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

Where is The Safest Place to Sit to Avoid Danger?

Some things to consider when you are out in various public venues.

Capability or Size? What’s Best For Pistol-Mounted Lights

If you are going to attach a light to your CCW/home defense handgun, should it be a bigger one or a smaller one?

Instructor Tips | Making Targets Work for You

Instructor life hacks you may have never considered.

Top Concealed Carry Errors Explained

Are you making these errors?  If you want to model good behavior rather than avoid bad behavior, here’s a list of the 10 Commandments of Concealed Carry.

The Dumbest Self-Defense Advice On The Internet

Since we are are on the topic of both good and bad advice, this article seems relevant as well.

How To Stay Safe in a Hotel

This article is fascinating to me.  While each of the individual suggestions is solid, when taken all together, I’ve never seen a more utterly paranoid and obsessive analysis.  In the 2025 calendar year I spent 144 nights in hotels or AirBnBs.  No one would consider me an amateur in the field of surviving hotel room stays.  I think I have very solid security procedures, but I don’t do 5% of what this author suggests.  He’s not wrong, but damn if he isn’t more than a little over the top with most his recommendations.

Here’s something to ponder…

Most of you are gun and combatives enthusiasts.  Do you think the advice you give your friends, family, and students might be seen as “over the top” from their perspective and ultimately ignored?  Is that an effective communications/education strategy?

home defense against a mob

Massad Ayoob details how defending oneself against mobs is not just a modern phenomena.  You might also like  Mob Defense: How to Stay Safe from a Crowd.

Firepower of the Texas Rangers in the History of the Organization

Massad Ayoob went back to 1967 to teach you the lessons in the previous link.  Here is a history lesson that goes back a bit farther.

Escaping the Gun Debate Trap | David Yamane | TEDxWakeForestU

It’s nice to see our favorite gun owning professor getting some exposure in this very popular lecture ecosystem.

Dr. Yamane discusses how the “other side” views all of you gun owners reading this article.  I can’t help but think we can better bridge the cultural divide if we focus as equally on our responsibilities as we do our rights.  Here are some suggestions about how to do that: Armed, Trained & Responsible: The Forgotten Half Of American Gun Culture.

For an even deeper dive into the topic, check out Harnessing the Resource: Transforming Armed America into a Public Asset – University of Wyoming.

KelTec P32: The Pocket Pistol That Changed Concealed Carry

Although it’s been eclipsed in popularity by similarly-sized .380 offerings, I think this is a unique little pistol that never received the credit it deserves.

11 Secretive Spots to Hide Valuables in Your Home

Some good hiding spots here.

The First Shot Problem: Why Your Draw Practice Might Be Lying to You – American Handgunner

How unexamined practice priorities might lead you astray.  Some similar ideas in Stop Chasing Fads.

Some takes on UV & cancer — LessWrong

One of the less glamorous occupational hazards of being a traveling firearms instructor is near constant sun exposure.  Here is some research that goes a bit against the conventional wisdom. 

I’m probably not the best person to trust for skin care advice.  I had a malignant melanoma surgically removed in 2018.  Luckily, I caught it before it metastasized.  Every time I look in the mirror I see the 10″ surgical scar that makes me look like I got hacked by a sword.  I’ve also had four lesser skin cancers (basal cell carcinoma) removed. This is a topic you should be paying attention to.

Clerk Tries to Stop Multiple Shoplifters in Fresno, California

These “flash mob” style retail thefts/robberies are becoming more common.  You should have a plan of action should something like this happen in a store where you are shopping. 

Put yourself in this spot.  Would you escape?  If so, how?  The robbers are blocking the door.  Would you defend the innocent clerk when he is attacked?  Have you thought about how well you could flee from violent teenagers who can move much faster than you can?  At what point would you consider drawing your gun?

Lots of stuff to think about here.

Cognitive Dominance: A Brain Surgeon’s Quest to Out-Think Fear

What I’m reading…

Trust No One: an insider’s perspective

One of the best articles Todd Green ever wrote.  I’m glad SLG is keeping Todd’s spirit alive by continuing to write for the site.  You might like his latest post as well.

Drop the Knife

I hope you will be less enthused about the possibility of intervening in two strangers’ fight after reading this first person account.

Skills Check: The Event Horizon Drill

Tatiana shares a simple (but not easy) handgun shooting drill that most of you can do, even on indoor ranges.

1977 American Handgunner

Last week I posted a link to a full PDF copy of a 1978 issue of American Handgunner.  Here is one to an even older 1977 edition.  It’s cool to look back on the history of the shooting industry like this.

Tested: Steinel .38 Special +P Snub Nose Pro Ammunition

Ballistic testing of some new .38 ammo you may not have seen before.

Free Targets From Around The Web

Four sources for free downloadable shooting targets.

Of Shotgun Slings

Tips for slinging up your shotgun.

Quote to ponder:

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

Explaining The Need To Carry Spare Ammo

Massad Ayoob discusses his philosophy on carrying spare ammo.

It’s Not Your Dumb Hand – Weak Hand Work

Erick shares some tips for optimal weak hand only firearm drawing, shooting, and manipulation.  On the topic of shooting “wrong handed,” you might also like Massad Ayoob’s article titled Can You Shoot Your 1911 Backwards?

Handgun Ergonomics – Notes from KR

You more astute readers might recognize that I posted this article in my Tac Con recap article Wednesday.   The information contained therein is so important that I wanted to share it again here as well.

Also on the topic of gun fit, you may enjoy Finding the Right Fit: What Every Woman Should Know About Choosing and Shooting a Firearm.

Aggressive Dogs: The Utility of Sticks v Guns

This advice echoes my personal experience.  In my police career, I had to respond to two different incidents where dogs were actually attacking humans or other pets.  In both of them, I deployed my ASP baton.  The first pair of aggressive dogs ran off as soon as I opened the baton.  In the second case, I had to hit a dog who was chewing on a jogger.  One strike caused the dog to run away.

Situational Awareness

Last week I wrote an article about how “Keep your Head on a Swivel” was bad advice.  If you missed it, it’s worth checking out.  The article linked above is what partially inspired my piece.  You’ll also want to read Situational Awareness, part 2.  Both contain very actionable advice.

El Rey Sol by Mike Boyle*

A great shooting drill from Mike Boyle.  While designed primarily for revolvers, you can run this one with any handgun.  For a pocket pistol/revolver drill, try Dos Atracadores (Two Robbers).

Need a rifle drill?  Try Skills Check: Rifle Standard Gold.

Hard-Target Living: Supercharge Your Situational Awareness, Vanquish Your Vulnerabilities, and Stay Safe

 

What I’m reading…

6 Concealed-Carry Tips You Need to Know

Good advice for concealed carriers.  Want better advice?  Don’t carry in the small of your back.

Slide Lever vs. Racking the Slide

Over the years, I have become far less dogmatic about the “best” way to drop the slide on a reload.  Tatiana shares a well thought out experiential methodology for seeing what works best for the individual shooter.

A Shooter’s review of the Manurhin MR 73

Curious about the Manhurin MR73?  Here is your resource for information.  While you are there, check out the site’s research on the .327 caliber as well.

The Secrets of Life, and the young Firearms Instructor – A letter to my friend, the Captain

Solid advice for the police firearms instructor.  From the same site, you might also like Don’t Be a Dummy – Why the ‘Ball and Dummy’ Drill is a Helpful Tool and Other Thoughts.

Sex and Guns: Safer not Safe

Dr. Yamane offers a useful analogy.

The Cycle of Crisis and Victory

Pay attention to this pattern when you consume both the traditional news and social media as well.  The algorithm is programming you.

• “Optimism builds trust slowly
• Fear captures attention quickly
• Outrage drives engagement immediately
• Uncertainty keeps people refreshing for updates

For a creator dependent on clicks, views, or donations, the pressure to stay relevant is constant. The algorithm rewards intensity, not consistency. A calm, measured voice often loses to a dramatic one, even if the dramatic one contradicts itself week to week.”

Lake City Ammo Workers Go On Strike

In the past few knowledge dumps, I’ve posted articles encouraging you to stock up on ammo now while it is relatively cheap as experts predict future supply line problems.  This won’t help anything.

1978 American Handgunner

A little history for you.  Check out the full PDF copy of a 1978 vintage American Handgunner magazine.  For an additional history lesson, read The legal history of bans on firearms and Bowie knives before 1900.

Jeff Cooper Legacy Foundation

Speaking of history, check out this YouTube channel where they are posting lots of Jeff Cooper’s teaching.

The Spring Shooting Reset You Know You Need

If you haven’t shot all winter, you can expect some of the skill degradation described in this article.  What the article doesn’t cover is the fact that the more myelinatated you have made these motor pathways, the less skill degradation you will experience.  For a more thorough explanation, read my article about what happened when I didn’t shoot or dry fire for 10 weeks.

Best Knife Steel Comparison and Charts

For you knife nerds.

Samuel Reineberg – They Eliminated an Active Shooter in 4 Minutes | SRS #295

If you are interested in active killers, terrorism, knife fighting, and close quarters combat, you should watch/listen to this one.  It’s an interview of one of the ROTC cadets who helped to kill a terrorist who burst into his college classroom and shot the professor last month.  Interesting things to note:

– The killer used a Glock 44 .22 pistol stolen from a gun owner’s car

– Several of the cadets intentionally took the slide out of battery to stop the gun from firing

-One cadet used a 2″-3″ blade folding knife to stab the terrorist “a lot and everywhere.”

– Samuel actually popped the terrorist’s eye from the socket with an eye gouge during the fight

– Belts make shitty tourniquets

– The terrorist had been released from prison (for providing material resources to ISIS) early into a drug abuse halfway house despite no history of drug use

Listen to this one.

Quote to ponder (especially after listening to the podcast above):

“Official sanction for radical departures is seldom given. Fortunately, heroes seldom ask permission from authorities. In their foolishness, they do not know the limits of the possible, so they screw up their courage, shoulder their doubts, and start down the path.”

– Sam Keene

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.

Version 1.0.0

Version 1.0.0

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.

 Some trainers and students have posted reviews of the conference.  Check out the links below to see what you missed.

Tac Con 2026

Simon Golob’s take on the conference.  I met Simon in person for the first time here and am looking forward to taking one of his classes in the future.

Rangemaster Tactical Conference 2026 AAR

Karl Rehn (a presenter who has been continually teaching at TacCon longer than almost anyone else) shares a very detailed after action report.  Those two blue ribbons on his name badge above signify that he has taught at more than 20 of the annual conferences.

Tactical Conference 2026 – I

The Tactical Professor weighs in on his experiences at the conference.

5 Critical Lessons on Tactical Anatomy Every Armed Citizen Needs to Understand

Jacob discusses some of the lessons learned in Andy Anderson’s “Tactical Anatomy” presentation.

Tac Con 2026 Recap

Thanks to Kristen for sharing the very detailed notes she took throughout the seminar.

Handgun Ergonomics

Karl’s blog post covering the material he presented at the conference.  You should read Part Two as well.

The Hand and the Handgun (highlights) TacCon 2026

Highlight video from Karl Rehn’s presentation focusing primarily on handgun grip and trigger press (not “squeeze” as Karl explains).  Then follow up by watching Karl’s SIRT Pistol Support Hand Control Demo.

2026 TacCon

John Farnam’s observations.

TacCon26 Recap

Lee Weems discusses Tac Con with some familiar faces.  You can also find Lee’s “instructor only” interview recap at Presenters’ Take.

Managing Personal Risk

Erick covers Doug Deaton’s TacCon class.  I was in the same class and it was my favorite presentation of the seminar.

What Really Happens at TacCon

Dakota Adelphia shares her experience at Tac Con.

TACCON 2026 Debrief: Dynamic Pistol, SHO & Fanny Pack Lessons

Jeff Gonzales discusses observations from the classes he taught at the conference.

I started writing about TacCon back in 2014.  It’s interesting looking back.  My 2014 TacCon Roundup post had 15 article links.  As late as 2019, my roundups had as many as 12 links.  Last year there were only nine links.   I’m happy to report that this year we are back up to 15 total links.  I miss the days when more folks blogged about their experiences rather than just shared short takes and photos on social media. 

If I have sparked any curiosity, start planning soon for next year’s conference.   I will definitely be going back.  Registration sign ups for next year’s conference opened earlier this week.  Don’t put off signing up if you are interested in attending.  The conferences regularly sell out. 

Although I met a lot of my readers at Tac Con, I’d like to see even more of you there next year.  I don’t know what topics I’ll be teaching at the 2027 event, but I’ll be there. I hope to see you all next year!

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

Red Dots on Revolvers? Why?

Caleb discusses dots on revolvers.

I Was the Last Person to Interview Buffalo Bill Cody Before He Died. Here’s What He Said

You history buffs will like this one.  It’s from Buffalo Bill Cody’s final interview in 1917.  This is what he had to say about Wild Bill Hickok:

“Well, Bill was a pretty good shot, but he could not shoot as quick as half a dozen men we all knew in those days. Nor as straight, either. But Bill was cool, and the men he went up against were rattled, I guess. Bill beat them to it. He made up his mind to kill the other man before the other man had finished thinking, and so Bill would just quietly pull his gun and give it to him. That was all there was to it. It is easy enough to beat the other man if you start first. Bill always shot as he raised his gun. That is, he was never in a hurry about it; he just pulled the gun from his hip and let it go as he was raising it; shoot on the upraise, you might call it. Most men lifted the gun higher, then threw it down to cock it before firing. Bill cocked it with his thumb, I guess, as it was coming up into line with his man. That’s how he did it. But he was not the quickest man by any means. He was just cool and quiet, and started first. Bill Hichox was not a bad man, as is so often pictured. But he was a bad man to tackle. Always cool, kinda cheerful, almost, about it. And he never killed a man unless that man was trying to kill him. That’s fair.”

Defensive Gun Skills, Good Enough?

Some realistic shooting drills to assess baseline competence.  I’d also suggest that you read my article about being “Good Enough.”

While you are perusing the site, I might also commend Concealed Carry in National Park Buildings: A New Lawsuit Challenging This Ban to your attention.

Too Much Of Not Enough Force

Important commentary for my police readers.

I Wish

A “Momento Mori” for you hunters.

How to Carry Extra Stuff on the Enigma | Spare Mag, Knife, Pepper Spray, etc.

The PHLster enigma is a game changer for those who want very deep concealment or those who don’t wear belts.  Here are some strategies for attaching support gear to to the same enigma system you use to carry your firearm.

The Future is Non-Linear

Some deeper thinking on how to design your firearms training sessions.

“Our objective during training should not be to optimize performance outcomes on specific defined tasks or discreet engagement models. Rather our objective should be to develop robust capability to solve tactical problems.”

Why Can’t I Achieve My Goals?

Chris describes a process to maximize your ability to accomplish whatever goal you may have.  You may also like his article It’s Who You Are On the Outside That Matters.

Armed Lifestyle Magazine Issue 24

Some very useful articles in this free 82-page magazine.

How to Train with a Defensive Shotgun | Beginner to Live Fire

Erick Gelhaus gives us an excellent tutorial on the proper way to run the pump shotgun.

Detecting a Tail and What to Do Next

Tips in the event you are being followed.

The shift

I need to work on this.  I’m guessing a bunch of you might benefit from this advice as well.

The Essentials: How to Build a Mass Casualty Trauma Kit

High quality information here.  With that said, if you don’t know what you need to include in a trauma medical kit before reading this article, I would contend that you need more training, not more gear.

Speaking of medical kits, does your church have one?  Read Church Health and Safety: Building a Better Medical Kit

AR Rifle Zeroing Tool

I haven’t played with this yet, but some of you might find it useful.

Meat Test: Deer Meat, Old Clothes, and the Efficacy of .380 ACP Hollow Points

The point of ballistic gelatin testing is to provide a consistent medium through which to accurately compare each projectile by firing into an identical medium.  The issue is that the medium (ballistic gel) isn’t flesh and bone.  I think tests like this are useful, even if they are imperfect comparisons of bullet performance depending on what part of the deer carcass the projectile struck.

Men vs Women’s Self Defense

I agree with Nick here.  Attacks on women differ tremendously from attacks on men.  If you have any doubts about that fact, I’d suggest you read this article and then follow it up by reading the book Little Black Book of Violence.

You Should Be Stocking Up Right Now

Ammo is relatively cheap right now.  It won’t be forever.

In order to be better prepared for future price increases, you may want to read Concealed Carry Corner: Low Round Count Training.

Dr. Yamane’s BBC interview about the story of guns in America.

Adversarial Attraction: the Predator’s Optic

What do criminals look for when they choose a victim?

“The top cues to vulnerability were: Walk/gait – walking with confidence versus walking like a soft target. Gender – females appear as softer targets than males. Body type – In good physical shape (could put up more of a fight) versus heavy set or slow (less physically challenging). Fitness level – Greater probability of fighting back versus unable to defend self. Attention to surroundings versus Not paying attention; Appears to be cautious versus appears to be clueless.

In distilling the above, there are three overarching Soft Target Indicators that command a predator’s attention at first glance. These are; if you appear to be:

1. 1. Weak – physically, mentally or otherwise
   2. Unaware – distracted (lack of situational awareness) clearly not paying attention to your immediate surroundings – including them watching you
   3. Alone – easily accessible, vulnerable, exposed, or some combination thereof

You can appear to be any one of these or even any two of these, but all three combined – weak, unaware and alone –well, that’s the predator’s jackpot – three sevens in Vegas!”

You also want to be aware of anyone who is maneuvering to increase your “Scale of Injury.”

Cognitive Dominance: A Brain Surgeon’s Quest to Out-Think Fear

What I’m reading…

A Crash Course in Real World Self-Defense

It’s not enough just to be skilled with a firearm.  A genuine student of the art can fight empty handed as well.

He Thought He Was Stopping a Mass Shooter. Now He’s Facing Prison.

This is an absolute mess.  A protest where tensions are high.  Poorly trained armed security “peacekeepers.”  An idiot open carrying an AR-15.  What could possibly go wrong?  The answer is “everything.”

This example is why I tell you to avoid these protests at all costs.  This is why I tell you that you shouldn’t be open carrying (especially with a long gun) in urban environments.  I hope my readers are way smarter than all of the folks in this video.

Concealed Carry Corner: Validity Of A Backup Gun

I never worked a single shift in my 25 years as a cop without carrying a backup gun.  Now that I’m retired, it’s exceptionally rare that I choose to carry a second gun on my person.  Each individual must assess his/her own threat profile before making the decision to carry a backup piece or not. 

Still making up your mind?  Read this cop’s account of when NOT carrying a backup almost cost him his life The New York Reload: My Back Up Gun Evolution

For even more information, read my article Backup vs. Hideout Guns.

Near Miss: Former student attempted “shooting like Columbine” in rural Oklahoma

Quality analysis of a school shooting that didn’t make the national news.  You might also be interested in some of the problems schools are having with AI gun detection software in Students vote to end AI surveillance contract.

Quote to ponder:

“Most of us would like to live with wonder, grace and optimism.

Perhaps it pays to practice this in advance. When considering any given moment, is there a glimmer of good worth focusing on, even making a comment about?

Our narrative of reality often becomes our reality.”

– Seth Godin

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

“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.