My recommendation is simple. Do not buy yet. Go to an indoor range with a good rental counter. Rent the lane, buy their ammo and targets, and ask if they have a rental package that lets you swap guns. Some places call it a buffet package or unlimited rental package. That is the one you … Read more
Buying a pistol does not make a person ready to carry. Buying a holster does not make a person ready to carry. Taking one class, by itself, does not magically make a person ready either. Those things may be part of the process, but they are not the finish line. Ready to carry means you … Read more
Every week, somebody online asks a version of the same question. What carry gun should I buy? Then the answers roll in. Glock. Sig. Springfield. Smith & Wesson. Whatever somebody owns, carries, likes, just bought, or feels emotionally attached to becomes the correct answer. This is not a buying process. It is a popularity contest. … Read more
There is nothing wrong with using the internet as a starting point. I use it. You use it. Everybody uses it. Somewhere out there is a forum thread, Reddit comment, YouTube video, or Facebook group where somebody has already asked the same question you are thinking about asking. That can be useful. It can also … Read more
Let the Target Tell You What Carry Gun to Buy “What carry gun should I buy?” “What is your favorite concealed carry pistol?” “Which one should I choose?” Then the list starts. Glock 43X. Sig P365XL. Smith & Wesson Shield Plus. Springfield Hellcat. Something from Walther. Something from Ruger. Something somebody’s cousin carries. Pretty soon … Read more
Educational perspective from the instructor side. A common question I see from newer handgun owners is whether adding an optic will help them shoot better. Sometimes the answer is yes. Often the better answer is, not yet. There is nothing wrong with pistol optics. A good dot can be a very useful tool. It can help a … Read more
Illegal vs Company Policy, There Is a Gigantic Difference Written on February 10, 2026, 06:38 I had a simple conversation in town today. Nothing dramatic. Just ordinary talk between ordinary people going about an ordinary day. At one point the subject of carrying came up. The person I was talking with has a Permit to … Read more
Guest commentary from One Bad Decision Saloon on Maryland SB 334, common-use firearms, bad legislation, and the difference between public safety and political theater.
Busy Lives, Real Obligations, and Quiet Worry in Minnesota Most people in Minnesota are not living slow, simple lives. They are working long days, driving winter roads before sunrise, raising children, caring for aging parents, and holding together households that depend on them being steady every single day. This is not pretend busy. It is … Read more
EDC Realities: Why People Overbuild the Gun and Underbuild Everything Else There is a reason so many everyday carry discussions orbit endlessly around the firearm. The gun is the most visible piece. It is the part people talk about, photograph, upgrade, compare, and argue over. It feels decisive. It feels serious. And it feels like … Read more