Feature Articles

Jacob Epstein, our Tactical Editor, volunteered for a classic pocket dump. He didn’t have much choice–concealed carry is in his job description. So what’s in his pockets? More than guns. Check out what he’s carrying.

When sanctions shut down the import of many AK-47s, many of us began to get a bit twitchy. While the supply of AKs didn’t dry up as some gun-control nuts would have liked, Century ramped up plans for this rifle: the RAS-47. This 7.62 x 39 is made in America and a fine example of the entry level AK. Read our review.

In the market for a new tactical, urban everyday carry blade? Check out Pro-Tech’s Godson. It’s a must-see.

Break out the calculators–we’re doing some math. This isn’t count-on-your-fingers math, either. We’re talking about the Mil-Dot reticle scope and its use. And this is valuable information for anyone who shoots long range. This isn’t Mil-Dot Made Easy–we’ve done that one already. This is the advanced lesson.

When deciding how you want to build an AR-15, the lower often takes center-stage. The lower receiver ties the whole rifle together. And it is a popular stating point for most builds, which means there are numerous options for material construction, style, and how much effort is required to finish them.

SIG’s P320 platform is a frontrunner in the upcoming modular handgun trials. The new .45 ACP version is a full-sized pistol that performs like the rest of the P320 line, which is winning people over. But this P320 has a couple of surprises. How will the .45 ACP version stand up to the modularity standards that define the upcoming tests? Read our review.

If there is one thing I have learned since starting this column, it is that survival is very detailed. The byproduct of this is that survival can also be very expensive, because the cheaper options, while they look viable, fail in the details. To stay on the topic of bugging out which I started three weeks ago with pack basics and essentials, I got to thinking about family tents. In any disaster scenario, a large percentage of those who survive will end up displaced, and third only to food and water is shelter. And while small tents may be the way to go if you are lighting out alone or as a couple, if you have a family, with supplies, being able to drop everybody and everything into a dry single secure shelter is going to be a very big deal.

In our continuing coverage of the ins-and-outs of AR-15 construction, we’re going to break it down. The rifle, that is–and the tool box. Ever seen a list of all of the parts of an AR-15? It is long. So put together a checklist, and make sure you have all the tools. If you are going to build an AR-15, you will need to be at least somewhat organized.

So why would we or you want to do something like this? Well, contrary to what a lot of people think stainless does not mean rustless. Stainless steel will, can, and does rust. Now it is not as prone to corrosion as regular steel, but it will happen. Coating a stainless gun might be the equivalent of putting on two condoms, but sometimes its better to be have a little extra protection. See what WMD can do.