Comments by "Colonel K" (@Paladin1873) on "Royal Armouries" channel.

  1. “Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.” - Mark Twain
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  2. Jonathan, I can add some details to your presentation. During the 1980s and 90s I did a fair amount of business with Olympic Arms and often dropped by their plant outside of Olympia, Washington on my frequent trips to that state. Offhand I don't recall the name Bell, but I did chat a lot with the founder and owner of Olympic Arms, Bob Schuetz. The company originally began as SGW (Schuetzen Gun Works) and over the years offered an array of new production firearms, parts, and accessories aside from their AR series. These included the Safari Arms 1911 pistol, a plastic framed version of the Whitney Wolverine 22 pistol, and a bolt action magnum rifle originally manufactured by Bauska as the BBK, but rebranded the UltraMag. The AR was their bread-and-butter, and at the time they were the only such manufacturer demonstrating any innovation. As a result, in the 1980s they created some unique AR-based firearms before such things became so commonplace as now. This included a 7.62x39 AR and a series of pistol caliber carbines and conversion kits in 9mm, 40 S&W, 45 ACP, and 10mm. I purchased and still have a couple of their early 9mm kits. I had Bob modify them by replacing the traditional plastic handguards and barrel nuts with steel free-floating handguards with integral barrel nuts. This allowed me to quickly change barrel configuration from 4" carbine to 10" carbine. As you correctly assessed, in early production kits and carbines they used STEN mags because they were readily available and cheap. These magazines did not have a piece of metal welded onto the rear of each magazine. Instead they fabricated an aluminum block which was inserted into the magazine well and retained in place by snapping into the original lower receiver magazine catch. The bottom of the insert protruded from the magazine well and held a spring-loaded lever that functioned similarly to an AK mag release. Each STEN mag was fitted with a small Fillister head screw in back that would snap over the top of the lever as you inserted it into the magazine well. This held them securely in place. How effective was this arrangement? To be fair, we are talking about STEN mags, so it really depended upon the quality of the mags an owner purchased. I presume there were some complaints because Bob also devised another setup that used unmodified Sterling L2A3 magazines. The aluminum insert for this setup was very similar to the one for the STEN but not interchangeable with it. This system did not last long because Sterling mags were not nearly so common or affordable, but I did acquire one of these kits as well. I believe it was in the early 1990s they began modifying STEN mags to the style used in your sample. This simplified the kit by eliminating the adapter block. What I do find curious about your rifle is the fact that it has a 20" barrel. All the ones I remember from their advertisements were carbine length or shorter and used bolt carriers without any lightening slots cut in them. A full rifle stock might necessitate a lighter bolt carrier because of the longer spring it uses. Of course, the company was willing to accommodate the end user with most any modification he sought. If you wish, I can email you pictures of my kits for reference.
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  3.  @F1ghteR41  I don't recall because I had no reliable way to measure it. The short barrel was designed to accept a MAC-10 or comparable suppressor. I put an AWC MK9 on it and it matted perfectly with the short steel handguard. The longer barrel could also accept a suppressor, but this added to the overall length. Now you have me curious. I think I may have an old VHS tape of me shooting it. If I can find it and time the shots, I'll post a followup response.
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  4.  @JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries  While conducting an inspection visit to the USAF Gunsmith Shop at Lackland AFB (Medina Annex) in the 1980s I examined several early model M-16s (the USAF received the first major batch around 1963). The rifles had recently been refurbished by the shop and looked new, but what caught my eye was the marking on one of the receivers. I regret I did not have a camera with me so I could maintain a permanent record and proof of what was handed to me. Unfortunately, the years have clouded my memory a bit, but I am certain it was marked either XM-16 or AR-15, and yes, it was select fire.
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  5. I may be showing my age a bit, but back in 1959 a short-lived, but popular, western series titled "Johnny Ringo" made good use of a highly modified LeMat revolver. The show was created by Aaron Spelling and produced by Four Star Productions (so called because it was formed by major motion picture stars Dick Powell, David Niven, Ida Lupino, and Charles Boyer). The series starred Don Durant as former-gunfighter-turned-honest-sheriff Johnny Ringo (yeahy, they really rewrote history there) and Mark Goddard (better remembered later as Major Don West in "Lost in Space") as his trusty deputy. Ringo's "seven shooter" was really a 10-shot Lemat that had been converted to fire nine 44 rimfire blanks and one dummy shotgun shell (using a pistol blank insert). The writers called it a "410" because they thought that sounded bigger than 18 gauge or 20 gauge (roll eyes). The gun had been acquired by producer Dick Powell, who I believe was a collector. It was in nonfunctional shape at the time, so he had the gunsmiths at Hollywood's premier prop gun company, Stembridge Gun Works, modify it so it would break open and close in a fashion similar to a S&W Model 2 or Model 3 revolver. Actually, it was a very clever conversion, and one that I am surprised LeMat didn't think of. Indeed, it's a pity nobody is offering such a pistol today. After the series ended, Powell gave the gun to Durant, who owned it until his death in 2005. I don't know what became of the revolver after that, but it certainly would be an interesting find for "Forgotten Weapons". If you want to learn more about the Ringo revolver, I suggest you visit the Johnny Ringo website, specifically page http://www.johnnyringo.net/lemat.htm. It contains links to more information, including a somewhat inaccurate article from a 1961 issue of GUN WORLD. Keep up the good work!
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  6. Now that's steampunk!
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  7. A close friend of mine wrote an article for "Machine Gun News" in the late 1980s while the movie Robocop was being filmed in Dallas, Texas. He was given access to the original blank-firing prop guns to photograph for the article. In addition to the prop version, several live-firing versions were built by my late friend Tim Bixler. Tim then worked with designer Utah Conner (yes, that's his name) to build a folding SMG that would be used in the Robocop II movie. This gun was the UC-9, which subsequently became the DEB M21, following Connor's collaboration with David E. Boatman (DEB) to build more guns. That project waxed and waned for years. After Conner died it was assumed by many that the project had died with him. As it turned out, several dozen registered receivers were eventually located by an enterprising individual who managed to acquire them and have them built into fully functioning SMGs of a revised/improved design. As you can expect, both the Robocop Beretta pistols and the folding SMGs are rare as hen's teeth and command quite a princely sum on the collector's market today.
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  8.  @brivas3343  Now that you mention it, neither of my bolts are skeletonized either.
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  9.  @F1ghteR41  Well that turned into a project. First I had to find a VCR that worked, which took four tries before I found one that would power on and not eat my VHS tapes. Then I had to locate the right tape, so I spent a lot of time looking at 35 year old videos. I must say I was quite a good looking guy back then, but I digress. I finally found a demo of me firing the SMG kit. As best I can tell I ripped off nine or ten suppressed shots in no more than a second, so I estimate the cyclic rate was at least 600 rpm, maybe a tad faster while using the Sterling mag conversion kit.
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  10.  @brivas3343  I had some Uzi mag conversions and 9mm kits but they were designed and built by Elmer Balance in Texas. If you don't know who Elmer Balance is, he was the guy who originally owned the Springfield Armory name before the Reese family bought it. The background story is quite colorful and intriguing, but suffice it to say Elmer was making M14s long before the company was reestablished in Illinois.
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  11.  @ExpatriotSilencers  Both of my bolts are also full weight, but do not have steel plugs in them.
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  12. OA did offer a 10mm carbine that used proprietary full size plastic magazines.
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  13.  @rowbownerd  Brad, which issue of MGN was it? I contacted Small Arms Review (MGN was renamed SAR in 1997), but their online archives do not extend to MGN. They do have some warehoused copies of MGN, but even they don't remember which issue I was talking about. If you could provide me with the year and month, I'll look through my own back issues (assuming I can locate them). If I can't find the copy, I'll ask SAR if they have one I can buy.
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  14.  @rowbownerd  Thanks.
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  15.  @rowbownerd  It will be more pleasant to shoot in semi auto. Every FA pistol I've fired was virtually uncontrollable and about as accurate as Yosemite Sam.
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  16.  @rowbownerd  Thanks. Now all I have to do is remember where my back issues are stored. I think they may be with my old Soldier of Fortune magazines.
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  17. It's the first gun I ever bought. I got it to celebrate by 18th birthday. I still have it over a half century later. Originally I went in the gun shop to buy a Winchester 1897 trench gun, but when I racked the action open, the bolt scraped by knuckles. That's when I decided to buy the Model 12 instead.
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  18.  @nasaboy87  In the 1980s they offered at least two versions of modified STEN mags and briefly a version using Sterling L2A3 magazines, but these were harder to come by than the STEN mags. In the early to mid 1990s they offered CZ75 and Beretta 92 magazine insert options, and eventually a full size plastic AR magazine with a 9mm insert.
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  19.  @MrGrimsmith  The worlds' first chain gun, er, chain-fire gun. 🙂
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  20. The unloading mechanism is reminiscent of the Merwin & Hulbert revolvers.
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  21.  @rickmcintosh1771  Would it have been XM16E1?
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  22. Yes, some supposedly pro-gun folks had apoplexy when OA introduced it because they feared its ability to penetrate bullet proof vests would lead to more gun bans.
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  23. The only time I handled a SA80 was at a military arms symposium sometime in the early or mid 1980s. It sported a SUSAT that contained a very pronounced wedge post in the optic. Being a southpaw, I was not impressed at all with any of the ergonomics of the rifle. I later read the British Army solution was to teach all left-handed shooters to fire right-handed. This struck me as an abysmal decision and in no way addressed the need for occasional weak-hand shooting around some corners. I'm glad Jonathan discussed this issue. I have shot the BREN left-handed. I can't use the sights, so I aim it like a shotgun. It seems to work, but I've not tried it at extended ranges.
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  24. Some of their rifles suffered from QC issues, but overall they did decent work. What made them stand out was their innovation. In the 1980s and through much of the 1990s they were the only manufacturer attempting to explore and expand the possibilities of the AR. The myriad selection of ARs available today was a result of Olympic AR's pioneering work.
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  25.  @keithmoore5306  The AR18 (select fire version of the AR180) failed to pass the military tests the AR15/M16 was subjected to. I own an original Costa Mesa AR180, which is as good as the later Howa built guns, and superior to the Sterling made rifles. I baby it because I know it is not as reliable or accurate as the AR15, and if it does break, finding parts for it will be difficult, if not impossible. The HK93 is a fine rifle, but the ergonomics and weight do not compare well with those of the AR, and it is coslty to fabricate. This might explain why its variants have seen relatively little use on the world stage when compared with the AR, AK, and FAL. It has been mainly confined to special operation units. As for Olympic Arms, I did business with them for nearly 30 years. I had occasional issues, but nothing they did not repair or replace. There are better options today, but I still have some Olympics I occasionally shoot for nostalgic reasons.
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  26.  @keithmoore5306  Military Arms Channel has done a series of videos on a single AR that has gone over 7,000 rounds without cleaning. The M16 has a long history of reliability if it is properly cared for. The AR180 does not.
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  27.  @keithmoore5306  I'm not doubting you have been frustrated by your experiences with ARs. I am curious why you had so much bad luck. It is very atypical. If you prefer a side charging handle and folding stock, then a traditional AR is not going to work. There are ARs with the features you desire, but I cannot attest to their durability or reliability. Each owner has his own set of criteria. I don't care for folding stocks because I'm not jumping out of cramped APCs or helicopters. Since a rifle is best employed from the shoulder, I prefer a good solid stock that does not need to be deployed before firing accurately. I can't envision a scenario where I would prefer to shoot it with the stock folded. I'm somewhat indifferent regarding the location of the charging handle, but the AR does offer two advantages. It is out of the way so it isn't going to snag on something and it is ambidextrous. It is only awkward when chambering the first round. After that you simply press the bolt release for reloading. Secondly, it is easier to operate than the HK charging handle. The AR180 and AK charging handles are easier to operate than both the AR or HK handles, especially if you are left-handed like I am. If you are a northpaw, a left side mounted charging handle might be preferable (think FN FAL), but finding an affordable 5.56 pattern rifle with this setup might be challenging.
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  28.  @keithmoore5306  That's a highly unusual situation. The most likely scenario in a vehicle is a robbery attempt. Because of the close confines and the possible need to keep one hand on the wheel, I find a pistol much more practical. Of course, if all you have is a carbine, that's what you use, but any long gun will be awkward in such a tight space. With one exception, I've owned or shot all of the rifles you listed. I passed on a chance to purchase a Valmet in 223 because I wanted one in 7.62x39. Looking back these many years, that was a very dumb decision. The Sig 551 is a very nice rifle and a definite keeper (just not in the car where it might be stolen). As for ARs, AKs, and plasticated pistols, yes they dominate. Ditto for 1911 clones. It can be mind-numbing. Retro seems to be making a comeback, so there's hope.
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  29.  @keithmoore5306  Not so different. I grew up in the rural Big Bend area of Florida and now live just west of the Continental Divide in rural Montana. I got tired of killing moccasins and rattlers, fighting off mosquitos, and suffering through the heat and humidity that dominates the Sunshine State. I traded it for Big Sky country and have never looked back. There was a learning curve for dealing with snow and ice, but the summers and falls are dry and cool, and the view is spectacular. My elevation is high enough that rattlers are never to be found. I do have to contend with coyotes, wolves, cougars, and bears (both Black and Brown). They periodically come around the house and sometimes scare the horses, so I stay prepared with a variety of arms. I've shot at some who got too close, but that's enough to send them packing. I hope it stays that way because I don't want to deal with the Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks. As for two-legged predators, they've not been an issue yet, but since we make weekly shopping trips, I'm prepared for that too.
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  30. A derringer suffering from gigantism.
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  31. Very steampunk. I want one.
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  32. I did a lot of work with the company, starting in the 1980s, and always visited the plant to chat with the owner, Bob Schuetz, whenever I flew into Seattle. I never did find out why the company shut down. Do you know?
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  33.  @tomliemohn624  Thanks. I know Bob was getting pretty long in the tooth, but I presumed his son would take over the business. Maybe the competition from so many other newer companies was becoming too much for them.
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  34.  @seanpower1090  There are plenty of them around. Last year I bought a "Franken-CAR" off Gun Broker because I wanted to cannibalize the parts for other builds. The lower was an Olympic that was in good shape and fit perfectly into an aftermarket upper receiver. Some people will trash OA because they did have occasional QA issues, but overall they offered pretty decent rifles, parts, and accessories during a time when nobody else was doing this.
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  35. My Oly Arms 9mm kits are from the 1980s. The bolt carriers do not have weights in them or any lightening cuts. One kit uses a magazine well insert that accepts a standard Sterling L2A3 magazine. A spring-loaded lever protruding from the bottom of the insert acts as the magazine release. The other kit is very similar but accommodates a STEN magazine. The STEN mag is slightly modified by the addition of a small Fillister head screw in back that locks over the top of the lever when you insert the magazine.
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  36. Watch how Jonathan carefully avoids the dreaded "what constitutes a piston" argument on ARs. Here's a thought; isn't every reciprocating bolt a piston? Egad, the Mauser 98 is piston operated! Up next, the never ending anti-bounce device/rate reducer argument on AKs.
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  37. Memo to FBI: The 10mm is designed for farm boys, not soy boys. :face-purple-crying:
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  38. England has its own peculiar rules. The configurations offered in the USA were pistol and carbine length (4" to 16").
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  39. The original battle rattle?
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  40. Priceless!
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  41. The only pistol caliber setups I recall ever seeing in any Olympic Arms catalog were carbine length or shorter. My best guess is this was either a one-off build or else intended for export sale to countries that required longer barrels.
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  42.  @F1ghteR41  Some other commentors have mentioned it may have been a requirement for getting the rifle into England at the time.
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  43. No, you have Congress and Presidential executive orders to thank.
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  44. Not the most Sterling example of a Sterling.
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  45. This looks a bit over-engineered to me. I can't figure out what the speed holes are for. We've suppressed a couple of Port Said SMGs (same gun made in Egypt) using a shortened ported barrel surrounded by a wire mesh wrap and fronted with a monocore aluminum baffle insert, all stacked in a single piece tube. The guns functioned fine without need of a lightened bolt or shortened spring. Regarding the stuck front end cap, we've had good luck loosening frozen parts by soaking them overnight in a 50/50 mixture of acetone and automatic transmission fluid. If you try it, I suggest placing the tube in a padded vice and using a padded wrench to work the end cap free.
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  46. It was lizard people. I seen 'em!
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  47. What an amazing musket. I've heard of the concept but never seen it actually applied this way. If multiple chambers ignite at once, does that qualify as a burst fire feature?
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  48. This is a new one on me. Now I'm going to have to start tinkering with my flare pistol.
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  49. It looks like a Hungarian FEG PK9 DA copy of the Hi Power I once owned.
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  50. I once made a screw-on muzzle thread protector from a Ruger 10/22 front sight and indexed the barrel threads so that the front sight blade aligned properly with the rear sight when installed. Even if the threads were to wear over time, causing sight misalignment, this could be corrected with thin shims. I see no reason why this approach would not have worked on the P08. If the pistol was intended for clandestine use, this would have made more sense as a disguise than a simple front end cap sans sight blade.
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