Jeanne a former graduate student of mine had been a victim of polio as a young child. Required to wear a brace on her right leg for most of her life things got worse when she hit forty years old. As the medical profession was learning, those who were stricken by polio as children were being victimized again as they grew into middle age. Forced to leave her once fruitful career as a manager for a state agency Jeanne was now trying to remain mobile and cheerful for the sake of her two teenage daughters, while also learning to cope with the economic pressures of being a single mother. Even though she was now on a disability pension she was working very hard to try to make a good life for her family on the reduced income that now came her way.
Jeanne’s mind was as quick and as agile as ever and I always enjoy exchanging observations about the world’s events and political developments via email. When a week went by without an email I became concerned and so I gave a call to her home across the river in the neighboring state. The story she told me still makes my blood boil and the resulting failure of the legal system only heightens my disgust at a court system that protects the guilty at the expense of the innocent.
Jeanne was taking her nightly therapeutic walk through her neighborhood and literally steps away from her front door a young urban thug stuck an aluminum baseball bat in front of her face and demanded money. Jeanne had gone out carrying only her keys, her driver’s license, and three single dollar bills on her and so the disappointed cretin became rather angry that his crime was not going to make him the richest guy in the projects that evening and in anger he jammed the bat into her abdomen and knocked her to the sidewalk. To add further injury to insult the jerk stole the cane Jeanne used when exercising her leg muscles.
Jeanne was lucky she has good neighbors and two of them came to their doors when they heard unusual noises. This was enough to frighten away the pile of dung who had mugged her before that creep had the time to hurt her badly. The mugger however was even luckier. Caught by patrolling cops three blocks over and easily identified in a photo line-up by Jeanne, he was released the next morning when the state’s attorney chose not to press charges. He felt that in a city with juries that tend to be sympathetic to youthful inner-city criminals he could not make a case with only Jeanne’s identification. Sadly the fact that the cops found her cane and driver’s license just a few feet from where the mugger was apprehended was not enough to convince the prosecutor that he could win the case, and so the habitual felon was quickly released. Too make matters worse for Jeanne; she swore that she saw her attacker leaning against the wall in front of the supermarket down the block from her house four days after she was attacked.
During our telephone conversation I was surprised to learn that Jeanne owned and knew how to use a firearm but found it too difficult to conceal and carry the weapon. In relaying the story to me I could not help but find the facts to be a real eye-opener on the subject of the ideal personal defense firearm.
Although her home was in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood in a large Midwestern city the area Jeanne lived in had been the site of two home invasions and several muggings in the first two months Jeanne had lived in the neighborhood. She decided that she could not let herself and her daughters become victims so she decided to purchase a firearm and train to use it effectively. During a discussion about what firearm option would be best for her, the folks at the local sporting goods store told her something we have all heard for years – “the only caliber worth having for self-defense starts with the number 4.” She purchased and tried to practice with a good double action semiauto pistol in .40 caliber.” The store gave her an excellent deal on a used firearm in like new condition with a good holster and several boxes of high quality shells thrown in for good measure. As part of the deal they also provided her some range time and the personal lessons she would need to qualify for a conceal carry permit. The retailer was a stand-up guy. The problem was not the price, or the service, or the quality of the gun but rather the type of gun she purchased. As something to keep in her nightstand or in a draw by her front door the weapon might have been OK. What the salesperson failed to consider is Jeanne’s size and physical condition. To expect a 105 lb. woman with a stiff leg who has to wear a full leg brace, and carry a cane to carry on an everyday basis a loaded firearm that weighs 2 pounds is an error in judgment. Even if she was able to stand up to the recoil, the use of a cane was likely to force Jeanne to try and accurately shoot this rather large weapon with one hand. So Jeanne was only carrying a whistle on her key chain that night when she was confronted by the punk with the bat and as a result she became the victim she had hoped she would never be.
I made a couple of telephone calls and after a quick and actually a rather pleasant conversation with the owner about Jeanne’s limitations as a shooter and her aversion to the recoil of the .40 caliber the store owner volunteered to make things right through a trade in and some firearm transfers. After testing a number of weapons we found that Jeanne shot two weapons very well. One was the Charter Arms, Undercover Revolver in 38 Special. She found that the weapon’s recoil was manageable but found the revolver a little difficult to carry at her waist because of the revolvers shape. The other was a Phoenix Arms HP 22 which she found extremely easy to draw and shoot well when she placed the gun into the pocket of her slacks or secured it in a small holster at her waist. She felt that when she was wearing a fanny pack or was carrying an easy to open shoulder bag the Charter Arms 38 was going to be an excellent companion, but when traveling lighter she decided she was going to pack the Phoenix HP-22.
I had always been surprisingly impressed with the accuracy and reliability of the Phoenix Arms HP-22’s that I have owned and tested over the last five years. I have found the weapon to be a fun "plinker" and an excellent first gun for young people. Despite the often harsh comments one hears from the “mine cost more than yours” experts on the internet I knew the gun was a shooter. Numerous tests I read and my own experience comparing the Phoenix HP-22 against much more costly 22’s like the Taurus PT-22, Sig Sauer Mosquito, Walther P-22 and the Beretta Bobcat in 22LR showed the bargain priced gun to perform as well or better than those weapons which often cost more than twice as much. I also knew from both a number of magazine articles and my own experience that manufacturers such CCI, Remington, Aquila and Winchester were producing high quality, effective .22LR products that were changing how people viewed the reliability of rimfire cartridges. Still I remained hung up on the low percentage of “one shot stops” that even the best 22 LR ammo could produce. It was Jeanne who opened my eyes to three very important factors; one, with limited practice she was already able to place 7 shots into the head of a silhouette at 15 yards with every 10 shots she takes and she has no problem hitting center mass with each of the 10 shots. This level of accuracy was more than twice as good as she was shooting with any other weapon; Two, the low cost of the ammo for both the .22 and the .38 meant that on her fixed income she and her daughters could practice once per week until they all got proficient with both weapons. Three, had she owned an HP-22 when she was mugged she would have been carrying it and that would have placed her in a much better position than she had been in that evening. When she added that if she had the Phoenix HP-22 with her that night she still probably would have been willing to give the bum her three dollars but she never would have allowed him to get close enough to her to physically assault her, I became convinced that perhaps she knew best.
Almost two years later Jeanne is no longer afraid to go anywhere her limited legs can carry her and she and her daughters have turned their practice sessions into Saturday morning family recreation. Jeanne has bought a Sig Sauer Mosquito which her teenage daughters love and which they all shoot very well and a Taurus Model 82 which she keeps in her nightstand. While the 4” barrel makes it too heavy and too long for Jeanne to conceal she believes the longer barrel makes it a highly effective weapon for home protection. She still carries her Phoenix HP-22 everywhere she goes. She has fed the little semiautomatic a steady diet of standard velocity ammo in practice, but she loads it up with CCI Stingers when carrying for protection. Jeanne has also been carrying her Charter Arms "snubbie" more since she received a special shoulder bag as a birthday gift from her new friends down at the range. The old guys at the range seem to have adopted Jeanne and her girls and they have taken real interest in the wellbeing of this family. It makes me rest easier knowing that in an unsafe world these three women are less likely to be victims due to Jeanne’s dedication to maintaining her firearms proficiency and the fact that she lives in a state that permits law abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms.
For Jeanne the adage of “The small gun you have with you is better than the large gun you left at home” seems to sum up her reasoning for carrying a smaller caliber weapon for defense. As for me I learned that no one weapon is ever going to be right for everyone. Since no matter the caliber, the ability of a firearm to stop an attack must first be based on the willingness of its holder to accurately pull the trigger one must recognize that the best gun for an individual to carry is the one that he/she is always willing to have with them. Therefore I can say that with their newly gained proficiency and with Jeanne’s mindset that she is never going to be a victim again, she and the girls are safer today than they were when she owned her “big gun.”
While you and I might prefer a .45 to a .38 and almost anything to a .22, I also don’t know anybody willing to volunteer to be shot by any of Jeanne’s “cheap little” guns. So perhaps my former student has taught her old teacher something after all. I now have a different definition for the “one shot stop.” I have come to realize that it can also simply mean the ability to change the bad guy’s mind” with just one pull of the trigger.
Undercover Revolver
Manufactured by Charter Arms
Caliber- 38 Special Barrel – 2 inches
Weight – 16 ounces Capacity – 6 round cylinder
Sights – Blade Front, Notch Rear
Single/Double Action
Distributed by MKS Supply
MSRP $279.00 Blue $299.00
Also available in DAO.
Taurus Model 94 (Revolver)
Imported by Taurus International
Caliber – 22LR Barrel – 5 inches Length – 9.75 inches
Weight – 26.5 ounces Capacity – 9 round cylinder
Sights –Fixed Front, Adjustable Rear
Single/Double Action
MSRP $358.00 Blue
Phoenix HP22 (Autoloader)
Manufactured by Phoenix Arms
Caliber – 22LR Barrel – 3 inches Length – 5.25 inches
Weight – 20 ounces Capacity – 10 shot magazine
Sights – Blade Front, Adjustable Rear
Single Action
MSRP -$130.00
SIG-Sauer Mosquito (auto-loader)
Manufactured by SIG Arms
Caliber – 22LR Barrel – 3.9 inches Length – 7.2 inches
Weight – 24.6 ounces Capacity – 10 shot magazine
Sights – Blade Front, Adjustable Rear
MSRP - $390.00 blued
CCI Stingers .22LR
5” barrel 32 gr.
Muzzle Velocity – 1395 FPS
Energy - 138 Ft. Lbs.
CCI Velocitor (HP) .22LR
5” barrel 40 gr.
Muzzle Velocity – 1395 FPS
Energy - 171 Ft. Lbs.
Aquila Sniper Subsonic SSS .22LR
5” barrel 60 gr.
Muzzle Velocity – 817 FPS
Energy – 89 Ft. Lbs.
Remington Viper .22LR
5” barrel 36 gr.
Muzzle Velocity - 1,165 FPS
Energy –108 Ft. Lbs.
Remington Yellow Jacket .22LR
5” barrel 33 gr.
Muzzle Velocity – 1,248 FPS
Energy –145 Ft. Lbs.
Winchester Xpert .22LR
5” barrel 37 gr.
Muzzle Velocity – 1030 FPS
Energy – 87.2 Ft. Lbs.
Winchester LSWC .38 Special
4” barrel 158 gr.
Muzzle Velocity – 735 FPS
Energy – 189.5 Ft. Lbs.
Winchester USA FMJ .38 Special
4” barrel 130 gr.
Muzzle Velocity – 790 FPS
Energy - 180 Ft. Lbs.
American Eagle LRP .38 Special
4” barrel 158 gr.
Muzzle Velocity - 730 FPS
Energy – 187 Ft. Lbs.
MagSafe 38D Defender .38 Special
4” barrel 52 gr.
Muzzle Velocity – 1603 FPS
Energy – 297 Ft. Lbs.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
No College Campus is Safe Enough!
All of us who work on college campuses will never forget the day of the Virginia Tech Massacre or a few years Valentines Day 2008 and the shootings at Northern Illinois University. The security we all thought existed behind our ivy covered walls was forever shattered. The violence and death visited on campuses of Virginia Tech and NIU brought incredible sorrow to the family of too many victims, left many of us with a fear that it could happen at our schools, and caused the general public to question the ability of most schools to secure their campuses.
All of the things that could have been done differently to avoid the Virginia Tech are too numerous to list. A lack of foresight, multiplied by a combination of political correctness and administrative cowardice set the stage for that tragedy. Northern Illinois University was a different story. Having learned from Virginia Tech the police department and folks in student affairs at NIU did just about everything right and while those efforts most likely reduced the casualty count it did not stop the student murders on that campus from happening. Two indulged maniacs who never should have been allowed out in public wrote the final scripts and in the end 32 lives were ended at Virginia Tech and five were killed at NIU. Could it happen again at another school? Of course it can! If our society could not learn anything from Columbine why would the tragedies at Virginia Tech or NIU prove more enlightening?
What you should have learned from those tragedies the many events that preceded them is that no institution can guarantee the safety of your children. You can never expect any police agency or security department to act as personal bodyguards for your family members. It is up to you to do what you can to prepare your family to react properly when danger can not be avoided. So before your children heads off to school this fall ask yourself this –Have you prepared them to do what is necessary to survive in a dangerous world?
Your efforts to insure your child’s security during their school years must begin each year before their first day of class. It needs to start with your analysis of the types of crime and the frequency of criminal events on or around the schools they attend. If they are still attending school in your hometown make yourself aware of the crime reports and statistics related to your community. If it is at a campus away from home then remember that legislation requires all colleges to publish campus crime statistics. Called the Cleary Act, the law requires colleges and universities to categorize the crimes committed on their campus, keep accurate records, and make those records available to the general public. Don’t just review the most recent statistics; check the crime reports for the last five years to see if the place has a history of criminal dangers and whether the crime rate on campus is trending up or down. Due to nationwide funding cuts at each level of education, assume that all that can be done regarding school security is not being done. Campuses where violent or drug related crimes are not rare are likely to be under funding security efforts, utilizing ineffective security practices, lacking a commitment to student security, or some combination of all these factors. Review crime statistics for the neighborhood or community where your child’s school is located. If the campus is located in a crime ridden area send your kid to another school. No matter how much money or effort is spent on security it is foolish to assume that a police detail or a security department can keep crime out of the school or off the campus if the area around it is plagued by high crime rates.
Regardless of what type of school your child attends, show an interest in the security procedures at the institution. Interview the people responsible for school security. Assess their level of knowledge and competence. Spend time with your child walking through the halls and the grounds discussing escape scenarios and identifying possible hiding places. Teach them the color code system of readiness and encourage them to be ready to formulate possible reactions to attacks. Design a personal communication system so they can notify you or police agencies when threatened. Remind your kids that when traveling between buildings and going to events their personal safety is increased if they do it in groups. Tell them that they can often hear danger approaching before they can see it and so there IPOD and cell phones can detract from their personal security when used at the wrong place or time.
Teach them not to be victims. Many crime deaths could have been avoided had the victims not resigned themselves to accept the attack. Provide them with any weapons that they can handle and that they are legally allowed to carry. Make sure they are well trained in their use and help them develop the survival mindset necessary to use them. Pepper spray, a collapsible baton, even a ring of keys is more effective than attempting to quell an attack with eloquent pleas or appeals to the attacker’s humanity. Remember to explain to your children, especially your daughters that far too many assaults are connected in some manner with alcohol intoxication. Caution your kids that bad people will drug them or get them drunk in order to make it easier for them to harm them. Regardless of gender teach them to be cautious, alert, and always in control. Teach your kids that if they can not hide or get away then they need to present effective resistance to the attacker. Empower your children to survive, do not frighten them into being a victim.
The ultimate responsibility for the safety of your family members is yours. No one else will take responsibility for their safety and no one will sacrifice as much as you would to protect them. Since you can not be with them all the time you must provide lessons about tactics, spend time training, and provide the appropriate resources to assist in their protection. Finally, make sure that your child knows that if they are someplace that makes them fear for their safety – they should leave immediately.
All of the things that could have been done differently to avoid the Virginia Tech are too numerous to list. A lack of foresight, multiplied by a combination of political correctness and administrative cowardice set the stage for that tragedy. Northern Illinois University was a different story. Having learned from Virginia Tech the police department and folks in student affairs at NIU did just about everything right and while those efforts most likely reduced the casualty count it did not stop the student murders on that campus from happening. Two indulged maniacs who never should have been allowed out in public wrote the final scripts and in the end 32 lives were ended at Virginia Tech and five were killed at NIU. Could it happen again at another school? Of course it can! If our society could not learn anything from Columbine why would the tragedies at Virginia Tech or NIU prove more enlightening?
What you should have learned from those tragedies the many events that preceded them is that no institution can guarantee the safety of your children. You can never expect any police agency or security department to act as personal bodyguards for your family members. It is up to you to do what you can to prepare your family to react properly when danger can not be avoided. So before your children heads off to school this fall ask yourself this –Have you prepared them to do what is necessary to survive in a dangerous world?
Your efforts to insure your child’s security during their school years must begin each year before their first day of class. It needs to start with your analysis of the types of crime and the frequency of criminal events on or around the schools they attend. If they are still attending school in your hometown make yourself aware of the crime reports and statistics related to your community. If it is at a campus away from home then remember that legislation requires all colleges to publish campus crime statistics. Called the Cleary Act, the law requires colleges and universities to categorize the crimes committed on their campus, keep accurate records, and make those records available to the general public. Don’t just review the most recent statistics; check the crime reports for the last five years to see if the place has a history of criminal dangers and whether the crime rate on campus is trending up or down. Due to nationwide funding cuts at each level of education, assume that all that can be done regarding school security is not being done. Campuses where violent or drug related crimes are not rare are likely to be under funding security efforts, utilizing ineffective security practices, lacking a commitment to student security, or some combination of all these factors. Review crime statistics for the neighborhood or community where your child’s school is located. If the campus is located in a crime ridden area send your kid to another school. No matter how much money or effort is spent on security it is foolish to assume that a police detail or a security department can keep crime out of the school or off the campus if the area around it is plagued by high crime rates.
Regardless of what type of school your child attends, show an interest in the security procedures at the institution. Interview the people responsible for school security. Assess their level of knowledge and competence. Spend time with your child walking through the halls and the grounds discussing escape scenarios and identifying possible hiding places. Teach them the color code system of readiness and encourage them to be ready to formulate possible reactions to attacks. Design a personal communication system so they can notify you or police agencies when threatened. Remind your kids that when traveling between buildings and going to events their personal safety is increased if they do it in groups. Tell them that they can often hear danger approaching before they can see it and so there IPOD and cell phones can detract from their personal security when used at the wrong place or time.
Teach them not to be victims. Many crime deaths could have been avoided had the victims not resigned themselves to accept the attack. Provide them with any weapons that they can handle and that they are legally allowed to carry. Make sure they are well trained in their use and help them develop the survival mindset necessary to use them. Pepper spray, a collapsible baton, even a ring of keys is more effective than attempting to quell an attack with eloquent pleas or appeals to the attacker’s humanity. Remember to explain to your children, especially your daughters that far too many assaults are connected in some manner with alcohol intoxication. Caution your kids that bad people will drug them or get them drunk in order to make it easier for them to harm them. Regardless of gender teach them to be cautious, alert, and always in control. Teach your kids that if they can not hide or get away then they need to present effective resistance to the attacker. Empower your children to survive, do not frighten them into being a victim.
The ultimate responsibility for the safety of your family members is yours. No one else will take responsibility for their safety and no one will sacrifice as much as you would to protect them. Since you can not be with them all the time you must provide lessons about tactics, spend time training, and provide the appropriate resources to assist in their protection. Finally, make sure that your child knows that if they are someplace that makes them fear for their safety – they should leave immediately.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Mental Conditioning for All the Bad Things that Happen
You saved up for years so you could go to that famous training facility. They drilled you with your 1911 until you left with a permanent bend to your trigger finger. You practiced shooting standing up, kneeling down, and even flat on your back using your weak hand. You practiced clearing jams so many times that the patent number on the gun’s slide became imprinted on the palm of your hand. But are you really ready to defend yourself?
Being able to pull the trigger on a human being that wants to kill you requires more than physical preparation. It requires mental conditioning as well. Recognize that no matter how well trained you are by not being the aggressor you are always the victim. Being the victim means you are in a reactive position and the disregard for law and life that an armed attacker brings to a fight means you are always at a disadvantage. We can compensate for the natural hesitation that comes with being the victim of aggression, but we can never eliminate it. The extension of that hesitation by just a few milliseconds can cost you your life. That means you have no time to waste when reacting to an attacker.
I do not intend to launch into a discussion of rapid handgun deployment or the speed necessary to find cover. I want to talk about what you need to do mentally to be ready to defend your life. Practicing effective self-defense techniques involves more than sending rounds down range. One needs to create a habit of running self-defense scenarios through their mind so that if a dangerous situation arises our reactions come swiftly and naturally. This is not paranoia, it is preparation. Just as we develop muscle memory by practicing our shooting skills we should develop mental skills to recognize danger as a familiar situation. Only then can our reactions be automatic in nature and fluid in execution. When you read about street violence in the media call upon what you have heard and learned and run that scenario through your head. How would you handle such a situation? What if you were with your family? Would that change how you would behave? The best way to find an answer is to ask questions. The best way to learn self defense is to ask yourself constantly- “What should I do when attacked?” Long before you find yourself in danger you should have contemplated and selected the best course of action to take and have prepared an alternate plan, just in case. Consistently contemplate “attack scenarios” and feed your mind a steady diet of “what if” questions. This will help you mentally prepare for what you hope never happens and it will save your life if it does happen. By practicing attack responses mentally as well as physically you train your mind to work with your body so that you can respond to danger faster. Working your mind with your body helps you to develop the ability to “act while thinking” rather than “first thinking and then acting.”
When I suggest that you try to imagine every dangerous scenario you might find yourself in, I really mean every scenario. It is easy to imagine using force to defend yourself against a crazed crack head bent on attaining his next fix over your dead body. It is not as easy to imagine placing two hollow points in the center mass of a 14 year old boy or a 110 pound female. Yet you may very well have to defend yourself from someone you normally do not consider a threat. Last year’s jump in the nation’s crime rate was attributed to the increasing number of juveniles involved in robberies, assaults and other violent incidents. Violence is not reserved for males, 17% percent of the people arrested for violent crime are females and 28% of those female felons were juveniles. While it is likely in your nature to hesitate before defending yourself against a young boy it needs to be overcome. If someone is pointing a pistol sideways at your head you will end up just as dead if he is 14 as you would were he 40. Being stabbed by a crazy street person does not make you less dead because it is a woman holding that rusty kitchen knife. Regardless of the attacker’s gender or age when faced with the threat of an unavoidable violent attack, the problem to be solved remains “kill or be killed.” You can only be safe by recognizing that anyone can be dangerous.
One must be aware of danger before one can defend against danger. When you are outside the security of your home you must be in a constant state of awareness. Conditioning yourself to recognize danger remains the primary defense against being attacked. The color code system of readiness is perhaps Jeff Cooper’s greatest gift to us and we must live it, not just learn it. Cooper described it as more than a system of formulating tactical solutions; he called it “a psychological means of overcoming your innate reluctance to shoot someone down.” Research the color code system and then live it. Spend your time on the street alert and aware. By walking around in “condition yellow” you should be able to tell quickly if that teenager is a danger to you. Stay alert and recognize that anyone can be an attacker. Learn to recognize before they act if that child or little lady is a danger. Then should danger present itself act decisively.
There is no shame in running from a dangerous kid and there is no crime in stopping her from killing you.
Finally, the best way to protect against violence is caution, not bravery. Do not enter areas you know are dangerous. If you are someplace that makes you suspicious or fearful for your safety and the safety of your loved ones – leave immediately.
Published Combat Handguns February 2008
Being able to pull the trigger on a human being that wants to kill you requires more than physical preparation. It requires mental conditioning as well. Recognize that no matter how well trained you are by not being the aggressor you are always the victim. Being the victim means you are in a reactive position and the disregard for law and life that an armed attacker brings to a fight means you are always at a disadvantage. We can compensate for the natural hesitation that comes with being the victim of aggression, but we can never eliminate it. The extension of that hesitation by just a few milliseconds can cost you your life. That means you have no time to waste when reacting to an attacker.
I do not intend to launch into a discussion of rapid handgun deployment or the speed necessary to find cover. I want to talk about what you need to do mentally to be ready to defend your life. Practicing effective self-defense techniques involves more than sending rounds down range. One needs to create a habit of running self-defense scenarios through their mind so that if a dangerous situation arises our reactions come swiftly and naturally. This is not paranoia, it is preparation. Just as we develop muscle memory by practicing our shooting skills we should develop mental skills to recognize danger as a familiar situation. Only then can our reactions be automatic in nature and fluid in execution. When you read about street violence in the media call upon what you have heard and learned and run that scenario through your head. How would you handle such a situation? What if you were with your family? Would that change how you would behave? The best way to find an answer is to ask questions. The best way to learn self defense is to ask yourself constantly- “What should I do when attacked?” Long before you find yourself in danger you should have contemplated and selected the best course of action to take and have prepared an alternate plan, just in case. Consistently contemplate “attack scenarios” and feed your mind a steady diet of “what if” questions. This will help you mentally prepare for what you hope never happens and it will save your life if it does happen. By practicing attack responses mentally as well as physically you train your mind to work with your body so that you can respond to danger faster. Working your mind with your body helps you to develop the ability to “act while thinking” rather than “first thinking and then acting.”
When I suggest that you try to imagine every dangerous scenario you might find yourself in, I really mean every scenario. It is easy to imagine using force to defend yourself against a crazed crack head bent on attaining his next fix over your dead body. It is not as easy to imagine placing two hollow points in the center mass of a 14 year old boy or a 110 pound female. Yet you may very well have to defend yourself from someone you normally do not consider a threat. Last year’s jump in the nation’s crime rate was attributed to the increasing number of juveniles involved in robberies, assaults and other violent incidents. Violence is not reserved for males, 17% percent of the people arrested for violent crime are females and 28% of those female felons were juveniles. While it is likely in your nature to hesitate before defending yourself against a young boy it needs to be overcome. If someone is pointing a pistol sideways at your head you will end up just as dead if he is 14 as you would were he 40. Being stabbed by a crazy street person does not make you less dead because it is a woman holding that rusty kitchen knife. Regardless of the attacker’s gender or age when faced with the threat of an unavoidable violent attack, the problem to be solved remains “kill or be killed.” You can only be safe by recognizing that anyone can be dangerous.
One must be aware of danger before one can defend against danger. When you are outside the security of your home you must be in a constant state of awareness. Conditioning yourself to recognize danger remains the primary defense against being attacked. The color code system of readiness is perhaps Jeff Cooper’s greatest gift to us and we must live it, not just learn it. Cooper described it as more than a system of formulating tactical solutions; he called it “a psychological means of overcoming your innate reluctance to shoot someone down.” Research the color code system and then live it. Spend your time on the street alert and aware. By walking around in “condition yellow” you should be able to tell quickly if that teenager is a danger to you. Stay alert and recognize that anyone can be an attacker. Learn to recognize before they act if that child or little lady is a danger. Then should danger present itself act decisively.
There is no shame in running from a dangerous kid and there is no crime in stopping her from killing you.
Finally, the best way to protect against violence is caution, not bravery. Do not enter areas you know are dangerous. If you are someplace that makes you suspicious or fearful for your safety and the safety of your loved ones – leave immediately.
Published Combat Handguns February 2008
Pick Your Spot - It's all about location.
When was the last time you picked your seat when you went out to dine in a restaurant? When you went to see that action movie did you notice the exits and check out the entering crowd? As you waited in line to get on that commuter train did you look around to see who was behind you on the platform?
We often practice a variety of safety procedures for dealing with threats in our home but facts show that we are safer in our homes than we are in public places. While we are practicing escape and defense protocols against late night intruders remember that it is far more likely that your life will be threatened at a public gathering than in your own home. You need to pay attention in public.
Pick Your Spot
While the restaurant hostess may have a perfectly good reason for placing you in a tight booth with your back to the door nothing is stopping you from requesting a different table. As you enter the restaurant and before approaching the hostess for seating take a good look around the room and decide where the safest available location to sit is. When the time comes to be led to your seat politely indicate that it is important that you sit in the location of your choosing. Choose one that provides you with the best view of the room and its entrances and exits. Make sure that the location you choose provides you with the best available cover, and that it allows unrestricted movement. Try to choose a table in the back instead of a booth in the front of the room. If no choice other than a booth exists make sure you get one that allows your dominate or draw hand to be free of encumbrances without having your back to the door.
Movie theaters are dark, often crowded, and more prone than ever to urban violence. If you can not wait for this season’s blockbuster to get to the local video store then make sure that you exercise caution and security when visiting that multi-plex.
First off, get there early. Crowded lobbies and anxious jostling crowds present insurmountable security concerns. When possible avoid uncontrolled crowds. Buy your tickets early, and give yourself the time and opportunity to scan the theater before the lights go out. Also on the way in check and see if the theater owner has taken the precaution of having real security on hand. You never know when you may need a friend in a hurry. Being early also means you can pick the best location in the theater, but that doesn’t just mean the one with the best view of the screen.
The best location in a movie theater involves finding a seat that provides you with a good view of the entire room, close to the exits. Once again never choose a seat that “boxes in” your dominant hand. Drawing a weapon quickly and effectively requires that you have freedom of movement. Aisle seats remain the best location and they provide you with easier movement toward safety and away from danger.
Being able to react efficiently and effectively also means not being surprised. Choose a seat that allows you to view the patrons as they come into the theater. Watch for those folks who choose to bring backpacks into theaters. Quickly size up the threat from that loud and boisterous pack of youths. Are they “gangbangers” or just “wannabes.” Once the movie starts certainly try to enjoy yourself but also train yourself to break away from the story every so often and scan the theater to observe the behavior of the other patrons. Teach your ears to listen to the background noise of the people in the neighboring rows as well as the soundtrack.
Finally, as the movie is ending your choice is to be one of the very first to get up and leave or one of the very last. Avoid getting stuck in the rush to the door and the crush of bodies that inevitably follows.
Transportation depots in most cities attract the worst elements of those societies since opportunities for quick scores or easy victims abound. Being alert and aware of the people around you is always the key to your personal security. When the location allows make sure there is some distance between you and the crowd. Never stand so close to the tracks or curb that some lunatic can shove you into danger. Position yourself so that both feet are firmly planted and never lean forward. Looking down the platform won’t make your transportation arrive any sooner but looking around the crowd will provide you with a better assessment of possible threats. Always look for those who do not belong in the crowd and as always provide yourself with the opportunity for your hands and arms to move freely.
Airports are the modern bus station. Not just because of the popularity of air travel but also because the low end of society now also congregate at airports. While airports tend to provide a significant showing of security, not all of it is effective, and it may not be there when you need it. The inability for most of us to carry weapons in airports creates the need to rely on our wits and everyday possessions for protection. Again scan the crowds and avoid those people who seem out of place. Keep on hand sharpened pencils, rings of keys, the sharp edge of a brief case and whatever else you can use to fill your hand. As always keep your arms and hands free to move.
Finally, the best defense against public violence is caution and preparation, not bravery. Do not enter areas you know are dangerous. Do not solely rely on supplied security. You are your best guard. If you are someplace that makes you suspicious or fearful for your safety and the safety of your loved ones – leave immediately.
Published in Combat Handguns November 2007
We often practice a variety of safety procedures for dealing with threats in our home but facts show that we are safer in our homes than we are in public places. While we are practicing escape and defense protocols against late night intruders remember that it is far more likely that your life will be threatened at a public gathering than in your own home. You need to pay attention in public.
Pick Your Spot
While the restaurant hostess may have a perfectly good reason for placing you in a tight booth with your back to the door nothing is stopping you from requesting a different table. As you enter the restaurant and before approaching the hostess for seating take a good look around the room and decide where the safest available location to sit is. When the time comes to be led to your seat politely indicate that it is important that you sit in the location of your choosing. Choose one that provides you with the best view of the room and its entrances and exits. Make sure that the location you choose provides you with the best available cover, and that it allows unrestricted movement. Try to choose a table in the back instead of a booth in the front of the room. If no choice other than a booth exists make sure you get one that allows your dominate or draw hand to be free of encumbrances without having your back to the door.
Movie theaters are dark, often crowded, and more prone than ever to urban violence. If you can not wait for this season’s blockbuster to get to the local video store then make sure that you exercise caution and security when visiting that multi-plex.
First off, get there early. Crowded lobbies and anxious jostling crowds present insurmountable security concerns. When possible avoid uncontrolled crowds. Buy your tickets early, and give yourself the time and opportunity to scan the theater before the lights go out. Also on the way in check and see if the theater owner has taken the precaution of having real security on hand. You never know when you may need a friend in a hurry. Being early also means you can pick the best location in the theater, but that doesn’t just mean the one with the best view of the screen.
The best location in a movie theater involves finding a seat that provides you with a good view of the entire room, close to the exits. Once again never choose a seat that “boxes in” your dominant hand. Drawing a weapon quickly and effectively requires that you have freedom of movement. Aisle seats remain the best location and they provide you with easier movement toward safety and away from danger.
Being able to react efficiently and effectively also means not being surprised. Choose a seat that allows you to view the patrons as they come into the theater. Watch for those folks who choose to bring backpacks into theaters. Quickly size up the threat from that loud and boisterous pack of youths. Are they “gangbangers” or just “wannabes.” Once the movie starts certainly try to enjoy yourself but also train yourself to break away from the story every so often and scan the theater to observe the behavior of the other patrons. Teach your ears to listen to the background noise of the people in the neighboring rows as well as the soundtrack.
Finally, as the movie is ending your choice is to be one of the very first to get up and leave or one of the very last. Avoid getting stuck in the rush to the door and the crush of bodies that inevitably follows.
Transportation depots in most cities attract the worst elements of those societies since opportunities for quick scores or easy victims abound. Being alert and aware of the people around you is always the key to your personal security. When the location allows make sure there is some distance between you and the crowd. Never stand so close to the tracks or curb that some lunatic can shove you into danger. Position yourself so that both feet are firmly planted and never lean forward. Looking down the platform won’t make your transportation arrive any sooner but looking around the crowd will provide you with a better assessment of possible threats. Always look for those who do not belong in the crowd and as always provide yourself with the opportunity for your hands and arms to move freely.
Airports are the modern bus station. Not just because of the popularity of air travel but also because the low end of society now also congregate at airports. While airports tend to provide a significant showing of security, not all of it is effective, and it may not be there when you need it. The inability for most of us to carry weapons in airports creates the need to rely on our wits and everyday possessions for protection. Again scan the crowds and avoid those people who seem out of place. Keep on hand sharpened pencils, rings of keys, the sharp edge of a brief case and whatever else you can use to fill your hand. As always keep your arms and hands free to move.
Finally, the best defense against public violence is caution and preparation, not bravery. Do not enter areas you know are dangerous. Do not solely rely on supplied security. You are your best guard. If you are someplace that makes you suspicious or fearful for your safety and the safety of your loved ones – leave immediately.
Published in Combat Handguns November 2007
Love from the left..........
Sometimes the distraction can be the person you most want to protect. Recently when spending an evening stroll with my wife she turned and called me an “unromantic, paranoid clown.” In more than thirty years of marriage she has certainly called me worse but this time I was shocked because she reacted to something I had been doing for many years.
You see I carry my conceal carry weapon on my right side so when my wife attempts to hold my right hand in public I always step back and move to her other side to offer her my left hand. After many years of practice I assumed my maneuver was both smooth and unnoticeable. Not only did my spouse disagree about the smoothness, she added that the habit was annoying. I tried to smooth things over by turning on the charm and explaining that I need to “love you with my left hand so that I can protect you with my right hand.” Needless to say she did see the eloquence in that line and the mood did not get better. Rarely, have I found that there are things more important than pleasing your wife but this time I felt strongly enough to declare that this was one habit that wasn’t going to be broken. She continued to grumble but she did not demand her share of the community property. No matter how much I practice using my left hand I know that my right hand is better. With that fact in mind I need to ensure that I present the best possibility for success should a threat occur. Restricting the use of your dominant hand is never a good idea. Too often folks load down their dominant hand and as a result an efficient and complete defense becomes impossible. When fast reaction time is crucial to success wasting time freeing your strong side hand is time you cannot afford. Always keeping your dominant hand available for rapid use is crucial to personal defense.
Of course having your hand free is not enough. In fact carrying a weapon that you have practiced with and are competent using is not enough – the weapon has to be reachable. When riding in a car your weapon does you no good if a seat belt or sitting position precludes you from effectively drawing and aiming your weapon. I often wear a “small of the back” holster because it allows me to fully conceal my weapon but I also recognize that it is a less effective carry method when traveling by automobile. At those times I shift my weapon to a position that is easier to reach and allows a faster, controlled draw.
Being a slave to fashion also does not help. I always marvel at my colleagues who go with style over effectiveness when choosing a holster to carry their weapon. Since the weapon is expected to be concealed anyway I just don’t see where fashion needs to be a consideration. While they might feel good about the way they look it does them no good if the rig does not provide an effective platform from which to draw their weapon. The holster you use to carry a firearm needs to first perform well and next be comfortable so that you never find an excuse to be unarmed and you can always bring your weapon into play when needed. There are even times when no holster is the better way to carry and all of us need to continue to experiment, and research to determine the best techniques and products.Developing good habits takes practice and time and maintaining good habits takes personal discipline and vigilance. You must always assume there is the possibility of danger. The best defense against a violent threat is caution and preparation not bravery or marksmanship. Always pay attention to your surroundings. If you are someplace, which makes you suspicious or fearful for your safety and the safety of your loved ones, leave immediately.
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