Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Springfield Armory XDs 9mm

We covered the Springfield Armory XDs 45 pistol when it first came out, and I believe SurvivalBlog was the first in the media to cover this outstanding little pistol. We have many contacts in the firearms and cutlery fields and quite often get a first look at new products. The little XDs 45ACP was, and is, an outstanding concealed carry handgun. However, there were some teething problems with the first batch, and Springfield Armory was quick to take care of this minor problem. Several of our readers who lived neaby were also having a different sort of problem with their …




Rebalancing Your Gun Collection for the Uncertain Days Ahead

With the upcoming presidential election, American gun owners are facing a time of great uncertainty. If Hitlery Clinton is elected, it is anticipated that she will not only issue a large number of anti-gun executive orders but during her term in office she will also appoint several ultra-liberal Supreme Court justices. That would dramatically alter the balance of the court. These frightening prospects have prompted many gun owners to increase the size of their collections and readjust their composition. As recent gun sales statistics attest, people are definitely stocking up. This news is not evidence of paranoia. It is simply …




Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Leatherman Skeletool RX

I’m not exactly sure where the dividing line is between some disorders, like genius, driven mad, sheer genius, tortured mind, losing your mind, and other similar diagnoses. There are creative minds, like that of the novelist Stephen King, and I’m not sure if he has creative genius or a very tortured mind, after watching many of the movies that Hollywood created from his novels. I tend to think that, perhaps, just perhaps, he has a tortured mind. In any event, I’m sure I’ve lost my mind many years ago; just ask my own family! LOL Now, I’m not saying that …




Letter Re: GP100

Hugh, I always enjoy Pat Cascio’s reviews, even if they’re for items I don’t intend to buy. His regular Joe language and honest reviews are appreciated. I was particularly happy to read the review of the Ruger GP 100, my personal EDC firearm for the last one year+. I have always preferred revolvers and have always shot them better than a semi-auto. I know Pat said he doesn’t carry this gun as a concealed firearm, but it can be done. I started out with a standard IWB holster and have also, on occasion, ankle carried mine. (It’s the 3” barrel …




Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Ruger GP100

Ancient. Obsolete. Dinosaur. Older than dirt. Old fashioned. These are a few of the terms, which have been used to describe…me! While I don’t believe they all apply, especially about being older than dirt, and just because I had a pet dinosaur when I was growing up doesn’t mean that I’m “that” old. I will readily admit though that I love the music from the mid to late 1960s, and when I do have the radio on in my pickup truck it is tuned to an oldies station. My favorite group from the 1960s was Peppermint Rainbow. Their song, “Will …




Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Cold Steel’s Broken Skull

It happens all too often, and I don’t know what people don’t understand when I tell them a knife is super-sharp and not to run their finger down the blade. The first thing they do, when I hand them a knife I’m testing, is to run their finger down the blade and cut themselves. I like to believe that I speak in a manner that folks can understand what I’m saying, but, alas, many just have to learn lessons the hard way. I usually keep one or two Band-Aids in my wallet for the slow learners who refuse to heed …




Pat Cascio’s Product Review: CRKT Ken Onion “Outrage”

I’ve personally been designing knives for about 30 years. I commissioned various custom knife makers to produce my designs, most of which were for my own personal use. However, several of my designs are being produced by Mil-Tac Knives & Tools and Columbia River Knife & Tool for retail sale. I’m honored that these companies thought enough of my designs to produce and sell them to the public at large. I make no claims to being any sort of world famous knife designer. I just know what I like and what works. I wish I had the talent to actually …




Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Black Hills Ammunition .380 ACP Xtreme Defense

I have been running Black Hills Ammunition through my firearms since 1992, when I first started writing gun articles. I have yet to have a single round fail me in any way. I think it is safe to say that I’ve easily fired hundreds of thousands of rounds of Black Hills ammo through various firearms for articles. And, to be sure, Black Hills is always on the cutting edge of new products. However, with that said, they do not just jump on the band wagon because everyone else is doing so. Jeff & Kristi Hoffman are the owners of Black …




Letter Re: 9mm and BF’s Comment

Hugh, Yes, it is the caliber in hand, but the one in hand should be the caliber with which you can put multiple rounds on target rapidly according to a well written SB article that I am too lazy to find just now. [Editor’s note: Firearms Training/Exercise #1] AND, in case you need a note for your wife on the annual purchase rate, the congressional candidate who will get my vote next week says “If you know how many guns you own (off the top of your head), you don’t own enough.” To avoid cheap mags I just go buy …




Letter Re: 9mm for Survival

Hugh / Jim, I have to agree with almost all of what Pat Cascio said in his column about the 9mm for survival. Any gun and caliber is a compromise, and the one you have with you when you need it is better than the one sitting home in the safe. I do have a couple of comments. I have had bad experience with the .40 Glock Korean magazines, including one of them in my Glock 35 having the baseplate pop off and the rounds dump out of the bottom of the magazine as I was in the starting box …




Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Rockin’ 9mm for Survival

Without a doubt, the most often asked questions I get in my handguns classes is “What is your favorite handgun?” followed by “If you could only have one gun for the rest of your life, what would it be?” Of course, it is next to impossible to answer either of those questions, especially if you are a long-time gun owner. As to my favorite handgun, that’s an easy one to answer, and it confuses people. Put simply, my favorite handgun is the one I’m carrying at the moment! I’m not trying to dance around answering the question. If you stop …




Letter Re: Pat Cascio’s Product Review: AR-7 Rifle

Pat, My main criticism of the AR 7 is with a little work they could have made room for a box of 22 ammo in the stock. It’d have been much better then relying on carrying separate ammo and hoping they stay together. I have some time flying in the bush in Alaska. Sentiment seems to be that if you crash and can get out of the plane it may well burn, and you better have all your critical stuff on you or real close. I carry a handgun, 44 magnum, and a small butt pack when I fly. It’s …




Letter Re: Pat Cascio’s Product Review – AR-7

Hugh, Every so often Pat hits a “homer”. The AR-7 review was another very well thought out and informative article by a person who I have much respect for. A couple of points on the current AR7: one the big orange front sight is not a negative, as it is currently manufactured for those of us getting a little older and needing a little help, and that orange blade is just that. Another aspect is to buy at least 10 extra mags for each gun. First, as Pat stated, you can keep one in the receiver and that allows two …




Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Henry Rifles U.S. Survival AR-7 Rifle

When asked by my wife or daughters what I want for my birthday or Christmas, I have a pretty set answer– “something that goes bang or cuts.” So, I’m fairly easy to shop for these days. Last Christmas my beautiful wife bought me a Henry U.S. Survival AR-7 Survival Rifle, and it is a most welcomed addition to my meager firearms battery. While just about any firearm can be used for “survival” purposes, the AR-7 was designed specifically to be a compact rifle that was designed to aid in actual survival situations. Some history on the AR-7 is in order, …




Pat Cascio’s Product Review: S&W Model 459

Some SurvivalBlog readers often question me as to why I don’t do more articles on old, used, or classic guns. Well, if you cruise through my many articles, you will see that I do cover these types of guns quite regularly. For example, if you look at my many articles on the Model 1911, you’ll read about this classic, which has been around for more than a hundred years. Even though there are many improvements made to the 1911 by various makers, it is still basically the same gun it was when it first came out. I think many of …