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

TFB Review: Wilde Custom Gear Chest Rig and Accessories

The market for tactical nylon gear is expansive. There are so many companies today producing bespoke high-end equipment for a wide variety of needs. It should be fair that, among the wild west of manufacturers all competing for your attention and mighty dollar, one of these companies has risen to...

By Toby M

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

[SHOT 2026] Stoeger STR9 Thinline+ & STR-45 Combat - Practical Upgrade

Stoeger rolled out two new STR-series pistols at SHOT Show 2026, and both are refinements of existing platforms rather than ground-up redesigns. The STR9 Thinline+ takes the slim concealment pistol and pushes capacity up to 19+1 with a ported barrel, while the STR-45 Combat brings .45 ACP authori...

By Sam.S

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15: First Soviet Swept-Wing Fighter

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 entered the Cold War as a swept-wing jet fighter that stunned Western planners and demonstrated its lethality in the skies over Korea. In this article, Peter Suciu examines how its advanced aerodynamics, heavy cannon armament, and combat performance against American ai...

By Peter Suciu

Choosing Your First Hunting Rifle

If you are new to gun ownership or simply new to the pastime of hunting, it can feel like a daunting task to choose your first hunting rifle. You don’t want to buy the wrong thing, invest money in something that isn’t practical, or be taken advantage of by the guy behind the gun counter. Read...

By Adam Scepaniak

The Soviet “Silent” AKS-74UB

The AKS-74UB is one of the rarer Kalashnikov variants, a suppressed short carbine designed for missions requiring minimal noise and visual signature. Derived from the AKS-74U developed by Mikhail T. Kalashnikov in the 1970s, the AKS-74UB was created by a team of engineers at the Research Institut...

By Lynndon Schooler

M1 Garand vs. M1941 Johnson Rifle Debate

Even positive changes can be hard to accept. Long before the M1 Garand rifle was in widespread service in the US military, it had its share of detractors. A number of these objectors simply disagreed with the Army’s decision to adopt a semi-automatic rifle at all. They argued that the...

By Tom Laemlein
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