Spanish Astra 900 Stocked Pistol

This review of the Spanish Astra 400, presented by Mae, highlights its physical specifications, including a weight of 2.31 lbs and an 8.9-inch length. The pistol uses a stiff-to-rack slide, an 8-round magazine in 9mm Largo, and features both a grip safety and a manual lever. The presenter notes substantial recoil and a heavy trigger break, concluding that the Astra 400 illustrates the advantages of locked-breech designs over heavy blowback pistols.

This review of the Spanish Jo.Lo.Ar. 1924 pistol highlights its unique one-handed cocking lever and semi-automatic blowback action. While innovative for cavalry, the design is noted as top-heavy and awkward in practical use, with a removed trigger guard posing safety concerns. The speaker, a specialized historical firearms researcher, concludes the concept was better on paper than in reality.

This review covers the rare Star Model MMS and Model MB pistol-carbines, produced as late as 1975. It details their history, distinct calibers (7.63mm Mauser for MMS, 9mm Parabellum for MB), and unique features like the T-slot stock attachment. The video highlights production numbers, legal status regarding NFA exemptions, and the complete factory rig.

This review delves into the Beistigui Hermanos MM31, a Spanish selective-fire machine pistol heavily inspired by the Mauser C96. It highlights the company's history, its significant market in pre-WWII China, and the MM31's internal improvements over the original Mauser design, such as a pinned locking block. The video also covers the evolution of its magazines and the iconic shoulder stock/holster system.

The Astra 902 is a Spanish select-fire machine pistol, evolving from the Astra 900's Mauser C96 design. It features a 20-round fixed magazine and was produced in limited numbers, with rare semi-auto variants. The design incorporates a separate barrel threaded into an extension and a removable side plate for access to finely jeweled internal components.

This video examines the Bjorgum 1905 Norwegian Prototype Pistol, a unique design by Niels Bjorgum. The pistol is chambered in 7.63mm Mauser, features a 16-round clip-fed magazine in the grip, interrupted thread locking, and a rotating barrel short recoil action. The presenter notes its surprisingly light weight and discusses its problematic performance during informal testing, highlighting four malfunctions in 16 rounds. The video touches on Bjorgum's career as a gun designer for the Norwegian military, his later work on a self-loading rifle, and his eventual return to painting. It's a detailed look at a lesser-known historical firearm prototype.

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.