Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
Say Goodbye to Glock, Say Hello to Glock V
All the hubbub in the gun world this week is about Glock’s decision to stop selling most of their popular pistols and replace them with a newer model. For more information on this topic, you may also want to read about how “Glock Switches” work and Glock Discontinues Dozens of Pistols Amid “Glock Switch” Ban.
As always, don’t immediately embrace these new guns. Let someone else be the crash test dummy for a year or so until Glock gets all the bugs worked out.
Training dipshittery
I’m seeing more and more of this in the training world as marginal instructors try to differentiate themselves in a crowded and competitive market.
You may also be interested in my take on the topic and some additional info about shooting through purses.
Silencers and Home Defense
Gunsite’s Ken Campbell discusses whether or not your home defense guns should have cans.
Good Enough
“Not everyone’s training goal for shooting or combatives should be set at the limit of their potential skill. Armed professionals have other skill sets to develop and maintain, private citizens who train for self-defense have limited time and resources due to other obligations, even competitors who compete as a hobby have other interests and demands on their time. To progress to the limits of your talent takes a huge investment of time and energy.”
I completely agree with the author here. Sometimes we eat our own in this industry. Not everyone needs a sub-second draw, a black belt in BJJ, and a training resume with thousands of hours of gun classes to be competent. Lots of people can defend themselves and their loved ones with a J-frame carried in a pocket and a few practice sessions a year. We shouldn’t me making fun of people who don’t want to spend two hours a day dry firing.
Most of you reading this site are gun hobbyists. You enjoy shooting and practice. Not everyone feels the same way.
See my additional thoughts on the topic in this article.
Fit versus Feel
Massad Ayoob’s advice about handgun “feel?”
“When you dry-fire the new gun you’re thinking of buying, snap it up to firing position and see if the sights are on target. Press the trigger back and see if the sights stay on target, but this is just the start. It may take hundreds of rounds, preferably timed and scored, before you can say decisively, “This shoots better for me!”
How amenable the gun feels just holding it can fool you. A gun that doesn’t feel so great may shoot better for you. This is the puppy you want to follow you home — and don’t worry about the feel, because shooting better feels good!
You Massad Ayoob fans may also like his thoughts on shoulder holsters and IN AT THE KILL: THE SHOOTINGS OF MELVIN PURVIS.
The Civilian Need for WML’s: the home defense handgun. A Use Case Primer for ENTHUSIASTS
Dr. Sherman House discusses the utility of weapon mounted lights in the home defense/CCW world. He goes even deeper into the topic in BLINDED BY THE LIGHT: MY THOUGHTS INSPIRED BY LOWLIGHT HANDGUN WITH STEVE FISHER OF SENTINEL CONCEPTS.
ISSUE 21 — Armed Lifestyle Magazine
Some excellent articles in this edition.
Wilderness Survival Class
A lot of really high quality survival information in this article.
Competitive Marksmanship Increases Lethality
In case you had any doubts.
American Police Pistols of the 19th Century
Looking at some firearms history. You may also like this piece on the historical The .38 Smith & Wesson.
Speaking of old police guns, have you considered buying a police trade-in weapon?
A Survey of Revolver Grips
Old time knowledge that many have never learned.
While we are on the topic of revolvers, take a look at the additional revolver content linked below.
The Utility of the Revolver in 2025
Accessorizing the Small Frame Revolver
When Running Will Get You Killed Against An Active Killer (With Pictures)
Several years ago, I wrote an article critiquing the “Run, Hide, Fight” model of responding to an active killer. In this article, Caleb digs even deeper into the “Run” part of that response and covers exactly when you should run from an active killer and when that would be a poor idea. Excellent information.
A Concealed Carry Primer
Chris Cypert discusses some important CCW basics.
Survive a Gunfight – The Armory Life
Steve Tarani compiles some useful historic gunfighting advice. You might also like Gunfighters’ Ethos of Honor in the Old West.
The Hex Drill — A Guardian Pistol Curriculum Favorite
A shooting drill to try during your next range training session. While you are shooting, try Jeff Gonzales’ Skills Check: Pistol Standard Hotel.
The Mind Is the Final Weapon: A Scientific View of the Fairbairn System
What I’m reading…
Carrying A Knife: Considerations and Protocols
“One of the main things you need to be aware of when carrying a knife is its purpose. As a general rule of thumb, most subject matter experts in self-defense will agree that a folder is not a viable offensive/defensive weapon for a variety of reasons such as like the inability to open it under stress, a high probability of dropping it in a scuffle, and fine motor skills going bye-bye when the adrenaline hits. However, that’s not so say you shouldn’t have a folder to use for day-to-day things; as this is being written, there is a SOG SEAL XR in my pocket that is used to go samurai on packages and cordage as needed.
However, the rituals we go through often ring in our heads with the jingle of wallet, phone, keys, pistol and knife: even if not necessarily in that order. If that knife is part if the defensive EDC routine, it should be a fixed blade, period.”
The Distance Issue
Do you know what your maximal effective range is with your CCW pistol?
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