In observance of the Memorial Day weekend we will not be distributing any of our services on Monday, May 25. The Outdoor Wire Digital Network will resume our normal distribution schedule on Tuesday, May 26. If you have important news to distribute prior to the holiday weekend, please submit it by 4:00pm Eastern on Thursday, May 21. News arriving later will not make Friday's final editions for the week.

Team Ruger's David Olhasso and James McGinty secured multiple victories at the 2026 Maryland IDPA Championship and PSA Shootout using the Ruger RXM in 9mm Luger. McGinty won first place in the PSA Shootout's Open Auto division, while Olhasso earned first place in the Enhanced Service Pistol division at the Maryland IDPA Championship.

Lauryl Akenhead of Team Ruger won second place overall and Highest Lady at the Spears Mountain Safari NRL Hunter competition in Gladstone, Virginia, competing against 76 shooters with her Ruger American Rifle Gen II in 6.5 Creedmoor.

The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), Firearms Policy Coalition, and Brett Christian secured a court victory in Christian v. James, striking down New York's ban on concealed carry on private property open to the public. The Second Circuit affirmed the permanent injunction while upholding the state's park carry ban.

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Firearms Policy Coalition's Christian v. James lawsuit that New York's ban on firearms at publicly accessible private property without owner consent violates the Second Amendment. FPC, joined by member Brett Christian and the Second Amendment Foundation, challenged the state's carry restrictions.

The Second Amendment Foundation, National Rifle Association, Firearms Policy Coalition, and two private citizens filed a lawsuit challenging Virginia's new assault weapons and large-capacity magazine bans signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger. SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut and founder Alan M. Gottlieb argue the banned firearms are commonly owned and constitutionally protected.

Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), alongside the National Rifle Association and Second Amendment Foundation, filed a federal lawsuit challenging Virginia's ban on semi-automatic firearms and large-capacity magazines. The complaint, McDonald v. Katz, seeks a permanent injunction against enforcement of the bans, arguing they violate Second Amendment protections.

The National Rifle Association filed lawsuits in Virginia state and federal court challenging Governor Abigail Spanberger's assault weapons and magazine bans. NRA-ILA Executive Director John Commerford stated the organization will pursue legal action against legislation (SB749/HB217) that bans semi-automatic firearms and magazines holding more than 15 rounds.

Lancer Systems will exhibit at SOF Week 2026, May 18-21 at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida, showcasing weapon systems, carbon fiber components, magazines, and unreleased products at Booth #227.

Silencer Central announces the 100 Days of Silencer promotion featuring over $4,000 in prizes including a Heckler & Koch VP9A1 X Tactical pistol, BANISH 9 suppressor, and gear from Crossbreed Holsters, WeKnife, and CIVIVI. Registration opens for a 12-hour window on May 18, 2026, with daily prizes through the campaign hosted on PopularSuppressors.com.

WOOX, an Italian-American manufacturer of premium gunstocks, axes, and knives, is expanding its Hickory, North Carolina facility with groundbreaking planned for late 2026. The expansion aims to meet growing customer demand while reviving local woodworking craftsmanship traditions in the region.

UNITY Tactical announced the hire of Mike Silva as vice president of global sales and business development. Silva brings over 10 years of industry experience, including seven years at Team Wendy where he managed U.S. DOD sales and led the NAVAIR HGU-98/P helmet program delivery of over 80,000 helmets for Navy and Marine Corps.

NSSF wrapped its 2026 Marketing & Leadership Summit in Hilton Head, South Carolina, bringing together firearm industry executives and business leaders to discuss AI, workplace culture, consumer trends, and e-commerce. Platinum sponsor 20North Marketing, silver sponsor Shopware, and bronze sponsors including BigCommerce, Listrak, and Payroc supported the event. The 2027 Summit is scheduled for May 11-13, 2027, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

Kinetic Development Group (KDG) announced it has officially joined the Worldwide Buy Group to strengthen dealer relationships and support independent retailers in the firearms and outdoor industries. The company will showcase its product lineup including Kinect quick attach systems, SideLok optic mounts, and Optic Hub ecosystem at the Fall Market in Reno.

EOTECH announced its Officer-Involved Shooting (OIS) Optic Replacement Program, providing immediate temporary replacement optics at no cost to law enforcement agencies whose issued EOTECH optics are removed as evidence following verified OIS incidents. The program preserves training consistency and alleviates emergency replacement costs for departments.

Colt's Manufacturing Company LLC appointed Kristin Marlow as Head of Marketing, bringing over 25 years of marketing leadership experience. Marlow previously served as Chief Marketing Officer at Staccato and Fractional Chief Marketing Officer at CCW Safe, leading brand strategy and digital initiatives across the firearms industry.

The NSSF is funding a lawsuit against Virginia challenging HB 217/SB 749, which bans Modern Sporting Rifles, standard capacity magazines, and commonly owned handguns and shotguns. The complaint, filed by Erick Black, Britton Condon, Clark's Gun Shop, Inc., Optimus Arms, LLC, and Hexmag USA, LLC, argues the law violates the U.S. and Virginia Constitutions.

European American Armory Corp. has begun shipping the Girsan Witness2311 CMXX in .45 ACP to distributors nationwide. The compensated carry model features an 11+1 round capacity, optic-ready slide, and Auto Firing Pin-Block safety, with an MSRP of $1,149.

Nocpix unveiled the MATE ULTRA, a next-generation thermal clip-on featuring a 1280×1024 thermal sensor, 60mm objective lens, and integrated 1,300 yard laser rangefinder. The system seamlessly integrates with traditional daytime optics and is distributed in the United States by iRayUSA in Lewisville, Texas.

FALCO Holsters announces four new OWB hybrid holsters—C915, C915 L, C916, and C916 L—expanding its TalonGuard lineup. The models feature premium Italian leather and Kydex construction with optional light-bearing configurations, priced from $129.95 to $139.95.

Kinetic Development Group announced new rail systems for Grand Power Stribog 10mm and .45 ACP platforms, available in 3.25" and 6" lengths in Black and Flat Dark Earth. Pre-orders begin June 30th with shipments starting by end of July.

Galco has launched the SB40 HD Range Master Holster Belt, a heavy-duty 1 3/4" wide double-thickness leather belt made from premium steerhide. Designed for all-day carry with steel-framed firearms, it features seven adjustment holes and solid brass buckles in tan or black options.

MDT is releasing the CRBN chassis in Rattle Can ODG finish for Remington 700 Short Action and Long Action platforms. The carbon fiber reinforced polymer chassis features a durable matte olive drab finish and accepts AICS-pattern magazines, available May 15, 2026.

Kinsey's, a leading outdoor and shooting sports distributor, is now distributing smokeless powder from Hodgdon Powder Company. The partnership expands Kinsey's reloading category and strengthens support for independent retailers with this trusted, industry-leading brand.

Springfield Armory launched the Echelon Alpha 4.0C 9mm pistol with an MSRP of $599, featuring a modular design with a serialized Central Operating Group chassis and Variable Interface System for direct-mount optics compatibility. The compact 15+1 capacity pistol expands accessibility to the Echelon ecosystem with interchangeable backstraps and Melonite-finished slide.

Blue Force Gear announced the MARCO HR, a patent-pending chemlight deployment system for military and law enforcement. The injection-molded nylon device carries thirty 2-inch chemlights weighing only 9.6 ounces and uses palm-actuated deployment, reducing bulk and weight compared to traditional taped bundles.

Henry Repeating Arms opened pre-orders for the Henry 1860 SUV Eagle, a custom-engraved rifle developed with the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. Proceeds support SUVCW's mission to preserve Civil War veterans' history, with the rifle available for $4,160 at HenryUSA.com.

Derya Arms has officially named its proprietary in-house trigger the "Second Wind Trigger," which comes standard on all DY9 and DY9Z pistols. The trigger features short pre-travel, a solid wall, and a crisp break designed to provide shooters with superior performance straight from the factory.

Canik unveiled the METE MC9 Prime NC, a non-compensated version of its award-winning METE MC9 PRIME concealed carry handgun. The new model maintains the same ergonomics, trigger, and optics-ready capability while featuring a traditional slide and barrel profile for shooters preferring non-ported designs.

Blue Force Gear returns to SOF Week 2026 to showcase innovative tactical equipment including the MARCO HR marking light dispenser, DRYOUT moisture-remediation dry bags, and the BFG Integrated Stealth Harness. CEO Ashley Burnsed emphasizes the company's mission to engineer lighter, smarter equipment that enhances operational capability for modern warfighters.

Beretta Defense Technologies alliance members including Beretta USA, Benelli, Sako, Steiner, and others will exhibit at SOF Week 2026 in Tampa from May 19-21, showcasing firearms, optics, ammunition, and counter-UAS capabilities including the Benelli M4 Advanced Impact Drone Guardian and Beretta 1301 cUAS shotguns.

Regal Products will exhibit at SOF Week 2026 in Tampa, Florida, May 18–21, showcasing its firearm safety and storage solutions in the Human Performance Zone. The company will recruit participants for Phase 2 of its U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs research study evaluating the SecureMe by Regal movement detection system for suicide prevention and firearm safety strategies.

Mission First Tactical will exhibit at SOF Week 2026 from May 18-21 at the Hilton Tampa Downtown, showcasing their latest rifle/carbine accessories, holsters, and tactical gear. The annual conference, jointly sponsored by USSOCOM and the Global SOF Foundation, is expected to draw over 15,000 attendees from the international Special Operations community.

Steiner eOptics will participate in SOF Week 2026 (May 18–21) in Tampa, Florida, showcasing mission-critical binoculars, rifle scopes, lasers/illuminators, and imaging systems. The event, jointly supported by United States Special Operations Command and the Global SOF Foundation, brings together the international Special Operations community for collaboration and capability development.

Last week, the question of “lots of ammo” or “bigger caliber” was reviewed here. Surprisingly, there was some controversy over the piece on social media.

A well-considered response dealt with a single aspect of the piece: “Of course, the gun’s maker or caliber isn’t really all that important. The point is it’s proven itself to the user.”

One area of disagreement: “maker and caliber absolutely matter.” The apparent concern was “… poor engineering, inconsistent manufacturing, inadequate terminal performance, or durability issues.” 

The comment continued explaining the reason that institutions spend time and money in evaluations of guns and ammo pre-adoption is that the handgun “… is a life-support system.”

True. There’s something to the extremes that institutional users go to in adoption of firearms and ammo – and it’s a reason for us to copy them, within limits. 

In a later comment, some problems with an agency’s procurement decisions, based largely on the process used by another agency without examination of the environment in which the guns would most likely be employed, was explained. 

That life support system, used in a constrained environment, by people who required not only extreme precision but more-than-LE-average-speed of employment, was changed to something that didn’t address those issues. 

So much for agency evaluation procedures. 

Still, choosing a near-mil standard sidearm makes sense from the perspective of reliability, durability – and, if you can get it, ease of regular maintenance and repair – makes a lot of sense.

Another issue, let me know if you’re surprised, is that “caliber makes a difference.”

If I’m buying it, yes. If the agency is buying it – with my money – likewise – but only if efficacy isn’t affected. 

The FBI went to lots of time, trouble and effort to “make a silk purse from a sow’s ear.” After toying with larger, harder-to-shoot guns, settling for a “middle ground” (that wasn’t at all bad), their ballistics standards put manufacturers in a place where they just had to make the 9x19mm penetrate, expand and be “barrier blind,” so people could have a gun they could shoot well. 

It’s a remarkable story in engineering and manufacture – even though my concerns center on a round’s ignition reliability, functional reliability and hitting to the sights. That can be accomplished with less expense.

But it’s not that much less and why quibble? If the first three standards are met by ammo that meets the FBI’s standards, choose that ammo.

If you are wrapped around the axle regarding caliber – “a bigger bullet puts down crazed attackers better” – and you really believe that, by all means, carry the bigger caliber. 

But shoot it enough to be good with it. Same if it’s a 9mm, a 380 or anything else. A peripheral hit with any handgun round may do little more than waste time. If it buys you time – he’s surprised to get hit in the hand, for example – that’s fine. If it’s like 1986 in Miami (and one of those was certainly no peripheral hit), it’s not so good. 

As one online commenter noted, the critical aspect is your competence and confidence – which are related. You pick, but be able to back it up with skill.

– Rich Grassi