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 •

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 •

Top .380 Self-Defense Rounds?

A topic that consistently attracts significant interest is self-defense, and the two most common subtopics are home defense and concealed carry. Based on my personal experience and conversations with folks, concealed carry seems to be of the most interest. Why? You don’t go out in public with y...

By Beyond Seclusion •

NexTorch’s Ultra-Thin Gloves Protect without the Fluff

Gloves can go one of two ways: either highly useful or a hindrance when they impede your task at hand. I would soon find out which category NexTorch’s Ultra-Thin Gloves would fall into with my detailed testing. These gloves boast precision, dexterity, and all-weather performance. This triple t...

By Michael D'Angona •

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 •
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