Ask Ian: Why Didn't The M3 Grease Gun use Thompson Mags?

The Hyde/Marlin M2 is a rare submachine gun positioned between the Thompson and Grease Gun. It's lighter and cheaper to produce than the Thompson, utilizing compatible magazines. Its design incorporates George Hyde's innovative use of metal sintering for complex internal parts, a process involving powdered metal molded under heat and pressure.

This review delves into the Walther MPK submachine gun, a competitor to the Uzi and MP5. Key features include an open bolt design, a non-reciprocating charging handle with a manual forward assist, and a secondary safety sear catch to prevent accidental discharges. The MPK offered selector options for full-auto and, in some variants, semi-automatic fire.

The Beretta Model 57 is a rare select-fire carbine chambered in .30 Carbine, developed in the late 1950s specifically for Morocco. It features a unique dual trigger system for semi-automatic and full-automatic fire, a gas tappet operation, and a tilting bolt mechanism. The rifle's 30-round magazines are noted for their superior construction compared to standard M1 Carbine magazines.

Hank Strange provides an expert review of the M3 Grease Gun, highlighting its unique manual of arms, including the internal crank-style charging handle. He demonstrates its operation and live fire, noting its 'humming like a sewing machine' cyclic rate and historical context as a 1943 suppressive fire weapon. The review emphasizes the importance of understanding its specific loading procedure.

This expert review of the M3 Grease Gun covers its .45 ACP direct blowback operation and open-bolt configuration. The demonstration highlights the original ratcheting charging handle, the weapon's slow and controllable rate of fire, and its performance on an outdoor range. The reviewer, identified as an expert, showcases practical handling and firing techniques.

Gearhead Guns is producing a Type 100 Nambu PCC recreation, with the first batch shipping around March. It's available in 9mm Parabellum with 9-inch or 16-inch barrel configurations for SBR compliance. Customization options include various metal and wood finishes, with optional bayonet lugs.

This video details the unique 'French Finger Trap' issue with the MAS-36 rifle's bayonet, where two rifles can become unintentionally locked together. A 1951 French arsenal memorandum identified this problem, proposing a simple modification to the bayonet handle. Drilling a small hole allows a tool, like a firing pin, to depress the internal spring, enabling the separation of locked rifles.

The M134 Minigun is a scaled-down 7.62 NATO rotary cannon, requiring 24V DC power and consuming 1.5 kW. Its high rate of fire (3,000+ RPM) is essential for aircraft engagement windows. The complex delinker mechanism is critical for feeding ammunition, and practical hand-held use is impossible due to weight and recoil. Live fire demonstrates rapid ammunition consumption and the need for indirect aiming.

The H&K G11 is a revolutionary prototype assault rifle designed in the late 20th century, notable for its caseless ammunition and unique rotating drum bolt mechanism. Despite advanced features like a 2000 RPM burst fire rate and integrated optics, its development was ultimately halted by geopolitical shifts and cost concerns.

This video demonstrates the assembly and live-fire of the German 1936 pattern light mortar (L.Gr.W.36). It highlights the mortar's leveling mechanism for accuracy and the difficulty in visually tracking its 50mm projectiles after firing. The content showcases historical military hardware and its operational use.