The Prepared Blog
Firearms and Family Safety- Intro: Your Goal Is to Never Have to Use It
The goal of owning a firearm for home defense is to never have to use it. Here's how the 4 D's make your home a hard target, and where the firearm really fits in your family's plan.
Firearms and Family Safety- Part 1: Before You Buy a Gun
Before you buy a gun, answer these seven questions. A firearms instructor on training, talking with your family, safe storage, self-defense insurance, and why the decision comes first.
Firearms and Family Safety- Part 2: Choosing a Handgun
Choosing a handgun starts with fit, not looks. Here's how handgun sizes and operating systems compare, how to think about caliber and recoil, and why you should try several before you buy.
Firearms and Family Safety- Part 3: Shotgun or AR-15 for Home Defense
Shotgun or AR-15 for home defense? Here's how each one handles, what the AR-15 myths get wrong, what really happens with walls, and why training and ammo matter more than the gun.
Firearms and Family Safety- Part 4: The Four Universal Safety Rules
The four universal firearm safety rules are the foundation of everything else. Here's what each one really means, how to safely clear a pistol or revolver, and how to teach gun safety to your kids.
Firearms and Family Safety- Part 5: Range Day Basics: Terms and Commands
Your first trip to the range goes better when you speak the language. Here are the range commands, gun parts, shooting terms, ammo basics, and firearm conditions every new shooter should know.
Firearms and Family Safety- Part 6: Range Gear Guide
The right range gear makes training safer and easier. Here's what to look for in eye and ear protection, cases, safes, battle belts, slings, shot timers, and targets, plus how to shoot steel safely.
Firearms and Family Safety- Part 7: Dry Fire Training
Dry fire training is one of the best ways to build shooting skill, and it's free. Here's the safety routine to follow every time, what to practice, and why the moment you finish is the most dangerous part.
Firearms and Family Safety- Part 8: Concealed Carry Positions
There's no single best way to carry concealed. Here are the 12 most common concealed carry positions, the pros and cons of each, and how to choose the right one for your body, your clothes, and your day.
Firearms and Family Safety, Part 9: Holsters, Clothing, and Drawing From Concealment
Carrying concealed means being able to get to your gun safely when it counts. Here's how to choose a holster, dress for concealment, draw and re-holster safely, and what the 21-foot drill really means.
Firearms and Family Safety- Part 10: Concealed Carry Permits and Where You Can't Carry
Arizona doesn't require a permit to carry concealed, but there are real reasons to get one. Here's who qualifies, what it costs, how to renew, and the places you can't carry in Arizona, with or without a permit.
Firearms and Family Safety- Part 11: Safe Storage at Home
Owning a firearm means controlling who can touch it. Here's how to choose safe gun storage for your home, protect kids and visitors, keep guns out of thieves' hands, and ask the right question before your child visits a friend.
Firearms and Family Safety- Part 12: Traveling With a Firearm
Traveling with a firearm is legal, but the rules change at the airport, at the state line, and at the hotel. Here's how to fly with a gun, drive across states, and keep it secure on the road.
Firearms and Family Safety- Part 13: Ballistics: Choosing Home Defense Ammo
The ammo you load matters as much as the gun. Here's the FBI standard behind defensive ammo, what published gel and wall tests show for handguns, shotguns, and AR-15s, and how to choose a load for a home with your family in it.
Firearms and Family Safety- Part 14: The Life-Altering Event: What Happens After
Most people who buy a gun for protection think about the moment of danger, not what comes after. Here's what happens after a self-defense shooting, even a justified one, what the law looks at, and why the best outcome is the one you avoid.
Less Than Lethal Self-Defense Options- Intro: Not Every Problem Is a Gun Problem
Most problems aren't gun problems. Here's how flashlights, pepper spray, alarms, and other less-lethal tools fit into your family's safety plan, and why awareness always comes first.
Less Than Lethal Self-Defense Options- Part 1: The Flashlight
Your phone's flashlight isn't a self-defense tool. Here's how to choose a real flashlight, how light affects your eyes and a threat's, and how to carry and use one.
Less Than Lethal Self-Defense Options- Part 2: How Pepper Spray Works and How to Choose One
Not all pepper spray is the same. Here's how it works, the strength number that actually matters, spray vs gel, and how to choose the right one for everyone in your family.
Less Than Lethal Self-Defense Options- Part 3: Carrying and Using Pepper Spray
Owning pepper spray isn't the same as being ready to use it. Here's where to carry it, how to practice, how to spray, and your plan for what comes after.
Less Than Lethal Self-Defense Options, Part 4: Personal Alarms and Air Horns
Most criminals want an easy win, and noise ruins it. Here's how personal safety alarms, air horns, and your car's panic button protect your family.