This video features Ian McCollum and Jonathan Ferguson in a 60-second challenge at the Royal Armouries to find three unique firearms: a Charlton Automatic Rifle, a Schwarzlose Model 1898 pistol, and an early SA80 prototype. They discuss unusual mechanical operations and limited historical impact, highlighting experimental designs like the Sterling 7.62mm prototype and the Mars .45 Automatic Pistol.
The Charlton Automatic Rifle was a unique WWII-era conversion of obsolete Lee-Enfield and Lee-Metford bolt-action rifles into light machine guns for the New Zealand Home Guard. Despite successful trials and a contract for 1,500 units, production challenges and a post-war fire made surviving examples extremely rare. The conversion featured an external gas system, cooling fins, and a scroll cam mechanism to operate the bolt, allowing for select-fire capability.
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