Editorial

If you've ever looked into custom-molded earplugs, you know the drill: Find an audiologist, make an appointment, get impressions taken with that weird goop, wait 4-6 weeks, and drop $300-400 by the time you're done.   Fen X, a Michigan outfit, thinks they've got a better way: Scan your ears with your iPhone, order online, and get custom earplugs in 48 hours.

There are some firearms out there that, even if you don’t necessarily like the firearm itself, are worth collecting because of their rarity. That’s exactly what’s going on with today’s rare Glock example acquired by long-time TFB reader and supporter Sebastian Unger. An Austrian man himself, Sebastian is, ironically enough, not a huge fan of Glock pistols but is instead a hardcore cheerleader for the very American 1911 platform. The Glock 19 we’re looking at today, with serial number ABG000, is a rare intersection of Gaston Glock's personal oversight and early factory craftsmanship. Now owned by Sebastian Unger, this second-generation pistol underwent in-house hand-engraving at the Glock factory on Gaston's direct instruction and is one of the very few times factory “specials” have left Glock's doors and entered the hands of a select few. Let’s take a closer look at the one that Sebastian has shared with us today.

The collapsed KH9 Covert Pistol reminds me of one of the AT-AT walkers in Star Wars. Firearms like this B&T are a dream. This is a limited-production 9×19mm pistol designed with a folding magazine well and a folding grip. Both components rotate 90 degrees, reducing the overall profile for storage in confined spaces.

Welcome back to another edition of Wheelgun Wednesday. This week, I wanted to take a look at my experience at Rock Island Auction and purchasing a gun from this company. If you are a true gun guy, going to the RIA auctions and purchasing a gun should certainly be on your bucket list. While I love going to a high-end gun shop just like everyone else, this experience was taken to an entirely new level with some of the rarest guns being auctioned off to the point where it can honestly be overwhelming.

After some teasing, Weatherby has officially launched the 25 Weatherby RPM (25 WBY RPM) as the latest addition to its high-performance magnum cartridge family. Designed with the company’s signature innovation and precision, the 25 RPM delivers a flat trajectory and enhanced velocity in a compact, rebated-rim magnum case. There will be several factory loads available, but the caliber is described as a reloader's dream.

Remington Ammunition has announced several new rifle and handgun offerings for 2026, including multiple additions to its popular 7mm Backcountry cartridge and expansions to Core-Lokt and Core-Lokt PSP lines. The new products are designed to meet the demands of hunters and precision shooters seeking high performance across a range of calibers and applications.

VKTR Industries, known for manufacturing AR-15 rifles and accessories, has launched the Vanguard series of double-stack 1911 handguns. The initial model is the VKP Pro, a 9mm pistol fully manufactured and assembled in the United States using US-sourced components.

Franklin Armory will introduce at SHOT Show 2026 what it describes as the world’s first Total Round Control™ (TRC) bolt action, as the foundation of its new Prevail™ line of long-range precision and hunting rifles. The patent-pending TRC action is designed to maintain control of the cartridge throughout the entire cycle of operation: feeding, chambering, firing, extraction, and ejection.

What happens when you take a few engineers from Q, a 60-year-old bolt gun design, a few cases of beer, and lock them in a room? You might get something like the Q Fix Rifle. By the way, I'm told this is 100 percent how the Fix was developed. A few months ago, I was able to build my own Fix rifle at Q in New Hampshire and had a blast interacting with all the guys that work there. Today, I bring you my initial impressions on the rifle after 100 rounds through it. I'll also layout how I have the rifle currently set up.

This Photo of the Day centers on a modern precision-oriented hunting setup built around a Schmeisser Pro Hunter finished in FDE, shown working through both daylight and thermal conditions. This is a setup a lot of people are looking for, to be able to work day and night, and to be able to swiftly change from one advanced setting to another without losing optical quality.

Welcome back to TFB’s Small Business Spotlight! In this weekly column, we take a look at small firearm-related businesses. Today, the spotlight's on Mystery Operations, a company from Marfa, Texas that hosts Run & Gun matches.

Kimber Manufacturing has expanded its 2K11 lineup with the introduction of the new 2K11 Comp series, answering one of the most common requests since the platform’s debut in late 2024. Just over a year after the original 2K11 launch, the addition of compensated variants marks the next evolutionary step for Kimber’s high-capacity, 1911-style handgun family.

FN UK has been awarded the UK Police Primary Carbine System (PPCS) Framework Agreement with its FN 15 Advanced Semi-Automatic Rifle (ASR), making the platform available for adoption across UK police forces. With the framework now in place, all UK police services are able to procure the FN 15 ASR as an approved primary carbine option.

Derya Arms has announced the launch of the TM22 Flash, a new tactical variant of its popular TM22 rimfire platform. Designed to emphasize speed, precision, and modularity, the TM22 Flash becomes the flagship model of the TM22 series and is now shipping through authorized dealers with an MSRP of $249.

In a 2-1 decision issued Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled that California's ban on openly carrying firearms in counties with populations exceeding 200,000 is unconstitutional. The ruling affects roughly 95% of California's population and represents one of the most significant Second Amendment decisions since the Supreme Court's 2022 ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen.

The Kestrel 5700X WEZ is the 5700X family member equipped with Applied Ballistics’ Elite solver, plus a built-in Weapon Employment Zone (WEZ) analysis. It keeps all the weather measuring and basic ballistics features Kestrel is known for, but adds a statistical layer that quantifies the probability of hit (P HIT) and shows how different uncertainties (wind, range, muzzle velocity, shooter consistency, etc.) drive that probability. That makes this unit aimed squarely at long-range shooters, instructors and system evaluators who want to move beyond single-shot solutions and into error budgeting and decision-making. You can use it as a beginner, and probably to infinity in terms of how advanced you’d like things to be.

Photo Of The Day: You could say that my appreciation for carbon fiber parts, especially from Lancer Systems, comes from the way the material balances form, function, and durability in a way few materials can match. Carbon fiber offers strength without the penalty of weight, and on a rifle, that translates directly into quicker handling, less fatigue, and a more responsive feel. Things that could mean faster transitions from target to target, and give me an edge over other competitors. Going to the gym and keeping fit sometimes only helps you so much, and you need more components to win.

Happy New Year to everyone! As we settle into 2026, many of us are probably either already in the process of acquiring or have already acquired some brand-new suppressors or, perhaps even other NFA items. Whatever it was on your wishlist, one that has been on mine for quite a while is Angstadt Arms’ Vanquish AR-22, which was announced just a few months ago in 2025. While no single component of this complete SBR is a “new” item, what Rich and his team have done over at Angstadt Arms is nothing short of awesome in my opinion, and today I’m happy to be able to give you my initial impressions on the SBR version of the new Vanquish AR-22 rifle.  

Palmetto State Armory has expanded with a suppressor lineup with two new BT5-pattern units designed around Inconel construction: the Sabre BT5 5.56 Inconel and the Sabre Compact BT5 Mini 5.56 Inconel. Both models are offered in flat dark earth (FDE) and black finishes, giving shooters a choice in appearance while maintaining consistent materials and internal geometry across the series.

"SEC. 1062. MODIFICATIONS TO AUTHORITY FOR TRANSFER AND SALE OF CERTAIN SURPLUS FIREARMS, AMMUNITION, AND PARTS." is an incredibly dry and bureaucratic title. Still, it may represent some exciting news for American gun collectors. Keep reading for all the details.

Welcome to TFB Weekly Web Deals 169! We’re back with more deals on guns, gear, ammunition, and accessories from some of our most frequented online retailers like Primary Arms, Natchez Shooters Supply, Palmetto State Armory, Brownells, and more. Whether you’re looking for deals on new or used guns, ammo to add to your reserves, or specific accessories like flashlights, range bags, optics, bipods, and magazines, each week we’ll have new sets of deals that might fulfill one of those needs and save you a few dollars.

Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday, brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the new Victra-12 shotgun suppressor. It is now 2026, and tax stamps for most items are $0! But how is the infrastructure that creates those stamps holding up? Here are some collected data points that give us some ideas.

Boom, it finally happened, the S has HTF'ed. Luckily for you, you have been stockpiling ammunition since you could go to the store by yourself. But wait, all this time have you been stocking the right ammo? Keep in mind the ammo that you have is what you'll be using for hunting, defending yourself, training, and trading. So let's hope you picked not only a good caliber, but also the proper ammo types. 

Today’s Photo of the Day features U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Deondre Dennard firing a Mossberg 500 shotgun during a non-lethal weapons course at Camp Pendleton, California. The training, hosted by Marines from 1st Law Enforcement Battalion in 2020, covered proper employment of non-lethal force in both policing and combat scenarios. The shotgun, often underrated, is actually one of the most powerful firearms available to civilians. At the same time, it’s extremely versatile, as it can throw a lot of different types of ammunition out of the barrel.

If your childhood was anything like mine, you were subjected to the women of the family watching the 6-VHS-tape version of Pride & Prejudice repeatedly. And while the allure of that show always escaped me, it turns out there is an equivalent for me: Sharpe. Watching hours of Sean Bean wielding a Baker Rifle through the Napoleonic Wars is enough to make anyone want their own. Pedersoli has now made that possible!

We are in the run-up to SHOT Show 2026, and new product releases are starting to roll in. Ruger's lineup of AR-15 rifles is undergoing some changes for 2026. The new Harrier models replace the AR-556 family and include some updated features.

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we talked about fixed blades versus folding knives and whether they are a good idea to carry as a secondary weapon. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I want to take a look back and reflect on some of the most carried guns of 2025 for me personally. I tend to keep track like an absolute crazy person, and in order of days carried, let's check out my top 5 carry guns of 2025.

Listen to Behind The Gun on TFB – https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/podcast/

Over the last few years as I have developed as a shooter, and as my range trips have become more organized and scheduled I have found the need to be able to look down range and scope out targets without using a gun mounted optic. Historically for me this solution has been a spotting scope, however after making use of several sets of binoculars during a long range rifle competition last fall I have been in the market for a pair of my own. Comparing the usability of a spotting scope to binoculars it was much easier to spot shots, trace, and impacts with the latter than I had thought it would be, hence my desire for a set of my own. Knowing this, when I was given the opportunity to get my hands on and review a set from a relative newcomer in the optics game I jumped right on board. 

Every year, Krieghoff introduces a Gun Of The Year, a highly embellished version of one of their firearms. The Krieghoff 2025 Gun Of The Year is called Spirit Of The Deep. It's a K-80 over-and-under shotgun engraved with various marine creatures and scenes.