Throwback Thursday: 70 Years' Perspective on Gun Collecting (Dolf Goldsmith)

This video features NFA expert John Keene and Ian McCollum discussing the various iterations of the Maxim gun. They differentiate between the 'best' for recreational shooting and historical significance, ultimately recommending the Vickers gun for shooters due to its adaptability and parts availability. The discussion also touches on historically significant models like the MG08 and MG11, highlighting their manufacturing and impact.

This video announces updates to the "Pistols of the Warlords" Kickstarter campaign, highlighting the addition of Dolf Goldsmith's monograph "Arming the Dragon" as a standalone pledge option. The book, originally planned as softcover, will now be a hardcover due to high demand. Existing pledges for Collector's Editions will receive a hardcover copy of "Arming the Dragon" included for free. The announcement also promotes a final livestream event celebrating the campaign's closing hours, featuring discussions on Chinese firearms and themed cocktails.

This video offers a book review of "The Devil's Paintbrush: Sir Hiram Maxim's Gun" by Dolf Goldsmith. The reviewer highlights the book's extensive information on the Maxim gun in all its variations and praises the 2002 expanded edition for its additional content, including appendices on British, German, and Russian Maxim guns, as well as early automatic pistol designs. The book is recommended for its depth and detail, offering new discoveries with each read. The reviewer also notes the availability of the expanded edition at its cover price.

This video reviews Dolf Goldsmith's book, 'The Grand Old Lady of No Man's Land,' considered the definitive guide to the Vickers machine gun. The book covers production history, maintenance, troubleshooting, accessories, various cartridges, and the gun's role through both World Wars, including its evolution from the Maxim gun and specialized uses like indirect fire. It details international production, commercial variants, and even large-caliber versions, making it an invaluable resource for collectors and enthusiasts, despite its scarcity and high resale price.

Dolf Goldsmith recounts his acquisition and use of Bofors 37mm antitank guns in the mid-20th century. He details purchasing multiple units for $200 each, along with ammunition for $0.50 per round. The guns were used for recreational shooting, including felling trees in upstate New York. Goldsmith also highlights the various accessories available, such as insert barrels for smaller caliber rounds (303 British and 6.5 Swedish) and blank firing attachments, demonstrating their versatility beyond their intended anti-armor role.

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.