Self defense
Ya think?!?!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
A news piece on the reality of the "active shooter" scenario was recently aired by WCPO in Cincinnati. The story relates the (somewhat dated) news that law enforcement now understands waiting a half-hour to assemble a tactical team to make entry during such an event costs lives.
What's surprising in this story is the admission that "weapons prohibited" signs actually result in more victims. They point out that not only do weapon-free zones eliminate the ability to fight back against an attacker, the signs themselves actually entice a killer to pick that spot for his spree. As those of us in the self defense movement have been saying, criminals prefer unarmed victims - and what better way to find them than through advertising?
Remember: what seems obvious to us isn't often so to others. Kudos to WCPO for having the courage to look at facts, not hyperbole.
-=[ Grant ]=-
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Sometimes even reporters see the light.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
SayUncle alerted me to this article in the St. Petersburg Times. Robbyn Mitchell, a reporter for the paper, apparently decided that since she's used the First Amendment, perhaps it's time to try the Second, as well. (Sadly, she chose one of those plastic guns - but it is her first firearm ever, and I'm sure her taste will improve with time and experience.)
Very well written piece, and one to put in the file to share with the uncommitted people in your life.
Welcome, Ms. Mitchell, to the world of assuming responsibility for your own safety.
-=[ Grant ]=-
The "got no DSL" Blues, & What I Did This Weekend.
Monday, October 20, 2008
It's a good thing that my 'net connection (Qwest DSL, for the terminally curious) went down yesterday, and just now came back up - I didn't have anything to say, anyhow!
My wife and I spent Sunday in a class titled "Legal Defense: Firearms, Weapons and Self Defense in Oregon." The class description says it's 4 hours, but in reality it's actually closer to 8. To be able to pick a defense attorney's brain for a whole day is more than worth the price of admission! The information was terrific, and the case studies are eye-opening.
(If you prowl the various gun forums, you've no doubt seen the flame sessions with regard to carrying reloaded ammunition for self-defense. Some self-anointed "expert" invariably opines something to the effect that "if it's a 'good shoot', it doesn't matter what ammo you use." Trouble is, there is rarely an incident between any two people that is so cut-and-dry, and the case studies we went through brought that point home quite forcefully. That alone was worth the entire cost of the class.)
If you're anywhere near Oregon's Willamette Valley, you owe it to yourself to take this course next time it's offered.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Concealment holsters: a cautionary tale
Monday, September 29, 2008
Just a little too close to
home!
Xavier posted this story last week about an accidental discharge with one of those "deep concealment" holsters. You know, the kind that carries the gun in a position that, ummmm, "accentuates the positive."
(Personally, I'm rather fond of my private bits, and would prefer to keep them in unaltered condition. It's a safe bet that I won't be using one of those contraptions anytime soon!)
-=[ Grant ]=-
Xavier posted this story last week about an accidental discharge with one of those "deep concealment" holsters. You know, the kind that carries the gun in a position that, ummmm, "accentuates the positive."
(Personally, I'm rather fond of my private bits, and would prefer to keep them in unaltered condition. It's a safe bet that I won't be using one of those contraptions anytime soon!)
-=[ Grant ]=-
Gun Digest Book Of Concealed Carry
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
I just got some great news from Herman Gunter at the ProArms Podcast:
It's not often that Herman is this emphatic, and I've learned that when he makes one of his rare recommendations it must be something really good. You can bet my copy is on the way!Run, don't walk, to your favorite bookseller, and look for a copy of THE GUN DIGEST BOOK OF CONCEALED CARRY by Massad Ayoob. This book works, in a comprehensive fashion, with most of the concealed carry issues that you have wanted to have addressed. The book is really good! I know - I helped proof read the book several times. Buy the book! (I receive nothing from this, but I hope that it makes Mas Ayoob a ton of money. It is that good, and that needed!)
Click here to buy it from Amazon!
-=[ Grant ]=-
Guns are not magic wands.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
There is a perception amongst a large percentage of the gun-toting public that guns are magic wands: one shot and the bad guy flies backward, landing in an unconscious heap at the bottom of a wall or tree.
Think I'm exaggerating? Spend a few minutes at a gun counter sometime. Random samples would tend to support the supposition that the majority of people carrying guns get their information from Hollywood, not Paulden.
This incident from east Texas should serve to remind us that real life ain't like "reel" life.
There are, of course, a number of unanswered questions: was the good guy's gun not adequate for effective defense? Was he not able to draw and shoot in time? Did he make an effort to "get off the X" or did he simply "stand and deliver"?
We don't know. Sadly, we may never know. All we do know is that something went horribly wrong, leaving the good guy six feet under and the bad guy getting three hots and a cot.
Let's review how to avoid the same fate:
1) Select a gun and cartridge that are suitable for self defense. (At the risk of tooting my own horn, read my series on this topic.)
2) Learn how to be aware of your surroundings (it most assuredly does not come naturally to modern man); study and memorize the precursors to violent attacks.
3) Practice drawing and shooting from your holster; don't carry your gun in an unaccessible place, and carry it the same way all the time.
4) Break the habit of just standing and shooting; learn to get off the axis of a violent attack. (This is not the old "take one step to the side and shoot" exercise - it is far more dynamic. Love him or hate him, Gabe Suarez has been preaching this for many years, and only now does the concept seem to be gaining traction.)
5) Understand that one shot is quite unlikely to do the job, and that the old "two shots center of mass, then evaluate" doctrine may just give your opponent the opening he needs. Learn how to quickly put multiple, accurate shots on target - while moving.
6) Understand that you can do everything "right", and still lose. This is a concept that seems to be lost to even the best instructors: luck plays a huge role in survival. Do everything you can to put as much of it on your side as possible.
Be careful, stay safe.
-=[ Grant ]=-
Monday Meanderings
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Something old, something new - all are borrowed, and one makes me blue!
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Marko over at the munchkin wrangler (who, for all of his talent, still hasn't figured out what the caps key is for) has penned another winner: "tales from a gun-free society." It's a personal look at the societal effects of wide scale disarmament. (My general rule is that if Marko wrote it, it must be worth reading. This is yet another validation of that rule.)
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If the name "Gecko45" means nothing to you, then you've missed out on one of the funniest things on the 'net - the rise of the Mall Ninja. Sadly, the original postings on GlockTalk that led to the coining of the term are long gone, and the mallninja.com site is no more; luckily for us, someone recognized the historical importance of Gecko45.
His (her?) whole posts - along with some good background and explanations - can now be found at Lonely Machines. If you're new to the Mall Ninja phenomenon, it's a must-read. If you remember the original, it's a hilarious blast from the past. In either case, go. Read. Laugh.
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Gecko45 is a classic, no doubt. It's hard to beat such comedic genius, and how many people can lay claim to inspiring a new term? Well, Larry Correia's got a candidate of his own: the original "HK: because you suck. And we hate you." essay. You can read it - along with his hilarious followup - at this link. (If you're a rabid HK fan, it's guaranteed to raise your blood pressure. If you're not, it'll make you squirt milk out your nose.)
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Happy Monday!
-=[ Grant ]=-