Brad Kozak Archives - Page 56 of 57

Editorial: Spin Cycle

February 2, 2025March 11, 2010 by ttag

No matter where you are on the issue of gun ownership, you’ve got skin in the game regarding the recent Supreme Court decision (Heller) and the one they are deliberating on now (City of Chicago). I’m not going to try and sway you one way or the other within the scope of this article, but I’d like to explore one aspect of the gun debate that you might not have considered – and how it affects you and your opinions on the subject. By “spin” I’m not talking about a washing machine, or how fast you can rotate cartridges in a wheelgun. Nope. I’m speaking of “spinning” within a P.R. context – how one side or the other takes a fact and recasts it in a light favorable to their side.

Choosing a Handgun, Part V: Ammo

February 2, 2025March 11, 2010 by ttag

I love metaphors. One of my faves: “come back when you’ve got bullets in your gun.” It’s used when arguing with someone who’s a little light on the facts. Like most metaphors, this one resonates with an essential truth. In pyria veritas, as it were. Come to think of it, a gun without bullets is a really expensive paperweight, or the proverbial “blunt instrument.” But just because you’ve loaded your handgun with ammunition doesn’t mean you have the right ammo for the job. Start with this: in handgun-speak, each bullet is called a cartridge or a “round.” It’s Pretty Polly Bites Crackers: Powder, Primer, Bullet, Casing. Ammunition comes in many calibers. Roughly speaking, the terms refers to the bullet’s diameter, measured in thousandths of an inch or millimeters. The larger the number, the bigger the bullet. A .22 is small bullet. A 50 BMG is not. The smaller ones fit in handguns. The really big ones, not to much. No matter what the caliber, modern handgun ammunition comes three basic flavors: unjacketed, jacketed, and hollow-point. Each exists for a specific purpose.

I Had A Dream . . .

February 2, 2025March 10, 2010 by TTAG Contributor

By Chris Dumm A couple of nights/mornings ago I had the Mother of All Self-Defense Dreams. First, a little background . . . I’m currently living in the house I grew up in, taking care of my father, who’s recovering from cancer surgery and therapy. (It’s true, by the way: the cure IS worse than … Read more

Bring a Knife to A Gunfight

February 2, 2025March 8, 2010 by ttag

There’s an old saying in the self-defense biz: “Never bring a knife to a gunfight.” That’s good advice—if it’s an ‘either/or’ question. It isn’t. Carrying a tactical knife with you—even when you’re carrying a concealed handgun—is not only a good idea, but it’s one that can save your life.

Seeing the Light for Home Defense

February 2, 2025March 7, 2010 by ttag

A really sharp guy once told me that, no matter how great a gun I might have, when push comes to shove, it’s the guy that can see what he wants to shoot that will usually live to tell the tale. Or put another way, fortune favors the prepared. If you don’t keep a flashlight—any kind of flashlight—handy by your bed, you are increasing your odds of hitting what you see, and seeing what you may or may not hit. Remember: just because you’re on your home court doesn’t mean you’re gonna win, or even that you have a leg up on the bad guys. A flashlight helps even the odds—in a way you might not have considered. Allow me to enlighten you . . .

Choosing a Handgun, Part III: Shooting from the Hip. Or Not.

February 2, 2025March 5, 2010 by ttag

“Hands up!” Let’s be honest. At least once in your adult life, you’ve fantasized about saying those words (or words like them) as a cowboy/private detective/action hero to save the day in your own, imaginary showdown with a bad guy. Once you get serious about gun ownership, you quickly realize that this sort of confrontation lives in the realm of fantasy. At least it should do and you hope so. Truth be told, as a handgun owner, you’re about as likely to be struck by lightning whilst fending off a white shark as you are to find yourself in a situation where he who unholsters first, wins. Stranger things have happened, but you can’t let Hollywood determine your choice of holsters.

Hollywood Versus Handguns

February 2, 2025March 4, 2010 by ttag

Films and firearms. Even before movies had sound, directors, producers and studios discovered that a lot of action, a bit of violence, and a whole lotta shootin’ puts bums on seats. Then as now, audiences get an adrenalin rush from the vicarious thrill of watching a bad guy blown to bits, or a hero shooting his way out of trouble (which he didn’t ask for, of course). Hollywood genres may jump the shark, but none have jumped the gun. From Birth of a Nation to Cop Out, from William S. Heart to Walter Bruce Willis, guns get the gold. But in another sense, Willis is the exception that proves the rule: a movie star / gun rights advocate. You can’t swing an AR-15 around a room in Hollywood, period. Or doing so without hitting someone who is vehemently opposed to guns, gun ownership, gun violence and Second Amendment rights.

Choosing a Handgun, Part II: Form Follows Function

February 2, 2025March 2, 2010 by ttag

There’s an old saying in the gun world: the best gun is the one you have. That’s nonsense. Well, kind of. Plenty of new handgun owners buy an overly powerful, over-large or ill-fitting handgun. They fire it a few times, get scared or hurt by the recoil and shelve the piece. To paraphrase one of Farago’s favorite expressions, the trick to handgun proficiency is to buy the right gun. And now that we’ve solved the semi-auto pistol versus revolver conundrum [see: Part I], it’s time to talk about what you plan to do with your new handgun. The answer to that question will point you towards a gun that you will use, master and maybe love. As you approach this buying decision, remember that no one gun fits every purpose or hand, and that manufacturers offer many different answers to the same questions. Confused? Let’s back up and start with purpose. What are you gonna do with your new gun?

Wheeling & Dealing at Gun Shows

February 23, 2010 by ttag

Gun shows are one part trade show, one part swap meet, one part bazaar, and one part Americana. (Seriously; can you imagine a gun show anywhere else on the planet?) Gun shows offer everything from firearms and ammo to knives, jewelry, cookware, clothing, accessories and food. You’ll see booths from sporting goods stores, mom ‘n pop vendors, collectors and nomadic retailers, hopping from one gun show to the next. There are tables, as far as the eye can see, filled with every kind of gun you can imagine, from vintage rifles to derringers to 50 cal. Army surplus semi-auto monsters. So, are gun shows the best place to buy a gun? Uh, no.

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