Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
Striker Fired Guns Should Probably Not Be Carried AIWB.
If you have ever attended one of Tom Givens’ classes, you might remember him discussing the idea that everything in the gun world is on a 15-year cycle. If you stay in the business for long enough, you’ll see the same trends over and over again. Here is an example. I started carrying Glocks in the appendix position in 2003. I wrote my first article advocating appendix carry in 2011. Between those dates, appendix carry was starting to become more commonplace.
Before 2010. it was relatively rare to see many students in my classes carrying appendix. Now more students carry in front of the hip than carry behind the hip. In 2011, I was starting to talk about the advantages of appendix carry. Now in 2025 a very intelligent instructor thinks carrying a striker fired gun in the appendix position might not be the best solution.
The 15-year cycle at work.
Does the Crossdraw Have a Place in Concealed Carry Methods?
Is there room for this carry method in modern concealed carry?
The Shotgun Red Dot : More Than Just a Bead
Options for shotgun dots.
Is Hollowpoint the Best Defensive Ammo for Concealed Carry?
In most calibers, you should be carrying hollowpoint bullets for defensive purposes. One can argue that solid bullets have advantages in .22, .25, .32, .38, and .380 calibers, but if you are carrying a 9mm, .40, or .45, you should definitely be packing hollowpoints. In this article Mas explains why.
Make Ready with Dave Spaulding: Carry Optics for Combative Pistols
Dave’s (free) new red dot shooting video.
The Rush Is On.
How the new suppressor tax laws might affect the industry.
Inflammatory Prudence
“While I didn’t have “inflammatory prudence” on my 2025 bingo card, I subconsciously suspected late last year the efforts to encourage others would become more difficult. Despite the challenges facing us (and documented in this blog), many citizens across political persuasions have become less likely to take basic steps to hedge against this uncertainty to the point some become angry when we suggest they do so.”
Purse Carry Safety
Good safety tips for those of you who carry a gun off-body.
“It Works For Me”
“You may think your choices in guns and accessories “works for you,” but under what circumstances? Your gun might indeed “work for you” when you’re punching holes in a paper target at your local range, but will it work under the stress of a life-or-death situation? That discount optic seemed like a great deal at the time, but if it loses zero while being carried about, that is not “working for you,” or anyone else for that matter.”
Respond to the Unexpected
Recently, I’ve been evaluating changes in environment in terms of “most likely” and “most dangerous.”
If I pull in to a grocery store parking lot, before I get out of the car, I ask myself:
“What’s the most dangerous thing that might be happening right now?”
Someone could be getting carjacked in the parking lot
“What indicators might I look for to see if that’s happening?”
People screaming. People running. Car crash sounds. Gunshots
“Do I see any of those things happening?”
“What’s the most likely thing to be happening in this parking lot?”
People moving in and out of the store doing their shopping
“What indicators might I look for to see if that’s happening?”
People moving at a slow pace. People pushing carts. People loading groceries in cars.
“Do I see any of those things happening?”
If I see no indicators of “most dangerous” and lots of indicators of “most likely” I know I’m doing ok in the situational awareness arena.
Is Defensive Firearms Training Defensible?
I’ve only had this issue come up on a couple of the expert witness cases I’ve worked. We were able to solidly rebuff the other side in both cases.
The Lost Boys of the Wondernine Years
Caleb describes the years 1985-1997 as the “Wondernine Years.” Since I first started regularly carrying guns in this time period, I have a certain attraction to the old school DA or DAO autos. This is a good article containing a bit of history for you old-school types.
A Few Reasons to get your Concealed Carry Permit
I had a Florida non-resident concealed carry license before Ohio even had concealed carry. Even though I was a cop in the state and didn’t need it, I still got my Ohio CCW when it became available. I took the Texas CCW class when I moved down here. There’s a value to having a permit or license even if you don’t need one.
Understanding the FBI’s 2024 active shooter data: Context, trends and takeaways
An important piece of the puzzle here.
The Ka Bar TDI: The Right Knife for the Non-Knife Enthusiast?
Having taught at TDI for 18 years and having been the lead instructor for their knife defense program, I’m obviously a big fan of the TDI fixed blade knife. I also designed the LDK knife that is also in the same line for Ka-Bar. This article describes some of the knife’s advantages. It’s a lot of knife for $50.
My friend Nathalie published her first book this week!
Here is the result. Nathalie did an awesome job with this one. She has a massive list of training drills that every facilitator can use. Pick the book up if the subject matter interests you.
Rex Applegate and His Mexico Rig: A Deeper Look
Some history for you.
5 DRILLS IN 5 DAYS
Five shooting drills you can try during your next practice session. Need another drill? Try Concealed Carry Corner: What To Practice For Concealed Carry – Part 2.
For even more work, check out Handgun Skills for the Terror Threat
Essential Practice: Malfunction Drills
If I could get beginning shooters to take one thing more seriously, it would be malfunction drills.
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