10MM - over or underrated? It can be useful in variety of situations and over kill in others. So when is it over kill? Well - my 2 cents - in most (not all) home defense situations. With the 10mm's increased power/ penetrating capability - you might want to consider friendly targets beyond the reach of the bad guys. I.E. - children/ loved ones in their rooms if you are forced to defend your home.
So when is it effective? In my humble opinion - the 10mm makes an excellent hunting round. (One of Uncle Ted Nugent's all time favorite pistol cartridges.) From pig hunting to black bear - the 10mm is not a round to be trifled with. As a hunter who has recently caught the bug for pig hunting - this round is definitely on my list of calibers to own. Will I carry it for my EDC - probably not.
Check on the Military Arm Channel (MAC) go more in to depth on his personal likes and dislikes of the 10mm. Warning - all you .40 S&W fans - might cringe a little.
For most of us - a flashlight is an important part of our our EDC (Everyday Carry). There are a million great uses for one- whether its illuminating darkened entryways, using it offensively to temporarily blind a potential threat and possibly get that rare extra second to draw your weapon, to finding your missing your keys on a dark movie theater floor (the latter probably happens the most often). A Flashlight is a useful and indispensable tool. Like everything - you get what you pay for - so make sure you invest in something that is going to stand up to the abuse you put it through and perform up to the level you expect it to. So if shit hits the fan - and you have to draw your weapon and your flashlight out at the same time - do you hold them both together? Well - you could get a weapon mounted flashlight - which do have their advantages. However - if you are exploring a the infamous bump in the night scenario and your flashlight is mounted to your weapon - you are now pointing your weapon where ever there is light. Which is a great thing when it's pointed at the bad guys - but not such a great thing for Jr when you catch him sneaking in after hours. So how do you hold both? While there is not a right or a wrong way - there are some holds that are going to work better/ feel more comfortable to you. So try them all out and see which is most comfortable to you. Check out the video below from the guys at Polenar Tactical on a couple of the different hand holds. Most of us here at Forged From Freedom - prefer the "Harries Hold".
Red dot sights are more available than ever. Ranging for the simplest/ cheapest to more complex / much more expensive models and options for dozens and dozens of manufactures. For the most part - red dot sights are easier to use. Once dialed in you pop the red (or green) dot on your target - and you are good to go. Easy as that. So does the ease of new technology rule over the often thought antiquated iron sights?
In my humble opinion (and I think I speak for everybody here at Forged From Freedom) - absolutely not! Don't get me wrong, red dot sights are great! I've owned several and shoot with one now - but I always have a pair of iron sights/ flip up sights on my rifles. If my red dot breaks, battery dies, smashes against an enemy's head - I'll need a backup and I'll need to know how to use it. Traditional sights - teach us great fundamentals that can be used and improved upon over and over. So which one should you use? Why not both?
Check out Reid Hendrichs of Valor Ridge discussion on which one is best and why.
Imagine this... While sound asleep - you wake up to the dreaded "bump in the night" ... you sit up, evaluate the situation, and decide the proper action is to find out the source of the noise. Which weapon do you chose? Your pistol? Your rifle? Your shotgun? Just about everybody has their own opinions of what they prefer to use - and situational factors (over penetration of walls in family members in nearby rooms - or States where semi-automatic rifles might be prohibited - thank goodness my state isn't one of those.) Either way - each of us should have some training (if you don't have any - GET SOME) on their chosen weapon platform. If you are on the fence about what weapon to chose - check out Mike Lamb of Stoic Ventures' choice of the shotgun in the video below. Whether you agree or not - Mike makes some great arguments for why the shotgun should be considered for home defense.
For most of us, next to our chosen caliber and configuration of firearm(s), a pocket knife is almost a no brainer when it comes to our EDC (Every Day Carry) kit. There are a ton of reasons they are useful! From simple tasks such as opening boxes and prepping food - to defending ourselves as a last ditch effort. For those of you don't cary a knife as part of your EDC - shame on you! Stop what you're doing - and start doing your research on a good quality knife!
Yes I said QUALITY people! Buy once, cry once. Nothing like a knife that won't/ doesn't hold its edge or a lock mechanism that fails when you are making that hard/ deep cut. My personal knife of choice - is an Emerson Commander - while it isn't the cheapest knife (they start at well over $200) I never have to worry about it breaking or losing it's edge. Now - do you need to spend hundreds of dollars on a knife for your EDC? Of course not - they are some great options for well under $100. Just make sure you do your homework and make sure your chosen knife is of good quality and can hold up to the tasks you need it for.
Check out Brett McKay of Art of Manliness - give a couple reasons why every manly man should carry a knife!
For most of us, next to our chosen caliber and configuration of firearm(s), a pocket knife is almost a no brainer when it comes to our EDC (Every Day Carry) kit. There are a ton of reasons they are useful! From simple tasks such as opening boxes and prepping food - to defending ourselves as a last ditch effort. For those of you don't cary a knife as part of your EDC - shame on you! Stop what you're doing - and start doing your research on a good quality knife! 