Prototype Mauser HSv Pistols

This video details the rare Fox .32 ACP police prototype, Czechoslovakia's first semi-automatic pistol. Designed by Alois Tomiška, it was an upscaled version of the .25 ACP Fox, featuring a unique folding trigger and a rolled sheet metal frame. Although only a prototype, its development paved the way for CZ's future in Strakonice.

This video explores the rare High Standard .45 ACP prototype pistol, a commercial evolution of the Grant Hammond design intended for WWI trials. It details the pistol's mechanical differences from the Grant Hammond, including its pivoting locking wedge system and dual recoil springs. The review highlights unique features like the external magazine loading button and an unusual rear sight, noting the pistol's rarity with only two known examples.

This experimental lightweight Browning High Power aimed to reduce weight for military use around 1947, with Canadian Arsenals Limited developing aluminum alloy frames. While successful in reducing weight from 34 oz to 25.5 oz, the design faced durability issues, particularly with the aluminum frame deforming around the locking block. Despite failing sand tests and exhibiting wear, a custom version saw limited service in the Korean War.

The Tarn was a 9mm experimental blowback pistol designed by Z. de Lubicz Bakanowski for British WWII trials. Manufactured by Swift Rifle Company, it featured a simple striker-fired action but suffered from poor workmanship, heavy recoil spring, and accuracy issues. Despite its similarities to the FN High Power in concept, its flaws led to its rejection, with only about 10 prototypes ever made.

The 'System Mauser' C96 represents the absolute earliest production run of the iconic Mauser pistol, limited to approximately 200 units. These early examples feature distinct characteristics such as fine checkered walnut grips, a stepped barrel profile, hand-engraved markings on the first 400 units, and a single-lug locking block. Later production runs, including the 'Cone Hammer' variants, introduced significant simplifications and mechanical changes, making the System Mauser exceptionally rare and valuable to collectors.

The Mauser HSc, developed by Alex Seidel, was Mauser's answer to the market dominance of hammer-fired double-action pistols like the Walther PPK. Facing patent challenges from Walther, Mauser made significant mechanical changes, including removing an auto-decocking feature. Wartime production saw simplification, with experimental stamped slides foreshadowing later designs like the HK4.

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.