Sunday With Blackthorn - Do You Really Need A 12ga Or Is A 20ga More than Enough?

 When it comes to shotguns I've made it pretty clear that I'm a 20 gauge guy. If you're young, fit, an have no chronic problems such as a bad shoulder, or neck/back issues, hey, that's fine. I used to have a Mossberg 500 in 12 gauge whenI was in my 20's/30's. But by the time I hit my 40's I decided that while I could still shoot Birdshot without a problem, Buckshot and Slugs were no longer my idea of a good time. 

So I sold my 12 gauge, and then after 15 years or so I decided to get another shotgun, only in 20 gauge. As usual all the other self annointed Gun Gurus started telling me to man up and get a 12 gauge. "you're afraid of recoil", and "the 20 gauge recoils worse that a 12 gauge because the gun is lighter", etc........

I heard it all. Then, I went out and got Stoeger O/U Double Barrel in 20 gauge, and I've never looked back. I've put up a lot of shotgun videos over the last few years and they featured both 12 and 20 , gauges, good and bad. 

Bottom line,  decide for yourself.

 

This One Goes Out To All My Knife Afficianado Buddies

Unlike the guy in this video (who I USED to be like) I haven't bought a new knife for quite a few years now, and I gave a lot of my other knives away to friends of mine. 

Anyway, this video does a really good job of describing the buying habits of knife collectors.

 

What Your Body Is Telling You As Compared To What Your Brain Is Telling You

This video goes out to those of you like me, who are no longer "in their prime". Aches, pains, chronic injuries, eyesight, etc. all make your life more difficult. That includes your ability to defend yourself when you find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

I've told my friends and co-workers over the years that when I wake up in the morning, my brain says "17, 17, 17". Then I sit up, swing my legs over the edge of the bed and my feet hit the floor as every major joint in my body says "you're a fuk'n liar, we've been counting".

And don't think it's not going to happen  to you.

 

10 Fitness Habits Backed by Science If You're Too Busy or Too Lazy To Engage In A Structured Workout

 And every one of them can be done in 5 minutes or less. So get off your asses before it's too late.

 

Unarmed Vs A Knife Attack

 The debate for this has been going on for a long time. You will have guys demonstrating fancy/complicated techniques that look really cool, and people telling you to engage in Runaway-Jujitsu. This demo gives a reasonably good idea of what actually happens, but with one caveat. The Unarmed defender sees the attack coming, while in more cases than not, a knife attack is an ambush. Also, the defender winds up putting the attacker in a hold rather than finishing him with strikes, which he (the defender) does use during the confrontation.

 

A Full Length Lesson From Lee Morrison of Urban Combatives

 

An Interview With The Man Who Stopped the School Shooter In Bend Oregon

 Anti-Gun people are always saying that the "Good Guy With A Gun" mantra is little more than a myth. Fortunately for most of the kids at The School in Bend Oregon, it wasn't a myth, it was a reality. Click on the link below to read about what a regular person is capable of when he has the means and will to do something that most people today would either just run way, or else stand there with their cell phones in their hand recording a heinous event.

 https://www.opb.org/article/2026/10/23/bend-oregon-kaylub-giamanco-silver-rail-elementary-school-shooting/

If I Had A Hammer, I'd......

 This video covers the use of a Hammer in Self Defense. Now I;m not advocating carrying a hammer around, but in the car, at home, ok. But to carry one around, not so much. Especially here in The Peoples Not So Democratik Republik of NewYorkistan (where apparently only the psychologically impaired can get away with it). Not to mention that with a brand name of "Spec Ops" it probably wouldn't go over so well. 

Still, It's an option if nothing else. And besides, you can actually always use it to to nail stuff together. 

 

Today From UC Netherlands - A Video On The Law, People Who Don't Know The Law, And People Who Think They Know The Law

 

The Blackthorn Blog Has Now Reached Another Milestone!!

 As of today, Oct 14th, 2026, the Blog has now hit 

1,000,000 Page Views.

 Thank you  for your support each and every one of you who follow the Blog. I sincerely appreciate your support!