In 1965, as the war in Vietnam continued to escalate, the U.S. Navy began joint operations in the south to stop the flow of supplies and interrupt communications to the Viet Cong via the Mekong Delta.
The U.S. Navy began operating riverine forces throughout the Delta and launched Operation Game Warden in December 1965, establishing Task Force 116. This task force combined U.S. Army helicopter crews for air support of U.S. Navy amphibious vessels and armed river patrol boats (PBRs), collectively known as the “Brown Water Navy.” The task force’s mission was “denying the enemy the use of the major rivers of the Delta and the Rung Sat Special Zone.”
Task Force 116 was assigned 120 PBRs, 20 landing craft, personnel, large, one amphibious transport dock, one LST, and eight UH-1B helicopters. The Army’s 197th Aviation Company provided the Hueys, aircrews, and maintenance support, and the first coordinated PBR-Huey mission was conducted on April 10, 1966.
Due to differences in operating methods and terminology between the two services, the U.S. Navy sought control over air operations in the Delta.
Birth of the Navy Helicopter Gunship
In 1966, Rear Admiral Norvell G. Ward, Commander of Naval Forces Vietnam, presented General William C. Westmoreland, Commander of the U.S. Military Assistance Command Vietnam, with a game-changing proposal: providing air support for his riverine forces.
At the time, Army helicopters had been performing those missions. Still, Admiral Ward proposed providing Navy air crews if the Army provided helicopter gunships, which were not part of the Navy’s aircraft inventory.
Helicopter Combat Support Squadron-1
Beginning in 1966, the Navy began soliciting volunteers to form Helicopter Combat Support Squadron ONE (HC-1), which was subsequently established. Detachments of helicopter gunships were then transferred to the Navy to conduct operations in the Mekong Delta.
HC-1 operated detachments of Army UH-1 gunships providing a quick reaction, close air support (CAS) role for units of PBRs and Swift Boats of the Brown-water Navy. The effectiveness of the helicopter attack squadron was quickly realized.
As the gunship role expanded, the Navy wanted direct control of air operations to support its river patrols. The Army withdrew from the joint operation and transferred eight UH-1B Huey gunships to the Navy in 1966, extending its allocation to 22 by the end of 1967.
Helicopter Attack Squadron (Light) 3
As HC-1 detachments expanded in number, so did the types of missions they undertook, including support of PBRs, landing craft escort, SAR, reconnaissance, SEAL support, and medevac. Following the success of the HC-1 detachments, the Navy established a full squadron on April 1, 1967, at Vũng Tàu, South Vietnam.
HC-1 was divided into four units: Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 3, Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 5, Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 7 (Search and Rescue), and Helicopter Attack Squadron (Light) 3, named the Seawolves. Their unit insignia was created using the Lowenbrau Lion logo with an added trident and shield.
Follow-on HAL-3 pilots and crews completed training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Initially, the squadron fell under the command of TF 116 and, over time, also began supporting Army-Navy Mobile Riverine Task Force (TF-117).
HA(L)-3 evolved into nine detachments, scattered throughout the Mekong Delta. These were located at five airfields, three LSTs with one extra rotated for maintenance, and a Mobile Advance Tactical Support Base called “Sea Float.”
A typical detachment consisted of two helicopters, a lieutenant commander serving as the officer in command, along with seven additional pilots, eight door gunners, and maintenance personnel.
As a quick reaction force, they manned two-gunship formations operating 24-hour shifts, ready to respond to call-outs within a 50-mile radius regardless of weather conditions. When the alert horn sounded, the command “Scramble the Seawolves” blared from the loudspeaker. The gunships were airborne within three minutes and engaging the enemy within 15.
The gunships of the Seawolves were the logical solution for the close air support mission (CAS). Fixed-wing aircraft used for CAS were sparse and needed in other areas, and the only runways in the area were located at Vung Tau and Binh Thuy.
Mission Types
The Seawolves performed a variety of missions. This included close air support; tactical reconnaissance; search-and-rescue operations; and the insertion/extraction of SEAL teams from 1968 to 1971, during Operation SEALORD, using eight “Slick” models of UH-1s.
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois
Making its first flight in the late 1950s, the UH-1 Iroquois, also known as the “Huey,” was developed for the U.S. Army as a utility and medical evacuation helicopter, and was the first turbine-powered helicopter to serve in the U.S. Military.
The U.S. Army had been using its Huey gunships quite effectively, and the U.S. Navy needed the identical versions for the Seawolves.
The gunships had pilot-fired weapons, as well as door gunners, and their armament systems varied throughout the mission. The Seawolves gunships were equipped with grenade launchers, both automatic and handheld, M60 machine guns, M2 .50-caliber machine guns, miniguns with an adjustable rate of fire between 2,000 and 4,000 rounds per minute, and rocket pods armed with flechettes or white phosphorus warheads which were used to mark targets, start fires, or inflict mayhem, were fielded, with many of the weapon systems being designed and modified in the field by gunners and crew chiefs for specific missions.
Standing Down
As the war in Vietnam raged on, U.S. strategists were continuously transferring more responsibility to South Vietnamese troops as part of the Vietnamization program. In March 1972, after five years of combat operations, HAL-3 was disestablished at Binh Thuy.
The Legacy
The Seawolves were the only rapid response helicopter squadron ever commissioned in the U.S. Navy, the only squadron to be established and disestablished outside the United States, and the only squadron to never have a base inside the United States.
At the height of the Seawolves’ mission, HA(L)-3 deployed 29 UH-1 Huey gunships, amassing a war record of 78,000 combat missions flown, with a total of 131,000 flight hours, 8,200 enemy killed, 9,500 enemy structures destroyed, and 8,700 enemy vessels destroyed.
Starting with helicopter hand-me-downs, HA(L)-3 went on to become the Navy’s most decorated unit, with 17,339 decorations or medals awarded, with casualties of 44 men killed and over 200 wounded.
We all have our dream guns, but these are the ones no self-respecting gun owner should ever be without.
This scene has played out innumerable times. A new shooter or hunter is at a campfire or gun counter, going down the rabbit hole we all know well. A question arises, which gun should I get next?
My answer is the list below, 10 guns everyone should experience at some point. However, before you get your pitchforks sharpened and torches lit, this isn’t a list of firearms you need for the rest of your life (though you would be well-armed). Think of this as 10 guns you need to get your hands on at some point simply because they are timeless classics.
1. A Well-Built AR-15
Eugene Stoner blessed us with an absolute classic when he designed the M16/AR-15 platform many years ago. While hundreds of manufacturers have produced the AR in many different iterations, the spectrum is broad and varied. It has been chambered in many different calibers, so I’m referring to a good-quality carbine or rifle variant in .223/5.56 NATO chambering.
What makes the AR-15 so handy? It’s lightweight, easy to operate and maintain, and it shoots cheap ammo. From a self-defense standpoint, my AR-15 is the first gun I grab when things go bump in the night.
With a standard-capacity magazine of 30 cartridges, it’s serious firepower and relatively low recoil for faster follow-up shots. If you told me I could only have one rifle, it would likely be a well-built AR-15 in .223/5.56. Is it the perfect cartridge for taking big game in North America? Absolutely not.
Much has been written about shot placement and bullet construction, but I can say that I have taken many whitetails in America and springboks in Africa with this chambering.
Note that I said good quality. There are a lot of great manufacturers, such as FN, Colt, Cobalt Kinetics, Knights Armament Corp., Barrett and Noveske. You can’t go wrong with any of these.
The popularity of the AR-15 in America is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the platform is so modular that most people can build one in the garage.
This is fantastic from a modularity standpoint because a rifle that is perfectly set up for me might be the complete opposite of what might work for you regarding trigger, barrel, stock, gas system, etc. On the other hand, this ease of building leads to some manufacturers putting together the cheapest parts they can source to sell to the consumer.
You want a name brand with a reputation for reliability, accuracy, and quality fit and finish. You don’t want a random, cobbled-together rifle you bought at a gun show the morning after a few dudes with a garage FFL slapped it together after polishing off a six-pack. It seems like every election cycle many new AR-15 manufacturers appear out of nowhere. Some are good; others are not so great.
Backup/alternate: Ruger Mini-14—If you live in one of the “ban” states, get a standard Ruger Mini-14 in 5.56/223. While some question this rifle’s accuracy, the current production will hang with any off-the-shelf AR-15 variants at the same price point. How accurate? You will still hit a man-sized torso steel target out to 400 yards all day and will certainly maintain 2 MOA with good ammo. Accuracy like that is more than acceptable for anything I will ask of such a rifle.
2. 1911 Handgun
Over a hundred years ago, the legendary John Moses Browning—a genius in business and firearms design—began the development of a semi-automatic handgun for military trials that resulted in several successful designs. Still, the one that the U.S. military would adopt would be the model of 1911 produced by Colt.
It should come as no surprise that a significant contributing factor to the gun’s popularity was that multiple generations of service members came home and bought what they were familiar with, leading to the 1911’s widespread use.
A well-built 1911 truly is a shooting experience to behold. But, like the AR-15, popularity leads to a wide range of offerings. It can’t be stressed enough: Buy quality 1911s. While this may seem snobbish, remember that the 1911 design does not lend itself well to cheap mass production. Because a gun is technically a 1911 design, it is not inherently great.
Start with quality. It will save you time and money in the long run. Where is the line of quality? The baseline offerings from Springfield Armory and Colt are an excellent starting point.
As a good friend of mine (ironically, he’s in the UK gun industry) once said, the 1911 is the embodiment of America’s pistol. I couldn’t agree more with this statement; it’s a gun every red-blooded American should own and enjoy.
Backup/alternate: Browning Hi-Power—The Hi-Power is undoubtedly one of my favorite semi-auto handguns. Some would even argue that it was the natural progression of the 1911 design. You can never go wrong with this classy 9mm semi-auto.
3. Smith & Wesson Model 29 Revolver
In 1955, a match made in heaven was brokered by the god of wheel guns himself, Elmer Keith. Keith was an Idaho big-game hunter and guide and one of our most influential gun writers.
He used his pull to bring about a new cartridge designed around what he believed the current .44 Special should have been performance-wise; enter the .44 Remington Magnum cartridge paired with the new Smith & Wesson Model 29 revolver on the N-frame.
It’s a big gun, easy to control and versatile. Keith was an avid handgun hunter and rancher. The .44 Mag. was designed with his needs in mind. You can do it all with the classic 4-inch barrel configuration (my preferred variant).
While the .44 Magnum cartridge is a reloader’s dream, if you don’t handload, there is a wide assortment of .44 Magnum and .44 Special factory loads commercially available to cover everything from hunting to self-defense.
If I’m in the woods or on the water, my Model 29 is on my hip. I wear mine in a Simply Rugged pancake-style holster called the Sourdough. The holster distributes the weight of this massive boat anchor of a handgun. But once you get used to the weight, you will find it a benefit regarding recoil control.
If given the restriction of only being able to own one handgun, a 4-inch blued finish Model 29 would be my choice.
Backup/alternate: Ruger Redhawk—If the Model 29 isn’t your speed and you want to be slightly different, go with the Ruger Redhawk. The Redhawk is beefier, heavier and a bit less refined in the trigger department when compared to a pre-lock S&W. The Redhawk is more robust, though, and its weight can be helpful when shooting heavy loads.
4. Ruger MKIV .22 Pistol
After WWII, prolific firearm designer Bill Ruger entered the American gun scene. He was a fan of the Japanese Nambu pistol and its bolt design. In 1949, he introduced the gun known as the Ruger Standard Auto in .22 LR. The Standard Auto was the first generation in a series of pistols currently in the fourth iteration (Mark IV).
So what sets the MKIV apart from the others? The takedown system. Anyone who has owned a Ruger Standard Auto in the first three generations will tell you it’s an amazing gun with one major drawback: disassembling it requires black magic, luck and a rubber mallet. It isn’t that bad once you learn a few tricks and get used to it, but it certainly was a significant drawback.
The latest generation has a button on the back of the frame you push, and the gun hinges open for easy field stripping and cleaning.
The MKIV also has one of the cleanest triggers of any commercially available rimfire pistol today. I love guns that are good to go right out of the box. After properly sighting in an Aimpoint Micro T2 on top of mine, we frequently made hits on a 6-inch gong at 100 yards.
If you live in a freedom-loving state, buy the threaded model and get a suppressor (I highly recommend the Q Erector).
Backup/alternate: Taurus TX22 Competition—The Competition variant is my top pick of the TX22 line as it comes threaded with an optics mounting plate. I will be the first to admit I was not a fan of Taurus for many years, but this is one of the guns that made me a believer that the Taurus of today is an entirely different company putting out high-quality products. I’ll purchase one next for backpacking, as it’s a bit lighter than the Ruger.
5. The Ruger No. 1 Single-Shot Rifle
You won’t find an American-made rifle with more class and style than the Ruger No. 1. Get your pith helmets and tweed field coat ready. The brainchild of Bill Ruger and Leonard Brownell, the No. 1 gave Americans a single-shot rifle that is a mashup between classical British and American gun-making styles.
Through the years, it has come in many configurations in stainless and blued finishes and everything from varmint rifles to true big-bore safari guns—all built on the same indestructible falling block action.
I like the No. 1A configuration best, a blued half-stock sporter variant with a beautiful Alexander Henry-style forend and banded front sight. The barrel is of light contour, and it makes for a lovely stalking rifle that makes you want to glass red stags in the Scottish highlands or kudu through the mopane brush.
They aren’t winning any awards in the accuracy department, but some of my Ruger No. 1s are the most accurate rifles I have ever owned. That said, others needed a little love and were picky on ammo.
My current No. 1A in .275 Rigby (7×57 Mauser) will shoot an honest 3/4-inch three-shot group all day long from a cold bore with 140-grain Nosler Accubonds. With most other factory ammo, it’s a 1.5 MOA gun.
Is it going to beat any accuracy records? Absolutely not! Am I pleased with it, and will it suit my needs? Absolutely yes! What level of accuracy do you expect and need? My No. 1A in .275 Rigby is a stalking rifle for medium-sized game, and I am taking shots 250 yards and closer. For my needs, the rifle works perfectly fine.
Backup/alternate: Browning 1885—The Browning 1885 is equally classic; if having an exposed hammer is more your speed, this is the route you want to go. It’s also one of John Browning’s masterpieces.
6. The Remington 870 Pump Shotgun
If you ever want to experience a pump-action shotgun, buy a Remington 870. With production numbers in the millions, if you ask most people about their first pump-action shotgun, it was likely an 870.
The 870 is the literal definition of a workhorse; it’s so reliable that it’s boring. But this rugged pedestrian reliability has a charm all of its own. I am constantly adding guns to my collection, but one thing has stayed constant throughout my years of wheeling and dealing: I have always owned at least one 12-gauge Remington 870.
An 18-inch cylinder bore barrel is an excellent home defense option to complement my defensive carbine and handguns. With a regular 28-inch hunting barrel installed, I give it to every new shooter and hunter who joins me in the field. If a buddy shows up to a hunt without a gun, I hand them an 870.
My advice when looking for one: if you are OK with only shooting 23/4-inch shells, find an older Wingmaster model. The 870 Wingmaster has a lighter receiver and generally a better fit and finish than the Express line of guns.
The best part? A used Remington 870 of any variety is generally one of the best values on the market. And if you don’t like buying used, they are back in production. Given its popularity over the years, parts are everywhere and not going anywhere anytime soon. Servicing or swapping out 870 parts will be affordable and accessible for generations.
Backup/alternate: Winchester Model 12—While it doesn’t have the aftermarket support of the Remington 870 and hasn’t been in production for decades, the Winchester Model 12 pump action is for those who love the classics. No pump action has a tactile lockup as satisfactory as a well-worn Winchester model 12.
7. Winchester Model 70 Bolt-Action Rifle
In 1936, Winchester did something extraordinary: It listened to seasoned gun writers and the American shooting community and gave us the best bolt-action American sporting rifle ever produced, the Model 70.
American soldiers returning from WWI got a taste for bolt-action rifles, and Winchester responded in 1925 with the Model 54. While the Model 54 was terrific by the standards of its day, it could use a few tweaks.
The main issue was that it was introduced when most American shooters were still shooting iron sights, and the bolt handle’s shape and flag safety did not lend themselves well to optics.
Fast-forward 11 years to 1936, when Winchester introduced the model 70, a very refined Model 54. This time, Winchester hit the nail on the head. The Model 70 was named the “Rifleman’s Rifle” for good reason.
There are three main categories of Winchester Model 70. (Collectors, you can put your pitchforks away as I’m giving the CliffsNotes version of the generations.)
The most desirable from a collectible standpoint is the pre-64 series. This is a 1936-1964 production. These rifles had controlled-round feed bolts and are considered the gold standard among American-made bolt guns.
Then you have post-’64 push-feed rifles. These went through multiple generations but are generally characterized by the lack of a Mauser-type claw extractor.
Next came the post-’64 controlled-round feeds. These are produced today and are called such because though production is post-’64, they have a Mauser-type claw extractor found on the pre-’64 guns.
Literal volumes have been written over the years, arguing the merits and benefits of each series. I will let you in on a secret, though: They’re all great.
Even the post-’64 push-feed Model 70s, which don’t hold the serious collector value of the earlier guns, are amazing deals and generally very accurate rifles. The pre-’64 models are a throwback to the best in American gun making, but they aren’t any more accurate than later generations. A current production Winchester Model 70, produced by FN, is on my short list of firearms I can’t wait to snag next.
Backup/alternate: Mauser 98—This one deserves an article all of its own, but rest assured, anything pre-war commercial Mauser or postwar FN on a commercial Mauser action is generally a great gun.
8. Browning A5 Semi-Auto Shotgun
The Browning A5 was in production for almost a century. What’s funny about this shotgun is that it’s the model that put FN on the map.
When John Browning offered the design to Winchester, his long-time partner, it declined to buy it, stating that the automatic shotgun would not sell. So, he brought the design to a little-known, small Belgian firearms manufacturer, FN (Fabrique Nationale), and the rest is history.
The A5 is highly recognizable from its “humpback” design, housing a long recoil operating system that oozes classic cool and makes you want to wear waxed canvas in a duck blind. Like many popular shotgun designs, it has gone through multiple iterations and has been produced in 12-, 20- and 16-gauge.
The Browning A5 variant that makes me smile the most is the Sweet 16. If there ever was a true classic American autoloader that defined wingshooting upland birds, this was it.
It’s the one I pick for most of my wingshooting, from doves to Canada geese and everything in between. The Sweet 16 sports an actual 16-gauge-sized frame. Sometimes, when a gun company wants to introduce a 16-gauge, it puts a 16-gauge barrel and parts on a 12-gage receiver. That takes away the advantage of running a 16-gauge which, to me, is lighter weight.
Like the Winchester post- and pre-’64 Model 70s, the Browning A5 has two main series—Belgian-made and later Japanese-made. The Belgian ones bring more money and have a higher collector value, but the Japanese-produced A5s are every bit as good, if not better, mechanically. Buy the one you can strike a deal on and take it in the field; they are all great.
Backup/alternate: Remington Model 11—While it was not in production for as many years, Remington had a license to produce the Browning design. These Model 11s do not have interchangeable parts with the Browning A5 but look similar and are rock solid. The 12-gauge models can generally be had for a steal.
9. Marlin 39
I can remember this moment as clearly as day. I was maybe 11, and my mom brought us into town. Naturally, I found my way to the gun magazines and started reading. I can’t remember the publication or author, but there it was, the Marlin 39 in a featured piece.
The photo had a Marlin 39 .22 rifle set against some barnboard with a red plaid hunting jacket, a Case trapper pocket knife, a brass compass, a few traps, and a fox tail. I was immediately taken in by what I read about this classic American rimfire rifle. I had to have one.
Unfortunately, I soon found out that the Marlin 39s have quite the following, but I would not end up with my first one until I was a freshman in college. I then proceeded to hunt small game every weekend I legally could, and it was a constant companion on the trapline and on summer camping trips.
What made this rifle so handy with such appeal? For starters, it was a shooter. I only have a peep sight on mine, but putting 10 shots into a quarter-sized group at 50 yards is easily achievable.
The Marlin 39 is not a “youth”-sized rifle. It is a full-sized gun that happens to be chambered in .22 LR. These guns are not lightweight in the standard configuration by any means, but if you are Sasquatch-sized like me, you will appreciate the full size. Working the action feels like you are winding the finest precision pocket watch.
Here’s the best part, it’s a take down. Remove one captive screw in the receiver, and the rifle breaks in half for easy transport or cleaning. I carry mine in a Skinner take down rifle bag, and away it goes into the field.
Marlin produced this rifle for over a century before the company’s recent sale to Ruger. I hope Ruger brings it back, as it is my favorite lever-action rimfire ever produced.
Backup/alternate: Winchester 9422—While not a takedown, this alternate gets an honorable mention as it’s a great rifle to add to the collection. The Winchester 9422 is a classic and came in a .22 WMR variant.
10. Winchester 94 Lever-Action Rifle
The end of the 19th century was a wild time for gun design. John Browning wanted to make a lever-action rifle chambered in the then-new smokeless rifle cartridges. He used the locking system that was already a success from the 1886 and 1892 models and adapted it into what we now have as the Model 94.
The Model 94 is the quintessential brush gun. The standard 20-inch barrel carbine configuration, chambered in .30-30 Win., has put deer in the cooler for over a century.
There is no other rifle I can think of that is as comfortable to carry. If you want to experience a fantastic brush gun that is relatively low recoil, lightweight, handy and quick to shoulder, the Winchester 94 should be the first gun you try.
The 94 was in production until 2006, when Winchester closed its New Haven plant. Luckily for us, Browning, which now owns Winchester, is producing them again at the Miroku plant in Japan, and they are as good as the older ones.
Backup/alternate: Marlin 336—While the Marlin 336 does not have the longevity and Old West mystique of the Winchester 94, it is arguably a better rifle in some regards. That’s especially true if you wish to mount a magnified optic. The Winchester 94 is not forgiving regarding optics mounting options due to the top eject receiver, unless you get the angled eject variant, whereas the Marlin 336 has a side ejection port and a solid top receiver. The deciding factor between these two should be whether you wish to mount an optic.
Conclusion
While you should never restrict yourself to 10 guns, these are the ones you should consider owning and shooting at some point. Remember, they’re best experienced in the field and range. A gun in a safe doesn’t build nearly as many memories as one that gets shot and carried.
Here’s something worth celebrating for anybody who’s tired of hearing that the answer to violent crime is stripping law-abiding people of their rights: a Detroit program that goes after the actual causes of violence appears to be working, and it doesn’t involve a single new gun law.
What the Study Found
According to a study from the University of Michigan’s Poverty Solutions initiative, the city’s ShotStoppers program is tied to a 45% drop in homicides and nonfatal shootings over three years in the Detroit neighborhoods it covers.
The year-two numbers are more granular and hold up on their own. From August 2024 to July 2025, CVI zones saw a 33% decrease in homicide victims and a 38% decrease in nonfatal shooting victims compared to the previous 12 months. In the rest of Detroit over the same window, homicide victims dropped 12% and nonfatal shooting victims dropped 26%. The zones covered by the program roughly doubled the rest of the city on both counts.
For national perspective, the U.S. homicide rate has fallen roughly 30% over the same three-year stretch. A 45% drop in the targeted zones outpaces that and beats the sections of Detroit that fall outside the program. It’s not a randomized controlled trial, but the built-in comparison to the rest of the same city is a lot better than the “we passed a law, look what happened” analysis gun control advocates usually offer.
How ShotStoppers Works
The City of Detroit launched ShotStoppers in 2023 as a Community Violence Intervention program, funded initially with $11 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars. Following the two-year pilot, it’s now been permanently integrated into the new Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood and Community Safety with a mix of city and state funding — a real institutional commitment rather than a one-off grant.
The city describes it as a community-centered strategy run without law enforcement, paying community-based organizations to reduce violence in specific “CVI zones” — 3- to 5-square-mile areas with a history of high gun violence. Six teams cover the map.
The funding structure is where the incentives get interesting. Each team receives roughly $175,000 per quarter in base funding, plus up to another $175,000 per quarter in performance bonuses when its zone cuts homicides and nonfatal shootings faster than the citywide average. Put up results, get paid. That’s a model TTAG has seen work in Indianapolis and one that separates programs actually reducing violence from programs that just spend money.
The strategy runs on two tracks. First, teams connect with “shooters” directly, working the theory that violent people run in the same social networks — reach one and you reach the whole circle. From there, teams combine short-term efforts such as conflict resolution and mentorship with longer-term support: peer cohorts, job skills training, and food and housing assistance.
One team, New Era, focused on community engagement by hosting mobile block parties and resource fairs in neighborhoods hit by disinvestment. As a New Era team leader described it to Poverty Solutions researchers, the funding “helps put gas in the vehicle that we already have.” Michael Peterson, Detroit’s CVI Program Director, told the study authors he’s “obsessed with” finding ways to refine the model further.
Why This Matters
TTAG has long argued that “gun violence” isn’t actually a public health problem — it’s an interpersonal, cultural, and economic problem that shows up disproportionately in specific neighborhoods within specific cities. ShotStoppers is what taking that framing seriously looks like in practice: identify who the shooters actually are, work their social networks, pair intervention with real economic opportunity, and measure whether it worked.
This is what going after the root causes looks like. It’s an assault on the reasons people turn violent in the first place. Remove the guns and violent people stay violent people. Address the underlying cause, and the hardware stops mattering.
It’s also worth being honest about the track record of the broader category. Not every CVI program produces these numbers — some cities have spent Medicaid dollars on violence-intervention programs with nothing to show for it. That skepticism makes the ShotStoppers result more notable, not less. This one has documented outcomes in a comparable-neighborhood control, quarterly performance incentives tied to actual results, and a city government willing to make it permanent when the pilot worked.
If it holds up, it’s money well spent. And every dollar it earns is a dollar that didn’t have to be spent restricting the rights of Americans who never shot anybody in the first place.
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