Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
Speed Reloads
Richard puts the concept of a speed reload into a context I hadn’t really thought about before. If you run out of ammo in a gunfight, a quick reload might be lifesaving.
With that said, should you spend hours and hours drilling so that your reload is really fast? I would argue the answer to that question is “no.” The number one cause of needing to reload is missing your target. We all have limited practice time. I think you’ll get a better return on your time investment by training to hit the target more reliably than you would if you spent the same amount of time trying to shave 1/4 second off your reload.
Breaking down each of the ATF’s 34 new rules
In last week’s knowledge dump I lamented the fact that I had to link to an anti-gun website because no pro-gun sites were covering these proposed ATF rule changes. OSD stepped up and did the analysis for us. He broke down each individual proposed rule change and what it means to you.
For even more info, see ATF Publishes Details of Major Gun Rule Rollbacks.
AR Magazines & Case for the 20-Round Mag with Steve “Yeti” Fisher
Steve Fisher discusses the utility of the 20-round AR-15 magazine.
A Gun Guy Goes to Disneyland.
A lot of my readers have young kids and may be considering a vacation to Disney. If you meet that description, read Caleb’s article about security at Disney. Caleb’s piece inspired the one linked above. Two different gun guys at two different Disney locations both share their security experience.
If you are bolder than these guys (and at a place where such conduct won’t get you arrested), you might like my article about smuggling weapons into “secure” facilities.
Street Smarts: 10 Steps in Choosing a Defensive Folding Knife
Michael Janich gives a master class on selecting a defensive folding knife.
Lubing Your GLOCK in … 3, 2, 1 Easy Steps
Useful for those of you who carry other semi-automatic handguns as well.
The Benchmark Battery: A Simpler Path to Long-Term Success
Some thoughts on goal setting, benchmarking, and continuous improvement. From the article:
“Goodhart’s Law says that when a measure becomes the goal, it ceases to be a good measure.”
Think about how that might be affecting your firearms training practices.
Tom Givens “Old West” 5-5-5 Test
Since we are talking about firearms training practices, when is the last time you went to the range? Make an effort to do some shooting this week. Start with the linked drill and the author’s suggested variations to make it more difficult. Still need some more work? Try Pat Mac 500 Aggregate Drill.
Don’t neglect your carbine skills either. Break out the rifle and try the War HOGG Skill Builder and The 5-5-5 Carbine Field Test.
Pat Rogers Final Speech
Ten years ago this week we lost legendary trainer Pat Rogers. Here is the last speech he gave before he died.
Book of Five Rings Study Guide for Modern Gunfighters
What I’m reading…
Training & Gear for Active Shooter Response
Jeff Gonzales talks active shooter preparedness.
Tier None
“Most of what you see on social media and in pop culture sells you a depiction of martial culture in which the Tier 1 operators are the the pinnacle to aspire to.
In their own right, they absolutely are – but if you’re like the VAST majority of people, you’re #tiernone and you’re going to have to manage a far more broad spectrum of problems without operational slush funds, unlimited government support, or a shadowy world in which common laws don’t apply.
Start thinking in these terms. There’s nothing wrong with being Tier None, and you can still work towards an elite level of competence… it just means shucking the distractions and reevaluating the mission of how best to keep your people safe.”
Surreptitious Draw 101: Master the Invisible Handgun Pull
Very useful concealed carry skills that aren’t often addressed in most firearms training classes.
The Drawbacks of Being a Numbers-Oriented Gun Guy
An element of gun culture that I see far too frequently. And to be honest, it’s a personality trait that personally irks me more than almost any other. If you see yourself being reflected in Tam’s words in the link above, take a big, deep breath and relax just a little bit. This stuff is supposed to enhance your life and give you better survival skills, not raise your blood pressure so high that you stroke out.
The Myth of Cover VS Concealment
People don’t tend to shoot what they can’t see, but this isn’t absolute. A friend was involved in a gunfight where the both the bad guy and the responding officers shot through walls without seeing each other.
Final bit (probably) on the CTT Oxford paper
Some of the problems with interpreting that piece of “scientific” research you are reading.
“‘It is simply no longer possible to believe much of the clinical research that is published, or to rely on the judgement of trusted physicians or authoritative medical guidelines.”
How to Build, Store, and Stretch Your Ammo Supply
How much ammo do you really need?
Are You a Soft Target?
“Soft target indicators might include such predatorial observations as appears sheepish, their eyes looking down, appears to be an easy target, appears to be lost or disoriented, unaware of their surroundings. Anything that the predator may readily observe about you that indicates to them that you may be an easy mark falls under the category of soft target indicator.
Soft Target Indicators clue the predator in that you could be a potential target (victim or prey). There are no rules set in stone that determine exactly what is a soft target indicator. However, anything that the predator may observe about you that tells him “Yup, this one right here. Here’s your next victim!”
RevolGrips
Some new grips you revolver guys might want to check out.
A History of Glock: A Deep Dive into “Perfection”
Last week marked the 45th anniversary of Glock’s first gun patent. If you are a Glock fan, you will like this deep dive into the history of the company.
The Extreme Crisis of Young Women – Freya India
This has absolutely zero relevance to self protection, but I found the interview so fascinating that I had to share it. A lot of the stunning realities that influence the behavior of most of the younger generations, especially younger women.
Competency Based Training
Some ideas about creating competent gunfighters. On the same site, you may also like Are You Prepared for THE Gunfight?
Handgun Defense Against Brown Bears: How Many Shots Are Fired in Grizzly Bear Encounters?
How do handguns perform against big bears?
Quote to ponder:
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