Training – The “ZipLoc” Test . . . .

 

There has been a running discussion on a number of training blogs/Facebook pages that I frequent recently on the topic of when, exactly, would you or I, as a person who carries a weapon for personal defense, inject ourselves and our weapons into a confrontation between two or more other people. A dicey situation to say the least. One that can easily be made much complex if we come into the middle of the situation rather than being able to watch it unfold before our eyes.

There is a well-known blogger/trainer/police officer by the name of Greg Ellifritz who recently related a call he was involved with in an article entitled “A Cautionary Tale for CCW Permit Carriers”. The link will take you to his company page. Take a moment and read the article, it will put the rest of this post in context.

There are many ways this event could have gone sideways. The civilian could have shot the loss prevention officer. Or, the officer could have engaged the civilian. The officer arriving on scene could have engaged the civilian. Thankfully the civilian left, the thief was arrested and everyone went home at the end of the day.

There are other examples floating around out there – and they all give pause to this thought . . . what would YOU do? Let’s talk about this a bit.

I divide this topic into two separate categories – “Accompanied” and “Un-Accompanied”.

“Accompanied”

I am out and about “accompanied” by my wife, friend, kids, grandkids or someone else I would consider as being under my protection. And THAT is where my allegiance lies should I happen upon a situation where it appears that one person is being attacked by one or more attackers. Those people IN MY CHARGE are my primary responsibility and I will do what I must to protect THEM from harm – period! I will guide them away from the area immediately if possible, I will take them to cover if that is my only option and I will remain with them and protect them until help arrives or I’m dead.

There is a great deal you can do that is helpful while you are securing your charges. Call 911, tell them who you are, where you are, what is going on, give full and complete descriptions, tell them you are protecting those in your charge and that you are armed, describe your location, what you are wearing and then stay on the line until assistance arrives. Your moral obligation lies with those in your charge – and nowhere else.

Sound harsh? Perhaps, but if your involvement has any possibility of putting your loved ones in harm’s way – I earnestly suggest you take a pass, protect your charges and then be the best witness you can be.

“Un-Accompanied”

In this case, I am out and about by myself – no charges under my protection. At this point I recommend the “ZipLoc Test”. I see an encounter between two people – and it is obvious that one of them is about to go home in a ZipLoc – the person under attack may be about to be shot, stabbed or beaten to death with some blunt object. At that point I would make the decision whether to intervene or not. Honestly, I do not believe I could take a pass and walk away and let a person be killed in front of me. Gratefully I have never been in such an encounter – but I have thought about it, have gamed different scenarios as I walk the street or parking lot or restaurant or store. And the ZipLoc Test is my go/no go point.

Once that decision has been made – that you ARE going to act, a number of other factors come into play . . .

• One or Multiple Attackers
• Type of weapon/weapons the attacker is using
• Possible “tail gunners” (others involved that are hanging in the crowd to see if there are any “Duddly Do-Rights” like you out there)
• By-Standers
• Do you have a shot?
• Where are the exits and entrances?
• Is cover available?
• Have the police been called?

Once you decide to act, once you have drawn your weapon – you have entered a world where you have chosen to use deadly force to stop the encounter if necessary. From the instant your weapon clears the holster you own everything you do – the words you use, the rounds you fire and the lives you take. You MUST be able to justify every action and every piece of equipment you have on you from your weapon to the rounds in the chamber. You must be able to articulate this in a clear and concise fashion.

And, should the attacker suddenly turn on you – you must be willing to stop the threat. That instant is life changing. It is a grave responsibility to take another life. The time to prepare for an encounter like this, or an encounter that threatens only you – is now, today . . . not with your attorney as you prep for your trial.

You MUST be proficient in the use of your weapon. You MUST understand how to defend your actions. You MUST be able to justify and articulate your actions, your weapons, your ammunition, your training . . . your entire history in the use of firearms. In the course work I teach I continually preach the idea of a “thinking shooter”. I understand the “rush” of the quick draw and the two rounds on target in less than two seconds. But if it is done in situations like those above and done without thought or full evaluation of what is going on . . . your day may not end well.

Obviously the response to a direct “Condition Red” situation is much different than you being drawn into a situation involving two or more other people. In “Condition Red” you are simply reacting to save your own life. But, to inject yourself into someone else’s situation – that demands that your head be in the game, that you be a thinking shooter and not just some guy/gal packin’ heat that decides to go all sheepdog.

Bottom line – YOU are responsible for your actions . . . and you better be damn clear why you took them . . .

Just the Basics - Your Every Day Carry – EDC – Gear . . .

 

At times there seems to be a lot of mystique around E.D.C. gear – Every Day Carry equipment. There are some that seem to promote the idea that there is some type of mysterious mix of equipment that only the “learned few” firmly grasp. The reality is much simpler . . . much more focused . . . and targeted for your specific needs/wants. I’ll review my gear in a bit but I’d like to spend a bit on the “why” of EDC gear.

Basically, they are your base-line survival kit – other than that kit you carry between your ears anyway. Your EDC gear is meant to keep you in communications with the world – be they family or emergency responders. It should be able to provide you directions or – at the very least – indicate your direction of travel. You should be able to light up dark places and make minor repairs. It should provide you a primary weapon for personal defense and a secondary weapon should your primary fail and maybe a third, just in case. It must provide the means to easily carry this equipment while fully concealing it from those around you. And, finally, it should be comfortable enough that you will wear or carry it EVERY DAY. Hence . . . Every Day Carry . . . Let’s take a look at my EDC gear – most of which I’ve carried in one form or another for 40+ years.

Knives:

Leatherman Juice CS4: I carry two knives – one as part of my pocket tool kit and the second as a backup defensive weapon. I’ve carried this specific Leatherman Juice CS4 for over 10 years. It is built tough and I have used

every component in it from the saw to the awl to the scissors to the knife blade. It’s my primary tool I carry to customer’s businesses for computer repair. If I need more than what’s on this tool – the computer goes back to the office.

You’ll note I carry it in an old Gerber tool pouch with two other vital pieces of EDC gear – ways to start a fire. I always teach my scouts or anyone I teach wilderness survival to – you MUST carry 3 ways to start a fire on your person every day – period. Here you see a small, disposable lighter and a scraper/striker combination for starting tinder with a spark. Also, tucked away in my wallet is a small frenzel lens to focus sunlight as a third option to start a fire should the need arise.

I see this knife/kit as a foundational element to any daily gear and survival kit.

Kershaw Skyline: As a backup defensive weapon I carry the Kershaw Skyline folding knife. It rides in my right-side pants pocket and is the latest iteration of a carry knife that has ridden in that location for more years than I

care to remember. I find the Skyline slim and light. The G10 panels provide a firm grip and the blade is sturdy and easily holds an edge between routine maintenance stops. It’s a great carry option.

Watch:

I firmly believe watches should perform multiple functions. My watch of choice is the Casio Pathfinder 2000T. Obviously it tells time . . . using a solar powered system . . . and radio sync to the national time standard. Let’s just say it keeps good time! Since I spend time in the wilderness it has three

additional functions that are a must, an altimeter that at least provides an indication of traveling up and down and is typically within 600ft., a barometer – worth its weight because it can inform you of changing weather patterns. It typically gives me about a 2-hour heads-up on arriving storm systems. And a compass that I simply hold to my chest, press a button and my heading is immediately shown for about 15 seconds. It has timers and alarms – none of which I seem to use. The watch’s primary purposes – time, barometric readings and direction make the Pathfinder an essential part of my EDC gear.

Flashlight:

I’ve been carrying the Surefire LED 6P Defender for a couple years now. It’s rugged, reliable and easily acts as a second backup weapon by using the

serrated bezel as a striking face. I find I change out the batteries (C123s) about every 6 months whether it needs it or not. Honestly, I can’t see leaving the house without this in my pocket!

Phone:

I am a geek through and through. I typically fit the “early adopter” category. My current smartphone is the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Given that I build my first computer in 1978 I find I am still amazed to hold this piece of gear in my

hand. From an EDC POV this “phablet” provides a communication system, navigation system, electronic compass, the ability to photograph or video record a scene/event and store a host of documents from survival guides to weapons manuals. If you have not taken the leap to a truly powerful smartphone I would encourage you to . . . it’s time.

Belt:

Your belt needs to be sturdy enough to not only hold up your pants/slacks/skirt . . . but also a couple pounds of gun and ammunition. DON’T GO CHEAP!! For me, 90% of the time I wear the gear belt from 5.11

Tactical. I purchased the double sided one but find I seldom have the black-side out. This is a spectacular piece of gear that truly knows its purpose in the world and does it well.

Carry Weapon:

My typical carry weapon is a Glock 17 carried in a Blackhawk leather IWB holster at the 4 o’clock. This combination works great for me and is a change from the LC9 a carried about 2 years ago. It’s been a good move providing a full sized handgun and 15 rounds available to put down a threat (I never load a magazine to full capacity – old habit). For cover garments I typically wear an un-tucked polo shirt or Henley. Or, I wear a cover jacket or sport coat.

A word of caution – if you are reading this and are new to carrying your weapon on a daily basis . . . please, spend a significant amount of time using dry fire to practice your draw – extension – engagement of a threat. I’ve promoted the crap out of LaserLyte rounds or SIRT pistols for that purpose – use them. But your draw needs to be automatic, instinctive, swift . . . and the only thing that will get you there is hundreds/thousands of draws. There is no shortcut.

Spare Magazine:

I always carry a spare magazine – again loaded with 15 rounds. I do this for a couple of reasons. Honestly I do not expect an engagement to take over a couple of rounds to determine the result. If it requires the full 15 rounds in my

carry weapon – I’m in deep, deep crap and I do my best to stay out of those locations. However, you may well be in a situation where you face multiple attackers – that changes the game and a second magazine may come in handy.

More likely is a magazine failure. Yes I check my magazines, yes – I maintain them, Yes – I use them. But that’s no guarantee that the one in my carry weapon won’t go to crap at the exact time I need it . . . it’s nice to have a spare.

“Yes . . . but you don’t carry every day . . . right?”

Murphy is a brutal teacher caring little whether you see you wife/husband/child again. Yes . . . I carry every day. After my morning S-S-S, I put on my T-Shirt and pants. Before I buckle my belt I pick up my holstered weapon from its place next to the bed and place it at the 4 o’clock – then buckle my belt. After shoes and shirt I slip my flashlight, Leatherman and Kershaw into their proper place. On goes my watch, smartphone in the rear-right pocket and spare magazine in my rear left pocket or the new pouch I’ll currently test driving. At that instant, I’m as ready as I’m going to be to defend myself, my family or my friends. Everything remains in their “home” until I get ready for bed where I reverse the process finally placing my holstered weapon and flashlight on a small chest next to my side of the bed . . . ready for the next day.

Every day is every day . . . and that is exactly why choice of weapon and gear is so important. While a Desert Eagle .50 Cal may be a cool lookin’ weapon . . . you’re not going to strap that gun on each and every day. Find a gun that fits, get a good holster and belt and simply wear your defensive weapon . . . EVERY FRICKIN’ DAY!

Like I said at the beginning – there is nothing mysterious about EDC gear. And yours may well turn out to be different than mine. The bottom line is to prepare, to get your head in the game, to acknowledge that “shit happens” and today may well be your day. . .

EDC gear – it stands between you and the bad guy. Carry it! Every Day!

Survival - Care and Feeding of Boots . . .

 

I’m sitting at the kitchen table this morning, watching the sunrise and getting my morning dose of Vitamin D. It’s chilly out – about 13F and the wind is rockin’ the trees/wood patch outside my sliding doors with gusts over 30mph. The past couple days snow – a dusting really of about 4 inches – is blowing past the doors – it’s seems Winter is determined to settle it.

This requires some “adjustments” – winter gear in both my Jeep and my wife’s van. The heavy leather flight jacket, lined workman’s gloves, Smartwool socks and a change if foot wear as well. I tried to stick with my Rockports yesterday . . . . time for “boots”.

I have three pairs of boots – the “holy crap is it cold and I’m going to be out in it on a campout for the weekend” pair, the “Hiking Boots” and the “Combat Boots”. I’m going to pass on the “holy crap” pair for this post – they may well need a post of their own. So let’s spend some time on the care and feeding of my “Hiking Boots” and my “Combat Boots”.

They have been my “Hiking Boots” since I first bought this particular pair. They are made by Monarch and are Gore-Tex lined. I purchased them – and a lady’s pair for my wife – in preparation for our “hike across Scotland”. We began in Inverness and ended 10 days later on the Isle of Skye. It sounds tougher than it was. We would travel to a region, stay in a bed and breakfast and then hike the local area. From city to peat bog to mountains to sea shore we covered around 70 miles. What a great trip, made better by good foot gear.

A hiking boot – one constructed especially to protect and support your foot and ankle during extended foot-travel needs to do a number of things. It needs to provide a solid foundation for your specific foot. This is done through a combination of a sturdy sole that can grip the expected terrain firmly, a snug (NOT tight) fit and with boot inserts that can further tailor the fit of the boot to your individual foot’s need.

 

It must protect your foot from the typical abrasions of foot travel – scrapes against rock, plant life and downed branches.

And, it must protect your ankle from the unexpected twist or fall.

It should be loose enough to allow some movement of a foot encased by a base sock of polypropylene that is covered by a good wool sock – I like Smartwool socks best.

If you are an all-season hiker – hot or cold, dry or wet – it should do its best to defend your foot from the elements as well.

There are endless types of boots but they basically break down into two major categories – composite/synthetic or leather. A composite boot has a synthetic sole and a synthetic upper that – for my purposes – would extend over the ankle and typically include additional support structure. These may or may not be Gore-Tex lined and can be waterproofed by any number of silicone sprays. I have never found a pair that truly fit my foot for the long haul and have not purchased a pair for over a decade – though I do have a remaining pair – the topic for the next boot-type.

A good leather boot essentially meshes with your foot – becomes “one with your foot”, all while providing comfort, a solid fit and good support. This is what I find with my Monarch’s. For me – distance hiking or just good support during crappy weather – is best handled by a good pair of leather boots. Period.

Their care and feeding is not much different from the care and feeding of my weapons or my knives or my other camping/trekking gear. My boots want to be clean, they want their laces updated periodically, they want the spaces between their cleats clean and they want to be “lubed”.

To clean my boot – especially if muddy – I let the mud dry and the brush off as much as I can with a fairly stiff brush. Once clean I’ll use some of my wife’s saddle soap to remove the remain dirt and again let them dry. Finally I apply a fairly thick layer of Mink Oil for waterproofing and to keep the leather supple. That is what I did this morning as I watched the snow blow by. I dug out my can of Mink Oil, the tooth brush I use as an applicator, and I worked it into each crack and crevice. I typically do this about 3 times a year. It’s a labor of love that I find very relaxing – and I enjoy the resulting warm, dry feet as well.

My second primary pair of boots are my “Combat Boots” because, well, I was introduced to them as I got my issued clothing when reaching my final base in Vietnam. Obviously, this particular pair is not my final pair of in-country boots. But they are virtually identical to those I wore 40+ years ago. They are my paddling boots.

When you prepare to take a long distance paddle – multi day, multi portage, let’s say 50-100 miles – foot care is vital. There is no help . . . you can’t dial 911 . . . twist an ankle, cut a foot, break a foot . . . you and your travel companions must get you out. It’s important to find a boot to fully protect your foot.

Add to that the whole idea of whether you want to travel the day “wet footing” or “dry footing” and another parameter is added. To make it simple for me, I have long since decided I’m fine with “wet footing”. The typical combination of a polypropylene base sock covered by a Smartwool sock provides good cushion whether my foot is wet or dry. The design of the Vietnam era combat boot was a composite sole with a metal insert to protect the bottom of your foot, leather lower around your toe and heal and then a canvas upper with additional strapping for ankle support. It is the ideal paddle boot. It has a number of advantages for the “wet footer”. There are small ports built into the arch of the boot that allows your natural walking movement to pump water out of the boot. The canvas upper will dry fairly quickly and the boot “breaths” again allowing your foot to dry once you have stopped moving for the day. (Though I typically pack a pair of camp shoes of some type to allow the boot to fully dry overnight).

When not on a paddle, these boots are my yard-working boots. They are decades old, very comfy and honestly I do little maintenance on them as can be seen in the photo. They do exactly what they were designed to do – take the rigors of combat in a jungle environment, protect and support my foot – and require little or no maintenance in the meantime.

Boots are your travel base. If your feet blister, if your boot does not protect your foot from the terrain, if your boot does not protect your ankle against sprains . . . your journeys may be short and painful.

Find good boots, take care of them, wear them, enjoy them . . . they are one of the most important pieces of gear you own!

Commentary . . . Do you have rights? . . . Thoughts from an old fart . . .

 

A post appeared from a scout of mine on his Facebook page today. Our exchange went like this:

Scout: Do you believe that you have rights?...... Why? Who gave them to you? Can they be taken away from you? If they are inalienable and God given why do different countries have different numbers of rights? Why do some countries have no rights? Rights are nothing more then temporary privileges.

Me: Individual rights are a gift from God . . . but you have to want to keep them . . .

Scout: It seems to be the common explanation, I don't get it though, if God gave us the bill of rights why is there over 100 different rights documents in different countries that
say very different things? Did God just forget some inalienable rights for some people?
or perhaps God forgot how to count? Also what about amendments? did God change his mind due to reacting to some popular culture issue?

Rather than just a quick back and forth – I gave it some thought. We live in a disturbing time when Constitutional rights are simply ignored, when the “authorities” feel free to spy, invade, arrest at will. While it affects few – the effects can be felt throughout the nation. It unsettles me a great deal. After said “thought” – this was my reply:

Me: Perhaps take if from a different POV . . .God gave "us" preliminary guidance in the "Garden" . . . "do what I say", yet we also had free will and chose not to follow Him. He gave additional guidance in the 10 Commandments yet with our free will humans struggle with the "dark" and their ability to remain true to even these few 10 rules of civilized behavior. Throughout Jesus' life he led by example . . . actually showed us how to live our life . . . humans killed him for it.

Throughout history the strong have vanquished and ruled weak. I view our experiment as truly unique in recorded human history. You can view our Constitution however you choose - divinely inspired or just the work of truly gifted men that were - for the most part - men of faith. Their belief was that man . . . humans . . . were granted basic human rights, "life, liberty, pursuit of happiness". The Bill of Rights were an afterthought when fears of an expansive, repressive government crept in during the very early days of our government.

Personally, I choose to believe the "rights" as delineated are true whether put down on paper or not. The ability to speak freely, believe as I choose, associate with whom I choose, the right of personal/private property, to be treated equally, to be judged by my peers . . . and all the rest are my right as a human man. Regardless of location on the face of the earth. And, they are my mine to defend . . . or surrender as I choose. Countless people in the US - and across the world - have surrendered many of these freedoms in the "hope" of peace, in the "hope" of security, in the "hope" for freedom from want . . . and failed. There is nothing magic about the US. Many depend of the ruling government to provide for their needs and wants rather than the person they see in the mirror. Many live - actually depend on their continued ability to eat and have shelter - by the largess of the government. What the government gives . . . it can take away. Freedoms surrendered can be a bitch to get back.

I view the last election of Obama as a significant “tipping” point . . . he promised ice cream for all . . . simply lied in the face of those who placed their trust, their future, their wellbeing, their ability to have jobs, food and shelter . . . and still there is “hope” for “change”. We are now ruled by the “ice cream cone”. As for God – and His place in this, honestly I suspect he’s disappointed in our choices and directions. Still, we are choosing our path . . .

Not sure I will live long enough to see what happens when our social system collapses from its own weight. But as the saying goes – “that which cannot be sustained will not continue” . . . and our social network cannot be sustained . . . what comes after – it won’t be pretty. My advice?

• Live small.
• Make good friends.
• Move to the center of the country.
• Own enough property to be self-sufficient.
• Own firearms, know how to use them and be willing to defend yourself, your family and your friends.
• A strong faith will get you through the rough patches of your life, regardless of their cause.
• Freedom is not free . . . ask a vet.
• You, as an individual, choose to live free . . . or not

There ya go Doug, thoughts from an old fart. Remember, we live in the Matrix anyway . . . man that was a great trip!

I’d be interested in your thoughts . . . do we have “Rights”? What kind of danger are they in? Do you believe we, as a country, have the courage to stand up to an over-reaching government and simply say “No!”?

Big questions . . . big questions . . .

Review - Basic Pistol 12-8-2013

 

With a forecast of 2-4 inches of snow, warmer temps – into the low teens, and two guys ready to jump into the NRA Basic Pistol course, what better place to be than in our local Ikes chapter house with its associated range to spend the day. And, TheBoy was lending a hand to give him some more instruction time as well, a nice bonus. Coffee made, furnace doing its best to warm things up, donuts at the ready and a 12 pack of Diet Coke . . . we’re ready to rock!

A lot of folks think fewer students means a shorter class . . . alas – not true. While you can save some time on the range, the rest simply “takes what it takes”.

In the winter, when “sun set” is essentially 4:30PM or so, I shuffle things around a bit so we can hit the range right after lunch. Both Jim and Bill are new to handguns which is usually good news to me. It means that I don’t have to beat my way through poor habits or heads filled full of misinformation.

So, we roll through SA, DA revolvers, SA, DA, SA/DA, Safe Action semi-automatics, safety rules, range rules, range commands, loading/unloading all handguns, safe handling . . . a full morning that ends with a SIRT range experience. I put up a couple targets, place the shooters at 21ft and work through their first “range trip”. I have to admit the more I use SIRT pistols with new shooters, the more I appreciate them. The difference on how they perform on a live fire range is really noticeable. You can cover everything from stance/grip/sight alignment/sight picture to range commands to duplicating how they will run the live fire qualification.

Following lunch we packed up gear, move a range barrel to the firing line and prepared them for their first target. I use this for their first course of fire – a single round followed by their second course of fire – 10 rounds. These first targets are theirs to keep. A second target is mounted and a 10 round qualification round is shot. I evaluate everything from their safe gun handling skills to their ability to place rounds on the target.

A word about shooting in cold/snow/wind/rain . . . just do it. It may require you to slow the pace of the range work – but weather is simply weather – deal with it.

We pack up, return to the warmth of the chapter house and finish out the course and the exam. Final result – two new NRA trained shooters, TheBoy got to work with students and refine his teaching skills and we all gained a few “range stories” of snow, cold and wind chills . . . a fine day indeed!

 

		NRA BP 12-8-2013 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

December 7th . . .

 

December 7th . . . just after 1:07 PM EST . . . this is what our parents and grandparents heard . . .

My father was off to build tanks at the GM plant in Flint, MI. My Uncle Victor to fly B-17s for the 8th Air Force. My Uncle Clemme to teach navigation for bombers in Mississippi. They made us all proud . . .

 

Training – Documentation

 

Most of what a defensive shooter does when selecting a defensive weapon, choosing equipment, doing course work and training on the range is in preparation for something virtually none of us want . . . . having to respond to a violent personal attack.

I want to chat a bit about a very small portion of this process that can have a major impact on your ability to survive the post-attack world of our court system, the documentation of your course work and training.

I separate “course work” and “training” into two separate categories. When I say “course work” what I mean are those formal training courses you take. These may be courses like the NRA courses, courses taught by places like Thunder Range, Gunsite or TDI. Classroom work like my recently completed MAG-20 course. Or “run and gun” courses like the “Point, Shoot Progression” course I took from Suarez a few years back. Most are focused on a specific skill set or a specific set of knowledge that you view as useful to your individual training goals.

Add to that specific DVD course work from companies like PDN and Magpul – to name just a few – and your ability to broaden your skill set grows. Then add in host of books written by virtually every reputable trainer in the training industry – and it broadens even more.

This body of “course work” that you take or view or read can be one of your defensive lines in court in the event you are involved in a shooting and are charged with any number of gun crimes available to an ambitious county attorney, or by a civil attorney looking to add to the thickness of his wallet.

For you, the defensive shooter – this body of work provides evidence of your intention to take your defense seriously, to learn the proper use of a firearm, to learn how to shoot it correctly, to develop a skill set that will allow you to carry safely and to properly respond to an attack. It shows your intent to be a good citizen. Your diligence in training may well be the difference between going home with your family or spending the next 20 years with a bunk mate called “bunny”.

Document this information. Keep every certificate, keep every note, keep every target, make a list of every book you own regarding firearms training, make a list of every DVD on your shelf regarding the use of a firearm, list all your subscriptions, all your professional memberships like the NRA, list all the training websites like PDN that you may belong to. This entire body of work can be used to show in a court of law that you take your use of a firearm and your personal defense, the defense of your family and friends seriously and that you put in the work to make sure you are the best you can be.

Massad Ayoob, in the MAG-20 course I took suggested you then take these certificates and lists, place them in a large mailer and then send them to yourself via certified mail. Once received, do not open them, store them in a safe place against the day that they may be needed to be opened in a court of law as proof of your seriousness in learning your defensive firearm skills. Pretty darn good advice. If you have not done this – take a few hours over the coming weekend, gather the material and do it. It might just save your butt someday.

When I say the word “training” – this is the “grunt work”. This is the time on the range working on everything from stance-grip-sight alignment-sight picture to “getting off the x”.

If you take a walk through the blog, especially under the “Range Trips” heading to the right, you can get a feel for what a range trip means to me.

Have a plan. Why are you going? To just put holes in paper? Or are you going to work on your presentation of your defensive weapon? I would urge you to consider that virtually anyone can send rounds down range to make holes in paper. However, a serious defensive shooter will work with purpose. I believe that this dedication to training with your defensive skillset will stand you in good stead if you are ever in a witness stand defending your actions.

I believe your range trips should be designed to reinforce those skills you have been introduced to in your various course work. I encourage you to keep it simple – the draw, movement, getting quick and accurate hits on your threat, working malfunctions to keep your gun running. These skills will keep you alive – spend time with them. And document these trips. I’ve grown very fond of the use of my smartphone to photograph my target after each specific drill. I will date the target and make notes on the drill on the target with a large marker, then I photograph the target. And then tape it for the next set of drills. For you, on the stand – it can provide visual evidence of your effort as well as your proficiency. And, clicking a photo with your phone is quick and simple.

Don’t ignore the use of dry fire, LaserLyte rounds and SIRT pistols. I make time in my office (yes, I know – I’m very fortunate in that area) to send about 100 “rounds” down range every day. You can certainly do something similar in your garage, family room or basement. Again, make notes in a “range book” on what you worked on.

All of these efforts - this entire “pattern of behavior” - can be used for much more than simply developing your defensive skills as a shooter. They can show a jury of your peers that you took your responsibility seriously. While we can all smile and nod knowingly at the phrase “I’d rather be tried by 12 than carried by six!” – make damn sure that those 12 people who hold your future in their hands know that you took your individual choice to carry a defensive weapon seriously, that you worked with it on an ongoing basis and that you sought out the best course work available to you.

Or you and “bunny” may well become very close friends . . .