Open Source Defense

By opensourcedefense

In-depth interviews with outstanding founders and builders in the civilian defense industry. Culture is upstream of politics, and technology is upstream of culture.... more

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FAQs about Open Source Defense:

How many episodes does Open Source Defense have?

The podcast currently has 7 episodes available.

Open Source Defense episodes:

August 07, 2025Marc Nemati of GrabAGun
Marc is the president and CEO of GrabAGun.
0:00 - Intro
0:29 - Why to IPO, and what it’s like
3:54 - Navigating regulatory scrutiny and having mission-aligned shareholders
13:29 - Stock buyback
15:10 - M&A opportunities in the gun space
22:33 - An everything store for guns
24:43 - GrabAGun technical systems
29:07 - Data and analytics in the industry
32:59 - Operational challenges and opportunities for growth
37:03 - GrabAGun’s board of directors
41:01 - Building a team
46:52 - Managing risk in the early days of a startup
...more
51min
April 24, 2025Tim of Hoffman Tactical
Tim is the founder of Hoffman Tactical.
0:00 - Intro
0:23 - How has 3D printing evolved compared to what Tim expected?
9:16 - Does 3D printing need a killer app?
14:22 - Opportunities in destructive devices
18:20 - Tim likes anti-materiel rifles
18:49 - Gun designs are dictated by their manufacturing technology
20:39 - Hoffman Tactical’s customers
24:24 - Drones, automated defense systems, and the potential there
35:12 - Community isn’t strictly required for private defense
40:59 - The Super Safety
43:30 - Debating the value of forced reset triggers and full auto fire
52:12 - Why small companies out-innovate big ones
56:32 - Tim on hot air balloons
...more
1h
March 26, 2025Rob of Constellation Response
Rob is the founder of Constellation Response, the store for gun culture 3.0.
Timeline:
0:00 - Intro to Rob and Constellation Response
4:44 - Why modern civilian comms are changing from the old days
8:11 - The rise of Meshtastic and its applications
18:45 - Acceleration in radios
21:43 - Why Constellation Response is getting into drones
24:17 - Drone training courses
30:01 - The impact of regulation on the cool things you could do with drones
36:31 - The future of autonomous drones
42:11 - 3D printing, drones, AI, and comms feel like something really cool is swirling into shape
46:18 - Are signal jammers going to become a thing in the US?
51:16 - Tethered drones
56:38 - Follow Constellation Response
...more
58min
January 22, 2025David Han Jr. of Canine Defense Technologies
David is the founder of Canine Defense Technologies, which makes drones for defense professionals and serious civilians.
Timeline:
0:00 - Intro
0:49 - Drone nomenclature
1:44 - Counterdrone tech and the competition between offense and defense
8:42 - Technological lessons from Ukraine
16:16 - Applying those lessons to civilian drone tech
19:16 - What is the FAA getting in the way of?
25:50 - Panics that could drive bad regulation
32:08 - History and mission of Canine Defense
43:29 - Supply chain as limiting factor
44:55 - Innovations in drone propulsion and power
50:10 - Drones as Second Amendment arms and why fears of misuse are probably overblown
58:50 - Growing Canine Defense’s business
1:05:38 - Future products from Canine Defense
1:08:22 - Decentralized community-building with drone swarms
...more
1h 15min
December 19, 2024Jon and Sarah Hauptman of PHLster Holsters
Jon and Sarah run PHLster Holsters, makers of the Enigma, other holsters, and groundbreaking education about how to carry comfortably.
Timeline:
0:00 - The journey to making holsters
7:58 - What was the need PHLster was responding to?
17:34 - When did Sarah know the Enigma was going to be good?
35:57 - How much of a breakthrough was the Enigma for PHLster?
41:35 - Education and holster fitment as a science
49:28 - What's wrong with telling people to dress around the gun
58:13 - The importance of online communities
1:08:52 - The dynamic around gun products marketed to women
1:20:21 - Social media as a design and manufacturing tool
1:29:48 - Nobody goes to the anti-gun range
...more
1h 44min
November 20, 2024Jay of Pew Science
Jay is the founder and technical director of Pew Science, the world's top silencer testing company.
Timeline:
0:00 - Are low back pressure silencers the end of history?
4:50 - Why silencers break the FN SCAR 17
7:12 - Pistol silencers are hard
19:21 - What were the breakthroughs in silencer technology?
24:06 - Consumers, not the military, are now driving the silencer industry
44:16 - Is there value in modular cans?
48:48 - The mechanics of silencer assembly
54:59 - Standardization in silencer attachment
1:00:41 - Consumer demand vs. military standards
1:05:36 - Flash hider vs. muzzle brake for suppression
1:09:34 - Understanding the SCAR's sensitivity to silencers
1:18:27 - About Pew Science
...more
1h 37min
October 30, 2024Isaac Botkin of T.Rex Arms
Isaac Botkin is a longtime leader at T.Rex Arms and the perfect first guest for the Open Source Defense podcast. We talk about the beginnings of T.Rex, whether guns actually prevent tyranny, and future tech in the civilian defense industry.
Timeline:
0:00 - Intro and Background
2:44 - Milestones and Growth of T.Rex Arms
9:51 - Challenges of Growth as a Company
17:45 - Hiring for Passion and Mission Alignment
25:55 - Transparency and Honesty in Marketing
32:58 - The Evolution of Gun Culture
38:56 - Gun Culture 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0
51:44 - Do Guns Prevent Tyranny?
1:02:33 - The Future of Gun Culture, Body Armor, and Night Vision
1:21:47 - Lightning Round on Upcoming Gun Tech
...more
1h 25min

FAQs about Open Source Defense:

How many episodes does Open Source Defense have?

The podcast currently has 7 episodes available.