Weapons | War History

M270 MLRS: The Incredible Rocket Launch System That Continues to See Combat

Samantha Franco
M270 MLRS launching a rocket

The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) is an armored multiple rocket launcher that has been used by the US Army for decades. Jointly developed…

The M320 Grenade Launcher is a Serious Step-Up From the M203

Samantha Franco
Soldier aiming an M320 grenade launcher

The M320 grenade launcher is one of the newest in the US military’s arsenal. It was created with the intention of having an equally effective…

How the Legend of the Gurhkas’ Kukri Blade was Forged

Gurkhas standing in a line with their Kukri blades

In 1814, the British Army first encountered Nepalese soldiers known as Gurkhas. While both were initially enemies, the British later brought the Gurkhas into their…

The M1 Garand was ‘The Greatest Battle Implement Ever Devised’

Rosemary Giles
Two soldiers aiming their M1 Garands

Of the many guns to see combat during the Second World War, the M1 Garand was the first standard issue autoloading rifle used by the…

The Type 4 Grenade was a Last Ditch Effort By the Japanese

Rosemary Giles
Two Type 4 Grenades placed beside each other

As the Second World War drew to a close, the Japanese were in a difficult position. By 1944-45, most of their industrial buildings had been…

The Ukrainian Military Has Repurposed the Soviet DShK as a Shoulder-Fired Infantry Weapon

The Russian-produced DShK is among the longest-serving machine guns still in use today. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Ukrainian military found itself…

Panjandrum: Britain’s Failed WWII-Era Rocket-Propelled Explosive

Panjandrum parked on a beach

By 1943, the Germans had heavily fortified the European coast against an Allied invasion. This defense system, known as the Atlantic Wall, spanned along the…

The History of Drop Tanks: From Improvised Bombs to Vietnamese Canoes

Aircraft in flight + Close-up of a drop tank

Since the end of the Vietnam War, Vietnamese civilians have been making the most of US military waste. Reduce, reuse, recycle has taken on a…

M1919 Browning: An Innovative and Revolutionary Firearm

Gunner manning an M1919 Browning

The M1919 Browning machine gun is one of the most prolific firearms used by the US military, having seen use during the Second World War,…

Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt’s Famed Revolver Was Stolen and Returned – Twice!

Todd Neikirk
Theodore Roosevelt holding up his hat + Colt M1892 revolver on a purple sheet

There has never been a US President quite like Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, and there’s unlikely to be another ever again. Born frail and weak, Roosevelt…

The Short Career of the Civil War-Era Double-Barreled Cannon

Double-barreled cannon on display

The double-barreled cannon is as cool as it sounds. It can shoot two cannon balls at the same time that, when attached by a chain,…

The Lee-Enfield Repeating Rifle Has the World’s Second-Longest Service History

Todd Neikirk
British soldiers training on Lee-Enfield repeating rifles

The first version of the Lee-Enfield repeating rifle entered into service in 1895. Since then, 17 million units and a number of variants have been…