Straight Talk On Street Safety

We are reminded of these rules on the range and in every practice and training session. They obviously apply to every time and every reason that we might handle a firearm. But, I think we also need to be reminded that they apply to the use of the firearm in actual defensive situations. While this should be obvious, giving thought to these simple safety rules expands to our general use of firearms in a deadly situation. Read More

HOT BUY: Pulsar's Thermion 2 LRF XP50 Pro Thermal Riflescope!

Pulsar's Thermion 2 LRF XP50 Pro 2-16x riflescope boasts 640x480 resolution sensor, <25mK NETD, picture-in-picture, 8-color palette, 10 reticles in 9 colors, AMOLED display, 2,000-yd detection range, Wi-Fi, onboard video, laser rangefinder, ballistic calculator and more! Recoil rated to .375 H&H. Read More

The Winchester SXP, the Pump Shotgun that Thinks It's an Autoloader.

The SXP is a pump-action shotgun ready for trap or flushing upland game. Its inertia-assisted slide-action is the fastest for follow-up shots, allowing pump shotgun lovers to fire three shots in just a half second. Action guide bars eliminate twisting and binding when cycling the action. Read More

Trijicon Tenmile® 50 MPH Drop Test In Uganda

Tim Herald's safari hunt started when a gust of wind knocked his rifle and Trijicon Tenmile® optic off the roof rack of his safari truck. "We watched our rifle slips fly over our heads and slam against the blacktop 50 yards behind us," Tim said. Did the Tenmile scope's military-grade technology hold up for the rest of the hunt? Read Tim's story above to find out.

Shooting Illustrated Interviews: Julie Golob

Julie Golob is more than just a top-ranked competitive shooter, she's also a mom, a veteran, an author and a tireless advocate for the Second Amendment. As a former member of the elite Army Marksmanship Unit, she participated in matches across the country and helped train some of the troops out there on the tip of the spear, protecting our country. Read More

Review: Safariland Model ALS Concealment Paddle Holster

I recently had the opportunity to try out the Safariland Model ALS Concealment Paddle Holster and must say I'm quite impressed with its performance in several key aspects: pistol retention, ease of draw even with a thumb button, and durability. Read More

Skills Check: Rifle Mini-Navy Drill

Drill Practice is isolating an individual part of a skill and focusing intently on improving or mastering. The goal with good drill practice is to maximize your overall improvement while minimizing overall effort. Success equals consistency over time. Read More

Holster Evolution

In the world of firearms, specific to open and concealed handgun carry, the holster is often an unsung hero, silently safeguarding both the firearm and the wearer. Over time, the holster has undergone a remarkable journey of transformation, evolving from simple leather sheaths to advanced handgun-retention systems that cater to the demands of military, law enforcement and civilians alike. Read More

Review: Crucial Concealment IWB Ambidextrous Holster

I recently got my hands on the Crucial Concealment IWB (Inside the Waistband) holster and ran it through my usual paces for a review, which includes wearing it every day for several days (sometimes longer) and practicing draws and re-holstering with either live fire or dry fire. Read More

SIG Sauer Issues Light-Bearing Holster Safety Bulletin

SIG Sauer has issued a reminder about the risks associated with the use of light-bearing holsters, which have been involved in a number of alleged unintentional discharge incidents. Large openings in these holster designs, which are around the trigger to accommodate the bezels of attached weaponlights, may allow fingers or foreign objects to enter these holsters and contact the trigger. Read More

How Short is Too Short?

Defensive-handgun ammunition is designed and manufactured to deliver an acceptable level of terminal performance over a range of impact velocities. If the bullet impacts with too much velocity, it will lose its integrity and not penetrate to a desirable depth. If the bullet impacts at too slow a velocity, it will not upset at all, damage minimal tissue and penetrate too deeply, maybe even over-penetrating. Read More

It's a Tactical Problem

We just finished another team tactics class at Gunsite Academy and the class always ends with some force-on-force scenarios using Simunitions. The eye opener is that the best shot in the class does not necessarily do the best in the force-on-force, even though these scenarios are nearly always close-range problems. Simply put, being a good shot does not make one a gunfighter. Read More

I Carry: FN America Reflex 9mm Pistol in a DeSantis Holster

We're taking another look at the new Reflex micro-9 mm double-stack pistol from FN America to examine the optics-ready variant, the Reflex MRD. The Reflex offers everything you'd expect in a modern, micro-9 mm double-stack pistol: 3.3-inch barrel, 6.2-inch overall length, 4.27-inch height, 1-inch width and 18.4-ounce weight. Read More

"First Look: CZ Shadow 2 Compact

CZ has recently released a compact, aluminum framed version of its traditional double action/single action, steel-framed competition pistol, the CZ Shadow 2. The standard CZ Shadow 2 typically measures 8.53 inches overall and weighs 46.5 ounces. Read More

First Look: New Canik Creations Pistols

Team Canik recently introduced the new Canik Creations collection which includes four different Canik TP9SF pistols with special edition Cerakote finishes. These finishes include "Reptile Green," "Woodland Bronze," "Tiger Dark Grey" and "Woodland Green." Read More

First Shots: New Holsters From Safariland

We had a chance to talk one-on-one with David Higginbotham from Safariland about the new products they're releasing this year. Safariland has always been known for its outside the waistband holsters for military and law enforcement that provide active duty retention, and now the company is releasing more holsters that are designed for the needs of the armed citizen. Read More