Grease Gun: The US Military’s Longest-Serving Submachine Weapon
When the lightweight and cheap US Submachine Gun, Cal. 45, M3 was introduced into service in 1944, it was intended for use across all theaters…
The M1 Garand was ‘The Greatest Battle Implement Ever Devised’
Of the many guns to see combat during the Second World War, the M1 Garand was the first standard issue autoloading rifle used by the…
The Ukrainian Military Has Repurposed the Soviet DShK as a Shoulder-Fired Infantry Weapon
The Russian-produced DShK is among the longest-serving machine guns still in use today. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Ukrainian military found itself…
M1919 Browning: An Innovative and Revolutionary Firearm
The M1919 Browning machine gun is one of the most prolific firearms used by the US military, having seen use during the Second World War,…
Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt’s Famed Revolver Was Stolen and Returned – Twice!
There has never been a US President quite like Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, and there’s unlikely to be another ever again. Born frail and weak, Roosevelt…
The Lee-Enfield Repeating Rifle Has the World’s Second-Longest Service History
The first version of the Lee-Enfield repeating rifle entered into service in 1895. Since then, 17 million units and a number of variants have been…
Was Ball Turret Gunner the Worst Position to Hold During World War II?
There were plenty of positions during World War II that put a serviceman’s life at risk. Arguably one of the worst was being the ball…
Lahti L-39: The Anti-Tank Weapon the Finnish Nicknamed the “Elephant Gun”
When the Soviet Union invaded Finland in November 1939, its military was largely unprepared. In fact, the vast majority of men who signed up to…
The M203 Grenade Launcher’s Decades of Service Are Proof of Its Effectiveness
Throughout the course of the Vietnam War, the US Army developed a number of grenade launchers to aid forces in Southeast Asia. One of those…
US Army Announces Replacements for M4 Carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon
The US Army has officially announced the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) that will replace the M4/M4A1 carbine and the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. The…
US Troops in Vietnam Hated the M16 So Much They Picked Up the Enemy’s AK-47s
The M16 rifle was initially adopted for use in jungle warfare operations in Vietnam. However, it wound up being such an unreliable weapon that American…
The Spencer Repeating Rifle Saved ‘A Thousand Lives’ During the Battle of Hoover’s Gap
When the Spencer Repeating Rifle was first recommended to the US Department of War, it was turned away due to the notion it would be…