Commentary

We like to keep it light over here, and we love to share knowledge with our students, past, present, and future, so we've come up with this new series - Crappy Guns in History. We hope you enjoy. Now on to Part 1 - The Nambu. The Nambu pistol is a recoil-operated, locked-breech, semi-automatic firearm developed by the Japanese Koishikawa Arsenal, later known as the Tokyo Artillery Arsenal. It was widely used by the Imperial Japanese military during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific War. The most prevalent variant, the Type 14, was predominantly issued to officers, who were required to purchase their pistols at personal expense. While the Nambu's design is functional, its ergonomics leave much to be desired. Notably, the slanted grip, while a recognizable feature, creates…

Senate Bill 1, or The Gun Safety Act of 2023 would prohibit those with concealed-carry permits from taking their firearms within 100 feet of any public place, effectively limiting their right to bear arms.  It's important to remember off the bat that SB1 is a bill.  It's not law.  The Senate has been in session for less than a week.  The Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee has not met to review the bill yet. This bill, if enacted as law, would criminalize a lawful Maryland Wear & Carry Permit holder, who has been vetted for criminal activity and mental stability by the Maryland State Police and a number of other agencies, from 1) carrying their firearm onto the property of another person without the owner's express permission (or if the owner…

At Master Arms & Tactical, LLC, we are fortunate enough to be able to provide a wide variety of courses in the NRA's Basic and Instructor level programs.  Recently, the NRA updated it's Training Counselor Guide.  This guide provides our Training Team with information and guidance on how to properly deliver courses in our ongoing partnership with the NRA Training & Education Department. The recent update included a requirement for future Instructor Candidates to complete the Basic level course in their chosen discipline before they would be accepted into the corresponding Instructor level certification course. Enforcement of this requirement was delayed until July 1, 2018 due to the possibility candidates in previously scheduled Instructor courses would not have the opportunity to complete the Basic course in time to qualify.  However, we…

“Abandon the urge to simplify everything, to look for formulas and easy answers, and to begin to think multidimensionally, to glory in the mystery and paradoxes of life, not to be dismayed by the multitude of causes and consequences that are inherent in each experience -- to appreciate the fact that life is complex.” ― M. Scott Peck At Master Arms & Tactical, LLC, we strive to train our students for the reality of what they may encounter outside the classroom.  While most of our students seek training for self-defense purposes, many have no familiarity with firearms.  We begin with the basic theories and then move to fundamental application.  For example, our Basic Handgun class is largely firearms safety, law, and other topics presented in a classroom.  It isn't until after…

Not long ago, a student asked us during a Basic Handgun class if we would qualify new shooters with a .22 caliber target pistol.  The logic is simple.  Start small (caliber and recoil) and build up to something bigger.  That is a valid theory when it comes to things like motorcycles and hot sauce, but we disagree when it comes to firearms. The smallest caliber we will train a student with is 9mm (9x19 AKA 9mm Luger AKA 9mm Parabellum) and our standard training platform is the Sig Sauer P320[1] full frame 9mm semi-automatic pistol.  Here's the thing: The Self-Defense Scenario Everyone has their reasons for seeking out firearms training, but most of our students report wanting a gun for self-defense.  In a self-defense scenario, you will want your shots to…

Not a new question, by any means, but a persistent one: when purchasing an AR15, is there a difference between .223 and 5.56?  This blog post attempts to provide some insight. AR-15 .223 vs Mil-Spec 5.56mm ChambersGet the right chamber for your AR15 to be successfull Even though many manufacturers and specifications say you can use the SAAMI .223 and Mil-Spec 5.56 mm in the same barrel, there are some pros and considers to consider before you plunk down that hard earned cash.