Did these experimental bullpups see action? The EM-2 with firearms expert, Jonathan Ferguson

Catch Jonathan in his element as he discusses one of his much favourite and most researched weapons, the EM-2. These are no ordinary variants however, with both weapons being shipped out for 'in-country' testing in the 1950s.
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[@SaturnianDragon]

Find someone who loves you the way Jonathan loves the EM-2

[@jasoncornell1579]

Fun fact Mr Treacher (green treachcoat old guy with a lever action shotgun) from Hot Fuzz was deafened testing the EM2 so could've been the guy who had the accident mentioned

[@PLAYINGAROUND]

Interesting!

[@jonathanferguson1211]

Whaaaaaat???! That's incredible. Where did you come across that? I've just found the British Library's oral history recording of him so will give that a listen. I LOVE Hot Fuzz. edit - the timeline (1956) *just* works for EM2, specifically very late trials of the X2E1 (so 7.62x51). The other possibility is the SLR, of course. Neither is any more likely to deafen you than a Lee-Enfield, so I suspect it was more to do with setting and lack of health and safety/PPE.

[@jasoncornell1579]

@@jonathanferguson1211 for the Greater Good!😁

[@jasoncornell1579]

@@jonathanferguson1211 heard it in the commentary on the DVD

[@rjfaber1991]

@@jasoncornell1579 _[responds in West Country accent]_ The greater good.

[@patricktracey7424]

i was issued with an em2 bullpup for trials when serving with 40 commando royal marines in 1973, when the marines were thinking of getting rid of the superb unbreakable hard hitting slr, i liked it if memory serves it was 4.85 calibre. after 6 months and a glowing report it was taken from me and i never saw one again.

[@Kav.]

That wasn't an EM-2, it would have been one of the XL64 series which fired 4.85 as you say

[@quattroconcept4]

What a freaking beautiful rifle

[@nicholasperry2380]

My recently deceased father had some experience with the EM-2 (and was bitter about it not being adopted). He was adamant that the 20 round magazine was right as anything longer would make it unwieldy and the Sten had magazine issues of it's own, with the limited clearance in the prone position it could be no more than 'that looks like a Sten magazine and they're trouble so no thanks'. He carried on target shooting until just before his death and had his own 100yd rifle range. Fascinating episode. The provisional handbook is worth a read too.

[@therover65]

I’m from Singapore, so it is really interesting to learn that these rifles were here for a short period. Our military has been using the locally created bullpup SAR 21 for close to 2 decades now. It has a Kevlar plate to protect the shooter in case of a chamber explosion.

[@WanderlustZero]

I love that weapon. Looks like the SA80's more successful brother

[@FEDsShotMOM]

i was recently over there as part of my service and i was very surprised to find that Singapore was using a domestic modern weapon instead of relying on anyone to import one. especially that i had never heard of it despite considering myself quite a gun nut

[@therover65]

@@FEDsShotMOM both the Sar-21 and Ultimax 100 are all over the internet and even in Forgotten Weapon. Cheers

[@clumsygarage1578]

I had never heard of it. Looks like a prop from a 90s/2000s sci fi movie.

[@taff1538]

Damn, that short barreled version, is a good looking carbine. Just take a look at the steel and the wood, it really shines out, as a well built, solid bit of kit. Such an iconic rifle, so sad we missed out on this one.

[@berzerkinglemur6534]

And the worst thing is that this carbine could still be in service today. Admittedly, in the next, modernized version, but still.

[@mtf-alpha-1]

@@berzerkinglemur6534 I wonder what a modernized version would be like..

[@Kav.]

The carbine also balances fantastically, it's a superbly comfy gun to hold

[@zaqzilla1]

I think they were on the right track with the EM-2. Well over half a century later many countries have basically come around to the same type of rifle.

[@gage9171]

Please Jonathan, don't change. I loved how you shamelessly "plugged" your own book. I plan on getting it just because of your enthusiasm and dedication to your subject. Your charm is exquisite

[@tommeakin1732]

That short barrelled version looks unreasonably good. *And* it gets the name Bulldog...? The timeline where this was fully adopted truly was a better timeline

[@edward6490]

I see Jonathan with a EM2 and I immediately smash my phone to watch and then another huge fat smash on the like button 🤟 thanks Royal Armouries

[@wilsonlaidlaw]

How ironic is it that the US is now transitioning to 6.8SPC, a very similar round to the .280 (7mm) round of the EM-2, some 70 years earlier.

[@jonprince3237]

I don't know if that's ironic or just the U.S. consistently dismissing anything they haven't thought of until they think of it, then claiming it as the best option. Wasn't it Churchill who's attributed as saying something along the lines that you can always count on the Americans to do the right thing, once they've exhausted all other options?

[@berzerkinglemur6534]

Some say it is a very long way from 7.62 to 7.62 ;-)

[@warmonger12z]

@@jonprince3237 sounds like something Churchill would come out with ...

[@danghostman2814]

USA : We're making a new standardized round, everyone. Put in your suggestions. Everyone else: stuff Brits : .280? USA : So, I decided that only my ideas count. It'll be 7.62, because that was my best one. NATO : Hmm. That's large. USA : It's fine. Years later. USA : Hey guys. I've figured out something about infantry rifles. It's a cool discovery, you won't believe it. NATO : ? USA : Should be using smaller bullets. NATO : ... Brits : ... 5.85? USA : Nah, 5.56 is mine. Years later, again... USA : Guys. New bullet research, just in. NATO : Yeah? USA : Should be slightly larger rounds than 5.56. NATO : *suppressed screaming* USA : I'm thinking... NATO : *dead eyed* USA : 6.8. Brits : That's... Almost a .280. USA : Huh. Yeah, I guess? That's a random thing to bring up, though. What's up? Brits : Nothing. Nothing at all.

[@kiwigrunt330]

They are not. The 6.8×51mm Common Cartridge, (designated as the .277 SIG Fury by the SAAMI) is nothing like the 6.8SPC. The SPC (along with the 6.5 Grendel) was an attempt to get more bang out of an AR15 platform. The 6.8x51 is similar in size to the 7.62x51 Nato round, but with much higher chamber pressure.

[@EnglishKiwi]

Ah the EM2, the most beautiful rifle that never quite was! Its seems to always be the way with the MOD to develop an exception piece of kit and then have the government kill it, see TSR2 as another prime example! I've got your book and thoroughly enjoyed it, if my profile pic/channel doesn't give it away I too am a fan of British bullpups! I would love to get my copy signed by you at some point :)

[@jonathanferguson1211]

Thank you!

[@alangordon3283]

The yeeha septics killed them off

[@minisforerbody]

I’d love to see you do a video about all of the faffing and political intrigue around the SA80 program and how it was rushed to make BAe a more saleable prospect when everything was being privatised (possibly for the best in this case retrospectively)

[@jonathanferguson1211]

@@minisforerbody There's a lot more to it than the politics of privatisation, hence devoting three book chapters to the various factors. The three YT series I'm involved with are all quite specific but I can probably work something into one of them at some point :)

[@minisforerbody]

@@jonathanferguson1211 I admit that I haven’t reached that part of your book yet 😅 if I could take it to work it’d be finished but I’m petrified of getting any mark on it because it’s so pretty!

[@ShortT-RexLikeArms]

Just checked the model on World of Guns, seeing certain blue book in one of the in-game picture was a great touch.

[@jarvy251]

I hear a lot of americans talk about the danger of a breech explosion in bullpups, but bullpups are typically built very sturdily in that area in anticipation of that. One anecdote from here in Canada was from a guy who hadn't even realized his bullpup rifle (a Type97 in this case) had suffered a catastrophic malfunction (faulty reloaded cartridges) until he examined the bolt.

[@Azguella]

Real question is how much did Jonathan smile before and after this video where he got to talk about bullpups?

[@GRIZZLYSGEAR]

As a firearm deprived Aussie, I appreciate you and the other guys who let me get my fix of information on the history of firearms, demonstration of firearms and just all round fun. I have learned so much from you and Ian, and I would have never been able to see any of this stuff because of the firearms restrictions in my country. Thank you, and keep the history flowing...

[@Harkness197]

I absolutely love the look of rifle 11, it is so retro sci-fi looking!

[@jakesolver4359]

Man this would look even better with a ring light and a 4K camera!

[@jonathanferguson1211]

The team are working on it. We have come a long way from the days of me waving a gun at a webcam though :)

[@howardchambers9679]

@@jonathanferguson1211 B & M are selling ring lights for a tenner. In case you're passing the store on your way to work tomorrow

[@jonathanferguson1211]

@@howardchambers9679 Ironically my wife bought me one to use at home, so I've donated it to the Armouries :D

[@ianh2950]

*salutes*

[@jeffturnbull9661]

OK, I've got...$36.00 on me, it's all yours, all you have to do is leave this rifle outside the back door when you go home, $36.00, all yours...

[@FelixstoweFoamForge]

Isn't it ironic? The Americans are refusing to compromise on cartridges, insisting on full power. 15 years later and they're using the reduced-caliber M16 in South-East- Asia. Best rifle the Brits never got to use......

[@derekp2674]

...and then look what they are now planning to adopt kzbin.info/www/bejne/noCXen6ueqiBsKs

[@Onyx_Imperium]

And we (Americans) seem to be at it again with this new XM5 rifle firing 6.8 which essentially makes it a Battle Rifle.

[@rjfaber1991]

@@Onyx_Imperium Man used the term 'battle rifle' underneath a Jonathan Ferguson video... 😬

[@Onyx_Imperium]

@@rjfaber1991 I like the term Battle Rifle. Will stand behind that. There needs to be some term in place to differentiate between an intermediate cartridge "Assault" Rifle and full power cartridge "Battle" Rifle. I know Jonathan doesn't agree though...

[@rjfaber1991]

​@@Onyx_Imperium I agree that there's a use for having separate terminology, but I also agree with Jonathan that the term 'battle rifle' is so vague and ambiguous as to be meaningless. I know 'assault rifle' isn't perfectly clear either, but at least you can trace that back to the German 'sturmgewehr' and the _Sturm_ tactics that it was originally used for, which of course have been quite influential on post-WW2 military thinking, hence why 'assault rifle' still makes quite a bit of sense.

[@Manco65]

Thank you Sir. The issuing of the EM-2 in small amounts during the Malayan Emergency was unknown to me. Even though, in what seems like another life, I was a student of communist insurgencies for professional and personal reasons.

[@user-vv6sy2ox4q]

That was fascinating, I never knew about the 6.25mm.

[@firsteerr]

i remember when presented with my replacement SA80 for my SLR i thought "this is like an allegro , good idea committee built from poor parts by disinterested staff = shit i would have LOVED an EM2 the rover P6 of combat rifles ,well built reliable powerful and comfortable

[@ste887]

I'm currently working on a airsoft replica of the EM2 (winter trigger guard optional) for our postwar - cold war airsoft team. have a feeling it's really going to irritate the stitch counters. but we don't do reenactment we just do it for fun.

[@Kav.]

Huh, I'm doing the same thing currently. How are you manufacturing yours? I know of a few other people making replicas in various ways. Mine is 3D printed. Currently working on the mounting for a P* Jack

[@fuckinantipope5511]

I wish there was a mass produced EM-2 airsoft. I would pay good money for one. Maybe North East, after their UZI and FAMAS can look into that. They make the best, more niche, GBB airsofts

[@derekp2674]

Thanks Jonathan and team, it was really interesting to see those on video and to learn the details of their history. I don't suppose we know whether or not the 'breach explosion' left a bullet stuck in the bore but I can easily imagine that happening if the energy of the propellant gases was vented via the breach opening into the action.

[@stanislavczebinski994]

I'm not a gun expert - but force always uses the easiest path, and that would be the open breach in this case. If it got stuck indeed it was a quick fix. I can't imagine it sat deep inside.

[@andymoody8363]

Great video, I love the level of detail and historical scholarship. Thanks for sharing with us.

[@stanislavczebinski994]

Jonathan, using your book as a door stop would be a sacrilege!! Speaking of which: The book I use as door stop has a cross on top....

[@felixmervamee7834]

The drawbacks of the bullpup you mention here and there are quite interesting: namely the concern of having the action so close to your face, and the lesser length allowed between the two iron sights. Would you say that those two aspects plus the "added complexity" of the trigger mechanism explains why bullpups weren't more common?

[@Ensign_Cthulhu]

I saw one of these in the Smallarms Museum at Lithgow, NSW, Australia in the early 2000s. I desperately wished I could have held it, but I know there's no way the curators would have said yes. I'd give my eye teeth to be able to shoot or own one, but I think my dentist has those already.

[@jimbobhk2009]

I love how he corrected himself when he was about to say SUSAT.

[@ianh2950]

Fantastic video as always I'd love to see a dedicated video on cartridge development history. The rifle looks really cool too. Imagine how much better it would look with a 4k camera and a ring light!

[@nigelbarker8726]

I think the Royal Armouries do that on purpose so that you might get fed up and visit in person.

[@PLAYINGAROUND]

We should have gone the EM2 route. Once fully sorted it would have been 25 years ahead, perhaps in 5.56 though. As for your book Jonathan, it's excellent, and I've almost finished it. In fact your book got me thinking about bullpups and I bought an air rifle in the configuration.

[@indigohammer5732]

It would have been impossible to mass produce, and the .280/30 cartridge was pretty shabby. The recoil of the few EM2's chambered for 7.62 NATO is pretty fierce and difficult to control.

[@PLAYINGAROUND]

@@indigohammer5732 yes, 7.62 would have been a no no, but 15 years later the Yanks changed their mind on a smaller cartridge. With hindsight and a certain book I still think the EM2 would have been the way to go, but perhaps not in the same guise as we see here.

[@indigohammer5732]

@@PLAYINGAROUND The XL65 series of experimental rifles in 4.85mm showed promise, but again, the cartridge was a dead end placeholder.

[@Reupload-Kanal-Von-Lukas-Heil]

The 5.5mm round didn’t exist when the gun was designed

[@PLAYINGAROUND]

@@Reupload-Kanal-Von-Lukas-Heil no, but all this is with hindsight.

[@ghostwriter1415]

I once knew this couple that had a British Bulldog. They wanted to mate him with a BB female, but he was ready! The couple's neighbors had a Golden Lab, and she was in heat, so they had to keep the two dogs apart. One day the two dog's met in the middle of the houses, and it was Dogfest 96. The Golden Lab had ten teet's, but she wound up giving birth to fifteen Experimental Bullpups.

[@bramster-b9v]

the shortened carabiner version looks beautiful.

[@johnny242001]

All of Jonathan’s bull pup books have sold out from both sources ☹️

[@jonathanferguson1211]

I had a feeling that might happen, sorry :(

[@CBadger]

I'm surprised the museum managed to convince Jonathan to make a video about this rifle. He doesn't mention it all that much...

[@F1ghteR41]

I never thought that I would see the topic of EM-2 revisited by Jonathan, but I guess it speaks to his passion about the subject at hand. 6:40 I don't get the reasoning here. For a right-handed user the outside with all the shrubs & such like would be to the right, while the shield here is to the left. Isn't it against the contact with the webbing? 8:25 So, the British bullpup bayonet madness has a long history, I see. 14:35 Thanks for the sight picture, greatly appreciated! 16:08 Some older ELCAN SpecterDS models in the US service were reportedly prone to foggying, but those were switch-magnification ones, while the British have the fixed magnification OS4x as the LDS. 17:41 Ah, so that might also be the explanation for the position of a magazine catch protector. 18:23 If the EM-2s were fielded as machine carbines, would't it follow that the troops trusted with them would perhaps be more familiar with STENs and BRENs? STEN magazines in particular do not strike me as being all that robust. 19:14 Wouldn't a bullpup with a longer magazine simply be more unwieldy due to snagging to the gear? 21:58 I just can't. 😀 Is it 6 mm SAW (6×45) or something else? 24:11 I might have missed it in Dr. Matthew Ford's work, but isn't it the case that the pressure for NATO cartridge unification was by then firmly established and no US intervention was needed? In fact, the 5.56 round that ended up being adopted was the Belgian SS109, not the US XM777 or whatever. 24:27 A further deliberation - perhaps, a 'What is this cartridge' video - on the topic of relative benefits of 4.85 and 5.56 would be very welcome!

[@jonathanferguson1211]

That's a good point - that was the main issue with SA80 and its mag catch, so that would certainly have been a factor - probably the main one considering only a proportion of fighting is done in jungle/brush/forest. However, the shape of the catch keeps a branch or twig away from the catch quite effectively from either side - it would have to come in at quite the angle to negate it.

[@F1ghteR41]

@@jonathanferguson1211 Oh, thanks for the reply! If I may bother you with a related question, is there a body of research on how one should design magazine catches to avoid twigs catching on them? It seems to me that the few departures from the established shapes among the modern guns are designed for use by the trained professionals who either would mind the issue (AS & VSS, possibly XM8) or wouldn't encounter much of that at all (OTs-02).

[@jonathanferguson1211]

@@F1ghteR41 Not that I know of - everyone seems to just reinvent the wheel each time. I found very little on firearm ergonomics when I researched the bullpup for my book. Maybe two academic articles? Precious little in any military trials. They're all very reactive - if they find a feature defective they complain and it's addressed (or not!).

[@F1ghteR41]

@@jonathanferguson1211 Ah, I see, thanks. From time to time I see some publications in Russian describing various research projects undertaken during the Soviet times in that regard, and they generally seem to fit into your model of being ad-hoc, despite the field of ergonomics itself being highly praised at that time. Some general principles might've been established (certainly if we extend the definition ot the sighting systems) and followed, but I'm not privy to the body of work that formulated them.

[@Moondog66602]

I will watch any em2 videos, especially from the expert

[@thetruthseeker5549]

Looking At The afore mentioned book sitting on My lap, I very ighly recommend it to anyone wanting to understand and enjoy learning more details about this type of rifle.

[@patrickvennard838]

I have your book from launch I love the history of the EM1 and 2 great videos.

[@FungiFromYuggoth]

The backwards scope cover was driving me insane!

[@lancemurdoc6744]

Considering the history of firearms in the UK and the fact that the SA 80 made it into service, I would assume they could not adopt the EM2 because this beautiful rifle was not "British" enough.

[@howardmaryon]

There was a “future tech” show on the BBC called “Tomorrow’s World”. I remember seeing something similar to the EM being demonstrated as “the British Army’s new rifle”. To demonstrate its awesome power, they set up a few paving stones on edge, and a soldier proceeded to knock them over by shooting them at close range. Deeply underwhelming.

[@MangoghTV]

This is perfect timing for a new video

[@parallel-knight]

God damn I wish we adopted that rifle. Such a dope looking firearm, looks so much nicer than the SA80, even if it was like few guys in a squad had it and the rest had L1A1’s. That mags just looks really cool as well. Also how did they loose some of those ideas/features and looks of that when making the SA80???

[@stevethomas5849]

Back In the 80s I remember a Gun magazine ( Newspaper not to confused with magazine for ammunition.) seeing both EM2 and what was described as the IW Individual Weapon in 4.85mm. I am assuming that this was prior to the SA80

[@Ensign_Cthulhu]

The 4.85mm IW was basically the prototype of the SA80

[@dude126]

Would loved to have used the EM2, but would have missed out on using the SLR.

[@WestSideGorilla1980]

Nicely done. Great historical rifles. Do I have an aversion to bullpups as an American? Yes. But I can appreciate a working prototype that does what it was meant to.

[@TheSpookiestSkeleton]

I mean if you're so scared of a breach explosion, just put a shield over it to do your cheek weld to so if it DOES explode and produce shrapnel, it gets mostly if not entirely caught before it reaches your face.

[@TheWarmotor]

This thing is a beast in H3VR, with the exception of the terrible optic and the terrible irons.

[@66kbm]

Great info, thanks.

[@cosmo9882]

Awesome,thank you 👍😎👍

[@stevefriswell5422]

Very interesting,thanks.

[@stephenhester9804]

I'd suspect the 30 round mag would have been awkward if you were Shooting from a prone position.

[@jonathanferguson1211]

Definitely.

[@Derecq]

Mag resting, e using the magazine for support when shooting prone was against the orthodoxy of the time in the 1950's. It was believed that resting the mag on the ground when shooting would cause the rifle to jam, some shooters still think the same but it doesn't. These days mag resting with a 30 rd mag is acceptable to provide support when shooting in the prone position if you don't have bipod/monopod

[@stephenhester9804]

@@Derecq I was thinking more about how far it would protrude below the Rifle, I had visions if it forcing the User to dig a little hole so the Rifle could be level.

[@jonathanferguson1211]

@@Derecq Yes, our armourer still laments the allowance of mag resting :D

[@flatmoon6359]

Tried fitting an 30 round mag on to an SLR,off an LMG,and going prone position decades ago.It did get in the way, in that position,and was awkward generally.

[@tyrelliuslogellus6253]

Churchill: _"We have to enter WW2 to save Poland's sovereignty!"_ [WW2 ends and Britain has been bankrupted never to recover] Churchill: _"Lets just give Poland to the Soviet Union."_ Churchill: _"Lets cancel this epic new pioneering rifle we have."_

[@shadowjack239]

JF: "So not adopting it was likely a good call..." EM2 Enjoyers: "It's treason, then."

[@berzerkinglemur6534]

Fascinating, thank you :-)

[@JohnHughesChampigny]

We don't have to check the book out because we've read it from cover to cover multiple times.

[@Lord.Kiltridge]

Speaking as someone who had to carry the Canadian FN C1A1 and C2A1, I believe Britain should have gone it's own way and the Commonwealth nations at a minimum, should have adopted it. Yes, it needed further development first, but history has proven that the Brits were absolutely correct in that an intermediate round should have been adopted.

[@jonathanferguson1211]

100% agree on the round, and the rifle, or a derivative of it, could certainly have been made to work. However, based on the 100 or so rounds I've put through a 7.62 EM2, I'd say you might change your mind if you'd had to carry it as it was in 1953 :)

[@LatinFR]

Very good video as usual i hope you will talk about France (my native country) sometime. Thk for the quality of the videos.

[@ardshielcomplex8917]

Australian Army Major Badcoe VC (Posthumous) AATTV carried one during his service in Vietnam.

[@Gurtington]

Ive never seen a bull pup with wooden funiture. I just assumed no one thougght of it until super recently. Wooden and metal guns just look sooo much better.

[@Flaming_Donkey]

Could you guys do a video on the stoner 63(a)?

[@paulkelk5142]

i liked using the EM-2 in C.O.D. Black Ops Cold War and Warzone

[@jeffprice6421]

THat inspires a great motto "Bullpups, your not deadare you!"

[@atemoc]

Hi, I just wanted to point out that the audio is not quite right, and most of the audio is coming out of the left channel and not equally on both. Otherwise, onto watching the rest of the video!

[@massivive]

aaargh I can't un-notice that now that you've pointed it out!!

[@jonathanferguson1211]

Ah, nuts. I get to review the edits, but unfortunately I only have one earphone at the moment so wouldn't have noticed!

[@atemoc]

@@jonathanferguson1211 That's alright, it's not that bad too, nothing that would prevent us from watching!

[@F1ghteR41]

@@jonathanferguson1211 I second that, watching the video with one earphone only no issue could be spotted.

[@raystewart6524]

I remember some trials in the mid/late 70s on a weapon with a 7mm calibre??...this was carried out in Hammelburg Germany..the weapon had bakelite type furniture..lovely weapon to shoot..reasonably robust..I was there for 3 months trialling this weapon... Is there alink for your book please

[@SARSMES]

I hate to try to correct an undoubted expert, but A3s are used with the Elcan LDS in jungle environments. I have never seen the A3s used with irons (outside of maybe some of the very original trials weapons)

[@flipeverything266]

Forget the marvel cinematic universe I wanna see the forgotten weapons cinematic universe. One where all the cancelled guns get a shot in a conflict.

[@phazonlord0098]

I hate how steampunk games will come out with the most horrific excuses for an assault rifle, when this absolute beauty have an effortless steampunk aesthetic to it.

[@Jorvaskrr]

I would say it's more dieselpunk. Fallout London has it in-game, so there's that.

[@indigohammer5732]

I saw a 7.62 NATO EM2 for sale in U.K Magazine "Guns Review" around 1985-86. The price? £6000!!!

[@paulgray5513]

Ended up in an american collection i believe its the one Ian on forgotten weapons can be seen test firing

[@norwegianwiking]

Saw two listed in the auction catalog when Steyr sold of their reference collection ~15-20 years ago.

[@indigohammer5732]

@Royalamouries Go and play with the Buses

[@Kav.]

@@paulgray5513 there is only one I know of in the USA which was supposedly brought over by Janson himself when he moved there. It's the one at the Cody firearms centre. There is a privately held EM-2 in the UK belonging to a movie armourer. That's the only one I know of, I'm actually unsure about the one Ian shot in his first ever EM-2 video, I was under the impression it was at a private collection in Canada but I could be wrong. I can't remember the source for it.

[@GARDENER42]

I think the greatest loss which came about through US intransigence & backwards thinking was the .280 British cartridge, as demonstrated by the continuing emergence of new 6-7mm cartridges, all designed to be capable of use in the M16 & its variants. Having said that, I'd give a small fortune for an EM2...

[@Ensign_Cthulhu]

And having similar ballistics, too.

[@davzinzan]

Can you do a video on that US 6mm round some time please?

[@Sam-lr9oi]

I imagine Jonathan could have done an hour on this rifle

[@PigParts]

Please switch the lights on

[@hvymax]

A lighter background would contrast nicely with the firearms. It's hard to distinguish much on my phone.

[@Woodie-xq1ew]

On the magazine question, if the soldiers had already voiced their concerns about the strength of the magazines then I’m sure they would have understood that making them longer wouldn’t have improved their strength

[@mickvonbornemann3824]

I think the Arisaka round of 6.5x50mm would be a good size for these rifles

[@bgsam8109]

Great video

[@alistairgibbons7342]

Jonathan black eats light... if you put a white cloth on the table it will be easier to see and you will be lit better... great interesting stuff and I'll have a look at you book... cheers A

[@jonathanferguson1211]

I believe we're planning to try that out next time.

[@alistairgibbons7342]

@@jonathanferguson1211 great... wasn't being a smart Alec it is just my background... having the racks in the back in darkness while not being able to completely ID each gun makes for a very interesting atmos... have a good weekend

[@jonathanferguson1211]

@@alistairgibbons7342 Thanks Alistair, you too!

[@thomaseley8386]

If Mr Treacher (green treachcoat old guy with a lever action shotgun) is still alive why not contact him and show him pictures either of the rifles or the actual rifles and get his peronal history.

[@gsxrjeff]

nice one

[@calvintrouy2672]

Honestly such a beautiful gun. I know there are logical reasons it didn't go into full use, but man... Such a shame. Easily could have won the world over with its sense of style!

[@paulbantick8266]

It was politics plus some 'we know better' US insistence. The US demanded a 30.06 (7.62MM) standardisation of the West's military firearms. Britain in so many words were told to go away and make something in 7.62mm So she tried converting the EM2 but it wasn't the same weapon any more so they adopted the L1A1 (licenced built 7.62mm FN FAL) But then, when the West had smoothly adopted the new cartridge for their small arms, the US decided to drop it and go with the 5.56mm. But by the time that had happened it had come too late for the EM2 as the British army were equipped entirely with the L1A1 (SLR) and would go on to adopt the controversial 5.56mm L85A1. (a weapon that I used heavily for 10 years with no major issues at all)

[@han5vk]

Beautiful?! It's ugly as sin.

[@pmgn8444]

Nice presentation as always. Some of the video is a little dark. Would a ring light and a 4K camera help?

[@megaben99]

Can this rifle also use .303 british?

[@DrVictorVasconcelos]

It's not that subjective, that's just how psychophysics work. It's gonna be a hell of a lot easier to have your eyes immediately focus on the other end of the lens with that sort of contrast. There are actually TVs that do the opposite so you DON'T notice details in the screen.

[@lokischildren8714]

I'm a Great fan of the em2

[@EndArixx]

They finally let him interview his baby!

[@rikuurufu5534]

"Comments have been largely conspicuous by their absence. This is regarded as a favorable sign." in other words, "No news is good news"

[@hendriktonisson2915]

Can the EM-2 be aimed and fired from the left shoulder?

[@indigohammer5732]

Yes.....only once though.

[@Reupload-Kanal-Von-Lukas-Heil]

It can’t

[@jonathanferguson1211]

No, but neither could the Lee-Enfield or Bren - or at least, not effectively for the average soldier, so it simply wasn't permitted. The soldiers going from these to the EM2 would not have had a problem in that respect.

[@hendriktonisson2915]

@@jonathanferguson1211 I see. Thank You for your answer. I can only see problems in urban combat house to house room to room fighting as soldiers would not be able to properly aim and fire the EM from behind right-hand covers and corners.

[@jonathanferguson1211]

@@hendriktonisson2915 At the time, they would - such fire was given from the 'assault position' i.e. the hip. You wouldn't clear a room with the rifle in the shoulder as you would today.

[@arthurlivesley]

Is the sight on backwards on no. 11? I notice the two rifles seem to have them on opposite ways round ...don't mind me, I just got to that bit of the video

[@yellowprime8491]

As a citizen of the USA, I recognize our country made a lot of mistakes. As a firearms enthusiast, killing the .280 / EM-2 in lieu of the 7.62s one of the big ones.

[@Shadow_Hawk_Streaming]

sounds to me more like they treated the reversed sight like an Ocluded eye gunsight

[@randyhavard6084]

I'm sure it would have been a lot worse if the the bolt was actually locked when it had the explosion. I used to make firecrackers out of old rifle cases, refill them with some pistol powder, stick a fuse in it and crimp over the end and a case of rupture and we would have a laugh but that's nothing like the pressures that it gets up to in a locked breach.

[@hungryweebsg]

Johnathan Ferguson's favourite

[@Valkanna.Nublet]

One "what if" that I would love to have happened is "what if they'd overhauled the EM-2 to adapt it to the newly adopted NATO round?"

[@MzLunaCee]

They tried it. Didn't work. Look on Forgotten Weapons to see it.

[@Valkanna.Nublet]

@@MzLunaCee Oh, I must've missed that vid. Thanks, I'll check it out :)

[@MzLunaCee]

No worries. Interesting history and shame it never made full issue weapon. @@Valkanna.Nublet

[@kerrypitt9789]

There is more than the danger of an explosion, there would also be danger of gunpowder spraying back into your face unless you had shooting glasses. Just from past experience it could be an issue.

[@azkrouzreimertz9784]

Some one with way to much time and money needs to make a modern EM 2. imagine how hard you would operate with that automatic bolt close.

[@j.robertsergertson4513]

I don't know why but I really like the EM-2 ?

[@MervynPartin]

Although the EM2 development ended with the forced adoption of the 7.62mm NATO round (.308 Win), I wonder if the design had been resurrected to take the 5.56mm NATO round (.223 Rem) would it have proved better than the SA80? This video was a surprise because I did not realise that the EM2 had actually been trialled in service. Perhaps a proven weapon might have been a better option than the SA80, which became a nice little earner for H & K.