Tactical flashlights as striking tools

Short but very good video on using a tactical light (or any similar object) as a striking tool.

Good interview

If you are like me and have been wondering what has been going on with Cody Wilson and Defense Distributed, wonder no more.

Nevada updates, via WRSA

http://westernrifleshooters.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/witness-to-history/

http://westernrifleshooters.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/lessons-learned-from-bundyranch/

WRSA's coverage and congregating of info on the Bundy Ranch Standoff has been most excellent.

Keep up the great work, Pete. And thank you for it, sir.

Flash mob violence

Saw this excellent post on recent flash mob violence in Louisville.

Peter brings some excellent analysis of second order effects of successful self defense:

" Like I said . . . you can't win, even if you survive.  Note what happened to the old man who defended himself with a knife when attacked in Louisville (described in the linked article above - the incident which appears to have sparked last weekend's violence).  The police immediately arrested and jailed him.  The grand jury no-billed him when they saw the security video, and he's since been released . . . but until that happened, he was locked up among all sorts of criminals and gang-bangers.  Now imagine yourself in his shoes.  You've successfully defended yourself against a criminal flash mob.  Now you're locked up among thugs and criminals who probably knew some of those you've just shot, and who are likely to be looking to avenge them.  Are you sure you'll survive long enough to be exonerated?  I'm not!"

Seriously, RTWT.

http://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2014/03/criminal-flash-mobs-growing-peril-to.html?m=1

Some thoughts on weak side shooting

 

Recently I sustained an injury to my right shoulder, and it has seriously curtailed my use of that arm. Strength and flexibility have been severely hampered. It has set me to thinking about this deficiency from injury and a deficiency from negligence. 

Now like many lazy shooters, I spend nearly no time on weak side shooting. I mostly shoot for fun, but also for practical reasons like hunting and self defense concerns as well.*

The weak side practice largely centers on self defense scenarios where you are injured (often envisioned to be the struggle which has you bring your weapon to bear) and you must carry on with your non-dominant hand lest you succumb to another's force.  What most of these scenarios that most of us picture miss is the distinct possibility that you enter this situation pre-injured from something totally unrelated. Snowboarding accident for instance.

  

So reflecting on all this has lead me to a few conclusions that could redress this.

1. The most obvious and important first step is to take up practice of weak side shooting and do so quite regularly. Draw and dry fire included. Nothing can replace this and it is critical for anyone serious about this.
2. Next is to make sure I have a left hand draw holster for my carry gun(s). Now for those commonly envisioned scenarios where you sustain the strong side injury during the fight, this does nothing for you**. But given an injury before hand, you can still carry, draw comfortably and less awkwardly with a dedicated weak side holster.
3.  Another thing to do is minimize risk of injury to create that situation in the first place. So I should give up extreme sports and be more careful.(...Yeah, piss on that one. The first two are pretty good though.)   

So, a little something for those you out there to consider before you find yourself in an unnecessarily weak and defenseless position. It is an experience you could do with out with a little fore though
                                                   
* I also tend to view it as a form of political protest.

** Unless you decide to carry two guns, one weak side, one strong. This has merit for a number of reasons but can be costly, cumbersome, and uncomfortable. Still, something to consider.