Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
CHAIR QUAL:Barricade Skills Using a Folding Chair
I did this drill for the first time almost 20 years ago in an NRA patrol rifle instructor class taught by the now-departed Clive Shepherd. I used it every couple of years when I was doing rifle training for the department. I also used large wooden picnic tables for the same purpose, with one shooter working each side of the table.
One final stage I like to add (that the author doesn’t mention) is to stand next to the chair, pick it up with your weak hand, and fire the rifle strong handed only while holding the chair. Repeat on the other side, firing the rifle weak side only.
It’s fun to see old things become new again.
7.62×39 Herters 154gr soft point test and teardown
This round is far from optimal if you rely on your AK for a defensive weapon against two-legged predators. Thanks to Practical Eschatology for digging up this forgotten link. Here’s another test of a different 7.62 x 39mm ammo. Does Cheap Russian JSP Expand? 7.62x39mm Barnaul 125gr Soft Point Gel Test
THE DANGERS OF UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECK LEGISLATION
Massad Ayoob discusses some of the serious problems with universal background checks. I don’t think most folks have considered this angle.
On the topic of legal threats, you should also be aware of the issues involved with Red Flag Laws.
Center Mass in a Three-Dimensional World
“I’ll just shoot him in the legs.”
“Two to the chest, one to the head.”
“Double tap and done.”
“I’ll just shoot him in the pelvis and work my way up.”
All of these “plans” presuppose that your bad guy will let you. We shoot to stop the threat and doing so means targeting the center of what is offered, or exercising discipline until you can maneuver for a clear shot or wait for the threat to give you one. We should be wary of anything that always works on paper, just as we should probably be dubious of magic formulas that require a specific set of circumstances to work. The only off switch is a hit (or more) to the central nervous system. Outside of that, you can and should expect a threat to continue to fight regardless of where or how many times you hit them. Until they lose consciousness or surrender, they are still a threat and should be treated as such by the continued use of controlled violence so long as you have a clear shot.”
Workism Is Making Americans Miserable
“The economists of the early 20th century did not foresee that work might evolve from a means of material production to a means of identity production. They failed to anticipate that, for the poor and middle class, work would remain a necessity; but for the college-educated elite, it would morph into a kind of religion, promising identity, transcendence, and community. Call it workism.”
Court Holds Jiu-Jitsu Liability Waiver Does Not Apply To Tournament Injuries
For you martial arts instructors, does your liability waiver mention tournaments or competitions? Perhaps it should.
FBI Ammunition Test Protocol & Relevancy to Self Defense
“However, since 2/3 of the current FBI test for handgun ammo is skewed toward defeating hard, intermediate barriers, and self defense shooters are not likely to need this kind of ammunition, does the FBI testing actually give us a good view of what makes the best self defense ammunition?
“[FBI tests tree through eight] are unimportant in the private sector,” said Cunningham. “They may be important to people whose job is to arrest other people, which is where barrier penetration becomes an important characteristic. We don’t, and generally shouldn’t, need to worry about that.”
MARCH – A Lifesaving Primary Assessment
This is an excellent article reviewing Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) guidelines. Those of you who have attended my medical class will be familiar with the material here.
Video Analysis – Donut Shop Stabbing
“…we have to be realistic in our approach, and we cannot arbitrarily think we can just swing or stab away to get the job done. We have to have a specific tactical plan of action that is supported by concurrent techniques, along with some dedicated pressure testing and drilling to make sure we can pull it off on demand. And always have the idea that it could fail and that we need back up plans. Anything less is going through life with big blinders on. “
Rediscovering the Wheel: Revolver Drills To Improve Shooting
Shooting drills for you wheel gun fans.
Compliance Does Not Always Work As A Strategy
Some case studies showing incidents where compliance worked, as well as times it did not.
Can You Fire .32 ACP in a Revolver?
Yes, you can. It’s just not very accurate.
Loading Mossberg .410 Shotguns for Home Defense
Patterning and gelatin testing of a variety of .410 defensive loads. I do not recommend the .410 (especially out of a handgun) for self protection. There are a couple of things to note here. First, despite the author’s claims, bullets fired into clear gelatin penetrate DEEPER than those shot into properly calibrated ballistic gelatin. Second, the velocities and pattern tightness displayed in the test are the result of long barrels and chokes. Your Taurus Judge has neither. Do not expect this same level of performance out of a .410 handgun.
More Than CCW: Self-Defense Beyond the Firearm
“Having a gun and carrying a gun is great idea, because it means you’ve realized that you yourself are responsible for your immediate self-defense needs. But self-defense means more than just defending your life with a firearm. It means living safely and securely, no matter what happens, by using all the skills and tools available to you.”
Zulu Bravo Kydex Dart
This looks like an easily concealable non-metallic defensive option. I own a couple Zulu Bravo pieces and they are of very high quality and display excellent workmanship.
Pediatric Needle Decompression – What Size Needle?
For those of you parents with advanced medical training, do you have decompression needles that will fit your kids?
Hard Lessons: Urban Survival
Some real talk about “urban survival.”
Write Your Own Book!
“I am not sure about you, but I find myself constantly seeking some hidden answer when instead I need to catalog what I already know, and come up with a plan to most effectively use the knowledge I have to be a better athlete, businessman, husband, etc. Don’t misunderstand me, I am NOT saying that you (or I) should stop reading and seeking knowledge. I am simply saying that most of us are probably ready to write our own success story, rather than follow someone else’s.”
Portland cops can no longer carry knives exposed on their outer vests after fatal police shooting
Have you considered the fact that if your duty knife is really easy for you to draw, it is also really easy for the bad guy to draw as well? I carry a fixed blade knife on duty. No one can see it. That’s the only proper way to carry one in uniform.
MS-13 Planning To Target Off-Duty Cops At Their Homes
All of you cops who have FOP placards or “thin blue line” stickers on your cars are placing your families in danger. Get rid of that shit. Your tribal identity statement may get you killed.
Review: Keepers Concealment Errand AIWB Holster
It’s nice to see Spencer’s work getting some good press. I use the errand for my Shield and G43. It’s a great holster. See my review of The Errand as well as The Keeper. These are my primary off duty carry holsters.
CCW Training: Are We Practicing the Wrong Skills?
Have you ever stopped to think about why you are practicing the skills that you practice? Maybe you should.
For another take on the subject, read Mark Luell’s article Meta : Critical Skills and Goals for Personal Protection.
How to Handle Squib Loads and Hangfires
Being able to recognize a squib load is a critical skill for all shooters to have. I don’t spend any time in my classes covering hang fires. In my experience, hang fires are exceptionally rare. I’ve only seen a couple in my career and they were with really old military surplus rifle ammunition.
Choosing the Right Buffer for Your AR-15
Confused about all the different AR-15 buffers? This will sort things out for you.
Confident CCW: Overcoming Obstacles to Effective EDC
Jeff Gonzales provides some excellent information for the new CCW carrier.
The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups
What I’m reading this week…
I really enjoy Coyle’s perspective and writing style.
The Continuing Expansion of Permitless Carry
This is truly a staggering statistic if you take the time to think about it.
“Going back to 1986, over 90% of Americans lived in states with either no carry permitted or may-issue carry permits. By contrast, approximately two-thirds of all Americans live in a state with either shall-issue permits or constitutional carry [today].”
If the topic interests you, take the time to check out the same author’s article Concealed Weapon Carry Laws in the US: A Primer.
Safety tips for real estate professionals meeting with buyers or showing houses
Sensible self protection practices for those of you who work in the real estate field.
OCD: Obsessive Cleaning Disorder
You really don’t have to clean your gun after every shooting session. I shoot a lot and I seldom clean any of my guns more than a few times a year. keep them well lubricated and they will run dirty for a long time.
THE CONCEALED CARRY TRAP – ARE YOU CAUGHT IN IT?
Mike Seeklander provides 10 questions you should ask yourself in order to assess if you have adequately prepared for a life-threatening defensive encounter.
Bad Practice: Mission Critical Baby carrier and holster
This one might be the worst “Don’t Dig the Rig” set up that I have ever seen. ISG explains why for those of you who might think this is a good idea.
Home video shows teen stealing gun from Wichita man’s holster as he works on car
Since we are on the topic of open carry, let me present this incident. Watch the short video to see a man’s gun snatched right out of his holster. Open carry activists often don’t realize just how quickly a gun can be taken, especially if the gun is being carried in something other than a retention holster. Open carriers also fail to understand criminal psychology. That openly carried gun isn’t a deterrent for some folks. Instead it’s a challenge. It’s a prize. Some criminals will not hesitate to snatch your gun if they think they have a chance at getting away with it.
Please stop open carrying in urban environments. If you need more evidence, check out my article with a database of more than 40 open carry disarms and a summation of articles from most of the thought leaders in the firearms world condemning the practice.
11 Exercises That Will Enhance Your Shooting Technique and Your Core
Some exercises that will improve your shooting abilities.
Ambush backfires as gunman is shot and killed by police
Three months ago, I predicted we would see more and more active killers looking to ambush cops. I hate to pat myself on the back given the subject matter, but check out this story.
This guy faked being an active killer by going into a blood donation business and firing shots in the air. He knew that cops would immediately make entry on an “active killer” call.
“Lisa Walterhouse, an employee at the downtown plasma center, says police responded after the man entered the building and fired shots. As a result, she said he urged staff to call 911.
He “wanted to ambush officers. … The suspect was waiting by the door for officers to arrive,”
We are going to see more and more of these.
If you are a cop, how do you plan to avoid an ambush like this?
If you are a police department administrator, are you proactively doing any of the actions I suggest in the linked article in order to better prepare your troops?
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.
