Curtis 1866: The First Bullpup - with Jonathan Ferguson

[@johannesclips1685]

Now that jonathan has been a lot more popular online due to gamespot, this is quite a legendary crossover

[@tisFrancesfault]

Imagine what Curtis would have thought about his rifle that went nowhere, likely never made by him, being used in a legal dispute. Then later discussed to an audience of hundreds of thousands across the world, a century and a half later. Fascinating.

[@gadsdenguy4880]

If you had just told him the last part he would’ve thought aaahhh yeaahhh fame and fortune here I come

[@wesleygay8918]

His 12 and 3/4 minutes of fame are 150 years too late.

[@CrudeConduct666]

@@gadsdenguy4880 haha yeah, the concept of being seen by thousands and being a nobody is definitely an invention of the internet and would really trip anyone from back then out

[@robgoodsight6216]

yup absolutely fascinating!

[@nitehawk86]

We help make him immortal.

[@aidanfarnan4683]

Winchester employee, 1895 "So we're making a model for this patent case, what should the ergonomics look like?" His Boss: "Deadly steampunk pogo-stick."

[@Aspire198]

'Roger Roger'

[@michaelrobbins6694]

Gotta make it howl! Wail

[@michaelrobbins6694]

@Stripey Arse like foxhole smokes found yet should be non smoked..

[@Ezekiel_Allium]

@@michaelrobbins6694 are your comments a reference to something?

[@obiwankenobi2749]

A steampunk pogo stick. Im dying

[@drewdurant3835]

I forgive him for not imminently recognizing this as a weapon.

[@AM-hf9kk]

I was wondering where to slip the steam driven belt to run the pump to dewater the mine...

[@garypack1709]

If it wasn't for Ian I wouldn't believe it was a weapon at all

[@manictiger]

@Caliban777 And triples as a fishing rod, for when the rations run low.

[@Sicaedus]

@@garypack1709 I was waiting for Ian to shout out a late April Fools the entire video.

[@davidbrennan660]

A Phased Plasma Rifle with a 40 watt range.... excellent.

[@SeraphinaPZ]

Given all the rare things we see on this show, it's only a matter of time before Ian is telling us about the finer points of a one of a kind 12th century hand cannon once owned by Emperor Rudolf II.

[@rogerwilco2]

Isn't that like episode 600 something?

[@davidgillon2762]

Not quite 12thC, but the Royal Armouries do have some of Henry VIII's guns. collections.royalarmouries.org/object/rac-object-264.html

[@DIEGhostfish]

Or the Goetz hand cannon.

[@akimbofurry2179]

@@davidgillon2762 i want one

[@phillipsullivan3400]

No firearm ever deserved the term "trombone action" more.

[@themeatpopsicle]

Marching band was way more lethal in the mid 1800s

[@shawnr771]

One time at band camp...

[@Vladimir_4757]

Brandon Herrara called the Sten Gun an "Angry Tube", well, he might want to check this out since this is literally an angry, bullpup tube

[@Kikker861]

Cursed bullpups will not make him budge. I must (kyber pass) a milled AK to make him feel it. I'll add a teal pic rail mounted onto the wood furniture, file off the sights, make it a bullpup, FG42 mag placement. Add more ideas as replies.

[@tstststs]

@Simo not just normal keymod. Use proprietary HK keymod

[@seanbordenkircher7854]

"Angry Tube" slays me, I am now referring to the Sten as this and only this forever.

[@thatguybrody4819]

i think he called the california compliant MG34 an angry tube

[@StrongHammer12345]

Throw on a Lewis or maxim cooling jacket

[@royalmagnell5157]

This has to be the very definition of a "Forgotten Weapon." It's so intriguing and interesting.

[@ziedhashmi163]

From Iraq . Baghdad ... we love you forgotten weapons

[@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries]

This is a nice comment to see :) Regards from the UK.

[@revolverocelot6334]

I am so fucking glad Forgotten Weapons reaches people from all over the world

[@mrh678]

Beautiful country, I hope it's predominantly at peace now ☮️

[@Nedula007]

@@mrh678 peace in iraq? Lol

[@mrh678]

@@Nedula007 predominantly, it's a lot better than what it was.

[@trande6136]

Looks like something General Grievous would equip his bodyguards with.

[@greycatturtle7132]

Lol

[@hernandovillamarinbuenaven7476]

😂🤣😂🏆Cracked me!!..

[@moosemaimer]

If it wasn't for the picture showing how to hold it I'd be convinced this was some sort of barreled action that had been lifted out of its stock.

[@inhumanfilth681]

Same

[@davidcool5189]

That's exactly what I thought it was at first.

[@markfergerson2145]

But what the hell would the stock look like? That damned thing is what, almost *five feet* long?

[@ScottKenny1978]

@@markfergerson2145 would look like the thorneycroft, and maybe an smle. Wood stocked from stem to stern. Though in a modern reproduction, I would want a shorter barrel.

[@allangibson8494]

Now imagine fitting a bayonet...

[@penguinguy9820]

Ian and Jonathan: The most ambitious crossover since Infinity War.

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

No wonder Ian likes it - it's almost weird and impractical enough to be French !

[@Buggie-yn7rp]

So we have an elite fan

[@Vaasref]

French stuff is only weird not impractical.

[@Vaasref]

@@aaa69200 The Chauchat is well into the average of the early LMGs.

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

@@Vaasref You're taking this too seriously. My comment was tongue in cheek.

[@colemanmoore9871]

The only reason the French didn't make it it because the Brits already designed it. "Pierre, tre bien! This is magnific, but we French don't copy anyone, and no one copies us! Try something else!"

[@MarvinCZ]

Key information missing in the video: Did Winchester win the court case? *Answer:* Yes, they did.

[@-YELDAH]

uncletigger what

[@SportbikerNZ]

Thank you. They may have mentioned, but if they did I sure missed it.

[@RobinHood-yk8og]

the information you missed is at 2:00

[@rautavaara9194]

This is the definition of steampunk: Deliberately making something that could have hypothetically existed decades earlier and looks cool as hell.

[@comradeurod9805]

It looks like somebody just yanked out a bunch of pipes or whatever and said "this is rifle now"

[@engineeredlifeform]

Looks like a weaponised Trombone : -)

[@manictiger]

Great for killing bloatflies and radroaches.

[@Redchrome1]

I saw this rifle on the rack when I was at the Cody Firearms Museum, and it took me several minutes of staring at it to figure out what it *was* in the first place. It looked more like some kind of archery-fishing equipment than a gun at first. I eventually figured out that it was a bizarre bullpup gun and how it worked, and wondered why I'd never heard of it before. Glad to see Ian and Jonathan are bringing it to light!

[@matthayward7889]

Redchrome1 you’d enjoy The Armourers Bench video on the gun!

[@braedenmetz888]

The crossover of two legends.

[@harbl99]

This firearm is a definite case of "I say Carruthers, you know what would be a good idea..." after a long night of port and opium in the drawing room. Those wacky mid-Victorians do it again.

[@inhumanfilth681]

Ill take brandy with my opium thanks.... Lol

[@shawnr771]

That might be the opium pipe.

[@mace8873]

I read that in the most English voice I can muster, and added in my head "Jolly good show old boy, and we should put a marvelous big lump o' brass and a bit o' fencing wire on it as well! Fancy a spot of cognac?"...

[@lordsithous4406]

I don't know.. I personally think that sounds like a good time in any century.. some port.. absinthe.. some opium.. and brainstorming... yup sounds like a good night to me.

[@TonyNewJersey1]

@@lordsithous4406 Damn straight it does!

[@thinktwicespeakonce482]

This is wonderfully weird. Love the oddball guns the most, since without this channel, probably wouldn't see them. It also helps that there aren't enough of them for me to entertain thoughts of adding them to my collection!

[@BestFleetAdmiral]

"We should say, actually, this is not the *first* bullpup..." Ian titling the video: "I'm gonna act like I didn't hear that"

[@rump438]

I would love to see someone build a replica of this to fire. I can't imagine what this would feel like to shoot.

[@KingJuJrdaMuffinMan]

I imagine you would need not only ear protection but full head gear

[@wesleygay8918]

Like shooting a trombone

[@andrewholdaway813]

Chamber next to your ear, magazine on your shoulder, leather strap shoulder stock, spent cases down the back of your neck, not a scrap of heat shielding anywhere and a trigger mechanism made of piano wire... it'll be fine.

[@Aspire198]

@@wesleygay8918 I think mythbusters did an episode on that ;)

[@wesleygay8918]

@@Aspire198 they did, results were underwhelming and deserve their own separate sad trombone

[@tobiashagstrom4168]

"What if I made a gun, but literally everything on the gun was weird?"

[@timogebhardt7815]

You would call it kraut space magic

[@jeffphillips1832]

I was wondering where my grandpa 's steam punk fishing rod went.

[@MrJob91]

yeah this thing looks like a folded fishing pole that belonged to your grandpa indeed

[@ivareskesner2019]

Looks more like some walking stick gun from a steampunk alternate reality.

[@harbl99]

When you get tired of waiting for the fish to bite...

[@danglam23]

@@harbl99 BOOM

[@RhinoRobM]

this ...thing. what was the sales pitch for it? "DO you like rifles but hate the useful ergonomics and ease of the typical guns? Then buddy do I have a contraption for you"

[@leoa4c]

The barrel is not too small.

[@manictiger]

@@leoa4c Please consult a doctor if the failure to feed lasts longer than 4 hours.

[@leoa4c]

@@manictiger I think that bullpups generally get a bad reputation because they haven't benefited from the same development efforts as their rivals. A well designed bullpup is far superior to conventional designs. The bad trigger problem still remains but I think that I found a solution to it. I cannot divulge in public since it is not patented yet. But if it works, we will see more nations adopting bullpups for their infantry.

[@manictiger]

@@leoa4c It was a Viagra joke.

[@Daddy_Lazar1067]

I have dreamed of finding the video of my two favorite individuals on this earth, I have completed my bucket list now

[@artemislogic5252]

i love how these two bounce off each other, you just know they'll really enjoy each others company because of how knowledgeable theyre each about guns

[@bengosling4606]

Two of the most knowledgeable weapons historians in one video excellent work guys 👍

[@oddball_the_blue]

At last! A truly forgotten weapon! (Found down the back of the museums sofa... )

[@mikemaki7192]

Oh come on that's just a pressure washer I have one in my shed.

[@bashitizingsmashmaster1155]

Great for blowing holes through the siding of your house

[@elgostine]

@@bashitizingsmashmaster1155 good for RENOVATING the siding of your house you mean?

[@MisterTingles]

I'm reminded of that very early Mythbusters episode, where they tried to project the slide of a trombone using explosives...

[@kupokinzyt]

[@blahorgaslisk7763]

I think it was the second time they revisited the myth that they managed to get some kind of result. The first time they did't dam the trombone and nothing happened. I don't remember what they tried the first time it was revisited the myth, but the last time they used a gel copy of a head with the lips pressed against the mouthpiece to dam that end and one of those inserts used to moderate the sound in the bell end and then the slide actually did shoot a rather respectable distance. It would probably still not have been deadly but it was definitely enough to have a conductor stumble back in chock.

[@tomfeng5645]

@@blahorgaslisk7763 They needed to *weld* the lips onto the mouthpiece Just placing the dummy up with the force a human could apply didn't work

[@chillmonkey6782]

I’m pretty sure this is the most forgotten weapon I’ve ever seen and I watch all your videos

[@baconsarny-geddon8298]

It looks like a part out of a water-heater, or maybe a high-pressure washer, or something to unblock drains. Definite "plumbing" vibes.

[@alexbuckenham1663]

Jonathan Ferguson is an absolute legend. I went to the Royal Armouries museum and asked where he was, he was in a secret location surrounded by guns lol

[@KenneMCL]

I wish for a Jonathan and Ian youtube channel.

[@Stevarooni]

[Ian]: Wears gloves for the protection of the firearms [Also Ian]: Strokes his beard periodically before handling the firearm.

[@GentlemansCombatives]

Ians beard oil preserves gun finishes

[@Stevarooni]

@@GentlemansCombatives if anyone is going to sweat cosmoline, it would be Ian. 😄

[@CrudeConduct666]

They're joking below above, but you actually make a really good point. The oils and dirt from human hair can't be the best for metal. Not that I'd normally worry but he is wearing gloves like you mentioned and counteracting that by stroking his beard

[@wesleygay8918]

I suspect there is more worry of fingerprints leaving smudges than minor corrosive residue a beard might cause.

[@Fuddleton]

Gloves are an archivalist trend from handling much more fragile items than guns. Yes it is best practice to use them, but assuming museum preservative wax is applied correctly, and being stored correctly, it's definitely overkill for a gun

[@Mugdorna]

Very cool "forgotten weapon" Also, mad as a bag of badgers!

[@kyalroebuck8265]

WE LOVE JONATHAN FERGUSON WE STAN HIM

[@RiderOftheNorth1968]

It is the bullpupest of them all!!! EDIT: No Mud test, i guess.....

[@SafetyProMalta]

Thought for a moment it was "Forgotten Fishing Rods" channel...🤣😂

[@henryrodgers7386]

The Rocket Fishing Rod, now powered by EXPLOSIVES!!! It'll be THE thing to get little Jimmy for his birthday!

[@ChuckNorrisIsNothing]

That‘s some whack alternate timeline bro.

[@Gottaculat]

Would have been more successful had he marketed it as the "TromBOOM!"

[@eternalapparatus2161]

These kinds of videos are the reason why Ian is a loved person.

[@charlesballiet7074]

3:04 should've called it a tromboner 66.

[@RobinRobertsesq]

Fascinating too, in a civil litigation sense to see someone making a patent model.

[@ScottKenny1978]

Happened occasionally back in the day, there's a video Ian did on a Colt 1895 to address a patent infringement claim by Maxim on gas operation. They installed a muzzle gas trap onto what is otherwise a stock 'potato digger' to prove that a gas port in the barrel was an obvious evolution. I don't know how often working models are used in modern patent cases.

[@eriadin]

This is the duo. Ian and Jonathan

[@M1N1MANG30]

This is the collaboration of my dreams

[@Alekontilt120]

The two gurus of KZbin firearm knowledge

[@matejmatej3554]

Now I'm smarter every day because of Ian. Greetings from sLOVEnia east europe we LOVE you Ian aka gun Jesus

[@oldscout7]

I can imagine that this is what Joerg Sprave of the Slingshot Channel would come up with for a firearm. A VERY thought-provoking design!

[@HistoricalWeapons]

this was a legendary duo

[@DonziGT230]

Ian, please suggest to the museum that they record the restoration and put it on KZbin.

[@honkabooly]

I remember once 2 gun enthusiasts not liking bullpups because it was 'Hard to get at the action' well there you go

[@xthetenth]

I love classic British designs like the Curtis 1866 and the Enfield 1917

[@rianrushwood1426]

Due to Curtis being long dead bad his patent expired, wouldn’t a licensed gunsmith be Able to fabricate a new version of this to see just how well it would work? Because I’m kinda tempted to “pay” for one of these to be made. I WOULD never MAKE ONE of these MYSELF.

[@xenonram]

You can legally make one yourself. As long as it is semi auto, barrel over 16", and OAL >26". (I'm not sure whether it would be classified as a pistol or rifle, since it technically doesn't have a stock.)

[@Aspire198]

Is there a gunsmith channel out there that we could gofundme a rooty tooty trombone shooty?

[@ScottKenny1978]

@@xenonram as long as he lives in the US. I would imagine the usual suspects in Europe would not be so relaxed about a random person making a firearm.

[@metalman6708]

I mean if you're a machinist you could make this thing. The hardest part would be the internals of the drum magazine. Still pretty doable though.

[@chrismiddleton398]

Fascinating! It's really great to see what is basically only someone's design thinking implemented in a real world model.

[@gustajuy5983]

This looks like a very deadly portable clothesline. I want one.

[@hancehanson4000]

*I'd bill it as the 'Curtis Tromboner'... it goes: "Bwuerrrt!-Bwuerrrt!-Bwuerrrt!" when it fires.

[@deanthomas3559]

I honestly love you show thank you so much for this content,knowledge, and time

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you , Ian and Jonathan .

[@Geordie_Boy01]

Now this is a crossover i didn’t expect

[@mrscary3105]

Love seeing 2 people I watch work together.

[@notimportant768]

Retroactively this is an amazing crossover.

[@christopherreed4723]

Way back in the distant past I had a copy of the original AD&D DM's guide. And in the spirit of one if the cartoons that graced it's pages... "Well, it's either a repeating rifle in B flat major, or a bullpup slide-action trombone. So far we're not sure which..."

[@redman0324]

The cody firearm museum is the best there is. They have every variation of Johnson just to name a few

[@Activated_Complex]

“Edgar finds his purpose.” - The Far Side

[@moconnell663]

@@a.hollins8691 in the box marked "miscellaneous"

[@Wolfhound_81]

Would be cool to have a video comparing the different modern bullpup designs, like the Chinese Type 95, French FAMAS and ofc the British SA-80.

[@brucebaxter6923]

This is the layout of a great assault weapon. Short enough to turn around indoors and trigger forwards to give good control one handed for opening doors etc.

[@ScottKenny1978]

Barrel is a bit long for that, I'd chop about 8-12" off the barrel and maybe 6" off the back to shorten it up for trench warfare. But yeah, this is very trippy.

[@brucebaxter6923]

Scott Kenny I meant put the p90 or m16 over the shoulder and trigger at the front.

[@ScottKenny1978]

@@brucebaxter6923 p90 is short enough you don't need to put it over the shoulder, but now I follow you.

[@berryreading4809]

Ah my favorite 19th century slide action musical instrument!

[@einefreunde]

Truly one of the most astonishing guns. Great video.

[@nerome619]

good lord what a contraption

[@willw1980]

"You can't make it more bullpup" Me: "don't ever underestimate the idea fairy"

[@nessington3006]

Thought that was a fishing rod in the thumbnail for a second lol.

[@kommandantgalileo]

the two legendary gun experts

[@sterkriger2572]

Oh my fucking god.... this is the best crossover I’ve ever saw

[@DeadBaron]

wow I thought it was just missing its stock and framework, but now they really wanted it to be used like this? Yikes

[@otakustarwars1757]

It doesn't even look like a gun it looks like a musical instrument I love it

[@keepleft]

I installed one of these under my kitchen sink last Saturday.

[@redhammer92]

woah thats cool. Jonathan seems like a super chill dude as well!

[@TheScoundrel70]

A slide action, straight pull, drum fed Brinchester Bullpup! This couldn't be more steampunk!

[@dareka9425]

They're right. If weren't for the video's title and their introduction I would certainly look at that contraption and asked: "What is this?"

[@AsbestosMuffins]

man this thing is just toolroom enough that someone ought to be able to make a working replica

[@martinswiney2192]

I like how Ian keeps referring to it as “this thing”.

[@tttrrroooyyy]

7:37 That's the shoulder thing that goes up! I've been wondering what that was.

[@therealfearsome]

it would be interesting to know how Winchester defended their Patents going forward

[@KaletheQuick]

Here we see the papa firearm historian teaching his British intern how to create a Forgotten Weapons video.

[@davidgillon2762]

6:50 "you think modern bullpups have crummy triggers because they have crummy connecting rods, well this has a literal piece of fine wire ..." 9:53 And that wire isn't even crimped or securely wrapped at the other end, there's just a couple of really loose turns around itself.

3:39 Yes, that is true. Pumping the cocking handle can make it all sticky.

[@oldmanr101]

WOW! Cheek weld directly to the barrel. Must be a true joy to fire.

[@allangibson8494]

Have a look at WW1 semi and full automatic rifles....

[@danielburgess7785]

Also has a patent for causing immediate hearing loss.

[@allangibson8494]

No reason it should be any worse than a standard rifle (particularly firing a pistol cartridge out of a four foot barrel). Finger loss is another question, given where the trigger is.

[@zJoriz]

McCollum and Ferguson -- a match made in heaven?

[@CatvsShark]

The artwork shown made me think about how this is just a lethal trombone

[@michaelrobbins6694]

I swear I've seen some early Shutzen firearms that had a forward trigger assembly yet a full length barrel. You fired while on your back.. not "self loading". But way back... Also.. think RPG in the mechanism.

[@markwallace1727]

That's got to be interesting to shoot. Chamber positioned nicely right next to the ear, with what I assume is a complete lack of hearing safety available at the time. Ear muffs don't look feasible. But I think I want one.

[@vaclav_fejt]

Now it hit me - Jonathan Ferguson looks like a younger Peter Capaldi.

[@loddude5706]

"Baldrick, we're skint . . . I want you to make me something so strange, even that twit Van Helsing would buy it."

[@himynamelscolin]

This crossover is a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.

[@widgren87]

Put a hose on the end of that and It'd look like a high-pressure washer handle or a flamethrower/wielding nozzle. I would never have believed that to be a gun if not for this video so, win?

[@mikeemmons1079]

It is for painting really tall trucks.

[@justinbelshe]

I think it's beautiful sculpture.

[@philbosworth3789]

Great information as always. Good luck Jonathan with your book. You ought to start your own channel, not to compete with Ian or whoever, but to compliment them. The more informed information that is available, the better it is for all us out here.