The 9mm pistol is the staple handgun for many Americans. These weapons are versatile, affordable, and easy to learn with, but sifting through the mountain of 9mm pistol models, sizes, configurations, actions, brands, etc. has led more than one aspiring handgun owner to abandon their search altogether. No need to stress. Below, you’ll find a… Continue reading The Best 9mm Pistols

The S&W M&P 2.0 Compact is the best handgun for beginners. The M&P line has a ton of options, making it easy to find the right caliber & size for you, and it’s a proven pistol, with the Shield carried by many LE officers across the country.

If you’re a pistol enthusiast and you want to take your handgun accuracy as seriously as you would any other firearm, we’ve concluded that the new SIG Romeo2 is the best red dot for most people after a renewed round of testing some of the best-selling pistol red dot sights. We tested these in a… Continue reading The Best Pistol Red Dot Sights

The story of Canik pistols is the age-old story of the underdog. When the TP9 was first introduced to the market, the price tag coupled with the then-unknown brand name meant that for many people the words “quality” and “Canik” couldn’t co-exist. Years after first being introduced to the US market, Canik is now one… Continue reading The Best Canik Pistols

In the world of scatterguns, doubles are steeped in tradition, and pumps are very rugged and reliable, but the fact is that semi-auto shotguns are best for most. If that is, you pick one up that’s built to perform. The technology and engineering that powers semi-automatic shotguns have never been better, so prior concerns about… Continue reading The Best Semi-Auto Shotguns

John McClain (yes, you read that right) is a 3 Gun competitive shooter who arguably has the best wardrobe in the game. John is recently new to big game hunting as well and has put in a ton of time learning how to harvest his own deer. John also is the National Training Manager at… Continue reading Episode 94: John McClain, 3 Gunner & National Training Manager at Armscor

The PSA AR-15 complete lower is the best AR lower for most people. It’s a complete lower that’s less expensive than all but the very low end of the spectrum, but it doesn’t skimp on the important buts — being built from 7075-T6 aluminum and Magpul furniture. Plus, if you like PSA’s products but are on a… Continue reading The Best AR-15 Lower Receivers

Do you remember the TV Show, Top Shot? If you watched Season 1, you might recognize this next guest, Caleb Giddings. Caleb is now the Brand Marketing Manager at Taurus. He is a Revolver Specialist and still finds time to compete in matches with his revolvers. In this episode, Caleb shows us how to speed-reload… Continue reading Episode 93: Caleb Giddings Brand Marketing Manager at Taurus, Revolver Specialist & Shooter

Tom Castro is a GM-level competitive shooter, a firearms instructor, and owns Tom Castro Shooting Academy. In this episode, Tom and I discuss his recent win at the 2023 Pan American Extreme Open, his first SHOT Show experience, and how he physically trains for shooting competitions. We talk about how he can switch divisions and… Continue reading Episode 92: Tom Castro, Grand Master USPSA Competitive Shooter, Instructor, & Podcaster

Chris Hutchison is an avid 3 Gunner who competes across the country in Rumbles, Proving Grounds matches, and Multigun competitions. We sit down to talk about the Fall Brawl, the upcoming Battle for the South match, and how Proving Grounds have helped improve his shooting. Chris is active duty military, a dad, husband, and makes… Continue reading Episode 91: Chris Hutchison, 3 Gunner & Active Duty Military

The CZ 75 is the best CZ pistol for most people. Beyond its iconic look, the 5.23-inch barrel yields impressive accuracy, which is packed into a pistol that offers the same reliable CZ performance and comfortable design shooters have come to expect from the Czech brand. For beginners and seasoned veterans alike, if you have… Continue reading The Best CZ Pistols

The Palmetto State AR-V 9mm is the best PCC for most people, thanks to its build quality, lightweight design, and wallet-friendly price point. It’s reliable, accurate, and approachable for all skill levels, and often available in any number of configurations that help it meet a broader variety of needs than the competition.

Despite their pedigree and depth of experience, Walther Arms seems to be the true underdog of the firearms manufacturing industry, never reaching the ubiquity and prominence of the Glocks and S&Ws of the world. Founded in 1886 by Carl Walther and manufacturing firearms and air guns for over 100 years, the quality of Walther Arms… Continue reading Walther PDP Review

Chicago-based Tyrant Designs’ custom AR-15 and aluminum handgun parts will be familiar to anyone who prefers a custom look to their firearms. They are the creators of the skeletonized aluminum AR-15 grip, which many companies have now begun to copy thanks to its light weight and flashy look. Tyrant Designs was made official in 2015,… Continue reading Tyrant Designs Reviewed

Matt Nash is a competitive USPSA shooter who mainly shoots Production. He is on the USA World Shoot team, competing in Thailand. In this episode, we talk about his shooting career success, including his making Super Squad for the 2022 Nationals this year. He shares his dry fire and live fire practice sessions and drills… Continue reading Episode 90: Matt Nash, Production USPSA Shooter on World Shoot USA Team

Charlie Perez has been involved in practical shooting for years. He’s competed in USPSA, IDPA, and Steel Challenge and enjoys every aspect of competitive shooting. He placed 12th at USPSA Limited Nationals this year and shares what he plans to shoot next year in this episode! Charlie is also an instructor and wrote a book… Continue reading Episode 89: Charlie Perez, Practical Shooting Enthusiast, Instructor, Author

HK’s VP9 pistol is one of the most popular full-sized firearms on the market today. Its wide acceptance and popularity have given rise to several versions and variants, and you can now find an HK VP9 in a compact, tactical threaded barrel model, an optics-ready VP9, and even one dedicated to competition shooting. Heckler &… Continue reading HK VP9 Review

Before listening to this episode of the Reticle Up Podcast, be sure to watch Part 1 and Part 2 of Build Box with Ursula, Adam, and me competing in the rifle-building TV Show. On this exclusive Reticle Up Podcast, I sat down with the show creators and one of my judges and talked about how… Continue reading Episode 88: Ryan Gresham, President of Gun Talk Media & Kevin Jarnagin, Content Producer at Gun Talk

Luke Faust is a USPSA Production Master Class shooter who has invested quite a bit of time and energy into shooting. He is passionate about the future of USPSA, so much so that he is running for Area 3 Director. In this episode, we dive into what he’s looking to change if he were elected… Continue reading Episode 87: Luke Faust, Area 3 Candidate, USPSA M Production Shooter, Quality Engineer at Federal

Mason and Kaylee Lane are a power couple competing, training, and shooting together. Mason is a 3 Time National Champion who has grown up shooting professionally. Kaylee got started in Steel Challenge and USPSA, and enjoys competing in both iron-sighted and optic divisions. These two travel the USA and internationally together to compete in shooting… Continue reading Episode 86: Mason and Kaylee Lane, USPSA Competitive Shooters, Firearms Instructors & 2A Ambassadors

Kolby Pavlock, a Rimfire World Champion, and Grand Master level competition shooter, joins me to talk about his shooting career and his move to work with Volquartsen Firearms⁠.⁠Kolby is one impressive young man. He has accomplished goals in shooting sports that so few people will ever accomplish in their lifetime. He has mastered different shooting… Continue reading Episode 85: Kolby Pavlock, Product Developer at Volquartsen, 2015-’18 NSSF Rimfire World Champion

Nicholas Chan started from the ground up in the firearms industry. He put in years of hard work, and when the opportunity presented itself to do more, he jumped at the chance! If you’ve ever attended an industry event and visited the Taurus booth, you’ve probably met Nicholas. He is one of the most friendly… Continue reading Episode 84: Nicholas Chan, Product Specialist at Taurus, Hunter and Outdoorsman

Glock is a household name that most Americans know, whether they’re pro or anti-gun, thanks to Hollywood and television featuring Glocks in thousands of productions. Glock’s catalog has expanded significantly over the years, but regardless of the Glock in hand, the platform has created some of the most reliable and popular handguns on the market… Continue reading Glock 17 Review

Gun Basics The world of firearms is vast and full of many different types of guns with various actions, functionalities, and a slew of different calibers. With the variety of guns in the world today, there’s something for everyone, which is what I love most about the gun industry.  Today we’ll cover the terrain of… Continue reading The Major Gun Types: A (Long) Primer

Lane Nelson is a 19-year-old competitive shooter who has put in the work and trained himself to be a Master Class Carry Optics shooter. His shooting journey started as a junior and now, he’s learning to balance college, shooting, and family/friends time. We talk about his goals for his shooting career and what’s next on… Continue reading Episode 81: Lane Nelson, Master Class Carry Optics 19-Year-Old Competitive Shooter

Lane Nelson is a 19-year-old competitive shooter who has put in the work and trained himself to be a Master Class Carry Optics shooter. His shooting journey started as a junior and now, he’s learning to balance college, shooting, and family/friends time. We talk about his goals for his shooting career and what’s next on… Continue reading Episode 81: Lane Nelson, Master Class Carry Optics 19-Year-Old Competitive Shooter

Lane Nelson is a 19-year-old competitive shooter who has put in the work and trained himself to be a Master Class Carry Optics shooter. His shooting journey started as a junior and now, he’s learning to balance college, shooting, and family/friends time. We talk about his goals for his shooting career and what’s next on… Continue reading Episode 81: Lane Nelson, Master Class Carry Optics 19-Year-Old Competitive Shooter

Lane Nelson is a 19-year-old competitive shooter who has put in the work and trained himself to be a Master Class Carry Optics shooter. His shooting journey started as a junior and now, he’s learning to balance college, shooting, and family/friends time. We talk about his goals for his shooting career and what’s next on… Continue reading Episode 81: Lane Nelson, Master Class Carry Optics 19-Year-Old Competitive Shooter

Hunter Constantine went from a new competitive shooter to GM in USPSA simply by buying a ton of ammo and practicing at the range. He is an instructor at Field Craft Survival and helped co-found Two Track Nation. Hunter spends a lot of time on the road for events and oftentimes overlands on his travels.… Continue reading Episode 80: Hunter Constantine, Firearms Instructor, USPSA GM

Nexbelt is a newer company, just seven years in at this point, but the Rancho Cucamonga upstart is taking the belt industry by storm. While Nexbelt didn’t invent the ratchet system, they re-engineered it and improved upon existing tech. They design and build all their tools and molds, so what you see in the final… Continue reading Nexbelt Review

Will and Ben are two of the most hardworking and humble guys I have worked with. Their company, Forge Relations, puts relationships before business and cherishes the connections they’ve made over the years. If you don’t know about Forge Relations, they’re the team that puts on the annual Gundies Awards!⁠ The Gundies Awards are the… Continue reading Episode 79: Will Renke & Ben Stacy, Partners of Forge Relations

Billy Barton joined USPSA and started shooting competitively to get more proficient with his carry gun. Now, Billy is a GM-level Carry Optics Competitive Shooter and a firearms trainer/instructor. In this episode of the Reticle Up Pod, Billy and I sit down to talk about his Carry Optics setup, how he improved his own shooting… Continue reading Reticle Up Episode 78: Billy Barton, USPSA Carry Optics Grandmaster

If you’re in the IPSC or USPSA world, you’re sure to have heard the name Travis Tomasie. Travis is a National and World IPSC and USPSA Champion. He is an Army Veteran and Former US Army Marksmanship Unit Member. When he’s not competing, he teaches firearms courses across the country. Travis’s latest collaboration has been… Continue reading Reticle Up Episode 77: Travis Tomasie, MPA Pistol Team Captain

Foster and his brother, Matt, shoot for Team Browning and Winchester and are both Multi-World Trap Champions. We sit down to talk about how he and his brother got into shooting trap, his love of hunting, and more! Foster shares his knowledge on fitting a shotgun to you, what chokes he runs, and what ammunition… Continue reading Reticle Up Episode 76: Foster Bartholow, Multi Trap World Champion

Guide to Everything AR The AR-15 is arguably the most common rifle Americans own, and then can be found at just about every LGS. ARs are also relatively simple to build on your own. Whether you plan to buy or build an AR, someone has to have the proper tools to put it together. Thanks… Continue reading Real Avid AR15 Armorer’s Master Kit Review [Hands-On]

The Maven RS.4 riflescope is the best rifle scope money can buy. Its reticule is big, and the glass is amazingly clear — we could see our target clearly even at the highest magnification with not even a hint of mirroring or mirage effect. It gives you the kinds of high-end features you’ll want when shopping for a… Continue reading The Best Rifle Scopes

The Palmetto State Armory PA-15 is the best AR-15 for most people. Over the years, I’ve put nearly every kind of AR to the test, and time and time again, PSA comes out on top with a solid mix of value and availability — with a huge array of models, calibers, and feature sets across… Continue reading The Best AR-15s

Have you ever walked into Home Depot or Lowe’s and been overwhelmed by how many brands of tools there are on the shelves and what all those tools do? It’s hard to know what brand makes the best products, what tools will last a lifetime, and what is crap.  Shopping for AR-15 tools is similar… Continue reading Real Avid Tools Review [Hands-On]

The best shooting ear protection is the kind that’s comfortable to wear all day long on a range without noticing it. If you’re even a little uncomfortable you’ll find reasons to avoid using them — possibly putting you in the position of sacrificing hearing protection for comfort, which is the last thing you want to… Continue reading The Best Shooting Ear Protection

When it comes to AR-15 optics, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. A rifle’s purpose — what you are trying to achieve with your rifle — should inform your choice of optic. From red dots to prisms, holographic sights, reflex sights, and long-range scopes, we’ll go over what to look for in a quality optic, as… Continue reading The Best AR-15 Optics

If you ask us, there are probably too many AR-15 slings on the market. Sure, we all need a comfortable way to haul our rifle into the woods, or quickly switch between a rifle and sidearm – but which slings are ideal? What makes them easy to adjust? How the heck do you decide which… Continue reading 11 AR Slings That Don’t Suck

Guide to Everything AR Despite some myths that were circulated in the late 1960s to catastrophic effect in the jungles of Vietnam, the AR-15, like any other firearm, needs to be cleaned regularly to maintain maximum effectiveness.  When it’s time to do so, which you should do after every range session, having the right rifle… Continue reading The Best AR-15 Cleaning Kits

A biometric gun safe is often a logical choice for keeping your firearms secure, thanks to the technology that powers the fingerprint scanners getting faster, easier, and more affordable year after year. These gun safes work by only unlocking when the right biometric signal is detected on the finger pad. In other words, your finger… Continue reading The Best Biometric Gun Safes

Guide to Everything AR There are many bolt carrier groups on the market for AR-15s, but not all are made equal. Choosing the best one for your rifle or your custom build will have everything to do with its purpose and operation.

If you’re anything like me, you are pro-gun control. No, we don’t mean taking away people’s constitutional rights; that’s absurd. I’m talking about making every shot count. Where rounds travel when fired is our responsibility, and it’s in everyone’s best interest for us to have as much control over them as humanly possible. One important… Continue reading The Best Shot Timers

Springfield, Missouri’s CrossBreed Holsters began in 2005 when Mark Craighead, an avid shooter and concealed carry permit holder — like many of us — gathered a collection of holsters, quickly finding what did and didn’t work for him. Out of frustration, Mark started to work on a design for a holster he would want to… Continue reading CrossBreed Holsters Review

Whether you’re in the process of building an AR-15 or are looking to accessorize one you already own, an angled foregrip can be a helpful tool for anyone. You would think that choosing one would be straightforward, but because everyone has a different hand size or shape, a different purpose for the gun — and… Continue reading The Best Angled Foregrips

Stock shotgun sights are fair at best and will get the job done in a pinch, but who doesn’t love customizing the sights on a new gun? Like anything else, choosing an aftermarket sight is about setting the shotgun up for a specific purpose. Shotgun sights vary in application – -some excel at hunting, others… Continue reading The Best Shotgun Sights

Modern small arms ammunition can be confusing due to the myriad of common types, calibers, and sizes involved, but with a little research, navigating the “bullet aisle” at your local gun store is a snap. We’re here to hold class on the essentials. This article is part of our series on Gun Basics. If you’re… Continue reading Bullet Sizes, Types, & Calibers

There are plenty of benefits to converting your AR with a 9mm upper receiver. The flexibility of PCCs has driven their popularity over the past 20 years, making them the go-to choice for those who want a multi-role pistol caliber rifle, and one of the main reasons I have one in my collection. With all… Continue reading The Best AR9 Uppers

The Crossbreed Modular Belly Band is the best belly band holster for most people. The Kydex holster is higher quality than other options, and the band feels more durable — with less twisting binding than lesser elastics. While not universal, these hybrid holsters are available in as wide a selection as we found anywhere, so you’re likely… Continue reading The Best Belly Band Holsters

Shooting rests are an essential tool for creating a stable shooting and sighting platform. Shooting long-distance accurately requires minimizing movement, and without a stable platform, it’s next to impossible to make a good shot. Even the most expensive rifles and optics on the market can’t shoot accurately at a distance without a stable base.

The PSA PA-15 AR Pistol is the best AR pistol for most people. Palmetto State Armory tops our list this year thanks to an incredible mix of value and availability — with a huge array of models, calibers, and feature sets across their AR pistol lineup.

The AR-15 is the most popular rifle in America, in large part because it’s incredibly versatile. You can change-out most components – upper and lower receivers, furniture, triggers, and just about everything else – and there are enough third-party options to make your head spin. Plus tweaking your rife to get it just right is… Continue reading The Best AR-15 Tools & Kits

The S&W M&P9 M2.0 Subcompact is the best subcompact 9mm pistol for most people. Beyond its easy-to-use, concealable design, the M&P line has an incredible number of options, calibers, and models — making it hard to beat when it comes to ensuring you can find the right pistol for you.

What is the .17 HMR and what makes it exciting? We look at this tiny rimfire round, break down the features, and provide a selection of great .17 HMR rifles.

If you’ve ever contorted yourself into a pretzel to make a shot or struggled to keep your rifle stable when balancing the fore-end on a pointy rock, an extendable rifle bipod made to work with your M-Lok mounting system will make your life considerably easier. The trouble is that M-Lok bipods vary in size, weight,… Continue reading The Best M-Lok Bipods

An armorer’s wrench is one of the primary tools that every hobbyist AR-15 owner should have in their toolset. But far too many tinkerers and hobbyists think they can get away with modifying or maintaining their AR-15 or other weapons with common tools. The performance just isn’t the same, and when you’re dropping upwards of… Continue reading The Best Armorers Wrenches

After testing more new models, we’ve updated our top recommendation to the Glock G44 .22 LR Pistol. We’re keeping the other recommendations on our list, but now recommend them as runners-up or budget options. Once just a specialist category of firearms relegated primarily to smallbore Bullseye-style competition shooting and military handgun marksmanship training, the current… Continue reading The Best .22LR Pistols

Gun magnets can add a level of accessibility to firearms that concealed carry holsters cannot. The entire goal of a gun magnet is to allow you to reach your firearm faster, surprise your attacker, and neutralize the threat. Gun magnets are ideal for people who travel a lot or spend most of their time in… Continue reading The Best Gun Magnets

There’s no shortage of holster brands out there, and in my time as a competitive shooter, I’ve tried most of them. Given I’m always up to try something new, We The People Holsters contacted me about reviewing some of their products and provided the holsters and mag pouch in this review free of charge. As… Continue reading We The People Holsters Review [Hands-On]

The PSA PA-10 is the best AR-10 for most people. Palmetto State builds reliable, performant rifles with a huge collection of options — often at lower prices than competing brands. Those looking for a shorter, premium Carbine-length barrel would do well the check out the Daniel Defense DD5 — it’s a bulletproof, high-quality rifle.

The most classic and timeless of American firearms, the 1911 has sleek lines that are instantly recognizable and a fan base that has spanned centuries. However, is this gun still a great choice for defense, competition, and collectors? We cover a selection of the best 1911 builders so you can make a fully informed choice… Continue reading The Best Custom 1911 Builders

Patented on Valentine’s Day in 1911 by firearms genius John Browning, the M1911 has been in continual production and use for well over a century – and for good reason – it’s an instantly recognizable classic that has improved on Browning’s original design time and time again.

When it comes to building or buying any kind of rifle, the two most important parts that affect accuracy are the barrel and the optic. If you are interested in building an AR-10 chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, you need the best 6.5 Creedmoor barrel to perform at a distance. There are tons of barrel manufacturers,… Continue reading The Best 6.5 Creedmoor Barrels

What is a binary trigger? An aftermarket trigger for semi-automatic guns that allows one round to be fired upon the trigger pull and a single round to be fired as the trigger springs back AKA binary shooting or double tap. The binary trigger will enable you to shoot twice as fast with the same amount… Continue reading A Complete Guide to Binary Triggers

The Smith & Wesson M&P M2.0 Compact is the best concealed carry gun for most people. The M&P line is full of reliable pistols in a huge number of calibers and configurations — often at much lower price points than competing brands.

Smith & Wesson’s M&P (Military and Police) pistol has been on many best-of lists since its inception in 2005. This polymer-framed, short recoil-operated, semi-automatic pistol has the reliability of a Smith & Wesson coupled with newer tech like a polymer-frame and ergonomic improvements from the combination of two other S&W guns — the Smith &… Continue reading The Best M&P 2.0 Trigger Upgrades

History always repeats itself regarding ammunition shortages in times of civil unrest, political turmoil, and pandemics. We have seen it repeatedly, and without fail, ammunition is one of the first resources to disappear. When these events occur, it’s handy to be able to reload your ammunition on one of the many reloading presses available today.… Continue reading The Best Reloading Presses

The .458 SOCOM (Special Operations Command) round is a powerful defensive round with roots in military history. The best .458 SOCOM Upper Receivers seamlessly handle the firepower this round produces and are engineered to perform in the harshest combat conditions. We’ve provided our selections in both complete and stripped uppers so you can pick the… Continue reading The Best .458 SOCOM Uppers

Glock pistols are popular for a good reason: they’re durable tools that serve people well around the world. Whether it’s in military settings, law enforcement, tactical or civilian uses from self-defense to the highest echelons of competition, you’re likely to find a Glock anywhere someone is using a handgun.

It’s not every day a new company can come out of the blue to challenge well-established competitors in a massively competitive industry — but Olight has somehow managed to do just that by creating new, interesting illumination products and offering them at remarkably competitive prices.  We put one of their most popular products, the PL-Mini… Continue reading Olight PL-Mini 2 Review [Hands-On]

Gun Basics When it comes to gun handling, trigger discipline is one of the essential skills to master. It doesn’t matter if you’re a first-time gun owner or have been around firearms your entire life. When it comes to firearms, always maintain proper safety fundamentals.

Gun Basics Learning how to build an AR-15 is essential for not only custom ARs but also for developing a thorough understanding of how the parts and pieces of your rifle fit together. This can help with triaging issues as you use it and for mastering the AR platform over time.