A pistol is a mechanical device that is designed to fire bullets. Engineers have devised 2 common firing mechanisms for pistols, the hammer fired and striker fired, which aim to achieve the same purpose of firing the gun.
Hammer fired pistols have an external hammer (usually) that falls onto the firing pin when the trigger is pulled. The firing pin strikes the primer on the back of the cartridge, firing the gun. The photos below are of the Beretta PX4.
In light of recent events, I want to talk about the recent wave of terrorism in the world today.
I have eight years of experience in uniformed security including seven years in retail security and one year in hospital security at a facility that employed 1,400+ individuals. I also have two degrees in criminal justice and a certificate in homeland security that give me a unique insight into these terror events.
I will be sharing some advice regarding how you can protect yourself from these attacks from the perspective of a security professional and someone who has studied terrorism in detail. Continue reading “Security Professional On Terrorism”
I admit it: I haven’t always been the most proactive when it comes to knowing the ins and outs of concealed carry and self defense law. When I first received my permit, I learned enough to know where I could carry my firearm, but that was pretty much it.
Unfortunately, ignorance isn’t bliss. It could land you in jail. It might mean hesitation in a self defense situation when milliseconds matter. With some effort on the part of a L2C (License to Carry) permit holder, a firm grasp of the law is attainable, and necessary, for functional and safe concealed carry. Continue reading “Know The Law”
If you are new to firearms, walking into a gun store with hundreds of makes and models in one store can be overwhelming. Lacking knowledge and experience with handguns can make any shopping experience stressful. There are some basic considerations when looking for a concealed carry gun, once you understand them, you can feel more confident shopping. Click to find out the 3 basic handgun considerations
Early on in the 1984 film The Karate Kid, Daniel had the wrong motivation to learn karate and lacked an understanding of its intended purpose. That was before Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel that karate should only be used for self defense, suspiciously inline with libertarianism and more specifically the non aggression principle.
Training
Do you remember how quickly Daniel learned karate? He went from not knowing karate, to winning a tournament in two months. Do you think that would have been possible without Mr. Miyagi’s training? Daniel constantly made mistakes while learning techniques, but was corrected under Mr. Miyagi’s watchful eye. Once Daniel had the technique down, Mr. Miyagi would leave Daniel to practice for hours. If Mr. Miyagi left Daniel alone to complete the chores and never demonstrated the waxing, sanding, and painting techniques, he would have not learned the fundamentals of karate.
Training helped Daniel learn karate and you should seek training to learn pistol craft. In order to find your Mr. Miyagi, research your local shooting ranges and see what kind of training they offer. Going to a range with other students to learn and engage in a course of fire is fun! You will be surprised how much you didn’t know before taking the class. It will open a whole new world of possibilities for you. You can see big improvements in your skill in a short period of time. The best students have no prior experience and follow instructions. They can become much better shooters seemingly overnight than some “experienced” shooters. People become set in their bad habits and it is difficult to break them. Do not worry if you don’t know what you are doing, that’s to your benefit and the purpose of the class is to learn!
At a minimum, you should take a basic pistol training class. These classes are great because you meet a lot of like minded people who are learning just like you. Here are some of the basic fundamentals of pistol craft that you should learn how to perform properly:
grip and stance
holster draw
sight alignment and trigger squeeze
magazine reloads
how to clear malfunctions
situational awareness
Are you planning on taking any training courses and why? What has been your experience with taking training classes? Let us know in the comments!
Continue reading “Heated Debate: Striker Fired vs. Hammer Fired”
