Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
Making Pocket-Sized Pistols Suck Less
Good advice for maximizing your shooting abilities with smaller defensive pistols.
APPLICATIONS OF THE SMALL REVOLVER – PART 1
Speaking of “pocket pistols.” the J-frame has some significant advantages over other pistols in its size range.
Five-Point Checklist for After A Self Defense Shooting
Critical information that every gun owner should understand.
The Real Anthony Fauci: Bill Gates, Big Pharma, and the Global War on Democracy and Public Health
What I’m reading…
Unaware NYPD off duty cop improperly carrying firearm has firearm stolen in broad daylight
Just keep believing that “No one will notice my printing gun” or “Open carry deters crime.” You may bring the gun to the fight, but it’s only yours if you can keep it.
Armed Citizen Considerations in the Time of the Active Killer
Some things you should be considering before engaging an active killer.
A Conversation with Andy Stanford
Those of you who have been involved in the firearms training field for more than 25 years will likely recognize Andy Stanford. Andy was one of the true thought leaders in the training industry from the mid 1990s up through the mid 2000s when he stopped teaching open enrollment firearms classes. His books and magazine articles are what old timers like me read to learn new things in the days before the internet.
I first met Andy somewhere around 2003. He came to TDI with Paul Gomez to take one of the upper level handgun classes I was teaching down there. I found Andy to have a very unique perspective on the training industry and have considered him a friend ever since. His ideas and opinions aren’t what you will normally hear from a lot of instructors. I appreciate his fresh approach.
As Andy mentioned, he will be bringing together some intellectual giants in the firearms training community for his upcoming Surgical Speed Shooting Summit. I was honored Andy asked me to teach there. We’ll be joined by John Holschen, Michael Green, John Hearne, Claude Werner and many others. This is a unique one time training event. It will not be held again. Our purpose as instructors is to define and teach what we instructors think is the current state of the art with regards to handgun fighting tactics.
The class is June 18-19 in Camden, Tennessee. This one will definitely sell out. You can find more information and register at the Tactical Response website.
LTT Striker Control Device (SCD)
I have a striker control device (gadget) on all of the Glock pistols I carry inside the waistband. It’s an extra layer of safety while reholstering that costs nothing in size, weight, or functionality. I was disappointed when the Tau Development Group stopped producing them last year.
It seems that Landon Tactical has picked up the design and has brought them back to the market. If you don’t know Ernest, besides being one of the smartest dudes in the industry, he’s a hell of a nice guy. I’m happy his company ran with this technology and have no doubts that this version will be every bit as good (or better) than the original.
Using Wadcutter Ammo for Self-Defense
I get lots of questions about what kind of ammo to carry in a snub .38. While I think the Speer Gold Dot and Winchester Ranger are probably the best choices overall, there is considerable merit to the idea of carrying full wadcutters as defensive rounds. This video explains that idea and why it might be a good one. Your only problem will be finding these loads in the ammo drought.
Signs that You Are Being Tracked with an Apple AirTag and Tips to Stop It
Very useful information about how AirTags work and how to recognize if you are being tracked by one.
Groups Issue Joint Statement on EMS Lights and Siren Responses
This is something that has bothered me since my first day as a cop. In the state where I worked, police could run lights and siren only if responding to felony crimes of violence in progress, serious injury car accidents, or in a situation where it was reasonable to believe that someone was at risk of serious physical harm or death.
Medic and fire vehicles run lights and sirens for almost everything. It never made sense to me. Running hot is probably the most dangerous things police, fire, and EMS units do on a regular basis. No one is paying attention while driving. Few people yield to your lights and sirens. It’s frightening. I honestly would rather be in a gunfight than a long car pursuit with lights and siren going.
As the article states, only 6.9% of medical calls involve a life threatening emergency. I don’t think medics should be running lights and sirens for someone with a broken ankle or a bloody nose.
Body Language: Lower Your Victimization Profile, Because The Bad Guys Are Watching
A fairly comprehensive guide covering the research regarding body language and criminal victimization.
Best Practices for Mitigating Threats
“The further you wait along the threat progression timeline the greater your risk of injury and the fewer your force options. The earlier you solve the problem the less potential you incur for physical injury.”
Active Shooting: An Evolving Threat Requiring an Updated Solution
“We have to stop looking for responses in the area of “certainty” within these types of dynamic engagements and resolve ourselves to the fact that these are matters of percentages. Certain actions will increase the shooters effectiveness, others will decrease them. But, all of these components reside within our control unless we surrender them. Our goal then is to minimize our exposure to the greatest extent possible by harnessing our most basic instinct and greatest asset, the will to live.”
Do you teach it, or just talk about it?
A very valuable article for my police readers. It covers a comprehensive training plan to introduce tactical breathing as a way to reduce stress in new police recruits.
How to Use a Shotgun for Home Defense
Tips from several leading firearms instructors about how to more effectively utilize a defensive shotgun.
Shooting The Shorties
Continuing with the theme of scatterguns, this piece is one of the rare articles I read that provides sensible advice about shooting short barrel pistol grip shotguns.
NLP in Martial Arts and Shooting – A Brief History
I started researching NLP in the mid 1990s after I read an article Dave Spaulding wrote that mentioned it. While the technology certainly has its naysayers, I’ve found it to be useful when providing coaching, in social situations, and when attempting to interview prisoners in the arrest process.
In this article, Hock does a great job describing how it has been used over the years. If you are unfamiliar with the system, I might recommend the books Introducing Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Heart of the Mind.
American Double Action Revolvers of the 19th Century
An interesting history lesson filled with revolvers I’ve never seen.
Some Thoughts on Firearms & Ammo Logistics for Prepared Citizens
“Many purchase guns and ammo under the guise of prepping, but I would submit these people really aren’t prepared; they are simply using preparedness as justification to purchase something they already wanted. This discussion really isn’t for those who do that; this is for people who want to improve their overall preparedness and make better spending decisions.”
The burden of adult based learning in an Alpha world: A tale of willing ignorance.
Having served as the full time training officer for my police department for 13 years, I identify with the author’s struggle. As he says: “Most cops have met some personal status quo and no longer aspire towards a greater level of performance.” That is the absolute truth.
How do we fix that? The author believes you need an incredibly passionate training officer or firearms instructor. I agree. I’ve seen the results in my own agency when people who aren’t passionate about shooting, training, or fighting teach officers these skills. It simply doesn’t work.
This is a good read for any of my police officer friends or anyone who wants to improve police training in general.
CCW Printing: Etiquite When Concealing a Handgun
If you are carrying concealed, you will want to avoid printing. This concept is far more important than many CCW carriers give it credi for.
Improve Your Defensive Skills
Massad Ayoob suggests a few shooting drills to improve your performance.
Sorting Out The Littlest Brownings
A neat article discussing the history of one of my favorite little pocket pistols. The Browning Baby is one of the tiniest pistols made and is quite reliable for a gun of its type. I occasionally carry one in my front pocket as a hideout gun.
Study the Canon
Steven Pressfield is one of my favorite authors. In his blog, he provides weekly tips on becoming a better writer. This one struck me as being also useful for the professional firearms instructor.
Have you done the work?
As he states: “You have to know the canon.”
This is the reason I talk about firearms training history so much on my blog. Fellow instructors Karl Rehn, Darryl Bolke, and Tom Givens actually teach classes on the history of firearms training.
Lee Weems is doing epic work on his podcast interviewing folks who know the history of our art.
If you want to be good, you have to do the work. Study the content produced by these guys.
Improvised Antiseptics for Preventing Infection
Information you might find useful.
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