ZeroTech Optics honored Pine City Outdoors of Jackson, Alabama as its 2026 Sports Inc. Dealer of the Year at an event in Nashville. Owner Shane Sturdivant's retailer was recognized for product knowledge, customer presentation, and partnership strength, receiving a custom limited-edition ZeroTech Optics timepiece by Stirling Timepieces.
Morris Swarts of Professional Marketing Inc. received ZeroTech Optics' 2026 Sports Inc. Rep of the Year award for his 30+ years in the shooting sports industry and dedication to dealer relationships. The recognition was presented at ZeroTech's Dealer Appreciation Party in Nashville, where Pine City Outdoors of Jackson, Alabama was also honored as Dealer of the Year.
Team Beretta athlete Cameron Templin won the Limited Optics division at the 2026 North Texas Open held September 4-6 at Extreme Tactics and Training Solutions in Waxahachie, Texas, competing with the Beretta 92X Performance. The victory continues Templin's standout 2026 season on the USPSA competition circuit.
Meprolight USA will compete at The Tactical Games in Moyock, North Carolina on September 26–27, with elite athletes Callerina Woodard and Korey Bromery competing alongside Marketing Manager Jordan Stein. The company will showcase its MVO 1-8X28, MVO 3-18X44, and MPO PRO F optics while offering event-exclusive discounts and a free suppressor promotion.
The Firearms Policy Coalition thanked numerous individuals and organizations that filed amicus briefs supporting its Viramontes v. Cook County case before the U.S. Supreme Court, which challenges the constitutionality of "assault weapon" bans nationwide. The briefs argue that semiautomatic rifles are protected by the Second Amendment and are in common use for lawful purposes including self-defense, hunting, and target shooting.
The Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) secured a major Second Amendment victory when the United States District Court for the District of Delaware ruled that the state's bans on possessing and self-manufacturing unserialized firearms are unconstitutional. The court held that unserialized firearms and firearm frames and receivers are protected "Arms" under the Second Amendment, and that Delaware failed to justify its bans under historical firearm regulations.
Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) filed an amicus brief in United States v. Squire urging the Fifth Circuit to reverse Curtis Squire's conviction, arguing Congress cannot use the Commerce Clause to criminalize local firearm possession merely because a gun crossed state lines. FPC President Brandon Combs stated the federal government cannot use the Commerce Clause as a backdoor to powers the Constitution never granted it.
Firearms Policy Coalition filed a reply brief with the Fifth Circuit in Ziegenfuss v. Martin challenging three Texas laws that criminalize firearm carry at racetracks, alcohol-revenue businesses, and sporting events. Everytown for Gun Safety, the Houston Astros, and other organizations defended the bans, while Texas DPS Director Freeman Martin agreed they are unconstitutional but argued for dismissal on jurisdictional grounds.
Dana Loesch and Patrick "Tate" Adamiak have been added to the 41st annual Gun Rights Policy Conference agenda, co-hosted by the Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, scheduled for September 25-27 in Dallas.
TriStar Arms celebrates its 30th anniversary as a leading firearms manufacturer. Under CEO Gus Bader and President Ryan Bader, the company has expanded sales twentyfold and grown its workforce fivefold while maintaining its commitment to quality, reliability, and affordability for hunters and recreational shooters.
Remington Ammunition expands its Core-Lokt rifle ammunition line with a new 300 HAMR 130-grain load, now shipping to dealers nationwide. The offering brings the proven performance of Core-Lokt's controlled expansion design to modern AR-15 platforms with reduced recoil compared to .308 ammunition.
The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund announced nationwide candidate grades and endorsements for federal, state, and local races based on Second Amendment voting records and questionnaire responses. The NRA-PVF is launching a fall get-out-the-vote program including the Gun Bus Battleground Tour across 13 states, orange endorsement cards, and grassroots activism to mobilize gun owners before Election Day.
Walk the Talk America released a Suicide Prevention Month Resource Guide for September, offering gun owners, families, retailers, ranges, instructors and clinicians practical tools including the Guns AND Mental Health Survey, mental health screenings, the WTTA Mental Health Plan, responsible firearm storage guidance, and an updated WTTA Toolkit.
Walk the Talk America leaders Mike Sodini and Kevin Berry participated in a webinar hosted by the Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative discussing firearm suicide prevention, stigma reduction, and community engagement. The panel also featured Emmy Betz, MD, MPH, and Chris Knoepke, PhD, exploring collaboration and prevention strategies within firearm-owning communities.
Celerant Technology partnered with SIG SAUER to integrate a dealer locator on SIG SAUER's website, connecting over 1 million monthly shoppers with local dealers carrying available inventory. The integration helps dealers convert online interest into in-store sales while providing inventory insights to reduce missed opportunities.
Real Avid announces professional-grade firearm maintenance tools designed for suppressor installation and upkeep, including the Master Gun Vise, Smart-Jaws Tube-Fit, and Accu-Grip Steel Picks to address growing suppressor ownership across the country.
Iron Valley Supply is releasing a Colt 1911 Classic commemorative pistol dedicated to the 25th anniversary of September 11th, 2001. The firearm features engravings of the Twin Towers, 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Statue of Liberty, and the four hijacked flight numbers, with grips engraved with World Trade Center exterior design.
KRISS USA announced the release of the Ironwood Delta, a new CERAKOTE® camo finish for the Vector Gen 3 platform, available exclusively through RSR Group. The finish features black lines cutting through rust-brown, forest green, and sage tones, extending across the Carbine, Pistol, and Short-Barreled Rifle models.
Buck Knives, Inc. announces the launch of the new 110 & 112 Crossbar Elite, combining classic design with modern crossbar locking mechanism, MagnaCut steel, and premium materials. The knives feature ambidextrous operation and are USA-made in Post Falls, Idaho, available September 15, 2026.
ALPS OutdoorZ introduces the DU Heritage 20, a carry-on compliant daypack designed for hunters and travelers. The pack features a padded laptop sleeve, U-shaped zipper main compartment, and fleece-lined pockets, available in Olive Green for $99.99.
Galco’s Pocket Protector Holster is now available for the S&W Bodyguard 2.0 with or without carry optic. Galco's pocket holsters greatly minimize shifting of the handgun in the pocket, allowing for a fast and sure grip acquisition when drawing. They conceal the shape of the handgun so its outline doesn’t print through the pocket.
Liberty Ammunition's Pro Series ammunition is now available at the Constellis Training Center Pro Shop in Moyock, NC. Developed for law enforcement and federal agencies, the patented Pro Series offers increased stopping power, reduced weight, and prevents over-penetration, according to CEO Gary Ramey.
WOOX, an Italian-American maker of premium outdoor gear, announces the WOOX Bolt-Action Leather Cartridge Quiver, handcrafted in Naples from Tuscan leather. The quiver holds five cartridges and fits most rifle stocks, featuring suede lining and an adjustable leather lace system, priced at $149.
DeSantis Gunhide announces its full range of hunting holsters and accessories, including the Dual Angle Hunter, Outdraw Chest Rig, Black Mamba, Predator II Bandoleer Rig, and Wild Hog models. These durable leather and nylon holsters are designed for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts, offering secure carry options and quick firearm access.
Magnum Research, Inc. announced an exclusive custom Desert Eagle .50 AE pistol produced for Chattanooga Shooting Supplies, featuring a Cerakote NRA Blue frame, brushed stainless steel barrel with integral muzzle brake, and Picatinny rail. The U.S.-manufactured pistol retails for $2,186 and ships with one 7-round magazine.
BlackPoint Tactical, a High Speed Gear Products Group brand, announced the ARC-LOCK TASER Holster designed for TASER 7 and TASER 10 energy weapons. The professional-duty holster features two retention levels and BlackPoint Tactical's Master Grip Concept for fast, intuitive access. The product has been recognized by the National Tactical Officers Association's Member Tested and Recommended Program.
Zanders, a national firearms distributor based in Sparta, Illinois, has partnered with CZ and Dan Wesson for a limited-time MTP Holiday promotion offering special pricing on select products for dealers. The promotion, available this week only, helps dealers strengthen inventory while capitalizing on holiday demand.
Firearms News releases its September 2026 Special Hunting Issue featuring Field Editor Rikk Rambo's cover story on the Horizon Firearms Venatic Carbon Rifle in .300 Winchester Magnum. The issue includes reviews of rifles from Howa, Chiappa, and Springfield Armory, plus articles on suppressors, scopes, and hunting gear from contributing writers including Patrick Sweeney and James Tarr.
Blue Force Gear will exhibit at the 2026 Maneuver Warfighter Conference in Fort Benning, Georgia, showcasing the ISH™ Integrated Stealth Harness and DRYOUT® moisture-removal technology designed to reduce weight and enhance operational capability for military personnel.
SIGHTRON announced Michelle Carpentier as the newest member of their shooting team. The 20-year-old competitive shooter has won the 2025 Hunter State Championship and placed in the Top 10 at the 2026 Nationals. Carpentier will compete using SIGHTRON's SII Big Sky 6.5–20×50 Riflescope.
On social media, an influencer-type put up an out-of-context video of John Farnam. John was depicted on a range giving information and shooting a demonstration. The response was to use John’s demo to discount someone who was a “typical anti-competition fudd” (sic), who’d allegedly trained at DTI. It was alleged that John “told him to stop competing because it ingrained bad habits …” something that is unlikely to have happened.
Competition? Yeah, that was a tool Jeff Cooper used to verify what had been reported in battle. Photo by Yamil Sued.
He was holding John Farnam up to ridicule via an out-of-context video clip.
I was gratified to see that a good number of the faithful had replied to this “look at me!” gent and made pithy comments about his lack of understanding.
Ken Hackathorn: It was 2002, the rifle didn't have an optic because a maker of non-optical sights sponsored the event.
Moving forward, I went to the “influencer’s” profile and saw a number of videos of him practicing his “fast draw” and his reloads in his living room, wearing his skivvies. Later, I blocked that account and moved on – life is just too short -- but it reminded me of a recent phony debate that people resurrected where Ken Hackathorn quite appropriately noted that pistol mounted optics are not that big a deal when the threat you’re facing is within 30 feet.
Ken didn’t say anything wrong and had anyone watched the entire discussion, I believe that they would conclude that he was right more than wrong.
It wasn’t an anti-optics screed, by any stretch – Ken has optics mounted on pistols and he works with them. He knows their advantages. I think he probably nailed that subject for a good many people, people who may not strive to get in the appropriate practice.
I understand that the pistol mounted optic is here to stay and on the whole, they can help people who otherwise would be struggling at precision.
One thing we need, more than speed, is precision.
Just before all this flummery started, I saw a badge cam video of a police officer involved in a firepower display where he was trying to shoot somebody who is trying to evade him. And his speed of fire was remarkable. His reloads were good. The problem is that he put perhaps a dozen rounds in the air (maybe more) that never did hit the intended target.
All those rounds went somewhere. If someone saw that performance on cardboard targets, they’ve be impressed with him running and shooting, doing his reloads.
There were others wondering what he would think if he was watching uninvolved citizens being patched up by EMS or taken to the morgue, not based on anything the offender did, but based on his misses.
He had an optic on the pistol. He could have had a slick slide, no optic but irons, and it wouldn’t matter. It seemed more like an internet mag dump, where the idea was to make as much noise as quickly as possible.
The drive to speed puts you on a road to perdition. To paraphrase the wrongly derided Ken Hackathorn, when this event comes to you, “you won’t need anyone to tell you to shoot faster.” You may wish you had someone telling you to shoot better.
That may seem “Fudd-like” to the children who may have only seen the old Warner Brothers cartoons on streaming internet - not in theaters or on broadcast TV.
in a recent video, Ayoob pointed out that the people referring to the elderly among us as “Fudds” are a little bit late to the game: People our age began that trend. Some of it stems from probably about 30 years ago, but without the “Fudd” term, the sentiment existed before that as far back as a 1960s. It was a time when many people thought that the only use for firearms was in “sporting purposes.” We started the Fudd-name calling.
A survey question about a potential federal law banning possession, sale, carry and manufacture of handguns had a positive response from a majority of those surveyed as late as the 1950s. Gun magazines of the 1960s seldom ran stories about handguns and nearly never about semiauto rifles. Consider the adult population of the time: they were children of the Great Depression, veterans of the "good" war who were repelled by the specter of nuclear annihilation.
They were unimpressed with battle as only those who experienced it can be unimpressed.
When people started moving in the direction of handguns, we saw a response in firearms media driven by manufacturers who responded to the public. As we approached the first federal gun ban (the 1994 “Bill Crime”), there were those who saw “no need for civilians (sic) to have high-capacity (sic) magazines, ‘assault weapons’ (sic),” and the like.”
People like me referred to people like that as “Fudds.” From Elmer Fudd …
Never mind; you were likely sitting on the floor in your diaper contemplating your toes while we were fighting that battle.
Richard Pryor, as “Mudbone,” observed “ … you don’t get to be old bein’ no fool.”
There may be a time to dispense with the knowledge of those who were here before you. Like Chesterton’s fence, you should analyze the “why” of the statement relative to the time it was made instead of that 20/20 rearview mirror.
We’re where we are because of those fellas. Consider gratitude instead of dismissal.
