Since Ruger resurrected the Marlin brand in 2020, the company has brought back many classic Marlin lever guns, including the 1895, 336 and 1894. Marlin’s latest lever-action rifle, a collaboration with Mad Pigs Customs that is a far cry from traditional, delivers “modern, factory‑installed features previously found only on custom builds,” according to the company. Marlin’s new 1894 was designed in collaboration with lever-gun experts Mad Pig Customs. Mad Pig Customs, a lever-action specialty company whose tagline is “dragging lever guns into the modern age,” does just that with the Marlin 1894. Collaborating with Marlin on the design, starting with…

00:00:03 Speaker 1: People still talk about it like it happened last week, and they talk about it in ways that are are deeply personal. So whether it’s somebody you know who maybe has ancestors who were part of the Union or ancestors who were part of the Confederacy, they don’t talk about it in terms of they went here, or they went there, or they did this or they did that. They say, we. 00:00:33 Speaker 2: In this series about the American Civil War will try to understand why it happened, who the players were, in their motivations,…

For years, short-barreled rifles (SBRs) were a niche item within the NFA, as many firearm enthusiasts avoided the onerous regulations imposed by the ATF on their ownership, which included the payment of a $200 tax stamp, special serialization and approval requirements to transport the guns across state lines. In 2026, though, the landscape of NFA guns has changed dramatically. In January 2026, the price of an NFA tax stamp on SBRs dropped to $0, and in April 2026, the ATF announced a series of reforms, including the removal of the “maker’s mark” requirement for Form 1 SBRs, as well as…

Wild hogs and deer don’t exactly mix. At least, that’s what any number of deer hunters or landowners in pig country will tell you. If you have experience hunting around wild hogs, then you probably have surmised as much. While anecdotal evidence might seem to support certain theories in the hunting world, it’s great to see science and data confirm what many hunters experience.Dr. Melanie Boudreau, assistant research professor at Mississippi State University, recently conducted a collared experiment with both wild pigs and deer to better understand interactions between these two animals. While the study hasn’t been published yet, you…

Springfield Armory entered the world of modular, striker-fired handguns in 2023 with its Echelon line of pistols. Since then, the company has offered the Echelon in a variety of sizes, colors and configurations. New for 2026, Springfield is introducing an entry-level Echelon model with the Alpha. With the Alpha, Springfield Armory introduces an entry-level version of its popular Echelon platform. Most of the Echelon Alpha’s features are shared with the rest of the Echelon lineup. These include a precision forged and billet-machined slide and cold hammer-forged barrel, both of which are given a black Melonite finish. The Alpha’s changes over…

00:00:01 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide to the fundamentals of better deer hunting, presented by first Light, creating proven versatile hunting apparel for the stand, saddle or blind. First Light, Go Farther, Stay Longer, and now your host, Tony Peterson. 00:00:20 Speaker 2: Hey, everybody, welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundation’s podcast, which has brought to you by First Light. I’m your host, Tony Peterson, and today I’m taking a deep dive into ethics and deer hunting and how we are all probably hypocrites on this front, but that’s okay. What is…

Despite the incredible array of polymer-frame, striker-fired, semi-automatic handguns on the market, the classic revolver not only refuses to die, it has seen something of a resurgence in recent years. Today’s revolver Renaissance has spurred the introduction of a wide array of designs, ranging from the most cutting-edge takes on this tried-and-true firearm concept to retro renditions of popular guns from years past. Whether you’re a defensive shooter looking for a dedicated tool with a simple manual of arms you know and trust to the casual enthusiast who just wants something classic to enjoy at the range, the array of…

On Thursday, May 14, two conservation groups announced a lawsuit with significant interest to hunters and anglers in the Treasure State. Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) and Public Land & Water Access Association Partners (PLWA) are suing Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) to “cement the legality of corner crossing in Montana, and ensure access for all Americans to approximately 871,000 acres of public lands in Montana.”The move comes just over a year after the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that corner crossing—walking from the corner of one parcel to the corner of another without setting foot on private…

A list of iconic 20th-century gun designs would be a crowded one, as that 100-year period saw rapid advancement and innovation in firearms technology. There is no debate, however, that Heckler & Koch’s MP5 has a place on that list. Though its big brother, the G3 infantry rifle, is more prolific, with more than 8 million produced, it was the 9 mm-chambered MP5 submachine gun that captured our imaginations, from movies to video games to news photos of elite military and law-enforcement units employing the MP5 around the world. Part of that appeal was its exclusivity. For decades, semi-automatic, roller-delayed…

A good turkey choke can turn any old shotgun into a certified gobbler getter. It might require some trial and error to figure out which turkey loads a choke patterns best, but that’s part of the fun. Of course, it isn’t feasible (definitely not affordable) to test every ammo and choke combination out there.For the purposes of this review, I tested some of the best turkey chokes with some of the best and readily available turkey ammo. Aside from extensive range testing, I’ve also killed turkeys with several of these chokes. There are other turkey chokes that didn’t make the…