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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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?
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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 […]
Weekend Knowledge Dump- January 17, 2020
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Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend. The Seeds of (unconventional) War Pay close attention to the recommendations ISG makes at the end of the article. Castle Doctrine Fact vs. Fiction Massad Ayoob writes a very comprehensive piece on […]
African Counter-Ambush Tactics
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Written by: Greg Ellifritz I recently returned from a two-week trip to South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. The primary focus of the trip was going on safari to see all the legendary animals that inhabit the African plains. On the trip I did 12 different safari outings, either on foot, by safari truck, or […]
Texas Church Attack: Post-Shooting Procedures
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Written by: Greg Ellifritz I’ve read many tactical debriefs of the recent shooting incident at the West Freeway Church of Christ. I have no plans to re-hash what has already been discussed in countless articles and videos. There were lots of good things (a near-perfect head shot from an extended distance, no mistaken […]
Weekend Knowledge Dump- January 10, 2020
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Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend. Situational Awareness Skills: Teaching Kids Observation Skills Good suggestions for those of you who have young children. Glock Guide: DIY Frame Disassembly For those of you who don’t know how to remove […]
January 2020 Classes
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I have two classes in Central Ohio coming up at the end of the month. The host is providing a discount if you register for both. I hope to see some of you there. For registration details, go to Personal Defense Systems website. Class descriptions are as follows: Knife Skills for […]
My Best Writing- 2019
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Written by: Greg Ellifritz Last week, I posted an article linking to my most popular posts in 2019. In that article, I discussed how my “most popular” articles were not the same as my “best” articles. I liked many of the most popular articles (ranked by page view), but I think other […]
Your Tactical Training Scenario: In-Hand Weapons Retention
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Written by: Greg Ellifritz Have you ever thought about what you would do if a criminal lunged for your gun as you were holding him at gunpoint? That happened to a police officer last week with very serious consequences. The cop and another citizen were both shot. Read about the incident at the link […]