{"id":112638,"date":"2025-10-11T15:23:18","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T20:23:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/milesfortis.com\/?p=112638"},"modified":"2025-10-11T15:23:18","modified_gmt":"2025-10-11T20:23:18","slug":"112638","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/milesfortis.com\/?p=112638","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ammoland.com\/2025\/10\/handgun-is-no-longer-enough-evolving-armed-self-defense\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A Handgun is No Longer Enough: The Evolving Standard for Armed Self-Defense<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>The Sovereign Citizen and the Imminent Threat<\/h3>\n<p>The right enshrined in the Second Amendment was not a mere allowance for hunting or personal security;\u00a0<strong><em>it was a profound constitutional imperative designed to ensure the survival of the republic<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-17\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1671218810065-0\">Our Founding Fathers deliberately vested the ultimate responsibility for public safety and the nation\u2019s defense in an armed, prepared citizenry they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ammoland.com\/2024\/10\/the-heritage-of-american-militias\/\" rel=\"\" data-uri=\"d344034ee192fb304a9939e86fa2b3d6\">called the American Militia.<\/a>\u00a0They understood that the collective strength of the people, armed with common, readily available firearms, was the most resilient check against tyranny, invasion, and civil catastrophe.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>As Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story stated, the right to keep and bear arms\u00a0<strong><em>\u201chas justly been considered as the palladium of the liberties of a republic; since it offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>Furthermore, James Madison argued that an armed citizenry, trained and ready, is\u00a0<strong><em>\u201cthe best and most natural defense of a free country.\u201d<\/em><\/strong> Their intent was clear: a free state is secured by a citizenry that is equipped to defend itself against the three distinct threats of tyranny, foreign invasion, and domestic unrest.<\/p>\n<p>Today, this core mandate remains profoundly true, especially in the face of alarming official warnings. The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) recently issued a sobering advisory that the U.S.-designated terrorist group Al-Qaida and its Yemen-based affiliate (AQAP) remain intent on striking America. This is not a theoretical threat; it is a live intelligence concern.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>READ MORE:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/us-national-counterterrorism-center-warns-threat-al-qaeda-2025-09-20\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uri=\"fbda0cd4c6092ed09e93b4edb3274269\">US National Counterterrorism Center warns of threat from al Qaeda<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lyIVBCmgwXA?si=E4he6qcnGM2vUQas\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>This reality has been sharply articulated by law enforcement leaders. My local Butler County, Ohio, Sheriff Richard K. Jones, reflecting on warnings from the FBI regarding imminent terrorist threats, stated,\u00a0<em>\u201cThe terrorists are here\u2026 it is just a matter of time before they attack. The national government can\u2019t take care of it all. There are more local police than the FBI. It all comes down to preparing for it.\u201d<\/em> To meet this level of threat, preparation must surpass outdated standards.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h3><strong>The Political Divide and the Call for Enhanced \u201cFirepower<\/strong>\u201d<\/h3>\n<p>The intelligence community\u2019s grave warnings paint a picture of sophisticated, coordinated domestic threats that demand proportionate civilian capability.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The threats detailed in recent advisories include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Targeting Soft Sites:<\/strong>\u00a0Explicit guidance to local authorities to deploy visible law enforcement at soft targets like sporting events and concerts.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Targeting Infrastructure:<\/strong>\u00a0Reports citing sources that terrorists have scouted medical facilities in major cities (including New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles) to cripple trauma centers and compound casualties.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Impersonation and Secondary Attacks:<\/strong>\u00a0Warnings that terrorists plan to acquire police and EMT uniforms to impersonate first responders, allowing them to redirect panicked crowds and launch secondary strikes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It is against this terrifying backdrop of coordinated, high casualty terrorism attacks, designed to defeat existing security and cripple emergency services, that, in my view, will certainly be attacked.<\/p>\n<p>As some scream for gun control, I advocate for more guns and\u00a0<em><strong>more \u201cfirepower\u201d in the hands of trained, law-abiding citizens.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0I stand by the Founders\u2019 logic: escalating threats require a proportionate response, and the time for minimizing our effective defensive capability is over.<\/p>\n<p>For decades, the handgun stood as the undisputed standard for the armed civilian. Its concealability and simplicity made it the go-to tool. However, with the rise of threats requiring rifle-level engagement, the handgun has moved from being the standard for a civilian armed citizen to being viewed as the minimum effective tool for defense. Sheriff Jones himself demonstrated this shift by immediately equipping all his department\u2019s cruisers with rifles and \u201cgo bags\u201d in response to terror warnings. We, as armed defenders of freedom, must do the same.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The prepared citizen must now acknowledge the limitations of a handgun and understand when and why a long gun, or specifically, a compact AR-style platform is a necessary component of comprehensive preparedness to uphold the Founders\u2019 vision.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>The Limitations of the Handgun in Modern Threats<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_460266\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-460266\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-460266\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ammoland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/MCX-Virtus004-600x400.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ammoland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/MCX-Virtus004-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.ammoland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/MCX-Virtus004-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/www.ammoland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/MCX-Virtus004-225x150.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.ammoland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/MCX-Virtus004-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ammoland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/MCX-Virtus004-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.ammoland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/MCX-Virtus004.jpg 900w\" alt=\"MCX-Virtus004\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-460266\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ammoland.com\/2022\/10\/is-the-sig-mcx-virtus-pistol-really-worth-2000-video\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uri=\"03fe54334b693be5246cdb9915550ade\">MCX pistol with a folding brace<\/a>\u00a0is super compact and easy to carry. IMG Jim Grant<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The escalating scale of mass violence and terrorism quickly exposes the handgun\u2019s inherent limitations, demanding a proportionate response from the citizen defender:<\/p>\n<p>This outlines three major limitations of the handgun when compared to the rifle-caliber threats encountered in modern, high-intensity scenarios:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Weapon Disparity\/Armor:<\/strong>\u00a0Standard handgun calibers are ineffective against rifle-rated body armor, which is a likely component of coordinated terror attacks; conversely, rifle-caliber rounds are required for any chance to defeat or penetrate common levels of armor. A rifle versus armor is your best response.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Range and Accuracy:<\/strong>\u00a0A handgun\u2019s effective range suffers drastically beyond 20-30 yards, while active shooters can engage accurately at much greater distances with rifle platforms that are easier to shoot accurately under stress.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Engagement Duration:<\/strong>\u00a0The handgun\u2019s low capacity (typically 6 -17 rounds) and frequent reloads limit sustained defense, whereas a 30-round rifle magazine offers a decisive advantage in managing the prolonged engagements required for a sustained terror attack. This comparison leads directly to the necessity of the AR Pistol platform.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>The AR-Style Pistol: The Necessary Force Multiplier.<\/h3>\n<p>The AR-style pistol is the critical bridge between the concealability of a pistol and the power of a rifle, providing a Personal Defense Weapon capability where a handgun is inadequate:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Close-Quarters Dominance and Home Defense<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The compact nature of the AR pistol excels where a full-size rifle is unwieldy:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Maneuverability:<\/strong>\u00a0Its shorter overall length (often 18-25 inches) allows for rapid, safe movement in the tight confines of a home, apartment, or vehicle.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Superior Control:<\/strong>\u00a0Like any long gun, the AR pistol provides multiple points of contact \u2013 stock to shoulder, cheek to comb, front hand on handguard, and hand to grip \u2013 providing a significantly more stable shooting platform than a handgun that provides only one or two points of contact (your hands). An AR pistol retains the stable shooting platform of a long gun and the inherent low recoil of the AR design, enabling better accuracy and faster follow-up shots than a handgun.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lethality and Safety (Ammunition Dependent):<\/strong> Rifle-caliber rounds (commonly the Remington .223 in the case of the AR-15 platform), when using specific defensive ammunition (like hollow point, soft-point, or polymer-tipped rounds), often fragment or tumble upon hitting drywall, counter-intuitively losing energy faster than some slower handgun rounds, which can punch through multiple interior walls.<\/li>\n<li>However, users must be aware that military-style Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) ammunition for the .223 caliber will still easily pierce several interior sheets of drywall and retain enough energy to cause serious bodily harm or death, and poses a higher over-penetration risk. Therefore, choosing ammunition specific to your defensive environment is paramount.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Vehicle and Mobile Readiness<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The AR pistol is essential for mobility and readiness in uncertain environments:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Concealed Carry Under Law:<\/strong>\u00a0Classified as a \u201c<em>pistol<\/em>\u201d in many jurisdictions, it can often be carried under existing concealed carry laws, allowing for accessible storage in a vehicle or backpack where a rifle would be illegal or impractical.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Vehicle Readiness:<\/strong>\u00a0It can be securely and discreetly stored, providing paramount speed of deployment during a vehicle-based threat. Be sure to know local vehicle storage laws, especially in areas where you are unfamiliar.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>The New Tiered Approach to Self-Defense<\/h3>\n<p>Fulfilling the Founder\u2019s expectations requires the armed American citizen to adopt a tiered approach to address the full spectrum of modern threats:<\/p>\n<p>This presents a two-tiered approach to self-defense tools, outlining their primary roles and advantages over a standard handgun.<\/p>\n<p>The Concealed Pistol serves as Tier 1, focused on daily personal defense against close-range, immediate threats. Its primary advantage over other options is its constant, legal accessibility and discreet carry capability.<\/p>\n<p>The Defensive Carbine or AR Pistol is categorized as Tier 2, designed for home\/community defense and as a response to mass attack or terrorism scenarios. Its advantages over a standard handgun include superior range, capacity, terminal ballistics, and the fact that the AR pistol version can be legally concealed in many jurisdictions.<\/p>\n<p>The AR-style pistol provides rifle-level performance and high capacity in a compact package that fulfills the constitutional mandate to be equipped for the worst-case scenario. The handgun is no longer the standard but the starting point for armed preparedness. The ultimate defense of liberty and security still rests with the citizenry, and the tools and ammunition must evolve to meet the threats of the day.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>The time is now; be prepared.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>About Sean Maloney<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Sean Maloney is a criminal defense attorney, co-founder of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/secondcalldefense.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uri=\"66770d2c738df25bc3d837567e7655cd\">Second Call Defense<\/a>, and an NRA-certified firearms instructor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Handgun is No Longer Enough: The Evolving Standard for Armed Self-Defense The Sovereign Citizen and the Imminent Threat The right enshrined in the Second Amendment was not a mere allowance for hunting or personal security;\u00a0it was a profound constitutional imperative designed to ensure the survival of the republic. Our Founding Fathers deliberately vested the &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/milesfortis.com\/?p=112638\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36,8,29,17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-112638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gun-schtuff","category-rkba","category-safety","category-self-defense"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/milesfortis.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112638","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/milesfortis.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/milesfortis.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/milesfortis.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/milesfortis.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=112638"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/milesfortis.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112638\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":112639,"href":"https:\/\/milesfortis.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112638\/revisions\/112639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/milesfortis.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=112638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/milesfortis.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=112638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/milesfortis.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=112638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}