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Plain-English references worth bookmarking — the gear terms behind every review, plus NFA and carry law.
| Term | Category |
|---|---|
| Striker-fired | Action |
| MOA | Optics |
| Twist rate | Ballistics |
30 gun, ammo and optics terms explained in plain English.
Open the glossary → Network| 2026 at a glance | |
|---|---|
| NFA tax stamp | $0 |
| Permitless carry | 29 states |
| Suppressors legal | 42 states |
50+ NFA, carry and gun-law terms, from Freedom's Lodge.
View full chart →Reader Favorites
Capacity Never Trumps Reliability GENESEO, ILL. (8/01/18) – The next generation of the most popular pistol ever produced by Springfield Armory is now available in the most popular caliber with the introduction of the XD-S Mod.2 in 9mm. Since the release of the XD-S Mod.2 in .45 ACP earlier this year, Springfield Armory has engineered…
Carrying a concealed firearm in public is your right—and it’s also a matter of extreme seriousness and responsibility. There are a number of considerations that one needs to bear in mind and, sadly, there’s a lot of misinformation out there. For those who are new to the world of concealed carrying, here are some of…
A very wise man once said, “There’s dumb, damn dumb, and this list of videos that’s about to follow.” That very wise man was me, and he said it just now. I’m feeling pretty good about my own intelligence, you see, because I just took a walk down Memory Lane with these seven classic videos…
(Or piano, or football, or cheerleading) Any parent can tell you that the most magical time of year is not Christmas, but the advent of “back to school.” Since you’re probably figuring out which extracurricular activities your kid will complain about attending for the next three months, here’s a thought: Instead of soccer, or piano,…
“We Don’t Dial 911,” “Keep Honking, I’m Reloading,” “Home Security By Smith & Wesson.” You’ve seen them: bumper stickers, wooden signs posted over doors—all proclaiming that the person inside this car or inhabiting this home is armed and ready to meet a threat with lethal force. Although they’re generally meant to be funny, or to…
In the interest of fairness, we occasionally enlist the wisdom of anti-gun expert Ima Nidiot, Kindergarten Color Guard mascot and personification of the word “moist.” Take it away, Ima! After I last bestowed my wisdom upon an ungrateful and undeserving public I was asked, “But Ima, how am I supposed to defend myself from criminal attack if you’ve grabbed all…
Protip: All of these work for men, too! I recently wrote a satirical piece about how not to introduce a woman to the shooting sports, but the importance of increasing women’s participation in shooting isn’t a joke. Women make up just over 50 percent of America’s population; if even half of them understand that the Second Amendment enhances…
Introducing your wife or girlfriend to guns? Here’s how to do it wrong. Women are currently the fastest-growing demographic of new shooters, but it seems every time I go to the range I see some dude doing his level best to reverse that trend with his female companion. So if your goal is to ensure that…
Four complete self-defense packages are up for grabs. It’s the heart of summer, so while you’re busy firing up the grill, we’re busy firing up our 2018 Summer of Self Defense $14K Giveaway! This giveaway sizzles like a Kansas City strip: a complete self-defense package including a Heckler & Koch VP9 pistol, Federal Premium ammunition,…
A guest post from Ima Nidiot. In the interest of fairness, we occasionally like to enlist the wisdom of anti-gun expert Ima Nidiot, underwater basket-weaver and legend in her own mind. Take it away, Ima! It’s recently come to my attention that there are people out there who call me and folks like me “gun…
It’s much more comfortable than it sounds. If you want to become a skilled and expert shooter, it’s critical that you practice as often as possible. Problem is, sometimes it’s just too much fuss to pack your range bag, drive to the range, pay range fees, wait for a carrel…sometimes, you just want to get…
There aren’t any guarantees in life, but there are good signs… So, you’re looking for someone to either introduce you to safe gun handling, or to improve your game. We’ve already talked about how to spot a gun guru who might be full of it…so how do you find someone who’s legit? With the caveat…
