Reviews

Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday, brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the new Victra 20-gauge shotgun suppressor. This week, after much tribulation and waiting on the wheels of bureaucracy, we finally have the Precision Armament TiTrex .30 caliber suppressor in hand! We will take a look at the can and show it side-by-side with some comparable models.

Recently, a US company called Royal Tiger Imports announced that it will start importing AK parts kits… from Ethiopia. That might sound weird to you, but for me, it was like hearing about an old friend that you once lost contact with.

Photo Of The Day: While the B&T GL06 is well-known, there are virtually no images of the new shorter version called GL06 T. This is a shorter version of the 40 x 46 mm grenade launcher system. The original model was designed 20 years ago, hence the name “06”. With the two models side-by-side, you can clearly see it’s a much more compact version.

For as long as I’ve been reading gun magazines, the Ruger 10/22 has been the king of the rimfire scene. Lots of other manufacturers sell a lot of other guns, but any rimfire semi-auto under the $500 mark is invariably compared with the 10/22. The aftermarket supports the 10/22 to an extent that no other rimfire rifle has ever seen. And yet, it wasn’t a foregone conclusion that things would work out like this; the Marlin Model 60 competed alongside the Ruger 10/22 for decades, and still compares well today—as long as you can find one.

ZeroTech Optics has introduced the Vengeance HD 1–10×28 FFP LPVO, a new addition to its Vengeance series aimed at shooters seeking a single optic for both close-range and extended-distance use.

Black Trident has been selected as the winner of the SysPi SpezKr (System Pistol Special Forces) tender, securing a contract to supply holsters and carrying systems to key units within the Bundeswehr. The agreement covers equipment for the Special Forces Command (KSK), Naval Special Forces Command (KSM), and the military police. These units represent some of the most demanding operational environments, placing high requirements on durability, reliability, and functional performance.

Rock River Arms has introduced a new Retro A1 Carbine SBR, a short-barreled rifle built around a classic AR-15 configuration with modern manufacturing. The new model features a 10.5-inch chrome moly barrel with a CAR-length gas system and is chambered in 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington. It is built on the company’s forged LAR-15M lower receiver and paired with an A1-style carry handle upper, maintaining a traditional fixed-sight setup.

Gloves, boots, and the stuff you wear against your skin — where fit and durability matter most and get thought about least.

This article is based on one of the only publicly available reports I could find on U.S. testing of the Soviet PKM. In July 1975, an Army engineering team published an attribute analysis that examined a slate of off-the-shelf 7.62mm machine guns as candidates to replace the troublesome General Electric M219 coaxial weapon. The report, titled Attribute Analysis of the Armor Machine Gun Candidates (ADA018625), was authored by James B. Beeson and Thomas N. Mazza, drew together test data to rate nine weapons across 23 attributes grouped under Technical Performance, Physical Characteristics, and RAM-D (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, Durability). Though this report is about a tank coaxial machine gun, I will focus more on the aspects of the PKM in an infantry role.

Photo Of The Day and we get to see a full-sized Walther PDP Polymer with an AImpoint COA. Apart from some details that have been kept black, it’s all tricked out in white for the IWA 2026 exhibition in Germany. For all I know, this is a one-off perhaps made by Walther’s Meister Manufaktur.

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, I took a look at some of the most common excuses for not 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 want to recap and look at my most positive interaction with a sheriff's deputy, which is honestly one of the best experiences I have ever had. It's been a few years since I’ve written about how to interact with police, so it's time to go over it again! Let's take a closer look at the best way to interact with police.

Revival Defense has launched the   Silencer Resource Center, a free, data-driven compatibility platform for suppressors, muzzle devices, and mounting adapters. The site went live on March 21, 2026, and is open to both dealers and end users at no charge.

Caracal USA has announced a new supply contract with government agencies in The Bahamas for its CMP9K platform, marking continued expansion in the Caribbean region. The CMP9K is a compact 9×19mm semi-automatic platform designed for law enforcement and defense applications. It operates on a blowback system and is intended to deliver consistent reliability with reduced recoil in a lightweight configuration.

At Enforce Tac 2026, Heckler & Koch continued to showcase its Modular Assault Rifle System,  now called the HK433 [MARS], alongside its compact counterpart, the HK433PDW. The HK433 is positioned as a modular 5.56×45 NATO platform intended for military and law enforcement users. It combines design elements from both the G36 and HK416 into a single system, with an emphasis on modularity, reliability, and cross-platform compatibility.

Today, we take some time to catch up with Jeremy Deadman of XTech Tactical. We’re diving deep into the data behind some of his recent successes and failures within the often-volatile firearms industry. We also talk a bit about SHOT Show 2026. The launch of the new LDR™2000 9mm Pistol Magazine Loaders, and of course, XTech's first acquisition: Creature Grips reborn as Thru-Flo Rail Covers. This is a great behind-the-scenes look into how one of the fastest-growing companies in the accessory market is paving its way forward. Please give a warm welcome back to Jeremy Deadman of XTech Tactical.

The modern shooter can be relegated into two primary categories: the professional and sports shooter. There is a bifurcation between the two groupings based on effectiveness in combat vs functionality for competition. The Forward Operating Grip (FOG) by Contour Tactics looks to blur the lines of both with a product that has a place in both worlds.

Today’s Photo of the Day features the B&T Hush Puppy Glock 19, a purpose-built combination of pistol and suppressor designed for specialized use cases. Based on the Glock 19 platform, the system introduces a selectable operating mode that allows the shooter to lock the slide closed, effectively turning the pistol into a single-shot configuration. This reduces mechanical noise and prevents case ejection when required. With the switch disengaged, the pistol returns to standard semi-automatic operation.

For this week’s Wheelgun Wednesday, we’re stepping well outside the realm of practical revolvers and into something closer to functional sculpture. This is also, possibly, one of the most expensive firearms ever shown here on TFB. What you’re looking at is the Korth Panther set, an exceptionally rare pair of revolvers built on the proven Korth Mongoose platform and chambered in .357 Magnum. But beyond the mechanical foundation, these guns are less about shooting and more about artistic expression taken to an extreme.

At Enforce Tac 2026, the Hungarian manufacturer Gestamen Arms showed their G9 HSP, a semi-automatic pistol built around a modular fire-control concept that allows users to switch between different operating systems within the same platform. Chambered in 9×19mm, the G9 HSP’s defining feature is its interchangeable firing mechanism. The pistol can be configured as either striker-fired or hammer-fired by swapping internal components, a process that can be completed quickly and without specialized tools.

Springfield Armory has introduced the XD Mod.4 OSP 9mm, the latest iteration of its long-running striker-fired pistol lineup, with an MSRP of $399. The Mod.4 OSP (Optical Sight Pistol) features a factory-milled slide with a plate-based mounting system designed to accommodate a range of popular red dot optics. Plates are available separately through the company’s store.

Heckler & Koch has introduced a new 50-round drum magazine designed for its 7.62×51 NATO rifle platforms, including the HK417, G27, G28, and MR308 (called MR762 in the U.S.). The system is aimed at professional users requiring extended firepower while maintaining a relatively compact footprint, offering two-and-a-half times the ammunition load in a single magazine.

The new RCBS MatchMaster Precision Trimmer is getting some new accessory options. These will allow the unit to work with a larger variety of cases and to change more quickly between them. Keep reading for all the details.

The VSS Vintorez emerged during the late Cold War as part of a highly specialized Soviet effort to develop a quiet, compact rifle capable of delivering accurate fire without revealing the shooter’s position. Designed in the 1980s at the Central Research Institute of Precision Engineering (TsNIITochMash) in Klimovsk, the weapon was part of a program developed by a small team led by noted Soviet engineer Pyotr Serdyukov and Vladimir Krasnikov to produce a sniper rifle and an assault rifle. The sniper rifle was officially adopted by the Soviet military in 1987 and received the GRAU index 6P29. Initially issued to elite organizations such as the KGB, GRU, and specialized Spetsnaz units, it later entered broader service within the Russian military and security forces.

Today’s Photo of the Day highlights a rare, matched-number commemorative set from Smith & Wesson that pairs the Model 1854 lever-action rifle with the Model 29 revolver, both chambered in .44 Magnum. Limited to just 100 sets, this example is number 059 and stands out with engraving accented by 22-karat gold inlay, completed by Baron Engraving.

Welcome back to TFB's Small Business Spotlight! In this series, we take a look at small firearm-related businesses. Today we have a retail gun shop out of Miami, Florida: Miami Gun Room.

Cole-TAC ever-expanding line of shooting rest bags now includes a new model. The Revolution Bag is a streamlined design with a curved surface perfect for use on fence posts and other common stage props. It is also 100% made in America.

Hornady is getting in on the .400 Legend game. They have a new loading in the American Whitetail line that should be more than a match for any deer in a straight-wall state. Keep reading for all the details.

ZEISS has announced plans to spin off its Hunting & Nature business into a new independent company. The agreement will see German investment firm palero become the sole owner of the new entity. Under the deal, ZEISS will license its brand to the company, allowing the business to continue operating under the ZEISS name within the hunting, nature observation, and birding markets. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, pending regulatory approvals and completion of the spin-off process.

A recent post by Kalashnikov.ru shed light on the work of a young engineering student on a proposed light machine gun design. It was an interesting design recently submitted at the M. T. Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University (ISTU), where the annual exchange between academic training and practical weapons development continues to produce promising concepts. The certification committee was chaired by Sergei Urzhumtsev, Chief Designer of Small Arms at Kalashnikov Concern, and included leading designers from the company. The review reflected the close cooperation between the university and the concern, a partnership that gives senior students the chance to work on real engineering tasks before graduation.

Hunting rifles have evolved drastically over the years, with modern precision machining and materials such as carbon fiber introduced into both the stock and the barrel, and an off-the-shelf rifle can now outperform custom-built actions from a decade ago. Many people with older rifles seek ways to improve their gun without losing the charm of an old school Remington.