Blades for Self-Defense: Against Animals?

I have gone back and forth on knives over the years in my self-defense training.  Working in hand-to-hand, force-on-force, experiences led me to see the obvious utility of a small, fixed blade.  Still, as an overall preparedness tool, while a knife is essential, a dedicated “fighting” knife sits low on the totem pole for me... Continue Reading →

Defending Property: No

Under the American system of law you cannot use lethal force, or potentially lethal force, to protect property, period.  The most common form of this seems to be in connection with automobile theft.  Thug tries to steel a citizen’s vehicle, citizen intervenes, thug ends up dead.  Well, even if found and ruled justified after the... Continue Reading →

Keep it Close to Home

The concept of limiting who you are willing to protect by inserting yourself into a violent confrontation is nothing new.  Well over twenty years ago the instructor for my concealed carry course (in a state that mandated a full day course that primarily focused on legalities) suggested that the concealed carrier “keep it close to... Continue Reading →

The Most Important Pistol Skill

The most important skill with a pistol, as it pertains to self-defense, is being able to deploy it efficiently, safely, and quickly.  We could say that the draw to a first, solid hit, is most important.  I would submit that the draw itself can be separated out from the first accurate hit to an extent... Continue Reading →

Focusing on the Essential Arsenal 

The past two years have witnessed a dearth of ammunition availability and sky-high prices on anything that actually is available.  Likewise, guns themselves were hard to find for a long time, although that particular shortage has greatly subsided at the time of this writing.  I suspect that the ammunition crisis will not subside for some... Continue Reading →

Knives and Self-Defense

I have dabbled with the application of the knife as a defensive tool over the years and it has remained the red-headed stepchild of defensive tools for myself.  Now, to be clear, it is a foremost preparedness tool in that having a cutting tool on person is essential; having a rescue-cutting implement to free people... Continue Reading →

Carrying Small Guns Post 2020

For those who say they only carry a full-size gun, and they carry it every day, all day, I want to I would say, I don’t believe you.  Either you don’t carry all the time, or, you carry smaller guns, at least occasionally.  I realize that there are some people who have almost no professional... Continue Reading →

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