The Rock Island Armory GI Standard 1911 looks like a no-frills throwback, but this budget .45 turned out to be far more shootable and drama-free than its price tag suggests. After 300 rounds and zero malfunctions, the question is not whether it is cheap. It is whether this plain GI-style pistol might be the smartest low-dollar entry into the 1911 platform.
Guns
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Rock Island GI Standard 1911 Review: Budget Beast
BY Jim Maybrick Published: May 7, 2026 { 3 comments }Microstamping Guns: Crime Solver or Gun Ban Trap?
BY Brian Jensen Published: May 7, 2026 { 9 comments }Microstamping promises a neat crime-solving shortcut: fired brass that points police back to a specific gun. But once you look at the technology, the failures, the costs, and California’s history, this “simple fix” starts looking a lot more complicated.
How Obama’s Kill List Hunted an American Terrorist
BY Will Dabbs Published: May 7, 2026 { 10 comments }From Bonnie and Clyde to Anwar al-Awlaki, this hard-edged piece asks a nasty modern question: when does deadly force stop being controversial and start feeling inevitable?
Best Truck Guns (2026): Rifles, Shotguns & Takedowns
BY S.H. Blannelberry Published: May 4, 2026 { 42 comments }When I think of the ideal truck gun several words come to mind: inexpensive, rugged, portable, versatile.
Unit 9 Compact Review: Dry Fire Just Got Violent
BY True Pearce Published: May 3, 2026 { 0 comments }The Unit 9 Compact is not some toy pretending to be a training pistol. It is a Glock 19-style, CO2-powered, non-lethal training system built for real reps, real feedback, and real force-on-force work without the range drama.
Best Dry Fire Training Tools (2026)
BY Travis Pike Published: April 28, 2026 { 3 comments }I found tons of apps, gadgets, and gizmos that I’ve loved in my dry fire journey, and I want to share those with you.
SAINT Victor 9mm PDW Review: Tiny, Fast, Mean
BY Mitchell Graf Published: April 16, 2026 { 3 comments }The Springfield Armory SAINT Victor 9mm PDW stuffs compact firepower, suppressor-ready utility, and familiar AR controls into a 5.5-inch package that is easier to carry than it has any right to be. After match use, suppressed shooting, and accuracy testing, this little blaster proved it is more than a range toy.
SIG M400 Forge Review: Premium Parts for $999
BY True Pearce Published: April 15, 2026 { 1 comment }The SIG Sauer M400 Forge looks like somebody accidentally stuffed a premium parts list into a $999 rifle and sent it out the door. With a hammer forged barrel, TriggerTech trigger, Romeo MSR Gen II, and thoughtful details most rifles in this class do not even flirt with, this one lands like a direct shot at the entire value AR-15 market.
EAA Witness2311 CMXX Review
BY Aaron Goodfellow Published: April 12, 2026 { 4 comments }The EAA Witness2311 CMXX comes out swinging with flat-shooting manners, a built-in comp, and a price that makes the 2011 crowd a lot less intimidating. It is not perfect, and the trigger started out rougher than advertised, but this compact double-stack definitely has enough going for it to make budget-minded shooters pay attention.
Nitecore NPL35 Review: Blazing Bright, Not Perfect
BY Mitchell Graf Published: April 12, 2026 { 0 comments }The Nitecore NPL35 is stupid bright for a semi-compact pistol light, with a clever mounting system and enough throw to make steel past 100 yards feel easy. It also has one aggravating control quirk and a proprietary battery setup that keeps this otherwise impressive light from being an easy no-brainer.









