Personal-defense weapons (PDWs) are hot and getting hotter. We’ve reviewed a number in the pages of Shooting Illustrated, from the iconic Heckler & Koch SP5 to the refined LWRCI SMG 45. With the addition of a brace, these heavier-than-a-handgun pistols can be fielded and used effectively for home and personal defense. AR-15- and AK-47-based …

In a recent opinion piece that ran in Newsweek, U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat from California’s San Francisco Bay area, renewed his call for a national policy that most gun controllers likely support, but are unwilling to say out loud: that the federal government should have the power to confiscate our legally …

The tail end of 2013 saw a landmark release in the cartridge world: Nosler delved into the market with their proprietary 26 Nosler, marketed as the “world’s most powerful 6.5mm commercial cartridge.” While there have been 6.5mm cartridges to rival Nosler’s 26, the cartridge remains an important development, because it kicked off …

Inforce is introducing a new aluminum Weapon Integrated Lighting Device, called the Wild2. The first of Inforce’s 2020 product releases, the Wild2 will be soon followed by Wild1, a single-battery model designed for compact handguns like the Glock 19. The lights retain Inforce’s traditional styling, while the hard-anodized 6061 aluminum exterior of …

IWI has built an impressive reputation in the firearms world with guns like the Masada and Jericho pistols, UZI, and Tavor, each of which features unique, ground-breaking designs. New for 2020, the company expanded its reach into the American market with the Zion-15, an AR-15-style rifle built in Middletown, PA. While it’s hardly as sexy as previous firearms from IWI, …

Out with the old, in with the new. At least that’s how I felt the first time I popped in Tetra’s latest electronic earplugs. The company’s AlphaShield line (starts at $699) are entry-level, universal-fit earplugs that borrow some of the latest tech from hearing aids to help shooters preserve their …

In the late 1950s, Helsinki got its hands on several Soviet Kalishnikovs and evaluated them with the objective of ultimately establishing domestic production of an AK pattern rifle. Toward that end, two manufacturing interests were tasked with copying the AK: SAKO and the state-owned conglomerate Valtion Metallitehtaat, also known as ValMet. ValMet’s prototype …

Many years ago, I was honored to be a guest at the Smith & Wesson factory in Springfield, Mass. To say that I was struck emotionally would be a big understatement. I began collecting and shooting Smith & Wesson revolvers more than 50 years ago, and the opportunity to visit and see …

For the last half-decade, Hornady has led the industry with regard to long-range shooting. One could argue the company’s leadership actually began a dozen years ago with the introduction of the 6.5 Creedmoor. But, it wasn’t until after the release of the “American Sniper” movie in 2014 that the long-range-shooting movement really …

When Smith & Wesson introduced its new polymer-framed M&P semi-automatic in 2005, it was initially offered in a 4.25-inch barrel with fixed three-dot sights and chambered for the .40 S&W. Most observers assumed it was marketed towards law enforcement as a duty pistol. Whether or not that was the intent, …