Red dot sights are increasingly popular, with many of the major makers offering handguns that are either optics-ready or optics-equipped. SIG, GLOCK, CZ-USA, CANIK, Kimber and other makers offer optics-ready handguns that are widely available. A drawback is that the many types of red dot sights do not use the same mounting pattern or footprint.

Home » Concealed Carry » The 10 Best Concealed Carry Handguns of the Past 20 Years When I was challenged to come up with the best, concealed carry handguns of the past 20 years, I set down with a pencil and tablet and began making a list. This seems like an easy task, but there

When choosing a red dot sight for critical use, the standard is higher than one that is for range use, target shooting or hunting. You cannot go too cheap when it comes to personal defense. Just the same, we all have responsibilities and we look for the best balance of price and performance. You want

Up until quite recently, Virginia was a very solid 2A state. Of course, they have oddities like the law that requires the “Virginia Tuck,” a law that states that you can carry in a bar, but only if your firearm is plainly visible. (So concealed carry people tuck their shirt behind the holster to be compliant.)

Welcome to Cheaper Than Dirt’s Week-In-Review News Roundup. Here you’ll find some of the previous week’s top stories in the shooting industry, as well as our favorite reader comments and #RangeDayFriday photos. Be sure to subscribe and check back every Friday to stay updated on the latest firearms news! Latest Firearm News Savage Arms Introduces Minimalist

When I choose a concealed carry handgun, I look at several factors. First: concealability. While some may be able to conceal a long slide 1911 or GLOCK 34, most of us aren’t able to carry that kind of iron. These are handguns designed to be as large as possible and still be legal for competition

I will start out by tackling the caliber gorilla in the room. Yes, some of us carry .44 Magnums as our carry piece; but for most of us, that is not a reasonable choice. Also, some of us (sometimes for a very valid reason) carry rimfire options for our carry choice. For most of us,

I have used TRUGLO products for many years, always with good results. While the warranty is good, I have never had the occasion to send a product back. This is despite dropping the combat lights from time to time and generally not babying the equipment. I am something of an accuracy nut when it comes

Why is Black Friday only one day? At Cheaper Than Dirt, our Black Rifle Weekend started Friday and continues through today. In fact, all the deals we featured for Black Rifle Weekend are still active. Plus, we’re adding two more for Cyber Monday. Read on to learn more about them. (FYI: all orders will also include

It’s officially Black Friday! Ready to load up on something besides turkey, pie and relatives asking about your personal life? You’re in luck. This year’s edition of Black Rifle Weekend is chock full of deals on firearms, ammunition and more. We even have special savings on Full Auto Rewards, our premium loyalty program (see the

Most folks know and assume that it was Eugene Stoner who developed the AR-15. Is this true? Yes and no. In the 1950s, commander of the U.S. Continental Army Command, General Willard G. Wyman, conceived of and requested a new gun and a new round, both lighter and smaller than the then currently issued M-14.

The Marlin Papoose (or Marlin 70PSS Take Down as it’s also known) is a self-loading .22 Long Rifle takedown-type rifle based on the popular Marlin 60 series. The rifle is similar in conception to other takedown rifles, but notably lighter and more compact than most. The Model 70 has been offered with wood stocks and

In part one of this blog series, we covered why choosing the right caliber and scope are important for firing a rifle offhand. Now we’ll get into the right firing positions and drills needed to master firing a rifle offhand. These drills are necessary to master any rifle. They are also very useful for personal

The primary goal in marksmanship is being able to hit what you are aiming at. The scenario may be simple target shooting, hunting game or personal defense. Whatever the scenario, a great deal of practice is needed. For most of American history, rifle marksmanship has been an essential skill. The rifle will save your life,

Welcome to Cheaper Than Dirt’s Week-In-Review News Roundup. Here you’ll find some of the previous week’s top stories in the shooting industry, as well as our favorite reader comments and #RangeDayFriday photos. Be sure to subscribe and check back every Friday to stay updated on the latest firearms news! Latest Firearm News Ruger Expands Security-9

As a young man, the family and friends I grew up with were hunters. The rifles and shotguns they used were cleaned occasionally. Handguns were not used enough to be cleaned and I never saw a firearm disassembled for routine cleaning. Even after I began firing a lot of ammunition as a result of my

If you are someone who routinely shoots past 200 yards with a rifle, it would be quite helpful to know how to build your own ballistics chart/D.O.P.E. chart. By doing so, you can adjust your scope to have the cross hair line up with the point of impact at any given distance. In a pinch,

Paddle holsters are very popular due to the comfort and the ease with which you can take them on and off. But they do have drawbacks. Let’s take a look at the biggest complaint when it comes to paddle holsters, how a modern design may fix it and the deciding factor on choosing the right holster.

The rifle known as the Remington 7600 began life as a Remington prototype soon after World War II. By 1952, the Remington 760 Gamemaster was introduced. The rifle won running deer competitions in Oslo, Norway, and went on to become an important rifle in the American hunting field. The fast handling and slim profile of

Welcome to Cheaper Than Dirt’s Week-In-Review News Roundup. Here you’ll find some of the previous week’s top stories in the shooting industry, as well as our favorite reader comments and #RangeDayFriday photos. Be sure to subscribe and check back every Friday to stay updated on the latest firearms news! Latest Firearm News SIG SAUER Ships

Every semi-automatic gun I can think of has a magazine, as do some bolt-action rifles. That means a lot of my guns are reduced to very inefficient single-shot weapons without a magazine. On that thought, we should probably look into ways to extend the service life of these critical components. Notice, I said service life.

We have studied the basics of handloading on this blog before. Now let’s go a step further and study load development. It works! Recently, I fired a number of handloads in my bolt-action .308 and, frankly, the results were so good it even surprised me. I had on the bench a rifle and load combination more

The most formidable of home defense weapons is the 12-gauge shotgun. Powerful and fast handling, the shotgun gives a trained shooter every advantage. A problem, however, is recoil. Another consideration is magazine capacity. Federal Cartridge Company has introduced a new loading that neatly solves most of these problems related to recoil, capacity and even over-penetration.

Home » News » 4 Facts About Veterans Day That You Might Not Know Happy Veterans Day! Cheaper Than Dirt would like to take this moment to honor all military veterans who have served in the United States Armed Forces. We salute you and thank you for your service. In honor of this federal holiday,

It’s time to celebrate another important birthday. The Marine Corps, like the Navy, turns 244 years old this year. The Marine Corps’ birthday is recognized as November 10, 1775, when the Continental Congress developed an official plan to use Marines in a mission involving Britain. In honor of this momentous occasion, let’s take a look

When we have major responsibilities–family, house, vehicle, education, etc.—we sometimes push aside our wants and keep our needs first on the list. This is as it should be. A quality handgun is a necessity to protect our homes and our family, and if that handgun is affordable, effective and offers a package that is enjoyable

Welcome to Cheaper Than Dirt’s Week-In-Review News Roundup. Here you’ll find some of the previous week’s top stories in the shooting industry, as well as our favorite reader comments and #RangeDayFriday photos. Be sure to subscribe and check back every Friday to stay updated on the latest firearms news! Latest Firearm News Henry Introduces Two

There are almost as many ways to build an AR-15 as there are parts combinations. Today, however, we’re going to focus on the three most popular AR-15 build styles. Let’s get right into it. AR-15 Build Styles 1. Pre-Assembled + Pre-Assembled Upper The simplest choice is to buy a pre-assembled lower and mate it to

Home » Firearms » Handguns » A Look at the Springfield 1911 Lightweight Operator .45 ACP Previously, we reviewed the Springfield Armory Loaded Operator. The Loaded Operator is a full-size, Government Model, steel-frame handgun with a light rail. The Springfield Loaded Operator is slightly heavier than a standard 1911 due to the rail. The pistol

Home » Firearms » Handguns » A Look at the Springfield 1911 Loaded Operator .45 ACP In my opinion, the most solidly built, reliable, and useful of all personal defense handgun designs is the 1911—given a quality example, that is. Quite a few of the 1911 types presently made are intended mostly to sell cheaply.