I had a very good Christmas. I ate a lot of good food, got lots of presents and went to church. Speaking of going to church, my wife and I went with my father to his church. Sitting in front of us were 5 kids who I was pretty sure were going to kill each other.
The parents sat there doing absolutely nothing. Get this: They even let their son bring a Nerf dart gun to church. I’m pretty sure growing up if I had attempted to bring a dart gun to church it wouldn’t have gone very well. Anyway, I’m sure these kids will be on 60 Minutes one day for murdering their parents. Better them than me.
Regarding the gifts I got for Christmas, I have some good news and I have some bad news. The good news is that I got a lot of good firearms books (more on these in a moment.) The bad news is that my wife must have gotten to Santa because he did not bring me a gun for Christmas, which is hard to believe, because everyone knows Santa is a Republican. But that’s okay, because I plan to get two guns next month, including a new 1911 to make up for what Santa didn’t bring me.
Now let’s get to the books I got:
I’m very fortunate to love what I do and to have my “work reading material” be something that interests me. I try and read at least two books a month on personal protection and firearms. The following books below are what I got for Christmas and what should keep me busy for the next few months:
1. To Ride, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth by Jeff Cooper
2. Jim Cirillo’s Tales of the Stakeout Squad by Paul Kirchner
3. No Second Place Winner by Bill Jordan
4. Surgical Speed Shooting by Andy Stanford
5. Practical Shooting by Brian Enos
6. 1911: The First 100 Years by Patrick Sweeney
Each of these books is written by or about some of the best firearms instructors on the planet, so I look forward to learning a thing or two, which I’ll in turn be able to pass along to you.
Other than the books, I got some new jacketed hollow-point self-defense ammo and my wife wants me to inform you that she got a blender… sorry a “hand mixer,” and some “super cute” clothes. Needless to say, I was slightly more excited about the books and ammo than the blender and shirt made by some designer I’ve never heard of.
Well, time to head to the range to get some practice in, but tomorrow I’m going to reveal the 2012 Concealed Carry Academy referral plan, which I really think you’re going to like and which could get you a ton of free training.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Why My Christmas Tree May Be The Death of Me
If you’ve ever been in law enforcement or in the military, you know that clearing a home at night is a difficult task, which you never want to do, and it becomes even more difficult during the Christmas season. Why? Well, the following story about how my wife and our Christmas tree are trying to kill me will illustrate this:
Like most people who celebrate Christmas, my wife and I already have our tree.
As soon as we got home, she and I set it up. I thought we were all good, so I sat on the couch and began to do some reading. About 30 seconds into my book, I was informed she did not like the location of the tree.
Well, about two hours later, after arranging every piece of furniture in our living room, we finally had the perfect spot for our tree, which by the way, was probably a millimeter from the spot we started off in.
Anyway, it was time for bed after that so my wife and I went upstairs and went to sleep, or so I thought. The next morning as I was walked downstairs into the living room my leg slammed right into our couch. As I grimaced in pain, I limped over to the light switch and flicked it on to realize the tree had once again been moved to a new location as had the couch.
Needless to say, I wasn’t a happy camper at the moment.
Luckily though, this incident only left me with a bruise on my shin and angst towards the Christmas tree in my house. However, if an intruder had come in that night it could have truly turned into an ugly situation.
What if I had been forced to confront an intruder and had smashed into the couch or tripped over it? What if presents had been all over the ground in a new location and I had fallen into the tree giving an intruder a chance to attack me or even run upstairs and get to my wife?
(As much as I tease my wife - who has a great sense of humor and actually proofreads everything I write - I love her more than anything else in the world and I could never live with myself if I had not been paying attention to my surroundings, letting an intruder get the better of me.)
My point is, your spouse, Santa, or the tooth fairy may rearrange your furniture without you being the wiser. So never take for granted that you’ve lived in the same house for 30 years and know the layout like the back of your hand.
If, heaven forbid, you do ever have to go downstairs to confront an intruder, take a flashlight with you and go slowly. And yes, I’ll admit when I went downstairs that morning I did not expect to be attacked by the couch so I did not have my flashlight with me, which is always next to my gun in my bedroom.
Like most people who celebrate Christmas, my wife and I already have our tree.
As soon as we got home, she and I set it up. I thought we were all good, so I sat on the couch and began to do some reading. About 30 seconds into my book, I was informed she did not like the location of the tree.
Well, about two hours later, after arranging every piece of furniture in our living room, we finally had the perfect spot for our tree, which by the way, was probably a millimeter from the spot we started off in.
Anyway, it was time for bed after that so my wife and I went upstairs and went to sleep, or so I thought. The next morning as I was walked downstairs into the living room my leg slammed right into our couch. As I grimaced in pain, I limped over to the light switch and flicked it on to realize the tree had once again been moved to a new location as had the couch.
Needless to say, I wasn’t a happy camper at the moment.
Luckily though, this incident only left me with a bruise on my shin and angst towards the Christmas tree in my house. However, if an intruder had come in that night it could have truly turned into an ugly situation.
What if I had been forced to confront an intruder and had smashed into the couch or tripped over it? What if presents had been all over the ground in a new location and I had fallen into the tree giving an intruder a chance to attack me or even run upstairs and get to my wife?
(As much as I tease my wife - who has a great sense of humor and actually proofreads everything I write - I love her more than anything else in the world and I could never live with myself if I had not been paying attention to my surroundings, letting an intruder get the better of me.)
My point is, your spouse, Santa, or the tooth fairy may rearrange your furniture without you being the wiser. So never take for granted that you’ve lived in the same house for 30 years and know the layout like the back of your hand.
If, heaven forbid, you do ever have to go downstairs to confront an intruder, take a flashlight with you and go slowly. And yes, I’ll admit when I went downstairs that morning I did not expect to be attacked by the couch so I did not have my flashlight with me, which is always next to my gun in my bedroom.
How Not to Get Shot by Your Dog
A fellow in Brigham City, Utah was out duck hunting with his dog when he accidentally got shot by the pooch. Now, I’ve never been duck hunting in my life but I’m pretty sure this isn’t supposed to be how things happen.
So how exactly did this fellow get shot by his dog? Apparently, he was in a boat with his dog when he decided to get out of the boat and put a decoy in the marsh. He left his shotgun in the boat along with his excited dog. Somehow, while running around the boat the dog stepped on the trigger and the gun fired.
Thank goodness it was only birdshot and the owner did have a pair of waders on, which helped mitigate the damage as well. However, he still had to go to the hospital and get 27 pellets of birdshot removed from his behind, which I imagine wasn’t very fun.
The thing is…
This accident, like most gun accidents, could have been prevented by following simple safety rules. You see, the first mistake this guy made was that he didn’t engage the safety on his shotgun.
Although I’ve never been duck hunting I do have a shotgun for home defense and I do train with it often. And when my shotgun is in my bedroom at night, the safety is on. I don’t want to have to worry about something “magically” getting in the trigger guard and discharging the gun.
In fact…
When I’m training and I’m not firing the gun, I immediately put the safety on. It’s a good habit to develop and ensures the gun won’t discharge when you’re not prepared to fire.
The second mistake this guy made and the rule that none of us should ever violate is pointing the gun at something you’re not willing to destroy. This guy obviously didn’t have the gun in his hand, but he had poor muzzle awareness and wasn’t aware that his 12-guage shotgun was pointing at him when he got out of the boat.
I don’t care if the gun is lying on your couch or on the seat of your truck and nobody is holding it. You still don’t want to have the gun pointed at you and heaven forbid you should ever look down the barrel.
This guy was lucky and this incident didn’t turn out too badly for him. However, the majority of the time when people don’t have proper muzzle awareness it ends up costing them their life or the life of someone they care about.
So please remember the four firearms safety rules at all times. And, be especially careful the next time you leave a loaded gun around Fido.
So how exactly did this fellow get shot by his dog? Apparently, he was in a boat with his dog when he decided to get out of the boat and put a decoy in the marsh. He left his shotgun in the boat along with his excited dog. Somehow, while running around the boat the dog stepped on the trigger and the gun fired.
Thank goodness it was only birdshot and the owner did have a pair of waders on, which helped mitigate the damage as well. However, he still had to go to the hospital and get 27 pellets of birdshot removed from his behind, which I imagine wasn’t very fun.
The thing is…
This accident, like most gun accidents, could have been prevented by following simple safety rules. You see, the first mistake this guy made was that he didn’t engage the safety on his shotgun.
Although I’ve never been duck hunting I do have a shotgun for home defense and I do train with it often. And when my shotgun is in my bedroom at night, the safety is on. I don’t want to have to worry about something “magically” getting in the trigger guard and discharging the gun.
In fact…
When I’m training and I’m not firing the gun, I immediately put the safety on. It’s a good habit to develop and ensures the gun won’t discharge when you’re not prepared to fire.
The second mistake this guy made and the rule that none of us should ever violate is pointing the gun at something you’re not willing to destroy. This guy obviously didn’t have the gun in his hand, but he had poor muzzle awareness and wasn’t aware that his 12-guage shotgun was pointing at him when he got out of the boat.
I don’t care if the gun is lying on your couch or on the seat of your truck and nobody is holding it. You still don’t want to have the gun pointed at you and heaven forbid you should ever look down the barrel.
This guy was lucky and this incident didn’t turn out too badly for him. However, the majority of the time when people don’t have proper muzzle awareness it ends up costing them their life or the life of someone they care about.
So please remember the four firearms safety rules at all times. And, be especially careful the next time you leave a loaded gun around Fido.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
6 Flashlight Shooting Techniques You Must Know
The majority of self-defense shootings occur during low-light or the night time. The exact statistics are all over the place, but I’ve most frequently seen them as saying 60% to 79% of shootings occur in these conditions.
It’s for this very reason that I recommend you have a flashlight and carry it with you. At the very least you need to have a flashlight next to your bed for home protection purposes. The flashlight I use is the SureFire G2X Tactical light, but you can’t go wrong with any of the SureFire models.
Once you’ve chosen your flashlight you obviously need to know how to use it for self-defense purposes. The first rule is to keep your flashlight in the same place at all times. If you’re going to carry a flashlight on your belt, make sure it’s always in the same location.
If you’re going to carry it in your left pants pocket, it should always be in your left pants pocket. This also goes for where you keep it in your bedroom. Every night before I go to bed I make sure my flashlight is where it’s supposed to be and that it hasn’t been moved or used by somebody.
Next, I would not recommend mounting your flashlight on your pistol.
This causes the major problem of pointing a loaded gun at everything you shine your light on. If your 16-year-old son is sneaking in the basement and you run down there to shine a light to see who it is, I doubt you want to point the loaded firearm at your kid.
Since you’re not going to have a light on the gun, you need to learn one of several flashlight shooting techniques. By far, the most popular technique is the “Harries” method. It was developed in the 1970’s by Mike Harries, a former Marine.
Simply put, if you’re a right-handed shooter you grab the flashlight with your left hand in the “ice pick” grip. In other words, the way you’re holding the flashlight should allow you to strike downward with force as if you’re stabbing someone. Also, your left thumb operates the pressure switch on the end of the flashlight.
Once you have a solid grip on the light, bring your left hand underneath the gun and put your hands back to back. When you are doing this do not cross your hand in front of a loaded gun, make sure and bring the light underneath the pistol and not in front of it. Maintain pressure bringing both your wrists and the back of your hands together.
Another popular flashlight technique is the Chapman…
Named after Ray Chapman, who won the world’s first pistol championship in 1975. With this technique you hold the flashlight in a “sword” grip and bring the flashlight alongside your gun. The thumb and forefinger grasp the light and your other three fingers wrap around your shooting hand. The major problem with this technique is that it was designed when the majority of flashlights had the on/off button on the side of the flashlight, unlike today’s tactical flashlights, which have the button on the end of the light.
The Ayoob flashlight technique was developed by Massad Ayoob, a well-known firearms instructor and author of many books, including In the Gravest Extreme. The Ayoob technique is very similar to the Chapman in that you hold the flashlight in the “sword” grip. The only difference is, instead of holding the flashlight underhand, you hold it overhand and you bring both thumbs together as if you’re shooting in the traditional “thumbs forward” grip.
Former FBI Agent and firearms instructor Bill Rogers created the Rogers flashlight technique. This is where you hold the light in between your index finger and your middle finger. You bring the flashlight up to the side of the gun and have your thumbs touch and your other two fingers wrap around your shooting hand. This method allows you to get closer to a two handed grip than any other flashlight shooting technique.
The Neck-Index technique seems to get more popular by the day and can be used with most flashlights, whether they’re big or small, and whether the pressure switch is on the end of the light or on the side. You use the “ice pick” grip for this technique and hold the flashlight right below your ear close to your jaw and neck. An obvious disadvantage of this technique is that the flashlight is directly next to your head so if a bad guy is shooting at the light you’re in trouble.
Of course…
I can’t talk about flashlight techniques without mentioning the old FBI technique. This is where you hold the flashlight in the “ice pick” grip up in the air and away from your body. The theory behind this technique is that you’ll disorient an attacker because they won’t know where you’re at and if they shoot at the light they won’t hit you. This technique is good for clearing a room, but if you have to hold the flashlight for an extended period of time your arm becomes tired very quickly.
Personally, the methods which I prefer are the Harries and the Neck-Index, but you need to figure out what works best for you. Also, don’t forget to practice reloads and clearing malfunctions with the flashlight. If you use a lanyard with your light you can simply let it drop and hang from your wrist when reloading. However, if you don’t use a lanyard, you’ll need to practice putting the light under your armpit with the light facing to the rear, when doing these exercises.
In addition to dry firing at home, don’t forget to take your flashlight to the range with you to practice these different techniques because you never know when a window will break at 3am and you’ll be extremely happy you learned one of these simple flashlight techniques.
It’s for this very reason that I recommend you have a flashlight and carry it with you. At the very least you need to have a flashlight next to your bed for home protection purposes. The flashlight I use is the SureFire G2X Tactical light, but you can’t go wrong with any of the SureFire models.
Once you’ve chosen your flashlight you obviously need to know how to use it for self-defense purposes. The first rule is to keep your flashlight in the same place at all times. If you’re going to carry a flashlight on your belt, make sure it’s always in the same location.
If you’re going to carry it in your left pants pocket, it should always be in your left pants pocket. This also goes for where you keep it in your bedroom. Every night before I go to bed I make sure my flashlight is where it’s supposed to be and that it hasn’t been moved or used by somebody.
Next, I would not recommend mounting your flashlight on your pistol.
This causes the major problem of pointing a loaded gun at everything you shine your light on. If your 16-year-old son is sneaking in the basement and you run down there to shine a light to see who it is, I doubt you want to point the loaded firearm at your kid.
Since you’re not going to have a light on the gun, you need to learn one of several flashlight shooting techniques. By far, the most popular technique is the “Harries” method. It was developed in the 1970’s by Mike Harries, a former Marine.
Simply put, if you’re a right-handed shooter you grab the flashlight with your left hand in the “ice pick” grip. In other words, the way you’re holding the flashlight should allow you to strike downward with force as if you’re stabbing someone. Also, your left thumb operates the pressure switch on the end of the flashlight.
Once you have a solid grip on the light, bring your left hand underneath the gun and put your hands back to back. When you are doing this do not cross your hand in front of a loaded gun, make sure and bring the light underneath the pistol and not in front of it. Maintain pressure bringing both your wrists and the back of your hands together.
Another popular flashlight technique is the Chapman…
Named after Ray Chapman, who won the world’s first pistol championship in 1975. With this technique you hold the flashlight in a “sword” grip and bring the flashlight alongside your gun. The thumb and forefinger grasp the light and your other three fingers wrap around your shooting hand. The major problem with this technique is that it was designed when the majority of flashlights had the on/off button on the side of the flashlight, unlike today’s tactical flashlights, which have the button on the end of the light.
The Ayoob flashlight technique was developed by Massad Ayoob, a well-known firearms instructor and author of many books, including In the Gravest Extreme. The Ayoob technique is very similar to the Chapman in that you hold the flashlight in the “sword” grip. The only difference is, instead of holding the flashlight underhand, you hold it overhand and you bring both thumbs together as if you’re shooting in the traditional “thumbs forward” grip.
Former FBI Agent and firearms instructor Bill Rogers created the Rogers flashlight technique. This is where you hold the light in between your index finger and your middle finger. You bring the flashlight up to the side of the gun and have your thumbs touch and your other two fingers wrap around your shooting hand. This method allows you to get closer to a two handed grip than any other flashlight shooting technique.
The Neck-Index technique seems to get more popular by the day and can be used with most flashlights, whether they’re big or small, and whether the pressure switch is on the end of the light or on the side. You use the “ice pick” grip for this technique and hold the flashlight right below your ear close to your jaw and neck. An obvious disadvantage of this technique is that the flashlight is directly next to your head so if a bad guy is shooting at the light you’re in trouble.
Of course…
I can’t talk about flashlight techniques without mentioning the old FBI technique. This is where you hold the flashlight in the “ice pick” grip up in the air and away from your body. The theory behind this technique is that you’ll disorient an attacker because they won’t know where you’re at and if they shoot at the light they won’t hit you. This technique is good for clearing a room, but if you have to hold the flashlight for an extended period of time your arm becomes tired very quickly.
Personally, the methods which I prefer are the Harries and the Neck-Index, but you need to figure out what works best for you. Also, don’t forget to practice reloads and clearing malfunctions with the flashlight. If you use a lanyard with your light you can simply let it drop and hang from your wrist when reloading. However, if you don’t use a lanyard, you’ll need to practice putting the light under your armpit with the light facing to the rear, when doing these exercises.
In addition to dry firing at home, don’t forget to take your flashlight to the range with you to practice these different techniques because you never know when a window will break at 3am and you’ll be extremely happy you learned one of these simple flashlight techniques.
Why reloading this way could get you killed
After teaching my concealed carry class on Saturday I headed over to the NRA range for some personal training time. Since I had just taught a class my gear was in a bunch of different boxes, and when I got to the range I couldn’t find my magazine pouch.
After spending a while looking for the pouch (which probably means one minute since I’m a man of little patience) I headed into the range with my Glock 19, and all my shooting gear, minus my magazine pouch.
Now, when I go to the range I take the sessions pretty seriously. I go there for a purpose, and I always do a series of drills to improve my shooting skills. One of the more advanced drills I do is where I have a target the size of a paper plate and right above it I have a target the size of an index card.
The drill consists of 6 rounds…
And you start with 4 rounds in the first magazine and 2 rounds in the second. I shoot the four rounds into the paper plate target, I reload, and then shoot 2 more rounds into the 3x5 size target. When I’m doing this I start with the target edged, then it faces and then it disappears within 5-10 seconds. (You’ll see why I say 5-10 seconds in a minute.)
Well, as I just mentioned, I didn’t have my magazine pouch on me like I usually do so I was forced to keep the magazine in one of my pockets. At first I tried the front pocket and I was grabbing the magazine out of it slower than cold tar running up a dirt road. Next, I kept it in my back pocket and it wasn’t much better. It was taking me about 10 seconds to finish the drill.
When I walked out of the shooting session…
My wife, who had been watching me, said: “You sure looked slow today.” I kept my thoughts to myself and just nodded even though I wanted to say “yes my dear, it took me as long as it takes you to get ready for bed every night to get the magazine out of my pocket.”
The point I’m trying to make is that I know several shooters who carry their spare ammunition in their pockets and Saturday’s shooting excursion once again reminded me why it’s a bad idea.
It takes way too long to grab the magazine from your pocket and perform a reload. It’s a heck of a lot quicker when you have a magazine pouch. (I use a simple Kydex single mag pouch.) And if for some reason you don’t believe me, go to the shooting range this weekend and do what I did. Do some timed shooting drills wearing your mag pouch and then do some drills with the spare mag in your pocket. After you do these, I’m pretty sure you’ll agree with me that spare ammo needs to be on your belt in a pouch and not tucked away in some pocket.
By the way, I did find my magazine pouch and next time I go back to the range I should be back to regular form and shouldn’t be hearing my wife say: “you sure looked slow today.”
After spending a while looking for the pouch (which probably means one minute since I’m a man of little patience) I headed into the range with my Glock 19, and all my shooting gear, minus my magazine pouch.
Now, when I go to the range I take the sessions pretty seriously. I go there for a purpose, and I always do a series of drills to improve my shooting skills. One of the more advanced drills I do is where I have a target the size of a paper plate and right above it I have a target the size of an index card.
The drill consists of 6 rounds…
And you start with 4 rounds in the first magazine and 2 rounds in the second. I shoot the four rounds into the paper plate target, I reload, and then shoot 2 more rounds into the 3x5 size target. When I’m doing this I start with the target edged, then it faces and then it disappears within 5-10 seconds. (You’ll see why I say 5-10 seconds in a minute.)
Well, as I just mentioned, I didn’t have my magazine pouch on me like I usually do so I was forced to keep the magazine in one of my pockets. At first I tried the front pocket and I was grabbing the magazine out of it slower than cold tar running up a dirt road. Next, I kept it in my back pocket and it wasn’t much better. It was taking me about 10 seconds to finish the drill.
When I walked out of the shooting session…
My wife, who had been watching me, said: “You sure looked slow today.” I kept my thoughts to myself and just nodded even though I wanted to say “yes my dear, it took me as long as it takes you to get ready for bed every night to get the magazine out of my pocket.”
The point I’m trying to make is that I know several shooters who carry their spare ammunition in their pockets and Saturday’s shooting excursion once again reminded me why it’s a bad idea.
It takes way too long to grab the magazine from your pocket and perform a reload. It’s a heck of a lot quicker when you have a magazine pouch. (I use a simple Kydex single mag pouch.) And if for some reason you don’t believe me, go to the shooting range this weekend and do what I did. Do some timed shooting drills wearing your mag pouch and then do some drills with the spare mag in your pocket. After you do these, I’m pretty sure you’ll agree with me that spare ammo needs to be on your belt in a pouch and not tucked away in some pocket.
By the way, I did find my magazine pouch and next time I go back to the range I should be back to regular form and shouldn’t be hearing my wife say: “you sure looked slow today.”
Monday, November 21, 2011
Dad Shoots Son at Range
I was driving home from the NRA shooting range on Saturday when I got a call from my brother who lives in Utah. My brother recently graduated from the police academy and spends a lot of time at the range because he thinks one day he’ll be able to shoot like his brother…
Even though he forgets that he still owes me a whopping $5.00 from when I beat him at a shooting competition when he was in town for my wedding this summer. It was actually the day before my wedding and we were supposed to be shoe shopping or something like that. Obviously, a shooting competition was more important than shoe shopping, although when I explained this to my future wife later in the day, to my astonishment, she did not agree.
Anyway, when my brother called me he told me that at the shooting range he frequents, a father had accidentally shot his son the night before. What happened was that at the end of their shooting session the father was getting ready to pack up his gun. He did not unload the gun before he packed it up and as he was putting it into the case he put his finger on the trigger and fired the gun. The bullet struck his son’s hand, penetrating through to his son’s stomach.
According to the news article…
The kid laid on the ground until the ambulance came and he’s supposed to be just fine. Unfortunately, the father has to live with this for the rest of his life, but it’s obviously better than losing a son. (Just imagine how that phone conversation goes with your wife: “Hi honey, I just wanted to let you know that Joe and I are going to be a little late coming home from the range tonight... Because I shot him.”)
The reason this happened is because the father violated numerous safety rules and these are the same rules that I see violated at shooting ranges all of the time. First off, he was packing up a loaded gun. Before you pack up your gun for the day and put it in the case, always unload it. The only time I leave the shooting range with a loaded gun is when it’s on my hip in the holster. If I have multiple guns with me, they’re all unloaded except the one I’m carrying concealed.
Secondly, this father had his finger on the trigger of the gun.
Never put your finger on the trigger until you’ve identified your threat and you’re ready to shoot. When you are packing up a gun at the end of the day you still need to be aware of how you’re handling the gun to make sure your finger is out of the trigger guard.
Lastly, this father was not paying attention to the muzzle of the gun. You and I know that you never point the muzzle of the gun at anything you’re not willing to destroy. In fact, this is probably the most violated rule I see at a shooting range, which is why when I’m coming and going from my own lane at a range I’m always paying attention to those around me to make sure nobody is muzzling me.
The fact is, there are a lot of unsafe people at shooting ranges so not only do you have to worry about yourself following the safety rules, you also have to make sure nobody else is putting your life in danger.
Even though he forgets that he still owes me a whopping $5.00 from when I beat him at a shooting competition when he was in town for my wedding this summer. It was actually the day before my wedding and we were supposed to be shoe shopping or something like that. Obviously, a shooting competition was more important than shoe shopping, although when I explained this to my future wife later in the day, to my astonishment, she did not agree.
Anyway, when my brother called me he told me that at the shooting range he frequents, a father had accidentally shot his son the night before. What happened was that at the end of their shooting session the father was getting ready to pack up his gun. He did not unload the gun before he packed it up and as he was putting it into the case he put his finger on the trigger and fired the gun. The bullet struck his son’s hand, penetrating through to his son’s stomach.
According to the news article…
The kid laid on the ground until the ambulance came and he’s supposed to be just fine. Unfortunately, the father has to live with this for the rest of his life, but it’s obviously better than losing a son. (Just imagine how that phone conversation goes with your wife: “Hi honey, I just wanted to let you know that Joe and I are going to be a little late coming home from the range tonight... Because I shot him.”)
The reason this happened is because the father violated numerous safety rules and these are the same rules that I see violated at shooting ranges all of the time. First off, he was packing up a loaded gun. Before you pack up your gun for the day and put it in the case, always unload it. The only time I leave the shooting range with a loaded gun is when it’s on my hip in the holster. If I have multiple guns with me, they’re all unloaded except the one I’m carrying concealed.
Secondly, this father had his finger on the trigger of the gun.
Never put your finger on the trigger until you’ve identified your threat and you’re ready to shoot. When you are packing up a gun at the end of the day you still need to be aware of how you’re handling the gun to make sure your finger is out of the trigger guard.
Lastly, this father was not paying attention to the muzzle of the gun. You and I know that you never point the muzzle of the gun at anything you’re not willing to destroy. In fact, this is probably the most violated rule I see at a shooting range, which is why when I’m coming and going from my own lane at a range I’m always paying attention to those around me to make sure nobody is muzzling me.
The fact is, there are a lot of unsafe people at shooting ranges so not only do you have to worry about yourself following the safety rules, you also have to make sure nobody else is putting your life in danger.
Should You Wear Body Armor?
When I was a police officer I always wore my bulletproof vest no matter what. I knew some guys that didn’t wear theirs often and I always thought they were nuts, but hey, that’s their choice.
I’ll admit wearing a vest isn’t fun and is downright miserable during the summer months. I remember sweating through my undershirt in about 2.5 seconds and having to change it multiple times, especially when I was working a double shift.
But again, I was a police officer and I think it’s crucial that any law enforcement officer or military personnel should obviously be wearing body armor at all times. But what about us civilians who carry concealed on the streets every day?
Well, if you’re super paranoid…
And are preparing for the end of days (like that crazy preacher who can’t get the date of the end of the world right) then yes, you might want to throw on some body armor. But for the average person I would say don’t worry about running out and purchasing any armor this weekend. Why? To tell you the truth, it’s because you probably wouldn’t ever wear it.
You see, in the self-defense and gun world at lot of the suggestions sound good, but are highly impractical and nobody actually follows them. For instance, I know that 99% of people would never wear body armor even if it was given to them free because it’s uncomfortable, because it’s hot and because it wouldn’t fit under a lot of the clothes they wear.
In fact, I’d be highly skeptical of anyone that tells you they wear body armor and that you must too. I’d be willing to bet they watched one too many SWAT-type movies or read one too many issues of Soldier of Fortune magazine. (I’d also be willing to bet the person works at a gun store, but that’s another topic in itself.)
The bottom line is…
If you want to get body armor go ahead and do so. Make sure that you’re legally allowed to do so in your area and make sure you’re getting quality armor. A lot of places will sell you a $199 vest that only covers the front of your body and won’t withstand larger caliber bullets. A decent vest is going to cost you around $700, and if you’re going to buy one there’s no point in buying a cheap one that’s not reliable.
But if you’re like most Americans, don’t worry about buying body armor. Then again, if you live in Baltimore City, Detroit, Memphis, and a few other cities in this country you may want to forget everything I just said and get a vest today. Of course, a far better idea might be to move because one of the best ways to keep yourself safe and keep yourself from ever having to use a gun in the first place is by not putting yourself in bad/dangerous situations to begin with.
I’ll admit wearing a vest isn’t fun and is downright miserable during the summer months. I remember sweating through my undershirt in about 2.5 seconds and having to change it multiple times, especially when I was working a double shift.
But again, I was a police officer and I think it’s crucial that any law enforcement officer or military personnel should obviously be wearing body armor at all times. But what about us civilians who carry concealed on the streets every day?
Well, if you’re super paranoid…
And are preparing for the end of days (like that crazy preacher who can’t get the date of the end of the world right) then yes, you might want to throw on some body armor. But for the average person I would say don’t worry about running out and purchasing any armor this weekend. Why? To tell you the truth, it’s because you probably wouldn’t ever wear it.
You see, in the self-defense and gun world at lot of the suggestions sound good, but are highly impractical and nobody actually follows them. For instance, I know that 99% of people would never wear body armor even if it was given to them free because it’s uncomfortable, because it’s hot and because it wouldn’t fit under a lot of the clothes they wear.
In fact, I’d be highly skeptical of anyone that tells you they wear body armor and that you must too. I’d be willing to bet they watched one too many SWAT-type movies or read one too many issues of Soldier of Fortune magazine. (I’d also be willing to bet the person works at a gun store, but that’s another topic in itself.)
The bottom line is…
If you want to get body armor go ahead and do so. Make sure that you’re legally allowed to do so in your area and make sure you’re getting quality armor. A lot of places will sell you a $199 vest that only covers the front of your body and won’t withstand larger caliber bullets. A decent vest is going to cost you around $700, and if you’re going to buy one there’s no point in buying a cheap one that’s not reliable.
But if you’re like most Americans, don’t worry about buying body armor. Then again, if you live in Baltimore City, Detroit, Memphis, and a few other cities in this country you may want to forget everything I just said and get a vest today. Of course, a far better idea might be to move because one of the best ways to keep yourself safe and keep yourself from ever having to use a gun in the first place is by not putting yourself in bad/dangerous situations to begin with.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Is That A Gun In Your Pocket?
Did you know that in 1987 the state ofFloridaissued the first concealed firearms permit? Ever since then we’ve been trying to perfect the whole “concealed” part, which includes making smaller and smaller firearms.
These days there’s an endless array of pocket guns such as the Kel-Tec PF9… the Glock 26… the Kahr PM9… and the snub-nosed revolver, to name a few. But just because a gun is small enough to fit in your pocket, does that mean you should carry one there?
Well, the advantage of pocket carry is that it’s comfortable.
You don’t have a gun on your hip or strapped to your ankle that might cause you a bit of discomfort. Secondly, if the hair raises on the back of your neck and you feel like you’re in a dangerous situation you can reach in your pocket and have your hand on the gun without anyone being the wiser.
Unfortunately, in my opinion, those are the only advantages of pocket carry and there are a lot more disadvantages. First off, it’s tough to draw a gun from your pocket while sitting down. Just try reaching in your front pocket and pulling out a large object while you’re driving. It’s not easy to do.
Next, and the biggest problem of all, is the gun itself.
The itsy bitsy guns that fit in your pocket are obviously more difficult to shoot and have a heck of a lot more recoil. Plus, there’s the confidence factor. If you’re ever in a gunfight and your life is on the line, do you want to draw a tiny gun from your pocket that’s more difficult to shoot? If you can honestly answer yes and have practiced with the gun, then go ahead and carry it. However, if the thought of drawing a Seecamp .380 from your pocket makes you shudder, then find a gun you’d be willing to bet your life on.
If you do find that gun, then always use a pocket holster. Never, ever carry in your pocket without one because something could get in the trigger, plus the gun could get all kinds of gunk and lint in it.
Also, practice drawing from your pocket in front of the mirror. You’ll quickly realize that you have to have your hand flat (in a spear shape) to get in your pocket… you’re not going to be able to have your hand in a fist.
Lastly, make sure you’ve got the right type of pants on. Most jeans pockets are too tight and you’ll have a giant bulge in your pocket. You’ll likely have to wear either Khaki’s or some type of cargo pants. Of course, before you stroll out of the house make sure you don’t look ridiculous and or that the world can tell you’ve got an abnormally large object in your pocket.
That brings me to my final point. I know this is common sense, but since there are a lot of knuckleheads in the world, pocket carry is for pocket guns. In other words, if your full-size 1911 is protruding from your pocket, it doesn’t qualify as pocket carry.
These days there’s an endless array of pocket guns such as the Kel-Tec PF9… the Glock 26… the Kahr PM9… and the snub-nosed revolver, to name a few. But just because a gun is small enough to fit in your pocket, does that mean you should carry one there?
Well, the advantage of pocket carry is that it’s comfortable.
You don’t have a gun on your hip or strapped to your ankle that might cause you a bit of discomfort. Secondly, if the hair raises on the back of your neck and you feel like you’re in a dangerous situation you can reach in your pocket and have your hand on the gun without anyone being the wiser.
Unfortunately, in my opinion, those are the only advantages of pocket carry and there are a lot more disadvantages. First off, it’s tough to draw a gun from your pocket while sitting down. Just try reaching in your front pocket and pulling out a large object while you’re driving. It’s not easy to do.
Next, and the biggest problem of all, is the gun itself.
The itsy bitsy guns that fit in your pocket are obviously more difficult to shoot and have a heck of a lot more recoil. Plus, there’s the confidence factor. If you’re ever in a gunfight and your life is on the line, do you want to draw a tiny gun from your pocket that’s more difficult to shoot? If you can honestly answer yes and have practiced with the gun, then go ahead and carry it. However, if the thought of drawing a Seecamp .380 from your pocket makes you shudder, then find a gun you’d be willing to bet your life on.
If you do find that gun, then always use a pocket holster. Never, ever carry in your pocket without one because something could get in the trigger, plus the gun could get all kinds of gunk and lint in it.
Also, practice drawing from your pocket in front of the mirror. You’ll quickly realize that you have to have your hand flat (in a spear shape) to get in your pocket… you’re not going to be able to have your hand in a fist.
Lastly, make sure you’ve got the right type of pants on. Most jeans pockets are too tight and you’ll have a giant bulge in your pocket. You’ll likely have to wear either Khaki’s or some type of cargo pants. Of course, before you stroll out of the house make sure you don’t look ridiculous and or that the world can tell you’ve got an abnormally large object in your pocket.
That brings me to my final point. I know this is common sense, but since there are a lot of knuckleheads in the world, pocket carry is for pocket guns. In other words, if your full-size 1911 is protruding from your pocket, it doesn’t qualify as pocket carry.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Tips for Winter Concealed Carry
When I was with the Agency, I did a lot of cold weather shooting. I remember shooting thousands of rounds with snow and ice covering the ground, bundled up like an Eskimo. And now that winter is slowly approaching, it’s time to prepare to carry in the cold once again and to consider the following important points.
First off, I’m not a fan of open carry or outside the waistband holsters. (I always use an inside the waistband holster.) However, during the winter I know a lot of people use an outside the waistband holster because the jacket covers the firearm. I have no problem with this, as long as you remember to practice your draw with this holster and remember to properly sweep the jacket back.
After all, if you’re used to lifting up a t-shirt or drawing from another location, you need to build the proper muscle memory for how you’re going to carry during the winter.
Secondly, I would avoid gloves if I were you.
When I was with the Agency, I was issued gloves, but never wore them. I could never get comfortable enough with them and I never liked how they felt on my grip and trigger pull. For example, if you carry a 1911 handgun, have you tried to take off the thumb safety wearing gloves? If you carry a revolver, have you tried loading your revolver wearing gloves? Heck, maybe you have those puffy gloves and you can’t even get your finger in the trigger guard.
In short, if you’re going to wear gloves make sure and practice with them often, by going to your local shooting range and bringing the gloves with you. But, if you’re like me and decide not to wear gloves then you’ve got to remember to never, ever wear them. It doesn’t matter if it’s 60 below because I have the strange feeling that if a mugger stops you on the street during a snow storm, you’re not going to be able to say to him “Excuse me sir, time out for a second. I need to take off my gloves so I can draw my gun on you.”
Be very careful about what type of jacket you wear during the winter too.
You don’t want anything hooded that obstructs your vision. Wearing a hooded jacket cuts off your peripheral vision and you’ll lose your situational awareness. Also, make sure the jacket fits. Don’t wear the winter jacket you had in high school 20 years ago that’s skin tight and doesn’t allow you to properly use your arms. (Remember that scene with the kid from the movie The Christmas Story?)
Lastly, if you’re real ambitious, go out this winter and practice shooting in the snow. If nothing else, it will be a good confidence builder because you’ll realize that you can shoot just as well in the heat of the summer as in the freezing cold.
First off, I’m not a fan of open carry or outside the waistband holsters. (I always use an inside the waistband holster.) However, during the winter I know a lot of people use an outside the waistband holster because the jacket covers the firearm. I have no problem with this, as long as you remember to practice your draw with this holster and remember to properly sweep the jacket back.
After all, if you’re used to lifting up a t-shirt or drawing from another location, you need to build the proper muscle memory for how you’re going to carry during the winter.
Secondly, I would avoid gloves if I were you.
When I was with the Agency, I was issued gloves, but never wore them. I could never get comfortable enough with them and I never liked how they felt on my grip and trigger pull. For example, if you carry a 1911 handgun, have you tried to take off the thumb safety wearing gloves? If you carry a revolver, have you tried loading your revolver wearing gloves? Heck, maybe you have those puffy gloves and you can’t even get your finger in the trigger guard.
In short, if you’re going to wear gloves make sure and practice with them often, by going to your local shooting range and bringing the gloves with you. But, if you’re like me and decide not to wear gloves then you’ve got to remember to never, ever wear them. It doesn’t matter if it’s 60 below because I have the strange feeling that if a mugger stops you on the street during a snow storm, you’re not going to be able to say to him “Excuse me sir, time out for a second. I need to take off my gloves so I can draw my gun on you.”
Be very careful about what type of jacket you wear during the winter too.
You don’t want anything hooded that obstructs your vision. Wearing a hooded jacket cuts off your peripheral vision and you’ll lose your situational awareness. Also, make sure the jacket fits. Don’t wear the winter jacket you had in high school 20 years ago that’s skin tight and doesn’t allow you to properly use your arms. (Remember that scene with the kid from the movie The Christmas Story?)
Lastly, if you’re real ambitious, go out this winter and practice shooting in the snow. If nothing else, it will be a good confidence builder because you’ll realize that you can shoot just as well in the heat of the summer as in the freezing cold.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Why I’m Giving You My “Aftermath Contacts” Form
I realize that going to the range and shooting your gun is the fun and exciting part of gun ownership. However, I think more attention needs to be paid to what happens if you ever have to use your gun in an actual self-defense shooting. For example, what happens when police arrive? Should you talk to them? Are they going to arrest you?
Personally, I’ve spent a lot of time and money with my lawyer getting these exact questions answered and I recommend that all gun owners do the same and at the very least, have a lawyer you can call. However, if you’re ever in a self-defense shooting you might not have your lawyer’s phone number handy and your loved ones might not know who to contact either.
That’s why I created the “aftermath contact” form…
You see, the reason people like you and me own guns is because we’re intelligent enough to realize it’s a form of insurance. Of course, we pray our house never burns down, or we never get in a car crash or someone never tries to kill us. But we’ve got insurance for all three.
And the “aftermath contact” form is part of my insurance and part of being prepared so that if I ever have to defend myself with a firearm, my loved ones know exactly who to call and what to do.
So let’s get to exactly what this form is: In short, it’s a simple document that is kept in one or more safe locations where my family members can access it. The first item on the form is my lawyer’s complete contact information. This includes his phone number and email address.
The second item…
Is the contact information of the expert witness that I plan to use along with his phone number and email address. However, my family has been instructed to give this information to my lawyer so that he can call the expert witness. My family is not to call them on their own.
Next, they are supposed to have my lawyer contact a private investigator and to have that investigator go to the scene and take pictures. My family is also instructed to go and take pictures if at all possible.
I also have a place to put the name of a close friend or family member to come and be with my wife to comfort her and be with her as she’s doing all of this. After that is a place to contact someone to start arranging bail. Perhaps you have a wealthy family member or friend or someone you know who could lend you a large amount of money at a moment’s notice. If you don’t know anyone who could come up with a lot of money then this form also has place to put the information of several bail bondsmen.
And because I believe this form is so important and it only takes a few minutes to fill out, I’ve attached a blank copy to this page for you. Print it off, fill it out, and store it in a safe place. You’ll hopefully never need it, but at least your family knows what to do if you ever have to use deadly force to defend your life.
Personally, I’ve spent a lot of time and money with my lawyer getting these exact questions answered and I recommend that all gun owners do the same and at the very least, have a lawyer you can call. However, if you’re ever in a self-defense shooting you might not have your lawyer’s phone number handy and your loved ones might not know who to contact either.
That’s why I created the “aftermath contact” form…
You see, the reason people like you and me own guns is because we’re intelligent enough to realize it’s a form of insurance. Of course, we pray our house never burns down, or we never get in a car crash or someone never tries to kill us. But we’ve got insurance for all three.
And the “aftermath contact” form is part of my insurance and part of being prepared so that if I ever have to defend myself with a firearm, my loved ones know exactly who to call and what to do.
So let’s get to exactly what this form is: In short, it’s a simple document that is kept in one or more safe locations where my family members can access it. The first item on the form is my lawyer’s complete contact information. This includes his phone number and email address.
The second item…
Is the contact information of the expert witness that I plan to use along with his phone number and email address. However, my family has been instructed to give this information to my lawyer so that he can call the expert witness. My family is not to call them on their own.
Next, they are supposed to have my lawyer contact a private investigator and to have that investigator go to the scene and take pictures. My family is also instructed to go and take pictures if at all possible.
I also have a place to put the name of a close friend or family member to come and be with my wife to comfort her and be with her as she’s doing all of this. After that is a place to contact someone to start arranging bail. Perhaps you have a wealthy family member or friend or someone you know who could lend you a large amount of money at a moment’s notice. If you don’t know anyone who could come up with a lot of money then this form also has place to put the information of several bail bondsmen.
And because I believe this form is so important and it only takes a few minutes to fill out, I’ve attached a blank copy to this page for you. Print it off, fill it out, and store it in a safe place. You’ll hopefully never need it, but at least your family knows what to do if you ever have to use deadly force to defend your life.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Why You Need to Practice One-Handed Shooting
I’ll admit that one-handed shooting isn’t the most exciting thing to practice. After all, it’s a lot tougher to shoot with one hand and most of us aren’t as accurate this way. However, if you plan on carrying a gun or having one in your home for self-defense purposes it’s important you know how to shoot one handed.
But why? Well, the common theory is that one of your hands may get shot or injured during a gun fight. But from the studies I’ve read this is rarely the case and in fact, it’s usually several other reasons that limit you to only one hand. For instance, perhaps you have to hold off an attacker with one hand while drawing your gun and shooting with the other. Maybe a criminal has gotten way too close to you with a knife and you’re fighting off the knife with one hand and using your gun with the other.
Another reason…
You might be shooting with one hand is because the other hand is holding something. When the human body comes under intense pressure our hands literally lock onto what we’re holding. When I was in the police academy many years ago they showed us a training video of an officer serving a search warrant. The officer was carrying the warrant in his right hand and when a gun fight broke out he did not let go of the warrant and was running around with it in his hand. (This is why I always try and avoid carrying anything in my right hand when I’m out and about.)
So, if you’re carrying a cup of coffee in your left hand and all the sudden your life is in danger you might not let go of that coffee and might force yourself to shoot one handed. Also, the object in your other hand may be a lot more important. Perhaps there’s been a shooting and you have to drag somebody away from danger or perhaps you’re carrying your child in one of your arms.
Also, don’t forget that we’re all human and have accidents.
When I was a freshman in high school I fell off my bike and broke both of my arms because I went flying over the handle bars. I’m sure that you’ve broken your fingers or injured your hands once or twice in your life and you never know when this is going to occur. If you happen to break your arm tomorrow I hope you don’t carry your gun until you’ve practiced drawing and shooting with your other hand.
When it comes to the actual method of how to shoot one handed there are many schools of thought. But when I do training I prefer two methods and tell people to use the one they’re most comfortable with. In the first shooting position you take the non-shooting hand and cross it over your chest with your hand in a fist. (It’s as if you’re pounding yourself in the chest like Tarzan.)
The second way to shoot one handed is by clinching your fist together and bringing it toward your body instead of crossing it over your chest. In other words, pretend you’re weight lifting and are doing curls with a barbell to get huge biceps. Well, you would make a fist and curl your arm close to your body.
In both of these positions I like to put my right foot back (because I’m right handed) to give myself a stronger stance and more stability. Of course, you do what works for you and what feels best but either way, next time you’re at the range shoot a few rounds using just one hand.
But why? Well, the common theory is that one of your hands may get shot or injured during a gun fight. But from the studies I’ve read this is rarely the case and in fact, it’s usually several other reasons that limit you to only one hand. For instance, perhaps you have to hold off an attacker with one hand while drawing your gun and shooting with the other. Maybe a criminal has gotten way too close to you with a knife and you’re fighting off the knife with one hand and using your gun with the other.
Another reason…
You might be shooting with one hand is because the other hand is holding something. When the human body comes under intense pressure our hands literally lock onto what we’re holding. When I was in the police academy many years ago they showed us a training video of an officer serving a search warrant. The officer was carrying the warrant in his right hand and when a gun fight broke out he did not let go of the warrant and was running around with it in his hand. (This is why I always try and avoid carrying anything in my right hand when I’m out and about.)
So, if you’re carrying a cup of coffee in your left hand and all the sudden your life is in danger you might not let go of that coffee and might force yourself to shoot one handed. Also, the object in your other hand may be a lot more important. Perhaps there’s been a shooting and you have to drag somebody away from danger or perhaps you’re carrying your child in one of your arms.
Also, don’t forget that we’re all human and have accidents.
When I was a freshman in high school I fell off my bike and broke both of my arms because I went flying over the handle bars. I’m sure that you’ve broken your fingers or injured your hands once or twice in your life and you never know when this is going to occur. If you happen to break your arm tomorrow I hope you don’t carry your gun until you’ve practiced drawing and shooting with your other hand.
When it comes to the actual method of how to shoot one handed there are many schools of thought. But when I do training I prefer two methods and tell people to use the one they’re most comfortable with. In the first shooting position you take the non-shooting hand and cross it over your chest with your hand in a fist. (It’s as if you’re pounding yourself in the chest like Tarzan.)
The second way to shoot one handed is by clinching your fist together and bringing it toward your body instead of crossing it over your chest. In other words, pretend you’re weight lifting and are doing curls with a barbell to get huge biceps. Well, you would make a fist and curl your arm close to your body.
In both of these positions I like to put my right foot back (because I’m right handed) to give myself a stronger stance and more stability. Of course, you do what works for you and what feels best but either way, next time you’re at the range shoot a few rounds using just one hand.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Examples of Why You Need to Keep Your Finger Off the Trigger at all Times
One of the four rules of firearms safety is to keep your finger off the trigger until you’re on target and ready to shoot. However, from my experience many people are confused as to exactly what this means, so I thought I’d clear it up (especially since if I’m ever training with you I’d prefer not to get shot.)
So here we go: What this rule means is that until you have identified your threat and have made a conscious decision to use deadly force, you do not put your finger on the trigger. For instance, two weeks ago I had a guy arguing with me about how if he heard a bump in the night at 3am he would absolutely have his finger on the trigger from the moment he picked up his handgun. He told me that if he ran into a prowler while searching his house he wanted to be able to immediately stop him. And that if his finger wasn’t on the trigger he might not have time to shoot before the guy got to him.
In short, I told this fellow that this was a terrible idea and that one day he would end up shooting his wife who got up for a late night snack or his 16 year old son sneaking in from his girlfriend’s house.
You see, as you’re walking around your house at 3am you’re already a little nervous.
And if you see someone you’ll be startled and that startle will cause you to flinch causing your fingers to tense up. And if that finger happens to be on the trigger it’s going to pull the trigger and you’re going to shoot whatever startled you.
That’s why you never put your finger on the trigger until you’ve identified your threat and you know that it’s a person who you need to use deadly force against. In fact, about two weeks ago I heard something fall in my basement. I grabbed my gun and slowly walked downstairs.
As I was clearing the downstairs I forgot about a large cardboard box that loosely resembled a person. When I saw the box I flinched a bit and I felt my finger tense up against the frame of the gun. (My finger is always straight. Had it not been straight and had it been anywhere near the trigger, it likely would have pulled it.)
Let me give you a non-firearms related example that happened to me last night.
Every night I get up to go to the bathroom about 4am. Well, last night I got up to go to the bathroom as usual. As I opened the bathroom door in my half-asleep state to go back to bed, my wife was standing there and she about gave me a heart attack.
I shouted “geeze” and asked her why she had decided to sneak attack me and she said that she was simply waiting to go to the bathroom too. I offered her the suggestion that standing directly in the doorway like a serial killer was probably not the best way to greet me as I left the bathroom in the future.
But my point is, if for some reason I had a gun in my hand, with my finger on the trigger when I came out of the bathroom I would probably be a single man right now. (Insert hilarious jokes here.)
So from now on, whether you’re clearing your house of a potential intruder or carrying a gun for any reason, please keep your finger off the trigger until you’ve made the decision to use deadly force.
So here we go: What this rule means is that until you have identified your threat and have made a conscious decision to use deadly force, you do not put your finger on the trigger. For instance, two weeks ago I had a guy arguing with me about how if he heard a bump in the night at 3am he would absolutely have his finger on the trigger from the moment he picked up his handgun. He told me that if he ran into a prowler while searching his house he wanted to be able to immediately stop him. And that if his finger wasn’t on the trigger he might not have time to shoot before the guy got to him.
In short, I told this fellow that this was a terrible idea and that one day he would end up shooting his wife who got up for a late night snack or his 16 year old son sneaking in from his girlfriend’s house.
You see, as you’re walking around your house at 3am you’re already a little nervous.
And if you see someone you’ll be startled and that startle will cause you to flinch causing your fingers to tense up. And if that finger happens to be on the trigger it’s going to pull the trigger and you’re going to shoot whatever startled you.
That’s why you never put your finger on the trigger until you’ve identified your threat and you know that it’s a person who you need to use deadly force against. In fact, about two weeks ago I heard something fall in my basement. I grabbed my gun and slowly walked downstairs.
As I was clearing the downstairs I forgot about a large cardboard box that loosely resembled a person. When I saw the box I flinched a bit and I felt my finger tense up against the frame of the gun. (My finger is always straight. Had it not been straight and had it been anywhere near the trigger, it likely would have pulled it.)
Let me give you a non-firearms related example that happened to me last night.
Every night I get up to go to the bathroom about 4am. Well, last night I got up to go to the bathroom as usual. As I opened the bathroom door in my half-asleep state to go back to bed, my wife was standing there and she about gave me a heart attack.
I shouted “geeze” and asked her why she had decided to sneak attack me and she said that she was simply waiting to go to the bathroom too. I offered her the suggestion that standing directly in the doorway like a serial killer was probably not the best way to greet me as I left the bathroom in the future.
But my point is, if for some reason I had a gun in my hand, with my finger on the trigger when I came out of the bathroom I would probably be a single man right now. (Insert hilarious jokes here.)
So from now on, whether you’re clearing your house of a potential intruder or carrying a gun for any reason, please keep your finger off the trigger until you’ve made the decision to use deadly force.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Why I believe you should carry a 9mm handgun
The other day I ran into an acquaintance (who I barely know) and he told me that he’d just purchased a .45 caliber handgun. He said he loved the gun, but the only problem was he couldn’t shoot it. All of his shots were going low and he couldn’t ever hit the target.
Next, he asked me what type of gun I carried and I told him my carry gun was the Glock 19 9mm. He looked at me kind of funny and said “a 9mm, why don’t you get a manly gun like I did?”
I had a nice laugh, especially since this fellow asked me to give him a private shooting lesson. I told him I didn’t have time and quickly left the store thinking to myself “if I’m ever in a duel, I hope he’s my opponent.”
So why exactly do I carry a 9mm and why do I think you should too?
Well, it’s not because I don’t love a .45 and the feel of my Springfield 1911 in my hand. It’s because I’m able to keep my ego in check and realize that the only reason I carry a gun is to protect my life and the lives of my loved ones. I don’t do it to be “cool,” to be “manly” or as a way to impress my buddies.
And the fact is, if I’m ever involved in a self-defense shooting situation, I have the odd feeling my “target” is not going to be standing perfectly still like it is when I’m at the gun range. This means if I’m shooting its likely going to take multiple hits to bring down an attacker. In other words, if it’s a dynamic situation where people are moving my hits might end up in the arm, leg, chest, any number of places.
And it’s for this very reason I carry the 9mm.
You see, the 9mm lets me get off a quicker burst of shots because it has less recoil and enables me to get my gun back on target quicker. If you think that all you need is your .45 and one bullet to stop an intruder, then what if that one round hits him in the arm? By the time you’ve got one round off, I’ll have 3-4 with my 9mm and the attacker will hopefully be stopped by then.
In addition to allowing me to shoot more shots more quickly, the 9mm also lets me carry more rounds. I realize the majority of gun fights are under 6 rounds, but I still prefer a 15 round magazine to an 8 round magazine. After all, the way life works your defensive encounter will be the 1% of gunfights that requires 10 or more rounds. (Don’t forget multiple attackers and the “flash mobs” we have these days.)
Remember, shot placement is what’s important. I have several friends that are doctors and surgeons who see gunshot wounds all the time. (They work in terrible Baltimore, MD.) These friends tell me that people often survive gunshot wounds no matter the caliber because the handgun round in general isn’t that powerful. That’s why you’ll likely need multiple ACCURATE hits. And if you’re like the fellow I ran into the other day and you’re carrying a .45, not only will you be slower with your hits, you’ll be less accurate if you don’t practice often.
The bottom line is, I’m very comfortable carrying my 9mm Glock and if the day ever comes where I have to defend my life I’m more than confident the 9mm round will serve me well. Are you comfortable and confident with your gun?
Next, he asked me what type of gun I carried and I told him my carry gun was the Glock 19 9mm. He looked at me kind of funny and said “a 9mm, why don’t you get a manly gun like I did?”
I had a nice laugh, especially since this fellow asked me to give him a private shooting lesson. I told him I didn’t have time and quickly left the store thinking to myself “if I’m ever in a duel, I hope he’s my opponent.”
So why exactly do I carry a 9mm and why do I think you should too?
Well, it’s not because I don’t love a .45 and the feel of my Springfield 1911 in my hand. It’s because I’m able to keep my ego in check and realize that the only reason I carry a gun is to protect my life and the lives of my loved ones. I don’t do it to be “cool,” to be “manly” or as a way to impress my buddies.
And the fact is, if I’m ever involved in a self-defense shooting situation, I have the odd feeling my “target” is not going to be standing perfectly still like it is when I’m at the gun range. This means if I’m shooting its likely going to take multiple hits to bring down an attacker. In other words, if it’s a dynamic situation where people are moving my hits might end up in the arm, leg, chest, any number of places.
And it’s for this very reason I carry the 9mm.
You see, the 9mm lets me get off a quicker burst of shots because it has less recoil and enables me to get my gun back on target quicker. If you think that all you need is your .45 and one bullet to stop an intruder, then what if that one round hits him in the arm? By the time you’ve got one round off, I’ll have 3-4 with my 9mm and the attacker will hopefully be stopped by then.
In addition to allowing me to shoot more shots more quickly, the 9mm also lets me carry more rounds. I realize the majority of gun fights are under 6 rounds, but I still prefer a 15 round magazine to an 8 round magazine. After all, the way life works your defensive encounter will be the 1% of gunfights that requires 10 or more rounds. (Don’t forget multiple attackers and the “flash mobs” we have these days.)
Remember, shot placement is what’s important. I have several friends that are doctors and surgeons who see gunshot wounds all the time. (They work in terrible Baltimore, MD.) These friends tell me that people often survive gunshot wounds no matter the caliber because the handgun round in general isn’t that powerful. That’s why you’ll likely need multiple ACCURATE hits. And if you’re like the fellow I ran into the other day and you’re carrying a .45, not only will you be slower with your hits, you’ll be less accurate if you don’t practice often.
The bottom line is, I’m very comfortable carrying my 9mm Glock and if the day ever comes where I have to defend my life I’m more than confident the 9mm round will serve me well. Are you comfortable and confident with your gun?
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
How to Choose a Self-Defense Lawyer
I don’t like lawyers any more than you do. I’m pretty sure that the first day of law school they escort them into a little booth where they suck out the creative part of their brains and replace it with the three word phrase: “Just sue them.” (I’ve witnessed this on many occasions with my lovely wife’s brain dead friends.)
However, if you choose to carry a handgun then you absolutely need to find a good self- defense lawyer. And, you need to find one today. The worst thing you can do is wait until the day you have to shoot someone for trying to kill your family and be flipping through the yellow pages in jail trying to locate someone. (Especially, if you haven’t yet had a lawyer tell you what to do in the aftermath of a shooting.)
So how exactly do you find a self-defense lawyer?
Well… it’s not as bad as you might think. First off, ask all of the firearms instructors in your area and they should be able to give you a referral or two. If for some reason they don’t know of a lawyer, then go to your local gun shops and ask around. Lastly, you can call the NRA and they’ll give you a list of lawyers in your area.
If you ask the folks above, then the same names will probably pop up over and over. This is a good sign and you’ll want to call these attorneys and interview them. You’ll want to ask if they’ve ever handled a self-defense shooting… how many cases have they tried… can you get their phone number to carry around in your wallet at all times…
And remember, you are interviewing them. Don’t let them intimidate you, or avoid your questions. This person might keep you out of jail one day so make sure, as much as possible, that they know what they’re doing. If for some reason all they do is brag to you or they talk about all the criminal cases they’ve done (but not self-defense) then find someone else.
You see, you need someone who knows how to try a self-defense case when the person is innocent. You don’t want a criminal attorney who is used to using a bunch of tricks to get scum bags off because this will not work for you.
My personal attorney…
For instance, my personal self-defense attorney is the NRA’s former lawyer. He’s certainly not the cheapest guy around but in addition to my gun, my holster, and the training I do… my attorney is on my list of things never to be cheap about in life.
In addition to the obvious factor of being able to call him if I’m ever involved in a shooting, perhaps the most important thing is the discussions we’ve had about how to deal with the police after a shooting… what to say and what not to say.
So, if you happen to carry concealed and don’t have a lawyer yet, please change that ASAP. I’d hate to see you preserve your life from a criminal only to get screwed by the legal system because you didn’t have a quality attorney.
However, if you choose to carry a handgun then you absolutely need to find a good self- defense lawyer. And, you need to find one today. The worst thing you can do is wait until the day you have to shoot someone for trying to kill your family and be flipping through the yellow pages in jail trying to locate someone. (Especially, if you haven’t yet had a lawyer tell you what to do in the aftermath of a shooting.)
So how exactly do you find a self-defense lawyer?
Well… it’s not as bad as you might think. First off, ask all of the firearms instructors in your area and they should be able to give you a referral or two. If for some reason they don’t know of a lawyer, then go to your local gun shops and ask around. Lastly, you can call the NRA and they’ll give you a list of lawyers in your area.
If you ask the folks above, then the same names will probably pop up over and over. This is a good sign and you’ll want to call these attorneys and interview them. You’ll want to ask if they’ve ever handled a self-defense shooting… how many cases have they tried… can you get their phone number to carry around in your wallet at all times…
And remember, you are interviewing them. Don’t let them intimidate you, or avoid your questions. This person might keep you out of jail one day so make sure, as much as possible, that they know what they’re doing. If for some reason all they do is brag to you or they talk about all the criminal cases they’ve done (but not self-defense) then find someone else.
You see, you need someone who knows how to try a self-defense case when the person is innocent. You don’t want a criminal attorney who is used to using a bunch of tricks to get scum bags off because this will not work for you.
My personal attorney…
For instance, my personal self-defense attorney is the NRA’s former lawyer. He’s certainly not the cheapest guy around but in addition to my gun, my holster, and the training I do… my attorney is on my list of things never to be cheap about in life.
In addition to the obvious factor of being able to call him if I’m ever involved in a shooting, perhaps the most important thing is the discussions we’ve had about how to deal with the police after a shooting… what to say and what not to say.
So, if you happen to carry concealed and don’t have a lawyer yet, please change that ASAP. I’d hate to see you preserve your life from a criminal only to get screwed by the legal system because you didn’t have a quality attorney.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
My Course Review of Massad Ayoob’s MAG-40
When I rule the universe I’ll approach my wife to tell her that I’m going to another firearms training class and she’ll say to me, “Honey, that’s fantastic. To help pay for it I’m going to return those ridiculously expensive jeans I bought last weekend that almost gave you a heart attack.”
But until that day comes, I will continue to be blackmailed into trading firearms classes for pairs of shoes, expensive jeans and more picture frames. (If there’s ever a shortage of picture frames in the world, the Hanson’s will be sitting on a gold mine.)
Thankfully, I can say my latest blackmail trade of Massad Ayoob’s MAG-40… for lots of cardigans that all look the same to me (though she tells me they have different necks even though they’re the same color), turned out to be a very good one.
If you don’t know who Massad Ayoob is…
He’s one of the top instructors in the country and he’s authored numerous books on self- defense. His MAG-40 class is ten, 4 hour days that consist of range time and classroom lecture.
Quite frankly, I could stop right here and just tell you that you need to attend this class. I’ve been very blessed to attend some of the top classes in the country (both government and private sector) and this class is without a doubt among the best.
The man’s vast amount of knowledge when it comes to firearms and personal protection is astounding. More importantly, he doesn’t just teach you how to be a better shooter. He teaches the responsibility of gun ownership. He teaches when you’re allowed to use deadly force… what you need to do if you ever have to use deadly force… how to deal with police… witnesses… the investigator, and even your own lawyer.
He teaches several shoot/don’t shoot scenarios and emphasizes that the last thing any of us ever want to do is use the gun. In fact, as I’m writing this, I’m looking at the more than 15 pages of handwritten notes I took and it’s as if he crammed 40 years of knowledge into just 4 days.
Of course we did lots of shooting too.
We did one handed shooting drills, shooting from the knee, shooting from 15 yards out and other timed shooting drills. The final day we shot a qualification course, and yes my friend, I did shoot 300 out of 300.
To tell you the truth, it’s tough to put into words how good this course really was. I was never alive to see Jeff Cooper teach in person, but I imagine watching Massad Ayoob is similar – seeing a master at his craft.
He also offers another course called the MAG-80 and I plan to attend it one day. (So, yes dear, that means we can get more picture frames.)
For anyone truly serious about preserving their own life and taking care of their family, you owe it to yourself to try and attend one of these classes. If you’re like me, and most of the people who attended with me, it will be something you’ll remember for the rest of your life.
But until that day comes, I will continue to be blackmailed into trading firearms classes for pairs of shoes, expensive jeans and more picture frames. (If there’s ever a shortage of picture frames in the world, the Hanson’s will be sitting on a gold mine.)
Thankfully, I can say my latest blackmail trade of Massad Ayoob’s MAG-40… for lots of cardigans that all look the same to me (though she tells me they have different necks even though they’re the same color), turned out to be a very good one.
If you don’t know who Massad Ayoob is…
He’s one of the top instructors in the country and he’s authored numerous books on self- defense. His MAG-40 class is ten, 4 hour days that consist of range time and classroom lecture.
Quite frankly, I could stop right here and just tell you that you need to attend this class. I’ve been very blessed to attend some of the top classes in the country (both government and private sector) and this class is without a doubt among the best.
The man’s vast amount of knowledge when it comes to firearms and personal protection is astounding. More importantly, he doesn’t just teach you how to be a better shooter. He teaches the responsibility of gun ownership. He teaches when you’re allowed to use deadly force… what you need to do if you ever have to use deadly force… how to deal with police… witnesses… the investigator, and even your own lawyer.
He teaches several shoot/don’t shoot scenarios and emphasizes that the last thing any of us ever want to do is use the gun. In fact, as I’m writing this, I’m looking at the more than 15 pages of handwritten notes I took and it’s as if he crammed 40 years of knowledge into just 4 days.
Of course we did lots of shooting too.
We did one handed shooting drills, shooting from the knee, shooting from 15 yards out and other timed shooting drills. The final day we shot a qualification course, and yes my friend, I did shoot 300 out of 300.
To tell you the truth, it’s tough to put into words how good this course really was. I was never alive to see Jeff Cooper teach in person, but I imagine watching Massad Ayoob is similar – seeing a master at his craft.
He also offers another course called the MAG-80 and I plan to attend it one day. (So, yes dear, that means we can get more picture frames.)
For anyone truly serious about preserving their own life and taking care of their family, you owe it to yourself to try and attend one of these classes. If you’re like me, and most of the people who attended with me, it will be something you’ll remember for the rest of your life.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Your College Kid’s Guide to Personal Protection
In the past two weeks I’ve had a brother in-law and a sister-in law start college. I also had a brother who graduated from college, but he was on the 8-year plan (and no, he’s not a doctor.) For the two who were starting college it got me thinking just how vulnerable college students are and what they can do to better protect themselves… So I shared with them the following advice, which I’m sure they’ll ignore:
First off, if they can (and are responsible enough) they should have a gun. In Utah, where my brother and brother in-law attend college, they are allowed to carry concealed on campus. With all that’s occurred on college campuses these last few years I don’t have to tell you why it’s a good idea to carry concealed there. Even if they don’t want to carry everyday they should still have a gun in their apartment for home defense.
Now, if your kids go to a school where they can’t have a gun, but they live in off campus housing, then again, they should have a gun in their house. Of course, make sure they’ve had training with it and know how to properly manipulate and shoot the gun.
For those who don’t go to college in Utah, Virginia or any other place where you’re allowed to carry on campus then they need other tools to protect themselves. One of my favorites, if not my favorite, is the tactical pen. You can carry it anytime, anywhere and if your child knows how to properly strike with it, it can cause some serious damage. I’m not a fan of pepper spray or tasers because there’s just too much that can go wrong with them.
Also, you need to give your child a situational awareness speech.
If you have a daughter it’s a short one and goes like this: “Do not trust any boy no matter what he says to you. It’s all lies and he’s the scum of the earth.” If you have a son, it goes like this: “Pay attention to your surroundings, don’t have your head buried in your cell phone, be careful at parties, don’t go out alone at night, etc. etc. etc.”
By the way, do you know how Ted Bundy used to get young women into his car to murder them? Ted would walk around with a cast on and when a young woman was around he would “accidentally” drop his keys. When the woman bent over to pick them up he would knock them out with his cast. (The moral of the story is to tell your kids to be very suspicious of all people. If a boy happens to knock on your daughter’s door at 3am and it’s an “emergency” she shouldn’t open the door. She should call the police for him through the door. I know this is common sense to you and me, but it’s not to most college kids.)
Also, I know this is next to impossible, but if you could tell your college kid not to drink, that would lower their risk of harm significantly. I don’t drink and neither do my brother or my in-laws so I don’t have to worry about that with them. But here’s just one sampling of the many horrible things that happen from college drinking. (The following is from a study done by Wayne State University.)
“A college student who participated in one of our studies explained how she agreed to go back to her date’s home after a party: “We played quarter bounce (a drinking game). I got sick drunk; I was slumped over the toilet vomiting. He grabbed me and dragged me into his room and raped me. I had been a virgin and felt it was all my fault for going back to his house when no one else was home.”
Obviously that’s horrible but it happens thousands of times a year on college campuses across the nation.
Two more quick tips for your college kid: First, I remember many of my female friends not understanding that having the oil light on in their car was a bad thing or that air in a tire was pretty important. In other words, college kids are lazy about car maintenance so make sure they are taking care of it. The last thing you want to have happen is to have their car break down at night on some back road in the middle of nowhere as they drive home to see you.
Second, have them get a door stop alarm for their dorm room. I love these alarms and have several myself that I use. (They’re great for hotels.) Just Google “Door Stop Alarm” and you’ll see what I mean.
The bottom line is, predators know that college kids and college campuses are easy targets. After all, just think about how you and I felt “invincible” when we were that age and how we weren’t afraid of anything. So, if you’ve got a kid just starting college or heading to college next year I hope you’ll sit down with them and have a long chat. I also hope you’ll arm them with as many protection tools as possible… and if they don’t know how to shoot a gun yet, then you should spend some quality time with your kid next weekend at the shooting range.
First off, if they can (and are responsible enough) they should have a gun. In Utah, where my brother and brother in-law attend college, they are allowed to carry concealed on campus. With all that’s occurred on college campuses these last few years I don’t have to tell you why it’s a good idea to carry concealed there. Even if they don’t want to carry everyday they should still have a gun in their apartment for home defense.
Now, if your kids go to a school where they can’t have a gun, but they live in off campus housing, then again, they should have a gun in their house. Of course, make sure they’ve had training with it and know how to properly manipulate and shoot the gun.
For those who don’t go to college in Utah, Virginia or any other place where you’re allowed to carry on campus then they need other tools to protect themselves. One of my favorites, if not my favorite, is the tactical pen. You can carry it anytime, anywhere and if your child knows how to properly strike with it, it can cause some serious damage. I’m not a fan of pepper spray or tasers because there’s just too much that can go wrong with them.
Also, you need to give your child a situational awareness speech.
If you have a daughter it’s a short one and goes like this: “Do not trust any boy no matter what he says to you. It’s all lies and he’s the scum of the earth.” If you have a son, it goes like this: “Pay attention to your surroundings, don’t have your head buried in your cell phone, be careful at parties, don’t go out alone at night, etc. etc. etc.”
By the way, do you know how Ted Bundy used to get young women into his car to murder them? Ted would walk around with a cast on and when a young woman was around he would “accidentally” drop his keys. When the woman bent over to pick them up he would knock them out with his cast. (The moral of the story is to tell your kids to be very suspicious of all people. If a boy happens to knock on your daughter’s door at 3am and it’s an “emergency” she shouldn’t open the door. She should call the police for him through the door. I know this is common sense to you and me, but it’s not to most college kids.)
Also, I know this is next to impossible, but if you could tell your college kid not to drink, that would lower their risk of harm significantly. I don’t drink and neither do my brother or my in-laws so I don’t have to worry about that with them. But here’s just one sampling of the many horrible things that happen from college drinking. (The following is from a study done by Wayne State University.)
“A college student who participated in one of our studies explained how she agreed to go back to her date’s home after a party: “We played quarter bounce (a drinking game). I got sick drunk; I was slumped over the toilet vomiting. He grabbed me and dragged me into his room and raped me. I had been a virgin and felt it was all my fault for going back to his house when no one else was home.”
Obviously that’s horrible but it happens thousands of times a year on college campuses across the nation.
Two more quick tips for your college kid: First, I remember many of my female friends not understanding that having the oil light on in their car was a bad thing or that air in a tire was pretty important. In other words, college kids are lazy about car maintenance so make sure they are taking care of it. The last thing you want to have happen is to have their car break down at night on some back road in the middle of nowhere as they drive home to see you.
Second, have them get a door stop alarm for their dorm room. I love these alarms and have several myself that I use. (They’re great for hotels.) Just Google “Door Stop Alarm” and you’ll see what I mean.
The bottom line is, predators know that college kids and college campuses are easy targets. After all, just think about how you and I felt “invincible” when we were that age and how we weren’t afraid of anything. So, if you’ve got a kid just starting college or heading to college next year I hope you’ll sit down with them and have a long chat. I also hope you’ll arm them with as many protection tools as possible… and if they don’t know how to shoot a gun yet, then you should spend some quality time with your kid next weekend at the shooting range.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
My Earthquake Personal Protection Tools
Last week we had a 5.8 earthquake in the DC area. I realize that to people out in California that’s nothing, but on the east, we’re not used to that sort of thing. I happened to be on the top floor of a building at the time and to tell you the truth I thought a bomb had gone off.
I exited the building rather slowly (as everyone else ran past me) because I wanted to make sure it wasn’t a terrorist attack and someone wasn’t waiting outside with an Uzi. Once outside I was surrounded by hundreds of people milling around on the streets, with a few of them so upset they were crying.
Quite frankly, there was very little damage and it wasn’t really that bad, but I was amazed at how people overreacted. I looked around on the street as people we’re freaking out and thought to myself, “there are hundreds upon hundreds of people out in the city streets right now. Had this been a ‘real’ earthquake it would only have taken one or two ‘punks’ to set off looting or some type of riot.”
Why Society is So Fragile…
It was a good reminder how fragile society is and how most people these days are not prepared for any disaster or even any adversity at all in their lives. For instance, during the earthquake, I was in the terrible state of Maryland because my wife goes to law school there.
This means I wasn’t carrying a gun at the time, but I did have my knife on me, my tactical pen and a 72-hour kit close by. As I looked around at people crying and panicking I felt confident knowing that I’d be able to defend myself and escape if chaos started breaking out.
Of course, I would have had my gun on me if I had been in Virginia at the time, but we all know there are plenty of places we can’t carry a gun and that some days people even forget to put their gun on before they leave the house.
The Tools You Need…
That’s why, at the very least, I recommend you have the items I had on me the day of the earthquake. First, get a quality pocketknife with a clip. I prefer the Benchmade brand of knives. Second, get a tactical pen. I carry mine everywhere (airplanes included) and know if I ever have to use it, the person on the receiving end is going to be in a world of hurt when I’m done with them (if they’re alive at all.)
Lastly, have a 72-hour kit close by, at your work or in your car. You never know if you’re going to have to abandon your car on the highway and hike several miles back to your house, or if you’re going to have to seek shelter for a period of time. Either way, if you’ve got food, water, and protection (my 72-hour kit also has a tactical pen, a collapsible steel baton, and a fixed blade knife with a sheath, in addition to food and water) then you’ll be better off than the majority of Americans.
The bottom line is, most of society is not prepared, which means they freak out when any disaster at all occurs, which puts all of us in danger. So if you can legally carry a gun, then you absolutely should have one on you. If not, have the other items I mention above, especially the 72-hour kit.
I exited the building rather slowly (as everyone else ran past me) because I wanted to make sure it wasn’t a terrorist attack and someone wasn’t waiting outside with an Uzi. Once outside I was surrounded by hundreds of people milling around on the streets, with a few of them so upset they were crying.
Quite frankly, there was very little damage and it wasn’t really that bad, but I was amazed at how people overreacted. I looked around on the street as people we’re freaking out and thought to myself, “there are hundreds upon hundreds of people out in the city streets right now. Had this been a ‘real’ earthquake it would only have taken one or two ‘punks’ to set off looting or some type of riot.”
Why Society is So Fragile…
It was a good reminder how fragile society is and how most people these days are not prepared for any disaster or even any adversity at all in their lives. For instance, during the earthquake, I was in the terrible state of Maryland because my wife goes to law school there.
This means I wasn’t carrying a gun at the time, but I did have my knife on me, my tactical pen and a 72-hour kit close by. As I looked around at people crying and panicking I felt confident knowing that I’d be able to defend myself and escape if chaos started breaking out.
Of course, I would have had my gun on me if I had been in Virginia at the time, but we all know there are plenty of places we can’t carry a gun and that some days people even forget to put their gun on before they leave the house.
The Tools You Need…
That’s why, at the very least, I recommend you have the items I had on me the day of the earthquake. First, get a quality pocketknife with a clip. I prefer the Benchmade brand of knives. Second, get a tactical pen. I carry mine everywhere (airplanes included) and know if I ever have to use it, the person on the receiving end is going to be in a world of hurt when I’m done with them (if they’re alive at all.)
Lastly, have a 72-hour kit close by, at your work or in your car. You never know if you’re going to have to abandon your car on the highway and hike several miles back to your house, or if you’re going to have to seek shelter for a period of time. Either way, if you’ve got food, water, and protection (my 72-hour kit also has a tactical pen, a collapsible steel baton, and a fixed blade knife with a sheath, in addition to food and water) then you’ll be better off than the majority of Americans.
The bottom line is, most of society is not prepared, which means they freak out when any disaster at all occurs, which puts all of us in danger. So if you can legally carry a gun, then you absolutely should have one on you. If not, have the other items I mention above, especially the 72-hour kit.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Shotgun Myths and Secrets of Home Defense
Sitting in my bedroom is a Remington 870 shotgun full of 00 buckshot. Because, in my opinion, along with a good handgun (mine is a Glock 19) everyone also needs a shotgun for home defense. However, thanks to Hollywood, many people are often confused about how to properly use a shotgun.
I’m going to try and clear that up for you. First off, as I just mentioned, I think the best home defense shotgun is the Remington 870. They’re simple to use and can take a beating. Plus, they’re cheap, costing less than $350. However, if you want the “Rolls Royce” of shotguns, then go for a Benelli. It’ll set you back around $1,300, but to each his own. I’d be willing to bet my life on either gun, so the 870 works fine for me.
Once you’ve chosen a gun, you obviously need to get ammo for it. I use 00 buckshot for my gun, but you have to be very careful with over penetration with this load. Many experts recommend using bird shot for home defense, but I know the layout of my house and I don’t have any children, so 00 buck is what I prefer.
Now, let’s get to the nitty gritty of actually using the gun.
In short, the shotgun is like any other firearm we use for self-defense purposes. It’s only used when you’re in immediate fear for your life, and when you pull it out you better be prepared to use it.
In other words, when I’m doing training I’m often asked, “can’t I just rack the shotgun and that noise will scare off a burglar.” The answer to that question is “if it does, that’s a blessing, but don’t count on it happening.” When you pull out your gun, you better be prepared to pull the trigger and defend your life. You should not be thinking to yourself, “I’m just going to rack the shotgun and wait and see if that scares him off.” That’s the type of mindset that will get you killed.
Think about it this way:
If you’re carrying concealed on the street and somebody is running at you with a knife are you going to draw your gun and sit there assuming the sight of it is going to scare them off without you having any plans of actually using it? Of course not. You’re going to draw your gun and if they keep coming at you, you’re going to shoot. (If they happen to stop when you draw, then that’s the blessing you hope for, but don’t count on it.)
Another important aspect of the home defense shotgun is making sure it has a butt stock and not just a pistol grip. I realize that a pistol grip shotgun such as the Mossberg 500 Cruiser looks cool. You see them a lot in the movies, but they’re much more difficult to shoot and be accurate with. And I’m willing to bet that when someone breaks into your home and you’re sitting there with a “cool” looking shotgun, you’ll probably wish you had the “less cool” gun that was easier to shoot.
Also, as you’re sitting in your home with your shotgun you need to practice maneuvering around your house with it. Ideally, if someone breaks into your house you’ll just lock yourself in your bedroom with the gun pointed at the door and wait for the police to come and do their job.
But if you have to go out and inspect a suspicious noise make sure you’re not knocking into the walls and you know how to handle the gun. In fact, just like with all types of new guns you should take a shotgun specific class or at least go to the range with a buddy who’ll show you how to use the shotgun.
As I often have to remind my wife, you should have multiple guns to ensure the safety of you and your family. So, even if you’ve got a Glock or Springfield XD sitting in your nightstand, consider getting a shotgun this week because you can never be too prepared. (At least that’s what I keep telling my wife every time I add a firearm to the Hanson Family Arsenal.)
I’m going to try and clear that up for you. First off, as I just mentioned, I think the best home defense shotgun is the Remington 870. They’re simple to use and can take a beating. Plus, they’re cheap, costing less than $350. However, if you want the “Rolls Royce” of shotguns, then go for a Benelli. It’ll set you back around $1,300, but to each his own. I’d be willing to bet my life on either gun, so the 870 works fine for me.
Once you’ve chosen a gun, you obviously need to get ammo for it. I use 00 buckshot for my gun, but you have to be very careful with over penetration with this load. Many experts recommend using bird shot for home defense, but I know the layout of my house and I don’t have any children, so 00 buck is what I prefer.
Now, let’s get to the nitty gritty of actually using the gun.
In short, the shotgun is like any other firearm we use for self-defense purposes. It’s only used when you’re in immediate fear for your life, and when you pull it out you better be prepared to use it.
In other words, when I’m doing training I’m often asked, “can’t I just rack the shotgun and that noise will scare off a burglar.” The answer to that question is “if it does, that’s a blessing, but don’t count on it happening.” When you pull out your gun, you better be prepared to pull the trigger and defend your life. You should not be thinking to yourself, “I’m just going to rack the shotgun and wait and see if that scares him off.” That’s the type of mindset that will get you killed.
Think about it this way:
If you’re carrying concealed on the street and somebody is running at you with a knife are you going to draw your gun and sit there assuming the sight of it is going to scare them off without you having any plans of actually using it? Of course not. You’re going to draw your gun and if they keep coming at you, you’re going to shoot. (If they happen to stop when you draw, then that’s the blessing you hope for, but don’t count on it.)
Another important aspect of the home defense shotgun is making sure it has a butt stock and not just a pistol grip. I realize that a pistol grip shotgun such as the Mossberg 500 Cruiser looks cool. You see them a lot in the movies, but they’re much more difficult to shoot and be accurate with. And I’m willing to bet that when someone breaks into your home and you’re sitting there with a “cool” looking shotgun, you’ll probably wish you had the “less cool” gun that was easier to shoot.
Also, as you’re sitting in your home with your shotgun you need to practice maneuvering around your house with it. Ideally, if someone breaks into your house you’ll just lock yourself in your bedroom with the gun pointed at the door and wait for the police to come and do their job.
But if you have to go out and inspect a suspicious noise make sure you’re not knocking into the walls and you know how to handle the gun. In fact, just like with all types of new guns you should take a shotgun specific class or at least go to the range with a buddy who’ll show you how to use the shotgun.
As I often have to remind my wife, you should have multiple guns to ensure the safety of you and your family. So, even if you’ve got a Glock or Springfield XD sitting in your nightstand, consider getting a shotgun this week because you can never be too prepared. (At least that’s what I keep telling my wife every time I add a firearm to the Hanson Family Arsenal.)
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Why You Need to Invite a Liberal to Go Shooting
I work six days a week, but never on Sunday. On Sunday, I go to church and try and relax and spend time with my wife. However, she often has other plans that involve us being social. I do not like these plans, but I like my wife, so this means I always end up at someone’s house for dinner or having someone over for dinner on Sunday.
For instance, this past Sunday, I ended up at her best friend’s house. Her friend had invited two other people that I didn’t know. And being that we’re in the Washington, DC area, one of the first questions that popped up was “what do you do for a living?”
I explained that I was a personal security specialist and that on the weekends I taught concealed carry classes and taught people how to shoot. As I said this, I’m pretty sure I saw smoke coming out of her friend’s ears and she looked at me like I was the devil. She immediately proceeded to go on a rant about why in the world would anyone need a gun, and all guns do is kill people.
I’m used to this type of reaction. It doesn’t bother me one bit.
I let this woman continue with her rant as I sat there patiently. Once she was done I asked her how she would protect herself if someone broke into her house at 3am. And you want to know her response? She said, “that’ll never happen, the chances of that happening are next to none. I’m not worried about it.”
That’s a response that I hear too often and it’s a sad one. Of course the chances of getting your home invaded are small, but it happens often enough and it’s got to happen to someone. I proceeded to tell this anti-gun woman that I have car insurance, yet I never hope to get into a car accident. I have homeowners insurance and I hope my house never burns down. And I have my “gun insurance,” and although I pray I never have to use it, if the day comes I’ll be ready.
In my reading…
I often come across women who were anti-gun until someone broke into their house and ended up raping them. Now these women own guns and go around convincing others to own guns. I certainly hope that the woman I was at dinner with never has a home invasion and never finds out the hard way why every American needs a gun in their home.
As I continued to explain why I think it’s important to own a gun, she didn’t want to hear any of it. Then, I asked her if she had ever shot a gun. Not surprisingly, she said no. So, I invited her out to the range the next time my wife and I go shooting. She accepted and said she would be interested in trying it.
Often, once a person tries shooting, they realize how enjoyable it can really be. But even if this woman still hates guns after we go shooting, at least she’s a little less ignorant about guns and has actually used one.
So, if you’ve got friends or family or co-workers who are anti-gun, it probably won’t do any good trying to have a conversation where you convince them why they need a gun. But, if you invite them out to the range, they just might realize that guns aren’t the devil after all. Heck, if you invite them out to the range and they end up getting a gun because they enjoyed it so much, then you might have actually helped save their life one day.
By the way, next week, I assure you that you won’t hear me telling any stories about Sunday dinner because I’ve told my wife I don’t care if the President (Obama jokes aside) invites me to dinner, I’m not going anywhere.
For instance, this past Sunday, I ended up at her best friend’s house. Her friend had invited two other people that I didn’t know. And being that we’re in the Washington, DC area, one of the first questions that popped up was “what do you do for a living?”
I explained that I was a personal security specialist and that on the weekends I taught concealed carry classes and taught people how to shoot. As I said this, I’m pretty sure I saw smoke coming out of her friend’s ears and she looked at me like I was the devil. She immediately proceeded to go on a rant about why in the world would anyone need a gun, and all guns do is kill people.
I’m used to this type of reaction. It doesn’t bother me one bit.
I let this woman continue with her rant as I sat there patiently. Once she was done I asked her how she would protect herself if someone broke into her house at 3am. And you want to know her response? She said, “that’ll never happen, the chances of that happening are next to none. I’m not worried about it.”
That’s a response that I hear too often and it’s a sad one. Of course the chances of getting your home invaded are small, but it happens often enough and it’s got to happen to someone. I proceeded to tell this anti-gun woman that I have car insurance, yet I never hope to get into a car accident. I have homeowners insurance and I hope my house never burns down. And I have my “gun insurance,” and although I pray I never have to use it, if the day comes I’ll be ready.
In my reading…
I often come across women who were anti-gun until someone broke into their house and ended up raping them. Now these women own guns and go around convincing others to own guns. I certainly hope that the woman I was at dinner with never has a home invasion and never finds out the hard way why every American needs a gun in their home.
As I continued to explain why I think it’s important to own a gun, she didn’t want to hear any of it. Then, I asked her if she had ever shot a gun. Not surprisingly, she said no. So, I invited her out to the range the next time my wife and I go shooting. She accepted and said she would be interested in trying it.
Often, once a person tries shooting, they realize how enjoyable it can really be. But even if this woman still hates guns after we go shooting, at least she’s a little less ignorant about guns and has actually used one.
So, if you’ve got friends or family or co-workers who are anti-gun, it probably won’t do any good trying to have a conversation where you convince them why they need a gun. But, if you invite them out to the range, they just might realize that guns aren’t the devil after all. Heck, if you invite them out to the range and they end up getting a gun because they enjoyed it so much, then you might have actually helped save their life one day.
By the way, next week, I assure you that you won’t hear me telling any stories about Sunday dinner because I’ve told my wife I don’t care if the President (Obama jokes aside) invites me to dinner, I’m not going anywhere.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
How Many Rounds To Stop a Home Intruder?
It’s 3:00am and you hear your window break and footsteps on your main floor. Since your child lives in the basement you don’t have the option of locking your bedroom door and getting behind cover with your gun until the police arrive.
Instead you have to go and confront the intruder to protect your family. As you get to the bottom of the stairs you see the intruder in another room about 20 feet away. You yell “Don’t move,” and instead of obeying your command or turning around and fleeing the house, the intruder runs right at you.
At this point you know you’re allowed to shoot because the guy’s in your home and he’s coming at you, but how many rounds can you shoot without getting in trouble or having some prosecutor trying to paint you as an evil gun nut?
Well… thankfully, the answer is very simple.
The number of rounds doesn’t matter when you’re shooting in a self-defense situation, because we shoot to stop our threat. If you shoot seven rounds at the guy running at you, and you see him keel over and lay there incapacitated, then it took seven rounds to stop him.
However, if it takes 15 rounds to stop the guy then by all means shoot 15 rounds. If you shoot all 15 rounds and he’s still coming up the stairs after you then reload and continue shooting until he’s not trying to take your life anymore.
There are so many variables in the number of rounds it takes to bring a person down. How big are they? Where is your shot placement? Are they on any type of drugs? When I was in the police academy years ago, we went over a home invasion case where it took the homeowner more than 20 rounds to kill the person because they were on PCP.
Please remember though, once you’ve stopped the threat you need to stop shooting.
If you kill a home invader and walk up to him and put one in the head for good measure it’s not going to look very good for you in our court system. Also, let’s say you shot the person seven times and he’s down on the ground not moving, however he’s alive and breathing. At this point he’s no longer a threat to you so you can stand there with your gun on him until the police arrive but please don’t follow the often joked about advice, “the best witness is a dead witness.”
In a self-defense shooting it makes no difference whether the guy lives or dies. What matters is that you shot as many rounds as you needed to stop that person from killing you. One final thing. When it comes to the number of rounds, you’ll have no idea how many you shot anyway. When you’ve had the adrenaline dump you won’t know if you’ve shot five rounds or nine. Oftentimes I hear people say that you need to count the number of rounds you shot so that you know when to reload, especially if you’re carrying a 5-shot snubby. That advice is nonsense. Nobody is going to count their rounds in a life and death situation, so just make sure you shoot until you’ve stopped the bad guy from coming after you and your family.
Instead you have to go and confront the intruder to protect your family. As you get to the bottom of the stairs you see the intruder in another room about 20 feet away. You yell “Don’t move,” and instead of obeying your command or turning around and fleeing the house, the intruder runs right at you.
At this point you know you’re allowed to shoot because the guy’s in your home and he’s coming at you, but how many rounds can you shoot without getting in trouble or having some prosecutor trying to paint you as an evil gun nut?
Well… thankfully, the answer is very simple.
The number of rounds doesn’t matter when you’re shooting in a self-defense situation, because we shoot to stop our threat. If you shoot seven rounds at the guy running at you, and you see him keel over and lay there incapacitated, then it took seven rounds to stop him.
However, if it takes 15 rounds to stop the guy then by all means shoot 15 rounds. If you shoot all 15 rounds and he’s still coming up the stairs after you then reload and continue shooting until he’s not trying to take your life anymore.
There are so many variables in the number of rounds it takes to bring a person down. How big are they? Where is your shot placement? Are they on any type of drugs? When I was in the police academy years ago, we went over a home invasion case where it took the homeowner more than 20 rounds to kill the person because they were on PCP.
Please remember though, once you’ve stopped the threat you need to stop shooting.
If you kill a home invader and walk up to him and put one in the head for good measure it’s not going to look very good for you in our court system. Also, let’s say you shot the person seven times and he’s down on the ground not moving, however he’s alive and breathing. At this point he’s no longer a threat to you so you can stand there with your gun on him until the police arrive but please don’t follow the often joked about advice, “the best witness is a dead witness.”
In a self-defense shooting it makes no difference whether the guy lives or dies. What matters is that you shot as many rounds as you needed to stop that person from killing you. One final thing. When it comes to the number of rounds, you’ll have no idea how many you shot anyway. When you’ve had the adrenaline dump you won’t know if you’ve shot five rounds or nine. Oftentimes I hear people say that you need to count the number of rounds you shot so that you know when to reload, especially if you’re carrying a 5-shot snubby. That advice is nonsense. Nobody is going to count their rounds in a life and death situation, so just make sure you shoot until you’ve stopped the bad guy from coming after you and your family.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Why Your Spouse and Children Need Their Concealed Carry Permits
Last night I got home from a long vacation in Utah. My plane left at 5:40pm and arrived at Baltimore Washington International airport at 1:00am. By the time I got home, unpacked, and got in bed it was 3:30am. Usually, I get up at 5:00am every morning but today I didn’t have to get up until 7:00am.
So why in the world am I telling you about my late flight? Because I’m running on three and a half hours of sleep and I feel like death. When I was in college I could get two hours of sleep a night and feel fine. But these days, when I get little sleep, I often have a headache for the entire day, my allergies kick in and I can barely concentrate on what’s going on around me.
And for this very reason, I chose not to carry concealed today. You see, once you get your concealed carry permit you are held to a higher standard than the rest of society. And you should be because you’re walking around with a tool that could take someone’s life.
For instance, if you’re walking to a restaurant and you see a shortcut down an alley with three thugs hanging around I would advise you not to go down that alley and just take a longer way. Because if you go down that alley and get in a gun fight I imagine our legal system is not going to look very favorably upon you if you tell the jury “I knew I had a gun on me and could take care of those guys so that’s why I decided to go down that alley and not walk a longer route.”
But let me get back to why I’m not carrying concealed today…
Like I mentioned, my allergies severely affect me from lack of sleep. And I’m sure some of you are reading this thinking “Jason’s a wimp, I’m going to carry my gun no matter what, I don’t care how sick I am.” And if you are thinking this I encourage you to re-read my paragraph about being held to a higher standard. If you’ve got a killer case of the flu or if your allergies are so bad that one of your eyes is swollen shut, you need to do the responsible thing and not carry your gun.
As a firearms instructor, you’re rarely going to hear me say that. I always believe in carrying my gun as long as I can do so responsibly. But if I’m sick, or can’t see, or on medicine that’s made me groggy then obviously I shouldn’t be walking around with a firearm on me. After all, can you imagine what would happen if I got in a self-defense situation and shot an innocent bystander and the prosecutor found out I was full of Benadryl and Nyquil? Or the police reported that my eyes were bloodshot and I looked like I was on drugs when they tried to interview me?
It obviously wouldn’t look very good…
However, I don’t like to be unarmed and I know people who refuse to leave their house without a gun on them, so that’s why you need to have your wife and your children (over 21) get their permits too.
If you’re wife (or husband) is like mine then they’re not always going to carry concealed. And that’s fine, that’s their choice. However, if they do have their permit at least they have the option to carry on the days you’re not well enough to carry or the days you’re all hopped up on medicine.
Plus, not only does this apply to carrying concealed, but it applies to home defense as well. If you’re flat on your back, barely able to move with sickness, and someone breaks into your house, do your wife and children know how to manipulate your self-defense firearm so they can protect themselves and your sickly self? My wife certainly does.
The bottom line is this: If your family members don’t have their permits and don’t know how to use a firearm then I would try and change that ASAP. I realize the chances of needing them to protect you while you’re sick are one in a million, but it may be that one time that saves your life and theirs.
So why in the world am I telling you about my late flight? Because I’m running on three and a half hours of sleep and I feel like death. When I was in college I could get two hours of sleep a night and feel fine. But these days, when I get little sleep, I often have a headache for the entire day, my allergies kick in and I can barely concentrate on what’s going on around me.
And for this very reason, I chose not to carry concealed today. You see, once you get your concealed carry permit you are held to a higher standard than the rest of society. And you should be because you’re walking around with a tool that could take someone’s life.
For instance, if you’re walking to a restaurant and you see a shortcut down an alley with three thugs hanging around I would advise you not to go down that alley and just take a longer way. Because if you go down that alley and get in a gun fight I imagine our legal system is not going to look very favorably upon you if you tell the jury “I knew I had a gun on me and could take care of those guys so that’s why I decided to go down that alley and not walk a longer route.”
But let me get back to why I’m not carrying concealed today…
Like I mentioned, my allergies severely affect me from lack of sleep. And I’m sure some of you are reading this thinking “Jason’s a wimp, I’m going to carry my gun no matter what, I don’t care how sick I am.” And if you are thinking this I encourage you to re-read my paragraph about being held to a higher standard. If you’ve got a killer case of the flu or if your allergies are so bad that one of your eyes is swollen shut, you need to do the responsible thing and not carry your gun.
As a firearms instructor, you’re rarely going to hear me say that. I always believe in carrying my gun as long as I can do so responsibly. But if I’m sick, or can’t see, or on medicine that’s made me groggy then obviously I shouldn’t be walking around with a firearm on me. After all, can you imagine what would happen if I got in a self-defense situation and shot an innocent bystander and the prosecutor found out I was full of Benadryl and Nyquil? Or the police reported that my eyes were bloodshot and I looked like I was on drugs when they tried to interview me?
It obviously wouldn’t look very good…
However, I don’t like to be unarmed and I know people who refuse to leave their house without a gun on them, so that’s why you need to have your wife and your children (over 21) get their permits too.
If you’re wife (or husband) is like mine then they’re not always going to carry concealed. And that’s fine, that’s their choice. However, if they do have their permit at least they have the option to carry on the days you’re not well enough to carry or the days you’re all hopped up on medicine.
Plus, not only does this apply to carrying concealed, but it applies to home defense as well. If you’re flat on your back, barely able to move with sickness, and someone breaks into your house, do your wife and children know how to manipulate your self-defense firearm so they can protect themselves and your sickly self? My wife certainly does.
The bottom line is this: If your family members don’t have their permits and don’t know how to use a firearm then I would try and change that ASAP. I realize the chances of needing them to protect you while you’re sick are one in a million, but it may be that one time that saves your life and theirs.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
A Utah Gun Law Every State Needs to Pass
I’m in the great state of Utah right now attending my family reunion. Not only do I enjoy coming here because of the many outdoors activities, but of course, because the state is very gun friendly like my home state of Virginia.
Perhaps one of the best gun laws that Utah has is the “Firearms Confiscation Prohibition” Utah Code Ann. § 63k-4-405. In short, we all know the disgusting things that occurred during Hurricane Katrina and how the police and military went around confiscating citizen’s guns.
Well, this Utah law says that the government cannot take your guns during an emergency and that if for some reason a police chief or someone else ordered the confiscation of guns, their subordinate would not have to listen to them and could not get in trouble for disobeying an order. The law also includes fines of several thousand dollars to anyone who violates this law and tries to take your guns.
It’s scary that a law like this needed to be passed in the first place, but at least in Utah you don’t have to worry about having the police knock on your door after a natural disaster trying to take your guns leaving you without any way to protect your family.
However, what if you live in another state which doesn’t have such a law?
Well, this was a question I got asked during training I was doing a few weeks ago and here’s what I told them: I believe a person’s integrity is the most important thing in the world. I wish people could do business on a handshake and if people were more honest in this world we wouldn’t have a need for lawyers and our courts wouldn’t be all clogged up.
With that being said, one of the very few times I think it would be okay to lie and be dishonest in life is if someone knocked on your door after a natural disaster and tried to take your guns. If it happened to me there is not a chance in the world I would give up my firearms leaving my wife and I unable to defend ourselves.
After all, how could I, as a husband, say to my wife “Yes dear, the police just knocked on our door, and although we’re law abiding citizens I gave them all of our guns, so hopefully a bunch of thugs won’t break into the house and try and rape you because there’s not much I can do now.”
Those words will never come out of my mouth.
But… what words should come out of your mouth if you’re ever in the situation where the government is trying to take your guns? Tell them your guns are at your father’s house in Alabama… tell them you got rid of them all… tell them any number of things but don’t tell them you have guns in the house in case they try and force their way in.
In other words, make up anything you can thing of to get the soldiers or police away from your house thinking you don’t have any guns. But just to be ultra-safe, if you own multiple firearms as I do, it’s not a bad idea to store a gun or two somewhere else besides your house in case of an emergency and your guns did somehow get confiscated.
Let me reiterate though, I’m only talking about lying and being dishonest during extreme circumstances. I don’t believe in lying or causing problems in every day life just to prove a point. (Such as the guy who walks around with four guns on him and a bazooka just to prove a point that he can open carry.) I’m a practical guy who doesn’t need to prove points in life, I just need to make sure my family is safe, which is exactly what I’ll do if the government should ever come after my guns.
Perhaps one of the best gun laws that Utah has is the “Firearms Confiscation Prohibition” Utah Code Ann. § 63k-4-405. In short, we all know the disgusting things that occurred during Hurricane Katrina and how the police and military went around confiscating citizen’s guns.
Well, this Utah law says that the government cannot take your guns during an emergency and that if for some reason a police chief or someone else ordered the confiscation of guns, their subordinate would not have to listen to them and could not get in trouble for disobeying an order. The law also includes fines of several thousand dollars to anyone who violates this law and tries to take your guns.
It’s scary that a law like this needed to be passed in the first place, but at least in Utah you don’t have to worry about having the police knock on your door after a natural disaster trying to take your guns leaving you without any way to protect your family.
However, what if you live in another state which doesn’t have such a law?
Well, this was a question I got asked during training I was doing a few weeks ago and here’s what I told them: I believe a person’s integrity is the most important thing in the world. I wish people could do business on a handshake and if people were more honest in this world we wouldn’t have a need for lawyers and our courts wouldn’t be all clogged up.
With that being said, one of the very few times I think it would be okay to lie and be dishonest in life is if someone knocked on your door after a natural disaster and tried to take your guns. If it happened to me there is not a chance in the world I would give up my firearms leaving my wife and I unable to defend ourselves.
After all, how could I, as a husband, say to my wife “Yes dear, the police just knocked on our door, and although we’re law abiding citizens I gave them all of our guns, so hopefully a bunch of thugs won’t break into the house and try and rape you because there’s not much I can do now.”
Those words will never come out of my mouth.
But… what words should come out of your mouth if you’re ever in the situation where the government is trying to take your guns? Tell them your guns are at your father’s house in Alabama… tell them you got rid of them all… tell them any number of things but don’t tell them you have guns in the house in case they try and force their way in.
In other words, make up anything you can thing of to get the soldiers or police away from your house thinking you don’t have any guns. But just to be ultra-safe, if you own multiple firearms as I do, it’s not a bad idea to store a gun or two somewhere else besides your house in case of an emergency and your guns did somehow get confiscated.
Let me reiterate though, I’m only talking about lying and being dishonest during extreme circumstances. I don’t believe in lying or causing problems in every day life just to prove a point. (Such as the guy who walks around with four guns on him and a bazooka just to prove a point that he can open carry.) I’m a practical guy who doesn’t need to prove points in life, I just need to make sure my family is safe, which is exactly what I’ll do if the government should ever come after my guns.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The Lazy Man’s Guide to Choosing the Right Self-Defense Ammo
I’ll be the last person to claim that I’m a ballistics expert or some brilliant physics engineer who knows the ins and outs of ammunition design. However, I don’t own a TV (haven’t owned one in 10 years) and when I’m not training or shooting or spending quality time with the wife, I’m reading up on various aspects of personal protection.
And this includes ammunition information which is a deathly boring (but important) topic. And to save you the pain and suffering I’ve gone through reading boring books and articles about self-defense ammo, here’s what you need to know in a nutshell.
First off, it’s going to cost more money. Yes, you can go to Walmart and buy 9mm ammo for about 22 cents a round. But for quality ammo you’re going to pay more than $1 per round. But it’s worth it because this stuff might save your life one day, so don’t be a cheap son-of-a-gun about it.
Secondly, when it comes to ammo…
There is full metal jacket, semi-wadcutter and jacketed hollow point, to name a few. For your self-defense ammo I recommend jacketed hollow point rounds. Why? Because ideally you’ll get more expansion and less penetration versus a full metal jacket round which might only create a tiny entry point and go right through a person. (In other words, it won’t expand as much.)
Now, let’s say you agree with me and you’ve decided to go with a jacketed hollow point round. Well, that’s good, but we’re not done yet. You still have to decide on the weight of the bullet. For example, do you want a 115 grain, 124 grain or 147 grain, among others. (Grain is the weight of the bullet.)
Well… here’s how it works:
The lighter the round, the faster the bullet will go, which causes it to expand more and therefore penetrate less. And the heavier a round is, it will move slower (causing it not to expand as much) and it will penetrate more. I hope I haven’t totally lost you, but in short, a 115 grain will expand more and penetrate less than a 147 grain bullet.
So which one should you get? You should try to find a healthy combination between how far a bullet will penetrate and how much it will expand. Of course, depending on who you talk to everyone has an opinion. But for a 9mm (such as my Glock 19) I like 124 grain rounds. You could get the 115 grain rounds but I wouldn’t go any lower than that, and on the other end of the spectrum I wouldn’t use 147 grain either.
Hopefully, the next time you’re looking to buy some self-defense ammunition you’ve got a better idea of what to look for and how much it’s going to cost you. Also, before I forget, make sure you go to the range and try out your new self-defense ammo to make sure your gun feeds it and doesn’t jam up. (By the way, you can’t go wrong with companies like Corbon, Speer Gold Dot or the Federal Premium loads when it comes to self-defense ammo.)
And this includes ammunition information which is a deathly boring (but important) topic. And to save you the pain and suffering I’ve gone through reading boring books and articles about self-defense ammo, here’s what you need to know in a nutshell.
First off, it’s going to cost more money. Yes, you can go to Walmart and buy 9mm ammo for about 22 cents a round. But for quality ammo you’re going to pay more than $1 per round. But it’s worth it because this stuff might save your life one day, so don’t be a cheap son-of-a-gun about it.
Secondly, when it comes to ammo…
There is full metal jacket, semi-wadcutter and jacketed hollow point, to name a few. For your self-defense ammo I recommend jacketed hollow point rounds. Why? Because ideally you’ll get more expansion and less penetration versus a full metal jacket round which might only create a tiny entry point and go right through a person. (In other words, it won’t expand as much.)
Now, let’s say you agree with me and you’ve decided to go with a jacketed hollow point round. Well, that’s good, but we’re not done yet. You still have to decide on the weight of the bullet. For example, do you want a 115 grain, 124 grain or 147 grain, among others. (Grain is the weight of the bullet.)
Well… here’s how it works:
The lighter the round, the faster the bullet will go, which causes it to expand more and therefore penetrate less. And the heavier a round is, it will move slower (causing it not to expand as much) and it will penetrate more. I hope I haven’t totally lost you, but in short, a 115 grain will expand more and penetrate less than a 147 grain bullet.
So which one should you get? You should try to find a healthy combination between how far a bullet will penetrate and how much it will expand. Of course, depending on who you talk to everyone has an opinion. But for a 9mm (such as my Glock 19) I like 124 grain rounds. You could get the 115 grain rounds but I wouldn’t go any lower than that, and on the other end of the spectrum I wouldn’t use 147 grain either.
Hopefully, the next time you’re looking to buy some self-defense ammunition you’ve got a better idea of what to look for and how much it’s going to cost you. Also, before I forget, make sure you go to the range and try out your new self-defense ammo to make sure your gun feeds it and doesn’t jam up. (By the way, you can’t go wrong with companies like Corbon, Speer Gold Dot or the Federal Premium loads when it comes to self-defense ammo.)
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Why Gun Stores are Dangerous for New Shooters
I really admire new shooters. I admire the person who has the
courage to come out to a gun class all by themselves even though
they've never touched a gun in their life. It takes a lot of
courage to do this and I commend the people who highly value the
ability to protect themselves.
However, I am also worried for these new shooters. You see, once a
person takes a class they often want to go out and get their first
gun and they're full of enthusiasm. And I think that's a wonderful
thing, but sometimes a visit to the local gun store severely
dampens that enthusiasm.
You see, I have a theory about gun stores. I call it the "90% of
gun store employees are not nice" theory. Originally, the theory
had another name, but my loving wife convinced me that this name
was more appropriate.
So before I continue, let me explain the "90% of gun store
employees are not nice" theory. It's pretty complicated so pay
attention. In short, my theory is that 90% of gun store employees
are not happy campers. I bet they've washed out of police
academies, never achieved their dreams to join the FBI or never
made it to SEAL Team 6.
And due to these failures they are bitter and now feel the need to
be rude to others and belittle them. If you've ever been to gun
store, you've likely experienced this. When my wife and I were out
in California visiting the in-laws last Thanksgiving we went to a
local gun store/shooting range. The guy behind the counter was very
rude to my wife and deserved a kick to the face.
Just a few weeks ago we were at a gun store in Maryland...
And not surprisingly, one of the employees was rude to both of us
and treated us like second-rate citizens who didn't even know what
a gun was.
The point is, I hate to hear about a new shooter who is so excited
about buying their first gun and has the courage to go to the gun
store, just to be treated like dirt or intimidated by some jerk of
an employee. I can only imagine how many people decided not to buy
a gun or who decided guns were not for them after a terrible
interaction at a gun store. (Which is a huge shame, since we all
needs guns to protect ourselves, especially in our homes.)
That's why I want to give you some quick advice if you're a new
shooter getting ready to go purchase your first gun:
First, never forget the "90% of gun store employees are not nice"
theory. Remember, they probably hate their life so try not to take
it personally. Second, if you can help it, do not go to the gun
store alone to look at buying your first gun. Take someone with you
who is knowledgeable about firearms.
But if you have to go alone...
I would take everything the gun store employee says with a grain of
salt. Do not let them talk you into buying a gun that doesn't fit
your hand or that you don't feel comfortable with. Remember, you
are the one who is going to be carrying and shooting this gun, not
the store employee.
Also, do not buy a gun that you have never shot before. Almost
every gun range allows you to rent guns, so go take a "test drive"
of the gun you're thinking of buying.
I could go on and on, but it all boils down to this. You are doing
the right thing by taking responsibility for your own protection
and you know this. So don't let anyone intimidate you about this
or try and talk you out of it.
Lastly, even though I've already said it, please don't go alone if
you can help it. You need someone with you who's patient and
knowledgeable and who's going to take the time to help you find the
gun that's best for you.
Also, even if you're an experienced shooter, please pass this
advice on to the new shooters you know, so they don't think all gun
people are jerks and intimidating.
courage to come out to a gun class all by themselves even though
they've never touched a gun in their life. It takes a lot of
courage to do this and I commend the people who highly value the
ability to protect themselves.
However, I am also worried for these new shooters. You see, once a
person takes a class they often want to go out and get their first
gun and they're full of enthusiasm. And I think that's a wonderful
thing, but sometimes a visit to the local gun store severely
dampens that enthusiasm.
You see, I have a theory about gun stores. I call it the "90% of
gun store employees are not nice" theory. Originally, the theory
had another name, but my loving wife convinced me that this name
was more appropriate.
So before I continue, let me explain the "90% of gun store
employees are not nice" theory. It's pretty complicated so pay
attention. In short, my theory is that 90% of gun store employees
are not happy campers. I bet they've washed out of police
academies, never achieved their dreams to join the FBI or never
made it to SEAL Team 6.
And due to these failures they are bitter and now feel the need to
be rude to others and belittle them. If you've ever been to gun
store, you've likely experienced this. When my wife and I were out
in California visiting the in-laws last Thanksgiving we went to a
local gun store/shooting range. The guy behind the counter was very
rude to my wife and deserved a kick to the face.
Just a few weeks ago we were at a gun store in Maryland...
And not surprisingly, one of the employees was rude to both of us
and treated us like second-rate citizens who didn't even know what
a gun was.
The point is, I hate to hear about a new shooter who is so excited
about buying their first gun and has the courage to go to the gun
store, just to be treated like dirt or intimidated by some jerk of
an employee. I can only imagine how many people decided not to buy
a gun or who decided guns were not for them after a terrible
interaction at a gun store. (Which is a huge shame, since we all
needs guns to protect ourselves, especially in our homes.)
That's why I want to give you some quick advice if you're a new
shooter getting ready to go purchase your first gun:
First, never forget the "90% of gun store employees are not nice"
theory. Remember, they probably hate their life so try not to take
it personally. Second, if you can help it, do not go to the gun
store alone to look at buying your first gun. Take someone with you
who is knowledgeable about firearms.
But if you have to go alone...
I would take everything the gun store employee says with a grain of
salt. Do not let them talk you into buying a gun that doesn't fit
your hand or that you don't feel comfortable with. Remember, you
are the one who is going to be carrying and shooting this gun, not
the store employee.
Also, do not buy a gun that you have never shot before. Almost
every gun range allows you to rent guns, so go take a "test drive"
of the gun you're thinking of buying.
I could go on and on, but it all boils down to this. You are doing
the right thing by taking responsibility for your own protection
and you know this. So don't let anyone intimidate you about this
or try and talk you out of it.
Lastly, even though I've already said it, please don't go alone if
you can help it. You need someone with you who's patient and
knowledgeable and who's going to take the time to help you find the
gun that's best for you.
Also, even if you're an experienced shooter, please pass this
advice on to the new shooters you know, so they don't think all gun
people are jerks and intimidating.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
How to Find Out If You Carry Wisely
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know it all. One of the beauties of teaching concealed carry classes is that I’m constantly learning from other people. They’ll tell me about a new gun I haven’t heard of or a new type of flashlight or any number of new accessories.
Anyway, recently I had a fellow argue with me about carrying a 1911 “cocked and locked” and how he said he would never do it because it’s dangerous. (If you’re not familiar with what that means it means you have a round in the chamber, the hammer is cocked, and the safety is on.)
If by chance…
You happen to agree with this guy let me show you why you’re nuts and if you don’t agree with this guy let me show you why it will save your life one day. First off, if you carry a firearm concealed you’re carrying it because you want to be able to protect yourself, right?
Well… when it comes to a deadly force situation it usually happens instantly. You’ll have nanoseconds to draw your gun to take care of the threat. That’s one of the main reasons I wear an inside the waistband holster. In my opinion that’ll give you the quickest draw. (Yes, I know that open carry is quicker, but I’m not a fan of open carry, to say the least.)
I don’t recommend shoulder holsters and I certainly don’t recommend an ankle holster for your primary gun (backup only) because they take way too long to draw. Again, if the stuff ever hits the fan you want to draw quickly.
Maintaining our “quickly” theme…
When you draw you want to simply be able to pull the trigger and have it go “boom.” The last thing in the world you want to do is have to rack the slide and chamber a round. Yes, there are professionals out there who can do this lighting fast, but for 99% of gun owners having to rack a round will likely be a death sentence in a deadly force situation.
I tried to explain all of this to the guy, but of course he wouldn’t listen. Then I went on and told him to get another gun besides a 1911 such as a Glock. He told me that he thought Glock’s were even worse because they don’t have any safeties at all and he would never, ever carry a round in the chamber.
I guess the good thing is, if you or I ever come against this guy (or others who think like him) we’ll have a much quicker draw while he’s trying to rack a round in the chamber. Heck, it would be nice if criminals thought like these guys, but I have a feeling criminals aren’t worried too much about safety.
The bottom line is, if you’re carrying a gun for personal protection carry it wisely. Don’t put yourself at a disadvantage by not having a round in the chamber or by wearing an ankle holster that you have to bend all the way over to draw from. In other words, don’t be foolish when your life depends on it.
Anyway, recently I had a fellow argue with me about carrying a 1911 “cocked and locked” and how he said he would never do it because it’s dangerous. (If you’re not familiar with what that means it means you have a round in the chamber, the hammer is cocked, and the safety is on.)
If by chance…
You happen to agree with this guy let me show you why you’re nuts and if you don’t agree with this guy let me show you why it will save your life one day. First off, if you carry a firearm concealed you’re carrying it because you want to be able to protect yourself, right?
Well… when it comes to a deadly force situation it usually happens instantly. You’ll have nanoseconds to draw your gun to take care of the threat. That’s one of the main reasons I wear an inside the waistband holster. In my opinion that’ll give you the quickest draw. (Yes, I know that open carry is quicker, but I’m not a fan of open carry, to say the least.)
I don’t recommend shoulder holsters and I certainly don’t recommend an ankle holster for your primary gun (backup only) because they take way too long to draw. Again, if the stuff ever hits the fan you want to draw quickly.
Maintaining our “quickly” theme…
When you draw you want to simply be able to pull the trigger and have it go “boom.” The last thing in the world you want to do is have to rack the slide and chamber a round. Yes, there are professionals out there who can do this lighting fast, but for 99% of gun owners having to rack a round will likely be a death sentence in a deadly force situation.
I tried to explain all of this to the guy, but of course he wouldn’t listen. Then I went on and told him to get another gun besides a 1911 such as a Glock. He told me that he thought Glock’s were even worse because they don’t have any safeties at all and he would never, ever carry a round in the chamber.
I guess the good thing is, if you or I ever come against this guy (or others who think like him) we’ll have a much quicker draw while he’s trying to rack a round in the chamber. Heck, it would be nice if criminals thought like these guys, but I have a feeling criminals aren’t worried too much about safety.
The bottom line is, if you’re carrying a gun for personal protection carry it wisely. Don’t put yourself at a disadvantage by not having a round in the chamber or by wearing an ankle holster that you have to bend all the way over to draw from. In other words, don’t be foolish when your life depends on it.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
When to Use a Handgun vs. a Shotgun for Home Defense
If you wake up at 2:00am to the sound of a window being smashed and you hear someone entering your house, here’s what you should ideally do: Gather all of your family members together in the same room, lock the door, call the police and have your gun ready in case the intruder should try and enter that room.
However, we don’t live in an ideal world so it’s much more likely that if you hear someone breaking into your home at 2:00am you’ll have to go confront them or at the very least, you’ll have to go to the top of your stairs and make sure the intruder doesn’t make it past you to get to your family members.
So, if the above ever happened to you, should you use a handgun or shotgun for home defense? Well, to tell you the truth, it depends on the situation. For instance, let’s say you’re a prepared homeowner and you’ve already rehearsed a “home invasion” plan with your family. So they know if they hear you shout a special code word they’re supposed to quickly run to your master bedroom.
And let’s pretend…
That one day someone did try to break into your house and since you were prepared you were able to safely get all of your family members into the designated “safe room.” For this particular situation I would want a shotgun. I would want to be able to have my family in the bathroom (out of the line of fire) and I would find a good piece of cover and just sit there with my shotgun pointed at the bedroom door. My shotgun of choice is the trusty Remington 870 and my ammo of choice is 00 buckshot. (But be very careful with 00 buck. If others are in the house – besides the intruder – you’ll want to consider birdshot.)
On the other hand, if I weren’t able to get my family in the “safe room” and I had to go confront the intruder and clear my house, I would definitely want a handgun. Here are a few of the reasons why:
First off, there are a lot of corners in a house.
And the last thing I want to do is have my long shotgun barrel sticking out around a corner so that an intruder can grab it and perhaps take my gun away. Also, if you have to enter other bedrooms on the middle floor or basement floor it’s much easier to open a door and bring a handgun to the “close contact firing position” than to clumsily open a door with the shotgun sticking out for a person to grab.
Let’s not forget, if you’re trying to be “stealth” and sneak around your house so the intruder doesn’t know you’re coming, there’s a much better chance you’re going to knock your shotgun into a wall or hit something, especially if you haven’t practiced clearing your house with a shotgun, which most people haven’t. That’s why my handgun of choice for this situation is my concealed carry gun, the Glock 19.
Of course, the gun you have at the time of a home invasion is the one you use whether it’s a shotgun, rifle, or handgun. But whatever gun you decide to go with I would practice the two scenarios above: Gathering your family in the safe room and clearing your house.
However, we don’t live in an ideal world so it’s much more likely that if you hear someone breaking into your home at 2:00am you’ll have to go confront them or at the very least, you’ll have to go to the top of your stairs and make sure the intruder doesn’t make it past you to get to your family members.
So, if the above ever happened to you, should you use a handgun or shotgun for home defense? Well, to tell you the truth, it depends on the situation. For instance, let’s say you’re a prepared homeowner and you’ve already rehearsed a “home invasion” plan with your family. So they know if they hear you shout a special code word they’re supposed to quickly run to your master bedroom.
And let’s pretend…
That one day someone did try to break into your house and since you were prepared you were able to safely get all of your family members into the designated “safe room.” For this particular situation I would want a shotgun. I would want to be able to have my family in the bathroom (out of the line of fire) and I would find a good piece of cover and just sit there with my shotgun pointed at the bedroom door. My shotgun of choice is the trusty Remington 870 and my ammo of choice is 00 buckshot. (But be very careful with 00 buck. If others are in the house – besides the intruder – you’ll want to consider birdshot.)
On the other hand, if I weren’t able to get my family in the “safe room” and I had to go confront the intruder and clear my house, I would definitely want a handgun. Here are a few of the reasons why:
First off, there are a lot of corners in a house.
And the last thing I want to do is have my long shotgun barrel sticking out around a corner so that an intruder can grab it and perhaps take my gun away. Also, if you have to enter other bedrooms on the middle floor or basement floor it’s much easier to open a door and bring a handgun to the “close contact firing position” than to clumsily open a door with the shotgun sticking out for a person to grab.
Let’s not forget, if you’re trying to be “stealth” and sneak around your house so the intruder doesn’t know you’re coming, there’s a much better chance you’re going to knock your shotgun into a wall or hit something, especially if you haven’t practiced clearing your house with a shotgun, which most people haven’t. That’s why my handgun of choice for this situation is my concealed carry gun, the Glock 19.
Of course, the gun you have at the time of a home invasion is the one you use whether it’s a shotgun, rifle, or handgun. But whatever gun you decide to go with I would practice the two scenarios above: Gathering your family in the safe room and clearing your house.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
The Simplest Ways to Avoid Becoming a Victim
Let me tell you an old joke which you may have heard before. Two friends are camping in the woods. They’re relaxing in their campsite when all of the sudden a giant grizzly approaches. One of the friends grabs his tennis shoes from their tent, throws them on and quickly starts tying the laces. The other friend looks at him and says “what are you doing, there is no way you can outrun that bear.” And the one putting on his shoes says, “I don’t have to outrun the bear, I only have to outrun you.”
The above story illustrates how simple it is to avoid becoming a victim in today’s society. You see, the next time you’re walking down the streets look at everyone who has a cell phone attached to their ear, or who is looking down toward the ground while texting. If you’re the one person who has nothing in your hands and you’re looking up and scanning your surroundings, it is not likely a criminal is going to choose you.
The same thing applies to your home defense.
Since I bet the majority of your neighbors leave their garage door open when they’re at home, the fact that you close your garage door at all times will obviously make you less of a target if some thief is looking to steal something out of a garage. (Or some 17 year old kid is looking to steal beer out of someone’s fridge.)
Also, it always amazes me how few people have home alarms. Even if you don’t want to pay for a home alarm at least spend a couple bucks on an alarm sign and stick it in your front yard. If you have an alarm sign and your next door neighbor doesn’t, whose house do you think he’s going to choose? (A fellow instructor I know told me that he has a decal on his windows and that there was a burglary of the three surrounding houses, but his house was skipped over.)
If you carry concealed…
Then you know you’re among the less than 1% of Americans who have a gun on them on a daily basis. There are too many ways to list how this will protect you, but one example is the deadbeat carjacker. When the carjacker tries to get in your car and you draw your gun and the carjacker quickly vanishes (or moves on to another car in line), at least you’re safe.
Or heaven forbid you actually have to use the gun, but again, at least you’ll hopefully be alive while the scumbag criminal won’t. My point is, unfortunately (but fortunately for you and me) society has become pretty lazy and nobody pays attention to their surroundings or seems to value their safety.
And if you and I just take a few more safety precautions than everyone else, then we’re a lot less likely to be targeted by criminals. It doesn’t take much, but if you aren’t doing it now, start paying more attention, start carrying your gun more often, remember to turn on your alarm at night, close your garage door, and never, ever answer the door for someone you don’t know.
The above story illustrates how simple it is to avoid becoming a victim in today’s society. You see, the next time you’re walking down the streets look at everyone who has a cell phone attached to their ear, or who is looking down toward the ground while texting. If you’re the one person who has nothing in your hands and you’re looking up and scanning your surroundings, it is not likely a criminal is going to choose you.
The same thing applies to your home defense.
Since I bet the majority of your neighbors leave their garage door open when they’re at home, the fact that you close your garage door at all times will obviously make you less of a target if some thief is looking to steal something out of a garage. (Or some 17 year old kid is looking to steal beer out of someone’s fridge.)
Also, it always amazes me how few people have home alarms. Even if you don’t want to pay for a home alarm at least spend a couple bucks on an alarm sign and stick it in your front yard. If you have an alarm sign and your next door neighbor doesn’t, whose house do you think he’s going to choose? (A fellow instructor I know told me that he has a decal on his windows and that there was a burglary of the three surrounding houses, but his house was skipped over.)
If you carry concealed…
Then you know you’re among the less than 1% of Americans who have a gun on them on a daily basis. There are too many ways to list how this will protect you, but one example is the deadbeat carjacker. When the carjacker tries to get in your car and you draw your gun and the carjacker quickly vanishes (or moves on to another car in line), at least you’re safe.
Or heaven forbid you actually have to use the gun, but again, at least you’ll hopefully be alive while the scumbag criminal won’t. My point is, unfortunately (but fortunately for you and me) society has become pretty lazy and nobody pays attention to their surroundings or seems to value their safety.
And if you and I just take a few more safety precautions than everyone else, then we’re a lot less likely to be targeted by criminals. It doesn’t take much, but if you aren’t doing it now, start paying more attention, start carrying your gun more often, remember to turn on your alarm at night, close your garage door, and never, ever answer the door for someone you don’t know.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Should You Get Multiple Concealed Carry Permits?
The first thing that every American (who is able to) should do is go get their concealed firearms permit. Even if you never plan to carry, or don’t carry often, at least once you get your permit you have the option to protect yourself. And, if you happen to be one of the poor souls who lives in a state that has unfriendly gun laws and you can’t get your CCW, then move. I’m very serious about that.
One of the blessings we have of living in the USA is that we’re free to live wherever we wish. Of course people make excuses like “my job’s here” or “my wife wants to live here” but at least realize you choose to live in that state and if you truly wanted to move, you could. (Those big green signs above the freeway point the way to gun friendly states, I promise you that.)
I bring this up because my wife’s family lives in California. I have let her know without a doubt we will never be living in that state. I can think of few things worse in life than not having a gun on me to defend my family because I chose to live in California or Maryland or New York.
However, once you’ve got your permit for the state you live in, many people often wonder if they should get additional permits. In short, I believe the answer is yes. Right now in my wallet I have my Virginia permit and my Utah permit, which combined allow me to carry concealed in 33 states.
Why do I have multiple permits and why do I think you should too?
Well, the first and most obvious reason is because different permits provide coverage for different states. For instance, Virginia has reciprocity with Florida and Utah does not. (They don’t have reciprocity for non-resident permits.) I used to travel to Florida often, so I definitely needed a permit which would allow me to carry in Florida. Also, Utah has reciprocity with both Alabama and Georgia and Virginia does not.
Another reason I carry multiple permits is because it’s kind of like insurance. You never know what foolish politicians are going to do even in gun friendly states like Virginia and Utah. So, if something happens where one permit loses coverage on a lot of states, or becomes much more difficult to obtain at least I have my “back up” permit.
Plus…
Not only do you have to worry about the state which issues your permit, you have to worry about all the states that grant it reciprocity. Reciprocity coverage is always changing when new politicians get elected or when states get in a “urinating” contest over something and decide to no longer recognize each other’s permits.
A friend of mine probably put it best when he told me that he carries multiple credit cards such as Visa, American Express and Mastercard to have “back up” cards and various options, which is how he feels about carrying multiple permits- he wants several options, and I couldn’t agree with him more.
So if you’ve been sitting on the fence about getting another permit, or you’ve been too cheap to spend $65 on another permit that will last you for 5 years, then as soon as you finish reading this, take action today and sign up for a local concealed carry class in your area.
(By the way, another great reason to get multiple permits is in case you accidentally let one expire, at least you have your back up and can still carry.)
One of the blessings we have of living in the USA is that we’re free to live wherever we wish. Of course people make excuses like “my job’s here” or “my wife wants to live here” but at least realize you choose to live in that state and if you truly wanted to move, you could. (Those big green signs above the freeway point the way to gun friendly states, I promise you that.)
I bring this up because my wife’s family lives in California. I have let her know without a doubt we will never be living in that state. I can think of few things worse in life than not having a gun on me to defend my family because I chose to live in California or Maryland or New York.
However, once you’ve got your permit for the state you live in, many people often wonder if they should get additional permits. In short, I believe the answer is yes. Right now in my wallet I have my Virginia permit and my Utah permit, which combined allow me to carry concealed in 33 states.
Why do I have multiple permits and why do I think you should too?
Well, the first and most obvious reason is because different permits provide coverage for different states. For instance, Virginia has reciprocity with Florida and Utah does not. (They don’t have reciprocity for non-resident permits.) I used to travel to Florida often, so I definitely needed a permit which would allow me to carry in Florida. Also, Utah has reciprocity with both Alabama and Georgia and Virginia does not.
Another reason I carry multiple permits is because it’s kind of like insurance. You never know what foolish politicians are going to do even in gun friendly states like Virginia and Utah. So, if something happens where one permit loses coverage on a lot of states, or becomes much more difficult to obtain at least I have my “back up” permit.
Plus…
Not only do you have to worry about the state which issues your permit, you have to worry about all the states that grant it reciprocity. Reciprocity coverage is always changing when new politicians get elected or when states get in a “urinating” contest over something and decide to no longer recognize each other’s permits.
A friend of mine probably put it best when he told me that he carries multiple credit cards such as Visa, American Express and Mastercard to have “back up” cards and various options, which is how he feels about carrying multiple permits- he wants several options, and I couldn’t agree with him more.
So if you’ve been sitting on the fence about getting another permit, or you’ve been too cheap to spend $65 on another permit that will last you for 5 years, then as soon as you finish reading this, take action today and sign up for a local concealed carry class in your area.
(By the way, another great reason to get multiple permits is in case you accidentally let one expire, at least you have your back up and can still carry.)
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Are You Crazy If You Open Carry?
I realize open carrying is your right. And by all means, if you want to exercise that right you should do it. In fact, I’m lucky enough to live in the great state of Virginia where open carry is legal and people do it all the time.
Personally though, you’ll never catch me open carrying. You see, I’m a very practical sort of guy. The only reason I carry a gun and spend hours at the range is for personal protection purposes. I’m not a competition shooter and I don’t own a tricked-out $3,000 1911. My firearm of choice is a Glock 19. (Yes it may be ugly, but if I pull the trigger I know it will go boom.)
My point is, when it comes to carrying a gun I’m doing it for practical personal protection reasons and open carry isn’t “practical” in my eyes. Now, I know that half of you just screamed at your computer “this guy’s an idiot, of course it’s practical,” so let me explain.
First off, when I carry a gun I carry it concealed for a reason.
I don’t want anyone else to know I have a gun. I don’t want to be standing in a 7-11 one day and have some criminal run in and shoot me first because he sees that I have a gun on my hip, therefore I’m his biggest threat.
Also, I don’t want to be standing in line at Walmart and have to worry about some dirt bag grabbing my gun from behind. You see, when you open carry you have to be very aware of where your “gun side” is at all times. Law enforcement officers are well- trained in this, but I’ve seen the “average Joe” open carry and far too many of them have no awareness when it comes to their gun. (Plus, if you open carry you’d better have a retention device on your holster, but this still doesn’t mean someone can’t try and take it.)
Of course, in general, I just don’t want to make a spectacle and draw attention to myself. When I’m out and about running errands I want to blend in with everyone else. If I’m ever face to face with a criminal who’s about to take my life or someone near me I want him to look at me and think I’m some harmless guy in jeans and a t-shirt. (I don’t want him to know that if the situation calls for it he’s about to see the business end of my Glock.)
Plus, we all know…
That many cops and other law enforcement officials don’t know state laws when it comes to open carry. And as fun as it is wasting half my day while some cop hassles me, I’ll pass.
But perhaps you’re thinking to yourself, “There’s got to be some good reason to open carry,” right? Well, as I stated at the beginning of this article it’s your right to open carry. So if you choose, go ahead and get together with your fellow friends and have “open carry night” at the local Denny’s.
Another reason to open carry is that it is faster to come out of the holster. I realize that when you carry concealed you have to lift up your concealment garment with your opposite hand to be able to draw the gun. However, if you “dry fire” practice coming out of the holster with your concealment clothing on you should soon be able to draw very quickly. And in my opinion, carrying open for a faster draw does not outweigh the benefits of carrying concealed.
Well, there you have it. I know that open carry vs. concealed carry will always be a personal preference so let the hate mail begin.
Personally though, you’ll never catch me open carrying. You see, I’m a very practical sort of guy. The only reason I carry a gun and spend hours at the range is for personal protection purposes. I’m not a competition shooter and I don’t own a tricked-out $3,000 1911. My firearm of choice is a Glock 19. (Yes it may be ugly, but if I pull the trigger I know it will go boom.)
My point is, when it comes to carrying a gun I’m doing it for practical personal protection reasons and open carry isn’t “practical” in my eyes. Now, I know that half of you just screamed at your computer “this guy’s an idiot, of course it’s practical,” so let me explain.
First off, when I carry a gun I carry it concealed for a reason.
I don’t want anyone else to know I have a gun. I don’t want to be standing in a 7-11 one day and have some criminal run in and shoot me first because he sees that I have a gun on my hip, therefore I’m his biggest threat.
Also, I don’t want to be standing in line at Walmart and have to worry about some dirt bag grabbing my gun from behind. You see, when you open carry you have to be very aware of where your “gun side” is at all times. Law enforcement officers are well- trained in this, but I’ve seen the “average Joe” open carry and far too many of them have no awareness when it comes to their gun. (Plus, if you open carry you’d better have a retention device on your holster, but this still doesn’t mean someone can’t try and take it.)
Of course, in general, I just don’t want to make a spectacle and draw attention to myself. When I’m out and about running errands I want to blend in with everyone else. If I’m ever face to face with a criminal who’s about to take my life or someone near me I want him to look at me and think I’m some harmless guy in jeans and a t-shirt. (I don’t want him to know that if the situation calls for it he’s about to see the business end of my Glock.)
Plus, we all know…
That many cops and other law enforcement officials don’t know state laws when it comes to open carry. And as fun as it is wasting half my day while some cop hassles me, I’ll pass.
But perhaps you’re thinking to yourself, “There’s got to be some good reason to open carry,” right? Well, as I stated at the beginning of this article it’s your right to open carry. So if you choose, go ahead and get together with your fellow friends and have “open carry night” at the local Denny’s.
Another reason to open carry is that it is faster to come out of the holster. I realize that when you carry concealed you have to lift up your concealment garment with your opposite hand to be able to draw the gun. However, if you “dry fire” practice coming out of the holster with your concealment clothing on you should soon be able to draw very quickly. And in my opinion, carrying open for a faster draw does not outweigh the benefits of carrying concealed.
Well, there you have it. I know that open carry vs. concealed carry will always be a personal preference so let the hate mail begin.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
How Much Ammo Can You Bring On a Plane?
If you’ve never transported your gun on an airplane before it’s a piece of cake if you follow these simple tips. In fact, I fly with my gun often and I’ve never had a problem. First off, before you leave your house to go to the airport, make sure the gun is unloaded. I would double and triple check this. Next, the gun needs to be locked in a solid case. Personally, I just use the cases my guns came in when I bought them and I use a padlock to secure them.
Once you’re satisfied that the gun is unloaded and locked up, simply throw it in your checked baggage (not your carry on.) As far as your ammo, I just leave it in the box and throw it in my suitcase too. However, I’ll put the ammo at the bottom of my suitcase and the gun at the top. I like to make sure they’re separated by several layers of clothes, but that’s just my own personal preference.
Once you get to the airport, you’ll walk up the counter and tell the representative that you need to declare a firearm and ammunition. And if I were you, I would use those words exactly. I would not advise walking up to them and saying “I have a gun.” That probably won’t end well and you might end up surrounded by airport police who’ll ruin your day and make you spend the next eight hours in a small dark room explaining yourself.
After you declare your firearm to the counter representative…
They’ll hand you a small card – about the size of a 3×5 index card – which you need to read and sign. The card basically says that your gun is unloaded and you’re following all safety regulations and that if for some reason you’re lying you could get a big fine and/or prison time.
Once you’ve signed the card, you open up your gun case, throw the card in the case and secure it again. Then you give your luggage to the representative and you’re all done. In all of the times I’ve flow I’ve never had anyone look at the gun or even ask me if it was unloaded. All they do is hand me the card, tell me to sign it and put it in my case.
Of course, I usually fly Southwest or Delta and I know their respective regulations. So before you fly you should go to your airlines website or give them a call to see their requirements. However, I’ve heard that almost all airlines are the same with guns. But, one thing I have heard is that airlines are different when it comes to how much ammunition you can bring on a plane.
For instance, my brother just graduated from a police academy in Utah.
While he was in the academy one of his instructors said that they could order a couple thousand rounds through the academy and get a big discount. So my brother called me up and asked me if I wanted some ammo. (Do I want some ammo? Does Charlie Sheen want crack?)
Of course I told him I wanted ammo, and when I was in Utah a few months ago, I decided to pick it up. However, 3,000 rounds is a lot of ammo and there was no way I could carry it all back in my luggage at once. So I gave Southwest a call to see how much ammo I could carry on the plane and they told me 11 pounds.
Since it was a few months ago, I don’t remember how many rounds that added up to, but it sure wasn’t much. I think it was something like 350 rounds. I realize I could ship the rest, but right now I’ve got plenty of ammo in my house. Plus, I’m getting ready to head to Utah again soon, so I’ll just bring another 350 or so rounds home with me then, and continue this for the time being.
The bottom line is, don’t be afraid to fly with your gun and if you plan to carry a lot of ammo, know how many rounds you can bring. And, if you happen to be traveling from Utah to Virginia anytime soon, let me know if you’re interested in adding 11 pounds to the weight of your luggage.
Once you’re satisfied that the gun is unloaded and locked up, simply throw it in your checked baggage (not your carry on.) As far as your ammo, I just leave it in the box and throw it in my suitcase too. However, I’ll put the ammo at the bottom of my suitcase and the gun at the top. I like to make sure they’re separated by several layers of clothes, but that’s just my own personal preference.
Once you get to the airport, you’ll walk up the counter and tell the representative that you need to declare a firearm and ammunition. And if I were you, I would use those words exactly. I would not advise walking up to them and saying “I have a gun.” That probably won’t end well and you might end up surrounded by airport police who’ll ruin your day and make you spend the next eight hours in a small dark room explaining yourself.
After you declare your firearm to the counter representative…
They’ll hand you a small card – about the size of a 3×5 index card – which you need to read and sign. The card basically says that your gun is unloaded and you’re following all safety regulations and that if for some reason you’re lying you could get a big fine and/or prison time.
Once you’ve signed the card, you open up your gun case, throw the card in the case and secure it again. Then you give your luggage to the representative and you’re all done. In all of the times I’ve flow I’ve never had anyone look at the gun or even ask me if it was unloaded. All they do is hand me the card, tell me to sign it and put it in my case.
Of course, I usually fly Southwest or Delta and I know their respective regulations. So before you fly you should go to your airlines website or give them a call to see their requirements. However, I’ve heard that almost all airlines are the same with guns. But, one thing I have heard is that airlines are different when it comes to how much ammunition you can bring on a plane.
For instance, my brother just graduated from a police academy in Utah.
While he was in the academy one of his instructors said that they could order a couple thousand rounds through the academy and get a big discount. So my brother called me up and asked me if I wanted some ammo. (Do I want some ammo? Does Charlie Sheen want crack?)
Of course I told him I wanted ammo, and when I was in Utah a few months ago, I decided to pick it up. However, 3,000 rounds is a lot of ammo and there was no way I could carry it all back in my luggage at once. So I gave Southwest a call to see how much ammo I could carry on the plane and they told me 11 pounds.
Since it was a few months ago, I don’t remember how many rounds that added up to, but it sure wasn’t much. I think it was something like 350 rounds. I realize I could ship the rest, but right now I’ve got plenty of ammo in my house. Plus, I’m getting ready to head to Utah again soon, so I’ll just bring another 350 or so rounds home with me then, and continue this for the time being.
The bottom line is, don’t be afraid to fly with your gun and if you plan to carry a lot of ammo, know how many rounds you can bring. And, if you happen to be traveling from Utah to Virginia anytime soon, let me know if you’re interested in adding 11 pounds to the weight of your luggage.
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