Lever-action guns are hot again. Who could have guessed? If you’re looking to go old-school with your next firearm purchase, we have more lever gun options than ever before—even more options than were available back in the 19th century, when these firearms ruled the market.

Photo Of The Day and we go thermal. If you wonder about the rifle, it’s an FX Airgun DRS Tactical, so as we leave the visible (for humans) spectrum, we also leave the world of gunpowder. Why, you may ask? Well, there are a lot of reasons for using air guns, if you have trouble with birds or rats in your barn, for instance, and you don’t want to make holes through the roof with your .17 HMR.

Picture this: You walk into today's gun store and announce you're going to sporterize a 1903 Springfield. The collective gasp would be audible from three counties away. Someone might actually call the police. Yet flip through this 1963 Williams Gun Sight catalog, and you'll see detailed instructions for converting virtually every common military surplus rifle, complete with before-and-after photos that would make modern collectors weep into their coffee.

Last year, I wrote about the RS9 pistol called “Vampir” and its origin story. Since then, I have had a chance to test several prototypes of this handgun and delve deeper into its history.

Rossi has announced a couple new firearms that are a continuation, or rather, an extension of a firearm that they have had for quite some time. Their newest offering is the RS22 Pistol in .22 Long Rifle that you can run with a brace or without depending on what your end-game might be for the platform.

I sat down with Silencer Shop founder Dave Matheny at Neutral Ground Gun Company to look at what buyers are actually picking in 2025. This is not a metering contest. It is a snapshot of real sales, which explains why the list blends proven workhorses with a couple of newer designs. The themes are clear. First-time buyers still love flexible “covers most of my guns” options. Pistol shooters chase strong performance for the money. Rimfire fans reward anything that is easy to clean and impossible to seize. Rifle shooters keep gravitating toward a durable .30-cal can with modern mounting that can live on multiple hosts. Hunters are voting with ounces, which is why a lightweight titanium can sits at the top this year.

In recent years, we’ve seen plenty of attempts to reimagine what a “firearm” can be under American law. Franklin Armory has introduced the Antithesis, a new short-barreled firearm that stands apart from traditional rifle and shotgun classifications. Engineered to fire both single and multiple projectile ammunition, the Antithesis is regulated only under the Gun Control Act—meaning no NFA tax, registry, or long waiting period. Available in several configurations, it brings AR-platform ergonomics to those seeking versatility with minimal legal hurdles - just your standard Form 4473.

A lesser known Soviet machine gun is the 7.62x25 LAD light machine gun. In my previous article, I mentioned that the LAD performed well in tests and was recommended for production for military evaluation. Unfortunately, a significant change occurred just as the LAD was about to enter production for troop testing. In the summer of 1943, during its testing at the proving ground, the Red Army captured new German machine carbines, which would later be known as assault rifles, along with their intermediate ammunition. This led to a rapid shift in focus towards developing a domestic counterpart for the intermediate cartridge and compatible weapons.

Photo Of The Day and we admire Holt Works Photography’s work once again. I had no idea that Federal Standard 20150 Coyote Cerakote could look so good, with its warm orange/brown color. The 338 ARC looks a bit silly as a round, but it sure seems to be accurate and able to give the 300 Blackout a serious match.

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.

It’s probably that time of the year when we’re supposed to upgrade our firearms and optics. Vortex seems to think so, with the launch of the Vortex Defender-CCW and Defender-ST Enclosed Solar Micro Red Dots, said to be engineered for reliability in competition and duty. Their fully enclosed design shields against weather, holster wear, and accidental impacts.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. launched its iconic 10/22® Collector’s Series in September 2014 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the legendary 10/22 rifle. Over the past decade, the series has delighted collectors and enthusiasts with seven limited-edition 10/22 rifles, each offering unique features and collectible appeal. This year, Ruger shakes things up with the eighth edition of the Collector’s Series, expanding beyond its traditional rifle focus to include three distinct firearms: a 10/22 Sporter, a Mark IV 22/45 pistol, and a Super Wrangler revolver.

Beretta USA has launched the 80X Cheetah Tactical Desert, a new color variant of its 80X Cheetah series, following the black model. This .380 caliber pistol integrates the Cheetah's traditional design with modern tactical features for concealed carry use. The 80X Cheetah Tactical Desert is equipped with a ½”-28 threaded barrel for suppressor compatibility, an optic-ready slide, and an adjustable X-treme S trigger system. These features, housed in a compact design, ensure reliable performance, improved control, and faster follow-up shots. The pistol is designed for concealed carry and home defense, combining functionality with a distinct appearance. I’ve never suppressed a .380, probably because I don’t own anything in that caliber, but this Beretta sounds like an interesting project.

It’s been quite a while since we’ve had a check-in with our resident rocket man, Jonathan Wild, the brains behind Wild Arms Research and Development. Johnny has come a long way since his first projects and attempts at making caseless ammunition, before eventually moving on to DIY replica panzerfausts. What once started off as a hobby and morbid curiosity has turned into full-on historical research, FOIA requests, and lots of spent rocket fuel to produce some of the best books and projects I’ve seen in the DIY space. Today, Johnny will catch us up on what he’s been up to since his last project, the M202 FLASH.

You’re on the range and unbagging your brand-new rifle. The air is still, and the sun is high in the sky. You load and make ready. You aim, and with a press of the trigger, let the perfect shot off. The sweet smell of burnt gunpowder and gun oil enters the air, and the action cycles. For a moment, you’re satisfied with your rifle, until you begin to wonder if you made the right choice in optic type. The debate of a red dot and magnifier combo vs an LPVO has been had by many people, and to be honest, I’m not sure if I’m dedicated to one camp either. Let’s talk about some pros and cons, and why you might want to pick one over the other.

Alright, let’s have some fun poking at white AR-15s, those pristine, alabaster rifles that look like they’re ready for a photoshoot at a hipster coffee shop. I mean, who paints their AR-15 white?

Welcome back to another edition of Wheelgun Wednesday where we regale you with all of the peculiarities, oddities, and new happenings surrounding revolvers and their related counterparts. For this week, we are looking at the newly announced Two-Toned, TALO Exclusive wheelguns from Diamondback Firearms via their SDR (self-defense revolver) series. 

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.

Israeli company Smartshooter introduced a new configuration of their SMASH 3000 sight, which has been adapted for use with Heavy Machine Guns such as the M2 Browning. The development comes following Smartshooter’s participation in Project VANAHEIM/FLYTRAP, a UK-US collaborative program to incorporate counter drone systems organically. Smartshooter explain in a press release that:

If you like silencers you likely have heard about the tiny piece of commentary from the “Big Beautiful Bill” that is going to eliminate the $200 NFA Tax Stamp come January 1st, 2026. Well, to motivate shooters to not wait until then, Dead Air Armament has announced a $300 Hush Money promotion to keep you in the buying mood.

Unveiled earlier this year the CZ GL is a lightweight, compact grenade launcher designed to be versatile and reliable. Chambered in the standard NATO low velocity 40×46 grenade, it features an ambidextrous manual safety, a 4-position telescopic stock, polymer pistol grip, and tool-free QD attachment points. It can easily be mounted on Picatinny rail-equipped rifle handguards as an underbarrel grenade launcher.

During my time in Serbia, I had the opportunity to explore the country’s storied legacy of small arms manufacturing, a tradition deeply woven into its national identity. Alongside experiencing Serbia’s diverse cuisine, a major highlight of the trip was visiting Zastava Arms in Kragujevac, the historic first capital and the epicenter of Serbia’s defense industry. I’m especially grateful to Zastava Arms for welcoming us and granting access to examine some of their weapon systems firsthand.

Photo Of The Day: Last year, I was in Suhl, Germany, the hometown of C.G. Haenel. It was closed due to the weekend, but the town has some excellent shooting ranges and a wonderful museum that is well worth visiting. Today, we’re taking a look at Haenel’s Model One.

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.

Drones. One of the most challenging tactical threats to emerge in recent years were unsurprisingly a key element of this year’s DSEI exhibition in London. Dozens of companies were offering their answer to the challenge; electronic warfare systems which could jam drones, lasers which could burn them out of the sky, medium caliber auto cannons which can shoot them down from a mile away and small missiles which can neutralise drone targets a couple of miles away.

Originally unveiled a couple of years ago, TFB had the opportunity to examine the latest versions of Thales’ ACAR last week at DSEI 2025, in London. The ACAR or Australian Combat Assault Rifle is manufactured by the Lithgow Arms, which is a part of Thales Group, at their New South Wales factory.

Trijicon has released a 3.25 MOA Green Dot variant of the RMR Type 2 Adjustable LED reflex sight. The Trijicon RMR (Ruggedized Miniature Reflex) is well known on the market, but until now it hasn’t been available with a green dot of this small size. Manufactured in the USA, the RMR Type 2 is constructed from forged 7075-T6 aluminum to MIL-spec standards. It has been tested in extreme conditions by U.S. Special Operations, law enforcement, and hunters.

While a soft mount may not seem like the most exciting thing in the world, if you've ever gotten behind a .50 (of any description) for more than a couple of rounds then you know where the utility comes in. ISTEC Services have been manufacturing soft mounts for heavy machine guns for several decades and have recently released their product improved Mk2 version. At DSEI 2025, in London, we got a chance to have a look at the Mk2 up close and chat to ISTEC about the improvements made over the earlier versions.

We all want to feed our favorite firearms the best ammo. It’s more reliable, accurate, and just a better overall shooting experience. This is why I compiled a list of the best ammo brands that I’ve used over the years, while target shooting, hunting, and for self-defense.

Photo Of The Day: Developed in collaboration with several experienced IPSC, IDPA, and Steel Challenge shooters, the Schmeisser Dynamic PCC is a competition-ready firearm that comes fully equipped straight out of the box, matching the performance of custom-built PCCs. It features the Schmeisser NoRec Match Compensator, which nearly eliminates barrel movement, and the Schmeisser Lite Handguard for optimal handling and control. The TriggerTech Match Trigger, with its straight design, delivers a crisp break and an ultra-short reset for rapid, precise shots. This trigger is highly recommended, as I use the same.