A constant diet of bad news can wear anybody down (my wife regularly tells me to cut back on it) but paying attention to violent crime trends is important. Concealed carriers and ordinary citizens should be aware of the types of attacks happening today and how quickly they unfold to be prepared to defend themselves.
The Rise of ‘Blitz’ Style Attacks: Why Edged Weapon Attacks Are So Dangerous
One form of violence that appears to be increasing is what I call a “blitz” attack. The German word blitz means “lightning,” and the WWII-era term blitzkrieg referred to a rapid form of attack to overwhelm the enemy.
The same idea is applicable today to one-on-one criminal attacks. Most of today’s current blitz attacks involve knives, swords, other edged weapons or even hammers. Many of these brutal attacks are fatal because the victim does not recognize a threat until the assault is underway. There is simply not enough time to react or mount a defense once the attacker begins.
Reaction Time vs. Action: Real-World Attacks
An attack in Fort Myers, Florida, in April illustrates the problem clearly. A convenience store clerk, working alone, confronted a suspect who was breaking out a car window with a hammer in front of the store. Surveillance footage showed the suspect casually moving toward the woman, who had yelled at him to stop. He suddenly accelerated into a violent attack, jumping before bringing the hammer down on her forehead with full force. By the time she realized the danger, it was too late to defend herself.
I’m not suggesting this hardworking woman could necessarily have stopped the attack, especially since she was unarmed. But the incident demonstrates an important reality: reaction alone usually will not beat aggressive action at close range.
That is the lesson many concealed carriers still are not prepared for today.
Why Most Victims Never See the Attack Coming
Another recent example occurred in Venice Beach, California, when a man armed with a sword nearly severed another man’s arm outside of a community housing complex.
Responsibly armed citizens should be aware that edged-weapon violence has become a growing problem worldwide, particularly in countries with strict gun control laws where knives are more commonly used in violent crime.
Editor’s Note: The incidents referenced in this article are discussed for training and situational awareness purposes only. Avoid confrontation whenever possible, prioritize escape and safety, and use force only when faced with an immediate lawful threat under applicable state and local laws.
What Concealed Carriers Must Understand About Knife Attacks
The 21-Foot Rule Explained
I recommend every concealed carrier watch the video Surviving Edged Weapons*, produced by Calibre Press in 1988. I originally purchased it for police academy training use many years ago, but I still find it relevant for law enforcement and civilians alike for defensive training.
Originally produced for law enforcement officers, the lessons remain relevant for anyone who may face an edged weapon threat. It covers edged-weapon assaults, reaction time, firearms response, officer survival and the realities of close-range attacks. The film also introduces the 21-Foot-Rule.
*The video does include graphic crime-scene footage, autopsy images and realistic recreations of edged-weapon attacks.
Current Blitzing Attacks
Surviving Edged Weapons was ahead of its time, recognizing early on that America was seeing a growing “knife culture,” which many officers at the time were not prepared for. I had been a full-time law enforcement officer for seven years before seeing the video and had rarely heard of edged weapons attacks discussed in training terms.
Today, it is impossible to ignore the edged-weapon threat. These attacks are not confined to major cities or high-crime neighborhoods.
In 2025, shortly before my family arrived in northern Michigan for our annual vacation, a man stabbed 11 innocent people at a Walmart in Traverse City. Despite Michigan allowing both concealed and open carry, no one was able to immediately stop the attack.
All those who were stabbed survived, but incidents like this demonstrate how quickly an ordinary day can turn into a life-threatening situation.
Why One-Handed Shooting Skills Matter
One lesson concealed carriers can learn from these blitz-style attacks is that there is not enough time to establish a perfect two-handed shooting stance. At close range, speed and immediate response matter more than range technique. Carriers should learn to shoot with only one hand.
In law enforcement, our qualification course included several phases of one-handed shooting with both our strong and weak hands. Those skills were important because officers may need to shoot while moving or protecting their weak side from a sudden assault.
Bill Jordan’s book No Second Place Winner is an excellent resource on one-handed combat shooting. Jordan was one of the fastest shooters of his era and contributed to the development of the Smith & Wesson Model 19 .357 Magnum revolver.
Watching the videos of the attacks mentioned earlier should reinforce that a blitz attack develops too quickly for a standard grip. In many cases, your handgun may still be coming out of the holster or only partially extended when you are forced to fire. That means your shooting hand needs to get the handgun into action immediately while your support hand protects your head, neck or weak side as you move offline from the attack.
Getting the Gun Into Action Faster
One thing is critical in these situations: Start preparing as soon as your instincts tell you something is wrong. Do not wait until the attack is fully underway before beginning your draw. Understanding the realities of reaction time and recognizing when a situation may legally justify preparing to defend yourself against an imminent deadly threat is just as important as learning how to shoot.
If the attacker continues, raising a knife or other weapon, you will likely only have fractions of a second to react. Your priority is getting shots on target as quickly as possible while moving away from the line of attack.
You may not have time to achieve even a full one-handed stance or perfect sight picture. In some cases, the gun may still be near hip level when you are forced to fire. Solid close-range hits and movement are more important.
Practicing Realistic Defensive Shooting
If you have an outdoor range, practice shooting from unconventional positions and angles. Work on drawing and firing while moving, shooting one-handed and bringing the handgun onto the target quickly from realistic ready positions.
Real-world defensive encounters are fast, chaotic and rarely resemble static range drills.
Why Choose a Snubnose Revolver for Blitz Attacks: Recommended Revolver Types and Calibers
After studying the latest news regarding knife attacks and revisiting Surviving Edged Weapons, I came to the conclusion that the best defense against close-range blitz attacks is a double-action revolver. Specifically, I am referring to a five- or six-shot revolver with a barrel of 3 inches or less.
The best options for practical defensive caliber are 9mm using full-moon clips, .32 H&R Magnum, .38 Special and, for those who can manage the recoil, .357 Magnum. The .357 offers tremendous stopping power from a compact revolver, and shooters who find the Magnum excessive can still practice with or carry the lighter .38 Special ammo.
For those wanting additional power, the Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 Special also deserves consideration, although it is somewhat bulkier than the smaller-frame snubnose revolvers.
However, I am not getting rid of my semi-automatic handguns. The snubnose revolver works best for close-range attacks, while a semi-auto will remain my weapon of choice for things like church security.
Companies such as Smith & Wesson, Colt, Ruger and Charter Arms all produce quality revolvers. Whatever handgun you choose, carry it in a secure holster that allows fast access without drawing unnecessary attention. I also strongly recommend carrying at least one quality speedloader. Five Star Firearms manufactures excellent aluminum speedloaders for a wide variety of revolvers.
Advantages of the Revolver in Close-Range Encounters
I know many shooters will disagree with recommending a revolver over a modern pistol. My opinion comes from many years of carrying revolvers undercover and off duty. Here are several reasons I still trust the snubnose revolver for this type of close-range defensive encounter:
- You are far less likely to inadvertently dump or disengage your ammunition supply under stress.
- Revolvers allow plenty of dry-fire practice with very little manipulation beyond loading and unloading the gun.
- A quality revolver with fresh factory ammunition is unlikely to experience feeding malfunctions.
- You will never accidentally engage or disengage a manual safety on a revolver.
- A small revolver will draw less attention from bystanders than a larger pistol, which may reduce the risk of being mistaken for an attacker during a chaotic event.
For extremely close-range blitz attacks where speed, simplicity and immediate response matter most, the snubnose revolver deserves serious consideration.
Practical Defense Tips Against Edged Weapon Attacks
It is imperative you stay alert to your surroundings. Watch for anyone acting nervous, erratic, aggressive or threatening. Many edged-weapon attackers show some form of pre-attack behavior before striking. They may display their weapon, shout or appear fixated on a target.
When you see that aggressive behavior, respond immediately. Move yourself, family and/or friends of the danger zone. If escape is not possible and the attacker presents an immediate deadly threat, you may have to stop the threat.
- Draw your handgun when the situation justifies it. If you draw your handgun, stay alert for arriving police officers and obey their commands immediately. You do not want to be mistaken for the attacker.
- Get your gun into action quickly. If the attacker starts moving toward you with a knife or other potentially deadly weapon, bring your handgun up into the quickest one-handed shooting position you can. Prepare to move offline from the attacker.
- Protect your weak side. Keep your support hand up to protect your opposite side while your shooting hand brings the gun onto the threat. A visible laser sight, like the Crimson Trace Laser Grip, can be helpful in this situation to confirm muzzle direction.
- Move if you can. Getting offline from the attacker may help you survive, but some attacks happen too fast to allow such movement. Be prepared to shoot from awkward positions.
- Check yourself for injuries. After a violent self-defense incident, adrenaline may prevent you from immediately realizing you’ve been cut or stabbed.
In the Aftermath
If the attacker is down and the immediate threat has ended, holster your handgun as soon as it is safe to do so. Make sure EMS and law enforcement are on the way.
Stay away from the attacker. Do not approach, search or attempt to render aid if doing so creates additional danger.
Once safe, contact the USCCA Law Critical Response Team.
Surviving an Edged Weapon Attack
One-handed shooting should be a regular part of your defensive firearm training. A close-range edged-weapon attack will not unfold like a clean square-range drill. You may be moving, off balance, injured or forced to shoot from an awkward angle before you ever get a perfect stance.
Dry-fire practice with a revolver will allow you to work from different angles and ready positions without constant slide manipulation. Live-fire practice matters too. Get as much quality range time as you can and work toward controlled rapid fire with the defensive loads you actually carry.
At very close range, you may not get the gun on target before the attacker reaches you. That is why awareness, movement, one-handed shooting and fast decision-making all matter. Always take edged weapons seriously and stay alert for the threat.
