Guns & Gear

The AK-100 series was developed during one of the hardest periods in modern Russian history, in the years after the Soviet Union collapsed and the country was dealing with a deep economic crisis. In that environment in the early 1990s, Izhmash made the ambitious decision to create a new family of rifles for a new emerging market. These rifles would share as many parts as possible while still covering different calibers and barrel lengths.

A recent development unveiled by Kalashnikov.ru was the Kalashnikov Concern's “AK-12 Plus,” a revealing example of how Russian ambitions to increase the effective range of their current assault rifle designs are driven by a realization of the need for improved accuracy and increased range without changing to a larger caliber quite yet. Presented as a “Plus” configuration package, the concept was intended to turn the standard AK-12 into something far more specialized than a conventional infantry rifle. Yuri Trutnev, the deputy prime minister of the russian federation, requested this program.

As with most people’s lives, we don’t get proper machine gun content every day, but when it shows up, it tends to deliver. Here’s to the U.S. Marines from Battalion Landing Team 3/5, part of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, seen running M240B machine guns during a live-fire exercise at sea.

When I reviewed the Rossi R95 .45-70 Triple Black Pistol, I called it basically unusable, as is, for the average shooter. I meant it. But the platform was too good to leave alone. I saw the potential. So I filed a Form 1, waited it out, and SBR'd it.

There are times when I’m surprisingly disappointed by the items I review—and times when I’m just flat-out surprised. This is definitely one of the latter. As most of you who follow the series already know, Remington 22LR ammunition hasn’t exactly earned the best reputation for accuracy, cleanliness, or consistency out of any of my test guns (at least the old formula stuff). Their new  40gr Subsonic Hollow Point changes that. Today on The Rimfire Report, we’re putting a 50-round sample to the test at 50 yards using the impressive Ruger Precision Rimfire paired with the Angstadt Arms Vanquish 22 barrel. Let’s get to shooting!

Perhaps one of the most interesting adaptations of a magazine-fed light machine gun or automatic rifle to belt feed was the Degtyarev RP-46 (Company Machine Gun), adopted in 1946, which was one of the Soviet Union’s most practical postwar attempts to improve an already proven weapon. Rather than creating an entirely new weapon, Soviet engineers took the DPM (Degtyarev Infantry, Modernized) light machine gun and adapted it to meet the changing demands of modern infantry combat, increasing its firepower. The most important change was the shift from a pan magazine to a belt feed, along with the addition of a heavier barrel to accommodate the increased firepower. These improvements gave the RP-46 greater sustained fire capability and made it more effective in longer engagements where the older DP-27/DPM system showed its limits.

Lightweight rimfire rifles are nothing new, but some push the concept further than others. The Derya TM22 Feather is built around weight reduction as a primary goal, using polymer across the receiver, handguard, stock, and magazines to keep the overall package as light as possible.

As we’ve covered in previous articles in this series, Remington has been steadily refining its rimfire lineup, focusing on better performance at lower prices. But every once in a while, they (and other manufacturers) step back from pure practicality and create something purely fun that celebrates a moment. That’s exactly what we have here with the new Remington Celebratory 22LR Yellow Jacket. Packed in a distinctive 250-round canister, this special edition matches the rest of Remington’s “We the People” line, honoring America’s upcoming 250th anniversary. Today we’re running this 33-grain truncated cone load through two classic rimfires: the Ruger 10/22 Charger and the Ruger Mark IV, to see how it performs on the range.

First, let’s define small game hunting. I would personally define small game hunting as the pursuit of any animal smaller than a turkey.

The RPL-20 follows typical Kalashnikov design trends but features a unique bottom-feed tray cover arrangement rather than a conventional top-feed tray cover. The weapon is chambered in 5.45x39, a cartridge well known for its relatively mild recoil impulse and soft shooting. When paired with the RPL-20’s overall weight and operating system, the result is a firing impulse that appears unusually smooth. In the video, the recoil impulse appears consistent with a rearward push, similar to a constant-recoil system. However, it is unlikely that the RPL-20 employs a true constant recoil in the technical sense for such a short receiver.

Alongside the 5.11 Rush series, the AMP series is arguably one of the most popular backpack lines 5.11 Tactical has ever offered. Although 5.11 has officially retired the AMP series as a standard offering, the company has just announced it will be bringing back both the AMP12 and AMP24 backpacks for a limited time. There will be 511 units of each color, available until sold out. Full details are in the official 5.11 press release below.

Welcome back to TFB’s Small Business Spotlight! In this weekly column, we take a look at small firearm-related businesses. Today’s company is Lynx Defense, a manufacturer of premium range bags from Selma, North Carolina.

Rimfire suppressors have traditionally been relatively expensive compared to the firearms they’re mounted on and the ammo that is shot through them. The idea of a cheap, 3D printed polymer suppressor is not a new one, but Shift Zer0 Ballistics (operating under their former Zer0 and Sons name) is testing a still-affordable, yet hybrid alternative with the Model 1225: an aluminum outer tube suppressor that uses a replaceable 3D printed polymer stack as its core. Priced at an MSRP of around $300, the 1225 attempts to solve the biggest barriers to rimfire suppression: the upfront cost, and the subsequent servicing/repairs should they be damaged. By making the internal suppression stack a consumable item that can be replaced for free by the manufacturer or printed at home by the owner, James and Shift Zer0 Ballistics hope to change the way end-users look at cheap 3D printed suppressors.

The Spartan-Ronin F/S Dagger is a modern interpretation of the classic Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife, developed by Spartan Blades in collaboration with Tu Lam. The design reflects a focus on practical use, drawing from both historical patterns and contemporary materials.

The gear that actually makes a difference over a career is the stuff that never made it onto any list.

The old saying goes: "Don't bring a knife to a gunfight”. But the Meligun MG-22 is a knife you could actually bring to a gunfight. Meligun, based in the United States, has built something that genuinely blurs the line between blade and firearm. The MG-22 is a fixed-blade knife with a six-shot .22 LR revolver mechanism built directly into the handle.

“Okay, What do I do?” When you can’t nuke the xenomorphs from orbit, it’s time to pull out your M41A Pulse Rifle equipped with the Manticore Ripley Rail. (over/under pump action 30mm grenade launcher sold separately)

Magpul has announced the release of a new color option, Modified Coyote Brown (MCB), across a selection of its existing AR-platform accessories. First shown earlier this year at SHOT Show 2026, the new finish is now available on multiple products through Magpul’s website and retail channels.

Remington’s line of 22LR ammunition hasn’t always had the best reputation in the rimfire world. While the classic Remington Bucket O Bullets is still a staple of many a rimfire plinking sessions, many people swear up and down that the ammunition is majorly flawed in one way or another. Thankfully, I’ve been able to get my hands on what has to be the last of what I think is the end of the old generation of Remington Cyclone 22LR 36 grain Hollow Points. As we’ve discussed in the past, Remington has been under new management, and with that, they’ve reformulated a few of their most popular ammo lines, including 22LR and Cyclone. While I’ve yet to get my hands on some of the new stuff, I thought it’d be fun to take a look at some of this infamously dirt-cheap 22LR plinking ammo and how it performs out of our stock 10/22 test platform.

Zanders Sporting Goods has teamed up with Missouri-based CMMG to release a firearm you won't find anywhere else: an exclusive suppressed .22LR built on CMMG's MK4 platform, finished head-to-toe in a striking multi-bronze anodizing. Suppressed .22LRs happen to be a favorite kind of firearm for me, so hang on while we discover the details.

If you frequent the Rimfire Report, you’ll know that over the last few months, we’ve slowly been working our way through the UK’s ELEY .22LR ammunition catalog. This week, we’re back at it again with ELEY Club .22LR 40gr Round Nose. The ammo, as indicated by its name, is intended to be a “club level” ammunition, meaning that it should produce better consistency, performance, and accuracy downrange - provided the shooter can take advantage of it. So let's crack open a bright Orange sleeve of this fancy rimfire ammo and see what it's capable of, and how it measures up to its claims.

Less familiar than legacy platforms, machine guns from Gestamen Arms take the lead during a recent live-fire training in Hungary. The G224 LMG and G762 MG are both made by Gestamen in Hungary. I’m not entirely sure exactly which model is used here, as they look very similar, but they are all using Magpul drum magazines.

For decades, Henry Repeating Arms has sold the same formula for rimfire rifles: A lever-action .22 LR (or .22 Magnum) that comes with iron sights and traditional styling. You might live in the 21st century, but you can feel and look like someone from a Louis L’Amour novel as you blast away at tin cans. The new Henry H1 Bandit breaks that formula. It’s a lever gun, like most Henry rifles, but it’s made for optics, not irons, and it looks like it’s intended to be the next step up for a learning shooter.

Blk Lbl is a small company out of Canada, born from professionals and avid hunters. The idea was simple: create a high-quality handguard and offer the ability for an integrated premium bipod that stores inside the handguard without creating bulk or adding excessive weight. This may seem near impossible, but upon burning the midnight oil and countless cases of Molson Canadian, the team at Blk Lbl accomplished the seemingly impossible. The Blk Lbl handguard with an integrated bipod was born.

Olight has just announced some new lights set to be released just ahead of the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits (where they hold a booth annually). The company has made some great strides in overall popularity in the US Firearms market, with the Osight being one of the most successful releases from the company in recent memory, and the adoption of their weapon lights becoming a more common sight. For 2026, Olight is announcing an extension to two of their already popular handled flashlight lines, with a new stylish variant of the ArkPro Ultra ultra-slim flashlight/laser combo, as well as an upgraded and cooler-running variant of the highly popular Baton series in the form of the new Baton 4 Pro and Baton Ultra. Full details on both are below.

The tactical nylon market is overrun with chest rigs and chest-mounted kits. Too often, it’s a game of rinse and repeat with little to no innovation. While all chest rigs can trace their roots to the original ChiCom chest rig, it is FullTang Tactical that has turned the page and written a new chapter that will set the direction of modern chest rigs to come. Let’s analyze this change of the guard by going full steam on FullTang.

Welcome back to TFB’s   Small Business Spotlight! In this weekly column, we take a look at small firearm-related businesses. Today’s company is Mountain Man Defense, a manufacturer of AR-15 pattern rifles from Billings, Montana.

Ruger has expanded the 10/22 Carbon Fiber lineup for 2026 with two new models. The 32014 is a standard configuration, while the 32034 brings the Carbon Fiber barrel treatment to the 10/22 Takedown format for the first time.

The world of knives and knife enthusiasts is a niche culture centred on one of the oldest man-made tools. With the advent of AI and smart weapons or the continued progression of projectile firearms, it is the knife that has endured and repudiating replacement. Regardless of how you cut it, the knife is an enduring tool needed by humanity.

TANDEMKROSS and Gunsite Academy are two names I never expected to see together. Gunsite is known worldwide as a serious gunfighting school, not a plinking range. That said, to mark the official launch of the new TKX22 Light Rifle in partnership with Davidson’s, the TANDEMKROSS team, including principal designer Tyler Marcos, brought a small group of us to Gunsite for an unusually relaxed range day with several first-production samples of their very first 100% in-house 10/22-inspired rifle. Here’s my first look at what we experienced with the TKX22 Light Rifle at the legendary Gunsite Academy.