Free Republic

In January 2018, I published some original research on the efficacy of pistols in stopping bear attacks. It started with this observation, on the Internet, and in print, many people claim that pistols lack efficacy in defending against bear attacks. Here is an example that occurred on freerepublic.com: “Actually, there are legions of people who have been badly mauled after using a handgun on a bear. Even some of the vaunted magnums.” OK, give us a few examples. As you claim “legions”, it should not be too hard. I never received a response. I believe the claim was made in...

A Wisconsin company is giving every employee a handgun for Christmas. The company, BenShot, sells novelty glassware with bullets embedded, according to the Appleton Post-Crescent. The gift idea is part of an effort to promote personal safety and team building, owner Ben Wolfgram told the newspaper. “For us, now, we have an entire armed staff,” he said. “I think that’s pretty good.” All 16 full-time employees will be able to pick their choice of revolver. Wolfgram said most employees, including some who had never shot a gun, were excited about the company's announcement. Wolfgram said at least two employees initially...

Despite the expectations of many after the 2016 elections, the number of concealed handgun permits has again increased. In 2018, the number of concealed handgun permits soared to over 17.25 million - a 273% increase since 2007. 7.14% of American adults have permits. Unlike surveys that may be affected by people’s unwillingness to answer some personal questions, concealed handgun permit data is the only really "hard data" that we have on gun ownership across the United States. Still, an even larger number of people carry because in 14 states people don’t need a permit to carry in all or...

SWAT officer gives his take on best offensive weapons, what makes them good, differences with defensive handguns. The M1911A1 carried by U.S. troops from World War I up until the mid-1980s had some severe limitations. With a seven round magazine and fixed sights, the weapon lacked firepower and modularity. Compare this to a modern handgun with a 15-round magazine, red dot optic, and rails for lights and lasers. You’ve come a long way, baby…The modern handgun opens up a whole new world of options in terms of what kinds of missions it can be used for. No longer limited to...

A study conducted by the Rockefeller Institute of Government shows mass shooters choose handguns over “assault weapons” by a 3 to 1 margin. This finding runs counter to the Democrats’ incessant claim that “assault weapons” are mass shooters’ “weapon of choice.” Rockefeller IG examined a 50 year window of time, 1966-2016, during which they determined a total of 340 mass shootings occurred in the U.S. They found that attackers used a single weapon roughly 2/3 of the time and used multiple weapons 32.9% of the time. They discovered that handguns were far and away the number one choice for mass...

There are some talk among CCW about having a backup to their primary handguns. But how many actually have a backup to their primary handgun? I know most are not LEO’s, but packing more heat is always better than not having one at all. Trail Blazer Firearms from Ashville, NC sells a tiny single-shot .22 LR pistol that is the size no bigger than a stack of credit cards. When unfold the handle chamber can house 5 22 rounds. YouTuber Big Daddy Hoffman 1911 had a chance to try out the LifeCard Credit Card Pistol. It's small enough to fit...

There are many good handguns out in the market. Many lawful gun owners have different perspectives on which is best. So it can be a challenge not only for the newbie but the seasoned carriers as well. Even with handguns it does come in different sizes, such as the full standard that LEO’s carry to a mini snub nose revolver. Here are some top handgun choices to consider for compact size. Glock 26 Gen 3 (9MM) This particular Glock is for concealed carry and it may be the most popular among CCW. Its small frame, short barrel makes it easy...

In the aftermath of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, President Trump has repeatedly proposed hardening schools by allowing teachers to carry firearms in their classrooms. This doesn't mean teachers would be forced to do so, but those willing to go through training and take on the responsibility should have the option. The proposal has been met with praise and criticism from many, but it should be noted this isn't a new or alien concept. School districts around the country already have polices allowing teachers to carry firearms, enabling them to combat a violent threat should one show up on...

Talk about a facepalm moment. Is it the media’s stupidity or stacking sandbags because they know this National Rifle Association initiative could gain traction? You decide. The NRA wants more armed guards in schools. Teachers should be allowed to carry as well. After the tragic Sandy Hook shooting, the school board voted to approve this proposal. This is not an alien concept. A lot of schools have resource officers; Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the site of the most recent school shooting on February 14, had such officers. They failed to engage the shooter, Nikolas Cruz. Scores of teachers in...

MSNBC anchors are claiming that teachers armed with handguns would be unable to stop a school shooter because rifles shoot “three times faster.” Anchor Lawrence O’Donnell said on his show Thursday night that “a bullet fired from an AR-15 travels 3x faster than one from a handgun…and yet the president and the NRA think giving teachers guns will stop a school shooter.” MSNBC ✔ @MSNBC Lawrence: A bullet fired from an AR-15 travels 3x faster than one from a handgun. And yet the president and the NRA think giving teachers guns will stop a school shooter Stephanie Ruhle similarly asked,...

Christmas is less than a week away and that means the time is right for a list of seven concealed carry handguns for last minute shoppers. Some of the handguns on the list are revolvers, others semiautomatics, but all are concealable and demonstrably popular for self-defense. Ruger LCP II—The Ruger LCP II is an updated version of the extremely popular LCP. The pistol is chambered in .380 with a grip that is slightly wider than the original LCP. The wider grip was added to diminish recoil. The grip of the LCP II is textured to help keep the gun steady...

Handguns. Liberals tell us how evil they are. Liberals tell us how evil they believe Trump to be. They claim the Russians somehow meddled in our elections. What about the use of Russian handguns in murders in the United States? Almost never. Rarely are Tokarevs or Makarovs used in murders in the U.S. to kill someone. You would think the Russians would be more active in having their weapons used to kill U.S. citizens. Fact is, even though U.S. handguns are available in much higher numbers, that is not the issue statistically. THE truth is that Americans who buy Russian...

An estimated 3 million Americans carry a loaded handgun on themselves every day, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health. Researchers from the University of Washington, Harvard University and the University of Colorado conducted the National Firearms Survey in 2015. From the 4,000 U.S. adults who participated in the online survey, 1,500 of them were handgun owners. One significant question was asked how often they carried a loaded handgun when they were out of their homes. The objectives of the study were to “determine the frequency of loaded handgun carrying among US adult handgun...

A concealed carry license deserves reliable and top of the line handguns. However, with a huge market to choose from this can be a challenge. We stacked up 10 guns against each other to bring you our top carry handguns based on stopping power, weight, ease of use, and price. Using a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the best, you'll be able to compare the best of the best. In this article, we’re only covering compact handguns. Here are 10 ideal choices for the everyday carrier. Glock 26 Gen3 (9mm) Portability: 4Ease of Use: 5Weight: 3.5Affordability: 2Stopping Power: 3...

Maybe, this is going to be big. Full Conceal M3 prototype- 26 rounds of 9mm in a folding G19. Coming in the fall for around $1200. Here's what some are saying about this from TriggrCon via Facebook: What do you all think, oh yeh, maybe you should look at the M3 Glock19 Prototype video here, to see the complete picture.

Ever Wish You Had More Grip on Your Plastic Fantastic Pistol? Don't Fumble When Sweaty or in the Rain Stippling can be done Professionally at Home with simple tools. Here's a quick video shows someone stippling a pistol, but the reaction from these folks are quite comical because the pistol is a Glock. Here's a short excerpt of the sentiment. See the rest of the sentiments and stippling pistol video here. What do you all think of stippling your pistol (Glock)?

Are you still procrastinating? Here’s a list of expensive handguns to drool over. How much are guns worth? It’s a question often asked of both online forums and local gun shops alike. You want my personal opinion? A gun in the right situation is priceless. Any gun. Any gun in your possession when faced with a critical situation is a gun on which you cannot place a material value. Hopefully few of us will ever experience those extreme circumstances, the situations that we all practice for but pray will never arise. Most gun owners would argue that whichever weapon they’re...

The Springfield Armory XDe 9mm combines a traditional trigger system with a polymer frame to offer a pistol that successfully melds old and new. While Springfield’s new XDe is branded as an extension of the popular XD line, it shares little with its erstwhile stablemates except for the use of a polymer frame. The previous XD pistols are striker-fired handguns, and with the XDe, the “e” stands for “external,” as-in external hammer. This hammer is mated with a traditional double-action/single action trigger system. The XDe also omits the grip safety found in the other XD pistols in favor of a...

Steel toe vs .45 results in a painful experience. Originally this story was talked about on a gun forum. Here's the excerpt from the thread: "This guy and his co workers were discussing whether a steel toe boot would withstand a round from a .45, so what do do you think would be the best way to test this theory? YUP, you guessed it." You'd think this person would try this out without having to wear the boot. It doesn't take a smart person to guess it would be a bad idea to shoot your steel-toed boot, hoping it'll stop...

Don't Blink Here is the slow motion view of the Victor Marx, World's Fastest Gun Disarm. Note the barrel is deflected away from the face, prior to radial arm strike. Veteran Police Officer had firm grip on the gun & couldn't pull the trigger before the disarm was performed. Not sure if this is the world's fastest gun disarm, so you be the judge have a look the gun disarm video here.