I took the vow not to buy any more AR-15s a couple of years ago. I had enough variants to fit any normal shooting/self-defense needs, plus a couple of extras as test beds for optics, illuminators, etc because I write a lot of tactical articles. However, that was all before I received the FN 15
In many carbine classes, shooters are shown several ways to adapt their long gun to cover to make a mid-range hit. This is often exposure only without a great way to measure or track performance and subsequently carbineros do not sustain those capabilities to a high degree. One of the big reasons for this is
If you have read part I of Cool on the Range, Dead on the Street (June 2018 S.W.A.T.), you know I am not a fan of any techniques that may slow you down in a gunfight. I discussed why the power stroking method is the slowest method for chambering a pistol. I also gave my
Last month in this space, I wrote about the trend of using rifle-caliber pistols with arm braces. I pointed out their advantages and tactical uses. In this column, I want to discuss the same type of pistol but without the arm brace. I’ve tested a half dozen of these rifle-caliber pistols, shooting them as if
Speed is essential in any dynamic entry. Breaching must be both rapid and effective. A variety of methods—mechanical, thermal, explosive, and ballistic—may be employed depending on what is to be breached and the tactical situation. From a military perspective, since combat has migrated toward military operations in urban terrain (MOUT), ballistic-breaching operations have increased. Ballistic
“If some skeevy guy attacks me with a knife, I will simply draw my pistol and shoot him.” Good luck with that, unless said knife-wielding miscreant is well beyond contact distance, intoxicated, stupid, or just wants to die (“suicide by cop”). Almost everyone else most likely wants to threaten, injure, or kill us without getting
I’m fortunate to live in a state where citizens can carry a loaded handgun, rifle, or shotgun in their vehicle. By far the most commonly carried weapon is a handgun. This often means an everyday carry handgun, but many people, including me, carry a larger, more powerful handgun in their vehicle when they carry a
Stacking up—entering a room to conduct close-quarters battle (CQB)—is one of the most dangerous tasks a Soldier or law enforcement officer may have to face. Some of the hardest CQB fighting U.S. forces faced was during the U.S occupation of Iraq in the mid-2000s, from the 1st and 2nd Battles of Fallujah to taking on
The noise flash diversionary device (NFDD), also commonly referred to as a flash sound diversionary device (FSDD), diversionary device, Distraction Device®, flash grenade, or flashbang, is an essential tool of the trade for tactical teams. NFDDs produce dramatic pyrotechnics that are intended to provide a brief distraction without causing permanent injury. Although often used generically,
It took a while, but I have become a convert to the rifle-caliber semi-auto pistol with arm brace. In a coming column, I’ll discuss what I see as their tactical pros and cons, the niches I feel they can fill and those for which I do not think they are well suited. But in this
