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Defensive shooting is a critical skill to build if you plan to use a firearm for concealed carry or home defense. Defensive training can be found with firearms instructors, but there are also numerous drills you can shoot at the range to train your skills. Defensive firearms training will often require a functioning handgun, a holster, a spare magazine pouch, plenty of ammo, man-sized targets, and a shot timer. Shot timers can be expensive, however you can download an app to your phone and they typically work okay. With a phone timer, I’d stick to the par timer because phones can have difficulty picking up a gunshot. So without any further noise, let’s take a look at my top 5 defensive shooting drills. The Basic Double Tap The double-tap is a fundamental defensive shooting drill that’s easy to begin with and difficult to master. The double-tap, sometimes known as the hammer pair, is an invaluable skill to master. The double-tap is a technique where you fire two shots with one sight picture. The goal is to squeeze the trigger fast but also to remain accurate. The double-tap can be done from the draw if your range allows for it. If not, the ability to accurately rapid-fire two rounds and land them in the body of your target is crucial. The first shot should be well placed and well-aimed. You want a solid sight picture for that first round. After the first shot, the goal is for you to recover as fast as possible and place a second shot on target. The second shot will likely not be as accurate but should be within three inches of the first shot. Start close at say 5 yards. Master the accurate double tap at this range and then extend the range yard by yard. This Drill will teach you weapons control, the ability to work the trigger, and the means to effectively place two shots on the target as quickly and accurately as possible. Two shots are always better than one. Failure to Stop Drill The Failure to Stop Drill is a classic firearms drill dating all the way back to Jeff Cooper and Gunsite Academy and a mercenary in Africa. Originally the Drill was called the Mozambique drill, but the current en vogue name is the Failure to Stop Drill. It’s designed for an attacker that’s charging you or fails to stop when you fire on them. The Failure to Stop drill is simple and can be fired from the low ready or from a draw and fire situation if your range allows. The Failure to Stop Drill requires you to fire three shots. The first two are a double-tap to the chest of the target. The third and final round is a well-aimed headshot. This Drill is designed to work off the double-tap. The first shot is as well-aimed as possible, and the second shot is all about speed. These first two shots should stop your opponent, or at the very least, slow them down. If they continue with the attack or moving forward, you fire a well-placed round to the head. The key to this Drill is proper shot placement and speed. The first two shots need to be done rapidly. They will slow your opponent and allow you to take that final follow up headshot. Start the Drill at 5 yards and work on going slow and learning the rhythm of the Drill. Add speed when it’s safe to do so. Put an emphasis on a very first and last shot. Those are the two that will make your money. Changing Gears Changing gears is a drill designed by the gurus over at pistol-training.com and is one of my favorites. This defensive shooting drill is designed to help you learn how to handle your firearm in both rapid-fire and slow fire situations. The Drill involves both a large target and a small target as well as rapid-fire and slow accurate fire. The targets are a 3×5 card and an 8-inch paper plate. The card placed above the plate when shooting. You’ll need a timer to complete the Drill, and as I mentioned earlier, a phone timer works as long as you can set the Par Time. This Drill is fired at 7 yards and set your par time to 4 seconds. Load your magazine with at least 6 rounds, but feel free to load more. Start in the low ready or with your gun holstered and hit start on the timer. On the go signal aim and fire two accurate rounds into the 3×5 card, then fire as many rounds as possible into the 8-inch plate within the set par time. My personal best is two shots to the card and 6 shots to the plate in four seconds. It’s a challenge that’s fun, but also excellent training. The Drill challenges your ability to go from slow and accurate to rapid-fire. The changing gears occur in your brain, and you have to translate that to your hands rapidly. Being able to change gears and go from slow and precise to fast and accurate enough is an excellent skill to have in defensive shooting encounters. This Drill will challenge your ability to shoot accurately as well as to control your gun while firing rapidly. Best of all, it takes no specific targets, and you can go at your own speed. The iHack Drill The iHack Drill is a specialized drill that is derived from the original Hackathorn Headshot Standards. However, it’s been reduced and redesigned for indoor ranges and to comply with their rules. It uses a specialized target you can print here. http://pistol-training.com/drills/ihack The Drill uses three small circles spaced slightly apart, and your goal is too hit every one of those circles three times. It’s a little more complicated than that, though. This Drill has 3 different strings per Drill. You start from the ready position, and you have three seconds per iteration. On the first iteration, you fire one and only […]

30-30 Winchester Vs. 30-06 Springfield – Cartridge Comparison   There are an abundance of new cartridges on the market. It seems like every time we turn around, the market is flooded with some new “miracle” cartridge. Just in the .30 caliber realm we have .300 AAC Blackout (introduced in 2011), 7.62×40mm Wilson Tactical (also 2011), .30 Nosler (2016), and that’s just a few.   While these newcomers are trying to prove their worth, plenty of hunters and target shooters choose to stick to the classics. Although the .30-30 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield have remained relatively unchanged for over a century, they remain two of the most popular cartridges available, especially among deer hunters. There’s really nothing exciting about these two cartridges. You would think that since both are well past their 100th birthday, they’d be destined for the retirement home. However, these cartridges are still alive and kicking after all these years for two very good reasons – they are reliable and effective.   Let’s take a closer look at these two tried and true cartridges. By gaining a better understanding of the .30-30 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield, hunters and target shooters can better choose which cartridge is best suited for their individual needs. A BRIEF LESSON IN AMMO HISTORY The more you know about where you came from, the better you can appreciate where you are right now. This statement rings true for individuals, families, society…and ammunition. That is why we are going to start with a quick trip back to the origins of these two popular cartridges. .30-30 WINCHESTER – A TRUE SPORTSMAN’S CARTRIDGE Unlike many of America’s most popular cartridges, .30-30 Winchester does not have a military history. Instead, it was specifically developed for the civilian sportsman.      The .30-30 Winchester (you can just call it “thirty-thirty”) is one of America’s oldest hunting cartridges. Created by Winchester for use in its Model 1894 lever action rifle, it was the first cartridge to use smokeless powder. When the .30-30 made its catalog debut catalog in August 1895, it was listed as .30 Winchester Smokeless (the .30 referred to the diameter of the projectile). When rival gunmaker, Marlin picked up the cartridge, they dropped Winchester from the name (because rivalry) and added the -30, which represented the standard load of 30 grains of smokeless powder.   The first versions of the .30-30 cartridge were loaded with 160-grain bullets. Today, .30-30 cartridges are typically available with either 150-grain or the heavier 170-grain projectiles. However, some ammo brands (like Hornady LeverEvolution) are bringing back traditional 160-grain projectiles. .30-06 SPRINGFIELD – STRAIGHT FROM THE BATTLEFIELD Unlike the .30-30 with its strong sporting heritage, the .30-06 Springfield (better known as the “thirty aught six”) was built for war. It was released by Springfield Armory and the United States military in 1906 (that’s what the -06 stands for).      The .30-06 Springfield saw combat in several wars, including both World Wars, the Korean War, and Vietnam. For military purposes, the cartridge was perfect. The cartridge’s simple design allowed it to feed smoothly in both bolt actions and semi-automatics, and it delivered impressive ballistics (especially for the time period), consistent accuracy, and deadly terminal performance. Once soldiers returned home from military service, they again reached for the .30-06 Springfield. The qualities that made it an effective weapon on the battlefield, also made it a highly effective hunting cartridge. It was the obvious choice for big game hunting, especially since those former soldiers were already familiar and proficient with the .30-06.   Although the .30-06 has since been retired from military service, it has not lost popularity as a hunting cartridge. It has been used to bring down every species of North American game, as well as numerous species native to the African continent. COMPARING THE .30-30 WINCHESTER AND .30-06 SPRINGFIELD While both these .30 caliber cartridges remain top sellers in the ammo industry, there are some significant differences. Let’s see how they match up in some important categories.    PRICE The price of ammunition is often a tricky subject. Some shooters place a high priority on affordability. Others don’t care what they spend, as long as they like the performance.   When comparing prices on these two popular cartridges, you should expect to spend a few more cents per round on .30-06 ammunition. For example, when comparing Remington Core-Lokt (a popular choice for deer hunting), .30-06 Springfield costs more than 15 cents per round more than .30-30 Winchester.   However, deer hunting doesn’t typically involve high-volume shooting, so the savings on .30-30 over .30-06 is minimal. If you plan to use your ammo for other applications (especially if you plan to hunt large game at longer distances), the extra cost of .30-06 cartridges is probably worth the investment. RECOIL Recoil can have a major effect on accuracy and performance, especially for younger and inexperienced shooters. When a shooter anticipates the force of recoil, he or she may flinch, sacrificing form and accuracy. Recoil can also affect the shooter’s ability to quickly realign with the target for rapid, accurate follow-up shots.   The .30-06 has a bit of a reputation for producing excessive recoil. For experienced shooters, this shouldn’t be a huge factor. However, the lighter recoil produced by the .30-30 Winchester makes it a great option for beginners or other recoil sensitive shooters. VELOCITY The velocity (or speed) of a bullet affects every aspect of performance, including trajectory, wind resistance, terminal energy transfer, and expansion. Generally speaking, the faster a bullet travels, the better it will perform.   Although there is some overlap in velocity between the two rounds, the .30-06 Springfield typically comes out on top in the speed category. The .30-30 Winchester clocks in at speeds between 2,200 to 2,700 feet per second. Meanwhile, the .30-06 Springfield zips along at speeds from about 2,500 to 3,000 feet per second. ENERGY The .30-06 comes out on top in the energy category, too. Since the laws of physics (and mathematics) dictate that an object moving at a […]

The 1911 is one of the most iconic and beloved handguns ever made but in today’s tactical world they are often overshadowed by the latest/greatest polymer guns that dominate the self defense market. With this article we are going to explore the world of 1911s and why they are still so popular with professionals and experienced gun enthusiasts. A NOT-SO-BRIEF HISTORY The story begins after the US defeated the Spanish colonial government that had occupied the Philippine Islands leading to the Philippine-American war of 1899. This guerrilla war with the indigenous people often involved close quarters combat where the army’s bolt action rifles were too awkward and 38 Long Colt double-action revolvers were too under-powered for the fight. This lack of stopping power led to the now famous Thompson-LaGarde tests of 1904 that determined military pistols and revolvers should have a caliber of “no less than .45”. In 1906 the US military began evaluating competing designs for a new pistol, as well as the new .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) cartridge. The Colt manufactured semi-automatic pistol designed by John M. Browning quickly emerged as the clear favorite. His magazine fed, single action pistol with both manual and grip safeties provided an unmatched level of safety and reliability. Browning’s design was formally adopted by the US Army in 1911 with the official designation of Model 1911. First used in combat in 1916 during a failed attempt to capture Pancho Villa in Mexico, the 1911 actually earned its famous reputation during WWI where its firepower proved invaluable in the close quarters combat environment of trench warfare. During WWII nearly 3 million 1911s were produced becoming the standard sidearm for almost all US military ground forces. The 1911 was engraved into military history when Sergeant Alvin York used his 1911 to stop six German soldiers with six shots, earning him the Medal of Honor. 1924 saw the first major upgrade of the 1911 design. Designated the 1911 A1, this upgrade included improved sights, an arched mainspring housing, shorter trigger, longer grip safety spur and other minor improvements, The improved 1911 A1 soon becoming a favorite of law enforcement. In 1985 the US Army finally replaced the single stack 1911 pistol with the 9MM Beretta M9 due to it’s higher capacity double stack magazine and cheaper, more available 9mm ammo which was compatible with our NATO allies. ABOUT THE GUN The hammer fired, single action only (SAO) 1911 uses a single stack magazine with capacity dependent on caliber and model. The biggest differences between most 1911s are the size of the frame and barrel type. While many modern manufacturers have given their guns unique names to designate sizes, the original Colt designations are still the standard. You should also be aware that some manufacturers will mix slide and frame sizes to create new combinations. Pay attention to these differences when ordering holsters, replacement parts such as custom grips, and magazines. Government: 5″ barrel, full sized frame & grip – 7 or 8 round magazine Commander: 4 1/4″ barrel, full sized frame & grip – 7 or 8 round magazine Officers: 3″ barrel, short frame – 6 or 7 round magazine Note: Several manufacturers produce a high capacity, double stack version of the 1911. This modern version known as the 2011 has helped keep the venerable John Browning design in use by elite federal and local law enforcement agencies to this day.  TRADITIONAL BUSHING VS BULL BARREL The original bull barrel design was first introduced with shorter barrels to solve the problem of shorter barrels locking up when out of battery. Today the choice between bull and bushing barrels is largely a matter of personal preference. Many shooters feel that the added weight of the bull barrel aids in controlling recoil and adds lo

The new Taurus G3 pistol offers a number of desirable tactical features for a very reasonable price. What other concealable 4″ 9mm semi-auto offers an 18 round capacity, a single-action fire control unit with a second strike capability and a three-slot accessory rail for only $345.23? Those who want a basic 9mm pistol for personal and home defense will be hard-pressed to find a well-equipped 9mm at a lower price. taurus g3 The Taurus Millennium G3 is an attractive pistol that has many features of more expensive guns, even though its MSRP is quite reasonable. A New Generation I reviewed a PT-111 Millennium G2 six years ago and found it was a reliable handgun with adequate accuracy for personal defense. It was easy to use, had good quality control and it reliably fired a variety of defensive ammo. The new G3 is similar in overall design to the sub-compact G2, except that it is a larger pistol. Taurus describes the G3 as their “full-size” gun, however it is very similar in size to a Glock 19. Depending upon where the buyer lives G3, comes with an extended 17-round magazine and a flush-fit 15-round magazine, two 15 rounders or two 10-rounders. The lower capacity magazines are designed to comply with laws and regulations enforced in some jurisdictions. The grip is sized to fit a 15 round magazine. This allows the owner to use a shorter magazine that is less likely to “print” through clothing, which is an important feature for buyers who carry concealed under light clothing at least part of the year. taurus g3 4 The G3 has long manual safety lever that is easy to disengage with a downward movement of the thumb and a thumb rest groove that helps the shooter establish a firm grasp on the grip. taurus g3 5 The stippled panels on all sides of the G3’s grip provide a sure hold under a variety of weather conditions. A workbench examination indicated that the overall quality of the G3 appears to be good. Fit was acceptable with a bit of lateral play between the slide and frame. Finish of the slide was an even matte black, and the polymer frame was well-configured with just a slight mold mark between the two halves. All lines were straight and there were no sharp edges or tool marks anywhere on the gun inside or out. The operation of the slide was smooth, the slide lock activated every time on an empty magazine, the manual safety was positive in its operation, the trigger safety operated properly and the magazine release smartly ejected the magazine, although I’d prefer a release that is not quite as tall as the one on the Taurus G3. In addition, trigger pull was long and became somewhat gritty as it stacked, and it had some overtravel. On the other hand, both the single action and second strike pulls measured an identical 5.5 lbs. which is quite acceptable for a defensive pistol. Reset distance for the trigger was about .375″, making quick follow-up shots possible. Shooting Impressions After cleaning and lubing the gun, the Taurus G3 was used for the Army L portion of the Flagler Gun Club’s weekly informal Bullseye Match. Super Vel 90 gr. JHPs and Winchester 115 gr. Service Grade FMJ ammo were used. When a dead center aim was used, both of these loads shot low. So further testing was conducted with ammunition loaded with 124 gr.,135 gr. and 138 gr. hollow point bullets. Five loads were chosen to test velocity, muzzle energy and 15 yd. accuracy from an Isosceles Stance. They were Black Hills 125 gr. JHP +P, Hornady American Gunner 124 gr. JHP, Federal 135 gr. Hydra-Shok Deep, Federal Syntech 138 gr. Syntech Defense HP and SigSauer 124 gr. V-Crown. The most accurate load was the Federal Syntech 138 gr. HP. Next most accurate was the Federal 135 HS Deep. This gun definitely liked the heavier bullets. Full velocity, energy and accuracy results are in the attached table. The second test involved timed tactical drills from a concealed holster at 10 yds. Five timed double taps were fired to the chest of a silhouette target. The average time for all runs was 4.94 sec. and the score was 75/100. Not bad for a light gun with a factory trigger. Finally, a full load of 18 shots was fired with five different factory hollow points and the gun ran perfectly. taurus g3 3 Because the G3 is a defense pistol accuracy was tested at 15 yds. using a tactical two-hand Isosceles Stance. Final Analysis The Taurus G3 proved to be effective for personal defense out to at least 15 yds. It has quite a few features and it’s low MSRP makes it a good value. taurus g3 2 The Taurus G3 was test fired with seven different 9mm. loads from six manufacturers. All functioned perfectly in it. Load Muzzle Velocity Muzzle Energy Accuracy at 15 yds. Black Hills 124 gr. +P JHP 1202 fps. 398 fpe. 4.5″ Federal 135 gr. Hydra-Shok Deep 988 fps. 293 fpe. 2.62″ Federal 138 gr. Syntech HP 1087 fps. 362 fpe. 2.375″ Hornady 124 Gr. +P JHP American Gunner 1128 fps. 350 fpe. 4.75″ Sig 124 gr. V-Crown HP 1148 fps. 363 fpe. 4.70″Best of two five-shot groups fired offhand at 15 yds. Velocity at 10′ from muzzle.