Greetings Sheepdogs,
I just got back from the 2018 Tactical Conference
in Little Rock, Arkansas.
http://rangemaster.com/2018-tactical-conference/
I highly recommend you attend next year outside of
New Orleans, Louisiana. It will sell out 6 or 7
months in advance of the March 2019 date.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rangemaster-tactical-conference-2019-new-orleans-tickets-44537121730
Take the "Concealed Carry and the Modern Women"
class by Tatiana Whitlock. www.TatianaWhitlock.com
It's packed with useful information, not just for
women.
***** Mindset *****
Thoughts from Lee Weems. (expanded for clarity by yours truly)
-
In IDPA matches, they won't disqualify you for
sweeping the no-shoot targets with your muzzle.
But, you should consider yourself disqualified,
because you have violated our safety rule, never
muzzle anything you are not willing to destroy.
If you think it's a game, it's a game, and
you will behave accordingly. Which will lead to
tragedy. Because you will behave in combat as
you have trained. How else would you behave?
Do you think you are smart enough and cognizant
enough to change things in the heat of combat to
override your training?
-
Students ask me, "When can I shoot the bad guy?"
That's the wrong question. You have a gun, you can
shoot him anytime you choose to.
So, they ask, "When may I shoot the bad guy?"
Meaning, when am I legally justified in shooting?
But, that's still the wrong question. In my state,
you are legally justified to use deadly force to
prevent death, serious bodily injury, or a capital
felony. If I grab a guy by the arm and move him
a few feet, I've technically committed kidnapping.
If you shot me for that, would you have problems?
You bet.
So, you should be asking, "When must I shoot?"
-
You must strive to avoid shooting the bad guy,
because you will spend $30,000 on a completely justifiable
clean shoot. If you are prosecuted, you will spend
$100,000 before your case goes to trial.
Not all magistrates are capable of granting bond
for a serious felony charge. So, you may have to wait
for a higher level judge to show up in your district.
You could be in jail awaiting a bond hearing for 21 days.
-
[All misquotes, misunderstandings, and misinterpretations
are the fault of Jon Low.]
Thoughts from Tatiana Whitlock (paraphrased by yours truly)
You train and practice for the ones who love you.
Your training and practice will cause you to
exude confidence. No, as a matter of fact, you can't fake it.
[All errors are the fault of Jon Low]
How To Cultivate A Presence Of Mind That Will Counter-Balance Fear
http://www.combativemind.com/2013/03/17/how-to-cultivate-a-presence-of-mind-that-will-counter-balance-fear/
Debate
http://defense-training.com/2018/debate/
It is true that we are never interviewed by the liberal
media. And if by accident we are, the interview is never
broadcast on their channels.
Self-Defense Tips: Living In "Condition Yellow"
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2018/3/21/self-defense-tips-living-in-condition-yellow/
Excerpt:
The more that we are in a state of relaxed awareness,
the more problems we can avoid entirely. Criminal attacks,
car wrecks, even traffic tickets, are really nice things
to avoid completely.
***** Training *****
Technical excellence supports tactical success.
-- Gabe White
The better your skills, the better your decisions.
(Because you don't have to think about what you are doing.)
The expert has automatic use of his tools.
-- Lee Weems
Thoughts from Kevin Davis (paraphrased by yours truly)
Breathe, reduce your stress, focus on your task.
Don't make a statement to the police until after
at least one sleep cycle. Your attorney must be
present for the interview.
Do random training to know your non-primed reaction
times. Reacting to unplanned stimuli is different from
reacting to the beep of the timer that you know is
coming in a few seconds.
Learn the pre-assault cues. If you don't know
them, you will be taken by surprise.
Subscribe to the
http://www.forcescience.org/
newsletter.
[All errors due to Jon Low.]
Thoughts from Massad Ayoob (paraphrased by yours truly)
A person can turn 90 degrees in 1/4 second.
A person can turn 180 degrees in 1/2 second. So,
shooting a person in the back is reasonable, as
everyone is moving in combat.
Reaction time to anticipated stimuli is about
1/4th of a second. Reaction to unanticipated stimuli is
about 3/4ths of a second.
Only 1% take training beyond the CCW.
[All errors due to Jon Low.]
Thoughts from Tom Givens (paraphrased by yours truly)
You should ask:
Is this training useful?
Is this training simple?
Have these techniques been tested under duress / extreme
conditions?
Are these techniques proven by prior use?
Instructors should teach their students what
they need, not what they want.
We are all prisoners of our experience.
[All errors due to Jon Low.]
Situational Awareness for Concealed Carry
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/situational-awareness-for-concealed-carry
Suarez Pistol Kata - "Diagonal Lines"
http://blog.suarezinternational.com/2018/03/suarez-pistol-kata-diagonal-lines.html
Notice that he uses a retention Sul position when
moving around and not wanting to muzzle anyone. Notice
that he uses one hand when the position of the target
makes it impossible to use two hands. Yes, he could
have turned his whole body, but that is much slower;
and may not be possible.
Hi You All,
I have purchased my ticket to the
2019 Tactical Conference ($413)
Friday, March 15, 2019, 8:00 AM to Sunday, March 17, 2019, 5:00 PM CDT
Nolatac Training Center
11075 Nicolle Blvd
Westwego, LA 70094
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rangemaster-tactical-conference-2019-new-orleans-tickets-44537121730
I hope you will be going. This conference is by far the best and most
self defense training for the money anywhere in the country.
Take a look at this year's schedule of classes:
http://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Tac-Con-18-Brochure.pdf
Last year's schedule:
http://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/TacConf2017_Schedule_Full.pdf
We usually take different classes (there are 7 or so going simultaneously at any give time)
and then brief each other on what we learned at dinner. Please join us.
You can expect the conference to sell out by September 2018,
as this year's conference sold out in October last year. Every year
it sells out a month earlier. I've attended for the past 3 years.
Cheers,
Jon
Dry practice with Spencer Keepers
https://www.facebook.com/groups/taccon18/permalink/2051680581780353/
Lessons learned:
It is extremely difficult to do anything requiring manual skill and talk at the same time.
***** Tactics *****
Two carjackings at the same location a few days apart
with very different outcomes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=359&v=y1mvBfY0bNo
Do not render first aid to the guy who just tried
to kill you! Do not attempt to restrain the guy who
just tried to kill you! Do not bend over to pick up
the other guy's weapon. Kick it away from him, if you
feel you need to. Stay away from the bad guy!
Skill Set: Custody
http://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/59520de8-10ea-44e8-8088-8e7b4934f058
***** Techniques *****
Behind The Wheel: Introduction
https://integratedsurvivalgroup.com/behind-wheel-introduction/
Practicing Awareness, An Interview with Claude Werner
https://armedcitizensnetwork.org/practicing-awareness
Ready Positions
http://www.guns.com/review/training-three-ready-positions-every-concealed-carrier-should-know/
There is also a retention Sul position,
where the support side hand is in front of the pistol,
rather than behind the pistol. So, both hands are
holding the pistol. Much better for retention.
Testing Concealed-Carry Methods at Gunsite Academy
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2018/3/23/testing-concealed-carry-methods-at-gunsite-academy/
Excerpts:
Ankle holsters, belly bands, and tactical t-shirts (the kind with a pistol pocket),
will usually just mean that you are carrying a gun that you can’t get to in time.
Big guns are easier to shoot accurately, but more difficult to conceal.
Little guns are easier to conceal, but more difficult to shoot accurately.
Too often, we are tempted to practice scenarios that just make us feel good
about the way we carry.
Take a second, save a leg
http://www.corneredcat.com/save-a-leg/
Excerpt:
Practice putting the gun away slowly, smoothly, and with full awareness
every time you have drawn the gun.
***** Gear *****
Notes from private lessons (Feb 2018)
http://blog.krtraining.com/notes-from-private-lessons-feb-2018/
G-Sight Laser Training Cartridges
Are well made instruments that fit in your chamber as would
a cartridge and emit a red laser when the firing pin strikes
it. Useful for dry practice training. I have used them and
they work well.
Use promo code, TACCON20
www.UTFHQ.com
There is also much more you can do with it with your
smart phone and other equipment, but I haven't gotten that
far yet.
The forward facing corner of the disassembly lever
of the Ruger American pistol has a sharp edge that might
bite you when racking the slide. I have taken a metal
file and rounded it and smoothed it. The metal part isn't
that hard and the modification does not affect anything
structural. Applying WD-40 to the file and using a tooth
brush to keep the filings out of the teeth of the file
helps a lot. American or European files cut on the
pushing stroke. Japanese files cut on the pulling stroke.
So, the file handles are built appropriately.
Thoughts from Tom Givens (paraphrased by yours truly)
Revolvers are obsolete. No one has ever successfully
reloaded a revolver in a close quarter gunfight.
[All errors are the fault of Jon Low]
Thoughts from Chuck Haggard (paraphrased by yours truly)
www.AgileTactical.com
Tasers are not stun guns. Both are worthless.
A sap is a good option, if it's legal where you
operate.
[All errors are the fault of Jon Low]
BALLISTIC EYE PROTECTION: What You Need To Know
https://www.swatmag.com/article/ballistic-eye-protection-need-know/
Flashlights!
http://defense-training.com/2018/flashlights/
"The Beretta APX is one of several excellent, modern defensive pistols,
including Glock, SA/XD, S&W M&P, FNS/509, Canik TP9SF/Elite, Walther
PPQ/PPSM2, SIG 320/365, Kahr PM9, H&K VP9, Ruger American, and CZ’s P10C."
-- John Farnam
3 Essential First Steps for a New Gun Owner
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2018/3/30/3-essential-first-steps-for-a-new-gun-owner/
Now that you've field stripped your pistol,
you need to clean it (Yes, even if it is brand new.
You need to get the grease, cosmaline, etc. off of all
surfaces. That stuff is great for preventing rust
when the pistol is in storage, but may cause dents
in your bore if left in the bore when fired. It
will also cause malfunctions if left in the trigger
mechanism.)
***** Instructors *****
Instructional Command Presence
http://lawofficer.com/archive/instructional-command-presence/
You know you've made it, when your pastor
uses stuff from your Defensive Pistol course
in his sermons.
***** Pedagogy *****
Instructor Demonstrations
http://pistol-training.com/archives/7661
***** Education *****
Protecting Houses of Worship, Part 1: Training Organizations, Groups, and Individuals
https://gunculture2point0.wordpress.com/2018/03/04/protecting-houses-of-worship-part-1-training-organizations-groups-and-individuals/
Protecting Houses of Worship, Part 2: Other Resources
https://gunculture2point0.wordpress.com/2018/03/05/protecting-houses-of-worship-part-2-other-resources/
The EDC LifeStyle – Concealed Carry Concerns
http://www.gunsandammo.com/gear-accessories/the-edc-lifestyle-concealed-carry-concerns/
The Educational BeatDown
https://chirontraining.blogspot.com/2013/03/cofv10-educational-beatdown.html
Journal of the International Wound Ballistics Association (archives)
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B_PmkwLd1hmbd3pWYVVJeGlGaFE
***** News, Legal, and Political stuff *****
Tell 911 that it was self defense.
Tell the responding officers that it was self defense.
The trial court judge, the appellate court judges,
and the supreme court judges will think it strange
if you claim self defense at trial or on appeal, but
never mentioned it at the scene. Or worse, were not
at the scene to claim self defense.
-- Andrew Branca
LawOfSelfDefense.com/show
Andrew has a great web broadcast every Wednesday at 13:00.
Cops Get Suspended for Responding to a School Shooting
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/cops-get-suspended-for-responding-to-a-school-shooting
This is why cops don't go in to save the kid's lives.
This is why you must be willing to. This is why you
must never send your kids into gun-free-zones.
Thoughts from Skip Gochenour. (expanded for clarity by yours truly)
In the context of the aftermath of a self defense shooting.
-
You have two opportunities to tell your story:
when questioned by responding officers and at trial.
When talking to the responding officer you can
answer the questions you choose to and decline to
answer those you don't want to, and you may stop
talking at anytime. The officer cannot say that you
refused to answer particular questions when he is
questioned at trial. [I don't remember the legal reasons that Skip gave.]
At trial you have no control. The prosecutor will
cross examine you. And if you refuse to answer the
question, the judge will order you to answer the question.
If you refuse to, the jury is going to think you are
hiding something, and that's going to make you look guilty.
-
It's all about character. If you have good character
and a reputation for having a good character, it's going
to be extremely difficult to convict you, so the prosecutor
probably won't waste the time and money. Losing a case is
bad for his career and reputation.
-
Prosecutors like to charge capital crimes that carry
the death penalty, because that requires a death qualified
jury. They dismiss all the jurors that won't sentence to
death if convicted of the capital crime. Such a jury is
seven times more likely to convict of something (possibly
a lesser included crime).
-
When looking for an attorney to defend you in a self
defense case, find out if they have interviewed jurors
after their cases. If they didn't care enough to do that,
consider someone else.
-
Don't make the police hunt for you. Be the first
to call the police. Get an attorney and make a statement
with your attorney present.
-
The AOJ (Ability, Opportunity, and Jeopardy) model
works well for sworn law enforcement officers,
but not so much for civilians. A better model would be
ADEE (Avoid, Disengage, Evade, Escape).
-
State laws vary as to what constitutes provoking
a lethal force confrontation. People of good character
never provoke anything.
-
Concerning imminent threat --
Immediate means happening now. Imminent means
likely to occur at any moment; impending.
Skip gave us an example where the jury interpreted
imminent to mean that if she did not shoot him
within the narrow window of opportunity that she
had, she would not be able to prevent her eventual
and inevitable torture. Therefore, even though
there was no immediate or imminent threat, she
was legally justified in shooting him as he
lathered up in the shower, thereby killing him.
I will not relate the details of the incident,
because it was so depraved it gave me nightmares.
(This is also codified in state laws as the
Battered Spouse Syndrome. But, Skip's example
was an extreme case of this self defense theory.)
-
[All misquotes, misunderstandings, and misinterpretations
are the fault of Jon Low.]
5 things to know about Md. SRO Blaine Gaskill
https://www.policeone.com/police-training/articles/472536006-5-things-to-know-about-Md-SRO-Blaine-Gaskill/
For gun owners, a core belief: guns make us safer
https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2018/0322/For-gun-owners-a-core-belief-guns-make-us-safer
Andrew Branca's Law of Self Defense
Boxer's Bare Hands Qualify as "Deadly Weapons"?
https://www.patreon.com/posts/17892211
There are links to the Minnesota appellate court ruling
and the Minnesota supreme court ruling at the bottom of the
article.
The significant thing for us is that trained responses,
such as two quick left hooks to the head, do not relieve you
of the responsibility to stop the use of force once the
threat stops. That's why no legitimate gun school teaches
"Tap, Rack, Bang". They teach "Tap, Rack, Assess".
Because the shooting must always be an intellectual
decision, not a pre-programmed reflexive response.
***** Survival Tips *****
Public Beggars!
http://defense-training.com/2018/public-beggars/
Beware of fake police
Police: Ky. officer killed by cop impersonator
https://www.policeone.com/officer-shootings/articles/472924006-Police-Ky-officer-killed-by-cop-impersonator/
Suspect in Ky. officer's death killed by authorities in Tenn.
https://www.policeone.com/officer-shootings/articles/472937006-Suspect-in-Ky-officers-death-killed-by-authorities-in-Tenn/
Survival Lessons From South of the Border
https://www.offgridweb.com/survival/survival-lessons-from-south-of-the-border/
Excerpts:
For example, cartel members will dress as ICE agents to carry out abductions.
Kidnappers dressing as military or local police is also very common.
Training and equipment helps, but mindset is probably the most important factor.
Don’t give in to the kidnappers’ illusion that they’re in complete control,
and you are helpless to fight back.
What factors make someone a target for kidnapping?
Signs of wealth, demonstrated by their possessions.
Their social media, either through demonstration of wealth
and status or establishing patterns of life and real-time
locations. It’s an open window into your daily life that
can be very easily used to target you. If the abduction
is ideologically motivated, expressions of your nationality
based on clothing, language, attitude, body language, etc.,
can also be a factor.
A karate class or self-defense class isn’t enough.
Any sort of preparation of that nature has to include
the parents. People should know that kids playing hide
and seek are learning a survival skill.
Include your kids in any kind of training,
like firearms or survival, so they can get experience
at a young age. There’s no such thing as an R-rated
abduction story for kids. . . . Evil has many faces,
and they’re usually pretty charming. It’s not about
fear mongering, they just need to be aware that those
things are real. Let them know the options, including
breaking somebody’s grasp. Above all, I think
situational awareness is the most valuable,
and easily teachable skill for children.
[SERE stands for Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape.
Much of this training is classified. So, you shouldn't
expect anything in the open source media to correctly
characterize this training.]
. . . bartering and bribery are universal.
The Key To Your Survival When The Situation Seems Hopeless
https://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/the-survivorman-zones-of-assessment/
***** Basics *****
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Dr. Sherman House
***** Miscellany *****
If you would like the lesson plans for my
NRA Defensive Pistol course, send me an email,
and I'll send you the latest version. The lesson
plans constantly change as I take courses,
communicate with other instructors,
and stay abreast of best practices. I have changed
and added a lot from the 2018 Tactical Conference.
Cheers,
Jon
Jonathan Low
NRA Advanced Pistol Instructor (also Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun, Personal Protection)
Front Sight Instructor (Handgun)
Rangemaster Instructor (Pistol)
Jon_Low@yahoo.com
Friday, April 6, 2018
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
CWP, 7 March 2018 Anno Domini
Greetings Sheepdogs,
***** Mindset *****
"When the Moment of Truth arrives,
the Time for Preparation has passed."
-- Mike Mercer
You Won’t Become A Better Tactical Marksman Until You Become A Stronger Tactical Leader
https://guerrillaapproach.com/you-wont-become-a-better-tactical-marksman-until-you-become-a-stronger-tactical-leader4/
Dirty Little Secrets
https://www.corneredcat.com/dirty-little-secrets/
Excerpt:
. . . you have the added burden of thinking
specifically about what it would mean to use
lethal force against someone you once loved,
or someone you used to be friends with, or
someone who might even be the father of your
own child. Maybe even someone you still love.
That’s not an easy thing to think about.
Yet think about it you must.
Louis Awerbuck: Training & Tactics
https://www.swatmag.com/articles/more-articles/louis-awerbuck-training-tactics/
Remember what the Beatles said (in their White album),
"Happiness is a warm gun."
4 Ways Having a CCW Made Me a Better Person
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2018/2/27/4-ways-having-a-ccw-made-me-a-better-person/
***** Training *****
Take a yoga class weekly (at least monthly).
No, I don't do it just for the scenery. I actually
learn balance, relaxation (which is not natural),
flexibility, breathing (which is not instinctive),
and how to converse with vegetarians without
offending them.
I highly recommend you take the MAG-20 Classroom
course. This is half of the MAG-40 course. The other
half is MAG-20 Live Fire. You should do it now, while
Captain Massad Ayoob is still around to teach it.
Emotional Self Care
https://www.corneredcat.com/emotional-self-care-2/
Bank Robber Opens Fire
http://lawofficer.com/archive/i-learned-about-policing-from-that-bank-robber-opens-fire/
This lady's firing side forearm was shot at the
beginning of the gunfight. She then presented her
pistol from her retention holster, fired, cleared
a malfunction, fired, reloaded, and fired with her
support side hand only.
Excerpt:
. . . I used to be the first one to complain about
having to go to the range or attend a training
session. Today, I firmly believe training is the
most important thing that will keep you alive.
Without the constant practice of clearing a jam
and quickly reloading a weapon, I probably would
not have been able to effectively clear my weapon
and perform the speedy reload I did during the
gunfight.
KILLING WITHIN THE LAW: MANAGING THE INITIAL POLICE CONTACT
http://blog.suarezinternational.com/2018/02/killing-within-the-law-managing-the-iniial-police-contact.html
Deliberate Practice Makes Perfect
http://www.sensibleselfdefenseblog.com/2017/11/deliberate-practice-makes-perfect.html
What does Mr. Lamberson mean by
"Seek Mentorship"?
If you are not constantly asking your
coach questions and asking for help on
specific techniques, you are wasting your
time.
The Most Important Self-Defense Skills You Can Have
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2018/3/2/the-most-important-self-defense-skills-you-can-have/
***** Tactics *****
25 Gunfighting Stats Learned From Convicted Cop Killers
http://www.tierthreetactical.com/25-gunfighting-stats-learned-from-convicted-cop-killers/
Excerpts:
16 of 43 offenders had received weapons training
(10 of those 43 were veterans of the US military.)
[So, the other 6 had received firearms training in
the private sector. Remember my previous blog post
on criminal organizations sending their people to you
for training? Be careful. Vet your students. -- Jon Low]
Percent of legally acquired guns used by offender: 0%
This fight is going to be won prior to shots being fired.
***** Techniques *****
Moving your pistol from one hand to the other.
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/pistol-hand-switching
The same cartridge should not be loaded, unloaded, and reloaded
multiple times, as this can cause the bullet to get set back in the
case (causing dangerously high pressures when fired), and it can
cause the primer to crumble (causing the cartridge to fail to fire).
Example web posting:
https://www.corneredcat.com/a-slight-setback/
Safe Re-Holstering Tips
https://gundigest.com/how-to/training/safe-re-holstering-tips
Excerpts:
DRAWSTRINGS ARE INCOMPATIBLE WITH HOLSTERED GUNS
AND UNSAFE TO WEAR WITH THEM! IF YOU CARRY A GUN,
REMOVE THE DRAWSTRINGS!
THUMB ON HAMMER WHEN HOLSTERING.
When You Can’t Use Your Sights, Aim With Your Body
http://www.handgunsmag.com/tactics-training/when-you-cant-use-your-sights-aim-with-your-body/
***** Gear *****
What To Look For When Buying a Used Firearm
http://concealednation.org/2018/02/what-to-look-for-when-buying-a-used-firearm/
A very detailed 3D animation showing how the Glock 43 handgun works.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLhKberihCs
"Defensive Shooting for Real World Encounters"
by Ralph Mroz
Excerpt:
Every time I buy a new pair of dress shoes, they go
straight to the cobbler for rubber soles before I even wear
them. Even if I’m not carrying a gun while wearing them, I
may still get into an empty-hand self-defense encounter.
. . .
A lot of gun people wear running
shoes with their jeans and gun. This is a bad practice.
Shoes designed specifically for running are constructed with
the outsole (the bottom sole) glued onto the shoe in such a
way that it accommodates running only. These shoes do not
allow for side-to-side or pushing-off type motions. If you use
running shoes for activities requiring this type of motion—
boxing, martial arts, etc.—you will sooner or later rip the
outsole off the shoe. I’ve done just that on heavy bag workouts.
Further, running shoes usually have very tacky outsoles,
making it easy to trip when moving sideways. For
casual wear, then, stick to cross-trainers, tennis shoes, or
basketball shoes.
. . .
Food attracts insects, and money attracts human scum.
Dress down, or at least conservatively and plainly. If you
must gratify your ego by impressing someone with your
material wealth, have the grace and good survival sense to
do so in private. A good example of this is holster maker Jim
Murnak, who lives in New York City. He doesn’t carry his
belongings in a briefcase, but rather in a plastic shopping
bag. It’s not elegant, but it doesn’t attract muggers, either.
. . .
If you carry a gun, you must carry a flashlight. If you
don’t carry a gun, then you really have to carry a flashlight.
If you’re not a cop the flashlight isn’t so much for tactical use
in a low-light shooting situation or to search a structure with;
it’s meant to blind an opponent by shining it in his eyes, and
it’s used to scan potentially dangerous situations before
entering them—such as approaching your car in a parking
lot. There are some excellent small, bright lights out there,
such as the Sure-Fire 6, 9, and 12 series. Don’t buy a cheap
light—lumens count here, and a small, ergonomic size means
that you will really carry it. Don’t leave home without one.
. . .
It’s only common sense that if you need corrective lenses
to see, you’ll need them to shoot and fight. That lesson
was brought home tragically during the famous FBI Miami
shoot-out, in which one agent lost his glasses early on in the
fight and spent the time until he was killed looking for them.
Count on losing your glasses during the first second of an
encounter. If you need them to see or fight, then you’ll just
have to wear a retaining device (such as Croakies or Chums).
That’s not particularly elegant or always convenient, but
really, what other choice do you have? To not do so is to fool
yourself that you can survive.
"I get a surprising number of questions about stun guns.
Quick answer? Worthless."
-- Greg Ellifritz
You alone must clean your personal defense
weapon, load the magazine(s), or charge the cylinder
and recharge the arm. Never, under any circumstances,
allow anyone else to do any or all of these tasks. If the
arm leaves your possession for any reason, you must
recheck the system before using it. Trust me, I have
good reason for this absolute rule.
-- Walt Rauch
***** Instructors *****
Teaching Tip- Shooting Demonstrations
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/shooting-demonstrations
More Thoughts on Shooting Demonstrations During Training
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/more-thoughts-on-shooting-demonstrations-during-training#sthash.WtTyakxS.gbpl
"We teach what we want to know."
-- Yogini Kristen Frick
How Johann Sebastian Bach Taught His Students
4 simple methods every parent and teacher should know.
http://www.intellectualtakeout.org/blog/how-johann-sebastian-bach-taught-his-students
***** Pedagogy *****
I have always found that, without the requiem
philosophical overlay, merely teaching people a series of
psycho-motor skills does little to enhance their survive-ability.
To most of the “grass-eater” people, victimization,
like cancer, is something that will probably get us
all at some point. They resist thinking about it because
they don’t want to go through the disciplined drudgery
of self-improvement. As trainers, we therefore must
spoon-feed them the hard, lumpy, bad-tasting medicine
of truth.
-- John Farnam
***** Education *****
How can you tell the difference between a SWAT raid and a home invasion?
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/how-can-you-tell-the-difference-between-a-swat-raid-and-a-home-invasion
Changes we’ve seen in firearms training over the last 40+ years
with Tom Givens
http://ballisticradio.com/2018/02/02/the-golden-age-of-self-defense-podcast-season-5-ballistic-radio-episode-239-january-28th-2018/
Free downloads from Gun Digest
https://gundigest.com/free
"Tactical Defensive Training for Real-life Encounters:
Practical Self-Preservation for law Enforcement"
by Ralph Mroz
and
"Defensive Shooting for Real-Life Encounters:
A Critical look at Current Training Methods"
by Ralph Mroz
They are free online downloads. But, the web sites
appear and disappear occasionally. So, if you can't
find them online, send me an email and I will send you
a copy in PDF format.
Bullet Racing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbtyaKAMDdk
Studying Violence | If You Don’t Want to Get Your Ass Kicked . . .
http://www.breachbangclear.com/if-you-dont-want-to-get-your-ass-kicked/
How Often Do Citizens Use Guns to Stop Violence?
https://www.justfactsdaily.com/how-often-do-citizens-use-guns-to-stop-violence/
The real numbers from real data are staggering.
I have many Marine Corps buddies who are
enforcement agents who work for bail bondsmen.
If you get arrested and use a bail bondsman to help
you post your bail, don't run away. Of course, we
good guys would never run away. But, sometimes
people get scared and panic. So, let me explain to
you why you should never skip out on a bail bondsman.
When the bondsman appears before the judge,
he can do one of three things:
Give you to the court.
Give his money to the court and then chase
others to recoup his loses. (bad outcome, because
he will take your mother's house and leave her homeless)
Give your death certificate to the court.
Which do you think is easiest for the enforcement agent?
"Law of Self Defense LIVE Show" takes place every
Wednesday at 2PM Eastern time and runs about 30 minutes.
https://lawselfdefense.org/opt-in
***** News, Legal, and Political stuff *****
"People mistakenly assume that their thinking
is done by their head; it is actually done by
the heart, which first dictates the conclusion,
then commands the head to provide reasoning
that will defend it."
-- Anthony de Mello
This is why magazine limits is a bad idea.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Hawaiiccw/permalink/1701998013156922/
The home owner fired 40 rounds in self defense
against three assailants in a car who attempted a
drive by shooting.
Rangemaster Newsletter February 2018
http://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/2018-02_RFTS-Newsletter.pdf
Excerpt:
According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund,
there are currently over 900,000 sworn law enforcement officers
in the US. The 66 murders of police officers represent a rate of
one murder per 13,600 officers. On the other hand, last year
there were at least 40,000 murders of private citizens.
That is a rate of one murder per 8,000 citizens. Although police
officers come into constant contact and frequent confrontation
with armed, violent criminals, they are murdered at a rate FAR
below that of the general population. Why? Because the police
are ARMED. Be like them. Be armed.
An Opinion on Gun Control, repost
http://monsterhunternation.com/2015/06/23/an-opinion-on-gun-control-repost/
A point by point rebuttal of anti-gun arguments.
6 Reasons Your Right-Wing Friend Isn’t Coming To Your Side On Gun Control
http://thefederalist.com/2017/10/06/6-reasons-right-wing-friend-isnt-coming-side-gun-control/
Logical rebuttal to emotional anti-gun arguments.
The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF)
https://www.saf.org/
Our friend in the courts.
Tom Givens
February 16, 2018 A.D. at 11:26am
I have some ideas to prevent future school mass shootings. Here they are.
1. Pass a law against shooting innocent children for no reason.
Oh, I see, that’s already a death penalty crime in Florida.
2. Pass a law against taking a gun onto a school campus.
Oh, I see, that’s already a felony under Florida and Federal law.
3. Pass a law against selling a gun to a mentally ill person.
Oh, I see, that’s already a Federal felony if the person was adjudicated to be incompetent.
4. Pass a law requiring a background check before being allowed to buy a gun.
Oh, I see, that’s already a Federal law. Florida has a waiting period, as well.
5. Pass a law making it a crime to lie about your status on the background check form.
Oh, I see, that’s already a Federal felony.
6. Do away with idiotic gun free zones and allows adults to defend themselves.
That’s crazy talk!
Red Storm Rising!
http://defense-training.com/2018/red-storm-rising/
Senator Joe Biden and the first President Bush
are primarily responsible for gun-free-zones, as
well as all of those who voted for the federal law.
All mass murders occur in gun-free-zones.
Because there is no one in the gun-free-zone with the tools to stop the bad guy.
The purpose of gun free zones is to create unarmed victims for armed
criminals to prey upon. This is used by liberals to advance their political
agenda, which includes criminalizing the behavior of their political opponents
such as gun possession.
Slippery Slope!
http://defense-training.com/2018/slippery-slope-2/
Remember how the Soviets used psychiatrists.
Report: Four of Sheriff Scott Israel’s Deputies
Waited Outside Douglas High During School Shooting
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/02/23/report-four-sheriff-scott-israels-deputies-waited-outside-douglas-high-school-shooting/
Broward sheriff's captain, Captain Jan Jordan gave initial
order to 'stage' not enter Stoneman Douglas High School
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/03/05/broward-sheriffs-captain-who-gave-initial-order-to-stage-not-enter-stoneman-douglas-is-idd.html
***** Survival Tips *****
Political Agendas
http://defense-training.com/2018/agendas/
Saflok Hotel Safe Override
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=86&v=De0D7otNxME
All mass murders occur in gun-free-zones.
Because armed criminals prefer unarmed victims.
Don't send your children into gun-free-zones.
"Don't do stupid things.
Don't go to stupid places.
Don't hang out with stupid people."
-- John Farnam
Lock your doors when you are home.
Lock your windows when you sleep.
Criminals enter through unlocked doors and windows.
Reading police reports, you'll see it all the time.
-- Claude Warner
FREE Printable USGS PDF TOPO! Maps
http://www.natgeomaps.com/trail-maps/pdf-quads
Sheriff: Armed school resource officer "never went in" to building in Florida mass shooting
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sheriff-armed-school-resource-officer-never-went-in-to-building-in-florida-mass-shooting/
You are the first responder. Expecting law enforcement
to rescue you is a false assumption.
***** Basics *****
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Dr. Sherman House
***** Miscellany *****
Excerpts and comments on Ralph Mroz's books --
The first time you feel the pain
and disorientation of a good head shot should not be on the
street when someone’s trying to kill you.
(This is why martial arts training such as boxing is so important.)
I have had several students shoot dogs who
attempted to kill them. You can tell the dog's
intention by the growl, as opposed to the bark.
Since you have read Ralph's books, you
may be wondering why I don't carry OC spray.
Pepper spray has a very strong affect on me.
I have run into many persons on whom pepper
spray has had no effect. So, I don't carry it.
(If you spray someone, you can expect the wind to blow it back in your face.)
Will, skill, and awareness. (The software.)
The Boward County Sheriff Deputies lacked
the will to attack. So, they waited outside
while the bad guy killed the high school students
and teachers in the school building.
Training will give you confidence.
Confidence will allow you to believe that you
will win. That belief will allow you to
attack. The choice will always be yours.
But, if you don't train, if you have no
confidence, you don't really have a choice.
If you would like the lesson plans for my
NRA Defensive Pistol course, send me an email,
and I'll send you the latest version. The lesson
plans constantly change as I take courses,
communicate with other instructors,
and stay abreast of best practices.
Cheers,
Jon
Jonathan Low
NRA Instructor (Advanced Pistol, Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun, Personal Protection)
Front Sight Instructor (Handgun)
Rangemaster Instructor (Pistol)
Jon_Low@yahoo.com
***** Mindset *****
"When the Moment of Truth arrives,
the Time for Preparation has passed."
-- Mike Mercer
You Won’t Become A Better Tactical Marksman Until You Become A Stronger Tactical Leader
https://guerrillaapproach.com/you-wont-become-a-better-tactical-marksman-until-you-become-a-stronger-tactical-leader4/
Dirty Little Secrets
https://www.corneredcat.com/dirty-little-secrets/
Excerpt:
. . . you have the added burden of thinking
specifically about what it would mean to use
lethal force against someone you once loved,
or someone you used to be friends with, or
someone who might even be the father of your
own child. Maybe even someone you still love.
That’s not an easy thing to think about.
Yet think about it you must.
Louis Awerbuck: Training & Tactics
https://www.swatmag.com/articles/more-articles/louis-awerbuck-training-tactics/
Remember what the Beatles said (in their White album),
"Happiness is a warm gun."
4 Ways Having a CCW Made Me a Better Person
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2018/2/27/4-ways-having-a-ccw-made-me-a-better-person/
***** Training *****
Take a yoga class weekly (at least monthly).
No, I don't do it just for the scenery. I actually
learn balance, relaxation (which is not natural),
flexibility, breathing (which is not instinctive),
and how to converse with vegetarians without
offending them.
I highly recommend you take the MAG-20 Classroom
course. This is half of the MAG-40 course. The other
half is MAG-20 Live Fire. You should do it now, while
Captain Massad Ayoob is still around to teach it.
Emotional Self Care
https://www.corneredcat.com/emotional-self-care-2/
Bank Robber Opens Fire
http://lawofficer.com/archive/i-learned-about-policing-from-that-bank-robber-opens-fire/
This lady's firing side forearm was shot at the
beginning of the gunfight. She then presented her
pistol from her retention holster, fired, cleared
a malfunction, fired, reloaded, and fired with her
support side hand only.
Excerpt:
. . . I used to be the first one to complain about
having to go to the range or attend a training
session. Today, I firmly believe training is the
most important thing that will keep you alive.
Without the constant practice of clearing a jam
and quickly reloading a weapon, I probably would
not have been able to effectively clear my weapon
and perform the speedy reload I did during the
gunfight.
KILLING WITHIN THE LAW: MANAGING THE INITIAL POLICE CONTACT
http://blog.suarezinternational.com/2018/02/killing-within-the-law-managing-the-iniial-police-contact.html
Deliberate Practice Makes Perfect
http://www.sensibleselfdefenseblog.com/2017/11/deliberate-practice-makes-perfect.html
What does Mr. Lamberson mean by
"Seek Mentorship"?
If you are not constantly asking your
coach questions and asking for help on
specific techniques, you are wasting your
time.
The Most Important Self-Defense Skills You Can Have
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2018/3/2/the-most-important-self-defense-skills-you-can-have/
***** Tactics *****
25 Gunfighting Stats Learned From Convicted Cop Killers
http://www.tierthreetactical.com/25-gunfighting-stats-learned-from-convicted-cop-killers/
Excerpts:
16 of 43 offenders had received weapons training
(10 of those 43 were veterans of the US military.)
[So, the other 6 had received firearms training in
the private sector. Remember my previous blog post
on criminal organizations sending their people to you
for training? Be careful. Vet your students. -- Jon Low]
Percent of legally acquired guns used by offender: 0%
This fight is going to be won prior to shots being fired.
***** Techniques *****
Moving your pistol from one hand to the other.
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/pistol-hand-switching
The same cartridge should not be loaded, unloaded, and reloaded
multiple times, as this can cause the bullet to get set back in the
case (causing dangerously high pressures when fired), and it can
cause the primer to crumble (causing the cartridge to fail to fire).
Example web posting:
https://www.corneredcat.com/a-slight-setback/
Safe Re-Holstering Tips
https://gundigest.com/how-to/training/safe-re-holstering-tips
Excerpts:
DRAWSTRINGS ARE INCOMPATIBLE WITH HOLSTERED GUNS
AND UNSAFE TO WEAR WITH THEM! IF YOU CARRY A GUN,
REMOVE THE DRAWSTRINGS!
THUMB ON HAMMER WHEN HOLSTERING.
When You Can’t Use Your Sights, Aim With Your Body
http://www.handgunsmag.com/tactics-training/when-you-cant-use-your-sights-aim-with-your-body/
***** Gear *****
What To Look For When Buying a Used Firearm
http://concealednation.org/2018/02/what-to-look-for-when-buying-a-used-firearm/
A very detailed 3D animation showing how the Glock 43 handgun works.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLhKberihCs
"Defensive Shooting for Real World Encounters"
by Ralph Mroz
Excerpt:
Every time I buy a new pair of dress shoes, they go
straight to the cobbler for rubber soles before I even wear
them. Even if I’m not carrying a gun while wearing them, I
may still get into an empty-hand self-defense encounter.
. . .
A lot of gun people wear running
shoes with their jeans and gun. This is a bad practice.
Shoes designed specifically for running are constructed with
the outsole (the bottom sole) glued onto the shoe in such a
way that it accommodates running only. These shoes do not
allow for side-to-side or pushing-off type motions. If you use
running shoes for activities requiring this type of motion—
boxing, martial arts, etc.—you will sooner or later rip the
outsole off the shoe. I’ve done just that on heavy bag workouts.
Further, running shoes usually have very tacky outsoles,
making it easy to trip when moving sideways. For
casual wear, then, stick to cross-trainers, tennis shoes, or
basketball shoes.
. . .
Food attracts insects, and money attracts human scum.
Dress down, or at least conservatively and plainly. If you
must gratify your ego by impressing someone with your
material wealth, have the grace and good survival sense to
do so in private. A good example of this is holster maker Jim
Murnak, who lives in New York City. He doesn’t carry his
belongings in a briefcase, but rather in a plastic shopping
bag. It’s not elegant, but it doesn’t attract muggers, either.
. . .
If you carry a gun, you must carry a flashlight. If you
don’t carry a gun, then you really have to carry a flashlight.
If you’re not a cop the flashlight isn’t so much for tactical use
in a low-light shooting situation or to search a structure with;
it’s meant to blind an opponent by shining it in his eyes, and
it’s used to scan potentially dangerous situations before
entering them—such as approaching your car in a parking
lot. There are some excellent small, bright lights out there,
such as the Sure-Fire 6, 9, and 12 series. Don’t buy a cheap
light—lumens count here, and a small, ergonomic size means
that you will really carry it. Don’t leave home without one.
. . .
It’s only common sense that if you need corrective lenses
to see, you’ll need them to shoot and fight. That lesson
was brought home tragically during the famous FBI Miami
shoot-out, in which one agent lost his glasses early on in the
fight and spent the time until he was killed looking for them.
Count on losing your glasses during the first second of an
encounter. If you need them to see or fight, then you’ll just
have to wear a retaining device (such as Croakies or Chums).
That’s not particularly elegant or always convenient, but
really, what other choice do you have? To not do so is to fool
yourself that you can survive.
"I get a surprising number of questions about stun guns.
Quick answer? Worthless."
-- Greg Ellifritz
You alone must clean your personal defense
weapon, load the magazine(s), or charge the cylinder
and recharge the arm. Never, under any circumstances,
allow anyone else to do any or all of these tasks. If the
arm leaves your possession for any reason, you must
recheck the system before using it. Trust me, I have
good reason for this absolute rule.
-- Walt Rauch
***** Instructors *****
Teaching Tip- Shooting Demonstrations
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/shooting-demonstrations
More Thoughts on Shooting Demonstrations During Training
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/more-thoughts-on-shooting-demonstrations-during-training#sthash.WtTyakxS.gbpl
"We teach what we want to know."
-- Yogini Kristen Frick
How Johann Sebastian Bach Taught His Students
4 simple methods every parent and teacher should know.
http://www.intellectualtakeout.org/blog/how-johann-sebastian-bach-taught-his-students
***** Pedagogy *****
I have always found that, without the requiem
philosophical overlay, merely teaching people a series of
psycho-motor skills does little to enhance their survive-ability.
To most of the “grass-eater” people, victimization,
like cancer, is something that will probably get us
all at some point. They resist thinking about it because
they don’t want to go through the disciplined drudgery
of self-improvement. As trainers, we therefore must
spoon-feed them the hard, lumpy, bad-tasting medicine
of truth.
-- John Farnam
***** Education *****
How can you tell the difference between a SWAT raid and a home invasion?
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/how-can-you-tell-the-difference-between-a-swat-raid-and-a-home-invasion
Changes we’ve seen in firearms training over the last 40+ years
with Tom Givens
http://ballisticradio.com/2018/02/02/the-golden-age-of-self-defense-podcast-season-5-ballistic-radio-episode-239-january-28th-2018/
Free downloads from Gun Digest
https://gundigest.com/free
"Tactical Defensive Training for Real-life Encounters:
Practical Self-Preservation for law Enforcement"
by Ralph Mroz
and
"Defensive Shooting for Real-Life Encounters:
A Critical look at Current Training Methods"
by Ralph Mroz
They are free online downloads. But, the web sites
appear and disappear occasionally. So, if you can't
find them online, send me an email and I will send you
a copy in PDF format.
Bullet Racing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbtyaKAMDdk
Studying Violence | If You Don’t Want to Get Your Ass Kicked . . .
http://www.breachbangclear.com/if-you-dont-want-to-get-your-ass-kicked/
How Often Do Citizens Use Guns to Stop Violence?
https://www.justfactsdaily.com/how-often-do-citizens-use-guns-to-stop-violence/
The real numbers from real data are staggering.
I have many Marine Corps buddies who are
enforcement agents who work for bail bondsmen.
If you get arrested and use a bail bondsman to help
you post your bail, don't run away. Of course, we
good guys would never run away. But, sometimes
people get scared and panic. So, let me explain to
you why you should never skip out on a bail bondsman.
When the bondsman appears before the judge,
he can do one of three things:
Give you to the court.
Give his money to the court and then chase
others to recoup his loses. (bad outcome, because
he will take your mother's house and leave her homeless)
Give your death certificate to the court.
Which do you think is easiest for the enforcement agent?
"Law of Self Defense LIVE Show" takes place every
Wednesday at 2PM Eastern time and runs about 30 minutes.
https://lawselfdefense.org/opt-in
***** News, Legal, and Political stuff *****
"People mistakenly assume that their thinking
is done by their head; it is actually done by
the heart, which first dictates the conclusion,
then commands the head to provide reasoning
that will defend it."
-- Anthony de Mello
This is why magazine limits is a bad idea.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Hawaiiccw/permalink/1701998013156922/
The home owner fired 40 rounds in self defense
against three assailants in a car who attempted a
drive by shooting.
Rangemaster Newsletter February 2018
http://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/2018-02_RFTS-Newsletter.pdf
Excerpt:
According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund,
there are currently over 900,000 sworn law enforcement officers
in the US. The 66 murders of police officers represent a rate of
one murder per 13,600 officers. On the other hand, last year
there were at least 40,000 murders of private citizens.
That is a rate of one murder per 8,000 citizens. Although police
officers come into constant contact and frequent confrontation
with armed, violent criminals, they are murdered at a rate FAR
below that of the general population. Why? Because the police
are ARMED. Be like them. Be armed.
An Opinion on Gun Control, repost
http://monsterhunternation.com/2015/06/23/an-opinion-on-gun-control-repost/
A point by point rebuttal of anti-gun arguments.
6 Reasons Your Right-Wing Friend Isn’t Coming To Your Side On Gun Control
http://thefederalist.com/2017/10/06/6-reasons-right-wing-friend-isnt-coming-side-gun-control/
Logical rebuttal to emotional anti-gun arguments.
The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF)
https://www.saf.org/
Our friend in the courts.
Tom Givens
February 16, 2018 A.D. at 11:26am
I have some ideas to prevent future school mass shootings. Here they are.
1. Pass a law against shooting innocent children for no reason.
Oh, I see, that’s already a death penalty crime in Florida.
2. Pass a law against taking a gun onto a school campus.
Oh, I see, that’s already a felony under Florida and Federal law.
3. Pass a law against selling a gun to a mentally ill person.
Oh, I see, that’s already a Federal felony if the person was adjudicated to be incompetent.
4. Pass a law requiring a background check before being allowed to buy a gun.
Oh, I see, that’s already a Federal law. Florida has a waiting period, as well.
5. Pass a law making it a crime to lie about your status on the background check form.
Oh, I see, that’s already a Federal felony.
6. Do away with idiotic gun free zones and allows adults to defend themselves.
That’s crazy talk!
Red Storm Rising!
http://defense-training.com/2018/red-storm-rising/
Senator Joe Biden and the first President Bush
are primarily responsible for gun-free-zones, as
well as all of those who voted for the federal law.
All mass murders occur in gun-free-zones.
Because there is no one in the gun-free-zone with the tools to stop the bad guy.
The purpose of gun free zones is to create unarmed victims for armed
criminals to prey upon. This is used by liberals to advance their political
agenda, which includes criminalizing the behavior of their political opponents
such as gun possession.
Slippery Slope!
http://defense-training.com/2018/slippery-slope-2/
Remember how the Soviets used psychiatrists.
Report: Four of Sheriff Scott Israel’s Deputies
Waited Outside Douglas High During School Shooting
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/02/23/report-four-sheriff-scott-israels-deputies-waited-outside-douglas-high-school-shooting/
Broward sheriff's captain, Captain Jan Jordan gave initial
order to 'stage' not enter Stoneman Douglas High School
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/03/05/broward-sheriffs-captain-who-gave-initial-order-to-stage-not-enter-stoneman-douglas-is-idd.html
***** Survival Tips *****
Political Agendas
http://defense-training.com/2018/agendas/
Saflok Hotel Safe Override
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=86&v=De0D7otNxME
All mass murders occur in gun-free-zones.
Because armed criminals prefer unarmed victims.
Don't send your children into gun-free-zones.
"Don't do stupid things.
Don't go to stupid places.
Don't hang out with stupid people."
-- John Farnam
Lock your doors when you are home.
Lock your windows when you sleep.
Criminals enter through unlocked doors and windows.
Reading police reports, you'll see it all the time.
-- Claude Warner
FREE Printable USGS PDF TOPO! Maps
http://www.natgeomaps.com/trail-maps/pdf-quads
Sheriff: Armed school resource officer "never went in" to building in Florida mass shooting
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sheriff-armed-school-resource-officer-never-went-in-to-building-in-florida-mass-shooting/
You are the first responder. Expecting law enforcement
to rescue you is a false assumption.
***** Basics *****
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Dr. Sherman House
***** Miscellany *****
Excerpts and comments on Ralph Mroz's books --
The first time you feel the pain
and disorientation of a good head shot should not be on the
street when someone’s trying to kill you.
(This is why martial arts training such as boxing is so important.)
I have had several students shoot dogs who
attempted to kill them. You can tell the dog's
intention by the growl, as opposed to the bark.
Since you have read Ralph's books, you
may be wondering why I don't carry OC spray.
Pepper spray has a very strong affect on me.
I have run into many persons on whom pepper
spray has had no effect. So, I don't carry it.
(If you spray someone, you can expect the wind to blow it back in your face.)
Will, skill, and awareness. (The software.)
The Boward County Sheriff Deputies lacked
the will to attack. So, they waited outside
while the bad guy killed the high school students
and teachers in the school building.
Training will give you confidence.
Confidence will allow you to believe that you
will win. That belief will allow you to
attack. The choice will always be yours.
But, if you don't train, if you have no
confidence, you don't really have a choice.
If you would like the lesson plans for my
NRA Defensive Pistol course, send me an email,
and I'll send you the latest version. The lesson
plans constantly change as I take courses,
communicate with other instructors,
and stay abreast of best practices.
Cheers,
Jon
Jonathan Low
NRA Instructor (Advanced Pistol, Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun, Personal Protection)
Front Sight Instructor (Handgun)
Rangemaster Instructor (Pistol)
Jon_Low@yahoo.com
Thursday, February 1, 2018
CWP, 1 February 2018 Anno Domini
Happy New Year! Sheepdogs,
Please read this,
Where is “Safety?”
http://defense-training.com/2017/where-is-safety/
Addendum
http://defense-training.com/2017/addendem/
***** Upcoming Training *****
Hey Everybody,
Sherman House here. I wanted to keep everyone in the loop
on a few training opportunities I am hosting in the
upcoming months of 2018, in Waverly at the Humphreys
County, Tennessee Sheriff's Office. They are:
March 3-4
John Murphy and Dr. William Aprill
UNTHINKABLE/THE EFFECTIVE ARMED CITIZEN
https://www.fpftraining.com/products/the-effective-armed-citizen-nashville-tn?start=2018-03-01T00:00&select=2018-03-03T00:00
April 7-8
Chief Deputy Lee Weems,
Defensive Pistol Skills and Social Shotgun (one day each)
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/defensive-pistol-skills-in-waverly-tn-tickets-42562343114?ref=wpwidget
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/social-shotgun-in-waverly-tn-tickets-42562310015?ref=wpwidget
October 27-28
Gabe White,
Pistol Shooting Solutions
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pistol-shooting-solutions-waverly-tn-october-27th-and-28th-2018-tickets-41280453949
There are vacancies in all of the classes.
Please sign up if you are interested, ASAP.
As those of you who host classes know, if you
wait too long to register, you either won't
get a spot, or the class gets cancelled due
to a lack of registrants. Please spread this
among your peer group, and on social media
as well!
Hit me with questions!
Regards,
Sherm
"Sherman House DDS" <shermanahouse@gmail.com>
I'm hosting Varg Freeborn for his Violence of Mind series
on April 29th in Chicago, near O'Hare airport.
A course like no other on extreme criminal violence.
Hear an insider perspective from someone who lived and
survived in that violent criminal underworld world for
25 years, with an articulation on how to hack the
human processor by understanding how
https://www.violenceofmind.com/events/chicagovom/
Erik Tweedt
"Erik TWEEDT" <e.tweedt@yahoo.com>
***** Mindset *****
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Dr. Sherman House
"Somewhere right now, someone is preparing
so when they meet you, they beat you.
Train hard and stay on guard!"
– Dennis Martin CQB Services, Liverpool, England
Skill Set: The Fundamentals of Defense
http://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/c2366fd4-c5fc-44ff-b3e4-24632a7de01a
The private citizen's rules of engagement are
much better than the police officer's. You don't
have to warn the bad guy. You don't have to ask
the bad guy to surrender. You don't have to attempt
to arrest. You don't have to pursue. You can and
should run away.
If you fear imminent death or serious injury
to yourself or other innocent parties, you have
legal justification to shoot the bad guy in the
cranio-ocular cavity without warning from a meek
countenance. Which is correct. Because if you
give the bad guy any indication that you are a
threat to him, he will shoot you first.
Dave Spaulding on Being Willing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5eGXWP5BiE
Dave Spaulding on the Most Essential of Essentials
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dD4_9o3a8g
***** Training *****
The Single Most Important Self-Defense Accessory is . . .
https://civiliandefender.com/2018/01/01/the-single-most-important-self-defense-accessory-is/
Excerpt:
Hit the track, or the stadium stairs, carry a tourniquet,
and breathe in MORE air. All of your trials and tribulations
through life, will be exponentially easier,
the higher your exercise capacity is.
The “Best” Offense
http://pistol-training.com/archives/7647
Situational Awareness is your best survival tool – learn to use it
http://paratus.info/2017/12/12/situational-awareness/
Want To Be An Accurate Pistol Shooter?
http://blog.suarezinternational.com/2018/01/want-to-be-an-accurate-pistol-shooter.html
Excerpts:
The front sight must be seen through the rear sight
in a way that their relative alignment is easy and
repeatable. That calls for square and hard angles
and for sharp corners (not circles and round shapes).
. . . go see an eye doctor and see if he can help.
A good trigger can be single stage or two stage,
but it must be smooth as glass on the take up. Every
bit of grit will move your muzzle off target. When it
breaks it must break clean and not be so heavy that
it jars your pistol off target as you press. And the
reset after the shot must be clear and easy to feel.
Sub Zero Survival Tips
https://us11.campaign-archive.com/?u=91836f6ce2a042bef3343405c&id=e9259ba12d
Have you ever left your car out in the cold and
tried to open the door only to find the handle frozen
and stuck? Had to spray WD-40 in the key hole? Well,
your pistol can get frozen and stuck too.
That's why I always carry concealed, inside the
waist band. A warm gun is a happy gun.
Unfortunately, some states, as Missouri, require
their licensed armed guards to open carry. They
can't even legally put their jacket over their pistol.
Training Versus Practice: Why You Need Both
https://www.usacarry.com/training-versus-practice/
Excerpt:
. . . the late, great, Randy Rhodes, the original
guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne, would seek out and
take guitar lessons from the guitar instructors
in the various cities he would visit while on tour.
. . .
If we don’t obtain good instruction, then we
spend many hours and a lot of resources practicing
wrong technique.
Advanced Skills
https://mountainguerrilla.wordpress.com/2018/01/15/advanced-skills/
"The Wild Boar and the Fox"
A WILD BOAR stood under a tree and rubbed his
tusks against the trunk. A Fox passing by asked
him why he thus sharpened his teeth when there
was no danger threatening from either huntsman
or hound. He replied, “I do it advisedly;
for it would never do to have to sharpen my
weapons just at the time I ought to be using
them.”
Aesop's Fables (p. 44).
Translated by George Fyler Townsend.
Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
***** Tactics *****
***** Techniques *****
In climbing, you will hear,
"Belay?" meaning, Is the belay ready?
"Belay on." meaning, I am ready to protect you as you climb.
"Climbing?" meaning, I am preparing to climb and
am awaiting your response.
"Climb on." meaning, I am ready to protect you, you may climb.
"Slack." meaning, Give me rope or take up the slack. What
to do is usually obvious from the context
or the tension on the rope.
Similarly, in combat operations with a partner,
you must communicate.
"Reloading." meaning, I have to reload. Cover me.
"Covering." meaning, I am shooting at the enemy.
Do whatever you need to do.
"Moving?" meaning, I have chosen my destination behind cover
and am prepared to move, awaiting your signal.
"Covering." meaning, I am shooting at the enemy.
Do whatever you need to do.
Or, if you are the leader,
"Cover!" meaning, Shoot at the enemy to allow others to do
whatever they need to do.
"Move!" meaning, Move to cover, or a position of tactical
advantage, or to escape.
Weak Hand Shooting
https://www.pewpewtactical.com/weak-hand-shooting/
Handgun Malfunction – Getting Out Of A Jam
http://www.handgunsmag.com/tactics-training/handgun-malfunction-getting-out-of-a-jam/
***** Gear *****
Ayoob: 13 Cases That Show Why You Should Carry a Backup Gun
https://www.personaldefenseworld.com/2017/12/backup-gun-saves/
Magazine Maintenance
http://www.handgunsmag.com/how-to/magazine-maintenance-the-heart-of-your-semiautomatic-needs-your-attention/
Simple Tips for Buying a Handgun
https://www.americas1stfreedom.org/articles/2018/1/12/simple-tips-for-buying-a-handgun/
A Tale of Two Cartridges
https://paladintraining.com/a-tale-of-two-cartridges/
Excerpt: Never re-chamber a cartridge.
***** Instructors *****
An Interesting Experience at the Shooting Range . . .
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/an-interesting-experience-at-the-shooting-range
Not just for instructors. For all of us.
"In martial arts and especially if you claim to teach self-defense,
the price of error is blood. The luxury of an instructor is that
it will not be your blood. That makes bullshit more reprehensible,
not less." -- Rory Miller
I teach my instructors not to tell war stories during class.
Unless it directly relates to the subject at hand and directly
answers the student's question. Perhaps at lunch after the lectures
if we have dead time (which we never do). Perhaps it would be
best to send the student the war story via email if he asks to
hear it.
How to Become a Firearms Instructor
http://www.corneredcat.com/article/teaching-others/how-to-become-a-firearms-instructor/
Rodney Dangerfield must’ve taught beginners
https://www.corneredcat.com/rodney-dangerfield-mustve-taught-beginners/
Excerpt:
. . . teaching beginners is the most dangerous and
difficult task any shooting instructor ever faces.
The Cornered Cat blog
https://www.corneredcat.com/scratching-post/
I once had a lady drop out of a class that I was teaching.
Before she left, she told me that she didn't realize that the
class would be so intense. I have prayed several times that
she try again in the future.
***** Pedagogy *****
A new climbing gym opened near my residence, so I went to
check it out. A little girl was having difficulty with a problem
(what they call paths up the wall using a particular sequence of holds).
So, I asked her if I could advise her. She said yes. I suggested
that she:
1) keep her hips close to the wall (as opposed to keeping
her center of mass close to the wall to minimize the vector
component of force on her hands perpendicular to the wall),
2) keep the sides of her climbing shoes flat against the wall
(not letting her toe or heel stick out away from the wall),
3) not bend her elbows (it tires the arms), rather rotate at the
hand hold and rotate at the shoulder joint, [Have you ever seen
monkeys climb? They never bend their elbows. Because they are
smart. At least smarter than most humans who play in climbing
gyms.]
4) expect to make 5 to 7 foot moves for every hand move
so as to put yourself in a position to use your legs to push
yourself up the wall, as opposed to using your arms to pull
yourself up the wall,
5) don't be afraid to turn your back to the wall.
Looking at her facial expression, I apologized for giving
her too much information.
She said, it was fine and that it must be frustrating
for you to watch us.
Not at all, I responded, you are learning fast.
No we're not. We're just farting around.
That's okay, play is good. You learn a lot when you play.
But, some people decide (and it has to be a conscious decision)
that they don't want to just fool around anymore. They want to
master this skill. When such people ask, you have to be in a
position to guide them. Instruct them if you are competent to do so,
or refer them to a competent instructor. Because wanting to learn and
not being able to find a mentor whom you can communicate with
is frustrating, and may cause the student to move on to other
things.
Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
https://www.corneredcat.com/beginner-intermediate-advanced/
The paper that Kathy Jackson refers to,
"Unskilled and unaware of it:
how difficulties in recognizing one's own incompetence
lead to inflated self-assessments."
http://psycnet.apa.org/record/1999-15054-002
Learning How to Learn: The Steps
https://www.cp-journal.com/learning-learn-steps/
We Can Do Better At Training Leaders
https://guerrillaapproach.com/we-can-do-better-at-training-leaders/
***** Education *****
Human Predators: Four Features and Four Phases of Assault
http://www.kristinprentissott.com/human-predators-four-features-and-four-phases-of-assault/
Share this essay on non-stranger rape with your
daughters. So, they can see the attack coming, rather
than being surprised by it.
Intimate Partner Violence: Warning Signs
https://www.agirlandagun.org/intimate-partner-violence/
Share this essay on abusive relationships with your
daughters. So, they can see the attack coming, rather
than being surprised by it.
"Defensive Living" 2nd Edition
by Ed Lovette and Dave Spaulding
ISBN-13: 978-1932777093
ISBN-10: 1932777091
The section on driving is invaluable.
Excerpts:
This presents an enormous challenge to [the students]
during personal security training because they often
have no frame of reference for what the instructor is saying.
They hear the explanations for why they should or should not
do something. They are able to perform the indicated exercise
to the appropriate level during the training. But they may
not take very much of what they learn with them when they
complete the training if the instructor hasn’t done his
homework.
. . .
The defeatist attitude is a selffulfilling prophecy.
It is most often identified by the phrase, “If they want me,
they’re gonna’ get me.” If you honestly believe that, close
this book and pass it on to someone else. We can’t help you.
More to the point, you can’t help yourself.
. . .
Clint Smith . . . tells his students, . . . ,
“Get the best training you can afford. But train with the
understanding that most firearm’s practice is about 75%
physical and 25% mental. A gunfight is about 75% mental
and about 25% physical.”
. . .
. . . the sole purpose of motor skills training is
to develop a conditioned response to a specific threat.
You will have about a 3-5 second window in which to react
to worst case situations. If you have to stop and think
about what you are going to do you will simply run out of time.
. . .
The journalist asked her what precautions she took
when she was outside of her home. She replied,
I open my eyes. I open my mind.
. . .
"Is it possible to empty-hand defeat an opponent with a gun?
Yes, of course it is. But in addition to skill, the martial
artist must be very lucky. And the man with gun must be very
stupid." - Sekeichi Toguchi, Karate Grandmaster
. . .
“Advanced training is nothing more than the basics mastered.”
. . .
Shown here is a rear sight that has been widened with a file . . .
[This is critically important. In low light
conditions the light on either side of the front sight
will get very thin or disappear if the rear sight is too small.
(And they all come from the factory too small.) This
forces the shooter to move the front sight up relative
to the rear sight, so he can distinguish the front sight
from the rear sight. This causes his bullets to impact high.
-- Jon Low]
. . .
If you look like prey, you will be preyed upon.
[No, you can't bluff. You have to get training and you
have to practice what you've learned in your training.
There is no other way to convince the predator that you
are a competent operator, and will kill him if need be.
If you convince the predator, he will leave, and
you win in every sense of the word. -- Jon Low]
7 Competitive Shooting Books You Need To Read
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2018/1/10/7-competitive-shooting-books-you-need-to-read/
The Cornered Cat
https://www.corneredcat.com/contents/
Defensive Use of Firearms
http://www.spw-duf.info/Defensive%20Use%20of%20Firearms%20text%20bw.pdf
The techniques are clearly explained. But many
differ from what is taught in modern gun schools.
Excerpt:
Technique must also adapt to conditions.
Fackler Discusses Shots To The Pelvic Area
https://primaryandsecondary.com/fackler-discusses-shots-to-the-pelivic-area/
"Building Shooters"
ISBN-10: 0692621784
ISBN-13: 978-0692621783
and
"Mentoring Shooters"
ISBN-10: 0692890564
ISBN-13: 978-0692890561
by Dustin P. Solomon
www.buildingshooters.com
The important thing is that Mr. Solomon is
good about responding to questions.
***** News, Legal, and Political stuff *****
'God and Second Amendment' saved Richard Childress from home break-in attempt
http://autoweek.com/article/nascar/god-and-2nd-amendment-saved-richard-childress-home-break-attempt
On a car racing web site.
"Law of Self Defense Case of the Week"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-Z2g3qqhlk&feature=youtu.be
Regaining the element of innocence. Or, not.
Other credentials for carrying:
Armed Forces Courier Card
On the back of this card are orders from the President of the United States
directing all law enforcement, military, and government employees to render
all aid and assistance to the bearer of this card. When we carried
classified material, we would not surrender to arrest by police or anyone
else. Of course, some people don't recognize the authority of the POTUS.
You just have to shoot them. Because you can't let them shoot you and
get access to the classified material, especially crypto keys.
State Armed Guard/Courier License
Congress enacted the
Armored Car Industry Reciprocity Act (ACIRA) of 1993,
amended several times thereafter.
https://leb.fbi.gov/articles/featured-articles/armored-car-industry-reciprocity-act-and-local-law-enforcement
The magic words are, "We are transporting federal money."
(Isn't all money, federal money? Think about it.
Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's. Give unto God what is God's.)
The cops should leave you alone. If not, eventually an FBI agent
will threaten to arrest the policeman for violating federal law
if he doesn't release you. Some cops are not as legally educated
as others.
A written contract with the U.S. State Department saying
that you will not be prosecuted for anything you do in this
third world pit. Oh, you mean you've never hear of Blackwater?
Of course, the U.S. State Department is not trustworthy and you
might be prosecuted.
Operating in an absolute monarchy with written orders from
the King (or Crown Prince) is really nice. Or, Status Of Forces
Agreements (SOFA) with the hosting country will suffice.
Hunting terrorist in Riyadh and Ankara during the Iraqi Freedom
operation, those were the days.
And then, of course, there is nepotism. We were on the
second floor of Fisalia Tower (a high rise) in downtown Riyadh.
It's a big shopping mall. We were eating at the McDonalds.
Across the way, a Matawa (religious policeman) is beating a woman
with his stick (Matawa only carry sticks.) and screaming at her
to cover her head. (Women exposing their hair in Saudi is
pornographic.) She pulls out a pistol and shoots the Matawa dead.
The regular police (Ministry of the Interior), armed with
submachineguns, immediately show up. She shows them her ID card,
which identifies her as a princes of the al Saud family
(the royal family). The cops let her go.
Lucky you live in America.
***** Survival Tips *****
HOW NOT TO GET SHOT BY POLICE part 1
http://blog.suarezinternational.com/2017/12/how-not-to-get-shot-by-police.html
Excerpt:
Police shoot one of their own every 18 months
around the nation in everyday police work, . . .
. . .
All of this, "we are there to save lives . . .
we are there to intervene in the conflict and negotiate"
is nonsense. For every negotiator type, you have a
dozen meat eaters racing to be the first one to make
his career by taking down the terrorist.
HOW NOT TO GET SHOT BY POLICE part 2
http://blog.suarezinternational.com/2017/12/a-matter-of-timing-still-not-getting-shot-by-the-police.html
Excerpt:
If [the police] seem focused on you,
have your hands empty, open palms toward them,
and get on your knees. The snake flag people
may have issue with this, but its like arguing
the rain has no right to wet you down.
I have heard medics argue about what to use
to clean a wound if clean water is not available.
One of my friends, who is an M.D., opines that
urine is okay. It's sterile and it's warm;
and if the donor is properly hydrated,
it's clear and in large volume. So, it's close
to water.
***** Basics *****
Back Curve
http://defense-training.com/2017/back-curve/
Combat rifle trajectory considerations.
***** Miscellany *****
If you would like the lesson plans for my
NRA Defensive Pistol course, send me an email,
and I'll send you the latest version. The lesson
plans constantly change as I take courses,
communicate with other instructors,
and stay abreast of best practices.
Cheers,
Jon
Jonathan Low
Jon_Low@yahoo.com
Please read this,
Where is “Safety?”
http://defense-training.com/2017/where-is-safety/
Addendum
http://defense-training.com/2017/addendem/
***** Upcoming Training *****
Hey Everybody,
Sherman House here. I wanted to keep everyone in the loop
on a few training opportunities I am hosting in the
upcoming months of 2018, in Waverly at the Humphreys
County, Tennessee Sheriff's Office. They are:
March 3-4
John Murphy and Dr. William Aprill
UNTHINKABLE/THE EFFECTIVE ARMED CITIZEN
https://www.fpftraining.com/products/the-effective-armed-citizen-nashville-tn?start=2018-03-01T00:00&select=2018-03-03T00:00
April 7-8
Chief Deputy Lee Weems,
Defensive Pistol Skills and Social Shotgun (one day each)
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/defensive-pistol-skills-in-waverly-tn-tickets-42562343114?ref=wpwidget
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/social-shotgun-in-waverly-tn-tickets-42562310015?ref=wpwidget
October 27-28
Gabe White,
Pistol Shooting Solutions
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pistol-shooting-solutions-waverly-tn-october-27th-and-28th-2018-tickets-41280453949
There are vacancies in all of the classes.
Please sign up if you are interested, ASAP.
As those of you who host classes know, if you
wait too long to register, you either won't
get a spot, or the class gets cancelled due
to a lack of registrants. Please spread this
among your peer group, and on social media
as well!
Hit me with questions!
Regards,
Sherm
"Sherman House DDS" <shermanahouse@gmail.com>
I'm hosting Varg Freeborn for his Violence of Mind series
on April 29th in Chicago, near O'Hare airport.
A course like no other on extreme criminal violence.
Hear an insider perspective from someone who lived and
survived in that violent criminal underworld world for
25 years, with an articulation on how to hack the
human processor by understanding how
https://www.violenceofmind.com/events/chicagovom/
Erik Tweedt
"Erik TWEEDT" <e.tweedt@yahoo.com>
***** Mindset *****
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Dr. Sherman House
"Somewhere right now, someone is preparing
so when they meet you, they beat you.
Train hard and stay on guard!"
– Dennis Martin CQB Services, Liverpool, England
Skill Set: The Fundamentals of Defense
http://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/c2366fd4-c5fc-44ff-b3e4-24632a7de01a
The private citizen's rules of engagement are
much better than the police officer's. You don't
have to warn the bad guy. You don't have to ask
the bad guy to surrender. You don't have to attempt
to arrest. You don't have to pursue. You can and
should run away.
If you fear imminent death or serious injury
to yourself or other innocent parties, you have
legal justification to shoot the bad guy in the
cranio-ocular cavity without warning from a meek
countenance. Which is correct. Because if you
give the bad guy any indication that you are a
threat to him, he will shoot you first.
Dave Spaulding on Being Willing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5eGXWP5BiE
Dave Spaulding on the Most Essential of Essentials
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dD4_9o3a8g
***** Training *****
The Single Most Important Self-Defense Accessory is . . .
https://civiliandefender.com/2018/01/01/the-single-most-important-self-defense-accessory-is/
Excerpt:
Hit the track, or the stadium stairs, carry a tourniquet,
and breathe in MORE air. All of your trials and tribulations
through life, will be exponentially easier,
the higher your exercise capacity is.
The “Best” Offense
http://pistol-training.com/archives/7647
Situational Awareness is your best survival tool – learn to use it
http://paratus.info/2017/12/12/situational-awareness/
Want To Be An Accurate Pistol Shooter?
http://blog.suarezinternational.com/2018/01/want-to-be-an-accurate-pistol-shooter.html
Excerpts:
The front sight must be seen through the rear sight
in a way that their relative alignment is easy and
repeatable. That calls for square and hard angles
and for sharp corners (not circles and round shapes).
. . . go see an eye doctor and see if he can help.
A good trigger can be single stage or two stage,
but it must be smooth as glass on the take up. Every
bit of grit will move your muzzle off target. When it
breaks it must break clean and not be so heavy that
it jars your pistol off target as you press. And the
reset after the shot must be clear and easy to feel.
Sub Zero Survival Tips
https://us11.campaign-archive.com/?u=91836f6ce2a042bef3343405c&id=e9259ba12d
Have you ever left your car out in the cold and
tried to open the door only to find the handle frozen
and stuck? Had to spray WD-40 in the key hole? Well,
your pistol can get frozen and stuck too.
That's why I always carry concealed, inside the
waist band. A warm gun is a happy gun.
Unfortunately, some states, as Missouri, require
their licensed armed guards to open carry. They
can't even legally put their jacket over their pistol.
Training Versus Practice: Why You Need Both
https://www.usacarry.com/training-versus-practice/
Excerpt:
. . . the late, great, Randy Rhodes, the original
guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne, would seek out and
take guitar lessons from the guitar instructors
in the various cities he would visit while on tour.
. . .
If we don’t obtain good instruction, then we
spend many hours and a lot of resources practicing
wrong technique.
Advanced Skills
https://mountainguerrilla.wordpress.com/2018/01/15/advanced-skills/
"The Wild Boar and the Fox"
A WILD BOAR stood under a tree and rubbed his
tusks against the trunk. A Fox passing by asked
him why he thus sharpened his teeth when there
was no danger threatening from either huntsman
or hound. He replied, “I do it advisedly;
for it would never do to have to sharpen my
weapons just at the time I ought to be using
them.”
Aesop's Fables (p. 44).
Translated by George Fyler Townsend.
Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
***** Tactics *****
***** Techniques *****
In climbing, you will hear,
"Belay?" meaning, Is the belay ready?
"Belay on." meaning, I am ready to protect you as you climb.
"Climbing?" meaning, I am preparing to climb and
am awaiting your response.
"Climb on." meaning, I am ready to protect you, you may climb.
"Slack." meaning, Give me rope or take up the slack. What
to do is usually obvious from the context
or the tension on the rope.
Similarly, in combat operations with a partner,
you must communicate.
"Reloading." meaning, I have to reload. Cover me.
"Covering." meaning, I am shooting at the enemy.
Do whatever you need to do.
"Moving?" meaning, I have chosen my destination behind cover
and am prepared to move, awaiting your signal.
"Covering." meaning, I am shooting at the enemy.
Do whatever you need to do.
Or, if you are the leader,
"Cover!" meaning, Shoot at the enemy to allow others to do
whatever they need to do.
"Move!" meaning, Move to cover, or a position of tactical
advantage, or to escape.
Weak Hand Shooting
https://www.pewpewtactical.com/weak-hand-shooting/
Handgun Malfunction – Getting Out Of A Jam
http://www.handgunsmag.com/tactics-training/handgun-malfunction-getting-out-of-a-jam/
***** Gear *****
Ayoob: 13 Cases That Show Why You Should Carry a Backup Gun
https://www.personaldefenseworld.com/2017/12/backup-gun-saves/
Magazine Maintenance
http://www.handgunsmag.com/how-to/magazine-maintenance-the-heart-of-your-semiautomatic-needs-your-attention/
Simple Tips for Buying a Handgun
https://www.americas1stfreedom.org/articles/2018/1/12/simple-tips-for-buying-a-handgun/
A Tale of Two Cartridges
https://paladintraining.com/a-tale-of-two-cartridges/
Excerpt: Never re-chamber a cartridge.
***** Instructors *****
An Interesting Experience at the Shooting Range . . .
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/an-interesting-experience-at-the-shooting-range
Not just for instructors. For all of us.
"In martial arts and especially if you claim to teach self-defense,
the price of error is blood. The luxury of an instructor is that
it will not be your blood. That makes bullshit more reprehensible,
not less." -- Rory Miller
I teach my instructors not to tell war stories during class.
Unless it directly relates to the subject at hand and directly
answers the student's question. Perhaps at lunch after the lectures
if we have dead time (which we never do). Perhaps it would be
best to send the student the war story via email if he asks to
hear it.
How to Become a Firearms Instructor
http://www.corneredcat.com/article/teaching-others/how-to-become-a-firearms-instructor/
Rodney Dangerfield must’ve taught beginners
https://www.corneredcat.com/rodney-dangerfield-mustve-taught-beginners/
Excerpt:
. . . teaching beginners is the most dangerous and
difficult task any shooting instructor ever faces.
The Cornered Cat blog
https://www.corneredcat.com/scratching-post/
I once had a lady drop out of a class that I was teaching.
Before she left, she told me that she didn't realize that the
class would be so intense. I have prayed several times that
she try again in the future.
***** Pedagogy *****
A new climbing gym opened near my residence, so I went to
check it out. A little girl was having difficulty with a problem
(what they call paths up the wall using a particular sequence of holds).
So, I asked her if I could advise her. She said yes. I suggested
that she:
1) keep her hips close to the wall (as opposed to keeping
her center of mass close to the wall to minimize the vector
component of force on her hands perpendicular to the wall),
2) keep the sides of her climbing shoes flat against the wall
(not letting her toe or heel stick out away from the wall),
3) not bend her elbows (it tires the arms), rather rotate at the
hand hold and rotate at the shoulder joint, [Have you ever seen
monkeys climb? They never bend their elbows. Because they are
smart. At least smarter than most humans who play in climbing
gyms.]
4) expect to make 5 to 7 foot moves for every hand move
so as to put yourself in a position to use your legs to push
yourself up the wall, as opposed to using your arms to pull
yourself up the wall,
5) don't be afraid to turn your back to the wall.
Looking at her facial expression, I apologized for giving
her too much information.
She said, it was fine and that it must be frustrating
for you to watch us.
Not at all, I responded, you are learning fast.
No we're not. We're just farting around.
That's okay, play is good. You learn a lot when you play.
But, some people decide (and it has to be a conscious decision)
that they don't want to just fool around anymore. They want to
master this skill. When such people ask, you have to be in a
position to guide them. Instruct them if you are competent to do so,
or refer them to a competent instructor. Because wanting to learn and
not being able to find a mentor whom you can communicate with
is frustrating, and may cause the student to move on to other
things.
Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
https://www.corneredcat.com/beginner-intermediate-advanced/
The paper that Kathy Jackson refers to,
"Unskilled and unaware of it:
how difficulties in recognizing one's own incompetence
lead to inflated self-assessments."
http://psycnet.apa.org/record/1999-15054-002
Learning How to Learn: The Steps
https://www.cp-journal.com/learning-learn-steps/
We Can Do Better At Training Leaders
https://guerrillaapproach.com/we-can-do-better-at-training-leaders/
***** Education *****
Human Predators: Four Features and Four Phases of Assault
http://www.kristinprentissott.com/human-predators-four-features-and-four-phases-of-assault/
Share this essay on non-stranger rape with your
daughters. So, they can see the attack coming, rather
than being surprised by it.
Intimate Partner Violence: Warning Signs
https://www.agirlandagun.org/intimate-partner-violence/
Share this essay on abusive relationships with your
daughters. So, they can see the attack coming, rather
than being surprised by it.
"Defensive Living" 2nd Edition
by Ed Lovette and Dave Spaulding
ISBN-13: 978-1932777093
ISBN-10: 1932777091
The section on driving is invaluable.
Excerpts:
This presents an enormous challenge to [the students]
during personal security training because they often
have no frame of reference for what the instructor is saying.
They hear the explanations for why they should or should not
do something. They are able to perform the indicated exercise
to the appropriate level during the training. But they may
not take very much of what they learn with them when they
complete the training if the instructor hasn’t done his
homework.
. . .
The defeatist attitude is a selffulfilling prophecy.
It is most often identified by the phrase, “If they want me,
they’re gonna’ get me.” If you honestly believe that, close
this book and pass it on to someone else. We can’t help you.
More to the point, you can’t help yourself.
. . .
Clint Smith . . . tells his students, . . . ,
“Get the best training you can afford. But train with the
understanding that most firearm’s practice is about 75%
physical and 25% mental. A gunfight is about 75% mental
and about 25% physical.”
. . .
. . . the sole purpose of motor skills training is
to develop a conditioned response to a specific threat.
You will have about a 3-5 second window in which to react
to worst case situations. If you have to stop and think
about what you are going to do you will simply run out of time.
. . .
The journalist asked her what precautions she took
when she was outside of her home. She replied,
I open my eyes. I open my mind.
. . .
"Is it possible to empty-hand defeat an opponent with a gun?
Yes, of course it is. But in addition to skill, the martial
artist must be very lucky. And the man with gun must be very
stupid." - Sekeichi Toguchi, Karate Grandmaster
. . .
“Advanced training is nothing more than the basics mastered.”
. . .
Shown here is a rear sight that has been widened with a file . . .
[This is critically important. In low light
conditions the light on either side of the front sight
will get very thin or disappear if the rear sight is too small.
(And they all come from the factory too small.) This
forces the shooter to move the front sight up relative
to the rear sight, so he can distinguish the front sight
from the rear sight. This causes his bullets to impact high.
-- Jon Low]
. . .
If you look like prey, you will be preyed upon.
[No, you can't bluff. You have to get training and you
have to practice what you've learned in your training.
There is no other way to convince the predator that you
are a competent operator, and will kill him if need be.
If you convince the predator, he will leave, and
you win in every sense of the word. -- Jon Low]
7 Competitive Shooting Books You Need To Read
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2018/1/10/7-competitive-shooting-books-you-need-to-read/
The Cornered Cat
https://www.corneredcat.com/contents/
Defensive Use of Firearms
http://www.spw-duf.info/Defensive%20Use%20of%20Firearms%20text%20bw.pdf
The techniques are clearly explained. But many
differ from what is taught in modern gun schools.
Excerpt:
Technique must also adapt to conditions.
Fackler Discusses Shots To The Pelvic Area
https://primaryandsecondary.com/fackler-discusses-shots-to-the-pelivic-area/
"Building Shooters"
ISBN-10: 0692621784
ISBN-13: 978-0692621783
and
"Mentoring Shooters"
ISBN-10: 0692890564
ISBN-13: 978-0692890561
by Dustin P. Solomon
www.buildingshooters.com
The important thing is that Mr. Solomon is
good about responding to questions.
***** News, Legal, and Political stuff *****
'God and Second Amendment' saved Richard Childress from home break-in attempt
http://autoweek.com/article/nascar/god-and-2nd-amendment-saved-richard-childress-home-break-attempt
On a car racing web site.
"Law of Self Defense Case of the Week"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-Z2g3qqhlk&feature=youtu.be
Regaining the element of innocence. Or, not.
Other credentials for carrying:
Armed Forces Courier Card
On the back of this card are orders from the President of the United States
directing all law enforcement, military, and government employees to render
all aid and assistance to the bearer of this card. When we carried
classified material, we would not surrender to arrest by police or anyone
else. Of course, some people don't recognize the authority of the POTUS.
You just have to shoot them. Because you can't let them shoot you and
get access to the classified material, especially crypto keys.
State Armed Guard/Courier License
Congress enacted the
Armored Car Industry Reciprocity Act (ACIRA) of 1993,
amended several times thereafter.
https://leb.fbi.gov/articles/featured-articles/armored-car-industry-reciprocity-act-and-local-law-enforcement
The magic words are, "We are transporting federal money."
(Isn't all money, federal money? Think about it.
Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's. Give unto God what is God's.)
The cops should leave you alone. If not, eventually an FBI agent
will threaten to arrest the policeman for violating federal law
if he doesn't release you. Some cops are not as legally educated
as others.
A written contract with the U.S. State Department saying
that you will not be prosecuted for anything you do in this
third world pit. Oh, you mean you've never hear of Blackwater?
Of course, the U.S. State Department is not trustworthy and you
might be prosecuted.
Operating in an absolute monarchy with written orders from
the King (or Crown Prince) is really nice. Or, Status Of Forces
Agreements (SOFA) with the hosting country will suffice.
Hunting terrorist in Riyadh and Ankara during the Iraqi Freedom
operation, those were the days.
And then, of course, there is nepotism. We were on the
second floor of Fisalia Tower (a high rise) in downtown Riyadh.
It's a big shopping mall. We were eating at the McDonalds.
Across the way, a Matawa (religious policeman) is beating a woman
with his stick (Matawa only carry sticks.) and screaming at her
to cover her head. (Women exposing their hair in Saudi is
pornographic.) She pulls out a pistol and shoots the Matawa dead.
The regular police (Ministry of the Interior), armed with
submachineguns, immediately show up. She shows them her ID card,
which identifies her as a princes of the al Saud family
(the royal family). The cops let her go.
Lucky you live in America.
***** Survival Tips *****
HOW NOT TO GET SHOT BY POLICE part 1
http://blog.suarezinternational.com/2017/12/how-not-to-get-shot-by-police.html
Excerpt:
Police shoot one of their own every 18 months
around the nation in everyday police work, . . .
. . .
All of this, "we are there to save lives . . .
we are there to intervene in the conflict and negotiate"
is nonsense. For every negotiator type, you have a
dozen meat eaters racing to be the first one to make
his career by taking down the terrorist.
HOW NOT TO GET SHOT BY POLICE part 2
http://blog.suarezinternational.com/2017/12/a-matter-of-timing-still-not-getting-shot-by-the-police.html
Excerpt:
If [the police] seem focused on you,
have your hands empty, open palms toward them,
and get on your knees. The snake flag people
may have issue with this, but its like arguing
the rain has no right to wet you down.
I have heard medics argue about what to use
to clean a wound if clean water is not available.
One of my friends, who is an M.D., opines that
urine is okay. It's sterile and it's warm;
and if the donor is properly hydrated,
it's clear and in large volume. So, it's close
to water.
***** Basics *****
Back Curve
http://defense-training.com/2017/back-curve/
Combat rifle trajectory considerations.
***** Miscellany *****
If you would like the lesson plans for my
NRA Defensive Pistol course, send me an email,
and I'll send you the latest version. The lesson
plans constantly change as I take courses,
communicate with other instructors,
and stay abreast of best practices.
Cheers,
Jon
Jonathan Low
Jon_Low@yahoo.com
Friday, December 22, 2017
CWP, 22 December 2017 Anno Domini
Merry Christmas Sheepdogs,
***** Mindset *****
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Dr. Sherman House
Tom Givens says that panic is the result of not
having a pre-programmed response for that situation
that you can automatically default to.
You don't necessarily have to practice your
response for thousands of hours in order to engrain it.
Visualization works well for Olympic athletes. It will
work well for you. The more you practice visualization,
the more detailed it will become and the more effective
it will be.
Simply ask yourself, "What will I do if someone
attempts to rob the cashier?", "What will I do if
that guy walking towards me gets too close?", "What
will I do if I hear glass breaking in the middle of
the night and my daughter screaming from her bedroom?"
Answer your questions in detail. Go through the motions
of actually doing it (without your gun drawn).
Now, if the situation should occur, you will be
thinking, "Okay, I've done this before. I can handle
this."
Should more people bear arms after Schlenker shooting?
http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/crime/2017/12/01/should-more-people-take-arms-after-schlenker-shooting/908754001/
Excerpt:
"We (law enforcement) call ourselves the first responders,
but in reality, we're the second responders,"
said former Melbourne police Detective Mark Laderwarg
"I'm firmly convinced we can no longer sit back and pray
the fight isn't brought to us,"
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said in a YouTube video
he posted in June on the "Brevard Sheriff" account.
"If there's an active shooter, until law enforcement arrives,
it's up to you to neutralize or eliminate the threat."
"(The gun) does no good in your car or in your house,"
Ivey said.
They [criminals] Don't Think Like You Do
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDN83gBlp-o&feature=youtu.be
When we "Go to Guns!"
http://defense-training.com/2017/when-we-go-to-guns/
Words have definitions, as in a scholarly dictionary,
as American Heritage (not a popular dictionary, as in Webster's).
[No, the OED (Oxford English Dictionary) is not American
English. It is British English. The two diverged in the
time of Shakespeare when English speakers moved to America.]
Bad guys use violence to get what they want.
Good guys use force to defend themselves from bad guys.
Good guys don't commit violence.
Words don't necessarily have meaning (semantics).
In English, the sentence is really the minimal unit of
meaning. Yes, there are one word sentences.
In English prose, the paragraph is the standard
unit of prose. Yes, there are one sentence paragraphs.
But, it generally takes more than one sentence, so as
to eliminate ambiguity.
***** Training *****
How Do You Train?
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2017/12/1/how-do-you-train/
Practice smarter: Information is key to improving shooting
http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/practice-smarter-information-is-key-to-improving-shooting/recreation-leisure
Excerpt:
Unfortunately, there are several problems with practicing
this way. First, it's a waste of time because little
productive learning takes place.
Beyond the CCW Pistol: Four Factors of Survival
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2017/11/28/beyond-the-ccw-pistol-four-factors-of-survival/
Why? On the subject of Sight Radius.
https://handguncombatives.blogspot.com/2017/11/why-on-subject-of-sight-radius.html
This article has nothing to do with sight radius.
Dave Spaulding is talking about how essential it is
that the student know why he is using a certain piece
of equipment or why he is using a certain technique.
Excerpt:
I am always tickled when a student just tells me the
truth when I ask him (or her) why they do something
questionable. "Yeah, I think these sights (technique,
tactic, etc. . . . place one here) looks really cool. It
makes me feel awesome." Beer will do this as well
and will not place you in as much danger as looking
cool in a gunfight, providing you don’t drink and
drive. Of course, my response will be "how is
(insert whatever here) ability to enhance your
performance working for you? If it is not enhancing
anything then WHY are you doing it?" Once again,
we are back to why.
In the case of cool looking sights,
the view of the sights that is important is from
the rear . . . not from the side where "cool looking"
is determined. So which is it . . . cool looking or
performance enhancing? If you can’t answer this
question, then is cool looking a good enough answer?
Only you can decide but one thing I will offer,
"shooting cool" can be fatal.
Get on Target: Overcoming Anticipation
https://www.concealedcarry.com/training-2/get-on-target-overcoming-anticipation/
Untrained shooters anticipate the recoil and
push against it. This is one of many autonomic
nervous system responses to the recoil (push) and
report (bang). The way to defeat your autonomic
nervous system responses is to strive for and
achieve a surprise break. This is subtle. This
is difficult to do by yourself. Ask for help.
Get a coach. Get an instructor. Yeah, you may
have to pay them. It's worth it. You get what
you pay for in this world.
Drill Your Way To Victory
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2017/12/7/drill-your-way-to-victory/
Your Tactical Training Scenario- Juvenile Violent Criminals
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/your-tactical-training-scenario-juvenile-violent-criminals
It's really important that you answer the questions.
Lack of preparation causes panic.
5 Critical Elements Of A Handgun Training Program
https://gundigest.com/how-to/training/5-elements-handgun-training
***** Tactics *****
The Truth About Target Identification
http://blog.suarezinternational.com/2017/11/the-truth-about-target-identification.html
Excerpt:
Target identification is relative and not absolute.
Once you have enough, waiting for more is a tactical blunder.
Options for Non-Combatants
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/options-for-non-combatants
***** Techniques *****
How to Avoid Shooting High
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2017/12/11/how-to-avoid-shooting-high-at-the-range/
Opening up the rear sight is essential on combat
pistols, because in low light conditions the light on
either side of the front sight will disappear if the
rear sight notch is too narrow.
***** Gear *****
With the decline in sales of firearms in the U.S.
(in large part due to the easing of fear because of the
Trump presidency) the prices have been coming down.
The price point for a reliable self defense pistol
used to be $500. I just got a Ruger American in .45 ACP
with two magazines for $450 retail. So, things are
good for the consumers these days.
Truly ambidextrous pistols with adjustable
grip size at reasonable prices are the:
Ruger American (~$450), H&K P30 and variants (~$550),
and the Springfield Armory XD variants (~$550).
Your gear is heavy. It may make your pants or
skirt sag. My solution is a study gun belt and
Perry Suspenders.
http://www.perrysuspenders.com/persus.html
Their regular suspenders
http://www.perrysuspenders.com/theorpersus.html
are too weak for our needs.
I recommend the RUF-N-TUF suspenders.
http://www.perrysuspenders.com/rufntuf.html
They also have polypropylene suspenders that
don't stretch as all.
http://www.perrysuspenders.com/perconsus2.html
If you're a fireman, policeman, or soldier carrying
a heavy load on your belt, this would make sense.
But, they are not comfortable because they are not
elastic.
These all hook around your belt. But they
also have the type that clip to your belt or clothing.
http://www.perrysuspenders.com/clsu1.html
1911 Emergency Field Repair
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2017/12/01/potd-know-1911-emergency-field-repair/
Excerpt from a letter that I sent to several students in an upcoming class --
---
You must be able to easily and quickly field strip your pistol and
re-assemble your pistol in the dark (or with a blind fold on). If you
can't do this with your pistol, your pistol's design is wrong. The pistol
should not have springs shooting out when you field strip it. The pistol
should not have small pieces falling apart when you field strip it.
If you disassemble beyond field stripping then you may have springs and
small parts flying all over the place. So, you should have a
gunsmith do any disassembly beyond field stripping. Or, if you feel
compelled to do it yourself, do it inside a clear plastic bag, so you
don't lose pieces; and video record it, so you get all the pieces back
in the correct place. Yes, badly designed pistols may be re-assembled
incorrectly, causing deadly problems.
Never disassemble more than one pistol at a time. If you get
parts mixed up between the pistols, you are demanding trouble.
And Murphy's Law will oblige.
Difficulty field stripping and assembling your pistol will create a
barrier to cleaning your pistol. So, you won't regularly clean your
pistol as you should. [Instead of watching that ball game on TV,
I'm going to clean my pistols. Ah, I can feel my character improving
and my soul maturing.]
---
Don't use a revolver for combat. They take too long to reload and
reloading is much more difficult than with a modern semi-auto pistol.
No, revolvers are not more reliable than semi-auto pistols. Anyone
who tells you that is ignorant, to put it politely. If you open up
a revolver, you will see many tiny parts that have to be precisely
timed. It looks like the inside of your grand father's wind up pocket
watch. The more moving parts a mechanism has, the less reliable it is.
The ammunition capacity is too low. The reload capacity is too
low.
There is no technical or tactical advantage to using a revolver.
Anyone who tells you that there is is wrong. Tell me the reasons
that they gave you and I will explain why.
---
Winning in combat depends on speed, accuracy, and power.
You can control speed and accuracy in real time. Power is what
you bring to the fight. So, you might as well carry the most
powerful cartridge that you can shoot accurately. The NRA
recommends 9mm to .45 ACP. Anything smaller than a 9mm
has too low a probability of stopping the attack. (It is
ineffective.) Anything larger than a .45 ACP will make
accurate shooting difficult because the recoil is too great.
I have standardized my pistols on the .45 ACP cartridge
(so I don't have to stock more than one pistol ammunition) because
terminal ballistics (effect on target) is determined by penetration.
Penetration is determined by momentum. Momentum is
determined by mass. So, you should throw the most massive
bullet that you can. No, as a matter of fact, bullet speed
doesn't matter that much in our context. No, over penetration
is not a realistic concern, it almost never happens. Because pistol
ammunition is ballistically deficient. If we knew we were going
to be in a fight, we would be armed with a rifle or shotgun.
We only carry pistols because they are convenient and
concealable.
---
If your pistol has a magazine release in some position that does
not allow easy one handed operation, you don't have a combat
pistol.
You're not going to have two hands in combat. You'll be
carrying a baby. You'll be injured. Murphy's Law guarantees it.
---
Just because you are right handed does not mean you are
going to be right handed in combat. So, your pistol must be
ambidextrous.
The Glocks and S&W M&P's that allow putting the magazine
release on either side are not ambidextrous. The SA XD's and
the Ruger American's are ambidextrous (and many others).
---
If your pistol does not have a trigger guard, it is not
a modern combat pistol. Get rid of such pistols before you
have a negligent discharge.
In a standard full size (not compact or sub compact)
pistol chambered for .45 ACP, a double stack magazine will
hold about 13 rounds and a single stack magazine will hold
8 rounds. So, why does the Ruger American hold 10 rounds?
In an effort to make the grip slimmer to better fit people
with smaller hands, the magazine is slimmer. It is actually
in between a double stack and a single stack.
So, ordering common full size self defense pistols
in .45 ACP from fattest grip to thinnest grip (in my opinion)
we have:
(magazine capacity + 1 in the chamber)
Glock G21, 13+1
Para, 14+1
Springfield Armory XD, 13+1
Heckler & Kock USP, 12+1
Heckler & Kock HK45, 10+1
Smith & Wesson M&P, 10+1
Ruger American, 10+1
CZ 97 B, 10+1
1911 type single stack pistols, 8+1
(Of course, you can change the stocks, back strap, etc.
to change the size of the grip.)
Avoid holsters that require the use of the trigger finger of the firing hand to
actuate a button to release the pistol, such as the Blackhawk SERPA holster.
Because, the common factor in documented negligent discharges is an unintended
continuation of the movement of the trigger finger toward the trigger due to the
"push button" motion required by the trigger finger to initiate firearm release.
The manufacturer recommends that you not insert the pistol backwards into
the holster, because the pistol can get stuck in the holster. This is the primary
technique taught for support side hand presentation in the federal law enforcement
training schools (FLETC, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center).
The release mechanism may fail to release the pistol due to debris (dirt,
small pebbles, snow) lodging behind the release button.
Citation – email from U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park
Service, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240; dated July 5, 2012; from
Acting Associate Director Louis Rowe; reference W34 (2460).
Many IDPA clubs forbid this holster. The Federal Law Enforcement
Training Center and the U.S. Interior Department forbid this holster.
But, the U.S. Army has hundreds of thousands of these holsters. Well,
that says something about the procurement personnel in the U.S. Army.
***** Instructors *****
Instructors, you are the leaders of your class, not
just the teachers of your class. Take heed,
"How Leaders Build -- And Destroy -- Trust"
https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolkinseygoman/2017/11/27/how-leaders-build-and-destroy-trust/#775b1c4f40e5
A HIGHER EDUCATION
http://www.mdtstraining.com/a-higher-education/
***** Pedagogy *****
***** Education *****
Lessons learned from watching 12,000 gunfights
http://blog.krtraining.com/even-more-knowledge-from-the-rangemaster-instructor-conference/
CRIME LAB: Myths & Misconceptions
http://www.gunsandammo.com/ammo/crime-lab-myths-misconceptions/
***** News, Legal, and Political stuff *****
Concealed Carry in America
http://www.springfield-armory.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/SpringfieldInfographic3.pdf
Man stealing AR-15 assault rifle from police car caught on surveillance video
https://www.yahoo.com/gma/man-stealing-ar-15-assault-rifle-police-car-060616142--abc-news-topstories.html
What gun control laws would have prevented this?
Where did this criminal get his gun? From the cops.
H. Rept. 115-433 - CONCEALED CARRY RECIPROCITY ACT OF 2017
https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/115th-congress/house-report/433/1?overview=closed
Dismal Truth: Police Use-of-Force Training
https://firearmusernetwork.com/2017/12/01/dismal-truth-police-use-of-force-training/
WATCH: Off-Duty Officer Tracks Gunman Through Costco Before Shooting Him Dead
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/12/18/watch-off-duty-officer-tracks-gunman-costco/
***** Survival Tips *****
***** Basics *****
***** Miscellany *****
Husband and Wife Christmas Shopping:
A couple were in a busy shopping center just before Christmas.
The wife suddenly noticed that her husband was missing and as
they had a lot to do, she called him on the mobile.
The wife said, "Where are you, you know we have lots to do."
He said, "You remember the jewelers we went into about 10 years
ago, and you fell in love with that diamond necklace?
I could not afford it at the time and I said that one day I
would get it for you?"
Little tears started to flow down her cheek and she got all
choked up . . .
"Yes, I do remember that store." she replied.
"Well, I'm in the gun shop next door to that store."
If you would like the lesson plans for my
NRA Defensive Pistol course, send me an email,
and I'll send you the latest version. The lesson
plans constantly change as I take courses,
communicate with other instructors,
and stay abreast of best practices.
Cheers,
Jon
Jonathan Low
Jon_Low@yahoo.com
***** Mindset *****
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Dr. Sherman House
Tom Givens says that panic is the result of not
having a pre-programmed response for that situation
that you can automatically default to.
You don't necessarily have to practice your
response for thousands of hours in order to engrain it.
Visualization works well for Olympic athletes. It will
work well for you. The more you practice visualization,
the more detailed it will become and the more effective
it will be.
Simply ask yourself, "What will I do if someone
attempts to rob the cashier?", "What will I do if
that guy walking towards me gets too close?", "What
will I do if I hear glass breaking in the middle of
the night and my daughter screaming from her bedroom?"
Answer your questions in detail. Go through the motions
of actually doing it (without your gun drawn).
Now, if the situation should occur, you will be
thinking, "Okay, I've done this before. I can handle
this."
Should more people bear arms after Schlenker shooting?
http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/crime/2017/12/01/should-more-people-take-arms-after-schlenker-shooting/908754001/
Excerpt:
"We (law enforcement) call ourselves the first responders,
but in reality, we're the second responders,"
said former Melbourne police Detective Mark Laderwarg
"I'm firmly convinced we can no longer sit back and pray
the fight isn't brought to us,"
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said in a YouTube video
he posted in June on the "Brevard Sheriff" account.
"If there's an active shooter, until law enforcement arrives,
it's up to you to neutralize or eliminate the threat."
"(The gun) does no good in your car or in your house,"
Ivey said.
They [criminals] Don't Think Like You Do
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDN83gBlp-o&feature=youtu.be
When we "Go to Guns!"
http://defense-training.com/2017/when-we-go-to-guns/
Words have definitions, as in a scholarly dictionary,
as American Heritage (not a popular dictionary, as in Webster's).
[No, the OED (Oxford English Dictionary) is not American
English. It is British English. The two diverged in the
time of Shakespeare when English speakers moved to America.]
Bad guys use violence to get what they want.
Good guys use force to defend themselves from bad guys.
Good guys don't commit violence.
Words don't necessarily have meaning (semantics).
In English, the sentence is really the minimal unit of
meaning. Yes, there are one word sentences.
In English prose, the paragraph is the standard
unit of prose. Yes, there are one sentence paragraphs.
But, it generally takes more than one sentence, so as
to eliminate ambiguity.
***** Training *****
How Do You Train?
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2017/12/1/how-do-you-train/
Practice smarter: Information is key to improving shooting
http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/practice-smarter-information-is-key-to-improving-shooting/recreation-leisure
Excerpt:
Unfortunately, there are several problems with practicing
this way. First, it's a waste of time because little
productive learning takes place.
Beyond the CCW Pistol: Four Factors of Survival
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2017/11/28/beyond-the-ccw-pistol-four-factors-of-survival/
Why? On the subject of Sight Radius.
https://handguncombatives.blogspot.com/2017/11/why-on-subject-of-sight-radius.html
This article has nothing to do with sight radius.
Dave Spaulding is talking about how essential it is
that the student know why he is using a certain piece
of equipment or why he is using a certain technique.
Excerpt:
I am always tickled when a student just tells me the
truth when I ask him (or her) why they do something
questionable. "Yeah, I think these sights (technique,
tactic, etc. . . . place one here) looks really cool. It
makes me feel awesome." Beer will do this as well
and will not place you in as much danger as looking
cool in a gunfight, providing you don’t drink and
drive. Of course, my response will be "how is
(insert whatever here) ability to enhance your
performance working for you? If it is not enhancing
anything then WHY are you doing it?" Once again,
we are back to why.
In the case of cool looking sights,
the view of the sights that is important is from
the rear . . . not from the side where "cool looking"
is determined. So which is it . . . cool looking or
performance enhancing? If you can’t answer this
question, then is cool looking a good enough answer?
Only you can decide but one thing I will offer,
"shooting cool" can be fatal.
Get on Target: Overcoming Anticipation
https://www.concealedcarry.com/training-2/get-on-target-overcoming-anticipation/
Untrained shooters anticipate the recoil and
push against it. This is one of many autonomic
nervous system responses to the recoil (push) and
report (bang). The way to defeat your autonomic
nervous system responses is to strive for and
achieve a surprise break. This is subtle. This
is difficult to do by yourself. Ask for help.
Get a coach. Get an instructor. Yeah, you may
have to pay them. It's worth it. You get what
you pay for in this world.
Drill Your Way To Victory
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2017/12/7/drill-your-way-to-victory/
Your Tactical Training Scenario- Juvenile Violent Criminals
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/your-tactical-training-scenario-juvenile-violent-criminals
It's really important that you answer the questions.
Lack of preparation causes panic.
5 Critical Elements Of A Handgun Training Program
https://gundigest.com/how-to/training/5-elements-handgun-training
***** Tactics *****
The Truth About Target Identification
http://blog.suarezinternational.com/2017/11/the-truth-about-target-identification.html
Excerpt:
Target identification is relative and not absolute.
Once you have enough, waiting for more is a tactical blunder.
Options for Non-Combatants
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/options-for-non-combatants
***** Techniques *****
How to Avoid Shooting High
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2017/12/11/how-to-avoid-shooting-high-at-the-range/
Opening up the rear sight is essential on combat
pistols, because in low light conditions the light on
either side of the front sight will disappear if the
rear sight notch is too narrow.
***** Gear *****
With the decline in sales of firearms in the U.S.
(in large part due to the easing of fear because of the
Trump presidency) the prices have been coming down.
The price point for a reliable self defense pistol
used to be $500. I just got a Ruger American in .45 ACP
with two magazines for $450 retail. So, things are
good for the consumers these days.
Truly ambidextrous pistols with adjustable
grip size at reasonable prices are the:
Ruger American (~$450), H&K P30 and variants (~$550),
and the Springfield Armory XD variants (~$550).
Your gear is heavy. It may make your pants or
skirt sag. My solution is a study gun belt and
Perry Suspenders.
http://www.perrysuspenders.com/persus.html
Their regular suspenders
http://www.perrysuspenders.com/theorpersus.html
are too weak for our needs.
I recommend the RUF-N-TUF suspenders.
http://www.perrysuspenders.com/rufntuf.html
They also have polypropylene suspenders that
don't stretch as all.
http://www.perrysuspenders.com/perconsus2.html
If you're a fireman, policeman, or soldier carrying
a heavy load on your belt, this would make sense.
But, they are not comfortable because they are not
elastic.
These all hook around your belt. But they
also have the type that clip to your belt or clothing.
http://www.perrysuspenders.com/clsu1.html
1911 Emergency Field Repair
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2017/12/01/potd-know-1911-emergency-field-repair/
Excerpt from a letter that I sent to several students in an upcoming class --
---
You must be able to easily and quickly field strip your pistol and
re-assemble your pistol in the dark (or with a blind fold on). If you
can't do this with your pistol, your pistol's design is wrong. The pistol
should not have springs shooting out when you field strip it. The pistol
should not have small pieces falling apart when you field strip it.
If you disassemble beyond field stripping then you may have springs and
small parts flying all over the place. So, you should have a
gunsmith do any disassembly beyond field stripping. Or, if you feel
compelled to do it yourself, do it inside a clear plastic bag, so you
don't lose pieces; and video record it, so you get all the pieces back
in the correct place. Yes, badly designed pistols may be re-assembled
incorrectly, causing deadly problems.
Never disassemble more than one pistol at a time. If you get
parts mixed up between the pistols, you are demanding trouble.
And Murphy's Law will oblige.
Difficulty field stripping and assembling your pistol will create a
barrier to cleaning your pistol. So, you won't regularly clean your
pistol as you should. [Instead of watching that ball game on TV,
I'm going to clean my pistols. Ah, I can feel my character improving
and my soul maturing.]
---
Don't use a revolver for combat. They take too long to reload and
reloading is much more difficult than with a modern semi-auto pistol.
No, revolvers are not more reliable than semi-auto pistols. Anyone
who tells you that is ignorant, to put it politely. If you open up
a revolver, you will see many tiny parts that have to be precisely
timed. It looks like the inside of your grand father's wind up pocket
watch. The more moving parts a mechanism has, the less reliable it is.
The ammunition capacity is too low. The reload capacity is too
low.
There is no technical or tactical advantage to using a revolver.
Anyone who tells you that there is is wrong. Tell me the reasons
that they gave you and I will explain why.
---
Winning in combat depends on speed, accuracy, and power.
You can control speed and accuracy in real time. Power is what
you bring to the fight. So, you might as well carry the most
powerful cartridge that you can shoot accurately. The NRA
recommends 9mm to .45 ACP. Anything smaller than a 9mm
has too low a probability of stopping the attack. (It is
ineffective.) Anything larger than a .45 ACP will make
accurate shooting difficult because the recoil is too great.
I have standardized my pistols on the .45 ACP cartridge
(so I don't have to stock more than one pistol ammunition) because
terminal ballistics (effect on target) is determined by penetration.
Penetration is determined by momentum. Momentum is
determined by mass. So, you should throw the most massive
bullet that you can. No, as a matter of fact, bullet speed
doesn't matter that much in our context. No, over penetration
is not a realistic concern, it almost never happens. Because pistol
ammunition is ballistically deficient. If we knew we were going
to be in a fight, we would be armed with a rifle or shotgun.
We only carry pistols because they are convenient and
concealable.
---
If your pistol has a magazine release in some position that does
not allow easy one handed operation, you don't have a combat
pistol.
You're not going to have two hands in combat. You'll be
carrying a baby. You'll be injured. Murphy's Law guarantees it.
---
Just because you are right handed does not mean you are
going to be right handed in combat. So, your pistol must be
ambidextrous.
The Glocks and S&W M&P's that allow putting the magazine
release on either side are not ambidextrous. The SA XD's and
the Ruger American's are ambidextrous (and many others).
---
If your pistol does not have a trigger guard, it is not
a modern combat pistol. Get rid of such pistols before you
have a negligent discharge.
In a standard full size (not compact or sub compact)
pistol chambered for .45 ACP, a double stack magazine will
hold about 13 rounds and a single stack magazine will hold
8 rounds. So, why does the Ruger American hold 10 rounds?
In an effort to make the grip slimmer to better fit people
with smaller hands, the magazine is slimmer. It is actually
in between a double stack and a single stack.
So, ordering common full size self defense pistols
in .45 ACP from fattest grip to thinnest grip (in my opinion)
we have:
(magazine capacity + 1 in the chamber)
Glock G21, 13+1
Para, 14+1
Springfield Armory XD, 13+1
Heckler & Kock USP, 12+1
Heckler & Kock HK45, 10+1
Smith & Wesson M&P, 10+1
Ruger American, 10+1
CZ 97 B, 10+1
1911 type single stack pistols, 8+1
(Of course, you can change the stocks, back strap, etc.
to change the size of the grip.)
Avoid holsters that require the use of the trigger finger of the firing hand to
actuate a button to release the pistol, such as the Blackhawk SERPA holster.
Because, the common factor in documented negligent discharges is an unintended
continuation of the movement of the trigger finger toward the trigger due to the
"push button" motion required by the trigger finger to initiate firearm release.
The manufacturer recommends that you not insert the pistol backwards into
the holster, because the pistol can get stuck in the holster. This is the primary
technique taught for support side hand presentation in the federal law enforcement
training schools (FLETC, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center).
The release mechanism may fail to release the pistol due to debris (dirt,
small pebbles, snow) lodging behind the release button.
Citation – email from U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park
Service, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240; dated July 5, 2012; from
Acting Associate Director Louis Rowe; reference W34 (2460).
Many IDPA clubs forbid this holster. The Federal Law Enforcement
Training Center and the U.S. Interior Department forbid this holster.
But, the U.S. Army has hundreds of thousands of these holsters. Well,
that says something about the procurement personnel in the U.S. Army.
***** Instructors *****
Instructors, you are the leaders of your class, not
just the teachers of your class. Take heed,
"How Leaders Build -- And Destroy -- Trust"
https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolkinseygoman/2017/11/27/how-leaders-build-and-destroy-trust/#775b1c4f40e5
A HIGHER EDUCATION
http://www.mdtstraining.com/a-higher-education/
***** Pedagogy *****
***** Education *****
Lessons learned from watching 12,000 gunfights
http://blog.krtraining.com/even-more-knowledge-from-the-rangemaster-instructor-conference/
CRIME LAB: Myths & Misconceptions
http://www.gunsandammo.com/ammo/crime-lab-myths-misconceptions/
***** News, Legal, and Political stuff *****
Concealed Carry in America
http://www.springfield-armory.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/SpringfieldInfographic3.pdf
Man stealing AR-15 assault rifle from police car caught on surveillance video
https://www.yahoo.com/gma/man-stealing-ar-15-assault-rifle-police-car-060616142--abc-news-topstories.html
What gun control laws would have prevented this?
Where did this criminal get his gun? From the cops.
H. Rept. 115-433 - CONCEALED CARRY RECIPROCITY ACT OF 2017
https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/115th-congress/house-report/433/1?overview=closed
Dismal Truth: Police Use-of-Force Training
https://firearmusernetwork.com/2017/12/01/dismal-truth-police-use-of-force-training/
WATCH: Off-Duty Officer Tracks Gunman Through Costco Before Shooting Him Dead
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/12/18/watch-off-duty-officer-tracks-gunman-costco/
***** Survival Tips *****
***** Basics *****
***** Miscellany *****
Husband and Wife Christmas Shopping:
A couple were in a busy shopping center just before Christmas.
The wife suddenly noticed that her husband was missing and as
they had a lot to do, she called him on the mobile.
The wife said, "Where are you, you know we have lots to do."
He said, "You remember the jewelers we went into about 10 years
ago, and you fell in love with that diamond necklace?
I could not afford it at the time and I said that one day I
would get it for you?"
Little tears started to flow down her cheek and she got all
choked up . . .
"Yes, I do remember that store." she replied.
"Well, I'm in the gun shop next door to that store."
If you would like the lesson plans for my
NRA Defensive Pistol course, send me an email,
and I'll send you the latest version. The lesson
plans constantly change as I take courses,
communicate with other instructors,
and stay abreast of best practices.
Cheers,
Jon
Jonathan Low
Jon_Low@yahoo.com
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