r/Firearms 6d ago

Question What are you building, buying, or shooting this month? - September 2026

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Welcome to the monthly /r/Firearms thread about what you are building, buying, or shooting this month.

Use it to discuss or ask any questions you may have.

We have a /r/firearms wiki! Check it out here https://old.reddit.com/r/Firearms/wiki/index. If you have any ideas of what content should be added, please message the mods and let us know.

Looking for deals? /r/GunDeals

New to firearms? Check out this Forgotten Weapons series: How Does It Work? Gun Mechanics Explained Simply.

Looking for a pro-gun organization to support? Check here for a list

Looking for firearms YouTubers or video content? Check out the YouTubers section in our wiki.


r/Firearms May 03 '25

Law Open letter regarding posts such as “I was in a mental hospital can I own a gun”

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I am posting this because the question keeps getting asked. Every single time it is asked, the wrong information gets out.

I've seen way too many posts on here and related subs around the subject of the law prohibiting the possession of firearms by any person who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or committed to a mental institution, 18 USC § 922 (g)(4). There is way too much misinformation out there. First of all, if you have any reason to believe that you are a prohibited person, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PURCHASE A FIREARM AS MAKING A FALSE STATEMENT ON THE FORM 4473 IS A FELONY. Second of all, please do not give advice on topics that you are not qualified to answer on. Third, you should consult with a qualified firearms rights attorney if you are unsure of your legal status.

The law:

18 USC § 922(g)(4)

(g)It shall be unlawful for any person—

(4)who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution;

to ship or transport in interstate or foreign commerce, or possess in or affecting commerce, anyfirearm or ammunition; or to receive any firearm orammunition which has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.

What are the definitions of these terms?

27 CFR 478.11

Adjudicated as a mental defective. (a) A determination by a court, board, commission, or other lawful authority that a person, as a result of marked subnormal intelligence, or mental illness, incompetency, condition, or disease: (1) Is a danger to himself or to others; or (2) Lacks the mental capacity to contract or manage his own affairs. (b) The term shall include— (1) A finding of insanity by a court in a criminal case; and (2) Those persons found incompetent to stand trial or found not guilty by reason of lack of mental responsibility pursuant to articles 50a and 72b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10U.S.C. 850a, 876b.

Committed to a mental institution. A formal commitment of a person to a mental institution by a court, board, commission, or other lawful authority. The term includes a commitment to a mental institution involuntarily. The term includes commitment for mental defectiveness or mental illness. It also includes commitments for other reasons, such as for drug use. The term does not include a person in a mental institutionfor observation or a voluntary admission to a mental institution.

Mine happened when I was under 18. Isn’t that exempted?

Unfortunately no. A mental health adjudication or commitment at less than 18 years of age is counted for 922(g)(4). I experienced this personally and had to restore my rights.

What about HIPAA?

The Obama administration amended the HIPAA privacy rule in 2016 to make it clear that reporting mental health commitments and adjudications to NICS does not violate HIPAA

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/01/06/2015-33181/health-insurance-portability-and-accountability-act-hipaa-privacy-rule-and-the-national-instant

Is there a way to restore my rights after being adjudicated as a mental defective or committed to a mental institution?

If you were committed by a department or agency of the federal government, the agency is required to have a relief from disabilities program under the NICS improvements amendments act of 2007.

If you were adjudicated or committed in a state proceeding, whether you can obtain relief is dependent on whether your state has implemented a relief from disabilities program under the NICS improvements amendments act of 2007. The list of states that have can be found here:

https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/guide/nicsactlist7-7-210pdf/download

If you are in a state that does not have a relief from disabilities program, your only avenue of relief is writing a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and asking her to restore your rights under 18 USC § 925(c) now that she has withdrawn the delegation from ATF.

Between October 6th 1992 and March 20th 2025 in the states that did not have a relief program, there was no avenue of relief at all

With that out of the way.

I created this privacy act request form for a friend of mine who was legitimately unsure if his commitments landed in the FBI database or if they qualified as “committed to a mental institution” under 18 USC § 922(g)(4) and as defined at 27 CFR 478.11. I can report that it worked; as in, the FBI processed the request and reported that no such records were found in the NICS indices.

This form will allow you to request your own records directly from the FBI.

In this post I will not be addressing the subject of my own journey regarding rights restoration related to mental health (you can ask me that privately). Nor am I an attorney licensed to practice law. Finally, I am not a mental health professional and cannot make the decision as to whether firearms ownership is right for you.

Onto the form. Please follow the instructions sheet very carefully, fill out every applicable box, print the form, have the request notarized, and mail it to the address indicated on the form.

The first response you receive will indicate that the FBI central records system does not maintain those records and your request has been forwarded to the Criminal Justice Information Services division. CJIS will respond a few weeks later. In my friend's case it took eight weeks for a final response from the FBI CJIS NICS section.

Link to form (Adobe Acrobat PDF) https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:d342b025-6fb2-4126-b0e2-ad6f1c3fbbe7


r/Firearms 15h ago

Just imagine

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I’ll be rather at range to practice this stuff as long as someone actually break into my house 🏡


r/Firearms 8h ago

CUSTOM RHINO

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Hey everyone. Picked up a rhino (first pic is my rhino) and I’ve been wanting to have some custom stuff made for this thing. Anyone here got experience with making custom 3D printed parts?specifically something like this top rail cover from this custom Destiny build. I’ve been trying to make a Destiny inspired look and the cover is exactly what I want and need to move the build forward. Thanks in advance.


r/Firearms 12h ago

General Discussion Just random labor day gun Thoughts 😂

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Was walking into QT gas station the today thinking about random nonsense. Trying to decide if I should buy a new rifle and what kind, and if I could even afford it. (I really can't, been struggling for a while). I really miss hunting and haven't been since a teen with my dad and grandpa in Pennsylvania. (Live in Texas now).

While walking back out to my vehicle, a woman with kids was at the pump next to me and she asked if there was any way I could help her with gas and told how rude everyone prior had been. I thought for a moment, and figured why not.... (I'm usually counting pennies till pay day so as I said, been struggling...so even thinking of a new rifle is beyond ridiculous)... I just tapped my debit card on her pump, wished her luck and left. I didn't tell her how much or stay and monitor / cut her off... but I was curious... would she fill up? Would she only do $10? (It costs me $70 to fill my vehicle, so I was nervous)...

When I logged into my banking app later, the amount made me die laughing considering what I was thinking about at the time. $30.06.

😂 Is that God telling me to buy a .30-06? Leaning more towards a cheap .308 but still 😂


r/Firearms 16h ago

Meta Discussion Consoom polymer firearms

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The guys in consoom are cracking me up. Top comment is “nobody needs that many guns” I think it’s time to start posting collection pics in their sub


r/Firearms 14h ago

Mexican 1911's

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r/Firearms 10h ago

Looking for a 44 Magnum

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Looking at either this SW 629 Competitor or a Colt Target Anaconda. Any major reasons to go with one over another?


r/Firearms 10h ago

Bought this ruger max 9 late spring as my edc, i love it, Its very reliable & easy to carry

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r/Firearms 12h ago

I love the m1!

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I need the scout squad next!


r/Firearms 11h ago

Question Looking for recommendations for my next purchase. What weird, ugly or mechanically unique firearms do you own?

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I recently asked why people like ugly, weird looking, or mechanically unusual firearms, and the answers were really helpful.

Now I’m curious about what people actually own.

I’m also looking for ideas for my next purchase.

I want something unique or mechanically interesting, but I’m not really trying to buy an older historical collector piece. I like old designs, but I don’t love the idea of shooting something where every round feels like I’m wearing it down or devaluing.

Ideally, I’m looking for something from a newer brand or a company that still exists today.


r/Firearms 8h ago

Can anyone tell me what this is and value please

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r/Firearms 15h ago

Do I have "Limp wrist"?

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Hi everyone,

I’m having a frustrating issue with my Beretta 92FS and could use some advice. I have about 500 rounds through the gun so far.

Every 25 to 30 rounds, it jams. It looks like a failure to feed (FTF) or a general failure to cycle, I'm not exactly sure how to classify it. Additionally, the slide fails to lock back after the last round is fired.

Some of my friends suggested that I might have a weak grip (limp-wristing). However, right after I clean and lubricate the gun, it runs perfectly for the first few rounds, no jamming, and the slide locks back on an empty magazine exactly as it should.

I’ve attached a video of me shooting both 124gr and 115gr ammo. I included the 115gr footage as a reference to show what the jams typically look like. I honestly expected better reliability from such an iconic and popular handgun.

Beretta owners, I would really appreciate your input. Do I need to change how I clean or lubricate the gun? Do I need to adjust my grip, or should I strictly be running heavier ammo?

Thanks in advance!


r/Firearms 9h ago

Question Why open carry in a state where you can CCW without a license?

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So in Missouri where I live its constitution carry and I still see so many people open carrying. The worst part is they dont have retention holsters just cowboy style on their hip in a leather holster or occasionally a Blackhawk nylon holster. Hell I went to Walmart and a guy had his g19x just in his back pocket nothing else just in the pocket. I understand not being able to afford a decent holster but at that point get a cheap holster that has a flap on it or something if you're going to open carry.

I was talking to a buddy of mine who cant afford guns or ammo. He told me if he had a pistol he'd open carry it because "that way people know not to mess with me. I want them to see me and go the other direction." When I mentioned getting a holster that has retention he said "no i want a leather one because it looks bad ass." I sent him some clips of people taking guns from people open carrying and his response was "thats because they were slow and dumb assess I'll be to quick for that to work." I was gonna give him my Taurus G3C until we had this conversation then I decided to give it to another friend of mine who is in college so shes broke. She keeps it in her backpack in a Tactagami holster with extra mags. I got her a TLR 7, a iwb holster, and a Vertx backpack but shes not comfortable carrying appendix yet. Shes been doing reps and training drawing it from her backpack as well as turning the light on and off.

So either I live in an idiot driven area or there is a point to all these people open carrying and I'm the idiot. Could yall tell me which it is?


r/Firearms 3h ago

Question Earbud protection with music?

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I figured I'd ask here because there is some overlap. Im looking for earbud hearing protection that would allow me to hear people talk and also listen to music. I would like a good battery like 8 hours. I work in construction(also loud noises) so lasting a full day in ears without dieing is ideal.


r/Firearms 19h ago

New Gats [ Removed by Reddit ]

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[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]


r/Firearms 14h ago

Video Where did the old-school "squatting" pistol shooting technique come from and who developed the shooting stance we know today?

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r/Firearms 16h ago

Is this drop safe?

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This is a Timney trigger.

Picture A: Hammer as hard as possible on the back of the slide (hard enough to actually drop the gun). The trigger did not got off.
Picture B: Moderate single hit on the underside of the beaver tail. Piston left the sear but hit the trigger safety.

EDIT: trigger safety -> piston safety.


r/Firearms 1d ago

Historical A ancestral firearm with a history

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Browning a5 acier special

The first mass production semi auto shotgun

This specific one has a amazing lore behind it

Currently owned by a family member and will be given to me when im old enough to get a legal license issued


r/Firearms 18h ago

Hell yes

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r/Firearms 1d ago

General Discussion S&W Revolver QC In The Toilet

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Posting for a buddy of mine who does not have reddit: he bought a Smith & Wesson 629 .44 magnum a few weeks ago and right out of thr box it was manufactured incorrectly. After two shots he notices pain in his hands ans they're all cut up from bullet casing shrapnel. It was a misaligned cylinder. He sent it back to them and this is how it was returned. They "fixed" it by cutting into the bullet forcing cone with what looks like a triangular file. He's a S&W fan and has no reason to make this up and ruin a very expensive gun. Wondering if others have had similar experiences with newer S&W revolvers.


r/Firearms 11h ago

Help! Accuracy issues with my weatherby

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Hey yall, im having serious issues with my weatherby vanguard 308’s accuracy.

The rifle has about 200 rounds through it, i bought it brand new and iv never been able to get tigher than 3” groups out of it. It would be fine for hunting within 200 yards, but the rifles supposed to he gaurenteed sub moa.

Iv tried 4 different types of higher end lead free hunting ammo through it, the tightest was 165 gr hornady outfitter (which is what was used in the photo above)

Shots were taken at 100 yards with a lead sled, my scopes a leupold vx5HD

Anything i should try for a fix? or should i just contact weatherby atp


r/Firearms 1d ago

General Discussion God I hate that the Ar-15 is more usable.

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Obviously not breaking new grounds here, but this shit is really bugging me.

(AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND I PRIMARILY SHOOT TARGETS WHEN YOU READ MY FOLLOWING EXPLANATIONS)

Organizing my firearms in the safes and took a few minutes to compare my Zastava M70 (finally with a red dot) to my budget Palmetto Ar-15 (Aero Precision lower otherwise all Palmetto parts).

My AR-15 has been changed up alot over time but now it just simply has Sig iron sights, mlok rail covers, a Radian Raptor charging handle and a Hogue buttstock.

The Zastava M70 is completely stock and has the Zastava optic mount with a Vortex red dot.

Now I have never liked the Ar-15 platform. The only reason I own one is at the time I wanted one of each type of firearm action (Bolt, Semi-Auto, Pump, etc.) And i couldn't afford much at the time, so i bought the cheapest AR kit off Palmetto i could and the cheapest lower i could find at my ffl. Over 6 years it has grown on me a little more but still isnt a big winner for me.

Ive always like the style and function of Ak's more. Pretty obvious what the differences are so i won't list them. So when I had the money I bought my Zastava.

But what i find myself thinking more and more now if how the Ar-15 is just that little bit more not so much practical but perhaps easygoing.

The Ar is obviously lighter but how the weight is fairly even across the gun is the big difference, the Ak is more front heavy. While i dont like it the build of my Ar offers better protection form hot metal while shooting then the Ak where I find my hands tend to slide back onto the metal. The stock on the Ar is also much larger and fits my shoulder better, the Ak stock true to nature is clearly smaller. These furniture option can be easily fixed with modern polymer furniture like from Magpul but I feel that spits in the face of the classic Ak look I wanted.

Overall, The Ar-15 is boring and not unique, but it handles well and the Ak looks good and stands out, but it requires more modification to get a good fitment.

Not sure what ill end up doing with the Ak. I wanted to start using it more often in place of the Ar to train with as I want a established defense rifle, just as I have a dedicated home defense pistol and shotgun.

Ive learned with time the best choice of firearm is a realible one, that you can handle well, capable of dealing with a threat quickly and effectively. Not the gun you like better.

In this way though I feel ive got a tie. My Ar has better ergonomics and is more easily modified for a given situation but was essentially setup to not be as reliable as it could be, while the Ak is highly reliable and has a better close range round while it is hindered by the worse ergonomics.

At the same time as I can improve the Ak's ergonomics and I could just as easily improve the Ar's reliability.

It really shows me how the debate between Ar-15 and Akm's can be so divided.


r/Firearms 4h ago

Help! Messing about with an IWB, or something else?

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Went to help pick up a friend's things after they got into a fight with their boyfriend. The boyfriend was very off and they (and the red shirt person) had reportedly been drinking.

When I returned to my car, my passengers commented that the person in the red shirt was showing their firearm/came out of the house with it.

I didn't notice the person on the porch.

Reviewing the video, a minute before this the person propped open the screen door, which was odd as nothing had to be retrieved from the home.

Shortly after they wave, it appears the barrel/slide was tilted upward, or what appeared to be a racking action.

I'm a concealed carry person myself, and find their behavior odd. I did make a report and forwarded the videos.

What are your thoughts?


r/Firearms 16h ago

Texas second amendment/gun rights. Moving from Illinois.

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Hey guys! I’m currently 19 years old and planning to move from Illinois to the great state of Texas. I’m a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and our right to keep and bear arms.
Unfortunately, because of the state I currently live in, I’ve had difficulties exercising my Second Amendment rights due to Illinois’ FOID Card system. One of the many reasons I’m interested in moving to Texas is the state’s strong support for gun rights and the Second Amendment.
I wanted to reach out to people who currently live in Texas and ask about your personal experiences with the process of legally purchasing and owning firearms.
I’d especially appreciate any information or personal experiences regarding:
• Purchasing a firearm in Texas
• Age requirements and eligibility
• Background checks
• Waiting periods, if any
• Restrictions on purchasing or possessing firearms
• Constitutional carry
• Open carry
• License to Carry (LTC)
• Carrying in a vehicle
• Any differences between buying from a gun store vs. a private seller
• Anything someone moving from Illinois should know before becoming a Texas resident
I’m trying to educate myself and understand exactly how the process works before I move.
If you’re a Texas resident and have personal experience with any of this, I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences, advice, and anything you wish you had known when you first started.
Thank you! 🤠🇺🇸