Interview with Ashley Hlebinsky - Cody Firearms Museum Curator

This episode of Tom Gresham's GUNTALK features a discussion with Ashley Hlebinsky, Curator for the Cody Firearms Museum. The program covers a range of firearms-related topics, drawing on the expertise of both Gresham and Hlebinsky. GUNTALK is a long-running radio show with a significant reach through various platforms including radio, podcasts, and YouTube, providing comprehensive coverage of the firearms world.

Curator Ashley Hlebinsky discusses the challenges and intricacies of managing a major firearms museum. Key insights include preservation techniques using ethanol and wax, the legal hurdles for acquiring post-1986 machine guns for non-government institutions, and the debate around firing rare artifacts. The conversation also touches on the importance of hands-on experience for curators and the ongoing efforts for museum collaboration and digital access.

This video explores modern historic firearm reproductions showcased at SHOT Show 2026, featuring insights from firearms historian Ashley Hlebinsky. Key highlights include an authentic French Model 1763 Charleville musket used by Continental forces, a discussion on Smith & Wesson's original lever-action patent predating Winchester, and the modern S&W Model 1854 lever-action rifle. The Winchester Model 98 Signal Cannon, a modern re-release, is also presented.

This video features Ashley Hlebinsky, curator at the Cody Firearms Museum, showcasing a Thompson Submachine Gun, famously known as the "Tommy Gun." The segment is part of "The Gun Vault" series and highlights the museum's extensive collection located at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming. The video also promotes the NSSF (National Shooting Sports Foundation) and its associated initiatives like "Let's Go Shooting" and "Let's Go Hunting."

This episode of Tom Gresham's Gun Talk features a conversation with Ashley Hleblinsky, Curator of the Cody Firearms Museum. The discussion likely delves into the history, preservation, and significance of firearms within a museum context. Listeners can access the full radio show through various platforms including live radio, streaming, podcasts, and YouTube.

This video celebrates 150 years of Winchester firearms at the Cody Firearms Museum, part of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. The museum houses over 7,000 firearms, with a significant portion dedicated to Winchester's history. Viewers get a glimpse of rare and unique Winchester guns featured in a recent traveling display, offering a historical perspective on this iconic firearm manufacturer.

This video details the unique 'French Finger Trap' issue with the MAS-36 rifle's bayonet, where two rifles can become unintentionally locked together. A 1951 French arsenal memorandum identified this problem, proposing a simple modification to the bayonet handle. Drilling a small hole allows a tool, like a firing pin, to depress the internal spring, enabling the separation of locked rifles.

The M134 Minigun is a scaled-down 7.62 NATO rotary cannon, requiring 24V DC power and consuming 1.5 kW. Its high rate of fire (3,000+ RPM) is essential for aircraft engagement windows. The complex delinker mechanism is critical for feeding ammunition, and practical hand-held use is impossible due to weight and recoil. Live fire demonstrates rapid ammunition consumption and the need for indirect aiming.

The H&K G11 is a revolutionary prototype assault rifle designed in the late 20th century, notable for its caseless ammunition and unique rotating drum bolt mechanism. Despite advanced features like a 2000 RPM burst fire rate and integrated optics, its development was ultimately halted by geopolitical shifts and cost concerns.

This video demonstrates the assembly and live-fire of the German 1936 pattern light mortar (L.Gr.W.36). It highlights the mortar's leveling mechanism for accuracy and the difficulty in visually tracking its 50mm projectiles after firing. The content showcases historical military hardware and its operational use.