"What Effect will Open Carry have on the Crime Rates in Texas? | Gun News and Reviews - South..."

We get closer to Open Carry in Texas, and I still hear people talking like there is going to be blood in the streets AGAIN. Never mind it didn't happen in 1995 when we got Concealed Carry. Or that the people now allowed to Open Carry are the same Law Abiding Citizens who could Concealed Carry until now. ANd the fact that some retailers are jumping on the bandwagon doesn't help either. Here is why Open Carry will have no impact on crime rates in Texas
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"Lethal force is a last resort – Gun Nuts Media"

I have to say I agree with this article. Especially in light of the recent spate of people using firearms in public to solve what are probably relatively minor arguments. As a Texas CHL holder (soon to be License to Carry), I feel the same way. I will not draw my weapon unless I am prepared to USE my weapon. And I will not USE my weapon onless someone is in danger of losing their life, or greivous boldily injury. You can't be unsure about the situation. You can think, "I wonder what this guy is going to do?". Every time you draw your weapon, someone could die. So you better be sure it is the only answer. If you do not have an almost instant fear for your life, then you do not have reason to even draw your firearm, let alone use it.
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"NRA-ILA | Texas Attorney General Releases Numerous Opinions Affecting Carry Licensees; Open..."

The NRA Institute for Legislative Action publish a good review of some of the salient points of the new Texas License to Carry laws. Yup, as of Jan 1 it is no longer called a Concealed Handgun License.
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"Last Minute Stocking Stuffers for the Shooter | Gun News and Reviews - South Texas Armory Blog"

Ho, Ho, Ho.... Some last minute ideas you can pick up locally for the shooters you know..
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"Open Carry – Personal Security or Political Statement? | Gun News and Reviews - South Texas..."

How do you feel about the Jan 1 2016 changes to Texas Open Carry laws?
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"Should Terrorists Be Able to Buy Guns? » Gun News and Reviews – South Texas Armory Blog"

A little commentary on the idea of banning people on the No Fly List from buying guns. Might SEEM logical, but there is a bigger issue at risk here.
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"'Run-Hide-Fight' | How To Survive A Terrorist Attack"

Thanks to my buddy RR (the Ry-Guy) for posting this and reminding me about these things. Skills are perishable, so practice them. Most of this you have all seen before, but I did see one nugget that bears repeating because it might not be intuitive. If explosives are in the mix, get some distance and then lay down with your feet towards the explosive. Let those beefy legs do the work of slowing down what is usually some fairly low mass/velocity shrapnel. BUT if it's BULLETS that are flying, kneel or crouch. Obviously don't stand up and be a target, but also don't lay down. Bullets aren't Billiards; ricochets don't bounce off surfaces at an equal but opposite angle. They tend to skid along the surface and hug the wall/floor. So if you are laying down, you are begging for a hit to a major organ. And if you can, present a side view in the direction of the shooting so you make an even slimmer target (or if you are like me, a bigger target but beer belly isn't a vital organ). In fact, in the Marine Corps we were taught to patrol the flight line with Remington 870 shotguns (pellets make smaller holes in planes than bullets if you miss). But we were also told to aim for the knees/shins if you have to fire. The blast runs along the tarmac, takes out the target’s mode of transport (legs) and tires are easier to change than engines. So take what you can from this article, and stay safe.
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Another post for the 240th Marine Corps Birthday Have you ever stopped and thought about just the name - Marine Corps? Let's take a look at what that really means. Merriam-Webster defines a corps as "a group of persons associated together or acting under common direction; especially : a body of persons having a common activity or occupation". So by its very name, the Marine Corps shares a single direction, a single vision. To protect our country and it's citizens from all enemies. And then there is the way we refer to ourselves. If you serve in the Army, you are a 'soldier'. In the Navy, you're a 'sailor'. The Air Force has 'airmen'. All great appellations, all fine military organizations. But only the Marine Corps actually takes the NAME of the service and assigns it to each and every member of that organization. Because the Marine Corps is not our weapons, or the support systems, or our bases. The Marine Corps IS FIRST AND FOREMOST the people who make it up. The individual Fighting Marine is the heart and soul of the Marine Corps. Strip us down to our bare essence, take away all the armor and rifles and support systems, and you will still have the Finest Fighting Force in the world. WE are the Marine Corps, and the Marine Corps is us. Honestly, we laugh when you call us 'jarheads' because of our short haircuts. We take it as a complement when you call us 'Leathernecks', because that honors the very first Marines and the uniform they wore. And we're pleased when you call us 'Devil Dogs', because it recalls those World War One German soldiers who were so frightened by the ferocity of the fighting force they came upon that they thought the Hounds of Hell had been set loose on the earth. But if you ever want to really flatter us, just call us "MARINE". That is the highest compliment you can pay us. Because that is a title that can't be bought, begged, borrowed or stolen. It can only be earned. And for those of you who don't know, there are no such things as an 'ex-Marine' or 'former Marine'. There are Active Duty Marines. There are retired Marines. There are Marine veterans. But once you are given the title MARINE, you never lose it. Oo-rah. Semper Fi. Happy Birthday Marine.

A new Facebook post via South Texas Armory Another post for the 240th Marine Corps Birthday Have you ever stopped and thought about just the name - Marine Corps? Let's take a look at what that really means. Merriam-Webster defines a corps as "a group of persons associated together or acting under common direction; especially : a body of persons having a common activity or occupation". So by its very name, the Marine Corps shares a single direction, a single vision. To protect our country and it's citizens from all enemies. And then there is the way we refer to ourselves. If you serve in the Army, you are a 'soldier'. In the Navy, you're a 'sailor'. The Air Force has 'airmen'. All great appellations, all fine military organizations. But only the Marine Corps actually takes the NAME of the service and assigns it to each and every member of that organization. Because the Marine Corps is not our weapons, or the support systems, or our bases. The Marine Corps IS FIRST AND FOREMOST the people who make it up. The individual Fighting Marine is the heart and soul of the Marine Corps. Strip us down to our bare essence, take away all the armor and rifles and support systems, and you will still have the Finest Fighting Force in the world. WE are the Marine Corps, and the Marine Corps is us. Honestly, we laugh when you call us 'jarheads' because of our short haircuts. We take it as a complement when you call us 'Leathernecks', because that honors the very first Marines and the uniform they wore. And we're pleased when you call us 'Devil Dogs', because it recalls those World War One German soldiers who were so frightened by the ferocity of the fighting force they came upon that they thought the Hounds of Hell had been set loose on the earth. But if you ever want to really flatter us, just call us "MARINE". That is the highest compliment you can pay us. Because that is a title that can't be bought, begged, borrowed or stolen. It can only be earned. And for those of you who don't know, there are no such things as an 'ex-Marine' or 'former Marine'. There are Active Duty Marines. There are retired Marines. There are Marine veterans. But once you are given the title MARINE, you never lose it. Oo-rah. Semper Fi. Happy Birthday Marine.

As I get older, of course I look back at my life and try to see what I am most proud of. Of course family and friends, but one thing I don't spend a lot of time talking about is my time in the service. I'm not the kind who wears my Marine Corps shirt or hat everywhere I go, but I am none the less very proud of my service. I served proudly but quietly, because my service entailed what is to me minimal sacrifice compared to others of even my generation. It is those who have given so much to whom we all owe a great debt of gratitude, and that is who I speak of when I say I'm a Proud Marine. Tomorrow is the 240th Birthday of the Marine Corps, making them the oldest military organization in this country. That alone is pretty note-worthy. But it isn't the LENGTH of time the Marine Corps has served this country, but the manner in which it has served. No other military organization has history, the pride, the traditions of the Marine Corps. Our uniforms are exactly that: UNIFORM - meaning all the same, and every Marine knows why the uniform looks the way it does and understands the sacrifice of those who came before who wore basically exactly the same one. We don't have fancy braids that make a Private right out of Boot Camp look like a war hero. We don't have a different color hat for each Division, because we are all the same - WE ARE MARINES and there is NOTHING better than that. Everyone who has ever earned the name MARINE is a brother, and it doesn't matter when or where they served, what their job was or who they were before they joined up. I'm proud to have worn the same uniform as Chesty Puller, John LaJuene, Smedley Butler and Dan Daly. I don't want to look different from them; I rejoice in the fact that I can call these men my Brothers and they would call me such if they were still alive. So over the next day or so, I'll probably put up a few more posts about this topic. Call it middle aged nostalgia, but for some reason this is important to me this year. Ignore them if you want, un-friend me if you don't like them. Or just quietly read them, understand the feelings behind them, and thank God that the United States Marine Corps has been here protecting our country for 240 years and counting. God, Country, Corps. Semper Fi, Happy Birthday Marines.

A new Facebook post via South Texas Armory As I get older, of course I look back at my life and try to see what I am most proud of. Of course family and friends, but one thing I don't spend a lot of time talking about is my time in the service. I'm not the kind who wears my Marine Corps shirt or hat everywhere I go, but I am none the less very proud of my service. I served proudly but quietly, because my service entailed what is to me minimal sacrifice compared to others of even my generation. It is those who have given so much to whom we all owe a great debt of gratitude, and that is who I speak of when I say I'm a Proud Marine. Tomorrow is the 240th Birthday of the Marine Corps, making them the oldest military organization in this country. That alone is pretty note-worthy. But it isn't the LENGTH of time the Marine Corps has served this country, but the manner in which it has served. No other military organization has history, the pride, the traditions of the Marine Corps. Our uniforms are exactly that: UNIFORM - meaning all the same, and every Marine knows why the uniform looks the way it does and understands the sacrifice of those who came before who wore basically exactly the same one. We don't have fancy braids that make a Private right out of Boot Camp look like a war hero. We don't have a different color hat for each Division, because we are all the same - WE ARE MARINES and there is NOTHING better than that. Everyone who has ever earned the name MARINE is a brother, and it doesn't matter when or where they served, what their job was or who they were before they joined up. I'm proud to have worn the same uniform as Chesty Puller, John LaJuene, Smedley Butler and Dan Daly. I don't want to look different from them; I rejoice in the fact that I can call these men my Brothers and they would call me such if they were still alive. So over the next day or so, I'll probably put up a few more posts about this topic. Call it middle aged nostalgia, but for some reason this is important to me this year. Ignore them if you want, un-friend me if you don't like them. Or just quietly read them, understand the feelings behind them, and thank God that the United States Marine Corps has been here protecting our country for 240 years and counting. God, Country, Corps. Semper Fi, Happy Birthday Marines.

"Armalite releases DEF-10, DEF-15 and DEF-15F rifles » Gun News and Reviews – South Texas Armory Blog"

Have you heard about the new Armalite Defensive Sporting Rifle? A good quality rifle from a good manufacturer (AR after all does stand for "Armalite Rifle"), at a very competitive price.

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"ATF says “NO” to Sig Brace and similar if used as a shoulder stock » Gun News and Reviews –..."

ATF releases letter saying NO to using a pistol stabilizing brace (think Sig Brace or similar) as a shoulder stock. Doing so EVEN ONCE permanently reclassifies your pistol as an NFA SBR, with all the requisite paperwork and tax stamps that go along with that. More info in my blog post, with a link to the actual letter

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"Don’t be Afraid to Tell Someone They’re Wrong, Especially if You AGREE with Them » Gun News and..."

My latest Blog Posting

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"Why I support a Gun Safety Organization, and Why You Should Too » Gun News and Reviews – South..."

A Gun Safety Organization that really IS about safety, not control. This project has distributed over 36 MILLION safety kits since 1999, and was created by the firearms industry's trade association (no, the NRA is NOT that). Check it out in my latest blog post.

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"New ATF ruling on the assisting in the Manufacture and Distribution of Firearms » Gun News and..."

Are you thinking of finishing your own 80% Lower? Because the ATF just released a new ruling that could make the difference between legally building your own firearm as allowed under the GCA, and committing a felony. Check out my Blog

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"COLT DEFENDER 45ACP 3"

So I'm looking to get another super compact 1911 for my personal safe. I love my Kimber Ultra II Stainless. I know a lot of purists say a 1911 with less than a 4.25" barrel will never work right, but I put literally thousands of rounds through my Ultra and never had a single gun-related issue. So I'm convinced they can be reliable (convinced enough that it was my carry gun for a long time). So, who has experience with something like a Colt Lightweight Defender? Similar 3" barrel, aluminum frame, rubber grips, quality fire control parts. Could this be the answer?

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