A couple weeks ago, I complained about the texture of the stocks on my Smith & Wesson Shield .45 Compact. While they provide really good grip-ability or purchase, they are rough. No, I mean rough.…

We in the gun community tend to use a lot of jargon. Do you know what EDC stands for? How about CQB? Have you ever fired a double tap? We also often buy things marketed as “tactical” when we really…

Back in 2013, I reviewed a new and rather unconventional pistol: the Boberg XR9. The Boberg XR9 was a compact, aluminum-framed 9mm semi-auto that featured a unique design in terms of its operational…

WE GUN OWNERS BANDY ABOUT TERMS like fit, feel and ergonomics as if they’re critical factors in life-saving encounters. When you think about it, they are. If you talk to any precision rifle or pistol…

When carrying a gun in a clipless inside-the-waistband holster, you can be relatively confident that it will stay in place, even during rough physical activity. As you can see from this video, the…

One of the greatest technological advances in self-defense includes the near ubiquitousness of accessory lights and lasers for handguns — and not just for those guns equipped with rails meant to…

If you have been reading my columns for a while, you know I have a great deal of admiration for North American Arms firearms, both their Guardian line of semi-automatic pistols and the firearms they…

1) Kel-Tec CL-43 Flashlight This unconventional Floridian uses three 123A batteries to throw a 420-lumen beam at whatever you need a better look at. The unique design is also excellent for…

Self-defense with a knife is complicated. Simply having a knife on you — ready for use — is not enough. Using it properly takes training and knowledge. Mike Janich of Martial Blade Concepts provides some very good explanations about how and when to use your knife to defend yourself.

Cross-draw carry, defined as wearing an angled belt holster on the weak side of the body with the gun butt canted forward, was a very popular method of carrying a defensive handgun for many years.…

In the world of concealed carry, Smith & Wesson’s small and lightweight J-frame occupies a top spot — if not the top spot — in revolvers. Larger and heavier revolvers usually don’t get a lot of…

One gun that I typically carry with me on a daily basis — one of my go-to concealed carry guns — is a Springfield Armory XD-S 9mm. My husband and I had purchased the larger XD many years ago, and we…