Colt CMG-2 Light machine gun

The Stamm-Saurer Model 1916 is a rare experimental Swiss light machine gun designed by Hans Stamm. This air-cooled prototype, one of two built, retains features from water-cooled designs for manufacturing ease. It utilizes a short-recoil action, fires the 7.5x55mm GP11 cartridge from a 20-round magazine, and incorporates a unique out-of-battery safety mechanism.

The LMG-25, Switzerland's first modern light machine gun, features a unique toggle-locking system developed by Adolf Furrer. Chambered in 7.5x55mm Swiss, it offers select-fire capability and a 30-round magazine compatible with the Stgw 57. A notable feature is the Advanced Primer Ignition (API) system, which reduces felt recoil and rate of fire by igniting the primer while parts are still moving forward.

This video from the Royal Armouries features Curatorial Assistant Joe Ford discussing the Beardmore-Farquhar, a British light machine gun designed to be lighter, cheaper, and more efficient than the Lewis Gun. The video details the LMG's unusual gas-spring system, its trials between 1916 and 1931, and the reasons for its eventual failure to enter service. The content includes a look at early trials, the troubled 1921 trials, a disassembly of the weapon, and later design iterations.

This review compares the Valmet M78 and FN-D light machine guns, with John Keene favoring the FN-D due to its quick-change barrel feature. Ian McCollum raises a practical point about the necessity of barrel changes versus ammunition capacity. Ultimately, both firearms are recognized as excellent, with the choice depending on specific tactical priorities.

This expert-level comparison by Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons evaluates the sound differences between a real XM-177 moderator and a fake flash hider, using a standard M16 as a baseline. The testing highlights the extreme loudness of the fake flash hider and references historical military data to underscore the effectiveness of the original XM-177 moderator in reducing both flash and sound.

The Bren MkI is highlighted as a feature-rich light machine gun from World War Two, notable for its stabilization handle and innovative 30-round magazine design that prevents rim lock. Its operating mechanism fires from an open bolt, utilizing a gas piston system for cycling. The fire selector offers automatic, semi-automatic ('Repetition'), and safe modes, with a dust cover protecting the magazine well.

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.