Many of us are in the habit of putting our backs to the wall when we sit in a restaurant or similar establishment. We do this so we can keep an eye out for problems that may arise. But that’s only part of the situational awareness equation. The other half is determining multiple points of egress.
Any time you enter a business, ask yourself, Where can I go if I need to escape? Quite often, there are multiple answers to that question. It’s a good idea to get into the habit of identifying at least two points of egress everywhere you go. This isn’t difficult, and over time, it’ll become second nature.
Herd Mentality
As we’ve seen from countless real-life emergencies, such as fires in nightclubs or active shooter situations, people will typically head for the door through which they entered. This usually causes a bottleneck, as only one or two people can exit at a time. It’s made even worse when people are pushing and shoving in a panic.
By identifying alternate points of egress, you’ll hopefully avoid getting caught up in that.
Emergency Exits
Just about every business has emergency exits. They’re supposed to be clearly marked, such as with signs on the ceiling pointing the way. The doors are usually alarmed and will sound when opened. As a practical matter, that’s very dependent upon how recently they were tested. Most such alarms are battery-operated, and if the battery is dead, so is the alarm. But either way, the doors should open when you push on the handle.
The downside is that these will be the second-most popular points of egress. As such, they could still be problematic in a dense crowd.
Think Outside the Box
In just about any business, there are other points of egress that may not be obvious to the casual observer. Most restaurants will have a back door in the kitchen. This is where they get deliveries and where they take out the trash. Employees will know it well. Customers, probably not so much.
Just about every restaurant kitchen has a back entrance for deliveries and such.
The same thing applies to retailers. Most of them will have some sort of back room for storage, along with a door for deliveries and whatnot.
In a pinch, a window can be a point of egress as well. Provided, of course, that it’s close enough to the ground for you to safely escape through it. Bear in mind, if you toss a chair or something through a window, all that glass isn’t going to just disappear. You’ll have to navigate over or around it.
Outdoor Venues
The same advice holds true if you’re attending some sort of outdoor function, such as a concert. Identify at least a couple of points of egress and decide how best to reach them. Odds are pretty good that at least one exit can be found backstage, if you’re close enough to get to it quickly.
If you’re at a concert or other big event, where will you go in an emergency?
The takeaway here is simple. If a crisis occurs, expect the main exit to be blocked and know what your alternate points of egress will be, just in case.
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow are seen in an undated photo. The couple captured headlines with a long crime spree before being shot to death in an ambush in Louisiana.
The era of the motorized bandit in the United States is one full of romanticism. Bonnie and Clyde were star-crossed lovers armed with machine guns. Dillinger was a handsome rebel, not too different from Peter Pan. Legend had it these motorized bank robbers would burn mortgage information at banks, freeing farms from the hands of foreclosure-seeking bankers during the Great Depression.
In reality, it’s like most things that have been romanticized: it’s largely a lie. Tall tales hid the truth of murderous outlaws who would murder on the drop of a hat for a bag full of cash. Desperate times made desperate people, and the Great Depression was a desperate time. The motorized bandit created a fascinating challenge for police of the era, and their response shifted police work forward by leaps and bounds.
Weaponry
This is Guns, Ammo, and Tactics, so let’s talk guns. Police forces of the era likely carried a .38 Special, but also the .32 S&W Long and .32 Colt New Police. These are all fine calibers, especially these days, but in the 1930s, we didn’t have the projectile design knowledge or techniques to get the most out of these rounds. They could stop a bad guy, but they weren’t stellar.
They really struggled when it came to piercing through the vehicle skin of modern Ford V8s. Neither could .45 ACP. They couldn’t stop the motorized bandit if they couldn’t stop the motor, or at least shoot the guy driving it. This led to police forces and the firearms industry adopting new calibers to punch through these cars.
This gave us .357 Magnum for revolvers and .38 Super for M1911s. Plenty of motorized bandits carried automatic weapons and outgunned police with revolvers and shotguns. Police adapted to the demand and adopted their own automatic weapons, including Thompsons, BARs, and even Remington Model 8s. These offered faster rates of fire, better range, and the ability to punch through vehicles.
Motorization
Plenty of police forces had vehicles in this era, but they lacked modern vehicles and often had very few of them. The world was a lot smaller back then, and for plenty of small towns and counties, horses were enough, even in the 1930s. When a motorized bandit rolled into town, it became tough to chase down a V8 on a horse or in an old vehicle.
Cleveland Police Historical Society
This led to police forces finding the money to purchase new vehicles: faster vehicles, and more of them. This gave us the modern patrol car that we know today. It also helped develop or modernize the Highway Patrols throughout the various states. The FBI even ended up giving Thompsons and 100-round drums to the North Carolina Highway Patrol.
Communication
Chasing a motorized bandit could be difficult. Multiple police forces chasing multiple bad guys called for a new and reinforced need for better communication. This led to the adoption of two-way radios to replace one-way radios. Most police cars could receive, but could not transmit. The newer radios allowed for better communication between police cars and forces.
Outside of simple radio use, chasing motorized bandits called for better cooperation between individual police forces. County and state lines were often barriers to chases and a great way for a motorized bandit to get away. This led to state and interstate cooperative agreements between police forces.
This also led to Federal police forces, namely the FBI, which rose to prominence during this era.
New Tactics
Police tactics also changed rapidly. No longer were they just chasing down robbers and trying to arrest them or shoot it out. That proved unproductive, difficult, and dangerous. Instead, police forces began mixing intelligence gathering, cooperation, and ambush tactics to stop motorized bandits.
Police forces would share information with each other and the FBI; they’d get profiles, names, pictures, and more. This allowed them to question associates, friends, and family members of the average motorized bandit. They could then set a trap or attempt to predict where the bandits would pass through.
This was used to target Bonnie and Clyde and to hunt down men like Dillinger.
Computers (Kind Of)
Okay, they weren’t exactly computers, but IBM’s electromechanical tabulating machines were used by police forces, namely larger agencies, like the FBI. These machines were used for keeping records and accessing those records quickly and efficiently. These machines allowed police forces to process and analyze large datasets, which laid the groundwork for the data analysis we do now.
The Motorized Bandit – The End
New tactics, weapons, and technology helped shut down the motorized bandit. The lasting effects of these efforts led to a lot of police efforts we see now. It’s fascinating how one type of criminal helped shape American law enforcement.
Statistically speaking, women have a greater chance of being attacked than men. Because of this, they need personal protection by their side. This can be easily achieved with convenient and discreet concealed carry purses and packs, or totes that travel with them wherever they may go.
These handgun holders allow the woman to go about her day without prying eyes knowing she’s concealing her just-in-case weapon. From full leather shoulder bags to waist pouches, sling bags, and oversized carry-alls, the variety is vast, and some incredible selections are featured below.
Lady Conceal Concealed-Carry Dakota Leather Sling Bag
This sling bag offers discreet concealed weapon carry and plenty of space for a whole lot more. This full-grain leather sling has one spacious front compartment, two open slip pockets, and a perfect slip pocket to house your cellphone. Its best feature is its ambidextrous back pocket for your large-framed handgun. It includes a universal holster and a fast-draw magnetic closure system. Available in black, cognac, or dark brown, the Dakota is ready to go with you on your next urban adventure.
Great things come in small packages, and the Natasha Crossbody Purse exemplifies this perfectly. This compact unit offers RFID-protection, an integrated organizer for credit card-sized gear, and a divided main pocket that holds personal items and your concealed carry weapon (small-frame handgun).
Moreover, the purse itself is both stylish and high quality, with full-grain leather, magnetic snap closures, two adjustable crossbody straps, and a removable wrist strap for versatile carry options. Choose from olive, mahogany, black, and mustard colors.
This bag is both beautiful and highly practical. It offers an aesthetically pleasing design with crafted premium leather that only develops finer over time. Its stitching is high quality, with a decorative tassel integrated as a convenient zipper pull. Underneath this bag’s beauty is its true calling, as a fully functional concealed carry bag. It can accommodate a large handgun and comes complete with a universal medium-sized holster. Choose from dark mahogany, black, or cognac colors.
Both decorative and useful, the Kailey offers the perfect balance between style and function, and it excels at both. Its genuine leather body is accentuated with intricate cross stitching and Old World craftsmanship. The Kaily has an interior organizer, an open slip pocket, a side zippered pocket, and its discreet internal concealed weapon compartment. Furthermore, its versatile design allows both waist and sling-carry options, while its universal look and feel go with just about any clothing ensemble. Choose from seven exciting colors.
This backpack purse offers plenty of storage room, an easy-to-maintain outer shell, and a discreet zippered pocket to hold your firearm. And we are just getting started. With six pockets of varying sizes, you’ll have plenty of room for personal items, work needs, and any added extras. It also offers a protective laptop-sized mesh pocket for business or school needs.
On the tactical side, the concealed carry compartment features a Velcro strap holder, matching removable holster, and ambidextrous accessibility. The Sierra Backpack comes in black, mauve, tan, brown, and taupe colors.
Few people would guess that this stylish purse hides a remarkable secret compartment for your CCW. Designed with easy-to-maintain faux leather, you’ll enjoy a go-anywhere purse with the peace of mind that your handgun is always nearby. The Cheyanne bag features a lock and key weapon storage unit, a removable holster, magnetic flap closure, and a fully adjustable shoulder strap. Gold hardware and printed interior lining round out this bag’s modern style.
At first glance, this pack may not look like much, but when you peel away its layers, you have something special. The Active Friday pack features a cut-resistant strap, an included trigger guard clip, a zinc alloy quick release buckle, and a rugged nylon outer shell. The unit is ultra-customizable with color, size, draw-hand, and handgun-specific specs, all determined by you. Don’t be a victim, and the discreet Active Friday can make that happen.
You don’t have to sacrifice your personal safety if you’re at the beach or park. That is, if you have this concealed carry Hilda Beth Tote. Its innocent-looking design masks its inner compartment that houses your handgun. The tote features two outer pockets, two inner pockets, an inside zippered pocket, and two pencil holders. Additionally, its claim-to-fame is its zippered concealment compartment on the back with both right- and left-hand accessibility. Style, usefulness, and extreme practicality collide with the Hilda Beth Crossbody Tote.
Whether they begin as peaceful demonstrations or not, violent crowds can be truly terrifying in their power. Mob mentality is a very real thing. Aggression spreads like wildfire in a crowd, especially when the people are already amped up about something. It doesn’t take much to spark violence, and once it starts, it doesn’t stop easily.
Situational awareness is important and cannot be overemphasized. Keep your head up and your eyes open. If the hairs on the back of your neck start to stand up, get out of there.
Avoidance is Key
The first step in dealing with violent crowds is avoiding them whenever possible. I know that sounds incredibly simplistic, but it’s an important point. Think about how often people will hear about a nearby car crash, house fire, or something similar and be compelled to go check it out. The same holds true for big protests and such.
Avoid protests and similar situations if at all possible. Don’t seek them out, either to gawk or to antagonize.
If you hear about something happening in your area, make a point of avoiding it entirely. Wait for the videos to hit YouTube if you’re that curious. The easiest battle to win is the one that never happens. You can’t get hurt if you aren’t there.
Where to Go
If, despite your best efforts, you find yourself caught up in a bad situation with a potentially violent crowd, there are a few things you can do. If it’s a large crowd and you’re with other people, lock arms so you don’t lose anyone. Move across the crowd, perpendicular to the direction the crowd is going.
What you’re trying to do is get out from the middle and find your way to the sideline. Moving entirely against the grain is a losing proposition. But you can shift your way across instead. Avoid getting between the crowd and a fence or barricade. Doing so could lead to you getting trapped, maybe even crushed.
Once you get free of the crowd, beat feet and get out of the area as quickly as is feasible. Use side streets and alleys to flee if needed. The important thing is to get as far from the violence as possible. Once you’re safe and everyone in your group is accounted for, get your bearings and make your way to your actual destination.
By the way, when you’re in the middle of the crowd, it’s not the time to debate anyone about the points they’re trying to make. That may not end well for you and, let’s face it, you’re not likely to change anyone’s mind at that particular stage of the game. Discretion is the better part of valor, as they say.
Law Enforcement Response
If law enforcement sees you as a threat, they will respond in kind. Approach them with abundant caution and in a non-threatening way.
If law enforcement is present, do not go running up to them. That makes you look like a threat, and they will likely respond in a less-than-ideal way. You might just find out what pepper spray smells and tastes like, which is no fun. Keep in mind that while you know you’re not involved with the violent crowd, they don’t know who you are or why you’re there.
If you want to get their help, approach with both of your hands up and empty and speak as calmly as possible. Rambling and yelling aren’t going to help the situation in the least.
The Case Knives Sasquatch Skinner is a capable woods knife designed for skinning, boasting several hidden qualities.
Skinning knives can often be a one-trick pony. However, they’re supposed to excel at one thing and do it well. The Case Knives Sasquatch Skinner is a skinner and beyond!
Laramy “Sasquatch” Miller lives like he stepped out of a frontier legend. Raised in southern Colorado, he learned old-school wilderness skills from his uncles, Dirk and Colt Ross, early hunting filmmakers who tragically died in a plane crash. Miller carried on their legacy by guiding and creating shows like Sasquatch Mountain Man, where he lives off the land using handmade bows, traditional rifles, and buckskin gear, much like he might with a Case Knives Sasquatch Skinner.
At 6’7″, 270 pounds, his nickname fits his rugged style. He once lost 37 pounds while filming a season, enduring harsh conditions to live authentically, just like the mountain men he admires. A gun accident even led doctors to discover his ruptured appendix—luck saved him twice.
Despite the wild-man image, he’s a devoted family man with deep roots in his grandfather’s values. Miller doesn’t just reenact history—he immerses himself in it.
Case Knives Sasquatch Skinner
Meet the Laramy Miller Sasquatch Skinner—a no-nonsense fixed blade that’s ready to tackle any challenge in the wild. At a solid 8.75 inches long, with a 3.94-inch blade. It’s the perfect blend of reach and control, whether you’re skinning game or handling camp duties.
Crafted from tough 1095 carbon steel and wrapped in a stealthy dark Caswell™ coating, this blade not only keeps its edge sharp but also fights off rust like a champ. The handle, made from smooth Micarta®, provides a secure, scratch-resistant grip that feels good even after hours of hard work. With its full-tang design, this knife boasts exceptional durability, while the ergonomic shape ensures your hand stays firmly in place, regardless of the task at hand. Truly a Case Knives masterpiece.
Meet the Case Knives Sasquatch Skinner. This tough yet lightweight knife isn’t just for skinning; it’s packed with clever features to tackle any adventure!
And let’s not forget the stylish leather sheath that comes with it, offering classic protection and handy belt carry. Proudly made in Bradford, PA, Case Knives designed this one for performance, built to endure for the long haul!
In The Woods with Sasquatch
Using the Laramy Miller Sasquatch Skinner feels less like wielding a knife and more like gearing up for an adventure in survival mode. The first thing I did with this rugged beauty? I roasted marshmallows—just kidding! I set about making a fire. After all, it’s not hunting season around here; it’s skeeter season! A little smoke in the humid air is the best mosquito repellent I know (desperate times call for desperate measures).
With a dry birch stick in hand, I grabbed the Case Sasquatch Skinner and got to feathering. Oh boy, this blade’s edge geometry blew me away! I whipped up some curls that were so fine they practically begged for a spark. And boy did they get it! My trusty Uberleben Ferro and the edge of the Sasquatch knife made them burst into flames faster than you can say “bonfire.” Who knew that hidden gem of a 90-degree angle would turn out to be an MVP?
Splitting damp wood for a successful fire was a breeze for the Case Knives Sasquatch Skinner.
Next, I challenged the Sasquatch to tackle some poplar and maple. A little batoning action, and I felt zero hesitation—it sliced through like a hot knife through butter, and hey, with its carbon steel, durability is a given! Although I did notice that the handle felt a tad skinny for some of the detailed crafts I had in mind. But then again, maybe that’s the trade-off for being labeled a Skinner instead of a full-on survival knife.
Either way, this little beast is up for the challenge!
Conclusion of the Case Knives Sasquatch Skinner
The Case Sasquatch Skinner performed as expected, a well-rounded woods knife that can skin and make fire like a legend. Just like its namesake, the Case Knives Sasquatch Skinner is also an elusive legend!
I’ve been playing a game called Ready or Not, which is a realistic, intense game that has you playing as a SWAT officer in a violent major metropolitan city. You have to arrest bad guys, and often secure their firearms as evidence. In this major metropolitan city, one of the favorite guns of the bad guys appears to be a Calico M950. I found it odd, but interesting, that the developers would use such an obscure firearm for the game.
The M950 surprised me. I expected it to be a crapshoot but found it to be a reliable, fun to shoot, and fairly decent little gun with an interesting magazine. While I owned the gun, I didn’t know a whole lot about the company and decided it’s a great time to look into Calico Light Weapon Systems.
Calico stands, or stood, for California Instrument Company, and in the early 1980s, they produced products designed for the petroleum industry. The company made a big shift by diving into firearms.
The First Calicos
Calico’s first gun was a .22LR rimfire semi-auto carbine with a 50 or 100-round helical drum. The helical drum would become the lifeblood of Calico and would be what the entire series of firearms would be built around. The .22LR Calico had enough success to fund Calico’s ventures into centerfire guns. Calico’s goal was to get their guns into the hands of soldiers and police officers ultimately.
This led to the creation of several 9mm variants of the Calico. Even in the 1980s, California was becoming a terrible place for gun rights. Calico’s Bakersfield factory found some resistance from a local politician, but was able to stay in Bakersfield. My Calico M950 is a Bakersfield original. The Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act of 1989 banned the gun for sale in California, but they would remain in production in the state.
In June of 1989, they introduced the M950 pistol and the M951 rifle. Both were 9mm platforms, the pistol featuring a six-inch barrel and the carbine featuring a 16-inch option. In 1991, they introduced the select-fire variants, the Calico submachine guns in eight different configurations. Configurations varied by barrel length, stock type, presence of a forward grip, and more. The SMGs went by the M960 moniker.
Inside the Calico Guns
The helical magazine design was the core of the weapon. It’s a double-stack helical magazine that is fit to the top of the gun. Cliff Davis, the number two man at Calico in the late 80s, was the designer of the magazine. The magazines allowed you to carry 50 or 100 rounds without a big, jutting magazine sticking out the bottom of the gun.
These magazines were surprisingly compact. The 50-round magazine was only about seven inches long, and the 100-round magazine was a hair more than 12 inches long. The magazines had a rotational lever that allowed you to tension the magazine. A clutch button allowed you to relieve that tension.
Due to the top-mounted design, the magazines held your rear sight. Most Calico magazines had a dual sight system that allowed you to use either a peep or open sight. My example only has a pistol-style open sight.
Beyond the magazine, there were a number of innovative features implemented into the Calico guns. They were an early adopter of polymer, the frame being mostly polymer. These guns were also roller-delayed blowback guns, much like an MP5, which makes them tame and easy to control.
The gun had numerous ambidextrous features. The safety is ambidextrous, the magazine release requires a pinch method and is ambidextrous, and the gun ejects from the bottom. The charging handle was locked to the left side of the gun, making it more friendly for right-handed shooters. It’s worth mentioning that Calico, as a company, put a lot of effort behind these guns.
Beyond the Gun
Calico produced a ton of accessories for their guns. I would argue they were extremely progressive as a company. They introduced stuff like bipods and a speed loader for the gun, which wasn’t fancy but nice. Where they went a little wild was the presence of optics mounts, lights, and lasers.
They produced a factory brass catcher and even a shoulder rig for the M950 pistol that held the gun and a spare magazine. There was also a leg rig for these things, which is totally nuts, but also awesome. Calico even offered an armorer’s course to learn to care for your Light Weapon System.
In an old Gun Digest article, the original CEO of the company, Mike Miller, stated some widespread adoption of the gun. He claimed there were sales to Special Forces Units, DOD Security Forces, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, the Diplomatic Security Service, and numerous SWAT teams. He also claimed SEALs and the DEA were testing the gun. Overseas sales included Jordan, Egypt, Ecuador, Israel, Taiwan, Peru, Macao, France, and the Colombian National Police.
It’s not easy to verify these claims. I can’t find any photos of any police unit or military unit using the Calico. It’s possible they sold some to these agencies for testing, but it seems like a highly noticeable gun, and there would be records of its use.
The Future of Calico
In 1994, the Assault Weapons Ban came to be and effectively killed the Calico Light Weapon System firearms. No one wanted a 10-round helical drum magazine firearm. The company didn’t have the government sales to sustain it. Efforts to produce a .40 S&W, a .45 ACP, and .223 Remington variant were ended.
The company moved to Sparks, Nevada, in 1998, but it appears they only produced replacement parts for their guns. There isn’t a lot of information about the company between 1998 and 2006. By 2006, the Assault Weapons Ban had expired, and the company was sold and moved to Hillsboro, Oregon. The new owners redesigned some of the guns and added modern features.
James Bond Approved
This includes rails, better optics mounts, and more. These were called the Liberty models. They showed a 12-gauge model at SHOT Show in 2012, but it never went into production. The website is still up, but I don’t know if the company is still operating. They don’t take credit cards, and you have to mail them a check. The site might just be a ghost ship still out to sail.
(I really want that shoulder rig though!)
For all intents and purposes, it seems like Calico is out of business. You can’t find their rifles or pistols for sale outside of the used section. They were an interesting weapon system and one that worked surprisingly well. I typically expect novelty style designs to have reliability issues, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. My 950 works well and is a ton of fun.
Perhaps one of the most overlooked areas of emergency preparedness is health and physical fitness. This discussion is prompted by a recent experience that was both eye-opening as well as embarrassing.
My wife and I recently returned from a camping trip that involved a fair bit of hiking each day. We were car camping, then driving out to nearby parks and such for the most part. One of the first hikes we did was only a few miles, but involved nearly 600 feet of elevation change at the beginning and end. I really struggled with this, far more than I thought I might. The hot and muggy weather wasn’t helping, either. My wife later told me that she genuinely feared I was going to have a heart attack.
It took me a couple of days to recover from that hike, as my thighs and knees were incredibly sore. We did more hiking just about every day of our trip, and many portions of it were difficult for me, far more than they should have been.
My physical fitness has declined in the last few years, due to some health issues as well as complacency and outright laziness if I’m being honest. That needs to change. What good is learning all of these preparedness skills and investing in whiz-bang awesome gear if I stroke out during a simple hike?
The healthier you are, the better able you’ll be to handle stressful situations. And you can’t buy your way to physical fitness. It takes hard work and dedication. While there are many aspects involved with getting into shape, let’s focus in on just a few simple things you can do at home without spending a dime.
Stretching
We all tend to lose some of our flexibility as we age. But that doesn’t mean we need to just shrug and accept it. A big part of physical fitness is being able to withstand injuries. Stretching every day will go a long way in that regard. I put balance exercises into this same category, as there’s a lot of overlap between the two.
Warm up a bit before you stretch. Maybe walk around the house for 5-7 minutes, that sort of thing. You just want to limber up a bit. Breathe through each stretch and hold them for about 30 seconds.
Here are some stretches to incorporate into your routine.
Planking is a deceptively simple exercise that’s great for overall physical fitness. It looks easy. All you do is get down on the floor and roll onto your belly. Then, raise yourself up on your elbows and toes and stay there. How hard is that?
Yeah, it’s hard. If you’re out of shape, you might struggle after just 10-15 seconds. But work your way up to 30 seconds, and eventually a full minute. Planking strengthens your core and helps with overall balance and coordination.
There are several position variations for planks. You can extend your arms and rest on your hands, like you’re about to do a push-up. There are side planks, one-legged planks, and more. Start simple and develop a good foundation first, then start exploring some of these other options.
Walking
Simply walking every day is an excellent way to improve physical fitness. It helps with weight loss, as well as heart health. Plus, it gets you outdoors. Fresh air and sunshine are rarely bad things for you.
When you’re walking, keep your head up and eyes forward. Don’t stare at your phone. Look at the world around you. Maintain good situational awareness. Your back should be straight. Pump your arms a bit if you’d like.
If the weather is particularly nasty, you can just stay home and walk from room to room. When I was recovering from surgery a couple of years ago, I basically did laps through the house each day. The boredom is lessened by playing music or an audiobook. The point is to find a way to do the work every day, rather than find excuses not to do it.
It’s important to work within whatever health limitations you may have, while also striving to improve your fitness. Meaning, don’t overdo it and put yourself at risk for injury, but at the same time work toward improving your physical fitness and possibly reducing or even eliminating some of those limitations.
If you’re a 10mm fan, Chiappa recently added a couple of unexpected options that you might be interested in. The unique Chiappa 30DS and 60DS Rhino revolvers are now available in 10mm auto.
Chiappa Rhinos are unique in that they fire from the lowest chamber of the cylinder, rather than the top, like most revolvers. This keeps the bore access low and reduces felt recoil. It also makes for a rather distinctive appearance. When you see a Rhino, you really can’t mistake it for anything else. Unless maybe it’s the Mateba, which was an earlier design from the Rhino’s Italian creator, Antonio Cudazzo.
The Rhinos are made in Italy and feature aluminum CNC-manufactured frames and steel CNC-manufactured barrel, cylinder, and other parts. Even the cylinder on the Rhino is different, being hexagonal in shape. Capacity on the new models is 6 rounds, pretty standard revolver fare. Sights are adjustable with green fiber optic inserts.
The Rhino is a double/single-action revolver, but even that has an eccentric touch to it. While it looks like the Rhino has a typical exposed hammer, things aren’t what they seem. The hammer is actually internal on the Rhino. What you see is just a cocking handle that cocks the internal hammer when you thumb it back. Once you cock it, the linkage falls back into place.
It seems odd, but it somehow helps minimize the number of external moving parts. When you fire the gun in double action, the cocking piece does not move. There’s actually a good video from 3dGunner that shows how the mechanism works if you’re curious.
The Rhino 30DS and 60DS
The two models available in 10mm will be the 30DS and 60DS. While they share the base features I just talked about, they differ in details. The 30DS has a 3-inch barrel. It comes in a satin nickel finish and has a compact black rubber grip.
The 60DS features a 6-inch barrel. It comes with a black anodized frame and blued cylinder. The 60DS also has a Picatinny rail on the top and bottom of the barrel for optics and light mounting. The bigger Rhino has a larger walnut grip.
Chiappa doesn’t list it in the details on their website, but presumably the 10mm uses moon clips, like their 9mm and .40 S&W revolvers. With it using moon clips, that means you should be able to shoot .40 S&W out of it as well, like you can with other 10mm clip-based revolvers. I have a lot of .40 ammo on hand, so that’s appealing to me.
Another neat accessory to consider is the resin grip from Neon Forest Industries. The Chiappa Rhino already has a sci-fi look to it. Plus, 10mm is a popular caliber in sci-fi and post-apocalypse settings. The Neon Forest resin grip comes in an amber color and gives off a Bladerunner vibe. The iconic PKD, or M2019 blaster, has that same style grip. If you like that vibe, you can get a Neon Forest grip for $99.99 and start looking for rogue replicants on your own.
Okay, $100 for a set of grips isn’t cheap, but like the Chiappa itself, they are unique. Considering that MSRP on the 60DS is $1,419.26, and the 30DS is $1,405.93, that seems in line with the overall pricing. Hey, it’s Italian. What do you expect? It isn’t the cheapest 10mm on the market, but it is definitely one of the most unusual ones you’ll see.
Anderson Manufacturing has shuttered its doors, joining a number of companies that have slowly closed as the industry navigates a post-COVID slump, followed by another “Trump slump.” It’s a tough time in a tough industry, and Anderson is just the latest to fall.
Anderson announced its closure and acquisition by Ruger. Anderson was a family-owned business out of Kentucky that focused primarily on the AR-15 market. They also produced AR-10 rifles, Glock Gen 3 clones, and lots of parts. Anderson is most known for its affordable AR-15 lower receivers.
An acquisition by Ruger hopefully means no one is losing their job, but it does seem Ruger doesn’t aim to keep the brand alive. Anderson facilities will likely be pumping out Ruger parts and components. Uppers, lowers, barrels, and more will be Ruger-branded, not Anderson-branded.
My Ode To Anderson
Like many, I started my journey with the AR platform using an Anderson lower. I was late to the AR game because I find them to be incredibly boring rifles. That’s not a bad thing; boring guns are usually the most reliable, ergonomic, and easiest to use. I also spent half a decade with an M16/M4 in the military, so any ounce of novelty associated with Stoner’s platform had been wrung out.
I assembled an AR with an Anderson Manufacturing lower because, as a gun writer, I felt compelled to own some form of an AR-15 rifle. At the time, Anderson lowers were around $40, and that’s what my local gun store had in stock. I grabbed my first “poverty pony” and slapped the cheapest parts and upper I could find on it.
My story and need for an AR are likely a little different from most people’s, but the urge to save cash while building an AR is not new. Anderson’s affordable and common lowers helped proliferate the AR-15 among the American population. It certainly helped create the “builder” culture we have now.
Anderson’s legacy will be teaching a generation of gun owners how ARs work and how to assemble one. This is how I learned to swap triggers and small lower parts as a whole. This is how I learned about different buffer weights and gas system lengths. I learned a lot about the AR as a platform, thanks to that $40 lower.
More Than Lowers – The Anderson Legacy
Anderson famously advertised their rifles as not needing lubrication. The rifles were coated with RF85, a coating that supposedly reduced friction and heat. It’s a “dry nanolubricant” that embeds calcium carbonate into the metal surfaces.
Anderson was derided by the industry and consumers alike for this claim. I’m not experienced enough to know how well RF85 works, or if lubrication truly isn’t needed, but there are plenty of “burn-down” videos on YouTube you can watch to form your own conclusions.
That’s not the only criticism Anderson received. Admittedly, their cheap lowers sometimes came at the cost of quality control. While most were probably fine, they had more than a few “stinkers” sneak out. I currently have a lower that is extremely difficult to remove from the upper receiver. It’s out of spec and is more likely to create issues with long-term use.
As gun culture grew online, we started to learn that you paid a price for a cheap lower. The online culture quickly grew to dislike Anderson Manufacturing and their lowers; the hate was often a bit unjustified, but there was some truth buried in the toxicity.
Yet, for years, they were the key to entry into the AR world. I imagine higher-end companies generated more sales because of Anderson, not less. When I decided I needed a “nice” AR, I knew a bit more about QC and how all lowers weren’t created equal. That led me to a BCM lower. I wouldn’t have known that without Anderson helping educate me on the AR platform.
The Legacy Continues
I started my AR shooting career with Anderson, and the last AR I purchased as of this writing was also an Anderson—specifically, an Anderson Dissipator. Honestly, I wanted one for a long time, and when I saw Anderson was shuttering its doors, I knew I had to snag one before they disappeared forever.
It appears that Anderson’s remaining stock is making one more hurrah into the gun industry as they close their doors. If you wanted something branded with the “poverty pony,” now’s the time to snatch it up! It’s a perfect wall hanger and throwback to the beginning of builder culture in the AR world.
The author prefers Picaridin over DEET, especially the OFF brand Clean Feel variety.
While summer is halfway over, there’s still plenty of time to get eaten alive. Picaridin vs DEET: which would you pick? And what do we know about each one?
DEET is the unscented guardian that keeps biting insects at bay. Developed for the military in the 1940s and unleashed on civilians in the ’50s, it works by jamming the receptors bugs use to detect human scent, turning you into an olfactory ghost on their radar. When comparing Picaridin vs DEET, DEET’s history adds to its credibility.
Its strength lies in versatility. DEET repels mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, and other insects, and lasts anywhere from 2 to 12 hours, depending on the concentration. For a short evening stroll, 10% is plenty; for a sweaty jungle slog, the 30–100% range pulls its weight. Higher concentrations don’t repel better—they just stick around longer.
Ben’s claims that their DEET works for up to 10 hours and is sold in various-sized bottles.
It plays nicely with most synthetic fabrics but can melt plastics, like a sci-fi acid spill, so it’s best to keep it off watch faces, eyeglass frames, and camera gear. Although some prefer alternatives like Picaridin or lemon eucalyptus, DEET remains the go-to option when the goal is not to become part of the local bug buffet.
The Newbie and Challenger: Picaridin
Picaridin is a synthetic insect repellent that works similarly to DEET but with a cleaner finish. It’s derived from compounds found in pepper plants, though there’s nothing spicy about its scent or texture—it’s nearly odorless and leaves your skin feeling like skin, not a chemical slip’n slide. This comparison reveals how Picaridin’s texture stands out.
What does it do best? Picaridin repels mosquitoes, ticks, biting flies, and other airborne pests with impressive stamina. A 20% concentration guards you for up to 12 hours, making it ideal for long treks, backyard grilling sessions, and everything in between. Unlike DEET, it won’t melt your sunglasses or camera grip—it’s friendly to plastics, synthetics, and gear you’d like to keep intact.
It also has a knack for subtlety. No heavy scent, no greasy film, and fewer skin reactions compared to the older crowd. That makes it a favorite for kids, folks with sensitive skin, and anyone who wants serious protection without broadcasting “I just sprayed myself silly.”
When the bugs show up uninvited, Picaridin keeps them at the gate—quietly, effectively, and without the drama.
Picaridin vs DEET
DEET and Picaridin both stand tall as effective insect repellents, but they differ in pedigree and personality. DEET, the old warhorse, was born in 1946 for the U.S. Army and has decades of bug-swatting credibility. Picaridin entered the scene much later, in 2005, inspired by compounds found in pepper plants. While DEET paved the way, Picaridin brought a smoother style. Each repellent has unique strengths.
Ben’s makes reliable DEET (right), Permethrin, and Picaridin formulas to help ward off bugs.
Performance-wise, they’re on par—each repels mosquitoes and ticks with gusto. DEET can guard you for up to 12 hours, depending on concentration; Picaridin matches that at just 20% and often performs better against flies. It’s the low-key contender with high-grade punch.
When it comes to feel and fragrance, DEET has a greasy texture and an unmistakable lab-coat aroma. Picaridin, on the other hand, is nearly scentless and far more civilized on the skin. If your gear matters, DEET might not be the best hiking buddy—it can dissolve plastics like a disgruntled villain. Picaridin is gear-safe, making it ideal for photographers, campers, and anyone who values their sunglasses.
Safety-wise, both products have received approval for use on children over two months old and generally tolerate them well. Picaridin edges ahead in terms of skin-friendliness, with fewer reported irritations.
Conclusion: Pick Your Fighter, Picaridin or DEET
Ultimately, DEET is the seasoned veteran, proven effective in every swamp and jungle. Picaridin is the sleek newcomer, equally challenging but far more polite. If you value gear compatibility and subtlety, Picaridin deserves a spot in your pack.
The Great Depression and the rise of highway bandits significantly changed police work, leading to its drastic modernization. This era also introduced new weapons and cartridges into police service. One of the most interesting, in this humble writer’s opinion, is the .38 Super. The .38 Super, a Colt product, premiered in 1929.
The year 1929 not only saw the debut of the .38 Super but also the start of the Great Depression. This economic downturn led to high rates of unemployment, poverty, and a reduction in industrial and international trade. The resulting economic hardship contributed to a rise in crime. Notably, the violent crime of the era came in many forms, but the motorized bandit became the most infamous.
These modern highwaymen drove fast Ford V8s, wielded Thompson SMGs, and shot their way across the country. It was an era defined by fast cars and violent crime. Common police calibers like the .38 Special, the .45 ACP, and even the smaller .32 S&W Long proved inadequate when it came to piercing the metal skin of the vehicles used by these criminals. Police needed something new, something with more power, and that was the .38 Super.
The Origin of the .38 Super
The .38 Super wasn’t a completely new, “hot off the press” cartridge. Its development began with an established cartridge that had fallen out of favor: the .38 ACP. John Moses Browning designed the .38 ACP for an earlier handgun, the Colt M1900 pistol. In 1929, the .38 ACP wasn’t known for being a particularly powerful round.
When the .38 ACP premiered in 1900, it was an impressive little cartridge, firing a 130-grain bullet at 1,040 feet per second. For its time, that was significant. Colt took this already impressive round and made it even more capable.
The .38 Super was “amped up” to push a 130-grain projectile at 1,300 feet per second. The original .38 ACP had been pushed to higher speeds before, and the .38 Super was, more or less, a standardized version of those hotter .38 ACP loads.
There were some differences, however. The M1900 pistol and the .38 ACP used a feed ramp that acted as rim support. The .38 ACP was a semi-rimmed case and relied on the rim for headspacing the cartridge. The .38 Super, however, was intended to work in the M1911, meaning that feed ramp support was gone.
The round suffered from some accuracy issues early on. However, Irv Stone later created a barrel design that allowed it to headspace on the case mouth. The semi-rimmed design can also be challenging to use with double-stack magazines, with rimlock being a serious issue. Modern .38 Super ammunition often features reduced rims to prevent this.
The Use of the .38 Super
Notably, some FBI agents carried .38 Super M1911s. It’s unclear if these were purchased and issued by the FBI, which typically issued revolvers, or if agents were simply permitted to carry them as personal sidearms. Given the FBI’s critical role in hunting down motorized bandits and bank robbers, it’s not surprising they would employ such a weapon.
The St. Louis Police Department adopted some .38 Supers in the 1930s. These were reportedly fantastic pistols, and some were auctioned off a few years ago. The Vermont Motor Vehicle Department, the Burlington Police Department, and the Escanaba Police Department all issued the .38 Super to their police officers.
(Lipseys)
The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) adopted a few M1911s chambered in .38 Super during WWII. The Norwegian Resistance also used .38 Super M1911s, with the King of Norway even using one as his personal defense weapon.
Colonel Charles Askins once stated, “If I had to make a choice between the .45 ACP and the Super, I’d unhesitatingly go along with the latter. It is just that good.” These were strong words from an era when the .45 ACP largely dominated.
Beyond the M1911, the .38 Super was also used in special models of the Ingram Model 6 and Thompson SMG.
Adding a Dash of +P
The .38 Super is somewhat like the 10mm in that it has a cult following but lacks widespread mainstream use. The round experienced a resurgence in the 1970s when it became even more powerful with a +P headstamp. This led to 115-grain rounds traveling at 1,450 feet per second—screaming fast.
Modern rimless designs are very popular for double-stack guns. Many variations, such as the .38 Super Comp, the Super Lapua, and Super RL, feature mostly rimless cases. These modifications have made the cartridges popular for certain competition shooting events. The .38 Super round qualifies as a major power factor cartridge while offering less recoil and more capacity than the .45 ACP and even the 10mm.
In Latin America, where some gun control laws ban “military” calibers, the .38 Super shines. It is popular among civilian shooters in these countries, as it’s available in popular platforms, accurate, capable, and easy to handle.
The .38 Super lives on today, with numerous companies, both big and small, producing .38 Super pistols. This includes M1911s, various double-stack designs, and even CZ-75-inspired competition designs. It remains a strong performer but likely won’t be on the main stage again.
While the Trump Administration has greatly advanced gun rights during the president’s second term, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is currently arguing the wrong side of a lawsuit challenging the ban on the sale of handguns to nonresidents.
In an analysis posted at Reason.com, Senior Editor Jacob Sullum explained how the government, in the case Elite Precision Customs v. ATF, has filed a brief with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas Fort Worth Division arguing that the restriction “serves legitimate objectives” and “only modestly burdens the right to keep and bear arms.”
“The challenged regime here … only modestly burdens Second Amendment rights and is ‘consistent with the principles that underpin our regulatory tradition [of firearms],’” the government’s brief argues. “It merely channels handgun purchases through FFLs, modestly delaying the time an individual who purchases a handgun while out-of-state may take delivery of a handgun. That regime deters the sale of firearms to dangerous persons and discourages the evasion of state law. It also does not prohibit the purchase of any type of handgun for any lawful purpose.”
DOJ Off The Rails
Somewhere along the way, it seems that someone at the DOJ has forgotten how the president has demanded that onerous unconstitutional regulations like the ban on interstate handgun sales be trashed for the good of American gun owners. And that someone is spending your and my hard-earned tax dollars to defend the unjust law in the courtroom against a well-reasoned Second Amendment challenge.
The lawsuit was brought by the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), which focuses on fighting unconstitutional gun laws through litigation. On July 14, the FPC filed a motion for summary judgment arguing that the law banning licensed firearm dealers from selling handguns to buyers who live in another state violates the Second Amendment.
“Despite throwing at the wall a wide variety of regulations and restrictions on the right that existed between the early 17th century and the early 19th, the government does not cite a single law that burdened the right of peaceable citizens to acquire arms in another state or colony in any way like the laws at issue here, or for anything approaching the same reasons,” the motion states. “The issue for this Court to resolve is simply whether the government’s ban is historically justifiable, and it is not. That is fatal to the government’s case.”
Ultimately, the plaintiffs asked the court to grant Plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment and deny the government’s motion to dismiss the case. If FPC and its co-plaintiffs are successful, the federal government will no longer be able to enforce the ban, and individuals will be able to buy handguns in states other than their state of residence.
Have you ever wanted to convert a .410 shotgun into a pistol-caliber carbine? Or, in my case, converting a .410/.45 Colt large-format pistol into a .32 S&W Long pistol? I know what I’m saying sounds bizarre, but I love the .32 S&W round, and I’ve been loving the Rossi Brawler. With that in mind, I purchased a barrel liner from Chaszel that converts a .410 bore to a .32 S&W Long.
I’ve made .32 caliber rounds a plank in my personality. This includes the .32 ACP, the .32 H&R Magnum, and the diminutive and awesome .32 S&W Long. The .32 S&W Long is a seemingly ancient cartridge born during the rise of the modern double-action revolver. It dates back to S&W’s first hand-ejector in 1896. I love the caliber, and I have a handful of handguns chambering the cartridge, but I wanted to go a bit bigger.
The .32 S&W Long is an interesting cartridge. It’s not exactly a powerhouse of a round, but for some reason, it’s absurdly accurate. Accurate enough that Olympic shooters commonly use it. It’s a staple in semi-auto, mag-fed precision pistols that only fire specific wadcutter cartridges. With the right cartridge, it can do okay for self-defense, but it’s also a great rabbit cartridge.
You can take rabbits with .22LR and a well-placed headshot, but the .32 S&W Long will drop rabbits in their tracks with even marginal shot placement. It’s low recoil, fun to shoot, and I couldn’t help but think it would be a super handy cartridge in my Rossi Brawler. With the Chaszel adapter, I’m now capable of shooting .410, .45 Colt, and .32 S&W Long. I have a solution to any pest I might run into in a tiny package.
The Chaszel Adapter
The Chaszel adapters come in a wide variety of sizes. This particular model comes in five, ten, and sixteen-inch long adapters. With the Brawler having a 9-inch barrel, I went with the five-inch model. These adapters are fully rifled, and the .32 S&W Long uses a 1:12 twist rate. Five inches of rifled bore or so are going to be enough to get the most out of the quaint .32 S&W Long.
The adapters have a small chamber and rim that allows them to align inside the .410 barrel. A slight cutout makes it easy to remove the cartridge. With .32 S&W Long, the cartridge was easy to remove. I imagine others might fit tighter, or steel case ammo will expand and get a little stuck in the adapter. In these cases, you can remove the adapter and punch rod it.
Overall, it’s a simple tool that uses a larger chamber portion to align reliably inside the barrel. The cost is about fifty dollars, and Chaszel delivered promptly.
Shooting With the Chaszel Adapter
The .32 S&W Long is known for its accuracy, so that was the most critical function to me. I used Magtech S&W Long ammo because I was foolish enough to buy a ton of it. Luckily, the Brawler hammer hit hard, so the hard primers weren’t a problem this time.
The .32 S&W Long rounds produced extremely nice groups. At 15 yards, I made a ragged hole. Out to 25 yards, in a rested position, I can create palm-sized groups. This made me quite happy, and I was picturing the rabbits I’d be tagging this fall. The one downside is that the rounds were all hitting high by about three inches at 25 yards and an inch or so at 15 yards.
The rail makes it easy to add a red dot, and I think that will be my next upgrade to take advantage of this caliber’s accuracy. My main fear would be how the .45 Colt would perform with a red dot. The zeroes will be different, so which one will I use? That’s not a question I’ve answered yet.
The rail is long, so maybe I’ll mount two dots! I’m serious, I might do that. I wondered if I removed and replaced the adapter, if that would affect accuracy. It didn’t seem to create issues. The high hits were still consistent.
Staying Reliable
I had no problems with reliability, but the reliability will likely be more determined by your gun than the adapter. The Magtech .32 S&W Long has super hard primers that suck in revolvers, but the single-action hammer of the Brawler strikes hard enough to ignite and fire. I only fired brass-cased, and each round was easy to remove with just my thumb.
The recoil was so light and cute; it was more akin to a .22LR than anything else I’ve fired from the Brawler. It was cute, quaint, and fun. Sure, it’s slow, but functional. I’m excited to see how rabbits will become stew this fall. You know, the rail is long enough for a thermal…
Chaszel Adapters – Worth It
The $50 adapter is a ton of fun. It’s simple, well-made, and rifled, so accuracy is spot on. It might be more useful for a single-action, shoulder-fired shotgun, but I’m having a ton of fun with this adapter in my Brawler. I’ll likely purchase more to see just how many calibers my Brawler can fire.
Taurus just brought back the Raging Judge, now with even more recoil! If .45 Colt and 3-inch Magnum .410 shells out of a snub-nosed revolver are too tame for you, you’re in luck. Taurus just announced the re-release of the Raging Judge chambered in .454 Casull.
The Raging Judge hasn’t been around for a minute, but Taurus is bringing it back. The new Raging Judge 513 is chambered for the mighty .454 Casull. It will also handle .45 Colt and 3-inch .410 shells as well. It’s built from stainless steel and has a matte finish. Capacity is 6 of those big old .454 shells or whatever combo of ammo you want to load.
The .454 Judge has a fiber optic front sight and a fixed rear sight. Barrel length is 3 inches, although it actually looks shorter on that massive frame. Weight on the angry Judge is a solid 61 ounces. Like all of the Judge series, this is a double/single-action revolver. Taurus provides a rubber grip with a cushioned insert to help tame the formidable recoil of this stubby beast.
If you’re thinking about picking one of these up, you may not want to wait. The Raging Judge is a limited production model, although I didn’t see if Taurus said just how many will be made. MSRP is $1,215.99, but if you need to stop bears, rhinos, or maybe rogue cyborgs, this may be just what you need.
Tactical flashlights come in many shapes and sizes. However, one thing must be noted. Their performance is not always directly proportionate to their oversized frame. This statement was never truer than when I field-tested the JetBeam E26 KUNAI EDC Flashlight.
This palm-sized illuminator boasted some incredible specs. They included an 1800 lumen output, multiple light modes, four brightness settings, and a rapid-charging battery. All these amenities were stuffed full within a durable shell just a bit over five-by-one-inches in size. Did the E26 Kunai Flashlight deliver the goods during my testing? The illuminating results are below.
First Thoughts
Honestly speaking, my first thought was that this palm-sized flashlight was nothing more than a novelty that had a few nifty features. To me, it was just too small in its overall dimensions to produce the output that it stated. In the end, I was so wrong with my initial feelings, but more on this later.
Upon a brief inspection, I could feel that the outer metal casing was durable and its construction was tight, with no noticeable seam misalignments or offset mechanics. What my initial look over did do well, though, is make me intrigued to dig in deeper to this pocket-sized flashlight.
Examining Its Features
Between what I personally noted on the unit and the included specs that illustrated all its functions, the following was revealed. The JetBeam E26 Kunai Flashlight offered one-button control of its tactical light with a thick square button at the base of the unit. One heavy press is used to turn the light on, and a second, lighter press puts the flashlight into strobe mode. This mode produces dizzying effects for the unlucky recipient.
Speaking of lighting, one prominent side-positioned button toggles between five lighting modes. These include ultra-low, low, medium, high, and highest. On the opposite end of the unit are two bulbs, sunk into the frame, with four zirconia ceramic beads protruding slightly from the metal casing. These, I learned through the manual, will break glass fast and efficiently for emergency situations involving a vehicle.
Charging Properties
On the side of the JetBeam E26 Kunai Flashlight is a USB-C charging port that accommodates any compatible charger. Positioned to its right side is a power indicator light that offers three color indicators. Green indicates a charge between 35 and 100 percent. Orange will indicate a charger between 15 and 35 percent. Finally, a red light will indicate the battery has less than 15 percent charge left in the unit.
The flashlight offers a built-in 1700mAh Li-ion battery with a 39-hour maximum runtime. The manual states that the flashlight will have a “300 days’ ready experience”, which will keep an ultra-low standby current for use when needed.
Finally, aside from the standard white light output, the unit offers green “pointer-light.” I charged the unit, which took a shorter time than expected (just a few hours), and I was now ready to activate this curious illuminator.
Powering Up the E26 Kunai
As the saying goes, the proof is in the performance, and let me tell you, this little powerhouse performed. Upon clicking the on-off button, my dark room lit up immensely. The beam was both focused and sharp. It was difficult to believe that so much power could be generated from such a small source.
From the initial ultra-bright mode, I dialed the power down and toggled through all the settings. The variation of light output was distinctive. I soft-clicked the main power button and experienced the strobe effect. The fluttering light was disorientating as I focused on it, even from my position as an operator. I’m certain any recipient of this dizzying light would either retreat or give you the time to flee the scene.
Finally, I activated the green light beam. It delivered a “pointer” green dot against the wall from across the room.
Multitude of Uses
One thing I determined upon testing out the JetBeam E26 Kunai Flashlight was that it was ultra-versatile. I would use it in both rural and urban environments. It would work well lighting up your trail back to your tent in the dark woods, as well as brightening stairways in a downtown parking garage.
I know it would make a great addition to your bugout bag or your vehicle emergency kit. It can also be your go-to flashlight when an unexpected power outage hits. It’s compact enough to fit into a woman’s purse, a teenager’s school bag, or an office briefcase with ease.
Final Grade
I have to say, I went from skeptic to believer in this flashlight as soon as I clicked the power button to “on.” The light, which is the meat and potatoes of any flashlight, scored big with both its power and beam intensity levels. If I had any constructive criticism for the E26, it would be that I would personally prefer a red distress light addition over the included green pointer version.
A red light typically indicates the need for rescue and might come in handy for emergency situations. The green pointer light felt out of place among its other, more emergency-centric functions. However, that is by no means a deal breaker, not even remotely close. This flashlight needs to be in your possession today. Great things do come in small packages, and the JetBeam E26 Kunai Flashlight is excellent proof of that.
