Silencer Central presented U.S. Senator Mike Rounds with its U.S. Senator of the Year award, recognizing his leadership on firearm policy. Founder and CEO Brandon Maddox highlighted Rounds' sponsorship of the Modernizing Law Enforcement Notification Act and the Hearing Protection Act as key accomplishments for responsible gun owners.

Fiocchi Pro Staff members Dianna Muller and Lanny Barnes will represent Team USA at the 2026 IPSC Shotgun World Shoot in Corinth, Greece. Barnes is the defending IPSC Ladies Open World Champion from 2023, while Muller has earned multiple podium finishes at previous World Shoots, including two Ladies Standard silver medals.

The U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico ruled New Mexico's seven-day firearm waiting period unconstitutional in Ortega v. Grisham, brought by the National Rifle Association and Mountain States Legal Foundation in partnership with the National Shooting Sports Foundation. The court found the law violates the Second Amendment as waiting periods lack historical precedent in firearm regulation.

The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) filed its opening brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in cases Viramontes v. Cook County and Grant v. Higgins, challenging assault weapons bans in Illinois and Connecticut. SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut and founder Alan M. Gottlieb argue that AR-15s and similar semi-automatic rifles are commonly possessed for lawful purposes and protected by the Second Amendment.

Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) filed its merits brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in Viramontes v. Cook County, arguing that bans on semiautomatic rifles violate the Second Amendment. FPC President Brandon Combs stated the case could establish binding precedent eliminating unconstitutional arms bans nationwide.

SLG2, Inc. will bring its Shoot Like A Girl experience to Professional Bull Riders Thunder Days on September 4-6, 2026, at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri. Sponsored by Bass Pro Shops, the mobile range will offer firearms, archery, and outdoor product demonstrations in the Fan Zone, with certified instructors emphasizing firearm safety and responsible ownership.

Federal Ammunition introduces new Texas Dove shotshell loads designed for the high-volume dove hunting market. Available in two 12-gauge configurations with quality lead payloads and high velocities, the loads are now shipping to dealers nationwide with Texas-themed packaging.

Real Avid announces the Range Ready educational content series presented by champion shooter Doug Koenig, designed to help handgun owners prepare responsibly and build confidence through proper fundamentals, maintenance, and purposeful practice on the Real Avid YouTube channel.

The National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action launched its first national bus tour, the 2026 NRA's Gun Bus Battleground Tour, a two-month campaign across 13 states to energize gun owners ahead of November midterm elections. The tour includes 63 stops and features appearances by pro-Second Amendment candidates, with sponsors including Patriot Mobile, Smith & Wesson, Sig Sauer, and Winchester Ammunition.

EOTECH and parent company American Holoptics are donating over $8 million in pet supplies inventory to Project K-9 Hero, a nonprofit supporting retired Police K-9s and Military Working Dogs. The donation will fund building construction and expansion for the organization's 177-acre rehabilitation and rehoming facility.

Gamo Outdoor USA introduces the Swarm Bone Collector Maxxim SuperMax .22 caliber air rifle in collaboration with Michael Waddell, Travis "T-Bone" Turner, and Nick Mundt of the Bone Collector hunting television series. The rifle features a 10-shot auto-loading magazine system, velocities up to 1,000 fps, and an all-weather synthetic stock.

Hawk reinforces National Tree Stand and Saddle Hunting Safety Awareness Month by introducing new 2026 safety products including the Elevate Pro and Elevate Lite harnesses, Helium Flex Tree Saddle, and Solace Platform, all designed to keep hunters safe and connected during elevated hunts.

MDT has expanded its XTN lineup with the Stalker Core Buttstock, a lightweight minimalist design featuring skeletonized construction and a length of pull as low as 10.43 inches. The company also introduced XTN-XTN and XTN-Picatinny single-hinge folding adapters, along with a Stalker Cheek Riser and LOP spacers for customization, all available August 28, 2026.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will hold a State Parks and Recreation Board meeting on September 22 in Helena to consider the Logan Public Shooting Range Easement Acquisition. The board will vote on acquiring an 86-acre easement from the Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation for a formalized public shooting range near Logan. Public comment is accepted through September 14.

Bass Pro Shops announced plans for a new 100,000-square-foot destination retail location in College Station, Texas, expected to open in 2028. Founded by Johnny Morris, the store will feature immersive outdoor experiences and employ over 125 Outfitters, bringing Bass Pro Shops' Texas locations to 20.

Steiner Optics will exhibit at the 2026 National Tactical Officers Association Conference in Nashville, showcasing professional-grade riflescopes, red dots, and tactical optics including the T1Xi red dot, MPS 2.0 micro pistol sight, and T6Xi tactical riflescope designed for law enforcement professionals.

Iconic Outdoor Group, parent company of Daisy Outdoor Products, Crosman Corporation, GAMO USA, and Benjamin Airguns, will exhibit at the Worldwide Show September 1-3 in Reno, Nevada. The company will showcase air rifles, BB guns, air pistols, and accessories at Booth #461, connecting with NBS member retailers.

AGM Global Vision will exhibit at the Worldwide Buying Group Show September 1–3, 2026, at Booth 517, showcasing thermal imaging, night vision, and digital optics. Nick Noyes, Austin McCord, and Scott Cook will represent AGM for product demonstrations and dealer meetings.

Walther Arms will exhibit at the 2026 Worldwide Fall Show September 1–3 in Reno, Nevada, where independent retailers can meet the team, review the current product lineup, and discuss upcoming products and programs with Walther sales representatives.

Liberty Ammunition, a leading self-defense ammunition manufacturer, will showcase its new Pro Series at the NTOA show in Nashville, TN. CEO Gary Ramey noted the product has already been adopted by several law enforcement departments and will be demonstrated to LE SWAT teams.

Taurus has mostly been known for making handguns, going all the way back to WWII times. During their lifetime of production, the company has produced hundreds of different models, likely totaling in the tens of millions worldwide. All that is to say they aren’t new at manufacturing pistols, but today we are taking a look at one of their newer handguns released last year, the Taurus GX2 pistol, a compact polymer-framed, striker-fired 9mm pistol.

With an MSRP of only $310.99 (you can find them well below that price), the GX2 is certainly affordable for most any aspiring gun owner. But economy isn’t always the most important thing. Value is only advantageous with adequate performance and Taurus’s GX2 has a feature set that matches the appeal of its low price.

Its polymer frame incorporates comfortable angles and tactile textures. Despite its small size, it still packs 13-rounds. Its low-profile sights are matched with their TORO optics cut to accept RMS footprint red dots. For those who desire, there’s also a low-profile frame safety as well as a short length of Pic rail under the muzzle. 

I was unsurprised that the GX2 came in the typical orange Taurus box, with one magazine and the usual safety lock. There’s also a small instruction manual for those who read such things. The first impression was a good one. Taurus has clearly upped their game in recent years, and it shows in the GX2’s design and feel.

The grip feels fantastic…thin where it needs to be and thick where it can be. The texture is great, allowing good purchase with either or both hands. The flat-faced trigger and safety blade meet the pad of your finger nicely, spreading out the pressure as you pull.

The slide was a little stiff, but that’s expected with little 9mm pistols like this. It has both front and rear slide cuts for a good, sure grip. A plain black serrated rear sight makes the white dot front sight pop, as it should. 

The GX2 ships with a plastic optic cut cover like other Taurus pistols. An external extractor is tucked neatly into the slide, and the brushed stainless steel barrel contrasts handsomely against the matte black finish. There’s also a loaded chamber indicator cut into the top.

The GX2 is obviously built for concealed carry. Its subcompact size make it perfect for tucking into your belt (in a good holster, of course). I’m not big on safeties for CCW guns, but the GX2’s is designed the way I would want a safety if I had to have one…easy off and hard to engage. A swift swipe with the thumb puts the pistol into firing mode, while applying the safety requires a focused effort. Enough at least that you won’t be putting it on by accident.

I was eager to get the GX2 on the range, and with a few friends we quickly got comfortable with it. I brought one of my new red dots along to try with the GX2, this one is from Nutrek Optics called the Blade. Its RMS footprint fits perfectly on the GX2 slide with nothing but the included screws. It lined up perfectly with the rear sight and its built-in notch almost felt like it was made for the GX2.

We shot it both indoor and outdoor, with and without the red dot. I also added a Streamlight TLR8 to the GX2. I have been carrying the pistol for several weeks now and have been really happy with its comfortable fit great shooting performance.

Much like my TX22 and TX9, the GX2’s grip feels great. I couldn’t help but think this pistol felt strangely similar to a P365 in both size and handling. I already mentioned the frame safety (which I didn’t use much), but the other controls are worth noting, too. The trigger is a touch stiffer than I’m used to, but thats not a bad thing in a CCW pistol. The break is clean, as is the reset, both offering a firm, audible snap.

The magazine release is easy to find quickly, and not in a way that it’s likely to be pressed accidentally. The slide release is a little bit stiff, but not bad enough to be a big deal. All of the controls are low profile so as not to reduce the likelihood of snagging on clothing or other things.

The GX2 easily chewed through magazine after magazine…and it would have been nice to have another. The magazine looks very similar to the TX9 magazine, just smaller. I really like the loaded chamber indicator, its easily seen even by my aging eyes.

I disassembled the GX2 to see how it ticks and I was surprised to find slide rails that ran 2/3 the length of the frame. That’s a stark difference from most pistols of this type, as they usually have just two small front and rear sections of rail. The GX2 shares many of the design features of the TX9, almost as if the trigger and sear pack can be removed and installed in another frame.

The guts of the GX2 look to be well made with thick slide facets, and robust extractor and ejector. The gun doesn’t feel like it was cheaply designed and made, despite its price tag. Putting your life on the line with a pistol though, takes some time to justify, and this one will get additional testing before I use it in that role.

I found the GX2’s accuracy to be acceptable for its size and price. Shooting targets at typical 7 to 10 yard distances proved to more than adequate to hit what I was aiming at, especially with the Nutrek Blade red dot.

I was very happy with the feel of the GX2 in hand. Even with full-size man hands, the grip isn’t too small and works really well in my wife’s hands. The squared trigger guard and slight undercut both look good and function nicely, giving good space for a weapon light and its controls. Shaved edges on the slide reduce the snag factor, while making the pistol more comfortable to carry.

Taurus firearms are known for their affordability, sometimes to a fault. With the GX2, Taurus has does a great job of improving the quality and the shooting performance in a very affordable carry pistol. With street prices starting around $230, it’s hard to argue against this little gun.

At this point, I probably shouldn’t have been surprised at how much I liked the GX2, considering how much I’ve enjoyed the TX22 and TX9. It’s astonishing that you can make money on guns selling at such an affordable price point, especially guns that I genuinely like. The GX2 is a great value, giving fun and reliable performance while incorporating great features.

Specifications: Taurus GX2 9mm Pistol

– Jeff Wood, Shooting News Weekly