In this episode of TFBTV, James Reeves reviews the SIG MCX Rattler, a 5.5″ PDW in .300BLK that has been purchased for US SOCOM evaluation. The Rattler is, essentially, as scaled-down MCX in the incredible .300 AAC Blackout cartridge, which offers bullets in supersonic weights from 80 to near 200 grains and subsonic rounds optimized for suppressor use and exceeding 200 grains. It shares many features and parts with the AR-15, allowing the common AR shooter to pick the Rattler up and run with it. What makes the Rattler tick and how well does it run? James reviews the Rattler with SIG’s SRD762Ti titanium silencer in this episode of TFBTV.

With the recent announcement of a new US Space Force, everyone on the Internet has been talking about being first in line to the recruiter’s office to become one of the country’s first Space Marines (we have seen enough movies to know it is only a matter of time). But once you’ve signed up, what will you be issued as your primary weapon? Let’s take a not-entirely-serious look at weapons from real life, film, and fiction that could inspire those issued to future US Space Marines!

If you ever have the opportunity to venture out to the beloved land of cheese you may come across a quaint, but magnificent collection of firearms. In Alma, Wisconsin lies the Castlerock Museum that is host to hundreds of old firearms, armor, swords, knifes and anything you could imagine from battles and combat of old. In this segment of Photo-of-the-Day (POTD), we are going to take a look at a Saxon Double Wheellock pistol, but that is merely one of many rare and unique finds at this museum. These are just some of the highlights that you could come across:

Every once in a while, TFB has been showing images of the huge variety of firearms used by criminals in Brazil, seized by authorities or otherwise. Unlike the country’s law abiding and tax paying citizens, to whom firearms of even in the “permitted” calibers are all virtually out of reach due to economic and bureaucratic barriers, the (very) bad guys have no restrictions whatsoever, as demonstrated by show-off videos and pictures posted by them in the social media and by the actual seizing of firearms by police agencies on a nationwide basis.

The US Army has expanded its upcoming Sub Compact Weapon evaluations adding three more weapons to the trials. Back in May PEO Soldier – Project Manager Soldier Weapons issued a Request for Information to industry for a Compact, concealable 9x19mm submachine gun. Following this the US Army’s Contracting Command posted a notice on FedBizOps awarding 10 sole source contracts on 8 June.

While this may be news to some of you, SIG enthusiasts have noticed some recent buzz about perceived firing pin issues with the SIG P365 on social media. The P365 is, of course, SIG’s newest subcompact that crams 10+1 rounds of 9mm into a chassis the size of a single stack pistol – and with an excellent trigger to boot. I was impressed with my copy; I purchased one for myself after my evaluation.  See the TFBTV review of the 365 here and  the SHOT Show interview with SIG about the 365 here.

In this episode of TFBTV, James gives you a quick rundown and comparison of three popular 7.62×39 piston operated rifles: The Zastava “Yugo” M70 (i.e. the “AK-47”), the IWI Galil ACE, and the Ruger Mini-30.

In this episode of TFBTV, James reviews the Beretta APX in 9mm. The Beretta APX was Beretta’s striker-fired entry into the MHS competition to replace the service pistol of the US Armed Forces. Now, it’s making its presence known in the civilian market. In addition to an overview, James looks at an APX with 5000 rounds down the pipe.

Announced with great fanfare in 2016 ( http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016/11/29/caracal-wants-make-guns-brazil/), the plans of the United Arab Emirates’ Caracal company to establish a factory in Goiás State, Brazil, now seem to have all but gone. The concern, in fact, had a major stand at the 2017 LAAD – Latin America Aerospace and Defence exhibition in Rio de Janeiro, where it was announced that actual construction work of industrial facilities in the city of Anápolis would start “within a few months”. However, this did not happen, nor did the materialization of the project, as a whole.

In this episode of TFBTV, James tackles what he believes to be the five best submachineguns, sub guns, pistol caliber carbines, and PDWs (personal defense weapons) in 9mm. It’s a tricky list with a thick field, but James brings his Top 5 choices for small 9mm carbines to you this week.

Pistol caliber (especially .45 caliber)  submachineguns are a lot of fun to shoot.  I personally have experience with the Thompson, M3/A1, MAC-10, the KRISS (Originally TDI) Super-V and the H&K UMP45.  While I have always been intrigued in the H&K UMP45, the ones I saw come up for sale from time to time were far overpriced for the condition that they were in.  I also was not at all interested in the USC conversions, as those remain a headache to complete, and very expensive to purchase as a finished job. I did remain on the lookout for faulty SMG’s chambered in .45, however.  A few years ago, B&T released an outstanding option for a .45 caliber SMG: the B&T APC45.

Introducing their first product in a new & upcoming Glock component lineup, Tyrant Designs CNC has officially launched their Glock 43 Extended Magazine Release (G43 EMR).

Here is a simple .22 revolver project built by a reader from absolute scratch using basic tools while following the plans here. For a gun built at home from scrap steel it isn’t far off from looking like a commercially produced handgun, far flung from typical makeshift contraptions though still within the skill range of the average layman with nothing more fancy than a drill and a stick welder

I found this in a Facebook group. It seems that the Taiwan 205th Armory (the same people who make the T91 rifle) is experimenting with arming drones. The T91 drone is equipped with a T91 rifle while the other is a 40mm armed drone with three grenade launchers.

Remember those Roland Special malfunction spoofs? Well Nick Lui aka Ambergur Roselton on Facebook posted a video in his Facebook group, 3-Gun Calgary, of a rather spectacular compensator failure. He was shooting his compensated Glock but due to his focus on shooting he did not notice his comp had blown up. More importantly he did not notice the brass that fell into his compensator. 

I found this on Facebook. ST Kinetics is Singapore’s main defense contractor. They are the ones who make the Ultimax and SAR21. Well it appears they are designing a futuristic soldier system for the Singapare Armed Forces called ARIELE. Prepare yourself for a gratuitous amount of acronyms. I am not even joking. These cringe worthy names tilt heavily into the realm of ridiculousness. It is like an elementary school kid came up with these acronyms.

Paladin Custom is an Australian Veteran based company. They make packs for the military and adventurers. Just a few days ago, Paladin Custom launched in the US and they are releasing their flagship Apex Modular Rig (AMR). It is a chest rig and belt system for carrying your hunting load as well as a patent pending Reflex Quick Release™ system. 

In this episode, TFBTV’s Corey Wardrop takes a look at the HK45 Tactical. A more-managable derivative of the HK USP, the HK45 boasts a 10-round magazine, night sights, standard Picatinny rail, and threaded barrel. We test three types of ammo, discuss some of the available options, and look at some of the small parts after a field strip.

To get TFB readers and gun consumers up to speed, Acusport Corporation is a distributor of firearms and related accessories within the US. They are one of a handful of distributors who assist manufacturers in getting their products to retailers and eventually to you, the consumer.

On the heels of the USMC’s effort to field 15,000 more Heckler & Koch M27 Infantry Automatic Rifles, as well as the M38 Designated Marksman Rifle variant, The Firearm Blog has received a copy of a 2016 report intended to justify procurement of accessories and additional M27s to fill a need for a special purpose rifle (SPR). The report documents a test conducted at Quantico, Virginia, by the Product Manager, Infantry Weapons Product Management Office (PdM IW). 9 M27 IARs were tested, each firing 2700 rounds over the course of the test. Notably, the Lead Engineer and Assistant Product Manager for this test was the recently-retired Salvatore Fanelli, who worked at Heckler & Koch in the early-mid 2000s.

Armadillo Concealment makes a light specific holster that can be used with any handgun, as long your handgun can mount a pistol light. They started with the X-FER which was a kydex molded light holster.

In this episode of TFBTV, James Reeves delivers two rounds to the X and 150+ get right summer jams to your face, head, and neck area. We discuss several unorthodox methods of carrying a gun with shorts and a tee and no belt, just in time for summer CCW. (Sorry, no zap.) It’s a challenge to carry a pistol without a belt and traditional holster, but there are solutions for the EDC bunch that are willing to explore the space. But most importantly, check the link below for the beach beats collection James made just for you.

In what appears to be a never-ending TFB series on weapons used by criminals in Rio de Janeiro, I’ve brought some recent pictures covering that, mainly motivated by the featured image, above. This photo has circulated in the social media, reportedly by a gang operating in Copacabana’s Vidigal Hill community, apparently as an intimidating visual message to other gangs trying to assume control of that area. The variety of firearm models available is noteworthy, and some examples are focused below. Readers are most welcome to comment, please. Hrachya included!

As TFB readers may probably have noticed through some of my posts in the past, firearms regularly seized from criminal hands in Brazil range from DIY models of all shapes and quality standards to a very large variety of AK and AR-15 platforms, plus an also habitual assortment of FALs, HKs, and other species. Not to mention a myriad collection of semi-auto (and others, not so…) pistols, with revolvers becoming a more and more sporadic catch. But rarer items also do show up, as in the case of a machine gun that has turned up in Riberão Preto, São Paulo State.

In this episode of TFBTV, James looks at the brand new CMMG Banshee. This is a 9mm SBR (short barrel rifle) PDW (personal defense weapon) AR15-type carbine that takes Glock magazines. In simpler terms, it’s a reeealllly tiny AR15 that uses the magazines from your Glock pistols. James also runs the CMMG DefCan-9 silencer on this diminutive blaster.

In this episode of TFBTV, James Reeves reviews the new Ruger Security-9 pistol, a $300 (street price) handgun designed for those shooters who want a fullsize 9mm…for $300. Is this a budget 9 worth owning or just a bust? James tells you in today’s episode.

If you’re a Californian who wants to keep your “evil features”, you most likely have heard of the Cross Armory Safe Mag – a fixed magazine locking system. TFB featured the device as a new product last year and since then its safe to say the Safe Mag and the Quick Pins Combo have become one of the more popular solutions on the market. Furthermore, and as a result of what I believe to be popular demand, Cross Armory has since expanded their product line to include The Pin Pal and the Safe Mag 2, which unlike the standard Safe Mag, accommodates most billet receivers. Along with the original quick pins, this trilogy combined allows for an easy reload and with that, isn’t the least expensive either (but with good reason).

I am sure the good folks over at Juggernaut Tactical will agree with the classic Steve Jobs quote: “Design is not just how it looks and feels like. Design is how it works” when it comes to functionality.  But luckily they also didn’t lose sight of visual appeal when it comes to the Juggernaut Tactical HellFighter CA Mod Kit. For those of you behind enemy lines who love their “evil” rifle features and are looking for a magazine-lock solution, this may be the option for you.

I stumbled across Komatsu Factory from his custom Multicam samurai armor (shown below). While looking for more information about the custom Cordura armor, I discovered a treasure trove. Komatsu had documented some of the build of this custom sewn armor along with an amazing body of work in wooden gun replicas.

In the Portuguese language, the noun “Xodó” is a popular expression to indicate one on whom we have a very special romantic crush or long-lasting love relationship. It’s no small wonder, then, that IMBEL – Indústria de Material Bélico do Brasil has chosen it as the name of two of its dozen-or-so pistols currently available, models that have received a great deal of attention in the local market. More significant, by the way, is the fact that the Brazilian weapons manufacturer had never given any of its products a name, other than its usual — and a little confusing, in my opinion– system of caliber, model number (e.g. MD1, MD2, etc.), and suffix (LX, GC, TC, etc.) designations.