CatalogIt Firearms Inventory Software for Museums and Collectors

This Q&A features Ashley Hlebinsky, curator of the Cody Firearms Museum, discussing the intricacies of firearms curation, museum operations, and historical preservation. Key topics include the challenges of maintaining large collections, navigating legal hurdles like the NFA, and the importance of hands-on experience for curators. Hlebinsky, a leading voice in firearms history, shares insights on preserving irreplaceable artifacts while balancing research and public access.

This video provides an overview of the Forgotten Weapons channel's mission, focusing on the mechanics and history of unusual firearms. Host Ian McCollum highlights the channel's diverse content, including military and commercial firearms, Q&A sessions, and book reviews, all supported by his extensive personal reference library and access to museum collections. Upcoming projects include content from the H&K Gray Room and Royal Armouries, a new book on French military firearms, and a WWI battlefield tour.

This video discusses the contrasting fates of firearms housed in museums versus those in private collections. It poses a question about the best way to preserve and interact with historical and functional firearms, highlighting the 'purgatory behind glass' in museums and the potential for damage or use in private collections.

This lecture explores the impact of colonial warfare on the French Foreign Legion's traditions, using captured weapons from a 1908 Moroccan campaign as a focal point. It details the historical context of French expansion in North Africa, the nature of low-intensity conflict, and the evolution of the French Foreign Legion Museum's role from a regimental archive to a bridge between military and civilian society. The analysis of specific weapons, a Mukala musket and a Remington Rolling Block rifle, highlights trade routes, manufacturing origins, and the adaptation of local forces to European weaponry.

This Q&A episode discusses the current state and future of the collector firearm market, focusing on price trends, the impact of availability, and emerging areas of interest for new collectors. It also delves into the challenges and opportunities within firearms collecting, including the role of reproductions, the complexities of online auctions, and the evolving landscape of firearms museums and their engagement with the public. The discussion highlights the importance of informed purchasing decisions and the growing need for museums to digitize and share their collections effectively.

This video features different voices reading Wilfred Owen's poem 'Dulce Et Decorum Est' accompanied by a montage of World War One photographs. The project was a collaboration between the Royal Armouries education team in Leeds and the Northern Film School at Leeds Metropolitan University. It's part of a series of nine short films exploring themes central to the museum's collections.

This guide details the specific technique for separating two MAS-36 rifles that have been inadvertently locked together by their bayonets. It outlines the historical context of this issue, the modification made to the bayonet to resolve it, and the step-by-step procedure for disengagement. The technique requires precise alignment and the use of a pointed tool to access the internal release mechanism, as demonstrated by firearms expert Ian McCollum.

This guide details the loading and firing procedure for the M134 Minigun, as explained by Ian McCollum. It covers manual indexing of the barrel cluster, feeding the ammunition belt, engaging controls, and firing. The guide also touches upon the weapon's spin-down inertia and the function of modern clutch systems. Expert instruction from a recognized firearms historian highlights the technical aspects of operating this powerful weapon system.

This guide details the operational features of the H&K G11 K2, a prototype assault rifle known for its caseless ammunition and unique rotating drum bolt. It covers the selector settings, magazine capacity, integrated optics, and the internal action designed for recoil management during high-rate-of-fire bursts. Expert insights from Ian McCollum highlight the historical context and technical innovations of this advanced firearm.

This guide details the operation of the German L.Gr.W.36 50mm light mortar, as demonstrated by expert Ian McCollum. It covers assembly, leveling procedures, ammunition handling, and live fire execution, emphasizing the difficulty in visually tracking the projectile. The instruction highlights the importance of proper setup for accuracy.