Guns | War History

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 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…

Was Ball Turret Gunner the Worst Position to Hold During World War II?

Gunner sitting in the entrance to a ball turret

There were plenty of positions during World War II that put a serviceman’s life at risk. Arguably one of the worst was being the ball…

Lahti L-39: The Anti-Tank Weapon the Finnish Nicknamed the “Elephant Gun”

Two Finnish soldiers lying behind a Lahti L-39

When the Soviet Union invaded Finland in November 1939, its military was largely unprepared. In fact, the vast majority of men who signed up to…

The M203 Grenade Launcher’s Decades of Service Are Proof of Its Effectiveness

US soldier lying on his stomach with an M16A2 rifle equipped with an M203 grenade launcher

Throughout the course of the Vietnam War, the US Army developed a number of grenade launchers to aid forces in Southeast Asia. One of those…

US Army Announces Replacements for M4 Carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon

Clare Fitzgerald
US soldier aiming an M4 Carbine

The US Army has officially announced the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) that will replace the M4/M4A1 carbine and the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. The…

US Troops in Vietnam Hated the M16 So Much They Picked Up the Enemy’s AK-47s

US Navy sailor firing an M16 rifle

The M16 rifle was initially adopted for use in jungle warfare operations in Vietnam. However, it wound up being such an unreliable weapon that American…

The Spencer Repeating Rifle Saved ‘A Thousand Lives’ During the Battle of Hoover’s Gap

Spencer Repeating Rifle + John T. Wilder

When the Spencer Repeating Rifle was first recommended to the US Department of War, it was turned away due to the notion it would be…

The Legendary Mauser Karabiner 98k and Its Use Throughout History

German sniper team with Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles fitted with a Dialytan RH36 4×32 telescopic sight in position amongst rubble

During the Second World War, Germany hoped to take over, and the Mauser Karabiner 98k was the weapon they were going to use to accomplish…

How the STEN Submachine Gun Helped the British Army During WWII

Soldier with Durham Light Infantry with a STEN Mk III + STEN Mk II

Machine guns began to see use in warfare toward the end of the 1800s, and throughout the 20th century the technology behind the weaponry rapidly…

The Maxim Gun Changed Warfare – With Devastating Results

Soldier aiming a Maxim gun

The Gatling gun, created in 1861, was equipped by the Union Army during the American Civil War. This powerful weapon also saw use throughout the…

The 5 Most Effective Infantry Weapons Still Being Used Today

Iraqi Soldiers fire AK-47's during training exercises

Thanks to the development and refinement of weapons, infantry warfare changed dramatically over the course of the 20th Century. Assault weapons that were once heavy…