Guns & Gear

by Scott Stipe My first exposure to John Moses Browning’s iconic .45 caliber 1911 pistol was in the 1980’s, during my enlistment in the Arizona Army National Guard. Our unit had a weapons cage with a grumpy old sergeant who allowed us to touch and fire the M1911A1 45’s during …

The Russian mercenary group Wagner is seeking to transit foreign military equipment into Russia via Mali, the U.S. State Department said. The Wagner group is trying to obscure its efforts to buy the equipment for use in Ukraine, according to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. “There are indications that Wagner …

A sniper rifle has proven so effective on the battlefield in Ukraine that it has become highly sought after by soldiers on both sides of the conflict. The Ukrainian military claims the UAR-10 can hit targets 1200 metres away – more than the 800-metre range of the Russian Dragunov or …

by Susan Katz Keating So, my K-Zero is missing. For those of you who are not up to speed on the plate carrier drama, there was an issue previously when I asked my friend Skip to help test the K-19 carrier from Agilite. The plan was to see whether the …

by Friedrich Seiltgen New to the micro compact pistol segment is the FN Reflex, from FN America, the U.S. subsidiary of leading firearms manufacturer FN Herstal. Founded In 1889, Fabrique Nationale was created in order to manufacture 150,000 Mauser model 89 rifles for the Belgian army. A key player in …

The market for inflatable decoy military equipment is on the rise, according to a Czech company that makes fake tanks, guns, and aircraft. After Russia invaded Ukraine last year, production of military decoys has increased more than 100%, according to Vojtech Fresser, who heads Inflatech Decoys. https://twitter.com/TarmoFella/status/1628373216740737024 The company has …

Finland brings a significant collection of materiel to NATO, including one of Europe’s largest artillery contingents. Here are some of Helsinki’s most specialized military hardware. F/A-18 HornetThe Finnish Air Force has 62 of these American-made aircraft in service. The aging jets are set to be replaced with 64 latest-generation F-35s, …

A video clip of a Russian soldier in action has sparked laughter on Twitter, for showing what not to do when throwing a hand grenade. The clip was posted by @clashreport, which did not reveal where the action takes place, nor how it obtained the video. Russian soldiers showing how NOT to throw …

The U.S. Navy this month tested a new drone in the ocean between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. Dubbed by its manufacturer, Aerovel, as “the most advanced Group 2 small tactical unmanned aerial system”, the Flexrotor is no ordinary drone. The Flexrotor boasts some impressive features, according to Aerovel, which …

by Fred A. Ganous, SGM, USA (Ret) At the start of 2020, Glock’s patent had all but run out on their Model 19 Gen 3 versions, and everyone was now after the design to offer their interpretations as part of the “Glock Clone Wars.” Many clones made it to the …