How Britain Built the L1A1 SLR: Archive Film with intro by firearms expert Jonathan Ferguson

This guide details the inspection and potential modification assessment of a heavily modified FN FAL, as presented by firearms expert Jonathan Ferguson. It covers checking external components like the folding stock and barrel, identifying mixed parts (Metric FAL with Imperial cocking handle), and performing a thorough internal inspection for defects. The process emphasizes safety checks, including headspace verification, and concludes with a warning about the firearm's unsuitability for firing due to significant damage.

This guide details the disassembly of the XL60 Series prototypes, precursors to the SA80. It highlights key internal components like the rotating bolt and gas piston system, drawing comparisons to designs like the AR-180 and G43. The overview also points out critical design flaws, such as unsupported bolt lugs and foreign material ingress points, as explained by Ian McCollum's expert analysis.

This guide details the examination of early SA80 (L85) prototypes, including wooden mockups and functional conversions of Sterling AR-180 and Stoner 63 rifles. It highlights key design elements like the bullpup configuration, straight-line stock, and trigger linkage, offering insights into the rifle's developmental stages. The information is presented with high authority by Ian McCollum, drawing on access to historical archives.

This guide details the operation of the Martini-Henry I.C.1 Carbine, a significant breech-loading rifle from the British Empire. It covers loading, firing, and unloading procedures, emphasizing the falling block action and the unique .577/450 caliber. The information is presented with high authority, drawing on deep historical and technical knowledge.

Ian McCollum and Jonathan Ferguson of the Royal Armouries present a challenge to find three unique firearms based on appearance, mechanical oddity, and historical impact. They showcase experimental and rare pieces like the Charlton Automatic Rifle, Sterling 7.62mm prototype, Schwarzlose Model 1898, Gabbett-Fairfax Mars pistol, an SA80 prototype, and a BSA Machine Carbine, highlighting their unusual mechanisms and limited adoption.

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.