Welcome everyone to the TFB Armorer’s Bench! As mentioned in the little blurb, this series will focus on a lot of home armorer and gunsmith activities. In this article sponsored by  Wheeler,  Tipton,  Caldwell, and  Frankford Arsenal, we’ll show how to completely disassemble an AR15 bolt carrier group. I am well aware that most of the folks who pass through these parts are into the new, cool, and tacticool. I personally love older and obsolete stuff but I also like to take things apart and put them back together. That being said we here at TFB thought it would be nice to have a resource available for disassembling and assembling an AR15. Smith & Wesson was gracious and kind enough to help us out and sent us one of their Sport II models. Now we are back to it folks! Took a nice little break over Labor Day weekend and now we can jump back into our disassembly articles on the AR15. This one is sort of a special intermediate article focusing on the BCG (bolt carrier group) and charging handle that would be removed from an AR15 upper during cleaning or disassembly. Let’s dive right in!

A lot of you out there are fans o the CZ 457 American bolt action rimfire rifle. This popular bolt action rifle is a common first stop for squirrel hunters and Rimfire Precision Rifle Series competitors alike. The rifle has just received some recent attention from Timney Triggers who have developed an all-new drop-in style user-adjustable CZ 457 trigger. This trigger is a direct result of Timney’s customers clamoring for a dedicated trigger for the popular bolt-action rimfire rifle.

Welcome to TFB Podcast Roundup 9. This week I’ve gone back into a couple of older episodes from some of my favorite podcasts like the Vortex Nation Podcast and the Life Liberty and the Pursuit Podcast put on by the folks over at IV8888. This time of year is an exciting time for a lot of people within the gun industry as this is right around the time when many companies will start finally unveiling their new or improved products that they’ve been saving up for the NRA Annual Meeting and other expos. Sadly NRAAM was canceled at the last minute this year but that doesn’t mean the releases stop. Just last week alone two new rimfire pistols and one rifle showed up on the market and in particular, I think Diamondback’s 22LR revolver is something to be closely looked at for any rimfire enthusiast.

A good weapon-mounted light for your defensive rifle is one of the first accessories you should buy. Identifying your target before perforating it is incredibly important. There are many types and brands available for different needs. Arisaka Defense makes several light options, as well as mounts and tail caps to match. The newest to hit their catalog is the 18650 Series weaponlight.

Welcome to TFB Weekly Amazon Deals 10. This week we’ve got a lineup of 10/22 accessories to look at. The 10/22 is kind of a jack of all trades when it comes to firearms. It’s cheap and fun to shoot but also makes a great small game hunting implement. The 10/22 has been around for close to 60 years now and I’m glad to see the rifle still being modified by end-users as well as Ruger adding new iterations from time to time. There’s nothing wrong with a bone stock 10/22 rifle but my own 10/22 is somewhat of a guinea pig for testing out different types of aftermarket parts, not so much to make the rifle more useful or reliable but more out of just pure morbid curiosity on what said accessories are all about. This week I’ve gathered a few items I think are useful and also happen to be one sale. Enjoy!

Welcome everyone to the TFB Armorer’s Bench! As mentioned in the little blurb, this series will focus on a lot of home armorer and gunsmith activities. In this article sponsored by  Wheeler,  Tipton,  Caldwell, and  Frankford Arsenal, I decided to take a break from AR15 disassembly since I am on vacation and far away from my bench as I write this. Today I wanted to talk about gunsmith/armorer liquids. One of the more mundane day-to-day things that a gunsmith has to deal with is cleaning guns. This could be one gun from a single range session or even grandpa’s old 22 that was left in the barn for the last 30 years. Regardless, at its core, it is job security because cleaning a gun as a service is valid. I figured I should go over a loose list of “gunsmithing liquids” and my recommendations for said cleaning supplies. Let’s dive right into the liquids that are straight from my bench!

FN America have announced the introduction of some improvements to their semi-auto SCAR line of rifles. The main upgrade is the inclusion of non-reciprocating ambidextrous charging handles to the SCAR 16S, 17S and 20S. This mirrors upgrades already made to the military and law enforcement SCARs and the civilian-available SCAR-SC PDW which was introduced in 2017.

Blackout Defense has their roots in aerospace and defense manufacturing. Prior to entering the small arms space, the machines in this Arizona-based shop produced parts for customers like Boeing and Raytheon, on projects like Apache helicopters and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles. While they still maintain some of these business lines, today Blackout’s focus has turned toward the firearms industry. Their 20,000 square foot factory churns out AR-15 receivers, barrels, BCGs, and more, with an eye toward quality and strict tolerances. I’ve spent the last few months getting to know one of these AR components: the Zero Trigger.

Welcome everyone to the TFB Armorer’s Bench! As mentioned in the little blurb, this series will focus on a lot of home armorer and gunsmith activities. In this article sponsored by  Wheeler,  Tipton,  Caldwell, and  Frankford Arsenal, we’ll show how to completely disassemble an AR15 lower receiver. I am well aware that most of the folks who pass through these parts are into the new, cool, and tacticool. I personally love older and obsolete stuff but I also like to take things apart and put them back together. That being said we here at TFB thought it would be nice to have a resource available for disassembling and assembling an AR15. Smith & Wesson was gracious and kind enough to help us out and sent us one of their Sport II models. I asked for a very simple and frequented offering to demonstrate common upgrades and general assembly when we get to that point but for now, let’s rundown a complete AR15 disassembly!

Being the GLOCK traditional/missionary type of owner, I am probably the last person who should write a news release about a custom trigger. Poke fun all you want, but I enjoy factory-built GLOCK triggers, slides, frames, and magazines the way Gaston Glock imagined them to be: simple and utilitarian. However, I also recognize that there are millions of shooters out there that enjoy customizing their Austrian pistols. Tyrant Designs GLOCK I.T.T.S triggers for Gen3 and Gen4 guns add a 30% power spring, are drop-in ready and come in four different colors. The details can be found below.

The HK416 is known for running without fail in all sorts of environments. This is why so many military and police forces have adopted the gun. It’s also known for being noticeably heavier than some other systems. Giving two new handguard options to HK416/MR556 owners (including one to save some weight), Strike Industries has released their new GRIDLOK handguards for the HK416/MR556/M27 IAR.

Welcome everyone to the TFB Armorer’s Bench! As mentioned in the little blurb, this series will focus on a lot of home armorer and gunsmith activities. In this article sponsored by  Wheeler,  Tipton,  Caldwell, and  Frankford Arsenal, I decided to take a closer look at the two trigger gauges that Wheeler Engineering currently offers. Wheeler is one of a few companies out there that offer affordable examples of gunsmith technology. One example is a trigger gauge which measures the number of pounds it takes to bring a trigger to the breaking point. Let’s jump into the Wheeler Trigger Gauges!

Expanding their line of pistol slide mounted charging handles, Recover Tactical has released a more advanced version of these accessories for Glock pistols. The new Recover Tactical PCH not only provides rear extensions designed to make racking the slide easier but also a top Picatinny rail section for mounting red dot sights on the slide.

XLR Industries has added a new product to their line of bolt action rifle chassis. The new chassis is called ATOM. It is a Remington 700 footprint chassis and while it can be used with rifle-length barreled actions, its short forearm and starting weight of 27oz should make it especially attractive for bolt action pistol or SBR builds. Let’s see what features the XLR Industries ATOM chassis packs.

Hello again, and welcome to Part 3 of my escape from bondage. This is it. Return of the Jedi. Mockingjay. FDR’s last complete term as President of the United States. This is the third and final installation in the series. If you haven’t read the previous two articles, you can find Part 1 here, and Part 2 here. We left off having completed both the upper and lower halves of the rifle. At this point, we’ve accomplished our goal. This rifle is a far cry from the abomination it once was, but I’m still not ready to call it quits, and I don’t think you are either.

Welcome everyone to the TFB Armorer’s Bench! As mentioned in the little blurb, this series will focus on a lot of home armorer and gunsmith activities. In this article sponsored by  Wheeler,  Tipton,  Caldwell, and  Frankford Arsenal, I wanted to go over the importance of polishing hammer faces for the at-home armorer/gunsmith. Part of working with tools in order to accomplish a task involves doing the proper maintenance on the tools themselves in hopes of better doing said task. Let’s jump into the importance of polishing hammer faces!

Apex delivers an ever-expanding lineup of reliable and high-quality trigger kits for various types of pistols. On August 10th they announced that they would be adding a new CZ P-10 Action Enhancement Trigger Kit to their existing lineup.  The P-10 is CZ’s offering to the compact striker-fired community and is often employed as a concealed carry pistol. The new P-10 Action Enhancement Trigger Kit will still be the duty and carry capable after the modification and according to Apex, the trigger should come out as smoother, lighter, and better.

More than five years ago, I published a review on the MicroMOA Govnah, a tool-less adjustable gas block with a three-setting push plate. Today, even though the Govnah is no longer available, I still believe that gas regulation is an important part of shooting a suppressed direct impingement AR-15 rifle. And I’m always on the hunt for innovative gas block designs. RIFLESPEED offers a gas block that can be opened up or closed down with a simple twist of the wrist. Don’t worry, if you have a longer barrel or a longer handguard, RIFLESPEED has models with varying lengths of adjustment rings to get a solid grip. The only possible downside I’ve noticed so far is the need for a proprietary straight gas tube.

Welcome everyone to the TFB Armorer’s Bench! As mentioned in the little blurb, this series will focus on a lot of home armorer and gunsmith activities. In this article sponsored by  Wheeler,  Tipton,  Caldwell, and  Frankford Arsenal, I list off my picks for the 10 essential tools for the at-home armorer/gunsmith. Let’s dive right in!

Sometimes when you’re at the range, hunkered down with supporting bags for a precision shot, the rifle slips off the bag and you just can’t get a comfortable, stable position. Oregon-based Catalyst Arms, a company that specialises in rimfire accessories, has introduced the Apex Bag Rider, an extension for the Ruger Precision Rimfire’s buttstock. The Bag Rider is basically an extension that provides more surface area to contact the supporting bag. They have similar Bag Riders for the earlier Ruger Precision Rimfire buttstock and the Magpul PRS. MSRP is $49.95.

Welcome, all to the very first article of the new series TFB Armorer’s Bench! As mentioned in the little blurb below this series will focus on a lot of home armorer and gunsmith activities. In this first article of the series sponsored by Wheeler, Tipton, Caldwell, and Frankford Arsenal, I decided to introduce myself and some of my gunsmithing background. Aside from introductions, I also wanted to list off some preparation sort of steps before even considering taking on tasks similar to what I will go over in the future. Let’s dive right in!

Nobody likes gas in their face. Trust me, I grew up with two brothers. This is especially true when firing an AR-pattered rifle or pistol. Strike Industries, with a constant focus on innovation, has its own solution to this problem. The new T-Bone Charging Handle is built to redirect gases away from your face and is user-customizable.

Vantac D.A.D.S. (Direct Access Defense System) is an AR-15 stock system that allows adjusting the length of pull (LOP) without breaking your grip, cheek weld or sight picture. To unlock the stock and adjust its length, you need to push the ambidextrous tabs at the base of the buffer tube with your primary hand thumb. This system has been in development for five years and it’s now available for preorder.

Boyds Gunstocks is the world’s largest manufacturer of aftermarket wooden firearms furniture. They’ve been in business for four decades and grown massively in that time. You can buy stocks they already have in their inventory, from their site’s “Rapid Fire” catalogue, or use their Configurator Tool to custom-build your personal one-off. This hardwood specialist shop’s list of supported firearms makes and models is already impressively long, but they continue to expand it. They’ve just announced the addition of options for the Zastava M70 bolt-action rifle (not to be confused with some of their AK models that also carry an M70 designation).

Firearms have been getting lighter and lighter throughout the last few years. New materials and manufacturing techniques have shaved pounds from rifles. With our fresh, new lightweight rifles, the next step is to hang a bunch of heavy crap off of them, right? Adding accessories to your rifle can quickly bring the weight right back up to arm-shaking numbers. Strike Industries has decided to take some of that weight off of one of their existing products, the OPPRESSOR. Introducing the new OPPRESSOR LITE.

Reducing your signature can be very important in a gunfight. Concealing your position can keep you alive. However, depending on your circumstances, the signature reduction could be less important than reducing recoil. Muzzle brakes excel in recoil reduction (with the tradeoff of increased sound, typically). Dead Air Silencers produces some very high-quality muzzle devices. The newest to hit their catalog of goodies is a muzzle brake, and it’s fire. This is the new Pyro 2.0 Enhanced Muzzle Brake from Dead Air Silencers.

Elftmann Tactical has just introduced the industry’s first truly finger adjustable AR-15 trigger. The Elf SOCOM Trigger is a drop-in solution for competitors, precision shooters, and service members who need or want the ability to fine-tune their trigger pull on the fly, all without the use of tools. The Elf SOCOM will be offered in 6 different variants for different styles of shooting and firearms. All triggers are currently in stock and ready to ship at the time of writing.

Three years ago we featured a unique homemade reimagining of the popular 10/22 rifle. At the time the 11/22 OpenTop receiver was just the fevered dream of long-time TFB reader and fan Sebastian Unger from Austria. Today, he is happy to announce that along with Fletcher Rifle Works in the United States he is finally able to offer the 11/22 OpenTop receiver for sale to Stateside customers.

Glock pistols can quickly turn into projects once you start attempting to adapt them to fit your personal preferences. I’ve been carrying my Glock 48 for about 2 years now and over many range sessions and rounds downrange, I finally decided that I wanted to change up a few things to turn it into a more versatile pistol. While this may have been a misguided and fruitless attempt to prevent me from buying more guns, I went for it anyway and the guys over at Tyrant Designs sent me over some of their newest aftermarket items for use with the Glock 43, 43X, and 48. Among those Items were the new Tyrant Designs I.T.T.S. (Improved Tyrant Trigger System) Trigger as well as their new Glock Magwell for use with the Glock 43X and 48.

Night sights are a great way to cover all of your bases whether you’re shooting in daytime or nighttime conditions. Night sights offer superior sight picture acquisition during low light conditions and don’t require frequent battery replacement like red dots do. Now there is a new set of M&P Shield Plus XS night sights available in either an orange or green 3-dot tritium setup. Now XS Sights have given end-users the ability to upgrade their stock 3-dot white sights with a 10-year warranty backed set of tritium night sights.