Steve Foster of Team Ruger won High Overall and first place in the Open division at the Michigan State Rimfire Challenge Championship, competing with a Ruger Mark IV pistol and 10/22 Carbon Fiber rifle across 10 stages. Sturm, Ruger & Company congratulated Foster on his exceptional performance and commitment to rimfire competition.
The NRA National Youth Hunter Education Challenge (YHEC) will return to Bentonville, Arkansas, July 19–26, 2026. Open to youth ages 8–18, this premier event features eight challenging competitions including shooting disciplines and responsibility-based activities conducted under realistic hunting conditions. Organizational sponsors include Arkansas Friends of NRA, Safari Club International, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and corporate partners like Federal, Remington, Henry Repeating Arms, and Bushnell.
The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and the Firearms Policy Coalition filed a petition for Supreme Court review in Calce v. City of New York, challenging New York City's ban on electronic arms. SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut and founder Alan M. Gottlieb argue the prohibition violates the Second Amendment and that residents should have access to non-lethal self-defense options.
Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) filed a petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court challenging New York City's ban on electronic arms like stun guns and tasers. The petition, supported by the Second Amendment Foundation and represented by Cooper & Kirk, PLLC, seeks to clarify that the Second Amendment protects all bearable arms and resolve confusion among lower courts regarding constitutional analysis of such bans.
The Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) planning committee announced additional speakers for the 41st annual event scheduled for September 25-27 in Dallas, including Brandon Herrera, ATF Director Robert Cekada, and ATF Chief Counsel Robert Leider. Co-hosted by the Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, the conference features leading Second Amendment experts and advocates.
SLG2, Inc. will bring its Shoot Like A Girl experience to Cabela's in Hamburg, Pennsylvania on July 11-12, followed by Bass Pro Shops in Harrisburg on July 18-19. The free event features hands-on firearm and archery experiences, product demonstrations, and outdoor education for women, families, and enthusiasts of all skill levels.
NSSF, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched a month-long public education campaign in San Antonio reminding the public about federal penalties for unlawful firearm purchases. The 26-year-old "Don't Lie for the Other Guy" campaign emphasizes that illegal firearm purchases carry up to 15 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) is hiring a Regional Director for western South Dakota and western Nebraska to manage volunteer chapters, organize fundraising events, and oversee grant programs. The remote position requires frequent travel and a bachelor's degree with five years of professional experience.
Zanders announced the addition of Infitac Thermal Pistol Sights to its optics lineup. The Infitac Fast Mini Series includes the FML 19 and FMP 13 models, featuring advanced thermal imaging technology optimized for handgun applications with multiple reticle options and 60 Hz refresh rates.
Vortex Optics has released the Crossfire® II Red Dot lineup, available in red or green, featuring a 2 MOA dot, solar with auto D-TEC technology, and motion activation. The optic is designed for recreational shooters and compatible with AR-style rifles, rimfires, shotguns, and other firearms with Picatinny rails, with pricing starting at $149.99 MAP.
XS Sights launched pre-drilled fiber optic sights for Smith & Wesson J-, K-, and L-Frame revolvers featuring US-sourced technology and interchangeable green or orange fiber optic inserts. The steel sights are made in the USA and backed by a Limited Lifetime Warranty.
Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. announces the release of the Bodyguard 2.0 with an installed Viridian RFX1 green dot reflex optic. The .380 Auto micro-pistol features enhanced ergonomic design, weighs twelve ounces, and ships with tritium-insert front sight and Viridian's INSTANT-ON technology for rapid target acquisition.
Beretta USA launched a limited-edition America's 250th Anniversary Collection of commemorative baseball hats celebrating all 50 states' outdoor heritage. A portion of proceeds from each hat sold benefits Folds of Honor, providing educational scholarships to families of fallen or disabled service members and first responders.
XS Sights has launched R3D 2.0 night sights for Palmetto State Armory's Dagger Micro Pistol, featuring dual tritium illumination with a Glow Dot ring available in green or orange. The sights are priced at $128.12 and backed by a Limited Lifetime Warranty plus 12-year illumination warranty.
Wilson Combat introduces the America 250th Limited Edition 1911 Series, commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence. The first 25 pistols feature hand engraving by master engraver Wayne D'Angelo, with subsequent models using precision laser engraving. Orders remain open through December 31, 2026.
WOOX, an Italian-American gunstock manufacturer, announces the Elegante Hybrid bolt action rifle stock designed for hunters seeking precision without sacrificing traditional handling. Crafted from hand-selected Claro American walnut with an integrated aluminum mini-chassis, the stock weighs 35 ounces and is priced from $549 to $879.
Auto-Ordnance and Koted Arms unveiled the "Land of the Free" 1911, a commemorative stainless steel pistol honoring the United States' 250th anniversary. The custom firearm features patriotic engravings, a two-tone finish, and is chambered in .45 ACP with an MSRP of $1,793.
Tamarack Armory in Meadville, PA is highlighted as a new C&H Precision dealer. The store offers retail, gunsmithing, and restoration services with over 60 years of combined industry experience, providing C&H optics, plates, and firearm refurbishment.
Beretta will return to the 2026 SASP and SCTP Nationals at Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio, July 11–18, featuring expanded product demonstrations, early access previews of new models, and full event support. The company will showcase APX A1, 90 series, and 80X Cheetah pistols at SASP and latest shotgun innovations at SCTP, with on-site gunsmithing services available.
Pursuit Media announced a renewed 5-year distribution agreement with DIRECTV, extending their 18-year partnership. The enhanced deal makes Pursuit Channel content available in full HD across DIRECTV Satellite, DIRECTV Stream, U-Verse, and MyFree by DIRECTV, reaching millions of subscribers.
Ca. 1978, just post-academy - a Smith & Wesson M66-1 holster gun and the newly acquired S&W M60 for backup. Still wearing its hammer spur, it was a constant companion for many years, supplemented by newer guns of similar format.
From a training class I attended many years ago, some notes:
“Don't put your mindset in the locker when you go off-duty. See Arlene Beckles, NYPD - beauty shop shooting: in her case, awareness was the key. She "knew" something was wrong before the robbers came in.”
(Know this --)
“1. It will happen to me
“2. I will have a plan (she did)”
I don’t know anything about the case other than what I see in the news – that means the information is incomplete, it’s not likely what appears in the offense/arrest reports and narratives.
State of the art off-duty wear, 1978-1980 - the S&W M60, with Tyler T-Grip, de-horned hammer and the Bucheimer suede IWB (worn "appendix" style, thank you).
That said, it’s an “anything can happen at any time” reminder and it goes for more than “plainclothes/off-duty officer survival” (PCODO); with the proliferation of lawfully armed citizens these days, it’s a good lesson for all.
My typical 38 Special load - this a later issue of the old FBI load I carried in the late 1970s-early 1980s.
From a news report of the incident, well after the 1994 event, NYPD officer Arlene Beckles had a shootout with three armed robbery suspects in a hair salon – while she was off-duty and, apparently, a customer of the establishment.
According to a news report on how officer Beckles ended her career, “Beckles was off-duty and getting her hair done when three gunmen burst into the Salon la Mode in downtown Brooklyn. She pulled out her pistol and shot the three would-be robbers, one fatally.”
Understanding that the typical off-duty artillery of the era was a five- or six-shot, small frame, 38 revolver, that’s pretty fair shooting.
Years later, in Bedford-Stuyvesant, NYPD Member of Service Feris Jones was off-duty, in a hair salon as a customer. An armed robbery suspect entered the establishment with a “44,” and ordered the patrons to turn over their money. He also sought to herd them into a back room – expanding the crime scene and quite possibly to execute witnesses. Jones drew her gun, announced her office and ordered him to desist. He shot at her and she engaged him with five-rounds.
A round hit his hand, forcing him to lose his gun. Another round wrecked the door – shot the handle off – preventing his use of the door to escape.
The fifty-year-old officer, a 20-year vet, had never fired a weapon in the line of duty. The distance involved was around 12 feet.
The offender recovered his gun, kicked a window out and left the scene. He was later apprehended.
Blurring the line between capacity-challenged 38 snubs for back-up/off-duty use, the newer micro-9s have challenges of their own.
It may seem to be coincidence, but there seems to be a pattern of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
In the first case, Beckles, aged 30, was sitting under a hair dryer when three armed robbers entered the salon in Brooklyn. She drew on them and fired, killing one and wounding two others.
She ran out of ammunition.
One of the injured suspects put his gun to Officer Beckles’ head and pulled the trigger. According to corporate media, his gun “jammed.” He tried again, but his desire to murder exceeded his understanding of the firearm’s operating system.
She “survived.” She was promoted to detective, feted by President Clinton and Mayor Giuliani “officiated at her wedding.”
All’s well, right?
Part of preparation is knowing your gear - above - as well as working out of your comfort zone, as shown below, working the Scrambler at Gunsite with the Ruger LCR 38 Spec.
Well, no. According to later news accounts, things went badly for her. A suspension for sick leave abuse. She attempted to get a medical retirement, but the officials found her “fit.” According to a story in the NY Post, “Her anger bubbled over by 1997, and she was checked into the psychiatric ward at St. Vincents Hospital after telling an NYPD shrink “she felt like killing someone in health services . . . [and] would blow the place up.””
She was forced to retire.
In this enlightened age, we’d likely be looking at a service-connected disability; if you go from a hair-do to a gunfight in which you run out of ammo, to a murder attempt – and then have everyone say you’re a hero, that’s got to mess with your head.
So – what are the lessons?
First, avoidance is top of the list of priorities. Failing that, evasion and escape. If you can get out of this nightmare, do it.
Next, have your plan in place in case things go south. Are you armed? If so, with what? The little “pocket-rocket 380s and tiny snub 38s” may not be the best choice for a primary defense gun.
That said, there are non-permissive environments, the necessity to retain employment in service to prohibitionists who don’t recognize armed self-defense as a natural right, and times where you won’t be able to exercise control over a firearm.
It’s a balancing act.
I’ve carried backup guns regularly since 1978. The first gun that goes on when I start the day is the last chance to get me home at the end of the day. Like checking the chamber of the auto pistol first (it’s the most critical round) and then checking that the magazine is loaded, the handgun gets prepared first. If your day includes a rifle, feel free to sort it out then.
The typical snub revolver I carry gets checked and donned first. Then I sort out the holster gun – and spare magazine.
Am I likely to need those guns?
No. If I thought I was, I’d bunker down and be loading the rifle to prepare for battle.
It’s not about what I expect; it’s about what happens when I am least ready. Knowing that it’s coming – and learning from the experience of Officers Beckles and Jones – puts me in a better place. We just don’t plan for the gunfight.
