Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Ben Battles
Taurus GX2 TORO | On Target Magazine
By: Dave Bahde Photos By: Ben Battles & Dave Bahde Priced at only $299.99, the G2X TORO has proven to us to be one of the best values going today in a reliable and capable self-defense pistol. Do fuel prices and the general cost of goods have you hawkeyeing your bank account? This is a really good option. One lesson I learned while working and managing a retail gun store was that high-end sales represent a small fraction of total gun sales.
2024 Editor’s Choice Award Winning Silencer Central Banish Speed K
Maximum footprint reduction, maximum durability Silencer Central has built its reputation as a silencer distributor that simplifies the process of not only purchasing a suppressor, but also the arduous ATF Form 4 application process. The company also produces its own Banish line of suppressors, which offer a ton of value and are, in some cases, at the top of the classes in which they compete.
Silencer Central Banish 45
By: Ben Battles One tool, many jobs While ATF approval times have recently improved, purchasing a suppressor can still be a commitment of time and patience. What many people reading this may need to learn, however, is that Silencer Central remains the easiest, most hassle-free way to obtain a handgun or rifle suppressor, hands down. Arduous ATF Form 4 paperwork? Like the smart kid who wrote all of your essays in high school, Silencer Central whips this out for you.
InfiRay Outdoor BOLT TX60C Thermal Riflescope
Thermal weapon sights have come a LONG way in the past few years, and one of the movers and shakers in this segment is InfiRay Outdoor. The latest model in InfiRay Outdoor’s BOLT precision thermal riflescope family is the new TX60C 3-16x model. The top-dog TX60C features an impressive 1024×1024 sensor resolution and, like its TH50CV2 and TL35V2 siblings, is built around a 30mm main tube for a profile that matches a traditional riflescope.
Silencer Central Banish Speed K
By: Ben Battles Silencer Central has built its reputation as a silencer distributor that simplifies the process of not only purchasing a suppressor, but also the arduous ATF Form 4 application process. Better yet, once your Form 4 has been given the green light, your suppressor gets shipped directly to your door.
2023 Editor’s Choice Award - Nextorch Saint Torch 31
There are illumination tools, and then there are ILLUMINATION TOOLS. Marketed as a search and rescue light, the Nextorch Saint Torch 31 puts out a retina-searing 20,000 lumens of ultra-bright LED throw — an experience best described as harnessing the ability to turn the sun on with a button.
2023 Editor’s Choice Award - Mission First Tactical IWB & OWB Leather Hybrid Holsters
On Target staff has been carrying the Mission First Tactical Leather Hybrid Holsters in both IWB & OWB configurations for almost a year as of writing this, and we are 100-percent sold on their attributes and unique construction — hence the On Target Editors’ Choice Award article you’re currently reading. These holsters are made from premium materials, including genuine American full-grain leather, and are designed to provide maximum comfort and long-lasting durability.
2023 Editor’s Choice Award - Elite Survival Stealth SBR Backpack
The Elite Survival Stealth SBR Backpack is a very high-quality, extremely durable backpack designed specifically for use with short-barreled rifles (SBRs) or AR-style pistols. Offering a rugged yet non-descript, MOLLE-free appearance, the Stealth backpack, as its name implies, will blend into most surroundings without giving away its contents. The Stealth SBR’s 500 denier interior will accommodate items up to 20-inches in length, providing ample space for any mounted accessories or enablers.
Dead Air Silencers Mojave 9
The Dead Air Silencers’ Mojave 9 9mm suppressor is the company’s first suppressor using Direct Metal Laser Sintered (DMLS) titanium construction, which, in layman’s terms, is metallic 3D printing. This new technology pushes the boundaries of performance, allowing shooters to have the benefits of both low blowback (i.e., less harmful gas directed back into the shooter’s face) and maximum acoustic signature reduction.
2023 Editor’s Choice Award - Fiocchi 5.7x28mm Range Dynamics Subsonic
Fiocchi 5.7x28mm 62-grain subsonic ammunition is a specialized ammunition designed to operate at subsonic velocities, making it ideal for use in suppressed platforms. This ammunition was specifically designed for use with the FN Five-seveN pistol, as well as the P90 submachine gun, but is fully compatible with the growing number of 5.7mm platforms flooding the market. The Fiocchi 5.7x28mm subsonic ammunition offers a number of benefits to shooters.
Winchester’s New 400 Legend Cartridge
By: Ben Battles Even if you don’t reside in one of the states that prohibit hunting with a bottle-neck cartridge, any straight-walled cartridge fan out there has a new reason to get exited in 2024 — the 400 Legend. Building upon the success of the 350 Legend, the 400 takes the Legend line a few steps further, producing superior ballistics and terminal performance on medium to large-sized game, while still generating the moderate levels of recoil the 350 Legend is known for.
Kimber R7 Mako Tactical
On Target has in-depth coverage on the way for this one, but in the meantime, we wanted to give everyone a window into what we’ve found to be a pretty outstanding suppressor host in the compact-pistol segment — the new-for-2024 Kimber R7 Mako Tactical.
SEMA Show 2023 - S3Magazine Coverage
Where the automotive aftermarket goes wild. What is the SEMA show? It’s the biggest automotive aftermarket show of its kind. 2.5 million square feet of vendor space. Approximately 2,000 companies represented. And as it looked, just as many unique builds. Only the best of the best are shown here at the show. This year, we are compiling 100 of our favorite photos from the show for you all to enjoy. Let’s dive right in! Central Hall If you’re looking for the most insane builds, you’ll find them here.
Chattanooga Motorcar Festival '23
A place that celebrates the history of the automobile – and the culture around it. Much like last year’s festival, this year featured 3 fun filled days. If you run out of things to do or see at the Chattanooga Motorcar Festival – it’s your own fault! This year’s event felt even bigger than ever as well as more anticipated. Billboards advertising this years event have been put up across town for months leading up to the festival.
Slammedenuff GYAT-linburg 2023 - S3Mag Coverage
Gatlinburg, huh? More like… GYAT-linburg, am I right??? That seemed to be the phrase of the weekend at the Sevierville Convention Center. Another year, another amazing show from the fine folks at Slammedenuff. Let’s dive right into it. Vaded Mob hosts the official Slammedenuff Pre-Meet Man, let me just start off by saying this… The quality of the cars & people has jumped this year, much like Riverside in the spring time.
2022 Editors’ Choice Award Winning Federal Force X2 Shorty
The Editors’ Choice Award we’re giving Federal for its new Force X2 Shorty 12-gauge shotshells isn’t solely based on the fact that we now have another very-solid choice for truncated 1-3/4 12-gauge ammo that can be stacked much deeper in a magazine tube than standard 2-3/4 and 3-inch shells, but also its unique payload. Each Force X2 Shorty shell holds six of Federal’s 00 segmenting copper-plated-lead buckshot pellets, designed to split into two halves upon impact.
Riverside 8 - S3Magazine Coverage
The Greatest Show On Earth (Probably) Another year, another incredible show. Riverside is a show you can’t quite fully explain… but that’s not going to stop me from trying. Their slogan “Come For The Cars, Stay For The People” is 100% accurate. Sure, the cars are incredible – they always are – but it’s the PEOPLE that really make this show so great. You’ll meet lifelong friends at this show. People come from all over – including across the pond – for this show.
Rally USA Brings Rally To The Mountains Of Tennessee
Let’s Go (Rally) RACING! Over Easter weekend, Rally USA hosted a demonstration rally just outside of Chattanooga. This event was not open to the public, however, we were invited to film & document the event. Naturally, we were beyond excited and sent Chattanooga local Ben Battles to check it out: It’s Important To Note… On Friday, Rally USA also hosted an event that WAS open to the public. This was held in downtown Chattanooga and was along the lines of a ‘meet and greet’ event.
Rally USA Brings Rally To The Mountains Of Tennessee
Let’s Go (Rally) RACING! Over Easter weekend, Rally USA hosted a demonstration rally just outside of Chattanooga, Tennessee. The event was not open to the public, however, we got invited to film & document it. Naturally, we jumped at the opportunity, and sent Chattanooga-local Ben Battles to check it out: It’s Important To Note… On Friday, Rally USA also hosted an event that WAS open to the public. This was held in downtown Chattanooga and was along the lines of a ‘meet and greet’ event.
Import Alliance Spring Meet '23
Over the weekend, Wooley, Mike and myself made our annual pilgrimage to Atlanta Motor Speedway for another Import Alliance event. Historically, we have attended many of these events through the years – and they seem to get better and better. If you don’t know, Import Alliance is a series of shows that tours all over, bringing the best of import cars to one place. Depending on location, there’s racing, drifting and so much more.
2022 Editors’ Choice Award Winning Silencer Central Banish Backcountry Suppressor
By: Ben Battles Lighter than your cell phone The idea of a compact and lightweight .30-caliber suppressor aimed squarely at the hunting market isn’t a new concept nor revolutionary. In this genre, you have Silencerco’s Harvester Evo at 11.10-ounces, Gemtech’s Tracker at 11.30-ounces, and Dead Air Silencer’s Nomad Ti at 9.70-ounces, to name a few.
Chattanooga Motorcar Festival '22
Imagine Stepping Back In Time… That’s what the Chattanooga Motorcar Festival is all about. Period correctness, heritage & history are the pinnacles of this event. Everywhere you look: old cars, cool cars, cool old cars, people dressed in period correct attire – you get the idea. This year’s event was chock full of sub-genre shows, racing action & the return of Mecum Auto Auction. So much to do, you can’t do it all in one day.
Slammedenuff Gatlinburg '22 - S3Magazine Coverage - S3 Magazine
Slammedenuff returns to the Smoky Mountains One of the most anticipated events of the year makes its return to the greater Sevierville area. And with it comes thousands of cars and folks from around the country. Literally, trailer loads of cars being transported from the west coast – JUST for this show. If you remember last year’s show – it’s like that, but amplified 2x or more. Nothing but non-stop stance cars & friends. There’s so much to cover here, so let’s dive right in.
B&T Impuls-OLS Compact Suppressor
By: Ben Battles Light, tunable, and born from Swiss-precision lineage As a great scholar once opined, it’s not that America is the best country in the world, it’s that the others just aren’t as good. America is great at many things; everything relating to war being one of them. As such, we’ve exported cutting-edge weaponry to our friends on other continents to help them with their own efforts.
The Sparks Show '22
One of the best mini truck events is back! For those unaware, the mini truck culture is alive and well in 2022. Last year, I attended the Sparks show for just one day and quickly realized, there’s so much more. This year, I stayed with some friends of mine for the weekend and I’m glad I did. This event was amazing. Let me take you through it. Saturday The show is held at the Sevier County Fairgrounds right outside of Pigeon Forge, TN. It’s a wide open spot full of amazing mini trucks and wild builds.
Helen Import Day '22
Helen Import Day returns for the 8th time in Helen, GA. If you’ve never been to Helen, imagine an old German town (ye olde style) in the middle of the mountains. It’s as the kids call it “a vibe.” Also, a perfect place to host car shows and other automotive related events. Over the weekend, I made the 3 hour drive from my place to Helen Import Day to cover the event. Here’s what I saw: Main Showcase I showed up a few minutes early to get some cars rolling in. This S2000 caught my eye immediately.
S3 Shorts: Sinh's Evo 8 & Dan's Supercharged 350Z
By God, we got a couple race cars on our hands! A couple weekends ago, I was invited to a hangout by my good friend Sinh (who a few of you probably remember from the cover of issue 55). It was at our friend Dan’s house. It ended up being more of his kids birthday party… then it turned into a hangout. Hey, no complaints here, fun was had by all. After Sinh *painstakingly* installed a windshield banner on Dan’s 350Z, we decided to go out for a drive with some friends, get some photos & video.
Cars Archives - S3 Magazine
This is the tale of how Aaron Jarnigan won a lowrider Lincoln. Let me paint the picture. If you...
Street Car Braggin Rights '22
Ah, the sweet smell of race fuel is in the air once again… Last weekend, myself and Slightly Mangled took a road trip to Aiken, SC to go watch some drag racing. By watch, I mean cover the event, but same difference in our world! Earlier in the year, we were invited to cover Street Car Braggin Rights by the host, Nate Prater. This being the first event, we had to check it out – and boy are we glad we did. Nate gathered up everyone for a drivers meeting before each class went to compete.
Events Archives - S3 Magazine
Here we go again – Ben is digging through his archives… I tend to do this every now...
Alpine Volks Fair '22
Alpine Volks Fair returns to Helen, GA! If you are not aware of what the Alpine Volks Fair is, imagine the following. Thousands of Volkswagens, Audis, Porsches and so on. Dozens of meetups and hangouts. Not just for one day, but for 5. Regular traffic begins to look like a neo-modern VW dealership parking lot. Every establishment is packed to the gills with Euro car enthusiasts. Everyone having a good time. – If this doesn’t make you the least bit excited, get your pulse checked.
Projects Archives - S3 Magazine
It’s been an… interesting week to say the least. We went from making incredible...
Lifted Civic Update #22 - Yes, It Still Exists!
We’re back! In January of this year, we dropped the AWD Civic off at a friends shop for some engine & transmission work. This was due to the car not wanting to idle and run properly. Everything was going smooth, until it wasn’t. I got a phone call early one morning saying that the car had been involved in a hit and run in their parking lot. Yes, in their parking lot. No, I could not believe it.
The WILDEST Sleeper - Twin Turbo AMC Ambassador
Not your grandma’s AMC Ambassador… Turbocharging a car usually always ends with fun results. What’s even more fun is when you go to great lengths to hide them. Our new friend FourDoorSavage not only did this, but he went all out to ensure his car was not only unique, but a complete sleeper. If you look under the hood you’ll notice something pretty quickly… … it isn’t LS swapped. Whaaaaaat?! Mr FourDoor took it upon himself to utilize the stock engine as a base. All of the internals are upgraded.
Wookies in the Woods '22
*Insert Chewbacca noises here* If you are unfamiliar with Wookies in the Woods, just imagine 200+ Volkswagen R32’s & R’s driving the Tail of the Dragon. To some, that just sounds like a bunch of noise. But to those who understand, it’s one of the best weekends of the year. I was invited by my friend Charles (aka HumbleMechanic on YouTube) while we were filming at Import Alliance a couple weeks ago (Click HERE if you missed our coverage of that show).
Riverside '22 - S3 Magazine Coverage - S3 Magazine
Riverside returns to Chattanooga The 7th show in Riverside’s history has officially wrapped. One of the greatest shows of all time, with the motto of “Come for the cars, stay for the people.” – Could not be more true. Over the weekend we saw many of our friends and spent countless hours with them. Our resident photographer Ben Battles was able to attend a total of 8 meets outside of the show, plus the main event & 12 additional photoshoots.
Import Alliance Spring Meet '22
It’s good to be back at Import Alliance. This past weekend, Wooley and I traveled to Atlanta Motor Speedway for Import Alliance’s Spring Meet. We brought some of our friends, and caught up with others – and got plenty of incredible shots in the meantime. Here’s all of the amazing content we got, we hope you enjoy & share with your friends. Saturday I ended up getting to the track around 7am both days. Everything was quiet for the first hour or so.
Gridlife at AMP '22
Track days are a blast – especially when Gridlife is involved This past weekend, myself, Wooley & Mike along with some friends went to AMP for the Gridlife Spring Special. For those of you that have not been to AMP, it is a very tight, challenging track with sudden elevation changes. This makes for some interesting racing & time attack sessions. Here are some highlights we captured over the weekend – enjoy.
Crossbreed The Chest Rig
Chest holsters—especially for portly handguns—make a ton of sense for hunting or backcountry use, as they take the weight off of your hips, can help to counteract the weight of a backpack, and it doesn’t get in the way of anything (like thick-padded waist straps on your pack, etc.) There are currently some really good options out there, but one of our new favorites, and one of the (if not “the”) most comfortable we’ve used to date, is Crossbreed’s new “The Chest Rig” holster ($149.95),...
Otis Professional Pistol Cleaning Kit for Glocks
We’d hazard a guess that as much as 50-percent of people reading this right now have at least one Glock in their arsenal; it’s the original polymer-framed/striker-fired pistol and, by far, still the most common. So, for Otis Technology to develop a comprehensive cleaning/maintenance kit for this huge contingent of handgun owners was really a no-brainer.
B&T RBS 5.56 & 7.62 Suppressors
A little-known fact by many of us here in the United States is that over the last thirty years, Swiss Manufacturer B&T (formerly Brügger & Thomet) has become the world’s largest producer of firearm suppressors. In that time, B&T has been selected to produce suppressors for most of Europe’s small arms manufacturers (HK, Glock, FN, Accuracy International, and CZ, to name a few) and many of Europe’s armed forces and police agencies.
Cold Steel Click N Cut Hunters Model
When it comes to the versatility/quality/price matrix, Cold Steel’s new Click N Cut Hunters Model ($31.99) absolutely nails it. Featuring a blaze-orange ABS-plastic handle, foldable/replaceable-blade hunting knife technology, and thicker 1.5mm 420J2 stainless-steel blades for added blade- and locking-mechanism strength, the Click N Cut Hunters Model will take care of any field-dressing duty you throw at it.
Lifted Civic Update #21: Jumping The Hurdles
It’s been a minute since the last update on Project: Lifted Civic We have been busy troubleshooting and diagnosing issues with the transmission over at Slightly Mangled. Essentially, the car will go into one forward gear and reverse and has a hard time going into park & neutral. We believe that it may have something to do with a connector that is different between the Civic and the CR-V. Regardless, the lifted Civic will soon be headed to our friend Nate Cagle’s shop.
Lifted Civic Update #20: All About Verification
It’s been an… interesting week to say the least. We went from making incredible progress on the car to nearly a standstill in the same week. As we went to test fit the CR-V axles, we realized that the bearings were improperly installed. They were loose and crooked. Luckily, our build sponsors over at Soddy Daisy Speed Shop got us taken care of with new bearings, properly installed. Once we got that out of the way, I got the spindles back over to Slightly Mangled.
Retrospective: Riverside Chattanooga 1 (2016)
Here we go again – Ben is digging through his archives… I tend to do this every now and again, especially when I ease into my “slow” season. Going back to old photoshoots and events. This week, I wanted to share some of my favorite OG Riverside photos I took 5 years ago. I hope you all enjoy – Ben. Pre-Meet The night before Riverside, there were some pre-meets happening around town.
5 Reasons Why Importing a Car is Easier, Cheaper (And BETTER) Than You Might Think!
As car enthusiasts, we’ve all been there: Sitting around the house, or at work – bored. Looking at sites like Craigslist, eBay Motors or Facebook Marketplace, looking at cars you will more than likely never buy. Find something in your price range? – Sure, but it has 300,000 miles. Look promising in photos? – In person it’s so beat up that it’s a deal breaker. Right car? – Wrong spec. It always seems like there is something that prevents us from finding good stuff locally or even regionally.
1988 Buick Reatta Review - Ahead of its Time
What happens when luxury meets technology? Buick had this exact thought in the 80’s. Cadillac had just unveiled their Allante in 1987 – a Pininfarina bodied, FWD luxury “sports convertible.” Just one year after in 1988, Buick responded with their offering – the Reatta. The Reatta is based on the same chassis as the Riviera, much like the Allante. It offers GM’s 3800 series FWD V6 engine in tandem with a 4 speed automatic. No other powertrain options were offered for the Reatta. So what is it like?
Lifted Civic Update #19: REV UP YOUR ENGINES!!!
Almost 5 months after we started, the CR-V heart transplant is a major success! About 2 months ago, we came to the realization that the B series harness was not going to work in our lifted Civic. We had to think creatively as there were no immediate options presented to us. Most swaps offer off the shelf harness adapters – but this is not most swaps. The issue we were mainly running into was that the TCU was not integrated into the harness.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Ben
Contact Ben, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack