Category Archives: gun culture

PD has Historic Great War Machine Gun Frozen in Limbo

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A small town police department in Ohio has had a rare machine gun in its collection for years and wants to pass it on to a museum but can’t.

Sheffield Lake, Ohio (pop. 8,950) is about 35 miles west of Cleveland on the shores of Lake Erie. The town’s 12-officer police department has kept an old belt-fed machine gun in its basement since 1989.

Found during a welfare check, the circa 1918 Colt Vickers WWI aircraft machine gun was impounded because it was not legally registered with the ATF, and the agency has had it ever since.

The Colt Vickers in question. (Photo: Sheffield Lake PD)

And, while the department would be okay passing it on to a museum intact, that isn’t a thing right now.

Around 2022, SLPD contacted the ATF, which advised that it would have to be destroyed or demilitarized by cutting it, even if it were donated to a museum.

“Given its historical significance, that was not an option we were willing to pursue,” the SLPD noted.

Next they tried the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton.

“Because it is a federal institution, we were hopeful there might be a lawful avenue to preserve and transfer the firearm intact. Unfortunately, those discussions ultimately did not result in a transfer,” said the department.

They are currently trying to find a home for it with the Smithsonian and hope it works out.

“We don’t want to destroy it or cut it apart. This firearm has survived intact since approximately 1918. Everything still appears to function, and the components appear to be original,” said the department. “And since the Sheffield Lake Police Department has no plans for an armed aircraft anytime soon, our goal isn’t to use it. Our goal is to preserve it.”

What is the Colt Vickers?

Developed by Hiram Maxim about 1904, the 33-pound Vickers gun (not counting the weight of the tripod and ammo) was put into production at Kent, England, that year and, by 1915, was in low-rate licensed production at Colt in the U.S. With a relatively slow (450-550 rpm) rate of fire, the water-cooled gun was steady and reliable, especially in sustained fire, and is still encountered in Third World service.

Vickers ground machine guns seen at Camp Hancock, Augusta, Georgia, with officers of the 28th U.S. Infantry Division in January 1918. With water and tripod, the Vickers tipped the scales at over 90 pounds. (Photo: U.S. Army 111-SC-002670 via National Archives.)

Some 12,125 Colt Vickers Model of 1915 ground machine guns were produced, chambered in .30-06 Springfield, with 2,888 later converted into 28-pound forward-firing aircraft machine guns.

The conversion modified the water-filled cooling jacket with air-cooling slots and synchronized it to fire through the propeller without hitting it. One such Colt Vickers is seen here at the Fort Rucker Army Aviation Museum. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Two such guns were mounted under a hump on the forward fuselage of the Snoopy-famous Sopwith Camel, one of the era’s best fighter aircraft, seen here at the Fort Rucker Army Aviation Museum. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Used extensively by British and allied forces in the Great War, the Vickers was one of several aerial guns in service with American forces by 1918, but was all but extinct by WWII.

A close-up view of several types of machine guns used in the Great War by the US Army: an air-cut Vickers, an aviation Marlin-Rockwell M1895-18, and a Browning LMG. U.S. Army Ordnance Department photo, circa 1918, via the National Archives.

Still, it is nice to see that one of these historic guns, trapped in limbo, is at least treading water and is, for now, safe from the torch. Perhaps a future federal machine gun amnesty or further NFA reform could allow it to find a forever home, intact.

The one-of-a-kind Beretta SO10 Kronos: Art that reimagines time

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Beretta is celebrating its 500th anniversary, and this unique piece is amazing.

I give you the SO10 Kronos.

The presser:

Gardone Val Trompia, October 2026 – Beretta and the Italian timepiece maker La Vallée proudly unveil the SO10 Kronos, one of the most groundbreaking one-off creations conceived to celebrate Beretta’s 500th anniversary.

A masterpiece of mechanical engineering, the SO10 Kronos celebrates the passage of time by bringing the artistry of haute horlogerie into the heart of Beretta’s most exclusive shotgun.

The result of years of co-development between La Vallée and Beretta, this one-of-a-kind creation features unprecedented side plates with sapphire-crystal openings that reveal the SO10 action’s intricate inner workings, re-engineered with a newly developed opening system and elevated by refined, watchmaking-inspired finishes.

Carlo Gussalli Beretta, PB Selection Business Development Manager of Fabbrica d’Armi Pietro Beretta S.p.A., has declared: “Gunmaking and watchmaking art share many common elements – the craftsmanship, the mechanical precision, the zero-tolerance approach in every detail, and the strive for innovation even in the smallest component. Among the one-off creations celebrating Beretta’s 500th anniversary, SO10 Kronos stands as the most emblematic piece. Not only for its rarity, but for its meaning: time — the true protagonist of this milestone.”

Massimiliano Quintavalle, CEO of La Vallée, explains the purpose behind SO10 Kronos:

”SO10 Kronos brings together two distinct family-owned Italian traditions that share a common spirit of innovation and an uncompromising respect for craftsmanship. The SO10 Kronos project began from a shared desire to explore what could be achieved when highly specialized mechanical disciplines come together around a single exceptional object. Horology is an art of mechanical thinking. It is an ongoing discovery of how components interact, how structures can be conceived differently, and how engineering and craftsmanship can transform the experience of an object. SO10 Kronos provided an opportunity to apply that thinking in a new context. The result is a singular creation in which each craft remains recognizable while contributing to a common expression of Italian mechanical culture.”

To achieve the extraordinary refinement of SO10 Kronos without compromising structural integrity, we reimagined each side plate as a single monobloc element, meticulously machined from solid high-strength alloy steel. At its heart, a gold trilobe spring secures the mechanism’s pins, replacing conventional screws with an elastic retaining solution inspired by precision watchmaking and capable of withstanding even the most severe shocks. A newly conceived opening mechanism allows both side plates to open effortlessly with a simple twist of the curved safety catch integrated into the crystal, providing an unobstructed view of the meticulously finished components.

The side-plate architecture was designed to integrate a shaped sapphire crystal, revealing the intricate beauty of the action beneath while maintaining the structural characteristics required by the firearm. An innovative mounting system, inspired by traditional gold inlay techniques in fine gunmaking, secures the sapphire crystal. A dedicated groove was machined around the sapphire recess. Gold is then hand-hammered into the groove, acting as a semi-rigid retaining interface that secures the sapphire while allowing the assembly to accommodate the mechanical stresses generated during operation.

Luciano Sasso, Head of R&D at La Vallée, shares the approach that brought the project to life: ”For La Vallée, the project became an opportunity to apply the same principles that govern horological creations: questioning established solutions, engineering every component with purpose, and pursuing an uncompromising level of execution down to the smallest detail. However, the significance of SO10 Kronos lies not only in the individual technical solutions. The finishing received the same attention as the mechanisms of La Vallée’s own horological creations. Hand-defined edges, individually prepared surfaces, and meticulously controlled transitions between finishes achieve an exceptional level of execution. Every surface is adorned with authentic horological finishes, from Geneva stripes to polished bevels, from gold-plated sleeve bearings to delicate straight and radial graining, reflecting the meticulous refinement reserved for the finest timepieces.”

While reimagined as a masterpiece of mechanical art, the SO10 Kronos remains rooted in the uncompromising engineering that defines every SO10. Beneath its refined aesthetics lies a vault-strong architecture designed to withstand the test of time and be passed down from one generation to the next. Its machined receiver, free of castings or welds, a rear longitudinal locking bolt aligned with the hinge pins, two additional locking lugs in the lower receiver, and the renowned trapezoidal barrel locking shoulders work together to deliver the exceptional strength, durability, and longevity that have become hallmarks of the SO10 tradition.

Roberto Savassi, Over and Under Design Manager for Beretta, explained: “If you want to open a glass window on a shotgun, the SO10 is the one: it is an engineering masterpiece itself. But the SO10 mechanism is also the most complex to approach, realize, and revise from both an engineering and a manufacturing standpoint. The millimetric precision needed to create a perfectly functioning shooting mechanism on the detachable sideplates creates a fragile balance when you need to redesign the components with something completely new. We worked closely with La Vallée to transfer some of their timepieces’ technical features and finishing to the Beretta SO10, and we also dared to introduce, for example, completely new lever geometries for disassembly.  And I have to say, this passed all Beretta most difficult tests.”

To balance the visual impact of the remarkable open-worked mechanism, the SO10 Kronos receiver features a refined English-style gold-inlaid border engraving that frames the action with timeless elegance and proportion.  Discreet yet meaningful details elevate the design throughout, from the gold-inlaid 500 Years emblem on the bottom of the receiver to the intricate scroll engravings adorning the locking shoulders, top lever, and safety catch. Faithful to the Beretta SO10 tradition, the shotgun features Grade 5 walnut stock, enhanced by 80 meticulously hand-applied coats of Tru-Oil® to achieve extraordinary depth, luminosity, and tactile richness.

Completing the masterpiece is a bespoke black leather case inspired by the same open-worked philosophy. At its center, a transparent glass panel reveals the shotgun even when the case is closed, transforming it into a display piece. Inside, a classic French-fitted layout in black microfiber, enriched with refined details and elegant accessories, enhances the overall sense of exclusivity while naturally drawing attention to the shotgun’s extraordinary side plates.

About Beretta

Founded in 1526 in Gardone Val Trompia (Italy) by the Beretta Family, who have led the company for 15 generations, Fabbrica d’Armi Pietro Beretta S.p.A. is an international manufacturer of commercial firearms, military weapons, and products for outdoor sports such as hunting, competition, and tactical shooting. Beretta operates worldwide to support enthusiasts, defense, and law enforcement officers, providing them with a complete ecosystem (firearms, clothing, accessories, and services) and featuring the most modern technologies, assembly lines, quality control, and local highly qualified workers, who hand down the Italian tradition of gunsmithing since the Renaissance. All this represents an irreplaceable asset to achieve the degree of accuracy and quality that made Beretta a world-renowned brand.

With more than 50 global subsidiaries, Beretta Holding Group is a world-renowned leader with a distinguished reputation in hunting, sports shooting, and defense & law enforcement, thanks to its wide selection of premium products.

Mosin-Nagant, SKS, and M1 Garand Values in 2026

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Not long ago, a Mosin-Nagant cost under $100. Today, a plain Soviet M91/30 sells for about $300 to $500.

SKS rifles and M1 Garands have climbed too. If you’re thinking of selling or trading in one of these, old price assumptions can cost you. 

Here’s how to tell what you’ve got and what it’s worth, so you don’t do that blind. We’ll also cover what else to know about these rifles before you sell.

Why Mosin, SKS, and Garand Prices Keep Climbing

One big reason is import restrictions. Chinese rifle imports stopped in 1994. The State Department also blocked new imports of Russian-made guns and ammo in 2021.

Surplus Garands have a different problem. The U.S. stopped making them for the military in the 1950s, leaving them frozen in time.

Today, the government sells its surplus Garands to civilians through the Civilian Marksmanship Program, or CMP.  In late 2025, the CMP said its stock of original receivers was nearly exhausted. It’s now restoring old drill rifles to stretch supply a few more years.

So the supply of all three rifles is either fixed or running down. If you own any of them, though, that’s good news for you.

What Milsurp Rifles Are Worth Now

The prices below are as of November 2026. They’re based on completed sales.

Prices move, so check recent sales before you put a number on anything. If you’d rather skip the legwork, a gun collection buyer like Cash for Arms can quote you directly. That works for one rifle or several. 

Mosin-Nagant Value

The M91/30 is the standard Soviet infantry Mosin. In decent shape, it sells for about $300 to $500. Expect a trade-in offer to come in lower. 

Two Mosin variants are worth noticeably more than others. Finnish-built M39s usually sell for about $700 and up, while genuine Soviet sniper rifles with their original PU scopes can top $1,000. Get these checked by a knowledgeable appraiser or expert before you price.

SKS Value

Where an SKS was made matters most for its price. Russian rifles generally get the highest values.

To tell them apart from others, check the top of the receiver cover. On most Russian rifles, it shows a star or a triangle with an arrow inside. Chinese rifles carry Chinese characters instead.

Chinese Norinco SKS rifles are the most common kind in the U.S., with over a million imported commercially. They usually sell for about $350 to $600.

A 22mm rifle grenade launcher on the muzzle means a Yugoslav M59/66. Those usually sell in the mid-$500s. Note that the earlier Yugoslav M59 has no launcher. 

Circa 1950s Russian SKS rifles often bring around $600 and up. Matching numbers push them higher still. That means the receiver’s serial also appears (stamped at the factory) on the cover, bolt, carrier, trigger guard, magazine, and stock. Numbers scratched on with an electric pencil came from a later rebuild, and collectors pay less for those. 

M1 Garand Value

Look at the rear of the receiver, called the heel. It shows the maker and the serial number. The maker in particular can make a big difference in the rifle’s value.

Most Garands were built by Springfield Armory. Those sell for around $1,475.

Winchester-made rifles sell for around $1,625 these days, and International Harvester rifles for around $1,850. H&R rifles sell for around $1,300.

The CMP itself sells rebuilt Garands for $1,150. Most Garands on the open market sell for more.

Note that a World War II date by itself doesn’t add much. Collectors are often more focused on the original, era-correct parts: rifles with those, in superb condition, can go over $3,000.

What Raises a Milsurp Rifle’s Value

Many surplus rifles were rebuilt at an arsenal, often more than once. The CMP says most M1s were rebuilt at least once.

So, mixed parts are normal, and the prices above already reflect them. Here’s what pushes a rifle higher.

  • Original matching numbers. Factory-stamped serials on every numbered part bring a premium.
  • Correct accessories. A period-correct bayonet, sling, or magazine adds value. Sell them with the rifle, not separately.
  • A good bore. A bright bore with sharp rifling matters to shooters and collectors alike.

What Cuts a Milsurp Rifle’s Value

On the other hand, the things below can bring down your rifle’s value.

  • Conversion to a hunting rifle. Cut-down stocks and shortened barrels take away much of the collector value.
  • Holes for a scope mount. Drilling the receiver to mount a scope cuts collector value sharply.
  • Refinishing. New bluing or a sanded stock usually lowers value.
  • Renumbered parts. Parts renumbered later to match the receiver are worth less than original matching ones.

What to Know Before You Sell a Milsurp Rifle

Every price in this article depends on details. Markings, matching numbers, and originality are what buyers pay for. When you sell, your job is to make sure they see them.

This means whoever buys or prices your rifle should know milsurp. To a buyer who doesn’t, an M39 is just another Mosin. You’ll never get what it’s really worth.

Then show them the proof. Photograph every marking, plus the serial on each numbered part. Buyers price milsurp from those details, so a vague “all matching” isn’t enough.

How you sell depends on what matters more: price, speed, or effort. Trading in at a shop is the quickest option, and it’s credit toward your next gun… but expect a lower number than the prices above.

Selling privately can bring more, but it’s the most work. You’ll photograph, list, vet buyers, and arrange the transfer yourself. An auction house can do it for you, for fees. Either way, you usually have a long wait ahead. 

Nearly all these rifles qualify as curios and relics or C&R, by the way. A buyer with a C&R license can receive one straight from another state. Get a copy of that license first, and check your state’s rules.

Or skip all of that. A buyer who knows milsurp, like Cash for Arms, can price your rifle from the photos you’ve taken. They’ll handle the transfer paperwork too. 

B&T Suffers Fire at Swiss Facility, Vows Comeback After Arson

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B&T has been around since 1991 and has an interesting history, along with some seriously top-shelf stuff. (Photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com) 

B&T’s facility and headquarters in Thun, Switzerland, suffered a catastrophic fire late last week, and leftist terror groups are claiming responsibility, apparently tied to the company’s less-lethal offerings being used against riots elsewhere in Europe.

No one was injured, but the damage is estimated at 12 to 20 million Swiss francs ($15 to $24 million USD), and the company announced on its website that the main building, flagship Store, and indoor shooting range will remain closed until further notice. As authorities investigate the crime and pursue possible suspects, B&T is picking up the pieces.

However, company officials vow they will not roll over and play dead.

An excerpt from a statement released Monday:

Our motto is, and always will be:

We stand together.

We will not be intimidated.

We will not be defeated.

We will come back stronger.

B&T is far more than buildings, machinery or material assets. B&T is a community of people who believe in their work, take responsibility and stand by one another, even in the most difficult of times.

Our strength lies not only in what we have built, but above all in the people who make this company what it is every single day.

We will overcome the damage that has been inflicted, continue our work and move forward with the same conviction and determination with which we have built B&T over the past decades.

Violence will not silence us. Threats will not deter us from our path. And destruction will not break our unity.

We have faith in the rule of law and trust that justice will prevail.

B&T (aka Brügger & Thomet AG) entered the firearms scene manufacturing suppressors in 1991, but it wasn’t long before they began offering complete, tactical firearms. Soon after, they became a leader in the gun industry.

From iconic early products such as the MP9/TP9 submachine gun and the VP9 (Veterinärpistole 9mm), or Station Six, the company has expanded into interesting and diverse designs such as the USW and APC series.

The APC9 was recently selected by the U.S. Army and Air Force for use as a Sub Compact Weapon platform, beating out stiff competition from around the world.

It is unclear what impact the Swiss fire will have on B&T products in the U.S., where there has been some messy back-and-forth over licensing and distribution recently.

What is known is that the company’s Utah suppressor facility – commercial silencer imports from overseas are banned – has expanded production to 7,000 cans a month. 

‘Slay dragons, do noble deeds… and never, never, never, never give up’

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Patriot, Vietnam vet, publisher, and Cold War legend Robert Brown has passed away, leaving behind generations of gun enthusiasts who spent much of their youth scanning newsstands for his publications.

Born in Monroe, Michigan, in November 1932, Brown served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1957 and again from 1964 to 1985. A Green Beret, he served with Special Forces in Vietnam and retired as a lieutenant colonel.

Long the beacon in the newsstand for those who yearned to meet interesting people in far-off lands– and maybe get into a firefight with them, Brown founded “Soldier of Fortune, The Journal of Professional Adventurers,”  in 1975 after having a hand in founding field manual outlet Paladin Press five years prior.

Based in Boulder, Colorado, SOF provided an outlet for legitimate and would-be professional military contractors and helped fill urgent positions in Africa, the Middle East, and South America, while fueling untold Walter Mitty fantasies in the more chairborne commando.

Noted contributors included Col. David Hackworth, Lt. Col. Oliver North, and sniper guru Maj. John Plaster.

While at the helm of SOF, Brown continued to globetrot and, through the magazine’s offices, helped support pro-Western groups in El Salvador, Afghanistan, and Laos, among other Cold War hotspots. If the Russkis showed up there, Brown was not far behind.

SOF pulled off a number of coups for the good guys over the years, including effectively grounding Sandinista Mi-24 Hind helicopters during the Contra years after Brown published an offer of a $1 million reward for the defection of a Nicaraguan pilot with his gunship. Brown also spirited out the first bulk caches of the then-new Soviet 5.45x45mm AK74 round seen in the West as well as other equipment of intelligence interest from Afghanistan in the 1980s.

The Soviets even targeted Brown in propaganda efforts (left) largely for his support for Mujahideen groups in Afghanistan and Contras in Nicaragua. His offer to buy a Sandinista-operated Mi-24 Hind reportedly grounded the entire force for weeks. In December 1988, a Nicaraguan Air Force captain defected to Honduras in a Soviet-built Mi-16 transport helicopter.

At least six correspondents from the magazine were killed while on assignment in such third-world hotspots as Burma, Angola, and Sierra Leone, going that extra mile for the story.

A member of several Hi-Power and Marksmanship Unit teams while in the Army, Brown was long a power in the gun rights community and sat on the board of the National Rifle Association since the early 1980s. He played a prominent, though behind-the-scenes, role in electing pro-gun political leaders for generations.

In disclosure, this author spoke with Brown, whose email address was simply “Maximus,” numerous times over the years, and was invited to an annual retreat in New Mexico with RKB in 2019. He was always a great storyteller and a true gentleman. He was a welcome regular in the media room at SHOT Show and NRAAM every year.

My buddy, Ben Philippi, also spent time with Brown in Colorado in 2014 and captured an image of him for his book, “We the People.”

Still very spry in his 80s, Brown cautioned Philippi, “Certainly, the Second Amendment and a ‘God-given right’ are substantial reasons for the right to keep and bear arms. But for me, the key criteria for justification of an armed populace, is for it to serve as an ultimate protection from the tyranny from an oppressive government. Think 1776.”

Lt. Col. Robert K. Brown, USAR, (Ret.), publisher of Soldier of Fortune magazine, NRA BOD, photographed in Boulder, Colorado, 2014, sporting his DPMS-Panther Arms SASS .308 rifle topped off with an Aimpoint Hunter scope. He leans on his “arrest-me-red” ’93 Vet convertible. (Photo: Ben Philippi)

The motto of SOF during the Brown era was “Slay dragons, do noble deeds… and never, never, never, never give up.”

Warlords always get the coolest guns

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War Noir recently uncovered a short clip from Haiti’s near-lawless streets, apparently showing Galil-, Kalashnikov-, and M14-equipped members of the Unite Bawon Laplen (UBP) preparing for war as their leader blesses other gang members and their weapons with rum, as one does.

Lanm SanJou, the gang’s leader, was shown mogging with a very rare American-made Colt R80 Monitor, a subvariant of the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle.

Colt produced only about 125 Monitors in its Connecticut factory, the result of a “cleanup” of leftover parts from its Great War contract to supply 12,000 BARs to the military.

Capable of emptying a 20-round magazine of .30-06 rounds in under three seconds when cyclic, the Colt Monitor could bring it when needed. (Photo: Springfield Armory National Historic Site, courtesy of Alex MacKenzie, curator)

Note the massive compensator. In the early 1920s, Colt made the early Auto Ordnance Thompson submachine guns, which also included a Cutts. (Photo: Springfield Armory National Historic Site, courtesy of Alex MacKenzie, curator)

With a bit of infamy, Colt loaned Texas Ranger Frank Hamer a slow-selling Monitor (Serial No. C-103168) to help bring Bonnie and Clyde to ground, and Dallas County Deputy Sheriff Ted Hinton used it in the 1934 ambush that well-ended the outlaws. The gun lives in the Ranger Museum today.

Of the 125 made, at least 90 went to the FBI, and the specimen in SanJou’s possession could have come from U.S. stocks during one of the periods when the U.S. assisted the Gendarmerie d’Haiti.

For much of the Duvalier period and into the early 1990s, the Haitian military and police mirrored the U.S. military of the late 1940s.

Haitian Army 1980s-early 1990s

Seeing the Monitor reminds me of the worst M1903s I’ve ever seen, two five-digit serial-numbered Springfields that I was able to handle at the U.S. Army’s Museum Support Center at Anniston Army Depot in 2017.

They had been recovered, among tons of other relics, during the 1994 Uphold Democracy operation.

Among the other Uphold Democracy relics recovered was a M3A1 Stuart, found with five improved M5A1s, all apparently acquired by Papa Doc from “an Italian arms broker during the 1950s after being refurbished by the automobile company Ferrari.”

Kept in service until the 1970s, they were left to ruin.

The U.S. Army brought the M3A1 back to Anniston, where it was later restored and sent first to Baumholder, then to Fort Bliss, where it remains today.

Ex-Haitian M3A1 Stuart in the Fort Bliss Museum, Wikimedia Commons

With the U.S. military on the ground off and on in Haiti since at least 1915, invited or not, and with the Pentagon currently supporting the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (recently supplying C-130s to airlift Salvadoran special forces into Port-au-Prince following the gang ambush and disappearance of Salvadoran personnel attached to the force), the prospect that SanJou’s monitor could possibly “come home” isn’t totally off the table.

Cue the “it belongs in a museum” memes.

Holding down the Hanko

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Some 85 years ago. The siege of the Soviet naval base on Hanko Cape in occupied southwestern Finland, north of Leningrad, during the Continuation War, November 1941.

Swedish Volunteer Battalion (Svenska Frivilligbataljonen, SFB) member Erland Petrus Malmström (#872910) seen on the line with a 6.5mm Gevär m/96 Mauser and a commercial optic.

Note how he uses his thumb around the stock’s wrist to raise his view of the scope, which is mounted too far forward for a normal face-on buttstock position. Also note the puukko knife hanging from his belt and the Swedish m/37 helmets to his right. The Swedes later picked 5,300 m/96s and converted them into scoped sniper rifles (the Prickskyttegevär m/41) based on experience in Finland, though the above is not one.

The Swedes have long been a traditional enemy of the Russians, fighting a dozen wars with them between 1554 and 1809.

In the 20th Century, they proved willing on numerous occasions to rise to the occasion against the old foe when prompted.

In March 1918, a 1,000-strong Swedish volunteer brigade under Allan Winge landed in Finland to help disarm Russian troops and fight for Finnish independence.

The Swedish brigade deployed in Helsinki on May 16, 1918. Allan Winge is at the forefront.

When the Soviets invaded neighboring Finland (formerly Swedish territory) in November 1939, a Swedish Volunteer Corps (Svenska frivilligkåren) formed with 12,000 volunteers (including 727 Swedish-speaking Norwegians and at least a few Danes) under Lt. Gen. Ernst Linder.

Swedish Volunteer Corps poster, 1939 Finland Winter War: “Det gäller oss” translates to “It’s about us”

Only 8,260 of its men made it to Finland before the Winter War ended in March 1940.

Swedish Volunteer Corps Finland, during the Winter War, Salla, March 1940

They saw a bit of combat, with 33 killed, around 50 wounded in direct combat, and over 130 suffering frostbite before they were disbanded and sent home on the outbreak of peace.

Well-equipped Swedish Volunteer Corps ski patrol poses in Finland during the Winter War in 1940, along with a Swedish BAR (Kg m/21) and m/96s. Note the bamboo ski poles and, for dramatic effect, gas masks. 

Once the Finns invaded the Soviet Union after the Axis launched Barbarossa in June 1941, the 900-strong SFB was stood up in Sweden to give it another go.

With volunteers arriving as early as 24 July, the SFB swore allegiance to the Finns as a unit on 17 August, and the battalion, simply dubbed the Hangöbataljonen, was seconded to the Finnish IR 55 on the Hanko Front.

Swedish Volunteer Battalion Hanko, Finland, August 1941, with Swedish uniforms and helmets, along with a Swedish BAR (Kg m/21) and m/96s. (SA-Kuva)

Swedish Volunteer Hangöbataljonen, Finland, August 1941, including Swedish BAR (Kg m/21), SMGs, and m/96s. Note the mix of helmets and uniforms. (SA-Kuva)

The Swedish Voluntary Battalion pioneers advancing through the deep Finnish forests, clearing bunkers with explosives (note the satchel charges on their backs) and flamethrowers, to liberate the city of Hanko under Soviet occupation. (SA-Kuva)

Fighting into December, the Hangöbataljonen was the first to march into the port after the Soviets withdrew, though they raised a Finnish flag. They suffered 25 killed and another 75 wounded in the short campaign.

After the Finns disbanded the victorious SFB and sent it home, die-hards wanting to keep fighting formed a smaller Swedish Volunteer Company (Svenska frivilligkompaniet) in February 1942 under Capt. Rickard Nilsson, which was attached to the Finnish IR 13.

Serving on the Svir Front and later fighting in the brutal Battle of Tali-Ihantala on the Karelian Isthmus in 1944, some 412 Swedes served at one time or another in this final unit, which was never stronger than 160 men at any given time. It suffered 39 dead, and 84 were wounded in its time on the line. The unit was disbanded on 26 September 1944, a week after Finland’s peace with Moscow. They apparently had no appetite for fighting the Germans. Russians only.

As for the m/96 Swedish Mauser in Finnish service, besides the 8,800 or so guns brought over by the assorted volunteer groups, Helsinki bought another 77,000 m/96 rifles and carbines directly from surplus Swedish military stocks during the Winter and Continuation War, with some 30,000 eventually repatriated with thanks. The rest were sold off as surplus in the 1950s and were generally unwanted post-war by the Finnish military because they didn’t accept the standard 7.62x54R round used by the Finnish-standard Mosins.

You now have a choice between War Daddy and Indy

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Smith & Wesson went the extra mile for wheel gun enthusiasts this week, paying tribute to the famed M1917 while also adding a revolver fans have waited years for.

As we have detailed in the past, the U.S. Army Model 1917 revolver in .45 ACP was one of the company’s first big N-frame “triple lock” revolvers. Using two 3-round “half-moon” clips or a single six-shot “full moon” to accommodate the rimless .45 ACP, 150,000 S&W M1917s were delivered to the Army before the end of the Great War, and they were often standard-issue for specialist soldiers such as dispatch riders, military police, tankers, and machine gunners through WWII.

Wartime S&W M1917s had plain wooden grips and a lanyard ring. (Photo: U.S. Army Signal Corps image circa 1918, via the National Archives)

The new “no lock” S&W Model 22 is headed to market in both a 1917 clone with much the same features as the original, along with a Classic variant that recalls the common conversion often seen with such “war babies,” primarily a shorter 4-inch barrel as seen in the famed “Stembridge” guns used by Dr. Jones in the 1981 classic, “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

The new S&W Model 22s, with the more “Indy” 4-inch Classic on the left, and the more “Fury” 1917 on the right. (Photos unless noted: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Side by side, you get a better idea of the differences. Both are N-frame .45s, but the Classic can use either .45 ACP or rimmed .45 Colt in its cylinder. Meanwhile, the 1917 is ACP only.

Both have smooth wood grips and a lanyard ring, recalling the revolver that was originally meant to fight the Kaiser.

Note the barrel-profile differences: the M1917 uses a simple half moon, while the Classic carries a red ramped front sight, like what you would see on a more modern combat magnum.

Either way, these are great-looking revolvers that look like they “belong in a museum” while still being range-ready.

Plus, with the Classic especially, you could make a case for it as a good sidearm for those headed into dangerous predator country when loaded with heavy cast bullets.

The MSRP on the new Smith & Wesson Model 22s in .45 is $1,299.

Saarim? Sarem? Sarim? A Mauser Sniper by any other name…

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How about this Yemeni “Saarim” (also seen as “Sarem”) copy of the 98 Mauser sniper rifle making the rounds in the (attributed) hands of a Houthi rebel, with a very Insurgency Sandstorm/Far Cry 6 vibe.

Note the box magazine, pistol grip, garage-made suppressor (which, if nothing else, serves as a flash hider to help with counter-sniper fire), super-high mount (possibly to help overcome the 8mm Mauser’s rainbow ballistics), and relatively low-power optic.

For those curious, Sarim / Sarem (صارم) means: brave, resolute, sharp, or a sharp sword, all fitting names for a would-be sniper rifle.

As far as I can tell, the type first showed up in a 2017 Hoplite piece by Yuri Lyamin (Craft-produced anti-materiel rifles and light cannon in Yemen).

At the time, they appeared to be 8mm 98Ks or Yugoslavian M48s, fitted with 6x24mm POSP optical sights and a wildly optimistic 1,600-meter range.

The typical drop of an 8mm Mauser (7.92x57mm) at 1,600 meters is something like 1,360.86 inches (or 113.4 feet / 34.56 meters), assuming a standard European-spec 198-grain (12.8g) bullet. That’s one hell of a holdover. Even at 500 yards, you are looking at a 50-60 inch drop and falling below 1,000 ft./lbs of energy– the latter the minimum benchmark for medium game like deer and sheep.

Still, “Despite their age, these rifles may continue to pose a threat in experienced hands, particularly when fitted with an optic,” noted Lyamin.

Plus, the country has serious generational experience with the rifle.

Yemen has been awash in Mausers for something like 140 years.

A Yemeni man with a modded Mauser Oberndorf M1887 Ottoman Turkish long rifle in Sanaa, via Al Jazeera.

As noted by Rob Krott back in a 2006 Small Arms Review piece after traveling the country extensively:

Mausers and Mauser variations are among the most common weapons in Yemen. Some are in the hands of youths whose parents have acquired more modern weapons. As the owner’s first token of manhood they are often prized possessions. The Mausers in Yemen today are nearly all Ottoman Empire in origin and represent the continuous re-equipment of the Ottoman forces throughout their occupation of Yemen, though there is also a large number of World War II era German 98K Mausers fielded in Yemen. It’s possible these 98Ks were from captured stocks provided by the Soviets as aid in the 1960s. While visiting a Bedouin encampment in the Hawdramawt, I fired probably a half-dozen Mauser 98Ks over the course of three days in impromptu shooting competitions. All were well maintained and serviceable.

While, sure, the Sarim is kinda hokey-looking, if it is zeroed and holds point of aim/impact, and the user understands its dope, I wouldn’t want to be downrange of it under any circumstances.

Fear God and Dread Nought

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As you know by following this page, the original game-changing battleship whose form would dominate all its type moving forward, HMS Dreadnought (00), entered service some 120 years ago, launched at HM Dockyard Portsmouth on 10 February 1906 and commissioned on 2 December.

The 18,000-ton juggernaut (21,000 tons deep load) was swathed in as much as 12 inches of Krupp cemented armor produced under license at William Beardmore’s mill in Dalmuir, Scotland. The warship was held together by nearly 2 million rivets.

To salute the ship, Korth Waffen in Germany has developed a tribute to “The Beauty of Brutality,” a limited edition 5-inch .357 Magnum with a smoked nitride finish dubbed simply, Dreadnought, complete with faux rivet pattern.

Not sure how many were produced, likely a handful, but Nighthawk had them listed for $9,574, as befitting Korth wheel guns.

Had.

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