Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
Run It Like A Violin – Shotgun Reloads
Until a couple years ago, I was at best ambivalent towards the violin load. I knew some people used it successfully, but I did not teach it in my classes. I took a shotgun instructor class as a student against medical advice. I had a horrific pinched nerve in my upper back that weakened my left arm and was nine days post cancer surgery. I was a bit of a physical wreck, but still decided to take the class.
When I got to the line, I found my normal off-hand loading technique didn’t work with my jacked up body. I had to improvise and violin-load to complete the class. It was my first time seriously working the technique and I ended up placing third (out of 20) in the class shoot-off. Now I teach violin loading as an option.
While you are on the American Cop website, you should also read Surer, Not Faster.
Concealed Carry Considerations for the Law Enforcement Officer tasked with Close In Protection
Shane discusses some topics that don’t get enough attention in the police world.
Terminal Ballistics Part III: Tactical Anatomy & Defensive Marksmanship
I’ve been sharing Justin’s series on firearms stopping power in the last couple knowledge dumps. Here is his latest contribution. Read and watch all of content in this series if you are looking for the equivalant of a graduate degree on terminal ballistics. If “stopping power” doesn’t interest you, check out one of Justin’s older articles titled 5 Steps to (Actually) Make America Great.
The Biggest Lie We Tell About Homelessness
Some of the realities of life as a homeless person. Encountering violent, mentally ill “street people” is often a large concern expressed by my students. The more you know about this population, the less likely you will be targeted by them.
ISSUE 27
The latest issue of the Armed Lifestyle Magazine. There are some excellent articles in this edition.
MilSurp: The SKS Carbine—What You Need To Know
Useful information for anyone who owns or works on SKS rifles. And here’s an article for those of you who want to learn to maintain an AK.
Before You Carry a Gun, Make These Decisions
“We don’t spend our time looking for an excuse to lose. We spend our time finding a way to win. And that’s the difference between the live professional and the dead amateur.”
My friends John and Vicki Farnam are legends in the firearms training community and have been teaching longer than I’ve been alive. They share their observations about teaching and defensive readiness on this excellent podcast.
The Blank Paper Drill (and Progression)
Here’s a shooting drill I bet most of you have never done. You might also like the author’s thoughts on constructing a dry fire program.
Collision One: Collisions of the Mind: Collisions of the Mind
What I’m reading…
SCOTUS Is About to Answer the AR-15 Question
Implications and potential consequences of the upcoming supreme court hearings.
The S&W Model 12: An Airweight Classic
I carried a nickel plated model 12 on my ankle as a police duty backup gun for most of my career. It’s a great revolver. As my late friend and snubby guru Ed Lovette once told me, the 2″ K-frames “conceal like a J-frame but shoot like a real gun.” That’s the best description I’ve found.
Handgunization
It’s interesting to note how gun ownership patterns have evolved in my lifetime. For more interesting statistics, read What’s Driving the Homicide Decline?
How many school shootings in September 2026?
The latest school shooting statistics for the new school year.
KCKPD officer stabs man who tried to take officer’s during struggle Tuesday afternoon in business parking lot
While it is unusual to see cops defending against gun grabs with edged weapons, it isn’t unheard of. Here is one example. I have seen about 15 more of these incidents in the last 20 years.
The Truth About Brass vs. Steel Ammo
With the current ammo costs and availability affected by increased prices of components and fuel disruptions, I think ammo prices are going to head upward again soon. You may have to use steel case ammo if it’s the only thing you can find. This article explains the differences and what warning signs to look for.
The .30 Carbine Cartridge and Why It Refuses To Fade Away
The M-1 carbine is one of my favorite guns to shoot.
Height Over Bore: Why Close-Range Rifle Shots Hit Low
I’m not known for my rifle classes, but I’ve taught rifle skills for a long time. I started my agency’s rifle program back in 1999. At the time, we were the only patrol officers in our county who carried rifles. Our rifle officers trained four times a year and shot about 400 rounds each session.
The concept I found the most difficult to teach was close range hold overs. Officers intellectually understood the issue, but would forget to hold high as soon as they left the range. In the one rifle shooting we had when I was the training officer, the officer shot at a threat about four yards away. He hit low.
Home Defense with Tom Givens
Tom Givens provides a primer on home invasions.
Pedal to the Metal: 5 Tactical Driving Tips for the Everyday Civilian
Driving skills are something we all need and use daily, but few of us have formal training in the subject matter. Here are some tips from a pro driving instructor.
.300 Blackout vs 5.56 NATO: An Examination for Home Defense
Although I acknowledge that there are some situations where a .300 Blackout makes sense, I remain firmly on team 5.56 for this debate.
Carrying With An Empty Chamber Almost Cost Him Everything
If you don’t feel comfortable carrying a gun with a round in the chamber, you don’t have enough training. Take a class (beyond a basic CCW course) from a professional shooting school. In one or two days of training, you should be skilled enough to carry the gun as it was designed to be carried. If you are too busy or too lazy to go to gun school for a weekend, at least be honest with yourself. Carry a revolver with a long, heavy first trigger pull so that you will feel “safe.” I’d much rather you carry a revolver with fewer rounds on board than handicap yourself even worse in a gunfight by carrying chamber empty.
Gunfighting Science: Shooting Through Glass
The basics of shooting in to and out of vehicles.
Are YOU easy prey for pickpockets?
Seven of the most common pickpocketing tactics.
How a Suppressor Affects Point of Impact When Hunting (and How to Verify Your Zero Before Season)
As suppressors become easier to obtain, we will see more of them used in the hunting fields. If you are new to shooting with a can, you should test your rifle to see how the suppressor changes your point of impact.
Quote to Ponder:
“It is not the things we do in life that we regret on our death bed. It is the things we do not. I assure you I’ve done a lot of really stupid things, and none of them bother me. All the mistakes, and all the dopey things, and all the times I was embarrassed — they don’t matter. What matters is that I can kind of look back and say: Pretty much any time I got the chance to do something cool I tried to grab for it — and that’s where my solace comes from.”
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