Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
Are You Training for the Wrong Threat? Understanding Primal Aggression vs. Cognitive Aggression – Calibre Press
Not every attacker is agitated and screaming. Here’s how to identify attackers displaying “instrumental aggression.” Read Part Two as well.
Kneeling – One Knee or Two – American Cop
A discussion of kneeling position options.
Is Your Neighborhood Safe? 7 Tools to Help You Find Out
Valuable resources that will help you identify the crime trends in an area where you may be living or visiting.
Tactical Applications of the Lever Action Rifle | Hunting Wire
Let’s talk lever guns. First, here is another article you may find useful.
Selling Tactical Lever-Action Rifles | Tactical Retailer
I like lever guns. I currently own three and wouldn’t feel undergunned if I had to press one into service as a defensive rifle. With that said, I don’t get the whole “tactical lever action” craze. Unless one is living in a state or country where semi auto rifles are forbidden, lever guns for self protection don’t make a whole lot of sense.
A simple thought exercise. If you knew you were going into a gunfight, would you pick a .30-30 lever gun or an SKS? Same accuracy and power. The SKS is more reliable, shoots faster, and is easier to reload. The SKS is the clear choice.
Yet almost no knowledgeable gunman would willingly go into a gunfight with an SKS when there are far better options available. If an SKS is a better fighting weapon than the lever gun and no one would opt for the SKS over an AR-15, why are you making your lever gun “tactical?”
The POM Pepper Spray Draw Stroke and Application
A good video for those of you who carry POM pepper spray.
push daggers – a brief tutorial
Cecil’s thoughts on push daggers. Since I retired from the cop job, I don’t often carry a fixed blade knife during my daily activities. When I do, it is either the Fred Perrin La Griffe G-10 (when metal detectors reduce my ability to carry firearms) or the Shivworks El Nino push dagger.
Threat Management: How to See Trouble Coming and Stop It Early
Some tips to catch trouble as early as possible.
Project: Prepare Yourself For A Trip To The ER
A good article from Paul about preparing for a hospital trip. Having been to the ER more than the average person, I would also add “reading material” and any OTC meds/vitamins you normally take. Those may be hard to get or inconvenient to acquire in a hospital setting.
What I’m reading…
What old west history nerd wouldn’t want to devour a 936-page definitive history of one of the world’s most famous gunfighters?
While on the topic of books, my friend Nathalie’s book is free in the digital format for the next couple days. Pick it up. Even if you aren’t interested in the basic premise of the book, I’ve been able to adapt some of the training drills she suggests for my firearms and combatives classes.
Sales numbers (even free books count as “sales”) are really important for self-published authors. Do Nathalie a favor and download a copy of her free book. She’s an amazing human who is fighting hard to make the world a better place.
DASHCAM: CAR HOLSTERS IN VEHICLE ROLLOVER ACCIDENT
Don’t carry your pistol in a car holster.
Black Friday Gun Sales Slump
Gun sales (as well as attendance in training classes) have dropped significantly this year.
Tactical First Aid Skills Every Armed Citizen Needs
Let’s discuss some medical stuff.
Penetrating Trauma Transport—EMS, Police, or Private Vehicle? – JournalFeed
I’m a big advocate of police officers doing “load and go” for penetrating trauma.
Do commercially available tourniquets work on kids?
We’ve known this since 2019, but the message isn’t getting out. Here is a review of the relevant research. Want more tourniquet stuff? Read this article.
Top 9 Lessons I Have Learned As A Professional Shooter
Mike Seeklander’s hard-earned wisdom.
The Urge to Police Your Fellow Man
Last week I posted a couple articles about minding one’s own business. If you need more reinforcement of this concept, read this.
Understanding Vision in Tactical Performance – Force Science
Please don’t “search through your sights.”
Keep Training Alive With Crisis Scenarios
As cities continue to “defund” police departments, officers are getting less training. Most departments will not invest in the type of training that is absolutely essential to ensure each officer makes it through his or her shift alive. As cops, you’ll have to train extensively on your own time and dime to enhance your skill set enough that you will survive until retirement while simultaneously avoiding lawsuits and incarceration. Unfortunately, I don’t see many individual officers stepping up and going to training classes that aren’t funded by the department. That’s a mistake.
My police readers should take this “crisis rehearsal” scenario and present it for discussion during roll call or during a short period of on-shift training. Use this as a tabletop exercise to work out best solutions to similar problems.
This type of training is free and incredibly valuable. Individual officers and patrol supervisors can use exercises like this at the shift level to facilitate good training without needing money or approval from the brass.
Continuing on the topic of police training, I think you’ll find The Apple-and-Orange-Orchard Fallacy: Tier One Operators vs. Law Enforcement to be a good read. Matt Little and I talked about this issue on a recent podcast recording that should be released next week.
The 26 Most Important Ideas For 2026
Not tactically related, but a very good read nonetheless. You should also check out How to Stay Sane in a World That Rewards Insanity
You’ve Been Taught the OODA “Loop” All Wrong. Here’s How It Really Works.
A deeper dive on Col Boyd’s work.
Massad Ayoob: 6 Must-Know Court Cases For Gun Owners
Update your legal knowledge by reading this article from Mas Ayoob. Then go read his book.
To understand even more about the legal framework around self defense law, you should also check out Self-Defense Realities: Justified vs. Excessive Force.
Why Games Teach Faster Than Drills—And How to Design Them
If you’ve taken my classes, you might recognize this format.
“This is the hardest part for most coaches.
The game should run without you talking. Your job during play is to observe. Your job between rounds is to adjust constraints.
If you’re coaching during the activity, the design isn’t working.
If the game teaches without you, the design is working.
Step 5: Debrief Through Questions
After the game, don’t lecture. Ask:
“What did you notice?”
“What solutions emerged?”
“What would you try differently?”
Never: “Here’s what you should have done.”
The goal is to make their discoveries conscious—not to replace their discoveries with your instructions.
Central Texas Standards: A Classic IPSC Benchmark Drill
Looking forward to trying this drill when I get back to the USA. Need something a bit easier? Try The Baba Yaga Drill.
What If You Don’t Have a Tourniquet or Trauma Kit? Part 1: Bleeding
“Most people know the rough idea of how a TQ works, and many try to make their own with whatever items they can find. But most fail to understand the method and as a result, improvised tourniquets rarely control bleeding effectively.
Not only that, but while you’re running around, trying to find everything you need to make a TQ, the victim is quickly bleeding to death.
If you have a helper you can trust, instruct them apply direct pressure to the wound while you find the items you need to make an improvised TQ. Direct pressure must be applied at all times.”
“The Mechanical Safety: Use it or take the gamble.”
People should listen to Paul Howe. He might know some things. I’m a big fan of using the safety on my AR, shotgun, or 1911 pistol while moving or searching. If you liked the linked article, consider reading his book .
How Long Will a Buddy Heater Run on 1 lb & 20 lb Propane Tanks? (Run-Time Chart & Tips)
As the weather gets colder, it’s prudent to plan for emergency heating should your power go out. When I lived in Ohio, every gas station sold kerosene. I used a kerosene heater in emergencies. Now that I’m in Texas where kerosene isn’t regularly sold, I’ve transitioned to a Buddy Heater. Here’s an article covering how long various propane containers will fuel the heater.
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