Gun Belt Blog

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

One of the most popular carry methods is to cocked and locked carry, where a pistol is carried with the hammer cocked, a round chambered and a manual safety engaged. Not all pistols are capable of it; a semi-auto pistol with a manual safety is required.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

One of the most important aspects of shooting is the trigger pull, just as much as aiming. The ability to control the trigger is vital, as a poor trigger pull will result in a poor shot, regardless of how well you use the sights.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Shooting fundamentals dictates that the most important sight is the front sight as that's the one that rests over the end of the barrel. As a result, the front sight dictates where the bullet will land far more than the rear sight does.

By Michael Cambron | Contributing Editor

In today’s concealed carry world, ankle holsters can be a viable option for gun owners, provided they do some homework. They should also be realistic about their own needs and physical abilities to effectively draw and use a firearm should a situation require them to do so.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

A good number of people out there have a holster they tend to wear during warm weather, and another they prefer in colder weather - but why not start by choosing a holster you can wear all year? There are a few things you should look for in an all-purpose, all-season holster for your CCW gun.

By Michael Cambron | Contributing Editor

In today’s concealed carry world, ankle holsters can be a viable option for gun owners, provided they do some homework. They should also be realistic about their own needs and physical abilities to effectively draw and use a firearm should a situation require them to do so.

By Jake Smith | Contributing Editor

If a core tenet of everyday carry is preparation, then night sights perfectly align with that principle. Studies indicate that street lighting has historically affected the rate of violent crime, and that low light conditions correlate to higher violent crime rates

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

People who carry concealed are usually quite preoccupied with printing, where the outline of a handgun will imprint through a shirt or other clothing, telegraphing to the observer that a person is armed.

By Jake Smith | Contributing Editor

The real answer to this question relies instead on the individual open carrier. Aside from whether or not a holster will effectively hold a specific handgun, other factors come into play — like holster accessibility, retention, materials and size.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

A round that really doesn't get much love but may be poised for a bit of a comeback is the .44 Special, which is a large-bore revolver round that's a bit milder than some of the more popular revolver cartridges such as the .357 and .44 Magnum rounds.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

There are two major components to gun magazines, namely the magazine springs and the follower, which is a little tab of metal or plastic that sits atop the spring. These, along with the feed lips, are the only parts of a gun magazine worth worrying about.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

A practice that is somewhat common in the concealed carry community, or at least with some individuals who carry, is having guns for winter carry and guns for summer carry.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

If you ask serious revolver people about why they don't carry or prefer semi-autos given the greater carrying capacity, lower expense and greater concealability, one of the answers you'll get a lot is that gun magazines have a tendency to fail. Metal cylinders, unless subjected to a steady diet of +P ammunition that they aren't rated for, do not.

By Jake Smith | Contributing Editor

If the root of self-defense is preparation, whether it be training at a range or understanding how to diffuse conflict, then it’s important to understand violent crime before it occurs.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

One of the most important parts of shooting is trigger control, but it sometimes gets overlooked. You shouldn't. It's arguably more important than correct use of the sights.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose, and a slightly different winter carry pistol for the colder part(s) of the year. A good number of people carry different guns in different seasons, you see, and for good reason.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

There are certain clothing items a person can wear to aid in concealment. The right cover garments can make concealing even large pistols a breeze.

By Jake Smith | Contributing Editor

There will be a time when a firearm is not available to be carried in an everyday scenario, which makes non-lethal weapons an especially important topic for the average concealed carrier.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Some people carry a full-size magazine as a backup to a compact pistol. If you need to reload, you have more rounds. It's a viable CCW tactic...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Is the tactical reload something a person really needs to know or learn how to do?

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Self-defense against people is all well and good, but what about self-defense against dogs and other animals? Not all threats to man are from animals that go on two legs. Occasionally the four-legged variety pose grave dangers.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Some people only want a pistol with service pedigree as an implement of self-defense, but don't necessarily want the typical options. Here are 5 military pistols with track records as good shooters and can be easily acquired.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Concealed carry can help protect you from violent crime, but so can a little risk management. Knowing what not to do and where not to go won't keep you 100 percent safe, but it is a very good start...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

There's a good amount of debate whether you need to carry a spare magazine along with your concealed or open carry gun. Some go so far as to carry a backup gun and spare ammunition for that gun too. Some people figure one magazine is likely all they'll need.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Which type of holster is better - pancake holster or hybrid holster? Both are actually good...if made well.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Silhouette targets are fantastic for defensive pistol practice, as they are so much better than bullseye targets. Here are 5 to pick up.

By Jake Smith | Contributing Editor

Harm is a byproduct of the human condition, but luckily most of humanity is inherently equipped to ward against death, damage and danger — the culmination of that bodily equipment comes in the form of situational awareness.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Carjacking is a portmanteau of the words "car" and "hijacking," though a hijacking and a carjacking can be very different events.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Concealed carry doesn't mean just toting around a gun; there's a concealed carry mindset that has to go along with the gun and gear, as it's a change of lifestyle. For a person to carry competently, there are certain aspects of this mindset that should be adhered to.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

For people open carry on a regular or semi-regular basis, it's a good idea to at least consider a retention holster of some sort. After all, that's what the professionals carry in. They offer more security than the typical concealed carry holster.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Concealed carry doesn't mean just toting around a gun; there's a concealed carry mindset that has to go along with the gun and gear, as it's a change of lifestyle. For a person to carry competently, there are certain aspects of this mindset that should be adhered to.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

A must for any carrier, including those in their golden years, is a quality holster and a good, stout gun belt. These are the most crucial aspect of any carry set-up. The guy carrying open carrying a Hi-Point in a nylon sheath at Walmart is just doing it wrong.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

A good number of gunmakers offer adjustable sights as an upgradeable option, sort of like how you can get leather bucket seats and an infotainment console in a premium trim package on a car. Are they worth it on a concealed carry gun?

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

A person should know how to draw a gun if they have to. Ideally, the concealed carrier/open carrier or person otherwise concerned with personal protection will be drilling their draw as part of regular practice with their firearm, among other shooting drills.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

A number of people have had the thought that perhaps they should get concealed carry insurance once they acquire a license and begin carrying. After all, it's good to have insurance in case something happens, just like with driving a car.

By Jake Smith | Contributing Editor

Abraham Lincoln once said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe,” which, although it wasn’t his intention, helps define the value of a CCW class.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

The everyday carrier is likely to encounter a situation where they can't carry a gun when they otherwise would be carrying. Clearly, removing one's pistol is going to be warranted, but what about the holster? For that matter, what about one's gun belt? Not everyone will want to wear a beefy strip of leather if they don't have to.

By Jake Smith | Contributing Editor

Having a defensive mindset as a concealed carrier means being able to distinguish a problem at all levels before, during and after a conflict.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Talk to other gun owners and shooters, look at a few firearms forums, and you might start hearing horror stories about factory ammunition. It can seem disconcerting, especially to the person that doesn't have their own reloading equipment. Besides a pistol, one has to rely on ammunition to potentially save their lives or put food on the table.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

If a person has to engage in gun drawing, one had better be sure that they do so in the right situation. There are circumstances in which it isn't legal to draw a firearm.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Shooting is a perishable skill, and something that a lot of carriers wonder is how often they should be at the shooting range. The short answer is as often as possible, but in truth a person should go with enough frequency to maintain their shooting skills.

By Jake Smith | Contributing Editor

The debate on campus carry and whether or not teachers should concealed carry has been built on a foundation of cultural components that are both distracting and complicated.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

When it comes to holster selection, there are a lot of people that will tell you that reholstering or more to the point, reholsterability, is one of the most important aspects of choosing a gun holster. Is it though?

By Jake Smith | Contributing Editor

The human race is fortunate to include a wide spectrum of body types of all shapes, sizes and colors, but equipping those bodies with the right apparel can be challenging, especially when it comes to gun belts for big guys.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Occasionally, a person who decides to arm themselves and express their 2nd Amendment rights finds that family or friends may not support open or concealed carry. This can make relations difficult in practical and emotional terms.