James Burton

ARBuildJunkie Editor in Chief, James Burton is a writer and shooter, immersed in gun culture since before he could walk. His earliest memories were smells of musty military surplus stores, his father’s large collection of H&K rifles and stacks of Soldier of Fortune magazine. Throughout his impressionable youth, family vacations were wandering the grounds twice a year at the Knob Creek County Machine Gun Shoot. Please feel free to reach out to James for story ideas and more at [email protected]

Best Low Power Variable Optic (LPVO) – Expert Advice

With so many optics on the market and with so many users with strong opinions and varying levels of expertise, it can be difficult to cut through the noise and make an informed choice. We reached out to some optics experts to help us make a decision…

Quantified Performance – Shooters Setting Standards

Quantified Performance’s mission is “connecting companies of value with customers of prominence.” Developed by Ash Hess and Jack Leuba, it’s an online hub where shooters can share data to chart what works. It will act as a place where participants can interact directly with the firearms industry…sharing feedback and building professional connections.

Palmetto State Armory – The Story So Far…

Over the past decade, Palmetto State Armory has impacted the market for the AR-15 in dramatic fashion. To learn more about the beginnings and rise of PSA, we recently sat down with founder and owner, Jamin McCallum.

M16 in Vietnam – An Interview with Chris Bartocci

To learn “what happened to the M16 in Vietnam,” it’s hard to think of someone better to ask than Chris Bartocci at Small Arms Solutions. Frankly, there are few active in the industry that know more about the M16 and its history than Chris, who has been intimately involved with the platform for almost his entire life.

State of the AR – A Q&A with Duane Liptak of Magpul

With Magpul celebrating its 20th anniversary, it’s a great time to touch base with Duane Liptak, Executive Vice President of Magpul. We discuss how the company has helped push the AR forward, Duane’s background, his role at the NRA, and his favorite AR builds.

Hard-Use AR-15 Buyer’s Guide with Ridgeline

We recently reached out to Alex Hartmann at Ridgeline to talk about the basics of the SPR or Special Purpose Rifle…however we also wanted him to help us create a “hard-use AR-15 buyer’s guide.” Let’s say you’re building or buying a reliable carbine to attend multiple day training courses, or a rifle you might need to bet your life on in a home defense situation. What basic factors should you consider on that rifle?

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