Great overview. I grew up in Springfield and my grandparents, met, married, and both worked at the armory until the day it closed (part of that last 100 you mentioned)

Always thought it was ballsy for the current company to claim "since 1794" on their logo.

I’ve been to the Springfield Armory in MA, it’s an amazing museum that I highly recommend anyone going. Aside from the cool experimental stuff they had (an WWI M1903 with a Suppressor), they also have a manufacturing section that shows how things like the rear sight of an M1 was made. It kinda sucks that Massachusetts isn’t much of a gun centric state anymore, because it’s really the birthplace of American small arms.

Interesting video. Hopefully you can do one on SIG / JP Sauer / SIG Sauer some time.

Eisenhower warned us about the MIC in his farewell address, and then the very next administration shuts down the only national armory and makes the DoD entirely reliant on the MIC. Pottery.

I'm from Springfield, Sixteen Acres specifically. It's cool someone did a piece about the history of the armory, but what you should really do if you visit is get your self some Friendly's ice-cream. They have a factory/restaurant in Wilbraham with great flavors.

Do Armalite! I feel like that is one company that causes a LOT of confusion today with how ubiquitous the AR-15 is today.

I can't express to you enough how much I enjoy this type of video looking into the history and process of the business that is firearms. I'm soo excited to see whatever you wild and crazy guys comes up with next. :D Thanks F.W. crew!

Good video.The Springfield Armory firearms company, as of February 2018, continues to display "Since 1794" on its logo on its web page (it's at the bottom in the small logo). This is simply a way to (mis)appropriate any goodwill associated with the original, government armory at Springfield, Mass. I'm a little galled still by the use of the Armory's name in this way - I'm originally from New England and that area of the country produced excellent firearms for many years. I happen to think there is still a place for a government/national arms development center in the form of something like what Springfield Armory used to be. It need not be the sole producer or developer, but it certainly could be a viable alternative to relying solely on commercial contractors for arms development. I'm glad that at least a nice museum exists at the old Armory. I grew up about a 45 minute car ride southwest of Springfield and haven't been there in a long time. I should go back and visit the Park Service museum on the site.

Ian you're a great youtuber. One of the best. So much content! I look forward to your videos every day man. Dont stop!

Thanks! This is actually one I knew about already, but since the Colt video, I've been looking forward to more like it. Glad to hear you've got some in the works!

Great video! I love these shorts on the different companies and manufacturers. Thanks!

Really great videos, hope you make more of them Ian!!!

Great history lesson.., spot on accuracy... I actually live in Springfield Massachusetts and have visited the armory many times.... there is currently a junior college Springfield technical community college also on that site as well as a regional law-enforcement training academy... very historic and great place to visit...

Growing up in Amherst, MA our neighbor was a gauge maker at the armory. He was a brilliant man. When the Armory closed he went to work at Sturm Ruger until he retired. Now the Armory is a wonderful museum to visit.

Great video! I’d love to see more videos on the history of American arms production. Maybe a video on the history of the Picatinny Arsenal?

Sweet, can't wait for more videos like this. Keep up the awesome work Ian!

Excellent video! I live in Geneseo, Il the home of the current Springfield Armory Inc. and own a variety of their firearms. They are still well made as was my M1 Garand. Keep up they great videos!

Ahhh... McNamara, always the man with a plan who then lost Vietnam

I always Learn something new when I watch you great Channel/Shows Thx

This is fantastic. The subject matter is great. But even greater is this type and style of video. Very, very well done. As a history buff and gun enthusiast I'm very much looking forward to more. Thanks.

These are my favorite type of video's you do. You would have made a fine history teacher.

I love this one along w the Colt video you made. Very informative and interesting

Great vid. Couple notes, the museum has an original stock duplicating lathe. Ana as a life long mass hole Springfield is western MA.

Your presentations are excellent. I enjoy all of your videos. Thank you.

Always enjoy your videos. You are very knowledgeable and have excellent presentation skills.

Thank you for this interesting video, Ian! As an American Studies student, I always find it fascinating to get an insight into the US' military history.

Thank you for this video Ian! Love this type of content.

@ Ian: about John Garrand working on his M1 rifle while still a Springfield engineer, I would love a video comparing the M1 Garrand and the RSC Mle 1917/18, explaining in detail the similarities and improvements between the two designs. Two well known rifles, but a forgotten story in between ;) Keep the good stuff coming!

LOVE this series! Looking forward to more.

Very cool video. I would love to learn about the history of the Remington Arms Company.

Fantastic vid Ian, thanks as always !!

Great presentation, Ian.- Love story of guns, but I love more the History behind them. As allways, You're the best.

Glad you introduced Elmer Balance. He is generally thought of as the greatest living manual machinist in America. I think that's probably right. I have visited his factory in Devine Texas a couple of times, and he IS quite a character. He knows more about M1s and 1911s than anyone ever except John Garrand and John Moses Browning. He and a guy named Robert Day were armorers at Lackland AFB in the 1960s, and built the best competition guns in the world. Day specialized in 1911s and Balance M1s. If you can find a "Devine" M1 or a "Day" 1911, buy them. BTW when I was there last he still had a bunch of the original Springfield manual machinery from WWII and beaucoup parts for M1s, M14s, 1911s, and even ARs. Elmer Balance is truly a national treasure.

Great vid to watch right now since I’m buying my first firearm this week, Springfield XDM 4.5” .40

As a 'not a gun guy' I love the videos of this style. I come here for the history, and the history of technological development. Have you considered doing some sort of regular 'history of firearms' podcast?

A great summary of history. Thank you.

Sure I can't have coffee before our weigh-in, but this is an excellent substitute! Fascinating story.

Love this kind of stuff. Thank you.

closing the original armory was and still is huge mistake , aleast they could have kept engineers for research and development and for building and testing prototypes . also intelectual "capital" is invaluable , it takes alot of years to make a good and experienced engineer , there is a good reason why us military is so interesed in saving their pilots , you need years to make a good and experienced pilot while a plane, or a firearm can be builit alot faster . also having alot of experienced and well educated engineers in one place :1) faclilitates multiple approaches in solving problems 2)gives younger engineers an invaluable opportunity to learn form more experienced peers . also there is an issue of tradition .

I went there back in 1996, for a tour of the facility.Amazing what they were able to produce.Smith & Wesson's plant was right down the road,so I also was given a tour of that place as well.I don't think they do tours anymore.Not since 911, anyhow.What a shame.Both places were gun-lovers heaven.

Yeesssss finally been waiting for this Ian thank you so much

I have a sister that works & lives in Springfield Mass, a few years back I was there for a visit. Wasn't thinking of the Armory when I went, as I drove past it the first time I noticed the buildings, as I was raised outside of D.C. those Army buildings all look the same. It took a couple blocks for me to equate Springfield = (Army) Springfield Armory. Didn't have time to go check it out, but will next time.

"The gun has played a critical role in history. An invention that has been praised and denounced, served hero and villain alike and carries with it moral responsibility. To understand the gun is to better understand history." Love these "Who is" episodes!

Very informative as always! Thank you!

Been to the armory it well worth the visit also most of the buildings have become a wonderful community college

Been to Harpers Ferry, WV. Would recommend going there.

Great video. Always wondered about that.

A other great piece of history. Thanks Ian!

Great history lesson. I grew up in central Massachusetts. It is much different now.

Excellent bit of history. Thank you.

Another fine video! Some firearm history is a great way to start the day!

Very cool video, Ian! It'd be great to see a video about the history of the Mauser company. About how H&K is pretty much Mauser today. Along with information about the current Mauser company that pretty much just makes hunting rifles.

The company that 'shall not be named' lol

Great vid! Always wondered what the story was behind "Springfield".

Thanks for clearing that up for me. Been wondering about this.

If you ever have the chance to visit the Armory museum, I highly recommend it. Fascinating place with an interesting collection

Great history lesson, well done!

Springfield, MA - where I was born, is part of Western Massachusetts, FWIW. And the Firearms museum at the Armory is excellent and worth a visit if you have achance

Excellent rundown.

They may have taken the "Since 1794" off some promotional material but it's still on some of their "Saint" line of AR guns and the bags those guns are sold in as of September 2022.

My dad worked there at the tail end of m1 production. Very biased against other manufacturers. Great museum and when i have business in Springfield, I swing by. Closed on Mondays.

Very informative video! Norinco and Armscore would be interesting ones

Is this going to be part of a larger series? I would appreciate more history of manufacturers both currently existing and out of business.

Ian, I don't know the specifics because it's been a long time since I was made aware of this. In San Antonio, Texas there is a sidewalk where rifle barrels were used for rebar in reinforcing the concrete. This revelation was pointed out during a walking tour of the Alamo and surrounding area by the guide. Might make for an interesting bit of trivia... Sorry I cannot supply you with more details. I figure if anyone could track this down, it would be you!

You are f-ing awesome Ian. Great video.

Great info, thanks Ian!

@forgotten weapons they also contracted manufacturing guns to the highschools in the area such as Chicopee highschool during WW2 cause at the time Chicopee high school had a machine shop program so some ww2 weapons manufactured by springfield armory were actually manufactured by highschool kids going to school

Love hearing the history of these companies

I like your use of still images. You should do this more often.

Hi Ian. Merry Christmas

Very cool. Love this kind of stuff.

Grew up in Western Mass; We had a trebuchet contest on the parade grounds in high school. Great memories

Great video, thanks a lot!

Great job Ian loved it buddy...👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 I think America is the only country that can/could rely on commercial manufacturing to provide small arms... IMO

another great contribution of mr robert mc namara the bean counter !!

Great info. Thank you.

Very informative, thank you.

Very informative!!! Thank you

Very very informative, thanks.

I had one of those M1A's built in Devine Texas.

I particularly love these "who was/is" videos!

It would be an interesting discussion to address the issue of having an in-house government armory versus relying entirely on commercial firms to support the country's military. Understand why you deferred that topic for this video but it deserves at least some presentation of both sides of that issue. Thanks!

I like the history story time. I somehow missed this series when is first came out.

Excellent video

Ian, I'd love to see another vid in this series about Rock Island.

Hey Ian, just curious, what is the gun in the lower right corner of the video, and if you did a video on it?

love this series. can you do the history of marlin next. or maybe savage.

Ian, What is that Rifle just off you left elbow at the bottom? It looks very interesting. Is there a video on that one?

Thank you, very informative

Another great vid Ian, I've hardly taken my eyes off the rifle to your right with the metal folding stock :-PAnyone seen a vid on that one?? I've seen almost all the vids but not seen that rifle, I have not seen the one in the old intro with the breach blowing open. Any one other fans out there know these vids that can help me??

Great video!

Did they make heavy stuff in Springfield as well? Things like cannon and howitzers? Where was coastal and naval guns made? Those big 14 and 16 inch guns.

Thank you Ian.

Great video, but I think the efforts of John Hall and Simeon North deserved mention in the Harper's Ferry footnote. :)

2:50, bottom left picture, a rifling machine. They are making muskets, rifled muskets? Is this another one of those confusing crossover things like an automatic pistol is actually semi-auto etc...

I wish you'd continue this series.

Well that sucks..... and sad..... Love the videos, enjoy them a lot ! Thank you.

Thanks for the knowledge dad

At first, I thought you were talking about the Springfield that has the monorail.