SMLE Rifle Grenade Launcher

The Vickers Mk IV .50 caliber water-cooled tank gun, developed post-WWI, utilized the less powerful 12.7x81mm cartridge for compact armored vehicle and anti-aircraft roles. It featured a scaled-up Vickers mechanism with semi-auto and automatic fire modes. Despite limited production and obsolescence by WWII, it represents a significant step in heavy machine gun development for armored platforms.

This video details the 'L.M.P. 1889,' a French hand-thrown stone munition, initially developed for urban combat and later simplified for WWI. It covers manufacturing changes, including the use of Galalith and chalk, and its post-war distribution to Russia and Spain. The video concludes by revealing the entire history was an elaborate April Fools' Day hoax.

This video features a Q&A session with Othais from the C&Rsenal YouTube channel, focusing on World War One firearms. The discussion covers a wide range of topics, including the limited use of the Madsen machine gun, the combat potential of the Pedersen Device, trench shotguns, black powder rifle ammunition, the slow development of integral rifle grenade launchers, supply of territorial armies, cut-down rifles and 'Obrez' pistols, potential impacts of 1919 secret weapons, practicality of early semi-automatic rifles, the scarcity of Austrian M95 rifles on the surplus market, the best rifle for Entente standardization, rechambering of captured rifles, intermediate cartridge development, the classification of the Winchester 1907/1910, magazine capacity limitations, SMLE spare magazine issuance, British use of Arisakas, popular rifle field modifications, general firearms design lessons from WWI, favorite WWI carbines, and forgotten WWI weapons. The video highlights the historical development and use of firearms during the Great War.

This YouTube video announces the availability of "Small Arms of WWII: Soviet Union," a new book from Headstamp Publishing. It follows their "Small Arms of WWII: USA" volume and offers an in-depth look at Soviet firearms from the Second World War. The book features historical commentary and meticulous photography by Ian McCollum (Forgotten Weapons) and James Rupley (Vickers Guide). It covers handguns, submachine guns, bolt-action rifles, self-loading rifles, sniper rifles, machine guns, and miscellaneous items like anti-tank rifles and grenade launchers. The video also mentions pre-order shipping timelines and the availability of slipcases for the US volume.

This American Rifleman TV series preview focuses on the U.S. involvement in World War I. The eight-part series will explore the historical battlegrounds where American soldiers fought. This initial part sets the stage for a comprehensive look at the American experience during the Great War.

This film, 'Fallen' (2009), is a short drama inspired by Wilfred Owen's poem 'Dulce Et Decorum Est'. It depicts the final moments of a World War One soldier. The Royal Armouries education team collaborated with the Northern Film School to create this piece, which touches upon themes relevant to the museum's collections. While not a direct firearm demonstration, the historical context of World War One implies the use of period weaponry.

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.