There are five guns that weave there way through Church and Western History. They helped shape Church history.
1. Joseph Smith’s Pepperbox
This is the gun that Joseph was given for self-defense at his martyrdom. June of 1844. Also Orson Pratt was sent to purchase $400 worth of these guns for the Saints as they started west. (See blog “Joseph’s Pepperbox 6/14/2014)
Initially Ethan Allen's firm manufactured single-shot pistols and rifles, but eventually moved on to early revolvers. The Allen & Thurber Pepper-box, known as the "Gun that won the East", was the most common repeating handgun of its day.
2. The Browning 1911
(John Browning was born in Ogden, Utah. He served a mission to Georgia and was an active member)
In 1910 the final prototype for the Model 1911 pistol, incorporating the addition of the manual safety lever, was put through an exhaustive test regimen. At one point, six thousand rounds were fired through a single pistol without a single jam or failure. On May 5, 1911 the Colt pistol was officially accepted as the “Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, Model of 1911.” Following its adoption by the Army, the M1911 was also accepted by the Navy and the Marines. It was also adopted by Norway, for use by their armed forces. Supplemental production capacity was set up at Springfield Armory, in order to meet the heavy demand for the pistol. When the United States entered World War I, demand for the pistol was so great that contracts were let out to several other manufacturers. Only Remington/U.M.C. actually went into production, however, before the war ended, resulting in the abrupt cancellation of all outstanding contracts.
In service, the pistol was widely used as a side arm by officers and non-coms, as well as by such specialized units as the Military Police. It won a reputation for ruggedness, reliability and effectiveness, but a few more improvements were still to follow.
3. Mormon Battalion Harper’s Ferry Musket
Battalion members carried the US Model 1816 Flintlock Smoothbore Musket manufactured by Harpers Ferry Arsenal in 1827. The 1816 musket model was produced from 1816 until 1844 by Harpers Ferry, Springfield Armory and various other contractors. The 9-1/2 pound musket had the highest production of any US Flintlock musket and was the last flintlock martial arm to be produced. In total, all US government productions of the M1816 were 325,000 muskets produced at Springfield, Massachusetts and 350,000 muskets produced at Harper's Ferry in addition to 146,000 produced by other contractors. It served the US Army over 50 years and in two major armed conflicts. It saw service in the Mexican war in its flintlock version and in the US Civil War in both flintlock and percussion versions.
The flintlock ignition system employed a piece of flint clamped into the top of the musket hammer. When fired, the hammer fell forward, causing the flint to strike a spring-held vertical piece of steel called a frizzen. As the steel snapped back, the resulting sparks were forced downward to a priming charge of gunpowder. The ignition of this powder passed fire through a pin-sized hole and ignited the powder charge. The advent of the small brass percussion cap in the 1830s, with its self-contained explosive charge, eliminated the need for flint, steel, and priming powder and would eventually make flintlock arms obsolete.
It had a one piece full stock of walnut. The furniture and barrel were left in the white or browned depending on manufacturer and lot. The barrel was 42" long with a .69 caliber smoothbore (no rifling). The casehardened lock plate was marked with an eagle over "US" and dated 1816 on the tail. The 1816 had no front or rear sight. The bayonet lug was on top of the barrel at the muzzle. The three steel barrel bands were retained with barrel band retaining springs. A steel ramrod with button shaped head was stored under the barrel. The musket was converted from flintlock to percussion between about 1840-1860.
The earliest models of the 1816, including those dubbed the "Type I" musket, usually dated around 1817, featured a flat beveled lockplate and steel pan. There seems to be some variations between the placement of the bayonet lugs on the barrel, with some being produced for the 1812 bayonet and others for the 1816.
The next change of the 1816, the "Type II" muskets, produced 1822-31, are often referred to as the "National Armory Brown". It was called thus because of the browned finish on all metal parts except the lock and the sling swivel on trigger guard. These are often mistaken for "M1822" or "M1822" muskets.
The "Type III" muskets, produced 1831-44, are referred to as the "National Army Bright" models. Differences included a strengthened sling swivel and a bright finish on all metal parts.
A good deal is known about the Model 1816 flintlock muskets that were issued to the Mormon Battalion in August 1846 at Fort Leavenworth thanks to surviving weapons maintained by the LDS Museum of Church History and Art. These weapons have been authenticated by Battalion experts and are periodically displayed for the public by museum curators. All of the surviving Mormon Battalion Model 1816's in the LDS Museum collection are Type II weapons, stamped “Harpers Ferry” on their casehardened lock plates and dated “1827.”
Some US Model 1804 Rifles manufactured by Harpers Ferry Arsenal were also issued to the Battalion.
4. Orrin Porter Rockwell’s Navy Colt and Hawken Rifle
The first generation Colt single action Navy revolvers were produced in 1851. The most popular chambering was .45 but Port seemed to like the .36 maybe because it was smaller and not as heavy. He often wore two Colts in his belt for some open carry action.
The cylinder of this revolver is engraved with a scene of the victory of the Second Texas Navy at the Battle of Campeche on May 16, 1843.
He also carried the Hawken rifle. This was a .54 caliber black powder rifle. The Hawken brothers, Jacob and Samuel, were from St. Lewis, Missouri. They started to make guns together about 1825 to service the fur trade. This gun weighed about 8 ½ pounds, had a 28 inch octagonal barrel with a hooked breech system. The Hawken was known as an extremely accurate weapon and was used by Indians and settlers alike.
5. Robert LeRoy Parker’s (Butch Cassidy) Army Colt
(Butch Cassidy was born in Utah and was the son of stalwart members)
In 1873, Colt submitted a new pistol to the U.S. Army. It utilized an improved single-action mechanism coupled with a greatly-improved frame design. It was chambered for the newly-designed .45 Long Colt cartridge. The Army promptly adopted the new revolver as the new standard-issue sidearm. Colt also offered the pistol on the civilian market.
This was a very popular gun of the time.
In 1895–96, the Government returned 2000 SAA (Single action Army) revolvers to Colt to be refurbished; 800 were issued to the New York Militia with the 7 ½” barrel and 1200 were altered to a barrel length of 5½". In 1898, 900 of the SAA revolvers were altered the same way by Springfield Armory. The original records of the War Department do refer to these revolvers with the shortened barrel as the “Altered Revolver”. The name “Artillery” is actually a misnomer, which, it’s speculated, may have originated because the Light Artillery happened to have the first units armed with the altered revolver.
There you have it. Five guns that helped shape the history of the Church and the West.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Monday, April 13, 2015
Friday, April 10, 2015
Mutual Security or Defending With A Partner
Personal security involves a lot of things. Defense choice, which is how you will defend yourself. Weapon choice, if you’ve chosen a weapon. Focus, what you will focus on pertaining to that defense. Training, how will you train, how often, where you will be training. All of these things are considered when preparing a personal security program. What we don’t usually plan for is doing this training with another person. Most of our lives we are with other people. If we don’t practice with another person, we’ll more than likely be lacking in our security. Looking at having a partner would make a difference in how you train. I know what you’re thinking. More than likely you who are reading this are a guy. If this is being read by a woman than some of what I’m about to say may apply to you differently. I realize that sometimes the roles I’m going to talk about are reversed. For ease of writing, and since I am a guy, I will write in those terms. How’s that for political correctness? A partner can mean many things. A spouse or significant other, or a family member. Each type of partner will give you different considerations. In the military or other type training there are 3 roles often referred to. These roles are often accomplished all by one person. But with a partner these roles can be shared and even switched quickly in a security event. These roles are Action, Security, and Load.
The Action role is one that accomplishes routine work tasks such as driving. During a security event this role will handle engaging a threat. This can be verbally or with a weapon, lethal or non-lethal.
The Security role deals with the security of the action role while performing tasks. They make sure there is no surprise or ambush. If a security event happens, the security role makes sure there are not any other actors to flank or rear. They make sure the action role is able to handle the threat, and acts as a backup. The security role will make contact with authorities and deal with them if needed.
The Load role deals with issues not pertaining to action or security such as equipment, kids, packages, and possibly elderly who might be with us. The load role can change quickly if someone is injured.
Often we do all three of these at the same time. But with a partner you can separate these roles. If you decide to do this, make sure you both train the same. Take a example from Special Forces. In specops each operator has a different job and specialty. But all are training in each other’s jobs. What if a team member is injured or killed? Someone must take his place. If everyone knows each other’s jobs then you can be assured the job will be done.
When agreeing upon roles, it is important to consider status within the relationship. Whether a person is the alpha or beta in a relationship is important to the fulfillment of role tasks. Relationships containing two alphas have to evaluate how they will handle a defensive incident. Ultimately, the phrase “lead, follow, or get out of the way” has to be considered, regardless of what individual partners consider their status in the relationship. Couples should also consider that status reversal could take place if, for instance, one partner becomes a casualty.
Internal communication has two components. One is communicating during the planning stage of family protection to ensure that all members understand what their roles are and what is expected of them. Second is communicating during the development and resolution phases of an incident.
An interactive approach should be used during the planning stage. This is the time for negotiating what will be done by whom. All parties must agree to the plan, even if it means less than optimal tactics are agreed upon. There should be some testing of acceptance and understanding.
Pre-established short phrases, code words, or visual signals should be used during an incident to convey maximum information with minimum possibility of misunderstanding or compromise. There should be phrases or words for alerts or to initiate immediate action drills. Some couples may choose to include duress phrases in their communication protocols as well.
External communication is not to be taken for granted either. How to use your partner’s cell phone is probably not a skill best learned on the fly during an incident. The question of who will interact with the authorities in the event of an incident should be decided in advance. This is best done by the partner in the security role. Defusing the initial contact with police can prevent a victory from turning into a friendly fire tragedy. Some form of “stand down” signal by the security partner should be included in the training repertoire to indicate the arrival of the authorities or closure of the incident.
In my opinion, one of the most important skills for those carrying weapons is learning to move around others with a loaded unholstered firearm. Having a Negligent Discharge into a family member or oneself would be a personal and tactical disaster. Any armed person should master the ability to avert their muzzle unconsciously any time they move around another person. Further, the armed person needs to be able to do this without endangering themselves. This doesn’t have to be done with a loaded weapon or even a real weapon. Doing the drill with a laser-equipped inert gun is an excellent way to practice this.
Working with others on any task can be difficult. In the context of a defensive encounter, it can become incredibly complicated. Planning and practicing ahead of time can make the situation much more manageable and the outcome more favorable. Planning is always key. Practice is important. Preparedness is essential.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
The Action role is one that accomplishes routine work tasks such as driving. During a security event this role will handle engaging a threat. This can be verbally or with a weapon, lethal or non-lethal.
The Security role deals with the security of the action role while performing tasks. They make sure there is no surprise or ambush. If a security event happens, the security role makes sure there are not any other actors to flank or rear. They make sure the action role is able to handle the threat, and acts as a backup. The security role will make contact with authorities and deal with them if needed.
The Load role deals with issues not pertaining to action or security such as equipment, kids, packages, and possibly elderly who might be with us. The load role can change quickly if someone is injured.
Often we do all three of these at the same time. But with a partner you can separate these roles. If you decide to do this, make sure you both train the same. Take a example from Special Forces. In specops each operator has a different job and specialty. But all are training in each other’s jobs. What if a team member is injured or killed? Someone must take his place. If everyone knows each other’s jobs then you can be assured the job will be done.
When agreeing upon roles, it is important to consider status within the relationship. Whether a person is the alpha or beta in a relationship is important to the fulfillment of role tasks. Relationships containing two alphas have to evaluate how they will handle a defensive incident. Ultimately, the phrase “lead, follow, or get out of the way” has to be considered, regardless of what individual partners consider their status in the relationship. Couples should also consider that status reversal could take place if, for instance, one partner becomes a casualty.
Internal communication has two components. One is communicating during the planning stage of family protection to ensure that all members understand what their roles are and what is expected of them. Second is communicating during the development and resolution phases of an incident.
An interactive approach should be used during the planning stage. This is the time for negotiating what will be done by whom. All parties must agree to the plan, even if it means less than optimal tactics are agreed upon. There should be some testing of acceptance and understanding.
Pre-established short phrases, code words, or visual signals should be used during an incident to convey maximum information with minimum possibility of misunderstanding or compromise. There should be phrases or words for alerts or to initiate immediate action drills. Some couples may choose to include duress phrases in their communication protocols as well.
External communication is not to be taken for granted either. How to use your partner’s cell phone is probably not a skill best learned on the fly during an incident. The question of who will interact with the authorities in the event of an incident should be decided in advance. This is best done by the partner in the security role. Defusing the initial contact with police can prevent a victory from turning into a friendly fire tragedy. Some form of “stand down” signal by the security partner should be included in the training repertoire to indicate the arrival of the authorities or closure of the incident.
In my opinion, one of the most important skills for those carrying weapons is learning to move around others with a loaded unholstered firearm. Having a Negligent Discharge into a family member or oneself would be a personal and tactical disaster. Any armed person should master the ability to avert their muzzle unconsciously any time they move around another person. Further, the armed person needs to be able to do this without endangering themselves. This doesn’t have to be done with a loaded weapon or even a real weapon. Doing the drill with a laser-equipped inert gun is an excellent way to practice this.
Working with others on any task can be difficult. In the context of a defensive encounter, it can become incredibly complicated. Planning and practicing ahead of time can make the situation much more manageable and the outcome more favorable. Planning is always key. Practice is important. Preparedness is essential.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Old Glory
I was driving through the town that we live outside of and I drove by the Wendy’s restaurant. Nearly 2 years ago my wife called this same restaurant to remind them that the ragged American flag they were flying needed to be replaced. I found the same situation. A tattered, faded facsimile of Old glory. I have to give them some credit, this flag flies 24/7 so it’s never really looked at because it’s not taken down. They do keep a light on it during dark hours. Wendy’s was very cooperative and changed out the old flag. This is the subject of my current article. Reverence for Old Glory.
What does the flag mean to you? It represents a lot to me. My father and Grandfather were both in the Navy. My Grandfather in WWI and my Father in WWII. These men are very special to me. They taught me much including to respect the symbol of this great nation. While serving in the military I felt that respect deepened.
Inspired by these three decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day - the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 - was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.
As a Cub Scout I learned the proper way to display, care for, and fold a United States Flag. However, it wasn’t until I began to teach these things to Boy Scouts that I learned the meaning of the symbols of the act of folding the flag.
Symbols for the Folds of the Flag
The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life.
The second fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.
The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks, and who gave a portion of his or her life for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.
The fourth fold represents our weaker nature; as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace, as well as in times of war, for His divine guidance.
The fifth fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, “Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right, but it is still our country, right or wrong.”
The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
The seventh fold is a tribute to our armed forces, for it is through the armed forces that we protect our country and our flag against all enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.
The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor our mother, for whom it flies on Mother’s Day.
The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood, for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great have been molded.
The 10th fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since he or she was first born.
The 11th fold, in the eyes of Hebrew citizens, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The 12th fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Ghost.
When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, “In God We Trust.”
After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it has the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under Gen. George Washington and the sailors and Marines who served under Capt. John Paul Jones and were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the U.S. Armed Forces, preserving for us the rights, privileges and freedoms we enjoy today.
The source and the date of origin of this Flag Folding Procedure is unknown, however some sources attribute it to the Gold Star Mothers of America while others to an Air Force chaplain stationed at the United States Air Force Academy. Others consider it to be an urban legend. It is provided as a patriotic service to all.
Remember these things for they are important and I fear they are not taught in our schools anymore. June 14th is Flag Day.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
What does the flag mean to you? It represents a lot to me. My father and Grandfather were both in the Navy. My Grandfather in WWI and my Father in WWII. These men are very special to me. They taught me much including to respect the symbol of this great nation. While serving in the military I felt that respect deepened.
Inspired by these three decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day - the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 - was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.
As a Cub Scout I learned the proper way to display, care for, and fold a United States Flag. However, it wasn’t until I began to teach these things to Boy Scouts that I learned the meaning of the symbols of the act of folding the flag.
Symbols for the Folds of the Flag
The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life.
The second fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.
The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks, and who gave a portion of his or her life for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.
The fourth fold represents our weaker nature; as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace, as well as in times of war, for His divine guidance.
The fifth fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, “Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right, but it is still our country, right or wrong.”
The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
The seventh fold is a tribute to our armed forces, for it is through the armed forces that we protect our country and our flag against all enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.
The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor our mother, for whom it flies on Mother’s Day.
The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood, for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great have been molded.
The 10th fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since he or she was first born.
The 11th fold, in the eyes of Hebrew citizens, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The 12th fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Ghost.
When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, “In God We Trust.”
After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it has the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under Gen. George Washington and the sailors and Marines who served under Capt. John Paul Jones and were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the U.S. Armed Forces, preserving for us the rights, privileges and freedoms we enjoy today.
The source and the date of origin of this Flag Folding Procedure is unknown, however some sources attribute it to the Gold Star Mothers of America while others to an Air Force chaplain stationed at the United States Air Force Academy. Others consider it to be an urban legend. It is provided as a patriotic service to all.
Remember these things for they are important and I fear they are not taught in our schools anymore. June 14th is Flag Day.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Remembering Chris Kyle
I just wanted to say a few words about Chris Kyle. Today is his birthday. Before his book, death and the movie and lawsuit hype I enjoyed Chris’s accomplishments. Sometimes I wish he wouldn’t have written a book. He may still be alive or at the very least, less people would have a bad view of him. I never met him but I knew three people who did. They spoke highly of him and I trust the opinions of these three.
I hope Chris’s family is taken care of and that they can move on. My feeling is that Chris did his job as a sniper and did it well. He couldn’t picture himself at home and comfortable while his fellow military members were still in harm’s way. That is a true brother in arms. I admire and agree with that sentiment.
Happy birthday Chris. Rest in peace. We miss you.
Semper Paratus
Burn
I hope Chris’s family is taken care of and that they can move on. My feeling is that Chris did his job as a sniper and did it well. He couldn’t picture himself at home and comfortable while his fellow military members were still in harm’s way. That is a true brother in arms. I admire and agree with that sentiment.
Happy birthday Chris. Rest in peace. We miss you.
Semper Paratus
Burn
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Concealed Carry: Defense As A Couple
I have been married to the same wonderful woman for many years. I love being married. We don’t always agree, but most of the time we are on the same page. She’s fun, thoughtful, smart, and nice to look at. She also carries a gun. I love the thought of being a team in every aspect of life including defense. If I leave the house or vehicle I’m armed. It’s nice to know that she can defend herself or anyone we are with. As times become unpredictable and criminals are emboldened by weak laws and corrupt politicians, concealed carry of a firearm is rapidly rising across the nation. The fact that Americans are starting to take active self-protection measures is encouraging. You and the ones you love are never safer then when they are at the side of an armed and trained family member. One of the newer trends emerging in self-protection arenas is women carrying firearms, and as a result that means that couples are now armed and can act as a team when confronted with threats.
Let’s talk for a minute about armed couples and some of the unique aspects.
The biggest advantage is teamwork. With an armed couple you can now maintain overall vigilance longer, share the carry of equipment, shoot, move and communicate and work together to protect each other and children or other loved ones during a violent encounter.
Having a second set of eyes and your arm around some one means you will be allowed to take a moment’s break from trying to stay on point at all times. No matter how good you are or well trained, you cannot stay in condition yellow for long periods of time without being distracted and lapsing in concentration. Having a partner means you can switch off and each of you can have an opportunity to shop, enjoy the sights and still know someone has an eye on your six. Having a second set of eyes also means you can overlap the areas you scan to prevent a potential threat being overlooked.
A man and a women often see the same object but will pay attention to different details. One example is a suspect description versus the vehicle he fled the scene in. If you want a good description of the clothing ask the female half. Women are keen on the fashion side and can usually give you a better physical description. If the suspect is fleeing in a car however, ask the male half as he is usually more familiar with the make, model and description of a vehicle as well as the direction of flight. No offense ladies, but most of you do not keep tabs on cardinal directions as well as most male counterparts.
Now we can start talking equipment. Equipment is a huge part of everyday concealed carry and it is very personal and specific to each individual. Chances are that a man and a women are not going to choose the same type of holster, belt, firearm, or even carry position. With the advent of firearms manufacturers courting women we have seen an unprecedented surge in off body purses, bra holsters, corset holsters, thigh holsters etc. Despite being tough and armed, the fairer sex will always want to maintain her feminine appeal. A woman is not going to switch her entire wardrobe over to tactical pants and baggy shirts to hide her 1911.
While men are less fashion conscious and have no qualms about a single preferred carry method like outside the waistband, inside the waistband or appendix carry, women are diverse and will choose the carry method based on the season, outfit and personal style.
What this means is when it comes to accessing your firearm, as a woman, you will have to develop several different draw stroke proficiencies. What this also means, is that the man in your life will have to know where you are carrying your gun and be equally familiar with how to access your weapon if necessary. You might want to spend some time as a couple using unloaded firearms and practicing drawing from a corset, bra or a purse.
In addition to the weapon, what other personal security tools do you carry that your partner can share the use of? Flashlights, multi-tools and folding knives are usually the responsibility of the male half, or if carried by a woman they are not typically in easy to access locations. No one wants to dig through a purse in an emergency trying to find a flashlight or pocketknife so if your better half is part of your self-defense plan, discuss the carry location of equipment items.
One final suggestion you should consider under the equipment category, is standardizing the caliber and type of firearm you carry. I bring this up because some police agencies in America make their officers carry the same or similar firearms of the same caliber so ammunition can be passed between officers during a critical incident. For example, various models of Glock, XD and Sig Sauer pistols come in different frame sizes from a full size, compact and sub-compact that use interchangeable magazines. This is worth considering in case one of the handguns stops functioning, you can keep the other one running with the additional ammo source. This also allows you diversify how many spare magazines need to be carried by each half of the self-defense team.
If the threat is so great that you have to bring out your firearm, having a partner in a gun fight is a priceless resource. No matter how skilled the bad guy may be, he will have trouble taking on two armed citizens both keen on stopping him. Any enemy that has to fight in multiple directions at one time is going to make decisions slower and lose the initiative. If you and your spouse can get inside the OODA loop of the bad guy, you are going to win the fight.
The other major advantage is that bad guys these days are cowards and need the support of their friends when they set out to perpetrate crimes. A solo sheepdog confronting a group of two or three threats is at a disadvantage, but a husband and wife with a plan and training can easily outflank, outsmart and out communicate a group of bad guys.
The key to being successful is always founded in good communication. As a couple I suggest you work out a short series of phrases or key words you can use to communicate the following: A particularly dangerous or suspicious person, an area that is suspect, when it is time to exit an area that is becoming uncomfortable or dangerous and a go word that it is time to draw your firearm. I suggest keeping these fairly mundane or something you might hear in an actual conversation to avoid drawing unwanted attention or the attention of the bad guy.
For example, if you see a suspicious person starting to approach you, don’t point to him and say, “Tango, left flank,” and begin describing the suspect’s clothing. Think of something more casual like, Honey, let’s check out the store on the left.” That will identify to your spouse or girlfriend you spot something out of place or a person with evil intentions on your left and you are alerting them.
If you are in a bad area where you feel uncomfortable you could say, “Honey, I left something in the car, we need to go get it.” This is a simple signal that only you two understand but that does not sound unusual and those who may overhear it will interpret differently.
One of the signal phrases my wife and I use when we are out and a large crowd gathers or we start to notice a situation turning badly and it’s time to get out, I tell my wife, “Honey, time for a smoke break.” Since I do not smoke the phrase sticks out to her, but to others who do not know me it sounds benign. When my wife hears that she knows it’s time to drop what we are doing, grab the kids and get out of the area.
If you do get stuck and have to resort to violence to save yourself, have a signal for that as well. For example, you can say, “Looks like I’ve been painted into a corner.” If your significant other hears that common phrase, he or she knows its time to draw a weapon and get ready to fight or flight. If it is a fight signal you should have a pre-planned out triangulation attack, a plan for a bounding extraction, or a flee signal which means one of you grabs the kids and goes with the other half covering your rear with the firearm. As you make your plan also consider non-verbal cues as well.
Whatever you decide, it needs to be worked out well in advance. You can’t expect these signals and plans to work without a bit of rehearsal and discussion so spend some quality time with your spouse or girlfriend and work out your offense and defense plan.
Remember, you are only as strong as the weakest link of your team so train hard, train together and stay safe.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Let’s talk for a minute about armed couples and some of the unique aspects.
The biggest advantage is teamwork. With an armed couple you can now maintain overall vigilance longer, share the carry of equipment, shoot, move and communicate and work together to protect each other and children or other loved ones during a violent encounter.
Having a second set of eyes and your arm around some one means you will be allowed to take a moment’s break from trying to stay on point at all times. No matter how good you are or well trained, you cannot stay in condition yellow for long periods of time without being distracted and lapsing in concentration. Having a partner means you can switch off and each of you can have an opportunity to shop, enjoy the sights and still know someone has an eye on your six. Having a second set of eyes also means you can overlap the areas you scan to prevent a potential threat being overlooked.
A man and a women often see the same object but will pay attention to different details. One example is a suspect description versus the vehicle he fled the scene in. If you want a good description of the clothing ask the female half. Women are keen on the fashion side and can usually give you a better physical description. If the suspect is fleeing in a car however, ask the male half as he is usually more familiar with the make, model and description of a vehicle as well as the direction of flight. No offense ladies, but most of you do not keep tabs on cardinal directions as well as most male counterparts.
Now we can start talking equipment. Equipment is a huge part of everyday concealed carry and it is very personal and specific to each individual. Chances are that a man and a women are not going to choose the same type of holster, belt, firearm, or even carry position. With the advent of firearms manufacturers courting women we have seen an unprecedented surge in off body purses, bra holsters, corset holsters, thigh holsters etc. Despite being tough and armed, the fairer sex will always want to maintain her feminine appeal. A woman is not going to switch her entire wardrobe over to tactical pants and baggy shirts to hide her 1911.
While men are less fashion conscious and have no qualms about a single preferred carry method like outside the waistband, inside the waistband or appendix carry, women are diverse and will choose the carry method based on the season, outfit and personal style.
What this means is when it comes to accessing your firearm, as a woman, you will have to develop several different draw stroke proficiencies. What this also means, is that the man in your life will have to know where you are carrying your gun and be equally familiar with how to access your weapon if necessary. You might want to spend some time as a couple using unloaded firearms and practicing drawing from a corset, bra or a purse.
In addition to the weapon, what other personal security tools do you carry that your partner can share the use of? Flashlights, multi-tools and folding knives are usually the responsibility of the male half, or if carried by a woman they are not typically in easy to access locations. No one wants to dig through a purse in an emergency trying to find a flashlight or pocketknife so if your better half is part of your self-defense plan, discuss the carry location of equipment items.
One final suggestion you should consider under the equipment category, is standardizing the caliber and type of firearm you carry. I bring this up because some police agencies in America make their officers carry the same or similar firearms of the same caliber so ammunition can be passed between officers during a critical incident. For example, various models of Glock, XD and Sig Sauer pistols come in different frame sizes from a full size, compact and sub-compact that use interchangeable magazines. This is worth considering in case one of the handguns stops functioning, you can keep the other one running with the additional ammo source. This also allows you diversify how many spare magazines need to be carried by each half of the self-defense team.
If the threat is so great that you have to bring out your firearm, having a partner in a gun fight is a priceless resource. No matter how skilled the bad guy may be, he will have trouble taking on two armed citizens both keen on stopping him. Any enemy that has to fight in multiple directions at one time is going to make decisions slower and lose the initiative. If you and your spouse can get inside the OODA loop of the bad guy, you are going to win the fight.
The other major advantage is that bad guys these days are cowards and need the support of their friends when they set out to perpetrate crimes. A solo sheepdog confronting a group of two or three threats is at a disadvantage, but a husband and wife with a plan and training can easily outflank, outsmart and out communicate a group of bad guys.
The key to being successful is always founded in good communication. As a couple I suggest you work out a short series of phrases or key words you can use to communicate the following: A particularly dangerous or suspicious person, an area that is suspect, when it is time to exit an area that is becoming uncomfortable or dangerous and a go word that it is time to draw your firearm. I suggest keeping these fairly mundane or something you might hear in an actual conversation to avoid drawing unwanted attention or the attention of the bad guy.
For example, if you see a suspicious person starting to approach you, don’t point to him and say, “Tango, left flank,” and begin describing the suspect’s clothing. Think of something more casual like, Honey, let’s check out the store on the left.” That will identify to your spouse or girlfriend you spot something out of place or a person with evil intentions on your left and you are alerting them.
If you are in a bad area where you feel uncomfortable you could say, “Honey, I left something in the car, we need to go get it.” This is a simple signal that only you two understand but that does not sound unusual and those who may overhear it will interpret differently.
One of the signal phrases my wife and I use when we are out and a large crowd gathers or we start to notice a situation turning badly and it’s time to get out, I tell my wife, “Honey, time for a smoke break.” Since I do not smoke the phrase sticks out to her, but to others who do not know me it sounds benign. When my wife hears that she knows it’s time to drop what we are doing, grab the kids and get out of the area.
If you do get stuck and have to resort to violence to save yourself, have a signal for that as well. For example, you can say, “Looks like I’ve been painted into a corner.” If your significant other hears that common phrase, he or she knows its time to draw a weapon and get ready to fight or flight. If it is a fight signal you should have a pre-planned out triangulation attack, a plan for a bounding extraction, or a flee signal which means one of you grabs the kids and goes with the other half covering your rear with the firearm. As you make your plan also consider non-verbal cues as well.
Whatever you decide, it needs to be worked out well in advance. You can’t expect these signals and plans to work without a bit of rehearsal and discussion so spend some quality time with your spouse or girlfriend and work out your offense and defense plan.
Remember, you are only as strong as the weakest link of your team so train hard, train together and stay safe.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Friday, April 3, 2015
Training: Creating A Training Plan
I'm a big believer in preparation in every aspect of your life. I did not always feel this way, but the older I get, the more prepareder I get! Shooting is no different.
Has your firearms training hit a dead end? Not progressing as fast as you’d like? The problem likely isn’t with the instruction; it was with the input (or lack thereof) into the personalized plan you made to reach your goals. You did make a personalized plan…didn’t you? If not, don’t feel bad. Even some of the best shooters in the world don’t understand how to successfully put together an effective firearms training plan. If you adopt these three simple steps, I’ll get you off your dead end path and on the right course.
If you are not where you want to be in your shooting game, you’re either not motivated enough, you’re getting poor instruction or you’re not using a custom training plan. I’m putting my money on the last choice. Chances are pretty good you are following a training plan that worked for someone else or was just randomly made for anyone. However, there are three elements you need for any firearms training program to be effective. I call them the 3 D’s of effective training: definition, direction and drive.
Definition: Aim Small, Miss Small
As a shooter, you need to know exactly where you are in your training and where you want to be. 99% of training plans out there are cookie-cutter plans that are worthless. Everyone is at a different place in their learning process or skill level and has different goals they want to achieve. How in the world is a training plan for Mike going to work for Michelle? Answer: It’s not and it’s the biggest problem with most training courses today. It’s not the courses themselves, it’s with your plan and a course is not a plan. A course is something you take because it aligns with your plan. The first thing you need is to get an accurate assessment of your current skill level so you or your instructor knows what you need to work on or what course you should take. Next, you need to get clear about what your goals are and what you want to get good at. It’s easy to think that others have the same goals, but ask just a few shooters and you find out this is far from the truth. Once you know where you are and where you want to go, you can come up with a plan.
Direction: The Shortest Route From Point-A to Point-B
Only when you know where you are and where you want to be will direction be of any use. Your training plan could have the best directions ever invented – super detailed, awesome-video, surround-sound-audio, with turn-by-turn directions— but if you are starting at the wrong point, these directions will be meaningless. If your goal is different from the directions, you will NEVER end up where you want to be. Either way will lead to destruction of your training plan. Normally, the lessons you’re getting are not the problem. They might be a slower route or take you little off course, but you can easily stop and ask for directions
Drive: Skinny Pedal on the Right
Drive means that you have a reason for training. You love your family and don’t want some scumbag to take them away from you or you away from them. You love your country and want to protect it. Maybe you just love to win and want to be on the top of your division! Whatever it is, your drive is the reason you get out of bed early to train. It’s what makes you excited and energetic about learning and growing. Without having drive the best you can hope for is to be mediocre; you’ll get up early for a week or two, but then your little reserve battery runs out of juice and you find it’s easier to sleep in than to get up and train
The GPS Firearms Training Model
To get all of these things working together for you (and you do need all 3), you want to employ what I call GPS Firearms Training. GPS training works just like the one in your car. The first thing you need to do is tell the GPS where you are. If it doesn’t know, it can’t give you directions. If you don’t know where you are, a good instructor can also work like a GPS to define where you are. Now imagine if at this point the GPS just starting giving you directions. Where are you going? You need to tell the GPS where you want to go or you’ll end up wasting your time and driving around all day. Even then you may never get to where you want to go, there’s a pretty good chance that you’re going in the wrong direction. So only when the GPS knows exactly where you are and where you want to end up can it give you helpful directions. With well defined start and end points the GPS will also be able to tell you as soon as you veer off course and give you new directions to get you to your destination faster.
Are We There Yet?
After you’ve defined your points, the rest is up to you. Drive! Start moving, do something – if you’re heading in the wrong direction your GPS will tell you – “recalculating; make a U-turn as soon as possible.” But none of these critical elements will work alone and one or more is most training plan out there, for those that even have a plan. Again, a goal is not a plan, a course is not a plan and a class is not a plan – a plan is your personal long range path to get to where you want to go. Without a plan, you’ll never get to where you want to be. Don’t let it happen to you! Using a GPS Training model is the most effective way to get from where you are now to where you want to be.
Measure Your Success
Keeping up with the GPS analogy, you need to make sure your firearms’ training is measurable. Even if a GPS tells you what direction to go in, you’ll also need to know how far you need to go in that direction. This is called measurement. If you’re not measuring your training, what you’re doing is called playing. Yes it’s fun to shoot guns and I’m not saying not to have fun. In fact, if what you want to do is just play and have fun by all means, do so. Shoot safely for enjoyment. Just be clear and honest with yourself about what you’re doing. How much and what you measure is up to you and has a lot to do with your training plan. If your goal is for speed, then measuring points would not be as useful. Again, everything you do in training effectively comes down to using a GPS Training model. Figure out where you are, where you want to be and then measure the critical elements along the way. Make sure you keep all your data in a range book and review it often; this is the only way to know when it’s time to change direction…or even make a U-turn.
Like Drinking From A Fire Hose
Retention and transfer are the most important end results of training. Retention simply means that you remember what you learned. If you are given too much information too quickly, you’ll have overload and, over the long term, you will not retain as much. Think of this as going too fast in your “training car” and getting pulled over and put in jail. Everything was going great, but now you’ll need to go over that path again to get back up to speed. Take your time learning and only when you fully understand something should you move on to something else. Even if you’re an experienced shooter and want to improve, becoming a great shooter is not about learning new things; it’s about learning what you’re doing now that is limiting your shooting. The biggest key to improve your retention is to practice often in small amounts. Other strategies include writing down the information you learned, visualizing what you learned or even asking questions. Regular practice spaced out properly has been shown to increase retention by 200%!
I Hope The Bad-Guy Is Wearing A Shirt With Dots!
The other important outcome you want from any and all firearms training you do is called transfer. Transfer is your ability to take what you learned in a course and apply it in whatever setting you’re training for – combat, law enforcement, competition, etc. The way to have better transfer is pretty easy; make sure your training is realistic. Once you fully grasp the basics, make sure you’re incorporating stress. This is why competition is sometimes good for training. Competition can bring some level of stress. If you’re training on bullseye targets all the time and expect to be able to shoot a burglar in the middle of the night, you might find that more difficult than you thought because you haven’t worked on any transfer. You can safely increase transfer by using realistic targets, shooting at night/low-light, shooting under stress and using airsoft to set up realistic scenarios in your home. The more training you do and the closer you can get the two ends (training and application) the easier it will be for the learned skills to jump the gap to application.
Like any other preparation shooting, especially for defense, requires a plan. Otherwise you’re hit and miss (pardon the pun). Put together a simple plan and then work it.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Has your firearms training hit a dead end? Not progressing as fast as you’d like? The problem likely isn’t with the instruction; it was with the input (or lack thereof) into the personalized plan you made to reach your goals. You did make a personalized plan…didn’t you? If not, don’t feel bad. Even some of the best shooters in the world don’t understand how to successfully put together an effective firearms training plan. If you adopt these three simple steps, I’ll get you off your dead end path and on the right course.
If you are not where you want to be in your shooting game, you’re either not motivated enough, you’re getting poor instruction or you’re not using a custom training plan. I’m putting my money on the last choice. Chances are pretty good you are following a training plan that worked for someone else or was just randomly made for anyone. However, there are three elements you need for any firearms training program to be effective. I call them the 3 D’s of effective training: definition, direction and drive.
Definition: Aim Small, Miss Small
As a shooter, you need to know exactly where you are in your training and where you want to be. 99% of training plans out there are cookie-cutter plans that are worthless. Everyone is at a different place in their learning process or skill level and has different goals they want to achieve. How in the world is a training plan for Mike going to work for Michelle? Answer: It’s not and it’s the biggest problem with most training courses today. It’s not the courses themselves, it’s with your plan and a course is not a plan. A course is something you take because it aligns with your plan. The first thing you need is to get an accurate assessment of your current skill level so you or your instructor knows what you need to work on or what course you should take. Next, you need to get clear about what your goals are and what you want to get good at. It’s easy to think that others have the same goals, but ask just a few shooters and you find out this is far from the truth. Once you know where you are and where you want to go, you can come up with a plan.
Direction: The Shortest Route From Point-A to Point-B
Only when you know where you are and where you want to be will direction be of any use. Your training plan could have the best directions ever invented – super detailed, awesome-video, surround-sound-audio, with turn-by-turn directions— but if you are starting at the wrong point, these directions will be meaningless. If your goal is different from the directions, you will NEVER end up where you want to be. Either way will lead to destruction of your training plan. Normally, the lessons you’re getting are not the problem. They might be a slower route or take you little off course, but you can easily stop and ask for directions
Drive: Skinny Pedal on the Right
Drive means that you have a reason for training. You love your family and don’t want some scumbag to take them away from you or you away from them. You love your country and want to protect it. Maybe you just love to win and want to be on the top of your division! Whatever it is, your drive is the reason you get out of bed early to train. It’s what makes you excited and energetic about learning and growing. Without having drive the best you can hope for is to be mediocre; you’ll get up early for a week or two, but then your little reserve battery runs out of juice and you find it’s easier to sleep in than to get up and train
The GPS Firearms Training Model
To get all of these things working together for you (and you do need all 3), you want to employ what I call GPS Firearms Training. GPS training works just like the one in your car. The first thing you need to do is tell the GPS where you are. If it doesn’t know, it can’t give you directions. If you don’t know where you are, a good instructor can also work like a GPS to define where you are. Now imagine if at this point the GPS just starting giving you directions. Where are you going? You need to tell the GPS where you want to go or you’ll end up wasting your time and driving around all day. Even then you may never get to where you want to go, there’s a pretty good chance that you’re going in the wrong direction. So only when the GPS knows exactly where you are and where you want to end up can it give you helpful directions. With well defined start and end points the GPS will also be able to tell you as soon as you veer off course and give you new directions to get you to your destination faster.
Are We There Yet?
After you’ve defined your points, the rest is up to you. Drive! Start moving, do something – if you’re heading in the wrong direction your GPS will tell you – “recalculating; make a U-turn as soon as possible.” But none of these critical elements will work alone and one or more is most training plan out there, for those that even have a plan. Again, a goal is not a plan, a course is not a plan and a class is not a plan – a plan is your personal long range path to get to where you want to go. Without a plan, you’ll never get to where you want to be. Don’t let it happen to you! Using a GPS Training model is the most effective way to get from where you are now to where you want to be.
Measure Your Success
Keeping up with the GPS analogy, you need to make sure your firearms’ training is measurable. Even if a GPS tells you what direction to go in, you’ll also need to know how far you need to go in that direction. This is called measurement. If you’re not measuring your training, what you’re doing is called playing. Yes it’s fun to shoot guns and I’m not saying not to have fun. In fact, if what you want to do is just play and have fun by all means, do so. Shoot safely for enjoyment. Just be clear and honest with yourself about what you’re doing. How much and what you measure is up to you and has a lot to do with your training plan. If your goal is for speed, then measuring points would not be as useful. Again, everything you do in training effectively comes down to using a GPS Training model. Figure out where you are, where you want to be and then measure the critical elements along the way. Make sure you keep all your data in a range book and review it often; this is the only way to know when it’s time to change direction…or even make a U-turn.
Like Drinking From A Fire Hose
Retention and transfer are the most important end results of training. Retention simply means that you remember what you learned. If you are given too much information too quickly, you’ll have overload and, over the long term, you will not retain as much. Think of this as going too fast in your “training car” and getting pulled over and put in jail. Everything was going great, but now you’ll need to go over that path again to get back up to speed. Take your time learning and only when you fully understand something should you move on to something else. Even if you’re an experienced shooter and want to improve, becoming a great shooter is not about learning new things; it’s about learning what you’re doing now that is limiting your shooting. The biggest key to improve your retention is to practice often in small amounts. Other strategies include writing down the information you learned, visualizing what you learned or even asking questions. Regular practice spaced out properly has been shown to increase retention by 200%!
I Hope The Bad-Guy Is Wearing A Shirt With Dots!
The other important outcome you want from any and all firearms training you do is called transfer. Transfer is your ability to take what you learned in a course and apply it in whatever setting you’re training for – combat, law enforcement, competition, etc. The way to have better transfer is pretty easy; make sure your training is realistic. Once you fully grasp the basics, make sure you’re incorporating stress. This is why competition is sometimes good for training. Competition can bring some level of stress. If you’re training on bullseye targets all the time and expect to be able to shoot a burglar in the middle of the night, you might find that more difficult than you thought because you haven’t worked on any transfer. You can safely increase transfer by using realistic targets, shooting at night/low-light, shooting under stress and using airsoft to set up realistic scenarios in your home. The more training you do and the closer you can get the two ends (training and application) the easier it will be for the learned skills to jump the gap to application.
Like any other preparation shooting, especially for defense, requires a plan. Otherwise you’re hit and miss (pardon the pun). Put together a simple plan and then work it.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
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