Newsletter 4-22-25

Good morning, friends. It’s Tuesday, April 22nd, and today’s issue will neither mention the Pope nor Kanye West. Instead:

🧱 Springfield launches the Kuna
Crafted in Croatia, this roller-delayed 9mm pistol brings modern touches—ambidextrous controls, M-LOK, and translucent mags.

🔫 SCOTUS hands young Americans a quiet Second Amendment win
By refusing to hear a case out of Minnesota, the high court leaves in place a ruling that adults under 21 can carry concealed.

🧼 ATF scrubs its ranks again
Megan Bennett is out. Another senior anti-gun bureaucrat bites the dust as the ATF continues its post-Biden course correction.

🔥 Mossberg drops a new semi-auto 12-gauge for tactical shooters
The 990 Aftershock debuts with premium features, optional Crimson Trace laser, and 14.75" or 18.5" barrels.

⚔️ Captain Parker’s fowler gets the spotlight 250 years later
The historic flintlock used in the Battle of Lexington is still intact—and still telling a story.

Also this week:

• 📲 Pentagon meltdown over alleged Signal leaks; Hegseth under fire
• 🧠 Google’s $32B Wiz deal gives Israeli intel veterans back-end access
• 📦 DHL halts high-value international deliveries amid customs chaos
• 🪙 Texas A&M wins SIG Sauer’s elite marksmanship challenge
• 🌐 Klaus Schwab exits Davos, leaving WEF leadership suddenly unclear

Let’s get into it.

Mark Granza: No Honor Among Mutuals

IM—1776's Mark Granza published a good article this week about online confrontations and the ways traditional masculinity is eroded in spaces where men can't punch each other in the nose. Check it out here.

John Saughter: Crimson Veil

Whether you are a fiction reader or just someone who likes to support /ourguys/ when they publish books, consider picking up John Slaughter's Crimson Veil. If you'd like to learn more, J. Burden recently hosted a podcast episode with Slaughter to discuss the book, which is available to listen to on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts.

First Look: Springfield Armory Kuna

In Short: Springfield Armory has unveiled the Kuna, a modern roller-delayed 9mm pistol crafted by HS Produkt of Croatia, featuring a 6-inch cold hammer forged barrel, M-LOK slots, a reversible charging handle, ambidextrous controls, and a translucent 30-round magazine, offering a contemporary alternative to the classic MP5 with an MSRP starting at $999.

• Equipped with a 1/2×28 threaded barrel with a multi-port brake, monolithic aluminum upper with M-LOK slots, and adjustable flip-up hybrid sights.
• Proprietary 30-round translucent polymer magazines with metal feed lips are available for $25 each.
• Available now with an MSRP of $999 without a brace and $1,149 with a brace.

Jump to Source: First Look: Springfield Armory Kuna

Supreme Court Leaves Pro-Second Amendment Win for Young Adults in Place

In Short: The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a lower court decision striking down Minnesota's ban on concealed carry permits for adults under 21, leaving the ruling in place and marking a significant win for Second Amendment advocates.

In other words, if you’re old enough to vote, serve in the military, and sign contracts, you’re old enough to carry a gun.

• The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals found the age-based restriction unconstitutional, asserting that the Second Amendment does not exclude law-abiding adults under 21.
• The lawsuit, Worth v. Jacobson, was initiated by young adults and gun rights organizations like the Second Amendment Foundation and the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus.
• Despite differing rulings from other federal courts, the Supreme Court offered no explanation and recorded no dissents in choosing not to take up the case.
• This decision allows young adults in Minnesota to obtain carry permits and signals a broader trend against age-based limitations on the right to bear arms.

Jump to Source: Supreme Court Leaves Pro-Second Amendment Win for Young Adults in Place

Mossberg Releases 990 Aftershock Semi-Auto Firearm

In Short: Mossberg has announced the launch of the 990 Aftershock, a 12-gauge semi-automatic firearm with features like a durable gas-operating system, corrosion-resistant coatings, an ergonomic grip, optional Crimson Trace Lasersaddle, and additional enhancements for improved tactical performance.

• Pricing for the 990 Aftershock ranges from $1120.00 to $1302.00.
• Available barrel lengths are 14.75-inch or 18.5-inch, with a Crimson Trace Lasersaddle option on the 14.75-inch version.
• Equipped with a 5+1 capacity for 2.75-inch shotshells and a high-quality LPA front fiber optic sight.

Jump to Source: Mossberg Releases 990 Aftershock Semi-Auto Firearm

Another ATF Bureaucrat Removed From Office

In Short: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) continues to overhaul its ranks with the removal of Assistant Director Megan Bennett amidst ongoing controversies, including her advocacy for rules such as reclassifying pistols with braces and the enforced serialization of AR-15 lowers, signaling a shift towards a less 2A-hostile administration.

• Megan Bennett, Assistant Director at the ATF's Office of Enforcement Programs and Services, has been forced to retire.
• Bennett's support for contentious regulations, such as the pistol brace rule, faced legal challenges and multiple injunctions, halting enforcement of these rules.
• Recently, the ATF has been removing anti-gun advocates, including Chief Legal Counsel Pam Hicks and Deputy Director Marvin Richardson, signifying a potential shift in the agency's approach to Second Amendment rights.
• New appointees like Robert Leider and Robert Cekada aim to improve the ATF's relationship with the gun community.

Jump to Source: Another ATF Bureaucrat Removed From Office

Captain John Parker's Fowler: Witness to History

In Short: Apropos of Saturday's 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, American Rifleman has a good write-up and image gallery about Captain John Parker's flintlock fowler. Carried during the opening clash of the American Revolution at Lexington Green, the firearm survives as a tangible symbol of his leadership and the fight for independence, and is now preserved and displayed at the Massachusetts State House.

• Parker, born July 13, 1729, in Lexington, led 80 militiamen against British troops at the start of the Revolutionary War.
• The .62-cal. fowler features English and French design elements, was altered to percussion in the 19th century, and later reconverted to flintlock to reflect its original state during the battle.
• Recent archaeological digs near Battle Road uncovered musket balls that may have been fired from Parker’s gun during "Parker’s Revenge" as British troops retreated from Concord.
• Parker died of tuberculosis on September 17, 1775, and both his fowler and a captured Brown Bess musket were donated to the State House by his grandson Theodore Parker in 1861; the guns are now displayed in the Massachusetts Senate Reading Room.

Jump to Source: Captain John Parker's Fowler: Witness to History

Texas A&M University Wins SIG SAUER Relentless Warrior Championship Title

In Short: Texas A&M University claimed victory at the 2025 SIG SAUER Relentless Warrior Championship, outperforming top military academies in a rigorous marksmanship and leadership competition hosted by the SIG SAUER Academy.

• The event, held at the SIG SAUER Academy in Epping, New Hampshire, featured a record 126 competitors from ten military academies and institutions over two days of intense challenges in various weather conditions.
• Texas A&M dominated in both team and individual categories, with Shiloh Lewis named Top Gun Overall Champion, followed by teammates Thomas Nunnally (2nd place) and Parker Pugno (5th place).
• The competition consisted of six mission-focused stages designed to test marksmanship, teamwork, and leadership, key skills for future military leaders.

Jump to Source: Texas A&M University Wins SIG SAUER Relentless Warrior Championship Title

White House Plagued by Signal Controversy as Pentagon in “full-Blown Meltdown”

In Short: Legacy media outlets are reporting that SECDEF Pete Hegseth faces potential replacement amid a national security scandal involving the unauthorized sharing of classified military plans via Signal, reportedly triggering internal turmoil at the Pentagon and calls for accountability.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the reports of Hegseth's pending replacement as "fake news," while President Trump publicly defended Hegseth, stating he is "doing a great job."

It's not clear what exactly Hegseth did wrong (if anything) but there are rumblings around the timeline that his opposition to backing a kinetic move against Iran has drawn the ire of the Old Order of media.

I'm not sure if Hegseth actually shared anything sensitive, but I do know that he's made a number of good moves so far in terms of DOD policy changes. And without access to any real facts, it's an easy choice between backing a jock that pisses off Elizabeth Warren or believing the 'anonymous sources' at NPR and Politico.

Jump to Source: White House Plagued by Signal Controversy as Pentagon in “full-Blown Meltdown”

Wiz Acquisition Puts Israeli Intelligence in Charge of Your Google Data

In Short: Google's acquisition of Wiz, a cybersecurity firm founded and staffed by Israeli military intelligence veterans, raises serious concerns about global user data privacy and Google's deepening ties with an organization known for surveillance, espionage, and coercive tactics.

Google is acquiring the Israeli-American cloud security firm for $32 billion—a staggering 65 times Wiz’s annual revenue—raising concerns about the motives and implications of the deal.

• Wiz was founded by veterans of Israel's elite cyber-intelligence Unit 8200, an organization long linked to mass surveillance, international cyber-espionage, and controversial AI-driven operations in Palestine and beyond.
• Critics warn that entrusting a company so closely tied to Israeli intelligence with Google's cloud security could put billions of users' private data at risk, especially for those critical of Israeli policies.
• Former Unit 8200 members are widely employed in top tech firms, including Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, and even U.S. news outlets, highlighting deep penetration of Israeli intelligence veterans in global information ecosystems.
• The acquisition represents a major financial injection into Israel’s economy—equivalent to 0.6% of its GDP—and could help the country extend its wartime footing by easing deficit pressures.

Jump to Source: Wiz Acquisition Puts Israeli Intelligence in Charge of Your Google Data

DHL Halts International Deliveries to US Consumers Worth Over $800

In Short: DHL is temporarily halting shipments to U.S. consumers valued over $800 due to new customs regulations and increased paperwork caused by recent tariff changes.

This move follows recent U.S. Customs regulation changes lowering the threshold for formal customs entry from $2,500 to $800, leading to a surge in paperwork and delays.

• Companies like Shein and Temu, which rely heavily on direct-to-consumer shipping from China, are particularly affected by the new tariffs and customs requirements.
• DHL stated that it is working around the clock to scale operations, but shipments over $800 may still face multi-day delays regardless of origin.

Jump to Source: DHL Halts International Deliveries to US Consumers Worth Over $800

Founder of Elite Davos Gatherings Quits as Chair of World Economic Forum

In Short: Klaus Schwab, the founder of the World Economic Forum and architect of its influential Davos meetings, has stepped down as chair with immediate effect and without explanation.

He did not provide a reason for stepping down from the role.

Jump to Source: Founder of Elite Davos Gatherings Quits as Chair of World Economic Forum

Northrop Grumman Details What Was Destroyed in Facility Building Explosion

In Short: An explosion at a Northrop Grumman facility in northern Utah destroyed a building used for producing a rocket propellant ingredient, but no injuries occurred and the incident will not impact the company's operations or programs.

• The facility, which spans 20,000 acres and contains over 800 buildings, experienced a blast that was strong enough to shake nearby homes.
• Northrop Grumman emphasized employee safety and confirmed that existing safety protocols effectively protected personnel during the explosion.

Jump to Source: Northrop Grumman Details What Was Destroyed in Facility Building Explosion