New From Springfield Armory: The Echelon 9mm

Springfield Armory has released the Echelon 9mm, a new take on the modern, striker-fired duty pistol. This modular and highly adaptable handgun is engineered for superior ergonomics and built to perform when the going gets tough. The heart of the Echelon is the new patent-pending Central Operating Group (COG), a self-contained and serialized stainless-steel chassis. Read More

Springfield Armory Hellcat w/ Shield SMSc

The Springfield Armory® Hellcat® raises the bar on concealed carry pistols with service pistol comfort, capacity and accuracy in a remarkably compact chassis. Offering up to an amazing 13+1 rounds on tap, the Hellcat OSP™ has its billet-machined slide cut to accept a micro red dot sight such as the included Shield SMSc. Read More

The Red-Dot Dilemma

You have decided to take the plunge and go the route of a red-dot sight on your everyday-carry gun. In getting familiar with the new sighting system, you are having trouble finding the dot in the lens. At first you thought it was your own inability to find the dot, since that phenomenon is a common occurrence with many gun owners in the early stages of making the transition from iron sights to red-dot sights. Read More

Review: Taurus GX4XL T.O.R.O. Pistol

Nearly every major manufacturer now offers a "slimline" striker-fired micro-compact 9mm pistol in their lineup, and Taurus is no exception. The Taurus GX4XL T.O.R.O. handgun is part of Taurus' GX4 micro-compact family. The original GX4 models made their first debut May 2021, while the slightly larger XL guns followed up during August of 2022 as part of a revamp of the Taurus pistol line. Read More

To See or Not to See, That is the Question

Today, let's talk about the power and purpose of a handheld flashlight. We will dive into pros and cons for on-body versus off-body carry locations for your flashlight and pre-deployment in a future article. In 1899 David Misell invented the first flashlight and patented it. Conrad Hubert of Eveready bought Misell's patent and the very first Eveready flashlight was born. Read More

Shooting Depth And Standards

In the world of the armed professional, to include military, federal agencies, law enforcement and protective services, firearm qualifications serve as the bedrock for maintaining the highest standards of proficiency and readiness. Qualifications ensure that employed personnel possess the requisite skills and competence to carry out their duties effectively and safely. Read More

Blending In While Carrying Concealed

My friend Alex runs "The Suited Shootist," a community dedicated to those who like to dress well while heavily armed. It's an important topic, because I've noticed a certain groupthink when it comes to the firearms community and clothing. We (as guys) tend to fall into one of two camps... Read More

How to Prepare for a Firearms Training Class

Ask people about their experiences with formal firearms training classes, and you will hear stories ranging from tremendously positive, to absolute horror stories, and everything in between. As I wrote last month, two keys to ensure a positive experience at a training class for the self-defense oriented citizen are to seek out the right types of training for your needs, and to choose reputable, quality instructors. Read More

First Look: IWB Holsters for J-Frame Revolvers From 1791 Gunleather

1791 Gunleather is now offering IWB (Inside The Waistband) concealment holsters for Smith and Wesson J Frame pattern revolvers. "We are thrilled to expand our holster collection with the introduction of our IWB revolver holsters," said Ramiro Romani, CEO at 1791 Gunleather. Read More

First Look: S&W M&P22 Magnum Pistol

Smith & Wesson has just released the new M&P22 Magnum, a full-sized polymer-framed pistol chambered in .22 Mag. This latest addition pistol brings more capacity, and more features to the M&P series. The internal hammer-fired design is paired with the Smith & Wesson's unique Tempo gas-operated barrel system that keeps components locked in place until the bullet passes the gas port, increasing accuracy and performance. Read More

Think Fast

A young police patrolman of my acquaintance was checking his buildings while on late-night patrol. One of those businesses was an auto parts store that was in a stand-alone building. As the officer eased up in front of the dark building, he clearly saw someone inside the store. Read More

I Carry: EAA/Girsan MC P35 PI 9 mm Pistol in a Galco Holster

For fans of the Browning Hi Power, particularly the elusive Detective variant, models have been few, far between and pricey. That changed recently with the addition of the MC P35 PI model to EAA's offerings of Hi Power-style pistols. Let's start with a little history lesson. Read More

First Look: Kimber K6xs Revolver

Kimber America has begun shipping their new snub-nosed carry friendly revolver, the new Kimber K6xs. The Kimber K6xs is an alloy framed 6 shot revolver chambered for .38 Special +P cartridges. Optimized for EDC (everyday carry) and personal protection, the K6xs holds the current record for Kimber's lightest revolver, coming in at only 15.9 ounces. Read More

First Look: Anderson Mfg. Dissipator Rifle

Anderson Manufacturing has just launched a new AR-15 carbine variant, the 5.56 Anderson AM-15 Dissipator, available exclusively through Classic Firearms. This new carbine has a layout like an AR-15A4 or M-16A4, but with a shorter 16-inch-long barrel compared to the 20-inch barrel of the original. The furniture, front sight base and other accessories are the classic A2 style. Read More