“Keep your head on a swivel” is some of the dumbest self protection advice I’ve heard on the internet.  It ranks right up there with using wasp spray for self defense, carrying car keys between your fingers, and loading your home protection shotgun with birdshot.

What does “head on a swivel” even mean?

Should you spend all your time in public looking like the girl from The Exorcist?

via GIPHY

Nel

Let me tell you a story…

It was 17 years ago this month.  I met her in Bolivia.  She was an artist and photographer in her mid-20s.  With a tremendous passion for travel, she had been to locations that frightened me to even think about.  Her name was Nel.

She had an anthropology degree but worked in theater…only enough to fund her international adventures.  Nel was a tiny human.  Five feet tall and barely 100 pounds when we met.  She had an infectious smile and an insatiable desire for novel experiences. 

We hit it off instantly and traveled together for almost a month, engaging in the kind of intense fling that only foreign travel can spawn.  We both knew that our romance wouldn’t ever lead to anything permanent, but we were happy to enjoy each other’s company so long as our forays through South America lasted.  

A picture of Nel taken when she got home shortly after we met

What I first noticed about Nel was that her head was always “on a swivel.”  Her personality was a simultaneous mix of being scared to death yet unstoppably eager for new experiences. 

She had done everything from wild land firefighting in Africa to teaching English to children in rural Chinese villages.  Despite her unquenchable thirst for adventure, she was constantly looking around with a fearful countenance.

Always trying to spot any potential criminal who viewed her as prey.

It never worked.

As I observed her mannerisms, I couldn’t help but think:  “She seems almost paranoid.  She should just take a deep breath and relax.  Things aren’t that dangerous here.”

On a 26-hour bus ride across Brazil, she opened up and told me why she “kept her head on a swivel.”  She had a childhood history of physical and sexual abuse.  She had been seriously attacked and hospitalized numerous times in her extensive third world travels.  She was ashamed to tell me that in the two weeks she had been traveling before we met, she had been robbed twice. 

A group of men had knocked her to the ground, groped her, and ripped the necklace from her throat in broad daylight in a Bolivian town square as cops looked on without intervening.  A few days later, a teenage kid hit her in the face, grabbed her handbag, and ran off.  

Her constant scanning wasn’t helping her.  It was marking her as someone who looked scared and would make an easy victim.

On that interminable bus trip, I gave her some self defense and awareness advice.  I didn’t want to see her get robbed again.  She fell asleep with her head on my shoulder as the overnight bus struggled through the dark mountain passes.  When she woke up, she told me that sleeping next to me was the first time she had felt truly safe in years.

Even though we talked about how her “head on a swivel” actions were marking her as a victim, she couldn’t stop obsessively scanning.  Later in the trip, we split up for the day.  She wanted to do some shopping and I wanted to take a Brazilian Capoeira fighting lesson.  While she shopped, a man knocked her down and stole her camera.

Despite her “head on a swivel” she was robbed three times in less than a month.

The Alternative

“Keeping your head on a swivel”  IS NOT situational awareness.  In fact, I would argue that constant repetitive scanning makes you look paranoid and scared.  That’s how prey behave.  That’s why my friend Nel got jacked over and over again.  I think “keeping your head on a swivel” makes you more likely to be attacked. 

Who obsessively looks around like that in public places?

– Scared people

– People who are alone

– Drug dealers looking to avoid robbery and police

– Human trafficking victims frightened about rape/retaliation from pimps or “clients.”

– Hardcore drug users looking for their next score

– People who are hiding from the police

The folks who fit all those categories make the best crime victims.  Do you want to look like them?

In the article Situational Awareness, Lawdog makes the point that:

“Scanning for danger” means you’re looking for things that are already a threat — and only looking for active threats puts you way behind the power curve.”

If you only detect the threat immediately before the attack commences, you are too late.

As Lawdog states in the article, proper situational awareness involves establishing a baseline of behavior and then noticing anomalies in that baseline. 

The baseline of behavior on Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro is very different from that of a country feed store in Iowa or a ghetto street corner in Chicago. 

We fail at situational awareness not because we aren’t scanning enough for immediate threats.  We fail when we don’t take the time to look around the environment and establish the correct baseline.  We assume all anomalies will obviously stand out.  It doesn’t work that way.

The only way we can detect an anomaly is if we understand what is different from the baseline. 

When we notice those differences, we have time to act, get away, evaluate further, or call for assistance. 

Spotting the attacker with the rifle in his hand as he commences shooting doesn’t give us much time to respond.  Spotting the guy wearing the heavy trench coat in July to hide that rifle as he maneuvers into attack position gives us far more options. 

Spot the anomaly early enough and you’ll identify the attack while you still have time to act.

Lots of you likely scan your surroundings while asking yourselves “what is out of place here?”  But how many of you scan your environment and ask “What does ‘normal’ look like around here?”  It’s only by identifying the “normal” that you will be able to properly identify the anomaly.

If you want some more information about assessing baseline behaviors, start by deeply reading the article from The Lawdog Files that I linked above.  Then check out my article on Parking Lot Precautions where I talk about my personal processes for establishing baselines.

If that piques your curiosity, the next step is reading the book Left of Bang, where the authors first quantified the need for baseline assessments.  Then listen to this episode of the Human Behavior podcast where the trainer who developed the concepts presented in Left of Bang goes for a deeper dive into the subject.

I wish I could tell you that I was able to teach Nel how to better avoid the bad guys. 

I never saw her again after our brief travels in South America.  We shared occasional texts and messages in the following years.  We talked about meeting up again, but neither of us ever made it enough of a priority to make it happen.

The last message she shared on her Facebook page was this:

It’s difficult for me to keep my head on a swivel with a woman on each shoulder.
Nel is on my right shoulder as I boost the ladies up to get a better view of the Iguassu Falls on the Brazil/Argentina border.

President Trump has stated that he will give Iranian officials until Tuesday evening to open up the Straight of Hormuz before he orders the bombing of Iranian civilian infrastructure.

You all know that I don’t do politics on this blog.  I don’t care what you think of the president’s threats or potential actions.  What I do care about are the potential consequences we Americans might face.

What do I think could happen here?

Could this targeting of Iranian civilian infrastructure spark terrorist attacks here?

I think the answer is “yes.”

Some intelligence analysts believe that there are large number of Islamist terrorist cell members already in the United States planning a terrorist attack.  One well publicized analyst claims that there are more than 1000 HAMAS-affiliated sleeper agents already here.  The bombing of bridges and power plants may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, leading to those terrorists commencing domestic attacks here in the USA.

Please read the link in the paragraph above about how I think this planned terrorist attack might go down.  While it is possible that our bombing Iranian infrastructure may trigger such an attack, I think that if the terrorists are here, they will wait for a pre-planned date to strike in a more coordinated fashion.  The attack I describe above may happen, but my best conjecture is that the large-scale attack will more likely happen in the future.

Instead, I think the most likely attack scenario is that we will see several  individual “lone wolf” mentally ill terrorists with a strong attraction to HAMAS/ISIS ideals randomly attacking people or places in the United States as a result of the upcoming bombing of Iran.  I say “randomly” because although Jewish people and physical locations occupied or owned by Jews might seem like the most logical target, they present some difficulty for an attacker of this type.  In my experience, Jewish synagogues and schools are much better defended than the churches and schools of other religions.  That makes these random terrorist attackers less likely to choose them as victims.  Furthermore, attackers aggravated by American military policy are more likely to be focused on American infrastructure as a whole rather than focusing on Jewish targets like in previous attacks.

I think most of these attacks will be low-tech in nature, focusing on knife attacks and vehicle run downs.  What types of attacks from “lone wolf terrorists” have we  seen so far in other countries?  We’ve seen nightclub massacres (including arson, stabbing, and some bombs), vehicle run-down attacks on large public gatherings, random beheading, knife attacks, and gang rapes.  That’s what I think these “lone wolf” terrorists will default to if this upcoming bombing campaign triggers their attacks.

A lone-wolf French Islamist knife attack

As we are in America and guns are easier to get than in other countries, we might also see these lone wolf terrorists using firearms in an active killer style attack.  There is a possibility that there might be small-scaled organized terrorist attacks by several terrorists similar to what we saw in Israel a couple years ago.  While I don’t think we’ll likely see significant activity from terrorist cells currently active in the United States, there is a chance that some terrorist affiliated individuals could be convinced to band up for an attack. 

A good book to understand why active terrorist cells aren’t the most likely threat.

You’ve probably seen news about the tremendous number of illegal immigrants coming through our southern border.  Not all those immigrants are coming from Latin America.  You must understand that those folks generally pay a large fee to a “coyote” to be smuggled into our country.  Lots of them arrive with huge debts (usually $5K-20K) that they have to pay off.  I’m worried that some of these folks could be convinced to commit larger scale attacks on behalf of a terrorist organization in exchange for their debts being paid off or forgiven.

What should you be doing?

1) Commit to being more aware in public locations and carrying your firearm wherever you are legally able to do so. 

For some awareness tips check out my 2023 podcast appearance and this article.

Consider which gun you choose to carry.  While a .38 snub or a small auto pistol might be a fine choice for a skilled practitioner in a low-threat environment, I would submit that we are no longer in a “low threat environment.”  I love my snubbies, but I’d much rather have my Glock 19 if I have to shoot a charging knife-armed attacker or stop a long range terrorist threat.

2. Understand what terrorist knife attacks look like and how to best counter them. 

Take a look at the articles below to better understand these kind of attacks and how to counter them successfully.

The Reality of the Knife Attack

The OSU Terrorist Attack

Tactical Training Scenario- Playground Stabbing

Knife Attacks: Dealing with the Charging Attacker

The dead knife/vehicle terrorist killed by an Ohio State University police officer several years ago

3. Understand how to identify and respond to terrorist vehicle run-down attacks. 

These articles will give you a solid understanding.

Vehicle Run Down Attacks

10 Tips for Surviving a Terrorist Vehicle Attack

Terrorist Vehicle Attack Information Compendium

4. Have a plan to defeat restraint and abduction attempts.

As I mentioned, there is a small chance that we will see an attack similar to the one that happened in Israel two years ago.  In those attacks, HAMAS took over 100 prisoners.  Learning how to defeat criminal/terrorist restraint might be worth a few minutes of your time.

Plan For The Worst- Preparing for Abduction and Restraint

Your Tactical Training Scenario- Tied Up During a Home Invasion

5. Decide in advance how you will act if you are targeted by such a terrorist attack or you happen to observe an attack on others. 

Pre-planning your response will shorten reaction time and help to ensure that you make the best decisions possible.  Here are some references to look at.

Active Killer Response Options for Armed Citizens

Weapon Handling in an Active Killer Event

Maybe You Should Reconsider Your Active Killer Response Strategy

I hope we don’t see any upcoming terrorist attacks on US soil, but I think it’s prudent to prepare for the worst.  Do your homework now so that you are better prepared should the violence spread to our shores.

Some of the above links (from Amazon.com) are affiliate links.   As an Amazon associate 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.

Hegseth Authorizes Off-Duty Service Members to Carry Private Firearms on Installations

This is a very positive initiative.  Let’s hope the base commanders are supportive.

how to tell if men will attack you on the street

I think most of you know by now that I lead a very “colorful” life and embrace experiences and perspectives that are often outside the norm for a tactical writer and trainer.  Interestingly enough, many of you have told me that you enjoy when I share alternative sources of information that you’ve never seen before in the weekly knowledge dump.  Here is one such link.

Aella is a social scientist, researcher, and sex worker who has a valuable perspective.  In this article written for women, she discusses factors that make her feel safe/unsafe when alone in public.  If you’ve read my book, you’ll recognize her first rule.  I find that one is universal no matter where you are in the world and what sex you are.

If you liked this piece, you may also like her work on childhood sexual abuse.

Suppressors and the hidden cost of hearing loss in policing

Why police rifles should be suppressed.

Turn Practice Into Performance: A Practical Guide to Shot Timers

An informative post about how to optimally use a shot timer to enhance your performance.

Sight Drift Happens

This happens far more often than you might think.  I saw it a lot in my job as police armorer and have had it happen in some training classes as well.

You should also read Paul’s article Twelve Suggested Action Items For What We’re Seeing In The News.

Gabe White: The Draw of the Art

Gabe White is one of the best shooters I know.  If you haven’t heard about him, read this article and then take one of his classes if you can.

Post Office Gun Ban Unconstitutional? Federal Court Blocks Enforcement—For Some

The latest on the post office gun ban.

Organized Street Crime in Plain Sight

If you’ve read this blog for awhile, I’m hoping you are smart enough not to intervene if you see a homeless dude smash the window of a car parked on a city street, steal some items from inside, and take off running.

The author of this piece chose to attempt to chase the thief down instead.  I’m betting you aren’t prepared to deal with the organized resistance he encountered.

Travelcraft: The Art of Safe and Secure Travel

What I’m reading…

What is the Perfect Height Red Dot Mount?

How high should your AR-15 red dot be?  If you have a traditional optic, Kyle Lamb has some good advice on scope mounting Kyle Lamb’s Guide to Mounting a Scope for ARC.

Detailed report on Maryland school shooting

An in-depth look at some of the post-incident failures following a Maryland school shooting.  If you are involved in school security or are a parent of a child who attends school, you should read this one.  You might also like the author’s article Four ways school shootings are averted.

TESTING 9MM HOME DEFENSE AMMO

The reasons why I prefer the 124 grain HSTs and Gold Dots for my 9mm defensive loads.

What Owning a Gun in Japan is Like

The process for owning guns in Japan.  When I visited Japan last year, I met an American competitive shooter and tactical trainer who had relocated there with his family.  Even though his American life revolved around guns, he made the decision not to own any in Japan because the process is so burdensome.

Your practice is producing rehearsal actors, not competitors.

This article is about athletic skills practice, but has tremendous carryover to shooting practice.

“Most people practice like they’re running drills.

Safe. Controlled. Quiet. Every variable managed. Every potential source of failure removed. Clean because they designed it to be clean.

And then they step into the real game. The real call. The real market. The real competition.

And they scratch.

Not because they didn’t work hard. Because the reps they put in don’t carry the information of the environment they’re trying to perform in.

If your athletes are great in practice but fall apart in games, you don’t have a mental skills problem. You don’t need a sports psychologist. You need a different practice design.

The drill is a simulation. The game is the thing.

You cannot train for the thing inside a simulation that removes everything that makes the thing hard.

This is the trap. And almost nobody in coaching — or business, or creative work — talks about it. Because the drill feels productive. It looks like work. The reps accumulate. The progress is visible.

But you are not building the skill. You are building the skill of doing the drill.

The drill does not exist in the real game.”

Best Practices for Investigating an Officer-Involved Critical Incident – Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost

A free 322-page ebook that is a worthwhile read for police officers, expert witnesses, and investigators.

INTEGRATED COMBATIVES | Why You Should Always Bring a Knife to a Gunfight

A good discussion of the advantages of the fixed blade knife over the folder in a combative context.  I will note that the commentary on Hicks’ law has been thoroughly debunked in the context of fighting and self protection.

What to know about cychlorphine, the synthetic opioid 10 times stronger than fentanyl

A new drug for cops, parents, and harm reduction advocates to be aware of.

The Car As A Coffin • Survival Centric

Hock’s thoughts on car fighting.

The Origins of 764

“The 764 network is the term used to describe a group of interconnected, decentralized online groups that weaponize digital platforms like Discord, Telegram, and Roblox to target and exploit underage users. Members of such groups locate vulnerable, unsupervised youth online and then groom and radicalize them, often sharing violent content such as gore, neo-Nazi content, animal torture, and child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in order to desensitize them.”

Your Officers Need to Be Anaerobically Fit

When I was a cop, I focused my workouts on both power lifting and anaerobic fitness.  It’s hard work, but very valuable for the job.  Cops should be sprinting as well.  Up until I seriously injured my knee, I sprinted one or two times a week even long after I retired.  I’m still recovering from that knee surgery and can’t sprint right now.  I still do weekly short hobbling jogs with the goal of getting back to sprinting eventually.

Secret Service agent assigned to Jill Biden shot himself in the buttocks: report

Industry rumor has it that the agent was reholstering after using his weapon-mounted light to search for something under the seat of his car.  If you think you need a WML, you need a handheld flashlight as well.

Quote of the week:

“One of my hopes is to age into a better mindset.
​
The general trend seems to become less open minded, less resilient, less capable of handling change with ease and flexibility as the years roll by.
​
I hope to grow in the opposite direction. How can my mindset be better today than it was yesterday?”

– James Clear

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 April and May.  I also have two new classes in October for which I just opened up registration.  Here we go…

Next weekend is the only remaining instructor class with available slots that I’m offering this year.  It’s in Louisiana about halfway between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.  We currently have 14 students registered, but there is room for a few more.

April 11-12, 2026- Close Quarter Gunfighting Instructor Development near Baton Rouge Louisiana.  Registration details here.

Following my instructor class I have two classes at Karl Rehn’s place in central Texas.  The first is a one-day basic close quarters gunfighting class.

April 18, 2026- Close Quarters Gunfighting at A-Zone Range (KR Training) near Giddings, Texas.  Registration details here.

The following day will be the only impact weapon class I’m teaching this year.  I get more requests for a cane fighting class than any other course offering I have.  When I list one, no one signs up.  This one currently has very low enrollment and could definitely use a few more students.

April 19, 2026- Integrated Impact Weapon (walking cane and pocket stick/flashlight) at A-Zone Range (KR Training) near Giddings, Texas.  Registration details here.

In May, I’ll be teaching a very unique class with co-instructor Bryan McKean.  It’s the only class I’ve seen about how to carry, deploy, and shoot a folding long gun carried in a sling bag or backpack.  This one sold out when we did it two years ago, but registration has been slow this year.

Any gun that can be concealed in a bag is fine for this class.  You can bring a rimfire rifle, pistol caliber carbine, or centerfire 5.56mm gun.  It will be held on a 25-yard air conditioned indoor range.

May 31, 2026- “Bag Carbine” at Blackwing Shooting Center in Delaware, Ohio.  Registration details here

Finally, I just got registration links up for 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.

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.

Thanks to Matt Little (Greybeard Actual) for having me on his excellent podcast.  In this episode we do a deep dive into police training and the ways we can improve it as well as our advice for new and currently serving police officers.  Check it out at the link below.

The Way is in Training Podcast Episode 314: Greg Ellifritz of Active Response Training

You might also like Matt’s book with the same title.  I highly recommend that anyone interested in firearms/combatives should pick up a copy.

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

Carrying Isn’t Enough: What Our Data Reveals About the Gap Between Carry and Capability

I don’t think the problem is unique to the women who answered this survey.  Training with a gun is great.  Carrying the gun you train with is even better.  But if you don’t train to draw the gun under stress you are setting yourself up for failure.

Rangemaster April Newsletter

A few very good articles here.  The drill of the month involves replicating the shots that the FBI agents had to take during the 1986 Miami shootout.  I recently visited the shootout site and will be writing an article about the gunfight for its upcoming 40th anniversary.

ATF: Brace Rule Gone — But You Could Still Be Charged

Details on the ATF’s apparent flip-flopping on the pistol brace issue again.  For more information, watch ATF: Pistol Braces Are Felonies AGAIN!

Dry Practice on the Road

Claude Werner’s tips for conducting dry fire practice while traveling.

The body remembers

“People who were athletes carry something different in how they approach hard things. Not because sport builds character exactly. But because they have a physical memory of being uncomfortable and continuing anyway.”

Reloading a Revolver with a Wounded Arm

Caleb covers one handed revolver reloads.

Refuse To Die: 10 Secrets to Harnessing Your Willpower and Reclaiming Your Life

What I’m reading…

My friend and fellow instructor Paul Sharp’s book just came out.

What is a Snub?

I find this article to be a useful classification system.  The “compact service gun” is much easier to shoot than the true snub.  But the snub can be dropped into pockets that the compact service gun could never fit.  They may look similar, but they have vastly different roles.

Murder & Gun Violence Are Still Falling Fast At The Start Of 2026

More good crime news.

Targets and Better Hits

If you are shooting full size silhouettes, you aren’t optimizing your training.  For simplicity, I use an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of printer paper.  I fold it in half for the chest zone and into 1/4 for the head.

Why Racking a Handgun Slide Gets Harder After 45 (And What Actually Helps)

Tatiana explains why you might have trouble racking a slide.  If you notice you are having problems, read Stronger Hands, Better Shooting: 10 Exercises Every Shooter Over 45 Should Be Doing.

TANGLING WITH THE TRIGGER

I use this drill with a lot of my beginner students.

“A good way to prove your point is to stand next to them and face away from the target. Have them place their trigger finger on the trigger in a normal grip, while you reach over and get a sort of “sideways” firing grip on their gun with them, placing your finger on top of theirs. Then simply say, “Okay, you aim the gun, I’ll press the trigger.” And invariably, a wondrous thing occurs — bullet holes begin to appear right where they belong. This is usually accompanied by startled looks (on both your parts) and the beginnings of an understanding about trigger control by your student.”

Tells!

John Farnam shares some pre-assault behavioral cues.

RevolverFest & The State of the Modern Wheelgun

Justin Dyal’s review of RevolverFest.  I’m happy to be teaching there again this year.

REDUCED CAPACITY MAGAZINE ISSUES (NEUTERED MAGAZINES) and WAYS to Navigate Them

Dr. House discusses navigating legal issues in states that have magazine capacity limits.

Gun Owner 101: Holsters and Carry

A whole lot of high quality information with regards to choosing a great holster.

The Vitality of Multidimensional Safety Training in Churches

For those of you on church security teams.  You should also read The Importance of Mass Notification Systems in Churches: A Lifeline When Every Second Counts.

and 7 Steps to Secure your Church without Overwhelm and Stress

The Unicorn Speaks with Keith Tyler

A former cop and grandmaster class shooter discusses how some of the techniques specifically used in competition shooting may be detrimental to defensive encounters.  One example he gives is how most of us teach “the eyes move first” when teaching transitioning to multiple targets.  That may not give us the visual awareness we need to evaluate the target we just shot in a real-world defensive encounter.  

I had a similar thought when first shooting on a Rogers range.  The detailed focus on the “spot” on the target required to get a good time/score didn’t give me the ability to evaluate the target’s hands and make a good decision to properly stop shooting in a defensive encounter.

Watch/listen to the podcast and consider the information he shares.

Home Security Layer 2: Home Improvement Tips

Some unconventional home security tips.

Tenacious Talon: The Revenant Corps Talon V2 Offers Clandestine Defense

For those of you who have magnetometers in your life.

FBI Guns & Ammo: A History of the Bureau’s Weapons

A fun history lesson.

HONOR – III

Matt Larsen’s thoughts on honor.

Street Smarts 101 To Avoid A Mugging, Assault or Worse

The most common scams and distractions criminals use to victimize you on the street.

DIY: Making a “Drone” Training Knife to Match Your EDC Defensive Knife

“As logical as all that may seem, the fact remains that most tactical knife manufacturers don’t make trainers. Sadly, the few that do only make them for a tiny fraction of their product line. What do you do if your perfect self-defense knife doesn’t have a matching trainer? Easy. Buy two and “drone” one of them into a trainer.”

After The Shoot: 7 Real-Life Cases Imperative to Gun Owners

TOP 6 Appendix Carry MISTAKES In 2026

I have more students carrying appendix than behind the hip.  Here is a great video to help you conceal your gun in the appendix position.

TESTING HOME DEFENSE SHOTGUN AMMO

How does defensive shotgun ammo perform in gelatin testing after being fired through a couple layers of drywall?  You may also be interested in a similar test with 5.56mm cartridges.  On the topic of shotgun ammo, you may also like Flitecontrol – Now In 20-Gauge.

Need shotgun shooting drills?  Try Practical Drills for the Home Defense Shotgun.

How officers can counter the evolving tactics used during riots

Innovative crowd control tactics for my police readers.

Ten school shooting threats we are failing to imagine

School security threats you may not have considered.

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.

Principles of Personal Defense

You all know how much I like free books.  The Jeff Cooper foundation recently made this excellent work from the Colonel a free download on their site (near the bottom of the page).  Pick it up.  You can read it in less than an hour.  Thanks to Claude Werner (The Tactical Professor) for originally sharing the link.

The Final Category Problem

“It is further important to point out that when levels of stress increase—such as typically happens during real-world firearms use—the brain’s access to conscious memory becomes very limited. In fact, high levels of stress act as something of a “switch” to unconscious (procedural) memory.

While we may be able to consciously think about and control how we perform in relatively low stress range settings—where we almost always know what we are going to do before we do it—during a critical incident we are probably going to do whatever is in our unconscious memory system. Based on a variety of factors (most of which are related to how a person has trained and practiced) this may or may not be the same thing.”

In The Anxiety Bias Why officers shoot more under pressure, the author argues a similar point.

Things Manufacturers Need to Stop Doing with Shotguns

Learn about desirable and undesirable defensive shotgun characteristics.

If You Go to Guns You Failed

“If you go to guns you failed” means that you failed multiple opportunities to take preventive measures in ensuring your personal security and that of those who you are responsible to protect.

Depending upon the situation, you may need a lifeboat, and if so, then yes, you certainly need to know how to use it. How about being proactive and using your situational awareness to look for icebergs? And if you happen to see one then how about taking active measures by steering the ship clear of it? What a concept – not relying on the lifeboat as your only tool.”

5 Ways to Improve your Church Security in 2026

Some tips for your churches to consider.  You may also enjoy How to Improve Church Emergency Planning.

Wants Valuables, Gets Lead

If your attacker was wearing a motorcycle helmet, would that alter your decision to make a head shot?

Simo Häyhä – The White Death

You should know about this sniper hero with 505 confirmed kills.

An Official Journal Of The NRA | Skills Check: The Rapid Transit Drill

Steve Tarani gives you a shooting drill to try on your next range day.  Need more work?  Try the Everyday Marksman Action Pistol Course of Fire.

Reimagining Women’s Self-Defense: Protective Offense

What I’m reading…

AR-15 Maintenance Schedule: Complete Guide

Tips to keep your AR-15 running smoothly.

How Eyewitness Misidentification Can Send Innocent People to Prison

I lost a lot of faith in eye witness testimony after being the first officer on scene of a homicide a couple years before I retired.  I developed a suspect and isolated the witnesses.  Detectives constructed a random photo array including the suspect’s picture.  All four eye witnesses identified the suspect from the random photo array.

We arrested the suspect.  One of the witnesses saw a tv news clip showing the suspect’s initial court appearance.  He called the police and said “that isn’t the right guy.”  Our detectives confronted the woman who originally gave me the suspect’s name.  She admitted she had lied to protect her boyfriend.  She had given me a completely made up name.  Four eye witnesses identified the same fake suspect.

Other than being black males approximately the same age (all photos were of black males within a five-year age span), the actual suspect and the suspect they identified looked nothing like each other.

The detectives generated a new photo array with the new suspect.  All four eye witnesses identified the new suspect with 100%  certainty.  They were right the second time.  We did a search warrant on the second suspect’s residence and found the clothes he wore during the stabbing with the victim’s blood on them.  We released the first suspect from jail and arrested the second guy.  I would have never thought such a situation could possibly happen in that manner.

Situational Awareness for Everyday Life

Self defense starts here.

Trainer or Therapist?

“Or to borrow another analogy, the firearms training world is full of advanced theologians who can debate for hours the tactual equivalent of how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. How many of them are good at counseling a student on making the changes in their life needed to carry a pistol with them every day? We have plenty of tactical theologians, what we need are armed lifestyle guidance counselors.”

Backup Plan: When The Quickest Reload Is A Second Gun

The fastest reload is often a “New York Reload.”

What’s Wrong With My Grip?

Melody talks with several expert trainers about the methods they use to improve their students’ gripping ability.

Delta Force Legend Mike Pannone on Training, Red Dots Durability and Everything Tactical

My friend Rich Nance has been putting out some great podcast content lately.  Check out this one with Mike Pannone and this one with Claude Werner.

The concealed carry advice that sounds smart — until stress hits – Wilderness Marksman

“Concealed carry culture is full of confident advice that sounds airtight in a calm classroom or on a sunny range. Under real stress, though, some of those “rules” fall apart, colliding with human physiology, legal reality, and the messy way violence actually unfolds. The gap between what feels smart and what works when your heart rate spikes is where armed citizens get hurt, or end up in handcuffs.”

Teen girls arrested in school murder plot connected to harmful online communities

Read about the murder plot these 14 and 15 -year old students were planning and their callous actions after their arrests.  You should also be paying attention to the online “True Crime Community” mentioned in the article and how it’s been tied to the majority of recent school shooting attempts.

As my late friend Dr. William Aprill often stated “They are not like you.”

Why the AK?

Why you might choose an AK as your defensive rifle.

Canadian Man Fights Moose To Save His Mom

How many .22 rifle head shots does it take to stop a rampaging moose?  The answer appears to be 15-16.

The Post-Shot Logistics

What you do after a defensive shooting may be just as important as what you do during the attack.

Beware the Helpful Fool

“‘Certified’ = I paid the fee and can read the slides”

“It is incumbent upon instructors to complete continuing education, and it is something they must do on their own time with almost no governing guidance from a professional body. That is the great variance among instructors, who else they have trained with. Instructors with basic certifications, maintained by fee, who do not seek continuing education are common and have comparatively little to offer beyond whatever PowerPoint they are ‘certified’ to teach.”

Make a natural wild plant field dressing for wounds or abrasions

Three of my favorite medicinal wild plants.  But please don’t gather them in parks.  Parks are “Crime Convergence Zones.”

Beyond the Gunfight: A Data Dive into Police Shooting Skill – Tier Three Tactical

How do cops perform in shooting competitions?

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

*This is a guest post about church security concerns from active killer expert Ron Borsch.

-Greg

Rapid mass murder (RMM) at schools, churches, and workplaces is relatively new, occurring in the past and present century. The tracking history of RMM by active killers, however, reveals it is a growing problem in churches and schools.

It is the height of naivete to believe that we will be protected by laws, rules, sanctuaries, or off-site police, as it denies reality. Generally, only the law-abiding obey laws or rules. However, there is no such compulsion for the unpredictable evildoers or wicked to misuse their own free will.

The unthinkable?

Needed are persons or staff who are responsible for exercising due diligence for the realistic safety, security, and protection of worshippers. By now, heads of houses of worship should know of a serious and deadly threat to their congregations. Just being aware is not enough. When — not if — the wicked come with intent to assassinate worshippers, what tactically effective countermeasures are in place?

My background is in law enforcement and LE training, including police response to RMM. Police officers from 10 states attended my course, “Single Officers Lifesaving Others,” at the Southeast Area Law Enforcement Task Force (SEALE) regional police training academy in Bedford, Ohio. This was probably in response to other experts and me being interviewed by Rachel Fretz of Police1 for her 2007 two-part article, “Stopwatch of Death.”

Racing the ‘stopwatch of death’

There is a saying in the recovery communities, and perhaps you have heard of it: “Time takes time.” While this might be difficult to initially understand, it is truly factual when you understand the reality and process of the stopwatch of death:

“Emergencies are sudden, acute, unforeseen, extraordinary, dangerous, and require instant action.”

Clearly, off-site “first responders” cannot be expected to suddenly appear and save the day. Police can respond only when notified, and notification typically begins about five minutes after the chaotic phenomenon of “freeze, flight, or fight” wears off and a caller feels safe enough to call police. The reporting time varies with how calm the caller is. If the call is made to 911, it may not be answered by the local police department and needs to be transferred. If the local police agency has a regional dispatching system, the dispatcher may not be familiar with your city, so you may be asked, “What city are you calling from?” That’s in addition to asking where (facility and/or address) you are calling from and the nature of your emergency. Once the dispatcher finally has that vital information to dispatch patrol cars, the officers will begin to respond. Callers should try to stay connected to furnish further important details. The final response time varies, depending on city, suburb, rural, and traffic conditions.

A 30-second arrival time is rare; three or four minutes is more typical, with possibly even longer arrival times, depending on how far the closest officer has to travel. Then there is the question of relevant RMM response training, dictating whether the first-arriving officer immediately acts and enters solo or waits for backup. In a large facility, even more time is consumed locating the active killer (not active shooter; see below). It is important to understand that the deck of time is stacked against a successful off-site police response.

While most of my data (back to 1975) is from schools, it also includes churches that have been so attacked. Where RMM has often been reported as occurring in six minutes or less, I now prefer to use the documented potential of “one attempted murder every second.” That equates to 1.27 attempts (killed or wounded) per second, or five attempts every four seconds. Typical of this potential was the 2011 shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, Arizona. Six were murdered and 13 wounded in 15 seconds. Once notified, police arrived in four minutes.

Those responsible for the safety of worshippers, if they don’t fully understand the active killer’s rapidity and fail to establish realistic countermeasures, would unwittingly contribute to the potential bloodshed. In the new book “First 30 Seconds,” both in the foreword by expert Massad Ayoob and in the body by expert and author Ed Monk, both credit my research. On another note, one of the armed police security guards at the Veterans Administration in Parma recognized me from having taken my RMM response course, “Single Officer Lifesaving Others,” at the SEALE academy years earlier. He shared that some of the strategy and tactics that he had learned there were incorporated as procedure and training for their Parma facility.

Protection as an obligation

All of the aforementioned is generally applicable to any house of worship. Churches have a moral and religious obligation to protect their flock. Active killers may be cowards at heart, but that’s why they have been known to do research and reconnaissance and plan to generally avoid facilities that have armed and trained guardians. Unfortunately, some churches have not kept pace with the increasing public news and tracking history of murderous attacks on houses of worship. This means that houses of worship either knew or should have known of this serious threat.

Worse, laws and/or church policy may forbid their otherwise legally armed citizens to be armed inside the church. Real-world thinking of a strategy to disarm loyal parishioners is hopelessly misguided and illogical. The mandated disarming of lawful innocents while not providing any realistic active-killer countermeasure protection is a clear case of negligence in which the church knew or should have known about the existence of a potential deadly threat. This is similar to not recommending wearing seat belts — where, even if you are not expecting a traffic crash, you wear the lifesaving seat belt anyway because the potential is always there. How prepared is your church to counter an active-shooter event?

Active killers, not active shooters

In plain language active shooters are those who practice by shooting frequently, such as our military, police, and anyone who shoots recreationally or competitively — all honorable activities. However, the anti-gun media have decided to push this false and misleading term in connection with murderous killers, and it should be quite offensive to our military, police, and hobbyist civilian firearm competitors. The term active killer is more correct and descriptive.

It is important to remember that God has given all of us free will. Unfortunately, it is the wicked or sick criminals among us who choose to use their free will to harm the innocent. They will rarely be deterred by mere laws and rules. They are far more likely to be deterred by known armed resistance by parishioners or a formal protection team.

Therefore, to be realistic and informed, one needs to understand that to protect congregations, we must have trained and armed watchmen, guardians, or a young “shepherd David” (armed with a stone and sling against the giant warrior Goliath), as a moral obligation. The congregation should be aware and comforted that they are protected by these watchmen and guardians with an appropriate announcement.

Free ‘Protecting Houses of Worship’ training

In exchange for your Ohio church hosting a Buckeye Firearms Association-sponsored “Protecting Houses of Worship” course, your entire congregation could reap the benefit of getting some of your own volunteers trained and certified, tuition-free. Depending on how many tuition-paying parishioners from other churches register and attend, you get so many courtesy training slots. In Ohio, appropriate “Protecting Houses of Worship” training is available through BFA (BuckeyeFirearms.org), an Ohio gun rights and education organization. Email executive director Dean Riek at drieck@buckeyefirearms.org or call administrative assistant Angela Armstrong at 614-715-4867.

As a retired police officer and police trainer, consultant, and hobby writer, I was invited to sit in on a course Nov. 1, when 39 students representing numerous houses of worship attended. The talented and dedicated instructional staff of several was led by Armstrong and Forrest Sonewald. Training included the history of active-killing events, a classroom PowerPoint presentation, and video of current tragedies, as well as medical tourniquet application training, special strategy tactics, and hands-on reality-based simulated active-killer-response scenarios.

Reality-based training engages users in real-life scenarios that they are likely to experience on the job. “Reality-based” means grounded in actual facts, events, or situations, rather than imagination or fiction to prepare individuals to become competent and ethical practitioners. While there is no live fire during this class, it includes training with provided safe, laser training pistols, which are realistic replicas of commonly used carry guns that allow participants to safely practice effective response tactics in a real congregational setting.

Stepping out in faith and stepping up

The only truly effective RMM response has to be on-site trusted worshippers, who are both trained and armed. Every day, our God may be looking for someone to say, “Here I am Lord; send me,” (Isaiah 6:8) and mean it. An on-site church team of specially selected, trusted parishioner-volunteers armed and trained is an excellent example of the Biblical watchmen and guardians. If your house of worship is small with few able-bodied volunteers to make up an organized team, you may still consider allowing your trusted parishioners, already firearm-trained, to carry concealed in your church. Getting basic certified “Protecting Houses of Worship” training would be a bonus, especially if your house of worship were to host a course, thereby allowing you to practice and rehearse under expert supervision in your own facility.

The bottom line

Safety and security are best with concentric circles of protection. Because some church shootings have started in the parking lot, an early-warning watchman/guardian could and should be stationed as an observer there, (with radio contact with the inside team). This position of advantage could also identify any suspicious persons outside to warn the inside team.

Additionally, I recommend that your church post signs or notices at all entrances, welcoming worshippers and informing them of armed staff. Some sort of sign advertising this fact is of key importance because the tracking history of active killers is that they both research and reconnoiter potential targets to avoid facilities that are armed. Appropriate notice is fair warning (see this 2-minute video example).

Ron Borsch is a Vietnam veteran, (1965-66 U.S. Army paratrooper, 101st Airborne) and is retired from two careers, 30 years as a police officer, including SWAT, and 17 years as a police trainer. Supported by seven SEALE chiefs of police, he founded, managed, and was the chief trainer for SEALE in Bedford Ohio, which was attended by officers from 10 other states. He has also presented before international law enforcement trainer audiences in several states and two countries. For the past several years, he has served on two expert panels at annual ILEETA international conferences. Ron does pro-bono presentations for local civic groups, schools, and churches.

Written by: Greg Ellifritz

Many of the questions I receive from students involve the use of chemical sprays.  It seems that nearly everyone carries or is contemplating the carrying of some type of Mace or chemical irritant.  Accurate information about the selection and use of these chemicals exists, but it is often difficult to find truth in the sea of lies and misinformation promulgated by the chemical manufacturers.  This article will provide a simple step-by-step formula for selecting, carrying, and using a chemical spray deterrent.

STEP 1- CHOOSE THE RIGHT FORMULA

There are essentially three different types of chemicals that are marketed to the public for self defense purposes.  They each have long chemical names, but they are abbreviated with the initials CN, CS, and OC.  CN (the original formula in Mace) and CS (military tear gas) are irritants.  They were developed for military use.  They work by irritating the mucous membranes causing tearing, coughing, and pain.  OC (pepper spray) is a hot pepper extract that is an inflammatory agent.  Rather than just irritating the mucous membranes, it causes them to become inflamed.  This inflammation makes it difficult to open the eyes or to breathe normally.

Of the three chemicals, OC is the most effective for self defense use.  Because the irritant formulas (CS and CN) depend on the attacker’s reaction to the pain they cause, sometimes they prove to be ineffective.  Many attackers you may face are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs or are mentally ill.  These people are likely to have a diminished pain response as compared to a “normal” human being.  OC causes inflammation, which is not dependent on the body’s pain response.  OC also takes effect much faster than the other chemicals.

OC is classified by both its strength and its concentration.  The strength (heat) of the peppers used to make OC is graded using Scoville Heat Units (SHUs).  The hottest peppers cause the most dramatic effects on the people being sprayed.  SHUs range in numbers from 500,000 to 5.3 million.  In general you will want a rating of at least one million SHUs for optimal effects.

OC concentration is also listed on many products.  The concentration of the product determines how long the effects will last, with the higher concentrations yielding effects over a longer time period.  Commercial concentrations normally vary from 1% to 20%.  Purchase a spray that has at least a 5% concentration.  That will insure that the chemical will affect your attacker for at least 30 minutes.

Some manufacturers also label their products by “Total Capsaicinoids”.  That is a mathematical expression of the Scoville Heat Units multiplied by the percentage of OC in the can.  The highest numbers commonly seen in this measurement are around 1.3%.  A good general guideline is to make sure your spray is at least .5% total capsaicinoids if it is a pure OC product (there are some effective products available with lower concentrations, but most mix the OC with another chemical irritant or dye).

If the chemical irritant you are considering for purchase does not list either the concentration, heat rating, or total capsaicinoid concentration you should not purchase it.  The product may be very good, but unless you plan on spraying yourself before carrying it, you will never be sure how effective it is.  If you have any doubt about your spray’s strength, spray a small amount onto a cloth and wipe it on your skin.   You should feel a burning sensation within about 10 seconds.

I personally recommend Fox, Aerko, Bodyguard, Sabre Red, POM, and Counter Assault brand OC sprays.  I’ve been exposed to each of these brands and can attest to their effectiveness.

One additional note…

Wasp and Hornet Spray is not an acceptable substitute for OC.  Yes, the stream travels a long way, but most attacks don’t happen from 30 feet away.  A good stream formulation OC (like the Sabre Red Crossfire) will reach almost 20 feet.  If you need more distance, upgrade to one of the fire extinguisher-sized cans.

We know that OC (and other agents) are reasonably effective and have relatively few long term effects.  We simply don’t know that about wasp and hornet Spray.  Just because a chemical happens to be a neurotoxin to insects does not mean that it will stop a human’s attack.  Wasp spray might work well, but it isn’t proven in combat.  Don’t bet your life on an internet myth.  Here is one example where wasp spray did not stop a determined home invader.

Wasp spray is not an acceptable substitute for OC. How would you like to explain using “Real Kill” to the judge if your attacker dies after you sprayed him?

In a recent Texas road rage case, one participant sprayed the other in the face with Raid wasp spray.  The victim was able to close the distance and take the can of wasp spray away from the attacker without being disabled.  Please don’t rely on wasp/hornet spray for your personal protection.

STEP 2- CHOOSE THE CANISTER SIZE THAT BEST SUITS YOUR NEEDS

Chemical deterrent sprays range in size from the ubiquitous 1/2 oz. Keychain units to fire extinguisher sized models designed to help quell riots.  Each size has its own unique attributes.  The small keychain-type units are convenient and easy to carry.  Their downside, however, is that they contain only a small quantity of chemical (usually about five seconds worth) and they only spray a distance of two to five feet.

If you choose a keychain model, I would recommend that you carry one that either has no safety or has a simple-to-operate sliding safety.  This  type is much easier to use in a stressful situation than the traditional snap leather holster seen on so many key rings.  In addition to the poorly-designed holster, older models require a difficult twisting action to disengage the safety before spraying.  Both of these factors increase the amount of time it takes to bring the spray into action.

There a many different pocket-sized spray canisters available. Stay away from those disguised as other objects (perfume, pens) and those that are fully encased in some type of sheath that has to be removed before operation.

One step up in size from the keychain models is the one to two ounce spray containers.  These have much more chemical (up to 30 seconds spray time) and, depending on spray type can reach out to about 15 feet.  This is the size I recommend for most people.  They are a little harder to carry, but can easily be concealed in a purse, pocket, or belt holster.  They are the best balance between ease of carry and effectiveness.  These mid-sized canisters also work well for home and vehicle defense.

My current favorite OC sprays for pocket carry are as follows:

Sabre Red Keychain Unit

POM Pocket Unit

ASP Sport Defender

I have larger Sabre Red Crossfire streamer units in my house and car.

Canisters in the 1.5-3 ounce range or larger generally offer the best compromise between portability and range

Canisters larger than three ounces are generally too big for daily carry.  They hold an amazing amount of chemical and shoot even farther than the mid-sized models, but are difficult to conceal.  They may be better options for home defense where ease of carrying and concealment are less of a concern.

In addition to the traditional types of canisters described above, there are many specialty containers available.  One can purchase chemical sprays in containers shaped like firearms, grenades, flashlights, ink pens and even lipstick cases.  In general these are not recommended.  I have found them to be less reliable and more difficult to get into action than regular canisters.

The firearm-shaped units could be mistaken for an actual gun by your attacker or responding cops.  That could lead to unintended negative consequences.  I also have concern about the velocity of the projectiles/liquid these gun-shaped units emit.  At very close range they could cause serious damage to the eyes via the hydraulic needle effect (when the force of the spray actually penetrates the eye tissue).

OC grenades are cool, but you better be wearing a gas mask when you deploy them!

STEP 3- CHOOSE THE BEST SPRAY PATTERN

Unless you have performed extensive spray testing of chemical deterrents, you may not realize that there are different spray patterns available.  Manufacturers generally do not label their products with a description of the spray pattern, so you will either have to call the company or test fire any unit you purchase to make sure that your spray pattern suits your needs.  Although each company calls each spray patterns by a different name, there are basically only three patterns on the market.

One pattern is the STREAM.  The chemical comes out of the canister in a solid stream, similar to water being shot from a squirt gun.  The stream pattern has the longest range of the three common spray patterns.  It is also possible to target a single person out of a group if using this pattern.  The downside for the stream, however, is the fact that the attacker does not inhale the chemical particles as easily.  Without inhalation, there are limited respiratory effects from the chemical.  That means that the attacker is likely to be able to fight for a longer time.  Unless you anticipate longer-range attacks or live in a very windy area, stream formulations are generally not the most effective choice.

A better choice for the average person would be an AEROSOL SPRAY OR MIST pattern.  This pattern exits the canister in a cloud like an aerosol hairspray or insect repellent.  With finely dispersed particles in the air, the attacker is more likely to inhale some of the active ingredient.  When the attacker gets the chemical in his lungs he will likely find it difficult to breathe and will experience an extreme burning sensation in his throat.  He will probably begin coughing uncontrollably.

It has been my experience that the aerosol spray pattern is the most effective for general-purpose use.  It does have a few disadvantages, the most important being a lack of range.  These sprays will not travel as far as other spray patterns.  This isn’t usually a big concern, however, because interpersonal violence generally occurs at very close ranges.  One other potential problem with this spray pattern is the fact that it is likely to contaminate everyone in the area including yourself and anyone coming to your assistance.

One final spray pattern to consider is FOAM or GEL.  This formulation comes out in a pattern similar to shaving cream.  It has the same disadvantages as the stream pattern with regards to minimal respiratory effects.  It is also the slowest to take effect on the skin or in the eyes.  I do not recommend this formulation unless you are extremely concerned with cross contamination.  The foam pattern is the least likely to expose an innocent person.  If you have asthma or some other respiratory ailment, foam might have a place in your arsenal; otherwise you are better off with a stream or aerosol spray pattern.

STEP 4- USE GOOD TACTICS

Even more important than all of the other items previously discussed is the proper use of the chemical you are carrying.  The best chemical and spray pattern in the world will not help you if your attacker takes it away or even worse, uses it against you.  Be able to get to your spray quickly!  Too many people keep their sprays in their purse or on their key rings where they are virtually inaccessible.  Try a little test right now.  Grab your spray, disengage the safety if it has one, and prepare it for use.  How long did it take you to perform those operations?  If it took longer than two seconds, your spray is likely to be of little use to you in an actual attack.

If you are able to get to your spray in an attack situation, do not announce to the attacker that you are going to spray him.  He should not know you have the spray until his eyes slam shut and he can no longer breathe.  There is no legal requirement to warn a person before spraying and any warning you might give only allows your attacker the time he needs to come up with a plan to avoid your spray or take it away from you.

Use your thumb to depress the button on your canister.  This will make your spraying more accurate than using your index finger.  It will also give you a stronger grip on your canister to make it more difficult for your attacker to wrest it away from you.  Target your attacker’s face with short bursts of spray lasting one to two seconds.  Once your attacker’s face is covered, stop spraying.  More spray is not more effective.  In fact, more spray only washes away the active ingredients from the face, increasing the amount of time it takes for the spray to take effect.

Holding your canister like this will lead to better accuracy and retention

After spraying don’t stand around and admire your handiwork.  Use the spray as a distraction in order to make your escape.  Get away as soon as it is safe to do so.

Have a backup plan.  While chemical sprays are effective most of the time, sometimes they just don’t work.  Sometimes they take a considerable time to put your attacker down.  Be prepared for the spray to be ineffective.  Consider other weapons options or be ready to fight with your hands and feet.  If the spray is not working after a reasonable time period (five seconds or so) throw the can far away so that the attacker cannot gain control of it and use it against you.

CONCLUSION

Shake your canister on a monthly basis to keep the active ingredients mixed with the carrier agent.  Ensure that the nozzle is not clogged with debris.  Replace your spray by the expiration date noted on the canister.  If your canister does not have and expiration date, replace it every two years.  While the chemical inside will not lose potency, aerosols tend to lose pressure over time.

Chemical spray deterrents add a potent weapon to anyone’s arsenal.  If you follow the simple steps outlined above, you will dramatically increase your ability to utilize a chemical spray deterrent in the most effective manner possible.  Good chemical spray selection, combined with viable tactics and excellent situational awareness will make you into a formidable opponent for any potential attacker.

A small wad of laundered post-it note worked its way into my POM nozzle.