In this episode, Chris and Ike from Big Tex Ordnance sit down with Scott Howell, owner of Red Dot Fitness gym and host of the Iron Sights Podcast. Scott shares his fitness and business background, how he pivoted his gym during the COVID-19 pandemic, and his journey into firearms training and the 2A community. The guys discuss building customer rela…

Episode 90 of the Big Tex Ordnance Podcast features guests Mike Mihalski from Sons of Liberty Gun Works (SOLGW) and Brandon Hernandez from the Texas Tactical Police Officers Association (TTPOA). Mike and Brandon discuss SOLGW's role as the title sponsor for the TTPOA conference, the importance of their partnership, and how both organizations have g…

In this episode of the Big Tex Ordnance Podcast, hosts speak with Ben DeWalt and Rachel Maloney from OnSight Firearms Training based out of upstate New York. Ben and Rachel discuss their journey into the firearms training world, the challenges of being traveling instructors, and the logistics behind scheduling over 300 classes a year across the cou…

In this episode of the Big Tex Ordnance Podcast, hosts Ike and Chris are joined by special guests Steve Fisher from Sentinel Concepts and Cain Frey, a dedicated shooting enthusiast. The conversation kicks off with a lighthearted discussion about bourbon preferences and the importance of proper storage. Cain shares his experience competing in steel …

Join Chris and Ike from Big Tex Ordnance as they sit down with Alex Hartmann from Ridgeline Defense and Jared Reston to discuss the exciting new Ridgeline LPR rifle. Alex dives deep into the design process and features of this innovative small-frame AR built for precision and reliability. Podcast Timeline 00:03:50 - Overview of the Ridgeline facili…

We are resharing a favorite episode, number 26, featuring Jack Clemons and Keith Finch. As we listen, we remember our dear friend Jack and the laughter and stories he brought to our lives. For over ten years, Jack was a constant presence in our corner of the industry. With his sense of humor, supportive nature, and knack for both wise and questiona…

Rusty Firmin discusses his life and career in the British Special Air Service (SAS). He was forced to join the army at age 15 and initially hated it. Over time, he grew to enjoy the military lifestyle and joined the SAS in 1977 after serving in various units. Rusty details the grueling selection process for the SAS, which includes physical and ment…

In this episode, Ike and Ian interview Robyn Sandoval, President of A Girl & A Gun, a nationwide women's shooting organization founded in 2011. Robyn shares how A Girl & A Gun started as a way to get more women involved in shooting sports through "Girls Night Out" events at ranges. The organization has since grown to have chapters in all 50 states,…

In this episode, Chris and Ike from Big Tex Ordnance chat with Aaron Cowan and Jon Dufresne about training and gear. They discuss the importance of consistent practice and training, even for law enforcement officers. Aaron shares his perspective on why some police departments are switching to Staccato 2011 pistols and the potential training issues …

In this episode, hosts Ike, Chris, and Ian talk with guests Gabe Cabrera from Cobalt Kinetics and Frank Woods from the Tasker Network. They discuss their backgrounds in the firearms industry, new products from Cobalt Kinetics including a suppressor collaboration with CGS Group, ambidextrous AR-15 controls becoming more common, and other highlights …

In this episode of the Big Tex Ordnance Podcast, Ike, Ian, and Chris sit down with special guests Jim Dexter from Walther Defense/Tactically Sound and Paul Dugan from Kinetic Fundamentals. Jim shares his experiences working with Walther on the Defense Division and his role in developing training programs and products like the Defense Division medic…

In this episode of the Big Tex Ordnance Podcast, David Warner of Next Level Manufacturing shares his fascinating journey in the manufacturing industry. Starting from humble beginnings as a street scrub kid, David worked his way up through various roles in machine shops, eventually founding his own successful manufacturing company. He discusses the …

In this episode of the Big Tex Ordnance Podcast recorded at SHOT Show 2024, Chris, Ike, and Ian sit down with Justus Hall, Vice President of Sales for C Products Defense / Duramag. Justus shares the history of the company, their commitment to quality and innovation in magazines, and some of the unique projects they've worked on like custom anodized…

In this episode of The Big Tex Ordnance Podcast, Ike and Ian sit down with Michael Goerlich, the man behind Raven Concealment, at SHOT Show 2024. Michael reveals the groundbreaking new direction Raven Concealment is taking with their holster designs, leveraging the power of additive manufacturing (3D printing) to create highly customizable, comfort…

In this episode of The Big Tex Ordnance Podcast, hosts Ike and Ian sit down with Don Edwards and Sam Houston from Greenline Tactical to discuss all things night vision and tactical training. Don and Sam share their extensive experience in the night vision industry, having worked with companies like TNVC and teaching countless classes on the subject…

In this hilarious and insightful episode of the Big Tex Ordnance podcast, Chris and Ike sit down with Kurt, Jesse, and Stephen from Blue Alpha Gear at SHOT Show 2024. The Blue Alpha guys discuss the origins of their company, which started with a used sewing machine bought off eBay in 2016. Though now known primarily for their exceptional belts and …

In this episode of the Big Tex Ordnance podcast, hosts Ike and Ian speak with Jared and Edgar from Edgar Sherman Design, a U.S. manufacturer of tactical rifle slings and accessories. Edgar discusses founding the company while studying industrial design and pursuing his passion for serving in the military. After being medically disqualified from ser…

In this episode of the Big Tex Ordnance Podcast, hosts Ike and Ian speak with Jack Leuba and Ash Hess, the founders of Quantified Performance. Quantified Performance runs high-speed rifle matches focused on gas guns that test critical rifleman skills beyond typical pistol distances. Jack and Ash explain how they started Quantified Performance in 20…

In this knife-filled episode, Ian, Ike, and Chris from Big Tex Ordnance chat with Zach and Chris from custom knife maker Dauntless Manufacturing. Zach and Chris give the background on how they started Dauntless and transitioned from making weapons to focusing solely on knives. They discuss their manufacturing process, including how they collaborate…

Ike from Big Tex Ordnance sits down with Jack Leuba and Ash Hess from Knight's Armament Company for an inside look at their latest product innovations. Jack shares his background as a Marine grunt and competitive shooter which led him to a career at Knights in 2012. Ash outlines his 22 years in the Army including multiple combat tours before joinin…

In this episode of the Big Tex Ordnance Podcast, hosts Ike, Ian, and Chris speak with Tom Victa from Palmetto State Armory about his background and experience in the firearms industry. Tom shares how he got his start in the industry with small companies like Adam's Arms and later worked for larger manufacturers like Beretta, FN, and Staccato. He di…

Flashback to Episode #18 Past, Present, & Future - Mike & Kyle- Sons of Liberty Gun Works! On this episode of The Big Tex Ordnance Podcast Ike and Chris travel to San Antonio to chat with Mike & Kyle about how SOLGW came about and became the company we know today. This interview was conducted on site at what Sons affectionally call "The Green Drago…

Flash Back To Episode 001 Kerry Davis Dark Angel Medical: The BTO crew talks with Kerry Davis of Dark Angel Medical to discuss advancements in tactical medicine and first aid over the past couple of years. They explore how the landscape around medical preparedness has changed, including supply chain issues, new gear and training options, and increa…

In the latest episode of The Big Tex Ordnance Podcast, the hosts sit down with prominent gun rights advocate Yehuda Remer, known as the "Pew Pew Jew." Yehuda shares his journey getting into gun ownership and advocacy despite initial pushback from his Jewish community and family. He discusses the cultural divide around guns in Judaism, and his effor…

Join us for an illuminating conversation with Nick Young of Modlite and Velox Training Group. Nick shares insights on Modlite's latest products including the multimode heads and upcoming USB-C switches. We get the inside scoop on his favorite pistol optic, the Holosun 507Comp, and his go-to rifle, the Hodge 14.5. Nick also discusses his high-round-…

In this holiday edition of The Big Tex Ordnance Podcast, hosts Chris and Ian sit down with guests Jordan and Christian from Badger Ordnance to discuss various topics related to optics mounts, product development, and running a manufacturing business. Jordan and Christian provide an inside look at Badger's product design philosophy which focuses on …

In this episode of The Big Tex Ordnance Podcast, Hunter Freeland shares his journey to becoming a firearms instructor. Hunter has dedicated himself to mastering shooting skills and teaching others. He's trained under top industry names and is now an MSP Endorsed Instructor. Hunter discusses what makes a complete instructor - shooting ability, commu…

In this episode, Scott Jedlinski and Bryan Veliz join the Big Tex Ordnance podcast to discuss topics ranging from teaching philosophies to new products and life updates. They share insights on helping students progress, travel challenges, maintaining work-life balance and health, representing minority cultures in shooting sports, and more. Scott de…

In this episode, we are joined by Aaron Wright from SureFire to provide an insider's perspective on new products like the RC3, manufacturing processes, sales trends, and future innovations coming down the pipeline. They dive into the engineering behind increasing lumen output, priorities in the product roadmap, and how SureFire approaches decisions…

In this episode, we are joined by Michael from Gideon Optics to have an in-depth conversation about optics. We discuss how etched reticles work, the magic behind red dots, and the differences between second focal plane and first focal plane scopes. Michael shares his passion for making quality optics accessible and affordable so more people can exe…

In this episode, Chris and Ike interview Adam Kraut, Executive Director of the Second Amendment Foundation. They discuss Adam's background and path to gun rights advocacy. Adam provides an overview of the Second Amendment Foundation, which was founded in 1974 and has been involved in over 250 legal cases defending the right to keep and bear arms. H…

This Veterans Day episode of the Big Tex Ordnance Podcast features a conversation with hosts Chris, Justin, Josh, and Ian( all veterans) along with Ike. They share stories and experiences from their time in the military, including reminiscing about basic training, weapons they used, and deployments. The hosts also discuss upcoming events like the B…

In this episode of the Big Tex Ordnance Podcast, hosts Ike, Chris and Ian interview Trent and Ben from Unity Tactical. Trent discusses founding Unity Tactical in 2011 to design innovative shooting accessories. He shares how Unity focuses on building high-quality products and attracting talented people. Topics include Unity's upcoming release of the…

Dave from VKTR Industries joins the Big Tex Ordnance podcast to discuss his background in manufacturing and engineering, the development of VKTR's new short-stroke piston AR rifle, and the technology behind their innovative bolt carrier group. Dave provides an in-depth look at VKTR's manufacturing processes, including their use of robotics and auto…

Ben and Arrius, co-founders of companies: Flux Defense, Snakestaff Systems, and Antimatter Industries, join the Big Tex Ordnance team to discuss their innovative firearm accessories. Topics include the challenges of launching popular products like the Flux Raider, stories behind inventions like the Scope Switch, and details on Snakestaff's life-sav…

Ike and the crew are joined by Ben from Onsight Firearms Training to discuss running a training business on the East Coast. Ben shares how he got his start by realizing after his first class that he still had much to learn. Ben talks about the challenges of the restricted states, but also how demand is strong there since guns are less accessible. H…

On this episode of the BTO Podcast, we sit down with Chris and Maz from Blue Force Gear. Chris shares how his interest in guns started as a kid in Japan discovering airsoft, leading him to join the Army and spend his career in the 75th Ranger Regiment. Michael "Maz" Masseria talks about growing up around Special Forces, joining as an 18X, and servi…

In this episode, the crew chat with guest Ronnie Yates from Ronnie Yates Law about firearms rights and Texas law pertaining to gun ownership and self-defense. Topics discussed include differences between misdemeanors and felonies in Texas, how convictions can affect your right to own guns, the benefits of NFA trusts, braces vs stocks, and justifiab…

Welcome to the Big Tex Ordnance Podcast! In this episode, we sit down with Garrett and Jonah from One Hundred Concepts to hear the story behind their company and products. Garrett and Jonah take us through how they got into guns growing up and what eventually led them to start One Hundred Concepts. We also discuss some of One Hundred Concepts' most…

Episode 54 with Bret Vorhees of Taurus USA On this episode of the Big Tex Ordnance Podcast, we sit down with Brett Vorhees, President of Taurus USA. Brett shares how he stumbled into a career in the firearms industry starting with an internship at Crimson Trace. He worked his way up through sales roles at Leupold and Walther, helping develop new gu…

Episode 53 - Tessah & Mitchell - Armed & Styled / Booth Performance Designs. On this episode of the Big Tex Ordnance Podcast, we are joined by Tessah and Mitchell. She shares her journey getting into guns and concealed carry after a mass shooting occurred near where she lived. She started an Instagram account called Armed and Styled to show that yo…

Here it is! Episode 52 and the first of Season two of the Big Tex Ordnance Podcast. In this episode, we sit down and talk with Mike Mihalski of Sons of Liberty Gun Works about his story, the current status of SOLGW, and what is coming in the future. We also talk about our favorite government agency, politicians, and what it means to be in the gun i…

We decided to wrap up the season with a Q & A session from our BTO Friends Facebook group. We talk about everything from BBQ Sauce, Hot Dogs, In n Out Vs Whataburger, and cover our choices for Mid to Long range optics and training. This promotes our new weekly update on Youtube and the blog.โดย The BTO Crew

We finally were able to get Jimmy on the podcast! The Big Tex Ordnance crew talks with Jim about his path to long range competition, Youtuber, and the Goon Life. "“Bruiser and Alex set a really solid foundation for me. And so I always talk, I think about golf cuz I, I used to play golf as well. I may still play a little bit, but Jack Nicholas talks…

Ike and the crew sit down with Aaron Quinn of Cobalt Kinetics to talk about the journey from customer to innovative owner. This is a really cool look at the why's behind the designs and the company. To find out more about Cobalt Kinetics visit https://cobaltkinetics.com/ or check them out at https://www.bigtexordnance.com/cobalt-kinetics/ This prom…

Joining Ike and Chris on this episode of the Big Tex Ordnance Podcast are Nick & Max from Velox Training Group and Bryan from Slytac Training. Not only does Nick run Velox Training Group, he also works for Modlite, heading up their social media and product testing. Max is the creative mastermind behind our sick slaps here at BTO. You can find out m…

The BTO crew talk with Dan Brokos and Gabe Rivera of Lead Faucet Tactical while at the TTPOA SWAT conference. We talk to Dan about how his 27 year career in the U.S. Army, most of it being in America's premiere direct action unit, impacted his approach to training. Don't miss this episode! You can find out more about LFT at https://leadfaucettactic…

In our last installment from Lethal Weapons TX, Chris speaks with Blair of AKT1 Sport and Tyler from Resilient Suppressors about the ins and outs of their particular businesses. You can find out more about their companies here at the links below. https://akt1sport.com/ and https://resilientsuppressors.com/ As always you can listen to our podcast on…

From Marine Recon to on patrol in South Central LA, the crew sits down to talk all things Combatives with Cliff Byerly of Hill Country Combatives while at the TTPOA SWAT conference. Cliff has a diverse background and extensive hands on experience when it comes to up close and personal violence. You can find out more about Hill Country Combatives at…

The BTO crew is joined by Adrian of Sidewinder Concepts as we discuss his background and training concepts. Sidewinder Concepts is a Texas based training company that specializes in our new favorite subject, Scoped Carbine. Pull up a chair and join us for a great conversation on the subject. You can find out more about Sidewinder Concepts at https:…