Gunsmithing

Welcome back to TFB’s Small Business Spotlight! In this weekly article series, we talk about small firearm-related businesses. Today’s company is Recoil Rider, a manufacturer of concealed carry revolver grips from the Lone Star State.

According to WOOX, the components are engineered with attention to ergonomics and durability. The parts are said to offer precision machining and are intended to provide a premium fit and feel for AK-pattern rifles.

The Russian VSS “Vintorez” has to be one of the coolest and most impossible-to-get guns out there. Pressed into service back in ‘87 when the USSR was on its last leg, VSS’s claim to fame largely lies in its design. The rifle featured an integral suppressor, special rounds built for punching through armor, and a closely related assault rifle variant dubbed the AS Val. Chances are, none of us will ever actually lay hands on a real Vintorez, but that’s where Raiders Arms comes in. “Penny,” the creator of the VSS-22 Chassis System, has whipped up a pretty awesome kit that lets you build your own lookalike version on any regular 10/22—no need to hunt down rare ammo. The kit’s up for pre-order, so in today’s edition of The Rimfire Report, we’ll take a closer look at this neat aftermarket body kit.

Shotgun has always been a discipline I have severely neglected over the years, but recently I have come to the realization that it was something I could no longer ignore. There are a plethora of tactical shotguns on the market from companies like Benelli or Mossberg, but one of the more recent additions has risen to popularity rapidly, the Beretta 1301. With its proprietary BLINK gas system and rugged reliability, it has quickly become a favourite among sporting and tactical enthusiasts alike. I was always a fan of the 1301, regarding it as the best tactical shotgun on the market and preferring it over, sa,y a Benelli M4, however, I have always had some gripes with some of the ergonomics of the platform, so when Mesa Tactical, one of the biggest names in shotgun furniture, offered to send me a 1301 makeover package, I jumped on it.

The Strike X-Logic Warpath compensator has two ports on each side and a single top port. This model also features a pin and weld hole at the bottom to allow increasing the legal barrel length to 16 inches when installed on 14.5-inch barrels. The thread pitch is 1/2x28. The overall length of this muzzle device is 2.06” and it weighs 2.5oz.

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.

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.

A company called TrueAim Sights has developed a pretty interesting handgun aiming system that sort of blends the iron sights with reflex sights. The TrueAim Active Iron Sights consist of a rear iron sight with a built-in green diode and a front iron sight with a built-in light-reflecting element. As soon as the sights and your eye are aligned, you'll see the green light reflected from the front sight; otherwise, the front sight insert will appear white/transparent. The company describes this product as a reflective green dot in an iron sight form factor.

If there is one thing on guns that I love almost as much as matching furniture, it’s matching optics. Too few red dot companies make their own, dedicated backup iron sights meant to work with their red dots. Luckily, much like me, the people over at Meprolight are also pretty fond of a good pair. Right alongside the release of the new Meprolight MPO MPRO-F enclosed red dot and the rest of the MPO lineup, Meprolight also released dedicated backup sights meant to work with the dots. I’ve taken the last few months to test out what it’s like to run a perfect pairing by using the MPO red dot and irons, and today I’ll share my thoughts with you about what it's like to buy and run this type of setup.

GRITR has released a new series of caliber-specific Bore Cleaning Ropes designed for quick barrel maintenance in the field or at the range. The ropes are intended to offer a single-pass cleaning solution for pistols, rifles, and shotguns, and are built around a braided cord with an embedded brass brush and a weighted lead-free tip.

Pretty interesting new aiming concept, isn’t it? I guess it may take some time to get used to it, but if it works as advertised, it can make a difference in a self-defense situation. Let us know in the comments section what you think about the Green Light Sights.

At SHOT Show in January, as I was subconsciously searching for a way to improve my Mossberg 590 Shockwave I ended up at the Mesa Tactical booth. Admittedly what drew my eye first was their accessories for Benelli and Beretta shotguns, but I was quickly drawn to their options for the 590 Shockwave and the Tac-14. Taking the leap I decided it was time to add some flair to my shorty fun shotgun. Enter the Mesa Tactical SureShell carrier and Rail, specifically the 94070. This one boasts a 6 shell capacity as well as an 18 inch top rail to mount lights, optics, or any other accessories. As well as two M-LOK slots, one on each side, for flashlight or a sling attachment. With the rail assembly being made from 6061-T6 aluminum it is as rugged and secure as any other mounting system on the market. 

The FN SCAR is dead! Long live the SCAR! That’s what Kinetic Development Group (KDG) seems to think, as they are now announcing a new FN SCAR–specific brace and stock systems developed in collaboration with Haga Defense and A3 Industries. The components are designed to add modularity and adjustable ergonomics to FN SCAR rifles and pistols.

At different parts of your life as a gun owner you'll eventually run into a situation where you inherit a firearm, whether that be from a relative passing away, a handed down gift from an elder family member, or in the case of this particular Mossberg 500 brought into your collection by your significant other. While I have zero gripes about the tried and true Mossberg 500 platform and its abilities, at times the accessories that people decide are the right fit for them aren't the best out there. Case in point, this shotgun came to me with a telescoping stock and pistol grip from ATI. This is not an ATI hate piece so I will leave my opinions and observations to a before and after based on my changes. To upgrade my new Mossberg I chose the Mesa Tactical LEO Gen 2 Telescoping stock adapter, specifically model 92630.

Kinetic Development Group (KDG) has introduced the MREX15, a compact rail system for the FN SCAR 15P. The company describes the MREX15 as a shortened variant of its MREX MKII rail, intended to improve ergonomics and utility on the SCAR 15P without increasing overall length.

Welcome everyone to the TFB Armorer's Bench! This series focuses on home armorer and gunsmith activities to help you improve your skills and maintain your firearms. Today, we're diving into what's essentially part 3 of my STEN Mk2 build series. If you missed the earlier installments, part 1 covered cleaning Cosmoline with an ultrasonic cleaner, and part 2 tackled converting 20rd STEN magazines back to 32rd. This time, we're getting into the real meat of the build - removing the old receiver tube remnants from a parts kit.

Lever-action rifles ain’t what they used to be. We’ve gone from the days when grandpa’s wood-and-steel Henry/Marlin/Savage was as good as it got. Now we have a lot of competition in the lever rifle scene, and the theme of the year is Space Cowboy, with add-ons and accessories that meld the world of tactical rifles with the Wild West. And that’s where XS Sights comes in with their new forend for the S&W 1854, offering M-LOK slots all around.

XS Sights has launched the Minimalist OR Tritium night sights specifically fit for the HK CC9, designed for co-witnessing in the lower fifth of an RMSc optic window. The front sight features a self-illuminating tritium lamp, while the blacked-out, serrated rear sight reduces glare and keeps the shooter’s focus on the front sight. The rear ledge enables one-handed slide racking for practical use. Built with a Black Nitride finish, these sights offer twice the corrosion resistance of standard black oxide and should make for a great addition to one of the latest offerings in the micro compact 9mm market.

Welcome everyone to the TFB Armorer's Bench! This series focuses on home armorer and gunsmith activities to help you improve your knowledge, enrich your skills, and maintain your firearms. Today, I'm tackling something that caught me off guard when I started building my STEN Mk2 - converting those Indian-modified 20rd magazines back to their original 32rd capacity. When I bought my parts kit and started shopping for magazines, I kept running into these 20rd mags and wondered what the heck was going on. Turns out there's an interesting history behind this conversion, and more importantly, it's completely reversible with basic tools.

Rifle stockmaker Grayboe is reshaping the way that stocks attach to barreled actions. Rather than making each stock in a wide range of inlets, they are making their stocks compatible with a single inner metal chassis. Once a chassis is joined with the receiver it can fit in any compatible stock model rather than requiring an entire new stock.

Geissele has a new trigger unit for AK-pattern firearms. The AK-X with Lightning Bow is a drop-in trigger pack with the Lightning Bow trigger shoe. Keep reading for all the details.

PROOF Research, the company renowned for pioneering aerospace-grade carbon fiber barrels that shave pounds off rifles while boosting accuracy and heat dissipation, has just dropped a game-changer for custom builders and backcountry enthusiasts. The company announced that its Lightweight Hunter Stock and Mountain Tactical Hunter Stock are now hitting the market as standalone components, giving shooters the freedom to integrate these ultra-light carbon fiber masterpieces into their own builds. Previously, these stocks have only been sold together with their high-end rifles.

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we talked about the proper time to carry certain guns. 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 at some of the top items to clean regularly when you're carrying a concealed handgun. Some will be obvious, while others get neglected fairly regularly.

Pure Precision and Manners Composite Stocks have come together to launch the adjustable Pro Hunter P2, which is the first co-branded stock in Manners’ history. This stock combines Manners’ Pro Hunter platform with Pure Precision’s focus on innovation. More details below.

Welcome back to TFB’s Small Business Spotlight! In this weekly article series, we talk about small firearm-related businesses. Today’s company is Precision Target Pistol Grips, a manufacturer of … yep, you guessed it.

As a lifelong pistol shooter who has spent almost two decades shooting Glocks, I’ve always appreciated their reliability but secretly always found their ergonomics—specifically the grip angle—a bit of a sticking point. The factory Glock grip angle, often described as steep, can feel unnatural for shooters accustomed to platforms like the 1911 (which I grew up shooting) or other modern handguns with less aggressive angles. When Kiral Defense reached out and offered to send their Reduced Angle Backstraps for my Glock 48 and Glock 45, I was intrigued but not entirely sold on the idea. Could this add-on accessory truly transform the Glock’s ergonomics without compromising its legendary dependability? Here’s my take after putting these backstraps through their paces.

Welcome back to TFB’s Small Business Spotlight! In this weekly article series, we talk about small firearm-related businesses. In today’s edition, we’ll take a look at Operator Survival Tool (OST), a manufacturer of an AR-15 maintenance/survival tool and other accessories.

XS Sights has released their Minimalist night sights, now tailored for Colt Python revolvers. True to their name, these sights prioritize simplicity and functionality, delivering a clean notch-and-post design for shooters who prefer no-nonsense performance. The front sight sports a tritium insert paired with a photoluminescent glow dot, available in green or orange to match user preference. The rear sight, adjustable for windage, features a serrated, anti-glare blacked-out notch with a wider profile to draw the eye to the front sight for fast, precise alignment.

Reptilia would like you to meet their new Picker, a billet-machined, 7075-T6 aluminum ambidextrous safety designed to feel like a natural extension of your thumb, regardless of your dominant hand. Featuring a smooth 75/90° throw, MIL-SPEC compatibility, and precision anodizing to complement your favorite Reptilia accessories, the Picker ensures intuitive, single-handed operation for both left- and right-handed shooters.

MDT introduces the TIMBR CORE Rifle Stock and the CORE Bottom Metal. The TIMBR CORE blends the classic look of a sporter-style wood stock with a built-in micro aluminum chassis and adjustable length of pull for enhanced precision. The CORE Bottom Metal is designed to complement the TIMBR CORE, offering AICS magazine compatibility for various rifle platforms.