Recoil

down range

In this issue, we address one of the frequent criticisms leveled at us — that of only featuring high-end kit. In case you missed it, our cover gun is perhaps the lowest of the low, without resorting to brands such as Jennings, Lorcin, and Hi-Point, which also manage to turn out products that occasionally make loud noises. Our Wish.com AR-15 is just the kind of thing to give pants-wetting politicians the heebie-jeebies — a $250 “assault weapon,” available to just about anyone who can legally own a firearm. In case you think I’m throwing shade on anyone whose budget doesn’t stretch to Noveske and Hodge Defense, nothing could be further from the truth. While we all like nice stuff, there’s a Ford in my driveway, not a Ferrari. Recently, we’ve been treated…

recoil

Editorial. Editor/ Iain Harrison Editor, Concealment/ Rob Curtis Managing Editor/ Laura Peltakian Features Editor/ Dave Merrill Senior Editor/ Tom Marshall Contributing Editor/ Steven Kuo Editor // Online/ Candice Horner Network Manager/ John Schwartze Director, Video Production/ Calvin Coulthard Contributors/ Dan Brokos, John Childs, Ashley Hlebinsky, Kenda Lenseigne, Sean Murphy, Mike Searson, Matt Stagliano, Peter Suciu, Patrick Vuong, Keith Wood Special Thanks/ Angeles Armory, The Bullet Ranch, CNS Engraving, Cris Mar, Stanley Tran Art Direction & Design. Senior Art Director/ Gene Coo Art Director/ Sarah Lampert Art Director/ Katia Sverdlova Advertising. General Manager/ Glen Castle 813.675.3495 Senior Account Executive/ Shawn Sloan 813.675.3552 Senior Account Executive/ Ryan Farner 760.809.8729 National Account Executive/ Matt Johnson 952.240.9794 Account Executive/ Lori McDaniel 715.498.3768 CMG West, LLC. VP, Group Publisher/ Mark Han Financial Controller/ Jenni Sexstone Operations Director/ Gregory S. Krueger Circulation/ NPS Media Group llevasseur@npsmediagroup.com…

incoming

1 The Ti Arto EDC can accept more than 750 different types of refills. (Yes, 750.) How’s that possible? The butt-end can be unscrewed to lengthen the body and make more room for almost any ink refill. This innovative design also gets rid of that annoying tip wiggle, which can happen when you insert a refill that kinda fits but wasn’t designed specifically for your pen. It comes with a screw-on cap, anti-slip grip design, Schneider 0.4mm black gel ink refill, and a sturdy titanium pocket clip. Oh, and while the Ti Arto EDC isn’t meant to be a tactical pen, it could certainly help you serve up an improvised ass whooping if called upon, because it’s machined from solid titanium. MAKE: Big Idea Design LLC MODEL: Ti Arto EDC MSRP: $90 URL: bigidesign.com 2 There are…

museum of missouri military history

Missouri’s unofficial nickname is “The Show-Me State,” which according to tradition represents the character of its residents. To this, it means that Missourians aren’t gullible, nor are they to believe without adequate evidence. Thus it’s fitting that just outside the state capital in Jefferson City at the Missouri National Guard’s Ike Skelton Training Center is the Museum of Missouri Military History. Anyone who disputes the state’s role in America’s military history need only visit this impressive facility to be reassured that Missourians have played a crucial role. The museum, which is fairly new, being founded less than 20 years ago — is dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of Missouri’s military history and exhibits range from the post-Revolutionary War era, when the state was still essentially the vast frontier, to the…

to hellwig and gone

It’s easy to wander around automotive events like SEMA seeing products that are really nothing more than booth bling and will probably never actually get much practical application. But like marrying a Playboy Bunny and getting separate beds, you can’t really resist asking yourself what the point is if it’s solely for appearances. When we saw the Hellwig Operator for the first time, we couldn’t help but be impressed. It looked like an overlanding version of a 747 with the space shuttle mounted on top. From stem to stern, to say it’s meant for off-roading wouldn’t do it justice. After all, how many other trucks can you think of that successfully piggybacked a 1,200-pound Textron Wildcat onto the back? First, a little bit about Hellwig Products. The company’s heritage actually dates…

unusual suspects

In the various knife collecting circles, there can be an ailment known as “steel snobbery.” It can range from someone basing their knives solely on price point to amateur metallurgists discussing the ratio of carbides to chromium in the makeup of their everyday-carry blade. While the makeup of steel may be important, the cost of a knife is often one of clever marketing. I know shooters who carry $2,000 handguns and won’t blink an eye about spending more on an optic for their rifles and still balk at paying over $75 for a pocket knife. By the same token, I’ve seen people carry $2,000 knives in their pockets who hem and haw about spending $399 for a concealed-carry handgun. Inexpensive knives have a role and just because they’re cheap, doesn’t always mean they’re…