North & Skinner Wedge-Lock Revolving Rifle

The Colt Model 1839 Paterson Revolving Rifle was Samuel Colt's second attempt at a revolving rifle, improving upon the 'ring trigger' model with a more powerful .525 caliber and a simpler exposed hammer mechanism. Despite its advancements, including a 6-shot capacity and a 24-inch barrel, it suffered from high cost and issues like chain fires, leading to Colt's company bankruptcy in 1842. This rifle saw limited military adoption, with contracts for the U.S. War Department and the Republic of Texas.

The Daniels patent turret rifle, patented in 1838, features a unique 7-shot manually indexed cylinder arranged like spokes. Manufactured by C.B. Allen, it's a rare smoothbore musket in .55 caliber, designed with flash guards to prevent chain fires. Its under-hammer action requires manual cocking and cylinder rotation via a spring lever.

The J&J Miller Pill-Lock Revolving Rifle represents a unique evolutionary step in firearms technology, predating Colt's dominance. Its innovative pill-lock ignition system, using mercury fulminate pellets, offered a significant capacity advantage with its seven-shot cylinder. The rifle's manual indexing mechanism and intricate design highlight the ingenuity of 19th-century gunsmithing.

The Wesson & Leavitt Revolving Rifle, a rare 19th-century firearm, faced limited production due to a Colt patent infringement lawsuit. This led to design changes like manual indexing and a Maynard tape primer, making it less desirable. Practical design flaws, such as the cylinder gap and potential for chain fire, necessitated holding the rifle carefully to avoid injury.

The Smith & Wesson Model 320 Revolving Rifle, produced from 1879-1887, is a rare firearm based on the New Model No. 3 revolver. Its design suffered from 'blow-by' gas leakage at the cylinder gap, a significant issue in a rifle that was manageable in handguns. This model featured a unique proprietary .320 S&W cartridge and advanced sighting systems for its time.

The Nichols & Childs revolving rifle, patented in 1838, was a contemporary of the Colt Paterson but proved less practical due to its manual cylinder rotation and gas seal mechanism. While the patent suggested auto-indexing, production models often lacked it. With a heavy barrel and chambered in .36 caliber, only about 100-150 were produced before the partnership dissolved, overshadowed by Colt's superior designs.

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.