Chassepot to FAMAS: Book about French Military Rifles
Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2022 1:25 am
Gun Brothers:
I have just begun reading the book, Chassepot to FAMAS: French Military Rifles, 1866 – 2016 by Ian McCollum, which documents French military rifle development from the Chassepot Rifle (used in the Franco Prussian War and superior to the German Dreyse "Needle Gun" at the time) until the present day. The book covers, in other words, topics of interest to those who enjoy old weapons, like myself, to those interested in modern military gear, like some folks here.
https://www.headstamppublishing.com/pur ... j88j-2rrs5
Some who know me well have accused me of being a Francophile, and it is true that my tastes do often run toward an appreciation for French engineering. They seem to have a way of approaching an application that's different from everyone else's, and for this reason I like to study their work to understand these other approaches. The author of this book, Ian McCollum, seems to share my taste in this matter. It was his youtube video review that set me on a course to obtain a "Turkish Forestry Carbine," a modification of the WW1 French Berthier rifle.
There is a rifle (a French rifle) that occupies my mind as "most wanted": The French RSC semi-automatic rifle of WW1! That's right, WW1! This long predates the USA M1 Garand and Soviet Tokarev SVT semi-automatic rifles of WW2. The RSC occupies that "most wanted" (but "will never have") niche in my rifle wants, like the Webley Fosbery "automatic revolver" does in my handgun wants. I can't afford one, but I would love to have one.
Consequently, the chapter on the RSC in Chassepot to FAMAS was the chapter I browsed immediately on opening the book. Like all the chapters, the entire book is lavishly illustrated with detailed pictures and McCollum tells you how the guns work, along with production data like dates and numbers. Thus, the book has something for collectors, students of design, and those with general interests.
Ian McCollum is an engineering graduate of Purdue University, a school of no mean reputation in the fields of engineering. He is quite knowledgable in his field and this shows in his simple, yet detailed explanations. You can get a sense of his approach to the topic of firearms from his "Forgotten Weapons" youtube channel. I'll include links here to his videos on the RSC to serve as examples of both McCollum's work and the RSC. Turn on the subtitles for a clearer understanding of his narration.
McCollum discusses, examines, and shoots the RSC in these short but informative videos.
Not all share my taste for firearms design and history, but for those of you who do, I thought you would find this book interesting.
I have just begun reading the book, Chassepot to FAMAS: French Military Rifles, 1866 – 2016 by Ian McCollum, which documents French military rifle development from the Chassepot Rifle (used in the Franco Prussian War and superior to the German Dreyse "Needle Gun" at the time) until the present day. The book covers, in other words, topics of interest to those who enjoy old weapons, like myself, to those interested in modern military gear, like some folks here.
https://www.headstamppublishing.com/pur ... j88j-2rrs5
Some who know me well have accused me of being a Francophile, and it is true that my tastes do often run toward an appreciation for French engineering. They seem to have a way of approaching an application that's different from everyone else's, and for this reason I like to study their work to understand these other approaches. The author of this book, Ian McCollum, seems to share my taste in this matter. It was his youtube video review that set me on a course to obtain a "Turkish Forestry Carbine," a modification of the WW1 French Berthier rifle.
There is a rifle (a French rifle) that occupies my mind as "most wanted": The French RSC semi-automatic rifle of WW1! That's right, WW1! This long predates the USA M1 Garand and Soviet Tokarev SVT semi-automatic rifles of WW2. The RSC occupies that "most wanted" (but "will never have") niche in my rifle wants, like the Webley Fosbery "automatic revolver" does in my handgun wants. I can't afford one, but I would love to have one.
Consequently, the chapter on the RSC in Chassepot to FAMAS was the chapter I browsed immediately on opening the book. Like all the chapters, the entire book is lavishly illustrated with detailed pictures and McCollum tells you how the guns work, along with production data like dates and numbers. Thus, the book has something for collectors, students of design, and those with general interests.
Ian McCollum is an engineering graduate of Purdue University, a school of no mean reputation in the fields of engineering. He is quite knowledgable in his field and this shows in his simple, yet detailed explanations. You can get a sense of his approach to the topic of firearms from his "Forgotten Weapons" youtube channel. I'll include links here to his videos on the RSC to serve as examples of both McCollum's work and the RSC. Turn on the subtitles for a clearer understanding of his narration.
McCollum discusses, examines, and shoots the RSC in these short but informative videos.
Not all share my taste for firearms design and history, but for those of you who do, I thought you would find this book interesting.