A man was legally carrying his weapon on State Street in Madison, Wisconsin last week. State street is a popular restaurant and nightlife area for the thousands of students and residents that live in the bustling college town. On ‘just another average night’, another man had other ideas about the weapon on the man’s hip.…
An article from a recent encounter in a grocery store parking lot (click here to read the full article)clearly illustrates the need for awareness at all times and shares many lessons for the average citizen defender to consider. Mike Panther faced a pair of attackers in Midlothian, Texas last month and lived to tell the…
As I write this, I am at the Blade Show in Atlanta, Georgia. My annual pilgrimage to the world’s largest knife event not only reminds me that I still really like knives, it also makes me remember what real heat and humidity feel like. And our carry strategies during warm weather are quite different than…
As I lay there mortally wounded, with my life slipping away, I could not help remembering the words of the instructor who had taught my concealed carry class. He said, “This training is not the end, and really not even a good beginning for your self-defense training. Get some more training!” His point, as he…
A concealed carry class recently graduated at U.S. Shooting Academy (USSA) here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The 20 students were armed with the knowledge and legal right to apply for their permit and carry a gun. The scary news is that the state now labeled those individuals as “ready” to carry a firearm full-time for self-defense…
In Know the Law, Part I, I discussed the definition of deadly force and when you may be able to use it in self-defense. Now let’s look at the legal guidelines for using deadly force. Every state has guidelines for the use of deadly force. If you are a legally armed citizen, it is your…
What are the legal aspects of using deadly force? Every state has guidelines for the use of deadly force. As a legally armed citizen, it is your responsibility to know those guidelines before you carry a gun for personal defense. Being legally armed is a tremendous responsibility. You carry a tool that can take human…
We live in a violent society. When I first became a police officer, I carried a six-shot revolver. Portable radios were bigger and heavier than bricks. There were no cages in the patrol cars, and the patrol cars had a red light and a blue light on top. At least I had TWO lights on…
HOW I LEARNED TO LOVE THE WHEELGUN I’m sure you’ve heard it before: someone asks, “Which is better: revolver or autoloader?” Everyone chimes in that revolvers are more reliable and simpler to operate. Over and over again. Yadda yadda yadda. Related PDN Video: Getting Started Shooting a Revolver Those things are generally true, but there…