Author: Tony Grist
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he will seek a $1.5 trillion defense budget for 2027, a roughly $500 billion increase over current Pentagon funding, signaling a desire to aggressively expand U.S. military spending. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the request would fund his “Dream Military,” though he offered few specifics. The proposed increase could help pay for costly initiatives such as the “Golden Dome” missile defense system and a new battleship design, programs that cannot be fully supported under existing budgets. Trump suggested tariff revenues would offset the cost, although the current revenue from tariffs would still…
SOFWERX – FOSOV: Vehicle Telematics and Sensor Technologies Assessment Event SOFWERX, in collaboration with USSOCOM SOF Acquisition Technology and Logistics Program Executive Office SOF Warrior (AT&L PEO-SW), will host a series of events to facilitate product development and/or acquire existing commercial vehicle solutions. The Non-Standard Commercial Vehicles (NSCV) program seeks novel solutions to mitigate the freedom of movement risks associated with modern vehicle telematics systems that contain advanced sensors, GPS, communication systems, and unique data signatures. As vehicles become increasingly connected, equipped with advanced sensors, GPS systems, and communication modules, they generate vast amounts of data and emit unique signatures.…
In order to ensure the security and continuing stability of M4Carbine.net, Sons of Liberty Gunworks (SOLGW) has chosen the TASKER Network to acquire the website and carry forward the forum’s legacy. The move unites two of the firearms community’s oldest and most respected online platforms— M4Carbine.net and Lightfighter.net— under one formidable banner, solidifying the TASKER Network’s role as the central hub for expert-driven discussions on firearms, tactics, training, gear, and all related topics otherwise. The transfer of assets occurred on November 21st, 2025; since then, the TASKER Network has been implementing much-needed housekeeping updates, including software, security, and server upgrades.…
Franklin Armory Introduces World’s First Total Round Control Bolt Action in New Prevail Line of Rifles Minden, Nev. – January 7, 2026 – Franklin Armory®, one of America’s leading manufacturers of innovative firearms and accessories, will unveil the world’s first Total Round Control™ bolt action at SHOT Show 2026 in Las Vegas. Franklin Armory engineered the patent-pending Total Round Control (TRC) system to usher in a new era of bolt action performance as the centerpiece of its Prevail™ line of long-range precision hunting rifles. Franklin Armory’s TRC action is designed to control each round through the entire feeding-chambering-firing-extraction-ejection cycle so…
I will be complicating risk and rationality in The Standard Model of Explaining the Irrationality of Defensive Gun Ownership at the UConn ARMS Center’s “On Target” lunch and learn webinar next Tuesday, 2/11. Please join me! Info and registration here. NOTE ON SUPPORT Putting out materials like this is part of my mission to educate people and enrich conversations about guns. I have never pay-walled my work, so it is free to you. But the work is not free to me. If you would like to support my efforts, please consider the following: Please like and share my blog posts…
I have been writing regularly on this blog since May 2012. During that time, I have posted over 1,000 times, covering every aspect of my journey inside America’s gun culture. Much of my focus has been on what I call, following Michael Bane, “Gun Culture 2.0” — the defensive core of contemporary gun culture in the U.S. The thinking I have done here has led to innumerable essays, articles, book chapters, podcasts, media appearances, videos, and two books, Concealed Carry Revolution and Gun Curious. I have also found a small but intelligent community of readers through this blog, whose support…
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The Washington Post article on trans gun owners that I commented for in January is now out and I think the author, Hallie Lieberman, did a fine job. Here is a Washington Post gift link to the article so you can decide for yourself. I was pleased that my point captured in the title of this and the original post made it in the story: “What’s happening today among trans people is in the tradition of people demanding their rights and saying that they’re willing to defend those rights with force if necessary,” Yamane said. As a reminder, I am…
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I’ve been busy doing other things — like starting a “Light Over Heat” Substack to replace this blog (no paywall, subscribe here) — so I haven’t put much throught into this year’s National Rifle Association’s annual meetings and exhibits. The event will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta from April 24-27. Details are here. An email reminding me to register for a media credential got the ball rolling. My request is in and I’ve booked my travel, arriving Thursday and departing Monday. I am looking forward to seeing some old friends there and making some new…