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

Run It Like A Violin – Shotgun Reloads

Until a couple years ago, I was at best ambivalent towards the violin load.  I knew some people used it successfully, but I did not teach it in my classes.  I took a shotgun instructor class as a student against medical advice.  I had a horrific pinched nerve in my upper back that weakened my left arm and was nine days post cancer surgery.  I was a bit of a physical wreck, but still decided to take the class.

When I got to the line, I found my normal off-hand loading technique didn’t work with my jacked up body.  I had to improvise and violin-load to complete the class.  It was my first time seriously working the technique and I ended up placing third (out of 20) in the class shoot-off.  Now I teach violin loading as an option.

While you are on the American Cop website, you should also read Surer, Not Faster.

Concealed Carry Considerations for the Law Enforcement Officer tasked with Close In Protection

Shane discusses some topics that don’t get enough attention in the police world.

Terminal Ballistics Part III: Tactical Anatomy & Defensive Marksmanship

I’ve been sharing Justin’s series on firearms stopping power in the last couple knowledge dumps.  Here is his latest contribution.  Read and watch all of content in this series if you are looking for the equivalant of a graduate degree on terminal ballistics.  If “stopping power” doesn’t interest you, check out one of Justin’s older articles titled 5 Steps to (Actually) Make America Great.

The Biggest Lie We Tell About Homelessness

Some of the realities of life as a homeless person.  Encountering violent, mentally ill “street people” is often a large concern expressed by my students.  The more you know about this population, the less likely you will be targeted by them.

ISSUE 27

The latest issue of the Armed Lifestyle Magazine.  There are some excellent articles in this edition.

MilSurp: The SKS Carbine—What You Need To Know

Useful information for anyone who owns or works on SKS rifles.   And here’s an article for those of you who want to learn to maintain an AK.

Before You Carry a Gun, Make These Decisions

“We don’t spend our time looking for an excuse to lose.  We spend our time finding a way to win.  And that’s the difference between the live professional and the dead amateur.”

My friends John and Vicki Farnam are legends in the firearms training community and have been teaching longer than I’ve been alive.  They share their observations about teaching and defensive readiness on this excellent podcast.

The Blank Paper Drill (and Progression)

Here’s a shooting drill I bet most of you have never done.  You might also like the author’s thoughts on constructing a dry fire program.

Collision One: Collisions of the Mind: Collisions of the Mind

What I’m reading…

SCOTUS Is About to Answer the AR-15 Question

Implications and potential consequences of the upcoming supreme court hearings.

The S&W Model 12: An Airweight Classic

I carried a nickel plated model 12 on my ankle as a police duty backup gun for most of my career.  It’s a great revolver.  As my late friend and snubby guru Ed Lovette once told me, the 2″ K-frames “conceal like a J-frame but shoot like a real gun.”  That’s the best description I’ve found.

Handgunization

It’s interesting to note how gun ownership patterns have evolved in my lifetime.  For more interesting statistics, read What’s Driving the Homicide Decline?

How many school shootings in September 2026?

The latest school shooting statistics for the new school year.

KCKPD officer stabs man who tried to take officer’s during struggle Tuesday afternoon in business parking lot

While it is unusual to see cops defending against gun grabs with edged weapons, it isn’t unheard of. Here is one example. I have seen about 15 more of these incidents in the last 20 years.

The Truth About Brass vs. Steel Ammo

With the current ammo costs and availability affected by increased prices of components and fuel disruptions, I think ammo prices are going to head upward again soon.  You may have to use steel case ammo if it’s the only thing you can find.  This article explains the differences and what warning signs to look for.

The .30 Carbine Cartridge and Why It Refuses To Fade Away

The M-1 carbine is one of my favorite guns to shoot.

Height Over Bore: Why Close-Range Rifle Shots Hit Low

I’m not known for my rifle classes, but I’ve taught rifle skills for a long time.  I started my agency’s rifle program back in 1999.  At the time, we were the only patrol officers in our county who carried rifles.  Our rifle officers trained four times a year and shot about 400 rounds each session. 

The concept I found the most difficult to teach was close range hold overs.  Officers intellectually understood the issue, but would forget to hold high as soon as they left the range.  In the one rifle shooting we had when I was the training officer, the officer shot at a threat about four yards away.  He hit low.

Home Defense with Tom Givens

Tom Givens provides a primer on home invasions.

Pedal to the Metal: 5 Tactical Driving Tips for the Everyday Civilian

Driving skills are something we all need and use daily, but few of us have formal training in the subject matter.  Here are some tips from a pro driving instructor.

.300 Blackout vs 5.56 NATO: An Examination for Home Defense

Although I acknowledge that there are some situations where a .300 Blackout makes sense, I remain firmly on team 5.56 for this debate.

Carrying With An Empty Chamber Almost Cost Him Everything

If you don’t feel comfortable carrying a gun with a round in the chamber, you don’t have enough training.  Take a class (beyond a basic CCW course) from a professional shooting school.  In one or two days of training, you should be skilled enough to carry the gun as it was designed to be carried.  If you are too busy or too lazy to go to gun school for a weekend, at least be honest with yourself.  Carry a revolver with a long, heavy first trigger pull so that you will feel “safe.”  I’d much rather you carry a revolver with fewer rounds on board than handicap yourself even worse in a gunfight by carrying chamber empty.

Gunfighting Science: Shooting Through Glass

The basics of shooting in to and out of vehicles.

Are YOU easy prey for pickpockets?

Seven of the most common pickpocketing tactics.

How a Suppressor Affects Point of Impact When Hunting (and How to Verify Your Zero Before Season)

As suppressors become easier to obtain, we will see more of them used in the hunting fields.  If you are new to shooting with a can, you should test your rifle to see how the suppressor changes your point of impact.

Quote to Ponder:

“It is not the things we do in life that we regret on our death bed. It is the things we do not. I assure you I’ve done a lot of really stupid things, and none of them bother me. All the mistakes, and all the dopey things, and all the times I was embarrassed — they don’t matter. What matters is that I can kind of look back and say: Pretty much any time I got the chance to do something cool I tried to grab for it — and that’s where my solace comes from.”

– Randy Pausch

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.

Teaching Your Brain to Look Through the Dot

Jeff Gonzalez has some tips for better shooting with a pistol mounted optic.

The Biomechanical Reality of Incapacitation

In the last few knowledge dumps, I’ve highlighted some very well informed articles about firearm stopping power and the mechanics by which bullets actually incapacitate people.  Here is yet another solid piece of scholarship on the topic.

Theory of a Grey Man

If you’ve been reading my site for a long while, you might remember that I often posted links to the Straight Forward in a Crooked World blog.  Matthew was my all time favorite writer in the tactical world, but he stopped writing at his blog back in 2018.  I’m happy to report that he is back writing again on Substack.  I subscribed as soon as I saw he was writing again.  You should too.

PRECISION POLICE PISTOL SHOOTING

For those of you who thing “combat accurate” is good enough.

Rangemaster October Newsletter

This month’s edition has a fun training drill and some excellent holster information.

Components of Precision Shooting – Guns 101

A few precision rifle shooting tips.  If you read this and decide you need a rear squeeze bag, this one is available on Amazon for 50% off if you use coupon code YS62IMT.

The Intellectual Yet Idiot

It really is all about deadlifting…

NPE Carry: S&W Bodyguard 2.0 versus S&W 432 UC Ti

“A comparison of a best-in-class pocket .380 and a J-frame revolver. What exactly are revolvers bringing to the table in 2026? Intended mostly to be listened to, with some tangentially-related B-roll.”

You all know I’m a revolver fan, but I have to admit that Justin is correct with his analysis.

Flock’s Gunshot Alerts Could Sweep Up Lawful Gun Owners

Just in case you weren’t already suspicious enough about the Flock cameras.

Massive errors in FBI’s Active Shooting Reports from 2014-2025 regarding cases where civilians stop attacks

“Instead of 3.9%, the correct number is at least 36.6%. Excluding gun-free zones, it averaged over 52.9%. In 2025, it was 58.3%.”

The Racist History of Gun Control

Some facts you may not have known.

Back to the basics with Paul Howe

Common sense advice from Paul Howe.  “Getting muzzle past meat” and “Not shooting from the back of the bus” are important concepts that aren’t getting adequately taught to our police officers.

Why is this happening?  Read Certification Is Not Mastery: Why Instructor Development Is Broken for one of the problematic factors involved.

One Man In: The Explosive Firsthand Account of the Lone Special-Ops Commando Who Fought Off a Major Terrorist Attack in Kenya

What I’m reading…

If you aren’t into books and still want to hear the story, I highly recommend this podcast interview.

5 + 1 Drill

A great shooting drill for you revolver shooters.  To turn this drill into a range session, run it two or three times as follows:

– Reloading with loose shells from the pocket

– Reloading with speed strips

– Reloading with speed loaders

– Strong hand only with the reload method of your choice

– Weak hand only with the reload method of your choice

Want a more challenging drill for your semi auto pistol?  Try 99% of Shooters Can’t Pass This Test. Could You?

Gun Nation: What Really Matters in Terms of Self-Defense…By the Numbers

Some interesting statistics and their implications for the armed citizen.

Color Wheel: Shooting Lens Tints & Why They Matter

Which lens colors are best for your shooting needs?  My shooting glasses (and the sunglasses I wore on patrol) are Oakley Prism Trail.  They are literally “rose colored glasses” that instantly improve my mood.  Besides sharpening everything, they make the sky and trees look amazing.  When I put on those glasses, I’m instantly transported to a happier place.

46 Awesome 400m Sprint Workouts (Full Training PDF)

This workout looks absolutely torturous.  With that said, if I had to get in peak cardiovascular fitness in a short period of time, I’d do something like this.

The Pros and Cons of IDPA [2026] ⋆ Primer Peak

For those of you interested in getting started with the shooting sports.  IDPA is a great first step if you want to start competing.

History of the Second Amendment: Complete Timeline From 1328 to Today

Settle in for a solid history lesson.

Technique: The Revival of the Outdated Speed Rock on Social Media

I might be dating myself by revealing the fact that I was actually trained to do the “speed rock” by Chuck Taylor himself, the originator of the technique.  It works great against cardboard targets.  It fails spectacularly against an opponent who is skilled or merely exceptionally violent.  Read Mark’s top-notch analysis on the topic.  Just say no to the speed rock.

Ayoob: Should You Always Get Off the X?

Massad Ayoob understands that there are few absolutes in the tactical world.  Real world best practices are often far more nuanced.

Tasers Are Generally Safe. The Data Are Generally Bad.

Taser info for my police readers.

7.62×39 Barrel Length vs. Velocity: What the Data Shows

How much velocity do you lose with a short barreled AK?

Wheelgun Wisdom: Running Double-Action Revolvers

Some wheel gun tips for those of you unfamiliar with revolver operation.  For even more quality information on the topic, read The “Lost” Art of Revolver Reloading.

After-Action Report for Utah Valley University

The official analysis of last year’s assassination of Charlie Kirk.  Opens to PDF.  Continuing on the topic with government crime reports, last year’s Uniformed Crime Report Data was also released this week.

9mm or 5.7x28mm? Hornady Critical Defense – Ballistic Gel Test

Why Ammo Prices Are Rising in Fall 2026 — And Why Stocking Up Now Makes Sense

If you’ve been reading my work for a while, you’ll recognize that I have often mentioned the cyclic nature of ammunition shortages over the past couple decades.  It looks like we may have another coming up.  You should already have a hefty stockpile of ammo.  How much?  I personally didn’t stop stockpiling until I had a lifetime supply of practice ammo.  

In recent years, I’ve been shooting about 5000 rounds a year to keep my skill sets sharp with all of the different weapons I carry and teach with.  If I’m being honest, I could probably maintain adequate skill levels if I fired a minimum of about 2000 live rounds a year.  If my cancer just miraculously disappeared, I’d probably still only have a maximum of about 20 years left on the planet.

A “lifetime supply” of ammo sounds like a lot.  But when you run the numbers, having 40K rounds stored up for practice (and remember, a lot of them can be .22s) doesn’t seem to me to be an unreasonable quantity.  Ammo lasts almost forever if stored properly.  Ammunition costs will only go up in the future.  Anything you can stash away at today’s prices will be an investment that pays better dividends than your 401K account.

For more information about this topic, read If Copper Really Goes to $10 a Pound, Ammo Will Feel It

Officer Survival Leader

We lost legendary officer-survival trainer Evan Marshal this week.  In the pre-internet days, Evan’s writings inspired a lot of young cops like myself and taught us how to do our job safely.  As a broke college student, I spent way too much money on Evan’s three books on handgun stopping power.  The ideas in those books led me to study 1800 shootings myself and to write my own paper on the effectiveness of various handgun rounds.

Quote to Ponder:

“Do not love half lovers. Do not entertain half friends. Do not live a half life…and do not die a half death.”

– Kahlil Gibran

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

I should be perfectly content with my Beretta 1301, two Benelli M-1, three Remington 870, and Mossberg 590S shotguns.  After shooting the new Benelli, I want to add it to the stable as well.

The Benelli Experience was a unique two day event at the Range Ready studio and range complex in Louisiana.  The “experience” part made it a bit different compared to most shotgun classes.  The course tuition also paid for each student to take home a new shotgun, complete with Blue Force Gear sling and a dump pouch for loading.  Unlimited Fiocchi ammunition was also included in the course price.

The class was two days.  I started with an introduction to the new shotgun and its features, followed by instruction on a complete field strip and lubrication process.  With 20 students on the line shooting the new guns, I taught my basic shotgun class.  After students gained proficiency with the guns, we ran them through three different multistage shooting contests with the guns.

The students and I were recorded by a professional film crew for future content on Range Ready’s free streaming TV channel.

The lead instructor at Range Ready is Chris Cerino.  I’ve known Chris a long time.  We were both cops in Ohio.  We both taught at the Ohio Peace Officers Training Academy.  We were both fired from that organization by the same inept (some might say corrupt) managers looking to maintain their own political power and provide substandard training to the officers in Ohio.  They didn’t want anyone competent teaching for them, because it highlighted other long-time staff members’ inadequacies.

Chris called me a few months ago about the class.  While he is extremely knowledgeable about shotgun shooting and the Benelli system, he hadn’t taught a basic shotgun class in a while.  He knew I teach quite a few defensive shotgun classes every year.  I am also a three-time graduate of Benelli’s armorer school and carried the Benelli shotgun on duty for my cop job from 1997 until I retired in 2020.  From 1999 to 2013, I was responsible for training the officers on the Benelli shotguns and maintaining the department’s shotgun armory.

I was a good fit for the class and agreed to teach.

Chris and I at the front of the class

Chris and I, along with a couple additional range instructors spent a whole day on the range with the new guns before the students arrived.  We ran the shotguns hard and filmed content for the streaming video channel.

I really started to like the shotgun after shooting it the first day.  I only had one possible concern.  Some of the folks shooting the guns had a couple of strange feeding malfunctions.  We didn’t figure out the cause until later.  We were shooting on a range with no shade.  The temperature and humidity were both in the high 90s.  The shotgun shells we were using were sitting out in the hot sun.  The heat caused the ammo to expand, which caused our feeding issues.  Once we figured that out and moved the ammo to the shade, all of our feeding issues disappeared.

Between 20 students, Chris and I, and three assistant instructors, we fired over 9000 rounds in three days.  I don’t know if there is anyone on the planet right now who has seen more rounds than that fired out of the new guns.  While I don’t often do gun/gear reviews on this site, I realized I was in a very unique position to provide an evaluation of the gun based on firing and seeing others fire thousands of rounds through it.  

The empty shotgun hulls after the training class.

Here’s what I noted:

The Good

– The gun is very reliable.  On the first day we fired 3000+ rounds of Fiocchi 1 1/8 oz birdshot.   After all of those rounds through the gun, we saw just ONE malfunction across all those rounds in 23 different guns.  That’s amazing performance for shooting cheap birdshot out of brand new semi-auto shotguns without any break in period.

Running Chris Cerino through some drills.  the students had already practiced the techniques dry with dummy rounds before we hit the range.

Overall, I was really impressed by the new Benelli shotgun as well as the training facilities at Range Ready.  I highly recommend both!

Here are my upcoming open enrollment classes for the next couple months.   Take a look at where I’ll be at the links below.

This coming Sunday, I’ll be teaching my final knife class of the year in Ohio.  My knife classes haven’t been selling well during the last couple years.  I don’t know how many I’ll be scheduling for 2027.

October 4, 2026- Knife Skills for Concealed Carriers at Blackwing Shooting Center in Delaware, Ohio.  Registration details here. (6 spots left)

After Blackwing, I’ll be headed to South Carolina to teach three days at Revolver Fest.  It it sold out.  Then I drive north to teach two classes the following weekend in Culpeper, Virginia.  My $10/month Patreon supporters get a 20% discount on the registration for these classes.  Send me a message if you’ve lost the coupon code.

October 17, 2026- Concealed Carry Revolver in Culpeper, Virginia.  Registration details here (6 spots left)

October 18, 2026- Extreme Close Quarters Gunfighting (One Day) in Culpeper, Virginia.  Registration details here.  (3 spots left)

Both Virginia classes have met the minimum enrollment standard and will beheld.

In November I’ll be back at Blackwing in Ohio for two more classes.  Both are currently sold out, but you can contact the range to be put on a wait list if you like.

November 14, 2026- Off Grid Wound Care at Blackwing Shooting Center in Delaware, Ohio.  Registration details HERE. Class Sold Out

November 15, 2026- Close Quarters Gunfighting at Blackwing Shooting Center in Delaware, Ohio.  Registration details HERE. Class Sold Out

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 will begin scheduling class for 2027 soon.

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

Terminal Ballistics II: What Pistol Bullets Do (And Don’t Do)

Part two of this must-read series on handgun stopping power.  If you carry a handgun defensively, you must understand these concepts.  When you finish the article, check out Justin’s book.

Also on the topic of defensive handgun ammunition, if you carry a .32 acp, you should read this article about what to feed it.

Finally, read Matt Landfair’s take on the topic.

BREAKING: DOJ Says Ban on Handgun Sales to 18 to 20-Year-Old Adults is Unconstitutional

The latest court case you should be aware of.  One more case you should be following is Fifth Circuit Rules Federal Interstate Handgun Sales Ban is Unconstitutional

MANAGING THE TRAFFIC STOP ARMED

Gabe Suarez’ thoughts on how to handle a traffic stop when you are a concealed carrier.  I don’t do things exactly as he recommends, but he shares some worthy considerations.

Keep Your Carbine Running: Dispelling Lubrication and Cleaning Myths

The late Pat Rogers gives you all the information you need to keep your AR-15 running perfectly.

2026 Cognitive Conclave

You probably don’t need another class to teach you to shoot faster.  You need a class to teach you to think with a pistol in your hand.  That’s what this is.

It isn’t my class, but it’s taught by three of my friends.  I’ve personally trained with all three and can vouch for their instructing skills.  In the last class I took from Hearne, one of his drills challenged me so much that I shot a no-shoot target.  If I shot when I shouldn’t have after taking 4500 hours of professional gun training, why do you think you are good to go after a one-day CCW class?

This class currently doesn’t have enough students.  If they don’t get a few more by midnight tonight, they are going to cancel it.  If you want to learn to be a better gunfighter, sign up today.

Scout Rifle Requiem: Q&A With Gunsite Legend Giles Stock

A look at Col. Cooper’s Scout Rifle idea.  While we are discussing Jeff Cooper, I think you folks will also like Jeff Cooper Shooting History.

Edge-U-Cation – Lefty Knives

Michael Janich gives some good advice to all you lefties out there.

Myths & Facts Of Self-Defense Training

Some controversial ideas in modern training.

Better Tools, Better Judgment?

How do FLOCK cameras and ALPR affect human cognition as it applies to law enforcement?

Bloody Important – Cheetos and Duct Tape

Kerry Davis covers some techniques to control life threatening bleeding.

Strobe: The Tactical Feature That Just Won’t Die

I, too, attended the Surefire Institute’s Low Light Instructor class and trained strobes under Ken Good.  I had a strobing light and carried it on the street for several years.  I don’t have a strobe on any of my lights right now.  

I agree with Erick’s statement below:

“Gelhaus has perhaps the best description of the fundamental problem with strobing: “It does deny information, but it denies that info both ways.”

The best “tactical” light has an on/off switch (with momentary on) and defaults to the brightest setting possible.

Close Encounters of the Revolver Kind

Some of the lesser known revolvers that gunfighters in the Old West used for close quarters confrontations.  While you are on the website, check out Revolver Gunsmith Roundup, Part II  to discover some  resources for revolver gunsmithing.

Pistol Skill Fundamentals

What I’m reading….

Make Your Doors Secure with this Easy Trick

Mickey shares a slick method to harden your exterior doors.

The Dominant Eye Myth: What Shooters Really Need to Know

Some of the nuances involved in eye dominance.  You should also read Tatiana’s article on one-handed shooting.

CONCEALMENT GUT-CHECK

“Sadly our country continues to get less tolerant with respect to guns being carried. There are lots of places where you aren’t permitted to carry even as an off-duty cop. Your goal should be to carry in a manner that keeps professionals from spotting your gun. It should take a physical pat down to betray your concealment.”

And yet another potential problem for you open carriers or those who casually cover your gun.

Skills Check: Rifle Standard Delta 2

A rifle shooting drill for your next range training session.

Secrets of a Professional Bodyguard: How to Stay Safe in a Crowd

Some good tips for assessing the relative danger of crowds you may encounter.

5 Things I’ve Learned About Shotguns

Preaching the gospel of the gauge.

What Is An Acceptable Level of Combat Accuracy (And Do You Measure Up)?

While I know quite a few gunfight winners who can’t shoot a four inch pistol group at 25 yards, this is probably a reasonable standard to aspire to achieve.  You should also check out How to Shoot Targets at 200 Yards with your Handgun.

Do locked classroom doors stop school shooters?

Counterintuitive information.

“During each of these time periods, roughly the same percentage of planned attacks (15%, 18%, 15%) took place in multiple rooms of the school. If locked doors made a difference, the percentage of multi-room attacks should be lower after widespread training and adoption. Even with locked doors, the percentage of multi-room shootings post-Sandy Hook is the same as pre-Columbine.”

LIFE SKILLS | Normalcy Bias

“Normalcy bias is a mental state you enter when confronted with an overwhelming threat. It makes you disbelieve your situation when faced with grave and imminent danger. Initially hypothesized in 1961, this phenomenon causes you to underestimate the severity and the most likely consequences. This underestimation, in turn, causes you to reinterpret the event instead of taking evasive or decisive action.”

Buying Guns for Family

Tips for buying firearms for spouses and children.

Quote to Ponder:

“If you really want to be a game changer, become a master observer. Just the willingness to stop and look at things that no one else has even bothered to look at enables game changers to identify real points of meaning. The simple process of focusing on things that are normally taken for granted can be a source of great power and creativity. … We learn when we observe, we pick up on clues, we figure things out. That is what preparation is all about.”

– Peyton Manning

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.

Performative EDC [2026]

A topic worthy of discussion.  There are more than eight billion people on the planet.  I wonder how many of those people even have what we gun folks call an “EDC”?  How do all those people possibly survive every day without paracord bracelets, hidden handcuff keys, and cigarette lighters even when they don’t smoke?

If you can’t get over the idea of being without your EDC gear, maybe you can use the idea of carrying a Minimalist EDC as a baby step.

Thoughts On The Effective Police Firearms Instructor – Part 1

If you only have your state’s one-week firearms instructor cert, you are unlikely to be an effective police firearms instructor.  If that fact hurts your feelings, read Hearne’s article here and fix yourself.

After you read the article, you might also want to check out another article John shared on his company’s Facebook page.  It’s well worth your time to read and understand if you are hiring and training police officers.

TFB Armorer’s Bench: Complete AR15 Disassembly – Bolt Carrier Group

Millions of people have purchased AR-15 rifles for the first time in the last few years.  You new AR owners should learn to take your bolt carrier group apart for cleaning and routine maintenance.

Loaded Magazines vs. Downloaded: What You Need To Know

Massad Ayoob gives us some info about a topic that isn’t often discussed.  I have four points to add.

1) You should have fired your gun enough to know if it is 100% reliable when completely loaded.  If it isn’t 100% reliable when fully loaded, but is reliable when downloaded by one cartridge, download the gun.

2) As Mas mentioned, some full mags are very hard to insert if the chamber is already loaded.  If that’s the case, download your mag.  Why do you think the military traditionally loaded 28 rounds in a 30 round M-16 magazine?  Before P-Mags, fully loaded AR mags were difficult to easily insert into guns with loaded chambers.

3) It might make sense to download a shotgun magazine tube by one shell to facilitate an easier “select slug” drill if your shotgun isn’t equipped with a magazine cut off.

4) If you do regularly carry a less than fully loaded magazine in your pistol, make sure responding cops know that fact if you get into a shooting with that particular gun.  I once investigated a police shooting where two different officers each had downloaded magazines.  We assumed their mags were full and wasted hours scouring the scene for spent bullets and brass that never existed.

Guns That Disappointed Me

I have a lot of experience with some of the guns he mentions and generally agree with his assessment.  My department ordered six T&E USP handguns from HK with the intention of replacing our duty pistols with the new HK weapons.  Three of the six had hammers that actually dragged against the slide, causing 20+ pound DA trigger pulls.  When I called HK to request new guns, they refused to send them and told me there was nothing wrong with their pistols.

I’m glad to hear that someone else hates the Benelli M4 collapsible stock as much as I do.  Those SIG rifles suck.  My former department has an original full-auto Thompson.  I had unlimited access to it when I was the training officer and fired thousands of rounds through it.  I liked it for the history, but it wasn’t nearly as cool as I wanted it to be.

Does Temperature Affect Bullet Point of Impact?

Temperature affects velocity.  Velocity affects point of impact.

Terminal Ballistics 1: How Pistols “Stop” Bad Guys

Do yourself a favor and read this.  Then watch the associated video.

Warning Shots Left Him EMPTY When It Mattered

There are exceptionally few situations where warning shots are a good idea.  In most scenarios, an outcome like this is more likely than you driving away any potential attackers by shooting into the ground near their feet.

The King of Defensive 00 Buckshot: Federal’s 8 Pellet FLITECONTROL

The eight-pellet Federal 00 buckshot load is a superior defensive round out of a 12 gauge shotgun.  It may not function reliably in some semi-autos.  If your gun doesn’t feed it well, try the Hornady Critical Defense or Tap Semi-auto rounds.  The Hornady wads are similar to the Federal wads (both designed by the same person).  The Hornady will open up faster than the Flite Control outside of 15 yards, but it’s clearly superior to any other defensive shotgun loads.

If you can’t find or afford one of those two rounds, pick a good 00 buckshot load from any other manufacturer.  Just realize your pattern will be significantly larger and your maximal effective range will be about 15 yards.  Beyond that range, most standard 00 loads will begin opening up so rapidly that not all of the pellets will hit the target.

For more information, read Just Say No To Number 4 Buckshot (For Home Defense).

Is 38 Special Underpowered?

A detailed analysis of this often maligned cartridge.  You will also want to read Caleb’s follow up 38 Special vs 357 Magnum as well.

Zeroing Your Shotgun’s Dot

I’m seeing red dots becoming more popular in my shotgun classes.  Here is Erick’s list of best practices for zeroing your shotgun optic.

Fretting About Pistol Red-Dot Zeroes Is Silly

A couple more red dot articles for you this week.  First, from the link above:

“It’s crazy to think about the fact that we’re discussing differences in points of impact between 1 and 1 ½ inches. These are tiny measurements in considering everything else pertaining to handgun shooting. In fact, think about how even proficient shooters would likely struggle to consistently shoot a “100” on a standard NRA B-8 target with a typical red-dot equipped pistol. And the 10-ring on a B-8 is 3.36 inches in diameter!”

You’ll also want to read Does Red Dot Window Size Matter?

You Can Improve Your Shooting Almost Anywhere…Even At An Indoor Range

An article explaining how can you make progress if you have to train on an indoor range with lots of restrictions.

War HOGG Skill Builder #23: Pistol Light Switch Manipulation

Speaking of training, when is the last time you worked on shooting with the weapon mounted light on your pistol (if you have one)?

What Makes A Good Handgun Holster?

I see lots of crappy holsters being worn.  If you don’t know the difference between a good holster and a bad holster, please read this article.  Here’s a hint: If the holster came in a package deal with the gun, it is probably nearly worthless.

Alarms, Blood Trails, and Broken Doors

Lessons learned after the author attended an FBI active shooter trends conference.  I stopped going to these conferences.  Cops refuse to learn the lessons or be proactive and integrate the information they receive in a manner that is effective.  Why are we still talking to cops about fire alarms during active killer events.  We learned about fire alarm tactics in school shootings that occurred more than 25 years ago.  

I wrote an article about best practices on this topic back in 2015.  I wrote a followup article about the same topic in 2018.  Why don’t people understand this?  It’s all just more Beating my Head Against the Wall.

Self-Defense and the Law: Cases Where Magazine Capacity Limits Cost Lives

Documented incidents where magazine (or cylinder) capacity mattered.

Gun Owner 101: Choosing a Carry Gun

Excellent advice for choosing a CCW gun.  You may also like the author’s article Narcan and Choices.

People are strange

One of the biggest issues I see with crime victims is that they assumed their assailant would think and act rationally.

What If the Gun Community Isn’t Really This Divided?

“Reasonable people usually don’t generate hundreds of comments.

Outrage does.

So the loudest people become the most visible people, and the most visible people start looking like the majority.

They usually aren’t.”

Quote to Ponder (to support the thesis in the link above)

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

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

Social Aggression vs. Asocial Violence: Why Knowing the Difference Can Save Your Life

Critical information for any of you interested in the topic of violence.

Concealment vs. Cover: Teaching Kids the Safety Skill That Could Save Their Life

Critical concepts you should be sharing with your children.

Does a Light Trigger Increase Accuracy: Research and Analysis

Yes, a lighter trigger does improve accuracy, but not as much as one may think.  I have stock triggers on all my semi-automatic defensive handguns.

No matter what trigger you have installed, it’s  very important to avoid placing your finger on the trigger unless your sights are on the target and you’ve made the decision to shoot.  Read Can You Really Prevent Unintentional Discharges?

And one additional point.  Your trigger will feel lighter if your grip strength is better.  Read Grip Strength and Shooting Performance and the study upon which that article is based.

The Mortality Numbers Agency Heads Actually Need

A deeper dive into police officer mortality statistics as compared to folks who have never worn the badge.

FEMA Search Markings – What They Mean

Useful knowledge to have in the wake of any natural disaster.

High Ready or Not, Here I Come!

There are way too many egos involved in the shooting industry.  Each claims that their methodology is the one true way.  It’s all bullshit.  Let’s stop being dogmatic. 

We want to point our weapons in the safest direction we can in every different location.  Sometimes that is up.  Sometimes it is down.  Lighten up a bit.

This article takes a look at some of the strengths and weaknesses of the high ready position with a rifle.

Lowest Recoil Ever! .32 S&W VS .22 LR – Ballistic Gel Test

A lot of you bought the .32 magnum version of the Lipsey’s S&W snub revolver that allows you to shoot almost all .32 cartridges in the same revolver.  Have you ever wondered how the lowly .32 S&W cartridge with a velocity of less than 600 feet per second performs in gelatin?

Survey: More Women and Minorities Own Guns Than Ever, 40 Million AR-15s Now in American Hands

“In sum, firearms ownership has continued to grow, and firearms owners are more diverse than ever,” Georgetown Professor William English, who conducted the survey, wrote.”

How to Travel Safely

Excellent travel safety tips from Tatiana Whitlock.

Down the Rabbit Hole

A very valuable analysis about the history of police firearms training priorities.

Silent Shortages: How To Read Empty Sections In Stores As Early Warning Signs

Are you paying attention to these signs when you are doing your grocery shopping?

The Last Outlaws: The Desperate Final Days of the Dalton Gang

What I’m reading…

The Nonfiction Book Market is Collapsing

And while we are on the topic of books, check out this article.  As an avid reader and a dude who makes quite a bit of money from my writing, I find this information both horrifying and fascinating at the same time.

“The collapse of nonfiction is less a “male reading crisis” than a massive breakdown in the social fabric of trusting education, expertise, or any authority other than follower count and force of personality.”

Do You Know Your DOPE? Here’s a Custom Card

Make yourself a custom DOPE card for your precision rifle.  You may also be interested in AR-15 Rifle Barrel Length – Does It Even Matter? Maybe NOT.

Talking ‘Bout My Generation: Four Subguns, Four Ways of Thinking

An amusing look at each generation’s preferred subgun.

Drive-Thru Followup:

Last month, the active killer at the Idaho In and Out restaurant targeted victims who were trapped in the drive through lane.  Some of those casualties might still be unharmed if those folks had read this simple article published by John Farnam more than 10 years ago.

Empty Arguments over Empty Chambers

And speaking about the Idaho active killer attack, one armed citizen attempted to intervene, but he was carrying a pistol with an empty chamber.  He took a round into his primary gun arm before he was able to draw his gun.  When he eventually got the gun out, he was unable to chamber a round due to his injury.  How would you like to be that guy right now, knowing you could have stopped the killing, but you didn’t do so because you were unwilling to get enough training to feel comfortable with your loaded carry pistol?

If you don’t feel it’s safe enough to carry a chambered striker fired pistol, you need more training.  If you are unwilling to seek training to become competent, you should be carrying a revolver.

But none of the chamber-empty carry folks will ever carry a six-shooter, even though it’s a far more capable weapon than a chamber-empty semi-auto.  A revolver doesn’t look cool enough.  What does that tell us about a person like that? 

They are unwilling to take a couple of days worth of training to be comfortable carrying a semi-auto with a loaded chamber.  They are unwilling to carry a revolver with a heavier trigger that is less likely to be accidentally pulled.  Those folks just want to feel like a badass carrying a gun. They don’t have either the mindset or ability to use the gun to save lives.   The gun for them is some kind of a magical talisman that prevents evil acts from occurring in their proximity.   They are more concerned with appearing capable than actually being capable.  I find those folks to be worse than worthless in an emergency.  Contemptible, actually.

If you are carrying chamber empty, fix your shit before you get yourself or a loved one killed.

What Prevents Mass Shootings?

Some active killer attack statistics.

Bodyguard 2.0 vs. LCP Max vs. Glock 42 | RULE ONE GUNS

An excellent review of three of the most popular small guns I currently see many of my female students carrying.  And if you are considering these carry pieces, you should probably also learn about Concealed Carry Without a Belt.

Grip, Trigger, Sights: Diagnosing the Strong Hand

Strong hand only shooting isn’t just for emergencies.

Pointing and Bore Axis

An interesting look at how bore axis affects “pointability” in revolvers.

ToxCard: Should you really be injecting that? – Peptide Toxicity

Some peptide basics for medical professionals.

Gunhandling: The Oft Neglected Part of the Combat Triad

“Now that we’ve defined Gunhandling and looked at some failures, how to we fix ourselves or those around us?”

Have .22 LR Handguns Finally Become Viable Options for Self-Defense?

Yet another article about using the .22 for self protection.

Quote to Ponder

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

I just read the article linked below.  It discusses some heat casualties at a high school following a bomb threat evacuation. Please take two minutes to read the article before you move on to my commentary.
 

21 students hospitalized, 3 critical, after standing in heat during bomb threat evacuation

For those of you who are too time pressed to read the article, I can summarize it by saying that at about 10:00 am a couple days ago, staff members of a junior high school in Tennessee received a note alleging that a bomb had been placed in the school.  As is typical for most schools in this country, they chose to evacuate the school for the students’ safety and to allow first responders to “clear” the school of any potential explosive devices.

It’s summer time and it’s hot in Tennessee.  The students were evacuated to a outdoor football stadium that had no significant shade.  The students were sitting outside on the stadium bleachers for between 50 and 55 minutes.  Twenty-one of the students had to be hospitalized for heat exhaustion/heat stroke.  Three of those students are in critical condition.

I know Tennessee has a fairly warm climate, but it isn’t the Sahara desert.  Am I out of line to expect that students should be able to sit outside for less than an hour at 10:00 am without becoming serious heat casualties?

I played football in high school.  At the end of the summer, we had “two a day” full contact practices out in the hot sun while wearing heavy pads.  Two practices a day with a short lunch break.  We were playing football out in the hot summer sun for 5-6 hours a day while wearing incredibly hot shoulder pads and helmets.  I can’t remember ever seeing a heat casualty on my football team.

How have we gone from expecting kids to play outside all day in the summer to having to hospitalize students for spending an hour sitting down outside without air conditioning?

I don’t know the answer, but it’s becoming a huge issue.  People no longer spend time outside during the heat of the summer.  When they are forced to be outside in the sun, they drop like flies.

I’ve been noticing heat casualties becoming far more common in the classes I’ve taught in the last few years.  Until around 2020, I could count on one hand the number of total heat casualties my students had in the first 20 years I taught.  Now it’s not uncommon to have at least one heat casualty in every summer outdoor class I teach.  I think this problem is caused by a combination of factors:

Lack of Acclimation- Most people simple don’t spend time outside any more.  They are not acclimated to the heat when they move from air conditioned house to air conditioned car, to air conditioned office without ever exposing themselves to heat and humidity.

Poor physical conditioning- People aren’t used to hard work.  A high percentage of Americans are obese and do zero exercise.  The heat hits those folks even harder.

More drugs- Take a look at this list on the CDC’s website.  It lists all the drugs (both prescription and OTC) that cause body temperatures to increase.  Take a look at the list:

• Antidepressants
• Antipsychotics
• Beta blockers
• Antihistamines and decongestants
• Amphetamines
• Diuretics

What percentage of the population is taking one or more of these drugs as compared to 30 years ago?

Why should you care about this?  A lot of my readers are instructors.  Even more take outdoor shooting classes in the summer.  No matter if you are the teacher or the student, you don’t want to be a heat casualty.

All my instructor friends carry tourniquets and trauma equipment on their person or placed near the firing line.  That’s awesome.  Unfortunately, your tourniquet won’t help a student with heat stroke.  Do you know to handle any heat emergencies your students may experience?  You should.

As an instructor, you are vulnerable to heat injuries as well.  What are you doing to prevent falling out in front of your shooting classes?  I’m doing my students a disservice if I have to cancel a class in the middle of the day because I’m in the hospital soaking in an ice bath.

You instructors should be aware of the drugs I listed above.  If you can safely avoid taking them when you are going to spend time outside in the summer, you should probably do so.

You should also acclimate yourself to the heat.  Since my knee injury, I don’t do much running anymore.  My cardio consists of ruck walks or long hikes.  I intentionally choose to do this part of my workout every day between 3pm and 6pm when temperatures are the hottest.  If I can hike for two to three hours outside in the hottest part of the Texas summer, hanging out on the outdoor shooting range becomes far less challenging.  Are you acclimating yourself to the heat in a similar manner?  You should be.

The second issue that this incident highlights is evacuating during bomb threats.  School administrators often have a blanket “evacuation” policy for all bomb threats.  That’s poor practice.  I strongly believe that most bomb threats directed at schools or businesses should NOT prompt an evacuation.  I explain the logic behind this opinion in my article titled Bomb Threats.

To summarize that article, almost all bomb threats are hoaxes.  It’s fairly difficult to place a large bomb in a school without someone noticing it.  It’s far easier to place the bomb in a car in the parking lot evacuation site or in a trash can at the high school football field that the administrators deem “safe.”

If I was a bomber and I knew that it was school policy to evacuate on all bomb threats, I would place the bomb at the known evacuation site and call in the threat.  With that strategy, I am bringing my victims to the bomb rather than potentially getting caught taking the bomb inside to the victims.  Which strategy is likely to cause more casualties?

In my view (and the views of the dozens of bomb experts I’ve trained with), mandatory evacuation leads to more potential harm than not evacuating.  Given the information they made public about this incident, I do not think that evacuation was the best response in the case I linked to above.  

Those kids probably shouldn’t have been outside in the heat in the first place.

I don’t often get to write an article combining strategies of mitigating danger from both heat injuries and bombs at the same time, but it seems to be necessary information to share.  

You instructors should be acclimating yourselves to the heat and should be prepared to provide immediate medical care to any of your students with heat injuries.  You cops and school administrators need to update your bomb threat policies to adequately reflect current best practices.

Terrorists and school shooters aren’t the only threats we should be preparing for.  Please share this info with anyone who might consider it valuable.