The weapon light market quietly reorganized around candela instead of lumens. What that means for a gun that defends a hallway, and the lights actually worth mounting — duty-grade to budget.

A .22 pistol pays for itself in ammo savings and buys you something money can't usually buy: enough repetitions to actually get good. The five worth owning, from range classics to carry-gun trainers.

A nightstand gun needs to be locked away from the wrong hands and in yours in seconds. The safes that actually pull that off, from $150 — and the lock-type traps to avoid.

A 9mm carbine shares ammo with your pistol, recoils like almost nothing, and makes a real home defense gun. Three budget picks that earn the money — and one honest cheap option.