USCCA Firearms & Self-Defense Blog
Firearms Training
Discover firearms tactics and techniques, training tips, and shooting drills for at home and on the range to help you hone your practical skills and self-defense mindset.
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Couples Firearms Training: Strengthen Your Skills, Safety & Trust
Firearms training is an essential skill for self-defense, but many couples aren’t on the same page when it comes to gun ownership, home defense and concealed carry. While one partner may be…
Continue Reading →Make a Recreational Shooting Resolution in 2025
The USCCA is in the deadly serious business of personal self-defense involving firearms, knives, less-lethal devices and bare hands. With this as my “raison d’être,” I’m proud to be a contributing writer for this organization. The work that we do here is important and no other organization does it better.
Continue Reading →Shooting Stance 101: Build a Solid Platform
When it comes to handgun proficiency, simplicity and consistency are your greatest allies. I’ve honed a steadfast approach to shooting through my years of diverse training in the police academy,…
Continue Reading →Pistol Attachments and Accessories
Accessories and attachments can enhance the performance and usability of your handgun for concealed carry or home defense. From improving accuracy to boosting ease of operation, the right additions…
Continue Reading →How to Prepare and Train for Close-Quarters Attacks
When considering a potential assailant, we are most often taught the concept of reactionary gap or the least amount of space that ensures time to react when a threat is presented. Most assaults take…
Continue Reading →Firearm Malfunctions: What They Are and How to Clear Them
In a high-stakes situation, your firearm’s reliability is essential. However, even the best-maintained firearms can experience malfunctions. Knowing how to identify and correct these issues could…
Continue Reading →Game On: Reassessing Guns and Video Games
How many people who grew up watching Davy Crockett, The Rifleman and other ’50s and ’60s Westerns, cop shows and World War II flicks attribute their interest in history and firearms to these programs?1 If you were a viewer during this golden age of TV, you’re probably nodding your head.
Continue Reading →Snap Caps vs Dummy Rounds: What’s the Difference?
By now, you’ve likely heard of a variety of different training tools that can be useful for safe dry-fire and/or live-fire practice. One popular item is the snap cap or dummy round. These typically…
Continue Reading →Target-Focused Shooting: The Power of Occluded Optics in Training
During your initial pistol training, the emphasis was likely on accuracy. You were taught to bring the front sight or dot into the sharpest focus possible, allowing your target to blur. This method…
Continue Reading →Pistol-Caliber Carbines for Home Defense
It is imperative that firearms instructors engaging in personal-defense training are familiar with the various types of long guns, as well as handguns, to serve their clients’ needs. Every situation…
Continue Reading →Cover vs. Concealment for Self-Defense
Understanding the distinctions between cover and concealment is crucial for self-defense and effective defensive firearms use. Here we’ll explain what these terms mean, how to identify each and the…
Continue Reading →How to Choose a Shooting Target for Firearms Training
Choosing the right target for firearms training is a critical aspect of effective and realistic preparation. The target should not only help in improving accuracy but also in decision-making under…
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