In an announcement earlier today that many of us never saw coming, the legendary and long-tenured TRP (Tactical Response Pistol) has some new brethren in the family. Springfield Armory has introduced the 9mm cartridge to the TRP series of handguns as well as the Agency Optics System of mounting red dots (AOS). The FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team was the original motivator or impetus for this design, and now flash forward 20+ years and we find ourselves here today looking at a sharpened and evolved 1911 handgun. So, today we are going to take a look at the Springfield Armory 1911 TRP AOS 4.25” Carry Contour 9mm to see how it truly performs. Let’s dive in!

A new legal ruling has paved the way for the return of Franklin Armory’s Reformation. You may remember back in 2018 Franklin Armory launched the Reformation, an AR-15 with Franklin Armory’s patented straight cut land and groove rifling design. This placed the Reformation in a grey area of being neither a rifle nor a shotgun. Franklin Armory argued this meant that as simply a ‘firearm’ the Reformation was not subject to the NFA and could have a short barrel without requiring a Tax Stamp. In 2019, however, the ATF classified the Reformation as a GCA-only regulated short-barrel shotgun - last month this was overturned.

Even though we enjoy probably the best firearms laws on the planet in the United States, for anyone who lives in an area where crossing state lines is a daily occurrence, you might often run into a situation where your permit isn’t recognized simply by you going to work for the day. Frustrating, right? While a national CCW reciprocity law has been a constant topic of discussion for as long as I can remember, on Tuesday, the likelihood of that becoming a reality just increased, at least a little bit. On March 25, 2025, the House Judiciary Committee voted 18-9 to advance the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, as the National Rifle Association (NRA) shared on X. Now, it’s headed to the full House for a vote.

The word on the street is that the big changes at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives will continue. According to CNN, hundreds of ATF agents are about to be transferred over to the FBI instead.

Strike Industries has expanded its lineup with the launch of the Strike Extended Mag Release for CZ Scorpion EVO 3. Designed as a low-cost, high-performance upgrade, the Strike CZ Scorpion EVO 3 Extended Mag Release offers improved ergonomics and control for faster magazine changes.

There have been numerous efforts to enhance hit probability through mechanical improvements and advancements in ballistics. A key innovation is an electronic automated control system. In January 2025, Russia patented an electronic automated fire control system for small arms, filed by Kalashnikov Concern. A mock-up of this concept was first publicly showcased in 2023. This automated control system is designed for the AK-12 and the future GPR-20 under-barrel rocket launchers. This may be a development to counter the new US Army’s new Vortex Optics XM-157 Next Generation Squad Weapon-Fire Control (NGSW-FC) or, more ambitiously, the XM29 Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW).

In my opinion, this is one of the strangest modern firearm designs and makes for an excellent Photo Of The Day. The SIG Sauer P320-FLUX Legion is a modular handgun platform built around the P320 fire control unit. It includes a FLUX chassis in Legion gray, a compensated Legion slide, and a skeletonized trigger.

While it sees less frequent use than the trigger, magazine release, or bolt catch/release (hopefully), the AR-15 charging handle ranks among the most deliberately chosen and commonly upgraded components selected by owners for their rifles. While the standard mil-spec configuration satisfies all basic and necessary functional requirements, it frequently lacks the refinements necessary or preferred by those in more specific situations, such as:

A number of years back SIG Sauer Electro-Optics, the Oregon-based optics division of SIG Sauer, released the very affordable, compact ROMEOZero pistol red dot. Today, they’re excited to announce the new ROMEO-RS. RS, standing for “Reinforced Steel,” is another pistol-mounted red dot made from an internal steel chassis or frame and other metal components for a more robust and slightly larger version of the ROMEOZero. The new red dot not only features a new body design and two variants to choose from, but several other creature comforts that might make it an attractive option for your own micro-compact 9mm pistols.

Smith & Wesson has announced their M&P FPC chambered in 10mm. Previously available in   9mm and   .40 S&W, the rumor mill has been hard at work for a while predicting this one, but the wait is finally over. For 10mm fans, the new FPC will provide increased muzzle energy and terminal performance with its 16.25-inch 9/16x24 threaded barrel while still folding up nicely to stow in a small backpack like its predecessors.

Hornady recently highlighted a unique item in their reloading catalog with a new explanatory video. The Hydraulic Form Die Kit is a custom-made tool to create "Ackley Improved" or nonstandard cases without fire forming the brass. This saves a lot of headaches and powder for reloaders trying to feed their unique guns.

Vortex has two new scope mounting tools and an improved cantilever mount joining their catalog. The new releases include an improved torque wrench, a scope leveling kit, and an updated Sport Cantilever scope mount. Keep reading for all the details.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives has a new top lawyer. Robert Leider has taken the role of Assistant Director and Chief Counsel at ATF. Mr. Leider is a law professor who has written extensively on issues like government monopoly on use of force, militias, and the right to bear arms.

Springfield Armory has a huge announcement that is two-fold regarding their legendary TRP (Tactical Response Pistol) handgun. For decades now, it has been chambered in the venerable .45 ACP cartridge, but now it will also be available in 9mm. Additionally, the AOS (Agency Optics System) platform has been added to allow you to add all of your favorite red dots.

I’ve been morbidly curious about the PDW/braced pistol format for quite a long time. What originally kicked off this curiosity was when I had a buddy of mine bring his B&T USW-A1 to a range day we had. The USW-A1, like the Strike SMC ( Strike Modular Chassis) Bravo, is essentially a platform that allows the user the same manual of arms as a typical 9mm sidearm, but with a more stable aiming thanks to an extendable brace or stock. The USW-A1 is probably my favorite example of this concept, but it's also quite pricey and requires the new owner to jump through a few additional NFA loopholes to properly acquire. This is where I think Strike Industries’ SMC Bravo steps in and takes a great service weapon concept, and adapts it to better fit the commercial and recreational shooter worlds. Today we’ll check out the SMC Bravo to give you guys a better idea of where this type of firearm might fit into your collection.

Here U.S. Naval Special Warfare operators and Indian Marine Commandos conduct an over-the-beach training exercise in Visakhapatnam, India. Malabar 24 is a joint field training exercise involving the Indian Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and the U.S. Navy. The exercise enhances strategic objectives by strengthening partnerships in the Indo-Pacific and improving interoperability for complex warfighting operations and gives us some excellent images for our Photo Of The Day.