Forged From Freedom — Guns

I have a confession to make - I am a semi-automatic snob. Always have been, and probably always will be. I have a working knowledge of revolvers and could use one to defend myself or others - if push came to shove. But with that said, I've never been a big fan of them. The limited ammo capacity has always been a put off - and like most younger guys - I've had most of my shooting experiences with polymer framed - striker fired pistols. Hell, I've carried one every single day for the last decade. Hey - plastic fantastic right?!! 

But after a colleague here at Forged From Freedom, who happens to be a wheel gun guy, told me I wasn't getting the full shooting experience by avoiding revolvers- I had to seriously consider his words. Was I truly missing out? Do I need seriously need to take a harder look at something so steeped in antiquity? Well - truthfully - yes. As much as it pains me to admit - as a true believer in the second amendment - and a self pro-claimed "good guy" I feel it is my duty to be able to defend myself and those around me with WHATEVER firearm I can get my hands on - and do so as proficiently and efficiently as possible. 

So - I'm fixin' to purchase a revolver and share my experiences with all of you. (Just don't tell my wife I'm buying a new gun.) Now after shooting and carrying it - will I change my mind and carry a revolver as my new EDC weapon? Probably not. But never one to shy away from a challenge - we will go down that rabbit hole together. I better start studying up. 

- Agent M

Backup Guns. Some people won't leave their house without one - while other's think it's a waste of time. Here at Forged From Freedom - we feel that they are a great and necessary resource to your Everyday Carry. But it's more weight, more bulk, etc... Sure - it's not going to be as comfortable sometimes - but with the right belt and the right clothing options - it won't be that much out of your comfort zone. So what kind of pistol and where should you carry it? That's totally up to you. Here are a couple things to keep in mind: 

Ankle Holsters and Shoulder Holsters: Great for  truck drivers or people that are in vehicles a large part of the day. For those rest of us - they are slightly harder to use in an action setting. 

Appendix carry: My preferred choice. I like to carry my backup weapon in strong side appendix carry - but I am to unholster it with my non-dominate hand. I often drill drawing both of my pistols with my non-dominate hand. You never know if your dominate hand will be injured - or if you will be in a position where you can't use your dominate hand. 

So what type of weapon? That's up to you. A gun in the hand in better than 2 in the safe. While there are many choices of caliber - action (semi/ revolver) The choice is up to you. What are you most comfortable with? Personally I have always carried a sub-compact Glock that I can interchange mags with my main side arm. But after watching Reid Henrich's of Valor Ridge - I'm starting to rethink my strategy. Check it out! 




- Agent M

Shooting a lock off with a single bullet. We've seen in it video games and countless movies. "The good guys rushes up to the locked door - shoots the padlock with one shot from his 9mm - and boom - the door swings open - good guys saves the day."

So is it possible to do in real life? Check out the video below as the guys from Demolition Ranch take you through their journey of trying to bust open a lock with various calibers. The results may surprise you. 



-Agent M

The last time we talked - we discussed the lowly .25ACP - this week I want to go to the opposite end of the spectrum. 

The Desert Eagle 50AE. Is it too big? Is there really such a thing? 

Playboy's Miss November 1992 - doesn't think so at all. In fact on April 8, former Playboy Playmate Stephanie Adams received her long-awaited gun permit and purchased a .50 caliber Desert Eagle handgun to keep in her home for self-defense.

While we at ForgedFromFreedom.com - support Ms Adams constitutional right to purchase any and all lawful firearm(s) that she would like - the 50AE (Action Express) might be just a little big for practical self defense applications. The round is rather large/ heavy and the over penetration of perpetrators and/or New York City apartment walls - could pose as potentially problematic. Not to mention that the going rate for 50AE rounds are going for approximately $1 a round - on the low side. Not totally undoable - but I wouldn't want to pay the bill for an afternoon at the range - that's for sure. So should you buy one - is it too big? Sure! It's a fun weapon! Huge knock down power and come on - look it! Gorgeous and iconic! Is it the best choice for every day cary? In our humble opinion - probably not. So unless you're a complete bad-ass like Jerry Miculek and can successfully fire off 5 shots of 50 AE in under a second - you might want to leave that Desert Eagle in the safe and bring the 9mm, 40, or 45 instead. (Check out Jerry with the Desert Eagle below)

- Agent M 

The .25 ACP - is it the most useless round ever? 

The .25 ACP was introduced by John Browning in 1905. Mr. Browning wanted to create a round to match the velocity of the .22 LR coming out of a 2" barrel and boom- the .25ACP was born.

Now is it good to carry for your primary weapon? In my humble opinion - absolutely not. It is under powered, under sized, largely inaccurate - and is expensive to shoot/ practice with it. With that said - the old adage "

A .25 ACP in hand is better than two .45’s back home" rings true every time. Now what about a back up weapon? While I think there are some way better options out there - if that's all you have - rock it. Remember the famous words of Jeff Cooper boys and girls "The first rule of a gun fight is to have a gun." So use what you have until you can upgrade when time and money allow it. 

Like, love, or hate it - the small, under powered .25 ACP has helped secure it's place in history. It was used by some European resistance groups in WWII to ward off the Nazis. It was also favored by early James Bond chambered in his Beretta 418 before upgrading to his infamous Walther PPK. So it has to be kind of cool. Right? 

At the range - these guns can be a blast to shoot. While ammo is a bit harder to find and much more expensive to shoot than .22LR - it is great to change it up a bit from time to time. (If you ever get the chance to get your hands on a .25 ACP - I highly recommend you launch some rounds down range. If for no other reason - than to appreciate your normal every day carry pistol caliber.) 

- Agent M