Stephen Littlechild, Author at The K-Var Armory

The Amateur Instructor

Teaching a friend or family member to shoot and how to handle weapons safely can be a great experience, but it’s important not to take the process too lightly. [Read more…] about The Amateur Instructor

Minimizing Recoil

A wise man (Isaac Newton) once said that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. If you’ve felt the kick of a powerful firearm, you’ll immediately know how this equation works. [Read more…] about Minimizing Recoil

Concealed Carry – To Appendix or Not to Appendix

Appendix carry in one form or another has been around almost as long as handguns have. It does have advantages, but there is some debate though about the greater potential for injury. [Read more…] about Concealed Carry – To Appendix or Not to Appendix

The Myth of Iron Sights

Ever hear an old-timer talk about how you’re not a ‘real’ shooter unless you can hit a target without your newfangled optics? I have, and while there may be a hint of truth there, the sentiment isn’t entirely accurate. [Read more…] about The Myth of Iron Sights

Breaking-In Your New Gun

Ever fire a used gun and notice that the action and the trigger feel super smooth with every shot? That’s almost always because it’s been well worn-in through continued use. [Read more…] about Breaking-In Your New Gun

Brandishing & Self Defense

Making the call to defend yourself or your home with a firearm in the face of an attack or deadly threat may seem like a pretty straight-forward decision. A no-brainer, right? The problem is that there are a lot of factors involved that may make it more complicated than you might think. [Read more…] about Brandishing & Self Defense

An Accident By Any Other Name

There was an incident in our area recently where someone at a range narrowly missed hitting their instructor with an accidental shot from their handgun. That’s how it was reported. The shot was unintentional for sure, but accidental maybe not so much. [Read more…] about An Accident By Any Other Name

Hot Weather Shooting

Temperatures are rising and it’s time to be aware of what that heat can do to your weapons and your ammo. Aside from the basic safety practices that help to keep you and those around you safe – what and how you shoot will dictate how much attention you need to pay to the warmer weather. [Read more…] about Hot Weather Shooting

Avoiding Scope Bite

Getting ‘scoped’ when shooting a rifle is always a risk, but it’s one that can be minimized if you take a few precautions. This injury goes by a few different names like Scope Bite or Scope Eye and it’s always a highly unpleasant experience for shooters at any level. [Read more…] about Avoiding Scope Bite

Shooter Fitness

Now, no one is expecting you to go shirtless and get all oiled up to hit the range, but some attention should be paid to your fitness level to help get the best results. [Read more…] about Shooter Fitness

Vehicle Concealed Carry

Presumably, you would wear your concealed, defensive handgun somewhere on you that would be the most comfortable and allow easy access in the case of an immediate need. What happens though, when you climb into your car or truck and that weapon is in a position that just isn’t practical? [Read more…] about Vehicle Concealed Carry

Always Use Protection

I think you’d be hard-pressed to find any shooter that doesn’t understand the need for eye and hearing protection. It’s standard industry practice, most all reputable ranges insist on their use and it’s really just common sense. [Read more…] about Always Use Protection

Just Breathe

There’s very little that we do in sports or other physical activity where controlled breathing doesn’t help – and shooting is no exception. [Read more…] about Just Breathe

Know Your Muzzle Attachments

A lot of new gun owners often don’t fully understand the attachment at the end of their barrel and what it can and can’t do. Aside from a sound suppressor (which most everyone can recognize), a lot of these devices look pretty similar and can be hard to tell apart. [Read more…] about Know Your Muzzle Attachments

Size Matters!

Shooting a gun that really fits well can make all the difference in the world. As a general rule though, off-the-shelf firearm models are manufactured for the ‘average’ shooter (for good reason), and you may end up with a less-than-ideal experience if you get a bad match. [Read more…] about Size Matters!

The 12 Days of Home Protection

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house…

…were a whole variety of security gaps that could ruin your holidays in the event of a break-in.

Hey, I know it doesn’t rhyme but you get the drift.

Range Rules

Hitting the gun range for the first time can be exciting, but you’ll want to make sure that you’re at least somewhat familiar with how everything works before you get there. You don’t want to be unsafe in any way, or at the very least you don’t want to be that doofus newbie that everyone rolls their eyes at. There are also some basic rules that apply to even the most seasoned of shooters. [Read more…] about Range Rules

Situational Awareness – Keep Your Head Up

There are certain places and times when it’s good to have an acute sense of what’s going on around you, in order to avoid potential risks to yourself and others. Situational awareness is a skill (and a habit) that helps to focus your attention on your surroundings and hopefully allows you to be better prepared for, or avoid, nasty encounters with those who may wish to do you harm. [Read more…] about Situational Awareness – Keep Your Head Up

Center Mass Targeting

I had a police officer buddy lament recently that there had been some public push back on a shooting where a man had been wounded in a gunfire exchange during a robbery. He’d been hit in the chest (and will survive), but the talk was centered around the old ‘why couldn’t you just shoot him in the leg’ question. Not the first time that this one has come up and it probably won’t be the last.

Keep It Clean

Like any tool or equipment that you may own, keeping your firearms clean and in good working order goes a long way in maintaining optimal performance. Even a rank novice knows instinctively that ‘clean is good’ when it comes to your guns, but there are some elements of the process that may be misunderstood, not considered or that get forgotten about due to laziness or neglect.

[Read more…] about Keep It Clean