The Wilderness™ - Wilderness Tactical Products, LLC

Louder Than Words is much more than just a custom gunsmithing forum with a lot of great artisans. LTW is a non-profit site who's goal is to financially aid worthy charities, foster a sense of camaraderie and philanthropy in the shooting community and further the art and craft of custom gunsmithing. Top gun and leathersmiths, combining their signature efforts, create one-of-a-kind gun packages to be auctioned for charity. Their actions truly do speak louder than words. It's great to see shooters giving back to the community and building goodwill.

Custom gunsmiths extraordinaire, Ted Yost and Lew Bonitz are considered to be some of the best in their field. Ted, long associated with the Gunsite Gunsmithy, specializes in 1911s and Hi-Powers. Lew builds tack-driving rifles that are as attractive as they are functional, including some true-to-spec Scouts. If you want fast and cheap you may look elsewhere. They are methodical, backlogged and worth every penny.

With rights come responsibilities, and as gunowners we should all know both. For years Alan Korwin has published numerous books on state and federal gun laws. He has also been a strong local voice in Arizona for gunowners, working with the NRA and the media.

Ned Christiansen is not your typical gunsmith, as the pictures of his work testify. His projects display as much art as utility. They are unique and may not be for everyone, but if you're after something exceptional and one-of-a-kind you can do no better. Ned also make several tactical products for operators, instructors and armorers. Most noteworthy is his MOACKS carrier key staker for AR-15 rifles, which fills a surprising gap left by many makers who do not correctly stake these vital retaining bolts. He also makes a mini version and has a portable .223-to-5.56 neck and throat reamer, again solving a problem created by the industry manufacturing many out-of-spec rifles.

Makers of the legendary Smith/Sommers Vortex flash suppressor and Smith compensator, as well as hard-chromed AR-15 bolts and carriers, armorers tools, M-14/M1A scope mounts and parts, rings, national match sights, and even cowboy action shooting gunsmithing. Fun people making great products.

Producers of improved iron sight/corrective lens systems for competition and tactical rifle use. An amazing product if your eyes require correction or if that front sight just isn't as sharp as it used to be. Various colored filters are also available to increase definition and contrast under varying conditions.

Owner Robert Humelbaugh is a maker of innovative field and concealment carry systems for edged tools and weapons, survival kits and other survival-oriented accessories. He specializes in making hard-to-find tomahawk rigs that bring these ancient tools into the 21st century.

The company's guiding philsophy is that survival is an instinct; preparedness is a lifestyle. If you aren't prepared today, you will be less prepared tomorrow. Survival Sheath Systems, like The Wilderness, can help you get started now.

One of the most professional, informative, and certainly best mannered, discussion forums we've seen. Covering everything from 1911s, Glocks and Hi-Powers, to Rolexes and Porches -- and much more!

Gosh, do we need to elaborate? Great forums on all things 1911 Government Model related.

A great Web source for AR information and discussion.

Who says we don't have a sense of humor? Tactical folders suddenly seem kind of weenie.

F.R.I. offers tactical training in the Pennsylvania area and a Web guide to helping women choose defensive firearms and training.

"The only no-compromise gun lobby in Washington."

-Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX)

Ron, a champion match pistol shooter, is a collector and seller of historic arms an armor, as well as other antiquities, art and the most impressive array of fossils we've seen outside of a museum. He specializes in swords, cannons (yes -- real, old cannons) and Gatling guns, and handles both originals and museum-quality reproductions. It's not everyday you can buy a 17th century Spanish rapier or a fossilized 10-million-year-old Megalodon shark tooth just because you feel like it. Ron gives you the chance.

The Megalodon teeth are really cool.

Famous for setting up shop in Colt's original facility and turning out very accurate replicas of Colt's SAA Frontier model, USFA has grown by leaps and bounds. They continue their mission of manufacturing the most historically accurate and interesting cowboy guns in the industry. Samuel Colt would be proud of their custom shop! Made in America. Click here to see their outstanding website which we encourage you to explore.

If you had told us a few years ago that we would ever even consider putting one of those gimmicky Terminator laser thingys on our pistols we'd have said you were crazy. Well, technology and tactics evolved and today quality lasers with proper training are making surprising inroads with many instructors and operators. You can still do stupid things with lasers, but you can also do stupid things with guns in general. As a training tool for movement and trigger drills the CTC Lasergrips excel, and as an auxilliary sighting system they have some surprising advantages. We strongly recommend re-examining what they have to offer in light of the better hardware and better training now available. We find their excellent LG-405 grip for the J-frame to be a very sensible auxilliary sight to these little backup guns.

Also, check out their remarkable Blind and Disabled Hunter Program which would not be possible except for the unique benefits of their products.

George “mercop” Matheis has over a decade of experience in civilian and military law enforcement. He currently serves with an agency in Maryland and is assigned to uniformed criminal patrol and SWAT. His Modern Combative System is dedicated to providing realistic and common sense products, information and training to citizens, law enforcement and military personel.

George’s core art is Yoshin Ryu Ju Jitsu and his main area of expertise and study is combat with the open hand, stick, knife and gun. George believes that all martial training should be compatible with the human response to stress and be based on common principles instead of individual techniques. George conducts a wide variety of classes covering topics from pocket pistol combatives to edged weapons, vehicle defense to small stick fighting.

Michael Bane, the wry and outspoken host of The Shooting Gallery on The Outdoor Channel, has been a great friend and proponent of The Wilderness for several years. Michael's resumé reads like an adventure novel and he is truly as entertaining and energetic in person as he appears on television. A tremendous and unapologetic supporter of Second Amendment rights to self defense, he has never been shy about presenting tactical segments on his show side-by-side with sporting segments. Check out his blog for a daily dose of humor and insight. His podcast can also be found through iTunes or at Downrange TV

Phoenix-based Secure Defense provides Arizona DPS-certified concealed weapon permit training, as well as instruction in home defense. Instructors Allen Nichols and Jim Schamadan teach individuals and groups.

Do we really need to encourage you to join at this point? The N.R.A. has been teaching responsible use of firearms for sport and defense since 1871 to civilians, police and military personnel. It is the single most important lobbying body trying to protect your right to defend yourself today and tomorrow. Join the 4 million other gun owners who help preserve your most basic of civil rights at a grass-roots level.

Our friend and consultant Giles Stock is one of the most respected tactical carbine instructors in the field. In addition to being one of the developers of our Giles Tactical Sling and Single-Point Sling system, his long experience includes being an orange Gunsite instructor and Phoenix SAU (SWAT) instructor and armorer. Giles still teaches at Gunsite and currently heads the Hornady Academy for law enforcement officers.

Instructor Pat Rogers Is a retired Chief Warrant Officer of Marines and retired NYPD Sergeant with a wide and varied background in the CT community. Specializing in combative use of the carbine, Pat is a dynamic teacher who never loses sight of the goal – to win in battle. He stresses that his classes are not marksmanship instruction, but fighting instruction.

Instructor Bill Jeans was the Operations Manager and Chief Rangemaster for Gunsite Training Center for 7 years. He currently serves in the tactical operations unit with the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office and teaches numerous tactical weapons classes. We recommend him highly.

The goal of the 10-8 Forum is to raise the bar on tactical forums by using a higher level of quality control to discourage the misconduct so often seen. Professional moderators maintain a level of professionalism and good data exchange not often seen on the Internet. Members are required to use their own name, meaning you have to stand behind what you say. Founded by law enforcement and training professionals Hilton Yam, Tim Lau and Ben Lennet, the forums have proven to be a rich source of sensible knowledge with a minimum of the b.s. often associated with online discussions. The training side is 10-8 Consulting, while the retail is 10-8 Performance specializing in their own high-grade weapon components.

GOTAKEAHIKE.COM

Our friend and consultant Ryan Cleckner, formerly 1/75 Ranger Battalion with service in Afghanistan, now runs custom adventure trips throughout Arizona. His stated goal is to motivate us to get outdoors. Other courses include rock climbing, land navigation and backpacking – and they all earn college credit! Ryan's enthusiasm and knowledge make his classes well worthwhile.

Respected instructor Steve Tarani's training organization offers a wide variety of instructional programs to law enforcement, military and civilian personnel. Curriculum includes classes covering weapon retention, pistol, Karambit and other edged weapons, and much more.

Our favorite: Flexible Weapons with instructors Ben Salas and Stephen Grosch, which makes extensive use of our Frequent Flyer belt.

As a sidenote, Stephen Grosch has proven the wicked value of the Indonesian karambit knife to us with his trusty aluminum training version (used in training with lightning speed upon our, uh …nether regions). While we tend to disregard the flamboyant spins sometimes seen with these, they are a devastating option in the world of defensive knives. Find Steve Tarani's designs and training materials here at Karambit.com.

IPSC World Champion and Team Glock spearhead Dave Sevigny has proven how competitive Glocks can be in the right hands -- and his certainly are! While we can't say that our Instructor Belt was his deciding edge in winning the title (perhaps it actually was his lightning-fast talent), we'd like to think it helped.