Ian McCollum, a fairly well-known firearms historian from the Forgotten Weapons YouTube channel, has launched a brand new e-book titled “Cast in Snow: Finnish Small Arms 1917–2025.” This may mark Ian’s third e-book and Headstamp Publishing’s sixth profitable crowdfunded publication. In response to the official product web page, that is the primary complete English-language work to discover Finnish small arms throughout an unlimited historic period. The e-book options extremely detailed pictures and intensive histories masking pistols, rifles, anti-tank rifles, Kalashnikov variants (together with the rk/62 and rk/95), submachine weapons just like the Liondelof and M44, gentle machine weapons, and even bayonets. Like Ian’s different books, it’ll embody wealthy technical documentation, historic context, and high-quality photographs for collectors, historians, and firearms nerds occupied with Finland’s distinctive firearms legacy.
Headstamp Publishing is worked up to announce its 18th publication, Cast in Snow: Finnish Small Arms, 1917 – 2025, authored by Ian McCollum. We’re providing a number of stunning editions, in addition to Kickstarter-exclusive rewards. We can even be giving backers unique entry to behind-the-scenes content material, and we’ve set a number of stretch objectives which is able to assist us to make high quality and content material enhancements to the e-book.
Together with your assist, we are able to construct on the success of our prior six (6) campaigns which have raised a mixed quantity in extra of 4.6 million U.S. {Dollars}. Ian McCollum’s prior publication launched by way of Kickstarter, Pistols of the Warlords: Chinese language Home Handguns, 1911–1949, raised in extra of $1.5 million, Kickstarter’s seventh-highest funded publishing class Kickstarter to this point (of 70,000+ whole publishing class releases). Your assist has been very important within the success of our books, and we’ll proceed to carry you additional best-in-class publications. As we additional our work towards establishing a brand new gold customary for firearms reference books, we invite you be a part of us on the journey as soon as extra.
E book Specs
- Hardcover
- Smyth-type, part sewn binding allowing the e-book to put flat when open
- Dimensions: 7.75 × 10.25 inches (20 × 26 cm)(identical approximate dimensions as our Chassepot to FAMAS, Thorneycroft to SA80, and Rifles on the Danube books, for instance)
- Web page depend: TBD
E book Abstract
Cast in Snow: Finnish Small Arms, 1917 – 2025 is a reference information to navy firearms manufactured and modified in Finland. Meant for collectors and historians alike, it covers the total scope of Finland’s small arms from pistols to anti-tank rifles and from independence in 1917 to the current day. This e-book is the primary English-language work to comprehensively cowl the topic, and contains all main fashions:
- Pistols: Ahlberg, Luger, Lahti, and extra,
- Mosin-Nagants: Normal, Cavalry, Trainers, Snipers, and extra,
- Anti-tank Rifles,
- Kalashnikov Variants: from rk/58 trials by the rk/95 and Modernized rk/62,
- Submachine Weapons: Lindelof, Suomi, M44, and Jatimatic,
- Mild Machine Weapons: LS26 and KvKK/62, and
- Bayonets.
Chapters embody a historical past of every weapon’s growth and meant use, together with info regarding identified variants, manufacturing numbers, markings, mechanical operation, and a historical past of deployment and fight use.
Finland’s path of navy growth after its independence, adopted by two wars with its japanese neighbor after which a fragile balancing act between East and West by the Chilly Struggle, created an interesting and distinctive historical past of small arms growth. Lots of Finland’s early small arms are actually in the USA, and this e-book is a must have for anybody wishing to gather Mosin-Nagants, Lugers, and Lahti pistols from Finland, in addition to those that have an interest within the navy historical past of this fiercely impartial Nordic nation.
Ian McCollum is the founder, editor, and presenter of Forgotten Weapons, a decade-old site and video archive devoted to preserving firearms historical past. As a Topic Matter Skilled with Headstamp Publishing, he helps to make sure the factual accuracy of firearms info contained inside our publications. Along with being an avid sensible taking pictures competitor, Mr. McCollum research the historical past of firearms growth in addition to their sensible use, with a specific curiosity within the developmental levels of manually repeating and self-loading arms.
Ian holds a level in Mechanical Engineering Expertise from Purdue College, a NIMS Degree 1 CNC operator’s certificates, and has labored in firearms manufacturing in addition to having lectured for the Affiliation of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners (AFTE). His work with firearms features a explicit speciality in French arms which has led him to a deep curiosity in gathering these weapons. His e-book on this subject, Chassepot to FAMAS: French Army Rifles, 1866 – 2016, was launched by Headstamp Publishing in 2019.
We’re happy to supply Cast in Snow in three stunning unique First Editions for this Kickstarter marketing campaign: a Kickstarter Version; Signed Kickstarter Version; and Collector’s Restricted Version – every with an unique white (“frozen”) cowl design which is able to solely be accessible through the marketing campaign (any unsold copies could also be provided on our web site or future Kickstarter campaigns). We’re additionally providing a Retail Version of the e-book with a blue cowl. See the Retail Version part beneath. All books ordered through the Kickstarter can be First Editions, and can be marked as such.
Backers in any respect ranges can be given entry to Kickstarter updates which embody unique behind-the-scenes content material from our crew, and we hope to supply extra content material straight from the writer, Ian McCollum.
Kickstarter Version E book
Printed on premium high quality paper and lavishly illustrated all through, our Kickstarter Version e-book encompasses a distinctive white “frozen” cowl designed particularly for this marketing campaign. We’re notably enthusiastic about this new frozen model, because it provides us a chance to take a break from our customary gold foil designs and dive into a brand new world of silver foils!
With alternatives to enhance the standard and content material of this version by stretch objectives, we hope you’ll be a part of us in making this extraordinary reference e-book even higher!
Kickstarter Unique Worth: $98 (a financial savings of $10 off the anticipated post-Kickstarter unsigned e-book value of $108)
Signed Kickstarter Version E book
Our Signed Kickstarter Version E book is a Kickstarter Version which has been hand signed by the writer, Ian McCollum. We discover that an writer’s signature considerably will increase the collectability and distinction of a e-book. Definitely, understanding that your Signature Version E book comprises the writer’s private contact will add status.
Kickstarter Unique Worth: $118 (a financial savings of $20 off the anticipated post-Kickstarter signed e-book value of $138)
Collector’s Restricted Version E book
Our Collector’s Restricted Version is good for backers who desire a presentation-grade addition to their reference library of tremendous books. At residence in your research or den, Collector’s Restricted Editions are ensconced in a lovely clamshell presentation case.
Every copy is hand-signed by the writer. The e-book’s distinctive clamshell will hold it protected for years to come back.
Worth: $250
* Please observe that each one designs are topic to alter and revision primarily based on remaining manufacturing necessities and preferences.
Retail Version
Our Retail Version cowl follows Headstamp Publishing’s established design cues, and is meant to suit right into a library shelf with different Headstamp editions. This classicly clear and complex design showcases Finnish iconography and a number of firearms in gold foil silhouette.
We’re additionally providing a Retail Version of the e-book with a blue cowl and gold foil design components. This blue cowl model would be the model provided on our web site after the Kickstarter ends. The contents of each variations are the identical; solely the covers (and probably web page gilding, if unlocked as a stretch purpose) differ between the 2.
In case you are struggling to resolve which shade you like, maybe the one correct approach to cope with the white “frozen” cowl vs. blue cowl dilemma is to get each! See our unsigned and signed “Double Bundle” pledge ranges!
Kickstarter Unique Worth: $98 (a financial savings of $10 off the anticipated post-Kickstarter unsigned e-book value of $108)
Ordering a Retail Version won’t delay the supply of your Kickstarter Normal or Collector’s Version books.
All books ordered through the Kickstarter can be First Editions and can be marked as such.
To be able to assist make clear a number of the variations wager
