Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
The Old Ways
Real talk from Shane about shotguns in low light.
How To Setup A Defensive Shotgun
While we are on the topic of shotguns, I will bring this article to your attention. Similarly, you should also read Myth-Busting the Home Defense Shotgun. Both articles offer fairly solid info.
Unlike the author of the first piece, I do not think a light, sling, or spare ammo is absolutely needed on a home defense shotgun. You will definitely need all of it if you are going to a gun school shotgun class. With that said, optimal class performance isn’t the exact same mission as home defense proficiency.
I’ve been studying shotgun gunfighting for a long while. The shotgun I carried every day as a cop had a light and sling. Hunting armed criminals with a shotgun is a very different mission that defensing a static position inside your own home. I’m not against accessorizing your splatter gun, but you should have a solid, logical reason for every single piece of gear you bolt onto your gauge.
I have two primary home defense shotguns loaded in my house. Neither has a light or a sling. Only one has a spare ammo carrier. Neither have red dots. Despite what all the internet mouth breathers have to say, I won’t feel undergunned if some criminals decide to target me or my house for nefarious purposes.
If you are new to the shotgun world, you should watch this video. It’s by far the best intro to defensive shotgun use that I’ve ever seen.
Viral Message from America’s Ammunition Company
“Expect 20-30% hikes on staples like 9mm and .223/5.56, as competitors scramble.”
Customizing Your POM Pepper Spray
John Murphy weaponizes his geekery by going over all the useful custom modifications you can perform to make your POM pepper spray container more ergonomic and user friendly. Definitely worth the watch if you carry this excellent tool.
The Legality Of Carrying Within 1000 Feet Of A School Zone
Concealed Nation takes a look at the Federal laws in place that govern carrying deadly weapons in a school safety zone. It’s worth a read. You’ll also want to look up your state law on the topic as well.
Wearing the armor too long: When strong men grow silent
“Another hallmark is how he downplays his struggles. If asked how he’s doing, he’ll answer with a smile and a nod: “I’m good.” If pressed, he might admit to being “just tired.” Vulnerability is uncomfortable, not just because of shame but because naming the depth of his pain might open a floodgate, he isn’t sure he can close. So, he minimizes. He manages. He survives.
In parallel, he becomes hyper-independent. He stops asking for help, even in small things — carrying groceries, fixing something broken, taking a break. He believes that needing help is being a burden. The more overwhelmed he becomes, the more tightly he clings to the idea that real men carry their weight silently. In truth, his refusal of support is often a quiet plea for it.”
25 Gunfighting Stats Learned From Convicted Cop Killers
A summary of an older study looking at hard core cop killers. The folks in this research cohort were not your average street criminals. These were apex predators. It’s useful to understand their perspective. If they’ll try to kill uniformed cops, they will have zero problems killing you if they think its necessary.
Test-Firing 5 Colt Belly Guns to Measure Their Effectiveness
A historical look at old west “belly guns.”
Top 5 Must Have Items in EVERY Trauma Kit
Good advice here. I would advise that you refrain from using the “tactical” black nitrile gloves in your medical kit. On black gloves it is difficult to differentiate blood from any other fluid. When you are checking your patient for serious bleeding, you’ll have to run your hands over the patient’s torso and each limb. Look for blood on your gloves as you do this. If you see blood on the gloves, cut away the clothing in that area and look for the wound(s).
Light colored gloves go in the medical kit. Save the black gloves for use when cleaning your AR-15 bolt.
Are Revolvers Extinct?
Tamara’s thoughts on the evolution of the defensive revolver. For an even more sacrilegious take on the topic, some folks will still even use a single action revolver for self protection.
And if any of your primary carry guns is a revolver, you’ll want to try this shooting drill.
Hero Guardsman took down Afghan terror attacker with pocket knife — how the ambush went down
I’ve long advocated attacking an active killer when his gun malfunctions or while he is reloading. Here is a successful application of that particular strategy.
Knife Dueling?
While on the topic of using a knife in a defensive encounter, I think it’s erroneous to base a knife combat system around an event that is exceedingly rare.
Striking or Grappling? Comparing Public and Officers’ Perceptions of Police Use of Force
Interesting research for my cop readers.
Transforming your existing qualification into an unlimited skill assessment
While I really like hot factor scoring for personal accountability, it’s a nightmare to implement in large scale police agency training sessions. Our cops don’t get enough shooting time. Making them spend half of their training session analyzing scores with a calculator is not the best use of our limited training time. A simpler answer that achieves the same goal with far less computational effort is to employ the strategies I outline in the article Double It.
The Path to Pedantry
“A pedant, I take it, is a man who delights more in error than in truth. He does not want to learn, he wants to correct.”
That describes most of the internet and all of social media at this point in time.
Do you wonder why this website doesn’t allow comments? Do you wonder why I don’t engage in internet pissing matches? I don’t know who is worse between the keyboard commando and the pedants. Here’s something to consider. Instead of trying to tear down an author you think is wrong, why don’t you take the time to create a better work product than the erroneous writer?
If you are spending your time on the internet engaging in pedantry, you are wasting your life. Stop it. Use that time to bring something useful into the world.
The predictable outcome of pedantry is anger. Who do you think benefits when you get all riled up? Try reading Weaponizing Anger is a Useful Political Strategy.
Training for a Gunfight: Military Analysis of 133 Firefights
What can we learn from military, police, and civilian gunfights?
Should You Shoot? Self-Defense Tips You Don’t Know
Mike Boyle goes over some legal concepts you should understand. And while you are learning about legal issues, you should also read The Stranger.
For even more legal issues regarding disparity of force, read Mas Ayoob’s piece titled Self-Defense and the Law: Perceptions When Women Use Deadly Force
Fitting an Adjustable Gun
Thoughts about handgun “fit.”
Hilton Yam 1911 Duty Tune: More Fitting & Tuning
A different type of “fitting” in this video. If you are interested in working on your own 1911 pistols, this is a great video series.
I Don’t Like DA/SA Guns Anymore ⋆ Primer Peak
As a full time police firearms instructor during the period of time when my agency transitioned officers from a traditional double action duty pistol to newer Glocks, I think I know more about this topic than the average person. I will say that when I took our agency to Glocks, qualification scores were dramatically improved. I don’t care what you carry. I wouldn’t feel undergunned with a TDA auto pistol, but I think most of you are better served by a polymer striker fired design.
2025 Revolver Roundup AAR – RevolverGuy.Com
Bruce and I with a couple of The Revolver Guy writers after our training block at Gunsite.
A very thorough review of the Gunsite Pat Rogers Memorial Revolver Roundup. I also taught at the Thunderstick Shotgun Summit this year. A review of that class is up on this Primary and Secondary Modcast.
What I’m reading…
Terminal Ballistics: Shooting Through Walls
Yes, high quality defensive ammo will travel through several walls before stopping. The answer is not to go with a a cartridge that penetrates less, but to get good hits and lay out safe fields of fire within your residence.
The Shod Foot – Defense Training International
Sage wisdom from John Farnam. I will add that any of you that have a job that involves telling adults the word “no,” you should be exceptionally cautious at work. There are lots of unhinged individuals out there who don’t want you to control their actions.
DECEMBER 2025 NEWSLETTER
You should be reading Tom’s monthly newsletter.
How to Legally Gift a Gun: A Practical Holiday Guide
Christmas is coming. You don’t want to spend the holidays in jail. For more info on this topic, read Giving a gun as a gift? NSSF offers some reminders.
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