Videos tagged with Experimental Rifle

The M1E5 was an experimental paratrooper variant of the M1 Garand, developed by Springfield Armory in 1944. It featured an 18-inch barrel, a folding stock, and was chambered in .30-06 Springfield. Despite its compact design, testing revealed excessive muzzle flash, blast, and recoil, leading to its cancellation in favor of other projects.

The M1E5 Experimental Paratrooper Garand represents the final design iteration for a compact M1 Garand variant. Key features include a folding metal stock, a distinctive pistol grip, and significant weight reduction measures like scalloped cuts on the 18-inch barrel. Despite markings indicating 'CAL. .30 M1', it remains chambered in .30-06 Springfield and differs from the standard M1 Garand by its shorter overall length and the removal of the front handguard.

The T31 Garand was John Garand's final rifle design, an experimental bullpup configuration aimed at creating a select-fire Garand with improved blast and recoil characteristics. It featured a unique pneumatic system initially, later redesigned to a short-stroke piston, and a 20-round magazine precursor to the M14. Despite its innovative design, including an integrated grenade launcher sight linked to the gas system, the project was abandoned upon Garand's retirement.

The Winchester Model D, a precursor to the famed Model 70, was an experimental bolt-action rifle developed during WW1. It featured a cock-on-close action, Mauser-style flag safety, and a flush-fitting 5-round magazine. While it didn't see military service, its design elements influenced later Winchester sporting rifles.

The S.R.E.M. (Sniper Rifle Experimental Model) was a unique British bullpup sniper rifle prototype from WW2, featuring a pistol grip that doubled as a charging handle to maintain sight picture during cycling. Only two were commissioned, and this is the sole surviving example. Its action utilizes a simple two-lug rotating bolt locked by a pin mechanism.

This video delves into the fascinating history and specifics of the Stamm-Saurer Model 1913 Long-Recoil Prototype Rifle. It highlights a unique and likely rare firearm from Switzerland, emphasizing its experimental nature and its place within forgotten weapons history. The content focuses on the physical attributes and background of this prototype rifle, appealing to enthusiasts of historical firearms and unique weapon designs.

The sa81 Krása was an ultra-compact Personal Defense Weapon prototype developed in Czechoslovakia, aiming to fit rifle firepower into a sub-one-foot package. Its most notable feature is a rare rearward feeding mechanism, allowing the barrel to overlap the magazine for extreme compactness. Despite successful testing, the project was canceled in favor of new cartridge programs.

This video examines a rare commercial BSA Long Lee rifle prototype featuring a unique fixed charger bridge. Ian McCollum, an expert in historical firearms, details the rifle's unusual design elements, including patent markings ('P.PAT', 'PATENT 5945/04') and various proof marks. The prototype's exact place in the development of the Lee-Enfield charger bridge remains a historical enigma, likely predating the full adoption of the SMLE's design.

This video explores an experimental Gras-Vetterli repeating rifle from the late 19th century, highlighting its unique Vetterli-style side loading gate and internal cartridge elevator. Despite its innovative design, it was ultimately rejected by the French military in favor of the Kropatschek system, illustrating the competitive landscape of repeating rifle development during that era.

This video explores a rare prototype Trapdoor Springfield rifle modified with an under-barrel tubular magazine, likely for the 1882 US Army repeating rifle trials. The design, possibly by Augustine Sheridan Jones, features a Kropatschek-style lifter and a manual magazine cutoff. Ultimately, the modification proved impractical due to an extra manual step required for chambering rounds, making it less efficient than contemporary bolt-action repeaters.

The Ward Burton Model 1871 was an early US military bolt-action rifle tested in 1870. Despite its innovative cock-on-close action and rear locking lugs designed for black powder, it failed trials due to troop unfamiliarity and safety concerns related to its lack of an external hammer. Springfield Armory manufactured a limited run of 1,000 rifles and 300 carbines in 1872.

The G40k was a rare German experimental Mauser carbine from 1940, designed for specialty troops with a shortened 19.3-inch barrel. Only about two dozen were produced before the project was abandoned in favor of Czech designs. Key features include a drilled bolt knob for weight reduction and a unique nose cap design.