Shootout at 10 Feet

Lot of rounds fired at close range but only one ATF agent was seriously wounded and the Wanted Black Drug Fugitive in the Black SUV was killed.

Amazing no by-standers were killed and wounded considering this was outside a busy family Restaurant on a busy street.

Just goes to show how LOW LEVELS OF TRAINING and STRESS effected the criminal’s shooting accuracy regardless of the range of the fight!

Prepare Accordingly.

 

Never Have a Favorite Weapon!

From the Archives, 2016

This short story reinforces the USMC Training mantra: “One Mind, Any Weapon”

Don’t get hung up on the Tool.

Always Train to WIN THE FIGHT, REGARDLESS OF THE TOOL!

“Favorite” Weapons!

“Warriors should not have ‘favorite’ weapons.”

Miyamoto Musashi, from his “Book of Five Rings,” written in 1645AD, near the end of his life

One of our students recalls a valuable drill, and now knows why we include it:

“Earlier this year, I was by myself in our remote mountain home.

Shortly after midnight, I was awakened by our driveway alarm and dogs barking. Getting up to investigate, I saw headlights on our steep mountain approach, heading in my direction. I observed for a few minutes as at least one car pulled below my drive and backed up. Very suspicious, as I was not expecting anyone!

I own two pistols, and on this particular day both were in the shop having sights installed. As a novice shooter, I only feel truly comfortable shooting my own guns.

But, my “favorite” guns weren’t available!

My brain immediately flashed back to my training with Vicki and the ‘Battlefield Pick-up Drill,’ where we all handled and shot every gun present. This has to be the most valuable training exercise of my entire shooting life, although I didn’t know it at the time!

Thanks to that training, I knew it was possible that I could pick up whatever pistol was available, and run it correctly and effectively. Thus mentally equipped with this ‘battlefield mentality,’ I retrieved my husband’s 1911 (which I had never shot), and then called 911.

While I’ve never shot my husband’s 1911 pistol, I was not afraid of it. I have shot other 1911 pistols, and I know how to run them, even though they’ll probably never by my favorite.

I stood guard, observing headlights crisscrossing below my property, until police arrived. I was informed the next day that several people in the cars in question had been arrested as burglary suspects.

No harm done, but as it turns out, this incident was a wonderful training exercise and wake-up call, and I discovered the true value of that ‘Battlefield Pick-up Drill,’ which, at time Vicki put us through it, I thought was superfluous!

I have my ‘regular’ pistols back now, and all is well, but I know I will never again think in terms of self-imposed ‘limitations.’

I’ll find a way to win, not look for an excuse to lose!”

Comment:

Musashi in his day was a seasoned and exceptional fighter, the “John Boyd” of his time. He lived in a dangerous place during a particularly dangerous era, where the naive and unprepared seldom died of old age!

We are fortunate that he wrote down valuable and hard-learned advice shortly before he died (natural causes) at the age of sixty-one.

He knew, as we do, that a “favorite weapon” is little more than an excuse to lose. Thus, with the convenient absence of the “favorite weapon,” the fight is decided before it ever starts!

In his most famous duel, Musashi (age thirty at the time) was challenged by an extremely famous swordsman, known and feared throughout the region. The confrontation was pre-arranged and took place on a beach. The challenger, waiting in full battle regalia, was astonished and disgusted when Musashi arrived, late, and barely dressed, as if he had just woken up. Musashi neglected to even bring his sword!

Enraged and insulted, the challenger move forward quickly to make short work of this impudent “Master.” His overconfidence was his undoing!

Musashi, using an oar from the boat in which he had just arrived, killed his hapless opponent in less than a minute, then immediately departed in the same boat!

As it turns out, the challenger was completely outclassed, not even in the same league! He paid dearly for his miscalculation!

Musashi was always “ready.” He never waited for perfect conditions. He never hesitated!

In his honor, we put students through the “Battlefield Pick-up Drill” today, with today’s weapons, so our students absorb this ancient wisdom well!

During our lifelong journey as Operators and students of the Art, we can’t help but develop preferences. We all like some guns better than others, sometimes for good reasons, but sometimes for no particular reason at all, at least none we can persuasively articulate.

No matter!

We must love, and be familiar with, all of them and never look upon the invariable absence of “perfect conditions” as some kind of limitation upon our ability to gain victory.

 

“The road of life is paved with flattened squirrels, who couldn’t make a decision!”

-Anonymous

Armed Citizen Video: How to Shoot through a Windshield

From the Archives 2018

 

 

A quick down and dirty 5 minute primer on shooting through a windshield when the shit hits the fan while in your vehicle.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the obvious here:

• You are sitting in a three ton weapon made out of steel and aluminum that trumps that bullet in your rifle or pistol. If the situation permits, Stomp on the GAS!

We could also talk about Getting off the X (getting out of the Kill Zone) and avoiding fighting from a vehicle at all cost (because they are bullet magnets) but we can save that for another day.

Stay Alert, Armed and Dangerous!

Politicians and News Media Present Misleading Claims About Armed Texans

SlowFacts

It has been a month since Texans enjoyed carrying a concealed firearm in public without a permit. At the beginning of September they joined tens of millions of us who already had permit-less carry. Nothing much happened in Texas. A few more honest citizens defended themselves.

That isn’t what some politicians and law enforcement officers predicted. They said we would see extraordinary levels of violence in the streets after we let our neighbors carry in public. The media never examined those extravagant claims. Now, we can do what the news media failed to do.

Houston Mayor Sylvester issued another press release about how dangerous honest gun owners can be unless they have a government license to carry concealed.

“Under this (permit-less carry) bill, even a law-abiding citizen can become a danger.. They could become a danger to themselves and others due to mishandling a deadly weapon.. This flawed new law…

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Crime Awareness: Choosing Not to be a Victim

 

Listen, There is no perfect “DIY” example on how to deal with an armed robber.

That’s a PRECARIOUS situation anyway you slice it.

The Standard Response has always been if it’s only money or valuables they are after, give it to them, none of that shit is worth getting shot or killed over.

But this Video brings up some interesting points:

• If you KNOW the people around you have got your back when the shit kicks off you are FAR more likely to go for the DISARM! All it took is for one guy to show some BALLS and BOOM! It was like a 19th Century Peasant Uprising!

• Even though there were TWO robbers, it appears only one of them was armed with a gun. You notice when things jump off, the second robber saw the score immediately and FLED!

• If you are not armed, never discount Improvised Weapons. Always be on the lookout for them wherever you are! Pool cues, broom handles, chairs, etc.

According to a good friend of mine who works in Central and South America, the street thugs there are often armed with homemade or really shitty “throw-away” firearms that are barely functional. The people who live in these areas are aware of this fact!

Sites like Impro Guns show you what kind of DIY modified street weapons are floating around out there.

Another recent video out of Brazil confirms the kind of guns these POS often use.

When the shop owner disarms the robber and goes to shoot him, the gun malfunctions, so he beats him with it!

What is a Gun that does not shoot? a CLUB!

Stay Alert, Armed and Dangerous!