Written by: Greg Ellifritz Last week, some friends and I had a discussion on my Facebook page about a recent incident where two off-duty police officers (husband and wife) interrupted a robbery in progress at a local restaurant. The incident was captured on surveillance video. The two cops spread out, flanked the bad […]
Your Tactical Training Scenario- Violent Airline Passenger
Written by: Greg Ellifritz It seems to happen on a weekly basis…a plane is diverted for emergency landing on the account of a violent passenger. One of the more recent cases involved a man who attempted to open a door mid-flight, attacked a flight attendant, and placed a passenger in a choke hold. […]
Weekend Knowledge Dump- February 21, 2020
Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend. What to Look for in Defensive Firearm Training “Failure hurts. This is why most people avoid it. But, because of the pain failure has the potential to teach. Those lessons are only available to […]
Heads Up! Avoid MAWOL
*This is a guest post from my friend Ron Borsch. Ron is a long serving police officer, trainer, and researcher. I enjoy his perspective and I hope that you will as well. -Greg HEADS-UP! AVOID MAWOL Copyright 2019 Ron Borsch Heads up! Is a common phrase meant to alert someone. To be […]
Your Tactical Training Scenario- Three Difficult Disarms
Written by: Greg Ellifritz Most of the gun classes I teach involve tactics at extremely close range. When you are within arms’ reach of your assailant deflecting his muzzle or taking his gun away from him is often faster than drawing your own gun to shoot. There are lots of systems ranging from […]
Weekend Knowledge Dump- February 14, 2020
Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend. 6 Cheap Tips To Secure Your Home Right Now Home safety isn’t solely a function of being armed. Lock your damn doors! Magazine Springs and More You do occasionally clean your magazines, […]
The Most Recent Vehicle Run-Down Terrorist Attack
Written by: Greg Ellifritz Last week, there was yet another terrorist vehicle run-down attack. This one was in Israel. You can read about it in the link below. 12 soldiers wounded, 1 seriously, in suspected terror car-ramming in Jerusalem A couple points after looking at this attack… 1) Vehicle run down […]
Your Tactical Training Scenario- Defeating Pepper Spray
Written by: Greg Ellifritz Have you ever thought about what you might do if a criminal sprays you in the face with pepper spray? That scenario happened in New Jersey when a shoplifter sprayed two store security guards who confronted her after she stole some merchandise. The spray incapacitated the security guards and the […]
Your Tactical Training Scenario…A night time knock at the door
Written by: Greg Ellifritz You watched the evening news before bed and heard a report about police attempting to locate a wanted murder suspect. The suspect was reportedly last seen in the area of your apartment complex. Making sure all your doors were locked and that you had a handgun nearby, you go to […]
“Preclusion”- The legal concept you must understand
Written by Greg Ellifritz The news articles linked below describe the actions of a retired firefighter with a concealed carry permit who shot and killed an elementary school teacher after a confrontation about a loud party. The entire confrontation (22 minutes long) and the shooting was videotaped by the shooter. He was charged […]
Weekend Knowledge Dump- February 7, 2020
Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend. Crazy Guy Beats Officer Over the Head With Pepper Spray! Why I advocate that cops (and anyone else who carries pepper spray) should be exposed to it in training before they have to fight […]
Criminal Weapon Selection
Written by: Greg Ellifritz I’ve written before about criminals and the guns they carry. My study was obviously limited by the relatively small number of guns my upscale suburban police department seizes. Other police departments seize far more guns than we do. Currently, the Chicago Police Department seizes the largest number of firearms […]
Your Tactical Training Scenario- Denial
Written by Greg Ellifritz Read the first paragraph of this article about an active shooter attack in Arizona. “Pam Simon’s first thought was “this is not happening.” The aide to Gabrielle Giffords’ next thought was “that’s a toy gun.” A moment later: “It’s happening.” This shooting was so outside her reality that she […]
Weekend Knowledge Dump- January 31, 2020
Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend. You Don’t Have to Shoot First; But You Better Do Something! Some of the science involving reaction times relative to defensive shootings. Vortex Razor HD Gen III 1-10 – Overview with Steve […]
Do You Need A Muzzle Stand Off Device?
Written by: Greg Ellifritz I recently saw this addition to the Smith and Wesson 380EZ advertised on the internet. Take a look at the site. What do you think? Is this a useful addition to your .380 pistol? This invention has three roles. It is a compensator, reducing recoil and muzzle flip. It […]
Shooting From the Ground
Written by: Greg Ellifritz Have you ever trained to draw and fire your pistol from any position other than standing? Most recreational shooters haven’t. Fights are messy. Sometimes the unexpected happens. Take a look at this story. A man was fleeing armed robbers and slipped on the ice, causing him to fall. […]
Weekend Knowledge Dump- January 24, 2019
Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend. The Gray Man Concept…You’re doing it wrong Scroll down to the last article on the page. Embrace the idea of being a gray man. It might someday be a tactic that saves your life. […]
Using a Fire Extinguisher as a Weapon
Written by: Greg Ellifritz A would-be victim of last month’s London Bridge terrorist stabbing attack used a fire extinguisher to distract/disorient the terrorist as another person stabbed the man with a narwhal tusk to end the attack. Seeing the photo below got me thinking about how best to use a fire extinguisher as a […]
Head Shots and Bouncing Bullets
Written by: Greg Ellifritz By now, you’ve likely seen the news article from a couple weeks ago. An armed robber shot a compliant victim in the face. The bullet ricocheted off the victim’s skull and hit the second robber, killing him. Read about it HERE. It may seem strange, but it happens all […]
No One Is Coming To Save You
Written by: Greg Ellifritz In the last few weeks my social media news feed has been deluged with videos of inept police officers who cannot fight. Most citizens assume that the police officers who patrol their neighborhoods are competent fighters. Those people couldn’t be more wrong. Depending on the state, police officers […]