Optics 101: MILs vs. MOA
Among all areas in the gun and related gear world, optics have advanced the most over the last twenty-plus years.
Guns for Beginners
Choosing the Right Gun for the Non-Shooter is Easier Than You Think
Guns aren’t good luck charms that ward off evil. If you have someone in your life who isn’t into shooting, but does so out of a sense of duty, you owe it to them to help them develop genuine confidence and skill.
Thinking About Buying a Law Enforcement Trade-In Gun? Read This First
The old adage about police agency guns is that they’re carried a lot and shot very little. While that can be true, you need to consider what “very little” means when stretched out over the life of the gun in question.
Optics 101: Mounting Your Scope the Right Way is Critical and Here’s How to Do It
There is more than one way to mount a scope. But there are a whole lot more ways to screw it up. This process works. It gives you solid torque, straight alignment, and max eye relief—all without crushing your tube or throwing off your zero.
Are ‘Reduced Recoil’ Defensive Pistol Loads More Prone to Malfunctions?
You should always test your carry gun with whatever personal defense ammo you intend to carry. It’s always been the case that some gun/ammo combinations just don’t work reliably for whatever reason, while similar loads from other makers will run just fine.
All Training Isn’t Equal: Yes, There’s Bad Firearms Training Out There…Here’s How to Avoid It
Good training will help you avoid criminals, too. You’ll learn how to practice better situational awareness and that command presence in your body language. Savvy bad guys notice these traits and look for easier, more submissive appearing targets.
Armed Defense of a Third Party: Remember, It’s Not Your Circus and They Aren’t Your Monkeys
Real life isn’t like Hollywood. In meatspace, the good guy doesn’t walk off into the sunset with the pretty woman to live happily ever after. Far from it.
Getting Zeroed: A Laser Bore Sighter Is a Useful Tool, But . . .
Where most folks go wrong is cranking on those windage and elevation turrets trying to match the reticle to the laser dot. What’s the problem with that? Every click moves you away from optical center—the sweet spot of your scope’s internal lens system.
Strategies for Carry in Less Permissive Environments
We’ve all heard the common refrain: concealed means concealed. Indeed. That works well. But what happens in other venues that have trained security to watch for people who fit certain profiles in an effort to keep guns off the property? Or venues that employ metal detectors?
The Basics: First Focal Plane vs. Second Focal Plane Scopes
There are few things that seem to confuse lots of rifle shooters than the difference between first and second focal plane scopes. People know there’s a cost difference between the two and that hunters generally prefer SFP scopes, but not everyone really knows why.