Let’s get something straight right out of the gate—there’s hype, and then there’s hardware and software doing the damn thing. Tactical drone systems come and go, but earlier this year, Palladyne AI and Red Cat Holdings didn’t just talk about next-gen drone warfare—they flew it. In a real-world test that pulled no punches, the two […]
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Too Tough to Die: The M14
Some rifles fade into obscurity. Others refuse to go quietly. Then there’s the M14…the Cold War warhorse that refused retirement, kept punching past its prime, and earned a cult following among shooters, soldiers, and salty old marksmen alike. Born in the shadow of the M1 Garand and overshadowed by the M16, the M14 is that […]
Craft Holsters Makarov Tuckable IWB Holster Report
As my dear readers both on Patreon and here on The Loadout Room are aware, I’m a longtime fanboys of the 9x18mm Makarov pistol. Granted, the Mak isn’t quite the all-time sentimental favorite that my beloved Beretta 92FS aka M9 is. Nonetheless, the Cold War classic Pistolet Makarova holds plenty of sentimental value for me. […]
CIVIVI RS71 Review : Big Blade Energy
Some knives are tools. Others are toys, the samurai sword you show off to Jeff from down the street. The CIVIVI RS71? It’s both, with the attitude of a dive knife, the action of a fidget spinner that just shotgunned three Red Bulls, and the build quality of something twice the price. This thing doesn’t […]
CLASSIC COLD WAR PISTOL SHOWDOWN: Beretta vs. Makarov
“The WeekenD’orr” Beretta vs. Makarov: Who’s The Big Winner? Okay, mea culpa: as my shooting buddies know, I’m a big-time Beretta fanboy. The 9mm Beretta 92FS AKA the M9 is U.S. military circles, is my sentimental favorite semiautomatic pistol, and indeed the very first pistol I truly fell in love with. (Strictly platonically speaking, of […]
Tommy Gun Madness: The Thompson Submachine Gun
How one brutally effective American icon bridged Prohibition and World War – and became one of the loudest symbols of American firepower. Before Delta carried suppressed MP5’s, before Marines stacked bodies in Fallujah with M16’s, there was a time when American warfighters waded into battle with 10 pounds of walnut and steel. Slinging .45 caliber […]
Firing the Full-Auto Steyr AUG
Sprayin’ and prayin’ like Karl from Die Hard, I finally got to rock the Steyr AUG in full-auto—and lemme tell ya, that progressive trigger ain’t for the faint of finger.
M60 Pig: America’s Jungle-Eating, Belt Fed Freedom Machine
It weighed over 20 pounds, jammed when it felt like it, and chewed through belts of 7.62 NATO like a chainsaw on meth…but for the American warfighter in Vietnam, the M60 was more than just a machine gun. It was an iron pig that ate communism for breakfast. Birth of a Beast Born out of […]
My First Single-Action Revolver Purchase: Heritage Rough Rider .22 LR/.22 WMR Range Report
As those of you dear readers who also read my stuff on The National Interest may recall, back on 2 January 2025, my review of the Ruger Wrangler .22 LR single-action (SA) revolver was published. (I had acrually test-fired the gun back on 17 December 2024.) Therein, I’d noted that in 30 years as a gun owner, I’d […]
HOP Munitions 9mm and .300 Blackout Ammo Review
American Made Excellence You know what I love? When something unexpected just works, no drama, no disappointment, just pure performance. That’s exactly what I found shooting HOP Munitions’ polymer-coated 9mm and .300 Blackout rounds. Now, full honesty: before this, I had never shot polymer-tipped ammo. I wasn’t sure what to expect, maybe a lot of […]
