5 Things Women Need

5 Things Women Need

My wife has a love-hate relationship with all this personal defense stuff.  She hates the idea of needing to be prepared and can't stand that her day to day life is effected by potential or perceived and often unseen threats of violence.  BUT she loves me.  So that means she agrees to all my training, prepping, security protocols, and most of my gear purchases.  Most? Ok, many of them. Many? Ok FINE, I just buy what I want and she gets mad for awhile and then eventually forgives me!

The point of this article is to give you 5 things that we think a woman needs for personal and family security when kids are involved and she finds herself in a dangerous or disastrous situation. These are a 24 hour get home bag, an exfiltration plan, communication sources, personal defense tools, and proper mindset.

24 Hour Get Home Pack
My wife's 24hr pack is very similar to mine in terms of the gear she carries, but there are a few additions that I will highlight below. You can review the contents of my pack by visiting my previous article on this blog. My 24hr pack
This REI retro looking pack is what my wife carries everyday in her suburban. It's large enough to carry the gear she needs, but not too big to attract attention. On that note, do not pick a pack that makes a statement, especially if that statement is "I have a gun." You should stay away from military or tactical looking packs in my opinion.

REI Klettersack

We have four children, so as you can imagine, my wife needs to carry enough equipment for 5 people whereas my pack is designed just for me. The major additions to her kit include a bothy bag, a water purification filter, and enough food to sustain 5 people for 24hrs. A bothy bag is like a giant sized, waterproof/breathable garbage bag that can be used as a shelter in emergency situations. It's designed for short-term use. You can't really lay down inside of it as there's no structure to it. Our bothy bag is designed so that 5-6 people can sit upright and lean against the walls of the shelter. It would not be comfortable to remain inside one for an extended period of time, they will keep you alive in a worst case scenario. I really like bothy bags as winter emergency shelters because with a group of people inside it, the temperature rises dramatically. You can get more info about bothy shelters here.

Food and water for 5 people would be extremely bulky and heavy for my wife to carry, so the way we've decided to manage this is through a water purifier and high calorie energy bars. Again, this is a short term survival situation lasting a max of 24hrs. They can find water along the way or steal it if necessary. Will my children be happy about only eating a few energy bars all day?  Not in the least.  Will they survive to complain about it later? Absolutely. She also carries first aid, maps of exfil routes, a compass, fire starter, personal defense weapons, light sources, a radio, and a cell battery backup.

Exfiltration Plan
What's an exfiltration plan?  In the simplest terms it's about having a strategy to get from dangerous point A to safer point B in the most efficient way possible. By efficient I mean the route that requires the least amount of time, energy, and resources, to arrive safely.

For example, my wife frequents Walmart, restaurants, and the library. Walmart and the restaurants are in close proximity to each other and therefore can share a similar exfil plan. The library, on the other hand is much farther away and is located in a less than desirable part of town. The exfil plan from the library is more involved due to the ground she would have to cover to get home safely from that area of town. Get the idea? This process requires some research and planning.

What I would suggest is to first get a map of your city. If you can find one that has topographic contour lines that's even better. (more on the why of that later) Now determine the locations of frequented places such as your home, the "bad" parts of town, hospitals, police departments, fire departments, and any other "safe" place that could provide you food, shelter, or help if needed. Once you have all those places marked on your map, start looking at ways to move between them. View the map through the lens of your personal vehicle first.  Ask yourself things like, "If I'm at the grocery store and crap hits the fan, what route will I take to get home?" Or "Dang it, that road is blocked and

I have to abandon my vehicle, what am I going to do now?" You absolutely must be realistic and critical in your assessment of the dangers you face and the details of your exfiltration plan. Next take a look at moving between your locations on foot.  Here is where that topographic map will come in handy. With this as a tool you can locate hills, ridges, valleys, drainages, rivers, forested areas, and so much more. Then you can begin to get a better picture of the actual lay of the land between the library, store or school and your house. Basically you want to know how you can best use the land to your advantage.  Maps help the process.

You will of course want to drive and walk your exfil routes to make sure they work the way you had envisioned while doing your map planning. This can be made into a fun family outing for the creative parent. These days I would bet you can find a geocache location literally on your exfil route, especially if you live in a city.  Take the kids out and try to locate it.  This gives you the excuse to check things out without making it too obvious to the general public what your real intentions are.

Communication Sources
Nearly every adult human in the United States has a cell phone these days. Trust me when I say that there will be plenty of these available should the need arise for you to commandeer one. That being said you have your own, and should feel comfortable using it to communicate with your loved ones in an emergency.

Motorola RDU4160 $300

Another tool you can utilize is a radio. The small consumer Motorola Talk-about radios are probably not sufficient due to their pathetic usable range.  (that 15 mile range claim is misleading) Also there is the issue of security. Someone is more likely to listen in on your conversations with those simply due to the large number of people that own them. You should look into something a lot stronger.  Brands like Motorola, BlackBox, Kenwood and Icom all make quality professional grade radios that will get you at least a mile of useable range even in the city. They use a different set of frequencies than the recreational talk-about radios and therefore should be more secure. They also operate on a much higher wattage output, so the signal should punch through buildings and terrain fairly well. CB radio is an option as well but again, security.
There are so many factors that go into radio quality and signal that I can't possibly cover all that information here. The Motorola RDU4160 is what I'm using for the time being. It is sufficient as a backup to our cell phones, and has performed well in our tests. Are there better options? Yes there are, but I'm personally not willing to commit the time and effort to getting my HAM license right now.  Here's a great article from ITS Tactical on radio communications for further study.

Personal Defense Tools 
Guns probably come to mind first, and I highly recommend that as your primary defensive tool. However, relevant training in context absolutely must go hand in hand with guns for personal defense. I can't overstate how important this is. I'll say it again like this, if you spent $500 on your pistol, you should spend another $1000-$2000 minimum on one or two reputable training courses.
I.C.E. Training Company owned by Rob Pincus offers the kind of training I am referring to. If you want another choice then Gunsite is a fine option. One final company I would recommend is Asymmetric Solutions.

Ladies if you are like my wife then you may choose not to carry a pistol for self defense. I can speak for your husbands when I say it's time to reevaluate your opinions on this topic. Guns and fighting are no longer just the stuff of a man's world. Thugs these days could care less if you're a woman. They will not take it easy on you and they are most likely armed with some kind of weapon. You always want to "one up" their weapon choice.  If they choose a baseball bat, then you want a gun. If they choose a knife, then you want a gun. If they choose a hammer, then you want a what? That's right, a gun! To be completely fair, I don't think a gun is the answer to every personal defense question, but it stands to reason that if you find yourself in a "worst case" scenario, then you might want to use a "last resort" kind of tool.

Other choices in defensive tools fall under the "pain compliance" category. These tools are typically deployed from inside the reach of the attacker. Obviously getting in close with an individual that is trying to harm you is never a good idea, but if you find yourself in that situation you want to have more than just your fists to stop their advance. Things like pepper spray, tasers, and batons are solid choices but sometimes fail and will not stop a determined attacker. Knives are sometimes inappropriately placed in this category as well, even though you can clearly and easily kill a person with one. Knives are an excellent back up tool to your defensive firearm, and some are specifically built for in contact fighting.

Lastly, personal defense tools can be found laying around outside, stocked at the grocery store, and purchased at the magazine stand. Improvised weapons can be anything you pick up and hit with or throw at an attacker that would discourage them from advancing towards you. Here's a short list to get you on my thought level - tree branches, chairs, soup cans, broom handles, rocks, a belt, that stray cat, and even your car. Yes exactly, just run them over, (the bad guy not the cat). Constantly assess your environment and be aware of things you could use as weapons if the situation arises.

Proper Mindset

"The devil whispers, you can not withstand the storm.  The warrior whispers back, I AM the storm" --Author unknown

This is likely not a popular conversation to have with most moms, but ladies you need to develop your ability to flip that switch in your brain from helpless victim to dangerous warrior. It's absolutely critical for your survival in a disaster or emergency situation. Your life and the lives of your children depend on you alone. Do not underestimate yourself. You are able to think quickly and clearly. You are able to make it home. You are able to strategically utilize the tools at hand to get the job done just as decisively as any man. You need to be willing to sacrifice the life of another human being in order to preserve the safety of your family if that's what it comes down to!  

When it comes to mental toughness sometimes you just need to start talking yourself into things instead of out. Positive self talk about eating better, working out more, and being good to your spouse don't just miraculously happen. Things worth doing often take hard work. Don't just tell yourself you can - tell yourself you will! Tell yourself often how they shouldn't mess with a momma bear and her cubs! Convince yourself that you would do anything to protect your children.

Seriously though, that face! #determination

I recommend training your mind to think the way you want to perform. It's no secret that olympic athletes use visualization techniques as a training tool to help them mentally prepare for competition. I contend that mentally preparing for the fight of your life is no different. Practically this looks like finding a quiet place where you can relax, close your eyes, and mentally live out your worst nightmare in extreme detail. Choose a realistic scenario in the context of your personal day to day routine. Imagine every conceivable detail of your encounter from start to finish.  Spend some extra time on the ending. Make absolutely certain that you win in the end!
Check out this article from Mike Gillette. He's kind of an expert on mental toughness, and a heck of a nice guy.  

I'm not sure what this cute little kid is being so obstinate about, but one thing is for sure, he will not be easily swayed. That is exactly the kind of determined attitude you need to have when it comes to personal defense. Be willing to stand up for yourself. Be vicious if necessary.  Remember, you want to make it home tonight. You want to prevail!

--J. Wise














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Introversion The Disease

The first time I learned about Jungian personality types was in college roughly 23 years ago.  Back then I was about one year into a psychology degree that I quickly changed once I learned how much more school I would have to take if I really wanted to use it. 

I'm referring specifically to Jung/Meyers/Briggs type indicator tests.  I won't go into much detail about each individual type because honestly, you need a degree to understand these things completely.  Do your own research if you're interested. 

 

For the average person, here's a basic breakdown - 

• I = Introvert  E = Extrovert
• N= Intuitive  S = Sensing
• T = Thinking  F = Feeling
• J = Judging  P = Perceiving

An individual can be any combination of any of these, and each "type" indicator has its own detailed description that gives you a better understanding of what makes you tick.  Some are more obvious than others. 

Yours truly is a hardcore INFJ/P.  I have always viewed myself as completely different from the rest of society around me, but could never put my finger on the reason why.  Now I know, after studying these indicators, that I fall into a category that represents less than 1% of our population.  The INFJ is the rarest of personality types for men.  Second rarest for women.  Therefore I can safely say, I am completely different than the majority of society.  

Some of the ways we (INFJ's) are different - 

We can walk into a room of people, scan the crowd, and immediately know who's angry, who's scared, and who's a complete idiot.  We take in everything.  EVERYTHING.  It's super annoying.  

I walk into a crowded room and I not only notice the couple in the back corner who are arguing, but I literally feel their tension.  I internalize it, and it saddens me.  The smells and sounds work together to shape my mood, and it's uncontrollable.  Like Superman's hearing, I key in to every conversation.  I can't tune them out and only listen to one.  If you aren't an INFJ, you have no idea how mentally draining this is.  Depending on what's said and how it's said, my attitude/mood will often switch to mirror one of the people I'm listening to.  Often my mood and attitude will repeatedly switch between several.  Did I mention that the color of paint on the walls, the decorating, the clutter, the lighting, the crooked picture, the car alarm outside, the dog barking, and the hum of the refrigerator, all effect me continuously?  That's just scratching the surface of what an INFJ experiences in a crowded environment. 

Something else unique to my personality type is the ability to intuitively discern what you're thinking without you saying very much.  We key in on facial expressions, body language, nervousness, out of place emotions, what you say, and most importantly what you don't say.  Not only do we understand what's going on with you, we literally "feel" your emotions.  This too can be mentally and emotionally draining. 

Let's talk about energy.  You can either be the kind of person that gives or takes energy from me.  In order to give energy to an INFJ you absolutely must go deeper than surface level conversation.  We seem socially awkward while trying to make small talk at parties.  In fact, small talk robs energy from us.  We only have a certain amount to give and if 7 people before you have stolen energy from me, then you will likely get the cold shoulder.  Don't take it personally.  I actually really value you and want to have a meaningful conversation.  I am simply unable to fake it.  

In each of these paragraphs above I have been talking about how draining it is to be this kind of introvert.  What I want you to understand is that introverts are joyful, empathetic, intelligent, and interesting people who value real relationships.  We are the best listeners as long as you've paid into our emotional bank.  We have so much we would love to talk to you about.  We just need you to initiate the conversation.  

One final thing you may have noticed; we seem cold and grumpy most of the time.  You've noticed this whenever you see us at social gatherings.  Reference my paragraph above about the ways we are different and then please understand that we are not cold and grumpy, we are simply taking in every conceivable detail about our environment and simultaneously attempting to carry on a draining, surface level, conversation with you.  lol ok maybe we are cold at times.  

You can research more about the personality types by following the link below if you're interested.

Enjoy.

--ME

http://www.humanmetrics.com/personality/type

What will You do?

Today I heard a commentator at the Republican national convention ask a senator for his gut sense about who would win the election between Trump and Clinton.

It wasn't the fact that he said Hillary that caught my attention, it was How he said it. There was no hesitation in his voice. Almost as if he already knew what was going to happen. Also, he was afraid. There was fear in his voice. 

I think this hit home for me because I feel the exact same way. I can't get it out of my head. I didn't think I would personally witness the downfall of America in my lifetime, but I am seriously worried about what the future holds for me and especially my children. 

...thinking about that sucks. I pray with all my heart that the senator is wrong. 

I just think we (America) have been the frog heated up slowly in the pot for too long. I wonder if there's any way to get our nation back peacefully? It makes me sad because I see us going down a path that leads to chaos and that's horrible. There's another side of me that would welcome revolution and civil war so we can clean the slate. There's peace to be found on the other side of war. I think we are no longer inching our way closer to this, we are in fact taking large leaps towards it. 

All of this to say, where do you stand?  Are you prepared for civil unrest? Removal of your freedoms? Confiscation of your guns? Martial law? All out war? 

Are you willing to sacrifice? To what degree? Will you go to jail? Will you trade your life for a mere chance of opening the eyes of others? 

Think honestly and deeply about these things. The time is coming when your convictions and principles will be tested. 

How will you answer the call?

--ME

Why Do I Train?

Why Do I Train?

It's a fairly loaded question actually.  It could be answered simply, much in the same way as Sir Edmund Hillary answered the question about why he climbed Mount Everest, "because it's there".
There is a literal mountain of training opportunities available to me in the United States.  How do I make a decision about which ones to spend my resources on?

I normally choose gun training. Courses in combat and defensive pistol have been my primary outlet, but I have also taken some carbine training as well as a handful of classes on the use of precision long range rifles. I'm a black belt in TaeKwonDo and am currently learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.  So why in the world would I choose to take a combat tracking course from John Hurth of TYR Group?  Go check out his website for more information on what a combat tracker is and does. You won't be disappointed.

black beanie is me

Honestly I think this time I just wanted to do something different; well that and I had an opportunity to meet John Hurth at the ITS Tactical Muster event in 2015, and knew immediately I wanted to learn more from him.

Going into it I thought, I'll never use this stuff.  In fact I would say I didn't even see how combat tracking related to my real world, defensive, gun culture lifestyle.  I was wrong in several ways.  The first is that I thought it held no relevance to gun training.  "Combat" tracking - duh. (smacks self upside the head) We had a rifle in our hands during the majority of this course.  We learned some small units tactics and movement among other things.

The second thing I was wrong about is that I would never have an opportunity to use this skillset in my day to day life.  Here's a short story about using my tracking skills. Bare with me.
As a family, we like to go geocaching.  If you're unfamiliar with this it's an activity where people hide small containers filled with trinkets all around the world. They record the GPS coordinates of these caches and then post them online.  Others can download/upload these coordinates into their personal GPS devices and then go on a treasure hunt of sorts trying to find the cache.  My family was trying to locate a cache that was in a fairly remote part of a national forest.  You get so focused on following your GPS screen that you often forget to look up and take in your surroundings.  We found the cache, but I got turned around and really didn't know where the main trail was from where we ended up. We weren't lost - obviously we had a GPS.  I just didn't immediately recognize where I was.
Then I looked down and it clicked! I know exactly how to find the trail.  Six people walking through the woods creates quite a mark that is pretty easy to follow if you know what you're looking for.  Using the obvious signs that we left in the dirt, in the leaf clutter, and the laid over weeds, I was able to find the trail again.  Prior to my combat tracking course, I'm not sure I would have recognized those signs. I would have been forced to rely on my technology.  What if the batteries had died? For me personally I would have just headed due south until I ran into a highway that I know runs east/west nearly all the way across that area, but the point needs to be made that you have to know skills that don't require the use of batteries.

Combat tracking skills can be extremely useful for locating missing members of your family, or obviously for self rescue while exploring the woods.  These skills would be a necessity for search and rescue teams.  They could also be useful for members of the law enforcement community.  I was in law enforcement for over 5 years and can think of several instances where tracking skills would have been useful had I known them at the time.  It goes without saying that the military is the perfect place to use combat tracking skills.

The venerable John Hurth surveying his domain

I'm very thankful that I decided on a whim to take the 5 day combat tracker course from John Hurth of TYR Group.  I feel better prepared to thrive in my world no matter the circumstances.  All of the above to answer the question; why do I train?  I train because I'm committed to being a life long learner.  I'd rather not go back to school in the traditional sense, but to branch out of the norm (guns) and learn something new and interesting, is never a poor decision in my opinion.

So what's next on the training horizon for me?  On the short list is sniper field craft, combat medicine, and maybe another carbine course.  I'm already asking myself why in the world would I care about sniper fieldcraft? Will I ever use this?  Do you suppose the easy answers to these questions will keep me from being adventurous and just committing to a new chance to learn something cool and surprisingly useful?  Nope!   #keeptraining

--ME

Copper Basin Modular Game Pack

Here's the link to an article I wrote for Long Range Hunting Magazine. Enjoy

Hunting Pack Article

The Bianchi Cup

The Bianchi Cup is the premier action pistol competition in the United States. It draws competitors from around the world.  Represented this year were teams from Australia, Japan, and the U.S. There may have been more, but I was honestly too distracted by this man's capri pants to notice.

In all seriousness, there were some pretty high caliber competitors in attendance. I saw teams from all 4 branches of the military (sorry coast guard), law enforcement including the Border Patrol and ICE agents, professional sponsored teams, and of course the average joe. 

The NRA and the Green Valley Rifle and Pistol club put on quite an event, and that's probably understating it. I was impressed with the level of competition. I was pleasantly surprised to find a building full of vendors handing out swag and promoting their newest products. The number of media organizations covering the shoot indicated that this thing is a big deal, and it all happens just outside Columbia Missouri every year in May!

The beginning stages of the match are fairly basic, focusing mainly on the fundamentals of marksmanship. All strings of fire begin close at 10 yards and then progress to 15y and 25y.  Time is not a factor here and only hits count. It should be noted that precise shots with a pistol at 25 yards and farther, are quite difficult.
I saw one lady on the line just making the men look silly. She was so good.  There is no "ladies division." They are thrown right in there with the men, which I personally appreciate. Typically the men dominate the shooting sports, so when I see a woman doing as well as she was, it makes me smile.

The equipment used by Cup competitors is definitely different than you might expect. Having never been to an event such as this, I had it in my head that everyone would be using standard 1911 style pistols with target sights and the occasional red dot. The photo here shows just how far off I was. These "race guns" had precision barrels, custom triggers, aftermarket mag wells, barricade stops, and Aimpoint red dot optics! It's not uncommon for these pistols to cost $4000 or more.

The advantage this equipment provides to the competitors can't be overstated. A guy doesn't want to come out of a match second guessing whether the reason he scored poorly was because of his equipment. At least that part needs to be taken out of the equation. Then if he receives a low score, he has nothing to blame but himself.

The Green Valley club is a beautiful venue for this event and it's easy to understand why it is repeatedly chosen to host The Cup.  From a personal perspective, I have been to a lot of ranges all over this country, and I can say confidently that the Green Valley Rifle and Pistol club is not just a bunch of dirt piles pushed together. They employ several staff to care for the grounds and keep things looking top notch. There is constant oversight and maintenance. It is one of the nicest small facilities I've ever seen.  Kudos to you guys.


The man that won the Bianchi Cup this year is Doug Koenig.  Here's a quote directly from his website to give you an idea of what kind of individual he is.
"Every once in awhile, a special sportsman comes along who redefines what it means to be a champion. Doug Koenig is a once in a generation talent, widely regarded as the best all around shooter in the world."
If you visit his website, take a look at the list of competitions this guys has won. If that's not impressive I don't know what is.  I guess they need to update his win list though, because this year will mark the 18th time he has won the Bianchi Cup! 

In summary, I'm impressed and intrigued by this event.  I can see why it's such a big deal, but I can't understand "the draw" of it...yet.

Below, enjoy some more of the photos I took while checking out the 2016 NRA Bianchi Cup!

 



     

Practice Like A Pro

I have been given the opportunity to share an article with you from one of the world's best precision rifle competitors, Jim See.  Enjoy the article below and be sure to look him up on Facebook at the links provided.

I had the privilege to compete in a small regional competition with Jim this past fall.  I was able to eek out a humble 7th place finish while Jim finished 2nd.  Who finished first you ask?  One of Jim's students! What does that say?  To me it says that when Jim gives instruction he lays it all out there and holds nothing back.  He truly tries to help you succeed.  So when Jim wrote this most recent article on Precision Rifle Practice, I knew I had to pass it along.  Enjoy!
_________________________________________________________________________________

Elite Accuracy, 40 round perfect PRS practice. By Jim See  

Elite Accuracy LLC  Jim's PRS Profile

You must ask yourself, am I practicing for performance or am I just out here burning powder? Think about that for a minute... are you getting the best return on your practice investment? Well this article is going to give you some well-deserved advice on getting the most out of the fewest rounds.

I rarely shoot 100 yard groups, ever... About the only time I fire at 100 yards is after loading a new batch of ammo (300-400 rounds) and that is to confirm no zero shifts. I rarely care if they are 1/2" or all in the same hole, 3 shots and I will move on to important work.

I'll test the consistency of my loads at 500 yards. If 5-10 shot groups are under 2.5" under good shooting conditions, ie. Low winds and little to no mirage then I am satisfied. I once shot my 6.5 Creedmoor that had 3000 rounds on it with the intent that the barrel was probably ready for retirement, well after 7 rounds went into 1.5 inches and 5 of them were less than 3/4"@ 500, I ran the barrel in another 2 matches.

We all like hitting long range targets shooting prone, this is an area I excel at and it gives me a cushion on the competition, but don't put too much emphasis on your prone game if you are suffering in positional work and barricades. Practice for your next match, if you’re heading to K&M or the CORE shooting center you need to hit the barricades hard. Likewise if you’re headed to Oklahoma or Nebraska be ready for a long range field match. The internet is a great source of match intel, search out the past matches and see what videos or pictures reveal about the COF. 

So what do I do to sharpen my skills? Well you might be surprised; I conduct my practice on a 500 yard range. If you only have 200 yards don't use that as an excuse, 2" or 3" shoot and sees at 100 yards make great barricade targets. Adapt and overcome that's the name of the game, so think about that next time you procrastinate about your short practice range. Below is a list of drills I do at 90% of my practice sessions, I would much rather conduct this formatted practice than to just go out and burn up 100 rounds with-out a plan of attack.

Jim See imparting wisdom

Match Skills, Practice processes: (40 rounds)

Barricade drills;
Approach barricade, build a solid position, and fire 10 rounds at a 2-3 moa target from different positions on barricade. DO NOT time yourself. Once you can produce consistent hits start timing yourself at 2 minutes. Your goal is to build a solid position first, then engage your targets. Rushing through this program initially won't allow you to realize how stable you can be, when you take your time. As you master the barricade put a clock on it. 

Prone accuracy training;
If you feel like you are anticipating each shot with an involuntary reaction, dry fire from prone. Process; set- up and aim on target using a stiff/hard rear bag, close your eyes for 3 seconds, dry fire, than open your eyes. Your cross-hair should still be on a 1 moa target.

Live fire practice on 200-400 yard targets that are 1 moa and smaller, I like ¾ moa. The shorter range takes some of the wind reading out of the equation but forces you to aim small and follow through each shot. Concentrate on a smooth trigger pull, proper bag and cheek pressure will maintain your aim. This is where you work on your fundamentals of marksmanship. On my range this drill is incorporated on a KYL rack, that way I shoot the bigger targets first to get a good wind call, and finish up with my last 6 shots on the smallest target. 10rnds

Speed drills;
5 targets on a rack, start prone mag in bolt back, engage each target with one shot each in 20 seconds, 1.5 moa target size. 5rnds
Practice speed in conjunction with a troop line shot near too far and back. 3 targets 2 moa, 5 shots in 30 seconds, engage; near, middle, far, middle, near, you will use hold overs. [b]5rnds[/b]

Both these drills will help you learn to shoot with-out thinking about the fundamentals; trigger squeeze, cheek and shoulder pressure, bolt manipulation, breathing, should become second nature. If you have not mastered these fundamentals you will struggle with these drills.

First stage nervousness;
This is a common problem. To help eliminate it, use your practice trips as a real match start. What I mean is rather than do your normal routine of shooting dope or zero, have a buddy run you through a stage; cold bore/cold shooter under time constraints. That’s what happens in a match why would you not practice it?? 10 rnds

The art of building an internal clock in your physical system is totally an act of routine. If you use matches to train for this it will take you years, or you will never obtain the skill. If you practice and set a clock for every mock stage, you will speed up the process, it took me 2 years to develop my internal stop watch. 

Recognizing your weakness;
This might be a hard fact to accept but when you do, you can work with your limitations. What some of us call gaming is actually; adapting a system that works for you, and seems unorthodox to others. Think about the process and come up with innovative ways to approach new barricades.

I hope this 40 round practice session help you with your shooting, try it once a week for 8 weeks and I guarantee you will see positive results.

Bio; Jim See currently competes as a Pro in the Precision Rifle Series, having finished the last 4 seasons ranked in the top 15. Jim has worked in the precision bolt action rifle industry since 2007 as owner of Center Shot Rifles, Quality Manager at Surgeon Rifles action division, and currently operates “Elite Accuracy” a Training, Consulting and Manufacturing Business in Decorah Iowa.

Is The Shooter Ready

If you are a long range hunter or shooter you might be interested to know that there is a computer program available that can help you learn how to range unknown distance targets by using your mildot, mil reticle, or moa scope. The application is called Shooter Ready and there are versions available for Mac and PC systems.  The cost is $44 bucks.  Not too bad in my opinion as there really is quite a lot to do within the simulation.  You can find the program HERE.





As you can see in this picture above there are many calibers to choose from.  So for example, I own and am very comfortable shooting a .264 in real life, so the calculations within the simulation come naturally to me.  The targets vary in sizes and there are hostage targets, moving targets, multiple targets and wind practice.



The interface is very easy to understand even for beginners.  The author has included a "classroom" section to the program that walks you through everything you need to know to start making hits on target.  It's very helpful.
Data and wind cards are provided for you based on your chosen caliber including all the standard and metric equations you will need to calculate proper holds.
About the only thing it lacks is a calculator for figuring the equations, but most of us have one of those laying around.

My only serious complaint about this program is that the wind is only figured in inches of drift.  It would be far more helpful if the wind readout was in moa.  As it stands you have to take the reading in inches and then mentally convert it to moa.  It's just an extra step that could be made a bit more efficient.  Not a deal breaker for me though.

Enjoy

-ME

Precision Rifle Competition

I live in Missouri now, and one thing that is very different from Iowa is that precision rifle competitions are alive and well here. Check out the Missouri Steel Tactical Facebook Group and you'll find a very active club of like minded folks.  I couldn't be happier with the gun culture down here.

My post today isn't about the Missouri gun culture though, it's about my experience at the precision rifle match I attended this past weekend.  The Rolling Hills Gun Club near Mack's Creek Missouri hosted the event.  We shot at distances of 250 yards all the way out to 900 yards and everything in between. 

There were 60 shooters, which is the most of any Missouri competition in the history of the club! Due to the large number of people, the match directors decided to divide everyone into squads.  Squads in this context means that you evenly distribute the people and send each group to the various stages in a rotation.  As each squad completes a stage, they rotate as a unit to the next stage, and the next.  The system worked fairly well ensuring minimal down time. 

One of the most challenging stages for all squads was "the rope" stage.  This barricade was far more difficult than it appeared. Typically you can lean forward into the object you're shooting off of and get some level of support, but here the rope offers very little stabilization.  The distances don't really matter, but I think these targets were engaged at approximately 250-300 yards. 

A few of the other barricades were kneeling behind a bench, propped up on a tank trap, prone on a platform, sitting on stairs, and kneeling behind some stacked culverts.  Each one provides a new opportunity to discovery just how little you know about precision rifle dynamics.  I discovered a lot this weekend! 

The biggest challenge for everyone at this match was the wind.  This is typical of long range shooting of course, but wind is not as difficult to figure out when it's constant and from only one direction.  The winds at Rolling Hills were coming from at least 3 different directions with 3 different velocities.  This rendered tech devices, such as the Kestrel weather meter, basically worthless for wind calls. After a complete miss of my 400 yard cold bore shot, I figured out, in theory, what the wind was doing.  Hits came a little easier for the rest of the day.

It's always a bit intimidating shooting in a competition along side some of the best in the industry.  George Gardner of GA Precision, and a few of his employees, also competitors, were there.  George has been a part of this game for a long time and easily pulled off a 4th place finish.  In comparison, i've only been shooting competitively for about a year and I finished 29th. There were a few other guys competing that are nationally ranked in the Precision Rifle Series.  They finished ahead of me as well. #sigh

I did learn a few things about my gear.  I learned that I need a bag or barricade pad for the front of my rifle.  Resting my folded bipod directly on top of non-flat objects doesn't make for a very stable firing position.  Having a bag up front would help immensely.  I learned that slings are a vital piece of kit for anytime you need to be able to pull some downward pressure on the front of your rifle.  I also learned the hard way that Kelbly's actions are not the most durable when it comes to rough tactical matches.  I'm not here to smear them though, so i'll just keep those comments to myself. 

All in all it was an excellent match and I'm pleased with my performance for the most part.  As always, I need more practice shooting from various positions and barricades.  I also need to start working off of a timer.  First to get my internal sense of timing figured out, and second to add that additional stress that seems to render my brain a pile of mush during matches. 

Three weeks until the next match.  #practice

- ME

Glock Mag Winning

I recently discovered a product that I think is an absolute necessity if you carry a Glock 42 or 43 for personal defense. It's called the E.M.P. by Strike Industries.  EMP stands for Enhanced Magazine Plate, and it changes the capacity of your magazine on the 42 from 6 rounds to 8.  Most of us carry with a round chambered, so that means 9 rounds of get the heck away from me!

              

The new floor plate adds approximately 1.5 inches to the grip length of your pistol, but I haven't noticed the extra length while carrying it. I carry in the appendix position and have had no issues adjusting to this change. If you carry at the three through five o'clock position, you may have to be slightly more aware of printing. Especially as you bend over or reach overhead.

Here's a photo of the magazine next to the Pierce Grip extension. The Pierce doesn't add to the round count, it just adds to the length, making it easier to get a full grip on the pistol. 

As far as I can tell there is only one thing that I would call a "negative", and even then it's borderline. This being the fact that the mag extension doesn't perfectly line up with the grip on the gun. You can see what I mean in the photo below
I guess it's just the perfectionist in me, but seriously, couldn't the designers have made the extension fit a little nicer? I don't see this gap as a problem.  You don't notice it while gripping the pistol, it's simply an aesthetic complaint.
Attempt to locate.  Make your own case.  Enjoy!

Long Range Turkey Hunting

We've all heard about hunting big game like deer, antelope, and elk at long range.  What about turkey?

A definition may be in order here. To me, long range on large game is 600-1200 yards. Making a one shot kill at those ranges requires some skill to be sure, but let's be honest, the kill zone on an elk at 600y is almost 3moa. If you have trouble making that shot from a solid shooting position, maybe you shouldn't be attempting the shot at all. 

What about turkey? What is considered a long shot on a bird who's kill zone is more like 5 inches? Why am I even asking this question? I am fully aware that most people hunt turkey with a shotgun or a bow at distances of 50y or less, but I like to hunt turkey in South Dakota where a hunter is allowed to use a rifle. 

Every year I try to increase the distance at which I kill a bird, if possible. My longest kill to date is 225y. So is that a "long shot" on a turkey? Yes and no. 

On that particular kill I was standing and only had the trunk of a tree to brace against. I couldn't get any lower or more stable due to field conditions. 

This year I attempted a shot at 720y! On a 5" kill zone, my rifle would have to be capable of 3/4moa groups, which it is. In fact it's a half minute gun all day long. I was able to lay prone and had all the time in the world. I actually felt pretty confident about this shot. I say "attempt" because I missed the turkey. My first shot was about 2moa off for wind. Fortunately because of high quality glass, I was able to spot my miss. I made that correction and sent another round. My windage was perfect, but I missed over his back. I was frustrated! I know I can make that shot. 

I was just beating myself up over this for a day until I realized my error. 

It dawned on me eventually when I remembered that I was shooting from an elevated position high on a ridge, down to a valley below. Long range shooters, what did I forget to account for? 

Yep exactly, the downward angle of the shot! Anytime you shoot a far distance and a down or up angle is present, you must calculate and adjust for that. In either case it's an aim low correction. Had I remembered to adjust for this, I likely would have been writing about how I killed a turkey at 720 yards! 

I guess there's always next year. 

Still ended up filling my tags, at 175 yards. ;)

-Me

Lock Picking Like A Thief

Why in the world would I need to know how to pick locks? I'm not planning on stealing a car or breaking into someone's house! I'm not considering a career change as a locksmith either.
However in a SHTF situation I may find a need for my family to take shelter in an abandoned vehicle or house. I will willingly break the law if it means protecting or providing for my family. I'm quite certain you would too.



The reason I have decided to write about this today is that I recently attended an abbreviated training course through a company called SEREPICK.  And here at the outset let me say that Serepick only teaches the lawful use of these skills to MIL,LE, and Security professionals.
I love being "wowed" when it comes to learning new things, because honestly, I've been around. Tactical and law enforcement training is not new to me, so when I learn a new skill set that I have not previously even considered, I thoroughly enjoy it.  I learned how to fabricate new keys by taking a key impression, successfully "jiggled" open a car door, and found out just how easy it is to bypass most padlocks. (To my L.E. readers - someone needs to invent a truly secure set of handcuffs, just saying)



I learned so much cool stuff in this short 4 hour course that I will absolutely be taking a 4 Day course through SEREPICK as soon as time and funds allow. Within days of learning my new skills they were put to the test due to a friend of mine locking his keys in his truck. Picked the lock in under ten seconds! No joke. I was only slightly less surprised than he was.  Every single door lock has become interesting to me all of a sudden. So far I can't break in to my own house, but I'm chalking that up to tiny, almost unusable pick tools. (my hands are somewhat large) I'll be ordering a proper pick set soon and then I believe the job will be much easier. (update: I can now defeat my front door deadbolt)

Being interested in grey man tactics, I hope you see the relevance of this skill set for your preparedness and personal security. I have been able to identify quite a few probable scenarios and situations where knowing how to silently and quickly gain entry into vehicles and buildings would be very handy.  Not just handy, they could save my life or that of my family. Here's a video from Imminent Threat Solutions to peak your interest. Enjoy!
ITS Lockpicking


-ME

Book Review

Here's a brief book review on Clint Emerson's 100 Deadly Skills.

Let me start by saying that I purchased this in the audio book format.  If the paperback book contains photos and illustrations I have no knowledge of them.

This book contains 100 skills that are undeniably helpful for the tactical minded. The author talks about eluding pursuers, escape and evasion techniques, lock picking, personal security, hand to hand combat and many other topics. The point of this book review is simply to state whether I think it's worth your time and money and also to make note of what you can expect from a "form and function" standpoint.
I am a common sense thinker (read unintelligent if you want) to a fault sometimes. So when I read or listen to a book, I need to take away some information or skills that I can immediately put into practice without having any prior knowledge of the ideas or concepts.

The 100 skills mentioned in this book are excellent food-for-thought items that everyone should consider when developing a personal security plan or training regimen. The problem is that very little time is spent explaining them in a more detailed fashion. I consider myself a fairly well trained individual yet many of these skills were difficult for me to comprehend. Some of them, military in nature, were obviously foreign to me as I have never been a Navy SEAL like the author. I guess my point is just to say that, if you are wanting a step by step instructional book, then this will not satisfy. It's very vague. The author may have done this intentionally due to the sensitive nature of much of this information.

What you will take away from this book is an extensive list of things you may not have thought about as it relates to grey man strategies or personal security. It is Not a disappointment. I do Not regret purchasing the book. Is it worth your time and money? I would say yes unless you already have a fairly high level of training with firearms, self defense, lock picking, camouflage, escape and evasion, evasive driving techniques, etc.

-ME

Stir Crazy? Indoor Gun Training.

This time of year in a snowy state can literally suck the life out of you. If you are like me and don't really have any winter outdoor hobbies, then waiting on a warm day to do some firearm training can be annoying. So why not move it indoors?

Rule number 1 - always make sure your firearm is absolutely, completely, and unmistakably Unloaded!
Rule number 2 - revisit rule number one.
Now that the safety clause is out of the way let's discuss what types of things you can do to further your training with guns while indoors. By the way, I like to use the SIRT laser pistol for indoor training sessions.  *Worth every penny.  Blue guns can also be used.





1.  Proper use of cover
This short article is not meant to be a "how to" piece, so I'm not going to teach you all the details of properly using cover in a household.  Believe me there's a lot to it.  I'm going to give you a few tips to get you started with the hope that you will seek out competent training on the subject.
First, you need to understand that most pistol bullets will travel through multiple sheets of drywall.  Therefore your bedroom wall is not sufficient cover under most circumstances. So what does constitute useable cover?  Think about things that bullets likely will not pass all the way through. Things like your refrigerator, a bookcase full of books, a large chest of drawers, a section of wall with multiple studs (usually corners), etc. Nothing is 100% guaranteed to stop these rounds, but these items stand a better chance than drywall, hollow core doors, mirrors, and the like.

Second, learn to back away from your cover.  Humans love to feel secure and safe.  When bullets start flying it seems like the best course of action to get as close to your cover as possible. Actually the reverse can often be helpful.  Think about the angles and try this at home.  Have a family member (aka - bad guy) stand in the center of a bedroom.  Now while standing right up against your cover, slowly peek out around the corner of the doorway and take notice of how much of your body is exposed to the bad guy before you can get your gun on them.  Now that you've finished that, step back from your cover as far as your open space will allow and slowly move/peek around the corner.  Again taking note of how much of your body is visible to the bad guy before you can cover them with your gun.  If done properly, this latter option should expose a lot less of your body to the bad guy while still being able to get a bead on them.

Yup, random but effective

2.  Slicing the pie
The "slow peeking" around cover I was talking about has an official name, it's called slicing the pie. Visualize with me how humans cut pies or pizzas typically.  One of the easiest ways to evenly divide a round object of food is to cut it into pieces using multiple intersecting perpendicular lines. See the picture below if you're having trouble.


The way we go about "peeking" around our cover looks a lot like the angles associated with this pizza image.  We move around the corner slowly controlling small chunks of real estate until we finally get an eye on our target. It's important to move slowly and deliberately.  It's also important to pay attention to your hips, knees, and feet as they tend to protrude further around our cover than our head does. Don't give the bad guy a target if at all possible.

3.  Stairs
Ask anyone who has ever had to clear stairs with a gun where a dangerous threat might be present, stairs suck! If you have a small team of people they can be cleared in an efficient manner, but as a single individual, there really isn't a completely safe way to do this. Take stairs much the same way as slicing the pie.  Slow and deliberate is best. If your stairs turn and have multiple flights, you will find yourself almost going backwards as you ascend.  (see pic) This technique typically gives you the best sight lines above you, and also allows you to quickly snap shoot any bad guy sneaking up from below you.



4.  Room clearing
One thing is absolutely true, speed and violence of action are the keys to success here.  Once you have sliced the pie, you will still have several corners in the room that you were unable to see into.  You never hang out in the middle of the doorway.  This is called the fatal funnel for a reason; anyone waiting inside to ambush you only has to aim for the center of the doorway and slap the trigger when your silhouette fills the gap.  You have to move quickly into the room and keep moving laterally while preparing for the bad guy to be hidden around the corner.  Fast continuous movement is what you want.

<< This video from Ruger is one of the better ones I've seen that illustrates what a single individual should do to clear their home.

Again, this short article is not meant to teach you every aspect of the tactics required for close quarters combat, but instead to give you just enough information to begin incorporating some indoor techniques to your firearms training regimen. Now go scotch tape some paper targets to the wall and get to work!





-ME

* - I'm not getting paid by Next Level Training/SIRT or Ruger Firearms.

Ethical Long Range Hunting

What you need to know at the outset is that the concept of ethics in hunting has no formal definition. There's no governing body for this stuff, and no company or organization leading the way.  At least not one that hunters recognize as an authority.  These statements will anger some people and I'm ok with that.

The problem, and it's not really a problem, is that hunters are a freedom loving breed.  We don't like anyone telling us what we can shoot and how to go about shooting the game we love to pursue.  This being said, the point of this article is not to bash ethics or the people who take it seriously.  I think some of what these folks profess is important.



This is usually how an ethical argument on hunting goes these days -
Hunter: I shot an elk at 800 yards.
Ethics Nerd: Oh my gosh, how can you possibly get a good, clean, one-shot-kill on an animal at that distance? No one should be shooting animals from that far away!
Hunter: I'm comfortable taking these shots because I've trained a long time and can make first round hits at this distance almost every time.
Ethics Nerd: I don't care, do you even understand the ballistics of the round you're shooting? Do you know how much energy is lost at that range? You're just going to mortally wound the animal and it's going to die a painful death, and you're never going to recover it!
Hunter: As a matter of fact I do know a lot about the ballistics of my 300 win mag. Believe me, that distance is a chip shot for this caliber and the retained energy is still massive at that range. If I hit the animal, it will die quickly.

This goes on and on. You get the idea.  For me personally I feel very comfortable taking shots on large game out to 600 yards.  At my skill level, a first round hit and kill at that range is highly probable. So for me this becomes my ethical barrier.  As my skill level and experience increase, my ethical barrier adjusts as well. Obviously what I'm saying is that this discussion is all relative. While my ethical barrier may be 600 yards, yours may only be 300 yards.  There are well known hunters that take shots out past 1000 yards on large game. Go watch anything from Gunwerks on YouTube and you'll see what I mean.



What is your ethical barrier? What's the max distance you are comfortable taking game? Where do you land on this discussion? Comment below.

-ME

Back Injury

Have you ever injured your back?  I mean hurt it to the point that you really had trouble moving? Ever considered how your personal defense strategies might change given the reality of your injury?

A few years ago while my family was on a camping trip in Colorado, I tried to lift the back of a side by side UTV.  (large multi person atv)  Thinking back on it, all I heard at first was a pop.  By that night I was in such excruciating pain that I couldn't lay down, or sit up, or sleep. The only position that didn't cause too much pain was sitting behind the steering wheel, so we cut our trip short and headed home so I could get some help. The short version of this story ends with ruptured disc, chiropractor, rehab, and lots of prayer.

I hurt my back again yesterday. Not as severely, but still causing me a lot of pain as I move. I know I'm weak right now and it got me thinking about my ability to protect my family.  If I'm attacked up close and personal, I know I will not have the strength to physically punch, kick, or wrestle the bandit.  It could be considered reasonable use of force for me to go straight to guns given my current condition.  Similar to how a woman could use a firearm against a much larger male attacker if she felt her life was in danger.  Women, the elderly, and the injured usually have more freedom to defend themselves with deadly force than strong, healthy men do.  The courts don't expect these groups to physically fight or flee first.

I'm erring on the side of caution and just staying in the house as much as possible.  When I do have to venture out, you can be sure my situational awareness game will be heightened.  I'm still going to carry my sidearm; nothing changes in that regard.  Carry on. Do your best.

What are your thoughts on personal defense while injured?  What do you think about the courts allowing women to use deadly force earlier in a fight than men?

Rimfire Long Range Trainer

Wait what? Long range rimfire? Hashtag - oxymoron.

I know it seems a bit strange but let me clarify. I'm not using a rimfire rifle to shoot long range. I bought a .17hmr to use as a practice gun for precision rifle competition. And before I get into my thoughts about this, the target above was shot from a bench off a bipod with relatively unstable rear support. (I forgot my rear sandbag) The circles with numbers measure approximately 3 inches. So when I say that my best group of the day measured roughly 1moa for 10 shots, please don't crucify me. I'm leaving out other variables like altitude, pressure, and wind just to simplify.

Recently I read an article about what the top PRS (precision rifle series) shooters use during their training sessions and I was intrigued by the concept.  Most of these folks are using .22 long rifle, .17hmr, or .223 training guns.  It makes a lot of sense that they don't use their competition rifle due to the wear and tare and the price of quality match grade ammo.  This resonated with me instantly because I have been contemplating getting into long range competitions this year, and the thought of ammo cost and barrel wear are real issues.  This is not a cheap hobby, and so when I hear that the pros are using a $400 gun and ammo that costs next to nothing for their training, you better believe I'm taking notes.



I bought the Savage 93R17 TR.  TR for tactical rifle. It has a heavy fluted barrel, oversized bolt knob and a stock that very closely resembles the Manners T4 on my competition gun.  Besides the obvious things like lack of recoil and a longer trigger press, I should be able to get the same level of training with this gun as I do with my comp gun.  I will be able to put a lot more rounds down range and not break the bank.  For example: I shot 100 rounds yesterday and it cost me $28.00 total.  One hundred match grade rounds for my 6.5x284 competition gun would have cost me $250.00!  Enough said right?

I know what you're thinking, "but you can't shoot that .17hmr out to 900 yards." This is true, but I can shoot it out to 400 yards.  The interesting thing about ballistics is that often you can find close enough parallels to make one bullet just as challenging to shoot as another.  The .17hmr requires a 23moa elevation adjustment at 400 yards.  My 6.5x284 requires a 23moa adjustment at 900 yards.  Get the picture?  The ballistic corrections I have to perform with the .17 are almost identical to the ones I make with my competition rifle at these ranges.  This make training with the .17 very similar to the big gun. It won't always work out this way of course because the bullets and their ballistics are very different overall.  It works well in this particular case though.

It's all about efficiency.  I have X amount of training time and Y amount of training dollars, and I want to maximize what I get out of both those investments.  Buying a precision rifle trainer accomplishes this for me.  And a 1moa group (top left, just outside the head) at 100 yards, in a stiff wind, out of a cheap .17hmr, is a pretty stellar result in my book.

-ME

My Knife is Better Than Yours

Sorry for the title. Sometimes I can't help but be a little snarky.
If you have been around the tactical industry for any time then you have heard of the knife maker Ernest Emerson.  His knives have become one of the top brands in the world hands down.

Mr. Emerson has trained Navy SEALs among other elite units from around the globe as well as being one of the only knife makers whose work is featured at the Smithsonian. He's kind of a big deal in this industry.
All the hype aside, he builds into some of his folding knives a very unique and intuitive feature. It's called the Emerson Hook.  At this point you've glanced below and have an idea what I'm talking about with regards to the hook. It more or less grabs onto your pocket as you draw, and opens the knife. But why is this so great you ask? In a word, efficiency.

You may not be aware that the human weapon system doesn't perform fine motor functions very well when it's under critical incident stress. To rephrase - when you get ambushed by that thug in the dark alley, your fingers or thumb will have trouble opening your folding knife in a fast and accurate way. Fine motor functions become difficult to perform when our heart rate rises to 120 beats per minute, and they become all but impossible when/if your heart rate reaches 220.  When does your heart rate ever get that high?  When you're attacked at close range and have to fight for your life.  So you have to ask yourself, does my knife work well with what my body is going to do naturally at max stress level?

Can I open my knife by using gross motor movements instead of fine motor movements?  If you said no then it's clear you don't own an Emerson folding knife.

To my knowledge, and I am by no means a knife expert, the Emerson Hook is the only knife of its kind in the world. In my opinion you won't find a better made or more intuitively efficient knife anywhere.

So next time you're thinking about upgrading or adding to your knife collection, please consider an Emerson. You won't be disappointed.

Be sure to comment below with your thoughts on knives.
-ME

*I am not a paid spokesman of Emerson