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Early in World War II, the German Ordnance Department wanted a semi-automatic rifle for the military, and both Mauser and Walther submitted samples for what would become the G41. Walther's design would eventually be chosen, but there were restrictions placed on the design that only Mauser respected. The restrictions included: no gas port or holes in the barrel, no moving parts on the outside, and a bolt action had to be added in case the auto-loading mechanism failed. Thus, the result was an overly complex, unreliable and bulky gun. The G41 (M) was striker-fired, rotating-bolt locking and featured a traditional bolt/charging handle that automatically disconnected the bolt assembly from the recoil spring should the rifle be used in manual mode. Only about 6,000 G41 (M)s were made and it is one of the rare World War II small arms for collectors today. For more on the German G41 (M), watch this "I Have This Old Gun" segment from a recent episode of American Rifleman TV.
A little-known light machine gun from the inter-war era, the Finnish Lahti-Saloranta M/26 garnered a poor reputation during its service in World War II, but a closer look and some context reveals how innovative it was for its time.
Federal Ammunition was recently honored with the 2025 4-H Shooting Sports Pioneer Award, which recognizes individuals or companies that have made significant contributions to the 4-H Shooting Sports program at a national level.
"At a gun show, I saw a Colt 1860 Army Richards Conversion with 12 cylinder notches instead of the usual six. The dealer was not sure whether this was original to the gun. Were these extra notches a factory variation or just some frontier gunsmith’s backroom project?"
Following a nearly six-year, record-setting run, according to the latest NICS and NSSF reports, firearm sales have dropped just slightly below a million during the month of July.
Sporting polymer construction, partial compatibility with America's rifle, a unique bolt assembly and a no-lubricant-required design, American Rifleman staff decided the Extar EP9 Carbine, in 9 mm, deserved closer inspection.