When we prepare for violent encounters, we tend to think of things going a certain way. Everyone is different, but common themes include suspicion of a threat, then probably confirmation, and engagement of that threat, followed by assessment that the threat is neutralized, and then maybe a call to law enforcement/EMS.
While your personal odds of being involved in a violent encounter is statistically low, the stakes involved are as high as they get. Preparing for such a scenario is important, and should involve differing scenarios: We’ve all heard about the (apocryphal or not) cop who drew, shot twice, and reholstered, despite the threat not being ended, because “that’s how he trained”, yeah? Well, whether that happened or not, it speaks to the reality that we will generally respond to a deadly threat however we have trained, and planned for.
In the case Greg Ellifritz outlines in the linked blog post above, nothing was quite like he expected. There were indicators that gave him a weird enough vibe to feel it out without engaging, and it worked out well for him. But it was nothing like the usual home invasion scenario you hear people discussing in forums or on social media. He was prepared for a scenario that didn’t go to guns, as well as armed and trained to meet the more commonly dissected one.
He kept his head, prodded at the weirdness of the unfolding events, and because he did so, it all worked out great for him, in the least exciting way possible. If he had accepted the story, or gotten aggressive and opened the door to run them off, it may have gone quite differently. It was only the next morning, with fresh eyes, that he realized precisely what might have been going down. If he’d only prepared for a literal door-kicking, he might not have caught hints at what was going on, that only later stood out like a neon sign. Because of this, it wound up being a strange, confusing event, but ultimately boring.
It’s wise to consider that your defensive training and mindset might so thoroughly defuse someone else’s idea of what’s about to happen, that it just… doesn’t. The OODA loop goes both ways, and often, when you do things right, nobody knows you did anything at all.
The Best Defensive Scenario Is The One That Doesn’t Happen
The Five Best Budget PCCs and Subguns – Save Your Green
I love pistol-caliber carbines and subguns. I find them to be a ton of fun to shoot, and they tend to be some of the easier shooting weapons out there. PCCs come in all sizes and shapes and are perfectly suitable for home defense, plinking, and of course, competition. With the price of guns and ammo right now, a PCC makes sense. Budget PCCs make even more sense.
There are lots of budget PCCs out there, and most are generic AR clones of various quality considerations. Those can be okay, but I want to dig through the crap and deliver you the best budget PCCs out there. What’s a PCC, and what’s a subgun? They are two feathers from the same duck for our purposes.
Both shoot pistol calibers, and the main difference is more or less a legal configuration. A carbine is legally a rifle with a stock and what’s likely a 16-inch barrel. A subgun is a fancy word for a pistol-caliber large format pistol. Your CZ Scorpion pistols and MP5 pistols fall into this category. In full context it is short for submachine gun, which is a select-fire PCC and wouldn’t have a barrel length requirement beyond design performance. But since we keep redefining the redefinitions and overcomplicating things legally, subgun will be a pistol format PCC.
When I say budget, I’d love to say below 500 dollars, but that limits us to very few firearms these days. Inflation is a real pain, so let’s define budget as anything below 700 dollars.
The Top 5 Budget PCCS and Subguns
5. Extar EP9
The Extar EP9 was a gun I tip-toed around for some time. I never bought one because it’s a new company and an unproven platform. Extar seems to sell direct to consumers to reduce costs, so I could never handle one in a gun store. Luckily I finally drifted across one, and boy, oh boy, color me impressed.
It’s not fancy, but it’s effective, smartly designed, and affordable! For less than 500 dollars, you get a braced subgun that takes Glock mags and looks a little like an AR15. Looks like it, but it isn’t. The gun has a AR 15-like lower that mimics AR controls and design.
It’s a blowback-operated gun with a recoil dampening system to take some of that blowback sting out. It’s super nice to shoot, highly reliable, and comes with a long optics rail and an M-LOK handguard. Not bad for $449.
4. Keltec Sub 2000
One of the old-school budget PCCs comes from Kel-Tec, which might be Kel-Tec’s most popular and affordable long gun. The Sub 2000 is a simple blowback-operated PCC that can trace its lineage back to the Sten gun. It’s a simple tube gun design that chambers either 9mm or 40 S&W and uses popular pistol magazines from companies like Glock, SIG, and Smith and Wesson.
What sets the little gun apart is the fact it folds in half. The barrel folds upward and over the stock and locks in place. This creates a much shorter platform that stores easily and can easily be tucked into a backpack or messenger bag.
The recoil is snappy, but the gun is light. The Gen 2 features a hybrid handguard with M-LOK slots and Picatinny rail. It’s a fairly modern take on a very old operating system. It’s also easily found for less than 700 dollars, and I got mine for $350 a few years back.
3. Just Right Carbines Gen 3
The Just Right Carbine series are very simple blowback-operated PCCs that have some AR influence but aren’t exactly ARs. These guns are blowback-operated rifles that have a unique take on the PCC concept. The Just Right Carbine barely makes the budget PCCs list with an MSRP of $649, but the street price tends to be lower, close to the mid $500s.
What’s really neat about these rifles is the take-down design. The barrel and handguard drop off the receiver quickly and easily, making it a very compact package. These guns come in both PCC and subgun options.
Besides the breakdown capacity, shooters can convert calibers between 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP. These guns use either Glock or M&P magazines. They come in versions that are both SAFE Act and California compliant, to top it off.
2. Ruger PC Series
Ruger’s simple PC Series guns have become insanely popular and spread like wildfire. Ruger produces both a PCC version and a subgun version. However, the PCC version tends to be a little cheaper at around 600 dollars. The PC series use either Glock or Ruger Security 9 magazines, and the magwell is convertible.
As you’d imagine, the gun uses a blowback system, but Ruger uses a unique system to reduce recoil. A dead blow sits on the bolt, and this shortens bolt travel and reduces both recoil and muzzle rise. It’s simple but effective, and that makes it affordable.
These are also take-down rifles that break down with ease. This cuts the length effective in half. They’ve become popular enough that Ruger produces several different configurations, but the standard is the most budget-friendly.
1. Aero Precision EPC
Our top dog in the world of budget PCCs is the Aero Precision EPC. The Aero Precision EPC is not exactly a rifle or subgun. It’s an upper and lower receiver set. The user can then customize and build the PCC or subgun of their dreams. You can build a very simple and very affordable PCC with the EPC at its core.
Aero even produces all the parts you ended up building a carbine if you so choose. You can keep things nice and cheap, or go Gucci if you so choose.
Magazine-wise, Aero went with Glock, which makes the most sense from a budget perspective.
The EPC differs itself from the standard Glock compatible AR9 lower and upper by implementing a last-round bolt hold open device. This way, you don’t get a click when you expect a bang and have to rush a reload. Additionally, Aero went above and beyond to design an ergonomic lower with excellent controls and a great flared magwell.
The EPC allows you to have whatever priced PCC you want, and it can be built for dang near any task.
Saving Green
Budget PCCs don’t necessarily mean crappy PCCs. There are plenty out there that are worth your hard-earned cash and happily push the limits of what a budget-friendly firearm can do. Hell, get an 80 lower and do it yourself. Any of the five above will treat you well.
Elftmann Tactical Ambi Speed Safety: A Push Select
When it comes to safety mechanisms the name of the game is one, not having to break your grip, and two, speed. These days ambidextrous selectors have taken over with both short and long levers, 45 degree throws vs 90 degree full rotation, and texturing to grip that thumb or first finger knuckle. The AR-15/AR-10 Elftmann Tactical Ambi Speed Safety (ELF ASS) combines all of these additions into one easy to push over safety selector.
First heard about from a former 75th Ranger Regiment guy, it was said to have sped up operation of the selector and handling of his firearm due to not having to break grip.
elftactical.com
The Idea
When envisioning how this selector works, envision the M249/M240 platform. The safety is a simple cylinder the moves to the left and right for safe and fire. It shows a red ring for fire when shifted to the right, and no red ring when shifted to the left and on safe. The Elftmann is exactly the same concept except it is made for the AR-15/AR-10 platforms.
https://www.bevfitchett.us/machine-gun-m249/change.html
Advantages
When moving a standard ambi-selector, grip will have to shift. Dependent on hand size the shift may be minimal but the palm will come off the grip. This push selector ensures grip won’t need to be broken at all due to pushing the button to the side and not flicking up or down. With smaller hands especially this selector is a huge help in not having to break your grip and being more efficient.
The Install
The ELF ASS works best when installed in a true mil-spec lower receiver. It uses the same grip, same selector spring, but different detent. The selector will ship with the selector and proprietary detent. The only tool needed is the screwdriver or bit that is used to remove the grip.
To install: simply remove the grip as you would normally, remove the selector spring, detent, and currently installed selector. Now, install your new ELF ASS, the new longer and thicker detent, same selector spring, and install the grip back on as normal. Your elftmann ambi-selector is now installed.
The positive about installing this selector over the other ambi-selectors on the market is that there is no small Allen keys, extra detents, extra screws, or extra anything needed to install the levers, due to it being a push button.
Note: Due to the construction and detent cutouts, this selector will NOT work with binary/three position triggers nor will it work with the hiperfire Genesis trigger.
Purchasing Options
This product can be purchased from multiple places such as MidwayUSA, Primary Arms, and of course, Elf tactical
Price: $39.95
Finishes: Stainless Steel, Black Oxide
Note: All Elftmann Ambidextrous Speed Safety’s have a lifetime guarantee if any issues arise.
Herbal Teas for Prepping
If you are the type that prepares for various future scenarios, there are lots of questions you need to ask yourself. But one that many people don’t think about is their caffeine addiction and how they will deal with it.
Things to consider – Will coffee supply always be available? Will Coke/Pepsi/MtDew? Is it worth the space to store potentially months or years worth of any of them? Will withdrawal symptoms from a caffeine addiction be helpful in an emergency situation?
Preparedness Advocate, Paul T. Martin suggests getting more in shape “now” and eating less/losing weight “now”, so that if something bad happens you will be more physically prepared for austerity and hard work and less likely to have a heart attack or something when quadruple bypasses aren’t available. Plus, who doesn’t want to take better care of their health/wellness no matter what may come down the pike in the future? Of course as I type this I am eating salami and potato chips for lunch. Practicing what I preach is an ongoing process.
When planning for potential “bad things”, considering your daily beverages (beyond clean water) is something to think about. Growing your own ingredients for various herbal teas in your own yard should be a consideration. Wouldn’t it be easier on your wallet and better for your overall health to stop drinking imported coffee, or soda pop full of gawd-knows-what, and drink mint or camomile or bee balm, or lemon balm teas instead? I know that sounds like heresy to many people, but think about it. Soda pop is full of dubious ingredients (and expensive), and coffee is imported from all over the world. Do you really want to spend the apocalypse with withdrawal headaches from a stimulant that has supply chain issues at best and is no longer available at worst?
Instead, you could be drinking beverages grown by your own hands for almost free, without pesticides or additives except whatever you put in it yourself. ( honey? maple syrup? bourbon?) As an added bonus these herbal tea plants provide vitamins and nutrients that benefit your overall health and nutrition. Who can hate that? I don’t think Mountain Dew has anything positive in the ingredient department to recommend it, though for some people it could be considered a “comfort food” to stockpile. YMMV.
There is precedent for this in American history. In the colonial era many settlers either couldn’t get British tea (imported from India), or it was cost-prohibitive, or they boycotted due to taxation. They drank various herbal teas instead, including “Oswego tea”, brewed from a plant in the Monarda family .
But your caffeine addiction may not be completely SOL in the apocalypse. You may be saved because there IS one single plant source grown in North America which produces caffeine. Unfortunately it doesn’t grow very far north. This plant is called Yaupon Holly and is similar to the Yerba mate of South America. The botanical name is Ilex vomitoria which doesn’t sound very appetizing, but it’s mostly a misnomer. If you don’t live in the south, I have read that some folks are working on a more cold tolerant variety. I’m going to be looking into that for my foodscaping efforts, as I already have mint, bee balm, lemon balm, and chamomile in my tea garden. Yaupon is also commercially available and I’m going to be checking that out.
I personally will probably not be giving up my first morning cup of joe until I absolutely have to. But I am working on cutting down my consumption the remainder of the day. Most days I’m down to just that first cup of caffeine and then drinking herbal tea or water the rest of the day. It can’t hurt, and it’s baby steps in a healthier (and more prepared) direction.
Even without an “apocalypse”, given the skyrocketing cost of groceries, training your family’s palate to appreciate a beverage you can grow yourself can potentially save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year. Who can hate that?
Gunday Brunch 62: Women’s Self Defense Products Suck
Today Caleb is joined by special guest Annette Evans of @OnHerOwnLife who sheds some insights on why self-defense products marketed towards women are usually awful, and how we can make them not awful.
The Battle is in the Senate – AWB Passed the House
In a not unexpected but certainly unwelcome turn, the House passed their Assault Weapons Ban of 2022.
The fight now turns to the Senate, where it was always going to.
As soon as the rumors of dusting off the AWB started to circulate, the tactic was clear. Remember folks, this bill was introduced in March of 2021. It’s been sitting under Pelosi’s oh-so-caring care for 16 months. This was always expected to pass the house. Always could have. Five Democrats even voted no, knowing they could ‘conscious’ vote safely without actually disturbing the outcome.
It’s sad really. This is all for midterms, not safety. If it were safety, Pelosi had the power to kick it to the Senate 16 months ago. Look at what they did with the BSCA, they could have sent this over same time. They didn’t.
Why?
It’s all politics.
But we need to play the game too. And the game is now in the Senate, where it was always going to end up. We needed to play defense in the house, and it looks like that was more effective than I expected (I was assuming a full sweep on all the Democrats and 5 voted no).
So good on these 5,
Now it goes to the Senate, where it will likely die the death they plan. They will martyr this bill at the next available opportunity (read: mass shooting that fits the narrative) and use it for campaigning.
We need to help it on its way, even knowing the likely fate of the AWB in the Senate, we must make our thoughts on this type of time waste on Pelosi’s part known. We need to be on the record, firmly. Write your Senators and tell them to light this on fire and toss it in the dumpster, because we aren’t having it just so Pelosi and the idiot Cicilline (braces are bumpstocks!) can drum up some extra dollars in this abysmal looking election cycle.
They are going to try and say, “Look, we tried! Please give money?” we need to respond, “Yeah, you really shouldn’t have. Goodbye.” and give these clowns walking papers back to the private sector.
So fire up those emails.
To the Senate.
Making Do During The Great Primer Shortage of 2020
Well, even if we’re not back in the clear to pre 2020 primer and ammunition availability, we are doing better now. Prices may not be what they once were but at least we can find product on shelves in my part of the country easily.
But during the darkest days of this pandemic induced shortage, I decided to experiment with small rifle primers in my 9mm Luger and .38 Special handloads. As with any other piece of writing concerning ammunition handloading, I am solely writing about my experiences alone and one should always exercise good judgment when it comes to replicating handloading data or techniques they see on the Internet.
For a number of years now, I’ve had a pet 9mm go-to load that I use for general purposes and works across my 9mm handguns. This load is as follows: A 115 grain coated lead or plated bullet sitting on top of 4.5 grains of Hodgdon HP-38 (or Winchester W231 powder because they’re literally the same thing). My Dillon machine is set up to seat the bullet at 1.150” cartridge overall length, which is something that I started to emulate from Speer Lawman factory ammo. I don’t have a preference between the coated lead and plated bullet, so I just typically use whatever is cheapest and/or available. I will use whatever brass I can pick up and process that is still suitable to be reloaded. I will typically use whatever small pistols primers I have on hand.
If it wasn’t clear by now, this pet load of mine is all about economic efficiency. For ignition purposes, certain shooters have different primer preferences for their specific needs, but all I cared about was that Beretta 92 hammers with D-spring tension or stock Gen 5 Glock strikers could set them off.
So far I’ve sent rounds into berms using CCI, Sellier and Bellot, Wolf, Winchester, and Federal small pistol primers. To that list I can now add the Remington 6 ½ and the Federal 205 small rifle primers. For reference, the Remington 6 ½ primer is intended for the mildest centerfire rifle cartridges and isn’t even appropriate for 5.56mm ammo reloads with ARs. It’s actually not safe due to the cup hardness being too soft and the AR’s floating firing pin presenting a risk. However, I felt comfortable loading all one thousand of these and had no problems in the handguns I used them with. If memory serves correct, not only did I use these 6 ½s for my standard load, but also for a 147gr 9mm load using only 3.3 grains of HP-38 powder. I had no issues with full size Beretta 92s, Glocks 45 and 48, and even a Beretta APX Carry. The reason I even made a decision to use these primers in the first place was because I met up with a guy in a parking lot and bought them off him when store shelves were bare. I recall him being a precision rifle shooter and saying that those didn’t afford the level of consistency he needed. On the other hand, A-Zones and B-8 bulls aren’t that small, so I just wanted them to go bang!
I came across the Federal 205 small rifle primers by chance on a day my local Scheel’s store had primers in stock and of course I took them feeling a little confident after my experience with those Remington primers. I used these Federal primers to load about 600 rounds of my pet 115 grain 9mm load and another 400 rounds of .38 Special handloads using a Berry’s 158 grain plated flat point bullet and 4 grains of HP38. I just wanted a “standard” load that I could use in my vintage K and J frame Smith and Wesson revolvers. Naturally, I wasn’t worried one bit about those heavy revolver hammers igniting these primers. As for those 600 rounds of 9mm Luger I loaded? They’re all in another berm after I used them up for a Citizen’s Defense Research “Tests and Standards” class last October. My heavy Beretta 92 X Performance gobbled them all up like skittles. The next time I see any Remington 6 ½ or Federal 205 primers available, I’m getting them.
But again, use caution when experimenting with your ammunition variations.
Two Things Traveling Writers Need
A Transportable Mouse
When it comes to consistently being on the go and needing to get some writing in, ease of transportation of equipment is very important such as your laptop and other accessories. Using a laptop without a mouse over time can be hard on the wrist yet carrying a mouse around can be bulky and annoying. The bluetooth linked Microsoft Arc Mouse takes care of those issues.
The Arc Mouse goes completely flat when not in use. To use simply curve it until it clicks. This curve is very comfortable on the wrist. The entirety of the mouse is simply an oval with no extra protruding buttons or scrolling wheel. To scroll simply drag your finger along the front of the mouse. Left click? Simply click the left side, same goes for the right click.
Compatible with both Windows and mac, to connect your Arc Mouse to your computer it is a one minute process. Just go onto your computer into your bluetooth settings, press the small button on the underside of the mouse, and the computer will find it and pair after one click of the mouse. The feeling of the mouse is almost the same feeling of your laptop track pad. Not slippery but smooth.
Options for Buying
Amazon Prime: $51.99
Best Buy: $59.99
Microsoft: $79.99
Colors: Lilac, Burgundy, Light Gray, Black, Sage, Poppy Red, Blue, Light Pink
Blue Light Blocking Glasses
Between our phone, TV, and laptops our eyes are consistently being stressed by blue light emission which can lead to suppression of melatonin production and stimulation of cortisone, an alertness drug. Both of these issues will effect falling sleep. After doing a very professional poll on Instagram..the consensus was that the favored blue light blocking glasses out there at the moment are RA Optics.
From the Creator..
“When things started to pick up, I needed a name for my new brand! I remembered learning about Ra, the Egyptian god of sunlight. The sun god was the most powerful of all the ancient gods in every society, because the sun was the most powerful and relevant force for life on earth, and still is today. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, optics is “a science that deals with the genesis and propagation of light, the changes that it undergoes and produces, and other phenomena closely associated with it”. So, I decided to name my new endeavor “Ra Optics”. A tribute to the sun; a nod to the ancient wisdom that is the foundation for all modern knowledge, a mission firmly rooted in advanced modern science in everything that we do, and bringing the two together in ways that have never been done before.”
RA Optics offers both daylight and nighttime lenses, kids lenses, and comes in many different stylish options. It also comes with an easy sizing chart that will help you find the right fit/style of glasses for you. Often we are looking down when typing on a laptop during travel so ensuring that they are tight on your head but comfortable is important.
The Yellow Daylight lens is meant to be worn in the daytime to block from LED lights and screens. This will help relieve eye strain, headaches, and keep you more focused and energized throughout the day. The reddish Sunset Lens is meant to be worn at night. Both the Daylight lens and Sunset Lens come with the same frame options.
“In addition to creating the world’s first and only premium Sleep Glasses, I decided to create a superior alternative to traditional computer glasses, called Screen Lenses, which block 30x more harmful blue light from LED’s than most clear computer lenses available today.”– RA Optics Creator
The package comes with a slim carrying case, lens wipe, and the glasses. Super easy to transport and very comfortable and stylish to wear.
Options for Buying
Each frame is a different price, however both daylight and sunset are the same price.
Popp: $164.00
Maxwell: $164.00
Nate: $164.00
Clyde: $164.00
Fritz: $164.00
JC: $224.00
Yogananda: $224.00
The Death of The Gentleman’s Pocket Knife
What image pops into your head when you hear the words “pocket knife”?
In the gun world these days, it’s likely:
- A folding knife with:
- A liner lock (or maybe an axis lock or lock-back),
- A thumb stud, hole, or disc for easy one-handed opening,
- G10 or Micarta scales in black, green, tan, or grey,
A Tanto, drop-point, or (if you’re lucky) Wharncliffe-style blade 3-4 inches long, - With a pocket clip.
The “Tactical Folder”.
In the 20 years I’ve been regularly carrying a knife this has been my default choice, from my afterschool jobs working at a butcher shop to my foray into blades as defensive tools.
And why not? It makes perfect sense that if you’re going to carry a general-purpose knife you’d want something rugged that you don’t have to baby. Life goes on and needs change. My job no longer requires manual labor, and the cutting tasks I normally encounter are either opening Amazon packages or trimming an errant thread.
Enter knives of a bygone era that deserve more attention:
I’m talking about the gentleman’s pocket knife. If your dad didn’t carry one of these, your granddad almost certainly did. These are the smaller, slimmer 2-3 in bladed knives from Buck, Case, and Great Eastern Cutlery.
Most of the folks from Gen-Z forward will likely be most familiar with this knife format once I say “Swiss Army Knife”
These are far from tactical. You need both hands to open the knife, there’s no pocket clip, the blades are relatively thin, and the knife doesn’t lock open. But they carry a lot of advantages as well.
Firstly, one of the biggest benefits is the fact that they’re not tactical. Pulling out one of these in mixed company is more likely to spark a conversation than it is to make someone uncomfortable. And to those hard-charging warriors out there that think etiquette doesn’t matter, I’ll remind you that even the Samurai would remove their katana before entering someone’s home.
Another advantage is that these small-format slip joint knives are not only incredibly useful for most of our daily needs, but they also offer an opportunity for personal expression.
For most men, the accessories are pretty limited. Wallet, maybe a watch, possibly a lighter, and the ubiquitous pocket knife. There is a cornucopia of blade steels, profiles, scales, and liners to choose from. You see much more exotic materials like horn, bone, and various hardwoods.
While there are certainly artisans in both arenas, there seems to be a greater appreciation for craftsmanship when it comes to slip joint knives. Nowhere is this more evident than the fascination with the “Walk & Talk” of the blade (how solidly it locks and audibly clicks into its different open positions).
Now if your daily life requires that you’re carving through carpet, drywall, or metal than these definitely are not the right tool for the job. But for most of us weekend warriors who take time off from our office jobs to go to gun school, I think it’s definitely time to bring back the slip joint. In a world where so many consumer goods have become so homogenized, it’s worth injecting a little beauty into our day-to-day lives.
If you want to get more exposure to these gems I’d highly recommend checking out 3 Finger Mac on Facebook, even if it’s just to oggle some very classy knife porn.
The House May Vote on Assault Weapon Ban and Repeal of POLCIAA Today
The NSSF, FPC, and many more have been pushing citizen communication with the House of Representatives and urging all of us, as I am joining them now, into making certain our reps know one thing.
We.
Don’t.
Want.
This.
Law.
Period.
H.R. 1808, the 2022 Assault Weapon Ban may be taken up today under House rules to force the issue as it sits in the Union Calendar (the main location for pending legislation).
The committee testimony on this bill was laughable and full of the general lukewarm hot takes and blatant errors we have come to expect from anti-gun politicos who will just make it up if they don’t know it. The ‘Brace is a Bumpstock‘ from Rep. Cicilline has been made legend.
But because the House is pushing this, probably to place themselves better for midterm, we need to continue to push back.
Contact the House here and voice your opposition.
We need to stop the new AWB cold and retain the Protection in Lawful Commerce in Arms Act to continue to codify the protections granted other manufacturers on their goods to the firearm industry against liability for actions beyond their control. We are fighting people who will only continue to grant the barest possible lip service to ‘honoring’ the 2nd Amendment, these people do not acknowledge or accept it as an actual right and they do not care what the Constitution or the Supreme Court has to say on the issue. But they are your representatives which obligates them to take your contacts seriously.
Write them now.
Call them now.
Make certain you are on the record in opposition to this nonsense that isn’t even remotely understood by those championing its passage. They don’t care about you, your safety, or anything other than your vote for them if they can win it cheap.
Red Flag Laws Threaten Gun Culture
There has been a lot of discussion lately on Red Flag laws. Most of the conversation surrounding the support or opposition has been around the Constitutional Rights issues, but there’s another problematic implication to these laws that I find concerning as well.
People have rightfully expressed the fear that if these proposed laws go into effect, they can be weaponized against innocent gun owners, targeting them for harassment, doxing, or SWATing.
Think about the ramifications of that. If these laws go through, then the topic of guns will become even more taboo in mixed company than it already is, and have a serious cooling effect on gun culture at large.
If someone can be targeted merely for being a gun owner, how guarded do you think they’ll be with that information? Any attempts to normalize gun ownership or make it more accessible will be suppressed because people don’t want to risk drawing the ire of someone with an axe to grind.
Professor David Yamane has been doing excellent work exploring Gun Culture 2.0 and advancing the idea that “Guns are normal, and normal people own guns”. With as much of a subculture as the gun world already is, think about how much harder it’s going to be to gain new supporters if we’re driven underground and fear having any firearms-related discussions in mixed company, outside the safety of the range, or other 2A friendly settings.
The problems with Red Flag Laws are many and varied, but I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t address the social aspects of it since that’s been my primary focus so far.
When you hear the term “Second Amendment Ambassador” it usually conjures up the image of someone with a rifle slung across their back (or chest) wandering into a fast-casual dining establishment at the local strip mall, carrying their gun at people. The truth is that we are all 2A Ambassadors, and have the ability to make gun culture accessible and welcoming. At least for now.
If we suddenly have to concern ourselves with who is listening and how that information could be leveraged against us (even more than we do now) how eager do you think folks are going to be to share their passion and make themselves vulnerable to strangers?
We need to fight these Red Flag Laws tooth and nail not only to protect our constitutional rights but to ensure the longevity of Gun Culture as a whole.
The Greenwood Mall Shooting Shows Averages Don’t Matter
The Greenwood Mall Shooting tragically ended the lives of three innocent people on July 17th, 2022. A gunman entered armed with two AR-15s and a handgun and fired 24 rounds before he was put down by a local armed civilian. The Good Samaritan, as he’s been called, is named Elisjsha Dicken. We don’t know a lot regarding the shooting, but we know it defies what most people proclaim to be the average.
What we do know is that the shooter left a bathroom and started shooting. Within 15 seconds, he was dead on the ground at the hands of an armed citizen. Initial reports stated that the concealed carrier, Elisjsha Dicken, was carrying a firearm illegally. This was determined not to be true. The Greenwood mall has a no guns policy, but breaking mall policy is not illegal.
We know that Elisjsha Dicken engaged the shooter at a rather long distance. According to police, he engaged at a range between 40 and 50 yards. For a handgun, that’s significant. He fired approximately ten rounds and killed the gunman. The concealed carrier’s weapon has been tentatively identified as a 9mm Glock, but beyond that, we have no other information. After taking the man down, he approached the downed shooter and ensured he stayed down.
We do know the concealed carrier has no military or police training. I bring that up because a rallying cry of most gun grabbers is that only police and military are trained and qualified enough to carry firearms.
The Greenwood Shooting – Averages Don’t Matter
The number of times I’ve seen someone throw out the old Rule of 3’s to justify training at seven yards is absurd. It’s often an older type of shooter stuck in a certain mindset. The rule of 3’s being: 3 shots, at 3 yards, in 3 seconds. To be fair, part of that rule has some merit and comes from the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
The problem is that averages are a lie. If I have had five gunfights with three at three yards and two at 50 yards, then the average is 21.8 feet which aren’t close to either range you fought at. Second, the statistics only offer the range at which the officer was shot and killed, not where the gunfight started.
The three shots in three seconds seem to be pulled out of thin air, and I can’t seem to find any statistics to back those numbers up. The Greenwood mall shooting show they don’t matter anyway.
While training at close range with your EDC is important, it’s also important to step outside of your comfort zone. Work to a standard and increase your effective range. It cements my decision to carry an optic-equipped firearm even more and to train at various ranges to ensure I can protect myself, my family, and my community.
The Greenwood Drill
If you want to practice your long-range shooting abilities, try the Greenwood drill. You’ll need a target that represents the torso and head of a human, preferably the upper thoracic cavity where the heart and lungs sit. Set the target up, grab a timer and march back to 50 yards with at least ten rounds of ammo loaded in your carry gun. Holster and conceal the firearm.
Set your par time to 5 seconds. At the beep, draw and engage the target with two rounds. Step forward two yards and repeat the drill. By the time you fire the final two rounds, you’ll be at the forty-yard line.
Accuracy is more important than speed, and it’s better to land shots accurately than get a fast time but still aim to come in at under than seconds per run.
Stay Ready
It’s easy to get complacent, and I know I’m guilty of it. Sometimes it’s a lot easier to slip a .380 LCP in the pocket than a P320 on the hip. It’s also easy to get caught in a training loop of doing what you’re good at versus what you suck at. Break the complacency and take no effort in the averages.
An early version of this article used an image of firearms instructor Darryl Bolke. GAT Daily did not mean to imply that Bolke teaches in that manner. That image is one of him teaching a free course on accuracy and efficiency. We apologize to anyone who took this as as an aspersion at Bolke or his curriculum, which are top tier. He is a premier firearm’s instructor, and he can be found here. We have apologized to Darryl directly.
Carbine Drill: Fight to Your Feet
During a Green Ops Defensive Carbine Course a drill often drilled and taught by instructor Luke D was the “Fight to Your Feet Drill.” This drill trains the shooter on shooting while supine, sitting, kneeling, and then on their feet. It is a great drill to learn truly how to fight to your feet when in an engagement and there are some tips that will really help in each position.
The Drill
The drill is simple
Distance: As high as the berm will allow. It is best to verify that when in Supine the distance you put the shooters at they aren’t shooting over the berm. 25m and in..
Supine: 5 rounds move to..
Sitting: 5 rounds move to..
Kneeling: 5 rounds move to..
Standing: 5 rounds
The Positions and Tips
Supine
The big takeaway from this position was that sling work will help you A LOT. The stock won’t be in the shoulder as normal so there won’t be anything to help control that recoil. Keeping your sling on (not necklacing it) and tightening it while in the position will really help keep that gun stable during firing.
Also, watch those feet. If your legs are flat to the ground shooters have a tendency to poke their toes into the air which can be right in the way of the muzzle. Focus on flat feet to the ground while shooting. This goes for both Prone and Supine.
Sitting
Sitting is really dealers choice. Just get your back all the way up and start to shoulder the gun again. If you lean into the gun you won’t need to put elbow to your leg for support, however if you do just make sure it isn’t bone on bone and that your elbow is on the meaty portion of your propped up leg.
Kneeling
Going from sitting to kneeling should be a simple movement with no hands coming off the gun. To do this simply tuck whichever leg is comfortable for you, most do their strong side leg, under your butt and push up. If you cannot do this without using your hands take your support hand off the gun while being aware of your muzzle and use it to get into that kneeling position.
Sling work will also help in this position a lot. Keep it tight.
Standing
Going from kneeling to standing should be one movement without the use of hands as well. Again, if you can’t do this just watch the muzzle and use your support hand to get you up.
Overall, this is a great drill to work on “being athletic with a firearm”.
Is “Some Gun” Always “Better Than No Gun?”
Whenever people start justifying their equipment selection for everyday carry, it’s not uncommon to hear the phrase “some gun is better than no gun”. Alternatively, you’ll hear “Rule 1” invoked. Not Cooper’s “Rule 1” mind you, but the first of the apocryphal “Rules of Gunfighting”: Carry a gun.
As with many quips and tropes it’s rooted in truth, but it’s become so overused as to dilute its original meaning.
Yes, it’s true you can’t get into a gunfight if you don’t have a gun. The best you can manage is to be on the receiving end of a shooting, which we can all agree is less than ideal.
The track record of Rangemaster alumni supports this idea. Tom Givens’ students that were involved in defensive encounters have never lost; there have unfortunately been several “forfeits” where the victim was unarmed at the time of their assault.
All of this certainly seems to reinforce the idea that some gun is better than no gun, doesn’t it? And yet, personally, I’m not a fan of the expression, and I think there are decidedly instances where no gun is better than some gun.
Now before you start breaking out the torches and pitchforks, let me explain what I mean.
The thought, expressed on its own without any explanation or context, can be highly detrimental to those folks new to a defensive-oriented lifestyle. It’s not a big leap from “some gun is better than no gun” to the talismanic thinking that the gun is the be-all, end-all solution. Once they’ve got the gun, then they’re suddenly protected.
Especially for novices who are still learning all the facets of victim selection, situational awareness, and so on, it can give a false sense of accomplishment, having the gun.
Let me use this analogy: Most drivers will be more cautious in heavy rain or icy conditions, expressly because they understand that they are at greater risk of crashing or losing control than on a dry sunny day. If someone thinks that the presence of a firearm somehow reduces their risk of violent assault, then they may not be as diligent with all the pre-assault variables.
I’ve said in the past that I think a lot of folks would be far better off with a can of OC (pepper spray) and a copy of Gavin de Becker’s The Gift of Fear, than a concealed carry pistol that they think is the magic wand that wards off evil. If they recognize that they’re less equipped, it’ll force them to pay more attention and exercise more caution.
Now don’t misconstrue this. I’m not suggesting that anyone be prohibited or discouraged from carrying a firearm if they so choose. Just that we need to be careful in the language we use to ensure that we’re setting the correct expectations, especially with the influx of new gun owners and gun carriers that aren’t already familiar with all the things we take for granted as obvious and par for the course.
New York Times Misses One Critical Fact in Their Critique of Greenwood
But Mr. Dicken’s act, though heroic, was also a statistical unicorn. An examination of 433 active shooter attacks in the United States between 2000 and 2021 showed that only 22 ended with a bystander shooting an attacker, according to data from the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center at Texas State University. In 10 of those cases, the armed bystander was a security guard or off-duty law enforcement officer. In other encounters, civilians attempting to step in and stop an assailant were themselves shot to death by the police. – New York Times
Yes… and how many of those happened in “Gun Free Zones” where people were supposed to be disarmed, either by policy or force of law? That is part of your “statistical unicorn” too, NYT.
Allow me to answer that.
80% to 90%
Using the GunFacts.info MPS Database, which contains the 71 MPS (using the FBI definition) documented in the U.S. between 1988 and August 4, 2019, more than 85 percent of MPS have been perpetrated in gun-free zones. – USCCA
I know USCCA isn’t the most unbiased voice on this issue, so let’s look and see if there are factors in favor of Gun Free Zones.
We found no qualifying studies showing inconclusive evidence about gun-free zones. – RAND
There is debate over the extent to which perpetrators target gun-free zones. One analysis of 133 mass shooting events between 2009 and 2016 found that 10 percent of incidents occurred in designated gun-free zones (Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, 2017b). However, another analysis focused on mass public shootings between 1998 and 2018 and reported that 97.8 percent of incidents took place in gun-free zones (Crime Prevention Research Center, 2018a). While the discrepancy in these estimates is partially due to differences in how mass shootings are defined—the latter study restricts analysis to mass public shootings—there also appears to be some disagreement about how gun-free zones are classified. – RAND
So the study that restricted itself to public incidents, the thing that GFZ’s allegedly influence, found that 97.8% of incidents happened where the policy was in place to stop that from happening.
“It is exceedingly rare, the exception rather than the rule,” Adam Skaggs, chief counsel and policy director at the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said of scenarios like the one in Indiana. “The reality is that more people carrying guns means more conflicts escalating into deadly violence and more people being shot and killed.”
That’s not born out in any statistical evidence, as states have gone to shall issue or constitutional carry. Restricted regions are not curbing violence, 88.8% of federal gun charges are against already prohibited persons. The prohibition fails overwhelmingly, but when we see prohibitions removed we don’t see crime spike. Conclusion, the criminals were always going to crime and the responsible people were always going to act responsibly. The rules about magazine capacity or Pistol Free Zones were a non-influential factor.
So let’s use those 433 events and take the 22 that were stopped out. Leaving us 411, 94.9% of incidents.
If we take the most optimistic number, that 80% happen in GFZ’s by policy or law, it means there was no legal or property permitted way to stop the shooter in 346 of those 411 incidents. The property prevented ‘good guys’ with guns from being on premises because any token ‘good guy’ chose to respect the property right, despite in increase in their risk.
If we take the CPRC number than it is highly likely that every single one of those incidents took place where protective carry was prohibited by law or by the property, making the only armed persons on premise those who ignored the law for good or ill. This greatly reduces the likelihood that a defender and an attacker will come into contact as defenders will, with much greater frequency, respect the property rights or gun free zone law. The attacker, for obvious reasons, does not give a damn. It works in their favor.
What I expect after Greenwood is that more concealed carriers will disregard posted GFZs, even legally penalizing ones, in favor of their safety since the majority of the places very poorly enforce the policy and provide no staffed means of safeguarding the visitors in place of allowing them to carry.