Preproduction wz89 Onyx: the Polish Krinkov

This review details the Maroszek wz.38M, a Polish WW2 battle rifle. Key features include a fixed magazine, a hybrid locking system inspired by the ZB26, and a unique tilting bolt mechanism. The rifle also incorporates a simple muzzle brake and a manual bolt hold-open feature.

Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons provides an expert-level overview of the wz.96 Mini-Beryl, the carbine variant of the Polish Beryl rifle. The review details its historical context, unique features like potential rifle grenade capability, and mechanical comparisons to its full-size counterpart. The disassembly process, particularly the simplified handguard removal, is highlighted as an improvement.

The Polish PM63 Rak is reviewed as a machine pistol with significant ergonomic and operational flaws. Its reciprocating slide ejects debris, and the sights are difficult to use due to movement. The progressive trigger makes semi-automatic fire challenging, often leading to unintended full-auto bursts. Compared to other machine pistols like the Skorpion, the PM63 is ranked lower due to poor handling and distracting mechanics.

The RWGŁ-2 is a rare Polish developmental tear gas launcher from the 1960s, built using a Mosin-Nagant receiver and bolt, adapted for 7.62x39mm blank cartridges. It features AK-style pistol grips and a rifle grenade cup muzzle device. Fewer than 100 were produced before being replaced by AK-based designs.

The wz.96 Beryl is Poland's 5.56mm military rifle, developed after their exit from the Warsaw Pact to align with NATO standards. It features significant improvements over its predecessor, the wz.88 Tantal, including an improved folding stock, integrated tritium night sights, and a Picatinny rail for optics. Combat experience has led to further updates, making it a modern evolution of the AK platform.

The PM63 Rak is a unique Polish PDW/SMG hybrid designed by Peter Wilniewczyc, featuring an unusual open-bolt slide and a progressive trigger for semi-auto and full-auto fire. Its name 'Rak' translates to 'Cancer' in Polish, referencing its design origins and the designer's illness. The weapon incorporates a distinctive muzzle 'spoon' deflector for one-handed cocking and an inertial rate reducer to manage its high cyclic rate.

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.