M43 Salakari: A Dynamic Assault Mount for the Finnish Maxim

This entry details the rare Finnish Civil Guard m/33 Sniper rifle, a highly accurate variant built on the Mosin-Nagant m/28-30 platform. It features a unique, adjustable Zeiss scope mount and was developed for competitive marksmanship. Due to its rarity and combat service, few examples survive today.

The Lahti L33/39 was a Finnish recoil-operated light machine gun developed for antiaircraft use, evolving from earlier models like the L33 and L34. It featured a unique 75-round drum magazine, specialized spiderweb sights for targeting aircraft, and a robust construction by VKT. Despite limited production, it saw service into the late 20th century.

This review from TFB TV explores Sako's new AR-15 platform rifles, designated ARG 40 and ARG 50. These rifles are being adopted by the Finnish and Swedish militaries as service and sniper rifles, respectively. The review highlights their direct impingement and piston operating systems, ambidextrous features, and accuracy standards, offering insights into Sako's advanced firearm manufacturing.

The L41 Sampo was Finland's ambitious attempt at a belt-fed GPMG, designed by Aimo Lahti to replace the heavier Maxim. Despite a complex hybrid bolt system and good performance in trials, production issues and the adoption of MG-42s led to its obsolescence. Only seven examples are known to survive.

The Lahti-Saloranta LS-26 was Finland's first domestically produced light machine gun, designed by Aimo Lahti. It featured a recoil-operated system and a 20-round magazine, but suffered reliability issues in cold weather due to its tight tolerances and frozen preservative grease. Despite its advanced design for the time, it was eventually superseded by captured Soviet DP-28s.

This review details the Finnish M/23 Luger, a variant adapted for Finnish service due to post-WWI treaty restrictions. Initially chambered in 7.65mm Luger with shorter barrels, many were later re-barreled to 9x19mm Parabellum by Finnish manufacturers like Sako and Tikkakoski during wartime. These pistols served in the Finnish military until the 1980s and were later imported as surplus.

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.