Firearm History

In the past few years, the resurgence of interest in takedown style 10/22 rifles was at its peak since Ruger...

There are many early patents for weapons designed to launch explosive devices, but until the 1950s, the U.S. didn’t take...

The Thompson submachine gun needs no introduction to most firearm enthusiasts. It was made popular by television shows from the...

Today, many associate the name AR-15 with a Colt-made semiautomatic rifle manufactured for the civilian market. However, prior to its...

If any autoloading system has proven itself over the past 100 years, that system is the simple blowback. It has...

Some of the fun in collecting historical arms is that we’re sometimes confronted with interesting puzzles that appear to contradict...

Story & Gun Photography by Jean Huon P·l Kir·ly (1880-1965) Machine Gun Designer Saw His Weapons Used by China, Japan,...

We at Small Arms Defense Journal have always tried to have a bit of reference material in each issue, something...

Sometimes a gun nickname is a term of endearment. Other times they stem from fear or detraction. Slang gun names...

By Michael Heidler Heinrich Vollmer January 6, 1885– January 7, 1961 The history of the German submachine guns is closely...