TFB Behind the Gun Podcast

Russell Phagan, founder and match director of Firearms Action Shooting Trials (FAST), returns to the show following FAST Idaho, held October 9-11 at the Parma Rod and Gun Club and presented by XTech Tactical. A veteran competitive shooter and one of the minds behind InRangeTV's Brutality match series, Russell built FAST around long par times, hard targets, and enough physical demand to put real stress on the shooter. FAST Idaho also marked the debut of the series' Auto-Rifle division, open to registered machine guns and FRT-equipped rifles. Russell breaks down his match philosophy, his approach to stage design, how competitors should think about equipment selection, and everything else on the table at a FAST match. Learn more: FAST Matches: https://www.fast-matches.org KE Arms: https://www.kearms.com XTech Tactical: https://www.xtechtactical.com Red Right Hand: https://redrighthandllc.com  

Cameron Tapler, Director of Branding and Product Management at Palmetto State Armory, joins TFB Behind the Gun for a look inside one of the busiest companies in the firearms industry. Cameron began his PSA career as a manufacturing compliance manager, moved into a corporate role overseeing compliance across the company's FFLs, and now works where branding and product development meet. We talk about his path through the company, how PSA has grown since its 2008 founding in South Carolina into a manufacturer with a catalog spanning ARs, AKs, and well beyond, and what it takes to move a new design from concept to production. Follow Palmetto State Armory: Website: https://palmettostatearmory.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PalmettoStateArmoryVideos Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palmettostatearmoryofficial X: https://x.com/palmettoarmory  

In this episode of TFB Behind the Gun, Owen Miller, Vice President of the American Suppressor Association, joins the show to break down the August 2026 ruling in Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF. After the One Big Beautiful Bill Act dropped the NFA tax on suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns to $0, the court held that the registration system built to collect that tax no longer had a constitutional basis. Owen explains who the injunction covers and who it doesn't, why machine guns and state suppressor bans are untouched, what the DOJ's decision not to appeal means for the case, and how gun owners, manufacturers, and FFLs should approach transfers while ATF guidance is still pending.   Follow the American Suppressor Association: Website: https://suppressor.org Join the ASA: https://americansuppressorassociation.com/join-now Texas NFA case page: https://suppressor.org/litigation/texas-nfa X: https://x.com/AmSuppressor  

Jacob Albaugh and Mike Herne of TENET join Luke to talk about building hunting suppressors that cut recoil without the weight and length penalty of a traditional brake-and-can setup. Jacob explains how a former ATV racer trying to tame a punishing rifle ended up producing 3D printed Grade 5 titanium suppressors in Dayton, Ohio, and why additive manufacturing lets TENET build internal geometry a CNC machine can't cut. The guys cover the recoil-first Limited series, the HORIZON 1-port and 2-port brakes and how to time them, the Outdoor Life test that put TENET's Reserve prototype on the map, and the quiet-first VESPER series that grew out of it. Follow TENET: Website: https://www.tenet.inc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tenetinc/

Tom Willingham, founder and CEO of Range USA, joins TFB's Behind the Gun to talk about how a career in commercial real estate turned into building the largest indoor gun range and firearms retail chain in the country. Tom opened the first location in Blue Ash, Ohio in 2012 at age 51, after a bad first experience at a gun shop convinced him the industry needed a more welcoming, mainstream retail approach. We trace that growth from a single Cincinnati-area store to 51 locations across 14 states, including the company's newest opening in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, and talk about what staying rooted in Ohio still means for Range USA's culture as it keeps expanding nationwide. Follow Range USA: Online Store Instagram Monroeville location