February Q&A: Finland

A poorly done copy, then. Not that that is surprising.

Grumpy Conquistador

How delightful to know they're still seeing service in the hands of their nation's descendants. John Browning would be proud of his design's lasting service!

Bruce Brodnax

Many still here. Unfortunately quite many of them are sporterized and had caliber change to 8.2 or 9,3mm for moose hunting. But they are cheap, I paid 150€ of mine.

TJ

Alternative history. What do you think how history would be different if Finland would have adopted SIG assaut rifle in the 1950´s instead of Valmet RK? For example would Galil still happen?

TJ

7.62x25 is longer cartrigde than 9x19 so Soviets cound´t do that. PPSh-41 drum mag is direct copy of the Suomi KP-31 drum magazine

TJ

Finland received a lot of donations during the Winter War, some were total busts like the Carcano debacle, but which ones surprised the Finns in how well they performed given the circumstances?

OrangeJr

My knowledge of Finnish rifles is essentially that they take a foreign design/weapon and improve it to suit their needs. When did this philosophy date back to and are there any more examples of them improving already manufactured guns? Also, has any country produced a weapon and subsequently adopted the improved Finnish version of the same gun? Thanks and greetings from the UK

Luke .284 Winchester

What role do the finish fell they will play in a possible future conflict with NATO and what is the general feeling among their military on the topic

Keith

In one of your vid I remember you mentioning one the Finnish guys “war ammo”. How much ammo do these guys stock up on in case of war? I’m very interested to know what all these guys stock up just in case.

Keith

A brief off topic discussion of Finnish liquors that you've enjoyed and which, if any of them, you are aware are available in the US. Alas the Tucson BevMo is failing me hard on Finnish hooch :( Thanks! 🥃

makovette

I remember reading about Finnish SVDs being able to get under a MOA with their own ammo. Your opinion? Did the Finns rebarrel their SVDs or is Finnish ammo just that good? I read that the SVDs' ammo were technically 53Rs as well.

Dalbunosky

Considering what a good submachine gun the KP-31 is and how superior its drum magazines are to most other drums, did the Soviets ever rechamber captured Suomi subguns in Soviet calibers? Was there any attempt to adapt the drum to the Ppsh submachine guns?

Grumpy Conquistador

I got to enjoy exposing my brother to _Sisu_ after having already seen it myself. That movie rocked!

Bruce Brodnax

Sauna! Also sauna! 😄

Bruce Brodnax

Not your area of expertise but why have Finn's stuck with coastal artillery guns when most countries got rid of this shortly after ww2

Matthew Smith

Are there any Finnish designed weapons that you think could have become globally popular and mass produced but for some reason we're only made in small numbers and never really adopted. If so what and why was it never universally adopted by anyone

Matthew Smith

In their wars with Russia, the Fins had enough of a small arms overlap that they were able to widely use captured Russian small arms and weaponry. For a small nation being invaded by a large nation, how much added advantage is it if your small arms are compatible with your invaders and you are freely able to incorporate captured weaponry?

AC C

What is your favorite Finnish custom that you wish we had in the USA, and which Finnish custom drives the American in you nuts?

Sven Jonsson

At this point everyone is aware of how the Finns perfected the Mosin and the AK but I'm wondering about lesser known improvements to existing Soviet designs, like did they do anything substantial with their PKMs and SVDs? Also are you aware if they ever got their hands or tinkered with more elusive Late Soviet or Russian firearms like the 9x39mm guns think VSS Vintorez/Vikhr/Groza or even something crazier like the AN-94.

Guy Mendes

Shower beer or sauna beer?

HankMcSkank

Have you read Matt DiRisio's Finnish Mosin Nagant book? If so, what are your thoughts on it?

Austin C

As a 50% Finn (the neurotic half, and Dad was 100%) and a musician who even named our debut CD in the 90s "Sisu"... (before anyone knew what that meant) I am wondering if you enjoyed the recent movie Sisu and it's loquacious leading man? :) sarcasm intended.

WayneWiiki

Suomi first, Papasha sincere flattery after being schooled on the usefulness of smgs during the Winter War of '39... I'd say the Suomi is the better of the two, since interchangeability of the drum mag is problematic on the PPsh 41...

Bruce Brodnax

Define "Axis side?" Finland fought on its own "side," defending itself from the USSR's aggression. The enemy of my enemy is my friend: the fact that they had common cause w/ Nazi Germany in fighting the Soviets doesn't make them Axis members, just allied in their interest of thwarting Soviet cupidity.

Bruce Brodnax

The 1895 Winchesters made for the Czar in the 3 line caliber during WW1 were issued in large numbers ito the Finnish regiments and supposedly well-liked by them: are there any significant numbers of these century-old rifles still found in country that might have been "lost" & brought home at the end of the Great War? [Asks the guy who finds the one glaring fault of his Miroku-for-Winchester '90s? repop in .30-'06 being the S-L-O-W *slooooooow* loading thereof and jealously wishes for the clip-loading option found on the Czar's version!]

Bruce Brodnax

Given their improvements to both the movin and the AK,are the Finns the master tweakers of existing systems.

Christopher Maclennan

Speaking of Finland, H&K did experiment of making the truly elusive HK32 in the 7.62 X 39 mm round and the reason it really exists is because of being intended to be used in the new rifle tender for the Finnish military back in the 1950s, and I wonder what are your thoughts on did the Finnish military actually tested the HK32 and or it’s just being considered. And a little part 2 on the HK32… how did the rifle perform for other militaries and any other follow up videos on that rifle since you already did the very early HK32…

Paul Corpuz

Oops! Finland somehow ended up at war with Sweden in the mid-1920s! Who brings what to the table and what kind of lessons would be learned by the firearms industry and the military from a conflict in an extremely cold environment in Lapland and the high north?

Irgendeiner Irgendwo

Given that Finland was part of the Russian Empire until 1918, it seems likely that any major arms factories were involved in supplying the Russian military. But aside from that, did the Finns produce any significant firearms before they got their indepence, for both civilian and military purposes (Russian-designed firearms produced in Finland don't count)?

Irgendeiner Irgendwo

Why did the FDF only order a small number of RK 95s and instead decide on mostly modernising the RK 62 in far larger numbers and would you rather be issued with a newer made RK 95 or the upgraded RK 62m3 if you were a Finnish soldier. Also do you see either rifles being donated to Ukraine when the M23 is adopted in large enough quantities?

Joe Barrett

How much, if any, of the Finnish military is NATO compliant and what, if any, plans are there to increase their level of compliance? I appreciate Ian is small arms focused, but I’m keen to hear about any and all aspects of the Finnish military.

Iron Akela

The KP-31 has vent holes in the bottom of the rear cap. Has there ever been a pneumatic buffered gun that utilized that air piston effect intentionally?

Will Sanders

LiteraryAnarchist

Can you unpack the interchangeability and practical differences between 7.62X54R and 7.62x53 Finn? What’s it mean for the modern shooter and handloader? Are the any implications that owners/shooters of automatic and semiautomatic weapons need to be mindful of that may not necessarily apply to bolt guns?

Nic G

Did the Swedish Mauser, the rifle or the cartridge, see extensive use in the Winter War? If so, how did it perform?

Plan9fromkansas

What’s the difference between a Finnish Maxim and the many Russian M1910 maxims they captured? Is a Finnish maxim merely a Russian Maxim “made” in Finland, possibly with a ski mount? Or are there other differences?

Nic G

I saw somewhere that Sir Cristopher Lee was a volunteer in the winter war, fighting for Finland. Not a question, just a fun and honourable fact.

Joao Espanha

There seems to be some interconnection regarding the development of both the Suomi KP/-31 and the Soviet PPSH. Which one came first, which was the best and why? Did the Suomi KP/-31 have a great impact on the winter war? (incidentally, my name is Joao, it's the Portuguese equivalent of John... I heard it mispronounced many times by a lot of English-speaking folks, but your "YoY" was the best so far! :))

Joao Espanha

I have an original Sako Finnbear hunting rifle, which remain well regarded in the States. Do you know if native Finns prefer the original Finnish models made before Beretta purchased Sako (sort of like how Americans tend to prefer Springfields made by THE Springfield Armory, rather than the modern company using the name)?

IPG

We know the Finns needed weapons badly early on. What was the OLDEST firearm used in decent quantity in their fights against the Soviets, outside of odd one-offs from grampa's attic?

David Teach

with several wars under their belt and current situation: obviously finland has quiet liberal gunlaws for their citizens. in particular compared with other parts of europe. but do they get carry permits as I think estonia has them? a good amount of handguns in holsters would be at least a way to get oneself something better like.. "just in case" (better not).

Guido Schriewer

Do any famous Finnish hockey players ever come out to these competitions? With the NHL being largely in the US, Im sure current or ex-NHLers could keep up with shooting in the States then come back and compete in competitions in the off season.

z c

Are the Finnish armed forces going to stick with their Kalashnikovs or switch over to a 5.56 mm NATO caliber rifle?

Kerwin Kerr

The KP-31 Suomi is beloved by many. But nothing's perfect. In your opinion: what is its best/strongest feature, and what is its worst/weakest?

Derek Elsberry

What were the Finns opinion of the SVT series of rifles?

Christian Hanes

What are your thoughts on the Sako M23 being adopted by Sweden and Finland, particularly what caliber will be selected (5.56, 7.62, or will they hold out for 6.8)?

James Steed