Combat Handguns

Regular Combat Handguns readers know that at least one time per year, we feature revolvers on our cover. It can be a tricky deal because semi-autos, not revolvers, tend to rule the firearms roost these days as far as modern innovations are concerned. That said, every now and again wheelguns like the fan-favorite Taurus Judge get upgraded to degrees that flip our triggers. At Athlon Outdoors’ recent Rendezvous event, where 30-some gun and gear companies give our editors and content creators three full days on the range getting sneak peeks at guns that are soon to hit gun stores nationwide, the Taurus crew let us wring out their new Judge T.O.R.O. and Home Defender .410/.45 LC beasts. We believe that after reading Fred Mastison’s report that starts on page 32,…

This writer is one of the many in the self-defense training world who recommend a brief statement be made at the shooting scene by “Good Guys” who’ve had to draw on or even shoot “Bad Guys.” I teach a five-point checklist on the Wilson Combat YouTube channel (youtube.com/watch?v=zIJ4wLP_0UM&t=27s). That video runs 13.5 minutes. Here it is in shorthand: 1) Explain what the attacker did to make you resort to the gun. 2) Assure police you’ll testify against him later, or words to that effect. 3) Point out evidence (and describe any attackers who’ve fled the scene, and their direction of travel.) 4) Point out witnesses before they disappear. 5) At that point, invoke your right to counsel and silence. Some claim, “Every defense lawyer would say to never talk to…

IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHO FRANK PROCTOR IS, YOU SHOULD, AND FOR MANY REASONS. Frank served more than 20 years in the military—16 of those in the U.S. Army Special Forces. In 2004 after attending the Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat Course (SFAUC), he knew that improving his shooting skills would be a lifelong passion. To hear Frank tell it, he’s indeed become a student of the gun, which all high-level shooters are. It wasn’t until 2007 that he picked up competitive shooting. It’s funny to hear him speak about the eye-opening experience of competitive shooting. There are so many people from all walks of life who train with firearms, are firearm enthusiasts, carry daily, are part of the military or law enforcement, and simply won’t go out and shoot…

Val Trompia is an expansive river valley in northern Italy in the province of Brescia. People have mined iron ore there since the days of the Roman Empire. Starting around 1500 A.D., Bartolomeo Beretta began operating a forge to process the local iron deposits. His first military contract was dated October 3, 1526, and had him manufacture 185 arquebus barrels for the Republic of Venice. He was paid 296 ducats for his trouble. Thus was birthed the longest-lived arms manufacturer in human history. Not only is Beretta the oldest gun company in the world, but it is also one of the world’s oldest companies. There are certainly some older ones. However, even today, more than half a millennium later, Beretta still produces some of the most respected firearms on the…

“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”—Winston Churchill Standing up for what’s right isn’t always easy. While some will admire and respect you, chances are you’ll make some serious enemies. I found this out the hard way. When a government agency invited me to become part of an investigation that they claimed would put a dangerous cartel out of business, I felt like it was my patriotic duty to help. I did so diligently. Initially, I was told my involvement would last just a couple of weeks. This operation and subsequent additional investigations lasted for more than three years. But here’s a shocker for you; it turns out the government never really cared about putting a cartel out of business. “You know,…

For firearms training to make sense, it has to be realistic. However, if things get too real, somebody can get hurt. For this reason, all types of offbeat and homebrew teaching aids have found their way into instructors’ courses. While the adage of, “If it works, it works,” applies to many things, the last thing you want to do is build poor muscle memory into your weapons handling routines. Training 4 Engagement (T4E) believes that we can do better, and after looking at their lineup many years ago, I think they’re right. If you aren’t familiar with the brand, they specialize in making 1-to-1 replicas of the most common service firearms on the market. More than just “a dummy gun,” they fire non-lethal training projectiles using everyday 12-gram carbon dioxide…