Ruger teamed up with firearm trainer Dave Spaulding to produce a series of videos called Ruger Tactical Tips. These training videos are completely free and available on the Ruger website.  The Ruger Tactical Tips videos are several minutes in length, and will be published during the coming weeks and months. The first video on mental preparation is already available on the Ruger site.
Dave Spaulding is a retired law enforcement officer with more than 28 years of experience in patrol, investigations, SWAT, undercover operations and training. Spaulding takes a no-nonsense approach to firearms training, which I appreciate a great deal.
Need a pair of hunting boots? Take a look at this review of the Remington RF-05 hunting boots. These Remington boots are an all-purpose 8″ leather hunting boot. The RF-05 has a Max-Dri waterproof liner, making these boots a good choice in all weather conditions.
Radians, who manufactures these boots under license, sent me a pair of these boots for review. When I first pulled this pair of boots out of the box, I was immediately impressed by the look and style of them. The leather has a rich brown color, and a pleasant feel.
The boots were comfortable to put on, and sized correctly. I wear a 10 1/2, and these fit exactly right. With a thicker winter sock, I would suggest looking at a 1/2 size larger boot.
The laces seem a little thinner than other boot laces, but they seemed strong enough for regular use in the field. The upper part of the boots had speed lace loops, allowing for easy lacing up and removing of the boots.
Wearing the boots in the field, I found them to be comfortable with very little break in needed. The soles gave very good support.
Additionally, the ankle support was excellent. I have the awful tendency to ‘roll’ my ankles. These Remington RF-05 boots fully supported my ankles, and I had no problems while wearing these in the woods.
The waterproof liner worked as advertised. I found a few puddles to stand in, and the water never got to my feet. If you have ever been in the field with wet feet, you know how miserable that can quickly become. I rarely wear any boots into the woods that are not waterproof for that reason.
Overall, I really liked these boots. They look good and are comfortable to wear. As a general purpose hunting or field boot, I think they are worth a look. They would certainly go well with the Field & Stream HydroProof gear that Aaron reviewed here. The suggested retail price of the Remington RF-05 is $129.99.
(Ed. note: This review was written in 2009. Since then, these boots have been discontinued. I’d also like to think that my writing has improved since then.
For what it is worth, I still own these boots. They continue to look and wear great.)
When it comes to choosing the right defensive handgun, there are many “right” answers and a few wrong ones. The best defensive handgun for you will likely be different than my choices. But the criteria in picking a handgun for self defense is fairly universal.
Let’s take a look at some of the things you should consider when buying a handgun for personal protection.
Caliber selection is important, but not that important…
When picking the right handgun, many people obsess about what caliber to choose. Generally speaking, handguns are poor choices for stopping a violent attacker. Handguns launch a fairly small projectile at relatively low velocities, and bullet wounds to areas other than the central nervous system (CNS) generally take time to work.
So, two things are important when considering which caliber. First, bigger is better…to a point. A high-quality .45 hollowpoint is more likely to be effective than a .25 ACP anything. The .45 delivers more energy and momentum, and it makes a significantly larger wound channel.
