The Mauser C96 Broomhandle is one of the most recognizable firearms ever made, and also one of the least understood. That boxy frame, the long barrel, the integral box magazine ahead of the trigger, the round wooden grip that earned it the nickname "Broomhandle" -- there is nothing else that looks like it. It was...
The Browning Hi-Power: It Armed Both Sides of WWII
John Moses Browning designed more successful firearms than any other person in history. The M1911, the Browning Automatic Rifle, the Browning machine guns, the Auto-5 shotgun, the Winchester lever-actions -- his catalog reads like a history of 20th-century small arms. But the last handgun design he worked on may be the most consequential of all:...
Judge Roy Bean: The Law West of the Pecos
If you wanted law and order in the desolate stretch of West Texas along the Rio Grande in the 1880s, you got Judge Roy Bean. You also got his saloon, his pet bear, and whatever brand of justice he felt like dispensing that afternoon. Bean was a saloon-keeper, a justice of the peace, and one...
Montrose March 14 Live Firearms Auction Preview
Montrose Auction was founded in 1977. Since 1992, it has been owned and operated by company president Trey Cottle. Conducting approximately 24 auctions per year, Montrose has positioned itself as Georgia's leading auction house for the most-desired antique, vintage and modern firearms, edged weapons and sporting-related items. In addition to its popular gallery and online...
The Lincoln County War: Blood, Power, and Guns
The Lincoln County War wasn't a war in any traditional sense. It was a vicious, drawn-out power struggle in southeastern New Mexico Territory that ran from 1878 to 1881, driven by greed, political corruption, and personal vendettas. It turned ranchers into gunmen, merchants into targets, and a teenage drifter named Henry McCarty into the legend...
Best Shooting Chronographs in 2026
If you're reloading ammunition and you don't own a chronograph, you're flying blind. Load data from a manual gives you a starting point, but your rifle, your barrel length, your lot of powder, and your ambient temperature all affect what actually comes out of the muzzle. A chronograph tells you what's really happening — not...
The .257 Roberts: The Quarter-Bore That Deserved Better
In my opinion, the .257 Roberts is ideal for a few specific types of shooters. First, anyone who is recoil-sensitive but wants genuine medium-game capability — the Roberts delivers deer-killing performance at recoil levels closer to a .243 than a .270. Second, handloaders who appreciate case efficiency and barrel life. Third, anyone who hunts in...
The Lamson, Goodnow & Yale Special Model 1861
I was in a gunshop recently and spotted a rifle-musket in a display case right at the front of the store. The owner encouraged me take it out and look it over. It is a Lamson, Goodnow & Yale Special Model 1861, lock dated 1864, .58 caliber, 40-inch barrel. About nine and a half pounds....
Suppressor Mounting Systems Explained: 2026 Guide
You picked your suppressor. You did the research, read the PEW Science data, compared decibel ratings, checked barrel length minimums, and finally pulled the trigger on a can. Good. Now here's the part that trips up more new buyers than anything else: how does it actually attach to your gun? Suppressor mounting systems determine more...
Multi-Caliber vs Dedicated Suppressors: Which to Buy
The multi-caliber vs dedicated suppressor debate just changed forever. The $200 NFA tax stamp is gone. As of January 1, 2026, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act zeroed out the federal excise tax on suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs. Approval times are running in days, not months. The barrier to entry has never been lower,...