Tactical Knives For Everyday Use

There are words in the preparedness/survival community that are thrown around a lot. The word “tactical” is one of them. Merriam-Webster says this about tactical:
1a (1) : of or occurring at the battlefront (2) : using or being weapons or forces employed at the battlefront
To me, tactical is a combat term. When I hear “tactical knife”, I think, combat knife.
Now any knife can be a tactical knife by that definition. But a tactical knife is one that has been specially designed for combat. This is the definition I will use here, a knife for self defense. I can use a butter knife for self defense, but there are other knives that are tactical by design. Not only that, a tactical knife can have practical use as a survival or utility knife too. I won’t talk about brands, but styles and designs. I will not be able to cover everything here but will cover knives that are typically used in a tactical setting.
Throwing Knives - This type of knife is designed to be thrown. There are numerous throwing techniques and styles and all require skill and practice. My boys like these knives. It might be a stretch to call these knives tactical.
Diving Knives - This type of knife has more of a practical than tactical use and is primarily considered a tool for use by divers when working underwater. They do offer a practical choice where corrosion or exposure to wet conditions may be a concern.
Boot Knives - This type of knife is usually designed to be carried inside of a boot and its main purpose is to conceal. They may be attached by means of a clip or a strap.
Neck Knives - This type of knife is designed to be carried on a cord or necklace around your neck and can offer you an alternative to carrying a more traditional folding style knife in your pocket. It also offers concealment as well.
Rescue Knives - This type of knife is generally designed with the ability to enhance rescue operations and normally include functions for cutting seatbelts, breaking glass or cutting wire. Some of them are designed for one handed operation.
Belt Knives - This type of knife is usually designed to be carried in a horizontal or a vertical position, depending upon the level of concealment that is desired.
Pack Knives - This type of knife is usually designed to be attached to a pack or load bearing equipment (LBE) for easy access. These are generally fixed blade knives which may be too large or cumbersome for pocket or belt carry. They are usually sheath knives where the sheaths include attachment loops or lashing holes to tie down in a variety of ways.
Folding Knives- This is probably the most used style of knife. These knives have a blade length of small, under 2.75 inches, medium 2.75 to 4 inches, and large over 4 inches. They are also most associated with self defense. Those who carry a knife every day usually carry something in the medium range.
Tactical knives can come in many different materials and steels. Buy a knife that will meet your needs. There are many different knife points and designs. They are available in numerous blade configurations that may include a spear point, a drop point blade or a combination blade that includes a partially serrated edge. The blades may also come in a mirror finish, a satin finish or have a black coating on the blade. They can also be found in different types and grades of steel and in varying degrees of thickness depending upon your planned use. The type of steel in your tactical knife will also determine its ability to maintain an edge, be easily sharpened and be corrosion resistant. Blade lengths will vary greatly depending upon whether or not your tactical knife is a folder or a fixed blade. The handles may be made of high quality aircraft aluminum or other lightweight but rugged materials such as G10 or Zytel. They can be more traditional materials such as stacked leather or a rubberized handle material. The handles may also include a pommel that can be used to break glass or to hammer objects and may or may not have a lanyard hole. Some also come with only the fixed tang which is then wrapped with paracord or leather to create a handle grip. Most of the handles are designed to handle extreme weather conditions and give you a firm and secure grip while keeping weight to a minimum. Tactical knives may also come with either a nylon sheath or a Kydex style "hard" sheath. The quality of the sheaths often depends upon the quality of the knife. Most dive knives come with rubberized attachment straps and polypropylene cases to make them as water-proof as possible. Sheaths may also include accessory pouches that allow you to carry additional items such as a sharpener, fire starter or multi-tool. There is a wide variety of tactical-style knives on the market. When deciding which tactical knife will be the best for you to use, it will serve you well to consider all the available options and try to get a tactical knife that will meet as many of the possible needs you may require to get the job done.
I’d like to say something about knife fighting. There are not too many people I have met who really know to how to knife fight. This is a skill that is not taught like it used to be. The little experience I had with it was in the military. This skill is taught more through martial arts schools than a school devoted just to knife fighting. If you want this skill you’ll have to seek it out. It’s probably not as prevalent as gun training. The same goes for non-lethal weapon training. These skills are not taught as often as other forms of self defense. Knife fighting is something that must be taught correctly. Ensure the school or course you take is recommended or certified. This may just be my experience but I’m very leery about how knife fighting is taught.
Knives are very handy and very cool. Because there are few restrictions on making and buying knives, there are many available. Learn all you can about types and brands. Some, to me, are way too high in price. Then there are others that are cheaply made. This is what I check.

1. The type of steel
2. Ergonomics (How it feels in my hand)
3. If it is a folder is there any play in the knife blade
4. I also like a folder with a pocket clip.
5. I consider weight and bulk
6. If it’s a folder can it be opened with one hand
7. Price. I am hard on knives in my everyday use. I prefer a good knife under $100 because of how I use and abuse them.

When choosing a tactical knife you must know your local laws and restrictions in carrying this weapon.

Semper Paratus
Burn

Cost Effective Training

Since about 2012 there has been a “scare” or a “shortage” of ammunition. No matter what your thoughts are on the reason for this ammo problem, we are still feeling the effects of this. If nothing else, it has put the cost of ammo a lot higher than it was, and has put limits on what stores will sell. Things have improved a lot but it is still difficult, in some places, to even find .22. This has caused many of us in the gun world to rethink our training and how we do that.
Some things that have come to light are not too surprising if you have been doing this training for some time.
Trigger time doesn’t always mean at the range.
Dry firing is something every shooter, concealed carry participant, or even hunter should do. Just about everything you do at the range you can do dry firing. It takes less time and resources (ammo). Make sure your weapon can handle dry firing, not all can. Check with the manufacturer.
Dry firing will help with your trigger press, sight alignment, grip and stance, and more. The one thing that is missing is recoil and target re-acquisition. Dry firing also works better with double action rather than Glock which needs a partial cycle or a 1911 that must be re cocked. If you are using your carry gun for dry fire you must be exceptionally safe. When you fire, ensure you are firing into a safe area. In other words, if you were to have a discharge, would it go somewhere safe? Always follow the 4 basic safety rules: 1. All Guns are always loaded. 2. Never let the muzzle cover (point at) anything you are not willing to destroy. 3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target. 4. Always be sure of your target and beyond.
I have one more rule. I call it Dry Fire Rule 5. Do not dry fire with ammunition in the room. If you follow this rule as you do the other 4, you will never have any problems. You say you dry fire in your gun room, or reloading room? Pick a room where you can be safe, but a room that has no ammunition in it. When you are done dry firing, put down your weapon and take a break. Leave the area or room. Get a drink, check your Facebook page, read this blog, watch TV, do something that is not gun related. You want to finish your training. Then reload your weapon and store it or holster it. Do not dry fire one more time. That is how accidental/negligent discharges happen.
When you dry fire, come up with a plan, and then work that plan the same every time.
These are the steps I take after adhering to 4+1 rules.
1. Clear the weapon, clear it again. Clear it again, both visual and putting your finger in the chamber to feel if there is a round there. If you do this training with a partner, have them verify your cleared weapon.
2. Remember rule 4. Point the weapon in a safe direction and proceed with your training.
It was mentioned above that you can work on trigger press, grip, stance (although this is not real important unless you want to compete, in my opinion), and sight alignment. You can also practice your drawstroke, weapon retention, and flashlight techniques. Many of these things can be practiced without pulling a trigger. If you have a training gun, often a blue gun, you can practice these things.
3. After your training, leave the area. Reload your weapon later.
Regardless of the way you use dry fire, do it safely and smart.

Consider practicing live fire with a cheaper caliber. If you carry a .45 it would not be cost effective to go through 50 to 100 rounds of an expensive round for practice. I think you should mix your rounds with a cheaper brand that you know your gun will shoot. Since you will carry a premium round, you should practice some with that round. You must decide what that mix would be. Also, there is some merit in practicing with a rim fire round. There are some quality .22 weapons and ammunition out there that would give you a lot of practice for pennies instead of dollars. The more your practice .22 resembles your carry weapon the better.
There are conversion kits out there for pistols that will allow .22 to be shot from a different caliber gun. The thing about these kits is that they are not considered a weapon on their own so they are easy to purchase. This is another alternative to more cost effective training. Again, practice with what you will carry. This will rotate your carry ammo and always keep fresh ammo in your carry weapon.
There are many kinds of practice ammo out there. Walmart may carry some of this. Winchester has it’s “white box” target ammo, and the Russian made Tulammo are two examples. There also is the internet for buying in bulk. One of my favorite sites for checking a variety of ammunition sites is gunbot.net (see blog 1/28/14 How do I love gunbot.net? Let me count the ways…). Buying in bulk is usually much cheaper per round than buying a box at a time. On gunbot.net it tells you what you will pay per round giving you an instant understanding of what you will save.
Reloading is an alternative that will not only save you money but can be very satisfying. If you want to go this route make sure you learn from someone who has been doing it for a while. Reloading incorrectly can be dangerous. Learn all you can. There are some good videos on youtube but always beware of bad or wrong information. Confirm what you learn with someone who reloads. Also, there are a lot of reloaders who sell their ammo. If you buy this ammo make sure you really trust the quality of the realoading. Talk with someone who has bought this ammo before to find out if there are any problems.
Don’t let ammunition availability or prices change the way you train. Find an alternative source of ammo so that you can continue to train. When this crunch first started I slowed down my frequency of training. I then re-evaluated my training program with more dry fire practice and a little less live fire. I didn’t slow down my training, just cut out some live fire that I did that went through ammo but really was training skills that I could do with dry fire. I also re-evaluated my storage of ammunition. I sold or traded ammo that I had from guns and calibers that I have since sold the guns. I also got rid of guns that shot calibers I was not storing and bought additional guns with those sales that shoot the calibers I want to store. I’ve stored ammunition for years and have rotated through it. I re-evaluated those stored calibers to have better control on what I could store and rotate (shoot). If you shoot a lot I think you will naturally have a store of ammunition. Be realistic in this storage and store your ammo safely. (see blog Storing Ammo 2/6/14)
With forethought and planning you can do some cost effective training to stay current and to improve your skill. Everyone should have a training plan and this plan can be manipulated to be more effective in cost, time, and how it will train you. With this plan you can find alternatives for training and for ammunition choice. Always plan with the 4 rules of gun safety +1 for dry fire strictly followed. Don’t let the ammo crunch or current times change your training plan. Remember you will always default to your training in a crisis. Training is necessary and, for me at least, is fun! There’s nothing like the smell of spent gunpowder on the range!
Semper Paratus
Burn

Concealed Carry Participant, Porter Rockwell's Guns

Orrin Porter Rockwell’s 202nd birthday is the 28th of this month. To celebrate I thought I’d focus on the guns of Ol’ Port.
Porter was ahead of his time. He understood the importance of concealed carry and did it often. He carried a sawed off 1851 Colt single action Navy .36 caliber revolver in his pocket. He even filed off the trigger guard for better conceal ability.
A story of Port goes like this:
A young gunslinger got the drop on Rockwell. “Say your prayers,” he demanded. Rockwell replied, “You wouldn’t try and shoot a man without a cap on your pistol, would you?” The instant the man glanced at his gun, he was blown from his saddle by Rockwell, who had a gun hidden in his pocket.
Port understood concealed carry.
The first generation Colt single action Navy revolvers were produced in 1851. The most popular chambering was .45 but Port seemed to like the .36 maybe because it was smaller and not as heavy. He often wore two Colts in his belt for some open carry action.
The cylinder of this revolver is engraved with a scene of the victory of the Second Texas Navy at the Battle of Campeche on May 16, 1843.
He also carried the Hawken rifle. This was a .54 caliber black powder rifle. The Hawken brothers, Jacob and Samuel, were from St. Lewis, Missouri. They started to make guns together about 1825 to service the fur trade. This gun weighed about 8 ½ pounds, had a 28 inch octagonal barrel with a hooked breech system. The Hawken was known as an extremely accurate weapon and was used by Indians and settlers alike.
These two weapons truly helped to tame the west.
Porter was known as the “Avenging Angel” because of his expertise with these weapons.
It seemed Rockwell had been one who dared to test the hunters' wisdom: a buffalo bull could not be stopped with a shot between its horns, through its skull. But Rockwell stalked around to the front of a big one and—naturally—tried him out.
October 3, 1869 During a speech by U.S. Vice President Schuyler Colfax, Porter objected to his being called a killer and reportedly yelled, “I never killed anyone who didn’t need killing.”
June 9, 1878 At Porter Rockwell’s funeral, Apostle and future Church President Joseph F. Smith spoke and said the following about Porter:
“They say he was a murderer, if he was the friend of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, and he was faithful to them, and to his covenants, and he has gone to Heaven and apostates will go to Hell… Porter Rockwell was yesterday afternoon ushered in Heaven clothed with immortality and eternal life, and crowned with all glory which belongs to departed saints. He has his little faults but Porter’s life on earth, taken all together, was one worthy of example, and reflected honor upon the church. Through all his trials he had never once forgotten his obligations to his brethren and his God.”
June 21, 1878 The Church owned Deseret News wrote of Porter after his June 9th death, “Honorable in all his dealings, true to his friends, and his word, firm in faith; feared only by cattle thieves, and mobocrats and their supporters.”
A cowboy ballad from the 1850’s says:
Old Port Rockwell looks like a man,
With a beard on his face and his hair in a braid,
But there’s none in the West but Brigham who can
Look in his eyes and not be afraid;
For Port is a devil in a human shape,
Though he calls himself “Angel,” say vengeance is sweet,
But he’s black, bitter death, and there’s no escape,
When he wails through the night his dread war cry, “Wheat! Wheat!”,
Somewhere a wife with her babes kneels to pray,
For she knows she’s a widow and orphans are they.
(The war cry “Wheat!” is in reference to a phrase Porter would say to something that was good. Basically, it was a 19th Century way of saying something was cool.)
I think this ballad was probably anti-Port or anti-Mormon or both, but the fact that the ballad exists is a testament to Porter Rockwell’s reputation with a gun.
Many, including Church members, don’t like Orrin Porter Rockwell. I think they listen to the anti-Mormon rhetoric that exists about him. My sentiments agree with the Apostle Joseph F. Smith:
“He was the friend of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, and he was faithful to them, and to his covenants, and he has gone to Heaven and apostates will go to Hell…”

Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn

What Cover Is and Is Not: Don't Die

If you expected a list of what is cover, and what is not, you’ve come to the wrong place. It would be impossible to compile an all inclusive list like that. You need to research this to find viable data that will help you to determine what cover is.
Try this site for eye opening testing: http://www.huts.com/Huts'sBallisticTest.htm
Example of one caliber, distance, earth berm thickness combination from a book written by Sniper John Plaster:
wet soil- 28"
dry soil- 19"
wet sand- 19"
dry sand- 16"
wet clay- 35"
dry clay- 24"
.308 caliber at 100 yards
There is really not much, short of thick steel,that will stop a bullet. So be aware.
During my years in the military I learned a lot about combat shooting. The first time I competed in shooting I failed miserably. I had “too much” training in shooting from cover. When you compete, you may shoot from around things or under them, but no one is actually shooting back! The goal in competing is to shoot quickly and accurately. When I shoot, I am more concerned with number 1. I was “slicing the pie” and “rolling” in and out of cover as you would in combat. In competition those things take too much time! But those nasty steel targets would never get me! I could see that competition shooting was not for me even though I was accurate. I am too much of a defensive shooter. It would take some work to change that. I don’t think I want to change that.
This is what I learned in the military: “Cover: The bad guys can’t shoot you. Concealment: The bad guys can’t see you. One of these things is better than the other. But either is better than neither.”
You should always know where available cover and concealment is located in your area. To shoot effectively from cover we must understand what cover really is. Cover stops a bullet. The problem is, Hollywood and TV have taught us many things are cover, when they aren’t. In a movie an interior wall is cover. So is a car door. This is simply not true and can get you killed. If you have trained in certain circles you may have heard about the “X”. The “X” is simply where the target of the bad guy is. The theory is that if you move off the “X” your opponent must re-orient himself and essentially start over through the process of attacking you, giving you precious seconds to respond. (see blog The OODA loop – Combat Concept 3/20/14) As you move in combat you should be aware of where you are moving toward. That should be cover. Cement walls or buildings, the engine block of a vehicle, a tree that will completely cover your body, these are just a few things that are cover. Concealment is hiding. You opponent can’t hit you if he can’t see you, right? So bushes, any walls, cars, shadows, all these things are concealment. There is much more concealment out there than cover but you should be familiar with both enough to know the difference.
In most cases it’s best to exit the area rather than engage the shooter. If the threat is near and you can extract yourself then you should. If you, or your loved ones, are in harm’s way, then that’s when you engage. To extract yourself should not be difficult with concealment alone if the concealment is used effectively. The threat may not even know you are there. Once you recognize a threat, you should look for extraction from that area as soon as possible. If that is not possible, find cover and use it to prepare a fight.
Shooting from cover tips: (see blog Shooting from Cover 3/26/14)
Shoot, move, communicate!
Fire around cover instead of over it. When you are shooting over something you are silhouetted against it and this makes it easier for the enemy to see you.
Don’t crowd cover. Get back away from cover. This diminishes the enemy’s ability to see you without seriously limiting your field of fire. It makes it easier for you to move because you don’t have to back away from your cover before moving.
Move your body to shift fire instead of your rifle barrel.
Modify the regular shooting positions. You will probably shoot from unusual positions when shooting from cover. Be prepared for that and train applicably.
Change your elevation often when shooting from cover. Don’t let the enemy know from where your next shot will come from.
If shooting with others try to overlap your fields of fire.
Reload from behind cover and reload before breaking cover.
When on the offense be aware of the terrain you are moving toward. Have the next cover spot located before you break cover.
Remember that bullets ricochet. Whatever you use for cover will not usually take the round, but repel it. So be aware that along a wall that bullet will continue to travel. This is another reason not to plaster yourself against (crowd) your cover.

Train like you fight, fight like you train.

If you stand on a firing line and shoot at a target there is only so much you will learn. That’s a good way to learn grip, sight picture, and trigger work. Some say that’s how you practice stance. That may work in competitive shooting, but not so much in combat shooting. How often will you stand, like at a firing line, and have a firefight? How about, never! If you plan to live through a firefight, you will train shooting from cover and moving.

Semper Paratus
Burn

Concealed Carry: Distance is Your Friend

Again I was talking to my good friend Choirboy. We were talking about how most altercations that would involve needing a weapon are usually fast and short. He sent me this YouTube video. If violence makes you squeamish then don’t watch the video.
http://youtu.be/mVDRo7-kwGc

He said that this is a video of Darrell Lunsford, a constable in Nacogdoches, Texas. He was overpowered by three men and shot to death with his own weapon. About 8 months later Trooper Andy Lopez ran into almost the same situation but because of this video, which is still used in training today, he survived. As I watched the video I realized that Constable Lunsford made some fatal mistakes. He didn’t use distance to his advantage. Years ago I had a Command Sergeant in the Army teaching a combat driving course. As we were talking about combat he kept repeating “Close and engage” in different contexts. We asked about the phrase and he said “You are either doing it, or someone else is doing it to you. I prefer that it be me closing”. The fact that he uses the word “close” tells me that distance is not your friend when you want to engage someone. If you are the one being engaged, or fired upon, distance is your friend. This is what we were discussing, distance. To keep from being a victim a certain amount of distance is required. I’ve talked about the 21 foot rule. It takes a man about 1.5 seconds to cover 21 feet which is also about the amount of time it takes to draw a weapon. So to use distance to your advantage, keep people out of that 21 foot zone around you. Constable Lunsford should have used more distance as he searched the trunk of the suspect’s car. He should have had them sit on the curb or on the other side of the car. He needed some separation as he put all his attention into searching the trunk. The suspects knew they had marijuana in the trunk and that it would be found, so all they did was wait for the right moment to grab the officer and grab his gun for the fatal shot. At least his death was not completely in vain because that incident happened in 1991 and the video is still being used for training, saving countless law enforcement lives. It’s a lesson you must learn. When someone tries to close on you, and you feel that prompting, then maintain or increase that distance. Don’t let them close so that if you have to engage, it will be at a distance that you control. To use most pepper sprays, batons, stun guns, or knives, one must close the distance gap. You being armed can use a little distance. I’m pretty effective with a handgun at 30 feet. My efficiency only improves if I can close.
This is where your situational awareness and your “spidy senses” will be your ally. Violent people will always go out of their way to give the advantage to themselves. For us sheepdogs, we are not afraid of the wolf like the sheep, but we don’t look for a fight like a wolf. (see blog (OPR) Rockwell Philosophy 4/9/14) We rely on a strong defense and not an offense. We have to be aware of what is going on and the positioning of others.
My wife and I take care of some vending machines in a mall. My wife was out of town and I had just hurt my foot and was recovering. I could walk but barely. I had just emptied the machines and had a bag of quarters. I noticed two kids who had paid more attention to what I was doing in the mall than most. One was following me out of the mall. I knew I couldn’t out run him because of my foot. He started to close and I saw his buddy in the parking lot at my 10 o’clock. I turned to face the guy behind me when I got to a car so my back was to the car and put up my hand to stop him. We had some words and he decided I wasn’t worth the trouble I was going to give them. His buddy backed off first and then he retreated. This was in the middle of the day so there was daylight and witnesses to my advantage. Had I been oblivious to the attention they gave me and had I let the guy in back of me close, things might have been different. When someone maneuvers so that they are in a closing position, move. Always watch their hands.
I have a martial arts instructor friend who likes to say “Distance overcomes skill.” This is true in contact self defense and sometimes applies to gun defense. Like my 21 foot rule, distance equals time.
Most so-called self-defense items have no defensive capabilities at all. By this I mean while they may stop an attacker from continuing with more attacks, they cannot protect you from an attack in progress. If a guy is charging you, a taser, spray or a bullet will not stop his forward momentum. He will still reach you and proceed to do damage to you (e.g. if you taser someone and he slams into you, there's a good chance you'll lose your triggering.) Now you have a guy up close and personal.
That's the fundamental weakness of any distance weapon. If the guy gets close enough to negate the advantage of range, they are less effective in preventing damage to you. From a defensive standpoint, you cannot block an incoming attack with these items. Your only hope is to create enough pain and damage to the individual that he is overcome before the damage he does to you overwhelms you.
In closing the closer an attacker is, the more you need to worry about what he may do to you. Even as a martial artist, who needs to be close to do any damage, distance will be your friend. The saying “The best defense is a good offense” only applies in sports, unless you look for a fight. Then you would be a wolf and that is not desirable. Actual defense against a closing attacker is the most overlooked aspect of self defense, especially with a gun. The closer you are to an attacker the more chance you may be trading damage with each other. Don’t be too wrapped up what you are going to do to someone else, but rather what you’re going to do to stop the threat. Both participants in the attack in the hospital or dead doesn’t sound like a win to me.
Remember to be alert and that distance is your friend.
Semper Paratus
Burn

Concealed Carry Responsibility

My wife just received her concealed carry permit. There is much to know and understand before making the choice to carry a concealed handgun. Here are some of the basics that she and I discussed to assist you in making this important decision and to help keep you responsible and safe.
What does it mean to be a concealed carry permit holder? Well, it’s exactly how it sounds: the practice of carrying a handgun or other weapon in public, yet concealed. This can be done on a person’s body or close in proximity to them. (Bag, purse, briefcase, etc.) I don’t like off body carry but that’s just my preference. Having a gun close at hand is better than no gun at all. This practice comes with a responsibility. To carry a weapon says that you are willing to defend your life, or other’s lives, with lethal force. You are willing to take another human beings life. This is something that should be thought out (prayed about, if you feel), and considered. Also, you must abide by the laws of the state that you carry in. It’s up to you to search them and learn them.
Everything that you do with that weapon will be looked at with a microscope. If you use it or draw it, the reasons and motivation for this action will be looked at very closely. You may be arrested and put in jail. You may have to face a court battle. There may be civil charges to deal with as well as criminal. Go into this endeavor with your eyes open. You need to understand these things and consider them carefully. Noting I have said, or could say, would ever match the gravity of killing another human being. As an LDS member, and a Christian, you must come to terms with the reality of this and weigh what you can deal with. (see blog 3/4/14 Should you Carry? and 5/13/14 Mormon Self Defense). Learn the laws and follow them in great detail. Don’t be casual about this decision. Take it serious so that you will be serious about your training. If you are not serious you will be a menace with a gun.
Being Honest
Being honest about your capabilities is extremely important. You know yourself but you must be honest. You know what you could do as far as taking the responsibility for concealed carry. Will you be serious about training? Or will you fool yourself and tell yourself you can handle whatever comes your way. The truth is, you or I don’t really know how we will respond in a “kill or be killed” situation. But looking at yourself honestly, with a critical eye, may help you to prepare and train better should you have to live this horrible event.
Commitment
Your commitment to safety should be as critical as your decision to take a life.
When I was in the military I took a weapons instructor course. This was taught by orange Gunsite owner Jeff Cooper, and military training instructors. We had the 4 safety rules drilled into our heads until we could quote them word perfect. A instructor would say “3!” and we would spout off the appropriate rule. (1.All guns are always loaded. 2. Never cover anything you are not willing to destroy. 3. Keep your finger off the trigger until you acquire your target. 4. Know your target and beyond.) The 3rd week of this 6 week course a student got caught with his finger in a trigger guard. He was given a warning. The second time he was washed out of the course. We were given one chance and one chance only. We could not violate the 4 safety rules. This is how serious you should be with safety. My family is tired of my constant badgering of them to follow these rules. It’s for their own good of course. I need to be less blunt about my reminders.
The 4 rules are the very basics of gun safety. Other things should be considered. Buy quality equipment and gear. Ensure your holster covers the trigger guard completely. Ensure the holster doesn’t get so pliable that as you holster the gun a corner or side of the holster gets caught in the trigger guard. This could discharge the weapon. When your gun is on you it is almost as safe as sitting in your gun vault. Do not un-holster your weapon except for storage, maintenance, or you’re about to use the gun. It’s not something you would want to show anyone unless you were in maybe your own home. Remember operations security. This is the importance of keeping what you do confidential, like carrying a weapon.
You must commit to practice. You can’t compromise on this. I know it may be an expense, and time consuming, but without it, you may as well not carry. You’ll be a danger to yourself and others. Don’t think you can just pick up a weapon and know how it works and how to shoot. It is not so. If I didn’t shoot at least weekly, I know I would lose what I’ve worked many years to maintain. I’ve shot guns consistently for close to 46 years but it would only take a month to lose a good deal of it. There are many drills that can help you with this. There is also dry firing which is free and can make a real difference once you get to the range. There are also courses you can take to improve in what you have already learned. These things mean a commitment of time and money. Courses and ammunition cost money. Being a member of a range or club may have a cost. If you have turned shooting into a recreational experience then this will be less difficult to give your time and money to. It can be a great family activity. You don’t need to be a gun nut like me, to enjoy shooting. There is also competing, which can be very enjoyable and challenging. Be careful, you may become a gun nut!
Challenges
We are all different. We have different likes and dislikes. We each have different bodies and physical limitations. You will need to consider all of these things when deciding where and in what way you will carry your weapon. Each of us has different demands that will also determine our carrying style. For instance I work on a federal installation that is basically a “gun free” zone. I have to consider this every day in the way I carry, or don’t carry, a weapon. You will have your own set of circumstances that will affect your concealed carrying capabilities.
What gear you purchase will need to be right for you as an individual, and your own set of circumstances. Find what will be comfortable and legal for you. If carrying a gun is uncomfortable, you will less likely carry. Consider all these issues carefully. You may have to experiment a little. Holsters and other gear can be pricey. Don’t settle for inferior gear because of price. Plan, save, and get quality gear that will serve you well and long.
Represent gun owners and concealed carry permit holders well. There are many anti-second amendment proponents out there just waiting for you and I to accidently discharge our weapons or leave them out for a child, or whatever else you can think of, to prove that citizens should not own guns. They lie in wait to jump on the bandwagon and defend that dirt bag that you had to shoot because he was threatening your family with a gun or knife. Know that what you do as a sheep dog is an asset to your family, your neighbors, and your community. It is important to demonstrate the integrity of an American gun owner.
Be safe
Semper Paratus
Burn