# Jonathan Ferguson

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{{Short description|British firearm historian (born 1979)}}
{{about|the historian|the pilot|Jonathan Ferguson (pilot)}}
{{Primary sources|date=March 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox writer
| name             = Jonathan Ferguson
| nationality      = British
| occupation       = {{hlist|Historian|author}}
| subject          = History of [firearms](/source/firearms)
| education       = {{ubl|[Exeter University](/source/Exeter_University) ([BA](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts)) | [Leicester University](/source/Leicester_University) ([PgD](/source/Postgraduate_diploma))}}
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|1979|01|03|df=y}}
| image            = 
}}
'''Jonathan Steven Ferguson''' (born 3 January 1979)<ref>{{cite web |title=Ferguson, Jonathan, 1979- |url=https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2012151863.html |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=16 August 2021}}</ref> is a British [firearm](/source/firearm) historian and author who is currently the Keeper of Firearms and [Artillery](/source/Artillery) at the [Royal Armouries Museum](/source/Royal_Armouries_Museum) in [Leeds](/source/Leeds), England.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2019-08-17|title=Gun amnesty: Second Boer War era rifle surrendered in Wales|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-49361372|access-date=2021-05-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://royalarmouries.org/about-us/collection-staff/jonathan-ferguson/ |website=Royal Armouries |title=Jonathan Ferguson |access-date=19 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Ferguson |first1=Jonathan S. |title=Thorneycroft to SA80: British Bullpup Firearms, 1901–2020 |date=2020 |publisher=Headstamp Publishing |location=Nashville, Tennessee |isbn=9781733424622 |page=5}}</ref> He is also a technical specialist with [Armament Research Services](/source/Armament_Research_Services), a consultancy firm.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-04-12 |title=Headstamp Publishing launches British bullpup rifles book! |url=https://armamentresearch.com/headstamp-publishing-launches-british-bullpup-rifles-book/ |access-date=2022-03-20 |website=Armament Research Services}}</ref>

== Career ==
Ferguson received a [Bachelor of Arts](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) degree in [archaeology](/source/archaeology) from the [University of Exeter](/source/University_of_Exeter) in 2000, and a [postgraduate diploma](/source/postgraduate_diploma) in [museum studies](/source/Museum_Studies) from the [University of Leicester](/source/University_of_Leicester) in 2002. He held posts at the [Colchester](/source/Colchester) Museum, [Imperial War Museum Duxford](/source/Imperial_War_Museum_Duxford), and [National War Museum of Scotland](/source/National_War_Museum_of_Scotland) before joining the Royal Armouries Museum in 2009.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2018-02-19|title=Jonathan Ferguson|url=https://royalarmouries.org/about-us/collection-staff/jonathan-ferguson/|access-date=2021-05-19|website=Royal Armouries|language=en}}</ref> He has appeared in two documentaries: ''[Sean Bean](/source/Sean_Bean)'' on ''Waterloo'' (2015) and ''Sword, Musket & Machine Gun'' (2017).<ref name=":0" /> He was also an interview subject in the mockumentary ''[Cunk on Earth](/source/Cunk_on_Earth)'' where he was interviewed as an expert on the [Colt Single Action Army](/source/Colt_Single_Action_Army) revolver. Ferguson is also a Technical Specialist with Armament Research Services, a technical intelligence consultancy, as well as associate editor of the Armax journal of contemporary arms.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Editorial |url=https://www.armaxjournal.org/editorial |access-date=2025-10-06 |website=Armax: The Journal of Contemporary Arms |language=en-US}}</ref>

From 2020 to November 2024,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jewett |first=Dave |date=9 November 2024 |title=Firearms Expert Reacts To ARMA 3 S.O.G. Prairie Fire’s Guns: Comment from @IrregularDave |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw0DX0mNstc&lc=UgySz_CJ6x5ZT6v_d-x4AaABAg |website=YouTube |type=Comment |quote=<!-- Hi everyone, This video was recorded about a month ago, so apologies that I need to do this in a YouTube comment. One of the most difficult comments I’ve ever had to write. I’m afraid this is the last episode of Firearms Expert Reacts. Due to changes at the company, myself and the team are being made redundant as part of those changes, this is the final episode. [...] I believe I speak for both the Expert Reacts team of Adam, Chris and myself, as well as Jonathan Ferguson (the keeper of firearms and artillery at the Royal Armouries museum in the UK which houses thousands of iconic weapons from throughout history), all of the other wonderful people at The Royal Armouries, and the other experts that we’ve had the honor of working with over these past few years when I say, thank you!-->}}</ref> Ferguson appeared on the ''[GameSpot](/source/GameSpot)'' YouTube series titled "Firearms Expert Reacts." In the series, Ferguson analyses depictions of firearms from video games such as ''[Escape from Tarkov](/source/Escape_from_Tarkov)'',<ref>{{Cite web|title=Firearms Expert Reacts To Escape From Tarkov's Guns|url=https://www.gamespot.com/videos/firearms-expert-reacts-to-escape-from-tarkov%e2%80%99s-guns/2300-6454401/|access-date=2021-05-19|website=GameSpot|language=en-US}}</ref> ''[Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War](/source/Call_of_Duty%3A_Black_Ops_Cold_War)'',<ref>{{Cite web|title=Firearms Expert Reacts To Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War's Guns|url=https://www.gamespot.com/videos/firearms-expert-reacts-to-call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-wars-guns/2300-6454274/|access-date=2021-05-19|website=GameSpot|language=en-US}}</ref> ''[Insurgency: Sandstorm](/source/Insurgency%3A_Sandstorm)'',<ref>{{Citation |title=Firearms Expert Reacts To Insurgency: Sandstorm's Guns PART 2 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeIek5VewEc&list=PLpg6WLs8kxGMgYb13XjPgOKbm5O-CDq7R |language=en |access-date=2023-01-20}}</ref> and ''[Cyberpunk 2077](/source/Cyberpunk_2077)'',<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-12-12|title=Firearms Expert Reacts To The Weapons Of Cyberpunk 2077|url=https://www.thegamer.com/firearms-expert-weapons-cyberpunk-2077/|access-date=2021-05-19|website=TheGamer|language=en-US}}</ref> and compares their design and function against their real-life counterparts using pieces from the Royal Armouries' collection. In 2021, Ferguson began a series on the Royal Armouries' official [YouTube](/source/YouTube) channel<ref>{{Cite web|title=Royal Armouries - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/user/RoyalArmouries|access-date=2021-09-10|website=www.youtube.com}}</ref> in which he explains the history and functionality of select firearms from the Armouries.<ref>{{Citation|title=Was this the world's first belt fed gun? With weapon and firearms expert Jonathan Ferguson|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI-jWltuSyA|language=en|access-date=2021-09-10}}</ref> In 2025, after GameSpot discontinued "Expert Reacts," Ferguson, host Dave Jewitt, and other regular series guests started their own YouTube channel named EXP,<ref>{{Cite web|title=This Is EXP - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YT0CMmLrNY|access-date=2025-04-10|website=www.youtube.com}}</ref> to continue creating similar content, expanding to movies and television as well.{{cn|date=May 2026}}

== Select bibliography ==
* ''Thorneycroft to SA80: British Bullpup Firearms, 1901–2020'' (Headstamp Publishing, 2020)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ferguson |first1=Jonathan S. |title=Thorneycroft to SA80: British Bullpup Firearms, 1901–2020 |date=2020 |publisher=Headstamp Publishing |location=Nashville |isbn=9781733424622 |url=https://www.headstamppublishing.com/bullpup-rifle-book}}</ref>
* ''Black & Grey: The Illicit Online Trade of Small Arms in Venezuela'' ([Armament Research Services](/source/Armament_Research_Services), 2020)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Pérez |first1=Pedro |last2=Ferguson |first2=Jonathan |last3=Jenzen-Jones |first3=N.R. |title=Black & Grey: The illicit online trade of small arms in Venezuela |date=July 2020 |publisher=Armament Research Services (ARES) |location=Perth |isbn=978-0-6485267-7-3 |url=https://armamentresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ARES-Research-Report-10-Black-Grey.pdf |access-date=6 April 2022}}</ref>
* ''An Introductory Guide to the Identification of Small Arms, Light Weapons, and Associated Ammunition'' ([Small Arms Survey](/source/Small_Arms_Survey), 2018)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-11-13|title=New Handbook: An Introductory Guide to the Identification of Small Arms, Light Weapons, and Associated Ammunition|url=https://armamentresearch.com/new-handbook-an-introductory-guide-to-the-identification-of-small-arms-light-weapons-and-associated-ammunition/|access-date=2021-05-19|website=Armament Research Services|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Jenzen-Jones |first1=N.R. |last2=Schroeder |first2=Matt |title=An Introductory Guide to the Identification of Small Arms, Light Weapons, and Associated Ammunition |date=2018 |publisher=Small Arms Survey |location=Geneva |url=https://www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/introductory-guide-identification-small-arms-light-weapons-and-associated-ammunition |access-date=6 April 2022}}</ref>
* ''Arms and Armour of the First World War'' ([Royal Armouries](/source/Royal_Armouries_Museum), 2018)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ferguson |first1=Jonathan |last2=Traynor |first2=Lisa |last3=Yallop |first3=Henry |title=Arms and Armour of the First World War |date=2017 |publisher=Royal Armouries |location=Leeds |isbn=9780948092787 |url=https://shop.royalarmouries.org/products/arms-and-armour-of-the-first-world-war}}</ref>
* ''[The 'Broomhandle' Mauser](/source/The_'Broomhandle'_Mauser)'' ([Osprey Publishing](/source/Osprey_Publishing), 2017)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ferguson |first1=Jonathan |title=The 'Broomhandle' Mauser |date=2017 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=Oxford |isbn=9781472816153 |url=https://ospreypublishing.com/the-broomhandle-mauser |access-date=6 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Morton|first=Ben|title=Review: The 'Broomhandle' Mauser|url=https://web.ipmsusa3.org/content/broomhandle-mauser|access-date=2021-05-19|website=IPMS/USA}}</ref>
* ''Raising Red Flags: An Examination of Arms & Munitions in the Ongoing Conflict in Ukraine'' (Armament Research Services, 2014)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ferguson |first1=Jonathan |last2=Jenzen-Jones |first2=N. R. |title=Raising Red Flags:An Examination of Arms & Munitions in the Ongoing Conflict in Ukraine |date=2014 |publisher=Armament Research Services (ARES) |location=Perth |isbn=9780992462437 |url=https://armamentresearch.com/Uploads/Research%20Report%20No.%203%20-%20Raising%20Red%20Flags.pdf |access-date=6 April 2022 |archive-date=4 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404035759/https://armamentresearch.com/Uploads/Research%20Report%20No.%203%20-%20Raising%20Red%20Flags.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}} <!--FYI: there is an authority record for this person in the LC NAF under: no2012151863 -->

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferguson, Jonathan}}
Category:Gun writers
Category:21st-century British non-fiction writers
Category:Living people
Category:1979 births
Category:Alumni of the University of Exeter
Category:Alumni of the University of Leicester

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jonathan Ferguson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Ferguson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Ferguson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.