Blast from the Past: M1A-A1 Bush Rifle

Editor’s Note: This piece was crafting as a special retro-style “mini-magazine” within the Winter 2026 print issue of The Armory Life. We styled it to look as though it had been published back when the author was a young teenager poring over his collection of Springfield Armory catalogs. Yo...

By Mike Humphries •

The Dueling Roots of the Old West Gunfighter

The lone gunman squaring off in a dusty street, hand hovering over a low-slung holster, is one of the most durable images in American gear culture. Its origin lies not on the frontier but in the East, in a formal ritual imported from Europe and practiced for decades by prominent men in the young ...

By James Chen •

Why the Right Spot Beats the Comfortable Tree

The trees that feel best to sit in are rarely the ones that put a mature buck in front of you. Hunters gravitate toward straight, comfortable, easy-to-reach trees with open sightlines because those spots feel safe and pleasant. Deer, and especially older bucks, do not live where you feel most at ...

By James Chen •

Ayoob: The Guns of Cormac McCarthy

When I plucked the September-October issue of Smithsonian magazine out of my P.O. Box, the first article I turned to was “The Secret Life of Cormac McCarthy” by Richard Grant. As I skimmed it, a pull-quote leaped out at me: “He never left the house without a book. He never left the house wi...

By Massad Ayoob •

Field-to-Table Squirrel: Recipes Worth the Effort

Squirrel meat lands somewhere between rabbit and chicken in both flavor and texture, and the flavor stays mild rather than gamey. That quality makes it one of the best game meats for winning over picky eaters: in soups, stews, and casseroles, it substitutes for chicken so cleanly that most people...

By James Chen •

Derya EX1300: New Double-Barrel Bird Blaster

Derya is a Turkish manufacturer, founded in 1998, and selling guns all over the world. They sell mostly tacticoolish shotguns and .22LR rifles, and lots of handguns. But sometimes they mix stuff up with Fudd-friendly material like the EX1300. Here’s what they tell us about it:

By Zac K •

ATF Says Suppressor and SBR Guidance Could Arrive Within Weeks

ATF Director Robert Cekada says long-awaited guidance covering suppressors, short-barreled rifles and short-barreled shotguns could arrive within weeks. The agency also says FFLs will not be cited for lawful suppressor transfers completed on Form 4473 under the federal injunction.

By John Crump •

Ayoob: Should You Always Get Off the X?

Editor’s Note: Be aware of your local and state as well as federal laws and how they apply to carrying firearms and self-defense. This article does not represent training advice/guidance. Please seek training from a professional firearms trainer for your self-defense needs. You’re facing...

By Massad Ayoob •
« Newer Posts Older Posts »