Not Your Dad’s J Frame — Lipsey’s Ultimate Carry
Smith & Wesson's J frame revolver – if there's a ubiquitous back-up gun for uniformed officers, the J Frame is it. History The first J Frame revolvers - Chief's Specials - were produced in 1950 and have included a number of models since then. When the 442 debuted in 1993, I bought mine from a local gun store. It is an alloy frame five-shot with a front sight blade that matches the rest of the [...]
Armed Women of America – Not An Ordinary Saturday Morning
Training is, obviously, a good thing. And for several reasons. More competent and safer end users are out there; that is the biggest. Training also increases the number of favorable and knowledgeable individuals in the general jury pool. Whether those who are trained do or do not make it into [...]
Considering the 9mm Revolver
When choosing a small to medium-sized defensive revolver caliber, most people automatically default to the .38 Special or .357 Magnum chambering. There are good reasons to take a hard look at the 9mm Luger for this role. One of the biggest positives is the efficiency of the cartridge in short-barreled [...]
Options for Mounting Your Red Dot Sight
If you've missed it, pistol-mounted optics (PMO), also known as red dots, are "here," they are staying; they are not going away. So, how do you put one – or more – on your pistol(s)? There are several ways to mount that dot. Some work with a stock slide, then [...]
Working the Thumb Safety for new 1911/2011 Shooters
It has been interesting to watch the re-invention of STI into Staccato and, simultaneously, see the resurrection of a 1911-style pistol into the police duty-use world. I used a 1911 pistol on patrol and in investigations for over twenty years. I carried, competed, and taught with one. And I did [...]
Two Is One – why officers need a backup gun
Carrying a backup firearm while on duty is not as popular as I believe it should be. I am the only Constable (in a 13-officer agency) carrying a backup gun (BUG) on duty. Let us look at the pros, cons, and options available for backup gun carry. Some reasons for [...]
One Size Does Not Fit All
If you got into a car and your feet did not reach the pedals, you would move the seat forward. If you were too close to the wheel, you would adjust the seatback - unless your agency said everyone had to have their seat in the same place. This is [...]
Selecting, Buying, and Replacing Duty Pistols
In my career that spanned 30 years, the replacement process for handguns - the universal piece of duty gear - was complicated by politics, emotion, and bias, all out of proportion to it's actual use. Do we stress as much about new cars or replacing desktop computers in the report [...]
BUILDING A MISSION-BASED FIREARMS SYSTEM:
Part 2 – Your Personal Firearms System
In Part 1 of this series, we looked at the Primary Firearms System. The selection was based on applicability to being a firearms instructor, private security contractor, and living in a metropolitan area with a significant level of violent crime. In this installment, we will look at the personal defense [...]
Springfield Armory’s FIRST LINE Program
Early this week, Springfield Armory announced their new FIRST LINE sales program focused on supporting America's First Responders and others who serve the public. Springfield's VP of Sales, Phil Rawlings, said, "We recognize the sacrifices these individuals make every day for all of us, and we want to do our [...]
Building A Mission-Based Firearms System: Part 1-Your Primary Firearm System
Throughout my adult life, I have been in various armed professions. Often, a couple at the same time. I put significant thought and effort into building specific mission-based systems. I am creating a new plan to adapt to some life and professional changes in my current situation. The basis of [...]