Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
I Used To Hate Shotguns But Now I Don’t
Can a small woman shoot a shotgun well? Read Melody’s article and decide for yourself. I agree that the shotgun is an under-appreciated weapon. Shot for shot, nothing drops a criminal faster than a load of buckshot. I have a whole bunch of AR-15 and AK-47 carbines. Do you know what’s under my bed for home defense? A Benelli 12-gauge shotgun.
For more information, check out Lucky Gunner’s followup piece and then read Ralph Mroz’ article on Twenty things to know about tactical shotguns.
Clearing the Caliber Confusion: .223 Wylde vs. 5.56 NATO – Ares Armor
Confused about the difference between .223 Remington, .223 Wylde, and 5.56mm cartridges? This article explains everything.
Why I Dislike the American Kettlebell Swing
I once preferred the American-style (over the head) kettlebell swing. For the reasons the author suggests, I now prefer the original Russian style swing (to chest level). You can smoke yourself plenty well with the Russian swings. If you want an exercise that takes the kettlebell over the head, do a kettlebell snatch.
If you want more info on using kettlebells, the best book I have found is Jeff Martone’s Kettlebell Rx.
Tip: Stop Icing Your Injuries
And if you hurt yourself using your kettlebell, avoid the ice. I only ice now to reduce visible acute swelling and provide pain control after an injury. Even that may be somewhat counterproductive. The author is right. Floss bands work better.
10 Rules for Being a Safe Gun-Owning Parent
I consistently get requests for more articles about family safety. I’m a single dude with no kids. I’m not the person to ask those questions. If you want to read more about family safety, check out my friend Mark Luell’s blog.
‘Sizing Up a Stranger’
The author of this article provides 20 tips to better physically size up an opponent. I’m not sure all of them are valid, but many of his points match my experiences. The “high walker” that he talks about may or may not be a good striker. I don’t know. What I do know is that A LOT of really good wrestlers walk like that. I wouldn’t automatically discount the “high walker” as being ineffective in a fight. If you like the author’s writing style, you can check out his books on Amazon.com.
Five reasons to shoot your Every-Day-Carry Self-Defense ammunition
Dann shares some good information here. Most people don’t rotate their carry ammo with nearly enough frequency. Over time, those rounds get shaken around and exposed to gun solvents, making them less reliable. If you can’t afford to replace your “meat” ammo every six months, then at least do it annually.
“Rough Men” Still Have A Place In Our Society
“Maybe, just maybe, there is something redeeming about rock-ribbed, disciplined, uninhibited manhood which puts service to country above service to fickle emotions, capricious fads and self-important navel-gazing. Maybe there is something vital about that sort of manhood. Maybe we degrade that sort of manhood at our own peril.”
Massad Ayoob: 5 Cases Where You Should Settle or Plea Bargain
A few things that the average gun owner never considers. Taking a case to trial is risky, even if you did nothing wrong. It takes forever, will cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars, and you may lose anyway. It sucks, but that’s they way the world works. If you don’t like it, spend extra time and effort on the avoidance side of things so that you never have to take the shot. If you haven’t read it, you need to read Massad Ayoob’s latest book.
Along a similar line of thinking, if you want to avoid lawsuits or criminal charges, have you ever considered not intervening at all? Ralph Mroz writes a thought provoking article on the concept.
How Carders Can Use eBay as a Virtual ATM
“Triangulation Fraud.” Learn how criminals can use your stolen credit card information to purchase products without getting caught.
What Should I Put In My Bug-Out Bag?
Do you have a bug out bag? If not, here is an article to get you started. You can also check out the article I wrote on the subject as well.
Here is a shooting drill to test your abilities. It’s a ammo efficient way to use a tangible standard to measure progress over time. For a slightly more challenging nine-round drill, try the Triple Mozambique.
If You’re Connecting You’re Not Reflecting
An interesting (and I think, valuable) perspective here.
Hock is right. These knife grips are stupid. Don’t use them. If you want to learn more about knife fighting, Hock’s book is a good start.
The Instructor’s Joyful Burden
“The burden is one of responsibility to those we impart knowledge, skills, and attitudes to. The burden is to the loved ones who wish their family members well, hand them over to our units and agencies, and then hope they return in one piece after their duties are done for the day or deployment. The burden is to the citizens who make up the towns, counties, cities, and states that make up our great nation and yes, pay our salaries. That we train, teach, and mentor those we are responsible for and that we do so to the best of our ability, that they might go forth and save lives, help people, and resolve critical incidents with minimal loss of life and intrusions into the private sector in keeping with our nation’s wise government-limiting constitution.”
Top 6 Special Forces Guns that are NOT AR-15s
Some neat guns here. A 260 grain 9mm round at 920 feet per second out of an integrally suppressed short barrel rifle? Yes, please.
So you want to be in Law Enforcement?
The author’s experiences are similar to my own. My best advice to people considering being a police officer? Don’t do it.
Moderation Nation
“The most wretched creature is the man who lives without urgency. The man who idles away his time waiting for permission from the world to grab his own balls, wield the hammer of independence and crack a few skulls in the process.Men used to have their favourite weapons now they have favourite baristas. Men used to tell stories about the foreign lands they’ve conquered, the mountains they’ve climbed and the scars they’ve collected along the way. Now men brag about their superior knowledge of craft beer.”
Watch What Happens When These Taurus Pistols Are Dropped, Then Learn About The Lawsuit
Watch the short video and you’ll understand one of the many reasons I don’t recommend Taurus firearms.
Random Thoughts and Software Questions, Post-Paris
My friend Marcus Wynne has written what I consider the best overall resource for those of you wanting to survive a terrorist attack like the one in Paris. I wrote a post Wednesday about good articles to read, but this one eclipses them all.
It’s primarily geared for gun folks, but has some very good tips for those of you who don’t carry as well. IT’S DEEP. Read it. Don’t scan it like you do every other article on the internet. There is wisdom in nearly every sentence that you don’t want to miss.
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* Some of the above links (from Amazon.com) are affiliate links. If you purchase these items, I get a small percentage of the selling price. You pay the same amount whether you order the item through my link or any other one. It doesn’t cost you a dime. Even though some links earn me affiliate commissions, my reputation as an instructor is worth more to me than the few pennies I’ll make off of any potential sales. For that reason, I would never link to anything that I don’t personally use or endorse. I spend a lot of time writing articles on this site. All my information is given free of charge. To ensure a positive viewing experience, I don’t have any paid advertising on the site. Your use of my affiliate links for purchases is an easy way for you to support the writing you enjoy without subscription fees, annoying ads, or donation requests. Thank you for helping support my work.
