Don’t get shot helping others!

Merry Christmas!

In a minute, my family is heading to the nearby ski resort to take our 16-month-old daughter tubing and to do some snowmobiling. (I have a strange feeling my wife won’t trust me with our daughter on the tube, but I’ll soon find out.)

Since it’s Christmastime I’m going to keep today’s post rather short and give you just a quick funny thought:

Every year, my family sponsors a less fortunate family in our community (we usually find them through our church). We help them out with Christmas gifts, Christmas breakfast and dinner if they need it. I know a lot of folks do this too and I believe this is a great tradition for anyone that has the means to do so.

Well, a close friend of mine sponsors a family every year also, and they involve the entire family (he has 6 kids and 23 grandkids.) He says it’s a wonderful family event that especially shows the grandkids the importance of helping and serving others.

My friend even goes as far as to have someone dress up as Santa Claus and have “Santa” and the entire family deliver the gifts to the family they’re helping out. He said this year they all arrived at the person’s home ready to deliver the gifts but the homeowner wasn’t there.

The grandkids were sitting in the car because it was cold while all of the adults were in the driveway trying to figure out what they were going to do. They didn’t want to just leave a huge stack of gifts on their porch out in the open but they also didn’t know how long they would have to wait for someone to come home.

All of the sudden a car came down the street and stopped at the bottom of the driveway. The driver started honking the horn and yelling at them to get out of the driveway.

My friend said the person was incredibly mad, until one of the  women in the group quickly ran up to the driver and explained they were there to drop off the gifts for the family. The angry family in the car was obviously embarrassed and quickly apologized.

Apparently, they’d had problems with their neighbors loitering and drinking in their driveway and the family thought the neighbors were having another “party” in their driveway.

Now, my friend joked that at first the woman was so mad he thought she was going to run them over or pull out a gun and shoot them. Clearly, that didn’t happen…

But my point is, never forget how strange life can be and always stay vigilant. Even though, if I had to guess, if you get gunned down delivering Christmas gifts to a family in need you’ve got a guaranteed pass to heaven… I still wouldn’t chance it though… so keep yourself safe wherever you go and whatever you do this Christmas.

How to Avoid Getting Knocked Out

Even though it’s already been in the news for weeks, it still seems like you can’t turn on your TV without hearing about the latest victim of the “Knockout Game.” In fact, I was in California over the weekend doing a seminar when someone told me it had recently happened to a man in his 40’s.

Obviously, this is a horrible trend and it’s great to hear about the cases where the victims have fought back and been able to defend themselves. But what I want to quickly cover today is how you can protect yourself from becoming a victim of this game in the first place.

The fact is, there are several “pre-incident indicators” that criminals do to alert you that something bad is about to happen. In other words, in many of these cases (not all of them) if the person had been more aware they may have been able to prevent the attack.

The first pre-incident indicator is people staring at you too much. Criminals stare at you way too long when they’ve targeted you for an attack. If you see a group of youth staring at you way too hard as they’re approaching you, then immediately cross the street or go somewhere else.

In fact, a major problem with society is that we’ve all been brainwashed about not making others uncomfortable and being over-polite. What I mean is, if you saw a group of youth walking towards you and you had the bad feeling in your stomach, a lot of people would be afraid to quickly cross the street for fear of offending the youth or looking awkward.

In these situations you need to forget what society wants you to do and you need to trust your instincts and not care if it looks weird if you turn the other way or quickly dip into a store or building.

The second pre-incident indicator is that criminals match your pacing. So if you’re walking on one side of the road and you see a group on the other side that seems to be matching your walking speed and then they start making their way towards you, be aware. Only people with evil intent will match your pace.

The final pre-incident indicator I want to cover is “distraction.” Criminals will try and distract you before they knock you out or rob you. In one of the cases I read about, a kid asked a man for a cigarette and as the man reached for the cigarette the kid punched him out.

If someone comes up to you, try and keep your distance as much as possible, quickly glance around you and then keep your eyes on them and their hands. In fact, a few weeks ago I was walking out of the grocery store when a woman started approaching me. It was clear she was coming right at me so I stopped before she got too close and said “hello.” She proceeded to ask me if she could have a ride somewhere. Since this is clearly an odd request I quickly checked behind me and around me to make sure it wasn’t a set up. I told the woman I wouldn’t be able to give her a ride and thankfully that was it and nothing else happened.

But what it all boils down to is this: Maintain your situational awareness at all times and keep your head up to watch out for these pre-incident indicators. Hopefully you’ll never find yourself getting attacked by a group of youth, but it seems that many people in society are becoming less civilized as each day passes.

Tell Your Neighbors You’re Carrying?

Picture this…

Your wife is a social butterfly (you are not) who loves to have people over for dinner and who loves to go to other people’s houses for various social occasions. So one day at church your wife invites a couple over for dinner. They’re not too weird and the dinner is just fine and they invite you over to their house the following weekend.

You like to carry concealed everywhere you go and when you get to this couple’s home you don’t want to leave your gun in the car so what should you do? Well, you have a few options:

Option one, you could just carry concealed into the house and not tell your new friends that you have a gun on you. Or, you could go with option two: You can tell the couple about your firearm and see if they want you to bring a gun in the house.

In the state of Utah where I live, if I tell someone I have a firearm and they don’t want me to bring it into their home then I can’t do it because it’s a private residence and they can decide what they want in their home. I imagine this is the way it is in most states.

I also know that a lot of concealed carry holders find themselves in this position when they go over to someone’s home that they might not know very well yet. Personally, I believe it’s a good idea to ask someone if it’s okay to bring a firearm into their home… In other words, I think it’s important to respect another person’s place.

Just think of the other side of the coin and imagine if someone you didn’t know very well came into your home with a gun, did something stupid, and had an accidental discharge.

I would be angry to say the least, because I want to make sure that everyone who enters my home with a gun (relatives, friends, etc.) knows how to use it and understands proper safety, especially because I have a 16-month-old running around. I’ve never turned down anyone who wanted to enter my home with a gun, but then again, I’ve never had someone who didn’t understand how to properly use a firearm try and come over.

Of course, whether you notify people that you have a gun before entering their home is up to you. And if you’re safe and carrying concealed then they’ll never know you are carrying a firearm. But again, would you want someone to enter your home and not tell you they were armed?

Also, safety purposes aren’t the only reason that I would want someone to tell me they were carrying before they came into my home. If there were a home invasion while they were there I would want to know who had guns and whom I could rely on. I also would not want to accidentally shoot someone pulling out a gun that was actually on my side, but because I didn’t know they were carrying I confused them with a criminal.

Case Study: Situational Awareness

Two weeks ago, I got the following note from a fellow named Jared Bailer…  

Jason,

I was in your class in LV last month and learned a lot. I wanted to share with you what happened the other day and how your training kept me from what I think could have been a nasty situation.

I was headed to meet a friend at a movie at a local casino. I went into the parking garage up to the 4^th level. As I made the turn into the level, I noticed a guy walking to his car, which was parked somewhat near the elevators so pulled around so I could take his space. His car didn’t move and I didn’t see any backup or brake lights so I figured he wasn’t actually leaving. As I drove past the car – a dark green 4 dr sedan, older model Toyota - I noticed that there were actually 2 men in the car. I didn’t think much about it and figured that they were waiting for a friend. I drove past them and parked a little ways down.

As I left my car and began walking towards the elevators (which are in an area that is kind of concealed from the rest of the garage) the passenger got out of the car, while the driver remained behind the wheel, and fell in behind me moving towards the same elevators. So, I slowed my pace a bit and so did the guy. On entering the waiting area I went straight ahead to a garbage can pretending to throw something away, which also allowed me to turn sideways so I could see him.

He pushed the call button and when the elevator arrived he said, “After you,” and let me go in first. Now I’m starting to feel very uneasy, so I casually, almost absentmindedly, pulled out my tactical pen that I bought at your workshop and used it to push the button for my floor, in an obvious way for him to see it. I then backed up and just started tapping my pen on my hand in time to the elevator music.

The guy starts some small talk asking if I was going to the movies and I said yes, and he said, “So am I.” We exited the elevator together and continued some more small talk as we walked down the hallway towards the theatres – but when we got there I went to the right towards the ticket line and he turned left and went away from the theatres. Hmmm.

Now, like I said, maybe it wasn’t anything and then again maybe it was someone looking to get someone alone in the elevator. In any case, I think the fact that I was in condition yellow, aware of my surrounding and the potential situation, made eye contact, reveled that I was prepared to defend myself, and kept my eyes on him kept it just a casual encounter.

Thanks again.

Jared Bailer

Las Vegas

What We Can Learn from Jared’s Situation:

1. One of the biggest pre-incident indicators is when a person matches your pacing. In the note above, Jared says, “So, I slowed my pace a bit and so did the guy.” If this ever happens to you, you better move from condition yellow into condition orange and be prepared to defend yourself.

2. Criminals work in teams. Often, one criminal’s job is to rob someone in the elevator and then to quickly rush to the other criminal in the getaway car. This is why you need to practice defending yourself against multiple attackers. You should practice this with your gun, tactical pen, and other self-defense tools you use.

3. Give the potential criminal eye contact and let them know you are “onto them.” Don’t be afraid to look them straight in the eye even if it’s awkward. This will let the criminal know you won’t be an easy victim and they’ll be more likely to move on to someone else.

4. Get a tactical pen. Pulling out the intimidating-looking tactical pen was a great move by Jared. It let the criminal know Jared was likely the wrong guy to try and attack. Criminals want easy victims… they don’t want to end up in a fight or a struggle where they themselves could get hurt or could lead to their arrest.

Jared summed it up best when he said, “In any case, I think the fact that I was in condition yellow, aware of my surrounding and the potential situation, made eye contact, reveled that I was prepared to defend myself, and kept my eyes on him kept it just a casual encounter.

Remember to stay alert and never, ever think to yourself, “it will never happen to me.” Good job Jared.

Why Both Spouses Should be Armed

            With all of the holiday shopping going on over the next month, you ought to consider getting your spouse a gun. Or, if you want to be selfless like me, you can give your spouse your current gun so you can get a new one. (Yes, my wife’s a lucky lady.)  

            So why do you need to get your spouse a gun? Well, because of this interesting story out of Oakdale, California…

            About a week ago, a couple and their son were awoken by loud sounds in their home. Both the husband and wife have guns and immediately armed themselves. The husband finds an intruder in the living room and doesn’t shoot, but gives verbal commands for the intruder to leave the house, which the intruder does.

            However, minutes later the homeowners hear the sound of glass breaking at the backdoor. It’s the same intruder and the wife fires two shots as the intruder tries to enter the house. Once the shots are fired, the intruder flees.

            But it’s not over yet…

            The same intruder went to a bedroom window of the home, broke the glass and entered the home. This time the husband shot the intruder and kept his gun pointed at the intruder until the police arrived. Not surprisingly, the intruder was out on probation for drug related offenses and was probably under the influence at the time of the home invasion.

            Obviously, I wasn’t in this couple’s home so I don’t know where the husband was when the wife had to shoot the intruder coming in the back door or where the wife was when the husband had to shoot the intruder in the bedroom. Maybe the other spouse was upstairs or checking out another area of the house and was far away.

            My point is, (if you can convince them) it’s a good idea to have your spouse armed and trained because that’s more people to protect your home in the event of an invasion. For example, I have my gun on my side of the bed and my wife has her gun (a Glock 19) on her side of the bed, and both are in rapid access safes.

            If something ever happened to me, I’m glad to know that my wife is another line of defense in not only protecting herself, but also protecting our daughter. Of course, since I travel a good amount this means she can also take care of herself when I’m away.

            So don’t pass up this opportunity to give thanks to your spouse for all that they do for you by giving them your gun and getting yourself a new one.

Back-Up Sights for Your Rifle

If you don’t own an AR-15 yet, I encourage you to put it on your Christmas list. Since there are dozens of companies who produce ARs (I like Rock River Arms and Colt), I’m sure somebody is having a Black Friday deal.

Of course, once you get an AR it becomes tempting to put a million bells and whistles on it and many folks end up spending more money on accessories than the actual AR itself. Personally, I’m a minimalist and believe the only things you truly need on an AR are a sling, light, and solid sights.

When it comes to sights for the AR, there are dozens of companies who make excellent optics. These include Aimpoint, EOTech, and if you really want to spend some money, Trijicon (get the ACOG or wait until the new year and get the VCOG.)

But even if you buy a quality optic…

I believe it’s extremely important that you have back-up sights on your rifle. The fact is, I’ve taught too many defensive rifle courses where a person’s battery has died on their optic and they have no back-up sights to rely on. Just imagine if you were using your rifle to defend yourself and the battery died and you had no other sighting option as someone was trying to attack you?

The good news is, if your AR doesn’t come with iron sights, they’re easy to purchase and install. For instance, Magpul makes back-up sights called the MBUS. These sights are made of polymer and you can get both the front and rear sight for about $100. Fab Defense is another company that makes polymer sights similar to the ones of Magpul. You can get a Fab Defense front and rear sight for around $75.

When most people think of the Blackhawk company they think of holsters. But Blackhawk also makes back-up sights that run around $100 for the combination. I could go on and on because many companies make back-up sights, but here’s the important thing to remember: Don’t be cheap about your back-up sights. Spending $75-$100 for a set of sights is nothing if your battery ever dies and you need those back-up sights to save your life.

Of course, if you decide to get back-up sights make sure you practice with them and that you also zero the sights. If you simply install them and never zero the sights they’re pointless because you have no idea if you’re actually going to hit your target when using them.

This Will Make You Cringe

Not too long ago, you may have heard about the California man who was sadistically tortured and even had his private part cut off. The man was a successful marijuana dispenser who apparently bragged about his wealth. 

One of his clients told some friends that the marijuana shop owner had a lot of cash so they hatched a plan to kidnap him. Before the kidnapping, the group of three criminals ran surveillance on the shop owner and noticed him going out to the desert quite often. For some reason, they assumed he was burying cash in the desert and they were determined to get it (he was actually out there looking at a land deal.)

One evening, the three criminals burst into the shop owners home. They bound him and his roommate’s girlfriend with zip ties, threw them in a car, and started the drive out to the desert. Along the way, they tortured the man with a blowtorch. 

Once they got to the desert and realized they weren’t getting any money from the shop owner, they cut off his private part. According to the news, “the three men then drove away with the penis so that it couldn't be reattached.” 

The man survived, and four people have been arrested in connection with this horrific crime. Hopefully, you’re not involved in the marijuana business, but I think this is a good reminder that everyone ought to do a quick threat assessment on their lives right now.

What I mean is, there are obviously certain people who are at higher risk for getting kidnapped and robbed. For instance, jewelry store owners, plumbers, and other handymen who carry around a lot of cash, and obviously, marijuana dispensers. But take a quick look at your own life and determine if there are any reasons why you would become a target. 

Do you own a cash business? Do you drive a high-end car? Do you associate with anyone who is considered high risk? Do you travel to any high-risk locations? Have you had any threats against you or a family member? Do you go to the shooting range? (Criminals love to watch cars at the shooting range, follow them home, and then break in and steal the guns when the person is at work.)

My point is, hopefully your life is nice and safe. But if you really think about it, is there any reason why you’re more likely than the average American to become a victim? If so, what measures are you taking to protect yourself? Are you carrying concealed as often as you can… making sure you’re not being following home… and do you have your tactical pen on you when you can’t legally carry other self-defense tools?

Even if you’re not a “high risk” person, it’s obviously still a good idea to take security precautions that the California shop owner probably didn’t take. 

For example, do you have at least one gun in the home, if not on every floor of your house? If someone bursts in your front door is there a gun within a few yards of you no matter where you’re at in your house (if you’re in the basement, in the shower, etc.)

Do you make sure you’re not being followed after you leave the shooting range, a jewelry store, or a very fancy restaurant? Do you have an alarm for your house and do you have the alarm turned on even while you’re home? (At least have a doorstopper alarm if you don’t have a “real” alarm.) 

The fact is, if you spend 10 minutes today thinking, you’ll uncover if there are any vulnerable areas of your life and then you can take the appropriate action to fix those areas. (Such as if you don’t have a gun on every floor of your house yet, you now have another excuse to get your next gun.)

Why You Need a Cache

This past weekend, I was teaching a Spy Escape & Evasion course in the Washington, DC area. We got to the topic of caching (storing items in another place besides your home) and one fellow couldn’t understand why in the world anyone would need to do this if they were a law-abiding citizen.

Well… first, let me go a little more into the definition of caching. When I recommend that someone store a gun and ammo, food and other materials it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go dig a hole in the woods and bury a large container. A “cache” could also be a small rented storage unit or storing some items at a relative’s house or in a cabin in the woods.

My point is, when a lot of people think of caching they think of the extremist dressed in camouflage that’s caching ammo cans all around his property. I believe caching is for the prudent person who doesn’t want to keep all their eggs in one basket.

In other words…

Yes, there is a chance the government could try and confiscate our guns one day. But right now, there’s a more likely chance that one of our houses will burn down. And if you happen to come home from dinner one evening and your house is going up in flames you don’t want all of your guns and ammo to go up in flames too… you want to be able to go to another location and secure a gun and other needed items in the meantime.

To make this point even clearer, look at caching the way you look at the stock market. We’re always told to diversify and to never invest our money in only one stock because if that stock crashes (Enron) then we’ve lost all our money.  Caching is simply diversifying your life-saving gear to multiple locations, in addition to your house.

If you do decide to cache…

I believe it’s a good idea to spread things out. For example, you might have a storage unit for a few items, you might bury a PVC tube on your property or other land, and then you might fill an ammo can or two and bury that elsewhere.

Also, when it comes to caching make sure and bury items that work. In other words, I know of people who’ve purchased cheap guns for caching purposes. The guns are pieces of junk but these folks couldn’t see themselves burying a quality gun because they see it as a waste of a good gun and money. Personally, I think this is crazy because if you ever need your cache, you obviously want a gun that you can depend on.

So don’t be cheap when you’re assembling your cache. If you ever have to rely on your cache it means that something very bad has happened, and at that moment in time you’ll wish you cached the best guns, ammo and other gear that money can buy.

One last thing for today. To this article, I’ve attached directions for building a PVC pipe cache, plus a few of the items you may want to put in your cache.

Why You Need a Cache

This past weekend, I was teaching a Spy Escape & Evasion course in the Washington, DC area. We got to the topic of caching (storing items in another place besides your home) and one fellow couldn’t understand why in the world anyone would need to do this if they were a law-abiding citizen.

Well… first, let me go a little more into the definition of caching. When I recommend that someone store a gun and ammo, food and other materials it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go dig a hole in the woods and bury a large container. A “cache” could also be a small rented storage unit or storing some items at a relative’s house or in a cabin in the woods.

My point is, when a lot of people think of caching they think of the extremist dressed in camouflage that’s caching ammo cans all around his property. I believe caching is for the prudent person who doesn’t want to keep all their eggs in one basket.

In other words…

Yes, there is a chance the government could try and confiscate our guns one day. But right now, there’s a more likely chance that one of our houses will burn down. And if you happen to come home from dinner one evening and your house is going up in flames you don’t want all of your guns and ammo to go up in flames too… you want to be able to go to another location and secure a gun and other needed items in the meantime.

To make this point even clearer, look at caching the way you look at the stock market. We’re always told to diversify and to never invest our money in only one stock because if that stock crashes (Enron) then we’ve lost all our money.  Caching is simply diversifying your life-saving gear to multiple locations, in addition to your house.

If you do decide to cache…

I believe it’s a good idea to spread things out. For example, you might have a storage unit for a few items, you might bury a PVC tube on your property or other land, and then you might fill an ammo can or two and bury that elsewhere.

Also, when it comes to caching make sure and bury items that work. In other words, I know of people who’ve purchased cheap guns for caching purposes. The guns are pieces of junk but these folks couldn’t see themselves burying a quality gun because they see it as a waste of a good gun and money. Personally, I think this is crazy because if you ever need your cache, you obviously want a gun that you can depend on.

So don’t be cheap when you’re assembling your cache. If you ever have to rely on your cache it means that something very bad has happened, and at that moment in time you’ll wish you cached the best guns, ammo and other gear that money can buy.

One last thing for today. To this article, I’ve attached directions for building a PVC pipe cache, plus a few of the items you may want to put in your cache.

5 ways to get your gun out faster

If you ever have to draw your gun in self-defense, the encounter will likely be over in a matter of seconds, although it will feel like an eternity. This is why it’s critical to practice your draw so you instinctively and quickly get your gun out and on target if you ever need it.

A perfect example of this is the recent pizza deliveryman who was (almost) robbed at knifepoint. The deliveryman quickly drew his gun and shot his assailant, who turned out to be a career criminal. It turns out that this deliveryman also happened to be a former law enforcement officer who no doubt had practiced his draw more than once.  

So what’s the best way to improve your draw speed?

Well, there are five different things that I recommend you try and that I do myself. First, you have to get a quality holster. You need to be able to get a solid grip on the gun while the gun is still in the holster. If you have to adjust your grip on the draw while you draw, that’s precious time you’re losing. You also want to make sure the gun comes smoothly out of the holster and the front sight isn’t catching on anything. A few good holster makers are Crossbreed, Milt Sparks, and Blade Tech.

The second way to improve your speed is through dry fire practice. At your home, using a safe and empty weapon, practice your draw for 5 to 10 minutes every day. At first, start slowly to ensure you’re getting a solid grip on the gun and that you’re drawing the gun straight up, rotating it toward the target, and then driving the gun straight out.

Once you’ve practiced the draw several times and you’re confident that you have the basics down then it’s time to introduce the third way to improve your draw speed, which is using a competition timer.

You might think you’re already fast, but a timer helps you push yourself even further. Use a timer on your phone or a competition timer (I use the Pocket Pro II) and get yourself to the point where you can get the gun out and on target in two seconds or less. Two seconds or less may sound fast now, but after some practice it’s very achievable. I’m willing to bet that the pizza man had his gun out at least this quickly or else he probably would’ve ended up dead.

The fourth way to improve your draw speed is to videotape yourself. These days almost everyone has a smartphone with a video camera or you can get one of those inexpensive flip cameras. Set up the camera in your home and videotape yourself practicing your draw using the timer.

After filming your draw for about 5 minutes, go through and evaluate the tape. The #1 mistake that folks will discover is that they’re draw is not efficient and they’re not going in straight lines. In other words, many people go “bowling,” which means they are drawing the gun and then bringing it up on target at an angle, instead of driving straight out (picture a person doing the bowling motion with a complete follow though). Many people also “go fishing” where they draw the gun too high and make a circular motion as they bring it down toward the target (picture someone casting).

Another benefit of videotaping yourself is that you might realize your stance is wrong and if you videotape during live-fire training you can see if you’re flinching or jerking the trigger.

The final thing you can do is the Tueller Drill created by Dennis Tueller. In short, have somebody stand seven yards away from you, and on the “go” signal have them rush you. You need to use a blue training gun for this drill, NOT just a safe and empty weapon. You want to see if you’re able to draw and “shoot” before the person touches you.

The fact is, even if you’re the world’s most accurate shot, if it takes you 5 seconds to draw your gun… well… you might not survive the gunfight, unlike the pizza man mentioned earlier. So work on improving your draw speed today, even if you spend just five minutes doing it.

How to Avoid Getting Attacked in Your Car

This past Sunday, a man and his wife were driving through Brooklyn, NY. They were sitting at a stoplight when a group of 10 teenagers started crossing in front of them. The light turned green and the teenagers were still in the road when the man honked at them to move out of the way.

As soon as he honked, the youths started kicking and pounding on his car. He got out of the car to assess the damage and they turned their attack on him. He was severely beaten by the pack of teenagers and according to the news, he had a fractured nose, broken septum, and multiple bruises on his body.

As the driver was getting beaten, his wife began dialing 911 as she was dragged from the car and beaten too. Thankfully, the couple didn’t have any life threatening injuries and they survived the attack by these 10 kids.

Stories like these are becoming more commonplace, such as the incident that happened in Virginia when a man was stopped at a red light and someone threw a rock at his car. When the driver got out of the car, he was attacked by a group of 100 youths. Thankfully he survived too.

The fact is, when groups of teenagers (or any group for that matter) get together they often do stupid and dangerous things. That’s why every time you get in your car you should first lock your doors. It doesn’t matter if you’re driving 2 miles to get milk, get in the habit of locking the doors as soon as you get in your vehicle.

Also, it should be obvious that you should never get out of your vehicle if it comes under attack. If kids start kicking your car or someone throws a rock at your car, hit the gas pedal and get out of the area. If people are blocking your forward movement then either run them over (depending on the severity of the situation and whether your life is in danger) or throw it in reverse and back up.

Drive to a police station or someplace safe, call police and only assess the damage done to the vehicle at that time. If you have no way out and you feel you can’t go forward, reverse, left or right, then it’s time to draw your firearm. If a group of people are surrounding your car then simply displaying your firearm will often get them to disperse.

Of course, you never draw a gun just to display it, you draw it because you believe you might have to use deadly force to save your own life or that of a loved one. And if the group of attackers starts smashing your windows and you or your loved one are about to get dragged out of a vehicle then that would be the time to defend yourself with a firearm.

Remember, you can easily shoot through your front windshield just as easily as a side window. So if people are smashing your car or threating your life and they’re directly in front of you, you don’t have to wait until they’re at your door to protect yourself.

Besides using good situational awareness and hitting the gas pedal to escape a dangerous situation, don’t forget to practice drawing your firearm in your vehicle.

Do this in your garage with the garage door closed (so your neighbors don’t get spooked) and with a safe and empty weapon. Make sure you can quickly get to your gun while seated from wherever your carry position is. You should be able to draw your gun in your vehicle in two seconds or less, just like you should be able to do it in two seconds or less while standing.

Handling the San Francisco Train Shooting

By now, you’ve probably heard about the murder that took place on a San Francisco commuter train. The gunman didn’t quickly pull out his gun and shoot someone… instead, he pulled out his gun multiple times and even used it to wipe his nose before shooting someone.

However, not a single person on the train noticed him pulling out the gun because everyone was absorbed in their cell phones. As the District Attorney stated, “These people are in very close proximity with him, and nobody sees this… They're just so engrossed, texting and reading and whatnot. They're completely oblivious of their surroundings."

I’m not going to go into a lecture about situational awareness because if you’ve ever trained with me you know how important it is, and you’re aware of the color code. What I do want to share with you today is how you should react if you ever find yourself in a similar situation. In fact, I got the following question (below) from a gentleman named Phil H. that fits perfectly with what I want to share with you.

Phil H. wrote to me regarding the train shooting, “I'm not going to comment on the obvious issue of awareness, but my question is how should a CCW holder react to a situation like that? It was a crowded environment. Making the other passengers aware could spark a panic. Shooting the gunman before he has shot his weapon doesn't seem like a good option. Nor does doing nothing and just being a good witness. But with the crowded environment, taking any action could endanger a lot of lives. So what is the best response to a gun threat in a crowded environment?”

In this specific instance of being on the train, drawing and shooting is definitely not the way to go. It’s too crowded and people are packed into each other like sardines. Also, I wouldn’t just sit there and be a good witness. Obviously, a person can choose to do what they wish, but if the gunman shoots someone and you just stand there and watch… you might be next. If I found myself in that situation I believe the best option is to go hands-on.

The gunman in this case gave a world of opportunity for people to stop him, he was begging for attention and was almost saying “please notice me” when he pulled out the gun multiple times before actually using it. There was plenty of time for a passenger close to him or even several feet away to go hands-on and disarm him.

There are several different techniques for disarming a person with a gun and I know that police academies teach one way, the martial arts teach another, and federal agencies teach another. However, the method I like is what the Secret Service refers to as “Grab, Squeeze, Break, Pull.”

All of the actions in this disarming method happen almost instantaneously but here’s how it breaks down. You grab the gun and squeeze (you are squeezing the person’s hand on the gun, so your hand is on top of theirs wrapped around the gun.) As soon as you grab and squeeze you chop down on their arm to make it bend at the elbow and you pull forward throwing them forward and off balance to the ground where you then remove the gun.

Again, this is just one method of disarming a person with a gun and you should find what works best for you. But in a crowded situation like a train or bus, going hands-on and disarming the threat is often the best solution.

Also, if you ever go hands-on, you don’t have to create a panic or start screaming. In the train situation, as soon as someone saw the gun they could have quickly and silently made their way to the killer and brought him down without anyone getting scared and getting in their way in the panic.

Gun Free Zones and the Law

A few weeks ago, I was doing training in Flagstaff, AZ. While I was there, I needed a new, white dress shirt so I decided to stop by the one and only mall in Flagstaff. As I approached the entrance, I noticed a rather large sign with a gun and an X through it.

In other words, they were letting me know this mall was a gun free zone and they did a good job of it as you couldn’t miss their sign. Now, when a concealed carry permit holder encounters a “gun free zone” we obviously have some choices to make. We can walk back to our car and go someplace else. We can walk back to our car and secure our gun in the vehicle and then go shopping. Or, we can just ignore the sign and go in anyway.

I’m not suggesting that anyone should ignore the sign, but let’s say you walked into the mall and didn’t notice the first sign, but you were already in the mall and noticed a second sign. If for some reason you got caught in a gun free zone carrying concealed what could happen to you?

I know some people let their mind wander and think that SWAT is going to descend on them and take their gun and they’re going to spend a year in jail and never get to carry a gun again.

Well, maybe that’s true in a place like California… but here’s what’s more likely to happen…

I live in the state of Utah. In Utah, a private business’s sign that says it’s a “gun free zone” does not have the force of law. In other words, if I walk into a business and they find out I have a gun they can simply ask me to leave. I can’t get in any legal trouble (unless I refuse to leave when asked to do so.)

However, if while in Utah I enter a private residence or a house of worship that’s a gun free zone, that does have the force of law. So what will happen if I get caught with a gun in church or in a private residence? Well, no SWAT team is going to get you and no year in jail either, but you could get charged with trespassing.

Back to the mall in Flagstaff, Arizona, which is different than a mall in Utah. If I had entered the mall with my gun and somebody had noticed it and reported me, I could have been charged with trespassing. This is because in Arizona, all “gun free zones” signs have the force of law, no matter what kind of place (private business, house of worship, etc.) they are posted in.

As you can see each state is different.

I imagine most states will only charge you with trespassing in the situations when the sign has the force of law but you never know, so make sure and research your own state’s laws. And again, not that I am saying you should ignore the “no gun” signs at a business, but if you accidentally make a mistake and find out you’re in a gun free zone too late, don’t freak out. Just calmly exit the business and if you’re carrying concealed nobody should ever know you have a gun in the first place.

Liberty Gun Safes?

I live in southern Utah and recently found out that Liberty Gun Safes are made in Payson, UT about 2 hours from my house. If you’re not familiar with Liberty Gun Safes they’re makers of the large gun safes that cost a small fortune, and if you’re lucky enough, will house your entire arsenal.

The thing is, whether you’re buying a Liberty, Canon, Browning, or another safe manufacturer, most people don’t know how to shop for the right gun safe. What I mean is, if you’re purchasing a safe at a gun show for $500 that says, “made in China” you might as well not buy a safe at all.

Why?

Because these types of safes can be easily broken into with an axe or sledgehammer. A quality gun safe is going to set you back $2,500 or more and will definitely be made in America. The reason for this is because a quality safe has thick steel (around 3/16 of an inch) and weighs so much that it’s not cost effective to ship it from China.

What’s more, a quality gun safe will have a fire rating of 60 minutes or more. What this means is that for 60 minutes your guns will be protected and won’t begin to warp or go up in flames. It will also come with a special fire seal around the door that expands 5-times it’s size when subjected to heat so that smoke and water won’t enter the safe.

Also, somewhere on the safe you’ll want to see the Underwriters Laboratory RSC sticker. Underwriters Laboratory is the third-party firm that beats the heck out of the safes and subjects them to all types of tests. Their RSC (Residential Security Rating) means the safe will withstand attacks against it with various tools.

Now even though these top-of-the-line safes have all of the bells and whistles…

One thing I wouldn’t get is the fancy electronic keypad lock. Almost all problems that I’ve heard regarding these safes involve problems with the electronic lock. If I were you, I would stick with the old spin dial lock just as long as you remember to spin it off when you’re through using the safe.

The bottom line is, if your gun collection is like mine then it’s worth a good amount of money, which means it makes sense to protect it with the best safes out there. So when the time comes for you to get the 64 gun safe (we can dream can’t we) make sure you know the right questions to ask so you’re not getting a safe that can be easily defeated by criminals or a fire.

Lessons from a Modern Day Gunfighter

Hopefully, most of us will never be in a gunfight. But the fact is, there are thousands of home invasions and other crimes committed every day. This means there are many Americans who are, unfortunately, likely to experience a gunfight in their lifetime. But the chances of someone experiencing four gunfights (who isn’t in law enforcement or the military) are extremely slim.

One such person is California man Lance Thomas. Lance used to own a high-end watch store in Los Angeles. Back in the 1980s, many shopkeepers on his street were getting robbed and murdered so he decided to get a gun. He purchased a .38 snub-nosed revolver.

Just a few weeks after he purchased his first gun, two men walked into his store and attempted to rob him by pointing a 9mm at his face. As Lance was pretending to gather up watches to give to them he grabbed his .38 and shot the gunman in the face while the other robber fled. Lance was unharmed and grateful to have had a gun.

After this first encounter he decided he needed more firearms training. He began going to the shooting range regularly. He also started getting in shape and joined a gym. He bought several more guns and he put them every three feet along the counter of his store that way he was always close to a firearm. He also practiced different scenarios on how someone would attempt to rob him in the store.

Just a few months later, two more men entered the watch store armed with guns. Another gunfight ensued and Lance ended up killing both criminals. Lance was shot four times himself, but most of the shots were in the shoulder and he quickly recovered.

About two years later, Lance experienced his third gunfight. He was again in his watch store when a single robber approached him with a Glock 9mm. Lance quickly drew his gun and killed the robber. Lance was shot in the neck, but on the side so the bullet passed through cleanly and he had no serious injuries. (He even says he went back to work the next day.)

The fourth and final gunfight involved two gang members who were looking for an easy score. They actually walked into the store with their guns out and as soon as Lance saw this he drew his gun and started firing. During the gunfight both gang members were killed and Lance was untouched.

After this fourth incident Lance decided it was time to close his shop and these days he only does business by private appointment. So what are the lessons we can learn from Lance (besides not to own a watch store in LA)?

1. Practice regularly. In interviews, Lance mentioned how he went to the range often and how he practiced drawing his gun often too. No doubt, his ability to quickly draw his firearm saved his life more than once.

2. Get in Shape. I’m not the biggest fan of working out but I know it’s good for me, which is why I run several miles everyday. If you’re not in shape you may not be able to move quickly enough to defend yourself.

3. Have multiple firearms. I have firearms stored throughout my house. Remember, if you’re watching a movie in your basement and your only gun is in your bedroom that’s a long way to go when someone is kicking in your front door.

4. Prepare. Besides practicing at the range and drawing his gun, he also practiced different scenarios and prepared ahead of time for the multiple ways he could be attacked. That’s why it’s important to prepare for what you will do if you have a home invasion and even what you will do once the gunfight is over.

The bottom line is, Lance Thomas is a very courageous man who refused to be a victim, and he’s a good example of how practice and preparation can pay off in the most important way of all.