Garmin Ltd. (NYSE: GRMN) has acquired Applied Ballistics LLC, a leading provider of ballistic research, projectile data, and integrated solver technologies dedicated to enhancing accuracy. The acquisition will advance Garmin’s product offerings for tactical, shooting sports, and hunting markets.
Applied Ballistics LLC was founded by Bryan Litz, a scientist and software expert who is also a top-level marksman who has won major championships. Bryan is both a great shooter AND a ballistics wizard. In 2015, Bryan Litz won the F-TR Mid-Range AND Long-Range National Championships hosted at Ben Avery. And at the 2014 Berger SW Nationals (SWN), Bryan took top honors among all sling shooters. If you only know Bryan Litz from his Applied Ballistics Books and DVDs, you may not realize that Bryan is also a great rifle shooter along with being an actual rocket scientist.
“Applied Ballistics is a natural complement to Garmin’s outdoor and tactical product portfolio. Building on a successful relationship spanning nearly 10 years, this acquisition brings industry-leading software, proprietary projectile data and precision firing solutions in-house. By bringing our teams together, we can accelerate innovation and deliver even more capable, integrated solutions to customers who depend on accuracy.” — Brad Trenkle, Garmin Co-Chief Operating Officer
Applied Ballistics develops professional-grade ballistic solvers and radar-validated projectile models for hunters, competitive shooters and other long-range customers. The company continues to expand its ecosystem of connected products, helping users improve accuracy, better understand their equipment and share trusted ballistic data across devices and applications—providing an unparalleled, science-based approach to long-range shooting.
Headquartered in Howard City, Michigan, the Applied Ballistics portfolio includes the Applied Ballistics Quantum App, a premier ballistic solver and data management program favored by top shooters worldwide.
How to Employ AB Quantum Software — Getting Started
In this video, Bryan Litz offers an informative guide on getting started with AB Quantum™. Bryan demonstrates the essential setup process: building an accurate profile, establishing your zero, and verifying the data at 100 yards. Bryan then uses the verified profile to shoot a successful group at 1000 yards.
About Garmin International Inc.
Garmin products have revolutionized the aviation, automotive, fitness, marine and outdoor markets. Garmin produces hand-held GPS units, Vehicle GPS systems, Smart watches, Marine Radars, Flight Displays, and many other products used by hunters, marksmen, boaters, pilots, and outdoor enthusiasts.
Garmin International, Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. which is incorporated in Switzerland, with its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. Garmin is a registered trademark of Garmin Ltd., all rights reserved.
The 2026 Spirit of America NRA National Fullbore Championship is running September 11–17, 2026, at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico. Sponsored by the Bald Eagles Rifle Club, this individual and team championships event is open to Target Rifle (Fullbore), F-Open, and F-TR shooters. There are matches at 300, 500, 600, 900 and 1000 yards. CLICK HERE for 2026 Spirit of America Match Program.
The Spirit of America Championship is one of the flagship long-range rifle competitions at the NRA Whittington Center, offering a world-class fullbore rifle match experience on the renowned 1000-yard range. Since 2001 the Bald Eagles have hosted the Spirit of America Match and it has grown in reputation with every year of competition. It is one of the premier fullbore matches in the United States, and the range at Raton is one of the most challenging in the USA. 2026 Spirit of America Match Preview.
This video shows Day 2 of the Spirit of America individual championships. This shows the 300-yard line as the match got started. Brandon Green notes the winds were already pretty “sporty” blowing 10-12 mph and gusting a bit heavier.
This video was taken during practice. Brandon comments: “Practice Day for the Spirit of America Match. It is absolutely beautiful. This is one of the most awesome places in the world to shoot… it is gorgeous.” Brandon said some rains and “pretty big winds” were predicted. He noted it would be interesting to “see who could survive [the high winds].”
Here is a view of the 1000-yard range seen from the Founders Cabins up on the opposing hill. Raton is truly one of the most spectacular places you could ever shoot a match like this.
NRA Political Victory Fund Issues Candidate Grades/Endorsements for November Elections
The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) has released candidate grades and endorsements for federal, state, and local elections, giving gun owners a clear, race-by-race measure of where candidates stand on the Second Amendment. Voters can search by address, print a personal voting reference card, confirm voter registration, and locate polling places through the NRA-PVF website.
Grades are available at www.NRAPVF.org and are based on voting records related to the Second Amendment, public statements, and responses to the NRA-PVF candidate questionnaire. Ratings range from A+ for proven champions of the right to keep and bear arms to F for consistent opponents of lawful gun ownership. A rating of “?” indicates a candidate who declined to answer the questionnaire or whose record is incomplete or contradictory.
Following the election grades release, NRA-PVF Chairman John Commerford stated: “This November, the Second Amendment is on the ballot. From Washington to your state capitol, anti-gun advocates are running a coordinated campaign to elect politicians determined to dismantle the God-given rights of law-abiding Americans. Every gun owner must take an active role in protecting those rights.”
Nationwide NRA Programs to Get Gun Owners to Vote
The grade release is the starting gun for NRA’s fall get-out-the-vote program, designed to turn informed gun owners into Election Day voters. Battleground Tour — NRA-ILA has launched its first national Gun Bus Battleground Tour, a multi-month campaign taking staff, volunteers, and pro-Second Amendment candidates to gun stores, ranges, factories, festivals, and college football tailgates. The tour is scheduled for more than 60 stops across Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, concluding on Election Day, November 3, 2026. At each stop, organizers will distribute grade information, recruit volunteers, and activate voters ahead of the midterm elections.
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” — Ronald Reagan
Today marks the 25th anniversary of a tragic day in American history. The 9/11 terrorist attack occurred exactly 25 years ago today on September 11, 2001. Much like December 7th (1941), 9/11 remains a “date which will live in infamy”. On this 11th day of September 2026, we think it is good for Americans to honor the sacrifice of the first responders who went to the World Trade Center (WTC) and who lost their lives. And we must remember all those who died as the towers collapsed. It is also a good time to remember those key values for which this nation stands — freedom, liberty, and justice for all. In a modern world where media sources and politicians seek to divide Americans and create hostility, the shared memory of 9/11 can perhaps serve to unite us.
Forum member Charlie NC posted: “Everybody remembers where they were when the attacks happened, and the emotions they felt. God bless the victims who died that day, and those who followed in the pursuit of justice. But at a terrible time our country was more united than at any other point in my lifetime. Hopefully may we regain that harmony again under better circumstances.”
Remembrance from 25 Years Ago — Days Before the Attack
Forum member David Joe was in New York City in September 25 years ago. David had actually been in the World Trade Center with his family just a few days before the attack. Here is his perspective on how the tragedy of 9/11 has changed life in America…
25 Years Ago at the World Trade Center…
Twenty-three years and a week ago, my wife, son, and unborn daughter spent five hours at the World Trade Center. We ate, took pictures everywhere, watched the tilting platform movie, pressed souvenir pennies, went to the top, talked to the employees and watched birthday flowers being delivered up the escalator to one of them. And that’s what we first thought about on the morning of 9/11…
By the evening of 9/11, I knew the world was different, and always would be. In all the years that have gone by, families like mine eventually travelled again, grew up and recognized at least once a year, the magnitude of the events of that day. Some think about it all the time and became more vigilant, and that is certainly, I hope, good.
Other families were directly involved daily in preventing terrorism from coming home again. Thousands of families lost relatives that day, and many more in the years after.
Hunting season is coming soon around the country. If you want to get hunting tips from experts, here is a great audio “infotainment” resource. Leupold offers podcasts, 40-75 minutes in length, on a variety of topics of interest to hunters and precision shooters. A podcast is like a radio show that’s available 24/7, at your convenience. When you want to “tune in”, via your home computer or mobile devices, just visit the Leupold Podcast Page.
Oregon-based optics-maker Leupold & Stevens (“Leupold) offers the “Core Insider” podcast series. These podcasts deliver hunting advice and recount successful hunting trips — such as Caribou hunting in Alaska. Other Leupold podcasts provide optics info, industry intel, and tech tips. Leupold’s Core Insider podcasts can also be accessed directly from Leupold.com. From the Leupold Podcast Home Page, you can stream the podcasts live or download for later listening.
You can also stream these podcasts via iTunes and Spotify.
The Leupold Core Insider Podcasts cover a wide variety of shooting and hunting topics. One early episode features Leupold team members Kyle Lamb and Buck Doyle discussing long-range shooting, while recent Episode 55 explains how Binoculars and Rangefinders function. There are now 96 Leupold Podcasts available online for FREE.
This week the 6th World Benchrest Shooting Federation (WBSF) Rimfire Benchrest World Championship event is taking place in Portugal. Running September 6-12, 2026 at Clube de Tiro de Fervença in Barcelos, the event features nearly 100 participants from 15 nations competing in both individual and team matches. The event is organized and hosted by the Portugese Shooting Federation and Lapua is the primary sponsor for this special event.
“We’re really thrilled to be hosting this event and our partnership with Lapua as a main sponsor,” commented Pedro André, WBSF Match Director. “We have a great team working together to create a successful [rimfire benchrest] event that strengthens the shooting community and offers great development opportunities for our sport.”
The event is organized by the Portuguese Shooting Federation. “We’re really thrilled to be hosting this event and our partnership with Lapua as a main sponsor,” commented Pedro André, WBSF Match Director. “We have a great team working together to create a successful event that strengthens the shooting community and offers great development opportunities for our sport.”
“The WBSF World Championship is one of the world’s rimfire benchrest highlights. We’re excited and proud to support this event that brings together the world’s top rimfire benchrest shooters,” stated Lapua Sales & Marketing Manager, William Thao.
If two barrels are better than one, then why not three? That’s the thinking behind the exotic Bockdriling BD14 from Blaser, unveiled at the 2014 IWA Show in Germany. This three-barrel Bockdrilling firearm works as a shotgun, large-caliber rifle, and small-caliber rifle all in one. Even with all those barrels, the BD14 is relatively light, at 3.3 kg (7.26 lbs) without optics. That makes this a nice, carry-around gun for stalking. As you’d expect from Blaser, the twin triggers are crisp and precise, with a pull weight of just 1.43 lbs (650 grams). The front trigger is for the large-caliber rifle barrel, while the rear trigger works both the shotgun and small-caliber barrels, via a tang-mounted selector. These firearms are rare in the USA — and quite expensive. The only Blaser BD 14 we could find on GunBroker had a $9099.95 asking price. That works out to over three grand per barrel.
Here’s what Blaser USA has to say about its unique three-barreled BD 14:
“The ‘Bockdrilling’ is, put simply, an over/under (O/U) rifle-shotgun combination with a smaller caliber rifle-barrel… on the side. The barrel arrangement [allows] for an extremely slender receiver, making the BD14 exceptionally huntable.
The [patent-pending] Vertical Block Lockup… combines an extremely compact and solid block lockup in a closed system within the monoblock with the comfortable handling of a classic break-action rifle.
The double lock permits, if needed, a rapid second shot, the front trigger always releasing the large rifle-caliber. The … barrel selector actives the shotgun barrel when in position ‘top’ and activates the smaller rifle caliber in position ‘bottom’.”
Why Does Anyone Need Three Barrels?
The Blaser website explains: “As hunters, we learn to expect the unexpected, whether in a blind or stalking, so it’s understandable that we dream of a firearm that will allow us to take advantage of any situation. With the Bockdrilling BD14, Blaser has developed the perfect blind and stalking firearm – compromises are finally a thing of the past.”
Design Features of the Bockdrilling BD 14 Tri-Barrel Gun
The BD14 has a double-lock system so that a second shot can be taken without having to recock the firearm. Blaser says: “Thanks to the free-floating barrels, point of impact remains constant even with a quick succession of shots, no matter which barrel was fired first. The extremely strong vertical block lock on the BD14 helps contribute to the high degree of precision.”
Story idea from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
The 41st Annual Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) takes place in Dallas, Texas on September 25 through 27, 2026. Co-hosted by the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA), this is one of the most important gatherings of Second Amendment legal experts and Federal ATF and DOJ administrators.
The 2026 GRPC event will be held at the Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport hotel. This year there is a modest $25 Registration Fee which includes access to all Gun Rights Policy Conference events, including evening receptions on Friday and Saturday. The fee also includes coffee service during conference hours and boxed lunch on Saturday.
Note: 2026 GRPC Registration ends Friday, 09/11/2026 at 11:59pm EDT. Visit SAF.org/GRPC to REGISTER.
This year’s keynote address will be given by the Honorable Roger T. Benitez (Ret.), a highly respect Federal Judge who authored many landmark decisions while serving as a Federal District Judge in California. Judge Benitez authored multiple key decisions which have helped to restore and safeguard gun rights in California. Judge Benitez is considered to be one of the most important judicial defenders of the Second Amendment in the post-Heller era. Other notable speakers are ATF Director Rober Cekada, and William Kirk, Second Amendment attorney, and host of the Washington Gun Law YouTube channel.
Additional Notable Speakers Will Include: Robert Leider, ATF Chief Counsel Barry Arrington, Acting Chief of Civil Rights Division (2d Amend. section), U.S. Department of Justice Joseph Greenlee, NRA Institute for Legislative Action Litigation Counsel Office Alan M. Gottlieb, Founder and Executive V.P., Second Amendment Foundation Adam Kraut, Executive Director, Second Amendment Foundation Chris Boeck, General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer at Silencer Shop Mark Smith, Constitutional lawyer and host of The Four Boxes Diner YouTube Channel Cam Edwards, Editor of BearingArms.com and the host of the Cam & Company podcast Brandon Herrera, Second Amendment advocate and Congressional candidate
Pre-Conference AMM-Con Event
In addition to attending GRPC, registrants can also participate in the AMM-Con pre-conference event on Friday, September 25. This is a gathering of leading Second Amendment media personnel.
2026 GRPC Official Sponsors
GRPC 2026 is sponsored by NSSF, USCCA, U.S. Law Shield, Silencer Shop, Colt, Vortex, Magpul, Credova, Volquartsen, Trijicon, GrabAGun, RAYVN Group, AZFirearms Auctions, and Taurus.
Many online vendors are running sales this Labor Day Holiday weekend. You’ll find scores of products marked way down, plus discount codes that can save you 15% or more on your purchases. Some sales run through end-of-day (11:59 pm) on Monday, September 1st, while other Labor Day sales extend all week long. Be sure to check the sale schedules.
Brownells Labor Day Sale — 12% Off Plus Sale Pricing
Save now with Brownell’s Labor Day Sale which is already underway. You get 15% Off popular $200+ parts and gear orders with promo code: LABORDAY12. Plus there is special SALE Pricing on a vast selection of popular products including actions, barreled actions, triggers, magazines and ammo.
Precision Reloading Labor Day Sale
Precision Reloading is running a major Labor Day Sale through midnight on September 7, 2026. A huge variety of products are on sale. Plus, during this sale you can save 10% on virtually all orders over $99 with with Coupon Code LD26.
Sportsman’s Warehouse is running a big Labor Day Weekend Sale. There are major discounts — up to 50% on camping, hunting, and fishing gear. Gun guys will find many rifles, shotguns, and pistols on sale, and there are big savings on factory ammunition. In addition there are deals on optics, gun safes, and hunting packs, rangefinders, and Garmin GPS/SatComm units.
Midsouth Shooters Labor Day Sale
Midsouth has special promotions for Labor Day weekend. Along with big savings on Accurate Powders, and MD Primers (through 9/7/2026 at 11:59 pm) you can get special deals on orders over $99 with three codes. Pick your deal: FREE Shipping (up to 49 lbs.), FREE Hazmat, or 10% off ALL regular-priced items. For an order to qualify, the order must include $99 or more of in-stock items. NOTE: These codes are good through 11:59 pm CST on 09/08/26.
1. Get 10% off ALL Regular Priced items with Code 10S926; or
2. Get Free Shipping with Code FS926; or
3. Get Free Hazmat with Code FHM926.
Bruno Shooters Supply — Labor Day Blowout Sale
Bruno Shooters Supply is running a major Labor Day Blowout sale this week with big discounts sitewide. Bruno’s says the vast majority of product are current “at or below costs” with “heavy discounts sitewide”. If you are looking for benchrest and f-class rifles, reloading equipment, optics, or top-quality brass and bullets, head over to Bruno’s for major savings. In addition, there is a New Customer Promotion, where you get $5 off your first purchase with a $75 minimum order.
If you need factory ammo for your rifles, pistols, or shotguns, head over to the Ammunition Depot. Right now there are discounts on a huge selection of ammo from many different ammo-makers including CCI, Federal, Fiocchi, Speer, Winchester and other big names. Use Code LABORDAY6 to save 6% on your ammunition order.
Federal Court Holds that New Mexico Gun Waiting Period Law Is Unconstitutional
The U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico has granted summary judgment and entered final judgment holding New Mexico’s seven-day firearm waiting period unconstitutional in Ortega v. Grisham. The case was brought by the National Rifle Association and Mountain States Legal Foundation (MSLF), in partnership with the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).
Enacted in 2024, the New Mexico law requires purchasers to wait seven (7) days before taking possession of a newly purchased firearm — even after immediately passing a federal background check confirming they were not prohibited from owning firearms. The NRA and MSLF filed suit the day the law took effect, filing on behalf of plaintiffs Samuel Ortega and Rebecca Scott. See: USACarry.com Report.
History of Legal Challenge to New Mexico Waiting Period Law
On August 19, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit held that New Mexico’s gun waiting period violates the Second Amendment. The court ruled that the right to keep and bear arms includes the lawful acquisition of arms and that “cooling-off” periods are a modern invention unsupported by the nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation. On December 22, 2025, the Tenth Circuit denied the State’s petition for rehearing en banc.
After the case returned to the District Court, New Mexico’s lawyers argued that the Court was not bound by the Tenth Circuit’s decision and the NM waiting period law should be allowed to stand. However, District Judge James O. Browning concluded that the court was bound by the Appellate ruling and granted judgment to the plaintiffs on Thursday, August 27, 2026.
John Commerford, NRA-ILA Executive Director, praised the outcome in this case: “The NRA’s legal team has secured another historic victory by striking down New Mexico’s unconstitutional waiting-period law. A right delayed is a right denied, and the court correctly held that forcing law-abiding citizens to wait after passing a background check cannot be squared with the Second Amendment. Under New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, the NRA’s landmark 2022 case, waiting period laws like this fail because they have no analog in the nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.”
This video covers the December 2025 Ortega v. Grisham decision by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, which held New Mexico’s gun waiting period laws to be unconstitutional. After seeing the law struck down by a 3-judge panel of the 10th Circuit, the State of New Mexico appealed to the full en banc panel. But 10 of the 12 judges in that Court have denied that request. The case was then send back to the District Court, which issued its Summary Judgment and Final Judgment last week.
