Category: Weapons

Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Double Tap Defense Derringer

Back in early 1974, I worked as a plain clothes store detective for a chain called Wieboldt’s Department Stores. If I recall correctly, they had about 16 stores in and around the Chicago area. Sadly, they went out of business in 1986. I was moved around, several times, from one store to another, and ultimately I ended-up on the tactical team. We traveled around to different stores, mostly working on employee thefts, because the employees didn’t know who we were. Prior to this, I was the assistant security manager, which again was a plain clothes, armed store detective, at a …


Pat Cascio’s Product Review: CRKT Hootenanny Folder

One of the most prolific knife designers that I’m aware of is Ken Onion, who resides in Hawaii. Ken actually got started designing and making knives as a result of working on a motorcycle. He knew there was “something” there that he could use. It’s been many years since I interviewed Onion for an article I was doing for Knives Illustrated magazine, back when I was the West Coast Field Editor. Ken and I spoke for more than an hour via phone, and he is an absolute wildman, to put it lightly. It was great fun interviewing him about a …


Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game! – Part 9 of 9, by Pat Cascio

Chapter Seven Threats in the Future…Today? Some so-called “experts” believe that future threats to our safety and well-being will come from our children. In a manner of speaking, they are correct in their assumptions. However, you need only watch the evening news to see that the future has already arrived. Read on. Los Angeles, California District Attorney, Gil Garcetti, probably best summed it up when he said, “My God, this could happen to me . . . What is going on here?” Garcetti was in a news conference describing what was being called the “Wrong Way Shooting” of an innocent, …


Letter Re: Becoming A Warrior At Gunsite Academy, by J.H.

Hugh, There is no way a civilian can develop the proper mindset, skills, and base of knowledge required to be considered a “warrior” by attending a class for a weekend or even a week. Please do not misunderstand what I am trying to say. Classes like this can be beneficial to an individual as long as they do not leave the false impression that a warrior has been created. This false belief can lead someone to get hurt if they respond with inflated confidence during an actual life-threatening situation. There is no way to become a warrior, unless you make …


Ruger Mini-14, .300 AAC Blackout Tactical Rifle, by Pat Cascio

I still remember the very first Ruger Mini-14 I owned. It was in .223– the only caliber available at that time. It was 1983, and I really didn’t get a chance to shoot the little Mini-14 until a vacation from Chicago back to Oregon to my brother-in-law’s ranch a few months later. Some unforeseen circumstances found my wife and I stuck in the Chicago, IL area from 1982-1984. My stepfather and mother made the trip with us to Oregon, and my stepfather brought along his Universal M-1 Carbine. We had a lot of fun shooting, but my stepfather was blown …


Becoming A Warrior At Gunsite Academy, by J.H.

I had dreams of becoming an armed warrior at a very young age. My father and my uncle put a .22 rifle in my hands after I joined the Boy Scouts, and they asked that I go with them through the woods along the Cahaba River in Shelby County, Alabama. They cared less about sports and preferred that I learn how to survive in a non-urban/non-suburban environment. I believe they were interested in passing along family history as much as anything else. They told me how my ancestors, mainly my great-grandfathers, survived as warriors when they fought in the American …


Ruger P-Series Bargain Handguns, by R.S.

Several weeks ago during a visit to my favorite gun shop I noticed a used Ruger semi-automatic handgun on the bottom shelf of the display. It had a lengthy model number that was unfamiliar, but then it has only been the last several years (coincidental with my newfound interest in prepping) that I have taken a serious interest in firearms. I could see that it had a stainless steel upper assembly with a gray (presumably metal rather than polymer) frame. I could also see that it had an exposed hammer, so I assumed it was an older design rather than …


Pat Cascio’s Review: Ruger’s LC9s Pistol

Many years ago, around the 1990-1993 timeframe, I worked full-time for Col. Rex Applegate, and it was at the good Colonel’s insistence that I become a gun writer. When Applegate said to do something, you did it! I wasn’t about to argue with Applegate, and he opened a lot of doors for me, making it easier to enter the writing field. It was a loss to us all when he passed away unexpectedly. For those who may not know some of the history on Col. Applegate, I’ll pass a little bit along to you. Applegate was one of the founding …


Scot’s Product Review: Century Arms C39V2 AK 47

This review is something of an exploration of the AK platform by one with limited familiarity to it as well as a review of the Century Arms C39V2, a U.S. made AK. I should first explain that the reason I have little AK time is that I am something of a gun snob. I have always thought that the United States, a nation founded upon riflemen and being unique in having the Second Amendment, was first among gun makers, so most of my shooting is with American arms. Folks like John Moses Browning, Horace Smith, Daniel Wesson, Eugene Stoner, and …


Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Benchmade’s Impel Automatic Folder

If ever there was a true gentleman, that person would be my friend– the late Grandmaster of American Kenpo Karate, John McSweeney. McSweeney was responsible for introducing American Kenpo Karate to Ireland many years ago. To be sure, McSweeney, was one of Ed Parker’s Black Belts, and if you don’t know who Ed Parker was, Google him. He was the Grandmaster of Kenpo Karate. Even Elvis Presley was one of Parker’s Black Belts. However, what I’m discussing here is a true gentleman, and John McSweeney was certainly at the top of the list, in my book. John knew how to …


Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game! – Part 6b of 9, by Pat Cascio

Hip Shooting Whoa, partner! Before everyone starts firing letters off to me protesting that hip shooting isn’t point shooting, give me (and others) the benefit of the doubt! You have to admit that leveling a gun at someone from just above your holster isn’t exactly aimed shooting, is it? Neither is it exactly what we call point shooting. None the less, the technique is worth mentioning, as it does work in the tightest of combat situations. When your opponent is directly in front of you just about face-to-face or, worse yet, is face-to-face with you, you can’t draw and fully …


Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Springfield Armory’s Loaded Operator 1911

Over the years, I’ve owned more 1911 handguns than any other type of handguns. No matter what new type of polymer handguns that come into my hands, I always turn back to the grand ol’ 1911 as my favorite handgun. It’s just hard to argue with success. The 1911 was first made in, well, 1911, and it celebrated more than 100 years of age a few years ago. To be sure, I honestly can’t keep track of all the gun companies that are making 1911s these days. If a person could sit down and start counting all the different companies …


Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game! – Part 6a of 9, by Pat Cascio

[Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game is a SurvivalBlog exclusive.] Chapter Four Close Quarters Combat Shooting No book or single chapter of a book can adequately teach a person gunfighting skills. In this chapter, I’m going to give you the basic concepts of close quarters combat shooting, or CQB as it’s commonly called. It is my sincere belief that there is no better method of deploying a handgun in a close quarters, self-defense situation than with the method known as Point Shooting. If you’ll recall, in many of the war stories I have related to you, the distances involved …


Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game! – Part 5b of 9, by Pat Cascio

[Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game is a SurvivalBlog exclusive.] Chapter Three (continued) CASE STUDY: Three Determined Power Plant Thieves At one time or another, both Ralph (who we called Lo-Lo for some reason that I don’t recall) and Rudy worked for me when I was a supervisor at a detective agency. This story deals with Ralph. At this point in time, Ralph hadn’t completed his 30-hour training course in order to be an armed security officer in Illinois. So, Ralph was working unarmed at a very remote location. He was supposed to protect an old Commonwealth Edison power …


Letter Re: Knives

HJL, I travel via motorcycle. I always carry a cheap $20 Cold Steel Kukhri. I’ve carried it in Mexico, Canada, and in several countries in southern Africa and South America. As it is seen around the world as a utility knife used by many of the locals, its presence has never been questioned. I carry the cheap one just in case it gets confiscated. Because weight is always an issue, I cut a hex hole in the blade that fits the big hex nut on my rear axle. Because of this I don’t need to carry another big heavy wrench …