No Duty to Retreat in Ohio – What Does it Mean to You?

by Dean Rieck

On Monday, January 4, 2021, Governor DeWine signed Senate Bill 175. This was the result of an historic effort by Buckeye Firearms Association to abolish the "duty to retreat," an unfair and dangerous policy in Ohio law related to the use of lethal force in self-defense.

6 Exceptions to Justifiable Self Defense

When gun owners run afoul of the law, it’s often because they don’t know the rules or say or do something stupid because they’re still suffering from the physical and psychological effects of a deadly force encounter.

However, there are also some specific exceptions to justifiable self defense.

Potential ATF Regulation of Pistol Braces, Duty to Retreat in Ohio, and More

Second Call Defense co-founder Sean Maloney joins the Faxon Firearms podcast to discuss the potential ATF regulation of pistol braces, how Ohio recently abolished "duty to retreat," polymer 80% firearms, and more.

You can listen here or visit our podcast site.

Be Sure You Understand Deadly Force and the Law

If you own or carry a firearm, you need to know what the law says about using deadly force. You don't have to be a lawyer, but you must at the very least understand the basics. The better you understand how the law views deadly force, the better you are able to act within the law and avoid legal complications.

Here is the accepted legal standard for justifiable deadly force:

Deadly force is justified only to prevent the imminent danger of death or great bodily harm.

Smith & Wesson Issues M&P Shield Pistol Recall

M&P SHIELD® EZ® PISTOL IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FOR PISTOLS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN MARCH 1ST, 2020 AND OCTOBER 31ST, 2020

Smith & Wesson has identified two M&P Shield EZ Pistols on which the hammers manufactured by our supplier were cracked. In those firearms, the hammer failed to fully engage the sear, causing the round to fire, cycling the slide, and potentially resulting in multiple discharges without depressing the trigger. This issue can occur in the following two scenarios:

5 Key Truths About Using Lethal Force in Self Defense

The general idea of defending yourself with lethal force may seem pretty simple on the surface, but there’s a big difference between the general idea of defending yourself and the specific circumstances surrounding an act of self defense.

A lot can go wrong when you use a gun to defend yourself. It’s not about what you do as much as what you can “prove” to authorities when they show up to investigate why there’s a dead body on the ground.

The Brutal Reality of Armed Self Defense in the Real World

If you think you’re prepared for armed self defense just because you’ve seen it on TV and in the movies, you may be in for a horrible surprise.

It is almost NEVER like the movies. In the real world when your life is on the line, or your family is seconds from being killed, self defense is fast, brutal, and terrifying!

Imagine this …

Gun Control 1957: The Same Old Story

by Larry S. Moore

A local reader gave me a number of copies of the old Ohio Conservation Bulletin a few years ago. At that time I glanced through them but laid them aside. Recently, I got them out for a closer look.

I found fascinating information about the history of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), the conservationists, writers and issues from sixty-years ago.

How to Avoid Negligent Discharges - Part 2

by Sean Maloney

In part 1, I shared the rules of safe gun handling and the first of three incidents demonstrating how following these rules can help you avoid negligent discharges, which can be legally perilous. In part 2, I'll go over the second two incidents.

How to Avoid Negligent Discharges - Part 1

by Sean Maloney

I recently received three phone calls from gun owners who experienced negligent discharges. This prompts me to remind us all about the importance of  fundamental rules of gun safety.

I will not get into the pending legal implications for each case. I want to focus on safety. Thankfully, there were no injuries in any of the three incidents, but that was just blind luck.