The groundbreaking Belton flintlock repeater, with firearms & weaponry expert Jonathan Ferguson

This guide details the operation of the Belton Repeating Flintlock, a unique 18th-century firearm. It covers manual cocking, priming, magazine loading, and the rapid-fire sequence utilizing a port fire fuse. The demonstration highlights the sliding lock mechanism and safety features, emphasizing the historical significance of this early repeating firearm. Expert insights from Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons underscore the technical complexity and historical context.

This guide details the operation of the rare Belton Repeating Flintlock, a 1785 design that approached semi-automatic functionality. It explains the unique seven-shot magazine, the 'port fire' fuse system, and the secondary trigger mechanism used to fire successive rounds without re-priming. The process involves igniting the fuse with the first shot and then using secondary triggers to advance the fuse to subsequent touch holes for rapid firing.

This entry details the modular disassembly of the rare 14-barrel Nock volley gun, as explained by Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons. The firearm's design allows for conversion into a lighter seven-barrel configuration by separating the two barrel clusters. This guide highlights the technical aspects of its unique construction, emphasizing the modularity and specialized loading tools.

This guide details the disassembly and mechanical operation of the Kalthoff Repeating Flintlock, the first repeating firearm used in war. It covers identifying key components like the breech block and magazine, understanding the lever-action mechanism, and appreciating its historical significance and limitations, as explained by firearms expert Ian McCollum.

This video, titled "Sparks Galore," focuses on the mechanics of flintlock firearms. The description highlights the importance of proper flintlock setup for generating a shower of sparks directed into the pan. It also emphasizes the role of correct frizzen hardness in producing secondary ignitions, which are characterized by large burning chunks of steel, crucial for igniting the powder charge and setting the projectile in motion. The content likely demonstrates or explains these ignition principles.

This guide details the operation of the Lorenzoni Repeating Flintlock Pistol, a rare 7-shot antique firearm. It covers the unique lever-action mechanism for loading powder and ball from an internal magazine into the barrel. Expert instruction from Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons emphasizes the historical engineering and safety considerations, particularly regarding chain fires. Handling antique firearms requires advanced knowledge and extreme caution.

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.