The Gunfighter’s Guide: Lessons Learned the Hard Way- Part 3, by The Grumpy Gunfighter

This article is a compilation of lessons I have learned, either from real world events or through lessons taught to me by the men and women I served with. Their advice has saved my life on a few occasions, and perhaps this gunfighter’s guide, also developed from lessons learned the hard way, may do the same for you one day. In part 1, I covered three main topics– cars and guns, the scorpion vs. box jellyfish philosophies, and close quarters battle takeaways. Today we will move into fighting in larger spaces, specifically the backwoods and move onto other topics also. …




The Gunfighter’s Guide: Lessons Learned the Hard Way- Part 1, by The Grumpy Gunfighter

For me shooting has been away of life. I can vividly remember the first time my father handed me a .22 rifle and the awe it inspired in me. Its wood stock had been worn smooth by generations of men in my family who had owned it before me. Its presence had felt like a warm handshake in my grip that welcomed me into a skill that has served me well over the years. That old .22 must have made quite an impression on me because after two police departments, some time in the military, and several shooting competitions later, …




A Weapons Systems Approach to Firearms and Training

Being well-armed and trained is a cornerstone of preparedness. I’m writing this to reiterate and expand on a subject that I’ve briefly mentioned several times in the more than 12 years that SurvivalBlog has been published. This is the concept of a taking a Systems Approach to firearms and firearms training.  By this, I mean changing your entire mindset about simply “buying a gun.”  You are not just buying a gun. Rather, you are acquiring a weapons system, including logistics and training. Here is a thumbnail list to consider: The Firearm Itself Ammunition. (At least 1,000 rounds for each primary …




Basic Handgun Marksmanship Skills- Part 2, by Mark Bunch

In “Part One of Basic Handgun Marksmanship Skills”, we looked at some firearms 101 and gave instructions for a test to determine if you are right eye dominant or left eye dominant. We also went over bone support and stance as well as safety procedures and basic rules to prevent accidental shootings. Today, we will dig into the basics of handgun selection, ammunitions, and becoming proficient in the use of your handgun. I will also share my recommendation for how to train under pressure. This is a means to prepare for the stressful situation of a self defense scenario. Choosing …




Basic Handgun Marksmanship Skills- Part 1, by Mark Bunch

These days, we “evil gun owners” are blamed for all sorts of despicable acts. Acts such as the horrible terrorist shooting/mass murder in California.  Muslim extremists used legally purchased weapons that they had been given by a friend of theirs. Typical of our leftist, non-American former President and his liberal communist-minded minions, their message was to blame gun owners, the NRA, and the ease of availability of firearms for that senseless incident of terror. To their way of thinking, it couldn’t possibly be because some Muslim terrorist hated our culture and simply wanted to kill as many of us as …




Ruger GP100 .44 Special, by Pat Cascio

Ruger GP100 Ruger recently introduced their GP100 revolver in .44 Special. I still remember the very first .44 Special handgun I ever owned and shot. At that time, it was the “new” Charter Arms .44 Special Bulldog. And, if I recall correctly, back then the only factory ammo available was some lead round nose ammo that wasn’t very accurate. I couldn’t hit the target very often. When I did, the round key-hole went through the target sideways. Still, I kept that gun for a good long time. I don’t know why! My long-time friend, confidant, and fellow gun writer, John Taffin, …




Basic Rifle Marksmanship- Part 2, by Mark Bunch

Natural Respiratory Pause One of the hardest things to teach new shooters in basic rifle marksmanship is the concept of not holding their breath. When you hold your breath, your body’s autonomic system kicks in. You start to experience rising blood pressure, pounding heart, and an ever rising heart rate. Your body does this in attempt to get you to breath. Obviously with all of this going on, your ability to aim and exercise proper trigger release becomes very difficult. This usually results in a shooter jerking the trigger and missing wildly. A typical adult at rest will take a …




Basic Rifle Marksmanship- Part 1, by Mark Bunch

For most of my life I have been a rifle shooter, competitor, and instructor. I have also carried a rifle in combat when people I didn’t know shot at me. I know a fair amount about the subject and would like to share some of the things I have learned about basic rifle marksmanship along the way. A man or woman with a quality rifle and the training to use it is a formidable combination indeed. What are you going to use it for? Just as with handguns, a prospective buyer needs to know what he/she is going to use …




Inexpensive, Effective, Firearms Training, by R.R.

Editor’s Introductory Note: Three important points should be kept in mind, while absorbing the following valuable article: While quite useful, dry fire practice should only be conducted in a room with a suitable safe backstop, such as sandbags or several thickness of thick metropolitan phone books in a large box atop a desk at chest and head level. And, of course, the weapon should be completely unloaded and ALL ammunition should be absent from that room to prevent negligent discharges. Double check all of this before conducting any dry fire practice. If you want to practice clearing stoppages, then do …




Letter Re: Glock 30 Pistol Product Review

Good Morning, I have used the Glock 30 and Glock 30S as back-up guns along with the Glock 21 and Glock 41 a primary carry guns. I started carrying a Model 21 several years ago after training at Front Sight. I changed to the Model 41 after it was introduced by Glock because I prefer the longer sight radius and increased muzzle velocity that  it offers over the 21 or 30. I also switched from a Glock 30 to the Glock 30S as a back-up gun when the [lighter, thin slide] 30S became available.   One item that Pat left …




Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Glock 30 Pistol

There seems to be some kind of stigma with the term “step-child”, for some reason. I should know. I had a step-father and was, therefore, a step-child. I can’t say that I was always treated the same as my half-sisters, but that’s another story. How many times have you heard the phrase “I’ll beat you like a red-headed step child” in your life? I know I’ve heard it thousands of times over the years and probably used it myself for some reason. There are some firearms that are considered a step-child for some reason, and I don’t quite understand why. …




My Personal Journey to Embracing the Second Amendment, by K.F.B.

My great appreciation and understanding for the need of the Second Amendment and the necessity for the right to own guns was a slow and incremental journey. No one in my generation of my family owned guns. I was not raised around guns. I grew up in densely populated suburban areas of California, the Midwest, and New England. I never served in the military or in law enforcement. My maternal grandfather was a highly decorated U.S. Marine in WWI with the Fifty-Fifth Company of the Fifth Regiment. He fought at Champaign, Belleau Wood, the Argonne Forest, Verdun, and Chateau Thierry. …




Reloading Ammunition For WTSHF- Part 1, by S.B.

First off, let me say that I am very grateful to have SuvivalBlog. Over the years I have learned so much from the accumulated wisdom of the writers and the administrators. I felt that it was time to give back to this community, so I decided to share what I have learned over many years of reloading my own ammunition for rifle and pistol, while being conscious of both budget and space/OPSEC concerns. Please believe that you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars or have a 1000-square-foot shop dedicated to reloading in order to produce your own high-quality reloads …




Letter: Rebalancing Your Gun Collection

Daer Editor:I had a thought about JWR’s suggestions on re-balancing your gun collection.  While I own a few pre-1899 guns, they are now pricey, even for well-worn guns in shooting condition.  I believe an acceptable alternative would be to purchase new reproduction black powder revolvers (the Model 1858 Remington is probably one of the best) and obtain a .45 Colt conversion cylinder.  The BATFE does not consider these to be firearms, so they can be purchased with no paperwork locally or through mail order.  With the conversion cylinder installed they can fire modern cartridges, albeit at low pressures that replicate …




Letter Re: The Fallacy of Hunting as a Survival Technique

HJL, In the article he omits two important points: Are you willing to leave your safety, family, and supplies to wander out into an “anything goes” environment? You can bet there will be no one wearing fluorescent orange. You are not the only one “hunting”. You are also “game”. When you are dragging home your equipment, weapon, and your kill as well as possibly a few bits of yourself, who is going to stay home and guard your door? When it goes up, all bets are off. All the “rules” are no more. Better to store than go out in …