Knowledge to make your life better.  If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.

Zeroing Your Shotgun’s Dot

Erick is well known for teaching and writing about red dot optics on handguns.  Here are his thoughts about red dots on shotguns.  For even more red dot goodness, take a look at Jeff Gonzales’ article Maybe It Isn’t You: Understanding the Challenge of a Red Dot Sight.

Yes, You Can Shoot With One Hand

Tatiana’s tips for one-handed shooting.

Rimfire Ammo: Evaluating Terminal Performance

Interesting ballistic testing of rimfire ammunition.  For more mouse gun performance information, watch .22 LR VS .32 ACP in Short Barrels! Is it All About Shot Placement?

Sinister Studies 2026 – Serious Scrutiny into Southpaw Shooting

I think most right-handed shooters and instructors would benefit tremendously from an in-depth study of how to operate their weapons with the non-dominant hand.  I look forward to the rest of this series.

Choosing a Safe Holster

A three-minute video that should be mandatory for anyone who carries a firearm.  You may also find Finding the Optimal Carry Position for Concealment as well.  Finally, you ladies should understand how best to Conceal Carry in a Dress.

Five Shooting & Self Defense Myths | Swift/Silent/Deadly

Justin drops some knowledge in this piece.

The M1 Garand: History & Disassembly

For my readers who are Garand owners.

Credit Where Credit Is Due.

The Rules of Surviving a Black Market Economy

This is an important concept to understand.  I’ve been to actual black markets in Kenya, Zimbabwe, Paraguay, and Argentina.  They are coming to the USA eventually.

Dr. Dangerzone – In Search of Truth in the Most Daring Places

What I’m reading…

Beginner’s Guide to Pistol Ammo

High quality information here.

SHTF Armorer: Magazine Maintenance – Part 1

Lots of people think about gun maintenance, but fewer people understand that magazines need some preventative maintenance as well.  Read Part 2 as well.

While you are thinking about maintenance, you should also keep your carry gun in good condition as well.

Safe Firearms Storage when Traveling with Children

I regularly see articles about carrying guns while carrying babies.  I also see lots of content about safe firearms storage at home around kids.  This is the first article I’ve seen about firearms safety around kids when the gun owner is traveling.

The Expert Witness and Trial Strategy

Massad Ayoob gives good advice for those of you who want to be expert witnesses. If you want some more content from Mas, check out his thoughts on 1911 pistols.

Carrying a Spare Magazine is a Pain in the… – American Handgunner

“A spare magazine you can actually reach, grab, and stuff into the pistol, preferably without looking to find and orient it, is useful. One that rolls around in a pocket, flips upside down or sideways, or, from personal experience, just falls out in a chair, is somewhat less than ideal.”

Sharpshooting North & South: The Genesis Of Sniping

Very cool article about the weapons and standards used by Civil War era snipers.  One requirement was 10 consecutive shots into a five inch circle at 200 yards from standing position.  That’s pretty good shooting even with today’s firearms.

An Official Journal Of The NRA | Lessons Learned About Long-Distance Shooting at FTW Ranch

Lessons learned from a long range shooting class.

S&W 3RD GEN DAO’S | Autos For Revolver Guys

My first duty gun was a 3rd generation Smith.  I have a nostalgic fondness for those guns.

Handgun vs. Bear Spray: What the Data Actually Say

Why not both?

GROSS MOTOR SKILLS WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE!

“I don’t disagree that power stroking is a very positive method, but my big question is, if one will not have the fine motor skills to utilize the slide release under stress, how can one be expected to be able to press the trigger to make an accurate shot while under stress?”

Follow the Money Emoji: What Venmo Is Quietly Telling You About Your Subject

“Everyone knows to check Facebook. Everyone knows to check Instagram. Almost nobody thinks to check Venmo, and that is exactly why it’s one of the most underrated items in an investigator’s toolbox.”

Quote to Ponder:

Some of the above links are affiliate links. I earn a small percentage of the sale price from qualifying purchases.

Here are my upcoming open enrollment classes for the next couple months.   Here we go…

September 12, 2026- Home Defense Shotgun at Blackwing Shooting Center in Delaware, Ohio.  Registration details here.

The class will be held outside and is BIRDSHOT ONLY.

September 13, 2026- Snubby Revolver for Concealed Carry at Blackwing Shooting Center in Delaware, Ohio.  Registration details here. Class sold out

On September 20, I will do a one day Extreme Close Quarters Gunfighting Class at A-Zone Range (KR Training) near Giddings, Texas.  Registration details here.

October 4, 2026- Knife Skills for Concealed Carriers at Blackwing Shooting Center in Delaware, Ohio.  Registration details here.

Finally, I have two classes in October in Culpeper, Virginia.  My $10/month Patreon supporters get a 20% discount on the registration for these classes.

October 17, 2026- Concealed Carry Revolver in Culpeper, Virginia.  Registration details here

October 18, 2026- Extreme Close Quarters Gunfighting (One Day) in Culpeper, Virginia.  Registration details here.

Both Virginia classes have enough students to happen.

I hope to see some of you at one or more of these classes!

My complete training schedule is available here if you want to see the other classes I have available in 2026.

I’ve grown increasingly less enamored with social media. 

In years past, I would often share pictures and accounts of my travels and the classes I teach on Facebook.  I’m spending less and less time on that platform these days.  I’ve never had an Instagram account. I rarely use LinkedIn.  I stopped posting my articles on Twitter last year because I don’t want to spend time on a platform that basically exists to allow strangers to argue with each other.

I really enjoyed the early days of social media, but now it doesn’t seem to be worth the effort to spend much time there.  Besides that, given my cancer diagnosis, I’m not interested in acquiring new romantic relationships or new business opportunities.  Curating the “perfect” life on social media seems far less important as I’m no longer interested in looking for dates or showing off how great my business is doing.

Folks have been asking me about my life, so I decided to do give you all one big update here rather than drizzle out daily Facebook photos, reels, and posts.  Here’s what’s been going on in the first half of 2026.

I mentioned the cancer, so let’s lead with that.  No immediate worries currently.  Median survival (from metastatic diagnosis to death) for my type of prostate cancer is 30 months, even with the most aggressive treatments possible.  I am not doing those treatments and I’m currently on month 29 since my cancer has spread.  I feel good.  I’m not going to die (at least from cancer) in the next few months.  My most recent blood tests and scans show that the experimental treatment protocol I underwent last fall seemed to have helped me.  

I got the results of my most recent blood tests last week.  The cancer is still there, but it doesn’t seem to be growing very quickly right now.  I think I bought myself some time with the unconventional  treatment protocol I underwent.  My numbers are slightly higher than they were on my last test in March, but they are about 50X lower than where they were last year at this time.

The numbers are moving in a bad direction, but they are getting there extremely slowly.

I’m in good spirits about the cancer stuff, it’s just challenging to make plans when my future is so uncertain.  Everything about this disease is a roller coaster ride. It seems like life exists in six month intervals, perpetually waiting for blood test and scan results to better guess how long I’m going to be around.

As of now, I’m fine.  I know that won’t be the case forever.  Until things get appreciably worse, I’m going to keep teaching and traveling.  

I’ve been a busy guy.  In the time frame between January and the end of June, I’ve taught 15 days of classes to 257 students.  I’ve explored eight different states and seven foreign countries.  I’ve taken 18 commercial flights and spent 63 nights out of town in hotels or AirBnB rentals.  I read 49 books.  I wrote 60 articles for my website and 21 extra articles for my Patreon subscribers.  I consulted with one defense attorney as an expert witness in a self defense case where the defendant was charged with murder.

North American travels January-June

I’ve been spending the winters in Mexico for the past five years.  That’s where I started the year.  Playa del Carmen is my second home and I really enjoy the lifestyle down there.

Mexican life goals

Friends in Playa del Carmen

Playa sunset

I got back home in mid-January and recorded podcasts with both Rich Nance and the guys from Green Ops.

At the end of January, I went to Miami for five days to help a friend recover from her surgery.  While there, we visited the site of the 1986 Miami FBI shootout.  When I started my police career, this incident was less than a decade old and it informed almost every aspect of my police academy training. 

Now lots of “Gun Culture 2.0” folks have no idea about the event’s historical significance.  I’m gathering info for a future article about the incident’s relevance to current firearms training doctrine.  We can’t forget the blood shed by our tactical forebears.

The Miami gunfight site

Take a look at the photo above.  The Miami gunfight took place across the street from this sign.  The suspects’ vehicle came to rest near that small mulch bed at the edge of the photo to the left of where the car is parked in the driveway.  The two agents who engaged from the longest distance fired their weapons from right about where I am standing.

In this photo I’m carrying a Glock 19 and a spare magazine filled with bonded hollow points.  I wonder if the outcome of the 1986 gunfight would have been different if all the agents had access to the same firearm/ammunition that this old retired cop carries with him on a daily basis.

After I got home from Miami, I immediately left to spend a couple weeks with long time friends who live part of the year on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic.  I’ve visited them on the island almost every year since 2013.  They own a beautiful house right on the beach.  It’s a great place to relax and write.

My daily writing nook on the roof of my friend’s Dominican house. Not a bad place to spend some quiet time.

An amazing Dominican moon rise over the ocean

I had to make sure my writing nook was stocked with enough beer for my visit.

When I returned from the DR, I taught my first classes for the year.  Two sold-out classes (shotgun and close range gunfighting) hosted by Aqil Qadir in Tennessee.

Tennessee class with my friend Phil. I hope I’m still training in my mid-80s.

The next week, I co-taught a “Near and Far” class in Bastrop, Texas with Jeff Gonzales.  It was a very unique class, but both Jeff and I were disappointed in the turn out.  We didn’t get nearly the number of students that we expected.  As neither Jeff nor I wanted to cancel the class, we went ahead an taught for the small number of students who signed up.  Due to lack of interest, we probably won’t teach this class again.

For the last year I’ve been driving to most of my classes instead of flying.  I’m building extra days into the itinerary so I can do some exploring in the areas near where I’m teaching.  Despite the lack of students in the Near and Far class, I got to explore nearby Bastrop, Texas.  The town is only a little over an hour drive away from my house, but I hadn’t visited before.

I got in a day early and spent some time at the 602 Brewery and a bookshop owned by an author I really enjoy.  Ryan Holiday (the stoicism guy) owns The Painted Porch.  It’s a bookstore stocked only with books he likes.  It was a cool experience and I only took five new books home with me.

Ryan Holiday’s book store

Jeff doing a long range shooting drill demonstration

Jeff doing a long range shooting drill demonstration

Later in March, I flew to Ohio and taught two full classes (Extreme Close Quarters Gunfighting and Tactical First Aid at Blackwing Shooting Center.  I flew right back home so I could teach a couple of knife fighting classes at the Rangemaster Tactical Conference in Dallas.  I ended up teaching 55 students across the two classes.  I was also able to attend several classes from other instructors.

The only picture of me teaching at Tac Con

Tac Con

Tac Con

Tac Con

Tac Con

Tac Con

I ended March by seeing Journey in concert in Austin.  That was one of my favorite bands when I was in high school.  All of the band members are in their 70s now, so I wanted to see them before they stopped touring.  They put on a great show.

April started out with an appearance on The Way is in Training Podcast with Matt Little.

On the weekend of April 11th, I drove to Louisiana to teach a Close Quarters shooting instructor development class for 15 people.  I got in a day early to hang out with my host Eric Hite.  Eric took me on an excellent food tour of New Orleans and then we visited the site where the river breached the flood wall during Hurricane Katrina.

Eric and I chowing down at the place that first served the po’ boy sandwich.

Shrimp po’ boy

Who needs anything beyond beer and poor boys?

Another historic NO restaurant

More excellent fried seafood

Where the floodwaters breached the levee

Louisiana class

Louisiana class

Louisiana class

On the way home from Louisiana, I stopped off and saw the birthplace of Texas Independence and the San Jacinto national monument.

The following weekend I taught a close quarters gunfighting class and a cane fighting class at Karl Rehn’s Texas A-Zone range.

Cane thrusts against steel targets

Working choke defenses using the cane

After I got home from Karl’s place, some of the cool kids in the gun world came to Austin and I got to hang out with them.

The day started out by picking up the ineffable Tiffany Johnson for lunch. I got to introduce her to the Texas staple food of “Frito Pie” at a quirky downtown diner before we took a rainy driving tour of “Dirty 6th,” the bat bridge, Rainey street, and South Congress.

Because we are both nerdy introverts, neither of us took a single photo during our excursions. That’s probably for the best. I don’t want Dr. Tiffany’s stellar reputation besmirched by associating with a degenerate like me.

Then it was dinner followed by a comedy show at Rogan’s Comedy Mothership with Chuck and Kristin Pressburg. Because Chuck and I are nerdy introverts, neither of us took a single photo.

Fortunately Kristin was smart enough to take our picture outside the Mothership to make things properly Facebook official.

It was a fun day. Thanks to Tiff, Chuck, Kristin, and Misha for the awesome company

With Chuck and Kristin outside of Rogan’s comedy club in the rain

That takes us to the first of May, when I took a two week trip to Central and Eastern Europe.  I visited Germany, Poland, Austria, Czechia, and Hungary.  When I get caught up on everything, I’ll write a few separate posts about my adventures there.

The spots I visited in Europe

When I got home from Europe, I flew up to teach in Ohio and Indiana for two weeks.  I started by running a 50-person series of scenarios designed to test the armed school staff I teach in Indiana.  We had four scenarios integrating armed school staff, police, fire, EMS, and emergency management.  Everyone seemed happy with their performance.  The following day Bryan McKean and I taught our “bag gun” class to 14 students at Blackwing near Columbus.

I had to teach the following weekend in Southern Ohio.  Instead of flying home, I stayed around Columbus for the week and visited some old friends.  I also got to do some hiking at the places I used to love to walk when I lived there.

Hiking Prairie Oaks Metro Park near Columbus

My class in Southern Ohio was a Close Quarters Gunfighting instructor class at The Tactical Defense Institute (TDI).  TDI is where I started my commercial teaching back in 1999.  I hadn’t taught there since 2018.  It was nice to be back and have a full class with great weather.

Teaching at TDI

With TDI staff

When students get out of line

After I got back from Ohio, I had a couple weeks at home.  Fortunately three sets of old friends were visiting Austin during that time frame so I got to spend some time with them having fun and eating some awesome food.

Another trip to the comedy mothership

Dirty 6th Dive Bars

Winning bar Jenga

Repelling an alien invasion at the Domain

Dinner at Suerte (one of my favorite restaurants) with 3 friends from high school

While having fun with friends, I also finished up a six-month post-graduate certificate in interdisciplinary psychedelic studies from the Ohio State University. 

I finished out the month of June by taking Dustin Solomon’s Class “Building Shooters- Brain-Based Tactical Training Design.”  I really enjoyed the class and will be sharing my class notes with my higher-level Patreon supporters in a couple weeks.

That’s the summary of the first half of 2026 for me.  I just got back from a trip to Peru.  I’ll soon be starting another two-week training road trip through the Midwest and southern United States.  At the end of next month, I’ll be going down to Mexico again for another short adventure.

I’ll write up my Peru trip soon and will give you an article summarizing the remainder of 2026 in a few months.  Until then, I hope to see you in some of my upcoming classes.

Knowledge to make your life better.  If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.

Choosing Defensive Shotgun Ammunition

Justin provides an informative wake up call for those of you who think birdshot is the best home defense load.  The article doesn’t mention it, but the recommended Federal FliteControl low recoil buckshot does not function well in some semi-automatic shotguns.  If you want a really tight pattern but can’t find or use the FliteControl rounds, I’d recommend the Hornady TAP/Black loads.  They have a tighter pattern than any other shell except the FliteControl, but enough velocity to cycle even the most finicky semi-auto shotguns.

No, The NFA Isn’t Dead – GUNS Magazine

A quick look at the details behind your ability to purchase NFA items following the recent court decision.

September Rangemaster Newsletter

Lots of quality information in this month’s issue.

Determining What is a Reliable EDC Concealed Carry Handgun?

How many rounds should you fire through your defensive handgun to consider it reliable?

.38 Special VS .32 H&R Magnum

Is carrying a revolver that holds one or two extra rounds a useful feature or a “stopping power” mistake?

Are You Being Served?

“I’ve said it before; what we need the most right now is the firearms equivalent of a personal trainer, someone you’d check in with on a monthly or even quarterly basis. They’d ask you questions like,

“What problems are you running into carrying your gun with you everyday?”
“When’s the last time you trained? What did you work on?”
“How can I help you achieve success?”

And you’d work with those students to achieve your goal of living the armed lifestyle, much like a weight loss coach teaches you how to eat and how to work out.

However, in order to make this work, we need to make living a lifestyle our goal, and not a sub-second draw, and I’m not sure that trainers WANT to make the focus of what they teach. In their eyes, it’s up to the student to quit smoking, their job is confined only to what happens in the gym.”

To Intervene — Or Not?

Is intervention worth the potential consequences?

Federal Punch 22LR: Gel Test [Video Review]

I’m currently carrying Punch rounds in my .22 carry revolvers.

Norco ’80: The True Story of the Most Spectacular Bank Robbery in American History

What I’m reading…

Doing a bit of research for  new article series I’m going to be starting here on my site.  I don’t know how it happened, but it seems like I’m now one of the official “old guys” in the tactical training space.  I’ve spent almost 40 years studying combative firearms use and martial arts.  Over the course of my lengthy career, I’ve seen how the events encountered in historical police gunfights have completely changed training doctrine and equipment use for both police and armed citizens alike.

It’s important to understand how these events have changed the arc of combative firearms training.  Unfortunately, lots of instructors in this space have no real interest in the history of our art and knowing why certain weapon systems and training doctrines exist.

I’m planning on doing a brief article that includes a summary of the incident, how the event altered training/tactics, and a list of links for more exploration of each individual event.  The article series will be like a “Cliff’s Notes for Firearms Instructors” providing an easy to read history of each event and why it is important.  I plan on doing debriefs of some of Jelly Bryce’s gunfights, the Texas Tower sniper, Newhall, the Onion Field, some of Jim Cirillo’s “stake out squad” gunfights, Norco, the LA Bank Robbery, The FBI Miami gunfight, and Columbine.

For those of you who have never heard of Norco, this article will get you up to speed.  The Norco Bank Robbery

Improvised Weapons: Forever Armed

I teach Mike Janich’s “cycling hammerfist” in some of my edged weapons and impact weapons classes.  In this article, Michael Janich describes this very simple and effective impact weapon technique.

Warning that mammoth nationwide blackout could last 18 MONTHS as power grid’s appalling weak spots exposed

If you are reading this site, you probably have an adequate firearms/ammunition emergency stockpile.  I bet most of you have more stored food and water than the average person as well.  How are your emergency power preparations coming?  After reading this piece, I’d probably spend some time and money to make sure you are capable of surviving a long term power outage.

Whole house generators are great (and I have one), but they are loud, consume a lot of fuel, and make you an easy target to identify when your house is the only one on the block with power after everyone else hasn’t had electricity in a week.

I think a better strategy is to have a smaller generator you run intermittently to charge up a large electrical power bank portable battery that you can then use to run a few appliances and power computers, modems, and a couple of lights.  I have a power bank that recharges with solar panels, but the charging is really slow.  It works much better being charged from a small generator.

If those options are too expensive, you might be able to power some critical needs by running your car engine with a power inverter in place of the generator.

More Random Thoughts from CCW Qualification

“My class had about two dozen students, and most all of them had their three guns to qualify with [our state requires you to list the serial number of the gun(s) you will carry on your permit, and prohibits you from carrying a gun that’s not listed. The state generally limits you to three guns total on the permit, and you’re required to qualify with each of them]. We had somewhere in the vicinity of 60-70 guns being fired, and I’m pretty sure I had the only revolver in the crowd. There may have been another, but I didn’t see one, and didn’t hear anyone else identify as a revolver shooter when the instructor asked.”

An interesting take on what some instructors have called “The Revolver Renaissance.”  I teach revolver classes and they are full.  There are also at least two national revolver centric shooting conferences every year.  We would have never been able to fill those classes 15 years ago.  Those facts have led some instructors to opine that revolvers are “coming back.”

They aren’t.  If you are reading this and enjoy taking training classes, you are 1% of the gun owning population.  The average gun owner is not like you and me.  We’ve taken all the training classes and are bored with the standard “performance pistol” classes out there.  We keep excited by learning new things about different weapons systems (like revolvers).  The average gun owner doesn’t see shooting and training as a hobby like we do.  The average defense oriented shooter has approximately zero interest in revolvers.

For the few of you who do care about revolvers, you might enjoy Self-Defense with a Revolver: Fundamentals and Tips

“Six Inches of Steel”: Bowie Knife Instruction by Louis Juan Ohnimus

Some historical knife fighting instruction.  You may also like Very Perilous: A sword wounds compendium by the surgeon Ravaton.

Before You Need That Phone Call: Understanding Self-Defense Legal Plans and Insurance

I get lots of questions about self defense insurance.  That’s not my area of expertise.  If the question interest you, I’d suggest checking out this article.

When Good Cops Hesitate, Bad People Win

A realistic look at police de-escalation issues.  If you liked this article, you may also like Standards Matter, But Standards Are Not the Point

The “Three S” Test

Wisdom from Dave Spaulding.

300 Blackout Ballistics by Barrel Length: What the Data Told Us

For you .300 Blackout shooters.

Practicing Unhappiness

Are you practicing unhappiness?  How is that working out for you?

“To be sure, some people have always “practiced unhappiness.”

Your Boomercon relative who settles down to yell at Fox News every night is practicing unhappiness. And so is his gray-haired-hippie counterpart with Trump Derangement Syndrome who is obsessing over CNN or whatever.

But social media makes it easy and almost guarantees that at least someone else will know that you’re screaming at the TV.

Maybe it makes guys feel “seen.”

I encounter this in my feed all the time when someone new follows me or likes a post or makes a comment. I check their profile—hoping maybe they’re cool—and scroll through a catalog of daily shit-posting going back months or years.

If most of what you have to share with the world has to do with what makes you angry, what does that say about who you are?”

Quote to Ponder:

“Public policy generated by a handful of crazies is never sensible and isn’t the norm in American life. We don’t limit food distribution because of bulimics, we don’t limit car distribution because of terrible drivers, and we don’t limit bridges because a few people jump off them.”

– Marty Klein

Some of the above links are affiliate links.  I earn a small percentage of the sale price from qualifying purchases.

Amazon has a tremendous number of FREE ebooks on their website.  You can find thousands of free kindle books on Amazon’s site every day.  These books can be downloaded to a Kindle reader or a free App on your phone or personal computer.  Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can download a free Kindle reader for your computer or phone HERE.  

Here are a few free books that I think my readers might enjoy. Check these out.

One caution….

These books were free at the time I posted them. Prices change rapidly. Please check the price before you hit the “buy” button! 

If you cannot see any of the links below, there is likely a setting in either your internet browser or ad blocking software that prohibits “live links.”  If you see a blank page below, check those settings.  I promise you that there are book links actually listed directly below.

Happy Reading!

While you are contemplating book purchases, don’t forget my travel safety book.

For an even larger selection of great books (not free), check out my Recommended Reading page.

Some of these links are affiliate links.  If you purchase an item using one of those links, I get a small percentage of the payment.  It does not cost you any additional money.

I started the Weekend Knowledge Dump series in March of 2012.  This is installment number 750.  That’s right.  Seven hundred fifty straight weeks without missing a single installment in more than 14 years.  I’ve published this Knowledge Dump every week from the United States as well as from more than 40 other countries.  I haven’t missed a single week no matter where I’ve been or how busy I’ve become.  On several occasions, I published the Dump from various hospital beds.

It’s been quite a ride.  Back when people actually read blogs like this, at least 20,000 of you would consume the knowledge dump on a weekly basis.  It’s how many of you first learned about me and my training.  Now it seems almost pointless to keep it up.  Fewer than 3,000 people read it each week and page views have been steadily dropping by 10-20% a year since 2017.  My website operates at a significant net loss.  No sane person would spend 40+ hours a week researching and compiling articles in this format for the $200 a month I get in advertising income.

But no one said I was sane.  I’ll keep doing the dump as long as I have the time and ability to write it.  The odds are very tiny that I will make it to the 1000 episode mark, so we’ll celebrate this one instead.  For the small number of you readers who tune in to this list every week, I thank you.

Greg

Knowledge to make your life better.  If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.

.22 Magnum Spanks .380 ACP! Winchester FMJ Flat Point Ballistic Gel Test

Let’s start this edition out with some .22 magnum love.  I regularly carry a S&W 351C in a pocket holster.  I really like the cartridge because it generally punches above its weight.  For more .22 magnum info, check out:

.22 Magnum Rivals 9mm? CCI Uppercut VS CCI Blazer Brass JHP – Ballistic Gel Test

.22 Magnum Revolver for Self-Defense? – Firearms News

Note that two of these links involve ballistic gel testing.  None involve shooting at pork roasts or heads of lettuce.  Meat tests aren’t valid.

Practical Preparation and Survival After a Nuclear or Radiological Incident

Useful information.  You can get the Potassium Iodide capsules mentioned in the article on Amazon.com.

Wallet – The Hideout

My friend Mark Luell is selling some wallets that contain an integrated sheath for the Ka-Bar Last Ditch knife that I designed.  I purposely made this knife small enough to fit inside a wallet as a hideout option.  I currently carry mine in a pocket of the wallet I keep in my front pocket.  Mark’s modification makes access even easier.  It’s a great design for you folks who want to conceal a tiny knife in non-permissive environments.

Common Problems & Solutions with AR-15 Barrels

A lot of technical information about AR-15 rifle barrels.

The Great Vertical Grip Debate of 2026

People argue about the most insane things on the internet.  This is one example.  How about trying a vertical foregrip and seeing if it makes you shoot better?  If it does, keep it.  If it doesn’t, take it off.  It really isn’t that difficult.

The FBI Reports That Murder Officially Fell At The Fastest Pace Ever Recorded in 2025

I think some of this involves statistical manipulation by the governments who report the data, but I’m still calling it a win.

Situational Awareness: Stop Trying to Notice Everything

You simply can’t notice EVERYTHING around you.  Instead, focus your attention on aberrations and deviations from baseline “normal.”  For more info on situational awareness, read Claude’s series.  Start with Practicing Awareness – Part III.

Idaho Murders Stopped By Man With A Gun; Comped Guns For Protection; Gun Sales Decline

Go to about 22:45 for a nice discussion of my close quarters gunfighting instructor class from a student in June. Thanks Deron!

Ground-Fighting Realities and How Not to Get Stomped into a Stain

An aspect of ground fighting that isn’t often taught in most MMA-based grappling programs is what to do when the defender is grounded and the attacker is still standing.  This happens a lot in real fights.  You should spend some time doing the work in this type of scenario.  In this article. Mike Janich gives you some tips to get started.

Three Ways Not to Get Students Killed or Injured During Training

Some basic safety rules for law enforcement force on force training.

Revolvers Never Fail Part 2 | Revolvers Still Fail ⋆ Primer Peak

As a revolver fan, I hate to admit it, but lots of revolvers leave the factory with very significant problems.

Breaking Down the Steps to the Fastest Draw: Access and Presentation

Massad Ayoob’s tips for a faster draw.

DOJ Says Lawful Gun Owners Can Carry In Post Offices » Concealed Carry Inc

The latest on post office carry.

Training on a Budget: Low Round Count Drills to Keep Your Skills Current

Shooting drills to try on your next range session.  If you are looking for more drills, try Drill of the Month: Kelly’s 3×3 Reload Challenge

Shooting Tips: Fighting with an AK

Valuable advice for you AK shooters.

Suppressors

Tips for accuracy testing your firearms that are equipped with cans.

‘I want to speak with your supervisor’: Addressing a growing trend in police encounters

My police readers should have a policy covering this ubiquitous request.

Bronze Age Mindset

 

What I’m reading…

I learned of this book when listening to a podcast titled Bronze Age Reset: De- and Re-Mythologizing the Manosphere.  Those of you who have an open mind and an interest in the history of masculinity and true warrior tradition might find value listening to it.

Testing every revolver speedloader I could find….. so far

A good review of revolver speedloader options.

Your Qualification Score Doesn’t Predict Gunfight Performance

Just remember that every cop killed in a gunfight was deemed “qualified” by his agency.  Also on the topic, you might like A Fresh Look at Pistol Qualifications.

1986 VS 2026: Guns And Ammo Pricing

Really interesting comparisons.

Tourniquets Suck for EDC: Carry This Instead | Swift/Silent/Deadly

Justin has a good point.

Ayoob: Is Open-Carry Irresponsible (or the Right Move)? – The Armory Life

Massad Ayoob’s thoughts about open carry.  Thanks to Mas for mentioning my article on the topic.  If you want to see the database I’ve amassed covering incidents where open carriers were disarmed by criminals, read Friends Don’t Let Friends Open Carry.

For an extra take on the subject, check out 3 Reasons WHY PRINTING MATTERS.

Moving or Traveling With Your NFA Collection

For those of you who have NFA items in your collection.

Quote to Ponder:

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.”

— Shunryu Suzuki

Some of the above links are affiliate links.    I earn a small percentage of the sale price from qualifying purchases.

I just got home from a two-week trip to Peru.  In my many trips to South America in the last two decades I’ve learned a lot about crime and criminals.  This knowledge can be summed up pretty easily.  Everything you need to know about keeping safe comes down to recognizing toads and papaya.

I was reminded of this fact when I saw this article in my news feed when I got home.

Teen who stole $60K in armed home robbery gets deferred judgment

Read the article.  A teenage kid displayed pictures with a big wad of cash (belonging to his mother) on social media.  Multiple armed robbers showed up on his front porch, pushed their way inside the house, and then stole the money.

What does that have to do with toads and papaya?

I spend a lot of time in South America.  Each country down there has its own cute or funny sayings.  They are called dichos in Spanish.  These dichos are usually witty statements that offer life advice.  I’ve grown fond of learning some of the dichos from the countries I visit.

In Peru there is a saying; “Hay sapos.”  Literally it means “There are toads.”

The “toads” my Peruvian friends are talking about are informants…people who silently observe your activity and provide that information to others.  There are always “toads” watching your every move.

Peruvians use “hay sapos” as a verbal caution to people handling money in public.  There are always “toads” watching for easy victims.  You may not see the sapos, but rest assured that they will be present.  Exercise caution.  The toads may not rob you, but they will certainly provide your information to someone who will for a little bit of cash.

If the kid in the link above had recognized that there are always “toads” watching, he probably wouldn’t have carelessly flashed a huge wad of money on social media.

A second pertinent dicho comes from Colombia.

The locals there have a descriptive term for people who do things which make it easy for a criminal to victimize them. Colombians call it “dar papaya.”

The term literally means “to give papaya.” In other words, you are acting so vulnerable it’s like giving the criminal a sweet treat. It’s the Colombian equivalent of the term “like taking candy from a baby.”  You are making it exceptionally easy for a criminal to target you when you “dar papaya.”

That’s what the kid did when he flashed his mom’s cash on social media.  The sapos saw his post and informed the robbers.  The robbers thought he was an easy target.  He gave them some papaya.  They took it and ran.

The next time you post on social media, think about the toads.  Don’t give them any papaya.

Knowledge to make your life better.  If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.

Criminal Clues: Tips to Avoid Appearing Like a Soft Target

It’s important to understand the criminal victim selection criteria and strive to reduce those “tells” in your daily life.

Dry Practice Safety Protocol | Swift/Silent/Deadly

Dry practice is one of the more dangerous things we do with firearms.  Here are some tips to make it more safe.

Two Centuries of Duty Pistols: Guns of the NYPD

A fun look at historical NYPD pistols.

Handguns for Bear Defense: Will Any of Them Stop the Threat?

In last week’s dump, I posted an article discussing using AR-15 rifles for bear defense.  Are handguns better or worse?

The Twin Falls In-N-Out Incident

John compiled some of video footage (from different angles) of the recent Idaho active killer attacks.  Lots of stuff in this video that you likely haven’t seen in your mainstream news feeds. You may also enjoy Running to the Guns.

Predictable Performance: What 100 Cold Runs Revealed

Jeff conducts a very valuable shooting experiment.  You should also read his article titled 

Practical Pistol Standard Course of Fire

A shooting drill to try on your next range trip. 

Threadlocker How-To // The Glue That Binds Us

Threadlocker facts.

Travel Security Starts with You—The Armed Traveler

Michael Janich has some good information on low key travel weapons.

Magazine Spring Myths – GUNS Magazine

Dispelling some magazine myths.

When the World Breaks

“Understanding how we react during all phases of a disaster is not only intellectually compelling, but crucial for how we approach public safety and disaster preparedness. As natural hazards increase in frequency and urban environments grow denser, the psychology of disaster has become a field of growing importance. Researchers now look closely at the behavioral patterns that arise when danger erupts because these patterns can determine who reacts quickly, who hesitates, and who survives.”

Appendix Carry | Carrying Comfortably While Seated

The Art of One-Handed Shooting – The Armory Life

Try some of these modifications during your one handed shooting practice.  If the changes make you shoot better, adopt them.  If not, discard them.

Trained vs. Untrained: The Physiology of Self-Defense

How trained versus untrained people experience life threatening stress.  And while we are on the topic, it’s important to realize 3rd hand knowledge in tactics is not real.

Missing school shootings in the FBI’s 2025 Active Shooter report

“The most likely reason to underreport active shooters is to show a declining trend.”

Is purse carry worst carry?

If you don’t want to carry in a purse, take a look at Best Concealed Carry Fanny Packs & Belt Bags for Women.

Breaking News: Silencer Shop CEO Explains NFA Injunction

There are lots questions about last week’s court decision involving suppressors and short-barreled long guns.  In this video, the CEO of Silencer Shop discusses the details.  Until this case law is implemented nationwide, please be careful purchasing these items.  And if you are going to build a can yourself, read How to avoid ATF’s homemade silencer entanglements.

Why Reality Is Never Enough

“But the market does not respond to predictability. It responds to novelty. It rewards you when you show up in a way it has not already been seen a thousand times.

AND…

When you’re using the same AI models everyone else is using to do your writing / editing / thought-partnering / thinking / marketing strategy / vibecoded webdesign …

Yeah, YOUR stuff is going to look and sound like everybody else’s, and it sure as heck ain’t gonna get the job done.”

Shooting Off the Ruck

I claim no advanced sniper knowledge beyond attending a couple police SWAT sniper schools and getting certified to teach the topic to cops in my former state.  I was my agency’s sniper for a long time, but seldom deployed.  For what it’s worth, I always shoot better off a ruck than off a bipod.

Your brain was hardwired to copy

Read this and place it in the context of doing skill demonstrations in training.

Jeff Cooper’s Color Code: You’re Doing it Wrong

“Col. Jeff Cooper’s Color Code of Awareness (the “Cooper Color Code”) — you’re very likely doing it wrong. There’s a possibility this article will slaughter a few sacred cows. It is certain to cause some ass pain. That’s okay, though. What we want to do, more than anything else is to get engaged professionals talking whether they agree with the author’s contention or not. Know why? Because discussion, disagreement, and civil discourse are where learning occurs.”

You might also find How to Read a Room Before You Sit Down – Option Gray informative.

50 or 100 Yards? The Zero Distance Debate, Settled – Tactical Fitness Austin

I can make a good argument for either distance.  For me, my red dot sighted rifles have 50 yard zeros.  My rifles with magnified optics get 100 yards zeros.  

Bullet Construction Matters

Please don’t use these lightweight varmint bullets for self protection.  I personally investigated a shooting at my former agency where a varmint round didn’t penetrate a car windshield from about 20 feet away.  I also have a police officer friend who shot a man with one of these rounds.  The guy he shot ambushed him, firing a few missed shots.  Upon receiving return fire from my friend, the suspect jumped up and started running toward more substantial cover.  The officer hit the guy in the butt with a varmint round as he was running away.

The suspect fell.  The bullet liquefied a section of the glute muscle, but did no serious damage.  The suspect was out of the hospital with a bandage in two hours.

Quote to Ponder:

“Assume life will be really tough, and then ask if you can handle it. If the answer is yes, you’ve won….

Life is very likely to provide terrible blows, unfair blows. Some people recover, and others don’t. And there I think the attitude of Epictetus helps guide one to the right reaction. He thought that every mischance in life, however bad, created an opportunity to behave well. He believed every mischance provided an opportunity to learn something useful. And one’s duty was not to become immersed in self-pity, but to utilize each terrible blow in a constructive fashion.”

– Charlie Munger

Some of the above links are affiliate links.  I earn a small percentage of the sale price from qualifying purchases.

Amazon has a tremendous number of FREE ebooks on their website.  You can find thousands of free kindle books on Amazon’s site every day.  These books can be downloaded to a Kindle reader or a free App on your phone or personal computer.  Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can download a free Kindle reader for your computer or phone HERE.  

Here are a few free books that I think my readers might enjoy. Check these out.

One caution….

These books were free at the time I posted them. Prices change rapidly. Please check the price before you hit the “buy” button! 

If you cannot see any of the links below, there is likely a setting in either your internet browser or ad blocking software that prohibits “live links.”  If you see a blank page below, check those settings.  I promise you that there are book links actually listed directly below.

Happy Reading!

While you are contemplating book purchases, don’t forget my travel safety book.

For an even larger selection of great books (not free), check out my Recommended Reading page.

Some of these links are affiliate links.  If you purchase an item using one of those links, I get a small percentage of the payment.  It does not cost you any additional money.

Knowledge to make your life better.  If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.

Irons vs Optics: Why Pistol Optics is the Clear Winner

Justin’s thoughts on pistol mounted optics.  He’s right.  But I still run iron sights.  I can still see them clearly and shoot well with them.  At this stage of the game, with a shortened life expectancy, it doesn’t seem to be worth my time and effort to learn a new system.

The RevolverGuy’s Reading List

_autotone

I’ve been slacking a bit in posting recent Revolver Guy content.  These posts will make up for that.  To start, check the link above.  It’s one of the mots comprehensive revolver book lists I’ve ever seen.  You might also like:

The Smith & Wesson Enhanced Boot Grip

Revolver Gunsmith Roundup, Part I

SAC Tactical Revolver Class AAR

Trigger Reset Simplified : 3 (or More) Reasons Why Everything You Know About it is Probably Wrong

A sensible look at trigger management.  I was taught to pin the trigger and then “catch the link” in most of the firearms schools I attended in the late 1990s and early 2000s.  I don’t think it’s the most effective way of teaching rigger management today.

OST Target Stencil – Save Some $

Using a stencil to turn your old Amazon boxes into USPSA targets.

Armed Lifestyle Magazine

Some articles that many of you will enjoy.

12 Ways To Get More Out Of Your Next Firearms Training Class

Very good information for you to study before your next shooting class.

.22 LR VS .32 ACP – Short Barrel Ballistic Gel Test

Both of these calibers are laughed at by ballistic “professionals” who warn you never to carry either defensively.  How well do they perform in real life?

Here are some more .32 acp gelatin tests.

ARs for Bear Defense: Practical Choice or Potential Disaster?

Can you use an AR-15 for bear defense?

Ahead of the Crowd

Intelligence sources for monitoring civil unrest.

Lethal Force Vs Pepper Spray: Is There Ever A Justification?

The late Marty Hayes discusses the legal use of deadly force against someone using pepper spray against you.  I see a lot of criminals using pepper spray now, especially in large crowd violence scenarios and group “takeover-style” robberies.  You should be mentally prepared for this possibility.  I have been confronted by criminals armed with pepper spray in my police career.  I did not shoot them.

Appendix Carry vs. Strong-Side Carry: Which Concealed Carry Method Is Right for You?

Advantages and disadvantages of both carry methods.  If you are interested in the topic, you may also like Frontal Carry.

Neuroplasticity on the Range: Designing a Firearms Training Regime Around the Mind

“When building a shooting program intended to function as a personal defense mechanism, the shooter’s neural networks must function effectively under threat, requiring stress inoculation as a vital component of program design.”

Technique: (Slide) Rack City, Rack Rack City

Two weeks ago, I included an article in the knowledge dump about “proper” ways to close the slide after a reload.  I used to be somewhat militant about recommending “the best” way of doing this.  Now I don’t care so much.  I let students use the slide release, overhand grip, or slingshot the slide.  All of those methods work.  This is a comprehensive look at all the positive and negative aspects of the various methods used to chamber a round in a semi auto pistol.  As long as the student gets the round chambered quickly, it really doesn’t matter so much to me how he does it.

Better Than Free: How To Differentiate In The Age Of AI

In a dump a couple weeks ago, I posted an article about how AI is altering the material we read.  This is a followup to that article.  It describes eight categories of items that people will pay for even if the AI alternative is free.  This is where all of us should be concentrating our entrepreneurial efforts.

Fanny packing: Criminals increasingly stashing guns in tourist staple

This article is now five years old.  If anything, the trend is now even more popular than it was when the piece was originally published.  As fanny packs (now worn over the shoulder) become fashionable urban attire, criminals are starting to carry guns in them again.  Keep your eyes open when you see someone carrying a fanny pack this way.

For what it’s worth, the only armed criminal I ever arrested who was carrying a holster was a jewelry store robber who carried two pistols in an old school Uncle Mike’s neon green gun fanny pack.

Precision, adaptability and response: The need for LPVOs in equipping today’s patrol officer

I switched from a red dot to an LPVO on my police duty rifle back in 2015.  I can think of several situations where the LPVO gave me an advantage in real-life tactical situations.

Free Targets And Downloadable Resources

Download and print some free targets for your next range session.  

HOW TO SUTURE: DIY GUIDE TO WOUND CLOSURE METHODS

Some systems collapse medical skills.

Although not a skill most of you should be doing, this article will be valuable for advanced practicioners.

Stop the Killing. Stop the Dying. — TacMed USA

Continuing on the topic of medical skills.  You may also enjoy The SALT Method: Triage and Treatment for Mass-Casualty Incidents.

An Official Journal Of The NRA | Skills Check: The Meltdown Drill

Try Steve’s “Meltdown Drill” here.  For another shooting drill, try Practical Pistol Standard Course of Fire.

The Pistol in British Military Service during the Great War

Very cool 38 page PDF document covering WWI British pistol use and training.  The training and standards advocated here are more advanced than what we currently use to train our modern-day cops.  It’s sad to think that we’ve actually lost ground in 100 years of “progress.”

“These cover grouping, rapid and snap shooting, at a variety of ranges, and engaging targets whilst advancing on foot. Shooting is to be conducted with both right and left hand, single and double action, to tight timings. One practice involves firing at targets whilst moving down a trench. There are mounted practices for those for whom they were appropriate.”

“He advocated the use of instinctive shooting at close ranges and using the sights for longer distances.  Tracy’s stated “War Shot” standard was the ability of a man to hit a 12” by 16” rectangle, with one pistol shot at ten yards, in one second.”

For other articles about older pistols, also check out:

Remington Handguns Pt. 1: The Old Era

Eight Of The Strangest Self-Defense Pistols Ever Conceived

The Lifetime Likelihood Of Needing A Gun For Self-Defense

My friend Alex does a really good job analyzing these statistics.

Fight Cancer Like a Man: A Breakthrough Treatment for Prostate Cancer Without Surgery, Radiation, or Sacrificing Your Manhood

What I’m reading….

Random Thoughts on Counter-Ambush For Police

Criminals and terrorists ambushing police officers has become exponentially more common in the past few years.  Cops are looking to alter their tactics to more safely approach their calls.  We don’t have to re-invent the wheel here.  South African cops have been getting ambushed for a long time.  Here are some tips from a leading South African police trainer about how they prevent police ambushes.

How To Shoot Handguns At Long Distance

Few people shoot handguns at really long ranges.  Even fewer do so with iron sights.  If you are an antique like myself, this old school technique commonly called “shooting out of the notch” works really well.

Considerations for Fighting With a Little One at Your Side

This is an article that all of you armed parents should read.  It presents some out-of-the-box thinking on the topic.

“My husband and I are fairly evenly matched when it comes to our defensive skills. But while I sometimes struggle to carry just one of our children, my husband can collect all three of them in his arms and carry them with ease. He’s also the family breadwinner. He’s capable of getting the rest of our family to safety and can provide for our children long term if I don’t survive a violent encounter. That makes flipping traditional gender roles a smart choice for our family, and it might be for yours too.”

Quote to Ponder:

“Don’t postpone joy until you have learned all of your lessons. Joy is your lesson.”

— Alan Cohen

Some of the above links are affiliate links.   I earn a small percentage of the sale price from qualifying purchases.