An incident in my neighborhood a couple of weeks ago illustrates what can happen when emotion overrides common sense. As is often the case in such a situation, only when the details are uncovered…

No gun or knife or tactical pen featured here today — just a $10 keychain tool that’s found its way into my everyday carry gear. It’s an important tool because of one key function (pun intended):…

Every person who intends to guard home and hearth and kith and kin ought to have a minimum of three guns — a handgun, a rifle and a shotgun — for defensive purposes. The 12-gauge pump shotgun in particular is incredibly versatile and has a fearsome reputation amongst bad guys.

With 20/20 hindsight, it’s possible to look back at what I taught my kids versus what they otherwise learned and to be sad, thoughtful and optimistic all at the same time. I can’t claim I did a great…

Sadly, I am old enough to remember when the “goat” was someone who was blamed when things went wrong. You know, the batter hit the game-winning home run, and the pitcher who gave up that dinger was…

Imagine you are part of the crowd of concertgoers at the country music festival in Las Vegas at the moment Stephen Paddock opens fire from his 32nd floor room, and you are carrying whatever pistol…

An interesting exchange occurred on a popular social media site a few weeks ago, and I thought I would share some of what was discussed. One of the women in our concealed carry group asked the other…

The Ideal Conceal Pistol looks like a smartphone until you flip down the grip to reveal the trigger of a two-shot, derringer-style .380 pistol. This “cellphone gun,” as some people are calling it,…

I attended Unity Church for several years. I learned a great deal about prayer, meditation, the practice of inner peace and that the ideas and images (my judgments, preconceptions and even…

I don’t know how many times I have to say it. Maybe I’m just not reaching enough people. Perhaps you could help me get the word out. Share this column far and wide with every gun owner you know. If…

Anti-Second-Amendment initiatives are nothing new. Federal, state and even local municipalities have long attempted to enact laws that restrict our ability to own (or carry) firearms. True, things…

Most people who have taken the time and effort to get a concealed carry permit have done so because of a desire for preparedness. They wish to make sure that they are ready to deal with felonious…

Glock’s Model 21 is a big gun — not only in size (8.07 inches long, 1.34 inches wide, 5.51 inches high) but also in caliber (.45 ACP) and capacity (13+1). And, loaded up, it’s heavy (around 40…

I tend to go with proven handguns and equipment I’ve used for many years. This includes the strong-side belt scabbard, which should be the default carry unless there are other concerns, including but…

I have this recurring dream (or should I say “nightmare”) in which I am forced to use my firearm in self-defense against an attacker (or sometimes multiple attackers or the zombie apocalypse), but my…

Yep. I bought a $50 revolver. It’s a Charter Arms Undercover made in about 1969. Does that mean I think my life is worth $50? Nope. That means some crackhead might think my life is worth the $50 I…

Gun reviews are interesting forms of communication. Usually, they feature the new, the noteworthy and the latest and greatest. That’s all good, but every now and again, there is good reason to cover…

I have written before about how important it is for us to control our emotions when we are carrying firearms. The reasons should be obvious. Allowing anger to dictate our behavior is a quick way to…

When we think of people who engage in predatory behavior (that is, those criminally minded individuals who seek out weaker individuals who are incapable of defending themselves against a criminal…

With two kids in college and an office fully staffed with people considerably younger than I am, I often feel old. It does not help that I have been knocking around this industry for half my life. But after all these years, I still get geeked out about some things.