By Toby Melville November 29, 2024 What is the Chinesium Paradox? The term Chinesium is a term I’ve coined about the litany of products that can be obtained on Amazon (aka The Evil Empire). While Amazon is not evil, I use this reference due to its overwhelming global reach. The paradox is derived from the fact that quality products that …

By Toby Melville July 22, 2024 Red dot optics have become a standard accessory for virtually every rifle and pistol platform today. The use of red dot optics is considered almost essential to a rifle or pistol platform according to current modern standards, and there are a lot of options out there. With so many options of varying quality and …

By Toby Melville March 25, 2024 From time to time, an individual assesses the status quo and chooses to create something functional that defies contemporary models of the industry. The idea that innovation would equate to improvements in the application is rare. Often, changes are subtle, producing rebranded variations of previous products. Ryker USA observed the end user and the …

By Toby Melville January 7, 2024 The AR-15 is arguably the most ergonomic and shooter interface-friendly platform in firearms history. One of the points of the AR-15 that separates it from other platforms is the ambidextrous charging handle. This engineering design makes the platform efficient. The pursuit of perfection is persistence focused on practicality. This creates an inevitability to advance …

By Toby Melville November 15, 2023 The modern rifle’s basic use has not significantly improved from its early predecessors. It’s a linear shoulder-fired metal projectile weapon for use at extended ranges. Accessories are somewhat different. The design rigidness of the early rifles as late as the 1980s has given way to extremely modular designs. One of the most personal accessories …

By Toby Melville September 29, 2023 Eyewear has been an important component of fashion for decades, but for the armed professional, eyewear has become increasingly significant as the War on Terror and modern warfare has progressed. Over time, eyewear has progressed from fashion to protection, providing increased performance for military operators, private contractors, and tactically-minded civilians. On that note, a …

By Toby Melville September 7, 2022 The necessity to carry ammunition for your firearm is an essential requirement. An individual must be able to feed the weapon they fight with, or find themselves depleted of ammunition quickly. The other side of this issue is space. There’s only so much room on your kit. Early examples in the War on Terror …

By Toby Melville March 6, 2022 Defense is a state of being. We can orient ourselves mentally or physically, or a combination of both. This concept is massive and all-encompassing when contemplating defense, so let’s consider something more specific pertaining to physical self-defense. Having tools to protect your physical safety is essential, and dates to man’s earliest recorded history. The …

By Toby Melville March 10, 2020 Last updated on 3/10/20. The AR-15 is arguably one of the most prolific and modular rifles ever created. Not only has Eugene Stoner’s creation been in service for over 55 years, to date, the AR-15 sets the standard for accuracy, reliability, and modularity by which all modern rifles are measured. Due to the AR-15’s …

By Toby Melville October 25, 2018 The AR market is flooded with both good and bad innovation. In fact, it could be said that the AR has become the Jeep of the rifle world. Its following is global, its reliability and performance are a standard, you can take it anywhere, and it’s been everywhere. And, finally, the modularity of the …