Blackwater Carbine Operator Course
In 2009, the parent company’s name was changed to Xe (pronounced “zee”) and Blackwater was renamed U.S. Training…
Seven Compact Handguns for Carry or Backup
It’s a common question because .380s are a popular product these days. Modern design and technology mean pistols…
Custom-Built AR with Attitude
While in Kentucky working at the Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot, I ran into Evan Rosenthal of Troy…
From the Ashes of Blackwater: Academi Precision Rifle I
In the April 2011 issue of S.W.A.T., I wrote about the five-day Carbine Operator Course I had attended…
The Crusader: Templar Tactical MK-12 SPR
Certain terms in the gun industry are thrown around all too often. Tactical, sniper, Special Ops, milspec, the list goes on and on. So when I first heard of a new company going by the name Templar Tactical and offering an MK-12, I was skeptical. I only resisted the urge to dismiss them outright because they were being recommended to me by a pair of former Marines—one of whom I know very well and respect (we can forgive him for being a Marine, hooah?).
Absolut AR: Build Your Own
I love building ARs. Probably like many of you, I like working with my hands, putting things together,…
Effective Firearms Training: Hidden in the Heartland
I first met Steve Fisher at a firearms competition about three years ago. At the time, I was…
Build a 9mm AR: Easy To Assemble, Affordable To Shoot
Carbines chambered for the 9mm Luger cartridge have enjoyed enormous popularity for a long time. They’re found everywhere,…
Training Alternatives: .22 Long Rifle Conversion Kits
Due to the steep rising costs of—well, everything—many shooters have been forced to invent new ways to come…
Build Your Own FAL Rifle!
The FAL earned the moniker “Right Arm of the Free World” because it was adopted in over 90 countries all over the globe and was manufactured in ten different countries. It saw action in every kind of extreme climate.