Charles 
A late night knock on the front door. It is the classic beginning to so many Hollywood and real life horror stories it has turned into something of a cliché. But cliché or not, this defensive scenario continues to be a turning point in so many people’s lives every year I thought it best to … Read more
by Charles In the context of an armed civilian, which I am and will wage most of my readership is also, if I asked you to assert how much ammo would be required from a handgun to survive a potentially lethal attack on your person that was sure to occur, what would your answer be? … Read more
by Charles The EDC “movement” or philosophy or whatever you want to call it is nothing new, never mind the fact that some folks have found a way to buttress the idea as a cool “mindset” or shared belief to make money off of people who enjoy that sort of in-group lifestyle. Carry of small … Read more
by Charles All guns have metal parts, or are made entirely from metal, and metal can corrode. Sad fact of nature when considering what it can do to our firearms slowly over time. Whether you use your guns the way they were intended or keep them safely ensconced in a cabinet or gun safe, rust … Read more
by Charles Talk to enough preppers about their long-term preps and you are bound to run into a decent number who plan on stockpiling at least a small quantity of precious metals for various purposes. Gold, silver, even rhodium and platinum, you’ll get a fair education form some of them regarding the importance of precious … Read more
by Charles While U.S. citizens enjoy their natural right to keep and bear arms far more than the overwhelming majority of the rest of the world’s residents in other countries, this does not mean that the laws and regulations restricting those rights are applied evenly or consistently throughout the 50 states. This is a fact … Read more
by Charles Pistol Caliber Carbines, or PCCs, have been around for a long, long time, at least as far back as lever-action rifles chambered in pistol calibers back in the days of the Civil War and the Wild West. Today, they are more popular than ever, with resurgence in demand for the concept leading manufacturers … Read more
by Charles How many times have you heard this maxim in military and preparedness circles, “Two is one, and one is none”? That is the very distillation of the idea of redundancy as a virtue, and an acknowledgment that sometimes shit just happens; things break, get lost, get used up, wear out or rust away. … Read more
by Charles Long before history was recorded, even as scribbling on rock, man has relied on blades to help him conquer his environment. First as sharp rock and later as metal, the sophistication of knives has steadily increased through the ages while their function has remained the same: to cut, and to pierce. Both remain … Read more
It seems like every year is a good year for shotguns. No doubt; since their inception, shotguns have been prized by civilians, hunters, police, guards and soldiers who have need of a ferociously effective close-quarters long gun. The shotgun’s bone-crunching power makes it the obvious choice when fighting is going to be up close and … Read more
by Charles If you want to get hits, the two most critical elements of shooting, any kind of shooting, are aiming and trigger control. All of the other fundamentals support the task of executing the former correctly. While both are unquestionably techniques in that they can be improved upon by nothing but practice and dedication … Read more
by Charles One trend currently sweeping the gun sphere, and for a great reason this time, is the “braced” AR or AK pistol. These short firearms are eminently handy, easy to procure and easier to transport legally. And while rifle cartridges and short barrels don’t necessarily go together like peanut butter and jelly, their appeal … Read more
by Charles If you carry a handgun for self-defense you’ll need something to carry it in unless you are an inveterate slob or stereotypical gangbanger. That means a holster is required equipment. For the majority of holsters, you’ll need to carry them on a belt. If you are smart, you’ll choose a proper gun belt. … Read more
Survival situations are definitely not fun and games. Well, for a certain kind of misanthrope they are, but they definitely aren’t fun for 99% of us. The stresses of surviving, enduring and under the circumstances thriving a major event will be hair-raising, no doubt about it. But that does not mean you should completely shun … Read more
by Charles I am big on preaching the benefits of readiness against the most probable threats, as my long time readers will no doubt attest. One of the single most common everyday crises a prepper may have to deal with is a fire. Fires are serious threats, and can happen anywhere, and virtually anytime, from … Read more
by Charles Most preppers know the AR-15 is America’s most popular rifle, and even more call on one or several of these excellent guns to serve as defensive or SHTF weapons. The AR-15 brings so many advantages to the table that the reductive method is often an easier conversation to have when selecting a rifle … Read more
by Charles The AR-15 is America’s most popular centerfire rifle by an enormous margin, and befitting its status as the once and future king of semi-auto rifles it enjoys correspondingly enormous first-party manufacturer and aftermarket support. Even a casual fan of ARs will attest to the truly bewildering number of add-ons, modifications, customizations and accessories. … Read more
by Charles Gun ownership carries with it many responsibilities. The responsibility to be safe, be effective, and always know the status and condition of your firearms to prevent tragedy. A significant part of the latter is ensuring the physical security of the gun against theft or simply unauthorized users. The easiest way to do that … Read more
by Charles The image of a rugged and ragged survivor picking their way through the charred, ashen corpse of society after some pivotal and epoch changing catastrophe is an enduring one in apocalyptic fiction of all kinds. In search of food, a few rounds of ammo, a part or screw to repair a gadget, or … Read more
by Charles As hard as this may be to believe for some of you, not everyone likes guns. I know, I know, sit down if you feel woozy. It’s true, though: some folks do not, in fact, take to the way of the gun like a duck to water. This does not mean that a … Read more
There is no such thing as a gun suitable for one and all, for every shooter. But if there was, if there was one gun that damn near everyone in the world could make use of, if would be a .22 LR pistol; the one, true, jack-of-all-trades, Swiss Army knife firearm. From small game hunting … Read more
Handgunners today enjoy a market crowded with excellent options. Some writers and experts have dubbed the current era of firearms a second golden age at least so far as refinement, if not innovation is concerned. You cannot walk into a gun shop anywhere without tripping over stacks of handguns that are so good in so … Read more
by Charles EDC is more than just an acronym for a collection of stuff you choose to carry around; EDC is now shorthand for a lifestyle choice, one in which a selection of carefully chosen equipment is called on to solve anticipated problems in your day-to-day reality. EDC loadouts can range from bare-bones minimalist tools, … Read more
by Charles My readers know that I am a proponent of shotguns, so long as one understands their limitations and trains to mitigate them. One of the biggest general limitations compared to other types of firearm used for self defense is the simple fact that your average shotgun demands more thought and engagement from the … Read more