With spring soon changing to summer, we are in peak varmint season in many parts of the country. In an area with a high number of critters, a semi-auto varmint rifle is a good choice. You get quick follow-up shots, with reliable 20-rd and 30-rd magazines.

For this Saturday at the Movies Showcase we feature a variety of semi-auto, AR-platform rifles chambered for efficient, high-velocity varmint ammo. Cartridges include: .17 WSM, .17 Remington, .20 Practical, .204 Ruger, .22 Grendel, .223 Rem, and 6mm ARC. We conclude with a video that reviews a variety of lead-free .223 Rem ammo types.

Rock Chuck Hunting in Eastern Oregon

This video has some great backcountry footage. The host nails a number of rockchucks with his .223 Rem-chambered AR-15. The shooter says that the default AR-15 cartridge works great for varmints: “The .223 Remington becomes a rockchuck hunter’s friend with the right load: Nosler 40gr Ballistic Tip loaded over a stuffed case of H335 powder. This achieves 3800 FPS with excellent accuracy.”

.17 Remington AR-15 — Small Bullet, Ultra-High Velocity

The .17 Remington wildcat is based on the .223 Remington case necked down to .172″, with the shoulder moved back. High muzzle velocity (4000+ FPS), flat trajectory, and very low recoil are the .17 Remington’s primary attributes. It has a maximum effective range of about 440 yards on prairie dog-sized animals, but the low BCs of the small .17-cal bullets makes them quite susceptible to crosswinds at such distances.

This Varminter.com video was created in spring 2022, just in time for Rockchuck and Thermal Coyote hunts. The host noted: “This was my first experience with the .17 Remington, but I was not unaware of its history and steady popularity among varmint and predator hunters. Although finding an available and affordable .17 Remington bolt-action rifle is nearly impossible nowadays, building one in an AR-15 was simple and straight-forward.” The video has full description of all the components for the build. The .17 Rem is fast — the 25gr bullet runs 3777 FPS from an 18″ barrel (see 01:42 time-mark). READ Full Story.

.17 WSM Rimfire in Franklin Armory F17-L

What’s the ultimate rimfire varmint rifle? An AR chambered for the .17 WSM could be the answer. Eric Mayer of Varminter.com states: “The Franklin Armory F17-L in .17 Winchester Super Magnum (WSM) has a lot of firsts. It is the first semi-automatic rifle in .17 WSM now available to the general public. It is the first gas-piston system, AR-15 rimfire rifle built in partnership between Franklin Armory and Osprey Defense.”

Eric has used the .17 WSM AR shooting ground squirrels, rock squirrels, prairie dogs, and rabbits. Eric notes: “The report of the .17 WSM is nowhere near as loud as most of the centerfire [varmint] cartridges. I found that when I shot the FA-17, it did not cause the other ground squirrels… to run for cover. The lack of recoil … allowed me to see right where I hit [and] if I happened to miss, [low recoil] made for quick corrections for wind, or distance.” READ Full Report

The .17 WSM is a much larger, more powerful round than the .17 HMR. See the size difference above.

Eric Mayer created his own custom .17 WSM AR-15 varmint rifle, built with a Franklin Armory F17-V4 Upper, Aero Precision Lower, and Magpul stock. This was used in California and Arizona. READ Full Story.

.20 Practical — Fast, Accurate, Easy to Form

The .20 Practical cartridge is simply a .223 Rem necked down to .20 caliber. This is a great choice for prairie dogs — and probably our favorite wildcat for the AR-15. Just neck down your .223 Rem brass, fit a .20-Cal barrel and you’re good to go. Robert Whitley notes the the .20 Practical “is a perfect cartridge for varmint hunting and general shooting — very accurate and fast! It functions 100% out of an AR-15.”

The .20 Practical offers some notable advantages for high-volume varmint shooters. The .20 Practical delivers very high velocity with very low recoil while still providing outstanding accuracy. The .20 Practical is great option for folks who favor “fast and light” — smaller, lower-mass bullets traveling at very high velocities. This little cartridge can launch 40-grainers at over 3900 FPS, and 32-grainers even faster. This makes the .20 Practical a great choice for an AR-based varmint rifle.

.20 Practical Ultimate AR Varminter
A decade ago AccurateShooter.com created a .20 Practical AR15 Ultimate Varminter with a custom 20-caliber upper from Robert Whitley of AR-X Enterprises, LLC. That project rifle was ultra-accurate — every 5-shot group out of the gun was less than the size of a dime. That gun was auctioned off, but Robert Whitley continues to produce custom 20 Practical AR-15 uppers.

You make .20 Practical cases by simply necking down .223 Rem brass to .20 caliber. You can start with standard .223 Rem brass and even load with standard .223 Rem dies. Just swap in a smaller expander and use smaller neck bushings.

Prairie Dog Hunt with .204 Ruger AR — Watch The P-Dogs Fly

The video was created during a 2018 prairie dog safari. It has stunning footage of hits on P-Dogs at multiple distances. You can see over FIFTY hits with some amazing P-Dog aerials. Watch the first flyin’ dog at 00:20 time-mark and there’s a truly spectacular gut-busting hit at 3:13. That shows the potency of a high-speed .20-cal projectile. The shooter was using a custom-built AR-15 chambered in a .204 Ruger. That cartridge was driving 35gr Berger hollow point bullets at a stunning 4050 FPS! The rifle was fitted with a Dakota silencer suppressor and many other custom components. If you’ve never tried prairie dog hunting, watch this video start to finish and you may be hooked.

6mm ARC AR-15 Varmint Rig

This Varminter.com video examines the 6mm ARC cartridge from a varmint hunter’s perspective. Created by Hornady, the 6mm ARC was designed for target shooting and medium-sized game both in bolt guns and Modern Sporting Rifles. Hornady states: “The 6mm ARC … fits in an AR-15-pattern action, functions reliably out of standard-capacity 24- or 17-round magazines. It delivers substantially better ballistics than the .223 Rem[.]” This video examines how the 6mm ARC performs in an AR-15 for varmint and predator hunting. The host reviews available factory varmint loads. The video also examines reloading components for the 6mm ARC — brass and bullets. CLICK HERE for full article.

Cottontail Rabbit Hunting with Suppressed .204 Ruger AR-15

As a varmint hunting tool, the .204 Ruger in an AR-15 is a versatile, worthy cartridge/rifle combo for the job. This video covers a cottontail rabbit hunt. The host states that “We were contacted by a farmer who was being slammed with cottontail rabbits eating out huge portions of his alfalfa fields.” This suppressed .204 Ruger AR-15 proved seriously effective on the rabbits, driving high-velocity rounds with impressive accuracy. See more details on the Varminter.com website.

.22 Grendel-Chambered AR-15 — Impressive Velocities

The .22 Grendel is an extremely accurate and efficient cartridge based on the 6.5 Grendel necked down to .22 caliber. The case can drive 55gr varmint bullets at high velocities — over 3500 FPS. With a faster-twist barrel you can load up to 90gr bullets at 2500 FPS. The tester achieved velocities close to a 22-250. The short, fat case fits in AR-15 magazines, but may not feed as reliably during rapid fire. The tester did experience one double-feed.

Lead-Free Ammo Offerings Tested in .223 Rem AR-15

Some states — such as California — prohibit hunting with bullets that contain lead. If you plan to hunt in an area with such restrictions, you’ll need to find a lead-free substitute. Thankfully a number of manufacturers produce ammo with solid brass projectiles or other lead-free bullet designs. This Varminter.com video reviews .223 Remington no-lead ammunition from Cor-Bon, Hornady, Nosler and Winchester. These ammo types were tested in a AR-15 varmint rifle, used in a coyote hunt featured at the end of the video. SEE Full Story on Varminter.com.

AR owners know that their black rifles require regular cleaning and maintenance. And this modular platform allows many options for stocks, fore-arms, and optics mounting. That ability to customize is one of the AR’s major attractions, but customization requires solid understanding of the AR’s design and components.

To help AR owners optimize and maintain their rifles, Gun Digest Media has a 320-page illustrated book: AR-15 Setup, Maintenance and Repair. Authored by Patrick Sweeney, this paperback book is a “one-stop guide to repairing, maintaining and modifying America’s favorite rifle.” You can order the print edition for $27.99 from Gun Digest, which also offers a $27.99 Digital Download version. Amazon offers a Kindle eBook version for $18.28 or the Print edition for $33.54.

GET FREE 40-Page AR-15 Book Sample
Note, if you are interested in the book, there is a substantial 40+ page FREE sample available on the Amazon site. You can see the entirety of the first two chapters from the Kindle digital version. CLICK HERE to visit Amazon.com and then click on the button labeled “Read Sample” below the cover image.

AR Set-Up and Maintenance
If you need to disassemble and maintain your AR rifle, swap barrels or handguards, add optics, or customize the stock, Gun Digest’s AR-15 Setup, Maintenance and Repair book tells you what you need to know. From field-stripping to barrel mounting and trigger installations, the book covers a wide range of topics. The book provides step-by-step instructions for set-up and maintenance, with hundreds of detailed photos. The book also includes AR gunsmithing chapters with reviews of recommended tools.

Author Patrick Sweeney is a certified master gunsmith and armorer instructor for police departments. Sweeney has also authored the notable 4-volume Gunsmithing the AR-15 series (Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3, and Vol. 4) and 20+ other titles for Gun Digest Books.

Whether you want to learn about disassembling your AR for regular maintenance, field-stripping, swapping out parts, adding optics or customizing a stock, AR-15 Setup, Maintenance and Repair guides you through everything you need to know to keep your AR-platform rifle running well. There are also tips on how to improve accuracy, and maintain your bolt carrier group properly.

Editor’s NOTE: The key to keeping an AR running reliably is proper lubrication (in the RIGHT places), and regular cleaning of the bolt carrier and bolt, including ejector recess and extractor recess. The majority of non-functioning ARs we’ve seen had gunk, lube, carbon, and brass shavings in those recesses.

Other AR Books by Patrick Sweeney

Bonus Video — AR15 Maintenance with Jerry Miculek

In this helpful video, legendary shooting Jerry Miculek explains how he cleans and maintains his AR-platform rifles. Miculek shoots ARs in three-gun competitions.

Ever wondered how the parts inside an AR15 work together? Just exactly how does the reciprocating bolt carrier feed rounds from the magazine? How do the elements in the trigger group work and reset after each shot? How does the gas system bleed gas from the barrel and operate the bolt carrier? These and other questions are answered in this eye-opening video from 45Snipers. Using “cutaway” 3D computer animation, this 5-minute video shows all features of an AR15 inside and out. This fascinating firearms animation allows the viewer to look inside the upper and lower receivers, into the bolt carrier, chamber, barrel, and magazine.

This video starts off slow and has annoying background music, but it is well worth watching if you own or shoot any AR-platform rifle. It illustrates all the key operations during the charging, loading, firing, and ejection processes. The cutaway animation shows how rounds are stripped from the magazine and then chambered. It then shows how every part of the trigger group works, and how the firing pin strikes the primer. You can even watch the bullet move down the barrel before the empty shell casing is removed from the chamber and tossed out the ejection port. Here are sample frames from the video:

The 2026 SHOT Show (Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade show) is just 3 days away. Thousands of new products will be on display at the SHOT Show, hosted at the Venetian Expo/Convention Center and Caesars Forum in Las Vegas January 20-23, 2026. Gunmakers from around the world will be introducing hundreds of new (and updated) rifles, pistols, and shotguns. Along with the new guns, SHOT Show will feature many noteworthy new optics, electronics, reloading equipment, and accessories.

Here are six interesting videos that preview new (and updated) firearms expected to be on display at SHOT Show in Las Vegas next week. There are hunting rifles, tactical rifles, rimfire rifles, plus a wide range of new pistols and some interesting shotguns.

Here’s a good initial video that covers a huge selection of new firearms. This 13.7-minute video covers a whopping 29 guns that will be showcased at SHOT Show 2026. Selections range from next-gen handguns and precision rifles to innovative tactical platforms and cutting-edge upgrades from top manufacturers. Whether you’re into concealed carry, competition shooting, duty weapons, hunting rifles, or tactical gear, this lineup has something you’ll want to see.

In this long 52-minute video, Pistol9x19 reviews 17 new firearms to be displayed at SHOT Show 2026. The video highlights innovative features, and performance for new pistols, rifles and shotguns. The 17 featured guns (with time-markers) are:

This video features seven new rifles that will be unveiled at SHOT Show 2026. There’s a wide selection — lightweight hunting rifles, modern lever guns, piston-driven tactical rifles, and even a big .50 BMG (the “King” shown in video cover shot). New guns include:

Glenfield Model A — affordable bolt-action rifle
Ruger American Rifle Gen 2 with new stock, trigger, and recoil system
Marlin Trapper 1894 in 10mm blending classic lever-gun heritage with modern power
SIG Sauer 516 Mohawk — piston-driven AR-type rifle built for reliability and hard use
Christensen Arms Evoke bolt action hunting rig in 6.5 PRC
S&W 1854 Stealth Hunter — lever-action rifle with modern features
Thompson TA 50 — modern powerhouse in 50 BMG

This 25-minute long video has good indoor/outdoor footage of 10 new firearms. Rifle shooters should check out the new Savage 110 Magpul (3:07) and the new CZ 600 Plus bolt-action rifle (7:46) which has a 100-yard sub-MOA accuracy guaranteee. Here are the time-mark slots for all ten guns:

Featured as the “Cover Shot” rifle is the Smith & Wesson Model 1854 Stealth Rifle (12:15 time), a lever gun upgraded with modern features including a long optics rail, tactical forearm panel, and threaded muzzle. Another interesting new rifle is the Savage Arms RXR22 (9:15 time) a very affordable semi-auto .22 LR rimfire rifle that accepts aftermarket Ruger 10/22 magazines, triggers, and barrels. Most of the other features guns in this 20.5 minute summary video are handguns.

This 23.5-minute video covers important handgun releases of SHOT Show 2026. The host says this video features the most notable new-for-2026 handguns — from ultra-concealable carry pistols to competition-ready, high-capacity race guns. Featured pistols are:

BONUS: SHOT Show Floor Tour — Locations of Gun Companies

Will you be heading to SHOT Show this year? CLICK HERE for the handy official Interactive Floor Map. For each building and floor level this shows the location of exhibitors. This can help you efficiently organize visits to your favorite gun and optics manufacturers.

CLICK HERE for Sierra Bullets 6.5 Grendel LOAD DATA PDF »

Sierra Bullets has released load data for the 6.5 Grendel, a popular cartridge that works equally well in bolt guns and AR15-platform gas guns. Sierra published comprehensive 6.5 Grendel load data, covering 19 powders and eight (8) different bullets from 85 to 130 grains. NOTE: Hornady-brand brass (see below) was used for Sierra’s 6.5 Grendel tests, not the stronger Lapua 6.5 Grendel brass. Hand-loaders using Lapua 6.5 Grendel brass may need to adjust their loads. Also Winchester WSR primers were used. We imagine most precision hand-loaders will prefer CCI or Federal primers.

In developing its 6.5 Grendel load data, Sierra tested a very wide selection of propellants, 19 in all. For the 85gr to 100gr varmint bullets, modern powders such as XMR 2230, Power Pro Varmint, and Ramshot TAC offered the best velocity in the 24″ test barrel. For the heavier 120gr to 130gr match bullets, Sierra tested a selection of powders. Highest velocities came with Power Pro Varmint and TAC. If you’re looking for best accuracy, consider the slower burn-rate powders such as IMR 8208 XBR and Varget — but you’ll sacrifice some speed. Overall, Sierra’s latest 6.5 Grendel load data is an excellent addition to the 6.5 Grendel knowledge base. Thanks Sierra!

Here are Sierra’s 6.5 Grendel Load Data Charts for Sierra’s 123gr HPBT, 130gr HPBT, and 130gr TMK. There are a five other tables for lighter-weight Sierra bullets.

History of the 6.5 Grendel Cartridge
The 6.5 Grendel originated as a 6mm PPC necked up to 6.5 mm. After Alexander Arms relinquished the “6.5 Grendel” Trademark, the 6.5 Grendel was standardized as an official SAAMI cartridge. It has become popular with target shooters and hunters alike because it is accurate, efficient, and offers modest recoil. Good for small to medium game, the 6.5 Grendel is available in lightweight hunting rifles, such as the Howa Mini Action Rifle. And the 6.5 Grendel is one of the most accurate cartridges suitable for modern AR-15 platform rifles.

CLICK HERE for 6.5 Grendel Cartridge History (Wikipedia entry).

AR-platform rifles can be maintenance-intensive beasts. They need regular inspection, cleaning, and lubrication. But some AR owners make the situation worse by not regularly cleaning important small parts, or by using too MUCH oily/greasy lubricants in the wrong places. A properly maintained and lubricated AR15 can shoot hundreds of rounds (between cleanings) without a problem. If you learn where (and where not) to apply lubricant, you’ll find that your AR will run more reliably and the task of cleaning the bolt, bolt carrier, and upper receiver internals will be less of a burden.

Here we showcase videos that show how to field-strip an AR-15, inspect the key parts, clean components, and lubricate internal parts as needed. Along with these videos, we recommend you read the comprehensive AR-15 Gun Cleaning Clinic article from the Brownells website. This explains in detail important procedures that the videos might only cover in a few seconds.

If you want to keep your black rifle running smoothly and reliably, you must clean it regularly and follow the correct maintenance procedures. Here are five videos that explain how to properly disassemble and clean AR-platform rifles.

1. How To Clean Your AR-15 | Cleaning and Maintenance Tips

This is a quick 90-second starter video that may help new AR owners. Ricky Lehnhardt of OTIS Technology demonstrates the basics of cleaning and maintaining your AR-15. Lehnhardt does a good job identifying the points that need cleaning on the inside of ARs. However he works very quickly in the video. You may want to pause the video at some points. Also, Lehnhardt employs a cable for pulling patches and brushes through the barrel. Yes this is fast and easy. However, for match AR rifles, we recommend that you instead use a cleaning ROD with fitted bore guide.

2. Take-Down and Full Cleaning of AR-15 by Jerry Miculek

Here ace shooter Jerry Miculek takes down and cleans an AR-platform rifle belonging to his daughter Lena. This is a good video because Lena’s rifle was “run hard and packed up dirty” so you can see where carbon and grease build up. This 35-minute video is very thorough. Jerry is one of the nation’s top action carbine shooters, so listen carefully to his advice on cleaning and lubrication.

3. AR-15 Maintenance: Field-strip, Clean and Lubricate an AR-15

Gunsite Academy instructor and gunsmith Cory Trapp demonstrates the proper way to field-strip, clean, and lubricate an AR-15 carbine. In this 30-minute video, Trapp offers several important technical tips and hints. For example, at 11:05 Trap demonstrates how to determine if your bolt needs new gas rings. Along with cleaning procedures, this video explains how to inspect key components and how to function-test your AR before each shooting session.

4. AR-15 Dissassembly and Cleaning Guide

This video does a good job, with close-ups, showing how to remove the bolt carrier and clean the inside of the upper receiver. Then you can see how to work with various tools to clean the bolt, bolt carrier, and inside of chamber. We also recommend that you inspect the ejector recess and extractor recess. When we’ve inspected ARs that failed to cycle properly, we have often found nasty gunk (mixture of carbon, greasy lube, and brass particles) in these areas.

5. Basic AR-15 Quick and Easy Field Maintenance

In this NSSF-sponsored video, pro shooter Ryan Muller demonstrates basic, quick field maintenance of his AR-15. This would be for a quick cleaning and lubrication of the reciprocating parts. This covers rapid maintenance in the field. For full field-stripping and thorough cleaning, watch the previous videos.

Handy Mat for Cleaning AR Rifles

When working on an AR-15, it’s smart to have a pad that can absorb solvents and cushion your upper and lower. The $29.99 Real Avid Smart Mat is a good choice. This features printed take-down instructions and it has a handy parts tray on the right side. The mat rolls up for convenient storage. Click HERE to learn more.

Vital Inspections You Should Do After Disassembly

Last but not least, here are recommended inspections you should do every time you do a full field-strip and cleaning of your black rifle:

Kevin Muramatsu’s black rifle book, the Gun Digest Guide to Customizing Your AR-15, is a great resource for fans of AR-platform rifles. All the AR options you can imagine are covered: suppressors, premium barrels, adjustable stocks, free-float handguards, ergonomic grips, buffer systems, tactical lights and much more. Those planning an AR rifle build will find application-specific suggestions for 3-Gun, Service Rifle, High Power (Space Gun), Hunting, and Self-Defense use.

Firearms expert Muramatsu offers advice on choosing the right stock/barrel/optics configuration for your particular game. He also discusses the wide variety of options for slings, grips, magazines and other accessories. With over 520 photos, the book includes a large photo gallery of customized ARs, and includes bonus coverage of the FAL and other “tactical” firearms. The Gun Digest Guide to Customizing Your AR-15 is available from Amazon.com (#ad) for $35.95, and a Kindle eBook version is offered for $14.99. The book is also sold by Barnes & Noble, and most other major booksellers.

This video starts off slow, but it is worth watching if you own any AR-platform rifle. It illustrates the key operations during the charging, loading, firing, and ejection processes. The cutaway animation shows how rounds are stripped from the magazine and then chambered. It then shows how every part of the trigger group works, and how the firing pin strikes the primer.

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About Jerry Miculek… The Man, The Myth, The Legend

The video above begins: “My name is Jerry Miculek. Guns are what I do.” Jerry Miculek is a true legend in the firearms community. Acknowledged as the best wheelgun speed-shooter in history, Jerry is also an accomplished rifle and shotgun shooter with many class victories in 3-Gun competition. He also has been a prolific YouTube Video creator. For this Saturday Showcase, we feature seven notable Jerry Miculek videos. You will find over 500 more interesting videos on the Miculek “Trigger Tribe” YouTube channel Jerry shares with his daughter Lena Miculek.

How to Avoid Common Mistakes with Semi-Auto Rifles and Pistols

In this second video, Jerry explains common mistakes people make when handling and shooting three classic, semi-auto firearm types — the M1 Garand, the SKS carbine, and the M1911 pistol. Jerry shows handling faults that can cause out-of-battery detonation or early primer strikes, or cause jams in the Garand and SKS. Then Jerry explains why you should never release the slide on a M1911 pistol with a round already in the chamber. This is a must-watch video for Garand owners.

Hitting Target at 400 Meters with a Pistol

Could you hit an 18″ x 24″ target at a distance of 400 meters (437 yards)? Sure, you’re thinking, that would be easy with a good rifle fired from the bench or prone position. OK, now think about making that shot, OFF-HAND with a pistol. That’s something entirely different. We doubt many marksman would wager they could hit a plate 400 meters away with a handgun. That’s exactly the challenge legendary shooter Jerry Miculek undertakes in this interesting video. Shooting a Smith & Wesson 9mm M&P pistol with a red-dot optic, Jerry makes the 400m shot look easy, hitting the steel plate with his first shot. This takes good eyes, a solid grip, perfect trigger control (and a bit of luck).

Take-Down and Full Cleaning of AR-15

If you want to keep your black rifle running smoothly and reliably, you must clean it regularly and follow the correct maintenance procedures. In this video, Jerry Miculek takes down and cleans an AR-platform rifle belonging to his daughter Lena. This is a good video because Lena’s rifle was “run hard and packed up dirty” so you can see where carbon and grease build up. This 35-minute video is very thorough. Jerry is one of the nation’s top action carbine shooters, so listen carefully to his advice on cleaning and lubrication.

Ammo Types and Calibers — Jerry Miculek Explains the Basics

In this video, legendary shooter Jerry Miculek talks about popular types of pistol and rifle ammunition and the various bullet options used for plinking, competition, and self-defense. Jerry, one of the greatest pistol shooters on the planet, provides useful insights on cartridge selection and bullet choices. Jerry notes: “There are a TON of different types of ammunition” so he explains the basics. And Jerry answers common questions such as: “What is the difference between ball and hollow-point bullets?” and “What type of gun takes rimmed cartridge versus rimless?”.

Wheelgun Wisdom — How to Avoid Problem with Revolvers

Jerry Miculek has won multiple revolvers championships, and has set amazing records for revolver speed shooting (with reloads). Yes Jerry, “Mr. Revolver”, knows a thing or two about wheelguns. In this video, Jerry explains how you can damage your revolver by using the wrong methods to open and close the cylinder and extract ammo. Jerry shows what NOT to do, and then he very carefully explains the proper procedure to release the cylinder, and swing it out of the frame. In addition, Jerry shows how best to swing a loaded cylinder back into place.

80,000 Philippine M1 Garands in One Place

Back in 2020 Jerry Miculek visited the CMP’s HQ in Alabama. There he looked at the vast inventory of military rifles, including 80,000+ M1 Garands recently received from the Philippines. CMP tech staff showed Jerry some rare Garands that had never been issued. If you’re interested in classic military arms, you should definitely watch Jerry’s video. Gina Johnson, CMP’s general manager, told Guns.com that: “We have roughly 86,000 rifles from the Philippines and roughly 13,000 rifles from Turkey in our possession”.

Along with the 80,000+ Philippines Garands, the CMP received 13,000 from Turkey. The arrival of these 99,000 M1 Garands is great news for rifle collectors. Garands have been in short supply in recent years.

Guns & Ammo has launched a 10-part Personal Defense Video Series in cooperation with Kahr Arms, Trijicon, InForce, and C&G Holsters. The first episode, “Drawing from Hip Carry”, was released this week at: gapersonaldefense.com. Viewers can also now watch all 10 episodes online to learn more about personal defense equipment, tactics, and strategies.

Nine more Personal Defense videos are available online. Click these links to access all NINE other videos:

Designed for both new and experienced firearm owners, these videos cover both handgun and rifle use for for personal protection. The producers state: “By tackling myths, addressing tough questions, and providing actionable guidance, this series equips viewers with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about self-defense and responsible gun ownership.”

“Guns & Ammo Personal Defense is more than just a series; it’s a resource for individuals committed to protecting themselves and their loved ones,” said Tim Cremin, Head of Programming and Production at Outdoor Sportsman Group. “We’re eager to work with industry leaders to bring this comprehensive and educational program to our audience.”

Shooting USA TV has a good show this week. Shooting USA’s Wednesday episode features the NRA America’s Rifle Challenge, an AR-based competition program for shooters of all levels. On April 19, 2025, at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, the NRA held the America’s Rifle Challenge, a one-day competition giving participants an intro to action shooting sports with AR-15 type rifles. The NRA provided awards/prizes for competitors and winners. ShootingUSA filmed the match and conducted interviews with competitors.

Shooting USA SHOW TIMES: This Shooting USA Episode airs Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific; 8:00 PM Central. If you miss the regular broadcast, you can stream the show online at any time on Vimeo for $0.99 per episode.

On April 19, 2025, at Camp Atterbury the NRA held the America’s Rifle Challenge, a one-day, multi-stage competition with AR-15 type rifles. This is a new shooting sport format designed with two competition classes to challenge both novices and experienced practical shooters.

In this video, Professional shooter, Ryan Muller, shows three typical AR-15 platform configurations and shares what he looks for in an AR-15 rifle for long-range shooting, competitive shooting, and home defense — all of which are also suitable options for AR Challenge competition.

America’s Rifle Challenge Match Gear Requirements:
AR rifle in .223/5.56, .300 Blackout, or .308 Win
Level 1 Ammo Requirement: 125 Rounds (bring 180 Rounds)
Level 2 Ammo Requirement: 150 Rounds (bring 200 Rounds)
All firearms must have Empty Chamber Indicator
At least three magazines
Magazine holders
AR Sling required
Hearing protection
Eye protection

America’s Rifle Challenge Event Levels:

Level 1: The Level 1 course of fire is conducted from 10 out to 100 yards with competitors firing from different positions under time constraints. Level 1 is intended for AR owners new to competitive shooting. This event focuses on building skills to improve accuracy, speed, and mechanics. L1 matches are conducted from 100 yards and inward, with a balance of both time and accuracy being measured in every event. There are currently five total stages of fire in this match, with more in development. NOTE: Level 1 is limited to the first 32 competitors (4 squads). Space in level 1 is limited, so sign up quickly.

Level 2: The Level 2 course of fire covers the full spectrum of what is possible with an AR. L2 matches are conducted from 500 yards inward. Competitors will face a variety of stages designed to test skills — shooting and moving, positional shooting skills, long-range precision, speed, stage planning, and use of barricades, as well as close-quarters exercises. Level 2 offers a higher round count and more dynamics to the stages. NOTE: Level 2 is limited to the first 60 competitors (6 squads).