Massad Ayoob's Blog, page 3

R. I. P. JOHN HOLSCHEN

A few days ago we lost John Holschen to a heart attack. After a long career in the military that encompassed special forces, he had been teaching armed self-defense in the private sector for many years. An articulate man with a questing mind, John was a progressive thinker who stayed on top of the latest […]

WOMEN’S ARMED DEFENSE

You’d think that when a woman uses deadly force against a violently attacking man, society would be sympathetic. Not necessarily. I recently finished the eminently readable 2023 book The Furies: Women, Vengeance, and Justice by Elizabeth Flock.  She writes, “In her seminal 1989 book, Justifiable Homicide, women’s rights advocate Cynthia Gillespie argued that, as a result of its origins, […]

ANOTHER, HIDDEN DANGER OF “GUN-FREE ZONES”

I’ve long since made it clear that when I see “gun-free zone” I read “hunting preserve for psychopathic mass murderers,” since only the law-abiding follow the rules and murderers are among the ultimate law-breakers. They seek victims who can’t fight back. Jackals seek herds of sheep and conspicuously avoid prides of lions. A man I’m […]

USE THE RIGHT AMMO!

Having recently gotten in 1200 rounds of Speer Gold Dot carry ammo, a thousand 124-grain +P 9mm and a couple hundred .38 Special Short Barrel, I’m reminded of the importance of having vetted guns for serious business with the ammo they’ll be used with “for real” instead of for practice. Some guns simply won’t run […]

THE AMERICAN SHERLOCK

On a recent plane flight, I enjoyed reading Kate Winkler Dawson’s “American Sherlock: Murder, Forensics, and the birth of American CSI.” Crime Scene Investigation is a constantly evolving field and one with which those of us “in the business” need to stay current. “American Sherlock” is an apt title for Dawson’s biography of pioneering evidence […]

SAYING GOODBYE TO A GREAT COP AND SHOOTER

Herman Davison passed away recently, and we lost a good man.  In the early Seventies, I spent some time with him as he made his rounds as a New Hampshire Department of Fish & Game officer. I was doing a story on him for New Hampshire Outdoorsman magazine. He dealt with the public firmly and fairly, mixing compassion […]

FOR 1911 NERDS

If you are interested in the seemingly timeless 1911 pistol, spend a couple of hours sharing this deep dive into the gun’s development and the fine point details of its construction and subtle modifications through World War I.   If you’re not a firearms nerd, it will probably put you to sleep faster than Nembutal.  If […]

THE PAIR AND THE SPARE

This article appears in my long-running Handguns column in the current issue of GUNS magazine, now on the newsstands. It’s the serious (read: high round count) shooter who really needs the pair and the spare. But if the budget allows, it’s good to have at least the spare. When bird hunting season opens, if you […]

R.I.P. Super Dave Harrington

We lost an American hero early this month, long before his time. David Harrington earned his Super Dave nickname back when he was in Army Special Forces. It came partly from his physique – he always looked as if he had stepped off the cover of a bodybuilding magazine —  but also for his martial […]

TRADITIONAL OR MODERN?

Old style guns or new? Modernity has its advantages, but long-term habituation gets a vote too. Here’s a piece I wrote for Backwoods Home magazine on the topic, back in the day. What’s your take on the matter? Your comments, as always, are welcome here.