Plot Synopsis

THE WEAPON HUNTER is a one-hour reality series that follows history buff and restoration expert Paul Shull, as he finds, fixes, and fires antique weapons that have been used throughout history. Shull enlists the aid of a loosely knit network of history-obsessed collectors. They've spent decades -- and small fortunes -- amassing surprising and extraordinary military collections that rival those found anywhere. Now, they're opening their doors to their secret world to allow Shull the chance to come face to face with history. The series premiere finds Shull in the Pacific Northwest, where he assists an enthusiastic collector who is hoping to get his prized possession, a World War II-era Sherman M10 Tank, back on the road in time for Veteran's Day. While searching for parts needed for the rebuild, Shull scours the stock of other tank-obsessed collectors scattered along the West Coast, gets behind the wheel of the Sherman's most feared rival, the dreaded German Tiger, and fires off some rounds from a tank-busting cannon. In subsequent episodes, Shull searches for: The Union's "Parrott Gun" and the Confederacy's "3-Inch Ordnance," the two deadliest pieces of light artillery from the Civil War; the British Lee Enfield, the American M1 Garand, the German Mauser K98, and the Soviet SVT40, which were the deadliest sniper rifles of World War II; the Nazi's legendary FG-42 assault rifle; The Quad 50, an anti-aircraft weapon from World War II; and WWII flamethrowers. Season 2 of THE WEAPON HUNTER premiered on Sunday, February 12, 2017 at 9pm ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel. From a Vietnam era gun truck and a World War II B-25 bomber, to a giant 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft cannon and more, Paul Shull returns on his quest to get his hands on some of the world's rarest and most remarkable pieces of military history. To do so, Paul calls on his network of military artifact collectors who have amassed collections that rival those found in the world's great military history museums. This season, Paul also calls upon combat veterans - including a 96-year-old eyewitness to the Pearl Harbor attack , veterans from Vietnam, and Marines recently returned from Afghanistan and Iraq. The season opener, "Vietnam Road Warrior," takes Paul to rural Tennessee, where he meets Sammy Seay, a Vietnam veteran who is rebuilding a rare vehicle from the Vietnam War known as a Gun Truck. Built to protect supply convoys for American troops during the war, these armor-plated behemoths represent an untold chapter in the conflict's history. Paul's ultimate goal is to experience a simulated convoy attack while riding aboard the rebuilt truck with Gun Truck veterans.
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On Sunday, March 19, 2017 at 9pm ET/PT, Smithsonian Channel premiered the Season 2 finale of THE WEAPON HUNTER. In the season ender, "Iwo Jima Franken-gun," host Paul Shull is looking to resurrect a gun that no longer exists. In fact, it's a weapon so rare, only six have ever been built. It was called the Stinger, a one-of-a-kind World War II machine gun made by U.S. Marines from the guts of different weapons. This "Frankengun" took on legendary status in the Pacific theater, and Paul is determined to see it come back to life. But in order to build the seventh Stinger, he must not only track down the rare parts he needs, he must convince their owners to part with them forever.