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The Gray Ghost: My 200K-Round XD-M Elite
When I was working on some tough skill-builder training drills a few months back, my brother Jeff who was there with me looked at my holster-worn, scarred, faded, dinged and dented XD-M Elite and...
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What Is Holster Retention?
Armed citizens and police officers share a common issue: finding a secure way to carry a defensive pistol. Yet, there seems to be a great deal of misunderstanding regarding holster retention. Some...
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First Look: Springfield Armory Optics-Ready 1911 AOS Pistols
There are those who say the 1911 is from a bygone era and is outpaced by the “plastic/fantastic” 9mm pistols that have proliferated on the market. To that I say, the 1911 pistol is as relevant as ever...
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What Is the Best Hellcat Pistol?
The highest capacity, micro-compact in the world at its launch, the Springfield Armory Hellcat flipped the concealed carry industry on its head. Just a mere five years ago, we had all accepted that...
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First Look: Echelon 4.5F with Manual Safety
In today’s article, Joe Woolley gives us a first look at the new Springfield Armory Echelon 4.5F with a manual safety. Many people are looking for a thumb safety on any defensive pistol, and...
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10-8 Performance Custom 1911 Garrison Review
Editor’s Note: This ultra-rare custom Garrison by 10-8 Performance is featured on the cover of the current Summer 2024 print issue of The Armory Life magazine, and is also the featured monthly...
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Why Is This Ayoob’s Favorite 1911 for Training?
Over the years, I’ve acquired quite a few 1911s, many of them Springfields, and seen a lot more in my shooting classes. They seem to run like the proverbial Singer sewing machine. Let me tell you...
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First Look: Springfield Armory Echelon 4.5F Comp
If I told you, you could have a flatter-shooting pistol with reduced felt recoil that put you back on target faster without any drawbacks, would you be interested? That’s exactly what Springfield...
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Springfield Armory XD Mod.3 Review
In today’s article, Richard Johnson reviews the Springfield Armory XD Mod.3 pistol. This new 9x19mm Parabellum handgun is an evolution of the original XD line with new features and an amazing MSRP:...
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What Is a California Compliant AR Rifle?
In today’s article, Alfredo Rico tackles the subject of California-compliant AR-15-style rifles. As many California residents know, the laws and interpretations of those laws can be confusing....
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Hellion Bullpup for Vehicle Defense
Editor’s Note: The author does not advocate carrying, storing or displaying a gun in any place it is prohibited by statutory law. As a fully sworn law enforcement officer, the author may legally...
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Springfield Armory 1911 TRP Review — 4.25″ Carry Contour in .45 ACP
In today’s article, Rob Garret reviews the Springfield Armory 1911 TRP 4.25″ Carry Contour handgun. Springfield Armory is well known for its excellent 1911 pistols, and the new TRP line is no...
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True Precision Accessories for Hellcat Pro
When it comes to aftermarket accessories, the firearms market is full of companies vying for your attention. Some companies pop up overnight and disappear in as much time, while others help define...
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M1895 “Potato Digger” Machine Gun
Based partially on a design for lever action rifles by John Moses Browning, the M1895 “Potato Digger” was a gas-operated, air-cooled, belt-fed machine gun with a cyclic rate of 400 rounds per minute....
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Do You Own Too Many Guns?
When I first started my journey into firearms, I began by purchasing one gun. It was a semi-automatic 9mm handgun with which I learned all of the fundamentals. Not having much extra money back then,...
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Why I Love the 1911 DS Prodigy Comp
One of my all-time favorite Springfield Armory pistols is the 1911 DS Prodigy. This is a pistol with all the benefits of the 1911 platform, but in a double-stack 9mm configuration. The Prodigy is...
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Springfield Model 2020 Redline Review — A Lightweight Rifle in 6.5 CM
In this Springfield Armory Model 2020 Redline rifle review, Joe Woolley takes a look at the 20″ barrel model chambered for the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge. The firearm is impressive with its Grayboe...
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Handgun Hunting with the 10mm
Editor’s Note: It is with deep sadness that we share the news of Mark Hampton’s passing on June 23, 2024. He was a valued contributor to this site, and we are honored to be able to post this piece as...
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Continuous Precision Custom 1911 DS Prodigy
The double-stack 1911 market has absolutely exploded recently, with some of the most “drool-worthy” pistols appearing on the market lately. I for one can say that I am obsessed with all of them. But...
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Springfield XD-S Mod.2 OSP Review
In this review of the Springfield Armory XD-S Mod.2 OSP pistol, veteran shooting instructor and police officer Paul Carlson evaluates the handgun’s use for self-defense. Chambered for the 9x19mm...
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Springfield Armory M1A Scout Squad Review
In today’s article, Joe Kurtenbach reviews the M1A Scout Squad rifle from Springfield Armory. Chambered in .308 Win., the handy semi-automatic rifle has an 18″ barrel with the company’s highly...
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How To Disassemble and Clean Your Hellcat
Editor’s Note: This is the first entry in a five-part series of pieces covering the care and maintenance of some of Springfield Armory’s most popular firearms. Other entries in this series include:...
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Italy’s Bizarre Breda M37 Machine Gun
Simple and complicated are typically mutually exclusive, except when it involves certain small arms from Italy. The Mitragliatrice Breda calibro 8 modello 37 – more commonly known as the Breda M37 –...
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Ayoob: Compact Springfield Echelon 4.0C Review
In today’s article, Massad Ayoob reviews the Springfield Armory Compact Echelon 4.0C pistol. The new handgun is a smaller version of the original 4.5F and is chambered for the 9x19mm Parabellum...
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The Carry Contour TRP: Less Grip to Print
If you have ever concealed-carried a full-size 1911 on your hip, you know how easily it can print. The rear of the grip on a 1911 — that bottom edge — can provide the telltale clue you are packing...
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Is a Custom Pistol a Waste of Money?
I, like many of you, appreciate the charms of a high-grade, custom-level pistol. Combining mechanical and aesthetic perfection, these types of guns exude quality. For example, a 1911 at this level...
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Betting the Farm: The Story Behind the M1A
Everyone who knows the name Springfield Armory knows the M1A. Hailing from an era of manufacturing when rifles were constructed of wood and steel and based upon the revered U.S. Military M14 rifle...
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Gray Hellion 5.56mm Bullpup
In this article, Will Dabbs considers the gray Springfield Armory Hellion rifle. Equipped with all the same features as the original Hellion, this model incorporates a medium gray color that gives the...
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Ghost Guns — Myth vs. Reality
In this article, the author discusses homemade firearms. Known also by their media name of “ghost guns,” homemade firearms are nothing new. Nevertheless, they have become a political football in...
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Review: Lightweight, Optics-Ready 1911 Operator AOS 4.25″
Here it is in 2025, and we’re still talking about the John Browning M1911 pistol. And as I sit here pondering that thought, it sinks in just how amazing that is. A gun design that is 113 years old is...
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First Look: 1911 DS Prodigy Compact 9mm Pistols
I often wonder if John Moses Browning had any idea how impactful and lasting his design, the 1911 pistol, would become. There is no rival to its longevity and use by military as well as civilian...
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First Look: Echelon 4.0C in Desert FDE and OD Green
When I first talked about the new Echelon 4.0C, I speculated that the “C” could interchangeably stand for “compact”, “carry”, “concealable”, etc. But now I realize that another adjective has to be put...
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Springfield Armory at the SHOT Show
Walking into SHOT Show every year is always an incredible experience. Even after eight shows under my belt, I still have sensory overload when walking in on the first day. The exposition hall is...
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Springfield Hellcat Pro BB Gun Review — Red Dot Ready Air Pistol
There tends to be a great deal of interest in air gun replicas of popular defensive firearms. In today’s review, Clayton Walker tests the Hellcat Pro BB gun. Made by Air Venturi, the air pistol looks...
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5.56 vs. Drywall: Is Your Home Defense Gun Dangerous?
I got into shooting for self-defense. Sure, shooting is fun, but personal protection is and has always been my top priority when it comes to shooting. One of my recent topics of inquiry was the...
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Is It All in the Front Strap?
You stand facing the target, eyeing a potential threat, your heart is pounding, your breathing quickens, you feel the rush of blood through your body, making your gun hand heavy in anticipation of bad...
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Can a SOCOM 16 Stop a Bear Attack?
The scientific family name for the grizzly bear is Ursus arctos horribilis. When your disposition is so foul that supposedly dispassionate scientists put the word, “horrible” in your official...
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Taking the XD Mod.3 to 200 Yards
Springfield Armory is known for its broad and popular line of polymer-framed pistols. From the EDC-ready Hellcat and (slightly upsized) Hellcat Pro to the Echelon family of duty-grade pistols, there’s...
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Review: Stan Chen Customized 1911 EMP
When Springfield Armory’s Enhanced Micro Pistol (EMP) exploded onto the market back in the 2000s, it rapidly gained a name for itself among the die-hard 1911 crowd. In the process, this “crossover”...
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First Look: Coyote Brown 1911 DS Prodigy Comp
The legendary 1911 design has perhaps never been more popular in its 100-year-plus life than in the past decade. However, the one limitation that often steers buyers in other directions is the...
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Review: Springfield SAINT Victor 9mm Pistol
In today’s article, Dr. Will Dabbs reviews the new Springfield Armory SAINT Victor pistol chambered for the 9mm cartridge. The new handgun offers a great collection of features that shooters will...
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Echelon 4.0C Earns Top Law Enforcement Gold Rating
The familiar formula a manufacturer follows when launching a new pistol is to first build a service-size model and, if it gains traction, follow up with a compact version. With that in mind, I made...
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How To Disassemble and Clean Your 1911
In today’s article, Steve Horsman gives us a step-by-step process for how to disassemble and clean your 1911 pistols. As with any firearm related activity, The Armory Life encourages you to follow the...
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First Look: Tactical Gray and Coyote Brown SA-35 Pistols
A few years back when the Springfield Armory SA-35 was first introduced, I was eager to get my hands on one. I wanted to see the modern touches Springfield Armory had applied to the legendary John...
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Is the XD Irrelevant?
In the mid-2000s, I asked a knowledgeable gun store owner what was the most reliable handgun on the market. Without hesitation, he answered the Springfield XD line of handguns. He said he owned one,...
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Review: Optics-Ready TRP AOS .45 and 9mm 1911 Pistols
I purchased my first Springfield Armory 1911 TRP many years ago. It was the fulfillment of a longtime desire to own that flagship pistol from Springfield — the one everyone coveted. Everyone knew that...
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M1A Air Rifle Review
In today’s article, Dr. Will Dabbs reviews the Springfield Armory M1A air rifle. This air gun mimics the size, feel and fun of a M1A centerfire cartridge firing rifle, but at price that affordable to...
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Top 5 Tips for First-Time Gun Buyers
A lot of things have happened in the world to create a lot of first-time gun buyers. Many of these new firearm owners are interested in home defense and personal protection. If you are looking for...
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Why Choose the XD Mod.3 for Home Defense?
Home defense is one of the most common reasons given when someone buys a gun. Like any tools, different guns can be suited for different purposes. So, if you are looking for a home defense gun, what...
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Review: SAINT Victor 5.56mm Pistol
In today’s review, Dr. Will Dabbs gets his hands on the Springfield Armory SAINT Victor 5.56mm Pistol. The AR-style pistol offers a great deal of flexibility while offering the great quality...
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