Sten MkII: Just When You Thought It Couldn't Get Simpler

This video provides an in-depth look at the Rexim Favor SMG, featuring expert Jonathan Ferguson. The analysis covers its unusual internal mechanics, design features, and historical context, including company drama and the influence of designer Favier. The video also explores its unexpected afterlife in science fiction, referencing its appearance in Star Wars and Alien. The Royal Armouries museum context is highlighted, with links to their collection and support pages.

This review compares the iconic WWII submachine guns, the German MP-40 and Soviet PPSh-41. While the MP-40 offers better ergonomics and a slower, more controllable rate of fire favored by beginners, the PPSh-41 excels in raw firepower with higher velocity and capacity. Both have distinct design philosophies, with the MP-40 prioritizing portability for troops and the PPSh-41 focusing on mass production and effectiveness.

The Schmeisser MP41 is a unique hybrid submachine gun, merging the MP40's upper receiver with the MP28's lower receiver and wooden stock. Unlike the full-auto-only MP40, the MP41 features a semi-automatic capability due to a specific disconnector track on its bolt. This design allows for more controlled fire, differentiating it from its predecessors.

The Australian Owen SMG, despite its unconventional appearance, is highlighted as an exceptionally reliable submachine gun, particularly effective in harsh conditions. Its unique design features include a bottom ejection port, a top-mounted magazine with an integrated ejector, and a 'hygienic' internal mechanism protected by a firewall. The Owen SMG offers safe, semi-automatic, and full-automatic firing modes, making it a significant piece of World War II military history.

The MP-18,I is recognized as the first submachine gun to see combat, developed by Germany in late 1915 for trench clearing. It features a simple open-bolt, blowback-operated mechanism with full-auto fire only, lacking a disconnector. The design includes a Trommel magazine with a sleeve to prevent over-insertion, and early models bear distinct markings like 'M.P. 18,I.' and the year of manufacture.

This YouTube video focuses on the Samopal vz. 38, a unique interwar drum-fed submachine gun from Czechoslovakia, chambered in .380 ACP. The content explores this less-common firearm, likely detailing its history, design, and potentially its operational aspects. The video aims to shed light on a 'forgotten weapon' from the pre-World War II era.

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.