T.REX TALK

Setting up a Drone Department - with Nathan Wood

04 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Commercial drone pilot Nathan Wood stopped by the shop for a conversation describing how he has been able to serve his community and adjacent counties...

True North vs Magnetic North in Communication

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Isaac has a new hairbrained metaphor for talking about communication, moral standards, and community involvement. It involves cardinal directions and ...

The Night Vision Industry - with NocturnalityGear

10 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Scott from Nocturnality Gear is in the shop to talk night vision. We're talking about how he got into using, building, and selling the gear, the ...

The USC's New Firearm Directives for Hollywood

03 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

USC, the world's premiere film school, just released instructions on how to more responsibly show firearms and firearm usage in movies and televi...

Should Communities be Large or Small? Fuzzy or Defined?

29 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We believe there's a clear need to grow the large and fuzzy online "Gun Community" in order to educate and inspire people to take their...

Building Foundations and Frameworks

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We are all familiar with how to identify the building blocks of certain physical skills, but what about other important foundational stuff? Keep in to...

The Bill of Rights and Biblical Rights - with Dr. Kayser

10 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A continuation of the conversation with Dr. Phillip Kayser, a pastor and theologian who has written extensively on the topic of rights, history, and r...

Gun Control is Actually Impossible

04 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There's a lot of big talk about gun control, but as it is generally discussed it is literally impossible, for three main reasons. Firstly, privat...

A Conversation with Terminal Armament

28 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Isaac and Vlad begin discussing the many practical applications of SDR radios and the new ruggedized SDR-STK from Terminal Armament, but they quickly ...

The False Dichotomy of the RESTRICT Act

20 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There is a new piece of legislation that would grant the US government more control over the internet in order to protect us from the Chinese governme...

School Shootings and Political Blackmail

02 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is political blackmail? The aftermath of the Covenant Presbyterian school shooting is still unfolding in Nashville.  Never Pay the DaneGeldKeep ...

How T.Rex Arms Invents New Products

24 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Over the last few years, T.Rex Arms has grown in size, and with that growth has come a need to completely change how we do product development and des...

How Big is Your Community?

15 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

And how small a disaster can you handle? We learned a few lessons about disaster responses over the weekend, and we reveal an ulterior motive behind t...

New Tennessee Gun Bills, Progress, and David Hogg

03 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There a bunch of Firearm Freedom bills being heard in Nashville on March 7th, and we will be there. The process of legislative change is difficult and...

Artificial Intelligence vs. Natural Dumbness

21 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Are AIs getting smarter faster than we are getting dumber? Will they lift us to higher plane of human evolution, or send killer robots to terminate us...

Braces, Balloons, and Gun Rights for All!

14 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's time to revisit the ATF's Brace Ban Rule, now that it has been entered into the Federal Register and is already being challenged in cou...

The Digital Night Vision Review of the SiOnyx Opsin has Arrived!

07 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There is a lot of interest in the new digital night vision device from SiOnyx, and we published a pretty in-depth review on YouTube. Here are some thi...

Book Review: Larry Correia's "Defense of the Second Amendment"

29 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Larry Correia, multiple Award-Winning and frequent New York Times Bestselling author, has just released a new book on gun rights and you should know a...

The ATF's Final Pistol Brace Rule is a Trap

21 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Is it final because it's the last one? SHOT Show was a great place to hear lots of discussion on the most recent egregious ATF rule, one that cla...

What the Gun Industry can Learn from Coca-Cola

08 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Over a year ago, Open Source Defense published an article on Coke, guns, and product value, which was sparked by an old Andy Warhol quote. It was thou...

Manufacturing: The Secret Weapon

30 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Amateurs talk strategy, but professionals talk logistics, according to General Omar Bradley. Manufacturing capability will almost always be the limiti...

Rights and Responsibilities - with Dr. Kayser

24 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today's conversation dives deeply into the question of Rights. We in the 2A community are quick to bring up our rights, to affirm them as pre-exi...

The Time Isaac Provided Legal Testimony in a Gun Case

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It was a long time ago... this morning! Thanks to Gun Owners of America, Isaac was able to be a witness in one of the hearings opposing Ballot Measure...

A Quiet Conversation with Jay of PewScience

08 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today's conversation is with Jay of PewScience! While PewScience has primarily worked to develop rigorous laboratory testing standards for suppre...

The Fallout from the Bruen Decision (so far)

29 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In late June, the Supreme Court handed down the Bruen decision, which has already had a significant impact on firearm laws and freedoms across the cou...

Black Friday Sale Logistics and Thanksgiving

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Take a peek behind the curtain of our Black Friday Preparations, some of the lessons we've learned, logistical hurdles we've had to overcome...

Red vs. Blue: Mid-Term Deathmatch

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Now that it's been a week since the mid-term elections, there's enough data to talk about. However, the big takeaways are more likely lesson...

How Powerful Tools can Cause Complacency

05 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The more powerful a tool or a weapon is, the easier it is for its users to get lazy when using it.  As more and more tools get automatic features, it...

How to Level Up Your Knowledge

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The 21st Century is still the Information Age... but there is so much more information floating around today, and it is so much more accessible, that ...

The Glock AR-15 and the Return of Ryan Busse

15 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

So, a bunch of random internet news about old guns, new guns, gun control, and folks from the old gun industry all coalesced into an article on The Da...

A Discussion with Open Source Defense

08 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A conversation that ranges from how tech companies are able to qrow so quickly, to why social media companies have adopted certain policies, to what w...

Our AR-15 video is Going Viral!

01 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Two weeks ago, we published "Why EVERYONE Needs an AR-15" on Youtube, and it has generated a lot of conversation and commentary. Isaac reads...

American Food Production - Past and Present

25 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After a road trip to the family farm in Iowa, it's time to talk about modern American agriculture, and compare it to the way things used to be. A...

Flintlocks & Old-school Skills w/ Ethan Yazel

16 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A couple of weeks ago, we shot a YouTube video about the history of firearms technology, with the help of Ethan Yazel from ilovemuzzleloading.com. The...

Why You Need More GPS Devices

10 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As we learn more about all the new satellite and internet communications technologies coming in the future, perhaps we should go back to the humble ha...

The All-New T.Rex Ironside Holster!

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We launched a brand-new holster today! Actually, it's a bit of a throw-back to a much earlier T.Rex design, but it's also the result of some...

Death and Taxes

19 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, our Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which will reduce the impact of inflation by hiring $80 billion dollars' worth of new...

State-Level Politics with Grant Henry

13 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With so much attention being focused on Federal laws, the Supreme Court, and the current President's administration, it's easy to forget abo...

Complete Weapon Systems with Henry Chan

04 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Isaac has a long conversation with Henry Chan of 9Hole Reviews about understanding weapon systems as a holistic concept, not just as mere individual c...

HR1808 - Bad Gun Bills Never Die

28 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

HR 1808, also known as the "Assault Weapons Ban of 2021" did not become law in 2021. It probably won't become law in 2022. But it will ...

Putting the "Total" in Totalitarianism

20 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After a heroic Good Samaritan stopped a mass shooter over the weekend, Isaac had some questions. Why are the advocates for big government always so gl...

Common Sense Radio Control

11 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The ongoing demand for gun confiscations, body armor bans, and night vision limits now includes calls for... handheld radio controls! Isaac dissects a...

Your Past and Future Gun Rights ft. Fudd Busters

06 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The SCOTUS ruling on NYSRPA v. Bruen has a lot of implications for the future legal battles surrounding gun rights. This weekend Isaac was able to spe...

The Tree of Liberty

26 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As Independence Day approaches, we reflect on the Tree of Liberty. It's a pretty long metaphorical exploration, but it goes over the different br...

A Conversation with Redbeard Tactical

17 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today, Felix and Sasha stopped by to talk about a whole swath of topics, from the economy of training to the lag in military adaptation, from the cons...

The Five Big Gun Control Myths

07 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ok, so there are LOTS of myths about gun control and gun violence, but here are five that are dominating the current news cycle and undergird a lot of...

Big Lessons from Ukraine

30 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A couple of months ago, we talked about lessons from footage of the first defensive fights in Ukrainian. Today we're talking about some larger le...

Wild Arms R&D and Homebuilt Rocket Launchers

23 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Wild Arms Research and Developmemt has spent the last few years building destructive devices. Specifically, developing recoilless launchers and rocket...

Behind the Scenes Q&A

16 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's been a while since we did a Q&A episode, so Isaac fired up his much-throttled Instagram account for a live conversation with real people...

The Three Worst Gun Control Ideas

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There are a lot of different gun control strategies that have been promoted or attempted over the years. Here are three particularly bad ones, and an ...

Intro to Thermal Devices

27 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The internet is buzzing about thermal devices, mostly because of GarandThumb's urban survival video (youtu.be/rL5wePSjTL8). Isaac explains a few ...

The Importance of Maps

20 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Maps are important. Seems obvious enough. But learning how to read them and use them to do work is the really important part. Current favorite mapping...

The FINAL ATF Rule Change

13 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Well, at least, the final language for the most recent rule change about frames and receivers. Get ready for new rules on braces coming soon!Fudd Bust...

How To Build Political Relationships

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Here at T.Rex Arms we recommend getting involved in local politics. Which leads to the questions "How do I get involved in local politics?" ...

Three Categories of Radio Communication

23 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Due to popular demand, another comms episode! This should be helpful in determining what kinds of capabilities you want to build in one of these three...

The Unpredictable Backlash against Russia

15 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The entire world has now bravely tweeted out Ukranian flag emojis in noble support, and selflessly poured out Russian vodkas in righteous indignation....

Practical Lessons from Ukraine

01 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We are far from having a clear picture of the geopolitical wrangling surrounding the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, and the livestreamed video of the co...

In Memory of P.J. O'Rourke

22 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

P.J. O'Rourke was one of the best journalists of the 20th Century; a master of clear, concise, well-structured communication. What better way to ...

Starting Conversations about the Second Amendment

15 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Over the last couple of years, there have been a record number of guns purchased by the American public, and a shockingly large percentage of those we...

Deplatforming Platforms

08 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This was a big week in the ongoing discussion about the regulation and control of large social media platforms that regularly de-platform their custom...

The Drone Wars (Season Two)

31 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Isaac talks about continuing developments and uses of drones. Specific discussion on the Parrot Anafi drones, and newer Skydio drones, as well as the ...

The State of EmComm Radio in 2022

25 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The number of people building out decentralized radio communication has grown over the last few years, and a lot of lessons have been learned, and a l...

Shot Show 2022 Review

20 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Lucas and Isaac talk about some of the products that have been announced this year at Shot Show, from optics to pistols to rifles and more. There are ...

Ryan Busse's "Gunfight" Book Review

18 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ryan Busse spent 25 years at the Kimber firearm company, climbing his way up through sales to become Vice President of the company. Then, he suddenly ...

The Actual Insurrectionists of January 6th

11 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Last year, on January 6th, a mob of people entered the United States Capitol Building and had the audacity to walk right past countless statues of Ame...

2021 Year in Review - Behind the Scenes

06 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Isaac talks a bit about some of the experiences we had as a company during the year 2021. Video Link: https://youtu.be/Mj964qyzfawStay connected to us...

Welcome to 2022!

03 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Want to find out why Isaac is excited about 2022? Get ready.Show Links:https://opensourcedefense.orghttps://pewscience.comhttps://www.instagram.com/re...

How Do We Build Gun Culture 3.0?

20 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What do our next steps look like? As our community develops, what skills do we need? What tools should be acquiring? What principles do we need to und...

How Lucas Botkin Learned to Shoot

16 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lucas talks about some of the experiences he had as a new shooter. Video Link: https://youtu.be/iiFj_Wa8Wys Stay connected to us here: trex-arms.com/n...

Three Generations of Gun Culture

14 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There's a lot of talk about Gun Culture 1.0 and 2.0, and Isaac lays out some groundwork on these different phases of our 2A community, in prepara...

Black Friday Wrap-Up Q&A

09 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As we wrap up all the orders that came in during Black Friday, Isaac talks about some of our experiences during this year's sale.Video Link: http...

102 - The Good Kind of Dangerous

04 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Edward Durr is being called a dangerous man. Why? Because he, a mere truck driver with a miniscule $3,000 war chest, had the audacity to run for state...

101 - What is the Future of Radio Comms?

02 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What kinds of radio gear should you have to communicate with, and how should you be preparing for the future? Isaac talks SDRs, mesh networks, directi...

100 - The Purpose of Thanksgiving

29 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Not just the holiday, which this podcast is too late for, but also the actual virtue of being a thankful person, and recognizing the blessings that yo...

Black Friday 2021

25 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lucas talks about ways to save money on gear and the upcoming Black Friday at T.REX Arms.Video Link: https://youtu.be/ELtAa5IJoBsStay connected to us ...

Who Was That Masked Man?

21 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The media has predictably freaked out over the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict, calling him a vigilante, a symbol of hate, and worse. Isaac decides to get al...

Shooting Fundamentals I Don't Teach Anymore

18 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lucas talks about some various shooting fundamentals that he used to teach. Video Link: https://youtu.be/UZz4llHPE2QStay connected to us here: trex-ar...

Lessons from Kyle Rittenhouse

13 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Isaac talks about the lessons we can learn from Kyle Rittenhouse, the situation he found himself in, and what it means for our kids.Stay connected wit...

Three Months of Sidecar 2.0

11 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Isaac goes over some of the production details involved with the Sidecar 2.0, various things that we've improved and expanded upon, and a few thi...

The Drone Wars (Season One)

08 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Begun, these Drone Wars have. Isaac gives a super brief overview of unmanned aircraft use, both by big military and small individuals, and some some c...

Navigation and Maps Q&A

04 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Isaac goes over navigation and maps. Devices, how to buy paper maps, drones, ATAK, radios, and more.https://maps.mytopo.com/mytopo/https://caltopo.com...

Building a More Robust Manufacturing Industry

01 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Isaac talks about why the best tools may not always be the best tools.tormach.com/right-to-repairwww.baen.com/1632.htmlKeep in touch with us here: tre...

What Helmet / Night Vision to Get

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lucas talks about Helmets and Night Vision. Video Link: https://youtu.be/ojeaBBX-Juw Stay connected to us here: trex-arms.com/newsletter/ 

Firearms on Film Sets, Cameras on Ranges

25 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For those of you that don't know, Isaac used to work in the film biz, and he breaks down how firearms are treated and should be treated on movie ...

Light/Dark Technical Q&A

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Isaac continues low-light October with a more technical Q&A about night vision, flashlights, and optics, and various other things that you use in ...

How Communities Start

18 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Isaac continues on the long and difficult topic of how to build community. Today's rambly thoughts involve Constantine, Benedict, and Boniface. C...

Rifle Loadouts Under $3,000

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lucas talks about various rifle upgrades and loadouts. Video Link: https://youtu.be/EHcoOiQalIAStay connected to us here: trex-arms.com/subscribe/

3D Printed Firearms and Legacy of JSTARK

11 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We believe that the ability to manufacture your own firearms is as fundamental a right as the ability to own them. Isaac talks a bit about the differe...

Flash Light Night Vision Q&A - Low Light October

07 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's Low-Light October (not to be confused with No-Light November). Lucas answers questions about flash lights and night vision.Video Link: https...

The Backbone of a Community

04 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What are the most non-negotiable, productive, indispensable aspects of a strong community? Can hobby-level pursuits hold people together well enough f...

Rifle Build Q&A with Lucas

30 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lucas answers random questions about rifle builds... mostly ARs, probably. No leaks... probably.Video Link: https://youtu.be/0-NY_tO48-UStay connected...

OpSec and Persec - Privacy and Security

23 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Isaac Botkin fields questions on Operational Security and Personnel Security. He might answer some. He might not. It depends on clearance.Video Link: ...

The Four Types of Propaganda

20 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Isaac breaks down four types of propaganda in history, and why and how to resist it. Stay connected with us here: https://trex-arms.com/subscribe/

Plate Carrier Dos and Don'ts

16 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With the AC-1 finally back in stock, Lucas walks through a bunch of ways to use it, and a few ways not to. This is another one that works better as a ...

Tennessee's Anti-ATF letter to the Governor

09 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Yesterday, 43 members of the Tennessee legislature signed a letter requesting that Governor Bill Lee and Attorney General Herbert Slatery actively res...

The Future of the Fighting Handgun

06 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Isaac rambles about what the next evolution of duty pistols could be. His ideas aren't so much based on any individual pistol technologies, but a...

Militarism in Afghanistan - The Last 100 Years

29 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The United States isn't the first superpower to leave Afghanistan, and it isn't the first to confuse multiple military issues in its decisio...

Budget vs Rich Rifle - Is It Worth It?

26 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There have been a lot of questions after we posted our hour long(!) budget rifle video, and Lucas is going to address some of those now. Original Vide...

The Need for Decentralized Communication

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

After watching various crackdowns on free speech last week, and then seeing serious flooding over the last week, Isaac talks about a bunch of things t...

On the Topic of Force Multipliers

19 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are a lot of factors that will effect capability, and while mission dictates gear, gear helps. Isaac and David have a discussion of some pieces ...