Customers often ask us what the best long-range rifles are. This is a loaded question since most calibers have a niche they fill or job they do particularly well. In the world of long-range precision, the .338 Lapua has overtaken most of the other calibers in popularity. Despite the lower kinetic energy when compared to the .50 BMG, the .338 currently holds three places in the top 10 longest confirmed sniper kills. It fills the role of an anti-personnel and anti-material round nicely. Civilians and military alike have embraced this cartridge as a young legend, and it is only growing in popularity. However, the .338 Lapua has one distinct disadvantage—it is outlandishly expensive.

Veterans Day, originally called Armistice Day, was a federal holiday meant to be as a remembrance of the soldiers who fought and died in the First World War. Americans celebrated the day on November 11th, this was meant to coincide with the surrender of the Germans which occurred on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month on 1918. In 1953, an Emporia, Kansas man named Alvin King, the owner of a shoe repair shop, had the idea to change Armistice Day to “All” Veteran’s Day.

There are plenty of amazing guns out there. However, have you ever wondered what people are actually buying? It may, or may not, surprise you that not everyone buys a $2,000 fully decked out Knights Armament AR-15. Our most common sellers are usually home defense shotguns, semi automatic .22s, and .380 pistols. I pulled our sales data from the last six months and made an interesting discovery.

I Love the Smell of Bacon in the Morning.

September is National Preparedness Month. Be ready! Have a plan and make an emergency kit. The Shooter’s Log has all the information you need to prepare for disasters. #NatlPrep

It’s not if, it’s when.

With bird season just around the corner, I thought I would take a few minutes to explain the basics of one of my favorite pastimes.

They are light, sleek, accurate, customizable, reliable and powerful. I will never understand why

At the 2014 SHOT Show, SIG SAUER made a strong showing. One innovative idea was a weapons system designed with wounded soldiers in mind. Many veterans choose to defend their homes with similar weapons to the ones they carried on duty, and SIG SAUER, with the help of veterans, came up with an answer for anyone with the use of only one arm—the pistol stabilizing brace (PSB).

At the 2014 SHOT Show Media Day, I got the opportunity to fire a few rounds through Beretta’s ARX-100, the civilian version of the ARX-160 rifle developed for the Italian military. At first glance, I thought it was just another black sporting rifle. However, in true Beretta fashion, they painstakingly included some features that I consider a requirement on modern weapons systems.

It is no secret Rock Island Armory (RIA) carved a reputable name producing reliable and affordable 1911s. Lucky for us, we got the chance to shoot their 22 TCM VZ Midsize at the 2014 SHOT Show Industry Day and we weren’t disappointed.

SHOT Show is always fun. There are vendors from all over the world touting their latest greatest gear. For a gun enthusiast, it’s the high point of the year for sure. However, as thousands of booths start bleeding together and your stack of business cards becomes unmanageable, it’s only the truly innovative ideas that end up sticking out in your mind. For me, the Laser Devices Mk7 Battle Light was one of them.

The Smith & Wesson name is synonymous with quality revolvers, and with good reason. We got a chance to get a close-up look at Smith & Wesson’s booth at the 2014 SHOT Show and were treated with a huge wall of Performance Center eye candy. An unassuming wheel gun caught my eye that could get just about any job done.

Remington stepped onto the SHOT Show floor with gusto touting their new R51 handgun. We anxiously got our hands on the already famous pistol to see if the feel of the gun lived up to the hype. Its smooth lines and tiny size make it perfect for concealed carry, while offering more than adequate firepower in the wisely chosen 9mm Luger caliber. Aside from sharing some looks with the much older Model 51, the new R51 looks akin to a circa 1950’s sci-fi movie prop—but in a good way!

To say high school senior Matti Warren is passionate about hunting and the Second Amendment would be an understatement. At only 12 years old, Matti testified in front of the Texas State Legislature on behalf of legalizing the crossbow for hunting.

This month’s Armed & Fabulous Profile “Leading the Pack” features Diana Award-winning Suzie Brewster. In addition to helping introduce shooting sports to thousands of women through the Washington Women’s Shooting Club, Suzie also serves as Co-Chair of the NRA Women’s Leadership Forum. Watch her inspiring story and check out more Armed & Fabulous profiles on the NRA Women’s Channel at www.nrawomen.tv/armed-and-fabulous.

In “Puppets,” Former U.S. Navy SEAL Dom Raso calls out the anti-gun side for its deceptive tactics.

You know that rifle that’s been sitting in the corner of your closet for decades? Every wonder exactly how much that thing is worth? With the gun market being what it is right now, it may be time to dust off some of those old firearms and see how they perform with a sale tag tied on. The Blue Book of Gun Values is a tool virtually everyone in the industry uses for pricing just about every type of firearm. If you are buying or selling even one gun—you absolutely need this reference.

Meet Smith & Wesson Junior Captain Molly Smith. Molly shares her passions for the Second Amendment, competitive shooting and safe firearm handling.