Infantry Marine, based in the Midwest. Specifically interested in small arms history, development, and usage within the MENA region and Central Asia. To that end, I run Silah Report, a website dedicated to analyzing small arms history and news out of MENA and Central Asia.
Please feel free to get in touch with me about something I can add to a post, an error I’ve made, or if you just want to talk guns. I can be reached at miles@tfb.tv
The Marine Corps Times (not associated with the Marines) has highlighted an issue that hasn’t entered the public domain in firearms news as of yet, but has really been smoldering at the surface for many years now. The basic premise of the issue is this: The [Read More…]
In what is sure to top the current craze over making music with firearms, Russia’s IPSC Grand Master Vitaly Kruchin outdoes his own performance of taking musicians to the shooting range, by taking the shooting range to musicians! In this example, he is using .22 LR converted Glocks to engage [Read More…]
William Evans is one of the London Gunmakers and has been around since 1883. Their primary gun room is located in the Mayfair district of London, just down the road from some of the other Gunmakers, such as Holland & Holland and James Purdey & Sons. The company sports an outstanding array of [Read More…]
Recently my local gun shop in Bloomington, IN allowed me to sit in on one of the shop’s new AR build courses being offered. I didn’t build a rifle there myself, just simply watched the course intently and took a large number of notes and photographs of what [Read More…]
With the Taurus Curve review I highlighted a sort of methodology that I consider central to carrying a handgun for self-defense. Namely being that one shouldn’t rely on a single handgun or holster but instead be flexible when it comes to the situation and attire [Read More…]
Earlier on TFB we reported on the South Korean Military’s insistence on picking up every single brass cartridge fired while conducting live fire training. Soon after, we received an Indian reader that emailed us with these photographs showing the brass catching [Read More…]
Osprey Publishing “Weapon” series is an excellent primer for those who want a book on a particular weapon system, but don’t want an overly in-depth version more appropriate for research purposes. The books aren’t intended to make you an expert on [Read More…]
The High Speed Shooting Stabilizer Fang is a neat product that we first reported on some months ago. We got our hands on one to test it in person. The device was pioneered by a fellow named James Renteria, a former Marine himself (aren’t we everywhere?), who [Read More…]
Our first episode with Callum from English Shooting covered the intricacies of the laws and regulations that govern firearm and shotgun ownership in the United Kingdom. But in this episode, we discuss the growing sport of Practical Shooting. Essentially based on Three Gun, or Two Gun in the United [Read More…]
When the Curve first came out, the two general reactions were either, “Wow, what a neat idea, conturing to the curve of a torso or waist”. Or, “Good Initiative, bad judgement”. Whatever camp your opinions fall in, we’ve taken an objective look at the Curve at [Read More…]
TFB TV pairs up with Callum from English Shooting, a British Channel devoted to discussing the shooting sports in the United Kingdom. Callum talks about the differences between a Firearms and Shotgun Certificate, the various options out there when it comes to semi-automatic, pump action shotguns in [Read More…]
We first reported on the Chiappa 9x19mm NATO Kalashnikov Pistol last year on TFB, promising a review. This review will consist of the Chiappa Pistol with both Glock and CZ magazine inserts. Because the firearm has just been imported into the United States, it [Read More…]
An odd product that has appeared on Republic of Korea (ROK) Army K1A and K2 rifles in recent years is this brass catcher. Outside of a few dedicated reloaders in the United States, brass catchers are very seldom used at all anywhere else in the world. However in the ROK [Read More…]
The reserve component of the U.S. Army will begin receiving the XM153 Common Remotely Operated Weapon System (CROWS) this year in bulk issue. Last year ten Army Reserve units received the remotely controlled mounted weapon system, but due to supply and logistical [Read More…]
Slovenian Youtube Channel and training company Polenar Tactical has finally released their “AK Operator Training” instruction series. The series is available shipped on DVD, USB, or can even be streamed on Vimeo when bought from the company’s website [Read More…]
Earlier on TFB we reported that POF had increased their ammunition production in Pakistan three-fold. We speculated that rising security concerns might have been the cause for this but this has turned out to perhaps not be the case at all. This week at IDEX 2017, POF [Read More…]
According to the National Post, the Canadian government will begin supplying elements of the Kurdish Peshmerga in Iraq with small arms and light weapons. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau previously announced Canadian material support for the Peshmerga a year ago, but only [Read More…]
The Feed Ramp is a recently published blog that is essentially trying to replicate The Onion or The Duffel Blog when it comes to the firearms industry. The blog is a light-hearted attempt at poking fun at everything from IDPA, the ATF, to even Pat Macnamara! Some of the [Read More…]
Earlier on TFB we reported on the transition from MILES to DISE within EUCOM. However, it must be noted that the MILES system is still in use, even if sparingly. In fact, during Swift Response ’16, a multi-national airborne training operation, we have seen some of [Read More…]
Images from a joint European/ U.S. lead paratrooper training exercise named Swift Response in June of 2016 have shown that the Rheinmetall Defense Light Laser Module Mk.3 is being used on operations with the British Paratroopers, aka “Paras”. Initially the [Read More…]
The Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES) has been in service with a number of militaries the world over, beginning in the 1980s. MILES has gone through a number of different design iterations over the years, to include making the system more compact and [Read More…]
This guest post and accompanying photographs are contributed by a guest writer, Alton Chiu. Alton currently writes for Small Arms Review, and has done a thorough job of photographing and writing about a Luger that he recently came across through a mutual friend of his. [Read More…]
Springfield Armory Inc, released a semi-automatic civilian legal version of the classic M14 service rifle in 1974 using G.I surplus parts. Since then it has been a popular rifle, occupying practical, competitive, hunting, and historical collecting venues throughout the shooting community. It is [Read More…]
Recent social media activity has indicated at least one Chinese 7.62x39mm Type 74 for sale through the online gun markets of Baghdad. At a casual first glance the light machine gun appears to be an RPK. But upon closer inspection one will notice the oddly shaped carry [Read More…]
At IDEX 2017, FN Herstal introduced several upgrades to the companies Fire Control Unit Mk3, designed to mount to a picatinny rail, and provide a laser range finder/holographic sight and a UBGL launcher. Although the unit is seen mounted on a SCAR 17 with FN’s [Read More…]
Previously on TFB we discussed the Lessons Learned from our WW II Squad Live fire which you can read about here, and watch the original episode here. In this episode of TFB TV we have a round table discussion from the actual participants and several subject matter experts who were present at the [Read More…]
Right on the heels of Iran’s state ammunition factory doubling ammunition output, Pakistani Ordnance Factory (POF) announced a three fold increase in ammunition due to expanding POF’s brass mil. At first glance this could be a strategic measure, amping up [Read More…]
The U.S. Air Force recently posted solicitation for 150 M4 training rifles coming from Olympic Arms, under the name of Cobolt. This is not at all to be confused with the high end competition AR company similarly named Cobalt. It turns out that the Air Force has been [Read More…]
Plinker is an automated target company that is bringing to market a dual target system that can be swung into place and controlled off a electronic device. It works off of a pneumatic operated canister that propels the target frame into and out of place. The system is [Read More…]
BNTI Arms is a Jacksonville, FL based company that is releasing a dedicated 7.62x39mm AR15 to the public called the AR/AK 7.62 BA Beast Optics Ready Rifle. The company has previously focused on .308 Win and 5.56x45mm NATO rifles in the past and this will be the first [Read More…]