Type 100 / 44 (Late Pattern) Japanese SMG

This review of the Madsen Model 1945 submachine gun, presented by Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons from the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, highlights its unique design and historical context. The firearm is noted for its quality construction, pistol-like reciprocating slide, and use of Suomi magazines. Despite its advanced features for the time, its complexity and cost led to commercial failure, making it an extremely rare collector's item.

This review of the WWII PPSh-41 submachine gun covers the practical aspects of loading its distinctive 71-round drum magazine. The video demonstrates the winding mechanism and spiral loading technique, followed by a live-fire sequence showcasing the weapon's operation, muzzle flash, and recoil. It provides a hands-on look at a classic firearm's functionality.

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.

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 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 expert-level entry details the extremely rare Beretta 38/43 submachine gun, as presented by Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons. It covers the firearm's historical context, unique visual features like its fluted barrel and underfolding stock, and operational controls including the dual-trigger system for fire selection. The guide also includes a field strip procedure highlighting late-war production simplifications.

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.