It has been a wet fall here in New England. We’ve had more rainy and snowy days this past month than fair ones. It’s not unusual, but it’s enough to be notable. Temperatures have hovered around 38 to 40 degrees during the day and dropped below freezing at night, which has been fortunate for us. Our refrigerator has decided it no longer wishes to behave and started tripping the breaker, so all of our important cold storage has been moved into the freezer or into a cooler on the back porch.
It has been an unusually stressful time for myself and my family. Dealing back injuries, stress at work, and just the normal day to day of life has been taking it’s toll. We had a small Thanksgiving, just my wife and my kids, which was perfect. Low stress, and lots of left over turkey. I hope everyone has had a great start to their holiday season.
Website Updates
As I mentioned previously, I’ve been working through several trimmer reviews. The drill-mounted trimmers have really taken over as the preferred option for a lot of reloaders. I’ve long used hand-lathe style trimmers—the RCBS and now the L.E. Wilson—but my shoulder and patience aren’t up to trimming large amounts of brass anymore, especially for the cartridges I load in volume.
The rebuilt drill press has been working well. I’ve churned through quite a bit of .30-06 and .303 British brass using the Tri-Way trimmer and the Frankford Arsenal Universal Trimmer. They’re similar in concept but very different in execution. You can read my reviews of both trimmers at the link below.
Marc has been working on his own product review, doing a bit of light gunsmithing on his Smith & Wesson PD321. If you shoot cast bullets through a revolver on the regular, you may want to read about his experience opening up the cylinder.
Time at the Bench
Trimming brass is a chore. It’s about as exciting as watching grass grow or paint dry. When I’m caught up on my reloading, I try to stay ahead on brass prep so trimming happens in small batches. Right now, I’ve still got plenty of work ahead of me before I’m caught up.
Over the next week or two, I’ll be testing out two more trimmers—one for .300 Blackout and another for 7.62×39. I still haven’t found “the one” trimmer I can call my favorite, so I’m holding out hope one of these might finally check all the boxes.
Industry and Legislative News
Sig Sauer and the P320
A few months ago, we discussed the reported “non-commanded” discharge that led to the death of an airman on a Colorado Air Force installation. Early reporting made it sound like yet another example of the P320 or M18 discharging without a trigger pull. We now know that this incident was the result of a negligent discharge. By his own statement, the airman pointed the pistol at the victim, and when the gun fired, he and another airman concocted a story to cover it up.
It’s a tragedy, and it clearly stems from at least one person not following basic firearm safety rules. I felt it would be unfair to criticize Sig Sauer for the P320’s issues and then ignore the follow-up when this incident turned out not to be mechanical. That said, this does not completely absolve the P320 platform, as there are multiple lawsuits alleging true non-commanded discharges. But in this case, the pistol was not the problem.
New Jersey and the Sig P320
Adding more fuel to the P320 fire, New Jersey is suing Sig Sauer for alleged violations of the Firearms Industry Public Safety Law and the Consumer Fraud Act. The lawsuit, filed by both the Statewide Affirmative Firearms Enforcement Office and the Division of Consumer Affairs, claims the P320 has an unusual propensity to discharge unintentionally.
The complaint cites the U.S. Army’s 2016–2017 evaluation of the P320, in which the Army required an external safety for the M17/M18. Anyone familiar with military procurement knows the military has long favored external safeties. The request wasn’t necessarily evidence of a defect—just standard operating preference.
To me, this lawsuit reads as New Jersey harassing a gun manufacturer. While there may indeed be legitimate concerns surrounding the P320 given previous incidents and claims, I doubt the New Jersey AG’s approach is driven by public safety. It looks more like political pandering to gun-control activists and their base.
Legal Challenges to Magazine Restrictions
Several challenges to magazine restrictions recently had hearings. Colorado, Rhode Island, and Oregon all have pending cases questioning the constitutionality of their bans. While we’ve seen small wins here and there, no Circuit Court has yet ruled to overturn an existing magazine law. The more cases that move through the courts, the greater the chance one eventually lands before the Supreme Court, which is the long-term goal. Magazine capacity is a fundamental characteristic of a firearm, and a Supreme Court ruling could finally cement that.
Court Challenges to ATF’s FFL Requirements
Multiple lawsuits are challenging the ATF’s new definition of what it means to be “engaged in the business” of selling firearms. This Biden-era redefinition is extremely broad. According to the ATF, if you sell a firearm with the intent to make money—even once—you may be treated as a dealer who requires an FFL and a 4473.
The problem lies in how “intent to make money” is interpreted. If I sell a rifle for $150 and the book value is $130, does that count as intent? What if I paid $300 years ago, so technically I lost money? What if the rifle was gifted to me, so I’m “making” the full $150? Under the rule, there’s no quantity threshold, so even one sale could theoretically be prosecuted.
Judges hearing these cases have generally indicated that the rule is overbroad and likely violates due process by shifting the burden of proof to the individual. It’s very possible we will see an injunction forcing ATF to rewrite the rule.
Glock V Pistols
Glock has tried and spectacularly failed at making their pistols “non-machine guns”. It took the internet less then a week to figure out how to turn the new Glock V pistol into a machine gun via a new variant of the Glock switch. I have to admit this made me smile in ways I didn’t think was possible.
Glock took a very minimalist approach in trying to make the existing “Glock” switch not work with the newer generation of Glocks. This is obviously was to try and keep the new generation of Glocks as functionally compatible with the myriads of parts accessories that work with all previous generations of Glocks. Unfortunately this also means it was easily defeated and Glock is back to square one, while the California law is undoubtedly going to apply. Afterall the law never says what “easily convertible” actually means.
New Products (Rumored Edition)
This is a slow season for product announcements. Hunting seasons are winding down, the holidays are here, and we’re only weeks away from the 2026 SHOT Show. Rumors are flying, but verified information is limited. So lets look at a few new product rumors.
Holosun
Several leaks suggest Holosun will unveil a new solar-powered, closed-emitter pistol optic at SHOT. It will compete directly with the Aimpoint ACRO, Trijicon RCR, Vortex Defender ST, and others. Holosun makes excellent emitters, but yes—they are a Chinese manufacturer, and no, they aren’t designed to HALO jump from 60,000 feet into the Karbala Gap. The good news for Holosun is I’m not built for that either, so we’re probably still a good match.
Aero Precision
Distributors are reporting that Aero Precision is expanding its suppressor line, with the new models expected to be unveiled at SHOT Show 2026. Aero has long been known for AR-15s, AR-10s, and component manufacturing, and suppressors are still a relatively new venture for them. Their current lineup includes a .30-caliber can and a .22LR can, and the rumor mill suggests they’re preparing to broaden that portfolio with additional calibers and configurations.
With the expected changes to the NFA taking effect at the start of the new year, I suspect Aero won’t be the only company jumping into the suppressor market. We’re likely to see a wave of manufacturers releasing their first cans or expanding existing offerings. It’s entirely possible that by mid-2026 the suppressor market will be one of the most saturated segments in the firearms industry.
Ruger – New Redhawk/GP100 Hybird Platform
There has been chatter that Ruger is planning to revamp or possibly replace the GP100 lineup. This double-action revolver has been on my personal bucket list for years, so I’m very curious to see where Ruger takes it. The current rumor suggests a significant update to the lockwork, bringing it closer in design to the Redhawk system. Other details making the rounds include an optics-ready top strap and new 10mm and 9mm variants designed to run on moon clips.
If these rumors are true, Ruger may finally be modernizing one of their most iconic revolvers while still keeping the GP100’s reputation for tank-like durability intact.
Deals of the Week
As most folks know, it is 4th quarter and retailers every where are trying to end the year with a strong finish. This is combined with what has been a pretty slow sales year industry wide. A combination of people wages not keeping up with the increase in price of every day items, and perhaps a softer demand for firearms and accessories due to a decrease in legislative pressure.
That provides a perfect storm for consumers that can afford to take advantage of a “soft market”. Retailers are offering “daily door busters” or “lightening” sales which have fantastically discounted prices and products that last sometimes for under a day. If you have the extra cash on hand, it is not a bad idea to check Optics Planet, Brownell’s, Palmetto State Armory and others on a frequent basis.
Brownells is running several sales. Including a sale on CCI Primers which is some of the cheapest primers I have seen in a long time. The down side, the Free Hazmat promotion is over.
Palmetto State Armory is having a pretty decent sale on assembled AR-15 Lowers. $99 for a completely assembled lower with a carbine buffer and adjustable stock.
The Battalion is offering Free HAZMAT shipping on most of their Vihtavuori powders
That’s what we have for this week.
Jay
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