TFB Behind the Gun Podcast

This week, Dave and I dig into how the Safariland and Haley Strategic partnership actually works behind the scenes, and he shares some stories from a recent media event held at the Haley Strategic facility where the recently released IncogXS got its first real public outing. We also get a few hints from Dave about some exciting upcoming holster projects in the pipeline at Safariland that we think...

Scott Ergas of Petersen's Hunting joins the show this week to recap the NRL Hunter Leupold Relentless Rifleman match in Madras, Oregon, break down North American hunting, and discuss how precision rifle sports create better hunters while inspiring the next generation. He also takes some time to share some thought-provoking experiences from teaching his daughter to hunt and some reflections from hi...

Born from a drive to build upon the success and fun of the original NRL Series, the NRL Hunter is a national series focused on real hunting skills, time management, and gear familiarity that is not only fun but also actively helps you become a better hunter and marksman. Today, Travis shares the story behind NRL Hunter, important gear and information to have before your first match, explains the v...

Vladimir Onokoy returns to Behind the Gun to discuss his new book From Balkans to Babylon: Zastava AKs of Yugoslavia, Serbia, and Iraq — and more importantly, the personal story behind writing it. From his extensive field experience to the inspirations that drove him to document this rich Kalashnikov lineage, Vlad encourages others to act on their own instincts to share hard-won knowledge like he...

Emmanuel Barron of American Steppe, Kyle (@molasses_marmot), and Kalen of Rotating Bolt Industries (Colorado FFL and boutique AK builder) sit down for an enthusiastic, no-holds-barred conversation on the AK platform—its global variations, real-world performance, and how the Kalash compares to everything else out there. From classic ComBloc guns to modern custom builds and all of the AK offshooots,...

Adam from Freedom Ordnance joins us this week to discuss the company's background and the rise of their FM-9D. The FM-9D, a recent addition to the Freedom Ordnance lineup, is a closed-bolt, disintegrating-link 9mm belt-fed upper built for standard AR-15 lowers. Today we talk about the product's pre-FRT roots and discuss the increased popularity and legal status of forced-reset triggers, which help...

Jarrod "Box" Grove from Caldwell Shooting Supplies joins us after Plinka Palooza at Range Ready Studios, where he put on a clinic with the new Claycopter Surface-to-Air Launcher. We talk about Box's serious shotgun skills and where he got them, the engineering and inspiration behind the claycopter design, and how Caldwell grew from humble shooting rests and bags into a more innovative player in th...

Caleb Giddings joins us on this episode of TFB Behind the Gun for a wide-ranging conversation about competition shooting, training, gear, and what it takes to keep improving in the firearms industry, no matter what you're doing. We, of course, also take some time to talk about Taurus' new product lineup, how Caleb's time at the company has deepened his appreciation for firearms, and some of his op...

We're excited to bring back Dave K. from Hi-Point Firearms for some genuine shop talk on their innovative DMLS 3D-printed suppressors, plus whatever else is on the table. Just four months after introducing the Hush-Point suppressor lineup, Hi-Point has launched their first direct metal laser sintered (DMLS) models in titanium and Inconel, raising the bar for lightweight, rugged sound suppression....

In this episode of TFB's Behind the Gun Podcast we have brought on Les Winner of Pegasus Tests to talk about a Night Vision Carbine match I recently attended, Moons Out 2026, hosted by Forgotten Weapons and sponsored by Nocturn Industries. As Polaris Logistics owner specializing in firearms shipping and international gun transport for competitors, Les covers his event performance, role as Range Ma...

On this episode of TFB's Behind the Gun Podcast, Rafael Del Valle from Bersa Firearms breaks down their evolving lineup. For decades, Bersa Firearms has produced very popular and reliable firearms for Militaries, Law Enforcement, and civilians, offering everything from compact Thunder 380 pistols for concealed carry, to newer high-capacity TPR9 duty guns with threaded barrels, striker-fired BP ser...

In today's episode of TFB's Behind the Gun Podcast we get to hear the origin story of Gideon Optics, what actually goes into designing and testing a pistol red dot, and how Jordan thinks about trust, warranty, and long‑term support for customers who rely on their gear. Whether you're optics‑curious, brand‑loyal, or still skeptical of newer or foreign-manufactured names in the space, this episode w...

In this episode of TFB's Behind the Gun podcast I've brought on Riley Hart, a previous guest on TFBTV Show Time , current design Engineer at Heckler & Koch USA and founder of Romeo Hotel Engineering, about bringing the Thicc-Boi-12 double barrel shotgun suppressor to life for the Standard DP-12 , as well as his recent release of the  unique Gyro Brake and other "unconventional" firearms concepts....

On this episode of TFB's Behind the Gun Podcast, Matt and Dan from The Proving Grounds return for an in-depth discussion. The Proving Grounds hosts a lineup of 2-gun competitions blending 70% marksmanship—rifle targets from 1 to 700 yards, rapid carbine transitions, and pistol stages—with 30% fitness elements like rugged obstacles, heavy plate carrier carries, and ruck marches constrained by 90-12...

Catch the full, unfiltered return of Jeremy Deadman, CEO of XTech Tactical. Today, we break down the SHOT Show 2026 official launch and giveaway of the LDR2000 loaders, 2,000 freebies that hada lot of people coming by the booth to try out the new product risk-free. We also take some time ot talk about the company's first acquisition with Creature Grips, and the transition of the brand name to Thru...

Join us this week on TFB's Behind the Gun Podcast for a fun, technical deep dive with the CEO of Atrius Development Group, Ryan Spadafore, as we unpack how their forced reset selector fire-control systems are changing the way shooters think about semi-auto performance. We cover how these selectors work with different rifle setups, what matters most for reliability and safety, and a simple checklis...

Doug E. joins us this week on TFB's Behind the Gun Podcast for a no-holds-barred "Industry Hot or Not" showdown straight off the high of SHOT Show 2026. We'll dive into the hottest market currents, like suppressor sales surging, and all of the latest gadgets that people are strapping onto their guns. We'll also hit a few rapid-fire verdicts on standout innovations, like Glock's newest breed of han...

Ryan shares the real-world story of Frytech's magnetic system, from customizable magnet strengths for newbies to pros, to the added stability that keeps your barrel glued downrange no matter the caliber. Whether you're tweaking your setup or just geeking out on next-level firearm tech, today you'll get to hear from a guy who has spent a lot of time and effort trying to advance the AR-15 further th...

What happens when one of the masterminds behind the Brutality shooting matches decides to go bigger, faster, and nationwide? In today's episode of TFB Behind the Gun, Russell Phagan joins the show to unveil his latest competition project, Fast-Matches.org, a fresh, high-speed take on two-gun and rifle action shooting. Russell walks us through the thinking behind his new match divisions, from the f...

Vortex Edge instructor/RSO Chris Urrutia, a Marine vet, ex-SWAT sniper, SPECtrain founder, unpacks razor-sharp training at Vortex Optics HQ with us today in reflection of a recent trip we had out to the Vortex HQ and Edge facility in Wisconsin. Today, Chris and I will discuss pistol fundamentals, training discipline, how he measures progress, and, of course, what some of his current favorite piece...

Kevin and Bryce from the Carry Handle Podcast join us on the show today after attending SHOT Show for the very first time, and they're bringing their raw impressions straight to the mic. From overwhelming first looks to unexpected highlights and frustrations, the Carry Handle boys are here to share what stood out, what surprised them, and what they'd do differently next time. If you're looking for...

Today's episode of TFB's Behind the Gun Podcast highlights a frequently overlooked part of the firearms industry: targets. Drue Addis joins the show to represent his family's company, Re-Nine Safety, and to talk about the company's origins and the role that shooting and firearms have played in his family's life. Drue also walks us through the design philosophy and unique features of Re-Nine's self...

On today's episode of TFB's Behind the Gun Podcast, we get to pick the brains of the guys behind the latest and greatest that comes out of the doors of the Vortex Optics New Product Development group. The literal "Skunkworks" of their company, the New Products Development team gets to imagine, test out, and develop everything from the very affordable budget-oriented red dots and scopes you know an...

Today's guest is James from Zer0 & Sons, a new crew that's using 3D printing to squeeze way more performance out of modern suppressors and way less money out of your wallet. By printing in metal instead of sticking to old‑school machining, they can make cans that are lighter, tougher, and shaped inside in ways you just can't do any other way, and also get the price down to something akin to the co...

For TFB Behind the Gun #200, Emmanuel and I dive deep into what it means to "recover from blackout" — but in the sense that being so busy, sometimes you just don't have time to keep up with the industry you work in. We talk about the philosophy behind American Steppe: why Emmanuel insists on U.S. manufacturing, how he designs gear that's both kid‑friendly and mission‑capable, and the importance of...