David Higginbotham

Most of the work we do when prepping stays at home. But you may not be home when disaster strikes. What then? I carry every day, but there are times that a 9mm in a IWB holster simply isn’t enough. I wanted a rock-solid way to insure that I had everything I need. And here it is, my take on the get-home-gun, and everything that goes with it.

Buying your first AR-15 used to be a lot easier, if only because of the lack of options. A good base model would get you only you needed, and then you could add on extras and swap out parts to make the rifle more functional. The various scarcities (and shifts in political power) meant many bought whatever they could get and at artificially inflated prices. We’re past that now, at least for a while. Deciding which AR to buy is much more complicated now, as there are so many makers making many variations of guns that essentially do the same thing. In this market, you can take your pick of rifles and options. You don’t have to start at the bottom. And some rifles, like the Diamondback DB-15 B, represent a real value. The DB-15 B is an upgraded gun at a base model price, and it is a buyer’s market.

Shot timers aren’t the sexiest addition to your shooting gear. Most are bulky, a bit boxy even. If you’re not a serious competitor, using a timer might even seem a bit pretentious, like you think there is something that needs to be timed. Yet a timer is one piece of gear that marks you as a serious shooter. A good timer implies that you’re serious about competition and serious about improving your speed. And now, thanks to the Shotmaxx from Double-Alpha Academy (DAA), the shot timer has gotten more functional, more stylish and a whole lot smaller.

We’re going to get a bit philosophical with this one. Winchester, one of the nineteenth century’s most iconic rifle makers, a company that revolutionized shotguns at the turn of the twentieth century, is still making guns. It’s alive and well, and making a play for a bigger part of the market. If you are looking for a new scatter-gun, and you’re working on a budget, Winchester has a gun for you.

Kahr’s latest line of pistols is something to see. The company’s taken all of the features of its premium pistols and shaved off the extras to leave behind an exceptionally functional pistol that sells for much less. It’s producing guns that can compete with anything on the market, and at a price point that spanks most of their competition. The CT45 and CT40 should be serious contenders for anyone looking for a concealed carry gun.

After what feels like an absurdly long wait, Beretta is shipping the ARX 100 in 5.56. This is the civilian version of a battle rifle that’s currently in service in Italy and a handful of other countries. The rifle combines the operational familiarity of both the AR-15 platform and the AK platform into a versatile rifle that’s built for active service. Every detail of the gun is adaptable. Controls can be switched easily, without tools. Even the various calibers of barrels are interchangeable, on the fly. It is an impressive rifle. Beretta is calling the ARX 100 “The Ultimate Tactical Rifle.” Is it true?

When Remington announced its intentions to begin remaking 1911s in the centennial year of the venerable platform, no one was terribly surprised. 2011 was arguably a better year for 1911s than the original model year. Everyone was making them. The surge brought new energy to the single action, and shooters were willing to test out the cocked-and-locked philosophy. Yet most of the new pistols on the market were oddly incomplete. If you wanted to carry one for defensive purposes, you needed to make some minor changes. The one stand-out for me, the one anniversary year 1911 that felt completely thought out, is the Remington R1 Carry.

Let’s say you’ve just gotten a call from a friend who wants to go hunting with you, tomorrow, and he doesn’t have a rifle. He really wants to go. And you know you’ll be able to put him on a deer, or a hog, or something, but you don’t have an extra rifle set up and ready to go. There’s a big-box retailer right around the corner. What would you suggest?

There’s a lot to presume about the hypothetical above. Let’s pretend the friend knows his ass from his elbow and is aware of basic firearms safety and function. We can assume he can get a license and that you will be hunting, not poaching. What you need is a rifle that’s turnkey. You need a gun, one in a common caliber, and an optic (preferably one that’s already attached and sighted in).

You need a Savage Axis II, the complete package.

A few weeks back, I walked into my gunsmith’s shop to have him do some work on a rifle. I knew he was partial to his Springfield XDS, and I’ve never seen him without a gun on him, ever, but I didn’t expect to see the pistol just stuck in his waistband. In all fairness, his shop is in his basement, and he was practicing home carry, which we highly endorse, but the pistol tucked into his waistband—without a holster—that just seemed so…relaxed.

I’m a holster snob. I’ve got my favorite makers, favorite styles, preferred materials. I’ll try anything out, but when it comes down to concealed carry, I’m not going to do experiments on behalf of any product review. So know that I take this seriously. When I first saw a Sticky Holster, I wasn’t terribly enthusiastic. It seemed too relaxed for my taste. I’m not one to tuck a pistol in my waistband, even at home, and that’s what the Sticky Holster is—a holster you tuck into your waistband.