Target Talk
It can be frustrating for any shooter, new or otherwise, when you’re not getting the groupings that you might like at the range (if you’re hitting anything at all). One sure-fire way to get some real-time feedback – take a hard look at your target. [Read more…] about Target Talk
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Dishing On Brandishing
Owning a firearm is a big responsibility. Contrary to how the media depicts gun owners, most are reasonable, law-abiding members of society.
They are well versed in a bevy of topics surrounding firearms.
Nonetheless, brandishing is one issue that is ambiguous for even the most seasoned of gun owners. [Read more…] about Dishing On Brandishing
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Follow-Through for Shooting
One of the most important aspects of shooting effectively happens after you pull the trigger and the gun goes BANG! Follow-through is the final step in the firing process and the one that helps to integrate the other fundamentals in the taking a great shot. [Read more…] about Follow-Through for Shooting
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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
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Record Breaking Lap
We’ve reached the halfway point of 2021. After an unprecedented battle with an alleged pandemic, life is trending back to normal. The economy is surging, live concerts and sporting events have resumed, and the fourth felt like the 4th this summer. [Read more…] about Record Breaking Lap
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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
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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!
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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.
[Read more…] about Center Mass Targeting
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Don’t Be A Victim
Here’s the thing; I haven’t always been a gun advocate. After the school shooting at Columbine in 1999, I adopted the view most liberals still cling to; gun reform is necessary for our country, and long overdue. Then, during my senior year in college, something happened that altered my paradigm entirely.
I was out with fraternity brothers at a local bar celebrating the end of finals. There were eight of us drinking our problems away like countless Coeds before us. This night occurred in the early 2000s to give you a frame of reference. Nothing was out of the ordinary for the first few hours, but right around eleven, things went south and changed my lens forever.
[Read more…] about Don’t Be A Victim
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If You Buy One Handgun This Year, Make it a Rex
One of the most surprising handguns I’ve ever encountered was the Rex Zero 1 by AREX Defense. AREX is a Slovenian company that has been in the firearms business since 1994, and they are world renowned, although you’ll rarely hear about the company in the United States. Since 2004, AREX has been making parts for several companies that you may have heard of, including FN, Browning and Fiocchi, among others. They hold several military patents in Europe and their handguns are carried by some of the most elite military units in the world.
[Read more…] about If You Buy One Handgun This Year, Make it a Rex
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Handgun Stances: Traditional vs. Modern
Everyone wants to shoot quickly and accurately, and the stance that we choose can make a big difference in how we perform.
The right stance can be different for each shooter (and situation), but it’s a major factor in how we control sight alignment, body position, balance and recoil offset.
Think of it this way – you wouldn’t build a new house with a weak foundation, and it’s the same with how you establish your body before you shoot. Also consider any other sport or dynamic activity and how a solid base-of-support sets you up for optimal performance. From boxing to tennis, how you set-up is the first step to success.
Now having said that, there are a number of factors that we have to consider. [Read more…] about Handgun Stances: Traditional vs. Modern
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Glock 19: A Marvel of Balance in Glock Perfection
A generation ago, if you walked into a gun shop and asked for a Model 19 you got a Smith and Wesson Combat Magnum. Today, the Model 19 is a 9mm Glock and it is probably more popular than the revolver was. The Glock 19 9mm is easily the best-balanced Glock in my opinion. While the original Glock 17 is a good shooter, reliable, and easy to carry on a uniform belt, the G19 is an ideal concealed carry pistol. [Read more…] about Glock 19: A Marvel of Balance in Glock Perfection
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Revolvers: The Joe Friday Gun
Among the first police procedural dramas was Dragnet. Dragnet and Joe Friday were down to earth and presented the facts well. As a child, I enjoyed the series very much. Dragnet still has much to recommend. Professionalism and results are valued. Later, many of the prima donnas and flawed characters in TV shows were less interesting. Few would have lasted a minute in any agency I worked for. [Read more…] about Revolvers: The Joe Friday Gun
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Gun Test: Browning Hi Power
Some makers sing the words, but they don’t know the music. A maker that got the steel somatic right is Fabrique Nationale. The Browning Hi Power is a unique design, held in awe by serious handgunners. The Hi Power comes from an era when blue steel and walnut were the norm, and plastic was material for cheap pistol grips. The story of the Hi Power Hi Power has been told many times. However, as a classic, it is always worth one more look. [Read more…] about Gun Test: Browning Hi Power
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Colt Single Action Army: The Gunfighters Gun
Gents, Please send me one of your Nickel plated .45 Caliber revolvers. It is for my own use, and for that reason, I would like to have a little Extra pains taken with it. I am willing to pay the Extra for Extra work. Make it very easy on the trigger, and have the front Sight a little higher and thicker than the ordinary pistol of this Kind. Put on a gutta percha handle, and send it as soon as possible. Have the barrel about the same length that the ejecting rod is.
Truly yours,
W.B. Masterson [Read more…] about Colt Single Action Army: The Gunfighters Gun
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Gun Test: Arex Rex Delta 9mm Pistol
The Arex Rex Delta is a fresh design in the striker-fired, polymer-frame field. Dr. Dave Dolbee has visited the ultra-modern Arex (pronounced R-X) plant and found it impressive. As for quality and production as well as human resources, the company is an impressive force in the market. [Read more…] about Gun Test: Arex Rex Delta 9mm Pistol
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My Favorite .45 ACP Big Bore Revolver
The focus of this report is more the cartridge than the handgun, but the revolvers that chamber the cartridge are linked to the .45 ACP’s popularity. The Smith and Wesson 1917 .45 ACP revolver was a legendary handgun to a young man reading everything he could about handguns, but an ordinary handgun in the shops during the 1970s. The 1917 isn’t rare today, but it is no longer as cheap as it once was either. My first .45 ACP revolver was purchased for less than $100. [Read more…] about My Favorite .45 ACP Big Bore Revolver
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Glock 44: Glock Imperfection in a Rimfire?
The Glock 44 rimfire was met with some derision by those wishing to own a single-column magazine 10mm or perhaps the long-awaited Glock carbine. I don’t know if Glock is seriously considering these firearms, but it listens. [Read more…] about Glock 44: Glock Imperfection in a Rimfire?
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Colt Python: Reintroduced, but Is It Worthy of the Name?
There has been considerable interest in the new Colt Python 2020. Likewise, there have been quite a few comments coming from those who have not handled the Python— the new or old version. It just would not do for Colt to deliver a cheapened version, and the new pistol has no such allusion. As a Colt fan, I will say the Colt Python 2020 is a better piece than the original. [Read more…] about Colt Python: Reintroduced, but Is It Worthy of the Name?
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Gun Test: Springfield XD-S 4.0
The Springfield XD-S 4.0 is a variation on the Springfield XD—a popular and proven firearm. The XD-S is a good concealed carry handgun with the same action and features as the popular XD but enough differences to give the XD-S a distinctive character. The grip treatment is much different and offers plenty of abrasion. The XD-S .45 ACP version may sting the hand a bit, but it offers real power in a compact package. The XD-S 9mm version is more controllable and offers more rounds in the same compact package. [Read more…] about Gun Test: Springfield XD-S 4.0
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