Greetings Sheepdogs,
The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,
"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state,
the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.",
has nothing to do with hunting. Has nothing to do with sports. Has nothing
to do with self-defense.
The purpose of the amendment is to ensure a free state by ensuring the
people have the means to overthrow the government. That is what the colonists
who fought in the American Revolutionary War did.
The American Revolutionary War started when the British attempted to
confiscate guns and ammunition from the colonists. Why do you think liberals
want to confiscate your guns and ammo? Same reason.
The “Revolution” picks-up momentum!
http://defense-training.com/2019/the-revolution-picks-up-momentum/
“Nipping in the bud shoots of arbitrary power is the only maxim
which can ever preserve the liberties of any people.”
-- John Quincy Adams
***** ***** ***** Software ***** ***** *****
----- Mindset -----
Avoidance, Deterrence, and De-escalation
-- John Farnam
May I invite your attention to the article, "10 Commandments of Concealed Carry"
on page 2 of the January 2009 Rangemaster newsletter?
https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2009-01_RM-Newsletter.pdf
"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined
nor determined to commit crimes . . . Such laws make things worse for the assaulted
and better for assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent murders."
--Thomas Jefferson, quoting Cesare Beccaria
May I invite your attention to "On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs"
on page 8 of the May 2009 Rangemaster newsletter?
https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2009-05_RM-Newsletter.pdf
Combative—Pistolcraft
https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2019/7/25/tips-techniques-three-a-s-of-defensive-pistolcraft/
Excerpt: ". . . awareness, adaptation and application are the “Three A’s” of defensive . . . "
You buy life insurance to protect your loved ones in case you lose the fight.
You buy self-defense insurance in case you win the fight.
"It's not what happens to you in life. It's how you process it."
-- Pastor Mike Ayon
I attended a workshop by psychologist Joy Stone. She explained the
"Reticular activating system" on a psychological (as opposed to a physiological)
level. You believe X. The system causes you to notice evidence of X.
(evidence, not facts, concerning X) The system causes you to dismiss
evidence that negates X. That's why it is so hard to change your beliefs.
Everything you perceive in the world supports your beliefs.
People tell us things, we read things (on the internet for instance), we
hear things (on the radio for example), and we believe these things
(for whatever reason). It doesn't matter if they are true or false.
All that matters is whether or not they coincide with our beliefs.
If you don't have any beliefs about a thing, it's real easy for
others to cause you to believe a certain way about a thing. The example
she gave was a lady tells a little girl that the little girl's freckles
on her shoulders are God's mistake. The little girl believes what the
lady says. So, for years the girl wears dresses and shirts that cover
her shoulders so as not to expose her freckles.
If you want to change your beliefs (which most people don't want
to do), you have to consciously change the story that you tell yourself
as to what is true and what is false. This is extremely difficult to
do because most people don't have the moral strength or self discipline
to change the story that they tell themselves (from the moment they
wake up, to the moment they fall asleep, and often in their dreams).
[Wait a minute, this sounds familiar. I've heard this train of
thought before. Yes, "Through the Looking Glass" by Lewis Carroll
(1832-1898), the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, the Oxford
logician. Alice convinces herself of 3 impossible things every
morning. Carroll's unwritten allusion is that the impossible things
have a logical value of true.
As I tell my children, people do what they want to do and
neglect to do what they don't want to do. So, don't ask him where
he would like to travel to. Ask him where he has traveled.
People believe what they want to believe and refuse to believe
anything that is obnoxious to their world view, especially their
political view. So, it's essential to talk to him about his
politics, because that tells you what he believes (as opposed to
what he says he believes).
Nobody believes things that are false. That would be stupid.
They believe things that are true. That's why nobody believes
that they are superstitious. That's why nobody believes they are
wrong.
Superstitions are not false beliefs that you think are
true. Superstitions are beliefs that you know are true, that are
false. That's why superstition is so dangerous. If you believe
that murdering that witch (or baby) is the correct thing to do,
the belief will override any morality that murder is wrong.
That's why teaching adults is so difficult. So, much of what
they know to be true is false. (Or, at least in conflict with
what you're trying to teach them.) I have found this to be true
in physics, geology, mathematics, and pistolcraft.
Blind spots are not areas you can't see. Blind spots are
areas that you don't know that you can't see. That's why seasoned
instructors often say that the problem with getting the ignorant
to take classes to get educated is that the ignorant don't know
what they don't know. So, they have no motivation to learn.]
"It's not that liberals aren't smart,
it's just that so much of what they know isn't so."
-- President Ronald Reagan
Guns Don’t Keep You Safe
https://aaron-jannetti.com/2019/08/08/guns-dont-keep-you-safe/
Excerpt:
Furthermore, there are several things that need to be
learned as well as continually improved upon:
Law of self defense according to your state and anywhere you may have that weapon.
Proper storage and maintenance.
Safe handling of the weapon in various contexts.
Fundamental skills such as grip, stance, sighted and unsighted fire,
trigger control, and recoil management.
Identifying when the gun is necessary and justifiable,
as well as decision making under stress.
Verbal Judo: i.e. how to talk your way out of a situation without
requiring lethal force, also known as training to not have to use your weapon.
The physical skills to be able to access your weapon under stress
and possibly in a physical confrontation.
Medical training in case you or a loved one is severely harmed during the encounter.
How to talk to 911 as well as interact with responding
officers in the event you use your weapon.
Possible legal ramifications and how to prepare for them.
The psychological, medical, and financial aftermath of a lethal force encounter.
Thoughts from the Deck - Fighting vs. Shooting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?=6&v=04KF2MKhayM
Excerpt:
Avoid and Evade
Armed Self-Defense: Reality vs. Fantasy
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2019/8/19/armed-self-defense-reality-vs-fantasy/
Excerpt:
Plans are nice – realistic plans are even better.
Self-Defense Mindset | When is “Good Enough” Actually Good Enough?
https://gunmagwarehouse.com/blog/self-defense-mindset/
Excerpt:
It’s the difference between the person who panics in a fire
and the person who grabs the extinguisher. If you don’t have
the wherewithal to find it and use it, arguing about which kind
of extinguisher is best is pointless.
You can always walk away.
. . .
You have to be willing to walk away.
-- Donald J. Trump
[You will notice that President Trump never gets emotionally involved
in his negotiations. This is demonstrated by his actions, not necessarily
his Twitter rants. Broadcast information is part of psychological warfare.]
----- Safety -----
“The fast and/or emphatic reholster
is an awesome way to shoot yourself.”
-- Chuck Haggard
You are responsible for your safety. Don't let anyone point a gun at you!
Especially not an instructor. If the instructor doesn't practice the basic
safety rules, LEAVE THE CLASS.
"Riverside man shot in leg during gun training class at sheriff's facility, officials say"
https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/crime_courts/2019/08/23/man-shot-leg-during-training-class-sheriffs-facility/2098014001/
May I invite your attention to the article, "Intelligence Gathering for Personal Safety"
on page 8 of the February 2010 Rangemaster newsletter?
https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2010-02_RM-Newsletter.pdf
May I invite your attention to the article, "Christmas Eve in Memphis" on
page 2 of the February 2011 Rangemaster newsletter?
https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2011-02_RM-Newsletter.pdf
If you don't understand what happened in the story,
he racked the slide to eject the cartridge in the chamber. But, the magazine
was in the pistol, so another round was loaded into the chamber when the slide
went forward. You have to remove the magazine first, then rack the slide.
Not knowing how to correctly unload his pistol resulted in his death.
No, this is not common sense. This has to be taught and learned.
It would only be known to someone intimately familiar with the mechanics
of the pistol. So, you have to get your students to that point.
May I invite your attention to the article,
"Two Negligent Shootings" (that we can learn from) on page 2 of the January 2012
Rangemaster newsletter?
https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2012-01-Newsletter.pdf
Police officer accidentally shoots woman dead while trying to hit loose dog
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/police-officer-accidentally-shoots-woman-18821182
Safety Rule 4: Be sure of your target. [ And, what's beyond your target.
(You may miss or pass through your target.) And, what may move in front of
your target. (Panicked people, who do not know where the line of fire is,
may move into your line of fire. Remember the situation is chaotic for those
without situational awareness.) ]
The police officer was talking to the lady, so he knew she was there.
The games, as IDPA and IPSC, are not realistic training, because their scenarios
have very few no-shoot targets relative to the number of shoot targets.
This is the opposite of realistic situations. In any church, shopping mall,
theater, home with family, etc. you will have many more friendlies or innocent
bystanders than you will have enemies. In the cited situation, 50% of available
targets were no-shoots. Remember, every miss is damaging property (the dog),
injuring innocent bystanders, or killing them (the lady).
Anatomy of an Assault: The 5-Step Attack Cycle
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2019/8/2/anatomy-of-an-assault-the-5-step-attack-cycle/
“Safe” Guns
http://defense-training.com/2019/safe-guns-2/
Excerpt:
Yet, in addition to guns themselves, modern, universally-taught gun-handling
philosophy and procedure has also been largely responsible for the current
relatively low level of gun accidents we realize today.
Identify before you shoot
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2015/01/10/identify-before-you-shoot/
Excerpt:
Is ‘the worst possible case’ having a dangerous armed intruder in
your house, or shooting and killing a family member by mistake?
----- Training -----
"The real value of training, though, is that it improves competence,
which leads to a higher level of confidence."
-- Rehn & Daub
The Well Armed Woman has a list of instructors on their web site at
https://thewellarmedwoman.com/instructors/
The fascinating thing is how many only teach one-on-one classes.
I applaud this effort. (Tutoring one-on-one was the ancient Greek
way of education. A family would purchase highly educated slaves
to tutor their children.) I enjoy teaching one student classes,
because it's easy to keep your eyes on the student for safety
violations. So, the class is very safe. If you've been taking
training for a few decades, you've probably been in 30 person classes
where there were negligent discharges. You may have been present
when a student shot himself (probably while holstering). In a
one person class you can avoid these problems.
Care enough to continue your training.
May I invite your attention to the article,
"Rethinking Firearms Training and Qualification" on page 6 of the
April 2012 Rangemaster newsletter?
https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2012-04-Newsletter.pdf
Why do I need to train?
"To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment
when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and
offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique
to them and fitted to their talents. What a tragedy if
that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for
that which could have been their finest hour."
-- Winston Churchill
Skill Set: Competition vs. Self-Defense
https://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/a39645aa-4173-471d-b855-35848903d3ef
"You train for the people who love you."
-- Tatiana Whitlock
Active Killer Pre-Assault Behavior
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/active-killer-pre-assault-behavior
"An average woman fighting an average man is on par with
an average man fighting an average bear. It is not wise."
-- restonpack1
[That's why humans created arms. That's why the Founding Fathers wrote
the 2nd Amendment. That's why you have to carry. There will always be
evil persons bigger, stronger, faster, and smarter than you. Stopping
the bad guy prevents him from causing the $800,000 of damage that his
average criminal career will total. (Yes, the lives of the victims was
factored into that number. The insurance companies have a well defined
dollar value on every life.) -- Jon Low]
Realistic Training for Concealed Carry
https://www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/realistic-training-concealed-carry/364977
Excerpts:
"In a gunfight, you will experience cognitive distortions
because of the body’s reaction to stress."
". . . These types of distortions can make the closer-and-faster POST
(Peace Officer Standards and Training) methodology problematic because it
encourages firing faster than the brain can process the information it’s
being presented with."
"Log your training and certifications, as well as your practice sessions
in a training journal. Stay current with the laws in your jurisdiction because
laws change often and ignorance is not a legal defense.
My last piece of advice is to consider carrying insurance offered
by a reputable company. The bills in the aftermath of a shooting will
add up fast, and the monthly fees for insurance are very reasonable.
Being prepared is a burden, but it is lighter than the weight of being
unprepared."
Shooting vs. Fighting: Learn the Difference
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2019/8/16/shooting-vs-fighting-learn-the-difference/
Pistol-Shooting Tips: Improve Your Handgun Skills
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2019/8/11/pistol-shooting-tips-improve-your-handgun-skills/
Why You Shouldn’t Shoot Small Groups – Defensive Pistol Training
https://www.ammoland.com/2019/08/why-you-shouldnt-shoot-small-groups-defensive-pistol-training/
"Training is NOT an event, but a process.
Training is the preparation FOR practice".
-- Claude Werner
----- Practice -----
Practice is the small deposits you make over time,
so that in an emergency, you can make that big withdrawal.
-- Chesley Burnett Sullenberger, III
Practicing for your real world
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/practicing-for-your-real-world/
Slow is smooth. Smooth is efficient. Efficient is fast.
----- Technique -----
“Use only that which works, and take it from any place you can find it.”
-- Bruce Lee
Gun Craft: Concealment, Cover, and Thinking Outside the Box ~ VIDEOS
https://www.ammoland.com/2019/07/gun-craft-concealment-cover-and-thinking-outside-the-box-videos/
Attention to detail.
May I invite your attention to the article,
"Training Summary: Shooting Through Automobile Glass" on page 8 of the
December 2010 Rangemaster newsletter?
https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2010-12_RM-Newsletter.pdf
Shooting With One Eye or Two Eyes Open: Which is Correct?
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2019/2/11/shooting-with-one-eye-or-two-eyes-open-which-is-correct/
"Real fights are short."
-- Bruce Lee
May I invite your attention to the article, "The Concealed Carry Presentation"
on page 11 of the March 2011 Rangemaster newsletter?
https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2011-03_RM-Newsletter.pdf
5 shooting drills to practice
http://www.womensoutdoornews.com/2014/07/rogers-report-5-shooting-drills-practice/
Excerpt:
Sometimes, it can be tempting to let yourself go back to your old comfort speed.
Don’t do it! Let yourself get faster.
IWB Potty Break Tips
https://www.womensoutdoornews.com/2018/01/iwb-potty-break-tips-concealed-carry/
Excerpt:
"If you have to remove your pistol from its holster, . . . "
[I teach my students to never remove their pistol from its holster when using
the bathroom. If you "have to" then something is wrong with your system.
Fix your system. -- Jon Low]
6 Tips for Keeping the Secret of Concealed Carry
https://www.womensoutdoornews.com/2016/06/6-tips-keeping-secret-concealed-carry/
Fight back to your Feet, with Craig Douglas of ShivWorks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JEk9XlpauM
Video: Shooting Stance And Self-Defense
https://gundigest.com/gun-videos/gundigest-tv/video-shooting-stance-and-self-defense
Excerpt:
The shooting stance is not how you shoot the gun,
it is the position from which you fight.
Handgun Self-Defense: Move to Stay Alive
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2019/8/13/handgun-self-defense-move-to-stay-alive/
Excerpt:
Learn to quickly assess a potentially dangerous situation,
and then, if it does hit the fan, move and shoot your way out of it.
----- Tactics -----
You win gunfights by not getting shot.
-- John Holschen
The bad guy with body armor problem
https://thestreetstandards.wordpress.com/2019/08/08/the-bad-guy-with-body-armor-problem/
Excerpt:
I’ve harped a lot in these pages about the fact that we shouldn’t shoot
any faster than we can assess what’s going on in front of our muzzle.
"Audacity wins."
-- Carl von Clausewitz
----- Education -----
"Cogito, ergo armatum sum." (I think, therefore armed am I.)
-- John Farnam
The Past 120 Years!
http://defense-training.com/2019/the-past-120-years/
Another important difference is that black powder is an explosive.
That means that upon ignition, there is a supersonic detonation shock
wave. Such a wave is not good for the firearm.
Modern propellants (nitro-cellulose / nitroglycerin compounds)
do not explode (no supersonic detonation shock wave), they just burn
fast, creating lots of hot gas that pushes the projectile.
The Body Language of Aggression
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2019/7/29/the-body-language-of-aggression/
Shooting Your Black Rifle – The Book
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2019/07/31/shooting-your-black-rifle-the-book/
An interesting web site,
http://silahreport.com
"The Thinking Gunman’s Bookshelf" on page 6 of the September 2012
Rangemaster newsletter,
https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2012-09-Newsletter.pdf
A useful and informative web site,
https://www.womensoutdoornews.com/
Click on the Personal Protection tab for articles of interest to
persons as us.
I took Andrew Branca's "Law of Self Defense" live online class on
24 August 2019 A.D. It was different and better than the same class I
took a couple of years ago. Such is the mark of a good instructor,
constantly improving.
Some of the things I learned:
You have to have the tools, get the training, and practice what you
were taught in the training. Otherwise, you're wasting your time and money.
Use verbal commands and challenges. Be loud, use your command voice.
You want to attract attention. You want witnesses. The bad guy does not
want witnesses. Strip away ambiguity by shouting, "STOP!", "Go away!"
If he continues to close distance on you, you can articulate why you feared
for your life.
You will have 3 interactions with the police:
When talking to the 911 dispatcher, say
Your name.
Your location. The location of the incident (if you had to move for safety).
"I was attacked."
"I feared for my life."
"I had to defend myself."
Please send the police and an ambulance.
Then, stop talking!
When talking to the responding officers, say
Your name.
"I was attacked."
"I feared for my life."
"I had to defend myself."
Point out witnesses.
Point out evidence.
Then, stop talking!
When talking to the investigating officers, say
"I assert my right to remain silent and my right to counsel."
Then, STOP TALKING!
Never talk to the media.
Michael Drejka shot and killed Markeis McGlockton in a parking lot on
July 19, 2018. At the scene Drejka was not arrested. Because the responding
officers thought it was self defense. Later, the Sheriff said that he would
not press charges against Drejka, because the Sheriff thought it was self
defense. Later, Drejka was not indicted. Because the prosecuting attorney
didn't think he had enough evidence for a conviction. At this point, all
Drejka had to do was keep his mouth shut and live his life. But, instead he
went to talk to the police without an attorney (an act of criminal stupidity).
Never talk to the police without your attorney present.
After the interview, the police charged Drejka with manslaughter.
The prosecutor played the video recording of the interview for the jury.
Drejka effectively talked himself into a manslaughter conviction and
will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Drejka's attorney was grossly incompetent. He allowed the prosecution's
expert witness to incorrectly define the Teuller Drill. He didn't object.
(Which is required to preserve the legal error for appeal.) He didn't demonstrate the
obvious falsehood during cross examination of the prosecution's expert witness.
The cross examination was pitiful. You get the defense you pay for.
(As with all things in this world, you get what you pay for.)
As John Farnam says, don't do stupid things.
NEVER TALK TO THE POLICE WITHOUT YOUR ATTORNEY PRESENT!
On the other hand, do smart things. Buy self defense insurance,
so you have the funds up front to pay for a competent attorney. They ain't cheap.
Trials on homicide charges are expensive (hundreds of thousands of dollars).
George Zimmerman's trial cost 1.7 million dollars.
So, you have to have insurance that will cover these costs, and the costs
of the retrials. If there is a mistrial because of a hung jury or for one of
the hundreds of reasons that a judge can declare a mistrial, you will have to
pay for your defense all over again. Will you have the money for the second trial?
The third trial? If you get convicted, will you have the money for the appeals?
Legal Dry Fire - read news reports of self defense incidents and analyze
them. The American Rifleman has a page dedicated to such every month. No,
they are not all legitimate self defense. Sometimes the prosecutor exercises
his discretion not to prosecute. That's not something you can depend on.
If you take a plea deal (you confess to the criminal conduct), no insurance
will cover you. They can't give you money for a criminal act. It's against
public policy. Be brave. America is the land of the free, because it is
the home of the brave.
Don't talk to investigators. They are professionally trained interrogators.
[Even if you've been through SERE (Survive Evade Resist Escape) school, you
aren't up to their level.]
***** ***** ***** Hardware ***** ***** *****
"I would like to see every
woman know how to handle
guns as naturally as they
know how to handle babies."
-- Annie Oakley
----- Gear -----
Don't go to stupid places.
Don't do stupid things.
Don't hang out with stupid people.
-- John Farnam
Everyday carry: cell phone (fully charged), flashlight (at least 500 lumens
and fully charged), knife (a real one that won't break), high quality holster that
attaches to your belt at the point of your hip, stiff sturdy belt that will hold
all your gear without wobbling around, RELIABLE pistol in caliber from 9mm to .45
ACP, extra magazine in a pouch on your belt convenient for your support side hand.
Reliable does not equal expensive. Adjustable sights are not reliable.
Add on gadgets are not reliable. Holsters with moving parts are not reliable.
Pistols with lots of small fragile parts are not reliable.
Blessed Redundancy!
http://defense-training.com/2019/blessed-redundancy/
Evaluating handguns for YOU
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2019/08/18/evaluating-handguns-for-you/
How to Evaluate a Pistol, Part 1: In the Store
https://www.outdoorhub.com/how-to/2019/07/24/evaluate-pistol-part-1-store/
How to Evaluate a Pistol, Part 2: At the Range
https://www.outdoorhub.com/how-to/2019/07/29/how-to-evaluate-a-pistol-part-2-at-the-range/
FAQs About Ammo: Part 2
https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/blog/faqs-about-ammo-part-2/
Concealed Carry Corner: Why Claws are Good for Kydex Holsters
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2019/08/01/concealed-carry-holsters-why-claws-are-good-for-kydex-holsters/
Clawing and Wedging Your Way to Perfect Holster Fit
By Annette Evans (not Joshua Gillem)
https://www.concealedcarry.com/gear/clawing-and-wedging-your-way-to-perfect-holster-fit/
May I invite your attention to the article, "Serpa Holster Information"
on page 5 of the December 2009 Rangemanster newsletter?
https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2009-12_RM-Newsletter.pdf
The pistol gets stuck in the holster when you insert it backwards,
which is the way FLETC (Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers) and many
others teach to do a support side hand only reload.
The weapon retention device is easily jammed by dirt, gravel, sand,
pebbles, snow, etc.
Defeating the retention device is the same motion as pressing the trigger,
so it's really easy to shoot yourself in the leg, as many documented cases have
shown.
There really is no excuse for using this holster.
May I invite your attention to the article,
"Springfield Armory XD Pistol Magazine Problems" on page 6 of the December 2011
Rangemaster newsletter?
https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2011-12_RM-Newsletter.pdf
The article gives a link to a Brownell's web site that is old. This link works,
https://www.brownells.com/magazines/handgun-magazines/magazine-parts/magazine-springs/springfield-xd-extra-power-magazine-springs-prod71395.aspx?avs%7cManufacturer_1=WOLFF
Brownell's sells Wolff magazine springs for all kinds of pistol magazines.
May I invite your attention to the article,
"Caution -- Do Not Load/Unload the Same Round Repeatedly" on page 2 of the
February 2012 Rangemaster newsletter?
https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2012-02-Newsletter.pdf
Greg Ellifritz says,
"I generally don’t recommend automatic knives for self protection.
In order to carry them safely, you must use the safety. Getting the
safety off and pushing the button under stress is often slower than
opening a manual folder.
The one time I would recommend an auto opener is if you only have
the use of one hand. I’ve had students who had strokes or cerebral palsy,
leaving one hand and arm very weak. Those folks benefit from automatic
knives.
If you want a fast knife, get a fixed blade. I like the Ka-Bar TDI
knife as a great place to start."
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/weekend-knowledge-dump-august-2-2019
Ammunition Terminal Performance!
http://defense-training.com/2019/ammunition-terminal-performance/
May I invite your attention to "No Night Sights?" at
https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2019-08_RFTS-Newsletter.pdf
A Critical (but often overlooked) Holster Function
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/a-critical-but-often-overlooked-holster-function
Excerpt:
Just because your holster is expensive, it doesn’t mean
that the holster is either safe or well-designed.
Worn-out!
http://defense-training.com/2019/worn-out/
Tips on how to choose competition and concealed-carry holsters
https://www.womensoutdoornews.com/2014/06/tips-choose-competition-concealed-carry-holsters/
----- Technical -----
"The shorter the fight, the less hurt you get."
-- John Holschen
How to shoot through a concealed-carry purse
https://www.womensoutdoornews.com/2014/05/shoot-concealed-carry-purse/
As the author, Michelle Cerino, states, this requires a hammerless
revolver, because semi-autos may malfunction, because there is no space
to eject the spent case and no space for the slide to reciprocate.
The photo shows a lady with the shoulder strap over her shoulder.
That is wrong. The shoulder strap should be on the other side of her
neck (across her chest). The shoulder strap must have a steel cable
running through it.
"But, Staff, it's really hard to cut through quality leather."
No, it's not. The thief can buy a container of razor blades for
his box cutter at any hardware store. He doesn't have to have a
quality knife. He doesn't have to spend time sharpening his knife.
(Which is actually a fine skill to get a razor edge.)
----- Your Body -----
“Destiny doesn’t make appointments,
nor does she waste her time with the naive and unready!”
-- John Farnam
***** ***** ***** Instruction ***** ***** *****
Colonel Robert Lindsey to his fellow trainers:
"We are not God’s gift to our students.
Our students are God’s gift to us."
3 Indications of Bad Firearms Training
https://www.womensoutdoornews.com/2015/09/3-indications-of-bad-firearms-training/
----- Instructors -----
Qui docet, discit. (Who teaches, learns.)
-- motto of the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers
Pay attention to detail.
"Every time I teach a class,
I discover I don't know something."
-- Clint Smith, Director of Thunder Ranch
----- Pedagogy -----
"The biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has happened."
-- (Sorry, I could not find the author's name.)
"Train, Practice, Compete
are the key elements in the development of humans."
-- John M. Buol, Jr.
***** ***** ***** Legal, Political, and Philosophical ***** ***** *****
How do you win a gunfight?
Don’t be there.
-- John Farnam
6 Concealed Carry Insurance Options To Protect Your Six (2019)
https://gundigest.com/handguns/concealed-carry/4-self-defense-insurance-options
Self-Defense Gun Owner Insurance Programs Compared
https://www.concealedcarry.com/self-defense-gun-owner-insurance-programs-compared/
This web page, the chart, and the PDF file were updated on August 16th of 2019.
So, it's not the same as when I first linked to it in May of 2019.
"If I were to remain silent, I would be complicit."
-- Herr Professor Doctor Albert Einstein
May I invite your attention to the article, "The Founding Fathers on Guns and Freedom"
on page 6 of the January 2011 Rangemaster newsletter?
https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2011-01_RM-Newsletter.pdf
The Importance of Women to the Shooting Sports
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2019/7/24/the-importance-of-women-to-the-shooting-sports/
Excerpt:
In 2009, the percentage of female NRA-classified shooters was less than 10 percent.
Industry sources now (2019) report that 37 percent of new target shooters are female,
compared to 22 percent of established target shooters. The number of NRA-certified women
instructors has reached 9,343 or about 8 percent of the total count of 122,394, and
796 women out of 7,206 are NRA-certified coaches.
State gun and ammo laws from Ammo.com
https://ammo.com/articles#state-gun-laws
A lot more resources than just the gun laws.
A Well Regulated Militia
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2019/08/02/a-well-regulated-militia/
Crime Prevention Research Center
https://crimeresearch.org/
Excerpt from Dr. Lott's latest email:
". . . after I finished a television show at Sinclair Broadcasting,
I talked to a group of six young women reporters. One of the women
summarized the gun control debate this way: while one side of the gun
debate wants to use background checks to stop criminals from getting guns,
the other side wants to be able to sell guns to whomever they want.
All the other women nodded their heads in agreement.
I explained that everyone wants to stop criminals from getting guns,
but that universal background checks will prevent a lot of law-abiding
people from being able to defend themselves and their families -- that
it will be the most vulnerable, poor blacks who live in high crime
neighborhoods, who will be hurt the most. I pointed out that in next door
DC it costs $125 to privately transfer a gun, that virtually everyone
stopped from buying a gun because of a background check is a mistake.
But none of them had ever heard my arguments before, and in fact, my
points were so different from everything that they had ever heard they
had a hard time believing that they were correct."
[Remember what President Ronald Reagan said, it's not that our
liberal opponents are stupid, it's just that so much of what they
know isn't so.]
Andrew Branca says,
"But Andrew, I can hear people saying, sure, carrying a rifle
into Walmart while wearing body armor may be unusual, but that
doesn’t make it illegal.
I would suggest it does if such conduct is reasonably foreseeable
to “cause a fear that a condition exists involving danger to life,” the
feared condition being a copycat rifle-armed mass murdered in a Walmart,
a mere days after such an event having actually occurred, which is
precisely why society creates laws such as Missouri’s terroristic
threatening statute.
Remember, it doesn’t matter what Andreychenko’s intent actually was,
it only matters what a jury is likely to infer that Andreychenko’s intent
was."
---
Top 10 Defense of Property Traps
1. Prosecutorial discretion.
2. "We don't call 911."
3. Defense of pets.
4. Using devices to protect property.
5. Curtilage.
6. Your home.
7. Castle Doctrine doesn't means what you think it means.
8. How much is the property worth?
9. Whose property is it?
10. Not all property is created equal.
https://lawofselfdefense.com/property-launch-day-2/
Zone of ambiguity
https://lawofselfdefense.com/property-launch-day-3/
Lack of decisiveness will get you killed.
Colion Noir
https://www.facebook.com/gseneff/posts/10157407935349204
Joe Biden admits he wants to CONFISCATE guns “BINGO”.
And demonstrates he doesn't understand the plain English,
". . . the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
Andrew Branca says (commenting on an appellate court decision),
"While it is hopefully true that you are not like the people involved in this incident
(people with severely limited decision-making skills), it’s worth keeping in mind that
the law created to deal with the stupid conduct of people like this is exactly the
same law that is going to be applied to people like you and me. As such, it’s
important to understand what these laws are and how they are applied."
***** ***** ***** Survival ***** ***** *****
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Sherman House
4 Dead, 2 More Wounded During Horrific Stabbing Spree
https://defensemaven.io/bluelivesmatter/news/4-dead-2-more-wounded-during-horrific-stabbing-spree-U7r2avIIhUCXDAdZnD-8sg/
"You should also note that he killed a 7/11 security guard with the machete
and stole the guard’s openly carried pistol. Open carry is not a crime determent."
-- Greg Ellifritz
Hearing loss is permanent and cumulative.
Confronting the Mobile Killer
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/confronting-the-mobile-killer
Excerpt:
Keep your gun holstered and concealed so that you aren’t mistaken for the shooter.
Home Defense is a Family Affair
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2019/8/11/home-defense-is-a-family-affair/
Excerpt:
Having a plan builds confidence.
Having a plan builds family unity.
And having a plan saves lives.
***** ***** ***** Basics ***** ***** *****
"Panic is simply the lack of preprogrammed responses."
-- Tom Givens
Civilian invited to observe police firearms training was shot after target was put in wrong place
https://www.masslive.com/news/2018/08/athol_police_accidential_shoot.html
It is your responsibility to ensure that your training is safe.
Because you are the one who will get hurt.
We stay far away from the cliff's edge during training and practice,
so that we are alive to dance at the edge during combat.
"Fear is an instinct. Courage is a choice."
-- Rear Admiral Joseph Kernan, USN
***** ***** ***** Miscellany ***** ***** *****
When it’s least expected, you’re selected.
-- John Farnam
My wife lies in bed, as I depart to teach my defensive pistol
class, and bids me adieu saying, "My pudgy warrior waddles forth."
At first, I thought she was on the phone talking to someone,
but she wasn't.
I thought, I'm not pudgy. Oh, wait that's my image of myself
from forty years ago. It's the story I've been telling myself for
the last 4 decades. (When the nurse at the VA hospital in Nashville
asked me if I eat ice cream every night before I go to sleep, she
knew why I was 40 pounds over weight.)
Hey, I don't waddle. I strut. No, I don't. That was my image
of myself from the parade deck in boot camp. It's the story I've
been telling myself. But, it's not true.
I tried to dismiss her comment by remembering that she is
20 years my junior (2nd wife) and that she was a stewardess on
Japan Airlines (where they have very strict appearance and
weight standards). So, her perspective is warped. Or, she is
correct, and my perspective is warped.
If you don't face reality and accept the truth, you will
make mistakes. Mistakes in combat are fatal.
"Funny how my memory slips
while looking over manuscripts of unpublished rhymes,
drinking my vodka and lime."
-- Paul Simon of Simon and Garfunkel (Hazy Shade of Winter)
Semper Fidelis,
Jon
Jonathan D. Low
Jon_Low@yahoo.com
God can do more than we can hope or imagine.
