Editorial

AGM Global Vision has expanded its digital optics lineup with the introduction of the Spectrum 4K-Mini, a compact day/night scope designed for hunters who prioritise mobility without giving up image quality or key functionality. Within thermals and night vision, I hear a lot of voices complaining about the weight of the devices. These customers will be happy to see that the new Mini model is said to keep many of the same capabilities as the bigger units, while coming in at a notably lighter 16 ounces.

Traveling through Vietnam for a few months offers not only a chance to experience the country’s breathtaking landscapes, bustling cities, and culture, but also an opportunity to explore its complex wartime history preserved in museums across Vietnam. From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, countless exhibitions shed light on the Vietnam War and the equipment that defined it. Among the most striking displays are the XM177E1 and XM177E2 rifles, compact variations of the M16 used extensively by U.S. forces, especially Special Forces, during the conflict. Each museum visit reveals subtle differences between these carbines, their roles in combat, and the stories they carry as artifacts of a turbulent era.

TFB’s Photo Of The Day, with a lot of history in just one image. The Smith & Wesson Model 76 was developed in 1967 at the Navy’s request and put into production through 1974. Designed to meet SEAL requirements for a rugged, serviceable 9×19mm SMG, the M76 combined stamped-steel construction, a folding stock and a simple blowback action to keep parts count low and maintenance straightforward.

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we took a look at some of the toughest situations you may have to deal with when carrying a concealed handgun. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I was talking to a few new concealed carriers and they didn't have a good understanding of the different action types when it comes to handguns. They were confused about striker-fired versus double to single-action. It may seem like simple knowledge, but for new shooters, it can be a confusing process figuring out what each handgun action does and what its purpose is compared to other options. 

Shooters Global offers two shot timers that are worth your attention: the budget-friendly SG Timer GO and the flagship SG Timer 2. Both timers share the same smart sensor technology and work with the company's Drills app, but they're built for different shooters with different priorities.

Davidson’s has expanded its exclusive N-frame Model 20 heavy-duty revolver series, developed in partnership with Smith & Wesson, with the introduction of a 6-inch-barreled version. Like the earlier runs, this model is a limited production item and is already close to being sold out. The modern Model 20 project began with a 250-unit Texas Rangers commemorative, marked with the “One Riot, One Ranger” theme. That revolver, built as a tribute edition, sold out immediately. A follow-up run featuring a 4-inch barrel was produced next and met the same rapid demand.

Aimpoint has announced that its COA optic paired with the A-CUT mounting interface has been selected as Guns & Ammo’s Red Dot of the Year. The award highlights standout new products introduced in 2025, with the Aimpoint system recognized for its durability, optical performance, and secure interface design. Introduced earlier this year, the COA + A-CUT system was developed to streamline integration between the optic and host firearm. The Guns & Ammo editorial staff noted the system’s rugged construction, consistent clarity, and repeatable mounting solution following extended evaluation and field testing.

Derya Arms has announced the release of its new DY9Z striker-fired 9mm pistol, a micro-compact design aimed at concealed carry and general-purpose use. First shown to the public at the GOALS show in August, the pistol is now entering the market. The DY9Z is positioned as an affordable option for shooters seeking modern features at an MSRP of $299, and it arrives with ten available frame colors to cover a range of user preferences.

We’ve had “Hammy” on the podcast before, and he’s also been featured once already on the TFBTV Show Time. As the summer season tapers off and people start bundling up in their houses, their hobbies tend to follow them there as well. Today, as is typical when bringing on a 3D printing legend like Hammy, we’ll be talking about what the latest and greatest in the 3D printing world is, where that small part of the industry is growing, and areas where it might need some improvement if it is to survive in this highly competitive industry. Please give “Hammy” of Hammy3DPrints a warm welcome to the show, and go give his neat American-designed and made products a look!

Safariland has long been known for their rugged and durable holsters and gear. In their pursuit of giving gun owners a plethora of options, they introduced the Safariland Solis holster. The Solis is designed as an OWB (Outside the Waistband) holster that sits tight against the wearer’s hip, which led Safariland to bill the Solis as a concealment holster. While one could conceal the Solis under winter clothing, I tend to consider it as bridging the gap between duty holsters and deep concealment holsters. Let’s go on a safari to see the Solis in action.

Photo Of The Day and one of the few builds with irons only is on display. The builder and photographer is Holt Works Photography, showing off his new 7.5” 556 FRT (Forced Reset Trigger). The rail and buffer tube is Cerakoted in slate grey, with some bright wire added in to lighten it up. The upper is FDE with some white added. The lower from Palmetto State Armory uses a Troy Coyote Tan, also with some bright white mixed in. In my opinion, some of the best Cerakotes I’ve seen ran mixed colors, but it’s difficult to do the same thing twice.

On August 2, 1876, a single shot in a Deadwood saloon ended the life of James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok, a scout, gunfighter, lawman, and one of the most recognised figures of the American frontier. Hickok was holding a pair of black aces and black eights when Jack McCall fired from behind. That combination of cards later became known as the “dead man’s hand,” a phrase that would cement itself in American folklore and appear in books, films, and countless retellings of Old West history.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us here at TFB! As you all settle into your Thanksgiving traditions, we’ll be here providing you with regular updates of the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals from our favorite manufacturers and gear retailers, like Palmetto State Armory, Primary Arms, Brownells, Botach, Natchez Shooting & Outdoors, 5.11 Tactical, Blue Alpha Belts, and many more! We’re thankful for them, you, and the rest of the faithful TFB readers and TFBTV viewers we’ve had with us through the years. Have a great day, everybody, and happy online shopping!

NEXTORCH North America has announced the WL15 Tactical Weapon Light, a rail-mounted illumination tool developed in Germany and built for law enforcement, military, and security applications. The light delivers a stated output of 1,200 lumens and 44,100 candela, producing a concentrated beam that the company claims reaches up to 459 yards (420 meters). Its purpose is to support quick identification of targets and surroundings in low-light or time-critical situations.

Rost Martin has announced the release of the RM1S Comp, a subcompact 9mm pistol equipped with an integrated compensator. The company also announced two new California-compliant variants: the RM1S Comp California model and the RM1C Comp California model, both approved for the state’s DOJ Roster. The RM1S Comp is built around a compensated slide and a 3.6-inch hammer-forged match barrel featuring a single-port design intended to reduce muzzle rise.

Volquartsen Firearms has partnered with Davidson’s to release an exclusive FDE Mini Mamba-TF, a lightweight .22 LR pistol built around the company’s compact Mamba platform. Designed as a purpose-ready suppressor host, the Mini Mamba-TF measures just over 8 inches overall and weighs approximately 1 pound 12 ounces. The result is a strange-looking pistol, but my urge to get one and suppress it isn’t small.

When the M79 reached U.S. troops in the early 1960s, it looked like someone had shortened a shotgun and given it an artillery round, a compact, single-shot, break-open launcher that fired a low-velocity 40x46mm grenade. It gave small units a new kind of miniature artillery: explosive power far beyond a thrown hand grenade but without the logistics and crew required for a mortar. That blend of portability, punch, and simplicity made the M79 one of the Vietnam War’s iconic small arms, and it invited modifications in the field. Special operators in MACV-SOG and other units modified by shortening the barrel for specific roles, while post-war Vietnam even produced a locally made variant.

Today’s Photo Of The Day shows the TriggerTech ACE trigger being fitted to a Glock 45 with a threaded barrel. The ACE is said to offer a smooth, consistent break and a short, clean reset compared to the stock Glock module. You know, features that would make any kind of trigger a popular aftermarket choice for both competition and carry builds. During installation, we documented the simple drop-in procedure: removing the factory trigger group, transferring the connector, and seating the new unit before function-checking and test-firing. In fact, the gunsmith (who had his first Glock Armorer's certificate back in 1987) said it was the easiest and fastest Glock trigger change he ever made.

Welcome back to TFB’s Small Business Spotlight! In this weekly article series, we talk about small firearm-related businesses. Today’s company is Campbell Engineering and Machine, LLC, a precision rifle products manufacturer from Monument, Colorado.

The Swedish Armed Forces introduced the new Automatkarbin 24 (AK 24) assault rifle in 5.56×45mm NATO caliber at the beginning of 2025, and regular TFB readers have been able to follow the introduction in detail. What is a lesser-known fact is that shortly after fielding began, a firing ban was imposed on the Ak24 due to incidents of delayed ignition affecting a number of rifles. TFB continues to follow the story and to explain the issues. There is now a Press Release with more information.

Walther Arms, Inc. has announced a formal suspension of production for the PPK, PPK/S, and PP handgun lines as the company initiates a multi-year modernization program. The pause marks the temporary close of a manufacturing lineage that stretches back nearly a century and includes some of the most recognizable pistols in the world.

SIG Sauer has introduced the SIG516 G3, positioned as the latest, battle-ready evolution of the 516 family. Developed with more than a decade of piston-rifle engineering and tested worldwide, the SIG516 G3 was refined in New Hampshire to deliver a rugged, durable platform for demanding field use. The rifle runs a short-stroke piston with an adjustable gas system for tunable reliability across ammunition and environmental conditions. Chambered in 5.56 NATO, it features a 16-inch cold-hammer-forged barrel with a 1:7” twist rate.

It's definitely not in the 40-watt range, but it’ll help you train for the inevitable AI apocalypse either way. Mantis is proud to announce their new Titan X laser training pistol, which is the culmination of virtually all of their previous technologies, all stuffed into one Glock 19-shaped unit that helps you do dry fire more safely, and with all of the data-gathering benefits that the Laser Training academy comes with.

The Out-The-Front (OTF) knife category continues to expand, and Backup Tactical is back for round two with the new Fat Butcher. After the success of the Stinger OTF, company owner and OG Florida-Man Jayson Bayne has once again teamed up with South African knifemaking legend Andre De Villiers (ADV Tactical) for an all-new design—the Fat Butcher OTF. This latest release brings a beefier, more aggressive take on their relatively new American-made automatic knife lineup while retaining all the precision machining, materials, and reliability that made the Stinger a standout, and also the addition of a few novel features that set it apart from every other OTF currently out there.

Some people take a lot of care to make their rifle stand out as little as possible, using spray cans and camouflage patterns. The Italians from Victrix Armaments work differently, and with this limited edition Optic Venom Cerakote, you’re sure to get noticed.

Suppressors on most handguns are pretty silly for most people and most applications. One of the rare exceptions to this is suppressors on .22LR handguns. The MK IV, although not specifically designed as such, has evolved into one of the best suppressor hosts over the years. With a fixed, often very accurate, pre-threaded barrel, the ability to mount optics, it's often the first choice of many for a first pistol suppressor host. However, one drawback of putting a suppressor on any pistol you plan to use at the range is that there’s typically no good place to put a hot suppressor-equipped pistol when you’re not using it. Today on The Rimfire Report, we’re checking out a great addition to the HUSH Holster lineup - their MK IV adapter, which solves this problem.

In the world of tactical shotguns, Benelli has been around as a top tier option since the early days of the Super 90s and various models after that. Fast forward and Benelli is still pushing to make their flagship M4 shotgun even better with the release of the M4 EXT model. Benelli has created a factory 922R-compliant shotgun with every accessory customers have been asking for from the factory. Let's take a closer look at the new Benelli M4 EXT.

Russia’s Rosoboronexport is the sole state intermediary agency for the country’s exports and imports of defense-related and dual-use products, technologies, and services. It was established to manage and oversee all military-technical cooperation between Russia and foreign countries by overseeing the controlled transfer of military equipment, weaponry, and related technologies on behalf of the Russian government. They also happen to have a fairly highly polished YouTube channel with a rather large fan base, and today they’ve announced the new Kalashnikov AM-17 Compact Assault Rifle. The AM-17 is a relatively new rifle meant as a replacement for the compact AKS-74U that ceased production in the 90s. Its development began in the late 2010s, and according to the video released by Rosoboronexport, it has just finished completing acceptance trials and is scheduled to start serial production soon.

XS Sights is back at it again with another set of sights and optic plates, this time for the Diamondback SDR and the extremely popular Walther PDP series of pistols. The Diamondback SDR, an extremely compact self-defense-focused .357 Magnum revolver, will be receiving the XS Minimalist Night Sights, which feature windage-adjustable blacked-out rear sights, with a combo of an XS Glow Dot front sight — a switch from the standard-issue fiber-optics that come on the SDR. Meanwhile, the PDP series of pistols will be getting new XS Sights optics plates for the RMR and ACRO footprints, in addition to new fiber-optic sight kits and Minimalist Optics Ready (OR) sights. The official press release is below, as usual.

Welcome to TFB Weekly Web Deals 164! 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.