The remarkable Mortimer flintlock repeating pistol with firearms & weaponry expert Jonathan Ferguson

This video delves into the fascinating history and unique mechanics of the Bittner Model 1893 Repeating Pistol. Despite its unusual appearance, it predates iconic pistols like the Mauser Broomhandle and Luger. The manual action, operated by the triggerguard lever, loads rounds from an internal magazine, ejects spent casings, and cocks the striker. Firing a rimmed 7.7mm black powder cartridge, the Bittner offers reliability and a blend of single/double action capabilities. Its design, featuring an en bloc clip system and wood forend panels, showcases Germanic engineering innovation, representing an evolutionary step towards semi-automatic pistols. Production was limited to a few hundred units in the late 19th century.

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.