Tactical Driving

 I’m not sure if any of you saw the event of Wed 12 MAR 2014 in Denver, Colorado.  A criminal who didn’t want to go back to jail lead police on an hour long pursuit as he stole a car with a child in it, then carjacked two vehicles in the process of trying to evade capture.  The whole ordeal was captured on video from various sources.  I watched the whole 54 minute video, most of it being the high speed attempt of a not so bright criminal driving at high speeds, barely missing cars, hitting some vehicles, driving the wrong way on roads, and so on.  As I watched the video I found myself critiquing the criminal and the victims.  Having been involved with training with a few army guys I learned some things from just talking with these PSD (personal security detachment) guys.  The course we were taking was combat tactical driving.  The guys that did (and do) this for a living have a particular outlook on driving and how to avoid problems.  As I watched this event unfold on video (something you don’t see every day) I started to think of ways to not be a victim of carjacking.  I will give you my thoughts on this.

Moving

One thing I learned about a gunfight is that a moving target is more difficult to shoot.  That’s why a Command Sergeant taught the phrase “Shoot, Move, Communicate” to his students.  The same can be said for carjacking.  Being static rather than moving improves your chances of being car jacked.  There are times when you must be static, stop lights, getting gas, getting in and out of your vehicle.  These are the times you must be vigilant.  If you’re getting gas at night, or really any time, pick a pump close to the building where you will more likely be in view of others.  Avoid pumps at the end of the row or at an angle that is unobserved from the convenience store or booth.  Try to find a well lit place that is busy enough for people to be around.  Lock your doors and take your keys.  There is a new trend of “gas station sliders”.  This is thieves that open the passenger side of cars at the gas pump and steal purses, or other valuables.  Keep your windows up and doors locked.  Remember always being in Yellow (Coopers Color Code) which means always alert.  At a stop light use your mirrors.  Insure no one is walking up on you.  Give yourself room to maneuver or exit.  Keep your head up.  Most everyone around you will have their noses in a phone.  This is true of people walking as well as sitting at a light. 

Be aware of being boxed in.  Sometimes it’s unavoidable but a planned kidnapping with more than one car can put you in a no exit position real fast.  Most carjacking is a crime of opportunity rather than a planned ambush.  But just remember your situational awareness.

Distance and Speed

An advantage to driving as opposed to someone on foot is the ability to get distance quickly from the threat.  Now a vehicle does need to maneuver around other vehicles, obstacles, and over curbs.  This is why an exit is important.  No one wants to bang up their or others vehicles, but I’d rather deal with a fender bender rather than a threat trying to get into and take my vehicle.  When stopping at a light you don’t want to leave too much space in front of you so another vehicle can pull in front of you but you also want to give yourself space to exit if needed.  Practice as you drive and you will be able to find that comfortable space you should leave yourself.  I don’t see any reason for anyone to run up to your vehicle and try to open your doors.  A panhandler usually won’t approach your car unless you indicate that you have something for them.

A tip on jumping curbs and medians.  You’ll want to be sure you have clearance so you don’t high center your vehicle in an attempt to escape.  Look at curbs and medians as you drive.  You’ll be able to size them up to know what you can and can’t do with your vehicle.  If you find a need to escape this way you should always go over these obstacles at an angle.  This will let you slide and keep one drive wheel on the ground at all times.  It will also relieve the shock of your tires.  Keep the momentum when you try this and don’t stop until you’re over.  This is not a speed maneuver.  To practice this lay a 2x4 on the ground and drive over it at an angle and head on to get a feel for the difference.

Push Through

A common technique taught in terrorism aversion courses is putting your bumper on the vehicle in front of you and pushing it out of the way.  This would be a last resort move because it just may not work.  The car in front may put on their brakes and not let you push them out of the way.  Giving yourself space is the best way to keep out of trouble.

Distance and speed would be the best response to a carjacking attempt.  But as a last resort, without a choice, being armed and ready to defend yourself or others in your vehicle is appropriate.  In the Colorado video I never do see a weapon in the criminal’s hands.  I can only assume the 2 victims who were pulled out of their cars did not have their doors locked.  But always use your best judgment and if confronted by someone with a weapon, giving up your car is better than giving up your life.

Nothing says if someone bumps you that you have to stop right away and jump out of your car.  If you continue rolling and stop 30 or 40 feet down the road, it won’t matter much.  Give yourself space.  Most criminals have not learned “close and engage” but often it’s a natural thing if you want to dominate and “win” a confrontation.  With space, closing is more difficult for the aggressor and it gives the opponent (you) more options.  Just like a confrontation on foot, closing the space between you and your target is important.  Most gun events happen with 10 feet of the two involved.  Giving yourself space in your car gives you the opportunity to put distance between you and the other guy.    If you’re with your family and get in a accident and get out, have your spouse get into the driver’s seat and be ready to leave if needed.  Have a phone ready to dial 911 or call before you get out. 

As I watched the Colorado video I saw simple things that could have made a difference in being a carjacking victim or not.

Practice

Just as you would teach a teenager to drive in an empty parking lot with cones, you too can practice some of the things we’ve talked about here.  Do you or your spouse know the feeling of mashing the accelerator from a dead stop?  Setting up cones for other cars and 2x4s for curbs and medians can give you the edge that you may need to avoid being a victim.  Also, if you use code words for safety reasons with your kids have a word for a problem going down while you’re driving.  Even if it’s just “Lock and duck!”   Get in the habit of locking your doors if your car doesn’t do that automatically.  Also, set up all your mirrors to cover what’s going on behind you.  Consider adding convex blind spot mirrors that stick to your mirrors that give you better view.  Window tint might also be something to consider but make sure you are doing so legally in your state.  Keeping windows up is also a good idea in heavy traffic. 

Going through life paranoid of everyone and everything is not what I suggest.  But going through life oblivious of your surroundings is dangerous and stupid.  Be wise and do the little things that will often keep you out of harms way.

A few weeks ago I was getting gas at a convenience store I don’t usually go to.  I happened to be armed, something I usually can’t do working on a federal installation.  As I was walking in after pumping gas a man approached me and started to close.  He started with “Are you from around here?” and he was getting uncomfortably close so I put up my hand and that stopped him.  I said “Hold on one minute” and kept walking to get in the building.  He said something about finding HEB but not being sure where Walmart was.  I put some space between him and I before I turned to face him.  He turned out to be traveling and was trying to find Walmart because at that time, Walmart was open 24 hours.  But I was not sure and wanted to be safe.  Situational awareness saved me in combat and it’s hard to turn it off now.  I’m not sure I should anyway.

Be aware and be safe.

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn

Should I Carry A Gun? (repost) What Kind of Question is That?

This is a repost from 2017.  It seems I'm reposting a lot lately, I am.  It's not laziness but circumstances and questions are coming my way to where my answer is something I've already written.  So, I repost.

 Someone asked me the other day “Why should I carry a gun?” I happened to know the person pretty well and I knew their politics. They are conservative. That helped with my answer. Had they been coming from a liberal point of view I would have thought it to be more of a challenge or someone looking for an argument rather than some really wanting to know.

I have my reasons to carry and I’ll explore a few of them.
One is, I really know what I’m doing with a gun. I’m not just tooting my own horn, I have been around guns, been shooting guns, have competed with guns, and have been a gun instructor for many years. I’m not all knowledgeable, and of course there is always something more to learn, but I feel I have a good grasp on how to use a weapon.
Two is, I’ve gone through some extensive training.
Three is, I feel the need.
I have a friend who told me a story. He knew a law enforcement officer who talked about not carrying his gun in church. He said that he could not live with himself if a crazed gunman came into his church and started to shoot and he was unarmed. He knew that would be something that he could not get over. I have been down the same road. Actually, a few Sunday’s ago I experienced a horrible anxiety at church. I had left my gun at home and it almost did me in. A few times I would have drove back home and retrieved it but I was apart from my wife (she was in Relief Society and I in Priesthood meeting) and she had the only set of keys to our vehicle.
Nothing happened and I survived, but I prayed one of the several law enforcement guys that we have in our ward was armed. I really must have a private conversation with a few of them and breach the question of being armed in church. I may feel better if I ever forget again. Because of that incident I am more aware of what’s going on and remembering my weapon.
Should You Carry?
That’s a fair question to ask. Let’s assume, first off, that you CAN carry a gun with you on a regular basis. There are lots of people (my wife included) who, because of their work environment, can’t carry a concealed firearm around with them on a regular basis. If that’s the case, this discussion is moot.
But if you can carry, should you carry? Consider this post on Reddit.com
“I live in a small town in Iowa. A couple years ago I applied for and received my concealed carry permit. I have a G26 with a crossbreed supertuck to go with it, and I have a Ruger LCP. I would carry one of these every day, everywhere I went, religiously, for quite a while.
This past summer, I decided to stop carrying. I decided it’s just not worth it for me. It’s not worth the pain in the butt to put it on, it’s not worth the weight and discomfort, it’s not worth introducing a firearm into every single encounter in my daily life. It’s not worth it to me, for the one in a million chance that I might ever maybe possibly need to use it.”
Is that person right? Is carrying a firearm not worth the trouble, given the “one-in-a-million” chance you’ll need to use it?
Depends. I carry a first aid kit in my car: Am I expecting to be first on the scene at a major traffic accident? No. Have I needed it to patch up the scrapes and cuts of my teen kids? Oh yeah.
The knowledge and assurance that you are ready and able to deal with what life throws at you can be a powerful, powerful thing, and when you need a gun, there aren’t a whole lot of things you can use as a substitute.
Should you carry a gun? Can you think of something in your life worth dying for? Would you rather die for it or live for it?
If you have not weighed this and thought it out ahead of time, then be sure before you carry. It’s an investment in responsibility, time, money, and a mind set. I’ve grown up being taught that you should always have a plan in whatever you do. And have a plan “B” and “C” too. I didn’t always follow this wise counsel but when I grew older I adopted that same policy. Be prepared. We have car, life, and homeowners insurance, why would being prepared in other things be so difficult to understand? Defense is one of those other things. I have a friend who will probably never carry a gun. But he is very prepared to defend himself! I’ve tried to teach my family that being prepared is important in this life. Spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Maybe this thinking is a little aggressive, but I had it pounded into me: “Close and engage!”
Consider the following if you decide to carry:
You may have to change the way you dress to conceal.
You may have the extra expense of different clothing, a holster or purse to conceal, a concealable weapon.
If you haven’t practiced presenting your weapon, that too must be practiced.
1. If You Carry, Always Carry - You never know when something might happen. It could as easily be in your local supermarket parking lot instead of late at night in an urban area. Make sure you establish practices so that you always pick up the gun on the way out.
2. Don’t Carry If You Aren’t Prepared To Use It – Deadly force means deadly force. Don’t think you are going to be able to threaten someone out of a situation. If you pull it, be prepared to use it.
3. Don’t Let The Gun Make You Reckless – There is always someone badder, tougher, and smarter. Use situational awareness to avoid a situation
4. Get The License! – I know, I know, the 2nd Amendment gives you the right. At the same time, do you want the hassle and legal expense to fight this? If you are convicted and become a felon, your life has changed dramatically.  Being licensed means your serious and want to be law abiding.
5. Know What You’re Doing – You need to understand your weapon(s) – what the capabilities are and limitations. Understand and follow the Four Rules of Gun Safety.
6. Concealed Means Concealed – When you flaunt the weapon you have just given the bad guy the edge. By letting others know you conceal carry you give them power over you and they may lead you into situations you should not be in. This means friends and co-workers too. Practice good OPSEC (operations security).

7. Maximize Your Firearms Familiarity – Practice, practice, practice. Dry fire, live fire, simulations. You can never be smooth or fast enough. Think ahead about what could happen, plan out what you will do and practice for these situations.
8. Understand The Fine Points – Know the laws of your city, county, state. Know what to do at a traffic stop, know what to say when someone accidentally sees your piece.
9. Carry An Adequate Firearm – Carry a gun you can handle. A single shot derringer is not going to do you much good. On the other hand, a Desert Eagle in the hands of a 110 pound woman without adequate training is a danger to her and others around her.
10. Use Common Sense – Always look to deescalate the situation and for situation avoidance. Be deadly serious.
Concealed Carry is a big responsibility. It affects you, your family, and those you work with, and those you are around. Make sure it affects all in a good, positive, and safe way. Like any other tool, a weapon can do a lot of negative things. Be ready for that and your weapon won’t be a “hassle” and a “burden” to you and your loved ones but a blessing.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn

Beating A Dead Horse (Just a little) and Solutions/Situational Awareness

 Brothers and Sisters and friends.  I don’t mean to bring this up again but the persecution is increasing.  It concerns me because I have several children and Grand children out there.  Because we have such a large family I have children in 3 states.  Some are in Utah close to where Charlie Kirk was brutally murdered.  I want them to be safe.  I want everyone to be safe.  Maybe it’s my PTSD paranoia but I see this anti-Mormon rhetoric turning from words to actions.  I included this good sisters letter to the University of Cincinnati athletic dirctior.  I also include here a portion of the training that I have taught concerning situational awareness (SA).  I start with SA because many people are hesitant about self-defense, especially carrying a weapon.  Starting with SA helps them ease into self-defense and triples or quads their chances of being in a position where they would have to defend themselves or their family.

 

This is a letter written by a survivor of the Grand Blanc LDS Church shooting and a member of the Church.

 

“Jared and I got to sneak away this weekend for a much needed date night. We went to the BYU vs. Cincinnati football game. This is us trying to move on from the attack on our church two months ago. Trying to do something fun where the attack is not at the forefront our minds for once. This is us at the game before all the heaviness and fear still found a way to creep in and overtake my emotions and thoughts the next few days as the Cincinnati fans chanted hateful words directed towards us. This has got to stop. 

 

I emailed the University of Cincinnati athletic director and assistant athletic director yesterday and shared my thoughts with them. I am going to share that email here as well, in hopes the message can extend farther than just this incident because it happens at a lot of football games. It is unacceptable.

 

“Dear Mr. Cunningham,

 

I am writing to you from my heart as a disheartened college football fan. More specifically, as a BYU football fan and member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints commonly known as “the Mormons.”

 

As a BYU alumni and huge fans of college football, my husband and I took the opportunity to travel 4.5 hours from our little city in Grand Blanc, Michigan to come spectate and enjoy our favorite pass time at the BYU vs. Cincinnati football game at Nippert Stadium last night. 

 

I want to provide a little bit of background for you in order to portray the strength and courage it took for us to travel to this event and really try to enjoy ourselves.

 

You see, just eight short weeks ago, while attending church, we were attacked at our place of worship simply for being “Mormon.”

Someone with hatred in their heart rammed their truck into the front of our church building, entered the chapel, and began shooting us and setting our church on fire while many people were still hiding inside. As my family (me, my husband, and our three young children), ran for our lives, my husband and my 5 year old daughter were both shot. I was also running with my 15 month old baby and my 3 year old in my arms as I was struck in my back with shrapnel. I will spare you any further details about the nightmare we lived through that day and the recovery that has followed, but miraculously, me and my family all made it out alive. 

 

The anxiety and fear we have felt since that day has been debilitating. We have put in a lot of work in that short 8 weeks so we can try to feel some sort of safety and normalcy again and enjoy the things we used to, including football games. 

 

We had been planning to come see this game for months as we don’t get the opportunity to see many BYU games in person since we moved across the country for my husband’s medical training. We almost didn’t come because it felt scary and overwhelming since the attack on our church. However, we know we cannot live in fear and we need to enjoy the things that used to make us happy. We decided to come and that took a lot for us both mentally and physically. I was nervous putting on my BYU fan gear that day because I knew it would identify me as one of ”the Mormons.” I did it anyway. 

I was apprehensive when I walked down to my seat and saw that the nearest exit was pretty far from me. I continued to my seat anyway. We came. We smiled. We cheered. We enjoyed ourselves….Until the University of Cincinnati fans began to chant “F*** the Mormons.”

 

This is not a new chant. This is not a chant that is specific to your university. This is a chant I’ve heard before while enjoying a football game whether in-person or on tv. It’s always disheartening to hear. However, now that we Mormons have been quite literally targeted, attacked, chased, shot at, and some of us have been killed simply for being “Mormon,” this chant is no longer just disheartening. It’s crippling. It’s personal. It’s unacceptable. Period. 

 

While I did hear the announcer give a warning over the speakers at the game that such chants will not be tolerated, it was simply just that- a warning. It was not just a few fans, it was tens, possibly hundreds of the university’s student fans chanting “F*** the Mormons.”

 

Please, Mr. Cunningham, do not tolerate it. Remove them from the game. Don’t let them come back. Educate them on the seriousness of their actions. Set that standard and expectation moving forward and enforce it. We are hurting. Badly. We just want to enjoy the things that make us happy again without the fear of being targeted and attacked for our religious beliefs. 

 

I know you have no control over the Cincy fans on the shuttle after the game ranting about Mormons and how awful we are and how we must have just paid off the refs because we’re corrupt and evil. I don’t get it, but I am used to it. It’s not new to me to hear this stuff and these huge misconceptions about my faith. But now it is personal. Now it is me fearing for my life everywhere I go because someone decided to take it there. Someone tried to kill me, my kids, and my husband. Someone killed 4 of my friends. Now the chanting means something more than it used to. 

 

I know you can’t control the actions and words of the fans on the bus. However, I do believe you have the ability to get control of the students’ hurtful and hateful chanting. 

 

If you made it this far, thank you for listening. If I am mistaken about any actions that were or were not taken as a result of the chanting, please feel free to correct me.

I would welcome the reassurance.

 

Sincerely, 

 

Brandi Hicken 

A fellow college football fan

A Mormon

A Christian

A mass casualty hate crime survivor

A human deserving of respect”

 

I first learned of the Color Code from Jeff Cooper himself teaching a portion of the Air Force Combat Arms Instructor Course in the early 80's.

The color code as originally introduced by Jeff, had nothing to do with tactical situations or alertness levels, but rather with one's state of mind. It relates to the degree of peril you are willing to do something about and which allows you to move from one level of mindset to another to enable you to properly handle a given situation. Jeff didn't claim to have invented anything in particular with the color code, but he was apparently the first to use it as an indication of mental state.

 

During my time in the military I taught classes on thinking tactically.  I taught the importance of living in Yellow.  It’s true for the average person as it is for the battlefield. A lethal confrontation is not something anyone expects. An excellent explanation of the real world was given in the novel State of Fear, by Micheal Criton, and I have paraphrased it here.

"If someone tries to kill you, you don't have the option of averting your eyes or changing the subject. You are forced to deal with that person’s behavior. The experience is in fact a loss of certain illusions. The world is not how you want it to be, it is the way it is. There are bad people in the world and they need to be stopped."

The color code defines four different mental states. Why four? Because three doesn't adequately cover the subject and five is too much to remember. The four colors used are white, yellow, orange, and red.

 

White - Relaxed, unaware, and unprepared. If attacked in this state the only thing that may save you is the inadequacy and ineptitude of your attacker. When confronted by something nasty your reaction will probably be, "This can't be happening to me."

Yellow - Relaxed alertness. No specific threat situation. Your mindset is that "today could be the day I may have to defend myself." There is no specific threat but you are aware that the world is an unfriendly place and that you are prepared to do something if necessary. You use your eyes and ears, and your body language says "I am alert." You don't have to be armed in this state but if you are armed you must be in yellow. When confronted by something nasty your reaction will probably be, "I thought this might happen someday." You can live in this state indefinitely.

Orange - Specific alert. Something not quite right has gotten your attention and you shift your primary focus to that thing. Something is "wrong" with a person or object. Something may happen. Your mindset is that "I may have to fight that person." If you are armed your pistol is usually holstered in this state. You can maintain this state for several hours with ease, or a day or so with effort.

Red - Fight trigger. This is your mental trigger. "If that person does "x" I will fight them." If armed your weapon may, but not necessarily, be in your hand. In Red you have decided to act the instant the threat’s behavior warrants an immediate response.

You should always be in Yellow.

 

Mindset

We’ve talked about how to think before violence happens.  To continue, know that there is a potential problem.  Don’t get caught in the mind game of the Normalcy Bias.  The Normalcy Bias is a psychological state of denial in the event of disaster or violence. This is because some people have a difficult time believing their lives can change dramatically. Their denial is based on the assumption that if the disaster/violence has not occurred until now, it will never occur.

The reason that Normalcy Bias is so dangerous is that when the violence happens it’s too late for preparation.

Normalcy Bias is a state of mind that develops before the disaster or violence even starts, and it gets worse once the event hits.  Disaster and violence are similar except that violence usually is fast and doesn’t always last a long time, the opposite of disasters. Alike disasters, violence can happen anytime, and anywhere.  Some people believe that if they live in a good neighborhood that nothing bad will happen.

The Normalcy Bias can cause people to not prepare or to not understand reality.  It can get you killed.  How can you use this in your life?  Stay in Yellow.

 

 

Please be aware of your surroundings in this holiday season and always.  As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we can sometimes be very trusting of others and strangers.  Be aware and wary.  We don’t need to think every person is evil but like General James Mattis said:

“Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet.”

This seems like the words of a over-zealous killer.  But notice he didn’t say “Kill everyone you meet” but have a plan in case you need to kill everyone you meet.  Have a plan. Likely you won’t need to ever kill anyone, but if you need to then what?  Do you have a plan of defense?  If not, get one.

As men in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we believe we have duties we should perform.  Some of these are outlined in the document titled “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”

“By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.”

 

This refers to God telling us as Fathers that we are preside in our families, provide for them, and to protect them.  This tells me that I should have a plan of protection for my family and for myself.

As persecution changes and moves into something more physical will we be able to avoid it?  I hope we can. As the scriptures say in Daniel 3:17-18  “…But if not…”.  You can be very safe in North America, but if not, you should have a plan.

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn

 

Guns, Gear, and Opinions

This is a repost from 2016.  I know that it's lazy, but I just had a similar experience as the story below.  I seem to have these questions a lot.  I suppose it's a logical question if you decide you should carry.  Burn

 It happened again. I was at the range, and I ran into a guy I hadn’t seen in a while. I used to see him at the range all the time, but my work schedule changed, and I hadn’t seen him in some time. He was with another guy, and we had an interesting conversation. In the process of the conversation my friend’s friend asked me for advice on a particular gun and some gear. I paused before I answered and then asked him some questions about his choices. It turned out that he already bought the gun on someone else’s advice and wanted some confirmation. We talked about what he wanted out of the gun and gear in question and concluded that maybe a different choice would take care of his needs. Not once did I mention a brand. I’ve done it before. But I try to not drop brand names. I mean, is a Glock really better than a Kimber or a Sig Saur? All these guns are great, as are Smith and Wesson, Ruger, etc. There are many really good gun makers out there. I feel like I’ve heard all the advice there is out there but once in a while I’m surprised. Don’t get caught giving the following bad advice.

If it feels good shoot it!
Do not tell someone to get a gun because it “fits” their hand or “feels” good. I’ve felt some pretty good “feeling” handguns that shot like a slingshot. This is about as crazy as buying a gun because of the way it looks! It would be good if a gun did the task you wanted it to do AND felt wonderful. Some do. Some may not. Initially a gun can “feel” good but with time you can see it’s going to beat you up.

Get what the *blank* (fill in favorite military unit or law enforcement agency) uses.
I really hate this advice! Just because an agency buys a particular gun doesn’t mean it’s the one for you.  Sometimes a gun for an agency is picked by someone who doesn’t know squat about guns.

Get whatever feels best in your hand
This piece of advice is the worst of all. It rules the roost of bad gun buying advice, because what you're asking a newbie with little understanding of guns to do is select a piece of life saving equipment based purely on how it feels. Let me tell you something, there are a lot of guns that feel wonderful when you hold them, but that can't get through a box of ammo without a malfunction! That's really the problem. I've had lots of people complain that Glocks don't "feel good" in their hand. Thankfully, I've almost never heard the same thing about M&Ps, which are also awesome, and generally "feel good." But just relying on how a gun "feels" in your hand is the peak of bad advice. It doesn't inform you how the gun functions, how accurate it is, how reliable it is, or even if it's comfortable when you start to shoot it. There are guns that feel great when you're just holding them, but when you start putting rounds down range you discover that recoil changes things. There are guns that I began shooting a lot, and the safety ended up chewing a hole in my hand.

Get a revolver because they never jam
I love revolvers. I think they're great. They're mechanically interesting, they challenge me as a shooter, and they connect us to history. They also absolutely do fail mechanically, and when they do it frequently requires tools to fix. I understand the reasoning behind this one though, because it assumes the novice is going to want something that is easy to deal with if something goes wrong. Yes, it's true that if you get a light primer hit on a wheel gun, the fix is simple: pull the trigger. But there are plenty of things that could happen to a wheel gun that aren't light primer hits, and fixing those is a lot more complicated than "just pull the trigger." Especially if you can't pull the trigger, because I've seen that happen. So, the revolver is not the end-all most simple gun ever made. It has its limitations too.

Get the biggest caliber you can control. I've probably said this at some point in my past, and for that I apologize. This nonsense is how untalented, brand spanking new shooters end up with tiny carry guns chambered in .40 S&W and .45 ACP, which results in them developing a wicked flinch whenever they go and fire it. Think about it: someone with no real gun experience goes and buys a Glock 27 because it's small and chambered in a "powerful" cartridge. They go the range and its sharp recoil, so they're disinterested in future practice with it.

Get a pocket gun because in most self-defense situations you don't need to shoot. This one drives me up the wall, but I've heard more than a few people say it. The line of reasoning is that since you probably won't need to shoot your gun, the best idea is to get something that is completely unobtrusive, that you won't have to put any effort into carrying. The thing that obviously drives me nuts about this is that it kicks off a logical progression that if followed to its only conclusion is that you don't really need to carry a gun at all, all you need is a gun-shaped object.

Here's the problem: what if your gunfight is an actual gunfight? What if you actually need to shoot someone? All of a sudden that little .380 with crappy sights and a heavy trigger isn't so optimal, is it? No one who's ever been in a real fight wished they had a smaller gun or less ammo; so why would you intentionally compromise your choices?

All you need is a .45
In this scenario, there are two options for good advice. If you think the person is interested in actually becoming a shooter, tell them to get a friggin' .22 LR. Then they can actually learn stuff instead of just hammering bullets low and to left in a B27. However, if you don't think they're really interested in guns as a hobby and just want something for home protection, just tell them to get a full size 9mm service pistol. Be a good friend and explain that handgun stopping power is a myth, and there is not significant difference in terminal ballistics between any of the service cartridges.

Get whatever your local police department uses. This seems good because the logic behind it is so appealing. On the surface it makes sense, because the odds are that your local PD isn't going to be carrying some garbage gun around. But the flip side of that is that a gun selected by a committee that is largely disinterested in anything other than the price and intended to be carried around on a duty belt for 12 hours a day unconcealed may not be the best choice for concealed carry. Additionally, political administrators frequently like to saddle their officers with trigger mechanisms that are intended to inhibit negligent discharges, but all they really accomplish making the gun more difficult to shoot should you need it.


The point of all of this is to not give people bad advice. When someone who isn't a gun person comes to you for advice, they're in the awful situation of not knowing what they don't know; and they're likely relying on your opinion to steer them in the right direction. What can you do to help them? The best advice possible is to try and get them to take one of the many "introduction" classes, where you don't need a gun to attend, because the range provides all of that. If that's not an option, help them pick a reliable, concealable defensive handgun chambered in 9mm. Like a Glock 19. Or an M&P Compact. Why these? Because they are very reliable. Why 9mm? It’s a good start caliber.

Remember that when someone asks you for this advice, they are probably going to put most of their trust in you. I don’t bother with brand names, as long as it IS a brand name. Make sure to steer them toward a reliable brand. There are many out there. Also, steer them toward training. Try to get them to go to a range or class that offers many different guns and calibers to shoot. Let them get their own experience because a gun is a personal thing.

Avoid the above mistakes and explain to your new-to- guns person that care should be taken to find the gun that fits not only physically, but a fit of caliber, and type of gun.

As for me, any good brand ( I like S&W, Ruger, Kahr, and good 1911’s). My favorite caliber is 9mm because I don’t compete anymore, and I like 9mm for defense. But then again, that is only me and my opinion. Go out and get your own opinion!

Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn

Habits and Muscle Memory

 Operators are known for their good shooting. Are they “just good?” They are really not different than most of us. The difference is how much practice is involved. Marine Force Recon trains to the “brilliance in the basics” standard. It’s not glamorous and is not particularly entertaining to watch, but it hones their edge to a fine sharpness. Mastering little things like grip or presentation are little things. But when you master the basics, you can do more complex things like complex drills. Making things simply makes things easier in training and combat since we should always train like we fight and fight like we train. You can do simple actions in a complex drill. As long as the basics are simple and “memorized” they can make it possible to do complex things like handgun to rifle transitions and other more advanced, complex things.

Muscle memory can save you but if bad habits are committed to muscle memory, they can get you killed. For example, in Lt. Col. Dave Grossman’s book “On Combat”, one officer recounts grabbing a pistol out of an assailant’s hands and then handing it right back to him. This bizarre action occurred because in training, the officer would always immediately hand the weapon back to his partner after he disarmed them in training. The officer fortunately survived his mistake due to the actions of his partner. Another example is in my own training. I had got into the habit of hitting the mag release when I finished shooting. There was nothing wrong with this initially. But when I was training with a fellow instructor, he noticed the habit. Without saying anything he had me do a combat reload in the middle of shooting a set. I executed it and he told me to stop mid-magazine. I did and hit the release. He said “I wanted to see if you’d do it and you did! Every time you stop or pause shooting you drop your mag.” Now I only had one shot in my gun. It was not a good habit, so I worked to break it. This is why it is important to not only practice simple motions, but also that you vary your training. Doing the same thing over and over again may give you chance to develop not so good habits like my mag release. Be as realistic as possible and do the basics repetitively but change up the drills.
One experience that an operator recalls is a hectic firefight in Afghanistan. This shows the power of instinctive actions and the importance of keeping your training as realistic as possible.
Hot, dehydrated, and tired, his team came under heavy fire while moving through a canal. He returned fire with my M4A1 and almost immediately began having malfunctions. It would later be determined that their ammunition was faulty, but despite fatigue and an adrenaline response, he was able to immediately diagnose several failures to feed and correct them in order to continue engaging the enemy.
His third malfunction was a double feed, which calls for switching ammunition sources. He had almost gotten the magazine in his drop pouch when he noticed one crucial detail; that he was using two magazines coupled together and did not need to pull a fresh one from his vest. He had never used coupled magazines during training and so his muscle memory response wasn’t an appropriate one given his change of equipment. In the span of seconds, he experienced both the good side and the bad side of muscle memory during a high-stress situation.
Make your training as realistic as possible by just not taking shortcuts in your training. Don’t tuck that shirt behind your holster for convenience on the range. Don’t change the way you would normally do things if going out in public armed.
Taking a real defensive course is a good start. Your concealed carry or basic NRA course is good for starters, but it is not defensive training. Taking a course helps with discipline. You won’t stop after 3 hours when a course is 6 or 8 hours. You’ll finish the course. Make sure it is good training. There are some great schools out there. I love Gunsite, the namesake of this blog. But there are also good instructors out there that can give you some good training. Seek them out and then develop your own training program. There are many good drills out there for defensive training.
Learning and practicing a defensive mindset and finding a good training regime can build muscle memory and make it easier if you ever find yourself in a real-world situation. Remember simple basics. Get some good training and into a training program before you decide you need a different gun or new gear. It will be worth it in the long run when it counts.

Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn

Magazine Maintenance: More Fun Than a Barrel of Monkeys

 Magazine maintenance isn’t really a hot topic among gun owners. People love talking about what they do and don’t do with their firearms, but their magazines are often forgotten. This is due, in part, to the idea that they don’t really need much care.

While that’s relatively true in comparison to guns, completely forgetting about the piece of equipment that’s solely responsible for feeding your firearm is a mistake that will eventually catch up with you.

 Cleaning your semi-auto pistol magazines is simple and not necessary very often unless the magazines get excessively dirty based on how you use them. This can happen from thousands of fired rounds or one tumble in dirt or mud. Most malfunctions caused by “dirty mags” will be due to foreign debris like dirt, small rocks, mud, and sand.

To give your magazine a cleaning, you’re going to have to disassemble it. Most magazines have five basic parts.

There is the base plate, the floor plate, the magazine shell (also known as the body), the follower, and the spring. With some guns, the follower and the spring are connected and can’t be taken apart, so don’t try to force the spring out of the follower.

When you bought your gun, you also got a manufacturer’s handbook with it. In that handbook, you’ll find detailed instructions on disassembling the gun and the magazine.

Follow the instructions, and you’ll be fine.

 

Magazines and guns are susceptible to the same kind of damage.  You need to get rid of dust and moisture. However, you won’t find any gunpowder residue in the magazine, so that makes it noticeably easier and quicker than cleaning your gun.

To get rid of all the dust, just scrub all magazine parts with an old toothbrush or a brush made for magazine cleaning.  You should also run a clean rag through the magazine body just to make sure it’s clean on the inside.

For most magazines, this is more than enough to keep them clean for a long time.

However, if you’re doing outdoor drills in a high-humidity area or if you drop your mag in a puddle, you’ll need to protect it from moisture as well. Experts recommend using an alcohol wipe to clean any would-be rust out of your magazine.

 

Once you’re done, all that’s left to do is reassemble the magazine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Put the mag back into your gun and make sure everything’s clicking just right. If it is, you’re good to go!

 

Since it takes no more than 10 to 15 minutes to disassemble, clean, and reassemble a magazine, it’d be great if you cleaned the magazine every time you shot your gun. 

But really, if you pay attention and clean them when residue builds up or when you notice they are dirty, you will be fine.

 

https://blog.cheaperthandirt.com/magazine-maintenance-dos-donts/

Thanks to The Shooters Log and John Bibby for the Do’s and Don’ts

Magazine Maintenance Don’ts

So, what are the do’s and don’ts when it comes to magazine maintenance? Let’s start with the “don’t” list:

• Don’t attempt to deep clean the magazines without disassembling. You won’t remove much dirt or grit and the cleaning tools might get stuck or damage the magazine.
• Don’t just drop it in an ultrasonic cleaner—metal mags may come outstripped of paint; plastic mags and followers may not withstand the chemical bath (depending on chemicals).
• Do not use Simply Green on aluminum mags or mags with non-steel metal components—corrosion, damage of the metal and destruction of the mag may occur.
• Do not lube polymer mags—it only attracts dust and grime, as they are self-lubricating.

Magazine Maintenance Do’s

Now for the “do” list:

• Wear eye protection—a spring or follower to the eye is no joke.
• Confirm chemical compatibility with magazine components—standard gun cleaning products are normally safe.
• Have plenty of clean paper towels or disposable fabric cloth—for cleaning and lubing duties.
• Carefully disassemble the magazine, watch a video if you don’t know how.
• Carefully clean and inspect all components. Look for dirt, carbon, rust, weak spots, wear issues and spring tension.
• Replace all overly worn components–Magpul and others make repair/upgrade kits.
• Be sure to remove cleaner. Apply a light coat of oil to metal mags and apply non-evaporating/dry lube to spring components.
• Reassemble magazines. Generally, the reverse order of disassembly.
• Function check by handloading and manually cycling a full load of ammo–it should find binding or feeding issues

Smile, your job is done, and the magazine should last a lot longer based on a few minutes of work!

Magazine maintenance is not as important or talked about as gun cleaning and maintenance, but if can make a big different when you need your magazine to function perfectly.

Is it more fun than a barrel of monkeys?  Depends on your definition of fun...

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn

When You Die What Happens to Your Guns?

 When you die who do you trust to deal with your guns?  Your reloading equipment?  Your shooting gear?

That could be a real problem for those you leave behind.  If there is no one in your family who is a gun nut, son, daughter or spouse, then what will happen to all that you have collected over the years?  I have a friend and neighbor whose father-in-law passed away.  His father-in-law had many guns and even more ammunition.  The mans widow had no idea of the worth of the collection.  She did know a local who owned an on again, off again, gun shop.  The shop owner wasn’t particularly dishonest, but he convinced the widow to sell him all the guns and ammunition in a lump.  I don’t know the details, but my friend said the price was ok, but not what she could have received if she sold the guns and ammo separately.  She let family members; children pick guns that they wanted then sold the rest.

There are several things you can do to avoid these problems.

1.      If the guns are guns you don’t shoot and you want to give them to a family member, do it now before there are any legal entanglements.  You can write a receipt for each gun to have a paper trail.

2.      Sell the guns you don’t use or don’t want in your collection.  Be serious about your evaluation and pick up some cash for ammo.

3.      Ammunition is a different story.  Get rid of ammo if you don’t have a gun that shoots it.  You can sell or give away ammo.

4.      Have a will.  It’s just good practice to have a will regardless of your age.  You can mention specific guns going to specific people or all the collection going to a person or family member you know will distribute or sell your collection to make the maximum amount.

5.      Write things down.  Some people keep a record of their guns and what they paid for them with each gun.  You can reevaluate each guns worth every few years.  This way your spouse or family will have an idea of the worth of your collection.

6.      It’s not just a good idea to have records of your guns for inheritance reasons, but insurance also.  I have a picture of each gun, a close-up of the serial number, and a written description.  If there is a receipt it is included in the package.  I also have a list of guns and where they need to go.  This way at the least my family will know my wishes.  If it goes different it’s OK.  Maybe one of my kids won’t want a particular gun or they have a memory tied to a different gun, then the will executor can make adjustments.

Make records of any accessories and gear you have too.  Scopes and red dot sights can be high dollar accessories.  Don’t forget reloading equipment, safes, or hunting gear.  Bows and their accessories should be included.

Mark your magazines so that they will be matched with the correct gun.

Keep a record of ammo and its location.  I’ve kept a running amount of ammo for many years even before the ammo shortages.  I shoot a lot, and I maintain a certain amount in each caliber.  I also keep a general idea of the worth of my ammunition so whoever wants to sell it will have an idea of its worth.

Keeping your guns, gear, and reloading or hunting equipment organized helps in the process of liquidating.  Be kind to your family.  Be organized. Write a will.  Keep updated records.  Doing these things will help if anything is ever stolen or there is a fire.  Keep a digital copy in a different place other than your computer.  It can be put on a stick and kept in a safety deposit box.  Even a locker at your job will work.

Doing these things will take care of your family and ensure your wife or children have an easier time if you’re not here.

Now, without getting religious, want me to tell you where you go when YOU die?...

Guess I shouldn't proselyte here.  

 

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn