While sitting on the boat ramp at the end of an eventful day on the water, my snobby fly-fishing buddy turned to me and said, “Let me see that thing.” The “thing” he was referring to was the Shimano Compre Lite Spinning Rod in my hand. I handed it over and watched with a smirk as he guiltily flipped the bail on the reel and made a cast. A boy was about to turn into a man. The white rooster tail tied to the line shot across the river and landed on the opposite side with a plop. “Whoa, this…

Smith & Wesson expands the M&P lineup with the Metal HD and Competitor HD, two all-stainless, 5-inch pistols built for minimal muzzle rise. Both models use the same steel frame and barrel length, but they target different shooters. One leans towards duty and general use. The other focuses on competition. Both pistols share a forged stainless steel frame and a 5-inch stainless barrel with a 1:10 twist. The added weight pushes each gun to roughly two pounds unloaded. That mass helps keep the gun flat during recoil and speeds follow-up shots. Smith & Wesson also updated the grip texture, giving…

Military spouses understand “community” differently from most people. We build it, lose it and rebuild it faster than feels comfortable. When I think about how my military spouse community has changed over the past 20 years, I marvel at how much I have changed as well.Frequent moves, deployments and career disruptions can make lasting relationships feel just out of reach. And just when you find that community you have been waiting for, one of you will get orders.It’s important to remember that your friendships as a military spouse are often meant to be for a season. And it’s OK. We…

It’s a little too easy (at least for me) to dismiss alarming weather events. But there’s no denying that much of the country is about to get hit by a serious winter storm — and nothing reminds you of the importance of solid gear like a bone-chilling freeze. With several months of winter still ahead for many of us, it’s not a bad time to check out much of this week’s new gear. Comfy sleeping bags? Check. Down-filled mattresses? Check. Winter Olympics-style accessories? Got it. Cozy alpaca sweaters? Oh yeah, baby. Find all that and more in this week’s Emerging…

The National Firearms Act was sold to the American people not as gun control, but a tax. The idea was to tax the devices so they were less affordable, but that was because Congress had taxation authority under the Constitution, not the authority to infringe on the right to keep and bear arms. So, they got sneaky.Now, though, the tax on suppressors and short-barreled long guns is gone. However, while the registration effort was reportedly just a way to make sure people who had these devices paid the tax, the registration for these items remains…

This year’s SHOT show in Las Vegas is well underway, and as usual, companies are introducing new products. Here are a few of them… Smith & Wesson released a new folding pistol carbine in 5.7×28 What’s interesting about this, other than the 5.7 chambering, is that it includes a Gemtech Nebula 5.7 suppressor. This 9-ounce can should help squelch the 5.7’s blast. Image: reddit.com You can check out the new 5.7 FPC here, and the Gemtech suppressor here. As for prices, the FPC lists for $719 and the Gemtech for $549, but I haven’t seen a combo price yet. Stay…