Spanish Astra 400

The Campo-Giro M1913 was Spain's first domestically produced self-loading service pistol, designed by Venancio Lopez de Ceballos y Aguirre and adopted in 1912. Despite its historical significance, it was complex to operate and maintain, featuring a unique half-cock safety and a difficult disassembly process. Production was limited, and it was soon replaced by the Astra 400, making the early 1913 pattern a rare find.

This video provides an expert-level deep dive into the rare Ecia Model 1930 family of Spanish pistols, presented by Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons. The Ecia pistols were designed by Juan Esperanza as direct competitors to Astra models, featuring double-action-only (DAO) and striker-fired mechanisms, contrasting with Astra's single-action hammer-fired designs. The video details their technical specifications, visual identification markers, and the reasons behind their commercial failure, highlighting their extreme rarity today.

The Isard pistol, a rare Catalan-made firearm from the Spanish Civil War, was a last-ditch Republican effort. It mimics the Colt M1911's styling but uses a simple blowback action, unusual and potentially unsafe for 9mm Largo. Production was limited to around 300 units, with significant hand-fitting and variations between first and second patterns.

The Star Z-63 submachine gun, often overlooked, is presented as a high-quality firearm that defies the poor reputation of some Spanish arms. Its design features a unique two-finger trigger for semi-auto and full-auto fire, a folding stock that converts into a front grip, and advanced internal safety mechanisms for a blowback-operated weapon. The Z-63's robust construction and innovative features make it a noteworthy historical firearm.

This review details the rare Alkar Cartridge Counter pistol, a .25 ACP vest pocket pistol produced by Alkartasuna SA. It highlights the unique mechanical cartridge counter visible through grip windows and an unusual grip safety that requires manual resetting. The pistol's history is tied to former Astra employees and its production period around 1919-1920.

This review delves into the rare French Union automatic pistol, distinguishing it from Spanish variants and highlighting its high-quality construction from around 1925. The video focuses on unique configurations, including selective-fire models and the exceptionally rare 35-round horseshoe magazine patented in 1930, with very few believed to exist. Technical details, markings, and ergonomic considerations of this unusual firearm are thoroughly examined.

This video demonstrates loading the rare Howell Automatic Rifle, a semi-automatic conversion of the SMLE. It showcases the efficient use of four 5-round stripper clips to fill the 20-round detachable box magazine with .303 British ammunition. The process highlights the mechanical operation of chambering a round after magazine insertion.

This review showcases the Springfield 1903 Air Service Rifle, highlighting its unique 25-round extended magazine and loading procedure using stripper clips. The demonstration includes live fire from a standing position, emphasizing the bolt-action operation and recoil management of the .30-06 cartridge. Visual analysis in slow motion captures muzzle blast and barrel harmonics, concluding with target results at 70 yards.

This ASMR video showcases the unique Lancaster 4-barrel pistol, demonstrating its loading, action closure, and firing mechanisms. The presenter highlights the .455 Webley caliber and a 4-round capacity, emphasizing smooth mechanical operation and proper muzzle discipline. The content is geared towards experienced firearm enthusiasts due to its historical nature and focus on technical details.

This video provides a detailed live-fire demonstration of the WWI-era Lewis Gun. It showcases the unique process of loading the 47-round pan magazine and mounting it onto the firearm. The footage includes full-auto fire, slow-motion analysis of the cycling action, and target results at 50 yards, highlighting the weapon's effectiveness and handling characteristics.