This post continues a series called “Gun Owner 101.” This post discusses some of the less-concrete aspects of concealed carry and the use of lethal force. In my opinion, material of this sort is grossly under-represented in the carry/defense/EDC space. I think these are incredibly important concepts to be exposed to, consider, and factor in your concealed-carry and home-defense plans. If I were teaching a concealed carry class I would work hard to present these concepts.
Gun Owner 101: Holster Selection
This post begins a news series called “Gun Owner 101.” I am opening this series with a detailed discussion of holster selection. I’m also going to touch on carry positions In it I cover the purpose of a holster, holster materials, common features of a good holster, various carry positions. Throughout I offer some tips and tricks and some pitfalls to avoid. Though this isn’t everything there is to know about holsters, it should help you make a good decision about a holster.
Defensive 1911: Dropping the Slide
The 1911 design is, as most of its more emotional followers are quick to point out, over 100 years old. Mostly I don’t care about that at all. It’s interesting but it’s not better because it’s ancient any more than your Glock is better for being filthy or Austrian or grey in color. However, I do care about that in as much as the old design requires some special considerations in use and handling. Today I’m going to talk about one of those: dropping the slide on the 1911.
Defensive AR Setup 3: The Rifle Itself
Many of you are probably wondering why I chose to write about accessories (Part I, Part II) for the rifle before writing about the AR-15 rifle itself. I have been operating under the assumption that most of you reading this already own your rifle. I realize that is not the case for everyone, so today I am going to talk about a few considerations in regards to the selection of your carbine.
Defensive 1911: Cleaning & Maintenance
The 1911 is not a platform that suffers long periods of inattention gracefully. It has to be cleaned and lubricated at least somewhat regularly in order to keep running efficiently. This is in contrast to a lot of guns that will keep running notwithstanding a dearth of maintenance. Let’s look at cleaning and maintenance of the defensive 1911.
Defensive AR-15 Setup 2: Everything Else
In my last post on the defensive AR-15 I talked about sighting options for the defensive AR. Today I am going to talk about the only other accessories you truly need on a defensive AR. This is just my opinion and reflects my experience with the platform and my personal preferences and biases, so they may differ from yours. Also, I know this ground has been covered, but I haven’t had my say yet, so here it is.
Defensive AR-15 Setup 1: Sights
The AR-15 is about as common a rifle as you’ll find in this country. If you don’t own an AR-15 you might want to think about it. Few other firearms give you the same defensive capability. The AR platform is extremely easy to operate, infinitely customizable, reliable, and easy for most people to use. Whether you plan to purchase one in the future or already own one, you may want to know about defensive AR-15 setup.
Defensive 1911: 1911 Reliability
Some of you have expressed interest in the defensive 1911. Some others have written in with more general questions about 1911s. These days there aren’t a whole lot of people – at least people of my generation – taking 1911s very seriously. Today I’m going to talk about some reliability factors of the defensive 1911, maybe a few things to think about before taking up the 1911.
Stockpiling Ammunition: A Thorough Approach
I have long advocated the practice of stockpiling ammunition. Today I’m going to attempt (again) to encourage you to purchase ammunition at your leisure rather than in knee-jerk response to external stimuli.
Setting Up a Range Bag
I hate to admit this, but despite a lifetime of being a shooter and firearms enthusiast, I only put together my first range bag about two years ago. Honestly, it changed my life. I cannot imagine not having a range bag now. I know there are a whole lot of new shooters finding their way into the sport, so I though this might be a good time to talk about setting up a range bag.