Only Interesting Guns, Part One
Townsend Whelen is often quoted as saying, “Only accurate rifles are interesting.” With all due respect, I’d offer that only interesting guns are interesting. Predecessors/Ancestors When I hired on in 1990, I was issued a stainless-steel Model 66 .357 Magnum along with a Blocker duty holster. After I qualified with my personally owned 1911, I turned that gun back in. Six years later, I was issued another -66 for the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s instructor [...]
Ed Brown’s Fueled M&Ps — Part 1
Custom pistols aren’t new. Factory custom pistols, while newer, are not either. Think about the number of 1911s out there that came from nationally known or local gunsmiths – one at a time. Add to that all the pistols built and shipped by the factory’s custom shops as well as [...]
A BUG From My Pocket
While revolvers are filling a retro niche these days, they are often overlooked and unappreciated by a fair amount of law enforcement. And there are many generational and equipment reliability reasons behind that. Reasons When I started, there were three definite reasons that backup guns (henceforth BUG) were as [...]
It’s All About Your Presentation
Most frequently, the word “presentation” describes how something is displayed, or even laid out, for others to see. Alternatively, it is about an educational event in which information is conveyed via the spoken word with graphics. For this article, we are talking about you drawing your pistol. Before someone [...]
The Case For DA/SA Pistols
Not too long ago, the metal frame Double Action/Single Action (DA/SA) pistol was king in both the military and law enforcement. Beretta 92s, third-gen S&W's, and the Sig P-series pistols were king of the hill. The military was carrying the Beretta 92FS with untold numbers in service. Many agencies, including [...]
What’s Taught And Why
Over the weekend, I took a carry optics class from Dave Spaulding, formerly of Handgun Combatives. The “why” behind the course material is the genesis of this article. When you are developing a class, what material do you include? Why does that material matter in the context of the course? [...]
Big Window, Nice Reticles – Holosun’s 507 Comp Pistol Optic
Announced this year at SHOT, Holosun’s 507 Comp – for competition – optic made its way into mailboxes and retail stores back in May. With some time behind it, here are my thoughts so far. One of the “secrets” to shooting a pistol-mounted optic is shifting your visual attention and [...]
Springfield Prodigy – Part 2
This is the second part of my look into the 1911 DS from Springfield, better known as the Prodigy. Accuracy I cannot and will not complain about the accuracy of the Prodigy, aka – Springfield Armory's 1911 DS (Double Stack). Three shots at 5 yards, just below the point [...]
50 ROUNDS | A Minimalist Approach To Practice
It’s a constant mantra for American police, “Do more with less.” Today, with officers taking pay and benefit cuts it can be trying for LEOs to stay motivated and focused on training. Addressing personal fitness some-times does not garner the attention it deserves for individual officer safety. Firearms and tactics [...]
Back-Up Guns
I did the cop-thing for about a decade and since then have continued to teach firearms tactics and work with law enforcement officers for an additional 30 years. Over the last 40 years some things have changed, yet many things haven’t. It’s often referred to as “100 years of tradition, [...]
Adding Capability & Capacity – Magazine Extensions
In addition to death and taxes, I can add two more things to the “near certainty” list. One is that small and mid-size frame pistols can be easier to conceal, and the other is that, even with my smaller hands, having some form of extension on the magazine makes them [...]