TRAINING TIPS

If one intends to buy a gun for defensive use, it darn well better develop some battle scars. I’m not talking about dents and gouges; I’m talking about...

Recently, Hi-Powers have garnered more attention with the release of three new versions of the iconic design —Springfield’s SA-35, the Girsan MC P35,...

Gun Culture 2.0, with its focus on self-defense and concealed carry, often leads people to post on social media suggesting how ready, willing and able they...

Developing the proper manual of arms for the wheel gun helps prevent stoppages.

Things get “Western” when pheasant hunters stop a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde in eastern Oregon.

Frustrated. I never imagined shooting groups with a pistol, especially off a rest, could be so challenging. I set up the multi-caliber Ransom Rest and...

The Umarex GLOCK 17 Gen5 T4E First Edition is a faithful replica of the real GLOCK 17, and its manual of operation is so similar it can be used as a...

GLOCK's G44 .22 LR pistol is a great rimfire trainer for concealed carry.

Decades of teaching has shown the value of proven drills for self-assessment, especially when comparative standards are applied.

Often, it turns out a revolver is the ideal handgun, but that’s only half of the equation. Turns out, “old” revolvers work well with “old” lever...

Why “tactically retreating” is sometimes the wisest course of action in real life.

Defensive training includes the fundamentals: Move, Communicate, Use Cover, Shoot and Think to solve the problem. With repetition, these skills can be...

The main reason I don’t teach Tactical Reloads is because it takes a simple reload and complicates it beyond many officers’ capabilities.

When you carry a handgun, whether for competition, hunting, or self-defense, the question arises how much extra ammunition is enough?

Determining handgun accuracy can best be accomplished from a stable position. It may take some creativity to find the appropriate rest though!

Flashlights are an essential piece of gear. For everyday life we use them for mundane tasks like finding the keys that fell underneath the car seats.

American Handgunner Editor Tom McHale offers another quick shooting tip on how to manage recoil when shooting a handgun.

You’re at the range. You’ve got your handgun and ammo and you’re going to find out how it shoots. Now what?

Are you waiting for the perfect sight picture? In this First Look, American Handgunner Editor, Tom McHale shows how to improve your handgun accuracy by...

Did you know federal law requires marksmanship training courses to be held annually at the National Matches?

Revolvers are back, especially for self-defense. Well-established companies are producing a wider variety of wheel guns than ever.

Recoil and muzzle blast are the two biggest hurdles to overcome in learning to shoot well.

“That’s what happens when you bring a knife to a gunfight,” is how the old saying goes.

Over the past three days I’ve been shot, stabbed, beaten, wrestled, molested by drunks, thugs and muggers, stabbed some more and killed about a dozen times.

Protect your eyes and ears,” was the range command. After working some dry drills with their pistols, the students were told to holster, then make sure...

Ever heard of a monkey trap? Its effectiveness owes its success to the power of sheer desperation.

When a novice asks for advice on purchasing a first handgun, a popular suggestion is to try various handguns and find one that “feels right.”

Ever wondered where “Old Sayings” come from? They’ve been around as long as mankind, so there must be something to them.

New duty gear may make some things easier, but some things harder.

I don’t even think about it anymore. When I began shooting service rifle, I remember agonizing over the trigger pull,

How old is old enough is a common question? This varies from kid to kid.

It was a typical day at the Lewis & Clark Rifle and Pistol Club. On the pistol range every bay was in use.

Hated by Jeff Cooper, loved by police liability lawyers, double action only (DAO) duty pistols are a breed all their own.

The bad guys will try to have things working in their favor before launching a violent attack.

With a tip from a reader, Special Assignments Editor Roy Huntington shows an easy alternative to regular snap caps, allowing anyone to safely dry-fire a .22...

Sure, you might need a little luck to pull off the following. The most common “trick shots” are within easier reach than you might think!

I don’t remember the exact words, but I do know my immediate response was an affirmative head nod, followed by a silent “yes, ma’am.”

Both of my grandfathers were lawmen, one a deputy sheriff. My mom’s dad was with the Huntsville, Ala. police department;

Introduced in 1966, HK’s iconic MP5 submachine gun first came into public view during the dramatic 1980 Prince’s Gate hostage rescue by the SAS.

Searching the internet for “handgun ready positions” reveals more “ready positions” than I ever imagined.

Is the safety on? I thought to myself as I continued to put steady pressure on the trigger. I noticed I was anticipating a shot that had not yet come,...

Some things don’t change. Some principles were true long ago, are true today, and will be true far into the future.

American Handgunner's Tom McHale finds a way to practice his handgun skills without using any ammo. Modeled after its award-winning 9mm counterpart, the...

Mounting red dot sights (RDS) on handguns is nothing new; it’s been done for at least a couple of decades.

One of the most difficult skills to teach during defensive classes — and I find this to be true at almost every level of training — are the visual...

One of the best quotes I’ve seen relating to guns and accessories is, “Either you are the weapon, and your gun is a tool — or —

They said it couldn’t be done … but Ernest Langdon did it.

Trouble comes in all forms; danger flares from both man and nature. Whatever the source, avoidance is generally the best response.

Selecting a firearm for everyday carry can be bewildering. Firearm manufacturers have responded to increased carry interest with an amazing array of designs...

Today, there are so many makes and models of guns you can hardly be expected to become familiar, much less proficient, with all of them.

Having met a new handgun owner perplexed to find 9mm cartridges wouldn’t fit in his .380 Walther PPK/s, Handgunner reader Jack Walsh sent a note...

It’s a pleasant May afternoon in East Helena, Montana. Henry Johnson, 37, is having an easy day so far. There was no one present when he broke into the...

I’ve never been interested in handgun-caliber carbines. “If you have a platform that size,” I thought, “why wouldn’t it be a rifle caliber, with...

A criminal opens fire in a church during a busy Sunday service. Fortunately, armed citizen security is in place.

Your first response to danger should be avoidance and escape. Not being involved in a confrontation is the easiest, safest path to victory.

When someone says, “Is it safe?” I assume they mean is the pistol safe against negligent discharge. The Shield is an excellent pistol,

How much danger is there of being attacked by a dog? It depends on how you interpret the statistics.

How do you become a better shooter? Practice, practice, practice! How do you track and measure results without boring yourself into oblivion?

An oral history of both sport and self-defense development over a period spanning nearly half a century.

What’s needed to make a handgun round particularly well-suited for defensive purposes? The answer to that question varies between law enforcement and...

You might have heard of something called “9 Major.” It’s a wildcat load of the 9mm Luger intended only for competition pistols specially built to...

Liberals lie. That’s just what they do, because nothing about their truth is appealing. But when people on our side use lies to sell products or services...

If you ask Google for survival kit content lists, it’ll come up with well over 80 million hits. Most of the lists are nearly identical. Almost all of them...

Lately I’ve been reading classic works on pistol use from the mid-1900s. McGivern, Askins, Jordan, Gaylord — these are just a few of the gunmen of that...

The tactics and gear needed from one survival situation to another may vary greatly. After all, a long-term, widespread power outage in suburbia calls for...

It’s fine to like nice things. No one should feel guilty for sleeping on sheets with a high thread count, driving a sports car, or wearing a watch...

Every survival kit should include at least these items:

A few years ago, the engineers at Mantis launched a training tech revolution with their MantisX sensor. When paired with a companion smartphone application,...

When the subject of survival comes up, people often spend their time discussing how to survive huge natural disasters or long periods alone in the wilderness.

Thanks to some of the sensationalistic “reality” shows aired in recent years, the word “prepper” often conjures up visions of eccentric...

The past two-plus weeks we’ve been bombarded, befuddled and bamboozled with the latest “End of the World” scenario. The culprit? Mass hysteria caused...

Much time and energy is focused on guns, tools, shelter and such in case of an emergency or survival situation. And that’s all fine — you should be...

The dichotomy between competition and tactics within the practical-shooting fraternity has existed since the inception of IPSC at the Columbia Conference.

Got your attention I’ll bet, but we’re not talking about “that” left here. Left-handed people in many ways are better off today than in the past.

Both my grandfathers were lawmen; my dad was a “Green Beret.” These guys were my heroes; even more so as I aged and realized all they had accomplished.

Consistently applying the four firearm safety rules greatly reduces the chances you’ll make a mistake, or that your negligence will have tragic consequences.

A short time ago, SIG SAUER introduced a pair of 9mms that could hardly be farther apart in size and application.

Handgun readers include law enforcement, security and military personnel, but the vast majority of us are armed citizens. Our responsibilities are limited...

When my editor assigned me to an upcoming concealed carry class, I cringed. Not another “ladies-only concealed carry course,” I thought. Needless to...

Car jackings, home invasions, theater and restaurant shootings and other events have brought the threat of armed conflict to the family unit.

Everyone practices empty reloads — you just fire til empty and reload. Yet, during a confrontation, an empty reload probably won’t be the deciding...

In the “old” days almost everyone had a “wheel gun” sitting in the sock drawer at home, carried in a leather holster — or sometimes just shoved...

Gunwriters and gun store clerks have tossed around the idea of “ladies guns” for a long time. It doesn’t matter whether you are talking about...

Sooner or later age catches up with all of us. For some of us, ailments such as arthritis, bursitis or neuropathy affect our ability to shoot any kind of...

In 1975, Richard Davis invited three dozen friends for an impromptu shoot. A few gun writers, including our own now-retired J.D. Jones, wrote it up and the...

Thumbing (electronically) through the July/August 1982 issue of American Handgunner, the editor's note at the end of the "Speedloading Handguns Takes Skill"...

For 15 years my handguns and I have had an uneasy marriage. Dating back to my first firearms purchase — a Glock 17 — they and I have been embroiled in...

Learning how to use a firearm safely and efficiently requires training and practice. Training teaches what you need to know; practice is when you learn it.

Sgt. Matt Little has won many “combat pistol” matches, and feels competition is a stone on which to hone real-world survival skills.

Training is paramount — to survival! As a retired copper, I know good training is more important than which gun, ammo or holster you have.

My introduction to shooting was through the shotgun sports — trap and skeet specifically. It was through my own initiative. My dad didn’t shoot...

Protecting yourself, family or close friends requires some thought, research and specific skills. Defensive skills are about dealing with a threat in the...

To prepare for anything, especially danger, you have to first acknowledge the need for being ready. Then you study the nature of the problem. Where will...

You know self-defense is a personal responsibility. You understand the best tool to defend against a violent attacker are firearms. Now it’s time to get...

You’ve decided to attend a firearms class for defensive training and are paid-up. Now it’s time to start putting together the gear you’ll need for the...

One of your first reactions to a threat, or danger of almost any kind, is usually to move. The threat is trying to strike, cut or shoot you. You move to...

They’re just tools, keep this in mind. Tools to keep your family safe, just the same as the fire extinguishers you have placed around (right?),...

I’ve known about Gunsite for years, but have never been there before. After attending a media event there, I feel like I’ve missed the boat, big time!...

The recent resurgence of the 9mm, including its re-adoption by the F.B.I., has brought us back into the everlasting debate about its effectiveness for...

Let’s assume your most likely deadly force encounter was to involve two assailants, one who faced and threatened you, and another who always lurked in the...

If you want to go to one of the fantasy camps, that’s fine. But chalk it up to your vacation account — not your training budget.

We need as many armed women as possible.This is fact regardless of whether violent crime against women is rising or in decline.

Marksmanship at a distance is one of the foundational skills. Practice on a plate out to 25 yards to build it. At first it looks far — until you begin...

There’s an old adage in our world: “The timer and the target don’t lie.” In fact the timer is the instrument I see shooters — including me —...