Category Archives: gun culture

Saarim? Sarem? Sarim? A Mauser Sniper by any other name…

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How about this Yemeni “Saarim” (also seen as “Sarem”) copy of the 98 Mauser sniper rifle making the rounds in the (attributed) hands of a Houthi rebel, with a very Insurgency Sandstorm/Far Cry 6 vibe.

Note the box magazine, pistol grip, garage-made suppressor (which, if nothing else, serves as a flash hider to help with counter-sniper fire), super-high mount (possibly to help overcome the 8mm Mauser’s rainbow ballistics), and relatively low-power optic.

For those curious, Sarim / Sarem (صارم) means: brave, resolute, sharp, or a sharp sword, all fitting names for a would-be sniper rifle.

As far as I can tell, the type first showed up in a 2017 Hoplite piece by Yuri Lyamin (Craft-produced anti-materiel rifles and light cannon in Yemen).

At the time, they appeared to be 8mm 98Ks or Yugoslavian M48s, fitted with 6x24mm POSP optical sights and a wildly optimistic 1,600-meter range.

The typical drop of an 8mm Mauser (7.92x57mm) at 1,600 meters is something like 1,360.86 inches (or 113.4 feet / 34.56 meters), assuming a standard European-spec 198-grain (12.8g) bullet. That’s one hell of a holdover. Even at 500 yards, you are looking at a 50-60 inch drop and falling below 1,000 ft./lbs of energy– the latter the minimum benchmark for medium game like deer and sheep.

Still, “Despite their age, these rifles may continue to pose a threat in experienced hands, particularly when fitted with an optic,” noted Lyamin.

Plus, the country has serious generational experience with the rifle.

Yemen has been awash in Mausers for something like 140 years.

A Yemeni man with a modded Mauser Oberndorf M1887 Ottoman Turkish long rifle in Sanaa, via Al Jazeera.

As noted by Rob Krott back in a 2006 Small Arms Review piece after traveling the country extensively:

Mausers and Mauser variations are among the most common weapons in Yemen. Some are in the hands of youths whose parents have acquired more modern weapons. As the owner’s first token of manhood they are often prized possessions. The Mausers in Yemen today are nearly all Ottoman Empire in origin and represent the continuous re-equipment of the Ottoman forces throughout their occupation of Yemen, though there is also a large number of World War II era German 98K Mausers fielded in Yemen. It’s possible these 98Ks were from captured stocks provided by the Soviets as aid in the 1960s. While visiting a Bedouin encampment in the Hawdramawt, I fired probably a half-dozen Mauser 98Ks over the course of three days in impromptu shooting competitions. All were well maintained and serviceable.

While, sure, the Sarim is kinda hokey-looking, if it is zeroed and holds point of aim/impact, and the user understands its dope, I wouldn’t want to be downrange of it under any circumstances.

Fear God and Dread Nought

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As you know by following this page, the original game-changing battleship whose form would dominate all its type moving forward, HMS Dreadnought (00), entered service some 120 years ago, launched at HM Dockyard Portsmouth on 10 February 1906 and commissioned on 2 December.

The 18,000-ton juggernaut (21,000 tons deep load) was swathed in as much as 12 inches of Krupp cemented armor produced under license at William Beardmore’s mill in Dalmuir, Scotland. The warship was held together by nearly 2 million rivets.

To salute the ship, Korth Waffen in Germany has developed a tribute to “The Beauty of Brutality,” a limited edition 5-inch .357 Magnum with a smoked nitride finish dubbed simply, Dreadnought, complete with faux rivet pattern.

Not sure how many were produced, likely a handful, but Nighthawk had them listed for $9,574, as befitting Korth wheel guns.

Had.

Think of it as a Marlin 1894 in a Modern .44-40 WCF Chambering

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While companies like Henry and S&W (through Volcanic) produced some of the first lever-action rifles, the Marlin Firearms Company wasn’t far behind.

Founded in 1870, the company introduced the Marlin Model 1881, a design by Andrew Burgess, just a decade later. It was then quickly followed by a series of rifles from Lewis “L.L.” Hepburn: the Models 1888, the solid-topped 1889, and the side-ejection 1893.

Marlin 1893
The Marlin 1893, complete with a loading gate, solid top receiver, and side ejection (Photo: Guns.com)

Although the Model 1893 was a sound design, Lewis Hepburn saw opportunities to simplify and improve it. He removed the rear locking lug, which extended into the trigger guard and could pinch the shooter’s finger as the action cycled, and simplified the design with a one-piece trigger and a two-piece firing pin, the latter a safety feature.

With that, the 1894 was born.

Marlin 1894 patent
Hepburn’s 1893 patent on the design that would become the Marlin 1894. It was initially introduced in four popular wheel-gun calibers: .25-20 Win, .32-20 Win, .38-40 Win, and .44-40 Win.

Compact and popular with hunters, trappers, and miners, it became a fast hit for the company. Produced from 1894 to 1935, it was resurrected in modern calibers in 1969, when CBS’s “Gunsmoke” and NBC’s “Bonanza” were both top-five TV shows. It stayed in production through 2020, when Remington Outdoors went belly up.

Ruger then salvaged the Marlin brand from the wreckage of Big Green and reintroduced the 1894 in .44 Magnum three short years later.

Since then, Ruger has delivered 14 Model 1894 variants to market, including six Trapper series guns with handy 16.17-inch barrels and stainless-steel components.

Late last year, we announced the 1894 Trapper in 10mm Auto with an MSRP starting at $1,599, our review subject.

Marlin 1894 Trapper 10mm 70453 736676704538 Eger
Like other models in the Trapper Series, the 1894 Trapper in 10mm features a cold hammer-forged, 16.17-inch threaded barrel and a receiver-mounted Skinner Sight system for rapid target acquisition. The muzzle is threaded 5/8-24TPI. (Photos unless noted: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Marlin 1894 Trapper 10mm 70453 736676704538 Eger
With black laminate furniture, it weighs a handy 6.3 pounds and measures 33.25 inches overall. The 1:16 RH twist barrel helps wring out a bit more velocity from the 10mm Auto round than a handgun would. 

The Marlin 1894 Trapper in 10mm is the only lever gun in that caliber we can find on the market.

The caliber also makes sense historically, as 10mm Auto, most commonly seen with a 180-grain bullet traveling at about 1,200 fps, generates about 600 ft./lbs of muzzle energy, is eerily similar to the old .44-40 Winchester, which typically sported a 200-grain bullet traveling at 1,200 fps for about 600 ft./lbs of muzzle energy. Plus, 10mm is much easier to find these days than good .44-40s.

Head on over to my column at Guns.com for the full review.

Can We Just Celebrate Glock 43x Mag Availability These Days?

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I was involved with Glock’s single-stack micro-compact guns (officially called their “Slimline” series) since the day they launched the .380 G42 at SHOT Show 2014.

The thing is, all the gun writers there had one thing in common when talking about it: why wasn’t it in 9mm?

Glock listened, and just 16 months later, debuted the 9mm G43 at the NRA Show in Nashville in April 2015. They couldn’t even wait til the next SHOT Show to fix their mistake!

Man, the G43 was something at the time.

And still is, compared to, say, a .38 snub nose, in this case, my classic Colt Agent. Lighter, slimmer, and faster to reload.

Drink in my Taran Tactical and Vickers-enhanced Glock 43. You see, you had to get the Taran extended base pads to reliably boost capacity beyond its standard six rounds. (All photos: Chris Eger)

The original G43’s feeding options: a standard OEM 6-rounder; an OEM 6-rounder with a Taran Tactical (TTI) +1 base plate; an OEM 6-rounder with a +2 Pearce extension; and OEM 6-rounders with TTI +3, +4, and +5 baseplates. Wow

After selling a million G43s (not an exaggeration; they did a press release about it) in just the first three years of its existence, the company addressed the complaint that it only held six (6) rounds in the magazine and at SHOT ’19 debuted the 10+1 capacity G43x and the slightly longer but same magazine-sized G48, giving everyone that bought the original G43 the frowns and everyone who was on the fence on the platform over its limited capacity a reason to get off said rail and head to the gun counter.

The G43x and G48, when they debuted in 2019, for some reason, had stainless slides. I was there and nobody understood why

While, yes, the standard Glock 43x magazines were reliable and kept the gun small enough for deep carry, or even pocket carry if you had a big enough pocket, they were still just 10-rounders.

This led Shield Arms in Montana to do the craziest thing, and cough up a steel-bodied (which could be thinner than Glock’s polymer mags) that would allow a 15-round flush-fit G43x/G48 magazine, the S15.

Boom:

Now it’s 3rd generation, Shield has worked out the bugs, though they typically need a steel magazine catch to work long term, as the polymer OEM catch wears out rapidly. Steel on polymer does that.

I love the 3rd Gen Shield S15s in the G43x and G48, and I’ve enjoyed them with my Aimpoint COA-equipped model…

…which goes far toward being one of the best carry pistols on the market.

For guys who were fine running an extended mag on the range on a budget, the ETS and ProMag options are around for 19-, 28-, and even 50-round examples, as witnessed over at The Mag Shack.

This year, finally blotting out its original Slimline mistakes from 2014, Glock debuted 15-round flush-fit mags for the G43x/G48. Like Shields, they are steel-bodied.

They should have sent Shield a thank-you letter for the idea and beta testing. Maybe a nice fruit basket.

But still, you have to love the developmental process, baby.

Army to Start Fielding SIG M8 Next Gen Squad Weapon in December

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The Army’s planned SIG Sauer-made replacement for the M4 Carbine is slated for delivery to troops before year’s end.

As we previously reported, SIG won the Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon, or NGSW, competition in April 2022, securing a 10-year contract for two weapons chambered in the new hybrid 6.8×51 Common Cartridge. The weapons are intended to replace the Army’s 5.56 NATO small arms in front-line service.

The rifle, initially designated the XM5 and now type-classified as the M7, is based on SIG’s MCX Spear platform and will replace the M4 and M4A1. The SIG LMG-6.8, adopted as the M250 light machine gun, will replace the FN-made M249 SAW.

Now, the lighter, more compact XM8 is the Army’s rifle of choice, as shown by the service’s FY27 budget request, which debuted earlier this year, and by this week’s reporting from Military Times. 

The outlet reports the XM8 will reach troops in December, and SIG reps say the new rifle is far better than the “old” new rifle.

“From our perspective [the M8 is] a far superior rifle to the M7,” Dave Buehler, SIG’s vice president of manufacturing, told the outlet. “On the M7, our hands were kind of tied [with what] the design criteria or characteristics of the contract required – even if we didn’t like them, we had to meet them. So now, the M8 considers our feedback, the soldiers’ feedback. And we can’t wait to get it out there.”

The XM8, seen here, is a carbine variant of the M7 Rifle. While the M7 has a 13-inch barrel, the XM8 runs an 11-incher. Coupled with other improvements, this delivers a more M4-like experience while retaining the common 6.8×51 cartridge.  (Photo: Aliyah Harrison/U.S. Army)

Acting Secretary of the Army Adam Telle showcased a Soldier with an XM8 at the opening of the 2026 Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C., this week.

XM8 rifle
In addition to the XM8, the Soldier has an OpsCore AMPs/FAST headset and AN/PSQ-42 ENVG-B Thermal Fusion goggles, both of which the Army has fielded in limited numbers since 2019. (Photo: Christopher Kaufmann/U.S. Army)

A closer look at the gun shows a Vortex UH-1 holographic sight with a Vortex 3X Magnifier, Leonardo FWS-I (AN/PAS-35) clip-on thermals, and a B.E. Meyers DAGIR NIR illuminator. (Photo: Christopher Kaufmann/U.S. Army)

M7 rifle with M157 optic
The M7 is intended to field with the bulky Vortex-made M157 “smart” optics system, seen here in a 2024 test with the 101st Airborne, but the Army has a “M7 Surrogate Fire Control Program” which has seen other platforms used until M157 production catches up. The Vortex optic offers 1-8×30 magnification and combines a laser rangefinder and ballistic computer in an overlaid display to increase first-round hit probability. Even if the high-tech add-ons take a dirt nap, the backup etched reticle should still allow the sight to work as akin to an LPVO. (Photo: Capt. Andrew Lightsey IV/U.S. Army)

While the XM8 and M7 shown above both are seen with the standard steel 20-round magazine, the Army has also been trialing a 25-round magazine developed by SIG for the NGSW.

Further, what appear to be 25-round Magpul PMAGs were seen in the field with the guns earlier this year.

 

ATF shrugs and gives up (for now) on suppressors, SBRs, SBSs

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In the aftermath of a Texas federal court ruling and sweeping legislative changes brought about in the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” the ATF has issued official guidance halting the enforcement of traditional National Firearms Act (NFA) transfer, registration, and tax-stamp requirements for short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, suppressors, and “any other weapons.”

After U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche declined to appeal Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF, the Department of Justice exercised its enforcement discretion and applied this relief nationally to all gun owners rather than limiting it strictly to the lawsuit’s plaintiffs.

“The direction from the President, Congress, and the courts is clear,” said ATF Director Rob Cekada in a statement. “ATF is now following suit with our enforcement posture while continuing to ensure we remain focused where we are needed the most: combatting violent crime in American communities.”

While the pause in federal enforcement of NFA provisions is at the executive, or White House, level, it could be turned back “on” with very little notice, leaving Congress to make a more lasting fix. However, if thousands of devices are released in the coming months, it may be a “closing the barn door after the horses left” moment to try to revert to the pre-Silencer Shop Foundation ruling status quo.

Moreover, and this is important, dozens of states have their own local restrictions on suppressors and short-barreled firearms, so the pitfalls can remain real for millions of Americans.

Machine guns and destructive devices remain fully subject to NFA regulations and their $200 tax stamps.

Further, Gun Control Act of 1968 standards – including Form 4473 background checks via licensed dealers, interstate transport approval via Form 20, and all applicable state or local regulations – remain fully in effect.

More in my article on Guns.com.

Steel, Walnut, and Style: The New SA-35

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A 16-shot capacity meets vintage class in Springfield’s newest SA-35 4-inch model, which brings compact carry wrapped in polished carbon steel and checkered walnut.

We were among the first to cover the reintroduction of the classic (and then-recently retired) Browning Hi-Power by an American gunmaker when Springfield introduced the SA-35 in 2021.

Since then, the SA-35 line has grown and evolved while retaining the improvements to Mr. Browning’s original design, with a chopped-down 4-inch compact model performing nicely in a review we published in April.

With its more Detective-length, the “Dick” SA-35 4-inch is very slim and actually makes a good carry gun

Now, the company has added a 4-incher with an eye-catching polished blued finish on its carbon steel frame and slide. We’ve been passing it around the office for the past few weeks to get a sneak peek.

Drink it in, folks.

the new Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch polished model
This new SA-35 features a polished blued finish on its carbon steel frame and slide, giving the durable forged components a deep, lustrous appearance. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
the new Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch polished model
Complementing the polished steel are attractive walnut grip panels with natural grain and finely cut checkering for confident purchase. 
the new Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch polished model
As with all SA-35 pistols, its 4-inch barrel features improved feed ramp design for reliable function with modern defensive ammunition and is forged for durability and strength. It ships with a branded zipper case.

Made in the U.S.A., the SA-35 features rugged forged steel parts for strength and durability, improved ergonomics and enhanced controls, a factory-tuned trigger, modernized Tactical Rack rear and white-dot front sights, an improved feed ramp design, and an increased 15-round capacity in the flush-fit magazine.

the new Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch polished model
The polished 4-inch SA-35 compared to the standard matte-finished model. 
the new Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch polished model
The SA-35, especially in this new polished version, salutes the appeal of the “wood and steel” era of arms making. 
the new Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch polished model
And yes, it shoots. This is two magazines running the BHP classic Mozambique failure drill at 10 yards. In all, we put just over 300 rounds through the pistol right out of the box without fail. 
the new Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch polished model
Don’t sleep on this one as a carry gun if needed. With its twin 15-round flush-fit steel Mec-Gar magazines, superior accuracy, excellent single-action trigger, and wide holster availability (see Commander-sized 1911 fits), it makes a lot of sense.   
the new Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch polished model
And if nothing else, it can be something of an “instant” heirloom. 
the new Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch polished model
Like you need an excuse for some extra steel…

The MSRP of the new Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch polished (Model HP9205) is $799, the same as the matte-finished variants.

CMP: Yes milsurp shotguns and M14s are inbound

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A demo of the then-new M14 at Fort Dix in June 1959. Similar in size to the M1 Garand, with 29 of 116 parts interchangeable with that .30-06 semi-automatic rifle, the M14 was select-fire and had a larger, 20-round magazine. (Photo: Springfield Armory National Historic Site)

Gerald O’Keefe, who has served as Chairman and CEO of the Civilian Marksmanship Program since 2022, has just transitioned to Executive Chair.

He has been replaced by Fabian Loberia, but Jerry disclosed on his way out that the M14 program is on track (although the gun control hacks are publicly conspiring against it), and the Army has identified 2,027 surplus shotguns for transfer to the CMP, mostly Mossberg 500s but with at least some Winchester ’97s in the mix.

From the presser, via the CMP, emphasis mine:

M14 Update:

As previously announced, the CMP will soon be selling converted, semi-automatic M14s. The schedule for this project is on track. We’ll begin the conversion process over the next three months and plan to initiate sales in Jan ’27. Sales will occur initially via mail order, but we’ll bring the M14s to all our physical stores in AL, OH, and eventually WY as soon as possible thereafter. More details will be forthcoming later this Fall.

Stay connected to the latest updates as they come through our website at https://thecmp.org/l/m14-announcement/.

Shotgun Update:

The Civilian Marksmanship Program achieved an important legislative milestone via the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which expanded CMP’s statutory authority to receive and sell certain surplus military pump-action shotguns. This change authorizes a one-time transfer of eligible surplus shotguns from the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force to the CMP, preserving an important part of American military history while creating a new opportunity for collectors, competitors, and firearms enthusiasts. The legislation specifically added pump-action shotguns to the list of firearms eligible for transfer and sale through the CMP, continuing Congress’s longstanding support of the CMP’s mission of marksmanship, firearms safety and youth development.

As implementation moves forward, the U.S. Army has identified 2,027 surplus shotguns for transfer to the CMP: 1,589 Mossberg 500 shotguns and 438 Winchester Model 1897 shotguns. These historic firearms represent more than a century of military service, spanning from the iconic trench-gun era of the early 20th century through modern military and security applications. We are working closely with Army officials to complete transfer requirements and develop restoration, inspection, and sales plans. We look forward to making these firearms available to eligible U.S. customers while ensuring future generations of Americans preserve and appreciate them. Expectation management: The NDAA allows for just this one-time surplus shotgun transfer, and 438 Winchester Model 1897 shotguns are a small quantity, given the likely demand.

Built like a Panzer: The Arminus, err, Windicator .357 Magnum Snub Nose

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Earlier this year, we had Chase with EAA in the GDC studio as a podcast guest and got the lowdown on the company’s Windicator series of European-made wheel guns– which they have been importing for 30 years.

“I mean, they’re just tanks,” he said. “And look, I mean, there’s no denying that Germans make some great firearms. And they have a very deep history in making really, really, well-made firearms. For sure. So it’s just cool to see those out there. And people kind of, you know, they’re neglected. People sleep on them. They do. They 100 percent sleep on them.”

Produced by Hermann Weihrauch Revolver GmbH in Mellrichstadt, Germany – about 30 miles from the legendary Thuringian firearms-making and gunsmithing hub of Suhl – Weihrauch dates back to 1899. Btw, for those curious, you would pronounce the name “Vyre-owk” with a hard “ch” on the end. Really put the sauerkraut into it. Likewise, “Windicator” is likely a take on the maker’s last name blended with Vindicator, using the German more V-like pronunciation of the W.

After origins as a rifle maker, the company introduced its HW Arminius series revolvers in the 1960s, named for a Teutonic hero of the first century AD famous for slapping around the Romans at the Teutoburg Forest.

Imported and sold in the U.S. under a variety of brands (e.g., the Dickson Bulldog and Herter’s Guide Model) and by assorted firms (F.I.E., LA Distributors, etc.), the revolvers were a staple in hardware stores and gun shops coast to coast for generations.

FIE Arminus
An HW Arminius .32 in the Guns.com Vault and an FIE ad on the series from 1976. For reference, the quoted $120 price is $725 in today’s dollars. 

EAA has imported assorted double-action Weihrauch revolvers into the U.S. under the Windicator name since at least 1993, later adding Bounty Hunter–branded single-action wheel guns from the same factory.

Today, EAA sells the Windicator in both .38 Special and .357 Magnum, in 2-, 4-, and 6-inch formats, and in blue/black or nickel (not a misprint). As snubby fans, we opted to review the blue/black 2-inch .357 (770130), right off the boat from Bavaria.

EAA Windicator 357 Magnum Snub 2 inch 741566103605 770130 Eger
The EAA Windicator 2-inch .357 six-shot double-action revolver. Weihrauch catalogs this model as the HW 357 T. (Photos unless noted: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
EAA Windicator 357 Magnum Snub 2 inch 741566103605 770130 Eger
It is beefy for a snub, tipping the scales at nearly 29 ounces, unloaded. By comparison, similar six-shot .357s such as S&W’s $1,300 Model 19 2.5 Carry Comp weigh 33 ounces, while the $900 Colt King Cobra Carry 2-inch is billed at 26 ounces. 
EAA Windicator 357 Magnum Snub 2 inch 741566103605 770130 Eger
The snub 2-inch Windicator is a medium-frame, not a small-frame, revolver. It feels closest, in the author’s opinion, to his Fink’s Custom (at Gunsite Academy) chopped-down S&W 2-inch K-frame.

For full disclosure, EAA provided this Windicator revolver to Guns.com for review purposes. All testing was done on this one gun, which has been under evaluation since early May.

What we found:

  • It takes K-frame speedloaders.
  • It was dependable over the course of 500 mixed rounds of .38 and .357
  • It has a very stout double-action trigger that you need to take your pre-workout to run at the range.
  • It is affordable.

The only big rock we could toss at the $400~ Windicator was its very limited aftermarket support (no grips, can’t change the sights, virtually no parts). But EAA carries a lifetime warranty if something goes wrong (by comparison, Colt runs a three-year warranty).

With that in mind, if you want to upgrade your snub with different sights and accessories at some point, you may want to look toward a Colt or S&W. The closest six-shot .357 Mag snub we can find in the Windy’s price range is the Diamondback SDR,  which runs nearly $700.

If you want a basic .357 (big) pocket gun that will go bang and you don’t anticipate upgrading, the Windicator is a, well, win.

Full review over in my column at Guns.com.

For Some Recruits, the M-1 Garand is still Used for Extra Motivation

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I always loved this July 1974 National Geographic image by David Alan Harvey of Sheila E. Denison, one of the first early coed Officer Candidate School class members at USCG TRACEN Yorktown, cleaning her M1 Garand while touching up her hair.

The 10.5-pound wooden-stocked Garand, officially the U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1, was used by every class at the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, New Jersey, for half a century, only replaced by the M16/M4 in the early 2000s.

However, for those (un)lucky enough to find themselves in Cape May’s Recruit Aptitude and Motivation Program, or RAMP, “The Greatest Battle Implement Ever Devised” gets pulled out of the armory to add some emphasis to the daily program.

As these images, captured in September, show USCG Company Commanders providing RAMP recruits with “enhanced and personalized training in order for them to succeed.”

(U.S. Coast Guard photos by Petty Officer 3rd Class Danielle Layton and Seaman Juliana Thornton)

According to the GAO, in 2024, the attrition rate for recruits at Cape May was about 15 percent —higher than in most of the larger services, which average about 11 percent. RAMP aims to turn that around a bit.

Of course, the Coast Guard isn’t the only service still using the Garand, as the WWII icon still often appears in service academy and ROTC training programs, in heritage events such as those hosted by the “Old Guard” of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment, at the CMP’s National Matches in the hands of military competitors, and, last but not least, with the Silent Drill Platoon of the Marines.

“The United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon, Alpha Company, Marine Barracks Washington, execute the ‘bursting bomb’ sequence at the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., on June 13, 2026. The 24-Marine rifle platoon executed a series of calculated drill movements and precise handling of their hand-polished, 10.5-pound M1 Garand rifles with fixed bayonets, all without a single verbal command. The unique precision drill exhibition showcased the uncompromising attention to detail and rigid discipline that exemplify the United States Marine Corps.” (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Brynn L. Bouchard)

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