Waste Not, Want Not – Water Conservation in a Crisis

By

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March 18, 2025

When a disaster hits, you likely won’t have time to run to the store. The supplies you have available to you at the time it happens are all you’re going to have for the duration. In situations like that, resource conservation becomes paramount.

We’ve talked about resource conservation a bit before, but in a different context. This time around, we’re focused on sheltering in place at home.

When water isn’t flowing from the taps, and you have to rely on what you have stored, it makes sense to be as stingy as you can be with it. You want to stretch the supply as far as possible. Here are some tips to keep in mind.

Water Conservation – Hygiene

A spray bottle filled with clean water can work well for washing hands. Just a squirt or two, lather up, then a squirt to rinse off. I’ve found the mist setting tends to work the best. If you don’t have a spray bottle, you can use a plastic water bottle with a small hole punched in the cap. Keep a large bowl or basin in the sink to catch water from washing and rinsing so it can be reused for other purposes.

A supply of body wipes can help with underarms, groin, and other body areas. This is far from ideal, but it’ll do the job until the situation improves.

Water Conservation – Washing Dishes

Use disposable plates and bowls. While this creates more waste, it also conserves water as you don’t need to wash them. Assuming you’re using paper plates and bowls, you can burn them rather than tossing them into the trash. We don’t use these products in our home on a day-to-day basis. With it just being my wife and I these days, it’s easy enough to wash dishes. But we’ve stocked up a small supply of paper plates and bowls, just in case.

For pans and dishes that do need to be washed, consider the three-basin method used by many campers. Set up three basins, which you might have acquired from your local dollar store, well in advance of any emergencies. In the first one, put hot water with just a bit of dish soap. The second one gets clear hot water. The third has cold or room temperature clear water with a few drops of bleach. Always scrape dishes and pots as clean as possible before putting them into the first basin. Let dishes air dry.

Water Conservation – Recycling and Reusing

Whenever possible, use water for more than one purpose. For example, dealing with human waste can be problematic in a grid-down scenario. However, provided that there aren’t any problems downstream, so to speak, toilets can be used even in the absence of water pressure. The tank can be filled manually, and the toilet can be flushed as normal.

The water for doing so could be repurposed from some of the previous uses mentioned. For example, after washing dishes, the dirty water can be poured into a bucket in the bathroom. As the toilet is used, refill the tank from the bucket. You might want to filter out any larger food particles first, just to make sure they don’t muck up the works inside the tank.

Water saved after washing hands, as well as that from rinsing dishes, could be used for limited laundry purposes. A five-gallon bucket with a lid and a clean toilet plunger will do the trick. Here’s how to put it together.

Water is a precious resource. We use it for so many things, from food prep to hygiene and more. If you don’t have an easy source for it in an emergency, you’ll definitely want to conserve it as best you can.

Do You Have a Home Defense Plan?

By

Travis Pike

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March 18, 2025

What’s your home defense plan? We spend a lot of time in dumb arguments about the best home defense gun. Often, it doesn’t really matter if your 11.5 AR works better than my 12.5. If you have a gun, you’ve met the first criteria. However, the plan you execute when things go pear-shaped could matter a lot more than the gun and ammo you’re using.

Failing to plan is planning to fail. Most of us think we’ll return fire and save the day if someone kicks down the door. The Mayor will slap a medal on our chest and call it a day. Reality is often disappointing. If you plan to shoot the bad guy, then you’re leaving a lot up to chance. There are a few situations where that’s fine, but maybe you should consider the before, during, and after the shoot.

The Home Defense Plan – Stage 1

Stage 1 is what we do to secure our homes prior to a break-in. In fact, we are attempting to make our homes look unappetizing to the average criminal. Stage 1 is the most important stage because it could potentially make stages 2 and 3 nonexecutable.

Part of making your home look a lot less friendly to break-ins is taking a few soft steps to improve your security on the outside. Gates are great, and so are 12-foot-tall barbed wire-topped fences, but that’s not always the practical choice. What can we do to our homes to make them unappealing to the thuggery of the world?

First, lights. Big lights make it tough to sneak around. My home is set up with motion-sensing spotlights, which are fairly affordable. Additionally, I have cameras. Some are obvious, but others are not. Motion-sensing cameras that can text your phone are a great tool to have, and making a few of them more obvious makes sure people know you’re serious about home security. Doorbell cameras have also been proven to be an excellent tool for home security.

Inside the home, we can invest in good locks. One-side deadbolts are impossible to pick. A really easy upgrade is swapping your ¾ inch door hinge screws with 3-inch screws. That makes your doors a lot tougher to kick in. Also, if possible and affordable, replace your hollow exterior doors with solid doors.

Stage 1 comes down to practical steps you can take to harden your home physically.

Planning to Win – Stage 2

Stage 2 occurs when stage 1 fails. This is what to do when someone is kicking down your door and is likely to make an entrance. When this occurs, it’s time to get the gun, but you need to know more than that. You need to consider the location of you and your family, if you have one. Single folks or couples without kids can hold up in their bedrooms and use the bunker-down tactics.

If you have kids, you’ll have to consider what to do. You may need to leave your home and find a defensible spot that secures the kids and you. You’ll also need to establish roles, like who carries the gun and who calls 911. Maybe you have to do both, and therefore, a pump shotgun isn’t a great choice; a carbine or even a handgun might be more viable.

Stage 2 is where we plan exactly what to do when the door comes down. You need to know what job you’re doing, how you’re responding, and whether you are moving or not. If you are moving, you might set up your home to give yourself an advantage, like making sure the defensible point offers concealment or cover.

This can be difficult to plan and might require a walkthrough of your home. This type of plan should involve a dry run, and everyone with a job understands their role.

After the Fight – Stage 3

A lot of people don’t plan for stage 3. They picture themselves getting their medal. In reality, stage 3 is what you need to consider after you pull the trigger. The fight is over; the cops should be called by now, but if not, that needs to be prioritized. You may also be wounded, or, Lord forbid, a family member may be wounded.

These are things you can plan to address. This means having a medical kit that isn’t a dollar store first aid kit for boo-boos. You need a trauma kit and the knowledge to use it. You also need to be prepared to be placed in cuffs. Self-defense is typically evident inside a home, but be prepared to take that ride.

Do you have a lawyer? You might look into a local criminal defense attorney and have their number accessible and easy to find. I won’t give legal advice because I shouldn’t, but a criminal defense lawyer might be a good call.

Similarly, are you or your loved ones going to be traumatized by this event? If this happens to me with my family home, everyone goes to counseling. That’s admittedly a step for another day, but it’s something to consider.

The Plan

A good plan goes a long way. It’s important to prepare and plan well before a violent event occurs. Hopefully, you sink time, effort, and a little money into stage 1, so stages 2 and 3 can remain dusty and on the shelf.

Training With Templar Defense: Rifle-1

By

P.E. Fitch

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March 17, 2025

Training With Templar Defense Carbine JP5

I recently joined Templar Defense for their Rifle-1 half-day class outside of Houston, Texas, at the Wallis-Orchard Gun Range.

Carbine 101

Rifle-1 is a four-hour basic carbine course primarily intended for students brand new to carbines. By that, I mean that the student who best benefits from Rifle-1 is the same student who recently purchased an AR-15 (or some other rifle) and maybe zeroed it off the bench but hasn’t done much with it in a tactical shooting bay. Templar Defense holds this specific course in a 50-yard bay, and most shooting is done from the 10-yard line.

Students get the chance to run their guns without having to worry about bringing 1,000 rounds (which is extremely expensive these days), while also getting a chance to spend time with their carbine slung and loaded over their chest. Likewise, they get familiar with handling it in a way that isn’t possible at the regular fuddy firing line.

As someone who owned ARs for years and only carried them in cases from the trunk of a car to a bench, I think there’s great value in the ability to freely wear the slung carbine around the neck and shoulders to get used to it. One can really learn the nuances of the relationship between their sling, their weapon, and their body.

Rifle-1 covers the core concepts of running a modern carbine; this includes basic zeroing (done at 50 yards), height over bore awareness, static drills, drills with movement, carbine manipulation, and the like. Templar Defense’s sole instructor, Craig Summers, runs a tight ship.

He sticks to the main points, watches over the students, and does not waste time. We started at 08:30 AM sharp with a safety briefing and a succinct overview of shooting with carbines. By 12:50 PM, all students were casing their rifles and packing their gear, ready to go home and continue about the rest of their day.

The Beauty Of Half-Day Classes

I realize that Templar Defense specifically covers the Houston, Texas area, while our readership at GAT Daily is worldwide. I understand that reviewing a local outfit can only be so relevant to the rest of our readers, so here’s my tie-in and the big takeaway.

Rifle-1 made me take a step back and appreciate the beauty and simplicity of half-day training classes, especially as someone who frequents and travels to various 2-day courses throughout the year. Furthermore, even though a class like Templar Defense’s Rifle-1 is best suited to new shooters needing a crash course in defensive AR-15 shooting, a course like this one can serve experienced shooters, too.

First and foremost, it’s a chance for the experienced to get out of the house and shoot for a morning without having to be tied up the entire day or weekend. It’s a great way to knock off the rust and/or try out a new carbine or different set-up, like I did with the JP5.

Not to mention, the tuition is considerably more affordable, along with the ammo requirements. 2-Day courses are great. But sometimes, getting some good reps in and being done by 1 PM hits the spot, too.

Furthering The Roller-Lock Obsession

Training With Templar Defense — Confirming zero at 50 yards from the prone.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been shooting a 9mm JP Enterprises JP5 carbine. Now, my official review of this fascinating firearm has been submitted to one of the other publications I write for, and as I write this piece about Templar’s Rifle-1, the JP5 review is pending publication.

In the meantime, the gist of the JP5 is that JP Enterprises took the timeless roller-lock action of Heckler & Koch fame and then proceeded to build an entire AR-pattern upper and lower receiver set around the MP5’s roller-lock action.

The end result is one of the smoothest shooting and most reliable blowback 9mm PCCs on the market. It not only handles like an AR-15 but also dominates the highest levels of serious action-pistol shooting competitions, like IPSC, IDPA, and USPSA.

The single biggest downside to the JP5 is how much it costs. Even the most basic iteration retails for about $3500 after taxes. But the upside is having one of the smoothest 9mm PCCs whose recoil impulse best mimics actual AR-15s.

More importantly (and the reason I was drawn to reviewing it in the first place), as a 9mm firearm, pulling the trigger costs 50% less compared to 5.56mm every time. I make the same point in my formal review, but in summary, there’s something to be said for having something that handles like an AR-15 in almost every way without feeling marginal, like, say, a .22 LR AR facsimile.

Having Your [Expensive] Cake And Eating It Too

For this reason, I kitted up my JP5 with an LPVO and the same type of sling (Magpul MS-1) and furniture set–just like I run on my actual 5.56 carbines. Besides shooting the JP5 for groups for its formal review, I had only shot it at local USPSA matches, where using slings and having loaded firearms slung around one’s body is forbidden.

Rifle-1 was a nice opportunity to run the JP5 with a sling in a more natural context for a carbine. Since it’s only a four-hour course, the ammunition requirement is only 250 rounds. In terms of 9mm for anyone who shoots regularly, that’s an afterthought. I actually ended up “cleaning out” the bottom of my range bag and spent most of the class shooting up mixed rounds of 9mm target ammo from left-over boxes of factory or handloaded ball ammo.

The JP5’s roller-lock action didn’t care and fired it all. Blazer, soft handloads, warmer handloads, “Magtech-style” steel-case ammo, etc. It all went bang and cycled.

It was worth noting that I also had a Ruger RXM on my hip, but I didn’t shoot it at all during the class. Either way, having a Glock 19-sized sidearm is nice because it’s compact and stays out of the way until it’s really needed.

Walther PD380 – A Novel Low Recoil Option

By

Travis Pike

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March 17, 2025

A rising tide of low recoil semi-auto options has emerged for folks with reduced hand strength. Gun manufacturers typically produce your average gun for a 25 to 35-year-old man without any disabilities. That’s a narrow category, but admittedly, a large demographic in the world of firearms.

With that said, if a gun company wants to succeed, it has to find markets outside the norm. That’s why Beretta, S&W, and Walther are producing low-recoiling, easy-handling alternatives to the normal pistol. Today, we are looking at Walther’s example, the PD380.

Walther essentially updated the Walther PK380 to create the PD380. The PK380 was an odd duck when it was first created and didn’t seem to have a role to fill. It was essentially the modern, polymer version of a PPK, but it lacked the same style as the PPK. The PD380 introduced the PDP ergonomics to a much smaller, easier handling platform.

Inside the PD380

We didn’t recognize the PK380 for its usability at the time, but with the low-hand strength market in the limelight, the PD380 is rightly getting a few more looks. It helps that Walther produces attractive weapons, and the PD380 is a good-looking gun. The stainless slide combined with the black frame makes a striking gun.

The PDP-style grip and squared-off angular-type slide just look nice. Walther replaced the PK380’s cast slide with a machined stainless option. It’s not a big deal, but it looks fantastic. The gun itself is moderately sized. It’s not a subcompact, but it’s not exactly Glock-19-sized. It sits somewhere in between.

The size makes it easy to shoot but still relatively easy to conceal. The gun uses a short recoil action, which is tried and true, but most importantly, it reduces recoil compared to something like the blowback-operated PPK series. While it might seem like an oddity, the PD380 uses a single-stack magazine.

That’s also purposeful. A single-stack magazine is very easy to load. The rounds slide right in without any difficulty. I don’t have hand strength issues, so I might be a poor judge, but I’m betting most people can load this thing without a problem.

Outside the PD380

The gun’s grip ergonomics are fantastic. It feels great in the hand, and the PDP texture and feel are a worthy upgrade. The serrations on the slide are deep and easy to grip. That’s important for the end user with poor hand strength. The easier it is to grab the slide, the easier it is to manipulate the slide.

The PD380 series uses ambidextrous controls. The safety is slide mounted and is only a safety and not a decocker. The trigger guard-mounted magazine release is a love or hate thing. It’s fantastic to me, but it’s a press-down lever, which isn’t the norm, and people like the norm. There is no slide release. You have to slingshot the slide to close it at capacity.

The rear sight is adjustable, and the sights are also plasticky. I hate plastic sights. I wish Walther had considered making it RMSc-compatible, but sadly, it’s not optics-ready.

Shooting the Walther

The gun promises low recoil and delivers low recoil. It’s very soft shooting. The size and short recoil operation make the gun light recoiling and easy to handle. This flat shooting design makes it easy to track your sights and keep the gun on target. You can squeeze off some rapid fire without the gun drifting too far off target.

Manipulating the slide is also very easy. The slide serrations help, and the pull is fairly light. You can also cock the hammer to make it even easier. Double-action triggers tend to be a bit tough if you have poor hand strength. However, the Walther PD380 has a decent trigger. It’s long but light.

At the end of the day, if it’s too heavy, you can carry the gun with the hammer back and safety engaged. Locked and cocked carry is a viable method as long as you train to work with the safety as part of your draw stroke.

The Walther PD380 shoots straight. While the sights don’t seem all that durable, they are functional. A bright white dot on the front sight makes it easy to see and find. It’s easy to follow, and long strings of fire can be done accurately. I can pass a slightly modified 10-10-10 drill, more like a 9-10-10 drill, due to the ammo capacity.

At 25 yards, it’s easy to score accurate hits on targets of varying sizes. I can hit a USPSA A-zone almost all the time at 25 yards, and I can certainly hit the USPSA target every time at 25 yards. The big front sight does cover a bit too much of the target, but it’s still usable.

One More Option

The Walther PD380 impressed me. It’s light recoiling, easy handling, and a great combination of features that make it easy handling for shooters with weaker hands. Performance-wise, it’s not a revolutionary design, but it combines established and successful features to make a solid-performing pistol. It’s a niche design, and I would love it to be optics-ready, but maybe they’ll save it for the Gen 3 polymer frame .380.

For more information, please visit WaltherArms.com.

The Cimarron Terminator – A 1887 Clone

By

Travis Pike

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March 16, 2025

As a fan of Terminator 2, I knew the moment I saw Cimmarron releasing a gun they called the Terminator that it would be some form of the Winchester 1887. I was right, but surprisingly, this wasn’t the pistol grip-only version we see in the film. The Cimarron Terminator features a 20-inch barrel and a full wood stock. It’s fairly far from what we saw in Terminator 2.

Still, I didn’t care. As a shotgun enthusiast, I’ve always wanted an 1887 of some kind, preferably a clone, since the originals only worked with black powder loads. If you’re not familiar with the design, it comes from the mind of John Browning; admittedly, it was reluctantly peeled from his brain.

He wanted to make a slide action, but Winchester wished to stay on brand with their lever action designs. He made the lever-action shotgun, and eventually, he got to make his slide-action shotgun, which became the 1893 and later the famed 1897. The 1887 shotgun never really took off, but it’s an essential part of shotgun history.

What’s the Cimarron Terminator

The Terminator 1887 is a Chinese-made shotgun that’s surprisingly well-made. It looks drastically better than the previous Chinese variants imported by Century Arms. The wood looks fantastic and feels solid. It’s smooth as a baby’s butt, so don’t expect any texturing to grip back. The finish is a matte black that I wouldn’t call a rich blue, but it looks great.

It doesn’t look or feel made in China, either. The Cimarron Terminator has a surprisingly slick action that only got better the more I shot with it. The action is clunky, but all 1887 actions feel somewhat clunky. It’s a lot of moving mass for a lever action design.

The gun features a 20-inch barrel and a five-round magazine tube. If you feel inclined, you can load one in the chamber and one on the carrier to get seven rounds. Seven rounds isn’t bad by any shotgun standard. The barrel has a standard cylinder bore choke, and your sight is nothing more than a bead.

It’s plain but a great representative of the Winchester 1887 in what’s not necessarily a sporting configuration.

Shooting the Terminator

The Terminator delivers the same lever action sensation that every lever action delivers. It’s chunky since it has to deal with the hefty shotgun shells, but it’s still so overly satisfying. It’s fun to rack the lever back and forth as you disperse lead like a machine. The action feels super smooth and provides positive ejection and extraction.

That leads us to reliability. The Cimarron Terminator chewed through a lot of birdshot without any problems. I shoot a lot of Monarch because it’s cheap and never challenges the gun. Even the Monarch buckshot, which absolutely sucks, worked fine through the Terminator. I could almost feel the extra effort the gun put into extracting and ejecting those gummy Monarch hulls.

The feeding and extraction weren’t an issue, and the gun always went bang. The hammer sits almost flush with the frame, and a bit of dry fire made it clear that it springs forward with some serious force. It always ignites those primers and ensures the big bore spews its lead.

I’ve shot this gun a ton. In fact, I’ve probably fired its MSRP worth of ammo, which isn’t tough when shotgun ammo is so expensive, and this gun is so cheap. No particular round gave me noticeable trouble or performance issues in that practice.

Riding the Recoil

You will notice that the 1887 was not built for the modern push/pull style of recoil control. The thin foregrip makes it difficult to press forward, and pulling back with your hand in the loop isn’t intuitive. You have to ride the recoil with this gun. That’s not a big deal to me since this is purely a fun gun for me.

Working the action is fun but admittedly slow compared to a pump gun. Even without a shot timer, the 1887 comes up quite slow compared to a Remington 870. This isn’t the fault of the Terminator; it’s just a problem with the gun’s overall design, which dates back to 1887.

Make sure you watch your fingers on the forend. It’s easy to hit the barrel, and the barrels get hot awfully quickly. Loading the gun is also not super straightforward. The magazine tube sits under the barrel, which makes it tougher to access. You won’t reload anything but the chamber quickly.

The bead puts the shot at your point of aim. The patterns aren’t bad; they are just typical cylinder bore patterns. Your shot selection will have more to do with your patterns than any other factor. If you point it at the target, it will hit the target. You are limited to 2.75-inch rounds.

The Lever Action Shotgun For You

The Terminator is likely best suited for shooters who will participate in SASS-style matches, but it is also just a fun experience at a low price point of around $500. At that price point, you are getting a faithful adaption of a platform long out of production.

What’s Cookin’? DIY Hobo Cooker

By

Reuben Bolieu

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March 15, 2025

GAT_Hobo (1) — This authentic hobo cooker from 1935 creates a very effective pot using a simple tin and minimal effort.

Have you ever looked at litter in the city or on trails and imagined what you could make from it? That’s a creative mentality. Let’s look at creating a DIY Hobo Cooker like the Hobos needed for survival!

What is Hobo Cooking?

Hobo cooking is the art of transforming a campfire into a gourmet kitchen with simplicity and flavor. It encourages creativity, allowing you to use whatever ingredients you have on hand—wild mushrooms, leftover sausage, you name it!

This rustic style involves cooking directly over the flames, with minimal cleanup. Meals are served right from foil packets pulled from the coals, turning campers into culinary MacGyvers. Hobo cooking celebrates improvisation and the magic of the outdoors, making every campfire a delicious adventure.

Are Hobo Skills Relevant?

Hobo skills remain remarkably relevant for urban survival. They represent resourcefulness essential in challenging situations, allowing individuals to adapt to limited resources and unpredictable scenarios.

Begin by splitting the green stick in the middle with your knife, aiming for a 3 to 4-inch split.

Hobos find shelter in discarded materials, repurposing them into functional tools and creating fires from urban debris. They scavenge strategically, identifying edible wild plants and converting discarded cans into makeshift stoves, all while valuing tarps and ropes.

Their ability to blend into the environment and navigate urban spaces mirrors that of a woodsman. During power outages, they cook meals using repurposed containers and found materials, surviving and thriving. Ultimately, hobo skills are vital assets in urban environments.

The DIY Hobo Cooker

This authentic hobo cooker from 1935 uses a simple tin and little work to make a very effective pot. Let’s take a look at the step-by-step process to show how you can easily make your own—for fun. Don’t forget you can also use it in a survival situation.

Open the can, leaving about 2 inches attached.

You’ll need a thumb-thick green stick about 3 feet long, a sharp pocket knife, and your favorite canned food. The tin needs to be a standard can, not one with a pop-top. I recommend a pair of leather gloves for heat resistance and protection against sharp tin edges.

This DIY Hobo Cooker is relatively easy to make. Start by splitting the green stick in the middle with your knife. Shoot for a 3 to 4-inch split—you can adjust if needed. Next, use a can opener like a P-38 or any kind other than a safety can opener. A Hobo would most likely use his pocket knife blade. Meanwhile, a modern Hobo or camper may use the can opener on a Swiss Army Knife.

Open the can and leave approximately 2 inches attached. Get the green stick and fit the lid into the split at the top. Squeeze the green stick tightly and bend the lid by rotating the stick away from the food. After you make a few turns, the lid will grip tightly in place on the stick. You are now ready to cook—hobo style.

Fire Up the Hobo Cooker

You should already have a fire. When the flame is high, hold the Hobo Cooker over it like you were fishing.

Grip the green stick tightly and rotate it away from the food to bend the lid. After a few turns, the lid will be secured firmly on the stick.

Note: No need to worry about the plastic lining while there’s liquid in the can. Once it’s empty, just clean it out and burn it dry to eliminate that plastic liner. Easy as hobo pie!

John Taffin – A Legend Leaves Us

By

Travis Pike

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March 15, 2025

On March 10th, 2025, the firearms community lost a great one. John Taffin, a legendary firearms writer, departed this earthly realm at the age of 85. Mr. Taffin famously wrote for Guns Magazine and American Handgunner and was considered one of the foremost experts on revolvers. Mr. Taffin authored five books and hundreds of articles on revolvers, but also semi-automatics, and seemingly remained active.

Personally, I think Mr. Taffin was one of my favorite writers. I loved scrolling to the back of GUNS Magazine to read the latest Campfire Tales. As a teenager, I would spend a lot of time reading magazines while my parents grocery shopped, occasionally convincing them to buy one.

Mr. Taffin’s articles were always my favorites. As a teenager, I distinctly remember writing notes about wadcutters and Bisley grips because I didn’t know what they were, but I took notes to remind me to go learn.

(This was the dial-up internet era, so there wasn’t an instant solution.)

I’ve heard people mention that a real expert can explain a concept so that anyone can understand it. Perhaps that’s what drew me to Mr. Taffin’s work as a kid and aspiring gun writer. I didn’t know anything, but he explained complicated concepts in a way I could understand them.

Not only could he explain his intricate knowledge of revolvers simply, but he could also do it in a way that was entertaining and relevant.

John Taffin and My Generation

My generation didn’t have Skeeter Skelton and Elmer Keith. They had long passed before I became interested in guns. While their works are largely immortalized, they weren’t creating anything new, and they weren’t writing about new guns and calibers like Mr. Taffin.

Mr. Taffin was my Elmer Keith and Skeeter Skelton. He provided an education on revolvers, both new and old. Mr. Taffin loaded rounds and shared data. He experimented and provided an opinion based on decades of experience that held real weight.

John Taffin’s writing created a lasting legacy and inspired people like me to do what I do now. For that, I am forever grateful. My heart goes out to Mr. Taffin’s family in this trying time. John Taffin was a legendary figure to me, and our community of gun writers is diminished without him.

Boker Plus Pocket MUK – High-Quality and Affordable EDC

By

Jim Cobb

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March 14, 2025

There are a couple of things that become relatively common once you’re an established knife reviewer. For starters, your spouse asks you before tossing out any type of cordage, leather, wood, or similar materials because you might want to use them as test mediums.

The other thing that happens is that people begin to recommend knives to you. This was how I learned about the Boker Plus Pocket MUK. Someone on Facebook tagged me in a discussion about the Pocket MUK. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quick enough to snag one that time around, as they sold out in a heartbeat. Thankfully, another shipment arrived about a week later, and I snapped one up.

The Pocket MUK is a collaboration between custom knifemaker Matthew Gentry and Boker. Some of the more experienced knife nuts might recognize the inspiration behind this knife. I mean, it’s right there in the name. This is a spin on the classic Nessmuk knife design.

For those scratching their heads, Nessmuk was the pen name for George Washington Sears. He wrote for Forest and Stream back in the 1880s and was an early forerunner of ultralight backpacking, though it wasn’t called that back then. He also wrote a book on camping called Woodcraft, which was published in 1884. His knife design has stood the test of time and is still popular today.

Where the full-size Nessmuk is a versatile field knife, the Pocket MUK takes that sensibility and practicality and turns it into a compact utility blade.

Nessmuk and Pocket MUK — Top knife is a traditional Nessmuk from Bark River Knives. See the similarities?

Pocket MUK Specs

This is a small knife that’s perfect for pocket carry. The Sandvik 12C27 steel blade is 2.4 inches long. Known for its corrosion resistance, this is a great steel option for this type of knife. It’s tough without being impossible to sharpen in the field. The blade has a stonewash finish, which helps hide marks from use if that’s a concern. Personally, I don’t worry about that a whole lot, but I do appreciate how it looks.

Jimping on the spine provides an additional level of control when doing precision work.

The Pocket MUK’s contoured handle is brown Micarta with black liners. It measures 4.29 inches, giving the knife an overall length of 6.69 inches. Micarta is my favorite handle material for outdoor knives. It’s incredibly durable.

My only complaint about the handle is that the butt end is left a little sharper than I’d like. A few moments with a belt sander will resolve the problem for me, but it’s worth mentioning. When using the knife in such a way that the end of the handle rests in the palm, it can dig in uncomfortably.

Pocket MUK Sheath

The Pocket MUK comes with a Kydex sheath. I’ll readily admit that I truly struggled with the sheath at first. It’s an extremely tight fit, and I really had to force the knife into it. Forcing an extremely sharp blade anywhere is never a great idea. However, the fit has loosened up just slightly over time, such that the knife is easier to insert and remove.

Another knife aficionado I know did a quick video on how he resolved the sheath issue.

The Kydex sheath holds the knife securely.

One nice feature of the sheath is the weep holes they’ve put at the tip. This allows moisture to escape from the sheath rather than be kept on the blade.

Weep holes release moisture from inside the sheath.

Boker included a pocket clip that can be attached to the sheath via a couple of screws. Personally, I don’t carry my pocket fixed blades with such clips, but I know others who do. I just toss the knife and sheath into my pocket and go about my day.

The pocket clip can be easily added or removed.

Pocket MUK Recommendation

Matthew Gentry has designed one heck of a great knife. Boker, in turn, did an excellent job with their production run of it. The Pocket MUK is exceptionally handy and can be used in a wide range of roles, from food prep in camp to processing game.

One of the best features of the Pocket MUK is the price. It retails for less than $40. You’re getting a lot of quality for that price. It’s cheap enough that you could pick up a couple of them, one for EDC and another to toss into your pack or survival kit as a backup knife.

Find the Pocket MUK at Boker USA as well as DLT Trading.

The Weaver Stance in 2025

By

Travis Pike

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March 14, 2025

1200px-thumbnail — U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Orlando Higgins, foreground, with Regional Command Southwest, fires an M9 pistol Oct. 3, 2013, during a weapons marksmanship course at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Bobby J. Yarbrough/Released)

Jack Weaver developed the Weaver stance in the 1950s, and it arguably remained relevant into the early 2000s. Admittedly, the gun community can be cautious about change, so you may argue that it only hung around for tradition’s sake.

Early in my gun-shooting career, I was taught the Weaver and Isosceles stances and tended to favor the Weaver for comfort. While I might be a died-in-the-wool fan of the modern Isosceles, I wanted to go back and explore the Weaver stance.

I’d argue that there is a lot of misinformation about the stance out there. I also want to discuss its effectiveness and why it’s not as popular as it once was.

What’s The Weaver Stance

First, it’s the most misunderstood and mistaught shooting position. My first professional instruction on shooting a handgun was arguably from the Marine Corps. Prior to that, the closest thing to instruction I had was from a police officer at local bowling pin shoots when I was a teenager.

Those two experiences largely taught me the Weaver stance incorrectly. It wasn’t until my platoon sergeant, a Marine Corps Shooting Team member, finally taught me the correct Weaver stance. These days, I’d even argue that stance is the wrong descriptor. It really should be called the Weaver technique.

Anyone who has spent time in the gun world can recognize the stance: the nondominant leg is forward, and the dominant leg is slightly to the rear. The dominant arm is held straight forward with a crook in the support arm. It’s a classic stance, and that’s the Weave stance, right?

Yes, ish, what’s most important about this technique is the isometric tension. Isometric tension is used to control the recoil. It’s created by the dominant hand pushing the gun forward and the support hand pulling it rearward. The bent arm’s position makes it easier to pull rearward.

Isometric tension is how an experienced shotgunner controls his weapon, so why wouldn’t it work for other platforms? This is why it’s better described as a technique than a stance. You can apply isometric tension in various positions, and there are photos of Jack Weaver shooting in an isosceles-type position.

Does the Weaver Stance Work?

Yes, it works very well. Assuming a solid Weaver stance and using the push-pull method of isometric tension will help you control the gun and return the sights to the target. Tension beats recoil and is very effective at keeping the gun on target.

I’d argue it’s just as effective at recoil control as a modern shooting stance. I can’t see a big difference between the two on the timer in just putting repeated shots accurately on target.

So Why Did It Fade Away

It’s great when it comes to shooting and controlling recoil, but there is more to shooting than that. I’m no expert, but from the draw, it seems slower to acquire than the modern stance. Applying the push/pull seems to slow my draw down slightly. You must focus on that push/pull mechanic to make the most of it, which takes up mental energy.

If it offered an advantage in recoil reduction from a modern bent elbow position, it would make sense. But I can get the same recoil control from a modern shooting stance without needing to push/pull. Breaking down and building up a modern stance is faster and easier with less to remember.

It’s also easier to field when dealing with kneeling positions, especially when cover is involved. We can start talking about armor and plates, which are more relevant to uniformed, professional firearms users. The modern stance pushes the most armor forward with its squared-up approach.

The classic Weaver Stance simply lacks the versatility a modern stance grants you. That’s why it’s faded and become less relevant in recent years.

Parang-Style Impossible Machete!

By

Reuben Bolieu

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March 13, 2025

GAT_impossible (1) — The Condor Tool & Knife Impossible Machete has a Malaysian parang design and a leather-wrapped handle. Its 11-inch blade makes it ideal for camping and jungle adventures!

Unleashing the Power of the Not-So-Impossible Machete!

Born in the heart of El Salvador, Condor Tool & Knife burst onto the knife scene with a flair for crafting machetes, and let’s be honest—they nail it. Their Parang-Style Impossible Machete is one of their most standout creations, taking the classic Malaysian parang and giving it a fresh, modern twist. It’s as if they’ve taken something old and made it cool enough to wear sunglasses!

Impossible Machete

Condor Tool & Knife delivers with the Impossible Machete, a standout inspired by Malaysian parangs. Weighing 23 ounces, it features a slim 0.20-inch blade that’s 10.89 inches long and an overall length of 16.71 inches. The rugged forged finish and leather-wrapped handle add a tough vibe reminiscent of Rambo IV props.

Crafted from 1075 High-Carbon Steel with a convex grind, this machete means business. The hand-crafted, leather-welted sheath completes the look.

The Condor Tool & Knife Impossible Machete made setting up a swamp grill with “Y” sticks and cross pieces easy.

While it’s not a traditional parang, it still performs well. The handle is comfy in a standard grip, avoiding the bite of cord-wrapped styles. Just be mindful of the exposed tang—it can restrict your grip, so stay on the leather where it feels best.

Parang-Style Impossible Machete Test

Kudos to Condor Tool & Knife for equipping the Impossible Machete with a convex grind. Unlike the common flat or hollow grinds, this design cuts smoothly without sticking. I tested it on a downed maple, and it sliced through effortlessly.

The machete is perfect for chopping finger-to-broomstick-thick green wood, like the branches I used to build a swamp grill that keeps you off the damp ground. I gathered thick “Y” branches and thinner pieces with just a few chops each. Using a pilot stick helped quickly drive those “Y” sticks into the ground.

The author used the Impossible Machete as a draw knife for crafting projects and making kindling for fire.

When it’s time to cook, I keep the grill pieces off until I have a solid coal base.

Hacking It

Starting a fire is where the real fun begins for me outdoors. I use the “Big Blade” batoning method to split wood more efficiently and safely, allowing for greater precision. The Impossible Machete excels at reducing wood to kindling—just add your tinder, and you’re ready to go.

Resembling a true parang, its weight shifts toward the tip for excellent balance. I created shavings from a dead poplar branch at a 45-degree angle, and the machete produced smooth curls effortlessly, thanks to its wicked convex edge.

In about 20 seconds, “V” chopping nearly cut through a wrist-thick maple trunk using the Condor Tool & Knife Impossible Machete.

Equipped with a sharp point, it’s great for drilling and chopping bamboo. Since I didn’t have bamboo, I tested it on a downed hemlock. With quick wrist flicks, I drove the tip into the bark, allowing for swift and controlled penetration. When I delivered heavier chops, hitting the tough knots sounded like striking steel—my first battle scar appeared! Next time, I’ll use the spine to tackle those stubborn knots, just like the old-timers advised.

Summary

Condor Tool & Knife has created an ideal blend of portability and weight with the Impossible Machete, which is perfect for camping and survival. You could call a 12 to 14-inch version the Unbelievable Machete. MSRP: $154.42

For more information, please check out Condor Tool & Knife!

I’m Tired of Fear Porn

By

Travis Pike

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March 13, 2025

I’m really sick of seeing YouTube and website ads that account to nothing but fear porn. Admittedly I appreciate the people who are willing to advertise firearms-related content anywhere, but I’m just sick of seeing fear porn in the firearms community. Every time I hear a company combine a listicle-style five things/reason/upgrades gun owners need to do, or they’ll die/go to jail/get eaten by bears, I roll my eyes.

It’s also guaranteed that I won’t shop with that company. Fear porn is a term that the internet has applied to any form of media that tries to capture, advertise to, or entertain people via a fear response. Specific terms are chosen and used and are used widely by most mainstream media sources. That’s why the evening news promises to tell you about the ‘Five things that are secretly killing you at home.’ (More at 11.)

Why Use Fear Porn?

Because it works. The combination of a tight script and the right imagery will trigger an emotional reaction. As people, we are emotional. Sure, we can be logical, but it’s tougher to target logic quickly and efficiently. A short soundbite can trigger an emotional response. They issue you a threat, essentially.

“If you’re a gun owner and don’t do these five things, you might as well check yourself into jail right now!”

It’s much easier to say that than to use a logical advertisement that sells the benefits of their service. You’re in a tough spot when you have 15 seconds to capture me before I hit the skip add button. That doesn’t excuse the use of fear porn in advertising or in media in general. There is a time and place to report the truth and to advise on real threats.

However, we rarely see this done responsibly. Fear porn as a whole has become part of the media experience. I can’t affect the broader media culture, but I don’t want to see it in the firearms world.

Why We Should All Hate It

Right off the bat, it’s cringy and immature. It paints firearms culture and the firearms industry as unreasonable, childish, and no better than tabloids and clickbait B.S. We should be in an industry focusing on freedom, preparedness, and responsibility. We shouldn’t have to scare people to drive sales.

That’s my reason to despise it, but there are more significant implications with this type of media consumption. Exposure to this type of fear porn and the emotional reaction it causes comes from the amygdala. Repeated and constant exposure to fear porn can lead to long-term changes in amygdala activation.

To put it simply, the more of this content you consume, the higher the likelihood your brain will make you feel anxious and emotional in regards to that content. Fear, anxiety, depression, and heightened emotional reactions aren’t what I’m looking for in my industry.

More anxiety can lead to more sales, and personally, any company that’s trying to alter my brain chemistry to make sales can kick rocks. As the greater firearms community, we should advocate for less fear and more truth, more logic, and a lot less B.S.

Budget Blades – Save Money and Get the Job Done

By

Jim Cobb

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March 12, 2025

Budget Blades — Culpepper from Kershaw Knives. Photo credit: Jim Cobb

When it comes to knives, whether we’re talking about EDC, camping, kitchen, or survival, the sky’s the limit when it comes to pricing. You can easily spend several hundred dollars or more, especially if you want a full custom job with all the bells and whistles. But there are also several budget blades on the market.

You can get a very nice knife, one that will hold up to real-world use, for a relatively low price. If you know where to look, that is. The market is flooded with cheap junk that is likely to fall apart or otherwise not hold up very well. Sure, it looks shiny and cool, but if it won’t hold an edge, it’s all but worthless.

Here are three budget blades to consider the next time you’re in the market for a new knife.

Budget Blade #1 — Victorinox Swiss Classic Paring Knife – $8.00

Made by the same company that produces the venerable Swiss Army Knife, this fixed blade is incredibly handy. It weighs just 0.7-ounce and has a thin blade, so it’s very slicy. It runs 7.4 inches from end to end, with a 3.25-inch stainless steel blade. I’ll grant you that a kitchen paring knife might sound like an odd addition to this list. But it works very well with food prep in the field as well as at home.

The only drawback is it doesn’t come with any sort of sheath. But honestly, you could easily put something together yourself. Heck, just fold it up inside a bandana and put it in your food kit in your pack. The Victorinox Swiss Classic Paring Knife is available in several handle color variations at the Victorinox website.

Budget Blade #2 — Mora Companion Orange – $19.99

Mora has long been known for producing knives that perform well above their price point. The Companion is a shining example. I’m going with the blaze orange model for our list, as it’s easy to see if you set it down. But it’s available in several different configurations as well as slightly different price points.

The sheath is a sturdy plastic with a weep hole at the bottom. The Companion’s stainless-steel blade is just about four inches long. The knife is comfortable to use and feels great in the hand. This knife is recommended by many survival instructors. You can find it at numerous retailers, including DLT Trading.

Budget Blade #3 — Kershaw Culpepper – $28.99

I’ll be honest in that this is one of my favorite folding knives, and that has nothing to do with the inexpensive price. The Culpepper is a Barlow-style knife. This is a design that’s been in production since the 1600s. Traditionally, it was a commoner’s knife. It was something the average person might have as a working knife for doing chores.

The Culpepper is a great example of a knife that’s just made to do its job. This is a single-blade folding knife. The 3.25-inch blade is 7CR17MoV steel, and it features black G10 handle scales with brass liners. It tips the scales at a modest three ounces. There’s a lanyard hole at the base of the handle in case you want to add some decoration.

You can find it at the Kershaw Knives website for $35.19, but it’s a little cheaper at DLT Trading.

You could buy all three knives and still not spend over sixty bucks. And none of them are likely to fail under pressure.

Suppressors and Point of Aim Change

By

Travis Pike

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March 12, 2025

I learned a lot of misinformation about guns while in the Marine Corps. Oddly, most of it was ‘unofficial’ knowledge that contrasted what the Marine Corps taught. One was the idea that our DM’s suppressor would wear out, so he should rarely use it. Our DM (Designated Marksman) had zeroed his rifle with the can and was now told to remove it until needed. He was the first to explain to me that it would affect his zero and point of aim. He was deeply annoyed.

This 1st Lt. was confident in his misinformation, which resulted in an ‘aye sir,’ and our DM strategically removed his suppressor when leaving and coming into the FOB. This introduced me to the idea of a zero shift with suppressors. Now, more than a decade and some change later, I decided I wanted to investigate the phenomenon and see why and how much shift occurs when you mount a can or remove it, depending on your zero and point of aim.

I hoped to have a definite answer, but sadly, the best I can come up with is, “It depends.”

How Suppressors Affect Point of Aim

When you shoot your rifle, your barrel doesn’t stay still. It might be fixed in every sense of the word, but when you fire, that barrel moves around a lot. You just can’t see it. You’ll have to watch a super slow-motion video to see it, but it’s kind of crazy. It flexes and whips around, and it’s the reason why you shouldn’t mount optics to most handguards.

The barrel’s movement and vibration are commonly called barrel harmonics. They’re consistent with your gun and ammo, and that’s why your zero remains your zero. However, when you start to add or reduce weight, your barrel harmonics change. Suppressors add weight and can cause your point of aim and point of impact to shift.

How much the addition or removal of a suppressor shifts depends on several factors.

Point of Aim Shift and Suppressors – The Factors

Barrel Length and Weight

The point of impact shift can be small or radical, and the barrel length and weight matter. Shorter and lighter barrels tend to have greater movement changes when shooting, while longer and heavier barrels tend to have a smaller point-of-aim impact.

Suppressor Weight

Suppressor weight is another factor. If you swap suppressors, you’ll notice a POI shift. A heavier suppressor creates a shift that’s a lot different than a lighter suppressor. Outside of swapping suppressors, it seems that heavier suppressors create a more pronounced POI change.

The Baffles

Baffles slow the burning of gasses down, which cools them and helps suppress the weapon. That action also shifts your point of impact. It’s an effect that’s tough to mitigate and even happens with other types of muzzle devices.

How Much Point of Aim Shift?

As established, it depends, but for fun, I took my only suppressed AR out and launched some lead. I originally zeroed the SAI 1-6X with the suppressor in place with a simple 50/200 zero. I returned to the 50-yard line and used a series of two-inch dots to test the difference between firing suppressed and firing unsuppressed.

My ammo was cheap 55 grain .223. I fired a five-shot group into the top middle two-inch circle so I could fire on the left and right bottom targets and observe for shift. I let the suppressor cool while checking my target. I popped it off the QD mount and fired another five-round group.

I aimed dead center as best I could, but the rounds all hit high. One hit to the right, but that was my fault, flyer. Outside the flyer, the second group was tighter. That’s because, between strings of fire, I added a pistol box to my range bag, which made it a sturdier rest than just the bag.

The group is a little over an inch off target, high at 50 yards, and represents about a 2.5 MOA shift high. That’s a decent little jump between the two groups, but you’d still hit your deer or threat.

Mitigation

The best mitigation would be to zero suppressed and keep the rifle suppressed. You can also experiment and learn whatever holdover is necessary to swap between the two. Since mine hit high, the easiest thing would be to aim a little high. However, if your point of impact shift is high and left or high and right, it gets more complicated.

Maybe suppressed rifles should just stay suppressed?

Camp Utensils for Good Eats

By

Reuben Bolieu

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March 11, 2025

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Camp Utensils For Good Eats can be simple, rustic, or made from modern materials.

There’s no point in overcomplicating outdoor utensils. Keep it simple! You need a trusty frying pan and a pot for boiling or braising. Add in a few camp utensils, and you’re all set for some delicious camp meals with the best camp utensils for good eats!

Here are some of my go-to camp utensils for making a good meal and lasting memories at a backyard cookout or in the great outdoors.

New Uberleben Camp Utensils

Uberleben Dark Walnut Lore Kuksa- For enjoying hot beverages, the Dark Walnut Lore Kuksa is a multipurpose game-changer! This versatile vessel is perfect for sipping, serving oatmeal, or acting as a cutting board when flipped upside down. With a rustic charm and a capacity 50% larger than a standard Kuksa, this handmade piece showcases solid hardwood, combining luxury and practicality.

Each hand-crafted Kuksa features durable mil-spec 550 paracord, holds about 10-12 fluid ounces, and a food-grade, BPA-free finish seals it. It weighs around 5-7 ounces. It’s a standout among camp utensils for good eats.

Uberleben Dark Walnut finish for their Lore Kuksa and Kanu Spoon, offering a rustic look to their stellar products.

Get ready to ditch those flimsy plastic utensils and embrace the wild with the Uberleben Kanu Spoon! This isn’t just any spoon; it’s your new adventure buddy, handcrafted from gorgeous dark walnut hardwood. It’s BPA-free and eco-friendly, so you can chow down guilt-free while respecting Mother Nature.

Plus, it comes with a stylish leather lanyard and a handy micro carabiner, perfect for clipping onto your pack. At roughly 6 inches x 1.5 inches and weighing in at less than an ounce, it’s lightweight and ready for any escapade. So, whether slurping soup around the campfire or digging into trail mix on a mountain peak, the Kanu Spoon is your trusty, stylish, and totally badass eating utensil!

Uberleben Kanu Spoon! Handcrafted from dark walnut hardwood, this BPA-free, eco-friendly spoon is your perfect adventure buddy for guilt-free dining.

Tuff Possum Gear Titanium Utensil

Ditch the flimsy plastic and grab the Tuff Possum Gear Titanium Spoon for good eats! This isn’t your grandma’s silverware—it’s crafted from indestructible, lightweight titanium, perfect for meals on a mountaintop, campfire chili, or office lunch. It’s tough enough for any adventure, and so light you’ll barely notice it. They truly make some of the best camp utensils for enjoying good eats!

A spoon and fork are standard camp utensils; the author used something new and old for variety.

TPG teamed up with @brautigamexpeditionworks to create the ULTIMATE Titanium Backpacker’s Spoon. It features a perfect grip and a longer handle to reach deep into freeze-dried meal bags. With a sleek, polished finish, cleanup is a breeze, and it won’t scratch your cookware. Best of all, a small business in the USA proudly makes this spoon!

DIY RS Antler Fork

Several months ago, I made a friend with a rustic, unique utensil at the Georgia Bushcraft Fall Event 2024. It caught my eye, and before I could count to five, he offered it as a gift.

Rodney Smitherman makes excellent camp utensils for good eats if I ever saw some. Rodney finds carbon steel forks sourced from antique stores around the 1860 Civil War era.

“I love the old-style look, and I have plenty of old deer antlers around since my two sons and I have been hunting for many years,” said Rodney.

He drilled out the antler and added epoxy to hold it securely in all weather. The natural appearance and feel of antler handles are unmatched. No wonder they are so popular in the knife and gun industry. What an amazing way of using the forest’s natural resources and repurposing them for the next generation. Thank you, Rodney!

For more information, please contact Tuff Pussum Gear, Uberleben, @creek_camper!

Dry-Fire Training Accoutrements

By

P.E. Fitch

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March 11, 2025

Dry-fire training is one of the most significant ways to make gains in pistol shooting, regardless of discipline. However, the absence of ammunition changes the dynamics of the dry-fire process, especially as it pertains to the weight of the pistol. If not careful, the differing nuances can affect the fidelity of the dry-fire experience or become counter-productive at worst—especially for more advanced shooters.

Of course, safe dry-firing calls for certain non-negotiable “rules,” like dry-firing in a safe direction and doing so in a sterilized area that is free from any trace of live ammunition. To avoid being counter-productive and retain that realistic weight of their pistol, dry-fire practitioners can either load up with snap caps, dummy rounds, or use weighted magazine inserts.

These can get chewed up and deformed after rigorous use. Sometimes, they won’t chamber smoothly anymore because of it.

Snap-Caps & Dummies

Historically, I’ve been a snap-cap user, but the problem with these is that they’re fairly expensive. The cost of 5-6 snap-cap rounds is nearly the same amount as a 50-round box of real pistol ammo. Snap caps are typically made from aluminum or plastic, and speaking from experience, it doesn’t take much for them to get chewed up.

Even if one spent the approximately $75-$90 it would cost to “fill up” a single standard 15-18 round magazine, the loaded weight wouldn’t be equivalent to that of the same magazine loaded with live rounds. Snap-caps do have some utility, but none for adding realistic weight.

Access to a reloading setup means that dedicated dry-fire practitioners can load dummy rounds as a simple and low-tech solution that takes care of the “weight problem” in a loaded magazine. However, it also skews the margin of risk towards the wrong side.

After all, primerless and powderless dummy rounds are still loaded with actual metallic casings and real bullets. And even if painted or marked a different color, the potential for accidentally mixing up duds with live rounds only increases.

Speaking from experience, I’ve mixed those crimson-colored A-Zoom snap-caps (that I actually really like) with live training rounds in the same pouch while at the range. This paragraph isn’t an indictment of dummy rounds or snap-caps because they do provide some value.

However…

The Tie-In To Gun Safety

Gabe White teaching during a recent pistol course in February 2025.

I recently trained with Gabe White in one of his pistol classes. During the lecture portion of the first day before the shooting started, he reminded us of the logic behind gun safety. Gun safety as we know it works because when distilled into its core elements, it is a series of overlapping redundancies that all help to avoid negative outcomes.

Keeping the gun pointed in a safe direction means that even if it discharges, the round won’t harm anyone or destroy anything. Keeping the finger off the trigger means that there’s no chance for the gun’s trigger to be actuated in case it isn’t pointed in a safe direction, and so on.

Negative outcomes with firearms tend to happen when those two core elements are broken. In my view, being careful to avoid dummy rounds is another layer of safe redundancy.

S__t happens, and dummy rounds end up in weird places and vice-versa. I’m not saying to disregard dummy rounds completely, but extra care must be taken with them.

Weight Inserts

I formally reviewed JV-Training.com’s weighted magazine inserts a few months ago. To summarize, these inserts are 3-D printed to fill the “void” left behind by real handgun magazines absent the spring and follower. They’re also filled and sealed with lead shot that realistically mimics the loaded weight of a typical magazine.

Once correctly installed, the same base pad or floor plate contains the insert. At the top, it sits lower than the follower so as not to catch the slide and interfere with training. The filament used to print these is an eye-catching bright orange.

When Weight Started To Matter

Consider this my personal addendum to the original review of the JV-Training magazine inserts, except that this article isn’t about the inserts themselves. Frankly, I’ve always dry-fired with a single A-Zoom snap-cap (that’s how I know that they tend to get chewed up over time fairly quickly).

However, lately, my skills have been developing to a point where the weight of an “empty” gun vs one with a realistic weight makes a difference. Especially with the “feel” of the gun and the mind-body connection during the shooting process.

Two of my core handgun training goals for 2025 are to get as close as possible to that one-second draw from concealment and develop automaticity in transitioning between targets. For the first time in my ‘shooting career,’ I caught myself caring about the weight of the handgun at the time of draw.

It happened precisely during that recent training class with Gabe White while I was diligently drilling the Bill Drill, one of the exercises that makes up the core of his “standards.” Even before that point, I understood that it was important for shooters to maintain a realistic weight in terms of fidelity for dedicated practice, but it wasn’t until that Saturday that I truly got it.

Dry Fire — Ruger RXM during its maiden voyage.

Post-Script: A Perspective On Weight

More so with regards to polymer-framed semi-autos, the loaded magazine is roughly ⅓ of the total weight when the gun sits in the holsters. Consider the Ruger RXM I recently got my hands on for a future review: with a Holosun HS407CX2 red dot, the empty RXM weighs 650 grams in total.

A 15-round Magpul GL9 loaded with Federal HSTs weighs approximately 232 grams, and a Glock 19-sized JV-Training.com weighted insert in a GL9 weighs 248 grams. 33% is significant.

**I also forgot to mention in my original review that the Magpul GL9 magazines play well with these inserts. However, I recommend taping the floorplates because there’s no spring tension to keep them in place.