How to avoid lead poisoning

Whether you shoot every day, once a week, or once a month, I want to show you how to avoid lead poisoning and explain to you why this is so important. The fact is, far too many shooters are unaware of the dangers of lead, which was proved to me recently when a group I was talking with didn’t even know ammo still contains lead these days.

So first off, let me explain how you’re exposed to lead every time you shoot. Lead is contained in the primer of each round, so when you fire your gun all of the residue and powder from the explosion lands on your hands, face and shirt and you’re essentially covered in lead particles. (It’s even worse if you use lead bullets without a copper jacket.)

In addition, if you clean your firearm when you get home, that firearm is covered in lead dust. When you’re shoving the cleaning rod down the barrel that dust is shooting out of the barrel into your house.)

And lastly, if you happen to walk around and pick up your brass after you shoot, then you’re picking up brass covered in lead. And if you put that brass in your pocket or scoop it up in a hat, then you have a pocket or hat covered in lead dust.

So why is this such a big deal?

Well, as I’m sure you’re aware, lead isn’t good for the body. It gets absorbed in the nervous system and kidneys, and causes headaches, muscle pain, loss of appetite, seizures… and every guy’s favorite… impotence. 

What’s more, it’s especially dangerous for children to be exposed to lead. Adults absorb about 20% of the lead they ingest, whereas, children absorb over three times that amount… 70% of the lead they ingest.

In fact, when I was with the Agency I knew a guy who’s children were showing developmental problems. He and his family were tested for lead and showed extremely high levels.

What happened is that when he’d get home from the shooting range he would walk all through the house and track lead all over the house from his shoes. Then, he would pick up his children and they’d get lead all over them from the shirt he was wearing.

So here’s what I do to make sure that my family and myself doesn’t get lead poisoning.

1. I have a pair of shoes that are dedicated to the shooting range. I take them off before I even enter my house.

2. When I get home from the range I fully undress in the garage. I take off all of my clothes and put them in the wash.

3. Even though I’ve taken off all of my clothes I still don’t touch my daughter or my wife until I’ve had a chance to shower. When I first get in the shower I wash my face with cold water (hot water causes the pores to open and you’ll absorb more lead.)

4. When I clean my guns, I make sure that I am using cleaning rags underneath and that the lead dust isn’t falling on my carpet. I also make sure I’m alone and that my daughter isn’t anywhere near me. (Obviously, I wouldn’t have anyone around me when I clean guns anyway.)

So from now on when you get home from shooting, please take the proper precautions so you’re not putting yourself, children, or grandchildren at unnecessary risk of lead exposure. 

How to test your new gun

Like a lot of gun owners, I get in certain “moods” where I feel like carrying one of my guns for a while, and when that mood wears off, I switch to another gun. For instance, I’ve been carrying my Glock 19 a lot lately and I’ve been neglecting my Springfield 1911. 

But not anymore. Last week I decided it was time to bring out the 1911 for a bit, but before I did that I wanted to get some work done on the hammer and beavertail. I found a gunsmith in St. George, UT who could do the work and the gun will be ready to pick up this Friday.

But here’s the thing…

When I pick up my gun from the gunsmith I’m not going to immediately put it in my holster and start carrying it around. Nope. I’m going to treat it as if it was a brand new gun (because work has been done on it) and I’m going to test it out like I do each and every gun I buy.

In my opinion, it’s pretty foolish to buy a gun and start carrying it without making sure the gun works. I realize that many guns, especially Glocks, don’t need to be broken in these days and they’ll operate fine right out of the box. However, they’re still mechanical devices that can come flawed from the factory so I’m always testing mine out no matter what.

So here’s the simple test I do when I get a new gun and the one I’ll do when I get my 1911 from the gunsmith this week.

First, I simply look the gun over. I look it over for any cracks, any sharp edges or anything that would immediately scream “this gun has problems.” If I don’t see any problems then I go to the range and put about 200 rounds of full metal jacket ammo through the gun. I make sure the gun cycles properly and that there aren’t any problems. I also make sure that the sights are properly aligned and they don’t need any adjustment.

In addition, I also perform several reloads to make sure the magazines drop free and don’t stick, and that there aren’t any other problems I discover with the magazines.

If the gun works shooting the cheap ammunition then I introduce my jacketed hollow point ammo. I’ll shoot between 100-200 rounds to make sure my gun feeds this properly. I know that jacketed hollow point ammo isn’t cheap, but I really wouldn’t shoot less than 100 rounds when testing out a new gun.

After I’ve put about 400 rounds of ammunition through the gun I’ll take it home and clean it and look it over once again while the gun is apart. After I’ve done all this, then I’ll be comfortable enough to put the gun on my hip and start carrying it concealed. You may feel comfortable doing less or you may want to do more of a test, but whatever you do, don’t bet your life on a gun without first making sure it works.

How to deal with the police when getting pulled over

Last week I was cruising down I-15 in southern Utah and I got pulled over for speeding. The thing is, the speed limit was 75 and I thought I was doing 80 (I still do). I saw the officer driving in the right hand lane.

In other words, he wasn’t hiding on the side of the road, I saw him in the right lane driving slowly so I simply passed him at what I thought was 80 miles an hour. As soon as I passed him he zipped behind me and turned on his lights. I obviously got in the right hand lane and pulled over to the side of the road.

As soon as he approached my car I had my hands on the steering wheel and I said to him, “Officer, just to let you know, I have my concealed firearms permit and I am carrying at this time.” That’s the line I use every time I get pulled over because I think it’s important to notify the police that you have a gun on you.

Typically…

When I get pulled over and tell the officer this he immediately becomes more alert and says something such as, “Okay, keep your hands on the wheel for me and don’t take them off.” However, this police officer looked at me like it was no big deal and he didn’t say anything or become more alert or stand up straighter at all. All he said to me is that he pulled me over because I was doing 87 in a 75.  

Also, when he told me to show him my license (he didn’t even ask to see my permit like most cops do) I asked him if it was okay to remove my hands from the wheel to reach for my license that was in my pocket. He looked at me like I had three heads and then said, “yeah, everyone carries a gun around here, go ahead.”

I handed him my license and he walked back to his car very nonchalantly. When he came back to my car he told me to slow down and lo and behold (thankfully) did not give me a speeding ticket.

Now…

This whole thing went down in a rural area of Utah that clearly has a gun culture. However, in my opinion as a former police officer, this guy was way too laid back, and as any cop will tell you, there is no such thing as a routine traffic stop.

And even though this officer thought it was no big deal for me to tell him I had a gun, I’d be willing to bet this is not the case in 99% of this country and I can tell you it’s definitely not the case when I get pulled over in Northern Virginia.

So if I were you, and I got pulled over while carrying my gun, I would still put my hands on the wheel and notify the officer every time. It’s the smart thing to do even if you’re in good ol’ boy country where they look at you funny for telling them you’re carrying a gun.

My 3 Favorite Flashlights

Last week I was in Tennessee. I didn’t have a car and the only restaurant close to me was McDonald’s. At night, I kept telling myself I was going to call a cab, but let’s just say I ate a lot of McDonald’s and never want to go there again.

While I was walking to McDonald’s at night I was of course carrying (my Glock 19) and since it was dark I also had a flashlight with me. I admit that I don’t always carry a flashlight in my pocket during the day (it’s in my laptop bag) but when I go out at night I always have one in my pocket.

The flashlight that I carry these days is the Olight T-10.

It’s one of the smallest lights on the market and has 3 different settings so you can choose the brightness. The brightest setting produces 230 lumens. But what I really like about the light is how it easily fits in my pocket and doesn’t weigh much either.

The second light that I use is the SureFire G2X Tactical. This light sits right next to my gun safe in my bedroom. It’s not as small as the Olight, but I don’t carry it in my pocket so I don’t care. This light produces slightly less lumens than the Olight, at 200. However, if you’ve ever shined one of these lights in your eyes then you know it’s more than blinding.

The third flashlight I have is the NexTorch TA1.

This is a relatively new flashlight but it appears solidly built and I haven’t had any problems with it. This flashlight “only” has 60 lumens, but gives plenty of light, which is why I have no problem keeping it as a backup in my bedroom.

As far as prices go, the price for the Olight is $34, the SureFire is $73, and the NexTorch is $36. If I could have only one light, it would definitely be the Olight since it can do double duty as a pocket light and a light I can keep next to my safe at night. Plus, it isn’t expensive at all at just over $30, which means if you like to have plenty of lights around the house like I do, you can afford more than one of these.

In other words, if on the off chance you don’t have a flashlight to carry in your backpack or laptop bag… or one in your bedroom at night… you may want to check out the Olight, and from now on make sure you have a flashlight in your bedroom at night and one in your daily carry bag.   

Making Sure You’re Not Followed

This past weekend I taught my Spy Escape and Evasion course in Las Vegas. I had a great group of students who were among the fastest ever to escape from the trunk of a car after being handcuffed.

Among the topics covered during the course were surveillance and counter surveillance. I talked about the story of the Connecticut family who had the home invasion and the mother and two daughters who were murdered, and the father – Dr. Petit – who was the sole survivor.

What most people don’t know is how the home was targeted in the first place. One of the criminals spotted the mother and daughters out shopping earlier in the day. The family looked wealthy to him so he followed them around the store and eventually out to their car. 

Their car…

When he noticed they were driving a nice car he got into his own vehicle and followed the three women all the way to their house and noticed they lived in an expensive house.

Later that night when the criminal and his buddy were together looking to “score” some money, the first guy mentioned he knew where a rich family lived and they probably had cash in the house. The two criminals broke into the house and after spending over eight hours in the home they murdered the wife and two daughters.

The fact is, this could have happened to a lot of folks, which is why you constantly need to be aware of your surroundings and check to make sure you’re not being followed. This is especially important for gun owners.

Why?

Because criminals love to stake out shooting ranges and then follow someone home because they know that person has guns in the house and they can rob them. Every time I go shooting, or purchase a gun, I am always careful to make sure that nobody is following me around or following me home.

The good new is, it doesn’t take much effort to make sure you’re not being followed. Since most criminals are amateurs – like the dirt bags that murdered the Petit family – simply drive around the block if you think you’re ever being followed. In other words, never go straight home. And if you’re truly frightened and sure you’re being followed, drive to a police station or hospital.

And finally, if the stuff truly hits the fan while you’re being followed make sure you’ve got a way to protect yourself, which in my case is my gun (usually a Glock 19 or a Ruger LCP.)  But if you don’t have a gun, use your knife, tactical pen, or any other weapon you can find… But again, the best thing to do is to be aware of your surroundings in the first place.

The East Coast Storm and 72-hour kits

Last week I wrote about the checklist I use to escape my house in an emergency in less than five minutes. One of the items on my checklist to grab was my 72-hour kits. I ended up getting several emails from people wanting to know the contents of my kit and where I get it.

With a storm raging on the East Coast at this very moment, these questions are especially timely, so I’m going to show you exactly what is in my kit.

Years ago, I used to build my own kits… I even ended up buying a bunch of products in bulk and making kits for other people. However, in the end it took way too much time, so I no longer do that.

What I do now is get my kits from a friend who builds them (actually, he builds good kits so that’s how he became my friend.) I buy his kit and then add a few items like a gun and at least 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

Before I show you the contents of the kit, remember, a 72-hour kit is a very simple and inexpensive form of insurance. Plus, if you have your kits and are prepared, you won’t be one of the families on the East Coast who are freaking out right now because they don’t have any food in their cupboards.

Here are the contents of the kit I buy, then as I mentioned above, I add a few other items:

6 Food Bars – The bars are 400 calories each. They come wrapped in waterproof packaging.

6 boxes of Aqua Blox – Enough water to last three days. The emergency drinking water is Coast Guard approved and has a 5-year shelf life.

Water Purification Tablets – 10 purification tablets are included in the kit. The 10 tablets will purify as many as 5 two-liter bottles of water.

AM/FM Radio – The radio comes with batteries and headphones and allows you to monitor the weather and other radio stations in the event of an emergency. 

LED Flashlight – The flashlight is rechargeable and will never run out of power. To recharge it you simply squeeze the handle, which generates more power.

30-Hour Survival Candle – Comes with an adjustable wick and can also be used as a small camp stove to heat food.

5-in-1 Emergency Survival Whistle – In addition to the whistle, it includes a signal mirror, compass, waterproof match container, and flint for starting fires.

Waterproof Matches – Box of waterproof matches in case your gear gets wet during an emergency.

Emergency Sleeping Bag – The bag is waterproof and windproof and retains 90% of your body heat.

Emergency Poncho – The poncho includes a hood to protect your entire body from the elements.

Survival Knife – The knife contains 16 different tools, including a Phillips screw driver, can opener, cork screw, reamer, manicure blade, sturdy reamer, hook disgorger, slot screw driver, key ring, toothpick, fish scaler, tweezers, wood saw, cutting blade, and cap lifter.

Respirator Dust Mask – Thicker than the average dust mask and approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Pocket Tissues – Three packs of tissues. Each pack contains 10 tissues. 

Safety Goggles – To protect your eyes from debris during a disaster.

Sewing Kit – To use for sewing clothing or to repair tears in tents or other shelters. The kit includes 3 safety pins, 3 needles, 7 buttons, and 10 different colors of thread.

24-Piece Hygiene Kit – Contains a toothbrush, toothpaste, wetnaps for your hands, a bar of soap, shampoo and conditioner, dental floss pick, hand lotion, body lotion, deodorant, razor, comb, maxipads, shaving cream and a washcloth.

Small 37-Piece First Aid Kit – Contains eight spot bandages, eight sheer junior bandages, four sheer medium bandages, four sheer strips, two antibacterial, three clear strips, two fabric strips, one extra large, two alcohol pads, and two gauze pads.

Deck of Playing Cards – For entertainment.

Note Pad and Pencil – For writing down important information during an emergency. 

Now, use this list to build your own kit, and don’t forget to add ammunition, at the very least. However, if you want to get the kit above, already made, you can visit www.SuperDeluxePack.com.

5-Minute Emergency Checklist

This past summer I remember watching the news about the devastating fires in Colorado. Many of the people interviewed said the all too familiar “we had no idea the fire was so close to our house, we only had minutes to evacuate.” If you found yourself in their position would you be able to evacuate your home in 5 minutes or less?

The thing is, a lot of people are prepared and have food and water stored at home for sheltering in place. But I’d be willing to bet if I knocked on 100 doors and said “you’ve got 5 minutes to evacuate this house”, 99 of those people would be running around like a chicken with their heads cut off unsure of what they should grab.

And because in an emergency you’re already under a lot of stress, I have created a very simple checklist for my family that we will follow in case we have to flee our house ASAP. (The checklist lists the person’s name that is in charge of grabbing each item during the evacuation.)

Jason – 72-hour kits

Jason – Small safe that contains passports, birth certificates, cash, and other important documents.

Jason – Guns and Ammo (Both Glock 19s, AR-15. I have this ammo stored in a small Rubbermaid container that I can quickly grab.)

Jason – Jason’s clothes bag

Amanda – Baby’s bag full of diapers, wipes, formula, clothes

Amanda – Amanda’s clothes bag

Amanda – Medicine for entire family

That’s the entire checklist. It’s not meant to be a survival checklist with 79 different items. It’s meant to be a practical checklist that allows you to truly get out of your house in just a few minutes.

I realize all of use would love to get our photo albums and other sentimental items, but if you find out a fire or tornado is coming any minute, then those things are not essential and will have to get left behind.

I also realize that like any checklist, you’ll want to modify it and add different items than I have to suit your needs. But be very careful not to get carried away and be sure you could literally escape your house in 5 minutes flat. In other words, keep it simple.  

So some time this week I encourage you to have a family meeting and sit down with everyone and make your own 5-minute emergency checklist. Then assign each member of the family different items to grab in the house. Also, don’t forget to have the checklist where everyone can see it. (Mine is posted in my home office.)