Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
The Best .22 LR Handguns for Concealed Carry
I occasionally carry a .22 defensively. I relied on two of them when they were the only guns I could carry after a surgery a couple years ago. This article has some good advice.
For more information about the benefits of lightweight carry guns, read Prepping a Personal-Defense Kit: My Flyweight Travel EDC.
How To Make Sure Your Handgun Fits You
Some good guidelines for making sure your handgun fits your hand.
100 Deadly Skills Author Shares 4 Hotel Security Tips
Some simple hotel security tricks.
The Laws of Human Nature
What I’m reading…
“Think of the book in the following way: you are about to become an apprentice in human nature. You will be developing some skills- how to observe and measure the character of your fellow humans and see into your own depths. You will work on bringing out your higher self. And through practice you will emerge as a master of the art, able to thwart the worst that other people can throw at you and to mold yourself into a more rational, self aware, and productive individual.”
Who wouldn’t want to read a book that can teach you those skills?
Stingray Injuries
I’ve seen a couple of stingray injuries in my travels over the years. They can be pretty nasty. Read about how to treat them in the field if you travel in areas near the ocean.
Craig Douglas teaches How to draw a firearm while standing in a crowd
Craig shares some of the finer points of drawing a pistol and reholstering. I’m willing to bet that most of you have never considered these factors in your practice routine.
10 Learning Techniques Rated According To A Scientific Study
Learning how to learn is one of the most important skills you can master.
The anatomy of the Las Vegas mass shooting, the deadliest in modern US history
A long form article with a detailed timeline of the Las Vegas active killer massacre.
This incident was very different than many other mass killings. The long term average for numbers of killed versus wounded in active killer attacks is 1:3. Three people are wounded for every one that is killed. That ratio was really off in this attack. There were 58 killed and over 550 injuries. That’s a 1:10 ratio. Why was this killer so ineffective?
I initially blamed the long range and the imprecise nature of the bump-firing.
Take a look at the photo above. It appears that the killer used Hornady TAP rounds. Those are essentially varmint bullets that don’t penetrate deeply enough to be reliable defensive rounds. That factor could be another big reason why so few people (comparatively) died in the Las Vegas shooting.
New Revolvers from Kimber, Charter Arms, Ruger, and Colt
Some revolver carry options. I honestly can’t believe that in today’s world Charter Arms would actually produce a gun that didn’t have sights.
Tier Three Tactical: Pistol Standards
Pistol shooting standards to let you know exactly how competent you are with your defensive sidearm. Need another drill? Try the classic El Presidente.
The odds and stakes of home protection
“The odds that the bump in the night are an intruder are low. I’ve calculated them at three percent but I can accept other numbers. More likely, it’s an innocent party. How many of us have investigated a bump in the night as compared to how many of us have then found someone who needed shooting?”
How To Be Safe in Crowds
Excellent advice here…
Concealed Carry: Criminal Assault Pre-Incident Indicators
John Murphy provides a very thorough breakdown (with video examples) of criminal pre-assault indicators. This is critical information for everyone. You should also watch his followup video on situational awareness.
How to Clean & Lubricate Your Glock in 10 Minutes
A very thorough article (with video as well) about taking care of your Glock pistol. The M Pro 7 products he recommend are a fine choice, but I personally prefer the Slip 2000 EWL. In my experience, it stays on a little longer than the M Pro 7 oil.
Are Glocks really Durable? A Look at Glock Range Rentals
One more Glock article for you today. In this video, Brannon Labouef discusses the long term reliability on his Glock range rental pistols (some having fired nearly 50K rounds).
How New York police issued an unprecedented pamphlet in 1975 warning tourists to stay off the streets
An intriguing article about the crime problems NYC had during the mid-1970s. I can’t imagine doing something like this pamphlet today. In today’s world, anyone who made or distributed such a flyer would be fired very quickly. The ’70s NYC cops and firemen had some exceptionally large cojones.
Why Your Carbine Should Be on ‘Safe’ During a Mag Change
While many instructors vehemently disagree with me, I think that putting your AR-15 on safe during a reload is a good idea.
Elizabeth Gilbert’s Life-Changing Story from Indonesia
In my upcoming third world travel safety book (likely published next month), I have a chapter on safety tips especially for women. In it, I tell female travelers to approach a female local for help if they encounter a problem. This is a prime example of that strategy at work.
Son Rushes To Protect Father
Have you talked to your young children about what they should do in the event that you are attacked? This little guy rushed in and tried to kick the gun out of the robber’s hand. Do your children know not to do that?
If you want to read my suggestions about how to present such information to your kids, check out my article Are Your Instincts Putting Your Child in Danger.
Why You Should Consider a Tactical Pen for Self Defense
I like the idea of tactical pens, but I’m afraid that they are becoming too mainstream. Too many people know what they are and what they can be used for. If you rely on a tactical pen as a defensive weapon, it should be very low profile. It’s shouldn’t be excessively spiky or pointed. Subtle is better. The only tactical pens I carry are the ones from SureFire and those made by my friend Rick Hinderer. Neither of those looks like a weapon.
Gunfighter Moment – Ken Hackathorn
“Good training and a supply of ammo to stay proficient is not cheap. Don’t kid yourself and think that just because you ‘qualified expert in the military’ or outshot your buddies 10 years ago at a beer can shooting match means anything today. Combat marksmanship is a perishable skill. Okay, if you are going to exercise your CCW rights, make a plan now to become skilled, and get started.”
Four Tips to Maximize Concealed Carry Comfort
Some good CCW tips from Tamara Keel.
Defending Strangers: Legal and Practical Considerations
I would be exceptionally cautious about defending strangers in today’s political environment. Call 911 and let the cops handle it. Remember, “Not my people, not my problem.”
One and two shot presentations
While mag dumps are fun, I agree with Claude here. Most of your practice should be perfect one and two shot presentations.
Concealed Carry and Responsibilities
This is critical information from my amigos Michael Bane and William Aprill. Everyone should take the time to watch this video. For those of you in Ohio, Buckeye Firearms is hosting one of William’s classes in February. I’ve seen that particular class six times now and I learn something in every session. Take the class. You will learn a whole lot about how criminals operate.
Nationwide CenturyLink outage knocks out 911 service, ATMs and Internet in several states
A large part of the country temporarily lost 911 contact last week. Do you know your local police non-emergency number? In most locations it goes to the same dispatch center that answers 911 calls. Take the time right now to look up the number and program it into your phone.
New Years Checklist
The fine folks at Cap City Outfitters have come up with a good annual checklist to make sure your defensive gear is ready for action.
Bloody Fight @ Carl’s Jr
This is a horribly brutal video. I want you to watch it for two reasons…
The first is so that you can understand that the street criminals you encounter will not play by your rules and will not show any mercy, even after you are unconscious and no longer a threat.
The second is to ask you the question “At what point would you have intervened here?” There’s no right answer, but it’s a question that every armed citizen needs to explore.
Some of the above links (from Amazon.com) are affiliate links. If you purchase these items, I get a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you.
