Equipment


  • 5 Defensive Shotgun MythsDebunking some of the common myths about the self defense shotgun.
  • Baltimore County Tasers
  • Benchmade Mini GriptilianOne of the best all-around folding knives I have ever carried. A little more expensive than a Spyderco but the features are worth it.
  • Brand New Gun DesignsI haven't shot this gun and a single range report doesn't actually say much about this particular model of firearm in the long term.
  • Don't use your Glock Fore Grip on your Glock.I posted about this a little while ago, and I just found this video on you tube. At 0:36 the foregrip comes loose, and 0:37 the guy shoots himself in the support hand.
  • Even more pepper spraySo after this post about pepper spray and the commentary here it seems like a lot of people are still not getting my point.
  • Fenix P3D Cree Flashlight "This is currently the best small tactical flashlight on the market. It's light output and features are unmatched. This now my everyday carry light." 
  • Firearm ModificationsOver at Walls of the City there is a post up about customization and adding accessories to your firearms. Linoge and I clearly do not agree on this topic.
  • Firearms for the physically disabledSince this stirred up enough controversy amongst the advocates for the disabled I figured I would address some of these issues in a separate post.
  • Firearms in the workplaceThe receptionist at the office has a stalker ex-boyfriend. The receptionist says that he has made threats against her life, and that he has a criminal record for violent offenses. She is afraid of him and has gotten a restraining order.
  • Flashlight Review
  • Flashlights
  • Garmin Forerunner 405Normally I am pretty "old school" when it comes to my physical conditioning training, but I have a sudden need to get back into shape in a hurry and I am pulling out all the stops. I bought one of these on the recommendation of one my marathon runner friends.
  • GE 51208 SmartHome Personal Security Keychain Alarm "These are useless for their intended purpose, but can come in really handy with a little bit of creative thinking."
  • Handgun RetentionMuch of the argument that people will be disarmed of their weapons and have those weapons used against them stems from a long history of police officers being shot with their own firearms. To combat this problem law enforcement has adopted various handgun retention systems.
  • Homebrew Ballistic ScienceIt looks like these guys did some pretty impressive back yard science to determine the effects of barrel length on the speed of handgun rounds. I am impressed with the level of commitment that these guys brought to the process.
  • Improvised weapons for self defenseThere is a lot of discussion about improvised weapons in the self defense community, but much of what I have read seems to have promoted improvised weapons as replacements for actual ones.
  • Junk Holsters Are WorthlessA lot of the gun bloggers are arguing about cheap holsters, SayUncle has a recap so far, but here is my take on it.
  • Knives and handguns are not either/orTo my mind there is no more a "gun vs. knife" debate anymore than there is a "hammer vs. screwdriver debate." A knife fills a different role than firearm does.
  • Less Lethal Weapons and Use of ForceVia Scott at Spartan Cops, I came across a study on less lethal weapons and use of force titled “Less Lethal Weapon Effectiveness, Use of Force, and Suspect & Officer Injuries: A Five-Year Analysis” by Charlie Mesloh, Mark Henych and Ross Wolf.
  • More about gun modificationsLinoge seems to be quite upset on my opinions about gun modifications and accessories. A ranty bit of flamewar follows.
  • Pepper SprayLooking at the Private Citizen Equipment Poll I was really surprised to see how few of the respondents carry pepper spray. I am guessing that people don't really understand what a valuable defensive tool it can be.
  • Pepper spray or handgunsI found Conservative Scalawag had linked to my post about pepper spray, and I think his post exemplifies what people do not understand about pepper spray and use of force in general.
  • Reloads and Back Up Guns
  • Retention Holsters
  • Spyderco Delica 4"The Spyderco Delica has been the standard against which I measure all others. The latest version has many improvements over previous editions of this knife."
  • Stupid Gun Inventions: Loaded Chamber IndicatorsThis is a classic example of a technical solution to a training problem. The loaded chamber indicator was obsolete before it was invented, because Jeff Cooper had already invented RULE #1: "All guns are always loaded."
  • Stupid Gun Inventions: Rubber Grip SleevesAssuming a person has something approaching normal size hands I cannot figure out why anyone would want to make their pistol "fatter."
  • Stupid Gun Inventions: The Glock Charging HandleI do not see any point to this at all.
  • Stupid Gun Inventions: The Glock Fore GripFolding Fore Grip Even the manufacturer thinks this is a stupid idea.
  • Stupid Gun Inventions: The Pistol Bayonet
  • Stupid Gun Inventions: The Small Of the Back HolsterThis is least concealable, least comfortable, least retainable, and one of the most unsafe holster designs ever.
  • Stupid Gun Modifications: Finger-Grip Base PlatesIf you are carrying a sub-compact gun, presumably it is because a compact or full size gun is too large for your application.
  • Stupid knife ideas: Neck knivesI am a big fan of knives for self defense purposes, but I cannot figure out when and how a neck-knife is going to get used in this role. Unless you get it out before the physical fight starts it's probably not going to end up in your hands.
  • Stupid Knife Ideas: The Mechanical SafetyI guess the thinking is that first you add a spring-assist type of technology so that you can get the knife open quickly, but then you have a problem with the knife opening when you don't want it to, so somebody comes up with the idea of adding a mechanical safety that locks the blade into the handle.
  • Stupid Self Defense Gadget: The Bottle BezelThis is replacement cap for your disposable water bottle. From the website: Why not use it to defend yourself? The Bottle Bezel has a checkered, "tenderizer" top surface, with 6 serrated, trapezoid petals that surround it. It can be used 4 standard ways, regular grip, inverted grip, gouging mode, or as a weighted flail with accessory lanyard.
  • Surefire G2 LED Flashlight "This light is a big improvement over the older incandescent G2. The LED increases the brightness and the run time of the the light. This is about the least expensive, quality, tactical light I have found."
  • The 870 Police ShotgunI am not a fan of shotguns and I don't think they are the ultimate home defense gun. Somebody asked in another venue about the difference between the 870 Express and the 870 police.
  • The Cumulative Effects of Equipment
  • The Private Citizen Equipment PollThis poll is focusing on the equipment that people carry in their role as private citizens. Clearly law enforcement or military will carry more (and different) equipment, so I am not really focusing on that. I am interested in seeing what the "everyday carry" is for most of our readers.
  • The Self Defense FlashlightA flashlight is a basic piece of survival equipment. It is legal everywhere, totally portable, and useful for both mundane and self defense tasks. Most people will use a flashlight more than any other tool. Therefore flashlight should be part of your basic personal equipment.
  • The Self Defense KnifeThe old saw about "don't take a knife to a gun fight" is a lot more glib than it is practical. There are any number of reasons why a knife is a perfectly practical self-defense tool with long history of service in this role.
  • The StopThe term "stop" is loosely defined as the threat stops all hostile action. A stop might just as easily be a look or body posture as multiple bullets tearing through vitals. There is a tendency in firearm circles to confuse a 'stop' with a 'kill', but this is incorrect. Handgun bullets do not tend to kill people stone-dead on impact, though they might deter future hostilities.
  • The Totality of the SituationI use this phrase so frequently that I am sure my students are sick of hearing it. I repeat it so often because it is so important. Most self-defense training consists of drills or techniques and it easy to forget because of the constant repetition that there is not necessarily a stimulus-response relationship between a technique and a situation.
  • Use of ForceThe use of force chart is useful for private citizens to understand how the police (and the courts) tend to view a particular tool or technique. I make a lot of references to the use of force and forgot I hadn't posted this graphic.
  • Verbal Judo"Good reading for anyone who wants to improve their verbal deescalation skills. This book has some good instructions for separating emotion from communication."

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