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How did this pistol stump Jonathan Ferguson? The Arcus-Ranger Browning Hi-Power
This week's mystery weapon was sent to Jonathan Ferguson by a fan who had screenshotted an image from the Channel 4 TV show, Utopia. The weapon appeared to be a version of the recognisable Browning Hi-Power. However, Jonathan noticed some subtle differences that led to the rediscovery of a little...
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How to control an 18th century mob: the Ducksfoot pistol
A novelty or tool for crowd control? Jonathan examines a pistol likely used for it's ability to deter rather than actually hit anything or anyone.
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Why are there two different Webley Mark IV revolvers?
Jonathan Ferguson answers a fan's question as to a quirk of timing and happenstance why there are two different Webley revolvers with the designation 'Mark IV'.
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Three barrells, two triggers: The Freeman triple barrell holster pistol
Pretty much impossible to aim, this meaty pistol is a truly curious contraption from the mid 18th century.
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A wrong turn for First World War sniper sights: The Lattey
The first British sharpshooters on the Western Front relied solely on their iron sights, with tubular scopes not coming to prominence in the British Army until the penultimate year of the war. But, inroads were made towards giving sharpshooters magnified optics to improve marksmanship. The Lattey...
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Fake or frontline firearm? The Webley Mark VI with shoulder stock
Followers may be familiar with the shoulder stock on the No.1 Mark I Signal Pistol but we would be seriously impressed if you've seen the same stock mounted on the classic British early 20th-century sidearm, the Webley Mark.VI. Jonathan investigates whether this was a unique experiment or intende...
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That's not a knife, *this* is a knife: The Dumonthier blade gun
Jonathan gets hands on with one of the wackier combination weapons seen in this series. The object is one of a number of patented combination weapons by Parisian gunmaker, Dumonthier & Chartron, that exist in the museum's collection.
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Seven barrels better than one? The Nock volley gun
Designed as long range shotguns, the Nock volley gun, popularised from UK tv's Sharpe series was adopted by the Royal Navy for its sharpshooters in the fighting tops.
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Fascist Italy's desperate version of the Sten Gun - the Giandoso TZ45
As the war began to turn against Mussollini's Italy in the Second World War, they turned to the cheap, easy to produce TZ45.
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The world's rarest machine gun? The Steyr Solothurn S3-200
One of the first 'General Purpose Machine Guns' (GPMG), this Swiss designed weapon was actually a crafty workaround by Nazi weapons designers to circumvent weapons limitations and would eventually lay the ground work for the MG 34.
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Did the world's smallest pistol help create the MG42? The Kolibri
You might recognise the iconic Kolibri of Battlefield 1 fame. But, we suspect very few will know its perhaps biggest influence on the story of firearms development and the influential role it played in the development of the MG42.
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Re-chambering the Sterling SMG to fire 7.62 Nato: The Experimental Sterlings
Jonathan Ferguson takes a look at two experimental weapons designed by Frank Waters at Sterling during the 1970s.
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The remote controlled SOE assassination pistol: The Colt Hammerless 1903
Produced in limited numbers, these concealed special operations pistols were developed during the Second World War for use by allied agents working undercover on the continent.
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Politics killed this 'universal carbine': The Experimental FAL
Another weaponed designed by famous FN weapons designer Dieudonné Saive, this experimental FAL was chambered to fire the British .280 cartridge. However, NATO would have something to say about it.
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Bicycle mounted MGs weren't as crazy as you think: The British Villar Perosa
Developed in Italy as a take on the Light Machine Gun, the British Villar Perosa was chambered in .455 Webley and was considered to be mounted on an unusual form of transport.
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The bullpup with a Martini action: The modified BSA Model 13
Marketed for people of 'short-stature', this BSA Model 13 has been heavily modified to include the iconic Martini action.
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The British Empires' last ditch Charlton-Enfield self-loading rifle
Keeper of Firearms and Artillery at the Royal Armouries museum examines the last-ditch conversion of a SMLE into an LMG. The brainchild of a car mechanic from New Zealand, the Charlton was one of the more successful conversions of the Lee Enfield during the Second World War.
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Did this rifle save a life? The RSC Modèle 1917 Fusil Automatique
Damaged present on this incredible object might have actually saved a soldier's life. Jonathan examines how a French poilu, out of ammunition was likely saved by his RSC Fusil Automatique M1917 taking a bullet.
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Turning the Mauser C96 'Broomhandle' into an SMG: the Schnellfeuer
While many think the first Schnellfeuer originated in 1928 with Spanish arms manufacturer Astra, this example, produced in 1926 by Mauser was the original select-fire, fully-automatic example.
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Military machine pistol used by gangsters: the Agram 2000
The Croatian made Agram 2000 is a unique design featuring space-age furniture. It was used during the break up of Yugoslavia in the early 90s and saw continued use after the conflict by elements of the criminal underworld across Europe.