Welcome to the September/October issue of Tactical Life magazine. It’s fully loaded with content covering personal defense and sporting firepower. Not to mention a host of entertaining and informative articles with links to companion video content. And nearly everything in between.

The September/October 2023 Issue of Tactical Life Magazine

If you’re one of those folks who demand the very best in everything you own—or even hope to be one of those folks someday—look no further than our cover gun.

Scribe Mike Detty’s coverage of the new Nighthawk BDS9 begins on page 36. And you won’t want to miss a word. In much of the competition world, the double-stack “2011” in 9mm reigns supreme, and this pistol sits atop the heap!

Of course, with an MSRP of $5,999, the gun should be a top shooter. And through his extensive testing of the pistol, Detty found that Nighthawk’s practice of “one gun, one gunsmith” has paid off yet again.

While I wouldn’t call the Nighthawk BDS9 a “working man’s gun,” I do know one thing: If I still shot a lot of matches I’d try to find a way to put one of these babies in my holster!

Feeding the Habit

Of course, no gun is good without ammunition that shoots well through it. For this reason, factory ammo continues to get better every year. However, there are still a lot of shooters who love to “roll their own.”

When I was shooting lots of 3-Gun matches, I ran through a ton of ammo. So, I decided to jump into handloading for one reason—I thought I could save some money. As it turns out, I could.

But I also quickly found another benefit: I could load 9mm shells that recoiled like pussycats but still ran my STI and knocked over steel, along with making .223 loads that were less expensive and grouped better than factory ammo.

Soon, I was reloading three or four different cartridges for my deer rifles. I can still recall the satisfaction I felt the first time I killed a nice buck with a .260 Rem. load I had worked up myself through trial and error at the loading bench and range.

All Your Reloading Needs

Whether you are currently a reloader, are looking to get into it, or have little interest at all, I’d encourage you to spend some time perusing our special 36-page reloading section starting on page 50.

In that section, reloading experts Jay Langston and Frank Melloni develop great loads. This includes everything from the 7mm PRC to the .460 S&W Magnum. And there’s plenty of new loading equipment reviews thrown in for good measure.

After reading this, you might just find yourself setting up a reloading bench of your own!

…And More

Of course, the wide range of other interests we cover in this issue will likely boggle your mind. This includes reviews of three top military thrillers recommended for your tactical library. As well as a rundown of 15 of the world’s most iconic rifles.

Additionally, featured is a comparison of eight top 6.5 Creedmoor hunting rounds. Likewise, we deliver a head-to-head matchup of two popular home-defense scatterguns from Mossberg and much more. We think you’ll find something to load up on.

More great “Reload Zone” TL companion content can be had virtually at our new “all brands, all titles” supersite AthlonOutdoors.com. Please be sure to visit regularly to enjoy the free shooting, self-defense, 2A/new-gun news, and outdoor entertainment.

For subscribing to all of our print titles, please visit OutdoorGroupStore.com. Our team aims to please, so please send us your feedback—good, bad, or ugly—by emailing us at editdesk@athlonoutdoors.com.

– Mark Chesnut

Listen to Your Favorite Gun Mags

Here’s a special note about digital subscriptions. If you’re one of those people who like to buy and listen to audio versions of books, then you’re in luck. All digital copies of Athlon Outdoors publications, including Ballistic, Combat Handguns, Tactical Life, Personal Defense World Concealed Carry Handguns, and Guns Of The Old West, sport the “mobile view” function.

This allows you to listen to each issue from any device… your smartphone, tablet, or work/personal computer. That’ll keep your hands and eyes free to take on other tasks like driving to work or the shooting range. Enjoy the new feature!

So, what are you waiting for? Pick up your copy today!

In This Issue:

SHOOT (AND WRITE) TO THRILL

• The Gray Man series author gives an inside look at how book-born blockbusters come to be

15 ICONIC RIFLES

• A collection of battle-proven firepower forever enshrined in TL’s Rifle Hall Of Fame

MIGHTY DOUBLE

• Nighthawk Custom’s BDS9 reigns supreme for those who demand only the best

6.5 CREED HUNTERS

• It’s a battle of the top eight 6.5 Creedmoor game-dropping cartridges

SHOCK & AWESOME

• Two gun nuts go head-to-head to see which 590S rules the 12-gauge roost

SIX-PACK OF SHARP

• When the chips are down, these next-gen tacticals will make the cut

5.56 WARRIOR

• The Made In The USA WSM15 is ready to rock long, fast and crazy accurate

RELOADING ZONE SPECIAL SECTION

DEADLY SEVEN TRAIN

• Once the dust settles, the 7mm PRC champion will be crowned

AMP UP

• Extend case life and massively improve accuracy at long ranges with this new-age annealer

LOADIN’ LEHIGH

• From self-defense to varmint control, Lehigh delivers accuracy with major terminal punch

RCBS TURNS 80

• From the back of a laundromat to becoming the most respected reloading brand

RAGING RELOADS

• Guide to rolling your own practice and hunting loads for Taurus’ new Raging Hunter 460

HOBO HANDLOADIN’

• The how and why of penny-pinch handloading while away from the home bench

RELOADER’S STOCKPILE

• 15 new components and related gear for those who like to roll their own

GET YOUR COPY NOW

Read all this and more in the September/October 2023 issue of Tactical Life Magazine. Get your copy today at OutdoorGroupStore.com.