Travis Pike

Florida

Firearms and Gear Writer at Freelance

Purpose-driven gear for specialized users. From @taskandpurpose. Tweets may contain affiliate links.

Articles

How I'd Design the Beretta 20X and 30X Pistols

15 hours ago | gatdaily.com | Travis Pike

I’m a tip-up fan—a downright fanatic. I complained about the cost of classes while purchasing another Beretta 950 because it’s in .22 Short, and I don’t have that one. Beretta unleashed two tip-up pistols in as many years. The 20X and 30X make up the modern tip-up pistol genre. With that in mind, I didn’t fully agree with many of Beretta’s changes, but I understood them. First, I just like tip-up guns. They have some serious charm, and I love the design.
The .32 Rifle - Why We Need One

1 day ago | gatdaily.com | Travis Pike

As the resident .32 aficionado and subject matter enthusiast, I own a few dozen .32 handguns, but I want a .32 rifle. Specifically, I want a .32 pistol caliber carbine. That sounds a bit silly, and technically, the .30 Super Carry Hi-Point is a .32 PCC, but not the one I want. I want a low-powered, low-profile .32 rifle, and I have reasons!Before we get into my reasons, let’s discuss which .32. I’m open to this. I’d like a rifle in .32 ACP or .32 S&W Long.
.32 H&R Magnum vs .380 ACP - Pint Sized Power

2 days ago | gatdaily.com | Travis Pike

One of the reasons I love writing for GAT Daily is that they let me explore tiny niches of information that I and about a dozen other people find interesting. For example, which is the better mouse gun revolver round, the .32 H&R Magnum or the .380 ACP? Today, I want to dig into these two calibers and discuss which is better for your small revolver and why. In the world of revolvers, these are both niche cartridges.
Five Things I was Wrong About

3 days ago | gatdaily.com | Travis Pike

I’m wrong about a lot of things. In a world where admitting wrong can be tough, I think it’s important to remember that being wrong isn’t necessarily bad, especially if you’re willing to learn and change your views and opinions based on data. At least, that’s what I tell myself because I’m wrong a fair bit. Today, I’m going to highlight five things I was wrong about. I was not a fan when I first saw the Federal X2 shotgun shells. They made fishing sinkers into shotgun pellets.
FB MSBS GROT - Poland's New Assault Rifle

5 days ago | gatdaily.com | Travis Pike

Poland has finally retired its AK platform. For quite some time, it had one of the best, if not the best, AKs in 5.56. Hell, with an adapter, it even took STANAG magazines. With the retirement of the Beryl, the Polish military is moving to a more modern platform known as the FB MSBS Grot. I speak Polish as well as Portuguese. So, not at all. So I can’t pronounce this, but thank God I can write it: Modułowy System Broni Strzeleckiej. That stands for Modular Firearm System.
The 590A1 Compact Cruiser

6 days ago | gunsamerica.com | Travis Pike

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes Ever since I watched Miami Vice reruns with my dad, I’ve had an obsession with extremely short shotguns. Something about the various shotguns used by Tubbs captured me. As of this writing, the availability of ultra-short shotguns, or more accurately AOWs (Any Other Weapons) isn’t high, so I consider myself to be lucky to own a Mossberg 590A1 Compact Cruiser.
Choosing Between Semi-Automatic and Revolvers

6 days ago | gunsamerica.com | Travis Pike

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes There are many ongoing arguments in the gun world. We have Glock vs. 1911, 9mm vs. .45 ACP, and revolver vs. semi-automatic. Which is better? The arguments typically won’t end because the answer isn’t easy. It’s complicated and nuanced, and we live in a world where nuance is dismissed for more emotional reasoning. With that in mind, today, we will dig into the weeds and inject some nuance into the conversation.
Five Drills for Beginners at the Range

1 week ago | ammoland.com | Travis Pike

Going to the range without a plan is like going to the gym without a plan. You show up, do some bicep curls, wander around, and ultimately make no progress. Without a plan, you’re wasting ammo, time, and not learning anything. One of the easiest ways to make a plan is to turn to drills. There are many drills out there, and today, we are bringing you the five best beginner drills. Beginner Drills – How To PlanA drill is a shooting exercise that prescribes nearly every element of your shooting.
Herter's Defensive Buckshot - Load Review

1 week ago | gatdaily.com | Travis Pike

I’m a shotgun nerd, like a hardcore shotgun nerd. I like testing shotguns, training with shotguns, and exploring new concepts around shotguns. Unlike many other firearms, you can do some interesting ammo testing with shotguns. A round of buckshot from Federal shoots differently than a seemingly identical round of buckshot from Winchester. With that in mind, let’s look at the Herter’s Defensive Buckshot. What drew me to this round was its affordability.
Federal Flitecontrol 20 Gauge - Load Review

1 week ago | shootingnewsweekly.com | Travis Pike

The main problem with using any caliber other than 12 gauge for a defensive shotgun is the lack of modern tactical loads. The 12-gauge shotgun and the ammo made to feed it rules the roost, so it gets the most attention. But the 20-gauge has always been a lower-recoil alternative and still a very capable defensive firearm. Now Federal has decided to spread their FliteControl gospel to the 20 gauge. Are these 20 gauge loads with Federal’s FliteControl wads worth the squeeze?