Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
The Value of Mirror Image Shooting
I agree with Mas here. I think a lot of instructors would get an incredible benefit out of taking a basic handgun class “mirror image” with the non-dominant hand.
For more of Massad’s advice, read Don’t Let a Bad Lawyer Fumble the Defense.
A Sense of Sensei
“If you want the best instructor possible, look for somebody who’s gone beyond the basics, and knows what he or she can do on-demand. I mean, you don’t see too many Little League coaches in the majors, do you?
There’s a reason for that.”
TFB FIELD STRIP: Mossberg 500
The Firearms Blog has posted incredibly valuable videos about field stripping common guns. They start out with the Mossberg 500 pump shotgun. These are so common that everyone should learn how to take them apart. The series continues with:
The Browning Hi-Power and copies
.30-30 Winchester Ammo: Ideal for Personal Defense?
A historical look at one of this country’s most venerable rifle cartridges. Want a little more history? Learn about how the Smith and Wesson J-Frame was developed.
When Staring Could Be Threatening
You don’t want to get in a stare down with a criminal. Look him in the eye. Nod as acknowledgement. Then move your eyes to his hands. Then check his waistband for weapons. Staring at the criminal’s eyes doesn’t give you all the information you need.
What Officers Want in a Duty Knife
Some of the information in this article is great. Some of it is horrible. A police defensive knife would ideally be a small. concealed fixed blade carried centerline and accessible to either hand. I carry a Fred Perrin LaGriffe hidden behind my magazine pouches. I carry a waved Spyderco Endura clipped to my left pocket primarily as a utility blade. I also carry a hidden Ka-Bar LDK in my glove pouch in the center of my back (in case my hands are tied or taped behind my back.
Don’t rely on a folder for weapon retention. Although officers have used them in the past (the article lists one instance, I have records on about a dozen), deploying a folder under life-threatening attack is far from a sure thing. The fixed blade is far more accessible. If you are forced to carry a folder, make sure it can be opened with either hand. And unlike the advice in the article, a liner lock is probably the worst choice. Frame locks, back locks, compression locks, and Axis locks are all less likely to fail than a liner lock.
Danger Awaits Homeowner Who Confronts Car Thief
I think a lot of my readers might automatically do something similar to what the defender did here. Is it worth getting killed for your car. Think about this case before you intervene.
Fundamentals are Essential
Words of wisdom from Mr. Spaulding
“When I would see a deficiency, instead of getting an “oh really, how can I improve?” I will usually get a “this is how I do it.” My response? “Yeah man, but you really suck at it. Just because it feels “right” or “looks cool” to you does not mean it is solid. I can help you but only if you are willing to listen.”
Bill Jordan: No Second Place Winner
When I was growing up in the age before the internet, this was one of about five gunfighting books that were available in the public marketplace. I got my first copy at 12 years old and devoured it. Read about Mr. Jordan and download a free copy of his classic book.
Street Ready .22 Rimfires
“The .22 LR isn’t the best choice out there, but for some people it’s the only handgun they can shoot accurately—or at all. It is surprisingly effective in street studies, and when push comes to shove, Mark Moritz’s “First Rule of a Gunfight” applies—have a gun!”
The author shows poor judgement by quoting the research of some dude named Ellifritz, but otherwise it’s a pretty good article.
.380 ACP: The Biggest Little Caliber
Let’s continue the discussion of “mouse guns” with an article about the .380. The most popular articles on my site involve the .380 cartridge and the guns that fire it. You .380 fans will find this piece useful.
In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife
What I’m reading…
Character Is Fate: 10 Habits That Will Help You To Live And Be Better
Solid life advice from the stoics.
Benefits of the Broomstick Boomstick
The use of vertical foregrips on rifles is controversial. Some like them. Some don’t. Here are some justifications for the VFG that you may not have considered.
I’m a Travel Writer, and I Won’t Get in a Car Without This $10 Safety Device
You need one of these in every vehicle and with every medical kit. In addition, the seat belt cutter will also safely cut off your patient’s clothing to allow you to better visualize his injuries. Please recognize that this won’t work on some of the newer side window glass. Here’s an article that explains basic glass breaking principles.
Shooting Is Everything?
Clint Smith is so old school that he thinks you should be able to hit the target you are shooting at before you get fancy.
Understanding Mechanical Offset: Skill Drills & Solutions
Compensating for mechanical offset is one of the more difficult skills to get students to remember. When you do this drill and understand what the author is discussing, you should move on to The Tempest Drill. and then the Rangemaster Instructor Qualification.
The Boundaries Of Self-Defense
Legal issues involved in a self defense claim.
Quick Change: Training for Fast and Effective Weapon Transitions
70% of officers in this study had never worked transitions between Taser and firearm before. That’s appalling. When I took over training in my former department in the year 2000, there was very little overlap between firearms and defensive tactics training. I implemented “wrong tool” weapon transition training quarterly almost 25 years ago. It still hasn’t caught on.
Escape and Evasion 201: The Lam
An excellent long-form article covering many of the issues involved with E&E.
On the Well-Aimed Shot
“The reality is that there are two things and two things only that will result in a projectile landing at its intended destination. These truths came to me via the US Army Marksmanship Unit many years ago but in a downplayed manner. After a lot of research and testing, they went from hypothesis to law. They are:
1) Properly point the firearm (aim).
2) Fire the shot without disturbing the aim.”
Gospel of the Gauge with Sym-Tac Consulting Shotgun Skills
Most of my industry friends who are full-time instructors are noticing substantial decreases in class enrollments over the last couple of years. I personally believe the bad economy is primarily the cause of the declining number of students we see in class. There are other factors we need to consider as well. We now have more commercial instructors than at any other time in history competing for a relatively stable number of new students. Younger generations are also less likely to consider a couple of days working hard outside during inclement weather to be “fun.”
How can we get more students in our classes? I think long-form course reviews like this one are a critical component. These are ways to build excitement about learning. They also serve to steer new students towards good instructors and away from all of the industry hacks.
Justin’s review above is an outstanding summary of the shotgun class he recently took. He’s also written up many other classes he attended. Uncle Zo also writes very detailed course reviews worthy of your attention. If you attend good training, I’d encourage you to write up a summary and share it on any blogs or social media sites you frequent. It really helps us traveling instructors to build a student base.
If you are looking for articles to use as examples for review writing you can see lots of valuable reviews of my coursework on this page. And for what it’s worth, I was honored to co-teach a couple blocks of instruction with the Haughts at last year’s Thunderstick Summit. If you are looking for good shotgun training, these guys are at the top of the heap.
Some of the above links are affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn a small percentage of the sale price from qualifying purchases. It does not cost you any money.
