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

Friday, December 1, 2017

CWP, 1 December 2017 Anno Domini

Greetings Sheepdogs,

***** Mindset *****

"IF YOU PREPARE FOR THE EMERGENCY, THE EMERGENCY CEASES TO EXIST!"
-- Dr. Sherman House

Please read the section under "Graphic Content" in this
month's issue of the Rangemater newsletter,
http://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2017-12_RFTS-Newsletter.pdf
     This is reality. 
     A couple nights ago my downstairs neighbor called me to help her,
as some one was pounding on her doors and windows.  I got home in about
15 minutes.  She had also called the police, before calling me. 
The Metro Nashville Police hadn't shown up.  She left to stay at a
friend's house.  I waited for the police.  The police never showed up. 

What Really Happens In A Gunfight?
http://www.handgunsmag.com/tactics-training/tactics_training_what_happens_gunfight/

Slaughter of the Disarmed
http://defense-training.com/2017/slaughter-of-the-disarmed/

     Self defense is combat. (Whether you believe
it or not.)  Combat training is dangerous.  If
the training is not dangerous, it is not realistic
combat training.  (Sorry, but that's just true.)
In the Marine Corps, Marines sometimes get injured
and sometimes die in training.  Because it is real. 
So, if you attend a gun school that brags about zero
injuries in the history of their school, you can
rest assured that they either don't do combat training
or they only formed recently.
     If you make peanut butter at home in small
batches, you can maintain zero rat feces in your
peanut butter.  But, if you mass produce peanut
butter, it is impossible to have zero rat feces
in your product.  So, the FDA has standards for
acceptable levels of rat feces in peanut butter. 
If the inspectors test and find the product is
within standards, it is sold for human consumption. 
If not, it is labeled "Not for human consumption"
and sold.  Similarly, any large gun school will
have a certain percentage of incompetents attending. 
Screening for criminal background, as some do,
will not prevent the incompetent from attending. 
So, you get people shooting themselves while
holstering and sometimes worse than that. 
How can you avoid that situation? 
Attend small classes.  Many instructors limit their
classes to 5 persons or less.  Such instructors
are worth finding.  All of the NRA classes that
I have taken have had 5 students or less; in some
I was the only student.

     Any conflict (a gunfight, a divorce, etc.)
should be as short as you can make it.  The
shorter it is, the less hurt you get.  What
happens to the other person is incidental. 
Because your goal is to avoid getting hurt.
     If your goal is to wreak revenge or to mete
out punish, YOU ARE WRONG!  Jesus commanded you
to forgive, to free you from the mental entanglement. 
Not, to be nice to the other person.  God is
not going to be nice to that bad guy.  God is
going to put that bad guy in hell for eternity.
     You forgive the pedophile, but you don't
let him work in the Sunday school nursery. 
Similarly, you forgive your attacker, but you
still shoot him until he stops his attack.
     Forgiveness is not pacifism.  Pacifists
are not practicing Christian theology. 
They're just stupid.

A New Record!
http://defense-training.com/2017/a-new-record/
Excerpt:
"That nation is surest to live in peace,
that is most capable of making war;
and a man with a sword always by his side,
shall have least occasion to make use of it."
-- John Trenchard

2018!
http://defense-training.com/2017/2018/
Excerpt:
It is our honor and privilege to advance our Art,
and teach it to the worthy, aware, and audacious
who know and understand that victory is the only
reality in the universe!

***** Training *****

13 Common Concealed Carry Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
https://www.pewpewtactical.com/common-concealed-carry-mistakes/

2 simple drills that will make you a better shooter
https://www.policeone.com/police-trainers/articles/40801006-2-simple-drills-that-will-make-you-a-better-shooter/

"Are You Really Ready?"
http://www.multibriefs.com/briefs/uspsa/ready111617.pdf
Excerpt:
After almost 28 hours of training with shotgun and
pistol, I can most definitely tell you that I am
nowhere near as prepared as I thought I would be. 

Review of Rangemaster shotgun class
http://www.multibriefs.com/briefs/uspsa/ready111617.pdf

What to Look for in a Firearms Trainer
https://ricochet.com/465802/look-firearms-trainer/

***** Tactics *****

How to protect yourself during a mass shooting
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2017/11/06/how-to-protect-yourself-during-a-mass-shooting/

How to Clear Corners in a Home-Defense Scenario
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2017/11/16/how-to-clear-corners-in-a-home-defense-scenario/

***** Techniques *****

Head Position: A Misunderstood Basic
https://www.americas1stfreedom.org/articles/2017/11/17/carry-life-head-position-a-misunderstood-basic/

History of "Shoot To Reset"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPA3N9UTiiU

This is why you must carry with a round in the chamber.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=255&v=rVPiic-ELoM

***** Gear *****

Shooting Sports USA recommends
5 Great Action Pistols Under $700
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nra/ssusa_201711/index.php
starting on page 14.

What Some Clueful Instructors Carry as a Defensive Firearm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=245&v=erejjFtnz64

10 Essential Criteria for Selecting Your Concealed Carry Holster
https://www.concealedcarry.com/gear/10-criteria-selecting-concealed-carry-holster/

5 Best Tactical Flashlights Under $100 [2017]
https://www.pewpewtactical.com/best-tactical-flashlights/

"Everything there is to know about handheld tactical lights"
(Well, at least everything I’ve come to believe about them. 
In regards to civilian defensive firearms and self-defense.)
https://thestreetstandards.wordpress.com/2017/11/20/everything-there-is-to-know-about-handheld-tactical-lights/

     Be careful thinking that because some law enforcement agency or
military unit bought it in large quantities, it must be good,
because they surely know what they are doing.  This is in general false. 
Government agencies are required by law to give the contract to the
lowest bidder.  There is rampant corruption in the government procurement
systems.  (hundreds of Navy Admirals are presently under investigation for
corruption).  The U.S. Army has purchased hundreds of thousands of the
Blackhawk SERPA holsters.  Even though they knew that the
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) and the U.S. Interior
Department have forbidden these holsters.  Because, continuation of
the motion to release the pistol will fire the pistol; small rocks
or snow can get into the release mechanism preventing the pistol from
being released; inserting the pistol into the holster backwards (which
is the technique taught at FLETC for support hand only presentation)
will cause the pistol (usually a Glock) to get stuck in the holster.

***** Instructors *****

As instructors, we have a grave responsibility
https://blog.hsoi.com/2017/11/11/as-instructors-we-have-a-grave-responsibility/

     It's worth your time to go into the gun stores and dry fire and disassemble
and play with all the pistol you can.  So, that when a student attends your
class with some strange pistol, it's okay, because you've handled it before
in the gun store.

***** Pedagogy *****


***** Education *****

The Dump Pouch (Training Blog)
https://www.tacticalperformancecenter.com/blogs/the-dump-pouch

Wound Ballistics -- Practical Issues
http://tacticalanatomy.com/blog/106-wound-ballistics-practical-issues.html
     Dr. Williams suggests actually killing a hog. 
Especially if you've never killed anything.  Yes,
he acknowledges that this will be difficult for
city folk. 

***** News, Legal, and Political stuff *****

Chris Cox of the NRA-ILA Speaks with James Yeager
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW5_kZLjsJE
     Legislative realities are ugly.  Because
democracy is ugly.  Because humans are ugly.


If The Supreme Court Takes This Gun Control Case,
Its Decision Will Be Huge
http://thefederalist.com/2017/11/09/supreme-court-takes-gun-control-case-decision-will-huge/

The Marine Corps Now Has Its Own FBI-Approved Concealed Carry Glock
http://taskandpurpose.com/marine-corps-gets-m007-glock-19m/

The Wolf and the Lamb (Aesop's Fables)
     A WOLF, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold,
resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to
find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf’s
right to eat him. He thus addressed him:
     “Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me.”
     “Indeed,” bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of
voice, “I was not then born.”
     Then said the Wolf,
“You feed in my pasture.”
     “No, good sir,” replied the Lamb,
“I have not yet tasted grass.”
     Again said the Wolf, “You drink of my well.”
     “No,” exclaimed the Lamb, “I never yet drank water,
for as yet my mother’s milk is both food and drink to me.”
     Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up,
saying, “Well! I won’t remain supperless, even though
you refute every one of my imputations.” 
     The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny.
[Translated by George Fyler Townsend.
Aesop's Fables (p. 15). Amazon Digital Services, Inc.]

Gunmaker Remington faces default as Americans buy fewer firearms
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq-phillydeals/gunmaker-remington-faces-default-as-americans-buy-fewer-firearms-20171117.html
     Blaming Remington's failure on the consumers is
non-sense.  Any corporate failure is due to mismanagement
at the executive level.

***** Survival Tips *****

     Ken Alexandrow of Agape Tactical
https://agapetactical.com/about-us/
spoke to the Tennessee Firearms Association monthly
meeting last night, 11/21/17, at the Golden Corral in
Nashville, TN.  I paraphrase --
Concerning Church Security
     No one rises to the occasion.  That's just a myth. 
They sink to the level of training that they have mastered.
     What does the bad guy fear?  Not death, because he
plans to die (to get his 72 virgins) or thinks he can get
away without dying.  The bad guy's greatest fear is
mission failure.  So, if you make him believe that he will
fail at your venue, he will leave and go to another venue.
     For church security (or generally for security of your
organization) you need to implement:
     Deterrence - The South Carolina mass murderer went
to the College of Charleston, but left when he saw the
armed security guards.  He then went to several churches,
but left each one because a greeter approached him in the
parking lot to greet him.  (He had many racist and white
supremacist bumper stickers on his pick up truck.) 
Anything bad that happens in your church has to come
through your parking lot.  So, that is where you must
intercept it.  Finally, he went to the Emmanuel AME
church which he knew was a gun free zone, because the
pastor had publicly declared his church to be so. 
No one greeted him in the parking lot.  So, he walked in.
[When I was working with the Dowelltown United Methodist
Church, I put up posters all over the area inviting
people to our Defensive Pistol classes and advertised
widely to ensure it was common knowledge that DUMC
was not a gun free zone. - Jon Low]  Don't post signs
indicating that your church is a gun free zone.  That's
just telling criminals that it is safe to prey on
unarmed victims here.  If you're afraid of scaring
off liberals, adopt a don't ask don't tell policy. 
Make sure your security team knows who in the
congregation is armed.  If someone not on the security
team is armed in church, explain to them that we have
a security team.  So, please let the security team
deal with the situation.  If you present a weapon, the
security team might think you are the bad guy. 
(Ken was speaking in the context of mega-churches
where you don't recognize everyone.)
     Detection - There is nothing racist about
profiling criminals.  Shake the prerson's hand. 
Maintain your grip.  Don't let go of his hand. 
With your left hand feel his waist area.
(87% of the American population is right handed and
so will carry weapons on the right side waist line.)
If you feel a gun there, maintain a grip on his right
hand and ask him about the gun. 
     Denial - If you are not happy with his answer,
ask him to leave.  Your church is a private business. 
You can deny service to anyone for any reason. 
If he won't leave, call the police and ask the police
to arrest him for trespassing. 
No, you don't have to post "No Trespassing" signs. 
Just call the police.  The police will arrest him.
DON'T LET HIM INTO THE BUILDING!
     Once the bad guy is in your building, it's
too late, you're screwed.  You're now going to have
a fire fight with a high body count.  Unless someone
immediately stops the attack.
     The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a
gun is a good guy with a gun.  If the good guy is
competent.  Which means training and practice.
     Nothing in the Bible says you have to bow your
head and close your eyes when praying.  The members
of the Emmanuel AME church were killed when they
closed their eyes to pray.  Many pastors have been
killed when they closed their eyes to pray.  Pray
with your eyes open and looking around.

A New Active Killer Trend and Eight Ways to Counter It
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/a-new-active-killer-trend-and-eight-ways-to-counter-it

Dr Kenji Inaba is a trauma surgeon at the University
of Southern California. He is also the director of
their surgical ICU.
http://blog.ercast.org/gunshot-groin-kenji-inaba/
Bleeding from an area that is a junction of an
extremity and the torso (and neck) that is not
amenable to hemorrhage control by tourniquet.

Self Defense in the House of God
https://armedcitizensnetwork.org/june-2016-self-defense-in-the-house-of-god

Staying Mentally Healthy
https://sharpdefense.blog/2017/11/17/staying-mentally-healthy/

***** Basics *****

Free Basic Handgun Safety Course
https://training.rocketccw.com/courses/basic-handgun-safety-course?ref=e2a1a4
This FREE 20 minute online course will satisfy
the training requirements for a Virginia CCW
when the optional certificate is purchased
after completion.

Safety First: Basics of Pistol Shooting
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2017/11/17/safety-first-basics-of-pistol-shooting/

Getting a Gun for Self-defense? You Need These Five Things
http://blog.beretta.com/getting-a-gun-for-self-defense-you-need-these-five-things

***** 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.  Because
it is constantly changing.  Because I am
constantly taking courses to improve my knowledge
of the subject.

Cheers,
Jon

Jonathan Low
Jon_Low@yahoo.com

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

CWP, 8 November 2017 Anno Domini

Greetings Sheepdogs,

***** Mindset *****

"The Thick of the Fight!" 
http://defense-training.com/2017/the-thick-of-the-fight/

The Test, Ready or Not!
http://defense-training.com/2017/the-test-ready-or-not/

Self Defense Success – It’s All In Your Head
https://www.ammoland.com/2017/10/self-defense-success-all-in-your-head/

Again!
http://defense-training.com/2017/again/

***** Training *****

MAG-20 course (Massad Ayoob Group) JANUARY 27-28, 2018 in Summerville, SC
Armed Citizen's Rules of Engagement
     Even flier at
http://palmettogunclub.org/MAG20Flyer.pdf
     Registration at
http://palmettogunclub.org/PGCMAG20.html
     at the Palmetto Gun Club
http://www.palmettogunclub.org/

Train For Pain
http://www.handgunsmag.com/tactics-training/train-for-pain/

Gunfighter Logic: 10 Rules for Conceal Carry
https://www.outdoorhub.com/how-to/2017/10/16/gunfighter-logic-10-rules-conceal-carry/

Review of the RANGEMASTER 3 DAY INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT COURSE
https://revolverscience.com/2017/10/07/rangemaster-3-day-instructor-development-course-or-fighting-smarter-high-yield-defensive-handgun/

Real & Imaginary Dangers of Firearms Training Classes
https://www.ammoland.com/2017/10/the-real-and-imaginary-dangers-of-firearms-training/

Skill Set: Simple and Effective
http://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/232097
Excerpt:
"There are no advanced skills. Responding to a threat
is a matter of being able to apply the fundamentals."
     Simple is always better.  Because it is more reliable. 
Simple is not easy.  Simple things are often very difficult
to do, and require self discipline to cause yourself to
practice.

Why you should stop plinking and start training at the gun range
https://www.policeone.com/police-products/firearms/training/articles/430796006-Why-you-should-stop-plinking-and-start-training-at-the-gun-range/
Excerpt: 
Training means knowing when it is time to seek professional
instruction in order to push your individual limits to get
better, faster and more accurate. A second set of eyes
helps identify weaknesses and target areas of needed
improvement. A quality firearms instructor will give you
new ideas on ways to improve your weaknesses when practicing
on your own. They can help you self-diagnose and
self-correct your mistakes so you can work on improving
your skills outside of class. In other words,
you don’t know what you don’t know. Instructors can help
bring your previously unknown weaknesses to light so that
you can work on turning them into strengths.

Reality Training: Distance and cover
https://www.policeone.com/videos/originals/policeone-roll-call/430432519-Reality-Training-Distance-and-cover/
     How would you deal with a hostile bystander?
     You don't dictate the use of force.  The other
guy determines how much force you have to use.

Fact-based Decision Making
https://armedcitizensnetwork.org/fact-based-decision-making
Excerpt: 
     After basic firearms training, people who's training
has moved up through shoot house simulators to force on
force will tell you that when they did their first
simulator it was a mess. They made mistakes and their
hearts pounded, but after a dozen times through the
simulator it became fairly mundane.
     Then when they added force on force training, the
training became much more challenging again. In one’s
first force on force exercises, one becomes more excited
and more agitated, and makes mistakes. You do that for
a while, and you get better.
     What makes people think it takes any less practice
to evaluate circumstances and make a decision while
under pressure, under a compressed time frame, than
it does to make a difficult shot under pressure?
These are both skills that can be learned and practiced.
Some will be better at either or both skills than others,
but everyone will benefit from training and preparation.

Adequate Learning Vs Overlearning: How Many Repetitions Is Enough?
https://bulletproofmusician.com/adequate-learning-vs-overlearning-how-many-repetitions-is-enough/

Negligent Discharges During Training — Lessons Learned
https://www.usacarry.com/negligent-discharges-during-training/

Active Shooter Response Training Tip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mlwqtzuXKM&feature=youtu.be

Concealed Carry Training Mistake: Hollow Points
https://www.concealedcarry.com/training-2/concealed-carry-training-mistake-hollow-points/

     For those of you who do not practice,
Proverbs 13:4 ESV The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
Proverbs 10:4 ESV A slack hand causes poverty,
but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
Galatians 6:9 ESV And let us not grow weary of doing good,
for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Louis Awerbuck
Movement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=172&v=1_95eIHIepI
Mindset
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=M41UZhOrEYw
Muzzle Awareness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=tPD1xNmrPhk
Body sizes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ivoDD6_m0I
Target Selection
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h3oQDUWO4U
Close Quarters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=1MSi4jjgNwU

***** Tactics *****


***** Techniques *****

Important information on recognizing threats and trigger control
http://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/2017-11_RFTS-Newsletter.pdf
     May I invite your attention to,
Behavioral Cues to Impending Aggression
Mastering Trigger Control

AR Optics (pertinent to all systems)
http://defense-training.com/2017/ar-optics/
Excerpt:  "It all looks great in the showroom" -- Anon

PROACTIVE PISTOL MANIPULATIONS
http://blog.suarezinternational.com/2017/10/proactive-pistol-manipulations.html
    
Richard Dimitri explaining the Shredder. 
In section 2 of this article,
http://www.combativemind.com/2012/10/08/4-ways-to-instill-panic-in-an-attacker-and-force-them-to-give-up/
A technique worth exploring.  Especially when lethal force
is not appropriate.

***** Gear *****

October 2017 Rangemaster Newsletter
http://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/2017-10_RFTS-Newsletter.pdf
     Paint your front sight a color that will contrast
with your probable targets.
Excerpt: 
     ". . . a big factor is the bad guy's training,
education, and life experience.  Most bad guys go
through the entire careers without ever running
into an armed citizen on the street.  Only about
4% of the U.S. population has some kind of carry
permit, and I'd bet less than 1% of them actually
carry on a routine, daily basis.  So, when a bad
guy confronts a citizen who is actually armed and
produces a weapon, the resulting mental lag time
for the bad guy allows even an untrained or
minimally trained defender a golden opportunity. 
The one who starts the fight has an enormous
advantage.  In this context, the bad guy started
the incident, but the student starts the fight."

The 2016 LEOKA Report- Studying the Cop Killers
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/the-2016-leoka-report-studying-the-cop-killers
Excerpt: 
In practical numbers, the Taser is only effective
a little more than half of the times it is deployed.

     Wire mesh goggles never fog up as do plastic
safety glasses.  That's why firefighters and forest
rangers use them.  This is the same technology
we used for fencing masks.

Skill Set: Holster Tips
http://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/232113

     The company I work for, ATM Solutions Inc.,
requires us to wear at least level 1 retention
holsters, because we open carry when servicing
the automatic teller machines.  I could not find
an inside the waist band retention holster that
I liked.  Outside the waistband holsters flop
around when you move.  With an inside the
waistband holster, your gun belt holds the holster
tight against your body.  So, I got a Safariland GLS
holster (releases the pistol with pressure from
the middle finger when establishing a high tight grip),
unbolted it from the paddle that it comes with, and
bolted it to my Alien Gear leather holster backing. 
So far so good. 

     My Springfield Armory XD in .45 ACP was
giving me a blister on the inside of my right
thumb at the joint that connects the thumb to
the hand (sesamoid bones).  I'm right handed. 
So, I took a round file, removed a couple
millimeters of the grip and rounded the area
of the grip that was rubbing. 
     Leave the lines from the file.  You don't
want to take fine sand paper and make the
finish smooth.  You want the rough surface for
a high friction grip.  If you have sharp edges
in the surface, scratch them off with your
fingernails.  The plastic is really soft.
     If you don't shoot a thousand rounds in
a weekend in a high intensity course, you
will probably never get blisters. 
     I also got blisters on my brain.

Wash. PD to add suppressors to all service rifles
https://www.policeone.com/police-products/firearms/accessories/articles/430744006-Wash-PD-to-add-suppressors-to-all-service-rifles/
     134 decibels is still pretty loud. 
Ya, I know decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale.

     My company is constantly posting reports of our
colleagues getting shot (and sometimes killed) to
prevent us from becoming complacent, so I bit the bullet
and bought "soft" body armor.  I got a Safariland Level III set. 
It has lots of adjustments.  You really need someone
who knows what they are doing to fit you with a proper
set of body armor.  (I went to Greene Military and Police
in Nashville, TN.)  Just as your pistol has to fit your
hand.  One size does not fit all.
     Overview of body armor,
http://www.bulletproofme.com/Ballistic_Protection_Levels.shtml
     Thoughts for buying body armor,
http://njlawman.com/Feature%20Pieces/Body%20Armor.htm
     National Instutute of Justice, Body Armor,
https://www.nij.gov/topics/technology/body-armor/Pages/welcome.aspx
     Body Armor that Complies With NIJ Ballistic Resistance Standard, 0101.06
https://www.nij.gov/topics/technology/body-armor/Pages/compliant-ballistic-armor.aspx
     The truth is that once you wear it for a while,
it becomes comfortable and you won't want to leave
home without it.  Just like your pistol.
     You have to wash the cloth carrier every
week at a mininum.  Otherwise, no one is going
to sit next to you.
     My son would buy helmets and body armor at the
gun shows, just to shoot them up to see what happens. 
But, if you're going to wear the armor for protection,
buying at a gun show is not a good idea, because you
don't know how old it is and you don't know what
abuse it has suffered.  Age is directly related to
technology.

***** Instructors *****

"Give more than you have to,
charge less than you can."
-- Pat Goodale

To Be A Good Instructor, You Have To Be A Student
https://aaron-jannetti.com/2017/10/23/to-be-a-good-instructor-you-have-to-be-a-student/
Excerpt:
     The first time I was in Israel for training,
a group of us were having a conversation and the
lead instructor said "When Imi gave us our black belts,
he said 'congratulations . . . now go learn the next thing'."
     That’s profound right there. The guy that invented
the system, gave him a black belt, then made a point to
tell them to go learn something else.  Expand your
knowledge base.
. . .
     If you do not MAKE TIME to be a student,
you will fall into mediocrity. You will puff
yourself up by telling yourself lies about
how much you know and how the others don’t
know shit.

***** Pedagogy *****


***** Education *****

Concealed Handgun Licensing: Asset to Texas
https://ssrn.com/abstract=3011938
Abstract
     Collating conviction data reported by Texas Department of Public Safety,
crime data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and census data,
it’s possible to determine relative criminality of handgun carry
licensees to their equivalent non-licensee population. This paper
analyzes Texas carry licensees versus non-licensee Texans over
age 21 to determine relative criminality, and also cites research
enabling a comparison between police officer malfeasance and
carry licensees.
     There are five sections in this report:
• Conviction rates determine relative criminality of each population.
• Carry licensees more law-abiding than police officers.
• Carry licensees are more law-abiding than non-licensees.
• Over 96% FBI crime reduction, if non-licensees were as law-abiding.
• About $10 billion annual savings, if non-licensees were as law-abiding.

Law of Self Defense
Live online session, every Wednesday, at 1PM Central time,
https://www.facebook.com/LawofSelfDefense/

Confirmation Bias: Why You Make Terrible Life Choices
https://www.nirandfar.com/2017/10/confirmation-bias-terrible-life-choices.html
     Why is this article so important to your shooting? 
Because shooting is a high order intellectual activity. 
(At least if you're striving to shoot well and legally.)

Language Lessons: Normalcy Bias
http://www.breachbangclear.com/language-lessons-normalcy-bias-breach-bang-clear/

11 Research Based Concealed Carry Tips From Criminal Video Analysis
http://www.tierthreetactical.com/11-research-based-concealed-carry-tips/
Excerpts:
     Prior to this analysis I would have thought that the vast majority
of assaults and robberies, which is what these scenarios generally
are, would have been one on one.  This is simply not true!
1.    Carry a high capacity weapon, ideally 8 rounds or above.
2.    Be able to access your gun with one hand.
3.    Keep your head on a swivel, checking your 6, the most dangerous area.
4.    Delay your draw.
5.    Obscure your draw.
6.    Do not engage immediately unless you must.
7.    Practice pivoting and engaging threats
8.    Practice gun grappling and one handed engagement within 3 feet
9.    Shoot from cover if available
10.   Practice shooting and moving at man sized target at 3-5 yards
11.   Validate all live training with force on force training

Signs Someone Has a Hidden Gun
http://guyjsagi.com/2017/10/11/signs-someone-has-a-hidden-gun/
Excerpts:
     ". . . none (as in zero) of the criminals interviewed used a holster."
     "I always looked at their eyes, face and neck. 
People tense up before they launch and you can see
this as their eyes narrow or squint, their facial
muscles tighten and their carotid arteries in the
neck throb as their pulse quickens." -- Ed Head

***** News *****

Why police use of deadly force does not equate to intend to kill
https://www.policeone.com/officer-shootings/articles/430865006-Why-police-use-of-deadly-force-does-not-equate-to-intend-to-kill/
     Instructors, carefully train your students. 
     "Why did you shoot him?"
     I feared for my life.  I shot him to stop his attack.
     "Were you trying to kill him?" 
     No, I was trying to stop his attack.

Texas man who shot, chased down Texas church gunman was NRA instructor
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/nov/6/stephen-willeford-no-hero-after-wounding-shooter/
     The question is, "Why didn't anyone in the church shoot back? 
Why did a Good Samaritan have to rescue the congregation?" 
     Some churches have publicly declared all of their facilities
to be weapon free zones.  Even though Jesus told his disciples
to get swords, and if you don't have a sword,
sell your coat and buy a sword.  Luke 22:36

Lots of interesting stuff at
Crime Prevention Research Center
http://crimeresearch.org

***** Survival Tips *****

Texas Rangers: Armed Citizen 'Engaged' Killer, Ending Rampage
https://news.grabien.com/story-texas-dept-public-safety-armed-citizen-engaged-killer-ending

What Most of Us Don’t Think About When Staying in Hotel Room
http://thesurvivalmom.com/prepared-hotel-room/

Is Carrying a Knife for Self-Defense a Good Idea?
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2017/10/6/is-carrying-a-knife-for-self-defense-a-good-idea/
Excerpt:
. . . training is a must in order to effectively
use a knife for personal defense, . . .

Women: Reconnect with Your Innate Ability to Physically Defend Yourself
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/melissa-soalt/post_1017_b_752825.html

***** Basics *****

How To Make Sure Your Handgun Fits You
http://mygunculture.com/how-to-make-sure-your-handgun-fits-you/

How To Use An AR-15
https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/use-ar-15/

Gun Cleaning
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2017/10/21/video-cleaning-your-firearm/

     For rifles, the effective range is the distance over
which the bullet is supersonic.  Rifle bullets come out
of the muzzle at supersonic speed (except for smallbore
rifles firing match ammo, whose bullets are subsonic
from muzzle to target).  This puts the bullet in front
of its shock wave.  So, the bullet is traveling through
calm air.  (And hence laminar flow, at least around the
front of the bullet.  The idea of a boat tail bullet is
to reduce the area of the base of the bullet,
because at the edge of the base is where laminar flow
is lost to turbulent flow.)  When the bullet makes the
transition from supersonic to subsonic speed, it is
traveling through its own shock wave.  This means the
bullet is moving through turbulent air, an unstable
condition.
     For pistols, the situation is different.  Some
pistol bullets, such as a standard 230 grain .45 ACP
comes out of the muzzle subsonic [about 850 feet
per second (speed of sound is about 1100 to 1200
feet per second, depending on temperature, pressure,
humidity, and other things)]. 
So, there is never a trans-sonic transition. 
     For those bullets that leave the muzzle at supersonic
speeds, such as most 9mm cartridges, over pistol ranges
(25 yards) the bullet remains supersonic.
     The only problem you could run into would be when
you reload or buy extremely light bullets at extremely
high muzzle velocities.  They could undergo sonic
transition at pistol ranges.  But, you can determine
this, as there are many free online ballistic calculators.
     "Staff, that doesn't make sense.  Won't a bullet
with a higher muzzle velocity take longer to slow to
subsonic speed than a bullet with a lower muzzle
velocity?"
     No, at the speeds we are talking about,
air friction is approximately proportional to
the cube of the speed.  So, the faster bullet suffers
much more air friction, and so loses much more speed.
     A slow moving projectile suffers very little
air friction.  That's why precision air rifles (an
Olympic sport) are so efficient.
     A car traveling at 55 mph is using about half
of the energy from the engine to overcome air resistance. 
(Only half of the energy from the gasoline is converted
to mechanical energy.  The other half is lost as heat.
Electric cars are stupid, because half of the electrical
energy generated at the power plant is lost in the
transmission lines.  Where does the electricity come
from?  Burning oil and coal.)

***** 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.

Cheers,
Jon

Friday, October 13, 2017

CWP, 13 October 2017 Anno Domini

Greetings Sheepdogs,

May God have mercy on the unarmed, for history never does!

Emails to students --

Hi Rick,
     I like police.  I think it is an honorable profession. 
I was a military policeman for a period while in the Marine Corps. 
I like military operators.  I was one for a while in the Marine Corps. 
But their training, perspective, and rules of engagement are
different from that of a civilian engaged in self defense. 
     The policeman cannot retreat.  He has a duty to arrest. 
Pursue and arrest.  He cannot let the suspect go.
     The civilian's primary objective is to escape.  The pistol is
just a tool to overcome anything that may try to prevent your
escape.
     The operator in the armed forces rarely generates the order
to kill.  The order always comes from higher authority.  So, the
operator never takes responsibility for the killing.  He's just
following orders.
     The civilian must decide to use deadly force and takes the
responsibility for the use of deadly force.  This is much harder
than what the soldier is doing. 
     The civilian suffers the aftermath, civil law suits,
criminal prosecution, and all kinds of other bad stuff. 
The soldier leaves the country and goes home.  He's not going
to get court martialed for anything he does.  He may even get
a medal.
[Ya, I know there are exceptions to every gross generalization.]

Hi Doc,
     Concerning marksmanship -- the three essential things are: 
     Sight alignment.  Top of the front sight level with the top
of the rear sight.  Front sight centered in the rear sight
notch.  There has to be lots of light on either side of the
front sight post in the rear sight notch.  Otherwise, you
won't be able to center it in low light conditions.  80% of
muggings occur in low light conditions, generally in parking
lots (statistically speaking, Wal Mart parking lots). 
If you are using anything other than fixed iron sights,
you are wrong and must change the sights.  Adjustable sights
are fragile and will move when smashed against a concrete
sidewalk.
     Sight picture.  Place the top of the front sight where
you want the bullet to go.  Hard focus on the front sight. 
You have to be able to see the serrations on the front
sight.  If you don't intentionally focus on the front sight,
you will be focused on the target, and your front sight
will wander all over the place, and you'll never notice it. 
And you won't hit what you think you're aiming at.  So,
focus on the front sight. 
     Trigger control.  Touch the trigger. (Because you don't
know where it is, especially in a high stress situation, when
you have grabbed the pistol while lying on your back while
being stabbed, punched, or kicked; and your hands are
covered with blood.)  Take the slack out of the trigger. 
(You can't get an accurate shot, if you yank through the
slack.  You have to take the slack out first.)  Smoothly
press while holding the sights on target.  DO NOT FIRE
THE SHOT!  Just smoothly increase pressure.
The pistol will eventually fire and you will get a surprise break.
I know this sounds like a long and complex process,
but with practice it compressing in time and becomes very fast.
If you intentionally fire the shot, your autonomic nervous system
will cause you to push, flinch, jerk, freeze, etc.  The
surprise break defeats your autonomic nervous system
by letting the bullet get out of the muzzle before your
brain knows that the gun is going to fire.
     Instructors often talk about the front sight epiphany,
when the student concentrates on the front sight and the
bullets magically group tight, right where the student
aimed them.  Or, the surprise break epiphany, when the
student achieves the surprise trigger break and the shots
no longer scatter low left (for a right handed shooter,
because he was anticipating the shot and pushing against
the recoil; low right for a left handed shooter).

Expansion on a previous essay --
    Eye dominance is not correlated to vision acuity.
You might see better with your non-dominant eye.
    Eye dominance is only mildly correlated with
handedness.  You might be right handed, but left eye
dominant.
    Eye dominance can change under stress.  Matches
induce stress.  Combat induces stress.
    Eye dominance is not necessarily left or right.
It could be 70% left, 30% right.  It could be 50%
right, 50% left.  Or, something else.
    I haven't been able to find any literature in
the peer reviewed journals indicating a correlation
between eye dominance and right or left brain
hemisphere dominance (concerned with high order
intellectual or cognitive things).  [I mention this
because a student asked me.]  Eye dominance is
an optical thing, controlled in the back of the brain.
The high order intellectual cognitive stuff is
controlled in the frontal lobes of the brain.  (But,
I'm not an expert in the field.  I just spent too
much time in the psych department as an undergrad.)
    So, it doesn't necessarily make sense to
shoot left handed because you think you are left
eye dominant.  (Especially if you are ambidextrous.) 
It may make sense to shoot with the eye that has
higher visual acuity.  Or, the eye with less
astigmatism.  You have to get an eye exam to
determine this.  Put a copy of your eye exam in
your journal.
     [When I say eye exam, I mean a medical eye exam
with an ophthalmologist, not an optical exam with an
optometrist.  If you don't know how to interpret the
report, ask your coach.  If you don't have a coach,
contact the Civilian Marksmanship Program, the
National Rifle Association, or USA Shooting to find
a level 3 (or higher) rifle or pistol coach that can
help you.  (Don't expect this help to be free. 
Everyone has bills to pay.)] 
      It makes sense to shoot your pistol with
your more dexterous hand as you firing hand (trigger
finger hand) and to aim with your dominant eye. 
     If both of your eyes are open you will get a
double image.  Close your non-aiming eye for the
fraction of a second when you are actually shooting
to avoid shooting at the wrong image.  Murphy's Law
says that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong,
at the worst possible time.  Which means that in a
high stress situation you will be shooting at the
wrong image.  For right handed shooters, your point
of impact will be way off to the left.  So, close
your non-aiming eye!

***** Mindset *****

NDs (Negligent Discharges)
http://defense-training.com/2017/nds-2/
Excerpt: 
     Righteous gun-handling is an attitude, more than
a "method" or "practice."  Righteous behavior always
proceeds from principled mental posture,
not a "set of rules." 

Be Clark Kent, Not Superman
When Practicing Concealed Carry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI_2qmI1aBc

     We always carry because we cannot predict when
a criminal will attack us.  We always buckle our seat
belt because we cannot predict when a drunk or distracted
diver will ram us.  We always keep a fire extinguisher
in the abode because we cannot predict when a fire will
start.  We always shower, floss, and brush our teeth
before going out in public because we cannot predict
who we may run into.  It may be your future ex-wife. 
[Ruthlessly stolen from several country songs.]

Fatal Shooting!
http://defense-training.com/2017/fatal-shooting/
Excerpt:
"The percentage of mistakes in quick decisions is
no greater than in long, drawn-out vacillations,
and the effect of decisiveness itself
'makes things go' and creates confidence."
-- Anne McCormick

Non-event!
http://defense-training.com/2017/non-event/

Age of Terrorism!
http://defense-training.com/2017/age-of-terrorism/

***** Training *****

Real-Life Zombie Totally Unfazed When Officer Hits Him Three Times
https://activeselfprotection.com/real-life-zombie-totally-unfazed-when-officer-hits-him-three-times/
     "A good reminder that even multiple shots from a
service-caliber handgun regularly fail to stop violent
attackers.  This guy was smoking “wet” (Marijuana
laced with PCP).  I’ve seen a similar lack of reaction
after being shot from totally sober people as well." 
--  Greg Ellifritz

     At a recent IDPA match, Major Ken Sircy
(Cookville, TN Police Department) told us a story that
was originally used as a teaching lesson at a law
enforcement training session at an NRA annual meeting. 
     An off duty cop was eating at a mom and pop restaurant
with a fireman friend of his, when a heroin addict entered
with a sawed off .22 caliber rifle.  The addict pointed
the rifle around telling everyone to get up against the
counter and put their hands up.  The addict then demanded
that the cashier give him all the money.  Not getting much
money, the addict then started robbing the individuals. 
The police officer signaled to his friend that he was
armed and to get away from him when the addict approached
him.  When the addict demanded money from the plain
clothed off duty cop, the cop presented his pistol and
fired two rounds into the addict's high thoracic cavity. 
(The autopsy photos showed a tight group that had
destroyed the addict's heart completely.) 
The witnesses said that after the cop fired,
the two of them just stared at each other for a long time. 
("A long time" in a high stress situation is actually a
short interval of real time.)  The addict then beat the
officer to death with the sawed off rifle.  The addict
then ran out of the restaurant and down the street,
before crashing through a store front window and dying. 
     The point of the lesson was that the officer had
been trained on the range to fire two rounds into the
high thoracic cavity and then holster.  Which is exactly
what he did. 
     The better training would be to continue firing
until the enemy (police call them suspects) is
incapacitated, and then to perform after action drills: 
quick check, final check, and scan.  If the enemy was
still standing and holding the rifle, the correct
action would have been to shoot the enemy in the
crainio-ocular cavity.
    A side note was that no one came to the aid of
the officer during the beating.  So, you can't depend
on anyone helping you, even if your friend is near by. 
The fireman was not a coward.  He had done many
courageous things in the past.  He had just never
prepared for this situation and so froze in shock.
If you don't prepare, you might freeze.  So, get
training and practice.  Visualize such encounters
to get your mind prepared for them.

     This past weekend, 29 September 2017 to 1 October 2017,
I attended the Rangemaster Instructor Development course
taught by Tom Givens et al.
http://rangemaster.com/training/instructor-development-course/
     It was a difficult course.  Just because you paid your
tuition didn't mean you're going to get a graduation certificate. 
Some did not.  There was an extensive written test and two
shooting tests (under serious time limits). 
     I'm going to have to change all kinds of things in my
NRA Defensive Pistol course curriculum, because of things
that I learned in the course.  Which is exactly why I took
the course.
     Setting up a target at the range and shooting at it
to see your lovely tight groups is not practice. 
That's just masturbation.  You are too advanced for that. 
The practice should force you to assess and analyze. 
You should be thinking:  Which ones do I shoot? 
Which ones do I avoid shooting?  Which one do I shoot first? 
Which one do I shoot next?  Which way do I move? 
Where is the cover?  Who do I have to draw fire away from? 
Who do I need to protect?  Who do I not need to protect? . . .
     I love this quote, "I will forget I have a gun unless
it is needed to terminate an immediate deadly threat to me
or someone for whom I am responsible."
     Tom Given has trained thousands of people.  65 of his
students were involved in self defense shootings.  Of those
63 who won, zero were arrested, much less indicted, prosecuted, or
convicted.  Unfortunately, 2 of his students were involved
in lethal force encounters but were not wearing their gun
at the time.  They both died.  Moral of the story?  Always
carry.

     Jeff Cooper (Gun Sight) is dead.  Louis Awerbuck (Yavapai) is dead. 
Ignatius Piazza (Front Sight) doesn't teach anymore.
Ken Hackathorn (Aztec) will be retiring soon.  John Farnam (DTI) is older
than I am.  Tom Givens (Rangemaster) got out of a hospital bed to
give us the Instructor Development course.  Now that's dedication. 
     So, make your reservations and take your training now,
before the wisemen are gone.

***** Tactics *****

The Blueprint of a Criminal Attack
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2017/8/22/the-blueprint-of-a-criminal-attack/

Protecting yourself and family during an armed robbery
https://sofrep.com/88597/think-like-green-beret-protecting-family-armed-robbery-2/

Using the Element of Surprise as a Personal-Defense Tool
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2017/9/22/using-the-element-of-surprise-as-a-personal-defense-tool/

***** Techniques *****

Scanning for Multiple Threats
https://www.concealedcarry.com/safety/scanning-for-multiple-threats-you-may-be-doing-it-wrong-video/

     Accept your wobble.  If you achieve a surprise trigger break,
you will get good hits, no matter how much your sights look like
they are wobbling.  Yes, actually it is magic.  (Any sufficiently
advanced technology will appear as magic to the ignorant. 
God's creation, the human, is very advanced technology.)

***** Philosophy *****

     If you can't get a loan to buy your house,
find a "manual underwriter". 
     Not having a credit record is a good thing. 
It means you don't borrow money.  You save up for
what you want and you pay cash.  That is the
responsible, spiritually mature, thing to do. 
Some knucklehead in a cubicle looking at your
credit score is not going to understand that. 
Any person who would take the word of some
credit reporting company over the word of an
honorable person (you) is not someone you want
to deal with.  That is not someone you want to
pay money to to do anything for you.
[Ruthlessly paraphrased from Dave Ramsey.]

***** Gear *****

Should You Mount a Light to Your Concealed-Carry Gun?
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2017/8/9/should-you-mount-a-light-to-your-concealed-carry-gun/
Excerpt:
Don't hang shit on your pistol!
-- Louis Awerbuck

Reviewed: New Handgun Holsters
http://www.range365.com/reviewed-new-handgun-holsters

Shooting glasses 
Randolph Engineering
RE Ranger
https://www.randolphusa.com/re-ranger/frames/build-ranger-xlw/#select-frame-options
     You can adjust where the glasses sit on your face by
moving the piece that rests on the bridge of your nose
up or down.  I'm not describing it well.  You have to get
your hands on a pair to see how neat they are.  Your prescription
lenses go inside.  The outer lenses curve around correctly
so as to be distortion free.  Ya, they are very expensive. 
You get what you pay for in this world.

Pay Attention To Gun Warnings
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2017/09/07/potd-pay-attention-gun-warnings/
Excerpt:  "WARNING - GUN WILL FIRE IF ROTATED BY HAND"

    Please do not carry a revolver as your primary self defense gun. 
Revolvers are old technology.  They are difficult to shoot because
they have long heavy double action triggers. 
     [Firing modern double action revolvers in single action mode
by thumb cocking the hammer is wrong on many levels.  Thumb cocking
the hammer is an extra operation that takes time.  You never have
enough time in combat.  The trigger weight of a revolver in single
action mode is very light and there is no slack.  Which means it
is uncontrollable in a high stress situation.  If this is not obvious
to you, you lack the experience that would make it obvious to you.]
     They are difficult and slow to load, and difficult and slow to
reload.  When they malfunction, there is no way to clear the
malfunction in real time.  The revolver has many moving parts that
must be precisely timed to work properly (you have to open the action
to see this, not open the cylinders, open the action, it will look
like an old mechanical watch).
    So, if someone tells you that the revolver is a good self defense
gun because it is reliable and simple, he is lying to you, if he
knows what he is talking about; or he doesn't know what he's
talking about.

     Please do not carry an automatic weapon as your primary
self defense gun, e.g. machinepistol, submachinegun, etc. 
Automatic fire in a high stress situation is uncontrollable. 
If you don't believe this, it is because you lack the combat
experience with automatic small arms that would cause you to
understand this.  [My intended audience does not include
Uncle Sam's Misguided Nephews, who burn 1000's of rounds
a day in specialized training.]  Even if you can modulate
the trigger to fire 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 rounds bursts on
demand with an Uzi or M-2 (.50 caliber machinegun)
(slow rate of fire), that's not the same as doing it with an
MP-5 or a pistol version of the M-16 (high rate of fire). 
And doing it in combat is an entirely different world.

***** Instructors *****

Qui docet, discet.
Who teaches, learns.

     Please give your students written documents to
read before the class.  If they hear novel information
for the first time when you say it in class, they
probably won't understand it.  If they have read it
previously, there is a much better chance that the
time they have cogitated on it will help them to
understand the concept when you verbally explain it.
     Your students may not understand what you are
saying because there was environmental noise, you
spoke to fast (because this is the 500th time you've
said it), you mumbled, your accent is too strong, etc. 
The student may not wish to disrupt or slow the class
by asking questions (thinking that they will ask
later, but forgetting to do so), so you have to
handout documentation covering what you said.
     "Oh, but my precious copyrighted material
will be reproduced and distributed, causing me
to lose profit."
     Well, that is just a bad attitude and a bad
business model.  If you don't believe distribution
of your material to be good advertising for you
and that it will enhance your reputation, you may
be too mercenary for the teaching business.

     Jesus said, "I have sent you to reap what you
have not worked for."  Book of John 4:38. 
     This is how God works.  Others will reap what
you have sown.  What you sow may not be ready for
harvest in your life time.  What you taught the
mother, she taught to her daughter.  Who used it
to save the life of the granddaughter.  You were
long dead by then. 
     "Therefore, we can rest in the tasks before us,
not being hoodwinked into thinking that we are
responsible for the outcomes." -- Amy Boucher Pye
     Teach carefully, because as Sara Ahrens says,
your students will do whatever you teach them, no
matter how ridiculous.  Your students will do
whatever they practice, no matter how ridiculous. 
So, make sure they are practicing correctly.

Tom Givens says you must test your students
because it:
1.  forces practice of skills. 
2.  identifies weaknesses (the student has to know what to practice).
3.  verifies progress. 
4.  allows comparison to historical standards. 
5.  induces stress. 
6.  determines timing (How quick can I hit it?  Time vs. distance.  Time vs. size.). 
7.  provides documentation (good for resumes and evidence at trial). 

"The better you know something,
the less you remember how hard it was to learn."
-- Steven Pinker

***** Pedagogy *****


***** Education *****

2018 Tactical Conference
http://rangemaster.com/2018-tactical-conference/
     You can expect this event to sell out
by October 2017.

Northwest Regional Tactical Conference
Fri, Jul 27, 2018, 8:00 AM –
Sun, Jul 29, 2018, 6:00 PM
Firearms Academy of Seattle, Onalaska, WA
$389
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/northwest-regional-tactical-conference-tickets-36248988701

Changing Demographics of Concealed Carry Permit Holders Across the United States
     The video presentation,
https://crimeresearch.org/2017/08/talk-cprcs-new-research-changing-face-people-carrying-permitted-concealed-handguns/
     For you data geeks, the paper and the slides,
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3004915
     Women and blacks are the big winners!
1st Black women
2nd Asian women
3rd native American women
Yeah!
     Concealed carry permit holders are way
more law abiding than the general population
(36 times) and more law abiding than police
(10 times).
     Fees, taxes, and required training effectively
prevent poor people from getting permits.  Which
occurs in Democrat controlled areas.

Background checks on private transfers
https://crimeresearch.org/2017/08/talk-bloomberg-background-checks-private-transfers/
     Dr. Lott explains how background checks are
really done.  They don't look at middle names. 
They don't look at differences in spellings. 

Mass Public Shootings and Gun-Free Zones
https://crimeresearch.org/2017/08/talk-cprcs-new-research-mass-public-shootings-gun-free-zones/
     All mass public shootings occur in gun-free zones.
Criminals may be crazy, but they are not stupid.  The
shootings are not random.  The criminals intentionally
choose gun-free zones.  Many countries are gun-free zones. 
The murder rate goes up after guns are banned,
no exceptions anywhere in the world. 
When concealed carry is legalized the mass shootings
decrease by 2/3rds. 

"So the next time someone tries to tell you that gun
control is about saving lives, look at these facts . . ."
https://www.facebook.com/jim.marking.5/posts/1485877388156186
-- Jim Marking

***** Legal and Political stuff *****

The "Say Little" approach
http://blog.lawofselfdefense.com/2017/08/30/law-of-self-defense-podcast-august-30-2017/
     The YouTube.com videos referred to in the above blog posting are the following:
     Don't Talk to Cops, Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8z7NC5sgik
     Don't Talk to Cops, Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08fZQWjDVKE

Police say three employees of a Cleveland Taco Bell
opened fire on two armed robbers, killing one.
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2017/09/07/taco-bell-employees-shoot-robber/

Women Are Driving Force for Millennial Gun Sales
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/09/06/women-a-driving-force-gun-sales/

     ATF has released Procedure 2017-1,
http://tennesseefirearms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/ATF_procedure_2017-1_-_facilitating_non-ffl_transfers_of_firearms_0_0.pdf
which addresses the ATF's interpretation of law
regarding how a federal firearms licensee is
required to handle private party sales between
non-licensed individuals.
     The procedure outlines requirements that a dealer
must satisfy to handle private party sales and what
has to be done if a proposed sale does not
immediately result in an approval on the background
check.
     Individuals who are doing private party sales
that decide to involve a dealer for the transfer and
those who are required to use a dealer for the
transfer (for example, an interstate sale) should
review this new procedure and be familiar with it.
Yours,
John Harris
Executive Director
Tennessee Firearms Association

     Why do I not teach government regulated courses?
     A gentleman who runs a company that teaches an
alcohol class here in Tennessee told me about one of
his instructors who dismissed his class early (did
not give the students the required number of hours). 
This resulted in a $1000 fine for the instructor and
having to call the 15 students to tell them that
they had to take the class over.
     The government creates disincentives to be
efficient and succinct.  Hence the government
discourages good English and good teaching.

     Andrew Branca says, don't buy self defense
insurance that reimburses after an acquittal.  You
will need the money up front to pay the attorney,
private investigators, expert witnesses, etc. 
Without the money up front, you might lose the case. 
So, reimbursement programs are worthless.
     The NRA claims that their self defense
insurance program reimburses, because they can't
pay for an illegal activity.  This reasoning is
nonsense.  A person is innocent until proven guilty
beyond a reasonable doubt.  So, the defendant has
not engaged in illegal activity until the jury or
judge rules at the end of the trial.  The NRA is
assuming the self defense shooting was illegal
until the court rules that it was legal.  This
is completely backwards.
     The George Zimmerman trail cost the defense
team 1.7 million dollars.  So, you have to have
the money up front to prevent the case from
going to trial.

"War on Guns" by John Lott
$1.99 for the Kindle version
https://www.amazon.com/War-Guns-Yourself-Against-Control-ebook/dp/B01HH5HN8W/

     "You are responsible for every innocent bystander
you hit (or cover) during your lethal force encounter." 
-- Kent Harville
     You can't claim it was an accident (well, you can
claim anything, but no judge will allow it as a legal
theory).  Just covering the innocent bystander is assault.
You may have immunity from civil and criminal liability
by statute in your state for shooting the bad guy in
self defense.  But, you cannot evade liability for
shooting innocent bystanders.
     Solution to this problem?  Practice, so you don't
miss.

     When the Founding Fathers wrote and signed the
U.S. Constitution, they had the vivid memory of
overthrowing their government.  The Second Amendment
is to ensure the people always have the ability to
overthrow the government. 
     It has nothing to do with personal self defense,
hunting, sports, collecting, or anything else.
     The militia was not regulated by the government.
The government tried and failed to regulate the militia.
Well regulated militia means a disciplined military force,
as opposed to a mob.

***** Survival Tips *****

"Because we have an armed citizenry,
a dictatorship has not happened in
America.  Anti-gun fools are more
dangerous to Liberty than street
criminals or foreign spies."
-- Theodore Haas (Dachau Survivor)


***** For Beginners *****

How to Use a Semi-Automatic Pistol: Part 1
http://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/use-semi-automatic-pistol-part-1/
How to Use a Semi-Automatic Pistol: Part 2
http://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/use-semi-automatic-pistol-part-2/

***** 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.

Cheers,
Jon

Jonathan Low
Jon_Low@yahoo.com