Springfield Armory came out with their Hellcat micro-compact pistol in 2019. The Hellcat helped establish the entirely new genre of micro-compact concealed carry pistols. Where previously you had the option of either a full-sized 9mm service pistol or an underpowered pocket gun, the Hellcat packe...
As adrenaline pumped into my bloodstream, I felt the beginning of tremors in my hands. Cold sweat appeared on my brow, and my breathing became shallow. Then, I heard the voice: 911. What’s your emergency? As a teenager scooping ice cream after school at the local Baskin Robbins, I wasn’t prep...
In October 1962, the C.I.A. and the U.S.A.F. requested that Lockheed study a high-speed, high-altitude drone concept for reconnaissance flights over particularly hostile territories to avoid endangering aircrews. Created during the height of the Cold War and following the shootdown of a U-2 spy p...
I love to tinker. You can give me a completely sound gun that doesn’t need anything else, and I’ll still want to swap out some parts “just to see.” You know the type. Heck, I bet most of you are the same way. I recently swapped a Midwest Industries Combat Rail HD, in the 13.5-inch Read Mo...
The 1911 has now been with us for a century and a decade. Throughout that lifespan, there’s been no point at which it was not beloved by huge numbers of soldiers, law enforcement agents, and civilian shooters. Astonishingly, perhaps implausibly, the 1911 remains a darling of serious pistol...
Another step, and two deer scooted from a foggy clearing. But their dash into the alders suggested they’d not go far. Circling downwind, I drifted onto a deer trail, pausing at each step, glassing not yards ahead but feet. Then: a glint from the shadows. Stay still! Presently, beside ...
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has signed a memo ending gun-free zone policy on U.S. military bases, allowing off-duty service members to carry privately owned firearms for self-defense. Here's what it means.
The USS Hornet (CV-12) stands as one of the most storied aircraft carriers in United States naval history, playing a decisive role in World War II as part of the Essex-class fleet. From its origins as a replacement for the lost USS Hornet (CV-8) to its participa...
This question shows up at gun counters more than just about anything else. Someone grabs a box of ammo, notices it says .223 Remington, but their barrel is marked 5.56 NATO, and suddenly they are wondering if they made a mistake. I have watched this exact scenario play out dozens of times, and ho...
My very first handgun was a Springfield Armory XD in 9mm. It was around 2007, I was shopping for a home-defense solution and I’d read positive reviews about the XD line in American Rifleman and Guns & Ammo magazines. At decision time, it wasn’t much of a competiti...