#TFBReview

Being entrenched in the world of firearms like many of us are, we also look to the fringes of our world to see how else we can remain protected, prepared, and armed with tools for self-defense. A big one that many people will search out are body armor plates. For some, it could be simply for the LOLZ among the bros and for LARP-ing (Live Action Role Playing, but not the Dungeons and Dragons kind). For others, it is a piece of their kit meant for duty use. For the more serious folks in the reading audience, we are going to take a look at the Strike Industries Hyperion Armor RF3 Level IV Plates to see how they can serve you for training, duty, and protection. Let’s dive in!

Winchester's been making moves into the optics world with their Supreme Optics line, and I had the opportunity to get some “trigger time” with their W7x24mm laser rangefinder. This is the bigger brother of their two rangefinder offerings, with a claimed 3,000-yard max range and 1,500 yards on game. I got it out to the range for a couple sessions to see what Winchester's rangefinder game looks like. Let's dive right into the Winchester Supreme W7x24mm!

Few guns exude as much 1980s-ness as the Colt Model 635. It was the perfect encapsulation of a timeframe, taking the Vietnam veteran M16 and adapting it for the streets of the cocaine wars. PSA sub-brand Harrington & Richardson has reintroduced the 635 as a pistol with an arm brace, and they sent one to me for review.

1911s run the entire price gamut. Buyers can choose anything from an inexpensive Filipino gun up through a matched pair of Cabot pistols made of meteorite. In recent years, the new family of Turkish 1911s imported by SDS has started to earn a reputation as good values at a moderate price point. Of special note are the Tisas clone pistols like the Raider, which mimic the classic lines of the M45A1 CQBP. New for this year is a version of the Raider with an optics cut and threaded barrel. Join us as we put it through its paces.

Many years ago, I was looking at Amazon for a new EDC gun belt to hold up my pistol. At the time $100 for an EDC belt seemed like all of the money in my checking account, so I was trying to save as much money as I could but still wanted a product that would work as a gunbelt but also looked somewhat normal. As I scrolled through the endless belts from China, I finally found one that looked half decent and was exactly what I was looking for price wise. While the name was a bit strange, the Daltec Force steel core reinforced leather gun belt promised to be what I needed.

What happens when you take a few engineers from Q, a 60-year-old bolt gun design, a few cases of beer, and lock them in a room? You might get something like the Q Fix Rifle. By the way, I'm told this is 100 percent how the Fix was developed. A few months ago, I was able to build my own Fix rifle at Q in New Hampshire and had a blast interacting with all the guys that work there. Today, I bring you my initial impressions on the rifle after 100 rounds through it. I'll also layout how I have the rifle currently set up.

Over the last few years as I have developed as a shooter, and as my range trips have become more organized and scheduled I have found the need to be able to look down range and scope out targets without using a gun mounted optic. Historically for me this solution has been a spotting scope, however after making use of several sets of binoculars during a long range rifle competition last fall I have been in the market for a pair of my own. Comparing the usability of a spotting scope to binoculars it was much easier to spot shots, trace, and impacts with the latter than I had thought it would be, hence my desire for a set of my own. Knowing this, when I was given the opportunity to get my hands on and review a set from a relative newcomer in the optics game I jumped right on board. 

I was typing away on the keyboard of my recently deceased MacBook Pro one morning when a delivery arrived—not particularly unusual for a guy who writes about guns—but nobody had mentioned this one, causing me to be caught off guard. As I head back to my desk, trying to find a weakness in the packaging like a child on Christmas morning, a familiar lime green I’ve come to know over the years began to tease its way out of the box, forcing me to ask myself, “Did Meprolight make a friggin scope?” As I sat back down, admiring the fancy presentation, it became clear that what I had in my hands was a new MVO (Mepro Variable Optic) 3-18x44 FFP (First Focal Plane) M3 with MIL Reticle.

At a certain point in every gun owner's life, they get to the point where their collection has outgrown that corner of their closet or the spot under their bed. There can also be the introduction of children or a significant other that might make you think twice about not locking up your firearms. Aside from the obvious and important reasons to securely store your guns, sometimes they just look better in a nice safe or cabinet. When my girlfriend and I moved in together last spring, secure gun storage was a non-negotiable for her, and I wanted a better way to store my ever-expanding gun collection. I reached out to Hornady and asked if they could send over their, at-the-time brand-new 18 Gun Cabinet, and they happily agreed.

Picture this, you’ve just entered the range, among the myriads of people shooting the various types of firearms on the line, you pull out a big range bag. As you remove what’s inside, already people around you are taking notice. What you take out is so far removed from what everyone else has, but at the same time, is also almost instantly recognizable. That’s the effect the KRISS Vector Gen 3 9mm has. It’s a gun that many not even involved in firearms know about. A firearm that’s been in the public zeitgeist through its plentiful appearances in film, video games, and animation. Even less known about but equally important is its limited use in Special Operations, among still being seen in modern conflicts. With its futuristic appearance, and operating system foreign to the average shooter in America, how does it hold up?

Q LLC, a firearms manufacturer known for its bold "Live Q or Die" ethos, was founded by industry veteran Kevin Brittingham in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. At just 19, he incorporated Advanced Armament Corporation (AAC) in 1997, transforming it into a suppressor powerhouse with rapid growth. In 2009, he sold AAC to Remington Arms for approximately $18 million, but clashing with Remington's leadership led to his ouster in 2011 and a lawsuit that sidelined him until 2014. Briefly serving as president of SIG Sauer's suppressor division, Brittingham departed in 2015 amid frustrations with corporate bureaucracy, reuniting with key alumni from AAC and SIG to establish Q.

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. 

Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday, brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the new Victra-12 shotgun suppressor. This week we have a full review of the BOE Suppression Mod1 silencer. This suppressor has made several appearances in this series already, but it is now time for a standalone review.

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.

The Maven Optics S1.2S-25-50x80 Spotting scope was provided by Maven for this review, and while I am allowed to keep this optic after the conclusion of this review, it will not impact my current or future opinions on the brand and their products. The Maven Optics S1.2S - 25-50x80 has been used extensively over the past 9 months on the range and at a local farm.