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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.
CANCON East is back in the Carolinas for another year!
Welcome to CANCON A Fully Suppressed Range Day! The World’s Favorite Suppressed Shooting Festival!
CANCON is back again on the East Coast: Clinton, South Carolina. Join us at The Clinton House, May 8th-9th, 2026 for an action-packed weekend of fully suppressed shooting!
The Clinton House Plantation Shooting Complex is a massive venue and gives CANCON the room we need to expand! Located just 45 minutes south of Greenville, South Carolina, 1 hour north of Columbia, and 2 hours southwest of Charlotte, NC.
More space means more shooting lanes and more sponsors! Find more guns to shoot, more suppressors to test, all for one low ticket price!
Get on the 1,000-yard and 1-mile range and send some lead way, way down range!
Clinton House has tons of FREE onsite parking! Shooting all that free ammo will make you hungry, so stop by the concessions to refuel!
General admission is available Friday and Saturday, May 8th & 9th, $50 per day, or save money and get the entire weekend for just $85!
More information and ticket pre-sales are now available at the CANCON WEBSITE!
Early Access to CANCON from 2PM to 4PM on Thursday May 7th, followed by a catered dinner. Access to CANCON from 9AM to 4PM on May 8th & 9th, plus the legendary VIP Swag Bag!
VIP SWAG Bag from CANCON, Arizona
PROS Vs. JOES, SHIRTS, AND MORE
Returning to CANCON is PROS Vs. JOES! We select a random participant from the crowd to go head-to-head against a seasoned pro shooter. Can an everyday Joe outshoot a Recoil Pro in a high-stakes shooting competition? If they do, they win BIG!
CANCON T-shirts will be available for pre-order and at CANCON! These are high-quality shirts that feel great and look awesome.
CANCON Carolians 2024 shirts, new shirt coming soon!
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KelTec has just announced the KP50, a 5.7x28mm braced pistol with a 50-round magazine.
If there’s one thing you can expect from KelTec, it’s the unexpected, and the company’s latest oddball firearm is the KP50. It’s similar to their previous P50 design as they’re both chambered for 5.7x28mm and feed from 50-round P90 magazines, but the new KP50 has been improved in several ways.
The standard KelTec KP50.
The first key improvement is that the magazines now insert from the bottom of the KP50 and they’re drop-free. The P50 had a top-loading design with a hinged upper that had to be lifted to insert it. Even better, KelTec is offering what it calls the Jungle Clip for the KP50 that allows you to clamp two mags together and double your on-board capacity. It also now features a much nicer machined lower receiver and uses a KelTec SU16 trigger group.
The KelTec KP50 with a pistol brace and two magazines attached via Jungle Clip.
The KelTec KP50 is available in several different configurations. The base model (MSRP $900) is a pistol that has a rear Picatinny rail for mounting a brace or stock. Alternatively, you can order the braced model that comes with KelTec’s brace preinstalled as well as two magazines and a Jungle Clip ($1,100). If you don’t mind doing the Form 4 paperwork and waiting a bit, you could order it directly as an SBR with a folding stock instead ($1,100). A select-fire version called the MP50 is being made as well, but of course, it’s only available to militaries and law enforcement agencies. KelTec says that all KP50 variants will start hitting shelves in early Q2.
The American Custom Gunmakers Guild dives into what it takes to make gorgeous custom and engraved guns.
American firearms have woven themselves into the national tapestry since European settlers found their way to the East Coast of America hundreds of years ago. Many setting foot on new soil brought their trade knowledge with them: furniture makers, metal and woodworkers, all eager to begin carving out a life in their new country. While some immigrants hung out their shingle as a continuation of their livelihoods in Europe, many found work in the fledgling American firearms industry, bringing generational skills and knowledge to the embryonic trade. Furniture makers became stockbuilders, machinists barrelmakers, even farm equipment manufacturers set their sights on fulfilling their new country’s burgeoning need for firearms.
And America’s gun trade hasn’t looked back since, building on and improving traditional methods to become a bastion of firearm manufacturing efficiency. While the benefits of mass-producing guns can’t be argued with, there is a select group of artisans who still prefer to build firearms one at a time. They can be found not on a stool in an assembly line or a lengthy corporate roster, but laboring over a multitude of their own machines and tooling, creating all or part of a custom gun for a discriminating client. A custom or bespoke gun is handmade to the customer’s specifications and highlights numerous talents of the builder or builders and incorporates several trade disciplines, including custom stock or grips, barrel, metalwork and engraving to name a few. When done by a skilled hand, the firearm will exceed expectations and not feel like adding another piece of steel to the gun safe but more like welcoming a new member of the family.
The ACGG Is Born
In the interest of expanding and passing on the custom gun trade in the U.S., the American Custom Gunmakers Guild (ACGG) was founded. Several people from the industry began sharing booth space at an NRA show in the early 1980s, hosting gunmakers to meet with prospective clients and others interested in the trade. In 1983, recognizing the benefits of banding together, a small group of forward-thinking individuals each pitched in $100 and formed the first iteration of the Guild as a corporation in Texas; the inaugural show was held shortly thereafter.
The ACGG quickly found its footing and has continued to expand over the years, becoming the preeminent organization for American custom gunmakers. The members help and learn from each other while becoming masters of the craft, driving up the bar for custom gun work across the nation. The Guild website reads:
The mission of the ACGG is manifold. As an entity, the ACGG will strive to function as a venue for the exchange of ideas concerning the craft and promote public awareness of custom gunmakers and their craft. While promoting the betterment of custom gunmaking, we еstablish standards of excellence within the field of custom gunmaking and ethical guidelines to benefit those who create and use custom guns. ACGG nurtures and develops the next generation of custom gunmakers. ACGG follows through on its pledge by working with gunsmithing schools across the country, having professional members give guest lectures and presentations throughout the year to students new to the trade.
The vision of the ACGG is to be the preeminent entity in the United States for custom sporting firearms knowledge, skill, craftsmanship and artisanship. The ACGG aims to be the go-to organization for those seeking knowledge of custom sporting firearms or wishing to have a custom sporting firearm crafted.
With this in mind, the Guild created an ethics board that ensures a potential client’s investment will be protected by holding member’s work to the standard its become known for; if there’s ever a concern, a buyer can contact the board for remediation.
Remington rolling block chambered in 40-65, octagon bridge, custom sporting triggerguard and MVA mid-range sight. Barrel polished and profiled with Rigby flats by Morris Melani of Alaska Arms, LLC, a Guild professional member. Photo: Matthew Horninger at Black Diamond Gunworks.
The Guild has two categories of membership: Associate and Professional.According to the Guild: Accomplished gunmakers are few and far between. But you’ll find most of them are members of ACGG. And they’re all ready to pass on the craft and keep this fine art alive. You are invited to join as an associate and enjoy the fellowship of others who appreciate firearms crafted by hand from exquisite wood and fine metal with intricate design and attention to every detail. As an associate member, you will be part of a unique association that helps ensure that the art of combining wood and metal into collectible and usable firearms continues. We invite anyone who appreciates this work to join as an associate. Associate members can join online at ACGG.org for a modest yearly fee.
Professional members must be an associate for a minimum of one year and submit samples of their work to be voted on by other professional members at one of the shows attended by a quorum of members. Professional members are craftspersons who actively work in the custom gunmaking trade and are willing to pass on their knowledge and experience to associate members eager to learn this unique craft. Both memberships receive access to the quarterly publication of the Guild, Gunmaker. Edited by Dave Norin, a Guild professional member, it’s brimming with how-to articles, current and past projects of members, and other useful information for those interested in the custom gun trade.
Recognizing that custom gunbuilding doesn’t neatly fall under one umbrella, the Guild has a variety of categories for members to join in. Trades represented and able to test for professional membership are: stockmaker, barrelmaker, pistolsmith, metalsmith, metal finisher, engraver, checkering specialist, toolmaker and casemaker. All of the requirements for work to be tested can be found on the ACGG site. Once accepted at the professional level, the member will enjoy the benefits of having their work featured on Guild social media if desired, access to Guild forums, as well as discounts at certain industry sites and businesses. For those who have questions about the membership process, the ACGG has several points of contact to help facilitate, all found on the website.
Colt 1911 chambered in 38 Super and nitre-blued by Ted Yost, engraved and French grayed by Melissa McMinn, charcoal blued by Doug Turnbull; all ACGG professional members. Photo: Matthew Horninger at Black Diamond Gunworks.
As a new addition to the Gun Digest, this series will focus on a different ACGG category each year, giving an introductory look into what it takes to master the art of custom gunmaking. This year’s focus is stockmaking; let’s pull back the curtain on this Old World craft and dive in.
Stockmaking
Inherent in the process of stocking a custom firearm is a tremendous amount of artistic freedom. From wood selection to laying out stock lines and choosing a checkering pattern and finish, the stock is the equivalent of a race car chassis, steering wheel, and accelerator. One must only sit behind the wheel to get a sense of the balance and artistry of a top-tier performance machine.
Dennis Earl Smith, aka “The Stock Doctor,” and arguably one of this country’s most talented gunmakers, put it succinctly, “You build the gun to the shooter.” Length of pull, pitch, cast and toe measurements are planned for, documented and laid out well before any chips are made. The result born, after weeks or months of labor and numerous steps documented below, is a firearm that points instinctively like an extension of the body and can raise goosebumps with its accoutrements.
A Springfield 1903 G&H Classic Sporter chambered in 30-’06, stock and metalwork by Tyrell Christensen, engraving by Chris Rossiter, both Guild professional members.
A complete, finished project can be nothing short of awe-inspiring, but what goes into the creation of such snappy, well-appointed firearms? The first step in crafting a one-of-a-kind gun begins when a job is commissioned and wood is chosen for the upcoming project.
Wood Selection
While there may seem to be innumerable options when one starts looking for a stock blank for a project, most custom firearms are stocked in some type of walnut. Sharon Dressel of Yakima, Washington—a Guild professional member and purveyor of gunstock blanks—was kind enough to tour the author through her inventory and point out different characteristics of the wood gunmakers look for and why. Perusing row upon row of blanks, Dressel would occasionally pull a piece out and, with a practiced eye, point out characteristics she’d been describing like the sought-after fiddleback, crotch feather and marble cake pieces, referring to different grain structure in the wood.
According to Dressel, a specific stock blank is chosen for various reasons. These can include: type of wood (there is a plethora of walnut types, each with their own characteristics, with four varieties: California English, Turkish Circassian, Bastogne, and Black being widely used for stockmaking), uniformity of grain structure (for even workability throughout the inletting and shaping process), whether the blank is slab, quarter, or rift sawn (referring to how the grain is presented in the blank), as well as any “figure,” meaning visually obvious wood characteristics that add to the wood’s appeal. Moisture content and how the blank was dried and aged also play a role as improperly dried wood has ruined more than one stock job. With an appropriate blank chosen for the project, it’s time to move on to the layout.
Stock Layout
Layout refers to taking an individual shooter’s measurements and transferring that information into stock dimensions complementing the shooter’s form, style and body type. When fitted correctly, a custom gun won’t feel forced when mounted, it will feel like it’s going home, and the difference in performance and handling can be quite astounding.
Layout is of utmost importance from beginning to end to hold lines and measurements as the stock is shaped. Photo: Jeff Tapp.
Numerous books have been written on gun measurements, as well as the “how” and “why” for arriving at said measurements for a project. Michael Yardley’s Gunfitting is an excellent resource and starting point to help understand the intricacies that go into measuring a stock for a specific shooter. When practical, stockmakers start with a pattern stock first, observing the client’s shooting style, and make fine adjustments before beginning the build on a fine piece of wood.
Once the rough measurements are taken, it’s time to build a roadmap of sorts to avoid project creep. The stockmaker will trace the top metal onto a piece of graph or butcher paper, then begin to draw the stock profile onto the corresponding metal tracing. Once roughed in, they’ll ensure all the dimensions are correct for the length of pull, cast, toe, pitch, etc. Now, with a life-size drawing, they design and sketch the stock details, paying attention to how the metal and wood lines correspond with each other. Drawing complete, the tracing is cut out and transferred to the stock blank with a pencil, making sure the figure and grain flow in the blank corresponds to the location of the tracing. With the wood marked, a saw is used to cut around the border leaving the material slightly proud of the lines.
Inletting
Now that the extra material is removed, the centerline of the bore measurement and the trigger location are marked, to be used to verify dimensions recorded on the tracing. With the initial measurements done, the buttplate is laid out and marked with the corresponding pitch, cast and toe measurements. The grip and forend cap locations will be located and marked as well if the project requires it. Next, the top and bottom metal can be set by carefully using scrapers, chisels, gouges and other handtools to bring them into the wood. Inletting black [ink] is brushed on the metal surface that contacts the wood to be removed, a black transfer on the wood indicates a high spot to be brought down. Although a painstaking and tedious process, the receiver and barrel should seat with nominal, uniform tolerances—measured in thousandths of an inch—throughout when finished.
Shaping
The metal is set in the stock and all measurements are verified. Now it’s time to start bringing the comb, forend and wrist lines that were sketched on the tracing into the stock and merging them into one piece of art. Flow lines drawn in grease pencil help to keep uniformity and prevent too much material from being removed as areas are blended together by chisel and plane.
Sanding
Rough sanding incorporates rougher grit sandpaper (150-280) and must be done carefully to not roll or dull edges that were cut in the shaping process. With care, this step will remove the final, thick layer of wood needing to be sanded, with each finer grit removing the previous round’s deepest mark. Whiskering between sanding takes place until the maker is satisfied with the result.
Whiskering is accomplished when warm water is rubbed onto a stock by rag or hand, then allowed to dry, raising the worked, broken wood fibers to be sanded off; it can take numerous times between sandings before all of the damaged grain is raised and sanded smooth to the touch.
Finish sanding is next. Progressively finer sandpaper (320-2000) allows the sander to finish prep their work for sealing and finishing while removing very little material from the stock.
Sanding and finishing is the final step before checkering. Photo: Jeff Tapp.
Finishing
While wood can be cut and transformed into beautiful, purposeful material for stockmakers, it doesn’t lose its proclivity for gaining and losing moisture throughout its life cycle from tree to blank to stock, thus, it requires a suitable finish for the environments it will be exposed to.
Personal preference dictates a choice between an “in the wood” or “on the wood” finish, although hand-rubbed oil-urethane finishes rule the day when it comes to the custom gun world. An “in the wood” finish is applied over many days and many coats, allowing time for the finish to soak into the wood fibers before another coat is applied. These are generally considered complete after the stock absorbs less than a drop or two per coat when rubbed into the wood, indicating the pores are full of oil. A coat of wax can be applied at this point to add an additional layer of protection. An “on the wood” finish is as the name suggests, layered on the exterior of the stock with minimal absorption yet generally faster drying times and higher luster. All finishes, like automotive paint, will need to be touched up and taken care of occasionally to get the long-lasting protection desired for a custom gun.
Checkering
Checkering, at its most rudimentary, is a tactile way to better grip a firearm; at its finest, it’s exquisite art mixed with functional beauty. It’s also the last step in the custom stock but it can ruin it just as surely as the first. Given that, many custom gunmakers prefer to send their work to checkering specialists who can adorn the newly crafted stock appropriately. Those who do their own choose from two options: hand or power checkering. The hand checkering method uses a series of tools to lay out lines per inch (lpi) and diamond ratio of the checkering; when satisfied, the artisan traces a pattern onto the stock before cutting several “master lines” to help guide the layout. Power checkering is laid out the same way but instead of scratching in lines one or two at a time by hand, checkerers hold a tool reminiscent of a dentist’s drill, with a choice of different power options and a small wheel that cuts the lines as it rides over the workpiece. Custom checkering jobs, depending on their incorporated features, can take tens of hours to complete correctly and, conversely, are ruined in one careless slip of a tool.
Checkering is an art unto itself and takes tens of hours to complete on a custom job. Photo: Jeff Tapp.
After passing through the stockmaker’s hands, a custom gun is well on its way with a major component complete. Before the project is done, it will pass across more artisans’ benches: a barrelmaker will carefully turn a piece of metal stock into a one-of-a-kind tube, a metalsmith will use contours and lines to seamlessly join barrel and receiver together, adding custom touches to triggers, scope rings and more. The metal must then be finished, with a variety of choices and processes, the builder is only hindered by their imagination. While some gunmakers prefer to keep most or all of the building process in-house, the American Custom Gunmakers Guild has categories for vetted, professional members that are experts in their chosen fields and often collaborate on projects together.
Conclusion
A custom gun, whether it be a shotgun, pistol or rifle, hearkens back to early America and the craftspeople who had a hand in helping a young country find her feet. The many disciplines it takes to craft a firearm are being honed, nurtured and passed on in a host of shops across America as gunmakers live out the ACGG words: Accomplished gunmakers are few and far between. But you’ll find most of them are members of ACGG. And they’re all ready to pass on the craft and keep this fine art alive.
If you’re interested in learning more about the custom gun world or in joining the American Custom Gunmakers Guild, check out ACGG.org for more information.
While recognizing there are many ways to skin the proverbial cat, this article strives to highlight general workflow ideas provided by Guild members and the author’s research. It features “building from the blank” and not semi-inletted or duplicated stocks, although the process is similar.
ZeroTech’s compact Thrive HD 1-4 Prism might just be the best bargain of the year for an everyday carbine optic.
Think of it as a variable-power ACOG. Taking up about as much space as a TA31, ZeroTech’s newest model gives users a true 1x bottom end, with just enough magnification to consistently hit torso-sized targets out to 600 yards in field conditions. Best of all, it does it at a very affordable price.
Sitting atop this well-used AR, the Thrive HD 1-4 seems right at home as a jack-of-all-trades optic.
Optics are one of the few areas of the gun space where we’ve seen steady, consistent improvements in the past couple of decades, to the point where if you showed someone from the mid aughties what they could have for their (Biden-flation adjusted) money, they’d shake their head in disbelief. LPVOs are prevalent on general-purpose carbines, and for lots of good reasons—there’s a model for every budget, and with 10x magnification now available on Chinese-made scopes for less than a grand, you’d be entirely justified by asking why make the seemingly retrograde step of choosing a 1-4 instead.
ZeroTech Thrive HD 1-4×24 Prism Specs
Length: 6 inches Weight: 19 ounces Click Value: 0.5 MOA Field of View: 131 / 31 feet at 100 yards MSRP: $600 URL:zerotechoptics.com
If you’ve ever tried to use a cheap 1-10 at low light and in a less-than-perfect setup, you’re probably a couple of sentences ahead right now. Although glass quality and lens coatings have come a long way, there’s still a significant performance gap between those used in high-dollar rigs, and those in bargain-priced optics. It’s like expecting AMG performance from a Kia—yes, both will get you around town, but there’s a reason one costs more than the other for four wheels and a couple of seats.
Unlike most LPVOs, this one has the zoom ring at the front of the optic.
At 10x, the eyebox becomes so tight that unless you’re bang-on in terms of cheek weld and head alignment, it’s much more time-consuming to line up, especially compared to a medium-powered optic at the same magnification. It’s less noticeable at lower magnifications due to the larger exit pupil, but it’s our contention that most folks use the throw lever on an LPVO as a switch—it’s either at 1x, or they turn it all the way up. If, like Nigel Tufnel’s amp, it went to 11, that would be peachy, too.
We’ve come to appreciate the Thrive HD 1-4 in the weeks we’ve played with it. Glass quality is very good, delivering crisp, edge-to-edge images across the magnification range. The unfortunately named RAP-R reticle offers enough information to make fast hits close in at 1x. Dialing up the magnification, it was relatively simple to connect at distance in breezy conditions, and once you figure out your holds, it can be used out to the effective range of 5.56. We found that with a 50-yard zero, the lowest stadia line corresponds to POA/POI at 500 yards, sending M193 from a 16-inch barrel.
We’re kinda glad that the manufacturer didn’t endow this optic with a BDC reticle, as they’re usually calibrated for one specific ammo and barrel length—most commonly M855 analogues paired with a 16-inch tube. When you get to shooting 77-grain OTMs from a 12.5, then things don’t line up too well. But by using a ballistic app to choose an appropriate zero distance, you can align the hashmarks with known distances and then verify in the field.
Where this scope really shines is on short, barreled carbines, with limited rail space. Most times, with an LPVO and rail-mounted laser, there’s no room to add a clip-on thermal or I2 device, so if you want to make best use of your setup at night, other compromises must be made. Speaking of compromises, the scope could use a little more eye relief. We had to set up in the rearmost slot on our 1919 rail, which means there’s no room for a set of backup iron sights. You could solve this problem with an offset red dot, but if you’d prefer the low-tech solution for a secondary aiming system, you’re SOL.
Overall footprint is very ACOG-ish, and weight is about the same.
Our Thrive HD was packed very neatly in its padded shipping box and arrived with two different clamps for its integral mount. At first, we just slapped it on an AR and headed to the range, where we quickly became frustrated due to the locking lever partially blocking access to the carbine’s charging handle. About to write the optic off due to its incompatibility with America’s favorite rifle, we noticed a second clamp lurking in a corner, which reversed the locking lever and cured the problem. Eureka!
At 19 ounces, the scope’s weight is in line with LPVOs, and you won’t have to source a set of rings or cantilever mount, as scope body and mounting system are integral, machined from a single forging. There are pluses and minuses for everything of course, and while this increases rigidity and reduces failure points, it also limits adaptability—if you want an extra-tall mount for use with NVGs, then this probably isn’t going to be your first choice.
Buttons on left side adjust reticle illumination and allow for toggling between red and green.
If you have vision problems such as astigmatism, red dots are usually a no-go. With its crisp, etched reticle, ZeroTech’s baby can be used by everyone, and when your battery eventually fails, the black reticle’s still there. So long as you have power, you can choose between red and green illumination, but be warned, despite this being a second focal plane scope, it’s not daylight bright. At 1x, its field of view is enormous and outclasses most other LPVOs, even our beloved Kahles and Zeiss 1-6 models.
We’re pretty impressed with the feature set ZeroTech have managed to cram into the Thrive HD 1-4 Prism. The more we use it, the more it grows on us, and the combination of image quality, seemingly bombproof construction and small footprint is very appealing, particularly on our 12.5-inch barreled work guns, which seem to get used for just about everything these days. If you’re in the market for a versatile carbine optic, we believe it’s worthy of a look.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the March 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
MDT’s Send It Gen2 electronic level is here to help you eliminate cant and ensure first-round hits.
As the trend of demand for higher precision and accuracy continues across firearm types, rifles have become the centerpiece for maximizing that capability. From mile rifles to recce builds, the desire to have consistent first-round impacts continues.
A growing sector of this pursuit of precision is methods to keep a rifle level. But why is holding a rifle in the proper position related to the Earth during the shot process important, you might ask? Here are the answers, and one of the best tools to keep it on the level.
On The Level
One of the most significant challenges in LRP, or long-range precision, or ELR, extreme long-range shooting, is gravity. This constant factor is both friend and foe, exerting its influence on everything we do, including bullets. As is now a well-known fact, bullets don’t travel in a straight line. Instead, they travel in a relatively predictable arc.
Combine this with what’s known as Ballistic Coefficient or BC, which is the effect air has as drag slowing a bullet's velocity. Add in muzzle velocity and bullet spin rate, also known as twist rate, and you can now start to build a consistent mathematical solution to predict the flight path. There’s one more wrinkle in this endeavor: environmental conditions.
So now you have the solution to nail a first-round impact, but that’s on paper. Once you find yourself in your shooting position, it’s time to take into account new problems to be solved, such as firing angle, temperature, air density and wind.
These environmental factors can take years to master, especially wind. There are tools such as a Kestrel to help you mitigate the influence of those factors, but as you’re in the process of breaking your shot, there’s one factor that we’ve known about for years; you can now, thanks to technological breakthroughs, see better than ever.
Bubble levels, also known as spirit levels, have been a helpful tool for years. You can purchase them for a few dollars at a local hardware store, and they’ve stood the test of time. Based on the principle that a bubble suspended in a consistent liquid will always seek the highest point, most bubble levels utilize ethanol both for its low viscosity and resistance to temperature swings.
Where this all comes into play for shooting is that 2 to 3 degrees of cant can produce inches or even feet of left and right dispersion, depending on the distance to your target. Bubble levels have been a valuable tool on rifles for years and remain so to this day. Still, trends in other industries, such as construction and woodworking, have created digital levels to provide further precision even beyond the classic bubble level.
There’s A Better Way
MDT saw an opportunity to capitalize on this technology and has created the leading option in digital levels for rifles with the MDT Send It Gen2. With a 16-year pedigree of providing some of the best and most innovative shooting accessories focused on the sweet science of long-range marksmanship, MDT is uniquely poised to push the envelope when it comes to the ability to achieve first-round impacts at remarkable distances.
The Send It Gen2 pushes that envelop with four different mounting options to ensure that you’ll be able to set up your rifle in the way that suits your needs and be able to see the three lights indicating your cant position easily. Sporting the ability to change sensitivity settings quickly, it also gives the level of feedback you want without overcomplicating the process.
The Send It Gen2 uses a CR2032 battery, which has become ubiquitous across the optics space, and has an auto-shutoff feature after 10 minutes of inactivity. It will restart when moved and can be turned off manually as well to conserve battery life further.
In practice, Send It Gen2 is remarkably durable, representing itself well in proofing stages for an upcoming sniper competition at the BRVO Tactical Sierra 1 site in Heber, Arizona. Over hundreds of rounds in 90-degree-plus Fahrenheit temperatures, with winds gusting from 5 to 30 miles per hour, and field shooting positions such as tree branches, rocks and prone off a bipod in moon dust, the three lights were there whenever needed.
A couple of notes for users that can make your life easier. First, the sun in Arizona is brutally bright. The Send It Gen2 instructions are clear and should be read thoroughly. One point they make is that there are rigid light pipes that can be installed to make the red, green and blue indicators more visible.
It’s highly recommended you install them unless you’re anticipating having to work in a low-light environment. If you would like to remove them in the future, it requires simple disassembly of the unit as if you were going to change the battery, and pushing them out with something like a ballpoint pen. Next, if you choose to use the included fiber-optic line, ensure the lines are securely placed in the Send It Gen2, and use the included shrink wrap to prevent snag hazards on the lines.
By its nature, fiber-optic lines are fragile, so be careful to set them up in the safest manner possible. From experience, I recommend the direct center Picatinny mount setup if you’re planning on using these fiber optic lines.
The performance of the MDT Send It Gen2 sets it apart from the rest, but the mounting options put it over the top. It’s durable, reliable, compact, versatile and when set up correctly, an ideal solution to your shooting needs. A tool like this isn’t for every rifle or shooter, but if you’re someone who wants the best chance of a first round and subsequent impacts on target, stepping up your game with the Send It Gen2 will help with that process.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the April 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
We take a closer look at a very cool Yost Custom Browning Hi-Power SRT model in .40 S&W.
I’ve had a nodding acquaintance with Ted Yost for a bunch of years now. I first met him when I attended one of the Gunsite Alumni Shoots, known in the fraternity as GAS. While there, I took advantage and took photos of Ted and his operation, since he was at that time the resident gunsmith at Gunsite. I also happened to win a GSP as the prize for winning the shoot-off, which GSP Ted had built. (Ted, it has since been modified and isn’t like you built it. Sorry about that.)
That article gave me entrée to editors and led directly to my starting with Gun Digest books. Thanks, Ted.
A few years back, one of the other Gunsite alumni had a firearm in excess of his needs. It was a Browning Hi-Power, in .40S&W, one that Ted had customized. I was deep into a Hi-Power period then—and I had to have it—and the offer was for a very fair (perhaps even bargain) price.
So, I bought it.
The Yost BHP, in its FN case from the factory, with all the extras.
The Favored Forty
When the .40 S&W hit the market in 1990, it was an immediate hit. Everyone who built a self-loading pistol had to have something in the lineup in .40 caliber … or risk being left behind. The first iterations of .40-caliber pistols were simply 9mms with a different breechface, barrel chamber and bore, and magazine.
And they were not entirely satisfactory. Well, the 1911-based ones were, but those who favored the 1911 stuck with a .45-caliber, except for the competition shooters, who would sell their souls for one more round in a magazine.
The “9 converted to a 40” models were quickly changed, and changed again and again, until they became properly-built-for-.40 pistols—except for Glock, where Gaston had the good luck to have built a pistol portly enough that changing it to .40 from 9mm wasn’t a big deal.
FN—thorough engineering prowess has always been their strength—did not have the same model evolution. They did that in the workshops and test ranges. What they found was horrifying. OK, the classic BHP, or Hi-Power, is a steel frame where more than 80 percent of the steel is machined away from the forging.
Another gun writer described it once as being made from the “best grade of Velveeta-class steel,” and he wasn’t far off. It didn’t need exotic alloys or high-strength steels; it worked and worked for a lifetime in 9mm.
But chambered in .40, the test guns died a quick and ugly death. Barrels, slides and frames all expired in different ways and at different round-count intervals, but they all died. So, the engineers rolled up their sleeves and got to work.
The .40 BHP differs from the 9mm in three major ways, besides the breechface and bore. First, the .40-caliber barrel has three locking lugs instead of two. This spreads out the case-thrust load over 50 percent more steel. The slide is heavier, even though it’s the same length as the 9mm. This, combined with a heavier recoil spring, reduced slide velocity, which was just killing slides and frames. And, lastly, the frames were made of steel castings.
How does this help? Simple: The raw casting can be just a few thousandths oversized in the areas that need precision fitting. With the machining greatly reduced, FN could cast the 40 frames out of a much stronger alloy—an alloy that didn’t even need heat-treatment to make it strong.
One thing they did was keep the magazine dimensions, so they could use the same un-killable frames in 9mm. This had the unfortunate consequence of reducing the 40 BHP magazine capacity to 10 rounds. What made it not such a big deal was that, at that time, there was a new law—the Assault Weapon Ban of 1994—which prohibited manufacture of new magazines greater than 10 rounds. So, if you liked the Hi-Power but were stuck with only 10 rounds, you’d likely opt for a 40 rather than a 9.
The 40 BHP mags only hold 10 rounds, and there’s a spring to make ejection brisker.
Yost-ing the Hi-Power
So, this particular 40 made by FN in 1993 (an early 40 then) and imported to the United States, Ted built as an SRT model, and it’s so marked on the slide, and the frame has Yost Custom on the dust cover.
The slide has a Novak-dovetail rear sight, but with the front face of the rear sight cut bluff, so you could use it as a cocking surface if you needed to do one-handed manipulations.
The rear sight, with the front face contoured to make it possible for one-hand slide manipulation, if the occasion warrants it.
The front blade has, as is Ted’s custom, a gold line up the middle, with the blade and the gold serrated.
The top of the slide is serrated from the rear sight to the front. And the front blade has a gold insert.
On the length in-between the sights, Ted serrated the slide. Right-hand side of the 40 slides don’t give you a clue as to the added steel, but the left side does. FN kept the slide-stop lever dimensions, and this meant they had to machine a slight recess on the left side for clearance of the slide-stop lever boss. The 40 slide has the same external extractor that FN switched all BHP production to around 1962.
The thicker slide of the 40 had to be machined with a slight step to clear the standard slide stop lever boss.
On the frame, Ted went and stippled the frontstrap all the way up to the high-cut trigger guard. On the backstrap, he stippled it slightly lower than that, but plenty high enough to give you a good grip. This he calls his Sharkskin stippling, and it’s an apt description. The grips appear to be Spegels, with the sexy contours and hand-filling checkering that anyone who has ever picked up a properly stocked Hi-Power falls in love with.
The Sharkskin stippling Yost applies to the front and backstraps.
The bottom of the frame gives the origin away. The cast frames have the bottom of the frame, at the back of the magazine well, serrated in the direction of the bore axis. Apparently, there were still very few 40s built on forged frames, but only a few. The magwell opening has a small but definite bevel cut by Ted—it aids fast reloads.
The backstrap gets the Sharkskin treatment, and it makes hanging on to the brisk 40 a lot easier.
The magazines for the 40s, while the same dimensions as the 9s, only held 10 rounds. So, the 40s gained the addition of a spring-lever to assist magazine ejection when you want the empty gone. This tends to rub the cast-frame serrations, but that’s life.
The BHP is notorious for biting the hand who shoots it. My first experience with a BHP was that of blood freely running down my hand from where the hammer had bit me. Ted sculpted the hammer so it can’t reach your hand, even if the web of your hand rides up over the tang … as mine does. A small thing, but it matters to some of us.
The BHP benefits from a de-horning, but the hammer needs more to keep it from biting the hand that feeds it.
Another thing he did was to upgrade the safety. The original thumb safety was designed at a time when it was common to carry a pistol with the hammer down on an empty chamber. So, the thumb safety was an accessory not a vital implement. Frankly, the originals were and are miserable to try to use in Condition One.
Many have tried to improve the safety, and some came close. Ted is one of the few who made it something you could actually use. If you’re familiar with the 1911, then the Yost BHP safety is a known quantity. And if your only experience with Hi-Powers is the old safety, you will be amazed.
And, lastly, Ted worked on the trigger. The original magazine disconnector? Gone. The new firing pin safety, there since the MKIII, is still there, but you won’t notice it. The trigger is not competition light, and I suspect that the more-violent cycling of the BHP is part of that. But it is clean and crisp, even if it is 4.25 pounds.
You’ll also likely notice that the recoil spring is much stouter than it is on a 9mm. It has to be, as the 40 is stronger, even if it isn’t a .45.
One thing Ted didn’t change is the barrel. It’s the factory original, with the serial number matching the frame, and I suspect that it wasn’t accidental. FN makes good barrels, and this one is no exception.
When I first acquired it, I had this notion of scoring a 9mm conversion barrel from Bar-Sto (yes, they make such a thing, and it works just fine) and swapping the Yost 40 to 9mm. But it was just too good-looking to put buckets of 9mm ammo through it, and besides, I had a box-stock 40 that I could do the same thing to if I ever wanted to. (Which I eventually did, and that is another BHP story.)
And She Shoots!
I did test-fire it and found it to be superbly accurate. And that leads me to the accuracy testing I did in the oddest way.
I was, at the time, regularly assisting teaching LE Patrol Rifle classes. The three-day classes had the last day at a National Guard base, and the five-day armorer’s class spent the last two days of each class at the NG base. Once the students had passed the qual course, we split them up into groups, and they all had a chance to get runs in on the Army computer course, with knock-down targets out to 300 meters.
The head instructor, who had written the course syllabus, made it mandatory for all instructors to shoot the qualifying course for score, on the record, in each class. It didn’t take long before we were all posting perfect scores. Then, we used whatever rifle we thought was interesting to try. AK? Sure. M1A? You bet. FAL? Of course. All passing.
Then, we started shooting the rifle qual course with handguns. That took a while, but we managed to pass.
Someone had the idea of trying them on the 300-meter course. That one is 20 targets rising up to be hit and fall down, from 50 to 300 meters. A passing score in the Army is 12 out of 20. One day, word came back that the lead instructor just shot a passing score. Oh, and did I mention this was not shooting from the foxhole? This was done standing.
Well, I had to give it a try. As it happened, the only suitable pistol I had along that day was the Ted Yost BHP in 40. (Yes, I had shot a passing score on the qual course with it an hour earlier.) So, I stood there and proceeded to shoot a 14. When the lead instructor heard that, he had to stay up until he shot a 15. (Yes, we are a competitive group.)
So, there it is: a Ted Yost custom 40 BHP that practically fell into my lap from a fellow Gunsite grad and with which I have shot a passing score on the Army rifle qualification course. Standing. The late Walter Brennan had a role in a TV show called The Guns of Will Sonnet. One line that his character used more than once was: “It’s not bragging if you can do it.”
I’m not bragging … much.
Ammo Notes: .40 S&W
The 40 was going to be the one ring to rule them all, even if it wasn’t going to bring them all in the darkness and bind them. It would be nearly a .45, with nearly the magazine capacity of the 9mm, and it would do your taxes, slice your bread and wash your car.
Well, not all that, but it was going to be epic.
And then reality set in.
First, the 40 was hard on the first pistols made for it. And then, once the pistols were beefed up, we found that it was hard on a lot of shooters. The standard load, a 180-grainer at 950 fps, wasn’t too bad. But in the interests of getting even closer to the .45 in performance, we started seeing 165-grain bullets at almost 1,100 fps.
And the 180-grain bullet moving at 950 fps wasn’t kidding around, either. It turned out that the less-dedicated, the smaller-handed shooters—the people who didn’t really want to be shooting guns anyway—found it really tough to shoot. For police departments, that meant more time and ammo to get them “qualified.”
Basically, the 40 over-promised and under-delivered.
But competition shooters loved it anyway. They could shoot Major and use a magazine that held more rounds than anything in .45 could.
The real-world results were muddy at best. While the math and the physics tell us that the 40 was better than the 9mm, not all users agreed.
The reign of the 40 lasted not quite 35 years. Once word got out that the FBI was going back to the 9mm, departments across the country followed suit. Now, you are hard-pressed to find a new 40 being made, and used ones languish in gun shop display cases, if they make it there at all.
Millions were made, and they will last, and your grandkids will still see .40 ammo in gun shops (assuming there are gun shops then), but it’s being replaced by the 9mm.
And, yes, you can convert your BHP in 40 to 9mm. Just ring up Bar-Sto barrels and they can set you up. Oh, and buy 9mm magazines, too.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the March 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
An ambi safety can add a lot of functionality to your AR-15. Here we take a look at Aero Precision’s PRO model.
The problem with most AR-15 ambidextrous safeties is the tiny little screws holding them together. The even tinier Allen wrenches meant to tighten them are one moment’s oversight from bending to uselessness.
On a personal note, the wings of ambi safeties tend to be too big for me, and the offside one interferes with my trigger finger. But that’s my problem. Yours, and ours, is assemblage. Well, Aero has solved the problem.
The M4E1 Pro ambi safety selector kit comes with the center shaft, which is cut to work as a safety, two wings, and the spring and plunger to work them.
Now, if your rifle already has a safety on it, the spring and plunger are both superfluous. But they’ll be handy as spares.
The neat trick to the Aero approach is that the wings are both separate parts from the shaft. The center shaft is cut for clearance and to block the trigger when on “safe,” so you’ll have to pay attention when you install it. However, the shaft also has square bosses on the ends. These fit into the recesses in the wings.
The wings have clearance holes on the front so you can disassemble the Aero Pro ambi safety if you need or want to.
And the real trick? There are captured, spring-loaded plungers in the shaft on the ends in those bosses. So, once you have figured out which side is up, press one wing over the boss, use a small-tipped tool to depress the plunger and snap the wing onto the shaft.
Yes, it’s that easy. Press the assemblage into the receiver (with the correct parts assemblage of trigger, disconnector and hammer already there) and press the existing frame-installed plunger down for clearance. (If you’re building from parts, the frame spring and plunger go in just before the pistol grip goes on.)
Once the one-wing-and-shaft assemblage is in place, press the other wing over the boss and use your sharp-pointed tool to depress the plunger. Once it snaps in place … well, you’re done.
No more fiddly little Allen-socket screws of minuscule thread size to fuss over. If you ever want to disassemble it, use a small press pin to depress the plunger. Yes, Aero thought of that and the hole for the plunger goes through the wing, so you have access.
The Aero Precision ambi selector is easy to install and clever as all get-out.
You have your choice of black, OD Green, or Kodiak brown so you can mix or match your new ambi safety to your AR-15 lower or next build project.
Now, some might object that $65 is a bit much for a safety selector, and if you don’t need an ambi, that’s probably correct. After all, you can buy a plain-Jane GI one for, what, $8 plus shipping?
But if you need an ambi, or you feel the need for an ambi, you might as well make life (installation life that is) easier.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the March 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
CLINTON, SC – Wraith Metalworks is proud to announce their place as Presenting Sponsor of CANCON 2026, at the Clinton House in Clinton, SC on May 6th through 8th.
A Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned small business, Wraith Metalworks was founded in 2020 first as a self-made think tank for tackling suppressor-related innovation. In early 2025, after years of multi-faceted problem solving, they entered full-scale R&D. By August of 2025, Wraith suppressors placed 1st, 2nd, and 5th at TBAC Suppressor Summit in the “ML” (Muzzle Left) category, out of 141 different 5.56 suppressors tested. Their focus on dynamic problem solving and rapid iteration—built around additive manufacturing—allows the Wraith team to re-optimize designs or solve end-user-specific suppression problems with functional testing in a matter of days, instead of months or years.
Their system-forward approach has created an entirely new methodology to suppressor construction that offers unprecedented flexibility for consumers. The Wraith Modular Suppression SystemTM offers several distinct advantages over legacy suppressor lines:
Multiple formats – Different diameters and lengths so you can optimize for specific missions and hosts instead of settling for “one size fits most.”
Multiple baffle designs – A large library of interchangeable baffles, each tuned for specific outcomes (sound, back‑pressure, flash, recoil, etc.), and cross‑compatible across our models.
True user‑serviceability – The ability to re‑configure, maintain, and upgrade at the component level rather than throwing away or sidelining entire suppressors.
Wraith currently offers three core suppressor sizes: the Sentinel at 1.88″, the Ambush at 1.575″, and the Raider at 1.45″. The Sentinel and Ambush feature annular flow channels along the outside of the can body, which significantly improve airflow control and exit hygiene, reducing turbulence and helping manage gas where it matters most.
Says Bill Abrams, Chief Executive Officer: “For us at Wraith Metalworks, CANCON is more than an event—it’s the center of gravity for the suppressor community. It brings together serious shooters, top manufacturers, and a culture that actually values performance over hype. There’s no better place for us to stand shoulder‑to‑shoulder with the best in the industry and meet the shooters we build for. We’re excited to be part of that energy, to spend time talking shop on the line, and to let people experience the Sentinel system in a place that’s all about suppressed shooting.”
For more information about tickets for CANCON 2026, Presented by Wraith Metalworks, check our website at CANCONevent.com.
Vortex has just added 10×28 and 12×50 models to its popular Triumph HD binocular line.
Vortex is known for its great-value glass, like its Triumph HD binoculars, and now the company is adding two more options to the line. The original Triumph HD binoculars were 10×42, but for those who needed something a bit smaller or with a little more magnification, they’re now available in 10×28 and 12×50 configurations as well.
Vortex said this about the new Triumph HD models:
The Triumph® HD 10×28 is smaller and lightweight without giving up resolution. The Triumph® HD 12×50 adds reach, detail, and brightness for more open-country glassing and scouting where a tripod can make all the difference.
Details about the new binos are what you’d expect from the Triumph HD line, namely, compatibility with tripods, excellent HD glass with fully multi-coated lenses and a tough rubber exterior and nitrogen gas purged interior for resistance to shock, fog and water. Of course, if you manage to bust them, they’re covered by Vortex’s unconditional VIP Warranty as well.
The Triumph HD 10×28 model has an MSRP of $130 and comes with a carrying case, a neck strap, a lens cloth, tethered objective lens covers and eyepiece covers. The Triumph HD 12×50 has an MSRP of $180 and comes with a Glasspak binocular harness, a neck strap, a lens cloth, snap-fit objective lens covers and eyepiece covers.
We take a look back at the life and times of the iconic M14, as well as where it stands today.
Retro has been all the rage in recent years, and the interest level in guns from the Cold War era has skyrocketed. Ignoring the nuclear reality of the geopolitical situation during the time period, the guns in question have become something of a cozy nostalgic experience against the constant barrage of bad international news and rampant domestic consumerism in the industry today.
Simpler times, if you will.
The past few years have seen a growing appreciation for the early War on Terror era and its various attempts to adapt Cold War systems to the needs of the time, among them the venerable M14. We look at the state of the rifle today and what might be to come for the legendary rifle.
The Best Rifle for a War Already Fought
There are certainly quite a few opinions surrounding the M14 and its merits. It has been accused of being too large, too powerful, not powerful enough, both very accurate and not able to hit the broad side of a barn, the shortest-lived service rifle and yet the one that kept coming back when the going got rough.
It seems like everyone has an opinion of this rifle, but the only true tragedy is that the gun didn’t come sooner. We could have had a rifle very similar to the M14 as early as the 1920s, but the government was hilariously concerned about soldiers losing magazines and wasting ammo, a thing that went so far as to be mockingly chalked up to as British custom (the SMLE had detachable magazines and a 10-round capacity).
For no reason that made sense, the U.S. government was deeply concerned with this and had been for decades, going so far as to put magazine cutoffs on the 1903 Springfield and doubting the need for stripper clip-fed bolt guns with the choice of the Krag rifle in the 1890s.
The M14 was designed to be able to use stripper clips to load a magazine, just like a Mauser.
The experiences gained in World War II and Korea birthed the M14, and I stand by the fact that it would have been a great rifle for those conflicts … had it existed. For the naysayers, note that the Germans and Russians already had various attempts at detachable-magazine, full-power semi-auto or select-fire rifles that were developed actively in the war. The issues they encountered with the G43 and SVT40 (updated SVT 38) made them generally subpar, especially to the American M1 Garand.
Not only could they simply not make enough of these rifles; the ones that were produced were often of poor quality and the reception, especially of the later war G43s and the SVT series in general, for both accuracy and durability. The concept was solid, the execution not so much.
The desire to have this type of rifle was present in the American mind but unrealized in practice, and thankfully the M1 Garand was proven to be superior to Axis rifles in all ways except the issue of a detachable magazine. It should be noted that the Axis powers and Russia tried to mass-issue autoloading rifles, but they failed due to wartime stress. There were, of course, attempts to remedy this issue with the M1, but the war ended before any serious progress had been made. The M1’s lack of detachable magazine was notable, and it was, to many firearms experts, already obsolete during its production run.
The (Unwitting) Rifle of the Future
The American side of things had been slowly working on a general program for rifle improvement for some time, but there was a good deal of bureaucratic uncertainty involved and many competing ideas leading to a foot-dragging between various factions and their ideas of what was needed in service rifles.
After WWI, experiences gained led to a search for a self-loading rifle. This led to famous designs like the Pedersen rifle and the Garand, and it included a heavy debate on the merits of “small bore” rifles, namely chambered for .276 Pedersen. Of note is that most other world powers were capable of delivering on a detachable magazine semiautomatic rifle, while America wasted time much in the same way that they resisted bolt actions and stripper clip-fed rifles in the pre-WWI era.
These are all commercial rifles, but their namesakes all served together in various conflicts through the ’60s and ’70s. Top down: Brownells M16A1, James River M14 and brand-new CMP M1 rifle. These three represent a progression of small arms ideology.
This amorphous program was referred to as the U.S. Light Rifle Program and led to many, many designs, both failed and successful. The general goal of the post-WWII program was to find a successor to the M1 Garand, and that is exactly what happened, just not in the most direct way. The program was lengthy, and there were many facets covered in both rifle and cartridge design.
The M14 came to us as the result of this program; however, the rifle did attempt to do a lot. In utilizing a compacted Garand-style action combined with a cartridge that was for all purposes very close in ballistic performance to .30-06 in the M1, the M14 was a guaranteed performer in terms of power. Making it select-fire and including magazines with capacity equal to the BAR (Browning automatic rifle) checked those boxes, making it able to provide squad support. Its overall size and weight made it easy to carry and point. On paper it was a great rifle, and in practice it was, too—but not in every role the military needed it for.
Like many jack-of-all-trade concepts, it was a compromise on several points, namely its powerful 7.62 NATO chambering and difficult handling in full-auto. World militaries at this time had only tinkered with what we call intermediate calibers, and the Western powers didn’t understand them well, comparing them to sub-machine guns in most period literature. A big culprit was the German StG44, what would be known as the granddaddy of assault rifles, of course chambered in the 8mm Kurz, an intermediate rifle round. The rifle was also referred to as the MP44, as in machine pistol.
What should be understood about the M14 and 7.62 NATO was that it was considered “normal” for the time, and the intermediate calibers like the USSR’s 7.62x39mm were effectively laughed at; the American mind was fixed on traditional rifles and long ranges. Intermediate cartridges were not taken seriously until they were encountered head-on.
The M14 and M1, field-stripped. The two rifles disassemble the same to this point, but afterward special tools are required.
The idea that American and NATO forces had for their 7.62x51mm rifles was solid, but ultimately it would result in a back-and-forth with Eastern Bloc powers, resulting in the small-bore race in the 1960s. The 5.56 NATO eventually inspired the USSR to start looking for smaller and lighter options, and here we are today.
But, for the M14, going small had its hidden advantages. As wars changed and the demands of battle proved too much on the 5.56 NATO, the M14 was called back into service time and again. Sure enough, the War on Terror saw a complete resurgence and change of reputation for the M14, and it went from something of a pariah to a saving grace. Today, it’s held in high esteem thanks to its evolution into the storied EBR, and it’s now enjoying a resurgence in media and video games, with just a touch of nostalgia.
The M14 Today
So, there has to be a point made here that the civilian M14 and military M14 are not exactly the same rifle, despite accepting most of the same accessories. You can think of it the same way as any semi-auto “version” of a full-auto capable military weapon.
The simple reason this happens is because there is a wide commercial demand for these types of guns out of a simple desire for identical cosmetics. People love them, and they are fun. While nobody is going to say that a BAR or Tommy gun is going to be a great modern option, they will always turn more heads at the range than another AR. And, even at that, the retro AR options are always a bit more fun if you ask me.
The civilian M14 doesn’t have a specific designation, and the M1A moniker belongs only to Springfield Armory. Calling a civilian semi-auto M14 an M1A is wrong unless it was specifically made by Springfield, the company that is responsible for bringing the original rifle to market in the 1970s after the government restricted the sale of converted military receivers to the public. Unfortunately for enthusiasts, the original receivers are machine guns and far harder to get, especially for people wanting to shoot at the time. That said, if you are into it, transferable select-fire originals are still around and don’t command outrageous prices compared to many legal machine guns.
The internals of the military M14 are different from the commercial guns, but the actual differences are not all that cosmetically significant. More people have seen and handled the commercial rifles at this point so the selector switch cutout isn’t a missed detail. Hardcore military clone builders can get their hands on a dummy switch and a corresponding stock pretty easily. The M14 today is somewhat unsupported by the aftermarket, and this has left a large gap after years of popularity decline.
Where Did the M14 Market Go?
So what happened to the M14 after all these years, and what is the deal with the surge in interest for it? The direct answer is that it simply lost relevance, as modern, AR-based designs filled in military roles and the stopgap measures eventually stopped appearing in the media. The M110 family started replacing the M14 EBR variants fairly early on, despite the incredible popularity of the latter in War on Terror media.
The classic 2000s-era guns we know and love were, for the most part, short-lived. The M4, M16A2 and A4 rifles that featured heavily were phased out for a variety of newer variants that were more easily able to accept the ever-changing accessories being used. Rail systems became popular, as did lights and lasers. The demands placed on rifles like the M14 proved too high for the old warhorses, and, despite being praised as reliable and universally loved for their aesthetic quality, they couldn’t keep up.
The civilian side of things saw the market dry up considerably, as military demand dwindled. And, having lived through it, the M14 peaked commercially around 2010, where it then sharply dropped off. Political trends in the country were gravitating toward support of the AR-15, which was the target of the Obama administration, but by his re-election in 2012, the entire 2A community was firmly behind preventing limits on the AR, the zombie thing was trending (just a reminder we did do this), and the M14 simply dropped off in popularity. The AR was truly the new big deal, and that trend has lasted to the point that the M14 market virtually went extinct.
This isn’t to say the M14 ceased to exist. The rifle remained popular in match shooting and some long-range events until it was also pushed out by the growing popularity of sports like PRS. It simply couldn’t adapt to the demands of changing rules, gear and advanced cartridges. However, these days the mood has changed, and the M14 is again being looked at, as things grow uncertain in the world and consumers burn out on modern guns. The retro wave has lasted far longer than anyone could have guessed.
The State of the M14
Today, companies are still making parts and accessories for the M14, but they are decidedly few in number. The main companies making this type of rifle are Springfield Armory, Fulton Armory, Bula Defense and LRB. There used to be quite a few more, including Chinese Norinco versions, but they have not been available in some time. Of note is that there are more companies making the M14; the James River rifle featured here has a Bula manufactured receiver.
The James River receiver reveals that the rifle is made of almost entirely Bula Defense parts. The M14 market is small these days, and it’s not unusual to find mixed parts or alternate stamps.
Stocks are available, but, again, few in quantity, as production never really ramped up after the drop off. Wood stocks can be had fairly easily as well as synthetic. Companies like Boyds make them, but you’ll need to be familiar with a bit of hand-fitting in some cases. Surplus stocks and a variety of fiberglass versions can be found on the surplus market as well. Forums and gun shows are a good way to source truly retro parts if you’re going for a certain look.
US Tactical Supply is currently releasing new production versions of the classic EBR chassis, but again, these are not exactly drop-in. You’ll need to be familiar with working on the M14’s barrel and gas system or get it sent off to be professionally installed. As with many of these older guns, they were not designed with modularity or easy servicing in mind. If you want it done right, you might not be able to do it yourself.
Barrels and small parts are a mixed bag. There’s still a good amount of like-new surplus floating around in terms of period-correct parts. Companies like Criterion make a number of barrels appropriate for the M14, but installation is a more professional endeavor. Headspacing is best left to a custom shop, as it’s a complicated procedure unlike the easy install on AR rifles or modern pre-fit bolt guns. Many of the quality barrels are chrome lined, and companies like Fulton Armory are experts at their installation, for which you can’t use a chamber reamer. The barrels must be intricately timed and headspaced to the receiver and the bolt. Suffice to say, it needs to be done right.
If you want a good look at the M14 accessory market today, well, this is most of it. There has been a decline in accessories for years now, but you can still readily find scope mounts, scout mounts and specialty parts like Fulton Armory adjustable gas blocks and suppressor mounts.
Optical mounts and the like are still widely available, and you can have your choice of receiver-mounted versions or scout style, like those from Ulitmak. I have had success with both of these, but again it should be noted that these are truly not the same as installation of parts on an AR. Installing an M14 receiver optic mount is a bit of a pain and, while not exactly 10/10 difficult, it does require know-how.
You might be sensing a trend here that these rifles aren’t exactly easy to work on.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the March 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
More Classic Military Rifles
The Karabiner 98k: The Best Combat Bolt-Action Rifle Ever Made
Magpul’s Sub-Compact Enhanced Handgun Grip is now available for the Ruger RXM.
The Ruger RXM was one of the most successful new handguns to come out last year, and recent grip releases from Magpul have only given more reasons to own the modular pistol. Because the RXM’s serialized component is its removable Fire Control Insert (FCI), it can be freely swapped between different grips along with the pistol’s upper, allowing for more freedom to modify the grip size compared to traditional pistols with serialized frames.
Featuring a Glock 19-size upper, the RXM also comes standard with a G19-sized Magpul Enhanced Handgun Grip (EHG). Magpul recently launched the G17-sized Full-Size EHG, however, and now the company has released the G26-sized Sub-Compact EHG as well. This means you can have all the benefits of a concealable grip paired with the advantages of a longer sight radius and more barrel length. That’s a pretty nifty combination, and as far as I’m aware, the only way to achieve that with a genuine Glock is to permanently cut down the frame of a G19.
Besides the shorter grip size, the Sub-Compact EHG has the same features as the other Magpul EHGs. Namely, it sports texturing on its front and back straps, side panels and forward index pads. It also has an undercut trigger guard, a flared magwell, a mag release scallop and an accessory rail.
The Magpul Sub-Compact EHG is available in black, FDE, OD green and Stealth Gray and has an MSRP of $40.
Charter Arms has just launched the Boomer series, snub-nosed revolvers that feature ported barrels.
Ported barrels are a very hot trend for carry pistols at the moment, and Charter Arms figured, why not give the same treatment to their revolvers? The result is the new Boomer series.
Based on Charter Arms’ Bulldog line, the Boomer revolvers feature 2-inch extruded 416 stainless steel barrels with twin vertical ports for reduced muzzle flip, trenched rear sighting systems and concealed hammers. The lack of a traditional front sight or hammer should really help facilitate a snag-free draw, but you’re probably not going to win any bullseye matches with it. Let’s be real though, this is a belly gun. The Boomer revolvers are being offered in 9mm, .38 Special, .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum, and each of those are available with either a stainless steel or black passivate finish. All versions ship with a black rubber grip.
Nick Ecker, Owner, President and CEO of Charter Arms, said this about the new series:
We couldn't be happier to offer this updated version of our hugely successful Boomer Revolver … Customers have praised its concealability, accuracy, and design. This new series offers the ultimate in defensive revolvers.
Charter Arms' new Boomer revolvers have MSRPs that range between $451 and $545 depending on the model.
Bullet setback is more common than you think, and it’s dangerous. Here discuss how to deal with it and why you should carry an EDC knife.
When it comes to everyday carry, most of the discussion swirls around guns, holsters, ammunition and training. Sometimes we get so caught up with these topics that we overlook the little things, and as it has often been said, the devil is in the details.
Here are some EDC considerations concerning ammunition, along with an introduction to a knife that’s just too good not to mention.
Carry Ammo Replacement
Police departments usually mandate the replacement of carry/duty ammo at least once per year. Some do it twice a year, each time they qualify. This is a great time to replace carry/duty ammo because it can shoot during qualification, providing another opportunity to verify the reliability of that ammo with duty handguns.
You should be doing something similar.
Don’t overlook the importance of an EDC knife and the routine replacement of your carry ammo.
Ammunition is very resilient and can last for decades if stored and cared for properly. When I was working the street, an elderly lady gave me a 1911 magazine loaded with .45 Auto ammo she’d found in a dresser drawer. She said her deceased husband had brought it back from World War II. I took it to the range and shot it, and it worked just fine, so why all the fuss about replacing carry ammo?
Over time, especially with exposure to wide temperature swings, gun lubrication and even perspiration, brass cartridge cases can corrode and that corrosion can impact reliability. (This is one reason most carry loads utilize nickel-plated cases.) Also, moisture and sweat could possibly cause primer and powder degradation.
For less than $100, you can replace all your carry ammo at least once each year and find a little peace of mind. However, you might need to replace your carry ammo more frequently if you unload your defensive pistol often.
Bullet Setback
When a cartridge is chambered in a pistol, the force of the bullet impacting the feed ramp can sometimes push the bullet deeper into the case. This is called bullet setback, and it can be dangerous.
In the 1990s, bullet setback in the .40 S&W cartridge was common due to repetitive chambering. Bullet setback has clearly occurred in the .40 S&W cartridge on the right.
In the mid-1990s, when the .40 S&W was becoming the law enforcement cartridge of choice, there were a rash of incidents where Glock pistols went kablooey during firearms qualification. It was discovered that those officers had been unloading their pistols at the end of each shift and then rechambering the same cartridge before the next shift. This created bullet setback, which substantially raised pressure. It’s estimated that 0.10 inch of bullet setback in the .40 Smith & Wesson can cause pressures to double.
To avoid this, some shooters will move the round they take out of the chamber to the bottom of the magazine. It’s rare that a single chambering can cause bullet setback with high-quality ammo, but for those unloading and reloading all the time, that round at the bottom of the magazine will eventually make it to the top and be rechambered again.
You could mark each unchambered cartridge with a permanent marker so you’ll know when it resurfaces, or you could just toss it and replace it with a new one. (My carry guns remain loaded all the time, and in the event I do need to unload, I mark the cartridge and move it to the bottom of the magazine.)
If you throw away cartridges you’ve unchambered, you are essentially replacing your ammo—one round at a time, so annual or semi-annual ammo replacement is not necessary. The downside is that you do not get to shoot that ammo. If you mark each round when you unchamber it, eventually you’ll have marked all the ammo in your gun and extra magazines. Then, you can shoot it up—checking for reliability—and replace it. Most modern ammo is resilient enough to be chambered in a pistol twice without experiencing bullet setback.
Giant Mouse ACE Elmer
No, this column is not about knives; it’s about defensive handguns. But a knife should be a part of your everyday carry just as much as a handgun, because you could end up in a hand-to-hand self-defense situation where you’ve lost your gun or your gun doesn’t work. (Maybe it stopped working because of corroded ammo or bullet setback.)
The Giant Mouse ACE Elmer is a great self-defense knife for everyday carry.
There are several considerations for an EDC knife. It should be atom-splitting sharp, light, compact and unobtrusive to carry, and it should either be a fixed blade or a folder that you can open to a lock with one hand.
I rely on other Giant Mouse blades for hunting, general-purpose cutting and survival/bushcraft-type chores, so I was excited to see their newest EDC knife. It’s built for Giant Mouse by ProTech, and like all the Giant Mouse ACE series knives, it’s made with premium materials. It’s called the “Elmer,” and while this might seem like an odd name for a knife, it won’t be after you hear the story.
The genesis of this knife is a man named Elmer. Elmer served in the 36th Texas Infantry Division during WWII. He survived five major invasions, beginning in the desert chasing Rommel and ending up in Berlin rubble. He returned home and carried on, the way so many like him did. This knife is cool and confident, and more deliberate than decorative, and it honors a great American.
The Elmer is an automatic knife with a single push button for opening and unlocking. It has a CPM MagnaCut stonewashed and slightly upswept 3.2-inch blade that’s 0.107-inch thick and has a Rockwell hardness of 62. The handles are either blue or black aluminum with a milled titanium pocket clip for right side, tip-up carry, and it weighs 3.2 ounces. The action is fast, the lockup is positive, and out of the box you can shave with it.
But this blade is better suited to tendon cutting or bicep-splitting action, and in a pinch, it’ll peel an apple or pick a splinter, too. It rides comfortably in your pocket and is lightning fast to deploy. If you want one, you best make your move now: The Giant Mouse ACE Elmer is a limited edition and retails for $365.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the March 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
BLADE Show Texas will kick off the ’26 show slate in style.
Knives and knifemakers planetwide and most everything else keen, utilitarian and covetable will inundate the 5th Annual BLADE Show Texas March 20-21 in the Fort Worth Convention Center.
The show will host over 400 exhibitors and thousands of knives from such countries as Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and elsewhere, not to mention top American custom knifemakers, ABS master and journeyman smiths and knifemaking members of the Knifemakers’ Guild; the lion’s share of members of the South Texas Slipjoint Cartel; the BLADE Show Texas custom and factory knife judging awards; and some of the world’s leading factory knife companies, including current and past winners of BLADE Magazine Knife-Of-The-Year® Awards.
Get ready for some Texas steel set on sizzle.
The Fort Worth Convention Center will be crawling with cutters, with gobs of custom and factory knives—from low end to high end, stock removal to forged, fixed blade to folder—tomahawks, swords, sharpeners and more. And if the exhibiting makers don’t have what you want, the exhibiting custom knife purveyors and factory retailers probably will—and if they don’t, they can put you in touch with who does.
For knife hobbyists and novice and veteran makers alike, the show’s comprehensive selection of knifemaking supplies and suppliers will have the materials, tools and equipment to make the knife of your dreams. From the latest steels, handle materials, hardware and sheath materials to most every knife part extant, the show’s suppliers should have it.
Knife Awards
Zero Tolerance will be among the top factory exhibitors featuring the sleekest folders and fixed blades. ZT’s ultra-lightweight (1.9 ounce) 0117 Duralock folder in CPM MagnaCut stainless
steel and carbon fiber will be among them.
Country of origin: USA. MSRP: $300.
The knife judging competitions will recognize the best of the show’s custom and factory knives that are entered. The custom award categories, with last year’s winners in parentheses: Best in Show (Dionatam Franco); Best Bowie (David Lisch); Best Fighter (Dionatam Franco); Best Damascus (Pedro Fornari); Best Hunting Knife (Josh Fisher); Best Folding Knife (Tom Overeynder); Best Kitchen Knife (a Luke Dellmyer/Richard Patterson collaboration); Best M.A.C.K. (Jared Oeser); Best EDC (Evan Nicolaides); Best Art Knife (Paul DiStefano); Best of the Rest (Josh Taylor); and Best Slipjoint (Evan Nicolaides).
The factory award categories, with last year’s winners in parentheses: Best in Show (Poikiloblade); Best EDC (Dauntless Manufacturing); Best American Made (Dauntless Manufacturing); Best Imported (Poikiloblade); Best Fixed Blade (QSP); Best Folder (a Pro-Tech/Vero Engineering collaboration); and Best of the Rest (Vero Engineering). The custom and factory knife judging is reserved exclusively for show exhibitors, all of whom received packets with complete details on category descriptions, judging rules and more prior to checking into the show.
What's Next
World-class South African knifemaker Bertie Rietveld (left) returns to help headline the international contingent of knifemakers.
BLADE Show Texas will be the first of three BLADE-Show-sponsored events for 2026, the other two being the grandaddy of them all, the 45th Annual BLADE Show June 5-7 at the newly named Cobb Convention Centre-Atlanta (formerly the Cobb Galleria Centre), and BLADE Show West 2026 at the Salt Palace Convention Center Oct. 9-10 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Savage has just announced the next generation of the venerable Model 110 with 15 new models to choose from.
The Savage Model 110 has been around since 1958, and while the line has been well-loved in the meantime, Savage just decided to give it a facelift. Initially featuring 15 new purpose-built models available in a wide range of chambering options, the next-generation Savage Model 110 boasts a slew of excellent upgrades throughout.
110 Core Hunter Pro.
One of the most significant upgrades is the new AccuFit V2 system integrated into the stock. Using Savage’s Quick Set Dial (QSD) system, the length of pull and the comb height can both be finely adjusted on the fly without any tools. Some models that feature a pistol grip will allow for changing the grip size with different modules as well. The stocks’ ergonomics have also been generally improved. Other upgrades to the new Model 110 rifles include smoother bolt travel, an improved extractor claw and a dual ejector system. Savage says the AccuTrigger system has been improved as well, and the rifles will now ship with reliable-feeding synthetic magazines that are backwards-compatible with legacy 110 models.
110 Trail Blazer.
Beth Shimanski, Vice President of Marketing at Savage Arms, said this about the new line:
The 110 is our longest standing rifle, and for good reason … This model has helped make Savage Arms what it is today, and it will be a part of the future of Savage for a very long time. Building on the next evolution of AXIS that was launched in 2024, the new era of the 110 exemplifies Savage’s ability to maintain our standing as heritage brand while staying at the forefront of innovation.
MSRP for the next generation Model 110 starts at $720 for the Trail Blazer model and goes all the way up to $3,640 for the Ultralite Elite V2.
We discuss some highlights from Clayton Cramer’s Lock, Stock and Barrel to learn more about the origins of American gun culture.
American gun culture is often portrayed as a modern invention, an outgrowth of industrial manufacturing, clever marketing or frontier mythology. According to this view, firearms were rare in early America, ownership was limited, and widespread civilian gun use emerged only after the Civil War.
That story is neat. It is also wrong.
The historical record tells a far different story, one in which firearms were not merely common, but expected; not reluctantly tolerated but legally required. In early America, gun ownership was not a lifestyle choice or political statement. It was a civic duty.
Few works document this reality more thoroughly than Lock, Stock, and Barrel: The Origins of American Gun Culture by Clayton Cramer, which draws directly from colonial statutes, travel accounts and original source material. The picture that emerges is unmistakable: American gun culture did not have to be invented. It arose naturally from the conditions of colonial life.
The Myth of Rare Guns
The idea that early Americans lived largely unarmed gained traction in the late 20th century through revisionist scholarship that claimed firearms were scarce and tightly regulated. Those claims did not survive scrutiny. Key works were exposed as deeply flawed and sometimes fraudulent. Yet, the narrative persisted in more subtle forms.
The appeal of that narrative is understandable. If guns were rare and socially disfavored in early America, modern gun control appears less like innovation and more like restoration. But history does not cooperate.
When Gun Ownership Was Mandatory
Colonial lawmakers did not fear an armed population. They feared an unarmed one.
In 1619, Virginia enacted one of its earliest statutes requiring men “fitting to bear arms” to bring firearms, swords and ammunition to church. Worship was not exempt from danger, and preparedness was considered essential, even in the pews.
South Carolina and Georgia followed similar paths. By the mid-18th century, South Carolina required every white male to attend church armed, with churchwardens tasked with inspecting weapons and ammunition. These laws were enforced, not symbolic.
Maryland went further. In 1641, settlers seeking title to land were required to possess a “serviceable fixed gun,” along with powder and lead. Firearms were not just tools of defense; they were prerequisites for full participation in colonial society.
These statutes reflect a worldview fundamentally different from our own. Arms were not viewed as threats to public safety. They were seen as safeguards of it.
Guns Beyond the Militia
Modern discussions often attempt to confine early firearm ownership to militia service, suggesting that guns were collective instruments rather than personal tools. But militia laws assumed private ownership. Individuals were expected to supply their own arms, maintain them and keep them ready.
Firearms lived in homes, traveled on roads, guarded farms and protected families. The same musket that might be inspected at muster was used to hunt, defend property and respond to emergencies. There was no sharp divide between “military” and “civilian” arms.
Even age restrictions cut the opposite way of modern law. Teenagers, often as young as 15, were legally required to possess arms for militia duty. There were no colonial prohibitions on youth ownership. Responsibility, not restriction, was the governing principle.
Guns, Travel and Everyday Life
Firearms were not confined to moments of crisis or formal militia service. They were integrated into the routines of everyday life. Colonial laws frequently required travelers to be armed, recognizing that roads were dangerous and law enforcement sparse or nonexistent. In some colonies, individuals traveling alone were prohibited from doing so unless armed, while groups were expected to ensure that all members carried weapons sufficient for collective defense.
Hunting further reinforced firearm ownership and proficiency. Game was abundant, markets were limited, and refrigeration nonexistent. A firearm was often the difference between sustenance and hunger. Accounts from travelers and settlers routinely describe the ease with which food could be obtained through hunting, precisely because firearms were so widely owned and competently used.
Even indentured servitude did not break this expectation. In several colonies, masters were legally required to provide firearms to servants upon completion of their term, ensuring they could fulfill militia obligations and provide for themselves as free men. The right—and responsibility—to be armed was not reserved for an elite class. It was part of becoming a full participant in civic life.
These practices underscore a critical point often missed in modern debates: Firearms were not exceptional objects requiring justification. They were assumed necessities, woven into the fabric of work, travel, worship and community defense.
Pistols, Repeaters and Reality
Another common myth holds that early Americans owned only long-guns and had little interest in pistols until manufacturers like Colt created demand through advertising. The record again says otherwise.
Newspaper advertisements for pistols appeared in American cities as early as the 1720s. Gunsmiths routinely made and sold handguns throughout the colonies. Repeating firearms (pepperboxes and other multi-shot designs) existed well before the 19th century.
Samuel Colt did not invent America’s interest in handguns. He met a market that already existed.
Culture by Necessity
Gun culture in America was not born in boardrooms or advertising campaigns. It emerged from necessity. Colonial life was dangerous, unpredictable and decentralized. Survival required competence, preparedness and self-reliance.
Firearms were part of that equation, not as talismans, but as tools. The law reflected that reality, reinforcing ownership rather than restricting it.
Understanding this history does not require romanticizing the past. It requires honesty about it.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the March 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 excellent concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
