Other Gear & Gadgets

The Strike A2 Blast Shield is one of the newest clever add-ons for AR-15s or M4s, this time specifically for rifles sporting the classic A2 birdcage muzzle device. Built to tame the concussive muzzle blast that can make range time less fun, especially in tight spaces, it’s a quick, tool-free upgrade that draws on Strike’s experience with their Oppressor series, which we’ve featured on the blog previously. Perfect for training, competing, or for anyone with an A2-equipped rifle, including 9mm PCCs, it’s a budget-friendly way to cut noise without a suppressor. Strike Industries was kind enough to send along a copy for us to check out, and after testing it thoroughly, here’s how the A2 Blast Shield stacks up.

There are many different types of steel targets; understanding which one is best for you will prevent you from wasting money on an expensive target you don’t use.

Shooting gloves are an almost essential piece of range kit if you’re going to be setting up your own steel targets, or working in and around barriers in a dynamic shooting environment. Although most people typically have one type of shooting glove they prefer to always shoot with, I’ve had the opportunity over the years to try out a lot of different styles and types of shooting gloves and today I’d like to share a handful of what I consider to be the best gun gloves currently on offer in 2025.

At NRAAM 2025, BallisticAviation (Luke C.) joins Conor Donahue of ACE Virtual Shooting and Phil Strader of SIG at the SIG Sauer booth to check out the revolutionary Meta Quest-based VR firearms training platform. ACE combines cutting-edge virtual reality with SIG Sauer-licensed P320 X-Five Legion and P365 X-Macro Comp handgun replicas (as well as many other handgun models), priced at $199, offering realistic weight, balance, and trigger feel.

Luke C. ( BallisticAviation⁩) stopped by the MDT booth at NRAAM 2025 to check out some of their latest long-range shooting accessories, including the CRUSH IT Stage Timer and the Send IT GEN2 scope level.

Magpul showed off several new products at the NRA Annual Meetings last weekend in Atlanta, including a hooded front sight version of the MBUS Pro. Instead of the familiar winged design, this variant adds a protective cover around the front sight post.

Magpul has added a new tactical glove to its lineup - the Breach Glove 2.0, designed for better protection and fire resistance. It uses D30 knuckle protectors that meet motorcycle and industrial safety standards, and incorporates fire-resistant Nomex material.

Photo Of The Day and we get a detailed look of the French Kastinger brass catcher, which is engineered to provide a constant, unobstructed view of the ejection chamber while capturing all of the spent casings as you work your way through the magazine.

The new and patent pending SOL (Sight On Laser) was developed to address rail space limitations when integrating backup sights with Laser Illuminators or Laser Aiming Modules (LAMs). It is purpose-built to mount directly to the EOTech OGL. The OGL is a prime candidate for the application, thanks to its robust aluminum chassis and four T10 Torx head screws that secure the lens covers. These fasteners provide a stable and reliable mounting point for a backup front sight.

Every gun enthusiast likely has their own vision of the perfect "gun room." For me, it’s always been about recreating the feel of a true armory, which is why I’m thrilled to welcome today’s guest, Tom Kubiniec from SecurIt Tactical. SecurIt goes beyond basic gun storage, offering innovative organization solutions for everyone from your weekend warrior to full-time gun shop owners and armorers as well. With a military background and experience designing armories for various units in the U.S. Military, SecurIt delivers everything from traditional gun safes to cutting-edge, lightweight, quick-access options that are simple to set up, highly secure, and ready when you need them most. Today, Tom will highlight some of the standout features of SecurIt’s product line and shed light on some of the ways he’s helping to improve the industry as a whole through education, modern manufacturing techniques, and smart security features that don’t hinder authorized access.

Ventum Gear is bringing German precision to tactical EDC with their latest lineup of fanny packs, pouches, and soft goods, unveiled at IWA 2025. The updated Burrito® Pouch offers a laser-cut MOLLE panel, concealed back pocket, and fully velour-lined interior for custom loadouts. Also debuting is the Tacpull® zipper pull system for easier gear access and the Operator Watch Band®, built for rugged smartwatch use. Ventum Gear continues to deliver functional, modular, and durable gear for both tactical professionals and EDC enthusiasts.

At events like IDEX, we often focus on the new, shiny firearms that governments are considering, while the essential non-shooting equipment tends to get overlooked. One critical aspect many ignore is tracking the number of rounds fired from a weapon. Keeping an accurate round count of a firearm is vital for several reasons, especially concerning performance, maintenance, and overall service life. Each gun has a defined lifespan corresponding to the number of rounds it can fire before it wears out. Armorers and maintainers can better understand their weapon's condition and anticipate any required maintenance by maintaining a precise record of how many rounds have been fired.

At IWA 2025, German company Corelock introduced the DH24 tactical rifle sling, designed to improve accuracy and weapon control in dynamic shooting situations. This sling functions like a vertical foregrip, allowing the shooter to lock the rifle into their shoulder using the support arm, increasing stability and reducing muzzle rise by up to 70%.

If you’ve ever had a messy pile of guns or been envious of those expensive gun displays you see around the web or on TV, then there might be an alternative option for some of you more self-starting types out there: 3D Printing. Today, for the podcast, I’ve brought on my good friend “Hammy” to talk about his online and on-demand 3D printing store, Hammy3DPrints. Hammy has turned his once-upon-a-time hobby into a full-fledged business with thousands of parts and custom designs to tackle everyday organizational tasks like storing magazines, displaying guns in stores or at gun shows, and even some more on-the-range products like kill flashes and light covers. Today, Hammy will talk us through his thought processes on his 3D printing business and methodology, as well as his reaction to his first time at SHOT Show in Las Vegas. Please give Hammy a warm welcome to the program!

This week for TFB’s Behind the Gun Podcast I’ve brought back on backcountry hunting legend and owner of Spartan Precision Equipment - Mr. Rob Gearing. Last time Rob and I talked about Spartan Precision Equipment’s forward-thinking, modular, and flexible bipods and tripods. This week I’ve brought Rob back on not just to talk bipods, but also to talk about one of his major passions - backcountry hunting. Backcountry hunting has been a topic I’ve been very interested in for a long time, I just never quite had the opportunity, training, or the time to engage in myself. Rob, on the other hand, has had decades of experience hunting across the globe in all sorts of environments and today he’s going to share some of his experience and wisdom with us in the hopes that more will take interest in the sport.

I’ve had the opportunity to try out the new Vectronix Vector X, from Vectronix Shooting Solutions (VECSS). This is a premium laser rangefinder binocular, available in a variety of magnifications and configurations, with an ecosystem of gadgets and ballistics applications to predict and improve the chances of hitting at long range. It’s really nice to see a focus on the civilian consumer market segment, and this kind of product is highly welcome.

KommandoStore has taken the wraps off new-production tactical web gear that’s based on an old special-forces design—and to help with production, they’ve teamed up with the veteran long-range patroller who built the first examples. The Niemoller Rig is a relic of old conflicts fought by the South African military, but the principles behind its design still apply to people looking for practical, rugged tactical gear today.

Pearson Industries is a knife brand known for unconventional designs and tongue-in-cheek marketing. Now the company is bringing the same out-of-the-box thinking to the world of firearm accessories with the AccuDog Group Reducer.

In this video, James Reeves is giving you an exclusive look at the 5.11 Stache Sneaker—designed with James' input to deliver everyday performance. From the hidden stash pocket to the Vibram outsole, this sneaker is made for those who demand function without sacrificing style. Here’s why it’s the ultimate crossover between EDC, travelwear, and streetwear. Also, Subscribestar, Patreon, and Playeur supporters get 10% off - code provided at the respective sites.

Are you an avid cigar smoker and a firearms aficionado? Well, then a company called Stogie Mag has the perfect accessory for you – a rifle magazine-shaped humidor! Not only it’s shaped like a magazine but also constructed and functions like one (the cigars are loaded and unloaded like cartridges). The Stogie Mag humidor can hold six cigars with dimensions of up to 5.25x50. The humidifier pack is located inside the follower and the Stogie Mag comes with a sealing top cover.

Hornady is all about getting you on target, whether it’s selling you factory-loaded ammo, or the components and equipment to load your own—and instructions to help you do so. But if you’re shooting at long ranges, how do you know if you’ve actually hit the target, especially if you don’t have a spotter to help? They’ve got a solution for that problem too. Enter the Hornady HIT Target Impact Indicator!

Franklin Armory has released a new AR binary trigger called AR-ELITE. The main difference of the new trigger from other Franklin Armory binary triggers for AR-style rifles is that it has interchangeable trigger bows and comes with a straight and curved bow. The new AR-ELITE trigger has the same MSRP as the fixed bow binary trigger models (AR-S1 and AR-C1) and will replace them in the company’s catalog.

A gun really isn’t all that helpful in your daily life if you don’t have a good holster, and a good gun belt to hold it all on. Ever since the invention of the handgun, holsters and belts have played an important role in helping their users efficiently carry their firearms, and allow them to have near-instant access to them should the need arise.

Sebastian Unger is a good friend of mine and one I’ve had the rare opportunity to meet in person to talk about some of his designs - most notably the OpenTop 11/22. Sebastian recently came to me with yet another project he’s recently started working on. In a move that would make even the most seasoned gunsmiths shake their heads in bewilderment, our favorite Austrian man, tired of receiving his shotgun's punishing recoil, has decided enough is enough. Rather than suffer one more bruised shoulder, Sebastian has taken matters into his own hands and engineered a recoil-reducing stock that promises to tame even the most brutal of slug loads. Because when life gives you recoil, you build a better stock right?

In the world of guns and gear, we often talk about the latest and greatest when it comes to the newest gun products but we talk little about protecting our guns when there are some very clever ways of adding layers of security to your firearms when you’re not around. For the last 6 months or so I have been trying out and testing the Simtek StealthALERT motion detector in my gun safe and after some time with the sensor, I can confidently say I have enough info to bring you guys my thoughts. Let’s take a closer look at the Simtek StealthALERT System.

Luke (  @BallisticAviation  ) is back at GunCon 2024 to talk with Stephen from Kinetic Development Group about their cutting-edge QD and M-LOK rail systems for virtually every firearm accessory out there. The KDG series of rails are compatible with most of the SCAR series of rifles and completely eliminate the Picatinny sections at the 3, 6, and 9 o'clock positions and replace them with a smooth and uniform mounting surface. KDG also produces return-to-zero QD optic mounts, and QD M-LOK mounts for other accessories like flashlights, bipods, grips, and even GoPro action cameras.

Kopfjäger introduces a new tripod shooting mount called the Mag Series. According to Kopfjäger, attaching the Mag Series to your firearm is easy, thanks to its user-friendly design. Just place the steel ball of the mount onto the magnetic adapter to secure the Kopfjäger Mag. When you need to detach your firearm, simply tilt it to the left or right.

This is a review of the KST1000 Shot Timer by Kestrel Ballistics. When Kestrel is mentioned as a company, most people think of their weather and wind meters. Rightly so (and we’re going to review one of those soon enough), but they also make an excellent shot timer that is designed and made in the USA.

Garmin’s Xero C1 chronograph is the hottest chrono on the market, but Annex Defense is making it even better. The new rubber protective case adds an additional layer of insurance around these $600 pocket chronographs. Let’s look at the available models.

Good evening everyone and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the brand new YHM 338 Bad Larry Suppressor. Today’s episode is a continuation of our basic knowledge series that pulls back the curtain on sound science for suppressor lovers and the physical properties of making gunshots quieter. Let’s take a look.