Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
Sometimes You Gotta Think Outside The Box
Students in my classes regularly ask me about the viability of tossing a wallet or car keys in the direction of the attacker and running away. Here’s an example of someone trying that technique. While not a horrible outcome, I doubt it is what the victim expected.
As economic conditions worsen and police become less proactive, I predict multiple assailant attacks like this will become far more commonplace in the future.
Ammo Shortage: Would You Still Carry If All You Had Was Target Ammo?
This question came up at the recent Revolver Roundup. The unanimous consensus among fellow instructors was “absolutely.” I would carry lead round nose or ball ammo without hesitation if that were all I had. I’ve spent the majority of the calendar year thus far in Brazil, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. I saw lots of guns. None of them was loaded with hollowpoint ammo. You can bet the gun carriers didn’t worry about their weapons’ lack of “stopping power.”
I talked to one Brazilian cop about carrying ball ammo once. He had no complaints about its performance. He told me, “If they don’t stop after a few rounds in the chest, I shoot them in the head.” That is the proper attitude to take.
Life During Wartime
Low round count shooting drills including a 25-round version of Dot Torture. If you want a rifle shooting drill, try the new Marine Corps Rifle qualification course.
S&W 351PD Review
The S&W 351 is one of my favorite revolvers.
How to Adjust Your Rifle Setup for Body Armor
Some considerations that few people understand.
Left Hand Revolver Reloads | Just the Tip
Off-handed revolver reloads. For more revolver reloading information, watch this video from Jerry Miculek.
Dear Gun Industry Please Stop Carrying Backwards In Your Small of Back
Just stop. You aren’t Magnum P.I.
A SILENT KILLER | Mitigating Exposure Risks from Lead at Shooting Ranges
Lead poisoning is no joke. Take reasonable precautions when shooting and cleaning guns.
Comprehensive: How to Build a Fire
An incredibly detailed fire starting guide.
A Medics Pick : Top 5 Best Tourniquets
The best tourniquets to carry. I like the first four. I’m not a big fan of the SWAT-T.
THE BEST 5.56 ROUND FOR HOME DEFENSE AND CQB: DIVING INTO THE RESEARCH
I like the Hornady GMX and the Federal Tactical rounds for barrier-blind performance. I would avoid the Hornady Tap as it severely underpenetrates, even in bare flesh.
Jammed: How Can an Adversary Cause a Failure?
A few of the ways your gun can get jammed up when making contact distance shots against an adversary.
IS A 9MM REVOLVER RIGHT FOR YOU? FOUR PROS AND ONE CON
Bullets jumping the crimp is a real thing in 9mm revolvers. Make sure you test all defensive carry ammo.
TOP FIVE AK MAGS FOR THE MONEY
Options for AK magazines.
Should the 30-30 Retire?
I still like the .30-30. It will kill any game east of the Mississippi. It also works very well as an anti-personnel round for defensive purposes. There aren’t many domestic threats that can’t be handled with six rounds of .30-30 out of a lever action carbine.
Understanding Hollow Point vs FMJ Bullets
Different bullets do different things. For more information, check out Perfect Self-Defense Ammo?
Beyond Black Letter Law
This month’s edition of the ACLDN newsletter has an excellent article on how case law works. One thing that I really like about this organization is their commitment to providing quality legal education to their members. I am a member of the ACLDN and consider their pre-paid legal protection plans to be one of the best investments a gun owner can make.
The Evolutionary Advantages of Playing Victim
“Newly published research indicates that people who more frequently signal their victimhood (whether real, exaggerated, or false) are more likely to lie and cheat for material gain and denigrate others as a means to get ahead. Victimhood signaling is associated with numerous morally undesirable personality traits, such as narcissism, Machiavellianism (willingness to manipulate and exploit others for self-benefit), a sense of entitlement, and lower honesty and humility.”
Defensive Knives Part 2: Ka-Bar LDK
Chris Tanner has some great ideas about modifying and carrying the Ka-Bar LDK knife that I designed. Check out his video review. I like both of his suggestions. You can get the knife for $20 right now on Amazon.com.
Open Carrier Has Gun Snatched At Convenience Store
Many open carry advocates insist that crimes like these never happen. They are wrong. While open carry disarms don’t happen with great frequency, they do regularly occur. Study these incidents. Learn from the victims’ mistakes.
Seeing the details of more than 70 different open carry disarming incidents in the last five years (at this link) should be all of the evidence you need to realize that open carry comes with some serious potential risks.
The Multitasker NANO
This is a useful tool if you run a laser or red dot on your gun.
Video: Defending Yourself From A Vehicle
Simple concepts that will improve your odds should you have o fight in your car.
Safety in a World Gone Nuts
Michael Bane discusses the difference between political violence and other types of violence. He makes the point that if you are defending yourself against culturally sanctioned political violence, you shouldn’t expect to be following the same rules as you would when defending against a nighttime home invader. This is critical for people to understand. The only way you can win this game is to choose not to play.
[How-To] Zero Iron Sights With Ease: Pistol & Rifle
Sight adjustment basics.
Best handheld ham radios
I get a surprising amount of questions from my readers about radios. I know nothing about the topic and have no interest in learning about it. I carried the radio work issued to me every day for 25 years. Now that I’m retired, I prefer to stay radio silent. There aren’t many people with which I want to communicate. It’s just not my thing.
But I understand that some of you have a greater interest in the topic. This article should help some of you out.
Regarding the Futility of Controlling Firearms
The link gives you complete plans to make a 12 gauge zip gun out of simple items you can find at a hardware store. DON”T DO THIS! Constructing a gun like this violates state and federal law. But look how easy it is to do. Yet another reason why gun control can never work here. People can build their own gun in an hour with $20 in hardware store parts. It may be bulky, illegal, and dangerous, but it fires a single 12 gauge shell. It’s the perfect weapon to use to “acquire” a better weapon. Google the “liberator” pistol concept from WWII. This is a modern day equivalent.
For additional evidence that gun control is ineffective, take a look at this article about how criminals rent guns to commit crime in Colombia.
Gun Graffiti
I like his method of recording firearms details in his records. I might have to update my Excel spreadsheet list of guns.
Rangemaster March Newsletter
Another excellent edition of the Rangemaster newsletter. This one has shooting drills, general safety tips, and recommended revolver modification. Opens to PDF.
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