USCCA Firearms & Self-Defense Blog
Guns & Gear
Read no-holds-barred reviews of both personal- and home-defense firearms and stay up-to-date on the latest concealed carry gear offerings on the market. Discover everything you need to know to select the best, tried-and-true self-defense gear — from holsters, knives and ammunition to flashlights, first-aid kits and alternate weapons.
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Federal Ammunition’s 30 Super Carry in the S&W Shield EZ: An Excellent Combo
Many new products from the 2022 SHOT Show were pleasantly surprising. Federal Ammunition introduced a brand-new self-defense pistol cartridge — the 30 Super Carry — along with Smith & Wesson handguns…
Continue Reading →SIG P226 vs. Beretta 92: Which Gun Is Right For You?
With millions in service, the SIG Sauer P226 and Beretta 92 have become icons in the pistol world. They both have reputations of reliability and have been used in institutional and military…
Continue Reading →Gear We Love — February/March 2022
MSRP: $320 Diamondback Sidekick Diamondback Sidekick Whether it’s for recreation, pest control, hunting or instructing brand-new shooters, the .22 is easy to love. Affordable and American-made, this…
Continue Reading →Operator Tactical Pants From 221B Tactical
The 221B Tactical line continues to grow with innovative, new products. Those I’ve been privileged to work with have exhibited first-rate workmanship and a high degree of design thought. Tactical…
Continue Reading →Smith & Wesson CSX 9mm Review: Worth Buying?
Smith & Wesson departed from the current 9mm lineup in a number of ways with the new 9mm CSX single-action. Based on the first pictures I saw, I thought it might be what amounted to an M&P or Shield…
Continue Reading →Crimson Trace CMR-207G Rail Master
I’ve been using Crimson Trace gear — particularly their first product: Crimson Trace Lasergrip — since around 1998. In those days, many considered them a novelty or even a “toy” and not a serious…
Continue Reading →221B Tactical Vanquish Rescue Tool
After witnessing a deadly collision seven years ago involving a semi that caught fire, I made two resolutions. First, I would always have a quality fire extinguisher in an emergency box in my…
Continue Reading →The Springfield Armory SA-35: Ready for Duty
In the early 1980s, the single-action 9mm P-35 Browning Hi-Power was my dream firearm. I handled a P-35 couple of times in area gun stores and really liked how it felt in my hand. No handgun I’ve…
Continue Reading →NovX 9mm Engagement: Extreme Self-Defense Ammunition
With the amazing technology of the modern bullet, a hollow-point design is no longer necessary for superior ballistic performance from 9mm self-defense ammo in a handgun. One such load that…
Continue Reading →Defcon Spring-Assisted OTF Tactical Knife
Last month I joined the Ohio Gun Collectors Association. While collectible guns and other vintage items are the main focus of the Association’s shows, there are also newly manufactured items for sale there. A table full of U.S.-made, black tactical knives on display immediately caught my eye.
Continue Reading →Gear We Love — January 2022
BG-AK BattleGrip TangoDown’s industry-leading BattleGrip (pictured above) is now available in four colors: Dark Plum, Dark Burgundy, Black and Bakelite Orange. A comfortable replacement for a stock…
Continue Reading →The Daisy Red Ryder Carbine BB Gun
The .177 caliber Daisy Red Ryder BB gun is right up there with legendary rifles of the Old West. These include greats, such as the .44 Henry Rimfire, 1892 .44-40 Winchester and .45-70 Trapdoor…
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