Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
Halloween Safety for Gun Owners
Tomorrow is Halloween for my American readers. Here are some precautions you may want to consider. On the same site, you might also find 2 Concealed Carry Seat Belt Hacks to be valuable.
Blue-on-Blue Crossfire, Part II: Plunging Fire
Part two of a series about how to avoid crossfire issues on vehicle takedowns.
PSA: An Aggressive Phone Scam to Watch Out For
Self defense is more than just being prepared for physical violence. Before I retired, I took several reports where residents lost between $60,000 and $200,000 on phone scams like these.
James Bond Night School Reading List
While you are reading Justin’s site, take a look at this older article he wrote.
I’ve spent most of my life learning how to be a “competent man.”
“A competent man is good at everything – – a Jason Bourne, MacGyver, Jack Reacher, or James Bond. He can seduce a woman, talk his way into anywhere, pick a lock, and operate any firearm at a high level. The competent man is in shape, can drive fast, speak foreign languages, and survive in the woods.”
This reading list will put you on the same path.
Failing the Interview
“We want the criminal to make a NO GO decision on us while we are still in his Area of Interest and before we reach his Area of Influence. The NO GO decision is the absence of a GO decision. The default for criminals is NO GO because criminals know there are plenty of two-legged cheeseburgers walking around and the next one will be along in just a minute or two.”
Watch the Concealed Carry Revolution Unfold in 52 Seconds
Dr. Yamane created a very cool graphic that shows how the legal landscape for concealed carry has changed over the years.
RevolverFest 2026 After Action Report
A very detailed AAR of RevolverFest. I hope to see some of you there next year!
Language Lessons: Minute of Angle (MOA)
Unsure what people mean when they talk about MOA? School is in session.
A Glaring Evidence Gap
Fair warning. Most of you will have zero interest in this material. If you are looking for a light weekend read about your favorite gun and ammo, this isn’t it. Only click on this link if you are prepared to dig deep (170 pages deep) into the current prevailing conflicts regarding how best to teach the skill of gunfighting. You will need an incredible passion for the topic or an extreme level of general geekery to make it through the material. Good luck to all of you who have the courage to dig in.
Averted School Shooting Tracker
In 2018, I wrote an article describing why we are screwing up our analyses of school shootings. We look at the shootings that have occurred and try to figure out how we failed. I said it was more useful to study the successfully averted school shootings instead. Finally we have a database to do that.
Should You Leave Your Suppressor Mounted on Your Rifle?
For those of you new to the suppressor world. You might also like Sealed vs. Serviceable Rimfire Suppressors.
The 5 Worst Defensive Ammo Options On the Market
An accurate article that is likely to offend a bunch of the internet gun experts. Don’t use the rounds listed for defensive purposes. Pick a Federal HST or Speer Gold Dot that is reliable and hits to your sights at common defensive ranges. Then stop worrying about bullets and improve your skill level.
Good advice here. I often had people in my police career who got themselves in trouble because of the way they thought things “should” happen. For my take on the subject, read A Failure to Acknowledge Reality.
Is Carrying Pepper Spray Really Effortless?
How some of the experts in the self protection field carry their pepper spray.
The AK Series Of Rifles: From The User To The Maintainer
For those of you who shoot AKs.
Carry at the Office
Some informative tests looking at draw speed from various “office concealment” CCW options. If you are interested in the topic, you should also watch this short video where Bob Vogel shows us how fast pocket carry can be.
When Is Shooting Into a House a Crime?
The longer I’m in this game, the more I think we firearms instructors are doing a disservice to our students by focusing on really fast shot to shot split times. Outside of some competitions, I seldom see cases where shooting five rounds a second produces any better results than shooting two rounds a second. Accuracy really matters, speed between shots is great, so long as you can keep all of your shots on the target every single time.
This defendant shot a guy on the doorstep of his (the defendant’s) house. He was not convicted of felonious assault. The downside is that two of his rounds struck the house across the street. He was found guilty of “shooting into a habitation” and was sentenced to six to nine years in prison. I’m betting he spends a lot of those six plus years thinking he shouldn’t have shot so carelessly.
Ayoob: How To Shoot Micro Pistols Better
Massad Ayoob gives us some tips to shoot small guns better.
Should You Switch to a 20-Gauge for Duck Hunting? We Field Tested the 12 vs 20 Gauge for Lethality
The same thing is true for both defense and hunting. When you drop to a 20 gauge, you don’t lose lethality. You use maximum effective range.
This Is How To Deal With Psychopaths And Toxic People: 5 Proven Secrets
Some important science concerning the management of the psychopaths in your life. The best book I’ve ever read on the topic is Without Conscience by Dr. Robert Hare. I read that book 25 years ago and still use the concepts it explains on a regular basis.
NOVEMBER 2026 NEWSLETTER
This edition of the Rangemaster monthly newsletter has some very useful articles about evaluating your personal handgun training practice sessions and includes a couple of useful shooting drills. Opens to PDF.
The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society
What I’m reading…
The Stoeger Bandit Target
I’m fascinated by all aspects of firearms history. In this article, Karl gives us a look at one of the earliest police silhouette training targets and how those targets changed over time. While we are discussing training targets, you should also read Why The Old B-27 Just Plain Sucks as a Training Target.
KSG Armory Saratoga Revolver IWB Holster
Good Kydex IWB and appendix carry holsters are often difficult to find for modern K and L-frame revolvers. I like JM Custom Kydex for excellent defensive revolver holsters. Besides them, try out the Saratoga listed above.
I’ve also been carrying my L-frame snub in a newer holster from Problem Solving Tool. They make some great gear as well, but you’ll probably have to add an aftermarket wedge if you are carrying appendix with a short barreled revolver.
Everyone Will Not Just.
Paul Martin’s first blog post since April.
So You Found a Gun in a Public Restroom – – Now What?
Have you thought about what you might do if you found a gun in a public bathroom?
Quote to Ponder:
“Graduating, getting a job, and moving out on your own does not mean you’re independent. You’re not independent if you have to rely on a company for a paycheck. Your dependence simply transferred from parents to employer. Deriving most of your income from only one source is the hallmark of dependence.”
Some of the above links are affiliate links. I earn a small percentage of the sale price from qualifying purchases.
