SHOT Show 2026 Recap
SHOT Show 2026 was our first time attending, and it delivered exactly what everyone warned us about. It was overwhelming, exciting, exhausting, and absolutely worth it. We handled hundreds of guns, saw 2011s and suppressors everywhere, and quickly realized that the gap between a $500 and $1000 gun is smaller than most people think. The…
January 29, 2026
SHOT Show 2026 Recap
Buying Used Guns: Smart, Common, and
Buying a used firearm is extremely common. It happens every single day and for good reason. Used guns can offer fantastic value, access to discontinued models, and sometimes upgrades that would cost extra if bought new. In many cases, you are getting a firearm that has already been broken in and proven itself.Think of it…
Blackbox Ballistics 2025 Year in Review:
As the year wraps up and we all start pretending we are not already thinking about next year’s gear, we wanted to take a minute and look back at what this year meant for us at Blackbox Ballistics. This year was a big one! We grew from an idea into something real. A place where…
SAR9 Gen1 Full Size Review: An
The SAR9 Gen1 Full Size surprised me in the best way. Comfortable in the hand, easy to shoot, and built with military testing in mind, it is a solid duty style pistol that does not get nearly enough attention.
December 16, 2025
SAR9 Gen1 Full Size Review: An Underrated Duty Pistol
Should you buy a suppressor now
With the $200 suppressor tax stamp going away on January 1st, 2026, gun owners are wondering...should you buy now or wait? We break down all three options: filing today and eating the tax, buying now and letting your FFL hold the paperwork until January, or waiting until the new year to start fresh. Each has…
Why Outdoor Ranges Keep Me Coming
The range is always a serious place when the line is hot, eyes forward, ears covered, and everyone focused. But it’s the moments during cease fire that keep me coming back. That’s when the conversations start, the smiles show up, and sometimes strangers turn into friends. On a recent trip to sight in a red…
September 2, 2025
Why Outdoor Ranges Keep Me Coming Back
So You’ve Never Shot a Gun
Walking into the world of firearms for the very first time can feel a little overwhelming. For many new shooters, the journey actually starts at home by researching online, watching YouTube reviews, and reading articles trying to figure out “the best first gun.” Then comes the trip to the range. Rows of pistols, racks of…
Blackbox Ballistics is Back – And
It’s been a quiet three weeks here on the blog, but behind the scenes it’s been anything but. Think of it like a pit stop in the middle of a race — we rolled into the garage, stripped things down to the frame, replaced every part we could, and tuned it all to run better…
