Honest Review
Long-form, hands-on reviews. Gear carried and used until something breaks or proves itself, written with the drawbacks left in.
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We first got a preview of Springfield Armory’s SA-16 back in January at the SHOT Show, which only industry professionals (and UnPewFessionals) can attend. The prototype was hidden in plain sight hanging on the wall among other current SAINT variants. A small placard with the name SA-16 was the only information available. I had been…
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Located in Easthampton, Massachusetts, Yankee Hill Machine is a third-generation family-owned company founded in 1951. Not only do they manufacture their own AR-15s, they also make the accessories to outfit the guns. On top of that they have a highly regarded suppressor lineup with a reputation for being affordable, but with some of the highest…
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It may not feel right to call an air rifle that’s been on the market less than a decade a classic… But when it comes to classics, age is not the only factor. A “classic” is any product that was the first and set the standard for what others in its class should be. That’s…
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If the .22WMR is the classic Mighty Mouse magnum, the S&W M&P .22 Magnum pistol is the mousetrap that puts it in its place. As a full-sized pistol with a human-sized grip that weighs about the same as an empty Glock 19, the Smith makes the next closest competitor in its class, the Keltec PMR30,…
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The sexy part of preparing your EDC is shopping for the guns … but as modern Americans, we have to admit that there’s a portion of our everyday loadout that gets neglected: our cars. The ability to escape a situation that’s going sideways is a critical part of our defensive strategies. A car with a…
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In a world where carrying a gun at a festival is frowned upon, it’s nice to see an event where you are not only allowed to have one, but it’s encouraged. Yes, I’m talking about the Rod of Iron Freedom Festival located in Greeley, Pennsylvania, where I had the opportunity to attend the 4th annual…
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Have you ever found yourself saying, “Ugh. Why? I mean, yeah, I’ll take one…?” Well, if you haven’t, then I invite you to take a gander at Heritage Manufacturing’s latest Rough Rider revolver, the Tactical Cowboy. This latest incarnation of its best-selling .22 plinker brings Picatinny rail functionality to the classic design of the Old…
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It seems in this world of compact micro pistols we have forgotten just how comfortable and concealable a single-stack option can really be. Savage has always put a premium on comfortable carry, and you can see that this has been true ever since 1907 when it released its first pocket pistol. After taking a break…
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If you’ve ever taken a pistol course at Renaissance Firearms Instruction, you’ve likely heard me or one of our instructors tell students to “carry what you play with.” While that isn’t always meant to be taken literally, we say it to drive home the point that when it hits the fan your fingers are going…
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N8 Tactical is best known for its clear polymer holsters that feature the company’s Twist Release technology. After reviewing these holsters, I was quite impressed but of course, whenever a new retention system is introduced it is met with some apprehension. Although the Twist Release is nearly instinctual, N8 got to work on a new…
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If you follow my work, then you know that I am a strong proponent for pocket carry. While I never suggest that it is the best way to keep a gun on you, or that it is for everybody, you do owe it to yourself to explore it as an option. I like it because…
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If you’ve ever fired a North American Arms revolver then you probably came to the same conclusions as me, those little suckers can shoot! In previous testing I found the Ranger II to be astonishingly consistent, but the point of impact needed to be straightened out a bit. Also to further prove that you can…