Recoil

best of shot show 2019

This year at SHOT Show we handed out awards for the products we considered to be the standouts of the show.There were four categories:› Best Accessory› Best Firearm› Best of the Basement› Best of ShowYes, you read that right. One of the awards was for the best thing we saw in the basement, which is the place where newb companies (and their oddities) are relegated to before they outgrow their flea-market tables and ascend to the big-boy booths upstairs in the main hall.The winners were debated by your editors in a planned 30-minute meeting that stretched far longer than we planned. Chairs were thrown, votes were cast, wounds were tended, and awards were presented. We gave each of the winners a mason jar, laser engraved by our friends at LEO…

down range

Buried in the hullabaloo and background static of SHOT Show was an announcement — something which had none of the glitzy attraction of the latest blaster or ammunition introduction — hell, it wasn’t even as eye catching as a new AR, and lord knows we’re bored of that particular market segment. Nope, this had all the attention-grabbing glamour of a utility bill, but that was intentional. Bottom line — RECOIL has a new home.After toiling for many years under the benign neglect of our previous owners, we’re pleased to say we’re now partnered with Gun Digest and Blade magazines, which not only adds to the number and variety of titles in our portfolio, it makes us a lot stronger and better positioned to bring you even more in-depth content than…

incoming

1We thought it looked tall, too. But, once behind the FAST-mounted Aimpoint, the heads-up posture made a lot of sense. The optic is perched high enough that there’s room for Unity to put a set of backup sights in the body that line up with standard M4-height irons. The 2.26-inch sight height is ⅓-inch taller than 1.93-inch “tall” optic mounts. The Micro Mount works with any optic with an Aimpoint mounting footprint. It’s shown paired with the FAST FTC Magnifier Mount ($198). Instead of folding to the side, the FTC stays in-line with the rifle and folds up and down, reducing the risk of equipment snags. There’s no lock to move the magnifier, but a strong detent instead. It’s compatible with Aimpoint and EOTech 3x magnifiers. The duo is a…

the spirit of america

There are rules, you know. Rules set forth, in fact, by a 1964 Congressional resolution and enforced under 27 C.F.R. 5, The Federal Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits. Before we go any further, a review is in order so that everyone knows exactly what they’re getting into …≫ It must be produced in the United States. (’Merica!)≫ The originating grain mixture (known as a mash bill) must be at least 51-percent corn.≫ It must be aged in charred new oak barrels. (Meaning you can never reuse a barrel.)≫ It must be distilled to no more than 160 proof.≫ It must enter the barrel at no more than 125 proof.≫ It must enter the bottle at no more than 80 proof.≫ The addition of artificial colors or flavors is strictly…

the millennial falcon

Millennials are often looked at as a bunch of undisciplined commitment-phobes. Talk-show panels discuss their unconventional proclivities like a bunch of jabbering scientists hypothesizing about Dolly the cloned sheep. Although this age group might be lambasted for defying norms that many people regard as the zenith of human existence, sometimes you’ve got to wonder if they’ve got things more figured out than you’d care to admit. Nicholas Bauer is one such member of this generation who isn’t putting an image-driven lifestyle ahead of pragmatism. Unlike many who now live hand to mouth for the sake of keeping up appearances, he’s too busy building cool sh*t and enjoying the wanderlust it affords him.“As a millennial, rising home prices have far exceeded both income growth and inflation during this modern period, in…

unusual suspects

Flash flooding. Engine fire. Highway pileup. Just a few of the many emergencies in which a person would need to be extricated from a vehicle before it’s too late. But what if the doors are jammed? What if the windows don’t work? It’s time to smash the glass.We’re taking a pointed look at knives with integrated glass-breakers. Not necessarily rescue knives (which we covered way back in Issue 9), but rather everyday carry (EDC) blades that also have the added bonus of a built-in glass-breaker. A crisis can explode unexpectedly at any minute, and you won’t necessarily have the time to get a dedicated rescue tool from the trunk — especially if you’re the one trapped in the driver seat.The knives in this buyer’s guide are the kind you might…