self defense

Slacking, sorta

/ hsoi

The past couple weeks have been… full? distracting? having other things taking priority? been what they’ve been is all I can say. Some of it documented here, some not. As a result tho, I haven’t been at the dojang as much as I’ve wanted to be. So to my Kuk Sool folk reading this, sorry I haven’t been there… but it’s not from lack of want. 🙂  I did sign up for seminar tho. Dan bong! Looking forward to it.

Thing is, a while ago I made a commitment to practice martial arts every day. Doesn’t matter what it is, just as long as it’s something and done every day. It could be going to the dojang. It could be going to the garage and working on the heavy bag. It could be going on the yard and doing forms. It could be dry fire. It could be just draw practice. It might just be working out some techniques in my head, thinking through self-defense scenarios. Mentally going through all my Kuk Sool curriculum. Freeform development of mixed concepts (e.g. empty hand transition to handguns). Whatever. Doesn’t always have to be intensely physical, could be mental, could be just meditating on some concepts. So long as every day I do something. Going to the dojang is actually a fair part of that, but not going is really bugging me…. such is just life right now. Ebb and flow.

Shoot to wound doesn’t make sense

/ hsoi / 2 Comments

I hear about people that say in a self-defense situation you should shoot someone in the leg or the arm, instead of “center of mass”.  There’s many reasons for it, but in the end it’s just not sound reasoning. If someone needs shooting, then they need effective shooting. If they don’t need shooting, they don’t need shooting. So if push comes to shove and you must shoot, you need to shoot at the most effective target (e.g., “center of mass”) and not at some less-effective area like a leg.

I came across this article at Force Science News that discusses the situation in-depth. It approaches it from a police officer standpoint, which is a different situation than a private citizen defending themselves, but it doesn’t take away from the point of the article that shooting to wound doesn’t make sense.

Grip work and rain

/ hsoi / 3 Comments

Current weather forecasts are for rain, and lots of it. A very slow moving storm system coming across the area. I’m thankful for it because Texas is in a major drought so all the rain we can get I’m happy for.

The slight bummer? I was going to be at the gun range for a lot of the weekend. Will I still? Depends on a few things. But regardless it made me think about shooting in the rain. Specifically, shooting my polymer-framed Springfield XD in wet conditions. The grip on the XD is kinda slick and if it was wet it’s not going to be the easiest thing to keep hold of.

I do regret not getting the stippling grip modification by Springer Precision. I’ve tried it on a buddy’s XD and it’s awesome. I guess I might have to go the grip-tape or skateboard-tape route, but I know it’s not as good as the stipple job.

The point to think about is shooting in less-than-ideal conditions. When it comes to defensive shooting, you have no control over when and where the situation would occur: low light? cold weather and you have gloves and a heavy coat on? rain? ice? While we all like to practice in nice and dry conditions, every so often we should push ourselves outside our comfort zone and work on the less-than-ideal.

Competition as training

/ hsoi

Sebastian has a posting on using competitive shooting sports as police training. Good stuff all around and I think the main article makes all the relevant points. I’ve been wanting to get into competition shooting (IDPA or IPSC) but so far the schedule just hasn’t meshed for it.

What I wanted to comment on in Sebastian’s article tho was his comment that “you can’t really practice real gunfighting”. While you truly can’t practice this (or at most you’d only be able to practice it once :D), I’d say what gets you closer than anything would be force-on-force training.

Citizen preparedness

/ hsoi

I’ve seen this before and in light of my postings here and here, I thought it would be worthwhile to post. There are certainly a great many things one can take from this video, but the one I wish to stress is training. Lance Thomas feels he was able to handle his situations because of training, and he flat out says that just having a gun isn’t enough… you have to train.

Choosing a gun, another take?

/ hsoi / 19 Comments

Earlier this morning I wrote a piece on choosing a gun. Then I see via SayUncle a link to a piece on advice for a first time gun buyer. Uncle is right that it’s nice to see a positive piece in the mainstream media, but I have to take odds with the advice given. In light of my earlier posting, I feel a desire to comment on the article.

“[For the first time buyer] we usually suggest a shotgun or a revolver because of the simplicity.”

While I appreciate simplicity, what’s so simple about these? Granted their internals might be different and simpler than others in their class, but should we be looking at internals or operational simplicity? When it comes to a shotgun, what do they tend to suggest? A pump action shotgun. Operationally speaking, that’s not simple. You have to know how to pump the shotgun, you have to have the mental wherewithal to pump and not short-shuck it, then deal with the malfunctions that might ensue. Folks, a simple “point and click interface” goes a lot further, and frankly a semi-auto shotgun is going to be simpler to operate than a pump action, especially for people that don’t want to practice much. But then you do get the complexity of having to ensure you have a shotgun load that can operate the semi-auto’s mechanism, dealing with cleaning and maintenance, and so on. There’s always a trade-off. 

Then we look at a revolver, and while a revolver is a bit mechanically simpler than some semi-autos, operationally they’re just about the same as modern semi-autos. With a revolver (assuming a double-action revolver), you pull the trigger, gun fires, chamber advances and the gun is ready to fire again with the next trigger pull. Take a modern semi-auto like a Glock, Springfield XD, or Smith & Wesson M&P. You pull the trigger, gun fires, “chamber advances” (empty case extracted, magazine pushes next round up and slide goes forward to chamber the round), and the gun is ready to fire again with the next trigger pull. In the end, the operational simplicity is the same. Now, when it comes to malfunctions, yes a revolver is better because you can just pull the trigger again, no tap-rack-bang. But I’d rather take a little time to learn about and practice malfunction drills and have 19+1 rounds at my fingertips than only 5 or 6 in a revolver. Then we can talk about dealing with caliber, capacity, practice, speed of follow-up shots, and so on with revolvers vs. semi-autos, and while there’s many facets to this equation and always trade-offs, I still think most people will be better off starting out with a semi-auto.

Hill says the first home defense gun he recommends to his customers is a shotgun. “If somebody enters your house,” he says, “and they hear the sound of the shotgun being pumped, if they’re smart…they’ll leave.” … “An intruder knows that sound,” she says, “and it’s intimidating.”

I know some people live by the mantra that the sound of racking a shotgun is the be-all-end-all solution to home defense. I am not sold on it. Granted it’s an intimidating sound, but it assumes the invader will hear it and then be scared off by it. Basically, you’re bluffing and you better hope they don’t call your bluff. If it comes to a point where you must use a gun, then you must be prepared to use it… not to be making “scary noises”. It also means that when you make that sound, you’ve given away your position. It also means that the gun is not ready to go. If time is critical and you raise the shotgun to your shoulder and you press the trigger and it goes click instead of bang, or that you now MUST rack it to ensure you’re ready to go (again giving away your position, giving up precious time), is that tactically sound when your life is on the line? Furthermore, given the meager capacity of a shotgun, being down by one load can be a disadvantage. It also implies you’re using a pump action shotgun, which as I’ve said before doesn’t equate to the simpliest firearm to operate.

Bauer also touts a shotgun’s stopping power and says it’s good for beginners because it requires less aim than a hangun.   She recommends loading it with a No. 4 buckshot.

So something that kicks like a mule is good for a beginner? If you don’t practice with it, that recoil is going to be an unwelcome surprise. If you do practice with it, that recoil is going to wear on you and how willing will you be to continue to practice when your shoulder says “no more”?  Less aim? Hardly. Check out Box O’ Truth #3’s list of Lessons Learned #2. In fact, take a read over my take on a home defense tool, which talks about shotguns as a home-defense weapon.

“Birdshot,” says Gregory, “won’t go through the walls of your house which means  family members in other rooms, like your children, won’t get injured.”

If it won’t go through walls of your house, it won’t go through the bad guy either. Again, see The Box O’ Truth. That isn’t to say that birdshot doesn’t have a place, but it’s not my first choice (then, neither is a shotgun).

Gun store owner Hill says you should take your time choosing your first gun.  And if more than one person will be using it, both people should come to the shop to get a feel for the gun’s size and weight.

“The wife should always come with her husband,” he says.  “A gun is a lot like buying a mattress. It’s what feels good to the hand.”

I will agree that you should take your time choosing your first gun. I emphasized this in my previous article. I’ll also agree that if more than one person will be using it, you should tailor things for both people. For instance, I’m certainly right-handed, but my wife is fairly ambidextrous and tends to shoot lefty. As a result, choosing firearms that have ambidextrous features (e.g. magazine releases) is a good thing. If you have to make a choice to serve one person over another, choose either the dominant user of that or the smaller person. So if the firearm is going to be used 95% by this one person, I’d say to set things up primarily to suit that person, but ensure the other person can use it because chances are that 5% of the time may be the time that saves someone’s life. Or opt to fit the smaller person because it’s easier for a big person to use something fitted for a smaller person, but it’s tough for a smaller person to use something fitted for a larger person.

Our experts’ second choice is a .38 revolver.   They selected this gun because it’s easy to load and unload.  And, unlike semi-automatic handguns, revolvers don’t jam.

While a .38 isn’t the worst caliber in the world, there are better. I spoke to revolvers earlier, but on the subject of loading and unloading them well… are they easy to (un)load? I suppose, especially if you use things like speed loaders to load them. I don’t find dropping a magazine and inserting a new one into a semi-automatic handgun to be that difficult an operation. But either way, the key is to practice. Can a revolver jam? Maybe not jam, but they are mechanical and like anything mechanical that can break and/or malfunction. They are not immune.

“If you’re going to stand your ground,” says Gregory, “then a shotgun will work.  But if you’re going to be moving around your house, you can’t hold a shotgun and a cell phone or flashlight at the same time.  A handgun is easier and it’s more accurate.”

If you’re going to move around your house, this is why something like an M4-gery works well. They do raise a good point about two hands and operation. This is why having a weapon-mounted flashlight can be useful. This is also why it’s important to not just have these tools, but having a plan on how to use these tools.

Whether you choose a revolver or a shotgun, all our experts agree, you need to learn how to use your firearm.

Although I haven’t agreed with a lot of their advice, this final point is one we certainly agree on. No matter what tools you choose, you need the education and training to learn how to use it.

Updated: John The Texaner has a reply to this posting (as you can see in my comments). So in the spirit of that, I’d like to reply to his reply. 🙂

In general we’re in agreement on things. He is right that this particular blog posting deals with new shooters as the article this blog entry replies to was geared towards first-time shooters. As I stated in my other piece on choosing a gun, knowledge is best. As John mentions, getting range time is invaluable because it gives you “hands on” experience and first-hand knowledge towards what works for you. The first time you feel the recoil from a 12 gauge, your eyes are opened a little bit. 🙂  Education is so important.

He does touch on an interesting point worth elaborating. John mentions how he took his girlfriend to the range, and unfortunately it wasn’t the best range experience: indoor range shooting 12 gauge slugs. That’s not a great initiation. While sometimes that may be how it has to go (and this certainly isn’t a slight or comment on John), generally a good way to introduce a newbie to firearms is gentle and easy. Find a good location that is as free of other distractions and issues as possible… indoor ranges aren’t ideal because they’re loud, but sometimes that’s all you have. Outdoor can be better for noise, but maybe not for weather. Then when you choose a firearm, pick something light and easy. For instance, for a total novice, start with a .22. Move to a 9mm or a .38. Then try a rifle like an AR, then a .308. Basically, you’re moving up the ladder of power, slow and gradual. It’s often more successful to ease people into things instead of dropping them off the deep end. Again, not a comment on John, just  was an opportunity to make a general comment about introducing people to firearms.

One thing John mentions is the special stock that he added to his shotgun. How it improved the recoil is awesome. It also points out something to consider. You’ll see in the picture on his page how it has a shell holder on the buttstock. Carrying extra ammo is good. One disadvantage to this setup is it’s biased towards shouldering on the right shoulder. What if the shotgun has to be shoulders on the left? This is a consideration for lefties, but it’s also a consideration for righties because sometimes you may have to shoot “weak side”. This is why I think something like a TacStar SideSaddle is a better solution. But again, your needs are likely different from mine. There’s nothing wrong with a buttstock setup, just ensure it works for you.

But one place where John and I disagree is on the choice of home defense weapon. That’s OK. He practices hard with his choice, and in a lot of ways that’s key. He points out the strengths of the shotgun, and there’s no question it’s a devistating weapon. I’ve laid out reasons why I think there are better choices, but that’s why I’ve suggested before that the key thing for folks to do is to take your time, get educated, and make the best decision you can that works to suit your needs. No one holds the monopoly on “the ultimately weapon” and really what’s ultimate is what’s ultimately works for you and your needs. What you feel is best to address your situation, what you’re willing to become educated on, what you’re willing to practice with, what you’re willing to build your skills on.

John, thank you for your input! Much appreciated!

Notes from my workout

/ hsoi

Went into the garage this morning and worked out with the heavy bag (Wavemaster XXL… I’d prefer a real hanging bag but don’t have the infrastructure to handle the abuse). Worked on various things. Some random notes:

  • If you want to “get off the X”, you cannot open with a kick…. feet gotta be used for moving, not attacking.
  • Continuing to work on “eyes level“. Eyes need to be in a middle ground between focused and uninvolved. Aware, I guess is about the best term I can come up with. Helps spin kicks and spin back/side kicks too. Even just turning for moving.
  • Continuing to work on hand positioning. The more I work with this, the more I like it. I find more and more how it fits the combatives approach/road I’m going down.
  • I want to hang a tennis ball (or something) from the garage ceiling to help work on bobbing, weaving, dodging.

I also finally circumscribed my bag. I’ve got an older Wavemaster XXL with logos and words running vertically up the length of the bag, so I knew about where the “S” was was about the level of the solar plexus, and other relative locations to body parts. Trouble was, if you weren’t facing that side of the bag, you could only guess. So I finally got a magic marker out and drew circles around the bag about where things are. I opted to draw lines at the level of the waist, solar plexus, nipples, and chin. This helps when looking for areas to target, with whatever you’re using.

HB 1893 update

/ hsoi

I just received an email update from TSRA that HB 1893 passed out of committee by a 5-3 vote.

As of this writing the bill’s page isn’t updated and I can’t find more details yet… hopefully more details soon.

Updated: Still waiting on the meeting minutes. I’d like to know who voted how.

Updated 2: Finally, the meeting minutes have been posted. I list their name followed by party affiliation, district number, and NRA 2008 grade:

For: Merritt (R, 7, A); Frost (D, 1, A+); Driver (R, 113, A+); King, Phil (R, 61, A+); Lewis (R, 81, C).

Against: Burnam (D, 90, F); Mallory Caraway (D, 110, C); Rodriguez, Eddie (D, 51, D).

Absent: Vo (D, 149, B+)

Imaginary boundaries

/ hsoi / 6 Comments

Another article discussing Texas’ effort for concealed carry on college campuses.

Though most college students are legally adults, they are still maturing and are often subject to stress that can lead to depression, substance abuse and other mental health issues, the statement says. Bringing guns into that environment could be dangerous.

The proposed law only extends to people with a concealed handgun license, which in Texas means you must be at least 21 years of age.  Furthermore, these same people can carry when not on campus. Is there something about the invisible line of a campus boundary that changes things? If a person is having problems, they’re going to have them on both sides of that line. If they’re not having problems, they’re going to not have them on both sides of that line.

Shirley Reed, president of South Texas College, said she also opposes the legislation and believes security should be left to the professionals. Although concealed handgun licensees may know how to use a weapon, they are not versed in how to make the judgment of whether to fire it, she said.

Because they are professionals doesn’t mean much. I can’t carry a cop around with me all day every day. Even if I could, it’s been ruled time and time again they are under no obligation to actually provide any sort of security. Then even if they would, it doesn’t mean they are effective and capable. Furthermore, Ms. Reed states that a licensees are not versed on how to make the judgment of whether to fire a gun. If you are in fear of your life, you can fire it. If you are not, then you shouldn’t be firing it. But apparently I can’t make that judgment call…. and then I wonder, what else are we not capable of judging? Ms. Reed, if you don’t think we’re capable of that, what do you think we’re capable of? Just what do you think of us and our ability? Why do you think so little of the students that attend South Texas College? Are you that ineffective as an educator?

“I strongly believe in the right to bear arms,” [Rep. Veronica] Gonzales [D-McAllen] said. “But there’s a time and a place for it.”

Please tell me, Rep. Gonzales, what that time and place is. Furthermore, it sounds like you have the ability to see into the future and can predict when bad things are going to happen. I don’t have such an ability, so the best I can do is take a cue from my Boy Scout training and Be Prepared.

“A school should be a peaceful environment,” Gonzales said

Why does a school get some sort of special treatment and consideration? It is not holy ground (and this isn’t Highlander). 

Marcos Silva, the [UTPA] student body president, said students have told him that if they knew a classmate had a gun, they would be more likely to focus on that person than what a professor was saying.

Why? You’re college students. You’re supposed to be open-minded. You consider yourselves wonderful good people that don’t hate, that don’t carry around prejudices. So why this attitude? Facts show folks issued a concealed handgun license tend to be amazingly law-abiding; in fact, they tend to be more law-abiding than the general populace. Why do you want to focus on a law-abiding citizen? Looking for a role model?
“If the law permits it for adults, with licenses … what is the problem?” said [Rep. Aaron] Peña, D-Edinburg. “We’re not dealing with children here. We’re dealing with adults.”
Apparently some think adults are only capable of exercising their own judgment in certain situations. In other situations in other places, they apparently need their mother or big brother to make their decisions for them.

Dry fire, do you do it?

/ hsoi / 7 Comments

So everyone goes on about the rising cost of ammo, the reluctance to shoot what little ammo you have, the difficulty in getting to the range, and whatever excuse possible. I don’t disagree… I don’t get to the range nearly as much as I want to either, and even shooting a .22 is getting expensive! However, that’s OK. Dry fire is a fantastic way to keep your chops up.

One great thing about dry fire is you can practice skills that you just can’t practice at the gun range. For instance, does your range let you draw from a holster? If not, that’s ok, you can do it as a part of your dry fire practice at home. Can you do movement drills at the range? If not, you can do it at home with dry fire.

Really, there’s no excuse not to dry fire.

When (not if) you dry fire, you must do it safely. Kathy Jackson has a great article on safety practice for dry fire. The biggest thing is to ensure a clear cut distinction between your dry fire session and the time before and after the session. That when you start, you verify the gun is unloaded and ensure a safe environment. While you practice, you practice uninterrupted and if for some reason you are interrupted you ensure when you pick up the gun again that you start practice all over again (i.e. verify the state of the gun). When practice is over, it’s over. Yes it might seem silly to recite aloud that the gun is unloaded, but there’s nothing silly about a negligent discharge. Frame your practice time appropriately.

I forget who said this, but one of the top shooters said something to the effect of for every live round you wish to fire at the range, you should do 10 dry fires. So if you want to go through 200 rounds at the range, you better dry fire 2000 “rounds” at home beforehand. You will be much better off, and the time and ammo you spend at the range will be time and ammo much better spent. Don’t believe me? Try it.

You can find lots of great dry fire training aids online. Some of my favorites:

Just about any shooting drill can be adapted for dry fire. Remember: slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Strive to be correct, perfect, and smooth. Once you can do that at a given (slow) speed, speed it up by 10%. Practice the things you like, practice more the things you hate. Don’t focus on your mistakes and failures, envision your success.

If you carry a concealed handgun, you owe it to yourself to be the best you can be. Handgun skills are perishable, so you have to keep your chops up. Even if it’s nothing more than doing 10 draws and presentation from concealment, you can find the 5 minutes a day to do it. Someday, your life may depend on it.