FN Model 30: The First Belgian BAR

This expert-level review details the rare Lithuanian Model 24L Mauser rifle, a variant of the FN Model 30 built on the Mauser 98 action. The video highlights Lithuania's post-WWI military development, their standardization on 8mm Mauser, and the FN contract that supplied these rifles. It covers specific markings, including the 'Pillars of Gediminas' and 'Ginklu Fondas 1937' inscriptions, and discusses the rifle's historical dispersal after Soviet occupation.

The Colt Model 1919 BAR was the first commercial production version of the Browning Automatic Rifle, developed post-WWI. It featured a mechanical improvement with the recoil spring moved to the buttstock and lacked the military M1918's flash hider. Colt sold 1,003 units between 1919 and 1923, with significant export sales, including 700 in 6.5mm to FN.

The Colt Monitor, officially the R80, was a 1931 development of the BAR tailored for law enforcement. Modifications included removing military features, shortening the barrel to 18 inches, and adding a pistol grip and Cutt's Compensator for recoil management with the .30-06 cartridge. Its high cost limited adoption, with the FBI acquiring around 90 units.

The FN-DA1 represents the final evolution of the Browning Automatic Rifle, adapted for the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge. Key modifications include a spacer for FN FAL magazines and updated fire control linkages. External improvements feature a recessed barrel release, aperture rear sight, and a more stable bipod. Production of the BAR lineage concluded in 1967, with its action influencing later designs like the FN MAG.

The Swedish m/21 BAR, chambered in 6.5x55mm, was an early adoption of a light machine gun by Sweden, predating many post-WWI designs. Initially procured from Colt/FN, Sweden later licensed domestic production at Carl Gustafs. Distinctive features include a large pistol grip, a curved magazine for the 6.5x55mm round, and a mid-mounted bipod. The m/21 served until the m/37, which added a quick-change barrel.

The FN Model D, an evolution of the Browning Automatic Rifle, features a quick-detach barrel for easier maintenance and a unique mechanical rate reducer for controlled fire. Developed by Dieudonné Saive, it offered improvements over earlier BAR designs, including an improved bipod and adjustable gas system. While lacking a dedicated semi-auto mode, it provided selectable slow (350 rpm) and fast (600 rpm) automatic fire rates.

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.