Do Men and Women Use Different Body Armor?

/ Ben / 3 Comments

TLDR: They don’t. Fit, function and coverage matter more than gender.

I’m on the cusp of breaking my golden rule, but I’m writing this post at the request of Nate Hoffelder of The Digital Reader, a frequent visitor of this blog. He spotted this promo shot from the new Power Rangers movie reboot:

gender body armor

(Image via the movie’s Facebook page)

Notice anything about the way the costumes are different for the male and female characters? Perhaps in the chest area? Hoffelder did, and he wanted to know whether body armor in reality is divided along similar lines.

The short answer is no. Here’s why. Continue reading →

The Myth of the Hierarchy of Weapons

/ Ben / Leave a comment
myth of hierarchy of weapons writing fiction

When you need to pound a nail, there is no better tool than a hammer. That doesn’t mean a hammer is the best tool for every job. It’s the same way with weapons. (Shutterstock photo)

There’s an idea out there in fiction that a gun always trumps a knife, a knife always trumps a more mundane object, and all of that trumps knuckles. I call this the Myth of the Hierarchy of Weapons and, as the name suggests, it’s BS.

I elaborate more about this over at Jennifer Chase’s blog. Check it out here.

Can a Government Database Match a Gun to a Person?

/ Ben / 5 Comments
Gun registration writing fiction database

There’s merit to this trope, but it’s important to understand the circumstances. (Shutterstock photo)

TLDR: Yes, but only under the right conditions.

Friend of this blog Ralph S. wrote me recently with this excellent question:

Sometimes in reading crime fiction, I notice that writers frequently depend on a system of firearms registration to help the detective find out who owns a particular gun, or maybe to track the ownership of a firearm. But does such a system of registration actually exist in the USA? My guess is that some such systems may exist, but that they are geographically spotty, and that some writers may be making false assumptions. How should writers handle this problem? Continue reading →

New: Chase Baker and the Humanzees from Hell (A Chase Baker Thriller #8)

/ Ben / Leave a comment
Best occult mystery action adventure book

Click here to get this hot title via Amazon.

When I write about weapons in fiction, I’m not coming from a place as an outsider looking in on creative writing. Far from it. I keep at that keyboard like anyone else, and I open myself up to the same criticism that others endure from me. That doesn’t make me perfect, but it does mean I’m not full of crap when I talk about these topics.

The latest example is Chase Baker & the Humanzees from Hell, available now at Amazon. It’s the eighth installment in a series started by award-winning mystery/thriller writer Vincent Zandri. Not those back alley awards, either, like the ones I give out. We’re talking the real deal.

Humanzees marks my third contribution to the series, and it’s by far my favorite of the three. I always say that about my new releases, but this time I mean it. Until the next one comes out. Here’s the synopsis: Continue reading →

How Easy is It to Find Fingerprints on a Gun?

/ Ben / 1 Comment
Fingerprints: The criminal defense attorney's best friend. (Photo by A. Hulme via sxc.hu)

Fingerprints: The criminal defense attorney’s best friend. (Photo by A. Hulme via sxc.hu)

TLDR: As it relates to firearms, fingerprinting isn’t infallible.

When I encounter a topic I’m not familiar with, I turn to people like criminologist/crime writer Jennifer Chase to fill in the gaps. This typically happens in the forensics department, and I’m happy to say she’s a terrific resource. The latest example is the issue of fingerprints and firearms. Specifically, how easy (or difficult) is it to find usable fingerprints on a gun? Continue reading →