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Recover Tactical S-PRO Review: Stock Your Glock

By
Dave Merrill
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With Recover Tactical’s S-PRO conversion kit, you can stock your Glock, Canik or Walther PDP.

Ever since the advent of both the handgun and the longarm, people have been searching for the best way to bridge the gap between the two. The tree created in this quest for compromise has many branches and brought us to entirely new categories (looking at you, PDW). But one of the easiest ways, and first attempts, to clasp hands was simply adding a stock to a sidearm.

This makes a lot of sense. A buttstock increases stability and allows for better recoil management by adding more points of contact with the body. It won’t make a [typically] smaller pistol round hit harder, but it’ll make the shooter more accurate while allowing for faster fire. This is why detachable stocks were seen with some 19th century calvary guns, horseback being a place where the small size and maneuverability of a handgun has advantage but the increased stability of a stock is helpful.

We see the same trend for similar reasons in the early 20th century, though often with aviation and armored vehicles in mind rather than horses. Along with assorted Mauser broomhandles, the Germans had the LP08, essentially a plussed-up Luger with tangent sights and a stock. The Browning Hi-Power, too, received a comparable “artillery” treatment. In the postwar period, the Soviets produced the similarly stocked Stechkin.

Recover Tactical S-PRO Review luger
Adding a stock to a sidearm to increase stability isn’t a new idea, just less common in America.

But by mid-20th century America, the stocked pistol largely disappeared. The reason for this is twofold: the American military moved toward the submachine gun and the carbine as the preferred middle path (carbines being much easier to train conscripted troops with) and the passing of the National Firearms Act of 1934. After NFA ’34 was enacted, pistols equipped with buttstocks that had barrels under 16 inches were declared short-barreled rifles—and had to be registered and have a $200 tax paid prior to legal possession.

There were outliers in the pistol/carbine conversion camp like the Dardick Model 1500 (a fascinating firearm in its own right) and truly custom pieces like the Bob Loveless S&W Model 41 convertible, but they are few and far between.

dardick
The convertible Dardick 1500 is one of the weirdest, coolest guns.

For some perspective, the NFA tax was $200 when the bill was signed in June 1934. If going by mere inflation, that $200 equates to around $4,800 in June 2025—but if we compare it to median income levels it’s the modern equivalent of $13,300. It’s no wonder that development of stocked pistols and conversions died on the vine among the American civilian market for essentially the rest of the 20th century. Now that the SBR tax has been reduced to $0, we may start to see that change.

Brace Yourself

Right around the turn of the millennium you start to see some basic carbine conversions being made in America, like the MechTech CCU, but they didn’t gain popularity until much later—the legal acceptance of pistol braces being the main reason.

Originally introduced in 2012 as a way for some disabled shooters to better stabilize so-called “large format” (read: rifle caliber) pistols, braces quickly became a legalese workaround for the more casual ownership and importation of short-barreled rifles. In the decade-plus that followed spanning several presidential administrations, the government would change their mind several times, release contrary determination letters, add and remove restrictions, follow shadowy regulations, classify braced guns as unregistered SBRs, and pass out free tax stamps—all before ultimately vacating their previous rulings. A big mess of their own making. Despite the current legal acceptance of braces on pistols at the time of writing, here we’re using a Glock receiver already registered as an SBR to avoid any gray areas.

Recover Tactical S-PRO Review 8

As to why would someone need a “brace” on a regular pistol? A gun ready-made for one-handed use? While there’s a case scenario someplace because there always is, the simple answer is that a brace is really used as a buttstock—and everyone already knows that anyway. Like the glass “tobacco pipes” at the head shop, you’re just not supposed to say it out loud. Oops.

The reality is that the design of most braces make them middlin’ buttstocks at best. They’re often not adjustable, flimsy, with poor surface for purchase against the shoulder (to better defend yourself in court). That said, these aren’t universal traits, and even a bad brace/buttstock can increase stability by offering more points of contact with the body. 

Recover Tactical S-PRO Review 4
The LOP is enough that you can use your slide-mounted dot.

Simply Israeli

When we published a Glock Stock Buyer’s Guide back in RECOIL Issue 44 back in 2019, more than half of these pistol-to-carbine conversion kits originated in Israel. And in CONCEALMENT Issue 19 we followed up with the predecessor to what you see here, the Recover Tactical 20/20 Stabilizer Kit, which also hails from there. In fact, the bulk of these conversions come out of Israel, and that’s not for no reason.

Though you’ve undoubtedly seen plenty of pictures of IDF troops slinging rifles around cities, gun ownership for citizens of Judea is quite tight. There has been some recent loosening of laws, but Tel Aviv is still nothing close to Tulsa; there are strict requirements regarding who can own guns and what type and quantity they can possess as well as how much ammo they can have on-hand.

Recover Tactical S-PRO Review 5

Oftentimes people will only have one gun, and usually that one gun is a pistol. But as pistol/carbine conversion is an accessory rather than a firearm, it doesn’t require any additional paperwork for use in many jurisdictions. Israel definitely doesn’t have the American National Firearms Act so there’s no barrel length nonsense, but they will play into the brace/stabilizer aspect in order to sell on the American market.

In short, if these kind of conversion kits don’t make sense to you, it’s because they weren’t really made for you. They are made first for Israeli citizens, with the American consumer market as a secondary concern.

Recover Tactical S-PRO

Founded by Tamir Porat, the man behind the love-it-or-hate-it Tavor bullpup rifle, Recover Tactical isn’t new to either the Israeli or American market. They first caught our eye by releasing add-a-rail adapters for older pistols, something that makes more sense when viewed from the perspective of modernized a “only one gun.”

Recover Tactical S-PRO Review 2
The full kit has a lot of parts, pieces, and fasteners—but also a lot of options.

Back in 2020 they released the 20/20 Glock Stabilizer Kit, and while it’s tempting to say the S-PRO is a more-modular updated and upgraded version, it’s simply not this case because this is a whole different thing.

The real structural component of the S-PRO is the Main Frame, a metal spine with plastic carapace to which most fasteners secure and internally houses the stock/brace rod. Without this piece, there is no S-PRO. Adapters are used to hold the gun to the spine, with different adapters for different guns (at the time of writing you can get them for Glock. Canik, PDP, with the SIG X Macro listed as “coming soon,” though due to the nature of the platform the sky is the limit). The two-piece rear adapter holds the beavertail, and the front clamshell nestles around the trigger guard and clicks into place. Unlike the 2020 model, insertion and removal of the pistol is toolless and only takes seconds.

Recover Tactical S-PRO Review 10
After your initial setup, the S-PRO doesn’t look so daunting.

The buttstock/brace is also modular and can be configured for left- or right-handed use (with a “real” buttstock option available). Also included is a barrel shroud with M-Lok slots, which acts as a secondary locking mechanism for the front clamshell adapter, a forward spare magazine holder that prosecutors probably/hopefully/maybe won’t consider a vertical grip, and a high-rise optic mount. The reason for the high optic mount is that when your length of pull, the distance from your trigger to the end of your stock (and shoulder), is too short, low optics can be hard or impossible to use. While the LOP and angle of the stock rod on the S-PRO is actually sufficient for many to use slide-mounted optics, it was a nice inclusion.

And oh yeah, the stock rod is spring-loaded and pops out like a switchblade with the press of a button. Recover Tactical seems to have learned the lesson of Flux Defense that cool is the first rule, and spring-loaded is definitely cool.

Quirks & Weirdness On The Range

Once the gun is inside the S-PRO, physically racking the slide becomes extremely difficult. It’s for this reason that Recover Tactical includes a new clip-on charging handle. The main problem being that it was designed only with non-optic OEM Glocks in-mind, rear grooves and all. In fact, everything about the S-PRO is essentially only for OEM. The adapters rely on the critical dimensions of the rear beavertail and the front curve of the triggerguard. Aftermarket Glock frames or any modifications that change those dimensions will make the S-PRO a non-starter.

Recover Tactical S-PRO Review 6
You can run with two optics to confuse your friends and confound your enemies.

All isn’t lost, however. If you’re already running an optic on your slide, you can simply use the optic as the charging handle—and if you can’t use the optic on your gun as a charging handle, you shouldn’t be using that optic on your gun. It’s noteworthy that the high-rise optic and a slide-riding optic can both be mounted at the same time, to confuse your friends and confound your enemies if nothing else.

Here we purchased a metal Glock “racker jacker” rear plate replacement for Jackson to fill the role. It was originally ambi, but a Dremel tool took care of that quickly.

In terms of performance? A stock helps you do things faster. There’s an included cheekpiece you can bolt onto the rear for use with the high-rise optic but it didn’t really seem to be needed. The main complaint is that the stock rod has flex in it. While the main body spine may have a lot of metal in it, the stock rod feels flimsy and insufficient in actual use—it torques and twists with pressure and I don’t think I’d feel comfortable using this setup with an autosear. Damn.

Loose Rounds

The S-PRO improves on the Recover Tactical 20/20 system in many ways. It’s toolless after setup. It’s modular and able to accommodate a wider variety of arms. It allows for more accessories. It has that movie-cool switchblade stock. But the stock rod itself is a fatal flaw; hopefully they’ll add some more ounces to address it.

Recover Tactical S-PRO Review 3
Using different multi-piece rear adapters and hinging front adapters which in turn bolt onto the main frame, the S-PRO can accommodate different pistols. However, the entire system is designed for the curves of OEM guns—no guarantees your modded frame will fit, and the included charging handle doesn’t work with optics or aftermarket slides (we made our own solution for $20, and you can too).

There are a lot of complicated clamshell carbine conversions out there. Though they’re technically convertibles, most of them should be thought of as semi-permanent because they take tools and/or time measured in minutes. This isn’t one of them, because popping a pistol inside the S-PRO only takes seconds (albeit with an asterisk attached, depending on your setup). This ease of conversion means you’re more likely to actually use it at home or on the range, which makes a lot of sense for a nation where if you own a gun, it’s probably just the one.

Recover Tactical S-PRO

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the April 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

More Self-Defense Pistols

Home Defense Training: Act Like You’ve Been There

By
Richard A. Mann
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When it comes to home defense training, you have to train like you intend to fight.

In 2013, I hunted with some American war fighters on the U.S. Army’s base in Hohenfels, Germany. That was an interesting experience—a story for another time—and it has nothing to do with home defense. However, while I was in Germany, I went to a Pond Training Academy. At that time, Pond was conducting some of the security at the gates to the Hohenfels Army base, and in the Pond Academy, they had a unique shooting range.

That shooting range does have something to do with home defense.

In the basement of the academy, they had a video range, where they would play video on the large movie screen and cadets could engage targets in the video. A unique light system marked their shots, and the video could be replayed to see where they hit. This was a very cool range experience, and I got to shoot on it with a rifle and with a handgun.

Home Defense Training 7

With the rifle, I shot running boar targets, and with the handgun, I shot cartoons. (In Germany, it was against the law for non-security or law enforcement to shoot at humanoid targets.) The video range training for the Pond security cadets was custom tailored to the job they were going to perform.

The academy had video of the gates at Hohenfels base where the Pond officers worked, and in this video they had various scenarios on film for the cadets to respond to with firearms. Talk about training like you intend to fight, this video system put the security officers in the field where they would actually be working and allowed them to respond to nefarious actions like they might have to in real life.

Training like you intend to fight is nothing new. The U.S. Army and American law enforcement switched to humanoid targets a long time ago. At Gunsite, Jeff Cooper began crafting shooting drills that mirrored real-life and/or imagined incidents, and ever since then combat pistol competitions have been built around theoretical—but of course highly unlikely—self-defense scenarios.

It’s a training concept that’s very old and one that’s routinely used in sports: You practice like you intend to play.

How does all this dovetail into home defense? Well, it’s very simple.

If it’s your desire to be able to defend your life and the lives of your loved ones in your home, you should train for that exact circumstance. Sure, shooting a handgun, shotgun or carbine is the same no matter where you’re shooting them—sights on target/trigger press—but practice and training for the exact situation you might have to encounter goes a step further. Of course, you cannot go to some video range where there will be a video of your home with bad guys attacking you and for you to shoot at.

But you can simulate the experience.

Home Defense Training 1
Practice executing your home defense plan with the gun(s) you will actually use.

Make a Plan

The first thing you need to do is make a plan, and the plan needs to be multi-faceted to include various points of potential entry, various locations you would likely respond from, and it needs to address not just you, but everyone in the household. If someone busts through your front door while you’re eating dinner, how do you respond and what should everyone else in your home immediately do?

Home Defense Training 10
Home defense can be inside or outside. One plan is not enough. You need to have a comprehensive multifaceted plan.

A book could be written about proper planning and all the variables for dealing with a home invasion. There are so many different homes containing so many different family units that could be attacked, from so many different points of entry, that proper planning just cannot be covered in this format. However, we can look at a hypothetical situation and examine how we might create a training program to help us prepare for it.

Situational Considerations

Let’s imagine you live in a home with a floor plan as shown below. Let’s also imagine you want to devise a plan to deal with a two-attacker home invasion through your front door while you’re eating dinner. And finally, let’s assume your home is occupied by you, your wife and your 6-year-old son. The first thing I would do is invite two of my shooting friends over for dinner, but before dinner I would let them play the bad guys and walk through a home invasion scenario several times. This will give you some insight as to what the attackers’ movements might be as well as what your response could be.

Home Defense Training 8
This is a very simplified home defense plan but illustrates most considerations and shows what a range card looks like.

The goal here is three-fold. First, you want to familiarize yourself and your family with how everything might unfold. Secondly, you want to devise your plan of response. And finally, you want to identify the locations, situations and targets you might have to engage. Essentially, you are creating a mental video you can play out at the range. Granted, this is a very simplified plan and as with most tactical considerations, there is always more than one answer. However, it serves to illustrate the point.

Make a Range Card

A range card is a standard shooting tool used by the military and snipers. It details your field of fire and where potential targets are. In a combat situation, the actual range—distance to targets—is important, but in a home defense situation it’s generally not. You want to create a range card that will detail your planned point of defense and the potential locations of possible threats. Drawing it out is not a bad idea, because it can help you illustrate your plan to other family members, but in most cases a mental picture is sufficient.

Print
This live-fire drill is a companion to the home defense plan also illustrated. It replicates the potential shooting scenario detailed in the plan.

When you’re creating this range card, you should also take note of the cover and concealment you and your attackers might use. For example, if there is a dividing wall the attacker might hide behind, is it a solid wall or just a shell wall? If it’s solid, you cannot shoot through it, but if you see an attacker duck behind a shell wall, you can. Most furniture will not stop bullets, and while it can provide concealment, it is not cover.

Home Defense Training 5
If your plan is to gain cover or concealment behind a barrier/wall, practice shooting from behind a barricade.

Live Fire

Once you have a range card, go to the range and practice the shots you will probably need to make, at the distances relative to your home. When you’re competent at getting hits, set up a stage reflecting the situation and the range card, and run through it while engaging the targets. Start slow, like a walkthrough, and then advance to real time. The training stage example below assumes you are wearing your home defense handgun in a holster while you’re eating dinner.

Home Defense Training 4
Your planning, training and live fire should incorporate how to utilize the concealment and cover you have identified.

However, when you make your plan, consider situations and build a range card, and do it realistically to represent where your gun might be in a real-life situation. If you keep your gun on top of the refrigerator, in the nightstand, or maybe in a gun safe, all this needs to be reflected in your plan and range card, and it will dictate your plan … and ultimately the training stage you set up.

Home Defense Training 2
Where you will keep your gun at home will directly influence any home defense plan you make.

Force on Force

Once you have worked through the training stage at the range that will likely replicate a real-life home invasion, you should then do a walkthrough at home, with your family and your two shooting friends. Invite them over for dinner again and simulate the scenario. If you’re smart, you will arm yourself and your friends with airsoft guns and give everyone a face shield. This not only adds some fun to the exercise, but it also adds adrenalin and can highlight flaws in your plan that might cause you to rethink everything.

airsoft glock
Airsoft guns can offer a realistic experience, and through force-on-force exercises, they can highlight flaws in your plan.

Depending on the situation and where you keep your gun, the best plan may be to retreat to another room that is easier to defend. It might make you rethink where everyone normally sits at the dinner table. One thing you want to do is require your wife and son to react as planned when the exercise begins. Where do they go, where is the phone to call 911, and who is going to make the call?

Home Defense Training 6
You need to know who is going to call 911 and make arrangements for a phone to be where they are going to safety.

Train Like You’ll Fight

The underlying premise here is to evaluate the unknown. You and your family are mostly finding answers for questions that might be asked. As Jeff Cooper explained in his book, Principles of Personal Defense: “Short of extensive personal experience, which most of us would rather not amass, the best way to cultivate such tactical decisiveness is through hypothesis: ‘What would I do if … ?’ By thinking tactically, we can more easily arrive at correct tactical solutions, and practice even theoretical practice tends to produce confidence in our solutions, which, in turn, makes it easier for us, and thus quicker, to reach a decision.”

Screenshot
Principles of Personal Defense by Jeff Cooper.

Unfortunately, few if any of us have access to a video range, where we can watch and shoot at the screen where images of our own home being invaded is playing out. But we can plan and train accordingly. This is not a new or revolutionary concept. If you train like you’ll fight, you will fight like you have trained. And if you trained well enough, you’ll win.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the April 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

More On Training

First Look: Springfield Echelon COA Models

By
Adam Borisenko
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Springfield Armory has just announced three new Aimpoint COA-equipped Echelon models.

When the Aimpoint COA and its neat new A-CUT mounting system were announced last year, many shooters were excited to get their hands on it. The ability to do so was limited, however, due to it being exclusively available on Glocks for the first year and those sales being limited to MIL and LE customers for much of that time frame. Thankfully, that 1-year exclusivity window has recently ended, and Aimpoint COA red dots are starting to become available on a wider variety of handguns. The latest to be announced is the Springfield Echelon, with COA variants being offered for the 4.0C, 4.0FC and 4.5F models.

Springfield Echelon COA 1

The Springfield Echelon left our team impressed, but the new optic option should help make it even better. The trick behind the Aimpoint COA is twofold: there’s the red dot itself, and there’s its A-CUT mounting system. The COA is a rugged yet lightweight closed-emitter optic that features a 3.5-MOA dot, a huge 15x15mm lens and an excellent battery life. Meanwhile, the A-CUT mount dovetails the entire optic into the slide of the Echelon and secures it via a front hook and rear wedge. This system keeps recoil forces acting on the dovetail rather than the mounting screws, making for a very solid, durable lockup that retains zero extremely well, and also allows for co-witnessing iron sights due to how low it’s mounted. All in all, a very cool system.

aimpoint coa a-cut

Steve Kramer, Vice President of Marketing for Springfield Armory, said this about the new optics-equipped pistols:

We are extremely proud to announce the launch of these Aimpoint COA-equipped Springfield Armory pistols … Pairing the Aimpoint COA closed-emitter optic with these dedicated A-CUT Springfield Armory pistols makes for a combination ideal for facing the most demanding situations and environments.

The MSRP for all three new Springfield Echelon COA models is $1,120 and they’re available now. Springfield says that 1911 DS Prodigy and 1911 COA models will eventually be available as well.

Springfield Echelon COA 2

For more information, visit springfield-armory.com.

More On Pistol Red Dots

  • The Red Dot Advantage
  • The Best Optics For CCW
  • The Aimpoint ACRO P-2
  • The Trijicon RMR
  • The Swampfox Liberator II

    • First Look: Special Edition Mossberg 590 Bliksem

    By
    Adam Borisenko
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    0

    Mossberg has just announced a special edition Bliksem version of the Mossberg 590 pump-action firearm.

    The 590 Shockwave just got cooler, as Mossberg has announced the special edition Bliksem version of the 12-gauge pump-action firearm. It’s made in collaboration with Christian Craighead and his brand, Ministry of Defence (MOD). If you don’t know Craighead, he’s the SAS bloke who saved hundreds of hostages in Nairobi after single-handedly storming the hotel to engage their terrorist captors back in 2019. If that wasn’t enough, he looked really damn cool while doing it.

    Mossberg 590 Bliksem craighead

    Speaking of cool-looking, the new Mossberg 590 Bliksem. Basically a 590 Shockwave at its core, the Bliksem features a 14.375-inch heavy-walled barrel, a 5+1 capacity and a bird’s head grip. Naturally, the special edition version has a few tricks up its sleeve. It comes standard with a Picatinny rail on its receiver, a Coyote Brown Esstac 6-shotshell carrier card and a very cool Rhodesian Brushstroke camouflage finish. The rest of its features are what you’d expect in a standard Shockwave.

    Mossberg 590 Bliksem pump

    Richard Kirk, Senior Director of Marketing for Mossberg, said this about the Bliksem:

    Our collaboration with Christian Craighead was a natural fit … He understands gear that needs to perform in the real world, and together we built a 590 that’s as tough, practical, and unapologetically stylish as the people who rely on it.

    Christian Craighead said this about the pump-action:

    Mossberg understands function over flash, and that’s why this collaboration worked … We designed the 590 Bliksem to be practical, durable, intuitive and some might say most importantly, cool – qualities that matter far more than marketing lines. It’s a solid bit of hardware.

    MSRP for the Mossberg 590 Bliksem is $728.

    For more information, visit mossberg.com.

    More On Shotguns

    Musings On Home Defense Guns

    By
    Josh Wayner
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    Here are a few things you should consider when choosing or building home defense guns.

    When things go bump in the night, there are of course some things to consider before you start bumping back. The gun community has been a mixed bag of sorts lately with products and technology coming out at a blistering rate thanks to changes in legislature and the expansion of the broader consumer base. There are more gun owners on a much wider spectrum of diversity than ever before, and this has inadvertently led to less tribal knowledge, less general understanding of technology and a “too many cooks in the kitchen” situation with the spread of information.

    Something I’ve paid a great deal of attention to in the past few years has been the growing number of so-called experts who are little more than entertainers in tactical kit. Somehow, each of these guys is former special forces, a SEAL team member, SWAT sniper … whatever. I know and work closely with all of the aforementioned characters, and most things being promoted by entertainers are just straight-up fictional, and in many cases, simply there to encourage people to buy their snake oil.

    Self-defense isn’t a cookie-cutter thing, and a lot of what is being marketed to you are gimmicks. So, let’s break it down a little bit: Here are the major considerations you must address before building out a gun for your home defense needs.

    The Terrain

    Your home and property are a form of terrain, just like being in the woods. You have elevations, blind spots, hiding places, areas to protect and others to flee. You might think you know your home very well, but problems arise when you must think of your place as a dynamic environment that can get you killed.

    Think about this: It’s dark and you’ve had a late night, watching movies with the wife. She’s doing something or other in the house, but you’re having a drink before bed and wander into the garage for a minute … and suddenly you hear a window break and she starts screaming. Where are the kids? Is this a prank? Where is your gun? You also don’t know exactly where your wife is. Is she in the bathroom down the hall or in the master bedroom? Could she be downstairs?

    Your home has now become a three-dimensional space with an unknown threat. Now, you need to navigate this to keep everyone safe. It could be a bear depending on what part of the country in which you reside, or maybe a guy obsessed with your teen daughter. Predator or pervert, you’ve got to make some fast decisions.

    Knowing your terrain and how to navigate in an environment where your kids will likely be awake now, confusion abounds and dangers are unknown. What you do next will be important. Locating your family members is critical—bullets don’t care who is behind that thin sheet of drywall. Homes are very easy to shoot through. You can’t just start shooting until you are line of sight with a threat, and that can be difficult in any structure.

    Knowing your layout, location of weapons and the locations of your family members are very critical to keeping everyone safe. Once a gun is in play, your structure is no longer safe for anyone; it’s the fact of firing in a home. Even if they are directly behind you, the danger of incoming fire is present as well. You need to find places you can defend that also don’t endanger your loved ones, which can be difficult in most homes.

    So, with all this front of mind, are you building out a home gun because you like it … or because you’ve done the homework and it’s suited to your specific home terrain?

    Caliber and Size

    It’s my belief that any self-defense pistol set up for use in the home should be able to be operated at least by the adults in the household, and the older children should have general knowledge and training with it as well. In general, this means that whatever pistol I set up should feature ambidextrous controls. For instance, many members of my family are left-handed, whereas I am right-handed. Any gun used for defense should at least be able to be trained on with the weak hand. Many pistols out there today are effectively ambidextrous; this set of features is no longer difficult to find.

    There is a prevailing belief that “nightstand” pistols can be larger and more powerful, but I don’t agree with this. Being easy to handle and fire is much better than greater power. If your wife has a hard time operating a semi-automatic pistol, but has an easy time with a revolver, a revolver should be what you train and practice with. If you’re incapacitated or shot, the last thing you want is your wife unable to chamber a round or manipulate all the controls.

    Home Defense Guns 2011 revolver
    Despite being a reliable self-defense tool for generations, the fashion in pistols has swung away from the humble “snub-nose” revolver to guns like the Staccato. In a long survey of self-defense trainers, most won’t even teach the pocket revolver, and some don’t even want them in classes.

    Suppressors on pistols in the home … well, I’m not convinced it’s a smart move. As suppressors are gaining popularity, they have definitely found their way onto home defense pistols, but it’s not all roses. I am not a big fan of them from the perspective that they tend to add a lot of forward weight, are harder to point and handle, and can adversely affect reliability. As a generality, they are going to basically double the length of your pistol, and suppressors, while reducing noise, can interfere with lights and optics. If you want to do this, you need to spend a lot more time practicing and training with your setup … in the dark.

    Onboard Technology

    Take note: Smoothly operating technology is something that is more important than the most advanced technology. If you are equipping your pistol with a red-dot, light and all the bells and whistles, it better not be too complicated to use if you are incapacitated. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a regular 1911 and a flashlight; you’ve been coerced into believing that all of the stuff needs to be in one place.

    Home Defense Guns suppressed 1911
    To mount a flashlight or to not mount a flashlight, that is the question. There are benefits to having a light on your gun, but there are also many tactical advantages to having a handheld—namely you won’t have to have your gun pointing at every place you need to scan, like places that may contain friendlies.

    The shooting industry, unfortunately, does a good job gaslighting people into buying more products because that’s what instructors in the military use, but you’re not going to have the support of those people or that military industrial complex when something bad happens at your house. If it’s too complicated for all of your family members to use, don’t use it. If your wife has a hard time using a pistol-mounted red-dot, don’t use it.

    I don’t have the answer for what’s best for you. But I can tell you that overdoing it is a recipe for disaster, considering that there is a steeper proficiency curve the more items you add onto your pistol. 

    Safety Features and Storage

    A big part of owning a gun is being safe about it. Just like racing to put all of the possible accessories onto your gun is something of a fool’s errand, if you can’t master the basics, getting all that equipment and then simply leaving it in a drawer unattended is a pretty bad option—even if it’s just from an investment standpoint.

    As mentioned, complicated features can lead to liabilities, but complicated storage can lead to inaccessibility. There is a pretty wide margin between leaving a loaded pistol out in the open and leaving it empty in a safe. Today, there are quite a few options for safe storage, and our community has been slowly embracing them, among these are keypad and biometric options that allow quick access but remain secure. These are not exactly gun safes and should not take their place, but they do keep unwanted users from gaining immediate access. I strongly recommend looking into options from Hornady.

    Additionally, there’s a bit of a debate about manual safeties and their advantages … and disadvantages. Most striker-fired pistols don’t have an easily verifiable way to show if the pistol is loaded or empty. Guns that have both striker fire mechanisms and manual safeties are not as common as those that have exposed hammers, such as a 1911. It’s very easy to, even from a distance, see if the 1911 is ready to fire.

    Home Defense Guns pistols
    Pistol lights vary quite a bit in size and length. Note that some of these stick out past the muzzle, thus increasing length. The size of light you use doesn’t matter so much in a drawer, but it will if you carry.

    Manual safeties are definitely a bonus for safety in the home; however, they are one more thing to keep in mind under stress. You will find that there are a variety of schools of thought that go into this, and at the end of the day you’re going to have to figure out what’s best for you and your family.

    The Big Question

    Home defense rifles are not a new concept, but their expanding popularity in recent years has led to a lot of disinformation. A big one I hear is that 5.56 NATO is not “good at penetration” and is pretty safe to use in a standard residential structure. I’ve even heard from experts that it’s safer to use than high-mass pistol rounds, such as 9mm or .45 ACP. This is simply not true.

    A 5.56 NATO bullet can and will penetrate walls. It’s an absolutely serious, lethal, high-penetration cartridge (as always, bullet dependent) that can very easily do damage several rooms over.

    The same concepts apply to shotguns: Shotguns are some of the worst offenders for multi-wall penetration. Despite the fact that they have been the quintessential home defense firearm for generations, it’s the fact that they have been around so commonly that led to this, not out of any real purposeful design. If a shotgun is what you have, again, training and situational awareness are paramount.

    Any rifle cartridge you use is going to be considerably more powerful than your home materials can withstand—7.62×39, .308 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, you name it. A while ago on these pages, I wrote about a concept that I dubbed Schrodinger’s bullet, where we basically ask a bullet to kill a bad guy, but not cause excessive penetration in walls or create liability for nearby individuals. We are asking too much of bullets if that’s the case. There is no such bullet that will simply stop in a bad guy that can’t first make it through clothing to his vital organs.

    Your home defense setup can and will kill your family members or neighbors by accident. Expect any home defense setup to go through walls—period.

    Watch Your Weight

    Many shooters have become obsessed with taking up every bit of real estate on a long-gun these days. I tend to trick out my field rifles. I simply like good-looking guns. However, I would be lying if I told you that these were ideal setups for home defense.

    The rifle featured in this article is a PWS chambered in 6ARC and features an 18-inch barrel, a suppressor, a thermal optic from Armasight and a day optic package from Vortex. This rifle, loaded, weighs 16 pounds and is a rifle I used for hunting and usually off of a tripod. Despite the fact that it looks like a useful setup, it’s not easy to move around the home with. The optics on this rifle alone account for several pounds, and the suppressor adds weight and length to the front of the rifle.

    It used to be taught that you wanted a compact package that you could operate off of either shoulder, and it would be light and handy. Most of my friends’ home defense rifles are so encrusted in gear that they’re approaching boat-anchor territory. The overly commercialized industry and gear-junkie instructors would have you preparing to invade Afghanistan again with what is commonly being pushed.

    On the other hand, a bone-stock M16 A1 weighs less than half of this despite being “outdated.” In our day and age, iron sights are often completely overlooked for more complicated optics. However, in doing shoot houses and other training exercises, there is no real difference in speed between dots and irons inside close quarters. But I did notice LPVO optics are decidedly slower, yet do offer advantages the second you enter open areas. Weight as a consideration needs to be addressed: The more you add to a rifle, the harder it will be to operate by family members.

    Less clutter and more function are exactly where you should start.

    Home Defense Guns rifles
    An AR with a suppressor can be quite long and unwieldy. Since ARs are usually compared to others of their kind, the author threw in a new CMP M1 rifle to show the scale. Adding frontal length and weight dramatically influences maneuverability. In fact, the M1 isn’t the heaviest rifle in this photo.

    Slings and Things

    There is debate around accessories like slings on rifles and shotguns for the home. I’ve heard both camps, and I can see all the sides. One says yes to slings because you can have a gun handy if moving kids or an injured person. On the other hand, they are easy to catch on things, grab onto and can generally snag easily while moving.

    This is one you’re going to have to determine for yourself, but my middle ground is to have a sling that is tightly secured to the gun but easily deployed. Likewise, it would be a good idea to attach a tourniquet to the stock as well.

    Lights and lasers are a mixed bag. A good defensive carbine is benefited by a light, although it does give your position away and can wash out optics in closed spaces. I’m not a big fan of lasers, as visible day lasers are not as fast or easy to use as you might expect, and infrared lasers require you to cut your power and put on your NVDs. I know some guys who do, but it’s a lot to go through when you’re already in an emergency and seconds count.

    Preparing for Reality

    If you’re a student of history or are the victim of your upper-level management handing out copies to promote sales strategy and synergy in the office, Sun Tsu’s The Art of War talks about the need to prepare accordingly for conflict, not about every kind of sword or spear. While the book could more easily be summed up as a collection of common-sense anecdotes repackaged for sheepdog guys to start PowerPoint presentations, there is a shocking lack of basic common sense in home defense instruction and training.

    We’ve been looking at the wrong things in the wrong ways, and it’s a shame. You should be building a gun for your own exact reality, not warfare or team exercises despite how cool they look. Traumatic injury training is lacking virtually everywhere. Common sense says you have a weapon that causes harm, yet we don’t emphasize that angle.

    Take a minute and look at your terrain, your rooms, and your strong and weak points. Think about whether you’d have to carry a child or if you get stabbed. Where are your medical supplies? Do your kids know how to stop bleeding? What if your toddler is shot? Grim, right? That’s reality, and adding more accessories to your gun isn’t going to teach your wife to pack a gunshot wound with underwear.

    Building a gun is the last thing you need to worry about in defending yourself—surviving is. Your guns should be simple, reliable and not just for you. You might be the one who needs defending in the end.

    Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the April 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

    More On Home Defense

    Carry Gear: 5.11 LVC12 Backpack

    By
    Adam Borisenko
    -
    0

    Looking for a backpack loaded with tactical features but without the tactical look? That’s exactly what 5.11’s LVC12 offers.

    We’ve all seen the gray man memes online. Maybe you even know someone who dresses that way in real life. They think they’re blending in, but in reality, they’re sticking out. Wraparound sunglasses, tactical pants and cop boots are the fashion equivalent of putting a Glock bumper sticker on your truck. You’re just announcing to the world that you have a gun. There are better ways to add functional capability to your wardrobe without the tactical aesthetic, and as far as backpacks are concerned, 5.11 offers exactly that with its LVC12.

    The 5.11 LVC12 isn’t covered in MOLLE webbing or Velcro for your coolguy patches, and it’s not offered in camo patterns or overly tactical colors. It’s designed to be truly camouflaged in an urban environment. Frankly, it looks boring and generic, but that’s exactly what you want. My LVC12, which is pictured in this article, is in Dark Earth. That’s frankly the most tactical color it comes in, but it’s offered in plenty of other shades too, like blue and red, to look as unassuming as possible.

    511 LVC12 Backpack peacoat
    The LVC12 in Peacock blue.

    Despite its pedestrian appearance, the 5.11 LVC12 is anything but. This bag is loaded with features that make it easy to stay armed and protected in public.

    For example, it has an ambidextrous quick-access CCW pocket for carrying a handgun. The pocket even has Velcro lining and a strap inside for securing your holster to facilitate a rapid draw.

    511 LVC12 Backpack ccw pocket

    The bag’s rear compartment is also sized to accommodate either a laptop or a large SAPI plate and features a strap to hold everything in place. Hidden inside that compartment is access to another thinner pouch designed to hold a soft body armor panel. Whether you want to run two layers of armor or just one or the other, the LVC12 can keep you well-protected in a pinch.

    511 LVC12 Backpack soft armor pocket

    For carrying something a bit more substantial than a handgun, the main compartment is easily large enough to accommodate a smaller PCC like an MP5K or a very short AR. The main compartment can open 270 degrees and also features Velcro lining for organizational straps to keep a gun or any other gear secure.

    511 LVC12 Backpack main pocket mp5
    The LVC12 just barely zips closed on my AP5SD, and that’s only with the suppressor removed. A smaller PCC would be more ideal.

    Other more general features of the bag include two large and stretchy water bottle/gear pockets, a fleece-lined top pocket, a hidden zippered front pocket and an internal mesh pocket in the main compartment. For comfortable carry, it also has a padded back panel and an adjustable chest strap. For additional storage space, the LVC12 also features straps for attaching a 5.11 LV6 waist pack to the outside.

    511 LVC12 Backpack front

    If you’re looking to be well armed and armored while blending in, the 5.11 LVC12 is worth checking out. It has an MSRP of $160.

    More CCW Gear

    The Bruen Decision And Modern Court Battles

    By
    Alex Ooley
    -
    9

    We look at the Bruen Decision and why America’s historical gun culture still matters in modern court cases.

    For decades, courts treated the Second Amendment differently from every other constitutional right. Judges weighed individual liberty against government interests, balancing policy preferences rather than examining history.

    That era is over, as confirmed in the Bruen opinion.

    Today, courts are being asked a simpler, but far more uncomfortable, question: Is a modern gun law consistent with the historical tradition of firearm regulation in the United States?

    Answering that question requires confronting a reality many would prefer to ignore: American gun culture is not an accident of modernity. It is deeply rooted in law, practice and expectation.

    When History Became Decisive

    Modern Second Amendment litigation now turns on historical grounding. Courts increasingly demand evidence that contemporary restrictions resemble those accepted at the time of the founding.

    This shift has exposed a serious problem for gun control advocates. Many popular regulatory ideas, like broad public carry bans, categorical disarmament of non-violent citizens and restrictions based on weapon capacity or technology, have little historical precedent.

    The record of early America is not one of widespread disarmament. It is one of widespread armament.

    What the History Shows

    Colonial and early American laws repeatedly assumed that peaceable citizens would be armed. Governments mandated ownership, encouraged carry and punished neglect, not possession.

    There is no tradition of banning arms based on their effectiveness. Repeating firearms existed before the Bill of Rights, and no laws restricted their capacity. There is no tradition of prohibiting carry across vast categories of public life. In fact, many public spaces explicitly required arms.

    Perhaps most importantly, there is no historical tradition of disarming citizens solely because they were disfavored, unpopular or had committed minor, nonviolent offenses. Disarmament, when it occurred, was temporary and tied to demonstrated dangerousness, not status.

    Dangerousness Vs. Disfavor

    This distinction now sits at the center of modern legal debates.

    Historically, communities acted to restrain individuals who posed credible threats of violence. But those actions were narrow, targeted and rooted in specific conduct. They were not blanket prohibitions applied to broad classes of people, as with, for instance, 18 USC 922 (g)(1), which makes it unlawful for anyone “who has been convicted in any court of, a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year” to possess a firearm or ammunition.

    Modern laws often invert this principle, imposing lifetime bans based on labels rather than behavior. Courts are increasingly skeptical of that approach, and history gives them reason to be.

    Analogues, Not Excuses

    A critical misunderstanding has emerged in the wake of Bruen: the belief that courts must find an exact historical twin for every modern gun regulation. That is not the standard. History does not operate with carbon copies, and the Supreme Court has been clear that what matters are analogues, laws that reflect the same underlying principle, not merely the same outward form.

    But this clarification cuts both ways. While governments need not identify a regulation identical in wording or scope, they must still demonstrate a genuine historical tradition that justifies the modern burden imposed on the right. That requirement has proven difficult because many contemporary gun laws are not modest evolutions of historical practices, but categorical innovations.

    For example, founding-era regulations aimed at preserving public order were typically narrow and individualized. Surety laws required a specific showing that a particular person posed a credible threat, and even then, they rarely imposed outright disarmament. Instead, they required financial assurances tied to future conduct. Likewise, “going armed” statutes punished the misuse of arms in a threatening manner, not their peaceful possession or carriage.

    By contrast, many modern statutes operate in reverse. They presume dangerousness from status alone, impose lifetime prohibitions untethered from conduct, and apply broadly without individualized findings. The historical record provides little support for that approach. Indeed, the absence of sweeping disarmament laws in a far more violent and unstable era speaks volumes.

    This is why history has become such a powerful constraint in modern litigation. It does not merely inform constitutional interpretation; it limits it. Legislatures may pursue public safety, but they must do so within the boundaries of traditions that treated arms as normal instruments of lawful citizenship, not privileges to be revoked by default.

    The Marketing Myth Fails Under Scrutiny

    Claims that American gun culture was manufactured by 19th-century advertising also fare poorly in court. Judges are not persuaded by sociological theories when faced with statutes that required firearms centuries earlier.

    History shows demand preceding industry, not the reverse. That matters legally, because rights do not arise from marketing campaigns. They arise from our nature, longstanding practice and recognition.

    Why This Matters Beyond the Courtroom

    These legal battles are not abstractions. They shape how millions of Americans live, train and defend themselves.

    But they also reveal something deeper: the erosion of historical literacy has consequences. When courts and communities forget what early America actually looked like, policy debates drift into fiction.

    The renewed emphasis on history is not a threat to liberty. It is its safeguard.

    Conclusion: History Has Entered the Record

    For years, history was treated as an inconvenience in Second Amendment cases. Today, it is evidence.

    And the evidence is clear. American gun culture was neither marginal nor manufactured. It was foundational. Courts are now rediscovering what early Americans already knew: an armed citizenry was not a problem to be solved, but a solution to be preserved.

    Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the April 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

    More On Gun Rights

    Top Affordable Precision Rifles — Bolt-Action Edition

    By
    Elwood Shelton
    -
    3

    Precision rifles can cost you an arm and a leg, but there are top-notch and highly accurate options that will still leave you with money for ammunition.

    What are some affordable precision rifles that won’t put you in the poorhouse?

    Truth be told, with a little time, effort and modest investment, a shooter can transform most appropriately chambered modern rifles into precision rifles. But not everyone has an overabundance of those factors.

    Luckily, the surging interest in placing a projectile dead on target a country mile away has washed the market with a host of precision rifles. Of course, a gander at some of these fine-tuned instruments can give some shooters second thoughts about their desires for going long. Given the high tolerances the guns require and special material typically called into action, these precision rifles can cost a small fortune.

    But take heart; there are precision rifle options for the shooter willing to search that won’t break the bank. And that’s what we’re looking at with the 16 affordable precision rifles listed below, at least when it comes to bolt-actions.

    Read Also: Savage Arms’ Accuracy-Enhancing AccuFit System

    Of course, this talk of affordability is relative. These rifles can be purchased for $1,600 (even if their MSRPs are officially larger) or less, which is expensive when compared to the average entry-level model. But when measured against the overall precision rifle market, they’re downright steals in some cases. For the marksman dying to really reach out while still putting dinner on the table, these rifles more than fit the bill.
    Editor’s Note: Some models on this list may have been discontinued by their manufacturers, but at the time of writing can still be found from distributors and on the secondhand market.

    Top Affordable Precision Rifles

    Savage AXIS II Precision

    Savage Axis II Precision rifle

    MSRP: $1,220

    Envisioned as a starting-point for burgeoning hunters, the AXIS II now shoots for the same in the long-range game. Savage’s tried-and-true entry-level rifle has finally been decked out in a precision rifle configuration, none too soon for many shooters. For years now, budget marksmen have turned to the barreled action as the foundation of D.I.Y entry-level long-range builds.

    Surprising no one, Savage turned to Modular Driven Technologies (MDT) for Axis II Precision’s chassis. The Canadian company’s catalog runs the full gamut, but in recent years has cooked up several budget stocks for partnership with gunmakers. In the case of the AXIS II, MDT customized the chassis specifically for the action, ensuring excellent metal-to-metal bedding for a rock-solid mate-up. Willowy at the fore-end, the chassis proper is beefy thanks to a polymer skin. Additionally, the buttstock is fully adjustable—length of pull (LOP) and cheek rise—the former, however, not on the fly. Spacers are the name of the game for LOP, so you’ll have to tailor that at home.

    Customization in-house is also off the table. To keep the AXIS II Precision’s price down Savage kept barrel length a uniform 22-inches no matter the caliber. For the most part, this shouldn’t prove an issue, given available chamberings—.243 Winchester, .223 Remington, .270 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, .308 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor—all perform respectfully out of this length bore. Other notables on the rifle include adjustable AccuTrigger, M-Lok compatibility, ACIS magazine compatibility, threaded muzzle and 20 MOA rail. For shooters cutting their teeth on precision shooting, Savage has made a deal difficult to refuse.

    Savage Arms Axis Ii Precision Axis Ii Precision Bolt

    Savage Arms Axis Ii Precision Axis Ii Precision Bolt

    $944.99
    Brownells.com $944.99
    Prices accurate at time of publishing. Affiliate disclosure.

    Tikka T3x Ultimate Precision Rifle (UPR)

    Tikka T3x UPR

    MSRP: $1,500

    Tikka has the uncanny ability to knock it out of the park each time it steps up to the plate. So again is the case, as the talented Finnish company deals out another home run with the T3x Ultimate Precision Rifle (UPR).

    Rethinking the lightweight precision stock, Tikka improved the bedding to create a seamless mate up, thus a platform solid as concrete footings. In particular, there is an extra layer of carbon fiber-fiberglass composite, improving the rigidity of this key interface, thus improving the rifle’s accuracy potential. In short, the action isn’t moving a tittle. The stock is also long several other desirable features, including a rough and grippy finish, fully-adjustable buttstock and an excellently designed pistol grip. It’s the perfect platform for the T3x action and Tikka’s top-notch barrels, which in and of themselves always seem to over-deliver.

    Some of the UPR’s finer points include a threaded muzzle (5/8×24 thread), choice between a single-stage and set trigger, removable box magazine-fed, 20 MOA or 0 MOA rail option and QD sling attachment points. Caliber choice includes long-range favorites .260 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Winchester and you have the alternative between 20- and 24-inch barrels for each chambering. The T3x UPR runs on the spendier side of affordable precision rifles, but there’s no arguing it’s worth every penny.

    Browning X-Bolt Max Long Range

    Browning XBolt MLR

    MSRP: Starting at $1,430

    Technically, we’re behind the curve on Browning’s tact driver. The X-Bolt Max Long Range (MLR) hit the scene in 2019, the gunmaker’s attempt at a truly dedicated precision rifle. Wildly succeeding, Browning went the whole hog in 2020, pumping up the line with every conceivable caliber you might wish to pitch a country mile.

    In all, the MLR comes in 11 calibers, including long-range stalwarts 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Winchester. As well as a host of belted and short magnums. In either case, Browning delivers a proven platform to launch them from.

    The solid action with three-lug fat bolt is mated—in all calibers—with a 26-inch fluted heavy sporter barrel topped with proprietary muzzle brake. This is then bedded in Winchester Composite Max stock that, while light, provides the stiffness required for repeatable accuracy. Fully adjustable for length of pull (through spacers) and cheek rise, the rifle is also customizable to individual shooter’s frames.

    The chops to go the distance, it feels like Browning’s aim was a precision hunting rifle with the MLR. At a hair over 8 pounds, the rifle is less burdensome in the field and might be perfect for long shots during big-country hunts. At the same tick, lacking a bull barrel and some of the recoil-eating heft of a dedicated long-range rifle, it might not be the first choice when it comes to a match gun.

    Browning X-Bolt Max Long Range 26 w/Gray Specs Fixed Max w/Adjustable

    Browning X-Bolt Max Long Range 26 w/Gray Specs Fixed Max w/Adjustable

    $1,006.95
    BattleHawk Armory $1,006.95 Guns.com $1,032.99
    Prices accurate at time of publishing. Affiliate disclosure.

    Ruger Hawkeye Long-Range Target

    Precision Rifle Ruger Hawkeye


    MSRP: $1,619

    Granted, it has Mack Truck looks and heft, the Hawkeye Long-Range Target nevertheless is a hair-splitter. Of course, all that weight – 11-pounds of it line – is there for a reason.

    Originally chambered in .300 Win. Mag (now also available in 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 PRC), the rifle was designed to soak up the brute cartridge’s ample recoil. That, and it provides a shooting foundation second only to a concrete anchor lock.

    Zero In On Long-Range Rifles And Shooting

    The core of the system is a highly functional competition-style stock, which adds weight and control to the rifle. In addition to comb-height and length-of-pull adjustments, the laminate component also provides the rigidity required to produce tight groups consistently. It’s also decked out with a flush-fit M-LOK lower rail and QD points, so adding your choice of bi-pod and sling system is easy as pie.

    As to the action, it’s Ruger’s tried-and-true Mauser-style controlled feed, reducing the worry of double feeding when you’re glued to your scope. Ruger then mates this with a 26-inch heavy contour barrel, providing superior harmonics and heat dispersion. Topping it off, the company’s Hybrid Muzzle Brake. A bonus, Ruger outfits the precision rifle with a 20 MOA Picatinny rail, with increased elevation capabilities over the integral mounts machined directly into the receiver.

    Savage 110 Precision

    Savage 110 Precision


    MSRP: $1,850

    Built around the legendary Savage 110 action, the 110 Precision features an MDT LSS XL chassis, an AccuTrigger and a threaded heavy barrel. The barrels are either 20 or 24 inches in length depending on caliber, and the rifle is available in .308 Winchester, .300 Win. Mag., 300 PRC, .338 Lapua and 6.5 Creedmoor.

    The aluminum frame helps keep this rifle very rigid, allowing it to fend off creep even when firing the more brutish calibers. It’s also very adjustable right out of the box, allowing a shooter to tailor it to their exact preferences. The comb heigh, length of pull and trigger can all be adjusted, and the 5/8×24 threaded muzzle allows for the attachment of a suppressor or brake as well. It ships with a BA muzzle brake and one AICS-pattern magazine (either 5- or 10-round depending on caliber).

    At 10 to 11 pounds, it’s not the lightest rifle out there, even with the skeletonized stock and fluted barrel. Of course, this also means that the 110 Precision should have no problem eating recoil, and for a bench rifle that’s not a bad thing. Once you add a scope to this setup, you should have everything you need to shoot a country mile.

    Savage Arms Savage 110 Precision .300 Weatherby Bolt 57697

    $1,519.99
    Palmetto State Armory $1,519.99
    Prices accurate at time of publishing. Affiliate disclosure.

    Tikka T3x Tactical Compact Rifle

    Finnish precision rifle, the Takka T3x Tactical Compact

    MSRP: $1,150

    Featuring Tikka’s rock-solid, single-piece T3 action, this little Finnish gem is accurate and adaptable.

    Broached, instead of drilled from bar stock, the action is silky smooth, particularly with the aid of its oversized bolt handle. And it’s stiff as overstretched sheets, thanks to the enclosed action design. Conveniently, Tikka has widened the ejection port on the T3 action, now making it possible to feed one round at a time — a difficulty on older models.

    See Also: Tikka T3X Tactical A1 Review

    A hammer-forged semi-heavy contour 20-inch barrel provides superior harmonics for its three chamberings — .260 Rem., .308 Win., and 6.5 Creedmoor. And it’s hefty enough to shake off the heat from long shot strings.

    Tikka’s TCR has a more traditional stock pattern and doesn’t boast the adjustments found on many precision rifles. But it does have some unique features. Chief among them is the fiberglass-reinforced synthetic stock’s interchangeable grips that make it possible to modify the angle. And it comes with a foam insert that lowers stock-generated noise, keeping shooters stealthy as ever.

    The precision rifle has a single-stage adjustable trigger, tunable between 2 and 4 pounds. And to top it all off, the T3x Tactical Compact rifle has an improved rail attachment system with extra screw placements on top of the receiver for a Picatinny rail.

    Tikka T3X CTR Bolt SS

    $1,290.99
    Palmetto State Armory $1,290.99
    Prices accurate at time of publishing. Affiliate disclosure.

    Howa Carbon Elevate

    Howa Carbon Elevate

    MSRP: $1,639

    If you want your precision bolt-action rifle to be as light as possible, the Howa Carbon Elevate is a top contender. Starting at only 4 pounds, 10 ounces, this model is packed to the brim with carbon fiber components.

    It features a Stocky’s super lightweight carbon fiber stock with a Limbsaver buttpad and ACCUBLOCK lug bed, as well as a 24-inch heavy carbon fiber threaded barrel. The ability to mount a brake or compensator is extra appreciated for a rifle that’s this lightweight.

    Howa’s tagline for the rifle, “Carbon on Carbon,” couldn’t be more appropriate. The generous use of carbon fiber isn’t cheap, but it still isn’t the most expensive rifle on this list. While it may not have all the bells and whistles of a chassis rifle, if weight savings are what you’re after, the Carbon Elevate has it in spades. Howa offers the Carbon Elevate chambered for .308 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC and 6.5 Grendel.

    Howa M1500 Carbon Elevate ARC Bolt Gray/Black

    Howa M1500 Carbon Elevate ARC Bolt Gray/Black

    $1,299.99
    Guns.com $1,299.99 Palmetto State Armory $1,324.99
    Prices accurate at time of publishing. Affiliate disclosure.

    Mossberg Patriot LR Tactical

    Mossberg-Patriot-LR-Tactical-review-feature


    MSRP: $1,085

    There’s no doubt that the Mossberg Patriot LR Tactical is the company’s most capable chassis rifle to date, offering a suite of features at a price point that enables many new shooters to get their feet wet in the long-range shooting game.

    Sporting a 22-inch (.308 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor) or 24-inch (6.5 PRC) medium threaded (5/8”-24 TPI) bull barrel with a target crown, it’s ready to accept a suppressor or compensator right out of the box. An adjustable LBA trigger, with no creep and a very crisp break, helps you extract the most accuracy out of the Patriot as you can.

    The setup is finished off with an MDT chassis system, featuring aluminum V-block bedding, M-LOK slots, sling swivels and compatibility with AICS-style magazines. The chassis is a bit heavy at 8 pounds, so it may not be the best mountain rifle, but the extra weight will help absorb recoil when shooting at the range.

    Mossberg Patriot .308 Bolt

    Mossberg Patriot .308 Bolt

    $781.40 $772.95
    BattleHawk Armory $772.95 GritrSports $837.99 Palmetto State Armory $895.99
    Prices accurate at time of publishing. Affiliate disclosure.

    Bergara B-14 HMR

    Spanish precision rifle B-14 HMR - precision rifles

    MSRP: $1,170

    Precision rifles can get pretty specialized pretty quickly, pigeonholing their application. For those shooting for a something that can equally knock the stuffing out of the 10-ring and a whitetail, look no further than Bergara. The Spanish company’s B-14 HMR (Hunting & Match Rifle) is about as tightly built a precision rifle as one could expect, without going custom.

    See Also: Bergara B-14 BMP Chassis Rifle Review

    While Bergara’s actions and barrels are well-respected, it’s the rifle’s stock that steals the show. At first blush, it appears to be just another synthetic job, with a modified benchrest buttstock, vertical grip and the usual length of pull and comb adjustments. But strip away the polymers, and there’s something unique going on underneath this Bergara B-14 HMR. Molded into the stock is an aluminum skeleton running from the grip all the way to the forend. In addition to free-floating the barrel, what Bergara calls its mini-chassis gives the B-14 the stiffness for precision.

    The company has embraced the concept of crossover appeal with the rifle, making it sturdy enough to shoot a match, but practical enough to carry into the woods. It sports a No. 5 contour barrel — 22 inches on 6.5 Creedmoor, 20 inches on .308 Winchester — giving it enough material to avoid walking when it heats up, but making it less of a bear on a trudge to a deer stand.

    The B-14 action is quick and smooth to work, especially with its oversized bolt handle, and feeds cleanly off an AICS detachable magazine. Some other nice features include Bergara’s trigger that breaks at 3 pounds, threaded muzzle and integrated QD flush cup mounts.

    Bergara Rifles Bergara B-14 HMR .300 PRC 26 Black/Brown Speckled Adj HMR Mi

    Bergara Rifles Bergara B-14 HMR .300 PRC 26 Black/Brown Speckled Adj HMR Mi

    $1,149.99
    BattleHawk Armory $1,149.99 Palmetto State Armory $1,700.99
    Prices accurate at time of publishing. Affiliate disclosure.

    More On Precision Rifle Shooting

    First Look: Girsan Witness2311 CMX & CMXX

    By
    Adam Borisenko
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    EAA Corp has just launched two new Witness2311 models, the CMX and the CMXX.

    If you’re a fan of double-stack 9mm 1911s, EAA Corp has just brought two more options to the market for you to consider—the CMX and the CMXX. EAA also says that the CMXX will be available in 10mm Auto and .45 ACP later this spring, so it may be worth holding out if you want something with a bigger bore.

    Girsan Witness2311 CMXX

    The Witness2311 CMX and CMXX are essentially the same gun, except the CMXX features an integrated compensator. Otherwise, both pistols have 4.25-inch bull barrels, tuned triggers, full-length accessory rails and optics-ready slides (RMSc footprint). They also feature lightening-cut slides, ambidextrous thumb safeties and auto firing pin-block safeties. That last detail also means that they were able to delete the grip safety. They have a capacity of 17 rounds with their standard flush-fit magazines and sport low-profile magwells.

    Girsan Witness2311 CMX 1

    Chase Duffey, Director of Sales at EAA Corp, said this about the new models:

    Based on the feedback we received, we’re now producing our entire Witness2311 line with the CMX and CMXX aggressive grip texturing instead of the traditional checkering … And while we’re stepping away from tradition, we also removed the grip safety and replaced it with an Auto Firing Pin-Block safety. That change allowed us to deliver a much slimmer pistol with a smaller magwell. These are exciting improvements that people are going to appreciate the moment they pick one up.

    The Girsan Witness2311 CMX has an MSRP of $1,000 and the CMXX has an MSRP of $1,150. Both are shipping now.

    For more information, visit eaacorp.com.

    Girsan 395060 Witness2311 CMX

    Girsan 395060 Witness2311 CMX

    $894.99
    Guns.com $894.99 GritrSports $919.00 DEGuns $919.99
    Prices accurate at time of publishing. Affiliate disclosure.

    More On Double-Stack 1911s

    Stress Response: The Science Behind A Home Defense Encounter

    By
    Kristopher Hasenauer
    -
    2

    A closer look at what stress does to your mind and body during and after a lethal force incident.

    Imagine you wake at 2 in the morning to the sound of breaking glass. Your heart races. In a split second your brain goes into overdrive: you worry about your family, defending your home, and the safety of the people you love. You jump out of bed, grab your weapon, and move through a house you know like the back of your hand. In the living room you see the silhouette of a figure who is too large to be one of your loved ones. You turn on your weapon light. A pistol is raised toward you and a shot rings out—it misses to the left. You raise your weapon, present, engage, fire three shots, and the intruder drops to the ground. You move forward cautiously, weapon trained on the body, check for a pulse, confirm they are dead, take a breath and then the adrenaline dump hits: Your hands start to shake. You call 911 and let the system do its work.

    That entire scenario—the way your brain and body respond—is what we will explore. Today, we look at the science behind a home-defense encounter involving the use of deadly force. We will break down how your body and mind will react and the neuroscience of extreme stress responses. This information can help civilians and first responders prepare for and recover from these intense events.

    Primal Neural Mechanisms: Fight, Flight or Freeze

    A home-defense gunfight activates primal neural mechanisms in the human body. These mechanisms affect perception, decision-making, memory and behavior and are often beyond conscious control. Most people prepare for the physical aspects of home defense: training at the range, choosing an appropriate weapon and caliber for a home environment, and understanding layout and construction hazards. Today, we want to prepare for the neurological and psychological stress responses and understand what happens beyond our technical training.

    The 2 a.m. breaking glass is the stimulus that engages the brain’s emergency operating system: the fight, flight, or freeze response. The amygdala—the brain’s fear and threat center—can be “hijacked.” When it takes over, the brain favors rapid threat detection and reflexive response over slow, rational processing. The amygdala drives reactionary decision-making and triggers chemical changes by activating the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. For simplification, think of the HPA axis like a thermostat: When it senses danger, the hypothalamus signals the adrenal glands to release adrenaline, which speeds up the body’s reactionary processes.

    stress response 3
    When your mind perceives a threat, it initiates a biological response meant to help keep you alive.

    These neurochemical changes activate the sympathetic nervous system. Heart rate rises, pupils dilate, and blood vessels shift to push blood to core organs and muscles. This suite of neurological and biological events prepares your body for a fight.

    Time Perception and Sensory Distortions

    Startled awake, your fight-or-flight response begins and your brain changes how it processes sensory input. You move down the hall toward the threat, but it may feel like the longest walk of your life. Ambient sounds can seem muffled by rushing blood. Tunnel vision can narrow your visual field, and you may feel detached, as if you are watching yourself rather than acting.

    During extreme stress, time perception and sensory distortions are common. A phenomenon called tachypsychia alters time perception—moments can feel stretched. Auditory exclusion (reduced ability to hear) and tunnel vision (loss of peripheral awareness) are neuroprotective physiological responses to threat. You may also experience depersonalization or dissociation because of the adrenaline surge. Understanding these neurophysiological changes can help you maintain composure and an effective protective posture. Mental rehearsal and stress-inoculation training are key to managing these responses.

    stress response 5
    Training in high-stress scenarios can help you cope when the amygdala decides to take over.

    Fine Versus Gross Motor Skills

    As you approach the room, adrenaline courses through your body. Your heart pounds, your hands feel heavy or numb, and small fine-motor tasks become difficult. When you break the threshold and see a silhouette in the window light, you raise the weapon and aim.

    Adrenaline impairs fine motor control (manipulating small objects or performing precise tasks) while gross motor skills (large, forceful movements) dominate. This has important training implications. Under stress people do not perform above their training level; they revert to the highest level at which they have been trained. Practice must include weapon manipulation under stress, target acquisition and a stress-fire routine. Shooting for sport and shooting to survive are different skills. Being accurate at the range does not guarantee competence under life-and-death stress. Design your training and home-defense plans with those differences in mind.

    Threat Perception, Bias and Decision-Making Under Stress

    You have a backlit silhouette in your sights. Your heart races, your hands tremble and thoughts—or the absence of them—move through your brain at lightning speed. You flip on the weapon light and see an unknown person holding a knife. You fire two rounds. The body hits the floor.

    The prefrontal cortex is responsible for analytic thinking, impulse control and moral reasoning. Under extreme stress, the prefrontal cortex can be bypassed by faster, threat-driven circuits. Heuristics—mental shortcuts used for pattern recognition and rapid judgments—can be influenced by prior experience, training or trauma and may produce bias. Those rapid judgments can mean the difference between a life-saving action and a tragic mistake. Purposeful training that conditions decision-making under stress is essential to mitigate the risks of snap judgments.

    stress response 6

    The brain also uses rapid decision cycles such as the OODA loop—Observe, Orient, Decide, Act—to speed up responses. Conditioning, scenario-based planning, and realistic training are necessities for anyone who intends to use a firearm for personal defense.

    Post-Incident Effects: Memory, Guilt and PTSD

    After the event, your ears may ring and you may smell cordite. You turn on the lights, see the body, check for a pulse and confront a surge of emotion and physiological reaction.

    In the aftermath of a shooting, the brain often shows acute stress responses. Memories may be fragmented, distorted or incomplete. Sometimes false or confabulated memories appear as protective mechanisms. This is one reason eyewitness testimony can be unreliable. Survivors may experience moral injury or survivor’s guilt after taking a life, even when the action was legally and ethically justified. Without appropriate therapeutic measures, acute stress reactions can evolve into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

    stress response 1
    Situations like these are chaotic and overwhelm the senses. The ensuing trauma makes post-incident care a top priority.

    Returning to baseline takes time. Neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine) and hormones (cortisol) must rebalance. Sleep and mood are affected. Memory consolidation and emotional regulation can be impaired. It is imperative to connect with appropriate professionals, allow yourself to rest and process the event, and engage in corrective therapies as needed. Training and mental rehearsal can prepare you to act, but post-incident care is just as important for long-term recovery.

    Conclusion

    A home-invasion gunfight is not only a physical event—it is a neurobiological upheaval. Preparation, training and mental rehearsals will make you and your family safer. Responsible firearms ownership includes legal knowledge and range practice, but it also requires cognitive and psychological preparation both before and after an incident. Develop a plan that includes pre-incident training and post-incident care for yourself and your family. This is not just a legal issue; it is a psychological and physiological one as well.

    stress response 2

    Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the April 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

    More On Home Defense

    First Look: Smith & Wesson Equalizer Carry Comp

    By
    Adam Borisenko
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    Smith & Wesson has just added the Equalizer to its Carry Comp series.

    Integrated compensators on pistols are so hot right now, and for good reason. They make it much easier to make good hits, especially when shooting small, micro-compact pistols like the Smith & Wesson Equalizer. That’s why it’s great news that the company has just made a Performance Center Carry Comp version of it.

    equalizer carry comp smith wesson 2

    The Equalizer is Smith & Wesson’s most user-friendly, easy-to-use 9mm carry pistol, and now it’s even easier to shoot well thanks to its Performance Center and Carry Comp upgrades. As a Carry Comp pistol, the new Equalizer features a PowerPort at the 12 o’clock position on its muzzle. This forces gas up and the pistol down during firing to help keep the muzzle flat for quick, accurate follow-up shots. That should be further aided by the upgraded Performance Center single-action flat-face trigger.

    equalizer carry comp smith wesson 3

    Other features of the Equalizer Carry Comp include its optics-ready slide, Ameriglo Trooper front night sight, blacked-out U-notch rear sight, enhanced aggressive serrations, manual ambi thumb safety and an accessory rail. It also features the same EZ Technology as the standard model to so it can have a very easy-to-rack slide.

    The Equalizer Carry Comp ships with a 10-, 13- and 15-round magazine, or two 10-round magazines for restricted states. The MSRP is $650 for both versions.

    For more information, visit smith-wesson.com.

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    AS Designs Super Safety MP5 Lower Review: Making Haste

    By
    Adam Borisenko
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    I hit the range with AS Designs’ ARC-Fire Super Safety MP5 lower to see just how fast a semi-auto can go.

    If you haven’t heard of the Super Safety by now, you’ve been living under a rock. The clever little gadget is capable of massively increasing a gun’s fire rate while still meeting the legal definition of semi-automatic, i.e., one round fired per pull of the trigger. More on that later.

    All you need to know is that they’re federally legal at the time of writing and, if you own an MP5, there’s not a single better upgrade you could get for it than AS Designs’ Super Safety MP5 lower.

    AS Designs Super Safety MP5 Lower

    You may be asking yourself, why do you need a whole new MP5 lower? Aren’t Super Safeties just triggers? They are triggers, but they’re AR-pattern triggers, meaning to run in an MP5 you’ll need a redesigned lower to accommodate one.

    While this is an added expense, the upside is that it also massively improves the ergonomics and trigger feel of the MP5.

    I only got on board the MP5 train relatively recently, but I absolutely love the platform now. My AP5SD quickly became my favorite gun to shoot. Right off the bat, though, I felt it was lacking in certain departments. AS Designs’ MP5 lower fixes all of them.

    Firstly, it’s compatible with standard AR grips and therefore provides familiar AR ergonomics. Secondly, because it now uses an AR trigger, even if you were only using it in standard semi-auto mode, it would still be a major improvement over the original notoriously long and mushy MP5 trigger. AS Designs’ MP5 lower can even accept a ton of great aftermarket trigger options, but I found the mil-spec trigger in mine to be more than adequate.

    as designs mp5 lower
    The AS Designs MP5 lower and Slip Trip, everything you need to make your MP5 Super Safe.

    Finally, the MP5 was simply born to go fast, and like most PCCs, it feels absolutely neutered when limited to standard semi-auto fire. Thankfully, the increased fire rate of the Super Safety semi-auto mode remedies that.

    To reiterate how Super Safeties work, each shot fired requires its own independent trigger press. The trigger is just being forcefully reset at such a high speed that you don’t consciously notice that it’s happening when firing. Slow-motion camera footage reveals the truth, but when you’re behind the gun, it feels like the real deal.

    as designs mp5 lower internal
    Yes, I really need to clean it.

    ARC-Fire

    I’ve been referring to the AS Designs trigger in my AP5SD as a Super Safety, but technically, the version I’ve been testing is the company’s ARC-Fire model. The difference? Instead of a 3-position push-button safety, it uses a standard 3-position AR selector. Not only is that an improvement over the original Super Safety design, but also a big upgrade over the MP5’s original stiff and hard-to-reach selector. 

    arc-fire selector

    Buying the ARC-Fire version of the MP5 lower is $100 more than the standard Super Safety version, but I think it’s well worth it.

    Yes, at the time of writing, Super Safeties and other similar fire rate-enhancing products that forcefully reset the trigger between each shot are legal. I can’t spell it out as clearly as AS Designs does, so here’s the company’s answer to the question straight from their website:

    • Are the Super Safety and ARC-Fire legal?
    • According to current legislation and federal court, yes. This requires a single action of the trigger for each shot fired, then the BCG forces it into safety which resets the trigger moving it forward, then the BCG moves it back out of safety as it chambers the next round, then the trigger may be activated again. A key step in this process is that the disconnector engages the hammer during the cycle, it does not defeat the disconnector, prevent it from engaging, or replace it. The recent federal court settlement between the ATF and RBT has defined that forced reset triggers are NOT machineguns (National Association for Gun Rights, Inc. v. Garland (4:23-cv-00830)).
    • However, if you live in a state with laws against forced reset triggers or “rapid trigger activators”, you can’t possess the Super Safety or ARC-Fire (look up your own laws please, but it should be CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, HI, IL, MA, MD, MN, NJ, NV, NY, OR, and RI that have laws against them). Also, please respect any ranges that you visit that may have rules against these.

    Installing The Super Safety MP5 Lower

    Thankfully, getting your MP5 set up with AS Designs’ Super Safety or ARC-Fire system is even simpler than doing so with an AR-15. The AR install isn’t too hard either; it’s basically just a trigger and selector swap, but it is more time-consuming than this.

    Since the Super Safety MP5 lower comes fully assembled, all you have to do is remove your standard lower and replace it with AS Designs’. Since the upper is the serialized portion of an MP5, this poses no legal issues and the new lower can ship straight to your door.

    asd mp5 lower stripped

    The only other part of the process is installing a component called the Slip Trip on the rear of your bolt carrier group. Once on, the carrier is reinstalled into the upper and the lower can be reattached while ensuring the reset lever is between the back of the carrier and the Slip Trip. It’s a bit hard to convey through words and photos, but there are videos online you can easily find that will show you exactly what to do. All in all, it’s a very quick, easy and completely reversible process that requires no permanent modifications to your gun.

    mp5 super safety trip slip installed
    The Slip Trip installed on the bolt carrier.

    It’s also worth noting that the lower is available for what I think is every 9mm MP5 clone available on the U.S. market, but you’ll need to make sure to order the right variant for your model. I was testing the AP5 version on an AP5SD, and they mated up perfectly.

    At The Range Knee-Deep In Brass

    Boy oh boy, this baby is fun. Words can’t do it justice.

    The three-position ARC-Fire selector works as fast and smoothly as it does on an AR, the trigger in standard semi-auto is just as nice as an AR’s, and as for Super Safety/ARC-Fire mode? Let’s just say that everyone that I’ve brought to the range to try it was grinning ear to ear after emptying their first mag. A full 30-round mag dump only takes a couple of seconds, by the way, but sometimes that’s all it takes to leave someone satisfied.

    mp5 super safety video

    As for handling? That’s more up to the MP5 design itself, but it was built for this kind of fire rate and is legendary for its low recoil and excellent controllability, so no surprise the AP5SD felt the same when switched to ARC-Fire mode.

    Its reliability was impeccable as well. In nearly 1,500 rounds of shooting in ARC-Fire, I only had two stoppages caused by the trigger failing to reset. That’s a damn good track record. The vast majority of that shooting was done with HSL 147-grain subsonics, but some various supersonic loads were thrown in the mix as well.

    The only bug I ran into was at around the 1,000-round mark when I noticed the ambi selector switch had started to work itself loose. AS Designs almost certainly uses thread locker to install these parts at the factory, but after a lot of rattling, mine still started to back itself out. Thankfully, I caught it before it got lost and was able to simply reinstall it using more thread locker and elbow grease, and it stayed put just fine for the next 500 or so rounds since. That said, this is definitely something you’ll want to periodically check after shooting.

    as designs mp5 super safety loose selector
    Here you can see the ambi selector dangling down due to coming loose.

    I keep emphasizing how much fun the ARC-Fire MP5 is, and while that’s true, I have to point out its practical benefits as well.

    We all know that guns chambered for intermediate cartridges like AR-15s are really more useful 90 percent of the time in true semi-auto mode, and that’s how militaries train soldiers to use their rifles in most situations. That said, if there’s any class of gun that can practically benefit from an increased fire rate, it’s pistol-caliber carbines. This setup proved that with how easy it was to put controlled bursts of relatively tight groups on target.

    as designs mp5 super safety

    If you’re thinking about getting your first Super Safety, I’d recommend doing it for a PCC before something like an AR-15. That said, MP5 clones aren’t your only option, as AS Designs has models that fit AR-9s, MPXs, Kunas and more.

    Parting Shot

    AS Designs’ MP5 Super Safety lower took my favorite gun and instantly made it about 10 times cooler. Not a lot of accessories on the market can do that. We’re living in a pretty amazing time when these are currently legal, now we just have to hope it stays that way. While these devices in no way meet the NFA’s definition of a machine gun, and a federal court ruling agrees with that, you never know what constitutional infringements the future may hold.

    asd mp5 super safety

    There’s a bunch of different options on the market, but AS Designs’ MP5 solution has left me incredibly impressed. If you buy one, just get ready to buy a shitload more ammo. You’re gonna need it.

    Pros

    • Incredibly Fun
    • Very Reliable
    • Improves Ergos & Controls
    • Easy Install

    Cons

    • Expensive
    • You’re Going To Burn A Lot More Ammo

    More On Trigger Upgrades

    Hardware Talk: Geissele AK-X Trigger

    By
    Patrick Sweeney
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    Improving your Kalashnikov’s trigger with the Geissele AK-X.

    One thing AK shooters and admirers will never stop talking about is durability.

    Well, duh. The AK-47 was designed to be used by peasants; simple and strong were built-in.

    So was the crappy trigger.

    If you want to keep the peasants from accidentally shooting each other while assaulting the fascist positions on the Eastern Front (did the Soviets call it the Western Front?), you give them a trigger with a lot of travel.

    A lot.

    That runs counter to the way we in the West viewed rifles—something you use by aiming and pressing off a shot.

    What to do?

    Just ask Bill Geissele. He can solve the problem.

    Geissele AK-X Trigger 4
    The Geissele AK-X comes complete. And because it’s a packet trigger, assembly is simply a detail strip and then replacing the AK trigger parts with a packet.

    What Geissele did was take the packet system that has proven so popular in the AR-15 world and built it for the AK-47. (And the AK-74 as well, just in case you were wondering.)

    It’s an entirely self-contained set of parts, and since the locations of the hammer and sear are controlled by the packet, the dimensions of your AK receiver don’t enter into it. As long as your receiver is in spec enough to reinsert the pins, the packet will work. (If your receiver is so out of spec that you can’t make the packet go in, your problems are bigger than just a crappy trigger, and Geissele can’t solve that one for you.)

    What the Geissele-X gives you is a two-stage trigger for your AK. It’s clean, crisp, relatively light … and it works like a champ.

    Geissele AK-X Trigger 3

    Is it something you need? That depends. What other triggers do you use? If you shoot an AK, a Glock and a shotgun with a classic trigger, then no. (Sorry, Bill, I’ll explain.) The Glock and the shotgun will have spongy, gritty, crappy triggers. Changing your AK to a Geissele will mean you have to adjust your trigger press from one to the next.

    Geissele AK-X Trigger 2

    If, on the other hand, your pistol and shotgun have good, clean, crisp triggers, then the AK is the laggard, and you definitely have to upgrade it.

    That said, Geissele makes great stuff, and prices it accordingly. The AK-X has a list price of $350. A while back when we were still buying AKs for that much, it would have been more than odd to spend that much on a trigger.

    Geissele AK-X Trigger 1

    Now, a basic AK made here in the USA runs you a grand. Anything better than vanilla-plain runs more. And you still get the 1947 peasant trooper AK trigger. Why not move into the 21st century and take advantage of Geissele engineering?

    I have a new AK in 5.56 NATO on the rack for testing (no commie cartridges here), and the AK-X is perfect for it. Since all my other triggers are nice—not crappy—the Geissele will be perfect.

    Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the April 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

    More AK Stuff

    First Look: Upgraded Ruger 10/22 Models

    By
    Adam Borisenko
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    Ruger has just announced 10 new upgraded models of the venerable 10/22.

    Ruger just announced 10 new 10/22 models that feature upgrades that were previously only seen on specific models, but now they’re available on a wider selection of classic 10/22 variants.

    ruger 1022 bx-trigger

    All of the upgraded 10/22 variants feature a BX-Trigger with a crisp, light 2.5- 3-pound break, minimal overtravel and a positive reset. They all also sport an easy-to-use match bolt release. All versions except for the two takedown models also feature an integrated rear cleaning port in their receivers for easier access when cleaning.

    upgraded 1022 match bolt release

    The upgraded 10/22 variants are available with black polymer furniture, different metal finish options, a wood stock, a Magpul MOE X-22 stock or a Black Hogue OverMolded stock. There are also two takedown variants, models with threaded barrels and two options that come pre-fitted with an optics rail.

    MSRPs for the new 10/22s range between $340 and $530, depending on the model.

    For more information, visit ruger.com.

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    Instinctive Shooting For Tactical Defense

    By
    Abe Elias
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    There’s not always time to use sights when it comes to self-defense. Here we look at how instinctive shooting can massively improve your defensive shotgun skills.

    For years now, I have been saying that anyone wanting to up their tactical shotgun game should be training in clay sports, such as skeet, trap and sporting clays. However, unfortunately, a lot of tactical shotgun courses have people training on static targets … but shotguns excel at hitting moving targets and are perfect for learning instinctive shooting.

    Instinctive shooting teaches a shooter to break free from sights and optics. That’s right: Say goodbye to red-dots, ghost rings and rifle sights.

    Many might find not using sights hard to believe, but ask yourself this: If a clay shooter can hit a target 4 inches in diameter moving upward of 42 miles an hour at more than 37 yards away, how hard would it be to hit a man-sized target?

    If instinctive shooting made you faster and allowed you to be more aware of your surroundings, would it not be worth trying? First, let’s look at how to learn instinctive shooting. Then, let’s look at the benefits and, lastly, some of the drawbacks.

    What Is Instinctive Shooting?

    Instinctive shooting is the process of getting your firearm to shoot where you are looking. The two main drivers behind this are muscle memory and focus. To get your shotgun to shoot where you’re looking, you must first master the process. Through extensive practicing, you will build the muscle memory needed to start down the path of instinctive shooting.

    Learning to Shoot Instinctively

    There are three main areas we must master to become proficient instinctive shooters, each of which are about building the basic foundations of a set of muscle memories for shooting. Once we have mastered these three areas, they will combine seamlessly into our instinctive shooting routine.

    Our three foundational skills: gun mount, stance and vision control (awareness).

    1. Where Is Your Gun?

    If you want your gun to shoot where you are looking, you must know where your gun is pointing. To master this, a consistent gun mount is key, meaning your gun must be in the same place every time. You should be so accustomed to your gun that you can feel almost down to a fraction of an inch whether it’s mounted correctly.

    instinctive shooting mounted position
    Gun up, as we can see, is your regular mounted position. It’s key your stance is balanced so that your core it free to move.

    I can’t tell you the number of times I have shouldered my shotgun, felt it was off and decided to shoot at a flying target anyway, only to miss the target. Keep in mind that I’m shooting at a much smaller target than a person. On larger targets, you can still hit with a bit of variance based on how you mount the shotgun, but don’t get too crazy. Here is where shooting clay sports helps, because that discipline isn’t about putting the gun up and emptying it—clays are about multiple stations and mounting the shotgun multiple times, which helps create that muscle memory.

    shotgun gun down
    The gun, in the down position, is just alongside your chest; eyes open with a soft focus to take in as much of the periphery as possible. Don’t tuck the butt of the gun under your arm. If you need to rest the stock on something, let it be your bicep until you are ready to bring the gun up.

    Also, shooting flying targets makes repetition less monotonous. To speed up the progress, you can just practice at home by putting the gun up and pointing at a Post-it on the wall. A good training technique is the rule of 21 times, for 21 days, to start.

    instinctive shooting shotgun gun up gun down
    (Left) We can see the gun in the down position opens up your field of vision. You don’t even have the gun in your way and aren’t likely to get locked into tunnel vision. (Right) The gun mounted after the shooter has spotted a potential threat. In the process of mounting the gun, the shooter merges their direct focus and movement.

    2. Proper Stance

    Our second foundational skill is stance. Imagine making your body and gun into a tank’s turret. At the point your gun is mounted, you have four points of contact and full control of the muzzle. Yet, what good would a turret be if it could not move freely?

    instinctive shooting stance
    Keep your stance stable and balanced, and your core will be able to move freely. You can see with a closer stance that you can easily pivot by just sliding your back foot a few inches. The stance in the left frame opens your arch up to the right.

    Each person has a bit of variation on how they stand, but the goals are always the same: You want to stand in a way that you’re stable and well balanced, and at the same time your core has enough mobility so that you can pivot to acquire targets. A smooth-moving core creates greater accuracy. You should never be throwing your arms, as it will break your mounting position.

    shotgun swing arc
    Notice the arch your body can comfortably swing across. With instinctive shooting, it is important to stay relaxed, allowing your body movement to be smooth. Smooth motion equals accuracy and speed.

    Practice these together, mount and stance, by mounting the gun and moving it horizontally and vertically. Taking the time to practice at home will reinforce your live-fire sessions and speed up mastering the shotgun.

    Remember: You want to move using your core and your legs, not your arms.

    3. Where Your Eyes Are Looking

    The goal of instinctive shooting is to get the gun to shoot where your eyes are looking. Part of that is acquiring the target with your eyes.

    Often, when shooters use sights/optics on a firearm they will get tunnel vision. By using a technique called “soft focus,” you can prevent getting tunnel vision. Soft focus allows you to survey a large area by simply using your eyes, which uses the techniques of not using a detailed focus and instead using a wide focused peripheral gaze.

    Once a potential target is detected, you switch to an intense detail focus and assess the target: Is the target a threat or not a threat? All the while, you are merging your muscle memory to mount your shotgun to the point your eyes are looking.

    instinctive shooting stance 2

    Said another way, you do not look down the sights: The barrel will always be in your peripheral vision, but don’t use it to aim, which is called the sight picture. As you build repetition with that sight picture by shooting clays, every time you hit a clay you should replay the hit in your mind, getting used to what the picture looked like.

    Due to the size of the target and speeds, it will take a bit. Once you start hitting them, larger and slower targets will seem like child’s play.

    After you have these three foundational skills down, you just need to practice while coordinating them together until they become second nature.

    The Art of the Gun Down

    Imagine increasing your field of vision with the goal of a faster reaction time. If you need to take in a greater field of vision, gun down is a tool to keep in your arsenal.

    shotgun butt gun down
    Here we are looking at the location of the shotgun butt in the gun down position. The butt should be pressed against you side of your chest, so the path to bringing the gun up is consistent. Don’t put it under your arm and don’t press it hard into your side.

    Gun down is simply starting from a low position, with the butt of your shotgun no lower than the side of your chest. With the shotgun down, you can now move your head freely while using a soft focus to look for threats, which will avoid tunnel vision.

    shotgun cheek weld
    The first thing to take notice of is the cheek weld. A properly placed cheek weld is key to being able to be set free of your sights. That cheek weld is what aligns you with the barrel. Secondly, the grip on the fore end is firm, but it is not a death grip. If the front grip is too tight that will cause the rest of your grip to be too tense.

    If a threat is spotted, transition to focusing on the threat. Muscle memory will take over, and you will mount the gun while focusing on the threat. As your eyes focus on the threat, your gun will come up to its established mounting point. Once you get a solid cheek weld, you will be on target. If you need to engage multiple targets, you can simply move your core to bring them into your sight picture.

    Benefits of Foundational Skills

    The first benefit is faster target acquisition. If you have mastered the basics, your muscle memory will be established, and your reflexes can take over. Moving instinctively is not only fast, but it can remove the conscious reactions to distractions and fear. Your body is on autopilot; therefore, your actions will come effortlessly, leaving little space for distraction.

    The same can apply to fear. With instinctive shooting, you have set a series of actions into motion that can be hard to stop (one of the downsides I will go into). So, even in the confusion of gun fire, you will fall back on this training, and your muscle memory will take over.

    As I have referred to before, static targets don’t prepare you for a variety of target scenarios. Clay targets present you with unpredictable target presentations. The angle, speed and range of the target can change. You learn to quickly adapt to these changes, which I believe better parallels actual defensive situations.

    Practice Makes Perfect

    Clay sporting rounds can offer anywhere from 25 to 100 shots. In trap or skeet, a round consists of 25 targets. And no one says you must shoot just one round, either. When I shoot trap to build my endurance for competition, I shoot no less than four rounds, which is 100 targets. If I catch a hot streak, I will end up shooting until I miss a target.

    In sporting clays, you can shoot 50 or a hundred targets. By practicing these sports, you’re going to become much more familiar with your firearm. The best sport out of the three to learn loading cycling and dealing with any malfunction is sporting clays. Sporting clays presents two different targets at each station. Each set can be shot calling for one after another or in true pairs, meaning one call starts the pair sequence forcing to shoot both targets without a break between.

    You need not be a hunter to reap the benefits and skills gained from this type of practice.

    The Cons of Instinctive Shooting

    Instinctive shooting can be so embedded in your shooting routine that you have to remember to slow yourself down. You know the old saying, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail?” The saying is not an exact match for this problem, but if your body is tuned to instinctive shooting, you have to be careful that everything doesn’t become a target.

    Sometimes, people don’t realize how powerful instinctive shooting is. You can respond to stimulus before you even realize it. Sure, everyone wants to be the fastest gun in the West, but we must also be moral and responsible for our actions. That is why instinctive shooting is only part of your arsenal of shooting tools.

    Shooters Can’t Live on Instinctive Shooting Alone

    If you want to improve your tactical shooting, you need to practice tactical shooting. Instinctive shooting, as I have said, is only one part of it. Keep doing tactical drills. Practice shooting from around cover and in different body positions. Clays don’t give you the experience of moving with a gun at the ready.

    Techniques like pieing around corners or entering a room still need to be practiced. Most importantly, use your tactical shotgun as much as possible. Every shotgun fits differently. Every shotgun can shoot to a different point of aim … even if they are the same model. Tactical shotguns are more flat shooting, whereas shotguns made for certain clay sports can shoot high. Different ammo patterns differently out of each gun.

    Practice with your gun.

    The Flow

    Many people in sports refer to flow as “the zone.” In psychology, it’s called “the flow.” The term the flow was first used by a psychologist named Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Flow is what takes over when instinctive shooting takes place. Many misunderstand the flow as the state you must be in. To be in a state of flow for long periods of time is difficult. For this discipline, the flow is a state that you are looking to enter for that brief moment during which you are actually shooting at a target.

    The flow is the culmination of your subconscious brain being trained in shooting so well it pushes your conscious mind aside and says, “I got this.” Some might understand it using the example of drawing your pistol from the holster. If you consciously think about it, you might fumble or struggle with the action. If you have practiced your draw enough, you will be able to draw the pistol from your holster and shoot fast and accurately on muscle memory alone. You don’t have to walk around all day being in a state of flow—just at the moment you need it.

    The Rule Of 21

    The rule of 21 is what I follow to get a good start of committing something to muscle memory. Doing something 21 times each day for 21 days will commit that action to muscle memory. Here’s how:

    For the first week, mount your shotgun; if it’s off, make a correction. Practice mounting 21 times. For the second week, you mount your shotgun 21 times; each time you put it up correctly you get to count it. When you make a mistake, don’t count it; instead, repeat that time. During the third week, if you make a mistake you have to start counting to 21 all over again.

    So, let’s say you have successfully put your gun up 18 times and on your 19th attempt you screw up. Well, you’re now back to zero. Do this and you will have this action committed to memory when your shotgun is in the right place. We can still make mistakes, but running this drill will cut down the frequency.

    Practice Attire

    As a reminder, clothing matters. I shoot year-round. At times, there have been snow squalls and down-pouring rain. As the seasons change, so does my clothing. In the wintertime, I get used to shooting with thick layers on. In the summer, I am down to a T-shirt. Believe it or not, my shooting takes a hit each season change until I am used to the clothing. Therefore, practice shooting or at least mounting your shotgun in all seasons so you get used to the feel. We don’t have the ability to choose when and under what conditions trouble finds us, but we can prepare ourselves to adapt.

    Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the April 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

    More On Shooting Skills

    First Look: Smith & Wesson Model 940-3

    By
    Adam Borisenko
    -
    0

    Smith & Wesson has just announced the Model 940-3, a J-Frame snubby in 9mm.

    The latest carry revolver from Smith & Wesson is the Model 940-3. Chambered for 9mm Luger and fed via moon clip, this stainless steel snub-nose features a 2.17-inch barrel, a svelte weight of 23 ounces and a width of just 1.3 inches thanks to its 5-shot fluted cylinder. Better yet, it’s built on a no-lock frame.

    smith wesson Model 940-3 left

    The Model 940-3 also has a concealed hammer to provide a snag-free draw, but that means it’s double-action-only as well. Other features include its Tritium XS front night sight, U-notch dovetail rear sight and Hogue Over-Molded Rubber Bantam grip with finger grooves and texturing for a comfortable yet secure hold.

    smith wesson Model 940-3 night sights

    Each Smith & Wesson Model 940-3 comes with 3 full moon clips and it has an MSRP of $900.

    For more information, visit smith-wesson.com.

    More On Revolvers

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