The Swedish m/21 BAR in 6.5x55mm

The Colt Monitor, officially the R80, was a 1931 development of the BAR tailored for law enforcement. Modifications included removing military features, shortening the barrel to 18 inches, and adding a pistol grip and Cutt's Compensator for recoil management with the .30-06 cartridge. Its high cost limited adoption, with the FBI acquiring around 90 units.

This "outtakes" episode of Project Lightening offers a humorous behind-the-scenes look at filming historical machine guns. It highlights the challenges of operating WWI-era firearms like the Chauchat and BAR, dealing with range logistics, and the physical demands of handling heavy weapons such as the MG08/15. The episode also includes lighthearted studio banter about historical attire and the realities of long filming days.

The Colt Model 1919 BAR was the first commercial production version of the Browning Automatic Rifle, developed post-WWI. It featured a mechanical improvement with the recoil spring moved to the buttstock and lacked the military M1918's flash hider. Colt sold 1,003 units between 1919 and 1923, with significant export sales, including 700 in 6.5mm to FN.

This review of the USMC Johnson LMG highlights its unique design for paratrooper operations, including its 20-round single-stack magazine and dual firing modes (closed bolt semi-auto, open bolt full-auto). The video details its significant recoil, especially in semi-auto, and compares its portability to the BAR. It also showcases the rare feature of topping off the magazine with stripper clips.

The FN-DA1 represents the final evolution of the Browning Automatic Rifle, adapted for the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge. Key modifications include a spacer for FN FAL magazines and updated fire control linkages. External improvements feature a recessed barrel release, aperture rear sight, and a more stable bipod. Production of the BAR lineage concluded in 1967, with its action influencing later designs like the FN MAG.

The FN Model D, an evolution of the Browning Automatic Rifle, features a quick-detach barrel for easier maintenance and a unique mechanical rate reducer for controlled fire. Developed by Dieudonné Saive, it offered improvements over earlier BAR designs, including an improved bipod and adjustable gas system. While lacking a dedicated semi-auto mode, it provided selectable slow (350 rpm) and fast (600 rpm) automatic fire rates.

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.