Tactics Archives - Page 3 of 4

Speed Is Good, but Accuracy Is Final

Before we make a purchase, we research what we are buying. By the same token, an investment in time should not be taken lightly. We look to those with good information in order to learn. After all, we are all ignorant, simply about different things. When it comes to training, speed and accuracy are always among the top considerations. [Read more…] about Speed Is Good, but Accuracy Is Final

5 Gun Myths of Self-Defense

There are many self-defense gun myths that continue to make the rounds. I am going to pick five of them and explain why they are not true and why you should politely ignore or walk away from any trainer mouthing them. [Read more…] about 5 Gun Myths of Self-Defense

The Proper Use of Cover

The first thing to understand about cover is that the ability to stop bullets is greatly dependent on caliber. A sheet of plywood may act as cover for a .22 LR, but it certainly won’t for a 5.56 round. The concept applies for most objects other than things that are very solid or dense, such as vehicle engines. [Read more…] about The Proper Use of Cover

Home Defense Details

The most dangerous places are outside the home. For home defense, we have barriers including outer doors, glass, and hard interior doors. Hopefully, the family has your back, and you have a plan. If not, you have more problems than I can address. Illegal narcotics, and the pharmaceutical industry’s greed fed opioid epidemic, turn many against their fellows, and the family is the first victim—just so you will not be surprised. [Read more…] about Home Defense Details

The Double Tap — Are You Doing it Right?

Among the most misunderstood tactics in personal defense is the double tap. More than half of those practicing defense shooting execute the double tap incorrectly. Worse yet, it is most often taught incorrectly. [Read more…] about The Double Tap — Are You Doing it Right?

Op-ed: Training and Values for Concealed Carry

There are many reasons for training. Training is a serious business but also a profitable business for many. A few genuinely train to save lives. Others train and go through the motions and seem to have lost contact with the reason we train. I maintain that training often reflects the individual’s personal values. [Read more…] about Op-ed: Training and Values for Concealed Carry

Surviving an Elevated Shooter

The city of Las Vegas experienced the devastation wreaked when an elevated shooter decided to prey on a crowd of innocent concertgoers in a known gun-free zone. Many people continue to search for answers as to why this happened and what could be done differently to protect innocent civilians. While we do not know the why, here are some points to consider in an effort prevent the history from becoming your present. [Read more…] about Surviving an Elevated Shooter

Op-ed: Home Invasion or No-Knock Raid

I will start out by saying I am not anti-cop. Nothing in this article should be construed as anti-law enforcement. My bonafides: My father worked as an executive in the state prison system for over 20 years. He is now long retired. My girlfriend is in the police academy and has been in various law enforcement positions for almost three years. She will soon be an SRO in the local school system. That being said, I am troubled by the prospect of a no-knock raid. [Read more…] about Op-ed: Home Invasion or No-Knock Raid

Video: Defensive Use of Lasers

In episode 9 of the Art of Defense series, Beau Doboszenski of Defensive Mindset Training goes over how a weapon-mounted laser can improve your defense capabilities. Lasers can aid you in multiple ways during a defensive encounter. For example, a laser can be an aid anytime you are forced into a defensive draw. With practice, you can achieve faster on target times and a better first hit percentage. [Read more…] about Video: Defensive Use of Lasers

The Diagram of a Gunfight

For some folks, the worst foreseeable experience is a car breakdown on a macadam road. A true close brush with death is another thing—it is like a brain enema. You think much differently and more clearly afterward. If we escape death, we are pleased with the results—ideal or not. Others have commented that before the event nothing was important and afterwards, everything was important. [Read more…] about The Diagram of a Gunfight

Clearing Jams and Malfunctions

If it moves, it can jam. Jams and malfunctions are, unfortunately, a fact of life with semi-automatics. In the event of a problem, it is imperative to understand what caused the jam, because that will directly affect what type of correction needs to be made. [Read more…] about Clearing Jams and Malfunctions

Home Invasion — Distance Is Your Friend

Anyway you look at it, someone entering your house in the middle of the night is a home invasion… Sneaking around the outside of a house at 3 a.m., the criminal sees and hears no signs that his chosen victims are awake. With a padded covering, he uses his elbow to break a basement window. Slipping inside, he makes his way up the stairs, stopping to pick up a small piece of 2×4 along the way. Hearing the glass break and noise downstairs, you gather your family to the master bedroom. Hiding behind concealment, a family member calls 911, while you get your weapon. Now what? [Read more…] about Home Invasion — Distance Is Your Friend

Box Drills: Working the Square Range

Most of us have limited time and resources for training, but going to the range and firing at a man-sized target that is squared to us accomplishes little beyond basic skills. We need relatively challenging drills that polish our skills in a meaningful way. A combination of two hand, one hand, weak hand, and fast shooting at typical combat ranges is needed. If you are up for the challenge, box drills can be your next step to upgrading your combat shooting skills. [Read more…] about Box Drills: Working the Square Range

Choosing a Trunk or Truck Gun

Lots of people in the gun community have a trunk or truck gun. For most people, it is some type of beater rifle or shotgun. The theory is, “Why beat up a good gun by bouncing it around in the trunk?” Just throw a beater in there and forget about it. I am not a fan of that technique. [Read more…] about Choosing a Trunk or Truck Gun

Dry Firing: Target Accuracy Made Easy

We hunters spend hours and dollars trying to improve our chances for bagging that next buck, bear, or bunny. Scientists have now discovered ways to do that for fewer dollars. True! We can now train with our rifles for less than pennies a day. One technique, in fact, costs nothing but time. And it’s time well spent. [Read more…] about Dry Firing: Target Accuracy Made Easy

6 Tips to a Better Grip

One of the most poorly understood elements of handgun control is how to properly grip your pistol. This is evidenced by the number of people struggling to find a consistent, accuracy enhancing grip. There are varying opinions on how much effort, or gripping pressure to use, and how to maintain that pressure, so we looked to Springfield Armory’s 24-time National Champion Rob Leatham (He knows a thing or two about putting shots in the X-ring.) [Read more…] about 6 Tips to a Better Grip

10 Tips for Concealed Carry

Practice (which in its verbal form is spelled “practise” in British spelling) is something you do while learning to get better. For example, doctors and lawyers practice their profession. That is not to say they are not knowledgeable. Instead, it is an acknowledgement that there is still more to learn. Concealed carry is much the same. I started to carry concealed close to three decades ago, yet I regularly attend trainings or look to articles or videos in an attempt to reinforce my skill set or learn something new. [Read more…] about 10 Tips for Concealed Carry

Handgun Training — How I Choose the Gun

Handgun training, more so than most pursuits, is charged with individuality. Special teams and rifle companies move as a unit and exercise strict discipline. They have a plan of action. The handgun is a weapon of opportunity carried to meet the unexpected difficulty. The action is not planned, and the response is reactive. For many problems, a trained individual will respond with simple reflex. Reflex is sufficient for some problems, but simple movements set the stage for more elaborate responses. Training and movement should be simple and as straightforward as possible. [Read more…] about Handgun Training — How I Choose the Gun

Bear Country Safety

These are the opinions and observations of a guy who’s spent a lifetime outdoors and a great deal of it in bear country. There is no right or wrong way of dealing with a bear encounter. There are some excellent rules of thumb to know, some common-sense lessons to learn, and a fair collection of experiences to draw on. After all, your survival could result from your knowledge of bear country safety. [Read more…] about Bear Country Safety

Fighting Back: Don’t be a Carjacking Victim

There are many aspects of crime that we must train to fight back against, to stop, and hopefully to avoid. I often state with the weight of experience that most victims meet their adversary halfway. What the adversary is doing is wrong, both morally and legally. There is no excuse. Just the same, being aware of them is the first step in adopting the vigilant attitude called self-awareness. [Read more…] about Fighting Back: Don’t be a Carjacking Victim