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Firearm Reviews

Lessons from Shotgun Instructor School

Last month I drove to the amazing Royal Range in Nashville to take Rangemaster’s Defensive Shotgun Instructor class.  I had previously taken all three levels of the Rangemaster handgun instructor classes and the one-day shotgun user class.  It was time to get the shotgun instructor cert.     I was a little worried.  The class […]

Posted on February 22, 2023 by Greg Ellifritz in Articles, Firearm Reviews
Gunset Training Group, John Motil, Jonathan Willis, Royal Range, shotguns, Tactical Defense Institute, Tom Givens View Post

My Thoughts on the Ruger LCP .22 Pistol

I purchased the new Ruger LCP II “Lite Rack” .22 handgun about nine months ago.  I’ve finally got enough rounds through it to trust it for defensive carry.     I’ll be honest.  When I first got the pistol, it didn’t function well at all.  It really didn’t matter what ammo I fired through it.  […]

Posted on May 9, 2022 by Greg Ellifritz in Firearm Reviews
.22, ccw, Ruger View Post

Glock Pistols- What Breaks and How to Fix It

  OK, let me get this out of the way right off the bat.  I carry a Glock pistol during about 95% of my waking hours.  My police duty gun was either a Glock 21 or a Glock 17.  A  Glock 26 or a Glock 19 in 9mm are constant companions in my off-duty hours.  […]

Posted on February 21, 2022 by Greg Ellifritz in Articles, Firearm Reviews
ccw, Glock, gunsmithing, handguns View Post

The 9mm Revolver: Boom x 6 or 5 or 7

*This is a guest post from Travis Pike.  To learn more about him, check out the “about the author” blurb at the end of the article.  Travis is a big revolver fan and thought that my audience might appreciate this piece.  I think you will enjoy it. -Greg   When talking about revolvers as a […]

Posted on October 12, 2021 by Greg Ellifritz in Articles, Firearm Reviews
guest author, revolvers, Travis Pike View Post

Initial Impressions-.22 Ruger LCP II

Written by: Greg Ellifritz   I picked up a new Ruger LCP II in .22 long rifle last week.  I’ve owned the same gun in .380 acp since it was introduced.  It fits the small niche of a “back pocket” gun better than any other.   The downside of the .380 version of this gun […]

Posted on June 21, 2021 by Greg Ellifritz in Firearm Reviews
pocket carry, pocket pistols, Ruger View Post

The Best Coat Pocket Defensive Pistols

Written by Greg Ellifritz   The weather is starting to get colder.  Many of you folks will soon be wearing large winter coats.  Have you ever tried to draw your defensive firearm while you are bundled up in a winter parka?  Sometimes it’s harder than one might think.   A friend recently sent me an […]

Posted on November 30, 2020 by Greg Ellifritz in Firearm Reviews
ccw, pocket pistols, revolvers, snubnose View Post

Shootout: Glock 42 versus Kahr CW 380

This is a guest article from friend and student “Gaston Garand.”  I think the Glock 42 and the Kahr are the two best pocket .380 autos on the market right now.  When Gaston found 400 rounds of .380 ammo, he put the two to a test and offered to write up the results for my […]

Posted on October 26, 2020 by Greg Ellifritz in Firearm Reviews
firearm reviews, Glock, Glock 42, guest author, Kahr View Post

The Springfield XD- A Polemic

Written by: Greg Ellifritz   A recent discussion on my Facebook page prompted me to write an article to explain why I really don’t care for the Springfield XD pistol.  I’ve seen hundreds of the guns go through my classes in the last decade.  I remain unimpressed.   The gun’s main selling point seems to […]

Posted on December 23, 2019 by Greg Ellifritz in Firearm Reviews
ccw, guest author, John Motil, Springfield Armory, Tactical Defense Institute, TDI View Post

Choosing a Gun for the Woman in your Life

  Written by: Greg Ellifritz     Reading the article The Right Gun for a Woman, According to Women  got me a little fired up.  Go check it out before you continue here. Female Shooters On: Semi-Autos vs. Revolvers       As most of you know, I’m not a woman.  I don’t purport to […]

Posted on December 9, 2019 by Greg Ellifritz in Firearm Reviews
firearm reviews, women's carry View Post

K and L-Frame Snub Revolvers

Written by: Greg Ellifritz     I may have a slight problem…an addiction to snub revolvers.  Oh, I love a good J-frame and carry one around almost daily. but my true passion is the J-frame’s almost unheard of larger cousin…the K-frame snub.   Many of you know all about Smith and Wesson’s K-Frame revolver.  The […]

Posted on October 29, 2019 by Greg Ellifritz in Firearm Reviews
Ed Lovette, revolver, shooting drills, Smith and Wesson, snubnose View Post

Don’t Dig the Rig #20

Written by Greg Ellifritz   Concealed Nation has a regular feature on its website called #DIGTHERIG.  It consists of reader submitted photos about their individual chosen concealed carry weapon and holster choices.   A huge variety of guns and holsters are featured.  Real people carry each of these gun and holster combinations.  Unfortunately, some of […]

Posted on February 27, 2019 by Greg Ellifritz in Firearm Reviews, Gear Reviews
ccw, holsters View Post

Shooting the new Glock 48 and 43X

Written by Greg Ellifritz   Last week, my friends at the LEPD Shooting Range in Columbus let me know that they had the new Glock 43X and Glock 48 in stock and available to shoot as rental guns.  I eagerly took them up on their offer to let me shoot the two new guns.   […]

Posted on January 29, 2019 by Greg Ellifritz in Firearm Reviews
Glock, Hardwire Tactical View Post

Range Testing the Ruger LCR

This is a guest post from my friend Marcus Wynne.  Marcus is an accomplished trainer and author who was once the lead firearms instructor for the Federal Air Marshals.  He sent this report out to a firearms instructor email list I’m on.  I thought a lot of you might find value in his observations, so […]

Posted on January 14, 2019 by Greg Ellifritz in Firearm Reviews
gelatin tests, guest author, Lucky Gunner, Marcus Wynne, pocket carry, revolvers, Ruger, snubnose View Post

Shooting the Hudson H-9

Written by: Greg Ellifritz   I’ve been down at TDI teaching my impact weapons class the last couple days.  As per my custom, before and after class I generally tend to shoot a lot of practice rounds at a couple of the beautiful ranges they have down there.   One of my fellow instructors recently […]

Posted on April 30, 2018 by Greg Ellifritz in Firearm Reviews
Hudson Manufacturing, TDI View Post

Shooting the S&W Shield EZ .380

Written by: Greg Ellifritz   I’ve been hearing some good things about the new S&W Shield EZ.  It was introduced about two months ago.  Smith and Wesson designed it to be a gun that could be used for concealed carry or home protection by those who are extremely recoil sensitive or those who lack the […]

Posted on April 10, 2018 by Greg Ellifritz in Firearm Reviews
Smith and Wesson View Post

#Don’tDigTheRig- Part 4

Written by Greg Ellifritz   Concealed Nation has a regular feature on its website called #DIGTHERIG.  It consists of reader submitted photos about their individual chosen concealed carry weapon and holster choices.   A huge variety of guns and holsters are featured.  All are carried by someone.  Unfortunately, some of the choices are less than […]

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Greg Ellifritz in Firearm Reviews, Gear Reviews, News and Tactical Advice
Glock View Post

Observations from TDI’s Extreme Close Quarters Class

Written by: Greg Ellifritz   You all really seem to like it when I post information about the gun and gear problems I see in class.  I could write a 3,000 word article filled with high level tactical insight and it will be virtually ignored.  But if I talk about how a certain gun is […]

Posted on October 4, 2016 by Greg Ellifritz in Firearm Reviews
ccw, TDI, training View Post

Gun and Gear Issues in Last Weekend’s Class

Written by: Greg Ellifritz   I require the completion of at least one day of advanced firearms training (over and above a CCW class) from a known shooting school or traveling instructor as a prerequisite to take my close range handgun class. I find that after completing some advanced training, students generally have a basic […]

Posted on May 19, 2016 by Greg Ellifritz in Firearm Reviews, Gear Reviews, News and Tactical Advice
ccw, firearm reviews, holsters View Post

8 Quality Carry Guns for Under $400…Or Not

Written by Greg Ellifritz Guns and Ammo’s online magazine ran an article touting the 8 best “quality” handguns available for under $400.  I like the premise of the article, but I can’t say that I agree with the author’s choices.  Check out the article HERE.   The author chooses the following guns as “affordable, reliable […]

Posted on May 3, 2016 by Greg Ellifritz in Articles, Firearm Reviews
cheap guns, gun reviews, Guns and Ammo View Post

Hating on the Taurus Judge

Written by: Greg Ellifritz   One of my retired officers came to the range to shoot his requalification course a while back. He brought a new toy to play with…the Taurus Judge. This is a pistol that amazingly popular among neophyte gun owners. It’s a five-shot revolver with an alloy frame, fiber optic sights, and […]

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Greg Ellifritz in Firearm Reviews
ccw, revolver, Taurus, Taurus Judge View Post
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