Author: Tony Grist
Although the US military selected and fielded its first truly modular pistol, so far they haven’t taken advantage of the possibilities associated with the SIG P320 platform. All that is about to change. Not long after the contract win SIG put together a custom version of the M18 which I called a SOPMOD pistol at the time. At the time, USSOCOM was keen to move on from their Special Operations Peculiar upgrades to the M4 carbine as it had become an Army common weapon and grated at my appellation. Likewise, the Army hadn’t started fielding yet and wasn’t ready to…
Israel on Sunday launched a series of deadly air strikes in Gaza and temporarily halted humanitarian aid into the strip, alleging that Hamas had fired on Israeli soldiers in violation of a ceasefire that went into effect earlier this month. But a senior White House official, speaking to The American Conservative, denied that Hamas had attacked Israeli soldiers. “Hamas did nothing,” the official said. “Israeli tank hit an unexploded IED [improvised explosive device] that has probably been there for months.” Subscribe Today Get daily emails in your inbox Amid the dramatic breakdown in a ceasefire that was already…
AUSA 25 – Galvion Update First off, Galvion caught us up on their new Caiman UL (Ultra-Light). Available in five sizes, it incorporates the latest version of their APEX liner system. It incorporates their new proprietary low-profile 3-hole shroud which signals a move away from the Wilcox shroud they’ve been using. It incorporates ballistic mounting hardware and uses rubber bumpers for rattle prevention and a more stable platform for NVGs. You’ll notice a slight color difference in the center portion of the shroud pictured above. That is an interchangeable metal plate to accommodate a variety of NVG and future headborne…
E-4 Mafia E-4 Is Not A Pay Grade Its A State Of Mind When I joined the Army Reserve during my Junior year of High School in 1985 we still had Spec-5 and Spec-6s in my unit although they would change later that year to hard stripe NCOs. Until the late 70s there was an also E-7 version. They were abbreviated SP4 through SP7. When they dropped all but the E-4 version the abbreviation became SPC. The current rank is a leftover from a period during the Cold War Army which had a traditional striped NonCommissioned Officer track for combat…
A Critical Tool for U.S. Army Airborne Soldiers During World War II: Communication in Warfare Transcended WordsSignals evolved beyond spoken language, becoming a matter of life and death. Among the myriad of innovations during this time, one particular device gained a unique reputation for its simplicity and effectiveness: the clicker. Commonly used by U.S. Army […] Read the full article here
Millions of people joined in the second round of the “No Kings” protest against the Trump administration in cities across America on Saturday. Subscribe Today Get daily emails in your inbox Against the backdrop of a federal government shutdown, protesters demonstrated against immigration enforcement raids, National Guard deployments in U.S. cities, health care cuts, and what they see as democratic backsliding in the world’s most powerful democracy. Some conservatives tied the protests to the far-left Antifa movement and drew attention to scenes of unrest in Portland, Oregon, where federal agents clashed with protesters outside an Immigration and Customs…
Major Order Worth Over €300 Million: Rheinmetall to Supply Armoured Medical Facilities for Deployment Near the Front Line Rheinmetall has received an order from the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) to supply highly mobile medical facilities to the German Armed Forces. The framework agreement concluded in September 2025 has an initial call-off value of over €300 million. The first of these protected, highly mobile medical facilities, which meet NATO Role 2B standards, is scheduled to be delivered to the Bundeswehr as a series model in 2029. The systems are intended for use by the…
The elevator pitch If you want a backyard-friendly clone of a close-quarters bruiser, this little beast scratches the itch without rattling the neighbors. The SIG Sauer MCX Rattler CO2 BB rifle is a selective-fire .177 caliber platform that features semi-automatic and three-round burst fire, a blowback action, and a 30-round drop-free magazine that accommodates a 12-gram CO2 cartridge. It mirrors the controls and attitude of its powder-burning inspiration, right down to the folding minimalist stock and ambidextrous selector switch. Rated to about 300 feet per second, it is built for plinking, drills, and grin-inducing mag dumps. The firearm analog The…
Just go ahead and toss that expensive, dinosaur-burning Honda generator right in the dumpster. These battery-powered power stations have your energy needs covered 100 percent. As you were! Belay my last. Abort, Control-Z, or however you say it, but don’t heave that stinky pig just yet. I can already hear the collective sigh of relief from my 52 Deltas (that’s 91Deez for you youngsters). For me to tell you what the “best” power station is for your needs would mean I somehow know you better than you do… yeah, no. But, I’d bet we’re not too different. We go camping…
Those of you who remember the Be a Man Among Men ads from the Bush War days may find this interesting. They’re reproduction Rhodesian Army Heavyweight Boots from Fireforce Ventures. Based on an original pair provided by a veteran of the British South Africa Police (BSAP), Fireforce Ventures says their collaboration with HondoTread took almost two years to develop. “We faithfully recreated the unique butterfly buckle, stitches, and overall look of the original,” they explain, “with very few deviations for the sake of modern utility. These aren’t just knock-off M43s…thes are the most truly ‘Rhodie’ boots ever put to market.”…