Competition is a proving ground.

Published July 10, 2013 by
Filed under Carry, CCW, Competition, Equipment, IDPA, Self Defense, USPSA

Don’t be this guy.

Man in a Rush Accidentally Shoots Himself Outside Walmart

Police say a man was shot in the hand after his gun fell out of its holster while he hurried across a parking lot to avoid holding up traffic outside a Pennsylvania Walmart store.

So he was doing the right thing (carrying his sidearm in a holster), but the holster wasn’t up to the basic task of keeping his gun on his person while running across a road. 

Chances are, this guy bought a holster because it felt right or looked nice or was comfortable to wear, and unless you’ve taken a serious training class where running around and “stress fire” with your daily carry gear is part of the agenda and sidearm OR competed in USPSA/IDPA with the same kind of rig, you’ll never know if what you have on you is capable of handling physical activity beyond pulling yourself up off the couch. 

run, gun, and fun

Practical for concealed carry or practically worthless?

A practical pistol match subjects you AND your equipment to a certain amount of artificial stress. Is it the real thing? No. Is it the closest thing you’ll get to the real thing? Todd Green, Mike Seeklander, Michael Bane and Massad Ayoob say yes, and I believe them. Finding out if your holster of choice keeps your gun safe in a match will spare you the embarrassment and danger of failing to keep it safe on the streets. 

Choosing a second gun

Published July 8, 2013 by
Filed under Carry, Equipment, Self Defense

If you’re one of the thousands and thousands of new gun owners who have purchased a firearm for home and personal defense, chances are, you’ve purchased some form of small, concealable pistol that’s easy to carry and conceal on your person. 

This a good choice, because a firearm that’s ready and safely close by is more  much more likely to help defend your life than a gun that’s unloaded under your bed. And make sure you get training above and beyond what’s required to own and/or a carry a firearm in your state. A CCW permit is just that: A permit, it is NOT a training program. There are many, many, good firearms training programs out there to choose from. Personally, I’m a fan of the NRA Personal Protection classes and Combat Focus Shooting instruction, but if you look around and ask around, I’m sure you’ll find a good instructor who’s near where you live.

So what’s a good gun to buy after you’ve purchased and familiarized yourself with your defensive firearm? What gun should you buy next? We’ll, that depends on a number of factors. If you’ve bought a rifle, shotgun or larger pistol for home defense, you may want to consider buying a smaller pistol for concealed carry so you can stay safe outside of the home as inside of it. 

If you have a pistol that works for concealed carry and home defense, consider purchasing a rifle that shoots .22 Long Rifle ammunition. .22 rifles are lightweight, VERY easy to shoot and the ammo is cheap to buy. .22 rifles are very common guns and will help teach trigger control and sight picture: There’s a reason why the Boy Scouts use them to teach marksmanship to young kids, and they’ll help shooters of any skill level get better. 

ruger1022

Something like the Ruger 10/22 is perfect for this job. It’s inexpensive, easy to find and can be endlessly accessorized and customized so you end up with a gun that’s right for your needs. Buy one today, and you’ll have a gun you can keep as an heirloom for future generations, 

Thinking About Getting A Concealed Carry Permit?

Published July 5, 2013 by
Filed under Carry, CCW, Self Defense

ccw_bag

You’re not alone if you are. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that concealed carry and personal defense is what’s driving the recent uptick in gun sales

Applications for “concealed-carry” permits are soaring in many states, some of which recently eased permit requirements. The numbers are driven in part by concern that renewed gun-control efforts soon could constrain access to weapons, along with heightened interest in self-defense in the wake of mass killings in Newtown, Conn., and Aurora, Colo. 

People are beginning to realize they are and always will be their own first responder and are getting a permit to carry a concealed firearm with them because a cop is too big to carry in a holster. 

Ladies, It’s Time to Stop Expecting Someone Else to Protect You

Published July 3, 2013 by
Filed under Mindset, Self Defense

“I don’t know what I would do if I was alone and something happened.”

Sound familiar?  Unfortunately, it probably does.  Whether it’s nature or nurture, most women have an expectation that someone else will step in to protect them in a life-threatening situation.

gun-owner-victim-select-one-TGBI’m not going to get into any feminist arguments about this subject, but the truth of the matter is, many of us women expect others (our men, neighbors or even strangers) to protect us from bodily harm.  It’s reasonable for us to expect that our parental figures would protect us from the boogie man and bumps in the night when we were younger, but all too often, this mindset often carries over to adulthood for many women.  

I will admit that I lived most of my life with a victim mentality and I never thought about changing my dangerous and possibly fatal mindset.  It was only after I became proficient with a firearm and started competing that I realized I was no longer dependent on anyone else to protect me. Looking back, I realize how unfair this mentality and expectation was to my loved ones and myself.  I also feel quite fortunate that I’ve made it this far, considering I had no skills or plan to protect myself and unfairly relied on others to do something extraordinary on my behalf.

308965_2195581329190_2039142029_nThe good news on this subject is that there has never been a better time for women to learn to protect and defend themselves, and you don’t have to relegate yourself to Tactical Elite Operator Combat Courses or any other type of training that may seem intimidating or uncomfortable.  There are several great options out there for women who would like to learn to use a firearm in a non-intimidating environment with other like-minded women.  I chose the women-only route when I got my start with shooting, and I’m glad I did.  The women I received my training from are some of the best competitive shooters in the world, and we are very lucky to have the opportunity to learn from them. 

If you are a woman that would like to learn independence, I encourage you to contact one of the following groups:  
 

Babes with Bullets – These wonderful ladies hold a series of camps held across the US, offering a three day firearms training program for novice women who have little or no handgun experience.  This is where I learned to use a firearm and as a bonus, learned the basics of practical pistol competition. 

A Girl and A Gun Shooting League – A ladies only organization established by women shooters for women shooters for pistol, rifle and shotgun sports.  The league is designed to take beginners to whatever skill level they wish to achieve, and provide experienced shooters with more opportunities.  They have chapters across several states, click the link to find a chapter in your area.

The Well Armed Woman – Local groups of women around the country that meet monthly to practice, learn and grow as shooters. Creating opportunities for women to be introduced to issues important to women shooters, learn safe gun handling skills and train together.  TWAW also has chapters across several states, click the link to find a chapter in your area.

The Cornered Cat – Defensive handgun classes for women with compassionate instruction, and usable shooting techniques that work well with female body types.  Click the link to find a class in your area.

Will Shooting Firearms Competitions Get You Killed?

Published July 1, 2013 by
Filed under Carry, CCW, Competition, Equipment, IDPA, Mindset, Self Defense, USPSA

Short answer: No. Doing dumb gun stuff in the midst of a gunfight gets you killed.
You can avoid doing dumb gun stuff under pressure by shooting practical pistol matches because they help vaccinate you against such things, one match at time. However, if you treat a real gunfight like it was a shooting match, you’ll be in a world of hurt.

Long answer: 

Massad Ayoob is probably THE most respected firearms instructor and personal defense consultant alive today. He literally wrote the book on personal defense with a firearm and his MAG40 pistol class is considered to be one of the best classes for dealing with what happens before, during and after the defensive use of a firearm. What does he say about shooting practical pistol matches? 

“A shooting competition isn’t a gun fight, but a gun fight is most definitely a shooting competition.” 

And he prefers IDPA as well.

Another firearms expert, Todd Green, formerly of Beretta, H+K, Sig-Sauer and now of pistol-training.com, explains his reasons why he recommends shooting competitions

“Possibly the biggest benefit of competition is that it is often the most stressful shooting many people will ever be exposed to. While obviously not the same as being in an actual gunfight, shooting in a competitive event in front of peers and strangers will do a great job of showing you just how easy it is to make mental mistakes under stress. Learning to stay focused on the task at hand and building experience fixing mistakes under pressure both have legitimate real world payoffs.
At the end of the day, there are pros and cons to competition shooting for the ‘defense-minded’shooter. But, the pros are pretty universal and the cons are really only cons if you let them be. (Emphasis in the original) 

motivator13216bd5a188f0f305a9ccd7a343f7353bfd141bHere’s some more expert opinion from top firearms trainer Mike Seeklander: Marine veteran, former law-enforcement officer and host of The Best Defense on Outdoor Channel. 

“I’ve always been a proponent of competitive shooting, as long as the individual competing understands what they are going to get out of shooting matches. They’re going to love it. They are going to get some energy from it. They are going to want to do it more. It will make the average person, especially the average police officer who doesn’t get to train much, WANT to train because every human wants to be better at something. BUT the rules of the game are different than the rules of defense with a gun.” (emphasis in the original)

So, will firearms competitions get you killed?

Yes, if you expect that a gunfight will play out by the rules of your game of choice. 

But if you want to shoot accurately and quickly during one of the worst days of your life, you may find that regularly shooting practical pistol competitions like IPDA or USPSA will provide you the skills and mindset you need to survive a gunfight and come out on top. 

Mind Frame

Published June 26, 2013 by
Filed under Carry, CCW, Mindset, Self Defense

Hermosillo OrphanageI was a commercial advertising photographer for 15 years, and it always seemed that once somebody found out what I did for a living (usually guys) the next question would inevitably be, “Hey, so what’s a good camera for me” or “How do I take better pictures?”

My answers to these questions were true, but rarely pleasing. A good camera is the the one you currently own, as long as you have it with you and you know how to use it, and the secret to taking better pictures is taking LOTS of them and learn from your mistakes. “Well,” I’d say, “how many rolls of film do you shoot each week?”

Their eyes would glaze over, and you could see the gears of their mind slip as they grappled with the idea of shooting *a* roll of film a week just for practice, much less multiple rolls of film. For the record, my favorite camera wasn’t the Hassies or Sinars I owned, it was my little Olympus XA because I could carry it all the time and have it ready for when great photos happened right in front of me. Is there a connection between that and personal defense? You betcha. 

Craftsmanship and intent of purpose makes the difference between taking pictures and making a photograph. I’ve had some lucky shots in my time, but I’ve found that that the harder I work, the more great photos I take (like the shot that starts off this post).

Same thing with pistol shooting. When I mention to friends and acquaintances that my hobby is practical pistol competitions, I get asked “Y’know, I was thinking about getting a gun for home defense, and…,”(and yes, it’s usually guys that ask this question as well).

A pistol is not a talisman against attackers, just like buying the latest and greatest camera ain’t gonna make you Galen Rowell. Attitude, practice and dedication (and a whole lot of natural skill) are what make good photographers and good pistol shooters.

Being interested in defending your family against attack is a very good thing, but first start with the basics: Is the exterior of your home well-lit? Is there anything about your house that would discourage an intruder and send him somewhere else? Do you practice the Cooper Color Code or something similar when you’re out and about? No amount of firepower will make up for somebody getting the drop on you, and there’s not a pistol in the world that deters home invasions like an alarm company sign on your front lawn. 

The type of hardware you use is secondary (if not tertiary) to having the right attitude and state of mind, because the best gunfight is the one you DIDN’T get into. 

Stay safe. Have fun. And carry your gun, because it’s a lighter burden than regret. 

Another Reason Why This Website Exists

Published June 24, 2013 by
Filed under Carry, Competition, Equipment, Mindset, Practice, Self Defense, Training

If you've bought a gun recently, you're in a the majority.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation recently completed a survey of new gun owners and found that…

  • The majority of first-time buyers (60.3 percent) tend to be active, using their gun once per month or more, with one in five reporting usage of once a week or more.
  • Target shooting is by far the most popular shooting activity among first-time gun owners, with 84.3 percent of respondents saying they used their firearms for this purpose, followed by hunting (37.7 percent) and plinking (27.4 percent). Practical pistol shooting (17.3 percent) and clay-target shooting (14.6 percent) were shooting sports also enjoyed by first-time buyers.
  • First-time gun owners who have participated in hunting (53.2 percent), practical pistol shooting (46.3 percent), clay-target sports (44.0 percent) and gun collecting (42.4 percent) said they want to increase their participation in these activities.

If you’re one of the many, many people who has purchased a gun in the last few years, welcome, we hope you’ll find something you’ll find useful and enjoyable. 

Stick around, and we’ll both learn something. 

A Quick Start Guide to Practical Pistol Competition

Published June 20, 2013 by
Filed under Carry, CCW, Equipment, Mindset, Practice, Self Defense, Training

As a relative newbie who still remembers his first pistol competition, I thought I’d jot down a few notes to help others get started. I ain’t Rob Leatham (yet), but I sympathize with those who want to get into practical pistol but don’t know where to start.

  • Shoot your daily carry pistol to start, but only if your daily carry gun is a compact 9mm or larger. If you carry a .38 snubbie or a compact .380, shoot something else. I started out with a CZ75 for home defence, and that’s what I still use in competition.
  • Don’t succumb to the temptation to lowball the holster. A $30 Fobus may look the same as a $70 BladeTech, but they’re completely different to use. One releases smoothly and easily every time, and the other can hang up and turn into an embarrassing, slow and potentially dangerous tug of war. I found this one out the hard way.
  • Don’t be intimidated by the other shooters. Even Brian Enos started out as a newbie.
  • Go to a match just to watch and learn the etiquette, safety routine and procedures of shooting before you compete.
  • Be sure to tell the scorer it’s your first time competing in a match: Chances are there will be a safety briefing you’ll need to go through before you compete, and that gives the scorer a chance to team you up with a more experienced shooter who can show you the ropes.
  • Practical pistol is a good way to learn how to shoot in a stressful environment, but it’s also a sport, so…
  • Relax. Be safe. Have fun.

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