Larry Vickers

Mid-length tends to be more forgiving than carbine-length but reguardless of length if the rifle is undergassed the bolt may not provide enough force to reliably reset the trigger. Also, overgassing can still happen (common complaint with FRTs in general), leading to erratic behavior — but mid-length makes it easier to mitigate with an adjustable gas block or heavier buffer.

@LarryVickers @firearmsfriday Larry do you have an opinion on the effectiveness of the forced reset for mid length gas rifles?

If you’ve followed my work over the years, you know I’ve got a deep respect for tools that are built right. Checkout my new article on @firearmsfriday where shine the spotlight on one of the true icons in the knife world: the late Jimmy Lile and the current Lile Model FB series that carries his name forward. Feel free to post a pic of your favorite knife. firearmsfriday.com/accessories/th…

Hey folks, yesterday I was a guest on Tom Gresham's @guntalkmedia Show. We discussed terrorists in the U.S. and other threats and how to prepare for these threats. Check it out at the link below and share how you stay prepared for threats. #spreaker spreaker.com/episode/domest…

Here’s the latest Staccato hotness - the C4X - a compact double stack 2011 style pistol that is compensated and uses @GLOCKInc 19 mags- which is very much a good thing !! This was a big splash for @staccato2011 at @nssfshotshows and the momentum hasnt slowed down yet. As you would expect it is optic ready and being compensated there is a few things to keep in mind/be aware of; compensated pistols have come a long way in terms of reliability but in my opinion the non compensated pistol still has a reliability edge. They generally run lighter recoil springs which means they are more sensitive to dirt and fouling - keeping them clean and lubricated is even more critical than with a non compensated gun. Also for a defensive pistol the blast from the compensator can be a factor when shooting the gun from the ‘ retention’ position ( elbow/forearm tucked in tightly to shooters side while firing. This is used in extreme close quarters when full pistol presentation is not possible). Another factor is muzzle flash - the defensive ammo used must be low flash or it can be blinding when fired at night. All these apply to any compensated pistol not just the C4X. Of course the benefit you get is a noticeably softer shooting handgun. This is a great addition to the new line of Staccato pistols that use Glock mags - I would expect more 2011 style pistols from Staccato that have the same feature. Overall I think the gun will be a winner- I’m interested to hear what you guys think?

Fantastic news!! My good friend Ryan Wilson is back in charge at @WilsonCombat and he asked me if he could put all the Vickers items back in the website to sell - my answer of course was absolutely!! I’m excited to say they are all listed now - 91 different parts to be exact - and ready to ship - these 3 pics are just a few items from Wilson Combat is offering - Vickers Glock parts from Tangodown are available as well as my sling from Blue Force Gear. Check it out when you can - just put ‘Vickers’ in the search bar and all 91 parts will come up !! I want to thank Ryan for making this happen and all the supporters that asked for the Wilson parts to be brought back to market!!

@NoNarrativeNews Ouch 🤣🤣

@LarryVickers My single point rox my nuts regularly. I tried to love it. I cannot.

As a guy who's spent a lot of time running carbines and teaching folks how not to screw up with them, I keep it simple: your sling matters more than most people think. Single-point slings? They look tactical until you're moving hard—then they're dangling like a dead cocker spaniel, hanging up on gear, and smacking muzzles into the dirt when you drop a knee. Three-point? Even worse—interferes with controls, ejection, and your kit. Lame beyond belief once you're geared up. The real winner? A proper quick-adjust two-point sling. Easy transitions, no hang-ups, proven in the fight for nearly 20 years. In my obviously biased opinion, the best design out there is still the Vickers Tactical Combat Applications Sling (VCAS) I developed with the team at Blue Force Gear. Wider padded strap for heavier rifles, solid hardware, Cobra quick-release options, SAW/M240 variants, and even the evolution to the M7 NGSW sling for the new SIG stuff. Check out the full rundown on why quick-adjust two-points dominate carbine work—and why the others fall short—in this older but updated for 2026 piece over at @firearmsfriday If you're running a carbine seriously, do yourself a favor and try one. If not mine, then another good quick-adjust design. But yeah... you'll probably end up agreeing it's the way to go. Use code LAV20 for 20% off your VCAS if you're grabbing one. #LarryVickers #VickersSling #CarbineLife #BlueForceGear #FirearmsFriday firearmsfriday.com/lifestyle/carb…

Without a doubt the proudest success I’ve ever had in the firearms industry was helping create the HK 416. After extensive testing and development the very first weapons off the assembly line at HK in Germany went straight to Delta Force - after that it was adopted and used by the rest of JSOC including Seal Team Six. It went on to serve during the majority of the GWOT with Tier One SOF and has been widely adopted elsewhere most notably with the US Marine Corps. The @HecklerAndKoch 416 was only recently replaced in Delta service after 20 years of use with that Elite Unit. I’m am honored and humbled to have been part of such a successful weapon. If you have them feel free to post your pics of this historic HK firearm.

Throwback Thursday: Flashback to the HK45 story straight from the source. Ken Hackathorn and I sat down years ago to break down how this pistol came to be—our input on ergonomics, why it beats a custom 1911 for real-world duty, and the rapid prototyping in Germany that made it happen. Still one of the most reliable .45s out there. Read the full interview here: pistol-training.com/articles/hk45-… #tbt #hk45 #ThrowbackThursday #lavickers

They encourage you to order from a dealer (I recommend Gary Clinton of Clinton Knives) and the wait from the dealer for a custom order is approximately 13-14 months!! In order to beat the wait you generally have to go online and search for a Randall close to what you want and buy it at a premium price. For those interested in that route eBay is probably your best option. As my buddy Ken Hackathorn says all true American patriots should own a 1911 the same could be said about a Randall knife. A unique piece of American history.

I was set!! From that day I've been a Randall knife fan-especially when I found out about their history with the US military from WWII until today. Somewhere as this is being written a USGI is carrying a Randall on his kit in harms way. That to me speaks volumes about the quality of the knives themselves. Randall's are now more popular than ever before - the waiting list if you order directly from Randall is over 7 years !!!

This is a Randall model number 1 with a 7" carbon steel blade. Essentially in the same configuration as I bought myself during the Special Forces Qualification Course back in 1982. At that time it was said you weren't a true Green Beret until you had a Randall knife, Rolex, Star sapphire ring, and divorce papers in your pocket.

@GunShorts @YouTube Thanks for sharing 👍🏼

@LarryVickers An unboxing of the Randall Model 13. A 6 year journey. youtu.be/30zwTZT0WIk?si… via @YouTube

Awhile ago myself and my buddy Rob Schoening did a project where we took carbon steel blade Randall model 14’s and 18’s and gave them a matte black finish. We parkerized the blade and tang and they were called the VST series - both of our last names and the word ‘tactical’ at the end. They were a big success and we had great feedback from customers who received their knives. Fast forward to today and I’m looking to buy one for a very special person for an upcoming special occasion. I can’t say what it is on here as that will ruin the surprise because they follow my social media. If anyone has one they can part with I’d greatly appreciate it if you would allow me to procure it. The knife would then be sent to a third party for safekeeping. If anyone has one please reach out to me here or via my email larry@LAVickers.com. I’ll then pass on my cell phone number so we can discuss details. Thanks in advance guys - I really appreciate it!

Both of these are pipe dreams but the S&W really is - I don't think S&W today is truly capable of making such a pistol. FN on the other hand is fully capable of making the FAL again albeit at a serious price point (my call is it would be a $4000 + rifle). So that's my picks guys let's hear yours!

My handgun pick is a faithful new production of the pre war S&W registered magnum - made to pre war standards.

Ok here's the question; if you had to pick a long gun and a handgun that are no longer made that you would like to see brought back to the market what would they be?

@ShawnRyan762 @ShawnRyanShow Thankful to be a small part of your show. You’re making a difference.

The Shawn Ryan Show just surpassed 2 billion views on YouTube. In August 2025 we announced hitting 1 billion, and 6 months later we surpassed another billion. Just to put that in perspective. 2,000,000,000 “seats” would fill roughly 28,500 stadiums at 70,000 people each. If 1 view = 1 second, that’s 63+ years straight without stopping. If each view were a person standing shoulder-to-shoulder (about 20 inches each), that line would wrap around Earth roughly 25 times. I can’t thank our audience and all viewers around the world who have contributed in any way. I’m honored. We have some powerful episodes in the works, and I hope we can all come together to create meaningful change and protect our children. @ShawnRyanShow