Greetings Sheepdogs,
***** Mindset *****
Audacity wins.
-- Carl von Clausewitz
Read this! This is very important!
Montie’s Law of Self-Defense
http://www.wimsblog.com/2018/11/monties-law-of-self-defense/
Excerpt:
"The most effective way to end a fight is not being there to begin with.
The second most effective way is to attack first."
Helping others, defending others, is a good
and heroic thing to do. But, if there were no
risk, it would not be heroic. If there were no
risk, everyone would do it. Why do so few people
do it? Because the real risks are staggering.
https://www.news-star.com/news/20181031/suspect-in-shawnee-teens-stabbing-at-walmart-gets-life-sentences
Forget about what happened to the bad guy.
He was a worthless scum bag. Focus on what
happened to the teenage boy, the hero.
Mindset: The Cooper Color Codes
http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/mindset-the-cooper-color-codes/recreation-leisure
Excerpt:
". . . proportional deadly force . . ."
[Legally speaking, force is either deadly or non-deadly.
As then-General Colin Powell said, we want to win, so we
will use overwhelming force, not proportional force.
The context was speaking to a clueless journalist who was
complaining about how unfair it was that the big bad U.S.
was waging war on the weak innocent Iraq. -- Jon Low]
“Sheep don’t trust sheepdogs, any more than they trust wolves.”
-- Greg Hamilton
Going Armed
http://defense-training.com/2018/going-armed-3/
Excerpt:
". . . instant access to deadly weapons
is still the difference between life and death."
“Never call an unarmed man ‘security’. ”
-- Dave Grossman
Upgrade Your Language: Four Words That Make You Weak
https://blog.bulletproof.com/the-four-words-that-make-you-weak-upgrade-your-language/
"Precision of language is precision of thought."
-- Prof. Edward Melkonian,
School of Engineering and Applied Science, Columbia University
Everyday Carry: Everybody's Wrong
https://www.integratedskillsgroup.com/blog/lines-of-equipment-why-would-you-carry-all-that
"Only those who risk going too far can
possibly find out how far one can go."
-- T.S. Elliot
***** Enemy Mindset *****
Complacency kills.
No Ordinary Violence
https://samharris.org/no-ordinary-violence/
Sam has been very kind to allow me to use his writings
in my NRA Defensive Pistol courses.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal,
it is the courage to continue that counts.”
“Never, Never, Never Give Up.”
-- Winston Churchill
***** Safety *****
“The fast and/or emphatic reholster
is an awesome way to shoot yourself.”
-- Chuck Haggard
***** Training *****
“When you aren’t skilled and confident,
you get scared and you over react.”
-- Greg Ellifritz
Dr. Sherman House is offering some courses you may be interested in,
https://civiliandefender.com/about/
Deliberate Practice
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2018/11/24/deliberate-practice/
The primary source that Claude refers to:
The Beginner’s Guide to Deliberate Practice
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-beginner-s-guide-to-deliberate-practice-1576022377
Excerpt:
"Mindless activity is the enemy of deliberate practice.
The danger of practicing the same thing again and again
is that progress becomes assumed. Too often, we assume
we are getting better simply because we are gaining
experience. In reality, we are merely reinforcing our
current habits — not improving them."
"Perhaps the greatest difference between deliberate
practice and simple repetition is this: feedback."
[This is why it is essential that you get with your
coach, and get on the SCATT at least once a week.
Without feedback, you don't know what you are doing.
You may think you know what you are doing, but you are
probably wrong. The SCATT will tell you what you are
actually doing. For instance, James thought he was
breathing normally in prone. But, he wasn't breathing
at all. It is very easy to deceive yourself, because
you are in a high stress situation.
-- Jon Low, Level 3 rifle coach USA Shooting]
"One consistent finding across disciplines is that
coaches are often essential for sustaining deliberate
practice. In many cases, it is nearly impossible to
both perform a task and measure your progress at the
same time. Good coaches can track your progress, find
small ways to improve, and hold you accountable to
delivering your best effort each day."
"Deliberate practice is not a comfortable activity.
It requires sustained effort and concentration. The people
who master the art of deliberate practice are committed
to being lifelong learners — always exploring and
experimenting and refining."
When to walk out of a class
https://thestreetstandards.wordpress.com/2018/11/04/when-to-walk-out-of-a-class/
Ralph has contributed a great deal to our industry
over the years.
Equally important for you instructors is when to
ask a student to leave your class. Very hard to do
if you have taken money from the student. If you haven't
decided on the triggers that will cause you to expel
a student, you never will. And that would be tragic.
When I taught at Front Sight, we regularly escorted
people off the range. If the instructors are not
willing to remove unsafe people from your class, you
have to leave the class.
Strategic Edge Gun Range was open for night shooting
last night (3 Nov. 2018 A.D. till 21:00 hours), so I
practiced my flashlight techniques and my left handed
flashlight techniques on a steel plate rack and a steel
silhouette.
But before that, I shot as long as I could
in civil twilight to see how dark it had to be before:
1. I could not positively identify my target.
2. I could not clearly resolve my front sight from
my rear sight.
I lost the ability to identify my target long before
I lost the ability to resolve my front sight. This is
a big problem. Because one could confidently shoot at
unidentified blobs in low light conditions, convincing
oneself that it would be a good shoot because one could
aim correctly. I had to re-emphasize rule 4, Be Sure
Of Your Target. One of the reasons I was able resolve
my front sight in low light conditions was that machinist
Coach Hoffman had opened up my rear sight notch by
1/100th of an inch. (This is important. You need to
get this done on your sights, if you can't resolve your
front sight from your rear sight in low light conditions.
If you are using tight target sights, you need to change
sights or get your rear sight opened up. We are not
target shooting in pristine conditions. We are combat
shooting in adverse conditions.)
Putting tritium glow in the dark sights creates this
same problem, being able to aim long after you can no
longer identify your target.
I found the Harries technique allowed me to aim
by silhouetting my sights against the bright target.
I found the cheek index and crown index allow me to aim by
lighting up my sights. Different sight pictures that
need to be practiced, because they don't necessarily
give you the same point of impact. (I'm not sure why,
but I'm working on it.)
I don't have a flashlight attached to my pistol
because it's just too easy to search with the flashlight
on the pistol, which violates rule 2, Never Let The
Muzzle Cover Anything You Are Not Willing To Destroy.
You're going to use your flashlight a lot more than
your pistol, so it's best to have a hand held flashlight.
Shooting with a flashlight in the other hand
is effectively one handed shooting. So, you need to
practice one handed shooting, left and right. Just
because you're right handed, does not mean you are
going to be right handed in combat. (This goes for
knife fighting too. If you find yourself in a fight
with a knife in your secondary hand, FIGHT! Don't
attempt to transfer the knife into your primary hand.
The transfer takes time and risks losing control
of the knife. Which ever hand is not holding the
knife should be holding the front of your neck
protecting your carotid arteries. Marines are called
Leathernecks because they wore a leather collar
around their necks to protect their carotid arteries.
The enemy knows that any attempt on your part to
transfer your knife between hands is an opportunity
to attack.)
Personal-Defense Preparation: Considering Worst-Case Scenarios
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2018/11/5/personal-defense-preparation-considering-worst-case-scenarios/
Equipment is not a proxy for skill
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2018/11/08/equipment-is-not-a-proxy-for-skill/
This is why you have to train. You have to be
the guy who gets the hit with the one and only
.22 caliber round that you have, and not the guy
who fired 15 rounds from an AR-15 and 12 rounds
from a .40-caliber pistol and missed every time
(Thus, he ended up dead from the .22 round.).
Gabe White . . . KING of the kydex SLAP!
https://civiliandefender.com/2018/11/08/gabe-white-king-of-the-kydex-slap/
Sherman's review of Gabe's pistol class,
“Pistol Shooting Solutions”.
Why Do I Need Training?
https://americanhandgunner.com/why-do-i-need-training/
Excerpt:
"Most of the skills and principles used with firearms
are contrary to our natural instincts, making it difficult
if not impossible to learn on your own. You’re gonna have
to get some training from a professional instructor."
10 Right Things To Do For CCW
https://americanhandgunner.com/10-right-things-to-do-for-ccw/
Excerpt:
"Don’t use real guns, regardless of how much you’ve “unloaded” them!"
[Reminds me of of what Prof. Alday said, "Zero is less than
one, even for very large values of zero." It wasn't a joke.
It was a measure theory class. You add up the lengths of the
points (measure zero) in the interval from zero to one and you
get the non-zero length of one. So, if you add enough (uncountably
infinite) zeros, you can get a non-zero sum. Such is the
counter-intuitive world of infinite sets.]
A friend told me that he was training to shoot with
both eyes open. I asked him how that was working for him.
He said that he was hitting off to the left. [He is shooting
right handed (which does not necessarily mean he is right
handed) and he believes he is right eye dominant. But, we
did not do an eye dominance test, as it was just a casual
conversation in church.] I explained to him that the shots
that go off to the left are because he is shooting at the
target image from his left eye. I told him to close his
left eye when shooting, just for the fraction of a second
when he releases the shot, to ensure he is aiming at what
he thinks he is aiming at. He said that his instructor
was a Navy SEAL (My friend is a Navy veteran and reveres
the SEALs. Having been a Marine and having worked in the field
with SEALs, I avoided saying anything disparaging about
his friend.) and the instructor said to keep both eyes
open all the time.
I said that an appeal to authority is not legitimate pedagogy.
I asked him to stick out his thumb at arms length.
Focus on a distant target. How many thumbs do you see?
Focus on your thumb. How many targets do you see?
If you close your non-aiming eye, you eliminate this problem.
Remember Murphy's Law, "Anything that can go wrong,
will go wrong, at the worst possible time."
So, when you are in combat, your eye dominance will change.
So, you have to close your non-aiming eye when you are
releasing the shot. You can keep both eyes open the rest
of the time.
Sheriff's Tips: Don't Drop Your Guard
https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2018/11/2/sheriffs-tips-dont-drop-your-guard/
Always carry your concealed pistol in the same
position.
Ask for help.
My pastor told us of Steve Jobs (of Apple Computer fame).
When he was a child (12 years old or so), he heard of the Hewlett
Packard computer company. So, he looked up Bill Hewlett in the
phone book and called him. Jobs asked Hewlett for parts, because
Jobs was trying to build a frequency counter. Hewlett was
impressed, and offered Jobs a job at HP. That's how Jobs got
his training, experience, and parts.
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who
asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who
knocks, the door will be opened."
-- Matthew 7:7-8, New International Version (NIV)
If you think you can learn this defensive pistol craft
stuff all by yourself, you are wrong. You have to ask for
help. You'll probably have to pay for that help. But, that's
okay, everyone has to eat, even firearms instructors.
Many of the wise-men have died: Jeff Cooper, Louis Awerbuck,
Pat Rogers, . . .
So, get your training while you can. Instructors don't teach
forever.
Cold weather practice - I went to the range (a private
club) to practice in cold weather. Getting to my pistol buried
under my shirt and jacket was quite a feat. But, as with
anything you practice, it gets smoother and faster with deliberate
practice.
I found that my thick leather gloves (military issue or
gardening type) did not work with my pistols. (They worked
okay with my AR-15 type rifles.) I found that thin synthetic
or kid (baby goat) skin gloves worked.
Not wearing gloves in cold weather is a mistake. Your
hands will get numb. You will lose fine motor coordination.
When you touch or hold metal objects, the heat transfer will
be efficient, causing your hands to get cold fast.
You must wear a hat. Girlfriend knitted ski caps with
floppy ears are cute. And the cuter you look, the less you
look like a threat. Remember, when the bad guy starts shooting,
he's going to shoot the threats first. That's why you never
open carry. Not even at Tennessee Firearms Association meetings
at Golden Corral (I love that place. They give us veterans
free food on Veteran's Day.). While the bad guy is shooting
the open carriers, you will have the opportunity to leave,
move to cover, or shoot the bad guy. So, open carry does
have its purpose.
"You train for the people who love you."
-- Tatiana Whitlock
***** Tactics *****
". . . personal defense is a lifestyle, not a hobby."
-- Sheriff Jim Wilson
Get Off the X: Exiting & Equalizing in a Fight
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2018/11/14/get-off-the-x-exiting-equalizing-in-a-fight/
***** Techniques *****
Avoidance, Deterrence, and De-escalation
-- John Farnam
Sneaky Draw
https://www.tridentconcepts.com/2018/11/10/sneaky-draw/
Excerpt:
"Moving one hand slowly and even using the free hand
as a distraction will go a long way."
[Magicians use distraction and misdirection all the time
to deceive their audience. Remember, inattentional blindness;
the bad guy will not see what he is not paying
attention to. -- Jon Low]
Concealed Carry Corner: Concealment Defined
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2018/10/25/concealed-carry-corner-concealment-defined/
Excerpt:
"It is also essential that we are self-aware at all times.
This is the key to mastering concealment. Being self-aware
requires that we scrutinize everything about ourselves. If we
are unable to scrutinize ourselves then we will not be able
to be honest to ourselves. This honesty is required for us
to conceal from knowledgeable parties that are actively
searching. Concealment is managing the perception others
have of you. It is impossible to be invisible, but it is
possible to be dismissible. Blending in and looking like
any other person is required for true concealment."
Former CIA Chief Explains How Spies Use Disguises | WIRED
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JASUsVY5YJ8
This video is all about how to be the grey man. The one no one
notices. Ms. Mendez says women can disguise as men, but men
cannot disguise as women. This is an important truth to understand.
Political correctness has no place in our business.
"The shorter the fight, the less hurt you get."
-- John Holschen
Using Your Gun In Extreme Close Quarters: Why Does it Matter?
https://www.concealedcarry.com/safety/extreme-close-quarters-defense/
No criminal is going to attempt to mug you from across
the parking lot. They are going to be up close before they
reveal their intentions. Practicing with your firing side
elbow pulled as far back as it will go and the bottom of your
pistol grip pressed against your ribs, is practicing for a high
probability event. Practicing shooting at 25 yards, is
practicing for a low probability event.
Israeli Carry’s Fatal Flaw: A Case Study
https://blog.beretta.com/israeli-carrys-fatal-flaw-a-case-study
You have to carry your pistol loaded (round in the chamber),
because you won't have time to load your pistol. You have to
carry your pistol on your body, because you won't have time
to get your pistol.
How do you win a gunfight? Don’t be there.
-–John Farnam
***** Gear *****
See Through Suppressor in Super Slow Motion
(110,000 frames per second)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pOXunRYJIw
Shooting THROUGH Trees!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZgzuso-wCU
Dustin does the experiments for us.
Can't argue with empirical data.
If you are reading this blog, you are obviously a reader.
But, if you have friends who are watchers (as opposed to
readers) you could direct them to this video. It explains
why negligent discharges with the Blackhawk SERPA holster
are a design issue, not a training issue.
The Serpa Holster is Hot Garbage | Active Self Protection Extra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9xIFdCVNOI
Those of you who have been reading this blog
for a while have read the Federal Law Enforcement
Training Center and Department of the Interior letters
forbidding the SERPA holster and explaining why. If
you have not read these documents, send me an email
and I will send them to you.
Keep Your Carbine Running: Dispelling Lubrication and Cleaning Myths
https://www.swatmag.com/article/keep-carbine-running-dispelling-lubrication-cleaning-myths/
Excerpt:
"If you want to hang with the big boys, you need to understand
the basics completely, receive good initial training, practice,
and regularly take more advanced training. Have proper
cleaning protocol and use sufficient lubrication. Do periodic
maintenance and replace wear items. Anything else is just
wasting time — and perhaps lives."
Some Basic Tools to Maintain Your Firearm
https://www.concealedcarry.com/safety/basic-tools-maintain-firearm/
My comments:
"Patches, or clean squares of cotton cloth, . . . "
are fine as long as they don't have any lint. Lint build
up can foul trigger mechanisms. Turn your pockets inside
out. See that lint ball? That's what's building up in
your trigger mechanism if you don't clean it regularly.
No, you don't have to take the trigger apart (leave that
to the gunsmith). Just use a can of WD-40 with the red
plastic tube to spray out the innards of the trigger
and then use compressed air to blow out all the gunk and
excess cleaner and lubricant. (Keep your cans of
compressed air away from junkies. They will huff
your compressed air.) WD-40 is a cleaner. It is not
a lubricant.
You can also use paper coffee filters as patches.
They are clean (sanitary, not sterile) and don't have
any lint.
The modern modular pistols allow you to take the
firing mechanism (the only part with a serial number
on it) out of the frame without tools (Sig Sauer P320,
Ruger American, etc.). Don't do this.
All kinds of springs and pieces will come off, and
you'll have a hard time finding them, much less
re-assembling them correctly. Leave it to the gunsmith.
If you're using a punch, you're going too far.
Dis-assembling your pistol in a clear plastic bag
will prevent the loss of springs and small pieces. Yes,
some pistols are badly designed and small pieces will
go flying off into space when you dis-assemble.
Walther Arms PPS M2 Voluntary Safety Recall
https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2018/11/16/walther-arms-pps-m2-voluntary-safety-recall/
Who dares wins.
-- motto of the Special Air Service
***** Instructors *****
Colonel Robert Lindsey to his fellow trainers:
"We are not God’s gift to our students.
Our students are God’s gift to us."
WWDLD? (What Would Dave Landis Do?)
https://primaryandsecondary.com/wwdld-what-would-dave-landis-do/
Excerpt:
"Lead by example."
[Actually, all leadership is by example. You either set a good
example or a bad example. The choice is yours. -- Jon Low]
Clint Smith's take, on instructors doing demos for the students
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7Y797rkbrA
I think instructors should demo every operation for the
students. The students need to have a visual example to
copy. Not just in form, but also in timing. What is the
rhythm of this operation? At what speed is it reasonable to
perform this operation?
The instructor may need to demonstrate after the student
has tried it a few times, because only then will the student
know what to look for in the instructor's demonstration.
Remember Inattentional Blindness, if the student doesn't know
what to pay attention to, he won't see it.
How to Introduce Senior Citizens to Shooting
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2018/11/2/how-to-introduce-senior-citizens-to-shooting/
I always teach the fundamentals, because much of what
my students know is false.
Andrew Branca says some of his students do not come
to him with zero knowledge. They come to him with -20 knowledge.
Your students have learned from ignorant people they
associate with, movies, TV shows, the internet, incompetent
instructors, etc. Not all veterans are competent to teach
our subject. Not all police are competent to teach our subject.
Not all certified instructors are competent to teach
our subject. Sorry, but that's just the truth.
So, you have to teach the fundamentals.
Jay Hafemeister says,
"There’s a Ron White joke about being thrown out of a bar
by multiple bouncers. He didn’t know how many bouncers
it was going to take to throw him out, but he knew how
many there were.
I have a pretty reasonable expectation that I’ll never
again have to draw a pistol in response to a deadly threat.
If I do draw it, I probably won’t have to fire it.
If I do have to fire the pistol, it’ll probably only need
to be fired once or twice.
If I could get someone to carry, train, and practice
with a .22lr Ruger LCR they’d be fairly well prepared for
the vast majority of the deadly force encounters most
civilians will face.
I’d rather see them carry a Glock 17 or 19 type
pistol like I do. But . . . "
Lessons Learned as a Professional Instructor
https://www.acrossthepeak.com/blog/lessons-learned-professional-instructor
Excerpts:
". . . knowing a subject and teaching a subject are
two vastly different animals."
"If you are an instructor and you care about what you do,
FOLLOW THIS ADVICE. I guarantee that if you actually use all
of it, when you walk in to begin class you'll be confident.
You will KNOW your classroom is setup. You will KNOW everything
works. And you will KNOW if something goes wrong, it's beyond
your control and you won't stress about it. You will have
mastered your content. Your classes will flow smoothly. You
have anticipated any questions that might come up and you
know how to answer them.
Ultimately, take pride in your craft. Master it.
Own everything that you put your name on."
[Even though the title of my classes may be the same,
I have never been able to teach the same class, because
the students are always drastically different. I have
never been able to predict what we will be doing at 13:00
on Thursday, because I have always had the policy that
"We will go as fast as the slowest person in the class."
-- Jon Low]
"Every time I teach a class,
I discover I don't know something."
-- Clint Smith, Director of Thunder Ranch
***** Pedagogy *****
If you are helping someone and
expecting something in return,
you are doing business, not kindness.
"You don't have to memorize formulae.
Because you can always derive them from
first principles."
-- Prof. Sven Hartman, Physics Department, Columbia University
Yes, as a matter of fact this does apply to us.
Teach first principles. Let the student derive
tactics based on the principles and the situation.
Don't teach situation specific tactics. Because
your student will default to them, rather than relying
on first principles to decide what to do.
"But, preprogrammed responses are faster. We don't
have time to analyze during the fight."
That's only true if you're the bad guy. The good
guy has a duty to think. Which includes, but is not
limited to, the safety rules.
Yes, combat is a very difficult, complex, and
intellectual endeavor, for the good guy.
"Thinking is the hardest thing a person can do.
That's why so few people do it." -- Henry Ford (founder
of the company that did not take government bailout money.)
"We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence is not an act.
It is a habit."
-- Aristotle
***** Education *****
“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
Oral Histories: Massad Ayoob
http://rangemaster.com/publications/oral-histories-ayoob-2/
Excerpt:
"I don’t teach “keep it simple Stupid” cause it ain’t
simple, you ain’t stupid, and basically the more tools you
have the better you’re gonna be . . . the more techniques
you’re going to know . . . the better practitioner and
diagnostician you’re gonna be."
"Essentially the single thing I’d have to say is sighted fire."
"I think the labels are important."
[As I tell my students,
precision of language is precision of thought.
-- Jon Low]
Revisiting the "21-Foot Rule"
http://www.policemag.com/channel/weapons/articles/2014/09/revisiting-the-21-foot-rule.aspx
Excerpt:
However, research of actual OIS (Officer Involved Shootings)
incidents has shown that officers can only accurately hit
their moving assailants 14% of the time in life-or-death
situations from distances of only two to 10 feet. On the
other hand, assailants were able to successfully engage
and hit officers 68% of the time within those same distances.
[Think about why this is so, in high stress combat situations.
It's hard to hit a moving target when you are stationary.
It's extremely difficult to hit a stationary target when
you're moving. It's effectively impossible to hit a moving
target while you are moving .
Unlike the bad guy, you have a duty to avoid hitting
the bystanders. So, you should be shooting from a
stationary position. Hopefully, from behind cover.
If no cover exists, from the lowest position you can use.
-- Jon Low]
Erik Tweedt posted videos of a squib load firing
https://www.facebook.com/ArchetypeoftheGun/videos/306226903310924/
and a video of the recovered cartridge
https://www.facebook.com/ArchetypeoftheGun/videos/2133775303540416/
Note that the bullet did not leave the case. Rather,
the gasses escaped through the primer hole.
Spreading Lies
http://pistol-training.com/archives/8621
[The reason you have to be able to shoot tight groups
in training and the reason you have to practice to get into
the habit of shooting tight groups, is because in a high
stress situation your groups will open up quite a bit.
-- Jon Low]
***** News, Legal, Philosophical, and Political stuff *****
Civil War happens when the victimized are armed.
Genocide happens when they are not!
-- A.E. Samaan
The Azana Day Spa Shooting
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/the-azana-day-spa-shooting
Lessons learned:
Gun-free-zones are not safe.
Restraining orders and protection orders don't stop bad guys from killing you.
Sometimes it takes the police 6 HOURS to get to you.
You'll bleed to death in 3 minutes. STOP THE BLEEDING!
You'll suffer brain damage from lack of oxygenated blood
to the brain in 6 minutes. START CPR!
Suffocation takes a bit longer. START MOUTH TO MOUTH RESUSCITATION!
You've got to practice, so you can get that tourniquet on in 30 seconds.
You have to have a tourniquet.
Good Guys Win
https://www.swatmag.com/articles/more-articles/good-guys-win/
“Destiny doesn’t make appointments,
nor does she waste her time with the naive and unready!”
-- John Farnam
A List of States That Allow Concealed Guns on Campus
https://www.campussafetymagazine.com/university/list-of-states-that-allow-concealed-carry-guns-on-campus/
Sunny Italy!
http://defense-training.com/2018/sunny-italy/
Excerpt: (paraphrased)
In September 2018 A.D., Matteo Salvini, a daring, pro-gun, pro-police,
pro-freedom populist, and Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister,
engineered legislation that eased Italy’s gun laws,
de-restricting military small arms and made it possible
for Italian citizens to own them. He also changed
the legal definition of self-defense, making criminal
prosecutions of citizens who bravely defend themselves
from violent criminals, less likely. Citizens are
enthusiastically responding by applying for licenses,
and buying guns, at a record, and accelerating, pace!
ATF Inconsistencies Does Not Pass Muster In Court – This Is Not A Stock
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2018/11/06/atf-inconsistencies-does-not-pass-muster-in-court-this-is-not-a-stock/
Sixty-seven defensive gun uses by people legally
carrying guns in public over the past three months
https://crimeresearch.org/2018/10/sixty-eight-defensive-gun-uses-by-people-legally-carrying-guns-in-public-over-the-past-three-months/
Company gives guns to all its employees for
a 'unique and memorable' Christmas gift
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/company-gives-guns-employees-unique-memorable-christmas-gift-190418122.html
Some legal opinions -
https://www.facebook.com/pg/munitionsgroup/videos/?ref=page_internal
THE GUN LAWYER - Criminal Gun Defense
https://www.facebook.com/munitionsgroup/videos/489759294732208/
Excerpt: (paraphrased)
After the use of lethal force in self-defense,
Don't say anything. (Think about the condition you are
going to be in.) Everything you say will be used against you.
When you are able to sit calmly with your attorney
and discuss the matter, then you can decide what to
say to the police.
Cops are trained not to say anything after an officer
involved shooting. This is policy in every police department.
So, why in the world would you say anything?
[Guns and guitars, yeah!]
Massacre at Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California
was in another Gun-free zone: 12 murdered, 18 injured
https://crimeresearch.org/2018/11/massacre-at-borderline-bar-grill-in-thousand-oaks-california-was-in-another-gun-free-zone-12-murdered-18-injured/
Statistically speaking, all mass murders occur in gun-free-zones.
Why? Two reasons:
1. In any place with armed citizens, the bad guy is immediately
stopped. So, there is no mass murder. So, there is no report
of a mass murder.
2. Criminals may or may not be crazy, but they are not stupid.
The criminal is going to choose to attack in a gun-free-zone
so he doesn't get hurt.
The purpose of gun-free-zones is to create unarmed victims
for armed criminals to prey upon. This is the evil that the
Bible warns us about. Jesus tells us to carry sidearms,
book of Luke 22:36.
VIDEO: Armed bystander backs down DV stabbing suspect at Seattle Center
https://q13fox.com/2018/11/02/video-armed-bystander-backs-down-seattle-center-domestic-violence-stabbing-suspect/
Defense of others ain't easy.
Concealed Carry Handgun Laws By State
https://www.concealedcarrytoday.com/concealed-carry-firearms-laws-for-the-50-u-s-states/
Where is it Legal to Carry a Concealed Handgun in TN?
https://www.concealedcarrytoday.com/where-is-it-legal-to-carry-a-concealed-weapon-in-tn/
“Totalitarian states can do great things,
but there is one thing they cannot do:
They cannot give a rifle to a factory-worker,
and then tell him to take it home and keep it in his bedroom.
That rifle, hanging on the wall of the working-class flat or
laborer’s cottage, is The symbol of Democracy!
It is our job to see that it stays there!”
-- George Orwell
***** Survival Tips *****
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Dr. Sherman House
“Unarmed” Police?
http://defense-training.com/2018/unarmed-police-2/
Why were 6 police officers in the night club
unarmed? Because the night club was a gun-free-zone.
All mass murders occur in gun-free-zones. Criminals
may be crazy, but they are not stupid. Gun-free-zones
create unarmed victims for armed criminals to prey
upon. Rush Limbaugh mentioned the non-mass-murder
at the McDonalds in Alabama last week. No reports
in the liberal media, because the father (who was
there with his two sons) immediately shot the
masked man (who burst into the McDonalds and started
shooting at people). No mass murder, therefore no news
reports. Mass murders do not occur where armed
citizens exist. Gun-free-zones are stupid places.
Don't go to stupid places. Don't send your children
into stupid places. No, you don't have to send
your children to government schools. You can send
your kids to private schools (scholarships exist if
you ask for them). You can home school your kids.
(You don't have to do it yourself. You can get
together with like minded parents and take turns
teaching, going on field trips, and such.)
You May Be Strong . . . But Are You Tough?
https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/you-may-be-strong-but-are-you-tough/
Excerpt:
Think Positive
Most of us have an internal monologue going on in our heads,
telling our own story. How this sounds depends on our view
of ourselves and external stimuli. If you’ve always been
good at schoolwork, you might envision yourself as “smart,”
but maybe not “strong” or “charming.”
The thing is, these definitions are mostly arbitrary.
Anyone who works hard enough at academics can do well in school,
and anyone who trains hard enough can do well in sports.
Whether or not we are willing and able to push ourselves hard
enough to do well often depends on that internal story.
So, the simple solution is to only accept positive self-talk.
This is a common tactic of the super-successful, and is standard
fare in such personal development classics as Dale Carnegie’s
"How to Win Friends and Influence People", Napoleon Hill’s
"Think and Grow Rich", and Stephen R. Covey’s
"The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People".
[In Marine Corps boot camp in 1981, we never used hot
water when taking a shower. My son tells me that when he
went through boot camp in 2008, they only had hot water a
couple of times to prevent hypothermia. -- Jon Low]
This link is to Greg Ellifrizt's
"Weekend Knowledge Dump - November 23, 2018"
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/weekend-knowledge-dump-november-23-2018
Please read the article,
"Florida Deputies Had Difficulty Remembering Mass-Shooter Training"
and Greg's comments. This is reality. The police are not capable of rescuing
your children at their school. They never have been.
Tactical Combat Casualty Care guidelines
https://www.jsomonline.org/TCCC/00%20TCCC-AC%20Guidelines/TCCC%20Guidelines%20for%20All%20Combatants%201708.pdf
Don't go to stupid places.
Don't do stupid things.
Don't hang out with stupid people.
-- John Farnam
***** Basics *****
"Panic is simply the lack of preprogrammed responses."
-- Tom Givens
"Fear is an instinct. Courage is a choice."
-- Rear Admiral Joseph Kernan, USN
***** Miscellany *****
For the latest version (it changes almost daily)
of my lesson plans for my NRA Defensive Pistol course,
send me an email. Jon_Low@yahoo.com
Few tyrants argue for 'slavery of the masses.'
Instead, they argue for the power to
'protect people from themselves.'
-- AE Samaan
Cheers,
Jon
Jonathan D. Low
Jon_Low@yahoo.com
Saturday, November 24, 2018
Thursday, November 1, 2018
CWP, 1 November 2018 Anno Domini
Greetings Sheepdogs,
***** Mindset *****
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal,
it is the courage to continue that counts.”
“Never, Never, Never Give Up.”
-- Winston Churchill
Self-defense begins in your head, not your holster.
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2018/10/8/head-vs-holster-the-importance-of-a-solid-self-defense-mindset/
A Failure to Acknowledge Reality
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/a-failure-to-acknowledge-reality
Excerpt:
You either accept reality and use it to your advantage,
or it will automatically work against you.
You shouldn’t listen to the “shoulds”. Or should you?
http://www.grantcunningham.com/2018/10/you-shouldnt-listen-to-the-shoulds-or-should-you/
Bring Enough Brain to the Fight
https://tinkertalksguns.wordpress.com/2018/10/05/bring-enough-brain-to-the-fight/
Excerpts:
Be aware of your limitations.
Be aware of the limitations of your weapon.
Be aware of your purpose.
A gun is not a solution;
it is simply a tool that increases your options.
You need to use your most effective asset - your brain - to chose
the correct options and make the most of them.
Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Aggressiveness in Self Defense
https://www.armedcitizensnetwork.org/agressiveness-in-self-defense
Excerpt:
I often refer to George Patton’s famous quote,
“No fire drill has ever caused a fire.”
THE SWORD THAT KILLS
https://blog.suarezinternational.com/2018/10/the-sword-that-kills.html
Excerpt:
". . . God has given you the ability to reach the level you
have this weekend. Whether you like it or not, you have a
calling now to resist evil when it is presented to you,
because by doing so lives of the innocents will be saved.
The hand that kills is also the hand that saves."
Audacity wins.
-- Carl von Clausewitz
[My translation from the German. -- Jon Low]
***** Enemy Mindset *****
Commonalities:
http://defense-training.com/2018/commonalities/
Complacency kills.
. . . I will search . . .
and punish those who are complacent . . .
Zephaniah 1:12 (New International Version)
***** Safety *****
“The fast and/or emphatic reholster
is an awesome way to shoot yourself.”
-- Chuck Haggard
12 Safety Tips For Driving At Night
https://www.geico.com/more/driving/auto/car-safety-insurance/driving-at-night/
***** Training *****
“When you aren’t skilled and confident,
you get scared and you over react.”
-- Greg Ellifritz
The stages of my NRA Defensive Pistol course:
Theory - Safety; lectures covering mindset, laws, and such;
manipulation of pistols with dummy ammo; maneuver and tactics;
~20 hours in the classroom.
Practicum - Safety, lectures, live fire exercises;
~20 hours on an outdoor range.
Close quarter combat with the pistol - ~3 hours in a classroom.
Introduction to IDPA - ~2 hours in a classroom.
Tactical scenarios - we shoot an IDPA match in a tactically correct
manner, not racing to win the game; ~4 hours, $25.
Force-on-force using Simunitions - ~4 hours, 09:00 - 13:00 Saturday, $100.
Judgment (shoot / no-shoot) exercises on video simulators - ~2 hours
per person, $25.
Medical (e.g. Point of Injury Trauma Care by Kevin Hunt) - ~2 hours, ~$50
(if you already have first aid training, otherwise ~16 hours, $360).
Self defense law (e.g. Law of Self Defense by Andrew Branca) - ~8 hours,
$150 (You can do this online.).
Ya, this is a lot more than the minimum requirements. The NRA
only sets minimums. Always teach the fundamentals, because much of
what your students know is false. That's why they have come to take
your course. They want to know the truth.
I consider this the minimum training to be intellectually competent
to carry a concealed pistol for self defense.
Speed vs. accuracy in training and self-defense
http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/speed-vs.-accuracy-in-training-and-self-defense/law-enforcement-defense-security
Front Sight Focus - Why?
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2018/9/27/front-sight-focus-why/
Shooting at the Speed of Decision Making
http://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018-10_RFTS-Newsletter.pdf
Coach Ray Harvey writes to say:
The idea of "Zombie Routines" is another way of talking
about properly practicing a particular routine or subroutine
until it begins to occur without conscious thought on your part.
I once asked Nancy Johnson "How many items are on
your Shot Plan?" Your Shot Plan is the list of actions that
you go through in order to prepare for each properly
executed shot. I expected her to say something like "20,"
but she surprised me by saying "about four."
She had properly practiced her shot plan until MOST
of her conscious actions had become Zombie Routines
and she no longer needed a list. She no longer needed
to "think" consciously about those actions.
Two months later, she won the Gold Medal in
Women's Air Rifle at the Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
It takes proper practice and it doesn't happen overnight.
Ask your coach how many proper repetitions it takes!
At the age of 68, I took up playing the upright bass.
I only practice once a week, but I have developed several
Zombie Routines on which I routinely get compliments.
Competence is its own reward.
Best regards from the road playing bluegrass music
in Maggie Valley (for money) tonight,
Coach Ray Harvey
Concerns With Concealed Carry And Winter Gloves
https://www.concealedcarry.com/safety/concerns-with-concealed-carry-and-winter-gloves/
Your Tactical Training Scenario - Properly Timing your Resistance Efforts
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/your-tactical-training-scenario-properly-timing-your-resistance-efforts
Creating new mental maps.
Excerpt:
"Attempting to draw your gun and shoot while the bad guy
has his gun out and aiming at you is suicidal."
[If I didn't have anecdotal experience that conflicted
with this, I would agree. Anecdotal experience is not
statistically significant. But, it demonstrates the
existence of an exception to the rule. Whether the rule
be "common sense" or an "obvious conclusion".
There is a saying that action beats reaction every time.
This means that the person who initiates an action will be
a tempo ("tempo" used in the technical sense as in chess)
ahead of the opponent who has to react to the action.
Of course, reaction time depends on whether or not the
reacting person has a pre-programmed response to the action.
How many criminals would have a pre-programmed response
to an immediate counter-attack? How many criminals
would have had the experience of a sheep attacking them?
(Which is what you should look like at this point
in the scenario.)
Are you playing a song you know? Playing a song off
sheet music that you've never heard before? Playing a
song you've never heard before without documentation?
A lot of famous professional musicians in Nashville
don't / can't read music. That shocked me, when I fist
learned that. Because I studied music theory for many
years and practiced reading and playing music until
I could know that the described music wasn't euphonic
by reading it without playing it. But, there are such
people. As my mother told me, "Everyone is different."
If you pay attention, you can recognize such people;
an important survival skill. -- Jon Low
(If you don't know what I'm talking about, consider
reading
The Essential Guide to Banjo Jamming
https://fingerstylebanjo.com/jamming/
as cited in last month's blog posting)]
"Some songs are diamonds. Some songs are rocks."
-- John R. Cash (Johnny Cash)
Concealed-Carry for Beginners: Tips for Continued Training
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2018/10/10/concealed-carry-for-beginners-tips-for-continued-training/
Excerpt:
". . . it is difficult for me to be very sympathetic
with those who will spend several thousand dollars
on a two-week vacation, but cry about the cost of
defensive training. In my view, they just don’t have
their priorities in the proper order."
. . .
"It is also my right to get as good with those
firearms as I am possibly able through quality
instruction, specialized training[,] and purposeful
practice."
Skill Set: Working the Fundamentals
http://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/81d66011-c323-4b88-881b-bf736af304a0
Excerpt:
". . . [moving, communication, using cover[,] and defensive shooting]
. . . are not instinctual or natural. Instinct tells you to hug in
tight and close to cover, which is not where you want to be.
It’s natural to focus on the threat while shooting as opposed to
the front sight. Instinct tells you to root to the ground when
fighting; we want to be moving. The only way to learn the required
skills is through practice. At the same time you’re overriding
the instinctual part of the brain that’s screaming at you to do
the wrong thing."
"The next time you’re thinking about going to the range
to burn some ammo consider staying home and working on your
tactics for that time."
[Instinct tells you to run away. Which is exactly what the
criminal predator expects you to do. Because he does not expect
the immediate forceful counter-attack, you will have the element
of surprise. Surprise is a force multiplier. -- Jon Low]
Train How You Are
https://www.concealedcarry.com/firearms-ownership/train-how-you-are/
Excerpt:
"Train how you are. Don't adjust yourself to standards
just because someone is telling you to. Otherwise, how
will you know that your methods work? How will you know
that you can actually maneuver while shooting a gun
wearing flip flops?"
[Perhaps you should show up to your next training class
(or IDPA match ) wearing the clothes you normally do on
a day to day basis. As opposed to your taci-cool wardrobe.
Have you ever worn that photographers vest in the real world?
-- Jon Low]
Got Training, Got Tourniquet, Now Where To Put It? Four Ideas For TQ Carry
https://www.concealedcarry.com/firearms-ownership/tourniquet-four-ideas-for-tq-carry/
Excerpt:
"Stopping rapid blood loss is a skill everyone who’s serious
about protecting themselves and their family can and should
learn, whether or not they carry a gun. It’s more likely
to be needed than CPR, simple to learn, and inexpensive to
equip oneself. If you’re not trained yet, I encourage you
to change that, and to practice with your chosen equipment."
Underground Tradecraft: Tactical Application of the Defensive Sidearm, Part Three
https://mountainguerrilla.wordpress.com/2013/08/28/underground-tradecraft-tactical-application-of-the-defensive-sidearm-part-three/
Tom Givens writes to say,
"Establishing a Dominance Paradigm" is our once per year specialty
course in which Southnarc, Wlliam Aprill and Tom Givens, along
with several trained role players, put students through an
immersion level learning experience. Each of the trainers
presents on his own specialty, then we blend it all together
in a series of force on force exercises in a unique indoor
training environment.
When: Fri, Jan 11, 2019, 8:00 AM – Sun, Jan 13, 2019, 7:00 PM CST
Where: BDC Gun Room
40960 Hardesty Road
Shawnee, OK 74801
$795
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/establishing-a-dominance-paradigm-givenssouthnarcaprill-shawnee-ok-tickets-47238931917?fbclid=IwAR0e8Y_2f80WjnpnI-HnJb8QluC9m1iEGhda-pCIbuBQUiLHkI3X9cpdIzA
Ed Mireles, FBI Miami Firefight Lecture
When: Sat, December 1, 2018 11:30 AM – 6:30 PM EST
Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tampa Airport - Westshore
4500 West Cypress Street
Tampa, FL 33607
$125
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ed-mireles-fbi-miami-firefight-lecture-tickets-46999765564?fbclid=IwAR3c_e-r7d60aX7PohIuOEr3ze8mHJraFyOYBm1eNFM-xreZWVevii9L2P0
The Kata
https://blog.suarezinternational.com/2018/10/at-the-force-on-force-class-we-had-one-resistive-student-i-rarely-get-these-guys-much-any-more-because-you-have-to-commit-to.html
Fighting or shooting . . . which are you practicing?
https://handguncombatives.blogspot.com/2018/10/fighting-or-shooting.html
Excerpt:
This is sure to piss someone off, but then I guess I just don’t care.
"You can't please everyone. Even God can't please everyone."
-- Pastor Greg Surrat
"You train for the people who love you."
-- Tatiana Whitlock
***** Tactics *****
". . . personal defense is a lifestyle, not a hobby."
-- Sheriff Jim Wilson
"Only those who risk going too far can
possibly find out how far one can go."
-- T.S. Elliot
***** Techniques *****
Avoidance, Deterrence, and De-escalation
-- John Farnam
From the Ground Up: Grip and Recoil Management
https://www.targetbarn.com/broad-side/grip-recoil-management/
Use These Non-Permissive Environment Carry Tips to Enhance Your Concealed Carry
https://www.itstactical.com/warcom/firearms/non-permissive-concealed-carry-tips/
Excerpt:
Conceal Like Your Life Depends On It. It Might.
How to Ram Through a Vehicular Roadblock
https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/how-to-ram-through-a-vehicular-roadblock/
Ten Major Tactical Mistakes
https://www.swatmag.com/article/street-smarts-ten-major-tactical-mistakes/
Cold Weather Carry
http://www.handgunsmag.com/editorial/cold-weather-carry/181320
The Myth of Pain Compliance
https://www.calibrepress.com/2018/10/the-myth-of-pain-compliance/
Excerpt:
A wise man once said that the quicker a fight is over,
the less chance there is for things to go wrong.
"The shorter the fight, the less hurt you get."
-- John Holschen
Concealed Carry: 3 Things Women Can Teach Men
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2018/10/27/concealed-carry-3-things-women-can-teach-men/
How do you win a gunfight? Don’t be there.
-–John Farnam
***** Gear *****
Who dares, wins.
-- motto of the Special Air Service
Conversation about pocket pistols
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2018/10/02/conversation-about-pocket-pistols/
5 Great IWB Holsters for Concealed-Carry
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2018/9/25/5-great-iwb-holsters-for-concealed-carry/
[The basic Alien Gear Inside the Waistband holster
is perfectly functional and costs $40. There is
no need to buy anything more expensive. -- Jon Low]
Officer accidentally shoots himself in leg at Henrico gun range
https://wtvr.com/2018/10/04/colonial-shooting-academy-shooting/
[More evidence that you should never use a SERPA holster.
You should never let your friends, relatives, subordinates,
students, etc. use it. There is no up side. There are lots
of effective alternatives. -- Jon Low]
One Magazine is Rarely Enough
https://www.americas1stfreedom.org/articles/2018/10/12/one-magazine-is-rarely-enough/
Spencer Keepers writes to say,
. . . Trust me, sights really do matter so pick some that you can see well,
and zero them with your training and carry ammo. I think some of
you might be really pleased with the results!! [The context was that
the sights that come on Glocks from the factory need to be replaced.]
***** Instructors *****
Colonel Robert Lindsey to his fellow trainers:
"We are not God’s gift to our students.
Our students are God’s gift to us."
PRISON THINKING
https://medium.com/@danjohn84123/prison-thinking-5c1ebfef27a4
Excerpt:
"And, yes: coaching is that simple."
[Simple does not mean easy. Simple means not complex.
Simple may require deep thought to master. Simple may
require thousands of repetitions to master. -- Jon Low]
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care,
watching over them — not because you must,
but because you are willing, as God wants you to be;
not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve;
not lording it over those entrusted to you,
but being examples to the flock.
-- 1st Peter, Chapter 5, Verse 2 to 3, New International Version
Why You Should Let Someone Else Teach Loved Ones To Shoot
https://www.concealedcarry.com/firearms-ownership/why-you-should-let-someone-else-teach-loved-ones-to-shoot/
"Every time I teach a class,
I discover I don't know something."
-- Clint Smith, Director of Thunder Ranch
***** Pedagogy *****
If you are helping someone and
expecting something in return,
you are doing business, not kindness.
PARADIGM SHIFT IN TRAINING
https://blog.suarezinternational.com/2018/10/paradigm-shift-in-training.html
"We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence is not an act.
It is a habit."
-- Aristotle
***** Education *****
***
I attended a lecture on "Active Shooter Threats" by
Brink Fidler of Defend Systems,
DefendSystems.com
at the Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, TN.
Some of the things that I learned:
Tell your supervisor at work about threats against you.
Brink told us of an incident where a lady was going through
a very bad divorce. Her husband went to her place of work
and shot up the place killing several persons. If they had
known, they never would have let him in. Oh, but it's so
embarrassing. Get over yourself! Lives are at stake.
Have a plan.
[Every instructor says this. Have a fire plan.
Have an emergency disaster plan. Have a plan for what
you, your spouse, and you kids will do if a robber
walks into the restaurant you are dining in. -- Jon Low]
If you have a plan, you will take Decisive Action
immediately. Otherwise, you will dither, and dithering
results in negative outcomes.
The average response time for police is 3 minutes
in urban areas (from the time the 911 dispatcher gets
the initial call). Most of the damage will be done in
the first few seconds of the attack.
[Statistically speaking, if you practice a lot,
it will take you 1.5 seconds to present your pistol
and fire (from the time you decide to take Decisive Action).
If you have to clear a concealment garment, add 0.5 seconds.
That's 2 seconds to end the event and prevent all the carnage,
if you choose to. It's a choice that should already
have been made. Because you won't have time to consider
the decision during the event. -- Jon Low]
Deter - Be assertive.
Evade - Run!
Fortify - Lock and barricade. Block windows.
Lights out.
Evaluate - Look around, listen, figure out what's
going on.
Notify - Call 911 when you are safe to do so. You
are safe to do so when you don't have to whisper into
your cell phone. Tell the dispatcher what happened, description
of the attacker, what weapon system the attacker has,
location, and injuries. Yes, this matters. If the
attacker is armed with a handgun, the first police on
scene will enter and attempt to engage. If there are
multiple attackers armed with an automatic rifles,
the police will need to call for back up with the appropriate
tools to handle the situation.
Defend - Counter Assault. Sometimes an explosive
counter attack is the best defense. [Ya, you might get hurt.
But, statistically, 97% of people admitted to emergency
rooms with gun shot wounds walk out. Modern medicine is
great. -- Jon Low]
Consider the police priorities when they respond
to an active murderer event:
1. Stop the killing.
2. Stop the dying.
3. Evacuate.
4. Process the crime scene.
So, they are not going to stop to help you. They
are going to walk over your bleeding body to get
to the bad guy.
[In reality, you are responsible for your security
and your survival. Accept it.
The Marine Corps Drill Instructors taught us the
same thing in Marine Corps recruit training. Stopping
to help your wounded buddy is wrong. Drive the enemy
back to allow the corpsman to advance to take care of
your buddy. -- Jon Low]
The reason so many more people don't die in active
murderer events is because some of the bystanders knew how
to stop bleeding. You need to be such a person.
[Take a fist aid class. Take a more advanced
fist aid class.
Direct pressure on the wound. Elevate the wound.
Treat for shock (cover him with a blanket to keep him
warm and elevate his legs to keep blood pressure to
his brain.)
Learn when to apply a tourniquet. Lean how
to apply a tourniquet. Carry a fist aid kit with you.
They are small and about $100. Don't skimp on life
and death matters. You may be saving the life of
someone you love. -- Jon Low]
***
I attended "Home Defense" by Ken Alexandrow of
Agape Tactical,
AgapeTactical.com
at the 5.11 store in Nashville, TN.
Some of the things I learned:
Ken told of a young man recently graduated from
high school in 1920 A.D. who wanted to be a lumberjack
in California, starting pay $27 per week. He felled
19 trees on his first day on the job. The next day
he only felled 15. The next day only 12. He apologized
to his foreman for his decline in productivity. To
which his foreman responded by asking, "When was the
last time you sharpened your ax?"
When was the last time YOU sharpened YOUR ax?
Ken told us of an interview with a survivor of
the recent shooting at the Waffle House in Antioch, TN
immediately after the incident occurred. The police
officer asked the citizen for identification.
The citizen reached to his back pocket revealing a
pistol in a holster on his belt. The officer shouted
commands to stop. The citizen had forgotten that he
was wearing the pistol. The citizen said that he had
gotten his permit a year earlier and hadn't even drawn
his pistol since then.
Don't be that guy. Sharpen your ax. Train like
the life of your loved ones depended on your training.
Train often. [Correctly pronounced "offen", the "t" is
silent and always has been. English is a Germanic
language. The English word "often" is derived from
the German word "offen". Pronouncing the "t" is wrong
on many levels. -- Jon Low]
Deterrence --
Have a dog in your house. Ken said that in his 26
years on the Metro Nashville Police, he never took a
burglary report on a house that had a dog in it. A dog
outside in the yard didn't prevent burglaries, but a
dog inside did.
Most crimes are crimes of opportunity. Strive to
eliminate the opportunity. Use "Ring System", "Nest",
"Arlow", or some such system that allows you to see
who is at your door or around your house and talk to
them, no matter where you are. Yes, you need WiFi.
So, get it. Join the 21st century.
Light your house. Light the area around your house.
Detection --
Your yard need not be pretty, but it must be tactically
correct. You must have line of sight from inside your house
to outside your house.
Your alarms must sound outside your house. (Think
about it.)
You must pay attention. You must avoid
"Inattentional Blindness". Ken showed the
YouTube.com video, "selective attention test".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo
Denial --
Replace the screws in your door locks with longer
screws that actually go through the studs of the frame
of your house, not just the decorative wood paneling.
Laminate all of your windows and screen doors with
"Eversafe Window Laminate". It's only $15 per square
foot. It's not bullet proof, but it maintains the
integrity of the window to prevent entry. All of the
Williamson County, Tennessee public school are laminating
all of their exterior windows. (Ken gave us the phone
number of the owner of the company. I will share it
with you upon request.)
If your house is broken into while you are at home,
it's a home invasion, not a burglary. Burglars make sure
no one is home. The home invader is there for you or
your women. "You must access your weapon before your feet
hit the floor." If your master bedroom is on the first
floor, the enemy will find your master bedroom within
8 second (assuming he doesn't already know where it is).
If your master bedroom is on the second floor, he will
find your master bedroom within 15 seconds (assuming
he doesn't already know where it is).
[We never raided a house without intel giving us the
floor plan at least a week in advance. So, we practiced
the raid for a week (in one instance we had a year to
practice), knowing exactly where the targets would be.
(Yes, I know what I just said. I know what it means.)
So, if it's anything more than a common criminal, the
times will be much shorter.
If you hold political office, PAY ATTENTION!
Your security detail is not designed nor competent to
stop tier one operators. I worked recruiting duty
with a Master Sergeant who was stationed at "8th and I"
during the Nixon Presidency. When the riots were
raging, they were staged in the tunnels connecting
the Marine barracks with the White House. They were
afraid they would have to shoot American citizens.
If you are not the POTUS, you don't have a detachment
of Marines. So, you have to take precautions. You
saw how ineffective the Capitol Police were at
preventing the attack on U.S. Representative Steve Scalise.
You are responsible for your security. Leaving it
to anyone else is foolish.
I am doing my duty to protect you, by advising
you to get training, so you can protect yourself.
-- Jon Low]
10% of the criminals cause 90% of the crime. They
do not fear arrest or imprisonment. To them, prison is
continuing education, where they learn to do their crimes
better and avoid getting caught the next time. And there
will be a next time. If you believe that our justice
system rehabilitates anyone, you are wrong. Catch and
release is in full effect.
You must have a plan and you must teach your plan
to your family. If you don't teach your children
how to escape and where to go in case of a fire, they will
wait for you to rescue them and die of smoke inhalation.
Yes, that would be your fault.
Pistol bullets will penetrate 9 sheets of drywall.
Two 2X4's will stop most pistol bullets. So, you should
consider using a shotgun loaded with bird shot for home
defense. It should have a short legal barrel. Get the
tax stamp if you need to. Or, get a short barreled
shotgun without a stock, they are sold as pistols. You
don't need a 12 gauge. A 20 ga. will work fine indoors.
If you cannot escape, shelter in place. Lock and
barricade doors and windows.
Have a gun safe that you can open quickly while
groggy.
Plan for children. They should know what to do
in case of emergency, not just wait for you. Because
you might not be able to get to them before they die.
Teach your kids gun safety: Don't touch. Leave
the area. Tell an adult.
If you decide to engage the bad guy, you become
a bullet magnet. Have a plan for those around you.
Ken trains his family to run away from him if he says,
"Get away from me!" If your spouse is a gun person,
you might have a different plan.
What to do after the incident --
Notify law enforcement.
Don't have a gun in your hands when the police
arrive. Holster your pistol when you determine the
threat is over. (I know, sometimes hard to determine.)
Ask for an attorney. If you can't afford one,
they have to get one for you. But, if you can afford
one, you should really prefer that one.
Stay silent until your attorney is with you.
Let your attorney interview you and let your attorney
give your statement to the police. (The police really
appreciate this.) [I have taken statements from
excited persons. What a disaster. My notebook was
filled with pages of nonsense. -- Jon Low]
You do have to identify yourself to the police.
So, give them your driver's license or your carry
permit. You also have to give them your phone number.
Consider legally putting a suppressor on your
home defense weapon (Yes, they are legal in Tennessee
and other Southern States.), so you can hear bad guy
number 2 and 3. That way they won't surprise you
after you stop bad guy 1.
Get extra magazines for your pistol. Install
night sights on your pistol. (The tritium glow in
the dark kind. Don't scrimp on emergency tools.)
When coming around corners, do it from a prone
position. Near the ground is not where the enemy
expects you to be. Shooting upward mitigates the
risk of misses or pass throughs hitting someone
immediately down range of your intended target.
***
It’s Not Me, It’s You
http://ballisticradio.com/2018/09/19/its-not-me-its-you-podcast-season-6-ballistic-radio-episode-272-september-16th-2018/
Excerpt:
“If you are known as a menace to your neighborhood and
then you have the best shooting – it is the best textbook,
self-defense shooting in the world – you still might go to
prison because when they interview everybody and the
media is out there interviewing everybody all your
neighbors are going to say, “I bet he murdered that guy.
He was an absolute menace to society. Nobody likes him . . .”
It can bite you in the rear end.” — Erik Utrecht
"This very important podcast covers the difference between
a “person who owns a gun” and a “responsible gun owner.”
This distinction is lacking in our industry. We should do a
better job at policing our own ranks before someone decides
to do it for us." -- Greg Ellifritz
***
I attended "Point of Injury Trauma Care" by
Kevin Hunt of Prepared Medical Response,
www.preparedmed.com
Some of the things I learned:
"Hope is not a strategy"
STOP THE BLEEDING FIRST!
Call 911 as soon as possible.
The primary thing is to stop the bleeding. The person
will bleed to death before anything else kills him. A person
can bleed to death in 3 minutes.
My how things change. I was still thinking "direct pressure"
to stop bleeding, but the modern theory is:
1. If the bleeding is on an arm or leg, tourniquet first
(the tourniquet should be high [as close to the torso as possible,
no matter where the bleeding is] and tight [no pulse]).
Use a CAT or SOFT tourniquet. If you don't know why, take
a class and find out. Using a cheap tourniquet you found on
Amazon.com is stupid on many levels. Using a tourniquet will
not cause the victim to lose a limb. This is 2018 A.D.
Let the doctor remove the tourniquet. You can apply a tourniquet
in 30 seconds, if you've done it before. It takes 3 minutes
to bleed to death. So, this is a big win.
2. If the bleeding is from the torso, seal (every hole,
entry and exit wounds). You must prevent air from entering
the body.
3. If the wound is at the junction of torso and limb, pack
the hole until you fill it, and then apply a pressure dressing.
Apply direct pressure. Tuck the bandage or use duct tape.
That's what I get for going a few years without training.
(Fortunately, my company Military Systems Group, provides
such training for their employees.)
Once you stop the bleeding, call 911. Yes, as a matter
of fact, the victim will bleed to death while you are chatting
with the dispatcher. So, stop the bleeding first.
---
If you find an unresponsive person check for a pulse by
feeling in the valley between the muscle on the side of the
neck and wind pipe at the front center of the neck. Check for
10 seconds. If 3 or less beats in the 10 seconds, start CPR
(cardiopulmonary resuscitation). 100 thrusts per minute.
The songs "Staying Alive" and "Another One Bites the Dust"
are 100 beats per minute songs. So, you can sing them while
performing CPR to maintain appropriate blood circulation.
If you go to fast, you won't allow the blood to enter the
heart (so you won't get any blood flow). If you go to slow,
you won't achieve adequate blood pressure to keep the brain
alive. After 2 minutes of CPR (You will be exhausted if you
are doing it correctly.) take a break to call 911.
The chest compressions must go to 2/3rds the depth
of the chest. Yes, you will break the ribs. That's okay.
(In Tennessee you are protected by Good Samaritan laws.
Unless, you intentionally engage in gross negligence.)
The ribs will detach from the sternum. Nobody ever died
from broken ribs. They do die from lack of blood to the
brain. Lock your elbows. Use the muscles in your back.
It takes 4 to 5 chest compressions to get the
blood pressure up to a useful level. Once you stop
CPR the blood pressure drops to zero.
If they have a pulse, stop CPR.
---
Don't worry about breathing for the victim initially.
Take care of bleeding first, blood pressure second.
The human can go 6 minutes without breathing before lack
of oxygen will cause brain damage. If the person is not
breathing, tilt the head back to clear the air way,
otherwise he will choke on his tongue. Pinch his nose
and blow into his mouth. If the face is small as with a
child, cover the nose and mouth, and blow. If his chest
does not rise (being filled with air), clear the air way
as best you can. (Yes, this is dirty messy business.)
30 chest compressions, 2 breaths, repeat. Keep going
until relieved by medical personnel.
If you don't want to tilt the head back because of
neck injury, lay the victim on his back, grab behind the
jaw bone, and pull the jaw bone straight up.
If you have any kind of barrier (as a tee shirt),
use it, because the victim will vomit (even if he doesn't
regain consciousness), and you don't want to get his
vomit into your mouth.
If they are breathing (coughing), stop mouth to
mouth resuscitation.
---
If there are foreign objects (bullets, knives, etc.)
in the victim's body, DO NOT attempt to remove them. If
they fall out, don't put them back in. [Remember the
situation we are operating in. Extremely high stress.]
---
Electrocution causes burns and cardiac arrest.
To treat for electrocution:
Make sure the electricity is turned off.
If you can't, disconnect the victim from the electricity,
using an insulative object.
If he's on fire, put the fire out.
If his heart has stopped, start CPR. Don't worry
about the burns. Keep the blood flowing. The doctors
will give him antibiotics and skin graphs later, if he's
alive. Your job is to keep him alive.
---
Here in Tennessee we are protected by Good Samaritan Laws.
Check the laws in the jurisdiction in which you live.
"If we stay ready we don't have to get ready"
***
The American Warrior Show
http://americanwarriorshow.com/index.html
The Lessons of Special Agent Edmundo Mireles
https://americanhandgunner.com/the-lessons-of-special-agent-edmundo-mireles/
Excerpts:
". . . bullet size does matter when trying to stop a large land mammal
like a human being."
"I survived on good tactics, good cover, looking for targets,
moving to try to flank the subjects, good firearms techniques and
firearms discipline, and the teamwork shown by Gilbert and Ron
by providing overwatch and covering fire on my position."
"An element of faith, and an ability to channel rage
into a dynamic and absolutely necessary physical response
in spite of terribly debilitating injury."
The book may be ordered at
https://edmireles.com/
Church Security Resource Compilation
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/church-security-resource-compilation
Gas adjustment on an AR-15 type rifle
http://defense-training.com/2018/gas/
Rangemaster newsletter, November 2018
http://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-11_RFTS-Newsletter.pdf
***** News, Legal, Philosophical, and Political stuff *****
Civil War happens when the victimized are armed.
Genocide happens when they are not!
-- A.E. Samaan
Every wonder how older nations can be so far behind
us in basic human rights such as self defense?
"Salvini: Italian State Will Strengthen Self-Defence Rights,
Cover Legal Costs of Home Defenders"
https://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/10/07/salvini-italian-state-will-strengthen-self-defence-rights-cover-legal-costs-of-home-defenders/
"Self-Defense" About to Become "Illegal" in South Africa
http://defense-training.com/2018/self-defense-about-to-become-illegal-in-south-africa/
The Rise of Self-Defense in Gun Advertising: The American Rifleman, 1918-2017
https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/jt8qa/
Armed Church Security in Colonial America
https://gunculture2point0.wordpress.com/2018/10/01/armed-church-security-in-colonial-america/
Birth of a new Ukrainian church brings fears of violence
https://apnews.com/916f1eb16da24aedace5c39e9f13f94f
The headline should read,
"Schism of Ukrainian Orthodox Church from the Russian Orthodox Church".
There is nothing new about this church. The last vestiges of the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics are being pulled out by the roots.
Only those Americans who don't remember the Socialists could possibly
support socialism.
Blackwater-Style Firm for Jihadists Opens Training Camp with Donor Help
https://pjmedia.com/homeland-security/blackwater-style-firm-for-jihadists-opens-training-camp-with-donor-help/
Following the American model. American innovation leading
everywhere. They will harvest the sheep. Prepare.
Good Guys With Guns Took Down Lots Of Bad Guys In 2017
https://americanhandgunner.com/good-guys-with-guns-took-down-lots-of-bad-guys-in-2017/
“The Tzar's police had Lenin, but released him!
Bavarian police had Hitler, but released him!
Rhodesia had Mugabe, but released him!
We had Bin Laden, but released him!
We repeatedly fail to learn from history,
and we'll continue to pay for it.
Just ask a Romanov . . . if you can find one!”
-- Anonymous
Footnote: The Saudis were holding Osama Bin Laden
in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. U.S. President
Clinton could have asked the Saudis to hold him
indefinitely. They do that sort of thing in Saudi.
Yes, Clinton knew who he was and exactly the
threat he posed to us. (I know of what I speak.)
You find it strange that Clinton would have told
the Saudis that they should release him because we
have no interest in him?
Then you must have forgotten about all the terrorists
that Clinton released from our federal prisons.
That's why the FBI rebelled against Clinton. That's
why Clinton imposed a 2 year hiring freeze on the
FBI. He effectively purged all of the politically
incorrect FBI leaders and installed his people in
all of the leadership positions.
Obama did the same thing. That's why Trump
is having to fire all these FBI agents, including
the Director.
Few tyrants argue for 'slavery of the masses.'
Instead, they argue for the power to
'protect people from themselves.'
-- AE Samaan
***** Survival Tips *****
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Dr. Sherman House
12 Safety Tips For Driving At Night
https://www.geico.com/more/driving/auto/car-safety-insurance/driving-at-night/
Don't go to stupid places.
Don't do stupid things.
Don't hang out with stupid people.
-- John Farnam
***** Basics *****
"Panic is simply the lack of preprogrammed responses."
-- Tom Givens
Pistol Grip Basics
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2018/10/5/pistol-grip-basics/
Excerpt:
We’re hardwired to blink and/or jerk the trigger
in anticipation of the noise, so dry-firing a
few minutes each day helps develop muscle memory
that can override this natural instinct.
[Well, if it is a hardwired instinct, will
practice ever override it? Probably not.
Will you ever practice enough (2000 correct
repetitions) to engrain such muscle memory?
Probably not. So, the surprise break is
really the way to defeat your autonomic nervous
system responses to the report and recoil. -- Jon Low]
How To: Master Sight Radius, Sight Picture & Hold
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2018/10/9/how-to-master-sight-radius-sight-picture-hold/
A few minutes ago, I was talking to a young
Metro Nashville Police officer in my favorite coffee
shop, "Flat Rock Coffee, Tea, and More" (The former
Mayor has been known to hold meetings here, before
she accepted a plea deal and resigned. I have seen
the former Police Chief here in the early morning
hours meeting "friends". The world is so small that
to think you can do anything without being seen is
foolish.).
She told me she wanted to work on her long
range (for pistol) accuracy. I asked her how she
had been taught to shoot.
She responded,
Hold the sights on the target and
Pull the trigger without jerking it.
I asked her if she had been taught how to achieve
a surprise trigger break. She had not. So, I
explained it to her.
(Sight alignment, sight movie)
Line up the sights on the target.
(Trigger control)
Touch the trigger.
Take the slack out of the trigger.
Smoothly increase pressure on the trigger.
Do not fire the shot, just keep increasing pressure.
(Follow through)
The pistol will fire, when it does,
trap the trigger to the rear.
Get the sights back on the target.
Reset the trigger.
[Of course, there is much more to it than that.
But, this was just a casual conversation in a
coffee shop.]
I assured her that the surprise break would
defeat all of her autonomic nervous system
responses to the report and recoil.
I have always known that training in any
police department is inadequate due to time and
budgetary constraints. An officer has to
train on her own time and her own dime. We
often talk about this at the Tactical Conference,
and what we can do to help the situation.
Through my Rotary Club, I once donated ten
4-day handgun training certificates to the
Mount Laurel, NJ Police Department. The Police
Department declined to accept them, because they
could not afford to send 10 officers to such
training at Front Sight in Pahrump, NV. Not
even if they spread it out over several decades.
Not even if the officers paid their own way
there and back, and paid their own hotel, and
rental car.
In the previous year, the Police Department
had accepted body armor from my Rotary Club for
their officers.
I explained to my Rotary Club that body
armor protects the police. Training protects
the citizens. As Greg Ellifritz says,
"When you aren’t skilled and confident,
you get scared and you over react."
And the only path to skill and confidence is
expert training.
Common AR Rifle Handling Errors
https://www.ammoland.com/2016/10/common-ar-rifle-handling-errors/
Flunking The Victim Selection Test
https://ccwsafe.com/blog/29625
10 Tips to Stay Within the Law When Traveling with Firearms
https://www.personaldefenseworld.com/2018/10/traveling-with-firearms/
"Fear is an instinct. Courage is a choice."
-- Rear Admiral Joseph Kernan, USN
***** Miscellany *****
For the latest version (it changes almost daily)
of my lesson plans for my NRA Defensive Pistol course,
send me an email. Jon_Low@yahoo.com
Cheers,
Jon
***** Mindset *****
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal,
it is the courage to continue that counts.”
“Never, Never, Never Give Up.”
-- Winston Churchill
Self-defense begins in your head, not your holster.
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2018/10/8/head-vs-holster-the-importance-of-a-solid-self-defense-mindset/
A Failure to Acknowledge Reality
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/a-failure-to-acknowledge-reality
Excerpt:
You either accept reality and use it to your advantage,
or it will automatically work against you.
You shouldn’t listen to the “shoulds”. Or should you?
http://www.grantcunningham.com/2018/10/you-shouldnt-listen-to-the-shoulds-or-should-you/
Bring Enough Brain to the Fight
https://tinkertalksguns.wordpress.com/2018/10/05/bring-enough-brain-to-the-fight/
Excerpts:
Be aware of your limitations.
Be aware of the limitations of your weapon.
Be aware of your purpose.
A gun is not a solution;
it is simply a tool that increases your options.
You need to use your most effective asset - your brain - to chose
the correct options and make the most of them.
Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Aggressiveness in Self Defense
https://www.armedcitizensnetwork.org/agressiveness-in-self-defense
Excerpt:
I often refer to George Patton’s famous quote,
“No fire drill has ever caused a fire.”
THE SWORD THAT KILLS
https://blog.suarezinternational.com/2018/10/the-sword-that-kills.html
Excerpt:
". . . God has given you the ability to reach the level you
have this weekend. Whether you like it or not, you have a
calling now to resist evil when it is presented to you,
because by doing so lives of the innocents will be saved.
The hand that kills is also the hand that saves."
Audacity wins.
-- Carl von Clausewitz
[My translation from the German. -- Jon Low]
***** Enemy Mindset *****
Commonalities:
http://defense-training.com/2018/commonalities/
Complacency kills.
. . . I will search . . .
and punish those who are complacent . . .
Zephaniah 1:12 (New International Version)
***** Safety *****
“The fast and/or emphatic reholster
is an awesome way to shoot yourself.”
-- Chuck Haggard
12 Safety Tips For Driving At Night
https://www.geico.com/more/driving/auto/car-safety-insurance/driving-at-night/
***** Training *****
“When you aren’t skilled and confident,
you get scared and you over react.”
-- Greg Ellifritz
The stages of my NRA Defensive Pistol course:
Theory - Safety; lectures covering mindset, laws, and such;
manipulation of pistols with dummy ammo; maneuver and tactics;
~20 hours in the classroom.
Practicum - Safety, lectures, live fire exercises;
~20 hours on an outdoor range.
Close quarter combat with the pistol - ~3 hours in a classroom.
Introduction to IDPA - ~2 hours in a classroom.
Tactical scenarios - we shoot an IDPA match in a tactically correct
manner, not racing to win the game; ~4 hours, $25.
Force-on-force using Simunitions - ~4 hours, 09:00 - 13:00 Saturday, $100.
Judgment (shoot / no-shoot) exercises on video simulators - ~2 hours
per person, $25.
Medical (e.g. Point of Injury Trauma Care by Kevin Hunt) - ~2 hours, ~$50
(if you already have first aid training, otherwise ~16 hours, $360).
Self defense law (e.g. Law of Self Defense by Andrew Branca) - ~8 hours,
$150 (You can do this online.).
Ya, this is a lot more than the minimum requirements. The NRA
only sets minimums. Always teach the fundamentals, because much of
what your students know is false. That's why they have come to take
your course. They want to know the truth.
I consider this the minimum training to be intellectually competent
to carry a concealed pistol for self defense.
Speed vs. accuracy in training and self-defense
http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/speed-vs.-accuracy-in-training-and-self-defense/law-enforcement-defense-security
Front Sight Focus - Why?
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2018/9/27/front-sight-focus-why/
Shooting at the Speed of Decision Making
http://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018-10_RFTS-Newsletter.pdf
Coach Ray Harvey writes to say:
The idea of "Zombie Routines" is another way of talking
about properly practicing a particular routine or subroutine
until it begins to occur without conscious thought on your part.
I once asked Nancy Johnson "How many items are on
your Shot Plan?" Your Shot Plan is the list of actions that
you go through in order to prepare for each properly
executed shot. I expected her to say something like "20,"
but she surprised me by saying "about four."
She had properly practiced her shot plan until MOST
of her conscious actions had become Zombie Routines
and she no longer needed a list. She no longer needed
to "think" consciously about those actions.
Two months later, she won the Gold Medal in
Women's Air Rifle at the Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
It takes proper practice and it doesn't happen overnight.
Ask your coach how many proper repetitions it takes!
At the age of 68, I took up playing the upright bass.
I only practice once a week, but I have developed several
Zombie Routines on which I routinely get compliments.
Competence is its own reward.
Best regards from the road playing bluegrass music
in Maggie Valley (for money) tonight,
Coach Ray Harvey
Concerns With Concealed Carry And Winter Gloves
https://www.concealedcarry.com/safety/concerns-with-concealed-carry-and-winter-gloves/
Your Tactical Training Scenario - Properly Timing your Resistance Efforts
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/your-tactical-training-scenario-properly-timing-your-resistance-efforts
Creating new mental maps.
Excerpt:
"Attempting to draw your gun and shoot while the bad guy
has his gun out and aiming at you is suicidal."
[If I didn't have anecdotal experience that conflicted
with this, I would agree. Anecdotal experience is not
statistically significant. But, it demonstrates the
existence of an exception to the rule. Whether the rule
be "common sense" or an "obvious conclusion".
There is a saying that action beats reaction every time.
This means that the person who initiates an action will be
a tempo ("tempo" used in the technical sense as in chess)
ahead of the opponent who has to react to the action.
Of course, reaction time depends on whether or not the
reacting person has a pre-programmed response to the action.
How many criminals would have a pre-programmed response
to an immediate counter-attack? How many criminals
would have had the experience of a sheep attacking them?
(Which is what you should look like at this point
in the scenario.)
Are you playing a song you know? Playing a song off
sheet music that you've never heard before? Playing a
song you've never heard before without documentation?
A lot of famous professional musicians in Nashville
don't / can't read music. That shocked me, when I fist
learned that. Because I studied music theory for many
years and practiced reading and playing music until
I could know that the described music wasn't euphonic
by reading it without playing it. But, there are such
people. As my mother told me, "Everyone is different."
If you pay attention, you can recognize such people;
an important survival skill. -- Jon Low
(If you don't know what I'm talking about, consider
reading
The Essential Guide to Banjo Jamming
https://fingerstylebanjo.com/jamming/
as cited in last month's blog posting)]
"Some songs are diamonds. Some songs are rocks."
-- John R. Cash (Johnny Cash)
Concealed-Carry for Beginners: Tips for Continued Training
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2018/10/10/concealed-carry-for-beginners-tips-for-continued-training/
Excerpt:
". . . it is difficult for me to be very sympathetic
with those who will spend several thousand dollars
on a two-week vacation, but cry about the cost of
defensive training. In my view, they just don’t have
their priorities in the proper order."
. . .
"It is also my right to get as good with those
firearms as I am possibly able through quality
instruction, specialized training[,] and purposeful
practice."
Skill Set: Working the Fundamentals
http://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/81d66011-c323-4b88-881b-bf736af304a0
Excerpt:
". . . [moving, communication, using cover[,] and defensive shooting]
. . . are not instinctual or natural. Instinct tells you to hug in
tight and close to cover, which is not where you want to be.
It’s natural to focus on the threat while shooting as opposed to
the front sight. Instinct tells you to root to the ground when
fighting; we want to be moving. The only way to learn the required
skills is through practice. At the same time you’re overriding
the instinctual part of the brain that’s screaming at you to do
the wrong thing."
"The next time you’re thinking about going to the range
to burn some ammo consider staying home and working on your
tactics for that time."
[Instinct tells you to run away. Which is exactly what the
criminal predator expects you to do. Because he does not expect
the immediate forceful counter-attack, you will have the element
of surprise. Surprise is a force multiplier. -- Jon Low]
Train How You Are
https://www.concealedcarry.com/firearms-ownership/train-how-you-are/
Excerpt:
"Train how you are. Don't adjust yourself to standards
just because someone is telling you to. Otherwise, how
will you know that your methods work? How will you know
that you can actually maneuver while shooting a gun
wearing flip flops?"
[Perhaps you should show up to your next training class
(or IDPA match ) wearing the clothes you normally do on
a day to day basis. As opposed to your taci-cool wardrobe.
Have you ever worn that photographers vest in the real world?
-- Jon Low]
Got Training, Got Tourniquet, Now Where To Put It? Four Ideas For TQ Carry
https://www.concealedcarry.com/firearms-ownership/tourniquet-four-ideas-for-tq-carry/
Excerpt:
"Stopping rapid blood loss is a skill everyone who’s serious
about protecting themselves and their family can and should
learn, whether or not they carry a gun. It’s more likely
to be needed than CPR, simple to learn, and inexpensive to
equip oneself. If you’re not trained yet, I encourage you
to change that, and to practice with your chosen equipment."
Underground Tradecraft: Tactical Application of the Defensive Sidearm, Part Three
https://mountainguerrilla.wordpress.com/2013/08/28/underground-tradecraft-tactical-application-of-the-defensive-sidearm-part-three/
Tom Givens writes to say,
"Establishing a Dominance Paradigm" is our once per year specialty
course in which Southnarc, Wlliam Aprill and Tom Givens, along
with several trained role players, put students through an
immersion level learning experience. Each of the trainers
presents on his own specialty, then we blend it all together
in a series of force on force exercises in a unique indoor
training environment.
When: Fri, Jan 11, 2019, 8:00 AM – Sun, Jan 13, 2019, 7:00 PM CST
Where: BDC Gun Room
40960 Hardesty Road
Shawnee, OK 74801
$795
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/establishing-a-dominance-paradigm-givenssouthnarcaprill-shawnee-ok-tickets-47238931917?fbclid=IwAR0e8Y_2f80WjnpnI-HnJb8QluC9m1iEGhda-pCIbuBQUiLHkI3X9cpdIzA
Ed Mireles, FBI Miami Firefight Lecture
When: Sat, December 1, 2018 11:30 AM – 6:30 PM EST
Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tampa Airport - Westshore
4500 West Cypress Street
Tampa, FL 33607
$125
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ed-mireles-fbi-miami-firefight-lecture-tickets-46999765564?fbclid=IwAR3c_e-r7d60aX7PohIuOEr3ze8mHJraFyOYBm1eNFM-xreZWVevii9L2P0
The Kata
https://blog.suarezinternational.com/2018/10/at-the-force-on-force-class-we-had-one-resistive-student-i-rarely-get-these-guys-much-any-more-because-you-have-to-commit-to.html
Fighting or shooting . . . which are you practicing?
https://handguncombatives.blogspot.com/2018/10/fighting-or-shooting.html
Excerpt:
This is sure to piss someone off, but then I guess I just don’t care.
"You can't please everyone. Even God can't please everyone."
-- Pastor Greg Surrat
"You train for the people who love you."
-- Tatiana Whitlock
***** Tactics *****
". . . personal defense is a lifestyle, not a hobby."
-- Sheriff Jim Wilson
"Only those who risk going too far can
possibly find out how far one can go."
-- T.S. Elliot
***** Techniques *****
Avoidance, Deterrence, and De-escalation
-- John Farnam
From the Ground Up: Grip and Recoil Management
https://www.targetbarn.com/broad-side/grip-recoil-management/
Use These Non-Permissive Environment Carry Tips to Enhance Your Concealed Carry
https://www.itstactical.com/warcom/firearms/non-permissive-concealed-carry-tips/
Excerpt:
Conceal Like Your Life Depends On It. It Might.
How to Ram Through a Vehicular Roadblock
https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/how-to-ram-through-a-vehicular-roadblock/
Ten Major Tactical Mistakes
https://www.swatmag.com/article/street-smarts-ten-major-tactical-mistakes/
Cold Weather Carry
http://www.handgunsmag.com/editorial/cold-weather-carry/181320
The Myth of Pain Compliance
https://www.calibrepress.com/2018/10/the-myth-of-pain-compliance/
Excerpt:
A wise man once said that the quicker a fight is over,
the less chance there is for things to go wrong.
"The shorter the fight, the less hurt you get."
-- John Holschen
Concealed Carry: 3 Things Women Can Teach Men
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2018/10/27/concealed-carry-3-things-women-can-teach-men/
How do you win a gunfight? Don’t be there.
-–John Farnam
***** Gear *****
Who dares, wins.
-- motto of the Special Air Service
Conversation about pocket pistols
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2018/10/02/conversation-about-pocket-pistols/
5 Great IWB Holsters for Concealed-Carry
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2018/9/25/5-great-iwb-holsters-for-concealed-carry/
[The basic Alien Gear Inside the Waistband holster
is perfectly functional and costs $40. There is
no need to buy anything more expensive. -- Jon Low]
Officer accidentally shoots himself in leg at Henrico gun range
https://wtvr.com/2018/10/04/colonial-shooting-academy-shooting/
[More evidence that you should never use a SERPA holster.
You should never let your friends, relatives, subordinates,
students, etc. use it. There is no up side. There are lots
of effective alternatives. -- Jon Low]
One Magazine is Rarely Enough
https://www.americas1stfreedom.org/articles/2018/10/12/one-magazine-is-rarely-enough/
Spencer Keepers writes to say,
. . . Trust me, sights really do matter so pick some that you can see well,
and zero them with your training and carry ammo. I think some of
you might be really pleased with the results!! [The context was that
the sights that come on Glocks from the factory need to be replaced.]
***** Instructors *****
Colonel Robert Lindsey to his fellow trainers:
"We are not God’s gift to our students.
Our students are God’s gift to us."
PRISON THINKING
https://medium.com/@danjohn84123/prison-thinking-5c1ebfef27a4
Excerpt:
"And, yes: coaching is that simple."
[Simple does not mean easy. Simple means not complex.
Simple may require deep thought to master. Simple may
require thousands of repetitions to master. -- Jon Low]
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care,
watching over them — not because you must,
but because you are willing, as God wants you to be;
not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve;
not lording it over those entrusted to you,
but being examples to the flock.
-- 1st Peter, Chapter 5, Verse 2 to 3, New International Version
Why You Should Let Someone Else Teach Loved Ones To Shoot
https://www.concealedcarry.com/firearms-ownership/why-you-should-let-someone-else-teach-loved-ones-to-shoot/
"Every time I teach a class,
I discover I don't know something."
-- Clint Smith, Director of Thunder Ranch
***** Pedagogy *****
If you are helping someone and
expecting something in return,
you are doing business, not kindness.
PARADIGM SHIFT IN TRAINING
https://blog.suarezinternational.com/2018/10/paradigm-shift-in-training.html
"We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence is not an act.
It is a habit."
-- Aristotle
***** Education *****
***
I attended a lecture on "Active Shooter Threats" by
Brink Fidler of Defend Systems,
DefendSystems.com
at the Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, TN.
Some of the things that I learned:
Tell your supervisor at work about threats against you.
Brink told us of an incident where a lady was going through
a very bad divorce. Her husband went to her place of work
and shot up the place killing several persons. If they had
known, they never would have let him in. Oh, but it's so
embarrassing. Get over yourself! Lives are at stake.
Have a plan.
[Every instructor says this. Have a fire plan.
Have an emergency disaster plan. Have a plan for what
you, your spouse, and you kids will do if a robber
walks into the restaurant you are dining in. -- Jon Low]
If you have a plan, you will take Decisive Action
immediately. Otherwise, you will dither, and dithering
results in negative outcomes.
The average response time for police is 3 minutes
in urban areas (from the time the 911 dispatcher gets
the initial call). Most of the damage will be done in
the first few seconds of the attack.
[Statistically speaking, if you practice a lot,
it will take you 1.5 seconds to present your pistol
and fire (from the time you decide to take Decisive Action).
If you have to clear a concealment garment, add 0.5 seconds.
That's 2 seconds to end the event and prevent all the carnage,
if you choose to. It's a choice that should already
have been made. Because you won't have time to consider
the decision during the event. -- Jon Low]
Deter - Be assertive.
Evade - Run!
Fortify - Lock and barricade. Block windows.
Lights out.
Evaluate - Look around, listen, figure out what's
going on.
Notify - Call 911 when you are safe to do so. You
are safe to do so when you don't have to whisper into
your cell phone. Tell the dispatcher what happened, description
of the attacker, what weapon system the attacker has,
location, and injuries. Yes, this matters. If the
attacker is armed with a handgun, the first police on
scene will enter and attempt to engage. If there are
multiple attackers armed with an automatic rifles,
the police will need to call for back up with the appropriate
tools to handle the situation.
Defend - Counter Assault. Sometimes an explosive
counter attack is the best defense. [Ya, you might get hurt.
But, statistically, 97% of people admitted to emergency
rooms with gun shot wounds walk out. Modern medicine is
great. -- Jon Low]
Consider the police priorities when they respond
to an active murderer event:
1. Stop the killing.
2. Stop the dying.
3. Evacuate.
4. Process the crime scene.
So, they are not going to stop to help you. They
are going to walk over your bleeding body to get
to the bad guy.
[In reality, you are responsible for your security
and your survival. Accept it.
The Marine Corps Drill Instructors taught us the
same thing in Marine Corps recruit training. Stopping
to help your wounded buddy is wrong. Drive the enemy
back to allow the corpsman to advance to take care of
your buddy. -- Jon Low]
The reason so many more people don't die in active
murderer events is because some of the bystanders knew how
to stop bleeding. You need to be such a person.
[Take a fist aid class. Take a more advanced
fist aid class.
Direct pressure on the wound. Elevate the wound.
Treat for shock (cover him with a blanket to keep him
warm and elevate his legs to keep blood pressure to
his brain.)
Learn when to apply a tourniquet. Lean how
to apply a tourniquet. Carry a fist aid kit with you.
They are small and about $100. Don't skimp on life
and death matters. You may be saving the life of
someone you love. -- Jon Low]
***
I attended "Home Defense" by Ken Alexandrow of
Agape Tactical,
AgapeTactical.com
at the 5.11 store in Nashville, TN.
Some of the things I learned:
Ken told of a young man recently graduated from
high school in 1920 A.D. who wanted to be a lumberjack
in California, starting pay $27 per week. He felled
19 trees on his first day on the job. The next day
he only felled 15. The next day only 12. He apologized
to his foreman for his decline in productivity. To
which his foreman responded by asking, "When was the
last time you sharpened your ax?"
When was the last time YOU sharpened YOUR ax?
Ken told us of an interview with a survivor of
the recent shooting at the Waffle House in Antioch, TN
immediately after the incident occurred. The police
officer asked the citizen for identification.
The citizen reached to his back pocket revealing a
pistol in a holster on his belt. The officer shouted
commands to stop. The citizen had forgotten that he
was wearing the pistol. The citizen said that he had
gotten his permit a year earlier and hadn't even drawn
his pistol since then.
Don't be that guy. Sharpen your ax. Train like
the life of your loved ones depended on your training.
Train often. [Correctly pronounced "offen", the "t" is
silent and always has been. English is a Germanic
language. The English word "often" is derived from
the German word "offen". Pronouncing the "t" is wrong
on many levels. -- Jon Low]
Deterrence --
Have a dog in your house. Ken said that in his 26
years on the Metro Nashville Police, he never took a
burglary report on a house that had a dog in it. A dog
outside in the yard didn't prevent burglaries, but a
dog inside did.
Most crimes are crimes of opportunity. Strive to
eliminate the opportunity. Use "Ring System", "Nest",
"Arlow", or some such system that allows you to see
who is at your door or around your house and talk to
them, no matter where you are. Yes, you need WiFi.
So, get it. Join the 21st century.
Light your house. Light the area around your house.
Detection --
Your yard need not be pretty, but it must be tactically
correct. You must have line of sight from inside your house
to outside your house.
Your alarms must sound outside your house. (Think
about it.)
You must pay attention. You must avoid
"Inattentional Blindness". Ken showed the
YouTube.com video, "selective attention test".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo
Denial --
Replace the screws in your door locks with longer
screws that actually go through the studs of the frame
of your house, not just the decorative wood paneling.
Laminate all of your windows and screen doors with
"Eversafe Window Laminate". It's only $15 per square
foot. It's not bullet proof, but it maintains the
integrity of the window to prevent entry. All of the
Williamson County, Tennessee public school are laminating
all of their exterior windows. (Ken gave us the phone
number of the owner of the company. I will share it
with you upon request.)
If your house is broken into while you are at home,
it's a home invasion, not a burglary. Burglars make sure
no one is home. The home invader is there for you or
your women. "You must access your weapon before your feet
hit the floor." If your master bedroom is on the first
floor, the enemy will find your master bedroom within
8 second (assuming he doesn't already know where it is).
If your master bedroom is on the second floor, he will
find your master bedroom within 15 seconds (assuming
he doesn't already know where it is).
[We never raided a house without intel giving us the
floor plan at least a week in advance. So, we practiced
the raid for a week (in one instance we had a year to
practice), knowing exactly where the targets would be.
(Yes, I know what I just said. I know what it means.)
So, if it's anything more than a common criminal, the
times will be much shorter.
If you hold political office, PAY ATTENTION!
Your security detail is not designed nor competent to
stop tier one operators. I worked recruiting duty
with a Master Sergeant who was stationed at "8th and I"
during the Nixon Presidency. When the riots were
raging, they were staged in the tunnels connecting
the Marine barracks with the White House. They were
afraid they would have to shoot American citizens.
If you are not the POTUS, you don't have a detachment
of Marines. So, you have to take precautions. You
saw how ineffective the Capitol Police were at
preventing the attack on U.S. Representative Steve Scalise.
You are responsible for your security. Leaving it
to anyone else is foolish.
I am doing my duty to protect you, by advising
you to get training, so you can protect yourself.
-- Jon Low]
10% of the criminals cause 90% of the crime. They
do not fear arrest or imprisonment. To them, prison is
continuing education, where they learn to do their crimes
better and avoid getting caught the next time. And there
will be a next time. If you believe that our justice
system rehabilitates anyone, you are wrong. Catch and
release is in full effect.
You must have a plan and you must teach your plan
to your family. If you don't teach your children
how to escape and where to go in case of a fire, they will
wait for you to rescue them and die of smoke inhalation.
Yes, that would be your fault.
Pistol bullets will penetrate 9 sheets of drywall.
Two 2X4's will stop most pistol bullets. So, you should
consider using a shotgun loaded with bird shot for home
defense. It should have a short legal barrel. Get the
tax stamp if you need to. Or, get a short barreled
shotgun without a stock, they are sold as pistols. You
don't need a 12 gauge. A 20 ga. will work fine indoors.
If you cannot escape, shelter in place. Lock and
barricade doors and windows.
Have a gun safe that you can open quickly while
groggy.
Plan for children. They should know what to do
in case of emergency, not just wait for you. Because
you might not be able to get to them before they die.
Teach your kids gun safety: Don't touch. Leave
the area. Tell an adult.
If you decide to engage the bad guy, you become
a bullet magnet. Have a plan for those around you.
Ken trains his family to run away from him if he says,
"Get away from me!" If your spouse is a gun person,
you might have a different plan.
What to do after the incident --
Notify law enforcement.
Don't have a gun in your hands when the police
arrive. Holster your pistol when you determine the
threat is over. (I know, sometimes hard to determine.)
Ask for an attorney. If you can't afford one,
they have to get one for you. But, if you can afford
one, you should really prefer that one.
Stay silent until your attorney is with you.
Let your attorney interview you and let your attorney
give your statement to the police. (The police really
appreciate this.) [I have taken statements from
excited persons. What a disaster. My notebook was
filled with pages of nonsense. -- Jon Low]
You do have to identify yourself to the police.
So, give them your driver's license or your carry
permit. You also have to give them your phone number.
Consider legally putting a suppressor on your
home defense weapon (Yes, they are legal in Tennessee
and other Southern States.), so you can hear bad guy
number 2 and 3. That way they won't surprise you
after you stop bad guy 1.
Get extra magazines for your pistol. Install
night sights on your pistol. (The tritium glow in
the dark kind. Don't scrimp on emergency tools.)
When coming around corners, do it from a prone
position. Near the ground is not where the enemy
expects you to be. Shooting upward mitigates the
risk of misses or pass throughs hitting someone
immediately down range of your intended target.
***
It’s Not Me, It’s You
http://ballisticradio.com/2018/09/19/its-not-me-its-you-podcast-season-6-ballistic-radio-episode-272-september-16th-2018/
Excerpt:
“If you are known as a menace to your neighborhood and
then you have the best shooting – it is the best textbook,
self-defense shooting in the world – you still might go to
prison because when they interview everybody and the
media is out there interviewing everybody all your
neighbors are going to say, “I bet he murdered that guy.
He was an absolute menace to society. Nobody likes him . . .”
It can bite you in the rear end.” — Erik Utrecht
"This very important podcast covers the difference between
a “person who owns a gun” and a “responsible gun owner.”
This distinction is lacking in our industry. We should do a
better job at policing our own ranks before someone decides
to do it for us." -- Greg Ellifritz
***
I attended "Point of Injury Trauma Care" by
Kevin Hunt of Prepared Medical Response,
www.preparedmed.com
Some of the things I learned:
"Hope is not a strategy"
STOP THE BLEEDING FIRST!
Call 911 as soon as possible.
The primary thing is to stop the bleeding. The person
will bleed to death before anything else kills him. A person
can bleed to death in 3 minutes.
My how things change. I was still thinking "direct pressure"
to stop bleeding, but the modern theory is:
1. If the bleeding is on an arm or leg, tourniquet first
(the tourniquet should be high [as close to the torso as possible,
no matter where the bleeding is] and tight [no pulse]).
Use a CAT or SOFT tourniquet. If you don't know why, take
a class and find out. Using a cheap tourniquet you found on
Amazon.com is stupid on many levels. Using a tourniquet will
not cause the victim to lose a limb. This is 2018 A.D.
Let the doctor remove the tourniquet. You can apply a tourniquet
in 30 seconds, if you've done it before. It takes 3 minutes
to bleed to death. So, this is a big win.
2. If the bleeding is from the torso, seal (every hole,
entry and exit wounds). You must prevent air from entering
the body.
3. If the wound is at the junction of torso and limb, pack
the hole until you fill it, and then apply a pressure dressing.
Apply direct pressure. Tuck the bandage or use duct tape.
That's what I get for going a few years without training.
(Fortunately, my company Military Systems Group, provides
such training for their employees.)
Once you stop the bleeding, call 911. Yes, as a matter
of fact, the victim will bleed to death while you are chatting
with the dispatcher. So, stop the bleeding first.
---
If you find an unresponsive person check for a pulse by
feeling in the valley between the muscle on the side of the
neck and wind pipe at the front center of the neck. Check for
10 seconds. If 3 or less beats in the 10 seconds, start CPR
(cardiopulmonary resuscitation). 100 thrusts per minute.
The songs "Staying Alive" and "Another One Bites the Dust"
are 100 beats per minute songs. So, you can sing them while
performing CPR to maintain appropriate blood circulation.
If you go to fast, you won't allow the blood to enter the
heart (so you won't get any blood flow). If you go to slow,
you won't achieve adequate blood pressure to keep the brain
alive. After 2 minutes of CPR (You will be exhausted if you
are doing it correctly.) take a break to call 911.
The chest compressions must go to 2/3rds the depth
of the chest. Yes, you will break the ribs. That's okay.
(In Tennessee you are protected by Good Samaritan laws.
Unless, you intentionally engage in gross negligence.)
The ribs will detach from the sternum. Nobody ever died
from broken ribs. They do die from lack of blood to the
brain. Lock your elbows. Use the muscles in your back.
It takes 4 to 5 chest compressions to get the
blood pressure up to a useful level. Once you stop
CPR the blood pressure drops to zero.
If they have a pulse, stop CPR.
---
Don't worry about breathing for the victim initially.
Take care of bleeding first, blood pressure second.
The human can go 6 minutes without breathing before lack
of oxygen will cause brain damage. If the person is not
breathing, tilt the head back to clear the air way,
otherwise he will choke on his tongue. Pinch his nose
and blow into his mouth. If the face is small as with a
child, cover the nose and mouth, and blow. If his chest
does not rise (being filled with air), clear the air way
as best you can. (Yes, this is dirty messy business.)
30 chest compressions, 2 breaths, repeat. Keep going
until relieved by medical personnel.
If you don't want to tilt the head back because of
neck injury, lay the victim on his back, grab behind the
jaw bone, and pull the jaw bone straight up.
If you have any kind of barrier (as a tee shirt),
use it, because the victim will vomit (even if he doesn't
regain consciousness), and you don't want to get his
vomit into your mouth.
If they are breathing (coughing), stop mouth to
mouth resuscitation.
---
If there are foreign objects (bullets, knives, etc.)
in the victim's body, DO NOT attempt to remove them. If
they fall out, don't put them back in. [Remember the
situation we are operating in. Extremely high stress.]
---
Electrocution causes burns and cardiac arrest.
To treat for electrocution:
Make sure the electricity is turned off.
If you can't, disconnect the victim from the electricity,
using an insulative object.
If he's on fire, put the fire out.
If his heart has stopped, start CPR. Don't worry
about the burns. Keep the blood flowing. The doctors
will give him antibiotics and skin graphs later, if he's
alive. Your job is to keep him alive.
---
Here in Tennessee we are protected by Good Samaritan Laws.
Check the laws in the jurisdiction in which you live.
"If we stay ready we don't have to get ready"
***
The American Warrior Show
http://americanwarriorshow.com/index.html
The Lessons of Special Agent Edmundo Mireles
https://americanhandgunner.com/the-lessons-of-special-agent-edmundo-mireles/
Excerpts:
". . . bullet size does matter when trying to stop a large land mammal
like a human being."
"I survived on good tactics, good cover, looking for targets,
moving to try to flank the subjects, good firearms techniques and
firearms discipline, and the teamwork shown by Gilbert and Ron
by providing overwatch and covering fire on my position."
"An element of faith, and an ability to channel rage
into a dynamic and absolutely necessary physical response
in spite of terribly debilitating injury."
The book may be ordered at
https://edmireles.com/
Church Security Resource Compilation
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/church-security-resource-compilation
Gas adjustment on an AR-15 type rifle
http://defense-training.com/2018/gas/
Rangemaster newsletter, November 2018
http://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-11_RFTS-Newsletter.pdf
***** News, Legal, Philosophical, and Political stuff *****
Civil War happens when the victimized are armed.
Genocide happens when they are not!
-- A.E. Samaan
Every wonder how older nations can be so far behind
us in basic human rights such as self defense?
"Salvini: Italian State Will Strengthen Self-Defence Rights,
Cover Legal Costs of Home Defenders"
https://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/10/07/salvini-italian-state-will-strengthen-self-defence-rights-cover-legal-costs-of-home-defenders/
"Self-Defense" About to Become "Illegal" in South Africa
http://defense-training.com/2018/self-defense-about-to-become-illegal-in-south-africa/
The Rise of Self-Defense in Gun Advertising: The American Rifleman, 1918-2017
https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/jt8qa/
Armed Church Security in Colonial America
https://gunculture2point0.wordpress.com/2018/10/01/armed-church-security-in-colonial-america/
Birth of a new Ukrainian church brings fears of violence
https://apnews.com/916f1eb16da24aedace5c39e9f13f94f
The headline should read,
"Schism of Ukrainian Orthodox Church from the Russian Orthodox Church".
There is nothing new about this church. The last vestiges of the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics are being pulled out by the roots.
Only those Americans who don't remember the Socialists could possibly
support socialism.
Blackwater-Style Firm for Jihadists Opens Training Camp with Donor Help
https://pjmedia.com/homeland-security/blackwater-style-firm-for-jihadists-opens-training-camp-with-donor-help/
Following the American model. American innovation leading
everywhere. They will harvest the sheep. Prepare.
Good Guys With Guns Took Down Lots Of Bad Guys In 2017
https://americanhandgunner.com/good-guys-with-guns-took-down-lots-of-bad-guys-in-2017/
“The Tzar's police had Lenin, but released him!
Bavarian police had Hitler, but released him!
Rhodesia had Mugabe, but released him!
We had Bin Laden, but released him!
We repeatedly fail to learn from history,
and we'll continue to pay for it.
Just ask a Romanov . . . if you can find one!”
-- Anonymous
Footnote: The Saudis were holding Osama Bin Laden
in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. U.S. President
Clinton could have asked the Saudis to hold him
indefinitely. They do that sort of thing in Saudi.
Yes, Clinton knew who he was and exactly the
threat he posed to us. (I know of what I speak.)
You find it strange that Clinton would have told
the Saudis that they should release him because we
have no interest in him?
Then you must have forgotten about all the terrorists
that Clinton released from our federal prisons.
That's why the FBI rebelled against Clinton. That's
why Clinton imposed a 2 year hiring freeze on the
FBI. He effectively purged all of the politically
incorrect FBI leaders and installed his people in
all of the leadership positions.
Obama did the same thing. That's why Trump
is having to fire all these FBI agents, including
the Director.
Few tyrants argue for 'slavery of the masses.'
Instead, they argue for the power to
'protect people from themselves.'
-- AE Samaan
***** Survival Tips *****
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Dr. Sherman House
12 Safety Tips For Driving At Night
https://www.geico.com/more/driving/auto/car-safety-insurance/driving-at-night/
Don't go to stupid places.
Don't do stupid things.
Don't hang out with stupid people.
-- John Farnam
***** Basics *****
"Panic is simply the lack of preprogrammed responses."
-- Tom Givens
Pistol Grip Basics
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2018/10/5/pistol-grip-basics/
Excerpt:
We’re hardwired to blink and/or jerk the trigger
in anticipation of the noise, so dry-firing a
few minutes each day helps develop muscle memory
that can override this natural instinct.
[Well, if it is a hardwired instinct, will
practice ever override it? Probably not.
Will you ever practice enough (2000 correct
repetitions) to engrain such muscle memory?
Probably not. So, the surprise break is
really the way to defeat your autonomic nervous
system responses to the report and recoil. -- Jon Low]
How To: Master Sight Radius, Sight Picture & Hold
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2018/10/9/how-to-master-sight-radius-sight-picture-hold/
A few minutes ago, I was talking to a young
Metro Nashville Police officer in my favorite coffee
shop, "Flat Rock Coffee, Tea, and More" (The former
Mayor has been known to hold meetings here, before
she accepted a plea deal and resigned. I have seen
the former Police Chief here in the early morning
hours meeting "friends". The world is so small that
to think you can do anything without being seen is
foolish.).
She told me she wanted to work on her long
range (for pistol) accuracy. I asked her how she
had been taught to shoot.
She responded,
Hold the sights on the target and
Pull the trigger without jerking it.
I asked her if she had been taught how to achieve
a surprise trigger break. She had not. So, I
explained it to her.
(Sight alignment, sight movie)
Line up the sights on the target.
(Trigger control)
Touch the trigger.
Take the slack out of the trigger.
Smoothly increase pressure on the trigger.
Do not fire the shot, just keep increasing pressure.
(Follow through)
The pistol will fire, when it does,
trap the trigger to the rear.
Get the sights back on the target.
Reset the trigger.
[Of course, there is much more to it than that.
But, this was just a casual conversation in a
coffee shop.]
I assured her that the surprise break would
defeat all of her autonomic nervous system
responses to the report and recoil.
I have always known that training in any
police department is inadequate due to time and
budgetary constraints. An officer has to
train on her own time and her own dime. We
often talk about this at the Tactical Conference,
and what we can do to help the situation.
Through my Rotary Club, I once donated ten
4-day handgun training certificates to the
Mount Laurel, NJ Police Department. The Police
Department declined to accept them, because they
could not afford to send 10 officers to such
training at Front Sight in Pahrump, NV. Not
even if they spread it out over several decades.
Not even if the officers paid their own way
there and back, and paid their own hotel, and
rental car.
In the previous year, the Police Department
had accepted body armor from my Rotary Club for
their officers.
I explained to my Rotary Club that body
armor protects the police. Training protects
the citizens. As Greg Ellifritz says,
"When you aren’t skilled and confident,
you get scared and you over react."
And the only path to skill and confidence is
expert training.
Common AR Rifle Handling Errors
https://www.ammoland.com/2016/10/common-ar-rifle-handling-errors/
Flunking The Victim Selection Test
https://ccwsafe.com/blog/29625
10 Tips to Stay Within the Law When Traveling with Firearms
https://www.personaldefenseworld.com/2018/10/traveling-with-firearms/
"Fear is an instinct. Courage is a choice."
-- Rear Admiral Joseph Kernan, USN
***** Miscellany *****
For the latest version (it changes almost daily)
of my lesson plans for my NRA Defensive Pistol course,
send me an email. Jon_Low@yahoo.com
Cheers,
Jon
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