In observance of the Labor Day weekend there will be no Weekend Edition on Saturday, September 5, and we will not be distributing any of our services on Monday, September 7. We will resume our normal distribution schedule on Tuesday, September 8. Due to the holiday weekend, we request you submit news for Tuesday's editions no later than 2:00pm ET Saturday.
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VIKTOS, a U.S. veteran-designed brand, unveiled the Johnny Combat S2 Leather Waterproof Boot, a full-grain leather duty boot featuring a waterproof breathable lining, reinforced toe box, and Strife™ warfighter bottom unit for traction. The boot is engineered for long days and changing conditions with a 10mm heel-to-toe drop and weighs 2.6 pounds per pair.
Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) filed a motion for preliminary injunction in Pool v. Besson, asking the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana to block the state's ban on handgun carry permits for 18-to-20-year-old adults. FPC had previously warned Louisiana of the constitutional violation and provided legislative language to fix it, but the state refused to act.
The Second Amendment Foundation, along with the California Rifle & Pistol Association, Second Amendment Law Center, Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, filed an amicus brief with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in Pratt v. Westbrook challenging subjective carry permit denials as unconstitutional under New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen.
The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and partners including Maryland Shall Issue, Firearms Policy Coalition, and Maryland State Rifle and Pistol Association filed a reply brief with the U.S. Supreme Court challenging Maryland's "sensitive places" carry ban in Novotny v. Moore. SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut stated the law makes carry permits "useless everywhere" in violation of the Bruen ruling.
MWS Associates, Inc., an industry leader in outdoor sales representation with over 40 years of experience, announced a realignment of its Ohio and western Pennsylvania territory following outstanding growth by Dustin Youtz. The company is now accepting applications from qualified sales professionals to lead the realigned region.
Remington Ammunition announces its new Core-Lokt Handgun 45 Colt load is now available and shipping nationwide. The 237-grain hollow point cartridge joins existing Core-Lokt Handgun offerings in multiple calibers, designed for handgun hunting with proven terminal performance on big game.
Viridian Weapon Technologies announced the availability of its VENTA riflescope lineup, featuring three magnification configurations with fully multi-coated optics and low-profile capped turrets. The scopes are priced from $89 to $99 MSRP and include mounting rings and lens caps for immediate field use.
The NRA-ILA announced Smith & Wesson as an official partner of the 2026 NRA Battle Bus Tour to mobilize voters ahead of midterm elections. The tour will highlight Second Amendment fights and showcase Smith & Wesson's participation through events and photo opportunities nationwide.
The National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action announced Patriot Mobile as the official wireless connectivity partner for the 2026 NRA Gun Bus Battleground Tour. Patriot Mobile, America's only Christian conservative wireless provider, will support the tour as it travels nationwide promoting Second Amendment advocacy and hosting grassroots events.
Tippmann Arms announced its M4-22 ELITE .22 LR rifle has been selected by the Royal Thai Army Territorial Defense Command for the Territorial Defense Student Program, replacing legacy Armi Jager platforms used for over 40 years. The selection represents a significant modernization of the command's small-arms training equipment and marks an important milestone in Tippmann Arms' international expansion.
Defend is promoting bear safety awareness and preparedness during Bear Safety Awareness Month, highlighting its 14 oz bear spray with an effective range of up to 45 feet. The company, owned by Arcus Hunting, offers bear spray options in 8 oz and 14 oz sizes to help outdoor enthusiasts prepare for wildlife encounters.
ALPS Mountaineering introduces the NEXUS 28, a 28-liter everyday carry backpack featuring durable heathered polyester construction, laptop/tablet sleeves for devices up to 16 inches, and breathable padded mesh shoulder straps. Available in three color options at authorized ALPS dealers and alpsmountaineering.com.
SilencerCo explains how the Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF ruling affects suppressor purchases, allowing Form 4473 transfers in 27 states instead of the traditional Form 4 process. The company clarifies that suppressors remain NFA-regulated and recommends keeping purchases within the state of purchase due to interstate transport restrictions.
Drone Round's 5.56x45mm L Variant counter-UAS cartridge has been integrated into the Marine Corps' Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer (ISMT) produced by InVeris, enabling Marines to practice engagement skills on simulators across bases. The Marine Corps has purchased 400,000 rounds with plans to procure an additional one million in fiscal year 2027.
Browning Camping introduces the Twin Falls loveseat camp chair, featuring a quilted foam-padded polyester seat, powder-coated steel frame, and convenient mesh cup holders. The foldable design with backpack straps offers comfort and portability for outdoor enthusiasts at $149.99 MSRP.
Langdon Tactical Technology (LTT) launches the 2026 92 Day Social Media Challenge, inviting shooters to compete for free by downloading official targets, recording their runs, and sharing on social media or email. The first 100 participants receive a limited-edition 2026 92 Day Challenge Patch, with the challenge running September 2–30, 2026.
“In my day,” as the old folks (me) tend to say, we had service size handguns and hideout guns. There was little in the way of “just right” guns. But back then, the load out for a uniformed copper was 18 rounds – six in the holstered revolver with 12 more in loops, dump boxes or – later – in speed loaders.
Speed strips came along and some cops added a tiny gun worn concealed, for emergencies.
GLOCK versions of the "just right" guns the year they first came out: the G43X "Crossover" (top) and the G48.
It’s not that way in this enlightened era, where firearms ownership is mainstream and carry of firearms approaches being mainstream. Now guns come in an array of envelopes and cartridge capacity limits.
Having explored the smaller, extreme deep concealment pistols recently – which followed the service/service-compact (larger) pistols, it’s time to see where we’re at with pistols that are smaller than service-compact size (think S&W M&P9C/GLOCK 19/Ruger RXM/Springfield Echelon 4.0C-class pistols) yet larger than the truly micro-compact guns (Ruger LCP/Kel-Tec P32-class).
That class began, it could be argued, with the SIG P365, though the advantage, if any, was of a moment. There are other examples now.
One pistol that fits the bill is the GLOCK 43X. The slide is the size of the micro-9 G43 but with a slightly longer frame/magazine. Another is the Springfield Hellcat Pro. Others come from makers like Ruger, Smith & Wesson, Canik, Shadow Systems – to name only a few.
Other manufacturers joined in, including Springfield Armory with the Hellcat Pro (above) and Shadow Systems with the CR920X (the CR920 shown below)
Where do these things fit in the personal defense plan?
I’m currently carrying the G19 Gen5. That’s been my go-to since 2019. I’ve dropped back to the G43X, in its 10-round format, when required by discretion, medical necessity or maintenance of the G19.
It’s smaller and, due to the lessened capacity, lighter. The relevant part of the size is the width; if you lay it atop the G19, you see the older gun’s barrel/slide length is a bit longer. Otherwise, the guns fit that same envelope – except for width.
I first shot the micro-gun type at SHOT Show, the year of introduction of the SIG P365. I shot it next to the P320 Carry. At the time, I concluded that I’d rather carry the smaller gun all day, but the larger gun was less fatiguing to shoot.
As the gripping surfaces of micro-9s got longer, the fatigue factor diminished. It’s like shooting the “baby GLOCK” (G26) next to the G19 or G17. It always took me longer to shoot the required strings of fire for the agency when I used the smaller, shorter-gripped gun – but I shot it noticeably better than the compact-service gun it derived from. That was due to not being able to “mail in” my grasp on the pistol.
It took more effort to “hold it right.”
With the G48/G43X, the Hellcat Pro – and likely, I imagine, the CR920X (instead of the original, shorter CR920) – I can shoot it like a compact-service – except –
It’s still slower. While shorter, lighter slides should recoil less, the fact is that the weight of the gun/ammo load-out do make a difference. That time is consumed on dragging the muzzle back to center.
Is it enough difference to make a difference? – That depends.
Remember the cases of Faris Jones and Arlene Beckles; both NYPD, both off-duty, they had snub, five-shot revolvers. Both service members emptied their guns and, in both cases, the offender(s) were still mobile thereafter. Had either of them been armed with the 11-shot mini-GLOCK (or an analog), they’d have been in better shape.
That’s where these micro-9s make the difference. You can carry them all the time, for all practical purposes. And they’re serious hardware.
