Category: Weapons

Taurus Model 85, Ultra Lite, by Pat Cascio

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Today, we are going to take a close look at the Taurus Model 85 Ultra Lite while I continue on with more all-metal handgun reviews, as requested by many SurvivalBlog readers. According to Taurus, which offers several versions of this model, the Model 85 is their best-selling handgun. Many people are so caught-up with polymer handguns, especially semiauto handguns, they are overlooking some outstanding firearms still manufactured out of metals. An Old Dog For quite some time, I only considered carrying a revolver for self defense. Yep, I’m old school but I’m not too old to be schooled! You can …


Kershaw’s Dividend, by Pat Cascio

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Today, we are talking about Kershaw’s Dividend. It’s a small folder. My General View on Small Folding Knives I’m not really big on small folding knives. Bigger folders can, well, do more chores better than most smaller folders. I like a folder with a blade between 3.5 inches and four inches in length. A blade length of 3.75 inches seems about perfect for my every day carry use. But that’s just me, I guess. However, I won’t turn my nose up at a well-made, well-designed smaller folder, not in the least. I appreciate cutlery, period! All knives have a use. …


Guest Article: Gear System- Philosophy, Set Up, Use, Fitness & Mindset- Part 1, by Max

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This article is a follow-up to the recent “The Practical Application of Tactical Gear, Load, and Weight Considerations”. Questions I get many questions about gear setup. It is also a perennial topic on the MVT Forum, and of course across the Internet. It’s an important subject. Many people ask me specific questions about my gear setup and make/brand of equipment items. And so here I will attempt to give some guidance, but not in terms of specific brands of gear. This is what I am trying to do when I set up my equipment. It is also important to note that …


S&W M&P .45 Compact, by Pat Cascio

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Today, I’m writing about Smith & Wesson’s M&P .45 Compact. This is the “older” M&P rather than the 2.0 version. Smith & Wesson I used to be a huge S&W fan. I still love their guns, but over the years their customer service just isn’t what it used to be. So, whenever I have a S&W firearm, I know that I’m pretty much on my own if something goes wrong with it. Last time, S&W wanted $88 to repair something that was covered under the warranty. I told them to keep the gun. Instead, they returned it still broken! S&W …


CRKT Rakkasan, by Pat Cascio

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The CRKT Rakkasan was designed by Austin McGlaun as part of Columbia River Knife & Tool’s “Forged By War” program. Austin McGlaun is a military veteran who served in the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq and chose to donate 10% of net profits to the Green Beret Foundation. CRKT- Rock-Solid Designs Anyone who has seen my many knife designs knows that I like designs that are simple, uncomplicated, easy to manufacture, and tough. There are several knife companies producing some of my designs, with more on the drawing board. One company is Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT), of which …


Guest Article: The Practical Application of Tactical Gear, Load and Weight Considerations- Part 2, by Max

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The intent of this continued post is to tie in the related, practical application concepts of tactical gear, fitness, teamwork, logistics, and tactical loading, in order to present a realistic and logical way to approach the subject. There are a number of related factors at play here. Part 1 covered the mission, logistics, tactical load, physical conditioning, transport, and ballistic plates along with a note urging people to avoid heavy steel plates. Team In order to be able to conduct any sort of patrolling/security operation, you are going to need a team. This means numbers of trained personnel. You cannot …


Guest Article: The Practical Application of Tactical Gear, Load and Weight Considerations- Part 1, by Max

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The intent of this post is to tie in the related, practical application concepts of tactical gear, fitness, teamwork, logistics, and tactical loading, in order to present a realistic and logical way to approach the subject. There are a number of related factors at play here. Mission We often utilize the military terminology of “METT-TC” in order to analyze our mission and thus apply it to the gear that we may carry. Factors such as weather, duration, and the specific mission that you are conducting play into considerations of what to carry. We must be realistic in what we plan and …


Ruger GP100 .44 Special, by Pat Cascio

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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, …


CRKT Homefront Folder – By Pat Cascio

Why? When CRKT Columbia River Knife & Tool sent me the Onion Homefront folder for testing and review, I just had to ask why make a folding knife that you can take apart? Sometimes, when it comes to some new products, I just have to ask myself “Why?” I just don’t know what else there is that is truly new, especially when it comes to folding knives. This is especially true when it comes to the various locking mechanisms. Then again, I’m not known for designing folding knives, although I have one on the drawing board right now. If you …


Basic Rifle Marksmanship- Part 2, by Mark Bunch

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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 …


Economics & Investing for Preppers

Today  we have some special insight on natural resources, in the long term. Here are the latest items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. And most of these items reflect the quirky “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of JWR. (SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor): Precious Metals: First, some predictions from Frank Holmes, over at Bullion Vault: Just So Bullish for Gold Commodities Economics: Looking ahead, there is some interesting reading in this 2013 ODNI/NIC white paper, to which an old friend of mine contributed: Natural …


Basic Rifle Marksmanship- Part 1, by Mark Bunch

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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 …


The Rawles Rationale

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The following is my core rationale on the nature of government, liberty, and Godly personal conduct in the 21st Century. You may have seen some of these rationale statements in my books or blog posts. I plan to expand this at a later date: Rights The degree to which you allow your rights to be trampled is inversely proportional to your knowledge of (and respect for) the Constitution. Whenever someone must buy a license or pay a fee to exercise a right then it is something less than a right. It is in fact a mere privilege, subject to the …


The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

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SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods – a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from “HJL”. Today’s focus is on physical security Security Worried about privacy but not really trusting commercial VPN offerings? Reader P.S. sent in this link on building your own VPN using some commonly available software and a hosting service. Building your own VPN is easy. Just follow the step-by-step directions. It can also give you superior performance. Physical Security Reader D.F. was looking for an inexpensive way to build a garage and ran …


Kahr Arms CW9 Black Carbon Fiber, by Pat Cascio

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Today, we are taking a look at the Kahr Arms CW9 Black Carbon Fiber handgun. I’ve reported on several Kahr Arms handguns over the years. Most are pretty much the same as the one before it, or the one after it. Still, Kahr manages to come out with different and exciting versions every single year. To be sure, Kahr makes handguns that are meant to be concealed. They aren’t full-sized service-type pistols, although they do have something coming out along those lines. Still, they are well-known for easily concealable handguns, for the most part. Kahr’s Double Action Only Trigger Action …