Flammenwefer — World War I German Flamethrowers It appears the first flamethrower of modern design was patented in Germany by Richard Fiedler in 1901. During the same year, the German army funded his continued work on flamethrower designs. Fiedler, a private citizen, designed several flamethrowers models and presented a working product to the German…
Category: History of Weapons
Know Your Rifles: The “Krag” aka Springfield Model 1892 Infantry Rifle
Story of the Krag: The Springfield Model 1892 Infantry Rifle The formal appellation Springfield Model 1892-1899 describes the several subvariants of the Krag-Jorgensen bolt-action repeating rifle developed in the late 19th century. U.S. troops affectionately referred to the weapon as a “Krag.” The rifle was actually a collaborative effort of Norwegian gun designers Ole Herman…
A Real World Reminder Why Citizens Should Never Give Up Their Semi-Auto Rifles
Myanmar Rebels Battle Government Junta Forces with Homemade Shotguns The Video in the link above shows Myanmar Rebels armed with home made single shot shotguns fighting Govt. Military Forces armed with modern assault rifles. The article does not say but I can almost promise you this fight did not end well for the rebels. Going…
Know Your Weapons: The Sterling SMG
Sterling Submachinegun: The Arsenal of Villainy The Sterling submachine gun was initially developed in 1944 as a replacement for the dubious Sten. The inexpensive Sten was the right gun at the right time for Britain with her back against the sea after the miraculous Dunkirk evacuation. However, the crude nature of the Sten along with…
Know Your Weapons: The Lewes Bomb
WHO DARES WINS with a Lewes Bomb! BBC is currently running a Six episode series titled SAS Rogue Heroes based on the book by Ben MacIntyre. I have only watched half of it so far but from what I have seen I like it.
The Minuteman’s Guide to Countering Armored Vehicles *(For Educational Purposes Only)*
The Minuteman’s Guide to Countering Armored Vehicles Since the first tanks and armored cars appeared on the battlefields of WWI Europe, infantrymen have been forced to find ways to deal with them. The modern minuteman is no different, and any prolonged civil conflict in the United States is bound to see armored vehicles used…
Boers, Beans, Bullets and Bear Soup
Boers, Beans, Bullets, and Bear Soup – Parts 1 & 2 Nifty two part series on the history, tactics and arms of the Boers. Note: Although I disagree with many of the author’s opinions regarding rifle and caliber choices, as I have grown older I have found the best advice to new shooters is…
Mitchell WerBell
Know Your History.
Know Your WW1 Weapons: Germany’s MG08 Heavy Machine Gun
Germany’s Heavy Machine Gun of WWI: The MG08 All you former infantryman out there might find this fact jaw dropping: “The MG08 machine gun itself weighed approximately 60 pounds. Combined with its “Sled” (or Sledge) mount that used four legs, the whole affair weighed around 140 pounds, excluding the water can and ammunition supply….
Know Your WW2 Firearms: STG-44 vs M1 Carbine
AMERICA’S M1 CARBINE VS. THE GERMAN STG-44 Well done comparison article on the history of two of the most innovative weapons of World War II.