What is this Weapon Presents: Antiques Gunshow with Ian McCollum and Jonathan Ferguson

This Q&A session with Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons delves into various historical firearm topics. Key discussions include the historical purpose of magazine cutoffs, reasons for the rarity of indigenous small arms designs in non-industrialized nations, the impracticality of the MG81 for infantry use, and the modern relevance of revolvers. The episode also touches upon dangerous firearm designs, the challenges of reproducing rare firearms, and the mechanical superiority of John Browning's tilting breech system over Luger's toggle-lock.

This entry details the Knight's Armament KS-1 (L403A1), the British Army's new Alternative Individual Weapon, adopted under Project Hunter. Expert Jonathan Ferguson from the Royal Armouries provides an in-depth look at its features, intended use for specialized units, and its role in supplementing existing platforms like the SA80.

This guide details the process of arming an 11th-century Norman knight, as explained by an institutional expert from the Royal Armouries. It covers the sequence of donning essential protective gear, including padded undergarments, a mail hauberk, a nasal helmet, and a kite shield, emphasizing weight distribution and historical construction techniques.

This guide details the installation and operation of the Harston's Patent Mark IV magazine, a rare modification designed to convert the single-shot Martini-Henry rifle into a repeater. Expert Jonathan Ferguson explains the mechanism, its inventor Captain Charles Gravelle Harston, and the historical context of its development. The guide covers fitting the magazine, the cycling process for feeding rounds, and the use of the cutoff device for single-shot operation, while also noting potential reliability issues and the high conversion cost.

This guide details the assembly of a full suit of 15th-century Gothic Plate Armor, as demonstrated by the Royal Armouries. It covers the sequential donning of leg, torso, arm, neck, shoulder, head, and hand protection. The process emphasizes the use of articulated components, sliding rivets, and spring catches for flexibility and secure fastening, reflecting the pinnacle of late 15th-century armor craftsmanship by masters like Lorenz Helmschmid.