How True was Lord of War? Surplus from the Warsaw Pact (w/ Val Forgett)

Overview

The video examines how accurate Lord of War (the movie/idea) is, focusing on the real-world post–Cold War arms surplus that flooded global markets after the Warsaw Pact era collapsed.

Ian McCollum (ForgottenWeapons.com) interviews Val Forgett of Navy Arms, who argues that while the film dramatizes events, many underlying mechanics were real—especially the chaotic, gray-market nature of ownership and export.

Key points and arguments

• “Bunker-era” surpluses really did disperse through a messy, fast-moving market. Val Forgett says that when the wall fell, there was a genuine “free-for-all” involving unclear governmental control and many competing actors trying to obtain and export weapons.

• Major sourcing wasn’t just Russia—it was largely other ex–Soviet / Eastern Bloc states. A central claim is that very little came directly from “Mother Russia.” Instead, much of the World War II–era surplus material flowed out of places such as:

  • Ukraine (especially important, including storage of Mosin-Nagants)
  • Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, East Germany, Hungary, and Poland
  • Other former Eastern Bloc countries He also notes recognizable reworked examples like Mauser 1911s and P38s.

• Real examples of reworked surplus and storage. Forgett describes guns being refinished and having Nazi/fascist markings stamped out. He also emphasizes that much of it was stored in ways that preserved it—comparing the “look” of the cache to guns stored in salt mines. He frames refurbishment as a “make-work” reconditioning process from decades earlier.

• Trade complications and tactics in the early 1990s (including bearer bonds). Forgett recounts a shipping/import challenge from 1993–1994, when U.S. policy changes (Clinton administration shutting down origin-related restrictions) made it harder to obtain required import permits. He explains that his father overcame financing/transaction barriers using bearer bonds—acknowledging the concept is often associated with Hollywood but insisting it was used and worked. Forgett also personally traveled to execute shipment logistics.

• Logistics and operational details of exporting thousands of pistols. In one anecdote, Forgett says they secured tenders for tens of thousands of pistols (example given: 10,000 1911s and 10,000 P38s) and exported via cargo flights through Budapest, splitting loads so shipments could reach different destinations.

• A blunt risk assessment about enforcement and violence. Forgett says that after signing bearer bonds, he feared being betrayed. His father’s response was essentially: don’t expect violence because sellers still needed future gun sales—shooting Americans would sabotage the business. He adds a final caution not to tell Forgett’s mother.

• The “surplus window” runs out—then traders look elsewhere. As prices rose and the market tightened, Forgett’s father pivoted to other surplus sources, including deals involving British MOD sniper rifles (L42) and Inglis Hi-Powers with Canadian identifiers, plus shipments from India.

• India shipment story and C&R licensing reality check (ATF dispute). Forgett describes planning a large export of Ishapore .410 two-day SMLEs (Enfield rifles). A key bureaucratic twist: the ATF initially denied that they were C&R (Curio & Relic), requiring petitions and approval changes before shipment.

• Congressional range anecdote illustrating performance vs. cost. During a congressional-range event, Forgett shot near HK snipers. A staffer asked what caliber he was using, then was surprised by the price difference: Forgett’s military surplus firearm cost about $89, while an HK gun was described as $10,000. The point was that older surplus hardware could perform exceptionally well for a fraction of the cost.

Overall conclusion

The guest suggests Lord of War is generally grounded in real post–Cold War arms flows, but the film exaggerates. What’s most “true,” in their view, is the scale, the refurbishment and marking removal, multi-country sourcing, and the law/finance/permits chaos that created opportunities for opportunistic exporters—often using creative (and sometimes risky) methods to move matériel quickly before the “last batch” market dried up.

Presenters / contributors

• Ian McCollum — ForgottenWeapons.com
• Val Forgett — Navy Arms