Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
Wheelchair Concealed Carry Considerations for People with Disabilities
“I was shot and paralyzed from the waist down in a gunfight while serving as a U.S. Marine infantryman during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. I spent months recovering in the hospital before finally getting back into society again as a civilian with a severe disability, and I immediately felt physically vulnerable around shady-looking characters. So it made sense that I’d eventually want to start carrying a handgun for protection and become more self-defense minded in general.
However, I had no clue what type of concealment method or holster to use, or even how to set up the holster for my own personal needs, so I simply mimicked how my able-bodied peers were running theirs. Over a decade later, with knowledge gained in more than 100 training classes and 50 different firearms instructors, the end result is a box full of holsters that just didn’t work for me. That’s not to say they’re all bad; they just don’t suit my specific needs.”
The Self-Aid Imperative: Why Misunderstanding IFAKs Undermines Responder Survival
Looking at the true role of the INDIVIDUAL first aid kit.
5 Best Rimfire Loads for Self-Defense
These are the .22 loads I recommend and carry in my defensive rimfire handguns. I would also add the Punch in both .22 long rifle and .22 magnum to the list.
Threat Identification Infographic: Handgun Concealment “Tells”
“In poker, a “tell” is an unconscious action that may reveal an opponent’s true intentions. Similarly, there are many identifiable “tells” that might give away someone attempting to conceal a weapon. Keep in mind that many of these tells are far more subtle if the individual is equipped with adequate training, a high-quality holster, and appropriate clothing. Fortunately for us, most bad guys won’t bother with those formalities, so their tells may be much easier to spot.”
Belgium vs. Japan: Who Made the Better Browning Auto-5?
Interesting historical shotgun information. Speaking of shotguns, you should also read this one from Massad Ayoob. Firearms handling refresher Part II: Shotguns .
Best Prepping & Survival Websites: Stay Alive
Check out this site’s compilation of survival-oriented websites and blogs. As this kind of information becomes purged and shadow banned from social media, it’s ever more important to have the old school website address to click on. If you like the site, sign up for their email updates as well. There won’t be any forewarning before these sites start disappearing from your news feed.
When You Need to Defend Your Corner
Important cornering tactics.
Revolver Renaissance | Tactical Retailer
A deep dive into the world of retail revolver sales with some quotes from someone you may know.
The Things I Wish I Knew Before My First Training Course
I think this is useful information no matter how many training classes you’ve attended.
‘National Shutdown’ set for Friday: What to know
I don’t care what side you support with regards to the ICE situation. I don’t do politics on this site. With that said, I don’t want any of my readers hurt.
There will be protests happening today. Some of them will get violent. I’m also expecting some retaliatory action against the businesses who plan on staying open today. Be aware of these issues and exercise caution as you go about your daily activities. If bad stuff starts popping off, commit to getting away as quickly as possible.
Smith & Wesson 617 Mountain Gun: Is This the Best .22 Revolver?
I shot this one quite a bit at last year’s Revolver Fest. It’s a great piece.
Convinced It’s All Going To Hell? Here are 15 things to do now.
I’m seeing more and more folks freaking out about current events and wanting something “to do.” Here is a good start. Although the article was written soon after our last national crisis, it has aged very well and worthy of your current consideration.
“Many in the preparedness community are upset about the election results and are lamenting the potential changes in laws and public policy from Washington. If you are in that camp, what are you going to do about it moving forward? You can continue to complain about it on social media. You could unplug from society and social medial altogether.
Or you can do something that helps you and your family.”
The Vietnam Liberator Pistol
I’ve seen the WWII Liberators, but had no idea this one existed.
Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) Guidelines for Active Bystanders
A very quick outline of emergency medical procedures for penetrating traumatic injuries. Print this out and add it to your medical kit.
If you have a higher skill level, check out the following. All three documents open to PDF.
Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) Guidelines for First Responders with a Duty to Act
Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) Guidelines for BLS/ALS Medical Providers
THE “PLAY LIKE YOU PRACTICE” THING
Massad Ayoob shares some wisdom about things you may not have considered with regard to your firearms training practice.
Best .380 ACP Ammo for the Bodyguard 2.0 After 30+ Tests (Winter Edition)
A fairly well-done ballistic gelatin test comparing the performance of several .380 acp defensive cartridges.
Benefits and Drawbacks of AIWB
Have you truly evaluated why you carry your holster in the location you carry it?
In-Extremis Communication- Part Four
The last of Larry Lindenman’s four-part series on communicating with criminals when it is “too soon to shoot yet.” This segment covers how to safely order the criminal into a position where he can be held at gunpoint for police arrival. The entire series is a must read for any armed citizens or police officers.
Ice Rescue: Deadly Winter “Real World Trauma”
Screenshot
My friend Jonathan wrote an excellent article about a pertinent skill set in the cold weather most of the country has felt this week.
FEBRUARY 2026 NEWSLETTER
Read and learn.
LA Snipers
Thanks to Ben for sending me this link full of downloadable photo-realistic sniper targets.
Here’s a quick tip:
Remember those sweat bands people used to wear on their head in the 1970s?
Imagine one of those two-inch wide sweat bands. Pull it down until it is covering the target’s eyes. A shot anywhere around the head in the area covered by the band is a good one.
How Much Ammo Should You Carry?
“Some folks advise you should carry multiple firearms, med kits, several knives and a lot of spare ammunition. I’m OK with that if you don’t mind the extra bulk and weight, but it might not be necessary if you live anywhere there’s not an active war zone. Each of us needs to make a thoughtful assessment of our environment and threat level before deciding what to carry and how much of it we might need.
I’ve never known anyone who lived through a gunfight and wished they had carried less ammunition. You might want to keep that in mind.”
The Secret of Secrets: A Novel
What I’m reading…
I like reading fictional books set in locations I’m going to visit. I have a trip to Eastern Europe planned later this year. This novel is set in Prague, one of the cities I look forward to exploring.
Panhandling Ploys and Street Cons
Solid advice for handling one of the most ubiquitous potential threats you can face.
1998 Combatives
Karl discusses the genesis of commercial combination gun/empty hands classes. What is so commonly taught now was in its absolute infancy 20-25 years ago. There were only a few of us teaching anything other than “shove and shoot” or the “speed rock” for close quarters shooting. It’s fun looking back on that period of time and seeing how little we all knew compared to what we know now. Integrated combatives classes like that were so incredibly rare two decades ago.
I’m glad I was able to share a small part in getting these skills out to the shooting public with my work at TDI.
For some further commentary on Karl’s article, soon after we developed the integrated curriculum at TDI, Paul Gomez booked several classes as a student. He had also trained at Insights. Craig and Paul taught one of their first two-day ECQC classes at TDI. Paul was the man who connected John Benner at TDI and I with Craig Douglas. Gomez also studied a lot of what Kelly McCann was teaching at the time as well.
I really think Gomez was the unsung underlying force of integrated combatives. He saw the big picture of what we were all doing and tried to work with Craig to focus on distilling the best stuff from each of our systems.
Paul doesn’t get nearly the credit he deserves for fast-forwarding the state of the industry’s integrated combatives training.
Lesson From A Road Rage Shooting: Pride Is Not A Self-Defense Strategy » Concealed Carry Inc
“The world does not operate on agreed-upon rules of fair play. There is no guarantee a confrontation will stay at the level you imagine it should. There is no referee. No bell. No shared understanding that this is “just a fight.”
When you willingly step into violence, you accept all possible outcomes, not just the ones you hope for.”
The concealed carry advice that sounds smart — until stress hits
“Concealed carry culture is full of confident advice that sounds airtight in a calm classroom or on a sunny range. Under real stress, though, some of those “rules” fall apart, colliding with human physiology, legal reality, and the messy way violence actually unfolds. The gap between what feels smart and what works when your heart rate spikes is where armed citizens get hurt, or end up in handcuffs.”
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