MWest Blog

Before the AR-15/M4 platform became widely used among law enforcement, shotguns were the long-gun of choice for the patrol officer.   They were easy to operate, short enough to be mounted inside the patrol car’s cab area, and provided an extended range out to 100 yards with slugs.   While semi-auto shotguns have been around several decades, most departments required (and still issue) the “tried and true” pump-action scatter guns such as the Remington 870 and the Mossberg 500 which have been in use for over 60 years. Like the Colt 1911 pistol, the popularity and ruggedness of the Remington 870 and Mossberg 500 platforms allowed the manufacturers to tweak these popular shotguns to the point where there was not much the end-user could do to enhance their performance. Blackhawk SpecOps Stock Gen-II ( http://www.blackhawk.com/product/SpecOps-Gen-II-Adjustable-Shotgun-Stock,1808,165.htm ) A couple of years ago, I came across an advertisement for the Knoxx (Blackhawk) Spec-

It is no secret that Texans love their firearms. In fact, Texas and the Second Amendment probably go as well together as a Shiner Bock and a T-bone steak! With that said, I often get asked by license to carry permit holders what they can do to improve their firearm handling skills, and where they can get such training. Most of these individuals felt that the State of Texas' minimum standards taught at most concealed handgun courses do little to teach you how to deploy your handgun from a concealed position and engage your target. In fact, the only skill you need to know to get your license to carry (LTC) is how to properly load, aim, and shoot your pistol at the target. During the qualification portion of the LTC test, students must put their pistol, unloaded on a table in front of them, and are not allowed to draw and shoot from a holster. The fact is, the basic LTC course is NOT INTENDED to teach you advanced techniques, instead, the intent of the state is to teach the leg