So far the only U.S. civilian legal semi-automatic version of the venerable M249 Squad Automatic Weapon was from the same company that makes the actual machine gun, FN Herstal. However, we recently learned about another semi-automatic M249, from Utah based Machine Gun [Read More…]
I ran into the owner and designed at IC13, Josh Sprecher while on the show floor. Due to some technical issues, I wasn’t able to get actual photographs of the MOLLE bandoleer that Josh has come up with, and that we covered in earlier TFB articles. However, I was [Read More…]
Kinetic Development Group, known for working on SCAR accessory upgrades, is introducing an RMR mount for their product family of SIDELOK optics mounts. The SIDELOK sets itself apart from other mounts in its class by having the ability to be pressed on and off a [Read More…]
Phalanx Smart Holsters is a Florida based company that has been manufacturing a unique holster that locks a handgun into position via the slide of the handgun, and requires a sort of rocking movement to unlock and unholster the handgun. It also has a thumb locking lever [Read More…]
Sometimes the simplest ideas turn into really good ones. Tactical Application Group (completely unrelated to the gear line) is a very small conglomerate of veterans based in the Las Vegas area that has put forth a product that is designed to make the operation of a [Read More…]
The Ryker FIST Grip is a new take on Picatinny mounted forward grips. Instead of being mounted at the 6 o’clock position like virtually every other forward grip on the market, the RYKER is designed to be mounted at the 3 or 9 o’clock of any firearm that has [Read More…]
Recent media shared on a pro-Azeri Armed Forces group called Polygon Azerbaijan has provided details on an anti-material rifle that has been in development by the Azeri Ministry of Defense Industry since at least 2009. In 2009 the Azerbaijan Minister of Defense [Read More…]
GİRSAN, known better for the Turkish handguns and shotguns that get imported into the United States, has appeared to step foot into the commercial AR15 market. Several online Turkish news organizations (VIDEO7 and KG) have published articles detailing what appears to [Read More…]
If you’re one of those people who think the Thompson submachine gun never should have gone away, then Kahr Arms (Auto Ordnance) has the gun for you. Displayed at their booth at the 2018 SHOT Show is a Thompson different than any of the other semiauto Thompson [Read More…]
At the 2018 SHOT Show, Nightforce brought along their brand new 1-8 power scopes, including the much-anticipated NX8 1-8 power compact carbine optic. Alongside it, the company also debuted the ATACR 1-8×24, a larger, more capable one-to-eight that is better suited [Read More…]
In a surprise announcement at the 2018 SHOT Show, gunmaker Weatherby revealed that they will be leaving the state of California, where they have been based since their founding in 1945. The company’s new home will be Sheridan, Wyoming, the sixth largest city in [Read More…]
A recent visit by the Vietnamese Vice President Ngong Thinh to the MoD’s state arsenal factory Z111 has revealed that the country is currently producing what appears to be a licensed copy of the Russian 12.7x108mm OSV-96 semi-automatic magazine fed anti-material [Read More…]
The Turkish Government has awarded the Turkish companies Sarsılmaz and Canik two contracts resulting from the “Original Indigenous Gun Project” trials. Sarsılmaz received a 110,000 handgun order of the company’s 9x19mm SAR-9, while Canik received a [Read More…]
The independent Turkish small arms company Sarsılmaz has released their first pre-production prototypes of the MPT76 and should soon begin production on their share (10,000 rifles) of the 7.62x51mm NATO MPT76 rifle contract ordered by the Turkish Armed Forces. MKEK [Read More…]
Safety and marksmanship all begin somewhere for many of us. We at TFB believe it is extremely important to give back to the next generation of shooters, hunters, and collectors that will influence our passions long after we are dead and gone. In this episode of TFB TV, we look at a rifle club that [Read More…]
Cabot, most famous for crafting a matching pair of 1911s from a meteorite has released a press release detailing the company’s acquisition and future production of Alchemy Custom Weaponry, a small but specialized handcrafted 1911 manufacturer. Alchemy Custom [Read More…]
At a small and lightly covered ceremony at Springfield Armory National Historic Site in Massachusets location, the U.S. Army officially turned over control of the Colonel Benton Small Arms collection to the National Park Service of the United States. Previously the U.S. [Read More…]
Known by the companies that produce them, Simunitions or UTMs, or by their colloquially gifted name “Blue Guns”, reality-based training firearms for Law Enforcement and Military training exercises have been in constant use for the past several decades. Their high prices and strict [Read More…]
Republic Forge, a Perryton, Texas-based manufacturer of 1911s in various configurations has recently announced that the company has transferred ownership to an undisclosed private equity group. Along with the transfer of ownership, Republic Forge is also moving to the [Read More…]
Hang S. has contributed this post to TFB covering the history of the K2 rifle and various attempts at upgrading it from 2005 until today. This is Hang’s first post for TFB. Failure of XK-8 In 2003, S&T Motiv (previous known as Daewoo Precision) started to [Read More…]
This is a guest post by Richard L., who is reviewing his personal VCOG. It is also Richard L.’s first guest post on TFB. We’ve reported on the VCOG when it first hit the market in 2013, and then again with an in-depth look at SHOT 2014. The Trijicon Variable [Read More…]
Conflict Armament Research has released a report featuring the results of in-person findings of what the so-called Islamic State has been using in the past three years. These findings (40,000 items, 845 small arms) have resulted from personal visits to the frontlines [Read More…]
Ian and Karl of Forgotten Weapons lore have recently announced a two gun competition open to the public, based in Arizona. Desert Brutality will take place in early February is based on the theme that Forgotten Weapons has always been known for, championing historic [Read More…]
A relative newcomer to the field of small arms, Turkish company Satek Arge has recently shown a working prototype of a rotating six-barrel machine gun design with variants in 4 different calibers (7.62x51mm, .50 BMG, 20x102mm, 25x137mm). The company was most [Read More…]
UTS Defense, known for their commercial pump action 12 gauge shotguns in the United States has featured a promotional image on the Turkish website (not the U.S. one though) that shows a 5.56x45mm AR15 derivative titled the UT512 and a 9x19mm version titled UT9S. The [Read More…]
An Armenian social media personality who closely follows the Armenian Military side of the extremely contested eastern border with Azerbaijan recently posted a narrated video on his Facebook page of what appears to be a filmed engagement of Azeri troops in the disputed [Read More…]
al Masdar News has recently shared photographs of so-called Islamic State fighters using belt-fed 12.7x108mm W85 (Chinese derivative of the Soviet DShK) Heavy Machine Guns mounted on commercial motorcycles. The machine guns appear to be using a standard pintle [Read More…]
Since 2007, Iran has attempted numerous indigenous polymer framed, striker fired handgun designs such as a Walter P99 copy known as the M9-02, in addition to a simple attempt at a Glock copy known as the “Raa’d”. However, recent photographs have come [Read More…]
A new remotely controlled weapon system has recently emerged from Syria. The Sham R3 is the third variation of the original Sham series of remotely controlled weapons stations that use a 12.7x108mm DShK Heavy Machine Gun to engage targets from a stationary position. One [Read More…]
A recent promotional video released by the Chinese state television program CCTV highlights developments in the joint venture between North China Industries and Chongqing Jianshe Industry Group to bring to market a Chinese copy of the SCAR. The 5.56x45mm and 7.62x51mm [Read More…]
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