Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
ATF “Final Rule” On Unfished Frames & Receivers Thrown Out By Federal Judge
Good news here.
Issue 8
This free issue of “Armed Lifestyle” magazine has some valuable content.
Family Safety
Jeff Gonzales talks about some considerations should things kick off when you are in the presence of your family. If the topic interests you, read Caleb Causey’s account of shopping with his wife and infant son when the store was being robbed by a gang of armed criminals (opens to Facebook post).
Dangers Of Lead: Why You MUST Wash Your Hands After Range Day
A very important safety warning here. When my office was in a poorly-ventilated indoor range, my blood lead levels rose to about 15x normal. Don’t let that happen to you.
Pro Tip: Look at Your Ammo As You’re Loading Your Magazines
Quality control from all ammunition companies is becoming poor. I see a couple rounds that look like this in almost every class I teach.
Backup guns: A cop’s insurance policy
When I got hired as a cop in 1995, almost every patrol officer carried a backup gun. By the time I retired three years ago I would estimate that fewer than 1/3 of our officers regularly carried one. I fear that during our relative prosperity and low crime rates we’ve forgotten some hard-learned lessons.
Street Cop Tactics
Clint Smith discusses solo structure clearing principles. On the same topic, you should also read Single Officer Response to Active Threats AAR.
International Travel Safety: Tips for Staying Safe and Secure While Abroad
General travel safety tips.
The best defense is still not being there
“Another problem with the idea of being in a gunfight tomorrow is the notion that it can’t be avoided. There is definite value in convincing prospective students that an event is inevitable; it makes the sales job easier.
I hate to keep bringing up reality, but a very large number of defensive gun uses are actually avoidable. I’ve talked about this many times over the years; John Farnam’s prescription for safe living (avoid doing stupid things, going to stupid places, and hanging out with stupid people) eliminates a surprising number of potential self defense scenarios.
So does learning to say “I’m sorry”, and mean it. So many cases of social violence come down to two people (almost always men) who can’t let something pass because neither has the cojones to admit that maybe they were wrong. Even if you’re not wrong, de-escalating by accepting the blame is often a very good way to defuse a tense situation.
Claude Werner has often said that most gun owners (most people in general, actually) would get far more value from a Dale Carnegie course, which teaches you how to get along with other people, than from a shooting class. I agree with his sentiment. Learning how to manage interpersonal conflict is a more difficult skill than pulling a trigger and thus generally less popular.
Inevitability (“you ARE going to be in a gunfight tomorrow”) carries the implicit assumption that there is absolutely nothing you can do to avoid it. There may be cases where that’s true, but for the most part not being a horses’ ass, avoiding “the stupids”, learning to swallow your pride, and not allowing yourself to be distracted in unsecured spaces will eliminate a surprisingly large percentage of gunfight scenarios.”
For more of Grant’s advice, check out one of the most sensible survival books on the market.
The CSAT Pistol Standards: Shoot ‘Em Up
A solid set of shooting standards to attempt during your next practice session. If that one is too advanced, try the Ball and Dummy Drill.
Lessons From the Murder of Trooper Philip Lamonaco
We can learn a lot by thoroughly dissecting past gunfights.
How to Pepper Spray
Legendary Lawman Chuck Haggard pens and exceptionally useful article about the proper use of spicy treat dispensers.
To See or Not to See, That is the Question
I use my flashlight far more than I use any other tool I carry. If you don’t currently carry a light, buy a Streamlight MicroStream. It’s on sale for 48% off today and is the handiest flashlight you’ll ever carry. It’s not “tactical” but it is a solid utility light that is super easy to carry. It can certainly be pressed into service as a perfectly adequate combative flashlight in an indoor emergency.
Start carrying a light. You won’t believe how often you’ll use it. Then you’ll want a bigger light with more lumens/candela. The little Microstream is the gateway drug for serious tactical lights.
While you are on the Shooting Illustrated website, you should also check out Think Fast.
When Crack Was King: A People’s History of a Misunderstood Era
What I’m reading…
I was a baby cop on the tail end of crack wars and saw them from a very unique perspective. Looking forward to examining experiences different from my own.
AR Basics: Under Gassed? Check Your Gas Rings
Everything you would ever want to know about your AR-15 gas rings. If you are interested in more AR-15 content, read all about the difference in AR-15 barrel types.
Seven Tips To Prevent/Survive A Carjacking
Richard Nance provides some excellent counter-carjacking advice. You should also read his book gunFIGHT.
Airsoft versus Simunition for Force-on-Force Training
While I generally prefer Simunitions or UTM training rounds, I regularly use airsoft in my classes because it’s far cheaper and the plastic BBs sting much less than Sims rounds. That’s an advantage when dealing with students new to force-on-force training classes.
CCI Stinger 22 LR: The Original 22 Personal Defense Load
Although I currently think that the Federal Punch and the CCI Velocitor are better defensive loads in this caliber, I would never fault someone for carrying old school Stinger rounds. They were the top performers in that caliber for decades.
Large Group Of Robbers Jack Mans Car At One A.M.
I’m seeing more and more attacks like this perpetrated by large groups of feral urban youth. The days of “multiple attackers” numbering two or three are long gone. What you see here is now becoming the norm. If you aren’t training with this likelihood in mind, I think you are doing yourself a large disservice.
SplintER Series: Common ED Splint Techniques
A very useful medical resource. This site shows (with pictures) how to splint every type of extremity injury. This is good knowledge to have. You can use a SAM Splint for all of these. I carry the longer 36″ Sam Splints in my car and home kits and the smaller flat folded Sam Splints in any of my medical kits where space is at a premium.
Speaking of medical skills, here is a piece of medical gear you may not have considered.
Top 5 Auction Scams and How to Avoid Them
Learning about online auction fraud.
Instructor or Mentor? You Decide.
“Students learn in three ways. By hearing your words, seeing your demonstrations, and practicing your skills. Words have meanings, so be careful what you choose. Students will do what you do to demonstrate the best you can. If your performance lacks, fix it. You don’t have to be the best shooter in the world to teach. However, you must be good enough to demonstrate what you expect students to do. “
Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you purchase these items, I get a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you.
