There’s a popular new breed of space-saving “compact” riflescopes on the market today, and they bring another important feature to the game. On average, these kinds of optics offer a more generous field-of-view. Considering the current demand for shorty optics, there’s a trend brewing just around the corner.  EOTech’s Vudu 4-12×36 mm FFP is a member of that tribe of optics, measuring in at only 7.1 inches in length. It was introduced in January and covered for American Rifleman by Jeremiah Knupp last month. Comparing its measurements to nine popular centerfire 4-12X riflescopes puts the optic’s space-saving virtue into perspective.…

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Hearing protection is vital when engaged in the shooting sports. I’d say we all know that, but as a professional in this industry, I know far too many people who respond to my verbal inquiries with a “Huh?” whilst cupping their ear toward me. Come to think of it, I might be one of those people. The simple fact is, when you set off a small explosion relatively close to your ear, in an enclosed space or simply close enough to make you wince when you hear it, you are causing hearing damage. Sound suppressors greatly help protect hearing, but…

Part of the Century Arms family, US Palm is known for making magazines, grips and other accessories for AK-platform firearms. This year, the company is branching out to offer suppressors and complete firearms, including its new STORM CAT4 series of rifles and pistols. Traditionally a manufacturer of AK accessories, this year, US Palm branched out to make AR-type firearms and suppressors. US Palm calls the CAT4 “a duty-ready rifle built to exceed expectations—delivering premium, $2,000+ rifle performance at an attainable $1,300 price point.” At their core, CAT4 firearms are based on the direct gas impingement AR-15 design. Upper and lower…

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Armed Citizen® Today A 31-year-old man emerged naked from a river in Biloxi, Miss., around 8 p.m. on May 23, and approached a home. The homeowner was not there but, seeing the man on his security-video footage, contacted his neighbor to check whether the stranger needed assistance. The neighbor agreed, but when he approached, the naked man attacked him. Fortunately, the neighbor was armed and managed to defend himself by shooting the assailant multiple times. The adversary fled back into the river but was discovered dead of several gunshot wounds early the next morning. The neighbor suffered facial lacerations and…

In American Rifleman’s 2025 coverage of the new Federal 7 mm Backcountry cartridge, much of the story wasn’t as much about the new chambering as it was about the cartridge case itself, a case that Federal called its “Peak Alloy” design. The single-piece, all-steel cartridge case, in the words of Federal Managing Engineer Jake Burns, “acts as its own mini pressure-containment vessel, absorbing some of the energy without cracking or stretching. That’s part of the case’s ability to manage pressure.” Now, that design has moved from a proprietary chambering to the mainstream cartridge world with the introduction of Federal’s new…