Q&A April 2026: The Good, the Bad, and the Really Dumb

Today’s Q&A is sponsored by Kyrö – get 10% off all their spirits with code SAUNAWHISKY10 at:
https://www.kyrodistillery.com

00:01:25 – The .30-06 experimental Thompson
Thompson 1923 auto-rifle video: https://youtu.be/EMO4o4yANpY
Thompson .30 Carbine prototype: https://youtu.be/lW-IjtiVthc
Previous owner talking about the .30-06 1943 experimental: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Dse6kd1kDc

00:07:57 – Why side-mounted magazines didn’t catch on
00:12:28 – Other Maxim gun designs?
Maxim-Silverman pistol: https://youtu.be/F1ElpucXu6A

00:14:36 – Double-clip experimental Garand
00:17:45 – US “last ditch” rifles today
00:20:50 – High Power with 1911 trigger?
00:22:42 – Using the same action in rifles and pistols
00:26:34 – Bottom-firing revolvers
00:30:39 – What anti-tank rifle would I choose?
00:33:25 – AI in firearms manufacture or design?
00:36:02 – Just on tweak away from success…
00:38:42 – Connections between MAS-40 and AG-42 Ljungman?
00:41:10 – Viable reproduction guns
00:45:24 – Longevity of the Maxim machine gun
00:50:21 – A better Italian interwar LMG option?
00:51:56 – FRTs and belt-fed ARs in competition
00:57:38 – Mag-fed vs belt-fed LMGs
00:59:45 – Best small arms of WW1
01:01:32 – Why no more delayed blowback rifles?
01:04:07 – Parts kit builds vs pre-import-ban semiautomatic rifles
01:06:42 – I get to choose new US small arms in 1939
01:11:10 – NATO assault rifle or SMG book?
NATO Battle Rifles book: