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AR-15 Rifles, Pistols & Tactical Gear | Gun Store in Roanoke, TX

Premium firearms, optics, and tactical gear for professionals and enthusiasts.

 

Tactical Shooting

VDI Enforcer Glock Slide: A Gunsmith’s Review

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People love Glocks, and for good reason. They’re sturdy, simple guns, and half the special operations units on the planet have carried one at some point. In the civilian world, though, the Glock’s real superpower is customizability, and no upgrade got more popular than swapping the slide. I’m Lance Rankin, owner and gunsmith at Western Sport in Roanoke, Texas, and this is my honest take on one of the more interesting slides we’ve run: the Voodoo Innovations Enforcer for the Glock 17.

Quick note before we start. This review dates from when we stocked VDI heavily (Voodoo Innovations is the machining side of Adams Arms, a brand we’ve worked with for years). Availability has bounced around since then, so if you’re hunting for one today, check current production status before you get your heart set on it. The engineering observations below still hold up.

Installation is genuinely drop-in

The Enforcer is a complete slide assembly, and it slid straight onto our Glock frame right out of the box with zero fitting. That’s how it should be, and it isn’t always how it goes with aftermarket slides. It’s compatible with the standard Glock 17 frames, and VDI includes an adapter in the box for Gen 4 guns. The first thing you notice in hand is the machined serrations front and rear. They give you a real non-slip purchase for racking the slide and doing press checks without chewing up your hands. No complaints there at all.

Build quality

The slide is cut from 416R chromium stainless steel and wears a PVD coating that resists corrosion and scratching. The barrel has a SAAMI spec 9mm match chamber, so it’ll digest any 9mm load you feed it, and it’s threaded 1/2×28, which means your existing 9mm suppressor or compensator screws right on. No new muzzle hardware needed.

The detail I appreciated most as a gunsmith is the three-spring system. Green is the standard recoil spring. Yellow runs 5 percent lighter for subsonic loads, which matters if you shoot suppressed. Red is 5 percent stronger for +P ammunition. Tuning a pistol’s recoil system to the ammo is usually an aftermarket rabbit hole, and VDI just put it in the box.

How it shoots

The match barrel’s tighter tolerances showed up on paper. The 1:16 twist stabilizes the whole range of 9mm bullet weights consistently, and it was noticeably happy with heavier 147 grain subsonics, where the extra stabilization pays off compared to the more common 1:10 twist. Sights are basic dot sights from XS, which are quick to pick up. If you want glass instead of irons, the slide has a micro red dot relief cut that accepts the Trijicon RMR, the Vortex Razor, Venom, and Viper, the Leupold DeltaPoint Pro, the Burris FastFire 3, and the EOTech MRDS. That covers just about every optic a customer has ever asked me to mount.

VDI claims the Enforcer runs 8 percent lighter than a factory slide, and after shooting it I believe them. The gun tracked flatter and came back on target quicker. Where I’d point this slide is competition and suppressed shooting. That’s where the match chamber, threaded barrel, and spring options earn their keep.

The bottom line

The Enforcer took a good pistol and made it more accurate, easier to control, and honestly more fun. If you’re deciding what to hang a slide like this on in the first place, my 9mm vs .45 ACP writeup covers the caliber question. And if piston-driven rifles from the same corporate family interest you, here’s why we carry Adams Arms.

Browse current inventory in the shop, or reach me directly at [email protected] or 817-393-4000.

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Daniel Defense MK12: The SPR Made Famous by Lone Survivor

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In his book Lone Survivor, Marcus Luttrell wrote about the rifle he carried during Operation Red Wings: the MK12. That mention introduced a lot of civilian shooters to a rifle SOCOM units had been quietly relying on for years. The MK12 Special Purpose Rifle (SPR) grew out of a real gap: units needed more effective range than an M4 carbine offered, in a package shorter and handier than a full-length M16A2/A4. The Naval Surface Warfare Center developed the answer, and since 2002 the MK12 has seen action in both Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, chambered in 5.56x45mm and set up for the designated marksman role. The Daniel Defense MK12 SPR is the faithful civilian version of that rifle, and it’s the one we’re looking at here.

The Daniel Defense MK12 SPR build sheet

When Daniel Defense built their MK12 SPR, they stayed faithful to the traditional SOCOM configuration where it counts: a stainless steel 18-inch barrel and a rifle-length gas system. True to DD form, the barrel is cold hammer forged, and they forge the chamber at the same time as the barrel rather than cutting it afterward, which is one of those details you appreciate more the longer you spend around precision rifles.

The rest of the build sheet reads like someone who actually shoots put it together. The A4-style upper wears a 12-inch free-floating quad rail with QD points and a BCM Gunfighter charging handle. The forged lower gets a flared magwell, DD’s rubber overmolded pistol grip with a flared trigger guard, a Geissele SSA two-stage trigger, and an adjustable stock with a rubber cheek piece and QD sling points. When it hit the market, it ran around $2,199, and honestly, the parts list justified it.

Why the MK12 still matters

As a gunsmith, I keep coming back to the MK12 concept because it solved a problem that hasn’t gone away: most shooters want one rifle that can stretch past 500 yards without giving up the AR platform’s handling. The SPR formula (18-inch stainless barrel, rifle gas, quality two-stage trigger, free-float rail) is still the recipe I recommend when customers ask me to build them a precision AR in 5.56.

I’ve since written a much deeper dive covering the MK12’s full history, clone builds, and buying options. If this rifle interests you, start here: the complete Daniel Defense MK12 / SPR guide. You can also browse the Daniel Defense products and complete AR uppers we keep in stock. And if you’re hunting for MK12 parts or want an SPR-style rifle built to your specs, email me. Custom AR builds are what my shop does best.

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How To Buy A Gun Online

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Buying a gun online confuses a lot of first-time buyers, and I understand why. There’s a step in the middle of the process that doesn’t exist anywhere else in e-commerce. I’m Lance Rankin, owner and gunsmith at Western Sport in Roanoke, Texas, and we’ve shipped firearms to customers in nearly every state. I’ve seen this process go smoothly thousands of times, and I’ve seen the handful of ways it goes sideways. Here’s how it actually works.

The short version

You order the gun online. We ship it to a licensed dealer (an FFL) near you, never to your front door. You go to that dealer, fill out the ATF Form 4473, pass a background check, and take your firearm home. That’s the whole thing. The details below are what keep it painless.

Step 1: Pick the right firearm, and make sure it’s legal where you live

Get the configuration you actually want: caliber, barrel length, magazine capacity, finish. “Close enough” gets expensive when you’re paying transfer fees twice to fix a mistake.

The part people skip is state law. Some states restrict magazine capacity. Others have “assault weapon” rules that require things like a fixed stock or a pinned muzzle device before a rifle is compliant. Knowing your local laws is ultimately your responsibility, but if you’re not sure whether something we sell is legal in your state, email me before you order. I’d much rather answer a question up front than process a return.

Step 2: Choose a receiving dealer (FFL)

Federal law requires that a firearm purchased online ship to a dealer holding a Federal Firearms License. That dealer receives the gun, logs it into their books, and runs your transfer paperwork. If you’re not sure what an FFL actually is, I wrote a plain-English explanation here: What is an FFL dealer and how does a transfer work?

Call the dealer before you buy. Confirm they’ll accept a transfer for you and ask what they charge. Most shops charge somewhere between $25 and $75 per firearm. At our shop, transfers are $40 plus $10 for the NICS background check, by appointment. If you’re in Texas, I’ve broken down typical costs here: FFL transfer fees in Texas.

Step 3: Place your order and get us the FFL’s license

At checkout, your own name and address go in the billing fields. The receiving dealer’s name and address go in the shipping fields. If you haven’t picked a dealer yet, you can enter your home address to complete the purchase and sort out the dealer afterward. We won’t ship until we have a valid FFL on file.

Then have your dealer send us a copy of their FFL license, referencing your name and order number. Most dealers do this weekly, so it’s routine for them. Once we have the license in hand, your firearm ships promptly. Most in-stock orders go out the same or next business day.

Step 4: The transfer

When the gun arrives, your dealer will contact you. Bring a government-issued ID, fill out the Form 4473, and the dealer runs your background check through NICS. In Texas, a License to Carry holder typically skips the phone-in check entirely. Most approvals come back in minutes, though some get delayed for a few days. That’s federal, not the dealer’s fault.

One tip from years behind the counter: inspect the firearm before you sign the 4473. Check that it’s the right model and configuration. And don’t panic if you see a little residue in the barrel or on the bolt. Nearly every quality manufacturer test-fires guns at the factory before shipping.

Buying in Texas?

If you’re local, the process is even simpler. We offer pickup by appointment at our Roanoke location, just north of Fort Worth. I put together a complete walkthrough for Texas buyers here: How to buy a gun in Texas.

Questions before you order?

Ask. You’ll get an answer from me or someone in my family, not a call center. Reach us at [email protected] or 817-393-4000, or browse the inventory when you’re ready.

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Aimpoint PRO Review: The Duty Optic That Refuses to Die

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Some optics come and go with every SHOT Show cycle. The Aimpoint PRO just keeps selling, year after year, and I keep recommending it. I’m Lance Rankin, owner and gunsmith at Western Sport in Roanoke, Texas, and the PRO has been one of my default answers to “what red dot should I put on my rifle?” for over a decade. Here’s why.

What the PRO gets right

PRO stands for Patrol Rifle Optic, and Aimpoint designed it for law enforcement duty use, which tells you most of what you need to know. It’s a 2 MOA red dot built like a tank. You can leave it turned on for roughly three years straight on a single battery. Read that again: you turn it on, mount it, and it’s ready every single time you pick up the rifle. No button to press when things go bad at 2 a.m.

It ships with a QRP2 quick-release mount and a removable spacer that puts the dot at the right height for an AR-15 out of the box. It’s night vision compatible, with dedicated NV brightness settings alongside the daylight ones. Flip covers front and rear are included, and the rear cover is transparent, so the optic is usable even with both covers closed. It’ll survive submersion far deeper than you’ll ever take it.

A little history worth knowing

Aimpoint invented the commercial red dot. A group of Swedish engineers started the company in 1974 chasing a simple idea: let the shooter put a dot on the target with both eyes open and press the trigger. Their first sight hit the market in 1975, and Aimpoint optics have since become standard issue for the US military (the M68 CCO is an Aimpoint). Millions are in service worldwide. When you buy a PRO, you’re buying fifty years of doing one thing extremely well.

Who it’s for, and who should look elsewhere

If you want one optic for a home defense carbine or a duty rifle and you never want to think about it again, the PRO is the easy answer at its price. It’s the optic I’d hand a family member.

That said, it’s not the only answer. If you’re counting ounces on a lightweight build, Aimpoint’s own Micro series (T-2/H-2) gives you a smaller, lighter package for more money. And if the budget is tight, there are serviceable dots for less, but battery life and durability are usually what you’re giving up. I compared my favorites across price points in my guide to home defense AR optics under $300.

Bottom line

The PRO survives because it nails the fundamentals: always on, always works, priced fairly. If you’re not sure whether it fits your build, email me at [email protected] and tell me what you’re running. I’ll give you an honest answer, even if it means pointing you at a different optic.

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Daniel Defense: Why We’re Proud to Be an Authorized Dealer

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Ask ten AR guys to name the best factory rifle on the market and you’ll start an argument. But almost every list will have Daniel Defense near the top, and there’s a reason for that. I’m Lance Rankin, owner and gunsmith at Western Sport, and we’ve been an authorized Daniel Defense dealer for years. I’ve built, repaired, and torn down more AR-pattern rifles than I can count, so when I tell you DD’s quality control stands out, that opinion comes from the bench, not a brochure.

How Daniel Defense got here

Marty Daniel didn’t start out building rifles. He started with a sling loop and rail he designed for his own M16 in the late 1990s, and demand took off from there. The rail work is what put the company on the map: Daniel Defense won the contract to supply the RIS II rail system for US Special Operations Command’s SOPMOD program, and they became the sole provider of L85 rails to the UK Ministry of Defense. When a rail has to survive SOCOM testing, the engineering culture behind it tends to show up in everything else the company makes.

From there, Daniel Defense grew into complete rifles, and they made one investment that still separates them from most of the market: their own cold hammer forged barrel production. They’re one of only a handful of companies worldwide running barrel cells like this, turning raw steel bar stock into thousands of finished barrels a month at their Georgia facility. Most AR builders buy barrels from someone else. DD makes their own, and it shows in consistency.

What I see as a gunsmith

Plenty of rifles look good on a spec sheet. What I pay attention to is what comes across my bench. With Daniel Defense rifles, the details are right: properly staked gas keys, correct gas port sizing, quality barrel extensions, and cold hammer forged barrels that hold zero and shoot straighter longer. When a customer asks me why a DDM4 costs more than a budget AR, that’s the honest answer. You’re paying for the parts you can’t see and the testing you’ll never have to think about.

What we carry

Our Daniel Defense inventory runs deep: DDM4 rifles in most configurations, the MK18, DD5 rifles in .308 and 6.5 Creedmoor, complete uppers, rails, and DD’s polymer magazines. Because we’re an authorized dealer, everything is factory-fresh, warrantied, and sourced through proper channels. No gray market, no mystery provenance.

If you’re weighing the purchase, I’ve written a couple of deeper dives that might help: my DDM4 V7 review and a head-to-head look at Daniel Defense vs BCM.

Questions about a specific model?

Email me at [email protected] or call 817-393-4000. I’ve handled just about everything in the DD catalog, and I’ll give you a straight answer about whether it fits what you’re trying to do.

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