/steel composite) barrels and foam-filled stocks and the result is a rifle that weighs less than 6 pounds with a 4x scope fitted. The first ones are chambered in .257 Roberts, but this shortly gives way to the new .308 Winchester cartridge.
Read more below the vid on youtube.

AR-1 "Parasniper" - The First Armalite
 
My beautiful Winchester LH M-70 Safari Express in .375H&H. I'm a righty but left eye dominant, I can actually shoot anything both ways, which is a good thing because before one of my safaris I fell off my bike and cracked 4 ribs which forced me to shoot righty. This Left rifle in .375 is kind of hard to find and I had to send down to Dallas for it. It wears a quick release Leo-Vari-lll 1.5X5 scope with Ghost ring back ups. It shoots Speer SPBT 250 and 300 grn, the 300's are set to exact zero at 100 yrds where'as the 250s are set 1.5 inches high and are zeroed for around 200 yrds "I forget the exact zero". Basically the rifle puts bullets thru the same hole at 100 yrds.

M-70-3.jpg

shoot-1.jpg

Heres a Swift 300 grn A-frame pulled from a Mountain Zebra.
zebra-3-lr.jpg

Heres a 300 grn A-frame pulled from a 2,000 Cape Eland.

eland-1-lr.JPGeland-2.jpg
 
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@SilverStacker..............................great pics, thanks for sharing.

There's another member who's an avid hunter. He started a thread on hunting and fishing:

Vichris

Hunting, Fishing, Adventure and "The American Sportsman"

Some of you might remember an old show, aired in he 1960's 70's & 80 called "The American Sportsman". It was hosted by a sportscaster named Curt Gowdy. He was famous for a line he used on ABC's Wide World of Sports, "The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat". The "agony of defeat" was shown with a ski jumper in a devastating wipe out. My dad and I hardly ever missed The American Sportsman and the adventures they show cased. Most of them were hunting a fishing trips with famous people. Those shows instilled in me and my...
  • Vichris
  • adventure american sportsman archery fishing hunting
  • Replies: 16
  • Forum: Hobbies
  • Thanks
  • Cheers
  • Gold

If you, or anyone else has hunting or fishing stories, pics or vids you'd like to share - feel free.
 

XM29 OICW Mockup​

Dec 12, 2018
The OICW - Objective Individual Combat Weapon - was part of a program in the 1980s and 1990s to replace the whole lineup of uS small arms with a consolidated group of new high-tech ones. The M4, M16, and M203 would be replaced by the OICW, the M240, M2, and Mk 19 would be replaced by the Objective Crew Served Weapon, the M40 sniper rifle would be replaced by the Objective Sniper Weapon, and the M9 pistol would be replaced by the Objective Personal Weapon. The OICW was basically a mashup of a 5.56mm carbine with a semiautomatic 20mm grenade launchers. The weapon received a lot of attention because it sounded really impressive on paper - the grenades could be programmed with a laser rangefinder to detonate at any desired range. Just past walls, just inside windows, that sort of thing. The weapon had a big multi-function optical sight that would allow both day and night vision and a bunch of other features.
In reality, however, the XM29 (as it was designated) was a 15-pound clumsy and awkward boat anchor of a weapon. While the many capabilities may have looked good on paper, the XM29 was pretty awful for regular soldiering - heavy to carry and slow to use. The whole program would end in the mid 1990s. However, the carbine element of the OICW would go on to become the XM-8 family of rifles, which did make a serious bid at replacing the M4/M16 as American standard infantry weapons. We will look at the XM-8 family tomorrow...


12:20
 

Kresimir: Croatia's Truly Insane Grenade Launcher​

The Kresimir is honestly the most bonkers weapon I have come across in a long while. Made by IM Metall in Croatia at the beginning of the Croatian Homeland War circa 1991, this is a semiautomatic grenade launcher. Most grenade launchers fire a big cartridge with an explosive warhead, but not this thing. Instead, it uses a 5-round magazine of M50 hand grenades with percussion fuses. A second magazine holds 7.62x39mm grenade-launching blank cartridges. Pulling the trigger drops two strikers in succession; first one to ignite the hand grenade fuse, and then one to fire the launching cartridge. What could possibly go wrong?
When you do fire, the recoil cycles the whole barrel and bolt backwards like a long recoil action, although it appears to be blowback and not locked. This loaded a fresh grenade in the barrel and leaves it ready to fire again with the next trigger pull. We don't know how many of these insane creations were actually made, but I have multiple reports of their actual wartime use from veterans of the conflict.


9:19
 
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