From all across the web, we've searched high and low for some of the best deals we can find! From tactical gear to firearms, from ammo to footwear, we've dug down deep to deliver some delicious discounts!
Take a scroll and see the best Black Friday & Cyber Monday Gun Deals!
Check back often because we're updating this article LIVE throughout the week!
Welcome to CANCON A Fully Suppressed RECOIL Range Day!
Save the date and make your plans to come down on Veterans Day weekend, Nov. 11-13 to the 17 South Rod and Gun Club in Savannah, Georgia.
Hundreds of the newest and best suppressors, firearms, and optics will be on the firing line for you to get hands-on trigger time.
All ammo will be provided, just bring your trigger finger!
Veterans get in FREE Friday, so come spend your Veterans Day weekend with us at CANCON!
SATURDAY NIGHT VIPs will have the opportunity to shoot suppressed with night vision goggles, clip-on night vision optics, IR lasers, tracers, and more.
CANCON will even have activities for kids, making this a completely family-friendly event.
Expect to see hundreds of firearms and suppressors, every one of them available to shoot. Don’t forget your eyes and ears for safety!
Not every day you get to shoot cool stuff like this!
Great food will be available on-site for when you need to recharge between shooting bays.
More information and ticket pre-sales coming soon!
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Designed Machined and assembled in Leupold Optic's Oregon factory, the Mark 5HD scope keeps the company roots firmly planted in its home.
Crafted to redefine accuracy, precision, and optical performance for long-range shooters, Leupold’s award-winning Mark 5HD is a testament to domestic manufacturing. It’s proudly designed, machined, and assembled in the company’s Beaverton, Oregon factory, where Leupold employs over 650 hardworking Americans.
In designing the Mark 5HD line, Leupold’s product specialists asked elite shooters what they needed to put accurate fire downrange faster, and used that input to design a riflescope that provides all the tools necessary — in both quality and features — without the unnecessary extras that add weight and cost for consumers. Combining relentless optical performance, rugged reliability, and user-friendly features in a package that could only be produced by leveraging the 70-plus years of optics manufacturing Leupold possesses, the Mark 5HD has wowed end-users throughout the industry.
Be sure to enter our American Made giveaway, with great gear from great American companies. Click the tab at the bottom right of page to enter.
Pick up a Mark 5HD and you’ll feel the difference; it’s up to 20 ounces lighter than other scopes in its class. Get behind one and you’ll see the difference, from its superior edge-to-edge clarity to its extreme low-light performance. With three revolutions of elevation adjustment, the Mark 5HD was built to max out the performance of the latest long-range rifles and ammo.
The heart of the Mark 5HD is in its ZeroLock adjustments, which provide precise, repeatable tracking with a dead-on return to zero. The M5C3 elevation dial delivers over 30-mils of adjustment in three turns. Visual and tactile revolution indicators are in place to ensure you don’t get lost in the travel, and the auto-lock at zero eliminates the risk of accidentally moving the dial. The windage adjustment is capped and the zero indicator mark has been relocated on the riflescope’s main tube so you can see it without moving your head off the stock of the rifle.
In short, it’s the most dominant long-range, precision riflescope on the market. Best yet, it’s backed by Leupold’s legendary lifetime guarantee, which guarantees performance where other companies warranty failure.
For more information on Leupold Optics, please visit leupold.com.
Top-tier, battle-proven products, Radian Weapons turns out rifles and accessories in which you can trust your life.
At Radian Weapons, we think American gun companies should make or source their parts from right here in the USA. That’s why 100-percent of the firearms products we sell are manufactured in America, by Americans.
We machine the majority of our rifle and accessory components in Redmond, Oregon, using state of the art CNC equipment. At Radian, we’ve prioritized vertical integration of our manufacturing processes over product development to ensure that whenever we deliver goods to the consumer, it’s of the highest quality and reliability standards.
Be sure to enter our American Made giveaway, with great gear from great American companies. Click the tab at the bottom right of page to enter.
The temptation in most industries is to rush new products to market. At Radian, we actively choose not to release “me too” products or rely on sourcing major components for new products from third party vendors. This helps protect our brand integrity, and hopefully gives consumers peace of mind when they purchase Radian products.
Our flagship products are the Model 1 rifle and related receiver sets, Talon ambidextrous safeties, and Raptor charging handles. Featured here:
MODEL 1 – 17.5-INCH 223 WYLDE
Clandestine Desert™ Cerakote Finish (Cerakoted by our finishing business, High Desert Coatings—www.highdesertcoatings.com)
RAPTOR CHARGING HANDLE FOR A15/M4
The original all-billet design with Cerakoted FDE handles.
TALON 45/90 AMBIDEXTROUS SAFETY
The screwless safety design ensures your levers won’t come loose and gives you two throw degree options to choose from. Finished with FDE Cerakote.
Buy with confidence, as all Radian products are backed with a limited lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects.
For more information on Radian Weapons, please visit radianweapons.com.
Best known for body armor, Blue Force Gear also offers the everyday carry essential Micro Trauma Kit.
The Micro Trauma Kit NOW!, or Micro TKN, is our smallest version of the Trauma Kit NOW! yet. It was designed to hold essential lifesaving gear with minimal size in mind. The Micro TKNTM is designed to be worn horizontally with minimal bulk—perfect for everyday carry, for law enforcement professionals, prepared citizens, or in low-profile mission sets. The inner carrier can be deployed with one hand or one finger from either the left or right side by pulling the BLIP featured pull tabs. The Micro TKN consists of two main components – the outer MOLLE or Belt mounted pouch utilizing the Ten-Speed® technology, and a removable insert that keeps medical supplies organized.
Be sure to enter our American Made giveaway, with great gear from great American companies. Click the tab at the bottom right of page to enter.
Supplies
Hemostatic dressing for wound packing/clotting (1 included)
4” Emergency Trauma Dressing (1 included)
9” Medical Grade Easy Tape (6 included)
Tourni-Kwik Compression Tourniquet (1 included)
Heavy Duty Medical Gloves (1 pair of Large sized gloves)
For more information on Blue Force Gear, please visit blueforcegear.com.
Unrelenting in design and execution, the new Berger Bullets Long Range Hybrid Target bullets are engineered for hair-splitting accuracy.
Berger’s new Long Range Hybrid Target bullets™ (LRHT) are 100% Made in the USA and feature a high Ballistic Coefficient (BC), jump-tolerant ogive profile that is Doppler verified with less than 1-percent BC variation.
Long-range target shooters and extreme accuracy enthusiasts endlessly seek a competitive advantage, using sophisticated ballistic solvers, custom drag models, complex optics, and twist-rate calculators, among others. All of these tools are rendered meaningless if the projectile exiting their favorite target, hunting, or Mil/LE tactical rifle is inconsistent and unpredictable. Using advanced proprietary manufacturing processes, Berger’s innovative Meplat Reduction Technology™ (MRT) applies controlled pressure along the nose of each LRHT bullet, producing a homogeneous and repeatable profile for the industry’s most consistent BCs. While a high BC is desirable, shot-to-shot BC consistency is most critical when engaging targets at 1,000 yards and beyond. When you absolutely need to maximize hit probability, never settle for a bullet other than Berger.
Be sure to enter our American Made giveaway, with great gear from great American companies. Click the tab at the bottom right of page to enter.
The story behind the construction of Berger Bullets is simple. We start with virgin copper and lead wire products with the tightest specifications. Then, we manufacture our own signature J4 Berger bullet jackets to unmatched tolerances of less than 0.0003 inches of total indicated runout. What does this mean? A better bullet begins with a concentric jacket! Lastly, we merge the materials into finished projectiles — all within the confines of our Mesa, Arizona manufacturing facility.
Berger Bullets are highly sought after by the leading shooters in the world’s most demanding competitive shooting disciplines, such as PRS, F-Class, Fullbore, long range, and ELR to name a few. New Long Range Hybrid Target bullets are available in .22 caliber, 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm, and .30 caliber offerings.
New for NRA Show is our line of LRHT Ammunition offerings in 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 300 Norma Magnum.
For more information on Berger Bullets, please visit bergerbullets.com.
Improving the safety, performance and comfort of soldiers and safety professionals, Oakley Standard Issue has become a trusted first line of defense.
For over 20 years, Oakley Standard Issue has manufactured all ballistic products at their factory in Foothill Ranch, California. Products are designed, materials are sourced, and products are tested right here in America.
The Oakley SI Ballistic M Frame Alpha is our latest flagship product. Alpha is an eco-system; the product contains a frame, goggle, and helo-gasket with a lens interchangeable between all three. No matter the mission, the user can configure the product to his or her needs. Range work, close quarters battle, mobility, and even freefall are many of the environments applicable. Oakley Prizm Technology within the lens brings high contrast and definition. Specifically, Prizm Shooting was developed with the Army Marksmanship Unit and gives greater clarity to targets in different light conditions.
Designed with extensive input from our military and first responder community, Alpha is now authorized for wear on the Special Operations Eyewear Program (SOEP). SOEP, regarded as the highest standard for protective eyewear, certifies that all components are made in the USA and offer the highest level of protection. Available in multiple lens and frame color configurations.
Oakley Standard Issue was formally established in 2000. Committed to serving our military and first responders, Oakley SI offers exclusive pricing for products for active-duty military, government, first responders, and veterans.
A passionate gun parts and accessories company, Overwatch Precision has the kit to make you pistol run like a top.
The OP TAC Trigger System is a patent-pending seven-piece upgrade for your Smith & Wesson MP 2.0 that reduces total travel and pre-travel by 50 percent. Engineered by us from the ground up, this kit provides the unmatched performance you have come to expect from all OP products.
Through state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques, our trigger bar is held to industry-leading tolerances using a progressive die manufacturing process, a metal forming technique used in aerospace manufacturing that guarantees the most consistent performance and highest quality parts. This process, coupled with a space-age NP3 coating, provides the end user with the highest quality trigger bar ever offered.
TAC Trigger
Our proven TAC trigger is both functional and aesthetically pleasing, with features immediately identifiable as Overwatch Precision’s intellectual property. The overall design has been the go-to for Glock pistols since we released it in 2016, and its overall shape and function have been refined to excel in this new platform. With pre-travel reduction and a flat face, this self-correcting contact point aids in a linear rearward pull and increases accuracy. The indexing lip helps the shooter consistently place their finger on the trigger in the exact same spot every time, helping muscle memory and overall consistency.
The Sear
At the heart of this system is our NP3 coated sear. With a proprietary sear angle and large radius, this sear allows for a light and consistent break that can be tuned to the shooter’s preference with the two trigger return springs provided.
The Plunger
This product has a proprietary radius that replaces the OEM chamfer and creates a measurable “hump” in the trigger pull. This Swiss CNC’d part, coupled with NP3, creates a smooth pull to the wall. The plunger spring provides constancy and safe operation of this part, as intended by S&W.
The Trigger Springs
We offer two different trigger return springs with this kit. Standing by our ethos of serious-use defensive weapon components, we include a 4.5-pound return spring for duty or carry use for a dependable, predictable break. With the growth of USPSA popularity and participation in and amongst firearm enthusiasts, we also offer a 3.2-pound spring. Please note, this spring is not suitable for carry.
North Carolina based G-Code produces solutions for ever gun and tactical carry situation under the sun.
At G-Code, we don’t have a flagship product; what we have is a flagship philosophy and an unyielding commitment to excellence in everything we do. We don’t see ourselves as a company of products — we’re far more than that. G-Code is a solutions company.
Our purpose has always been to solve problems for our customers. We do this with design and innovation, and although our efforts manifest in products, we never sit back and feel like “we have arrived.”
Be sure to enter our American Made giveaway, with great gear from great American companies. Click the tab at the bottom right of page to enter.
Likewise, execution in our workmanship is paramount in its importance to us and to our customers. Our fit, finish, and function must always be unquestionably second to none.
To this end, G-Code products have always been, and will always be, 100-percent American made using only U.S.-sourced raw materials and components. At G-Code, we count it our privilege to provide tactical carry solutions to the men and women who serve in our military, law enforcement, and the civilian concealed carry communities.
This is why when you buy G-Code, you buy American, you buy quality … because we simply will not sell anything else!
The bipod has long been a tool used by shooters to obtain a more steady firing position in the field or on the range. However, in its many years of use, the fundamental design and function of a lot of traditional “stiff” bipods have not changed all that much.
Swagger Bipods, a Nebraska-based manufacturer, has developed a couple of bipods that offer the shooter a ton of flexibility and functionality, all while remaining incredibly lightweight. Using what the company calls Crazy Legs Technology, these bipods afford the shooter a wide array of shooting positions. The flexible, hyper-extending Crazy Legs are shock-corded and are easily adjustable with a simple twist motion.
Gun Digest Editor in Chief Eric Conn had the opportunity to experiment with a Swagger bipod this winter while sighting in for an upcoming predator hunt and came away very impressed with the bipod's flexibility and ease of use.
For more information on these great shooting aids, check out the video above, or visit the Swagger Bipods website.
Taurus has just added a modern straight-walled cartridge option to the Raging Hunter line with two new .350 Legend models.
A lot of hunters have come to enjoy .350 Legend, but as far as revolver options for the cartridge go, Smith & Wesson seemed to be the only company willing to make one with its Model 350. Until now, that is, as Taurus has just announced two new Raging Hunter options chambered for the .35-caliber straight-walled game-getter.
The two new .350 Raging Hunter models are identical except for their barrel lengths—one being 10.5 inches, and the other 14.5 inches. Whichever option you choose, it will impart more energy to the bullet than what you’d get out of Smith & Wesson’s 7.5-inch option. Other features of the .350 Legend Raging Hunters include 6-shot capacities, fiber-optic sights and Picatinny rails on the top and bottom for optics and accessories. As far as recoil mitigation goes, the revolvers also come equipped with muzzle brakes, cushioned rubber grips and non-fluted cylinders for some extra weight.
Michael Marotte, Marketing Director at Taurus, said this about the new hunting wheelguns:
Adding .350 Legend to the Raging Hunter lineup was a natural step. It gives shooters a modern, straight-walled option with the stout terminal performance they trust the series for … We kept everything that made Raging Hunter legendary — strength, reliability, and practical field features — and tuned the platform for the demands of .350 Legend loads.
MSRP for both .350 Legend Raging Hunter models is $1,534 and they’re available now.
Our gift guide will be updated daily through Christmas, so remember to check back for the latest and best deals on guns, gear and accessories!
It’s the season of giving, but let’s be honest, it’s also the season of taking advantage of some of the year’s best sales to treat yourself to some toys you’ve had your eye on. Whether you’re looking to stuff your family’s stockings or your own, we’ll be updating this guide daily through Christmas to keep you in the loop on some of the best discounts that online purveyors of gun gear and tactical goodies have to offer.
It’s been a long time since a battle rifle like this has been available for such a low price. Is it the absolute best G3 clone you can buy? No, but for only $660, it’s hard to say no to adding this Cold War classic to your arsenal. Surplus mags are still cheap as dirt, so feeding it a steady diet of 7.62 NATO will be the priciest part of the equation. I still think it’s a deal too good to pass up.
If you’re a serious gun guy, there’s a good chance that Heat is one of your favorite movies. If you’ve ever wanted to LARP as Val Kilmer in the streets of L.A., or just want a slick way to carry 8 AR mags close to your body, KOMMANDOSTORE’s reproduction is as sexy as it is practical. Some others on the market feel like Halloween costumes, but this one is quality and built tough enough for actual use and is currently $20 off! The only downside is you’ll want to buy a gray suit and a balaclava next.
This is my favorite sling, hands down. I use them on all my rifles and expect I’ll only need more as time goes on. Slings aren’t that exciting, but a good quick-adjust like this is one of the best upgrades you can give a long gun. If you’re still rocking old-school two-point slings on your rifles, for just $65, a Vickers sling will be one of the simplest yet most appreciated gifts you can give yourself or a loved one.
The CZ P-10 is a great 9mm pistol option, and this version is both optics-ready and suppressor-ready, so it's worth a look if you've been in the market for a suppressed home defense handgun. Plus, the $200 off the list price means you can put more money toward the red dot or the can!
Just about the only thing more fun than plinking with a .22 LR firearm is plinking with a suppressed .22 LR firearm. The Ruger 10/22 is a classic option for the task, and you can pick one up with a threaded barrel right now for $100 off! If you don't have a .22 that can take a suppressor already, this is a great opportunity to pick one up.
Ruger’s RXM—compact, high-capacity, polymer-framed, optics ready pistol, with an interchangeable fire control system and retailing for less than $500—will make a lot of waves in the self-defense pistol market.
While still relatively new to the market, seemingly everyone has been impressed by the Ruger RXM. It might be the current best Glock 19 clone on the market, and for only $370, it’s hard to imagine buying a competing model instead. This is a stellar deal.
If you don’t already own an AR-15, it’s well beyond time to change that. With prices this low, there’s simply no excuse. PSA has several models on offer at bargain prices, but this 16-inch model with Magpul furniture and iron sights comes with everything you need right out of the box.
The standard Kel-Tec P15 is incredibly lightweight at only 16 ounces, but for only 3 ounces more, you can get this metal-framed version that looks far cooler. The steep $250 discount makes it all the more tempting.
Want a good scope for not too much money? How about one with an illuminated ACSS Griffin MIL M8 reticle? The Primary Arms Compact PLxC 1-8X24 FFP riflescope is currently $500 off!
Ready to own the night? These holiday deals are a good excuse to jump into NVG ownership. These night vision goggles from AGM Global Vision are currently $1,300 off!
If you're looking to hush-up a .30-caliber rifle with a 5/8×24 threaded muzzle, this Dead Air Sandman S package comes with everything you need. Better yet, it's currently $400 off list price!
There's a reason why the pistol red dot industry has completely pivoted towards fully enclosed pistol optics, and it's because they're simply better. Trijicon has an excellent version of the concept as always with the RCR (Ruggedized Closed Reflex). This 3.25-MOA red dot is ready for any environment, and right now you can get one for $400 off of list price!
If you've been looking to get into thermal, what better way than a riflescope and monocular combo that's $700 off list price? This package of Pulsar thermal tech is exactly what you need if you want to head out into the sticks and cull hogs until the sun comes up!
If you’ve been wanting one of Holosun’s night vision digital red dot optics, this is about as affordable as they’ve been since they were first launched. They’re still not cheap, but the $350 discount makes it a lot lighter on the wallet. For the technology you’re getting, this is a great deal.
B5 Systems makes great furniture, and for only $70, this is a no-brainer upgrade for any of your ARs that are still wearing the M4 stock and grip they came with. The aggressive texture means your hand will never slip, and the convenient storage compartment in the grip gives you somewhere to stash your sugar plums.
Everyone could always use more AR mags, becauses the right answer to “how many is enough?” is “just a few more.” Bushmaster is running sales on packs of its 30-rounders, and you can either get 5 for $88 or 10 for $175. A good price for some good mags!
Some people want a less-lethal option for self-defense, and this TASER Pulse 2 can fill that roll with shocking effectiveness. It's currently 15% off, so grab one quick!
As you accumulate more guns, you inevitably need more means to store and carry them. This double rifle case from Voodoo Tactical has tons of space, both backpack and carry handle straps, and it's currently over $100 off!
Spare parts aren't very sexy, but they are necessary. If you own one or more AR-15s, but no spare Bolt Carrier Groups, you're doing your future self a big disservice potentially. This one is Mil-Spec, high-pressure-tested, magnetic particle inspected, and best of all currently on sale for $70. If you don't already have a spare BCG lying around, this is worth throwing in your shopping cart.
Cracking open sealed battle packs of ammo already feels like unwrapping presents on Christmas morning, and you can currently give yourself the gift of 450 rounds of 62-grain 5.56 from MKE for a $40 discount plus free shipping! That brings the price down to just 44 cents per round, about as low as you'll find 5.56 loaded in battle packs. Oh yeah, they're packed 30 rounds to each box too, so loading mags will be a breeze!
Range Time Targets has just launched its new SR500 steel targets. The new steel formulation is harder than typical AR500 steel, resulting in less pitting and a longer service life! These tough plates are available in a few different shapes and sizes, and they're currently on sale for Black Friday!
Give the gift of outdoor adventure and connection this holiday season with Outdoor Solutions’ From Field to Table courses. Whether your loved one is a seasoned hunter, new to the field, or simply passionate about sourcing their own protein and knowing where their food comes from, Outdoor Solutions offers a variety of tailored experiences. This multi-day, hands-on experience teaches participants every step of the hunting process, from shot placement and field dressing to butchering, packaging, and cooking wild game like a pro.
This is one of CRKT’s best-selling knives, and it’s available now for almost 50 percent off! It’s sharp, opens fast and the Micarta grip looks as good as it feels.
Whatever you’re shooting, .22 LR to .50 BMG, these self-healing targets have a lot of advantages over steel or cardboard. During these holiday deals, you can get a free 2/3-scale Infinity Target with the purchase of a full-size one. They have a few other deals running too, so take a look if you want to enhance your training.
Don't forget about your medical equipment! A good medkit is a necessity for all of us who play with guns, and MyMedic is offering 20 percent off right now on first aid kits and med packs!
It's a good idea to have a gas mask too, you never know when you'll need one! MIRA Safety's 25 percent off sitewide sale makes now the best time to grab one for yourself or the family!
Optics Planet seems to have great deals year around, but they've ramped up the savings in anticipation of Black Friday. Targets, triggers, scopes, body armor and just about anything else you might need are are all on deep discount right now!
From guns to AAC ammo to gear, PSA carries just about everything. Whether you just need another AR lower or a full FN SCAR 17S before they're all gone, PSA is offering some great prices this holiday season.
From Shadow Systems pistols to EoTech optics and more, Guns.com has some great deals to peruse. Oh yeah, select silencers come with a free tax stamp, too!
I hit the range to test out the Marlin 1894 Trapper along with a dozen loads of 10mm Auto.
The 10mm Automatic cartridge has had an up-and-down history. With support from former Marine, gun writer and Gunsite Academy founder Jeff Cooper, Norma introduced the 10mm Automatic cartridge in 1983. Designed for a pistol and loaded to 37,500 psi, it can push a 200-grain bullet to 1,200 fps out of a 5-inch barrel. With adoption by the FBI near the end of the 1980s, it quickly established a good following, especially in Colt’s 1911 Delta Elite pistol.
However, with the almost wholesale transition to the .40 S&W cartridge—the “40 Short and Weak”—shortly thereafter, interest in the 10mm began to wane, and I seriously doubt anyone back in the 1990s thought we would ever see a lever gun chambered in 10mm.
But then something else happened. In 2015, the FBI went back to the 9mm Luger cartridge for service pistols; law enforcement across the country followed suit, and the .40 S&W began to fade into oblivion. For some reason, the decline in popularity of the .40 S&W reignited interest in the more powerful 10mm Auto cartridge. Today, it’s even more popular than it was back in the early ’90s, and Marlin decided to take it somewhere it has never been—they chambered it in their 1894 lever gun.
You might be wondering what if any appeal there is to a lever gun chambered for the 10mm Auto, because ballistically it really offers no advantage over a lever gun in .357 or .44 Magnum. However, there are two very good reasons for a lever gun in 10mm Auto. The first is that while it might not be ballistically better than the .357 or .44 Magnum, it does allow for a higher capacity. A 16-inch tubular magazine will hold 20 percent more 10mm ammo than it will .357 or .44 ammo. And, for those who have a 10mm pistol or revolver, they now can have a fast-handling and compact lever gun that shares the same ammo.
In the Old West, cowboys, outlaws and lawmen appreciated ammo compatibility between a carbine and a revolver, because they only had to carry one type. Also, with the longer barrel of the lever gun, they could shoot more accurately and with a little more ballistic umph the longer barrel provided. This concept still has practical application today, whether you are an outdoorsman or are looking for a handgun and rifle for self-defense application.
Marlin Trapper Series Model 1894 Specs
Stock #: 70453 Chambering: 10mm Automatic Capacity: 10 Stock: Black and gray laminate Action: Lever action, stainless steel Finish: Matte stainless Sights: Skinner, adjustable aperture rear and white striped Weight: 6.3 pounds Length: 33.25 inches Length of Pull: 13.38 inches Barrel: 16.1-inch, stainless steel, 1:16 twist and threaded at 5/8×24 with a protector MSRP: $1,600
Pros
Excellent fit and finish
Great precision with Hornady LeverEvolution 150-grain FTX
Almost no recoil
Cons
Poor precision with a Silencer Central Banish 46 V2 installed
Some loads tested fed a little rough
Must run the lever aggressively to eject the last fired case
The Trapper Lineup and Details
Currently, Marlin is offering six rifles in their Trapper configuration. They have two Model 1895 versions: one with a Magpul stock and one with a laminated black and gray hardwood stock. They also offer a Model 336 version of the Trapper in .30-30 Winchester with the laminated stock. And now they have three Model 1894 Trappers that includes one each in .357 and .44 Magnum, and the latest that is chambered for the 10mm Automatic pistol cartridge.
Like all current Model 1894 rifles, the 1894 Trapper in 10mm loads through a loading gate on the right side of the receiver.
All of these Trapper rifles have a stainless-steel receiver and barrel, and they all have a matte stainless finish. Finish-wise, the only Trapper that’s different is the one in .45-70 with the Magpul stock. The hammer, screws and safety on this rifle have a black finish. Also, unlike all the other Trappers—including the newest in 10mm—the Magpul Trapper has a Picatinny-style scope base with an integral aperture sight. All the other Trappers have the Skinner adjustable aperture sight with a white-striped front sight.
Out of the box, the 1894 Trapper in 10mm comes with a Skinner adjustable aperture sight with a screw-out peep.
There are two things that set the new Trapper in 10mm Auto apart from the other Trapper models, and these are things you cannot see just by looking at the rifle. They are capacity and price. Trappers in .45-70 and .30-30 Winchester hold five rounds, the Trappers in .357 and .44 Magnum hold eight rounds, and the 10mm Trapper holds 10. As for price, the suggested retail for a Trapper is $1,499, but the 10mm Trapper retails for $1,599.
If you’re going to run a riflescope on the 1894 Trapper in 10mm, the included hammer spur makes cocking and decocking the hammer easy.
Like all the Trapper rifles I’ve handled and tested, fit and finish on the new 10mm Trapper were excellent. All new Marlin Trappers also have a threaded muzzle and come with a protective cap. The muzzle on the 10mm Trapper was threaded at 5/8×24, and a nice feature about the cap is that it has two flats to help you remove it with a wrench if necessary. You will also find a sling swivel stud located on the belly of the butt stock and extending from the nose cap on the forend.
The muzzle on the 1894 Trapper is threaded and capped but the rifle did not like the Banish 46 V2 suppressor that was tested on it.
Shots Fired
I mounted an old compact 6X riflescope to the 10mm Trapper so I could see what type of precision the rifle was capable of. Since the muzzle was threaded, I also installed a Silencer Central Banish 46 V2 suppressor. However, precision at 100 yards was poor with the suppressor—a few groups exceeded 6 inches. Some rifles just do not like some suppressors so all the shooting for record with the 10mm Trapper was conducted without a can.
Though feeding with some loads was a little rough, overall, the 1894 in 10mm functioned well.
From the bench at 100 yards, the little carbine averaged 3.06 inches with multiple five-shot groups fired with a bunch of different loads. Based on my testing over the years, this is about par for the course when it comes to the precision you can expect from a lever gun shooting pistol or revolver ammo. Make no mistake, this 10mm Trapper is not a long-range gun, and you could say the same about any lever gun chambered for a handgun cartridge. However, the new LEVERevolution load from Hornady developed for this rifle shot very well, averaging just a shade more than an inch.
Shooting Results
LOAD
MV
SD
ME
PRECISION
Doubletap Lead-Free 125-grain HP
1,868
14.2
969
4.60
Hornady Handgun Hunter 135-grain
1,439
19.2
621
1.99
Hornady LeverEvolution 150-grain FTX
1,315
13.6
576
1.17
CCI Blazer 180-grain FMJ FN
1,364
9.2
744
2.94
Buffalo Bore Heavy 180-grain JHP
1,594
13.9
1,016
3.91
Doubletap Match 180-grain FMJ FP
1,323
15.4
700
2.21
Buffalo Bore Dangerous Game 190-grain
1,173
20.2
581
3.02
Doubletap 200-grain JHP
1,292
11.5
741
5.10
Federal Solid Core 200-grain
1,318
8.8
771
2.50
Buffalo Bore Heavy 200-grain FMJ FN
1,402
29.8
873
2.75
Buffalo Bore Outdoorsman 220-grain HC
1,335
15.4
870
4.01*
Doubletap Hard Cast 230-grain
1,255
7.1
804
3.55
*Tested at 50 yards with open sights.
There were no extraction issues with fired cases, but there were some hitches with feeding and ejection. Some loads were sometimes a bit finicky during feeding. They always fed, but often you would feel a little glitch or hang up when working the lever.
However, this is not surprising. You must understand that all current factory 10mm ammunition is created to feed and function reliably in a 10mm pistol. After all, that’s what the cartridge was designed for. Because of this—the overall dimensions of the cartridge, particularly in relation to the bullet shape and style—issues like this can be expected. It’s no different with lever guns chambered for revolver cartridges. Some loads that will work in a revolver where overall length is not as critical may not work in a lever gun.
The only other issue associated with functioning concerned ejection. If you cycled the lever gingerly like a child pulls a Band-Aid off, and if it was the last round in the gun, sometimes the empty case would drop down inside the action. The cure for this was to run the gun like you were serious—like you were mad at it—and it would feed, extract and eject every time.
Overall Assessment
I really like this rifle, and it makes me want a 10mm pistol or revolver to go with it. It represents a first for the new Ruger owned Marlin and for the gun industry as well. It makes you wonder if a lever gun in 9mm or even .45 Auto might be on some engineer’s drawing board at Marlin.
Marlin’s new 1894 carbine lever gun chambered for the 10mm Auto cartridge is light, compact and a lot of fun to shoot.
The sticky feeding with some loads does not bother me for two reasons. First, I noticed the more I shot the rifle the smoother it got, and second, there are a boat load of good 10mm Auto loads to choose from. Aside from what you might find from Federal, Remington, Winchester and Hornady, between Buffalo Bore and Doubletap alone—the two best sources for 10mm ammo—there are nearly 30 loads to choose from, many of which should function perfectly.
A 10mm lever gun is a bold step for Marlin to take but I’m betting with the current resurgence of interest in the 10mm Automatic cartridge, along with all the new pistols and revolvers chambered for it, this rifle will do well. Aside form being fun to shoot with almost no recoil, it would be a great short range hunting rifle and—if you carry a 10mm—an even better truck gun.
Gear Notes: Timney’s Marlin Trigger
Since Ruger acquired Marlin after the Remington bankruptcy, the triggers on the new lever guns have been markedly better. Over the last several years, I’ve tested a half-dozen new Marlin lever guns and except for one, they all had triggers I could live with. The Trigger on the new 1894 Trapper in 10mm was reasonably good too. It broke at only 3.5 pounds with a slight amount of creep. The good news is that if you buy one of the new Marlin 1894 Trappers in 10mm and you’re not happy with the trigger, or if you already own another Marlin lever gun that does not have a great trigger, Timney has a solution.
Timney’s drop-in trigger for Marlin lever guns.
Timney Triggers now offers a drop-in trigger for Marlin lever action rifles. It retails for $199.95, and you can install it with some tools you probably have in that junk drawer in your kitchen. This trigger from Timney will work in any modern Marlin model 1894, 336 or 1895 that has the crossbolt/hammer blocking safety. Of course, you could opt to have a custom gunsmith tune your factory Marlin trigger, but it will cost you about as much as the Timney. However, beware, your run-of-the-mill gunsmith is generally not capable of tuning a lever gun trigger to be as safe and to work as well as the drop-in unit from Timney.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the January 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
So, you want to be different? Here are some unusual bullet designs that can get the job done.
I’ll be the first to admit that factory ammunition manufactured today is the best it has ever been, and that the choice of projectiles is wider than ever, but I still have a sense of pride when using my hand-loads. Whether I’m using a unique projectile in a common cartridge or feeding a rifle or handgun chambered for an obsolete cartridge, handloading the unique is just plain cool.
And while loading a good old Nosler Partition in your .30-06 is surely sensible, sometimes it’s just plain fun to be the one using a bullet that can’t be bought in loaded ammunition. Here are some of my favorite projectiles for those looking for a unique experience.
Peregrine Bullets
Hailing from South Africa and imported to the United States by Discreet Ballistics, Peregrine Bullets have a full range of component projectiles—from handgun choices, to match bullets, to a great line of hunting projectiles for riflemen. I have the most experience with their hunting projectiles, having used them here in the States as well as on several safaris, and I’ve never been disappointed.
South Africa’s Peregrine makes a pair of excellent lead-free hunting bullets in the BushMaster and PlainsMaster. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The PlainsMaster is a lead-free copper alloy design, in a spitzer boat-tail hollow-point conformation, though the cavity is occupied by a bronze tip used to initiate expansion. For those who enjoy the performance of copper projectiles, the PlainsMaster is among the best I’ve ever used. My old 6.5-284 would put three of the 129-grain PlainsMasters into ¾-MOA groups religiously, and the whitetail deer were not a fan of this bullet by any means. I’d happily load a Peregrine PlainsMaster of suitable caliber and weight for any hunt in North America or any of the African species shy of the dangerous heavyweights.
The Peregrine BushMaster is perfect for dangerous game. These three 500-grain bullets were recovered from Cape buffalo bulls in Zimbabwe from the author’s Heym 470 NE double rifle. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
For those larger species like Cape buffalo, the bison of North America, coastal grizzlies, Australian water buffalo and the like, the Peregrine BushMaster is going to suit you quite well. These species are generally taken at closer distances, and the flat meplat of the BushMaster poses no issues. The large brass plunger sits atop a hollow cavity and drives the sidewalls of the bullet outward upon impact. I’ve taken several Cape buffalo bulls with this bullet, and it’s pretty characteristic of the design to find the expanded bullet against the offside hide after creating a large wound channel. I’m a huge fan of these, especially when stalking the Cape buffalo.
Hornady A-Tip Match
Hornady’s factory-loaded ammunition is excellent, and for those who enjoy the sound of ringing steel, their Match ammo line, which features the ELD Match bullet, is a great source of fine accuracy. But for those who want to take things a step further, Hornady offers the A-Tip Match—which I consider one of the finest match bullets ever made. This article is about unique projectiles, and though Hornady is a household name in our industry, these bullets are only available in component form to be handloaded.
For those absolutely serious about the long-range accuracy game, Hornady’s A-Tip Match is a bullet available only in component form and is capable of fantastic long-range performance. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Precise jackets and uniform lead cores are mated to an aluminum tip, and you’ll be challenged to feel the transition from aluminum tip to copper jacket with your fingernail. These are taken directly off the assembly line and put immediately in the packaging; Hornady even included a polishing cloth to remove the oil from the projectiles. You can buy the A-Tip Match in lots up to 500 pieces for the ultimate in consistency.
The A-Tip Match is available in calibers ranging from 0.224 inch up to 0.416 inch, so there should be an option for nearly every target shooter. If you are into the most consistent components, give Hornady’s A-Tip Match a whirl, but be sure and use a VLD seating stem to avoid damaging the meplat.
McGuire Ballistics
California’s move to mandated lead-free projectiles inspired the folks at McGuire Ballistics to build a better mousetrap. Sam McGuire is the brains behind the company, and as he is equal parts machinist and hunting guide, he knows a thing or two about how hunting bullets should perform. He routinely pursues those big California feral hogs at all sorts of ranges, so he wanted a projectile that would give the needed results in a variety of situations.
McGuire Ballistics’ Copper Rose bullet was born from the need for an utterly reliable lead-free projectile, to be used at a variety of hunting ranges. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Enter his Copper Rose projectile, an all-copper spitzer boat-tail softpoint, quickly gaining an excellent reputation in the fields and woods. My .300 Winchester Magnum loves the 178-grain Copper Rose (magazine feed variant) over a healthy dose of IMR 4831, printing three-shot groups averaging just over 0.6 inch at my 100-yard range, with very consistent velocities. That particular bullet sports a G1 Ballistic Coefficient of 0.600, so it’ll definitely retain a good amount of energy, as well as resisting wind deflection at longer ranges.
This design will certainly work well for deer and hogs, but I wouldn’t hesitate to reach for these for an elk, moose or bear hunt, or even for one of the sheep species or a mountain goat. It’d also make a great bullet for the serious aoudad hunter, as those rams can take a pounding, and the integrity of the Copper Rose would be most welcome. Available in 0.224-inch 71 grains, 6mm 93 grains, 0.257-inch 95, 117 and 122 grains, 6.5mm 114, 125 and 130 grains, 0.277-inch 128 and 148 grains, 7mm 143, 160 and 168 grains, 0.308-inch 156, 168,178 and 195 grains, and 0.338-inch 225 and 250 grains.
McGuire also has a match bullet available—their Steel Slayer line—which appear to have the same profile as the Copper Rose projectiles, though I must confess I have yet to lay my hands upon these for any sort of evaluation.
Northern Precision Custom Projectiles
Based in Western New York, Northern Precision is the brainchild of Bill Noody, and he has some excellent component projectiles for the rifleman and handgunner alike. As Noody is a one-man show, each projectile is hand-formed by him, and he makes some highly consistent products. I love the fact that Noody is approachable and isn’t afraid to take on a new project.
New York’s Northern Precision offers many great cup-and-core designs, including bonded-core, round nose and RBT boat-tail bullets. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
After using his stuff in some of the more common calibers and cartridges, Noody and I talked about providing a USA-made option for feeding the .318 Westley Richards I love so much, and it wasn’t long before we had a 250-grain round-nose bonded core bullet that works perfectly. It’s of a proper shape and weight to get the classic performance the cartridge is famous for, and Noody’s projectiles have proved to be just as accurate as the stuff from Kynoch or Woodleigh. Best of all, they’re made practically in my backyard. Noody and I also discussed a lighter bullet for that cartridge, culminating in a thin-jacketed 180-grain bullet, in a flat-base round-nose conformation with a bit of dimpled lead at the nose.
Bill Noody of Northern Precision bullets designed a custom 180-grain thin jacket bullet for the .318 Westley Richards, giving a great option for deer and other thin-skinned game. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Even Noody’s more common designs are unique. During some range testing, I loaded up some of Northern Precision’s 165-grain .30-caliber Spitzer RBT Bonded Core Open Tip (that’s a mouthful) in my Winchester 70 .300 H&H Magnum. This rifle normally likes bullets on the longer side of things; in fact, the best loads I’ve seen in this rifle are built around the 200-grain Nosler AccuBond and the same weight of Federal’s Terminal Ascent. However, the Northern Precision 165-grain RBT gave excellent results, with three-shot groups averaging 0.7-inch groups at 100 yards, giving me an excellent load for our New York deer and bear season. That Open Tip design will surely give good expansion for deer and similar game, yet the bonded core will hold together on the heavy bones of a truly large black bear or even an elk or moose.
Noody uses the RBT (Rebated Boat-tail) design, which has what looks like a stepped transition into the boat-tail. This feature is supposed to reduce muzzle blast dispersion by 15 percent or so, which will enhance accuracy and give more consistent velocities. I know this rifle likes them so much; they are headed to the woods with me this fall, celebrating the .300 H&H’s 100th birthday. The Sabre-Star handgun bullet line features both bonded and non-bonded designs in a number of common calibers, at useful weights.
Northern Precision’s bonded-core Guide Bullet is optimized to perform in the .45-70 Government, especially in the Marlin Guide Gun and the like. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
My Ruger Blackhawk 45 Colt loves the 270-grain Sabre-Star with the cannelure, while my Sig Sauer 1911 seems very happy with the 200-grain variant, without cannelure. His handgun bullets are limited to 10mm and .45-caliber. Noody has a number of useful designs, from a bonded-core flat-nose 400-grain bullet made to work with the Marlin 45-70 Guide Gun, to more traditional designs for obsolete cartridges like the .405 Winchester, .22 Savage High-Power and .348 Winchester, and he is open to discuss custom options for whatever you may need.
Nosler’s Solid Base Bullet
Rewind the clock to the late 1970s, and Nosler’s Partition was the indisputable flagship of their fleet, but the Ballistic Tip, AccuBond and Expansion Tip—as well as any Nosler factory loaded ammunition—were years away. There was another choice, however, among the component bullets: the Solid Base. A cup-and-core design, with a bit of exposed lead at the nose and a copper jacket that thickens at the base, the Solid Base bullet was recently reintroduced in the Nosler Whitetail Country ammo line. And while the cartridge selection in that ammo line covers a lot of ground, the fact that the Solid Base bullet has recently become available in component form again is great news for handloaders.
I used this bullet last fall in the .308 Winchester, in the Whitetail Country ammo, and it took a good Catskill Mountain eight-point without issue. Now, if you’d like to use this bullet in a .300 Savage, .30 Remington, 6.5×55 Swede, or .244 Remington, the components are there for you to do so. Nosler has made the Solid Base available in 6mm 100 grains, 6.5mm 140 grains, 0.277-inch 130 grains, 7mm 140 grains, 0.308-inch 150 grains (spitzer and round nose, for the 30-30) and 165 grains.
Hawk Bullets
If you’ve got an oddball cartridge, Hawk can be an invaluable source of projectiles. Using a pure copper jacket and lead core, Hawk’s hunting bullets give excellent expansion for a large wound channel (sometimes up to three times the original diameter) and are easy on the older barrels, many of which have been nearly ruined by the modern monometal designs.
Hawk Bullets from New Jersey offers a bullet for nearly every shooter, as they specialize in the obscure. Shown here are projectiles for the .318 Westley Richards and the .505 Gibbs. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Thirty-five years of hunting reports have shown that Hawk’s bullet designs work, as they offer a number of nose profiles. But it is the sheer number of obscure bullet diameters offered by Hawk that makes them such a valuable resource. Need a 0.286-inch-diameter bullet for your .280 Ross? No worries. Are you struggling to find ammo for your .333 Jeffery, especially those fabled 300-grain slugs? Hawk has your back. Found a helluva deal on a .475 No. 2 Jefferies, but are now panicking about a source for 0.482-inch-diameter projectiles? Again, Hawk to the rescue. Among the bullet choices, there are a number of different jacket thicknesses to choose from, so you can customize your bullet to a certain degree.
If you don’t see what you want, Hawk accepts custom orders, but you’ll have to contact them to discuss the parameters. I’ve used Hawk’s stuff in my .318 Westley Richards. Their 200-grain bullet worked perfectly and in the mighty .505 Gibbs, where the 500-grain round nose gave excellent accuracy. They are worth keeping on your favorites bar, if you like the obscure.
Make It Your Own
There is something special about using a unique combination of cartridge, load and bullet; once the trigger is pulled and the desired results achieved, I feel a sense of pride nearly unequaled in the shooting world. Yes, I have relied upon the common components and cartridge many times, but the do-it-yourself aspect of handloading ammunition has led to the desire to embrace the unique. Fly your freak flag and sally forth with a combination no one else uses.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the January 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Palmetto State Armory has just bullpuped the Jakl with the new Olcan, available as complete rifles and standalone lowers.
The long-awaited bullpup conversion kit for the PSA Jakl is finally here, and it’s called the Olcan. Available as either a complete rifle or as a standalone lower for mating with your Jakl upper, the Olcan was one of the winners of PSA’s concept gun poll from SHOT Show. Its release doesn’t just introduce another bullpup option to the market, but it gives Jakl owners a cool way to shorten their rifle without compromising ballistics.
For 5.56 Jakl uppers, the Olcan lower will work with 16-, 14.5-, 13.7- and 10.5-inch barrel lengths. In .300 BLK, it is compatible with the 14.5-inch upper but not the 8.5-inch upper. Naturally, NFA barrel length rules still apply. As complete rifles, the Olcan will come with either a SilencerCo ASR or a Dead Air Keymo pin-and-weld muzzle device. When just purchasing an Olcan lower, it will come with a color-matched Die Free Co. grip (black or FDE), a mil-spec safety, an ambidextrous mag release and a Picatinny cheek riser for attaching to the upper.
Olcan complete rifles have an MSRP of $1,400 and standalone Olcan lowers have an MSRP of $500. Both are available now.
Glock has just unveiled the first three Gen 6 models, and I had the opportunity to go hands-on with them at the range.
In 2026, it will be 40 years since Glock has been in the U.S. Over those four decades, we have seen Glock grow from a fledgling pistol manufacturer to a global influencer of handgun design. The company’s pistols are deployed with countless militaries and law enforcement agencies around the globe, and for good reason: they work.
On December 6, Glock marked a milestone with the introduction of its sixth generation. The first Glock Gen 6 pistols models to be released in the U.S. will be the G17, G19 and G45, and the G49 will be available in some international markets as well. Compared to previous generations, the new Gen 6 Glocks certainly look more different than ever, but the changes aren’t merely aesthetic. They result in an improved feel that’s immediately noticeable in the hand, especially after putting rounds on target.
From the frame to the trigger to mounting optics, a lot is different with Gen 6, so let’s dive into what’s new.
Gen 6 Glock Updates
The first thing I noticed when I picked up a Gen 6 Glock was the grip texture. It was toothy and sticky, but after shooting one, I also discovered it was not unpleasantly rough. The new texture is RTF6 which combines the abrasive RTF2 and the current Gen5 RTF4 texture patterns. You remember RTF2? It stuck to your skin like briars and chewed up your hand after only running a few mags. The RTF2 acts like a substrate to the RTF4 and together they create a very nice texture. Glock was also more generous with the RTF6, adding it higher up on the frame. The sides of the grip now also have palm swells so there is more grip contact with your hand, and a textured gas pedal was added that provides the support hand more leverage when shooting for speed.
Two other additions are an extended beavertail so users with ham-sized hands don’t get slide bite, and an undercut trigger guard that allows for a higher grip to better control recoil. Finally, the fence around the slide stop is higher, so if you ride the slide stop with your support hand you are less likely to induce a malfunction. As for holster compatibility, don’t worry, as the Gen 6 guns will fit Gen 5 holsters just fine.
I admittedly was pretty stricken by the Glock’s new looks, but I still approached the firing line with objectivity in mind. That said, it didn’t take too many rounds to realize that no, the Gen 6 isn’t just a pretty face; these pistols shoot great, too. The changes made to the grip provided more contact with my hand and really made me feel more connected to the gun than any previous generation of Glock.
Glock was quick to say that the internals of the Gen 6 guns have original Glock DNA. They didn’t want to mess too much with the proven Safe Action System trigger design. Glock’s mantra is: Test. Learn. Improve. When designing the Gen 6 pistols, Glock listened to user feedback and incorporated many long-awaited features into the new generation while still ensuring the pistols were safe and relentlessly reliable like all other Glocks. While at the event, Glock mentioned that one of the G19s on the line had 40K rounds through it with no hiccups. If that’s not reliable, I don’t know what is.
We were all still a bit stunned when Glock discontinued all double-stack Gen 5 pistols and replaced some of them with the new Gen V series. The V series pistols have a new slide, trigger assembly, and frame configuration that makes it harder to install the infamous MCD switch and convert the pistols to full-auto. Gen 6 Glocks incorporate the internal modifications of the V series, as well as a few others, like a new optic slide cut and extractor system, both of which are designed to play nice with aftermarket optics and their mounting screws. Another little improvement found on the slide is deeper front serrations for easier racking and press checks.
Speaking of optic mounting, the MOS mounting system is thankfully history. The new Gen 6 optic-ready system has a deeper slide cut so optics sit lower. It also uses a polymer plate that acts like a crush washer to absorb some of the shear force during recoil. Three plates are included with each pistol.
Another little but surprising change is that the new Gen 6 guns reverted to the single capture recoil spring.
While most of the new features are pretty small, they all add up to make a big difference in the shooting experience.
Running The Glock Gen 6
I had the opportunity to run a G17, a G19 and a G45, all of them sporting a variety of different optics. The new flat-faced trigger and the updated grip offered a different feel to these still-familiar pistols. I like the palm swells, texture, and the undercut trigger guard, which combined, seem to help the grip fill your hand better and provide a higher hold. Simply put, the Gen 6 creates a better interface between the shooter and the pistol.
After going hot with the new guns, my takeaway was that the most noticeable changes were the addition of the textured gas pedal and the undercut trigger guard. They facilitated a higher grip, more control and therefore resulted in a more shootable pistol. The pistols didn’t take a lot of effort or concentration to shoot well, and that remained true across the G17, G45 and the G19. That said, the G17 was my favorite since I shot it the best. These are all still Glocks at the end of the day though, and bigger pistols are easier to shoot well, so that shouldn’t be a big surprise.
A single range session is not enough to fully evaluate a new gun, but it was enough to appreciate the modifications Glock has made in their sixth generation of pistols. I can’t wait to get a sample gun so I can put it through its paces and really get to know it for a more comprehensive review.
The MSRP on all three of the new Gen 6 Glock models is $749.
To learn more about the new generation of Glock pistols, visit glock.com.
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Glock 17 Review: How The Full-Sized Striker-Fired Set The Standard
If you plan on swapping an AR barrel, you're going to want a reaction rod, and the Otis PRO+ A15 UpLock is one of the best.
I still remember the early days of installing an AR-15 barrel. Trying to clamp everything without crushing anything was a major undertaking. That problem was solved long ago, but Otis, as expected, has some improvements.
The Pro+ A15 UpLock is something you need if you plan on installing or replacing a barrel. It’s a reaction rod, a simple bar to hold the barrel in place.
A quick look: The front is lugged to match the locking lug slots on the barrel extension. Behind that is a bronze bushing with a roll pin stop. At the back, it’s machined with flats, so you can clamp it in the vise.
To use it, simply clamp the rod on your vise, the bigger and stronger the better. Your bench should be big and strong, too, so it doesn’t “walk” around when you do your wrenching.
If you’re installing a barrel, slide the receiver over the rod. If the receiver is a loose fit, take the bronze bushing (collar to the rear) and use it as an insert to keep the receiver in place. Slip the barrel onto the rod, engaging the slot in the lugs. Then, spin the barrel nut down and begin to do the barrel nut tightening mambo.
The bronze bushing is on backward here as a memory aid to check fit each time the rod is used.
Yes, reaction rods are not new, but the Otis rod is well made, and the addition of the bronze bushing is a boon if you must deal with off-spec receivers. If you don’t, it is just as good as it would be not needing the bronze bushing.
I’ve got a rolling cabinet full of various gunsmithing tools, and the Otis is at the front of the drawer, because it’s the one I want handy when needed. You’ll notice the bronze busing in the photo is reversed—not because that’s the way it works, but it acts as a mnemonic for me.
“Bushing back, bushing check” is my mental step to check the rear of the upper receiver opening to see if the bushing is needed. It’s easy enough, once the rod is clamped in place, to slide the bushing off and see if it fits into the receiver.
If it does, I use it. If it doesn’t, I put it on the bench while I fit the barrel. Once done, it goes back onto the rod, reversed, as the memory aid for the next installation.
Some of you might be thinking, “Sweeney is getting old, he needs memory aids.”
Nope.
When the details matter, you want to make sure you have all the details right. Pilots use a checklist for every operation not because they can’t remember, but because it matters to get it right.
I appreciate Otis’ extra effort and want to have that advantage, enough to keep the bronze bushing on the rod and check it each time. If I took it off and left it loose in the drawer, I might just go ahead on a barrel install when the bushing would have helped.
As a tool making and tool using animal, you really should be in the habit of using tools correctly.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the January 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
If you’re an armed citizen, tactical first aid is an essential skill that you can’t afford to ignore.
The timeline that opened Greg Ellifritz’s Tactical First Aid course is something none of us will forget: the 2012 Aurora, Colorado, theater shooting. Seventy people were shot. The first trained medical responders didn’t get to the injured for 27 minutes, because police had to clear the scene first. A person with a massive arterial bleed has only 4 to 5 minutes to live without intervention.
In that moment, one reality became painfully clear: Bystanders were the only medics on scene, and their actions determined who lived and who died.
That sobering timeline reinforced a vital truth for every responsibly armed citizen: When disaster strikes, you are your own first responder. Carrying a firearm is only part of protecting yourself and others. Violence or even everyday accidents produce injuries that no firearm can fix. That’s why medical training and, specifically, tactical first aid must be part of the responsible citizen’s skillset.
What Makes Tactical First Aid Different?
Tactical medicine isn’t a standard CPR or Red Cross course. Ellifritz, a 20-year law enforcement officer and self-defense instructor, explained that tactical first aid happens in unstable, dangerous, often chaotic settings, possibly in the middle of an ongoing threat. You may not have ambulances or medics arriving within minutes. You might have one trail bag, two hands and people rapidly bleeding around you.
In a conventional first aid class, the assumption is a safe environment: scene secured, team response and ambulance in transit. Tactical first aid assumes none of that. You might have to treat casualties before the threat is fully neutralized.
The Grim Reality Is This
If the attacker is still alive, stopping the threat comes first, not treating the wounded.
If the scene is unstable, you might have to treat under fire.
You must triage, decide whom you can help and whom, tragically, you might not be able to.
This mindset shift is difficult even for experienced ER doctors. They admitted they knew the medicine but never considered how to apply it when alone, under stress, with minimal supplies and no hospital support. Tactical training pushes medical skills into the real world where perfection is impossible and improvisation is mandatory.
MARCH: A Battlefield-Proven Priority System
Most of us grew up with ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) as the standard sequence for first aid care, but tactical medicine and research from modern combat shows that ABC doesn’t fit real-world traumatic injuries like gunshots and blast trauma.
Ellifritz taught us MARCH, the protocol used in Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC):
M – Massive bleeding
A – Airway
R – Respiration/chest injuries
C – Circulation/shock prevention
H – Head injury and hypothermia
Why begin with bleeding? Battlefield data reveals that hemorrhage from extremity wounds causes 60 percent of preventable deaths, far more than airway issues. Blood loss kills faster than almost anything else.
Ellifritz put it plainly: “If I have a heart attack, then follow ABCs. But if I’m bleeding from a gunshot, grab a tourniquet first!”
The training made this real. We practiced sustained direct pressure and learned quickly how exhausting it is to press hard enough to stop bleeding for even a few minutes. That is why tourniquets and pressure bandages matter. They aren’t accessories. They are lifelines.
Tools That Save Lives
As we learned the MARCH protocol, it started to become evident what sorts of items should be included in the trauma kit that every armed citizen should carry or at minimum, keep in their vehicle or range bag. The most essential tools include:
CAT or SOF-T tourniquet
Israeli/emergency pressure bandage
Hemostatic gauze (QuikClot or Celox)
Chest seals for sucking chest wounds
Trauma shears, gloves and marker
Students paired up and practiced applying tourniquets on each other. The key lesson: They must be tight—really tight. If it doesn’t hurt at least a little, it isn’t tight enough. It has to be tight enough to stop your distal pulse. Modern tourniquets are safe to leave on for two hours—hopefully long enough to keep someone alive until higher care arrives.
The Israeli bandage was another standout. With coaching, we wrapped simulated arm wounds in 20 to 30, freeing up our hands and attention to address other threats or other victims. These tools are easy to carry, easy to store and proven by thousands of deployments in combat. What’s often missing is training and confidence, the ability to use them under stress.
You’ll Need These Skills More Than Your Gun
Not everyone taking this course imagines themselves in an active shooter scenario, and that’s the point. Tactical medical training applies far beyond gunfights. Car crashes, hunting accidents, power-tool mishaps, chainsaw injuries, storm damage, tornadoes, hiking accidents and range accidents are just a few other possibilities.
Statistics are clear: You’re far more likely to use medical skills to save a life than you are to use a firearm in self-defense.
That fact alone reframes what it means to be “responsibly armed.” The protector mindset isn’t limited to stopping threats. It includes preserving life when something goes wrong. Sometimes helping means drawing a firearm. Other times it means putting your hands on a wound to stop the bleeding fast.
Mindset: You Are the Help
The greatest thing this course imparted wasn’t just skill. It is a mindset. Ellifritz blends practicality with urgency. His message is never paranoid. It’s empowering: We live in a world where help may not come quickly. If no one else is coming, then you are the help.
That mindset shift from bystander to responder is the dividing line between helplessness and preparedness. Tactical first aid training takes you across that line.
It’s not about becoming a medic or replacing EMS. It’s about filling the gap when time matters most, the minutes before professionals arrive. When every second counts, preparation isn’t paranoia, it’s responsibility.
The Responsibility to Preserve Life
Gun owners often emphasize the weight of carrying a firearm. But the duty to preserve life does not end when the threat is stopped. It continues with the ability to treat the injured, whether they’re a victim, an innocent bystander, a loved one … or even yourself.
Ellifritz’s course drove that home powerfully. I plan to train medically just as routinely as I train at the range, and I believe every responsibly armed citizen should do the same.
When tragedy strikes, no one has ever regretted having too much knowledge or too much training, but the opposite, the regret for being unprepared, can be a lifelong burden.
Carrying a firearm may help you stop the threat. Carrying medical training may help you save a life. After all, if you can’t avoid the fight, surviving the fight is the next best outcome in any fight.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the January 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
The Colt Commander may not be the best fighting pistol of all time, but it’s Top 5 for sure and one of the most iconic.
After World War II, the U.S. Military wanted a lighter and more compact pistol for officers to carry. So, Colt created a 1911 with a 4.25-inch barrel chambered in 9mm Luger that was built on a lightweight aluminum alloy frame. In 1950, Colt began manufacturing that pistol—known as the Commander—but they also offered it chambered for the .38 Super and the .45 Auto.
Twenty years later, Colt introduced an all-steel version of this shorter-barreled 1911 called the Combat Commander, and they renamed the original alloy-framed gun the Lightweight Commander. When I became a police officer in 1992, a Colt Lightweight Commander chambered in .45 Auto was considered by many professionals to be the premier off-duty/concealed carry gun.
Of course, I had to have one, but finding one like I wanted was not easy. In 1983, Colt added a firing pin safety to all their 1911s, and this made the trigger—for lack of a better word—horrible. I wanted a pre-80 Series Lightweight Commander chambered for the .45 Auto, because, well, back in the ’90s everyone knew you couldn’t stop a bad guy with a 9mm.
My first Commander was the Lightweight model in .45 Auto. I stumbled on it in a local gun shop in 1994. I laid it away, paid for it with overtime money, and then sent it and a lot more overtime money off to Novak’s in Parkersburg, West Virgina, for some custom work. That pistol lived on my side for almost a decade when I was off duty and on some stakeouts. I even used it in local combat pistol matches and won sometimes. I shot it so much that the aluminum alloy frame developed a hairline crack, so I sold it.
I acquired my next Commander a few years later after I’d hung up the badge and had begun writing for gun magazines full time. I’d met the lead pistol smith at Para Ordnance, and he insisted on building me a steel-framed, single-stack Para Commander. I had him fit it with XS Big Dot sights, and I carried it out to Gunsite Academy to take my first 250 Pistol Class. On the first day, an instructor asked what pistol I had. When I told him it was a Para Ordnance, he grimaced, gave me the stink eye and said, “Good luck.” Turns out I didn’t need any luck. The pistol never hiccuped, and I won the man-on-man shoot-off on the last day—even though no one thought it possible with those Big Dot sights.
The author’s custom Para Commander and the Galco rig he used during his first 250 Pistol Class at Gunsite Academy. (2012)
I carried that pistol a lot, too, but I also longed for the much lighter Lightweight model, so I ordered a brand-new one from Colt. Like all new 1911s from Colt back then, it needed some work. I took it to Dove’s Custom Guns in Princeton, West Virginia, and he made the common adjustments that were considered necessary for a 1911 Commander, essentially building a pistol that was almost exactly like—and just as good as—my first lightweight Commander from Novaks.
That pistol and I spent a lot of time together, too. Just like my original Lightweight Commander, it carried like a dream, but I struggled trying to decide if the comfort of the easier carrying Lightweight Commander was better than the softer-shooting steel-framed Commander. Ultimately, I decided I needed both, and I ordered a full custom steel-framed Commander from Nighthawk. Just like the Para Commander and the Colt customized by Jerry Dove, the Nighthawk Commander also had XS Big Dot sights.
The author’s steel-framed Commander built by Nighthawk. (2015)
During this time, the performance gap you see on paper between the .45 Auto and the 9mm Luger cartridge was proving to not be the same performance gap you see in real life. Modern 9mm ammunition performs very well, and the dogma associated with the man-stopping qualities of the .45 Auto was beginning to melt away, as it became apparent shot placement meant more than caliber. In addition to being easy to shoot, the increased capacity of 9mm pistols made them very appealing, and I eventually caved.
I caved, partly because of how much I liked the Browning HiPower, but also because of the new EDC X9 pistol from Wilson Combat. In 2017, I put my Commanders away and either carried an EDC X9 or a Browning HiPower. In fact, I sold every Commander I owned (raising kids is expensive) except for the Para Commander. I kept it because of our time at Gunsite together.
But my appreciation and love for the Commander never waned, and I don’t know how it could. When you trust your life to a particular pistol for so long it almost becomes a part of you.
Two years ago, I was taking a team tactics class at Gunsite Academy and Sheriff Jim Wilson was serving as a guest instructor. Jim is a former Texas sheriff as well as a gun writer; he and I go way back. We’ve been on safaris together in Africa twice, we’ve done a lot of shooting together and, on one occasion down near the Southern border we had to deal with a particularly unwholesome and ornery fellow.
Sheriff Jim Wilson (left) and Richard Mann (right) with the Novak Custom Combat Commander Sheriff Jim gave him. (2023)
The evening before class started, Jim asked me to come by his room. When I got there, he showed me a Colt Commander he’d been carrying for a while. Like my original Lightweight Commander, this pistol had been to Novak’s, and it had all the usual custom tweaks to include the Novak Answer, which is a one-piece backstrap that does away with the 1911 grip safety.
When I went to hand the pistol back to Sheriff Jim, he said, “No, keep it; it’s yours.” You don’t argue with the Sheriff. When I thanked him, he asked, “What you gonna do with it?”
I said, “By God, I’m gonna carry it, sometimes hidden and sometimes for the whole world to see.” I changed out the Novak rear and gold bead front sight for XS Big Dot sights, and sometimes that Combat Commander and I go to town together. Yeah, 42 ounces is a good tug on your belt, but it sure brings back damned good memories.
The author with his Sheriff Jim Wilson/Novak Combat Commander. (2023)
The Colt Commander might not be the best fighting pistol of all time, but it’s Top 5 for sure and one of the most iconic.
I’ve got mine. Do you have yours?
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the January 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Magpul has just announced the EHG RG9 Full-Size grip for the Ruger RXM.
The RXM, a 9mm pistol made collaboratively by Ruger and Magpul, has become what many already consider to be the best Glock-style handgun on the market. Our own testing found the RXM to be incredibly reliable, ergonomic and shootable, and it does all that while remaining competitively priced.
One feature of the RXM that we haven’t seen fully utilized until now is its removable serialized stainless steel Fire Control Insert. Because this insert is the serialized component, it’s the only part that needs to be transferred through an FFL. The idea was that once you have one RXM, you can order the unserialized Magpul frames straight to your door and swap the upper between them to your heart’s content. The first of these additional grip options has finally been announced, a Glock 17-style frame called the EHG RG9 Full-Size.
The new full-size RXM grip has most of the same features as the Compact version that ships with the pistol, including an undercut trigger guard, a magazine release scallop, and aggressive texturing on the front strap, back strap, side panels, and forward index pads. One new feature, however, is that the full-size frame has a flared magwell for faster reloads.
The EHG RG9 Full-Size is currently available in Grey and Black, but FDE and ODG options will be released in the coming weeks as well. Also in the coming weeks, Magpul will be releasing the EHG RG9 Sub-Compact that will provide a Glock 26-size frame for the RXM. The Compact, Full-Size and Sub-Compact variants of the EHG RG9 grip all share an MSRP of $40.
Looking for a new iron or piece of kit to enhance the one you already own? Check out these 7 new bits of guns and gear to grow your firearms wish list.
If you don’t already own a pistol-caliber carbine, you need to be asking yourself why not. From range toy to home defense, and from competition shooting to truck guns, large-format AR pistols in 9mm are as fun as they are practical. GForce Arms’ Jawbone is one of the latest models worth considering. The PCC is compatible with 9mm Glock-pattern magazines, features a 5-inch barrel and an Ace of Brace paddle pistol brace. The safety, magazine release and charging handle are all ambidextrous as well, and the M-Lok handguard and full-length Picatinny rail make customization a breeze. MSRP: $439
Warne Vapor Bipod
Everyone wants a rock-solid bipod, but nobody wants to pay the cost that usually accompanies high-quality equipment. That’s why Warne’s new Vapor bipod looks so appealing—it promises excellent rigidity and adjustability all for an affordable price. Featuring an aluminum construction and steel hardware, the Vapor is available with either Picatinny or M-Lok attachment options. It boasts eight height positions over three inches of adjustment and can be locked in 0-, 90- and 180-degree positions. It also features 50 degrees of cant controlled by a tension knob and is compatible with Atlas-style feet. MSRP: $100
Henry Mini Bolt Youth G2 Rifle
Henry has just made training your youngins an even safer and easier process with its new, upgraded Mini Bolt Youth G2 rifle. The small, lightweight single-shot bolt-action in .22 LR boasts a few simple improvements that make it a perfect fit for kids … while giving added control and peace of mind to instructors. Namely, an integrated feed ramp is now built into the receiver, and the cocking knob is exposed. The exposed knob provides instructors with a visual indicator to check the status of the rifle while adding another step to the firing process, helping to slow down training and ensure that every shot is carefully considered. The Mini Bolt Youth G2 features a durable synthetic stock and is available in either classic black or Muddy Girl camo. MSRP: $335
XS Sights S&W Model 1854 M-Lok Handguard
If you’ve been looking to give your S&W Model 1854 lever-action the space cowboy treatment, XS Sights has the solution. The company recently released an M-Lok handguard designed specifically for S&W’s .44 Magnum lever gun, and it’s as functional as it is good-looking. Made out of aircraft-grade aluminum, the handguard is both durable and lightweight, and its 28 slots of M-Lok should provide plenty of attachment points for accessories. Better yet, it ships with all the hardware you need to mount it yourself. MSRP: $248
SDS/Spandau Arms RL Bolt-Action Rifle
In the market for a modern bolt gun with classic styling? Look no further than the Spandau Arms RL. Chambered for .308 Winchester, the bolt-action rifle features a 700-compatible short action design that allows it to use widely available aftermarket components like stocks, triggers and bases. As for modern upgrades out of the box, the Spandau Arms RL boasts an oversized bolt handle, AICS-pattern detachable magazines, a zero-cant Picatinny optics rail, and a threaded 5/8×24 barrel with a muzzle brake. A Turkish walnut stock tops things off to enhance its aesthetic appeal. MSRP: $800
New Nosler Component Bullets
Reloaders rejoice, as Nosler has just announced a whole slew of new component bullets, and the available projectiles should satisfy everyone from rifle hunters to revolver shooters. The new bullets in Nosler’s Solid Base line include 6mm 100-grain SP, 6.5mm 140-grain SP, .270 130-grain SP, 7mm 140-grain SP, .30 150-grain (with cannelure) RN, .30 150-grain SP, and .30 165-grain SP. Three straight-wall calibers are available as well, including .350 Legend (.355) 180-grain SW PP, .400 Legend (.400) 215-grain SW PP, and 45-cal. (.458) 300-grain SW PP. Two ASP JHP bullets were also added—a 125-grain .38 cal. and a 240-grain .44 cal. MSRP: $27-$47, per 50-count box
Viktos Counteract CCW Crossbody Bag
There are a lot of potential benefits to off-body carry, but you need the right bag to do it effectively. Viktos has just launched an excellent new option in the form of the Counteract CCW Crossbody Bag. Designed with a discreet aesthetic in mind to blend in anywhere, the Counteract bag is perfectly sized to accommodate a sub-compact pistol with an optic while providing lightning-fast, customizable access. It has enough space to store other essentials, like a phone and wallet, and it can be attached to a belt or larger pack if cross-body carry isn’t your thing. It’s available in black, gray, blue and Ranger green. MSRP: $70
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the December 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
A quick look at .25 Remington, a cartridge that's been barely hanging on since the 1950s.
The .25 Remington is one of a series of rimless cartridges developed for the Remington Model 8 Autoloading rifle, and then later used in other Remington rifles. It was introduced in 1906. The Remington Model 14 pump action, Model 30 bolt action and Stevens Model 425 lever action also used the .25 Remington.
No rifles have chambered this cartridge since 1942, and the ammunition companies stopped loading it about 1950. Buffalo Arms offers loaded ammunition for this round (AMO25REM).
General Comments
The .25 Remington is nothing more than a rimless version of the .25-35, but it differs slightly in shape. The two are not interchangeable. Since the Remington line of rifles, particularly the Model 30 bolt action, would stand higher pressures than the lever action, it is possible to get slightly better performance out of the .25 Remington. However, the difference is not sufficient to make the rimless version anything but a barely adequate deer cartridge.
It will, however, do for varmints and small to medium game, and deer in a pinch, provided the hunter is a good shot. The .25 Remington is not in the same class as the .250 Savage or the .257 Roberts.
In 2022, Buffalo Arms listed a .25 Remington load in a 117-grain jacketed soft point.
I go hands-on with Mantis’ new TitanX pistol laser trainer to see just how well the dry-fire system can sharpen skills.
In Greek mythology, titans were the deities who ruled before the Olympian gods that we all know such as Zeus, Hades and Thor. The titans were the children of the primordial deities of the earth and sky. However, these days most people think of the word “titan” as it’s defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary: “One that is gigantic in size or power; one that stands out for greatness of achievement.”
Given its moniker, then, Mantis is setting lofty expectations for its new smart laser training pistol, the TitanX. To understand this more deeply, we first need to discuss the value of dry-fire training.
From left to right: the new Mantis TitanX, bone stock Gen 3 Glock 19, and the grandpappy of modern laser trainers from SIRT.
Dry Fire For The Win
You won’t find an instructor, top shooter or institution that doesn’t stress the importance of dry fire—practicing with an unloaded firearm—in learning and improving shooting skills.
Without the concussion and bluster of live fire, dry-fire practice helps you develop everything about your shooting, from fundamentals to advanced skills—at home. Ideally, you’d combine dry and live fire in a comprehensive training plan that feeds on each other in a virtuous loop.
To develop marksmanship fundamentals, practice your stance, grip, sight picture, trigger control (pressing the trigger without disturbing your sights) and follow through.
Work on manipulations like your drawstroke, reloads, and other gun handling. Be smoother and more efficient to gain speed. Keep doing repetitions until it becomes subconscious.
Refine your presentation of your gun so you can draw and present your gun right on target. Do the same with transitions between targets without overshooting them.
The TitanX comes in a handy carrying case.
Concentrate on visual processing—what you see and how you process it. Develop your ability to shoot with both eyes open, lead with your eyes on transitions and dial in what you need to see to get hits on different types of targets.
Practice moving in and out of shooting positions, shooting on the move and working around barricades. There’s lots more that you can work on as well, incorporating a shot timer, one-handed shooting, support side shooting and so on.
However, using an unloaded firearm for dry fire presents some challenges. Notably, you’ll need to manually rack the slide on a semi-auto gun between each shot, unless you have a double-action gun. This makes it difficult to practice multi-shot strings, not to mention disrupting the flow of practice and consuming extra time.
Additionally, there’s no confirmation of your point of impact. You’ll need to call your shots, noting your exact sight picture when you broke your shot—so you can recognize if your aim was true and if you jerked your sights off target. This is an important skill to master, and dry fire will help. But you won’t have verification if you were right when using an unloaded gun.
Most importantly, you must be very disciplined about firearms safety.
Mantis TitanX
Mantis is known for its line of training and diagnostic products and software that help shooters improve their shooting skills.
Their MantisX system uses sensors to record telemetry of your gun’s movements; the app interprets the data to provide a detailed analysis of the mechanics of your technique. You can use it with dry or live fire and track your progress, focusing on wherever elements you prefer. The small MantisX unit attaches to an accessory rail or magazine.
A peek inside the mag well.
Mantis also ventured into the world of lasers with the Blackbeard system, which installs in your rifle and emits a laser pulse with each trigger press, then automatically resets the trigger. The BlackBeardX system adds MantisX functionality to the mix.
The new TitanX takes the next step. It’s a stand-alone smart laser training pistol, available as a replica of a Glock 19, 17, or 45 with plans to develop other models. It incorporates MantisX technology to analyze your mechanics, a laser to indicate your point of impact, and a resetting trigger that feels similar to the real thing, complete with a trigger safety dingus.
The USB-C port for charging.
It’s inert, made of plastic, and completely safe. The overall shape matches the corresponding Glock model; our test unit is a Glock 19 doppelganger, and it fit in all the Glock holsters we had on hand. The TitanX solves the issues associated with using an unloaded gun for dry fire.
The slide is optic-ready, with a cutout that takes RMR or RMSc footprint sights. Thankfully, there are metal threaded inserts for the screws. The iron sights are molded into the slide, so you can’t install your own. On top is a power switch, and on the side is a USB-C port. Near the muzzle are windage and elevation adjustments for the laser.
Optic cut that accommodates RMR and RMSc footprints.
You can attach a weapon-mounted light to the light rail, but note it has an actual Picatinny rail like a Gen 5 Glock versus the “universal” rail on older Glocks.
The dummy magazine is weighted, though you can also insert a real mag in the TitanX. Conversely, you can use the dummy mag in an actual Glock as well; it won’t lock the slide back so you can use it for dry-fire practice with your gun.
With all-plastic construction, the TitanX is lighter than an actual Glock. This keeps costs down but feels a little less realistic. Without a magazine, it weighs 7.9 ounces, versus 21 ounces for a Glock 19. The weighted mag weighs 9.3 ounces, compared to 9.7 ounces for a fully loaded 15-rounder. In total, that’s 17.2 versus 30.7 ounces. However, with the addition of a C&H Precision COMP red-dot sight and a SureFire XC3 weapon light, our TitanX weighs 21.5 ounces, on par with an unloaded Glock 19. We noticed it might be possible to add more weight in the grip plug area. You could also go with a heavier light or even use a frame weight.
The trigger mimics the feel of a real trigger, though it’s not exactly the same. It has take-up, pushing through to the break, and a distinct reset. Our unit broke at just under 4 pounds.
Weapons Free
If you use the TitanX by itself, it functions like a laser training pistol, emitting a short laser burst with each trigger press. But pair it with your smartphone, and you’ll have access to all the wonders of the MantisX app and system.
The MantisX app has various configurations and drills for your training needs. Set the shot timer, par times, shot counts and automatically repeat drills. It can specify and detect starting positions, such as low ready, high ready and holstered. You can select a magazine capacity in some drills, requiring a reload before proceeding.
Sample screenshots from the MantisX app, showing shot times, trace of a drawstroke, and lists of drills and courses.
The sensor tracks movement, showing if you jerked the trigger, moved off target and how you transitioned between targets. It can analyze your drawstroke and movement.
Configure your own drills or run specified drills such as the El Presidente, bill drills, reload drills, and so on. The app also includes full courses focused on marksmanship, tactical, and concealed carry skills.
There’s a wealth of data presented in interesting ways, including timing, movement traces, and scoring. One of the most valuable aspects of the system is “gamifying” the process so that not only is it challenging and fun (thus making you more likely to practice regularly), but you can also track your progress over time.
We used reduced-size targets from the Ben Stoeger Pro Shop to train realistically in more confined spaces. For example, placing a 1/3 scale target at 10 feet in your bedroom is like engaging a full-size target at 10 yards.
One problem with laser trainers and iron sights is the tendency to watch for splash instead of calling your shots with your sight picture. The beauty of using a red-dot sight is that once you zero the laser with your sight, the splash basically disappears from view, especially if you turn up the brightness on your sight.
Elevation and windage adjustments for the laser.
You can also use the TitanX with any laser-based training products or apps. Mantis offers their Laser Academy Training system, which consists of a set of special targets designed to work with an app. The app accesses your smart-phone camera to automatically detect targets, run specified drills and detect the laser splash to mark your impacts.
Between MantisX and the Laser Academy, you can put together a great training regimen and effectively bridge the connection between dry-fire gear and live-fire practice to level up your skills. You can safely leave your dry-fire setup and ready to go at home, so you can easily do regular and frequent practice sessions.
At an MSRP of $199, the TitanX is also affordable compared to other options, with the added bonus of the MantisX sensor technology. Mantis fulfilled its promise with the TitanX—two dry thumbs up.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the January 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Here’s a small peek into some of the fun that went down at CANCON Carolinas this year. If you missed it, we hope to see you next year!
Suppressors are more popular than ever before, but a lot of shooters are still hesitant to take the plunge into ownership. We’re here to change that.
CANCON is the world's largest fully suppressed range day, and this year’s event at the Clinton House Plantation in Clinton, S.C., was bigger and better than ever before. An unprecedented number of shooters cycled through the gates over the weekend to get hands-on experience with the largest variety of cans available at a single event.
Some attendees were there as prospective first-time owners looking to learn, try and buy. Others were seasoned suppressor shooters perusing the newest models to add to their collection. Others were there just for some good old-fashioned American fun, like blasting suppressed machine guns!
If that's not enough for you, CANCON also hosts shooting competitions with amazing prizes, survival classes and purveyors of high-end blades. Oh yeah, did we mention there was a Little Bird helicopter flying around too?
Here’s a small glimpse into what went down at CANCON Carolinas 2025 and what you can expect to see when we’re back next year, May 8-9, 2026:
The Venue
You can’t host the world’s largest suppressed range day without a huge range, and we have the Clinton House Plantation to thank for that. Situated in the beautiful woods of South Carolina, the massive range has enough pistol and rifle lanes to accommodate the dozens of companies that come out with their cans and guns. Plus, a 1,000-yard range and a 1-mile range for those looking to really reach out. With this much room to stretch out in, it means lines stay short even when attendance is at its apex. Result? More shooting and less waiting.
On the flip side, that much shooting requires a lot of ammo. Special thanks to Ammoman for helping to supply the ammo this year!
VIP/Industry Day
If you’re interested in attending CANCON, it’s worth considering going all out and being a VIP. Sponsored by MasterFFL.com, VIP/Industry Day takes place the day before the gates open to the general public on Friday. Besides providing a whole extra day of shooting (with barely any lines, to boot), purchasing a VIP ticket will garner you a gift bag as well. As most already know, there’s more than stickers and swag inside.
This year’s VIP bag was filled to the brim with some very exciting and valuable goodies, including:
If you’d like to get next year’s bag, keep a close eye on when VIP tickets become available; they always sell out fast!
Buying Cans, Guns & Gear
CANCON isn’t just a place to shoot, it’s a place to buy if you choose to do so.
Besides gear, knives, apparel and other goods you can purchase from vendors dotted around the event, you can even get started on a suppressor purchase thanks to companies like T&K Outdoors, an FFL local to the Clinton area. T&K Outdoors’ booth was all set up to take your prints, picture and information to start the Form 4 process on just about any suppressor you’re interested in buying. What’s more, their extremely helpful employees were eager to handhold anyone through the process, something that can admittedly be a bit intimidating for new buyers.
Check out their store in Spartanburg, S.C., if you’re local, or take a look at their website!
Pros Vs. Joes Shooting Competitions
Being a VIP ticket holder isn’t the only way to walk away from CANCON with excellent prizes—regular attendees have the chance to test their mettle and earn some goodies in the Pros Vs. Joes shooting competitions. If you’re willing to put your skills on display in front of a crowd and then manage to outshoot one of our Pros, you’ll walk away with more than an (justifiably) inflated ego.
Watchdog Tactical: Watchdog Tactical Outside the waistband customer holster
Wilson Combat: Complete Target Stand with Scorable Silhouette
Wolfpack Armory: Wolfpack Armory Night Howler & Plan B HUB Mount Set.
This year’s winners were:
11:00 a.m. – Maxim Defense Winner #1: Luke Baxley
11:30 a.m. – Maxim Defense Winner #2: Brian Gregory
1:00 p.m. – Meprolight Red Dot Optic Winner: Steven Bowman
1:30 p.m. – LWRC International 9mm Rifle Winner: Devon Christie
The Proving Grounds
Winning Pros Vs. Joes is one thing, but if you really want to see how your shooting skills hold up to more real-world conditions, then you need to check out The Proving Grounds. They’ll see how well you can shoot after dragging a man-sized dummy 50 yards. Spoiler, probably not as well as you think. Activities like this are crucial to the gun community by not just emphasising the importance of training, but shining a spotlight on it.
The Proving Grounds has been a CANCON staple for years now, and they’ll be at future events as well, but if you can’t wait, consider attending one of the competitions they host around the country.
Going Long With Barrett & Gunwerks
Suppressors aren’t just for carbines and handguns, they’re an excellent addition to long-range precision setups as well. To help demonstrate that, a couple of top-notch manufacturers brought out some rifles that really let attendees stretch their legs.
The Barrett Mile Challenge put a .416 Barrett rifle in shooters’ hands and asked them to shoot at a distance that most haven’t had the chance to before. Even with such a fine tool for the job, not everyone hit the target. Those who did were awarded a special challenge coin minted for this year’s event.
Meanwhile, at the humble 1,000-yard range, Gunwerks was showing shooters just how achievable these extreme ranges can be with the right equipment. In this case, that equipment wasn’t just an extremely accurate Gunwerks rifle, but one equipped with the company’s Revic Radikl Smart Rifle Scope with integrated ballistics.
OFFGRID Basecamp
If you need a breather from all the suppressed shooting, what better way to spend it than by improving your survival skills? That’s what OFFGRID Basecamp provides at CANCON.
Inside OFFGRID’s tent, instructors, authors and manufacturers congregated to teach attendees crucial survival skills by drawing on their real-world experiences.
Gorilla Medical was there to teach about treating gunshot wounds, Tactical Rifleman had carbine drills to run and Mountain Readiness offered valuable insights into preparedness strategies. Alan Kay, winner of the first season of Alone, was also there to provide wilderness survival advice in conjunction with Knives By Hand.
BLADE Show Tactical Knife Show
Another small reprieve from shooting found at CANCON is the BLADE Show Tactical Knife Show. Fans of edged weapons and tools will be spoiled for choice—whether they’re looking to buy or just browse and chat with manufacturers from top brands like Stroup Knives, Krein Knives, Heretic Knives and Spartan Blades.
If you like what you see here, know that it’s just a taste of what you could experience at BLADE Show Atlanta, the world’s largest knife show.
Attending Future CANCONs
We host two CANCON events per year, one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast. If you’re interested in attending either, or both, make sure to keep an eye out for CANCON 2026 tickets on the event website here: canconevent.com. We hope to see you there!
Looking to upgrade your FN SCAR? Check out the new stock and brace options from Kinetic Development Group.
The FN SCAR may have been discontinued recently, but that doesn’t mean aftermarket FN SCAR parts need to be discontinued as well. There are a lot of SCARs out there, and people still want to modify them with new furniture and accessories. One of the latest options is a new stock and pistol brace from Kinetic Development Group.
Made in collaboration with Haga Defense and A3 Industries, the new furniture was designed to be ultimately modular, durable and precise. Regardless of which version you get, they feature a 7075-T6 aluminum, 17-4 stainless steel and high-strength polymer construction. They’re foldable, too, with steel hinges for maximum durability, and they lock in both the open and closed positions. The brace and stock also feature seven positions of adjustment, so you should be able to achieve the perfect fit regardless of your size or the gear you’re wearing. For getting behind your sights, there’s also a cheek riser with three positions of height adjustment.
Chris Bardugone, Director of Sales & Marketing at Kinetic Development Group, said this about the new SCAR accessories:
The FN SCAR platform has always been an industry benchmark, and we wanted to give owners the same level of innovation and refinement that KDG is known for … This launch with OpticsPlanet represents more than just a new product — it’s a way for us to get premium, USA-made upgrades directly into the hands of shooters who demand the best.
The KDG FN SCAR stock and brace are made in America and exclusively available at OpticsPlanet.com and KineticDG.com. MSRP is $385 and both are available in either black or FDE.
Superior gas management: How the Gemtech Neutron Direct Thread balances sound, weight, backpressure and price.
As suppressor manufacturers go, few are as long in tooth as Gemtech. Nearly 50 years of banging out hush tubes, the concern is a grand old man in a niche where a couple of years in the game is mature.
The wisdom of Gemtech’s years shows in the innovation it’s brought to market every decade. One of those most certainly is the do-all Neutron 7.62mm. Among the company’s cornerstone devices, the .30-caliber suppressor kicked a toehold as among the most rugged, dependable and versatile suppressors available. Creeping up on a half a decade of service, it has maintained this distinction.
Yet, Gemtech apparently couldn’t leave well enough alone with the Neutron. Thankfully, this isn’t a story of striving for the great getting in the way of the already-proven good. It’s simply a tale of the manufacturer opening its top-notch can to more shooters. Who can complain about that?
Gemtech Neutron 7.62 Direct Thread Specs
Width: 1.64 Inches Length: 6.6 Inches Weight: 16.1 Ounces Caliber: .30 Cal. Mount Type: 5/8×24 Direct Thread Color/Finish: Black Tube Material: Stainless Steel ; Titanium HUB Compatible?: Yes MSRP: $710
Pros
Solid Backpressure Mitigation
Flash Suppression
Increased Affordability
Cons
Hefty
Neutron’s Direct Take
The modification of the Neutron is extremely simple; GemTech has now made it a direct-thread suppressor. For anyone paying even passing attention to this end of the industry, this should come as no surprise. As the market has matured, direct thread has become the standard.
This doesn’t mean Quick Detach (QD) systems are a thing of the past, such as Gemtech’s Elite Tapered Mount—the Neutron’s former attachment method. Far from it.
Now running a HUB direct thread mount, the Neutron is lighter and cheaper.
QD mounts are legion and handy as ever for those who need to mount and dismount their cans quickly. However, with suppressor manufacturers moving to a standardized Hybrid Universal Base (HUB), which serves as a universal mounting interface, it makes more sense to initially offer a can as a direct thread for a host of reasons.
In the case of the Neutron, going this route has positively affected its price and weight.
As a direct thread, the suppressor is a hair over 2 ounces lighter than the EMT version, weighing in at 16.1 ounces. That’s still hefty—it is primarily 17-4PH stainless steel with a little 6AL4V titanium thrown in, after all. Yet, this subtle shaving of weight generally makes it more manageable on a rifle, particularly those with barrels of 16 inches or more. SBRs, the Neutrons’ diet won’t be as notable.
Nice as this is, where shooters really feel the impact on the Neutron’s switch to direct thread is on their wallets. The price of the can has dropped nearly $150 since moving away from the EMT system.
Excellent cost savings, this should go a long way to entice those who use QD mounts, as the savings are the better part of the price of retrofitting the can to your chosen system. Other shooters, it simply makes the dang thing more affordable, pushing it nearly into the budget zone.
A nice bonus on the can, Gemtech throws in a dandy carrying case.
Neutron Build
On the surface, the Neutron appears to be your standard welded suppressor. But there are some wrinkles to its design, helping it do its job better than some other options in its class.
Gemtech runs what it calls stepped baffles in the suppressor, concentric steps along each of the can’s six baffles. The steps slow down the expanding gas and reduce pressure, thus dampening the report of a shot. Gimmick or genuine article, the can does a number on the report—particularly for a compact 6.6-inch suppressor.
There are quieter cans on the market, but the full-auto rated Neutron is stalwart enough to make the Stag Pursuit 6.5 Creedmoor and Ruger American Rifle Gen II in 7mm PRC I ran it on comfortable to the naked ear. Plus, it has some aces up its sleeve compared to suppressors that tone down more decibels. In particular, for a can that isn’t a true flow-through system, the Neutron does one heck of a job on backpressure.
Face it, getting gassed after every trigger pull is the downside of shooting suppressed. Yet it was virtually eliminated in the Gemtech can, thanks to an interlocking baffle design that creates chambers and channels directing lingering gases towards the endcap. A series of ports then slowly releases the gases toward the muzzle and not your face.
And don’t start wringing your hands over muzzle flash with this design. The Neutron’s GM-S1 endcap is designed to act as a flash hider, so your position at twilight—not to mention your line of sight—isn’t compromised.
Overall Take On The Neutron
Hitting the sweet spot on suppressors is a dicey proposition. Tweak one to relieve back pressure, and you’ve got a device that has more in common with a brake than a suppressor. Amp up the noise suppression; you’ve got a face full of gas. The Neutron walks a fine line and provides a grand compromise on all these facets.
Interestingly, the endcap of the suppressor works as a flash hider, minimizing muzzle flash.
The Gemtech option held its own in all respects important in suppressors in my testing. It was light enough to remain maneuverable on a hunting rifle. Its sound suppression is solid enough to make even new-wave magnums less taxing. And in all cases, it kept gas at bay. If there were any nits I had to pick, the Neutron is heavier than I’d prefer, but only marginally so.
To be sure, there are lighter and quieter suppressors and ones with less back pressure. But there are a few tying these assets into one tidy package, like the Neutron. And with the switch to exclusively direct thread, the suppressor is open to more shooters.
There’s a reason Gemtech has remained in the suppressor game for so long. The Neutron Direct Thread shows why.
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