Shell Shock Technologies sponsored shooter John Vlieger won first place in the Carry Optics Division and second overall at the 2026 Ohio State Buckeye Blast, earning 96.74% of available points using Shell Shock Technologies' NAS³ cases. Vlieger will compete next at the 2026 Bluegrass State Championship in Kentucky.
Team Ruger's Lauryl Akenhead won Top Lady, Top Suppressor, and placed eighth overall at the 2026 Bullet Central Northern Lights Classic in Aneta, North Dakota, competing against 86 shooters with her Ruger American Gen II rifle in 6mm GT across 19 challenging stages.
The Briefing is a three-day FFL Compliance Summit in Dallas featuring ATF leadership including Director Rob Cekada and Chief Counsel Robert Leider, alongside FBI officials and industry experts. The event covers regulatory changes, Form 4473 revisions, and NFA requirements with direct Q&A access to government speakers.
Mid-States Distributing, a leading Farm, Ranch, and Home retail organization representing approximately 700 independent stores, is seeking a Category Director – Sporting Goods to oversee Hunting, Shooting Sports, Fishing, and Camping categories. The role reports to COO Jeff Rash and requires 10 years' sporting goods experience with 5+ years in leadership.
The Second Amendment Foundation submitted formal testimony to the Virgin Islands legislature opposing Bill No. 36-0144, urging a wait-and-see approach due to pending Supreme Court and Third Circuit cases that will impact the bill's constitutionality, including Wolford v. Lopez and Koons v. Attorney General of New Jersey.
Stealth Cam announces the availability of its Fusion MAX 3.0 Cellular Trail Camera, featuring a 100-foot detection range, 42MP photos, 1080P video with audio, and 0.4-second trigger speed. The camera transmits images and video in real time via the Command app and is compatible with FieldMAX Lithium Rechargeable Batteries and solar accessories.
Orion Wholesale and Colt's Manufacturing Company have partnered to release the Colt America 250 commemorative set, featuring a Colt Python, Colt 1911 Classic Government, and Colt King Cobra 22. Only 250 sequentially numbered sets will be produced, each with custom engraving, a walnut display case, and Certificate of Authenticity.
Zanders, a national distributor based in Sparta, Illinois, announced it is now carrying the Sub-One Rifle from Great Lakes Firearms & Ammunition. The lightweight rifle features a carbon fiber stock, fluted barrel, and adjustable trigger system, available in multiple calibers and barrel lengths.
Galco unveils the Combat Master 2.0 belt holster for Glock 43X, available with or without carry optic accommodation. The professional-grade pancake holster features hand-molded premium steerhide construction, raised sweat guard, and twin belt slots for enhanced comfort and concealment.
WOOX, an Italian-American gunstock manufacturer, announced the new Elegante line of bolt-action rifle stocks crafted from hand-selected Claro American Walnut with aerospace-grade aluminum chassis. Available in Sporter and Hybrid platforms with Standard or High-Grade walnut options, the stocks weigh 30-35 ounces and are compatible with Remington 700, Ruger 10/22, and Ruger American Gen2 platforms.
Liberty Ammunition has launched Liberty SPIKE 2.0, a revolutionary .380 and 9mm ammunition featuring a patented projectile design. According to CEO Gary Ramey, SPIKE 2.0 delivers 43% more energy than Sig Elite and 37% more than Hornady Critical Defense, with exceptional penetration performance.
MDT is releasing a limited quantity numbered run of the ACC Premier Gen2 chassis in War-Torn Bronze finish for Remington 700 Short Action, available exclusively at mdttac.com beginning June 9, 2025. The competition chassis features the SRS-X Premier Buttstock and is designed for PRS and precision rifle shooting.
BANISH Suppressors announces the VRMT 223K Ti, a lightweight .224-caliber suppressor designed for truck guns and varmint hunting. The titanium suppressor weighs 8 ounces, measures 4.7 inches long, and reduces sound by over 25.9 decibels, with an MSRP of $679.
Blue Force Gear, a premier American manufacturer of weapon slings and tactical gear, has partnered with Silencer Shop, the nation's largest suppressor distributor. Customers can now purchase suppressors and Blue Force Gear products including the popular Vickers Sling through a single online destination.
Safariland and Haley Strategic Partners launched the BASELINE™ belt line, featuring the BASELINE Slick Belt and BASELINE MOLLE Belt with innovative closure systems and modular accessories. The collection includes D3 Pro Inner Belts, Mandible MOLLE Straps, and various pouches designed for durability and customization.
Bear Creek Arsenal is expanding its lineup with new 30-30 Winchester rifle and upper assembly options, launching June 11th. The offerings feature a 20-inch parkerized SOCOM barrel, right and rear charging options, mid-length gas system, and MLOK split rail handguard at accessible price points.
EchoCore Suppressors will showcase its premium suppressor lineup at Ohio SuppressorFest 2026, hosted by Black Wing Shooting Center in Delaware, Ohio on June 13th. The event features hands-on demonstrations and live-fire evaluation of the latest suppressor technology, including EchoCore's award-winning Sector 5.56 models and other innovative products.
I’d recently had contact with a few people during which we discussed changes made in the Gen6 line from GLOCK. These are law enforcement instructors and I trust their inputs.
To give some perspective, I didn’t seriously pursue regular use of GLOCK pistols until mid-2001. That’s late for a good many, some of whom started as soon as the guns became available to police practitioners in the 1980s. The police use of their guns spread rapidly and got a fresh boost when FBI jumped onto the GLOCK train in the 1990s.
As I was in one of the last agencies in these parts to still issue metal frame, “traditional double action” pistols, I noticed the trend. I was teaching nationally in the mid-late 1990s and early 2000s, and our traditional double action pistol was seen as something archaic, quaint, eccentric.
I got a Gen3 GLOCK 19 – it was compact, so ideal for plainclothes duty and for uniform duty if it were ever approved by the outfit. It was 9mm, so the ammo was even-then commonly available and getting to be low-cost. The lesser weight of the ammo made sense for the air travel involved in the training efforts I made.
The problem was that I couldn’t shoot it well. I made it a point to shoot it regularly, to take it to training classes and to learn it from the ground-up. That effort consumed 3,000 rounds of ammo and was involved in classes from Florida to Nevada – even to Gunsite on a few occasions.
Above, the Ransom Multi-Cal Steady Rest with the GLOCK 45 Gen6. Below, the guns and ammo.
Still, I’d concluded that the 9mm guns in the GLOCK universe weren’t particularly accurate. The best shooter in the product line of the era was the G26, the “baby GLOCK.” It was the gun I used as a backup in detectives and later in narcotics.
The G19 I carried to – and through – retirement. Much later, I went to the Gen4 G19 and I was on the trip to Georgia for the rollout of the Gen5 GLOCK guns.
I found the Gen5 to be apparently more accurate than earlier 9mm examples, a sentiment that was at times disagreed with. I couldn’t take that disagreement lightly, as it was expressed by people who wrangled hundreds of those guns – and shooters – in agencies.
When the Gen6 guns came out, I got on the list and was sent a GLOCK 45, the ‘crossover’ pistol, with the 17-round full-size frame and the “compact” slide and barrel. I found that the Gen6 was treating me well, as related in stories here and here.
I shot the annual qual here and found I didn’t shoot the Gen6 quite so well on that occasion.
Curious.
I’d considered taking a box load of ammo to the range with the Gen3 G19, the Gen4 G19, the Gen5 and the new gun. As we’re running a daily news effort here – with intrusions of weather and various appointments – I’d have to cut that effort back.
So, this is the report of my old long-favored original G19 and the newest with only a couple of types of ammo.
I used the Ransom Multi-Cal Steady Rest mounted on the Bogen Manfrotto 3021 Pro Tripod. The distance was 25 yards. I used B-8 repair centers, attached face down on the backer.
Overall, the average of groups showed that the G45 Gen6 shot groups just over three-inches. The G19 Gen3 averaged just under four-inches. The devil is in the details.
The problems with averages – the mean – is that extremes at either end skews the average.
Variations between a pair of groups with the same ammo gave conflicting results. The Gen3 G19, below, was surprisingly accurate with some loads. Familiarity?
The first load tried was Federal American Eagle 147-grain FMJ. The Gen6 posted a 5 ¼” group and a 2.5” group. This more likely measures shooter-error. The problem is that human shooters shoot the gun.
With Fiocchi CovertX 124gr. JHP ammo, the new gun posted a 3.63” group and a five-inch group.
See the problem?
Using the best 3/5 measurements – recommended by Mas Ayoob as being closer to the results you could reasonably expect from a machine rest - .63 and 2” for the American Eagle load is too great a disparity for a reasonable “guess.” With the CovertX, the G45 posted the best 3/5 groups 2.25” and 2.75” – and we sure as hell can reach a conclusion there.
The Gen3 with the same ammo had a a 2.6” mean. It’s around 3” in that gun and the new gun beat that. With American Eagle, I shot one substandard group – large – and a very small group.
Inconclusive.
Shooting 1-handed, two-five round strings at 25 yards on a face-down B-8, I had a group of 4”x4”. Hitting under the bull, the G45 Gen6 shot the Black Hills 124gr. JHP very well indeed. The group sizes were nearly identical, showing my imperfect hold was consistent.
As far as just handling, I found the Gen3 was vastly more comfortable, familiarity being what it is. I’d still carry it today. As to the difference in accuracy across generations, I’d say “it depends.”
