Moderno

What is Center Mass?  The generally accepted definition is “center of the chest.”  This is usually denoted on a target by an X score ring or similar point of aim to aid in training.  Unfortunately, this is wrong insofar as reality is concerned (and we should always be concerned with reality).  Center Mass is the center of the target offered or selected.  It is a point of aim selected by the shooter based on preference or circumstance that provides the best margin of error for quality service under stress. 

Since the term Center Mass is most often associated with the center of the chest, or the Thoracic Cavity, it has become the functional definition even though it is incorrect under many circumstances.  Is this just semantics?  I don’t think so.  I personally consider it to be another firearms training meme that promotes memorization under ideal conditions and does not address the potential reality of a violent encounter.  In order to be the most effective shooter, our reality of center mass should reflect what we are actually talking about and that is shooting people, not paper.  The intent of s

Fortis REV rail, Fortis SHIFT grip, B5 Systems stock, Vortex Optics scope and Lightfighter Innovations stippled PMAG. Photo by DMG.

Photo by Defense Marketing Group

The post B5, Fortis, Vortex and Lightfighter appear

Most of the small fixed blades (SFBs) on the market today are designed pretty much the same. Usually these knives are multi-purpose designed tools that can be used for everything from rope cutting to self-defense. What you don’t see a lot of are small fixed blades designed primarily as self-defense tools. This is where the Clinch Pick by ShivWorks shows its true beauty – an extremely lethal implement, contained in a small and concealable package.

Unlike most SFBs the Clinch Pick is designed with a reverse edge which will rip and tear what it comes into contact with. It’s also predominately developed to be worn forward of the hip line with the “hilt” (grip) pointing at a 45 degree, downward angle. This is the newest generation of Clinch Pick and the first that were manufactured overseas.

The Clinch Pick was originally developed and went into production over 10 years ago with a cu

Today I would like to formally introduce our newest advertising partner, Katylist. Katylist is a new specialty/outdoor gear website that was formed by the folks from Shellback Tactical.

From Shellback Tactical, who brought you the flagship Banshee Plate Carrier, comes a new brand Katylist (cat·a·lyst). Katylist is a forward thinking defense / specialty product and outdoor gear website. Katylist is comprised of dedicated professionals that have a history Law Enforcement and the defense industry. We have developed and launched proven products with Shellback Tactical and Katylist will be no different.

Katylist is not only a new site but a new brand to watch. As we grow, expect to see new unique and exclusive products only a

We recently told you about custom aftermarket sheaths for the production version of the Coye Ridgeback that were available to purchase through the Coye custom shop. These sheaths are no longer available to purchase directly from Coye Knives, and will from now on be offered instead by Armordillo Concealement, and with a slightly different design. 

As you can see from the photos below, the design of the sheath has changed slightly – the sheath is now smaller overall by 3/4″, exposing more of the handle. They do however still come with the excellent soft loops for horizontal belt carry.

You can

If you missed out on the Monderno logo Coye Knives Ridgeback, or if you just really want a custom Ridgeback, stay tuned because later this week, we’re gonna tell you how you can win one. This one, in fact.

The post Coming Soon: Coye Knives Ridgeback Giveaway appeared first on Monderno.

The best home defense weapon is a shotgun, right? Well, not exactly.

Monderno contributor Aaron Cowan discussed this topic on Recoil in a two part series titled AR vs. Shotgun for Home Defense, wherein he discussed his choice for a home defense weapon – the AR-15.

One of my favorite rifles, my 2 Vets Arms Custom LRRP

He started by saying what everyone needs to hear BEFORE commenting:

When it comes to the topic of “Best Weapon for Home Defense,” no firearm has the amalgamation of features and performance that would make it serve perfectly in every single home.  The reason for this is explicit; the vast majorities of homes are not identical, do not share identical (or even similar) floor

A few months back, I worked a trade with a friend of mine and wound up with a brand new Glock 21, and it needed a home. I wanted to start carrying it, even though its size isn’t to be desired inside the waistband. Knowing this, Brandon, el Patron de Monderno, set me up with some fellows out in the great state of Georgia that were kind enough to send me one of their holsters to check out. A few days later, the box had arrived from Blue Ridge Holsters containing one of their CAMO Hybrid holsters.

Right out of the box, I was initially impressed with the holster.

The leather is dyed to a deep, rich brown for a nice, classic look. Some of the edges are a bit blocky in places, but overall very smooth and finished with care. The backside of the hols

We added a new PVC patch to the gear shop – a small Monderno helmet patch.

This made in the USA PVC patch has a black on gray color scheme, measures 1″ x 1.75″, and are available now in the gear shop.

The post Small PVC Helmet Patch appeared first on Monderno.

Custom knife maker Bill Coye has been locked deep within the Coye dungeon since SHOT Show cranking out knives, and today I want to share his latest creation – the Little Whiskey prototype.

The Little Whiskey, as the name suggests, is the “little brother” to the bigger Whiskey II, and looks to me like the perfect size for everyday carry.

*All photos courtesy of Coye Knives.

It’s time to announce the winner of the 2014 Descendants of Sparta Rifle Giveaway! 

Once again, thank you to the companies that sponsored the rifle build, with special thanks to 2 Vets Arms for building and cerakoting the rifle, providing FFL transfer, and throwing in an awesome Covert Pack for the winner.

This morning the space clowns at random.org chose a winner, and it’s Richard K. If your first name is Richard and your last name starts with K, check your email. Once you verify y

Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath will be performing tonight’s Super Bowl coin toss along with Phil Simms, and will be wearing a bracelet in honor of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, who was killed one year ago today.

Well done Mr. Namath. Whether you’re watching the game or not, take some time today to remember Chris and the countless other American heroes who fought for our freedom.

You can view the tweet and bracelet here.

The post Joe Namath to Honor Chris Kyle appeared first on Monderno.

I don’t drink Budweiser, and I generally couldn’t care less about Super Bowl commercials, but this Budweiser ad is pretty awesome. Say what you want about Budweiser, but they certainly didn’t have to spend their money this way. 

Check out the commercial, more background info below.

The soldier featured in the video is Army Lt. Chuck Nadd of Winter Park Florida, a helo pilot who had just returned home from an Afghanistan deployment. I was surprised to learn that the commercial was filmed only recently on January 8 in downtown Winter Park – I would have guessed it would take longer to film/edit/etc.

Well done Budweiser. You can read more here.

The post A Hero’s Welcome appeared first on Monderno.

When Brandon sent me the MSR MiniWorks EX water filter for review, I was initially very excited.   No, a water filter is not as sexy as a gun or some new piece of tactical gear, but I did not previously have a water filtration system, aside from the PUR attached to my sink faucet, and as we all know, you can’t be completely ready for a zombie invasion SHTF/WROL situation without some type of portable water filtration system.

MSR MiniWorks EX, photo by MSR

I live in the inner city and have always been an inner city kid.  I don’t hike, hunt, or where cargo pants or camo unless I’m going through a door on the job.  So why was I assigned the task of testing the MSR filter?  We wanted to t

Florida Rep. Dan Eagle (R-Cape Coral) introduced HB733 on Monday, a bill designated the Second Amendment Preservation Act.

Federal Regulation of Firearms: Designates act as “Second Amendment Preservation Act”; provides legislative findings; prohibits specified actions to enforce certain federal regulations of firearms & ammunition; provides for loss of position or office of agent or employee of state who violates prohibition.

Reading through the text of the bill, it’s clear that the bill would effectively nullify all federal gun laws by making it illegal to enforce such laws. Rep. Eagle said the following about the Second Amendment Preservation Act.

In his State of the Union address this evening, President Obama promised that 2014 would be a “year of action,” and his speech made it clear that those actions would be unilateral in nature.

However, he wisely said very little about gun control, except the following (emphasis added):

Citizenship means standing up for the lives that gun violence steals from us each day.  I have seen the courage of parents, students, pastors, and police officers all over this country who say “we are not afraid,” and I intend to keep trying, with or without Congress, to help stop more tragedies from visiting innocent Americans in our movie theaters, shopping malls, or schools like Sandy Hook.

2014 is of course an election year, and as such, I think we can expect more of the same – no new gun control legislation will pass in Congress, but the President may continue to issue Executive actions and potentially, Executive orders. What those actions and orders look like, and how far the President is willing to stretch his power, remains to be seen.

This year for SHOT Show, we had a “special edition” patch made to hand out at the show that would not be sold in the gear shop. Intentionally, we ordered more than we thought we would need so that we would have some left for a giveaway or two.

This giveaway is for Monderno readers only, it will not be posted on any of our social media outlets. If you’re interested in winning this patch, entering is simple – send an email to brandon@monderno.com with the subject SHOTPatch, OR leave a comment below and you’re entered.

On Friday, January 31 I will randomly choose a bunch of winners and notify you by email if you win. Good luck!

The post

Can the government ever disarm the American people? NRA News commentator Billy Johnson takes on this difficult topic in his latest video, and I think he pretty much nails it.

There are really only two ways our government could disarm us: They could abandon the Republican principles upon which this country was founded, or the people themselves could willfully disarm.

Personally, I think it will be the latter. I’ve long said that when liberty finally dies in this country, it will be to the sound of applause.

The post Government Disarmament appeared first on Monderno.

Bastion recently came on board as an advertising partner and today I want to tell you a little bit about them. Bastion makes some pretty cool products, some of which you can find in our Gear Shop.

Monderno Glock Mag Plates

Our relationship with Bastion started with their excellent mag plates – they make all of the mag plates you see in our gear shop – and has expanded from there.

Aside from their excellent mag plates, one Bastion product that I have recommended to quite a few people is their excellent power bank. The power bank is a portable charger that has a lithium-ion, 2600 mAh cell, and is a fairly small form factor. I&#821

At SHOT Show, I had the pleasure of meeting Doug from ATEi and Trek from MDFI. During our conversation, they told me an interesting story in which I learned something new – top slide serrations aren’t just for single hand slide manipulations.

ATEi Glock, photo by ATEi

After hearing the story, I asked Doug and Trek if I could share, and they said yes as long as no names were used. The story below was written by the person to whom this happened, who was kind enough to relate the events in his own words (I only fixed typos). Make sure you check out the cell phone pics at the end.

Okay here goes, I will try not to make this one giant run on sentence but I am typing i