SOFREP

The Makarov PM Pistol – An Iconic Soviet Weapon

Perhaps the most famous Soviet weapon is the ubiquitous AK-47 which has stood the test of time and is still found everywhere in the world, especially among terrorist groups. Nevertheless, the AK isn’t the only Soviet weapon that has survived the test of time. The much less-spoken-about Makarov PM pistol is still widely used although […]

The Beretta M9A3 – A Show Stopping Fighting Pistol?

The Modular Handgun System (MHS) competition began way back in 2015, but it feels like it was last week. The Beretta M9 served for over 30 years as America’s sidearm, but many of the guns were ending their service life. As such, the military could order more M9s, or it could begin looking at a […]

The Maxim 9 – The Future of Duty Handguns?

There isn’t much true innovation in the gun world. This isn’t the fault of gun makers; it’s just due to a slight stall in technology. Ultimately, until we discover something crazy, like caseless ammo, laser beams, or something similar, the tech will largely remain the same. Every so often, however, something finds a way to […]

The American Mosin Nagant, the Polar Bears, and Winter in Russia

World War I seemingly caught everyone by surprise. No one seemed to have enough rifles when the war came knocking. Prior to the United States’ entry into the war, America was producing rifles for the British and then took a contract from Imperial Russia. Remington Arms and New England Westinghouse accepted the contracts to produce […]

The MG34 and MG42 – How The General Purpose Machine Gun Was Born

World War II changed the world of small arms. The great display of infantry and armored power reformed warfighting doctrine and still affects modern warfighting. I’m not a tactics expert, but I appreciate machine guns, and World War II changed how machine guns would be used. During World War II, the Germans built their infantry […]

The 6 Best Tactical Tomahawks on the Market

Tomahawks rule and always have. In 2021 you’d think we’d found a tool worthy of replacing them, but yet the tomahawk persists. It’s tough to find a more versatile and lightweight tool to hang off your belt. With that in my mind, I’ve gathered what I think are the six best tactical tomahawks. I’ve included […]

Walther P38: The Definitive WWII German Pistol

When discussing German military pistols many people first think of the iconic Luger P08. But I’d argue that the Walther P38 (P.38 in official jargon) should hold the reins. The Walther was truly a beast of burden. It remained the official German military pistol from the outset of World War II until 2004. A […]

The Kriss Vector – Too Little Too Late for This Space Age SMG?

Most weapons slowly advance and improve over time. We didn’t get assault rifles overnight, after all. One genre of gun that defies this general rule of thumb is the submachine gun (SMG). The SMG advances in giant leaps, or not at all. Maybe because it’s a niche category, or because pistol-caliber weapons are limited. Regardless, […]

The Double-Barreled Pistol: A Gimmick or a Must-Have? A Navy SEAL Explains

This article will contain strong opinions held loosely. First, to save yourself some reading the short answer in today’s world of modern firearms is, wait for it… The double-barreled pistol is a gimmick. Don’t waste your money on something that is the equivalent of Dogecoin. There are plenty of great firearms to light money on […]

The FN FAL – The Right Arm of the Free World

In the post-World War II world, one thing became instantly clear for infantry small arms: the semi-auto rifle ruled. America’s M1 Garand proved that point and did so with a lot of 30-06 dispersed into Nazis. Throughout the war, numerous rifles entered the fray using the semi-auto action, but everyone was essentially playing catch up. […]