The RPD - Soviet Union’s First Squad Automatic Weapon

In the years after World War II, the Soviet military asked a simple question: how could an infantry squad bring a higher volume of automatic fire without surrendering mobility? A lesson they learned from the Eastern Front, where volume of fire was king. The answer, in part, was the RPD; this ligh...

By Lynndon Schooler

M1 Garand vs. M1941 Johnson Rifle Debate

Even positive changes can be hard to accept. Long before the M1 Garand rifle was in widespread service in the US military, it had its share of detractors. A number of these objectors simply disagreed with the Army’s decision to adopt a semi-automatic rifle at all. They argued that the...

By Tom Laemlein

Truck Guns Part 3: Defense Fueled by Vodka

The truck gun can be virtually any firearm, but to truly assess the multitude of modern applicable firearms as an effective defensive platform, a required evaluation necessitates the most offensive, the AK. The AK has earned two reputations in the 21st Century; the first is a reputation for simpl...

By Toby M

2015 Russian 6x49 Assault Rifles

In 2015, photographs and videos began circulating of several prototype rifle designs from the mid-2010s, chambered for an obscure experimental round, the 6x49, which was the Soviet Union's unified 6mm cartridge . The photos and videos show new developmental rifles chambered for the Soviet-er...

By Lynndon Schooler

First M16 Rifles in the Vietnam War

In the late 1950s, there were basically two camps in the U.S. military on what the next service rifle should be — those who thought a service rifle should be made of wood and blued steel and wanted a modified version of the M1 Garand, and those who thought the future of the modern service ...

By Robert A. Sadowski

Firestarting 101: How to Start a Fire

In today’s article, skilled outdoorsman Wayne van Zwoll teaches us how to start a fire. This basic survival skill was once commonly held by Americans. In the modern world, fewer men and women understand the basics of firestarting. If you spend any time outside of the house, this is a valuable a...

By Wayne van Zwoll
« Newer Posts Older Posts »