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Explore expert insights, training tips, and the latest updates on firearms, firearms law, and prepping.
Semi-Automatic Pistols Guide
Semi-automatic pistols are the go-to pistols for law enforcement, concealed carriers, competitive shooters, and weekend range warriors. Why? It’s pretty simple: they can be carried around literally anywhere and they also offer speed, capacity, and a whole lot of practicality packed into one tidy little frame. But before diving headfirst into the sea of polymer frames and striker-fired triggers, it’s worth slowing down and getting a clear lay of the land, so to say. As we’ll soon see, emi-auto pistols might all look like cousins, but they’re built for very different roles. What Exactly Is a Semi-Automatic Pistol? A semi-automatic pistol is a handgun that uses the energy from firing a live round to eject the spent casing, rack the slide, and load the next round into the chamber from the magazine…all in one fluid and rapid motion that happens faster than the blink of an eye. It fires one
The Best Secret Gun Storage Spots and Their Risks
Hiding a gun doesn’t mean that you should just set it into a shoebox in your closet or slide it under a mattress like you’re the hero in an action flick stashing guns around in the house in preparation for the bad guys to come. These days, people are getting quite crafty with their concealment and are also generally becoming more effective at keeping a gun in the home and with turning everyday household items into covert storage with a purpose. And while some of these ideas as we’ll soon see are impressively clever…not all of them are as safe (or even as practical) as they can look like they are on paper. Here are nine unconventional secret gun storage spots and the risks that come with each: Secret Gun Storage Spot #1 – The Mirror A full-length mirror with a hidden compartment isn’t just for checking your hair before
Is the Nightstand the Best Place to Keep Your Home Defense Handgun?
When it comes to home defense, there’s a common image that comes to mind for most folks: a generic handgun (like a 9mm Glock or a .38 revolver) that’s tucked away in the top drawer of the nightstand, maybe hidden under something like a shirt, and ready to rock and roll at a moment’s notice. It’s the go-to spot for many of you who are reading this, but is it really the best place to keep a firearm that’s meant to protect your home and family? Or is it just the default answer because it’s what a lot of people have always done? In this article we’ll discuss whether or not it’s a good idea to keep your home defense pistol or revolver on your nightstand. We’ll dig into the nitty-gritty, the practical, and the clever (and maybe even the slightly paranoid). This is about what you need to do
Gun Etiquette
Gun Etiquette: The 7 Unspoken Rules That Every Gun Owner Needs to Know There’s owning a gun, and then there’s knowing how to act when you’ve got one. Gun etiquette isn’t about being fancy or looking tactical. It’s actually more about not scaring the hell out of everyone who is around you. It’s the difference between being someone who others want to train with and being the person no one wants to stand near on the line. Good gun manners aren’t optional. They’re literal survival skills with social consequences. Let’s explore more. Gun Etiquette Rule #1: Start With the Basics… and Mean Them The four rules of firearm safety get repeated so often they almost become background noise. But when someone actually follows them to the letter, it shows. Here they are: Plenty of folks can quote the four rules. But fewer practice them like gospel. The people who do?
The Best Laser Dry Fire System
Are you looking to tighten up that shot but without blowing through your ammo budget? Dry fire training has really come a long way from pretending with a mirror and finger guns. These days, laser dry fire systems let you practice your aim, refine your draw, and even time your reloads without you having to step foot in a range or dropping a single dime on ammo. But with a truckload of products out there, figuring out which laser dry fire system is actually worth the money is about as tricky as hitting a soda can at 100 yards with iron sights! So here’s a guide that cuts through the fluff and tells it like it is. No generic gobbledygook…just straight talk. But before we jump into all the excitement, let’s start by asking this question: What Makes a Laser Dry Fire System Worth It? Before getting into the best
Firearms Training for Beginners
So you bought your first gun. Or maybe you’re thinking about it and your Google history looks like a blend of “best home defense pistol” and “how not to shoot yourself.” Good! That means you care. And caring is the first step toward becoming a responsible and competent gun owner, and not just someone who owns a gun but someone who actually knows what to do with it. Here’s what you’ll want to keep in mind. Start Before You Even Touch the Gun The first thing to know about firearms training before beginners is that before the first round is even chambered (and before your hand even touches the grip) there are things you need to learn. And the first is that owning a gun doesn’t make you armed any more than owning a guitar makes you a musician! The proper place to start is safety, and not as a
Dry Fire Mag Glock 19 Review
Of the different laser products for Interactive Gun Range, I recommend the Dry Fire Mag for the Glock 19 as the best value for money and also delivering the best training value. As reviewing the Dry Fire Mag alone doesn’t make sense, I also review the other laser training systems I have tried. From most recommend to least recommended: Dry Fire Mag (Glock 19) The Dry Fire Mag for the Glock 19 is the best dry fire option for Interactive Gun Range for realistic training value and convenience. It is a combination laser cartridge and slide reset magazine. I’m not certain how it works, but I like that I don’t have to take the gun apart to use it. I simply insert the laser cartridge, slide in the magazine, and it works. When I am done training dry fire for the day, I take these two items out and put
A shot timer for dry fire
Introducing the “Par Time” game mode Interactive Gun Range provides a shot timer for dry fire, called the “Par Time” game mode. As you can see from the screenshot, it simulates an indoor range minus the cost, noise, drive, or range rules. On the left side of the screen you have a simulated shot timer for dry fire combined with the target range controls. The last 4 shots are saved in your shot timer history, along with split times. As a shot timer for dry fire, your training records are recorded This mode, as well as every other game mode, also stores your game results in a spreadsheet. The “Par Time” game mode in particular stores whether or not you met the par time you set, allowing you to see your progress over time. For increased training value, see the indoor shooting range drills. For the purpose of drills, this
Shooting Range Drills (outdoor)
From my dozens of paid shooting classes I’ve distilled some shooting range drills you can do at the outdoor range into a handy list you can take with you. Every indoor range drill can also be done at the outdoor range, so combine the two for a comprehensive list. Most of these drills are shot for time, bring a shot timer with you. Outdoor shooting range drills list Outdoor Shooting Range Drills Explanations Target Identification This requires two people, one to write a number on a target, another to fire. Put targets behind cover, where the shooter cannot see them unless moving or leaning past cover. Setup a course of movement such that the shooter moves past all targets. When the shooter reveals a target, his partner should call out a number, odd or even, or a math problem. It forces the shooter to think and analyze the target before
Shooting Range Drills (indoor)
From my dozens of paid shooting classes I’ve distilled some shooting range drills you can do at the indoor range into a handy list you can take with you. Combine with the outdoor range drills for a comprehensive list. Indoor shooting range drills list Outdoor Shooting Range Drills Explanations Clear Checkpoints In a stressful situation we get tunnel vision. This is an instinctive response to help you focus on that bear trying to eat you. But in a gunfight tunnel vision is counterproductive. To fix this, once your target is neutralized, do not holster your weapon. First, look fully left, then look fully right. If no additional targets, and your prior target remains neutralized, reload, then holster your weapon. This ensures there are no additional targets you did not see. It also helps you clear your tunnel vision. Accuracy at Different Ranges How much time you take to aim should
Best Options For Keeping a Gun in the Home for an Emergency
When seconds count in an emergency home defense scenario, the last thing anyone wants is to be fumbling with their keys or digging around through a closet or trying to remember which drawer the “good flashlight” is in. And that’s exactly why having a firearm in your home for emergencies is all about readiness. But it also has to be done safely and without turning your living room into a scene from a prepper documentary. The good news? There are plenty of straightforward options available to you that you can use to keep your gun close at hand in the home and without sacrificing security or your peace of mind. Let’s talk fast access, smart storage, and emergency preparedness—with a healthy dose of common sense. What “Accessible” Really Means in an Emergency Before we get into safes and secret compartments and all that, it would probably help to get a
Shoulder Holsters for Concealed Carry: Practical or Problematic?
When shoulder holsters come to mind, it’s likely that most folks conjure up images of old-school detectives and TV cops. There’s no question that there’s something undeniably appealing about shoulder holsters. They’re rugged, practical, and retro. And yes, they’re cool. But when it comes to concealed carry in the modern day…cool isn’t exactly everything. So the real question is: do shoulder holsters still earn their keep, or have they gone the way of the pager? The truth is that shoulder holsters are still around for a reason. They offer some serious perks, and especially for the right person who is in the right setting. But like any piece of firearms-related gear, shoulder holsters come with trade-offs too. Let’s unpack what makes them practical, what makes them problematic, and why they’re not nearly as outdated as you might think. The Perks of Shoulder Carry Here are the main advantages of using
