Historical Guns

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LCPL Amarjit Pun and the Sterling Submachine Gun

LCPL Amarjit Pun and the Sterling Submachine Gun

When the incoming fire seemed overwhelming and his comrades were falling LCPL Amarjit Pun unlimbered his Sterling submachine gun and won the day. Sometimes big things do indeed come in small packages.

Operation Canned Goods: The Spark That Lit the Fire

Operation Canned Goods: The Spark That Lit the Fire

Alfred Naujocks was the guy who started World War 2 with Operation Canned Goods.

The Battle of Graveney Marsh: The Last Ground Combat Fought on British Soil

The Battle of Graveney Marsh: The Last Ground Combat Fought on British Soil

WW2 was such a horrible, curious thing. These Germans flew to the English homeland dropping high explosives and ended up in a brief firefight with the Tommies responding to the crash site. When the dust settled the Brits gave the Germans beer in return for souvenirs. War is undeniably strange indeed.

A Young American Goes to War: The M1 Rifle

A Young American Goes to War: The M1 Rifle

The man survived the Longest Day to advance with the Allied vanguard. A product of the Mississippi backwoods and a survivor of the Great Depression, this tough teenager found that he had a knack for soldiering.

John Sedgwick:  The Pachydermal General & the Whitworth Sniper Rifle

John Sedgwick: The Pachydermal General & the Whitworth Sniper Rifle

MG Sedgwick had no shortage of courage. His calm demeanor under fire reliably inspired his troops.

Seriously Heavy Metal: The A/ACH-47A’s of Guns-A-Go-Go

Seriously Heavy Metal: The A/ACH-47A’s of Guns-A-Go-Go

The most powerful helicopter gunships ever built. The Army roster called them the 53d Aviation Detachment. Everybody else knew these thunderous monsters as Guns-A-Go-Go.

The Professional Assassination of Marielle Franco: Truly Bad Cops

The Professional Assassination of Marielle Franco: Truly Bad Cops

I have some friends that found themselves on the Mexican border during Spring Break several years ago with some spending money and a little time. They were young, bulletproof, and immortal, so they figured they’d wander over and spend the day exploring Juarez on foot.

Loaches, Snakes, and the GE M134 Minigun

Loaches, Snakes, and the GE M134 Minigun

LT Hugh Mills earned three Silver Stars, three Bronze Stars, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, and the Legion of Merit during three tours as a combat helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Mills was shot down sixteen times and thrice wounded in combat. He flew 3,300 combat hours in OH6A and AH1G helicopters.

Sons the Sturmgewehr: The G3 and the PTR

Sons the Sturmgewehr: The G3 and the PTR

The G3 was a ground breaking design which held communist hordes at bay for 30 years. PTR Industries in South Carolina is building the GI PTR 100, a semi-automatic version of this robust cold warrior. Where did it come from and why was it built?

General Butt Naked and the Incomparable Power of Redemption

General Butt Naked and the Incomparable Power of Redemption

In General Butt Naked’s stark transformation from bloodthirsty psychopath into pastor, evangelist, and mentor we see manifest the simply breathtaking power of forgiveness.