Mark Kakkuri

Whether you’re doing formal training or just running some drills at the range, there are few necessities to bring with you. I’m not talking about the obvious ones such as eye and ear protection, a gun, holster and target ammo.

Even in an age of very reliable and well-sized auto-loading pistols, I am still a big fan of carrying a snub-nosed revolver. I am drawn to their simplicity and reliability — two key attributes of a self-defense tool.

Possibly the biggest advantage of a shoulder holster is the ability to carry guns of various shapes and sizes. Depending on the cover garment, they allow very fast access to the gun. Check out my top five shoulder rigs.

I find it amazing how many modern guns are based on decades-old designs. Let’s look at some modern renditions of old designs. Many examples of new old guns exist, but here are my top five.

What I want to provide to you today, however, is what I learned about accessories for an AR-15. Some of these things may seem like an obvious need (and they did to me too). But during and after the training, the usefulness of the accessories and the need for them to be integrated into a training regimen became much clearer and more real.

With the right organizational system and the right bag, all of these fit and travel easily with room left over for a laptop, A/C adaptor, some papers and a book. Sure, it’s a lot of stuff, but that’s how I roll. With that, here are my top five important pieces of gear.

So, what’s the right height for an autoloading pocket pistol? Based on my top five picks, anywhere from 3.7 to 4.25 inches.

Over time, we have seen numerous materials used for 1911 grip panels, each with pros and cons and each able to tell a story or improve a shooter’s ability to use the gun. Here are my top five materials used in 1911 grips.

About a year ago, I revealed that I am a Class A nerd when I wrote about my top five keychain tools. Now, I am going to confirm it by providing you with yet another top five keychain tools. I love this stuff, and today, you are going to see some old, new and cheap tools that get toted around with me.