Prototype Italian MBT 1925 Straight-Pull Rifle

TFB TV's James Reeves and Kaya highlight the top 5 long guns from IWA & EnforceTac 2026. The list features innovative designs like the Schmeisser DRS-9 PCC, the compact Serengeti S-Mini shotgun, the robust Zastava M20 machine gun, Sako's versatile AR platform rifles, and the aesthetically striking Walther RS3 straight-pull bullpup rifle, showcasing a range of modern firearm advancements.

The Stamm-Saurer Model 1907 was a rare Swiss straight-pull bolt-action rifle developed by Hans Stamm for Saurer to compete for military contracts. Despite its high quality and innovative features like a unique rear sight and integrated cleaning rod, it was rejected by the Swiss military. The rifle competed against the Schmidt-Rubin K11 and G11, ultimately losing due to existing institutional knowledge of the Schmidt-Rubin and Saurer's refusal to license production.

The H&K XM-8 was a significant contender to replace the M4/M16, featuring a modular design with multiple barrel lengths and an integrated optic with laser/illuminator. Its AR-180 style gas system and polymer construction with a metal trunnion offered a modern approach. The rifle boasted ambidextrous controls and a unique paddle magazine release, showcasing advanced ergonomics for its time.

The AK Fm/57 was a Swedish paratrooper prototype rifle developed in the late 1950s, based on the Ljungman AG-42 but modernized with a short-stroke gas piston and folding stock. Despite being chambered in 6.5x55mm, it was designed for the eventual 7.62 NATO transition. It competed in trials against foreign designs like the G3 and FAL but was ultimately unsuccessful, with the G3 being adopted as the AK4.

The Kholodovskii Mosin Nagant was an ambitious prototype aiming to improve the standard M91 rifle after the Russo-Japanese War. It featured significant weight reduction through aluminum components and barrel fluting, along with ergonomic and sight enhancements. Despite its innovative design, it failed field tests due to high production costs and poor performance, ultimately being scrapped in favor of simpler models.

The Johnson Model R prototype, developed by Melvin Johnson, showcases an early iteration of his semi-automatic rifle design, featuring a unique rotary magazine to address reliability issues encountered in trials. Despite its innovative short-recoil action and attempts to meet military bayonet requirements with a reciprocating handguard, the Model R ultimately failed to secure a military contract, paving the way for the later M1941 Johnson rifle.

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.