Straight Talk

Even though we haven’t even reached January’s annual SHOT Show (Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade Show), companies are already unveiling their latest product releases. This indicates that in the age of social media, businesses are increasingly inclined to launch products on their schedules rather than waiting for a public reveal at trade shows where the general audience is not present. I find this trend intriguing, and it reinforces my long-held belief that the industry is evolving in how it

The FN Reflex is an intriguing option. It possesses all the features that the P365 and Hellcat series of slimline pistols do and better qualities than the Glock 43X MOS, but it’s not nearly as popular. Part of it is recognition; people know of FN, but they really don’t “know” the company. Another aspect is marketing. Springfield and Sig Sauer invest a significant amount of money into various forms of digital marketing (i.e., social media). Finally, it arrived too late to the party. Had the refle

Honestly, I’ve not been high on Kimber for nearly a decade. They were known for building a quality 1911 at a reasonable price, which set them apart. Unfortunately, many companies are now doing that—including ones from Turkey. Kimbers were once in demand, and like many companies with an in-demand product, they ramped up production. But like in most cases, quality control falls while the price remains high, leading to disappointment. Kimber has tried to rectify the issues. They even moved from the

The polymer-frame pistol market is competitive. Every major manufacturer is vying for dominance in it. But a few companies are at the top. Anybody who knows anything about guns has heard of Glock. Even if you aren’t into guns, you’ve heard of them. Glock pistols are a staple of popular culture—from movies to music and continuing to video games; they are everywhere. But honestly, has Glock fallen behind? I’d argue their pistols are no longer cutting-edge. They’ve failed to keep up with modern pis

The Springfield Echelon, released in July of 2023, is an excellent pistol. I find its ergonomics, feature set, and overall shootability are on par with or better than the other polymer-framed pistols in its class (think Glock 17, S&W M&P 2.0, FN 509, Shadow Systems MR920, HK VP9, and the Sig P320). With this pistol, Springfield took in the market trends and adapted them. Things like a built-in gas pedal, double under-cut triggerguard, aggressive texturing on the frame and slide, an

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