A couple of months ago, I finally decided to take the plunge and order an all black Beretta M9A3. Earlier this year I shot and tested out the FDE version. That version was designed to update the Beretta M9 series that served as the standard issue sidearm for the military for the last few decades. As we know now, the military decided to go with SIG Sauer’s P320 modular system instead, but the M9A3 is the newest version of the workhorse platform. The FDE version of the M9A3 I shot had the manual safety that is well known on the 92 series. When I opened up my black M9A3, the first thing I noticed was the manual safety was replaced with a decocker only feature, and that is awesome.

Over the weekend, I figured out I hit the 10,000 round mark with my SIG Sauer P226. It made me think about my history with this gun over the last six years, and how well it has performed. When I first purchased the P226, it was a basic Enhanced Elite model with the E2 molded grip. It had an SRT trigger already installed along with night sights and I couldn’t have been happier. Up until that point, I was carrying a P220 in .45 ACP for two or three years prior, along with an older generation Glock 19. The feel and overall layout of the P226 were great when I started carrying it. One thing I had to get used to though was the weight compared to my older Glock 19. SIx years later, It’s still my daily carry and has easily become my favorite pistol to carry and shoot.

SIG Sauer has been in the game of making quality firearms for a very long time, but only recently have they dove into the arena of optics. They are acquiring a lot of contracts with law enforcement and military groups alike drawing a lot of buzz around their line of electro-optics. I have personally fondled and shot quite a few of their red dots, but none of their riflescopes so I wanted to know what all the fuss was about. So they were kind enough to let me play with their SIG Sauer Tango6 5-30x56mm FFP MRAD. This optic is the very top of their highest tier of scopes so I am grateful for them entrusting a MN boy with dragging one out to the range for repeated days of shooting. Let’s get into this TFB Review and see what the SIG Sauer Tango6 5-30x56mm FFP MRAD is all about!

The CZ SP-01 Phantom is a variant of the famed CZ 75 in the SP-01 line. However, the Phantom differs from the rest of the SP-01’s in that it is 14.5 ounces lighter than its steel framed predecessor. The Phantom weighs in at 26.2 ounces unloaded (according to my scale), while the steel framed SP-01’s weigh 40.7 ounces (according to CZ’s website). Thus, having a pistol almost a pound lighter than the standard model would feel like a ghostly rendition, comparatively. The SP-01 Phantom has been the standard issue sidearm of the Czech Republic’s 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade since 2012. The polymer framed Phantom was developed specifically with the military in mind. Having such weight savings makes a lot of sense for a secondary weapon that won’t see much action, but still has to be carried everywhere.

Multiple variants of SIG’s widely successful MCX Rattler were brought to this year’s SHOT Show.  SIG seems keen to show off the versatility of the Ratter platform. Of the new Rattlers, one particular variant caught my eye, the Rattler Canebrake.  Featuring a new oversized rail with a faux suppressor tucked underneath, the Canebrake looks like a proper “SD” style firearm.  SIG even took it a step further, making the weight and size of the faux suppressor roughly the same as their SRD762 suppressor.  All of this is done perfectly to make the rattler both suppressor and end-user friendly.

Nitecore makes handheld flashlights and their Li-ion battery chargers are the industry standard. Cloud Defensive uses their battery chargers for their OWL. Well, Nitecore offered up their MT10C for review.

When I decided to pick up a SIG Sauer MCX Rattler back last year, I really struggled to figure out exactly what I wanted to put on as an optic. So I started looking at various Aimpoint and Trijicon optics to see what I liked. After searching around I decided to go with an RMR because it was low profile and quick to pick up with your iron sights. Plus another great thing about RMR’s is the fact they are tough as nails.

In terms of parts of the AR15 platform, is there anything more seemingly trivial than the ejection port cover? Even the flappy little trigger guard protects, well, the all-important-trigger. Heck, I would be willing to bet that most of you rarely, if ever, stretch that trigger finger up between strings of fire and close that little slice of aluminum that keeps debris out of your action. So I’m not going to stand up here (I’m actually sitting right now) and preach to you all about how the Strike Industries UDC – Ultimate Dust Cover – is the hottest new AR15 accessory to hit the market. Yet, it’s still a neat little piece of kit that is worth the under $20 price of admission.

I’m no stranger to double stack 1911’s, as I used to carry a Para Warthog over a decade ago, and I’ve shot many competition configured STI’s.  That Para Warthog went by the wayside years ago after I discovered improperly heat-treated parts (via them breaking while at the range).

Last year, I came across a Ukrainian company called Crook (Крук, means “raven”) and  wrote a short article about their Mosin-Nagant chassis. Several months ago, I learned that this company has released a new aluminum AK handguard. I reached out to the folks at Crook asking for more information about this new product and they replied with an offer of submitting a review sample. So in this article, I’ll present you the review of this new M-LOK AK handguard.

I’ve had the Aimpoint ACRO P-1 now for a while. I didn’t realize I was one of the first ones to get one, so I took no hurry in my evaluation. On the other hand, there are some benefits with evaluating products over time rather than just over the day.

Gates are a constant part of life on a ranch or farm.  Keeping stock in or out of areas, water where it is supposed to go, and intruders off your land.  If you had a Henry Rifle, however, there was one place where a gate wasn’t found: on the side of the receiver.  Henrys are very well US-made firearms.  Every one that I’ve reviewed has performed quite well.  However, one significant aspect that has kept many consumers hesitant to purchase a Henry over a Marlin, Mossberg, Winchester or one of the many Italian leverguns is that previous models of Henry rifles lacked a side loading gate.  While the Henry tube system is far safer for unloading the firearm, my own quibble about this feature is that it is not as convenient for loading in inclement weather or field conditions as a side loading gate.

Carbon fiber wrapped barrels seem to be all the rage for the past several years. Proof Research has led the market with their carbon fiber precision barrels. Even Volquartsen has been making carbon fiber barrels for 10/22 but they cost almost as much as a brand new 10/22. Summit Precision has come out with their own carbon fiber barrels that are a little bit more affordable.

Let me start by saying this is not a tool that every shooter must have.  It is not even a tool that every long-range shooter must have, but if you are the type of person that likes to test and control for every variable in your shooting system, this may be a valuable arrow to add to your quiver. I like to compare the Scope Tool from Targets USA to a borescope as far as usefulness. 99% of the time you don’t need it and it sits dormant on the shelf. Fortunately, in the case of the Scope Tool, it has a nice aesthetic as it sits there.  Then comes the moment when something isn’t quite right. You missed a shot at long range.  You were certain you had the right dope. Your loads were perfect, with SDs in the single digits and ESs in the low teens. Your rifle is a tac driver putting holes on top of holes.  Everything has been torqued and Loctited. What could it have been?

Good afternoon friends and welcome to our latest edition of Silencer Saturday, where all your suppressor dreams come true – well, except for faster tax stamps and over-the-counter NFA purchases. Looking at the episode number of today’s article and the title image, I can’t help but think that I missed a gloriously inappropriate innuendo opportunity. It’s probably for the best. On today’s 69th edition we bring you an initial look at the CZUSA rimfire suppressors and their unique baffle features. Time allowing, I’ll follow up with additional information after shooting a few thousand rounds.

Magnums are fun because they inspire so many reactions from people and they are all unique. Some people conjure up thoughts of Dirty Harry while others only think of recoil. Some others yet, like me, start theorizing what big-game animals we could potentially hunt. Regardless of the camp you fall in, a good magnum revolver will put a smile on anybody’s face. Especially one that is light enough to carry all day, can hit its target at distance, can knock-down big-game, and is not terribly punishing to shoot. In my mind, one wheelgun I believed that could potentially check all of those boxes was the Smith & Wesson Performance Center 629 Competitor .44 Magnum, and in this TFB Review we will see if my hypothesis holds true.

How do you make the ultimate Glock competitor? You violate US patent law, of course!

Some time ago, I had a chance to use Birchwood Casey Super Blue to refinish a large amount of AKs (over a hundred, to be more precise). When I was looking for an effective bluing solution, I found a surprisingly little amount of actual reviews featuring different types of cold blue. So if you’re considering using cold blue to refinish your weapon, this little article might be helpful.

The CZ SP-01 Tactical from CZ is one of the hottest selling models for CZ currently. It is based on the classic CZ 75 and then modernized for the 21st century The gun was launched in 2004 to accommodate the increasing number of weapon attachments on the market. Fast forward 15 years and the gun is still a serious contender in the DA/SA market.

SB Tactical is one of those innovative and forward-thinking companies around the gun industry in my opinion. They have given the consumer market a lot of choices when it comes to pistol builds with their AR pistol braces. Now don’t get me wrong, not everything SB Tactical makes is crazy innovative, but overall the level of quality they offer is extremely high.

For those of you who do not know the Meopta brand, you are missing out. Their optics are made 100% in the Czech Republic. Check out our factory tour back in 2014. Just over a year ago Meopta announced their Meonight 1:1 night vision device. The Meonight clip-on allows you to use a day scope, ideally a Meopta scope, to see in the dark while shooting.

As spring approaches I look forward to more trips to the range and some more long distance shooting. In my preparation, I knew I needed to upgrade some of my equipment. At SHOT Show this year I visited Lyman and saw their Bag Jack and Match Bag combo. My old bag rest is showing wear so the Match Bag was a no brainer, but the Bag Jack is another story.

It was just a couple months ago I reviewed Bravo Concealment’s BCA OWB 3.0 Gun Holster for a Glock 19. If you read that article I spoke very favorably of the holster because it checked all of the right boxes for me and what I am typically looking for in a good quality holster. Since that review, Bravo Concealment has added extra utility to the OWB BCA 3.0 Gun Holster by providing a paddle attachment option. If you already own that holster you can simply purchase the paddle attachments to give yourself more ways to use the same holster. In this review, we will assess these NEW Paddle Attachments that Bravo Concealment has produced for their OWB BCA 3.0 gun Holster.

When you use night vision it is better to have binocular NODs aka dual tubes over a single PVS-14. The pros and cons of running duals over a monotube is for another day. While getting dedicated dual tubes is the best, sometimes that is not an option for some. In some instances, a unit or department may have a bunch of PVS-14s but not enough money to upgrade to dual tube night vision. So bridging two PVS-14s is a compromise but it works. While there are other bridges out on the market, TNVC just came out with their Powered Bridge Mount.

Back before US Palm went out of business they made the NODs Garage. News reports that US Palm is rising back from the dead and let’s hope they’ll bring back the NODs Garage. The current one is made by Armor Express and it looks like a knock-off of the US Palm NODs Garage with a few changes. The NODs Garage allows you to store your night observation device in the garage and the garage was designed to stow in the empty cavity of your helmet.

One accessory I have never played with on one of my firearms is a pistol muzzle brake. I had always wondered are they kind of for looks only or do they actually serve a valuable purpose without ever knowing the true answer. Well, Tyrant Designs recently reached out to TFB seeing as they debuted their NEW Glock T-Comp Muzzle Brake. This gave me the perfect opportunity to play with their NEW T-Comp and answer some of my own questions surrounding muzzle brakes for handguns. So let’s take an in-depth look at Tyrant Designs’ NEW Glock T-Comp Muzzle Brake for 9mm pistols (1/2″ x 28 T.P.I. Compatible).

Shooting with night vision is a lot of fun and gives you a clear advantage when shooting in the dark. However, wearing a helmet with night vision can get tiring if you do not set up your helmet properly. The helmet is often a platform for adding accessories like ear pro and lights. But night vision can require specialized equipment like battery packs and IR strobes. The Agilite Helmet Bridge allows you to attach all the accessories you want.

As the popularity of the 6.5 Creedmoor increases, we’re looking for accurate ammunition which doesn’t cost a fortune to shoot. In Europe the caliber is only starting to grow in popularity, so the volumes are low – prices sky high.

When you think of the classic gun rack, visions of a single-shot 20ga shotgun perched in a cheap pine, plywood or particle board cradle may come to mind. And I can say that with a straight face because in a previous life I’ve owned that complete setup. Hold Up Displays was nice enough to send over the opposite to a cheap wood rack – a vertical, wall mounted stand made from coated steel. Let’s do a step-by-step lightning review of the Hold Up Displays Vertical 6 Gun Rack.

For those of you who shoot suppressed and also understand the satisfaction from a purpose-built tool, Warren Innovative Technologies may have just the thing for you. SuppressorTools.com has almost 20 3D printed tools, each one is designed specifically for today’s most popular silencers. I’m hoping to get my hands on a couple for a lightning review in an upcoming episode of Silencer Saturday.