POTD: Four Eyes and a Red Window

Four glass eyes, a crimson visor and a hose snaking back to the pack. Whatever this operator is hunting probably should not exist. The kit comes from Shaw Concepts , the Alabama gear maker a Force Recon Marine started in 2019 after learning that a sewing machine cost about the same as one custom ...

By Eric B •

M40 Sniper Rifle – A Vietnam War Icon

The M40 rifle might be the most recognizable of all American sniper rifles. Its birth coincided with a need for a precision instrument in the steamy jungles of Vietnam, and its legacy was built by those who relied on its performance. Its accuracy, reliability, and endurance have given rise to a g...

By Cory Ross •

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 •

Capt. Dale Dye: The Battle of Guadalcanal

“It was scary, you know? The damnedest thing…” The old Marine flicked at a bright yellow tie he was wearing. “We were ordered to take Atabrine to prevent malaria. Most of us did that but it tended to turn our eyes and skin a bright yellow. And then a rumor started that the stuff would Rea...

By Capt. Dale Dye, USMC (Ret) •

Auto-Ordnance Unveils A Tommy Gun SBR

Auto-Ordnance has introduced the T1SB50DH, a semi-automatic short-barreled rifle built in the United States and chambered in .45 ACP. The firearm combines Prohibition-era styling with precision-machined construction, featuring a frame and receiver cut from solid steel with a blued finish. The ove...

By Eric B •

The Thompson Submachine Gun

Few firearms have had as colorful a history as that of the iconic “Tommy Gun.” It was developed for the trenches of the First World War. But, as it arrived too late, the Thompson submachine gun was marketed to civilians, and later was carried by Allied soldiers in World War II. It could be ar...

By Peter Suciu •

The Cutts Compensator Is Back, Sort Of

The intention behind the original Cutts Compensator was to reduce your gun’s muzzle climb as well as its recoil. The idea was that the ports cut into the compensator’s body would redirect gasses in such a way that your gun was more controllable, focusing on vertical muzzle movement du...

By Zac K •

War Stories: Bill the Tommygunner

Bill was a happy, jovial man. He was a patient of mine for many years. He always came to the clinic in the company of his sweet wife, who clearly adored him. Bill looked like a professional grandfather. He was also my friend. Bill was a gifted woodworker. He loved football, golf, and dancing with...

By Will Dabbs, MD •
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