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SHOT 2025 Rifle Round Up

You can’t turn a corner at SHOT Show without tripping over yet another new AR, but they aren’t the only rifles at the show. SHOT 2025 still had plenty of other things to see, and especially if they were a little odd, I probably saw them. Here are 10 that caught my eye throughout the week. A few I arguably could have put in my AR round-up, but since they aren’t semi-autos I added them here. Let’s take a look, and you can see what I mean.

Savage Revel .22LR Lever Action

On Industry Day at the Range, I had a chance to try Savage’s new Revel .22LR lever action rifle. I saw the press release on these and am already interested. After shooting one, it’s on my must-own list.

The Revel is a US-made take-down lever action rifle with walnut stocks. The action is extremely slick, and it’s got a great trigger for a lever action. They hold a dozen rounds of .22LR ammo, and I’m curious if they’ll feed Shorts as well. There’s a Classic version and the DLX version with upgraded wood, shown here.

Shipping was delayed a bit as Savage decided to add a threaded barrel. They made it so that you can still access the loading tube without taking the suppressor off, too. That’s a great touch. .22 magnum and .17 HMR models will follow later this year. MSRP for the Classic model is $439, while the DLX model is $539.

Mossberg Patriot Carbine .308

Mossberg had its Patriot Carbine with a 16-inch barrel at the show. Chambered in .308, it feeds from a 5-round drop-box magazine. The Patriot comes with a threaded barrel and synthetic stock. It has a top-mounted Picatinny rail for mounting optics and an adjustable trigger. The Patriot is available in a number of other caliber and barrel lengths as well. MSRP for the 16-inch .308 model is $515.00.

Faxon Firearms M1 Garand barrels for the CMP

Okay this isn’t a straight rifle post, but I think it’s worth covering. Faxon Firearms is working with the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) to provide new barrels for shot out surplus guns. CMP is using them in their rebuilds, and they’re available for you to buy directly from Faxon as well. MSRP is $270.65.

If you have an older Garand that needs a new barrel these are a great option. Aside from being an excellent barrel, a portion of every sale goes directly to the CMP to help with their marksmanship training programs.

Harrington & Richardson Lever Actions in .357 Magnum

This one surprised me a bit. H&R has been putting out a great stream of retro M16 clones since their rebirth. I did not see a lever action coming though. They had three versions on display, all chambered in .357 Magnum. The rifles look to be on the Winchester 92 pattern.

They had adjustable sights, fiber optic front sights, and threaded barrels. H&R had a full tube, blued model with wood stock, a case-hardened one with a half magazine tube, and a stainless one with synthetic stocks and a Picatinny rail on the rack. The plan is to bring out a variety of barrel lengths and finishes. .44 magnum and .45 Colt models are also planned.

Rifle calibers like .30-30 and .45-70 are a possibility down the road as well. H&R is hoping for a second-quarter 2025 release of the first guns. Pricing isn’t set yet, but is said to be competitive with other guns on the market.

DSA/Harrington & Richardson T48 7.62 NATO

H&R gets another spot on my list with the release of the T48 in 7.62 NATO. I had a chance to talk with Mike Wetteland, who heads up H&R at the show. As many of you know, the M14 was tested against the FAL back in the 1950’s. H&R made the T48 trial guns under license from FN for those trials.

The new T48 is actually a collaboration between H&R and DSA. That makes sense, since DSA has so much experience with the FAL platform. The new guns are modeled closely on an original T48. The wood stocks and stripper clip guide stand out the most, and there are a number of other differences between the T48 and an FN gun.

The T48s are expected to ship around mid-summer, and again there’s not a price set yet. If you’re an FAL fan or a fan of US military service rifles, then this is one to look out for.

Rossi SS Poly Survival Rifle .45/.410

Rossi came out with their single shot .45 Colt/.410 Survival Rifle last year at SHOT. I wanted one after seeing it, then. But things got away from me, and I never picked one up. I’m kind of glad I waited, though, because this year, they had a slick new version with a side folding stock.

The SS Poly Survival Rifle has a 16-inch barrel and only weighs a bit over 3 pounds. Especially now, with the side folding stock, it would make a great camp, truck, boat, or ATV gun. The new version isn’t showing on Rossi’s website yet, but the MSRP listed at the show was $356.99.

Taurus Expedition Rifle .308

Most of you are probably familiar with Taurus handguns, but they had a bolt-action rifle on display, too. The new Expedition Rifle is based on the proven Remington 700 action and is chambered in .308 Winchester. It has an 18-inch hammer-forged barrel that Taurus is guaranteeing will shoot sub-MOA groups. It has a synthetic stock and takes AICS pattern magazines.

The one they had at the show was tricked out with optics and a suppressor to give you an idea of how you can set it up. MSRP is $984.99, and they’re available now.

Fightlite Herring Lever Action 5.56mm

This is another gun that made its appearance a while ago but is finally getting ready to ship. The Fightlite Herring uses an AR upper but is coupled with Fightlite’s lever action lower receiver. It will be available in both 5.56mm and .300 Blackout and feeds from standard AR pattern magazines.

It’s a slick rifle and a nice option for folks in ban states. It also would be a great hunting platform, especially in places like my home state of Pennsylvania, where you can’t hunt with semi autos. The .300 Blackout version will make a great suppressor platform, too, I’m thinking. MSRP is $1,699.99 and the Fightlite folks assure me that they really will be shipping soon.

Bear Creek BC-15 Bolt Action AR .350 Legend

Bear Creek Arsenal (BCA) had its bolt action BC-15 uppers on display at SHOT. Just announced in December these were initially available in .350 Legend and .450 Bushmaster. I see they’ve since added .223 Wylde, 5.56mm, and 6.5 Grendel to that list. Barrel lengths are available, ranging from 16 to 22 inches.

The uppers feature black anodized uppers and MLOK handguards and either Black Nitride or Parkerized finished barrels. These will drop onto any standard AR-15 lower half for either a new build or to convert your semi into a bolt gun. Which again would be handy for a ban state, or a state with hunting limitations like Pennsylvania. MSRP goes from $339.99 to $439.99 depending on caliber and configuration.

Southern Cross Small Arms Taipan X Pump Action .223 Wylde

This last one might be my favorite weird find at the show. At first glance, it looks like an AR-style semi-auto rifle. In fact, the Taipan X is its own creature and a pump action to boot. Built by Southern Cross Small Arms, this is already a proven design in Australia. The Taipan X is being imported to the US by Legacy Sports International.

The first models will be chambered in .223 Wylde, with .300 Blackout models to follow. The Taipan X has a 16.5-inch threaded stainless barrel. The stock and receivers are available in Burnt Bronze, FDE, Black, and Dark Gray colors. The rifle uses an AR-style pistol grip and comes with a skeletonized stock. A folding stock adapter is also available. It has a full-length Picatinny rail and MLOK slots on the handguard.

The pump is spring-assisted and fast to operate. You can also operate the Taipan X as a straight-pull rifle with a left-side mounted cocking knob. The Taipan uses standard AR magazines. Like the Herring, this is a great option for folks in ban states, which makes sense coming out of Australia, which has had a semi-auto ban for some time now.

I’ve long liked the idea of a pump action rifle that takes AR mags, and the Taipan X is already a proven design in Australia. I think I’m going to hold out for a .300 Blackout model, but this one is on my list for 2025. MSRP starts at $979.00.

SHOT Show 2025: New AR Rifles and Pistols

You can’t walk 10 feet at the SHOT Show without running into an AR pattern rifle. It would be a Herculean task to cover them all, but here are ten that caught my eye as I wandered the show floor throughout the week in no particular order.

1. Wraithworks WARP-15 5.56mm

Starting on the Monday before SHOT Show is Industry Day at the Range, where media and industry folks get to try out some of the new releases. I first saw the Wraithworks WARP-15 at last year’s Industry Day and had been watching for its release throughout the year. Well, it’s finally available, and I had a chance to take another look at it, and I’m still intrigued.

The WARP-15 uses a modified KE Arms lower half and a unique Wraithworks upper. The upper uses an aluminum core under an injection-molded polymer shell. This allows for a very lightweight build while still having the strength of an alloy receiver. The WARP uses a 16-inch pencil barrel, flared mag well, 50-degree ambidextrous safety, trapdoor, QD points, and a compensator.

It’s chambered in .223 Wylde and weighs barely over 5 pounds. MSRP is a very reasonable $499.00. If you’re in the market for an ultralight weight AR, this one is worth checking out.

For more information, please visit Wraithworks.com.

2. Faxon ION-X Ultralight .338 ARC Pistol

Faxon Firearms is well known for its excellent barrels. Their complete firearms are nicely made as well, and the latest chamber is the hot new .338 ARC. They’re making a 16-inch rifle and a 12.5-inch pistol. The ION-X Ultralight Pistol was on display at their booth and it’s impressive.

It’s built on a Faxon upper and lower, with their BCG, a 12.5-inch barrel with Faxon’s Muzzlelok flash hider, carbon fiber handguards, and an SBA3 brace. MSRP is $1,545.00

For more information, please visit Faxon Firearm.

3. H&R Retro DOE 9mm Pistol

I was pretty excited by the H&R 9mm 635 clone that launched last year at SHOT Show. This year, they have an ever rarer model, the DOE 9mm pistol. Based upon the Colt 633 subgun used by the Department of Energy in the 1980’s. It uses a 7.4-inch barrel with the unique DOE forend and front sight assembly. The DOE feeds from Colt SMG magazines and, being a pistol, is fitted with the ACR015 style H&R HAR-15 brace. MSRP is $1,199.99.

For more information, please visit Harrington & Richardson.

4. DPMS Kitty Kat .300 AAC

DPMS had a number of new releases at SHOT, but the .300 AAC Kitty Kat drew me right in. Last year, DPMS brought back the Kitty Kat in its original 5.56mm caliber. With its 7.5-inch barrel, I’m sure it’s a real flame thrower. I still wanted one, but I have to admit I find the .300 AAC model more tempting.

.300 works well out of a short barrel and should be pretty pleasant to shoot. It would work with my Griffin Sportsman Ultra Light HD .36 suppressor and a Gate-Lok hub too. The Kitty Kat uses a C7-style upper and comes with a HAR-15 brace. MSRP is $799.99, which I thought was pretty reasonable.

For more information, please visit DPMS Panther Arms.

5. Daniel Defense DD PCC 9mm

Daniel Defense had the DD PCC on display. It’s a 9mm platform available in pistol, rifle, and SBR form. It uses an ambidextrous lower that takes CZ Scorpion mags. The upper and lower are dedicated for the build and are shorter than standard AR receivers. The pistol version comes with an 8.3-inch barrel and 7-inch MLOK rail. It’s equipped with an SBA3 brace. MSRP on the DD PCC is $1,949.00.

For more information, please visit Daniel Defense.

6. Bushmaster V-Radicator 6mm ARC

Bushmaster had a number of new V-Radicator rifles on display, including one in 6mm ARC. It features a 21-inch fluted 416R stainless steel barrel and a 17” BRAVO ZULU MLOK Handguard. It’s also fitted with a Magpul MOE K2-XL grip and PR Carbine Stock. The 6mm ARC versions that they had at SHOT Show aren’t on the website yet, but should be showing up soon. MSRP is $1,100.95.

For more information, please visit Bushmaster Firearms.

7. Palmetto State Armory Mixtape .338 ARC

Palmetto State Armory (PSA) previewed the new Mixtape at SHOT. This is a suppressor-optimized AR pistol chambered in .300 Blackout or .338 ARC. They had a .338 on display at the show. It uses an 8-inch barrel, PSA dual ejector E4 bolt, and a PSA Sabre trigger along with a Radian charging handle.

The Mixtape is fitted with an SB Tactical brace, a B5 Systems pistol grip, and a newly designed Reptilia handguard. .300’s will ship first with .338’s following later. MSRP is expected to be about $1,000, which is a lot less than similar guns on the market.

For more information, please visit Palmetto State Armory.

8. Global Ordnance Monolith 5.56mm

I almost hesitated to add the Global Ordnance Monolith to the AR list because it really is a departure from our standard AR. Not only is it a bufferless design, it also uses a unique one-piece barrel machined from a single piece of 41v50 ordnance-grade steel. The barrel combines the bore, barrel extension, gas block, and Dead Air KeyMo muzzle brake into a single, seamless part. Global Ord says that this provides superior accuracy, reliability, and better suppressor concentricity.

They combine this with a new heavy-duty bolt design. The Monolith also uses an interlocking upper receiver and MLOK handguard for added stability. It’s fitted with a B5 Systems P-Grip 23 and an adjustable F5 Modular Stock. It’s a slick setup and really needs a dedicated follow-up to unpack. MSRP is listed at $1,234.99, and there is also a 12.5-inch pistol version available.

For more information, please visit Global Ordnance.

9. Diamondback Firearms DB10 .308 Winchester

Diamondback Firearms had a good number of new releases for SHOT Show. One that caught my eye was the 16-inch DB 10 in .308 Winchester. The one they had on display had a two-tone finish with OD lower and MLOK rail and a black upper. It was fitted with a B5 Systems grip, stock, and foregrip in M81 Woodland camo pattern. MSRP on the 16-inch DB10 was $1177.

For more information, please visit Diamondback Firearms.

10. Bersa BAR15 16 in MFT .300 Blackout

I have to admit this last one surprised me. I know ARs are common now, but I had no idea that Bersa was making them. They’re made in the US at their Kennesaw, Georgia plant. According to the website, they were made at the request of Argentine law enforcement and military agencies.

They had 16-inch 5.56mm and .300 Blackout rifles and pistols in those calibers plus 9mm. The BAR15 comes with a 15-inch MLOK rail and is fitted with Mission First Tactical stock, grip, and magazine. Weight is just 6.4 pounds. MSRP on the .300 Blackout model was $899.00.

For more information, please visit Bersa USA.

The Tikka T3X Lite Hunting Rifle (Part 3)

Tikka T3X Lite Hunting Rifle

Continued From Part 2

The Barrel  

Tikka T3X Lite

In Parts 1 and 2 of the Tikka T3X Lite review, I’ve described many parts or manufacturing strategies that Tikka employs to help keep these rifles affordable.

On the flip side, Tikka barrels are an area where this Finnish rifle maker doesn’t gloss over any detail. Tikka barrels are a big source of Tikka rifles’ “notoriety,” reputation for accuracy, and pride. In true European fashion, Tikka cold hammer forges all of its barrels. 

Ironically, the Tikka isn’t the only hunting rifle with a hammer-forged barrel that I’m currently reviewing. The other would be the Taurus Expedition bolt-action rifle. While conducting some background research for that project, I took a deeper dive into the process of cold hammer forging gun barrels.

To keep it short and sweet, the molecular structure of metal morphs, hardens, and ultimately becomes stronger when metals are stressed with external mechanical or kinetic forces, including impacts, hammer blows, repetitive bending, etc.

The phenomenon is known as work-hardening. With regards to the manufacture of gun barrels, barrel blanks are placed on mandrels and then passed through massive hammer machines that strike the blank from all directions. These violent impacts not only work to harden the barrel, but the blows transfer the mandrel’s external shape onto the interior of the blank to form rifling.

When executed properly, cold hammer-forged barrels can be extremely durable and accurate.

24 inches x 6.5 mm Creedmoor 

The particular Tikka T3X Lite that’s the subject of this review has a 24.1-inch barrel with a 1:8 rifling twist. A benefit of fielding a rifle with a 24-inch barrel is that the extra length promotes higher muzzle velocities by giving the propellant plenty of bore space to fully combust and develop.

1:8 rifling tends to be on the faster side of twist rates, but for 6.5 mm Creedmoor, it is the default. Barrels with 1:8 twists have no issue stabilizing projectiles ranging from 100 grains to 140 grains. This practically envelops the entire spectrum of .264” bullets meant for 6.5mm Creedmoor loads, from light hyper-fast varmint rounds to heavy game bullets.

Because the Tikka T3X is a hunting rifle, its barrel sports a lighter contour and can withstand 3 to 5 fired rounds before it starts to heat up. As the Tikka T3X Lite is technically a [really nice] “budget rifle,” its muzzle is plain without any fancy crown, cut threads, or any other additional features.

Visually, the barrel does not appear to be fully free-floated, given the way it makes contact with the stock. But this also doesn’t seem like a hindrance to the gun’s ability to shoot.

Grouping The Tikka T3X Lite Stainless 

Due to the nature of this Christmastime review, I had the honor of mounting and leveling the Leupold Mark4 HD scope to this Tikka T3X Lite along with a Leupold 20 MOA scope base and Leupold 34mm Backcountry rings. This means I also got to take the first shots through the brand-new rifle in order to zero the Mark4 HD.

The round count at the time of this writing is nearly 100 rounds, with roughly half of them fired to group the rifle and the other half at steel targets from distances covering 300 to 830 yards. (And this 24-inch barrel and fantastic scope will have no problem pushing projectiles further). 

Over two different range sessions in overcast and chilly 40°F weather, I fired each of the three factory 6.5mm Creedmoor loads that I already had on hand. These included the 129-grain SIG-Sauer Venari soft points, the 125-grain Winchester Copper Impact (copper solid polymer tip) and the 140 grain Hornady American Gunner Match boat tail hollow point.

With each cartridge*, I fired two 10-round groups slowly, while making sure the barrel didn’t get too hot. During the second range session, I also fired a 3-round group to confirm Tikka’s sub-MOA 3-shot group guarantee that they stake on the Tikka T3X Lite. Even with my modest rifle-shooting skills, I was able to verify that this claim was true.

For all shots taken, I relied on the Magpul MOE bipod that directly clamps to the sling swivel stud and a rear bag.

Author’s Note

*I had to shoot on separate trips because of very cold rain and the loss of daylight towards the end of the first session. While the 140-grain Hornady American Gunner BTHP is a target/match round and not a hunting round, I decided to shoot one 10-round and one 3-round group because I wanted to have something to check off the 140-grain category.

Tikka T3X Lite Range Results (100 Yards) 

Winchester 125 Grain Copper Impact

Notes: Because solid copper is less dense than lead, copper projectiles have more volume for the same amount of weight. In this case, the 125-grain Winchester Copper Impact bullet is closer in size to traditional lead core 140-grain bullets. It’s just my hunch and nothing more, but it seems that the Tikka performs a tad better with longer projectiles. (Look at the mean radius of the Hornady American Gunner groups below, too). I’d bring this Winchester Copper Impact cartridge + this Tikka T3X Lite on a hunt with confidence.

SIG-Sauer Venari 129 Grain Soft Point

Notes: You’ll notice that the Garmin chrono data has two separate dates because I got rained out during the first session and simply continued chronographing the box the next day. The 2.42-inch 10-shot group was fired in cold rain during twilight, and I decided to call it a day. I fired the other 10-shot group the next day.

Even though this ammo has the widest mean radii, biggest groups, and worst numbers on paper, I still managed to ding a coyote steel silhouette with these SIG Venari rounds at 830 yards on the first shot (I had to dial 26.75 MOA of elevation and hold at least 4-5 MOA to the left in order to account for spin drift at that distance).

Given that a deer’s vitals are approximately 8 MOA, even with the slightly wider groups (no doubt some of this is on me as the shooter), this rifle and cartridge combination is likely fine for standard deer hunting at standard distances—call it 300 yards.

Hornady American Gunner 140 Grain BTHP

Notes: I bought this ammo for a different 6.5mm Creedmoor rifle review. Because it comes in boxes of 50 rounds, I took aside 13 rounds just to shoot through the Tikka. The official 3-shot group isn’t technically sub-MOA and that was partially my fault with the third bullet hole.

In spite of the overall lateral dispersion, the core of the Hornady American Gunner ammo’s 10-shot group is the tightest, especially if one were to ignore holes #9 and #10.

I will address some of this lateral movement in the next installment of my Tikka T3X Lite hunting rifle review.

To Be Continued In Part 4

Governor Desantis Pitches a 2A Tax Holiday

As a Floridian, I enjoy the lack of an income tax, which has the downside of a six percent sales tax plus applicable county and city sales taxes. We give more than we receive to the Feds. Sales tax can be a pain, and as a Floridian, we have a tradition of Sales Tax holidays. The two most notable are the Back to School Tax Holiday and the Hurricane Prep Tax Holiday. 

If Governor Desantis gets his wish, we’ll soon have a 2A Tax Holiday. Not just a day, weekend, or week, but a 2nd Amendment Summer. Desantis proposed the 2A Tax Holiday with his new state budget. The plan would eliminate sales tax on any guns, ammo, and related accessories. This effectively chops off 6% of the price. 

The Value of a Tax Holiday 

As a man who despises taxes and loves guns, this is clearly good news. This could knock tens of dollars off your average firearm sale. What immediately came to my mind was paying a little less for ammo. The 2A Summer Tax Holiday could knock a 6% minimum off a box of ammo. 

Let’s say I combine that with my Academy Card which gets me 5% of my purchase. If I combine those two, I’m looking at a minimum of 11%, but in reality, it will be closer to 13% when they eliminate local taxes, too. If I head to the Academy and buy steel-cased Monarch ammo, it typically costs 10.80 after taxes. 

Cash Stash

Minus the taxes and my Academy card, I’m paying less than ten dollars a box out the door. That’s almost pre-Covid prices. I could get a .223 brass case for less than .45 cents a round. That’s fantastic.

The summer is a big sales slump for the gun industry. This could be a fairly nice boost to the industry, at least from Florida. As someone who loves the industry they’re in, I want to see it succeed. I’m not sure how much Florida could contribute to the overall industry, but maybe more than a small amount. 

Since the holiday lasts the entire summer, it won’t be one week where you can’t find ammo on shelves. The amount of time it offers seems to be able to diffuse and prevent a giant rush on one weekend. 

My Questions About the Tax Holiday 

I, like most of you, order a lot online. This is especially true for ammo. Will retailers acknowledge the tax holiday? One can only hope. Since the holiday lasts the entire summer, it’s worth changing their shopping cart. I’m not sure how out-of-state tax and sales work, but I would hope it would allow retailers from out-of-state to benefit from the state sales tax. 

“Gun Shop Gary” a Meme for us all

The big question is, will it pass? It’s got to be approved by the legislature, and it’s not the only tax holiday up for grabs. If it doesn’t pass, it will allow us to see the RINOs in Florida’s legislature and name and shame any anti-gun politicians. I’m hoping to see a tax-free 2A summer. 

The Tikka T3X Lite Hunting Rifle (Part 2)

The Tikka T3X Lite Hunting Rifle

continued from Part 1

Tikka T3X Action (Continued)

The Recoil Lug

Another noteworthy detail about the Tikka T3X action is the fact that its receiver has a detached recoil lug. Other bolt action receiver designs either integrate the recoil lug directly into the receiver or wear one that fits around the receiver ring like a collar (traditional Remington 700 style). However, the Tikka T3X’s detached recoil lug fits inside a slot in the stock, and makes contact with the bottom of the receiver by mating into a notch when the barreled action fits over the stock.

The factory piece is made from aluminum, but more discerning shooters like to upgrade their OEM Tikka T3X recoil lugs into pieces machined from other materials, such as steel.

The Tikka T3X Lite’s unique recoil lug arrangement is likely another way the Finnish company manufactures these rifles more cost-efficiently. It is my understanding that contact between the recoil lug and the receiver is crucial for this rifle’s accuracy. Tikka T3X Lite rifles don’t use fiberglass or pillar bedding. Technically, they’re not bedded, but the relationship between the recoil lug, receiver, and the manner in which the action contacts the stock’s hollow cavity serves as the rifle’s bedding, so to speak. 

This excellent picture shows the bottom groove of a Tikka T3X receiver and the corresponding separate recoil lug nestled in the stock. (Image source here from another well-written review about a similar Tikka rifle model (CTR))

Mounting Optics

The top portion of the Tikka T3X receiver is fully enclosed and it comes drilled and tapped from the factory, ready to accept bases or rings. The top portion of the Tikka’s receiver also features a very European integral longitudinal dovetail that can accept Tikka-specific scope rings. Suffice it to say, the Tikka T3X has no shortage of optics mounting options. 

Tikka T3X Lite Stock

The Tikka T3X Lite’s barreled action lays over a fairly rigid, albeit basic, black synthetic stock. It has a curved pistol grip and an “American” style straight comb.

On the rifle I’m writing about, the Leupold Mark4 HD rifle scope is mounted via a Picatinny scope base and medium-height Picatinny compatible rings. This specific scope and mount combination pairs well with the stock’s straight comb. Now, having shot two different Tikka bolt guns that essentially ship with the same stock (this one and the .22 caliber rimfire T1X), I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend medium-height scope rings to make sure the comb and the scope’s ocular lens line up correctly to a shooter’s face.  

By using the word “basic” to describe the Tikka T3X Lite’s stock, I don’t mean to denigrate it or imply that it is flimsy or cheap. It doesn’t feel that way, but it’s basic because it’s straightforward field synthetic stock. It doesn’t have any precision-stock style contours or bag-friendly surfaces.

The forestock ahead of the magazine is flat enough to reasonably shoot off a field pack, but it isn’t extra-wide or overly flat either. It’s traditional.

This stock comes equipped with front and rear swivel studs, and I noticed that Tikka was kind enough to include a pair of sling swivels in the box from the factory, too. The recoil pad found on the stock’s butt is adequate, and I do like that its heel is rounded to facilitate rolling the rifle onto the shoulder from a field position. 

Tikka T3X Lite Pistol Grip

The Tikka stock’s pistol grip has moderate texturing and a very gentle convex ambidextrous palm swell. It is comfortable and fills the hand reasonably well while making it easier to keep the thumb of the shooting hand on the same side as the rest of its fingers.

The entire pistol-grip area is designed as an interchangeable module and held in place by a screw. It allows end users to swap it out for different units to change the feel of the rifle. For example, one could add a pistol grip with a more vertical angle that’s similar to those found on precision-style stocks.

The Trigger

These rifles make use of a silver-colored serrated single-stage trigger that’s adjustable by a set screw, but I did not adjust it. Its adjustment range varies between 2-4 lbs, and though the rifle’s trigger can be adjusted for a pull weight of less than two pounds, dropping the pull weight too low can be extremely dangerous.

The trigger itself looks fantastic as a complimentary accent piece to the rest of the rifle’s stainless steel metal parts, like the bolt, barrel, and receiver. While I didn’t have my trigger pull scale with me for this Christmas trip, I’m making an educated guess that this Tikka T3X Lite’s trigger is breaking right around the 3-pound mark. 

Tikka T3X Lite “Bottom Metal” And Blind Magazine

The Tikka T3X Lite’s “bottom metal,” or the outer frame that’s made up of its trigger guard and magazine well, is made from polymer. Like the stock, this polymer unit is basic and serviceable. And like the recoil lug, many dedicated shooters prefer to upgrade to a metal unit in order to tweak how the barreled action interacts with the stock and tune the rifle for more accuracy.

Both of the Tikka T3X Lite’s action screws use Torx heads, and in the case of the polymer “bottom metal,” 45-inch pounds is the recommended torque specification. 

As a hunting rifle, the Tikka T3X Lite doesn’t need that many rounds. It comes with a hidden 3-round capacity detachable box magazine. Its release latch is recessed so as to be snag-free and to prevent any accidental disengagement. Like the receiver, the outer shell of the magazine and the magazine well area all use the same external dimensions.

The magazines themselves use spacers internally in order to account for a specific caliber. Feeding-wise, this magazine design has proven to be very reliable. When jacking a cartridge into the chamber, there are no binds or snags, and it’s not hard for the bolt face to strip a round off the magazine’s feed lips. 

To Continued In Part 3

Recover Tactical S-PRO Conversion Kit

I had a chance to try out the Recover Tactical P-IX Glock chassis last year after SHOT show. It was a neat conversion kit of the Glock and made it easier to shoot and allowed for attaching optics and other accessories to my old no-rail Glock 17. This year Recover Tactical is debuting the S-PRO Conversion Kit that will work with most Glock pistols. Models for the SIG X Macro, Canik, Walther PDP, with others will follow.

The S-Pro Conversion Kit

Aside from being available for more platforms, the S-PRO is a more streamlined set up than the P-IX. It’s built on a metal frame and has an MLOK front shroud. This gives mounting options for adding lights, lasers or other accessories. It features a push button activated, spring-loaded stabilizer brace. The brace can be converted to a buttstock by removing and swapping the included brace attachment. Assuming you have your Glock SBR’d in the US at least. I actually did that to my 17 to use with the P-IX kit so I could use a regular M-4 stock.

The S-PRO Basic model comes with the stabilizer brace/stock, a charging handle, and the S-PRO frame. It has an MSRP of $299.95. The MG model includes everything in the Basic package and ads a forward mag carrier, a cheek riser, and a metal upper rail for optics mounting. It’s MSRP is $374.95.

The S-PRO is available in Black or Tan finishes. Being a modular unit, it will be adaptable of other pistol models later using a swap out adapter. That adds value to the unit since you can still use it, even if you change pistols down the line.

The S-PRO kits are expected to start shipping in March of 2025.

S-PRO Key Features

  • Metal frame
  • MLOK-compatible front shroud
  • Push button release spring loaded stabilizer/buttstock
  • Modular unit – swap out adapters to use the same platform for different pistols
  • No tools are required to install
  • Compatible with high-profile slide-mounted optics

For more information on the S-PRO Conversion Kit check out Recover Tactical.

Why Are Gun Control Groups Receiving Taxpayer Funds?

Bloomberg, not actually a participant in this particular story but I'd bet he supports it.

There has been a lot of hubbub in the United States about taxpayer funds and mismanagement. Lots of accusations of money laundering, scams, and waste of taxpayer cash are floating around right now. It’s the government, so I tend to assume they are wasting our money. I’ve followed the stories at a surface level, and it eventually got me thinking: have gun control groups received taxpayer funding of any kind? 

Anti-gun bill fails in CA
Photo Credit: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times

There is a website called Data Republican, which is most certainly biased. That’s where I started I ran the names of the big gun control groups out there and got an immediate hit when I searched Sandy Hook Promise. There are two groups associated with Sandy Hook Promise that took in a little over two million dollars. There is the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation and the Safe and Sound Sandy Hook Initiative. 

Taxpayer Funds and Anti-Gun Groups

The Sandy Hook Promise Foundation received 1.4 million dollars. The Safe and Sound Sandy Hook Initiative received almost 750,000 dollars in taxpayer funds. To be clear, the website is biased, and I wasn’t going to trust it right off the bat. I don’t like most political websites, so I wanted to verify outside of Data Republican. 

How does one do that? Well, you use the internet to become a five-minute expert. I became a five-minute, or really closer to ten-minute, expert on nonprofit finances. I really wanted to figure out what disclosures to look for. Nonprofits are required to put out a ton of paperwork regarding their finances and make it available to the public. 

President Joe Biden speaks as Rep. Maxwell Frost and Vice President Kamala Harris listen during a Rose Garden event on gun safety at the White House on September 22, 2023 in Washington, DC. Image via CNN

It turns out most of the websites promising you this information want you to pay for a subscription. The government websites are God-awful, and I want to investigate how much we paid web designers for these websites. If it’s more than ten bucks and a hamburger, we need to investigate that. 

Luckily, you can just go to the Sandy Hook Initiative website and find their financials going back to 2016. I might despise the anti-civil rights stance of the organization, but I appreciate the transparency. Their 990 forms are well-maintained and easy to read. I wanted to provide a little table. 

The Table of Truth 

2016 – No Taxpayer Funds.

2017 – No Taxpayer Funds.

2018 – $162,389 Taxpayer Funds 

2019 – $133,347 Taxpayer Funds 

2020 – $570,687 Taxpayer Funds

2021 – $680,431 Taxpayer Funds

2022 – $519,843 Taxpayer Funds

2023 – $1,417,049 Taxpayer Funds 

2024 – $1,396,238 Taxpayer Funds 

What Were These Funds For? 

The organization received 4.8 million dollars of taxpayer funds. What did this funding pay for? You can’t really find where these government grants went. It’s not reported, or at least it’s not on the 990 form that I could find. 

I want to be completely fair. I might be a hack, but unlike most ‘journalists’ I’m not intentionally a hack. The Sandy Hook Promise does rally for gun control efforts, but they also seem to aim to reduce social isolation and encourage kids to be kind. They have an anonymous tip line for kids to attempt to report potentially harmful behavior, including threats of violence, suicide, etc. 

If the money is being used for kids to learn to be kind enough to report a threat they see on Snapchat or maybe a cry for help from a fellow student, I wouldn’t be upset. On the split side, if that money is being used to fund gun control and fight against my civil rights, then we have a pretty big problem. 

Taxpayer funds should not be allotted to fund anti-rights legislation or to fund anti-gun politicians. To hell with that. I think, as taxpayers, we deserve answers. Where and how is this money being spent? I plan to become a thirty-minute expert soon enough, and maybe I can dig out answers. If the readership has answers or guidance, please feel free to submit tips so we can work together to figure out where our money is going. 

EXPAT Jaraca Kukri Knife

EXPAT Kukri has a long 11.75-inch blade with a forward curve and pronounced swell beyond the bend, tapering towards the sharp tip.

Meet the versatile exotic chopper from ESEE Knives under the EXPAT Series. The EXPAT Jaraca Kukri Knife was used extensively for food procurement, fire, and raft construction from the Northeast woodlands and Amazon Jungle of Peru. Hard-use gear all the way!

What is a Kukri Knife?

The Kukri is a large Nepalese knife easily identified by its forward curve. This shape, combined with its weight, makes it a powerful chopper. Although the Kukri is most famous for its service with the infamous Gurkha regiments, its primary use is utility. The Kukri withstood the test of time, surviving the East India Trade Company and two World Wars, and is still used on the battlefield today.

EXPAT Jaraca Kukri

The EXPAT Kukri Knife is a powerful, versatile tool that can handle the harshest outdoor challenges. Whether you need to chop wood, bamboo, clear branches, butcher meat, or slice through tough materials, the Kukri will tackle those tasks head-on. As for self-defense, there’s no question about how a Kukri can be used—just look at the Gurkhas.

You’ll notice that the EXPAT Kukri has a long 11.75-inch blade with a forward curve and pronounced swell beyond the bend, tapering towards the sharp tip. The weight is forward, making it feel more like a hatchet. This intentional design gains momentum through the swing, resulting in a powerful chop. The wrist stays in a natural position, allowing the blade to precede the hand, causing less fatigue.

The blade’s sweet spot ranges from the middle, where the belly swells, and a few inches above. The broad portion of the blade is perfect for gripping on top with your free hand while making shavings or debarking wood like a two-handed draw knife. The forward curve offers immense power over any other EXPAT choppers to date!

The EXPAT Jaraca Kukri Knife can be used as a draw knife to create curled shavings suitable for kindling.

The EXPAT Kukri Knife provides greater force and leverage than a straight blade, making it perfect for heavy-duty tasks like splitting wood. Crafted from 1075 High Carbon steel, the blade offers easy sharpening and flexibility to withstand rugged use. Its durable Black Traction Powder Coating ensures hassle-free maintenance and protects against corrosion in harsh environments. With a 6mm spine thickness that quickly tapers to a flat grind, it excels at slicing. The resulting convex edge creates a firm, sturdy cutting surface that prevents getting stuck in wood.

Got Big Mitts? 

The 5-inch handle has walnut wood scales that offer a natural feel and a secure grip. The forward and rear guards provide safety and assurance while swinging. Additional recesses offer extra grip. 

Jaraca in the Jungle

In late 2023, I took the EXPAT Jaraca Kukri Knife to the Peruvian Rainforest, loosely called the Amazon Jungle! The shorter-than-typical tool for this environment had a role in this scenario. Thicker tree chopping for rafts and dried hardwood for fire prep. It fits in as the axe and workhorse. 

During a jungle survival trip in Peru, students made rafts, fire, and shelters with the EXPAT Jaraca Kukri Knife.

During fire prep, I chopped and feathered wood for kindling. The recurve makes thin, curly shaving that can take a spark from a ferro rod or quickly ignite with a match in less than two seconds. 

As a draw knife, the EXPAT Jaraca Kukri Knife will make curly shavings for kindling.

Splitting wood with a heavy stout baton was the norm for the EXPAT Jaraca Kukri Knife in the jungle, especially the Northeast’s hardwoods during winter. Bottom line—this tool excelled!

Culmination

The EXPAT lineup has a cleaver and two machetes to its name—now they have a Kukri! Leave it to EXPAT to cover all the bases. The Expat Jaraca Kukri fits right in with the lineup of EXPAT misfits. It also carries the same “No Questions Asked” warranty from ESEE® Knives. 

Let’s face it—is there anything more Badass than a Kukri?

For more information, please contact ESEE Knives

EXPAT Jaraca Kukri Specs

Overall Length16.75 inches
Blade Length11.75 inches
Cutting Edge11 inches
Maximum Thickness6mm (under .25”)
Steel1075 High Carbon, 52-55 Rc. 
Weight (Blade Only)19.7 Ounces
Weight (Blade and Sheath)23.4 Ounces
FinishBlack Traction Powder Coating
HandleWalnut
SheathTan Canvas
Made InEl Salvador
MSRP$152.33

Faraday Cages – Protecting Your Electronics

Faraday Cage
Photo credit: Antoine Taveneaux, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Assembling a DIY Faraday Cage is a fairly popular topic in the prepper world. The goal is to protect electronics gear from damage due to an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) or CME (coronal mass ejection). While the odds of that sort of event occurring may be remote, they aren’t impossible.

Way back in 1859, the Carrington Event was the result of an intense CME. Without getting too deep into the weeds, suffice it to say that telegraph systems around the world failed, with some of them throwing sparks and even causing fires. For more information, read more about the Carrington Event.

A Faraday Cage is a way to protect your equipment from events like that, whether natural or manmade.

How Does a Faraday Cage Work?

Essentially, the Faraday Cage has a conductive exterior and a non-conductive interior. The charge from an EMP remains on the outside of the container. It’s like a shield that keeps the charge from getting to the contents inside.

How To Build a Faraday Cage

While there are a number of purpose-built products on the market today, from bags to boxes and more, you can build a Faraday Cage at home with easy-to-source components.

The simplest and easiest to construct uses a galvanized metal trash can. These come in a range of sizes. Keep storage space in mind as you select one. The interior needs to be large enough for you to fit what you want inside with no part of any item touching the sides. Another suitable container could be one of those ubiquitous popcorn tins that are so popular during the holidays.

A metal trash can makes a great Faraday Cage, as long as there are no holes and you can seal it properly.

Using a razor knife, cut a piece of corrugated cardboard to fit on the bottom of the can as snugly as possible. Then, line the sides with cardboard as well. Cover all seams securely with tape. Do not use foil or metal tape for this.

Next, cut one or two blocks of wood for the bottom. This isn’t absolutely necessary, but it provides a secondary layer of protection. A couple of pieces of 2×4 will suffice. Keep them short enough that they don’t touch the sides of the can. The idea is simply to help insulate your electronics from the bottom of the can.

Pick up a plastic bucket at the nearest dollar store. It should be small enough to fit fully inside the trash can without touching the sides. Place your electronics into a reusable ziplock plastic bag, then put that into the bucket. Put the bucket on top of the wood blocks inside the can.

Put the lid on the can, pushing it down securely. Cover the seam between lid and can with metal tape. It might take a few overlapping passes to ensure you have a complete seal, with no gaps anywhere.

Photo courtesy The Home Depot. Link to product is in the text above.

How to Test Your Faraday Cage

There are a couple of ways to ensure you’ve done it all correctly. One test is to use a portable radio. Your emergency radio is a great option for this. Tune it to a station that comes in well and turn the volume high. Seal it up in the Faraday Cage. It should lose the radio signal entirely. Another test is to seal your cell phone inside and then try calling and texting it. A well-made Faraday Cage won’t allow the signal to get to the phone.

Yes, you’ll need to reopen the container to get the radio or cell phone out. The Faraday Cage isn’t intended to be a one-and-done proposition. Periodically, you may need to go into your Faraday Cage and add files to the tablet or cell phone, or maybe just add a couple of new pieces of gear to the stash. That’s all perfectly fine, just make sure you reseal the container properly.

What to Store in a Faraday Cage

Many people store things like ham radio transceivers and walkie-talkies in their Faraday Cages. Another popular item is a cell phone or tablet that’s been filled with information, such as books and videos related to survival. While using a cell phone as a communication tool after an EMP isn’t like to work, it can certainly be used for data storage and viewing.

Small radio gear could be invaluable after a major disaster.

Of course, the use of any electronic devices will be reliant upon a way to power them. That’s something else you’ll need to plan ahead to accomplish.

The KelTec PR57 – Sticking It To Ban States

KelTec has leaned heavily into the 5.7mm round. It started with the insane P50, then moved to the Gen 3 SUB 2000, and now it’s made its way to a true 5.7mm handgun. In standard KelTec fashion, it’s far from normal. The PR57 is a semi-automatic 5.7x28mm handgun that uses a rotational barrel design. It’s incredibly thin but has most of a modern handgun’s features. This, most importantly, includes the ability to mount an optic. There is also a short rail to accommodate a light if you’d like.

What’s The PR57

The real kicker with the PR57 is that it lacks an external magazine. Which in 2025 is a bit odd. It’s like the Mauser C96 or another George Kellgren design, the Grendel P10. This was a .380 that lacked an external magazine and was loaded via a stripper clip. I like joking that PR stands for Problems Reloading, but I think that’s not a bad feature in the long run.

The PR57 holds 20 rounds in an internal magazine and can be reloaded with 10-round clips. This allows me to annoy pedantic nerds by going into forums and asking about the best clips for my pistol. The clips with the PR57 are fancy, with a push tab and both front and rear guide rails.

If you have a fixed magazine, then 20 rounds isn’t a bad capacity to have to deal with. The rotary barrel design allows for reliable operation with less recoil than something like the FN Five-Seven and its direct blowback option.

The lack of a removable magazine does something a little crazy. It makes a 5.7 pistol not feel like you’re gripping a 2×4. The gun’s widest point is .937 inches. That’s nuts for a 5.7mm pistol. I almost want to see how thin they could do other calibers. The gun weighs 13.86 ounces, and the barrel is 4.64 inches.

The PR57 – A Middle Finger To Ban States

A lot of people are jumping on the opportunity to make jokes about the PR57, and ultimately, the gun is a little silly. It looks weird, and KelTec has a history of making weird guns, and people like to meme on them. Where I think the PR57 will shine is in ban states. States with restrictive gun laws will hate this thing.

Most laws prohibit magazine capacities of more than ten rounds, with the keyword in these laws being removable ten-round magazines. I don’t know of any law banning capacities with fixed magazines, and since no one makes semi-auto handguns with fixed magazines, this issue has never been addressed.

The PR57 allows you to carry 20 rounds without running afoul of their silly little laws. I’m most certainly biased. I love anything that irritates the anti-civil rights crowd. Using the 5.7 for self-defense is a bit of a controversial choice, but it penetrates deep enough to work and has very little recoil.

That’s Not All

The group of people who live in ban states who will purchase the PR57 for self-defense to get around the magazine capacity laws is very small. I think people likely buy it for its very low price point, as well as it’s fun factor. It’s a bit silly, but it will likely be fun to shoot.

It’s also a thin 5.7 pistol for people who like 5.7x28mm. I have big hands, and most 5.7 handguns just feel thick and annoying. Ultimately, I like fun, weird guns, and as a fellow Florida man, the KelTec PR57 is for me. I won’t carry it, but for the low price point, I’ll snag one if given the chance.

P.S. KelTec, what about a fixed magazine SUB 2000-style rifle? That would give people in ban states a potential option. Hear me out, KelTec.

For more information, please visit KelTecWeapons.com.

Swampfox Liberty II Red Dot Review

Swampfox Optics has a goal of making solid, reliable optics at a price that folks can afford. Their first generation Liberty red dot pistol sight met that goal and has been a solid performer on the market. Swampfox is a company that listens to customer feedback, though, and makes changes and improvements based on that. The new Liberty II optic is the result of that process and improves upon an already solid sight.

The Liberty II

The Swampfox Liberty II uses the popular RMR mounting footprint, so it’s going to fit on almost anything you want to mount it on. The new sight has a large 24mm window for an increased field of view and a more streamlined body design. It’s available in three versions: a 3 MOA red dot, a 3 MOA green dot, and a red Multi-Reticle version.

All three versions have 10 illumination settings that let you adjust for whatever light conditions you’re shooting in. It runs on a single CR1632 battery and has a 50,000-hour battery life. Further enhancing that is Swampfox’s Shake N’ Wake auto on and off function.

The sight shuts down after 225 seconds of inactivity. When it senses any motion it turns on, back to the reticle setting that it was on when it shut down. The battery is top-loading, so when you do finally need to replace the battery it’s easy to do so without having to dismount the sight.

A Solid Construction

The Liberty II’s body is machined from 7075-T6 aluminum, and it has a black, hard anodized finish. It has rear anti-glare hood serrations, IPX7 waterproof rating, and 1,500 G force shock rating. The lens is fully multi-coated to resist scratches, fog, and water. The red dots have ruby-coated lenses, and the green dot uses a silver-coated lens.

The optic body and hood have been enhanced over the first-generation sights to better protect the upgraded internals and larger, recessed sight window. If you want enhanced durability you can also add Swampfox’s optional ironsides shield to give an extra layer of protection.

While the features on the Liberty II are impressive, I think the price is even more impressive. It has an MSRP of $249.00, which is extremely competitive for an optic with these features.

Hands-On

I picked up a Liberty II with the red Multi-Reticle for testing. It’s a solid sight but much trimmer than my previous Swampfox pistol red dots—the Kinglsayers. Those are good sights, but I ended up using them on my Mossberg 930 SPX shotgun and my .45 ACP PCC build. The Liberty II’s size feels better suited to a duty or EDC pistol.

I mounted mine on my “Glock 34” build. I put that in quotes because nothing on it is actually Glock. It’s built on an SCT Manufacturing frame and uses a Steel City Arsenal 34-length slide. I had one of my Kinglslayers on it before but found the smaller profile of the Liberty II a much better fit.

The field of view on the Liberty II is excellent. I found it is quick to get on target with and didn’t find that the sight hood occluded much of my down-range view. The serrated back face on the hood and lens coating worked well for reducing glare, even on bright sunny days.

The Multi-Reticle Red Dot

The multi reticle is simple to select. All you have to do is hold the Up arrow for 3 seconds to cycle through reticles, and pick which one you prefer. The multi reticle sight gives you the option of a 3 MOA dot, an open circle, a complete circle with center dot, and a crosshair. I went with the circle dot, but I do like the crosshair option as well. The nice thing about how easy it is to switch reticles is that you can easily switch out at the range and find out what works best for you.

The Shake N’ Wake feature works well on the Liberty II. Any time I picked my gun up the sight was on when I brought it to eye level. In fact I had to sit the pistol where I could see the sight without touching the gun to confirm that it turned off. No worries, it actually does.

More importantly to me, is that it does indeed turn on when you pick it up. If you’re using a Liberty II on a duty or defense gun you want to know that it’s ready to go, and I never had an issue with mine over a few months of use so far.

Running the Liberty II

The sight picture is crisp and there are plenty of illumination levels available to tweak the brightness of the sight to your range conditions. Most of the time I could leave it right in the middle and it was fine. On a particularly sunny day I did kick it up a couple levels to account for the washout. I still had a couple levels to go though, even after getting to a usable setting, so I never maxed out my options.

I didn’t do any sort of torture test on the optic, but have used it for a few months so far with normal jostling around and range use. My older Kingslayers are about 4 years old now though and have been run on handguns, 12 gauge shotguns and 10mm and .45 ACP carbines with no issues.

Being that the Liberty II is an improved design I’m pretty confident that it’ll be fine. Swampfox has an excellent warranty on their optics if you do run into an issue, but I haven’t had to use it with my other 5 or 6 Swampfox optics I run, so I have yet to test it out.

Wrap Up

You can probably tell by me mentioning my pile of Swampfox optics that I’m a fan of the brand. I was introduced to them about 5 years ago by one of the guys on my old agency’s SWAT team. He’d been impressed with them, and recommended I check them out. They offer solid performance at a good price, and that was important to me.

I do a lot of builds that can use optics. While you can’t argue with the quality of the big optics brands, the price can be a barrier to folks. Especially if you’re trying to put optics on multiple guns. Swampfox knows that, and positions itself to provide a quality optic and an affordable price.

The Kingslayers I’ve been running have been good optics, but the Liberty II is a big jump ahead of those. It has solid construction, and a wide field of view 24mm sight window. The impressive 50,000 hour battery life is complimented by the Shake N’ Wake feature.

Feature wise, they compete with just about anyone else’s sight on the market. The RMR footprint makes it readily mountable to most handguns, carbines, shotguns and rifles as well. With the $249.00 MSRP it makes it an easy sell for me.

Still not sure? Swampfox even offers a 30 day money back guarantee when you buy one of their optics through their shop. If you don’t like it for any reason you can return it and get all of your money back. There’s zero risk in trying one out if you aren’t sure if you’ll be happy with it. But with a guarantee like that, the folks at Swampfox are pretty sure you will.

For more information on the Liberty II or Swampfox’s other products, check out their website at Swampfox.com.

The Tikka T3X Lite Hunting Rifle

Tikka T3X Hunting Rifle

Being in the business of writing about firearms and shooting, I hate to pass up a chance to write about any rifle, pistol, or shotgun. So, I took advantage of shooting and handling the brand new Tikka T3X Lite Stainless hunting rifle chambered in 6.5mm Creedmoor that a family member got for Christmas.

The Tikka: A Rifle That Needs No Introduction

Finnish-made Tikka bolt-action rifles have a sterling reputation and have become well-known amongst the North American shooting public. Especially with serious rifle shooters and hunters. Tikka T3/T3X actions are derived from classic Finnish Sako actions. As a product family, the T3 series has been around for several years and is technically nothing new. The T3X Lite lineup has remained nearly the same since its original launch, save for some tweaks to the stock or other small details.

Frankly, despite their product longevity, all Tikka rifles are new to me. Prior to 2024, I had never actually shot one. I was fortunate to review the .22 LR Tikka T1X MTR back in September 2024.

After mounting my Leupold Mark5 HD 3.6-18×44 and spending an afternoon printing neat little groups with this .22 caliber rifle, I was duly impressed with how such a seemingly basic synthetic stocked rifle could deliver that type of performance, especially at its price point. Its accuracy reminded me of the fancy Anschutz rifles I once shot at scout camp, save for the lack of a wooden stock. 

.22 LR Tikka T1X MTR rimfire rifle. Notice how similar its stock is to that of the Tikka T3X Lite. And ditto for the trigger.

Fast-forward to the end of 2024, and I find myself with a 6.5mm Creedmoor Tikka T3X Lite Stainless on my lap. Being a man of taste, my family member topped his Tikka T3X Lite with one of Leupold’s relatively new first focal plane Mark4 HD scopes—the 4.5-18×52 MOA model with Leupold’s PR-1 reticle. With this scope mounted on the rifle, I wanted to see if it lived up to the hype.   

The Tikka T3X Lite Stainless Overview 

The Tikka T3X Lite Stainless is the Finnish gunmaker’s basic and quintessential bolt-action rifle. Candidly, the Tikka T3X Lite is a no-frills hunting rifle with a black synthetic stock. It has a light contour barrel, no sights, and a hidden 3-round detachable box magazine. It’s neither the cheapest nor the most expensive rifle found in a gun shop.  

These rifles are offered in a variety of popular North American hunting and sporting cartridges running the gamut from very traditional chamberings (think .300 Win Mag, .243 Winchester, .270 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, et al.) to many of what I like to call the “new kids on the block.” Cartridges such as 6.5 mm Creedmoor and 6.5 mm PRC.

Even though I wrote this draft a month before SHOT Show 2025 began, and I didn’t have a clue as to what Tikka plans to launch, I wouldn’t be surprised if they added even more chamberings. In short, the product family covers the most important nominal bore diameters ranging from 0.22” to 0.300.”

Tikka T3X Lite hunting rifles are normally found with barrel lengths of 20 inches, 22 inches, or 24 inches, depending on the specific rifle and its cartridge. Likewise, I’ve noticed that Tikka rifles tend to be very accessible to left-handed shooters because finding left-handed actions in the most popular calibers and trims isn’t too difficult. The .22 caliber rimfire Tikka T1X MTR I reviewed serves as a good example. 

Tikka T3X Lite Stainless, 6.5 mm Creedmoor 24” Barrel 

The rifle I’m writing about is chambered for the popular 6.5mm Creedmoor cartridge and sports a 24-inch barrel that allows each round to build up to its full potential, muzzle velocity-wise. According to official Tikka-supplied specifications, this full-length T3X Lite rifle weighs 6.7 pounds bare naked.

For a rifle of this size, it has a good size-to-weight ratio. It’s also hard not to notice its handiness when picked up and brought to the shoulder. Next to their reputation for accuracy, I can easily imagine that many hunters and riflemen appreciate its lighter weight, especially those who trek through treacherous and technical topography.

With the way this particular T3X is configured with its Leupold Mark4 HD and a basic stud-clamping Magpul MOE bipod, it weighs 9.4 pounds.

The Leupold Mark4 HD 4.5-18×52 FFP with Leupold’s PR1 MOA reticle.

Yup, that Mark4 HD isn’t the lightest scope in Leupold’s catalog, but it’s very promising nonetheless. After shooting out to nearly 1,000 yards, I’m having a hard time complaining about it from a pure shooting perspective.

Tikka T3X Lite Receiver And Action 

While the majority of modern bolt-action rifles are divided between short and long actions, depending on their chamberings, Tikka takes a different approach and manufactures all of its receivers to the same length. All caliber differences are internally accommodated via a corresponding caliber-specific bolt stop.

There’s no doubt that this universal receiver size simplifies manufacturing and keeps the rifle’s cost down. Tikka’s one-size-fits-all approach to its receivers makes swapping barrels and calibers extremely simple without worrying about long-vs-short action lengths like one would with other makes and models of bolt guns. Of course, things like headspacing or the bolt’s face diameter still need to be taken into consideration.

The Tikka’s push-feed action uses a bolt with a pair of symmetrical locking lugs, a small external extractor, and a plunger-type ejector that nests into the bolt face. Like most other contemporary rifles, the bolt cocks on opening and has a swift 60-degree bolt throw. A latch on the left side of the receiver can be depressed to remove the bolt away from the receiver. Its emergency vent hole is also located on the left side of the receiver, along with rollmarks and the rifle’s official serial number.

A Familiar Thumb Safety

The Tikka’s thumb safety works similarly to that of modern Remington 700 action pattern safeties. It’s placed on the rear right side of the action, close to where the right-handed shooter’s thumb is. To disengage, the safety is moved forward, and to engage, it moves back. When the safety is engaged, there’s a small protrusion that’s attached directly to the safety lever itself that enters a blind hole that’s drilled into the bolt’s body to capture it. This prevents the action from being opened or closed or otherwise manipulated while “on safe.”

Continued In Part 2

Fixed-Blade Pocket Carry EDC Knives

The TI Lookout Fixed Blade by Big Idea Design is the modern EDC Knife of the bunch featuring Grade 5 titanium scales, M390 blade steel, and an inside pocket carry system.

This ease of use benefits individuals by saving time, providing reassurance, promoting regular carry, and enhancing functionality. The growing popularity of EDC knives has driven innovation in their design and materials, resulting in a diverse market that meets various preferences and requirements.

Fixed-Blade Pocket Carry

Carry systems are essential as they impact the user’s experience and the practicality of knives in daily life. Everyday carry (EDC) knives symbolize a culture of preparedness and self-reliance, highlighting a trend toward functionality and efficiency in personal gear.

Big Idea Lookout 

The TI Lookout Fixed Blade by Big Idea Design showcases precision engineering and high-quality materials, making it a must-have for everyday carry enthusiasts. Its M390 blade steel offers excellent edge retention and wear resistance, ensuring it maintains a sharp edge with minimal sharpening.

The Big Idea Design TI Lookout Fixed Blade Kydex sheaths offer versatile left and right pocket carry options and include a titanium pocket clip for easy attachment.

Featuring Grade 5 Titanium scales, the knife is both lightweight and durable. The lanyard hole adds functionality for easy attachment. Measuring 6.2 inches overall with a 2.2-inch blade and 3mm thickness, it provides a perfect balance of control and cutting power.

The knife comes with two Kydex sheaths for versatile left- or right-pocket carry, each with a titanium pocket clip for easy attachment. Consider it a gentleman’s fixed blade!

Utility Pocket Carry EDC

I tested the TI Lookout on various everyday tasks, including cutting through light-gauge metals, where it performed exceptionally well. However, it struggled a bit with thick cardboard. Despite this, it remained impressively sharp after slicing through cordage. Wire, 550 paracord, nylon webbing, and heavy leather were no challenge for the TI Lookout. 

In the pocket carry Chickpea made possible by Badger Claw Leather has a 3-inch fixed blade made of Nitro-V steel, which is corrosion-resistant and easy to sharpen. (Badger Claw Leather photo)

Overall, the TI Lookout Fixed Blade is not just a functional tool; it also showcases exceptional craftsmanship and material quality.

Knives By Nuge Chickpea

Modern Day Pocket Carry EDC Knives are here. The Chickpea has a 3-inch fixed blade made of Nitro-V steel, which is corrosion-resistant and easy to sharpen. (Badger Claw Leather photo)

This knife is small enough to fit clipped to your pocket at 6.5 inches overall but powerful enough to cut through wood, cardboard, cordage, fish, and game. The Chickpea has a 3-inch fixed blade made of Nitro-V steel, which is corrosion-resistant and easy to sharpen. The blade has a curved edge that is ideal for slicing and skinning and a 90-degree spine that can be used to strike a firesteel or scrape bark.

I took part in Randall’s Adventure & Training class in Alabama, helping with a parent-child session. I taught kids how to carve, make feather sticks, and start fires using the Chickpea knife. The 3.5-inch burlap micarta handle was comfortable for them to use. 

Soon after, we headed to North Carolina to teach a weekend wilderness survival class with training and active Search and Rescue personnel. 

Modern pocket carry EDC knives are available. The Chickpea features a 3-inch fixed blade made from Nitro-V steel, known for its corrosion resistance and ease of sharpening. (Badger Claw Leather photo)

While the Chickpea excelled in quick cuts, It also handled utility tasks like cutting paracord and preparing food. The blade remained sharp, and overall, the Chickpea proved to be a reliable and versatile companion for outdoor adventures.

Get a pocket-friendly Pocket Carry EDC Knife and join the club! 

For more information, please check out Badger Claw Leather, Big i Design, and Knives by Nuge

The Year Of the Mailbox

The evolution of firearms design will likely be related to accessories in the foreseeable future. We’ve hit a point where it’s tough to improve upon design. Sure, we can improve ergonomics here and simplify this, but I think what we see now is what we’ll get for now. We’ll see the most progress in optics, lights, and even magazines. SHOT Show is in the rear view mirror, and it seems like it’s the Year of The Mailbox. 

Year of the Mailbox

The Mailbox is the quasi-affectionate name for enclosed emitter red dots. Every year, we see more and more enclosed emitter designs, but most aren’t doing anything new. They are, at best, a little cheaper than previous models. This year, we are seeing a new mailbox from Aimpoint and a new one from Primary Arms. 

These are early releases, and sometimes new releases come in waves. With SHOT behind us, we might have a half dozen or so different enclosed emitters doing something different. With that in mind, let’s look at the two we’ve seen on Aimpoint and Primary Arms

The Aimpoint COA 

The Aimpoint COA seems to be the evolution of the ACRO. It’s smaller but has the same size window. The COA comes with a 3.5 MOA dot and will be built like a tank. Like most Aimpoint optics, it’s sealed against the environment and designed to face the world head-on. We get twelve brightness settings, four of which are NVD compatible. Battery life is supposed to be 50K hours at setting seven. 

The COA uses a new, innovative mounting system along with a new optic cut called the A-Cut. Yeah, I’m sick of new optics cuts. We have too many as is. On the front and rear of the optic are two slight extensions. These extensions line up with ledges on the gun that are part of the A-Cut. 

The front ledge slides in, and the optic sits on the gun and is then secured by screwing down the rear sight. I trust Aimpoint to make this work due to their reputation, and I hope I’m not wrong. The kicker is that this setup seems exclusive to Glock for the time being. I’m sure companies will crack the A-Cut, but from the factory, it’s a Glock-exclusive mailbox. 

For more information, please visit Aimpoint.com.

The Primary Arms HTX-1 

Primary Arms has also released a new dot, the HTX-1. The HTX-1 is an American-made optic that Primary Arms has been developing for years. This enclosed emitter mailbox has 11 brightness settings with 3-night vision settings. It has the Autolive, or what we all call Shake Awake, and we get 20,000 hours of battery life from a single 2032. 

The reticle is 4 MOA, and the optic is made from 7075 aluminum. The mounting system is new, but you don’t have to worry about an optics cut. Primary Arms has developed a plate system to fit a wide variety of cuts. The plate attaches to the cut, and the optic attaches to the plate.

Nothing crazy, right? Well, the enclosed emitter design creates an interesting challenge. Instead of attaching downward to the plate, it attaches laterally to the sides. It’s similar to the Williams Low Reflex Sight and is novel for a handgun design. 

For more information, please visit PrimaryArms.com.

The Mailbox 

We are getting two new enclosed emitters, both with interesting mounting methods. It’s tough for me not to be excited. I like enclosed emitter optics and think they are the future of red dots for duty use. These designs simply take a small step forward for the concept.

I’m a bit more excited for the Primary Arms option. I like the mounting system and I don’t want to buy a new Glock to just use the new Aimpoint. 

The Mossberg 590R Swaps the Safety

Mossberg has announced two new shotguns as part of the 590R series. The 590R series has ditched Mossberg’s famed tang safety for an AR-like lever above the pistol grip. The 590R series descends from a British MOD contract for a 590M Breacher gun. They needed a new safety to work with just a pistol grip. Mossberg has now brought that technology to the American market.

The tang safety remains my favorite shotgun safety, but it doesn’t work well with pistol grips. If you want a 90-degree pistol grip with an AR-style stock, then Mossberg safeties aren’t all that friendly. The new R models all feature an AR stock and pistol grip type configuration. These are inline stocks, and inline designs help reduce muzzle rise significantly and make a more controllable shotgun.

We get a standard 590R with a tubular magazine and a 590RM that’s magazine-fed. The 590R series also features flat triggers. Others feature Magpul MBUS sights, and both models are optics-ready and have an included rail. They have adjustable AR-type stocks, as well as heat shields. The standard 590R comes with a breacher-style barrel as well.

The New 590R Shotguns

Overall, I’m excited to see Mossberg grow the 590 line in any direction. The 590R series is a considerable move from Mossberg. While these won’t replace the standard tang safety guns, they supplement them and offer a new option. AR shooters will likely enjoy the design not just because of the safety but because of the pistol grip and stock design.

The AR-type stock and pistol grip do have some benefits. I’ve seen new shooters take better to the push-pull with a rear vertical grip. These guns tend to be easier to hold upright with one hand than a standard stock. Instant stock adjustments are admittedly nice and make the gun really easy to use between different shooters.

From the Mouth of Mossberg

NORTH HAVEN, CT – The ruggedly-built Mossberg 590® pump-action shotgun has been chosen for duty and home defense for decades for its reliability, performance, and wide range of configurations. This field-proven tactical platform continues to evolve and serves as an inspiration for Mossberg’s newest pump-action shotguns: introducing the 590R and 590RM (Mag Fed) 12-gauge shotguns with Rotary Safety Selector and AR-style ergonomics. New ground-breaking features include a redesigned user-serviceable forend, integrated barrel/single heat shield, and ambidextrous, rotary safety selector. Four models are available, including two standard offerings and two mag-fed versions, utilizing the first production double-stack magazines for pump-action shotguns.

Shared features of the 590 platform and the new 590R include non-binding twin action bars, positive steel-to-steel lock-up and anti-jam elevator, dual extractors, aluminum receiver, drilled and tapped receivers. Further enhancing the platform is a convenient clean-out magazine tube with cap for ease of maintenance.

Introduced in 2018, the Mossberg 590M Mag Fed shotgun shares key features with the new 590RM. At the core is the detachable magazine’s integral stabilizing ribs, which engage the magazine directly to notches engineered into the receiver for a positive lock-up. The lever-style magazine release button and mounting guide are positioned in front of the trigger guard for ambidextrous access. Accessory magazines are available in 5, 10, 15, and 20-round capacities.

Key Features of the 590R and 590RM Pump-Action Shotguns:

  • Ambidextrous, rotary safety selector with protective guard that can be reached without breaking grip.
  • Mossberg-designed stock with five positions of adjustment (12 – 15.25 inches), interchangeable recoil pad, and 2-sided QD cups. The front QD cup is located on the mag cap.
  • Stock/Base Adapter is compatible with other grip designs. Accepts most Mil-Spec stocks.
  • Magpul® MOE+® pistol grip.
  • Compact, ergonomically shaped forend with new 4-piece attachment that is user serviceable.
  • 18.5-inch barrel with integrated heat shield that is removable (standard and stand-off versions).
  • Front M-LOK® adapter with dual sided accessory mounting slots at 3 and 9 o’clock positions.
  • Flat profile trigger with smooth, crisp break.
  • Top Picatinny rail for ease of adding optics. Optional Mapgul MBUS® 3 sights on select models.
  • Enlarged, beveled loading port with extended follower for ease of loading (590R only).
  • Elongated bolt release.
  • Electroplated internal and external receiver for durability and smoother finish.

Mossberg 590R (50762/50761)

The 12-gauge, 3-inch standard versions feature an 18.5-inch barrel with integrated heat shield, compact forend, 5-position adjustable stock with interchangeable recoil pad, MOE pistol grip, Picatinny rail, flat profile trigger, rotary safety selector, and other key features noted above. SKU 50762 has Magpul MBUS 3 adjustable sights with a mini top rail for front sight attachment and an AccuChoke™-compatible barrel (Cylinder choke tube included). SKU 50761 comes with an 18.5-inch stand-off, cylinder bore barrel.

Mossberg 590RM (50213/50218)

These 12-gauge, 2.75-inch magazine-fed pump actions feature an 18.5-inch barrel with integrated heat shield, compact forend, 5-position adjustable stock with interchangeable recoil pad, MOE pistol grip, Picatinny rail, flat profile trigger, rotary safety selector, 10-round magazine, and other key features noted above.

SKU 50213 includes Magpul MBUS 3 adjustable sights with mini top rail for front sight attachment and AccuChoke-compatible barrel (Cylinder choke tube included). SKU 50218 is equipped with an 18.5-inch stand-off, cylinder bore barrel.

The Mossberg 590R and 590RM pump-action shotguns with rotary safety selectors are another ground-breaking design from Mossberg. For more information on these models and the complete line of Mossberg tactical shotguns, please visit www.mossberg.com.