Brands
Walther PDP: Full Size, Compact, F-Series, and which to buy
Full Size and Compact describe the grip, not the slide. What the F-Series actually changes, the two plate generations, and whether the PPQ is dead.
From the Counter
Straight answers on guns, ammo, optics and transfers, from our shop in Medford.
Brands
Which Canik should you buy? The 2026 lineup, decoded
The TP9 line is nearly gone, METE replaced it, and the optic cut changed mid-production. What the names mean and which one to buy.
Optics
Mounting a red dot on a Hellcat, Echelon or M&P
Hellcat mounts direct, the Echelon uses pins instead of plates, and the two M&P C.O.R.E. generations are different cuts.
Optics
Glock MOS or MOS-K? Check before you buy the optic
Glock now makes two slim slide cuts and they take different optics. How to tell which one you have, and whether a 507K really fits a 43X.
Optics
Which red dot actually fits your pistol
There is no industry standard for optic footprints. The patterns that exist, the screw threads that ruin slides, real torque numbers, and why we dry-fit.
Used Guns
Used or new: when the used rack is the smarter buy
Where used genuinely wins, where the new-gun warranty is worth paying for, and the trap of used prices creeping up toward new.
Used Guns
What we check before a used gun goes on the rack
The bore before the finish, lockup and timing, the parts people forget, and what we treat as a walk-away.
Used Guns
What a gun shop actually pays for your gun
The real arithmetic behind a trade-in offer, why cash and trade are different numbers, and when you should sell it privately instead.
Self-Defense
Pepper spray, Byrna and less-lethal in New York
Why you cannot order it online in New York, who is allowed to buy it, the size and strength limits the state sets, and where Byrna fits.
Used Guns
Are police trade-in guns any good?
Police trade-ins look rough and shoot fine. Why the wear is on the outside, what to check before you buy one, and when to walk away.