Frommer 1910: The Hungarian Ugly Duckling

This review delves into an extremely rare Frommer prototype semi-automatic rifle, a complex design by Rudolf Frommer of FEG. The rifle features a long recoil action with a rotating bolt, a unique spring-loaded bolt handle for easier clearing, and several unusual controls like a grip safety and a cocking indicator. Its complexity, similar to the Remington Model 8, likely contributed to its limited production and adoption.

The Frommer 1901 is a large, long-recoil pistol designed by Rudolf Frommer, featuring a rotating bolt and an integral 10-round magazine fed by stripper clips. Chambered in 8mm Roth, it was submitted for US military trials in 1904 but ultimately rejected due to its caliber, feeding mechanism, and lack of a clear empty-chamber indicator. Its complex design includes two separate recoil springs and a unique disassembly process.

The Frommer Stop was a compact Hungarian semi-automatic pistol designed by Rudolf Frommer and produced by FEG. It utilized a complex long recoil operating system, chambered in proprietary cartridges like 7.65x17mm and 9x17mm. Despite its innovative design and significant WWI production, it was known for difficult field stripping and a sensitive action.

The Frommer Stop (1912) is a unique pistol employing a long recoil action, a complex mechanism where the bolt and barrel lock and travel rearward together. High-speed footage reveals the intricate firing cycle, including the barrel's forward movement for ejection and the bolt's subsequent return. This Austro-Hungarian design, featuring a 3-lug rotating bolt, offers a comfortable shooting experience despite its uncommon action.

The Frommer Pistolen-MG Model 1917 was an experimental Austro-Hungarian machine pistol, a functional copy of the Italian Villar Perosa, developed by FEG. It modified Frommer Stop pistols to fire from an open bolt, mounted them on a tripod, and used 25-round magazines in .32 ACP. Despite its unique design, it was not adopted due to concerns about reliability with long magazines and the cartridge's limited effectiveness.

This video showcases the Femaru 37M pistol, a historical semi-automatic firearm manufactured by Fémáru, Fegyver- és Gépgyár (FÉG). Keith Ford of Brownells Gun Tech presents this rare U.S. find, highlighting its design by Rudolf Frommer, the last gun he designed before his passing. The 37M served as the standard-issue sidearm for the Hungarian army between 1937 and 1944. The video details its chambering in .380 ACP (9mm Kurz), a unique barrel removal system for field stripping, and its robust construction. Production of approximately 180,000 units, including a .32 ACP variant for the German military during WWII, ceased in 1944. Keith's example is noted as an excellent condition "bring back" from an American G.I.

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.