Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
State of Play: Political and Legal Trends to Watch
“To start off, I reiterate that this is not a political post. I’m not going to discuss the reasonings for who won and lost the election. Rather, I’m focusing on what’s been happening in the gun control sphere over the last several years, where the momentum seems to be going, and what I expect to happen soon.”
What is The Best Revolver Speedloader?
Justin did a massive amount of work and shot a whole bunch of rounds to provide you with this useful data. Using some of this data for my weekend classes at Gunsite teaching optimal revolver ammunition
While we are on the topic of wheel guns, you revolver shooters might also like Era of the Classic Snubnose Revolver – Firearms News and S&W and The Their Screws.
An Official Journal Of The NRA | Low Round Count Pistol Drills
Shooting drills for those of you who don’t want to buy a massive amount of ammunition.
Dangerous Old Men
“Age is not an excuse for not being able to do these things. Humans have been required to be dangerous since the beginning. It doesn’t matter if it was a saber-toothed tiger or a different tribe attempting to gain resources, the need for powerful and dangerous men to oppose them has always been vital to our survival. Having the capabilities to bring controlled violence into the equation never goes out of style and will always be important. With our lifespans now reaching into the 80s, a 40-year-old man is still expected to be able to provide those capabilities. If you cannot, you are not an asset to your family/tribe/community – you are a liability. You are yet another mouth to feed in dangerous times. Worst of all, regardless of all the chest thumping and social media posts, you know you are not ready to fight today. In that moment of danger, you will not follow Sam Whittemore’s example and willingly oppose a superior force; you will cower and let someone impose their will upon you or your family.”
Micro-Preparedness: Staging Your Clothing
I stage my clothing like this whenever I’m traveling and in an area that I might need to immediately evacuate. One additional practice I use is to place my headlamp in one of my shoes/boots. Shoes are easy to find in the dark. When you find your shoes, you have a light source in your hand.
Guest Post: The Worst Firearms Ever Designed
Some strange guns you may not have seen before.
Bottled Aggression
“We must purposely work towards becoming or being highly dangerous people. Righteous violence abilities aren’t simply natural. We arrive there through thoughtful, excellent, rigorous training that is realistic and tested under pressures and under critical, guiding eyes once the main skills are built. Such dangerousness and it’s training naturally brings about an alertness, posture, and confidence that communicates in ways most evil predators instinctually recognize as to be avoided…and the best fight you’ll get yourself into is the one you avoid in the first place.”
A Slight Twist On The AK Reload
The late, great Paul Gomez showed me this technique for reloading an AK-47 and I’ve used it ever since. Pay attention to the fine points here. You can screw yourself if you hit the old mag with the wrong part of the new mag.
The Equal Opportunity Stabber, Saber or Reverse Grip?
If you want to be adept with a knife, you simply must master both grips.
Fast and Accurate, or Careful?
“All that means is that it is up to you to train yourself correctly. You must create the peer pressure, you must create the mindset and you must put yourself in situations that challenge your ability to shoot carefully. If not you, then who?”
What Are The Best AR-15 Barrel Twist Rates? – Firearms News
I think most folks would be best off with a 1:7 or 1:8 twist barrel. If you have a faster twist, you should use shorter (lighter) bullets.
Podcast Episode 57: Snake Envenomation in Austere Environments
I get lots of questions about snakebites in my medical classes. This isn’t much of a problem in North America, but can be a big issue for travelers in Africa, SE Asia, or Australia. This podcast covers everything you may need to know. If you don’t have time to listen to the whole thing, read How to survive a snakebite in the wilderness.
What Makes A Good Firearms instructor? – Quietly Armed
“Therefore, if you’re unsure about the instructor in an upcoming class, ask them three questions: “When was your last practice session, what did you practice, and why?”
Are Tactical Bags Really a Giveaway Anymore?
Why take the chance? If the pack has MOLLE loops on it, I’m not carrying it for my daily activities.
How to Understand and Defeat Zip Ties
A short but highly informative video covering how to escape from zip ties. Don’t think criminals use zip ties? Read Illegal Restraint and Real World Examples.
Choosing The Proper Defensive Round
This is probably the topic you want to worry the least about. I generally agree with John here. The HST and Gold Dot would be great choices across most calibers. With that said, most of you aren’t likely to see a significant decrease in performance no matter which round you choose.
I was once talking to a BOPE (police assassination squad in Brazil) cop in Rio de Janiero. He was carrying ball ammo in his High Power at the time. He seemed surprised when I asked him why he wasn’t carrying hollowpoints. His answer was “If he doesn’t fall down, I’ll just shoot him a few times in the face.”
The Impact of 922r on Beretta 1301 Tactical
If you want the seven-shot version of this shotgun, you’d best be buying one that is already imported and on the market right now.
How to Spot Thieves, Thugs and Terrorists
A treatise full of quality information about identifying potential criminals before they act. For more info on the topic check out my article How to Spot A Bad Guy.
The Real World Is Multidirectional – American Cop
“The real world is multidirectional, not just about where you are and where you came from. It is critical to train officers to move in whatever direction provides cover or ends the fight. That may be forward or not at all. If we only teach rearward movement, we are ignoring the multidirectional world. “
Preparedness Should Allow You to Live in PEACE, Not Hide in FEAR
I see this attitude from a lot of my students and I don’t understand it. I very commonly hear students make statements like:
“I don’t go to movie theaters. They’re just too dangerous.”
“I stay away from all cities. The gangs scare me.”
“I don’t go to concerts. Large crowds are very unpredictable.”
“I don’t fly on airplanes or travel to foreign countries because I can’t carry my gun. I won’t be disarmed.”
These people suffer under the delusion that they are “safe” if they stay locked in their homes with their arsenal of weapons always within reach. When did “safety” become life’s ultimate goal? People who lead a safe and sterile existence aren’t really living. Without a little fun, excitement, and yes, even a little danger, life becomes meaningless.
Challenge yourself. Step out of your comfort zone. Go someplace new, even if it means leaving your guns at home. Truly live a meaningful life. In doing so, you will learn how to survive and adapt to uncertain circumstances. Those skills are far more useful than the skills you will learn by taking yet another carbine course.
The 1927 Bath School Bombing
School violence did not begin with Columbine.
Massad Ayoob’s Tips and Tactics for Staying Alert and Aware
Great awareness tips from Massad Ayoob.
Discussion about snub caliber choices
“After certain minimum criteria are met, caliber discussion is a relatively low level priority.”
The Actual Systemic Failings in Law Enforcement
This article highlights one of the many problems in modern police work.
“The bureaucracy of government demands proof of training, not proficiency in it. And even with the best of intentions, the entire system prohibits officers from being trained correctly and in a frequency that creates both a workable understanding of the subject matter and procedural memory (muscle memory) in execution.”
Maybe we also need some Beyond Accuracy — Improving Officer Performance – American Cop
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