If you spend any time around bolt-action rifles, you’ll hear shooters toss around terms like “short action” and “long action.” It sounds simple enough—one is short, the other is long—but there’s a lot of myth and half-truth floating around this subject. The reality is more nuanced, and once you understand how cartridge length, magazine dimensions,...
Category: Rifle/Long Guns
The H&R DOE 9mm AR Pistol: A Retro Revival of a Cold War Security Classic
In the shadowy world of Cold War-era federal security operations, few firearms reflect the convergence of tactical necessity, government contract secrecy, and evolving firearm design quite like the Colt Model 633—a compact 9mm submachine gun built for the U.S. Department of Energy’s security teams. Now, four decades later, its spirit lives on in a faithful...
The Morse Carbine: America’s First Metallic Cartridge Military Arm
The Morse Carbine stands as one of the most remarkable yet overlooked innovations of the American Civil War. Developed in the crucible of national conflict, this unique breechloading firearm marked a bold leap forward in military arms—embracing the concept of metallic cartridges years before it became standard. While it never reached widespread deployment, the Morse...
Uncovering the CC & Minié-Cordier Percussion Rifle: History of a Forgotten Training Gun
The Minié-Cordier percussion rifle is a rare and distinctive firearm from the mid-19th century, believed to have been designed for training purposes. Attributed to Claude-Étienne Minié and manufactured by Cordier & Cie of Paris, this rifle showcases innovative features aimed at enhancing safety and efficiency in military instruction. Born on February 13, 1804, in Paris,...