SHOT Show 2025 Folding Knives Round Up

By

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February 6, 2025

While guns are the star at SHOT Show, knives have a strong supporting role. It’s almost impossible to see everything during SHOT, particularly if you’re trying to cover a number of different product categories. With that said, here are 10 of the folding knives that caught my eye during this year’s SHOT Show.

1. Benchmade 535-09 Bugout

Benchmade’s Bugout is one of my all-time favorite EDC knives. When I looked in the Benchmade case at SHOT Show the newest 535-09 model immediately jumped out at me. The 535-9 is the first Bugout to have a bolster. It uses a gray anodized 6061-T6 aluminum frame with Redstone Richlite onlays for a unique two-tone look. It also has some orange accent parts like the anodized thumb stud and back spacer.

This Bugout has a 3.24-inch stonewashed blade of premium CPM-S90V stainless steel. Like all of the series it uses an Axis lock and has a reversible pocket clip. Weight is just 2.52 ounces. Benchmade’s Bugout is made in the USA and has an MSRP of $400.00.

2. Case Knives Crossroads

Case Knives is one of the oldest and most respected knifemakers in America. For SHOT Show 2025, they didn’t disappoint with the release of the new Crossroads. The Crossroads is a Sod Buster Jr. slipjoint pattern with a 2.8-inch stonewashed blade of S35VN stainless steel.

Handle options are Black Burlap Laminate with Dayglow G-10, Brown Green Laminate Wood. or Green Laminate Wood. It has brass liners and a screwed-together construction. The Crossroads is a nice blend of traditional design with modern materials. MSRP is just $84.99

3. Civivi Merit Flipper

The Civivi Merit flipper is a nice-sized EDC with good features at a good price. It’s a flipper opener with a 3.28-inch, flat ground, drop point blade. It uses 14C28N stainless steel with a satin or black stonewashed finish. The handles are canvas micarta and available in black, OD green, and purple.

MSRP on the black and OD ones is only $58.70. The purple one is a couple of bucks more at $61.20. If you want something a little fancier, Civivi also does a version with a Damascus blade and Ivory G10 scales that is still only $85.00. The Merit has clean lines and feels good in hand. The action is smooth, and the liner lock is extremely positive. It’s a lot of knife for the money.

4. CRKT The M16-03XK

The M16 series knives have been a mainstay of the Columbia River Knife & Tool line for around 25 years now. The latest version seen at SHOT Show, the M16-03XK, now features an ambidextrous Crossbar Lock. Paired with an IKBS ball-bearing pivot and a set of dual thumbstuds it makes for an easy opening and closing EDC knife.

It has a 3.57-inch long spear point blade of D2 steel and a lightweight but rugged Grivory handle. Like the original Ford Model T’s, you can have it any color that you want, so long as it’s black. MSRP is $85.00.

5. Demko Knives Kopis MGAD20

Demko Knives announced the Kopis MGAD20 at the show. They’d been teasing this one on social media for a bit and had them on display at the show. The Kopis uses a 3.25-inch recurve-style blade. The initial ones will be in MagnaCut or 20V, with other steels being offered throughout the year.

Three handle variations will be available: the Canoe, Full Fingers, and Traditional (Big Belly) styles. Handles will be either G10 ( $450), Carbon Fiber ($550), or Titanium ($750). The Kopis MGAD20s are made in the USA, and you can expect them to officially drop at Blade Show Texas this March.

6. ESEE Knives Zancudo Auto

ESEE Knives has taken their popular Zancudo model and turned it into an auto. Using a slide (crossbar) lock mechanism, the Zancudo is now even faster and easier to use. The new autos are made in the USA. They feature 3-inch blades of 14C28N Stainless Steel with a flat grind and stonewash finish.

Handles are of black G10, and they have a pocket clip set up for tip-up, right-hand carry. MSRP is $139.95, although if you shop around you can find them under $100 currently.

7. Eutektik Knives Binary

Liong Mah has added the Binary to his Eutektik line. I’ve been very impressed with this series for its clean lines, smooth actions, and solid construction. The Binary is a front flipper opening knife with a 3.75-inch drop point blade of 14c28n stainless steel. It uses a nested liner lock under G10 scales and comes with a deep carry pocket clip.

You have a variety of handle colors to choose from, including black, blue, orange, green, purple, and jade. Blades are available with both blackwash and stonewash finishes. Right and left-handed versions are also available. MSRP on the Binary is $85.00, although they’re currently 10% off from Liong Mah’s website.

8. Spartan Blades Special Edition Folders

Spartan Blades always releases a number of limited edition folders every year. They’re based on the Spartan-Harsey Folder (SHF) and have a 4-inch blade of MagnaCut steel. The SHF is a frame lock design with handles made from 6AL-4V titanium. What really sets them apart, though is the artwork applied to each handle. The designs are done by Spartan co-founder Curtis Iovito. Curtis has an impressive military background but he’s also an amazing artist, as exhibited by the limited edition SHF knives put out each year.

This year, the SHOT Show themes were ‘Kilroy Was Here” of WWII fame, an angelic scene, an Egyptian theme, and, appropriately enough, a Spartan theme. There are probably official names for each model, but honestly, I was a little in awe looking at them and probably missed them. That sounds a little fanboy, but Curtis really does impressive work.

MSRP on the special edition SHF knives is usually about $575.00. Keep an eye on Spartan’s website or reach out to them if you’re interested in finding out when these new models are ready to drop.

9. Spyderco Roadie XL

It’s hard not to find something you like at Spyderco. One of the neater knives I saw this time around was the Roadie XL. The original Roadie was designed to be TSA-compliant back when they were considering allowing knives on airplanes again. The TSA, being what it is, never followed through with that plan. Spyderco went ahead and made the Roadie anyway, and it was a neat little slipjoint knife. Now they’ve embigguned it into the Roadie XL.

The XL has a 2.74-inch blade of Bohler M398 stainless steel with a satin finish. It’s a Sheepsfoot pattern and has a round divot in the blade for opening. The XL has black FRN handles and a wire pocket clip. Weight is just 1.5 ounces. The Roadie XL is made in Italy and should be legal to carry just about anywhere that you can bring a knife at all. MSRP is $115.00.

10. White River Knives Trailhead Trapper

White River Knives, in conjunction with Smith and Sons Knife Company, released their first folder ever at SHOT Show 2025, the Trailhead Trapper. The Trailhead Trapper is a mix of classic slipjoint design and modern manufacturing and materials. It has a 3.1-inch blade of CPM S35VN Steel and a variety of handle materials.

You can get natural Burlap Micarta, Olive Drab Micarta, Maple and Black Richlite, or Carbon Fiber Burl. The knives are finished with custom touches like relieved liners to eliminate tang scratching and hand profiled spines. Prices range between $250.00 and $300.00 depending on options.

Two Fire-Lays For Success: Part 1

By

Reuben Bolieu

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February 5, 2025

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Lean-to fire in winter.

In this first part of our series on fire-lays, we will explore the Lean-to and log cabin styles, which are the first two fire-lays. How we arrange firewood for a campfire, cooking fire, signal fire, council fire, or quick boil is known as a fire-lay.

A fire lay is an effective system that requires key components for success. First, gather tinder, kindling, and fuel from dry-standing wood. How you build the fire often determines whether it ignites or smolders.

Fire-Lay System

To remember what elements are necessary for a fire to burn continuously, use the saying “HAF,” which stands for Heat, Air, and Fuel. Every fire consists of these three components; removing just one will extinguish it. You should incorporate these elements when creating fire lays while applying basic fire-building techniques.

For instance, light the upwind side so the wind directs the flames into the fuel. Ensure enough space between wood pieces to allow for good airflow. Build the fire up rather than spreading it flat and wide. This method takes advantage of the hot rising air, as fire naturally travels upward.

Two Fire-Lays For Success

Log Cabin Fire-Lay: The log cabin fire lay is a classic method for quickly creating coals for cooking. You can ignite from the top or bottom, but this article will focus on the top-ignition. This method is helpful on wet ground or snow as it keeps the tinder elevated.

To build a log cabin fire lay, start with two wrist-thick logs about 7 to 10 inches long, laid parallel with about 5 inches of space between them. Place two thinner logs perpendicularly on top to form a square foundation. Alternate the direction of the pieces as you build up, adding small, pencil-thick sticks every two levels to create a platform filled with dry leaves, grasses, pine straw, and tinder.

Finish by layering thinner and shorter pieces into a cabin or slight pyramid shape. At the top, stack kindling and place the tinder. Once ignited, this fire lay needs minimal maintenance and will burn down to the thicker logs underneath.

The author regards the log cabin fire-lay in winter as one of his Two Fire-Lays For Success!

Using a frying pan or kettle on top can quickly boil water due to rising hot air, though it’s essential to be cautious, as meals can easily scorch and water may boil over.

Next up, the lean-to!

Lean-To Fire-Lay

My personal favorite is the lean-to, as it is both straightforward and highly effective. To create a lean-to-fire, start by selecting an appropriate site. Lay down a course of broomstick-thick pieces of wood parallel to your feet, facing the fire—this is your platform. It keeps your crucial tinder and kindling elevated from the damp ground, ensuring it stays dry while allowing for better airflow.

Next, place a thick log atop the platform, roughly the thickness of your bicep to thigh. This log acts as a brace and should be positioned parallel to the breeze and perpendicular to the platform. Begin with thin sticks—around toothpick or matchstick thickness—and lean them at an angle against the brace. Gradually add sticks that range from pencil to finger thickness.

Once you’ve set that up, ignite your tinder on the upwind side. The breeze will naturally enhance the fire through the air passages created by the lean-to. Once the fire is roaring, add similarly larger wrist-thick wood. I recommend placing another log of the same thickness parallel to the first for a cooking fire, transforming the setup into a Hunter’s Fire or Long Fire.

Closing

Follow these simple instructions and, be sure to have fun and be safe with these Two Fire-Lays for a successful camping trip!

Why Didn’t Lever Action Shotguns Ever Take Off?

By

Travis Pike

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February 5, 2025

The first successful repeating shotgun came from the mind of John Browning. It wasn’t the first, and the Spencer-Roper slide-action shotguns preceded it. However, the Winchester 1887 lever action shotgun was actually successful and widely purchased.

Winchester asked Browning to design a lever action shotgun. Browning wanted to produce slide action, or what we’d call a pump action gun. However, Winchester wanted to keep their lever action branding in place.

Browning did as requested, and the five-shot, lever action, 12 gauge shotgun hit the market. The gun was successful. Six years later, Browning got his wish and designed the 1893 shotgun, which became the 1897 and would evolve with the help of T.C. Johnson, which became the Model 12.

The 1887 kicked around, and Winchester released a smokeless powder ten gauge variant in 1901, but the slide action remained the action of choice.

Remington, Savage, Marlin, and more produced pump action shotguns, and lever action shotguns fell to the wayside. Why? That’s what we intend to answer today.

Exploring Lever Action shotguns

My experience with the lever-action scattergun is admittedly limited. I have a Cimarron Terminator, a replica of the Winchester 1887. I’ve also shot the Henry Axe a fair bit, a .410 lever-action firearm. I enjoy both guns. They are fun to shoot, and working a lever action is always fun.

However, in the year 2025, I’m still going to grab a pump-action over a lever-action for defensive use, hunting, and competition. Why? Well, lever-action shotguns (and firearms) are a bit obnoxious. You could make a good one if you tried, but why would you?

They tend to be big and somewhat clumsy. Shotguns are close-range weapons, and at close range, you want speed. Lever action shotguns are slow. Working the lever action removes your hand from its firing grip, and the amount of movement needed can even interrupt your sight picture.

Firing two rounds with a pump action is much faster than firing two with a lever action. I’ve compared the Cimarron with a Norinco 1897 against a timer, and the pump action was consistently faster. It is not only faster to shoot but faster to load as well.

The point being that right off the jump, the pump action shotgun is more ergonomic and easier to use. That’s a good enough reason for most shooters to choose the pump action, but that’s not the only reason why pumps beat lever-action shotguns. Economically, we had some interesting factors.

Why They Didn’t Take Off

If you open up a lever action, it’s basically a revolver of the long gun world. While working the action is easy and seems simple, there is some fairly complicated mechanical work involved in making the weapon work. Pump actions are simple, easy to produce, and cheap. That’s why an American-made Mossberg costs way less than a craptastic made in Turkey lever action shotgun.

A gun that’s more complicated to produce is more expensive to produce. Not only is it more expensive to produce, but it’s also more expensive to fix and more likely to break. We also have to step back in time to realize the economics around shotguns of the era.

Patents and Cash

Winchester was a patent company that made rifles on the side. I joke, but their patent office was tough to beat. They patented everything they could when it came to their guns. This meant that guns like the Winchester 1887 were well guarded by patents and lawyers. You’d need to be radically different to produce a lever action shotgun to compete with the 1887.

In contrast, right after the M1893/M1897 came out, we saw a huge rush of companies producing pump-action shotguns. The reason is that Winchester didn’t hold that patent. A man named Francis Bannerman owned the rights to the first pump-action shotgun, the Spencer-Roper design.

Bannerman sued Winchester, and Winchester began looking at patents and designs from around the world. They discovered four patents for pump action firearms. One was a bullpup pump action rifle known as the Curtis rifle, and Winchester recreated the rifle to prove a point. Winchester won.

This allowed the arms industry as a whole to develop pump-action shotguns without worrying about being sued by Bannerman or Winchester. You couldn’t copy the M1897, but you could produce a pump action repeating shotgun.

Better and Cheaper

This was one of the few times that producing the better gun was cheaper than producing the expensive gun. Pump guns were better, easier to produce, and not protected by Winchester’s patents. We could have seen some development if the patent machine hadn’t existed, but the pump action design just makes sense and I don’t think lever-action shotguns would ever be something more than an interesting novelty.

Winchester Supreme 8x42mm Binoculars

By

Tim Stetzer

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February 4, 2025

Winchester launched a new optics line this past fall under the Winchester Supreme Optics name. It consists of binoculars, rangefinders, and rifle scopes in a variety of flavors. I had a chance to check out a pair of binoculars from the lineup and have been using them for the past few months.

The Winchester Supreme 8×42 Binocular

I picked up a pair of the Winchester Supreme 8x42mm binoculars for evaluation. This is the lowest power option offered in the new line. They also have 10×42, 10×50, and 12×50 models available. I wanted something a little more compact for field use, though.

The Supreme binoculars are built on a PPS thermoplastic chassis that’s covered in a tactile surface. They’re light and durable. The tactile skin gives a good grip on the binoculars in cold or wet weather. It is further enhanced with a Nitrile NBR/PVC rubber armoring. It’s resistant to heat and oil and adds shock absorption to the chassis. There are two twist-up eyecups for use with or without glasses and a center-mounted knurled focus adjustment knob.

As noted, I picked an 8x42mm model. It uses a BAK4 prism with high-density glass that is supposed to give you a brighter, crisper edge-to-edge image. They also help in low-light conditions. The lenses are multi-coated for increased light transmission and reduced glare. There is a silver-coated phase-correcting prism incorporated in the design that again helps with light transmission and gives brighter images and increased contrast.

The optic tubes are sealed against fog and water and are Nitrogen-filled. They’re rated as weatherproof and IPX7 waterproof and are submersible to 1 meter for 30 minutes, so they’ll handle a dunk in the stream or pond in the field.

The 8x42s come with rubber lens covers, a padded case with a chest harness, a neck strap, as well as a cleaning cloth, and a manual. MSRP on the Supreme 8x42s is $206.99.

Seeing Is Believing

Okay, I’ll be honest, a lot of that technical information is over my head. It sounds good, and I’m sure it is. But it’s hard for me to quantify what it really means just by reading it. So I just started using my binoculars to see what they’d do. My first impression was very positive. They have a solid feel, and the image quality appears to be very good. Nice and crisp, with a good field of view.

My primary uses were for birding, and to supplement my spotting scope at the range. My wife and I have always put out bird and squirrel feeders. Like a lot of folks, we became bird nerds during Covid when we couldn’t do much else. We sat on our deck a lot, had drinks, and watched birds. We picked up a couple of bird books and started paying attention to what birds actually came to our feeders.

Once you start down that rabbit hole, you realize that being able to see details up close helps a lot with identifying birds. So, I got in the habit of keeping binoculars handy. My other binos are a set of Leupolds and a compact set of Nocs. So that’s my basis for comparison with the Winchester Supreme pair.

8x works pretty well for what I was doing. It’s enough power to see good detail but low enough power that I still had a good field of view. Especially coupled with the 42mm aperture. I could pick up birds or other animals quickly. The focus knob was easy to use, and I never had an issue getting a clear image. My wife wears glasses, and she was able to use the Supreme binos easily, too, thanks to the twist-up eyecups.

Light Gathering

I appreciated the light-gathering properties of the binoculars. A lot of the feeding time of the birds is either early morning, or right around dusk. As winter encroached and the daylight hours got shorter (I live in Pittsburgh, and we get less sun than Seattle), I found that I was still able to make out good detail, even at those times of waning or waxing light.

Winchester Supreme Binoculars on the Range

On the range, I used the binoculars on a mix of sunny summer days, some drizzling rainy days, and gloomy, cold winter days. I had no issues with fogging, even on the cold and wet days.

I got to inadvertently test the drop rating, too. At one point I knocked the binoculars off the loading table onto the concrete on one range trip. Despite landing on the edge of the front right optics tube, there was no visible damage. I had the lens cover on, and between the recessed lens and rubber-enhanced coating, everything survived with no issues.

8x was enough power that I could use it to check targets for 25-yard sight-ins. It was fine for .30 caliber and up. .22 holes were kind of hard to see. Although that could be my 50-something-year-old eyes, too.

Optic clarity and field of view compared favorably to my set of Leupold binoculars. They’re a more expensive model than the Winchester Supreme but not one of Leupolds really high-end models. They had better light gathering and field of view than the Noc’s. But they also have a 42mm lens vs the 25mm of the Nocs.

The Winchester 8x42s sit on price right in between my other binoculars. So the fact that they compare favorably with the higher-end pair was pretty good, I thought.

Carrying the Winchester Supreme

The case and neck strap that the Winchester Supreme binoculars come with is adequate. It works, but is nothing exciting. Honestly, I don’t expect a lot from a binocular case until you start getting into a few hundred bucks or more. The harness looks pretty good, but I haven’t really used a binocular case harness before to have a strong opinion. It’s comfortable to wear, though, and keeps the binoculars handy in the field.

Wrap Up

Performance on the 8×42 was quite good and comparable to my more expensive binoculars at about two-thirds the price. They had a crisp image, easy adjustment and were very good in lower light. The apparent durability and weather resistance is a plus, as well. I have an Alaska trip coming up later this year, and the Winchester Supreme binoculars have made the cut on my gear list to take with me.

For more information on these and the rest of the Winchester Supreme Optics line, check out their website at Winchesteroptics.com.

TOPS Knives Japanese-style Nata Hatchet

By

Reuben Bolieu

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February 4, 2025

GAT_TOPS_NATA (1) — The TOPS NATA is a robust fixed-blade knife that combines functionality and style. It has an impressive overall length of 11.63 inches and a blade measuring 6.50 inches.

Over the years, Japan has produced a wide array of valuable tools. One tool is the Nata, roughly translated as “hatchet.” Unlike the famous samurai sword and exceptional chef knives, the Nata hasn’t received as much attention. TOPS Knives has developed their Japanese-style Nata Hatchet—and it works!

What’s a Nata Hatchet?

People primarily used it as a gardening tool for pruning, removing tree limbs, clearing brush, and handling tasks typically associated with a knife before the advent of power tools or modern tools. The Nata’s simplistic design perfectly complements its functionality.

American Nata Hatchet

The TOPS Nata is a powerful tool that combines traditional Japanese aesthetics with American toughness. The design of the broad rectangular blade maximizes mass along the entire edge, delivering exceptional chopping performance that outperforms most chopping tools of its size. The forward-bend handle significantly amplifies its chopping strength. Unlike many Japanese tools that rely on a chisel or single-beveled edge, this model boasts a standard flat grind on both sides of the blade, providing remarkable versatility and ease of use.

A full-tang knife, the Nata embodies the durability and stability TOPS fixed blades are known for. The thick, ergonomically contoured handle ensures a comfortable grip, empowering you to work with it for hours without fatigue. Furthermore, the straightforward out-the-front sheath allows for effortless carry and quick access—whether at home, on a ranch, camping, or embarking on other adventures, the TOPS Nata is ready for action.

TOPS Japanese-style Nata Hatchet

The TOPS NATA is a robust fixed-blade knife that combines functionality and style. With an impressive overall length of 11.63 inches and a blade measuring 6.50 inches, this knife boasts a cutting edge of the exact measurement. The blade, crafted from durable 1095 steel with a hardness rating of RC 56-58, features a striking Midnight Bronze finish.

The design features a handle crafted from a high-quality blend of Black Canvas and Brown Burlap Micarta, which offers a solid grip for practical use. Weighing in at 21.3 ounces, or 26.6 ounces, with the included chocolate leather sheath, this knife is sturdy and convenient to carry. The sheath features a belt loop for easy accessibility.

Designed by Leo Espinoza, the TOPS NATA is a perfect blend of performance and design for outdoor enthusiasts and collectors alike.

MSRP: $310.00

The chocolate leather sheath for this knife is sturdy and convenient. The sheath features a belt loop for easy accessibility and is ambidextrous.

Winter Test

There’s no better proving ground than winter when it involves chopping tools. You get it if you live in the Northern USA or Northern forests! But Asia?

Much of Japan, Korea, and China endure harsh winters and know what’s needed to keep warm. This fact is where the Japanese-style Nata Hatchet shines bright. TOPS did their research, and their Nata delivers!

Using the TOPS Nata, I kept a warm campfire and fed a hungry bio stove in late autumn and early winter. It seemed like a heavy, short cleaver. It’s not. The Japanese-inspired Nata is a unique tool. I always prefer a forward weighted heavy blade for chopping. The TOPS Nata is stout and heavy, concentrating force in a specific area. The Nata is not too different when you understand how a hatchet works.

Batoning was quick with this robust, Americanized take on a classic Japanese tool.

Always remember the parallel plane in the same way as using a hatchet. The TOPS Nata chopped vertical standing, wrist-thick hardwood rounds with minimal effort. A heavy wallop can be dealt with a short arm movement when choking back on the handle. This method worked while delimbing downed trees from a standing position.

Batoning was quick with this thick, Americanized version of a classic Japanese tool!

For more information, please check out TOPS Knives!

Deter, Delay, Defend – Three Critical Elements to Home Security

By

Jim Cobb

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February 3, 2025

When we talk about home security, there are essentially three levels or stages to consider. Knowing and understanding them will be of great assistance to you as you formulate your own plans. Each one sort of leads to the next.

Deter

This is the first level of home security. The goal here is to convince the burglar or other bad guy to find an easier target. People operate largely on a risk versus reward basis. So here, you want to either increase the perceived risk, reduce the perceived reward, or both.

By installing motion-sensor-activated lights on all sides of your home, you make it more difficult for the burglar to operate in the shadows. Owning a dog also greatly increases their risk of discovery.

On the flip side, leaving boxes from new electronics purchases sitting at the curb advertises what waits inside the house for the enterprising burglar. Reduce the perceived reward by keeping such purchases low-key and cutting up the boxes for the recycle bin.

Oh, and those clever stickers and signs that say things like, “This property is protected by Smith & Wesson,” aren’t quite the deterrent you may think they are. All they accomplish is advertise that there are firearms inside the home and thus increase the perceived reward.

Delay

At this stage of the home security plan, you want to increase the amount of time it would take for the bad guy to reach their objective while also reducing the amount of time it takes for you to become aware of their presence. Home security cameras are great in this regard. Even if you’re away from the house, they can alert you to movement in the home.

Strong locks on doors and windows are also wise, more so if you actually use them. While a good lock won’t necessarily keep them out, it could slow them down.

Don’t leave your garage door open and unattended. It’d be all too easy for someone to walk into the garage and then right into your home.

The point here is to not make it easy for them. Take common sense precautions.

Defend

This is the final stage of the home security plan. If all else fails, you may need to take action against the intruder. In most cases, this likely involves the use of a firearm. Be certain of your target and know what lies beyond.

Divest yourself now of any plans to handcuff or otherwise physically restrain the person. If you’ve never done it, know that it isn’t nearly as easy as it looks on TV, particularly if the person is resisting in any way.

You might want to take some time to review the locally applicable laws related to home defense. Yes, the safety of your family is the most important priority, but if you’re able to accomplish that legally, so much the better.

Once the situation has been resolved, you need to make two phone calls. One is to the police, and the other is to your attorney, not necessarily in that order.

Why Do Caliber Conversions Never Take Off?

By

Travis Pike

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February 3, 2025

The first time I saw a widely advertised caliber conversion for a firearm was the SIG P250. I was enamored by the gun and the idea that I could easily and quickly change calibers without the need to do an FFL transfer. This seemed too good to be true. The SIG P250 wasn’t a success by any means, but it did bring us the P320, which maintained the caliber conversion and size conversion features.

SIG became a champion of the caliber conversion idea. They sold the MCX and MPX on the idea of easily converting the guns to various calibers and barrel lengths. When we talk caliber conversions, we aren’t discussing something like swapping complete uppers on an AR. Instead, we are discussing designs that promise to make it both easy and affordable. It’s often promised to be as easy as swapping barrels and maybe a bolt, and doing so isn’t difficult.

Admittedly, swapping calibers on an AR isn’t all that hard, but it was never the purpose of the design. Even so, the AR design is probably the most successful of any caliber converting rifle. With that in mind, rifles that promise caliber conversions rarely work out, and it’s both a mixture of the people buying the guns and the industry failing to support the concept once the end user purchased it. Let’s examine why these things never succeed.

Three Reasons Why Caliber Conversions Fail

The idea for this article came up because I think the PWS URX is so flipping cool. I saw it at SHOT last year, and it seems to be shipping as we speak. When I went to search for caliber conversions, which are the main bread and butter, I noticed none were on the market yet. You can get the rifles, but you can’t get the conversions easily. It made me dive through the modern history of caliber conversions and uncover why they never work.

Caliber Conversions Are Too Expensive

First and foremost, when caliber conversions actually hit the market, they are often extremely expensive for what they are. Take, for example, the SIG MCX promised and delivered caliber conversions. A SIG MCX costs around two thousand dollars, a hefty sum, to be sure. How much would converting my 5.56 MCX to a different caliber cost me?

Depending on the caliber, it can cost anywhere from $600 to $1,100. The conversion costs half as much as the original rifle at times. Switching from 5.56 to .300 Blackout is cheap because it’s just a barrel swap to 7.62×39. It gets a bit pricier due to the new bolt and magazine required.

What about the P320? Let’s say I want to convert it to .40 S&W. The caliber Xchange kit costs $429.99. If I shop around, I can buy a new P320 for less than that. It’s just costly to swap calibers, and you might as well buy an entirely new gun.

They Rarely Materialize

One thing that hurts early adopters is when companies promise conversions, but they never come. Let’s pick on SIG again. They introduced the MCX in 9mm with promises for .40 S&W and .357 SIG conversions. Those conversions never materialized—and MCX owners were stuck with their 9mm guns.

The same goes for the ACR from Bushmaster. Well, Remington and Bushmaster have never introduced conversion kits, but a company called Templar Precision introduced caliber conversions a decade or so later. If you buy a gun without the caliber conversions available, be prepared for them to never appear.

No One Wants Them

This is the biggest one. People typically buy a rifle, PCC, or handgun in the caliber they want it to be in. Rarely does someone want to convert their rifle or handgun to another caliber. I know SIG promised the MPX in various calibers, but does anyone realy want a .40 S&W or .357 SIG PCC?

IWI Tavor, built for combat; ideal for competition.

The same goes for handguns in 2024. The little 9mm round works, and no one wants .40 S&W and .357 SIG, so no one is buying SIG’s conversions. I think the most valuable conversions would be something drastic. A swap from 5.56 to 6.5 Creedmoor would be valuable, but who cares about 5.56 to 6.8 SPC? The same goes from 9mm to 10mm, rather than .40 S&W.

I think the PWS URX might succeed just due to that factor. You can swap from 5.56 to .308 or 8.6 Blackout fairly easily.

Caliber Conversions and You

Will these things ever work? Who knows. Part of them wants them to, but I can’t help but think they will always be too expensive to be truly successful. Maybe the SIG Twosome kit wasn’t a terrible idea? Package a gun and its conversion together to create a radical, easily convertible platform. That’s my idea, but I’m not a marketing pro by any means.

The 80X Comes in .32 ACP – SHOT Show 2025

By

Travis Pike

-

February 2, 2025

Beretta has made my dreams come true by creating a .32 ACP 80X. I like the 80X. I have one in .380 ACP, and it’s a soft shooter that’s accurate, modern, and super ergonomic. The 80X comes from the Cheetah series, which existed since the 1970s. The Cheetah series came in various calibers, including the .32 ACP. The original was the 81BB, which I own and love, but the 80X in .32 ACP promises to be one helluva handgun.

The 80X is a modernized Cheetah and comes with all the features you expect from a modern handgun. The 80X series comes optics-ready and uses a plate system to accommodate different optics. We have a rail for a light, a safety that doubles as a decocker, and some truly awesome ergonomics. These guns have always just fit me so well.

The .380 ACP version has fairly light recoil, so I imagine the .32 ACP will feel like a purring kitten. The 80X series uses a direct blowback system, so the jump from .380 ACP to .32 ACP reduces the recoil energy by about 50%. If the .380 ACP feels soft, the .32 ACP will feel like a rimfire gun or pretty close.

The .32 ACP 80X Cheetah – Why

A lot of people consider .380 to be useless and to lack ‘stopping power.’ In reality, a handgun really just needs to penetrate deep enough to matter. The .380 and .32 ACP penetrate nicely, especially from the 80X barrel. Sure, it doesn’t have the same potential as 9mm, but what if you can’t handle a 9mm?

In that case, the .32 ACP provides a very light recoiling gun without dealing with rimfire reliability issues. This gun will hold 13 rounds of .32 ACP and accommodate a light and optic. You can get the low recoil design with all the modern features. You might hear 13 and wonder why not more. The .380 magazine holds 13 rounds, the .32 is smaller and should hold more.

Sadly, the .32 ACP is a semi-rimmed cartridge. The folks at the Beretta booth told me that beyond that capacity, you start to run into rimlock issues, which shut the gun down. If you are like me and already own an 80X, the folks at Beretta told me they will be selling the barrels and magazines, and that’s all you need to swap to convert the gun to .32 ACP.

As a Beretta 80X owner, I appreciate the ability to save money and just convert what I already own. As you’d imagine, the 80X has an excellent trigger, matched by a fantastic grip and well-placed controls. Sadly I haven’t shot it, but I’m ridiculously excited to get the opportunity to do so.

For more information, please visit Beretta.com.

New Fixed Blades from SHOT Show 2025!

By

Reuben Bolieu

-

February 1, 2025

GAT_FB (2) — The CRKT Kasilof knife is essential for cleaning kings or field-dressing a spruce chicken.

SHOT Show 2025 has concluded, leaving a strong impression with its extensive gear selection. However, some things cut through the noise more than others. We rounded up ten New Fixed Blades for 2025 from the recent SHOT Show. Here are the picks that made the list.

Morakniv 2025

Green Garberg- It features a 2.25-inch BlackBlade with a durable Polymer Sheath, making it an ideal outdoor knife for tackling tough wilderness challenges. Its 3.2 mm thick carbon steel blade, featuring a Scandi grind and protective black DLC coating, offers exceptional strength and corrosion resistance.

With an overall length of 9 inches, the ergonomic polymer handle is designed for heavy-duty use, including batoning. The symmetrical sheath, equipped with a leather strap, easily attaches to belts and accommodates left- and right-handed users. It’s also compatible with fire starters, ensuring reliable performance in harsh conditions. Proudly made in Mora, Sweden.

The Morakniv Green Garberg features a 2.25-inch BlackBlade with a durable Polymer Sheath, making it an ideal outdoor knife for tackling tough wilderness challenges.

Grey Basic Gray- Introducing a partially recycled knife for construction and home projects. Designed for environmentally conscious users, it features a 3.5-inch blade of over 90% recycled stainless steel and an ergonomic handle of 70% recycled polymer. The knife includes a Morakniv smart button system for attaching multiple craft knives and a convenient belt clip. Made in Mora, Sweden.

Grey Basic Gray features a 3.5-inch blade of over 90% recycled stainless steel and an ergonomic handle of 70% recycled polymer.

For more information, please visit Morakniv.se/en/.

Tough Blades for 2025

Meet the Ka-Bar Apex fixed blade, a tactical knife expertly designed for agility and precision in all your survival needs. Its robust 3.9-inch D2 steel blade (8.43 inches overall) offers outstanding edge retention and performance, making it a reliable companion. Its adaptable adjustable sheath allows for customization to fit your specific requirements, while the lightweight GRN handle ensures a sturdy grip.

The hard plastic, MOLLE-compatible sheath adds versatility for everyday carry, making it ideal for those who value practicality and durability. Crafted by designer Petr Janda, the Ka-Bar Apex is functional and built to rise to the occasion in any adventure. Elevate your gear with this exceptional fixed blade, and be ready for anything!

MSRP $143.24

Ka-Bar Apex: a tactical knife with a 3.9-inch D2 steel blade, known for agility, precision, and excellent edge retention.

The Ka-Bar Dust I is a rugged, fixed-blade knife designed for survival and tactical applications. With a blade length of 6.125 inches and an overall length of 11 inches, it provides extended reach and dependable durability to tackle demanding tasks in the wild. The knife features a GRN handle and comes with a hard plastic, MOLLE-compatible sheath, making it suitable for general bushcraft and outdoor use. Proudly made in Taiwan.

MSRP: $148.12

For more information, please visit KaBar.com.

Another Tough Fixed Blade

The Pacaya from ESEE is another tough fixed blade for 2025. Meet your new go-to utility fixed blade. Its robust 1/8″ thick full-tang CPM-3V tool steel blade and corrosion-resistant coating are designed for rugged use. The 3-inch drop point blade seamlessly transitions into a 4.125-inch handle, making for an overall length of 7.125 inches.

Its rounded handle prevents hot spots, perfect for camping, hunting, or daily carry. Customize it with scout carry straps or a pocket clip. Finished in olive Cerakote and featuring an olive canvas Micarta handle, it comes with a Kydex sheath and clip plate. Proudly made in the USA by Toor Knives.

MSRP $179.00.

The Pacaya from ESEE is another robust 3-inch drop point blade that seamlessly transitions into a 4.125-inch handle.

For more information, please visit ESEEKnives.com.

Hunting Fixed Blades

Hunters and anglers of Alaska’s Kasilof Peninsula know the importance of preparation in the wilderness. The Kasilof knife, from CRKT, is essential for cleaning kings or field-dressing a spruce chicken. Its nearly 4-inch drop-point blade and lightweight skeletonized handle combine beauty and strength with durable Cerakote® coated 1095 carbon steel and a micarta handle. It comes with a custom leather sheath for easy carry, making it a must-have for any hunting or fishing kit. The Kasilof has a blade length of 3.87 inches and an overall length of 8.63 inches, perfect for outdoor adventures.

MSRP $250.00

The CRKT Kasilof knife is essential for cleaning kings or field-dressing a spruce chicken.

For more information, please visit CRKT.com.

Case Knives

The original Rosewood Ridgeback Hunter, designed by Blackie Collins, is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts who pack light. This fixed-blade knife features a swept Skinner blade made from Case Tru-Sharp Stainless Steel, ensuring a long-lasting edge. With a full tang for added durability, the knife includes textured G10 laminate handle scales for a secure grip. Measuring 8.50 inches overall with a 4.125-inch blade, it’s ideal for skinning and field dressing. The knife includes a leather sheath made in Bradford, PA, USA, with a limited lifetime warranty.

Case Sculpted Ridgeback fixed-blade knife features a swept Skinner blade made from Case Tru-Sharp Stainless Steel, ensuring a long-lasting edge.

For more information, please visit CaseKnives.com.

White River and Sons

The White River Knives Brave strikes the ideal balance between portability and functionality, making it small enough to carry daily while still being big enough to tackle any task you need. Initially designed by Smith and Sons, this updated model for 2025 showcases an ergonomic handle that perfectly complements its minimalist aesthetic.

With a blade length of 3.5 inches and an overall length of 7.38 inches, it’s crafted from high-quality CPM MagnaCut steel, boasting an impressive hardness rating of 63-64 HRC. Plus, it comes with a durable Kydex sheath for convenient carrying. The WRK Brave delivers performance and style.

MSRP $200

The White River Knives Brave features a 3.5-inch blade made from CPM MagnaCut steel with a 63-64 HRC hardness.

For more information, please visit WhiteRiverKnives.com.

Versatile Fixed Blades 2025

TOPS Tundra Wolf- The Tundra Wolf, designed by Trevor Barrett of Barrett-Knives, features an all-belly blade with a sharp point and a versatile handle for various cutting tasks. Ideal for camping, survival, and hunting, its sheath offers excellent retention and includes a leather dangler for easy carry. Made from classic TOPS materials like 1095 steel and Micarta handles, this knife is perfect for those looking for a reliable blade in the 5 to 6-inch range.

MSRP $255

TOPS Tundra Wolf, designed by Trevor Barrett of Barrett-Knives, features an all-belly blade with a sharp point and a versatile handle for various cutting tasks.

The Wood Nymph features TOPS’ differentially heat-treated 1095 steel, 3/32-inch thick, with a 2.25-inch blade. This design is thinner than most TOPS knives, making it ideal for slicing and precision tasks. The comfortable tan and black G10 handles extend beyond the blade for a secure grip in a compact package. Its versatile sheath allows for easy carry options—on your belt, as a neck knife, or in your pocket—making it a practical tool for everyday use.

MSRP $150

The Wood Nymph features TOPS’ differentially heat-treated 1095 steel, 3/32” thick, with a 2.25-inch blade.

For more information, please visit TOPSKnives.com.

Look out for these top picks New Fixed Blades for 2025!

The Nightforce Mil-XT Reticle (Part 2)

By

P.E. Fitch

-

February 1, 2025

^{Continued From Part 1}

Mil-XT MRAD Grid

The actual working feature of the Mil-XT reticle is its grid, which sits below the main horizontal stadia line. At first glance, the Mil-XT’s MRAD grid reminded me somewhat of the classic Horus H58 reticle (my first stepping-stone to grid-based precision reticles many years ago). The Mil-XT’s grid is more straightforward and simpler.

Nightforce did a great job marking the Mil-XT’d grid along with its horizontal and vertical stadia lines with clear hashes that are evenly spaced 1 mil apart. No matter one’s skill level or experience with optics, the Mil-XT reticle and grid make it easy for anyone to pick up on these primary 1 mil wide hold lines.

Every full mil hold line, whether vertical or horizontal, is clearly numbered with easy-to-see numbers. It’s one of my favorite details about the Mil-XT reticle, especially on the principal horizontal stadia line.

Nightforce Mil-XT reticle — I’m including this picture from Part 1 in this section for reference and convenience again. Maybe I’m weird, but when I *write* or read about *different reticles,* I like to refer to the reticle itself and follow along. I actually wrote this part of the review sitting outside with the rifle pointed at the sky, looking through the scope at the reticle in real time.

Segmented Stadia Lines

Beyond the main mil wide spacing, the main vertical and horizontal stadia lines are further segmented by 0.2 mil hash marks from end to end. This essentially breaks down each 1 mil wide section into fifths. Spacing hashes and hold marks at 0.2 mils is very practical, as fifths of a whole are “finer” than quarters. But they’re also not overly fine either, to the point of being counter-productive, like tenths.

Every other horizontal stadia line besides the primary one on the Mil-XT reticle is completely composed of 0.2 mil spaced dots measuring 0.05 mil wide. On these stadia lines, every fifth dot is a bolder 0.1 mil, making it easy for the shooter to connect any two of these bolder dots and recognize a full 1 mil wide space. Because they’re spaced 1-mil wide apart, more advanced shooters can get away with using these as wind dots if need be.

This is another perspective of the Nightforce Mil-XT reticle, shown with much lower magnification than the other reticle image about. (Image Source)

Fractions Of Mils And Sub-Grids

Dividing whole mils into fifths is convenient for many reasons, from making corrections on the fly or using the reticle to range a target. However, as large as halves are, they have their place too. So, the Mil-XT incorporates a “lightweight” skeleton sub-grid of equally spaced 0.05 mil wide dots (same size as central aiming point) at every 0.5 mil interval for this reason.

This secondary grid is very easy to see because its dots are only found at 0.5 mil spacing in between the horizontal or vertical numbers associated with whole mils.

Ringing Steel In The High Desert

It’s hard to see the individual steel targets but those white spots are the target distance markers strewn across the shooting area.

Back to this humble county range in the High Desert of the American West…

After capturing a baseline muzzle velocity figure with the “new” Garmin chrono and also with a little help from a ballistic solver, we took turns shooting the 400, 450, 500, 600, and 700-yard steel targets. Elevation-wise, the DOPE was only about .10 mil off in any case. When it comes to wind, however, there’s no feedback like actual experience or watching the splash or impact through the scope or spotting scope, regardless of what an app says.

I’m working on the experience bit. The onus behind writing this article and getting out there to send lead at distance has actually been a huge boon towards my hands-on rifle experience.

Because it’s my luck, every time I deliberately make a plan to shoot rifles, the wind is beyond terrible.

My first outing (I ended up going back to shoot some more in between drafting these) to ring steel with the 6.5 mm Creedmoor Bergara BMP target rifle was no exception. That late morning and early afternoon, the rifle range was swept by a consistent easterly wind with speeds ranging from 20-30 mph. Not to mention the 47 mph gusts that blew away my target stand and zeroing targets into the desert.

After correcting the zero for the 1.8 mils in elevation, I had to dial an additional 0.5 mils to the left at 100 yards just to be square. That won’t stop the wind from playing games with the .44 G1 BC (ballistic coefficient) bullets in flight, especially at further distances.

Wind Games And Spin Drift

It was while trying to figure out that day’s wind holds for those five distances that I truly came to embrace the utility and simplicity of the Nightforce Mil-XT reticle and its grid. There’s also the instance of bullet spin drift if shooting at long enough distances. Having clear horizontal hashmarks for windage holds or bracketing makes it easy to account for this spin drift.

The image below, which focuses on the primary horizontal stadia line with its 1 mil wide and 0.2 mil divisions, is what I’m talking about. Having been (un)fortunate to shoot in strong wind, using this horizontal line was mandatory. Dialing would have been futile and too slow, anyway.

Bullet spin drift, a topic deserving of its own series of articles, is simply a bullet’s tendency to veer off to one side at extended distances. Most barrels’ rifling cuts into bullets with a clockwise (right side) spin. After leaving the muzzle and during flight, bullets are still spinning in that same direction as they travel through the air. Over time, usually, after the bullet has been traveling past several hundred yards, the spinning force imparts a bias in that same direction (again, typically towards the right since most rifling spirals clockwise).

The degree of the bullet’s deviation from its original path depends on several different factors. Overcoming spin drift usually relies on holding the sight picture to the left to some extent. I found that holding laterally with the Nightforce Mil-XT reticle was very intuitive and easy to do.

Continued In Part 3

CRKT’s Cutting Edge – Three New Products From SHOT Show 2025

By

Jim Cobb

-

January 31, 2025

January brings many things, from resolutions to retrospectives. It’s also when many manufacturers debut their new products at SHOT Show in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, I was nailed by COVID and was unable to attend the festivities this year. But CRKT was kind enough to hook me up with a few of their newest offerings. To say that I’m impressed is an understatement.

Big Boy Driver

I like bit driver tools for EDC use. They’re small and compact, and the well-made ones will do real work. CRKT has offered bit drivers before, but this one is the best of the lot by far. It takes quarter-inch bits but comes with an adapter to use 4mm bits as well.

It’s 3.75 inches long, which gives you plenty of real estate for a decent grip without discomfort. The ball-bearing spinner in the driver is smooth as silk. The driver tip has a magnet to secure the bits while they’re in use.

It won’t replace a full tool set, but it works great on small jobs. I’ve added it along with a set of bits to my EDC tool kit.

The Big Boy Driver runs just $25.

Forebear Slip Joint

There’s something about a good quality slipjoint knife. It’s traditional, and it harkens back to the days when every schoolboy seemed to have one in their pocket. The Forebear features two Wharncliffe blades that open at opposite ends of the knife. Each has a nail nick, and they’re made from 12C27 steel.

It’s available in two colors, either red/black G10 or a yellow Ultem. The primary blade is 2.29 inches long. The secondary blade is just an inch. Closed, the Forebear is just 3.43 inches, and it weighs only 1.30 ounces. This is a small knife by any measure, which makes it perfect for EDC in a variety of capacities.

The primary blade is just long enough to handle routine things like cutting up an apple at lunch, while the smaller secondary blade is ideal for breaking down boxes. I’m particularly fond of the red/black G10 iteration, as it’s very eye-catching.

The Forebear has an MSRP of $75 for the G10 and $85 for the Ultem.

Kasilof

Named for the Kasilof Peninsula in Alaska, this fixed-blade knife is more rugged than it may appear. It features a skeletonized handle to reduce weight and a nearly four-inch drop point blade that’s ideal for field dressing birds or cleaning fish.

The Kasilof has a Cerakote-coated 1095 carbon steel blade, while the handle has Micarta scales. The combination is visually stunning as well as practical. Adding to the ensemble is a handsome, rugged leather sheath that keeps the knife securely on your belt.

The knife is incredibly well-balanced and slim without being awkward or clumsy, even in large hands. The Kasilof is a great addition to the outdoor kit and will serve the user well for years to come.

The Kasilof has an MSRP of $250 and is found on CRKT.com.

The Nightforce Mil-XT Reticle

By

P.E. Fitch

-

January 31, 2025

The Nightforce Mil-XT Reticle is a modern MRAD-based reticle found on current catalog Nightforce riflescopes. These range from the entry-level SHV scope line all the way to the Australian-turned-Idahoan company’s top-of-the-line flagship ATACR “professional grade” tactical optics.

A few months ago, I reviewed the Nightforce SHV 4-14×50 F1 C694 in one of my other publications. This 30 mm first-focal plane rifle scope also continues to be one of the supporting characters in my ongoing review of the Taurus Expedition bolt-action hunting rifle. (I promise I’ll get caught up on it soon!).

For the Christmas holiday, I traveled back to the American West to spend time with the family, and I yanked the Nightforce SHV4-14×50 F1 off the Taurus and brought it with me.

Nightforce SHV Musical Chairs, From Brazil To Spain

Within 48 hours of landing back West, the SHV C694 and the 30 mm Nightforce X-Treme Ultralite rings that cradled it, all found themselves torqued down atop a 6.5 mm Creedmoor Bergara BMP bolt-action target rifle. Up until this point, the Nightforce SHV had been exclusively mounted to the Taurus Expedition and zeroed at 100 yards for Federal’s timeless 168-grain Gold Medal Match factory loads. Though Sierra Matchking bullets aren’t for hunting, they showed lots of potential in that rifle a few weeks ago.

Nightforce Mil-XT Reticle
Taurus Expedition Rifle — The Taurus Expedition Rifle with the Nightforce SHV C694 and Mil-XT reticle.

Back West, one finds not only cooler and crisper air at higher elevations but also more interesting topography. More importantly, the land seems to stretch farther in empty vastness. It’s paradise for long-distance rifle shooters.

The local county rifle range has a setup of numerous extended-distance steel targets and gongs from 300 to 1776 yards. Not only is this facility open to the public, it’s less than a 30-minute drive from where I stayed. At home back in Texas, having access to such a target array is a luxury requiring both longer drives and/or special access or exclusivity to private long-distance shooting facilities.

Bergara BMP bolt-action rifle chambered for 6.5mm Creedmoor. It wears the Nightforce SHV 4-14×50 F1 C694 with the Mil-XT reticle. The windy and chilly high desert of the American West is in the background.

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. If you have convenient access to longer distance steel (and the local outdoor big-box department store happens to have 6.5 mm Creedmoor cartridges on sale that weekend), this is also a form of making lemonade!

Zeroing Is Easy With A Built-In Ruler

After mounting the scope to the Bergara, re-zeroing the point of impact from a 168-grain Sierra Matchking flying at 2500 fps to a soft point (they were on sale!) 6.5 mm bullet at 2760 fps was extremely easy thanks to the Mil-XT reticle itself. At 100 yards, a basic 5-shot group of 6.5 mm Creedmoor shots printed high.

Without even needing to take the gun off target, the main vertical stadia line of the Mil-XT reticle allowed me to easily determine the correction. I simply anchored the central aimpoint point on my actual point of aim and counted how many whole and partial mils the center of the new 5-shot group was. It was 1.8 mils high, which meant I needed to correct it by dialing 1.8 mils down on the SHV C694’s turret.

After dialing, confirming, and re-adjusting the SHV’s zero-locking mechanism to the new 6.5 Creedmoor zero, this scope and rifle combo were ready to ring steel. After dealing with so many other optics of a less precise nature, I felt spoiled by simply being able to correct my new zero on the fly. This is because I had enough magnification to see the center of the group and because I could use the reticle like a literal ruler.

Nightforce Mil-XT Reticle Overview

This is the approximate sight picture the shooter sees of the Nightforce Mil-XT reticle when looking through their scope at full magnification. Blue letters indicate different points and their respective subtensions. This image comes courtesy of Nightforce and can be found here along with more detailed information on Mil-XT subtensions.

The Mil-XT is a modern MRAD (milliradian) based target and precision shooting reticle. The Mil-XT’s principal horizontal and vertical stadia are arranged in a perpendicular cross pattern. The upper hemisphere is basically left empty, save for the short 5-mil upper limit of the vertical stadia line that sits above the 0.05-mil floating central aiming point.

On rifle scopes with illumination, this same perpendicular-cross reticle section is what lights up red. Even though Nightforce uses this reticle across three different product families, the corresponding sight picture will depend on the physical attributes of a specific scope. In the case of the Nightforce SHV 4-14×50 F1 C694, which tops out at 14x magnification, there are only 12 mils of visible horizontal or vertical stadia line.

At 10x, 15 mils on either axis will become visible. Below 10x, the extreme bounds of the horizontal stadia line give way to thick black lines on either side of the 30 mil “usable” span. The thick black line is easier to see when the scope is adjusted to lower magnification, given the shrinkage that’s part of first-focal plane optics.

With regards to the primary vertical stadia line, at the lowest setting, which is 4x magnification, I can count it spanning 40 mils starting from the aiming point down to the bottom of the reticle.

To Be Continued In Part 2

Colt’s Safety Impact Award and the Big Game Safety Sweepstakes

By

Tim Stetzer

-

January 30, 2025

Colt is launching a new Safety Impact Award to promote safe and responsible firearm ownership. The company is doing this in conjunction with some athletes from America’s favorite sport. The athletes pick their firearms-related charity, and you get to vote to help pick which charity.

I just found out about it at SHOT, and it’s been a little chaotic since I got back. So, you only have a couple of days left to vote if you haven’t already heard about the program. Voting continues right up to January 31st, so vote fast!

The Colt Safety Impact Award

Colt’s Manufacturing Company announced the launch of the”Safety Impact Award” a few weeks ago. The company did this as a means of recognizing non-profit organizations that “exemplify an exceptional commitment to safety in the firearms industry.” To help out with the program, they enlisted the help of some football celebs you may have heard of before. Let’s take a look at who’s involved and what their charities are:

Clay Matthews – Project ChildSafe: Project ChildSafe is the nation’s most comprehensive firearm safety and education program. It partners with law enforcement agencies nationwide to provide free firearm safety kits and educational resources to help families, neighborhoods, and communities store firearms safely and securely.

Adam Vinatieri – Clays For Charity: Clays for Charity is an annual event hosted by Vinatieri that brings together people of various backgrounds to enjoy a special day of sport shooting and other outdoor activities. All proceeds from the event are directed toward industry nonprofit organizations with a strong emphasis on safe and responsible gun ownership.

Joe Thomas – Ducks Unlimited: Ducks Unlimited was founded by hunter-conservationists in 1937. It’s an organization dedicated to conserving wetlands and associated habitats for waterfowl and other wildlife.

Fletcher Cox – International Hunter Education Association: The International Hunter Education Association (IHEA) serves hunting and shooting sports educators by developing and implementing standards and resources based on research that promotes safe, responsible, and ethical practices.

Rules of the Game

So how does this work? Colt will donate one dollar per vote (up to $10,000) to the winning organization. The voting period runs between January 21-31, 2025, and the winner will be announced on Monday, Feb. 3rd. As a token of appreciation for supporting safe and responsible ownership, all fans who vote will be entered into Colt’s “Big Game Safety Sweepstakes,” in collaboration with Credova.

As a result, they will have a chance to win a portion of $100,000 if a safety occurs in the pro football championship on Sunday, February 9th. So, not only will you be helping out some great charities with your vote, but you’ll also stand a chance of winning big yourself.

To vote go to SafetyImpactAward.com and cast your pick for who you think is most deserving of the prize. The winner gets up to $10,000 from Colt, but that doesn’t mean the other charities don’t come away with something, too. Colt made an initial donation of $5,000 to support the safety missions of each athlete’s charitable partner so they all come out ahead. But one will be even further ahead with your help.

The voting period is open until Friday, January 31at 8 p.m. EST, with the winner announced on Monday, February 3rd. So, act fast!

For more information on the Colt “Safety Impact Award” and to cast your vote, visit SafetyImpactAward.com.

Defensive Ammo Roundup – SHOT Show 2025

By

Travis Pike

-

January 30, 2025

SHOTs come, and SHOTs gone. The biggest firearms tradeshow in the world has shown us new guns, new optics, and new ammo! In fact, we’ve seen a flurry of new defensive ammo and give a rundown of what I think is the very best new defensive ammo at SHOT Show 2025. We’ve got a little something for everyone this year.

.32 H&R Magnum Federal Hydra-Shok Deep Loads Defensive Ammo

I’ve become enamored by the .32 H&R Magnum and the defensive ammo designed for it. It’s a handy little snub-nose revolver round that has low recoil, but great penetration. That penetration has gotten better with the recent announcement and the pending release of the .32 H&R Magnum Federal Hydra-Shok Deep Loads. Federal specifically designed these cartridges to maximize penetration while providing an expansion factor.

Not only that, but they are also designed to penetrate when fired from short barrels. In fact, they built the rounds around short barrel performance. According to the Federal rep I spoke with, the round penetrates up to 14 inches through ballistic gel when fired from an S&W 432UC. The round also provides an expansion factor that landed it between .40 and .47 in size, on average.

I’m quite excited by the prospects of this round and the future of the .32 H&R Magnum round. The .32 H&R Magnum cartridge is gaining some steam and seeing a surprising revival. It’s also worth mentioning that the American Eagle brand is also releasing an affordable .32 H&R Mangum round for training, something the industry is missing.

For more information, please visit FederalPremium.com.

Fiocchi CovertX Defensive Ammo

Fiocchi, a company I will forever mispronounce, has introduced its new CovertX line of handgun cartridges. The CovertX cartridges are specifically designed for concealed carry needs. In fact, they are designed for optimum use out of short barrels. The CovertX cartridges use a copper jacket over a pre-cut lead-alloy core.

The CovertX defensive ammo uses nickel-plated casings, which prevent corrosion. The powders used are designed to reduce muzzle rise, muzzle flash, and recoil. The cartridges are produced in 9mm, .380 ACP, .357 Magnum, .38 Special, and .45 ACP.

For more information, please visit FiocchiUSA.com.

Fiocchi SBR Ammo

Got short barrels? Well, Fiocchi has the defensive ammo for you. The Fiocchi short-barreled rifle lineup is designed to function from barrels between 7.5 to 11.5 inches. It’s perfectly suited for SBRs and large-format pistols. The SBR comes in several calibers, including .300 Black subs and supers, .223 Remington, and even .308 Winchester.

Each round is optimized to provide a 100% burn rate from short barrels. Each projectile is picked for its terminal performance through a short barrel. These firearms are popular home defense tools, and having the right ammo is key in defending your home and your family. Short barrels can be tricky, so being picky can help you get the right round for your cartridge.

For more information, please visit FiocchiUSA.com.

Federal Flitecontrol for the 20 Gauge

Federal Flitecontrol is the gold standard for defensive shotgun ammo in the United States. It’s a tight patterning cartridge, and within home defense ranges, the pellets barely spread, which helps reduce the risk of errant pellets. That technology has finally come to the 20 gauge cartridge.

To be fair, this cartridge premiered last year, but this year, it’s finally getting into the hands of consumers. The Flitecontrol wad will encapsulate a pile of Number 2 buckshot. This cartridge brings us one of the first dedicated defensive loads for the 20-gauge shotgun. It’s an effective cartridge, now backed by a purpose-built tactical round.

For more information, please visit FederalPremium.com.

Hornady Backcountry Defense

Hornady went in another direction this year. Defensive ammo typically revolves around concealed carry and duty ammo, but what happens when you have to stop a four-legged threat? It’s still self-defense, and that guided Hornady’s Backcountry Defense cartridges. They are designed to kill bears when bears try to kill you.

What’s interesting is that Hornady isn’t just making the typical animal threat cartridges. They are producing 9mm options with a 138-grain projectile. There are also 10mm, .44 Mag, 454 Casull, .460 S&W Magnum, and .500 S&W Magnum. Plenty of options. Each cartridge is designed to penetrate extremely deep and shoot without the smoke created by hard-cast lead rounds.

For more information, please visit Hornady.com.

New Defensive Ammo At SHOT

We saw a good variety of defensive ammo released at SHOT Show 2025. There are options for handguns, both big and small, as well as shotguns and rifles. It’s a good year for defensive ammunition. Hopefully, we can get up close and personal with some of these new rounds and let you know how they perform.

Free Firewood – Staying Warm on the Cheap

By

Jim Cobb

-

January 29, 2025

Even if you don’t heat your home exclusively with wood, you may have a fireplace or wood stove that serves for more than just romantic ambience. In a pinch, you could use it to stay warm in case the furnace goes out. But either way, you need to have firewood on hand. If you don’t own a woodlot yourself, that can get expensive.

Fortunately, there are a few sources for free or nearly free firewood if you know where to look.

Storm Debris

Scout your neighborhood after bad storms. If a neighbor had a tree come down, they might be willing to allow you to take care of it in exchange for keeping the wood. Be careful, though. Personally, I’d avoid making that offer if the tree is resting on their home or an outbuilding. Obviously, this sort of firewood will need to be seasoned before use.

Tree Trimmers

Watch for tree-trimming crews working in the area. Ask the homeowner if they plan to keep the wood that’s being removed. If not, they’ll probably let you have it. If so, be sure to leave the area in better condition than it was when you arrived. Clean up after yourself.

Street Department

If you live in an area that has a municipal or county street department, give them a call. Ask what they do with the trees they take down. Brush surely gets mulched, but the larger limbs and trunks have to go somewhere. In many areas, you can buy this wood for just a nominal fee. But you’ll have to transport this firewood yourself. It isn’t likely to be premium-grade hardwood, but you’re also not paying a premium price for it.

Construction Sites

If you see a new house or other building going up nearby, watch for them to start framing. When that happens, get in touch with the site foreman. Ask them if you might be able to snag on some of the cut-offs.

As they cut framing to length, scraps are typically tossed into a bin of some sort. Find out if you can get a load or two of those scraps. Most commonly, it’ll be pine 2×4 cut-offs. You may have to cut some of them smaller so they’ll fit into your wood stove.

If transportation might be a problem, you could try to strike a deal with one of the workers and offer them a 12-pack of their favorite beverage in exchange for dropping off the wood to your driveway.

Note that many people suggest avoiding using softwoods like pine exclusively for firewood due to the possibility of creosote in the chimney. If that’s a concern for you, be sure to use these cut-offs in moderation.

Farm Fields

This one involves a fair bit of work on your part. But it could prove to be worth the effort, not just in firewood but the positive relationships you can build. An awful lot of farmland is bordered by forests. If you pay attention, you’ll see that trees overhang the cropland in spots. This can be problematic for the farmer. As branches fall due to storms or whatever, the farmer needs to clear them from the field so they can plow or harvest.

Find a farm field that shows promise for harvesting firewood. Using county plat maps, which are usually accessible online, determine the owner of the field. Reach out to them and ask about working out an agreement. You’ll trim the trees back around the field, and in exchange, you’ll split the harvested firewood with them. There’s a fair chance they’ll just let you keep all of it, but it’s only fair to offer up half.

If they give you permission to cut trees, be respectful of their property. Ask them where you should pile loose brush, as they’ll probably just want to burn it in the fall. You might consider going so far as to write up a simple agreement for you both to sign, just so there are no misunderstandings about the permission being granted to you. If it works out satisfactorily for all involved, you’ll probably make a new friend in the bargain.