HK SP – Lasting Impressions By Shane Oswald The mark of a good design is often considered to be a recognizable silhouette. This suggests that the unique shapes and angles have become ubiquitous and culturally significant. Often, there will be copies that ride the coattails of the original, trying to share in some of the success. This is no different in the world of firearms. It does not take a gun enthusiast to recognize the outline of a Heckler and Koch MP5. Since its first adoption in 1966, the MP5 has become prolific among police agencies, counter terrorist organizations, and militaries around the world. This gun has redefined the role of the submachine gun and earned its place as a cultural icon. Almost 60 years after entering the market, it is still considered the gold standard in its industry due to its exceptional accuracy and minimal recoil impulse. Today, it is available for the civilian population in the form of the SP5, a faithful semi-auto clone being produced by H&K themselves. The MP5 would truly come into the spotlight in 1980 when it was used to great effect during the siege of the Iranian Embassy. After the hostile takeover and execution of one hostage, the British Special Air Service would be called into action. Famous pictures would emerge of SAS operators repelling down into windows, MP5 in one hand. Equipped with early weapon mounted lights and lasers, the SAS would successfully save twenty-four out of the remaining twenty-five hostages. In only seventeen minutes, the team managed to capture one Iranian gunman and eliminate the other five. This impressive show of force was deemed Operation Nimrod, and it would bring both the SAS and the [...]

Laugo Alien – A Firsthand Look By Shane Oswald The first thing you may notice about the Laugo Alien is the eye-catching gold accents of the Creator Series. For others, it’s the space-age contours and geometry—seemingly pulled straight from a sci-fi movie. But the unconventional shapes of this firearm are not just for show. Without experiencing it firsthand, it’s impossible to fully describe how naturally this gun fits in your hand. Like stepping into a high-end sports car, the Alien makes nearly every other handgun feel clunky and unrefined. The moment you pick it up, you’ll realize there’s something different going on. The web of your hand settles surprisingly high on the backstrap, and only a small portion of the slide rests over your firing grip. With a high-index grip, the barrel aligns with your pointer finger—almost like an extension of your body. With the Laugo Alien, low profile is an understatement, and muzzle flip becomes a thing of the past. Through incredible feats of engineering, this gun channels recoil straight back into your hand, helping you stay on target and enabling faster, more accurate follow-up shots. There’s no need to reacquire your sights after each round—because with the Alien, you never lose them. What Makes It Different You may be wondering what makes this gun unique under the hood and what truly sets it apart from the sea of modern handguns. Most pistols today rely on a short-recoil, tilting-barrel system—first introduced over a century ago by John Moses Browning. It’s simple, reliable, and accurate enough for most shooters. But for the designers at Laugo, “good enough” wasn’t good enough. To extract the maximum possible performance from the platform, they turned to a rare [...]