Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
On conquering COVID, the invisible suspect
Did you know that 196 police officers died from Covid-19 in 2020? That was four times greater than the number killed by firearms.
What Shot Feedback Can Tell You About Marksmanship Errors
Ed Head discusses how to analyze your target after firing. You may have seen a chart showing this same information. Karl Rehn weighs in on that in The Chart With No Name.
Cardio for BJJ
Cecil details why you shouldn’t “wait until you are in shape” before trying a grappling or BJJ class.
Activist claims LA cops playing copyrighted music to keep videos of interactions with the public off social media
Unconventional tactics for unconventional times.
The Verbal // Striking for the Streets: Part 6
Students regularly ask me questions about verbalization during a self defense encounter. That skill set seems more troublesome to many people than the physical aspect of defending oneself. Here are some good verbalization tips.
“There Is No Modern Precedent”: American Murder Rate Soars 30% In 2020
People forget that crime rates are cyclical. Things have been pretty tame here since the late-1990s when the crime rate decreased after all the gang violence and crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s and early 1990s.
I got hired as a cop in 1995, in the tail end of the last hyper-violent period. In my first few years on the job, I arrested 10X (no exaggeration. That’s an actual number.) the number of criminals I did in the last few years. People forget how bad it was.
Now most of the cops who were around in the late 1980s and early 1990s are retired. The cops we have on the job now are in for a tremendous change in the coming years. These bad cycles tend to last about a decade. It’s not going to get better anytime soon.
First Aid for the Incidental Responder
Important information to understand. Your tourniquet may not be as useful as you think it is.
On Walking
“Everybody should walk for 30 mins a day, every day. To make it easier, divide it into two 15-mins sessions, or even three 10-min sessions, such as around the block after every meal.
It doesn’t matter. And if you say you STILL don’t have time then you yeah, you need to make time. Stress has got your back and its next move is choking you out. Don’t skip this.”
The Levels of Eye Contact
Although this article primarily deals with romantic eye contact, his different levels are also applicable to criminal violence.
Be aware of the -1 level (intentionally avoiding eye contact). It often indicates that you have been targeted and the criminal doesn’t want to betray his intentions. The Level 5 gaze is also problematic. The criminal is likely looking at you as a target and trying to figure out how to get what he wants from you.
The Level 7 “eye fuck” is a way males provoke aggression or a fear response in their victims. The Level 9 “crazy eyes” should be avoided in every context.
Revolvers and Ammo Shortages
Revolver advantages in the age of ammunition shortages.
Understanding Stand Your Ground & Castle Doctrine
A lot of gun owners have trouble understanding the legal concept of “castle doctrine.” Massad Ayoob attempts to clarify the concept in this article. If you want even more info, read Massad’s book on the topic.
AK-47 Targets, Trajectory, and Testing: Known Distance Knowledge
A wide variety of good AK information. Here is the same site’s similar compilation for AR-style rifles.
Weapon Light Use: Canopy Light vs. Direct Light
While I prefer to do my structure clearing with a hand held light, that isn’t always possible. If I have to rely on a weapon mounted light, understanding the ideas of “canopy lighting” and “bouncing light” is important in order to avoid muzzling what you don’t want to muzzle.
Why You Should Train with the Handgun You Carry
Take the author’s advice. Shoot these drills with both your full sized handgun and the smaller handgun you may carry more often. I think you will be surprised at the difference in results.
Julie Golob – 50-Round Drill
A simple 50-round shooting drill to keep your skill levels high in between more extensive practice sessions. You’ll also want to check out these five shooting drills from Massad Ayoob and Pistol Drills-3 to 7 yards from Gun Nuts Media.
On Being a Beginner (Again)
Justin shares an important perspective for you instructors.
How To Choose a Concealed-Carry Pistol Instructor
Good advice about choosing an instructor.
Revolvers: Ideal or Obsolete?
A very good article highlighting both the advantages and disadvantages of carrying a revolver.
“In terms reliability in a broader context, I think Chuck Haggard really hit the nail on the head when he pointed out that semi-autos are more tolerant of abuse but revolvers are more tolerant of neglect. A modern full size 9mm pistol from a quality manufacturer should be expected to go through a 1000 round class in a weekend without any problems. If you try the same thing with a revolver, you’re probably going to run into some issues, especially if you don’t keep it clean.
But if you take that same 9mm, load it up, and stick it in a drawer or in a holster and don’t touch it for a few years, what are they chances it’s actually going to work if you suddenly need it some day? It might get through a whole magazine without a hiccup, but there are a lot of things that can go wrong if you don’t keep it lubricated and maintain it.”
AYOOB: CAN YOU SHOOT YOUR 1911 BACKWARDS?
Massad discusses some ambidextrous techniques to operate a 1911.
Threadlocker How-To // The Glue That Binds Us
Everything you could possibly want to know about threadlockers.
Fatally Wounded Attacker Continues To Be A Deadly Threat
Even if the bad guy is down, it doesn’t mean he’s out of the fight.
The Best Personal Defense Strategies for Civil Unrest
Steve Tarani discusses how to use “soft skills” to avoid civil unrest in your daily life.
Riot Squad Cops Open Up About Disastrous Response to Capitol Insurrection
An in-depth look at the Capitol riots from the perspective of the responding cops.
“…said one officer. “I don’t trust the people above me to make decisions to bring me home safe.”
I hope most currently serving police officers have the same level of distrust in their administrators and the politicians making the decisions. The absolutely do not have either the cops’ or the average citizens’ interests as a top priority
And on the topic of police response to protests, I think many of you will find this document worthwhile. REPORT ON THE 2020 PROTESTS AND CIVIL UNREST. Opens to PDF.
Real Shootouts of the LAPD
Claude published a new book! It’s a unique idea and provides valuable lessons learned. I got mine a couple days ago and am enjoying reading it.
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