Top Ten Civilian Defense Arms ... Of All Time, Part 1.0

A Preliminary List:
In no particular order.
Longbow
Glock
Musket
.22 Anything
12-gauge Shotgun
AR
AK
Spear
Rock
Knife

Honorable Mention:
Ax
Kentucky Rifle

Cappuccino: Breakfast Only?

I call bulls hot on that. After a day of full-tilt joe, I would appreciate a little sweetness. 'Bout to put a little sugar in my coffee (with half and half). Take that for modern traditional, Italy.

Bill Wilson's Compact 1911 and My Grandfather's Cheap Pocketwatch

Bill Wilson defends compact 1911s, and gets attention from one of my favorite blogs.

For years, my grandfather carried extremely-cheap, windup, grocery-store pocket watches. On a daily basis he would reset his watch. As a "tinker's" gun, it seems like the compact 1911 falls into the same category of user/tool interaction.

It seems that a purveyor of highend 1911s and those who deride his wares are overstating their cases, but ...

My grandfather knew how to accommodate the shortcomings of the tool he selected and enjoyed whatever advantages he found. Any gun must be so employed to be useful, whether it's shaped like a brick or eats like a runway model.

Gear versus Practice

I've come to the realization that I focus way too much of my time on gear, and realistically 5% of my time on training, tactics, and mindset - which is ludicrous!

I started to get a clue - though I had heard something that laid it out for me  by the likes of Bob Mayne for a couple years - I started to get a clue, when I saw a video by someone like Max Michel, where he was talking about how to hold a pistol. One hand is pushing/pulling and the other is squeezing, or something like that (Really need to find that video). So I was thinking about practice my grip and stance. Then my wife said we should go to the range this coming weekend (Need to find that gift certificate). Then I saw a video by James Yeager, where he mentioned his "hierarchy of survival:" mindset, tactics, skill, gear. Also, I've been working on an article about prepping.

So I started dry firing everyday, and already I feel more comfortable with my pistol.

The 9mm Revolver Predicament, Part 1

My first service-caliber handgun was a revolver. I went with advice, probably from a Guns & Ammo article, that if you are treating a handgun as a fire extinguisher (student of the gun take on this) that you should probably go with a revolver. Though everyone is now screaming Glock, striker fired, and long double action, back then a semi auto still meant levers etc. At the time, I was planning to carry the gun on my hip.

I finally did end up with a semi auto, but with double action and manual safety/decocker. Not surprising, since my first autoloader had all that stuff, too. But I have become enamored with pocket carry, and my current service-caliber semi auto is too big for pocket carry, though I have done that before. If I were to jump feet first I would have just sprung for a Glock G26 and called it a day, and especially after an article in a handgun annual that stated that compact 9mms beat snubnose .357s in the muzzle energy department.

But then the "buts:"
But (1) semi autos don't like pocket lint (And revolvers do?).
But (2) I'd like a long double-action trigger to make drawing from a pocket safer (OK.).
But (3) a G26 is a chunk of a gun to stick in your pocket - weight and size wise (I can fit my Ruger P95 in most of my front pockets - really).
But (4) does muzzle energy really matter that much? Am I splitting hairs?
I think that's enough.

To Be Continued ...