One of the great things about carrying a small concealment handgun—such as my Smith & Wesson 642 .38 Special Revolver—is the myriad of ways that it can be comfortably concealed. While mid- and even…

As a counterbalance to its significantly lighter weight, the Magna T5 carries a 14-pound recoil spring that helps keep felt recoil in check. » PERHAPS THE BIGGEST DRAWBACK to carrying a full-size…

When I found out that SIG Sauer was going to add the .38 Special to their fine line of V-Crown defensive ammo, I felt that it might be a good opportunity to compare apples to apples. For many years,…

The first “air powered” arm I ever fired was a single-shot Model 800 Hy-Score .22-caliber pellet-firing pistol. Built in—of all places—the U.S.A. during the 1950s, the Model 800 I had belonged to my…

It’s been five years since I was a member of a SWAT team. Just this past December, I decided that 26 years of being a Police Academy Commander and Instructor was long enough. So while I still teach…

Once again this week, I am taking a look at a plain lead defensive handgun bullet in an attempt to gauge its effectiveness as a defensive load compared to newer high-tech designs. And once again, the…

I realize that all the hype right now is about Star Wars. Believe me: I get it. (I just haven’t braved the movie-theater crowds…yet.) But I am, admittedly, a “Trekkie.” I got hooked on Star Trek: The…

As you are aware, there is an abundance of dedicated self-defense ammunition available from a wide variety of manufacturers. Most of these modern loads are the result of advanced engineering…

Sometimes the most brilliant solution to any given problem or set of problems is the simplest. CrossBreed’s Purse Defender solves a number of issues with carrying a concealed firearm in a purse in a…

One of my past off-duty guns that I carried in the 1980s was a Colt Mustang Pocket-Lite 1911-style .380. The Mustang, with its aluminum frame, was reliable and easy to carry. The problem was that the…

Make no mistake about it, the .357 Magnum revolver is not only at the top of the heap when it comes to stopping angry, animate targets, it’s also at the top of the heap in terms of versatility.…

Last week, I told you about one of two AR-15 pistols I was evaluating: the Olympic Arms K23P. While the K23P is classified as a pistol, the presence of a foam padded buffer tube makes it a bit…