Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
ATF Changes Course on NFA Items: What Gun Owners Need to Know
The big news this week is the updated rules for NFA weapons. Here are a few articles summarizing the changes.
Update to NFA Transfer Guidance
ATF Issues New NFA Guidance: Time To Burn Your Braces?
ATF Ends NFA Approval for Suppressors: What You Need to Know
The ATF Stopped Enforcing Some NFA Rules, But Only A Few
Ruger to Discontinue Several Major Models
The second biggest news story of the week.
Former Wash. deputy awarded $30M in suit over firearms training incident that caused him to lose his leg
A cautionary tale for my instructor friends. Sub-par training, especially when combined with poor equipment choices can lead to incredibly costly negative outcomes.
Killer Baboons
I read every book Peter Hathaway Capstick wrote when I was growing up. This is one of his stories. I was once chased by a bunch of baboons while hiking in Kenya. I wish I would have been carrying a Mac -10 at the time.
Kelly McCann: A Modern Close-Combat Legend
If you don’t know who Kelly McCann is, you should probably remedy that.
Top 6 Things Every Concealed Carry Holder Should Know
Advice for all of you concealed carriers.
Competition Shooting vs. Combat Training
An issue I was just discussing with a friend.
Wadcutters for the Defensive Revolver
Good analysis of the use wadcutters as defensive rounds in the .38 special. I had lots of questions about this kind of ammo for self protection when I taught at Revolver Fest last weekend. I have no qualms about loading my carry guns with wadcutters.
Secrets of a Professional Bodyguard: How to Stay Safe in a Crowd
A bodyguard’s thoughts on crowd safety.
Hydra-Shok Deep: How Often Do They Expand in .380?
I get a lot of questions about the “best” .380 round for self defense. None of them are great. Here are some resources to help you decide which round to carry.
Federal HST vs Hydra-Shok Deep: How Often Do They Expand in .380?
380 Ammo Testing: 85 gr VHP Federal Train and Protect
Federal 380 ACP Punch vs Train & Protect
Compilation of ballistic tests from rangehot
The Kids Are Alright
“There were 45 percent fewer young adults murdered in 2025 than in 2020 according to the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Report compared to a 21 percent drop for all other age groups. There were more than 20 percent fewer young adults aged 18 to 34 murdered in 2025 than in 2019 while all other ages were roughly even (down 1 percent) compared to their pre-COVID total.”
Hard work, Dedication, & Study Needed
Some folks need this reminder.
“All opinions are not created equal, and yours isn’t even close to being on the same level of the names constantly on your tongue when you talk down about those who are always working to reach perfection. With a Chris Kyle shirt on your back and a Punisher back plate on your Glock, you have the moral ineptitude to assume your experience qualifies you to churn out a diatribe about how gun fighting really goes and that (insert instructor here) doesn’t know shit.
It’s you who doesn’t know shit, and you will go from ignorant, to stupid at the drop of a hat to drive that point home. Like a self-fulfilling prophecy; a manifest destiny of Dunning-Kruger excellence, you are everything that is wrong with the shooting community and anyone who doesn’t make an attempt to at least show you that is wrong also.”
I Watched 88 Hours of a Murder Trial. Here’s What I Learned.
Jacob’s astute observations after watching a murder trial. Be sure to also read his first followup article.
TCC school shooting in France and new international database
This international database might be useful for those of you who study school shootings.
Appendix Carry for Big Guys – Male Abdominal Fat Distribution
Very useful information for larger guys who want to carry in the appendix position.
What Should I Practice?
Dave’s thoughts on practice.
ChatGPT launches new anti-gun AI policies one day after Everytown recommends new anti-gun AI policies
For you Chat GPT users.
WHY I DON’T TEACH TACTICAL RELOADS
I generally agree. In two decades of firearms training, I’ve come to the conclusion that handling two objects with the same hand under stress is generally a failure waiting to happen. I’ve heard the reload the author advocates called the “TFE Tac Reload.” “TFE” stands for “Too Fucking Easy.” Why wouldn’t we want to make things easy for our trainees?
If you don’t want to ditch the spare rounds from the partially depleted magazine, take the used mag out, pocket it, put the new mag in. That simplifies matters immeasurably.
The Mad Dog
Something to consider for those of you who think speed is more important than accuracy. You might also like the same author’s The Art of Letting Things Go.
Training for Personal Defense With and Without Glasses
Some issues for those of you with aging eyes.
Freezing the River of Concealed Carry Law
A 50-state table of concealed carry competency and course requirements.
Preparedness: A Realistic Bug Out Bag
Excellent survival advice from Justin.
Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Tick-Borne Illness in the United States
Although it’s not their prime season, I found the first tick this year crawling on me last week. This article contains everything you might want to know about tick-borne diseases.
A Triangular Bandage
While we are on the topic of medical stuff, this is a very useful piece of gear to add to all your first aid and trauma kits. This one is my favorite. The author’s medical textbook is also on sale this week.
And one more medical piece for those of you excited about jamming needles into people’s chests. Opens to power point presentation.
Quote to Ponder
“What we should stop doing in the wake of any attack from anyone is listening to the “talking” points of academics, politicians, or psychologists who have no real world experience in most anything let alone contending with dangerous armed men bent of committing evil. And instead listen to dangerous, armed men who are committed to preserving society.”
– Matthew Allen
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