When it comes to self-defense, practicing regularly is critical. We have all heard the term “muscle memory” as a way to convey the idea that our actions become intuitive. We react without conscious…

Pillow Fight: Indiana Homeowner Foils Home-Invading Duo A Calumet Township man and his fiancée were watching TV one evening when they noticed their outside front light going off, then their doorknob being jiggled. Suddenly, their Chihuahua dog began barking fiercely, followed by sounds of their back door being kicked in.

In a fight, violence of action typically wins the day. You need to become violent enough fast enough to end any fight as quickly as you can. The longer a fight goes on, the greater the chance that…

Smith & Wesson’s M&P 340 CT is a five-shot snub-nosed revolver. It is chambered in both .357 Magnum and .38 Special and has a scandium alloy frame, a Crimson Trace Lasergrip, XS Sights and an…

If you have kids, and you own guns, you have probably taught even your very young children the fundamentals of gun safety. As they grow, you will likely teach them more advanced firearm handling and…

If you are a revolver fan like I am, sometimes you can feel a bit left out when it comes to firearms accessories. Everything is about semi-automatic pistols these days, so much so that you almost…

Sticking a gun into the waistband without a holster is a popular image. It seems like we have tough guys do this in many movies. While it may be convenient, I do not expect it to be very comfortable.…

If a police officer decides to point a gun at me, I am going to follow his instructions even if I think he is wrong. Yes, I freely admit that I come at this from the perspective of a police officer, even though my patrol time these days is limited.

I recall when the Leatherman Multi-Tool hit the mass market. It was certainly an interesting piece of gear, but what was even more interesting was the speed with which the Swiss Champ on my belt was…

Do you know where your children are? Better yet, do you know what your school-aged children or grandchildren are doing for their intruder drills, lockdown drills or active shooter drills? That may…

A hand-held flashlight is one of the most versatile and effective tools you can add to your everyday carry kit. You can search with it or use it for physical self-defense, and it comes in handy for…

No matter what environment I am in, I usually carry a small, basic survival kit that fits in a shoulder bag or backpack. It is a simple survival kit with means to keep warm, start a fire, cut things…

I just returned from the 2018 USCCA Expo, which (I have to confess) was my very first one. I traveled to Louisville, Kentucky, with two of my fellow police firearms instructors to teach a class in…

I recently replied to a comment on a social media site, and that got me to thinking. While I try to read as many of the comments as I can, I typically do not reply. For whatever reason, this one…

Regular readers know how often we at the USCCA comment on how well-suited certain guns are for everyday carry. The same thing goes for holsters. If your firearm and method of carry is comfortable,…

The Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show is often an ideal place to see, try and test out new products. One of those new innovations actually caught my eye months before this year’s show, and…

If you carry a gun, it is a pretty good idea to carry some first-aid gear that will help you stop bleeding. A tourniquet (for arterial wounds to the extremities) and a compress dressing (for wounds…

In everyday life, common sense is a good idea, but when carrying a deadly weapon for self-defense, it is absolutely essential. Thankfully, the vast majority of those who do carry do an admirable job…

Even if you are carrying a concealed pistol and packing a folding knife in your pocket, you should consider adding a neck knife to your everyday gear. It is a deep cover tool that you will not go for…

Smith & Wesson is on a roll with turning out more outstanding concealed carry handguns. One of these new concealed carry handguns is the Performance Center SW1911 Pro Series 9mm. S&W’s 911 Pro Series…