Episode Details

State of the Second hosts Kaylee and John sit down with Opie of Opie in the Smokies for a wide-ranging conversation that starts with patches and ends on the fight for the Second Amendment. Opie walks through his path from a Glock 17 and an Uncle Mike's holster to a full-time presence in the firearms world. A patch side hustle, including the Trump Train design and a money patch where one random buyer got a real hundred-dollar bill, grew into reviews, work with Liberty Bell Firearms, Smoky Mountain Guns and Ammo, Sylvan Arms, Forge, and Gun Maid, and eventually into training and his own night vision event, Naughty After Dark.

The middle of the episode is about people. The three trade stories from SHOT Show and other events about how patches, YouTube, and firearms forums turn strangers into friends for life, and how welcoming the community is to anyone who shows up. They talk about building an on-ramp for new shooters and content creators, mentoring people who are just getting started, and Naughty After Dark as a low-cost way to let someone try a machine gun, a suppressor, and night vision for the first time. A long, funny stretch on Smoky Mountain wildlife, a coyote attack that cost Kaylee over 40 ducks on her farm, and tourists asking when the national park releases the bears keeps the tone light before the turn.

The final third gets serious on policy. Kaylee and John make the case that the Second Amendment is not about hunting, but hunters should be about the Second Amendment, and that false environmental claims like the lead ammo ban are used to chip away at the shooting sports. They cover the NFA at 90 years old, the push to get suppressors out of the NFA, AR platforms replacing traditional hunting guns, and why GOA sues carefully to avoid setting bad precedent. Opie and John argue the firearm used to be the nucleus of the family and that mentorship, youth programs, and self-reliance have eroded. The close is a call to action: Kaylee says she timed the form email at 28.7 seconds, and the other side is counting on you sitting out the fight. The episode wraps with plugs for GOALS in Knoxville on August 17-18 and Naughty After Dark on October 25-26.

Questions this episode answers

How did Opie go from his first handgun to a full-time presence in the firearms industry?

Opie started with a Glock 17 and an Uncle Mike's holster, then built a morale patch side hustle, including a Trump Train design and a money patch. That grew into reviews, training, and partnerships with Liberty Bell Firearms, Smoky Mountain Guns and Ammo, Sylvan Arms, Forge, and Gun Maid.

What is the morale patch community like, and why do patches hold value on the secondary market?

The patch community pulls people together across brand and platform debates, turning strangers into lasting friends. Opie's money patch, where one random buyer received a real hundred-dollar bill, is an example of the novelty and collectibility that give patches value.

What is Naughty After Dark, and why does Opie run it as a low-cost way to try night vision, suppressors, and machine guns?

Naughty After Dark is Opie's night vision event built as a low-cost way for someone to try a machine gun, a suppressor, and night vision for the first time. It serves as an on-ramp that lets new shooters experience gear they might never otherwise access.

Why does the show argue the Second Amendment is not about hunting, even though hunters should support it?

Kaylee and John make the case that the Second Amendment is not about hunting, but hunters should be about the 2A. They argue that false environmental claims are used to chip away at the shooting sports, so hunters have a direct stake in defending the right.

How are false environmental claims like the lead ammo ban used against the shooting sports?

The hosts argue that false environmental claims, such as the lead ammo ban, are used as a pretext