C&Rsenal

U.S. Bannerman Model 1900 Shotgun

Last of the Spencer shotguns, the Model 1900 incorporates all of the upgrades to date, like improved springs and dual extractors. Most notably it also includes a new takedown system that is meant to be much simpler than before. While that's true, it was still well behind the competition and too little to save the rapidly aging originator of the pump action shotgun.

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https://youtu.be/nq3DVf4eCzQ

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4 days ago | [YT] | 2,449

C&Rsenal

British Lee-Metford MkII

The primary decision to advance the Lee-Metford to Mark II was based on the introduction of Lee's improved 10-round magazine. Other improvements include a wider forend that ditched the finger grooves, a brass butt plate to resist corrosion and fit regimental markings, a stronger and simpler bolt head, revisions to the dust cover, simplified cut-off, and a one-piece barrel band. The sling position was also changed.

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https://youtu.be/P-stGi5PlV8

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5 days ago | [YT] | 2,144

C&Rsenal

Italian Chamelot-Delvigne 1874

During the 1870s Italy seems to have taken quite a bit of advice on arms technology from Switzerland. The Chamelot-Delvigne wouldn't be any different, though official adoption came in 1876. Unlike the French or Swiss, they opted for a longer barrel with a cavalry focus. Their 10.4mm black powder cartridge obviously resembled the Swiss, though like their rifles, was converted to centerfire. Initially contracted for in Belgium with the Brothers Pirlot, domestic production was also taken up by Glisenti and the arsenal at Brescia. Despite being replaced in 1889, many of these revolvers remained in service through the Great War.

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https://youtu.be/9mCVxWXNb5Y

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6 days ago | [YT] | 2,019

C&Rsenal

U.S. Colt 1903 Pocket Hammer

Often confused for the more popular .32 ACP 1903 Pocket Hammerless, the "Pocket Hammer" is actually a commercial offshoot of Colt's martial pistol development. This is a locked breech, .38 ACP, 7-round, autoloading handgun. Complaints about the Model 1900 and 1902 pistols being muzzle heavy likely resulted in experiments which led to this "pocketable" version. While not particularly popular at the time, had Colt's just brought over the slide lock from the military version, this pistol would fit right in with a number of 9mm designs just ahead of, and following, WWII.

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https://youtu.be/nWfSII6Pd0o

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1 week ago | [YT] | 2,519

C&Rsenal

U.S. Union Fire Arms Model 24 Shotgun

George B. Colton had been producing double barrel shotguns for Sears, Roebuck, and Company when they bought up the Spencer Repeating Firearms Company. Sears seems to have helped merge Colton's and Spencer's plants in Toledo Ohio, forming the Union Fire Arms Company. Their goal was an affordable repeating shotgun for their catalog sales. What emerged was the Model 24, which is an unusual hybrid of design ideas. From the outside you can see the Spencer Shotgun-like lower hammer spur inside the trigger guard. This shotgun also features a rapid, detent-style takedown. On this first version of the Model 24, the breechface is one piece and drops down below the cartridge when the action is opened, in this way the top of the breech block becomes the lifter. The extractor is mounted to the sliding dust cover and both withdraws spend shells and drives fresh cartridges into the chamber before the breech rises back to lock.

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1 week ago | [YT] | 2,150

C&Rsenal

German Contract Spanish Astra 300

Immediately following the creation of the Astra 400, a 9mm Largo pistol intended for military use, Esperanza y Unceta scaled their pistol down to create a more convenient form for civilian sales. These were intended to chamber either .32 or .380 ACP by just selecting the appropriate barrel during assembly. The former gave a magazine capacity of seven rounds, the latter just six. The heel release was also moved to the side of the magazine well and given a more positive, button-like operation. In 1941 Germany began importing these pistols, initially in .380 but later in .32 ACP. Over 100,000 would be received before the end of the war, with more left in Spain already paid for but undeliverable.

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https://youtu.be/6JwEel8ZiYo

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1 week ago | [YT] | 2,522

C&Rsenal

Marlin 1917/18 Machine Gun

John Browning's "Potato Digger" was dusted off for export sales during WWI. Production by Colt's was limited so Marlin Firearms stepped in with their own minor changes. Employee Carl Swebilius took this opportunity to engineer a linear piston mechanism to replace the swinging lever and introduced a whole new model. Pictured is the later adaptation of Swebilius' gun along with its aluminum cooling fins intended to assist in cooling for ground or tank use. Unfortunately these guns tended to yank on extraction and tore cases regularly. They were more commonly issued to aircraft with as high quality cases as possible where they had some success as they were easily adapted to synchronization.

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1 week ago | [YT] | 2,310

C&Rsenal

Portuguese Kropatschek 1886

Alfred Ritter von Kropatschek developed his tubular magazine as an improvement to the Früwirth system while working for OEWG, Steyr. It could be paired with just about any bolt action rifle of the period, and was in both Germany and France. Developing off the Mauser-Kropatschek, OEWG offered this rifle to Portugal in an 8mm blackpowder cartridge. Unfortunately production was begun just as smokeless powder was developed, but not yet revealed to the world, so this remains a shoulder-locking, old world repeater.

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https://youtu.be/ZgUIV-5o6qI

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2 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 2,124

C&Rsenal

U.S. Stevens 520 Shotgun

This pump-action, shrouded-hammer shotgun was patented by John Moses Browning in 1905. It was licensed for production by J. Stevens Arms & Tool company and put into production in 1909 as the Model 520. Stevens was later sold to New England Westinghouse in 1915, which then sold Stevens to Savage Arms in 1920. Through it all the 520 carried on with minor improvements. The Stevens 520 is perhaps best known for its unusual "hump back" appearance and unique screw-threaded magazine takedown. In 1940 the 520 would be further improved into the 520A or 520-30 pattern.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 2,532

C&Rsenal

French Chamelot-Delvigne 1873

For the French Army, this revolver was adopted to replace their existing Lefaucheux pinfires. Following experience with those open-top frames with exposed ejector rods, they understandably wanted something extremely rugged. Perhaps they went too far, as there are no efficiencies in this pistol: every movement has its own spring. Despite its massive strength, the initial 11mm cartridge selected was mild, moving at just 430 fps, though a later update brought this to nearly 700 fps.

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https://youtu.be/9mCVxWXNb5Y

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2 weeks ago | [YT] | 2,501