First Gear | Liberty Overwatch Ammo, Ballistol Suppressor Cleaner, RAM-IT speed loaders

Must-Haves for Gun Owners

by
posted on June 10, 2025
Liberty Overwatch Ammo, Ballistol Suppressor Cleaner, RAM-IT speed loaders
(Peter Fountain)

1. Lighter Weight AND Greater Displacement
In this industry, the experts are always rolling out something just a little better. You can really see the effects of that trend in the ammunition category, as what was once considered excellent is now considered a bare minimum. This Liberty Overwatch line is a good example of optimizing engineering—in this case, to answer a request from special forces operators. The line is designed to retain the brand’s signature light weight while also creating a larger cavity upon impact; this both makes it more effective at stopping a threat and less likely to over-penetrate. (libertyammo.com; $41.49 for box of 20)

2. Cleaner Cans
Cleaning my tools is my least-favorite part of being a gun owner, and when an item is particularly difficult to clean, it tends to sit unused. So, I was genuinely excited about this Ballistol Suppressor Cleaner when I saw it at this year’s SHOT Show. No matter the design of your suppressor (or “can” in gun-world jargon), this should work on it: Simply cork both ends (corks included), pour in the cleaner and let sit two to four hours. If that won’t work for yours, you can submerse the suppressor in the cleaner instead. Oh, and it’s odorless! (ballistol.com; $40)

3. Load Faster While Sparing Your Hands
I haven’t found that using the RAM-IT speed loaders for AR-10s and AR-15s make my loading process much faster, but I have found it to be considerably easier on my aging hands. The process is simple: load up an included stripper clip, slide that into the loader box, attach the loader to your magazine and ram the rounds in. You can also put the cartridges right into the loader, but I like the stripper-clip process better. (fastloaders.com; $43.49)

Latest

Frank Miniter
Frank Miniter

From the Editor | In the Footsteps of Freedom

If we are to keep America on the path to freedom in accordance with our Founders’ ideals, we need to bring the next generation along with us.

Gun-Control Activist David Hogg is Out of the DNC

Though Hogg apparently exited the race of his own volition, that this vote was brought to fruition shows there is an internal division.

Standing Guard | The Basis Of The NRA Is Freedom

Tens of thousands of us came together for the 154th NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits. We had elections and so many great events. Here is why this matters so much now.

President’s Column | It’s A New Day At The NRA

We are at a pivotal point in this organization’s history.

Virginia Closes In On Critical Off-Cycle Election: Three Races To Watch

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance and that is why off-year elections also require our full attention and focus.

8 Battles in the Struggle to Protect the Rights of Young Adults

The civil-rights battle to ensure that government entities at every level recognize the Second Amendment-protected rights of American adults is currently being fought at several levels, with a mixed bag of results.



Get the best of America's 1st Freedom delivered to your inbox.