Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
What is the right trigger?
Thoughts on handgun triggers.
Magtech Revolver Ammo – Stay Away
I had the exact same problem with Magtech .32 ammo about a year ago. After I wrote about it, a representative from the company reached out to me and assured me that they would look into the problem. Apparently they haven’t. I won’t buy any more of their ammo at this point.
While on the topic of revolver ammo issues, i regularly see all kinds of problems with 9mm revolvers. Here are some possible solutions.
P&S ModCast 426 – Legally Defensive Mindset
PLEASE pay attention to the advice these gentlemen are sharing. It perfectly mimics my experiences serving as an expert witness in criminal cases. We have a “legal” system not a “justice” system. I’m working on an article for my Patreon subscribers about an expert witness case I worked last year. The client I was defending killed a man in what I believe was a perfectly reasonable use of force after he was violently attacked and seriously injured. A variety of factors worked against my client in the courtroom (including some sneaky tactics to ensure the jury wouldn’t hear my testimony) and he was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 70 years in prison.
As Hearne asserts here, the chance of you being wrongfully convicted is certainly NOT zero.
A Primer On Buying Used Handguns
A lot of very good advice here about how to ensure you don’t get a used handgun “lemon.”
“Time is Always on Your Side” — The Lie That Can Get People Killed
There is a lot of public pressure on police officers to “de-escalate” and “slow things down.” In general, that’s good advice, but there are times when doing so creates horrific results. I think this is a very well thought out model for when aggressive action outweighs “slowing things down.”
Defining Competency Standards For Concealed Carry
“The standard goal I recommend for any citizen who carries a gun out into public is to be able to consistently score a hit in the 8-inch circle at seven yards in less than 2 seconds following the beep of the timer. “
You would be astonished at how many concealed carriers cannot meet that standard on demand.
Recognition Primed Decision Making: Dr. Gary Klein
The OG of decision making research being interviewed by the guys who created the “Left of Bang” teaching protocols makes this a must-listen podcast. My challenge for you trainers is to think about how to utilize the “shadowbox technique” he mentions in the context of force on force training.
We instructors need to find a way to share our expert thought processes real time in our training scenarios. How do we inject a quick break into a dynamic scenario to essentially inform our student: “If I were in your spot, these are the factors I would be considering right now.” Any ideas?
Ayoob: Are You Ready to Perform an Emergency Draw?
Very few gun carriers have thought about this issue. I think it’s vital to practice the skills Mas explains at least a couple times a year. You can safely do it at home with training guns as well.
How to Bribe at Checkpoints
While I don’t think this is a good plan in our current policing culture (it will likely get you arrested anywhere you try it in the USA), I have used some of these techniques in foreign countries where I’ve traveled. It’s good to have information like this “just in case.”
The phrase you want to use is “Can I pay the fine to you, right now?” I have an entire section on dealing with corrupt police officers and bribe requests in my travel safety book.
Understanding Ohio’s Weapons Laws – Part 1 – Foundations
For my Ohio readers.
Carrying Concealed While Driving
Karl distills the essence of exactly the skill sets you need to cultivate for an optimal vehicle defense strategy.
Who needs a tourniquet? And who does not? Lessons learned from a review of tourniquet use in the Russo-Ukrainian war
Are we over-using tourniquets? It’s entirely possible, especially in what I’ve seen in recent police body cam videos. Not every bleeding extremity wound needs a tourniquet.
The 25 Round Shotgun Practice (2025 Update)
Take your shotgun and a box of shells out to play with these drills on your next range training session. While you are shooting, try this low light qualification with your handgun as well.
Purse Carry – Rolling the dice
Make sure you read this if you every carry your gun in a purse.
Handgunning in the 1920s: The Techniques of W.E. Fairbairn
I’ve noticed that many of the “Gun Culture 2.0” types have a dearth of knowledge about the history of gunfighting. This will provide some useful background. Fairbairn was one of the first people to actually systematize a method of teaching the skill of gunfighting. His techniques reflect the reality of the times he inhabited. Guns often didn’t have good sights. His trainees got less than 50 rounds to fire in training. “Qualification” meant getting 50% hits on a very large silhouette target.
Given those limitations, I think Fairbairn designed a pretty good program. That doesn’t mean I would use it today. We have better equipment and have learned more effective shooting techniques in the last century of evolution since this piece was written. With that said, it’s important to understand why and how training methodologies have changed throughout the years.
If you are interested in learning more, check out my article on Institutional Memory.
The Trap That Destroys Men’s Lives
I see this very commonly on social media. Watch the video. Evaluate your political social media posts. Is this level of obsession improving your life or making it worse?
You may also like Jack’s thoughts on expressing vulnerability. I’ve long enjoyed author Dr. Brene Brown’s work on vulnerability. With that said, I much prefer the masculine expression of vulnerability Mr. Donovan advocates near the end of the linked article.
Clear Indicators: 7 Signs You’re Going to be Attacked
Steve Tarani provides you with some essential information on pre-attack indicators. This article covers the topic in even greater detail and references a lot of my work.
32 ACP for Self-Defense
If I carried a .32 acp for self protection, I would load it with the highest velocity ball ammo I could find.
Thoughts on Defensive Shotgun Setup
Some shotgun equipment considerations. The author further explains his reasoning for loading his shotgun with slugs in Shotgun Ammo Selection: The Slug.
Mounting Standards: 2025 Guide to Red Dot Footprints
Current mounting standards for handgun red dot optics as well as a technique you can use to learn to more quickly acquire your dot.
Why did SCCY Firearms go out of business?
I don’t know how many of my readers are SCCY fans, but if you are, pick up a few extra for parts before they disappear. FWIW, Del-Ton has closed its doors as well.
LEOSA Woes – Part 1
Some issues for my retired cop friends. I’ve long thought that this issue of “type” of firearm qualification in the same way the author does. The “type” of gun the retired officer is shooting might simply be defined as “handgun,” thereby allowing the officer to qualify with a semi-auto and carry a revolver. That’s how I conducted retired officer quals on my range when I was doing police training.
As far as I know, this definition hasn’t been clarified in any court cases. I would have a hard time seeing a prosecutor charge a retired cop with a concealed weapon law violation if he “qualified” with a Glock 9mm and shot a dude with a J-frame. But that’s just my opinion and certainly not legal advice.
Panic-Buying, Not Tariffs, May Repeat Ammo Shortages
I’ve linked to several recent articles discussing how proposed trade tariffs might negatively affect the shooting industry. Here is a counter-argument.
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