The RPK: The Soviet Choice of Commonality Over Capability

In the mid-1950s, the Soviet high command accepted a compromise that would shape frontline infantry small arms for decades: prioritizing platform commonality over dedicated squad-level suppressive fire capability. That decision, formalized with the 1959 adoption of an AK-derived automatic rifle, ...

By Lynndon Schooler

The New Vortex Strike Eagle 1-10x24 FFP: Budget Beast at $699!

Coming out of Vortex's bag of surprises for 2026 is the new Vortex Strike Eagle 1-10x24 FFP riflescope. This new addition to Vortex's extremely popular budget line of LPVOs boasts a lot of the same features you’ll find on more expensive optics, but won’t come with the typica...

By Luke C.

Testing Hollywood: Michael Mann’s Collateral

Movies and the real-world application of firearms have had a troubled relationship. We go to the movies to escape and to dream, so naturally, some of those flights of fancy wind up being applied to how guns are used in movies, and the hero of the movie winds up shooting 30 or so rounds from Read ...

By Kevin Creighton

TFB Behind the Gun #205: Fast Matches w/ Russell Phagan

Today, we sit down with Russell Phagan , a name well known to fans of the Brutality match series , to discuss his new independent firearms competition venture: Fast-Matches.org . This new two-gun competition format is designed to bring fast-paced, physically engaging challenges to shooters across...

By Luke C.

Reloaders, Rejoice! Hornady's 12th Edition Cartridge Handbook Is Here

Cartridge reloading  is a fast-changing world, with new rounds on the market every year—these days, straight-wall rounds, long-range precision ammunition and variations on the 5.56 NATO case are the main arenas of development for the consumer market, it seems. And the 12th Edition Horn...

By Zac K

The RPD - Soviet Union’s First Squad Automatic Weapon

In the years after World War II, the Soviet military asked a simple question: how could an infantry squad bring a higher volume of automatic fire without surrendering mobility? A lesson they learned from the Eastern Front, where volume of fire was king. The answer, in part, was the RPD; this ligh...

By Lynndon Schooler

Vortex’s New $150 Triumph 2 MOA Red Dot

Vortex is no stranger to budget red dots, but for each year they release a new one, the tech and the presentation seem to get better and better without the price climbing too much. This year’s example is the new 2 MOA Triumph red dot . This new budget-friendly series is meant to appeal to n...

By Luke C.

M21 Sniper Rifle — A Short History

The renowned M14 service rifle has a complex history: it was the U.S. military’s shortest-lived service rifle yet one of the longest in service. While its time as a standard-issue rifle for G.I.s was brief, its power and performance have ensured its continued use as a sniper and Designated Mark...

By Cory Ross

Springfield SAINT Victor .300 BLK Pistol Review

In this review, Dr. Will Dabbs gets hands-on with the new Springfield Armory SAINT Victor pistol chambered in .300 AAC Blackout. This new handgun sports a threaded 9.5″ barrel, making it a perfect choice for suppressed shooting. Read on to see how well it performed with a can and a variety of s...

By Will Dabbs, MD
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