Hi Sheepdogs,
"Dying Civilizations!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/dying-civilizations/
Train. Train your loved ones. Because being unprepared is a nightmare
that spirals into Hell.
“Let us speak courteously, deal fairly, and keep ourselves armed and ready.”
-- Theodore Roosevelt
"Dying Civilizations!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/dying-civilizations/
Train. Train your loved ones. Because being unprepared is a nightmare
that spirals into Hell.
“Let us speak courteously, deal fairly, and keep ourselves armed and ready.”
-- Theodore Roosevelt
If you enforce gun control laws, rather than getting fired, you are violating
your oath to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution. In the end, God is going
to ask you about that. What are you going to say? Something about a job?
Something about a pension? Something about at that time there were predators
and there were prey, I had to choose which one I would be. God has read that
memoir.
"Girad's formula says that the area of a spherical triangle is equal
to sum of its angles minus Pi."
-- Marcel Berger [1]
***** ***** ***** Software ***** ***** *****
“You are no more armed because you are wearing a pistol
than you are a musician because you own a guitar.”
from Principles of Personal Defense by
Col. Jeff Cooper, USMC, (1920 – 2006 A.D.)
----- Basics -----
"Train, Practice, Compete
are the key elements in the development of humans."
-- John M. Buol, Jr.
Learning how to think clearly and react quickly to sudden violence . . .
can overcome almost any amount of training.
Consider this personal anecdote from a combat veteran of the Bosnian war:
"We were on the top of a small hill in the mountains near our Kosovo Liberation Army
hideout and a group of enemy infantry was coming up towards our positions. They
didn't see us, but we could hear them talking to each other. One guy, probably
their leader, told his troops: “Stop whining, guys!”
When they were close enough we opened fire. We heard one of them screaming in pain.
After we had ceased fire we went down the hill to look at the aftermath. We found the
body of a dead soldier and what struck me first was how well this guy was equipped:
a US-style Kevlar helmet, combat fatigues, boots; all his gear was of the best quality.
One of my comrades searched his pockets and found his documents.
My comrade read out loud what was written in the dead soldier’s papers.
This guy had been a sergeant and a professional soldier. He had fought in Bosnia
as well and was a member of a Special Forces unit.
Then my comrade told me in a tone of regret: “Look at him! This guy did all
the training, fought everywhere and then he gets himself killed by some peasants
like us. What a waste!”
That was quite an objective and modest statement and I was honestly surprised.
We had very good soldiers who were well trained and highly motivated, but they were
no match to the soldier we had just killed. He was better trained and equipped and
far more experienced than we were. Still, he was dead and we were alive."
We must never forget: good tactics deployed against us will almost always
overcome our training.
And good tactics deployed against our threats will almost always overcome
any advantage they have over us - in fitness, in age, in firepower, and in skill.
-- Patrick Kilchermann
Murphy's Law says that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, at the
worst possible time. Murphy's Law is like the Gravitational Law, it doesn't
matter if you believe in the law or not. So, how do we defeat Murphy's Law?
We create systems that minimize the number of things that can go wrong.
For example, if we shoot with both eyes open, we might aim at the image from
the non-aiming eye. This will cause a miss to the left for a right eye aiming
shooter and a miss to the right for a left eye aiming shooter. So, we eliminate
the possibility of this happening by closing our non-aiming eye for the fraction
of a second that it takes to aim and release the shot. Remember, Murphy's Law
says that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. So, things that can't go
wrong, will go right.
“No possible rapidity of fire can atone for habitual
carelessness of aim with the first shot.” -- Theodore Roosevelt,
(26th President of the United States) The Wilderness Hunter, 1893
----- Aftermath -----
It’s about prevention, not response.
-- Michael Mann
Just like criminals, prosecutors are looking for an easy win, not an
expensive tough fight. So, if you can convince the prosecutors that you
have money and expertise to fight them, they are more likely to drop the
charges or offer you a better plea deal.
If you take a plea deal (confess to a crime that you did not commit),
you will have to explain your lie to God in the end. Honorable persons don't
confess to crimes that they did not commit. To do so, to avoid a long prison
sentence, is an act of cowardice. You have to decide what type of person
you are.
Death Before Dishonor!
I'm not a hypocrite. I have never accepted a plea deal. I have always
plead "not guilty" and fought every prosecution, state and federal. That's
why I have no house, no retirement fund, no money, no wife, etc.
Learn from my mistakes. Get an insurance policy.
----- Mindset -----
"Fear is an instinct. Courage is a choice."
-- Rear Admiral Joseph Kernan, USN
"Concealed Carry: Armed Self-Defense "The Headgame" " by John Murphy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toPyWfqByjE
Excerpt:
"I do not recommend revolvers."
---
If the bad guy wants sex, there is nothing you can do to hide your sex,
so be aware that besides the items listed, all girls are high value targets,
ALWAYS. Slender pretty white girls can be appraised for $50,000 (without
celebrity, without family connections, without social status), not for ransom,
for sale as sex slaves (because that's the marginal income the pimp
can expect). How many families can afford the armed security
necessary to prevent the kidnapping? Not many. That's why 10,000 disappear
every year in the United States. That's an estimate, of course, because most
are never reported, because the parents don't give a shit or the parents sold
them for drugs (or cash for drugs). I volunteered as a Court Appointed
Special Advocate for children. I know. (Tom Givens told us in one of his
classes that 20,000 persons disappear in the U.S. every year. He counted
them in the murdered statistic, but I think many of them end up as sex slaves.
Before they age out and are murdered.)
necessary to prevent the kidnapping? Not many. That's why 10,000 disappear
every year in the United States. That's an estimate, of course, because most
are never reported, because the parents don't give a shit or the parents sold
them for drugs (or cash for drugs). I volunteered as a Court Appointed
Special Advocate for children. I know. (Tom Givens told us in one of his
classes that 20,000 persons disappear in the U.S. every year. He counted
them in the murdered statistic, but I think many of them end up as sex slaves.
Before they age out and are murdered.)
---
The pistol fits your hand if:
When the barrel is lined up with the bones in your forearm and
your hand is up high on the grip so that the flesh between your thumb and
index finger is bunched up under the tang of the pistol,
1. at least the tip of your middle finger is pointing back towards you, and
2. your thumb is able to lie flat against the side of the pistol (preferably
high on the slide), and
3. the last bone segment of your trigger finger is perpendicular to the
barrel when all the slack is taken out of the trigger (assuming the trigger
is in the middle of your fingerprint, all fingerprints have a loop, whorl,
or arch).
"Skill Set: Il Ling New" by Tiger McKee
https://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/4b2408a8-a6c3-49ad-be21-6ad2146cbe3e
Excerpt:
"And if you know someone who questions their abilities when it comes to
firearms, Il Ling is a great role model to steer them towards."
Front Sight Reality Check #78
https://www.frontsight.com/fsrc78/patriot-tbd.asp
The point is, COMMIT!
When you dither, you get gut shot.
Giving the money to the armed robber is fine,
if you think that's your best way to avoid getting hurt.
Shooting the armed robber until the attack stops is fine,
if you actually do it. You have to aim (That means a crystal
clear front sight. Otherwise, you don't hit your intended
target. It doesn't matter what the wacko instructors say
about both eyes open and point shooting. They are just wrong.
Close your non-aiming eye to eliminate the double image and
focus on your front sight.) and continue to fire until the
attacker is convinced that the fight is over, not you, the attacker.
You don't get to choose when the attack starts. You don't get to
choose when the attack stops. So, you need to keep shooting
until the attacker stops.
The pistol fits your hand if:
When the barrel is lined up with the bones in your forearm and
your hand is up high on the grip so that the flesh between your thumb and
index finger is bunched up under the tang of the pistol,
1. at least the tip of your middle finger is pointing back towards you, and
2. your thumb is able to lie flat against the side of the pistol (preferably
high on the slide), and
3. the last bone segment of your trigger finger is perpendicular to the
barrel when all the slack is taken out of the trigger (assuming the trigger
is in the middle of your fingerprint, all fingerprints have a loop, whorl,
or arch).
"Skill Set: Il Ling New" by Tiger McKee
https://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/4b2408a8-a6c3-49ad-be21-6ad2146cbe3e
Excerpt:
"And if you know someone who questions their abilities when it comes to
firearms, Il Ling is a great role model to steer them towards."
Front Sight Reality Check #78
https://www.frontsight.com/fsrc78/patriot-tbd.asp
The point is, COMMIT!
When you dither, you get gut shot.
Giving the money to the armed robber is fine,
if you think that's your best way to avoid getting hurt.
Shooting the armed robber until the attack stops is fine,
if you actually do it. You have to aim (That means a crystal
clear front sight. Otherwise, you don't hit your intended
target. It doesn't matter what the wacko instructors say
about both eyes open and point shooting. They are just wrong.
Close your non-aiming eye to eliminate the double image and
focus on your front sight.) and continue to fire until the
attacker is convinced that the fight is over, not you, the attacker.
You don't get to choose when the attack starts. You don't get to
choose when the attack stops. So, you need to keep shooting
until the attacker stops.
"Oh, but I might be charged with using excessive force or murder."
You have to be alive to be charged with anything (by cowardly prosecutors).
Court-martials are awarded to the survivors of the combat actions (by cowardly commanding generals).
"Guile > Gadgets" by Chris Cypert
https://amplifiedbeing.com/2021/04/15/guile-gadgets/
Excerpt:
"It’s pretty clear that technical skill is important, but savvy, guile, and judgment are
perhaps the paramount assets we should be striving to develop. I’m a relatively big,
physically imposing guy. I can fight and shoot passably well compared to the general
populace. None of that does me any good if I’m pumping gas with my head buried
in my phone and a 120 lb crackhead fractures my skull with a tire iron, or if I let a
carjacker get close enough to me to put his screwdriver to my throat because he
feigned that he was selling tire and wheel cleaner as he approached me in a parking lot.
My sub-1.2 second draw to first shot or 0.2 second split times (time between shots)
aren’t helpful if I don’t understand when I am legally permitted to use lethal force.
If I execute that draw to first shot and split times in a legally and morally unjustifiable
manner, I’m just rushing to jail-time. In fact, being ignorant and wrong with lots of
speed is probably worse than just being wrong, because it’s a lot harder to get on the
brakes in time."
"Panic is simply the lack of preprogrammed responses."
-- Tom Givens
----- Safety -----
Jeff Cooper's Rules of Gun Safety
RULE I: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED.
RULE II: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY.
RULE III: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET.
RULE IV: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET.
"Casualties!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/casualties/
“Perfer et obdura. Dolor hic olim proderit olim.”
“Be patient and enduring. This pain will serve you one day.”
-- Ovid
John takes the time to write to you. Please take the time to consider his advice.
John Farnam's rules to keep you out of trouble:
Don't go to stupid places.
Don't do stupid things.
Don't hang out with stupid people.
Be in bed by 10 PM. Your own bed.
Don't look like a freak.
Don't fail the attitude test.
----- Training -----
You need training because:
You don't know what you don't know.
Much of what you know is false.
It's good to the have the answers before the criminal tests you.
-- Claude Werner (paraphrased)
"Neural Based Training: Book One: Retrospectives" by Marcus Wynne
https://www.amazon.com/Neural-Based-Training-Book-Retrospectives-ebook/dp/B08PCBCTFV
I highly recommend. Worth way more than the $5 that Amazon charges.
(I always use my Amazon Smile account to support my favorite charity, Paladin Training.)
Excerpt:
Random Tips for Winning On The Street --
The number one option for personal security is a lifelong commitment to avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation.
Make up your mind right now about what you are willing to do to win in a fight.
Be alert to your surroundings.
Avoid conflict. There’s always someone better than you.
Keep moving
Action beats reaction
There is no “second place” on the street.
Always cheat.
Always win.
Keep breathing and moving your head.
Don’t escalate the situation.
If they escalate, finish them.
Keep your head moving and your vision in play.
Always, always check behind you (check six);
always, always check around you (check 360).
Have the mentality to do whatever has to be done.
Make up your mind in advance.
Fight until the threat is over.
Be sure it’s over.
Watch the triangle (head (eyes) to shoulders) and the hands.
Have a plan.
Have a backup plan, because the first one won’t survive first contact.
Don’t drop your guard.
Be aggressive enough, early enough.
The faster you finish the fight, the less hurt you will be.
THE GOLDEN RULE: KNOW WHEN YOU’RE IN A FIGHT.
IT STARTS LONG BEFORE THE BLOWS GET THROWN.
MOST PEOPLE GET HURT BECAUSE THEY DON’T RECOGNIZE
AN INTERVIEW OR THE IMPENDING CUES AROUND THEM
THAT TELL YOU — YOU’RE IN A FIGHT.
---
Marcus Wynne --
In defensive pistolcraft, assessing the situation faster and reacting faster
in a lethal engagement is what will ensure your survival.
---
Marcus gives many exercises that you can do with your students to improve
perception.
"Neural Based Training, Paradigm Busting, and Principles of Training Design"
by Marcus Wynne
https://marcuswynne.com/neural-based-training-paradigm-busting-and-principles-of-training-design/
In an interview for Black Belt magazine.
Marcus Wynne: How many repetitions do you do in training?
(Expecting the answer would be in the hundreds.)
Bill Wallace: Fifty a day. But, I do everyone as if my life depended on it.
. . .
Dennis Martin: It is possible to take the training, get the certificate,
and never be in a mental state similar to that in a gunfight.
The emotions make the learning deeper.
The Nikita Project. [We should take the responsibility to train and arm
the women in our life. As we learned in Social Studies classes a half
century ago, women control the population, because only they can produce
babies. So, societies that send their women into combat are stupid. -- Jon Low]
A student of the Citizens Safety Academy in Murfreesboro, TN
(Aqil and Tiffany's school) cited an article by Commander Zero that
said a civilian self defender should spend a ratio of 1:10, gear to
training expense, and a professional should spend a ratio of 1:20
gear to training; and asked what we all thought the appropriate
ratio of equipment cost to training cost should be.
My response to the Facebook.com post was -
A modern self-defense pistol will cost you ~$600 plus holster,
belt, magazine and flashlight pouch, flashlight, 1000 round case of ammo,
extra magazines, ear protection, eye protection, etc.; ~$2000 total.
A 4 or 5 day pistol course at any of the renown gun schools
will cost you ~$2000 plus air fare, hotel, rental car, lost income
from not working, etc.; ~$4000 total.
So, the ratio is 1:2, just to get started, if you are serious.
In the following years, if you take one training session per
year such as Tac Con that's ~$500 plus travel, hotel, lost income,
etc. (~$1000), the ratio is 2:1, gear to training, per year.
If you're independently wealthy and like to fly around and
take classes from various instructors, I guess you could push the
ratio.
"The real value of training and practice isn't gaining technical competence,
it's achieving confidence in your abilities."
-- Claude Werner
From an email from Mike Ox --
. . .
In "Teaching to the Test," teachers are less interested in students
learning real-world skills and more interested in racking up impressive
numbers on the test . . . so they teach the material that they know will
be on the test.
This is how we end up with kids doing awesome on the math portion of
the SAT but not knowing how to make change.
. . .
On a plate rack, you shoot 6 plates in quick succession . . .
Once you get the timing of your gun down, and know the angles between
plates, you can burn it down in a couple of seconds . . . but that speed
and pre-defined transition angle doesn't really carry over to anything
other than shooting that size plate rack at that distance.
It's ridiculously fun, but not ridiculously valuable. Training for
the plate rack is training for the test.
"I make guns happier by ensuring their owners are well trained."
-- Mike Seeklander
Jeff Gonzales Carbine Class (Part 8 - Remediation)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otceFLlOtao
"The Importance of the First Shot" by the Tactical Professor
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2021/04/09/the-importance-of-the-first-shot/
Excerpt:
"In a gunfight, the shooter who first scores a hit above the diaphragm of his
opponent is the one who seizes the initiative in the incident.
Making a good hit with the FIRST SHOT fired is key to seizing the initiative and
then retaining it until the incident is over.
No one’s performance improves after he gets shot in a vital area."
There are only 4 things you need for combat:
Get the pistol out of the holster and on target. (the presentation)
Get good hits at 0 to 7 yards. (marksmanship)
Reload, if necessary.
Clear malfunctions, if necessary.
Of course, you need to do this before the enemy kills you.
So, you need to practice so that you can do it quickly. And,
you need to pay attention to what's going on around you so that
you can do it proactively, as opposed to reactively.
Of course, the first thing you should do before jumping
into any dangerous situation is to mentally stop and take a deep
breath. (Thanks to Marcus Wynne.) Because exercising good judgment
is more important than all the other things you may or may not do
later. You will have the time to do this, because you will have
seen the situation developing, because you are always in condition
yellow and so recognized the abnormality. When you recognized the
potential threat and moved to condition orange you will take evasive
action, perhaps moved your loved ones away to avoid the situation.
When you recognize the threat and move to condition red, you will
take action to stop the attack. Because you have trained and
practiced, condition black will only last a few seconds.
We do not shoot to kill. (If the bad guy dies a year after
you shot him, a prosecutor may charge you with one of the various
homicide crimes.) A summary execution would be a shooting to kill.
Which is justified under the Uniform Code of Military Justice in
certain circumstances. Shooting to a non-vital area may eventually
kill the assailant, but we need to stop the assailant NOW to
prevent harm or further harm to us or our loved ones. We cannot
tolerate a shot that will allow the assailant 10 seconds of animation.
Ten seconds is more than enough time for the assailant to kill you
by shooting or stabbing you.
We always shoot to immediately stop the attack. We don't care
if it is a psychological stop or a physiological stop. All we care
about is stopping the attack.
So, if all we see is an elbow or foot around a corner, that's
what we shoot at. Whoever draws first blood usually wins the fight,
because it debilitates the enemy, allowing our continued counter
attack to succeed. Or, it causes the enemy to give up and run away.
A psychological stop.
If we have the opportunity to shoot at the brain, spinal column,
or vital organ (heart and lungs), we will shoot to the high thoracic
cavity to destroy the heart and lungs (This will require penetrating
the rib cage and perhaps the arm. Not easily done with pistol
ammunition.) or we will shoot through the cranio-ocular cavity (eyes
and nose) or the external auditory meatus (ear hole) to get our bullet
into the brain. The back of the skull has no hole, so the target
would be the spinal column at the base of the skull. (Penetrating
the skull with pistol ammunition is a very low probability event.)
A physiological stop.
The following is why you must exercise your God given right to
train and arm women, especially young ladies. The following is real.
It is not a hypothetical to be discussed in a class. It is to be
acted on by you, by sending your loved ones to training.
I offer the following because a narrator tells the story of
Samantha Koenig's kidnapping, rape, and murder without graphic photos
or prejudicial stuff like that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l65EL29NTjM
This is why we must train and arm our women folk. If Miss Koenig
had been trained, the assailant, Israel Keyes, would never have
attacked her in the first place. If he had attacked, she could
have defended herself. That is to say, she would have chosen
to defend herself, as opposed to choosing to cooperate and
never scream, never resist.
Never let anyone move you. Never let anyone tie you up.
https://samharris.org/the-truth-about-violence/
If you have the stomach for it,
you can view his confession interview on YouTube.com at
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=israel+keyes+interrogation
I blame the parents. Failing to train your children for
the realities of life is gross negligence. I am not a hypocrite.
I took my children to a 4-day Defensive Handgun class when each
turned 14 years of age. (And I write to them often to keep them aware.)
Not that they would carry at that age, but the lectures and mindset
training were invaluable. It changes the persons behavior, which
causes the predator to deselect the person for victimization.
[I have also trained and armed several ladies who are not related to me.
While some are former girlfriends (not wives, never attempt to train or
coach your wife), the vast majority were not. They were sent to me by
loved ones who cared for them.]
It is your duty to train and arm your women. Yes, there is
something you can do. Send your female loved ones to
Vicki Farnam's Ladies' class,
16-17 October 2021 DTI Women’s Defensive Handgun, Nashville, TN.
https://defense-training.com/store/?model_number=59493970&option=16-17%20Oct%202021%20-%20Nashville,%20TN
(No, I'm not getting any kick back. Quite the contrary.)
"Practicing the First Shot" by the Tactical Professor
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2021/04/27/practicing-the-first-shot/
"Conducting Executive Protection Operations" by Michael Mann Security Services
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/conducting-executive-protection-operations-tickets-151305915065
"Training Slow & Smooth or Go Fast, Don’t Suck???" by Mike Ox
https://dryfiretrainingcards.com/blog/training-slow-smooth-or-go-fast-dont-suck/
"Mastering the Trigger Press" by Sheriff Jim Wilson
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2021/4/23/mastering-the-trigger-press
Excerpt:
Bill Jordan once, jokingly, said,
“I don’t understand it.
The sights were perfectly lined up before
I shut my eyes and jerked the trigger!”
"Regardless of what we think we are doing,
the bullet is going to go where the muzzle is pointing.
Gun muzzles and bullets don’t lie.
If you are having trouble getting them to do what they are supposed to do,
you might want to work on that trigger press."
"5 Tips To Improve Your Match Scores In Any Shooting Discipline" by Frank Melloni
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2021/4/19/5-tips-to-improve-your-match-scores-in-any-shooting-discipline
"Getting Back In the Zone"
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2021/4/25/getting-back-in-the-zone
"Why Combat Accurate Training Doesn’t Work (Except When It Does)" by Mike Ox
https://dryfiretrainingcards.com/blog/combat-accurate-training-doesnt-work-except/
"Guile > Gadgets" by Chris Cypert
https://amplifiedbeing.com/2021/04/15/guile-gadgets/
Excerpt:
"It’s pretty clear that technical skill is important, but savvy, guile, and judgment are
perhaps the paramount assets we should be striving to develop. I’m a relatively big,
physically imposing guy. I can fight and shoot passably well compared to the general
populace. None of that does me any good if I’m pumping gas with my head buried
in my phone and a 120 lb crackhead fractures my skull with a tire iron, or if I let a
carjacker get close enough to me to put his screwdriver to my throat because he
feigned that he was selling tire and wheel cleaner as he approached me in a parking lot.
My sub-1.2 second draw to first shot or 0.2 second split times (time between shots)
aren’t helpful if I don’t understand when I am legally permitted to use lethal force.
If I execute that draw to first shot and split times in a legally and morally unjustifiable
manner, I’m just rushing to jail-time. In fact, being ignorant and wrong with lots of
speed is probably worse than just being wrong, because it’s a lot harder to get on the
brakes in time."
"Panic is simply the lack of preprogrammed responses."
-- Tom Givens
----- Safety -----
Jeff Cooper's Rules of Gun Safety
RULE I: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED.
RULE II: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY.
RULE III: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET.
RULE IV: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET.
"Casualties!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/casualties/
“Perfer et obdura. Dolor hic olim proderit olim.”
“Be patient and enduring. This pain will serve you one day.”
-- Ovid
John takes the time to write to you. Please take the time to consider his advice.
John Farnam's rules to keep you out of trouble:
Don't go to stupid places.
Don't do stupid things.
Don't hang out with stupid people.
Be in bed by 10 PM. Your own bed.
Don't look like a freak.
Don't fail the attitude test.
----- Training -----
You need training because:
You don't know what you don't know.
Much of what you know is false.
It's good to the have the answers before the criminal tests you.
-- Claude Werner (paraphrased)
"Neural Based Training: Book One: Retrospectives" by Marcus Wynne
https://www.amazon.com/Neural-Based-Training-Book-Retrospectives-ebook/dp/B08PCBCTFV
I highly recommend. Worth way more than the $5 that Amazon charges.
(I always use my Amazon Smile account to support my favorite charity, Paladin Training.)
Excerpt:
Random Tips for Winning On The Street --
The number one option for personal security is a lifelong commitment to avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation.
Make up your mind right now about what you are willing to do to win in a fight.
Be alert to your surroundings.
Avoid conflict. There’s always someone better than you.
Keep moving
Action beats reaction
There is no “second place” on the street.
Always cheat.
Always win.
Keep breathing and moving your head.
Don’t escalate the situation.
If they escalate, finish them.
Keep your head moving and your vision in play.
Always, always check behind you (check six);
always, always check around you (check 360).
Have the mentality to do whatever has to be done.
Make up your mind in advance.
Fight until the threat is over.
Be sure it’s over.
Watch the triangle (head (eyes) to shoulders) and the hands.
Have a plan.
Have a backup plan, because the first one won’t survive first contact.
Don’t drop your guard.
Be aggressive enough, early enough.
The faster you finish the fight, the less hurt you will be.
THE GOLDEN RULE: KNOW WHEN YOU’RE IN A FIGHT.
IT STARTS LONG BEFORE THE BLOWS GET THROWN.
MOST PEOPLE GET HURT BECAUSE THEY DON’T RECOGNIZE
AN INTERVIEW OR THE IMPENDING CUES AROUND THEM
THAT TELL YOU — YOU’RE IN A FIGHT.
---
Marcus Wynne --
In defensive pistolcraft, assessing the situation faster and reacting faster
in a lethal engagement is what will ensure your survival.
---
Marcus gives many exercises that you can do with your students to improve
perception.
"Neural Based Training, Paradigm Busting, and Principles of Training Design"
by Marcus Wynne
https://marcuswynne.com/neural-based-training-paradigm-busting-and-principles-of-training-design/
In an interview for Black Belt magazine.
Marcus Wynne: How many repetitions do you do in training?
(Expecting the answer would be in the hundreds.)
Bill Wallace: Fifty a day. But, I do everyone as if my life depended on it.
. . .
Dennis Martin: It is possible to take the training, get the certificate,
and never be in a mental state similar to that in a gunfight.
The emotions make the learning deeper.
The Nikita Project. [We should take the responsibility to train and arm
the women in our life. As we learned in Social Studies classes a half
century ago, women control the population, because only they can produce
babies. So, societies that send their women into combat are stupid. -- Jon Low]
A student of the Citizens Safety Academy in Murfreesboro, TN
(Aqil and Tiffany's school) cited an article by Commander Zero that
said a civilian self defender should spend a ratio of 1:10, gear to
training expense, and a professional should spend a ratio of 1:20
gear to training; and asked what we all thought the appropriate
ratio of equipment cost to training cost should be.
My response to the Facebook.com post was -
A modern self-defense pistol will cost you ~$600 plus holster,
belt, magazine and flashlight pouch, flashlight, 1000 round case of ammo,
extra magazines, ear protection, eye protection, etc.; ~$2000 total.
A 4 or 5 day pistol course at any of the renown gun schools
will cost you ~$2000 plus air fare, hotel, rental car, lost income
from not working, etc.; ~$4000 total.
So, the ratio is 1:2, just to get started, if you are serious.
In the following years, if you take one training session per
year such as Tac Con that's ~$500 plus travel, hotel, lost income,
etc. (~$1000), the ratio is 2:1, gear to training, per year.
If you're independently wealthy and like to fly around and
take classes from various instructors, I guess you could push the
ratio.
"The real value of training and practice isn't gaining technical competence,
it's achieving confidence in your abilities."
-- Claude Werner
From an email from Mike Ox --
. . .
In "Teaching to the Test," teachers are less interested in students
learning real-world skills and more interested in racking up impressive
numbers on the test . . . so they teach the material that they know will
be on the test.
This is how we end up with kids doing awesome on the math portion of
the SAT but not knowing how to make change.
. . .
On a plate rack, you shoot 6 plates in quick succession . . .
Once you get the timing of your gun down, and know the angles between
plates, you can burn it down in a couple of seconds . . . but that speed
and pre-defined transition angle doesn't really carry over to anything
other than shooting that size plate rack at that distance.
It's ridiculously fun, but not ridiculously valuable. Training for
the plate rack is training for the test.
"I make guns happier by ensuring their owners are well trained."
-- Mike Seeklander
Jeff Gonzales Carbine Class (Part 8 - Remediation)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otceFLlOtao
"The Importance of the First Shot" by the Tactical Professor
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2021/04/09/the-importance-of-the-first-shot/
Excerpt:
"In a gunfight, the shooter who first scores a hit above the diaphragm of his
opponent is the one who seizes the initiative in the incident.
Making a good hit with the FIRST SHOT fired is key to seizing the initiative and
then retaining it until the incident is over.
No one’s performance improves after he gets shot in a vital area."
There are only 4 things you need for combat:
Get the pistol out of the holster and on target. (the presentation)
Get good hits at 0 to 7 yards. (marksmanship)
Reload, if necessary.
Clear malfunctions, if necessary.
Of course, you need to do this before the enemy kills you.
So, you need to practice so that you can do it quickly. And,
you need to pay attention to what's going on around you so that
you can do it proactively, as opposed to reactively.
Of course, the first thing you should do before jumping
into any dangerous situation is to mentally stop and take a deep
breath. (Thanks to Marcus Wynne.) Because exercising good judgment
is more important than all the other things you may or may not do
later. You will have the time to do this, because you will have
seen the situation developing, because you are always in condition
yellow and so recognized the abnormality. When you recognized the
potential threat and moved to condition orange you will take evasive
action, perhaps moved your loved ones away to avoid the situation.
When you recognize the threat and move to condition red, you will
take action to stop the attack. Because you have trained and
practiced, condition black will only last a few seconds.
We do not shoot to kill. (If the bad guy dies a year after
you shot him, a prosecutor may charge you with one of the various
homicide crimes.) A summary execution would be a shooting to kill.
Which is justified under the Uniform Code of Military Justice in
certain circumstances. Shooting to a non-vital area may eventually
kill the assailant, but we need to stop the assailant NOW to
prevent harm or further harm to us or our loved ones. We cannot
tolerate a shot that will allow the assailant 10 seconds of animation.
Ten seconds is more than enough time for the assailant to kill you
by shooting or stabbing you.
We always shoot to immediately stop the attack. We don't care
if it is a psychological stop or a physiological stop. All we care
about is stopping the attack.
So, if all we see is an elbow or foot around a corner, that's
what we shoot at. Whoever draws first blood usually wins the fight,
because it debilitates the enemy, allowing our continued counter
attack to succeed. Or, it causes the enemy to give up and run away.
A psychological stop.
If we have the opportunity to shoot at the brain, spinal column,
or vital organ (heart and lungs), we will shoot to the high thoracic
cavity to destroy the heart and lungs (This will require penetrating
the rib cage and perhaps the arm. Not easily done with pistol
ammunition.) or we will shoot through the cranio-ocular cavity (eyes
and nose) or the external auditory meatus (ear hole) to get our bullet
into the brain. The back of the skull has no hole, so the target
would be the spinal column at the base of the skull. (Penetrating
the skull with pistol ammunition is a very low probability event.)
A physiological stop.
The following is why you must exercise your God given right to
train and arm women, especially young ladies. The following is real.
It is not a hypothetical to be discussed in a class. It is to be
acted on by you, by sending your loved ones to training.
I offer the following because a narrator tells the story of
Samantha Koenig's kidnapping, rape, and murder without graphic photos
or prejudicial stuff like that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l65EL29NTjM
This is why we must train and arm our women folk. If Miss Koenig
had been trained, the assailant, Israel Keyes, would never have
attacked her in the first place. If he had attacked, she could
have defended herself. That is to say, she would have chosen
to defend herself, as opposed to choosing to cooperate and
never scream, never resist.
Never let anyone move you. Never let anyone tie you up.
https://samharris.org/the-truth-about-violence/
If you have the stomach for it,
you can view his confession interview on YouTube.com at
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=israel+keyes+interrogation
I blame the parents. Failing to train your children for
the realities of life is gross negligence. I am not a hypocrite.
I took my children to a 4-day Defensive Handgun class when each
turned 14 years of age. (And I write to them often to keep them aware.)
Not that they would carry at that age, but the lectures and mindset
training were invaluable. It changes the persons behavior, which
causes the predator to deselect the person for victimization.
[I have also trained and armed several ladies who are not related to me.
While some are former girlfriends (not wives, never attempt to train or
coach your wife), the vast majority were not. They were sent to me by
loved ones who cared for them.]
It is your duty to train and arm your women. Yes, there is
something you can do. Send your female loved ones to
Vicki Farnam's Ladies' class,
16-17 October 2021 DTI Women’s Defensive Handgun, Nashville, TN.
https://defense-training.com/store/?model_number=59493970&option=16-17%20Oct%202021%20-%20Nashville,%20TN
(No, I'm not getting any kick back. Quite the contrary.)
"Practicing the First Shot" by the Tactical Professor
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2021/04/27/practicing-the-first-shot/
"Conducting Executive Protection Operations" by Michael Mann Security Services
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/conducting-executive-protection-operations-tickets-151305915065
"Training Slow & Smooth or Go Fast, Don’t Suck???" by Mike Ox
https://dryfiretrainingcards.com/blog/training-slow-smooth-or-go-fast-dont-suck/
"Mastering the Trigger Press" by Sheriff Jim Wilson
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2021/4/23/mastering-the-trigger-press
Excerpt:
Bill Jordan once, jokingly, said,
“I don’t understand it.
The sights were perfectly lined up before
I shut my eyes and jerked the trigger!”
"Regardless of what we think we are doing,
the bullet is going to go where the muzzle is pointing.
Gun muzzles and bullets don’t lie.
If you are having trouble getting them to do what they are supposed to do,
you might want to work on that trigger press."
"5 Tips To Improve Your Match Scores In Any Shooting Discipline" by Frank Melloni
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2021/4/19/5-tips-to-improve-your-match-scores-in-any-shooting-discipline
"Getting Back In the Zone"
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2021/4/25/getting-back-in-the-zone
"Why Combat Accurate Training Doesn’t Work (Except When It Does)" by Mike Ox
https://dryfiretrainingcards.com/blog/combat-accurate-training-doesnt-work-except/
Latest Rangemaster newsletter, including link to register for Tac Con 2022.
I'm planning to take the Aug 14-15 Advanced Instructor Development at Royal Range, Nashville, TN.
"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
Strive for short recent practice sessions.
Why practice?
"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
Hearing loss is permanent and cumulative.
"Be careful what you practice.
Because you will do in combat whatever you
have practiced, no matter how ridiculous."
-- "Shooting in Self-Defense" by Sara Ahrens
----- Techniques -----
"Use only that which works,
and take it from any place you can find it."
-- Bruce Lee
"Should You Carry a Handgun in the Small of Your Back?" by Richard Mann
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2021/4/9/should-you-carry-a-handgun-in-the-small-of-your-back
Mr. Mann's answer is no. I concur.
"Practical Skills:
Improving Your Draw for Competition Shooting" by David Blanton, The Humble Marksman
https://www.thearmorylife.com/practical-skills-improving-your-draw-for-competition-shooting/
The video is at the top of the article, but a transcript follows below the
video.
Excerpts: (paraphrased)
Not just for competition. The principles apply to combat shooting.
The holster should hold your pistol where your hand hangs naturally.
This minimizes movement to get a grip on your pistol. Which means it is
faster. Carrying your pistol anywhere else is slower because you have
to mover farther to get to it. So, no, appendix carry is not faster.
(See the explanation in the video.)
Canting the pistol grip forward to prevent printing is fine. But,
canting the pistol grip backward is more efficient, because it requires
less movement to get the pistol on target. It's always a compromise.
Use your whole body to aim.
From the compressed ready position, push your sights forward along
your line of sight to the target. (Martha Holschen taught me this at
Tac Con 2021.)
Always present at the same speed. Because this does not affect your
accuracy. Only sight control and trigger control affect accuracy.
Keep the shoulders down and relaxed.
David demonstrates micro drills for timing and technique.
David teaches prepping the trigger in the presentation before the
sights are on the target. (Fine for competition. Dangerous in combat,
as John Farnam points out in his post "Prepping" on his Quips web page.)
David recommends you set your goal to achieve a one second draw
from open carry holster to target with the sights lined up on the target
and the slack out of the trigger. (I agree that the shooting should
always be a separate intellectual decision, not part of an automatic
process.) From concealment, I think it would be reasonable to add half
a second for a total of 1.5 seconds.
"Visual Patience for faster hits — how to take your time and be quick about it . . ."
by Mike Ox
https://dryfiretrainingcards.com/blog/visual-patience-for-faster-hits-how-to-take-your-time-and-be-quick-about-it/
"Functional Fighting Movement
Speed is key in a fight for your life,
but it's a commonly believed myth that you need to
MOVE quicker to BE quicker. << FALSE!
The easiest way to move quicker and shoot quicker
is to eliminate wasted movement and
move smoother and more efficiently."
-- Mike Ox
Thoughts on "Signaling" by John Murphy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQriYJ9LxqE
"Sling Setup" by Larry Vickers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N9bBuswEUA
Mike Seeklander Teaches Us How To Suck Less With A Rifle!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9ZuUncf3pw
Drop the firing side elbow down,
Drive the firing side shoulder into the gun,
Pull the gun into the firing side shoulder,
Press the firing side cheek onto the stock.
The Weaver stance was developed with the idea that the shooter could use the same
position for handgun and long gun. John Correia and Mike Seeklander are advocating
the same thing, except with the Isosceles position instead of the Weaver position.
Seeklander is effectively using the rifle as one leg of the isosceles triangle and the
support side arm as the other leg of the isosceles triangle. Correia is shooting with
a bit more bend in his support side arm.
I don't agree with their statement that boxers and Jiu Jitsu practitioners use the
Isosceles position. I think they use the Weaver position.
When Seeklander talks about getting gun to the center of your body as opposed
to having the stock way out on your shoulder, he means place the butt of the stock
on the clavicle as near the neck as possible (exactly what has been taught in smallbore
riflery and air rifle at the Olympic Training Centers, though not possible with all body types).
"Why Eye Dominance Matters for Personal Defense" by David Workman
Excerpt:
"That’s true for about 20 percent of people, where your dominant arm and eye are not on the same side."
I don't agree with Mr. Workman that you should shoot with both eyes open.
But, I'm happy to cite differing opinions. "It's not daily increase but daily decrease - hack away at the inessentials!"
-- Bruce Lee
----- Tactics -----
How do you win a gunfight?
Don't be there.
-- John Farnam
"You cannot exceed your ability;
trying to do so invites failure."
-- Brian Enos
TACTICS is THINKING.
-- Patrick Kilchermann
"How to Protect Your Personal Space" by Sheriff Jim Wilson
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2021/4/11/how-to-protect-your-personal-space
"Tactical Moment" by John Holschen
https://www.youtube.com/user/tacticalmoment
John tells me he hopes to make more of these videos in the future.
"The St. Ann’s Hospital Shooting" by Greg Ellifritz
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/the-st-anns-hospital-shooting
Ya, I've worked security in Nashville hospital emergency rooms.
You have to search the patient and his belongings when he first arrives.
Otherwise, things go sideways fast.
You win gunfights by not getting shot.
-- John Holschen
----- Education -----
"You will never get smarter or broaden your horizons
if you're unwilling to learn from others and read."
-- Becca Martin
"Facing the Active Shooter (Tom Givens, Ed Monk)" by Michael Bane
All mass murders occur in gun free zones. Going into a gun free zone is an act of
stupidity. Sending your children into a gun free zone is an act of criminal stupidity.
There is absolutely no reason to talk to a bad guy shooting innocent persons.
Even when the police show up, they might not solve the problem. They might
just set up a perimeter and wait. Oh, ya, it happens all the time.
Gathering the kids into clusters makes them easier targets.
We never know when or where the attack will occur.
Calling 911 is not a reasonable plan. The cops just take too long to get there.
Running away is optimal "Time Analysis of a Certified Peace Officer's Drawing from Holster and Firing:
Weapon and Holster Comparison" by Lon Bartel and David Blakes, Ph.D., Apr. 20, 2021
Excerpt:
"It should be noted that 3% of the officers missed the designated target zone at 3 yards."
This experiment shows that the bad guy can travel about 30 feet in the time it
takes a police officer to draw and fire one round. While the testing methodology is
similar, note that all of the equipment is different from that used in 1986 for the
Tueller Drill. DTI videos by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/videos/
"Concealed Carry: Issues and Perspectives" by John Murphy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ju5GtzzgLE&list=PLkL2g0uY2GSduhVBwzGL2ROyN-TSdDGLq
"Cogito, ergo armatum sum." (I think, therefore armed am I.)
-- John Farnam
***** ***** ***** Hardware (which includes you) ***** ***** *****
"I would like to see every
woman know how to handle
guns as naturally as they
know how to handle babies."
-- Annie Oakley
----- Gear -----
“Mission drives the gear train.”
-- Pat Rogers
"Best Gun Cleaning Kits to Keep Handy
A clean firearm is a safe firearm"
by Luke Cuenco
https://www.outdoorhub.com/best-cleaning-kits/
"The anatomy of a gunshot and why your bullet choices matter" by Warren Wilson
https://www.police1.com/police-products/firearms/accessories/ammunition/articles/the-anatomy-of-a-gunshot-and-why-your-bullet-choices-matter-oZUuWmXRGA1txWdJ/
Wear a tight undershirt, so it won't foul your presentation or holstering.
Wear a loose overshirt / concealment garment, so you don't print.
"Which pistol should I use?"
Louis Awerbuck (January 27, 1948 - June 24, 2014) recommended the Springfield
Armory XD in 45 ACP.
If you don't have an ultrasonic cleaner, your dishwasher (the machine, not the
person) will do a good job on modern pistols. Modern pistols don't have small parts
as the older pistols had. I'm talking about field stripping, not disassembly.
Or, you can get a 5 gallon plastic bucket, pour in some WD-40, and let your
pistols soak over night.
Or, you could toss the parts into your vibrator / tumbler with pistachio hulls.
(I eat a lot of pistachios.)
I have found that sand blasting works really well. If you want to take it
that far.
I sold my Kimber Custom Target in 45 ACP to a friend at work. I made sure to
explain to him that if you install the buffer (I included six Wilson Combat synthetic
buffers, which are supposed to be changed every 1000 rounds.), you won't be able to
release the slide by racking the slide. You will have to use the slide lock lever
to release the slide. The buffer prevents the slide from moving back far enough to
push the slide lock down to release the slide.
Of course, you don't have to use the buffers. But, the frame is aluminum and
the slide is steel. So, eventually, the frame is going to wear out, in the sense
that the hole in the aluminum frame that holds the pin that holds the pistol
together, is going to get bigger and so looser. Then you're going to have to
do some aluminum welding to close up the holes and then drill them out, and then
ream them to fit.
"The Realities of Concealed Carry in a Purse" by Annette Evans
https://www.concealedcarry.com/safety/realities-concealed-carry-purse/
'Concealed Carry: Armed Self-Defense "Holsters and things!" ' by John Murphy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49oU8Vqg9qw
"This is Why I Believe Hybrid Holsters Are Awful | Active Self Protection Extra"
by John Correia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM6ERorBLQQ
Excerpt:
"Tactical muffin top."
Several valid points. The retention point is most significant.
I too have seen many pistols fall out of their holsters during classes,
IDPA matches, and IPSC matches.
The access to the trigger is a significant point. Most modern
self-defense pistols do not have manual thumb safeties, because the
holster is the safety. But, the holster only acts as a safety if
the trigger guard is completely sealed off.
"Craft Holsters Double Magazine Pouch and Belt Review" by Matt at The Cosmic Freight Train
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZPNWqwHNjk
Hat tip to Mark at Practical Eschatology.
I love patrolling at night. Some guys don't like to patrol at night,
generally because they can't see in starlight or moonlight, generally
because they smoke.
"A pack-a-day smoker builds high levels of carbon monoxide in his blood,
which reduce 20 percent of normal night vision at sea level, an effect that
increases with altitude; by 10,000 feet, he’s lost 40% of his night vision."
-- “The Ultimate Sniper” by Major John Plaster, U.S. Army retired,
Paladin Press, Revised edition, January 2006, page 8.
ISBN-10: 1581604947, ISBN-13: 978-1581604948. (Major Plaster is a mustang.)
Because I was up and about at night, I saw a vast field saturated with
fireflies. A sight I am sure few humans had ever seen. God gives the
sentinels all kinds of gifts. I never regretted that my duty stations
were the third world pits, not the Embassies in Paris or London. There
are fantastic things you can't see in any big city.
Night vision gear -- When I was in Intel school and afterwards in the fleet,
we checked the U.S. Naval Observatory web site for civil twilight, sunset, sunrise,
moonrise, moonset, and weather conditions. Because we wanted to conduct operations
in the dark. Even without moonlight and with dense cloud cover to block starlight
young healthy Marines could still operate without night vision goggles. Not being
able to see at night is like not being able to swim or not being able to run. Such
Marines were quickly weeded out of the unit.
Ya, you could spend money on night vision goggles, or you could quit smoking.
One option costs you a lot of money. The other option saves you a lot of money
and improves your long term health.
"Trust No One: an insider’s perspective" by Todd Louis Green
http://pistol-training.com/articles/trust-no-one-an-insiders-perspective
Mr. Green speaks the truth. You're not getting what was advertised.
Because the specifications are constantly changing.
My philosophy has been that if the pistol does not function reliably after sending
it back to the manufacturer twice (e.g. Ruger American), I stop sending it back and decide
if I want to spend the time and money having a gunsmith fix it. Sometimes the fix
is beyond what a gunsmith can do. My Ruger Americans required having a machinist
fix a flawed design in the shape of the lugs that protrude from the bottom of the
chamber that control the motion of the barrel during recoil, extraction, and loading.
It was an interesting project, so we did it. It took a lot of technical design work
and machining. If we hadn't had the resources of a medium sized corporate defense
contractor at our disposal, we never would have been able to do it.
“Your car is not a holster.”
– Pat Rogers
----- Technical -----
"Real fights are short."
-- Bruce Lee
generally because they can't see in starlight or moonlight, generally
because they smoke.
"A pack-a-day smoker builds high levels of carbon monoxide in his blood,
which reduce 20 percent of normal night vision at sea level, an effect that
increases with altitude; by 10,000 feet, he’s lost 40% of his night vision."
-- “The Ultimate Sniper” by Major John Plaster, U.S. Army retired,
Paladin Press, Revised edition, January 2006, page 8.
ISBN-10: 1581604947, ISBN-13: 978-1581604948. (Major Plaster is a mustang.)
Because I was up and about at night, I saw a vast field saturated with
fireflies. A sight I am sure few humans had ever seen. God gives the
sentinels all kinds of gifts. I never regretted that my duty stations
were the third world pits, not the Embassies in Paris or London. There
are fantastic things you can't see in any big city.
Night vision gear -- When I was in Intel school and afterwards in the fleet,
we checked the U.S. Naval Observatory web site for civil twilight, sunset, sunrise,
moonrise, moonset, and weather conditions. Because we wanted to conduct operations
in the dark. Even without moonlight and with dense cloud cover to block starlight
young healthy Marines could still operate without night vision goggles. Not being
able to see at night is like not being able to swim or not being able to run. Such
Marines were quickly weeded out of the unit.
Ya, you could spend money on night vision goggles, or you could quit smoking.
One option costs you a lot of money. The other option saves you a lot of money
and improves your long term health.
"Trust No One: an insider’s perspective" by Todd Louis Green
http://pistol-training.com/articles/trust-no-one-an-insiders-perspective
Mr. Green speaks the truth. You're not getting what was advertised.
Because the specifications are constantly changing.
My philosophy has been that if the pistol does not function reliably after sending
it back to the manufacturer twice (e.g. Ruger American), I stop sending it back and decide
if I want to spend the time and money having a gunsmith fix it. Sometimes the fix
is beyond what a gunsmith can do. My Ruger Americans required having a machinist
fix a flawed design in the shape of the lugs that protrude from the bottom of the
chamber that control the motion of the barrel during recoil, extraction, and loading.
It was an interesting project, so we did it. It took a lot of technical design work
and machining. If we hadn't had the resources of a medium sized corporate defense
contractor at our disposal, we never would have been able to do it.
“Your car is not a holster.”
– Pat Rogers
----- Technical -----
"Real fights are short."
-- Bruce Lee
Dear CMP Family,
The CMP advises to not use .30/06 ammunition in M1 Garands, 1903s,
and 1903A3s that is loaded beyond 50,000 CUP and has a bullet weight
more than 172gr. These rifles are at least 70 years old and were not
designed for max loads and super heavy bullets. Always wear hearing
and eye protection when firing an M1 Garand, 1903 and/or 1903A3 rifle.
This warning is an update/addition to the Ammunition section in
the Read This First manual enclosed with each rifle shipment
(M1 Garand manual-page 6 and M1903 manual-page 10).
Civilian Marksmanship Program
This posting is an in depth analysis of red dot sight pros and cons.
Hat tip to Aqil.
"Let's talk about Red Dots for a minute." by Memphis Beech on IDPA
https://www.facebook.com/Mem.IDPA/posts/2266032686830509
Excerpt:
"If you're really just looking for ways to improve, getting professional
training will get you much further than any mere piece of equipment ever will.
Your cash will go much further. A Trijicon RMR can be had for about $450-$500.
How many training hours could you have gotten for that same price?! Possibly
dozens of hours of an instructor fixing mistakes you didn't even know you had,
and answering questions you didn't even think to ask. You've heard it before,
and you know it to be true: There's just no substitute for hard work!"
"The shorter the fight, the less hurt you get."
-- John Holschen
***** ***** ***** 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."
----- Instructors -----
Remember, the students who require the extra effort are the ones who need us the most!
-- John Farnam
Teach positive. Teach what to do. Don't talk about what not to do.
-- John Farnam
Be careful what you teach.
Because your students will do in combat
whatever you have trained them to do,
no matter how ridiculous.
-- "Shooting in Self-Defense" by Sara Ahrens
----- Pedagogy -----
An instructor should not expect any learning to take
place the first time new information is presented.
-- "Building Shooters" by Dustin Solomon
Marcus Wynne --
Many instructors have a significant ego investment in being an "instructor"
-- as such, they don't want to give up that position and step aside at some
point and let the student be responsible for his/her learning process.
In the University of Hawaii there is the School of Ocean and Earth Science
and Technology (SOEST). In this school, there is a Department of Geology and
Geophysics. There is also a Hawaii Institute of Geophysics. I never understood
how they were related. Anyway, there is a sub-department that is concerned with
physics on other planets. Extra terrestrial geophysics, if you will.
Decades ago, we were speculating on the efficacy of a helicopter on Mars.
Would there be enough atmosphere? Would the density / pressure support rotary
wing aircraft? A guy drinking with us said,
"Of course, the rotation generated lift."
'But, it won't generate lift in a vacuum.'
"Why not?"
The point is, nothing is obvious to everyone. So, there is always that
person (the gun industry likes to call him "that guy") for whom the argument
you are making is not obvious. You may not be able to logically convince
that person of the truth of your statement, because that person may lack the
background or education necessary to understand your train of thought.
While you all think you are speaking English, there are many different English
languages. Speak to a South African about robots or quagga. Speak to a
mathematician about pencils. You can't, because the definitions of the words
are completely different. In the case of the mathematician, you might not be
able to understand the definition of "pencil".
So, you have to revert to a shared baseline of understanding, and then
build from there. As William Zinsser said, you must assume your audience is
intelligent, but ignorant. Louis Awerbuck was a master of this.
"The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other.
Without collaboration, our growth is limited to our own perspectives."
-- Robert John Meehan
***** ***** ***** Legal, Political, and Philosophical ***** ***** *****
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.
It is wholly inadequate for the governance of any other.
-- John Adams, October 11, 1798
The U.S. Department of Justice got a court order that allows the FBI
to "fix" computer systems without the owner's permission (or knowledge).
Stop and think about that.
"DoJ used court order to thwart ‘hundreds’ of Microsoft Exchange Server web shells"
by Joe Uchill
https://www.scmagazine.com/home/security-news/vulnerabilities/doj-used-court-orders-to-thwart-hundreds-of-exchange-server-web-shells/
"FBI Accesses Computers Around Country to Delete Microsoft Exchange Hacks"
by Joseph Cox
https://www.vice.com/en/article/y3dmjg/fbi-removes-web-shells-microsoft-exchange
This is a pre-emptive action to prevent a possible future crime.
Have you seen the movie "Minority Report"? Be scared, be very scared, because
this Federal Court order has already been issued and is being implemented by the FBI.
DOJ announcement -
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-court-authorized-effort-disrupt-exploitation-microsoft-exchange
Search Warrant -
https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1386631/download
This is a "Remote Access, Searches, and Seizures". The search warrant doesn't
need to be presented to anyone before the search. The search and seizure can take
place anywhere in the world (even off the planet in satellites). The government is
not specifying the specific places to be searched nor the specific things to be
seized. The warrant specifically allows the FBI to tamper with the software of
non-criminal third parties because they might be vulnerable to attack in the
future.
United States Magistrate Judge Peter Bray desperately needs to be impeached.
[Do you think the DOJ would ever use the FBI to arm and train young women
because they might be attacked in the future? Why not? You see the problem.
Thank God it is our right to train and arm women (The Nikita Project).
As well as bears.]
"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."
-- Second Amendment, U.S. Constitution
"The beat goes on!" BY JOHN FARNAM
https://defense-training.com/the-beat-goes-on-2/
If you see the threat coming and prepare, you won't be taken by surprise.
Losing is forgivable. Being surprised is unforgivable, because it results in
really bad outcomes.
"Governments are instituted among men,
deriving their just power from the consent of the governed."
-- Thomas Jefferson
Andrew Branca's info-graphic describing the 5 elements of the law of self defense.
https://lawofselfdefense.com/beginjourney/
"Police: FedEx gunman legally bought guns used in shooting" by Casey Smith
https://www.police1.com/gun-legislation-law-enforcement/articles/police-fedex-gunman-legally-bought-guns-used-in-shooting-GvBnSaeJWoNryt3x/
Red Flag laws don't work, for the same reason drug laws don't work, for the
same reason prostitution laws don't work, for the same reason gambling laws don't
work, for the same reason Prohibition laws did not work. We did the Prohibition
Constitutional Amendment experiment. It failed. So, we repealed Prohibition.
We are slowly repealing the drug laws, by legalizing various drugs. Here in
Tennessee we have legalized sports gambling.
I buy my guns legally, because that's the type of person I am. But, I am
constantly being offered stolen guns. I know lots of people who have stockpiles
of guns and ammo, and would willing sell (or even give me stuff). You know
these people too. So, Red Flag laws are not to take guns away from bad people.
Red Flag laws (as all gun laws) are to criminalize political opponents. Yes,
they will be used against you. You will be bankrupted by legal costs. That's
the purpose, that's the intent.
"What’s good for ‘reform’ is bad for the ‘reformers’ " by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/whats-good-for-reform-is-bad-for-the-reformers/
I met Donald Trump and his family when he spoke at the NRA Annual
convention in Nashville, Tennessee. I was armed, carrying concealed.
No one asked me to disarm. No one frisked me. He knew he was among
friends who would protect him. Do you think any Democrat presidential
candidate or President can do that at any meeting of liberals? They
always have their private or Secret Service security at such friendly
meetings, so they don't think so.
"Good News!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/good-news/
You notice Black Lives Matter is not praising the police officer for
saving the life of the black girl who was being attacked by the knife
wielding criminal.
If you use a knife in a fight, you are using lethal force. Legally the
same as using a pistol. So, you might as well carry and use the pistol, as
it gives you more range.
"Armed shopper fires gun in Beech Grove Walmart
after shoplifter pulls weapon on security guard
Two Good Samaritans help officers contain suspect" by Shakkira Harris
https://www.wrtv.com/news/public-safety/beech-grove-walmart-shooting
This happened in Indiana. The aftermath would have been completely
different in New Jersey. I know from first hand experience. Where
you choose to live makes all the difference in the world. As an American,
you are free to move. God has smiled on you.
"Defensive Gun Uses By People Legally Carrying Guns:
Cases From February to March 2020" by John R. Lott
https://crimeresearch.org/2021/04/defensive-gun-uses-by-people-legally-carrying-guns-cases-from-february-to-march-2020/
We are the good guys. We are the Holy Warriors.
"Tennessee's Castle Doctrine - it is not what you think it is"
by John Harris
https://tennesseefirearms.com/podcasts/
Legal analysis of Tennessee law
Tennessee Firearms Association
Liz Wheeler
https://lizwheeler.locals.com/index.php
"I Asked Massad Ayoob About Saying Nothing" by John Correia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBy9L0gcqGY
1. Explain what caused you to shoot the bad guy.
2. I will testify against him / them.
3. Point out the evidence.
4. Point out the witnesses.
5. Tell the responding officer that you will cooperate after speaking with your attorney.
Mas' final words about panic are worth remembering.
"Marc Victor's Response to Massad Ayoob's Five-Point Checklist (Part 1) (John's Briefs)"
by John Correia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xejSKwnphI
Excerpt:
In the context of police involved shootings,
"Good police officers understand that the smart thing to do is to not
make a statement."
As Marc says, just because you think it's a justified shoot, doesn't mean
anyone else thinks that. The responding officer could be an anti-gun asshole.
The government has to prove the underlying crime, before I have to claim
self-defense, before the government has to prove beyond a 'reasonable doubt'
that it was not self-defense. If the government can't prove the underlying
crime, I walk. So, why would I give the government any evidence to help them
prove the underlying crime? (My sister, the prosecutor, and my brother-in-law,
the prosecutor, explained this to me many years ago. It's much harder to prove
that I shot the bad guy, than it is to prove that my confessed shooting of the
bad guy was not self-defense.)
Decades ago in Hawaii there was a notorious case referred to as the
Nanakuli Rape case, where the state accused several local persons of raping
a Finnish tourist on the beach in Nanakuli (on the Leeward side of the island
of Oahu). The prosecutors applied pressure and got all of the juvenile
participants to confess to the crime and got them all sentenced before the
adults came to trial. At the trial, the prosecutor presented her case and
rested. The defense (in a state of shock) moved to have all charges dismissed
as the state failed to present a prima facie case. The judge had no choice.
The judge had to dismiss all charges. The prosecution had failed to prove
that the underlying crime (forcible rape) had occurred. The defense never
presented anything. There was world wide outrage, but the victim was haole
(foreigner [caucasian]) and the accused were all kama aina (local resident).
So, there were no riots.
"A Southern Illinois judge has ruled that the Land of
Lincoln's
Firearm Owners Identification Card law is unconstitutional as
it requires a fee for someone to exercise their right to keep and bear
arms."
Let's give White County Resident Judge T. Scott Webb a round of applause. “Is there no virtue among us?
If there is not, we are without hope!
No form of government, existing nor theoretical, will keep us from harm.
To think that any government, in any form,
will insure liberty and happiness for an dishonorable population
represents the height of self-deception.”
-- James Madison, 1788
***** ***** ***** Survival, Medical, Security, and such ***** ***** *****
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Dr. Sherman House
"What To Do In The Event Of A Bomb Blast" by Docent
https://practicaleschatology.blogspot.com/2016/04/what-to-do-in-event-of-bomb-blast.html
Practical stuff you can do to survive a blast.
". . . you won't have a fire team leader directing you in your own,
private, 3-second war.
You were built first to love and second to fight to protect that which you love.
You can and should trust yourself to wage your own private 3-second war better
than anyone - and I mean anyone - could wage it for you.
-- Patrick Kilchermann
When it comes to survival, “just barely” beats the heck outta “not quite good enough.”
-- John Connor
***** ***** ***** Miscellany / History / War Stories ***** ***** *****
"Good habits and skill beat luck every time."
-- Sheriff Jim Wilson
I love stories about Koreans.
"Forgotten Or Unknown
Somebody’s Gotta Speak Up For Them . . . "
Written By John Connor
https://gunsmagazine.com/editors-picks/forgotten-or-unknown/
"Operation Eagle Claw: The Failed Attempt To End the Iran Hostage Crisis"
by Jason Bright
https://www.skillsetmag.com/2021/04/23/operation-eagle-claw-iran-hostage-crisis/
All kinds of neat stuff at:
Practical Eschatology by Docent
https://practicaleschatology.blogspot.com/
The Tactical Professor by Claude Werner
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/
Active Response Training by Gregg Ellifritz
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/
Quips by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/quips/
Rangemaster newsletter by Tom Givens
https://rangemaster.com/publications/rangemaster-newsletter/
CIVILIAN DEFENDER by Sherman House
https://civiliandefender.com/
Handgun Combatives by Dave Spaulding
https://www.youtube.com/c/handguncombatives/videos
Marcus Wynne
https://marcuswynne.com/blog/
Jeff Gonzales
https://www.tridentconcepts.com/evolved-training/blog/
Michael Bane
https://www.michaelbane.tv/category/blog/
A colleague asked me to help with a security detail, paying $23 per hour.
For a guy like me, that's great money. (G4S only paid $16 an hour. A friend
who works at Loomis, told me that they start at $18 an hour with annual raises.)
And the fixed venue (404 Bar and Grill in Nashville, TN) was near my apartment.
I was part of the third ring, inside watching the 'song writers night'
performances. First ring was in the parking lot. Second ring was at the front
door and perimeter of the building. We were all in plain clothes, trying to
blend in and enjoying the cool dry weather. [The principal didn't know we were
there. The restaurant owner and manager didn't know we were there. So, we
wouldn't have had the authority to tell anyone that they were trespassing and
to ask them to leave. Not like church security.]
We were protecting a young lady from up north who had come to Nashville
to seek her fame and fortune. Unfortunately, some wacko got obsessed with
her, and so here we are. I figured we had an advantage knowing who the bad guy
was and who his associates would probably be. But, the bad guy had the big
advantage, because he would choose when and where to attack. [This is how it's
done in the civilian world. In the military world, we would have destroyed
the enemy. Why wait for him to attack?]
A couple of ladies were sitting at a table a three yards away.
One of them was smiling at me, inviting me to come over and buy her a drink.
[This sort of thing only happens when I'm working and can't. Gals dig the
disinterested self confident persona.]
Nothing exciting happened. Everyone went home happy. Easy money.
Life is good. [Did we scare away the bad guys? Did we waste our time?
Did the client waste his money? How much is peace of mind worth?
Maybe we were cheap insurance.]
Math Skills You Need for Quantum Computing by Anastasia Marchenkova
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v1_mlzyxs0
Just saw a young lady in a tee shirt that said,
Don't Piss Off Old People
The older we get
the less "life in prison"
is a deterrent
“In the long-run, there is no such thing as ‘luck’.
However, the short-run is longer than many individual lifetimes!”
-- Anon
Semper Fidelis,
Jonathan D. Low
Jon_Low@yahoo.com
[1] from "Geometrie" by Marcel Berger
Institut des Hautes Etudes Scientifiques
35, route de Chartres
91440 Bures-sur-Yvette
France
published by CEDIC and Fernand Nathan, Paris, 1977. (What a fine year.)
Translated from the French by
Michael Cole
Academic Industrial Epistemology
17 Saint Mary's Mount
Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 5JB
England
and
Silvio Levy
Department of Mathematics, Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey 08544
United States of America
into "Geometry II", Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1987. (Another fine year.)
In case you want to see the details. ISBN 3-540-17015-4
The sum or difference of angles is an angle, not an area. The inconsistency
of units is a thing we have to reconcile in physics, but not in mathematics.
Mathematics is a form of philosophy. Philosophy is pure thought; no data,
no experimentation, hence no connection to anything in reality. When the
human makes the connection, he is not modeling, he is doing violence to nature.
That's why Feynman chose to work on his problems in the presence of beauty.
When you listen to astronomers, they only talk angles, not distance,
not time.
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