Massive Wheellock Hand Mortars

This video showcases a matched pair of rare 1652 Austrian Wheellock hunting rifles. The presenter, Jonny, provides an in-depth look at these historical firearms, detailing their origins and mechanics. The video highlights the craftsmanship and historical significance of these unique pieces, emphasizing their rarity and beauty. It's a rare opportunity to see and learn about such antique weaponry from the 17th century, offering a glimpse into the evolution of firearms for hunting.

This video details the anatomy and historical use of 1700s grenades, focusing on their components like the external fuse and internal charge. It demonstrates the ignition process using a slow match and highlights the safety precautions necessary when handling replicas. The content also briefly showcases the hand mortar as an alternative deployment method for these early explosive devices.

This video provides an in-depth look at the wheellock firearm system, tracing its history and demonstrating its operation. It highlights the wheellock's advantages over matchlocks, particularly for cavalry, due to its ability to be carried loaded and its independent ignition. The explanation covers the complex mechanical operation, loading procedures, and the concept of 'lock time' in relation to accuracy.

This video delves into the nuances of identifying authentic 16th-century wheellock pistols versus high-quality 19th-century reproductions. It highlights how aging can blur the lines between genuine artifacts and later copies, emphasizing the importance of examining craftsmanship, markings like the Nuremberg guild mark, and construction details. The discussion distinguishes between deceptive fakes and honest reproductions, noting that even older reproductions can be entirely handmade and highly detailed.

This "American Rifleman Television" segment, "I Have This Old Gun," explores the historical wheellock carbine, highlighting its evolution from the matchlock. The description emphasizes the complexity of the wheellock mechanism, requiring expertise in both firearms and clockmaking. The video promises to showcase the wheellock in action, offering viewers a glimpse into historical firearm technology. It also promotes further content from American Rifleman TV and encourages NRA membership.

This video demonstrates the historical operation of a 1700s hand mortar, highlighting its two-person crew requirement for loading and firing. It details the process of charging the mortar with black powder, priming the pan, and inserting a lit grenade. The demonstration showcases the significant smoke and recoil associated with firing this antique artillery piece, typically from a defensive position like a rampart wall.

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.