CZ presented its inaugural Breakthrough Awards to Davidson's and Ann Arbor Arms during a gala at the company's 90th Anniversary Celebration in Prague. Davidson's received the distributor award and Ann Arbor Arms the retail award, both recognized for exceptional growth, partnership commitment, and brand advancement.
Sturm, Ruger & Company congratulates Team Ruger's Lauryl Akenhead on achieving High Lady and finishing fourth overall at the 2026 Colemans Creek Hunter Match in Ellerbe, NC. Competing against 96 shooters across 17 stages, Akenhead used her Ruger American Gen II rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor to score 97 in the Open Heavy division.
Gun Owners of America (GOA), Gun Owners Foundation (GOF), Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), and journalist John Crump petitioned the Virginia Supreme Court for an urgent ruling challenging Virginia's upcoming ban on "assault firearms" and large capacity magazines set to take effect July 1, 2026. The coalition seeks a preliminary injunction to block enforcement of the ban during litigation.
Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) filed an opening brief with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Ziegenfuss v. Martin, challenging Texas's carry bans in ordinary public places including restaurants, racetracks, and sporting events. Represented by attorneys from Benbrook Law Group, P.C. and Cooper & Scully, P.C., FPC argues these bans violate the Second Amendment and historical tradition.
Gunsite Academy, founded by Jeff Cooper in 1976, announces its 50th Anniversary Alumni Shoot on October 3rd, 2026, at its Paulden, Arizona facility. The event will feature shooting stages, vendor exhibitions, and commemorative activities celebrating five decades of defensive firearms training excellence.
Viridian Weapon Technologies launched Viridian.tech as its new primary web domain, transitioning from ViridianWeaponTech.com. The move reflects the company's evolution from green laser technology pioneer to a broader technology company developing optics, lasers, weapon lights, cameras, and integrated firearm-mounted systems.
MidwayUSA, founded by Larry and Brenda Potterfield in Columbia, Missouri in 1977, celebrates 49 years of business. The family-owned company has grown from a small 1,600-square-foot gun shop to a major retailer offering shooting, hunting, and outdoor products while maintaining core values of customer satisfaction and integrity.
SAAMI announced it is establishing a working group to evaluate Federal Premium's new 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak cartridge, which operates outside existing SAAMI standards. SAAMI takes no position on the cartridge's interchangeability or safety with standard 6.5 Creedmoor firearms and suppressors pending technical review.
NSSF welcomes U.S. Rep. Derek Schmidt's introduction of H.R. 9298, the SHOT Act, which would strengthen the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act to prevent frivolous public nuisance lawsuits against firearm manufacturers and retailers. Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President & General Counsel, stated the legislation addresses gaps created by court decisions allowing lawsuits intended to bankrupt the industry through litigation.
Remington announced its limited-edition We the People ammunition line to commemorate America's 250th anniversary. The commemorative loads span rifle, handgun, rimfire, and shotshell categories and are now shipping to dealers nationwide, manufactured only in 2026.
Warne announced the launch of Maxima Horizontal Quick Detach Rings, featuring an index-able quick detach lever system for tool-free optic removal while maintaining return to zero. Available in multiple tube diameters and heights, the rings are machined from high-strength steel with stainless-steel recoil control keys for durability.
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. expands its 250th Anniversary Series with six additional limited-production firearm models including SR1911 pistols, Hawkeye rifles, No. 1 rifles, and Marlin Model 1894 lever-action rifles, each marked with patriotic engravings and elevated finishes celebrating American manufacturing.
CAA USA announced the MCK EVO Gen 6 Beavertail Expansion, enabling its flagship Micro Conversion Kit to support Glock's newly released 6th Generation pistols (G17, G19, G45). The expansion brings the MCK EVO's compatible firearm roster to over 130 models across major brands.
Stealth Cam unveiled its redesigned Command app with streamlined features and launched its 3.0 series cellular trail cameras, including the Deceptor MAX 3.0, Revolver PRO 3.0, and Spectre 4K Pro. The new cameras feature AI-powered false image detection, Rack Alert notifications, and PIR zone selection, plus solar charging compatibility with updated lithium battery packs.
KJI announced the launch of its modernized K-Series tripod lineup, replacing the original K-700 and K-800 models. The new lineup includes five tripod models and the K100 monopod, featuring carbon-fiber and aluminum construction with CNC-machined components designed for hunting, competition, and professional field use.
Magnum Research and Koted Arms Master Gunsmith Jonathan DeVries' have created a limited-edition "250 Years of Liberty" Desert Eagle pistol celebrating America's Semiquincentennial. Only 100 will be produced, with the first 10 available June 18th through Magnum Research's Custom Shop at $9,659.00.
Auto-Ordnance honors the United States' 250th anniversary with the Founding Fathers 1911, a commemorative pistol created by Altered Arsenal featuring patriotic engravings and a worn Old Glory finish. Built on the premium Auto-Ordnance Stainless 1911 platform and chambered in .45 ACP, this firearm merges historical reverence with modern manufacturing for collectors and sport shooters.
Beretta USA is offering a free Tactacam REVEAL Pro 3.0 cellular trail camera with purchases of Beretta BRX1 rifles between June 1-30, 2026. The promotion also applies to Tikka T3x and T1x rifle models. Beretta USA and GrabAGun are hosting a Summer Heat Giveaway featuring a BRX1 paired with a Pulsar Talion XG35 Thermal Riflescope.
Hook & Barrel Magazine announces its July/August 2026 issue featuring Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer discussing his Marine Corps service and veteran recovery. The issue also includes Tim Montana's collaboration with the Crow Nation, WWII history, and a Revolutionary War road trip.
Blue Force Gear will exhibit at the ADS Warrior East Exposition June 24-25, 2026, in Virginia Beach, showcasing the MARCO HR chemlight deployment system and its complete tactical equipment lineup including Ten-Speed pouches, MOLLEminus platforms, and Helium Whisper attachment systems.
The reason for stringent safety rules in force-on-force training is that we're pointing guns at others and pulling the trigger; it's no game, it's deadly serious. Having the "wrong gun" leads to trainees being shot - it's happened. Even having training guns and marking ammunition, it's too easy to point guns at each other in "horseplay."
In an effort to remind folks of things we should have known long ago, it’s time to dust off the “Rules” sign and point to it.
Many years ago, a pair of police officers engaged in a “quick draw” contest against each other with “empty” guns. Reminder, Rule 1 is All Guns are Always Loaded. It’s not a good plan to “quick draw” against people who don’t present an imminent threat of deadly force. And “horseplay” (according to the department in the latest reported shooting) is never okay when guns are involved.
It appears that people labor under the delusion that this hasn’t happened before, that it could be a “striker-fired, short-trigger travel” problem. The first cases I heard of occurred when the police sidearm was nearly always a double-action revolver – with a long, heavy trigger stroke cocking and releasing the hammer to fire the gun.
The reason for this bit of editorial is the September 2025 shooting case at Pasadena PD. Strangely, we’re hearing about it now, because the outfit just released the shooting video, taken by a dash cam.
The video depicts an officer, afoot and near a police vehicle in what appears to be in an interior parking garage, draw a pistol and point it in the direction of the dash camera (!). The offending officer reholsters the pistol as a shot is fired in or near the “victim’s” dash camera. The story is that the officer in the car drew a pistol and it “discharged,” sending the round into the other officer’s shoulder.
While the video aspect is a recent innovation, the rest is just another day on the job. Characterized as “a joke” and “horseplay,” it’s neither.
There’s nothing new under the sun and this recent case is one of many. Don’t believe me?
According to a five-second search by an AI search provider, we have these obvious cases –
Frankel v. Moody (3rd Cir. 1968): a police officer engaged in mock “quick draw” contests with a store owner; on one visit the officer turned, drew his gun, and it discharged (sic), killing the store owner; the court found the shooting could be within the scope of employment. nevadajustice.org
Thompson v. United States (D.S. Dak. 1980): a CETA police trainee practicing “fast draw” in a BIA police station shot and killed a person; the court held the United States could be liable under FTCA because the trainee was practicing police firearms techniques as part of training. nevadajustice.org
News reports and local police-account incidents of officers injured or accidentally shooting colleagues while joking, handling or showing firearms (e.g., dashcam/coverage of a Pasadena officer shot by a colleague during horseplay). NBC News (The case referenced above.)
That’s just low hanging fruit. As we step into our personal “Wayback” machine, there were cases of full-length mirrors, a one-sided snow ball fight when the “victim” got a firing grip on his sidearm and channeled “Rooster Cogburn,” cops with swivel holsters and DA revolvers squaring off to see who could get the first “click” of the “empty” revolver in a locker room quick draw contest – and more.
From 1993 – and a search I made without AI – there was this story from Florida:
#1. An off-duty police officer put a round through a full-length mirror (ritual suicide) when practicing “quick draw.” He was a deputy assigned to a SWAT team. The following year, now with another agency, he contrived to shoot through the bathroom mirror in his apartment into the apartment of a neighbor.
#2. In an airport office – an “international airport” – another quick draw artist shot through a wall during “practice.” There were no injuries in either of these cases.
Was it always cops? No, careless and reckless behavior isn’t restricted to a single occupational group, sex, complexion or political preference. It’s everywhere, in all social groups.
To leave the cops for a moment, (#3) a March 2026 report has a Utah man charged with manslaughter after shooting “an opponent” in a “game of quick draw.”
Standby for a surprise – the offender (the one that shot first) “believed the firearm wasn’t loaded …”
I never saw that coming.
The pair were “doing quick draw drills,” pointing their guns at each other.
Darwin Award, anyone?
That last was for the anti-cop bleating “cops are the only ones who should carry guns because they’re trained” sarcasm.
Save it for the political lightweights and the “writing on the bathroom wall” forums on the internet. Until very recently in our history, cops handled guns daily – more than any other social group of any size in the population. The more handling, the more familiarity (good), the more familiarity, the more “contempt” (bad).
If you want some tips on refining the draw, stay tuned. I’ll have a few suggestions.
